In a statement released by WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared that a new approach is needed if diseases such as guinea worm and yaws are to be tackled: “This means injecting new energy into our efforts and working together in new ways to get prevention and treatment for all these diseases, to everyone who needs it”.
This new approach was unveiled on Wednesday, in a 10-year plan which targets a 90 per cent reduction in the need for the treatment of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The plan contains several concrete proposals in areas such as programme delivery, cost-effectiveness and improved coverage, and calls for programmes to be sustainable, with measurable outcomes and adequate domestic financing.
As well as causing pain and disability, NTDs hinder economic development, by preventing children from going to school and adults from going to work. Those affected by disabilities and impairments caused by NTDs, often experience stigma within their communities, leading to social isolation.
A young boy receives treatment for Guinea worm disease in South Sudan.
Ambitious targets
The WHO plan, developed in consultation with a wide selection of countries, partners, stakeholders, scientists, and academics, contains several ambitious targets, including the elimination of a minimum of one NTD in at least 100 countries, completely eradicating guinea worm and yaws, and vastly improving access to basic water supply and sanitation.
The progress made in fighting NTDs over the last ten years is an encouraging indicator of what can be achieved in the coming decade, the UN health agency said.
Around 600 million fewer people are now at risk of these diseases; 42 countries have eliminated at least one NTD; and global programmes treated at least one billion people in the five year period between 2015 and 2020.
Significant threats still need to be overcome, however, including climate change, the threat of new diseases crossing over from animals to humans, conflict, and continued inequalities in access to healthcare services, adequate housing, safe water and sanitation.
FRA (Fundamental Right Agency) held an online inception meeting of a new project looking into the fundamental rights situation of third-country nationals who are long-term residents in the EU. The meeting on will gather partners from FRA’s research network from nine EU Member States – Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden – covered by the research.
The project will look into the fundamental rights situation of long-term residents in the EU, including equal treatment and access to rights. FRA will collect the data through online interviews with experts and online focus groups and interviews with migrants who are long-term resident in the EU. The meeting took place on 27 January.
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Frustratingly, 2020 was the worst year on record for data breaches, signalling a seismic shift in consumer attitudes towards privacy,” —
Alastair Johnson, CEO & Founder of Nuggets
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, January 28, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — The ID2020 Alliance is delighted to welcome U.K.-based Nuggets as the newest member of its vibrant community. The Alliance is made up of public and private sector organizations who share a common commitment to good ID for all.
The Nuggets proposition could not be clearer, proclaiming boldly that “privacy is a fundamental human right” and signalling an immediate alignment with the ID2020 Manifesto – the statement of principles that guide the Alliance’s work.
“We are always excited to welcome organizations who so wholeheartedly embrace our values,” said ID2020 Executive Director, Dakota Gruener. “When we talk about complex issues, such as identity and data ownership, we know that transparency is essential to building trust – with customers, partners, and users. We could not be more excited to welcome Nuggets to the Alliance as we work together toward a future with good digital identity for all.”
Nuggets offers a robust decentralized self-sovereign ID and payments platform, that enables consumers to retain control of their personal information and businesses to protect their customer’s data. Their solution leverages biometrics for verification, strong customer authentication, and cryptographic proof of identity to facilitate customer onboarding (KYC & KYB), single sign-on with biometrics, omnichannel payments, age verification, contactless delivery and verified two-way communication transactions through a scalable, decentralized digital ID.
Founded in 2016 by Alastair Johnson and Seema Khinda Johnson, Nuggets is available in Europe and Australia and is expanding its platform into new verticals including financial services, which has been advanced by a significant partnership with LexisNexis Risk Solutions, one of the largest protectors of private and confidential data in the world.
Nuggets has already won numerous awards for its industry leading FinTech offerings, including most recently from Deutsche Bank. As part of their recent growth, Nuggets has established commercial partnerships with global companies such as LexisNexis Risk Solutions, LatPay, QFPay and a variety of other organizations.
“Frustratingly, 2020 was the worst year on record for data breaches, signalling a seismic shift in consumer attitudes towards privacy,” said Alastair Johnson, CEO & Founder of Nuggets. “On this Data Privacy Day – held annually on January 28 to create awareness about the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data and enabling trust – it feels particularly timely for Nuggets to join forces with ID2020 and the other brand leaders that are helping to make protecting customers’ data a top priority in this increasingly data-driven digital world.”
The ID2020 Alliance also continues to grow at a healthy pace, welcoming organizations from the public and private sectors that share our commitment to user-managed privacy-protecting, and portable digital ID. As an Alliance, we are only as strong as our members and we are thrilled to add Nuggets to the partnership as we move–together–towards providing good ID for all.
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets regulator, has appointed a new member to its Management Board to fill a vacancy following the departure of a member of the Board of Supervisors.
The appointment took place at the Board of Supervisors meeting in Paris today, 28 January.
The new member is:
Magdalena Lapsa Parczewska, Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego (KNF), Poland.
The new member will serve the remainder of the outgoing member’s term, until 30 March 2022, commencing with immediate effect.
The outgoing member was:
Sebastian Albella Amigo, formerly of the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), Spain.
The Management Board, chaired by Steven Maijoor, Chair of ESMA, is responsible for ensuring that the Authority carries out its mission and performs the tasks assigned to it under its founding Regulation. The Management Board now consists of:
Steven Maijoor, European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA);
Magdalena Lapsa Parczewska, Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego (KNF);
Vojtech Belling, Česká národní banka (CNB);
Vasiliki Lazarakou, Hellenic Capital Markets Commission, (HCMC)
Derville Rowland, Central Bank of Ireland (CBI);
Robert Ophèle, Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), France; and
Statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
Copenhagen, 28 January 2021
Good morning,
Today, we face a pandemic paradox.
Vaccines, on the one hand, offer remarkable hope. On the other hand, newly emerging variants of concern are presenting greater uncertainty and risk.
A total of 35 countries in the European Region have begun vaccinations, administering 25 million doses. These vaccines have shown the efficacy and safety we all hoped they would, and we should pause to acknowledge where science and determination have got us, since the SARS-CoV-2 virus was identified a year ago. This monumental undertaking will release pressure on our health systems and undoubtedly save lives.
Continued high rates of transmission and emerging COVID-19 variants of concern, however, have raised the urgency of the task to vaccinate priority groups. The increasing expectation of science, and vaccine development, production and equitable distribution, is not being met as fast as we would all like.
This paradox, where communities sense an end is in sight with the vaccine but, at the same time, are called to adhere to restrictive measures in the face of a new threat, is causing tension, angst, fatigue and confusion. This is completely understandable in these circumstances.
Today the world will exceed 100 million COVID-19 cases, of which a third are in the Europe Region, and in 2 days, it will be 1 year since the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, WHO’s highest level of alarm.
As of today, 33 European countries have reported cases of the variant initially identified in the UK; while 16 have reported the one first identified in South Africa. Several hospitals, schools and long-term care settings have reported outbreaks involving new variants of concern.
Lockdowns, introduced to limit the spread of the virus, particularly the more transmissible new variants, have resulted in a decrease in new cases across the Region: 30 countries have seen a significant decrease in 14-day cumulative incidence. This is 7 more countries than 2 weeks ago. Yet, transmission rates across Europe are still very high, impacting health systems and straining services, making it too early to ease up. Pushing transmission down requires a sustained, consistent effort. Bear in mind that just over 3% of people in the Region have had a confirmed COVID-19 infection. Areas hit badly once can be hit again.
Not a single community nor individual have been spared the consequences of the pandemic. More than 700 000 Europeans have lost their lives to a virus that has had a brutal impact on our economies, our mental health and education, our private and professional lives, our relationships. Last week alone, deaths continued to plateau at record levels with over 38 000 new deaths reported. To the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives to this disease, I offer my deepest condolences.
While breaking transmission chains is a clear priority, we are also addressing the effect on mental health. Mental illness is taking its toll, both on those who were already at risk, as well as on those who have never sought mental health support before. The International Labour Organization found that the pandemic has meant that half of young people aged 18 to 29 are subject to depression and anxiety – and up to 20% of health-care workers are suffering from anxiety and depression. Poor mental health has become a parallel pandemic that WHO/Europe is determined to address with a new Mental Health Coalition aimed at ramping up support and guidance to every country.
Some tough questions have been asked of our leaders over this past year. To European health authorities that have taken timely but painful decisions and managed to reverse the trend, I commend you for your resourcefulness and actions. Empowering health leadership in countries, especially in times of crises, is a priority for WHO/Europe. Let us not forget the lessons we have learned so harshly: opening and closing, locking down and opening up, rapidly, is a poor strategy. The introduction and gradual lifting of measures based on epidemiological criteria remains our best option to allow economies to survive and minimize collateral effects. Our approach must be measured, it must be restrained.
We need to stay patient. It will take time to vaccinate against COVID-19. To the millions of you in the 25 European countries that are currently in partial or full nationwide lockdown, whose freedom of movement is restricted, I am fully aware of the sacrifices you have made. I too feel it in my family, my community and my workplace.
In the face of new, more transmissible variants of the virus, we will need to keep our guard up. This is the time we must draw on every reserve of patience and resilience to tolerate and adhere to the necessary measures that protect our health systems from collapsing under waves of a more transmissible virus.
The European Investment Bank today confirmed EUR 38.5 million of new financial and technical support to transform renewable power generation in Burkina Faso and better protect its capital city from future flooding. The new clean energy and climate adaptation projects will improve access to energy in the country and address public health challenges and economic risks caused by extreme weather.
The latest European Investment Bank support for climate action in the Sahel was announced during a virtual event earlier today by Ambroise Fayolle, European Investment Bank Vice President.
The importance of accelerating high-impact investment in Burkina Faso was highlighted by the Minister of the Economy, Minister of Energy, Mayor of Ouagadougou, European Union Ambassador and representatives of financing partner Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
“New investment to Improve access to energy and better protect against climate change is essential for social and economic progress in Burkina Faso, the Sahel and Africa. The European Investment Bank has been a key partner for Burkina Faso for more than 50 years providing financial support and sharing unique global technical expertise for priority investment in our country. Today’s new agreements will scale up renewable energy generation and better protect our capital city Ouagadogou from future floods and extreme weather and protect our citizens from malaria.” said M. Lassané Kaboré, Minister of the economy, finance and development of Burkino Faso.
“Citizens of Ouagadougou face the impact of a changing climate on a daily basis. Support and technical expertise from the EIB, AFD and the EU will help to better protect Ougadougou from future floods, reduce the risk to live and property and improve access to key services during heavy rains.” said Armand Roland Pierre Béouindé, Mayor of Ouagadougou.
“The European Investment Bank has supported long-term investment in Burkina Faso since 1970 and is committed to strengthening economic opportunities, supporting sustainable development and accelerating climate action across the Sahel. As the EU climate bank and a member of Team Europe, the EIB is pleased to back Sonabel’s first solar power plant that will transform renewable energy generation in Burkina Faso and to support investment to better protect thousands of people in Ouagadougou from floods. Cooperation between Burkinabé partners and AFD, the European Union and the EIB is unlocking priority investment that highlights the social, economic and public health impact of climate action in Africa.” said Ambroise Fayolle, European Investment Bank Vice President.
“Team Europe is committed to delivering sustainable development in Burkina Faso and Africa and strengthening cooperation with African partners. This new agreement will enable thousands of people in Burkina Faso to benefit from more reliable access to clean energy and address flood risks.” said Wolfram Vetter, European Union Ambassador to Burkina Faso.
Harnessing solar power to enhance national energy production
The EIB supports renewable energy projects worldwide and will provide EUR 38.5 million to the solar power plant operated by national electricity authority Sonabel.
The EIB backing will help expand the capacity of the plant from 37 MW today to 50 MW.
The EUR 70.5 million scheme will increase domestic electricity production to address the 10% annual increase in demand and reduce the need for imports. Electricity supply in Burkina Faso is currently restricted by the limited interconnector capacity used to import power from Cote d’Ivoire.
Protecting Ouagadougou from climate change
More than 24,000 homes were destroyed and 150,000 properties damages by recent floods. New investment backed by the EIB and Agence Française de Développement will contruct a 5km water evacuation channel and improve flood protection in the Tanghin district of Ouagadougou.
The new scheme will protect property, improve public health by reducing waterborne diseases including malaria and improve access to key services, incuding schools and markets, during seasonal rains.
Backing high-impact investment in the Sahel
The European Investment Bank, as part of Team Europe and member of the Sahel Alliance, recognises the need to scale up investment that tackles these challenges and improves stability in the Sahel region.
Unlocking Supporting transformational public and private sector investment in 11 Sahel states most vulnerable to climate change is a key priority for the EIB as part of broader support for high-impact investment across Africa.
The European Investment Bank is the world’s largest international public bank and owned directly by the 27 European Union member states.
The Ambassador of the European Union for the Pacific,H.E Sujiro Seam with the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Dame Meg Taylor at the signing ceremony. The European Union (EU) and the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) have today signed …
The Ambassador of the European Union for the Pacific,H.E Sujiro Seam with the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Dame Meg Taylor at the signing ceremony.
The European Union (EU) and the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) have today signed a new project worth EUR 5.75 million (equivalent to FJD 14.3 million) to enhance the trade capacity of Pacific countries.
The project titled “Strengthening Pacific Intra -Regional and International Trade (SPIRIT)” (SPIRIT) aims at boosting and increasing intra-regional and international trade by strengthening institutional and technical capacity in the region. It will facilitate the implementation of trade agreements, in particular the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and of the Pacific’s Aid-for-Trade Strategy 2020-2025. SPIRIT will also contribute to the development of a statistical monitoring framework that will foster greater regional economic integration.
In her remarks, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Dame Meg Taylor said that, “The implementation of SPIRIT will ease trade challenges faced by the Pacific ACP[1] countries and focus on creating opportunities to trade regionally and internationally. Most importantly, it will strengthen the capacities of trade departments in the region through the provision of a technical position at the sub-regional level in each of the three sub-regions in the Pacific.”
Today’s announcement outlines the significant partnership and commitment between the EU and the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat in advancing the Pacific countries’ benefits from trade agreements by promoting their efficient and streamlined implementation. Three Long-Term Trade advisers will be deployed in the sub-regions of Melanesia (including Timor-Leste), Micronesia and Polynesia to assist with the development and implementation of trade and investment policies. These Trade Advisers will also deliver a range of capacity-building and training initiatives to the Pacific countries.
The Ambassador of the European Union for the Pacific, H.E Sujiro Seam said: “The European Union is not only a development partner for the Pacific, it is also the best success story of regional trade and economic integration following the Second World War. With a market of 500 million consumers, the European Union is a business partner for the Pacific. This SPIRIT project comes at the right time, to alleviate the catastrophic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Pacific economies, build value and growth in the region and take advantage of the business opportunities offered in the European market.”
The Pacific ACP benefitting from the initiative are Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
The EIB and the Croatian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development expand cooperation on the development and financing of Croatia’s key energy, resilience and climate projects.
The EU bank will help Croatia maximise opportunities created by various EU funds and initiatives, including the European Commission’s Green Deal Investment Plan.
The partners will join efforts to contribute to a green, energy efficient and sustainable European Union.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia have agreed to expand cooperation on the development and financing of key energy, sustainability and climate-related projects in the country.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed today, the two sides have agreed to develop joint operations in areas such as (i) renewable electricity generation and transmission distribution infrastructure; (ii) clean energy and energy efficiency measures, and renovations and conversions of buildings; (iii) green mobility; and (iv) support for the Croatian economy’s transition to a circular economy.
The EIB will step up its support to the Croatian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and back key energy and climate initiatives such as the National Energy and Climate Plan. The partners will also cooperate to maximise opportunities stemming from EU programmes such as InvestEU, the Green Deal Investment Plan, and the Just Transition Fund.
EIB Vice-President Dario Scannapieco, who is in charge of operations in Croatia, said: “This agreement is a win-win cooperation on the common goals related to energy, resilience and climate projects in Croatia. It will also enable the country to maximise the opportunities stemming from various EU programmes, funds and initiatives and attract more finance for key operations, which will help the Croatian economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the two devastating earthquakes that recently struck the country.”
Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Ćorić, PhD, said: “Cooperation between the Ministry and the EIB has been fruitful and this Memorandum will help us to strengthen our partnership even more. Croatia supports the decarbonisation of Europe and we see it as an opportunity for the development of the Croatian economy. Our goal of running on renewable energy by 2030 is ambitious but achievable. We also have a lot of new green projects that will decarbonise our economy and we see the EIB as a strong partner in implementing these projects.”
Ognian Zlatev, Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Croatia, said: “We very much welcome this cooperation between the EIB and the Croatian government, which will help maximise the great opportunities created by EU funds and initiatives in the field of climate and energy. This will help Croatia to make the most of the Commission’s European Green Deal Investment Plan and successfully implement its ambitious energy and climate projects, in line with the EU target to be climate-neutral by 2050.”
EU bank support boosts Croatia’s COVID-19 and earthquake recovery
The implementation of the projects outlined in the National Energy and Climate Plan are expected to boost the local economy as it recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the two devastating earthquakes that hit the country in 2020.
Support for a green, energy efficient and sustainable Croatia
The partners agreed on a coordinated effort to create long-term conditions for the sustainable development of Croatia through (i) improved protection and conservation of the environment; (ii) the development of sustainable water management practices; (iii) the development of systems to monitor weather and climate conditions; and (iv) the strengthening of Croatia’s energy and hydrocarbon management systems.
The Memorandum of Understanding outlines the support the EIB will extend to the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development in implementing the National Energy and Climate Plan and the Recovery and Resilience Plan, as well as major energy efficiency projects in the country, contributing to Croatia’s and the European Union’s energy and climate goals.
Croatia’s Energy Strategy and National Energy and Climate Plan are spearheaded by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. These documents are key to the long-term, sustainable and green development of Croatia and will help accelerate the achievement of the European Union’s energy and climate goals.
EIB to invest €1 trillion in climate action by 2030
The EIB will increase similar investments across the European Union as it transforms into the EU climate bank, mobilising €1 trillion for the climate and the environment by the end of the decade.
Last year, the share of EIB investments that went towards climate action and environmental sustainability projects rose from 34% to 40%, in spite of the COVID-19 crisis, bringing the EU bank closer to its 50% target.
In November 2020, the EIB Board approved the Climate Bank Roadmap, which outlines how the Bank will achieve these ambitious targets. The Roadmap sees the phasing-out of financing for high-emission projects such as airport expansions and sets stringent criteria for the financing of certain other projects such as motorways, after the Bank already announced an end to unabated gas projects.
Maximising and expanding opportunities from EU funds and initiatives
The EU bank will also provide technical and advisory support to maximise and expand opportunities deriving from EU initiatives and funds by working alongside the Croatian Ministry of Environment to access and blend financing from these sources with EIB financial products.
The EIB in Croatia:
To date, the EIB has supported the economic and social development of Croatia by investing €6.71 billion in operations covering the most important sectors of Croatia’s economy, including transport, the environment, energy infrastructure, manufacturing and services. Another key component of EIB activities in Croatia is support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps through the creation of long-term financing options in cooperation with local financial institutions. To date, the EIB has supported Croatian SMEs by unlocking new sources of finance worth close to €3.75 billion.
