Iranian Ambassador to Brussels Ghoamhossein Dehghani submitted his credentials to the President of the European Council Charles Michel on Saturday.
He had presented his credentials to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen three weeks ago.
During the meeting, both sides conferred on various fields including the latest development regarding JCPOA and the necessity to preserve and implement the Nuclear Deal by the Security Council and the JCPOA participants, countering US illegal actions, regional developments, the role of the Islamic Republic in the fight against terrorism, Iran’s readiness to cooperate with regional countries and the EU, and expanding bilateral economic relations.
Charles Michel further emphasized preserving and implementing the Nuclear Deal and stressed the importance of relations between Iran and the EU, noting that friendly regionals ties can ensure peace and security which is also beneficial for the European Union.
THE Anambra State Government in partnership with EU/WHO organised a stakeholders workshop on Public Finance Management Reform, PFMR, guidelines and scoping assessment finding agenda.
The objective of the workshop is to engage the ministry of health and the stakeholders to come up with regular communication and exchange in PFMR activities.
It was also to update on the current PFMR situation in the state ministry of health and consensus on the PFMR situation, including current budget process, capacity building and the electronic systems to adopt.
Vincent Okpala, commissioner for health, said the workshop was aimed at ensuring that stakeholders understood Public Finance Management Reforms for effective healthcare delivery.
“The objective of the PFMR is to strengthen and to improve the efficiency of public health financing in the state through Public Finance Management Reforms, including Programme Based Budgeting, PBB.’’
The idea of the workshop, which was held in Awka was to create a replicable model of PFMR in the health sector and strengthen the existing public finance management system in a more coordinated manner to meet the fiscal and financial policy challenges.
Okpala noted that in 2017, the state government established State Health Insurance Agency, which had been adjudged the best in Nigeria and the efforts are geared toward achieving Universal Health Coverage for people of the state.
He noted that the State Health Financing was one of the six building blocks of the Health System Strengthening, HSS, project and had many areas of which PFMR was the key priority area.
“In 2015, the President signed Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with EU to be implemented by WHO and to strengthen the health system under the HSS project, which is part of the effort to achieve Universal Health Coverage,’’ he said.
According to him, Nigeria is currently not on track in achieving Universal Health Coverage, UHC.
“The sub-optimal performance of Nigeria’s Health System can be attributed to poor financing of the required investment for delivery and management of health sector.
“EU/WHO, through the State Ministry of Health has started the implementation and the alignment of the Public Finance Management Reform for health in the state.
“A Desk review has been conducted on this by the consultant appointed by WHO of which stakeholders here has been part of the review,’’ he added.
The State Coordinator of WHO, Chukwumuanya Igboekwu, said the workshop was geared toward achieving Universal Health Coverage.
Igboekwu said that the EU/WHO partnership had started to yield positive results.
He assured that the EU/WHO would continue to support the state through the HSS project.
The participants included the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mark Okoye, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Simeon Onyemaechi.
MANCHESTER, England (CNS) — Only a small minority of British Catholics said they would not return to worship in church when the coronavirus pandemic is fully over, according to a new survey.
Just 4% of people interviewed in the study, conducted between May 19 and July 26, said they would abandon going to church when restrictions are finally lifted.
The findings of the poll of 2,500 people by Catholic Voices, a group set up in the U.K. in 2010 to improve communications between the church and the media, contradict the predictions of some Catholics that the COVID-19 crisis would irrevocably accelerate the decline of collective worship among the faithful.
Brenden Thompson, CEO of Catholic Voices, said he was “pleasantly surprised by many of the findings.”
“Catholics miss their parishes and church buildings and seem eager to return, not just content with ‘virtual church,'” he said in a statement.
“Many, it seems, by and large, have backed the bishops, been grateful for the efforts of clergy to livestream, and many have even felt at times closer to God and been more prayerful than usual,” he said.
“That said, the challenges ahead are real, so if we want to capitalize on this goodwill, we need to start thinking seriously about the conversations that need to happen as more and more begin returning to parishes,” he added.
The British study revealed that 93% of those interviewed worshipped by watching Mass online during lockdown via streams provided largely by dioceses and parish churches, and that 66% appreciated the virtual services.
But 61% of those interviewed said they wished to revert to regular Mass attendance when the churches fully reopened, with 35% saying they would worship online only occasionally at that point — if the service remained available.
“It seems that virtual worship during the lockdown has been generally well received,” said the study, published Sept. 9.
“While it may remain something that some people might dip into in the future, few would stop attending church altogether,” it said.
In a statement, Catholic Voices said the study, called “Coronavirus, Church & You,” was intended to explore the experience of the lockdown of both clergy and laity.
It found that 61% agreed that the temporary closure of churches was right. Results showed 80% agreed church buildings were essential to “faith witness” and 84% disagreed with the statement that church buildings were an unnecessary burden and expense.
A total of 53% said they believe the Catholic Church had responded well to the crisis, compared to just 22% who offered the same opinion for the performance of the government.
Nearly two-thirds of Catholics had some contact with clergy during lockdown, the survey found, while exactly half of those interviewed said the crisis made them feel closer to God. More than 50% said the lockdown made them more prayerful.
The survey was carried out by Francis Davis of the University of Birmingham, Andrew Village of York St. John University and Leslie Francis of the University of Warwick.
The draft legislation, currently before the Swiss Parliament, expands the definition of terrorism and no longer requires the prospect of any crime at all, they said, in a plea for a last-minute reversal by legislators.
Citing international standards, the experts defined terrorism as the intimidation or coercion of populations or governments through violence that causes death or serious injury, or the taking of hostages.
Under the bill, “terrorist activity” may encompass even lawful acts aimed at influencing or modifying the constitutional order, such as legitimate activities of journalists, civil society and political activists.
“Expanding the definition of terrorism to any non-violent campaign involving the spreading of fear goes far beyond current Swiss domestic law and violates international standards”, said the experts, all of whom were appointed by the UN Human Rights Council.
“This excessively expansive definition sets a dangerous precedent and risks serving as a model for authoritarian governments seeking to suppress political dissent including through torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
Other sections of the draft law have also raised concerns, such as those giving the federal police extensive authority to designate “potential terrorists” and to decide preventive measures against them.
Expertise declined
The rights experts had earlier written to the Swiss authorities, expressing their concerns about the incompatibility of the bill with human rights and international best practices in counter-terrorism. However, no changes were implemented.
“While we recognize the serious security risks posed by terrorism, we very much regret that the Swiss authorities have declined this opportunity to benefit from our technical assistance and expertise on how to combine effective preventive measures with respect for human rights”, they said.
The experts called on Swiss parliamentarians to keep in mind their country’s traditionally strong commitment to human rights, urging them to reject a law which “is bound to become a serious stain on Switzerland’s otherwise strong human rights legacy.”
Role of UN Special Rapporteurs
The five experts are all UN Special Rapporteurs who are mandated to monitor specific country human rights situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world.
They are not UN staff, nor are they paid by the Organization.
The outbreak in Equateur Province emerged in early June and has now spread into another of its 17 health zones, bringing the total number of affected zones to 12. So far, there have been 113 cases and 48 deaths.
“The most recently affected area, Bomongo, is the second affected health zone that borders the Republic of Congo, which heightens the chances of this outbreak to spread into another country”, said WHO Spokesperson, Fadéla Chaib, underlining the need for cross-border collaboration and coordination.
The risk of the disease spreading as far as Kinshasa is also a very real concern for the UN agency. One of the affected areas, Mbandaka, is connected to the capital by a busy river route used by thousands every week.
This is the second Ebola outbreak in Equateur Province and the 11th overall in the DRC, which recently defeated the disease in its volatile eastern region after a two-year battle.
This latest western outbreak first surfaced in the city of Mbandaka, home to more than one million people, and subsequently spread to 11 health zones, with active transmission currently occurring in eight.
The health zones all border each other and cover a large and remote area often only accessible by helicopter or boat.
Managing response logistics in Equateur is difficult as communities are very scattered. Many are in deeply forested areas and reaching them requires travelling long distances.
In some areas, community resistance is also a challenge, Ms. Chaib added.
“We learned over years of working on Ebola in DRC how important it is to engage and mobilize communities. WHO is working with UNICEF in engaging religious, youth and community leaders to raise awareness about Ebola,” she said.
Health workers on strike
The situation has been further complicated by a health worker strike that has affected key response activities for nearly four weeks.
Locally based Ebola responders have been protesting against low salaries as well as non-payment since the start of the outbreak.
Although some activities have resumed, many are still on hold, making it difficult to get an accurate picture of how the epidemic is evolving and which areas need the most attention.
Response ‘grossly underfunded’
WHO and partners have been on the ground since the early days of the outbreak.
More than 90 experts are in Equateur, and additional staff have recently been deployed from the capital, including experts in epidemiology, vaccination, community engagement, infection prevention and control, laboratory and treatment.
Nearly one million travellers have been screened, which helped identify some 72 suspected Ebola cases, thus reducing further spread.
However, the UN agency warned that response is “grossly underfunded”. WHO has provided some $2.3 million in support so far, and has urged donors to back a $40 million plan by the Congolese government.
This latest Ebola outbreak is unfolding amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Friday, there were more than 10,300 cases and 260 deaths across the vast African nation.
While there are several similarities in addressing the two diseases, such as the need to identify and test contacts, isolate cases, and promote effective prevention measures, Ms. Chaib stressed that without extra funding, it will be even harder to defeat Ebola.
Moria fires, COMECE urges action to protect asylum seekers
In the context of the tragedy occurred in the Moria camp (Lesvos) on Tuesday 8 September 2020, the Bishops of the European Union urge the EU institutions and all Member States to act more swiftly and firmly to finally make the relocation of asylum seekers from the Greek islands a reality. Card. Hollerich: “we need to enhance the common EU asylum policy”.
Approximately 13,000 people, including hundreds of unaccompanied minors, fled the overcrowded Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesvos as giant fires roared the area between 8-9 September 2020.
While the Greek authorities and humanitarian organisations, including Caritas Europa and the Community of St. Egidio, are racing to provide the emergency accommodation and aid to the homeless asylum seekers, the President of COMECE, H.Em. Card. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, reiterates his call on the EU and its Member States to enhance the common EU asylum policy and fairly relocate the asylum seekers among all EU Member States as soon as possible.
“When I met with the refugees at Moria camp – stated the Cardinal recalling his May 2019 visit together with a Papal delegation – I felt deep despair in the heart of the people. Darkness has come in their heart […]and this is due to our inaction”.
“These people came to Europe for help and we left them as refugees in camps. It is a shame for Europe. What is on fire is not only the camp of Moria, but also the identity of Europe. We cannot claim Europe’s Christian rootsif we let people in the despair”, continued the Head of EU bishops.
In the context of the final phase of the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which shall address, among other issues, the contentious question of distribution of refugees among EU Member States, the Catholic Church in the EU hopes that this predictable tragedy will serve as a wake-up call.
Earlier this year, when the first cases of Covid-19 were detected in the EU, COMECE urged EU and policy-makers to act with responsibility and solidarity, especially with the most vulnerable, including the many asylum seekers residing in camps with high population density.
Built up with a capacity of 3,000 residents, in these last years the Moria camp hosted in wretched conditions between 13,000 and 20,000 people, including more than 4,000 children, pregnant women, elderly and handicapped people.
On Thursday, Indian external affairs S. Jaishankar and Chinese state councillor Wang Yi met for the first time after the start of the crisis, just six days after their ministerial colleagues in charge of defence had also held their first face-to-face meeting to discuss the stand-off on September 4.According to a joint press statement, the two ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. “They agreed therefore that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions,” the statement said.
Jaishankar and Wang Yi also agreed that both sides shall abide by the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.
The five-point consensus also includes taking “guidance from the series of consensus of the leaders on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes”.
1. The two Ministers agreed that both sides should take guidance from the series of consensuses of the leaders on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes.
The two Foreign Ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. They agreed therefore that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.
The two Ministers agreed that both sides shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.
The two sides also agreed to continue to have dialogue and communication through the Special Representative mechanism on the India-China boundary question. They also agreed in this context that the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC), should also continue its meetings.
The Ministers agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new Confidence Building Measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
The two sides, the statement said, agreed to continue to have dialogue and communication through the Special Representative mechanism on the boundary question and the ministers agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new confidence building measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
Jaishankar and Wang Yi met in Moscow on the sidelines of the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Their talks come after a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe in…
Those deadly clashes had occurred 1.5 months after India had detected an inordinate number of Chinese troops positioned far beyond their usual patrolling limits at the LAC. While Indian and Chinese military commanders had drawn up a disengagement plan, the road to its implementation has been bumpy.
BRUSSELS: European Union leaders should impose “severe” economic sanctions on Turkey for a limited time if Ankara does not remove its military vessels and gas drilling ships from waters off Cyprus, Greece’s deputy foreign minister said on Thursday. “The sanctions should put this pressure, to be severe, for a limited time, but severe, in order to send the message that Europe is here to negotiate but is also here to defend its values,” Miltiadis Varvitsiotis told the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee. EU leaders will hold a special summit on Sept. 24-25 to discuss how to resolve the crisis between Cyprus and Turkey over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean.
