Ukraine, energy mark closing of Doha Forum
Doha, Mar 27 (EFE).- The invasion of Ukraine, Europe’s need to find new energy suppliers, tackling disinformation and geopolitical instability marked the agenda at the Doha Forum, which concluded in Qatar on Sunday.
Panel discussions on the need to strengthen education in developing countries and measures to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic’s impact took on a greater role after discussion on the opening day of the forum focused almost exclusively on the crisis in Ukraine.
Former English soccer player David Beckham, who has 150 million followers on social media, took the spotlight with his message regarding the need to educate children around the world in the responsible use of the Internet.
He also highlighted his initiative to temporarily hand over his Instagram account to a Ukrainian doctor from the city of Kharkiv so that he can provide global coverage for the extreme situation at a children’s hospital amid the Russian invasion.
International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva pointed out that the war in Ukraine strains the most vulnerable populations, and she warned that the global economy could worsen if peace were not achieved.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine and Europe’s energy crisis dominated the first day of the forum as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs addressed the participants.
At a presser, Josep Borrell stressed that Europe is looking for energy providers, adding that the oil-rich Persian Gulf countries are able to replace the Russian supply of energy on which much of Western and Eastern Europe depends.
Previously, Zelenskyy urged the international community to activate mechanisms to prevent military invasions and nuclear threats.
Other ongoing issues such as the nuclear agreement with Iran and the Taliban’s recent ban on the education of Afghan women and girls were also included on the event’s agenda.
US special envoy for Iran Robert Malley and former Iranian Foreign Minister Sayyid Kamal Kharrazi expressed their optimism about reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.
Former US President Donald Trump in 2018 withdrew Washington from the deal whereby Tehran would limit its atomic program in exchange for the West’s lifting of economic sanctions.
Malala Yousafzai, the winner of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, called on the international community not to recognize Afghanistan’s Taliban government as long as “they do not recognize the human rights of women” after imposing the recent ban on educating women.
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