Finance & Economics | WPN World People News

ECON members welcomed ECB President Mario Draghi for the second Monetary Dialogue of this year on Monday.

15 June 2015 - (From right) Abdelilah Benkirane, Head of the Government of Morocco with Angel Gurria, OECD Secretary-General. Paris, France.

Senior officials from 42 advanced and emerging market economies, and international financial institutions, together with representatives of the private sector and academia met on June 11–12 at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) IMF Headquarters in Washington D.C. to discuss issues relevant for public debt management. IMF officials and other participants to connect challenges facing debt markets to broader macroeconomic and financial stability developments.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Metsäliitto Cooperative have signed on June 12 a EUR 75 million loan agreement for the construction of a new large-scale bio-product mill in Finland (Äänekoski). The financing will be submitted for backing by the EU budget guarantee under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI).

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 145 million to motorway company Družba za avtoceste v Republiki Sloveniji d.d. (DARS) to finance the construction of a new 13 km long motorway section between Draženci and Gruškovje (Eastern Slovenia) and investments designed to increase road safety on several motorway sections across the whole country. EIB funds will also support investments to improve transport security by upgrading the motorway’s electro-mechanical equipment, introducing intelligent transport systems and control centres.

European financial and technical support for investment to alleviate critical water shortages in Malawi’s largest city was confirmed on June 12 by the signature of finance agreements confirming a new EUR 24 million loan from the European Investment Bank to support the new EUR 49.2 million investment programme to be implemented by Lilongwe Water Board. The European Investment Bank is the world’s largest lender for the water sector and owned directly by the 28 European Union member states.

The term ‘apprenticeship’ will be protected in law, the government has announced on 14 June 2015. This will strengthen their reputation, help working people and ensure apprenticeships are recognised as a career path equal to higher education.

A new World Bank Group report assessing the business environment and state of regulations for domestic firms in South Africa finds that local entrepreneurs face a wide array of business obstacles depending on which city they establish their companies in the Republic. The report also highlights a number of constructive practices that can be better leveraged within the country to improve the business climate for local entrepreneurs and firms.