Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba starts his third tour of African countries, on July 23-24 the foreign minister will visit Equatorial Guinea for the first time, the ministry’s press service reports.
“Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will visit the African continent for the third time amid the worsening global food crisis following Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. On July 23-24, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister will start his tour with a visit to Equatorial Guinea. The visit will be the first in the history of diplomatic relations,” the statement said, published on Sunday morning.
It is noted that in Malabo, the Foreign Minister will hold talks with the leadership of Equatorial Guinea on the development of bilateral relations, increasing trade, as well as on ensuring food security in Africa and support for the “Formula of Peace” of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The press service reminds that in January 2022, the African Strategy of Ukraine was approved. Within the framework of this strategy, contacts with African countries were significantly intensified through the Ukrainian President, the Foreign Ministry and parliamentary diplomacy.
Kuleba made his first African tour in October 2022, where he visited Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Kenya, and his second tour in May 2023, visiting Morocco, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mozambique and Nigeria.
“Developing relations with African countries strengthens the global coalition in support of Ukraine against the backdrop of Russian aggression and creates new opportunities for Ukrainian businesses and citizens. The third African tour of Dmitry Kuleba is a continuation of the African strategy and the renaissance of Ukrainian-African relations”, – emphasized in the message.
From July 24 in Kiev will resume payment for parking, free parking in the capital will be possible only on weekends, reported on the portal of the Kiev city Council.
“From July 24 resumes payment for parking through the mobile application Kiev Digital. Pay for parking will be necessary only on weekdays from 8:00 to 22:00. On weekends – parking remains free,” – stated in the message.
Some nuances of payment are also indicated, in particular, payment will be charged while parking in the application, regardless of the location of the car.
The write-off is carried out automatically when the total amount for hourly parking reaches 100 hryvnias. If the amount is less, the payment is deducted on the 1st of the next month.
Kyiv authorities inform that the user of “Kyiv Digital” can add several license plates to the application. Before parking, it is necessary to select the necessary one in the hourly parking menu.
It will be possible to pay only with a bank card. Municipal parking lots do not accept cash.
“If someone demands to pay for the service in this way – call the police,” – recommend the city authorities.
In addition, they note that during the air alert, parking inspectors will not fine drivers or evacuate cars.
Source: https://kyivcity.gov.ua/news/iz_ponedilka_24_lipnya_parkuvannya_v_stolitsi_znovu_stane_platnim/?utm_source=eSputnik-promo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%D0%86z_poned%D1%96lka%2C_24_lipnja%2C_parkuvannja_v_stolic%D1%96_znovu_stane_platnim%E2%80%8B&utm_content=1801994765&fbclid=IwAR1h6CFaCZlPpt6ETQtN0Lg6FmxzwSK0ghA30PHn8BBic4ePAqgh2q2xyi8
The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption will check the financial situation of heads of military commissions and their deputies in all regions, their close relatives will also be monitored. This was announced by the head of the National Agency for counteraction to corruption Alexander Novikov on air of the national telethon.
“These are hundreds of heads of military enlistment offices. We have now requested information from the Ministry of Defense, because these are structures that are subordinate to the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the AFU. After receiving the list, each of them will be checked,” he emphasized.
Novikov noted that the abuse of a serviceman of the Manning Center is “not just a corruption offense, but treason from the point of view of ethics.”
The Swedish government has presented the Strategy for the reconstruction of Ukraine for 2023-2027, and 6 billion Swedish kronor (€522.6m – Ministry of Economy) will be allocated for its implementation. This was announced by the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell during an online meeting with the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Economy Yulia Sviridenko, according to the website of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine on Saturday.
“The Swedish government has presented the Strategy for Cooperation on Recovery and Reforms in Ukraine for 2023-2027, which provides for the channeling of 6 billion Swedish kronor for projects to rebuild Ukraine. This is the largest bilateral aid program in Swedish history in terms of funding and it was Ukraine that became its recipient,” the report said.
“The funds will be used for infrastructure rehabilitation, green development, entrepreneurship, trade, demining, and media. We also welcome in the fact that the Swedish government will encourage large companies to enter and develop in Ukraine,” – said Yulia Sviridenko.
It is noted that the budget of the Strategy is distributed between the organizations responsible for the implementation of projects: the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) – 5.7 billion SWK, the Swedish Institute (SI) – 225 million SWK and Folke Bernadotte Academy (Folke Bernadotte Academy) – 75 million SWK.
Separately they discussed issues of war risk insurance, cooperation with MIGA, DFC.
“The Swedish side noted that it is working on solving the issue of insurance of Swedish companies and ensuring trade operations, because the Ukrainian market is promising for the development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries,” – emphasized in the message of the Department.
Ukraine is the most mined country in the world, it may take 757 years to completely demine its territories if it is handled by 500 teams of specialists who are working in the country now, The Washington Post writes.
“According to a recent report by Slovakian think tank GLOBSEC, about 30% of Ukraine’s territory (more than 67,000 square kilometers) has been severely affected by munitions and will require time-consuming, expensive and dangerous demining operations,” the article says.
Referring to the GLOBSEC data, the publication notes that “Ukraine has become the largest mined territory in the world, surpassing Afghanistan and Syria”.
The Washington Post also writes that the international non-profit organization HALO Trust, which deals with mine clearance, based on information from open sources has tracked more than 2,300 incidents on the territory of Ukraine, during which munitions requiring clearance were found.
In addition, from the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 through July 2023, the United Nations has documented 298 civilian deaths from explosive remnants of war, including 22 children, and 632 civilian injuries.
“Ukraine’s contaminated territory is so large that some experts estimate that humanitarian cleanup will take the roughly 500 demining teams currently working 757 years,” The Washington Post summarized.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/
The State Service of Ukraine on geodesy, cartography and cadastre in the course of analysis in the first half of the year of data of the State Land Cadastre revealed 493 agricultural land plots, which are owned by foreigners and stateless persons, but were not alienated in due time.
“According to the results of the analysis, the objects of agricultural land plots were identified, which are owned by foreigners and stateless persons, including citizens of the state recognized by Ukraine as an aggressor state or occupier state. Specialists have found that these plots have not been alienated by their owners within the period established by law, and therefore are subject to confiscation,” the State Geocadastre said in a statement.
It is specified that according to the results of conducted inspections 301 court proceedings on confiscation of 493 agricultural land plots with a total area of 716.65 hectares have been opened. 87 court decisions on confiscation of 138 agricultural land plots with a total area of 186.87 hectares have already been taken.
According to the current legislation, agricultural land inherited by foreigners and stateless persons must be alienated within a year. If such land plot was not alienated by the owner within a certain period of time, it is subject to confiscation by court decision, the State Geocadastre reminded.
