Istanbul, 04 Dec. 2023 (Anadolu News)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should face trial for being a 'war criminal', Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, slamming him as the "butcher of Gaza."
"We are not going to let the issue of Israel having nuclear weapons be forgotten," Erdogan said in his opening remarks at an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul.
Those who try to ignore deaths in Gaza by keeping silent, even to legitimize it under the pretext of Hamas, have no longer any words for humanity, he said at the 39th ministerial session of the OIC Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation.
"Israel is not only a murderer but also a thief," said Erdogan, adding: "We cannot let Israel occupy Gaza once again." "There is a global structure that acts with will of a few countries. UN's corrupt structure needs to change."
The Turkish president said Islamophobia is spreading like an epidemic in the West. Türkiye is ready to be a guarantor country for the peace talks between Israel and Palestine, he added.
"Gaza is a Palestinian territory. Gaza belongs to Palestinians and it will remain so forever," said the Turkish leader. "Those who invade Gaza will seek other places tomorrow. Gaza butcher Netanyahu revealed he has expansionist ideals," Erdogan said.
Criticizing the UN's response to Israel's attacks on Gaza, Erdogan said the sincere efforts of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres were sabotaged by Security Council members themselves.
More than 100 UN officials in Gaza have been killed in Israel's attacks, Erdogan pointed out, adding that the UN, founded to protect global security and peace, cannot even secure its own employees from the "barbarity of Israel."
Recalling the UN resolution calling for an "immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce" between Israeli and Hamas in Gaza on Oct. 27, Erdogan said this decision was an "valuable step in representing the conscience of humanity." "However, due to the existing structure of the UN, this decision became obsolete."
He said the will of countries that voted in favor of the resolution and those that abstained was disregarded. "Just this fact alone is sufficient to show how the 2 billion-strong Muslim world is being confined. There is a global structure that acts with will of a few countries. UN's corrupt structure needs to change," he urged.
The Israeli army resumed bombing the Gaza Strip early Friday after declaring an end to a week-long humanitarian pause. Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.
The death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surged to 15,523 since the start of the conflict on Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in the besieged Palestinian enclave announced on Sunday.
The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.
A total of 120 countries voted in favour of the resolution, 14 countries voted against including Israel and the United States, while 45 others abstained.
Doha, 03 Dec. 2023
First ever Pak-Qatar IT Conference was held on Sunday at the Hotel Marriott Marquiz Doha. Present on the occasion were Umar Saif, Minister of IT & Telecommunication of Pakistan, Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, CEO, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), Muhemmed Aejaz, Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the State of Qatar, members of delegation including representatives of 30 Pakistan based IT companies, IT experts and guests.
The conference was organised by Pakistan Business Council Qatar (PBCQ), a non-profit community forum in cooperation and support of Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) and Pakistan embassy.
The event served as a dynamic platform to foster technological collaborations between Qatar and Pakistan. Moreover, Pakistani IT companies showcased cutting-edge products, services, expertise in the industry and ground-breaking IT solutions.
A panel discussion was conducted by Ahmad Javed, CEO Cytellite, participated by
1. H.E Dr. Umar Saif, Minister IT & Telecom
2. Dr. Fadi Nasser, CCO Meeza
3. Zeeshan Khattak, CCO PSEB, and
4. Muhammad Zohaib Khan, Chairman PASHA
The topic of the discussion was "Fostering Digital Transformation and Innovation in Pakistan and Qatar: Challenges, Opportunities, and Collaborative Strategies".
Talking with Media, Umar Saif said that it is a unique opportunity for Pakistani IT companies to take advantage of Qatar's entrepreneurial drive to expand globally. Pakistan is a vast country just two hours away, posses a robust IT infrastructure with a pool of skilled professionals, wealth of IT products and services can undoubtedly cater to Qatar's growing IT needs. Forging a common, secure platform that enables professionals from both nations to share knowledge, expertise, and technological advancements can propel both nations’ technological ecosystem to new heights.”
He said that Pakistan is ready to serve as a digital corridor of connectivity for China and Central Asian states as Pakistan is finally beginning to see the political and economic stability.
He said that among his delegation include representatives of wide-range 30 IT companies from Pakistan to do business and to be part of the growth story that Qatar presents. Moreover, many Pakistani companies are ready to become part of this ecosystem, to expand here and do business. However, we will be focusing on different key areas that are of strategic importance for Qatar, such as fintech, cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Federal Minister of Pakistan for IT and Telecommunication added.
He said that these are strategic tactical technologies that every country must acquire. Qatar has a lot of in-home capacity and they're looking to enhance that. Qatar is looking to expand on that and looking to specifically partner with Pakistani companies in all three domains'.
Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Financial Center (QFC) said that QFC is dedicated to cultivating an environment that encourages robust knowledge exchange, propels IT development, and embraces the seamless adoption of digital innovations. With a flourishing economy, a state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure, a favourable business ecosystem, and a robust digital development agenda, Qatar stands out as an ideal destination for IT enterprises and professionals. And in this context, I see a compelling alignment between Qatar and Pakistan, he added.
Talking to media on the occasion, Pakistani ambassador Dr Muhemmed Aejaz said that this event marks a significant milestone in the deep-rooted relationship between the two brotherly countries. Cooperation in IT sector will open a new, highly potential dimension for fostering a secure technological ecosystem and enhancing mutual trade and economic ties. Such cooperation creates a conducive environment for businesses, that are a key to achieving long term economic growth and prosperity in both countries.
A number of IT experts from various companies shared their innovative contributions at the event including Systems Limited, NETSOL Technologies, United Sol, and Shields.
Paying word of thanks to the participants and guests, Fawad Rana, President, Pakistan Business Council Qatar (PBCQ) paid his gratitude to Federal Minister of Pakistan Umar Saif and QFC CEO Yousuf Mohamed AlJaidah on their presence and key-note speeches. He thanked Pakistan embassy Qatar for their cooperation and support in organizing the event.
Rana said that Qatar's commitment to building a knowledge-based economy aligns seamlessly with the core objectives of PBC-Q. Standing as a key link between Pakistan and Qatar, our focus is on channeling technological the expertise and outstanding talent from Pakistan to playing a substantial role in realizing the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The event was conducted by Riyaz Bakali, President Pakistan Engineering Forum. He said that Pakistan-Qatar IT Conference will further strengthen ties between IT companies of Pakistan and Qatar, uncovering new paths for continued collaboration and advancements in the ever-evolving technology landscape.
Pakistan IT delegation will be meeting officials and various industry institutions and companies during their next two days stay in Qatar.
Istanbul, 30 Nov. 2023 (Anadolu)
The 2023 edition of the UN climate summit, commonly known as COP28, opened on Thursday in Dubai, as the United Arab Emirates officially assumed the presidency from Egypt.
The event has attracted over 180 heads of states and governments from across the globe. Noteworthy is the high number of attendance requests, exceeding 500,000 participants.
The conference is set to continue until Dec. 12.
Sultan Al Jaber, the Emirati industry and advanced technology minister, officially received the COP28 presidency from Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s foreign minister and president of COP27.
In his opening speech, Al Jaber said: “The UAE takes pride in hosting COP28 and approaches it with a full understanding of the critical issues at this pivotal juncture,” according to the Emirates News Agency.
He pledged to “manage a working system that applies transparency principles, ensures inclusivity, and encourages free and open discussions among all parties.”
He also invited participants to “start the conference with a different mindset and to adopt an innovative and non-traditional approach to thinking.”
Shoukry, for his part, said: “We are proud to hand over the presidency of the Conference of the Parties to the United Arab Emirates and have confidence in its ability to achieve the conference’s goals.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emirati vice president and ruler of Dubai, said on X, formerly known as Twitter: “We welcome over 70,000 guests from 198 countries, including heads of states, government leaders, ministers, corporate officials, international organizations, academics, and media representatives to our country.”
He added that “the UAE will continue, guided by its visionary leadership, to embrace global efforts to safeguard our planet from the risks of climate change, ensuring that future generations inherit a world conducive to life.”
The COP28 presidency focuses on achieving ambitious negotiation outcomes through a practical agenda to transform commitments and promises into tangible progress in addressing the climate crisis.
This involves providing a comprehensive and decisive response to contribute to redirecting the world back to the right path for climate action, according to the Emirates News Agency.
The 27th session of the annual UN climate change conference took place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022.
According to the UN, Earth is now warmer by about 1.1 degrees Celsius than it was in the 19th century. The goal of the Paris Agreement is to prevent the global temperature from exceeding 1.5C (2.7F) above pre-industrial levels, as this is considered the upper limit to avoid the worst potential consequences of climate change.
The Washington Post reported that United Arab Emirates, the host of the gathering, pledged US$ 30 billion on Friday to help the Global South with the clean energy transition and other climate projects.
Just hours into COP28 on Thursday, nations approved an unprecedented fund aimed at delivering desperately needed money to vulnerable countries facing climate emergencies. And numerous countries made initial pledges, including $245 million from the European Union and its members — $100 million of that coming from Germany — and an additional $100 million from the United Arab Emirates. The United States’ special climate envoy, John F. Kerry, said the nation would “work with our Congress” and pledge $17.5 million.
Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva touted the decline in Amazon deforestation that has occurred since he took office and pledged “zero deforestation” in the Amazon by 2030.
Leaders from many parts of the world described climate crises unfolding in their own countries: Battered coastlines and unpredictable harvests in Guinea-Bissau. Damage equivalent to 2 to 3 percent of gross domestic product in Tanzania. Extreme temperatures, sandstorms, and resulting poverty and migration in Iraq. The president of the Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, said his island nation was dealing with frequent storm surges and degraded infrastructure, diverting money away from modernization, education and “giving our people a better standard of living.”
Underscoring geopolitical tensions, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan both detoured from the specific topic of climate change, speaking with alarm about the war in Gaza and the humanitarian consequences. “The incidents taking place in Gaza are a humanitarian crime, a war crime, and the perpetrators must be held accountable,” Erdogan said.
Pictures : Courtesy of COP28
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