24-Jun-2019: Seed Testing Association to hold 32nd Congress in Hyderabad
The International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) is to hold its 32nd Congress in Hyderabad beginning June 26. Scientists, policy makers and industry representatives from the UK, South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand, Canada and Austria are expected to take part in the conference.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and the Telangana government are jointly hosting the eight-day conference, which will be attended by stakeholders from across the globe.
The Congress will have a symposium on seed technology and quality in a changing world. It would discuss recent developments in seed research and in technology related to seeds.
Stakeholders representing seed production, processing, biotechnology, seed testing laboratories and associated organisations will showcase their products, solutions and services.
Several pre and post-event workshops would be held to market the ISTA-2019. The workshops would focus on varietal identification, seed sampling, purity, germination and moisture. The latter workshop would held from July 5 to 12.
18-Jun-2019: India provides USD 15 million assistance to Niger for holding AU summit
India has extended USD 15 million grant to Niger in support of organising the African Union summit scheduled in July in Niamey. The grant assistance of USD 15 million was symbolically handed over to Niger's Deputy Foreign Minister Lamido Ousseini Bala Goga Salamatou in the presence of Minister and Special Advisor to the Niger President Mohammed Saidil Moctar, by Indian Ambassador to that country Rajesh Agarwal at a ceremony held in Niamey.
The support was in response to a specific request by the Niger government. Niger is hosting the AU Summit for the first time. The AU Summit, from July 7-8 in Niamey, is also expected to launch the historic African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
India and Niger relations have expanded significantly since the opening of the Indian Resident Diplomatic Mission in Niamey in 2009. India has provided Lines of Credit worth USD 96.54 million to Niger for projects in transport, electrification, solar energy and potable drinking water.
India is also establishing in Niamey, Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre (MGICC) under a grant assistance. The Centre honours the memory of Mahatma Gandhi whose 150th birth anniversary is being observed in 2019. The Centre is likely to host some meetings associated with the forthcoming AU Summit.
India's grant assistance for organizing the AU Summit will further contribute towards enhancing of bilateral ties. The grant assistance is also reiteration of India's firm commitment towards Africa.
27-Mar-2019: India, African Union ink MoU on health sciences cooperation
The Indian Council of Medical Research and the African Union (AU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which formalised the India-Africa Health Sciences Collaborative Platform (IAHSP) by establishing a framework.
India for Africa. MoU on India-Africa Health Sciences Cooperation between ICMR Delhi & African Union was signed. It will pave way for cooperation in R&D, capacity building, health services, pharmaceutical trade, and manufacturing capabilities.
The IAHSP was established after the first India-Africa Health Sciences Meet in 2016 in New Delhi. The IAHSP strengthens cooperation in the health sector in a structured and organized manner.
10-Feb-2019: 32nd ordinary session
The supreme organ of the African Union (AU), the Assembly, which comprises Heads of State and Government of all the 55 African countries, has begun its 32nd ordinary session. The Assembly meeting is the culmination of the Union’s statutory meetings and was preceded by the meetings of the Executive Council and the Permanent Representatives Committee.
Among the responsibilities of the Assembly are to determine the AU’s policies, establish its priorities, adopt its annual programme and monitor the implementation of its policies and decisions.
In this regard, the Heads of State and Government will, over their two day meeting, receive several reports including report on the Outcome of the Leadership In Health Financing Funds High Level Meeting to be presented by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda; President Mamadou Issoufou of Niger will report on the status of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as well as President Alassane Dramane Ouattara of Cote D’ivoire will report on progress achieved with regard to Agenda 2063.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat will present reports on the Implementation of the Institutional Reform of the AU and the Annual Report on the activities of the Union and its organs. Other reports will also be presented during the Assembly meeting, to gauge the progress made in the implementation of flagship projects of Africa’s Agenda 2063.
While making his opening remarks, President Kagame welcomed to the Assembly, the new leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo i.e. H.E. Felix Tshisekedi, and of Madagascar, H.E. Andry Rajoelina. President Kagame commended Guinea-Bissau, Botswana, and Zambia for signing the instrument for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) during this Summit, and encouraged those signatories who have not yet ratified to do so, at the earliest opportunity.
Regarding the efforts made towards sustainable financing of the Union, President Kagame remarked that, the relaunched Peace Fund now stands at $89 million dollars, with 50 Member States contributing.
Today marked the end of Rwanda’s chairpersonship of the Union and President Kagame handed over to President Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt during the opening ceremony.
President Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi called for creation of more job opportunities, and encouraged investments. The Chairperson of the African Union emphasized the need to resolve the ongoing challenges in Africa, particularly terrorism and extremism. He is expected to concentrate on security and financial reform, but with no great plans to strengthen the AU’s multilateral powers.
Instead, the focus is expected to be on combating illegal immigration while Egypt presents itself as a model for hosting refugees.
The summit has been titled: “Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons” presented within a security context.
Free trade: The Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) was approved by 44 of 55 member states last March. If ratified, it would become the largest free trade area since the World Trade Organization was set up in 1995.
The CFTA would see tariffs removed from 90 percent of goods and could boost trade within the continent by 52 percent within three years.
The free trade area will come into effect once ratified by 22 of the signatory states. As of February, 19 states had ratified the agreement.
Nigeria is one of the continent’s economic powerhouses staying outside the CFTA, with President Muhammadu Buhari concerned it may hurt Nigerian entrepreneurship and industry.
The Assembly was addressed by the UN Secretary General António Guterres who remarked that the AU and UN are working together successfully across the continent, with Africa firmly in the lead, and there was a need to do more to strengthen the partnership. Africa hosts nearly a third of the world’s refugees and internally displaced persons. Despite the continent’s own social, economic and security challenges, Africa’s governments and people have kept borders, doors and hearts open to millions in need.
The results of the election for the Bureau of the Assembly for 2019 were announced as follows:
1. AU Chairperson: Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt;
2. 1st Vice Chairperson: Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa;
3. 2nd Vice Chairperson: Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
4. 3rd Vice Chairperson: Mahamadou Issoufou, President of the Republic of the Niger;
5. 4th Vice Chairperson: Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda (Rapporteur).
The Chairperson of the African Union for 2020 will be H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa.
The Summit is being held under the 2019 theme; “The Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced displacement in Africa”.
Human rights concerns: Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have expressed concern that Egypt’s chairmanship may undermine the AU’s human rights mechanisms. During his time in power President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has demonstrated a shocking contempt for human rights. Under his leadership the country has undergone a catastrophic decline in rights and freedoms.
There are real fears about the potential impact his chairmanship could have on the independence of regional human rights mechanisms and their future engagement with civil society. The African Union member states must ensure that Egypt, as political head of the organization for 2019, upholds the African Union’s values and principles, including respect for human and peoples’ rights.
31-May-2019: Defending in Numbers: Resistance in the Face of Repression 2017-2018
Defending In Numbers is a biennial report that reviews the situation of human rights defenders (HRD) across Asia as documented by FORUM-ASIA. This particular edition of the report, Resistance in the Face of Repression, highlights key human rights violations against HRDs for the period of 2017-2018. Its central purpose is to identify regional patterns of violations and abuses against HRDs to illustrate the repressive environment many HRDs operate in within Asia. It also seeks to present case studies about HRDs that shed light on the important work they have done in advancing human rights, as well as their lived experiences of threats, harassment and intimidation. The information in this publication draws on the data collected by FORUM-ASIA, majority of which are published through the Asian HRDs Portal.
HRDs in Asia face numerous threats and challenges due to their role in defending human rights, as individuals or as collectives. Through the various editions of Defending in Numbers – Defending in Numbers: Mounting Echoes of Muffled Dissent published in 2015 and Defending in Numbers: Silencing the Voices of Asia published in 2017 – FORUM-ASIA has shed light on the systematic, coordinated and increasingly widespread nature of these threats. Across Asia, HRDs are criminalised, vilified, harassed, and attacked for conducting their legitimate and peaceful human rights work.
Between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2018, FORUM-ASIA witnessed the deteriorating situation of HRDs. Violations have become more extreme, and the safe spaces in which HRDs can work have increasingly shrunk. Throughout our discussions with defenders during the 8th Asian Regional Human Rights Defenders Forum in 2018, many reported the key challenges for HRDs to be: (i) the arbitrary and abusive use of existing laws; (ii) the passage of new legislation to criminalise activities of HRDs; (iii) the use of intimidation and threats; (iv) the imposition of travel bans, funding restrictions and other restrictive policies; and (v) the use of physical violence, which at times resulted in killings.
In this increasingly repressive landscape, there are small glimmers of hope. For one, HRDs remain resilient in the face of the repression and abuses. They tirelessly defend their rights and the rights of others in pursuit of justice and human dignity. With these defenders’ unfading and enduring resistance, the human rights movement continues to press forward. Secondly, in recent years, as a result of years of struggle by defenders on the ground, there have been historic shifts in the political landscape that has opened up new opportunities for human rights to be upheld. Malaysia, for instance, had its first regime change since the country’s independence in 1957. While South Korea saw Moon Jae-In, a former human rights lawyer and leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, rise to presidency after the impeachment of former President Park Geun-Hye, who was accused of abusing power. In the presence of new leaders, we hope that these countries are offered an opportunity to eradicate its repressive approaches to human rights, and usher in a new era where human rights are respected, promoted and protected.
Finally, it is also a great victory to see more States move towards the establishment of national HRD protection mechanisms. This is particularly the case for Mongolia and the Philippines where – thanks in large part to the prolonged struggle by HRDs – state institutions have finally begun to draft, and hold comprehensive discussions about, national legislation for the protection of HRDs, paving the way for the creation of safer environments for defenders. With 2018 marking the 20th anniversary of the UN Declaration on HRDs, FORUM-ASIA celebrates these achievements, while remaining committed to addressing the dire challenges that remain for HRDs.