Legal Basis
German consular officers are empowered by statute to undertake such legal acts for the purposes of German law (section 2 of the Konsulargesetz (Consular Act)). Documents executed before a consular officer rank equally with those executed before a notary in Germany (section 10 (2) Konsulargesetz). Please note that not every mission has a consular officer empowered to undertake all certifications. If you want to have a document certified abroad by a German consular officer, you should ask, when making an appointment, whether the local staff can in fact help you.
The addresses of the appropriate German missions can be found here.
The fees are levied in accordance with the Auslandskostenverordnung (Foreign Costs Ordinance) and are roughly equivalent to those charged by German notaries.
Authentication of signatures / copies
A signature or manual sign is authenticated by being acknowledged or executed in the presence of a consular officer. Signatures on documents to be kept on file at a court may only be authenticated by being executed in the presence of a consular officer. In both cases, the person whose signature or manual sign is to be authenticated must appear in person.
When certifying that transcripts or copies are true copies of originals or certified transcripts/copies, the original or certified transcript/copy must be presented to the consular officer. A transcript or copy of a non-authenticated transcript cannot be authenticated.
Certification of Documents
Consular officers only certify documents where this is necessary, i.e. where German law requires that a document be certified. They do not compete with German notaries. They merely offer a supplementary service which would not otherwise be available. Consular officers have a discretionary duty; unlike notaries in Germany who may not refuse their services without sufficient reason, they are not obliged to execute certifications.
Typical documents requiring certification are applications for certificates of inheritance , acknowledgements of paternity and declarations in lieu of an oath.
Authentication of translations
If German authorities require translations of foreign-language documents, these translations should if possible be done by a translator sworn or certified in Germany. Whether a translation completed abroad may be used in Germany is a question which the authority requesting it decides at its own discretion.
Addresses of translators in Germany can be obtained here.
To the Editor:
Carol Lancaster rightly emphasizes the need to shore up peacekeeping efforts in an era of globalization and increasing civil conflict. But her assertions of "signs of mission creep" at the World Bank, particularly with regard to "a program to finance the transition from war to peace, which is better undertaken by aid agencies that specialize in post-conflict relief and recovery" are way off the mark.
The World Bank was founded at the end of World War II to advance national reconstruction and development worldwide. During the Cold War, reconstruction tended to get ignored as the bipolar world focused on development as an instrument of influence. The end of the Cold War has initiated a more open discussion of the overlapping political and economic faces of development. With nearly half of the countries in Africa either in or emerging from interstate or intrastate conflict, it would be grossly negligent on economic grounds (such as protecting assets and enabling investment) if not on moral grounds (such as reducing hunger, malnutrition, unemployment, and fear) if the World Bank did not focus more on reducing poverty and building peace. After all, the connection between the two is undeniable: 14 of the 20 poorest countries in the world are currently in or emerging from armed conflict.
Of course, the World Bank is neither naive nor bold enough to assume that it can or should battle poverty alone. The bank's president, James D. Wolfenson, has done much to build partnerships with United Nations agencies, governments, nongovernmental organizations, civil society, foundations, and the private sector. Since the creation of the bank's Post-Conflict Unit a short three years ago, it has participated with U.N., bilateral, and multilateral agencies in more than 14 demobilization and reintegration programs worldwide. It has launched governance and anticorruption programs in a growing number of war-torn countries, working with Transparency International and others to address the rule of law, especially transparency and accountability in government, financial, bureaucratic, and judicial systems. And it has formed working relationships with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the U.N. Development Program, and a host of other donor partners to close the gaps between relief and development. Together these groups have worked to rebuild social and human capital, provide livelihoods, and revitalize basic services in war-ravaged countries ranging from Rwanda to Mozambique. At the same time, the World Bank is continuing to work with the International Monetary Fund toward financial and economic policy reform in these countries.
NAT J. COLLETTA
Head, Post-Conflict Unit, the World Bank
The U.S. government incurs debt when it issues Treasury securities to fund the deficit between the amount of money that it receives in taxes and other revenues versus the amount of money that it spends on defense, welfare programs, the interest it pays on its current debt, and more. As of Oct. 8, 2022, the government's total debt was $31.1 trillion.
Key Takeaways
- The Bureau of the Fiscal Service classifies national debt in two ways: intragovernmental debt and debt held by the public.
- Over three-quarters of the total national debt is public debt, which includes Treasury holdings by foreign countries.
- Japan is the largest foreign holder of public U.S. government debt, owning $1.3 trillion in debt as of May 2022.
- China ranks second in total U.S. debt owned by foreign countries, with the U.K., Ireland, and Luxembourg, rounding out the top five.
- The total national debt was $30.4 trillion as of June 23, 2022.
Types of Debt
U.S. national debt is categorized as intragovernmental debt and public debt. Intragovernmental debt is debt held within the U.S. by federal agencies and entities. It makes up about a fifth of the total outstanding U.S. debt. This debt includes money owed to Social Security, military retirement funds, Medicare, and other retirement funds.
The remainder is public debt. Foreign governments hold a large portion of the public debt, while the rest is owned by U.S. banks and individual investors, the Federal Reserve, state and local governments, mutual funds, pensions funds, insurance companies, and holders of savings bonds.
As of Oct. 8, 2022, $24,2 trillion of the national debt was public debt.
The Debt Ceiling
Congress sets a ceiling on the debt that can be raised periodically. On Dec. 16, 2021, the debt ceiling was raised by $2.5 trillion to $31.4 trillion. This is the largest dollar amount increase of the national debt.
1. Japan
Japan held $1.3 trillion in Treasury securities as of May 2022, beating out China as the largest foreign holder of U.S. debt. The low and negative yield market in Japan makes holding U.S. debt attractive. Japan holds 16.8% of foreign-owned U.S. debt.
2. China
China gets a lot of attention for holding a big chunk of the U.S. government's debt. Given that its economy expanded rapidly in the last decades, perhaps this shouldn't come as a surprise. China takes the second spot behind Japan among foreign holders of U.S. debt with $1 trillion in Treasury holdings as of May 2022.
While Chinese-owned debt is frequently drummed up as a political talking point, there's nothing particularly sinister about an export-oriented economy investing in Treasury securities. In fact, Treasuries are a logical investment for a country with high foreign currency reserves. China currently holds almost 13.79% of U.S. foreign debt.
3. The United Kingdom
British investors increased their holdings of U.S. debt to $647.4 billion as of May 2022. This increased from $612 billion the month before. The U.K.'s investment in U.S. debt may be linked to growing economic uncertainty in the U.K. It's still recovering from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic as well as the loss of many trading relationships due to Brexit. British entities hold 8.36% of the total foreign debt.
The largest owner of U.S. debt by far is actually the U.S. government, which holds Treasury securities in various government accounts and pension funds.
4. Ireland
It might seem odd that Ireland is the fourth-largest holder of U.S. debt, particularly when comparing its smaller economy to other European nations, such as Germany. But a big reason for Ireland's rank among the top holders is the fact that many U.S. multinational companies, such as Alphabet/Google and European branches of technology and pharmaceutical firms, set up shop there for more favorable taxes on foreign returns.
These companies then invest their excess cash in various low-risk investments, including Treasury debt. As of May 2022, Ireland held $334.3 billion in U.S. debt, which is 4.31% of total foreign debt.
5. Luxembourg
Luxembourg is the fifth-largest holder of U.S. debt among foreign countries while having one of the highest GDP per capita—$135,682 as of 2021. This ranking may be due to Luxembourg's status as a tax haven, where wealthy investors park their funds in local holding companies. Much of this wealth is then invested in various securities, including Treasuries.
As of May 2022, Luxembourg held $325.6 billion in U.S. Treasuries, equal to 4.2% of total foreign holdings.
Who Owns the U.S. Debt Besides Foreign Governments?
Other holders of U.S. national debt include U.S. banks and investors, state and local governments, mutual funds, pension funds, insurance companies, and investors in savings bonds. Various agencies and entities within the U.S. government also own debt, which is known as intragovernmental debt.
What Is the Current National Debt?
As of Oct. 8, 2022, the total U.S. national debt was $31.1 trillion, after crossing the $30 trillion mark for the first time in February. At the end of 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the national debt was $23 trillion. One year later, it had risen to $27.7 trillion. Since then, it has increased by more than $2 trillion.
Why Is the National Debt So High?
It's high because the U.S. continues to spend more than it receives in revenue. Therefore, it must issue more debt to cover the difference. The national debt is an accumulation of federal budget deficits. Every spending program and tax cut adds to the debt unless paid for by new appropriations.
Why Is the U.S. in Debt to China?
The U.S. doesn't restrict who may buy its securities. China invests in U.S. debt because of the positive effect these low-risk, stable investments can have on its economy. By investing in dollar-denominated securities, the value of the dollar increases relative to the value of China's currency, the yuan. This, in turn, makes Chinese goods cheaper and more attractive than U.S. goods to buyers. That increases sales and strengthens the economy.
Around 10,000 foreign children of compulsory school age in Japan are not receiving a formal education, according to an education ministry study that found the situation, while still grim, had vastly improved from three years ago.
A similar study in 2019 found that local education boards did not even bother to check on the status of about 10,200 children of foreign heritage.
That accounted for the bulk of the 19,471 children found not to be attending school in 2019. The latest study determined that 10,046 children were not in school as of May 2021.
While the Constitution and the Fundamental Law of Education obligate Japanese parents to place their children in school, the provision does not cover foreign nationals. However, the ministry has asked local education boards to provide appropriate schooling opportunities for children of foreign nationals, based on international treaties, such as the International Bill of Human Rights.
Residence rosters show there are about 133,000 foreign children who are of an age when they should be attending elementary or junior high school.
The education ministry contacted municipal education boards and found that the 10,046 children not in school could be classified into three broad categories.
In 649 cases, it emerged that the children were simply not going to school. The ministry found that while 8,597 children were listed on local residence registers, their whereabouts could not be confirmed when local officials, for example, visited the address listed by the parents on the register. Local education boards were unable to confirm the status of an additional 800 children, a decrease of about 9,400 from the study three years ago.
In 2019, about 20 percent of local education boards had not even compiled a roster of school-age children of foreign nationals. But that ratio has now dropped to 4 percent.
An education ministry official noted that more foreign children are attending school these days after concerted efforts to ensure they are provided with a minimum education.
Even so, the ministry found that 9.8 percent of all education boards had not mailed out notices informing parents that their children had reached an age when they should be attending school.
Japanese families automatically receive such notices when the time comes.
Risks include everything from fine-tuned disinformation campaigns to blackmail attempts against Americans in influential positions, said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who convened the hearing.
“Hostile foreign intelligence services continue to work to gather sensitive information about each and every one of us. They collect information about to whom we speak, the places we visit, the news we consume, the products we buy, and a great deal more,” Coons said. “The insights buried in that data can be used against us.”
Matt Pottinger, chair of the China Program with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said that the Chinese government has required social media firms in the country to share insights with it about how their news feed curation algorithms work. Such insights might help political leadership manipulate the news feeds of users worldwide.
“The autocratic regime in Beijing now regulates the AI algorithms that are the secret sauce in Chinese-owned social media apps that are becoming dominant in the United States and around the globe,” Pottinger said.
Using an online service or digital device leaves digital footprints, and Pottinger warned about risks related to broader collections of such data.
“The data that's been accumulated in aggregate gives important demographic information to the Chinese government, about public opinion and how to predict popular topics, and how to, therefore through those popular topics, manipulate public opinion,” Pottinger said.
Adam Klein, director of the University of Texas at Austin’s Strauss Center for International Security and Law, raised similar concerns. He said the Chinese government could, hypothetically, craft specific political narratives and spread them over social media apps where it has sway — something that would be particularly detrimental should the U.S. eventually find itself at war with the country.
“[Algorithms] could potentially be tweaked to amplify pro-China messaging, pacifist messaging, messages that might send panic through the American population in the event of the war,” Klein said.
How Countries Get Data
There’s plenty of ways for other countries to collect data on Americans, ranging from hacking to requesting or demanding it from companies that have gathered it on their customers, to simply buying it from data brokers. Combining data from multiple sources can deliver recipients detailed insights.
The Chinese government, for example, can often get data from companies within its borders. That includes placing backdoors inside hardware and software to access data on users, said Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb.
Pottinger spoke similarly: “The cooperation between nominally once-private companies in China and the Communist Party is becoming systemic,” he said.
Vast amounts of American data can also be purchased from data brokers, which collect and sell detailed information, including metadata and device telemetry, said Susan Landau, bridge professor in cybersecurity and policy at Tufts University.
“China doesn't need to go through the backdoor to get personal data on Americans. We've opened it up through the front door,” Landau said. “Users are tracked from the moment they pick up their mobile device in the morning till they lay it down at night.”
How Do We Change the Picture?
The U.S. can’t do much about the data countries have already gathered, noted Sasse. The nation is also unlikely to be able to stop all data gathering by its adversaries, Klein said, but it can make doing so harder and more resource-intensive.
“People might say, ‘Well, if the data is stored overseas or in loosely secure data centers, they [adversary countries] can still find a way in,’” Klein said. “That's true, but let's make them work for it. Let's make them, for example, send a human intelligence officer to a third country and try to gain access to a data center. That's a lot harder than simply bringing it out through an app or buying from a data broker. Let's force them to burn some zero-day vulnerabilities to get into these treasure troves.”
Improving the situation can include both finding ways to better control data sharing with other countries, as well as ways to keep data more private and protected in general.
Even if the U.S. forbids selling data to specific nations, it cannot ensure the countries won’t find ways to buy or steal it. That makes an across-the-board data protection policy key, said Samm Sacks, senior fellow at the Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center.
“Congress should mandate basic standards for what data can be collected and retained in comprehensive federal privacy law to protect U.S. data regardless of where the risk originates,” Sacks said.
Developing and promoting strong encryption methods would also help keep data private even if it’s transmitted to an adversary country, Sacks said.
Landau recommended ensuring that a proposed federal privacy law, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act, specifically restrict use of telemetry and metadata. Use of such sensitive data could be limited to purposes like maintaining communication network security, public planning and research benefiting the public interest — not for sale to digital advertisers.
A stronger privacy approach could also foster greater international collaboration, by bringing the U.S. into greater alignment with the European Union and Japan, Landau said.
The U.S. should also look to how it can Boost security by better controlling data sharing with other countries, said several speakers.“The U.S. needs to develop a tailored data-denial strategy to curb the flow of sensitive U.S. and ally data to China that can be exploited by the CCP [Chinese Communist Party],” Pottinger said.
At the same time, several speakers said there are benefits to sharing data with allies, which should be preserved.
“Open data flows between the U.S. and our allies and partners around the globe, have been critical to economic growth and innovation,” Sasse said.
On the one hand, a fragmented global Internet “dominated by data localization” would impede innovation and commerce, Klein said. On the other, the U.S.’ traditional goal of “global borderless” Internet now poses too many security risks. He said the U.S. needs a new vision, and he and Pottinger both pointed to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) concept as a promising idea.
According to Pottinger, “[In essence it] says countries that … want to work within an environment where the rule of law is respected, where privacy is respected, should be pooling data in ways that make that data useful,” while restricting data flows to countries without such policies.
The NYU School of Law’s U.S.-Asia Law Institute explains that the DFFT approach aims to encourage interoperability among countries' data protection frameworks, in ways that let sending countries transfer data without fear that doing so will undermine their policy goals, while recipients avoid overly burdensome requirements.
Government Technology is a sister site of Governing. Both are divisions of e.Republic.
Manama, Oct. 11 (BNA): The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa Academy for Diplomatic Studies (MBMA), Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, chaired today the third meeting of the academy’s board of trustees in 2022.
The academy’s most significant outcomes, plans and projects in diplomatic training were highlighted.
The minister praised the academy’s outstanding efforts in creating and implementing various programs and events for Bahraini diplomats in the professional and academic aspects of various diplomatic, consular, administrative and legal affairs, in support of the Kingdom’s foreign policy objectives.
The academy's achievements were reviewed, in addition to training statistics of all MoFA employees since the beginning of the year.
The meeting also reviewed the training plan for the third and fourth quarters of this year, as well as various aspects of international cooperation between the academy and other training and professional bodies.
MBMA board of trustees' members expressed their appreciation of the academy’s efforts and active role in consolidating capacity-building and enhancing the skills of MoFA employees.
AHN
Legislation follows serious allegations of mistreatment of crew on foreign chartered vessels operating in New Zealand watersA fisheries amendment bill that has passed its second practicing in Parliament sets that fishing companies can use foreign charter vessels only if they are flying the New Zealand flag and obey New Zealand laws. The legislation came from a ministerial inquiry led by minister Paul Swain, following serious allegations of mistreatment of crew on foreign chartered vessels.
On announcing the fact that the bill passed the second legislative stage, Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy, stressed the new act is necessary to ensure the highest health level as well as sanitary requirements on board the vessels operating in New Zealand's waters.
Nevertheless, the Maori Affairs Minister, Pita Sharples, warns the Government will drive iwi fishing operators out of business by banning them from using foreign boats with low-wage crews.
Although the aim of the bill is to ensure the crews of foreign charter vessels are covered by local employment law and that New Zealand maintains its reputation as a responsible and sustainable fishing nation, Sharples believes that it will put some iwi companies out of business, as they will need time to change their situation.
The new regulations would enter into force in 2016 and initially, iwi firms would have time until 2020 to adopt them. Now the NZ Government has eliminated that extension.
Minister Guy stressed the Primary Production Committee, chaired by Shane Ardern, proposed four exemptions to reflagging: exemptions for migratory tuna species; exemptions for certain vessel operators holding ACE derived from the Settlement Quota; exemptions for vessels used for fisheries related research approved by the MPI Chief Executive; and exemptions for exceptional circumstances.
Besides, he mentioned other changes made to the bill include vessel registration consent and new vessel registration suspension powers will now only apply to foreign charter vessels, not New Zealand-owned vessels.
The bill is also being amended to allow independent review of the Chief Executive’s powers to suspend vessel registration suspension, which addresses concerns about impacts on natural justice.
For his part, Associate Primary Industries Minister Jo Goodhew remarks an exemption in the current bill for foreign boats fishing for iwi quota will be removed.
“Our aim is to send a clear message that all vessels operating in New Zealand waters must fully meet New Zealand employment, vessel safety and fisheries laws. This iwi-specific exemption would risk continued lobbying to overturn the overarching policy,” he explained.
But, Labour deputy Shane Jones considers the fishing industry has been “unfairly stigmatised”, and that part of the problem is the lack of New Zealanders in those jobs.
“If we're going to pick on the fishing industry, then I'm very keen to apply that to the dairy industry, to the horticultural industry, to the freezing works industry - who are very quick to complain to politicians that they can't find Kiwis to do the mahi.”
However, the Government says it is serious about protecting the welfare of fishing crews and New Zealand's reputation and the iwi exemption will be removed when the bill comes back before the House for its committee stages. (FIS).
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haiti's government has agreed to request the help of international armed forces as gangs and protesters paralyze the country and basic supplies including fuel and water dwindle, a top ranking Haitian official told The Associated Press on Friday.
The official, who was not authorized to speak about the issue publicly, said a formal request in writing has not yet been submitted.
It wasn’t clear if the request would mean the activation of United Nations peacekeeping troops, whose mission ended five years ago after a troubled 11 years in Haiti.
The petition comes after Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States, held a meeting Thursday with officials including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Haiti Foreign Affairs Minister Jean Victor Généus to talk about the country’s worsening situation.
Almagro tweeted late Thursday that Haiti “must request urgent assistance from the international community to help resolve security crises, determine the characteristics of an international security force.”
Many Haitians have rejected the idea of another international intervention, noting that U.N. peacekeepers were accused of sexual assault and sparked a cholera epidemic more than a decade ago that killed nearly 10,000 people.
“I don’t think Haiti needs another intervention,” said Mathias Pierre, Haiti’s former elections minister. “We have been through so many, and nothing has been solved... If we don’t do it as Haitians, 10 years forward, we’re going to be in the same situation again.”
He called on the U.S. government to help reduce the amount of ammunition and guns flowing to Haiti, and to further equip police officers so they have more weapons and the ability to run intelligence on gangs.
He also worried about the situation that an international security force would encounter.
“It’s not an army they’re facing,” he said. “They’re facing gangs located in poor areas and using the population as shields to protect themselves.”
Haiti’s National Police has struggled to control gangs with its limited resources and chronic understaffing, with only some 12,800 active officers for a country of more than 11 million people.
The gangs have only grown more powerful since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
As the administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry agreed on the request for foreign armed forces, his office issued a statement asserting that he has not resigned, rejecting what it called fake reports circling on social media that prompted hundreds of Haitians across the country to celebrate in the streets late Thursday.
“It is purely and simply strategies of fabrications, intoxication, orchestrated by ill-intentioned individuals, aiming to sow more trouble and confusion,” his office said.
Protesters and increasingly powerful gangs have helped plunge Haiti into an unprecedented level of chaos, with the country paralyzed for nearly a month after gangs surrounded a large fuel terminal in the capital of Port-au-Prince, refusing to budge until Henry steps down.
As a result, crews have been unable to distribute about 10 million gallons of diesel and gasoline and more than 800,000 gallons of kerosene stored on site.
Protesters also have blocked roads ever since Henry announced in early September that his administration could no longer afford to subsidize fuel, leading to sharp increases in the price of gasoline, diesel and kerosene.
Gas stations are shuttered, hospitals have cut back on critical services and businesses including banks and grocery stores have curtailed their hours.
On Wednesday, the U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Office in Haiti proposed a “humanitarian corridor” to allow fuel and aid to those in need. It noted the country is also dealing with a new cholera outbreak, with several deaths reported and dozens of patients being treated.
“The most vulnerable people are the first to suffer from the blockage,” the U.N. said.
At least 13 U.S. congressional leaders have demanded that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden stop showing that it is backing Henry and suspend all deportations “given the extreme physical security risks and dire humanitarian situation.”
It called on the U.S. government to support “legitimate efforts to create a transitional Haitian government that respects the will of the Haitian people, and should make it clear to Henry that it will not support him as he blocks progress.”
Henry has stressed that he has no interest in holding on to power and plans to organize general elections as soon as the violence quells.
___
Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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By Adriano Marchese
Dye & Durham Ltd. said Wednesday that the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board has no objection to its proposed acquisition of Link Administration Holdings Ltd.
The Canadian could-based software company said that with the latest approval, it has satisfied another of the acquisition's scheme implementation deed requirements.
On the U.K. front, Dye & Durham said Monday that it may have to cover a shortfall of up to 306 million pounds ($354.6 million) in the value of assets of a company belonging to Link Group to get regulatory approval there.
The company said it continues to assess the potential consequences of the new conditions on the proposed acquisition and that it will continue to provide updates as appropriate.
Write to Adriano Marchese at adriano.marchese@wsj.com
