Viewpoint by Ambassador Adam Bugajski Following are extensive excerpts from Ambassador Adam Bugajski’s Reflections on the second session of the preparatory committee (2nd PrepCom) of the 2020 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) from April 23 to May 4, 2018 at the UN in Geneva, which he chaired in […]
UN Climate Talks Show Business Support For Paris Agreement
By Jaya Ramachandran BONN (IDN) – Over 700 leading businesses around the world, together representing 2.62 gigatons of emissions equivalent to the total annual emissions of India, have made strategic climate commitments through the ‘We Mean Business’ coalition’s Take Action campaign. Organizers of the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) to be held in San Francisco […]
Mobilising Finance and Regional Cooperation Key To Sustainable Development in Asia-Pacific
Viewpoint by Shamshad Akhtar Building on steady economic growth, how can Governments in Asia and the Pacific ensure that such performance is sustained over time, is inclusive and has minimal environmental implications? What is the near-term macroeconomic outlook in the region, and what are the major current and emerging challenges? These are some of the […]
Conference on Justice for Child Prisoners in Africa
Viewpoint by Assefa Bequele and Alex Kamarotos* ADDIS ABABA (IDN) – Let us begin with the positive. Unlike some years back, children are now very much on the political and public agenda in Africa. Every politician loves to talk about them, and the African Union has adopted a charter to protect them and a mechanism […]
The Quest for Order in a Time of Chaos
Viewpoint by Boaventura de Sousa Santos* COIMBRA, Portugal (IDN) – The bombing of Syrian sites where chemical weapons are supposedly being manufactured or stocked, allegedly to be used by the Bashar al-Assad government against rebels, has left citizens all over the world in a state of confusion, filled with a mixture of perplexity and scepticism. […]
Parliament Moves To Block UK As Safe Haven For Dirty Money
By Robert Johnson LONDON (IDN) – An estimated $21 to $32 trillion of private financial wealth is located, untaxed or lightly taxed, in secrecy jurisdictions around the world as the Financial Secrecy Index names tax havens, which play a key role in facilitating the illicit flow of money across borders. “Corruption, bribery, theft and tax […]
The Buzz About India Planning To Capture The Commonwealth
Viewpoint by Shastri Ramachandaran* NEW DELHI (IDN) – Indians who think that we have outdone Britain in all things British – such as the English language, cricket and the Westminster model and that only the Commonwealth remains to be captured – should think again. Since the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), held from April […]
Young People Head SDG Publicity in Iceland
By Lowana Veal REYKJAVIK (IDN) – Iceland has decided to spearhead publicity for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by setting up a 12-person council of young people aged between 13 and 18, under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Over 140 young people applied for the 12 places and, according to Nilsina Larsen […]
A Ugandan Brings Home The Value Of Neglected Minerals
By Prossy Nandudu KAMPALA (ACP-IDN) – With the African population expected to increase by roughly 50 percent over the next 18 years to over 1.8 billion in 2035, demands for mineral resources will also climb sharply to meet the need for additional housing units, roads, energy and other urban infrastructure using development minerals, averred Dr […]
U.S.-Led NATO Tops Global Military Expenditure Of $1.7 Trillion
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | STOCKHOLM (IDN) – Countries around the world are increasing their military expenditure. While the 29 NATO members together account for 52 per cent of world spending and the United States continues to have the highest military expenditure among them, China, India and Saudi Arabia are contributing the lion’s share of the […]