CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 01/2017

LE MONDE NEWS
Latest update from around the globe
Text: Daniela Pötzl
MEDICAL INNOVATION
Against preterm
birth
TOURISM
New Lisbon Airport
The Portuguese government stated
recently that Lisbon could be welcoming
its second airport in 2019. Minister of
Planning and Infrastructure Pedro Marques
explained that environmental impact
studies at the planned area, now the
Montijo Air Force base, will be conducted
this year to ascertain the viability of the
location to welcome commercial
passenger flights. The New Lisbon Airport
(Portuguese: Novo Aeroporto de Lisboa,
NAL) is the currently planned site for new
construction, originally scheduled to
replace or complement the current Portela
Airport. The global design firm HOK won
the competition to create the airport with
four proposed runways. hok.com
NEW BUSINESS
Start me up!
The Hong Kong start-up
scene has made strong
advances in the last few
years, especially due to
initiatives such as “StartmeupHK“.
As per the Global
Start-up Ecosystem Ranking,
Hong Kong today ranks 25th,
but is by far the fastest
growing one at the same
time. In 2016, the number of
new enterprises increased by
24 per cent. Many
entrepreneurs consider Hong
Kong their gate to Asia and
especially to China. Joint
projects between Austria and
Hong Kong are already being
planned.
wko.at
startmeup.hk
OFID
Maldivian cooperation
The Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development
(OFID), Suleiman J Al-Herbish, has concluded a high-level mission to
the Maldives, where he met with Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen
Abdul Gayoom, and signed a loan agreement to co-finance expansion of
the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport. During the meeting with
President Yameen, Al-Herbish spoke of OFID’s “unwavering support” to
the socioeconomic development of the Maldives.
ofid.org
The Maldivian
President Abdulla
Yameen (r.) with
OFID Director-
General, Suleiman J
Al-Herbish.
PHOTOS: FOTOLIA, HOC, OFID, UNIDO
Carmentix and the University
of Melbourne announced the
„Preterm Birth Biomarker
Discovery“ initiative. The aim
of this collaborative clinical
study is to validate novel
biomarkers discovered by
Carmentix and biomarkers
previously discovered and
validated at the University of
Melbourne in a combined
panel and to assess the risk
for preterm birth as early as
20 weeks of gestation. „If
validated, this new panel of
biomarkers may shed hope to
significantly reduce the
number of preterm birth
cases on a global scale,“ said
Nir Arbel, CEO Carmentix.
carmentix.com
SURVEY
At the highest level
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
End of charges
Results of the GfK Consumer Climate Europe study for the fourth
quarter of 2016 show that consumer confidence experienced very
positive growth. The consumer climate for the 28 EU countries rose by
5.6 points to 17.9 points in December, its highest value since January
2008. The topics dominating headlines in Europe during the fourth
quarter of 2016 were the war in Syria, terrorism in Europe, the US
presidential election at the end of November, and the continued rise of
nationalist parties and tendencies in virtually all European countries. It
is clearly evident, however, that all this negative news has not rubbed
off on consumers.
gfk.com
As of 15 June, Europeans will be able to travel in the EU without roaming charges, after representatives of the
European Parliament, the Council and the Commission agreed on how to regulate wholesale roaming markets. It
means that when travelling in the EU, consumers will be able to call, send SMS or surf on their mobile at the same
price they pay at home. The agreement makes „roam-like-at-home“ sustainable for people and businesses, while
ensuring cost recovery and keeping national wholesale roaming markets competitive.
ec.europa.eu
UNIDO
For small enterprises
A delegation from the Bank of China (BOC) led by Executive
Vice-President Liu Qiang (pictured r.) met recently with Li Yong,
the Director General of the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna to explore joint
activities and discuss partnership modalities, with a particular
focus on supporting the growth of small- and medium-sized
enterprises. As the next step, the two parties will develop
concrete proposals for joint activities. unido.org
Liu Qiang (r.)
from the Bank of
China met UNIDO
Director General,
Li Yong.
70 Cercle Diplomatique 1/2017
Cercle Diplomatique 1/2017
71