Latest news with #internationalcooperation
Al Bawaba
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
UAE Hosts Artemis Accords Workshop to Advance Sustainable Space Cooperation
The UAE, represented by the UAE Space Agency, hosted a workshop on the Artemis Accords at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on 21 and 22 May, 2025. This gathering brought together delegates from over 30 of the 55 signatory nations, reaffirming their commitment in promoting peaceful, transparent, and sustainable space workshop aims to reinforce the principles of peaceful and responsible space exploration and discuss future approaches to foster a shared commitment to transparency, information exchange, space heritage protection, and ensuring sustainability in outer space workshop focused on advancing the implementation of the Artemis Accords' principles, including non-interference, interoperability, orbital debris mitigation, scientific data sharing, registration of space objects, and outreach efforts. Participants engaged in a tabletop exercise designed to simulate potential scenarios, fostering collaborative approaches to responsible space Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of UAE Space Agency, said: 'The UAE's commitment to strengthening international cooperation and fostering responsible space exploration reflects values that lie at the heart of the Artemis Accords. Through this workshop, we aim to promote a peaceful, transparent, and sustainable space for future generations.'Al Falasi added: 'As we witness the evolution of space activities, international collaboration frameworks are becoming highly essential. The Artemis Accords stand as a beacon to ensure that as humanity reaches further into space, we do so while maintaining openness, safety, and mutual respect, so space remains a domain of peace and opportunity for all.'The Abu Dhabi workshop builds upon previous meetings held in Poland (2023) and Canada (2024), underscoring the growing momentum behind the Artemis Accords. These workshops serve as vital platforms for signatories to share best practices, address emerging challenges, and strengthen the collective commitment to sustainable space exploration. Launched in 2020 by the USA with the participation of seven countries - including the UAE - the Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration towards more sustainable and safe operations. The Artemis Accords are consistent with relevant international treaties, including the Outer Space Treaty, the Registration Convention, and the Agreement on the Rescue and Return of Astronauts.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
In the wake of the WEF's challenges, neutrality and good governance are paramount
Geneva, Switzerland, is a hub for international cooperation. The city has provided a venue for dialogue among governments and nongovernmental organizations alike since the early 20th century, bolstered by critical aspects of the Swiss DNA: neutrality, good governance and a tradition of dialogue for impact and peace. Since its founding in 1971, the World Economic Forum, under the leadership of its founder Klaus Schwab, started as a private foundation and eventually became an official Swiss international organization guided by the mission statement: 'Committed to improving the state of the world.' The WEF and its annual gathering in Davos evolved from a European industrial conclave into the world's most influential event for brand building, networking and addressing the topics of the day among political figures, business leaders, NGOs and the social sector. The WEF today, however, is facing an impasse. As a perceived neutral platform for dialogue, for decades the WEF offered a unique value proposition geopolitically, from the Cold War period through the Middle East peace process and the end of apartheid in South Africa. This neutrality came into question in 2022 following the war in Ukraine. At that point, the WEF followed political pressure from the US, the EU and Switzerland, turning away all stakeholders, political and civilian, from Russia, thereby taking sides in the conflict and stifling dialogue. When asked directly why the Russians were excluded, one WEF representative at the time cited the excuse that 'Russia invaded a sovereign country' as a justification for the WEF's unprecedented political stand. This situation has played itself out historically with the US-UK invasion of Iraq in 2003, when moral justifications regarding human rights violations were used on a selective basis to underscore what was later revealed to be the false pretense of weapons of mass destruction. Moreover, without skipping a beat, the following January, the WEF invited the US and UK governments, their allies and other stakeholders to Davos, despite their invasion of a 'sovereign country.' As a perceived neutral platform for dialogue, for decades the WEF offered a unique value proposition geopolitically. This fault line is one, which, compared to Western countries, counterparts from the Arab Gulf to the BRICS and the Global South have addressed in a more pragmatic way. Instead of focusing solely on the Western, pro-NATO enlargement narrative, they have considered, rightly, their own business and economic interests and interlinked global geopolitics over the principles of so-called sovereignty and invasion. In terms of its own internal governance, the WEF has come under scrutiny in the past few years following a series of journalistic reports, notably from The Wall Street Journal, which started with looking into gender and inclusion policies and which ultimately led to the resignation of the founder. In the last month in particular, several alleged governance questions have emerged about Schwab, his family, the board and select members of the management team. While independent investigations are underway under the eyes of the Swiss authorities, and innocence is presumed until proven otherwise, it is important that these events not neglect a critical aspect: these issues — if true — would not have occurred had proper measures been installed to ensure good governance, checks and balances, and the proper oversight of what is today an official Swiss international organization. According to the bylaws of the WEF, Schwab has the right to appoint his own successor and either he or a member of his immediate family sits on the board of trustees. Schwab will therefore likely continue to pursue his own case and deny the allegations of wrongdoing that have been lodged to protect his own personal reputation and, even more so, his legacy. The authorities and the current board of the WEF may need to find a compromise, including naming him honorary chairman and/or meeting other demands. Serious questions must be addressed about how so many alleged internal issues were allowed to precipitate over an extended period without board members supposedly being aware. Beyond the organizational culture that was variably criticized in the media, it appears as though board members failed to ask the right questions or address issues, as did the regulators, in compliance with Swiss law, which mandates regular audit. The current circumstances should therefore give the WEF pause to pose some of the difficult values-based questions for an organization that is charged with convening the world's elite around the most pressing global challenges. Moreover, the WEF's partners, notably business and wealthy governments, finance its $500 million annual budget. If the WEF is going to continue to accept these financial contributions, it must also be held accountable. Against this backdrop, and at a moment when global leadership is under great scrutiny and redefinition, multistakeholder leaders have options to choose between myriad different events and initiatives for building their influence and collaboration, ranging from the Milken Institute to the Future Investment Initiative. Now is the time, however, for the WEF to revisit its purpose and decide if it will become one of the many hubs for corporate networking and deal-making or if it will stay true to its DNA: serving as a neutral platform, with good governance and focused on real impact. • Khalid Abdulla-Janahi, chairman of Vision3, has over 30 years of experience in banking and financial services.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
China launches spacecraft to collect samples from asteroid near Mars
China has launched its Tianwen-2 mission, dispatching a spacecraft to gather samples from an asteroid near to Mars. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) anticipates that this mission will "yield groundbreaking discoveries and expand humanity's knowledge of the cosmos." Launched on Thursday from southern China via the Long March 3-B rocket, the Tianwen-2 probe is set to collect samples from the asteroid 2016HO3. Additionally, it will explore the main-belt comet 311P, situated beyond Mars. Shan Zhongde, the head of the CNSA, hailed the Tianwen-2 mission as a "significant step in China's new journey of interplanetary exploration." This ambitious decade-long mission is poised to offer valuable insights into the universe. The samples from asteroid 2016HO3 are expected to be returned in approximately two years. These asteroids, selected for their stable orbits, may offer clues about Earth's formation, including the origins of water. China earlier returned rock samples from the moon's far side back to Earth in a historic mission and has welcomed international cooperation. However, any cooperation with the U.S. hinges on removing an American law banning direct bilateral cooperation with NASA. The near side of the moon is seen from Earth and the far side faces outer space. The far side also is known to have mountains and impact craters and is much more difficult to reach. China also operates the three person-crewed Tiangong, or 'Heavenly Palace,' space station, making the country a major player in a new era of space exploration and the use of permanent stations to conduct experiments in space, especially since the station was entirely Chinese-built after the country was excluded from the International Space Station over U.S. national security concerns. China's space program is controlled by the People's Liberation Army, the military branch of the ruling Communist Party. The country's space program has grown rapidly in the more than 20 years since it first put a man in space, only the third country to do so under its own speed. The space agency has landed an unmanned explorer on Mars and a rover on the far side of the moon. It aims to put a person on the moon before 2030. A future Tianwen-4 Jupiter mission will explore Jupiter, although details haven't been released.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Japan boosts cybersecurity with new laws, overseas partnerships amid rising digital threats
Japan is scrambling to shore up its cybersecurity capabilities through new legislation, international partnerships and training schemes – moves observers say are long overdue as threats from hostile states and criminal groups escalate. Advertisement In the latest push, Defence Minister Gen Nakatani met his Lithuanian counterpart Dovile Sakaliene in Tokyo on Wednesday and agreed to deepen cooperation in cybersecurity. A Japanese defence ministry expert will be dispatched to Lithuania in June to learn from the Baltic nation's cybersecurity specialists, who are widely regarded as among the best in the world for their experience countering persistent Russian digital threats. The agreement comes after Tokyo announced earlier this month that it intended to increase specialist cybersecurity technicians from 24,000 people at present to at least 50,000 individuals by 2030. The government's plan comes after a panel of the industry ministry indicated that the nation requires a force of about 110,000 skilled cybersecurity experts. Demand is expected to continue to grow as new regulations mean that from 2026, the government will inspect private companies' cybersecurity measures and potentially withhold state subsidies from firms that do not meet the required standards. From 2026, Japan will be able to inspect private companies' cybersecurity measures and potentially withhold state subsidies from firms that do not meet the required standards. Photo: Shutterstock On May 16, the Diet passed legislation that introduces the concept of an active cyberdefence, permitting the government to gather communications data to defend against digital attacks. The new law allows authorities to monitor the internet, collect and analyse communication information, and target servers that are launching cyberattacks. The law is applicable even if the nation is not at war.
Zawya
4 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Abu Dhabi Fund for Development explores new development opportunities in Lebanon
Reaffirming its longstanding commitment to international cooperation and sustainable development, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) joined the official UAE delegation on a high-level visit to the Republic of Lebanon, aimed at strengthening economic ties and advancing strategic partnerships. President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with President Joseph Aoun in a working visit to the UAE in May, and the two leaders discussed ways to expand cooperation in economic, investment, and government sectors. As part of this effort, the ADFD was tasked to send a delegation to Lebanon to assess potential joint projects, while the UAE's Knowledge Exchange Office was tasked with visiting Beirut to share best practices on government performance and institutional excellence. The three-day visit brought together senior UAE officials and Lebanese leadership to explore collaborative solutions that support Lebanon's economic recovery and future growth. The delegation met with General Joseph Aoun, President of the Republic of Lebanon, where discussions centered around enhancing bilateral cooperation and supporting Lebanon's economic development efforts. Meetings were also held with Dr. Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister of Lebanon, and ministers from the Ministries of Finance, Energy and Water, Education, Health, Public Works, Telecommunications, and Interior. The delegation also engaged with several national institutions such as the Central Bank of Lebanon, the Higher Relief Council, and the Council for Development and Reconstruction. ADFD also visited the Banque de l'Habitat (Housing Bank) in Beirut to explore cooperation on offering concessional loans to support housing solutions and enable citizens to access affordable housing. Both parties agreed to continue coordination, including upcoming meetings in Abu Dhabi to discuss project implementation and follow-up on proposed initiatives. Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of ADFD, said, 'The Fund's participation underscores the UAE's commitment to supporting friendly nations, continuing its leading role in fostering international cooperation. ADFD's partnership with Lebanon spans over five decades, during which we have helped implement strategic development projects across vital sectors such as infrastructure, education, energy, and healthcare.' He added, 'Our presence in Lebanon today reaffirms our deep commitment to supporting its government in tackling economic challenges and enhancing the quality of life for the Lebanese people. We aim to leverage our expertise and partnerships to help develop sustainable solutions that align with the country's aspirations for recovery and reconstruction.' During the Knowledge Exchange Forum, Lebanese Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam praised ADFD's instrumental role in supporting Lebanon's development journey since the 1970s, describing the Fund as a trusted partner throughout various stages of national progress and an enabler of tangible improvements across key sectors. Site visits to the Port of Beirut, Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport, Beirut Governmental Hospital, and various public service institutions further underscored the delegation's focus on identifying immediate priorities and potential areas of collaboration.
