British Prime Minister David Cameron with Aung Sung Suu Kyi
European Union diplomats have reportedly reached a preliminary agreement to suspend sanctions against Burma for a year, opening up trade and investment with Western firms.
The move comes after 18 months in which Burma’s military junta, which has ruled the country with an iron fist for 50 years, have introduced a swathe of democratic reforms. More…
Reposted from AFP
STRASBOURG, France — The European Union will ease its sanctions imposed on Myanmar further after recent pro-democracy steps taken by the country, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Tuesday.
“In January, we suspended the visa bans on the Government of Myanmar. At the end of this month, we will do more,” Ashton told the European Parliament. More…
Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Car
- Australia will further ease sanctions and move to normalize trade ties with Myanmar following its democratic by-elections, but sanctions will remain on military officials to pressure for further reforms, the government said on Monday.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr said Australia would lift financial restrictions and travel bans against 260 people in Myanmar, including President Thein Sein and civilian reformists within the government. More…
David Cameron meets with Aung San Suu Kyi
U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron took the first steps by a Western leader to end Myanmar’s political and economic isolation by calling for an easing of sanctions to encourage further moves toward democracy.
Speaking alongside Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s opposition leader, at her lakeside home in Yangon today, Cameron said the European Union should suspend rather than abolish sanctions apart from an arms embargo at an April 23 meeting. That would reward the military-backed leadership for changes so far while maintaining pressure on the government. More…
Reposted from The Caribbean Journal
The Dominican Republic has signed a $54.7 million agreement with the European Union for a programme of bilateral cooperation with Haiti aimed at promoting cross-border trade.
The agreement was signed by Ambassador Irene Horejs and Domingo Jimenez, National Coordinator for European Development Funds.
According to Jimenez, approximately $30.26 million will involve infrastructure support in the Dominican Republic’s northern corridor. More…
Reposted from The News International
GENEVA: A UN expert called Tuesday for a review of sanctions by some Western states against Myanmar as the south-east Asian state has embarked on a series of political reforms ahead of April by-elections.
“I am not saying that they must be lifted, but they must be analysed in detail,” said UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana. This is “because they are a human rights issue,” added Quintana during a press conference after presenting his report on the situation in Myanmar to the UN Human Rights Council. More…
EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs
The European Union will spend $95.8 million for projects and programmes in the Dominican Republic this year, primarily in the country’s border region with Haiti, according to Andris Piebalgs, EU Development Commissioner.
Peibalgs was speaking after a working meeting with Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez.
He also said the European Union had signed an “important” cooperation agreement with the Dominican Republic that will provide $62.3 million for major projects on both sides of the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. More…
President Michel Maretlly
European Union Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs is in Haiti for a meeting with President Michel Martelly, as part of a two-day visit to the country.
The Commissioner said that the EU’s focus was shifting from relief efforts to economic recovery.
“The European Union has lived up to its promises in delivering life-saving and long-term assistance to Haiti, whose recovery remains at the top of our priorities,” he said. “”Our ambition is now to accelerate the reconstruction and development process.” More…
JCB construction equipment
Reposted from The Irrawaddy
By Joseph Allchin
Europe’s largest construction equipment company, J. C. Bamford (JCB), has revealed it is eying entry into the Burmese market.
The UK firm hopes to gain a foothold by the middle of the year, but much may hinge on the removal of EU sanctions—contingent upon the April by-elections being deemed legitimate. More…
