Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva calls for a major overhaul of the United Nations including a critical examination of the Organization’s nearly eight decades-old Charter

New York

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday called for a major overhaul of the United Nations, including a critical examination of the Organization’s nearly eight decades-old Charter, blaming the incapacity of the international community to engage in sincere negotiations for the failure to find solutions to the world’s problems.

Speaking to world leaders at the General Assembly’s annual debate, President Lula lamented that the current global situation, including the seeming paralysis of the UN to act, reflects a “weakening of our collective capacity for negotiation and dialogue.”

By example he said that the recently adopted UN Pact for the Future was limited in scope, though its proposed aim is to chart the course for multilateral relations in the years ahead.

“It’s …limited scope is also an expression of the paradox of our time: We go around in circles between possible compromises that lead to insufficient results,” he argued.

Moreover, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, no comprehensive treaty on pandemics has been adopted by the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

He continued, “We are living in a time of growing anguish, frustration, tension, and fear” and criticized the rising military budgets and conflicts, stating that the use of force is becoming the norm, often without the backing of international law.

Mr. Lula firmly condemned the invasion of Ukraine and, alongside China, has sought to promote constructive dialogue through a proposed “six-point plan.”

The humanitarian crises in Gaza and the West Bank were also focal points of his speech. Describing the situation as one of the greatest humanitarian crises in recent history, the Brazilian President condemned what he saw as the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, noting the tragic loss of over 40,000 lives, primarily among women and children.

“The right to defense has become the right to vengeance,” President Lula said, expressing his concern about the current escalating situation in Lebanon.

Read: Latin America Is Leading the Way in Standing Up to Israel

Turning to climate change, President Lula warned that “we are doomed to climate change interdependence,” stressing that future generations will bear the consequences of unfulfilled climate commitments.

He emphasized Brazil’s commitment to environmental protection, stating that deforestation in the Amazon has been reduced by 50 per cent and aims to be eradicated by 2030.

In a call for reform of the global financial system, President Lula pointed out that low- and middle-income countries are often disadvantaged, leading to a “reverse Marshall Plan” where the poorest finance the richest.

Highlighting the stark contrast in borrowing rates between African nations and wealthier countries, he urged greater representation of developing countries in institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

Finally, he proposed a “comprehensive review” of the UN Charter and called for urgent reforms within the Organization itself, advocating for the Security Council to reconsider its exclusionary practices regarding permanent seats for Latin American and African countries.

He concluded with a reminder that the world cannot afford to wait for another tragedy to prompt necessary governance changes, urging that the will of the majority must prevail over entrenched power structures.

Read: We have lost the grip on our future….

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Courtesy: UN News (Posted on September 24, 2024)

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Qatar

On the last day of June 2024, representatives of the Taliban called on the West to ignore the measures they have imposed on Afghan women and girls, for the sake of improving international relations, Asiaplus.tj reports.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, on the opening day of the UN-sponsored meeting in Qatar, stated that the Taliban supports certain religious and cultural values and public aspirations that “need to be recognized to promote relationships, not to face disputes,” according to Apnews.

The two-day meeting in Qatar began on June 30 and aims to enhance engagement with Afghanistan and provide a more coordinated response to the country’s challenges.

Read: Mass floggings of Men and Women in Afghanistan Continues

Mujahid also stated that political understanding between the Taliban and other countries is steadily improving. In particular, he noted that Kazakhstan has removed the Taliban from its list of banned groups, and Russia will take similar measures in the near future.

“I do not deny that some countries may have problems with the measures of the Islamic Emirate,” said Mujahid. “I believe that political differences between states are natural, and it is the duty of experienced diplomats to find ways of interaction and understanding, not confrontation.”

According to him, “such disagreements should not escalate to the point where powerful countries use their leverage to exert pressure in the areas of security, politics, and economy.”

However, he did not mention the harsh decrees against women and girls that have sparked global outrage.

Previously, Mujahid called the criticism of the treatment of Afghan women and girls “interference in internal affairs.”

This is already the third round of negotiations in Doha in this format – the previous ones were held in May 2023 and February 2024. Unlike them, representatives of the Taliban are now participating in the meeting. They were not invited to the 2023 conference, and in February 2024, they refused to participate themselves, first demanding that Afghan human rights defenders who criticized them not be present at the meeting and that they meet with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, which the organizers did not agree to.

To exclude women

The Taliban confirmed their participation in the current consultations in mid-June. Zabihullah Mujahid stated that after reviewing the agenda, the country’s leadership decided that the meeting was in the country’s interest.

The Taliban also demanded that no Afghan women be allowed to attend this meeting. The UN confirmed that there would be no women at the meeting in Doha except for UN representatives.

This decision drew criticism from human rights groups, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai.

Yousafzai wrote on the social network X that she was “alarmed and disappointed” that the Taliban were invited to meet with UN special envoys while Afghan women and human rights defenders were excluded from the main conversation.

Holding the meeting without the participation of Afghan women sent a “completely wrong” signal that the world was ready to meet the Taliban’s demands, she noted.

She added that the Taliban’s actions in Afghanistan are tantamount to gender apartheid.

No country officially recognizes the Taliban, and the UN has stated that recognition remains practically impossible as long as bans on women’s education and employment persist. Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that by holding the meeting on the Taliban’s terms, the UN had reached a “new low.”

“Those most affected by the Taliban’s abuses are being sidelined and excluded from discussions about their fate at the UN,” the statement said.

Read: Afghan Taliban publicly flog 274 men, 58 women and two boys in 6 months

As part of the meeting in Doha, Mujahid also met with the Russian president’s representative in Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov. Photo from apnews.com It is noted that this decision contradicts UN Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, which guarantees women’s participation in key international discussions.

“If Doha-3 proceeds as planned, the UN will create a harmful precedent by betraying Afghan women’s struggle for their rights. By abandoning its obligations to protect human rights in a disgraceful attempt to appease the Taliban, the UN will inflict eternal damage on its authority,” HRW concluded.

A meeting with human rights defenders will still take place

The UN disagreed with HRW’s criticism, responding that the special envoys would still meet with women’s rights groups.

On July 2 in Doha, special envoys (the organizers invited diplomats from 30 countries, most of whom confirmed their participation, including Russia and the US) will meet with representatives of Afghan civil society.

“In no way should any of the meetings between organization representatives and envoys be considered as official recognition of the Taliban as the government or legitimization of the Taliban,” the UN emphasized. “We need to meet with them to address Afghanistan’s problems. It is better for all special envoys on Afghanistan to be in one room, listen to the same thing, communicate with the de facto authorities, and convey the same messages so that everyone is on the same page.”

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on July 1, 2024)

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Geneva

A spokesperson for the UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Wednesday said he was “deeply disturbed” over the widespread and continued use of corporal punishment in Afghanistan.

Jeremy Laurence described how on 4 June, a group of 63 men and women were publicly subjected to mass flogging at a sports ground in the city of Sar-e-pul for a range of alleged crimes including “running away from home” and “moral crimes”.

Close to 50 men and 15 women were reportedly lashed between 15 and 39 times before being returned to prison to complete their sentences. The punishment was reportedly carried out in front of members of Taliban authorities and hundreds of local residents, Mr. Laurence said.

Clear violations

“Corporal punishment is a clear violation of international human rights law” and Afghanistan is party to both the Convention against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, he added.

“Under international law, all people have the right to be treated with respect for their inherent human dignity and equality.”

He urged Taliban authorities to immediately cease all forms of corporal punishment and to ensure full respect for due process and fair trial procedures, “in particular access to legal representation, for anyone facing criminal charges.”

Related news: Afghan Taliban revive public flogging, executions

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Courtesy: UN News (Posted on June 5, 2024) 

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Kabul

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has stated that until they are recognized as a member of the United Nations, they are not obligated to adhere to UN laws, said Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid. However, in the event of Kabul’s recognition, the government will adhere to international norms in accordance with Sharia, Zakon.kz reports.

Zabiullah Mujahid emphasized the necessity of having a representative of the Taliban in the UN, according to Tolo News.

“We should have membership like many other countries. The rights of the Afghan people should be represented in the UN,” stated Zabiullah Mujahid.

Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Nasir Ahmad Andisha, remarked that the UN plays an important role in Afghanistan.

On November 19, it marked 77 years since Afghanistan joined the UN.

The Taliban assumed control of the Afghan government after then-President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. He was compelled to leave his post due to the withdrawal of the US military contingent from Afghanistan, along with the withdrawal of anti-terrorism coalition forces led by the US in 2021.

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on November 22, 2023)

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Jamshoro, Sindh

The participants of a seminar on Wednesday expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine and discussed the grave situation developed due to ongoing war and genocide of innocent Palestinians at the hands of Israeli forces in Gaza.

The seminar was organized by the Department of Political Science, University of Sindh Jamshoro, at the Seminar Library.

At the outset, Asst. Prof. Dr. Basharat Lanjwani recited verses of Saint Poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai to portray importance of international peace and harmony among comity of nations.

Addressing the seminar titled “Palestine – Israel Dispute: Ongoing Escalation, Solution & Way Forward,” Faraz Ali, Fajar Rabail Khan, Sushimta Kumari and Rizwan Ali, all students of the political science department, expressed their views on the intractable and ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Associate Prof. Dr. Pervaiz Ali Mahesar, in his address argued that Palestine-Israel dispute, despite eight-time wars and seventy five years’ efforts and negotiations for peace, is still prevalent. “Either failure or reluctance of the major powers and the Middle East leaders, reflect the lack of political will and vision,” he said and concluded that ‘peace is not possible without the constructive and holistic approach of the US and China.

He was optimistic that the upcoming ministerial committee meeting of Arab leaders in Beijing would not be devoid of positive outcome.

Prof. Dr. Ghulam Akbar Mahesar, Chairman of the Department, appreciated the students for their presentations and also advised them to boost up their communication skills more. He also shed the light on the genesis of conflict and connected the dots of Abrahamic religions, Islam, Judaism, etc.  He emphasized upon the two state solution under the umbrella of United Nations, and Security Council Resolutions.

Prof. Mahesar asserted that atrocities in any form are condemnable. “We appeal the U.N.O to play its role for the ceasefire and saving the lives of innocent Palestinian children, women and men.”

He also distributed the Certificates of Achievement among faculty members & students who actively participated and delivered the talk on the topic.

Mr. Hans Raj, Asst. Prof. Dr. Jamshed Ali Baloch, Asst. Prof. Dr. Ghulam Mustafa Gaho, Lecturer Khaleeque Zaman Mahesar, M.Phil. & PhD scholars, students of the Department of Political Science attended the seminar. (PR)

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Traveling by car, bus, train and mostly on foot, women and children are spending hours trudging westward with a few belongings in small suitcases. Here are pictorial glimpses.

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Courtesy: Moscow Times

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Tando Jam

The United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) have proposed the ‘Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) plan’, implemented through the International Trade Centre (ITC), to reduce poverty in by strengthening small-scale agribusiness in Sindh and Balochistan.

This was informed in a meeting held here between Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the conference hall of the university on Friday. The meeting was presided over by Dr. Fateh Marri, Vice Chancellor. On behalf of SMEs and ITC, National Consultant Babar Malik, Former Chief Secretary of Sindh and Consultant Abdul Subhan Memon, Local Consultants Ubaid Khan, Imran Inam, SME Development Specialist ITC Umar Arfi, Director Advancement and Financial Assistance (SAU) Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kambhar and others participated.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor Dr. Fateh Marri said that there was a perception that the results of investment in agriculture is not beneficiary, but research institutes and the international community have rejected this perception and the agricultural industry is rapidly taking a beneficial shape through production and agri-byproducts and its demand in the global market has multiplied,

He said that women, who make up half of the country’s population, have been deprived of constant investment and practical role, therefore it is suggested to provide opportunities to them for representation and investment.

He said that Sindh Agriculture University is providing research and teaching environment to its graduates on agricultural modernization, smart agriculture, modern farm structure, and protection of new commodities and better breeds of animals. “We have ideas, but resources and technology are limited, so our development is slow,” he said emphasizing relying on field data for all initiatives, not just table data.

Babar Malik, National Consultant, said that the Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) project was launched by United Nations and the World Trade Organization to reduce poverty in the country by strengthening small-scale agribusiness in Sindh and Balochistan, which will be mobilized with the participation of local partners,

He said that the project would provide financial and technical assistance to the stakeholders, experts and young scholars from rural areas of Sindh for the proposals of agricultural development and especially for the transition of agriculture to industry over a period of 6 years. The EU delegation to Pakistan has provided assistance with a budget of up to 48,000,000 euros.

Former Chief Secretary Sindh and Consultant Abdul Subhan Memon said that we will involve Experts, Progressive Farmers and Agricultural Experts and Entrepreneurs Graduates of Sindh Agriculture University for this project and will benefit from their opinions and experiences in this regard.

SME Development Specialist (ITC) Umar Aarfi said that small and medium enterprises are the main source of economic growth, yet they continue to face financial difficulties. SMEs play a role in creating employment, financial resources and alleviating poverty in rural areas in developing countries. In this regard, we are also conducting surveys in Sindh and Balochistan to create employment opportunities for the youth with the development of agro-industry.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kambhar said that Sindh Agriculture University is highlighting the potential of its graduates through modern teaching and research methods, and it is better to get higher yields by injecting cattle, to give preference to such breeds, which to improve productivity, he briefed the government on the university’s efforts and initiatives. (PR)

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