US trio win Nobel Economics Prize for work on poverty

Yahoo – AFP, Johannes LEDEL, October 14, 2019

It turns out you don't have to be old and male to win a Nobel prize
in economics (AFP Photo/Miguel RIOPA)

Stockholm (AFP) - A trio of Americans on Monday won the Nobel Economics Prize for their work in the fight against poverty, including Esther Duflo, the youngest-ever economics laureate and only the second woman to win the prize.

Duflo -- a 46-year-old French-American professor who has served as an advisor to ex-US president Barack Obama -- shared the Nobel with her husband, Indian-born Abhijit Banerjee and fellow American Michael Kremer "for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said.

"This year's laureates have introduced a new approach to obtaining reliable answers about the best ways to fight global poverty," the jury said.

The science academy said that "more than 700 million people still subsist on extremely low incomes", and that around five million children under the age of five still die every year from preventable or curable diseases.

The trio found efficient ways of combating poverty by breaking down difficult issues into smaller, more manageable questions, which can then be answered through field experiments, the jury said.

'A new approach' in the fight against global poverty (AFP Photo/Jonathan 

NACKSTRAND)

Duflo is only the second woman to win the Nobel Economics Prize in its 50-year existence, following American Elinor Ostrom in 2009.

Ultra rich, ultra poor

Banerjee and Duflo are professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), while Kremer is a professor at Harvard University, all based in Boston.

Duflo has made her name conducting research, together with her husband, who was her PhD supervisor, on poor communities in India and Africa, seeking to weigh the impact of policies such as incentivising teachers to show up for work or measures to empower women.

Her tests, which have been likened to clinical trials for drugs, seek to identify and demonstrate which investments are worth making and have the biggest impact on the lives of the most deprived.

"Economics have a lot to say why the times are hard and what to do about it," Duflo said at a press conference at MIT in Boston.

"The two groups that did relatively well in the world economy are the ultra-rich and the ultra-poor."

'Our vision of poverty is dominated by caricatures and cliches' (AFP Photo/

Xavier GALIANA)

But she noted that even when basic material comforts are covered for people in developed economies "their full life might have the same level of misery and unhappiness that some of the extremely poor people we study."

Banerjee said governments have not taken seriously the harm inflicted from globalisation.

"The policy response to the pain caused by globalisation was inadequate often been the wrong direction," he said.

Not enough women

Duflo told the Nobel committee in a phone interview that she didn't think it was possible to win the prize "before being significantly older than any of the three of us."

Banerjee is 58 and Kremer is 54.

Addressing the fact that so few female economists have been honoured, Duflo said this was also a reflection of the field in general.

"There are not enough women in the economics profession period, so you see this problem at all levels," Duflo told the Nobel Prize website.

In the past 20 years, more than three-quarters of economics laureates have been American white males over the age of 55.

Indian-born Abhijit Banerjee is a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi 

(AFP Photo/SANJAY KANOJIA)

French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the "magnificent" Nobel awarded to Duflo, writing on Twitter that her work "shows that research in this field can have a concrete impact on the well-being of humanity".

Duflo said her husband and fellow laureate had "gone back to sleep" after receiving the call from the academy.

Banerjee in a later interview confessed he was not "an early morning person".

But he said he was "delighted" that research into alleviating poverty had received some attention.

The son of two economists, Banerjee grew up in Kolkata in eastern India, and has been a vocal critic of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ahead of elections earlier this year -- that saw Modi cruise to a second term -- Banerjee advised the opposition Congress party on its proposed guaranteed basic income guarantee scheme for tens of millions of India's poorest.

Kremer worked in schools in Kenya and helped with vaccines programmes (AFP 

Photo/Jon CHASE)

In the 1990s, Kremer used field experiments to test interventions to improve school results in western Kenya.

He has also helped develop programmes to incentivise the distribution of vaccines for diseases in the developing world.

Only Nobel not in will

Unlike the other Nobels awarded since 1901, the Economics Prize was not created by the prizes' founder, philanthropist and dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel, in his 1895 will. It was created in 1968 to mark the 300th anniversary of Sweden's central bank, and first awarded in 1969.

Each of the Nobels comes with a prize sum of nine million Swedish kronor ($914,000, 833,000 euros), to be shared if there is more than one winner in the discipline.

But unluckily for recent winners, the prize's value has lost around $185,000 in the past two years, due to the depreciation of the Swedish krona.

This year's Nobel laureates will receive their awards at ceremonies in Stockholm and Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of Alfred Nobel.

Hillary Clinton seeks to win over workers in first presidential rally

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has launched her bid to become the first female US president. Speaking in New York, Clinton unveiled her progressive platform, calling for tax breaks and universal preschool.

Deutsche Welle, 13 June 2015

Speaking to thousands of supporters at her inaugural campaign rally in New York on Saturday, Democrat front-runner Hillary Clinton said she would fight to elevate the poor and middle class sectors of US society.

"You have to wonder, when does my hard work pay off? When does my family get ahead? When? I say now," she told those gathered at the outdoor rally.

Outlining her vision for equal opportunity and civil rights for all, Clinton spoke in the city where she served as a senator for eight years, outlining her security and foreign policy credentials.

The former first lady, whose huband Bill was president from 1993 to 2001, said advantages had been given to the country's wealthy and corporations which had resulted in record profits and salaries for company chief executives.

The 67-year-old emphasized she was not standing to be president only for the privileges but "to make the middle class meaningful again" and "to give the poor the chance to work their way into it."

Clinton's remarks on Saturday were billed as the official launch of her presidential campaign, despite weeks of campaigning in the key states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

Waving red, blue and white flags, Clinton supporters crowded into the Franklin D Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park on New York's Roosevelt Island where she was joined by her husband and former president Bill, their daughter Chelsea and son-in-law Marc Mezvinsky.

"I may not be the youngest candidate in this race. But I will be the youngest woman president in the history of the United States," Clinton told her fans. "And the first woman grandmother."

jlw/rc (AFP, dpa)

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Retail giant Walmart to raise wages for US staff

Yahoo – AFP, John Biers, 19 Feb 2015

The biggest retailer globally, Walmart said the wage and education initiatives would

 affect 500,000 US full- and part-time staff. Salaries will be raised this year, with

another hike coming in 2016 (AFP Photo/Scott Olson)

New York (AFP) - Global retail giant Walmart, which has faced criticism over low salaries and skimpy benefits for years, announced Thursday it would raise wages for 500,000 workers in the US.

The largest private single employer in the United States said salaries for about 40 percent of its US staff would be lifted to at least $9 per hour in April, $1.75 above the federal minimum wage. By February 1, 2016, US staff will be paid at least $10 an hour.

The move follows mounting criticism by labor unions and other groups that the company's low wages have locked workers into poverty and pressured some of them to seek public assistance to make ends meet.

President Barack Obama has also made the issue of low pay and a growing income gap across the country a key focus of his economic policy.

In a video address to employees,

Wal-Mart Stores chief executive

Doug McMillon acknowledged

that "sometimes we don't get it

all right"  (AFP Photo/Alex Wong)

On Thursday, the White House amplified its call for the federal minimum wage, a base level for the whole country, to be raised to $10.10 per hour. The minimum was last raised in 2009.

"Good to see Walmart raising wages for about 500,000 employees. Now it's time for Congress to #RaiseTheWage," the White House tweeted.

In a video address to employees, Wal-Mart Stores chief executive Doug McMillon acknowledged that "sometimes we don't get it all right."

"As a team, we really wanted to demonstrate this year that we really care about you as associates and appreciate the work you do every day," said McMillon.

Last year a coalition of progressive and pro-labor groups, Americans for Tax Fairness, issued a report claiming that the government provides $6.2 billion a year in poverty-based assistance to Walmart workers because of their low wages.

The group also attacked the tax benefits earned by the family which controls Walmart, the Waltons, called the world's wealthiest family by Forbes with a $152 billion fortune.

States enacting wage hikes

The move came as a number of states have increased their minimum wages in recent years to address what economists say is a growing gap between what the average and wealthiest American households earn.

As of January, 29 states plus the District of Columbia have minimum wages above the federal standard, according to the National Conference of State Legislature.

Emily Wells, a member of OUR Walmart, an labor union-backed employee group that seeks higher wages, said she was "proud" their campaign had yielded a raise, but that more is needed.

"Especially without a guarantee of getting regular hours, this announcement still falls short of what American workers need to support our families," said Wells, who works in Florida.

"With $16 billion in profits and $150 billion in wealth for the owners, Walmart can afford to provide the good jobs that Americans need -– and that means $15 an hour, full-time, consistent hours and respect for our hard work."

But the National Retail Federation, a leading trade group, said Walmart's decision reflected the power of the marketplace as it took a swipe at policies such as government mandates to hike wages.

"Like many other retailers, Walmart made its decision based upon what is best for their employees, their customers, their shareholders and the communities in which they operate," it said..

"Government mandates that arbitrarily require businesses to implement politically driven policy are unnecessary and, in fact, create hurdles to job creation, curtail capital investment and pose as barriers to a sustained economic recovery."

McMillon told the network CNBC that Walmart would stay out of the political debate on the minimum wage.

Walmart said increased spending on wages and on a new program to promote employee education would weigh on future profits. The new program will shave 20 cents per share from earnings in fiscal 2016.

Walmart projected fiscal 2015 earnings of $4.70-$5.05 a share compared with the $5.19 expected by analysts.

Morgan Stanley said the company's outlook was disappointing, but that the wage announcement was positive "for how it should enhance morale, attract and retain labor, and lead to better customer engagement."

The wage hike could also prompt competitors to follow suit, which could give lower-income Americans more spending power, eventually feeding back into Walmart results, Morgan Stanley added.

In afternoon Thursday Walmart shares fell 2.9 percent to $83.77.

Alec has urged conservatives to launch populist campaigns against wage increases

 by adopting the mantra that higher pay hurts ordinary Americans. Photograph: 

Seth Perlman/AP

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Malala, Satyarthi receive Nobel Peace Prize

Yahoo – AFP, Pierre-Henry Deshayes, 10 Dec 2014

Nobel Peace Prize laureates Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai's pairing 

had the extra symbolism of linking neighbouring countries that have been in conflict

for decades (AFP Photo/Cornelius Poppe)

Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai received the Nobel Peace Prize on Wednesday as the youngest ever laureate, sharing her award with Indian child rights campaigner Kailash Satyarthi.

"A young girl and a somewhat older man, one from Pakistan and one from India, one Muslim, the other Hindu; both symbols of what the world needs: more unity. Fraternity between the nations!" Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel committee, said at the ceremony in Oslo.

Malala, 17, became a global icon after she was shot and nearly killed by the Taliban in October 2012 for insisting that girls had a right to an education.

Nobel Peace Prize laureates Malala

Yousafzai delivers her speech during the

Nobel Peace Prize awarding ceremony at

the City Hall in Oslo on December 10,

2014 (AFP Photo/Odd Andersen)

Malala has already been honoured with a host of awards, standing ovations and plaudits everywhere from the United Nations to Buckingham Palace.

On the eve of the ceremony, she said she would not rest on her laurels, saying she would like one day to become prime minister in her native Pakistan.

"If I can serve my country best through politics and through becoming a prime minister then I would definitely choose that," she told the BBC.

"I want to serve my country and my dream is that my country becomes a developed country and I see every child get an education."

7,000 Norwegian children

Minutes after Malala received the prize, a man carrying a Mexican flag walked towards her, but was caught by security. His motives were unknown.

Before the ceremony, Malala and Yousafzai met with 7,000 Norwegian children aged between six and 14 in the heart of Oslo.

"You have given me so much energy. It’s more than a red bull!" Malala said.

At a press conference in Oslo on Tuesday Malala said that in many parts of the world, children's requirements are infinitely more modest than an "iPad or computer."

"What they are asking for is just a book, just a pen, so why can't we do that?"

A security officer (right) leads away a man

 displaying a flag of Mexico during the Nobel

 Peace Prize awards ceremony at the City

Hall in Oslo, Norway, on December 10,

2014 (AFP Photo/Cornelius Poppe)

Satyarthi, 60, was recognised by the Nobel committee for a 35-year battle to free thousands of children from virtual slave labour.

"I refuse to accept that the world is so poor, when just one week of global military expenditure is enough to bring all of our children into classrooms," he said after receiving the prize.

"I refuse to accept that the shackles of slavery can ever be... stronger than the quest for freedom."

Malala was 15 when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head as she travelled on a school bus in response to her campaign for girls' education.

Although she almost died, she recovered after being flown for extensive surgery in Birmingham, central England.

She has been based in the city with her family ever since, continuing both her education and activism.

Indian-Pakistani symbolism

The pairing of Malala and Satyarthi had the extra symbolism of linking neighbouring countries that have been in conflict for decades.

After she was named as the winner, Malala said she wanted both states' prime ministers to attend the prize-giving ceremony in Oslo.

"If the prime ministers had come here I would have been very happy," she said. "I would have thought of it as a big opportunity to ask them... to make education their top priority and work on it together because we see the number of children who are out of school and suffering from child labour are mostly in India and Pakistan."

Pakistani students pose for a photograph holding posters bearing the image of

 Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai at a ceremony in Islamabad on 

December 10, 2014 (AFP Photo/Farooq Naeem)

Satyarthi's organisation Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Movement to Save Childhood) prides itself on liberating more than 80,000 children from bonded labour in factories and workshops across India and has networks of activists in more than 100 countries.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) there are about 168 million child labourers around the world.

Nobel winners receive eight million Swedish kronor ($1.1 million, 862,000 euros), which is shared in the case of joint wins.

The Peace Prize is the only Nobel award handed to recipients in Oslo.

The other prizes -- also featuring the literature prize winner, Frenchman Patrick Modiano, and his compatriot Jean Tirole with the economics award -– will be awarded in Stockholm later Wednesday.

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The brave girl who had to face armed assassins because she stood up for her right to educate herself

Aisha North, Feb 8, 2013

The manuscript of survival – part 265 - (Constant Companions channeled through Aisha North)

Aisha North

As you have noticed, there are many stirrings in the undercurrent now, and some of the light is already starting to penetrate the fog that has enveloped mankind for such a long time. At the moment, this will seem to be mere pinpricks of light in a huge ocean of darkness, but do not let that fool you. As we have talked about so many times, this layer of darkness that still seems to cover most of your planet is only an illusion, a thin film of confusion covering up the new reality. And now, this reality will start to become more and more visible. Not only to you, but also to others out there, people who look upon themselves as no more than an ordinary citizen, but who will soon start to realize that they too have the power to change not only their own life, but also the lives of so many others.

And they will do so in a peaceful way, for we do not speak of a violent upsurging, far from it. For have you not witnessed already how the power and might of an armed scoundrel is not match for the power of the light? We refer of course to the story of the brave girl who had to face armed assassins because she stood up for her right to educate herself (From Aisha: I think they refer to the story of Malala Yousafzai). If you look closely at her story, you will see how the light penetrating her has been seeping into thousands, if not millions of others already. So she is indeed a shining example on how one of these pinpricks of light can blow away a huge area of fog and darkness, and how the forces of ill intent are no match for the light, for those bullets being aimed at her did not kill the light, it only made it that much stronger.

So let that be a lesson to you all on how nothing and no one can stop the light, no matter how hard they try. For the force of anger and hatred is not match for the love and compassion that is starting to grow on your planet now. And even if these forces of the old are trying their hardest to instill the old fear into you all, they will not succeed, no matter how many weapons they fire off, or how many people they beat to a pulp. For they cannot beat you now dear ones, you are the ones who have won this battle for the souls.

For in your soul, the light is growing stronger and stronger, and with it, the power you carry. And through your example, just like the girl who took the bullets in order to let the light shine out to the whole world, the change will come, step by step, person to person. For you are also brave, and even if you will never have to face the same hardships as this girl, you too will have to conquer the world with your actions. For you are indeed the bravest of the brave, and you have walked through fire to get where you are today. And doing that, you have liberated not only yourself, but thousands upon thousands of your fellow men and women. For you have hacked a trail trough that dense jungle of fear and darkness, and following in your footsteps are the rest of humanity. With a few exceptions of course, and they will clamor and cry as loud as they can in order to make you all believe that they still outnumber you. But they do not, and that is what you will all see as the days keep getting lighter and lighter, and those pinpricks of lights grow ever brighter and ever bigger.

So fear not, as fear has been diminished to such a state it is but a shadow of itself. That shadow is still touching the hearts of many around you, but that shadow is also thinning out, and it will be replaced by light in even the sturdiest of hearts. For light has no boundaries, only the fear has that now, so light is spreading out faster and faster, and the courage it inspires in you all is growing with it. So stand tall and proud, and know that you too has been a part of that journey from the darkest abyss and to this, the threshold of everlasting light. And know too that your actions will never go unnoticed, as you have all been instrumental in this about turn of the human race. So look around, and we think you will find these shining examples starting to emerge in every corner of your world, even in the places where you least expect them to. For, as we said, the light has no boundaries, certainly not one set by any human, and no line on the map or no wall, no matter how high it is, can keep it out. So again we say rejoice, for the morning has broken, and the day is about to start. And this day is one that will last forever.

Almost 36 million people trapped in modern day slavery: Global Slavery Index

The second annual Global Slavery Index (GSI) has shown that 35.8 million people are subject to modern day slavery - some 20 percent more worldwide than initially thought. The highest total of slaves was in India.

Deutsche Welle, 17 Nov 2014

The results of a survey published on Monday by anti-slavery campaign group Walk Free estimates that some 35.8 million people are currently trapped in modern day slavery.

In its second annual report, the 2014 Global Slavery Index (GSI) said that due to new methods, some 20 percent more people are enslaved around the world that previously thought.

"There is an assumption that slavery is an issue from a bygone era. Or that it only exists in countries ravaged by war and poverty," said Andrew Forrest, chairman of the Australian-based Walk Free Foundation.

Widespread

Forced into in a life of cotton picking, cannabis growing, prostitution, fighting wars or cleaning up after the wealthy account for just some of the definitions of modern slavery across the 167 countries which were covered in the GSI report.

Debt bondage, forced marriage and the sale or exploitation of children, as well as human trafficking are also included in the foundation's interpretation of modern slavery.

The report also showed that modern slavery contributed to the production of at least 12 goods from 58 countries.

Social norm

According to the Index, the biggest offender, with the highest proportion of its population enslaved, remains the West African nation of Mauritania. Despite Mauritania's anti-slavery legislation, it is rarely enforced and the slavery of black Moors by Berber Arabs is an entrenched part of society.

Following Mauritania in second place was Uzbekistan where, every autumn, the government forces over one million people, including children, to harvest cotton.

The highest number of total slaves was found in India where an estimated 14.29 million people live a life of slavery. The Index said, however, that India had recently taken important steps to combat the problem by strengthening its criminal justice framework through legislative amendments and increasing the number of its anti-human-trafficking police units.

'Appalling situations'

At the opposite end of the scale, the GSI report also showed that the countries doing the most to combat the problem were the Netherlands, Sweden, the US, Australia, Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, the UK, Georgia, and Austria.

Despite being at the bottom of the list, Europe still has 566,000 people involved in forms of modern slavery. For example, people are trafficked into Ireland to grow cannabis, or forced into begging in France.

"These findings show that modern slavery exists in every country. We are all responsible for the most appalling situations where modern slavery exists and the desperate misery it brings upon our fellow human beings," said Forrest.

ksb/se (AFP, 2014 Global Slavery Index)

Indigenous peoples need better protection

The UN General Assembly is holding its first World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. Yvonne Bangert from the Society for Threatened Peoples is convinced that Germany needs to do more in this area.

Deutsche Welle, 22 Sep 2014

DW: When we talk about indigenous peoples, how many people are we talking about and in how many countries?

Yvonne Bangert: Various estimates exist, ranging from 350 to 400 million people. There are 7,000 indigenous peoples in total, across all continents. Most people think that there are no indigenous people left in Europe, but there are the Sami (pictured above), who are mainly in Norway.

Why do these ethnic groups need special protection?

Mainly because they are losing their land. It's worth pointing out that indigenous peoples often feel a close connection to the land and the soil they live on. They often talk about "Mother Earth" - which tells you a lot. It's important for their survival - in a spiritual as well as a physical sense - that they have their own land with a degree of autonomy.

But they are increasingly losing that land, as it often contains natural resources like oil, gas, coal and uranium, so there are economic interests there. They often have to defend themselves and have their backs to the wall. They often say "Our land is our supermarket and our church. If we lose it, we lose everything."

How do these people live? Are they reclusive, or perhaps living on reservations, or have some of them adapted to modern urban life?

There is a great variety, just like in the non-indigenous world. For example, in the rainforest areas along the Amazon, people have chosen to live an isolated life, but there are also peoples who live in both worlds - like the Huaorani in Ecuador or the Ashaninka in Brazil.

Among them, there is now a young generation of people who have a good education and who can both uphold the traditional ways of their communities and represent their interests politically and internationally.

As the Society for Threatened Peoples, we also often have guests from these indigenous groups who come to Germany and deal critically with development projects in their country. Through us, they hope to make contact with policymakers in Berlin.

There is the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, also known as ILO 169, which is meant to protect indigenous peoples. Why has it only been ratified by 22 countries?

We suspect that it is very strongly due to the fear that if the indigenous peoples are taken seriously as a negotiating partner on an equal footing, some economic projects can no longer be carried out as might be desired - as some politicians have argued openly, even here in Germany. There is then a fear of financial losses.

So far, Germany has not ratified the Convention either. What is the political mood at the moment?

We are working tirelessly toward the ultimate goal of German ratification. By this I mean not only the Society for Threatened Peoples, but an alliance of numerous NGOs, church aid agencies and other groups who have come together in the interest of ILO 169 and are lobbying for it together with receptive politicians.

There have been several times in the past when the German government was ready to ratify it, but it always failed because of a change of government. We have a good base of support with the SPD and the Greens, and it will surely not be long before the issue comes up again.

What is the German government now doing to ensure the protection of indigenous peoples?

It says that it is committed strongly to working at the UN level. I certainly believe that the colleagues there are working with a sense of goodwill. But there's still little sign that the interests of the affected people are taken seriously.

For example, there's the highly controversial Belo Monte dam in Brazil, where German companies are earning money by building the pipeline, as they are with the pipeline in Ecuador, which was partly finaced by German bank WestLB. The pipeline has burst several times and contaminated the soil.

Another matter is the negotiations on free trade agreements with Canada and the US: Whoever wants to import natural gas from fracking needs to know that this often takes place on Native American land.

This year, for the first time, a World Conference on Indigenous Peoples is being held at the United Nations in New York (22-23.09.2014). How did this come about?

The conference is taking place now because the UN's Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People comes to an end this year. It's a kind of closing conference, in which we will assess what has been achieved in the last 20 years, what goals we can still aspire to and how things should go from here in terms of organization.

What do you expect from this event? What are you hoping for?

The indigenous speakers are already voicing criticism about the way it has been organized. They wanted to take equal part in organizing it, but they are not sitting together with the others on the podium.

This is about their rights. They have complained that they feel excluded. And although this has happened, we can look on the bright side and hope that a mechanism can be found to allow the structures and working methods of the previous two decades to continue. Mechanisms already exist, but they must be further improved.

Yvonne Bangert works in the Office for Indigenous Peoples of the Society for Threatened Peoples in Göttingen, Germany.

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Emir assures Merkel: Qatar has never supported 'IS' militants

At a meeting in Germany, Qatar's emir has told Chancellor Angela Merkel his country does not provide financial support to Islamist militants. The leaders also discussed the Gulf state's human rights record.

Deutsche Welle, 17 Sep 2014

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani made the assurances on Wednesday during meetings with Chancellor Merkel and President Joachim Gauck in Berlin.

"What is happening in Iraq and Syria is extremism and such organizations are partly financed from abroad," the emir said at a news conference in the German capital.

"But Qatar has never supported and will never support terrorist organizations," he said.

Qatar has previously been accused of providing financial backing to extremist groups, including al Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. Qatar has also come under pressure from its neighbors in the region for supporting the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the Palestinian Hamas, and Islamist groups in Libya.

Following Wednesday's meeting, Merkel told reporters the emir had reassured her "the fight against IS is as much the task of Qatar as it is of other countries." She added that she had "no reason" not to believe what the emir said. "There is a broad commonality that we can not accept this kind of intolerance and brutality."

The chancellor also pointed out that Qatar had also pledged its support to the US-launched alliance formed to combat IS fighters.

The terror group has made significant territorial gains in parts of Iraq and Syria in recent months, prompting US President Barack Obama to launch a new strategy - including airstrikes - to "degrade and destroy" the militants.

Human rights concerns

In her meeting with the emir, Merkel said she had also raised concerns about human rights and conditions for foreign workers in Qatar.

The country is preparing to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022, but has faced criticism after reports dozens of workers from India and Nepal had died on stadium construction sites. Some labor rights groups have argued for Qatar to be stripped of its hosting responsibilities.

"We do not say: We are the ideal state, which does not make mistakes," the emir said, and added that the government was working to address the problem.

Economic ties

Economic cooperation and investment were also on the agenda at the talks, with Merkel saying the resource-rich country was an important partner for the European Union, and that Germany had a lot to offer in the way of environmental technology and infrastructure.

"We are pleased about every Qatari investment," the chancellor said, praising the Gulf state's decision to buy shares in German companies, including Volkswagen, construction giant Hochtief, Siemens and Deutsche Bank.

At 34, the emir is the youngest head of state in the Arab world. He took over the position from his father, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who increased Qatar's economic output sevenfold during his reign from 1995 to 2013.

nm/glb (Reuters, dpa, AFP)

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