Core Viewpoint - The inauguration of the fiber optic cable factory by FBR Cables in Berrechid, Morocco, represents a significant advancement in the country's information and communication infrastructure manufacturing sector, with an investment of approximately $20 million [1] Group 1: Project Details - The new factory covers an area of about 15,000 square meters and is expected to create approximately 165 direct jobs [1] - The factory's annual production capacity is projected to reach around 70,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables, which will meet about 60% of the domestic market demand [1] Group 2: Economic Impact - The project aims to reduce Morocco's reliance on imported products and enhance the country's manufacturing capabilities in the high-value communication cable sector [1] - The Minister of Industry and Trade, Mezzour, highlighted that this project will contribute to improving the integration capacity of the domestic industry and the level of industrial sovereignty [1]

捷克统计局公布初步数据显示，2025年捷国内经济增长2.5%，几乎是预期增速（1.3%）的两倍， 也是自2022 年以来最高水平。2025 年第四季度，捷国内生产总值（GDP）同比增长2.4%，环比增长 0.5%。 （原标题：2025年捷克经济增长率初步统计为2.5%） ...

《越南之声》2月24日报道，值越南医师节71周年之际，2月24日，越南政府总理范明政在政府办公 厅会见卫生领域杰出专家、科学家代表和各中央医院院长。 范明政强调，党和国家将保障和提升人民健康作为首要政治任务，使其在各项发展战略和政策中始 终处于优先地位；提出将继续完善体制机制和政策，落实卫生领域各项法律规定，集中提升医疗卫生体 系能力，尤其是预防医学和基层医疗，充分发挥传统医学优势，完善乡级卫生站的职能、任务和组织架 构；推动公私合作投资，促进医疗机构发展；重视医疗基础设施投入，集中推进医疗设施设备现代化， 更好地服务人民群众就医需求；尽早完成全国电子病历普及；建设具有地区和国际水准的医疗卫生知识 分子队伍以及完善卫生人才培养的体制机制、政策保障和特殊机制。 （原标题：越南将持续完善医疗保障体系） ...

Core Viewpoint - Serbia's Minister of Mining and Energy, Andrija Handa Novic, attended the Transatlantic Natural Gas Security Summit in Washington and signed a joint declaration aimed at enhancing the resilience of the natural gas market and ensuring the security and affordability of gas supply in Central and Eastern Europe [2] Group 1 - The joint declaration emphasizes collaboration to ensure affordable and secure natural gas supply, utilizing existing infrastructure and constructing new facilities as necessary to increase gas supply [2] - Serbia supports the U.S. initiative for achieving energy supply security in Europe, with the relationship between Europe and the U.S. developing under the framework of the Transatlantic Energy Cooperation Partnership (P-TEC) [2] - The summit discussed specific measures including gas exchange coordination mechanisms, investment in new gas infrastructure, and long-term stable gas trade [2] Group 2 - Serbia is working towards diversifying its sources and routes of gas supply, with the construction of interconnecting pipelines with North Macedonia and Romania expected in the next two years [2] - The existing Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnection will provide Serbia with an annual gas transport capacity of approximately 4 billion cubic meters [2] - These infrastructures will enable Serbia to access new gas markets, sources, and supply channels [2]

Core Insights - The cocoa crisis in Côte d'Ivoire is escalating, leading to political tension and economic pressure in the country, which is the world's largest cocoa supplier, accounting for 40% of global cocoa production and contributing 15% to the national GDP [1] Group 1: Economic Impact - Cocoa production directly supports 1.1 million farmers and indirectly provides income for 6 million people, making it a crucial sector for fiscal revenue and employment in Côte d'Ivoire [1] - The government announced a buyback of cocoa from farmers, increasing the initial plan from 130,000 tons to 200,000 tons, with a total value exceeding 300 billion West African francs (approximately $540 million), temporarily alleviating pressure on farmers [1] Group 2: Market Dynamics - Global cocoa demand has weakened due to a shift in chocolate manufacturers adjusting recipes to reduce cocoa content and passing costs onto consumers, resulting in a significant increase in chocolate prices [1] - The cocoa purchase price set by the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) reached a historic high of 2,800 West African francs per kilogram, while global cocoa prices have dropped over 70%, from $12,000 per ton in December 2024 to about $3,000 per ton [1] Group 3: Regulatory and Structural Challenges - The cocoa crisis has sparked calls for modernization of the regulatory framework in the cocoa industry, alongside the need to update aging plantations, enhance traceability to meet EU standards, and strengthen the processing sector [1]

Core Viewpoint - Bosnia and Herzegovina is progressing towards joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) by implementing a new Payment Services Law and cash transfer regulations, which are currently in parliamentary procedure [1] Group 1: Legislative Developments - The new Payment Services Law and cash transfer regulations are being developed to facilitate Bosnia's entry into SEPA [1] - The cash transfer regulations require coordination on the rules for the import of investment gold [1] Group 2: Economic Implications - Joining SEPA is expected to send a positive signal to investors, reduce the cost of euro payments for businesses, and help regulate the flow of remittances that are currently in the gray market [1] - The Central Bank of Bosnia has submitted a pre-application to join SEPA by December 2025, with a formal application expected in the first quarter of 2026 [1] Group 3: Regional Context - Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently the only country in the region that has not yet joined the SEPA, which covers 41 countries including EU member states [1]

Group 1 - JBS, a Brazilian food company, announced an investment of $235 million in the Middle East [1] - The investment includes the construction of a multi-species meat processing industrial park in Oman and a poultry processing plant in Saudi Arabia [1] - Brazilian meat companies are increasing their presence in the Middle Eastern market [1]

Group 1 - The Brazilian government announced an investment of 1.4 billion reais in the Butantan Institute's dengue vaccine production center to improve healthcare supplies and infrastructure for immunobiologicals [1] - The dengue vaccine produced by the Butantan Institute is 100% domestically made in Brazil and is the only single-dose vaccine approved for individuals aged 12 to 59 [1] - President Lula emphasized the importance of multilateralism and expressed Brazil's willingness to collaborate with the United States and China, highlighting China's significant role in Brazil's vaccine sector [1]

Core Insights - Zambia's annual inflation rate decreased from 9.4% in January 2026 to 7.5% in February 2026, indicating a positive trend in price stability [1] - The annual food inflation rate also fell from 10.9% in January 2026 to 8.2% in February 2026, primarily driven by changes in the prices of staple foods such as maize flour and rice [1]

Core Insights - Colombo Port demonstrated strong operational performance in January 2026, with a significant increase in transshipment activities driving overall throughput growth [1] - The port's transshipment volume rose by 14.9% year-on-year to 604,173 TEUs, accounting for approximately 80% of total container throughput [1] - Overall container throughput increased by 14.7% year-on-year to 754,730 TEUs, indicating robust growth in port activities [1] Transshipment and Local Trade - Local trade showed a mixed structure: export volume increased by 17.2% to 61,358 TEUs, reflecting a recovery in manufacturing and outward trade, while import volume decreased by 8.1% to 52,774 TEUs [1] - Restowing activities surged by 64.3% to 36,425 TEUs, contributing to the overall growth in port operations [1] Vessel Arrivals and Terminal Performance - Despite double-digit growth in throughput, the number of vessels arriving at the port decreased by 2.8% year-on-year to 342 vessels, including 308 container ships, down from 317 in the same period last year [1] - The West Container Terminal (CWIT) processed 130,482 TEUs in January, showing rapid capacity release, while other terminals experienced declines in throughput [2] - The total throughput weight increased by 3% year-on-year to 9.856 million tons, with container cargo growing by 3.7% to 9.223 million tons [2] Competitive Landscape - Colombo Port's position as a transshipment hub has been reinforced amidst disruptions in Red Sea shipping and regional route restructuring [2] - The operational launch of the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala, India, poses competitive pressure on traditional transshipment activities [2] - Despite this competition, Colombo Port's performance in January reflects strong resilience and market competitiveness, supported by new terminal operations and enhanced automation capabilities [2]