Displaying items by tag: agenda

The 2019 G7 summit in Biarritz will focus on fighting inequality. The following five objectives will be discussed, and we can pray that they will be acted on: a) inequality of opportunity, promoting in particular gender equality, access to education, and high quality health services; b) reducing environmental inequality by protecting our planet through climate finance and a fair ecological transition, preserving biodiversity and the oceans; c) strengthening social dimensions of globalisation through more equitable trade, tax and development policies; d) action for peace against security threats and terrorism; e) tapping into the opportunities created by digital technology and artificial intelligence. Pray for all those participating in the summit: may God rule and reign in every discussion and decision made. See also the article on African wildlife and timber in the world section.

Escaping scandal in Washington after indictments of his campaign associates, President Trump is on a 13-day tour through five Asian capitals. Trump’s first stop was Japan, where the priorities were a Japan-US military alliance and trade. While visiting South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, he hopes to encourage other regional powers to step up their efforts to pressurise North Korea into abandoning its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. The continent is gripped with tension over the nuclear standoff on its eastern edge. Trump told South Korean lawmakers that Kim Jong-un would face disaster if he continued to lead his nation down the dark path towards nuclear weapons. ‘Do not underestimate us. Do not try us’ was a direct warning to Pyongyang. Trump is trying to persuade Chinese leaders to put even more pressure on North Korea. At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam (9 to 10 November), he hopes to enlist President Putin’s help in changing North Korea's behaviour. See next article.