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Dominic Raab calls for ceasefires to enable Covid vaccinations

UK foreign secretary tells UN there is a moral duty to protect people in conflict zones
Dominic Raab, the UK foreign secretary, is to ask for ceasefires to be implemented in conflict zones so local populations can be vaccinated against coronavirus, arguing that the world has “a moral duty to act”.
The British minister is to chair a meeting of the UN’s security council in an effort to persuade members to agree a resolution calling for locally negotiated ceasefires in areas such as Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.
“Global vaccination coverage is essential to beating coronavirus,” Raab will say at the meeting, reflecting concerns that wherever the disease is unchecked it could increase the likelihood of vaccine-resistant strains emerging.
But while charities welcomed the UK’s initiative, they called on wealthy countries to consider going further. Sam Nadel, Oxfam’s head of policy and advocacy, warned that the poorest countries enduring conflict risked not getting any vaccines without “a massive increase” in global production.
Nadel called on the British government to “unblock the supply problem by insisting vaccine science and knowhow is no longer treated as the private property of a handful of pharmaceutical corporations but shared with qualified manufacturers around the world”.
Last week the UK government came under criticism for refusing to halt the supply of bombs and missiles to Saudi Arabia that could be used in the war in Yemen, after the incoming Biden administration declared it would suspend such arms sales.
The UK estimates that about 160 million people are at risk of otherwise being excluded from vaccination programmes. “We have a moral duty to act, and a strategic necessity to come together to defeat this virus,” the minister is expected to add.
Ceasefires have been negotiated in the past to allow emergency vaccinations. In Afghanistan, in 2000 and 2001, warring factions agreed to stop fighting to allow over 10 million children to be vaccinated against polio, which remained prevalent in the country.
Wednesday’s meeting has been called by the UK, which holds the monthly rotating presidency of the 15-strong UN body. It will also hear complaints from other member countries that not enough has been done to share Covid-19 vaccines fairly around the world.
According to research from Duke University’s Global Health Innovation Center, high income countries have ordered 4.2bn doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, while the poorest countries have secured 670m. Britain has ordered 407m doses, about four times the size of its adult population.
Mexico’s foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard, said his country would highlight the inequality of vaccine availability across Latin America and the Caribbean.
“The countries that produce
The UK said before the meeting that it wanted to support “equitable access” to the vaccines, and wants greater cooperation to help poorer countries with vaccine storage and managing the complex supply chains required to produce doses.
It also wants more countries and other donors to contribute funding to the Covax initiative, which aims to allow 92 low or middle-income countries to buy vaccines in a bloc using money provided by wealthy countries. Despite recent cuts in the overseas aid budget, the UK has given £548m to the programme.
Formally, the UN discussion will review whether any progress has been made since last July, when the security council passed a resolution calling for a global ceasefire to tackle the pandemic.
That was sought by the UN secretary general, António Guterres, but only passed following several months of wrangling between the US and China. Critics said so far it has had very limited discernible impact on conflicts around the world, while new ones, such as the autumn war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, have flared.
source: Dan Sabbagh
Levant
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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