Archive for January, 2016

In the dark: Africa’s energy shortfall

| January 4, 2016 | 0 Comments
In the dark: Africa’s energy shortfall

Pitch blackness is Africa at night. From the space station, from satellites, from high-flying aircraft, even on Google projections, compared to the rest of the globe, much of sub-Saharan Africa is dark from sunset — devoid of those cumulated glowing pinpoints that illuminate the other continents. Students in much of sub-Saharan Africa study using kerosene […]

Continue Reading

Vladimir Putin and the decline of the West

| January 4, 2016 | 1 Comment
Vladimir Putin and the decline of the West

“America’s retreat from the world is no longer abstract — it has delivered Syria… to Moscow and Iran’s mullahs, probably for generations. The strategic defeat is only exceeded by the moral defeat.” — National Post, Oct. 5, 2015 The world is changing quickly and not in our favour. The strategic balance has been moving steadily […]

Continue Reading

The pervasive prejudice against females

| January 4, 2016 | 0 Comments
The pervasive prejudice against females

In September 2015, leaders from around the world gathered in New York City for the UN General Assembly and adopted the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Seventeen goals were agreed upon as part of the new framework, which lasts until 2030, including a goal on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. It’s […]

Continue Reading

The sad fate of the rhino in Africa

| January 4, 2016 | 1 Comment
The sad fate of the rhino in Africa

Editor’s note: James Parker volunteered with Southern African Wildlife College’s (SAWC) ranger division from June to September 2015. During his time at Kruger National Park, he worked with rangers-in-training. The two white rhinos are grazing in the grass, about 50 metres away. They are not really that hard to track, as they leave a distinctive […]

Continue Reading

Survival … of the fittest

| January 4, 2016 | 0 Comments
Survival … of the fittest

Every January, scores of people storm the doors of their local fitness studios. Their will is resolute, their aim simple — to finally get into shape, as they had promised themselves at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1. Yet weeks later, the resolve behind this tide will have ebbed away, as old habits reassert […]

Continue Reading

Russian offensive revives painful past for Estonians

| January 4, 2016 | 0 Comments
Russian offensive revives painful past for Estonians

I joined the Estonian foreign service in 1993, an exciting time for my country. On my first day, as I awaited my first assignment, a colleague suggested I find out how much military equipment the Russians had transported back over the border that month; this was prior to their full military withdrawal in August 2014. […]

Continue Reading

Slovenia: Globally branded and seeking trade

| January 4, 2016 | 0 Comments
Slovenia: Globally branded and seeking trade

Throughout history, Slovenia has been at a crossroads of routes leading from east to west and north to south, with many influences shaping its character. Today, this can be seen in Slovenia’s cultural diversity, its adventuresome people, its vibrant economic activity and the valuable contributions of Slovenian scientists to the world. Positive results achieved by […]

Continue Reading

Ethiopia: 11 percent GDP growth for a decade

| January 4, 2016 | 0 Comments
Ethiopia: 11 percent GDP growth for a decade

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Canada. Although Canada is well-known to Ethiopians, events were held in Addis Ababa and Ottawa to celebrate formal diplomatic ties. Ethiopia has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, having managed to maintain an average 11 percent GDP growth […]

Continue Reading

Ecuador: Ready for Canadian investment

Ecuador: Ready for Canadian investment

Ecuador is blessed with a privileged position on the world map. Located at latitude zero, the country sits right on the equatorial line, nestled between the Andes Mountains, the Pacific Ocean and the Amazon rainforest. It is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world and is the home of the Galapagos Islands, where […]

Continue Reading

Two large donations from UAE’s embassy in Canada

| January 4, 2016 | 0 Comments
Two large donations from UAE’s embassy in Canada

Over the last few months of 2015, the embassy of the United Arab Emirates injected $20,000 into two Canadian health-care organizations. First, at the end of August 2015, Ambassador Mohammed Saif Helal Al Shehhi held a press conference to announce the embassy’s donation of $10,000 to the Canadian Cancer Society to support ground-breaking research and […]

Continue Reading