Are you an American retiree ore veteran? Are you part of 10 Million Americans living in poverty ? ...are you paying too much for your prescription drugs? Is Medicare not helping? The United Nations might help you - why not consider going to Africa ? Drugs are free there for the poor !

Germany funds UNIDO project on local production of essential medicines in Africa

Click here for this story in full @ ReliefWeb: http://reliefweb.int/report/kenya/germany-funds-unido-project-local-production-essential-medicines-africa

VIENNA, 21 November 2012 – The Government of Germany will fund a EUR 1 million project in support of local production of essential generic medicines in Ghana, Kenya and additional countries in Africa. The project will begin in January 2013.

The new funding is expected to accelerate the implementation of the African Union’s Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa (PMPA), a joint endeavor with the African Union Commission.
“Unsatisfactory access to essential drugs is a key limitation that has had an impact on the health of the populations in a range of countries in Africa,” said Kandeh K. Yumkella, UNIDO Director-General.

“Local manufacturers in developing countries could be a source of assured quality drugs, especially for the poor. Certified local production is also a way to combat counterfeit drugs, which endanger human lives.”

It is envisaged that in the future, the project could include more countries: Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe...

Click here for this story in full @ ReliefWeb: http://reliefweb.int/report/kenya/germany-funds-unido-project-local-production-essential-medicines-africa

United Nations gives millions to Sri Lanka to develop 10,000 hectares of bamboo cultivation and produce electricity from it

Read full story on SundayTimes.lk : http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120923/business-times/bamboo-resumes-its-ancient-glory-under-major-production-drive-12906.html

By Quintus Perera

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In another seven years – by 2019 – Sri Lanka would come under 10,000 hectares of bamboo cultivation with 150,000 tons of dry bamboo harvested annually. This would provide, among other major economic benefits, 113 megawatts of electricity to the national grid which would then account for 2.7 per cent of the total electricity generated in the country.

Seen here the Minister exchanges greetings with some donor agency officials. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera.

The project ‘Bamboo Processing for Sri Lanka’ initiated by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), its Sri Lanka Chapter, and the National Operational Focal Point for Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Ministry of Environment was launched this week in Colombo and set to cost US$24 million. It has taken two years to study the viability of the project in Sri Lanka and to lay the groundwork in place.

Dr Kentaro Aoki, Associate Expert, UNIDO speaking of the divergent economic benefits of the project said that once the entire 10,000 hectares are matured, the harvest connected to various industries envisage a huge income generation for the country and the creation of at least 80,000 jobs. It is aimed to reduce poverty levels in rural areas. He said the bamboo project would create new business opportunities, increase the use of non-imported local products; avoid deforestation; reduce greenhouse gas emissions through bamboo plantation and products; reduce degraded lands and prevent soil erosion. The propagation of bamboo cultivation would increasingly add to the reforestation. It would also fill in old abandoned tea plantations. He said that bamboo comes under the species of grass and it brings in several environmental benefits and production of high quality crafts, furniture and other implements could be produced out of bamboo, and there is a great export potential. It would achieve a dual purpose of high economic as well as enormous environmental benefits.

Read full story on SundayTimes.lk : http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120923/business-times/bamboo-resumes-its-ancient-glory-under-major-production-drive-12906.html

NZ's commitment to UN under question: "than why does UN need Helen Clark"?

NZ's commitment to UN under question

Click here to read this on TVNZ

New Zealand is to pull out of a United Nations Development aid agency, ONE News inquiries have revealed.

The UN Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) aims to help the world's poorest countries, and New Zealand contributes around $500,000 a year to the fund.

But in a briefing to Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Unido aid money is better spent in the Pacific as the organisation is becoming less relevant to New Zealand and its performance is mediocre.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/nz-s-commitment-un-questioned-video-4984638

UNIDO specialises in boosting sustainable industrial development in poor countries. It has a membership of 174 countries, although that no longer includes Australia or the US.
New Zealand's been a member of the Unido since its inception in 1985.

In its briefing to Parliament, Mfat acknowledges some member states could react adversely to New Zealand leaving.

The Ministry said it is possible poorer countries may now view New Zealand as less engaged in the UN.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said the decision to withdraw was based on an official review.
 
"Unido has a very minor footprint in the Pacific, where New Zealands Aid Programme is focused, its role in the international aid system is marginal, and its overall impact is limited," McCully said in a statement.
 
"By withdrawing our core funding for Unido we will be able to reinvest the funds in aid agencies that are able to demonstrate effective delivery on the ground and meet expectations around value for money and performance."
But Labour leader David Shearer said the move sends a bad signal to other UN member states.
"New Zealand, as a small country, gets benefit from the UN, but we also have to make a contribution," said Shearer.

The Green Party is concerned the move has come out of the blue with no consultation.
"I must say I'm surprised. This is another case of foreign policy by stealth and the hallmark of Murray McCully," said Green Party Global Affairs spokesman Kennedy Graham.
  
They say the move may also hurt New Zealand's chances of getting on the powerful UN Security Council.
 
Development agency Oxfam says Unido is still important.
"This UN agency isn't doing so much in the Pacific, but they are also important in terms of poverty reduction," said Oxfam Executive Director Barry Coates.
UN development programme head Helen Clark is currently working in Senegal and could not be contacted for comment.

A bizarre project in Nepal

At Buddha’s birthplace

A Chinese development proposal causes disbelief

Aug 20th 2011 | from the print edition

of The Economist

AFTER Prachanda, the leader of Nepal’s Maoists, stepped down as prime minister in 2009 he several times met representatives of the “Asia Pacific Exchange and Co-operation Foundation”. The Nepalese media speculated that this mysterious organisation was a front for either the Indian or the Chinese intelligence services, the two giant neighbours often accused of meddling in Nepal’s politics. The truth seems even stranger.

In July Chinese media reported that the Hong-Kong-based foundation—which is widely thought to have China’s backing—had signed an agreement with UNIDO, the UN’s industrial-development organisation, to invest $3 billion in Lumbini, a village in southern Nepal. Lumbini is the birthplace of the Buddha, which the project aimed to make a “Mecca for Buddhists”, with train links, an international airport, hotels and a Buddhist university.

In this section

• Lamas at loggerheads
• »At Buddha’s birthplace
• Your billion or ours?
• Poison protests
• Hazed again
• What’s Schadenfreude in Chinese?

Reprints

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Related topics

• Religion
• Culture and lifestyle
• Buddhism
• India
• Asia

The news caused uproar in Nepal. Neither the central government nor the local authorities responsible for Lumbini said they had been consulted about, or even heard of, the project. UNIDO’s officers say they will not comment on the affair while they try to discover how the organisation got involved. If this was an exercise in Chinese “soft power”, it was a disaster.

India is highly sensitive to Chinese activities in Nepal. It regards Nepal as part of the Indian sphere of influence, and it is easily Nepal’s biggest trading partner and source of investment. Nepal pegs its currency to the Indian rupee. Through close cultural and linguistic ties, and the machinations of its diplomats and spies, India has long exercised a strong influence on Nepal’s politics. It is widely believed that India helped topple Prachanda (whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal) as prime minister in 2009 partly because he was thought to be too close to China.

Now the role of Nepal’s other giant neighbour is becoming more visible. Chinese interests were once limited to demanding support for their policies in Tibet. To that can now be added burgeoning commercial interests in hydro-electricity, construction and telecoms. This week China’s top security man, Zhou Yongkang, became the latest in a series of senior Chinese officials to visit Nepal, bearing loans and aid packages. Chinese diplomats have begun discreetly treating Nepalese journalists to whisky-fuelled dinners and offering them visits to China—blandishments that were once the preserve of India. Chinese hotels, restaurants and brothels have multiplied in Kathmandu.

How to interpret it all? Observers agree that security remains China’s top priority in Tibet, though it is undoubtedly looking to expand its economic influence, too. For Nepal, balancing India’s influence by engaging more with China is attractive. One of the poorest countries in Asia, Nepal should benefit greatly from improving economic ties with its booming neighbours. As for Lumbini, the Buddha scheme has been shot down, but attempts to revive it are already under way. If the would-be investors handle it better next time, such a huge project may prove irresistible.

United Nations Secretary Generals Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change (AGECC) meets in Abu Dhabi

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The Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change for United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met over the weekend to discuss the preparation of its final report that will provide a prioritized set of key practical and action-oriented recommendations. The report will include an implementation plan and suggestions for moving the energy agenda forward in the context of the post-Copenhagen political realities and opportunities.

The high-level Energy and Climate Change Advisory Group held its fourth meeting in Abu Dhabi—directly following the World Future Energy Summit—under the chairmanship of Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Chairman of UN-Energy, which is the United Nations system-wide coordinating mechanism on energy issues.

“The Abu Dhabi meeting is essential in the group’s efforts to provide a set of recommendations that will assist the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his leadership on climate change and energy issues and the global transition to a sustainable energy future,” said Dr. Yumkella. “With the increasing political prioritization of energy and climate change security, it is imperative that adequate and reliable supplies of energy be addressed in tandem and in the broader context of national development priorities and the Millennium Development Goals”

The Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change is mandated to provide the Secretary General with timely advice on energy issues that are critical to the ongoing climate change discussions.

“The role of the private sector is key in providing the technology and investment flows needed to transform global energy systems,” said Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, member of the Advisory Group and Chief Executive Officer of Masdar. “It is important that the private sector is fully engaged in the dialogue on a global climate change framework. In order to develop long-term low-carbon strategy that will translate to national policies and action. The Advisory Group is a demonstration of the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s leadership in developing mutually beneficial partnerships and bringing private sector perspective in relation to issues regarding energy and sustainable development.”

Among those attending the Advisory Group meeting hosted by Masdar, are top executives from companies such as Statoil (Norway), Suntech Holdings (China), Edison International (United States) as well as political figures, including His Excellency Jose Figueres, former President of Costa Rica, Senator Timothy Wirth, President of the UN Foundation, and officials of various UN Agencies and the World Bank.

China now 2nd largest industrial manufacturer—UN

MANILA, Philippines—China has overtaken Japan as the world’s second largest industrial manufacturer, after the United States, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Unido) said Wednesday.

China’s share of the global total of manufacturing value, known as MVA, has inched up to 15.6 percent, just knocking out Japan, which stands at 15.4 percent. The US maintains its rank at 19 percent. The three countries combined produce half of the world’s manufacturing output.

This information is part of Unido’s new International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics 2010, the only global publication providing worldwide statistics on current performance and trends for over 70 countries in the manufacturing sector for economists, planners, policy makers, and others.

In spite of China’s lead in terms of the absolute amount of production, Japan is still the world’s most industrialized country, in terms of MVA per capita, totaling nearly $9,000 compared to $700 for China.

The new report also found that the recent financial crisis had a severe impact on industrialized countries, but a much softer one on developing nations.

It also provides internationally comparable data for major indicators of manufacturing activity, which can be used to analyze growth patterns and industrial performance.