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Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar Mission in Geneva honours winner of‘Doha Best Negotiator of the Year' award
QNA Geneva The Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva hosted an official ceremony to honour Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), for receiving the prestigious 'Doha Best Negotiator of the Year' award. This award, presented annually by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), recognises outstanding contributions to international negotiation and mediation. In her address at the ceremony, HE Dr Hend bint Abdalrahman Al Muftah, Qatar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva, welcomed ambassadors, diplomats, and representatives of international organisations, alongside officials from UNITAR and the ADN Group—an international agency specialising in negotiation. Dr Al Muftah noted that the 2024 edition of the award holds particular significance for Qatar, as it was renamed the Doha Best Negotiator of the Year Award in recognition of its announcement during the Doha World Negotiation Day, hosted by UNITAR and the ADN Group in collaboration with the Doha Forum. She emphasised that this ceremony reflects Qatar's steadfast commitment to promoting a culture of negotiation, mediation, and peaceful resolution—core tenets of its foreign policy. The award, she said, aims to honour individuals who make effective contributions toward resolving international conflicts and fostering humane, just, and sustainable solutions. Highlighting Qatar's two-decade record as a neutral, trusted mediator, Dr Al Muftah outlined the country's achievements in facilitating ceasefires, restoring diplomatic ties, securing hostage releases, negotiating prisoner exchanges, enabling national dialogue, resolving border disputes, achieving humanitarian outcomes, and brokering peace agreements in numerous global conflicts. Commending Grynspan's distinguished career, Dr Al Muftah underscored her pivotal role in the Istanbul agreements—particularly the Black Sea Initiative, which enabled the export of millions of tonnes of grain and food supplies from Ukraine, thereby bolstering global food security and mitigating famine risks in low-income nations. Dr Al Muftah praised Grynspan's unwavering commitment to ethical diplomacy, human rights, and environmental responsibility, stating that these values form the foundation of effective international negotiation. She also paid tribute to negotiators around the world who work under challenging conditions to secure peace and protect lives, affirming Qatar's ongoing dedication to mediation and peaceful solutions as a responsible international partner. In her response, Rebeca Grynspan expressed deep gratitude to the State of Qatar for the honour, reaffirming her commitment to a fair, inclusive diplomacy that serves humanity and promotes global stability.
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar's Permanent Mission in Geneva honours winner of 'Doha Best Negotiator of the Year' award
GENEVA: The Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva has organised an official ceremony at the Mission's headquarters to honour Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan for winning the 'Doha Best Negotiator of the Year' Award, which is awarded annually by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in recognition of outstanding contributions to international negotiation and mediation. In her speech at the ceremony, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Office and other international organisations in Geneva HE Dr Hend bint Abdalrahman Al Muftah welcomed the attendees, including ambassadors, diplomats, and representatives of international organizations, as well as officials from the UNITAR and the ADN Group, an international agency specializing in negotiation. She said that the 2024 award is special to the State of Qatar, as it has been named the 'Doha Best Negotiator of the Year' Award, given its announcement during the Doha World Negotiation Day, hosted by the UNITAR and the ADN Group, in partnership with the Doha Forum. Organising this ceremony falls within the framework of the State of Qatar's commitment to promoting a culture of negotiation, mediation, and peaceful solutions, she added, noting that these principles constitute fundamental pillars of Qatari foreign policy. She further added that the award aims to honor individuals who effectively contribute to resolving international conflicts and finding humane, just, and sustainable settlements. Over the past two decades, the State of Qatar has acted as a neutral, reliable, and responsible mediator, and has achieved a remarkable record of successes in dozens of regional and international issues, including establishing ceasefires, restoring diplomatic relations, releasing hostages, exchanging prisoners, paving the way for national dialogue, resolving border disputes, achieving humanitarian outcomes, and concluding peace agreements in numerous regional and global conflicts, she said. She also commended the career of Grynspan who deserved the award for her pivotal role in the Istanbul agreements, including the Black Sea Initiative, which facilitated the export of millions of tons of grain and food supplies from Ukraine, helping to support global food security and reduce famine in low-income countries. Commending Grynspan's commitment to ethical standards, to protecting human rights, and to environmental considerations in the negotiation process, she emphasized that these values ​​represent the essence of effective diplomacy. The Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations in Geneva paid tribute to negotiators around the world who dedicate their efforts to achieving peace and saving lives, despite the grave challenges they face. She affirmed that Qatar will remain an effective international partner in supporting mediation and peaceful solutions. For her part, Grynspan conveyed her profound gratitude to the State of Qatar for this honor, affirming her commitment to continuing to work for a fair and comprehensive diplomacy that serves humanity and supports global stability.
Iraqi News
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Russian-Turkish Dialogue on Bilateral Relations and International Developments
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral relations and international developments with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday. A Kremlin statement, followed by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), stated that "a telephone conversation took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during which they discussed views on the resumption of the Black Sea Initiative, as well as the resumption of the grain deal and energy sector projects between the two countries." According to the statement "President Putin informed the Turkish President of Kyiv's ongoing attempts to attack Russian energy infrastructure," noting that "Putin shared with Erdogan his assessment of the progress made in the dialogue with the United States regarding Ukraine." It added that "President Erdogan expressed his support for the Russian-American dialogue." "The two sides discussed the situation in Syria and emphasized the importance of ensuring its unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity."
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Putin Tests How Far Trump Will Go Against Europe on Sanctions
(Bloomberg) -- The Kremlin has a deliberate strategy to test how far US President Donald Trump is willing to go in pressing Europe to ease sanctions, according to people familiar with the situation. Why Did the Government Declare War on My Adorable Tiny Truck? Gold-Rush Fever Returns to Historic New Zealand Mining Town How SUVs Are Making Traffic Worse Trump Slashed International Aid. Geneva Is Feeling the Impact. These US Bridges Face High Risk of Catastrophic Ship Strikes Russia is demanding the reconnection of one of its largest state banks to the SWIFT international messaging system as a condition for accepting a US-brokered truce in the Black Sea. The purpose in picking Russian Agricultural Bank was to see if Trump would firstly engage with the idea and then whether he could bring the European Union on board, said two people close to the Kremlin. The EU has jurisdiction over SWIFT which is headquartered in Belgium. Russian President Vladimir Putin is checking what it's possible to achieve with Trump and success with SWIFT may lead to a gradual weakening of the sanctions regime as a whole, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing sensitive issues. The EU ordered RSHB, as the bank is also known, and other major Russian lenders cut off from SWIFT in 2022 as part of sweeping economic sanctions in response to Putin's invasion of Ukraine. A coalition of European leaders ruled out the possibility of easing restrictions on Russia at a summit in Paris on Thursday. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said they had instead discussed ways to intensify sanctions to bring 'further pressure' on Russia to come to the negotiating table. Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that leaders were already working on a new package of measures. 'Putin agreed to President Trump's proposal to revive the Black Sea Initiative,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, referring to the 2022-2023 grain-export deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that broke down when Russia quit the agreement. 'As for SWIFT, it is an integral part of the Black Sea Initiative, which both the Europeans and the Americans went along with at that time,' Peskov said. 'Now it feels like everyone has switched roles and the Europeans are no longer going for it. But this is not Russia's business.' After three days of negotiations in Saudi Arabia this week, the US announced on Tuesday that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to the Black Sea truce as the next stage in Trump's efforts to end the war, following their acceptance of a 30-day halt to strikes on energy infrastructure. While Ukraine said it would immediately observe the ceasefire, the Kremlin appeared to catch the White House off guard by declaring that its participation was dependent on removing sanctions on RSHB and other financial institutions involved in foreign trade in food and fertilizers. That included being reconnected to SWIFT, it said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that some of the Russian conditions 'include sanctions that are not ours. They belong to the European Union.' Officials would consider 'what the Russian position is or what their ask is in exchange' and then Trump would decide on the next step, he said. 'This is a test for Trump,' said Pavel Danilin, a political analyst who works with Kremlin officials. 'The Kremlin wants to see how Trump will cope with his promises.' Russia raised the issue of reconnecting its banks to SWIFT at the talks with US officials in the Saudi capital Riyadh and 'the Americans took it calmly,' Grigory Karasin, one of the heads of the Russian delegation at the negotiations, told state television on Friday. The current US administration is 'interested in dialog with us, in finding joint approaches and solutions,' said Karasin, a former Russian deputy foreign minister. 'Then, you'll see, Europe will slowly start to return to common sense, to some kind of realism.' Business Schools Are Back Google Is Searching for an Answer to ChatGPT Israel Aims to Be the World's Arms Dealer A New 'China Shock' Is Destroying Jobs Around the World The Richest Americans Kept the Economy Booming. What Happens When They Stop Spending? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine believes Black Sea ceasefire is in effect, Foreign Ministry says
Ukraine believes that the ceasefire on military action in the Black Sea is in effect but will watch Russia's actions and whether Moscow will comply with the agreement, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told journalists on March 27. The U.S., Russia, and Ukraine agreed to "eliminate the use of force" and prevent commercial vessels from being used for military purposes in the Black Sea, the White House announced on March 25, following two-day talks in Saudi Arabia. According to Tykhyi, Kyiv understands that the Black Sea ceasefire applies to civilian shipping and Ukrainian ports, and does not apply to Russian warships. Foreign vessels have previously been damaged in Russian attacks on the port. Over the past year, multiple ships had been damaged in separate attacks on the Odesa port in Ukraine's south. "Russia's movement of warships beyond the eastern part of the Black Sea will be considered a violation of these agreements and will be regarded as a violation of the obligations to ensure free navigation in the Black Sea," the spokesperson added. Separately, Tykhyi added that the Black Sea truce does not concern the Black Sea Initiative, which allowed Ukraine to ship out its grain and broke down in 2023 after Russia's withdrawal from the deal. The spokesperson also said that Ukraine and the U.S. didn't agree on lifting any sanctions from Russia. The Kremlin said the ceasefire would take effect only if Western sanctions on Russian food producers, exporters, and financial institutions — including Rosselkhozbank — are lifted and if Russia is reconnected to the SWIFT payment system. Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready to take such a step if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Russia has refused, instead attempting to extract major concessions from the U.S. in exchange for partial ceasefire agreements. Read also: As Ukraine-Russia ceasefire progress inches forward, here's where things stand We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
