It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Reuters
Just five days after Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin led his mutinous march towards Moscow, Vladimir Putin met with him and 35 of his lieutenants at a secret Kremlin meeting.
That’s according to Putin’s own spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, who said on Monday that Prigozhin had used the occasion to explain his grievances about the Defense Ministry while also swearing eternal loyalty to the Russian Cza-, er, President.
If true, the entire Prigozhin story just got even stranger. Recall that on the day of the mutiny, Putin called Prigozhin-- whose men shot down several Russian military aircraft on their otherwise easy march towards Moscow — a traitor. In Putin’s Russia that charge normally ends in arrest or worse, not a business lunch with dozens of your friends hosted by the Kremlin.
Meanwhile there is still no clarity about where Prigozhin and his men actually are — Belarus? Russia? More to the point, while Putin and his media outlets have for good reason continued to demonize Prigozhin to the general public, the warlord himself seems to still be a free man. Or — to be more precise — he is still a man about whom there has been no announcement of arrest or liquidation.
What to make of all this? On the one hand, it hardly becomes a strongman to meet with a traitor who has led a mutiny. But on the other hand, allowing Peskov to mention the meeting at all — even two weeks later — is a signal that Putin now feels firmly enough in charge again to allow it to be known that this meeting took place. Whether his perception is correct is another matter entirely. In all, we’d wager that even stranger things will come to light in the next few days.
The U$ Navy is working on a transformational ‘Iron Man’ dive suit
A sailor with the Navy Experimental Diving Unit at Naval Support Activity Panama City, Fla., tests the capabilities of new diving gear, known as the Deep Sea Expeditionary with No Decompression Suit on Feb. 7–8. The concept aims to improve on the atmospheric diving suit by making it more flexible, lightweight and user-friendly.
(Ronnie Newsome/Navy)
The Navy is developing a new “Iron Man” diving suit that aims to enhance diver safety and allow them to work longer and in deeper waters.
The Deep Sea Expeditionary with No Decompression system, or DSEND as it is called, is a form-fitting atmospheric dive suit composed of rotating and flexible joints to provide divers with greater mobility while also keeping internal pressure steady.
“It is a hard suit that the diver crawls into,” Paul McMurtrie, Naval Sea Systems Command diving systems program manager and a retired Navy master diver, told Navy Times. “A good depiction would be an Iron Man suit for a diver underwater.”
Navy divers are tasked with deep ocean salvage of vessels and aircraft, underwater rescues, explosive ordnance disposal, ship hull maintenance and recovery of sunken equipment.
But one of the key challenges these divers face is dealing with water pressure in deep waters and decompression sickness, which happens when nitrogen doesn’t have enough time to clear from a diver’s blood due to a quick decrease in water pressure.
To complete 20 to 25 minutes of work deep underwater, a typical work session, divers now must use a saturation system, or diving bell, pressurized with gas to match the outside water pressure. The deeper they descend, the greater the danger from increasing water pressure. They then gradually ascend — stopping at intervals — to prevent nitrogen from forming bubbles in their blood or tissue resulting in decompression sickness, known as “the bends,” and other complications like inner ear injuries due to undersea exposure.
After surfacing, divers then must spend another 90 minutes in a decompression chamber, McMurtrie said. Even following these protocols doesn’t eliminate the risk of decompression sickness entirely.
But the DSEND system aims to rectify these issues.
The suit, which has been in the works for more than five years, eliminates the need for a gradual ascent to the surface because it provides one consistent atmospheric pressure. This allows divers to spend greater time underwater, according to McMurtrie.
Swiss Rainforest Tribunal To Look Into Borneo Deforestation
Representatives of the Penan people from Sarawak (Borneo) and other leading experts will come to Basel, Switzerland in August for an event to bear witness to the destruction of Borneo’s forests: The Rainforest Tribunal. The aim of the Tribunal is to take stock after decades of deforestation and ruthless exploitation of the rainforest: What are the consequences for people and the environment?
The Basel Rainforest Tribunal is a political theatre with a presidency, an investigative board, witness hearings and a high-profile jury. It serves the purpose of coming to terms with real events, place them in a larger context, and provide firsthand testimonies from the Indigenous communities of Malaysian Borneo’s remote interior.
Sarawak, a Malaysian state on the island of Borneo, was the world's largest exporter of tropical timber for 30 years. Today, the primeval forests have been destroyed except for a few remnants which have been defended by its local residents. The peak of deforestation occurred during the 33-year tenure of Abdul Taib Mahmud ("Taib") as Chief Minister of Sarawak.
What are the impacts of deforestation on the lives of Indigenous peoples in the rainforest and its unique biodiversity? Where have the billions of dollars in profits generated from deforestation gone? Why does the Sarawak government still ignore the Penan's land rights demands?
To answer these and other questions, Indigenous delegates and experts from Malaysia as well as from Switzerland, the UK, Denmark and the US will come to Basel on 15 August 2023. There they will testify as witnesses before the Basel Rainforest Tribunal. Taib, now 87 years old, has also been invited in his current role as Governor of Sarawak.
Civil action against the Bruno Manser Fund as background
The Tribunal is chaired by the Swiss economist Kaspar Müller. He is the heirs' representative of the missing Swiss environmentalist Bruno Manser, who disappeared in Sarawak in 2000. Cynthia Gabriel, an internationally renowned anti-corruption expert from Malaysia, is acting as president of the jury.
The Tribunal is being held in response to a civil lawsuit filed five years ago by Taib's daughter Jamilah Taib Murray and her Canadian real estate group (Sakto) against the Bruno Manser Fonds for alleged personal injury. The case will be heard by the Basel Civil Court on 16 August 2023.
Without more gender equality, Eastern Europe’s demographic crisis is unlikely to ease, UNFPA says on World Population Day 11 July 2023
ISTANBUL, 11 July 2023 – Without significant improvements in gender equality, the countries of Eastern Europe are unlikely to overcome the demographic crisis they are facing, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia warned on today’s World Population Day.
Decades of outmigration and low birthrates have left countries in Eastern Europe with declining and ageing populations. Efforts by governments to address the crisis by trying to boost birthrates have largely failed.
“Many people still think that if only women had more children, our demographic worries would go away,” said Florence Bauer, UNFPA’s Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
This is very unlikely to happen: no country in Europe has succeeded in bringing birthrates to anywhere near the level required to halt, or even reverse, population decrease. And attempts to get women to have more children can easily put at risk their reproductive rights and equal status in society.
“When women’s bodies are seen as mere instruments to achieve abstract population ideals, calls for limiting women’s right to make choices about children and family are often not far away,” Ms. Bauer said.
“This threatens to reverse decades of progress on gender equality, throwing women back to a status of second-class citizens, with their value primarily defined by their role in bearing, and caring for, children.”
By strengthening gender equality, rather than restricting women’s rights, countries can put themselves in a stronger position to overcome the demographic crisis they are facing. Widespread discrimination and exclusion of women in society and the economy robs countries of valuable human capital. It further weakens countries whose workforces and talent pools are already depleted by decades of outmigration. And it contributes to low birthrates and outmigration, thereby worsening the region’s demographic challenges.
The positive effects of gender equality for economies and societies are well understood and documented. The World Bank estimates that closing the gender gap in the workforce, for example, would increase per-capita GDP by almost 20 per cent on average. A recent United Nations study found that greater gender parity in the workforce would do much more to sustain economies in ageing, low-fertility societies than a return to higher fertility.
Countries can do a lot to improve gender equality and strengthen their resilience to demographic change – from introducing family policies that benefit men and women to combatting gender-based violence, from addressing social norms that place lesser value on women and girls to helping companies reform discriminatory workplace policies.
“Countries can thrive amid demographic change. But for this to happen, we must end the widespread fixation on birthrates, and by extension women’s bodies, and see it as what it is: a massive distraction preventing us from finding solutions that actually work and don’t infringe on people’s rights,” added Ms. Bauer.
With over 50 years of experience and a presence in some 150 countries worldwide, UNFPA is the go-to agency for advising governments on population policies, reproductive rights and gender equality. Its regional Demographic Resilience Programme is designed to enable countries to thrive in a world of rapid demographic change.
REST IN POWER
‘Azad found himself in the PKK’
"We will always keep internationalism alive," said HPG commander Serhad Jîhat, paying tribute to a guerrilla fighter from Germany, Azad Şerger (Thomas), who fell resisting Turkish invasion of Kurdistan in June. RÜSTEM KURTALAN BEHDINAN Sunday, 9 Jul 2023,
Azad Şerger, Thomas Johann S. from Germany was one of the three guerrillas who fell on June 15 while resisting the Turkish occupation in the region of Xakurke in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). The three guerrillas lost their lives during an action which left 18 soldiers of the Turkish army dead.
Serhad Jîhat, a commander of the People’s Defense Forces (HPG) spoke to ANF about his impressions of internationalist fighter Azad Şerger, saying the following:
"Comrade Azad had a realistic attitude in life. In a conversation he said that he found himself in the PKK and saw the PKK as the way to liberate humanity. He was attached to the PKK and the Kurdish people and considered the Kurdish people as his own people. Looking at him, he gave the impression that he had been living in Kurdistan for many years. He studied the philosophy of leader Abdullah Öcalan and was hardworking and practical. He was immediately involved in any work that came up; he was skillful and had become an expert in guerrilla life. He was disciplined and mastered many tactics. Moreover, he was constantly educating and developing himself.
Comrade Azad was a revolutionary who can serve as a role model for Kurdish youth. Kurdistan is occupied and we are denied our identity and our rights. Comrade Azad came from Germany and fought. He sacrificed himself for the Kurdish people. Kurdish youth should stand up even more for Kurdistan and their people. Due to the prevailing conditions, maybe not everyone can come to the mountains, but everyone can fight with the spirit of Comrade Azad everywhere.
The action led by Asya Kanîreş, Koçer Medya and Azad Şerger showed a willingness to sacrifice. The Turkish state would not have thought it possible that this military post would be attacked. They fought there and dealt a heavy blow to the occupiers. Thanks to them, our hope and belief in freedom have become even greater. As HPG and YJA Star, we will continue the struggle of our fallen comrades. We will always keep internationalism alive. As companions of Azad, Asya and Koçer, we promise their families that we will avenge them and follow in their footsteps to the very end."
KURDISTAN
KCDK-E holds sixth congress At the sixth congress of the KCDK-E, 180 delegates discussed current political developments and self-critically evaluated their own work for four days. In addition, a new board was elected.
ANF NEWS DESK Tuesday, 11 Jul 2023
The Kurdistan Democratic Societies Congress in Europe (KCDK-E), the largest Kurdish umbrella organisation abroad, held its sixth congress from 4 to 7 July with 180 delegates. For four days, the delegates of the associations and institutions from different countries organised in the KCDK-E discussed the current political and social situation and evaluated their own work. The leitmotif of the congress was the building of self-determined structures within the Kurdish community in Europe in the sense of Abdullah Öcalan's paradigm of a society based on grassroots democracy, women's liberation and ecology. The congress was dedicated to Kurdish activists Emine Kara (Evîn Goyî), Mîr Perwer and Abdurrahman Kızıl, who were assassinated in Paris on 23 December 2022, as well as Fazil Botan (Ahmet Şeker), a long-time commander of the Kurdish freedom struggle who died in France in June 2022 as a result of an injury.
The total campaign of destruction has been unsuccessful
The KCDK-E has today published a statement summarising the main outcomes of the discussions at the Congress, which stated the following regarding the analysis of the current political situation:
"Our Congress took place at a very important time politically. On the one hand, the 3rd World War triggered by the deepening crisis of the system of capitalist modernity continues in the Middle East, with Kurdistan as its centre. On the other hand, there is a serious polarisation in the international arena caused by the war that has expanded to a wider area with Ukraine. This process, called World War 3, continues to bring uncertainties and risks for the future.
Although the Turkish state has mobilised all its forces in this process in order to achieve results in the war against the Kurds, which aims at genocide, and despite the support it received internationally, this total campaign of destruction has been unsuccessful. With a fraudulent election scenario carried out under the supervision and guidance of the institutions affiliated to the presidential system, a government of AKP, MHP and Hizbulkontra has been formed. The plan behind this is to eliminate all the achievements of the Kurdish people in the Middle East. However, the Turkish state is in a big crisis and chaos because of its war policy. It has no possibility whatsoever to suppress the resistance of the Kurdish people and the democratic forces; on the contrary, its insistence on the war policy will deepen the crisis and chaos of the fascist regime and accelerate its collapse."
Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan remains a main objective
One of the main topics at the congress was the uncertain situation of the Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been a political hostage of the Turkish state for 24 years and is completely sealed off from the world. The last contact with him and his three fellow prisoners on the prison island of Imrali was a brief phone call with relatives in March 2021, and even his lawyers have no information about the condition of their client.
"Our congress discussed the situation of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] as a separate agenda item. The congress stated that due to the hostile policy of the Turkish state together with the forces of capitalist modernity against Rêber Apo's thoughts and the paradigm of freedom he created, there is a high risk to his health and life. There has been no information from him for 28 months. The arbitrary disciplinary sentences imposed, the denial of contact with his family and his lawyers, the exclusion of Imrali Island from all international laws and the silence of the competent international organisations in the face of these unlawful practices are unprecedented in the world. And the only reason for this is the hostility towards the thoughts of Rêber Apo and in his person towards the Kurdish people. The powers of modernity have been supporting the Turkish state's policy of denial and annihilation of the Kurdish people for a hundred years. But despite all these practices, the thoughts of Rêber Apo are spreading more and more every day all over the world, giving hope to societies and faiths living in different areas, especially to women."
Based on this analysis, the demand for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan remains a main objective of the KCDK-E. Accordingly, a plan was drawn up covering all areas of work. In addition, the activities of the past year were evaluated at the congress from the point of view of social construction. Accordingly, the KCDK-E stated that the desired level in the creation of a democratic society has not been reached and the old views and habits of the past have not been completely overcome. It has not been possible to sufficiently include the Kurds living in Europe in the system of councils and communes. On the contrary, an increasing distance is perceived between the structures of the KCDK-E and the people.
To counteract this development, the KCDK-E decided to initiate projects in the fields of education, ecology, sports, people's diplomacy, culture and communal economy.
At the end of the congress, a new board of directors as well as the members of the disciplinary committee and the supervisory board were elected. The new co-chairs of the KCDK-E are Zübeyde Zümrüt and Engin Sever.
KCDK-E protests forced evacuation of Lavrio Camp
The KCDK-E protested the forced evacuation of Lavrio Camp by police, called on the Greek government to abandon such practices and to take a stance in favor of human rights.
ANF NEWS DESK Tuesday, 11 Jul 2023
The European Kurdistan Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E) reacted to the forced evacuation of the Lavrio Camp, where the revolutionaries of Kurdistan and Turkey have been held for years, with a military operation in which hundreds of police participated, on 5 July.
The KCDK-E said in a statement: “Before the NATO Summit, which will take place today and tomorrow, the historical Lavrio camp in Greece, where Kurdish refugees were staying, was forcibly evacuated and closed. This raid, which was also condemned by Greek civil society organizations, was carried out in the presence of hundreds of police. The timing of this forced evacuation is striking. It is clear that this evacuation carried out by the right-wing Greek government under the name of re-developing relations with Turkey is also related to Sweden's candidacy to be discussed at the NATO summit to be held today and tomorrow.”
The statement continued: “It is unacceptable that Camp Lavrio is faced with such an attack. As KCDK-E, we condemn the action of the Greek government and call on them to abandon these and similar practices immediately and to take a stand for democracy and human rights against dictator Erdogan.”
From bunnies to buffalo, livestock give rural women a living
For many rural women, tending to livestock is a fast track to empowerment. Yet many struggle to access essentials, like training, finance and land, due to economic and social restrictions, among other reasons.
But with support from IFAD, rural women are caring for a myriad of creatures while earning a living and empowering themselves.
Rural life can be particularly gruelling for those who struggle with the physical rigours of farming.
In Jordan, Nadia Hammad suffers from a chronic disease while her husband has a debilitating illness which prevents him from working. This makes providing for their five children a challenge.
But Nadia has found a way to get by. With a grant from the IFAD-funded SIGHT project, she set up an egg hatchery and started breeding chickens. For the first six months, she also received small sums from SIGHT which enabled her to buy eggs to hatch and feed for the new-born chicks.
Nadia sells chickens to her neighbours and at a nearby poultry market. For the first time in a long time, she no longer feels limited. “It makes me happy that I can provide an income for my children and that I am doing something.”
Despite often being responsible for the family livestock, rural women in Zambia rarely get to decide how the financial returns are spent. This is now changing with the help of an unlikely ally: rabbits.
Rabbits are easy and cheap to rear and sell, giving a steady income and a reliable source of nutritious meat for the household. Working with the IFAD-funded E-SLIP programme, the Zambian Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock provided 400 women with ten rabbits each: two male and eight female. As these notoriously fast breeders multiply, women pass on the offspring to other women in the community.
For mother-of-six and head of the local women’s group, Violet Banda, her rabbits mean she can now afford to feed her family three meals a day instead of just one.
Growing up in the high-plateau region of the Bolivian Andes, Andrea Choque Paco was always taught that, as a woman, her role was to take care of the home. For years, she prepared for that – until fate took her another way.
As the only child in her family to leave the city she had migrated to and return to her impoverished rural community, Andrea became her father’s heir, despite her gender.
Having identified and purchased llamas through the Pro-Camélidos project, Andrea and her fellow villagers walked 400 km over the Andes to the city of Oruro to collect them. Back in their village, they cross-bred the new large llamas with hardy but small local ones.
It’s been three years since the start of this epic journey and Andrea’s herd has grown from 12 to 22 large and healthy llamas. Where once she earned US$116 per llama, today a single animal goes for US$175–188.
“I am single, but I never needed a man to help me,” says Andrea. “I alone made the bricks for my fence and my house. And, now, I have shown that I can do men and women’s tasks alike.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Nepal, Sita Kumari Khamcha’s family was pushed into debt. Yet, she now stands proudly in her buffalo enclosure, surrounded by the animals that have helped her put her family back on the road to prosperity.
In 2022, Sita Kumari signed up for training in rearing livestock through the IFAD-funded Agriculture Sector Development Programme. With credit from the programme, she invested in two buffaloes.
Today, her herd has grown, with eight buffaloes, three cows and a calf. She milks the cows twice a day and sells it to a local cooperative, earning up to US$1,000 a month. With the money, she has cleared the family’s debt and bought a car so her husband can earn a living as a driver.
“Even if I can’t read, now I can earn respect as a successful farmer,” says Sita Kumari.
Despite the many challenges they face, women all over the world are lifting themselves out of poverty, providing for their families and thriving – thanks to their loyal livestock.Publication date: 11 July 2023
Myanmar’s shadow gov’t calls for international help against junta
Bangkok, Jul 11 (EFE).- Myanmar’s shadow pro-democracy government on Tuesday called for more sanctions against the military junta, which it accuses of increasing attacks against civilians, and said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) cannot solve the country’s crisis without help of the international community.
Within the framework of the meetings of foreign ministers from ASEAN and external partners this week in Jakarta, a spokesman for Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG), made up of pro-democracy politicians and activists, told EFE that the situation in the country has worsened not only since the February 2021 coup, but as recently as the past six months.
“With no adequate action from the international community, the military junta has been emboldened to continue further what constitutes crimes against humanity with total impunity,” said the NUG via email. “Over the past six months, the military has escalated its brutal and destructive tactics.”
The shadow government, formed shortly after the 2021 coup by deposed parliamentarians and ethnic leaders, denounced that the military junta is acquiring weapons and ammunition on the international market, “resulting in an alarming increase in the targeting and killings of innocent civilians and the destruction of villages, schools, hospitals and religious buildings.”
In this sense, he welcomed sanctions against the junta approved by the European Union, the United States and other countries, but added that more of these measures are required against the military led by General Min Aung Hlaing.
The NUG also called for the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2669 passed last year, which called for an end to the violence and the release of political prisoners, including deposed de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
ASEAN agreed on a so-called Five Point Consensus with Min Aung Hlaing in April 2021, which included an end to violence, the delivery of humanitarian aid and inclusive dialogue, but the NUG pointed out the lack of progress in its implementation and the division within the bloc.
Since the signing of that pact, the junta has increased attacks against civilians and has prevented the delivery of humanitarian aid in various areas of the country.
While ASEAN countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have been tougher on the military junta, which is excluded from the bloc’s main meetings due to its lack of commitment to peace, others such as Thailand and Cambodia have leaned towards normalizing diplomatic contact with the Myanmar generals.
“The approach adopted by these countries is not in line with the ASEAN Five Point Consensus but aligns more with the military junta’s roadmap,” said the NUG, which added that any election held under the military junta would be a “sham.”
The NUG said that it maintains communication with ASEAN through a representative, but did not to respond to a question about whether it has any contact with China, the main ally of the military junta along with Russia.
The coup, which overthrew the democratic government headed by Suu Kyi, plunged Myanmar into deep political, social and economic crises and has opened a spiral of violence with new civilian militias that have exacerbated decades of guerrilla warfare.
At least 3,770 people have died in the brutal crackdown by security forces, and more than 19,400 remain in detention, according to data from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
ASEAN, founded in 1967, is made up of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
On Thursday and Friday, the bloc’s foreign ministers meet with their counterparts from countries such as the United States, Russia, China and the European Union, among others. EFE
grc/tw
UOB to close Myanmar Airways International bank accounts by Aug 15
Any remaining balances will be remitted when the five bank accounts that MAI holds with UOB are closed. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
SINGAPORE – United Overseas Bank (UOB) will close all five Myanmar Airways International (MAI) accounts by Aug 15, despite appeals by the airline to keep them open.
In a letter signed by MAI chief executive Saravanan Ramasamy and sent to business partners, the bank proposed a timeline “to allow a smooth transition and minimise disruption”.
The letter, seen by The Straits Times, also included correspondence from UOB dated June 26. It said that by July 1, no cash or cheque deposits will be allowed into MAI accounts with UOB.
The airline will also have to stop using the bank to make payments to others by July 21, neither will anyone be able to make payments or transfer funds to the bank, except those from the International Air Transport Association.
After the Aug 15 deadline, any balance in the five MAI accounts will be “remitted”, said UOB in its correspondence with the carrier.
It has also asked MAI for a list of upcoming transactions and supporting documents to “indicate the type of goods being transported through MAI’s cargos”, citing examples such as cargo manifests and security declarations.
In the meantime, UOB said it will step up its monitoring of MAI accounts, adding that there will be delays in the processing of payments and collections, although no reasons were given behind the closure of the accounts in the document.
MAI said it was making alternative arrangements, including opening accounts with DBS, among other banks.
In response to queries, a DBS spokesman said the bank is unable to provide specific details of account holders but any business that wishes to open an account will have to undergo a raft of standard checks.
The spokesman said: “These include understanding the nature and purpose of banking relations… and screening for sanctions or other negative information.
“Accounts are not opened unless these checks are satisfactory to the bank.”
Compiled by UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews, the 56-page report said Singapore banks have been “used extensively by arms dealers”. Three of them - DBS, UOB and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation - are among the banks suspected of holding “substantial reserves” belonging to Myanmar, the report said.
It added that Singapore should “provide clear guidance to banks in their jurisdictions on the need for enhanced due diligence on all transactions involving Myanmar”.
After the report’s publication on May 17, a Monetary Authority of Singapore spokesman said in response to media queries that banks have been exercising greater due diligence on all transactions that involve Myanmar entities and individuals which present higher risk.
The regulator added that the banks are alert to the risk of shell companies and concealed networks of related entities being used to obscure links to the Myanmar military, and have deployed measures such as data analytics to detect any ties.
Dr Balakrishnan added that 47 entities were initially flagged, followed by 91 others. Of those flagged, nine are no longer registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, and thus unable to carry on business or operate as legal entities here.
He said most of the initial 47 no longer have business facilities with Singapore banks either.
The Irrawaddy news outlet, which is published by Myanmar journalists exiled in Thailand, carried a report on the cancellation of MAI’s UOB accounts on Monday. The report also said MAI has ties to the ruling junta.
MAI is part of the 24 Hour Group of Companies, which is run by Mr U Aung Aung Zaw, according to information found on the 24 Hour website. The Irrawaddy report identified him as a collaborator of the regime.
It also said MAI and the Myanmar Air Force share aircraft, while the junta’s senior leadership uses the airline for international travel.
When contacted, UOB said it was unable to comment on any client relationships.
The Straits Times has contacted DBS, MAI and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more information.
Critical minerals market doubles over past 5 years to $320 billion: IEA
Demand for critical minerals is projected to more than double by 2030 and increase 3.5-fold by 2050
Duygu Alhan |11.07.2023
ANKARA
The market for critical minerals used for the energy transition reached $320 billion last year, according to a Critical Minerals Market Review report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on Tuesday.
Copper led the way with $200 million in investments, followed by lithium with $40 million and nickel with $60 million.
The market for minerals to help power electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, and other technologies that are key to the clean energy transition has doubled in size over the past five years, according to the IEA.
The report, released with a new online data explorer, shows that record growth in clean energy technologies is propelling huge demand for minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper.
From 2017 to 2022, overall demand for lithium tripled, while demand for cobalt jumped 70% and nickel by 40%.
Even though investments in critical mineral development rose 30% last year, surpassing $40 billion, the IEA found that more investments are needed to meet demand by 2030.
Among the numerous minerals, lithium saw the sharpest increase in investment, with a jump of 50%, followed by copper and nickel.
Critical minerals crucial to reaching climate goals
Critical minerals are important for the world to meet its energy and climate goals at a time when sustainable energy transitions are becoming increasingly important globally, according to IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.
However, although demand and investment are increasing, supply diversification in critical minerals remains a cause for concern. Despite progress over the past three years, China still leads the way in supplying critical minerals.
According to the IEA's announced policy scenarios, in line with the scenario accounting for the projected pace of the clean energy transition, demand for critical minerals is projected to more than double by 2030 and rise 3.5-fold by 2050.
However, in line with the IEA's net zero emissions scenario, demand for critical minerals is projected to grow 3.5-fold by 2030.
The IEA estimates that if its planned projects are realized, the supply of critical minerals will be sufficient to meet demand. However, the risk of project delays and technology-specific shortfalls leaves little room for complacency about the adequacy of supply. Thus, more projects would, in any case, be needed by 2030 in a scenario that limits global warming to 1.5 °C.
Although there are major challenges, much more needs to be done to ensure supply chains for critical minerals are secure and sustainable, Birol said.
"The IEA will continue its early leadership in this space with cutting-edge research and analysis and by bringing together governments, companies, and other stakeholders to drive progress, notably at our Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Summit on 28 September," he concluded.
Critical minerals market doubled due to clean energy demand, report says
Companies based in China lead in investment spending.
Subel Rai Bhandari for RFA 2023.07.11 Bangkok
Dela wa Monga, an artisanal miner, holds a cobalt stone at the Shabara artisanal mine near Kolwezi, DR Congo, Oct. 12, 2022.
The critical minerals market essential for clean energy technologies has doubled over the past five years, with China leading worldwide investment spending, a new report by a global energy watchdog said Tuesday.
Between 2017 and 2022, the energy sector was the main factor behind a tripling in overall demand for lithium, with a 70% jump in demand for cobalt, and a 40% rise in demand for nickel, the International Energy Agency said in its first annual Critical Minerals Market Review.
The market for energy transition minerals reached U.S.$320 billion in 2022 and is set for continued rapid growth, moving it increasingly to center stage for the global mining industry, the report said.
Clean energy tech is propelling record deployments for critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and rare earth elements. They help power electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels and other technologies key to the clean energy transition.
This infographic shows the composition of China's unrefined raw material imports by origin in 2022. Credit: IEA
The report said that investment in critical minerals development recorded a sharp uptick of 30% in 2022 – following a 20% increase in 2021 – with companies based in China nearly doubling their investment spending in 2022.
The global shift towards clean energy technologies is driving a rapid increase in demand for such minerals, with global consumption of these transition minerals projected to grow six-fold by 2040.
China has emerged as a significant player in recent years due to its dominance over the processing and refining of key minerals necessary for renewable energy.
Due to a blend of incentives and regulatory policies, China is also ahead in manufacturing clean energy technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicle (EV) batteries. It hosts about 50% of the world’s operational wind and solar capacity.
Solar panels work near wind turbines in Quy Non, Vietnam, June 11, 2023. Credit: AP
Chinese companies have been acquiring overseas mines and investing in mineral-rich countries to secure the sourcing of transition minerals to meet their rising demand.
The report said Chinese companies invested $4.3 billion between 2018 and the first half of 2021 to acquire lithium assets, twice the amount invested by American, Australian and Canadian companies combined.
Despite growth, major issues remain
Though the critical or transition minerals industry is witnessing a rapid surge in demand, opening up new avenues for growth, the Paris-based energy agency said that more work is needed to ensure diversified and sustainable supplies to support the transition.
“At a pivotal moment for clean energy transitions worldwide, we are encouraged by the rapid growth in the market for critical minerals, which are crucial for the world to achieve its energy and climate goals,” said International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol.
“Even so, major challenges remain. Much more needs to be done to ensure supply chains for critical minerals are secure and sustainable.”
The agency’s analysis found that if all planned critical mineral projects worldwide are realized, supply could be sufficient to support the national climate action pledges announced by the governments.
However, a combination of challenges, including volatile price fluctuations, supply chain constraints, and geopolitical uncertainties, have created a complex set of obstacles to overcome, posing significant risks to secure and swift energy transitions, the group said.
Lack of industry-wide progress, especially in environmental sustainability, means greenhouse gas emissions remain at high levels, with roughly the same amount being emitted per metric ton of mineral output every year, the report said.
Similarly, water withdrawals almost doubled from 2018 to 2021, while waste generation oscillated around 5 gigatons, with 2021 intensities slightly above 2018 levels.
Diversity of raw supply also remains a concern, with many new project announcements coming from already dominant players.
This infographic shows the share of top three critical mineral producing countries in total production for selected resources and minerals in 2022. Credit: IEA.
The report said the share of the top three producers in 2022 either remains unchanged or has increased further, especially for nickel and cobalt, with China and Indonesia leading the way.
While the projects in the pipeline indicate “a somewhat improved picture for mining,” the geographical concentration for refining operations is greater, with China holding half of planned lithium chemical plants and Indonesia representing nearly 90% of planned nickel refining facilities, the report said.
China has established itself as the world’s largest metal refining hub in the past few decades. However, it heavily relies on imports for large volumes of raw materials, often from a few sources; for example, China depends almost entirely on the Democratic Republic of the Congo for mined cobalt.
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