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RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – International recognition of Moroccòs sovereignty over the Sahara region continues. As reported by the Moroccan news agency MAP, after the announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron in support of the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco as the only basis for the solution to the regional dispute, the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, has conveyed to the King of Morocco Mohammed VI “the Dominican Republic’s firm support for Moroccòs sovereignty over the Sahara”. President Abinader also announced the upcoming opening of a consulate in the city of Dakhla in the Sahara region. This is what was released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, following the meeting of the Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita with the Dominican president, who “considers the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco as the only solution to the dispute over Sahara”.

Along the same lines, the Republic of Chad also reiterated its “constant position in favor of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Morocco throughout its territory, including the Sahara region, and support for the Autonomy Plan under Moroccan sovereignty presented by the Kingdom in 2007, as the only basis for a credible and realistic solution for the resolution of this regional dispute”. This is what emerges in the joint statement between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chad, Abderaman Koulamallah, and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita following the inauguration of the headquarters of the Consulate General of Chad in the city of Dakhla, joining the numerous African, Asian countries and Latin Americans who have already opened their diplomatic missions in the same city as a sign of support for Moroccòs sovereignty over the Sahara.

– Photo MAP –

(ITALPRESS).

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Two major transit countries for illegal immigration to Europe; Tunisia and Libya, has tightened health surveillance in response to the World Health Organization’s declaration of a global mpox emergency. While confirming that no cases of the virus, formerly known as monkeypox, have been detected, the Tunisian Health Ministry added, “The situation is under constant monitoring”. Mpox is transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials. Symptoms include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
Meanwhile, the Libyan National Center for Disease Control announced that it had taken urgent measures for international health control offices at all land, sea and air ports, raising the state of alert and readiness amid the outbreak of monkey pox (Mpox).
The Libyan National Center for Disease Control also reassured everyone that so far no case had been recorded in Libya and confirmed the readiness of all departments to confront this disease and take all necessary measures for the safety of citizens and residents according to its competencies across the country.
However, health experts warn that Libyàs fragile healthcare system could be overwhelmed if monkeypox begins to spread. The combination of unchecked migrant entry and a weakened public health infrastructure could make containing an outbreak extremely challenging.
Tunisia and Libya are facing the looming threat of a monkeypox outbreak as thousands of African migrants enter both countries without undergoing any medical screenings.
As key transit point for migrants from Africa en route to Europe, Libya is particularly vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases, including monkeypox, due to the lack of health checks at its borders.
The African Center for Disease Control announced a state of health emergency in the entire African continent after the increase in Mpox cases in 16 countries so far, as the disease entered some countries for the first time.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared monkeypox a global health emergency following a significant outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that has spread to neighboring African countries. In 2024 alone, the WHO recorded over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths across Africa, with more than 96% of these occurring in the DRC. The virus has already spread to countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, leading the WHO to issue its emergency declaration.

– photo: Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Gaza Freedom Flotillq boat ‘Handalà arrived in Malta where several Maltese NGOs joined activists onboard the boat supporting the humanitarian mission for the children of Gaza.

After more than two years and three months sailing through European ports, the Freedom Flotilla boat “Handala” made its 19th stop. It arrived from Sicily and will depart in the coming days.

Organisers said they intend to sail directly to Gaza, but did not rule out another stop for additional supplies.

For 14 years, the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition has sailed to Gaza, seeking deliver much-needed humanitarian aid.

In a statement issued by the Maltese activists, it was said that despite these attacks, the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition remains undeterred, sailing for freedom and demonstrating the unwavering value of international solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The Freedom Flotilla mission “For the Children of Gaza” began in April 2023, visiting ports in various European countries and holding events with the “Handala”‘s crew and participants from more than a dozen countries.

Almost 700 people had applied to join the Handalàs 17-strong crew. Coalition representatives said crew members from Italy, France, Norway, Australia and the Netherlands had boarded in Malta, joining Palestinian crew members and other nationalities.

The coalition is an international organisation of NGOs attempting to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

– Photo Graffitti –

(ITALPRESS).

WASHINGTON (UNITED STATES) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The ceasefire in the Middle East is “closer than it has ever been.” U.S. President Joe Biden said on the sidelines of a ceremony in the Oval Office. Biden added that a truce agreement has not been rea he yet, but is “much closer than it was three days ago”.
-photo Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS)

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Malta Fiscal Advisory Council (MFAC) has issued a comprehensive assessment of Maltàs government’s Annual Report 2023, highlighting several areas of concern and offering specific recommendations for fiscal management. In its report, the MFAC emphasised three critical issues: the need to curb government spending, address revenue shortfalls despite economic growth, and develop an exit strategy for the fixed-energy-price policy. “The government should avoid inflating government spending to ensure adherence with the benchmark fiscal expenditure path,” the council said. However, it also cautioned against curtailing productive capital expenditure that promotes medium to long-term growth. While noting Maltàs economy outperforming expectations in 2023, the MFAC also underlined a concerning trend, warning that “government revenue did not exhibit a corresponding increase”. The council pointed out that both direct and indirect tax elasticity to GDP growth remained low compared to previous years, calling for an investigation into these discrepancies. Weighing in on the exorbitant energy subsidies which are costing the taxpayer €320 million annually, the MFAC reiterated “its recommendation to prepare an adequate exit strategy in relation to the fixed-energy-price policy, adopting a more targeted approach and enhancing incentives for energy savings”. This aligns with previous warnings from the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund. The European Commission has recommended that Malta phase out energy-related emergency support measures in 2024 to reduce its deficit. The Commission suggests that savings from cutting these subsidies should address the deficit, but the government has not indicated when it will end them. Ending the subsidies could lead to a spike in the cost of living, a politically unpopular move for the Labour government already facing challenges after recent election results. The government did not address the subsidies in its response to the Commission. In addition to these key points, the MFAC report outlined several other important recommendations. These include:
Export-Led Growth: The Council emphasised the need for Maltàs economic growth to be export-led, reducing reliance on domestic drivers, particularly private consumption. They stressed the importance of enhancing labor productivity and addressing skills gaps to maintain a robust competitive position. Private Sector Investment: The MFAC called on firms to direct excess profits into productive investments and initiatives to enhance labor productivity, viewing this as crucial for improving competitiveness and sustainable economic growth. Fiscal Consolidation: The Council advised that fiscal consolidation efforts should exceed the minimum required under the Excessive Deficit Procedure. They suggested targeting an annual structural adjustment greater than 0.5 percentage points of GDP, especially given the current high economic growth environment. Debt Management: While Maltàs debt ratio remains below the 60% of GDP reference value, the MFAC recommended maintaining this buffer and closely monitoring various components contributing to debt changes, particularly interest expenditure and stock-flow adjustments. These recommendations come as Maltàs debt continued to rise, reaching €9,976.2 million by the end of March, equivalent to 50.4% of GDP. Last month, the EU launched excessive deficit procedures against Malta and seven other member states, Belgium, France, Italy, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. EU treaties mandate that member states’ deficits should not exceed 3% of their GDP, with debt below 60%. Malta, with a 2023 deficit of 4.9%, faces an excessive deficit procedure from the European Commission.

– Foto Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta International Airport (MIA) is gearing up for an unprecedented surge in passenger traffic as the peak summer travel season reaches its highest point during these days. The airport said it anticipates over 200,000 travellers to pass through the terminals in the coming week, coinciding with the Santa Maria public holiday weekend. The airport expects to handle more than 33,700 passengers on its busiest days – 15, 22 and 29 August. The peak travel week is forecasted to be until 18 August, with a staggering 216,922 passengers either departing from or arriving in Malta. This surge follows a record-breaking July, which saw 951,861 passengers pass through Maltàs International Airport, marking a 12.2% increase compared to the same period in 2023. July 2024 now stands as the busiest month in the airport’s history, being the first to surpass 900,000 passenger movements. The airport’s seat capacity rose by 11.5%, with an impressive 89.7% seat occupancy rate. Italy remained the top market, capturing 25.5% of the market share, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland. Notably, Poland emerged as the fastest-growing market among the top five, with a 51.4% increase. As Maltàs tourism industry continues to rebound strongly from the pandemic-induced slowdown, these figures show a promising picture for the island’s economic recovery. The year-to-date traffic has reached 5,017,275 passenger movements, a 17.1% increase over 2023.

– Photo Aeroporto Internazionale di Malta –

(ITALPRESS).

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, today had a new telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu as part of the continuous contacts she is having on the crisis in the Middle East.

According to an official statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Meloni reiterated her strong hope that an agreement for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages can be reached, in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2735 as the next round of negotiations are scheduled on August 15th.

Prime Minister Meloni reiterated her firm support for the mediation led by the United States, Egypt and Qatar. In recognizing Israel’s right to self-defense, the Prime Minister underlined the importance of de-escalation at regional level, including the Israeli-Lebanese border where the United Nations intervention force, Unifil, is present, and where Italy has a leading role.

– Photo Palazzo Chigi –

(ITALPRESS).

BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union in the first seven months of 2024 fell by 36% to 113,400, according to preliminary data collected by Frontex.

The largest drops in irregular border crossings were observed on the Western Balkans and Central Mediterranean routes, by 75% and 64% respectively.

Frontex remains committed to protecting the EU’s external borders, with 2,900 officers and staff involved in various operations across Europe.

The Central Mediterranean route has seen a significant downward trend in recent months. In the January-July period, this migration route saw a 64% drop in crossings to 32,200.
?However, the central Mediterranean remains the most active migratory route to the EU. According to Frontex, this year’s decline can be attributed mainly to preventative measures by the Tunisian and Libyan authorities to disrupt traffickers’ activities. Arrivals from those two countries represent 95% of all migrants reported on the Central Mediterranean route.

– Photo: Ipa Agency –

(ITALPRESS).