Year: 2017

An Introduction to the European Neighborhood Policy

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By Drew Buys, Alumni at the University of Wisconsin–Madison This is the first in a three part series on the European Neighborhood Policy as a framework for European Union foreign policy for nearby countries that are not on the membership agenda. The European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) guides European Union (EU) policy with external partner countries as a way to foster deeper economic and political ties to countries in the EU’s region that will not be offered membership. These neighbor countries are split into two groups. Countries to Europe’s east are…

Sputnik School of Young Journalists Enrolls Students From 23 Countries

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Over 100 young journalists have participated in this unprecedented international media exchange project since 2015. Sputnik news agency and radio is opening another session of its School of Young Journalists at its Moscow headquarters. The session running through November 4 will have the largest intake since the project launch. This time, young journalists from 23 countries will participate. They represent more than 30 media companies, including ISNA (Iran), Ufuq News (Afghanistan), Tanjug (Serbia), Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (Tunisia), CNA (Cyprus), Blitz (Bulgaria), Anadolu (Turkey), VNA (Vietnam), FENA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), WAFA (Palestine), SRNA (Serbia); newspapers Diário de…

More than 2000 delegates to attend WISE confabulations

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About 2,000 participants from 100 countries are expected to attend the eighth summit of the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), a global initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF), in Doha on November 14-16. The biennial summit, a premier international gathering on the future of education, will attract some of the world’s most creative leaders in the fields of education, technology, social entrepreneurship, global development, media, and philanthropy. The theme of the 2017 summit, ‘Co-Exist, Co-Create: Learning to Live and Work Together,’ is designed to spark debate around education challenges in…

Foreign investments in Tunisia increased by 13.6 % in 9 months

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The Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) announced, on Tuesday, that foreign investments in the country have increased by 13.6 per cent on a yearly basis, during the first nine months of 2017. This came during the Agency’s press conference in the capital Tunis to present the sixth edition of the Tunisia Investment Forum 2017, which will be held on 9 and 10 November in the presence of 1200 economists and political officials from around the world. Khalil Al-Abidi, Director General of the Agency, told Anadolu News Agency that “foreign investment in Tunisia…

Tunisia to host Int’l investment forum to boost development

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Tunisia is to host an International Investment Forum that gathers 1,200 participants from more than 40 countries, highlighting development and social responsibility, official said Tuesday. The Tunisia Investment Forum (TIF 2017), scheduled on Nov. 9-10, will focus on themes to highlight “the importance of … Tunisia in the global value chain,” said Khalil Laabidi, director general of the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) of Tunisia and the organizer of the event. TIF 2017 also aims to consolidate the confidence of the investor, encourage and mobilize the foreign investment to promote…

Tunisia tightens import restrictions to tackle trade deficit

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Tunisia’s central bank has ordered local lenders to stop financing the importation of hundreds of products — from fish to perfume — as the country tries to curb a record trade deficit. A document seen by Reuters showed that banks had been told not to provide loans to finance imports of some 220 consumer products unless the importer deposits enough funds to cover the cost of the import. The products listed include tropical fruits, alcoholic beverages, cosmetics products and air conditioners. A senior government official told Reuters that Tunisia hoped…

Al Karama: foreign companies will benefit from Tunisia’s economic breakthrough

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After a successful democratic transition following the revolution in 2011, Tunisia is ready to secure a prominent economic position in the region. The African country is now gathering pace to generate sustainable growth based on high value-added activities and private investment. Today, almost 3,500 foreign companies operate in Tunisia, where confidence is boosted by political stability, as well as the multiple opportunities available to businesses. In recent years, Tunisia has undergone fundamental reforms that established the pillars for its nascent democracy. A new constitution and the first free election of…

Migrant arrivals to Italy down by over thirty percent since January

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The ministry said that 111,397 migrants landed in Italy between January and October, compared to 159,427 during the same period last year. A 78 percent drop was registered in October alone, while arrivals from Libya, a key departure point for migrants attempting the treacherous crossing to Europe, are down 93 percent since January. The numbers have dropped off significantly since the summer, when Italy moved to rein in NGO rescue ships operating in the Mediterranean by making them sign a new code of conduct, while Libya barred foreign vessels from…

Libyan International Oil Services Conference to be held in Tunisia in November

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The Tunisian city of Hammamet is to host between 20-22 of November the Libyan International Oil Services Conference organized by the Supreme Council of Libyan and Tunisian Businessmen (SCLTB). The head of SCLTB, Abdulhafeez Al-Sukrofi, told to Afrigate news website on Monday that the conference will see the participation of international companies specialized in the oil sector, including 8 from Russia and 6 from China, in addition to two others from the US. The conference is due to host international representatives, oil industry experts and officials to explore and discuss…

African Development Bank strongly supports Nigerian Government’s economic recovery efforts

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The African Development Bank is in consultations with the Government on how best to continue its support for its laudable Economic and Growth Recovery Plan through investment projects The African Development Bank (AfDB) wishes to categorically refute the statement that it has “called off loans to Nigeria”, as reported in Reuters and credited to AfDB Vice-President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth Amadou Hott. The African Development Bank is highly encouraged by the economic recovery of Nigeria from recession and salutes the Government’s efforts towards diversification of the economy.…