The contrasts between developed and developing world are quite diverse in many aspects. Major barriers do exist for many developing countries seeking transformation to modern economic structures with functioning government offices and institutions. A tremendous structuring process with enormous needs for education and capacity building on all possible levels. It is not an over-night process where you need to bridge major gaps in the many isolated sub-social communities and micro-cultures that lived apart from each others for decades, or even centuries.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/10343349/Rebels-clash-with-Mali-troops-as-violence-surges-in-restive-north.

With the network of underground supply tunnels rapidly being shut down, prices have soared for Palestinians in the Strip. The impacts of the shut down of such “illegal structures” are also felt in many other sector activities within, e.g. transportation, communication, trade and education, with major effects on the daily life of many Palestinians. Security and safety of the citizens are major problems and have severe impacts on the social life because of the political conflicts in the region.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/14/gaza-chokes-israel-egypt-economic

Economic growth is a powerful instrument for empowering people and reducing poverty in the developing world. It is essential for creating jobs and market opportunities for people to support their families and build more sustainable futures. However, many developing countries face particular challenges and threats to achieve and maintain sustainable economic growth because of weak institutions, high unemployment, poor infrastructure for key public and private services (education, health, security, transport, water and energy), also a severe lack of access to financial services and unsuitable laws and regulations.

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/helping-developing-countries-economies-to-grow

We have already heard about Government Shutdown in the US. A government shutdown occurs when a government discontinues providing services that are not considered “essential.” These are, however, signs of major economic collapse.

According to the World Bank “The US and world economies face higher interest rates, falling confidence and slower growth if the US Congress does not raise the $US16.7 trillion borrowing cap.”

The US Treasury has said that it would run out of adequate cash to pay all the country’s bills as early as October 17 without a debt cap increase.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-budget-battle-imfs-christine-lagarde-tells-americas-lawmakers-they-risk-tipping-world-into-recession-8877239.html

Though the partial suspension of the US economic and military assistance to Egypt seems to pose negative impacts to Egypt in terms of its economic and military health. In the long run, suspension of such aid might be advantageous rather than disadvantageous for the Egyptians.

Freedom from economic assistance from the United States, would motivate Egyptians towards self-relianceIt to develop their independent economic life and take advantage of the vast Arab and Moslem markets. Turkey in the late 60’s and early 70’s after being free of US economic assistance, its economy grew more independently towards success. Egypt has enough technology and entrepreneurship that can yield stronger relations with surrounding markets in particular through the common language and mutual interests.

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m101670

Though the Obama administration’s decision to withhold much of the $1.3 billion in annual aid given to Egypt isn’t surprising, there several arguments why such decision is facing huge critisms. Cutting aid is a lose-lose proposition: It will cost Washington substantial influence within Egypt without achieving any gains for either American geostrategy or democratic prospects within Egypt. It is an unforced error in the extreme. While the influence of China in Africa, and many other parts of the world, is growing very fast the USA still following the same politics in the MENA region without taking wider initiatives to meet the real needs for promoting democracy through collaboration within education, health, water, agro-industries and other sectors that can make difference for the population. The so-called “aid” is not even fair since it has only promoted the US-interests in the MENA region.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115115/obama-cuts-egypt-aid-why-hell-regret-it

Speaking at the ‘Forum on Chinese Businesses in Africa’ last Monday – the vice foreign minister of China Zhai Jun, said that; “as an important part of China-Africa relationship, cooperation in economy, trade and investment has yielded fruitful results. China has been the largest trading partner of Africa since 2009. Two-way trade grew from about US$10 billion in 2000 to almost US$200 billion in 2012. Africa is China’s second largest project contracting market and the fourth largest investment destination.

China – Africa relations now in a “golden period” – says vice foreign minister

There are several ways where students can be engaged in investing in Africa. Students today should be playing a part in the rise of the African economy. It is as an emerging region over the next 40 years and it is therefore important to get broader understanding of what Africa has to offer. There are already a variety of universities involved internationally. Such tools are primary for understanding and engaging young people in the African market.

http://www.informafrica.com/business-africa/competition-encourages-stock-investment-in-africa/

In the civil war of Syria chemical weapons were used and teams from UN we engaged in monitoring the used chemical weapons. These are standard actions for getting informations about the circumstances of the used chemical weapons, i.e. what, how and who. Assessing such events is part of legal processes according to international laws, convections and treaties.

http://mobile.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24490925

The ongoing democratisering process in Egypt has imposed extensive discussion on Egypt’s identity and how to deal with it in the framework of the Egyptian constitution, which is currently under revision. Citizenship denotes the link between a person and a state, or an association of states, and thereby there must exist articles in the constitution that clearly define the social, cultural and political components of the “citizenship”. Liberals and muslims have long-standing discussions about the role of religion in Egypt’s identity. Liberals for example claim that ” “monotheistic religions” and “protecting religion” are outworn excuses that only aim to impose control over society one way or another. Egypt has had its identity before Article 219 which Yasser Bahrami talks about. Egypt has had its identity before Article 2 of the constitution was added by Anwar al-Sadat in 1971. Religion is more sacred than Sadat and Barhami’s additions. God does not await articles in a constitution to protect his religion.” Nevertheless, in the Egyptian constitution, Egypt’s identity is defined under the monotheistic umbrella.

See more:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/2013/10/11/Egypt-s-identity-defined-under-the-monotheistic-umbrella-.html

Among frequently asked general questions is what is the difference between “knowledge” and “education”? What knowledge do I need and how can I acquire such knowledge? Is it always necessary to get knowledge through formal education? With the increasing importance of ICT-technology how can media tools be used to enhance the feed-backs for acquiring specific “knowledge-packages” through the ever increasing formal and informal channels of education. How would such combinations be used for seeking jobs or for evaluating professionals seeking jobs?

Difference Between Knowledge and Education

Enjoys this video:

GRID, a Centre collaborating with UNEP, is engaged in promoting high-level environmental policies. The following has initiated important information for building the necessary infra-structure for policy-making to improve the socio-economic developments in Rwanda. During the preparation of the first Rwanda State of Environment and Outlook in 2009, it became evident that there is a lack of reliable core datasets and indicators on the environment. As such there is need for improved collaboration between institutions dealing with environmental information management. All institutions working in the natural resources sector will benefit from the creation of an infrastructure for sharing environmental data. An environmental information network that improves data access at all levels of society will in turn support the country’s sustainable development objectives.

http://www.grida.no/publications/rwanda-ein/ebook.aspx

GRID-Arendal is a centre collaborating with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Established in 1989 by the Government of Norway as a Norwegian Foundation. Its mission is to communicate environmental information to policy-makers and facilitate environmental decision-making for change. This is achieved by organizing and transforming available environmental data into credible, science-based information products, delivered through innovative communication tools and capacity-building services targeting relevant stakeholders.

Below, an example is given on Uganda’s Environment and Natural Resources: Enhancing Parliament’s Oversight. Other publications can be down-loaded (PDF) free of charge, or directly viewed on-line.

http://www.grida.no/publications/uganda-handbook/

Your engagement can make a difference. It is about raising awareness and transfer-of-knowledge. Join us now, tomorrow can be too late!

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/sustainable-earth/water/

http://www.sustainabilitylabs.org/page/sustainability-five-core-principles

As a consequence of the Egyptian revolution a “political divorce” is taking place between liberal and religious parties. Currently, the revolution is going through an episode of depression after divorce that is likely to bring the revolution back to a more sustainable route. The conflics taking place in Egypt and the obstacles facing the “Arab Spring” have the same classical nature as in any “divorce process” where the legal rights need to exist for protecting innocent victims. A revolution is not an overnight process and no revolution in history brough democracy to success overnight. A revolution is an instrument for changing the life conditions of a population, to halt fear, mistrust and conflicts between the political players and finaly to bring about true democracy. Security and safety will be achieved when reasonable solutions are found to settle the legal rights of the third party “the population” and take the revolution to a mature democracy.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2013/07/11/ElBaradei-s-skewed-role-in-Egypt-s-transition.html

The importance of rural communities and their engagement in promoting sustainable socio-economic developments is gaining an increasing attention. Improving the quality of life in rural regions and integrating them in the ongoing urbanization is imperative for achieving sustainability goals on the global scale. Initiatives similar to “World Bank Helps Communities Adapt to Climate Change Risks” (see the given link) can be taken in other region that suffer high risks for severe impacts from climate and environmental changes.

http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2013/10/04/world-bank-helps-communities-adapt-to-climate-change-risks#!

Achieving sustainable socio-economic developments world-over depends on our understanding of the “Water-Energy nexus”, I call it WE-nexus. This is by no means the most important nexus for promoting golbal sustainability with considerable saving of WE-resources in terms of quality and quatity. How to use this nexus to get the magic-mix for best “quality and quantity” savings has no universal solution, it is dependent on how such resources can be managed through different levels of cooperation and shared responsibilty, e.g. on local, national, regional and global levels. Also, through adapting appropriate practices with consideration the geo-climatic conditions.

http://www.fmlink.com/article.cgi?type=Magazine&pub=AFE&id=30077&mode=source

SHAI OSTER in his article “China: New Dam Builder for the World” says: “African and Asian delegations visiting China are taken each year to see the Three Gorges Dam as a model project even though it has been dogged by problems ranging from spiraling costs and unrest caused by forced relocation of more than a million citizens to rapid land erosion and increased pollution. Criticism of the dam — which is the largest in the world by many measures — has become so persistent that the Chinese government has recently begun to acknowledge the issues. But environmentalists and human-rights activists fret that China will repeat many of the same mistakes it has made with dams at home as it leads a dam revival abroad.”

Follow the story and join the discussion on how to improve achieving sustainable socio-economic developments around the world, in particular in the developing countries with very limited knowledge on environmental and climatic impacts and the how the ongoing manipulations in major transboundary water-bodies may mean for future generations.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119880902773554655.html