L’OCS continuera de promouvoir la sécurité, la stabilité et la prospérité mondiales

PÉKIN, 14 septembre 2022/PRNewswire/ — Un reportage du People’s Daily :

Le président chinois Xi Jinping assistera à la 22e réunion du Conseil des chefs d’État de l’Organisation de coopération de Shanghai (OCS) dans la ville de Samarkand et effectuera des visites d’État au Kazakhstan et en Ouzbékistan du 14 au 16 septembre.

Cette année revêt une importance historique pour l’OCS : elle marque le 20e anniversaire de la signature de la Charte de l’OCS, ainsi que le 15e anniversaire de la signature du Traité de bon voisinage, d’amitié et de coopération des États membres de l’OCS.

Depuis sa fondation, l’organisation se conforme de près aux deux documents ci-dessus, tout en suivant l’esprit de Shanghai, en explorant une nouvelle voie de développement pour les organisations régionales et en donnant l’exemple en matière de coopération régionale et internationale.

Alors que le monde entre dans une nouvelle période de turbulence et de transformation, le rôle de l’OCS grandit et la demande de coopération des États membres s’accroît au lieu de diminuer.

Dans un contexte où le monde est confronté à une situation internationale compliquée, à des conflits qui surgissent fréquemment et à une rechute dans l’unilatéralisme et le protectionnisme, on s’attend à ce que l’OCS utilise sa force non seulement pour sauvegarder et favoriser la pratique d’un véritable multilatéralisme, mais aussi pour protéger la justice et l’équité internationales.

En tant que l’un des principaux fondateurs de l’OCS, la Chine valorise, soutient et promeut en tout temps le développement de l’organisation.

Depuis 2013, le président Xi a participé à de nombreux sommets de l’OCS, durant lesquels il a présenté une série de propositions et d’initiatives importantes visant à promouvoir le développement de l’OCS et la coopération régionale. Ces propositions et initiatives ont été reçues favorablement par les parties concernées.

Dans la Déclaration de Qingdao, les membres de l’OCS ont fait de la « construction d’une communauté avec un avenir commun pour l’humanité » une vision commune. L’organisation favorise la synergie entre la coopération Belt and Road et les stratégies de développement des divers pays et des différentes initiatives de coopération régionale comme l’Union économique eurasiatique, créant ainsi de nombreuses opportunités de développement régional.

L’Initiative mondiale de développement proposée par le président Xi a été reconnue par les parties concernées dans le cadre de l’OCS. Selon elles, l’initiative jouera un rôle d’une grande importance dans l’atténuation des difficultés de développement mondial actuelles.

La Chine prône l’indépendance et la sécurité pour tous et s’oppose à la confrontation en bloc et à l’atteinte à la stabilité régionale. Lors du Sommet de Samarkand, le président Xi et les parties concernées échangeront leurs points de vue sur les manières d’améliorer la construction de l’OCS dans la nouvelle ère et de gérer plus efficacement les grands défis internationaux et régionaux. Ces discussions favoriseront la sauvegarde d’un véritable multilatéralisme et la protection des droits et des intérêts légitimes des pays en développement, tout en contribuant grandement à la promotion de la paix et du développement régionaux.

Cette année marque le trentième anniversaire de l’établissement de liens diplomatiques entre la Chine et les cinq pays d’Asie centrale que sont le Kazakhstan, le Kirghizistan, le Tadjikistan, le Turkménistan et l’Ouzbékistan.

La prochaine visite du président Xi au Kazakhstan et en Ouzbékistan renforcera assurément la coopération entre la Chine et les cinq pays d’Asie centrale.

Au cours des 30 dernières années, les relations entre la Chine et le Kazakhstan se sont constamment renforcées pour atteindre de nouveaux niveaux. Les deux pays ont établi un partenariat stratégique global permanent qui s’avérera important pour soutenir la paix et la stabilité, tant à l’échelle régionale qu’à l’échelle internationale.

Il y a neuf ans, c’est au Kazakhstan que le président Xi a proposé la construction de la ceinture économique de la route de la soie, une composante de l’historique Initiative Belt and Road (BRI) qui comporte également la route maritime de la soie du 21e siècle. Les deux pays ont mis en œuvre une série de projets de coopération qui revêtent une importance stratégique et qui ont obtenu des résultats fructueux. Ces projets ont apporté des avantages tangibles aux deux peuples et sont un bon exemple de coopération gagnant-gagnant.

Les relations entre la Chine et l’Ouzbékistan ont progressé rapidement ces 30 dernières années. Les deux pays sont devenus non seulement de bons voisins qui s’accordent un respect et une confiance mutuels, mais aussi de précieux partenaires qui coopèrent de manière mutuellement bénéfique et de grands amis qui profitent des échanges interpersonnels.

À l’heure actuelle, d’importantes possibilités s’offrent aux deux pays pour améliorer leur partenariat stratégique global. Ils se sont engagés à réaliser un chiffre d’affaires commercial annuel de 10 milliards de dollars dès que possible et à fixer de nouveaux objectifs, et ont décidé de mettre en œuvre conjointement le plan quinquennal de coopération en matière d’économie, de commerce et d’investissement, ainsi que d’établir une liste de projets de coopération prioritaires pour l’avenir. Les deux parties continueront d’approfondir leur coopération en matière de connectivité, de réduction de la pauvreté et de soins médicaux.

La Chine soutient pleinement la présidence ouzbèke de l’OCS et est disposée à travailler avec le pays pour développer et stimuler ensemble leur économie nationale.

Business School Students in High Demand: Nearly 9 in 10 Landed Jobs Prior to Graduation

Survey finds full-time MBA graduates in North America benefit the most from salary bump while Asia Pacific graduates record the biggest increase in rating of the overall value of degrees

RESTON, Va., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Despite market fear of an imminent recession, 86 percent of 2022 business school graduates were employed at the time of graduation, up from 80 percent in 2021, according to a survey report released today by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Contributing to the favorable trends are the regional results of graduates who studied in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. Among graduates of Asia-Pacific business schools, this year 91 percent report being employed at the time of graduation, compared with 78 percent in 2021. Similarly, among European graduates, 90 percent indicate they were employed this year compared with 75 percent last year.

The annual Enrolled Students Survey from GMAC, a global association of leading graduate business schools, aims to better understand current trends in student and recent graduates’ evaluations and outcomes of their graduate management education (GME). Conducted in May-June 2022, this year’s survey explores the views of 1,718 respondents from nearly 300 business schools in 57 countries around the word on their overall GME experience, job search, and compensation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Globally, the responding graduates of participating schools reported a median percentage increase in total compensation—including base salary and all other compensation—of 29 percent. Notably, among North American school graduates, those who attended full-time MBA programs reported a pre-GME total compensation median of US$80,000, and a post-GME total compensation median of US$120,000—an impressive 50 percent increase.

“With the volatile economic conditions and organizational challenges brought on by the pandemic, well-rounded and prepared business leaders and managers are especially in demand in the current job market,” said Matt Hazenbush, director of research analysis and communications at GMAC and author of the report. “As the survey findings suggest, graduate management education provides students with a powerful leg up for their career.”

Other Key Findings

Most students who set out to make a career change or gain a promotion encounter success

In step with the Great Resignation, students’ top goals and motivations in 2022 were to enrich their lives and make a career change. Among 2022 respondents, a majority who set out to make a career change or get promoted report that they were successful in achieving that goal. Specifically, among those who say making a career change was one of their top three motivations to pursuing GME, 57 percent said they were successful. Success rates for graduates from schools in Latin America/Middle East/Africa (66%) and North America (61%) were slightly higher, though not significantly, than those in Asia Pacific (54%) or Europe (55%), but across world regions a majority successfully made the career change they set out to make. Similarly, 56 percent of graduates who had the goal to gain a promotion were successful.

Social media use in the job search jumps up from last year

Use of social media in the job search—including sites like LinkedIn—increased significantly year-on-year, from 27 to 37 percent, overtaking networking with classmates and alumni (28%) as well as friends and family (35%). The increase in social media use as a job search method was significant among professional MBA (24% in 2021 to 31% in 2022) and business master’s students (23% in 2021 to 40% in 2022). By region, use of social media increased significantly among those who studied in Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America/Middle East/Africa, but not in North America.

Students from Asia-Pacific schools rate the overall value of their degree significantly higher in 2022 compared with 2021

Eighty-five percent of respondents rated the overall value of their degree as good to outstanding, up slightly from 82 percent in 2021. By region, students who studied in Asia-Pacific schools reported the largest year-on-year increase in favorable ratings for the overall value of their degree, rising from 75 percent to 86 percent between 2021 and 2022. While both full-time MBA and business master’s students in Asia Pacific had year-on-year increases, the increase was significant among full-time MBA students, rising from 66 percent to 84 percent. Globally, students who attended ranked schools reported similar levels of favorability of the overall value of their degree compared with students who attended non-ranked schools (85%, respectively).

As pandemic restrictions eased, student satisfaction with career and student services improved

Eighty-four percent of 2022 respondents gave career services a favorable review, up from 74 percent in 2021. Also improving were opinions on student services, up to 85 percent favorable from 80 percent in 2021. The improvement in favorability in career and student services was consistent across students of full-time MBA, business master’s, and professional MBA programs, as well as students who studied in Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America/Middle East/Africa, and North America.

About GMAC

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. GMAC provides world-class research, industry conferences, recruiting tools, and assessments for the graduate management education industry, as well as resources, events, and services that help guide candidates through their higher education journey. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment.

More than 12 million prospective students a year trust GMAC’s websites, including mba.com, to learn about MBA and business master’s programs, connect with schools around the world, prepare and register for exams and get advice on successfully applying to MBA and business master’s programs. BusinessBecause and The MBA Tour are subsidiaries of GMAC, a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.gmac.com

Media Contact:

Teresa Hsu
Sr. Manager, Media Relations
202-390-4180 (mobile)
thsu@gmac.com

Dave and Buster’s to Open 11 Units Across KSA, UAE, and Egypt

Announces international franchise partnership with Abdul Mohsen Al Hokair Holding Group

DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Just a few months after announcing its international expansion plans Dave & Buster’s inks its first multi-country, multi-unit deal.

“We couldn’t be more pleased and excited to announce our Partnership with Abdul Mohsen Al Hokair Holding Group to develop the Dave & Buster’s Brand across key West Asian Markets,” said Antonio Bautista, Chief International Development Officer of Dave & Buster’s.

The Brand will begin its expansion with sites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

“Dave & Buster’s is a preeminent entertainment brand, and this franchise partnership marks a strategic milestone for our organization as we continue expanding our entertainment and hospitality portfolio across the region,” said Mishal Alhokair, Deputy CEO of Abdul Mohsen Al Hokair Holding Group.

To drive international expansion, Dave & Buster’s has developed key strategic initiatives that uniquely support global market penetration:

  • Customizable footprint to drive box economics in each market as required
  • Menu localization with high regional resonance
  • Proprietary, dynamic pricing model
  • Global marketing programs that are demographically agnostic and locally executable
  • Differentiated and unique amusement strategy and packages
  • Localized entertainment and 3rd day part programming

“With four decades of market leading experience, a seasoned leadership team, and a best-in-class support center infrastructure, Dave & Buster’s is ready to RUN THE FUN for our global partners and guests,” added Antonio Bautista.

For more information on franchising opportunities visit www.daveandbusters.com/franchising or email InternationalDevelopment@daveandbusters.com

About Dave & Buster’s
Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Coppell, Texas, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc., is the owner and operator of 200 venues in North America that offer premier entertainment and dining experiences to guests through two distinct brands: Dave & Buster’s and Main Event. Dave & Buster’s has 148 stores in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada and offers guests the opportunity to “Eat Drink Play and Watch,” all in one location. Each store offers a full menu of entrées and appetizers, a complete selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and an extensive assortment of entertainment attractions centered around playing games and watching live sports and other televised events. Main Event operates 52 centers in 17 states across the country, and offers state-of-the-art bowling, laser tag, hundreds of arcade games, and virtual reality, making it the perfect place for families to connect and make memories. For more information about each brand, visit www.daveandbusters.com www.mainevent.com

About Abdul Mohsen Al Hokair Holding Group “Believe in what you do & you shall become the master of your craft”
This phrase inspired Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al Hokair to start his first theme park in Riyadh, which was “an unprecedented leap” in the tourism and entertainment sector, a sector that ran on mere “coincidence.” Here in Abdul Mohsen Al Hokair Holding Group, we turned “the dream” into an organized industry that aspires to be the best locally, regionally, and internationally. Sheikh Abdul Mohsen’s vision began with the need for tourism and entertainment in the Gulf region, which led to the opening of parks, and recreational centers in 1978, making him the Sheikh of Tourism in the Gulf Region. The roots of our companies were based on research and planning and deep consideration for all aspects of success.

Now, many people look to us with deep appreciation and respect. Each of our companies has its own story of success, and together they crowned us as a holding company, an umbrella for all companies and businesses. Holding is the mother and protector of our businesses, which began from the first day of networking that Sheikh Abdul Mohsen started to a glorious road that we hope to continue.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Antonio Bautista
antonio.bautista@daveandbusters.com

Disaster Risk Financing: An Overview from Lesotho

How do governments pay for the impacts of climate-related disasters, including helping people before they strike? While disaster risk financing (DRF) is a newer area of practice, governments around the world are increasingly incorporating it into plans and budgets. This brief examines how the Kingdom of Lesotho, a small country in Southern Africa that is highly vulnerable to climate hazards such as drought, heatwaves, and floods, is equipped to make use of DRF.

This brief unpacks the disaster management landscape in Lesotho looking at DRF policies–both financial and disbursal mechanisms. In Lesotho, we found that:

  • A paradigm shift from reactive to anticipatory approaches to disaster risk management has occurred, evidenced by the 2020 Disaster Risk Management Bill and the 2020 MoU signed by the Government of Lesotho and the African Risk Capacity.
  • While the country is preparing to develop a national DRF strategy, existing financial disbursal mechanisms need to be adapted alongside it. This includes:
    • Making two disaster contingency funds fit for anticipatory action
    • Developing shock-responsive social safety nets that can be scaled both up and out
    • Continuing the shift from manual social protection cash transfers to digital cash transfers

A few topics for additional research in Lesotho include (1) better understanding how to scale out social protection safety nets for anticipatory action and (2) evaluating the outcomes, including the timing of receipt, of existing DRF payment mechanisms.

Source: Tufts University

US Senate Panel Advances Bill to Boost US Ties with Taiwan

A U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday approved legislation that would significantly enhance U.S. military support for Taiwan, including provisions for billions of dollars in additional security assistance, as China increases military pressure on the democratically governed island.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee backed the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 by 17-5, despite concerns about the bill in U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration and anger about the measure from Beijing.

The strong bipartisan vote was a clear indication of support from both Republicans and Biden’s fellow Democrats for changes in U.S. policy toward Taiwan, such as treating it as a major non-NATO ally.

Sponsors said the bill would be the most comprehensive restructuring of U.S. policy toward the island since the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 — the bedrock of U.S. engagement with what China views as one of its provinces since Washington opened up relations with Beijing that year.

“We need to be clear-eyed about what we are facing,” said Senator Bob Menendez, the committee’s Democratic chairman, while stressing that the United States does not seek war or heightened tensions with Beijing.

“If we want to ensure Taiwan has a fighting chance, we must act now,” said Senator Jim Risch, the committee’s top Republican, arguing that any change in the status quo for Taiwan would have “disastrous effects” for the U.S. economy and national security.

The bill would allocate $4.5 billion in security assistance for Taiwan over four years and supports its participation in international organizations.

The act also includes extensive language on sanctions toward China in the event of hostilities across the strait separating it from the mainland.

Beijing’s opposition

When the bill was introduced in June, China responded by saying it would be “compelled to take resolute countermeasures” if Washington took actions that harmed China’s interests.

“We haven’t discussed any specifics,” Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to Washington, told reporters at an event at the Capitol when asked if she has had discussions with the White House over specific sanctions.

“We talked about integrated deterrence in a broader sense of the need to explore different tools to ensure that the status quo in the Taiwan Strait can be maintained,” Hsiao said.

She said she had expressed “gratitude” to Congress for the legislation. “Given the complication of different views here in the United States too, we’re hoping that we can reach some consensus on security, which is our top priority,” she said.

The committee’s approval paved the way for a vote in the full Senate, but there has been no word on when that might take place. To become law, it must also pass the House of Representatives and be signed by Biden or win enough support to override a veto.

The White House said Tuesday it was in talks with members of Congress on how to change the act to ensure that it does not change long-standing U.S. policy toward Taiwan that it considers effective.

The Taiwan bill is likely to be folded into a larger piece of legislation expected to pass late this year, such as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an annual bill setting policy for the Department of Defense.


Source: Voice of America

As Monkeypox Drops in the West, Still No Vaccines for Africa

With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa.

In July, the U.N. health agency designated monkeypox as a global emergency and appealed to the world to support African countries so that the catastrophic vaccine inequity that plagued the outbreak of COVID-19 wouldn’t be repeated.

But the global spike of attention has had little impact on the continent. No rich countries have shared vaccines or treatments with Africa, and some experts fear interest may soon evaporate.

“Nothing has changed for us here. The focus is all on monkeypox in the West,” said Placide Mbala, a virologist who directs the global health research department at Congo’s Institute of Biomedical Research.

“The countries in Africa where monkeypox is endemic are still in the same situation we have always been, with weak resources for surveillance, diagnostics and even the care of patients,” he said.

Rich countries hoard vaccine

Monkeypox has sickened people in parts of West and Central Africa since the 1970s, but it wasn’t until the disease triggered unusual outbreaks in Europe and North America that public health officials even thought to use vaccines. As rich countries rushed to buy nearly all the world’s supply of the most advanced shot against monkeypox, the World Health Organization said in June that it would create a vaccine-sharing mechanism to help needy countries get doses.

So far, that hasn’t happened.

“Africa is still not benefiting from either monkeypox vaccines or the antiviral treatments,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa director, adding that only small amounts have been available for research purposes. Since 2000, Africa has reported about 1,000 to 2,000 suspected monkeypox cases every year. So far this year, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified about 3,000 suspected infections, including more than 100 deaths.

In recent weeks, monkeypox cases globally have fallen by more than a quarter, including by 55% in Europe, according to WHO.

Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, head of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, said the lack of help for Africa was reminiscent of the inequity seen during COVID-19.

“Everybody looked after their (own) problem and left everybody else,” he said. Adetifa lamented that monkeypox outbreaks in Africa never got the international attention that might have prevented the virus from spreading globally.

Rich countries have stretched their vaccine supplies by using a fifth of the regular dose, but none have expressed interest in helping Africa. WHO’s regional office for the Americas recently announced it had struck a deal to obtain 100,000 monkeypox doses that will start being delivered to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean within weeks. But no similar agreements have been reached for Africa.

“I would very much like to have vaccines to offer to my patients or anything that could just reduce their stay in the hospital,” said Dr. Dimie Ogoina, a professor of medicine at Niger Delta University in Nigeria and a member of WHO’s monkeypox emergency committee.

Since WHO declared monkeypox a global emergency, Nigeria has seen the disease continue to spread, with few significant interventions.

“We still do not have the funds to do all the studies that we need,” Ogoina said.

Research into the animals that carry monkeypox and spread it to humans in Africa is piecemeal and lacks coordination, said Mbala, of Congo’s Institute of Biomedical Research.

Last week, the White House said it was optimistic about a recent drop in monkeypox cases in the U.S., saying authorities had administered more than 460,000 doses of the vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic.

Cases drop in U.S.

The U.S. has about 35% of the world’s more than 56,000 monkeypox cases but nearly 80% of the world’s supply of the vaccine, according to a recent analysis by the advocacy group Public Citizen.

The U.S. hasn’t announced any monkeypox vaccine donations for Africa, but the White House did make a recent request to Congress for $600 million in global aid.

Even if rich countries start sharing monkeypox tools with Africa soon, they shouldn’t be applauded, other experts said.

“It should not be the case that countries only decide to share leftover vaccines when the epidemic is declining in their countries,” said Piero Olliaro, a professor of infectious diseases of poverty at Oxford University. “It is exactly the same scenario as COVID, and it is still completely unethical.”

Olliaro, who recently returned to the U.K. from a trip to Central African Republic to work on monkeypox, said WHO’s emergency declaration appeared to offer “no tangible benefits in Africa.”

In Nigeria’s Lagos state, which includes the country’s largest city and is hard hit by monkeypox, some people are calling for the government to urgently do more.

“You can’t tell me that the situation wouldn’t have improved without a vaccine,” said Temitayo Lawal, 29, an economist.

“If there is no need for vaccines, why are we now seeing the U.S. and all these countries using them?” he asked. “Our government needs to acquire doses as well.”

Source: Voice of America