Ivanka Trump meets with female landowners on Morocco trip
November 8, 2019, 11:15 am

Ivanka Trump meets with female landowners on Morocco trip

Ivanka Trump, the daughter and senior adviser to President Donald Trump, right, reacts as she listens to women farmers in Morocco. (Photo AP)

Visiting Morocco for the first time, Ivanka Trump received a warm welcome Thursday from housewives, widows and other women who are benefiting from new laws that allow them to own land.

One woman expressed her gratitude by embracing President Donald Trump's daughter and kissing her hands.

Ivanka Trump is a senior White House adviser who works on women's issues and has sought through an initiative to encourage developing countries to help women build wealth and financial independence by owning land or other property.

Morocco is one such nation. Working in partnership with the Millennium Challenge Corp., a US aid agency, Morocco has updated its land titling laws and earned the three-day visit from the US president's daughter.

At an olive grove in a region north of the capital of Rabat, she met four women who had inherited or bought land - something they previously could not do.

She later strutted her way into a ceremony as participants banged drums and blew horns. Inside, women ululated to show their approval.

She is visiting Morocco to promote the Women's Global Development and Prosperity initiative, a US government program she spearheads that has a goal of helping 50 million women in developing countries advance economically by 2025.

The initiative focuses on helping women develop job skills and succeed as entrepreneurs, along with changing cultures and laws.

Morocco is changing its land ownership laws and “we are here to support and encourage the full implementation of that,” she said.

The women she met among rows of trees bearing black olives thanked her.

Aicha Bourkib, 59, hugged Ivanka Trump, clasped her hands and kissed them. The housewife and mother of four grows olive trees and vegetables on land she recently bought. She has two cows and wants to create a dairy cooperative in her village.

Bourkib and the other women told her visitor through a translator that owning land “helps us and all the families in the area.”

The olive grove is a project of the Millennium Challenge Corp. Its CEO, Sean Cairncross, accompanied Ivanka Trump on Thursday.

The two also met over tea with women leaders to discuss how to increase economic opportunities for Moroccan women.

Ivanka Trump strolled through the medina, a popular street overflowing with local artisans selling rugs, clothing and other crafts on her way to the restaurant.

She and Cairncross held back-to-back meetings with Prime Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani and Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita.

The president's daughter also spoke by telephone with King Mohammed VI to thank him for “meaningful recent legal reforms to advance gender equality in Morocco,” she said on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/1192472873031602177

She was capping the night at a dinner party at the Royal Palace, where she has been staying, hosted by Princess Lalla Meryem.

source:The Associated Press

Turkey’s Erdogan says he will discuss Halkbank case with Trump: Report More than 2,000 in US diagnosed in vaping illness outbreak

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.