Day: August 29, 2017

Better use of scarce water key to Middle East’s future: World Bank

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Political stability and economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa could hinge on better management of scarce water resources, the World Bank said in a report released Tuesday. With poor access to water and poor sanitation, the region is suffering annual economic losses of as much as $21 billion, according to the report, published to coincide with the global ‘Water Week’ events which opened Monday in Stockholm focusing on innovative solutions for these issues. Water crisis may soon hit major Pakistan cities The estimate reflects costs from health care and lost productivity due…

UN envoy to Libya met HoR Speaker before his first Security Council report

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The UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, arrived on Monday in Gubba district in east Libya and met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Aqilah Saleh. According to the Facebook page of the UNSMIL, Salame met with Saleh for two hours and exchanged ideas about the most vital solutions to Libya’s political crisis. “It was very significant to meet Saleh before giving my first report to the UN Security Council Monday evening and to congratulate Libyans on the coming of Eid Al-Adha.” Salame indicated. In the last…

Perenco takes half of Serept, Ashtart off Tunisia from OMV

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Austria-based OMV has divested its 50 per cent stake in the offshore Ashtart oil field, located in the Gulf of Gabes in Tunisia, and another 50 per cent stake in the Tunisian oil and gas company Serept to the Anglo-French petroleum company Perenco. With the move, Perenco will be jointly holding its stakes with the Tunisian national oil company, ETAP, who owns the remaining 50 per cent stake in Serept and Ashtart. OMV’s decision of divestment of Ashtart and Serept comes in line with the company’s strategy to optimise its…

After Morocco, Tunisia Looks to Join ECOWAS

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Tunisia is following in the footsteps of Morocco, setting its sights on joining the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The announcement was made on August 22 by the Tunisian Head of Government Youssef Chahed during the Tunisian africain empowerment. According to the French magazine Jeune Afrique, ECOWAS is due to decide on whether to accept Tunisia’s membership during the organization’s conference in Lomé, Togo, scheduled for December. The event will mark the participation of Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi. During the regional African bloc’s recent conference in Monrovia,…

Joint anti Xylella plan bears first fruit

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The technical cooperation programme launched in Tunisia in 2016 to combat the introduction and spread of the fatal Xylella fastidiosa bacteria affecting olive trees in North Africa and the Middle East is bearing fruit, but more needs to be done. Specifically, cooperation needs to be improved among affected countries and laws regulating imports of plant species and products need to be more strictly applied, according to a seminar organised in Tunis by the secretariat of the International Convention for the protection of plant species and the FAO regional office. Tunisia,…