By Robert Johnson BRUSSELS | NAIROBI (ACP-IDN) – The co-presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) have welcomed the commitment of the 79-nation African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the 28-nation European Union (EU) to negotiate a successor Agreement to the ACP-EU Cotonou Partnership Agreement. The 15th Regional Meeting of the […]
South African Women Honoured For Anti-Nuclear Effort
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Using the knowledge gained in the anti-apartheid struggle, two South African women challenged a secret, multibillion-dollar nuclear deal that would have dotted South Africa with nuclear power plants from Russia. The women, Makoma Lekalakala and Liziwe McDaid, waged a five-year court battle against the plants. […]
‘Fire and Fury’ in Danger of Becoming Trump’s ‘Mantra’
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – A speech of General George Patton, a famous World War 2 warrior, has an uncanny resemblance to the philosophy of Donald Trump. “All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser – Americans despise cowards. Americans […]
‘Sri Lanka Unites’ Prepares Leaders for Tomorrow
By Jayantha Dhanapala This article was first carried by The Island, a Sri Lankan newspaper, on 21 April 2018. KANDY (IDN-INPS) – On a hot Saturday afternoon, I sat in the Father Mervyn Fernando Auditorium at the Subodhi Institute, Piliyandala to observe the concluding session of the Sri Lanka Unites Leadership Development Program “Let Them […]
Nuclear-Weapon States Leading ‘A New Qualitative Arms Race’
By Izumi Nakamitsu Following are extensive excerpts from a statement by Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs to Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2020 NPT Review Conference from 23 April to 4 May 2018 in Geneva. – The Editor GENEVA (IDN-INPS) – Secretary-General Guterres is currently developing his […]
Africa Grapples With Financing Climate Change Programmes
By Justus Wanzala NAIROBI (ACP-IDN) – African countries are faced with the huge challenge of funding climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes to ensure sustainable development. Hard hit by the impacts of climate change manifested in persistent droughts, floods, storms, rising sea levels and other forms of disasters, they are linking actions on tackling climate […]
UN and CTBTO Hail End to Nuclear Testing by North Korea, Denuclearization Remains a Mirage
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | VIENNA (IDN) – UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo have welcomed the announcement by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to halt its nuclear testing programme and to dismantle the test site. The announcement came six days ahead of the DPRK […]
Modi Government’s Plan to Interlink Rivers Splits the Nation
By Sudha Ramachandran BANGALORE (IDN) – As another scorching summer grips India and rivers begin running dry, the government’s Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) program to solve the country’s water problems is being heatedly discussed. Drawing attention to the water shortage and unequal distribution of water in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a strong champion […]
Wanted Urgent Action on Energy to Achieve Global Goals
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – About one billion people around the world live without electricity. Close to three billion lack access to clean cooking solutions and are exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution, which results in millions of deaths each year, mostly among women and children. Against this disquieting backdrop, a new […]
India Elected To Key United Nations ECOSOC Committees
By Santo D. Banerjee UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – India has been elected to several important subsidiary bodies of the 193-member UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which is at the heart of the United Nations system to advance the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental. It is the central platform for […]