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The Hindu
21 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
BRICS Media and Think Tank Forum calls for greater Global South role in shaping global AI governance
At the seventh plenary session of the BRICS Media and Think Tank Forum (earlier known as the 'BRICS Media Forum'), more than 250 representatives from media organisations, think tanks, government agencies and enterprises from 36 countries gathered in Rio de Janeiro to deliberate on ways to foster greater South-South co-operation, including on joint R&D and co-established standards, for a more equitable sharing of Artificial Intelligence (AI) benefits across nations. A major concern that emerged was the risks of AI capabilities being concentrated among a few actors located in a handful of countries, with several participants noting that it could create dangerous dependencies for Global South nations. The Forum, organised on July 15-17, highlighted the importance of open source development of AI as well as the need for Global South nations to work together for a greater say in the shaping of AI governance frameworks. Mr Thorsten Jelinek, Europe Director and Senior Fellow of Taihe Institute, pointed out that some amount of 'regulatory autonomy' is critical to maintain the balance between multilateralism and sovereignty. 'The history of modern technology, whether it is telecommunications or the internet, has been shaped not only by innovation but also by technological, economic and institutional hierarchies and dependencies,' he noted, adding that the right governance framework would encourage AI as 'a moral partner' to growth and development. The Forum's lead statement on AI also called on media organisations and think tanks in the Global South to develop a 'multilingual and multimodal corpus'. This would 'lay the foundation for training large-scale AI models that serve journalism and think tank research.' By 'leveraging AI to translate quality content into multiple languages,' it will become possible to increase 'the availability of 'Global South Stories', elevate the international voice and influence of the Global South' and showcase the diversity of Global South civilisations, it said. Mr Fu Hua, Executive Chairman of the Forum and president of Xinhua News Agency, observed that BRICS was becoming the 'main channel for fostering Global South unity and self-reliance'. Noting that the BRICS countries represent vast civilisational diversity and pluralism, he urged BRICS media organisations and think tanks to prioritise and amplify stories from different parts of the Global South as a necessary corrective to the prevailing hegemonies and biases in the international media landscape. Speaking in the context of the US threat to impose additional punitive tariffs on countries wanting to join BRICS, Mr Wu Hailong, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, emphasised that the BRICS grouping was not in opposition to any country but a mechanism 'to seek equity and justice' in the international governance scenario. 'Given that the world seems to be going back to the jungle rule of tariff turbulence, BRICS nations must co-operate more to protect their interests and oppose unilateralism,' he said. 'The US is our biggest trade partner, we have a free trade agreement with them, nearly 40 million Mexicans live in the US, and despite all this, we are living with daily threats of tariffs, and millions of Mexicans in the US could lose their citizenship any day,' said Ms Yeidckol Polevnsky Gurwitz, Chair of the Asia-Pacific Foreign Relations Committee of the Mexican Senate, adding, 'The world cannot organise itself around unilateralism and inequity, it needs to be built around co-operation and multilateralism.' Organised by Xinhua News Agency in collaboration with partners from BRICS nations, the Forum officially launched the 'Global South Joint Communication Partnership Program', an initiative by Xinhua to promote dialogue and cooperation across various sectors within the Global South. So far, 700 institutions have joined the Partnership Program, which leverages two core platforms – the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum and the Global South Media News Network. The Forum also launched a new report by Xinhua, titled 'The Rise of the Global South', a compilation that showcases stories of political and economic resurgence in post-colonial societies across Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Boss of homeless hotels firm to advise council on tourist tax
Mr Ellis is also manager of the Cameron Guest House Group, which runs a string of hotels and B&Bs used by the council for temporary accommodation amid a housing emergency. The company, owned by the Akbar Mir family, has received council contracts worth over £8m since 2022 and reported profits totalling £19m since 2016. Last year, it was among several temporary accommodation providers revealed as operating unlicensed houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). He insisted he is 'more than capable of contributing constructively and objectively, without favour or bias to the Forum' adding: 'Any inference otherwise says more about those that claim it.' However his appointment has sparked concerns over a potential conflict of interest. Susan Rae, a Scottish Greens councillor in [[Edinburgh]], told The Herald: 'There is a clear connection between Mr Ellis and an organisation that provides, at great expense to the council, homeless accommodation. That is an interesting connection for the transient visitor levy group and needs to be investigated.' She added: 'I think that the councillors will not be accepting of somebody with that link, they'll want further information on how that occurred. I think we have to understand why he was appointed.' Leith Links Community Council, which has previously expressed concern about the expansion and quality of homeless accommodation provided by the Cameron Guest House Group (CGHG) in the area, questioned whether the council had carried out adequate due diligence on all appointees. In a statement, they said: 'We were surprised to see Mr Neil Ellis on this advisory forum because this community council knows him best not as a tourism expert but as the agent of a leading provider of homeless accommodation across Edinburgh, and particularly in LLCC's area, notably including several properties which were operating without HMO licences until last December.' The community council said instead of 'improving communities' CGHG was 'profiting from poverty'. They said members of the Forum will have 'enormous access and influence over a multi-million pound scheme' and 'where the money goes'. The group also questioned the legitimacy of the Edinburgh Hotels Association 'that is neither a company or a charity, and there is no transparency as to the members of the group'. Read more: The Association's website describes it as the 'unified voice of the hotel industry within Edinburgh' representing the interests of over 50 'principle hotels' across the city 'which are independently or corporately owned and are managed locally or by national and international brands'. Mr Ellis represented CGHG at an emergency Edinburgh Council licensing committee meeting held late last year to address a scandal involving unlicensed HMOs. The Akbar Mir's company was among a group of temporary accommodation providers the council warned it would stop using unless their hotels, B&Bs, and guest houses had undergone the HMO regulatory process to ensure the safety, suitability, and proper management of shared housing. The meeting heard concerns about inadequate bedroom and kitchen space in two of their properties used as temporary accommodation, both of which were granted HMO licences to continue operating. Following this, the council recently extended Cameron Guest House Group's homeless accommodation contracts for another year. Edinburgh Council said as part of the recruitment process for the Visitor Levy Advisory Forum Mr Ellis submitted his CV 'which included details of his employment'. It said: 'Forum members have been asked to complete a Register of Interests form if they consider that they, a family member, or a personal contact, has a private, personal or financial interests or involvement in outside activities, which may relate to their work with the Forum and could result in a perceived or actual conflict of interest. Mr Ellis has completed this form and submitted it to the Council.' The council said the Forum has an advisory function, with final decision-making on the use of VL funds remains with councillors' and it was 'understood and accepted' that members 'are likely to have conflicts of interest relating to the levy, with a register of these enabling transparency'. It added: 'The Forum has met for an introductory session only. At each meeting, as a matter of course, Forum members are asked if they have any actual or perceived conflicts that have not already been declared with what is on the agenda. 'Mr Ellis has completed a register of interests form, which was sent to all members.' Mr Ellis told The Herald: 'I'm delighted to join the Edinburgh Visitor Levy Advisory Forum. 'Forum members are not appointed to represent the views of their employers or any group that they may be associated with, but as individuals with lived experience of Edinburgh. 'As Chair of the Edinburgh Hotels Association for six years and on the ETAG Full Group for several more, I feel I am more than capable of contributing constructively and objectively, without favour or bias to the Forum and as directed by our appointed Chair. Any inference otherwise says more about those that claim it. 'In terms of the Forum, there are more than adequate Terms of reference agreed, Officer support in place and discussions around any conflicts have been had. 'I'm sure the Levy funds paid by the visitors to our wonderful City will make a huge improvement to their experience and of those whom live, work and study here too.' In May councillors agreed to appoint Julie Ashworth as chair of the Forum. Ms Ashworth is a founder and CEO of BroadReach Leadership Consultancy, 'whose clients span retail, technology, travel, education and the arts,' the council said. She also serves as a Public Interest Board Trustee for the Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland, is chair of the board for the University of Aberdeen and has been a longstanding member of the Institute of Directors. An interview panel consisting of the council's chief executive Paul Lawrence, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce CEO Liz McAreavey, Caroline Warburton from VisitScotland, and Ken Robertson, Secretary, Edinburgh Association of Community Councils, agreed "unanimously" that Ms Ashworth's experience 'would be a great asset for the Forum and her calm and firm, yet approachable, style would enable the running of a well-balanced Forum with fair representation of all views'. It was then left up to Ms Ashworth and council officers to finalise the Forum's membership. Other appointees include Lori Anderson, Director of Festivals Edinburgh, Terry Levinthal, Director of the Cockburn Association heritage watchdog, Douglas Tharby, Deputy Chair of the Edinburgh Association of Community Councils, and Alex Williamson, Chief Executive of Scottish Rugby. The full list can be found here. The announcement has prompted wider questions about the purpose of the Forum and its appointments. Simon Holledge, of New Town and Broughton Community Council, said: 'The worry is that we will end up with cumbersome, bureaucratic and opaque processes that seem crafted for manipulation behind the scenes by unelected officers and political groups. 'The apparent weakness of the forum [...] adds to the feeling that this will be yet another seldom-meeting, rubber-stamping, nominal body. More from our Edinburgh correspondent: 'In contrast to a lot of council mini-dramas, the Visitor Levy is actually important. A lot of money is involved. Local government is seriously underfunded and the tourist tax could make a difference. 'Instead of a transparent, fair process that wins the confidence both of residents and accommodation providers, we fear we may end up with a scheme discredited on both sides, neither of whom start off with much confidence in the council in the first place.' Leith Links Community Council also complained the appointed membership was 'largely business-based'. It said: 'We understand the need for representation from the tourism and hospitality sector, but since the aims of the Visitor Levy include 'funding public services, infrastructure and resident-visitor experience' and 'managing the impacts of tourism', we would wish, from a local community perspective, to see much wider representation from the community, including local community councils and action groups, interest groups [...] and service providers in e.g. education, transport, waste management- in short, members with a strong track record in delivering improvements for communities across [[Edinburgh]]. We also think that expertise in participatory budgeting would be valuable.' Edinburgh Council said: 'Governance around the visitor levy, including any future decisions, remains subject to established Council procedures and elected member oversight.'
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Letter to NA Speaker: PBF urges parliament to declare FY26 ‘a year of economic legislation'
KARACHI: In a significant move aimed at spurring private sector growth, the Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) has written a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly, urging Parliament to declare the ongoing fiscal year as the 'Year of Economic Legislation.' President PBF, Khawaja Mehboob ur Rehman emphasized that sustainable private sector growth is only possible when Parliament stands firmly with the business community. He expressed hope that the Speaker would play an active role in positioning the legislative branch as a true economic partner. 'It is imperative that Parliament leads the way in crafting legislation that binds banks to offer fair and accessible credit to the SME and startup sectors,' said the PBF President. 'For too long, the banking industry has operated on its own terms — refusing to extend credit to small businesses while focusing almost exclusively on lending to the government, which is an easier route.' Highlighting the deep-rooted financial access issues, particularly in Balochistan, the PBF pointed out the shocking reality that many businesses in the province are effectively excluded from the credit system. The Forum also raised alarms over Sections 37AA and 37B of the Finance Bill, demanding immediate revision. 'Mehboob warned that those measures would cripple businesses, accelerate unemployment and damage investor confidence. The chamber strongly condemned the extraordinary powers granted to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials, unjust treatment of the business community and policy decisions made without business consultation. It demanded immediate withdrawal of those measures and a halt to economic victimisation of the business community.' 'If these clauses are not removed, the business community may be forced to shut down operations. These provisions have deeply shaken business confidence across Pakistan. We call upon the Speaker to form a special parliamentary committee to address these issues.' The letter further states that access to easy and fair credit is considered essential in all developed economies, but Pakistan continues to lag behind, with the government currently working on a 10-year industrial policy, the Forum warned that without enabling financial access for the private sector, the policy's objectives will remain unfulfilled. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
PACER Plus Implementation Unit Attends FTOM And FTMM In Fiji
Press Release – PACER Plus The geographic development challenges of the region further underscored the critical need for increased regional integration through regional initiatives that reflect the regions collective needs and priorities. SUVA, Fiji – The Forum Trade Officials and Trade Ministers meeting was convened on 16-18 July 2025 in Suva, Fiji, to deliberate on key trade issues affecting the Pacific region, against the backdrop of an increasingly complex global and regional economic landscape. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a rules-based multilateral trading system to enhance the region's gains from international trade. The geographic development challenges of the region further underscored the critical need for increased regional integration through regional initiatives that reflect the region's collective needs and priorities. These initiatives include the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the Pacific Roadmap for Economic Development (PRED), and the Pacific Aid for Trade Strategy. The draft Pacific Regional Labour Mobility Principles were also considered as directed by Forum Leaders in 2023. Hon. Peter Shanel Agovaka, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands, delivered a statement on behalf of the PACER Plus Parties, highlighting progress and milestones since the Agreement entered into force in 2020. In his remarks, Hon. Agovaka highlighted the integral role of PACER Plus in promoting regional economic integration through reducing barriers to trade and optimising opportunities in trade in goods, services trade, investment and labour mobility. While reaffirming PACER Plus Parties commitment to a predictable rules-based trading system, Hon. Agovaka also encouraged other Forum members' accession to PACER Plus to increase the impact of the Treaty and to further deepen regional economic integration in the Pacific. During the meeting, Ministers approved observer status for the PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU) to the Forum Trade Ministers Meeting. The PPIU welcomed this decision as a strategic step towards enhancing regional trade coordination and participation in key regional trade discussions. The PPIU also used the opportunity during the meeting to meet with regional partners to discuss alignment of priorities and collaboration opportunities.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
PACER Plus Implementation Unit Attends FTOM And FTMM In Fiji
SUVA, Fiji – The Forum Trade Officials and Trade Ministers meeting was convened on 16-18 July 2025 in Suva, Fiji, to deliberate on key trade issues affecting the Pacific region, against the backdrop of an increasingly complex global and regional economic landscape. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a rules-based multilateral trading system to enhance the region's gains from international trade. The geographic development challenges of the region further underscored the critical need for increased regional integration through regional initiatives that reflect the region's collective needs and priorities. These initiatives include the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the Pacific Roadmap for Economic Development (PRED), and the Pacific Aid for Trade Strategy. The draft Pacific Regional Labour Mobility Principles were also considered as directed by Forum Leaders in 2023. Hon. Peter Shanel Agovaka, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands, delivered a statement on behalf of the PACER Plus Parties, highlighting progress and milestones since the Agreement entered into force in 2020. In his remarks, Hon. Agovaka highlighted the integral role of PACER Plus in promoting regional economic integration through reducing barriers to trade and optimising opportunities in trade in goods, services trade, investment and labour mobility. While reaffirming PACER Plus Parties commitment to a predictable rules-based trading system, Hon. Agovaka also encouraged other Forum members' accession to PACER Plus to increase the impact of the Treaty and to further deepen regional economic integration in the Pacific. During the meeting, Ministers approved observer status for the PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU) to the Forum Trade Ministers Meeting. The PPIU welcomed this decision as a strategic step towards enhancing regional trade coordination and participation in key regional trade discussions. The PPIU also used the opportunity during the meeting to meet with regional partners to discuss alignment of priorities and collaboration opportunities.
