MILAN (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The first Italian-Saudi Investment Forum was established following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, and the Ministry of Investments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by Minister Khalid Al-Falih.

The memorandum of understanding is intended to support dialogue between institutions and companies interested in promoting investment between the two countries and to encourage cooperation in direct investments, supporting investors in all phases of projects once they have been indicated as having importance strategic economy for one of the two countries.

During the bilateral meeting between the two ministers, Saudi Minister Al-Falih invited Minister Urso to Riyadh to consolidate cooperation between the two countries and encourage collaboration between companies.

Also participating in the forum are the Deputy Minister of Commerce and Made in Italy, Valentino Valentini, the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, the Saudi Ambassador to Italy, Prince Faisal Bin Salman and the Saudi government investor relations manager, Badr Albadr.

Around 1,200 companies are participating, of which 500 physically and over 700 remotely. More than 150 Saudi companies are participating. Among the Italian companies there are Eni, Snam, Cdp, Enel, Leonardo, WeBuild, Maire, Pirelli, Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, Ita, Ansaldo Energia, Saipem, Invimit participate in the forum.

The objective of the Forum is to enhance existing synergies, identifying new development opportunities and promoting collaboration and dialogue between business leaders, institutions and investors of the two countries.

– photo: press office Ministry of Made in Italy –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese health authorities will be offering the latest annual Covid-19 booster as the immunity is starting to diminish. The Health Ministry noted that taking an annual booster vaccination dose remains very important, especially for vulnerable people.
The health authorities observed a noticeable increase in reported cases of positive COVID-19 cases during this summer, with the average number of weekly cases in Malta rising to 143.75 between July 24 and 20 August, compared to 80.75 weekly cases between 26 June and 23 July. “The increase in cases is not limited to Malta, as other EU countries have also reported rising case numbers, according to the ECDC,” the Ministry noted.
Fortunately, despite the rise in new cases, the mortality rates attributed to Covid-19 have not increased, the Ministry said. “This is due to the fact that a very high proportion of the Maltese population is vaccinated.”
The Ministry also said that the highest incidence of cases is mainly noted in those over 65 years of age. The Maltese health authorities are encouraging the public to take necessary prevention measures for respiratory illness including staying home in isolation if symptomatic, testing, washing hands, and keeping up to date with vaccinations.

– foto: Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Following last Thursday head-on traffic accident on Via Peppino Impastato in Pozzallo Sicily, the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Malta confirmed that the first Maltese couple arrived in Malta on the catamaran on Friday evening, and are presently recovering at Mater Dei Hospital. The Ministry added that another Maltese national is being helped by his son and arrived in Malta on the catamaran in the last hours, but his wife needs the services of an air ambulance to return to Malta because of the injuries she sustained in the accident. In the case of the third couple, the man has been discharged from the hospital and is still in Sicily waiting for his wife, who also needs an air ambulance to return to Malta for treatment. In the case of the two women needing an air ambulance, talks are ongoing between the involved couples, the Mater Dei administration in Malta and the insurance companies, for the women to be brought over to Malta for treatment. One of them is suffering from an elbow fracture and the other woman needs hip surgery.(ITALPRESS).

Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Six Maltese nationals who are on a holiday in Sicily ended up in a head-on traffic accident on the road from Pozzallo to Modica and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
The accident occurred yesterday, when the Maltese tourists were travelling in a minibus which can take up to nine passengers. The minibus collided with a Volkswagen T-Roc SUV, and as a result eight passengers were injured.
The driver and passenger in the car, and the six Maltese tourists were taken to two hospitals by a number of ambulances.
Three of the Maltese citizens were admitted to a hospital in Ragusa while three others are at a hospital in Modica.  At the Ragusa hospital there is a woman and two men. The woman suffered an elbow fracture and can only be transported to Malta by ambulance. One of the other men dislocated his shoulder, while the second man is stable.
At the Modica hospital there were two women and a man. The man has been discharged, one of the women suffered a fractured jaw and leg injuries, while the second woman needed a hip surgery and can only be brought to Malta by ambulance.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is in constant contact with the Italian authorities to make the necessary arrangements for the Maltese patients to be brought to Malta for treatment.
Maltàs embassy in Rome and the Honorary Consulate in Catania are in constant contact with the patients and their relatives.
– foto Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese government has launched for consultation Maltàs first national policy for offshore renewable energy with plans to have the first wind or solar floating farms located between 12 and 25 nautical miles off Maltà shores. While the Maltese islands are limited by their spatial ground area of 316km2, the country through its geographical location in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, has a potential Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 70,000km2, which is much larger than its land area. Six sites have been identified as potential areas where the floating farms could be located. Several factors were taken into account including: airport buffer zone and harbour approaches, aquaculture farm boundaries, submarine cables and pipelines, exploratory oil wells and potential oil and gas prospects, fishing aggregation devices zones, marine facilities and marine and bird species in the area. Wind strength was also taken into account. At the moment, most of Maltàs energy is generated from fossil fuel with only 10 per cent coming from renewable energy. Most of the renewable energy is generated from solar panels – which take a lot of space in a country where land is limited and expensive. Energy Minister Miriam Dalli said, “this is Maltàs first-ever national policy for offshore renewable energy to offer clean and affordable energy that is created responsibly and with environmental awareness. We need to get to a point where our energy is generated from renewable sources so that we can be more autonomous,” adding that the interest of the consumer was always at the centre and that such investment would also be creating jobs. The public consultation is open until the end of September after which the feedback will be evaluated and an international call for expression of interest will lead to the shortlisting of bidders. No timeline was given for the setting up of the first renewable energy farms as that depended on several factors.

– Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

CERNOBBIO (COMO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – “It is impossible to think of negotiating with Putin”. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made the declaration in a video link during the European House-Ambrosetti Forum, in Cernobbio.
According to Zelensky, the killing of Prigozhin signifies how weak Putin’s own words are.” “Prigozhin was a terrorist, but he did what Putin wanted,” underlined the Ukrainian President.
“Without Crimea, without Donbass, there cannot be sustainable peace in Ukraine and therefore there cannot be sustainable peace in the European Union”, explained Zelensky, while adding: “Russia is bombing our homes and creating chaos in Africa, but that doesn’t show strength, it only hides weakness. The enemy creates chaos to take what does not belong to them”.
Zelensky declared: “We have never had any doubts about Italy’s support, and we thank it for the help it has given us,” adding “just as we thank the European Union, this is the time for strong decisions for global security”.

– foto: Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela declared that Malta is experiencing a change in its economic model, confirming that “his government is leading an economic transition based on quality across the board.
During an interview on the Labour Party radio station, Abela said “yes to foreign workers in the sectors needed for economic growth, but no to foreign workers who are not needed.”
Abela was reacting to the growing concerns of the Maltese who are blaming the overcrowding of the Maltese islands on the government’s policy which is causing serious pressures on the infrastructure, including traffic, housing, and garbage crises. He added quality should outperform quantity and workers brought to Malta must have the necessary skills.
Maltàs population increased from 417,000 in 2011 to 542,000 at the end of last year. Recently, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana warned that if Malta wants to maintain an average economic growth rate of 4.2%, the population would have to increase to 800,000 by 2040, unless a new economic model was developed. Last year, some 28,000 non-EU nationals were granted a work permit and this sudden influx has resulted in worker exploitation.
Abela said the health care and elderly care sectors require more skilled foreign workers given Maltàs aging population. However, he stressed that there is an oversaturation of foreign workers in the transport sector. The Maltese Premier added that he wants to see more Maltese people take up highly-paid jobs in other sectors such as in technology.
– photo Department of Information (Doi)-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – According to data published by the United Nation’s refugee agency UNHCR only 231 people arrived by boat in Malta between 1 January and 13 August 2023 while only 282 individuals applied for asylum in the first six months. 84% of arrivals departed from Libya, while the remaining 16% departed from Tunisia. Of the 2023 arrivals, 65% (149) were Bangladeshi, 9% (21) were Syrian, 8% (19) were Guinean, 7% (17) were Cameroonian, 6% (13) were Egyptian, 2% (5) were Sudanese, and 1% (3) each were Palestinian and South Sudanese. The nationality of one person is unknown as it was not possible to register him due to his medical condition.
UNHCR said this marks a change in the composition of nationalities of arrivals in comparison to 2022, where 51% of arrivals were Bangladeshi, 28% were Syrian and 8% were Egyptian.
The majority of arrivals so far in 2023 were adult males (84% (195), compared to 65% in 2021 and 80% in 2022), UNHCR said. Additionally, 7% (16) were adult women and 9% (20) were children, two of whom were accompanied, and 18 of whom were alleged unaccompanied minors at the time of disembarkation.
In the first six months of this year, Malta received 282 applications for asylum, of which 225 were first-time applications, 54 were subsequent applications, and 3 were re-opened or reviewed. Nationals from Bangladesh, Sudan, and Syria were amongst the top three nationalities applying. Analysis shows that the average waiting time for a first-instance decision (substantive, grant, or rejection) issued in 2023 was over 2 years.

– Photo: Angenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese authorities have approved an environmental impact study for the continuation of the work for the second interconnector between Malta and Ragusa in Sicily. Interconnect Malta described the approval by the Environment and Resources Authority as an important step, and work will enter into another phase where the Planning Authority will be assessing the project.
The Environment and Resources Authority stated that the project will not impact negatively on the marine environment.
Interconnect Malta Chief Executive Ismail D’Amato explained how ground samples were taken from the base where the cable will be laid and geo-mapping of the cable route was carried out to avoid future problems. There was coordination to ensure also the cable would not affect the existing interconnector.
D’Amato added that since the competence of Malta reaches midway in the sea, the Italian authorities will now also be involved. The same process being undertaken in Malta is also being carried out in Italy, where the studies have been submitted to the competent Italian authorities.
Malta is adhering to European guidelines in order to achieve certain environmental targets, and projects linked to renewable energy will also be increased in the coming months.
– credit photo Interconnect Malta –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Following an incident involving five Sicilian youths who did not pay the bill after dining in a restaurant while on holiday in Malta, one of the youngsters’ father decided to settle the case by sending a monetary donation to a non-governmental organization in Gozo that promotes the welfare of people with special needs and their families.
The incident happened last Friday at Pasta and Co, a restaurant in Msida. The group of Sicilians fled from the restaurant as soon as they finished dining without paying the bill. The restaurant owners, Bertrand and Jacob, filed a report to the Police including CCTV filming showing the youths escaping from the restaurant. The police immediately started investigating the case.
As soon as the restaurant’s owners recognized the Sicilian accent, they contacted Corriere di Ragusa who reported the incident. Following the publication of the article and photos related to the incident, one of the youths’ father identified his son and reached the owners to settle the pending bill. Instead, the owners asked for a donation to be given to Arka Foundation in Gozo. The father offered his apologies, and instead of 100 euros, he donated 250 euros to the NGO.

– Foto: Sito web ristorante Pasta and Co –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews