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Minister Virolainen: Africa needs investments and partnership with EU

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —  According to Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen, the significance of Africa for Europe and Finland will further grow in the future. The continents should build a close partnership that benefits them both.

“For the development of Africa, fast population growth is one of the main megatrends.  It is estimated that by 2050, the population of Africa will be 2.4 billion people, twice as much as today. Half of the population will be young people. Africa needs to create 18 million new jobs each year to absorb the new labour market entrants,” Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen said when opening a seminar on the future of EU-Africa-relations organised by the European Commission Representation in Finland and Kehys, the Finnish NGDO Platform to the EU.

In addition to the rapid population growth, climate change is another great challenge for Africa. “Climate change has a big impact on agricultural land and water resources. We are concerned that it may risk food security and lead to increased instability, conflicts, poverty and migration.”

The AU-EU Summit held in November last year focused on sustainable development and investments in Africa.”The new External Investment Plan (EIP) will play an important role in European investments directed at Africa. Successful investments, development of the private sector and new jobs require a conducive business environment and good governance. Their development is very much a task of African governments,” Virolainen reminded.

A recent initiative for promoting business in Africa is the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, which was signed by 44 African leaders last month. Virolainen considers the initiative interesting from the perspective of trade and economy of the continent. It is premature to assess the eventual significance of the initiative, but its objective, removal of most tariffs, is ambitious.

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Finland to join fight against impunity for the use of chemical weapons

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — Today, on 16 April 2018, Finland joined an international initiative aiming at holding accountable those responsible for the use of chemical weapons.

The use of chemical weapons is prohibited under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and in customary international law. Over the past years, this absolute prohibition has been challenged in an unprecedented manner – most recently in Syria. The CWC, adopted by a total of 192 countries, has been repeatedly breached but those responsible have not been held to account.  At present, the international community does not have any common mechanism in place to identify those involved in the use of chemical weapons, and the establishment of such a mechanism has not advanced in the United Nations Security Council.

The International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, established in Paris on 23 January 2018, seeks to respond to this situation. The partnership aims to collect and share information helping to bring those responsible for the use of chemical weapons to justice, to support the implementation of sanctions related to the use of chemical weapons, and to serve as a forum for formulating common positions in the fight against the use and proliferation of chemical weapons.

So far, 25 countries from all continents have joined the initiative.  For Finland, participation in the initiative is consistent with its longstanding active support of the CWC and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

“The use of chemical weapons is an abhorrent crime and prohibited in all circumstances. The perpetrators must be held accountable,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini. “The international community cannot turn a blind eye to a situation where the use of these brutal weapons is becoming alarmingly commonplace. It is important that Finland is involved in combatting this threat with all available means.”

Source: Finland.ee
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Nordic foreign ministers meet in Stockholm to look at the international situation

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will attend the Nordic foreign ministers’ meeting in Stockholm from 17 to 18 April 2018.

The Nordic foreign ministers will discuss, among other things, topical UN affairs and international questions, such as North Korea and Syria, the development of transatlantic relations and Russia, Ukraine, and security in the North Atlantic. Topical EU issues will also be on the meeting agenda, including Brexit and the Western Balkans.

The Nordic foreign ministers meet approximately three times a year on the invitation of the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. This year, the Nordic Presidency is held by Sweden.

Source: Finland.ee
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Sweden: The King holds an audience with the Prime Minister Stefan Löfven

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — On Friday 13 April, The King held an audience with Prime Minster Stefan Löfven at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.

The King meets the Prime Minister regularly to find out about current issues.

According to the Constitution Act of 1974, the Prime Minister is responsible for ensuring that the Head of State is kept informed about matters concerning the nation. This mainly takes place at Councils of State, which are held three or four times a year and in which The King, The Crown Princess and the Prime Minister participate.

Source: Swedish Royal Court
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Samuelsen Denmark supports the American

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — As a response towards the Syrian regimes’ use of chemical weapons in Douma on April 7, USA, France and the UK launched an attack on installations in Syria in the early morning of April 14. Ahead of this, on April 10, Russia used its veto in the UN Security Council to prevent the adoption of an American draft resolution, which would have established and independent UN-mechanism to investigate the chemical attack in Douma. Denmark co-sponsored the American draft resolution.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs says: “The tragic pictures we have seen from the chemical attack on Douma last Saturday underline the Assad regime’s deep contempt for human life. Such acts must have consequences. It is unacceptable that Russia, on Tuesday again prevented the Security Council from fulfilling its responsibility in Syria. Therefore, Denmark unconditionally supports the response toward the Syrian atrocities from our allies. We must send a clear signal that the international society does not stand idly by when a brutal regime uses chemical weapons against its own population”.

Source: um.dk
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Foreign Minister Soini to Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —  The EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) will meet in Luxembourg on 16 April. Finland’s representative at the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini. The topics on the agenda will be Russia, Iran, Syria, Western Balkans, and the future of external financing instruments.

Foreign ministers will discuss the relations between the EU and Russia and the implementation of the five guiding principles for the relations.  The Salisbury nerve agent attack, which was discussed in the March European Council, will probably be among the topics of discussion, too.

Foreign ministers will discuss the regional role of Iran and the situation in the Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA). The EU is committed to continuing its effective implementation.

In their deliberations relating to the Western Balkans, ministers will concentrate on the foreign and security policy elements of the EU’s recently adopted Strategy for the Western Balkans. Additionally, ministers will discuss preparations for the EU–Western Balkans summit to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 17 May 2018, which will focus on improved connectivity and enhanced cooperation in security matters.  Finland welcomes increasing and intensifying cooperation.

As part of the preparations for the negotiations concerning the EU’s future multiannual financial framework (MFF) after 2020, foreign ministers will exchange views on the future of external financing instruments.

The Council will also discuss Syria and adopt conclusions on the situation in the country. In addition, conclusions will be adopted on the situation in South Sudan, the EU’s response to malicious cyber activities, and on chemical disarmament and non-proliferation.

Source: Finland.ee
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The Danish Government sends DKK 10 million to the displaced people and refugees of the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Danish Government sends DKK 10 million to the displaced people and refugees of the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Democratic Republic of Congo faces a worsening humanitarian crisis as a result of the increasing violent conflict.

“More than 2 million people have been forced to flee in 2017 alone – on average, this corresponds to 50 families fleeing every hour, which is disastrous. Over the last year, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has exacerbated greatly. The development in the country has resulted in a deepening humanitarian crisis. Therefore, Denmark contributes with DKK 10 million to help the civil population and the displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as the refugees in the neighbouring areas of the conflict,” says Minister of Development Cooperation, Ulla Tørnæs.

The Danish funding contribution of DKK 10 million will be used by the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees to help the internally displaced people and refugees in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and across the region. The Danish funds will among other things contribute to general protection measures for the affected people.

 

Source: um.dk
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Estonian Supreme Court: Registered Partnership Act is a valid law

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – In a court order dated 10.04.2018, the Supreme Court has explained that regardless of the lack of implementing acts, the Registered Partnership Act entered into force on 1 January 2016 and is now a part of the Estonian legal order. According to the Supreme Court, the failure to issue the implementing acts for the Registered Partnership Act does not per se give grounds for declaring the situation unconstitutional.

An application for initiating constitutional review proceedings was submitted to the Supreme Court by the Tallinn Circuit Court, who considered that by failing to issue the implementing acts for the Registered Partnership Act the legislator had violated the Constitution. Generally, the Supreme Court will assess whether the provisions of a legislative act are constitutional, and in the case of a breach will declare the act unconstitutional. However, in the case of a failure to issue a legislative act, the Supreme Court will identify the unconstitutional gap, and will oblige the legislator to draw up legislation in a situation where the latter has failed to fulfil its constitutional obligation.

According to the Constitutional Review Chamber, a general acknowledgment that the implementing acts for the Registered Partnership Act have not been adopted is not enough to identify an unconstitutional gap.

Since the Registered Partnership Act has entered into force and is valid, the addressees of the law are entitled to rely on it when they are defending their subjective rights. The Constitutional Review Chamber considers that, although the Riigikogu has failed to amend other laws in accordance with the Registered Partnership Act, this does not relieve the courts of the obligation to implement the Registered Partnership Act in individual cases. If necessary, conflicts arising from the different legal provisions shall be resolved based on the general principles of law. The courts will have to interpret the law in a way that ensures a constitutional result.

The Supreme Court has rejected the application for the abovementioned reasons, and taking into account the fact that the courts who had initiated the constitutional review proceedings did not explain what they found to be the legal provisions, the lack of which hampered the adjudication of the court case.

Source: Riigikohus.ee

A decision adopted by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on a case involving domestic violence and the custody of a child

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —  On 5 March 2018, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women adopted a decision on a case involving domestic violence and the custody of a child. The decision stated that the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was violated.

The case was about whether authorities had neglected the state’s duty to exercise due diligence and whether the state had taken the necessary steps to protect the author and her child in the case of domestic violence.

The Committee also finds that the decision cast on the custody issue included few grounds for transferring the custody of the child from the author to the father, and that the domestic violence the author had been subjected to had been given little significance in the decision-making process. According to the Committee, the father’s ability to act as a parent, despite numerous child welfare reports and despite his conviction for violence, had not been assessed.

The Committee recalls that the primary consideration of the child’s best interest must be specified and justified in decisions cast on children. The Committee finds that the state has failed to exercise its due diligence with regard to processing the claims put forward by the author. This has harmed the child’s best interest and the author’s opportunities to equal treatment regarding the custody issue. Furthermore, the Committee finds that the authorities had applied a stereotypical and, therefore, discriminatory notion of domestic violence.

The Committee recommends that this case involving the custody of a child be reprocessed without delay. In connection to this, it is recommended that a thorough assessment of violence of the child’s father be carried out in order to assess the child’s best interest. The Committee also recommends that a due compensation be paid to the author.

The Committee also issues recommendations to general measures to be taken, inter alia, in decisions on the custody of a child involving domestic violence.

This is the first decision adopted by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women which concerns Finland in an individual communication. The Committee requests Finland to report, within six months, on the measures that have been taken in response to the decision.

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Denmark still in the lead in development assistance

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — Together with Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg and Great Britain, Denmark belongs to an exclusive group of countries that meet the UN target to provide 0,7 percent of GNI in official development assistance.

This is evident in the western countries’ economic cooperation organization, the OECD’s, preliminary reporting for 2017 that was published recently.

Here, Denmark’s official development assistance for 2017 is determined to be 0,72 percent of GNI as measured in disbursements.

“We should be proud that we once again meet the UN target for official development assistance. Through our development cooperation, we improve living conditions, growth and jobs in some of the world’s poorest countries. Thereby we also prevent migration flows. When we, in places such as Africa or the Middle East, help people to attain a better life at home, we also help ourselves,” says the Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs.

It is the government’s target to provide 0,7 percent of GNI in official development assistance. The final statement for the OECD member state’s official development assistance will be published by the end of this year.

 

Source: um.dk
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