Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan’s National Statement at the 78th U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) on 18th Sept 2023 called on members to accept and respect diversity in views in a multilateral system and urgently asked for an inclusive global dialogue on AI.

Following is the full text of the National Statement presented by Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan:

NATIONAL STATEMENT BY MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
DR VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN TO THE 78^TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, NEW YORK
22 SEPTEMBER 2023

Building a Future-Proof United Nations and Multilateral System

Mr President

1 I congratulate His Excellency Dennis Francis on assuming the Presidency of the 78^th session of the General Assembly. We are delighted that a fellow member of the Forum of Small States (FOSS) has been elected to the highest office in the General Assembly. I also thank His Excellency Csaba Kőrösi for his adept stewardship of the 77^th session during a very challenging year.

2 Our world is a troubled place.  The COVID-19 pandemic was a global test of equity, of governance, and of preparedness. But quite frankly, our world came up short. We are still dealing with its sequelae – in healthcare and education, and the long-term impact on our world economy and on global solidarity.   

3 The recent natural disasters in fact underline our common vulnerability as nations on the same planet. Nature is a force that does not respect borders. Our hearts go out to the victims of the earthquakes in Morocco and Turkey, and the floods in Libya. There are looming food and water crises. And if we miss our climate change targets, we will heap even more misery upon ourselves and on future generations.

4 Beyond the devastation caused by pandemics and natural disasters, we have created purely man-made tragedies as well. The Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to rage on. It is a full-frontal assault on the UN Charter and a flagrant violation of international law. Global food security has been aggravated by the war in Ukraine as well as by climate change, which will add to inflationary pressures everywhere. In ASEAN, in my part of the world, the violent coup in Myanmar has deprived the people of Myanmar of the peace and development that they so richly need and deserve. Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in Myanmar.

5 This perfect storm is aggravated by political dysfunction almost everywhere – fractious hyper polarised domestic politics, the disillusionment with globalisation and multilateralism, and the lack of strategic trust between countries, and if I may add, especially between the superpowers. This dysfunction hobbles our ability to deal with the planetary crises that go beyond the ability of any single superpower or even blocs of countries to overcome. In fact, all countries need to work together to build coherent and realistic multilateral solutions.

6 Singapore is a tiny, vulnerable, open island city state, and therefore we have to strongly support the United Nations and the indispensable rules-based multilateral system. It provides a stable framework for us to thrive, to exercise our autonomy, and to chart our own future for our own people.

7 I was glad to see the urgent focus on these issues during this year’s High-Level Week. The SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Summit shows that we have fallen behind our targets.  The Climate Ambition Summit, the three High-Level Meetings on Health, and the preparatory meeting for the Summit of the Future help us to re-calibrate the multilateral system. 

8 I wish to put forward three principles that should guide our collective efforts to make our multilateral system more resilient and ready for the future.

9 First, we should reaffirm our commitment to building a multilateral system that reflects our enlightened long-term interests as a global community. Unfortunately, the world today is marked by even sharper geopolitical rivalry. Free trade is in retreat, and supply chains are being fragmented. This unravels the gains that we have painstakingly made over many decades by competing and contributing to a common global technology stack.

10 We must avoid turning competition into a zero-sum game. Whether we are addressing climate change, outer space, or technology standards, it is important for all countries to balance our national interests with the collective long-term interests of our global community.

11 This means that Member States need to work constructively and in good faith within the multilateral framework, keeping our enlightened common interests in mind. The need for compromise and mutual understanding is a feature; it is not a bug of the multilateral system. In the face of the planetary challenges that we face, there is no winner who can take it all. 

12 Second, UN Member States should accept and respect the diversity of experiences, systems, concepts and ideas within the multilateral system. This is borne out of our rich tapestry of cultures, religions and social norms.We must recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all template for how a country should organise itself. No one has a monopoly on culture or wisdom, and we should resist the arrogant temptation to remake others in our own image.

13 The rich diversity of peoples and nations everywhere, in fact, can lead to fertile cross-fertilisation of ideas, and development of even more policy options to deal with the many challenges that we face. 

14 The UN is an indispensable platform for countries to share our experiences in areas from sustainable development to human rights, and where we can learn from one another. The Summit of the Future gives us an opportunity to strengthen the multilateral system by taking into account diverse points of view and building a common framework for our future.

15 The third point I want to make is that in the midst of the digital revolution and especially the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we must prepare for both the risks, and also distribute the benefits of these technologies more fairly. In the past year, generative AI – ChatGPT – has captured popular imagination. Actually, we are already on the verge of the next stage – AI agents with the ability to negotiate and transact with each other and with humans. Often, you would not be able to tell the difference. This has profound implications on all our societies, on our politics, and our economies everywhere. Autonomous weapon systems without human fingers on the trigger are already with us – witness the wars around us.

16 As Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening of the General Assembly this week, “generative AI holds much promise, but it may also lead us across a Rubicon and into more danger than we can control”.  This is especially so in the theatre of war and peace.

17 AI will fundamentally disrupt our assumptions on military doctrines and strategic deterrence. For example, the speed at which AI-enabled weapons systems can be almost instantaneously deployed and triggered will dramatically reduce decision times for our leaders. There will be many occasions when humans may not even be in the firing loop, but we will be on the firing line. This would inevitably heighten the risk of unintended conflicts, or the escalation of conflicts. 

18 During the Cold War, the sense of “mutually assured destruction” imposed mutual restraint – although we now know, in fact, there were several close shaves. This spectre of nuclear escalation has not disappeared. Yet, the advent of Artificial Intelligence in conflict situations has actually increased the risks exponentially. So, we must start an inclusive global dialogue and we must start it at the United Nations. We need to urgently consider oversight of such systems and the necessary precautions to avoid miscalculations.

19 In fact, this is just one facet of many as we focus our minds on how to harness the potential and to manage the risks of AI. Singapore welcomes the Secretary-General’s decision to convene a High-Level Advisory Body on AI to explore these critical issues.

20 Singapore is optimistic that the UN and the multilateral system will be up to the task of establishing norms on these fast-emerging critical technologies. The UN Open-Ended Working Group on ICT Security, which happens to be chaired by Singapore, has made steady progress and this offers some useful lessons for other areas, including AI. Singapore commits to continue to support all efforts to promote international cooperation and to strengthen global rules, norms and principles in the digital domain. We also look forward to the adoption of the Global Digital Compact at the Summit of the Future in 2024.

21 The reality is that many nations are not ready for the wave of digital transformation sweeping our world. We should not forget that even today, more than two billion people still have no internet access, and we need to work far harder to bridge that digital divide.  As a tiny city state, Singapore is committed to supporting other small states by raising awareness, sharing experiences and building human capacity everywhere. In 2022, Singapore launched Digital FOSS, a platform for members of the Forum of Small States to learn from and to mutually support each other in the area of digital technologies. There is no doubt that these technologies are a powerful accelerator for sustainable development in developing countries, and all the more so in small states like us.  But many developing countries and small states will need help to deploy and to harness the benefits of these technologies.

Mr President,

22 As the most inclusive and universal body in the world, the United Nations has to be at the centre of our collective efforts to address these global challenges. We can do so – as shown in fact by the recent adoption of the legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. I am referring to the BBNJ Agreement (Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction).

23 Singapore is honoured that Ambassador Rena Lee served as the President of the BBNJ Intergovernmental Conference. She worked tirelessly and closely with all delegations to bring that ship safely to harbour. This week, I was proud to sign the BBNJ Agreement on behalf of Singapore, and Singapore intends to ratify this as soon as possible. We call on all UN Member States to sign and to ratify the BBNJ Agreement so that it can enter into force early, and I am glad that as of today, I believe 81 Member States have signed the BBNJ Agreement.

24 We need to bring this same constructive spirit to the other areas of the global commons, AI, cyber security, digital technology even outer space. We do not lack policy ideas on strengthening multilateralism, but we need commitment and action. The High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism has put forward six “transformational shifts” which will make the UN and the multilateral system future-ready. For many small states, our survival, our very success requires a strong United Nations and an effective multilateral system founded on the UN Charter and international law, and complied with by all states in the world. The Forum of Small States, chaired by Singapore, will continue to work with all states, large and small, to make the UN stronger and ready for the future. 

Mr President,

25 The Summit of the Future next year will be a crucial milestone to re-position the United Nations and the multilateral system for our future. This Summit is also an opportunity to further accelerate the implementation of the SDGs. Singapore will work closely with all UN Member States and we will contribute constructively to this process.  We call on all delegations everywhere to take a pragmatic and action-oriented approach towards the Summit. It is not too late for us to work together to build a better, safer and fairer world for all countries and especially for our future generations. Thank you very much.

[1] The six transformative shifts are: (a) rebuild trust in multilateralism; (b) planet and people; (c) global finance; (d) digital and data governance; (e) peace and prevention; and (f) anticipatory action.

Source: Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs

INDIA completed its Presidency of the G20 at the Summit in New Delhi that took place from 9th to 10th September 2023 on the theme “One Earth, One Family and One Future”.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had welcomed more than 30,000 delegates from 125 countries who included Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. PM Lee spoke at two “One Future” sessions in New Delhi that dealt with subjects on new technologies specifically hydrogen as well as carbon capture. He also spoke on new financing models to source investment funds for combating climate change that included exploring a “blended” finance platform that involves the public, private and philanthropic sectors.

The Summit represented the culmination of all the work done this past year and resulted in several substantial outcomes that demonstrated India’s convening power and acceptance of its ideas on the global stage. In a NewsX report India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar (pictured here left) said “Our G20 presidency is special…it is different. We succeeded in taking the G20 out of the capital city and its convention centres and made it a mass movement. It was truly a people’s G20, and Jan Bhagidari (public participation) was the central feature of our presidency.” One major achievement of the Summit was the acceptance of the African Union as one of the permanent members of the G20 Group.

• Speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at Session I ‘One Earth’ at G20 New Delhi Summit (9th Sep 2023) click

• Speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at Session III ‘One Future’ at G20New Delhi Summit (10th Sep 2023) click

This year’s reception focussed on the many transformations the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is undergoing and a call for Singapore businesses to participate in the development of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030

THE Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia held its 93rd Independence Day celebrations on 21st September 2023 at the Shangri-La Hotel’s stately Island Ballroom with the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Singapore H.E. Abdullah Mohammed A. Almadhi welcoming guests including the Singapore Government’s representative to the event, Senior Minister of State Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Manpower, Mr Zaqy Mohamad. He was accompanied by two Members of Parliament Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye.

In his welome speech to guests Ambassador Abdullah Mohammed Almadhi said the momentous occasion of the 93rd National Day not only marks the progress and achievements of the Kingdom but also an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable journey of the country towards Vision 2030. Under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom has embarked on an ambitious path of transformation.

The Saudi Ambassador highlighted how Vision 2030 sets forth a comprehensive roadmap to diversify the economy, empower its citizens, and promote a vibrant society guided by Islamic values: “As we gather here today, it is important to recognize the significant strides made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia towards realizing this vision. The Kingdom has demonstrated unwavering committment in all fields – to progress and prosperity. In this journey towards the 2030 Vision, Singapore has been a valued partner and a source of inspiration. The strong and mutually beneficial cooperation between our two nations has paved the way for meaningful exchanges in various fields, including trade, investment, technology and culture.”

The Ambassador singled out one of the most exciting and ambitious projects of the 2030 Vision is the development of Neom City – a futuristic and transformative giga project, is set to become a beacon of innovation, sustainability, and economic prosperity in the region.

The Ambassador also touched on the subjects of Energy and the Saudi Kingdom’s membership of the G20 Membership. Saudi Arabia has made significant strides in the field of energy with commendable efforts made to actively pursue renewable energy sources, investing in cutting-edge technologies, and implementing innovative initiatives to promote sustainability. Saudi Arabia’s participation as a G20 member has been marked by proactive engagement and a commitment to global cooperation. As a member, Saudi Arabia has actively contributed to discussions on key global issues, including economic stability, sustainable development, and international trade.

Ambassador AlMadhi ended his address by expressing: “My deepest gratitude to our friends in Singapore for their partnership and friendship” and inviting all: “Together, we can build a brighter future for our nations and leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

Murad Uzakov, the Head of the Center for Regional Studies of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies (under the office of the President of Uzbekistan) on measures by the UN and Uzbekistan for regional security and stability in Central Asia

IN recent years, the leadership of Uzbekistan, implementing a radically new proactive foreign policy strategy, has paid particular attention to building practical cooperation with international organizations. One of the priority areas is the development and strengthening of multifaceted interaction with the United Nations and its specialized structures.

In particular, today Tashkent is comprehensively expanding its contacts with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia (UNRCCA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other United Nations agencies. At the same time, in its interaction with them, it attaches particular importance to ensuring security and stability in Central Asia and enhancing its role in the system of international relations.

Among other things, thanks to Uzbekistan’s intensified partnership with the UN, significant progress has been made in establishing in Central Asia a new atmosphere of mutually beneficial cooperation based on mutual trust and good-neighborliness.

As a consequence, the consolidation of the region’s states has significantly strengthened, and they have become more active in proposing and implementing joint regional and international initiatives, programs and projects aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of Central Asia.

Thus, if in the period from 1991 to 2016 about 20 resolutions were adopted at the UN on the initiative of the Central Asian states, 18 resolutions have been adopted since 2016.

The documents reflected such important issues as sustainable development, security, peace and confidence-building in the region, water conservation, climate change and ecology, and prevention of radiation threats. The protection of youth rights and promotion of tolerance took an important place.

UNGA Resolutions Passed
At the same time, Uzbekistan is becoming an active participant in promoting the interests of Central Asia on the UN platform. Thus, in 2018-2022 on the initiative of our country six UNGA resolutions were adopted, including “Strengthening regional international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian region” (June 2018), “Education and religious tolerance” (December 2018), “On declaring the Aral Sea region as a zone of environmental innovation and technology” (May 2021).

In addition, a resolution was adopted in the framework of the UNHRC: “On the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the human rights of young people” (October 2021) and at UNESCO – “The Khiva Process” (November 2021) following the International Forum “Central Asia at the Crossroads of World Civilizations” (14-16 September 2021, Khiva).

The Code of Voluntary Commitments of States during the pandemic, developed by the Uzbek side, was circulated as an official document of the UNGA as Uzbekistan’s contribution to the global efforts to combat COVID-19.

Moreover, the Tashkent and Bukhara declarations, which call on the international community to expand multi-confessional and intercultural dialogue and support multilateral cooperation on preventing and countering terrorism, were also recognized as official UN documents.

The totality of all resolutions and other documents initiated by the Central Asian countries of Central Asia within the framework of the UN has created, undoubtedly, a serious foundation in uniting the efforts of the states of the region and the international community in ensuring the political, economic, social and environmental security of Central Asia.

The following factors have played a crucial role in the successful promotion of Uzbekistan’s policy of interaction with the UN:

• First, the intensive diplomacy of the head of Uzbekistan and intensification of political dialogue within the UN.
Thanks to the political will of the President of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev, Tashkent has been actively participating in the activities of the UN General Assembly and specialized agencies since 2016. In particular, the head of our country has attended and addressed the 72nd, 75th and 76th sessions of the UNGA, as well as the High-Level Segment of the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

During this period, Sh. Mirziyoyev held 3 meetings with UN Secretary General A. Guterres (in June and September 2017 and April 2019), which allowed to comprehensively discuss and agree on effective measures to develop mutually beneficial cooperation, primarily on issues of regional security and sustainable development of Central Asia.

It should be noted that on 10-11 November 2017 in Samarkand, during the international conference held under the auspices of the UN “Central Asia: One Past and Common Future, Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Mutual Prosperity”, the Central Asian states stated the need for closer and coordinated cooperation of the Central Asian countries in the prevention of new challenges and threats, as well as their interaction with international and regional organizations and partner countries. At the same time, the need to strengthen the central role of the UN in combating challenges and threats to security in the region was emphasized.

In the communiqué adopted at the end of the conference, the delegates appealed to all UN agencies and other international organizations, as well as interested partner states of the Central Asian countries to increase and strengthen cooperation with the states of the region on issues of regional security and sustainable development, in accordance with the priorities, interests, needs and national programs of the Central Asian countries, providing them with the necessary technical, expert, legal, financial and other assistance.

Moreover, within the framework of the Samarkand SCO summit held in September 2022, the President of Uzbekistan S.M. Mirziyoyev met with UN Deputy Secretary General R. DiCarlo and adopted a “Roadmap” on measures for further development of practical interaction.

Also in 2022 and January 2023. UN Deputy Secretary-General A. Mohammed visited Uzbekistan.

Eleven Plans of Practical Measures to develop Uzbekistan’s cooperation with the United Nations and its specialized agencies have been adopted and are being implemented, which undoubtedly also contribute to increasing Central Asia’s resilience to external challenges.

• Second, advancing a constructive agenda to combat terrorism, drug trafficking and other transnational challenges.
Today Uzbekistan is a party to 14 major universal international legal instruments and actively participates in global efforts to counter international terrorism.

Our country was among the first to support the fight against this threat, including the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GTS), which has become a comprehensive, collective and universally recognized legal framework for uniting national and international efforts to combat terrorism.

Uzbekistan became an active participant of the Joint Action Plan for Central Asia approved in 2011. The Joint Plan of Action for Central Asia on the implementation of the UNGASS. The implementation of this Plan has made it possible to strengthen regional consensus on common principles and approaches to combating terrorism, create effective mechanisms for cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally, build counter-terrorism capacity and strengthen the security of the region.

The logical continuation of practical activity in this direction was the holding in 2022 in Tashkent of the International High-Level Conference “Regional cooperation of Central Asian countries within the framework of the Joint Action Plan for the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy”, proposed by the President of Uzbekistan Sh.Mirziyoyev at the 75th session of the UNGA.

This conference helped to identify new priorities and areas of cooperation and to give a new impetus to regional cooperation in combating the threats of extremism and terrorism. The Tashkent Declaration and the updated Joint Plan of Action for the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia will be extremely important for the further sustainable development of the region.

At the same time, the effective realization of the tasks set today requires strengthening the mechanisms of continuous monitoring and coordination of interaction between the countries of Central Asia. In this regard,
in October 2022, Uzbekistan and the UN Counter-Terrorism Office signed a “Road Map”. Currently, within the framework of the Roadmap, work has begun on opening an office of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office in the region.

At the same time, in the context of growing cyberterrorism and to effectively counter the use of digital technologies for terrorist purposes, Uzbekistan has intensified its efforts to implement the UN CTU Program on Cyber Security and New Technologies in Central Asia, adopted in 2020. The UN CTU’s Program on Cyber Security and New Technologies in Central Asia adopted in 2020.

In particular, on 25-26 September this year, for the first time in Tashkent, together
with the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, the organization of a regional seminar on relevant topics is planned. During the event, the parties intend to discuss the creation of a virtual network on cyberterrorism in Central Asia.

Uzbekistan also actively cooperates with the UN and its specialized agencies in countering transnational drug and crime threats.

In particular, there is effective cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in the implementation of specific practical projects designed to strengthen national and regional capacities. At the initiative of Tashkent
In 2021, the Regional Program for Central Asia for 2022-2025 was developed and signed jointly with UNODC, which laid a solid foundation for work in this direction.

Uzbekistan also intends to work with UNODC to develop a Joint Anti-Drug Action Plan covering the countries of Central and South Asia.

One of the important institutions in countering drug-related crime is the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center for Combating Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, which is successfully functioning in Tashkent. The Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center for Combating Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC), which has significantly increased the level of coordination and cooperation in this area.

Efforts in this regard were continued by the agreement reached in 2021 between the President of Uzbekistan
The agreement between the President of Uzbekistan and the Executive Director of UNODC in 2021, and the opening of the UNODC in May 2023. The UNODC Information Center will be opened in Tashkent in May 2023. Its main objectives are to help strengthen the state borders of the Central Asian countries bordering Afghanistan and to counter illicit trafficking in narcotics, firearms, human trafficking and illicit financial flows.

In addition, a mechanism has now been established for the UN Counter-Terrorism Office and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to conduct step-by-step training courses on combating terrorism, violent extremism, organized crime and the financing of terrorism for the country’s law enforcement officers.

• Thirdly, increased cooperation on establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan has always been in favor of resolving the situation in Afghanistan exclusively through peaceful political and diplomatic means.

At the same time, Uzbekistan’s pragmatic and constructive policy on Afghanistan has acquired a holistic, comprehensive and dynamic character with the election of Shavkat Mirziyoyev as President of the country. Thus, Tashkent has intensified its efforts to resolve the Afghan issue and continues to advocate coordination of efforts of all countries to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan within the framework of the United Nations.

It is important to note that in all the speeches of the Head of Uzbekistan at the UN platforms, the key place is given to the settlement of the Afghan problem, specific initiatives are put forward to assist in achieving stability in this country. They also demonstrate Tashkent’s commitment to preserving the central role of the United Nations in resolving the Afghan issue and interest in uniting the efforts of the entire international community to establish lasting peace in this country.

In particular, Mirziyoyev repeatedly stated on the UNGA platform that “the issues of establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan should remain in the center of attention of the UN” and “it is necessary to strengthen the role of the UN in resolving the situation in Afghanistan, and its voice should sound louder than ever”.

Also, Uzbekistan’s important contribution in this direction was the holding of the 2018 Tashkent High-Level International Conference on Afghanistan “Peace Process, Security Cooperation and Regional Cooperation” under the auspices of the United Nations, which marked a new stage in mobilizing the efforts of the international community to resolve the Afghan problem.

In turn, the High-Level International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities” consolidated the efforts initiated by our country.

A characteristic feature of Uzbekistan’s Afghan policy is that Tashkent views Afghanistan not only in terms of security threats, but also as a country that can act as a bridge between Central and South Asia and strengthen trade and economic ties between the two regions.

Moreover, Tashkent continues to urge the UN and the international community not to reduce the volume of international assistance and attention in order to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a source of permanent threats again.

That is why today Uzbekistan is taking active steps to consolidate the efforts of the entire international community in establishing Afghanistan as a peaceful, stable and prosperous State free of terrorism, war and drugs. In particular, the Uzbek city of Termez, bordering Afghanistan, is carrying out an important mediation mission, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid sent by foreign countries to that country.

Thus, the international logistics hub in Termez “Cargo Center”, opened in 2021 on the initiative of President Sh. Mirziyoyev under the auspices of the UN, currently serves as the main point for sending humanitarian aid from the UN to Afghanistan.

In two years, the World Food Program, UNICEF and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs have delivered more than 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan through it.

In addition, today Uzbekistan is interested in developing a unified international approach to the Afghan question, which would make it possible to bring together the positions of various States on Afghanistan,
and also contribute to the country’s early recovery from the current difficult socio-economic situation.

The initiative of President Sh. Mirziyoyev is aimed at this purpose on the formation of a high-level International Negotiating Group under the auspices and with the support of the United Nations. Its implementation will make it possible to strengthen international consensus on key issues of settling the situation in Afghanistan and keep the Afghan issue in the center of attention of the world community.

That, in turn, will also mobilize funds from the international community for infrastructure and socio-economic projects that will lay the foundation for a long-term and lasting peace in Afghanistan.

• Fourth, progressive engagement with the UN on youth policy support.
In the context of population growth in Central Asian countries, where young people make up a significant demographic group – about 30%, Uzbekistan, realizing the growing demand from them for socialization, education and employment, is actively building cooperation with the United Nations in this area. At the same time, an effective youth policy is an essential condition for ensuring stability and sustainable development in Central Asia.

That is why President Sh. Mirziyoyev emphasizes positioning young people not as risks, but as agents of positive change and a source of new opportunities for sustainable development of CA countries and the region as a whole.

In this context, much work has been done in recent years. In particular, in August 2020, the Samarkand International Forum on Youth Rights was successfully held under the auspices of the UN, which resulted in the adoption of the Samarkand Resolution “Youth 2020: Global Solidarity, Sustainable Development and Human Rights”. The document defines the important role that youth can play in promoting peace and security, sustainable development and human rights, and the importance of active, meaningful and inclusive youth participation in decision-making, especially in Central Asian countries.

Also in December 2022, a Global Forum on “Human Rights Education” was organized in Samarkand together with international partners: the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and its Regional Office, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNODC and others, a Global Forum on “Human Rights Education” was organized. It resulted in the adoption of the Samarkand Plan of Action for 2023-2025 on the development of human rights education, which defines the tasks, proposals and recommendations facing the international community, national governments, educational and scientific institutions and civil society institutions for the effective implementation of human rights education and training. It is important to note that the initiative to hold this forum was put forward by the President of Uzbekistan at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly and the 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The resolution “Education and Religious Tolerance” adopted by the UNGA on the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Mr. Sh. Mirziyoyev is a great achievement. The document is designed to ensure universal access to education, eliminate illiteracy, and promote tolerance, mutual respect and mutual understanding in order to strengthen security and peace.
and mutual understanding for the sake of strengthening security and peace.

In addition, Tashkent is actively pursuing an initiative to adopt the UN International Convention on the Rights of Young People, which should enshrine the need for the active participation of young people in democratic processes, the right to comprehensive family support and protection, the right to public support and care, legal personality and equality before the law, to participate in decision-making at the national and international levels, and to protection from violence and exploitation.

Undoubtedly, the measures taken by Uzbekistan to safeguard the interests of young people make it possible to overcome challenges and open up opportunities to harness the potential of young people, which in turn increases the resilience and strengthens the security of Central Asia.

• Fifth, consolidation of efforts to address regional climate change challenges.
At present, the CA region is increasingly experiencing the consequences of global climate change. At the same time, climate change contributes to the aggravation of water scarcity, land degradation and desertification, increasing number of natural disasters, which becomes a critical problem for the region and poses a serious threat to sustainable development.
and poses a serious threat to sustainable development.

According to UN data, Central Asia is warming faster than other parts of the world. While the average global temperature has increased by 1.1°C since 1900, in our region the average annual temperature has increased by 1.6°C, i.e. from 13.2°C to 14.8°C on average. At the same time, according to forecasts, the air temperature may increase by another 1.5°-3°C until 2050.

In this regard, as well as realizing the importance of the problem and the need to take effective measures to mitigate and adapt to the consequences of climate change, the climate agenda has become a priority for Uzbekistan.
In this regard, and realizing the importance of the problem and the need to take effective measures to mitigate and adapt to the consequences of climate change, the climate agenda is becoming a priority for Uzbekistan. President of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev has repeatedly noted that “Uzbekistan pays serious attention to the issues of combating climate change, protecting the environment and biodiversity. This is our human duty before the present and future generations”.
and future generations”.

Today, we can confidently say that these words are confirmed by practical actions. Thus, thanks to the efforts of Tashkent, in 2018, the Multipartner Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea Region was established under the auspices of the UN, which has become a reliable platform for practical assistance from the international community to the population of the region living in an area with a difficult environmental situation. To date, the Fund has attracted 134.5 million dollars of financial resources from donor countries.

The UN also supported the International Innovation Center of Priaralie, established in 2018. International Innovation Center of Priaralie. The objectives of the Center are to develop research and practice, improve the ecosystem and sustainable livelihoods, and introduce best practices in research and innovation in the saline lands of the dried Aral Sea bed.

An important achievement was that in 2021, during the 75th session of the UNGA, a special resolution proposed by the President of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev on declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovations and technologies, co-sponsored by about 60 states, was unanimously adopted. In it, the UNGA declares support for regional activities and initiatives aimed at improving the environmental, social, economic and demographic situation in the Aral Sea region.

At the same time, in 2023, the Central Asian University of Environmental Studies and Climate Change was opened in Tashkent, which will be engaged in training, retraining and advanced training of specialists, scientists, researchers, managers and entrepreneurs capable of solving important environmental, socio-economic and scientific-technical problems of Uzbekistan.
and entrepreneurs capable of solving important environmental, socio-economic and scientific-technical problems of Uzbekistan and Central Asia.

Uzbekistan actively participates on a permanent basis in the annual meetings of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
in the annual meetings of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. During the 27th meeting, held in 2022, the Uzbek delegation advocated for consolidation of efforts in achieving carbon neutrality, promoting renewable energy, climate change adaptation projects, combating desertification and land degradation, introducing water-saving technologies and other climate actions in Central Asia.

Another important aspect was that the UN supported Uzbekistan’s intention to hold the first “Samarkand International Solidarity Forum for Shared Security and Prosperity” in the spring of 2024 on climate change, which will also include discussion of opportunities for international cooperation to reduce risks and threats in the Central Asian region and attract climate finance.
The UN has supported Uzbekistan’s intention to hold the first “Samarkand International Forum of Solidarity for Shared Security and Prosperity” on climate change in spring 2024, which will also discuss opportunities for international cooperation to reduce risks and threats in the Central Asian region and attract climate finance.

Given the growing challenges and emerging new threats to the Central Asian region, Uzbekistan, led by President Mirziyoyev, will continue to strengthen interaction with the United Nations in ensuring regional security and sustainable development of Central Asia. This will also be facilitated by the given dynamic pace of regional processes and cooperation, consolidation of efforts by the countries in solving the problems of Central Asia.

At the same time, the forthcoming participation of the head of Uzbekistan in the 78th UNGA will contribute to the formation of a broad and effective agenda for further utilization of the potential of interaction at the global level in strengthening security and stability in the region.

In general, it can be stated that Uzbekistan’s proactive diplomacy within the UN to promote the interests of Central Asia opens up broad opportunities and prospects for practical interaction with the international community. At the same time, the openness of Uzbekistan and Central Asia to the development of ties at the global level will convert challenges into opportunities, which in turn will contribute to the formation of a new model of regional cooperation under changing conditions.

Murad Uzakov is the Head of the Center for Regional Studies at the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Above article contributed through the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Singapore

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Finland, the Finnish Ambassador shared his thoughts and impressions of Singapore, as his four years tenure comes to an end

AMBASSADOR Vänskä marveled at Singapore’s captivating blend of cultures, people, and delectable cuisine. The unexpected lushness of the city-state, with its green parks and jungles seamlessly woven into the urban fabric, left a lasting impression. “It is really, really a ‘garden’ city,” he enthused, highlighting Singapore’s distinctive charm. Reflecting on what he would replicate in his home country, Ambassador Vänskä commended Singapore’s dynamic and forward-thinking approach. He praised the city-state’s penchant for systematic planning and its openness to adopting best practices from around the world. This drive to shape the future and benchmark against global standards stood out as a valuable lesson.

Turning our attention to Finland, Ambassador Vänskä shared the secret of the nation’s remarkable consistency in topping global happiness charts. He attributed this achievement to the Finns’ genuine appreciation for life’s modest joys and a steadfast commitment to maintaining a robust work-life balance. “We don’t live for work only,” he underscored, emphasising the importance of harmony between professional and personal pursuits. This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Finland. Ambassador Vänskä highlighted a special commemorative event to mark the occasion.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens is part of the celebrations and was held on 28th July 2023. The Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Maliki Osman and the Singapore ambassador to Finland, Professor Cheong Koon Hean participated in the event, symbolizing the enduring friendship between the nations. Two rare tree species of the Diospyros collection were planted, which added on to the Gardens’ valuable collection of more than 70 species. A similar tree-planting ceremony took place at Kalasatama Park in Helsinki on 28th August 2023.

As his tenure in Singapore is over, Ambassador Vänskä revealed his upcoming assignment – a return to the headquarters of the Finnish foreign ministry in Helsinki. Following Finnish diplomatic practice, he highlighted the alternating two periods of service abroad and one period at home. Having amassed valuable experience during his time in Washington DC and Singapore, Ambassador Vänskä is prepared to contribute to the ministry’s strategic efforts from his home country.

Malaysia’s celebrates its 66th National Day in August. To commemorate the occasion, Dato’ Dr Azfar bin Mohamad Mustafar, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Singapore shares his thoughts on the media campaign, the state of bilateral ties and the new MyHeart database with IN Diplomacy Editor-in-Chief, Ms Nomita Dhar

HAPPY National Day! Dato’ would you like to share something about the Malaysia Media Campaign that will be initiated in Singapore?

 At the onset I would like to congralutate Singapore on its National Day celebrations. As Malaysia celebrates its National Day we wish Malaysian residents and friends of Malaysia in Singapore happiness and prosperity.

Although we are very close neighbours we are kickstarting a media campaign to promote Malaysia to Singaporeans and foreigners residing here. Starting with this special supplement in IN Diplomacy we want to draw attention to the latest on investment, trade and tourism. We plan a campaign in print, combined with a new podcast and social media series. The aim is to bring the people on both sides even closer. Malaysian High Commission through this initiative aims to act as a bridge between the new and the old. I would like to encourage businesses and people to come forward to be part of this campaign. Let’s all create and share joyful memories and together tap on new opportunities. This is what we are proposing to our stakeholders.

How are relations between Singapore and Malaysia?

Malaysia and Singapore have always been good neighbours and close trading partners. There are many Malaysians working in Singapore and we are one of each other’s largest trading partners. Since the borders reopened post-pandemic in April 2022, we have seen growth in our trade figures. This strong partnership will continue to flourish in many years to come.

Government-to-Government visits act as a catalyst to fuel growth, would you like to update us on these visits?

There have been interactions at the highest level – this year Prime Minister Anwar visited Singapore. During that visit he witnessed the signing of important agreements – on green and digital economy. These two agreements will further elevate our relationship as well as increase trade and investment between Singapore and Malaysia. PM Anwar during his visit also emphasised the close historical ties that we have and also the deep-rooted people-to-people ties, that he would like to strengthen in the years to come.

The highest profile visits when it comes to government-to-government work are the annual leaders’ retreats. It is Singapore’s turn to host, probably sometime this October. A few Singapore ministers have also visited their counterparts in Malaysia. These regular exchanges continue to be one of the hallmarks of our people-to-people relations.

For the benefit of our readers, what are the various arms of the Malaysian High Commision in Singapore that work for the smooth functioning of these ties?

The High Commision of Malaysia in Singapore is one of the biggest missions we have abroad and we also have other agencies here in Singapore. We have Defence, Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI), Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Tourism, Immigration, Labour and Police. These agencies serve not only to ensure that any consular issues can be resolved quickly but also to foster trade relations and take care of Malaysians working here in Singapore.

What trends do you see in the investment sector between Malaysia and Singapore? Can we look forward to greater growth this year?

Investment from Singapore has been rising since the reopening of the border. In 2021, Singapore was the second biggest investor, with most of the investment concentrated in Johor. I foresee investment from Singapore continuing to be one of the important sources for Malaysia.

In addition to the digital and green economy, Singapore also brought up one of the lessons of the pandemic is that we need to secure supply chains, especially when it comes to food. So I think one of the areas that both sides are also exploring is food security. Malaysia has a lot of land, a skilled and competent workforce and less labour costs compared to Singapore so there is potential for good investments in the agri food sector that can benefit both sides.

What is your message to Malaysians residing in Singapore for this National Day?

My message to Malaysians in Singapore is wherever we go, Malaysia should always be in our heart. We should try to contribute back to our country. This is something that we always encourage. They may not be able to come back and work in Malaysia but they can always contribute back to their motherland in various ways. One of the things we launched this year through TalentCorp is the MyHeart initiative (myheart.my) where all Malaysians living abroad or the diaspora, can register in the database listing out their expertise and other details. It is one way we can get to know them better and see how can contribute back to the country. The database is very timely so that the Malaysian diaspora can find it easier to contribute back to Malaysia.

Many Singaporeans go across to Malaysia for holidays and many of them do so at the same time. Malaysians too come to work or visit Singapore. How do you make sure that travel is more seamless for both sets of visitors; that there are less complaints about long waiting times and traffic jams. Is there any headway into solving this problem?

I think the congestion at our land border points has been a problem for many, many years. And this has been exacerbated after the opening of the border in April 2022. As you rightly pointed out, there are many Malaysians working in Singapore but continue to live in Johor, commuting daily to Singapore in the mornings contributing to jams during the rush hour – between six to eight a.m. on weekdays. So we are seeing more than 200,000 people, mostly on motorcycles, crossing into Singapore. They take a long time to clear past Malaysia and Singapore immigration checkpoints. We have been communicating to each other and there are mechanisms in place, for example, our Malaysian Immigration department and Singapore’s ICA to talk and find ways to come up with solutions to overcome some of these operational challenges.

There have been several measures that have been implemented to ease the congestion during the rush hour. For example, the number of motorcycle lanes have increased and so on. On the other hand, whenever Singapore has long school or weekend holidays, for example, there will be a lot of cars going into Malaysia resulting in congestion, waiting three, four or maybe up to five hours, to clear both checkpoints. Both sides are working tirelessly to overcome these issues. As you are probably aware, the MB (Menteri Besar or Chief Minister) of Johor has been visiting the checkpoints to check on the situation and talking to us regularly to make sure all the steps that can be taken to improve the situation happens. However, the “seamless” journey you mentioned will take a bit more time to become a reality as both sides continue to look for long term solutions to ease this congestion.

Singaporeans are not the only ones who are holidaying in Malaysia. Many from all over the world stay here (such as diplomats) and go to visit. Where do you recommend they should go in Malaysia?

We offer everything. We have beaches, islands, marine activities, rainforests, mountains as well as many good places for accommodation, food and shopping that are cheaper compared to Singapore. This is also helped by the favourable current exchange rate for those with Singapore dollars. It also means Malaysia offers great value for money in terms of her tourism products and services. Just for your information, in 2019, we received about 26 million tourists who generated about RM86 billion! Since we re-opened the border in April 2022, we attracted 10 million visitors so we have some ways to go before we hit again our pre-COVID numbers. This is also why the Malaysian government is investing heavily in promotional activities to encourage tourists to come back to Malaysia. We are also investing to upgrade our tourism infrastructure and spend creating new and more interesting tour packages.

This year, Malaysian companies participated in NATAS. There was also the Tourism Malaysia Fair which was held in May with another one upcoming in October. Then you also had the Malaysia Fest in July. How has the response been so far?

The response to these promotional activities in Singapore has been very good. Before COVID, in 2019, Singaporean contributed the most number of tourists arrivals to Malaysia averaging up to 10 million visits per year. I feel this trend will continue. Singaporeans and expats here see Malaysia as their natural holiday hinterland with more to offer in terms of attractions compared to what is available in Singapore.

Mr. Peter Tan Hai Chuan, Singapore’s former Ambassador to Japan, has been appointed as the country’s new Ambassador to China. With a wealth of experience in foreign service, Mr. Tan is expected to strengthen Singapore-China ties in his new role.

The Singapore government has announced the appointment of Mr. Peter Tan Hai Chuan as the next Ambassador of Singapore to the People’s Republic of China. With over three decades of experience in the Singapore Foreign Service, Mr. Tan is well-equipped to represent the country in his new role.

Mr. Tan’s impressive career in diplomacy has seen him hold several key positions, including serving as the Deputy Secretary for Southeast Asia & ASEAN from 2015 to 2019 and as Singapore’s Ambassador to Japan from 2019 to 2023. Prior to that, he was also Singapore’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, with concurrent accreditation to Mongolia, from 2011 to 2015.

During his time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Tan has been involved in addressing a wide range of issues, including those related to Northeast Asia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, and Southeast Asia. His extensive experience in the region, combined with his fluency in Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, makes him a valuable asset to Singapore’s diplomatic corps.

Mr. Tan’s education credentials are equally impressive, having graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 1992. He was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship and went on to obtain a Master of Arts in East Asian Studies from Columbia University in the United States.

In recognition of his contributions to the country, Mr. Tan has been awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2008 and the Long Service Medal in 2015. He is also married to Madam Sim Siew Eng.

Mr. Tan’s appointment as Singapore’s next Ambassador to China is a testament to his diplomatic skills and experience. As the two countries continue to deepen their bilateral ties, Mr. Tan’s extensive knowledge of the region and his diplomatic finesse will be instrumental in furthering Singapore’s interests and strengthening the relationship between the two nations. We wish him all the best in his new role.

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The ‘Focus Africa’ Conference Initiative by IATA aims to contribute more vigorously to the development of a more robust socio-economic landscape through speedier connectivity internally and to global markets

THE International Air Transport Association (IATA) is launching “Focus Africa” to strengthen aviation’s contribution to Africa’s economic and social development and improve connectivity, safety and reliability for passengers and shippers. This initiative will align private and public stakeholders to deliver measurable progress in six areas.

“Africa accounts for 18% of the global population, but just 2.1% of air transport activities (combined cargo and passenger). Closing that gap, so that Africa can benefit from the connectivity, jobs and growth that aviation enables, is what Focus Africa is all about,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Infrastructure constraints, high costs, lack of connectivity, regulatory impediments, slow adoption of global standards and skills shortages affect the customer experience and are all contributory factors to African airlines’ viability and sustainability. The continent’s carriers suffered cumulative losses of $3.5 billion for 2020-2022.  Moreover, IATA estimates further losses of $213 million in 2023.

Delivering on Africa’s Opportunities

Sustainably connecting the African continent internally and to global markets with air transport is critical for bringing people together and creating economic and social development opportunities. It will also support the realization of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) for Africa of lifting 50 million people out of poverty by 2030. In particular, trade and tourism rely on aviation and have immense unrealized potential to create jobs, alleviate poverty, and generate prosperity across the continent.

Africa has a solid foundation to support the case for improving aviation’s contribution to its development. Pre-COVID aviation supported 7.7 million jobs and $63 billion in economic activity in Africa. Projections are for demand to triple over the next two decades.

“Africa stands out as the region with the greatest potential and opportunity for aviation. The Focus Africa initiative renews IATA’s commitment to supporting aviation on the continent. As the incoming Chair of the IATA Board of Governors, and the first from Africa since 1993, I look forward to ensuring that this initiative gets off to a great start and delivers benefits that are measurable,” said Yvonne Makolo, CEO of RwandAir and first female Chair of the IATA Board of Governors (2023-2024).

Six Critical Areas

“The limiting factors on Africa’s aviation sector are fixable. The potential for growth is clear. And the economic boost that a more successful African aviation sector will deliver has been witnessed in many economies already. With Focus Africa, stakeholders are uniting to deliver on six critical focus areas that will make a positive difference. We’ll measure success and will need to hold each other accountable for the results,” said Walsh. The six focus areas are:

– Safety: Improve operational safety through a data driven, collaborative program to reduce safety incidents and accidents, in the air and on the ground.
– Infrastructure: Facilitate the growth of efficient, secure, and cost-effective aviation infrastructure to improve customer experience and operational efficiency.
– Connectivity: Promote the liberalization of intra-African market access through the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
– Finance and Distribution: Accelerate the implementation of secure, effective and cost-efficient financial services and adoption of modern retailing standards.
– Sustainability: Assist Africa’s air transport industry to achieve the “Net Zero by 2050” emissions targets agreed to by industry and the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) member states.
– Future Skills: Promote aviation-related career paths and ensure a steady supply of diverse and suitably skilled talent to meet the industry’s future needs.

The Power of Partnerships

“Partnerships will differentiate the outcome of Focus Africa from previous efforts to stimulate Africa’s development with air transport.  By partnering, stakeholders will effectively pool their resources, research, expertise, time and funding to support the common goals of the six work areas,” said Kamil Al Awadhi, IATA Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.

The partners will be announced and join forces in Addis Ababa on 20-21 June to officially launch the Focus Africa initiative with more details for each task area.

The Timing is Right

Africa continues the path to recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Air cargo is 31.4% over 2019 levels and air travel is 93% of 2019 levels. Full recovery for air travel is expected in 2024.

“The tasks for Focus Africa are not new. Work is already underway as part of the work of IATA and other stakeholders in Africa. But after the financial trauma that the pandemic brought to African aviation, we are at a unique time of rebuilding. By launching Focus Africa now, we can ensure that the recovery from COVID-19 moves aviation to an even better place than we were in 2019,” said Al Awadhi.

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The African Continental Free Trade Area presents significant investment and growth prospects for the automotive industry as it creates a single market of over 1.3 billion people. This market integration can be leveraged to tap into new opportunities for expansion

THE African automotive industry is undergoing transformative change with the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The industry, valued at US$30.44 billion in 2021, is projected to grow to US$42.06 billion by 2027, with much of the growth expected to come from local companies within the newly established free trade area.

The AfCFTA unlocks several opportunities for African and global businesses in the automotive industry to seize, building upon strong foundations in a new era of frictionless African trade. The continent’s leadership is actively working towards improving the investment environment for the automotive sector specifically, with significant political will by African governments and private sector players to develop automotive regional value chains. Additionally, the AfCFTA’s rules of origin will help set common thresholds for value-added levels, which will help stimulate trade.

Volkswagen, a key player on the continent, has recognised the potential of the AfCFTA to catalyse local production of automotives and meet local demand. The company has successfully established local assembly operations in Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana as well as two wholly-owned subsidiaries in Rwanda and Ghana. Volkswagen attributes its success in Africa to its collaboration with African governments in developing and implementing automotive policies in their respective countries. The increase in local manufacturing requires different levels of investment and depends on consistent, enabling industrial policies with access to local markets, which Volkswagen sees as a major benefit of the AfCFTA.

These key industry trends and opportunities provide a compelling case for new investors to move into the African automotive sector and help drive and transform economies across the continent.

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For the first time Egypt has invited global bids for gold and associated minerals exploration and exploitation in five Eastern Desert regions through the the Shalateen Mineral Wealth Company

EGYPT has launched a global bid to explore and exploit gold and associated minerals in five regions of the Eastern Desert through the Shalateen Mineral Wealth Company (SMWC). The company is at the forefront of exploring and exploiting gold and other ores in the Eastern Desert region, with a mission to regulate uncontrolled gold mining and revive old mines in the area as part of its efforts to boost the mining sector, especially gold. The bidding process will run from 10th April to 10th August and includes areas such as Fatiri, Umm Ud & Hangaliya, Atud, Barramiya, and Hamata.

Egypt is targeting US$1 billion in mining investment by 2030, and this move is part of its efforts to boost the country’s economy while exploring and exploiting its rich mineral wealth in a sustainable and responsible manner. In June 2022, the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority assigned four local and foreign companies, including Lotus Gold, AKH Gold, Marine Logistics Gold Mining, and Ankh Resources, to search for gold and minerals in eight areas of the Eastern Desert through an international tender. Despite ongoing global challenges, these tenders have succeeded in attracting new investments, and 11 international and local companies currently have concessions for gold exploration and exploitation in Egypt, highlighting the growing interest in the country’s mining sector.

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