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Priorities of Russia’s Presidency in BRICS
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 'BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Common Security and Innovative Growth'Over the past 10 years, BRICS has achieved serious results and has gained a reputation as a respected association. At the same time, the coordination mechanisms established within BRICS make it possible to cooperate effectively in politics, security, trade, finance and culture.It is important that the BRICS countries closely cooperate in addressing global and regional problems. Together we speak in favour of strict compliance with the norms of international law and the central role of the United Nations in international affairs. Our countries promote influence of developing countries in the global management system, as well the establishment of a more just global order.The BRICS member states consistently deepen mutually beneficial economic ties, strengthen trade and investment flow and together address such important tasks as industrial upgrading, the introduction of innovation technologies, and improvement in our people’s welfare.Starting January 1, 2020, Russia will chair BRICS.
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Kazakh President Tokaev introduces reforms
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 Political transformation will make Kazakhstan a success story. Political reforms will ignite progress in economic reforms this, according to President Tokyev as he met with the National Council of Public Trust in Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana), the Kazakh capital on December 20.The Council, created by President Tokaev in July is entrusted with facilitating the reforms through interactions and discussions with the general public, political parties, civil society and business. Composed of 44 public figures the Council is representative of the broader Kazakh demographic.‘Different Opinions, One Nation’ said the President as he introduced new measures that guarantee the fundamental rights and freedoms to all its citizens. These measures will deepen the public discourse allowing for debate and open engagement on issues that affect all Kazakhs.The emotive issue of land and its effective use was top on the list of challenges to be tackled by the Tokaev Presidency. Apart from the unbreakable link to ancestry and heritage the economic value of the land is priceless. Kazakhstan is listed as the 9th largest country in the world with a relatively small population of around 19 million people. On this issue, my position is adamant: only those who are able to cultivate the land deserve to be its owner stated Tokaev. The Ministry of Agriculture is implementing a pilot project to monitor unused land through remote earth sensing, and to increase the base tax rate for those who own but do not use their land from 10 to 20 times.
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Diplomatic Cover – A survey on Global Health and Risk Solutions
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 Health Insurance, Group Life, Disability, Critical Illness and Funeral cover financial policies to put your mind at ease, especially for Diplomats, Expatriates and Mobility Staff. Carrying out missions in foreign lands can be an enriching experience but can also be fraught with health risk and danger that could lead to death.Being assured of a streamlined administrative process and the provision of world-class benefits and service excellence is critical in case the need arises and may not need to be life threatening. It could be a routine dental procedure, or medication for chronic condition while working abroad. You may need a lifesaving medical evacuation. Choosing a well-recognized global insurer with the best solutions that suit you will allow to carry your duties and engagements with confidence knowing that you will be taken care of if something should go wrong.Your provider should be able to provide seamless services and solutions when the need arises.
Help us to help you find the optimum benefit that you require.
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Resetting the Aid policy beyond 21st Century
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Recognising the new global realities in a changing landscape in the international arena, global superpowers and emerging powers would require refashioning its foreign policies to protect their long-term interests. In the past, military might was the sole instrument that states used to colonise weaker nations. Besides trade and defense cooperation, aid diplomacy has been hailed as an effective foreign policy tool, which can effectively promote state interests and sphere of influence. From an analytical standpoint, the richest countries in the world granted over US$ 3.98 trillion in foreign aid to developing nations from 1962 to 2012 ( OECD 2019). Aid, trade, investment, and governance through democracy have been valued core traits of the United States and Western foreign policy priorities. Immediate aftermath of the Second World War, the US initiated, its foreign aid policy to rebuild the war-shattered Western Europe and Japan.
The logic was to expand North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO’) s reach eastwards and to prevent the spread of communism in its zone. During this period, the US foreign assistance predominately focused on east European countries. On the other hand for the newly independent third world, nations Soviet Union (USSR) leadership was overwhelmingly crucial for welfare style governance in the global south. However, the turn of the 21st century heralded a new era of aid competition between traditional donors in the global north and emerging donors in the global south. This aid competition transformed the landscape of the aid regime once and for all. With the “rise of the rest” where BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) entered into the aid world, the lead role that traditional donors once played has diminished significantly. Foreign aid has always been used as a tool to serve foreign policy objectives, especially in today’s increasingly globalized set up. The unfolding analysis gives an indication as to why donor nations need a far-sighted external policy outreach going beyond its customary foreign aid policy that serves as a diplomatic instrument to protect allies around the world.
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 Print Edition
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