The colonial pillaging and plunder continues

The colonial pillaging and plunder continues

    Friday, August 30, 2024   No comments

In 2022, Josep Borell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, triggered a controversy by saying that Europe was a garden of prosperity and “most of the rest of the world” was a jungle. 

Some accused him of tone-deafness and racism. He defended his statement saying that his "reference to 'jungle' has no racist, cultural or geographical connotation." But he never explained how the "jungle" has become, in his mind, a jungle and how the garden of prosperity has become a garden of prosperity and how has it been kept a garden of prosperity. That task was left to the French president who, in a different context, identified the systems by which the Western world accumulated wealth and siphoned it from the rest of the world causing not only a desert of capital in the Global South, but also created a brain drain that continues to pillage and plunder the human resources of the rest of the world, turning them into the "jungle" they describe. 

The plunder and pillaging continue without direct war, allowing the pillagers to plunder and claim the moral high ground at the same time, which, the moral posturing that is, too, can be used to suppress resisters and attract willing collaborators.

Here is France's president explaining how the Russian citizen, who is now worth $15 billion, became a French citizen, a member of the garden of prosperity:

"It's a decision we made in 2018, which I fully stand by," Macron said Thursday. He added that it was "part of a strategy to allow women and men when they are artists, sportsmen, entrepreneurs, when they make the effort to learn the language, when they create wealth, when they ask for it, to grant them French citizenship. I did it for Mr Durov, who took the trouble to learn French, just as I did it for Spiegel. I think it's good for our country," he declared as reported Politico.

... excerpted from The colonial pillaging and plunder continues.

Media Review: Finnish President's article in The Economist, "the era of Western dominance as we know it is over"

Media Review: Finnish President's article in The Economist, "the era of Western dominance as we know it is over"

    Monday, July 08, 2024   No comments

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said that what we are witnessing today is in many ways equivalent to what happened in 1918, 1945 and 1989, and that the next few years will likely determine the world order, its balance and its dynamics for the rest of the century, or at least for decades to come.

In an article in The Economist, Stubb spoke of “moments in international relations when we know that the world is changing, but we don’t know exactly where it is heading,” stressing that “we are living in one of those moments when an era dies and a new one is born.”

The Finnish president noted in his article that “the things that were supposed to bring us together – trade, technology, energy, information and currency – are now tearing us apart.”

Stubb admitted that he was among many who believed that the end of the Cold War would mean the end of history, but that did not happen. The era of Western hegemony, as we used to know it, is over.

He believed that the question now is how global power will be shared in the future, while we are now witnessing a reorganization of the balance between three areas of power: the global West, the global East, and the Global South, stressing that this classification of the power triangle, if it constitutes an oversimplification, helps to clarify how the world is changing.

"West and East are fighting for hearts and minds in the South"

Stubb summed up the equation by saying that "West and East are fighting for hearts and minds in the South", attributing the matter to his realization that the South will decide the direction of the new world order.

Stubb believed that the West is mistaken if it imagines that the South will be attracted to it only because of what he called "the values ​​or power of freedom and democracy", and that the East is also mistaken if it imagines that huge infrastructure projects and direct financing will give it complete influence in the South.

The Finnish president concluded in his article that "it is ultimately a matter of values ​​and interests together", and that "the South will choose what it wants, because it can do so".

Stubb believed that the West must choose between continuing to believe in the illusion that it can remain dominant, as it has done for centuries, or accepting the facts of change and starting to act accordingly, especially towards the South.

Stubb stressed that Indian Foreign Minister Vinay Mohan Kwatra provided material worthy of thought when he pointed out that “Europe must get rid of the mentality that Europe’s problems are the world’s problems, but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems.”

He pointed out that one of the reasons why the East is a more convincing partner for the South is related to the systematic infrastructure, financial and development programs that China is implementing around the world, describing China’s strategy as “successful.”

Stubb concluded his article by emphasizing that if the West “returns to its old ways of direct or indirect domination, or outright arrogance, it will lose the battle.”

G77 + China: The largest intergovernmental coalition within the United Nations meets at turning point

G77 + China: The largest intergovernmental coalition within the United Nations meets at turning point

    Sunday, January 21, 2024   No comments

 

The intergovernmental organization known as the G77 + China holds its summit this month in Africa. The summit is held during challenging time. UN secretary general was present to highlight some of these challenges including the war in Gaza and threat of spillover effect that could widen the conflict or increase its intensity.

The opening of the summit called the “South Summit” in Kampala, Uganda, was overshadowed by what Liu Kuo-chung called the continued influence of “the old international economic and political system, in undermining international peace and development,” amid a consensus among the participants on the importance of changing the global financial and economic system that emerged after World War II.

The summit is being held in Africa, which is witnessing increasing competition between the major powers to enter it, each according to its priorities. For China, the continent constitutes a cornerstone of its “Belt and Road” initiative, and the summit aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of economics and development among member states, develop and transfer technology, and bridge the gap. Science between North and South countries.

The Group of 77 (G77) is an international governmental alliance, the largest of its kind within the United Nations system. It was established in 1964 with the aim of defending the interests of developing countries, promoting the economy, and coordinating common issues affecting the countries of the South.

The group was established on June 15, 1964, at the end of the first session of the United Nations Trade and Development Program (UNCTAD) in Geneva, where the joint statement was announced and signed by 77 developing countries from around the world.

Between 10 and 25 October 1967, the group's first ministerial meeting was held in Algiers, during which the "Algiers Charter" was approved, which included the founding structure of the group.

Although the group has expanded and its members have increased to 134 countries, it still maintains its name due to the significance and symbolism of the event, and the strength and diversity of attendance it expresses at the founding conference.

The group includes two-thirds of the member states of the United Nations, representing 80% of the planet's population, and approximately 43% of the world's economy.

The group includes 134 countries from various developing countries, and the member countries are divided by continents; she:

Asia:

Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, East Timor, Turkmenistan, UAE, Vietnam, Yemen and Azerbaijan.

Africa:

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, etc. Kenya and Equatorial Guinea Rwanda, Sao Tome, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

North America:

Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Trinidad and Tobago.

South America:

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Continent of Oceania:

Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Argentina will likely withdraw its application to join BRICS

Argentina will likely withdraw its application to join BRICS

    Tuesday, November 21, 2023   No comments

With a new president who wants to align Argentina with the US, especially if Trump returns to the White House next year, Argentina is likely to halt its pursuit of joining BRICS.

Diana Mondino, the candidate for Argentine Foreign Minister, relayed to Sputnik after the elections that Argentina will not be joining BRICS.

 “I don’t know why there is such interest in BRICS,” Mondino added.

 Mondino further added that joint collaborations with China and Brazil will stop, despite them being Argentina's main trading partners, as she stressed that the country intends to stay in the South American trade bloc Mercosur.

 It is worth noting that Milei is against joining BRICS.

Earlier in August, Argentina, alongside Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia were invited to join BRICS.

Argentinian president Fernandez articulated at the time that Buenos Aires is grappling with an economic crisis with high inflation and weak foreign currency reserves, and was looking to join the bloc.

Meanwhile, BRICS nations meet today in a virtual summit to discuss the crisis in Gaza. After the meeting, the President of South Africa read the final statement of the BRICS countries regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip.

The statement expresses condolences to all those affected in Israel and the Gaza Strip, while also accusing Israel of violating international law. Ramaphosa, states that the primary cause of the conflict is Israel's illegal construction of settlements. The President of South Africa calls for the release of hostages taken during the Palestinian-Israeli conflict — a statement from the BRICS countries. The President of South Africa urges the International Criminal Court to initiate an investigation into those who committed war crimes during the Palestinian-Israeli conflict — a statement from the BRICS countries.

The summit of the “77 + China” group in Havana... increasing roles for the groups that reject hegemony

The summit of the “77 + China” group in Havana... increasing roles for the groups that reject hegemony

    Monday, September 11, 2023   No comments

The Havana Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 + China, which will be held in the Cuban capital, Havana, from September 15 to 16, is being held under special international circumstances and a combination of efforts and paths of joint bilateral and multilateral action to overcome hegemony. Western and its associated institutions and forums.

The summit comes under the title “Current Development Challenges: The Role of Science, Technology and Innovation,” as Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel announced last June, calling for action on this occasion to strengthen the unity of the member states of the group, and to take an effective decision on Collective and practical actions to confront contemporary challenges.

The largest intergovernmental group

The Group of 77 is the largest intergovernmental group of developing countries in the United Nations. It aims to collectively advance the economic interests of its members, as well as create common negotiating capacity within the scope of the United Nations.

The group began on June 15, 1964, at the initiative of 77 countries that signed the Joint Declaration, which was issued at the closing session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Geneva.

Although the membership of the Group of 77 has reached 134 countries today, it has maintained its original name due to its historical significance. It represents two-thirds of the members of the United Nations and 80% of the world’s population.

The group's first ministerial meeting was held in Algeria in 1967, and represented a qualitative shift in its structure, as the Algeria Charter was adopted, which became the group's institutional structure, and also paved the way for a permanent institutional structure that grew continuously.

The structure of the group gradually developed, as this development led to the establishment of the pacts of Rome, Vienna, Paris, Nairobi, and Washington. The group also has representatives in several international institutions and paths, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Monetary Fund, and the United Nations Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). ", and others.

The group takes the United Nations building in New York as its headquarters, and the presidency of the group is transferred between member states in a vote that takes place every year at the end of each session.

Since its establishment, the Group of 77 has enjoyed China's support, as Beijing attended the group's meetings as a "special guest" at first, until coordination between the two parties began in 1991.

In 1996, the 20th Ministerial Session of the organization adopted its current name, and then the first statement was issued under the name “Group of 77 + China”, and the name has been adopted since then.

China confirms that it supported the legitimate demands of the group and maintained cooperative relations with it, despite the fact that it is not a member of it.

Collective goals for the countries of the South

According to its official website, the G77+China aims to provide the means for countries of the South to articulate and advance their collective economic interests, and to promote South-South cooperation for development.

The group seeks to enhance its joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues within the United Nations system.

In the political context, some attribute the roots and reasons for its establishment as an international group and bloc to the fact that it is the economic complement to the bloc of Non-Aligned Movement countries, as it was established due to the geopolitical and economic conditions that characterized the post-Cold War period, and as a middle way between the two social and economic systems existing at that time, the liberal capitalist system. The free market economy, the socialist system, and the commanded market economy.

The group's main decision-making process is known as the South Summit, and the first summit was held in the Cuban capital, Havana, in April 2000.

It is also noteworthy that the member states finance the group's activities through contributions, and enjoy a joint work system at the level of its various branches. The presidency of the organization is also transferred on a regional basis, between Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean countries, and the period extends for one year in all branches.

Havana Summit...intensification of the roles of counter-hegemonic blocs

According to what was announced by Cuba's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Pedro Luis Pedroso, Cuba, as the current president of the group, hopes that the upcoming Havana summit will contribute to strengthening the voice of the group in the ongoing intergovernmental negotiation processes, which aim to hold a “sustainable development” summit in September 18 and 19, in New York, and the “Future” Summit, scheduled to be held in September 2024, are two events that aim to chart a future of peace and sustainable development for the peoples of the Global South.

For his part, the Cuban President spoke, during his speech at the recent BRICS summit, that the Group of 77 and the BRICS group bear the responsibility of calling for a change in the current international system, indicating that “this is not an option, this is the only alternative.” .

Cannell stressed that the Group of 77 and the BRICS have historically called for a real transformation in the current international financial structure, describing it as “extremely unfair, outdated, and suffering from dysfunction.”

This year's meetings in Cuba come in light of transformations and coups at the global level, while the role of political blocs, groupings, and economic and geopolitical alliances is growing.

The current summit also gains special importance, for more than one factor, including that related to the location of its holding, as some Western media outlets reported that Cuba “by presiding over the summit, will seek to lead like-minded countries in standing against the United States.”

The upcoming summit also represents special importance as the world is preoccupied with talking about the Global South, and the authenticity and history that the group represents in its representation of the countries of the South.

In the same context, the American ABC network spoke, in a report, about the definition of the Global South, stressing that “at one stage the Group of 77 was considered the Global South.” It is also noted that the summit also comes after the “Voice of the Global South” summit was held. In India, which took place last January, in addition to the recent BRICS summit in South Africa, last August, which indicates the increasing importance of these groupings and frameworks.