PARIS: France’s Eiffel Tower that had been closed for five days by a strike will reopen Sunday after the monument’s management announced a deal had been struck with unions.
The stoppage since Monday at one of the world’s best-known tourist sites was the second within two months in protest at what unions say was insufficient investment.
The tower’s operator SETE said it had reached agreement with the unions on Saturday “under which the parties will regularly monitor the company’s business model, investment in works and revenue through a body that will meet every six months.”
With an aim to balance its books by 2025, both sides also agreed to see an investment of some 380 million euros up to 2031 toward works and maintenance of the tower, the statement said.
SETE extended apologies to visitors caught in the strike action, which resulted in the loss of some 100,000 admissions.
The Eiffel Tower booked a shortfall of around 120 million euros ($130 million) during the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
SETE has since received a recapitalization of 60 million euros, which unions say is insufficient given that major maintenance work is needed, including a fresh paint job.
Visitor numbers dropped sharply during Covid due to closures and travel restrictions, but recovered to 5.9 million in 2022 and 6.3 million last year.
The masterpiece by architect Gustave Eiffel has been repainted 19 times since it was built for the 1889 World Fair.
Eiffel Tower to reopen Sunday as strike ends
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Eiffel Tower to reopen Sunday as strike ends
- The stoppage since Monday at one of the world’s best-known tourist sites was the second within two months
- The tower’s operator SETE said it had reached agreement with the unions on Saturday
US signs $228m deal with Rwanda for health under new aid model
- Under the health deal, the US will provide up to $158 million to Rwanda to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other infectious diseases, the State Department said
- The health funding agreement comes a day after Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and his Democratic Republic of the Congo counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, affirmed their commitment to a deal to end the conflict in eastern Congo
KIGALI: The US and Rwanda have signed a deal providing $228 million for the health sector in the East African nation, the State Department said, the second such pact under the US administration’s new approach to overseas aid.
Kenya became the first country this week to strike a deal with Washington under the “America First Global Health Strategy,” unveiled in September by the administration and aimed at improving target countries’ self-reliance in managing their health sectors.
The $228 million will be provided by both governments.
The Rwanda deal lays out “a comprehensive vision to save lives, strengthen Rwanda’s health system,” the State Department said, while helping to make America “safer.”
The health funding agreement comes a day after Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and his Democratic Republic of the Congo counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, affirmed their commitment to a deal to end the conflict in eastern Congo.
Under the health deal, the US will provide up to $158 million to Rwanda to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other infectious diseases, the State Department said.
The cash will also strengthen disease surveillance and outbreak response.
“In turn, the government of Rwanda plans to increase its own domestic health investment by $70 million, taking on greater financial responsibility as US support is gradually reduced over the years,” the department said.
The agreement will also build on an initiative that sees drone-delivery startup Zipline taking lifesaving medical products where they are needed, in co-operation with Rwanda, the department said.
“The agreement underscores Rwanda’s ambition to build a self-reliant, adaptive, and technology-enabled health system,” said Oliver Nduhungirehe, Rwanda’s foreign minister, after he signed the deal with US officials in Washington.
