… changing a controversial law on religion. The protesters chanted slogans accusing …
Speaker welcomes signing of ‘Tibet Policy and Support Act 2020’ by US President Trump
Speaker Pema Jungney on behalf of Tibetans in and outside Tibet and the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, expressed his deepest gratitude to US President Donald J.Trump for signing the “Tibet Policy and Support Act 2020” (TPSA2020).
Expressing his gratitude to the US President, the Speaker wrote, “This ACT officially endorses that recognition of the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama is the sole authority of the great XIV Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist leaders and the Tibetan people with no interference from the Chinese Government (People’s Republic of China). This ACT also recognizes the importance of the Tibetan Plateau and the threat that climate change poses on Tibet, the US will address and closely monitor Tibet’s environment including water security and climate change. The ACT also commends His Holiness the great XIVth Dalai Lama for his great vision as a leader and for implementing a Democratic system of governance and for Tibetan people adopting it.”
“Furthermore, the ACT also forbids China from opening a new consulate in the USA until China allows a US Consulate in Lhasa, the Capital of Tibet. According to the Act, the US business companies and individuals must ensure their business activities in Tibet follow the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We are also thankful to Your Excellency for the inclusion of formalizing the funding for Tibetans inside and outside Tibet and also for the appropriations.”
“The People’s Republic of China – the government has fooled the world by different means. Most recently it has fooled the world about the deadly Coronavirus Covid – 19 which originated from the city of Wuhan in China. Due to their hiding the truth, the deadly virus spread across the world and killed millions of people and caused immeasurable damage for which China should be held accountable and punished accordingly. Your Excellency, we commend your courage in encountering China for their ruthless suffering caused to the people of the world and holding them accountable.”
“This is a historic moment for Tibetans, particularly our brothers and sisters inside Tibet and all the oppressed people in the world to rejoice and celebrate as it clearly shows that the US stands with the voiceless and oppressed people. Signing this bill into a Law (ACT) brought great hope and joy for the Tibetans particularly our brothers and sisters who are still suffering under the brutal oppressive policies of China and it not only sends out a clear message to China that the US prioritizes principle human values above everything but it also pressurizes China from refraining their false propaganda tactics relating to Tibet’s issues to the world. This bill has acknowledged that China which has been tagged as the world’s most blatant human rights violator – has taken every measure to oust Tibet from the rest of the world by restricting foreigners, particularly the journalists from reporting on its inhuman acts, illegal killings, brutal repression, persecution and arbitrary arrest to the world is a country to be sidelined for its cruel strategies towards Tibet.”
“The United States of America has been among the pioneer countries in helping Tibetans to protect its unique culture and identity by welcoming HH the Dalai Lama since 1979 followed by the adoption of the US Tibetan Resettlement Project in the 1990s, the Tibet Policy Act of 2002, the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act and the most recent TPSA2020.”
President Trump is not expected to take a Bush-like view on the TSPA, which introduces stronger provisions on Tibet, plus teeth in the form of a threat of sanctions, including travel bans on Chinese officials. How the Biden Administration, expected to frame its own China policy, views TPSA remains to be seen.
Still, most US administrations, the Trump Administration included, have broadly maintained a diplomatic balance between relations with China, and support for Tibet and the Dalai Lama. The State Department has a separate section on Tibet in its annual reports on human rights and religious freedom. But there has been no real push for talks with the Dalai Lama or on the release of political prisoners.
“Over the years, the Presidents of the United States of America have consistently supported the Tibet cause and we are immensely grateful for your indefatigable support in taking strong measures against China, a government that is economically the most powerful yet having the record of worst human rights violations.”
“We the people of Tibet are very thankful to your Excellency and urge your Excellency to continue your support till Tibet regains its freedom.”
The TPSA has introduced provisions aimed at protecting the environment of the Tibetan plateau, calling for greater international cooperation and greater involvement by Tibetans. Alleging that China is diverting water resources from Tibet, the TPSA also calls for “a regional framework on water security, or use existing frameworks… to facilitate cooperative agreements among all riparian nations that would promote… arrangements on impounding and diversion of waters that originate on the Tibetan Plateau”. While the 2002 Act said the US should establish a “branch office” in Lhasa, the TSPA ups the ante by changing that to a “consulate”. It recognises the Central Tibetan Administration, whose President Lobsang Sangay takes credit for ensuring that the Senate took up the legislation for vote.
source — CTA
Egypt: The EU Bank supports urban transport
- €1.128 billion of financing to invest in metro and tram systems in Cairo and Alexandria
- The first tranche of €600 million is signed
- The urban transport schemes will contribute to reducing emissions in the two large cities
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Arab Republic of Egypt have signed a €1.128 billion agreement to support investments in the rehabilitation and expansion of metro and tram systems in Alexandria and Cairo. The EIB financing will contribute to increasing the availability and improving the quality of public transport systems in the two cities, where 30-35% of the country’s population live and work. This new operation is in line with the EU bank’s climate action objectives and comes in support of the government’s national priorities.
The EIB financing will support three large-scale projects in the sector. The first investment will support the rehabilitation and extension of the existing 13.8 km-long El-Raml tram in Alexandria. The second will support the rehabilitation and upgrade of an underused 22 km-long urban railway in Alexandria into a high frequency metro (the Abu Qir Metro), adding metro stops and improving road safety by removing at-grade crossings. The third project will support the rehabilitation of the 23 km-long metro line 2 in Cairo that has been in operation for 23 years and requires urgent upgrades of its electrical and mechanical systems.
The EIB financing contract will be signed in two tranches. The first tranche of €600 million is being signed today and the second tranche of €528 million will be signed early next year. The structure of the EIB facility allows the Egyptian government to secure the funding necessary for large-scale urban transport projects on competitive financial conditions provided under the European Union External Lending Mandate (2014-2020).
In addition to the EIB’s financing, the EIB Economic Resilience Initiative and the EU Neighbourhood Investment Programme (EU NIP) provided grants for technical assistance and advisory supporting the preparation of the three projects.
These investments will lead to a greenhouse gas emissions reduction due to the expected modal shift, and will therefore contribute to the Bank’s climate action objective, as well as to the implementation of Egypt’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), as defined in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change of December 2015.
“Understanding the value of transport infrastructure is at the heart of informed policy-making. Benefiting more than half a million passengers a day, we are not only reshaping Egypt’s economic geography but also meeting social and environmental targets to drive sustainable growth. We value our partnership with the EIB, which has been instrumental in pushing the frontiers of ESG standards that push international cooperation across various sectors to varying projects, including the private sector,” said H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation.
For his part, H.E. Lieutenant-General Kamel Al-Wazir, Minister of Transport, confirmed that the projects that will be financed by the European Investment Bank are: the project of rehabilitation of El-Raml tram in Alexandria with a value of €138 million, the project of converting the Abu Qir/Alexandria railway line to a metro line with a value of €750 million, and the project of rehabilitating the second line with a value of €240 million. These projects have great importance in strengthening the mass transit system, which the political leadership has directed to be comprehensively developed in order to provide distinctive services to citizens. His excellency also added that the two projects of developing the Abu Qir line, converting it into a metro line and the rehabilitation of the El-Raml tram will represent a paradigm shift in the means of transportation within the Alexandria governorate, pointing to the fact that the pre-qualification works for the Abu Qir line and its conversion to a metro line have been tendered, and the tender documents for the El-Raml tram project are being finalised.
The Minister of Transport explained that the plan to rehabilitate the second line of the metro comes within the framework of the comprehensive plan implemented by the Ministry of Transport to modernise the infrastructure of the first and second lines of the metro, by modernising signal electrification systems, communication systems and central control systems, renewing rails and electromechanical works, and purchasing new air-conditioned trains to make all the trains of the current fleet air-conditioned, pointing out that the ministry seeks to provide all distinct services to all passengers.
Flavia Palanza made the following comment on the signature: “As the EU climate bank, we give high priority to clean urban transport projects such as trams and metros. Today, we signed the €1.128 billion government agreement supporting this important goal for our joint cooperation. This large-scale financing responds to the ambitious objectives of the Egyptian government to improve people’s lives by building sustainable transport infrastructure and reducing CO2 emissions The €600 million first tranche of the EIB support is being signed today and we expect to sign the second tranche early next year. We are looking forward implementing these key investment projects with our Egyptian partners and the other IFIs.”
For his part, European Union Ambassador to Egypt Christian Berger stated: “Sustainable urban mobility will contribute to our well-being and quality of life. The Egyptian Government and our EIB partners have put great efforts into bringing green, affordable and safe transport to Egyptian citizens, to facilitate commuting in dynamically developing urban areas. The EU is committed to supporting green growth in Egypt in line with the spirit of the European Green Deal. Green, clean and sustainable transportation will reduce environmental impact and socioeconomic costs and has strong job-creation potential.”
This EIB facility is part of the Bank’s wider engagement in the urban transport sector in Egypt, which has been gradually increasing over recent years. In 2012, the EIB approved a loan of €600 million for Cairo Metro Line 3, which was signed in three tranches of €200 million each respectively in 2012, 2015 and 2016. In 2019, further financing of €350 million was signed for the Cairo Metro Line 1 Rehabilitation.
European Union clears way for China investment pact
The diplomats noted “recent positive developments” in negotiations, with China reportedly addressing concerns over the alleged use of forced labour on its farms.
EU member states gave political backing to Brussels’ planned investment pact with China on Monday, clearing the way for a deal between the world’s biggest economic blocs.
At a meeting of ambassadors, the German EU presidency noted that no member had “raised a stop sign and the way for a political endorsement was thus cleared”, a diplomat said.
The diplomats noted “recent positive developments” in negotiations, with China reportedly addressing concerns over the alleged use of forced labour on its farms.
This came after the Chinese foreign ministry said last week that “negotiations have entered the final stretch” — and a second EU diplomat said an agreement could now be formally announced this week.
“We have to be careful, but as long as China is in agreement, there could be an official announcement from Brussels and Beijing by the end of the week,” the senior envoy said.
No member state intervened at the meeting to block the accord, but afterwards Poland’s ambassador Andrzej Sados said he had “expressed our doubts” after Germany added it to the agenda.
The deal would be a major boost for both sides and strengthen economic ties between the giants before the arrival of U.S. president-elect Joe Biden in the White House in January.
Outgoing U.S. leader Donald Trump has engaged in a trade war with China but his successor has also expressed concern about the EU outreach, with his team urging Brussels to consult with Washington.
“The new administration in the U.S. is starting work in three weeks… and an agreement with China should take into account the EU’s relations with the U.S.,” Sados told the Polish PAP news agency.
“We also said that we shouldn’t act too hastily after seven years of tough negotiations. Meanwhile, such an item is suddenly added to the EU ambassadors’ meeting agenda in Brussels. This is unheard of.”
“In the last days of the German presidency we are dealing with a sudden and unjustified acceleration regarding a very important issue, which concerns international relations.”
The bloc’s leading economic power Germany, which holds the rotating EU presidency until the end of the year, has made securing the deal a priority of its time at the helm.
The European Commission, the EU executive, had said before Christmas that the draft of the “political agreement” was “95 percent ready” and just needed the capitals’ green light.
China’s commitment to labour rights had remained a hurdle, but Europe has long sought greater access to the huge Chinese market for its companies.
‘Systemic rival’
The head of the EU chamber of commerce in Beijing Joerg Wuttke told AFP this month that negotiators had “apparently made great strides on market access”.
As part of the accord the EU has also been pushing Beijing to reinforce respect for intellectual property, end obligations to transfer technology, reduce subsidies for public enterprises and improve on climate commitments.
While Trump’s administration has engaged in a war of words with Beijing, Brussels has taken a balanced approach.
The EU states treat China as a “systemic rival” and have expressed concerns over China’s rights record, especially its clampdown in Hong Kong and treatment of the Uighurs.
Berlin wanted to get the agreement signed off at a joint EU-China summit in September, but the coronavirus pushed the event online and no deal was signed.
China pushed past the United States in the third quarter of this year to become the EU’s top trade partner, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the U.S. economy while Chinese activity rebounded.
European Parliament Approves Seven-Year EU Budget
After much deliberation, the European Parliament has approved a seven-year European Union (EU) budget that will provide funds for 2021-2027. The importance of this budget passage is underscored by the need for a strong recovery mid- and post-pandemic as well as for Europe’s continued success and prosperity. The budget was approved earlier December 2020 with 550 votes in favor, 72 against, and 73 abstentions.
The EU’s budget includes €95.5 billion in funding in current prices for Horizon Europe, the next EU research funding program and the section of the budget that funds the European Research Council (ERC). ERC will receive roughly €16 billion. For reference, Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe’s predecessor, had a budget of €80 billion. The new program’s budget accounts for inflation over the seven years of approved funding.
The original budget, which in July had proposed a 15% cut to Horizon Europe, drew concern among EU Member States and the scientific community alike as the need to fund research and protect science became more evident than ever with the gravity of the global pandemic. In November, the program received an unexpected €4 billion boost which was welcomed by those advocating for the restoration of funds to the Horizon Europe budget, although the boost still has not satisfied the ERC and the scientific community’s continued call for more ambitious investments in research. ERC will be receiving €1 billion of the €4 billion boost in additional support.
Through the efforts of ERC and the scientific community, frontier research, defined as research that combines basic and applied elements to advance fundamental understanding, continues to have a strong backing. ERC does note that it has seen a worrying trend of individual countries shying away from frontier research, which makes a global focus and commitment to supporting frontier research even more important going forward.
ERC continues to be an important funder of basic research, including psychological science, in Europe.
An ERC statement on the approval of the budget can be found here.
Read more writing about different stages of the EU’s budget process at the links below.
After year of ‘trials, tragedies and tears’, UN chief sends message of hope for 2021
Praising the kindness shown by people around the world, the tireless efforts of frontline workers, the scientists who have developed vaccines in record time, and the countries making new advances to save the planet from climate catastrophe, Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his wish for a year of healing.
Against the backdrop of persistent suffering and grief, in a year when the COVID-19 pandemic marked everyone’s lives, Mr. Guterres said in his New Year’s message that we shall work together “in unity and solidarity”, so those “rays of hope can reach around the world”.
“So many loved ones have been lost — and the pandemic rages on, creating new waves of sickness and death”, he noted. Adding that poverty, inequality and hunger are on the rise, with jobs disappearing, certain sectors struggling to survive, debts mounting and children struggling, Mr. Guterres raised his concerns regarding the increased violence in the home and insecurity.
A transition to a sustainable future
But a New Year lies ahead, he continued, and if we work together in unity and solidarity, the rays of hope can reach around the world: “people extending a helping hand to neighbours and strangers; frontline workers giving their all; scientists developing vaccines in record time; and countries making new commitments to prevent climate catastrophe”.
“That’s the lesson of this most difficult year”, he said, “both climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are crises that can only be addressed by everyone together – as part of a transition to an inclusive and sustainable future.”
Resolutions and goals for next year: time for healing
As for the UN’s plans for 2021, a central ambition is to build a global coalition for carbon neutrality – net zero emissions – by 2050, Mr. Guterres spelled out, adding that “every government, city, business and individual can play a part in achieving this vision”.
Urging the world to act together, the UN Secretary-General called on people to make peace not just among themselves, but also with nature, tackling the climate crisis, stopping the spread of COVID-19 and making 2021 a year of healing: “healing from the impact of a deadly virus. Healing broken economies and societies. Healing divisions. And starting to heal the planet”, he noted.
“That must be our New Year’s Resolution”, the UN chief concluded, sending his wishes for a happy and peaceful 2021.
Thousands Of Montenegrins Protest Government Plan To Amend Controversial Religion Law
… amend a controversial law on religion.
Protesters chanted “Treason” and “This … .
Under Montenegro’s new religion law, adopted in January, religious …
Be prepared for another, more severe pandemic: WHO officials
“The next pandemic may be more severe”, said Dr. Mike Ryan, head of the WHO Emergencies Program, adding that we need “get our act together”, because we live on a fragile planet, and in an increasingly complex society. “Let’s honour those we’ve lost by getting better at what we do”.
Let’s honour those we’ve lost by getting better at what we do Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive-Director, Emergencies Programme, WHO
The WHO Technical Lead on COVID-19, Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, noted that some of the countries that have coped better with COVID-19 have not necessarily been those with the highest incomes, but those that have lived through other infectious disease outbreaks. Those countries, she said, have used the “muscle memory” of traumatic events to kick their systems into gear, and act to comprehensively tackle the virus.
Dr. van Kerkhove joined Dr. Ryan in calling for the world to be better prepared for the next health crisis, with well-trained health workers able to take full advantage of innovative technology, and informed, engaged citizens capable of keeping themselves safe.
Understanding new variants
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists that the UN agency is learning new things about the virus every day, including the ability of new variants to spread, make people sick, or have a potential impact on available tests, treatments or vaccines.
Dr. Tedros singled out work taking place in the United Kingdom and South Africa, where scientists are carrying out epidemiologic and laboratory studies, which will guide the agency’s next steps.
“Only if countries are testing effectively will you be able to pick up variants and adjust strategies to cope”, said the WHO chief. “We must ensure that countries are not punished for transparently sharing new scientific findings”.
Thanking the many partners with whom WHO has worked this year, Dr. Tedros looked ahead to 2021, and to the fair and equitable distribution of the treatments and vaccines discovered this year.
Learning to live with COVID-19
However, the officials warned that it may be premature to imagine a world in which COVID-19 has been eradicated.
Guest speaker Professor David Heymann, a disease expert and member of a WHO “surge team” deployed to strengthen the COVID-19 response in South Africa earlier this year, said that we now have the tools at our disposal to save lives, allowing us to learn to live with the virus.
Dr. Ryan agreed that COVID-19 is likely to become endemic in the global population. Vaccinations, he explained, do not guarantee that infectious diseases will be eradicated.
Societies would do better to focus on getting back to full strength, rather than on the “moonshot of eradication”, concluded the senior WHO official.
Read out of the phone call between President Charles Michel and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson
Both leaders welcomed the fair and balanced agreement reached on the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union with a view to the upcoming signature, which is scheduled for 30 December. The agreement is essential as it creates stability and predictability for citizens and companies.
In the fight against climate change, both leaders agreed to intensify the future cooperation between the UK and the EU. They agreed to take work forward with a view to the COP 26 in Glasgow. The recent EU decision to adapt its 2030 target was welcomed.
Both leaders agreed to intensify work on the global response to pandemics. In this regard, the idea of a possible treaty on pandemics, which could help to strengthen global preparedness and response was discussed, notably in the framework of the UK presidency of the G7.
On foreign affairs, President Michel and Prime Minister Johnson stated their common interest to continue exchanging views and seek cooperation on specific issues based on shared values and interests.
Unrest continues to blight Horn of Africa regions – Vatican News
By Nathan Morley
The state-run news agency cited the state governor as confirming the troop deployment. South Darfur in western Sudan, suffered a bitter conflict that broke out in 2003.
The area has witnessed several clashes between tribes over the last few years.
Also in Africa, it is now almost seven weeks since the conflict started in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. It has fast escalated into a humanitarian crisis, drawing the concerns of the United Nations.
Since Early November, the Ethiopian government has been undertaking military operations against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which controlled Ethiopia’s Tigray state in the north.
Last week, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) deployed humanitarian assessment teams to Tigray.
Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced or have fled across the border to Sudan. At the same time, the World Health Organization sent emergency health supplies enough to treat more than 10,000 patients for three months.
