The total budget of technical assistance projects to be implemented in Ukraine within the framework of the International Climate Initiative will amount to EUR 44.5 million, including both new projects and those planned to be launched before the war or whose work was temporarily suspended with the outbreak of hostilities.
According to the website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine on Tuesday, such initiatives were discussed in Berlin during the meeting of the Ukrainian delegation headed by Deputy Minister Alexander Krasnolutsky with representatives of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection of Germany, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Secretariat of the German Institute for International Cooperation.
German projects, in particular, will cover support for Ukraine in implementing the Paris Agreement and adaptation to the consequences of climate change in the Black Sea region, establishing an emissions trading system, forming a low emission policy, preserving forests in the Carpathians, and increasing Ukraine’s ability to overcome the consequences of war and integrate into the EU. In addition, they talked about Ukraine’s accession to the climate club, which is now being formed by the European Union.
In addition, the German government is ready to help Ukraine with the construction of rehabilitation centers for animals affected by war, which are envisaged in the plan for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.
According to Krasnolutsky, Ukraine is striving to apply the best practices that exist today in Europe for its reconstruction and development.
Henley & Partners announced the launch of a new Namibian residency investment program on February 28, 2023.
Interested investors can purchase local real estate worth from EUR 280,000 and have the opportunity to live, do business or study in this politically and economically stable country.
Dominic Wolek, head of private client services at Henley & Partners, sums it up: “In an era called ‘work from anywhere’ investors can choose where to live without being tied to business alone, but also diversify different risks by acquiring residency or citizenship in different countries. The Namibian government has provided many interesting opportunities to attract foreign investors: these are tax initiatives, syndicated lending, and one-stop-shop technology for international companies.
The decision to issue a residence permit is made in 3 months. Temporary residence permit with the right to work is issued for five years. After seven years of investment in the country, the investor can apply for permanent residency (permanent residence).
Namibia is a country with a rich colonial history. Only in 1990, the country gained full independence. There is a strong German influence in Namibia – until 1990 German was the official language. German passport holders often move to this country for a change of tax residency, a quiet retirement in a good climate, and a high standard of living at minimal cost.
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Henley & Partners is an international leader in residency planning for private clients and their families. Henley & Partners also serves as an advisor to various governments in the design and implementation of citizenship or residency programs through investments. Henley & Partners has attracted more than $10 billion into economies around the world through various investment programs. The company has offices in more than 35 countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Malta, Cyprus, Portugal, the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda.
The U.S. dollar is strengthening against the euro, the yen and the pound sterling in trading on Tuesday amid market revisions of expectations for the Federal Reserve (Fed) rate peak.
The ICE-calculated index showing the dollar’s performance against six currencies (euro, Swiss franc, yen, Canadian dollar, pound sterling and Swedish krona) added 0.17% in trading, while the broader WSJ Dollar Index gained 0.16%.
The euro/dollar pair is trading at $1.0585 as of 8:15 a.m., up from $1.0611 at Monday’s market close.
The pound exchange rate had dropped to $1.2041 by that time from $1.2065 the day before.
The value of the American currency against the yen is 136.31 yen against 136.23 yen at the end of the previous session.
The futures market expects the Fed’s rate to peak at 5.4% this year, although a month ago the maximum rate was estimated at 5%, Bloomberg noted.
The adjustment of traders’ expectations is related to signals of the sustainability of inflation in the U.S. According to the data published on Friday, the consumer price index (PCE index) in the states in January increased by 0.6% against the previous month (the maximum increase for six months), and in annual terms it rose by 5.4%. The rate of growth accelerated compared to December, when it was 0.2% and 5.3%, respectively.
Statistical data from the euro zone, to be released Thursday, are expected to show some easing of inflation in the region in February. The consensus analyst forecast cited by Trading Economics expects the euro area’s consumer price growth rate to slow to 8.2% on an annualized basis this month from 8.6% in January.
However, the rate of consumer price growth excluding food and energy (CPI Core, a core inflation indicator) is expected to remain at 5.3%, a record high.
The swap market expects the ECB deposit rate, currently at 2.5%, to rise to 3.9% in February 2024.
Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko called on his European colleagues to support Ukraine’s candidacy for the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The Energy Ministry reported in its Telegram channel on Monday that Galushchenko made such a proposal during an informal meeting of EU energy and transport ministers in Stockholm on February 27.
“The Energy Minister said that Ukraine is putting forward its candidacy for the IAEA Board of Governors for 2023-2025 and urged the meeting participants to join the discussion of this issue and support the Ukrainian application,” the ministry said.
The head of the Energy Ministry during the meeting thanked the EU representatives for the 10th package of sanctions against Russia and stressed the need to not only maintain the pressure on the aggressor, but also to extend it to all areas of the Russian energy sector, in particular the nuclear industry, the ministry said.
According to Galushchenko, the time has come to implement sanctions against Rosatom.
“It is time to go further and impose sanctions against Rosatom, which covers up the Russian regime’s nuclear terrorism and sponsors the Russian army. We welcome the decision by Finland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic to refuse to cooperate with Russia in the nuclear industry and call on other partners to take this step,” the minister said.
According to the IAEA, the Board of Governors is one of the agency’s two governing bodies along with the annual general conference of the IAEA member states.
The Council reviews the IAEA’s financial statements, program and budget and makes recommendations on them to the general conference. It reviews applications for membership in the agency, approves safeguards agreements, and publishes the IAEA’s safety standards. It also appoints the Agency’s Director General, who is approved by the General Conference.
Wheat prices on Monday fell to their lowest level since September 2021 on waning supply concerns in the short term.
Chicago wheat futures ended trading the day before down 1.6 percent to $7.1 a bushel. Since the beginning of February, the contract has fallen in price by about 6%, a record pace since November.
As Bloomberg notes, amid the war unleashed by Russia, Ukraine is seeking to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative for another year.
Traders believe the deal will be successfully extended and the expectation of an active grain supply from the region is putting pressure on futures, notes Terry Riley, senior commodity market analyst at Futures International LLC.
Civilian casualties from 24 February 2022, after Russia launched a war against Ukraine, to 26 February 2023 were 2,580 civilians (21,293 as of 15 February), including 8,101 dead (8,066), the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said Monday.
“OHCHR believes that the real number of civilian deaths or injuries is significantly higher, as many reports from places where such cases have occurred still require further confirmation, while information from some places where fighting is ongoing is delayed,” the document said of the UN data.
This is the case, for example, in such locations as Mariupol (Donetsk region), Lysychansk, Popasna, and Severodonetsk (Luhansk region), where numerous civilian deaths or injuries have been reported.
According to confirmed UN data, 3,584 men, 2,127 women, 256 boys and 201 girls were killed, while the gender of 31 children and 1,902 adults could not yet be determined.
Among the 4,479 wounded, 398 boys and 293 girls, as well as 271 children whose sex could not yet be determined.
Compared to February 15, one child was killed and eight children were injured.
Whereas previously the UNHCHR’s casualty report was issued daily, and then only on weekdays, it became a weekly report in July. This report, like the previous one, provides data by month.
According to them, the number of deaths in February dropped to 123 from 198 in January and 205 in December.
March remains the deadliest month for civilians, according to the UN, with at least 3,943 deaths. In April, according to an OHCHR publication, civilian deaths due to the war dropped to 758, in May to 509, in June to 422 and in July to 378. There were 358 deaths in the first five days of the war from Feb. 24-28, 332 in August, 386 in September, 305 in October and 184 in November.
The number of wounded in February – 402 – was the lowest since the beginning of the war: in January there were 539, in December – 617, in November – 541, in the first five days of war in February last year – 464. In October the number of wounded dropped to 795 from 976 in September, when it was higher than in August – 917. Before that the number of wounded exceeded a thousand each month: July – 1126, June – 1104, May – 1136, April – 1888, March – 2974.
According to the report, in February this year, 115 people were killed by large-area explosive weapons and another 377 were wounded, while mines and explosive remnants of war killed eight people and wounded 25 (6% of total casualties).
Government-controlled territories accounted for 88 percent of the casualties in February, according to the UN.
The summary traditionally states that the increase in numbers to the previous summary should not be attributed solely to cases after February 15, as the Office verified some cases from previous days during that period.
