Latest news with #GlobalCompactforMigration
CBC
24-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Maxime Bernier says PPC would cut foreign aid to shrink government spending
Social Sharing Maxime Bernier and the People's Party of Canada launched their official campaign from Saint-Georges, Que., on Monday, focused on slashing government spending while halting immigration. "We need to stop that to preserve our culture, our standard of living, our economy," Bernier said. The former Conservative MP for Beauce is pitching his party — which strongly opposed COVID-19 lockdowns — as the "real conservatives" in this federal election. In a scorched-earth exit from the Conservative Party of Canada in 2018 to found the People's Party of Canada (PPC), Bernier accused his former party of being too "intellectually and morally corrupt" to be reformed. Bernier outlined on Monday the four pillars of the PPC platform: pausing immigration, ending what he described as "woke" policies, boosting the economy by cutting spending and implementing policies related to national security. "Our country is broken," Bernier said, noting that he would withdraw Canada from United Nations commitments, such as The Paris Agreement, the World Health Organization and the Global Compact for Migration. "We won't fight in Ukraine. We will also cut foreign aid and bring that money home," the Saint-Georges native said. Bernier devoted parts of his speech to take aim at Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for changing their positions on carbon pricing and for supporting carbon capture and storage, which the PPC leader described as costly and "inefficient technology." Cutting federal funding for CBC/Radio-Canada is another key element of Bernier's plan to reduce government spending, he said. "If CBC is going bankrupt, that's OK. We're in a capitalist system," he said. Abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion Shortly before his departure from the Conservative Party, Bernier made controversial comments online, criticizing the Trudeau government for allegedly pursuing " extreme multiculturalism," statements which several commentators have called xenophobic and racist. In 2019, he faced criticism for tweets describing then 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg as "mentally unstable," although he later softened his comments. Bernier vowed on Monday that his party would fight to ensure Canadian citizenship remains a "privilege." He invoked the dog whistle"woke-ism" — a catch-all term used pejoratively to describe everything from support for anti-racist measures and progressive policies to virtue-signalling. He said on Monday that his party would have "concrete policies" to fight the ambiguous notion but stopped short of explaining what those policies would be, beyond halting government spending related to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. "Diversity, equity and inclusion — it is not in line with our Western civilization values," Bernier said. "We need to promote unity, equalization of rights and meritocracy." Bernier has been accused of courting far-right, conspiratorial racists, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and appeared on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones's podcast as recently as March 22. The PPC has denied that people with " extreme views" are welcome in the party.
Morocco World
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Morocco's CNDH, DGSN Partner on Migrant Rights Training
Rabat – The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) have introduced a new training of trainers (ToT) program to strengthen human rights protections in law enforcement. The first session, scheduled for February 24, will focus on migration and Morocco's international obligations regarding the rights of migrants. Held at the CNDH headquarters in Rabat, the training will bring together 20 law enforcement officials and human rights experts to examine key migration-related issues. The program will cover international legal frameworks, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Global Compact for Migration, and national legislation. Discussions will also address Morocco's engagement with UN treaty bodies, national migration and asylum policies, and ways to align law enforcement practices with international human rights standards. The training reflects ongoing efforts to integrate human rights principles into police work. By equipping officers with knowledge of legal obligations and best practices, the program looks to improve interactions with migrants and ensure greater compliance with national and international standards. Participants will explore real-life cases, analyze current challenges, and discuss strategies for protecting migrant rights while maintaining public security. This initiative expands on previous training efforts under the CNDH-DGSN partnership, which initially focused on preventing torture. It is part of an institutional cooperation agreement signed on September 14, 2022, which aims to improve law enforcement training and capacity building. By reinforcing human rights in police training, the program aims to improve professional standards, promote accountability, and help Morocco's larger efforts to adopt regulations that safeguard the rights of all citizens, regardless of migrant status. Tags: African MigrantsDGSNhuman rightsMorocco's CNDH
Daily News Egypt
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Egyptian Foreign Minister meets with IOM, ILO, ITU heads in Geneva
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with the heads of three United Nations agencies in Geneva on Monday, discussing issues ranging from migration management to digital transformation and labour standards. His meetings included sessions with Amy Pope, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM); Gilbert Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO); and Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). During his meeting with Pope, Abdelatty expressed Egypt's appreciation for its longstanding cooperation with the IOM on comprehensive migration management and sustainable development, aligning with the Global Compact for Migration. He outlined Egypt's holistic migration strategy, addressing both security and developmental aspects and focusing on the root causes of irregular migration. He highlighted Egypt's concerns about the deteriorating political and humanitarian situations in neighbouring countries, exacerbated by conflict, political crises, and climate change, leading to increased displacement and migration flows into Egypt. 'Egypt hosts over 9 million migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers,' Minister Abdelatty noted, emphasising the strain on the national budget and host communities due to the inadequacy of international support. He reiterated Egypt's call for intensified international efforts to ensure fair and sustainable burden-sharing and responsibility-sharing, urging the IOM to support Egypt in managing migrant influxes and bolstering its migration management efforts. He also reviewed Egypt's ongoing efforts to combat irregular migration and human trafficking, in line with its national strategy, and discussed joint cooperation to support early recovery efforts in the Gaza Strip, reaffirming Egypt's rejection of any attempts to displace Palestinians and underscoring UNRWA's crucial mandate. Minister Abdelatty's meeting with Houngbo focused on Egypt's development efforts and collaboration with the ILO. He commended the excellent cooperation between Egypt and the ILO, highlighting the Cairo office's role in implementing various projects. He expressed Egypt's desire to strengthen this cooperation to support employment, decent work, and improve the working environment, attracting investments and aligning with Egypt's Vision 2030. The minister reviewed positive developments in Egypt's labour environment, including the establishment of over 50 new trade unions last year and efforts to finalise a draft law on domestic workers. He reiterated Egypt's commitment to promoting international labour standards, citing the recent ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention and expressing a desire to utilise the ILO's technical support in implementing its obligations. Finally, Minister Abdelatty met with Bogdan-Martin, praising the longstanding relationship between Egypt and the ITU and the Cairo office's role in implementing joint projects. He affirmed Egypt's active participation in ITU mechanisms and activities, including its Council membership, and expressed a desire to expand cooperation in line with Egypt's Vision 2030 and its digital strategy. He reviewed Egypt's efforts in implementing its digital strategy, including building a digital economy, developing digital infrastructure, and promoting digital transformation, as well as digitising government services and supporting technological innovation and entrepreneurship. He noted the government's belief in the vital role of the information and communications technology sector in attracting investment and encouraging global companies to expand in Egypt. The meeting also addressed artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, with Minister Abdelatty expressing Egypt's desire to cooperate with the ITU to maximise the benefits of AI applications and find innovative solutions to societal challenges. He highlighted the establishment of the National Council for Artificial Intelligence in 2019, the launch of the national AI strategy in 2021, and the forthcoming launch of its second version.
Al-Ahram Weekly
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
FM Abdelatty reiterates Egypt stance against displacing Palestinians in visit to Geneva - Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty reiterated Monday Egypt's stance rejecting any attempts aimed at displacing the Palestinians from their land during a meeting with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope. During the meeting, which took place in Geneva, both sides agreed on cooperation to support early recovery efforts in the Gaza Strip, enabling the Palestinian people to remain on their land, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Egyptian FM also underscored the critical role of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). He expressed Egypt's appreciation for the fruitful cooperation with the IOM, which ensures comprehensive migration management and enhances sustainable development according to the principles and objectives outlined in the Global Compact for Migration. The Egyptian FM expressed Cairo's concern regarding deteriorating political and humanitarian conditions in neighbouring countries, including conflicts and political crises. Greater migration flows! He also addressed the negative impacts of climate change, specifically its effects on increasing displacement and migration, which led to greater migration flows into Egypt. He noted that the state hosts more than nine million migrants and refugees. Abdelatty highlighted Egypt's efforts to meet the newcomers' needs and provide them with essential services, highlighting the burdens on the state's public budget, given the modest amount of international support Egypt receives, which does not match the burdens it bears. During the meeting, Abdelatty reiterated Cairo's position on the importance of intensifying international efforts to ensure the fair and sustainable implementation of the principle of burden and responsibility-sharing. He urged the UN to provide the necessary support to help Egypt cope with the burden of hosting large numbers of migrants and support its efforts on the migration issue. The Egyptian top diplomat further highlighted Egypt's efforts to combat irregular migration and human trafficking across borders, in line with the objectives of the Egyptian National Strategy for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration. Meeting with ITU's secretary-general Abdelatty also met with Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), where he praised the union's office in Cairo for implementing joint projects. For her part, the ITU Secretary-General commended the "Decent Life" initiative and its essential role in promoting digitization in various Egyptian villages. She also commended Egypt's pivotal role in the ITU over its nearly 150-year membership, looking forward to continued cooperation to support Egyptian efforts to enhance the state's digital infrastructure. More about FM's visit to Geneva Abdelatty is visiting Geneva to head the Egyptian delegation to the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on the human rights situation in Egypt, scheduled for Tuesday, 28 January. During his visit, the Egyptian FM, the chairman of Egypt's Supreme Standing Committee for Human Rights (SSCHR), will meet with the directors of several international organizations and agencies based in Geneva. Additionally, he will participate in a panel discussion at the "Geneva Centre for Security Policy" to discuss regional crises and Egypt's perspective on them. According to the UN website, the UPR working group will examine Egypt's human rights record for the fourth time. Egypt's first, second, and third UPR reviews occurred in February 2010, November 2014, and November 2019. Algeria, Bulgaria, and Kuwait are the three country representatives serving as rapporteurs for the review of Egypt. Egypt is one of 14 states to be reviewed by the UPR working group's 48th session, which will take place from 20 to 31 January. The UPR is a mechanism that calls for each UN member state to undergo a peer review of its human rights records every 4.5 years. Short link:
