ICPE Member States News (10 March 2010)

Albania
Albania to develop e-registration for enterprises (Balkans.com): An inter-ministerial working group in Albania is to draft an action plan on developing electronic registration for businesses.

Albania considers nuclear energy (SETimes): Albania is inching closer to building a nuclear power plant. The government demonstrated its political will by establishing the National Nuclear Agency in January, responsible for development of the Albanian Nuclear Energy Programme.

Algeria

French and Algerian firms to build sugar refinery (Reuters Africa): French sugar maker Cristal Union and Algerian food firm LaBelle signed a partnership to build a joint refinery in Algeria with an initial capacity of 350,000 tonnes of raw sugar per year, Cristal Union said on Monday.

Algeria to hold new oil and gas bid round this year (Reuters Africa): Algeria plans to award new oil and gas contracts to international firms by the end of this year but does not plan to change the fiscal terms, Energy and Mines Minister Chakib Khelil said in an interview on Monday.

Bangladesh
Bangladesh tenders to buy 50,000 tonnes of rice (Reuters) - Bangladesh's state grains buyer on Wednesday issued an international tender to import 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice from any origin as part of an effort to hold down domestic prices, an official said.

Bangladesh to get three new luxury hotels (Sify News): Bangladesh's Unique Group, which owns Westin Dhaka, has signed a deal with Starwood Hotels and Resorts to set up two more five-star hotels in Dhaka and a third in Chittagong.

Economic Agreement Inked With Bangladesh (Zawya): Iranian Minister of Commerce Mehdi Qazanfari and Bangladeshi Industries Minister Dilip Barua signed an agreement on holding a joint economic commission.

India-Bangladesh Relationship: At a Glance (the SOP): Nowadays. The India-Bangladesh relationship has turned into a great level rather than past. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has been awarded the Peace Award by the president of India and also different bilateral agreements have been signed between these two countries regarding anti-terrorism as well as development.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ganic Appears in Court, Next Hearing Set for March 25 (Balkan Insight): At the Westminster Magistrates Court's hearing in London today on the merits of Serbia's request for the arrest of Ejup Ganic, his lawyers questioned if the request was legal, arguing that Serbia's warrant is based on an outdated investigation.

The judge in the case set the next hearing for March 25, while there have been reports that the current Chairman of the Bosnian Presidency, Haris Silajdzic, may be headed to the UK tomorrow.

Congo
United Nations seeks $59 mln for refugees in Congo (Reuters India): The United Nations is asking rich nations to help raise $59 million to support refugees who have fled clashes in the cobalt-rich Democratic Republic of Congo.

DRC
Freeport-McMoRan CEO: Congo pact close (Reuters Africa): Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold is close to reaching an agreement with the Democratic Congo government that would allow it to expand its huge copper/cobalt mine in the central African nation, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

Congo, South Africa: Sub-Saharan African Bond, Currency Preview (Bloomberg): Democratic Republic of Congo: The central bank will announce its weekly Treasury-bill offer. The Congolese franc was unchanged at 915.6382 to the dollar as of 6:26 a.m. in the capital, Kinshasa.

DRC to review oil deals (The Citizen): Democratic Republic of Congo's newly appointed oil minister will review exploration contracts yet to be approved by the President, and wants a new oil code passed into law by the end of March, he said late yesterday.

Guinea
Guinea sets election date (Afrol): The interim government of Guinea has set 27 June as the date for presidential elections. The polls are to end the current military rule and government promises to hold the country's first democratic elections since independence in 1958.

Guyana
Victoria Gold Seals Deal To Sell Guyana Projects To Takara Resources (Proactive Investors): Takara Resources (TSX-V: TKK) said it has signed an agreement with Victoria Gold Corp (TSX-V: VIT) in respect of its acquisition of Victoria's subsidiary, StrataGold Guyana Inc (SGI), which holds two advanced stage gold projects in Guyana, South America. Under the terms of the deal Takara will issue 21.8m shares to Victoria.

India

Govt has no plans now to sell stake in ONGC,IOC - secy (Hindustan Times): The government has no immediate plans to sell stake in state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Oil Secretary S Sundareshan told reporters on Wednesday.

No Indian firm exporting petrol to Iran, says Prasada (Hindustan Times): No Indian oil firm, including Reliance Industries, is exporting gasoline (petrol) to Iran, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Jitin Prasada told Parliament today.

Govt plans Educational Finance Corp (Hindustan Times): The government is planning several legislative amendments to encourage private participation in the field of higher education. It is also planning to set up Educational Finance Corporation and National Accreditation Authority to improve quality of education in the country, said Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal in Mumbai.

Not the right time for FPOs: Govt (Indian Express): The government is not considering selling equity in Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), Petroleum Secretary S Sundareshan said on Wednesday.

Sonia makes light of Trinamool member's concern over Bill (Hindustan Times): "Then we will have reservation for men," Congress President Sonia Gandhi said in a lighter vein on Wednesday when a Trinamool Congress leader contended that men would be a marginalised lot if the Women's Reservation Bill was enacted and implemented.

Macedonia
Macedonia Expects Resumption of “Name” Talks (Balkan Insight): A new round of Athens Skopje “name” talks is expected to begin by the end of March, Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said during an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nepal

Nepal reshuffles constitution schedule for 10th time (The Times of India): With just 80 days left, Nepal’s interim parliament on Tuesday reshuffled the schedule for the new constitution for the 10th time after its 601 members failed to keep the first major date in drafting the new statute.

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka President to lead country towards self-sufficiency (ColomboPage): Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa says his government will take the country towards prosperity and self-sufficiency strengthening the local economy at the village level.


Syria
Al-Moallem to Stoltenberg: Syria is Ready to Resume Indirect Peace Talks with Israel under Turkish Mediation (SANA): Ways of bolstering bilateral relations between Syria and Norway, conditions in the occupied Palestinian Territories, as well as Mideast peace process were discussed here Tuesday by Norway's Premier, Jens Stoltenberg and Syria's Foreign Minister, Walid al-Moallem.

Efforts to Make Civilian Nuclear Energy Available (SANA): Speaking before an international conference on civilian nuclear energy in Paris, Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mikdad said "Syria believes it is important to consider alternative sources of energy" and that there is need for serious efforts to make peaceful nuclear energy available to countries in the world.

Morgan Stanley to Contribute in Developing Syrian Banking System (SANA): During a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdullah al-Dardari on Tuesday, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Morgan Stanley Bank John Mack said Syria has opened great investment opportunities for global banks and financial institutions. Discussions dealt with means to develop the banking and fiscal system in Syria.

Tanzania
Mrema threatens to sue Sitta, demanding public apology and 1bn/- (Daily News): The National Chairman of the opposition Tanzania Labour Party (TLP), Mr Augustino Mrema, has ordered the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Samuel Sitta, to issue an apology in the media and pay 1bn/- over allegedly issuing of defamatory remarks against him. . .Failure to comply within sevens day, Mr Sitta will face legal action, Mr Mrema has insisted.

Kikwete right on Africa feeding the World, but... (Daily News): The 40th Edition of the ‘Davos World Economic Forum’ (WEF-2010) founded by Professor Klaus Schwab in the belief that ‘global multi-stakeholder cooperation lies at the heart of the Forum’s mission to improve the state of the world…’was held in Switzerland January 27-31, 2010.

Zambia

Floods sadden Rupiah (Daily Mail): President Banda has described the floods in the country as a disaster. The President said Cabinet will meet to find a lasting solution to the problem of floods. Mr Banda said Government will also decide on how to utilise the K11 billion set aside in this year’s budget for disasters. The President was speaking in Lusaka yesterday after touring some flooded areas.

State to improve ‘ease of doing business’ (Daily Mail): Government is working towards improving the country’s ranking on the ‘ease of doing business’ in order to provide a positive signal to both local and foreign investors to create wealth for Zambians. Commerce, Trade and Industry permanent secretary Buleti Nsemukila said this during a media breakfast meeting on business reforms in Zambia.