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COVID-19 corruption kills, say South Africa church leaders at campaign launch

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COVID-19 corruption kills, say South Africa church leaders at campaign launch

South African church leaders heard that corruption in their country kills when they organized for a campaign against the latest version of pillaging during the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic.

(Photo: © Peter Kenny, 2017)Nelson Mandela’s statue in front of the Union Buildings in Pretoria, seat of South Africa’s administration.

The South African Council of Churches organized a nationwide campaign against corruption during September, Heritage Month in their country.

It is under the banner “Corruption is not our heritage” which highlights the human and monetary costs of corruption involving government officials and people in the private sector.

“People often speak about corruption is an abstract matter of rands [dollars] and cents, or irregular expenditure,” said University of Pretoria political science lecturer Dr. Sithembile Mbete in a webinar organized by the SACC on Sept. 9 to launch the campaign.

“And people have died because of the COVID-19 disease from having incorrect personal protective equipment and other issues that are related to the kind of corruption that we’ve seen around this issue.

“So, this isn’t just a high-level political issue but something about how we live as a society and whether people survive living in South Africa,” said Mbete, who moderated the session.

CREATING A FUTURE

Ziphozihle Siwa, presiding bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and president of the South African Council of Churches led prayers at the beginning of the webinar.

“We pray Oh Lord that we use this time as we create a future. We know that future may be created by the actions of each and every citizen of this country,” he said.

Before the campaign began, Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town had addressed the nation’s president and other leaders about pandemic corruption.

“Mr. President, this is not only stealing. It is annihilating the very lives of the poorest; it is almost genocidal in effect.

“Corrupt bigwigs who have joined your party, not to serve the common good but to enrich themselves, act with impunity – their attitudes are debilitating, life-drenching.”

Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, general secretary of the South African Council of Churches, cited Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former South African Anglican leader Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu writing on the humanity-based philosophy of “ubuntu.”

“We know we belong in a greater whole diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, and others are tortured or oppressed — in this case, by COVID corruption and greed,” said Mpumlwana.

Also speaking at the webinar was South Africa’s auditor general, Kimi Makwetu.

He had released a scathing report earlier revealing that in some cases personal protective equipment was bought for five times more than the price the national treasury had advised.

Makwetu’s report had tracked the spending of 500 billion rands ($26 billion) equivalent to 10 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product.

“A lot of the effort that we put into this on the detection side of things has revealed a number of frightening findings that require to be followed up very quickly,” he said at a press conference.

‘ONLY SPENT MONEY HAS VALUE’

Mbete quoted the auditor general’s words at the webinar that the money in the national coffers, “does not have value until it is spent on the people for whom it is intended.”

Prof. William Gumede, a Witwatersrand University governance assistant professor, said, “I understand these gangsters; I grew up with gangs in the Cape Flats,” a crime-and poverty-ridden area of Cape Town.

“Real gangsters are setting up political parties, so we need to have a tightening of the rules for people who set up these political parties and for people who get elected.”

Gumede noted, “We need to bar companies found guilty of corrupt practices,” and their actions need to be made public.

At the end of the webinar, Mbete said, “I hope to take this as a real clarion call for us to build the kind of South Africa, that we intended to in 1994,” when Nelson Mandela became president of the country. The future is defined by justice and a better life for all of us.”

SACC leader Bishop Mpumlwana on Sept. 15 launched the nationwide silent prayers campaign against corruption in all South Africa’s nine provinces

“We are calling it a ‘performance of silence’ because the churches are speechless at this level of revolting fraud,” said Mpumlwana.

The campaign followed the moral call against COVID-19 corruption issued on Aug. 7, by a group of six organizations who call themselves the Moral Call Collective.

The collective is made up of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Foundation for Human Rights, Nelson Mandela Foundation, and South African Council of Churches.

“We are saying as the churches, and active citizens, that we refuse for our nation’s culture and heritage to be one of stealing, and defrauding of public resources,” said Mpumlwana.

“Corruption, especially this blatant looting of COVID-19 funds that has been reported, is criminal and continues to cost us lives and livelihoods as a country.”

EU, WB sign partnership agreement to support Sudanese families

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Juan Sanchez Gil
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September 27, 2020 (KHARTOUM) – The European Union and the World Bank Saturday signed a partnership agreement to manage $110 million to fund Sudan Family Support Programme (SFSP) provided by the European countries.

This European support is critical for the Sudanese government to implement tough economic reforms including the end of commodities subsidies which would affect poor families.

“The signed agreement allocates a total amount of EUR 92.9 million (USD 110 million) to the Sudan Transition and Recovery Support (STARS) Multi-Donor Trust Fund administered and managed by the World Bank,” said a statement released by the EU office in Khartoum.

The trust fund is the primary financing mechanism for the government-led and implemented Sudan Family Support Program.

At the occasion, the ambassadors of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden also announced their support, summing up to $78.2 million USD, bringing the total Team Europe contribution to the SFSP to $186.6 million.

The Sweden Ambassador said in a tweet after the signing ceremony that her country signed bilateral support to the programme of almost $25 million, through the World Bank.

The signing ceremony was held at the Prime Minister’s Office in the presence of Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, the Ministers of Labour and Social Development, Culture and Information, the Acting Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, European Ambassadors and UN officials.

The agreement was signed by Ambassador of the European Union to Sudan, Robert van den Dool and Ousmane Dione, Country Director for Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Sudan of the World Bank.

Hamdok commended the efforts made by the World Bank, the exemplary cooperation with the EU and its member states and the steps in following on the pledges made in the Berlin Conference.

Today’s ceremony marks “an important step in enabling the civilian-led Transitional Government to provide the much-needed assistance to the most vulnerable Sudanese as the cabinet accelerates its urgent economic reforms,” he said.

For his part, EU Ambassador Robert van den Dool said that the European Union is making good on its pledge at the Berlin conference in June 2020, to support the transitional government in its efforts to launch economic reforms.

“Together with the contributions announced today by EU member states, we have also shown that this Team Europe Approach allows us to join forces very effectively with our partners to make an even bigger difference for Sudan and its people,” den Dool added.

He also, disclosed that the European Union has also helped in triggering the World Bank to consider contributing substantially with resources which will be decided by its Board in the coming days.

The Sudan Family Support Programme is led and implemented by the Sudanese government. The Programme is being implemented by the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning, Labour and Social Development, and Interior, along with other relevant agencies, and will be executed by the Digital Economy Agency.

The pilot phase is being launched in October 2020 and the program will be gradually scaled up over the next few months, starting with the states of Khartoum, Red Sea, South Darfur and Kassala.

The second phase will roll out to the other most affected states.

(ST)

Fresh Armenia-Azerbaijan clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh, as UN chief urges an end to fighting

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officialinstitutions
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Fresh Armenia-Azerbaijan clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh, as UN chief urges an end to fighting

According to news reports, at least 16 people have been killed along the line of contact in the worst fighting between the two former Soviet Republics in four years.

“He condemns the use of force and regrets the loss of life and the toll on the civilian population”, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement. 

This latest skirmish between the two countries, which fought a war in the 1990s as the Soviet Union was dissolving, has heightened fears of instability in the South Caucasus, a region that provides crucial transit routes for gas and oil to world markets.

Both States have declared martial law and Armenia ordered the total mobilization of its military, according to media reports.

“The Secretary-General strongly calls on the sides to immediately stop fighting, de-escalate tensions and return to meaningful negotiations without delay”, Mr. Dujarric said, adding that the UN chief would be speaking to both the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia.

Back and forth

Armenia accused Azerbaijan of carrying out early morning air and artillery attacks on the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The two fought a six-year war over the region until a 1994 truce, but over the years, both countries have blamed the other for ceasefire violations in the enclave and along the border, including in July. 

In recent months, more than a dozen soldiers and civilians have been killed in the struggle.

Mr. Dujarric underscored that the Secretary-General reiterated his “full support” for the important role of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs and urged the sides to “work closely with them for an urgent resumption of dialogue without preconditions”.

Jordan, EU sign 700m-euro soft loan agreement

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Juan Sanchez Gil
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AMMAN — Jordan on Sunday signed a soft loan agreement and a memorandum of understanding worth 700 million euros, according to a Planning Ministry statement.

The financing granted by the EU, at a total value of 700 million euros, will be disbursed to the Kingdom in three batches, the first, at a value of 250 million euros, is expected in October, while the second 250-million euro batch, will be granted during the first-quarter of 2021, after achieving the related indicators of the second tranche.

The third installment of 200 million euros is also expected during 2021, to be disbursed after the completion of the related indicators of the third batch.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Wissam Rabadi and Central Bank of Jordan Governor Ziad Fariz signed the agreements.

Rabadi said that the soft financing would be provided on “very lenient terms”, at a competitive interest rate and a long repayment period of an average of 15 years.

He added that such processes would require the European Commission to borrow from the international capital markets, on behalf of the European Union, to provide assistance to its partners, at the same rate of interest set on the day of the issuance of bonds or on the date of receipt of the bank loan, according to the statement.

He stressed that the concessional funding and the memo will support a range of reforms adopted by Jordan in priority areas, including public finances, through measures to develop the electronic billing system for sectors or professions, and the adoption of regulations to enforce the Public-Private Partnership Act, increase transparency and efficiency of public investment projects through the establishment of a national register for investment projects.

They will also contribute in “increasing transparency and efficiency in the public procurement system” through operating the electronic bidding system, along with reforms aimed at reducing water waste and introducing smart metres, among other goals, the statement said.

The European Council and Parliament approved a 500-million-euro soft loan to Jordan in January 2020, which was raised by 200 million euros in May 2020 in response to measures against the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing the total amount to 700 million euros.

The European Union is one of Jordan’s main donors, as its assistance has contributed in the implementation of programmes and projects in important sectors, as well as providing support to the public budget, besides allowing Jordan to address the economic cost of hosting Syrian refugees, as well as addressing the repercussions of the coronavirus epidemic.

Scientology requests UN investigate Germany for violating religious freedom

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Newsdesk
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Ivan Arjona at the human Rights Council

Scientologists celebrate the 50th anniversary in Germany and request the UN to launch an investigation on Germany for violating their religious freedom.

Geneva/Munich, Sept 27th – As Scientologists celebrate the 50th anniversary of the German Church of Scientology and its peaceful and fruitful social actions to the benefit of German society, the representative of the European Church requests the UN Human Rights Council to launch an investigation on Germany for violating their Freedom of Religion.

Founded in a villa in the south of Munich in 1970, the Scientology community quickly became the central institution for the entire German-speaking region. To this day, the Munich “Mother Community” is one of the larger organizations of its kind in Europe.

Initially based in Munich-Harlaching, the Church of Scientology needed larger premises by August 1972 and moved to the center of the city to Sendling on Lindwurmstrasse.  which soon became too small as well. In January 1982, it moved into its own building in Munich-Schwabing.

Speakers at the anniversary event emphasized the pioneering work of Scientologists from the first hour. It did not take long since its establishment in Germany, that some people in the government started to discriminate against a growing and socially involved community. Nonetheless, Scientologists did not stop the practice of their religion and continued their peaceful social endeavors such as their fight against drugs, their support of the Constitution, and the promotion of Human Rights.  In defending their religious freedom rights, they have won their recognition as a religious movement by dozens of German courts at various levels.

Veteran Scientologists that participated at the celebration emphasized that “spiritual freedom – despite the well-known resistance from established “vested interests” – could never be suppressed and that all such attempts were doomed to failure”.

In the week in which this celebration is taking place, Scientologists have not lost sight of the opportunity to continue their battle for Freedom of Religion or Belief. In this regard, Ivan Arjona, the European representative of the Church, and founder of the UN-recognized Foundation of the Church [Fundacion para la Mejora de la Vida, la Cultura y la Sociedad], took the issue to the 45th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Arjona stated last Thursday and last Friday at the HRC Session chaired by the President of the Human Rights Council, Ms. Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger (an Austrian lawyer and diplomat who has served as Austria´s representative to the United Nations and who now chairs the United Nations Human Rights Council since January 2020) that he

watch full statement here

“invites Germany to celebrate this week the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Church of Scientology in their country, and so stop all discrimination and violations of Freedom of Religion or Belief by the authorities against Scientologists”.

Arjona also reminded the Germany representative to the UN that

“Over the past three decades, dozens of German courts have condemned the actions of the government against Scientologists at different levels and recognized their rights as per Article 4 of their Constitution”

and that

“despite the decisions of their judicial powers, for practically 50 years the German executive powers continue to ignore these decisions, and have violated, and still violate today, the rights of this religious minority”.

The statement continues to remind Germany that Independence of Powers does not mean ignoring judicial decisions just to continue ostracizing the members of a minority religion and because of that, Arjona requested the Human Rights Council, to launch an investigation on Germany for violating the Freedom of Religion or Belief.

Scientologists say that German Churches of Scientology are probably the only religious community to have adopted a “Declaration of Principle for Human Rights and Democracy” and accepted it as part of their statutes.

Scientology was founded in 1952 by humanist and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard and opened its first Church in Germany in 1970 in Munich. There are today nine Churches of Scientology in Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hannover, and Hamburg, along with numerous missions and smaller groups throughout the country.

Other mentions:

https://hrwf.eu/scientology-v-germany-50-years-of-legal-battles/

https://freedomofbelief.net/articles/scientology-v-germany-50-years-of-legal-battles

Orban Rejects Migration Pact, Says EU Wants to ‘Manage Migration’ Not Stop It

By
Juan Sanchez Gil
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Orban Rejects Migration Pact, Says EU Wants to 'Manage Migration' Not Stop It

The central European Visegrád group has criticised the European Commission’s planned reform of the EU’s asylum policy, which could ultimately force members to accept migrants.

This week, the EU’s powerful executive arm announced that it would be scrapping the Dublin arrangements and replacing it with a “strong new solidarity mechanism”. The proposal would also open up more routes for migration and asylum.

Euractiv reported that the mechanism would give member-states a choice between hosting migrants or being responsible for returning failed asylum seekers under the “returned sponsorship schemes”.

While it is claimed accepting migrants would not be mandatory, the website notes that under a proposed “crisis preparedness” mechanism, nations would be forced to take migrants either permanently or during the repatriation process, such a crisis being on the scale of the 2015 Europe migrant crisis itself.

The report even suggests that states which opt to simply hold illegals until deportation will ending up having to keep them, owing to the difficulty of repatriation.

The mass migration-sceptic Visegrád, comprised of Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, rejected the proposals after meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday. (Slovakia’s premier was not present, and was represented by his Czech counterpart.)

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== Orban Rejects Migration Pact, Says EU Wants to 'Manage Migration' Not Stop It

(From L) Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pose ahead of a press conference at the Polish Permanent representation in Brussels, on September 24, 2020. – Hungary’s anti-immigration prime minister Viktor Orban said on September 24, 2020, that EU proposals for tougher new asylum rules do not go far enough. (Photo by Aris Oikonomou / AFP) (Photo by ARIS OIKONOMOU/AFP via Getty Images)

Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán said that the proposed measures do not include the option to host the migrants in “hot spots” in third countries outside of the EU, so that asylum applications can be assessed before a migrant sets foot on European soil.

“There are many changes, but there is not yet a breakthrough. A breakthrough would mean outside hotspots,” Prime Minister Orbán said after the meeting between the V4 and Mrs von der Leyen.

“Nobody can enter the EU without having a permission to do so because their request for asylum is accepted. Until that moment they have to stay out of the territory of the EU,” the Hungarian premier added.

Mr Orbán further said: “‘Allocation’ or ‘quota’, to change the name is not enough. Hungary is against it. The basic approach is still unchanged. They [the Commission] would like to manage migration, and not to stop the migrants. The Hungarian position is stop the migrants.”

His Czech counterpart Andrej Babiš agreed, saying: “We have to stop migration and the quotas and relocation. These rules are not acceptable for us.”

Mr Babiš added that migrants should instead be stopped at the EU border and returned to their home countries “and be given help there”.

The prime ministers were backed by Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, who told local media on Friday: “For the sake of those countries from which these people are escaping war today, they need to be as close to their borders as possible in order to have the greatest possible enthusiasm and motivation to come back and rebuild them.”

President Duda criticised plans to force EU member states to accept migrants, saying: “No dictate of the European Union, I believe, should ever force us to do so. We should never agree with that.”

The Visegrad states are not the only EU nations to reject any migrant redistribution plans. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called any such system a “failed” policy. He advocated instead for strengthening the EU’s external borders, sending aid directly to countries where the migrants are originating, and breaking up people-trafficking networks.

Ancient engravings from former French College of St. Augustine to be put on display in Stara Zagora

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Newsdesk
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Ancient engravings from former French College of St. Augustine to be put on display in Stara Zagora

The collection of the museum of the former French College of St. Augustine, put together in the course of decades by the monks, will be on display at the Art Gallery in Stara Zagora until 20 October, the Bulgarian news agency BTA reports. Most of the works are copper engravings made in the studios of the Сhаlсоgrаfуе dе Lоuvrе over a period of almost 200 years – from the 18th up until the turn of the 20th century.

<p>The French  College of St. Augustine was created  in Plovdiv by the order of the Assumptionists on 3 January, 1884. The  congregation of the Assumptionists was founded in 1850 by father Emanuel d’Alzon /1818-1880/, <span>vicar general of the diocese in  Nimes, France and headmaster of Collège de l'Assomption from which the name of  the new catholic order was derived. The order was blessed by Pope Pius IX to  pursue an educational mission in the Eastern part of Europe, which was part of  the Ottoman Empire. </span></p>    <p>Before  Bulgaria’s liberation, in 1863, a catholic school opened doors in the town –  St. Andrew, making Plovdiv the first mission of the Assumptionists. The  teachers at the school were monks who had graduated from elite educational  establishments in Western Europe – the Sorbonne in Paris, the Gregorian  University in Rome. Dozens of prominent figures from the arts and the world of  business earned their education there – painter Tsanko Lavrenov, renowned  Kapellmeister Georgi Shagunov, leading public figure and émigré Pierre Rouve (Petar Uvaliev). The St. Augustine College was closed  down on 1 September, 1948. The monks, who were foreigners, were expelled from  the country, and the Bulgarians were sent to the concentration camp at Belene.</p>    <br/></span>

Organic Dyes Market To Reach USD 10.15 Billion By 2027 | Altana Ag, Cathy Pigments Inc, DIC Crop, Clariant International Limited, etc

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The MarketWatch News Department was not involved in the creation of this content.

The Global Organic Dyes market is forecast to reach USD 10.15 Billion by 2027, according to a new report by Reports and Data. The market is avouching a gush in demand for environment-friendly dyes. One of the major driving factors for an increase in demand for organic dyes are rising in demand for High-Performance Pigments (HPP). Also, a surge in the market for printing inks is the factor that will result in the hike in demand for organic dyes in the forecast period.

Although being obtained from the environment, organic dyes still have some environmental concerns as their major restraining factor. As when water-bodies receive a high concentration of these organic dyes, it hinders the oxygenation capacity of the water-bodies, thus affecting the biological activity of aquatic life. Transformation in emerging economies, as well as growth in the manufacturing bases, are the opportunities, and the harmful health effect due to releasing of organic dyes in water bodies is the challenge that the market is currently facing.

Get a Sample of the Report @ https://www.reportsanddata.com/sample-enquiry-form/3274

The report covers historical analysis with extensive coverage of the market sales volume to offers an accurate forecast of the market size and market share. The forecast also covers estimations for key regions, along with product types and applications offered in the industry. Additionally, the report also covers macro- and micro-economic factors affecting the growth of the market.

The leading players of the industry have been analyzed extensively with regards to their product portfolio, company overview, business expansion strategies, production and manufacturing capacity, R&D advancements, and others. The key companies profiled in the report are Altana Ag, Cathy Pigments Inc., DIC Crop, Clariant International Limited, Sun Chemical Group, Cabot Crop, Lanxess AG, Rockwood Holdings, Huntsman International LLC, and BASE SE, among others . The report also covers strategic business initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships, collaborations, agreements, government deals, product launches, and brand promotions. It also studies the new emerging players of the market and offers strategic recommendations to overcome entry-level barriers. Moreover, the report offers a SWOT analysis and Porter’s Five Forces analysis to help readers gain a better understanding of the competitive scenario.

The report further analyzes the segmentation of the Organic Dyes market based on product types and application spectrum with special emphasis on the manufacturing and production process and market reach. For better understanding, based on Dyeing Process, the market is segmented into Acid, Basic, Mordant, Reactive, Azo, Others, and others. Based on the application spectrum, the market is segmented into Agriculture, Textiles, Paints & coatings and others.

Furthermore, to better understand the Organic Dyes market, a thorough and extensive analysis of the key geographical regions is covered in the report. The regions are studied by examining production and consumption ratio, import/export, supply and demand ratio, market share and market size, revenue contribution, growth prospects, and analysis of the key players operating in the regions.

Mike Pompeo to Host Top Vatican Officials for Religious Freedom Symposium

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Mike Pompeo to Host Top Vatican Officials for Religious Freedom Symposium

ROME — The Vatican’s secretary of state and foreign minister will join U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for a high-level symposium on international religious freedom on September 30.

The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See announced the meeting Saturday, as well as the participation of Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who together with Secretary Pompeo and several panelists will discuss “Advancing and Defending International Religious Freedom Through Diplomacy” at the Rome event.

“The symposium will highlight diplomatic tools that governments, international organizations, and faith-based organizations can use to identify and confront religious persecution and encourage international cooperation to protect and promote religious freedom,” the official press release reads.

“Religious persecution and restrictions on religious freedom are among the most pressing global human rights concerns today,” the statement continues. “Promoting and securing religious freedom is a cornerstone of the United States’ diplomatic relationship with the Holy See.”

“The United States understands that upholding the right to religious freedom is not just a moral necessity, it is a national security imperative. When nations effectively promote and protect religious freedom, they are safer, more prosperous, and secure,” said U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Callista Gingrich.

Just over a week ago, Secretary Pompeo published an article in which he urged the Vatican to use its moral authority to pressure China on the issue of human rights and religious liberty.

“The Holy See has a unique capacity and duty to focus the world’s attention on human rights violations, especially those perpetrated by totalitarian regimes like Beijing’s,” Pompeo wrote in a September 18 essay for First Things.

“In the late twentieth century, the Church’s power of moral witness helped inspire those who liberated central and eastern Europe from communism, and those who challenged autocratic and authoritarian regimes in Latin America and East Asia,” Pompeo wrote. “That same power of moral witness should be deployed today with respect to the Chinese Communist Party.”

“What the Church teaches the world about religious freedom and solidarity should now be forcefully and persistently conveyed by the Vatican in the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s relentless efforts to bend all religious communities to the will of the Party and its totalitarian program,” he added.

The Vatican is currently negotiating with officials of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regarding the renewal of a controversial secret joint agreement on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China.

In his essay, Mr. Pompeo said the Vatican hoped the accord “would improve the condition of Catholics in China by reaching agreement with the Chinese regime on the appointment of bishops,” something he insists has not happened.

“Two years on, it’s clear that the Sino-Vatican agreement has not shielded Catholics from the Party’s depredations, to say nothing of the Party’s horrific treatment of Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong devotees, and other religious believers,” Pompeo wrote.

On Thursday, the BBC reported that China has “expanded its network of detention centres for its Uighur minority despite insisting the ‘re-education’ system was being scaled back,” updating stories from last summer reporting the detention of more than a million Uighur Muslims.

There are some 380 reeducation camps in China’s Xinjiang region, about 40 percent more than previous estimates, according to a report released by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

The report “identifies 100 more detention sites than previous investigations have shown, based on analysis of satellite imagery, interviews with eyewitnesses, media reports and official documents,” the BBC stated.

‘We must open our eyes to the weaknesses this pandemic has laid bare’, Belgium leader tells UN General Assembly

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‘We must open our eyes to the weaknesses this pandemic has laid bare’, Belgium leader tells UN General Assembly

“COVID-19 must not blind us. On the contrary, we must open our eyes to the weaknesses that this pandemic has laid bare to our societal models, for example,” she said in a pre-recorded statement.   

Due to the pandemic, the annual debate for Heads of State and Government in the UN General Assembly Hall is mainly being held virtually. 

Prime Minister Wilmès pointed to COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on people who already suffer heavily due to inequality, such as women, girls, children, the elderly and persons with a disability. 

Geopolitical tensions and conflicts 

“At a time when we continue to combat this pandemic with strength and steely determination, as well as its consequences, we cannot nevertheless turn our back to the other major challenges facing us in the 21st century,” she continued. 

“Geopolitical tensions are palpable, and conflicts rage or threaten to emerge across the globe. These tensions are simply exacerbated by the current health situation and they jeopardize the delicate balances reached in our world.” 

For Ms. Wilmès, the situation in the Gulf remains of great concern.  She called for the international community to “actively seek to preserve” the 2015 agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme. 

The deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Programme of Action (JCPOA) sets out rules for monitoring the programme. It also guarantees that the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will have regular access to sites in the country.  

“The JCPOA remains crucial to guarantee the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme,” she said. 

The Prime Minister also underlined the need for peace in the Middle East. 

“There can be no solution to the conflict in the Middle East without a lasting and just solution the Palestinian question. There can be no peace in the Middle East without Israel enjoying the legitimate right to live in peace and security in internally-recognized borders. There can be no peace in the Middle East if we do not eradicate terrorism,” she stated. 

Violent extremism and the climate crisis 

Moving to the Sahel, Ms. Wilmès condemned the recent military coup in Mali, and extended her nation’s full support to regional and national efforts towards a civilian transition and the restoration of constitutional order. 

Many of the challenges Mali faces are common to the wider region, such as terrorism, conflict between farmers and herders, and inter-communal tensions, she added, in calling for “a holistic approach” to counter violent extremism. 

“Such an approach must emphasize good governance, the fight against impunity, the strengthening of democratic institutions, tackling the grievances of marginalized groups, as well as sustainable and inclusive development,” she advised. 

Meanwhile, more regions of the world are now weathering the consequences of climate change.  Ms. Wilmès said people are being driven from their homes due to drought and “abnormal meteorological conditions” in countries such as Somalia, Yemen and Afghanistan. 

“The climate emergency is a challenge for peace. There is no more time to waste,” she said. “And this is a cause behind which each and every one of us must rally.” 

Full statement (in French) available here 

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