The world’s water resources are under unprecedented threat. Today, some 2.2 billion people lack safe drinking water and 4.2 billion people live without access to adequate sanitation. Unless we act with urgency, the impacts of climate change are projected to exacerbate these figures. By 2050, between 3.5 and 4.4 billion people will live with limited access to water, with more than 1 billion of them living in cities.
On World Water Day, the United Nations launched a flagship report which says that reducing both the impacts and drivers of climate change will require major shifts in the way we use and reuse the Earth’s limited water resources.
The 54th Special General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) on Friday re-elected Luis Almagro as Secretary-General and Nestor Mendez as Assistant Secretary-General of the Organization.
The Falkland Islands Government on Friday moved to the next stage of its response to the global COVID-19 situation. While there are still no confirmed cases on the Islands, the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Rebecca Edwards, says it is now likely COVID-19 is present here.
At the request of the Argentine authorities and reflecting close collaboration with them, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released on Friday a technical note prepared by IMF staff on Argentina’s public debt sustainability.
Authorities of Cape Verde have closed all sea borders and have restricted flights from the UK, US, Canada and a number of other European countries from 18 March. As of 18 March, only a restricted number of flights are allowed into the country to enable visitors to return home. This follows confirmation of a Covid 19 case in the former Portuguese colony.
In a display of support from London, the UK Government announced it is working closely with the Overseas Territories to ensure they receive the help that is necessary to face the challenge and consequences of Covid-19.
Rockhopper Exploration, a partner in Premier Oil-operated Sea Lion offshore oil project in the Falkland Islands, is confident it will manage to farm-out a share in the project despite the low oil prices and COVID-10 uncertainty. The two companies in January signed non-binding heads of terms with US/Israel Navitas Petroleum, which should lead to Navitas obtaining a 30% interest in the Sea Lion offshore blocks.
Argentina declared a mandatory preventive social isolation extensive to the whole country beginning midnight Friday until March 31st to mitigate the spread of Covid 19. President Alberto Fernandez made the announcement on national broadcast and standing with him were the leaders of the main political parties.
The Falklands weekly Penguin News this week published a summary of releases, decisions, recommendations and overall strategy of the Islands facing, as in the rest of the world the challenge of Covid 19. The big news is that the Falklands until this week, had no positive tested cases of the virus and that so far there is sufficient health care capacity and expertise to face the situation.