Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 20th September 2023
Yesterday the Secretary General criticised global governance in dealing in particular with developing countries in difficulty”. Guterres took the opportunity to point directly to Derna, in Libya, as an example of the “sad portrait” of a world of inequalities and injustices, where thousands of people were “victims of leaders – near and far”. “Thousands of people in Derna lost their lives in epic and unprecedented floods. They have been victims many times: victims of years of conflict, of climate chaos, victims of leaders – near and far – who have failed to find a path to peace,” he said.
He called for the reforming the Security Council in line with today’s world. “It means redesigning the international financial architecture so that it becomes truly universal and serves as a global safety net for developing countries in difficulty”.
His introduction reflects the realities being faced by many countries resulting from global warming and the extreme weather conditions being face, in particular developing countries. His example of the “Derna catastrophe” is particularly appropriate, as years of conflict resulted in a poorly maintained infrastructure through lack of investment, exemplified by the dams that failed after years of war and neglect, causing thousands of victims.
This is why effective action to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risks is so important. We cannot reduce the occurrence or intensity of climate-driven extreme weather events. But we can reduce our vulnerability and exposure, especially among those most at risk
But what can we do at individual level, people often ask? One simple answer to this is to follow the weather warnings when issued.
Last Sunday the crew at the Peniche Lifeguard Station rescued a 27-year-old kitesurfer, of Polish nationality, who was in difficulty at Cova de Alfarroba beach. He was being dragged by the force of the wind and tide, and was rescued by the crew at the Lifeguard Station. This is unfortunately an example of a reckless person that with the sea conditions at yellow warning went to the sea and ended up putting his and the rescuers lives at danger.
Turning to road safety, the “Cinto-me Vivo” road safety campaign concluded yesterday recording more than 11 thousand infractions in one week, of which 714 were related to the use of seat belts, helmets and child seats. The focus was very much on road safety and it is saddening to see so many examples where drivers are not following basic safety rules, including those that protect their own children. So a reminder to follow the laws/rules concerning safe driving including those concerning drink driving and use of mobile phone devices whilst driving, two of the biggest causes of fatal accidents.
Remember also when driving the safety of your pet(s). If you’re traveling with your pet, remember there are rules to follow, so choose the best form of transport This can be a carrier box – protects the animal and defends it in case of an accident; a chest / collar worn by the animal attached to the seatbelt – good option on longer journeys, as it prevents the animal from being confined to the space of the carrier box or a divider net or grid – option only for dogs, so they travel between the back seats and the boot compartment.
Lastly a word on spam emails. If you think you are receiving many each day you are certainly not alone! Nearly 56.5% of all emails were spam in 2022. The most common type of spam is marketing/advertising emails which account for nearly 36% of all spam emails. That translates into an average daily volume of 122.33 billion messages globally. Daily spam messages oscillate regularly, and the latest traffic statistics show it’s declining. The total spam volume worldwide was highest in July 2021, when 283 billion out of 336 billion emails were spam.
Adult-related content is the second-biggest spam category, accounting for roughly 31.7% of all spam messages.26.5% of all unwanted emails are related to financial matters, the third-biggest spam email category. We will be covering this topic in more depth shortly.
With that please have a safe week ahead.
News
UN: Guterres criticizes global governance “stuck in time”. “The world changed. Our institutions do not”
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, yesterday harshly criticized global governance “stuck in time”, giving as an example the United Nations Security Council itself and the Bretton Woods financial institutions. Reference to: The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organization.
In his opening speech at the Debate of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 78), Guterres highlighted that these two systems reflect the political and economic realities of 1945, when many countries now represented in the plenary of the UN were still under colonial rule.
“The world changed. Our institutions do not. We cannot effectively solve problems as they are if institutions do not reflect the world as it is. Instead of solving problems, they run the risk of becoming part of the problem”, said Guterres, who has positioned himself as a strong supporter of reforms of international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, calling today for its enlargement to the African Union.
According to the former Portuguese prime minister, a multipolar world needs strong and effective multilateral institutions, not governance stuck in time.
“We are increasingly close to a Great Fracture in economic and financial systems and commercial relations; that threatens a single and open Internet; with divergent strategies in technology and artificial intelligence; and potentially conflicting security structures,” he said.
The time has come, Guterres said, to renew multilateral institutions based on the economic and political realities of the 21st century – rooted in equity, solidarity and universality and anchored in the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law.
“This means reforming the Security Council in line with today’s world. It means redesigning the international financial architecture so that it becomes truly universal and serves as a global safety net for developing countries in difficulty”, he argued.
The head of the United Nations said he had “no illusions” that “reforms are a question of power”, with “many conflicting interests and agendas” that collide with the need for change.
But the alternative to reform is not the ‘status quo’, he argued.
“The alternative to reform is greater fragmentation. It’s reform or rupture”, pointed out António Guterres, adding that Democracy is under threat and that authoritarianism is on the march.
“As I said to the G20, it is time for a global commitment. (…) Leaders have a special responsibility to reach commitments in building a common future of peace and prosperity for our common good”, he further said.
At the start of this year’s UNGA, Guterres took the opportunity to point directly to Derna, in Libya, as an example of the “sad portrait” of a world of inequalities and injustices, where thousands of people were “victims of leaders – near and far”.
“Just nine days ago, many of the world’s challenges coalesced into a terrifying hellscape. Thousands of people in Derna lost their lives in epic and unprecedented floods. They have been victims many times: victims of years of conflict, of climate chaos, victims of leaders – near and far – who have failed to find a path to peace,” he said.
“The people of Derna lived and died at the epicenter of this indifference – as the skies released 100 times the monthly rainfall in 24 hours, as the dams failed after years of war and neglect, as everything they knew was wiped off the map. Even now, as we speak, bodies wash up on the shores of the same Mediterranean Sea where billionaires sunbathe on their superyachts,” he criticized.
According to Libyan authorities, 11,300 people have died and another 10,000 are missing, with estimates that the death toll could reach 20,000.
Derna, lamented Guterres, is a “sad portrait of the state of our world”, where “inequalities, injustices, and inability to face the challenges that arise in our midst” abound.
“Excellencies, our world is becoming unbalanced”, he highlighted.
The high-level debate of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly began yesterday, in New York, with the presence of dozens of heads of state and government from around the world, and will continue until the 26th.