IDN-InDepthNews

By UNCTAD

GENEVA (IDN-INPS) – Covered in steep hills and tropical forest, the tiny almost-island nation of Timor-Leste (East Timor) faced an uncertain future when it became independent from Indonesia in 2002.

But using its newly discovered oil for the benefit of its 1.2 million population, the fledgling democracy halved its infant and child mortality rates, boosted literacy, and saw national income rise from $810 per capita at independence to $3,940 in 2012.

The nation might have been eligible to graduate from its least developed country (LDC) status – a UN designation – by late 2021. But it depends heavily on its oil and gas exports, and tumbling oil prices have halved national income to $1,920 per capita in 2015, putting graduation into doubt.

By Devinder Kumar

NEW DELHI | GENEVA (IDN) – As India takes a prominent place in the globalised economy, it can choose its development path, and look beyond a linear ‘take, make and dispose’ model of growth by embarking on a circular economy transformation, and thus create economic, environmental and social value for its businesses and population, says a new report.

All the more so because “in an interconnected world predicated largely on a linear economic model, India’s development faces resource challenges and negative externalities – yet this scenario is not inevitable, and many opportunities can be derived from adopting a value-preserving model”, says the report produced by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in association with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – In the midst of mounting political tension on the Korean peninsula, a new report from the United Nations human rights wing has drawn attention to more than 60 years of “involuntary” separation between families from the two Koreas and called for multifaceted steps in order to encourage reunion and alleviate the suffering of families.

The report, published on December 7 by the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR), documents the experiences of families who have been torn apart since the 1950-1953 Korean War through displacement, forced disappearance and abductions, and as a result of those fleeing the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), official name of North Korea.

MUMBAI (IDN | UN Women) – Unveiling a new partnership, UN Women and the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IMC) organized (on December 6) a high-level event to underline the critical link between women’s economic empowerment and ending violence against women, and the need for urgent and adequate investment in the twin themes.

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on a visit to India was the Chief Guest at the conference titled “WeUNiTE: Investing in Planet 50-50”. Private sector leaders, UN officials, gender experts and activists explored how skill development, entrepreneurship and innovation could help achieve gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK | ASTANA (IDN) – As Kazakhstan inches towards celebrating 25th anniversary of its independence on December 16, senior officials from the European Union, Russia and China as well as parliamentarians and experts from several countries have commended the country’s achievements since 1991 and welcomed its new international role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council beginning January 2017 for two years.

Chairman of the Mazhilis (lower chamber of Parliament) Nurlan Nigmatulin reflected the views of participants in an international conference in Astana, when he said the election of Kazakhstan, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2017-2018 was a “convincing evidence of the high international authority of Kazakhstan and its leader Nursultan Nazarbayev”.

By Ronald Joshua

ROME (IDN) – King Letsie III of Lesotho has been appointed as Special Ambassador of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for Nutrition. The Organization’s Director-General, José Graziano da Silva, made the announcement at the high-level International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition  December 1-2, 21016.

The Symposium was held to explore country-level challenges and successes in the nutritional reshaping of food production, processing, marketing and retail systems. Malnutrition – including obesity and micronutrient deficiencies – blights the lives of billions of individuals and can trap generations in a vicious cycle of poverty.