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Weekend Musings: Beyond the policy
Edition 55 In 2016, the Narendra Modi led government came up with a National Civil Aviation Policy. I am proud to have contributed to it and also being recognised for this contribution at various forums. However, eight years after it came into effect – looking back at the policy makes me wonder if it is being followed? With the same government all along, it is easier to change or modify the…
PM Modi set for second in-person Quad Summit, to have bilaterals with Kishida, Biden, Albanese
PM Modi set for second in-person Quad Summit, to have bilaterals with Kishida, Biden, Albanese
PM Modi set for second in-person Quad Summit, to have bilaterals with Kishida, Biden, Albanese New Delhi, May 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that he will be participating in the second in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo in Japan and will be holding a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden. “In March New Delhi, May 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that…
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South America’s Mercosur countries will address environmental concerns raised by the European Union that have stalled ratification of a free trade deal between the two trade blocs, Argentina’s foreign minister said.
“We do understand that there is an environmental concern that runs through Europe and that it is valid because we have made it also our own,” said Felipe Solá, the foreign minister of Argentina which is due to take over the rotating presidency of Mercosur. “And we are willing to talk and talk about it and see what agreement we can reach, obviously.”
Solá said his country — which is one of four full members of Mercosur along with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — had its own concerns about the impact of the deal on Argentina’s privacy sector.
He also insisted that any mechanism for imposing sanctions should work both ways.
“If there were to be sanctions between two big regions it would have to be reciprocal,” said Solá, speaking ahead of a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who hosted the meeting as his country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said a process of dialogue between the 27-nation bloc and Mercosur was necessary, “including with civil society and businesses, that provides answers on the remaining open questions about climate protection and sustainability.”
The agreement is the result of two decades of negotiation. It would integrate a market of some 800 million people, remove most tariffs on EU exports, ease border checks, cut red tape, and strengthen political and cultural ties.
The ten-year old FTA between China and Peru is one of the agreements with the highest level of liberalization of goods trade that China has signed.
"The FTA between China and Peru is one of the agreements with the highest level of liberalization of goods trade that China has signed. Moreover, it is the first of a series of foreign trade agreements between China and Latin American countries," he explained.
The Chinese Ambassador stated that —before the FTA came into force— annual trade between both countries reached only US$6.4 billion.
"Despite the international financial crisis, bilateral trade saw an increase of 44%," he stressed.
China became Peru’s second largest trade partner. Since then, the bilateral trade volume has grown at an average annual rate of 10%.
"This FTA has served as a driving force for the development of economic and trade relations between China and Peru. Also, it has allowed bilateral trade to make significant progress over the last 10 years," Liang Yu emphasized.
‘World Test Championship points system is ridiculous’, says Michael Holding
‘World Test Championship points system is ridiculous’, says Michael Holding
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West Indies fast bowling great Michael Holding has termed the World Test Championship’s points system as “ridiculous”, where some of the Tests will be rendered inconsequential once teams realise that they can’t finish in top two in the points table.
As per the current points system, the value for each Test match win in a two-match series is 60 points a game.
However, if it’s a…
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The destructive effects of these free trade agreements signed with the EU are already clearly visible in the majority of countries of the South.
The People’s Government will establish assistance programs for the industrialization of the economies of the South and for the construction of independent, autonomous, solidarity-based local economies, promoting endogenous human and democratic development based in particular on food sovereignty.
A People’s Government will have to give preferential access to its markets for products that respect notions of equity and that come from small producers, and tax more agribusiness products and those that violate social and environmental standards. It will reactivate short marketing networks and back actions to small local producers in both the North and South and establish direct and trusting links between producers and consumers. It will recognize and support the right of populations to live with dignity in their territories without any foreign commercial aggression and without being forced to be displaced in any way.
Many countries, particularly in the global south, are in the process of joining the Energy Charter Treaty despite the sweeping powers it grants to foreign investors.
Since 2012 the ECT’s Secretariat – which is not just an administrative body, but the driving force behind drumming up support and new signatories for the treaty – has been putting great effort into expanding the geographical reach of the agreement to countries in Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. The Secretariat has downplayed the risks of the ECT and exaggerated its benefits. As a result, many countries are in line to sign the agreement, with its extreme investor privileges. In signing up, they risk shrinking their ability to decide their own energy policy, as well as opening themselves up to the potential for costly lawsuits by investors.
You can find out more about the Energy Charter Treaty on
www.energy-charter-dirty-secrets.org/
The World Bank's International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes has approved Pakistan’s petition for a review in the Reko Diq case in which the country was slapped with a $6 billion fine.
With the assistance of an international law firm, Pakistan filed a petition against the verdict within the given time and was able to secure a stay order on the case.
The provincial cabinet has also approved the law team which will lead the case in the ICSID.
"Pakistan had filed a petition against the verdict in November last year. As a result a stay order was ordered by the court, and it will now be heard in February 2020," Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said.
The Balochistan government says the project is crucial for Pakistan’s development and that the province and Centre will have to be on the same page to pursue the case in ICSID.
