"Tidbits From TNT" Tuesday Morning 11-2-2021
TNT:
Harambe: Vietnam, UK enhance cooperation in digital economy, digital transformation | Vietnam+
(11/2/21)
Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung and the UK’s Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Chris Philp signed a Letter of Intent on cooperation in digital economy and digital transformation on November 1 (London time).
The two officials shared strategic orientations, national programmes and projects on the development of the digital economy and digital society of each country, as well as initiatives and policies in support of digital economic development.
They also exchanged opinions on possibilities to expand cooperation and strengthen coordination between management agencies on digital transformation, digital economy, digital business connection, and discussed measures to jointly develop and organise the implementation of initiatives within the framework of the UK-ASEAN Digital Innovation Partnership and the Asia-Pacific Digital Trade Network.
Philp introduced a plan to implement initiatives to expand cooperation in digital economic development with Asia-Pacific and ASEAN, through the UK-ASEAN Digital Innovation Partnership, and a programme to support ASEAN in carrying out digital trade platforms, and standards and architectural frameworks for smart building.
On the same day, Hung had a working session with representatives from the trade association techUK and the UK-ASEAN Business Council, during which he affirmed cooperation between the two countries’ digital enterprises holds much potential and needs to be expanded.
From 2022, the Ministry of Information and Communications will consider implementing Vietnam-UK digital forums, investment promotion programmes, seminars so that businesses can find partners, expand market and cooperate in projects on digital economy and digital transformation.
Hung is accompanying Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on his trip for the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and a working visit to the UK.
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Harambe: US govt dismisses UN call for removal of sanctions in Zimbabwe | Bulawayo
(11/1/21)
THE United States (US) representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield has dismissed United Nations (UN) special rapporteur Alena Douhan's report blaming "targeted sanctions" against Zimbabwe had failed the country's economy.
Responding to questions on Douhan's preliminary report, presented last Thursday to journalists in Harare after her 10-day visit to Zimbabwe, Thomas-Greenfield said the US will always resist any such criticism.
Thomas-Greenfield was speaking during a digital press briefing hosted by the US Africa Regional Media Hub.
She said the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe was not because of sanctions imposed on select individuals and companies, but poor administration and human rights violations.
"I have not seen the special rapporteur's report on Zimbabwe, but let me be clear, our sanctions target individuals and institutions that are committing human rights violations and we make every effort to ensure that those sanctions do not impact the people," Thomas-Greenfield said.
"What is happening in Zimbabwe is a result of bad policies. What is happening in Zimbabwe is a consequence of their leadership not our sanctions.
"We will always resist any criticism of us that says our sanctions are impacting people unfairly.
"You will certainly see that we will be criticised for this. We are criticised for it by the government because they know they are responsible for these actions and I regret that the special rapporteur made the decision to put this in her report."
In her report, Douhan called on the West and the US to remove targeted restrictions against Zimbabwean individuals and companies as it was worsening the country's economy.
"Over the last 20 years, sanctions and various forms of over-compliance with sanctions have had an insidious ripple effect on the economy of Zimbabwe and on the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, including access to health, food, safe drinking water and sanitation, education and employment," reads Douhan's report.
However, the report has been criticised by the civic society umbrella body, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum and the opposition MDC Alliance.
They accuse Douhan of ignoring their submissions.
MDC Alliance Vice President Tendai Biti told journalists Friday, Douhan's the report was released a few minutes after the main opposition party had presented their views to her.
Biti said the MDC Alliance had since written to the UN headquarters in New York, US registering their objections over Douhan's report and her conduct while in Zimbabwe.
https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-211090.html
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Tishwash: Integrity intends to conclude memoranda of understanding with 5 countries to recover Iraq's smuggled money
The Federal Integrity Commission announced, on Tuesday, its intention to conclude memoranda of understanding with a number of Arab and friendly countries, to open horizons for cooperation and exchange of information on wanted persons and their money, and to organize requests for legal assistance to recover them and smuggled funds belonging to Iraq.
Moataz Al-Abbasi, Director General of the Recovery Department at the authority, said that "the basic criteria that are set for concluding memoranda of understanding are opening up prospects for cooperation, exchanging information about wanted persons and their money, and organizing requests for legal assistance. , according to "Al-Sabah".
He revealed that "the commission is in the process of concluding a number of memorandas with countries, including the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Lebanon, the State of Kuwait, the Republic of Turkey and Poland, and the effort continues to move towards other countries to conclude such memoranda and enhance cooperation with them," stressing that "the priority remains in choosing countries according to belief." And knowledge of the possibility of smuggled corruption funds in those countries, as well as a number of files that are supposed to be resolved.”
He added that "the file for the recovery of wanted persons and smuggled money is a file that includes a set of priorities and documents, the most important of which is the request for international assistance, which is submitted to a country in which the accused or convict is present, requesting seizure of the money of the convict or the accused in those countries. The file is prepared in the recovery department, and sent to These countries are through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the authority concerned with responding to such requests.”
He explained, "The file includes documents in which the judicial decision in absentia includes paragraphs related to the amount of damage to state funds and the confirmation that it is outside Iraq, and an attempt to determine the destination of his travel, conduct financial investigations and find out his accounts or money abroad. This file is prepared in cooperation between the recovery department and the agencies concerned with airports and ports." Borders, Passports, Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Office, Arab and International Police, and after sending a request for legal assistance, that country may accept it or reject it or ask for certain clarifications. for the purpose of bringing an action in that country to recover the money.”
Regarding the returns and results of the (Looted Funds Recovery) conference, which was held recently in Baghdad, the Director General of Recovery confirmed that “the general framework of the conference is scientific, in which working papers and research specialized in recovering funds were presented by official and scientific bodies and specialized researchers, and the conference was entitled (Recovering the looted funds). How - procedures, difficulties and available means), as experiences and viewpoints were exchanged in developing money recovery mechanisms and following the best ways and mechanisms that the United Nations Convention against Corruption portrayed as the international agreement on this issue.
And he indicated that "a number of recommendations amounting to (18) were also reached, in the interest of developing work on money recovery and encouraging countries to work among themselves for the purpose of finding non-traditional ways in the matter of money recovery and building confidence between countries and good faith in implementing international obligations." .
Al-Abbasi explained that "the holding of the conference helped in the presence of many ministers and relevant authorities in the various participating countries in opening side dialogues with the countries that must cooperate with them for the purpose of building confidence in preparation for activating the recovery files and discussing possible means to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of activating the requests for legal assistance related to the recovery of funds and assets." Finance ink
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