On 28 August, the Moroccan Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Abdelkader Amara, said that the work on the Tangier – Casablanca high speed rail line has reached a state of progress of over 90%. This figure was confirmed at the last meeting of the Board of Directors of the Office national des chemins de fer (Ferrovie dello Stato), which foresees the delivery of the infrastructure by June 2018. The project altogether includes 12 tunnels, 169 Railway bridges and over one hundred hydraulic structures, 80% of which made by Moroccan companies. ONCF Chief Operating Officer Mohamed Rabie Khlie informed the media that the first tests of the TGV were carried out last February at a speed of 160 km / h, while 320 km / h tests will begin next September on a 120 kilometers stretch. DG Khlie confirmed that trainings for train maintenance personnel are also being carried out, in addition to the operators in charge of marketing the service. The first semester of 2018 will be dedicated to line and routing approval tests, while commercial start-up is scheduled for next summer. The TGV station in Tangier, for which an amount of about € 32 million has been allocated, will be built on an area of 10,500 m² (waiting rooms, ticket offices, boarding areas, shopping areas) and 77,000 m² of equipped outdoor areas. In Tangier, a convoy maintenance center was also set up, designed for 30 high-speed trains, covering an area of 14 hectares, of which 20,000 square meters of buildings. The TGV maintenance center, with the latest industry technology, costed around € 56 million and was made by a consortium of Moroccan companies, joint ventured with French Railways Société nationale des chemins de francais (SNCF).

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

In recent days, interesting macroeconomic data was released by Israeli CBS. Growth in the second quarter of 2017 was 2.7%. Comparing these data, it emerged that, compared with Q4 2016, where an important 4.4% was achieved, there was a slowdown. In the first half of this year, economic growth thus stands at 2.1%. The value is more modest than the peak reached in 2016, partly due to the extraordinary performance of the automotive industry. In the quarter under review, increases in consumption (+ 6.5%) and in fixed capital (+ 5.2%) were recorded. As a consequence of the shekel appreciation of recent months, exports decreased by 8.8% on an annual basis. It is important to remember that all these estimates may be subject to review. On the monetary front, the shekel is returning to higher exchange rates, suggesting that the Central Bank will not intervene with rising interest rate. Good news continues to come from the labor market; Compared with 4.3% in June, in July the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%. The participation rate thus reached 80,01%.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

The Turkish aerospace industry, with the third Istanbul airport under construction, will record a major growth. The airport, once completed, will be the largest airport in the world and at the same time a connection center between European and Asian flights. Daily Sabah Economy reports this.

In 2018, when much of the project will be completed, 90 million passengers a year will be able to take advantage of the new airport with more than 350 destinations and about 100 airlines. It is assumed that increased air traffic and the internationality of the chain will have positive impacts on bilateral trade relations, contributing to the growth of the Turkish economy and making the country more and more attractive to potential foreign investments.
(ITALPRESS).

 

Source: medNews

The Albanian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure canceled and reopened the August 8th tender procedure for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Arbri Road as a result of some changes. The companies concerned will be able to submit their offers by October 2, 2017. The Albanian Monitor.al website reports.

The road of Arbri is part of the “1 billion euros for infrastructure” project proposed by the Albanian government. The contract will last for 13 years and the estimated budget will amount to Lek 33.6 billion (approximately € 253 million).

The project was already started by former Premier Berisha with the construction of 20.12 km and the partial construction of 15.175 km. The road has a total length of 61.6 km.

The feasibility study was presented at the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure by Gjoka Konstruksion, which will participate in the call with a bonus of 10% of the total score.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

The Ambassador of Italy to Malta, Giovanni Umberto De Vito, and the permanent secretary of the Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Fiona Formosa, have signed in Palazzo Parisio, in the presence of the Minister of the Foreign Affairs Carmelo Abela, the 15th Executive Cultural Cooperation Program for the years 2017-2019, so confirming the commitment to strengthen bilateral relations in sectors such as Culture and education. Among the objectives of the Program: cooperation among Universities, the promotion of the language, the dissemination of their respective cultures and training on the themes of conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. 

“I am very pleased to be able to renew this Italian-Maltese collaboration protocol, a few weeks before the state visit by the President of the Republic, Mattarella, to Malta in mid-September” Ambassador De Vito said. “In the cultural sector, Italy enjoys a privileged position in Malta, also witnessed by the presence and the activities of the Italian Cultural Institute in the main square of the capital, right in front of the Presidential Palace. We now want to encourage further synergies in the field of science and research – the Ambassador added – and that is why we work to increase exchanges of university teachers and researchers, joint programs between Universities, specialized Institutes and Centers of higher education”. 

The Executive Program envisages granting scholarships in the sector of science, humanistic, arts, music, fine arts, design and restoration of the artistic and bibliographic heritage management. The direct collaboration between theatres and lyric institutions, the visits of experts and artists for festivals, training courses and conferences will also be promoted in view of two great events such as Valletta and Matera, European Capitals of Culture for the year 2018 and 2019 respectively.(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

Slovenia ranked 21st among 128 countries in the Social Progress Index, calculated by the American NGO Social Progress Imperative, in collaboration with Deloitte; last year it occupied the 20th place among 133 countries.

Ljubljana maintains the primacy of Central Eastern Europe, with the best results recorded in the field of basic human needs (access to food, water, sanitation and health care). However, the rate of suicide remains high. The worst result was achieved in the “Opportunity” category, which includes, inter alia, tolerance and inclusion. In measuring the quality of life, the social progress index mainly uses non-financial parameters.

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

Turkey’s exports soared over 31 percent annually to reach nearly $11.5 billion in July; the highest growth rate in the last six years, a leading sector association announced on Aug. 1.

A failed coup last July hit the country’s exports in a steep manner.

The Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) said in a statement that the value of total exports for the last 12 months also increased by 7.5 percent to over $150 billion, compared to the same period last year.    

Mehmet Buyukeki, who heads TIM, said the country’s exports totaled nearly 89 billion in the first seven months of the year, up by 10.7 percent compared to the same period last year. 

While Turkey’s automotive exports saw a 41.1 percent year-on-year increase in July, the country’s exports to Germany, its top market, soared 28 percent in the mentioned period. 

Among the top 20 countries for Turkey’s exports in July, Russia showed the highest 95.7 percent increase, Büyükeki noted at a meeting in the Aegean province of Manisa to launch the export figures.

Turkey’s exports to the European Union showed a 29.1 percent year-on-year increase, taking a share of 51.1 percent in Turkey’s total exports. 

The organization added that Turkish exports to the top five countries, namely Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Iraq and the United States, were all on the rise.  

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

According to a report by Forbes Middle East magazine, twelve Lebanese female entrepreneurs are listed in the annual ranking of the 100 most powerful Arab entrepreneurs. Lebanon is the third country most represented on the list after the United Arab Emirates (18 women) and Egypt (16). In 2016, 11 Lebanese women were included in this ranking.

According to the report, this year in particular, the position of women around the Arab world seems very important. The most significant sector is the banking sector, which represents 28% of the ranking in 2017. Several women in the region have been promoted the highest positions; these women have been providing services for a long time and have reached impressive results.

This report, which has been published each year since 2012, classifies female entrepreneurs according to their position, the business size in which they operate (turnover, number of employees) and their level of influence.

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

Ensuring logistical, technical and operational support to Libyan naval forces, accompanying and supporting them through joint and coordinated activities, and ensuring the maintenance and restoration of equipment efficiency, as explicitly requested on 23rd July by the Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord, Al Sarraj, in a letter sent to President Paolo Gentiloni. Thus, the minister of Defense Roberta Pinotti described the Italian commitment to Libya. “To carry out these activities, the Libyan authorities have demanded to operate in their territorial waters and in their ports,”  the Minister said, and also spoke with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Angelino Alfano, pointing out that “all activities will take place on the basis of the Libyan authorities and, therefore, in the closest co-ordination with them. “No interference or injury to Libyan sovereignty, therefore. Sovereignty that, indeed, is to be strengthened. “Our job is to help the Libyans in rescue activities and in contrasting the traffickers,” she said. A naval blockade is excluded “because it is a hostile act” but we will offer a response to the call for support and assistance to the activities of the Libyan coast guard.

Naval units used for this mission will be taken from the “Mare Sicuro” national system, already operative in international waters. No additional burden, therefore, compared to what Parliament has already approved. The rules of engagement will be the same as the Mare Sicuro operation, with the necessary adaptations for the bilateral character of the operation. “On the basis of international law, self-defense of our military is always legitimate,” Pinotti explained. This includes the important decision of the Libyan authorities to officially declare the so-called “SAR area”, namely the search and rescue area under their responsibility. Italy has long been strongly committed to stabilizing Libya, with staff training and media supply. “The Libyan demand for naval support is born in a climate of absolute mutual trust that is not extemporaneous, Italy has always acted in respect of Libyan sovereignty,” said Minister Alfano. “The international community must unify its efforts under the protection of the UN”, also in light of the proliferation of unilateral initiatives of the last months that has questioned the role of former UN Special Representative Kobler. The new Special Representative Ghassan Salame, will be in Rome on August 8, Alfano announced, and explained to parliamentarians that on that occasion he will ask him “to impose a new impetus on UN action. His agenda is our agenda. “Lastly, for the operations already started in Libya, Pinotti recalled that since June 2016 with the European operation “Sophia” Italy has been conducting training activities for Libyan naval forces. In October 2016 Italy launched the “Ippocrate” operation to install a field hospital in Misurata to assist the wounded in the fight against Isis. 

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

“We have put a strategy in place. There is no one miraculous solution, but the idea is to think of a project knowing that no country can do it alone. And that no country can be left alone”. Interior Minister Marco Minniti said these words, intervening in Tunis at the second meeting of the contact group on the Central Mediterranean route. “It is an extraordinarily important epochal migration phenomenon”, the Interior Minister said, “which has accompanied us in the past and will most likely accompany us in the future as well. The problem is to understand that this phenomenon can be dealt with in a useful way only through a great cooperation between Europe and Africa. This is the solution. Europe can not do without Africa and vice versa, the two destinies are closely connected and that is why this initiative is very important.” “We must engage energy, financial resources, projects,” said Minniti, “if we can see and think of a balanced Europe it is the one that has the same commitment towards the east and the south. They are two fundamental hearts of the same identical problem. The key word about this is cooperation, investment and commitment in concrete projects”.

About Libya, “The borders of the south of Libya are very important not only for the issue of immigration, but also for the theme of the fight against terrorism” Minniti pointed out, “we are faced with the signs of a military defeat of the Islamic State when Mosul falls. And we must think of the hypothesis of a diaspora and, at that point, the southern border of Libya becomes the southern boundary of all northern Africa and, if allowed, the southern border of Europe as well. Controlling the southern border means controlling the borders of North Africa and Europe, that is why all this has a strategic value”.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews