Global Partnerships

Photo: Ghana's Foreign Minister Botchwey.

Foreign Minister Botchwey on Russia's Trade and Investment in Ghana, the Gateway to the West African Region

Interview by Kester Kenn Klomegah*

MOSCOW (IDN) — For more than six decades, Ghana and Russia have had excellent diplomatic relations and are looking forward to build stronger economic cooperation. During these years, the bilateral political, economic and cultural engagements have transited through different distinctive phases taking cognizance of challenges and setbacks including the political changes and administration in Ghana, and the collapse of the Soviet era and emergence of the Russian Federation.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Russia; 16 August 2021

Photo: West Papuan students at a Pacific Media Centre seminar discussing the future for “voiceless” media in a world stressed by the covid-19 pandemic. Del Abcede/Asia Pacific Report

Pacific ‘Voice of The Voiceless’ Media in Renewed Post-Covid Struggle

By David Robie

The writer, Dr David Robie, is editor of Asia Pacific Report, founding editor of Pacific Journalism Review and former director of the Pacific Media Centre.

AUCKLAND (IDN) — Pacific journalism educators are worried that the global covid pandemic has threatened media development programmes in a vast region of island microstates at a time when expertise in health and climate change reporting has never been greater. The news media industry in some countries has recognised this need and is trying to boost resources and human skills.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 10 August 2021

Photo: Iran men's national kabaddi team, which won gold, halting India's dominance in Asian Games 2018. Credit: Fars News Agency. CC BY 4.0

Asian Sports Should Be Better Represented in Olympics

By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — Japan was the first Asian country to host a summer Olympic Games in 1964 and this year became the only Asian country to host it twice. The Olympics that concluded on August 8, included very few sports that could be called Asian, and the question begs whether Japan had done enough to promote more Asian sports in the latest Olympic Games.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Sustainable Cities & Communities; 10 August 2021

Photo: First Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi in October 2019. Credit: summitafrica.ru

Russia Urged to Deliver On its African Pledges

By Kester Kenn Klomegah*

MOSCOW (IDN) — Russia has a long time-tested relationship with Africa. After the first symbolic Russia-Africa summit in the Black Sea city of Sochi on October 23-24, 2019 both Russia and Africa adopted a joint declaration, a comprehensive document that outlines the key objectives and necessary tasks that seek to raise assertively the entire relations to a new qualitative level.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Russia; 04 August 2021

Photo: Prof. Srinivas M., Dean, ESIC Medical College, Hyderabad with Mr. Manish Uprety F.R.A.S., ALCAP's Special Adviser- Asia & Africa

Documentaries for Development — ESIC Medical College Hyderabad signs MOU with ALCAP

By Niba Mirza*

HYDERABAD (IDN) — In the times of COVID-19, the Audiovisual Regional Hub of the Asociación Latinoamericana de Comunicación Audiovisual Parlamentaria, ALCAP, or the Latin American Parliamentary Association of Audio-Visual Communication, signed a MOU with the ESIC Medical College, Hyderabad for joint-movie/documentary productions concerned with the pandemic and other global public health issues on August 4, 2021.

: Europe Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Quality Education; 04 August 2021

Photo: Mr. Juan Carlos Salazar officially assumed the office of Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on August 1. Source: ICAO

A Colombian Replaces China's Dr. Liu as Head of UN's Civil Aviation Organization

By J C Suresh

TORONTO | MONTREAL (IDN) — Colombia's Mr. Juan Carlos Salazar officially assumed the office of Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on August 1, succeeding Dr. Fang Liu of China. Mr Salazar is the second to replace a Chinese as head of a UN specialized agency.

: J C Suresh; UN INSIDER; 01 August 2021

Honduras Granted USD20 Million OPEC Fund Loan to Help Improve Climate Resilience of Rural Communities

By Reinhard Jacobsen

VIENNA (IDN) — The OPEC Fund for International Development has signed a US$20 million loan agreement with Honduras to co-finance the 'Northeastern Small Producers' Economic and Social Inclusion Project—PROINORTE'. The importance of the project lies in the fact that the Central American nation's economy is primarily agricultural, making it especially vulnerable to natural disasters such as Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

: Reinhard Jacobsen; SUSTAINABILITY; Poverty; 23 July 2021

Photo: The joint drills of the Chinese, Russian and South African Navy demonstrate the countries' willingness to cooperate to ensure stability, according to spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang. © Marshal Ustinov missile cruiser.

Russia and China: Geopolitical Rivals and Competitors in Africa

Interview by Kester Kenn Klomegah*

MOSCOW (IDN) — The growth of neo-colonial tendencies, the current geopolitical developments and the scramble for its resources by external countries in Africa: these are some of the issues researcher and business analyst Lipton Matthews recently discussed with Kester Kenn Klomegah for InDepthNews (IDN). Matthews is associated with Merion West, The Federalist, American Thinker, Intellectual Takeout, Mises Institute, and Imaginative Conservative.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Africa; 22 July 2021

Photo (Left to Right): Bandula Vithanarachchi of TTV Media Hub and Manish Uprety F.R.A.S. of ALCAP

ALCAP Ventures into Sri Lanka for Joint Movie Production

By Niba Mirza*

COLOMBO (IDN) — Sri Lanka which from time immemorial is linked to South America through the Indian Ocean is now also connected through Joint Movie/ Documentary co-production and audiovisual exchange.

The Asociación Latinoamericana de Comunicación Audiovisual Parlamentaria, ALCAP, or the Latin American Parliamentary Association of Audiovisual Communication, signed a MOU with TTV Media Hub of Sri Lanka so that bridges between Sri Lanka and South America can be diversified and strengthened via enhanced Audiovisual exchange and Joint Movie Production.

: Asia Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Quality Education; 20 July 2021

Photo: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) paid an official working visit to White House and held talks with President Joe Biden (R) on July 15, 2021. Source: India Punchline

US-China Relations Face Transitional Period Ahead

Viewpoint by M.K. Bhadrakumar *

NEW DELHI (IDN) — The 'official working visit' by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the White House on July 15 has been most conspicuous for its subdued tone regarding the most fateful topic of her discussion with President Joe Biden—China.

Merkel's guarded remarks about China at the joint press conference with Biden came as no surprise but what took the breath away is that Biden himself treaded softly on that topic.