National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 11/02/21
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of February 11
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
The European Union will support vaccination against coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in Ukraine with project worth EUR 40 million to provide critical assistance to ensure local readiness and preparedness for safe and effective vaccination of the population in each of the six Eastern Partnership countries, according to a press release from the EU Delegation to Ukraine.
“The European Union [EU] and the WHO Regional Office for Europe will work together in a major effort to support deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination in Ukraine. The project, funded by the EU and implemented by the Regional Office, will cover all phases – constituting ‘end-to-end’ support – of COVID-19 vaccine deployment and vaccination. It will also serve as a major investment to strengthen routine immunization system,” a press release, posted on the delegation’s website on Thursday, said.
The project will be implemented by WHO over a three-year period as part of a EUR 40 million European Union-funded initiative to support the Eastern Partnership countries in preparing for, deploying and monitoring the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.
“The European Union has stood by Ukraine since the onset of the pandemic. We have provided medical equipment like oxygen concentrators for its hospitals and protective equipment for its frontline workers; we have supported Ukraine’s small businesses and cultural industry with access to finance; and we have mobilised protection for vulnerable groups like conflict-affected people and women whose livelihoods and personal safety were at risk during the lockdown. The WHO has been a key partner for the EU and now that vaccination is becoming accessible, we are happy to continue working hand in hand to ensure Ukraine is ready to receive and deploy vaccines,” Head of the European Union Delegation to Ukraine Matti Maasikas said.
“Thanks to support of the European Union and the World Health Organization we will be able to effectively and coherently carry out all stages of vaccination provided by the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan against COVID-19. It is possible to stop the pandemic in Ukraine and in the world only by joint efforts, so we are grateful to our partners for their help and unity for the common goal of overcoming COVID-19,” Chief Sanitary Doctor, Deputy Health Minister of Ukraine Viktor Liashko said.
Dr. Jarno Habicht, the WHO Representative and Head of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine, said: “Vaccines offer hope and protection to those fighting on the frontlines of this pandemic and to those at highest risk. Thanks to this generous support and collaboration with European Union, WHO can scale up its efforts to support Ukraine to ensure that vaccines can reach those who need them most, as soon and as efficiently as possible. Our joint and multi-year actions will support COVID vaccine deployment and vaccination in Ukraine, as well strengthens overall immunisation programme in medium term.”
The funds are reported to be used initially to support the first phase of preparation and deployment, with a focus on immediate needs for strategic program areas such as planning, equipment/supplies, health worker training and awareness campaigns.
The project builds on the European Union’s and WHO’s ongoing support to countries’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the joint EUR 35 million EU Solidarity for Health Initiative, aimed to support the partner countries in their fight against the virus and address better the needs of the most vulnerable people.
“Since early 2020, the EU has mobilised over 190 million euro to help Ukraine face the challenges of COVID-19, supporting its health system, frontline workers, small and medium-sized businesses and vulnerable groups. It has activated its Civil Protection Mechanism to transfer medical equipment and supplies from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland and Slovakia to Ukraine and is providing emergency Macro-Financial Assistance worth EUR 1.2 billion to Ukraine to help limit the economic fallout of the pandemic,” the EU Delegation to Ukraine said.
Finally, the European Union is the largest donor to COVAX, an initiative which is set to provide the first batches of vaccines to Ukrainian frontline workers shortly. These efforts are part of #TeamEurope, the EU’s global approach to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Business awaits law enforcement reforms, but the latest version of the law on the Economic Security Bureau and the bill on the reform of the Security Service (SBU) adopted at first reading raise doubts about the quality of such reforms, the European Business Association (EBA) said in a release.
“It is worth noting that currently, the problem of cooperation with law enforcement agencies concerns not only SMEs and regional entrepreneurs but also large international companies and strategic investors,” the release says.
“The reform issue is especially relevant now in the context of the establishment of the Bureau of Economic Security. Although the community has not yet seen the final version of the document, the business was wary of the penultimate version of the draft law. Thus, there are fears that instead of a radically new analytical body that would help protect the interests of business, a new structure may be created with a new name, but with the same methods of work and even the same people,” the EBA says.
“At the same time, the SBU reform was launched, so to speak, by the adoption of the draft law No. 3196-d at first reading. Thus, the draft law was supposed to eliminate anti-corruption and economic units in the SBU, partially demilitarize the service, etc. However, there are fears that the liquidated SBU departments will be reincarnated as other functional units that will provide counterintelligence support in the economic context. In other words, it is likely to put continued pressure on the business. And, in general, this document invokes a lot of questions concerning the renewed functions and powers of the service,” it noted.
“Therefore, the European Business Association appeals to Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine, and Arsen Avakov, Minister of Internal Affairs, to pay due attention to reforming the law enforcement system in 2021. It is unacceptable and unreasonable to persecute the business. Otherwise, the issue of attracting investment, business development, and economic development, in general, may become a big question. We hope that the time for fundamental reforms has come and we will finally move from talks to the action!” the document says.
The European Parliament reaffirmed its continued support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, continuing to condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea and the de facto occupation of certain regions in the east by Russia.
This is discussed in the section “Cooperation in the field of the common foreign and security policy (CFSP)” of the resolution on Ukraine’s implementation of the Association Agreement, voted by the European Parliament during the plenary session. The spokesperson was deputy from the European People’s Party Michael Gahler (Germany).
“The European Parliament Reiterates the Union’s unwavering support for and commitment to Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and its support for the internationally coordinated sanctioning of the Russian Government and agents who are undermining the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to the resolution.
In addition, the European Parliament ontinues to condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and the de facto occupation of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk and calls on the Russian Federation to fulfil its international obligations, to withdraw its military forces from the territory of Ukraine.
The European Parliament also welcomes the resumption of the peace talks under the Normandy four format on 9 December 2019 in Paris after a deadlock of three years.
The European Parliament strongly condemns Russia’s destabilising actions and military involvement in Ukraine; expresses concern about Russia’s ongoing build-up of military facilities and installations in the Crimean Peninsula. In addition, the European Parliament condemned Russia’s illegal actions aimed at seizing control of the Kerch Strait, as they constitute a breach of international maritime law and Russia’s international commitments, in particular the construction of the Kerch Bridge and its rail link without Ukraine’s consent, the laying of underwater cables and the closing up and militarisation of the Azov Sea, which severely hinders Ukraine’s economic activities. The European Parliament called on the Russian Federation to ensure unhindered and free passage to and from the Azov Sea in line with international law, and access to the occupied Ukrainian territories of Donbas and annexed Crimea for international non-governmental organizations and international humanitarian organisations and to release of all Ukrainian political prisoners and prisoners of war in Russia, Crimea and the parts of Donbas not controlled by the Ukrainian Government.
The European Parliament also considers it possible for the Commission and the European External Action Service to intensify their efforts towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
In addition, the European Parliament called on the EU High Representative, the Commission and the member states to provide the necessary support for the creation of the Crimean International Platform, which will coordinate, formalize and systematize efforts aimed at restoring the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Kazakhstan is increasing the number of regular flights with Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and the Maldives.
The relevant decision was made by the interdepartmental commission to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the civil aviation committee of the Kazakh Industry and Infrastructure Development Ministry said on Wednesday.
Thus, in accordance with the interdepartmental commission’s decision, the number of flights to Russia will increase by seven in general, from three to 10 flights per week on each side. This includes the number of Nur-Sultan-Moscow flights increasing from two to four per week on each side and Almaty-Moscow flights increasing from one to four per week on each side. Shymkent-Moscow flights, one per week on each side, and Aktau-Moscow, one per week on each side, are resumed.
The number of flights to the Maldives is up from four to seven per week for Kazakh companies on the Almaty-Male route.
The number of Almaty-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) flights is increasing from two to three per week.
Along with this, the number of flights to Uzbekistan is increasing from three to four (on each side) due to one more Nur-Sultan-Tashkent flight per week. Since September 11, one flight has been performed on the Nur-Sultan-Tashkent route and two on the Almaty-Tashkent route.
The number of flights to Ukraine is increasing to two, due to the resumption of one flight per week on the Nur-Sultan-Kyiv route. In August 2020, flights on the Almaty-Kyiv route were resumed.
