International
Caribbean countries demand access to state-of-the-art technology
September 16 |
The economic and social transformation of developing nations, through access to cutting-edge technology and innovation, is a demand made this Saturday by several Caribbean nations at the Summit of the Group of 77 (G77) + China.
On the second and last day of the international meeting being held in Cuba, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina Johnson Smith, praised Havana for its historic role in defending the interests of the South.
During her speech at the summit, Johnson Smith referred to the global crisis facing humanity and expressed her hope that science, technology and innovation will be catalysts in the economic and social transformation of developing nations.
The minister stressed the importance of the political declaration expected to be approved at the summit, which recognizes the challenges we face and reaffirms the need for the countries of the South to act together to seek solutions to common problems.
Johnson Smith shared Jamaica’s experiences in applying science and technology to boost economic development.
She also took the opportunity to salute Cuba and acknowledge the significant progress it has made in the field of science, despite the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States.
The minister also emphasized the importance of financing to address climate change and promote development. She lamented that not all countries have equitable access to this funding, highlighting the need to address this inequality.
Minister Johnson Smith’s remarks reflect Jamaica’s recognition of the importance of science and technology in economic and social development, as well as its commitment to solidarity and cooperation among countries of the South to address common challenges.
Chet Greene, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Trade and Barbuda Affairs, expressed his condemnation of the blockade imposed on Cuba and the sanctions applied to Venezuela during the summit.
He also emphasized solidarity with Morocco and Libya, countries that have recently been affected by natural disasters.
In his speech, Minister Greene underscored the need for the G77 countries and China to insist on access to finance for development in order to achieve the goals set out in the 2030 Agenda.
He referred to the archaic international financial architecture, which does not take into account the needs of small island states in key areas such as agriculture, food, education and health.
The minister expressed concern about the restrictive policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union, which force island states to borrow and accumulate debt.
He emphasized that climate change is an issue that fundamentally affects these nations and stressed the importance of receiving assistance in this regard. He thanked China for its support and for offering acceptable loan rates.
Mr. Greene advocated access to technology at affordable prices, considering this a great support for the island nations.
At the end of his speech, the Minister recalled the passion of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro and his focus on the human mission of the summit, emphasizing the importance of guaranteeing equal rights for all human beings.
Another speaker was Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Economic Development, International Trade, Investment, Industry and Commerce of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
In his opportunity, he stated that the G77 and China Summit can be an engine for the adoption of practical actions that will drive the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and progress towards a sustainable and digital economy, including the incorporation of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence.
During his remarks, the minister highlighted St. Kitts and Nevis’ experiences in implementing technologies in key sectors such as health and education.
He underscored his nation’s desire to ensure that no one is left behind in an increasingly digital world and emphasized the need to transform the current international financial architecture in this regard.
Douglas also emphasized the Caribbean’s particular vulnerability to hurricanes and other natural disasters as a result of climate change.
He noted that the pandemic has accelerated the need for changes in social policies and the development of digital services in order to achieve sustainable development.
International
Austrian man arrested in Croatia with deceased woman as passenger in his car
A 65-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested at a border checkpoint in Croatia after attempting to enter the country in his car with a deceased woman sitting as a passenger, police announced on Tuesday.
The man was detained in a routine check in late November in Gunja, a border area separating Bosnia from Croatia, the police told AFP. Suspicious because they saw “no consciousness or movement” from the passenger, Croatian officers called a doctor, who confirmed the death of the 83-year-old woman, also Austrian, according to her identification.
The woman’s relationship to the suspect is unknown. She had died in Bosnia, and the man intended to repatriate her body to Austria to “avoid the formalities related to transporting a corpse,” according to the police. Croatian media reported that the man was her legal guardian.
Once her death was confirmed, a funeral service took charge of the body.
International
Colombian nationals arrested for human trafficking and disappearance of migrant boat
Colombian authorities arrested two nationals accused of the illegal trafficking of migrants to the United States and of endangering lives due to the disappearance of a boat with 40 people aboard, U.S. Department of Justice officials reported on Tuesday.
Hernando Manuel de la Cruz Rivera Orjuela, 52, and Luis Enrique Linero Pinto, 40, both Colombian citizens, were arrested on December 13 in Colombia at the request of the United States for their alleged involvement in a “transnational human trafficking operation,” the department said in a statement.
According to the charges, the detainees were transporting migrants to San Andrés Island in the Caribbean, where they would then be taken by boat to Nicaragua. The goal was to reach the United States through Central America and Mexico.
The accused are said to have advised the migrants on how to reach San Andrés Island, where they personally received them, arranged accommodations, and “took them to the boats that transported them to Nicaragua so they could enter the United States illegally,” the statement reads.
“These defendants put several migrants on the boat that disappeared off the coast of Nicaragua in 2023,” said Deputy Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, as cited in the statement.
Both men are “directly and personally responsible for the illicit trafficking of migrants on that vessel,” according to the indictment dated October 23.
International
Homemade landmine explosion in Michoacán kills two soldiers, injures five
Two soldiers were killed and five others were injured by the explosion of homemade landmines planted by a criminal group in a mountainous area of the Mexican state of Michoacán (west), the Secretary of Defense reported on Tuesday.
The attack occurred on Monday morning in the municipality of Cotija, a border area between Michoacán and the state of Jalisco, when the military was conducting a reconnaissance mission after receiving information about an armed camp in the area, explained Secretary General Ricardo Trevilla.
“At that moment, an improvised explosive device detonated. Unfortunately, two soldiers lost their lives, and five others were injured,” the military leader detailed. The affected soldiers were airlifted to hospitals in the region by a military helicopter, while the rest of the team continued with the reconnaissance of the area.
Trevilla stated that before the explosion, the military unit had located the dismembered bodies of three people, and upon continuing the mission, they confirmed the camp was abandoned.
Asked about the individuals responsible for placing the explosives, the general suggested they could be criminals linked to the local group Cárteles Unidos, which operates in Michoacán and uses these tactics in their territorial dispute with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the country.
Austrian man arrested in Croatia with deceased woman as passenger in his car
Colombian nationals arrested for human trafficking and disappearance of migrant boat
Homemade landmine explosion in Michoacán kills two soldiers, injures five
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