Briefly

UNITED NATIONS

Slave trade in Africa declared 'gravest crime'

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday designated the trans-Atlantic African slave trade as "the gravest crime against humanity", despite opposition by the United States and some European countries. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 123 in favor, three against and 52 abstentions. The US, Israel and Argentina opposed the measure, while Britain and EU member states abstained. Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Tuesday recommended that institutions continue to address structural racism and that "compensation" could be offered to those affected.

DPRK

Friendship treaty with Belarus inked

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's top leader Kim Jong-un and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Pyongyang on Thursday. Lukashenko said relations between Minsk and Pyongyang were entering a "fundamentally new stage". "At a time when the world's major powers openly ignore and violate the norms of international law — independent countries must cooperate more closely and consolidate their efforts aimed at protecting their sovereignty and improving the well-being of their citizens," Belarusian news agency Bel-TA quoted Lukashenko as saying.

GERMANY

Reform plans rolled out to promote growth

Germany's Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil on Wednesday proposed measures, including income tax reform and capping the excess profit of energy companies, to boost the sluggish economy. "Whether Germany remains a strong country is up to us alone. We alone will decide that," Klingbeil said. Europe's largest economy has struggled to grow since the pandemic, as rising competition and higher energy prices have strained its export-driven economic model, with US-Israeli war in Iran posing a further threat to recovery.

Agencies - Xinhua