By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA (IDN) – Air pollution is by far the world’s largest single environmental health risk and a leading cause of death by cancer. It kills 7 million people every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Closely linked to climate change, air pollution is a major cause of environmental degradation. It […]
Saudi Arabia Seeks to Enrich Uranium
By Shannon Bugos The writer is a Research Assistant at the Arms Control Association, where she contributes research and analysis, reports for Arms Control Today. WASHINGTON, DC (IDN-INPS) – Saudi Arabia intends to enrich uranium to fuel its planned nuclear power program, the country’s new energy minister said on September 9. The Saudi position could […]
EU Enhances Support for FAO to Benefit ACP States
By Jaya Ramachandran ROME (IDN | ACP) – European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, and Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Qu Dongyu, signed on October 14 a new agreement enabling the EU to provide an additional €9 million to support the UN agency’s work in Africa, the Caribbean and […]
Ekaterina Dyachenko Assesses Russia-Africa Trade
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – For decades, Russia has been looking for effective ways to promote multifaceted ties and new strategies for cooperation in economic areas in Africa. Now, Kremlin will hold the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi on October 23-24 with high hopes of enhancing multifaceted ties, trying to reshape the existing […]
UN Focuses on Rural Women’s Role in Ensuring Food Security
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – Since the first International Day of Rural Women was observed on October 15, 2008, there is agreement that rural women and girls, including indigenous women, play a critical role in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty. In fact when the UN […]
UN Concerned that the World Is Off-Track to End Hunger and Poverty by 2030
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – Ahead of the World Food Day on October 16 and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17, the United Nations Is warning that the world is not on track to end hunger and poverty by 2030 – and hence missing the deadline for achieving […]
What Modi-Xi Meeting Doesn’t Tell About the Sino-Indian Tango
Viewpoint by Manish Uprety* F.R.A.S. and Dr. Yiyong Liang NEW DELHI (IDN) – Informal meetings are a rarity between two formal regional powers, more so between two tea-drinking nations that comprise over 37% of the human population. The Modi-Xi informal meeting in Mamallapuram – a World Heritage Site in the south Indian state of Tamil […]
Costa Rica Triggers Climate Ambition towards COP25 in Chile
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK | SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica (IDN) –- On the road towards the 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held in Santiago, Chile, from December 2 to 13, delegates have called for “more climate ambition”. The three-day preparatory […]
Foreign Policy Options for a New Administration in Sri Lanka
Viewpoint by Dr Palitha Kohona The writer is former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, and former Foreign Secretary.The following is based on a presentation made at the Annual Convention of the Organisation of Professional Associations. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and […]
Russia and Africa Need to Know More About Each Other
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – After several years of consistently constructive criticisms, Russian authorities have finally put on the agenda the topic of media cooperation for further panel discussions during the first Russia-Africa Summit on October 23-24 in Sochi, southern coastal city of Russia. The Russia-Africa Summit programme, released last month, explicitly notes […]