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 […]
Strong Plea for Early Entry into Force of Nuclear Ban Treaty
By Jamshed Baruah GENEVA (IDN) – On the eve of a crucial international conference, an eminent Buddhist organization advocating a nuclear-weapon-free world has called for the signing, ratification and early entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) adopted by 122 UN member states as a sign of their resolve […]
800 Million People Face Dire Prospects Despite Upturn in Global Economy – UN Report
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations in a major report has warned that the prospects of about 800 million of the world’s poorest people remain dire. Though the global economy is experiencing a moderate upturn, and momentum around sustainable investing is growing, the vast majority of investment is still short-term oriented […]
Japan Funds UNIDO Project to Boost Employment in Lebanon
By Reinhardt Jacobsen VIENNA | BEIRUT (IDN) – The Government of Japan has announced that it will fund a project to create jobs in the carpentry and construction sectors in northern Lebanon. This is one of eight new projects implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Liberia, Nigeria, […]
Costa Rica Advised To Make Growth More Inclusive
By Robert Johnson PARIS (IDN) – Costa Rica, renowned for its ecological footprint, forest protection and abundant biodiversity, has made impressive economic and social progress in recent years, with robust economic growth facilitating near-universal access to education, health care and pensions. But the Central American country is faced with a fundamental challenge: its fiscal imbalance, […]
Back to the Past with Trump’s National Security Strategy – Part 4
Viewpoint by Michele Nobile* This is the fourth of a four-part article looking at the approach to Russia and China in the national security strategy of the United States under the administration of President Donald Trump. The article is a follow-up to the five-part article by the same author on ‘US Foreign Policy and Trump’s […]
Forward To a New Vision for the ACP Group
By Andrew Holness Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica delivered a strong message on ACP solidarity in preparation for new relations with the EU when he addressed the Committee of Ambassadors of the 79-member African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States in Brussels on 16 April 2018. Following are extensive excerpts from his remarks, which […]
Back to the Past with Trump’s National Security Strategy – Part 3
Viewpoint by Michele Nobile* This is the third of a four-part article looking at the approach to Russia and China in the national security strategy of the United States under the administration of President Donald Trump. The article is a follow-up to the five-part article by the same author on ‘US Foreign Policy and Trump’s […]