The EU’s declaration on the trade and security relationship with the UK after Brexit will be just five to 30 pages long, reflecting a lack of time to have an internal debate and scepticism that Theresa May will remain in Downing Street to deliver it, officials in Brussels have disclosed. While the UK is seeking a “precise and substantive” document, to match the recently published 100-page white paper, officials in Brussels say the EU’s political declaration on the “future framework” has diminishing importance for them.

Brussels is aware that the prime minister needs the document, due in the autumn, to be a “sweetener” to the main withdrawal agreement, which will commit the UK to pay a £39bn divorce bill and spell out whatever difficult deal is sealed on the issue of the Irish border. The declaration will not be legally binding on either party but is designed to offer major economic actors some reassurance through a vision of the future trading and security relationship, and it will form part of the package on which the UK parliament and MEPs will ultimately vote in the new year.(theguardian)…[+]

Gunmen have stormed a government building in Afghanistan’s eastern city of Jalalabad and taken hostages, after a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance gate. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, though Isis issued a statement denying involvement. One witness, a passerby named Obaidullah, said the attack began when a black car with three occupants pulled up at the entrance to a building used by the department of refugee affairs. A gunman emerged and began firing.

One attacker blew himself up at the gate and two gunmen entered the building, which is in an area close to shops and government offices. Minutes later, the car blew up, wounding people in the street, Obaidullah said. “We saw several people wounded and helped to carry them away,” he said.

Eight wounded were taken to city hospitals, officials said. With fighting still ongoing, the number of casualties was likely to climb. As security forces cordoned off the area, gunshots and what were thought to be grenade explosions could be heard and a cloud of black smoke drifted into the sky. Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the local provincial council, said about 40 people appeared to be caught inside the building, which caught fire early in the attack.(theguardian)…[+]

Geneva – The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) have announced that they are scaling up their partnership to strengthen support for businesses across the Caribbean region. The announcement was made by CDB President, Dr. William Warren Smith and ITC Executive Director, Arancha González during a meeting at CDB’s headquarters in Bridgetown, Barbados on July 27.

During the meeting, Smith and González signed a partnership agreement, which confirms ITC as one of CDB’s key partners for the implementation of trade-led development projects in the Caribbean Region. While having collaborated on a number of projects for several years, it is the first time that the two organisations have formalised a partnership agreement.

“This agreement represents the ITC and CDB’s shared vision for sustainable economic development in the Bank’s Borrowing Member Countries. Through this framework, we look forward to working collaboratively with ITC to implement innovative projects that will boost competitiveness and productivity, especially for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises,” said Dr. Smith. ITC Executive Director, Arancha González said: “CDB has a track record of investing in projects that have an impact on people and businesses across the Caribbean. With this agreement ITC and CDB will be able to ensure that more micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are empowered to realise their potential and tap into regional and global value chains.”…[+]