RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Kingdom of Morocco does not consider itself in any way affected by the decision pronounced on Friday by the Court of Justice of the European Union on agricultural and fisheries agreements. This was said by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans residing abroad, underlining that Morocco did not participate in any phase of this procedure, as reported by the MAP agency. “Morocco is not a party into this matter, which concerns the European Union on the one hand and the “polisario” supported by Algeria on the other. Morocco did not participate in any of the phases of this procedure and, therefore, does not consider itself affected in any way by the decision”, specified the ministry in a press release. However, the same source continued, “the content of this decision contains obvious legal errors and suspected errors of fact”, adding that “this denotes at best a total unawareness of the reality of the case, if not a political prejudice”.
In this line, the Ministry claims, “the Court has even allowed itself to replace the competent UN bodies and contradict their consolidated positions and approaches. Furthermore, the British High Court, in a very similar case, had demonstrated greater discernment, impartiality and respect for legal foundations.” According to the statement, “Morocco requests that the Council, the European Commission and the EU Member States take the necessary measures to respect their international commitments, preserve the results of the partnership and provide the Kingdom with the legal security it needs as legitimately entitled, as a partner of the EU on various strategic issues”. In this context, the same source concluded, “Morocco reiterates its constant position not to sign any agreement or legal instrument that does not respect its territorial integrity and national unity”.

– Photo MAP –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

PALERMO (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Strengthening trade relations between Sicily and the United Arab Emirates was the main objective of a meeting organized by the regional department of Productive Activities held in Dubai. Nine companies from the construction, cosmetics and agri-food sectors participated in the initiative. Present were representatives of the Chambers of Commerce of Dubai and Abu Dhabi and the Italian ambassador, Lorenzo Fanara.
Edy Tamajo, the regional councilor for Productive Activities said, “This mission represents a fundamental step to enhance our entrepreneurial excellence in international markets. Sicily is a land rich in skills and high quality products and now we have laid the foundations for new opportunities for the development and collaboration with economic operators in the Emirates. The dialogue we have established is only the beginning of a path that can generate important synergies between our companies and those of the Emirates”.
According to the official statement, during the meeting, ways to make interaction and commercial cooperation between Sicilian and Arab business entities easier were discussed.
The mission is part of the initiatives promoted by the regional department to encourage the internationalization of Sicilian companies and stimulate the economic growth of the territory through a more incisive presence on foreign markets, underlined the statement.
Tamajo had a private meeting with the members of the Chamber of Abu Dhabi and the ambassador “to bring the two countries closer”. Subsequently, he held a meeting with the Italian ambassador to Abu Dhabi, Lorenzo Fanara.
– photo ufficio stampa Assessorato Attività Produttive Regione
Sicilia –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

 

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) – Malta’s Finance Minister Clyde Caruana announced that one-third of the Maltese national airline, KM Malta Airlines will be privatized as one of the conditions imposed by the European Commission as part of an agreement that enabled Malta to establish the new airline carrier.

The Maltese government is reportedly seeking an investor with direct involvement in the aviation industry, which would allow KM Malta Airlines to benefit from the investor’s expertise and economies of scale.

In an interview with The Times of Malta, Minister Caruana explained that approximately “30% to 35%” of the airline will be sold to the private sector. He empathized “it has to happen” while expressed his hope that this will occur rapidly.

KM Malta Airlines was officially granted an Air Operator Certificate and an Air Operator Licence by the Maltese Civil Aviation Directorate last year, following the decision to replace the struggling Air Malta.

The new airline, began operations on 31 March 2024. KM Malta Airlines started operations with around a third of Air Malta’s workforce.

The transition from Air Malta to KM Malta Airlines followed decades of mismanagement at Air Malta, which culminated in the European Commission rejecting a proposed €290 million state aid package for the airline. The Commission cited non-compliance with EU state aid rules. However, the Maltese taxpayers were left to absorb Air Malta’s €356 million in accumulated losses.

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) – The opposition and civil society groups in Tunisia will be holding a mass protest on Friday against what they describe as President Kais Saied’s authoritarian rule, and said they would continue escalation and demonstrations, just four days before the presidential election.
Opposition and civil society groups have been voicing concerns about a potentially rigged election, designed to keep President Kais Saied in power. Meanwhile, there is a growing opposition anger against President Kais Saied, whose critics accuse him also of using the judiciary to sideline his opponents. Presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Tunisian court. This was the third prison sentence imposed on Zammel in two weeks. He is one of just two candidates permitted to stand against Saied. Three other high profile opposition figures were barred. Abdessattar Massoudi, Zammel’s lawyer, said that Zammel was sentenced to 12 years in prison by Tunis court on charges of document falsification. Massoudi described the verdict as “unfair and a farce”. Zammel, head of the opposition Azimoun party, has been jailed since last month on charges of falsifying voter signatures on his candidacy paperwork, accusations he described as manufactured by Saied’s government. He has been allowed to continue to stand in the election while jailed. Political tensions in the North African country have risen ahead of the Oct. 6 election since an electoral commission named by Saied disqualified three other prominent candidates last month, amid protests by opposition and civil society groups. Tunisia was the only Arab country to emerge with a peaceful democracy from the 2011 “Arab Spring” protests against autocratic rulers across the Middle East and North Africa. But since being elected in 2019, Saied has gradually amassed greater powers, arguing that he needs them to combat a corrupt elite. He dissolved the elected parliament and began ruling by decree in 2021, a move the opposition described as a coup.(ITALPRESS).

Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese government confirmed that a plan has been drawn up together with the Irish authorities to evacuate seven Maltese soldiers stationed in Lebanon close to the Israeli border after the war in the region dramatically intensified as from last Tuesday, when Iran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel.

Malta and Ireland are both neutral countries. The operation forms part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission. The mission is known as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), that has around 10,500 peacekeepers from 50 contributing countries.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said that the soldiers, who voluntarily signed up for the six-month peacekeeping mission, are safe and are being constantly monitored. The Maltese soldiers are in Camp Shamrock, alongside Irish, Polish and Hungarian troops.

“We are following what is happening in Lebanon and are very concerned with the situation. We have also drawn an evacuation plan with the Irish authorities in case we are forced to get the soldiers out of Lebanon and take them to a secure place before bringing them back to Malta.”

The Maltese soldiers are stationed in Lebanon, around seven kilometres from the Israeli border as part of a broader international effort aimed at maintaining stability in a region marked by conflict.

– Photo Malta Army –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Following the worsening of the Middle East crises, the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, urgently convened and chaired a telephone conference of the G7 leaders this afternoon.
According to a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, “the G7 reiterated its strong condemnation to the Iranian attack against Israel”.
“In a constantly evolving scenario, it was agreed to work jointly to promote the scaling down of tensions at a regional level, starting from the application of Resolution 2735 in Gaza and Resolution 1701 for the stabilization of the Israeli-Lebanese border. In expressing strong concern about the escalation of the last few hours, it was reiterated that a conflict on a regional scale is not in anyonès interest and that a diplomatic solution is still possible. The leaders agreed to keep in close contact”.

– Photo Ipa Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – As part of his official visit to Kenya, the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, visited the “Luigi Broglio” Space Centre in Malindi, in the Ngomeni peninsula. The visit of Minister Urso, responsible for space and aerospace policies, took place 60 years after the foundation of the centre, established in 1964 as part of the San Marco project and named after its founder, Professor Luigi Broglio, where the adventure for the Italian space initiatives began.?During his visit in Kenya, Minister Urso was accompanied by the president of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Teodoro Valente, by General Franco Federici, military advisor to the Prime Minister and secretary of the Interministerial Committee for Space. He was also accompanied by a delegation from the main Italian companies in the aerospace sector (Avio, Leonardo, Telespazio) and by Confindustriàs delegate for Aerospace, Giorgio Marsiaj.
After visiting the ASI Space Centre in Malindi, Urso and the Minister of Defense of Kenya, Soipan Tuya, chaired a meeting of the Joint Council of Ministers. At the centre of the initiative, relaunched by Urso in 2023 after a long period of inactivity, is the future of the Malindi space centre, where 200 people are currently working in orbital control and data reception from satellites and vectors. This base, managed by the Italian Space Agency, and the International Training School in space disciplines, could become the fulcrum, as part of the Mattei Plan promoted by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in space cooperation extended to the countries in the Horn of Africa and East Africa.?”Over 60 years ago, Italy’s space adventure began in Malindi. Today we wish to give a new mission to this base, which could become the training place for space operators from African countries who have just established their continental space agency”, declared Minister Urso. The African space agency will be based in Cairo, where Minister Urso has already visited to lay the foundations for future collaboration with Italy. The Italian Space Agency “could also train the first Kenyan, and therefore African, astronaut in history, with the same methods and techniques with which Italian astronauts are trained today” added Urso.
“Earth observation from space, a sector in which Italy is a leader, offers further opportunities for cooperation with Africa for the management of natural resources, the promotion of sustainable agriculture and the fight against climate change, he continued. Urso added, “Artificial intelligence and space highlight how innovative the Mattei Plan is, capable of laying the foundations for the development of Africa, a path in which Italy will be able to take on a leading role”.
During the visit to the space centre, Minister Adolfo Urso, together with the Minister of Defense of Kenya, Soipan Tuya, and the president of ASI, Teodoro Valente, inaugurated the “Luigi Broglio Space Museum”. The museum recounts the story of this first equatorial maritime launch base in the world, from which a total of 9 satellite launches were carried out, starting with the Italian satellite “San Marco 2” on 26 April 1967, and around 20 orbital launches.

– Photo MIMIT press office –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) (ITALPRESS) – A total of 25 Maltese nationals, including 9 members of the Armed Forces of Malta who are deployed in the country as part of United Nations peacekeeping mission, has remained in Lebanon. Meanwhile, two Maltese nationals have left the country and arrived in Malta.
Fr Michael Zammit, the Jesuit Provincial for the Near-East and Maghreb Province is among at least another 16 Maltese passport owners who are known to currently be in Lebanon, in addition to Maltàs peacekeeping forces.
The Maltese peacekeepers in Lebanon are based in Camp Shamrock, an Irish camp base located about seven kilometres from the Israeli border. Despite the escalating violence and the proximity of danger, none of the Maltese soldiers have requested to return home.
Furthermore, no Maltese nationals living in Lebanon had asked the Maltese Foreign Ministry for assistance. The present Travel Advisory for Lebanon issued by the Ministry is that of ‘Avoiding All Travel’. The Travel Advisory implies that Maltese nationals currently in Lebanon should consciously consider leaving the territory on available commercial flights. However, Maltese nationals permanently residing in Lebanon, are less likely to leave the country unless their area is affected by active hostilities. The Maltese Foreign Ministry is following all developments in the region and will be issuing directives as necessary, while remains available to provide any assistance to Maltese nationals abroad.
Over the past two weeks the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has broadened to Lebanon causing civilians to flee from their homes. More than one million people are believed to have been displaced so far, with Israeli airstrikes hitting all parts of Lebanon, including the capital Beirut.
(ITALPRESS).

– Foto: Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

TUNISI (ITALPRESS/MNA) – According to local reports, a migrant boat capsized killing 12 people, including three infants near Djerba, Tunisia. The boat was carrying 57 asylum seekers and sank as they sought to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.
According to the Tunisian Human Rights Monitor director Mostafa Abdelkebir, the boat carried 57 illegal migrants, which took off from Ras el Rmal in Djerba heading towards Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.
Abdelkebir added that 32 people have been rescued, most of them were men. Meanwhile, 10 people remain missing as rescue operations continue. Most of the migrants were Tunisian nationals except for two, who are believed to be Moroccan.

– Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Libya is set to resume oil production and exports on Monday, following the approval of a key agreement by the Libyan House of Representatives concerning the appointing new leadership for the Central Bank of Libya. Abdulhadi Al-Saghir, the Housès representative in negotiations over the Central Bank, confirmed that once the agreement is ratified, oil fields will reopen and production will resume immediately. This marks the end of a period of shutdowns that had disrupted Libyàs vital oil sector. In an interview with “Erem News Business”, Al-Saghir revealed that the agreement consists of seven provisions, all of which are expected to be endorsed by the House with a majority vote in its session in Benghazi. Once the Central Bank governor and his deputy are installed and begin their duties without any obstacles, Libyàs oil production and exports will proceed as planned. Al-Saghir’s comments align with those of Stephanie Khoury, the head of the United Nations Mission in Libya. Both emphasised the urgent need to lift the closures of oil fields, which have significantly hindered the country’s oil production and exports. They stressed the importance of channelling oil revenues through the appropriate institutional frameworks, specifically the Central Bank of Libya.
The reopening of oil fields is expected to boost Libyàs economy and bring much-needed stability to its financial system, especially after the prolonged political divisions that have plagued the country. Arab and Western nations have expressed support for progress facilitated by the United Nations mission in Libya, leading to a compromise between Libyan factions on appointing new leadership for the Central Bank of Libya. In a joint statement from the governments of the United States and Italy, senior officials from Algeria, Egypt, France, Germany, Morocco, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Kingdom also participated in talks, which took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

– Photo Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews