World

Russia intends to block EU from hosting COP29 climate summit, emails show

Russia intends to block European Union countries from hosting next year’s UN international climate negotiations, according to internal emails seen by Reuters, a potential setback for EU-member Bulgaria’s competition with Azerbaijan and Armenia to draw the massive conference.

Moscow’s intervention shows how geopolitical disputes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year are complicating global efforts to combat climate change. It also risks delaying a final choice on the host of COP29, which could reduce preparation time for the event.

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Bulgaria and non-EU country Armenia had put themselves forward to host the summit, a role that can bring international prestige and the opportunity to promote domestic efforts to combat climate change – along with costs, intense media scrutiny and heavy logistical demands.

Azerbaijan added its name to the running this week.

“Azerbaijan is ready to be the host country for such an important event,” Umayra Taghiyeva, Azerbaijan’s deputy minister of ecology and natural resources, told Reuters on Wednesday in the country’s first public confirmation of its long-speculated bid.

Rights to host the gatherings rotate between the United Nations’ five global regions, with Eastern Europe hosting in 2024. The 23 countries in that region must select their host candidate unanimously. If Russia vetoed all EU countries, then Armenia or Azerbaijan could still be in the running.

EU-member Czech Republic is no longer interested in hosting, but is considering bidding to host a preparatory “pre-COP” event if Bulgaria takes the main summit, a Czech official said on Wednesday.

Russia’s delegation to the UN climate body (the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC) sent an email to other Eastern European country representatives in April in which it said it would not support an EU host.

In the email, which has not been previously reported, Russia’s delegation said EU countries had taken a “politicized” approach to deciding the host country which had resulted in Russian-endorsed candidates being blocked.

“It is reasonable to believe that EU countries, driven by politics from Brussels, do not have the capacity to serve as honest and effective brokers of global climate negotiations under the UNFCCC,” it said.

Russia’s special presidential representative on climate, Ruslan Edelgeriev, declined to confirm if Russia would oppose Bulgaria’s candidacy.

“Bulgaria is not the only candidate to host COP29 in 2024. The issue will be decided in strict accordance with the procedures provided by Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC,” Edelgeriev said in written responses to questions.

The 27-country EU, alongside Western allies including Britain and the United States, has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and slapped sanctions on Moscow over the war.

The Eastern European country group is discussing the issue at a UN meeting this week in Bonn, Germany. All countries would usually then confirm the group’s decision at this year’s COP28 summit, which begins in November.

If the group cannot agree, a fallback option could be to host the event at the UN climate change body’s permanent offices in Bonn – although that would require backing from the German government.

Three-way race

During last year’s UN climate conference, Bulgaria’s president, Rumen Radev, indicated the country would be willing to host the event, and Bulgaria was pressing ahead with its bid in late May with support from other EU countries.

This week, Bulgaria formed a new government, however, which has yet to confirm it still wants to host. Bulgaria’s environment ministry did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Arzerbaijan and Armenia – neighbouring countries that are in a decades-long dispute over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh – have both confirmed they are also in the running.

“At the moment, we have not been blocked by any country from the Eastern European region,” Emin Garabaghli, head of the international cooperation division in Azerbaijan’s ministry of ecology, told Reuters.

The annual UN climate summits draw tens of thousands of delegates from nearly 200 countries, as well as companies, investors and industry lobbyists.

The United Arab Emirates will host this year’s COP28 conference on behalf of the Asia Pacific group.

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World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM