Day: April 17, 2023

ABU DHABI, 16th April, 2023 (WAM) Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok warned in Abu Dhabi on Sunday that Sudan is at a ‘”catastrophic” moment as a result of the ongoing war and called the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to immediately cease hostilities and announce a truce that allows safe corridors for citizens to move and meet their living needs. “I appealed to the warring sides to stop the war immediately and restore the agreed transitional track which started three years ago. Peace is the only option before the Sudanese people to avoid slipping the country into a civil war,” Hamdok told a press conference in Abu Dhabi today, adding that the chance is still there to avoid that war . ”The winner of this war is a loser.” ”I appeal to the commanders of the SAF and RSF to return to the negotiating table and call on Arab and African countries to support the Sudanese people in this plight,” he said, adding that he made several contacts with world capitals to help the Sudanese people. ”A sudanese-owned dialogue remains the compass that leads to sustainable solution to the Sudanese crisis and that Sudan’s brothers and friends can help give the peaceful solution a chance,” he said. Hamdok said that he is not in favour of any foreign intervention in the Sudanese affairs, calling the international community to have a positive role in bringing the Sudanese to the negotiating table and helping Sudan in this plight. He added that the humanitarian situation is ”catastrophic” and the Sudanese people are continuing to suffer due to the deteriorating economy, shortage of food and medicines and disruption in water and electricity services. He said that he was optimistic about a peaceful solution despite the current deadlock. Tariq Al Fahaam

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)

WASHINGTON, 16th April, 2023 (WAM) — Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini, UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs, held bilateral meetings with a number of senior officials from international financial organisations and institutions on the sidelines of the 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to which he led the UAE delegation, as well as his chairmanship of the Joint Development Committee. These bilateral meetings discussed various issues of global concern, such as global economic growth forecasts, climate change, enhancing and developing aspects of joint cooperation in various financial, economic and development fields, among other topics. Al Hussaini met with Wally Adeyemo, Deputy Secretary of the US Treasury. Both parties discussed ways of bolstering joint strategic relations and strengthening areas of cooperation and coordination between the UAE and the United States to serve the common interests of both countries. Al Hussaini also met with Mr. Makhtar Diop, the Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), in the presence of Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General and Special Representative of COP28, and senior officials from the IFC. The meeting discussed the upcoming COP28 agenda and priorities, and other global development priorities on sustainable development and climate agenda. IFC conveyed strong appreciation of the UAE’s broad support of global efforts for growing investments in emerging markets and outlined areas where IFC wishes to grow the partnership and presence in UAE even stronger. This year’s presidency of COP28 was noted to offer a great opportunity for expanding the cooperation between IFC and UAE to overall climate agenda, focusing on financing climate transition in emerging markets, and the importance of enhancing climate change adaptation within the water sector. Additionally, Al Hussaini met with Dr. Ferid Belhaj, World Bank MENA Vice President, and both parties discussed opportunities to advance cooperation for climate finance and reviewed the World Bank’s upskilling and capacity building programmes. In attendance were Mr. Akihiko Nishio, World Bank Vice President of Development Finance; and Mr. Ethiopis Tafara, Vice President and Chief Risk, Legal and Administrative Officer for the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). For his part, Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of Ministry of Finance, met with Ms. Manal Corwin, the Director of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, and reviewed the latest developments in the international tax agenda and the recent reforms in UAE’s tax regime, which will be implemented as of June 2023. Ms. Corwin praised the country’s efforts to transform from a tax-free area to a country with an advanced and wide-ranging tax system that meets international tax compliance requirements. His Excellency stressed on adopting flexibility and providing all requirements for cooperation with the Centre’s team, especially with the UAE’s commitment to confronting harmful tax practices in accordance with OECD Pillars of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS). Al Khoori also held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Mark Bowman, Vice President for Policy and Partnerships at European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The meeting sought to discuss ways of increasing investment to achieve the SDGs and climate financing in developing countries. Both parties also deliberated the importance of implementing an independent review by the G20 of the role that Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) can play to stimulate resource liberalisation and accelerate reforms, in a way that enhances the financing capacity of MDBs. He mentioned that the first global assessment of the Paris Agreement will be implemented during COP28, in order to determine the correctness of the path and expand the role of MDBs as major players to ensuring positive development in the climate field. Tariq Al Fahaam

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM

ABU DHABI, 17th April, 2023 (WAM) — A UAE newspaper has said that it is perhaps appropriate that it was during Ramadan traditionally a month for giving that news emerged of a major UAE charitable organisation helping more people last year than ever before. Dubai Opera House was the setting last week for the announcement of results of a review of the annual report from Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI). In an editorial on Monday, The National said, “In it, the group, which includes dozens of organisations and initiatives, revealed that it collectively spent AED1.4 billion ($381 million) in 2022, helping 102 million people in 100 countries the largest number of beneficiaries in a single year. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, who chaired the meeting of the initiative’s board of trustees, said, “Alleviating the suffering of fellow humans, regardless of their origin, ethnicity comes first and foremost, and is part of our moral duty.” Indeed, morality has underpinned the organisation’s remarkable story, which is one that has revealed the benefit of working in a cohesive way to help as many people as possible. In 2015, MBRGI brought together dozens of charity and humanitarian institutions sponsored by Sheikh Mohammed. Since then it has raised and spent millions of dirhams in humanitarian aid, becoming one of the largest systems for relief, development and community work in the region. “The group spent $381 million in 2022, helping 102 million people in 100 countries,” added the editorial comment. Its approach has been an intelligent and insightful one. As well as encouraging a culture of giving and volunteering, and meeting struggling people’s immediate needs for food, clothing and shelter, it has also supported many education initiatives to ensure the next generation has a chance of fighting its way out of poverty. MBRGI spent AED213 million on its knowledge and education programmes last year, helping 55.1 million people — up 6.7 million on 2021. This combination of immediate and long-term support can be seen particularly in the One Billion Meals Campaign, which has developed an endowment system to not only feed the hungry but allow the principal sum to grow, meaning that vital aid can be delivered in a sustainable way. The campaign reported on Thursday that it raised AED750 million in 20 days, thanks to contributions from 120,000 donors including individuals, businesses and private and public organisations. lthough the numbers of people being helped in different ways is new, the tradition of humanitarianism in the UAE is not. Under the rule of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the country’s humanitarian and development aid totalled more than AED90.5 billion, benefitting more than 117 countries. The long-lasting impact of this work can be seen in the large number of hospitals, schools, universities and cultural centres around the world that bear Sheikh Zayed’s name, such as the Zayed Centre for Research in Rare Diseases in Children in London and the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Centre in the Louvre, Paris. s a fundraiser, organiser and tool for social solidarity, the organisation has made its mark. By establishing practical and targeted ways to help those in need, it is redefining how charity can help people in the long term. “Ramadan may last for one month, but the efforts of thousands of donors, organisers and volunteers will last much longer,” concluded the Abu Dhabi-based daily.

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)

First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, “Fawzi Al-Nuwairi,” discussed with the German Ambassador to Libya, “Michael Unmacht,” the latest political developments in Libya.

The spokesman for the House of Representatives, “Abdullah Blehaq,” said that during the meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the House of Representatives’ office branch in the capital, Tripoli, they discussed the latest political developments in Libya and a number of issues related to Libyan affairs and ways to address them in a way that achieves stability.

Source: Libyan News Agency

The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, “Raisedon Zeninga”, discussed the initiative of the UN envoy to Libya, “Abdullah Batili” regarding enabling elections, with a group of members of the House of Representatives today representing Tripoli, Benghazi, Murzuq and Warshafana.

The UN mission said in a statement that the members of the House of Representatives put forward their views on the political, security and other challenges that prevent progress in Libya.

The UN mission confirmed that the meeting discussed including the views of civil society, women, youth, political parties and cultural components in addressing the factors that caused the failure of the elections in 2021.

The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General highlighted the importance of completing electoral laws in time for elections to be held this year in line with the demands of the Libyan people.

Source: Libyan News Agency

All ministries, official departments, and public institutions will observe a public holiday on Sunday, April 30, on the occasion of Labor Day, which falls annually on 1 May, according to a communiqué issued by Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh.

Source: Jordan News Agency