Global Partnerships

Photo: Top African leaders at the IATF2021. Credi-pt: IATF2021

Intra-African Trade Fair Aims to Strengthen the Continent's Industrial Base

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW | DURBAN (IDN) — South Africa is hosting a weeklong Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021), which provides a unique and valuable platform for businesses to access an integrated African market of over 1.2 billion people with a GDP of over US$2.5 trillion.

Organized by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union and the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it is the 2nd edition of the IATF, taking place in Durban from November 15-21.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Africa; 18 November 2021

The Contours of Central Asia’s Rapid Integration are Underlined by New Railway Agreements

Viewpoint by M.K. Bhadrakumar *

This article was produced in partnership by Indian Punchline and Globetrotter. M.K. Bhadrakumar is a former Indian diplomat. Source: Globetrotter

NEW DELHI (IDN) — The information war is so intense nowadays that unsung melodies are often more alluring that the sung ones. The lines from English poet Shelley’s famous ode To a Skylark come to mind — ‘In the broad day-light / Thou art unseen, but yet I hear thy shrill delight…’

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 17 November 2021

New US Envoy to Colombo, Julie Chung, Emphasises Constructive Ties

Viewpoint by Sugeeswara Senadhira

COLOMBO (IDN) — Recently, Sri Lanka has been wooed by world powers—particularly China, US, India and Russia—thus, in view of Sri Lanka’s desire to engage with major powers through continued cooperation in areas that are beneficial to the country, it is very interesting to note the American ambassador designate Julie Chung’s emphasis that the United States needs to build constructive relationships with Sri Lanka.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; OPINION; 27 October 2021

G20 Also Needs to Act to Curb Short-Term Capital Flows and Fund Development

Viewpoint by Nagesh Kumar and Kevin Gallagher

Nagesh Kumar, a former Chief Economist of UNESCAP, is Director of Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, a New Delhi based policy think-tank. He tweets @nageshkum. Kevin Gallagher is Professor and Director of the Global Development Policy Centre, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, USA. He tweets @KevinPGallagher

: Opinion Editor; GLOBAL GOVERNANCE; The Group of Twenty (G20); 27 October 2021

Why Finance in Common's Big Promises Should be Seen with Caution: Examples from Brazil

By Iara Pietricovsky & Livi Gerbase

Iara Pietricovskyis, current President of FORUS - International Forum of NGO Platforms and co-director OF INESC - Institute of Socioeconomic Studies, at the Brazilian NGO Association (Abong). She has represented the institution in international fora, especially the socio-environmental and indigenous areas, and has a degree in Social Sciences, specializing in Anthropology. Livi Gerbase is the policy adviser for the Brazilian Institute for Socioeconomic Studies - INESC, working in the area of public budgeting, tax justice and monitoring of international financial institutions. She holds a master's degree in International Political Economy from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

: Europe Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Global Partnerships; 24 October 2021

UN Agency Calls for More Funds for Developing Nations from World's Largest Institutional Investors

By Jaya Ramachandran

GENEVA (IDN) — Sustainable finance and the global capital market play an important role in meeting a growing need to mobilize the vast sums of capital needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. The agenda provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

: UN Bureau; UN INSIDER; 20 October 2021

Public Development Banks Fail to Meet Commitments to Human Rights & Community-led Development

Viewpont by Siddharth Akali

The writer is an international lawyer who has been trained by local communities, Indigenous governments and peoples in Canada, India and Nepal. He works as director of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development, a global coalition of social movements, civil society organizations, and grassroots groups working together to ensure that development is community-led and that it respects, protects, and fulfills human rights.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 16 October 2021

Photo: Bali opened the country for tourism on October 14. Source: Travelling Lifestyle.

As Asia Grapples 'Living With COVID-19' Media May Need to Shed Adversarial Culture

Viewpoint By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — Indonesia’s popular tourism islands of Bali opened for tourism October 14, while Thailand announced that from November 1 vaccinated travellers from 19 countries will be allowed to visit the kingdom including its tourism island of Phuket. Both those countries’ tourism industry, which is a major revenue earner, has been devastated by over 18 months of inactivity that have impacted on the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of people.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; OPINION; 15 October 2021

Kazakhstan Has A Vested Interest In Afghanistan’s Stability

By Akhas Tazhutov

The writer is a political analyst. This article first appeared in Eurasia Review on October 1, 2021.

ALMATY (IDN) — What should be taken into account when analyzing the Kazakh government’s attitude and policies toward Afghanistan? According to Kazakh media reports, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Kabul, Alimkhan Esengeldiev, met with the acting foreign minister in the Taliban (insurgent group banned in Kazakhstan) government of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, on September 26, 2021.

: Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Central Asia; 06 October 2021

Photo: Personal care kits are distributed to families affected by the Beirut port explosion in Lebanon. (file) Credit: UNICEF/Fouad Choufany

UN Announces Humanitarian Plan to Address ‘Living Nightmare’ in Lebanon

By Radwan Jakeem

NEW YORK (IDN) — Lebanon has been assured critical life-saving assistance and protection to some 1.1 million citizens and migrants over the next 12 months. The UN and humanitarian partners have announced an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) worth $383 million.

The ERP covers 119 projects in the sectors of education, food security, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, child protection and protection against gender-based violence.