By Ronald Joshua GENEVA (IDN) – Foreign direct investment is critical for developing and emerging market countries. Their companies need the multinationals’ funding and expertise to expand their international sales. The countries need private investment in infrastructure, energy, and water to increase jobs and wages. In fact the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) […]
Trust Deficit Disorder Jeopardising Sustainable Development
By António Guterres The following are extensive extracts from UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to finance ministers and central bank governors at the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) in Bali, Indonesia, on October 13, 2018. Stressing that the meeting was taking place “at a time of enormous uncertainty”, he cautioned that high debts in […]
UN Urges Saudi Arabia to Release All Incarcerated Women Human Rights Defenders
By Jamshed Baruah GENEVA (IDN) – For the second time since July 31, UN human rights experts are calling on Saudi Arabia to “immediately and unconditionally” release all women human rights defenders, including six imprisoned on charges relating to their peaceful defence of human rights. The detained have been charged for being involved in pro-democracy […]
World Religious Leaders’ Astana Congress Pledges ‘Unity in Diversity’
By Ramesh Jaura ASTANA (IDN) – At a critical point in time when religious tolerance is being consigned to oblivion, an international conference has appealed “to all people of faith and goodwill” to unite, and called for “ensuring peace and harmony on our planet”. The appeal emerged from the two-day Congress of the Leaders of […]
U.S. Foolish To Start Another Cold War, Says Jack Ma
By Kalinga Seneviratne KUALA LUMPUR (IDN) – U.S. will suffer more from the current trade war with China, warned Alibaba founder Jack Ma addressing over 1000 business leaders, government officials and economic experts from Malaysia and across the region attending the China Conference here on October 10-11. He added that America has been growing and […]
More Transparency Could Ricochet ‘Debt Trap’ Accusations against China
By Kalinga Seneviratne KUALA LUMPUR (IDN) – One of the major discussions at the ‘China Conference’ organized by the Hong Kong based South China Morning Post (SCMP) on October 10-11, was China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the perception created in the region, by the western media in particular, that it is a ‘debt […]
An Indian Woman Rises from the Downtrodden to a Socially Aware Multimillionaire
By Sudha Ramachandran BANGALORE (IDN) – In 2013, Kalpana Saroj, Chairperson of the Mumbai-based Kamani Tubes Ltd. (KTL), was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest honour for civilians, for her achievements in the fields of Trade and Industry. Saroj was successful in turning around the fortunes of KTL, a manufacturing company producing quality copper […]
Creating A World Where We All Feel Secure
Viewpoint by Samir Somaiya The author is President of the Institute on the study of Indology and inter-religious dialogue ‘Somaiya Vidyavihar’. The following is the text of his remarks at the two-day Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on October 10, 2018 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, with the key topic […]
Faith Communities Play A Vital Role in Ensuring Human Security
Viewpoint by Hirotsugu Terasaki The author is Vice President, Director General of International Bureau, Peace and Global Issues, United Nations Liaison Offices, Soka Gakkai. The following is the text of his remarks at the opening session of the two-day Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on October 10, 2018 in Astana, the […]
Kazakh President Urges Religious Leaders to Help Resolve ‘Civilizational’ Problems
Viewpoint by Nursultan Nazarbayev The author is the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Following are extensive excerpts from his opening address to the two-day Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on October 10, 2018 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. He shared with religious leaders “a vision of the areas that […]