August 2023 - Asian Telegraph Qatar

The UN House in Doha organised an impactful awareness event dedicated to marking International Whale Shark Day and drawing attention to the vital importance of conserving whale sharks and marine ecosystems, on Wednesday.

Present on the occasion to recognise the significance of protecting marine life were Ali Al Marafi, Secretary-General of the Qatari National Commission for Education, Culture and Science; Saleh Khaled, Regional Director of UNESCO; renowned Qatari wildlife photographer Azzam Al Mannai, and representatives from United Nations regional offices.

A highlight of the event was Azzam Al Mannai’s generous donation to the UN House of an exquisite underwater photograph titled ‘Into The Blue’, capturing the majesty of a giant whale shark. Mannai’s works have been featured on prestigious platforms such as Netflix and National Geographic, and have garnered praise from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change for their contribution to environmental advocacy.

Salah Khaled, UNESCO’s Regional Director, Gulf States and Yemen, expressed pride in receiving Mannai’s donation. He acknowledged the artwork’s role in highlighting the delicate balance of ecosystems and the urgent need for collaborative efforts to ensure coexistence between humanity and nature.

Khaled emphasised that Mannai’s work transcends aesthetics, conveying powerful messages about environmental consciousness and global interconnectedness.

Khaled also stressed the critical role of whale sharks, often dubbed ‘gentle giants of the oceans’, in the natural world. These awe-inspiring creatures face numerous threats to their survival, including habitat destruction, climate change, pollution and human activities like fishing and tourism.

UNESCO’s partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change underscores their joint commitment to safeguarding natural heritage through sustainable practices.

The event resonated with the global initiative known as the Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, or the Ocean Decade (2021-2030). This initiative aims to advance the science required for the protection and sustainable management of oceans and their resources.

By focusing on the conservation of whale sharks and their habitats, the event aligns with the goals of the Ocean Decade, contributing to marine ecosystem preservation and promoting human well-being.

Learned wildlife lover, Azzam Al Mannai also spoke passionately during the event. He highlighted Qatar’s unique role as a habitat for large aggregations of whale sharks from June to September each year. He emphasised the collective responsibility to safeguard these magnificent creatures and their habitats for future generations.

Mannai stressed that education and advocacy are pivotal in ensuring the survival of these majestic creatures, advocating for increased efforts to protect and conserve the dwindling numbers of whale sharks.

In commemorating Whale Shark Day, the event served as a call to action, urging individuals and communities to unite in preserving marine ecosystems and the magnificent species that inhabit them. Through the combined efforts of passionate individuals, organisations like UNESCO, and initiatives like the Ocean Decade, the event shed light on the path towards a more sustainable future, where humans and nature thrive in harmony.

The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Qatar HE Arman Issagaliyey has said that Expo 2023 Doha would become a paramount event, and his country will participate in the event at a significant
level.

In an exclusive conversation, he said that Expo2023 would further elevate Qatar’s position as the primary gateway for introducing cutting-edge innovations, sustainability and technology. This assembly will unite the brightest intellects from around the globe to nurture international collaborations, he said.

The envoy further noted that monumental events like Expo 2023 Doha, along with the Qatar Economic Forum, Doha Forum and the FIFA World Cup 2022, are positioning Qatar as a hub for
decision-makers, economists, startups and investments.

“Qatar is also evolving into a vibrant and rapidly advancing centre for the cultural and entertainment industries,” he said.

The Kazakh envoy praised Qatar’s leadership for turning the country into one of the safest and most welcoming destinations for global visitors, a status that was notably evident during the successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Speaking about the economic ties between the two countries, he said the trade turnover for the first half of 2023 surged by an impressive 191 percent, reaching over $4.5 million. Furthermore, Qatar’s exports to Kazakhstan in 2022 were valued at approximately $1.1 million, reflecting an extraordinary increase of $4 million in the ongoing year.

He added that since the establishment of an air link between Doha and Almaty, more than 20,000 Kazakh tourists have explored Qatar.

The ambassador praised Qatar’s moral and technical assistance during Kazakhstan’s early years, a period that saw the nation navigate challenges akin to those faced by newly independent countries worldwide.

He highlighted that Qatar’s support underscored the strong fraternal bond between the two
nations.

Reflecting on Kazakhstan’s present state, the envoy noted that the nation’s primary law now serves as a guiding force for development and prosperity, especially considering Kazakhstan’s upcoming Constitution Day on August 30, a milestone stemming from the document’s initial signing in 1995.

He said that Kazakhstan is situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and maintains friendly relations with nations worldwide. Kazakhstan considers Qatar a pivotal and dependable partner
in the region.

He praised Qatar’s anti-nuclear position as the world marks today, August 29, as the International Day against Nuclear Tests. He pointed out that the historical joint efforts of Qatar and Kazakhstan led to Qatar sponsoring the UN resolution on human and ecological rehabilitation and economic development of the Semipalatinsk region of Kazakhstan. This resolution, drafted by Kazakhstan, was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 21, 2020.

The Kazakh envoy praised Qatar’s efforts to promote a culture of peace and interfaith dialogue, along with Qatar National Vision 2030, which encourages the dialogue of civilisations and interfaith coexistence.

He added that both countries share the opinion on the need to combat intolerance, discrimination and violence based on religion or belief, he said.

The gas production has begun at Iran’s Phase 11 of South Pars, the world’s largest gas field.

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo arrived in Beijing on Sunday night, kicking off a four-day official visit to China. She was received by Director General Lin Feng of the American and Oceania Affairs Department of China's Ministry of Commerce at the airport.

Raimondo will hold bilateral meetings on Monday and Tuesday in Beijing before heading to Shanghai. She will be joined by US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns.

It is the first such trip by any top American commerce official in the past seven years, Raimondo will be holding talks with her Chinese counterparts during the visit.

The visit comes amid tense trade relations between the world's top two economies as Washington moves to block Beijing's access to advanced technology, including semiconductors.

However, her visit is widely anticipated to ease fraught relationship between the US and China, the world's two largest economies.

The visit, seen as a litmus test to see whether the US will show sincerity in fixing bilateral ties, is unlikely to witness big breakthroughs in the trade and commerce field between China and the US, Chinese experts said. However, the US move to pursue dialogue in a trek of recent high-level China-bound visits should be deemed positive in creating a better mood for further talks amid China-US ties that are still at the lowest ebb in decades.

US media outlets have expressed high expectations for Raimondo's trip.

The New York Times reported on Saturday that Raimondo will likely be the "clearest demonstration yet of the balancing act the Biden administration is trying to pull off in its relations with China."

Bloomberg reported on Saturday that "Raimondo may have the best chance among the Biden officials who've make the trek to China recently of taking the current tension between the world's two biggest economies down a notch."

Raimondo's visit follows several high-level visits by US officials to China over the past three months or so. In June, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China for the first time as the top US diplomat. In July, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited China. Also in July, US Special Climate Envoy John Kerry visited Beijing.

Compared with her peers, Raimondo, as the US commerce chief whose agency is primarily engaged in the field of economic and trade which represents the broadest cooperation and closest integration of China-US interests, is thus pinned with high hopes that her visit will reach some tangible outcomes as it concerns the pragmatic interests between the two countries.

During her China visit, Raimondo will travel to Beijing and Shanghai, and hold meetings with senior Chinese officials and US business leaders. She looks forward to having constructive discussions on issues relating to the China-US commercial relationship, challenges faced by US businesses, and areas for potential cooperation, according to the website of US Department of Commerce.

In her meeting with Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng on Tuesday, Xie called on the US side to work in the same direction as China, lengthen the list of cooperation and shorten the negative list, so as to make joint efforts to stabilize China-US relations.

China will express its position to the US side on economic and trade issues of concern, and at the same time, looks forward to having in-depth discussions with the US on resolving economic and trade differences and promoting pragmatic cooperation, a spokesperson for China's Commerce Ministry said on Thursday, ahead of the upcoming talks.

The 8th Qatar-Singapore High-Level Joint Committee (HLJC) meeting concluded in Singapore. It was opened on Friday with the Keynote opening remarks by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

He said that Singapore and Qatar can work together on many fronts. We can work together to contribute to supporting a global environment that has allowed us to thrive, to learn from each other’s experiences, and discover new ways of working together. So the HLJC theme of 'Partners in Growth' is especially apt, and captures the essence of our relationship well.

The HLJC was co-chaired by HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, and HE Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security of Singapore Teo Chee Hean. The meeting was also attended by ministers and senior officials from both countries.

The joint statement issued by the Eighth Meeting of the High-Level Joint Committee stressed on the importance of the Committee as a main platform for expanding the strong Qatari-Singaporean partnership to broader horizons, in line with the common interests of the two countries.

Both sides emphasized their shared commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the region, and to an ASEAN-centred, open, inclusive, transparent, resilient, and rules-based regional architecture that upholds international law.

Qatar delegation was headed by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani accompanied with delegation members - Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani; Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari; Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al-Thani; Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi; Minister of Social Development and Family Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad; Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker; Chairman, Qatar Free Zones Authority Ahmad bin Mohamed Al Sayed; President, Civil Service and Government Development Bureau Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa; and Chief of Asia Pacific and Africa Investments, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al-Thani.

The Singapore delegation included Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohamed Maliki Osman, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Education, Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, and Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health.

The Co-chairs reaffirmed their commitment to the HLJC as a key vehicle for expanding the already robust Singapore-Qatar partnership, in line with the interests shared by both countries. They welcomed the series of high-level and sectorial engagements that have taken place between the two countries over the past year, including President Halimah Yacob's State Visit to Qatar in June 2023.

They noted the mutual desire to strengthen collaboration in areas such as Economy, Trade and Investment, Energy, Security, Social Development and the Family, Education, Human Capital Development, Smart Cities Infrastructure and AI. Both countries will explore avenues for further collaboration as partners in growth.

The State of Qatar and the Republic of Singapore welcomed the signing of the following Agreements and MOUs:

1. MOU between the Ministry of Social Development and the Family of the State of Qatar and the Ministry of Social and Family Development of the Republic of Singapore in the Field of Social Development and the Family.
2. Executive Programme on Education between the Ministry of Education of Singapore (MOE) and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of the State of Qatar.
3. MOU between Singapore's National Water Agency, PUB and the Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council on knowledge exchange, collaboration on Open Innovation Challenges related to water, and participation in Singapore International Water Week.
4. MOU between Enterprise Singapore and the Qatar Development Bank on Enterprise Digitalisation and Innovation.
5. MOU between Enterprise Singapore and the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar on fostering private sector partnerships.

Singapore also welcomed Qatar's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in 2022 and its growing engagement with the region. Both sides emphasised their shared commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the region, and to an ASEAN-centred, open, inclusive, transparent, resilient, and rules-based regional architecture that upholds international law.

During the 8th HLJC, the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar (IPA) presented on investment opportunities with specific focus on opportunities within Qatar's manufacturing and logistics ecosystem, and its developing semiconductor industry.

The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) of Singapore presented on Singapore's Smart Nation strategy including Smart Cities, and artificial intelligence (AI) development journey.

The State of Qatar and the Republic of Singapore agreed to convene the 9th HLJC in Doha at a mutually convenient time, to be agreed upon through diplomatic channels.

Earlier on arrival on Thursday, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, visited Singapore at PM Lee's invitation, made his first official visit here as prime minister.

He was given a ceremonial welcome at the Istana. He called on President Halimah Yacob and met PM Lee, who hosted him to an official lunch.

President Halimah and Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed the warm and longstanding ties between Qatar and Singapore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Singapore said in a statement, adding: “President Halimah welcomed the progress in bilateral cooperation in areas such as food security and innovation following her state visit to Qatar in June 2023.”

The 15th BRICS summit concluded on Thursday with declaration announced by the President of South Africa and Chair of BRICS, Cyril Ramaphosa at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

BRICS leaders agreed on Thursday to invite six countries, namely Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to join the group.

The six countries' membership will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced at a press conference during the 15th BRICS Summit.

"We value the interests of other countries in building the partnership of BRICS," said Ramaphosa.

BRICS leaders met here from Aug. 22 to 24 to discuss issues including deepening BRICS cooperation and the group's expansion.

Following is the 15th BRICS Summit outcome announcement by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa

It is the first BRICS Summit to be hosted in-person since the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent global travel restrictions.

Leading up to the Summit, there was a wide-ranging BRICS business programme aimed at attracting investment, promoting collaboration and showcasing opportunities within South Africa, Africa and BRICS countries.

We welcome the clear vision of Ms Dilma Rousseff as the President of the New Development Bank on the role that the Bank should play in support of infrastructure and sustainable development in Africa and the Global South.

We celebrated the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the BRICS Business Council and welcomed the self-review by the Council and the subsequent recommendations made to Leaders.

We also welcomed the work of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance in their first in-person engagement with leaders. We particularly welcomed the participation of youth representatives in the Summit.

We addressed our expectations for the BRICS economic partnership to generate tangible benefits for our communities and deliver viable solutions for common challenges faced by the global South.

We shared our vision of BRICS as a champion of the needs and concerns of the peoples of the Global South. These include the need for beneficial economic growth, sustainable development and reform of multilateral systems.

We reiterate our commitment to inclusive multilateralism and upholding international law, including the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

We are concerned about ongoing conflicts in many parts of the world. We stress our commitment to the peaceful resolution of differences and disputes through dialogue and inclusive consultation.

The Summit noted that an unbalanced recovery from the hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating inequality across the world.

We encourage multilateral financial institutions and international organisations to play a constructive role in building global consensus on economic policies.

We have noted that there is global momentum for the use of local currencies, alternative financial arrangements and alternative payment systems.

As BRICS, we are ready to explore opportunities for improving the stability, reliability and fairness of the global financial architecture.

The Summit agreed to task the BRICS Finance Ministers and/or Central Bank Governors, as appropriate, to consider the issue of local currencies, payment instruments and platforms and report back to the BRICS leaders by the next Summit.

This Summit reaffirmed the importance of BRICS people-to-people exchanges in enhancing mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation.

The Summit appreciates the progress made over the last year in the fields of media, culture, education, sports, arts, youth, civil society and academic exchanges.

We adopted the Johannesburg II Declaration which reflects key BRICS messages on matters of global economic, financial and political importance.

It demonstrates the shared values and common interests that underlie our mutually beneficial cooperation as the five BRICS countries.

It is an equal partnership of countries that have differing views but have a shared vision for a better world.

As the five BRICS countries, we have reached agreement on the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures of the BRICS expansion process, which has been under discussion for quite a while.

We have consensus on the first phase of this expansion process, and further phases will follow.

We have decided to invite the Argentine Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to become full members of BRICS. The membership will take effect from 1 January 2024.

We have tasked our Foreign Ministers to further develop the BRICS partner country model and a list of prospective partner countries and report by the next Summit.

Today, we will be hosting leaders from Africa and the Global South in the BRICS–Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue.

This is so that we can have an inclusive dialogue on key issues affecting developing economies and identify actions that we can take together towards a more equitable, inclusive and representative world.

May I conclude by thanking the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, together with their delegations, for participating in this most successful XV BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Through this Summit, BRICS has embarked on a new chapter in its effort to build a world that is fair, a world that is just, a world that is also inclusive and prosperous.

Chinese President Xi Jinping in his address to the 15th BRICS Summit participants called for efforts to deepen business and financial cooperation among BRICS countries to boost economic growth.

Xi said the world economic recovery remains shaky, and challenges for developing countries are even more formidable, hampering their efforts to realize the Sustainable Development Goals. "Development is an inalienable right of all countries, not a privilege reserved for a few," Xi said.

He called on BRICS countries to be fellow companions on the journey of development and revitalization, and oppose decoupling and supply chains disruption as well as economic coercion.

BRICS countries should focus on practical cooperation, particularly in such fields as digital economy, green development, and supply chain, and bolster economic, trade and financial exchanges, Xi said.

He added that China will set up a China-BRICS Science and Innovation Incubation Park for the New Era to support the deployment of innovation results.

President Xi said that it is unacceptable to package one's own rules and regulations as international norms. International norms should be written and upheld by all countries based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, rather than dictated by those with the strongest muscles and loudest voice, Xi said when addressing the 15th BRICS Summit.

He also said that ganging up to form exclusive groups is even more unacceptable.

President Xi said that the BRICS countries have agreed on quick action to start artificial intelligence (AI) study group and expand AI cooperation.

India became the 4th country to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon, after the erstwhile Soviet Union, United States and China, just three days after a failed attempt by Russia's Luna-25 mission.

Isro's Chandrayaan-3 lander module 'Vikram' touched down on the Moon, near its south pole, at 6.04 pm after 17 minutes of powered descent, becoming the first spacecraft to land in the unexplored lunar region, believed to be a reservoir of frozen water key to future space missions.

"India is on the Moon," were the first words of ISRO Chief S Somanath moments after India's Chandrayaan-3 made a successful soft landing on the surface of the Moon at 6:04 pm on Wednesday, 23 August.

At the mission control room, Somanath said, “We had a very soft landing and it actually achieved most of the nominal conditions for landing including the velocity of touchdown. The velocity was far less than the 2 m/sec that was considered as the nominal velocity and this gives us a lot of confidence that the health of the craft will be very good and we will be able to continue with experiments including the Pragyaan rover coming out and doing experiments.”

“We are very excited to see this mission succeed. It was not an easy task at all. It was the work of so many years. (The failed) Chandrayaan-2 was the work of many years and Chandrayaan -3 for the last four years. The learning from Chandrayaan -2 really helped us in perfecting the methodology and we also had a large number of experiments and tests. And that has paid dividends today,” he said.

After nearly 15 hours of effort, commandos of Pakistan Army successfully rescued eight persons including seven students namely, Abrar, Irfan, Usama, Rizwan Ullah, Ataullah, Niaz Muhammad, Sher Nawaz and teacher Gul Faraz, who were stuck inside a cable car at a height of 6,000 feet by a single cable after one of its ropes broke down in Allai Tehsil, Battagram district, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The cable hangs in the middle of a deep ravine surrounded by stunning mountains, where cable cars are frequently used to connect remote villages and towns. The students were travelling in the cable car to go to the Batangi Government High School.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar made the announcement on X, {former Twitter}, saying: "Relieved to know that Alhamdolillah all the kids have been successfully and safely rescued. Great teamwork by the military, rescue departments, district administration as well as the local people."

Two of the kids were rescued with extreme caution, however, rescue officials decided to conduct sling operation with the help of SSG team. Sling operations are aerial operations where large loads are moved in geographically difficult terrains.

Later, in a ground operation led by SSG's General Officer Commanding (GOC), five persons were rescued with alternative means. Another cable car, smaller in size was hung on the same cable through which food and water were also delivered to them. The Pakistan Army also brought in a local cable crossings expert for help.

As per NDMA statement, SSG Team, Pakistan Army Aviation, Pakistan Air Force, and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), participated in the rescue operation.

The rescue mission had several complications including gusty winds in the area and the risk of the helicopter's rotor blades further destabilising the lift.

20 year old, Gulfraz among stranded persons shared with media over the phone that a 16-year-old unconscious was suffering from a heart condition and was unconscious, the teenager was going to the hospital through the cable car.

Gulfaraz said the first wire broke at 7am while another cable broke down soon after. “The first cable broke down after the cable car travelled a mile,” the 20-year-old said, adding that the passengers have been waiting for help since early morning.

Gulfaraz confirmed that there are eight people in the cable car of which six are students, between 10 to 16 years old.

Cable car located at 2 thousand meters

According to details released by PDMA, the cable car incident occurred at 8:30am in Pashto area of Battagram.

The cable car is located at a height of about two thousand meters and passes through rainwater channels in the middle of the mountains, the PDMA added.

The children, who have been stranded, were using the cable car to get to school in the mountainous area of Battagram.

Sonia Shamrose, the district police officer, told Geo News that all efforts were being made to rescue the people trapped in the cable car.

Zafar Iqbal, a school teacher, said that the students were coming to the school by cable car.

“The cable car is used to go from one place to another. In this area, 150 children come to school by cable car,” he said, confirming that two wires of the cable car broke down mid-air.

'Alarming incident'

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has termed the incident alarming, directing the National Disaster Management Authority and Provincial Disaster Management Authority to "urgently ensure safe rescue and evacuation of the 8 people stuck in the chairlift".

"I have also directed the authorities to conduct safety inspections of all such private chairlifts and ensure that they are safe to operate and use," he added.

It is reported that two of the three chairlift cables got broken, and the remaining wire could break due to the air pressure generated by the helicopter.

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Cable car located at 2 thousand meters

'Alarming incident'