Latest news with #Guarani
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
S'pore and Paraguay to deepen cooperation in sustainability, agri-food trade
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena (left) is received by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam during his state visit on May 23. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI SINGAPORE – There is great potential for deeper cooperation between Singapore and Paraguay, in areas like climate action and the agri-food industry, said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on May 23. He was speaking at a state banquet held to host Paraguay President Santiago Pena, whose state visit is the first here by a Paraguay head of state. President Pena separately met Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and discussed the progress of ratifying the Mercosur-Singapore free trade agreement, which was signed in December 2023. They also discussed potential areas of collaboration, such as in the green finance and energy sectors. They witnessed the signing of an implementation agreement on carbon credits collaboration between both countries. The agreement lays out a framework for generating and transferring carbon credits from carbon mitigation projects, which will make it easier for project developers when they create high-quality carbon credit projects. At the state lunch banquet, Mr Tharman said: 'Paraguay's strategic location at the heart of South America, combined with Singapore's position as a gateway to Asia, creates natural opportunities for us to serve as bridges between our respective regions.' He also noted that Paraguay has been tenacious in transforming its economy and plugging into global trade and investment flows, even with the constraints of being landlocked. He also pointed to its name, which is said to be derived from Guarani roots that mean 'the river that gives birth to the sea'. This is a reminder that even the most inland of nations can contribute to the currents of global progress, he noted. 'These efforts reflect a broader truth: that a nation's potential is ultimately defined not by its size or geography, but by its ambition and determination to seize opportunities in a connected world,' Mr Tharman said. He added that Singapore's story as a small nation is also about transformation against the odds, and joining in the currents of global progress. 'Our shared experiences as small states underscore a vital lesson: we gain strength through collaboration. This is reflected in our active pursuit of regional and international tie-ups,' he said. Mr Pena, in his speech at the banquet, said Paraguay shares Singapore's vision of economic freedom. 'We are committed to an economy that is open, competitive and deeply integrated with the world. We know that when a country does well, through cooperation based on mutual trust, its partners are also strengthened,' he said. Mr Tharman noted that while trade between Singapore and Paraguay has thus far been modest, the potential for growth is significant. Paraguay is a top exporter of soybeans and beef, with a reputation for quality and sustainability, he said. 'There are natural synergies with Singapore's ambition to be Asia's hub for agri-food innovation and technology. With our Singapore Food Agency's recent certification, Singaporeans will soon also be able to consume beef, pork, and poultry among several processed products from Paraguay,' Mr Tharman added. The Mercosur-Singapore Free Trade Agreement will also be the catalyst for broader economic partnership, including in the digital economy and sustainable development, he said. Mercosur refers to the Southern Common Market, which was established by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Mr Pena said: 'We are confident that its entry into force will soon become a reality, opening up new opportunities for trade, investment and joint innovation between our nations.' Mr Tharman also said there is growing scope for collaboration in the sustainability space, noting that Paraguay is not only self-sufficient in clean energy but also a significant exporter. The newly signed agreement for carbon credit collaboration will mean investments in high-quality climate projects in Paraguay – be they in forest conservation, renewable energy, or sustainable agriculture, he said. Meanwhile, this can also contribute to Singapore's decarbonisation goals. Mr Pena said: 'Paraguay recognises Singapore as a strategic partner in the transition to a greener and more forward-looking economy. 'This initiative materialises a conviction that we firmly hold: that economic growth and sustainability are not only compatible, but inseparable in the path to modern development.' Prime Minister Lawrence Wong met with the President of the Republic of Paraguay Santiago Peña on May 23. PHOTO: MDDI The agreement will also advance both countries' climate ambitions by directing financing towards unlocking potential in Paraguay. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, who signed the agreement, said: 'Singapore and Paraguay share warm and growing trade relations, with both countries committed to fostering sustainable development and economic cooperation. 'I look forward to seeing companies leverage this agreement to develop tangible projects that drive real emissions reductions.' At a separate business roundtable held by the Latin American Chamber of Commerce, Ms Fu added: 'By linking Paraguay's robust carbon credit potential with Singapore's global platforms, we can unlock significant opportunities, not just for climate action, but also for our businesses to innovate and invest in the green economy.' Beside meeting Mr Tharman and PM Wong, Mr Pena and his wife Leticia Ocampos de Pena also visited the National Orchid Garden, where a new orchid hybrid was named in their honour. Earlier in the day, Mr Pena had also received a ceremonial welcome at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sue-Ann Tan is a business correspondent at The Straits Times covering capital markets and sustainable finance. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Sydney Morning Herald
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
If you can afford to travel overseas, you're rich
It's pretty clear that this power imbalance and the advantages we take from it is not confined to high-end tourism. It happens everywhere, from the cheap-as-chips guesthouse in Vietnam to the safari camp in Botswana to the high-end hotel in Taormina. There are the servants and the served. The haves and the have-nots. We tourists tell ourselves stories about the smiling, happy locals who don't need anything more so we don't have to think too deeply about the wild financial and social imbalance at play here, and the fact we're doing very little to change it, because it's to our benefit. Loading In that way, The White Lotus is a lot like The Menu, the biting satire of fine-dining that made me think so differently about the high-end food experiences I'm sometimes able to have around the world. This whole thing is a farce, you realise. It's ridiculous. Luxury resorts are the same. I am very privileged in this job as a travel writer to stay in some places that I, some chump from central Queensland, really have no right to have access to. And now those incredible – and incredibly expensive – resorts are ruined. There's a popular sub-Reddit – 24 million members and counting – called Am I The Asshole? in which people write about a tricky social situation they're in and then ask that question of readers. And in this situation, yes: I, the guest at these beautiful resorts, am. Unfortunately, much like The Menu, it's not just your opinion of yourself that changes after watching The White Lotus. Obviously, I suspect myself of being a massive wanker. But now I also suspect that my fellow resort guests fit neatly into that category. This whole ecosystem is questionable. I stayed in a very expensive resort in northern Argentina recently and listened uncomfortably as my guide talked to me about the Guarani people, the indigenous inhabitants of the area, many of whom now live in abject poverty so close to those fancy hotels. 'They're quite primitive,' she said, 'but if you look closely at their huts you will see a TV antenna on the top. Some of them have mobile phones. So they're just like us, really. Do you still have natives in Australia?' Loading Am I the asshole? I certainly feel like it now. Travel is a complicated thing, and not one you can summarise in a single idea. Those fancy resorts create employment, they prop up entire communities in some places, and they do good for the places they exist in, particularly if they're locally owned. The travel industry can be vital to entire nations' economies. Move around the world in the right way and you as a tourist can do plenty of good while also really enjoying yourself. You can meet people from all walks of life, swap ideas, transfer wealth, and gain a far better knowledge of yourself and your place in the world. All of that is true. But still, if watching The White Lotus makes you want to go on a 'set-jetting' holiday, you're probably missing the point.
The Age
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
If you can afford to travel overseas, you're rich
It's pretty clear that this power imbalance and the advantages we take from it is not confined to high-end tourism. It happens everywhere, from the cheap-as-chips guesthouse in Vietnam to the safari camp in Botswana to the high-end hotel in Taormina. There are the servants and the served. The haves and the have-nots. We tourists tell ourselves stories about the smiling, happy locals who don't need anything more so we don't have to think too deeply about the wild financial and social imbalance at play here, and the fact we're doing very little to change it, because it's to our benefit. Loading In that way, The White Lotus is a lot like The Menu, the biting satire of fine-dining that made me think so differently about the high-end food experiences I'm sometimes able to have around the world. This whole thing is a farce, you realise. It's ridiculous. Luxury resorts are the same. I am very privileged in this job as a travel writer to stay in some places that I, some chump from central Queensland, really have no right to have access to. And now those incredible – and incredibly expensive – resorts are ruined. There's a popular sub-Reddit – 24 million members and counting – called Am I The Asshole? in which people write about a tricky social situation they're in and then ask that question of readers. And in this situation, yes: I, the guest at these beautiful resorts, am. Unfortunately, much like The Menu, it's not just your opinion of yourself that changes after watching The White Lotus. Obviously, I suspect myself of being a massive wanker. But now I also suspect that my fellow resort guests fit neatly into that category. This whole ecosystem is questionable. I stayed in a very expensive resort in northern Argentina recently and listened uncomfortably as my guide talked to me about the Guarani people, the indigenous inhabitants of the area, many of whom now live in abject poverty so close to those fancy hotels. 'They're quite primitive,' she said, 'but if you look closely at their huts you will see a TV antenna on the top. Some of them have mobile phones. So they're just like us, really. Do you still have natives in Australia?' Loading Am I the asshole? I certainly feel like it now. Travel is a complicated thing, and not one you can summarise in a single idea. Those fancy resorts create employment, they prop up entire communities in some places, and they do good for the places they exist in, particularly if they're locally owned. The travel industry can be vital to entire nations' economies. Move around the world in the right way and you as a tourist can do plenty of good while also really enjoying yourself. You can meet people from all walks of life, swap ideas, transfer wealth, and gain a far better knowledge of yourself and your place in the world. All of that is true. But still, if watching The White Lotus makes you want to go on a 'set-jetting' holiday, you're probably missing the point.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Paraguay gold rush leaves tea producers bitter
In a small town in Paraguay, a showdown is brewing between traditional producers of yerba mate, a bitter herbal tea popular across South America, and miners of a shinier treasure: gold. A rush for the precious metal is pitting mate growers and Indigenous groups against the expanding operations of small-scale miners who, until recently, were their neighbors, not nemeses. "They (the miners) have destroyed everything... the canals, springs, swamps," said Vidal Britez, president of the Yerba Mate Producers' Association of the town of Paso Yobai, about 210 kilometers (130 miles) east of Paraguay's capital Asuncion. "You can see the pollution from the dead fish. The water has changed color," the 56-year-old told AFP. Yerba mate, a green infusion sipped from a gourd with a metal straw, is deeply rooted in Paraguay, where the Guarani people have cultivated the tree that produces the leaves for centuries, including in Paso Yobai. But when an Ecuadoran miner discovered gold nuggets in a stream there in the 1990s, the town's fortunes changed. One in six of its 30,000 inhabitants now lives off mining and related activities, with angry mate growers saying they are being squeezed out. They also complain of environmental damage from the mercury used to extract gold, and the arsenic released in the process. The place "is the cradle of yerba mate," Britez said indignantly, showing AFP mate leaves covered in mining dust that he says are being spurned by buyers. Tensions boiled over last month, with armed mate farmers and miners working for the Paraguayan subsidiary of a Canadian company nearly coming to blows. No injuries were reported in the standoff. But since then, small groups of mate farmers have been camping out around Paso Yobai to prevent miners digging more quarries or pits. - Path to a better life - In just a few years, Paso Yobai has been transformed from a quiet, bucolic settlement into a frenetic anthill of activity with lines of trucks hauling sand to pools where the gold is processed. The farmers claim there are more than 300 excavations around the town -- most of them illegal. Each dig can yield about a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of gold in a month or two, and for some, the town's long-hidden treasure has proved to be a boon. Paso Yobai's 2,000-odd small-scale miners earn about $20 per day -- roughly equal to the country's minimum monthly wage. "Many families managed to improve their homes, managed to get their children to study at universities," miner Ruben Villalba told AFP. The mate farmers, by contrast, barely break even most of the time. - 'No complaint' - In 2024, Paraguay exported 600 kg of gold extracted mainly in Paso Yobai, generating $260,000 in royalties for the government, according to Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Mauricio Bejarano. In an interview with AFP, he boasted that "profitability is guaranteed" as Paraguay seeks to expand its fledgling gold-mining sector. As for environmental concerns, he said that "as far as I know, there has been no complaint." The UN Environment Programme has observed in a report that Paraguay has not conducted a national inventory of mercury pollution. Two Paraguayan universities are researching the issue but have yet to present their findings. Ruben Irala Galeano, an agricultural engineer and researcher on the project, told AFP initial findings have pointed to "alarming" mercury levels and to "an ecological crime being committed in Paso Yobai." His concerns are shared by Nery Cardozo Benitez -- a Mbya Guarani leader -- who told AFP the community could see the effects of the mining for themselves. "The chemicals they use are very potent. They evaporate into the air and contaminate our animals," the chief said. Mariano Benitez, a fellow Indigenous leader from a nearby settlement, said the contamination was making it difficult to survive. "The fish are dying. We don't have drinking water," he said. hro-lm/mlr/cb/aha
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Yahoo
In La Paz, Bolivia, a New Slate of Restaurants Draw on the Country's Natural Bounty
All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by Condé Nast Traveler editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission. Christian Gutierrez/Ancestral For years, well-heeled foodies had only one reason to put La Paz, Bolivia, on their bucket lists: Gustu. Opened by Noma cofounder Claus Meyer in 2013, the fine-dining restaurant focused on indigenous ingredients like oca tubers, llama, and fermented yucca. The first of its kind in the city, it proved that an appetite existed for creative interpretations of traditional Bolivian flavors. In the decade-plus since, Gustu alumni and other rising chefs have created a restaurant scene that's uniquely their own. Marsia Taha, Gustu's former head chef (Latin America's 2024 best female chef, according to World's 50 Best), opened the three-floor Arami in the buzzy Achumani neighborhood, near the four-year-old Phayawi. Meaning 'piece of heaven' in the Guarani language, Arami focuses on the rainforest. Freshwater fish such as paiche and palometa are the menu's stars, along with lagarto (yacare caiman), the product of a collaboration with Indigenous hunters. Local sommelier Andrea Moscoso Weise, a veteran of Spain's El Celler de Can Roca, is a leading advocate for Bolivia's criolla grapes. After winning international recognition (and awards) for their elegant comfort food at Ancestral, chefs Mauricio López and Sebastián Giménez have taken a more casual approach at their burger joint Omuh (slang for humo, meaning 'smoke'). Though this type of fare is less common in La Paz than beloved street foods like anticuchos (chargrilled beef heart skewers), it has conquered the taste buds of paceños (La Paz locals). In January, Christian Gutiérrez, who, after working at Gustu, opened the dessert and coffee shop Lolo, launched Bushaka, where homestyle dishes are cooked over open fire; the offerings include tachacá, a little-used spiny whitefish from the Amazon, which fishermen catch to order using traditional nets. Cocktail aficionados are also in luck: JP Caceres leads the all-female service team at Cielo, located inside Green Tower, La Paz's tallest building. Order a Beso en Las Nubes or an Achacha Royale; both use singani, a type of brandy that is considered Bolivia's national spirit. The speakeasy Hammam and the bohemian jazz bar El Bestiario Teatro are great spots to try chuflay, a singani-and-ginger-ale concoction. When you stumble back to street level, keep your eyes peeled for a stall slinging anticuchos. La Paz, Bolivia, is one of our Best Places to Go in 2025. This article appeared in the March 2025 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here. Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
