Jul132017

Briefing by Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service Igor Artemyev following a meeting of the Government Commission on Monitoring Foreign Investment

Russia

Excerpts from the transcript:

Igor Artemyev: The Government Commission on Monitoring Foreign Investment met today under the chairmanship of Dmitry Medvedev. Many interesting transactions have been reviewed.

The first transaction relates to St Petersburg: 25 percent of the shares of the new St Petersburg airport were purchased by a company from the United Arab Emirates – the Thirty Seventh Investment Company. These 25 percent were sold by our VTB Bank. This means that another foreign investor, in addition to Fraport, has come to attend to the management and development of the St Petersburg airport. The transaction amounts to 240 million euros, that is, about 15 billion roubles.

The next deal concerns a Canadian company (this deserves attention amid the sanctions) CPPIB Monroe Canada Inc., which acquired shares in the Taman grain terminal complex, a grain transshipment terminal in Russia. The Canadian company has purchased a portion of the capital of the grain terminal and, accordingly, will continue to invest, build and further develop this terminal.

The next story is connected with a major Russian company – Severneftegazprom, which is controlled by Gazprom. As a result of the transaction, Gazprom will retain control over it. In fact, this company controls 1.1 trillion cubic metres of gas, which is an absolutely mind-boggling amount.

The transaction amounts to 1.808 billion euros. Do you realise how much that is? Accordingly, OMV Exploration and Production, which is registered in Austria, acquires a little less than 25 percent (24.99 percent) in the joint-stock company Severneftegazprom. This company belongs to another Austrian company (I mean the acquirer), with 31 percent Austrian capital, and 24 percent owned by the government of the Abu Dhabi Emirate. This is a major deal with the Austrian money coming in, and this is important from the point of view of developing the fields.

Thirty Seventh Investment Company, which I’ve already mentioned in connection with the St Petersburg airport, is carrying out two important social projects. Let me repeat that it is controlled by the United Arab Emirates. In cooperation with Russian companies, they are building two major high-tech medical centres – in Balashikha and Podolsk. They are investing and acquiring 37.5 percent in both of them. These two medical centres are vital for the social sphere of the Moscow suburbs. They will be equipped with new technology and so on.

These are the most interesting deals today. As you see, they are big and multipolar as always – from all continents. The deals I mentioned today were approved.

Journalists often ask me about Novomet. Remember: Halliburton—Novomet? Today the commission reviewed this issue but it could not have been considered on its merits because Halliburton did not submit an official application. Naturally, we cannot review anything without an official initiative from a potential investor in strategic assets. We reported to the commission that we have designated Novomet’s own business as strategic and, hence, the company as strategic (this was done by FAS as an authorised body) and informed Halliburton that they must submit an application under the 57th law if they want to acquire Novomet.

Today we reported this to the commission, which duly took account of this information. Now we are waiting for an official application. In other words, the commission did not disavow the FAS decision but supported its view that a potential deal between Halliburton and Novomet should be subjected to special consideration by the Government commission.

Question: Could you comment on one more deal – the acquisition of a share in the Eurasia Drilling Company by the Russian Direct Investment Fund and its partners?

Igor Artemyev: The point is that we don’t have a repeated application on Eurasia so the situation with it is the same as with Halliburton. If they want this deal to be considered (no matter whether Schlumberger or any other company applies for it) they should submit an official application. As far as I know, they are conducting some consultations on this issue now but we are not part of them. So we will go ahead when we receive official documents.

Jul132017

Leveraging ICTs critical to achieve Global Goals, UN highlights in new report

United Nations

13 July 2017 – Underscoring the importance of information and communication technologies (ICT) in today’s world, the heads of over 20 United Nations agencies and offices have called for leveraging those technologies to &#8220fast forward&#8221 implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In a new report, launched today, the senior officials also highlighted the critical link between information and communication technologies and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

&#8220The 2030 Agenda […] recognizes the great potential of global connectivity to spur human progress,&#8221 noted UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his foreword to the publication, Fast-forward progress: Leveraging tech to achieve the global goals.

&#8220This report presents evidence of how UN agencies are adopting &#8211 and adapting &#8211 ICTs to maximize their impact and help communities and people in need,&#8221 he added, highlighting efforts underway to extend telecommunication networks and ICTs into remote areas; train and equip workers with new digital skills; and ensure that schools, hospitals, clinics and whole cities are smarter, more energy efficient and safer.

The five key areas highlighted as the &#8220take aways&#8221 in the publication include ensuring that no one is &#8220left offline;&#8221 recognizing the catalysing factor of ICTs for innovation and change; putting people first; importance of prompt action to leverage ICTs; and creating new .innovative partnerships.

The report, coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), was written as a collaborative effort between top officials from UN entities and international organizations, with each leader selecting one Goal and explaining why ICT is important for it, including drawing on their personal insights.

&#8220As UN leaders have identified […], ICTs must be leveraged to advance achievement of all 17 of the SDGs &#8211 and we at ITU look forward to partnering with other UN agencies to facilitate this,&#8221 said Houlin Zhao, the Secretary-General of ITU, said at the report’s launch, in Geneva.

The report’s release coincides with the ongoing 2017 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the main UN platform dealing with sustainable and inclusive development.

Jul132017

World loses ‘principled champion,’ says UN rights chief on death of China’s Liu Xiaobo

United Nations

13 July 2017 – The top United Nations human rights official today expressed his deep sorrow at the news that China’s &#8220iconic&#8221 peace and democracy figure, Liu Xiaobo, has died at the age of 61.

&#8220The human rights movement in China and across the world has lost a principled champion who devoted his life to defending and promoting human rights, peacefully and consistently, and who was jailed for standing up for his beliefs,&#8221 said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein in a statement.

Mr. Liu reportedly died at the hospital where he was receiving treatment for liver cancer.

Mr. Liu was jailed in 2009 after calling for political reforms in China. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 while in prison.

The High Commissioner described Mr. Liu as &#8220the true embodiment of the democratic, non-violent ideals,&#8221 &#8220the definition of civic courage and human dignity &#8211 a poet and intellectual who wanted, and strove for, a better future for his country,&#8221 and &#8220a man who, despite all he suffered, continued to espouse the politics of peace.&#8221

Extending heartfelt condolences and deepest respects to his wife, Liu Xia, his family and friends, Mr. Zeid said Mr. and Mrs. Liu were a courageous couple and absolutely devoted to one another.

&#8220I urge the Chinese authorities to guarantee Liu Xia’s freedom of movement, and allow her to travel abroad should she wish so,&#8221 he said.

Despite the imprisonment and separation from the wife he adored that could have fuelled anger and bitterness, Mr. Liu declared that he had no hatred for those who pursued and prosecuted him.

&#8220He was and will continue to be an inspiration and an example for all human rights defenders,&#8221 Mr. Zeid said.