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Denmark steps up co-operation with India and Iran

Christian Wenande
March 6th, 2017


This article is more than 7 years old.

Growth advisers deployed as Danes look to enhance sustainable impact

India’s sustainable drive offers potential for Denmark (photo: Pixabay)

The Danish government has announced plans to expand its official co-operation with India and Iran through sustainable urban development and patents regarding products.

To this end, the Foreign Ministry intends to deploy growth advisers to the two nations – as well as to new projects in China, Mexico, South Africa and Indonesia, where co-operative measures are already in full swing.

“The official co-operation and deployment of growth advisers has proven to be a very successful diplomatic tool,” said the foreign minister, Anders Samuelsen.

“I’m very pleased we can now expand out co-operation with India and Iran. They are two nations enjoying riveting economic development, but which face great challenges that we can help to overcome.”

READ MORE: Danish delegation eyeing closer ties with India

Lofty goals set
Samuelsen highlighted India’s massive challenge in providing water to its urban population, which is expected to number 800 million people by 2040.

Indian authorities have set aside 100 billion kroner to ensure their cities are more sustainable by 2040, and a goal has been set for sustainable energy to account for 15 percent of its energy supply by 2025.

Two growth advisers will be deployed to India – one focusing on sustainable urban development in co-operation with Aarhus Municipality and local Indian authorities, while the other will work within energy in tandem with the Energy and Climate Ministry.

READ MORE: Danish industry well placed to prosper in Iran

Trading up with Tehran
In the wake of international sanctions against Iran being repealed recently, Danish exports, political dialogue and university co-operation have been on the rise.

In collaboration with the Business Ministry, the Danish Patent and Trademark Office, and the Iranian authorities, the growth adviser will focus on patents and trademarks.

Aarhus will enter into a co-operation concerning urban development and city planning with the cities of Udaipur in India and Tshwane in South Africa, while Copenhagen will step up its association with Beijing.


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A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”