European governments have agreed to impose sweeping sanctions on Russia, targeting state-owned banks, imposing an arms embargo, and restricting sales of sensitive technology and export of equipment for the country's oil industry, in response to Moscow's continued backing for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The punitive measures are  the most extensive EU sanctions imposed on Russia since the cold war.

AALEP has entered into a Protocol of Cooperation with ASSOCIAÇÃO BRASILEIRA DE RELAÇÃOS INSTUTIONAIS E GOVERNAMENTAIS (ABRIG) (Brazilian Association of Institutional and Government Relations ) in Brasilia.

The European Union appears powerless to stop the violence and the deadly conflict that has erupted in Gaza. As the Gaza death toll mounts given Europe’s role as Israel’s top trade partner and the biggest aid donor to the Palestinians, the EU should be able to exercise more influence and use its economic weight to put pressure on the belligerents.

This article below has been co-authored by Manuel Hassassian and Raphael Cohen-Almagor. It has been edited somewhat by AALEP. His Excellency Ambassador Manuel Hassassian is the PLO ambassador to the UK. He was a consultant to UNESCO, the Palestinian Negotiating Team on Refugee Final Settlement, and Minister of State Affairs – Head of the Jerusalem File.

Thailand is roughly the size of France (200,000 sq. miles). With a population of 67 million Thailand has managed to transform its economy from one that was previously agriculture-based to one of the most diverse in the region. As well as agriculture, major industries include food processing, cement, integrated circuits, automotive parts and assembly, petroleum products, textiles, footwear, toys, furniture, synthetic fibre and tourism. The country has a well developed infrastructure, a free enterprise economy and generally pro-investment policies.

Just as the EU is trying its best to revive a stagnant economy, attempting to mend a fragile debt market and tackle high unemployment, sanctions against Russia will hurt the economies of major EU member states such as Germany,  Britain, Italy, Holland and France  with Germany being hit the hardest.

As a block, the European Union exports about € 100 billion worth of goods and services to Russia and takes in roughly € 200 million of the latter's imports.

Germany

Sanctions and retaliation are obviously a negative sum game. If countries stop their cooperation in certain areas, both sides lose. Sanctions are part of a political game of escalation in which both sides signal how much value they put on an issue.

The EU has found it hard to find a cohesive position towards Russia. Nevertheless, the EU sanctions list now affect 87 people and 20 organisations, all deemed to be directly linked to the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine. The EU is also due to decide next week on the first significant financial sanctions to be imposed

A new report from the McKinsey Global Institute finds that the right reforms and investments can help Africa’s largest economy realize its potential and lift millions out of poverty.

A number of longstanding consulting firms and senior practitioners in Australia have come together to establish a professional government relations industry association that will promote ethical standards, greater transparency and a binding code of conduct which will apply to all members.

The newly formed Australian Professional Government Relations Association (APGRA) came into effect on 1st July 2014 and aims to:

Sanctions involve one party attempting to change another party's behaviour without the use of weapons or the military. The offending party is being punished economically, socially or politically. Sanctions range from travel bans and arms embargoes, to complete trade bans.