Month: October 2016

As a member state since 2015, the Principality of Monaco took part in the work of the 43rd session of the World Food Security Committee and the celebration of its 40th anniversary. The 43rd session of the Committee on the theme “Food Security and Nutrition – make a difference” was held in Rome from October 17 to 21.
As part of its development policy, the Government of Monaco, actively engaged in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goal No. 2 “Eliminating hunger, food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture,” has so far invested over 2.6 million euros for food security in its priority recipient countries. These investments have been made in partnership with FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP), with the dual objective of sustainable development and greater resilience in the face of climate change and water shortages.
José Graziano da Silva, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) presented the Annual Report 2016 on “The State of Food and Agriculture” which assessed current and future impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security. This report also dealt with agricultural and food systems transformation policies to increase sustainability and provide an effective response to climate change – supporting small farms, providing access to technology, markets and credits investment.
The Committee adopted a set of policy recommendations proposed in the 2016 Report of the High-Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) on “Sustainable Agricultural Development in Food Security and Nutrition, including the role of livestock,” which provides scientific contributions on these issues, and the fifth version of the global strategic framework for food security and nutrition, including water directives in protracted crises.

An accountant is one of three men to have been jailed in the UK for a total of 19 years after they conspired to steal almost £7 million in UK taxes to fund a lavish lifestyle that helped them buy properties in Turkey and the US and fund trips to Dubai and the Monaco Grand Prix.
Chris Gill, assistant director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, said: “These men were driven by greed, abusing systems that are designed to ensure workers are paid correctly and taxes paid to HMRC.
“They were all professionals who knew they were breaking the law, but as an accountant Aquil Ahmed was in a position of trust, making his part in the conspiracy even more deplorable.
“These criminals thought they’d created a sophisticated fraud, and that by operating through numerous UK and offshore companies, they could hide what they were doing.
“But our investigations are thorough, and with assistance from authorities in Gibraltar, we unravelled the many layers they’d created and they are now paying the price for their crimes.
“This investigation shows that regardless of the resources of those involved, or how hard they try to hide their crime, no one is beyond our reach. Tax evasion isn’t victimless, it is theft from public services used by us all.”
Sentencing the men, Judge Macdonald QC, said the “loss to HMRC is just another way of stealing from citizens of the UK,” adding, that the men “took millions to spend on themselves.”

The Federal Council, which brings together the 28 Presidents of Employers’ Unions affiliated to the Federation of Enterprises Monegasques (FEDEM), received Stephane Valeri, Government Counsellor – Minister of Social Affairs and Health, and Pascale Pallanca, Director of Labour, during an informal lunch last Wednesday.
FEDEM President Philippe Ortelli stressed the importance of good relations between the political and economic sectors: “Clearly, we are in tune with your projects, and we are trying to build together the future of Monaco in the socio-economic sense. We hope that this meeting allows you to communicate with business practitioners on key issues for the country’s economy.”
Stéphane Valeri outlined his work for the Monaco Government and clarified its basic principles: “My deep conviction is that social and economic (interests) should not oppose each other. Our social model is advanced and only a strong economy can give us the means to finance it. It is important to defend and sustain it.”
The Director of Labour, Pascale Pallanca, reported a real corporate interest in teleworking. “We are here to provide our support and assistance to all interested companies,” he said.
Other matters discussed at the lunch included legislation relating to industrial medicine.
President Philippe Ortelli concluded: “This meeting reflects the fact that the Monaco Government is listening to its economic sector. Monaco has no oil or other commodity, its success comes exclusively from the intelligence of the people who work there and create wealth, which is then divided among all.”
Stephane Valeri Adviser welcomed the excellent relations with FEDEM and called for the continuation of such meetings.

The Strategic Council for Attractiveness (CSA) held its annual plenary meeting at the Oceanographic Museum on Friday, allowing plenty of room for a substantial audience.
Minister of State Serge Telle presented the report for 2015- 2016 in a new bilingual format, in the presence of Government Ministers.
The Presidents of the specialist commissions (Finance, Real Estate, Destination Monaco, Quality of Life, and Monaco Yachting Capital) discussed the results of their activity and policy outlines.

Jean Castellini, Government Counsellor – Minister of Economy and Finance, introduced the new application for Smartphones “Monaco Welcome” and Laurence Garino, Director of the Monaco Welcome and Business Office, explained the features of the app.
She was followed by Stéphane VALERI, Government Counsellor – Minister of Social Affairs and Health, who took stock of the Monaco Princess Grace Check-Up Unit.
Finally, Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Government Counsellor – Minister of Infrastructure, Environment and Urban Development, spoke about the “Smart City Monaco” concept and presented the website “infochantiers.mc“.
In conclusion of the meeting, the guest of honour, Michel Petite, currently a lawyer in Clifford Chance’s Paris office and formerly Director General of the Legal Service at the European Commission, gave a presentation on a hot topic: ”Brexit: the beginning of a difficult negotiation.”

During the third meeting of European Small States organised by the World Health Organisation and the Government of Monaco, Ms. Zsuzanna Jakab, Director of WHO Europe, announced that the organisation has designated the Human Health Division of the Medical Biology Department of the Monaco Scientific Centre as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Health and Sustainable Development.
The designation comes as a significant recognition of the longstanding work that the Centre has carried out on this theme. The Scientific Centre’s mission is to strengthen knowledge transfer in the field of the environment, climate change and health, and assess the impact of climate change on health in coastal countries.

Another criminal court case has been held in Monaco with the defendant absent from the dock. A 22 year-old Tunisian national, described as a restaurateur living in France, stood accused of having defrauded two victims in the Principality, one with a stolen cheque and the other with a falsified cheque.
One case involved a cheque for 630 euros in payment for a coffee machine. The cheque had been stolen. The same victim told the court that he had an IOU from the accused for 60,000 euros. His savings have melted away, he said.
The second victim, the defendant’s landlord, said that a cheque made out for 200 euros was altered to the sum of 22,000 euros to take care of several months of unpaid rent. On presentation, the bank informed the victim that the account had been closed.
A sentence of six months was passed, but the guilty party was not in court to hear it.