Morocco, Senegal Determined to Strengthen Parliamentary Cooperation

“We discussed ways to inject a new dynamic into the cooperation between our two legislative institutions,” said Diop in a statement to the press at the end of his talks with Sabbari, on the sidelines of the Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting of the Open Government Partnership (OGP).

 

Diop called for the reactivation of the Moroccan-Senegalese friendship groups at the level of the two parliaments, welcoming the “very strong” ties of friendship and brotherhood uniting Dakar and Rabat and the convergences of views characterizing their positions on issues of common interest.

 

The Senegalese official also lauded the holding of the Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting of the OGP on African soil, highlighting the key role of parliaments in the development of inclusive public policies, which respond sustainably to the needs and expectations of citizens.

 

For his part, Sabbari praised the “strong” relations between the two countries and the two peoples, stressing that the exemplary partnership between the two countries is a successful example of South-South cooperation in all areas.

 

In this sense, he expressed the determination of both parties to further consolidate parliamentary relations between their institutions, as well as to give a new dynamic to the action of the Moroccan-Senegalese parliamentary friendship groups.

 

Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse

Atlas maps trawling in the Mediterranean

ROME, “Atlas” is a report which “for the first time” maps areas permanently closed to trawling in the Mediterranean and investigates such activities in the area.

 

Atlas (https://atlas.medseaalliance.org/), published ahead of the annual session of the General Commission for Fishing in the Mediterranean (Cgpm), to be held in Tirana, Albania, on November 7-11, shows the presumed and confirmed violations of trawling in protected areas in which it is permanently banned. It was presented by members of the Med Sea Alliance, a movement created in 2020 to gather NGOs and other groups of civil society that work to improve the health and productivity of the Mediterranean Sea.

 

Atlas shows over 350 areas of the Mediterranean permanently closed to trawling, mapped by MedReAct and uses data, algorithms and models developed by Global Fishing Watch to evaluate potential violations. During the period of January 2020-January 2021, Atlas documented data by Global Fishing Watch, presumed trawling activity in 35 protected areas of the Mediterranean, by some 305 fishing vessels, for a total of 9,518 days of presumed fishing. Atlas moreover illustrates, based on a research conducted by MedReAct on data reported by the media and national control authorities of Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, some 170 infraction cases confirmed between January 2018 and December 2020 regarding Italy, Turkey, France, Algeria and Morocco. In the overall number are included violations concerning Italy, “the only country in Europe that provided clear data and which between January 2018 and June 2021 registered 85 punished infractions, including 80 in areas where fishing was restricted, set up by Cgpm and five in protected marine areas”. For the alleged infractions in 178 Italian areas closed to trawling, the analysis carried out by Atlas highlighted possible activities of illegal fishing in 14 protected areas by presumably 114 fishing vessels from 2020 to 2021.

 

Source: ANSA News Agency

Russia says it resumes participation in Ukraine grain deal

Russia said on Wednesday it would resume its participation in a deal to free up vital grain exports from war-torn Ukraine after suspending it over the weekend in a move that had threatened to exacerbate hunger across the world.

 

The Russian defence ministry said it had received written guarantees from Kyiv not to use the Black Sea grain corridor for military operations against Russia.

 

“The Russian Federation considers that the guarantees received at the moment appear sufficient, and resumes the implementation of the agreement,” the ministry statement said.

 

Russia suspended its involvement in the deal on Saturday, saying it could not guarantee safety for civilian ships crossing the Black Sea because of an attack on its fleet there. Ukraine said that was a false pretext.

 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said earlier that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had told his Turkish counterpart that the July 22 grain deal, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations, would continue to operate as of midday on Wednesday.

 

“The grain transports will continue as agreed before as of 12 (pm) today,” Erdogan said.

 

The prices of wheat, soybeans, corn and rapeseed fell sharply on global markets following the announcement, which eased concerns about the growing unaffordability of food.

 

Ships have continued to carry Ukrainian grain on the route despite the suspension, but that had been unlikely to continue for long because insurance companies were not issuing new contracts due to Russia’s move, industry sources told Reuters.

 

“This is quite an unexpected turnaround,” Andrey Sizov, the head of Russia-focused Sovecon agriculture consultancy, said of Russia’s decision.

 

“Still, the deal remains shaky, as it is now back in guessing mode as to whether there will be an extension or not. With two weeks to go before the extension, the discussion around this topic will apparently continue,” Sizov added.

 

The deal runs out on Nov. 19 and a European diplomat briefed on the grain talks has told Reuters that Russian President Vladimir Putin was likely to use the possible extension as a way to gain leverage and dominate next month’s G20 summit in Indonesia.

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier that the world should respond firmly to any Russian attempts to disrupt Ukraine’s export corridor across the Black Sea, which was blocked after Moscow invaded Ukraine on February 24.

 

The Russian blockade has exacerbated food shortages and a cost of living crisis in many countries as Ukraine is one of the world’s biggest suppliers of grain and oilseeds.

 

In a Tuesday night video address, Zelenskiy said ships were still moving out of Ukrainian ports with cargoes thanks to the work of Turkey and the United Nations.

 

“But a reliable and long-term defence is needed for the grain corridor,” Zelenskiy said.

 

“Russia must clearly be made aware that it will receive a tough response from the world to any steps to disrupt our food exports,” Zelenskiy said. “At issue here clearly are the lives of tens of millions of people.”

 

The grains deal aimed to help avert famine in poorer countries by injecting more wheat, sunflower oil and fertilizer into world markets and to ease a steep rise in prices. It targeted the pre-war level of 5 million metric tonnes exported from Ukraine each month.

 

Source: Tap News Agency

China will support Pakistan in stabilising its financial situation – Xi

China will continue to support Pakistan as it tries to stabilise its financial situation, state media quoted President Xi Jinping as saying on Wednesday, during a visit by Pakistan’s prime minister to Beijing.

 

Pakistan had been struggling with a balance of payments crisis even before devastating floods hit the country this summer, causing it an estimated $30 billion or more in losses.

 

Pakistan was expected to seek debt relief from China, particularly the rolling over of bilateral debt of around $23 billion.

 

China’s central bank and the State Bank of Pakistan have signed a memorandum of cooperation recently for the establishment of an RMB clearing arrangement in Pakistan, in a bid to facilitate the use of RMB for cross-border transactions by enterprises and financial institutions in both countries, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said on Wednesday.

 

China and Pakistan should also move forward more effectively with the construction of their economic corridor, as well as accelerate the construction of infrastructure for the Gwadar Sea Port, Xi told Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People.

 

China has been involved in major mining and infrastructure projects in Pakistan, including the deep-water Gwadar port, all part of the $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

 

Xi added that the countries should work together to create conditions for the early implementation of the Mainline-1 (ML-1) railway upgrading project and the Karachi Circular Railway project.

 

China will also export technology for a 160 km/h high-speed railway train to Pakistan, state broadcaster CCTV said on Wednesday.

 

The developments and projects in Pakistan, a longtime Chinese ally, are part of Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to improve China’s road, rail and sea routes with the rest of the world.

 

China is willing to deepen cooperation in the digital economy, e-commerce, photovoltaic technology and other new energy-related areas, Xi said.

 

Sharif was one of the first leaders to meet Xi since he secured a third term as leader of the ruling Communist Party in October.

 

Source: Tap News Agency

Lebanon: maxi seizure of amphetamines in South

BEIRUT, Lebanese authorities have announced in the past few hours that they have seized a shipment of Captagon amphetamines destined for Tunisia and Sudan, Lebanon’s government news agency Nna reports

 

According to the report, some 800 kilos of illicit substances, the equivalent of approximately five million pills, were found in southern Lebanon, in the area of Ghaziye.

 

In light of the prolonged war in Syria and the economic collapse of Lebanon, factories producing amphetamines have multiplied in Syria and Lebanon with substances being subsequently sent to Jordan and then Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, as well as to North African and European countries.

 

Source: ANSA News Agency

Explainer: Why the Black Sea Grain Deal Is Vital for Global Food Security

A landmark deal to allow grain exports from Ukraine, which was back on track Wednesday after being briefly suspended, has played a crucial role in easing a global food crisis sparked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

 

Brokered by the United Nations and Turkey and signed by Moscow and Kyiv on July 22, the agreement established a protected sea corridor to allow grain shipments to resume for the first time since the fighting began in February

 

Here is what we know about the deal, known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative:

 

Why was it needed?

 

When Russian troops attacked in late February, Moscow imposed a blockade on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, halting all agricultural exports from one of the world’s breadbaskets.

 

The move left 20 million metric tons of grain stranded in Ukraine’s ports, causing food prices to surge worldwide.

 

Before the war, up to 90% of Ukraine’s wheat, corn and sunflower exports were transported by sea, mostly from Odesa, with many developing countries relying heavily on Kyiv for grain.

 

Agricultural commodity prices were high before the war because of the post-COVID-19 economic recovery, but the conflict pushed the price of grains such as wheat and corn to levels unsustainable for countries dependent on their import, such as Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia.

 

What does the deal cover?

 

The deal ensures the safe export of grain, foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, from three Black Sea ports in southwestern Ukraine: Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi.

 

The first grain ship to leave under the U.N.-backed deal set sail on August 1.

 

According to U.N. figures as of November 1, a total of 9.7 million metric tons of grain and other agricultural products have been transported in the first three months of the initiative, the vast majority involving wheat and corn.

 

Valid for 120 days, the agreement is up for renewal on November 19 in a process that can be done automatically without further negotiations.

 

The U.N. says extending the deal is crucial for global food security and is pushing for it to be renewed for one year.

 

Although the initiative is working well, shipments are about 40-50% lower than what they were before Russia’s invasion, the U.N. says.

 

How does it work?

 

According to the U.N.’s website, the agreement establishes a safe corridor between the three Ukrainian ports and an area in Turkish waters where the vessels are inspected before being allowed to continue their journey.

 

To monitor the agreement, a joint command and control center was set up in Istanbul to oversee smooth operations and resolve disputes.

 

Known as the Joint Coordination Center (JCC), the JCC has four teams of eight inspectors — two each from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the U.N.

 

These teams inspect outbound vessels carrying grain at the Turkish inspection area to ensure all merchandise is approved.

 

The teams also examine empty ships returning to Ukraine to ensure they are not carrying any weapons or other unauthorized goods or people.

Safe passage

 

The deal establishes a buffer zone of 10 nautical miles around each vessel traveling along the corridor with no military ships, equipment or drones allowed within that radius.

 

All ship movements logged by the JCC are transmitted to the relevant military authorities to prevent any incidents, with any violations or threats to be handled by the JCC.

 

At the start of the war, Ukraine mined its main Black Sea ports to head off threats of a Russian attack from the sea, but experts said it would take too long to de-mine all these areas.

 

The deal allows Ukrainians to guide the ships along safe routes that avoid known mine fields and into and out of its territorial waters.

Deal briefly suspended

 

On October 29, Russia said it was suspending its participation in the deal, accusing Ukraine of using the shipping corridor to launch a drone attack on its Black Sea fleet in Crimea’s Sevastopol port.

 

After a call between the Russian and Turkish defense ministers, the deal resumed operation at 0900 GMT on November 2 with Moscow saying it had received written guarantees from Kyiv ensuring the corridor would not be used for attacking Russian forces.

 

Source: Voice of America