EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell welcomed the completion of the elimination of chemical weapons in the United States.
“The European Union welcomes the information that the United States achieved the complete destruction of its stockpile of chemical weapons on July 7. The elimination was completed before the scheduled September deadline in a safe and environmentally sound manner,” said a communiqué issued Saturday in Brussels.
Borrell thanked the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and its team that verified the destruction on site for their professional work in this context.
According to the EU diplomatic chief, the completion of the destruction work marks an important milestone in the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention 25 years after its entry into force.
“The Convention is a key element of the international nonproliferation and disarmament architecture. The EU will continue to provide strong political and financial support for its implementation, with a particular focus on preventing the re-emergence of chemical weapons and fighting impunity for their use,” the document said.
Earlier it was announced that the process of elimination of declared arsenals of chemical weapons in a military warehouse in Kentucky had been completed in the United States. U.S. media reported that under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the U.S. had until September 30, 2023 to complete the process.
The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) entered into force on April 29, 1997.
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in January-June this year reduced the production of total rolled steel, according to operational data, by 41% compared to the same period last year – to 2.375 million tons.
According to the association “Ukrmetallurgprom” on Saturday, in the first six months of this year, steel production fell by 37.7% compared with January-June 2022 – to 2.829 million tons.
Cast iron production during this period decreased by 37.5% to 2.836 million tons.
As reported, Ukraine in 5M-2023 decreased the production of rolled steel by 47.8% over the same period last year – to 1.982 million tons, steel by 43.7% to 2.392 million tons, and cast iron by 43.9% to 2.350 million tons.
Ukraine in 2022 reduced the production of total rolled products by 72% compared to the previous year – up to 5.350 million tons, steel by 70.7% – to 6.263 million tons, cast iron by 69.8% – to 6.391 million tons.
In 2021, the company produced 21.165 million tons of cast iron (103.6% by 2020), 21.366 million tons of steel (103.6%), 19.079 million tons of rolled steel (103.5%).
Turkish President Recep Erdogan said he would like to continue the work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. He said this in Istanbul on Friday night to Saturday after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“In July 2022, we embodied the Black Sea Grain Initiative with our signatures in Istanbul as a result of the mediation efforts we had with the United Nations. On July 17, this initiative expires, during which about 33 million tons of grain were delivered to those in need in one year through the Turkish straits, which have become an artery for the whole world,” Erdoğan said.
“I wish this initiative to continue. I am convinced that all parties concerned will act with global responsibility for this purpose,” he said.
The Turkish president also noted that he would like the term of the grain corridor agreement to be extended to 2 years.
The Supervisory Board (SB) of Garant Metiz Invest PrJSC (Dnipro) has dismissed Oleg Kovtonyuk as Chairman of the Board and CEO based on his application, and appointed Oksana Fenik as the company’s commercial director for a five-year term.
According to the company’s announcement in the information disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC), the personnel issues were considered at a meeting of the SB on July 6 this year.
It is specified that Kovtoniuk’s powers as Chairman of the Board and CEO will be terminated on July 6, and Fenik will take office on July 7.
Kovtoniuk has been CEO since August 12, 2021, and was appointed for 5 years.
Garant Metiz Invest LLC was founded in 2005, and later its founders decided to reorganize it into a CJSC and then into a PrJSC. The design capacity of the hardware plant is 40 thousand tons of products per year. The company was established on the industrial facilities of the former Electrogaz plant, whose premises were purchased during the reorganization.
According to the first quarter of 2023, Flobes LLC owns 50% of the shares in the company, and Garant Investments Ltd. (both based in Dnipro) also owns 50%.
The authorized capital of the PrJSC is UAH 1.982 million, the nominal value of the share is UAH 1.
Share of new buildings, in which construction was resumed, by regions of Ukraine
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
Ukrainian agro-industrial group Kernel signed an agreement to expand cooperation with Polish fuel importer Unimot Group, the company reported on Facebook.
“With the start of a full-scale war, we, along with other market participants, were forced to reorient fuel supply chains. In the midst of this process, Kernel signed its first formula contract with Polish fuel importer Unimot Group,” the agricultural holding company’s press office noted.
According to the agreement signed during Petroleum Ukraine 2023 conference, the Polish company will supply fuel, lubricants, bitumen and gas to the holding. For its part, Kernel will develop the storage and transport infrastructure and use mutually beneficial financial mechanisms.
The companies also agreed to cooperate in solar energy and projects aimed at decarbonizing production.
Unimot Group is the leader among Polish importers: 1.8 mln cubic meters of annual sales, 9 fuel terminals with a total capacity of 350 thousand cubic meters. The company owns a network of AVIA petrol stations with more than 3,200 stations in Europe.
Before the war, Kernel ranked first in the world in sunflower oil production (about 7% of world output) and its export (about 12%). The company is one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. Besides, Kernel is engaged in cultivation of agricultural products and their realization.
Kernel cut its net profit in 1HFY2023 (July-December 2022) by 12.6% YoY to $370.31 mln, while revenues decreased by 41.3% to $1 bln 889.78 mln.
