English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For November 26/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the
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Bible Quotations For today
You have
already spent enough time in doing what the Gentiles like to do, living in
licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry
First Letter of Peter 04/01-11:”Since therefore
Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention (for
whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin), so as to live for the
rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God. You
have already spent enough time in doing what the Gentiles like to do, living in
licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry.
They are surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of
dissipation, and so they blaspheme. But they will have to give an account to him
who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the
gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in
the flesh as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does. The
end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for
the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for
love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without
complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another
with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one
speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that
God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ.
To him belong the glory and the power for ever and ever.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on November 25-26/2021
Pope Promises to Help Moribund Lebanon Rise Again
Pope Meets Miqati at Vatican, Urges Lebanese to Unite for Their Country
Aoun receives letter of congratulation from French President
President Aoun meets Deputy Prime Minister, briefed on the course of
negotiations with International Monetary Fund
Red Cross names Swiss diplomat as first female president
Army chief receives Commander the Canadian Joint Operations Command
Berri receives Bou Habib
Eduniversal ranks AUB’s Suliman S. Olayan School of Business as top business
school with strong global influence
A Piece of Beirut from Miqati to the Pope
Cassation Court Says Only It Eligible to Look into Recusal Requests
Families of Beirut Blast Victims Rally for Probe to Resume
West Agrees to Parliament Extension if Gen. Aoun Elected President
Shami Expects Preliminary Agreement with IMF by Year's End
Three Lebanese Judges Resign to Protest 'Political Interference'
UK's COP26 Envoy: Building Back Greener Must be at Heart of Any Long-Term Plan
for Lebanon
Lebanon Orders Travel Agents to Stop Advertising Belarus
Miqati to Visit Turkey and Egypt, May Meet Macron in Rome
Lebanon Orders Travel Agents to Stop Advertising Belarus
U.N., Sexual & Gender-Based Violence Taskforce and NCLW Launch 16-Day Anti-GBV
Campaign
Hezbollah experiencing political confusion, says political analyst/Najia
Houssari/Arab News/November 25/2021
Germany Contributes €25M in Support of Palestine Refugees in Gaza, Lebanon
Hizbullah Slams Australia's 'Terrorist' Listing
Putting Gender Equality First: Op-Ed by EU Officials, Ministers/Josep Borrell/Naharnet/Novembre
25/2021
Sea rights at naught/Sally Abou AlJoud/Now Lebanon/November 25/2021
La mendiante et moi/Jean-Marie Kassab/Novembre 25/2021
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
November 25-26/2021
US Consulate to Open in Jerusalem Soon
Kuwait Ruler Stresses Responsibilities of Crown Prince, Assembly Speaker, PM
Clashes in Sudan's Darfur Leaves at Least 35 People Dead
UN Chief Calls for ‘Unconditional and Immediate’ Ethiopian Ceasefire
Israel to Give Gaza Christians Permits for Christmas Holiday
Russia: Death toll in Siberian coal mine
blast raised to 52
Thousands of Sudanese take to the streets against deal
between PM Hamdok and military
UAE Major General Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi elected as new Interpol President
Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC
English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on
November 25-26/2021
Evil forces using Lebanon’s refugees to pressure EU/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab
News/November 25/2021
Time to confront the Iranian regime’s cyber army/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab
News/November 25/2021
Sudan’s military discovered their limits/Khairallah Khairallah/The Arab
Weekly/November 25/2021
Why democracy is in retreat across the globe/Andrew Hammond/The Arab
Weekly/November 25/2021
Climate forum fails to address clear and present danger/Dr. Theodore Karasik/Arab
News/November 25/2021
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on November 25-26/2021
Pope Promises to Help Moribund Lebanon Rise
Again
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 25 November, 2021
Pope Francis met Lebanon's Prime Minister of on Thursday and compared the
country to a dying person, promising to do everything in his power to help it
"rise again". Francis and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who took office in
September after a year-long government vacuum, met privately for about 20
minutes and discussed the country's devastating economic and social crisis, the
Vatican said in a statement, Reuters reported. The fallout from Lebanon's
financial collapse in 2019 has left swathes of the nation in poverty and foreign
donors are demanding an audit of the central bank and financial reforms before
they release funds. UN agencies have warned of social catastrophes, with one
report saying that more than half of families in Lebanon had at least one child
who skipped a meal amid a dramatic deterioration of living conditions. "Lebanon
is a country, a message and even a promise worth fighting for," Francis told the
extended Lebanese delegation after the private meeting. He then referred to the
Gospel story of Jairus in which Jesus raises up the man's 12-year-old daughter,
who was believed to be dead. Jesus told the parents she was only sleeping and
the girl rose up when Jesus commanded.
"I pray that the Lord will take Lebanon by the hand and say 'arise'," the pope
said, adding that the country was going through a "very difficult, ugly period"
of its history. "I assure you of my prayers, my closeness and promise to work
diplomatically with countries so that they unite with Lebanon to help it rise
again," he said. The seemingly never-ending crisis has sunk Lebanon's currency
by more than 90%, caused poverty to skyrocket and led many Lebanese to emigrate.
Mikati's government was finally formed after a year of political conflict over
cabinet seats that only worsened the crisis. In August, on the first anniversary
of the huge chemical blast at Beirut port that killed 200 people and caused
billions of dollars of damage, Francis promised to visit Lebanon as soon as the
situation permitted.
Pope Meets Miqati at Vatican, Urges Lebanese to Unite
for Their Country
Naharnet/November 25/2021
Pope Francis urged Thursday all Lebanese to cooperate in order to save their
country and give it back its role “as a model for dialogue and convergence
between East and West.”The pope said after meeting with Prime Minister Najib
Miqati at the Vatican that he will pray for Lebanon.
“We are in dire need for prayers and for friends’ support in these hard times,”
Miqati said for his part. He added that “the Pope will make every effort in all
international forums” to help Lebanon overcome its hardship and regain peace and
stability. “The (civil) war has taught us how to preserve our coexistence
despite the challenges,” Miqati said. In Miqati's meeting with the Vatican
secretary of state, the talks concerned the hope that "justice, necessary
reforms and the support of the international community help to resolve the
problems," a Vatican statement said. Miqati's government, which was formed on
Sept. 10, has been paralyzed for weeks — unable to meet because of deep
divisions over the investigation into the port blast and a diplomatic dispute
with the Gulf Arab states. Meanwhile, the Lebanese pound has continued to slide,
hitting new lows this week amid staggering inflation and soaring poverty.
Lebanon's spiraling financial crisis started in late 2019 and has rapidly
worsened, compounded by the port blast and pandemic. Miqati's government hasn't
met since mid-October after Hizbullah-backed ministers called for the removal of
the lead investigator into the blast and threatened to boycott Cabinet meetings
until their demands are met, leading to the current paralysis.
Aoun receives letter of congratulation from French President
NNA/November 25/2021
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, received a congratulatory
message from French President Emmanuel Marcon on the occasion of the 78th
anniversary of Lebanon's independence.
In his message, the French President affirmed France's support for Lebanon,
stressing that France attaches the utmost importance to the stability,
independence, security and sovereignty of this country.
President Macron also expressed his concern about the crisis in which Lebanon is
currently witnessing, and pointed out that the formation of a new government was
an initial stage to get out of the crisis, and "it must accomplish, with
support, the reforms that the Lebanese authorities have committed to”, and it
must launch its workshops as quickly as possible.
Then, the French President considered that "Recent violent incidents clearly
show the magnitude of the risks associated with continuing to paralyze official
authorities towards the challenges facing Lebanon. All of Lebanon's true
partners in the international community are ready to provide you with any
assistance. But without strong measures necessary by Lebanese officials in order
to restore confidence, Lebanon is afraid of doubling its regional isolation,
knowing that France wants to help Lebanon get out of it”.
Letter Text:
"Mr. President,
On the occasion of the Independence Day of the Lebanese Republic, I would like
to extend to you, on my own behalf and on behalf of the French people, the best
wishes of friendship towards the Lebanese nation.
France, as you know, is closely linked to brotherly relations between our two
countries and peoples, and attaches the utmost importance to Lebanon's
stability, independence, security and sovereignty. This country, which has
always been an example of openness and freedom for the whole region.
Based on this valid reason, I would like to express my deep concern about the
crisis in which your country has been plunged recently, which has taken on a
multifaceted character in its economic, security, social and humanitarian
aspects, in addition to the political one. I understand the extent of the
difficulties the Lebanese have faced for several months, especially in their
daily lives.
Undoubtedly, with the aim of getting out of this crisis, a preliminary stage has
been completed, represented by the formation of a new government, which must,
with your support, implement the reforms that the Lebanese authorities have
committed themselves to, first to the Lebanese, as well as to the international
community.
These reforms are in depth, and they must be launched as quickly as possible, in
line with the requirements of all the true friends of Lebanon, as well as with
the legitimate expectations that the Lebanese people have previously expressed.
I realize that you agree with me that the rise of Lebanon must pass through this
path, and no one hopes to take a parallel path, which might jeopardize the
public interest of the Lebanese, and even the stability of the country, to any
risks. The recent violent episodes clearly show the magnitude of the risks
associated with the continued paralysis of official authorities in the face of
the challenges facing Lebanon. The time has come to show a tangible proof of
respect for the meaning of history on the one hand, and for the spirit of
responsibility that I know you have to get your country out of the current
crisis. Rest assured that all of Lebanon's true partners in the international
community are ready to offer you any assistance. However, without strong
measures necessary by Lebanese officials in order to restore confidence, Lebanon
is afraid of doubling its regional isolation, knowing that France wants to help
it get out of it.
And be confident, Mr. President, that France stands today, as it was in various
circumstances, by the side of Lebanon and the Lebanese people.
And accept the highest expressions of appreciation for you, and the best
expressions of friendship for the Lebanese people”.
Interior Minister: President Aoun received Interior Minister, Judge Bassam
Mawlawi, and tackled with him the general situation, and security affairs, in
addition to the work of the Ministry and its affiliated directorates.
----Presidency Press Office
President Aoun meets Deputy Prime Minister, briefed on the course of
negotiations with International Monetary Fund
NNA/November 25/2021
Deputy Prime Minister Saade Chami confirmed that the technical negotiations with
the International Monetary Fund are almost over, "And we have entered the
negotiation stage on monetary and economic policies in order to start
negotiations with the IMF team, which we hope will visit Lebanon soon”. Chami
also pointed out that each minister works on his files within his jurisdiction,
provided that the government's plan is announced upon its completion, noting
that it requires the cabinet to convene for approval. Chamo expressed his hope
to meet soon, stating that the three presidents are working towards this end.
Chami's stances came while meeting President of the Republic, General Michel
Aoun, today at Baabda Palace.
Chami briefed the President on the course of negotiations with the International
Monetary Fund.
Statement:
After the meeting, Chami made the following statement:
“Today, I visited the President of the Republic to brief him on the progress of
negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.
I informed the President that the technical negotiations are almost over and we
have entered the negotiation stage on monetary and economic policies in order to
start negotiating seriously with the IMF team, which we hope will visit Lebanon
soon.
Our goal is still to reach a preliminary agreement before the end of the year,
and after that, as it is imposed, we will reach a final agreement in January of
next year. Negotiations with the IMF depend on several axes, including those
related to fiscal policy, i.e. the budget, which is an essential element of
negotiation, as the Minister of Finance is working to prepare for it as soon as
possible, in addition to the issue of the exchange rate, monetary policy, and
the banking and financial sector, and we are preparing a vision for how to solve
this issue, which we will announce upon completion.
From here, everyone works within the framework of his competence, but we cannot
announce a plan but when it is completed.
This is with regard to macroeconomic policies, as for structural policies, the
government is working on the issue of poverty in addition to the electricity and
energy policy, where the Minister of Energy works to find appropriate solutions
and improve electricity supply, and as I said, we work each within his
jurisdiction and as soon as the plan is completed we announce it”.
Questions & Answers:
Chami was asked about the impact of the issue of the parliamentary elections on
the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, and he replied: “The Fund
will not link any issue to the elections, as it can sometimes affect the
negotiations from the side of the concerned country, not from the side of the
Fund, as it deals with the fact that if the Lebanese state reached a conclusion.
An economic plan will then be looked at, and if it is good, the IMF will agree
to it, but he will not interfere in the matter of the elections”.
And whether the plan and the numbers are unified, he answered: “Any plan will
have unified numbers and everyone will agree on it. The committee charged with
negotiating with the Fund is made up of 3 ministers and the governor of the
Banque du Liban. It has convened several times and will continue its meetings in
the near future to reach agreement on all elements of the plan”.
Regarding the forensic audit requirement that the fund insists on, Chami
replied: “I am not at the heart of the audit issue, but as you know, work is
being done. Yesterday, Baabda palace witnessed a meeting with the BDL Governor
and the Minister of Finance, and we hope that things will go as quickly as
possible”.
Regarding the unification of the exchange rate as one of the conditions of the
IMF, he replied that “The unification of the exchange rate is the demand of
everyone and I think that it will be a condition of the Fund because things
cannot proceed in the country in light of the multiplicity of exchange rates. We
hope that when the exchange rate is unified, and if we agree on an economic plan
with the IMF, the price will improve, because then the money will flow into the
country and confidence in it will be restored”.
Chami was then asked about the impact of the government’s failure on the work of
the ministerial committees, where hr stressed that each of the ministers is
working on his files, and so far there is no obstacle in our work, “But at some
point we are faced with a need for a cabinet meeting, in order to present the
plan, and I think that the three presidents are working on this issue. We hope
that it will take place in the near future”. About the impact of its failure on
the negotiations with the IMF, Chami said: “The plan should be presented to the
Council of Ministers first to be approved. There will be an impact on the
negotiations with the Fund if it does not meet in the near future”. And whether
that will happen before the New Year, he answered, “God willing, the Cabinet
will meet soon”.
Father Jalkh:
The President received the President of the Antonine University, Father Michel
Jalkh, accompanied by the Secretary-General and Vice-President for
Administrative Affairs, Father Ziad Maatouk.
The delegation handed the President an invitation to attend the Christmas Mass
on Wednesday, December 15, at 6:00 pm. -- Presidency Press Office
Red Cross names Swiss diplomat as first female president
AFP/November 25/2021
The international Red Cross said Thursday that Swiss diplomat and international
worker Mirjana Spoljaric Egger would be its next president, and the first woman
to lead the organisation.
The current assistant Secretary-General at the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) will replace Peter Maurer as president of the International
Committee of the Red Cross when he steps down next September, the organisation
said in a statement. Maurer, who will leave after 10 years on the job, hailed
the appointment, saying Spoljaric Egger would “bring strategic vision, strong
international experience and an extensive diplomatic background to the
role.”“She is an accomplished leader, and I am confident that she will be a
powerful and compassionate advocate for people affected by armed conflict and
violence.”Spoljaric Egger, whose age was not given, said it was “a great honour
and a great responsibility to be elected president of an organisation which I
have long admired for its inspiring and vital global mission.
“I will strive to highlight the needs of the most vulnerable and to do justice
to the incredible impact of ICRC’s teams in conflict settings worldwide.”
Spoljaric Egger previously served as the head of the UN and international
organisations division of the Swiss foreign ministry, and has served as a Swiss
diplomat in Bern, Cairo and New York. She also worked with the UN agency serving
Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. ----AFP
Army chief receives Commander the Canadian Joint Operations Command
NNA/November 25/2021
Lebanese army chief General Joseph Aoun met Thursday at his Yarze office with
Commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command, Rear Admiral J.R.
Auchterlonie, accompanied by Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon Chantal Chastenay.
Berri receives Bou Habib
NNA/November 25/2021
House Speaker Nabih Berri received Thursday at his Ain-el-Tineh residence with
Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, who informed his host of the outcome of his
recent visit to Russia. Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Bou Habib
revealed that he had not seen yet the Russian satellite imagery of the Beirut
port on the day of blast. "The images are in a sealed envelope and I will hand
them over to the Minister of Justice on Monday," he said. In response to a
question, Bou Habib said Russian would not mediate between Lebanon and the Gulf.
Eduniversal ranks AUB’s Suliman S. Olayan School of Business as top business
school with strong global influence
NNA/November 25/2021
The American University of Beirut (AUB) Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB)
has been ranked in the 5 Palmes of Excellence Eduniversal league, which is the
top league among the best business schools with strong global influence, by
global ranking and rating agency Eduniversal.
“This is in recognition of OSB’s growing global presence, engagement, and
impact,” commented OSB Dean Yusuf Sidani. “It is always important to expose our
students to the world of business at an international level. Our faculty’s
research addresses not only local and regional problems, but it tackles issues
that are relevant at a global level. We expect more of this to happen as the
world opens up again and adjusts to the new normal.”
Eduniversal is an international ranking and rating agency specialized in higher
education, and experienced in evaluating academic institutions and programs in
France since 1994, and internationally since 2007. The Eduniversal system rates
schools according to their international reputation at national and global
levels, and by geographical zone. After the 1,000 best business schools in 154
countries have been selected, they are divided within each country into five
levels of excellence which Eduniversal titles the Palme of Excellence. There are
five leagues of Palmes of Excellence.
More on the selection and ranking criteria
Three main criteria were considered by Eduniversal’s international scientific
committee in evaluating OSB. The committee is composed of 11 members, two
Eduniversal executive members and nine independent experts in global higher
education.
The first two criteria, which are quantitative and qualitative, are the basis of
the official selection of the 1,000 best business schools. The quantitative
criteria includes the national expenditure on education per inhabitant, the GDP
per inhabitant, the size of the population, and the number of students in higher
education. The qualitative criteria includes the number of graduate academic
institutions in the country as well as the historical importance of the national
educational tradition.
Then, for each country, the choosen schools are divided into five levels of
excellence. The level of excellence is then awarded to each school based on
internationalization criteria, such as accreditations, major rankings,
memberships in academic or professional associations or partnerships.
About OSB
Business education at AUB started in 1900 but remained under the auspices of the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences until the university established an independent
school of business as its sixth faculty in 2000.
The Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB), which is accredited by AACSB
International, provides rigorous undergraduate and graduate business education
with uniquely crafted curricula that are balanced between theoretical and
practical approaches.
OSB includes a number of knowledge centers and initiatives that encourage
teaching and engagement with the private and public sectors including the Samih
Darwazah Center for Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship, the Rami Fouad
Makhzoumi Initiative in Corporate Governance, and the Center for Inclusive
Business and Leadership for Women.
The school currently enrolls over 1,300 of the most select students in the
region in its world-class BBA, MBA, Online MBA, Executive MBA, and specialized
master’s degree programs in human resources management, finance, and business
analytics. In addition, the school also provides executive education programs to
leading organizations throughout the region. -- AUB
A Piece of Beirut from Miqati to the Pope
Associated Press/November 25/2021
Prime Minister Najib Miqati gave Pope Francis on Thursday a tile from a
19th-century Beirut church that was seriously damaged in the August 2020 port
explosion that killed 216 people and injured more than 6,000. Miqati met
privately with Francis who told him that he was praying that God would help
Lebanon "get up" and get back on its feet. At the end of the audience, Francis
invited Miqati and the Lebanese delegation to observe a minute of silence and
prayer, the Vatican said. Lebanon's two-year economic meltdown, in which tens of
thousands have lost their jobs and the pound has lost more than 90% of its
value, is rooted in decades of corruption and mismanagement. The international
community has said it will only help the small nation once it implements wide
reforms and tackles widespread corruption. Francis referred to a Biblical
passage in which Jesus takes the hand of a young girl on her deathbed and says
"Get up!""May God take Lebanon by the hand and tell it: 'Get up!'" the Vatican
quoted Francis as saying.
Cassation Court Says Only It Eligible to Look into Recusal
Requests
Naharnet/November 25/2021
The Court of Cassation on Thursday said it is the only authority eligible to
look into recusal requests against Beirut port blast investigator Judge Tarek
Bitar, media reports said. Noting that the investigative judge "can be
dismissed," the Court stressed that it is up to it to take such a decision and
not to the Judicial Council, reversing a ruling by Judge Imad Qabalan in this
regard, al-Jadeed TV said. The Court meanwhile dismissed the two lawsuits filed
against the state by ex-PM Hassan Diab and former minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq
and the recusal lawsuits requests filed against Bitar by ex-ministers Ghazi
Zoaiter and Ali Hassan Khalil. The Criminal Court of Cassation led by Judge
Randa Kfoury meanwhile accepted a recusal request against Attorney General
Ghassan Khoury that had been filed by the Beirut Bar Association, as it
dismissed a “legitimate suspicion” lawsuit filed against Bitar by ex-minister
Youssef Fenianos.
Families of Beirut Blast Victims Rally for Probe to Resume
Associated Press/November 25/2021
Families of the victims of last year's explosion in Beirut's port rallied
Thursday outside the Justice Palace against what they say are intentional
obstructions to the probe of the devastating blast. They said their message to
authorities was: "We are sick of waiting." The investigation into the August
2020 explosion led by Judge Tarek Bitar was suspended for the third time earlier
this month because of a deluge of legal challenges filed by defendants. The
latest suspension, now entering its fourth week, is the longest since Bitar took
over the case in February, after his predecessor was removed through a court
order. Other legal challenges have resulted in only days of suspension. The
families said in a statement that the repeated obstructions of the probe was
"surprising and shameful." "The defendants succeeded in drowning the case in a
web of politics and judicial complexities," George Bezdjian, a spokesperson for
the families, read from the statement. Bezdjian's daughter Jessica, a nurse, was
killed in the explosion. Bitar's investigation has faced at least 15 lawsuits,
each questioning the course of the probe, his impartiality and authority. Most
lawsuits were shot down by lower courts. But earlier this month, a senior judge
on the government-appointed Higher Judicial Council accepted a defendant's
request to recuse Bitar, automatically halting the probe until a final decision.
Though that move was dismissed Wednesday by yet another top judge, legal experts
say Bitar will likely wait for a court decision that states clearly he can
return to work. It was not clear when the decision may happen. At the heart of
the legal quagmire is criticism from senior Lebanese officials who were in
charge when the nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive
material used in fertilizers, was stored in the Port of Beirut and kept there
for years. Bitar has summoned a dozen senior officials, charging some with
criminal negligence and homicide with probable intent. On Aug. 4, 2020, the
nitrate ignited after a massive fire at the port. The explosion killed over 216
people and injured over 6,000. Parts of Beirut were badly damaged. uspected
officials first claimed parliamentary or professional immunity protected them
against questioning by the judiciary. Then the lawsuits began. Last month,
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah called for Bitar's removal. The probe
has also paralyzed the government, after ministers allied with Hizbullah
demanded the Cabinet respond to calls for Bitar's removal. The families of the
blast victims called on the judiciary to allow the probe to resume. To those
obstructing the probe, they said: "History will have no mercy on you."
West Agrees to Parliament Extension if Gen. Aoun
Elected President
Naharnet/November 25/2021
The U.S. and the West do not mind postponing the elections nor extending
Parliament's term, on the condition that the legislature elect Army Commander
General Joseph Aoun as president, diplomatic circles in Beirut reportedly said.
Al-Liwaa newspaper observed for its part that there is regional, international
and Arab consensus on Aoun, adding that France and the Vatican do not object to
Aoun’s election as president.
Shami Expects Preliminary Agreement with IMF by Year's End
Naharnet/November 25/2021
Technical negotiations with the IMF are almost over, Deputy Prime Minister Saade
Shami said Thursday, after meeting with President Michel Aoun in Baabda. “We
have entered the stage of negotiating monetary and economic policies to start
serious talks with the IMF team,” Shami said. “Our aim is to reach a preliminary
agreement by the end of the year and a final agreement in January,” he added.
Three Lebanese Judges Resign to Protest 'Political Interference'
Agence France Presse/November 25/2021
Three Lebanese judges have resigned over interference by politicians in the work
of the judiciary, including a probe into last year's Beirut blast, a judicial
source said Thursday. In a country where political leaders determine judicial
appointments, including in top courts, there is little room for the judiciary to
work against Lebanon's ruling elite. A probe into last year's monster port
explosion has exposed the extent of such interference, with top officials
mounting a complex web of court challenges to obstruct the work of lead
investigator Tarek Bitar. On Wednesday three judges, all women, handed in their
resignation "to protest ... political interference in the work of the judiciary
and the undermining of decisions issued by judges and courts," the judicial
source said. The head of the country's top court has yet to approve the
resignations and has called for the matter to be discussed in a meeting, the
source added. The resignations came after officials filed dozens of lawsuits
against Bitar as well as other judges processing requests by lawmakers demanding
his removal. Among those who resigned this week is a judge who turned down a
request by an official to remove the investigator.
She was consequently hit with a review questioning the validity of her decision.
"The constant questioning of the judiciary's decisions is tarnishing its
reputation," the same court official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
While it is the most prominent, the Beirut blast case is not the only one to
fall prey to interference by political leaders. A probe into charges of tax
evasion and illicit enrichment brought against Central Bank chief Riad Salameh
has also been paused over a lawsuit filed against lead investigator Jean Tannous.
UK's COP26 Envoy: Building Back Greener Must be at Heart of
Any Long-Term Plan for Lebanon
Naharnet/November 25/2021
The UK's COP26 Regional Ambassador for the Middle East and Africa, Janet Rogan,
ended a two-day visit to Lebanon this week. This was her first official visit to
the MENA region since the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference concluded in
Glasgow earlier this month.
During her visit, Rogan met with Ministers of the Environment, Energy and
Finance. She also participated in a COP26 roundtable discussion in partnership
with UNDP and the Minister of the Environment, which was attended by more than
50 climate innovators, environmental experts, young people, Chevening graduates,
NGOs and more. In her meetings, Ambassador Rogan welcomed the participation of
Lebanon’s delegation, headed by PM Najib Miqati, in COP26. In particular, she
welcomed Lebanon’s commitment to the Glasgow Forest & Land Use Initiative and
the country’s commitment to protect at least 20% of marine ecosystems. She also
discussed Lebanon’s revised and ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs),
which were made ahead of COP26 (this included a 20% unconditional GHG reduction,
up from 15%).
Rogan’s visit to Lebanon enabled her to see first-hand some of the areas in
Lebanon most at-risk from climate change, including UNDP forestation project in
Chouf funded by UKAid. “This visit enabled her to discuss the specific actions
needed to confront these challenges, and to hear from local communities how they
are adapting,” the British embassy said. Speaking about the visit, Ambassador
Rogan stated: “I am delighted to be in Lebanon, right after the global climate
conference - COP26 - hosted by the UK in Glasgow. COP26 is the COP of action,
agreed by all countries participating through the Glasgow Climate Pact. This
visit was a chance to thank the Lebanese government for the ambitious
commitments made at COP26 and to encourage action to implement these
commitments.” “The MENA region is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions of
the world, with impacts ranging from water-stress to rising temperatures and
increasing extreme weather events, including wild fires. The impact of these
changes is being felt in every part of the daily life and livelihoods of people
in Lebanon. This short visit was an opportunity to see for myself the impact of
this climate vulnerability in Lebanon, and to hear how the public and the
private sectors can respond to these real needs, following up on COP26,” she
added. “The British Government acknowledges the significant challenges Lebanon
faces, including the economic crisis and rebuilding after the 2020 Beirut Port
explosion. The country needs urgent reforms, and building back greener must be
at the heart of any long-term sustainable plan for Lebanon,” Rogan went on to
say. British Ambassador to Lebanon Ian Collard for his part noted that “Lebanon
is in the grip of one of the worst crises in modern history,” adding that “only
through real political and economic change can Lebanon unleash its potential and
achieve the better future Lebanon’s people deserve, including by embracing
greener policies and commitments.”“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought devastation
to millions around the world, disrupting many parts of the global economy and
setting back development programs by years. Governments, including the UK, have
stepped up to protect lives and livelihoods. But the climate has continued to
warm, provoking serious changes that are disrupting lives, livelihoods and
nature. As countries begin to recover from the Coronavirus pandemic, we must
take the historic opportunity to tackle climate change at the same time – to
build back better, and greener,” Collard added. “I was delighted to co-host a
post-COP26 event in partnership with UNDP and the Ministry of Environment, with
more than 50 climate innovators, environmental experts, young people, Chevening
graduates, NGOs and more, at which both the Minister of Environment and
Ambassador Rogan discussed the need for the full participation of youth in
climate action,” he said. “Lebanon also has the opportunity to tap into funding
opportunities launched by European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
for the High Impact Partnership for Climate Action (HIPCA) trust fund, with the
UK contributing £50 million in finance,” the ambassador went on to say.
Lebanon Orders Travel Agents to Stop Advertising Belarus
Agence France Presse/November 25/2021
Lebanon's government on Thursday ordered travel agents to stop promoting Belarus
as a destination in a bid to stem the flow of migrants attempting to enter the
European Union. The move came in a circular published issued by Tourism Minister
Walid Nassar, who said it was aimed at preventing Beirut from being used as a
departure point. Thousands of migrants -- including from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq
-- have been massing at Belarus' border with Poland, hoping to seek asylum in
the EU. The West accuses Belarus of creating the crisis by bringing in would-be
migrants and taking them to the border with promises of an easy crossing into
the bloc. "Some of those nationals from Middle Eastern and African countries who
are hoping to emigrate are using Rafik Hariri airport" in Beirut, Nassar said.
Belarus denies it engineered the crisis to use as leverage against Western
sanctions but migrants have been caught in between, many left stranded in the
cold, forested border area. For holders of the citizenships most represented
among the migrants, visas to Belarus have been easier to obtain than for most
other countries that have land borders with the EU. Airport authorities in
Lebanon had already put a curb on some nationalities booking flights with
Belavia, a Belarusian airline whose number of flights from Beirut had
conspicuously increased recently.
Miqati to Visit Turkey and Egypt, May Meet Macron in Rome
Naharnet/November 25/2021
Prime Minister Najib Miqati will visit Egypt and Turkey, after meeting with Pope
Francis at the Vatican, informed sources told an-Nahar newspaper. Al-Liwaa
newspaper meanwhile said that Miqati might also meet with French President
Emmanuel Macron in Rome. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had visited
Lebanon earlier this month, offered support and invited Miqati to visit Turkey.
A delegation from the Cairo-based Arab League, led by Assistant
Secretary-General Hossam Zaki, had also visited Beirut earlier this month
following Lebanon's row with the Gulf countries.
Lebanon Orders Travel Agents to Stop Advertising Belarus
Agence France Presse/November 25/2021
Lebanon's government on Thursday ordered travel agents to stop promoting Belarus
as a destination in a bid to stem the flow of migrants attempting to enter the
European Union. The move came in a circular published issued by Tourism Minister
Walid Nassar, who said it was aimed at preventing Beirut from being used as a
departure point. Thousands of migrants -- including from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq
-- have been massing at Belarus' border with Poland, hoping to seek asylum in
the EU. The West accuses Belarus of creating the crisis by bringing in would-be
migrants and taking them to the border with promises of an easy crossing into
the bloc. "Some of those nationals from Middle Eastern and African countries who
are hoping to emigrate are using Rafik Hariri airport" in Beirut, Nassar said.
Belarus denies it engineered the crisis to use as leverage against Western
sanctions but migrants have been caught in between, many left stranded in the
cold, forested border area. For holders of the citizenships most represented
among the migrants, visas to Belarus have been easier to obtain than for most
other countries that have land borders with the EU. Airport authorities in
Lebanon had already put a curb on some nationalities booking flights with
Belavia, a Belarusian airline whose number of flights from Beirut had
conspicuously increased recently.
U.N., Sexual & Gender-Based Violence Taskforce and NCLW
Launch 16-Day Anti-GBV Campaign
Naharnet/November 25/2021
From November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against
Women, to December 10 , the International Human Rights Day, the United Nations
System in Lebanon, the Sexual and Gender-based Violence Taskforce (SGBV TF) and
the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) are joining forces, for the 16
Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, to urge actions to end and
prevent gender-based violence in the country, the U.N. said on Thursday.
According to the latest estimates, nearly 1 in 3 women aged 15 years and older,
around the world have been subjected to physical or sexual violence by an
intimate partner, non-partner, or both, at least once in their lifetime[2]. The
COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated all the risk factors that increase violence
against women and girls, while reinforcing many of the root causes such as
gender stereotypes and harmful social norms. As examples, findings from 2021
indicate that online sexual harassment and blackmailing of women nearly doubled
during the COVID-19 lockdown in Lebanon. The Internal Security Forces have
reported “a clear and significant increase of domestic violence incidents”
during the COVID-19 lockdown.
This year, the United Nations system in Lebanon, the SGBV TF and the NCLW are
implementing a campaign that aims to “serve as a call to action to address the
increased risks of gender-based violence,” the U.N. said in a statement.
Articulated around the theme “Women, girls and marginalized groups at increased
risks of Gender-based violence (GBV) in the context of Lebanon’s multiple
crises. Let’s act now!’, it focuses on the impact of the current compounded
crises on women and girls and how these in turn increase risks of gender-based
violence. “The campaign will be raising awareness on the struggle of women and
girls in these challenging times and seeks to draw attention to how the crises
have increased the risk of GBV (domestic violence, sexual exploitation, sexual
harassment), and deepened gendered vulnerabilities including issues related to
period poverty to the deterioration of the mental health and wellbeing of women
and girls,” the U.N. said.
“Unequal power relationships are the premise and prelude to Gender Based
Violence. The compounding crises facing Lebanon have only added new layers to
that social and societal phenomenon. It is up to us all to bring about a
definitive change through inclusion, equality and justice,” said Claudine Aoun,
President of the National Commission for Lebanese Women.
“Today and every day, we stand in full solidarity with all the women who are
victims of violence,” said Joanna Wronecka, the U.N. Special Coordinator for
Lebanon. “Violence in all its forms is unacceptable. Through this 16-days
campaign, we are not only committing to the elimination and prevention of
violence against women and to supporting the victims, we also commit to
empowering women. Feeling safe at home, at work and in any public space is every
woman’s right. This must be reinforced with the proper legislation, enforcement
and inclusion of women in the decisions that impact their lives,” the Special
Coordinator added. The campaign (25 November-10 December) will include a social
media campaign which will run for 16 days, with the #EndViolenceTogether #مع_بعض_ضد_العنف
hashtags aiming at drawing attention to the needs of women, girls in all their
diversities.
“Responding to gender-based violence is a shared responsibility and everyone can
contribute by raising awareness on the issue, by promoting a culture of equality
and by calling out and condemning episodes of violence. National institutions
and humanitarian actors are more than ever responsible to provide assistance to
survivors of violence. To do so they need to rely on predictable, multi-year
funding that ensure availability and quality of protection, health and social
services,” the U.N. added.
The campaign will include a video and social media posts calling for the
commitment of state institutions in the adoption of specialized and
comprehensive laws and policies that prevent and protect women and girls from
GBV. “Increasing collective efforts are needed in ending gender-based violence
including from national institutions and policy makers, the humanitarian and the
development system, the donors, the community leaders, all women, men, girls,”
the U.N. said.
“An enabling environment should be created to support women and girls’
participation in the social, economic, cultural and political life of the
country and eliminate the barriers for them to fully enjoy their rights. Policy
makers need to ensure that the needs of women and girls, in all their
diversities are prioritized while developing strategies and reforms. They also
need to ensure that survivors can access the justice system and perpetrators are
consistently hold accountable,” the U.N. added.
“Ending all forms of violence against women and girls is a priority for all of
us. The horrifying surge of violence reported against them as a result of the
COVID19 pandemic and the unfolding economic crisis, must be reversed and must
end now,” commented Najat Rochdi, United Nations Deputy Special Coordinator,
Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon.
“Efforts to date have been considerable, yet more needs to be done to break down
the multi-faceted barriers faced by women and girls at home where they should be
the safest, in society where they should be thriving and in politics where they
should have equal power. Today, I reiterate my appeal to put an end to sexual
and gender-based violence, to shift the stereotypes and attitudes that shame
women survivors and excuse the perpetrators, and to actively engage men in this
important fight. Only together can we put an end to this horrendous act and move
forward towards a better and stronger Lebanon,” she added. The international
campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence originates from the
1991 first Women's Global Leadership Institute and raises awareness and
increases momentum toward ending violence against women and girls worldwide. The
United Nations Secretary General, through the UNiTE to End Violence against
Women Campaign, supports the 16 Days of Activism under the global 2021’s theme
“Orange the world: End violence against women now!
“Building on the momentum created during the Generation Equality Forum is
crucial as the shadow pandemic, the gender-based violence pandemic, has not
ended and there is no vaccine against it,” the U.N. added.
Hezbollah experiencing political confusion, says political analyst
Najia Houssari/Arab News/November 25/2021
BEIRUT: Hezbollah is experiencing political confusion, writer and political
analyst Sana Aljak said on Wednesday, amid reports of a disagreement between the
party and the Amal Movement headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on their
earlier call to remove Judge Tarek Bitar from his investigation into last year's
Beirut port blast.
The government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati has been stuck over how to respond
to calls for Bitar's removal, and the positive atmosphere that prevailed in a
meeting on Monday between Berri, Mikati and President Michel Aoun had not
materialized into concrete steps by the middle of the week.
There were also claims of a dispute between Berri and Hezbollah on the solutions
proposed for resuming Cabinet meetings.
The two allies have boycotted the meetings since Oct. 12, against the backdrop
of the port blast investigation, and the government turmoil has been aggravated
by a provocative statement from Information Minister George Kordahi about the
war in Yemen.
The meeting on Lebanon’s Independence Day produced, according to the information
that followed, “flexibility, positivity, and openness to resolving outstanding
problems.”
There has been an increasing level of conversation about solutions related to
Kordahi.
There are also reports that Aoun promised to facilitate understanding on
solutions provided that the prime minister, after his Vatican visit to meet Pope
Francis, invited a Cabinet session that conveyed to the international community
the government’s seriousness about implementing commitments to save Lebanon from
collapse.
The information circulated said the way out regarding Hezbollah’s demand to
suspend Bitar was to limit his powers.
Accordingly, out of respect for the provisions of the constitution, Bitar should
not be allowed to investigate accused officials, including ministers, MPs and a
former prime minister, and try these officials before the Supreme Council for
the trial of presidents and ministers.
This solution requires that Bitar be removed from the trial of political
officials, rather than suspending him entirely.
Respecting the constitution was a requirement for Berri as well as other
political parties, especially since the prime minister reiterated his refusal to
interfere in the work of the judiciary and was committed to the separation of
powers.
But this solution, according to the information circulated, means withdrawing
the demand for Bitar's dismissal, a condition that Hezbollah is sticking to in
order to let its ministers attend Cabinet sessions.
This development has led to claims of disagreement between Hezbollah and the
Amal Movement.
MP Mohammed Khawaja, a member of the Parliamentary Development and Liberation
Bloc headed by Berri, confirmed that the speaker “has been making, since the
beginning of the crisis, every effort for the return of the government to
business and address the thorny files, including the judicial file, whose course
is required to be corrected as a starting point to the rest of the issues,
foremost of which is the living conditions that affect all citizens and
pressurize most of the Lebanese who have become poor.”
Khawaja said: “It is natural that there is a difference in attitudes between the
Amal Movement and Hezbollah, especially in their view of internal political
affairs and how to deal with them since they are not one party. The two parties
meet on strategic matters and complement each other. There is no need to
exaggerate the dispute.”
Aljak said the dispute was “a division of roles” between Hezbollah and Berri.
She told Arab News: “Hezbollah was not able to completely remove Bitar from the
file, so the party tried to overthrow the head of the Supreme Judicial Council,
who protects Bitar. But it could not (do) either. Hezbollah, which is very
powerful in Lebanon, has found that it is incapable of controlling everything
and that it is even helpless. The party is now entering into reconciliation with
the tribes of Khaldeh, that is, with the murderer of one of its leaders.
Hezbollah can no longer use the excess power it possesses. When he boasts that
he has 100,000 fighters, this is a sign of weakness, not strength.”
Aljak referred to the attack by a Hezbollah leader, Ghaleb Abu Zainab, against
political leaders last Monday, and how the party was forced to say that he did
not represent the party's positions.
“This is evidence that Hezbollah has reached a stage where it thought it could
control everything, but suddenly it discovered that its excess power did not
benefit it. Hezbollah intervened in many places in the region, but what did it
gain? Everyone is talking about an Iranian occupation. Hezbollah's prestige has
declined. Hezbollah has become like a dictator who no longer bothers to convince
people to like him, but suddenly discovers that people hate him.
“The party no longer knows how to get out of all the places it has been involved
in,” Aljak added.
Germany Contributes €25M in Support of Palestine
Refugees in Gaza, Lebanon
Naharnet/Novembre 25/2021
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East (UNRWA) and the Government of Germany through KfW Development Bank have
signed agreements in support of Palestine refugees in Gaza and Lebanon,
amounting to a total of EUR 25 million.
The additional funding will build on previous German-supported efforts in the
reconstruction of the Nahr el-Bared Camp in Lebanon after its destruction as the
result of clashes in 2007 and where approximately 20,900 people are still
expected to return to. "The EUR 10 million contribution will enable
approximately 192 families to return to 269 residential units," UNRWA said in a
press release, adding that "business owners will re-open their shops in 31 newly
reconstructed retail units."
"In the Gaza strip, German support will provide vital sanitation support for
around 244,000 Palestine refugees in seven densely populated camps who will
benefit from improved environmental and living conditions as well as temporary
employment. Through urgently needed rehabilitation and expansion of water,
sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, the project will contribute to
improving access to safe and efficient WASH services at camp-level and help
mitigate against public health risks, including the spread of diseases," UNRWA
said. Michael Herold, Acting Head of the German Representative Office in
Ramallah, reiterated Germany’s support to UNRWA and Palestine refugees, saying
that “Germany will remain a reliable partner to UNRWA and its essential work to
improve the living conditions of Palestine refugees. Supporting their dignified
living conditions in Gaza remains a key priority of the German Government.”“On
behalf of the Agency, I would like to express my gratitude to Germany for the
generous, steadfast support over the years to UNRWA and Palestine refugees. As
of today, Germany provided EUR 56 million to the reconstruction of Nahr el-Bared
Camp to allow displaced families to return safely to the camp. This contribution
will also address the needs of Palestine refugees in Gaza, who will have
increased access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure. The
support provided over the years is proof that Palestine refugees and UNRWA can
count on Germany in the most troubled times,” said Karim Amer, UNRWA Director of
Partnerships. Marc Engelhardt, Director of the KfW Middle East Department, said:
“KfW and UNRWA are closely cooperating on development initiatives in the region,
especially in Gaza, Lebanon and Jordan. Through this, we have realized important
progress regarding the reconstruction of Nahr el-Bared Camp, and we look forward
to expanding our engagement for infrastructure and service improvements in the
WASH and environmental health sector in Gaza, which will especially support the
most vulnerable refugees.”
In 2020, the Government of Germany was the Agency’s top-ranking donor, having
contributed more than EUR 182 million. In 2021, the Government of Germany is
expected to be the second largest donor to UNRWA with total contributions of
around EUR 127 million to the Agency’s Program Budget, Emergency Appeals, the
oPt Humanitarian Early Recovery Appeal and projects, UNRWA said. Germany has
been a member of UNRWA Advisory Commission since 2005.
Hizbullah Slams Australia's 'Terrorist' Listing
Agence France Presse/Novembre 25/2021
Hizbullah has denounced Australia's decision to list the whole group as a
"terrorist organization," accusing Canberra of bowing to U.S. and Israeli
demands. Hizbullah has long been targeted by U.S. sanctions and blacklisted by
the U.S. and Israel as a "terrorist" organization, but the Iran-backed group is
also a powerful political player, with seats in Lebanon's parliament. Countries
have avoided sanctioning the group's political wing, fearing such a move could
hamper relations with Lebanese authorities or contribute to destabilizing the
country. Hizbullah in a statement "strongly denounced the Australian
authorities' decision," saying it was "a humiliating submission to American and
Zionist diktats" and served Israeli interests. Australia's move extended a
pre-existing ban on the group's armed wing. The "decision and those that have
preceded it will not affect Hizbullah's position and its right to resistance,"
the statement said.
Putting Gender Equality First: Op-Ed by EU Officials,
Ministers
Josep Borrell/Naharnet/Novembre 25/2021
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy, Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International
Partnerships, and EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Development from 24 Member
States have co-authored an op-ed marking the first anniversary of the EU Gender
Action Plan III and the International Day to eliminate violence against women.
Naharnet exclusively publishes the English-language version of the op-ed below,
as received from the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon:
- Putting Gender equality first -
Rarely in the world have women’s and girls’ rights been challenged in such a
concerning way as they have been in Afghanistan. The EU has made it clear that
future EU development assistance will depend on the respect for norms on human
rights, including women’s and girls’ rights. The EU will continue to support
women and girls worldwide, sticking to our values and beliefs.
Human rights, freedom and democracy, and equality represent core values that
make the European Union what it is. It enriches our societies and strengthens
resilience. Gender equality is key for peace, security, economic prosperity and
sustainable development.
That is why working on all levels to promote and safeguard progress on gender
equality is a political priority and objective for the EU. The EU Gender Action
Plan III and the new EU external action budget provide a roadmap for global
action towards a gender-equal world. We work closely together with multilateral,
regional and bilateral partners, including civil society organisations, to
achieve those objectives. We still have a long way to go; there is no room for
complacency.
In many countries, the pandemic has exacerbated existing gender inequalities
across different areas: education, vocational training, health, security and
safety, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and economic opportunities.
In addition, the COVID-19 lockdowns have often led to an increase in
gender-based violence, in particular domestic violence. At the same time, a
significant part of the care burden has fallen on women and girls. Workers in
the informal economy and in low-skilled jobs (most of whom are women), migrants,
and those belonging to minorities, have been more at risk and face multiple and
intersecting forms of discrimination.
Moreover, school closures have exposed girls to an increased risk of sexual
exploitation, early pregnancy, child labour, and forced marriage. The Malala
Fund estimates that 20 million more girls risk dropping out of school, adding up
to a total of 150 million girls – equivalent to a third of the EU population –
without educational prospects.
According to a recent UN report, military spending in 2020 still outplaced the
worldwide expenses on health, even in a year that was dominated by the corona
pandemic. For a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to
redouble our efforts to promote gender equality.
- Now is the time to do more -
This challenge now requires a global response, when we are building the future
we wish for our children and grandchildren to grow up in a post-pandemic world
that is more equal, more diverse, and where equal opportunities are a reality.
We need to address the root causes of gender inequality and discrimination in
order to achieve sustainable change.
The European Union and its Member States, as well as the European financial
institutions have stood with the women and girls of the world throughout the
pandemic. As Team Europe, we have already mobilised €46 billion in support of
over 130 partner countries, with a particular focus on women and youth.
Three examples as an illustration: In Nepal, we helped one million girls and
boys continue their education through radio-based learning. In Togo, we
supported the creation of a universal income scheme and the appointment of women
to head new municipalities. Worldwide, the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative has helped
650,000 women and girls prevent or address violence against them, and educated
880,000 men and boys on positive masculinity, non-violent conflict resolution
and parenting.
Still, to meet the growing challenges, we need to do more. That is the purpose
of the Gender Action Plan III. It promotes leadership and meaningful
participation of women, girls and young people in political, economic, social
and cultural life, as well as in all matters related to peace and security.
- We work to get human development back on track -
We are now making this plan a reality with the help of the new €79.5 billion
NDICI-Global Europe instrument that will support the EU’s external action for
the next seven years.
Support for education and particularly girls’ education will have a central
role. Just as we support education in emergencies, the EU has worked with
partner countries throughout the pandemic to minimise its impact on children,
and to facilitate a safe return to school.
We already provide more than half of all global aid to education as Team Europe.
We will increase funding further, to promote gender equality through quality
education at all levels. Our joint €1.7 billion pledge to the Global Partnership
for Education in July – to transform education for girls and boys in up to 90
countries and territories – is part of this new beginning.
We are multiplying our efforts, from supporting women and girls’ education and
economic opportunities to improving their access to sexual and reproductive
health services. By 2025, 85% of all the EU’s new external actions – across all
sectors – will contribute to gender equality and women's empowerment.
This is now being finalised with our partner countries based on close
consultation with civil society organisations, women's rights activists, and
youth.
We need to put human development back on track and achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals by 2030, leaving no one behind.
It is crucial we get it right.
Sea rights at naught
Sally Abou AlJoud/Now Lebanon/November 25/2021
A recent development project on the shore in Amchit, north of Byblos, threatens
the habitat of the last remaining Mediterranean monk seals in Lebanon.
Excavators are seen at a construction site on Amchit’s marine rocky outcrop
which is considered public property by Lebanese law and is encroached upon by a
private establishment on November 14, 2021. Photo courtesy of Farid Abi Younes.
When Fifi Kallab, an environmental science professor, returned to Lebanon in
1980, six Mediterranean monk seals thrived in Amchit’s waters. In 1982, two of
them were hunted down.
Being one of the world’s most at-risk marine mammals, with fewer than 700 left
worldwide, the species is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species and is rendered “extinct” in Lebanon’s
waters. Their habitat degradation is a primary factor driving the Mediterranean
monk seal (Monachus monachus)’s population decline.
Less than five seals remain in Lebanon’s sea, said Jina Talj, founder and
director of Diaries of the Ocean, a women-led non-profit organization focused on
raising awareness about marine life and mobilizing marine conservation actions.
“Two of these seals forage and rest in one of the two caves in Amchit,” added
Talj. Should the caves be destroyed, the seals would also die, she said. But at
the beginning of November, heavy construction equipment started drilling into
the town’s rocky outcrop atop two littoral caves, threatening the natural
habitat of the world’s rarest seal. The town’s residents believe the development
project is set to build yet another private villa adjacent to Amchit’s notable
seaside boulevard, but nothing has been confirmed. They also say they don’t yet
know who is behind the project.
Amchit’s residents called for a spontaneous demonstration on November 14 to
protest the new development project, which they claim is illegal.
Lebanon’s shoreline has been teeming with thorny public property violations and
exploitation as private, well-connected investors habitually skirt regulations
and encroach upon the country’s public beaches and coastal strands discounting
the adverse environmental, social and economic impacts.
A group of organizations, experts and activists established the “Coast for All”
campaign to preserve the scant remaining maritime public land and call for the
amendment of budget law 2017/64 aiming to limit public property occupancy rights
to the state only and block private developers and individuals from investing on
the seashore. A littoral cave, which provides refuge for two of the last
remaining few Mediterranean monk seals in Lebanon, is threatened to collapse due
to a recent illegal development project on maritime public property. Photo
courtesy of Farid Abi Younes.
Less than five seals remaining
The monk seals have low annual reproductive rates and poor early survival rates,
which makes it an arduous task to help this marine animal reproduce and
proliferate. Countries bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea, namely Greece
and Turkey, have galvanized conservation activists and scientists to protect the
monk seal and enlarge its population. But Lebanon hasn’t done much at the state
level to protect the endangered species. “The monk seal is what we call a
keystone species; it is not replaceable by another species that can take its
place or its niche in the food chain,” Talj explained. She said there need to be
more conservation efforts by the government, local organizations, and citizens,
to provide sanctuary to the remaining seals and allow them to reproduce and
proliferate. “The conservation starts with protecting their habitat.”
Metal guard rail encircles a development site on Amchit’s natural outcrop where
locals were appalled to find heavy construction machinery, earlier this month,
digging into the town’s cherished public seafront on November 14, 2021. Photo
courtesy of Farid Abi Younes.
The authority is the investor
Rising construction on the sea abounds with detrimental consequences.
Any construction project close to the waters cannot be connected to the
wastewater treatment network, and, instead, violators have to construct a
separate wastewater treatment plant which entails deeper digging and further
prompts the caves’ collapse, explained Kallab. “Where there are executives
giving out permits to their connections, the seafront is destroyed; where there
are no executives, the seafront is all right and you can see the water,” Kallab
asserted. Founder of sister organizations Byblos Ecologia and Green Square,
Kallab is devising several free educational projects in Amchit to spread ocean
literacy and teach children and adults fishing skills. Kallab and her team are
also looking at involving maritime stakeholders in conservation and ecological
tourist activities, including monk seal cave tours. “All of these projects
cannot happen if the cave is destroyed,” Kallab said. “[Violators] have wiped
out everything, can they just leave our sea alone for us to enjoy?” “In any
country in the world, beaches remain public because they are considered a
national resource and thus they are usually open and accessible, not obscured,”
said Mohammad Ayoub, the executive director of NAHNOO, a civil society group
focused on public space, cultural heritage and good governance. The judiciary is
assigned by the authority and legislates for their own gain, so it would be
unavailing to report to it, Ayoub said. He added these law infringements are not
practiced only by those in parliament or the government, but that they extend to
security and army officials. “How are we going to stop [them] when the authority
is the investor himself?”
A study conducted by NAHNOO examining the footprint public beaches leave on the
national economy compared to private resorts reported that visitors to free and
open beaches in two locations, the southern city of Tyre and Kfarabida (in the
vicinity of Batroun, North Lebanon), generate more profit for the city than
visitors to private resorts, as the latter can pick up their needs and wants at
the resort. “When a public beach is turned into a private resort, any profit
generated will return only to the resort owner, the rest of the city doesn’t
benefit,” Ayoub said. In a country staggering from one crisis to another, namely
historic economic and financial crises, which annihilated the middle class and
battered the poor, beach resorts are reserved for the most affluent.
People sunbathing on Amchit’s rocky shore and swimming in its free and
accessible waters, both of which are in danger of privatization and exploitation
by investors. Photo courtesy of Farid Abi Younes.
Cultural heritage and collective memory
Ayoub added that private seafront projects quash a city’s traditions and
culture.
The historic district of Saida’s “Bahr El Eid”, which translates to “The Holiday
Sea,” a holiday makeshift amusement park once stretched to the city’s sandy
beaches and is now molded into the city’s collective memory.
Another example is “Orba’at Ayoub”, or “Job’s Wednesday”, a Beiruti tradition
that honored prophet Ayoub on the last Wednesday of April at Ramlet El Baida,
the last public sandy beach in the bustling capital. But a high-rise five-star
hotel, Lancaster Eden Bay, was banked right on the shore, stripping the land
from beachgoers and blocking the sea view.
Newroz, the arrival of spring and the new year observance by Lebanon’s Kurds is
another waterside folklore from the past which is no longer celebrated the same
way. “Where are all of these celebrations today?” Ayoub asked rhetorically.
“They’re all gone.”
The maritime public property borders are enshrined in a law issued in 1925,
which defines maritime public domain within the legal article no.144/S and
states, “it is the seashore extending to the outermost point that waves reach
during winter, as well as sand and gravel beaches.”
Article 1 of the law states that maritime public domain can neither be sold nor
acquired over time. The 1925 law only permits occupancy on the shoreline;
putting the public land in use and generating profit.
However, there’s a difference between occupancy and investment; occupancy is
limited to a temporary project without any individuals owning or renting the
piece of land or building on it using concrete, Ayoub said.
At least 80 percent of Lebanon’s shoreline is privatized, and public access is
denied with more than a thousand transgressions recorded, according to a 2012
Ministry of Public Works and Transport study.
“Public property equals public money and therefore public money is placed in the
hands of one individual,” Ayoub said. “This is against the law and very
dangerous.”
Farid Abi Younesm an architect who was born and grew up in Amchit, spends most
of his time on the town’s public beach and is keen on safeguarding its
ecological treasures which contribute to its rich history and touristic
features. He said he was fast to file charges against the new construction
project to concerned ministries, including the ministry of tourism which sprang
into action and halted all construction work until a site environmental impact
report is released. “I did not file a complaint against the people behind the
project, individually, but rather against the construction project itself,” Abi
Younes said.
Some of Amchit’s diaspora called home reminiscing about their time spent in
their hometown and worrying over the seafront construction project, Abi Younes
said. Amchit’s locals fear more violations and further privatization and
investment of public beach to become the norm, he added.
“Every time there’s a project, whether private or public, whether it is a
governmental or an individual initiative threatening the public interest, we
will stand against it,” Abi Younes said. “We want to turn the caves into a
nature reserve and we demand our beach to remain open for everyone.”
*Sally Abou AlJoud is a multimedia journalist with @NOW_Leb. She is on Twitter @JoudSally.
La mendiante et moi.
Jean-Marie Kassab/Novembre 25/2021
Hier matin. A la porte d'un magasin. Une femme , de beaux yeux mais si tristes.
Si sincères. Si tristes. Le masque anti covid met en valeur les yeux. Le reste
du visage est caché. Une nouvelle pauvre. Maladroite du geste et de la parole.
Ce nouveau métier de mendicité ne lui réussit pas, ne lui ressemble pas. Les
faux mendiants font mieux, ils possèdent l'art. Celle-là était visiblement
hésitante. Partagée entre sa faim et son amour-propre. Elle voulait un peu
d'argent. Mais aussi qu'on l'écoute, qu'on lui explique pourquoi elle était dans
la rue, la main tendue...Incapable de la sermonner avec mon speech politique
dont elle se foutrait probablement, je lui refile deux sous de ma poche trouée
puis j'ai détalé , pensif et mélancolique. Ce fut elle qui m'avait expliqué le
Liban et non pas moi. Ce fut elle qui me raconta que le Liban allait très mal.
Presque sans ouvrir la bouche. Avec ses yeux de biche apeurée, sa main tendue,
les doigts repliés comme s'ils refusaient cette nouvelle fonction, celle de
mendier.
De mélancolie, mon esprit regagna sa rage au retour chez moi. Cette rage qui
m'anime depuis que le pays fut envahi et appauvri.
Décision confirmée : Je vais continuer à lutter encore plus , à hurler et
ameuter la foule pour résister et passer à l'attaquer et botter le cul des
coupables, les collaborateurs d'entre eux ainsi que les envahisseurs Perses.
Je le ferai pour ma famille, mes amis , pour le Liban et pour les beaux yeux si
tristes de cette femme que je ne connais pas.
Vive la Résistance.
Vive le Liban.
Jean-Marie Kassab
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
November 25-26/2021
US Consulate to Open in Jerusalem Soon
Ramallah - Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 25 November, 2021
A high-ranking Israeli official told the Israeli channel i24news that the US
Consulate will open in Jerusalem soon. In the past few months, the
administration of President Joe Biden informed Israel that it was about to open
the US consulate in Jerusalem unilaterally if Naftali Bennett's government had
not responded to the matter after approving the general budget. The Biden
administration has worked to reach understandings with Israel about the
consulate, but to no avail. Biden insists on reopening a US consulate to deal
with Palestinian affairs, in a clear indication of dramatic change to the policy
of his predecessor Donald Trump regarding Palestine. Trump closed the consulate
in Jerusalem in 2019 after moving his country's embassy from Tel Aviv and
recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The consulate was merged with the
embassy as part of a plan known as the "Deal of the Century."The US consulate in
Jerusalem is the subject of a "political" and "sovereign" conflict between the
Palestinians and the Israelis. For over 20 years, the consulate has been the
diplomatic representation to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which issues visas
and overlooks various projects, including humanitarian and financial aid. Unlike
Trump, Biden supports the two-state solution, curbing settlement activity, and
financially supports the PA. The government source confirmed that despite
Washington's position, the Israeli government is in the process of announcing a
new settlement plan in East Jerusalem. The plan includes constructing thousands
of settlement units in the city. Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked
admitted there were differences with the US administration. On settlements,
Shaked said the sides would simply have to "agree to disagree" on the issue.
"That's how it is.""There are gaps between the current American administration
and our position on building in Judea and Samaria. We need to understand that
these gaps exist and learn to work with them," she said. Shaked rejected the
possibility of a compromise that would see settlement construction limited by
amount or location. "No, this is out of the question," she said. "We have no
problem doing everything in coordination [with the US], as much as possible, if
they want. But we're not changing our policy," the interior minister noted.
Kuwait Ruler Stresses Responsibilities of Crown Prince,
Assembly Speaker, PM
Kuwait - Merza al-Khuwaldi/Thursday, 25 November, 2021
Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Wednesday received Crown Prince
Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim,
and Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al Sabah. Official Kuwaiti media
reported a brief speech by the Emir in which he addressed the crown prince and
the heads of parliament and government by saying: “You three have a great
responsibility.”The Emir then moved on to wish all three officials success in
their endeavors. “You are now the ones responsible,” stressed the Emir. “I have
full confidence in you, and you are the pillar of Kuwait, and you have great
responsibilities and aspirations,” he added. The Emir also called on the three
leaders to cooperate among them in running the affairs of the country. Later,
the Crown Prince held a meeting with the heads of the National Assembly and
government at Bayan Palace.
For his part, Al-Ghanim announced that the Crown Prince called on Kuwaiti
representatives to cooperate with the next government, to stay away from
differences and conflicts, and to focus on the file of fighting corruption and
economic challenges. In a press release after the two meetings, Al-Ghanim said
that the parliament will be willing to cooperate with the government for the
benefit and interest of Kuwait. "Their Highnesses tasked us with an important
duty relating to the future of Kuwait and its people and the two authorities are
willing to tackle issues such as corruption, economic development, and other
topics of great significance."According to the 56 article of the constitution,
the Emir assigned the Crown Prince to some of his constitutional rights and
therefore, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad chose Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled as Prime Minister
and tasked him with forming the cabinet, indicated Al-Ghanim. He affirmed that
the Crown Prince called on the National Assembly to cooperate with the new
cabinet to achieve the dreams and aspiration of the Kuwaiti people.
Clashes in Sudan's Darfur Leaves at Least 35 People Dead
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 25 November, 2021
At least 35 people have been killed in days of fighting between herders in
Sudan's western Darfur region with more than a thousand homes set on fire,
officials said Thursday. The violence broke out on November 17 between armed
Arab herders in the rugged Jebel Moon mountains close to the border with Chad,
said Omar Abdelkarim, Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commissioner in West Darfur
state. "The clashes left more than 35 people dead on both sides," he told AFP.
"Around 16 villages have been completely burned down". West Darfur governor
Khamis Abdallah said the violence was sparked by "a dispute over camel looting",
and that "military reinforcements have been sent to the area and the situation
has stabilized."Some people have fled west seeking safety across the border to
Chad, he added. Darfur was ravaged by a civil war which erupted in 2003, that
pitted ethnic minority rebels complaining of discrimination against the
Arab-dominated government of Omar al-Bashir. More than 300,000 people died and
2.5 million were displaced, according to the United Nations. Bashir, who is
wanted by the International Criminal Court to face charges of genocide in
Darfur, was ousted and jailed in April 2019 following mass protests against his
three-decade rule. While the main conflict in Darfur has subsided, with a peace
deal struck with key rebel groups last year, the arid region has remained awash
with weapons and violence often erupts over land, access to agriculture or
water. A UN peacekeeping mission wound up in the Darfur last year. The latest
clashes come against a backdrop of political turbulence, as Sudan reels from the
aftermath of a military coup last month that drew wide international
condemnation and sparked mass protests. On October 25, top general Abdel Fattah
al-Burhan overthrew the country's post-Bashir transitional government and
detained the civilian leadership. On Sunday, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was
freed from effective house arrest and reinstated, after signing a deal with
Burhan that was viewed by critics as "whitewashing" the coup.
UN Chief Calls for ‘Unconditional and Immediate’ Ethiopian
Ceasefire
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 25 November, 2021
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an end to fighting
in Ethiopia while in Colombia's capital Bogota, urging Ethiopian leaders to
follow the Andean country's example of peace. Guterres, who was visiting
Colombia to mark the five-year anniversary of the peace deal between the
government and the demobilized leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
guerrillas, called for an immediate end to hostilities, Reuters reported. "The
peace process in Colombia today inspires me to make an urgent call to the
protagonists of the conflict in Ethiopia for an unconditional and immediate
ceasefire," Guterres said during a joint address with Colombia's President Ivan
Duque. War in Ethiopia broke out in November 2020 in the country's Tigray region
between Ethiopian federal troops and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. In
July, the conflict spread into two neighboring regions in northern
Ethiopia.Ending fighting in Ethiopia would allow a dialogue to take place
between Ethiopians, Guterres said, permitting the country to once again
contribute to the stability of the region. "I would very much like Colombia to
be the example followed by the leaders in Ethiopia," Guterres added. Guterres
also urged Colombian lawmakers to ratify the ratify Escazu Accord, an agreement
among Latin American and Caribbean countries that enshrines protections for
those working on environmental causes.
According to advocacy group Global Witness, Colombia is the most dangerous
country for environmental defenders in the world, with a record 65 killed in
2020. Colombia's government has blamed crime gangs and leftist rebels involved
in drug trafficking for the rise in activist killings.
Israel to Give Gaza Christians Permits for Christmas Holiday
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 25 November, 2021
Israeli authorities on Wednesday said they would permit 500 members of the Gaza
Strip’s tiny Christian community to enter Israel and the occupied West Bank to
celebrate Christmas. Israel has in the past allowed Gazans to exit the blockaded
territory for Christmas, though the practice was frozen last year due to the
coronavirus pandemic. Movement out of Gaza also has been restricted since an
11-day war last May between Israel and the territory’s Hamas rulers. In recent
months, however, Israel has begun to ease some of the restrictions, granting
several thousand Gazans permits to work inside Israel as part of quiet, Egyptian
attempts to broker a long-term cease-fire, The Associated Press reported. COGAT,
the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, announced
the permits allowing people to visit relatives and holy sites in Israel and the
West Bank. It said it was also increasing access to Jerusalem for Christians in
the occupied West Bank and allowing some 200 Gazan Christians to travel through
Israel to Jordan for journeys abroad. Bethlehem, revered by Christians as the
birthplace of Christ, is in the West Bank. The town is heavily dependent on
tourism, but officials fear there will be few visitors this year due to the
lingering effects of the pandemic. About 1,000 Christians live in Gaza, a tiny
fraction of the territory’s 2 million people. Most are Greek Orthodox, with
Catholics making up about a quarter of the small community.
Russia: Death toll in Siberian coal mine blast raised to
52
MOSCOW (AP) /November 25, 2021
A devastating explosion in a Siberian coal mine Thursday left 52 miners and
rescuers dead about 250 meters (820 feet) underground, Russian officials said.
Hours after a methane gas explosion and fire filled the mine with toxic fumes,
rescuers found 14 bodies but then were forced to halt the search for 38 others
because of a buildup of methane and carbon monoxide gas from the fire. Another
239 people were rescued. The state Tass and RIA-Novosti news agencies cited
emergency officials as saying that there was no chance of finding any more
survivors in the Listvyazhnaya mine, in the Kemerovo region of southwestern
Siberia. The Interfax news agency cited a representative of the regional
administration who also put the death toll from Thursday's accident at 52,
saying they died of carbon monoxide poisoning. It was the deadliest mine
accident in Russia since 2010, when two methane explosions and a fire killed 91
people at the Raspadskaya mine in the same Kemerovo region. A total of 285
people were in the Listvyazhnaya mine early Thursday when the blast sent smoke
that quickly filled the mine through the ventilation system. Rescuers led to the
surface 239 miners, 49 of whom were injured, and found 11 bodies. Later in the
day, six rescuers also died while searching for others trapped in a remote
section of the mine, the news reports said. Regional officials declared three
days of mourning. Russia’s Deputy Prosecutor General Dmitry Demeshin told
reporters that the fire most likely resulted from a methane explosion caused by
a spark. The miners who survived described their shock after reaching the
surface. “Impact. Air. Dust. And then, we smelled gas and just started walking
out, as many as we could,” one of the rescued miners, Sergey Golubin, said in
televised remarks. “We didn’t even realize what happened at first and took some
gas in.” Another miner, Rustam Chebelkov, recalled the dramatic moment when he
was rescued along with his comrades as chaos engulfed the mine. “I was crawling
and then I felt them grabbing me,” he said. “I reached my arms out to them, they
couldn’t see me, the visibility was bad. They grabbed me and pulled me out, if
not for them, we’d be dead.”Explosions of methane released from coal beds during
mining are rare but they cause the most fatalities in the coal mining industry.
The Interfax news agency reported that miners have oxygen supplies normally
lasting for six hours that could only be stretched for a few more hours.
Russia's Investigative Committee has launched a criminal probe into the fire
over violations of safety regulations that led to deaths. It said the mine
director and two senior managers were detained. President Vladimir Putin
extended his condolences to the families of the dead and ordered the government
to offer all necessary assistance to those injured. Thursday’s fire wasn’t the
first deadly accident at the Listvyazhnaya mine. In 2004, a methane explosion
left 13 miners dead. In 2007, a methane explosion at the Ulyanovskaya mine in
the Kemerovo region killed 110 miners in the deadliest mine accident since
Soviet times. In 2016, 36 miners were killed in a series of methane explosions
in a coal mine in Russia's far north. In the wake of the incident, authorities
analyzed the safety of the country's 58 coal mines and declared 20 of them, or
34%, potentially unsafe. The Listvyazhnaya mine wasn't among them at the time,
according to media reports. Russia’s state technology and ecology watchdog,
Rostekhnadzor, inspected the mine in April and registered 139 violations,
including breaching fire safety regulations.
Thousands of Sudanese take to the streets against deal between PM Hamdok and
military
Reuters/25 November ,2021
Tens of thousands of Sudanese protested in the streets of Khartoum and other
cities on Thursday, keeping up the pressure on military leaders after they
struck a deal to bring back a civilian prime minister deposed in a coup one
month ago. Prominent political parties and Sudan’s powerful protest movement
have opposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s decision on Sunday to sign the
accord with the military, with some calling it a betrayal or saying it provides
political cover for the takeover. “The revolution is the people’s revolution.
The army back to the barracks!” chanted protesters in Al Daim, a working class
district of Khartoum. They called for justice for “martyrs” killed in earlier
demonstrations. Protesters also closed a main road in the Sahafa neighborhood of
the capital. Carrying Sudanese flags, they chanted “Burhan you won’t rule. Down
with military rule,” referring to Sudan’s military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
Live streams on social media also showed protests in cities including Port
Sudan, Kassala, Wad Madani and El Geneina. While Hamdok’s reinstatement was a
concession by military leader al-Burhan, key political parties and civilian
groups say the army should play no role in politics. University student Osama
Ahmed said he was protesting against al-Burhan because he wants to bring down
the revolution and prevent the creation of a civilian state. Under the terms of
Sunday’s deal, Hamdok will lead a government of technocrats during a political
transition expected to last until 2023 and will share power with the military.
It is meant to be based on an earlier deal struck between the military and
civilian political forces following the 2019 overthrow of Omar al-Bashir, when
they had agreed to share power until elections. The coup scuppered that
partnership. The civilian coalition that had been sharing power with the
military before the takeover and its former ministers have rejected the
agreement struck by Hamdok, citing a violent crackdown on anti-military protests
over the past month. Hamdok has said the Sudanese authorities are committed to
democracy and freedom of expression.
UAE Major General Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi elected as new Interpol President
Tala Michel Issa, Al Arabiya English/25 November ,2021
Major General Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi of the United Arab Emirates has been elected
as the new President of Interpol, according to an announcement on Twitter on
Thursday. The senior police official will serve the four-year term in Lyon,
France. The Major General currently serves as inspector general of the UAE’s
interior ministry. He was elected by Interpol representatives (from its 140
member states) at a meeting in Turkey on Thursday. The new appointment makes him
the first candidate from the Middle Eastern region to be elected into the
position since the global crime fighting agency was founded in the 1920s.
The Latest The Latest LCCC English
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on November 25-26/2021
خالد أبو ظهر: قوى الشر تستخدم لاجئي لبنان للضغط على الاتحاد الأوروبي
Evil forces using Lebanon’s refugees to pressure EU
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/November 25/2021
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/104413/khaled-abou-zahr-evil-forces-using-lebanons-refugees-to-pressure-eu-%d8%ae%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%af-%d8%a3%d8%a8%d9%88-%d8%b8%d9%87%d8%b1-%d9%82%d9%88%d9%89-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b4%d8%b1-%d8%aa%d8%b3/
The humanitarian crisis has pushed the Lebanese to an unprecedented level of
poverty. According to the UN, 78 percent of Lebanon’s population live below the
poverty line, making it one of the most deprived countries in the world. It
hosts more than 1.7 million refugees, which is the highest per capita population
of refugees in the world.
Shortly before Monday’s Independence Day celebrations, the Lebanese Navy rescued
a distressed boat carrying about 90 desperate migrants who were trying to reach
the shores of Cyprus. And, last week, local security forces raided a beach and
thwarted another attempt to illegally cross by sea from Lebanon to Europe,
according to various press reports. Smugglers charging more than $5,000 per
person are an example of how misery and despair become traded commodities in the
search for a better life.
Another alarming fact is that, according to UNICEF, children are skipping meals
in the majority of families. It is always the same when everything collapses —
children are hit the hardest. This is particularly true in Lebanon, where the
proportion of children sent to work has rapidly increased, according to the same
UNICEF report. We are no longer seeing signs of terrible things to come:
Starvation and misery have already taken hold.
The smugglers and other bandits are, in fact, no different to Hezbollah. They
are all using despair and lost hope for their own benefit. There are obvious
signs that Lebanon is about to become the new main migration route to the EU.
And so, will the current Hezbollah regime weaponize this misery to push for
international financial support? It has become a clear tactic to pressure the EU
but, up to now, they have not been able to find a solution.
Beyond the geopolitical scenarios, this situation has a personal touch, as I
left Lebanon for Cyprus in a smuggled boat as an infant. I can only feel pain
for those trying to flee for a better life and despise the people responsible.
My late father, Walid Abou Zahr, the owner and publisher of a newspaper, was
opposed to the entry of Syrian troops into Beirut. This resulted in several
attempts on his life, followed by a ruthless attack on his newspaper’s offices.
The building was surrounded by 100 soldiers and tanks from the invading army and
its proxies. Shells and machine gun fire hit the building during a 10-hour
battle with security guards and four people, including the newspaper’s manager,
were killed. Staff ended up fleeing, jumping from one building to another.
Despite this attack, which was aimed at shutting down the outlet, and thanks to
the solidarity of courageous friends, the newspaper was available on newsstands
the following day, bearing a simple title: “We shall not kneel.”
Seven months later and after being chased by Syrian thugs and mercenaries for
several days, we were forced into exile. We narrowly escaped by boat from Sidon
to Cyprus. On the boat, which got lost at sea, we were without food and clean
water for a little more than 30 hours. My father told me that the way he saw me
eat the first piece of bread as we arrived on the shores of Cyprus would always
be carved in his memory. This incident, which I remember nothing about, has
proven to be an effective way for me to justify indulging in good food and hence
being (slightly) overweight. It was, sadly for my father, the last time he would
see his country. He nevertheless continued his mission by launching a news
magazine in Paris.
The attack on the newspaper’s offices was led by As-Sa’iqa, also known as
Vanguard for the Popular Liberation War — Lightning Forces, which was a
Palestinian Baathist political and military faction created and controlled by
Syria. In 1976, it was the Syrian regime and these groups; today it is Iran with
Hezbollah. Ever since the civil war started, nothing has changed. It is still
the same evil powers that are ruining, terrorizing and using the refugee crisis
as a bargaining tool. It is the same axis of evil that threatens and kills not
only in Lebanon, but throughout the region.
The capacity that these regimes have to infiltrate and control so-called
resistance movements reveals their true intentions. These forces, one after the
other, have pushed talent, creativity and loyalty into exile. During the civil
war, Lebanese families were still capable of raising a generation of talented
entrepreneurs, artists, designers, bankers, writers and more.
The only way to solve this situation is by dealing with the real problem,
starting with Hezbollah surrendering its weapons and dismantling all its cells.
Despite the bombs and the armed clashes, the Lebanese family protected the DNA
that makes their children fight, no matter the hits. Today, it is terrifying to
see that even this hope is not possible. An entire generation is at stake, as
UNICEF has warned.
The topics put forward by local politicians to solve the crisis in Lebanon, such
as questioning whether the elections will take place, are absolutely futile. An
election will not solve the current situation. The only way to solve this
situation is by dealing with the real problem, starting with Hezbollah
surrendering its weapons and dismantling all its cells. The people of Lebanon
must focus on the unique goal of ending the Iranian occupation. There is no
doubt that these evil forces have the upper hand and will use the refugees to
put even more pressure on the EU and force it to abide by their rules. Yet,
there is still hope with solidarity and the Lebanese not giving up on
sovereignty, no matter where they are.
*Khaled Abou Zahr is CEO of Eurabia, a media and tech company. He is also the
editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.
Time to confront the Iranian regime’s cyber army
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/November 25/2021
The US Department of Justice last week launched criminal charges against two
Iranians over a cyber-based campaign seeking to influence the outcome of the
2020 presidential election. According to the department, Seyyed Mohammad Hossein
Musa Kazemi, 24, and Sajjad Kashian, 27, gained access to confidential US voter
files and then “sent threatening email messages to intimidate voters.”
The two men are also said to have created and disseminated a disinformation
video on purported election infrastructure vulnerabilities and gained access to
a US media company’s computer network, which would have allowed them to make
false election claims had the FBI and the network failed to act.
It is important to point out that this is not an isolated development. The
Iranian regime has a history of launching cyberattacks against foreign countries
and organizations that it views as rivals. For example, several intelligence
agencies and officials in 2017 revealed that a group of Iranian hackers, known
as “Cadelle and Chafer,” carried out damaging cyberattacks against Saudi Arabia.
At the time, the Saudi government also warned telecommunications firms that a
malicious Iranian software program called “Shamoon” had been involved in attacks
against at least 15 governmental and nongovernmental networks in the Kingdom.
The Tehran regime was also behind a 2012 cyberattack against Saudi Aramco that
disabled 30,000 of the oil giant’s computers — more than three-quarters of its
total. The strike against Aramco is still viewed as one of the most damaging and
costly cyberattacks committed by state-backed hackers. Meanwhile, in 2017, a
private cybersecurity firm identified an Iranian group as being behind attacks
on US and South Korean aviation and energy companies, while British intelligence
concluded that Iran had targeted the email accounts of dozens of MPs.
Furthermore, two hackers based in Iran were accused of carrying out a series of
cyberattacks on US targets in November 2018, which included crippling the city
of Atlanta’s government by targeting hospitals, schools and state agencies. Data
from these major institutions was held in exchange for ransom payments. Brian
Benczkowski, former head of the Justice Department’s criminal division, said
that the two individuals “deliberately engaged in an extreme form of
21st-century digital blackmail, attacking and extorting vulnerable victims such
as hospitals and schools — victims they knew would be willing and able to
pay.”The Iranian regime also uses its cyber program to silence domestic
opposition and spy on Iranians living abroad, particularly those who are
influential in forming foreign policy and criticizing the regime.
Sanctioning individuals who are behind these cyberattacks is a step in the right
direction, but is far from adequate. The US and other powers must target and
sanction top Iranian organizations and politicians in charge of the regime’s
cyber program and its financing.
The leading institution is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The
Israeli-based Institute for National Security Studies has said: “The IRGC
clearly makes the country one of the best and most advanced nations when it
comes to cyberwarfare. In a case of escalation between Iran and the West, Iran
will likely aim to launch a cyberattack against critical infrastructures in the
US and its allies, (targeting) energy infrastructure, financial institutions and
transportation systems.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei also plays a crucial role and, in fact,
ordered the establishment of the Supreme Council on Cyberspace in order to
develop cyber policies. This council has become a key pillar of the IRGC and
Iran’s foreign and domestic strategy. The council also directly reports to the
supreme leader, while the regime is investing significantly in advancing its
cyber program.Sanctioning individuals who are behind these cyberattacks is a
step in the right direction, but is far from adequate.
Iran’s cyber program was most likely designed to be offensive and proactive. The
regime views it as an effective and cost-efficient means of inflicting damage on
rivals. In a nutshell, at a time of heightened tension, the US and regional
powers must be prepared to counter the Iranian regime’s cyberattacks.
Appropriate measures must be taken, including the sanctioning of leading figures
and institutions in charge of the regime’s cyber program — the IRGC, the Supreme
Council on Cyberspace, and the supreme leader.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist.
Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh
Sudan’s military discovered their limits
Khairallah Khairallah/The Arab Weekly/November 25/2021
The military understood that the experience of Bashir could not be repeated,
neither could the experience of Numeiri.
The political agreement reached by the military with civilians in Sudan looks
like an interim settlement which both sides were compelled to accept. The
military, headed by Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, is indispensable to the civilian
component, while the civilian component, represented by Prime Minister Abdullah
Hamdok, is indispensable to the military. It turned out that no civilian rule
can continue, at least in the current stage, without back up from the military,
whose role has become a necessity in Sudan in light of the country’s historical
failure to establish a viable political system since independence in 1956.
The international community has forced the senior military to return Hamdok to
the position of prime minister. The military discovered that they could not
seize power and repeat the three-decade experience of Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
Had it not been for the senior officers, led by Burhan and Muhammad Hamdan
Dagalo (Hemedti), Bashir would not have relinquished power easily, despite the
popular revolution that confronted his rule, a revolution that lasted for
several months. Sudanese civil society has proven its ability to stand its
ground. More than that, Burhan and his companions played a role in Sudan’s
return to the community of nations and changed the nature of Sudan’s standing in
the region and the world, starting with putting an end the practice of the game
of blackmail that Al-Bashir had mastered.
What’s next after the political agreement that brought Hamdok back to the
premiership? This question will pose itself urgently during the next few weeks,
simply because each side must find a formula for coexistence with the other. The
military realises that there could be no international aid of any kind without a
civilian government and that Hamdok still enjoys reserves of good will within
international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund. No one in the United States or Europe is ready to
assist Sudan in the event of a return to military rule, whether headed by Burhan
or anybody else. The region, especially the Nile Valley, the Red Sea and the
Horn of Africa, needs a stable Sudan. Sudanese politicians have failed to secure
such stability. Burhan proved that he has enough courage, not only to deter
Bashir’s supporters and prevent their return to power, but also to establish new
kind of relations with the countries of the region as well, including Egypt and
Arab Gulf states. Relationships built on mutual trust, first.
Sudan is looking for a better future. If there is a lesson that can be learned
since 1956, it is that a new formula is needed that guarantees a kind of balance
between the civilian component on the one hand and the military on the other.
Bashir did not come out of nowhere. He came out of the failure of political
parties following the fall of Jaafar Numeiri in 1985. It is clear that the
military has discovered the limits of what they could do, that is, to provide
back up for civilians. They had to return Hamdok to the position of prime
minister. They realised that they could not go far in their coup. In the next
stage, they will be satisfied with proving that they are the party capable of
making big decisions and keeping them. This simply means that they have to admit
that the world is not ready to give them a blank cheque in the absence of
partnership with civilians who have a duty to revive the ailing economy.
What is the new formula for coexistence between the military and civilians in
Sudan? The most important question may be whether there is any hope of finding
any such a formula, especially in light of the tensions among the civilians
themselves. The military realised the limits of what they could do. Civilians
are supposed to show their willingness to maintain a certain balance in the
country. It seems that Hamdok understands the need for this delicate equilibrium
which can usher in a new phase where Sudan is spared continuing squabbles.
The military understood that the experience of Bashir could not be repeated,
neither could the experience of Numeiri.
There is no one in the world, not even in Africa, who is ready to accept a new
military coup. However, civilians in Sudan must be wise and convinced that
sharing power with the military is necessary at the current stage that Sudan and
the entire region are going through. The civilian component in Sudan will have
to prove that there are more than slogans in this world and that they need, now
more than ever, to demonstrate some political maturity in a country that faces a
continuing risk of utter fragmentation.
Why democracy is in retreat across the globe
Andrew Hammond/The Arab Weekly/November 25/2021
The collapse of the Soviet Union was widely predicted to herald a new generation
of democratic enlargement across the world. Yet, three decades on, there are
growing signs that much of the world is moving toward authoritarian or
nondemocratic political models.
Take the example of the latest annual report from the Stockholm-based
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. The eye-catching
claim in the research released this week is that the US, for the first time in
its history, belongs to a list of “backsliding democracies.”
The reason for the downgrading is the debacle at the end of Donald Trump’s
administration, when the-then president disputed the legitimacy of the 2020
election in a way that the institute asserts undermined fundamental trust in the
electoral process, culminating in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol.
Yet, while the US is the headline-grabber, the study found that more than a
quarter of the globe now lives in such democratically backsliding countries —
defined as nations seeing a gradual decline in the quality of their democracy.
In the words of the study, “the world is becoming more authoritarian as
nondemocratic regimes become even more brazen in their repression, and many
democratic governments adopt their tactics of restricting free speech and
weakening the rule of law, exacerbated by what threatens to become a new normal
of pandemic restrictions.”The research found that the number of countries moving
in the direction of authoritarianism is three times those moving toward
democracy, which is unprecedented in its 50 years of tracking democratic
indicators in what is now about 160 countries.
The institute is by no means the only body that makes such claims. An October
2020 study by the Washington-based think tank Freedom House, for example, found
that democracy and human rights had worsened in 80 countries since March of that
year alone, the date when the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus
outbreak a pandemic. The institute’s research also tallies with separate, recent
academic research from an international network of academics compiling the
Global Populism Database. This work suggested last year that about 2 billion of
the world’s population were then governed by populist leaders, who tend to be at
the vanguard of the trend toward democratic backsliding, winning power through
campaign tactics such as attacking multinational organizations, so-called “fake
media” and immigrants.
The database highlights the extent of what it asserts is an approximately two
decades rise in populism by analyzing speeches — through textual analysis — by
key leaders in 40 countries during this period.
According to the database, the “populist club” expanded significantly after the
international financial crisis from 2006 to 2009. But it is the past decade that
has seen the biggest rise in populism. A key question is whether this trend is
now deeply entrenched or is reversible. Here, the International Institute for
Democracy and Electoral Assistance report offers some cause for optimism. It
highlights, for instance, that protest and civic action are alive and kicking,
with three-quarters of countries having demonstrations during the pandemic. On
that basis, it points to the resilience of democracy, as people brave repression
around the world and social movements to tackle climate change and fight racial
inequalities emerge. Even if that is true, however, it cannot be assumed that
the current wave of democratic backsliding has peaked. This is partly because of
the legacy of the pandemic, which — at least in some countries — may yet provide
a further fillip to populist leaders channeling the political and socioeconomic
discontent of the past 18 months.
*Andrew Hammond is an Associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.
Climate forum fails to address clear and present danger
Dr. Theodore Karasik/Arab News/November 25/2021
For all the rhetoric about progress at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, the
demand for action was clearly not met. The conference turned into a series of
pledges. Meanwhile, the facts of climate change illustrate that immediate steps
need to be taken in order to avoid a catastrophic rise in ocean levels and
disruption to weather patterns.
Government and industry officials in Glasgow set out to “get things done” in an
effort to limit the temperature rise on the planet to 1.5 degrees Celsius above
pre-industrial levels, but were clearly not on the same page. Business played an
outsized role inside the official “blue zone” for executives, as well as across
Scotland at privately sponsored forums, roundtables and parties.
Private sector-driven action on climate took on a life of its own, with momentum
irrespective of the technical outcomes that, according to those present, failed
to reflect clear plans of action. Thus, there were dual events. The Glasgow
promises are on a goal track for 2040, 2050 and 2060. New pledges and
commitments were also made on domestic and international coal. COP26 agreed on
guidelines for implementing the market-based cooperative approaches referred to
in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. But those targets and actions are
insufficient. COP27 and COP28 will have to inject some speed into the process.
There is no doubt that governments around the world are 50 years behind the
curve in terms of even minor steps to limit climate change. Five decades have
passed since the first climate projections set a distant target at 2100. Science
shows that greenhouse gas emissions will linger for centuries. This long-term
aftermath and its impact on how humans live will require an adjustment to a new
type of climate, one that raises challenges for all sectors.
There is no doubt that governments around the world are 50 years behind the
curve in terms of even minor steps to limit climate change.
Despite increased finance pledges before COP26, many key countries fell short of
the decades-old commitment to provide $100 billion in climate finance annually.
Climate finance is key. Another factor is the petty politics that gets in the
way of progress toward addressing what is truly a clear and present danger.
To be sure, climate goals cannot be achieved overnight. Carbon reduction and the
shift to electric transport, while moving away from traditional energy sources,
are expensive endeavors.
The pandemic is making matters worse. Lockdowns in 2020 showed how quickly the
urban, industrialized environment could heal, with a drop in air pollution and
then the return of wildlife to some cities. This is a model for all stakeholders
to explore in terms of thinking about how to recreate such conditions in a
normal environment. Why? Because it is a healthy start. This explains much of
the thinking behind India’s recent closure of schools in New Delhi. Before the
pandemic, staggered commutes and other government measures to limit energy use
were noble, but clearly not enough to “clean up the here and now.”
Now for the hard part after COP26 — turning government and private-sector
commitments into concrete actions that are measurable, transparent and
verifiable.
A key pressure area for policymakers and practitioners is climate finance to
help developing countries lower greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate
change. This is a huge issue for developing countries and it is not clear if
developed countries will make up for a historic shortfall, even if the $100
billion per year is achieved.Given that climate change is here to stay,
countries around the world need to take mitigation measures now, not only for
coastal cities but also growing mega-cities. Meanwhile, climate finance must be
pushed as a major subject for discussion at future climate summits.
*Dr. Theodore Karasik is a senior adviser to Gulf State Analytics in Washington,
D.C. Twitter: @tkarasik