Migrant camp on Belarus-Poland border emptied as migrants move to warehouse
November 19, 2021, 7:33 am

Migrant camp on Belarus-Poland border emptied as migrants move to warehouse

Migrants on Belarus-Poland border/Facebook

The BBC reported that border guards confirmed, a migrant camp on the Belarus-Poland border that became some 2,000 people has been emptied.

It said that the migrants who had been camping there in freezing conditions, hoping to cross into the EU, have been moved to a nearby warehouse.

It marks a de-escalation of tensions between Belarus and the European Union.

Belarus has been accused of orchestrating the border crisis to destabilise the EU - which it denies.

The migrants are mainly from the Middle East and on Thursday more than 400 Iraqis were repatriated from Belarus on a flight to Irbil arranged by the Iraqi government.

Belarus-Poland border-Illegal immigration/Facebook page

"To be honest, I am really sad right now," Mohsen Addi told the Reuters news agency once he had arrived in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region.

"We are all sad right now. People came back because they had no other choice."

Many migrants said they were still determined to try and get into the EU.

"I would have stayed till death, but my family were in danger. If the situation doesn't improve in Iraq in a year or two, I'd leave again," said Hoger Abdelrahman.

Deserted camp

Images of the makeshift camp close to Poland's border fence at Bruzgi show it is now deserted, with a few smouldering camp fires and the remnants of stick huts left behind.

Over 1,000 men, women and children started moving to a nearby logistics depot on Wednesday. The Belarusian border force said most people went there voluntarily, but around 800 people initially stayed at the border camp, until freezing temperatures drove them to also seek shelter.

The border guards said all the migrants had received hot meals, warm clothes and basic necessities.

Migrants had been camped along the barbed-wire border fence with Polish guards on one side and Belarusian guards on the other.

Earlier this week, the crisis reached boiling point with Polish forces using tear gas and water cannon to repel migrants trying to cross into the country.

But there are now hopes the change of tack by Belarus's authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, could help defuse the situation. He spoke several times this week to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

His spokeswoman said that 5,000 other migrants in Belarus would be given the chance to return home and claimed Mrs Merkel had said she would talk to the EU about giving the others near the border a humanitarian corridor.

That has been denied outright by the German government.

There have been desperate stories of migrants managing to get through the fence and into Poland, but then being caught and sent back to Belarus, contrary to international asylum rules.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced on Thursday that the UK would send about 150 British soldiers to help reinforce Poland's border with Belarus.

The EU, along with Nato and the US, have accused the Belarus leader of luring migrants to the border with the false promise of easy entry to the EU.

Belarus has denied acting in retaliation for a series of EU sanctions imposed since a widely discredited presidential election in August 2020.

Mr Lukashenko cracked down on mass protests amid widespread allegations of brutality meted out to political opponents and protesters.

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.