“Progress towards gender equality and equity remains uneven and far too slow. One in four women in landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) live in extreme poverty, and this is nearly 75 million women,” said Rabab Fatima, Secretary-General of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries or LLDC3 ongoing in Awaza, Turkmenistan. Fatima, who is […]

By Katsuhiro Asagiri
TOKYO / ASTANA, Aug 7 2025 – Eighty years ago, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki left a lasting reminder to humanity of the inhuman nature of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan, too, is a nation deeply scarred by nuclear tests conducted during the Soviet era. Having covered the activities of Soka Gakkai International (SGI) in Kazakhstan—including its support for exhibitions and documentary productions on nuclear abolition in Astana—, INPS Japan recently interviewed Zhanna Shayakhmetova, editor-in-chief of The Astana Times, a leading English-language newspaper in the country that continues to convey messages of disarmament and peace to the world. In the interview, Shayakhmetova spoke about the role of religious leaders who will gather in Astana from around the world this September, the importance of passing on memories to younger generations, and the responsibility journalism holds in this endeavor.

Interview with Zhanna Shayakhmetova, the editor-in-chief of The Astana Times

Q: This August marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – tragic events that continue to remind the world of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons. Amid ongoing conflicts and rising geopolitical tensions among nuclear-armed states, the Doomsday Clock now stands at just 89 seconds to midnight. While civil society movements are intensifying their calls for disarmament, achieving broader and sustained public awareness—especially among younger generations—remains a pressing challenge. In this context, Kazakhstan will host the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in September, an initiative known for promoting interfaith dialogue and tolerance. What potential do you see in the role of religious leaders in advancing peace and nuclear disarmament, particularly through education and moral leadership?

Zhanna Shayakhmetova

A: The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki demonstrate the horrifying, destructive power of nuclear weapons. These explosions have a lasting impact on humanity. In one of his interviews, activist Karipbek Kuyukov said, “it was a moment of shame for the international community and of horror for the people of Japan. It is a moment upon which we should forever shine a light to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used to kill again.” Kuyukov is among the 1.5 million Kazakh people who have suffered as a result of the 456 nuclear tests conducted over 40 years at the Soviet Union’s Semipalatinsk Test Site. He was born without arms as a result of his parents’ exposure to those tests before Kazakhstan shut down the site in 1991. Kuyukov is an internationally recognized non-proliferation activist and painter, whose works capture the suffering of the victims of nuclear weapon testing.

Religious leaders hold a special and consequential position when it comes to advancing peace and nuclear disarmament. That’s why Kazakhstan’s hosting the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions is very timely and deeply significant. Our country has taken bold steps toward disarmament. The gathering will bring together faith leaders and convey a powerful message that peace is not just a political goal, but also a spiritual one. If world leaders can speak with a united voice, especially to young people, they can shift the narrative from fear and apathy to one of responsibility and hope.

7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Group. Credit: Secretariate of the 7th Congress

Q: Japan has undertaken extensive efforts to preserve the memory of its nuclear past through peace museums, education, and the testimonies of hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors). In your view, how important is it for Kazakhstan to similarly preserve and communicate the experiences of those affected by Soviet-era nuclear testing? What methods do you consider most effective in ensuring these stories are remembered and passed on to future generations?

Stronger Than Death Monument, Semey

A: I believe it’s vital that Kazakhstan continues to preserve and tell the stories of those affected by Soviet-era nuclear testing. These are not just historical facts; these are lived experiences that have shaped our communities, particularly in areas like Semei. The generations continue to feel the physical and emotional toll of these explosions.

I consider personal storytelling and education effective methods. Documentaries and photo exhibitions in schools and public spaces can bring stories to life for younger generations who may not be familiar with this part of the past. Students can connect on a human level through literature, films and digital media by integrating survivor testimonies into school curricula.

As journalists, we have a responsibility to keep these stories visible, and not just on anniversaries, but as part of an ongoing dialogue about peace. Kazakhstan has a powerful story to tell, and we can’t let it fade in silence.

One of the touching stories we covered was about Tore Naerland from Norway, who co-founded Bike for Peace in 1977. After losing his eyesight as a teen, he chose to dedicate his life to helping others. While biking across the world, he met a Hiroshima survivor whose life inspired him to focus on the nuclear disarmament movement. Stories like his remind us why these conversations still matter.

Karipbek Kuyukov

Q:Kazakhstan has gained international recognition for its leadership in nuclear disarmament – becoming the first nation to close a major nuclear test site and voluntarily relinquish its atomic arsenal. How do you see the role of Kazakh media, including The Astana Times, in raising global awareness of this legacy and in promoting Kazakhstan’s contributions to disarmament and non-proliferation?

A: At The Astana Times, we’re committed to reporting accurately and consistently on disarmament. Our newsroom supports fact-based coverage on the nuclear file, and we see it as our mission to amplify Kazakhstan’s continued contribution to global non-proliferation efforts.

We’ve also made space for the next generation. We regularly publish young voices on this topic and have worked with advocates like social scientist Marzhan Nurzhan, who contributed articles to increase public awareness about the nuclear legacy consequences.

From left to right: Izumi Nakamitsu, Akan Rakhmetullin and Christopher King. Credit: Nagima Abuova / The Astana Times

Our correspondent Nagima Abuova covered the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) on March 3 – 7, 2025, at the UN Headquarters in New York. It was a proud moment for us, the Astana Times was the only English-language Kazakh outlet reporting directly from the event, and First Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin chaired the meeting.

We also look ahead. This September, our journalist Aibarshyn Akhmetkali will represent Kazakh media at the Science and Technology Conference series (SnT2025) in Vienna, hosted by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). It’s another opportunity to put Kazakhstan’s voice on the global stage and build momentum for a world free of nuclear testing.

Kazakhstan has something meaningful to contribute to the global disarmament dialogue, and we at The Astana Times are committed to ensuring the world hears it.

Semipalatinsk Former Nuclear Weapon Test site. Credit: Katsuhiro Asagiri

Q:Both Japan and Kazakhstan advocate strongly for a world free of nuclear weapons. From your perspective, how can journalism contribute to strengthening international solidarity among nuclear-affected communities and to advancing global disarmament efforts, such as the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)? What responsibilities do media professionals hold in fostering informed public dialogue on these issues?

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, signed 20 September 2017 by 50 United Nations member states. Credit: UN Photo / Paulo Filgueiras

A: Journalism is key in connecting nuclear-affected countries and advancing global efforts such as the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Kazakhstan and Japan share a tragic history with nuclear weapons, and that shared experience creates a basis for solidarity between governments and people.

Our responsibility as professionals is to shine light on these human stories. We have a responsibility to give voice to survivors, activists, and scientists whose lived experiences often get overshadowed by politics. We help people globally to understand and see the nuclear weapon consequences that are personal, generational and unjust. By reporting on events such as the TPNW meetings and CTBTO conferences, and by publishing the voices of young people and expert perspectives, we contribute to a more informed and engaged public.

INPS Japan

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By Maximilian Malawista
NEW YORK, Aug 7 2025 – The contamination of pharmaceutical medicines through toxic excipients is killing many and harming others. The UN agencies for health and drugs and crime warn that systemic vulnerabilities in the global supply chain have been exploited to introduce industrial-grade toxic chemicals into medicines, harming thousands of people, including children.

On July 24, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) released a 120-page report on the persistent, yet preventable threat of contaminated medicines that have claimed lives and compromised the health of many people. The report, titled “Contaminated Medicines and Integrity of the Pharmaceutical Excipients Supply Chain” reveals findings of illegal criminal substitutions on pharmaceutical grade substances like glycerin, propylene glycol, and sorbitol through toxic excipients. With industrial-grade toxic chemicals like diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), these substances typically used as industrial solvents and antifreeze can cause detrimental health issues, even being fatal in small amounts. Yet they are making their way into pharmaceutical supply chains.

In the past 90 years, twenty-five documented incidents have revealed over 1300 deaths worldwide, many of them children, because of excipient contamination. More recently, incidents in The Gambia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan that resulted in 334 deaths in total drew further attention to the issue and has prompted further investigations. These incidents have occurred far more commonly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where there has been little regulatory oversight and limited access to quality-assured medicine. In the report, case studies find that pharmaceutical manufacturers were “quick to produce the medicine, and market demand was very strong, outstripping the ability for oversight”.

The first reported case was in 1937 in the United States, where DEG was used as an excipient for sulfanilamide, killing 105 people. These once-considered “anomalies” have been reported up until 2022, with over 300 people in Africa dying just in October of that year. The highest reported deaths from one case were found in Bangladesh, where DEG was being used as an excipient for Paracetamol syrup, killing 339 people from 1990 to 1992.

The report revealed instances of criminal networks exploiting “market volatility and regulatory gaps” to introduce these toxic excipients into the supply chain, including:

• • The use of falsified labels and the substitution of toxic chemicals for illegitimate excipients,
• • Marketing of falsified excipients on online platforms,
• • Lack of regulatory oversight, including surveillance and enforcement, and
• • Inadequate coordination and capacity among regulatory devices, law enforcement and customs, hindering timely investigations and prosecutions.

The Problem

To regulate the entire pharmaceutical supply chain for development, production, distribution and inspection, principles collectively known as GxP (Good x Practice), or cGxP (current good x Practice) are used to currently set guidelines. These systems are supposed to ensure a set of principles implementing quality, safety, efficacy, and risk management in the full supply chain of medicine. But when they are lag in certain areas, this can increase the odds of failure.

Through these guidelines, WHO defines pharmaceutical excipients as: “A substance, other than the active ingredient, which has been appropriately evaluated for safety and is included in a medicine delivery system”. Their functions can include:

• · Aid in the processing of medical delivery systems during manufacturing.
• · Support, protect, or enhance stability, bioavailability, or patient acceptability.
• · Assist in product identification; or

· Enhance any other attribute of the overall effectiveness and safety of the medicine during use and storage.

The estimated size of the global market for pharmaceutical excipients in 2024 was at 9.4 billion USD, with at least one thousand different pharmaceutical excipients being used as “fillers, diluents, binders, solvents, suspension and viscosity agents, coatings, flavoring agents, disintegrants, colorants and preservatives”.

A main issue is the fact that excipient manufactures are not subject to regulatory oversight. But now WHO is calling for an “appropriate” level of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines to be present at the production, packaging, repackaging, labelling, quality control, release, storage, and distribution of an excipients intended for pharmaceutical use.

Recommendations

To remedy this growing issue, the report provided policy recommendations which could prevent these problems from any point of the supply chain, including:

• • Improved regulatory framework, including enforcement devices.
• • Greater compliance by distributors and manufacturers.
• • Enhanced traceability and transparency in the excipient supply chain.
• • Stronger collaboration between law enforcement, health authorities and the private sector.
• • Enhanced legal and operational frameworks to address deliberate falsification of labels, and certificates of analysis and excipient composition.
• • Greater post-market surveillance devices to detect and respond to incidents involving potential criminal activities.
• • Improved quality of investigations and prosecutorial capacity to address intentional criminal acts of contamination and falsification.

• Heightened enforcement of existing laws, including the implementation of sanctions in cases of critical non-compliance with regulations.

The report underscores the need for collaboration across all levels. That includes international organizations like WHO and UNODC, member states, national regulatory authorities, criminal justice components, law enforcement agencies, manufacturers, and excipient distributors to take the proper measures towards avoiding further harm. If not, pharmaceutical supply chains can be further manipulated to creating deficiencies and death, not efficiency and life.

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By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 7 2025 – The humanitarian situation in Haiti has deteriorated significantly in the past few weeks, with the United Nations (UN) underscoring a growing list of abuses committed by armed groups, including killings, kidnappings, and sexual violence. The gap between the vast scale of needs and the supply of available resources has widened, leaving millions of Haitians in dire need of humanitarian support.

Humanitarian experts have expressed concern that Haiti is at a “critical turning point”, with millions of Haitians being projected to face worsened living conditions if needs are not met soon. Current deliveries of humanitarian aid are being halted due to heightened insecurity along critical entry points and numerous budget cuts for USAID programs by the Trump administration.

“The rise of armed groups in Haiti and their increasing control of strategic locations, particularly major roads and ports of entry to the capital, is a major obstacle to the safe and efficient delivery of humanitarian aid,” said Modibo Traore, Haiti’s country director for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “The deterioration of the security situation represents a major challenge for mobilising and maintaining financial commitments. Donors have expressed concerns about operational risks, particularly regarding securing supply chains, preventing exploitation and ensuring accountability.”

On August 1, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) released a report detailing the escalation of hostilities recorded from the beginning of April to the end of June. According to BINUH, humanitarian operations and civilian mobility has been severely restricted in the Artibonite and Centre departments as a result of intensified violence, with critical entrance and exit points in the Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau communes being under gang control.

BINUH also underscored rampant levels of human rights abuses, committed by both armed gangs and local self-defense groups. From early April until the end of June, it is estimated that roughly 1,520 people were killed as a direct result of armed violence and over 609 people were injured. Approximately 24 percent of these casualties were a result of gang violence, 12 percent were from clashes with local self-defense groups, and 64 percent were from clashes with security forces.

These numbers mark a slight decrease from the figures recorded in the first quarter of 2025, which can be attributed to security forces being able to contain gang’s rates of expansion in Port-Au-Prince. Despite this, BINUH states that the security situation on the ground remains “exceptionally volatile”, with armed groups beginning to establish “sketches of governance” in the Artibonite and Centre departments.

The second quarter of 2025 marked a notable increase in kidnappings, with gangs facilitating over 175 kidnappings-for-ransom, 62 percent of which occurred in the Artibonite department. Additionally, BINUH states that there have been numerous reports of people being killed and their bodies being burned.

Gang rape remains particularly pervasive, with 628 cases being recorded from April until June. Rape accounts for roughly 85 percent of all sexual violence cases, and sexual slavery is especially prominent. Many of these victims are minors hailing from highly vulnerable families, while a significant portion of these victims were assaulted in their homes. Additionally, BINUH states that many victims were killed after being raped, while others remained in captivity until June.

Figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) state that in June alone, approximately 45,000 people were displaced in the Centre and Artibonite departments, bringing the total number of displacements in these regions to over 1.3 million people nationwide. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that as of July 19, there have been at least 15,000 additional displacements across the Artibonite region. Many of these individuals are currently residing with host families and struggling to access basic services.

According to Traore, the cessation of funding for programs facilitated through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has significantly complicated relief efforts during what could be a very pivotal period for Haiti’s stabilization.

“The interruption of US programmes has acted as a catalyst for the crisis. USAID’s technical partners, many of whom managed community health programmes in vulnerable neighbourhoods, have ceased operations, depriving hundreds of thousands of people of vital services,” he said. “In the case of Haiti, the effects were felt through the sudden halt of approximately 80 per cent of US-funded programmes. NGO partner staff were laid off, payments were suspended and supply chains were disrupted.”

Approximately USD 908 million is required in order to sustain humanitarian operations and provide direct relief to struggling communities in Haiti. Currently, only 8 percent of that goal has been reached. Traore states that the overwhelming lack of monetary support has forced humanitarian organizations to make “complex and often painful” trade-offs, prioritizing certain areas of concern over others.

For example, psychosocial support services for female victims of gender-based violence have been reduced, putting them at a heightened risk of exploitation and abuse. According to Traore, this has led to a “multidimensional regression” of rights for women and girls in Haiti which will have ripple effects that last for many years.

Additionally, nutritional services, healthcare programs, cash transfers, and resilience-building activities have all faced dramatic reductions over the past few months. This is particularly worrying as these programs acted as a lifeline for many Haitians. In order to supplement these losses, children have resorted to supporting their families by dropping out of school and engaging in child labor.

UNICEF projects that food insecurity will rise significantly, with children being hit the hardest. It is estimated that 129,000 children will need treatment for malnutrition in the next year. Furthermore, the number of maternal deaths is also projected to rise.

“The current crisis demonstrates the country’s growing isolation. While previous crises had prompted rapid international solidarity, the humanitarian response to the situation in 2025 has been slow and partial,” said Traore. “This partial coverage only allows a fraction of the 3.6 million people targeted to be reached.”

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