akada Autumn 2013

AFRICA ASIA SCHOLARS GLOBAL NETW ORK Business Name

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June-August 11

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Africa Asia Pacific Scholars Authoritative News Magazine

News of Interest:
Health & Education Economy & Finance Academic Exchange Heritage & Diversity Fashiom & Creative Arts Participatory Governance Civil Liberties Sports, Travel & Tours Career & Scholarship Social Networking
ACCSEP 14

AASGON advocates for Change at the UN

Boosting efforts to tackle
global economic, social and environmental challenges the UN General Assembly has established a new High-level Political Forum, to replace the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). Recognising the need for an improved and more effective institutional framework that will effectively guide sustainable development towards 'the future we want', the General Assembly should be commended for acknowledging its shortcomings, and boldly making reforms action for change in meeting set agenda for post MDGs through its replacement of the UNCSD which was established in December 1992 to ensure effective follow up of the Earth Summit. 13 years. Describing the Forum, a major step forward in implementing 'The Future We Want', the UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon calls on all Countries to do their utmost to realize the Forum's potential.

Mandela and the China connection

In this Issue:
China Balance of Trade MDGs and Action for the Disabled UNThe Future We ALL Deserve US-China Cold War Better Start in Labour Market Participatory Governance Japan to Broadcast 4K Program

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In his remark on the newly established UN High level Political Forum on SDGs, Abdul Dewale Mohammed the Founder and Executive President of the Africa Asia Scholars Global Network (AASGON) reiterated that The step taken by the General Assembly will invigorate action towards the process of learning from some of the misrepresentations and inactions of the past decade. The Forum he agrees must be more than just a meeting place it must be the place where government, the corporate and civil society generWe are simply not doing enough to ate the momentum for change. meet the fundamental challenges of our time: to end extreme poverty in He however cautioned that the this generation and significantly change of the Commission on Sustainnarrow the global gap between rich able Development should not merely and poor, without inflicting irrepara- be a replacement of a old wine in a ble damage to the environmental new bottle but a forum that is enerbasis for our survival, said General gised in line with the challenges of the Assembly President Vuk Jeremi in his 21st century thus igniting the spirit of Continued on page 4 review of progress made over the last Rio+20 .

It's the spirit of the times,

China has not been left behind in the global Mandela adoration. On July 18, for instance, Chinese author Li Yong, who has written a book about Mandela, spoke glowingly at a charity event hosted by the South African embassy in Beijing. In the words of Li Yong "Mandela is the greatest person alive on this planet."
For more on Bob Wekesas report go to page19

Aid for Trade Initiative

Aid
for Trade flows result in lower trade costs and improved trade performance. OECD-WTO analysis shows that $1 in Aid for Trade funding increases exports from richer developing countries by $8, and by as much as $20 from the poorest countries. The impact of Aid for Trade funding is even higher for exports of parts and components, underscoring the benefits value chains offer to developing countries. To take full advantage of the development opportunities afforded by trade, the report suggests that future aid for trade flows be directed at programmes to improve trade-related infrastructure and improve the business environment. Donors and developing countries should also put in place frameworks for results-based management of aid for trade programmes, based on a menu of trade-related targets, as well as indicators to measure performance.

Mandelathe China Connection Nigerias Space Mission Fashion 2013 Aliko Donates N10 Billion Youth Unemployment Camerons 1 Million Prize AASGON Promote University Polo NEPAD May Fail

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Social Investment and Philanthropy

In order to change the world for the better, it
is not enough to simply give money and hope that things change. Innovation, effective collaboration, careful stewardship and accountability are key to delivering effective change through social investment. Like strategic commercial investment, successful philanthropy and social investment also require skills, information, and strategies. These can be learned. By encouraging a planned, strategic and businesslike approach

to private and corporate giving, the field of of social impact measurement and the enorphilanthropy and social investment offers mous practical difficulties in measuring social career opportunities and the fulfilment that value in the real world setting. comes with making a difference. According to Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, a national leader in education and research in relation to philanthropy, strong commitment to transformative education that can unlock potentials and demonstrate social change is vital In a statement by the Centre for Social Impact (CSI) In global philanthropy today we are seeing the emergence of a generation of philanthropists who value impact and effectiveness over intentions. These philanthropists are beginning to demand rigorous evidence bases to underpin their investment allocation decisions. And in doing so, they confront the problem of the gap between the theory

US Highest Honour..
President Obama has named 16 recipients of
the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey are among the brightest stars. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the highest civilian honour in the US.

Thinking forward
Science, technology and innovation are changing the world, and in many ways Swinburne is helping shape the future . Visit http://www.thinkforward.com.au/

Chinas trade imbalance with Africa Soars

CHINA

cline in trade surplus. In the last few years, the biggest trade surpluses were recorded with the United States, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Vietnam and Singapore. The biggest trade deficits were recorded with Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, Germany, South Africa, Japan and Brazil. The new Chinese loan of $1.5 billion to Nigeria brings to a total of nearly $15 billion Chinas investments and loans to the country. The bi-lateral trade relation between the two countries has advanced over the years. With Nigerias imports from China accounting for over a third of its total trade in West Africa, the country is potentially earmarked as the largest market for Chinas trade in

Africa. However there is a chronic and growing trade imbalance between the two countries in favour of China. Nigeria can reduce the vast trade imbalance by increasing its non-oil exports to China, whose exports to Nigeria are currently estimated at $3 billion, while Nigerias exports stand at $1 billion.

UN Global Compact gear up for action......

Following series of related discussions with the UN on Post MDGs, representatives of Global Compact LEAD Multinational Corporations have proposed Ten Sustainable Development Goals: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. End poverty and increase prosperity via inclusive economic growth Quality Education For All Achieve womens and girls empowerment Universal Health Coverage Good Nutrition for All through Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems Water and Sanitation for All Sustainable Energy for All Build Peaceful an stable societies Modernise infrastructure and technology

China recorded a trade surplus of 178.18 USD

Hundred Million in July of 2013. Balance of Trade in China is reported by the General Administration of Customs. China Balance of Trade averaged 54.54 USD Hundred Million from 1983 until 2013, reaching an all time high of 404 USD Hundred Million in November of 2008 and a record low of -319.81 USD Hundred Million in February of 2012. Since 1995 China has been recording consistent trade surpluses. From 2004 to 2009 Chinas annual trade surplus has increased 10 times. Yet, as the global demand is slowing down and import of commodities for vast infrastructure projects and consumer goods is growing, there has been a significant dePage 2

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Social Network
A
social network is a social structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations) and a complex set of the dyadic ties between these actors. The social network perspective provides a clear way of analyzing the structure of whole social entities. The study of these structures uses social network analysis to identify local and global patterns, locate influential entities, and examine network dynamics. Social networks and the analysis of them is an inherently interdisciplinary academic field which emerged from social psychology, sociology, statistics, and graph theory. Georg Simmel authored early structural theories in sociology emphasizing the dynamics of triads and web of group affiliations. Jacob Moreno is credited with developing the first sociograms in the 1930s to study interpersonal relationships. These approaches were mathematically formalized in the 1950s and theories and methods of social networks became pervasive in the social and behavioural sciences by the 1980s. Social network analysis is now one of the major paradigms in contemporary sociology, and is also employed in a number of other social and formal sciences. Together with other complex networks, it forms part of the nascent field of network science.

History
In the late 1800s, both mile Durkheim and Ferdinand Tnnies foreshadowed the idea of social networks in their theories and research of social groups. Tnnies argued that social groups can exist as personal and direct social ties that either link individuals who share values and belief (Gemeinschaft, German, commonly translated as "community") or impersonal, formal, and instrumental social links (Gesellschaft, German, commonly translated as "society"). Durkheim gave a non-individualistic explanation of social facts, arguing that social phenomena arise when interacting individuals constitute a reality that can no longer be accounted for in terms of the properties of individual actors. Georg Simmel, writing at the turn of the twentieth century, pointed to the nature of networks and the effect of network size on interaction and examined the likelihood of interaction in loosely-knit networks rather than groups. Major developments in the field can be seen in the 1930s by several groups in psychology, anthropology, and mathematics working independently. In psychology, in the 1930s, Jacob L. Moreno began systematic recording and analysis of social interaction in small groups, especially classrooms and work groups. Inanthropology, the foundation for social network theory is the theoretical and ethnographic work of Bronislaw Malinowski, Alfred Radcliffe-Brown, and Claude Lvi-Strauss. A group of social anthropologists associated with Max Gluckman and the Manchester School, including John A. Barnes, J. Clyde Mitchell and Elizabeth Bott Spillius, often are credited with performing some of the first fieldwork from which network analyses were performed, investigating community networks in southern Africa, India and the United Kingdom. Concomitantly, British anthropologist S.F. Nadel codified a theory of social structure that was influential in later network analysis. In sociology, the early (1930s) work of Talcott Parsons set the stage for taking a relational approach to understanding social structure. Later, drawing upon Parsons' theory, the work of sociologist Peter Blau provides a strong impetus for analyzing the relational ties of social units with his work on social exchange theory. By the 1970s, a growing number of scholars worked to combine the different tracks and traditions. One group consisted of sociologist Harrison White and his students at the Harvard University Department of Social Relations. Also independently active in the Harvard Social Relations department at the time were Charles Tilly, who focused on networks in political and community sociology and social movements, and Stanley Milgram, who developed the "six degrees of separation" thesis. Mark Granovetter and Barry Wellman are among the former students of White who elaborated and championed the analysis of social networks.

Overview
A social network is a theoretical construct useful in the social sciences to study relationships between individuals, groups, organizations, or even entire societies (social units, see differentiation). The term is used to describe a social structure determined by such interactions. The ties through which any given social unit connects represent the convergence of the various social contacts of that unit. This theoretical approach is necessarily relational. An axiom of the social network approach to understanding social interaction is that social phenomena should be primarily conceived and investigated through the properties of relations between and within units, instead of the properties of these units themselves. Thus, one common criticism of social network theory is that individual agency is often ignored although this may not be the case in practice. Precisely because many different types of relations, singular or in combination, form these network configurations, network analytics are useful to a broad range of research enterprises. In social science, these fields of study include, but are not limited to anthropology, biology, communication studies, economics, geography, information science, organizational studies, social psychology, sociology, and sociolinguistics.

You cant track what you dont measure, and what you dont measure rarely gets done. Simply if you cant measure it, obviously you cant manage it!
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ITU of Japan Celebrate WTISD 2013

May
17 marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union. With over 260 participants in attendance the ITU Association of Japan (ITU-AJ) recently celebrated the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) in Tokyo, Japan. Awards were presented to prominent figures in the fields of standardization and international cooperation. At each years celebration, the ITU-AJ holds an award ceremony to recognize those who have furthered the aims of WTISD by helping to raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, and by finding ways to bridge the digital divide. Yasuo Suzuki, President of ITUAJ remarked that ICT is an indispensable means of coping with matters that have become global concerns such as global warming , cyber security and juvenile protection The most honourable 2013 Ministers Award was presented to Mr. Seiichi Tsugawa, the current chairman of ITU-T SG3, for his outstanding contributions to the ITU and Japans ICT industry during his career of over 30 years in this field. This year, the ITU-AJ introduced a new award called the Special Achievement Award, which was presented to Dr. Toshio Watanabe, chancellor of Takushoku University, for his distinguished achievements as a leading economist in the field of development economics. Founded with the aim of facilitating peaceful relations, international cooperation among peoples and economic and social development by means of efficient telecommunication services, the International Telecommunication Union, a specialised agency of the United Nations since 1932, stands as the worlds oldest international organisation.

UN to Make Further Changes...

From cover page As part of stimulating structure for SDGs, the UN by decision of the General Assembly went on in January 2013 to inaugurate a 30-member Open Working Group (OWG). Mandated by the Rio+20 Outcome document, OWG is to prepare a proposal on SDGs for consideration by the Assembly at its 68th session (Sept. 2013 Sept. 2014). The first session of OWG on SDGs was convened in March with Ambassadors Csaba Krsi of Hungary and Macharia Kamau of Kenya appointed as Co-Chair. Recalling the Rio outcome, the President of the 67th session of the General Assembly, Vuk Jeremi, in welcoming the Group highlighted the agreed criteria for SDGs, and said that the OWG should aim to establish new forms of engagement to ensure that a balanced and coherent proposal could be submitted to the 68th session of the General Assembly. In support of Vuk Jeremics appeal some members of the OWG acknowledged that current models for development are unsustainable and that the SDGs must represent a new development agenda that respects the physical constraints of the planet and can also lift the poorest people out of poverty. In Abdul Dewale Mohammeds judgement, to uncompromisingly avoid the inactions of the past decades, the UN and its member states need to be steadfast than ever before and urgently step up their acts and be exceptionally proactive in addressing the 8th of the MDGs (agenda) Develop a Global Partnership for Development. Governments across board, he emphasised need to adopt a partnership that enables, a transformative people-centred and planet-sensitive development agenda realizable through the equal and transparent partnership of all stakeholders is effected. In mobilizing the UN system to support global, regional and national strategies to effectively address the building blocks of sustainable development, certainly changes is imminent within the UN and model of governance, if we the world is to concretely address the problem of poverty and inequality. Therefore In line with UNs determination, to ensure post MDGs are sufficiently attained and to avoid past mistakes and carry along other key stakeholders, the inadequacies of the defunct UNCDS which led to member states resolve at the Rio+20, to establish the high level political forum as a replacement for UNCDS followed with the installation of the 30member Open Working Group (OWG), should be widely shared among the civil society, which obviously as key partners, need not only to know the rationale and kept informed of other institutional changes to be effected within the UN cadre, but brought along to complement the work of the UN.

We need to invest more in our people, our scholars and students. That is why AASGONs work is so strategic and vital in our endeavour to overcome the massive difficulties that confront our continents

- Ambassador Yuri Thamrin

Director General Africa Asia Pacific Affairs Republic of Indonesia
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Sustainable Development
In 1987, the United Nations released the Brundtland
Report, which included what is now one of the most widely recognised definitions: "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." According to the same report, there are two key concepts: the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the envi ron ment's ability to meet present and future needs

"development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
More recently, it has been suggested that a m ore consistent analytical breakdown is to distinguish four domains of economic, ecological, political and cultural sustainability. This is consistent with the UCLG move to make 'culture' the fourth domain of sustainability. Sustainable development ties together concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems with the social challenges faced by humanity. As early as the 1970s, "sustainability" was employed to describe an economy "in equilibrium with basic ecological support systems. "]Ecologists have pointed to The Limits to Growth and presented the alternative of a "steady state economy" in order to address environmental concerns.

Wangari Muta Maathai Memorial

However the field of sustainable development can be conceptually divided into four general dimensions: social, economic, environmental and institutional. The first three dimensions address key principles of sustainability, while the final dimension addresses key institutional policy and capacity issues.
Sustainable development refers to a mode of human development in which resource use aims to meet human needs while ensuring the sustainability of natural systems and the environment, so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come.

(1 April 1940 25 Sept. 2011)

For

her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace Wangari Muta Maathai in 2004 became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. A Kenyan environmental and political activist, Maathai was educated in the United States at Mount St. Scholastica and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the University of Nairobi in Kenya. In the 1970s, she founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-governmental organization focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation, and women's rights. In 1986, she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award. Elected member of Parliament served as assistant minister or Environment and Natural Resources in the government of President Mwai Kibaki between January 2003 and November 2005. An Honorary Councillor of the World Future Council, in 2011, Maathai died of complications from ovarian cancer.

MDGs and Action for the Disabled

While the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) represent a concerted effort to address global poverty, there
is a striking gap in the current MDGs and their inclusion of persons with disabilities. The estimated 1 billion people worldwide who live with disabilities are still excluded from equitable access to resources such as education, employment, healthcare and social and legal support systems. As a result persons with disabilities experience disproportionately high rates of poverty and inequality. With the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006, some progress has been made in improving the situation of persons with disabilities. However, in spite of such gains, disability remains largely invisible in most mainstream development processes, including the MDGs. Greater efforts are needed to ensure that development processes include persons with disabilities to help realize the overall objective of the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in our diverse society. In 2011, the General Assembly decided to convene a one-day high-level meeting of the General Assembly on disability (HLMD) at the level of Heads of State and Government on 23 September 2013, the Monday before the start of the general debate of the sixty-eighth session. Under the theme: The way forward: a disability inclusive development agenda towards 2015 and beyond, the HLMD will comprise of a plenary meeting and two consecutive informal interactive round tables. The outcome is expected to boost the inclusion of people with disabilities in governance and policy implementation in the UN Sustainable Development Agenda.

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akada Emphasising the need for an improved and more effective institutional framework the UN High-level Political Forum General Assembly decided that the HighEmbraces the Future We All Deserve Level Political Forum (HLPF) should provide a dynamic platform for regular The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) constitutes an ambitious dialogue and for stocktaking and agendaagenda to significantly improve human lives and their environment. setting to advance that process.

The goals set clear targets for reducing poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and discrimination against In line with the Assembly resolution, the Forum is scheduled to women and children. convene annually at the ministerial level under the auspices of the UN Economic In light of weak and often faltering and Social Council (ECOSOC) and it will, macroeconomic performance, vulnerabilevery four years, bring together heads ity to negative climatic shocks, fertility of State to provide added momentum rates and population growth that for sustainable development. Its first outpace those of other regions, and a meeting comes up in September, during devastating combination of poverty, the Assembly's forthcoming 68th sescontinued civil conflict, and the effects of sion. HIV/AIDS, realizing the eight Millennium Development Goals - Eradicate extreme poverty Expectantly the concerns of many and that of Vuk Jeremi, the 67th and hunger; Achieve universal primary education; Promote gender General Assembly President and that of the Sirleaf, Yudhoyono and equality and empower women; Reduce child mortality; Improve Cameron joint Bali Declaration, calling for more decisive action, maternal health; Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; global partnership and people centred policies in meeting the Ensure environmental sustainability; Develop a global partnership for fundamental challenges of our time, will guide the spirit of the 68th development - has been a particularly challenging task in General Assembly and that of the UN High-level Political Forum Sub-Saharan Africa, in Asia and the Pacific. (HLPF) and the Open Working Group (OWG). Though not quite significant, over the years in association with the About to set another agenda as the MDGs timeline comes to an end international community, there has been progress in Asia, the Pacific in 2015, the UN should in ensuring sustainable development beyond and some parts of Africa in implementing the continents MDG, put in place apposite apparatus that will effectively motivate development plans. committed, transparent and far reaching partnerships. However progress in implementing sustainable development has been extremely disappointing since the 1992 Earth Summit, with poverty deepening and environmental degradation worsening in the developing countries. By any account the 2002 Johannesburg Summit did not provide clear cut solutions to aid the fight against poverty. Reaffirming its role in global governance, the shortfalls supposedly led to the decision in last years outcome document of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) of the UN General Assembly to scrap the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) established 21 years ago, and replace it with a High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Providing political leadership, guidance and action-oriented recommendations the Forum is expected to meet urgent global economic, social and environmental challenges through reviews of progress in the implementation of related commitments and enhance integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development economic, social and environmental. Critical as it may possibly be the 8th of the MDGs Develop a Global Partnership for Development is considered as the most essential tool for sustainable development post MDGS and therefore requires a more desired and renewed vigour by all proponents of development, particularly members of With business leaders willing to the HLPF and the OWG who are to display exemsupport global priorities in line with the UN Post-2015 Agenda, plary leadership. outcome of the General Assembly plenary in late September should In a shift to infuse corposet the foundation for the most rate models that link long -term business interests needed change that will bring about The World We ALL Deserve with social and environmental well-being, Ban Ki-moons decision to incorporate the capabilities of private sectors innovation and investment through coherent multi-sector collaboration brings a great relieve and in the interest of the well-being of present and future generations, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) should be accorded the full commitment it deserves.

"In the 20 years since the first Rio Earth Summit, the world has largely failed to address some of the most serious environmental and social problems pressing in on us" "We can't afford business as usual. We need to engage the academic and scientific community, and tap into worldwide technological know-how in the private sector and civil society, in order to develop and implement practical solutions"
- Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs head of SDSN and Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on global anti-poverty target and Director at Columbia Universitys Earth Institute.

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Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) has

High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) Aim: Facilitate SDGs Inaugural Meeting Date: 24 Sept. 13. Place: UN HQ New York

been at the forefront of assisting members in developing telecommunication and ICT services in the Asia Pacific region. This assistance has many fronts and includes providing forums and workshops dealing with policy and technological issues pertaining to telecommunication/ICT and capacity building (HRD) including training courses on various topics
4th APT Workshop on Disaster Management held in Manila

Can Technology Fix Education?

Check Out Tweets from Twitter Town Hall on Education and Technology

Silicon Valley in California was buzzing with tweets for education as

Applicants willing to seek for Chinese government scholarship should apply to the dispatching authorities, such as the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the applicants country, a Chinese higher education institution, a research institute or an academic organization.
Eligible applicants should log on the online application system, ask for the agency number, fill out and print the application form, which should then be mailed in duplicate to the dispatching authority, the responsible agency for students scholarship enrolment and admission. Students who do not meet the language proficiency requirement for the major study shall take 1-2 years Chinese language classes before they start the major program. Some higher education institutions offer courses instructed in English for graduate students and general scholars. Those who take English taught programs should not take Chinese language classes. Undergraduate students are required to take classes in Chinese. Students with no prior knowledge of Chinese language shall take 1 year foundation courses at the assigned universities. The website for the online application system is http:// laihua.csc.edu.cn.

the first ever Global Education and Technology Forum kicked-off with a Twitter Town Hall featuring Gordon Brown, United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and Dick Costolo, Twitter CEO. The forum was live tweeted from @gbceducation with the support of over 100 tech and education executives in the room, along with tech start-ups and on-the-ground education providers joining in via Twitter. The town hall exposed the international challenges we face in education, and showed that creative and efficient tech businesses can do their part to solve some of these problems. The conversation was ongoing and went beyond the live town hall with panels touching on topics such as data,teacher training, and student learning experiences. Companies such as Dropbox, World Reader, Palantir, Meraki, Coursera, Econet Wireless, Pearson and Google were challenged in an open discussion to find technological solutions to educate the 61 million primary-school-aged children who are currently not in school. Peter Diamandis even announced the launch of an X Prize for Global Literacy. We challenge you to hold them accountable and continue the #Tech4Ed conversation online. Help us advocate for the dire needs of millions of children who cannot go to school and are deprived of a quality education.

Advocates for International Development empowers lawyers to use their skills to fight world poverty. Through its pro bono broker and legal education services it helps the legal sector to meet its global corporate social responsibility to bring about world development. A4ID is a global charity that believes the law can, and should, be used more effectively to eradicate global poverty. Around the world, development organisations work tirelessly to improve access to basic services for the poorest people and empower local communities to tackle poverty. However very often lack of access to legal expertise reduces the impact of these organisations and in many instances the law itself can act as a barrier to sustainable international developmentA4ID works at ensuring that legal support is available for all those involved in the fight against poverty and that lawyers and development organisations have the skills and knowledge to use the law as an effective development tool. Page 8

is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal or grain as it is not a a true grass family. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beetroots, spinach and tumble w eed s. R ef err ed t o a s Superfood with high nutritional value, its protein content per 100 calories is much higher than brown rice, potatoes, barley and millet. Quinoa is a complete source of protein and calcium.

Quinoa

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Sickle Cell Anemia Treatment

The treatment of Sickle Cell disorder will obviously depend very much on the condition of individuals. If they can no longer cope, they are advised to go hospital immediately. At present, there is no known cure for this disorder. Some Sickle Cell disorder patient, especially the ones with Thalassaemia are regularly on blood transfusion every four weeks for the rest of their Other Symptoms: Individuals with Sickle Cell lives, and daily penicillin, and folic acid to prevent life diseases or Beta Thalassaemia gets tired easily, this is threatening infections. because their red blood cells have a shortened life span and as a result of that they have a low haemogloWhen they are Sickle Cell crisis bin and are anaemic they can get breathless even with (I.e. severe pain on the joints or minimal physical activity and excretion. They are more particular bone in the body), they likely to feel the cold compared to most people. People are usually treated with heavy with Sickle cell disease dont develop very good immupainkillers to ease off the pain. nity and therefore prone to picking up infections early. Some of the painkillers are coInfections need to be treated promptly to prevent proxomol, morphine/diamorphine, sickling (pain) crisis or other complication. morphine sulphate, ibuprofen, and diclofenac sodium, dihydrocodeine, and codydramol etc. etc. Is there a Cure for sickle cell disease? sickle cell patient is also treated with Antibiotics. These drugs are Yes. It is called Bone marrow Transplantation (BMT). usually safe and effective in the Bone marrow is obtained from a matched unaffected treatment of bacterial disorders brother or sister or unrelated donor and transplanted to the person with sickle ranging from minor infections, like conjunctivitis, to cell disease. However, life-threatening diseases. Some of the antibiotics this treatment is not have a broad spectrum of activity against wide variwithout side effects and ety of bacterial. the physical, emotional and psychological efOthers are used in the treatment of infection by only fects can sometimes a few specific organisms. Some of these antibiotics cause more distress are penicillins, augmentin-co-amoxilav, clarithromythan the disease itself. cin, and ciprofloxacin. When these patients with sickle cell disorder are hospitalised, they are mainly given these drugs and importantly they are also treated with celine drips. These drips help to increase the fluid in the system, reducing sickle cell crisis.

engineering, the rapidly growing area of scientific research that tries to change and control the design of living things. In fact, there was a case 10 years go, where an early gene inherited a defective gene from both parents, giving her a condition that left body unable to fight infections. She was very ill and left normal red blood cells live above 120 days in the body, sickle cells only live about 5-30 days.

Do you have ...

medical concerns questions or experiences you want an answer to or like to share? Write to Augusta Ill be delighted to respond
For your comments and queries Email me at:
akada@aasgon.net
sickle cell disease can be reduced if the individual gets support, encouragement and feels able to live as normal a life as possible in there own community.

There are specialist sickle cell and thalassaemia centres/ How can Families services in the Uk. The NHS and help? run by specialist nurses, doctors and social workers fund them. The most important part a family can play is to learn as much as possible about These centres offer information, In the United State, it was recently introduced that sickle cell disease so that they can help prevent ill advice, and education of the Sickle Cell disorder can be treated, where the health, recognise symptoms of illness and care and public as well as educate health, allied and other professionals. sufferers will no longer suffers from Sickle Cell disor- support in the home. der. This type of treatment will be through cloning (Gene therapy.) Cloning is one aspect of genetic The psychological and emotional stress of living with

Arnold Ekpe shares his vision for Africa Moving from Talk to Action. The
Business Council for Africa (West & Southern) introduced Mr Arnold Ekpe as the Council's first Honorary President at their annual Summer Lecture on 3rd July 2013. The event held at The Royal OverSeas League and sponsored by FBN Bank, attracted a number of high-profile business leaders, investors, diplomats, members and friends of the BCA. . Regarded as one of the most important and influential African businessmen of his generation, the former CEO of Ecobank gave a passionate speech about his experiences in Africa and the ways in which Africa could move forward as a continent shifting from talk and ideas to action and growth, stating, In Africa, we need to talk less and do more Recognising Africas vast economic potential, Ekpe was also careful to highlight specific danger signs in order to ensure that Africas growth story is a sustainable one, focusing on areas such as infrastructure, integration and building strong regional economic hubs. During his speech, Ekpe suggested the idea of an African Investment Bank where African governments invest capital for regional projects. Page 9 To attract investment, he suggested, Africa must show confidence. Africa is at a turning point. We should be taking more steps to integrate Africa, which means putting the right infrastructure in place building Pan-African railways and enabling open skies.

Ekpe also highlighted the importance of developing strong African business success stories: Africa needs to do more to empower and support African champions. African champions would be companies that have a regional mandate, for example Ecobank, MTN in telecommunications or Shoprite the retail group, taking a regional approach to development. As part of his new role as Honorary President of the BCA, Arnold Ekpe will act as a figurehead and ambassador to promote the Councils mission, values and objectives.

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Xi takes First Step to Avert US-China Cold War

Chair in China Studies at the Centre for evidence of this, proponents point to the U.S. Strategic & International Studies. -Soviet Cold War when the superpowers supposedly divided the world up into opposing spheres of influence. They agreed that North Korea must be denuclearized, and agreed on a path forward But this is a misinterpretation of the Cold to apply pressure on the government in War, and its further misapplication to the Pyongyang, which U.S. officials view as one of contemporary Asia-Pacific. In fact, smaller Chinas first forays stepping in to promote Asian countries would be the primary benefactors of a more acute U.S.-China regional calm. strategic rivalry. With the exception of the countries that were occupied at the end of WWII, the superpowers did not force other nations to choose sides. If anything, the opposite was often true. NATO is a case in point. Although its difficult to recall these days, at the end of WWII the U.S. still had a strong isolationist current among the American people and some elite circles. Consequently, building domestic support for the economic-driven Marshall Plan was difficult, even though the U.S. had always maintained robust trading relations with Western Europe. Ratifying the NATO treaty was even more contentious. Faced with the threat of the Soviet leviathan, which had just conquered Eastern Europe, the Europeans had no such qualms. As Lawrence Kaplan, an expert on the transnational alliance, points out, the driving forces behind NATO as it came to exist were Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. In 1948, these five countries signed the Brussels Pact pledging self-defence before attempting to rope the U.S. into the treatys principle that each nation would automatically respond militarily if one of the others was attacked.

To prevent another Cold War Chinas Presi-

dent Xi Jinping is looking for a new model of According to the US National Security Advisor major country relationship with the United Tom Donilon, Obama said that the parties States. should seek to de-escalate, not escalate; and the parties should seek to have conversations China and the United States must find about this through diplomatic channels and a new pathone that is different from the not through actions out of the East China inevitable confrontation and conflict between Sea, and further encouraged Xi to deescathe major countries of the past, Xi told late tensions with Japan over the disputed reporters after his first meeting with Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which President Obama in June. are believed to sit upon oil and gas reserves claimed by both countries. Welcoming the Chinese leaders gesture Obama responded We shared our respective visions for our countries futures and agreed With hopes for future cooperation on climate that were more likely to achieve our change, both leaders signed off an agreement objectives of prosperity and security of our to limit the release of Hydro fluorocarbons people if we are working together coopera(HFCs), potent greenhouse gas used as tively, rather than engaged in conflict. refrigerants. To promote stability between the two powers, discussions also centred on the importance of strengthening military-toRaising the issue of cyber-security, which has military ties, which lag diplomatic and emerged as one of the most controversial economic relations by more than a decade. issues between the two nations, the focus on the Cold War by Xi is assumed to suggest a In its report culled from The Diplomat, Zachsense of urgency from the Chinese leader. ary Keck stressed that it is often argued that Its as if in parenthesis hes saying, If we weaker Asian nations like those of ASEAN dont get this relationship right now, neither would be the most negatively impacted by a of us is going to like what were going to have U.S.-China Cold War, as Washington and to do next, said Chris Johnson, a former Beijing would force them to take sides. As China analyst for the CIA and the Freeman

We definitely are excited to work with AASGON not only in cooperation with Sias University but also with the Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP) and the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP)
- Dr. Shawn Chen
Founder and Executive Chairman,

For The World We All Deserve Join the Chain to Make the Change! For Details Contact:

Sias International University, Henan, China 1st Vice Chairman AUAP and Executive Director IAUP.

AASGON
info@aasgon.net

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GIVING YOUTH A BETTER START IN THE LABOUR MARKET

OECD Action Plan for Youth Why Action is Needed
future and removing barriers country could still do more to to their employment. improve youth outcomes. Therefore, at the latest Particular attention should be OECDs Meeting of the focussed on the most disad- Council at Ministerial Level in vantaged groups of youth, May, countries committed to such as the low-skilled or the key elements of an those from migrant back- OECD Action Plan for Youth Sharp increases in youth grounds, who face the great- and to taking or strengthening effective measures to unemployment and underimprove youth outcomes. employment have built upon long-standing strucThis includes actions to tural obstacles that are tackle the current youth preventing many youth in unemployment crisis and both OECD and Key Partstrengthen the long-term ner countries from develemployment prospects of oping the skills they need and being able to use those est risk of becoming perma- youth. skills effectively through a nently marginalised from the successful transition from labour market along with a The OECD Action Plan for range of social problems. Youth draws together and school to the labour market. builds upon extensive OECD Action should be applied analysis of education, skills Action is all the more urgent in the context of a hesitant across a broad front to and 2 youth-related employeconomic recovery and weak improve the provision of ment policies as well as a job creation in many coun- basic education and voca- number of international tries and at a time when gov- tional training, and social initiatives, including the ILO ernments face tight budget- services, and to tackle labour Resolution on -The youth ary and financial constraints. market barriers more gener- employment crisis: a call for ally that are preventing many action, the G20 commitTackling weak aggregate youth from gaining a firm ments on youth employment demand and promoting job foothold in the labour market. and the EU Council's agreement on the Youth creation are essential for bringing down high youth In line with the OECD Skills Guarantee. unemployment and under- Strategy, effective action employment. But while a requires an effort across all Following its endorsement, brighter economic outlook will relevant ministerial portfolios the OECD is working with help, it will not solve all of the to ensure that youth acquire countries to implement the difficulties youth face in gain- the right skills, bring those OECD Youth Action Plan in ing access to productive and skills to the labour market their national context and rewarding jobs; cost-effective and are able to utilise them provide peer-learning opportunities for countries to share measures addressing struc- effectively. their implementation plans. tural issues are also needed. However, there are large Giving youth a better start in country differences in the The OECD also provides a the labour market is not only labour market situation for setting to discuss what works vital for improving their well- youth and thus policy respon- and what does not in an being and fostering greater ses must be tailored to each international perspective social cohesion but also for countrys circumstances. This based on country experience boosting potential growth and also opens up the scope for and will report on progress to limiting future social expendi- m u t u a l l e a r n i n g f r o m the MCM 20. tures, especially in the successful measures and context of rapid population programmes that countries have taken to improve youth ageing in most countries. employment outcomes. Advertise in

The

UN SECRETARY GENERALS ENVOY ON YOUTH, MR. AHMAD ALHENDAWI WITH THE YOUTH MECHANISM OF THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FRAMEWORK AND THE UN COMMUNICATIONS GROUP .

global financial crisis has reinforced the message that more must be done to provide youth with the appropriate skills and help to get a better start in the labour market.

On Thursday, July 4, 2013, the UN Secretary Generals Envoy on Youth, Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, who arrived in Colombo earlier that week, met with the UN Country Team, the UN Communications Group and the Youth Mechanism Group of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Mr. Alhendawi discussed the development of youth policy in Sri Lanka and the meaningful involvement of youth in the United Nations and issues that are of concern to young people.

Action Plan Against Tax Avoidance

Multinational companies have avoided taxation in their home countries by pushing profits abroad to low- or no-tax jurisdictions. The G20 asked the OECD to create an action plan to address tax base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS).

The plan has now been launched. It identifies 15 actions and sets timelines for the Thus, action is needed both to bring immediate results in implementation. alleviating the current situaThe OECD has now presented to tion of high youth unemployG20 finance ministers plans for ment and under-employment a two-pronged attack on tax and to produce better avoidance and evasion from outcomes for youth in the both companies and individuals. longer run by equipping them Page 11 with relevant skills for the

Much has already been tried: some initiatives have delivered good results while others have been disappointingly ineffective. Yet even where successful measures have been taken, every OECD and Key Partner

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Contact
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From back page

While

NEPAD theoretically promises to set Africa on a development course, it also imparts contradictions and ambiguities, which together raise fundamental questions about its ability to meet its stated objectives. These questions have also become the basis for criticism and pessimism. Let us briefly look at these weaknesses. Although presented as a programme of partnership, the relationship between the West and Africa is criticised for lacking reciprocity, complementarity or symbiosis that characterise genuine partnerships. On the contrary, it is a fundamentally skewed partnership reminiscent of the relationship between a rider and a horse (Ngwane, 2003: 3), or a benevolent and a beggar (Orakwue, 2002). Accordingly, the NEPAD acronym is either often derided as meaning a new partnership for Africas domination or destruction, or pronounced humorously as KNEE-PAD to depict Africas preparedness to stay longer on its knees while pleading for aid (Orakwue 2002).

Why NEPAD may Fail

democratic reforms. This critical view argues that a genuinely formulated African programme will eschew the neo-liberal prescriptions embodied in NEPAD, which more or less are the very policies constraining the regions development (Govender, 2003). However, in return for Africas wholesale adoption of SAPs and submission to multiparty elections by the close of the decade, only the Netherlands, and the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden provided 0.7% or Beset with poverty and adversity, more higher of their GNP as ODA to Africa. In fact, aggregate ODA to Africa actually over, a truly formulated African develop- plummeted from $28.6 billion in 1990 to ment programme would evolve people- $16.4 billion in 2000 (Bentsi-Enchill 1997; centred and poverty-targeted policies, Asante, 2003:16). Here, too, donor which are visibly missing in NEPAD. pledges went unfulfilled. NEPAD presents a neo-liberal framework, patterned along textbook economics and expected to work from a classical point of view. But worldwide experience shows that textbook economics are not written for economies in decline such as those in Africa, which defy basic neoclassical logic. As noted earlier, NEPADs acclaimed potential to promote good governance, through the innovative APRM, is another source of optimism. However, this optimism is misplaced. Submission to the APRM is voluntary. Countries which initially signed up can opt out if the process proves intrusive. Moreover, the AU lacks the muscle to compel countries to either sign up to the review process or comply with standards of good governance. This is a major limitation that has left the AU and APRM as a lame leviathan. Four countries Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius and Rwanda were reviewed in 2004. However, consistent with the APRMs lack of compulsion, the review process focused not on whether the stated standards of governance were adhered to, but whether the countries [were] moving towards these goals (Africa Research Bulletin, 2004: 15629-30).

A neo-liberal programme centred on the market, informed by the logic of trickle-down economics and with a plethora of conditionalities In fact, Asante (2003: 14), describes the such as NEPAD, can at best exacerbate partnership more succinctly as a rather than ameliorate poverty. partnership of unequal partners. These aberrations underscore the lack of true If the origins and nature of NEPAD, along with the partnership it evokes with The overwhelming neo-liberal the West are dubious, the commitment of orientation of NEPAD is a source Africas partners to meet aid obligation is an even bigger source of pessimism. Afof concern. But this posture is ricas unmitigated past disappointments informed not only by the global with western aid deals substantiate this.

dominance of neo-liberalism as an ideology, but importantly by the assumption tracing Africas crisis to mainly internal factors.
partnership between Africa and the G8. Admittedly, much of these negative comparisons and analogies about NEPAD derive from the unending suspicions about the programmes origins. In contrast to its portrayal as a homegrown project, NEPAD is frequently seen as a construction of the West (Adesina, 2003, Bond, 2003:12).
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The incapacity of NEPAD and the AU to generate good governance is also evident in continuous allegations of corruption and nepotism involving top government officials in Africa; grotesque human right restrictions and abuses in Zimbabwe and Swaziland nearly four years after the In 1986, for example, the UN developed a adoption of NEPAD and the APRM. four year recovery programme, the United Nations Programme of Action for African Nor, have NEPAD and the AU been able Economic Recovery and Development to completely stem conflicts and wars in (UN-PARRED) 1986-1990. Africa. On the contrary, in spite of successes in ending conflicts in Angola This programme embodied pledges by and Mozambique, others have continued the international creditor community to to rage. Darfur, Somalia and the Democprovide assistance to Africa. However, ratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) the tepid response from the international continue to present challenges to the AU, community condemned UN-PARRED to a while peace in the Ivory Coast, Liberia premature demise. Again, in 1991, the and Sudan remain fragile at best. Other United Nations New Agenda for the disturbing internal tensions, such as in Development of Africa in the 1990s Zimbabwe, continue to test the ability of (UN-NADAF) was adopted under which the AU to restore sound governance the international creditor community was practices in the region. to commit 0.7 percent of its GNP as ODA to Africa. On their part, African countries . committed themselves to economic and Continued page 26

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South-South to perfect Participatory Governance

Guided by the provisions of the Havana Programme of Action adopted by the First South Summit held in Havana, Cuba, 10 14 April 2000, the year when the MDGs came to be, this year December 2013 marks a decade when participants at the High-level Conference on South-South Cooperation met in Marrakech, Morocco, to review progress made in South-South Cooperation after 35 years of its formation in Buenos Aires, Argentina . Reality of Aid Africa It is expected that after the many years, there would be clear evidence of the achievements made through the South-South Cooperation; and even more critical, it is expected that there would be clear conceptual and policy clarification and clear rules of engagement. A study done otherwise. by UNDP reveals
..continued on page 19

The

increasing relevance and importance of South-South Cooperation (SSC) has been stressed in major international events including the UN General Assembly sessions and resolutions.

Representing a tremendous force of solidarity, over the years there has been great optimism that South-South cooperation, will principally aid developing countries of the South in overcoming their biggest challenges. According to Rose Wajiru a member of

Prof. Capon Heads UNU-IIGH

Anthony senior leadership and manage- Malaysia. re- ment experience in public The AASGON President sumed office as health research, education and (photographed below) was well Director of the United Nations policy, took office from August received by the UNU-IIGH team led by its former Director Tan Sri Dato' University International Institute 1, 2013. Prof. Dr. Salleh Mohamed Yasin. for Global Health. As part of efforts at collaboratProf. Capon, the founding con- ing with key partners to develop a Post 2015 African venor of the Climate Change Asian Pacific Joint Health Policy Adaptation Research Network Framework, the Founder and for Human Health in Australia, a Executive President of Africa Asia Scholars Global Network public health physician and an (AASGON), Abdul Dewale authority on environmental Mohammed last December health and health promotion paid a visit to the UNU-IIGH head office in Kuala Lumpur, with more than two decades of Capon has

Prof.

AASGON commits itself to seeking lasting solutions to the complexity of Africa Asia Pacific UnderDevelopment and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

GMU student pharmacists to practice in Africa

delegation from the Pharma- Noted as one of the top 100 compacists Council of Nigeria to nies making an impact in the Arab explore the accreditation of World, the Thumbay Group was in Pharm D program offered by May the University. featured in the Forbes Magazine.

AAPUMAC
Under Review
The 1st Africa Asia Pacific University and Ministry of Agriculture Conference has been Postponed Till Further Notice!

Expanding its pharmacy chain Similarly to his contribution to the in line with GMC Hospitals advancement of quality health care strategic retail plans, Thumbay and education in the Middle East, pave way for the registraGroup is set to establish 10 the Groups Founder and President, more pharmacies in the UAE. Mr. Thumbay Moideen featured in The Group which owns GMU June edition of Forbes list of Top recently inaugurated a new 100 Indians in the UAE. p h a r m a c y G M C

To

tion of the Gulf Medical University (GMU) Pharm D students as Pharmacists in Nigeria, GMU played host to a high profile
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each other. At present the H.264/MPEG-4 codec is commonly used to broadcast digital TV - including the UK's Freeview HD and Sky HD satellite services - as well as the vast majority of video clips on the web. In January the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN agency, approved a new format to succeed it called the H.265 High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard. It allows 4K and 1080p videos to be streamed using roughly half the bit rate, meaning half as much data needs to be transmitted, thanks to the use of more advanced algorithms.

Japan tests 4K TV over the internet

A Japanese telecoms company is reported to have carried out tests to try to prove 4K-resolution video can be streamed over the internet to The ITU said it should meet the needs of broadcasters for "the television set-top boxes. next decade". Although 4K ultra-high-definition televisions are already on the market, content is scarce and most owners have NTT West hosted the trial - which is believed to be the first of its kind. relied on the sets' ability to upscale existing HD signals. Japan A new video compression standard is being used to reduce the amount plans to become the first country to broadcast 4K programming of data that needs to be transmitted. 4K broadcasts offer four times the amount of detail as 1080p highdefinition content. Compressing technologies allow broadcasters to transmit material using much less data than would otherwise be required while minimising the loss of picture quality. With regard to video, instead of sending data describing each pixel of each frame as if it were a standalone entity, a variety of algorithms are used to analyse Japan plans to become the first how colour is distributed across each image and what changes occur between each country to frame.

1st Roundtable in Asia

For over a century the Union of International
Associations (UIA) has been working to promote and facilitate the work of international organisations. Creating opportunities for learning through networking and good practice, the UIA Round Table will for the first time in history be held in Asia.

broadcast 4K programming over satellite from 2014, in time for the football World Cup.

About 200 participants will converge in Singapore on October 23rd and 24th 2013 to gain practical skills, share knowledge and This is then used to allow redundant infor- experience. mation to be discarded, providing instead only the information needed to reconstruct The UIA Round TableEurope will be held in Brussels in Novema sequence based on an understanding of ber 2013. For more information on how to participate in either how each pixel and frame are related to or both crucial roundtables log on http://uia.org/roundtable.

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St. Paul University endorse ACCSEP

maximize the benefits brought forth by national and international partnerships, forges ties with diverse institutions of learning. We wish to invite as many nationalities to our fold so that our new forms of evangelization can touch and transform more lives and make our University an earthly Kingdom of God where truth, peace and love reign reaffirm Sister Remy Angela Junio. University Philippines which has been acknowledged as providing the 'Most Outstanding Student Services Program' in the Philippines. More so that the institution has been proudly declared by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines as Pontifical Catholic Cultural Centre, which is a viable platform for new evangelization where faith and culture meet. The St. Paul University Philippines has extended a invitation to the Founder and Executive President of the Africa Asia Scholars Global Network, Abdul Dewale Mohammed to visit the renowned university which has had over a hundred years of presence in the popular Cagayan Valley region now

The President of St. Paul Univer

-sity Philippines and Chancellor, St. Paul University System, Sr. Remy Angela Junio, has endorsed ACCSEP, the Africa Asia Scholars Global Networks Academic, Career, Cultural & Summer Exchange Program.

In a statement by Prof. Jeremy Godofredo C. Morales, the Director Innovation, Distance Education, Public Affairs and International Relations, the Chancellor endorses your association and your projects Expressing his organisations plans especially that you directly link to develop a lasting and mutually rewarding partnership with St. up persons and institutions. Paul University the Second Vice With its dynamic multi- President of AASGON, Dr. Albert disciplinary approach to learn- Barnes said It is indeed a great ing, the University, in order to pleasure to associate with St. Paul

Sr. Remy Angela Junio,SPC President and Chancellor St. Paul University Philippines.

The St. Paul University Philippines is open to students from across the globe.

Courtesy call on AASGON

From back page

and forthcoming in tackling the challenges of the 21st century paricularly that of global youth unemployment and the shortcomings of Millennium Development Goals.

the

However he hopes that the UNs new generation of sustainable development goals built on the MDGs accomplishments and deficiencies will take account of the civil society empowerment and more direct role in public ameliorate and concretely address The august visitors thanked AASGON for its commitment to decision-making as well as more deeply the worlds present concerns. bridging the widening gap between people of developing engagement in the implementation of countries in ensuring world peace and prosperity .

As part of the UN efforts at bringing about Sustainable Development Goals AASGON he stressed, is proposing a number of far reaching stakeholders joint partnership schemes developmental programmes. which are being examined for impleGovernance explained the AASGON mentation. The coming Founder needs to be more transReferring to the uncontrolled together of Africa parent and responsive to the needs increase in youth unemployment of the ordinary citizen who are the and Asia is not most populated of the workforce with graduates becoming unemployjust for the and bedrock of economic growth. able in the labour market, the AASGON chief affirmed that In todays Its disheartening and regrettable benefit or interest student engagement has that Drugs, Weapons and Human world of either of the trafficking have become tragedies of become increasingly prevalent and significant and its only through a region but for the our time. review of current teaching methentire world Empowerment of the Civil Society, odology that meets the challenges of at large lamented Abdul Mohammed and its the 21st century shall we be able to direct or indirect ownership or create the most desired life changes command of socio-economic devel- to the development of human capiopment of communities is key to tal, wealth creation and sustainable growth

UN SET TARGETS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

nate by 2015 deaths from top UN takes responsibility to killers: malaria; polio; new accelerate progress on the paediatric HIV infections; maMillennium Development Goals: ternal and neonatal tetanus; and measles. Keep the world solidly on track to meet poverty reduction Fully implement the global targets focusing on inequalities, strategy on women and making particular efforts in children's health to save tens of countries with special needs and millions of lives, including in those which have not achieved through the provision of reprosufficient progress. ductive health services to meet

universal education for the twentyfirst century.

The

Unlock the potential of current and future generations by putting an end to the hidden tragedy of stunting of almost 200 million children by mobilizing financial, human and political resources commensurate with the challenge. Stimulate generational progress by catalysing a global movement to achieve quality, relevant and

Complete the final drive to elimiPage 15

unmet global needs.

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Family Flier
John

2013 Invention Awards:

By Elbert Chu Reports Charles Q. Choi

McGinnis thinks ordinary families

Cardboard Bike

would rather skip the airport and fly themselves. So he is trying to reinvent the personal airplane with the help of his father, son, and a rotating crew of about two dozen volunteers. Unlike small aircraft today which can cost more than a house, McGinnis says Synergy could be cheaper, quieter, and, at more than 40 mpg, three times as fuelefficient. McGinnis, a 47-year-old composite manufacturer, flew his first airplane in second grade. Perplexed by the inefficiencies of personal aircraft, he taught himself aeronautical engineering and fluid dynamics over two decades. One day, while perusing scientific studies at a desk in his daughters bedroom, he read a NASA researchers paper challenging a classic aerodynamic drag equation. McGinnis could see the possibilities. I

One day in 2009, Israeli engineer Izhar Gafni sat in a quiet library designing a machine to extract seeds from pomegranates when his mind drifted to cycling, his favorite pastime. Gafni admired bikes made from sustainable bamboo, but their high cost seemed prohibitive. He wondered, why not make them from cardboard instead? Over the next two years, Gafni learned to fold cardboard sheets into the strongest possible shapes; his experimentation led to robust structures resembling honeycombs and bird nests. He then spent another year crafting the material into bicycle components. I almost felt like the Wright Brothers going into unknown territory, he says. The product of his labor is a single-speed bicycle with spokes, rims, and a frame made from cardboard. Varnish protects the glued paper core from moisture, while old car tires serve as punctureproof wheels. Gafni used a cars timing belt as a chain and formed plastic bottles into pedal cranks. The 28-pound prototype, called Alfa, can safely support a rider nearly 20 times its weight.

came out of the girls bedroom ranting Gafni intends to mass produce four models: two 18-pound bikes for adults, assisted by optional like a madman to my wife, he says.
rechargeable electric motors, and two smaller versions for children. He hopes to build each bike for less than $12 in materials and sell them for no more than $30. Through advertising plastered on each bikeor enough grant moneypeople in developing countries could ride them for free. Gafni can already envision fashioning his cardboard into baby strollers, wheelchairs, and even cars. You can do almost anything with it, he says.

WindMaker draws fresh air from behind selves, says Shawn Gibbs, an occupathe helmet, pushes it through a HEPA- tional health expert at the University of rated filter, and then blows it toward the Nebraska Medical Center. And that infront, cooling skin while preventing fog on creased use is something welding needs, the glass faceplate. A fan near the chin he says. helps expel air, blowing away toxic smoke in the work zone. LED lights on each side of the faceplate illuminate the welding job, while a thick shroud deWithin his first 30 minutes on the job at an flects sparks. aluminum factory in 1999, metalworker many Several companies have expressed noxious fumes he was sick with bronchitis interest in licensing the helmet. Before for three days. As he recovered, Buckman anyone can sell WindMaker, however, wondered whether a commercial welding the National Institute of Occupational Michael Buckman inhaled so

Fume Fighter
Report Veronique Greenwood

Buckman already has ideas for high-tech helmet could have filtered his breathing Safety and Health needs to extensively add-ons, including wireless communication devices, solar panels, video cameras, air. I didnt see anything out there like test its air-filtering abilitiesa costly and heads-up displays. Whatever futuristic what I was thinking about, he says. So he process that requires consumer-ready features make it into the final helmet, set out to build the WindMaker: a helmet units. If the device lives up to its claims, Buckman is confident it will deliver on the convenient combination of eye, heat, safety. I got hurt on the job, he says. I that can prevent lung damage. had to go through that experience to spark, and respiratory safeguards could design this. motivate more welders to protect themPage 16

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AASGON

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Power of Persistence
Oprah
Winfrey, Bill Gates, Will Smith, Richards Branson and countless others who had succeeded either as entrepreneurs or in other endeavours had done so by being persistent; they never gave up when the road they started out on turned out to be leading to no where with all odds stacked up against them. setbacks". There are two stories in the Bible that comes to mind which attest to the fact that being persistent can break barriers and open doors to getting what is desired and acted upon. Abraham's persistent pleading with God helped save a city from destruction for the sake of a Despite obstacles and uncertainty, they held on few "just people" out of the whole population. firmly and remained on course until they found success. These are ordinary folks with extraor- Abraham started by asking God to forgive and dinary faith in their dream and the capabilities not destroy the city for the sake of "fifty just to manifest their dreams failure or the threat of people" but was able to persuade God to save the city if only" ten just people" are found failure. among the sinners by being persistent . A lot has been said and written about persistence; that innate human attribute which provide the energy and desire to "hold firmly and steadfastly to a purpose, state, or undertaking despite obstacles, warnings, or On another occasion Jesus told a story about a man who had an urgent need for a few loaves of bread. The man knocked on his friend's door in the middle of the night but the friend asked him to go away and that it is late. Jesus went on to say that "If the man does not get up and give [the loaves] to him for friendship's sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants" Being persistent has won many a battle and the lack of it has made many to get up from being knocked down and run off in the opposite direction. We all are aware of the power of this attribute but a lot of us still fail to succeed in getting the things we desire because we lack tenacity. Why do some people hold on to a purpose or dream even after failing several times? According to Steve Jobs "you have to have a lot of passion for what you are doing because if you don't any rational person will give up

Austin Mac-Anabraba

because it is hard.. the ones that succeed love doing what they do and can persevere when it gets really tough". Those who are persistent eventually find success because they love what they do and strongly believe in their dream or purpose. The love for their work helps them to focus goals and motivate them to continue to pursue their dream. These individuals never change their focus but are very flexible in their strategy and tactics in pursuing their dreams. All of these people will tell you that they have experienced failures and how they have been spurred on by failures, setbacks and obstacles. According to Steve Chandler, "making the problem your own cuts it by 50%". People who succeed through persistence have the habit of embracing failure and learning from it and these lessons help them to change strategy and tactics but never the dream or purpose. They get up from being knocked down and continue rather than run in the opposite direction.

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The Mandela World

Freedom, Justice and Democracy
Mandela and the China connection
From front page Less appreciated is Mandela's link with China. In his best-selling autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela reflects: "Like the people of the East, Africans have a highly developed sense of dignity, or what the Chinese call 'face'." This refers to the concept of mianzi, a tenet of Confucianism in which losing reputation is anathema in a harmonious society. In the mid-1940s, Mandela's African National Congress initiated series of campaigns of defiance against dominant white rule. Although he was one of the ANC leaders, he saw no contradiction in forging alliances with other parties fighting against a common and formidable foe. One such ally was the South Africa Communist Party, whose ideological bent was toward a classless society. Against opposition from some of his "comrades", the ANC entered an on-off partnership with SACP. Mandela admits he was "handicapped by ignorance of Marxist philosophy" at the time. To rectify that, he immersed himself in the works of Marxist leaders, including Mao Zedong, in his autobiography, Mandela writes: "In Edgar Snow's brilliant Red Star Over China I saw that it was Mao's determination and nontraditional thinking that led him to victory." He also read works by China's chairman from 1959 to 1969, Liu Shaoqi, and eventually wrote a paper entitled How to be a Good Communist as an interpretation of communism in the South African context. That paper would be used against him during the infamous Rivonia trials in the early 1960s. Mandela's pragmatism is such that while he came away from Marxist readings not exactly sold on concepts such as dialectical materialism, he saw the value of appropriating some Communist principles into the struggle. He was more in favour of nationalism blending African cultural principles and some elements of Communism. - continues next akada edition

... Participatory governance

programmes, in reality people running the state of affairs have no clear mandate or better understanding of the effect and while a substantial increase in the workings of participatory governance. amount China and India, emerging world economies, invest in Africa and Asia There is no set benchmark or appraisal could be foreseen as a new era for south- on governments ability to transfer responsouth co-operation, the impact of the sibilities as to meeting such vital developCooperation in supporting member states ment policy. in achieving the Millennium Development Goals is hardly recognised, be it in Many civil organisations have become partnership development, regional inte- disenchanted and disinterested in governgration, sharing of good practices, youth ance because promises are hardly kept. employment, information and communication technology, food, agriculture, water, It is widely believed that South-South energy, health, education, trade and Co-operation must be grounded in the investment. questions of why and how policymakers can come together and share their The inadequacies of many developing successes and failures with each other, countries from meeting the Millennium and, most importantly, set guidelines that Development Goals (MDGs) have been allow for investments to directly feed into clearly that of lack of effective participa- development assistance so that those tory governance where the civil society is living on less than $1.25 day don't get left fully incorporated in policy formulation and behind. implementation. Providing more options for development In theory policies clearly state public Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, UNDP Associate ownership and p e o p l e - c e n t r e d Administrator, stressed at a recent

From Page 13

dialogue with Member States on SSC that in the next Strategic Plan 2014-2017, UNDP is committing to mainstreaming South-South cooperation more effectively as an integral tool for successful development. Moving forward we must commit ourselves to leveraging new South-South dynamics into development results Widely recognized as a key mechanism for the development agenda of countries of the South, to meet expectations of the 21st century, SSC would have to strengthen its Global Partnership and People-Centred policies.

Participatory governance focuses on deepening democratic engagement through the participation of citizens in the processes of governance with the state.

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To read or download past editions of your favourite akada News Magazine and Abdul Dewale Mohammeds recent paper presentations log on: http://www.slideshare.net/KSENCIC/aasgon-presentation Wealth is increasingly shifting to emerging economies, especially in Asia. By 2020, the region could account for half the worlds middle class, and their consumption patterns will be felt throughout the global economy - Homi Kharas.
Development expert.

For your events

Request a Speaker from AASGON
Email:

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Nigeria can prosper through its own space craft

Sat, Abdul Dewale Mohammed, the Founder and Executive President of the Africa Asia Scholars Global Network (AASGON) believes that with the will to succeed Nigeria can borrow a leaf from the United States where the need to retain the unique technical expertise of tens of thousands of workers is highly valued as the future of the space program is considered vital to the economic future of the country. No other government program according to experts, can match the economic impact of space program spin-offs that include applications in medicine, computer technology, communications, public safety, food, power generation and transportation. In the US, MRI testing, flat screen TVs, cordless power tools and solar power are examples of the long-term economic benefits of space technology spin-offs. A robust manned space program, with well-defined missions, destinations and deadlines, is considered as essential for NASA and U.S. advancement in science, technology, engineering and medicine. Such The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) advancements inspire continued academic achievement and employhas confirmed that Nigerian astronauts should be trained and ready ment opportunities in these areas for America's youth. for space travel within two Abdul clarifies that where Nigeria years. economy goes in the future could depends largely on its projections in In July this year, NASRDAs space, and backed with high director general, Professor proficiency, clarity and accountability, Seidu Onailo Mohammed, set projections can be met. declared: By our road map we are supposed to have astronauts prepared by 2015. Before the end of the year, the recruitment of astronauts will begin so that we have them handy and as soon as we get the nod we can pick from that number. With dedication and commitment, Nigeria or any other countries in Africa or Asia can achieve same for their people as the United States.

With queries as to why the UK government is giving aids to Nigeria which opts for space missions while majority of its people are in abject poverty, a spokesperson for the Department for International DevelNigerias space programme started in 2003 but its first satellite lost opment (DFID) was quoted as saying Our investment goes into power and disappeared from orbit. It now has three in space, Nig- health, education and poverty reduction programmes. ComSat-1R, NigeriaSat-2 and Nigeria-Sat X, the first to be constructed Nigeria is home to a quarter of the poorest solely by Nigerian engineers. people in Africa. Supporting their DevelopAlthough it has bought its own satellites, launched on Russian rock- ment will benefit our trade and security. This ets, Nigeria has built laboratories which it hopes will produce its own official statement literally explains there I s a place for business in philanthropy. space craft by 2028. However with plans to launch its own rockets by 2028, doubts are mounting, that Nigeria though with the second highest national income of all African countries may not have the capacity to fully utilize the potential of a space craft and its immense economic benefits to better the lots of its citizenry. With plans for satellites and rocket launches, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa also have their own space agencies.

U.S. manned space flight is known to have been on for nearly 50 years. Meanwhile China Commending the Nigerian Engineers who constructed the Nigeria has announced the launching of its first unPage 21 manned lunar lander by the end of this year.

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Emerging Youth Unrest

Until

now considered a model in terms of reducing poverty and inequality, Brazil has recently faced the wrath of hundreds of thousands of protesters from across all sections of society, riling up against inflation while calling for better access to health care, education and other public services. OECD analyst Horacio Levy explains

Recent trends in poverty and inequality reduction in Brazil have been impressive. However, the starting point was so high that despite all the promising results there is still a long way to go. The protests highlight this. Despite all progress, there is no room for complacency. Brazil is still a very unequal country in which the vast majority of the population does not have access to public services of a reasonable quality, particularly health, education and transport. The unease with the government spending on the 2014 Football World Cup and the rise on bus fares shows that there is a strong demand for public resources to be better used and targeted to peoples needs. Better access to better quality public services are the biggest challenges facing the emerging middle class. Despite their increased purchasing power, the emerging middle class finds it difficult (if not impossible) to enter the elite schools, universities and hospitals (public and private) that the upper middle class and the rich use. Having emerged to a middle class status, this part of the population now feels empowered to demand access to quality services. The Brazilian government has recently been targeting more resources to areas mentioned in the protests. Education and health expenditure as a proportion of GDP have increased in the last decade, respectively from 3.9% to 5.6% and from 3% to 4%, according to World Bank estimates. However, the quality of services is still very deficient. Further resources and much better management to reduce inefficiency, waste and corruption, are now required more than ever imagined.
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AFWL 2013

Created by Ronke Ademiluyi, Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) has emerged the biggest African event of its kind in Europe A collaborative fashion exhibition, highlighting the industrys established and emerged African designers, AFWL is at the forefront of capturing the surge of the African inspired trends in the fashion industry. AFWL celebrates the work of African and African inspired designers in the UK and worldwide.

Topped with the flamboyant mixing of Western and African culture through fashion at the same time promoting Africas rich ethnic culture and interpreting it into contemporary designs, Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) celebrates Londons unique and diverse cultural heritage. With about 20,000 guests from all over the world, 100 designers and models this years highly successful AFWL was held at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London.

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Education For ALL... GBC-Ed to the rescue

ing world alike to do Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Ed) brings more to deliver together corporate leaders committed to delivering on the promise education for all. of quality education for all of the worlds children. GBC-Ed delegations will visit key target Education is the birthright of every child, the key to expanded countries, like Ethioopportunity, and a source of prosperity, employment and social pia, India and Nigecohesion. GBC-Ed members believe that their core business assets, ria, to meet Presisocial responsibility and philanthropy, when used in collaboration dents, Prime Miniswith government and other stakeholders, can be a powerful tool to ters and other senachieve these shared goals. ior figures, encourage them to prioritise education, and explore how the skills and reDrawing on the activities, resources and innovations of its members, sources of businesses can be of assistance. GBC-Ed supports and galvanizes international action to achieve the Education for All and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on Research on corporate engagement in education. education, while preparing the ground GBC-Ed will support research initiatives for an ambitious post-2015 agenda. aimed at identifying good practice and Members of GBC-Ed share a concern strengthening the impact of corporate efthat failure to accelerate progress in forts to improve access to education and education will undermine economic strengthen learning outcomes. growth, slow the pace of poverty reduction, prevent innovation and jobs creaNearly 50% of the worlds 61 million out of tion, and hinder efforts to achieve wider school children come from just seven coundevelopment goals. tries.

The

The Global Business Coalition for Education is an action-oriented organisation focused on three core functions: Cooperation in corporate support for education. While many companies give generously and effectively to educational projects, much of this activity is at present uncoordinated and suffers from unnecessary duplication, as well as a failure to take advantage of economies of scale or to promote and publicise best practice. GBC-Ed will provide a forum for improving coordination and cooperation.

The business coalitions main programme areas focus on these countries. Nigeria: 10.5 million children out of school Ethiopia: 2.4 million children out of school Pakistan: 5.1 million children out of school China: 4.3 million children out of school Bangladesh: 2 million children out of school India: 2.3 million children out of school Afghanistan: 2.1 million children out of school

Value of education rises in crisis but investment in it falls

Advocacy for education. When the business community speaks with one voice, politicians listen, and so the Global Business Coalition for Other countries and regions will be addressed by GBC-Ed activities; Education will pressure governments in the developed and developprogram areas focus on girls, technology and quality learning.

MLK

I Have a Dream
Page 24

Most acclaimed Speech in History

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WORLD BANK INDICTS GOVERNMENT ON POVERTY ALIKO DONATES N10 BILLION

be expected from the pace of economic vulnerability and enhance their economic growth in the country, the World Bank said standing. increasing significantly, revealing a perplexin its Nigeria Economic Report May, 2013. ing contrast between the nations economic For Africas sustainable growth and developstatistics on Meanwhile Africas richest man, Aliko ment its essential that other wealthy people rapid economic Dangote has pledge the disbursement of emulate this great humanitarian gesture growth and N10 billion grants to women and youths aimed at ameliorating widespread poverty minimal welfare across Nigerias 774 local government areas. through the development of skills, enterimprovements prise and wealth creation. for much of the According to Aliko Dangote the President of population, the Dangote Foundation, through which the Collectively a better and sustained livelihood World Bank has cash transfer intervention is being disbursed can be created for present and future said. to women who bear the greatest brunt of generations. poverty Our Programme provides a one-off Poverty rates grant that enables recipients to grow or start Alikos commitment to alleviating poverty is remain high in an enterprise, invest in product assets, a big challenge and incentive to government Nigeria, particularly in rural areas. These improve the health of their families, and or and the rich, influential and highly placed in rates declined between 2003-2004 and 2009take on new activities that will reduce their the continent. 2010, although not nearly as fast as would

The number of Nigerians living in poverty is

China Scholarship Council Organizes the First CSC Conference

student and scholar exchanges. In the year 2012, CSC sponsored more than 60 thousand students and scholars to study abroad or in China. By the year 2020, Chinese government will admit 500,000 international students to study in China in total and will offer more scholarship. CSC will also provide even better service to the CSC scholarship students. International student representatives from the seven universities above and the two host universities shared their study and living experience in China and expressed their sincere gratitude to Chinese government for the precious opportunities of studying in China.

More than 900 China Scholarship Council (CSC)

counties attended the first CSC Student Conference held at Tsinghua University, Beijing and Southeast University, Nanjing on June 8th and 22nd, 2013 respectively. Ms. Liu Jinghui, Secretary-General of CSC, Mr. Yuan Si, Deputy President of Tsinghua University, Mr. Pu Yuepu, Deputy President of Southeast University and Ms. Tian Lulu, Director of International Student Office of Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, Ministry of Education of PRC presented the conference in the two cities.

grantees from 119 Students also had a great time visiting laboratories and science bases

All the students present at the scholarship conference are now studying at Shandong University, Tianjin University, Northeast Normal University, Beijing Language and Culture University, Tongji University, Nanjing Normal University and Central China Normal University with CSC scholarship.

in the two host universities as well as local places of historic interest, enjoying the cultural shows like Peking Opera and Chinese Kung fu. CSC indicated that more conferences will be organized in the future to provide a platform for the scholarship grantees to communicate and have a better understanding of China and its traditional culture.

Ms. Liu Jinghui addressed the meeting and emphasized in her speech that Chinese government has been attaching great importance to the The well attended conference was sponsored and organized by China Scholarship Council (CSC). cooperation Page 25 and exchanges in education and culture, especially in

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Living the Luxury in the Middle East

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email: ksencic@live.co.uk

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US EU Ambitious Free Trade Accord

From back page...
entered into force giving the EU new competencies in this area are still on-going. The negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement continue also with Malaysia and Vietnam. Thailand started bilateral negotiations with the EU only in March this year and the second round of talks is now planned in Bangkok for September 2013.

a promise of creating thousands of jobs and speedier growth on both sides of the Atlantic, the European Union and United States are negotiating the world's most ambitious free-trade accord The EU remains open to start negotiations with other ASEAN partSuch a plan was first considered three decades ago but knocked ners and hopes one day to integrate these deals into a global regiondown by France in the 1990s. Europe has now managed to get Paris to-region trade agreement. As a whole, ASEAN represents the EU's onside, opening the way to a deal that could boost the EU and US 5th largest trading partner with 212.8 billion of trade in goods and economies by more than 100 billion dol- services. The EU is by far the largest investor in ASEAN countries lars a year each. between the two rich accounting for an average of 17.1% foreign direct investment share regions, good exchanged last year alone during the period 2009-2011.

With

In todays world student engagement has become increasingly prevalent and significant and its only through a review of current teaching methodology that meets the challenges of the 21st century shall we be able to create the most desired life changes to the development of human capital, job and wealth creation for sustainable growth..

was worth more than $645 billion. The EU negotiates currently with four countries of the A S E A N region. The negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with Singapore, was finally concluded in December last year but the talks on investment protection that started only after the Lisbon Treaty

ASEAN as a whole represents the EU's 3rd largest trading partner outside Europe (after the US and China) with more than 206 billion of trade in goods and services in 2011. The EU is ASEAN 2nd largest trading partner after China, accounting for around 11% of ASEAN trade. The EU is by far the largest investor in ASEAN countries. EU companies have invested around 9.1 billion annually on average (2000-2009). The EU's main exports to ASEAN are chemical products, machinery and transport equipment. The main imports from ASEAN to the EU are machinery and transport equipment, agricultural products as well as textiles and clothing.

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Youth Unemployment Could Scar Entire Generation: ILO

Why NEPAD may Fail
From page 12

This belief constitutes the core beliefs of

the International Financial Institution (IFI) on Africa and explains the persistence of the former in prescribing irresistibly neo-liberal and market-based solutions Yet, the generally pauperising effects of SAPs, but also the preponderance of economic crisis deflates optimism about NEPAD. In West Africa, for example, where economic decline and impoverishment have been massive, NEPAD is either unknown, considered an exclusively South African agenda or a personal Mbeki project. Similarly, Osei-Hwedie (2003) has noted that having just emerged from war, Angola has become more preoccupied with internal reconstruction and development than with NEPAD. The trajectory of debt and economic decline has rendered countries introverted and largely concerned with finding solutions to internal economic problems. Countries are extroverted only towards potential sources of assistance such as the west. Agyeman-Duah and Daddiehs (1994) contention that Africas foreign policies, particularly towards western countries, are aimed principally at soliciting external assistance, is valid today under NEPAD as it was over a decade ago under structural adjustment. Thus failing to generate tangible relief in a region facing massive socio-economic adversities, NEPAD is hardly a credible programme for long-term development.

In developing regions where 90 per cent of

the global youth population live, stable, quality employment is especially lacking. Developing regions face major challenges regarding the quality of available work for young people.

In developing economies where labour mark et institutions, including social protection are weak, large numbers of young people Secure jobs which were once the norm for continue to face a future of irregular previous generations at least in the advanced economies have become less employment and informality. easily accessible for todays youth. Young workers often receive below average wages and are engaged in work for which they are either overqualified or underqualified. As much as twothirds of the young population is underutilized in some developing economies, meaning they are unemployed in irregular employment, most likely in the informal sect -or or neither in the labour force nor in education or training. The global youth unemployment rate, estimated at 12.6 per cent in 2013, is close to its crisis peak. 73 million young people are estimated to be unemployed in 2013.

The prolonged jobs crisis also forces the current generation of youth to be less selective about the type of job they are prepared to accept, a tendency that was already evident before the crisis. Increasing numbers of youth are now turning to available part-time jobs or find themselves stuck in temporary employment.

At the same time, informal employment among young people remains pervasive and transitions to decent work are slow The weakening of the global recovery in and difficult. 2012 and 2013 has further aggravated the youth jobs crisis and the queues The economic and social costs of unemployfor available jobs have become longer and ment, discouragement and widespread lowlonger for some u n f o r t u n a t e quality jobs for young people continue to and undermine econoyoung jobseekers. So long, in fact, that r i s e many youth are giving up on the job search. mies growth potential.

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Mastercard-FINCA launch $12.7m aid partnership

The
MasterCard Foundation and FINCA International have announced a $12.7 million partnership that will allow the regions financially underserved people to more easily access savings products and services through the development and deployment of new technologies. By making access to savings accounts and services more readily available, it is anticipated that the number of people creating their own financial safety nets will increase dramatically in coming years. The partnership also supports expansion of FINCAs innovative social performance management system, focused on ensuring that FINCAs operations, products and services are both responsive to client needs and reach the clients who can receive the most benefit. of financial services, to making the services more widely accessible at anticipated lower costs, and with greater safety.

The 50th General Assembly of the

Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) comes up from 23rd 29th October, 2013 in Hanoi-Vietnam. Bringing together top experts of the entire broadcasting industry in AsiaPacific region and the world as well. Participants will converge to discuss and shape the future of broadcasting industry in the digital era, and through various platforms and forums, discuss strategies and determine policies of the industry in this most dynamic region of the world. The 50th General Assembly of Broadcasters will be co-organized by the host countrys Vietnam Television (VTV) and the ABU.

Project will broaden financial service delivery channels, strengthen staff capacity, scale up savings, and measure social performance in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.

MasterCard $500 million education initiative

The MasterCard Foundation will launch a new Scholars Program, a $500 million education initiative that will enable 15,000 talented, yet economically disadvantaged students from developing countries, particularly from Africa to access and complete their secondary and university education. The program provides comprehensive financial and academic support, mentoring, and life skills as well as promotes a give back ethos so vital to succeeding in a global economy

According to FINCA President and CEO Rupert Scofield, FINCAs business model has reached a stage to radically expand its footprint and product offerings in the Sub-Saharan Africa, with the goal of bringing a wide range of financial services to over 500,000 previously excluded savers and nearly 300,000 borrowers in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia by 2017. The partnership allows FINCA to capitalize on technological advancements in the delivery

Supporting Effective Partnership & People Centred Development Policies and Programmes

AASGON

Making a difference to Learning

is a multi-stakeholder initiative, bringing together the worlds largest technology companies along with local companies and other stakeholders to improve access and quality of education and learning, using information, communication and scientific technologies. The companies will provide their high-value products and services at significantly reduced price as part of this initiative and create lowcost but comprehensive Education Solution Packs including computer devices, software, content and training programs addressing the requirements for education, learning and inclusion for 15 million children in at least 150 countries. Companies involve, Intel, Microsoft, Pasco, SanDisk, e-Xample and other companies from different continents will provide their highvalue products and services for this initiative.

Millennium@EDU

The Millennium@EDU will enable local OEMs to put together affordable but comprehensive Education Solution Packs, including computer devices, software (operating systems and productivity tools), communication and collaboration cloud services, content, labware, interactive whiteboards, school servers and training programs addressing the requirements for education, learning and inclusion. Providing affordable education solution, Millenium@EDU will make its Solution Packs available to comprehensive national, regional or local initiatives fulfilling an innovative strategy for education, including the development of 21st century skills as critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, collaboration and communication, among others, a connectivity plan, and a socio-economic local initiative adding local value.

UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) 10-12 November 2014 Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
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Sias Water Conference and Scholarship Awards Siashost Water Summit and Scholarship Award
In
line with the UN International Year of Water Cooperation the Sias International University on May 23rd-25th, 2013 organised an International Water Conference in Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Attended by scholars, government officials and corporate representatives from advanced and developing countries the first Sias Water Summit, not only highlighted the environmental challenges to our planet, but explored how to save our vulnerable planet. as changes in precipitation, snow and drought.

Robert Frank explained the problems of the global water supplies and called on all young people to undertake the social responsi- American Kansas bilities to im- State Government, donated prove the qual- $500,000 as scholarship ity of the daily to Sias Students. use of water and the global environment.

In his speech, Dr. Jonathan Overpeck, 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner and Professor of Geological Science and AtmosDr. Alan Brown, the Chairman of pheric Science, focused on the the Sias Foundation and Prof. climatic challenges to water supply all around the world, such

He expressed his excitement that students at Sias were being exposed to these problems and were now thinking of solutions but not just in the future, because it really would be these young people who will be in society either as business people, engineers, artists and all sorts of other fields who will be figuring out clever ways to solve these im por ta nt en vi ron me n ta l problems, to solve climate change, to solve water manage- Many countries across the globe ment problems. particularly in the Africa Asia and Pacific region according to him, In the awards ceremony, various still grapple with the scare and kinds of scholarship awards were threats of abject poverty, climate received by Sias students and change, water scarcity, environrepresenting the American mental pollution, devastating Kansas State Government, Dr. floods and droughts among other Edward Hammond donated inflicted hazard to human lives.

$500,000 as scholarship to Sias Students. In his paper titled Post MDGs and Socio-Political Dynamics Water, Environment and Sustainable Development, the Founder and Executive President of the Africa Asia Scholars Global Network expressed concerns for the lack of sincere commitment and consistency of purpose, concerted drive and interdisciplinary actions from the highest levels of governance coupled with the sloppy cooperation of multi-national corporations in despite the exhaustive calls from the academia.

Solving the biggest problem of our time

The 1 million will come from the Technology Board's budget. Universities and Camerons 1 million prize Strategy Science Minister David Willetts added that when Prime Minister David Cameron has announced a 1 million prize for people have identified the challenge, other sponsors might come on anyone who can identify and solve the biggest problem of our time. board. Speaking at the G8 Innovation Conference in London held recently, Cameron highlighted the importance of con- The Prime Minister has made it clear that innovation is at the heart tinuing to invest in innovation during tough of economic growth. This competition aims to get the whole country thinking about how to tackle major economic times. challenges through innovation, said What the world needs most of all right now is What the world needs most of all right now David Bott, Director of Innovation Pro- growth, and that growth is growth, and that growth in my view is going grammes at the Technology Strategy in my view is going to to come from small businesses and start-up Board.That is why we are very happy come from small businesses, more than from the big existing to provide the initial prize money for businesses and start-up traditional businesses, so the whole agenda this new venture. We hope it will gal- businesses, more than of innovation and entrepreneurship is abso- vanise the best minds in our country to from the big existing think about how we can really trans- traditional businesses lutely vital, he said. form our economy and our lives for The new 'grand innovation challenge' is inspired by the Longitude the better. The competition is open to everyone from individual Prize set by the British government in 1714, which promised 20,000 citizens to academics and businesses. to the person who mastered the challenge of calculating longitude at Also at the G8 Innovation conference, the government unveiled its sea to help maritime navigation. Information Economy Strategy, which aims to generate fresh growth The problem for the Big Prize itself has not been defined yet, but opportunities for some of the UKs most innovative technology businesses. Cameron said that he wanted to get the nation engaged on what the biggest problems are in science and in our lives that we need to crack. British cosmologist and astrophysicist Martin Rees will run the exercise for identifying the challenge. There are so many problems in our world that need that amazing solutions whether it is a cure for dementia, solving the problem of diabetes, having a flight from Britain to New York that's carbon-free, said Cameron. Let's challenge the public and challenge the scientist for which is the greatPage problem we want to crack. I think it's an exciting idea and 30 another example of Britain leading in innovation. Commenting, Sajid Hasmi MBE (pictured left) the Vice President of the Africa Asia Scholars Global Network (AASGON), Director/Treasurer of NAVCA and CEO VAST (Voluntary Action for Stoke-onTrent) commended the Prime Minister for admitting to the vast potentials and contribution of small businesses to the larger economy . He however call on government to create incentives and also ensure that banks open up to small businesses. Sajid hopes Camerons counterparts in developing countries will launch similar scheme to promote their economic growth.

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Ecole htelire de Lausannethe hospitality school

Ecole selects passionate people and educate them to become Ecole steeped in traditions as rich as those of the most venerresponsible leaders in hospitality. As the worlds first hotel school, the institution in partnership able hotels around the world. Make a visit, and you will find a young, dynamic institution with ultra-modern facilities.

with the Swiss and international hospitality industry prepares The young men and women who make up the student body are the leaders of tomorrow. With its philosophy of learning, learning mastery of the arts and sciences of hospitality management. When you enter the world of the Ecole htelire de Lausanne, in Switzerland, you immediately feel the energy and enthusiasm, a sense of shared purpose. It is a place where everyone is different yet everyone feels at home. Walk down the main hallway of the school and you will hear ten different languages being spoken a microcosm of the hospitality in the industry itself. With more than 100 years of teaching hospitality management, 2009 was at 7.6 billion USD, 78 billion USD and 34 billion USD respectively. These FDI figures are significant when we compared them to Switzerlands and Germanys FDI in 2009. (24 Billion USD & 36 Developing countries such as China, Viet- Billion USD) nam and India have experienced unprecedented economic growth in the last decade. It has been suggested by The Hotel Pipelines in Developing counEconomist that Chinas, Indias and Viet- t r i e s a n d j o b o p p o r t u n i t i e s . nams GDP is forecasted to grow 9.9 %, 8.4% and 6.9% in 2010 respectively as It is interesting to note that while develcompared to GDP growth rates of The oped countries (North America and USA (2.6%) and Euro Area (1.6%) Europe) are experiencing a decline in their future hotel pipeline growth, Asia Similarly, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Pacific and developing countries continfor developing counties has also in- ues to experience significant growth in creased over the last 5 years. The World their hotel pipeline. Bank reports that FDI for Vietnam, China and India for Looking at the developing countries in not only to be successful managers for combining experience and discovery, Ecole leads to the tomorrow's international hospitality industry, but also to transmit the century-old EHL tradition of European hospitality, savoirfaire and savoir vivre.

There is greater need to strengthen the UN capacities to be effective on each of its three pillars Peace, development and protection of human rights.

Increasing GDP Growth and Foreign Direct Investment in developing countries.

Asia Pacific region specifically, we have China leading the charge in hotel development with approximately 1,049 projects / 292,619 rooms in the pipeline, representing approximately 68% of the regions total rooms slated to be built in Asia pacific. India has 398 projects/66,636 rooms in the pipeline as of the end of Q4 2009 accounting for 22% of Asia pacifics total projects A specific example exemplifying the rapid growth in hotel pipeline would be the central coast of Vietnam. On a short 20 kilometers stretch of the central coast of Vietnam, there are approximately 20 properties (Include both International and Local hotels) scheduled to open within the next 3 years contributing approximately an additional 2,000 jobs.

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Great Legend Usain Bolt!

No Stopping St. Leo - The Golden Boy!
17th August 2013 Usain St.Leo Bolt won the World Championships 200m title to make it a double sprint success in Moscow. Six days after taking 100m glory the Glen Mills coached athlete fulfilled his favourite tag to win his favourite event in a world leading time of 19.66 secs. This is now his third consecutive world 200m title after winning in Berlin 2009 and Daegu 2011.

his dreams by winning a phenomenal three gold medals and breaking three world records at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China .

Bolt became the first man in Olympic history to win both the 100m and 200m races in world record times and then as part of the 4x100m team that also smashed the world record later in the meet. He created history again and Amazingly waxing stronger and stronger ... became a legend at the 2012 Olympic Games in London by defending all Adding to his doubles in three Olympic titles with 100m, 200m and 4x100m victories, the Beijing 2008, Berlin 2009 and London 2012, Usain Bolt completed a latter in a new world record time of 36.84 secs. fourth global championship sprint double in five years With the mission to create when he won the 200m in opportunities through the Luzhniki Stadium in education and cultural Moscow. development for positive change, Usain has set up From his first win in Beijing, his own Foundation. breaking Michael Johnsons Atlanta 1996 World record of 19.32 with 19.30, Bolt has On 22nd April 2013, the won in Berlin in another World record of 19.19, in Daegu in 19.40, in World legend, in collaboLondon with 19.32 and now again in Moscow. Taking in his silver ration with Digicel Foundamedal behind Tyson Gay in Osaka in 2007, Bolt has now won six tion officially handed over medals at 200m in six years five gold, one silver. a multipurpose sports court to the Sherwood Content community in Trelawny, his Arguably the most naturally gifted athlete the world has ever seen, birth place. 8 Times World Champion Usain St Leo Bolt, confirmed his tremendous talents when he realized

The

Biggest ever Summer Universiade13

Organized
by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and the authorities of the Republic of Tatarstan, the city of Kazan (Tatarstan, Russia), recently played host to the 2013 XXVII Summer Universiade, the secondlargest sporting event in the world by participation, after Olympiads. Over 10,400 university athletes from 162 countries participated in 13 mandatory and 14 optional sports, making the 2013 Universiade the biggest ever in the but a great opportunity for participants and guests to enjoy a major celebration of varieties of colourful art and culture, beautifully portraying the host nations traditions. During the Summer Universiade, local citizens and visitors to Kazan were introduced to the ingenious culture of peoples of Kazan and learn

Coun try
RUS CHN JPN KOR BLR 155 26 24 17 13 12 11 75 29 28 12 13 29 14 62 22 32 12 14 36 15

T
292 77 84 41 40 77 40

a lot about traditions of other countries, as well as experience modern art masterpieces.

nity to plunge themselves in a variety of At the four previ- activities: the Opera and Ballet Festival, the ous Universiades International Sergei Rachmaninoff White Lilac Russia became Festival, the Tatar national holiday Sabantuy, the first in team standings. theatres and museums, and a circus that ran shows on special schedules. For the first time in the history of the World University Games, the just concluded 2013 Centerpiece for the Cultural Universiade was Summer Universiade was not just about sport the stunning Universiade Park.
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Cultural institutions, which will modify their working h o u r s t o a c co m mo date visitors at Games time history of the event also contributed to creating a festive The Universiade atmosphere in the city. has always been a grand event for The programme offered art-lovers, fans of Russia. the theatre and museum-goers the opportu-

UKR
USA

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Hopes for Polo back in Olympics AASGON and The Polera Partnership
Africa Asia Scholars
Global Network (AASGON) has confirmed its newlyformed partnership with The Polera. With hopes that in the near future the game of polo removed from the official programme after the 1936 Summer Olympics, will be reinstated in the Olympics schedule, the announcement of AASGON and Polera partnership to promote and market the game of Polo in Universities across Africa Asia and the Pacific, came recently from Abdul Dewale Mohammed, the AASGON Founder and Executive President. Representing a formal agreement to promote polo games in Africa Asia Pacific by organising regional and international Varsity Polo Cup Championship Games and Carnivals, The Polera-AASGON partnership is a huge step for future Polo Olympics. Consulting with other key partners, AASGON and the Polera will collectively decide on the format of each Varsity Polo Challenge Cup. Polo is already a high-level competition within advanced countries and with the success of Polo in UK Universities, The Polera Polo: The Pinnacle of Sports and AASGON plan to expand its partnership particularly with the Schools Universities Polo Polo was played at the 2007 Southeast Asian Association (SUPA) and the Hurlingham Polo Games. Nations that competed in the tournament were Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Association (HPA) . A bespoke polo HR and marketing agency Thailand and Philippines. The tournament's gold medal was won by the Malaysian team, followed by Singapore with silver and Thailand, bronze. The recent surge of excitement in south-east Asia around the game has resulted in its popularity in cities such as Pattaya, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. offering expert recruitment and marketing solutions for the international polo and equestrian community, The Polera is a multifunctional agency based in London and Buenos Aires. Dedicated over the years to the promotion of polo worldwide, The Polera in working with polo clubs and polo players provides exclusive marketing, Having the contacts and sponsorship packaging, tours, holithe know-how to maximise exposure and days, tournaments and high standard promotion of world polo , we are thrilled to quality film producteam up with AASGON to tion. Beijing Sunny Time Polo Club, founded by Xia Yang in 2004 and the Nine Dragons Hill Polo Club in Shanghai, founded in 2005, are among the newly formed clubs in Asia. Polo is not widely spread in West Asia, but still counts 4 active polo clubs in the UAE, one club in Bahrain and The Royal Jordanian Polo Club, in Amman, Jordan.

While Schools and Universities Polo are relatively unknown in Africa Asia and the Pacific there are over 45 Universities and Colleges represented or involved in Polo throughout the UK. The National Championships attract ensure the success of approximately 350 players. Founded by, Raul active International Polo in Africa Asia Pacific Schweizer (a proUniversities fessional Argentine The Schools and Universities Polo Association Julie London polo player) and (SUPA) was established to promote and Co- Founder, The Polera Julie London (a develop Schools and Universities Polo. British media and Founded in 1991, SUPA acts as a central point marketing profes- of reference for advice, guidance and encoursional), Polera has years of combined experi- agement. It organises tournaments, repreence within the international polo industry, sentative teams and seeks to distribute financial support as far as possible. the media and marketing world.

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International Careers & Jobs

The International Job Search
Going Global is designed to support international job seekers and professionals with a great array of original country-specific career information. Contents and links on Goinglobal.com provide users with a comprehensive tool kit for evaluating, selecting and moving into a successful career in a foreign country, including resume/CV writing advice, job sources, work permit and visa regulations, cultural advice on more than 40 countries. Based on Mary Anne Thompson's book The Global Resume and CV Guide, this is a treasure-trove of not only where to look but how to look for new opportunities in various countries. Mary Anne is an expert in this field, and the material in the database and in the book is original country content that is being hand gathered, monitored and updated by in-country professional researchers. Some of the content is provided directly on this and other partner sites for free.
The Goinglobal.com team is comprised of individuals representing many different nationalities who all have one experience in commonall lived and worked outside of home countries. Goinglobal.com is committed to providing "grassroots intelligence" through its team of in-country researchers. These individuals are in place around the world to monitor and update the career information and resources that they deliver.

Find a Job or Internship from goinglobal,com

Economic growth will not reduce poverty, improve equality and produce jobs unless it is inclusive. Inclusive growth is also essential for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The globalization process, when properly managed, becomes an important ingredient for inclusive growth - UNDP
recognise outstanding talent from the region, presenting over US $575,000 in prize money to Muhr Award winners. The DIFF has also pioneered several industry initiatives within its Dubai Film Market designed to support and develop the Arab cinema industry. The Market runs concurrently with the festival and is attended annually by over 1,700 delegates from more than 90 countries.

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) (Arabic: )is an annual film festival held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Each year DIFF presents new and exciting cinema from the Arab world, Asia, Africa and beyond. The tenth edition will be held from December 6 to 14, 2013. The DIFF is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. It is a not-for-profit cultural event, presented and organised by Dubai Entertainment & Media Organization. Launched in 2004, the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is the oldest film festival in the Gulf region. It is guided by the credo "Bridging Cultures. Meeting Minds." by showcasing short films and features in fiction and non-fiction narratives from around the world. The festival's prestigious Muhr Emirati, Arab and Asia Africa Awards
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Ahead of XVII IAUP, SIAS to host IAUP Semi-Annual Meeting

unique opportunities for the the 2011-14 Triennium convened in development of international Universidad Autnoma de Guadala- partnerships. jara A.C. (Mexico), Guadalajara, The Semi-Annual Meetings also Mexico in March 13. include meetings of the IAUP IAUP outgoing President Dr. Neal King reported on the many Executive Committee, the IAUP initiatives and partnerships being undertaken to strengthen the role Board of Directors, the IAUP/UN Commission on Disarmament Education, Conflict Prevention, and of IAUP as the global voice in higher education. Peace, the IAUP/Microsoft Academic Summit Taskforce, the IAUP/ The IAUP President-elect Dr. Toyoshi Satow provided an update on CAEL 21st Century Skills Commission, etc. preparations for the XVII IAUP Triennial Conference, to be held in Present were IAUP members from USA, Liberia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Jamaica, Mexico, Japan, Belgium, Austria, Georgia, Spain, Denmark, Yokohama, Japan, June 11-14, 2014. Chile, China, Canada, Taiwan, France, El Salvador, and Zambia.

The fourth Semi-Annual meeting of

Dr. Shawn Chen, President of Sias International University, who will serve as host of the next IAUP SemiAnnual Meeting, to be held in Xinzheng, Henan, China, September 23-26, 2013, briefed the session on ongoing preparations. With Chinese university presidents from all over China in attendance at Sias University to facilitate development of collaborative relationships between universities, the Sias-IAUP September 2013 SemiAnnual Meeting will serve as a forum to further deliberate on the forthcoming XVII IAUP Triennial Conference in Japan. IAUP SemiAnnual Meetings are organized to fill the gap between triennials.

Strengthening its role as the global voice in higher education, support for sustainable development, peace and international understanding, the Triennial Conference will among other issues seek to reinforce IAUPs international mission on the quality of education and the promotion of global awareness and competence as well as peace and international understanding through education. IAUP: Founded in 1964, the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP) is an association of university chief executives from higher education institutions around the world. Membership is limited to those individuals who serve as presidents, rectors or vice-chancellors at regionally accredited colleges or universities.

Other presentations and discussions included collaboration between SIAS: Founded in 1998 as the first full-time under graduate the United Nations Academic Impact and IAUP, North American university approved by the Degree Committee of the China Council Presidential Retreat in Chicago, The Changing Nature of War State Council to grant both Chinese and American BacheConference, and Chairs for Africa program. Attendees also honoured lor's Degrees, Sias International University is the first solely AmericanSusan Adams and unveiled the FDU J. Michael Adams Scholarship and owned University in Central China. Fully accredited by the J. Michael Adams Leadership Award. China Ministry of Education, Sias International University currently has abut 24,500 students enrolment and one of the most beautiful The IAUP gathering of higher education chief executives, affords leaning environment and structures in the world.

The urban middle class youth is in revolt in Brazil, Turkey and other fastgrowing countries. Protests may destabilise governments in the short term but could ultimately strengthen democracy, argues Helmut Reisen, former research head at the OECD Development Centre
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AFRICA

ASIA

SCHOLARS GLOBAL

NETWORK

Why NEPAD may Fail

The APRM is a voluntary process devoid of any real mechanisms to compel compliance with good governance practices. These and This view is advanced against a background other inherent limitations of NEPAD rob it of of the failure of past approaches to salvage a genuine claim to be a framework for the continent. Africas long term development. Optimism for development is also premised For more on this excerpt from National Open on a set of logical assumptions about University of Nigeria go to page 12. NEPAD, including its potential to attract aid and investments; to instigate good governance; to address Africas perennial conflicts Nigeria to launch own rockets through a new security architecture; and its drive to promote regional integration. The National Space Research and DevelopHowever, students of international relations ment Agency should note the limits of these assumptions. (NASRDA) has conIt is noted among other things that NEPAD firmed that Nigerian has failed to address poverty, one of Africas astronauts should be most daunting challenges. Also, its heavy trained and ready for reliance on external agencies truncates its space travel within two ability to generate development given the years. wests appalling record of meeting aid obligations to Africa. In addition, there is no ..See page 20 NEPAD has been hailed by its proponents for giving Africa a lifeline in development. certainty about NEPAD ability to instigate good governance through the APRM.

Street

protests are back on the global political scene. Do these movements reflect a frustrated middle class who feel the chill of the global economic crisis? Or are there more profound shifts at play? More on Page 22

Just Cant Stop Golden Bolt!

For Bolts exclusive go to page 32

US EU Ambitious Free Trade Accord

Scholars in Diaspora Call on AASGON

Celebrating the 13th anniversary of the International Youth Day a selected group of Africa and Asian Scholars in Diaspora recently paid a courtesy call on Abdul Dewale Mohammed the Founder and Executive President of the Africa Asia Scholars Global Network -AASGON Welcoming the group, Abdul thanked his guest for their inspiring messages and support for the work of AASGON on Africa Asia Pacific integration, socioeconomic and cultural cohesion. He commended the team for their resolve to join AASGON in promoting the UN post sustainable development agenda and the Bandung Principle in order to bring about World Peace at whatever cost. He further assured them that by the UNs action of replacing the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), with a newly composed High-level Political Forum the General Assembly seems determined to be more proactive continues on page 15

Negotiations have began for the free trade deal between the US and EU. Supporters argue that the agreement expected to boost both economies will create jobs and establish a standard setting bloc that could influence the direction of future world trade talks. Critics, however, argue that it will further erode the European social model and hurt developing nations. - go to page 27 for more

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