WTO:Full Season 4 podcast series on the key 12th Ministerial Conference outcomes now available

 

17 August 2022

Full Season 4 podcast series on the key 12th Ministerial Conference outcomes now available The full Season 4 of the “Let's Talk Trade” podcast series is now available.  Season 4 focuses on the important outcomes of the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), how they came about, and what lies ahead for the WTO and its members. Episode 1: Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala gives an overview of the so-called “Geneva package” reached at MC12 and provides insights into her efforts to bring the 164 WTO members together to conclude the series of deals. Episode 2: Ambassador Santiago Wills of Colombia, the chair of the fisheries subsidies negotiations at the WTO, and Sainabou Taal, legal expert at the WTO Secretariat, explain the importance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies concluded at MC12 to global fish stocks and those who depend on fishing for a living as well as continuing the negotiations to address outstanding issues. Episode 3: Ambassador Lansana Gberie of Sierra Leone, the chair of the WTO's TRIPS Council, and Anabel González, WTO Deputy Director-General, talk about how WTO members adopted a problem-solving approach to the WTO's intellectual property response to the COVID-19 pandemic and a strategy to ensure trade can support the expanded and diversified production of essential goods needed in the fight against COVID-19 and future pandemics. Episode 4: Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta of Costa Rica, chair of the agriculture negotiations at the WTO and Ulla Kask, agriculture expert at the WTO Secretariat, decipher the issues addressed at MC12 on agriculture, the Declaration on the Emergency Response to Food Insecurity and the Decision not to impose export restrictions on foodstuffs purchased for humanitarian purposes by the World Food Programme. Episode 5: Ambassador Didier Chambovey of Switzerland, the General Council Chair, and the WTO's Joan Apecu talk about WTO reform and efforts to keep the organization fit for purpose and ready to respond to the realities of 21st century trade, including e-commerce. The full Season 4 podcasts can be accessed here. Full details on MC12 and the agreements reached are available here.

EUROPEAN BANK's update

 

News

EBRD increases green and SME financing in Tajikistan 18-08-2022 10:06 AM BST Leading microlender Imon International to receive new funds of US$ 6 million EBRD supports climate resilience in Turkey 18-05-2022 08:15 AM BST €12 million loan to seed producer May Seed EBRD, EU and GCF extend green financing to micro and small businesses in Jordan 17-08-2022 11:18 AM BST US$ 2 million loan to Microfund for Women Ice cream company goes digital in Armenia 17-08-2022 10:43 AM BST EBRD and SIDA help Pink Berry digitalise and expand its operations EBRD, EU and GCF support green investments in Jordan 17-08-2022 10:52 AM BST US $10 million for Bank al Etihad to promote transition to climate-resilient economy EBRD lends €43 million to Taaleri-ENCRO JV for two wind farms in Croatia 16-08-2022 09:02 AM BST The first fully commercial renewable development to add over 10 per cent to Croatia’s renewable electricity generation EBRD supports Ukraine’s Bank Lviv with €10 million loan for onlending to SMEs affected by war 15-08-2022 10:57 AM BST EBRD share of A/B loan financing is €4.25 million with remainder from B lenders

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:Exploring Microbial Ecology to Advance Fight Against AR & HAIs

 

CDC knows there is an important connection between microbial ecology, our microbiomes, and the health and wellbeing of people. Public health experts in CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion are interested in better understanding this connection to help prevent infections, including antimicrobial-resistant (AR) infections.  Read the latest on CDC’s Safe Healthcare blog to learn more about the relationship microbes play in our lives, especially in healthcare settings, and how we can help better protect patients.

Leveraging microbial ecology to advance health involves effort from diverse collaborators, including public health experts, academic researchers, private industry, and regulatory experts. At an upcoming public virtual workshop on August 30, 2022, CDC experts will discuss the need for developing drugs to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and the role microbial ecology may play in this effort. Find out more about this event on the workshop website.

APEC Ministers: Regenerate Tourism Markets

Issued by the 11th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting

Bangkok, Thailand, 19 August 2022

Tourism Ministers from APEC member economies are coordinating their policies to revive the tourism and travel industry in the region so that it is safe, sustainable, responsible and more inclusive.

According to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the travel and tourism industry contributed to almost 11 percent to the total employment in the region by providing around 162 million jobs in 2019. This number dipped during the height of the pandemic, accounting for just 131 million jobs in 2020 and 138.7 million jobs in 2021.

“The havoc wreaked by COVID-19 in the past two years is certainly unprecedented and has viciously impacted the lives of everyone,” said Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports. “This is especially true with the global tourism industry, which has been severely affected by the pandemic.”

“However, through the last couple of years, our relevant agencies have worked hard and are still, until today, working tirelessly to achieve a swift and healthy recovery as we believe that the lowest point of the economic crisis from the pandemic is now behind us,” Minister Phipat said in his opening remarks at the 11^th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting held in Bangkok.

“It’s time for us to get back on track and move towards more positive territory,” he added.

Backed by an initial rebound in tourism and travel, Thailand expects to welcome 10 million international tourists this year, thus boosting its economy, as the sector contributes to around 20 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP).

Minister Phiphat further explained that those making the effort of reopening and reviving the tourism and travel industry need to take into consideration its impact on the local destination and communities.

“Our utmost priority is to transform the tourism sector so that it gives back more than it takes, this is the core of our meeting today, as well as our deliverables,” Minister Phiphat said. 

Ministers are considering a series of policy recommendations to ensure that the benefits of tourism are distributed fairly among local communities, which will elevate their wellbeing and quality of life. 

These include policies to facilitate tourism journeys that are sustainable and inclusive from end to end, and respectful of local and traditional knowledge; gender-responsive policies to ensure women’s full and equal participation in the tourism sector; and the adoption of technology to help manage all aspects of tourism, such as streamlining visa mechanisms.

“Key to our work this year has been to ensure the safe resumption of travel,” said Dr Rebecca Sta Maria, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat. 

“Even as the pandemic eases into endemic status, the work undertaken by APEC will serve as an important guide for preparedness,” Dr Sta Maria explained. “The exchange of information, work towards interoperability of vaccine certificates and initiatives and proposals to facilitate the movement of people across borders in the Asia-Pacific region will stay with us.”

“If there’s one thing we have all learnt from the pandemic, it is that tourism is key to the economic growth of our region. So facilitating the safe resumption of cross-border travel will continue to feature post-pandemic,” she concluded.

For further details, please contact:

Masyitha Baziad +65 9751 2146 at mb@apec.org
Michael Chapnick +65 9647 4847 at mc@apec.org

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT...

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
FRUIT and VEGETABLES Newsletter




Agricultural markets dashboard – citrus fruit

See the latest update in the fruit and vegetables market observatory.
Related links

EU fruits and vegetables scheme | EU agricultural markets short-term outlook – specialised crops

MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS Newsletter

Latest update Dashboard: Milk and dairy products Highlights

ΕΠΙΤΕΛΟΥΣ!Ο ΠΡΩΤΟΣ ΕΜΠΡΗΣΤΗΣ παραδίδεται στον Εισαγγελέα με εντολή.....ΥΠΟΥΡΓΟΥ ΕΘΝΙΚΗΣ ΑΜΥΝΗΣ!!

 https://veteranos.gr/o-yetha-edose-ton-ebristi-tis-thasou-ston-isangelea/

ΝΑΤΟ update

NATO Secretary General meets with Mr. Albin Kurti from Kosovo The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, met with Mr. Albin Kurti from Kosovo at NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (17 August 2022). In a joint press conference, the NATO Secretary General welcomed the recent easing of tensions in the north of Kosovo and urged all parties to “act with restraint and avoid unhelpful rhetoric.” Click here to download the press conference by NATO Secretary General and Mr. Albin Kurti from Kosovo as well as footage of their meeting. The transcript of the press conference is available on the NATO website. NATO Secretary General meets with President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, met with the President of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Aleksandar Vučić, at NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (17 August 2022), saying he welcomed the opportunity to continue discussions on recent tensions in northern Kosovo. While noting that the situation on the ground has improved, Mr. Stoltenberg called on all sides “to show restraint and to avoid violence.” Click here to download the press conference by the NATO Secretary General and the President of the Republic of Serbia as well as footage of their meeting. The transcript of the press conference is available on the NATO website. Multinational battlegroup in Bulgaria completes its biggest exercise yet NATO’s multinational battlegroup in Bulgaria completed Exercise Platinum Lion 22, passing an important milestone as it moves towards achieving full operational capability. The battlegroup currently consists of the Bulgarian Army’s 42nd Mechanised Battalion and a mechanised infantry company from the US Army’s 3rd Armoured Brigade Combat Team. Soldiers from the British Army’s Royal Irish Regiment worked alongside the battlegroup for Platinum Lion 22, learning how to manoeuvre and communicate with their NATO Allies as they repelled a simulated attack. Click here to download the b-roll. Footage includes shots of Bulgarian, UK and US troops during the exercise, as well as interviews with Bulgarian and US officers. The climate-space nexus: new approaches for strengthening NATO’s resilience J. Lukačevič, K. Kertýsová, R. Heise Climate change presents major challenges that NATO faces today, and will have to confront tomorrow. Space technology is playing an increasingly important role in helping to monitor rapid environmental change and identify related hazards. READ/LISTEN MORE

Από το Γραφείο Τύπου της Νέας Δημοκρατίας εκδόθηκε η ακόλουθη ανακοίνωση

 

Αθήνα, 18 Αυγούστου 2022     Από το Γραφείο Τύπου της Νέας Δημοκρατίας εκδόθηκε η ακόλουθη ανακοίνωση:     «Γνωρίζουμε πολύ καλά ότι οι σχέσεις του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ με την αλήθεια είναι ανύπαρκτες. Αυτό ακριβώς δείχνει και η αποσπασματική χρήση της απάντησης της Προέδρου του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου προς τον κ. Παπαδημούλη, σε σημείο που να διαστρεβλώνουν το περιεχόμενό της. Στην επιστολή της κ. Metsola, αναφέρεται σαφώς ότι “χαιρετίζω το γεγονός ότι εκτός από τις έρευνες που βρίσκονται σε εξέλιξη από τις αρμόδιες ελληνικές αρχές, το Ελληνικό Κοινοβούλιο ερευνά επίσης τις πρόσφατες αποκαλύψεις”. (At the same time, I welcome that - besides the ongoing investigations of the competent national authorities - the Greek Parliament is also looking into the latest revelations). Επίσης μιλάει για το πανευρωπαϊκό πρόβλημα των παράνομων παρακολουθήσεων πολιτικών, δημοσιογράφων και πολιτών και μιλάει για την ανάγκη λήψης μέτρων σε επίπεδο Ε.Ε. Αναφέρεται μάλιστα συγκεκριμένα στο σύστημα Pegasus, το οποίο χρησιμοποιείται σε διάφορες χώρες. (I am convinced that the work of the Parliament's Committee of inquiry to investigate the use of the Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware will contribute to the overall  efforts to bring to an end the illegal practices you are referring to, which reports indicate are widespread). Ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ στην προσπάθειά του να βρει αντιπολιτευτικό αφήγημα, χρησιμοποιεί τα πάντα, χωρίς απολύτως κανέναν ενδοιασμό. Και προσαρμόζει στα αντιπολιτευτικά του μέτρα ακόμη και την επιστολή της Προέδρου του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου».