Migrant arrivals to Italy down by over thirty percent since January

The ministry said that 111,397 migrants landed in Italy between January and October, compared to 159,427 during the same period last year. A 78 percent drop was registered in October alone, while arrivals from Libya, a key departure point for migrants attempting the treacherous crossing to Europe, are down 93 percent since January. The numbers have dropped off significantly since the summer, when Italy moved to rein in NGO rescue ships operating in the Mediterranean by making them sign a new code of conduct, while Libya barred foreign vessels from…

Libyan International Oil Services Conference to be held in Tunisia in November

The Tunisian city of Hammamet is to host between 20-22 of November the Libyan International Oil Services Conference organized by the Supreme Council of Libyan and Tunisian Businessmen (SCLTB). The head of SCLTB, Abdulhafeez Al-Sukrofi, told to Afrigate news website on Monday that the conference will see the participation of international companies specialized in the oil sector, including 8 from Russia and 6 from China, in addition to two others from the US. The conference is due to host international representatives, oil industry experts and officials to explore and discuss…

African Development Bank strongly supports Nigerian Government’s economic recovery efforts

The African Development Bank is in consultations with the Government on how best to continue its support for its laudable Economic and Growth Recovery Plan through investment projects The African Development Bank (AfDB) wishes to categorically refute the statement that it has “called off loans to Nigeria”, as reported in Reuters and credited to AfDB Vice-President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth Amadou Hott. The African Development Bank is highly encouraged by the economic recovery of Nigeria from recession and salutes the Government’s efforts towards diversification of the economy.…

Head of European parliament urges African “Marshall Plan” to stem migration

The president of the European Parliament proposed Monday the establishment of a “Marshall Plan” that would facilitate economic and social development in Africa and thereby reduce the flow of migrants toward Europe. At the start of a two-day official visit to Tunisia, Antonio Tajani also insisted that cooperation with North African coastal nations on issues such as terrorism, border control and de-radicalization was key to European security. Evoking the program – named for Secretary of State George Marshall – that saw the United States pour billions of dollars into Western…

Code to secure Tunisian State properties to be established soon

To better protect State properties in the country, a Code for public properties in being elaborated in Tunisia. The first draft of this code “which aims at regrouping and improving all laws related to organization and management of State properties” is, according to the minister of State properties and land affairs, Mabrouk Kourchid, already elaborated and will “soon” be examined by a cabinet meeting. “The minister stressed on the need to manage properly State property, in transparency, adding that the public properties code will be a key achievement for Tunisia. The cabinet…