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Roya News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
King delivers Jordan's address at 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference
His Majesty King Abdullah II delivered Jordan's address at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice on Monday. The week-long conference is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, with hundreds of international leaders, officials, and experts attending from around the world. In the address, His Majesty said that bodies of water are a vital shared resource, sustaining billions of lives. However, threats such as climate change, pollution, overexploitation and loss of biodiversity directly imperil them, with His Majesty emphasising that this is a critical moment in time for action on behalf of the world's oceans and seas. The King shared how Jordan has embraced science as a tool for transformation, noting that studies indicate that coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba are exceptionally resilient in the face of extreme temperatures, which gives hope for their survival and makes them a unique laboratory that can help to save coral reefs around the world. During the speech, His Majesty announced the launch of Jordan's Aqaba Blue Ventures and Global Centre for Ocean Regeneration, which will provide opportunities to test new technologies that can be scaled up for global use. Following is the full text of the King's speech: 'In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful Monsieur le Président, President Chavez, Mr. Secretary-General, Your Excellencies, It is a pleasure to join you today. And let me express my deep appreciation to the United Nations, and to the co-hosts, France and Costa Rica. This is a critical moment for action on behalf of the world's oceans and seas. They are a vital shared resource—sustaining billions of lives. Yet threats like climate change, pollution, over-exploitation, and the loss of biodiversity, directly imperil them. My friends, Let me focus on one of the most critical concerns—the health of coral reefs worldwide. Coral reefs are a crucial first-line defence for blue biodiversity and stability. They protect coasts, support fisheries, and generate trillions of dollars of socio-economic value. Yet, in a single human lifetime, nearly two thirds of the world's coral reefs have been lost. Reversing this loss is imperative. In Jordan, we have embraced science as a tool for transformation. Studies show that corals in the Gulf of Aqaba are exceptionally resilient to extreme temperatures. And this offers hope for their survival—and makes them a unique laboratory to save reefs around the world. That is why I am pleased to announce Jordan's launch of the Aqaba Blue Ventures and Global Centre for Ocean Regeneration. This Centre will be a proving-ground for new technologies that are scalable for global use. A next-generation coral propagation farm is already active. And we have in place a large-scale 3D printer for reef restoration. In developing this project, we have benefited tremendously from our partnership with my friend Philippe Cousteau, and other international collaborators. We are working to provide a pioneering model of regenerative blue economy—one that can be replicated for coral reefs world-wide. These collaborations reflect the importance of joint efforts. Technology will not be enough. We need inclusive partnerships. Global innovators. Cutting-edge scientists. And most importantly, local communities who are deeply connected to the ocean. Their experience is vital to lasting stewardship. My friends, Jordan has long chosen the path of stewardship and healing, despite challenges in our part of the world. We have vital national priorities to improve the lives of Jordanians. Some may see ocean or climate policy unrelated to these goals. We, like so many of you, know better. When nations choose to protect nature—even amid hardships—they strengthen their own resilience. When collective action regenerates ecosystems, we create new opportunities for all to thrive. Now is the time to make nature-positive solutions a mainstream part of global investment. Let us protect our planet's beating blue heart—and ensure our oceans and our seas thrive for generations to come.
Gulf Today
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Sahel states recall envoys from Algeria
Power equations among countries and in regions change pretty fast especially when that country and that region is going through difficult times and through times of instability. This has been so in the cases of Burkina Faso, Male and Niger. All the three have gone through military coups, and there is a situation of civil war in each of them. Armed rebels face national armies. For a long time, these countries had French troops stationed in their countries, but after the coups, the French have been asked to withdraw their forces from the region. Burkina Faso, Male and Niger felt that the presence of French troops did not help much in controlling the situation. It is to be noted that these three countries and other in this part of Africa, south of the Sahara, have been former French colonies. They are part of the Francophone countries. But as a former colonial power, France had carried too much historical baggage to be of any help in stabilising the political situation. The big unstated problem was the challenge posed by militant groups with a religious orientation, attacking minority groups and trying to impose authoritarian regimes. The armies in these countries, which were mainly national armies that managed the colonial states that emerged at the time of decolonisation, were more involved in defending the state's interests and avoid sectarian conflicts. This is also the reason that those in power in Burkina Faso, Male and Niger have leaned towards Russia for arms and men – mostly private armies from Russia – to fight the armed rebels. This development of course brings its own set of problems, but that is another issue. Meanwhile, these three states believe that Algeria is supporting the Islamic militant groups. And the matter came to a head when Algeria shot down a Malian drone. These three Sahel states have termed it a violation of international law, claiming that the drone was within the territory of Male. The three states have recalled their envoys to Algeria, which created a diplomatic breach of a serious kind. It seems that the downing of the drone was a pretext for these countries to snap the ties with the big neighbour to the north. What is interesting is the fact that for nearly a decade and more, Algeria fought a traumatic civil war with the Islamic Salvation Front in the 1990s, in which thousands of Algerians had lost their lives on both sides. But the secular forces in Algeria did not give up, and they had succeeded in keeping the religious forces at bay. Algeria had fought the successor group of Islamic Salvation Front. So, it would seem ironic that Algeria should support Islamic armed rebels in Sahel, as claimed by Burkina Faso, Male and Niger. Algeria had been a deal-maker in the conflict between Male and Tuareg rebel group in the north of Male. It is a border region between Algeria and Male. So, the trigger for the conflict is immediate. According to an assessment of Global Centre for Responsibility to Protect, 2.8 million people have been displaced due to internal conflicts between the armies and the armed Islamic groups, and of them 2.1 million are in Burkina Faso. There is demand from rights groups that military-ruled governments in the region violate human rights through forced arrests, the Islamic insurgent groups target civilian groups. The three governments have formed a military alliance, and they have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States in January this year. This has not helped because there are not many other states which could help in resolving conflict situations. There are complaints from international rights groups that the armies in control in these countries violate human rights and target civilians, in the same manner that the armed rebels do.
