Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council Archives

UN Security Council Looks At Syrian Chemical Weapons

6Aug

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy, Middle East, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

UN Security Council Looks At Syrian Chemical Weapons

August 6, 2021--Since Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has worked to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons program. On Wednesday, UN Security Council members met to discuss that work. 'Gaps, Inconsistencies And Discrepancies' Thomas Markram, deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, addressed the council with an update. First, the COVID-19 pandemic has faced greater difficulty advancing progress. Second, the Syrian government has yet to fully disclose and destroy its chemical weapons program. "As a result of the identified gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies that remained unresolved," Markram said he could not consider Syria's declaration to be "considered accurate and complete i...

Even In The Olympics, There’s A Political Side

3Aug

By Spencer HayesNo Comments

Diplomacy, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Analysis

Even In The Olympics, There’s A Political Side

August 3, 2021-- For the past week, people across the globe have gathered in front of their TVs to watch the momentous events of the Olympics. The Olympics emulate an image of peace through their recognition of cultures in the events and ceremonies. "The athletes show us that, despite all our differences, it is possible for humankind to live together in peace.," said IOC President Thomas Bach. "This is our Olympic message: yes, it is possible to compete with each other, even for the highest prize, but at the same time to live together peacefully under one roof in the Olympic Village.” Facing the option of a jump-off to decide who will win the gold medal for the high jump, Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi -- who both cleared 2.37m -- decided to share the victo...

G20 Finance Ministers Back Carbon Taxes To Fight Climate Change

12Jul

By Steve BerlinNo Comments

Climate Action, ESG, Sustainable Finance, Diplomacy, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Brief

G20 Finance Ministers Back Carbon Taxes To Fight Climate Change

July 12, 2021—G20 finance ministers last week agreed carbon pricing could be an effective tool to help fight global climate change. During their meetings at the G20 High Level Tax Symposium on Tax Policy and Climate Change in Venice, Italy, the ministers also reaffirmed a 2050 target for net zero emissions of greenhouse gases, using carbon taxes as a way to get there. Photo by veeterzy on Unsplash Tools At Their Disposal While the ministers did not approve a carbon tax proposal, they acknowledged that different countries had many tools at their disposal to reduce emissions, but international cooperation is ultimately critical. Carbon Pricing, Explained Carbon pricing is a fee or tax on companies to cover the external costs of greenhouse gas emissions, such as...

Afghanistan: A “Ticking Clock” as U.S. Military, NATO Exit

1Jul

By Spencer HayesNo Comments

Human rights, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council

Afghanistan: A “Ticking Clock” as U.S. Military, NATO Exit

July 1, 2021-As the U.S. and NATO military forces leave Afghanistan, a tumultuous unraveling of society is taking place in the country. Afghans are facing human rights violations, corruption, and economic threats, a panel of experts told the UN Security Council last week. Meanwhile, new clashes between the government and Taliban forces are breaking out. U.S. and NATO troops are pulling out of Afghanistan earlier than the expected September 11, 2021 withdraw. That's causing a “seismic tremor” in Afghanistan, according to Deborah Lyons, Special Representative and Head of the UN Assistance Mission. “The withdrawal decision was expected, but its speed — with the majority of troops already withdrawn — was not,” a UN News publication quoted her as saying. Lyons briefed the co...

Syrians Face Dire Situation as Clashes Continue And UN Security Council Preps for Key Decision

1Jul

By Spencer HayesNo Comments

Foreign Aid, International Development, Middle East, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Brief

Syrians Face Dire Situation as Clashes Continue And UN Security Council Preps for Key Decision

Photo: UN file photo Humanitarian Aid Convoys At Risk of Losing Access to the Last Cross-Point Available July 1, 2021-UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an extension of the measure that allows humanitarian aid to reach refugees living in Syria. UN Security Council's Mandate 2533, which expires in July, allows for aid to cross the Turkey-Syria border to 13.4 million people dependent on the assistance. As the Global Economic Report previously reported, the aid is a lifeline for refugees in northwest Syria. According to a UN press release, the decade of war in Syria has left 13.4 million dependent on aid relief. Now, the conditions for the Syrians are worse than any time since the war began, the UN reported late last week. Meanwhile, the situation in northwest Syri...

Australia Asks WTO For Dispute-Talks Over Waning Wine Sales in China

29Jun

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Global Trade, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Brief

Australia Asks WTO For Dispute-Talks Over Waning Wine Sales in China

June 29, 2021-Australia requested dispute consultations in the World Trade Organization with China this week over its wine imports. Specifically, Australia is challenging China's anti-dumping and countervailing measures on imports of Australian wine. The WTO is the world's largest body for settling trade disputes. Australian exports of wine are facing countervailing measures in China over trade disputes. Photo credit: Just Wines According to a Reuters news story published in the Spring, Australian wine exports from AU$325 million in the final quarter of 2019 to AU$12 million in December of 2020. The agreements cited are the WTO's Anti-Dumping Agreement, the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994. China-Australia Trad...

Nicaragua Cracks Down on Political Speech, Opposition Ahead of Elections

24Jun

By Spencer HayesNo Comments

Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Sanctions

Nicaragua Cracks Down on Political Speech, Opposition Ahead of Elections

June 24, 2021--Ahead of elections scheduled for November, the Nicaraguan government is arresting opposition leaders and potential presidential candidates who pose political opposition to their current leader, President Daniel Ortega. Locals say the current repression dates back to the government's crackdown on political speech after the uprising against the president in 2018. Lesther Aleman, a university student leader, suggested that the current round-up of opposition leaders is to prevent any challenge to the election in November. "The strategy is to demoralize Nicaraguans, to delegitimize the electoral process to the point that the majority of people will abstain because there is no opposition. That is Ortega’s goal," Aleman told a reporter with Al Jazeera. "That way he can ...

Millions Syrian Refugees At Risk of Losing Access to Humanitarian Aid

5Jun

By Spencer HayesNo Comments

Foreign Aid, International Development, Middle East, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Brief

Millions Syrian Refugees At Risk of Losing Access to Humanitarian Aid

By Spencer Brooke Hayes June 5, 2021--More than 3 million Syrian refugees may lose access to food, medical supplies and humanitarian aide next month when a UN Security Council resolution expires. “It’s going to be a disaster if the Security Council resolution is not extended. We know that people are really going to suffer,” Mark Cutts, U.N. deputy regional humanitarian coordinator, told Reuters in a recent news report. "In northwest Syria you have some of the most vulnerable people anywhere in the world." UN Security Council mandate 2533 gives humanitarian agencies the right to cross the Syrian-Turkish border to deliver aid. The resolution comes up for review in July. According to reporting by Reuters Tuvan Gumrukcu, Russia and China reduced humanitarian access to border crossing...

U.S. Raises ‘Deep Concerns’ About Conclusions of WHO Investigation

16Feb

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, Diplomacy, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Brief

U.S. Raises ‘Deep Concerns’ About Conclusions of WHO Investigation

Feb. 16, 2021-As the United States reengages with the World Health Organization under the new administration, its top national security officers are raising "deep concerns" about the credibility of the organization. The criticism comes as the WHO completed a controversial mission to Wuhan, China to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 virus. The WHO team, which included 17 participants representing China, ignored key information that scientists from the lab in Wuhan collected bats and virus samples from caves in China and brought them back to the lab. In the end, the WHO ceded the mission of scientific discovery to that of collaborating with China. U.S. Membership On his first day of office January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden informed UN Secretary General António Guterres...

WHO Mission Gives China Political Win, Overlooks Evidence About Bats in Wuhan Lab

15Feb

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, Globalization, Disintegration, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Analysis

WHO Mission Gives China Political Win, Overlooks Evidence About Bats in Wuhan Lab

February 15, 2021--Over a year after the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization concluded a four-week investigatory mission in Wuhan, China, making comments favoring the Chinese government's narrative. It was a political win for China and a significant loss for science. In almost a surreal and surprising outcome, the mission team downplayed the possibility the virus started in a Wuhan lab and pointed to other theories popular in China. "All the work that has been done on the virus and trying to identify its origin continue to point to a natural reservoir of this virus and similar virus in bat population," said Peter Ben Embarek, the head of the WHO Mission in Wuhan. "But since Wuhan is not a city or environment close to this bat environment, a direct ...