Business

EU leaders struggle to bridge gas price cap divide

Published

2 years ago

October 7, 2022

European Union leaders struggled Friday to bridge significant differences over a natural gas price cap as winter approaches and Russia’s war in Ukraine fuels a major energy crisis, driving up prices for consumers and businesses.

The price cap is one of several measures the 27-nation bloc is preparing to contain an energy crisis in Europe that some fear could lead to rolling blackouts, factory shutdowns and a deep recession over the winter in economies already weakened by the coronavirus pandemic.

Russia has reduced or cut off natural gas supplies to 13 EU member nations as European governments bolster their support for Ukraine in the form of weapons, money, aid and sanctions on Moscow. The potential for shortages has led to surging gas and electricity prices that could climb higher as demand peaks during the cold months, AP reported.

Standing in the way of an agreement was the simple fact that each member country depends on different energy sources and suppliers, and they’re struggling to see eye-to-eye on the best way ahead.

Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins summed up the challenge for the EU as it considers a possible gas-price ceiling.

“A price cap on gas, if that could be achieved, would be grand — with the caveat that we cannot endanger security of supply,” Karins said. “So we cannot set the price so that no one would sell gas into Europe.”

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said he hoped the “last hurdles” to a price cap would be overcome at the meeting, but also that leader should agree on a joint path of action to send two important messages.

“One to the energy markets, to make it clear we no longer accept these prices, we will not continue to pay this market manipulation. Secondly, an important signal to our populations, to our companies, that we are going to tackle the problem at the root,” he said.

In a choreographed moment, French President Emmanuel Macron, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz entered Prague Castle together on foot, walking past a small but noisy crowd of pro-Ukraine demonstrators.

A group of 15 member countries has urged the EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, to propose a cap on gas prices as soon as possible, but the idea has not secured unanimous support, with Germany notably blocking.

For now, the European Commission says, Europe’s gas storage capacity stands at about 90%, even as Russian gas supplies to the EU declined by 37% between January and August, with the U.S. and Norway stepping in to provide liquefied natural gas. But those replacement supplies have not been cheap.

The EU agreed to a new package of sanctions against Russia on Thursday, hitting trade, notably in the tech sector, slapping travel bans and asset freezes on 30 more officials, and targeting seven organizations. But the bloc is running out of economic ammunition to punish Russia with.

“We have to decrease the prices of energy. But it is an economic issue as much as a security issue,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. “Energy is becoming the most important geostrategic issue today, related with the war, but also with the balance of power in the world.”

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Daily truck clearances at Torkham drop from 400-500 to 5-10

Published

5 days ago

December 13, 2024

Ariana News

Pakistan’s Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has said that daily truck clearances at Torkham crossing have declined from 400-500 to 5-10.

SCCI President Fazal Muqeem Khan said this at the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry to promote bilateral trade and cooperation.

He said the volume of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan had fallen from $3 billion to $1 billion annually.

Fazal Muqeem also highlighted the adverse impact of the 2% Infrastructure Development Cess (IDC) imposed by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government on trade and transit.

Business

Turkish scholars, charity officials assess investment prospects in Afghanistan

Officials pledged to encourage Turkish investors to explore and capitalize on investment opportunities in Afghanistan

Published

1 week ago

December 10, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Energy and Water, Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor, met with a delegation of Turkish scholars and officials from the Adif Charity Foundation on Tuesday to discuss various political, religious, and social issues.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Water, Mullah Mansoor praised Adif’s humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and highlighted the country’s ample resources for energy production.

He emphasized that Afghanistan currently offers a favorable environment for investment in all sectors, assuring the Turkish delegation of the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of investors and their assets.

In response, Adif officials pledged to encourage Turkish investors to explore and capitalize on investment opportunities in Afghanistan, signaling a potential boost in economic and developmental cooperation between the two nations.

Business

Uzbek envoy to Pakistan discusses Trans-Afghan Railway project with Pakistani minister

The Trans-Afghan Railway project is expected to serve as a powerful stimulus for trade and economic integration among numerous countries in the region

Published

1 week ago

December 9, 2024

Ariana News

Regional connectivity projects including the Termez-Kabul railway line, the Trans-Afghan Railway, and the multimodal Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan transport corridor, are key to the region’s success, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan Alisher Tukhtayev said during a meeting with Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday.

The two officials discussed a range of issues as well as coordinating efforts to ensure stability and deepen economic integration in the region.

Asif however pointed out that Tashkent has become an important hub for regional cooperation, Pakistani media reported Monday.

Special focus was given to the implementation of the Trans-Afghan Railway project, which is expected to serve as a powerful stimulus for trade-economic integration to numerous countries.

The ambassador said the governments of Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are actively cooperating in the implementation of joint economic and infrastructure projects and one of them is the construction of the Trans-Afghan Railway.

He said the “Termez-Kabul-Peshawar” railway project plays an important role in restoring ties of regional connectivity between Central and South Asia.

He added that once the project is launched, the volume of trade will increase significantly and shipping costs will decrease.

Tukhtayev said the railway connectivity will contribute hugely to regional stability and overall prosperity by aiding Afghanistan’s economic recovery.

He also said the project will facilitate the delivery of Uzbek goods to world markets through Pakistani ports and will open up a new route for Pakistan to export its products to Central Asian, and European markets.

According to him, the Trans-Afghan railway will be able to carry up to 20 million tons of cargo per year, and transportation costs will decrease by 30-35% and timing of deliveries will be cut from two weeks to three to four days.

He also stated that the international cooperation project on the development of the multimodal transport corridor Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan–Pakistan is being actively promoted.

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