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Jordan: #Team Europe: EIB and MFW support Jordan’s micro-entrepreneurs with €2.7 million

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Jordan: #Team Europe: EIB and MFW support Jordan’s micro-entrepreneurs with €2.7 million
©EIB/To be defined

The European Investment Bank (EIB)  has provided €2.7 million ($3.3 million) to Microfund for Women to boost the financing of micro-enterprises in Jordan during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The new financing is expected to support around 9 100 new beneficiaries, more than 90% of whom will be women.

This new financing is a top-up of the €4.1 million ($5 million) financing agreement signed in November 2018 to provide microloans to micro-entrepreneurs running income-generating activities in both urban and rural areas, including self-employed individuals, sole proprietors and micro-entrepreneur groups.

The EIB financing comes under Team Europe’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is carried out under the Southern Neighbourhood Microfinance Facility (SNMF) – a €71.3 million lending facility that supports investments in microfinance markets in Southern Neighbourhood countries. The facility blends EIB resources with European Commission resources under the Neighbourhood Investment Facility.

EIB Vice-President Dario Scannapieco commented on the new financing: “We are pleased to strengthen our partnership with Microfund for Women. The additional €2.7 million in financing will increase the outreach of MFW to support more Jordanian micro-entrepreneurs, mainly women, during these difficult times. Micro-entrepreneurs are the most vulnerable to the new challenges arising from the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Bank of the European Union, we are keen to support entrepreneurship in Jordan to sustain and create jobs.

EU Ambassador to Jordan H.E. Maria Hadjitheodosiou welcomed this new operation with Microfund for Women as a part of the Team Europe initiative, indicating that “this project reflects the European Union’s commitment to supporting partner countries, such as Jordan, addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and at the same time fostering women’s empowerment in Jordan, by helping them achieve sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families, alongside other women empowerment projects supported by the European Union.”

Muna Sukhtian, MFW Managing Director, also commented “we value our long term partnership with the EIB and we look at it as a success story. We are fully aware of the challenging times that our beneficiaries are going through due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic so we are carefully studying their situations. We are pleased that we will be utilising this EIB financing to offer new solutions to beneficiaries such as refinancing and rescheduling, in addition to empowering them in rebuilding their businesses by helping them secure various new marketing channels. The funds will also be used to attract potential young entrepreneurs and women interested in setting up new projects.”

“Previously, the first loan we received from the EIB was used to offer more than 1 250 microloans, 91.5% of which went to women and 26.6% to young entrepreneurs, covering the following sectors: trade, production and services,” added Muna Sukhtian.

The EIB has been collaborating with the Microfund for Women since 2014. It is the leading microfinance institution (MFI) in Jordan dedicated to empowering micro-entrepreneurship. Currently, the Fund has more than 124 000 active borrowers with a strong focus on women.

Background information

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is one of the leading development finance players in the Mediterranean region. The Bank’s goal is to support economic and social development by improving people’s living conditions. The EIB aims to establish a tangible presence in partner countries, focusing on their economic and social priorities. It not only contributes its financing capacity, but also adds value in project implementation and the modernisation of public policies thanks to its technical and financial expertise and advisory services.

The Risk Capital Facility for the Southern Neighbourhood provides access to equity and debt financing to MSMEs in the Mediterranean region in order to support private sector development, inclusive growth and private sector job creation. Set up by the European Commission and EIB, it builds on the success of the ENPI-FEMIP Risk Capital mandate 2007-2013 which was fully deployed despite the unprecedented geopolitical turmoil in the target region.

Is Turkey a Proof that Religion and Democracy Cannot Coexist?

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Is Turkey a Proof that Religion and Democracy Cannot Coexist?

Active Citizens, Armed Conflicts, Civil Society, Crime & Justice, Democracy, Featured, Gender, Gender Violence, Headlines, Human Rights, Middle East & North Africa, Press Freedom, Religion, TerraViva United Nations

Nazlan Ertan

NEW DELHI, India, Feb 8 2021 (IPS) – Over the years, Turkey has survived three Coup d’état in which its military forces took power, in 1960, 1971 and 1980. The coup in 1997, was carried out in a “post-modern way”, where generals sat down with the then prime minister, Necmettin Erbakan and forced him to resign. However the turning point in Turkey has been the failed coup attempt in July 2016, which has till date been one of the bloodiest coup attempts in its political history, leaving 241 people killed, and 2,194 others injured.

Soldiers and tanks took to the streets, explosions rang out in Ankara and Istanbul, fighter jets dropped bombs on their own parliament, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hulusi Akar, was kidnapped by his own security detail. Thousands of citizens gathered in streets and squares around Anatolia to oppose the coup and with the help of loyalist soldiers and police forces, defeated the coup attempt.

“Freedom of expression in Turkey continues to backslide, particularly after the 2016 attempted coup,” says journalist Nazlan Ertan to IPS News. “Currently 70 journalists in Turkey are in jail, and some 170 media outlets have been closed down since 2016. More than 80 percent of the press institutions – newspapers and TV channels we considered admiral ships – are now in the hands of the companies close to the government. Key news either goes unreported, or comes out heavily biased,” says Nazlan.

In october 2020, eleven international rights groups issued a statement on Turkey’s clamp down on its press freedom,including its efforts to silence the press by stepping up online censorship through the new law targeting social media, mobilization partisan regulatory bodies, and launching a new offensive against judicial independence by targeting Turkey’s Constitutional Court (TCC). The group also flagged the continued jailing and prosecution of journalists as well as ongoing concerns over the safety of journalists and judicial independence.

International community must step up its bilateral and multilateral efforts to bring Turkey back into the club of countries that respects the rule of law, the group said.

According to Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2019, 130,000 public officials were dismissed following the 2016 coup over alleged association with U.S. – based Turkish Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen. Turkey’s Ministry of Justice stated that as of June, “almost one-fifth of the total prison population was charged or convicted of terrorism offenses. Others have been charged with “insulting the president”.

A Turkish court on Friday resumed its high-profile show trial targeting leading Turkish civil society figure and philanthropist Osman Kavala accused of espionage and attempting to overthrow the constitutional order in the 2016 coup. Kavala has been accused of collaborating with Henri Barkey, a prominent U.S. based Turkey scholar who has been accused of having links to Fethullah Gulen’s network, which Ankara says orchestrated the coup attempt.

The court rejected Osman Kavala’s request to be released, and also ruled to merge two ongoing proceedings against Kavala and adjourned the trial until May 21, extending his detention since late 2017 by nearly four months.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed the wife of jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala for provoking student protests at Bogazici University where she is an acclaimed academic. A report in Bloomberg stated that Erdogan called Ayse Bugra a “provocator” and her husband a “representative” of George Soros in Turkey.

Hundreds of protestors have been arrested at the university since January 4, including others who have been arrested at demonstrations in support of the students and LGBTQ rights in cities such as Ankara, Izmir and Bursa.

According to Nazlan, Bogazici University is a “microcosmos of all the issues we talk about in Turkey – academic freedom, independence, the right to assembly, LGBTQ movements and more”.

“Ever since the protests have started, hundreds of students have been taken into custody, those who expressed a rightful and peaceful opposition to the government appointed rector were vilified, the president and his cronies referred to them as terrorists, vandals, or “snakes whose heads should be crushed.”

The LGBTQ students who demonstrated with a rainbow flag were called “perverts who had no place in Turkey” by the Interior Minister,” says Nazlan.

The European Union and the United Nations has condemned these homophobic comments and called for demonstrators to be released.

Rights group Amnesty International has called on the government of Turkey to take urgent action to counter the increasing number of discriminatory statements and policies by the State officials against LGBTQ people. In a statement published in 2020, the rights group had urged the authorities to promote “equality both in their statements and actions.”

Nazlan adds that women in Turkey who have often used humour to make their voices heard, their situation continues to remain grim. In 2019, 474 women were murdered, mostly by partners and relatives and the figures in 2020, affected by coronavirus lockdhowns, are expected to be even higher.

“Women have been on the streets and various hashtags have surfaced – such as #ChallengeAccepted, #IstanbulConventionSavesLives and also #menshouldknowtheirplace. Domestic violence has increased, nearly half of all the women claim that they have faced some form of physical or psychological abuse in their lives,” says Nazlan.

Much before these brutal crackdowns on dissent following the attempted coup two years ago, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held promises of turning Turkey into a “beacon of democracy for a region rife with religious conflict”, except today authoritaianism has destroyed the country and “the current Bogazici protests – which are still going on – is an example that no opposition is tolerated in Turkey anymore, no matter how peaceful or democratic,” says Nazlan.

The author is a journalist and filmmaker based out of New Delhi. She hosts a weekly online show called The Sania Farooqui Show where Muslim women from around the world are invited to share their views.

 

WHO/Europe looks ahead to a busy 2021

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WHO/Europe looks ahead to a busy 2021

Following an unprecedented year for WHO in 2020, WHO/Europe looks ahead to 2021 with a focus on the continuing COVID-19 pandemic alongside the implementation of the European Programme of Work.

With the ongoing roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines and WHO/Europe continuing to provide support in response to the pandemic, this area of work remains a priority. But alongside the pandemic, WHO/Europe offers support and expertise in a many areas to assist countries and partners in delivering health to everyone living in the WHO European Region.

This article highlights a select range of important milestones and upcoming events over the course of the year.

January

International Year of Health and Care Workers (1 January–31 December)

WHO has designated 2021 the International Year of Health and Care Workers (YHCW) in recognition of their dedication to providing care during and despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which has challenged health systems worldwide. Throughout 2021, WHO/Europe will take part in the celebrations, recognizing the vital work of health and care workers around the Region.

Launch of HEN report on screening for cardiovascular disease (19 January)

Population-level screening for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors has no effect on lowering CVD morbidity and mortality, according to a WHO Health Evidence Network (HEN) report. CVDs are the main cause of death globally, killing an estimated 17 million people each year. This HEN synthesis report is part of WHO’s initiative to increase the effectiveness of screening, maximize benefits and minimize harm, and is aimed at improving understanding of the effectiveness of systematic population-level screening programmes in reducing the burden of CVD.

February

World Cancer Day (4 February)

On World Cancer Day, WHO/Europe called for a pan-European movement, United Action Against Cancer – seeking to unite everyone towards better cancer control and prevention. The vision of this initiative is a Region where cancer is no longer a life-threatening disease. World Cancer Day takes place each year in collaboration with governmental and nongovernmental organizations and other partners.

March

World Tuberculosis Day (24 March)

Each year we mark World Tuberculosis Day to raise awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB). Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.3 includes TB as one of several epidemics to be ended by 2030. This year the campaign will put special emphasis on the importance of testing, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, so that TB patients can get treatment and eliminate the possibility of passing the disease on to others.

Oslo Medicines Initiative: focus on solidarity, transparency and sustainability

A series of webinars, starting from March 2021, will explore key issues in improving access to novel, high-priced medicines. The discussions will be supported by background documents reflecting on the themes of solidarity, transparency and sustainability. These sessions are being organized as part of the Oslo Medicines Initiative, which aims to provide a neutral platform for the public and private sectors to jointly outline a vision for equitable and sustainable access to effective, innovative and affordable medicines.

An in-person meeting will be planned for spring 2022 to outline a new vision for collaboration to improve access to novel medicines in the European Region.

April

World Health Day (7 April)

This year, World Health Day will focus on the theme of reducing inequities. COVID-19 is just the latest example of why WHO is so focused on achieving Health for All – supporting the creation of social, economic and environmental conditions that allow people to fulfil their health potential, improving access to health services and ensuring that those services are available everywhere and to everyone. This year’s World Health Day campaign will call for everyone to work together towards ending health inequities and creating a fairer, healthier world.

European Immunization Week (26 April–2 May)

This year’s European Immunization Week takes on a special significance amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With continued rollout of vaccines across the European Region, this year’s campaign will focus on raising awareness and answering questions about the available vaccines and WHO’s role in ensuring that they are distributed equitably.

May

Fifth High-Level Meeting on Transport, Health and Environment (17–18 May)

WHO/Europe carries out most of its activities on transport and health within the Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP), jointly with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. At the Fifth High-Level Meeting, to be virtually hosted by the Government of Austria, delegates from across the European Region are expected to welcome new recommendations for green and healthy sustainable transport and the first ever pan-European master plan for cycling promotion, among others.

World Health Assembly (24 May–1 June)

Delegates from around the world will gather in Geneva for the 74th World Health Assembly. This annual meeting determines the policies of WHO, including financial policy, while reviewing and approving the proposed programme budget.

June

Launch of the global update to the WHO Air Quality Guidelines

The last edition of the WHO Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) for ambient air pollutants was published in 2006, and included recommendations on the “classical” air pollutants, particulate matter (PM), ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂). Since then, the evidence base for adverse health effects related to short- and long-term exposure to these pollutants has become much broader. Since 2016, WHO has been working on an update of the global AQGs, which is expected to be published in June 2020. It is expected to provide up-to-date recommendations to continue protecting populations worldwide from the adverse health effects of air pollution.

July

World Hepatitis Day (28 July)

In 2020, World Hepatitis Day highlighted the need to find the “missing millions” – people living with hepatitis who with early treatment can avoid more severe illness. 2021 marks the start of a decade of elimination – part of the SDG target to end epidemics including hepatitis by 2030.

September

71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe

In September, delegates representing Member States and partners will gather either in person or online for the 71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC71), marking 12 months since the endorsement of the European Programme of Work. RC71 will take place in Copenhagen with a focus on: primary health care, Immunization Agenda 2030 and COVID-19, including the lessons learned from the pandemic and the report of the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development.

Launch of the report of the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development (9 September)

The Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development, chaired by Professor Mario Monti, will hold its final plenary session to officially launch the Commission report featuring key recommendations to Member States. The Commission will draw lessons from the ways in which different countries’ health systems have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendations, which target the highest policy-makers in governments, will focus on investments and structural reforms to improve the resilience of health and social care systems.

October

Flu Awareness Campaign

The annual Flu Awareness Campaign marks the beginning of seasonal influenza vaccination campaigns in the European Region, providing health promotion materials and the latest evidence and advice for partners in countries.

November

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week

This week-long event celebrates the precious resource that antimicrobials represent for human health. Communications campaigns and technical events increase awareness about antimicrobial resistance and encourage best practice among health workers and the public.

December

World AIDS Day

Each year, on World AIDS Day, people and organizations all over the world show support for people living with HIV and remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses.

EIB Group provides €443 million to Bulgarian economy in 2020

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  • Support for SMEs and mid-caps, urban development and advisory services
  • Operations benefited 4 000 businesses and supported some 81 000 jobs
  • Ten-year record for EIF, unlocking €1.8 billion for SMEs in Bulgaria

The European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group), which consists of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), provided loans, guarantees and equity commitments worth €443 million for projects in Bulgaria in 2020. This represents a 23% increase in total financing activities compared to 2019.

In 2020, EIB lending in Bulgaria amounted to €115 million. The EIF committed some €328 million in new operations for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which is expected to unlock €1.8 billion for SMEs in Bulgaria, most of which will support those that are struggling under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova said: “2020 has been a very challenging year for all of us. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an unprecedented global crisis. In this context, I am proud that the EIB Group has increased its financing, in particular for SMEs. Our financial support is helping to improve people’s lives and has an important role in boosting the economic development of Bulgaria during the pandemic. I want to thank all our partners and assure you that we stand ready to support SMEs, regional cohesion, climate action and urban development to create employment and prosperity across Bulgaria.”

Deputy-Minister of Finance of Bulgaria Marinela Petrova said: “We highly appreciate the active role of the Bank in the fulfilment of the climate-related strategic objectives and priorities of the European Commission and the Member States, as well as its willingness to support Member States in the implementation of the transition towards climate neutrality. In order to successfully use the financial opportunities provided by the European Commission and the EIB, it is essential to identify the specific investment needs and to prepare quality projects. With its experience and expertise in financing investments in the area of infrastructure, innovation, climate and environment, the Bank can significantly support this process and contribute to the successful transition of Bulgaria to carbon neutrality.”

In a virtual press conference, Marinela Petrova, Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Finance and member of the EIB Board of Directors, and EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova presented the impact of the EIB Group’s financing in Bulgaria and discussed the strategic outlook for the EU bank in the year ahead. In addition, Vice-President Pavlova gave an overview of the main EIB Group activities in 2020, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the key role it plays in fighting the climate crisis.

The press conference was followed by a virtual conference, organised by the EIB Economics Department, to present the annual EIB Investment Survey results for Bulgaria. The survey gathers unique insights on the corporate investment landscape in the European Union.

The survey found that in Bulgaria, COVID-19 has substantially affected firms’ investment strategies. It prompted nearly half of firms to invest less than planned (46%) and only very few to invest more than planned (7%). Bulgarian firms’ reaction to the pandemic is in line with the EU average (45%). A quarter of firms cited the increased use of digital technologies (25%) compared to half of firms in the European Union (50%). A quarter of firms expect a permanent reduction in employment (25%) as a long-term impact of COVID-19, similar to the EU average (21%). In addition, almost two-thirds (63%) of firms in Bulgaria have no investment plans to tackle climate change impact, well above the EU average (35%).

EIB Group in Bulgaria 2020

EIB Activity Report 2020

EIF Brochure 2020

EIB at a glance

EIB Investment Survey

Sir Elton John calls for help for young musicians amid EU touring row

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Sir Elton John calls for help for young musicians amid EU touring row

Sir Elton John has called for a “short-term fix” to make it easier for British musicians to tour in Europe.

Sir Elton John

The ‘Tiny Dancer’ hitmaker has spoken out after musicians were left out of the Brexit trade deal, meaning they may have to acquire visa for every European country they wish to perform in, a policy which critics fear mean may lead to such a large rise in costs, artists will be unable to afford to play in the EU.

Branding the current situation “ridiculous”, Elton wrote for The Guardian newspaper: “Either the Brexit negotiators didn’t care about musicians, or didn’t think about them, or weren’t sufficiently prepared.

“They screwed up. It’s ultimately down to the British government to sort it out: they need to go back and renegotiate.”

With Elton acknowledging that “renegotiating freedom of movement is complicated and is going to take a lot of time”, he called for a “support organisation” to help young artists navigate the new difficulties, particularly now when the coronavirus pandemic has provided a “window of opportunity” to get something in place while live music is still on hold.

He said: ” If you’ve just made your first album, and you’ve got that fresh momentum building behind you, it’s no use waiting for two or three years before you tour – you have to catch that energy while it’s on fire, you have to go out and play, and you have to take yourself to as many different audiences as possible.

“What musicians need now is a short-term fix. We should set up a support organisation, funded partly by the music industry itself, where artists who don’t have the kind of infrastructure that I benefit from can access lawyers and accountants to help them navigate the touring problems created by Brexit.

“The pandemic has put a stop to live music in the immediate future, so we should use the window of opportunity we have now to set this support organisation up.”

And the 73-year-old music legend felt it’s his own biggest critics who should support his campaign more than anyone else.

He wrote: “if you hate every note I’ve recorded, because your tastes are edgier, weirder and more exploratory – if you think that the Parisian hotdog thrower had a good point – you need to support musicians’ ability to tour.

“Because if Brexit prevents many new musicians from touring, the only artists who are going to have any meaningful kind of live career are big, august, mainstream artists like me. And, trust me, I don’t want that any more than you do.”

The issue is due to be debated in parliament on Monday (08.02.21) after over 280,000 musicians and music fans signed a petition calling for new negotiations with the EU.

Afro-Brazilian religion ritual before Carnival

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Afro-Brazilian religion ritual before Carnival

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Laura D’Oya, a priestess of an Afro-Brazilian religion, was at the center of the ceremony. Crouched down, she held a cigar in one of her hands and a top hat in the other. The temple in Rio de Janeiro was illuminated by red lights and dozens of practitioners sang and danced to the rhythm of an atabaque, a traditional hand drum.

                  The faithful of Umbanda, a religion that was born in Brazil, always perform rituals of spiritual protection as part of the pre-<a href="/topics/carnival/">Carnival</a> traditions. A spiritual mentor walked past <a href="/topics/laura/">Laura</a> in her Casa de Caridade Santa Barbara Iansa temple and prayed to activate a protective field to shield her from bad energies.












                  “Many people take advantage of this period to do good actions, but others do bad things. It (the ceremony) is for protection against events that can be more common (during carnival),” <a href="/topics/laura/">Laura</a> said before the ritual.
















                  As Portuguese colonists brought African slaves to Brazil, the enslaved men and women developed blends of their religions with Catholicism, which today include Candomble and Umbanda. They’re practiced by a tiny minority – some 600,000 of the more than 200 million Brazilians, according to the 2010 census - and Rio de Janeiro state is home to one-quarter of them. Afro-Brazilian religions have faced increased intolerance over recent years, with some of their temples destroyed.












                  Despite the fact Rio suspended street parties and the <a href="/topics/carnival/">Carnival</a> parade due to COVID-19, <a href="/topics/laura/">Laura’s</a> temple held the ceremony because they consider the period as one of disturbed energy. There is greater exposure of the human body and its sensuality, increasing the risk of accidents and other negative things, she explained.














                  Some protection rituals are even regularly performed at the <a href="/topics/carnival/">Carnival</a> parade grounds, known as the Sambadrome, which this year has been repurposed as a coronavirus vaccine station. Elderly Black women dressed in all white known as Bahianas usually wash the avenue before the parades to summon good energies for the public and the samba schools that stage the spectacle. Last year, one samba school’s parade centered on making a plea for people to respect Afro-Brazilian religions. 

























                    <a name="pagebreak"/>




                  The ceremony at Laura’s temple is for both spiritual and physical protection, she said. At the end of the ritual, all the practitioners leave the temple protected, once again, against the bad energies of the <a href="/topics/carnival/">Carnival</a>.
















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Hoyer Statement on Passing of Secretary George Shultz

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Hoyer Statement on Passing of Secretary George Shultz


Hoyer Statement on Passing of Secretary George Shultz – Book Publishing Industry Today – EIN Presswire


















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Truckers say UK exports to EU fall as much as 68% since Brexit

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Truckers say UK exports to EU fall as much as 68% since Brexit

The volume of goods going through British ports to the European Union has fallen by as much as 68% since Brexit, according to the Road Haulage Association, as the UK grapples with its new trading relationship with the bloc.

        <div class="paywall" readability="32.577399380805">

The number of customs brokers need to be increased fivefold to help firms with extra checks, Richard Burnett, chief executive officer of the RHA, wrote in a letter to Cabinet Minister Michael Gove dated Feb. 1. The trade group estimates there are only 10,000 agents in place so far, about a fifth of what’s needed.

“The current situation should not be considered a consequence of Covid,” Burnett wrote in the letter. “If anything, the absence of the pandemic would have made it worse, because volumes would be greater.”

Freight firms have been shunning the U.K since it left the bloc’s single market on Dec. 31, with additional checks creating hours-long queues and extra costs for exporters.

In addition to the decline in goods crossing the border, between 65% and 75% of vehicles that arrived from the EU were returning empty because there were no goods for them to transport, the Observer reported, citing RHA’s Burnett.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Zambia: Caritas Kasama’ solidarity with flood victims – Vatican News

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Zambia: Caritas Kasama' solidarity with flood victims - Vatican News

Fr. Nicholas Kaliminwa – Kasama, Zambia

Caritas Kasama has handed over food items to beneficiaries from four villages of Zambia’s Mungwi District in the Archdiocese of Kasama.

Diocesan parishes donate to flood victims

Among the items Caritas Kasama donated were bags of maize, cooking oil, packets of sugar, salt and assorted clothing. Speaking at the handover ceremony in Chifulo village, Director of Caritas Kasama, Father Leonard Kalyoti, explained that last year (2020), the Archbishop of Kasama, Ignatius Chama, appealed to the Christian faithful in the Archdiocese to donate, whatever the could, towards those affected by the floods.

Grateful to parish priests and parishioners

Father Kalyoti has since expressed gratitude to parish priests and the Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese of Kasama for their generosity towards the noble diocesan cause.

At the handover ceremony, Parish Priest of Mediatrix of All Graces, Malole Parish, Father Edward Mutale, thanked Archbishop Chama and Caritas Kasama for coming to the aid of the people. Father Mutale reminded beneficiaries that the foods donated were meant to cushion them as they await the next harvest season.

A Diocesan Bag of Solidarity Campaign

Meanwhile, Caritas Kasama has launched a diocesan campaign known as the Bag of Solidarity Campaign. The idea is to collect donations that would then be channelled towards the Archdiocese of Kasama’s vulnerable communities.

EU and UK ‘acting like absentee landlord’ over Brexit in Northern Ireland

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EU and UK 'acting like absentee landlord' over Brexit in Northern Ireland

The EU and UK have behaved like an “absentee landlord” in relation to Northern Ireland, an expert on Brexit in the region has said, as a new report by the Institute for Government has warned of more conflict across all issues “if the UK fails to manage the relationship” with Brussels.

Under the Brexit trade deal more than 20 committees and bodies are supposed to be set up to cement a working post-Brexit relationship on everything from fishing to energy supplies and aviation deals.

A further dozen or so were due to be created following the signing of the Northern Ireland protocol a year ago, and it is the failure to set up these management structures that is being seen as the cause of rising tensions in the region that led to the withdrawal of Brexit staff at ports last week.

“The protocol is not an easy thing to start up with a click of the fingers. But there has been this sense of an absentee landlord with all these rules coming into play and with no means of direct engagement to help manage the consequences of it,” said Katy Hayward, a professor of sociology at Queen’s University in Belfast and a former adviser to the government’s now defunct Brexit department.

“The main concern of the European commission has been to demonstrate and prove to other member states that the single market is being protected,” she said, adding that such a one-dimensional approach had been a misfit for Northern Ireland, a region still going through a post-conflict peace process that the EU itself had put to the fore of negotiations.

The report by the Institute for Government on managing the UK’s relationship with the EU makes a similar point on the wider Brexit relationship and says the structures for management need to be put in place urgently.

Bronwen Maddox, the thinktank’s director, described it in a podcast on Saturday as like “the hidden wiring was missing”.

The institute says the committees will serve as platforms for expert and on-the-ground reporting which will act, in Northern Ireland’s case, as an early warning system to head off problems before they arise.

Its report says “the government appears inclined at every turn to downplay the significance of the UK’s relationship with the EU – and to have a preference for dealing bilaterally with individual member states rather than with the EU institutions.

“It may also fear that creating an overelaborate bureaucracy to manage the EU relationship would produce a mindset where the EU looms larger in internal thinking than it needs to.

“The government wanted a Canada-style agreement with the EU but … Brussels will never regard the UK as simply Toronto on Thames – and if the UK fails to manage the relationship well it may find it ends up with more conflicts with the EU than if it had spent more time thinking in advance about the issue.”

Under the Northern Ireland protocol a working consultative group was supposed to have been set up to feed into the UK-EU joint committee overseeing the implementation of Brexit.

But although the protocol was signed off more than a year ago it was never set up, leading to the rigorous application of it that has led to restrictions on food, pets and plants, all of which has been seized upon by loyalist communities and others as evidence of separation from Great Britain.

But Hayward says there are solutions for Michael Gove and the European commission vice-president, Maroš Šefčovič, who will meet next week, with part of the protocol explicitly allowing for an easing of controls at ports.

Article 6.2 of the protocol states the committee shall regard Northern Ireland’s “integral place in the United Kingdom’s internal market” and make “best endeavours to facilitate trade between Northern Ireland and the other parts of the UK”.

It adds that the ease of trade between Northern Ireland and the UK shall be kept under constant review and the committee can at any time make “appropriate recommendations with a view to avoiding controls at the ports and the airports of Northern Ireland to the extent possible”.

Hayward said: “The hope would be that those EU observers could recognise the nature of the situation and would be able to see where there could be flexibility and pragmatism.”

• The headline and text of this article were amended on 7 February 2021 to better reflect Prof Hayward’s comments.