March 16, 2023

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 16.03.2023, 13:55

VISIT Upon the invitation of Romanian
president Klaus Iohannis, Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of the
International Organisation of Francophony, is today paying a formal visit to
Bucharest against the background of marking this year, 30 years of Romania’s
belonging in the Institutional Francophony. After meeting the head of the
Romanian state, Louise Mushikiwabo will be attending jointly with president
Iohannis and Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca the formal opening of the International
conference The Francophony of Future: education for sustainable development. In
the evening, the Secretary General of the International Organisation of
Francophony will join the country’s Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, and
Culture Minister Lucian Romascanu for a concert given by the Violoncellissimo
Ensemble on the occasion of celebrating 30 years of Romania’s Francophony
membership. Events devoted to this anniversary will be staged throughout the
year by various Romanian institutions involved in Francophony-related
activities.

CANAL As of today Romania is conducting
a series of depth measurements on the Danube’s branch Chilia and will soon
commence similar procedures on the Bystroye Canal in Ukraine, official sources
have told Radio Romania. The transport Ministry is doing research to clarify
whether dredging and maintenance works have been conducted and to what extent
these works can put the delta’s biodiversity at risk. The measurements will be
taking 10 days and three Romanian ships are to be granted access to the area. Authorities
in Romania and Ukraine have agreed to check the depth of the Danube canals,
after the neighboring Ukraine conducted a series of dredging works on the
Bystroye Canal. According to the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry, after the
so-called cleaning works on the canal, its depth has almost doubled. Kyiv
denied that the dredging works it had carried out on the aforementioned canal,
would have violated any agreement. Bucharest wants to make sure the works conducted
by Ukraine do not jeopardize the Danube Delta ecosystem, a unique area in
Europe, included on the UNESCO world heritage.

DOHA Seven Romanian companies are
participating in the 10th edition of the AGRITECH 2023 exhibition
due over March 15th and 19th in Doha, Qatar. According to
a communiqué by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR),
‘participation in this event represents an opportunity for the Ministry to
promote its own policies and strategies in this field, being at the same time beneficial
to all the economic operators in Romania’s Agrifood sector, allowing it to make
its own product offer known and visible, explore the Qatar market as well as
make connections with the business environment in this state. AGRITEQ has
brought together 650 exhibitors from 52 countries.

DRONE The downing of a U.S. drone by a Russian
jet is part of a pattern of military behavior by Russia that is becoming more
aggressive, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said on
Wednesday. Milley and Defence Secretary Austin Lloyd held talks with their
Russian counterparts regarding the incident. The MQ Reaper drone was on a
surveillance mission in the Black Sea international waters, when it was
intercepted by two Russian fighters Su-27. The two planes allegedly crossed the
drone’s trajectory a couple of times in an attempt to spray fuel on it. The
planes eventually struck the drone’s propeller causing it to crash. Russia
denies having struck the drone’s propeller and Ned Price, spokesman for the
State Department said that the incident was likely an unintentional act from
Russia’s side.

(bill)