World News February: Doha talks on Afghanistan, human rights in Belarus, Rohingya refugees in India, global trade grows

This morning, we heard the views of members of Afghan civil society, women and men, who provided us special envoys and the UN with valuable insights into the rights of women and minorities in the country, girls' education, media, business and many others. issues, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, told the media in Doha, emerging from the Third Meeting of Special Envoys for Afghanistan.

They shared their views and perspectives on the Doha process, as well as the engagement between Afghanistan and the international community at large… our exchange was extremely important and useful, she added.

The ongoing talks in Doha were the first time the de facto Taliban authorities participated in the discussions. They did not participate in the first and second rounds, held in May 2023 and February 2024.

The consultation is based on proposals outlined in an independent review on an integrated and coherent approach carried out by Feridun Sinirliuluin line with Security Council Resolution 2679.

Dialogue built on honesty

Ms. DiCarlo emphasized that this is still the beginning of this process and it will take time and patience.

She added that there is a need to build trust from all parties, stressing that the dialogue must be built on honesty and on the principles of those UN Charter and the various human rights treaties to which Afghanistan is a party.

However, helping all the people of Afghanistan remains the main objective, she said.

Responding to questions about whether she thinks human rights and civil rights are an internal issue in Afghanistan, Ms. DiCarlo noted that she made it clear during the talks that Afghanistan has signed a number of international treaties and agreements that focus on human issues and civil. rights, and Afghanistan as a state is bound by these agreements, so it is not an internal matter.

Rights experts call on Belarus to pardon elderly in prison

Independent UN human rights experts appealed to the Belarusian authorities pardoning or expunging the sentences of the elderly imprisoned for political charges.

In a press release, experts including Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus said they received a list of 63 people over the age of 60, including 15 women, imprisoned for genuine opposition or political suspicion.

Most are serving sentences of up to 25 years, some are in custody and others face mandatory psychiatric care. Some detainees suffer from chronic illness, acute illness or disability.

According to various sources, prisoners included in these lists are subjected to various forms of ill-treatment, including incommunicado detention and denial of prompt and adequate medical care, as well as restrictions on correspondence and money transfers, experts said.

Last month, the Belarusian parliament proposed an amnesty for those of retirement age, but it would not apply to prisoners convicted of crimes such as grave violation of public order, harming national security, defamation of the President or discrediting Belarus.

Which are often misused for politically motivated prosecutions, experts pointed out.

They also noted the incompatibility of Belarus' anti-terrorism and extremism laws with international human rights law and reiterated their call for Belarus to fulfill its international obligations and release all persons unjustly convicted for exercising their human rights. their human

Appointed from the center of Geneva Human Rights Council and is part of it Special procedures, Special Rapporteurs are mandated to monitor and report on country or thematic human rights situations. They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.

Rights committee urges India to stop detention of Rohingya refugees

of Commission for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination appealed to India that stop the arbitrary mass detention of Rohingya refugees and refrain from forced deportation and return to Myanmar, where they may face serious human rights violations and abuses.

The committee said it was concerned about reports of arbitrary mass detention of Rohingya, including children, in substandard conditions and in some cases without due process or access to legal representation.

He expressed alarm at reports of several cases of forced deportation and returns to Myanmar between 2018 and 2022, as well as the continued risk of deportation of the remaining Rohingya to India, in violation of the principle of non-refoulement.

He also urged India to end the arbitrary mass detention of the Rohingya and only apply the immigration ban as a last resort for the shortest possible period and provide the detained Rohingya with legal guarantees and access in legal advice.

The Committee further called on India to end racial discrimination against the Rohingya and remove restrictions that prevent them from enjoying their rights without discrimination, particularly with regard to access to employment, health and education, particularly by ensure the issuance of long-term and other visas. identity document.

of COMMITTEE is a body composed of 18 independent experts that monitors the implementation of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination from its party states.

Its members are elected by States Parties to the Convention and serve in their personal capacity, independent of the UN and governments.

Global trade increases in early 2024, adding $350 billion in goods and services

Global trade trends turned positive in the first quarter of 2024, with the value of trade in goods increasing by around 1 percent quarter-on-quarter and in services by around 1.5 percent, the UN trade body said. and development (UNCTAD) reported.

Growth was driven by positive trade dynamics for the United States and developing countries, particularly large emerging Asian economies, according to UNCTAD. Global Trade Update for July 2024.

This is expected to add approximately $250 billion in goods trade and $100 billion in services trade in the first half of 2024 compared to the second half of 2023, he said.

UNCTAD also reported that global forecasts for gross domestic product (GDP) growth remain at around 3 percent for 2024, with the short-term outlook for trade being cautiously optimistic.

If positive trends continue, global trade in 2024 could reach almost $32 trillion, but is unlikely to surpass its first record level in 2022, he added.

The challenges continue

The report also expressed concern over the impact of geopolitical and political challenges.

Despite these positive trends, the outlook for 2024 is tempered by potential geopolitical issues and industrial policy impacts, UNCTAD said.

Geopolitical tensions, rising transport costs and emerging industrial policies could reshape global trade patterns, he added, warning that a growing focus on domestic industries and trade restrictions could hamper the growth of international trade.