UID and RTE of India to be the Largest Eco-friendly Projects

India would be spending in excess of $100bn on its two ambitious projects, Unique Identification cards (UID cards) and Right to Education (RTE) program in the next five years. The country’s UID project is aimed at providing multi-purpose identity cards to all its citizens to facilitate e-governance, and for ensuring national security. Likewise, the RTE intends to offer free education to all its children between 6 and 14 years of age with a promise of neighbourhood education that makes every child within 3km to avail of his/her educational rights.

Though the UID program has given paramount importance to identity accountability of the country’s citizens, its larger goal would be to gradually wipe out paper currencies from its market. A mobile phone-based cash transaction with an upper limit on person to person money deals is likely to bring more transparency with minimal usage of paper currencies.

The identity card program has identified the possibility of making every transaction anything above a certain limit to be routed through either a credit/debit card or mobile phone tagged to one’s bank account; in either case the UID number will be the interface. The cost expended on the UID scheme is expected to be recovered through bringing in sizable transactions to book, reduction in expenditure on the mint and elimination of fake currency threat.

On the other hand, the implementation of the RTE in the form of neighbourhood education in a country like India is an uphill challenge particularly because about 70 percent of the population live in remote areas. Therefore, the country cannot afford to waste money on brick and mortar model, and the only option available before them is to go in for e-education formula.

The e-learning initiative will help students to get rid of the burden of buying the text and note books every year and carrying them to school by making the entire study material open source. Similarly, the global tenders for a substantial number of e-note books will make them extremely cheap through economies of scale. The most cost-effective education program undertaken by government of India will ultimately help the next generation of the country to prepare themselves to take on the electronic age head on.

The impact of both paperless projects by India is likely to transform the country to emerge as global leaders in environmental protection. Besides, it allows every citizen to partake in the massive exercise of protecting the environment with an extra guarantee on better living standards unlike some projects which often pile up agony to the country’s marginalized citizens in the name of development.

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Malaysia and China Prepare Road Map for Future Growth

The Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived on Tuesday in Malaysia to commemorate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between both countries, and met Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak. Later, Najib informed that Malaysia and China have agreed to increase bilateral trade and investment linkages especially in the area of palm oil and Malaysian timber.

At a joint press conference with Hu, Najib said that China had become one of Malaysia’s largest trading partners and hoped that trade and investment would increase with the most powerful economy of the region. In 2008, bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to nearly $40bn and the bulk of it was covered by electrical and electronic products, and commodities.

Hu is visiting Malaysia with a dual-purpose of strengthening economic ties with the host nation and to check the progress on the first World Chinese Economic Forum (WCEF) which will be held in Malaysia between November 16 and 17. The two-day forum offers business opportunities for the entrepreneurs of the Chinese diaspora from countries including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia and nations across Europe.

This was Hu’s second visit to the country, having visited Malaysia as vice-president in May 2002. While speaking at the joint press meet, the Malaysian premier said the signing of an agreement between Bank Negara Malaysia and the Banking Regulatory Commission of China heralded a new era of cooperation between the two countries in the area of finance.

Najib informed that the second Penang Bridge, linking the mainland and the island would be completed on schedule as both countries had agreed to it. He also informed that there was consensus between both sides on engaging in more areas including energy, agriculture, fisheries, education and science, and defence and security cooperation.

Malaysia would be granting the Chinese firms to undertake the construction of the Mengkuang Dam, the biggest dam in Pulau Pinang and an aluminium smelting plant. Likewise, a pulp and paper project and the double tracking rail project linking Gemas to Johor Baharu also would be granted to the Chinese companies, Najib added.

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Karzai Seeks Islamic Trade Ties to End Afghan Crisis

The Afghan President Hamid Karzai while speaking at the 25th anniversary of the Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) summit, appealed to the attendees that his country was looking at closer economic ties with the Islamic world to break the cycle of conflict. He tried to lure the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in a scenario where his support from the West was waning and credibility of his government was questioned in view of alleged fraudulent practises employed to win the last week’s presidential elections.

On the sidelines of the summit, Karzai met representatives of eight governments, including the Turkish President Abdullah Gul and the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He declared Afghanistan’s interest was primarily in having close brotherly relations with its neighbours, freedom of trade and transit, and an effective environment of co-operation.

Gul responded to the call by saying that Afghanistan needed foreign military and economic support until the Afghans were able to assume their own security. He was in turn reacting to the impending danger of the plans by the US and the Western powers leaving Afghanistan without providing lasting solution to the conflict region.

Gul in his address said that his country was there to stop the threat of terrorism to the entire region and the world. He further added that Afghanistan should not be allowed to become a safe haven for terrorists, and re-assured support for the NATO-led mission to normalize the situation in Afghanistan and eradicate groups such as Al Qaeda. Turkey has troops serving with NATO forces in Afghanistan, and a Turkish foreign ministry official informed there would be a follow-up conference on Afghanistan in the near future.

Ever since Karzai took office in 2004 the corruption charges including siphoning of foreign aid levelled against his administration always haunted him, and resulted in substantial reduction in the flow of overseas aid. In response, Karzai said he was already addressing corruption in his government by taking necessary action by prosecuting corrupt government officials.

After ousting the Taliban regime, the Karzai administration was rather installed through an election process that saw minimal participation from a relatively confused people those got caught in the crossfire of failing Taliban and the prominent Western powers. But lately, due to radical geo-political shift and disinterest in the region among the West, running the government machinery has seemingly become tough for Karzai.

Leaders from 48 Islamic states were present in the economic summit held in Turkey to promote economic and trade cooperation, reduce poverty and expedite recovery measures among Islamic nations. COMCEC was established during the Third Islamic Summit Conference held in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 1981. It became operational at the Fourth Islamic Summit in 1984 with the election of the president of Turkey as its chairman.

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Israeli Prez Peres Must Carry Palestinian Answers to Brazil

Israeli President Shimon Peres should have answers to the Palestinian issues during his Latin American sojourn if he aspires to strengthen ties with them, particularly, in light of growing opposition in Brazil over the ratification of Mercosur-Israel FTA. A Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Relations and National Defence has recommended to the Brazilian parliament in September not to ratify Mercosur-Israel FTA until “Israel accepted the creation of the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders”.

Peres will visit Brazil and Argentina from 10 to 15 November accompanied by Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov and Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon, and about 40 business people aimed at boosting diplomatic and trade ties with Mercosur member states. The visit is also intended to position Israel above Iran among the South American nations as Iran is gaining political and commercial significance in the region. Israel sees Iran as the greatest neighbourhood threat since the latter, which nurses nuclear ambitions, is the most vociferous for the Palestinian cause from the Arab world.

Another key reason for Perez to visit the region is the dwindling export figures from Israel to the Latin American soil. Israeli exports to Brazil marked a low of $499mn for the first three quarters of the year with a dip of over 52 percent from the previous year. The Israel Export Institute estimates that for the year, exports to Brazil will be around $670mn, a slide of 43 percent. Similarly, exports to Argentina fell by 45 percent between January and September, reaching only $54m.

Israel’s foreign trade with the Mercosur member states is about $2bn in 2008. Imports was about $540mn, including $294mn from Brazil and $150mn from Argentina. Exports totalled around $1.36bn, with $1.17bn to Brazil (mostly fertilizers and agrochemical products) and $125mn to Argentina.

Brazil is the largest partner of the South American bloc that comprises of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay besides it. The trade group represents the fifth largest economy in the world, and Brazil is the third largest trade partner to Israel.

Perez’ trip also emphasizes the fact that Israel is planning to offset the losses in the European markets due to boycotts, sinking demand from North America and increasing disconnect with the Arab world. Hence, the ratification of Mercosur-Israel FTA by Brazil means a lot to Israel which remains a major hurdle for the implementation of the deal, since signing it in 2007.

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EU Won’t Seek Regime Change in Cuba but Compliance to Rights

A visiting EU official said after meeting with the Cuban President Raul Castro that the EU was not looking at a regime change in the communist Cuba, but expected progress on human rights for both sides to advance beyond last year’s lifting of sanctions. The European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Karel De Gucht told Castro, though the EU accepted the definition of human rights varied from country to country, but there was a set of fundamental rights that were universal in scope which had to be respected.

While speaking to the press on the concluding day of his four-day visit, Gucht informed he had clarified to Castro that the EU’s so-called ‘Common Position’ towards Cuba could only change if there was a consensus among the EU’s 27 members. Havana is opposed to the so-called ‘Common Position’ of the EU states which stipulate upholding of global human rights standards and making substantial progress in the democratic process to normalize relations with the European bloc.

Cuba which re-established ties last year with the EU after a five-year rift over the Cuban political prisoners, had showed willingness to co-operate on human rights issues in March this year without committing on the political prisoners. Later both sides met in May and were able to arrive at an agreement on the issues related to climate change and the UN reforms but failed to resolve human rights issue.

Cuba differs to term the people who were arrested in 2003 for protesting against the single-party ruled communist regime as political prisoners. On the contrary, the Cuban government has tagged them as the mercenaries working for the US engaged in anti-state activities. Human rights groups say there are about 200 political prisoners in Cuba, but the government denies and claims that all those behind bars were found guilty of crimes in a fair legal process.

Cuba is understood to have state-controlled media and tight travel restrictions. Havana argues that it fulfils basic human rights by preventing hunger and providing free medical care and education.

Nonetheless, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos has guaranteed Cuba after it released a political prisoner last month that Spain would push to end the ‘Common Position’ during its six-month turn in the EU presidency starting in January. In a final address, Gucht said a new ‘political format’ for the EU-Cuba relations would be a ‘very fortunate evolution’ but Cuba would have to give something in order to get it, notably in respect to human rights.

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