EU to step up sanctions against Belarus in response to escalating migrant crisis
November 15, 2021, 12:09 pm

EU to step up sanctions against Belarus in response to escalating migrant crisis

Polish police officers and military, at Belarusian-Polish border on Nov, 9, 2021/Facebook page

The BBC reported officials say, the European Union will step up sanctions against Belarus and those closest to its leader in response to an escalating migrant crisis at its border with Poland.

EU officials say sanctions could target anyone involved in trafficking migrants through Belarus.

The EU has accused Belarus of pushing migrants towards its eastern borders to undermine security, a charge it denies.

On Monday, hundreds of migrants were blocked at a crossing by Polish troops.

A video filmed at the border by the BBC showed migrants sitting down on a road in front of barbed wire and Polish forces in a tense stand-off.

Those migrants came from a large make-shift camp, where hundreds have settled in tents just inside Belarus. They are trapped between Polish guards on one side and Belarusian guards on the other.

Asylum seekers at Belarus border receiving humanitarian aid/Facebook page

The Polish border guard said it expected a forced attempt to breach the border, describing the presence of the Belarusian forces in the area as "worrying".

Since the summer thousands of people, mostly from Iraq, Syria and Yemen, have amassed at Belarus's western border with Poland, enduring freezing conditions in the hope of crossing into the EU.

The EU has accused Belarus of mounting a "hybrid attack" by encouraging thousands of people to cross into Poland and other members states.

European officials have implicated Belarus's authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, in a scheme to entice migrants with the false promise of easy entry to the EU.

Mr Lukashenko has repeatedly denied that Belarus is sending migrants over the border in revenge for existing EU sanctions.

Those sanctions were imposed in June following the arrest of an opposition activist on board a Ryanair flight that was forced to land in Belarus.

EU foreign ministers are meeting on Monday in Brussels, where they are expected to approve a new package of sanctions against Belarus.

The package could include sanctions against officials within Mr Lukashenko's inner circle and airlines that are flying migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere to Minsk.

Ahead of a meeting, the German foreign minister, Heiko Maas, said airlines taking migrants to Belarus could be banned from landing in the EU. Mr Maas warned that the EU was far from the end of the spiral of sanctions it could impose.

On Monday, Mr Lukashenko threatened to retaliate against fresh sanctions. He claimed Belarusian authorities were trying to repatriate stranded migrants but many were refusing to go.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said that sanctions would include anybody moving migrants via Belarus to the Polish border, including airlines and travel agencies.

He said stopping the flow of flights carrying migrants was one solution that was being worked on.

Mr Borrell said: "From the point of view of the inflow, things are coming under control."

Iraq has said it is organising repatriation flights for Iraqi nationals from Belarus, while the United Arab Emirates said it had barred Afghan, Syrian, Yemeni and Iraqi citizens from flights to Minsk.

Source: BBC

US journalist Danny Fenster released from prison in Myanmar 9-year-old boy becomes 10th victim killed in Astroworld music festival stampede

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.