Speaking Out for People, Planet and Peace

Viewpoint by Vijay Gokhale

This article by a former Foreign Secretary of India and a former Ambassador to China first appeared on The Hindu on 20 March 2020. It is republished because of an insider's view of the changing nature of China's diplomacy characterised by unilateralism and a one-size-fits-all approach. "China, post-COVID-19, will be operating in a very different external environment."

TORONTO (IDN) – If U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt believed that if you “speak softly and carry a big stick: you will go far”, half a century later and many thousands of miles away, another man practised it. His name was Zhou Enlai.

By UN Bureau

NEW YORK (IDN) – The upcoming 2020 Review Conference of a landmark international treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, presents "a timely opportunity for the States Parties to undertake a comprehensive review and assessment" of its current status, says the Joint Communiqué issued on May 19 by 17 States Party to the NPT.

A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States – USA; Russia, China, Britain and France – which entered into force in 1970. More countries have ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation and disarmament agreement, which analysts perceive as a testament to the Treaty's significance.

By Yadul Krishna*

NEW DELHI (IDN) – The left-ruled Indian State of Kerala remains in the global spot for its effective and efficient measures in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The state subjugated the Indian news headlines, projecting its potential, strength and humane approach to the outer world, leaving an operative model that other states can follow.

The government’s apt and adaptive state-interventionist strategy even garnered widespread attention across the world, with international media and academic journals, including that of MIT and Oxford, praising the robustness of the ‘Kerala Model’ of development.

The Future Is Wide Open

Viewpoint by Nathan Gardels, The World Post

The author is WorldPost co-founder and editor in chief. This article appeared first on THEWORLDPOST* on 23 May 2020 and is being republished in view of its forward-looking approach.

BERLIN (IDN) – The first real-time global pandemic has so broken the inertia of old ways that the future has rarely seemed so open. The slate is nearly wiped clean. The decisions we take now are thus immensely consequential because they will shape the times to come for the rest of the century and beyond.

Viewpoint by Bience Gawanas

The author is UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, OSAA. The following is the text of the statement by Ms. Gawanas from the OSAA website*.

NEW YORK (IDN) – If there ever was a time for full-scale global solidarity and cooperation to fight for health rights that time is now because no one country would ever be able to prevent or fully control the COVID-19 pandemic on its own. We are faced with an unprecedented situation brought about by the emergence and rapid spread of COVID-19, the biggest public health emergency of our time.

UN Agencies Call for a Joint Effort to Safely Deliver Routine Immunization

By Jaya Ramachandran

GENEVA | NEW YORK (IDN) – Ahead of the virtual Global Vaccine Summit on June 4 in London, the World Health Organization WHO), UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have warned that COVID 19 is disrupting life-saving immunization services around the world. Consequently, millions of children – in rich and poor countries alike – are faced with the risk of diseases like diphtheria, measles and polio.

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN)—The United Nations has launched a strategic initiative to combat the growing scourge of COVID-19 misinformation by increasing the volume and reach of trusted, accurate information.

“We cannot cede our virtual spaces to those who traffic in lies, fear and hate,” said UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, who announced the initiative called 'Verified'.

Viewpoint by Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) – Australia is entering what observers here say could be a deep recession, the first in almost 30 years. It was the rise of China that helped this sparsely populated vast continent to avoid a recession for the past three decades, the most extended period of economic growth in Australian history.

Rather than being thankful to China, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne in a local TV interview on April 19 called for an "independent" inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 in Wuhan expressing concerns about transparency from China on the issue.

News briefs compiled by Suresh Jaura*

TORONTO | NEW DELHI (IDN) – While India-Nepal territorial dispute escalated into a diplomatic crisis, Pakistan Prime Minister has been locked in a Twitter war with India on the long-drawn Kashmir conflict. At the same time, Pakistan has opened key border crossings with Afghanistan for trade.

Celebrating the 11th anniversary of the end of the over three-decade-long civil war against the LTTE, Sri Lanka has threatened to withdraw from any International Forum if 'War Heroes' (the country's military) are targeted.

Madagascar President Proposes Use of Herbal Tea

Viewpoint by Azu Ishiekwene

The writer is the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview magazine based in Abuja, Nigeria.

ABUJA (IDN) – In the fight against COVID-19, the war between biology and economics has just expanded to the nationalist front, spilling over with the ferociousness of a zero-sum game.

Madagascar President, Andry Rajoelina, believes that the reason why the world is not giving his country’s miracle herbal formula the accolade it deserves is because of its African origin.

News briefs compiled by Suresh Jaura*

TORONTO | NEW DELHI (IDN) – The U.S. on May 19 included the India unit of Huawei along with its other foreign subsidiaries in its Entity List, as part of efforts to prevent the Chinese telecom company from doing business in America.

The Trump administration in recent months has increased its action against Huawei, preventing it from doing business in the U.S., as it believes the company known for its technological advancement in 5G is being used by the Chinese leadership in Beijing to serve their interest.

Sustainable Actions Will Stimulate Fisheries and Tourism

Viewpoint by Dr Palitha Kohona

The author is Former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Former Chair of the UNGA Sixth Committee and the Former Co-Chair of the UN Ad Hoc Committee on BBNJ.

COLOMBO (IDN) – The well-being of oceans in the Asia-Pacific region is edging closer to a tipping point due to the unprecedented pace of marine pollution, overfishing and climate change in recent years. However, a new report released May 13 by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) suggests that "the temporary shutdown of activities as well as reduced human mobility and resource demands due to the COVID-19 pandemic may provide marine environments the much-needed breathing space for them to recover".

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power

LUND, Sweden (IDN) – The world is supposed to be pulling together to defeat the Coronavirus and to some extent it is. Earlier on Russia sent special equipment to the U.S. and recently the U.S. has sent some to Russia. China has aided Italy and Africa with doctors and equipment. Tiny Cuba, with its deep pool of doctors, has also helped Africa.

Around the world there is a sense of "we are all in this together" and that this is a bigger problem than the ones the world has faced since World War II. The last two days the World Health Organization (WHO) has brought all the world’s countries together to discuss how to go forward.

By J W Jackie

RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – Covid-19 has had an immense impact on the world ever since the first case was confirmed in China in November 2019. Since then, Americans have been instructed to avoid any non-essential travel and gatherings of more than ten people until the end of April. Spain has asked its residents to remain in hibernation. The Italian medical system cannot keep up with the number of confirmed cases. A lockdown was enforced in South Africa, forcing millions of people to isolate themselves in their own homes.

Viewpoint by Peter Eriksson

Following is the text of Sweden's Minister for International Development Cooperation Mr Peter Eriksson's address to the live-streamed session on Climate Change: the Other Crisis, at the 2020 Stockholm Forum organized by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

STOCKHOLM (IDN) – The free world and open society, as we know it, has partly and temporarily been shut down for many citizens. Factories have had to close as global value chains have been severely interrupted.

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – Africa's infection rates are still relatively low to the wonderment of some in the western world who predicted infection rates in the billions. In fact, African governments in many cases took preventative steps – from closing borders, social distancing, shutting educational institutions and banning mass gatherings.

By April 19, the Africa CDC reported that 34 countries had gone further and brought in night-time curfews or partial lockdowns. Eleven brought in rules requiring people to wear face masks in public.

Viewpoint by Bill Dahl

The writer is a former Senior Vice President for Bank of America in Los Angeles, CA. He currently resides in Queretaro, MX. His insightful analysis of global economic affairs have been published widely. He is a contributing columnist for Mexico News Daily, IDN-InDepthNews and Wall Street International Magazine.

REDMOND, Oregon, USA (IDN) – Imagine you are the President of a country where the national oil resource is wholly owned, managed and operated by you – on behalf of 130 million of your citizens.

By Dion De Vries*

BRUSSELS (IDN) – A Dutch Foundation of Eritrean refugees, Foundation Human Rights for Eritreans, has filed a lawsuit in the Amsterdam court against the European Union (EU) for its role in financing a road building project in Eritrea that uses forced labour. The Netherlands is host to many Eritrean migrants and pays toward the project as a member of the EU. The Foundation, together with their Dutch Lawyer Emiel Jurjens, demand the EU stops the 80 million euro support to Eritrea.