diplomacy&development

  Mr Abd–Al-Rahman during the opening of the confirmation of charges hearing at the seat of the Court in The Hague (The Netherlands) on 24 May 2021 ©ICC-CPI The confirmation of charges hearing in the case The Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman ("Ali Kushayb") opened this 24 May 2021 before Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC), composed of Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala (Presiding judge), Judge Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua and Judge Tomoko Akane. The hearing is scheduled until 27 May 2021. The judges will hear successively the oral submissions of the Prosecutor, the Legal Representatives of the Victims and the Defense. The confirmation of charges hearing is not a trial. The purpose of the confirmation of charges hearing is for the judges to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed each of the crimes charged. If the charges are confirmed, in full or in part, the case will...

Carter Center Board of Trustees Chair Jason Carter Accepts Award of Global Health Given to Mrs. Carter During Opening 74th World Health Assembly. Former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter was recognized on May 24, 2021 by the World Health Organization (WHO) for 50 years of leadership to help improve access to health care for all people with mental health and substance use issues. During a virtual ceremony at the opening of the 74th World Health Assembly, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros presented Mrs. Carter with an Award for Global Health in recognition of her contributions to advancing global health. Rosalynn Carter was one of three recipients honored with this award during the opening remarks today. In a pre-recorded video, Carter Center Board of Trustees Chairperson Jason J. Carter, grandson to Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, read a letter from Mrs. Carter and accepted the award on her behalf. “The World Health Organization’s Director-General’s award for global health is a great honor celeb...

UN human rights experts called this 21 May 2021 on all parties to the conflict in Gaza and Israel to respect a ceasefire,  and for an investigation by the International Criminal Court into the attacks on civilian populations and other gross violations of human rights. The experts pointed to the forced evictions of Palestinian families living in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan in Occupied East Jerusalem as the spark that set off a full-blown war. At least 222 people, including 63 children, were killed in Gaza and 12 people died in Israel as a result of the fighting. More than 450 buildings in the Gaza Strip were completely destroyed or damaged by missiles. Among them were six hospitals, nine healthcare centres and a water desalination plant, supplying around 250,000 Palestinians with clean drinking water, as well as a tower housing media offices such as Al Jazeera and Associated Press.  “Owing to the vast asymmetry of power, the victims of this conflict are disproportionately Palestin...

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Swiss Confederation signed 24 May 2021 a Memorandum of Understanding to launch the first WHO BioHub Facility as part of the WHO BioHub System, which was announced in November 2020. This facility will enhance the rapid sharing of viruses and other pathogens between laboratories and partners globally. Based in Spiez, Switzerland, the facility will serve as a centre for the safe receipt, sequencing, storage and preparation of biological materials for distribution to other laboratories, in order to inform risk assessments, and sustain global preparedness against these pathogens. “Close international collaboration to ensure the timely sharing of epidemiological and clinical data as well as biological materials is of utmost importance. Switzerland supports the WHO BioHub initiative in its initial phase by providing the necessary infrastructure of a Swiss biosafety laboratory in Spiez. With this, we hope to contribute to the establishment of an inte...

World leaders met on friday 21 May 2021 at the Global Health Summit, co-hosted by the European Commission and Italy as part of its G20 presidency, to adopt an agenda to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, and develop and endorse a Rome Declaration of principles, at a time when the virus is surging and spreading uncontrollably in many parts of the world. With nine people losing their lives to COVID-19 every minute, and as the risk of even more transmissible and dangerous variants increases, the Global Health Summit comes at a critical juncture. The future of the pandemic is in the hands of the G20 leaders. The ACT-Accelerator was launched just over a year ago in response to the G20’s call for a global mechanism to accelerate the development of tests, treatments and vaccines and to ensure their equitable distribution. Hosted by the World Health Organization, the ACT-Accelerator offers the only end-to-end multilateral solution to speeding up an end to the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic....

Sénatrice, Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, la branche philanthropique de Merck KGaA Allemagne, avec S.E. Mme NEO JANE MASISI, La Première Dame du Botswana et Ambassadrice de la Fondation Merck Plus Qu'une Mère, a annoncé les gagnants du concours de la meilleure affiche « Stop GBV » lors de la cérémonie de remise des prix. Le concours d'affiches a été organisé dans le but de prévenir la violence sexiste et la maltraitance des enfants au Botswana.  Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Président du Directoire de E.Merck KG et Président du Conseil d'Administration de la Fondation Merck, a été l'invité d'honneur de la cérémonie afin de soutenir le programme et de plaidoyer pour mettre fin à la violence fondée sur le genre ou sexiste au Botswana et dans les autres pays d'Afrique dans le cadre de la campagne de la Fondation Merck Plus Qu'une Mère. Sénatrice, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation et Présidente de la Fondation Merck Plus Qu'une Mère...

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, together with H.E. Mrs. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana and Ambassador of Merck More Than A Mother, announced the winners of “Stop GBV” Best Poster Contest during award ceremony. The Poster Contest was held with the aim to prevent Gender-Based Violence and child abuse in Botswana.  Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp Chairman of both of Executive Board of E.Merck KG and Merck Foundation Board of Trustees was the Guest of Honor of the ceremony to support the program and advocate for ending Gender-Nased Violence in Botswana and rest of Africa as part of Merck Foundation More than a Mother campaign.  Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More Than A Mother, who joined the award ceremony virtually, emphasized “I am proud to announce the winners  of “Stop GBV” Best Poster Contest together with my dear sister H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The ...