Month: February 2024

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry heads to Turkey on Thursday 29/2/2024 to take part in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), said Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid.

The foreign minister will also hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum with a number of ministers, officials.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman explained that this visit comes within the framework of Egypt’s efforts to deal with challenges and crises on the regional and international levels, and conveying the Egyptian vision to enhance regional peace and security, and to deal with the current challenges, most notably the Gaza Strip crisis.

Source: State Information Service Egypt

Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdullah Bou Habib, on Thursday met with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdullah Bou Habib, on Thursday met with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Gharib Abdel Hafez, spokesman for the Egyptian Armed Forces, has confirmed that Egypt and the UAE are continuing their joint efforts to airdrop tons of humanitarian aid onto the north of the Gaza Strip.

The aid included large quantities of food, medicine, and urgent supplies that were airdropped onto various areas in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, he added.

On Tuesday, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, and France coordinated efforts to airdrop much-needed assistance to Gaza, showcasing global solidarity in addressing humanitarian challenges.

The northern part of the besieged strip is facing a systematic starvation by Israeli forces amid ongoing shelling and sniping Palestinians. So far, six infants were starved to death due to the absence of baby formula and malnutrition. Israel has killed more than 30,00 people and injured more than 70,000 others in the strip since October 7, 2023.

Source: State Information Service Egypt

Lebanon’s retired military personnel on Thursday expressed strong dissatisfaction with the government’s recent decisions regarding salary and wage increases.

They criticized the government for neglecting principles of justice and equality, as well as the dire living conditions faced by retired military personnel and employees.

They also rejected the meager increase given to retirees, highlighting that it falls short compared to allowances granted to other public administration employees. The military retirees emphasized that this discrepancy violates established laws and pledged to continue advocating for fair treatment of their demands are not met within three months.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

GENEVA: The “carnage” in Gaza has left more than 30,000 Palestinians killed must end immediately, UN rights chief Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council this evening, after almost five months of constant Israeli bombardment and mass displacement of Palestinians in the enclave.

“The war in Gaza must end,” Türk said, insisting that it was “well past time” for peace, accountability and investigations into the “clear” violations of international humanitarian law and possible war crimes throughout the course of the ongoing Israeli aggression.

“There appear to be no bounds to – no words to capture – the horrors that are unfolding before our eyes in Gaza,” said High Commissioner Türk, as he presented a scheduled report from his Office, OHCHR, on the desperate situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to the Council.

Underscoring the “unprecedented level of killing and maiming” of civilians in the enclave, Türk noted that at least 17,000 Palestinian children have now been orphaned or separated from their
families.

Türk pointed out that at least three in four Gazans had been displaced by the war, amid the “systematic demolition of entire neighborhoods” that had rendered Gaza largely uninhabitable.

Addressing the Council, which is the UN’s top rights forum under the auspices of the UN General Assembly, Türk said that thousands of tons of munitions had been dropped by Israel on communities across Gaza since 7 October.

“These weapons send out a massive blast wave of high pressure that may rupture internal organs, as well as fragmentation projectiles, and heat so intense that it causes deep burns – and they have been used in densely populated residential neighborhoods,” he said.

“In Egypt’s Arish hospital, last November, I saw children whose flesh had been seared. I will never forget this.”

The High Commissioner also noted that likely “indiscriminate or disproportionate targeting” by Israel had left tens of thousands of Gazans missing, “presumed buried under the rubble of their homes”.

Source: Palestine New
s and Information Agency – WAFA

Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Thursday welcomed at the Grand Serail a delegation from the General Labor Confederation, led by Bechara Al-Asmar.

Al-Asmar stated after the meeting that the purpose of the visit was to express gratitude for yesterday’s decree, which encompasses public institutions, independent authorities, municipalities, the Union of Municipalities, government hospitals, and Tele Liban.

However, Al-Asmar highlighted certain deficiencies and imperfections, particularly concerning OGERO.

‘The GLC affirms its support for this remedial direction, especially regarding the monthly spending ceiling of LBP 2.8 trillion, and emphasizes the importance of maintaining financial equilibrium to avoid bearing a costly burden amidst wage increases in the struggling public sector,’ Al-Asmar said.

‘Yesterday’s actions are part of a solution, advocating for the restructuring of payments in the public sector to be integrated into salaries, ensuring that these efforts positively impact end-of-servic
e compensations for employees and military personnel, who still receive compensations based on 1,500 Lebanese pounds. The integration of these benefits into salaries stands as the primary demand of the General Labor Confederation today,’ Al-Asmar added, stressing the urgency for wage increases in the private sector, citing the postponement of the Minimum Wage Index Committee meeting due to discrepancies in figures.

Moreover, he urged the President’s intervention to foster an agreement between the GLC and economic entities.

Prime Minister Mikati also met with the head of the Parliamentary Works Committee, MP Sajih Atiyeh, who expressed satisfaction with their constructive discussion.

‘Mikati provided directives for the initiation of repairing the Chekka Highway wall, signaling a significant step after years of project stagnation,’ Atiyeh said.

Furthermore, discussions centered on reinstating employees with no criminal charges, along with retirees, to expedite work processes.

The pair also addressed transp
ortation to Iraq to enhance truck exports, with Mikati promising aid for affected regions.

Additionally, Prime Minister Mikati received UK Defence Senior Adviser for the Middle East, Martin Sampson, who briefed Mikati on his regional tour, emphasizing diplomatic solutions and permanent resolutions for the Palestinian issue.

Among Mikati’s visitors was General Tony Saliba, Director-General of Lebanon’s State Security, with discussions revolving around the country’s security situation.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said the State received the first batch of USD 5 billion from the USD 35 billion Ras El Hekma investment partnership deal that was signed with the UAE.

A second batch of USD 5 billion will be received on Friday, Madbouli added in a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Apart from the 35 percent stake in the project, the State will get the remaining sum of the deal within two months, the premier stated.

He explained that a ministerial committee chaired by the prime minister will be formed to facilitate all measures and remove any obstacles to the Ras El Hekma development project.

Madbouli asserted the State is keen on ensuring the success of this mega development project to serve as a model for establishing other investment partnership deals that generate significant revenues.

He underlined that building such major investment projects clearly shows the attractive investment climate in Egypt and reflects the great confidence in the national economy.

The prime minister pointed out th
at the current structural reforms will contribute to achieving a quantum leap in the national economy, saying the government will continue to support key sectors such as industry, agriculture and communications, as well as green hydrogen.

He underlined that the Ras El Hekma development project is the beginning for reforming the economic situation, noting the government will keep on rationalizing investment spending, enhancing governance and increasing the private sector’s contribution to the national economy. (MENA)

At the end of the meeting, the premier said the Public Business Sector Ministry received USD 520 million from the recently-announced hotels deal.

Source: State Information Service Egypt

Caretaker Minister of National Defense, Maurice Sleem, received, at his Yarze office on Thursday, UK Defence Senior Adviser for the Middle East, Martin Sampson, and his accompanying delegation.

Discussions reportedly touched on the situation in Lebanon and the region, in addition to areas of cooperation between the ministries of the two countries.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

House Speaker, Nabi Berri, on Thursday received at the second presidency headquarters in Ain el-Tineh, UK Defence Senior Adviser for the Middle East, Martin Sampson, and his accompanying delegation.

Discussions touched on the general situation in Lebanon and the region, especially field developments, in light of Israel’s continued aggression against Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

Speaker Berri also met with Austrian Foreign Minister, Alexander Schallenberg, and the accompanying delegation, in the presence of Austria’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Rene Emery.

Political developments in Lebanon and the region featured high on their talks.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon