Month: May 2022

International organizations aim to transform global ocean governance by enabling access to data, technology and analytics at scale

Washington, D.C., May 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new collaboration aims to boost equitable access to vital fisheries intelligence, data analysis and capacity building assistance to help developing maritime States combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Founded by the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network, Global Fishing Watch and TMT, the Joint Analytical Cell, or JAC, will harness innovative technology and fisheries expertise to facilitate collaboration among State and non-State actors and transform ocean governance.

The announcement comes in advance of the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing on June 5 and the second United Nations Ocean Conference taking place in Lisbon, Portugal June 27-July 1at which the Joint Analytical Cell will be showcased by States that recognize the importance of novel collaboration and new technology to help sustainably manage the ocean.

“The establishment of the Joint Analytical Cell marks a sea change in fisheries intelligence and analysis. It will set a precedent for a global shift toward greater use of open data, data analytics, and integrated technology to provide greater transparency of activities occurring in the maritime domain and strengthen fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance efforts,” said Mark Young, Executive Director of the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network. “Collaboration between States, nonprofits and technology providers can help tackle IUU fishing by providing actionable data, credible intelligence and capacity building to those that need it most, ultimately improving global fisheries management.”

IUU fishing causes significant harm to the health and resilience of the ocean, which is crucial in assuring global livelihoods and food security. Costing States millions of dollars in lost revenue and causing untold damage to marine ecosystems, it is also linked to increases in associated crimes, including labor and human rights abuses, as well as broader maritime security challenges.

Technology and transparency of information can drive change at scale in the fight against illegal fishing. But the global community lacks equitable access to the necessary data and tools, and the resources and training required to use them. Management authorities have traditionally relied on proprietary monitoring systems that have limited information sharing and are not available to all States.

In an effort to streamline the various technology and data offerings in the sphere of fisheries intelligence, the JAC seeks to facilitate a more open, collaborative model that will catalyze pooled data and technology, and conduct capacity-building efforts to improve upon current operating procedures. These insights can be shared across partners and deployed to support maritime enforcement authorities, enabling them to carry out targeted, risk-based and intelligence-led fisheries monitoring, control, surveillance and enforcement operations. These actions are also designed to act as a deterrent, since illicit activities will be harder to hide. The JAC will particularly focus on the strengthening of port controls, transshipment activity, and air and sea patrols. Insights from JAC analyses will also be made available to evidence-base international policy and legal processes that target the closure of loopholes that are exploited by illegal fishing operators.

“The IUU fishing challenge continues to evolve, and so must the responses,” said Duncan Copeland, Executive Director at TMT. “The opportunities that the appropriate data, the right tools and technologies, and targeted personnel training present to bolstering fisheries enforcement capacities are enormous, but only if they are accessible and adapted to a national or regional context. State and non-State actor cooperation and collaboration are essential, and the Joint Analytical Cell has been formed to enable this objective.”

“What we have established with the Joint Analytical Cell is a partnership mechanism that is designed to grow and bring in more complementary platforms and technology providers,” said Tony Long, Chief Executive Officer at Global Fishing Watch. “This initiative, when taken to scale, will mobilize the combined expertise of its partners and allow for more targeted analyses and actionable intelligence offerings.”

The Joint Analytical Cell will focus on four key areas: fisheries intelligence; monitoring, control and surveillance capacity building; access to data and technology, and partnership development. It will build on existing tools created by the founding members such as Global Fishing Watch’s vessel tracking map and related tools like its carrier vessel portal, as well as TMT’s Fisheries Analytical Capacity Tool, a fisheries intelligence management system built to capture and support analysis of identities and characteristics of the global fishing fleet and the companies that comprise it.

“Fish are a livelihood and source of nutrition for billions of people globally and it’s critical to prevent actions like illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing that threaten this vital resource,” said Melissa Wright from Bloomberg Philanthropies. “The new Joint Analytical Cell is an unprecedented step to enhance global collaboration to end fishing piracy, and Bloomberg Philanthropies is excited to support this major effort to expand fishing data. We know that you can’t manage what you can’t measure and the data from this new fisheries intelligence force will ensure governments, civil society partners, and communities can hold bad actors accountable and fish continue to be an available resource for billions around the world.”

Attachment

• Collaboration toward enhanced maritime security 

Kimberly Vosburgh
Global Fishing Watch
kimberly@globalfishingwatch.org

Larissa Clark
TM-Tracking
larissa@tm-tracking.org

Damian Johnson
IMCS Network
djohnson@imcsnet.org

Cameron’s National Day on May 20 has been marked by running battles between government troops and separatists who imposed a lockdown, crippling business in English-speaking western regions. The military says at least 28 separatists who vowed to disrupt celebrations in English-speaking regions of the majority francophone nation were killed in violent battles. President Paul Biya is attending commemorations.

Cameroon’s military sings at a ceremony to commemorate May 20 in the capital, Yaounde, pledging loyalty to state institutions and expressing the readiness of troops to defend the country’s territorial integrity.

The government said the parade marking Cameroon’s 50th National Day was attended by at least 30,000 civilians, led by President Paul Biya. The government said it reduced the time for the military parade to 45 minutes for strategic reasons.

However, opposition political parties, including the Social Democratic Front, said the ailing 89-year-old Biya could not stand up for two hours to honor the military during its parade, as has been the tradition in Cameroon.

The government said the National Day celebration was successful in Cameroon’s French-speaking regions. Separatists said they imposed a lockdown in English-speaking western regions to protest May 20 celebrations, also known as the day of National Unity between the English-speaking minority and the majority French-speaking nation.

Capo Daniel is deputy defense chief of the Ambazonia Defense Forces, which Cameroon officials call a leading separatist group. He says fighters stopped government troops from transporting French speakers to English-speaking western regions to give the impression that English speakers are happy with the central government in Yaounde. Capo says in the process many government troops were killed.

“Previously, we have seen the Cameroon government drive into our territory her own citizens to stage public celebrations of the 20th May,” said Daniel. “For this year, 2022, we have targeted the Cameroon forces, killing 24 of them. Across Ambazonia, our forces have signaled their presence to our populations by firing shots in the air to send a message that today [May 20] everyone should stay at home and observe a rejection of the Cameroon union with Ambazonia.”

Ambazonia is what separatists call the state they say they are fighting to create.

The government has denied its troops were transporting French speakers to English-speaking regions. The military says it lost six troops in battles within the past week and that 28 separatists who tried to disrupt May 20 activities were killed in several northwestern towns, including Oku, Kumbo, Bamenda and Nkambe.

Colonel Samuel Tabot Orock is a commander of government troops fighting separatists in Bamenda, the capital of Cameroon’s English speaking North-West region. Orock says the military made sure everyone who came out for celebrations was protected.

“Let the world, and Cameroon in particular, understand that the military in Bamenda know that the secessionist fighters will be doing everything in their powers to disrupt a successful 20th May celebration, that is why we are taking every single measure as far as security is concerned to make sure there is a hitch-free 20th May celebration in Bamenda,” Orock said.

Orock said running battles between government troops and separatists crippled activity in many northwestern towns and villages.

The government said prior to the day at least 35 people separatists suspected of preparing to commemorate the day were abducted by separatists in several towns of the South-West region including Mutengene and Tiko.

Bernard Okalia Bilai, the governor of the South-West region, spoke by telephone from Buea, capital of the region.

Bilai says local administrative authorities and civilians report separatists who abduct and threaten to kill people accused of disrespecting lockdown calls to the military. He says civilians have understood that separatist claims that fighters can create an independent English-speaking state in Cameroon are unfounded.

On May 20, 1972, Cameroon organized what it called a constitutional referendum, during which a majority of its citizens voted to abolish the federal system of government that had existed since 1961 in favor of a unitary state. Separatists say there has been an overbearing influence of French in English-speaking western regions since the 1972 referendum.

Source: Voice of America

Elmar Brok, the head of the EU electoral mission, told reporters Friday that as Zimbabwe prepares for next year’s elections, it must amend its electoral laws so that all parties have a fair chance of winning at the polls.

Brok and his team were assigned to Zimbabwe by Brussels to share their findings after their first visit to Zimbabwe during the July 2018 elections.

In an interview with VOA, Brok, a German national, said the mission gave Zimbabwean officials 23 recommendations for “genuine” electoral reforms.

 “It has to do with even playing field, the impartiality of the [state] media, equal treatment of the parties, a proper voters’ registration, there is a multipart liaison committee, there will be proper conducting of elections, the conduct on election day – the transparency – and then counting and the collection of the counting to the final results. If that is transparently clear, no loopholes, then it’s the best way to have peace in the country, because nobody says there was something wrong with the elections, to get the credibility of elections.”

Zimbabwe officials would not comment Friday on Brok’s statement.

Earlier, though, Raphael Faranisi, the acting permanent secretary in Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, said the government is looking forward to June 7, when Harare and Brussels officials meet.

 “This will be yet another opportunity to candidly assess progress to date and plan for the future, based on realistic expectations. I have heard concerns expressed with respect to development in Zimbabwe. But I just want to put it on record that, in terms of the reforms that we have carried out, the challenge is: I just want you to give me three, four countries on our continent that have really done better than us. For those that have been following closely development in Zimbabwe, we are on that reform trajectory and it’s not reversable.”

For years, Zimbabwe’s elections have been marred by violence, voter intimidation and allegations of rigging, leading to disputed results.

When President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeded Robert Mugabe in 2017, Mnangagwa promised to improve how elections are held but the opposition continues to accuse the ruling Zanu-PF party and the government of manipulating the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Source: Voice of America

CASTRIES, Saint Lucia, 12 May — The long-standing question of decolonizing Western Sahara, the Falkland Islands (Malvinas)* and Gibraltar took centre stage today, as the Pacific Regional Seminar on Decolonization entered its second day.

Held under the auspices of the Special Committee on Decolonization, the Seminar’s theme is “Advancement of the Non-Self-Governing Territories through the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond”.  (For further information, see Press Release GA/COL/3355 of 11 May 2022).

Gavin Short, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), said his family have lived in the Territory for 173 years.  Describing the Falklands (Malvinas) as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, he said they amply demonstrated their desire to retain the status quo in the referendum of March 2013, when 99.8 per cent of them voted by 92 per cent to do so.  The referendum was internationally observed to ensure the vote was free and fair, he added.

Joseph Bossano, former Chief Minister of Gibraltar, recalled the Special Committee’s affirmation in 1964 that the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples was fully applicable to Gibraltar, and its invitation to the United Kingdom and Spain to begin negotiations, in accordance with the Charter.  He also recalled that, at 25, he decided to campaign for the decolonization of Gibraltar and to oppose its being handed over to Spain.  Noting that 2022 is the thirtieth year in which he is addressing Member States in defence of the right of Gibraltar to self-determination, he said he did not anticipate it would take quite so long.  He went on to state that Gibraltar has been increasing its level of self-government, with Spain opposing it every inch of the way.  In spite of the 1713 Peace Treaty, under which it ceded the 4 square kilometre Rock of Gibraltar in perpetuity, Spain complains that the British later took an additional 1 km² of the isthmus, he pointed out.  Now, no one in Gibraltar supports a return to the Brussels negotiations or discussions of sovereignty between Spain and the United Kingdom, with or without Gibraltarian participation, he emphasized.

Sidi Mohamed Omar, Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguía el-Hamra and Río de Oro (Frente Polisario), noted that the question of Western Sahara, the last Non-Self-Governing Territory in Africa, has been on the Special Committee’s agenda since December 1963, emphasizing that the main reason is very clear — Morocco’s continued illegal military occupation since 1975.  The situation of the Sahrawi people in the territories under illegal occupation has deteriorated due to the coronavirus pandemic at a time when the occupying State continues to intensify its repressive and colonial practices and policies, he said, citing the ongoing repression of Sahrawi civilians and human rights activists.  Morocco is also changing the Territory’s demographic nature through intensive and incentivised settlement policies, destruction of cultural heritage and plunder of natural resources, he said.  The only option is to defend the principles of international legality and to conclude the decolonization of Western Sahara through the free, genuine, and democratic expression of the sovereign will of the Sahrawi people in the exercise of their inalienable and non-negotiable right to self-determination and independence, he stressed.

Bahiya Ghalla, Western Sahara, giving a first-hand account of the latest developments in the Moroccan Sahara, said the momentum in favour of Morocco’s autonomy initiative is giving hope that a political solution to the regional dispute over the Sahara is closer than ever.  In a situation that has lasted for far too long, Morocco’s autonomy initiative receives broad support from Africa, the Arab world and Europe as the only option to end the regional dispute, she stressed, noting that the establishment of many consulates in the Moroccan Sahara attests to growing recognition of the initiative’s legitimacy.  She went on to describe herself as part of a generation of Moroccan women playing key roles in designing and implementing national development policies, in the framework of Morocco’s vision for gender equality as the foundation of a modern, democratic society.  The last elections, with a voter turnout of 66 per cent, were another milestone in the context of ambitious democratic reform, she said, pointing out that the election of young women like herself during that vote demonstrated the great strides made in strengthening gender equality and promoting women’s political participation at the local, regional, and national levels.  Underlining Morocco’s efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to ensure the resilience of its southern provinces, she said the Moroccan Sahara is emerging as an African regional economic hub.

Paula Vernet, expert, noted the sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom and invited both to resume direct negotiations, bearing in mind the interests of the Malvinas inhabitants.  He added that the United Kingdom did not accept Argentina’s offer to help them during the COVID pandemic.

Spain’s representative said his country ceded Gibraltar to the United Kingdom in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht.  The United Kingdom expelled the Spaniards who inhabited Gibraltar at the time, he added, emphasizing that Spain has never consented to occupation of the isthmus.  The same can be said of the waters around Gibraltar and the suprajacent air space, he said.  Recalling that past regional seminars have appealed to Spain and the United Kingdom to hold talks on a definitive negotiated solution, he said they have reached bilateral agreements on Gibraltar in the framework of Brexit, with the ultimate objective of creating an area of shared prosperity encompassing the entire area of Campo de Gibraltar and Gibraltar.  The only solution that accords with United Nations doctrine on the decolonization of Gibraltar is bilateral negotiation between Spain and the United Kingdom, he reiterated.

Argentina’s representative said the Malvinas question is a special colonial situation involving a sovereignty dispute between his country and the United Kingdom.  In resolution 2065 (XX), he recalled, the General Assembly established that the way to end the colonial situation is through bilateral negotiations between the only two parties to the dispute, taking into account the interests of the Territory’s inhabitants.  Noting that the composition of its population is the result of colonization initiated by the United Kingdom in 1833, he emphasized that the illegitimate colonial legislation was designed from the beginning to preserve the “British character” of the Territory’s population and to make it difficult for the people of Argentina to settle on the islands.  Only four people born on the Argentine mainland resided on the Territory in 2016, he pointed out, stressing that the right to self-determination is not, therefore, applicable to the Malvinas question.  He went on to describe the 2013 referendum as a unilateral act by the United Kingdom, without legitimacy and recognition by the United Nations.  In 1966, the British Foreign Minister agreed to initiate sovereignty negotiations, a development formally communicated to the Secretary-General, he recalled.  The conflict of 1982 did not alter the nature of the dispute, he said, expressing Argentina’s willingness to resume negotiations.

Saint Lucia’s representative, noting the appointment of Staffan de Mistura as the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, welcomed his efforts to resume round-table consultations towards a lasting and mutually acceptable solution to the Western Sahara question.  He also welcomed Morocco’s autonomy initiative.

Côte d’Ivoire’s representative expressed his delegation’s full support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative, saying it considers the specificities of the region and is in conformity with international law, the United Nations Charter and the relevant resolutions.

Papua New Guinea’s representative, stressing the urgent need for a mutually agreed solution to the Western Sahara question, said inclusive dialogue is an important tool for building bridges.  He went on to state that Morocco’s autonomy initiative is worthy, based on political reality and compromise, noting growing international support for it as a credible proposal.

Grenada’s representative welcomed the appointment of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy and Morocco’s autonomy initiative.

Sierra Leone’s representative pointed out that Security Council resolution 2602 (2021) calls upon Morocco, Frente Polisario, Algeria and Mauritania to cooperate more fully with each other.  He expressed support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative.

Indonesia’s representative welcomed the appointment of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy.  On the Falklands (Malvinas), he said a peaceful and negotiated settlement on the issues between the two Governments concerned is the best way forward.

Cuba’s representative said the dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom must be settled through negotiations, adding that her delegation opposes the dispatch of a visiting mission to the Malvinas.

Syria’s representative said a peaceful negotiated solution is the only way to end the dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom.  Expressing support for Argentina’s legitimate rights over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia Islands, South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas, she called upon the United Kingdom to engage in dialogue.

The representative of Antigua and Barbuda welcomed the efforts of the new Personal Envoy to resume the round-table process, including during his first visit to the region in January.  Noting efforts to free Latin America of colonialism and colonies, he called upon Argentina and the United Kingdom to settle their sovereign dispute over the Falklands (Malvinas).

Bolivia’s representative emphasized that the Malvinas question is not only a bilateral issue, but a regional and global one.  Expressing solidarity with Argentina, he stressed that the only way forward is to resume negotiations.  Bolivia opposes a visiting mission, he added.

Chile’s representative, cautioning against unilateral decisions, expressed doubt over the Special Committee’s ability to conduct a visiting mission due to the existing sovereignty dispute.

Timor-Leste’s representative expressed support for the inalienable rights of the Sahrawi people, while welcoming the Personal Envoy’s appointment.  He went on to urge Argentina and the United Kingdom to continue dialogue.

Dominica’s representative, stressing the importance of United Nations involvement in the quest for a solution to the Western Sahara question, reaffirmed her delegation’s support for Morocco’s autonomy plan and commended its efforts in developing the Territory.

Venezuela’s representative expressed support for Argentina and appealed to the United Kingdom to resume direct negotiations, while describing a visiting mission to the Malvinas as inappropriate.  Expressing regret that the Sahrawi people have not been able to exercise their right to self-determination, he said the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has not fully discharged its mandate.  There is a need to reactivate the political process for Western Sahara, he added, asking the Secretary-General to consider sending a visiting mission to the Territory to obtain information on the ground.

Algeria’s representative, stressing that Frente Polisario is the sole representative of the Sahrawi people, clarified that his country is not a party to the conflict, but an observer alongside.  Rejecting Morocco’s attempt to change the nature of the conflict, he recalled that Western Sahara has remained on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories since 1963 and urged the Special Committee to use all its tools, including visiting missions.

Angola’s representative expressed concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation resulting from the conflict and the pandemic.

Belize’s representative expressed concern that the legitimate aspirations of the Sahrawi people for self-determination and independence have been thwarted and obstructed for almost 50 years.  Instead of implementation of the settlement plan accepted by all parties and approved by the Security Council, conflict has flared up once again, he noted.

Botswana’s representative expressed regret that Western Sahara remains Africa’s only colony, urging respect for the inalienable rights of the Sahrawi people.  A visiting mission to the Territory is long overdue, he emphasized.

Brazil’s representative, calling for application of the principle of territorial integrity, urged the United Kingdom to cease unilateral acts of exploration and exploitation of natural resources.  It should also refrain from promoting military exercises in an area whose sovereignty is under dispute, he said, stressing that the South Atlantic is a zone of peace and cooperation.

The Gambia’s representative joined others in welcoming the appointment of the Personal Envoy and expressed his delegation’s full support for Morocco’s full sovereignty over Western Sahara.

Mexico’s representative expressed support for Argentina’s legitimate right to the Malvinas, urging the United Kingdom to resume negotiations on a mutually acceptable solution to their sovereignty dispute and to refrain from unilateral modification of the Territory.  On Western Sahara, he highlighted the importance of listening to the will of the people and their need to exercise their right to self-determination.

Namibia’s representative expressed sympathy with those denied their right to self-determination, including the Sahrawi people, emphasizing that Africa’s decolonization will not be complete until the people of Western Sahara decide their future status through a free and fair referendum.

Morocco’s representative, noting that Ms. Bahiya represents thousands of people in Moroccan Sahara, condemned the statement by Algeria’s delegate saying his country is not a party to the conflict.  “That’s news to me,” he said, wondering why Algeria negotiates on behalf of Frente Polisario and campaigns for them.  He went on to urge Algeria to allow the people of Kabyle to choose their own future.

Mr. Omar said any delegation representing “another Sahara” has come to the wrong place because the Special Committee only considers the question of Western Sahara.

Algeria’s representative said Morocco is masking the truth and distorting United Nations resolutions.

Morocco’s representative rejected the accusation of distorting United Nations documents, saying he could forward his statement to his Algerian counterpart.  He went on to ask why the border between the two countries remains closed.

Algeria’s representative said Morocco ignores historical data, reminding his counterpart that Algiers closed the border because weapons and drugs were crossing into his country.

Mr. Omar said it was Morocco that divided Western Sahara, asking Rabat to allow the Special Committee to visit Western Sahara.

Morocco’s representative said Algeria is impoverishing its own population by arming the Frente Polisario.

Cuba’s representative affirmed its support for the people of Western Sahara and their right to self-determination.

Bolivia’s representative reiterated the essential need for dialogue.

At the session’s outset, the Seminar heard comments from speakers left over from the previous day’s discussion on the situation in New Caledonia.

Roch Wamytan, expert, said that, with 56 per cent of voters boycotting the third referendum amid the impacts of COVID-19, New Caledonia is at a political impasse.

Julien Boanemoi, expert, said New Caledonia has not been spared the pandemic’s effects, describing the difficulties of life and access to services under COVID-induced restrictions.

Naia Wateou, expert, noted that all communities, not only the Kanaks, faced challenges, emphasizing that the virus does not play politics.  She said the third referendum was conducted under permissible conditions, and the call for a boycott was a political decision.

France’s representative echoed that speaker, saying her country is ready to restart consultations based on the Nouméa Accord and to put everything on the table.

Mike Forrest, member of the government of New Caledonia, recalled that the participation rates during the first two referendums in 2018 and 2020 exceeded 80 per cent, but was only 43 per cent in 2021.  COVID’s impact has really changed life in New Caledonia, he emphasized.

The Seminar also from heard from Simona Marinescu, United Nations Resident Coordinator based in Samoa, and Dale Alexander, Chief of the Caribbean Knowledge Management Centre of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), who made pre-recorded video presentations on the United Nations system’s role in efforts to assist the Territories.

In 1960, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, subsequently proclaiming the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (1990 to 2000), as well as the Second and Third International Decades (2001-2010 and 2011-2020).  More than 80 former colonies have gained their independence since the creation of the United Nations, but 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remain under the purview of the 29-member organ, which is formally known as the Special Committee on the Situation with Regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.

The Non-Self-Governing Territories are American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Guam, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Tokelau, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Virgin Islands and Western Sahara.  The administering Powers are France, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States.

The Seminar will reconvene on Friday, 13 May, to conclude its work.

Source: United Nations

The United Nations Committee on Information — concluding its forty-fourth session today under the shadow of the tragic killing of yet another journalist in the line of duty — approved two resolutions detailing Member States’ priorities for the Department of Global Communications, from fighting misinformation to helping States protect the fundamental rights to expression and opinion.

Acting by consensus on the final day of its annual meeting, the Committee approved two draft resolutions contained in the report of its forty-fourth session (document A/AC.198/2022/L.3), which was introduced by Rapporteur Darren Camilleri (Malta) and will be forwarded to the General Assembly for adoption.

By their terms, the Assembly would urge all countries, organizations of the United Nations system and others to take a range of actions in support of the free flow of accurate information.  Among other things, those included specific calls to ensure the free and effective performance of journalists and resolutely condemn attacks against them, and to increase assistance for communication infrastructure and capabilities in developing countries.

The Assembly would reiterate its concerns about the exponential spread and proliferation of disinformation and misinformation and emphasize the need for all Member States to stand together to address those challenges, including on the Internet.  It would also re-emphasize the importance of ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of opinion and expression, the freedom of the press and the right to privacy.

By other terms of the resolutions, the Assembly would call for intensified cooperation with the United Nations system for the effective dissemination of scientific knowledge, best practices and information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines.  It would also support a range of activities and programmes of the Department of Global Communications, from its strategic communications services to its promotional campaigns to its role in peacekeeping and peacebuilding and the work of the network of United Nations information centres around the globe.

Maher Nasser, Director of the Outreach Division of the Department of Global Communications, delivered closing remarks on behalf of Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming.  He welcomed the Committee’s ability to reach consensus at a time of growing global challenges and rising tensions and divisions, particularly around the war in Ukraine.  Thanking delegations for their hard work and flexibility, he said the Department’s work to build support for peace, justice, human rights, equality, climate action and a healthy environment is inspired by Member States’ guidance and priorities.  “When these are reached by consensus, that represents the spirit of multilateralism.”

He said the Department is committed to serving as the voice of the United Nations, by providing up-to-date and accurate information, promoting the work of the Organization and its Member States and connecting with a wide range of actors — from the media to youth to celebrities, the private sector and educational institutions.  In the session’s general debate, many delegations stressed the need to counter misinformation and disinformation while being a source of reliable and trusted information.  “The answer is trust,” he said, emphasizing that the information produced and disseminated by the Department is fact-based, accurate, reliable and unbiased.  This year’s report notes the imperative “that we make lying wrong again” and the need to encourage societies to develop a common, empirically backed consensus on the public good of facts, science and knowledge.

Welcoming broad support for the Department’s Verified initiative, as well as the “Pause” and “OnlyTogether” campaigns, he pledged to continue those efforts and to further expand Verified into other relevant issue areas, such as the climate crisis and hate speech.  He also welcomed delegations’ significant interest in the Department’s work on a code of conduct for integrity in public information and their “loud and clear” messages regarding the importance of reinforcing multilingualism.  Emphasizing the Department’s commitment to that core principle, he said it continues to provide multilingual services in the six official languages, within existing resources, and is working to expand its work beyond those languages to reach as many people as possible.

Prior to approving its report, the Committee observed a moment of silence to honour Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh — who was killed on 11 May in the Jenin refugee camp, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, while reporting for Al Jazeera News Outlet — as well as all those members of the press who have been killed in the line of duty.

Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, read a quote by Ms. Abu Aqleh and conveyed the sorrow of the Palestinian people at her passing.  He condemned the Israeli occupation for murdering the Palestinian media icon even as she was clearly dressed in a press jacket and called for accountability.

Outlining their views on the contents of the Committee’s report, many delegates also referred to the death of Ms. Abu Aqleh — describing it as a “crushing blow to truth and justice” — and emphasizing that attacks on members of the press are wholly unacceptable.  Many called for an urgent, impartial and independent inquiry aimed at holding those responsible for her death to account.

The representative of Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that as facilitator of negotiations on the draft resolutions, the bloc sought to ensure renewed momentum and support for the Department of Global Communications.  “We believe we have made important progress in this regard,” she said.  She condemned the killing of Ms. Abu Aqleh, calling for an independent investigation into her death.  She also made several comments in her national capacity, including advocating for a two-State solution to the long-standing Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The representative of Kuwait, speaking on behalf of the League of Arab States, said Ms. Abu Aqleh’s murder and the wounding of her colleague was only the latest crime carried out by the occupying Power in Palestine in contravention of international law.  Calling for an impartial and independent investigation, he said those responsible must be immediately brought to justice.

South Africa’s representative, associating herself with the Group of 77, welcomed that the Committee’s report recognizes the threat posed by the global spread of disinformation and misinformation, as well as the important role played by the network of United Nations information centres in countering it.  She also condemned the death of Ms. Abu Agleh and emphasized the important role States should play in protecting journalists and their crucial work.

Cuba’s representative, also associating himself with the Group of 77, said the report contains controversial elements that rightly fall under the purview of other departments of the United Nations.  While Cuba joined the Committee’s consensus in the spirit of consensus, that spirit has been tarnished by the murder of Ms. Abu Aqleh.  He joined other speakers in calling for urgent accountability for her death.

The representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, said the Committee’s report is “adapted to the challenges of 2022”, including by addressing the growing spread of misinformation.  Echoing those delegates who paid tribute to Ms. Abu Aqleh, he strongly condemned her killing — just days after World Press Freedom Day — and called for a thorough investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding her death.  “It is unacceptable to target journalists while they are doing their jobs,” he stressed.

Egypt’s delegate, associating himself with the Group of 77 and the League of Arab States, said media outlets remain an important tool for communicating facts, particularly in the current tense geopolitical context and amid the lingering impacts of the pandemic.  He joined others in condemning the killing of Ms. Abu Aqleh and called for the launch of an investigation into that horrific incident.

The representative of the United States welcomed the inclusion of language calling for the protection of journalists in the Committee’s report and urged an independent investigation into the death of Ms. Abu Aqleh.  Clarifying his delegation’s position, he reiterated its long-standing view that trade language emanating from United Nations system bodies has no relevance for United States policy or commitments.

The representative of Mexico, while welcoming the Committee’s consensus, voiced concern over the length of resolution B.  Its 178 paragraphs contain numerous messages and mandates, some of which are carried over year after year, and reflect a degree of inertia that may undermine the importance of the Department of Global Communications’ crucial work.  As such, he urged the drafters to take steps in future sessions to shorten the text in an effort to give it the attention it deserves.

Israel’s delegate, welcoming the Committee’s report, said his delegation was also saddened by the death of Ms. Abu Aqleh, which occurred during operations carried out in the wake of a wave of violence against his country.  His nation swiftly called for a joint Palestinian-Israeli investigation into her death, but those calls were rejected by the Palestinian side who preferred to act as “judge, jury and executioner” without respect for due process.  Nevertheless, Israel remains committed to accountability and to the safety and security of journalists and will push forward with an investigation.  He went on to condemn attempts to politicize Ms. Abu Aqleh’s death, including in meetings of the Committee on Information.

Also delivering remarks were the representatives of Indonesia, Iran, Bangladesh, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Senegal, Iraq and Algeria.

Source: United Nations

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis named 21 new cardinals Sunday, most of them from continents other than Europe — which dominated Catholic hierarchy for most of the church’s history — and further putting his mark on the group of people who might someday elect the next pontiff.

Sixteen of those who will receive the prestigious red cardinal’s hat from Francis in a consistory ceremony at the Vatican on Aug. 27 are younger than 80 and thus would be eligible to vote for his successor if a conclave — in which pontiffs are secretly elected — were to be held.

Francis read out the names of his choices after delivering traditional Sunday remarks from an open window of the Apostolic Palace to the public in St. Peter’s Square.

Among those tapped by the pontiff for elevation will be two prelates from India and one each from Ghana, Nigeria, Singapore, East Timor, Paraguay, and Brazil, in keeping with Francis’ determination to have church leaders reflect the global face of the Catholic church.

With church growth largely stagnant or at best sluggish in much of Europe and North America, the Vatican has been attentive to its flock in developing countries, including Africa, where the number of faithful has been growing in recent decades. Only one new cardinal was named from the United States: Robert Walter McElroy, bishop of San Diego, California.

This is the eighth batch of cardinals that Francis has named since becoming pontiff in 2013. A sizable majority of those who are eligible to vote in a conclave were appointed by him, increasing the likelihood that they will choose as his successor someone who shares his papacy’s priorities, including attention to those living on society’s margins and to environmental crises.

A total of 131 cardinals would be young enough to elect a pope once the new batch are included, while the number of cardinals too old to vote will rise to 96.

Pontiffs traditionally have chosen their closest advisers and collaborators at the Vatican from among the ranks of cardinals, who have been dubbed the “princes of the church.”

These are the churchmen named by Francis:

— Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille, France; Peter Okpaleke, bishop of Ekwulobia, Nigeria; Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, archbishop of Manaus, Brazil; Filipe Neri Antonio Sebastao di Rosario Ferrao, archbishop of Goa and Damao, India; Robert Walter McElroy, bishop of San Diego, California; Virgilio Do Carmo Da Silva, archbishop of Dili, East Timor; Oscar Cantoni, bishop of Como, Italy; Anthony Poola. archbishop of Hyderabad, India; Paulo Cezar Costa, archbishop of Brasilia, Brazil; Richard Kuuia Baawobr, bishop of Wa, Ghana; William Goh Seng Chye, archbishop of Singapore; Adalberto Martinez Flores, archbishop of Asuncion, Paraguay; and Giorgio Marengo, apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

In addition to those churchmen, also under 80 and eligible to vote in a conclave are three prelates who work at the Vatican: Arthur Roche of Britain, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments; Lazzarro You Heung-sik of South Korea, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy; and Fernando Vergez Alzaga of Spain, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Vatican City State’s Governorate.

Francis in his choices kept up a tradition of naming some who are too old to vote in a conclave, but whose long decades of dedication to the Catholic church is honored by bestowing cardinal’s rank on them. In this latest batch of nominations, they are Jorge Enrique Jimenez Carvajal, emeritus archbishop of Cartagena, Colombia; Lucas Van Looy, emeritus archbishop of Ghent, Belgium; Arrigo Miglio, emeritus archbishop of Cagliari, Sardinia; the Rev. Gianfranco Ghirlanda, a Jesuit professor of theology; and Fortunato Frezza, canon of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Presiding over the consistory this summer adds to an already ambitious schedule in the months ahead for Francis, who has taken to using a wheelchair or a cane of late due to a knee ligament problem. On Saturday, the Vatican released details of the 85-year-old pontiff’s pilgrimage, from July 2 to 7, to Congo and South Sudan. He is also scheduled to make a pilgrimage to Canada later in July to apologize in person for abuse committed by churchmen and church institutions against Indigenous people in that country.

Almost as significant as those chosen to be cardinals are those who were not chosen, despite holding posts that in the past would have traditionally earned them the red hat.

In Francis’ selection Sunday, he passed over the prominent archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone. Earlier this month, Cordileone said he will no longer allow U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to receive Communion because of her support for abortion rights.

While Francis hasn’t publicly weighed in on the soon-expected U.S. Supreme Court ruling on abortion rights, in the past he has decried the political weaponizing of Communion.

The new U.S. cardinal, McElroy, holds very different views from Cordileone. He was among the relatively few U.S. bishops who several years ago called for U.S. church policy to better reflect Francis’ concerns for the global poor. He also signed a statement last year expressing support for LGBTQ youth and denouncing the bullying directed at them.

Source: Voice of America

NEW ORLEANS — “Typically, I feel prepared,” Susan Morley-Zender, a New Orleans, Louisiana, resident told VOA when asked about the upcoming start of hurricane season, “but this year I’m much more anxious.”

Hurricane season is a six-month window – from June 1 through the end of November – in which the U.S. states along the Gulf of Mexico and much of the Atlantic seaboard are at the greatest risk of being devastated by a tropical storm or hurricane.

Meteorologists poring over data and weather models agree 2022 could produce an especially treacherous season for Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and – historically one of America’s most storm-ravaged states – Louisiana.

“We’re predicting a 65% chance that the 2022 hurricane season will be above normal,” Matthew Rosencrans, lead hurricane outlook forecaster for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told VOA. If Rosencrans is correct, this will be the seventh consecutive year above normal.

While unable to predict the exact number of storms that will make landfall, NOAA released an outlook this week that projects 14 to 21 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes will form in ocean waters around the region this year.

It’s frightening news for south Louisiana residents who, due to their proximity to the Gulf, are especially exposed.

“And the news is even worse because we’ve had a few difficult years in a row,” Morley-Zender noted.

Her home is still damaged from Hurricane Ida, which hit Louisiana last August as a Category 4 storm with 240 km/h winds.

The second-most intense hurricane in Louisiana history, Ida left hundreds of thousands of residents with damaged or destroyed homes and without electricity.

“We have $145,000 in damage, and we’re having an impossible time getting the insurance company to cover it,” Morley-Zender said. “Our roof is still damaged, and our home needs to be gutted, but here comes another hurricane season.”

A target for hurricanes

Morley-Zender said she’s not alone.

“I was flying home recently, and you could still see hundreds of blue tarps covering roofs,” she said. “We haven’t recovered yet.”

Louisiana’s propensity to take direct hits from hurricanes has been well documented since the first French settlers arrived and began keeping records. But experts note the problem has worsened in recent years.

“The past few years have been extremely busy for the Gulf Coast and especially for Louisiana,” said Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist with the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. “In the past two years Louisiana has had six landfalling named storms, four of which were hurricanes and three of which were major. By comparison, the state didn’t have a single major hurricane between 2006 and 2019.”

What’s to blame for the recent increase of hurricanes and tropical storms in the Gulf Coast region? According to experts, it’s a confluence of many factors.

Eighty-five percent of these storms develop in the Atlantic Ocean between western Africa and the Caribbean. In recent hurricane seasons, the expansive Bermuda-Azores high pressure feature has been positioned in such a way that it ushers more storm systems from the Atlantic Ocean into the Gulf of Mexico.

“Once there,” according to Xubin Zeng, director of the Climate Dynamics and Hydrometeorology Collaborative at the University of Arizona, “warmer-than-usual water in the Gulf of Mexico makes those storms stronger than they would be otherwise.”

Those warmer waters, Zeng said, are due to climate change, but also to a multi-decade cyclical pattern that sees the heating and cooling of the oceans. We are currently in the “warmer” portion of that cycle, increasing the likelihood of stronger storms.

Adding to the confluence of factors is the La Niña climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean that affects both Pacific and Atlantic storms.

“Whereas El Niño sends stronger winds to the eastern part of the United States, which can act to break up tropical storms and hurricanes,” Zeng explained, “La Niña produces less wind, allowing storms to continue to strengthen.

“And, on top of all that, there is something called the Loop Current positioned in recent years in a specific part of the Gulf of Mexico that supercharges hurricanes heading toward the Gulf Coast states,” he continued. “It’s more warm water, and it’s how Hurricane Katrina and – more recently – Hurricane Ida were able to get so strong. So far this season, the Loop Current seems positioned to do the same thing.”

Being prepared

Zeng said 2005, when Hurricane Katrina made landfall, and 2021, when Ida came ashore, were two of the most active hurricane seasons on record. Through his work at the University of Arizona, he believes this year will be more like last year than 2005.

While no one wants a repeat of 2005 when Katrina caused over 1,000 fatalities and more than $100 billion in damage, this year’s forecast is still bad news for Gulf Coast residents still recovering from past hurricanes.

“It’s exhausting,” Chris Sisk told VOA. Sisk is a bankruptcy and debt settlement lawyer in Louisiana. Many of his clients are struggling to make mortgage payments while also overseeing repairs on their hurricane-damaged homes. “You’re either dealing with the aftermath of a major hurricane or bracing for another, imagining the worst and how it will affect you and your family. For people with limited income, it’s only harder.”

In the south Louisiana communities of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, for example, more than 5,000 families are still in – or waiting for – temporary FEMA housing while their hurricane-damaged homes sit unrepaired.

“It complicates preparing for the upcoming hurricane season when we still have so many who are vulnerable because of the previous one,” explained Anna Nguyen, NOLA Ready Communications Director for the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness.

Still, city, state and federal officials say they are working hard to ensure New Orleans is ready if storms make landfall this year.

Hurricane Ida, Nguyen said, showed the city government how important it was to prioritize the most vulnerable, including low-income residents, the elderly, the unhoused, those with no vehicles and residents who need uninterrupted medical assistance or depend on energy-powered medical devices.

But regardless of such efforts, challenges remain.

Experts say, for example, despite the region’s recent and tragic history with deadly storms, pleas for residents to prepare for hurricane season sometimes fall on deaf ears.

“There are many who take hurricane season seriously, especially after so many damaging storms in recent years,” AccuWeather lead hurricane forecaster Dan Kottlowski told VOA, “but there are others who become complacent – especially if their home escaped a storm unscathed.”

Hurricane Ida, Kottlowski said, is a good example, because New Orleans – the largest city in the region – missed the brunt of the storm. If the hurricane had drifted just 25 kilometers to the east, the damage could have been even more severe.

“You have a lot of old-time residents who can list all these storms they survived over the years,” he said, “but they’re missing a really important point. We’re not talking about the storms of 30 years ago anymore. Today’s hurricanes are traveling over warmer water. They’re more frequent, they’re stronger and you have to prepare for them now.”

That’s the annual process many Gulf Coast residents are engaged in now, with the start of hurricane season looming. They’re making sure generators are working, that they have evacuation plans in place and that they have emergency supplies of food and water at the ready.

It’s a scary time for many, and inconvenient for all. In recent years, some have chosen to move away rather than risk the uncertainty of another stormy season.

Most decide to stay, however.

“It’s my home,” explained New Orleanian Timothy Smith, an electrician. “This is one of the pains of living in the best city in the world.”

Source: Voice of America

DAKAR, SENEGAL — Senegal on Sunday buried 11 babies who died in a hospital blaze, the local mayor said, after the tragedy sparked fresh anger over the state of the health system.

The blaze late Wednesday in the western city of Tivaouane was just the latest in a series of hospital deaths that have exposed the weaknesses of Senegal’s health care system.

President Macky Sall on Thursday fired his health minister. But for many Senegalese, that is not enough, and they fear more tragedies in the future.

Last month, a heavily pregnant woman died in agony after her appeals for a caesarean at a public hospital in the northwestern town of Louga were denied.

The 11 babies who died in Wednesday’s fire in a neonatal ward were buried after a single ceremony at the Tivaouane cemetery, in accordance with the grieving families’ wishes.

The burial took place “behind closed doors,” Tivaouane mayor Demba Diop Sy told AFP. “We sympathize with the pain of the families,” he added. “Today is Mother’s Day (in Senegal) and there are 11 mothers who have lost their children.”

An electrical short-circuit has been cited as a possible cause of the blaze at the Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh hospital.

Serigne Cheikh Tidiane Sy Al Amine, a local religious figure, said the hospital had been plagued for 15 years by “donations of obsolete equipment and broken promises to build a new hospital.”

Private health services are expensive in Senegal, and many residents of Tivaouane and its surrounding areas must choose between the hospital or traditional medicine.

The mayor said the neonatal unit, which only opened late last year co-financed by a private company, was equipped with safety equipment and that staff had undergone fire alarm training.

The president has ordered an audit of Senegal’s neonatal services and acknowledged the “obsolescence” of the national health system.

Senegal, widely seen a stable democracy in a turbulent region, is considered to have superior health care to many other African countries.

But there is a significant gap in the quality of service between large towns, smaller settlements and rural areas.

The latest tragedy was the third time in just over a year that people have died in maternity units of public hospitals, leading to accusations of inaction by authorities.

In April 2021, four newborns died in a hospital fire in the northern town of Linguere.

Source: Voice of America