BURUNDI :
RWANDA
Rwanda: Kagame Challenges International Community On Genocide Justice Kigali — President Paul Kagame has said that 16 years after the Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda is still appealing to countries harbouring suspected genocidaires to bring them to book. The President who was addressing members of both local and international media yesterday, was responding to people who question the credibility and capability of the Rwandan justice system to try Genocide fugitives. “If they don’t trust our justice system, let them use theirs to try these cases. All we are asking for is justice,” he said Kagame explained that Rwanda was more interested in the deliverance of justice than the location of where it is rendered. “If they can’t give them (fugitives) to Rwanda because they don’t trust us, why don’t they apply their own justice to deal with the cases?,” he asked. He insisted that what was important for Rwandans was justice and reminded that the cases can be tried anywhere. “I don’t understand the logic, I don’t see the rationale. What is relevant is to try the cases in their countries or in the relevant courts,” he said. “It’s neither Rwanda, the host country, or the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) that was established for that purpose but you can’t tell me that because you have no trust or confidence in our judiciary, it stops you from trying these cases”. President Kagame said that the country is willing and ready to provide all the necessary information to get the cases off the ground. “All you need to do is to ask us for information or evidence. What is relevant is for you to try a case that needs to be tried,” he said. Kagame’s comments come at a time when hundreds of Genocide fugitives, some of whom masterminded the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, are living freely in various countries around the world. UN, Congo Restart Operations Against Rwandan Rebels (Update2) (Adds that rebels are ethnic Hutus in third paragraph.) March 3 (Bloomberg) — United Nations peacekeepers and the Democratic Republic of Congo army have started a new military operation against Rwandan rebels, a top UN official said today. A joint mission that began Feb. 25 is under way in Kashebere, a village in Congo’s eastern province of North Kivu, Alain Le Roy, the head of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, told reporters in Kinshasa. The world body had suspended support for the military action against the ethnic Hutu rebels, known as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, in December because of accusations of human-rights abuses committed by Congo’s army. In late December, the UN Security Council mandated that UN peacekeepers couldn’t work with Congolese army battalions that were guilty of human-rights violations. Commanders involved in the new offensive were assessed and selected by the Congolese army and the UN mission, Le Roy said. About 1,600 soldiers in 18 battalions are receiving support from the UN in the new offensive, down from around 16,000 last year, UN mission spokesman Kevin Kennedy said in an interview after the press conference. Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 1,400 civilians died and thousands more were raped during military operations against the Rwandan rebels in 2009. Millions have died in Congo since the mid 1990s, when fighting in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide spilled across the border into Congo’s east and eventually engulfed the entire African nation. Most of the UN’s 20,500 peacekeepers are now deployed in the east and northeast of Congo, where fighting continues. Le Roy was in Kinshasa to discuss the reconfiguration and potential drawdown of the peacekeeping force in Congo when its mandate is renewed at the end of May. Congolese President Joseph Kabila has requested a plan for the UN’s eventual withdrawal by Jun. 30, the 50th anniversary of Congolese independence from Belgium. –Editors: Mark Schoifet, Jim Kirk.
Kigali — Association Enfant Chez Soi, a local child rights organisation, yesterday launched a nursery school program for children living in prisons with their incarcerated mothers. The launch was presided over by the Commissioner General of Prisons, Mary Gahonzire, at Kigali Central Prison, commonly known as 1930. Speaking at the event, Gahonzire hailed the association for the initiative which she said was on the right track towards restoration of rights of the children. According to the law, female inmates are allowed to stay with their children up to the age of three, when they are taken back to their families or orphanages. “This program is vital because it will prevent these innocent children from staying inside prisons with their mothers,” Gahonzire said. The nursery school, despite being on prison premises will allow children enjoy environments outside their mothers’ cells. “Children who grow up in prisons suffer a lot since they do not get enough care, therefore these nursery schools will help in providing the required care to the children until the age of three,” she said. In the nurseries, the children will be taken care of during day by nannies employed by the organization and returned to their mothers in the evening. Gahonzire further thanked the government of Rwanda, especially the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, for supporting the initiative. According to Gloriose Mukanzanire, the president of the association, this program will improve the standards of living of the children in terms of education, health and nutrition. “We established that children who live with their mothers in prisons do not get enough care; they suffer poor health, which is why we decided to come up with the idea of having these nurseries in all prisons,” she noted. In an interview with The New Times, Winnie Umurerwa one of the inmates with children, said that this was a great opportunity for her child to get access to education. Rwanda: SFB Reforms Are Timely Kigali — The government’s move to have the School of Finance and Banking (SFB) produce a new kind of professional through a revised system would not have come at a better time. SFB’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prof Manasseh Nshuti, announced that the school would soon be compelling all its graduates to do a professional course in their respective disciplines, as a way of ensuring that they are ready to compete on the labour market. The additional courses, as well as the regular first degree will, according to Prof. Nshuti, be funded by the government. This is a policy that other higher institutions of learning should seriously consider adopting, given the fact that Rwanda is now fully integrated in the East African Community. Additionally, this will not only contribute to having a more skilled workforce for Rwanda, but will also enable Rwandans to compete for jobs on the regional market. The country’s prime resource is its people, inspite of the high population growth rate. This population, through carefully harnessed initiatives should be our niche on the regional market. The reforms at SFB will be championed by Dr Ried Whitlock, a man well known for his vast experience in encouraging Rwandan youths to be hands-on professionals, as part of his work at On The Frontier (OTF) Group. OTF has facilitated young Rwandan graduates from various universities within and outside the country, with leadership skills through the Academy for Leadership and Competitiveness Programme, which has benefitted hundreds of young professionals. UGANDA
UN rescue teams begin work on Uganda landslide site BUDUDA, Uganda — United Nations relief teams were Thursday to begin their rescue effort in a remote region of eastern Uganda, three days after a landslide left 80 dead and 300 missing. “Definitely we will be able to begin work on the ground today. We will certainly be working with government, and the military,” Theophane Nikyema, resident coordinator for the UN’s Uganda team, told AFP. “Unfortunately, the team that went to Bududa yesterday was unable to reach the site because of rain, but they should be able to access it today,” he said. Rescue workers from the Red Cross and local officials in Bududa, the village nearest to the rural community buried under the mud on the slopes of Mount Elgon, complained Wednesday that driving rain and steep terrain made the relief effort slow and complicated. Armed with spades and rudimentary farming tools, people dug through the night in a desperate attempt to find survivors but not a single body was retrieved from the mudslide since Wednesday morning. “We are digging continuously. People were digging even through the night because some relatives can’t sleep. They are just grieving,” Geofrey Natubu, vice-chairman of Bududa district, said early Thursday. He said that 35 school children were believed to be among the missing. “We estimate, according to the registry, that around 35 students are buried there. We can’t say for certain. But those ones who are missing are the ones we believe are buried,” Natubu told AFP. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni visited the site of the landslide near the Kenyan border on Wednesday as foreign countries extended their condolences over one of the worst natural disasters to strike the east African nation in years. Uganda: UPC Delegates’ Conference Halted Kampala — The Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party has suspended the delegates’ conference that was scheduled for Saturday until the end of March. The UPC national council had recently resolved to hold the conference this weekend without conducting grassroot elections. Party members led by presidential aspirants Jimmy Akena, Joseph Ochieno, Yona Kanyomozi, Dr. Sam Luwero and Sospater Akwenyu asked the High Court for more time to prepare for the conference. Before end of this week, the party will conduct elections for youth and women representatives to the conference. In the second week, results from all constituencies will be received to facilitate preparations for the conference. Kasirye said: “A new date for the delegates’ conference will be announced when all preparations are made”. Meanwhile, Akena, who is also Lira MP, yesterday withdrew a court petition he filed seeking to block party elections scheduled for March 6. He filed the petition saying the party needed more time to prepare. After he filed the petition, UPC executives suspended the elections. Akena’s lawyer Joseph Kasozi yesterday told court presided over by Justice Musoke Kibuuka that his client was withdrawing the application because of the suspension notification. “When we filed the application, there was fear that the election would take place under unconstitutional means. Since elections didn’t take place, we pray that you fix the main suit for hearing and abandon the first application,” Kasozi urged. But Moses Ojakol, representing the four senior party members, opposed to the extension. Former UPC deputy president Livingstone Okello-Okello, former secretary general Peter Walubiri, former national chairman Prof. Patrick Rubaihayo, and former vice-chairman. Chris Opio, argued that the exercise must continue because a venue had already been reserved. They further argued that party member James Okello had sworn an affidavit to the effect that the suspension was disregarded at some branches, and elections went ahead. However, the judge accepted Akena’s application, and advised the feuding party members to return to the negotiating table. He said they should return to court with a harmonious position, noting that court cannot solve party issues. Uganda: First Lady Calls for More Cancer Screening for Women Kampala — The first lady and minister of state for Karamoja affairs, Janet Museveni, has called for increased access to cervical cancer screening services to reduce the number of women dying of the disease. Launching the 2010-2014 national strategic plan for cervical cancer prevention and control in Uganda at Serena Conference Centre on Tuesday, Museveni also regretted the high cost of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine which is hindering prevention. “Over 80% of the beds in gynaecology wards are occupied by women suffering from cervical cancer. This is a scary revelation. We know that the cancer can be prevented and diagnosed cheaply. Every woman has a right to a life free of the disease and it is unacceptable for one to die of such preventable causes,” she said. The First lady handed over cervical cancer screening equipment to Nakasongola Health Centre IV, Soroti, Ibanda and Itojo Hospitals. The equipment was donated by PATH, a non-profit global health organisation pioneering the fight against cervical cancer in Uganda. Uganda: Bushenyi – a Rich Land With a Poor People Kampala — Bushenyi covers an area of 4,292.5sq.km has a population of about 916,400, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) records. It is comprised of five counties – Igara, Buhweju, Sheema, Bunyaruguru and Ruhinda. Buhweju, with a population of 97,400 boasts of fertile hills with tea plantations and gold deposits. However, Bihanga in Buhweju, which is over 70km from the district headquarters, is probably the most remote area in Bushenyi. Transport and communication in this area is very poor. One needs about sh40,000 to travel from Bihanga to the headquarters. Igara, which houses the district headquarters and the largest townships of Bushenyi and Ishaka, has a population of about 241,500, and vast banana, tea and coffee plantations. Sheema, with the second largest townships of Kabwohe and Itendero, has a population of over 211,400. It is a rich agricultural area with millet and cattle in abundance is the largest producer of matooke in the district. Kitagata Hospital, the largest government hospital in the district is in this county, but apart from the Mbarara Kasese highway which cuts through the area, the rest of the roads are in poor condition. Ruhinda, also an agricultural area, has a population of 188,800. There is no tarmac road in this area and although the county has many government schools, the academic performance is poor. Bunyaruguru with 119,500 people has rich fertil soils, a wealth of natural resources like Karinzu forest, crater lakes, Lake George, and Kyambura Game Reserve. Apart from the Mbarara highway, no other tarmac road. Apart from Igara, all the other counties are agitating for district status each.
Mar 4, 2010/www.accuweather.com .A village which was a trading center in Uganda is all but destroyed after a series of mudslides buried homes and shops. Rescuers fear there could be more than 300 people dead, so far 86 are confirmed. The Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni criticized residents for building on the flood plain. He also blamed the mudslides on local farmers who have stripped the land of its natural vegetation. Seela Wazemba, a villager who was affected, said, “this used to be our home, My mother died here, my brother, the children and everybody.” Another village was in church when the mudslide struck. “Mud covered the whole place. Five people seated next to me died. I only survived because my head was above the mud,” says James Kasawi. Roads are damaged and rescuers are finding it difficult to get equipment needed to the disaster site. According to AccuWeather.com International forecasters, additional rain is expected, which could make the situation even more dire. Story by AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Eric Reese TANZANIA:
BP ceases its Tanzania operations It is end of an era for BP Tanzania, a major oil marketing company that has operated in the country for about a century. BP Africa�s Chief Executive Sipho Maseko announced on Tuesday that BP was quitting the Tanzanian market following a strategy review that would see it concentrate all its efforts in strategic countries such as Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, Algeria, Egypt and Libya. Except South Africa, the rest are oil and/or gas producing countries. BP has also ceased operations in Namibia, Malawi, Zambia and Botswana. �I would like to stress that BP is and will stay committed to Africa,� BP Africa�s Chief Executive Sipho Maseko said in a statement released on Tuesday. �We have significant operations in Angola, Mozambique and South Africa and in Algeria, Egypt and Libya. We will continue to grow and invest in those markets, especially in the value chain infrastructure,� he had added. The decision is likely to affect Tanzania�s petroleum marketing industry as the company has often played a significant and pioneering role. But to what extent that effect will play itself out cannot now be established now. Until recently, BP Tanzania has had a 35 per cent market share in both the retail and service stations and about 70 per cent in aviation. In Zanzibar it has been controlling the aviation fuel market by about 100 per cent. The director general of the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority Mr Haruna Masebu declined to comment on how BP�s decision would affect the downstream petroleum industry in Tanzania. He said Ewura had not received any notification on BP�s decision and until that notification was received it would be premature to say anything. �We will ultimately comment on BP�s decision but we have not yet received any official communications on the matter. Talking about it now would be just speculating,� he told The Citizen in an interview yesterday in Dar es Salaam. He however observed that since the company was a joint venture between BP group and the Tanzanian government, their departure would not translate into complete shut down in the country. Mr Masebu said that BP has already notified the Tanzanian government and other governments included in the pullout but when contacted the Tanzanian government officials said they were still unaware of the issue. Mr Prosper Victus, Head of Petroleum and Gas Section at the ministry of Energy and Minerals, said he had not seen any official documents concerning the issue. �I am not aware of the issue. The ministry might have been informed already but the information is not yet on our desk,� he told The Citizen by phone yesterday. The ministry’s acting Permanent Secretary, Mr Invocavit Swai, was in a meeting when reached yesterday and he could not comment on the issue. The minister of Energy and Minerals Mr William Ngeleja could not be reached as his phone went unanswered and could not reply to a text message sent to him from The Citizen. However, the deputy minister for Energy and Minerals Adam Malima was quoted by a section of the online media saying he was also not aware of the move. BP Tanzania is among some 40 oil marketing and trading companies in Tanzania with Addax, Mobil, Total, Oryx, Engen, GAPCO, GAPOIL and Oilcom Tanzania Limited being the market leaders. In the seven southern African countries of Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia, BP�s downstream infrastructure includes some 29 depots and terminals, and more than 800 retail sites. Apart from fuel and lubricants, BP Tanzania has also been selling liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for over forty years. It used to monopolise the market until the entry of Agip after the construction of a refinery, Tipper, in 1964. To date BP and Agip Tanzania Limited (which has since been sold to ADDAX and operates as Oryx Tanzania Limited) are the leading players. BP Tanzania has also an organisation that deals in solar energy under a project that covers upcountry regions. BP has also had a large stake in the transit petroleum business through the port of Dar es Salaam to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC Congo, Zambia and Malawi. BP Tanzania traces its roots back in 1900 when Smith MacKenzie started importing kerosene to the island of Zanzibar as Shell agent A bulk tank and kerosene-can filling plant was established in 1901, and for a while Zanzibar supplied oil to much of the east coast of Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. Shell expanded to the Mainland and with the formation of the Consolidated Petroleum Corporation in the late 1920s, BP acquired an interest in the company. In 1970 the Government of Tanzania bought a 50 per cent interest in what was then Shell and BP Tanzania Limited. In March 1982, BP bought out Shell�s interests and the company became BP Tanzania Limited. Ends 240m-year-old skeleton discovered in Africa rewrites dinosaur story The Times /March 4, 2010 The discovery of a 240-million-year-old dinosaur in southern Tanzania has led scientists to rethink their evolution. An almost complete skeleton of the species, Asilisaurus kongwe or “ancient lizard ancestor” was reconstructed using the remains of at least 14 other dinosaurs. Asilisaurus lived in the Middle Triassic era about ten million years earlier than the oldest known dinosaurs and belonged to a sister group known as silesaurs. Scientists say that the relationship between dinosaurs and silesaurs was similar to that between humans and chimpanzees. Silesaurs and dinosaurs — as well as crocodiles and the flying pterosaurs — are believed to have shared a common ancestor dating back even further. Scientists had expected the closest relatives of dinosaurs to been meat-eaters that walked on two legs but Asilisaurus stood on four legs and was a vegetarian, or perhaps an omnivore that ate both plants and meat. It was nearly 1m (3ft) to 3m long, weighed up to 30kg (66lb) and had triangular teeth with a beak-like tip to its lower jaw. Similar traits evolved independently in at least two branches of the dinosaur family tree, in animals that were originally carnivorous. Being able to eat plants may have opened up a broader range of habitats, experts believe. Dr Randall Irmis, from the University of Utah in the US, one of the international team of scientists who described the find in the journal Nature, said: “The crazy thing about this new dinosaur discovery is that it is so very different from what we all were expecting, especially the fact that it is herbivorous and walked on four legs. “We knew that there were a number of species from the Triassic that were similar to Asilisaurus, but we were only able to recognise that they formed this group called silesaurs.” Co-author Dr Sterling Nesbitt, from the University of Texas at Austin, said: “Everyone loves dinosaurs, but this new evidence suggests that they were really only one of several large and distinct groups of animals that exploded in diversity in the Triassic, including silesaurs, pterosaurs and several groups of crocodilian relatives.” Toasts in Tanzania, Merriment in the Mara: Micato Safaris Introduces Bespoke Celebrations www.prweb.com/March 4, 2010 New York, NY (PRWEB) March 4, 2010 — In our busy world, taking time away to recognize life’s big moments can be rare… but in award-winning Micato Safaris’ (www.micato.com) Africa, it happens all the time. Africa’s sweeping landscapes lend themselves to sweeping gestures, such as the gift of a once-in-a-lifetime safari to commemorate one of life’s major milestones. “About 35% of our trips are family safaris – multigenerational trips usually involving three generations of travellers – as compared to less than 10% in 2001,” states Dennis Pinto, Managing Director, Micato Safaris. “We found that many of these families were traveling together to celebrate important occasions – family reunions, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and graduations. That’s why we’re introducing Bespoke Celebrations, personalized safari itineraries designed with the sole purpose of creating special memories to last a lifetime.” Each custom-designed Bespoke Celebration itinerary bears the hallmark of a Micato safari: supreme luxury, unparalleled service, and the authentic, behind-the-scenes experiences that can only come from a company whose founders, The Pinto Family, are not only passionate about Africa, they are African. Micato’s travel experts are intimately familiar with the very best places to celebrate life’s precious moments — from magical treehouses overlooking the savannahs where a honeymooning couple can share an alfresco dinner under the stars, to the perfect private bush home to accommodate an extended family reunion. Whatever the occasion, Micato promises to make it priceless. Micato’s Bespoke Celebrations include: The African Anniversary Waltz: A 10th anniversary could be a second honeymoon or a renewal of vows under an Acacia tree. The 25th? Getting the family together before the children move out. Or bring generations to Africa for Mom and Dad’s Golden Anniversary. The style of safari can range from an authentic mobile tented affair to an adrenaline-filled extravaganza, such as touring via helicopter with breakfast in the Maasai Mara, lunch on the slopes of Mount Kenya and dinner by Lake Victoria’s shores. An Uncommonly Divine Wedding in the Wild: Whether looking for a simple ceremony under a baobab tree or a lavish affair for a multitude of guests, Micato will turn a bride’s dream into a breathtaking reality. Every detail will be unique: from Maasai ladies-in-waiting to a warrior honor guard for the groom, to a wedding feast in the bush, complete with china, crystal, and a serenade by an inspiring African choir. Every last aspect will be planned and executed to perfection; the bride and groom need only be in the moment and marvel at the splendor of their day. The Milestone Birthday in the Bush: What can one do to mark a landmark birthday on safari? The options are endless: Turning 40? Gather a group of adventurous peers to conquer the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. 50? Go heli-fishing on a remote lake under the shadow of magnificent Mount Kenya. Fly in a hot-air balloon over a sun-kissed savannah. Pet a cheetah or track lions. Fete the special day with a candlelight dinner in the bush. Each day is a celebration, and in Micato’s Africa, no luxury is overlooked. Eternal Africa- An Everlasting Honeymoon: There’s nothing like the romance of a safari, as evidenced in the classic film (25 years old in 2010!) Out of Africa. A swept-away, idyllic beach bungalow is also enormously romantic. But the combination of the two? That’s called the most extraordinary honeymoon on earth, and it can only be found in Africa. Newlyweds can lounge together in a hammock along a dry riverbed, watching the elephants lumber by, cuddle by a bonfire under a canopy of a million stars, relax with a couples’ massage in tents overlooking plains of exotic wildlife, and relax beachside at exquisite barefoot resorts hidden in enchanted Zanzibar and Lamu. Plus, brides and grooms may even sign up for their dream honeymoon on Micato’s web site Gift Registry. A Graduation Event in the Birthplace of Humanity: While a jaunt around Italy is delightful, an African safari offers the possibility of life-changing experiences. Africa, after all, is the birthplace of humanity, and the stage for the greatest wildlife on earth. A land of tribal peoples unchanged over ageless millennia. Powerful stuff for those on the brink of embracing the world. The pinnacle of this exciting sojourn is the chance to see the wonderous work being done by Micato Safaris’ non-profit arm, AmericaShare, with women and children living with HIV/AIDS in the Mukuru slum of Nairobi. Graduates may even meet their African counterparts in students sponsored through AmericaShare’s School Sponsorship Program, which takes at-risk children off the streets and places them in reputable boarding schools. What better way to celebrate the momentous occasion of a graduation than with this remarkable experience? Bespoke Celebrations begin at $9,800 per person, based on double occupancy. To book a celebration or more information call 1-800-MICATO-1 or visit www.micato.com. About Micato Safaris Jane and Felix Pinto founded Micato Safaris in Kenya in 1966, and the company has been providing the most luxurious and personalized African safaris to sophisticated travelers ever since. Winning the coveted Travel+Leisure “World’s Best Tour Operator & Safari Outfitter” award for an unprecedented six years, Micato prides itself on providing exceptional service throughout every stage of the safari experience. For more than twenty years, Micato’s nonprofit arm, AmericaShare, has been actively working in Kenya to support the orphaned and vulnerable children and adults affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Funded 100% by Micato Safaris, AmericaShare channels the donations of its safari guests, corporate partners and industry friends directly to one of its projects in Mukuru, a notorious slum outside of Nairobi. AmericaShare’s mission is to provide education and hope to the women and children of Mukuru, as well as resources to facilitate sustainable change within the community. CONGO RDC :
KENYA :
The 20 were associated with the Party of National Unity of President Mwai Kibaki and the Orange Democratic Movement led by Raila Odinga, which was then in opposition, prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s office said in a statement. The two sides are now in an uneasy power-sharing government. They “organised, enticed and/or financed attacks against the civilian population on account of their perceived ethnic and/or political affiliation pursuant to or in furtherance of a state and/or organisational policy,” it said. Moreno-Ocampo filed his list after judges asked him last month for more information on his bid to open an investigation into violence that killed 1 500 people after Odinga accused Kibaki of voter fraud. ‘The gravest responsibility’ “These senior leaders from both PNU and ODM parties were guided by political objectives to retain or gain power,” the prosecutor’s statement said. “They utilised their personal, government, business and tribal networks to commit these crimes. “They implemented their policy with the involvement of a number of state officers and public and private institutions, such as members of the parliament, senior government officers, the police force and youth gangs.” His confidential list contained the names of those “who appear to bear the gravest responsibility for these crimes,” said the statement. The prosecutor in November asked judges to allow a full-scale probe of the violence in which thousands of people were injured and about 300 000 internally displaced, which he claimed were crimes against humanity. Kenya has yet to act on the recommendation of its own inquiry that a special tribunal be set up to probe the violence. The ICC, the world’s only permanent independent tribunal to try war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, can only take cases when countries are unwilling or unable to do so. Standard Chartered Kenya Full-Year Net Rises on Loans (Update1) March 4 (Bloomberg) — Standard Chartered Plc’s Kenyan unit said full-year profit jumped 46 percent as earnings from loans in East Africa’s biggest economy increased. Net income surged to 4.73 billion shillings ($61.6 million) or 16.78 shillings per share in the 12 months through December, from 3.25 billion shillings or 11.34 shillings per share a year earlier, Chief Executive Officer Richard Etemesi told reporters today in the capital, Nairobi. Net interest income, the money banks make from issuing loans, jumped 26 percent to 7.72 billion shillings. “The bank used its strong capital and liquidity position and its increasingly powerful brand to grow and expand its business and to deepen relationships with customers,” he said. Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Ltd. is Kenya’s second- biggest lender by market value, after Barclays Bank of Kenya Ltd. Growth in profit and income reported by the bank for 2009 was within expectations, Snehal Shah, head of research at Nairobi-based Kestrel Capital East Africa Ltd., said in an interview today. “Strong results as expected,” Shah said. Standard Chartered has “a better outlook than most banks,” she added. Standard Chartered’s profit and income in January 2010 was higher than a year earlier and “February looks very promising,” Etemesi said. The lender declared a dividend of 12 shillings per share, compared with 10 shillings per share a year earlier, he said. Toyota proposes Kenya-Juba oil pipeline bypassing Port Sudan If constructed, the pipeline would provide an alternative to the country’s only current oil exporting point, Port Sudan, potentially having major economic and political implications on the whole of Sudan. The idea was presented before in 2006 by Kenya Pipeline Corporation officials to Southern Sudan government officials. They said that Kenya’s regional position would give Southern Sudan unparalleled advantage in lead-time and sealing important business deals. About 75 per cent of Sudan’s proven reserves of 6.3bn barrels are in the south but the pipeline that carries the oil to export terminals and refineries runs through the north. The south needs Khartoum’s co-operation to sell its oil; the north needs revenues from its neighbor’s resources. An executive director of the Japanese company, in a presentation distributed to reporters today in Nairobi, disclosed that the pipeline would have a capacity of 450,000 barrels per day. It would cost $1.5 billion to construct. After 20 years under Toyota ownership, it would be handed over to the Kenyan and South Sudanese governments. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga visited Japan last month; Kenya is said to support the proposal. Other stakeholders include China, which wants to develop a port and infrastructure at Lamu on the Kenyan coast. The semi-autonomous South Sudan will hold a referendum on the question of independence in 2011. The proposed pipeline would vastly reduce the need for post-referendum economic and political cooperation between the South’s ruling party and their erstwhile foes in the North. The separation of Sudan into a two states will deny the North billions of dollars in revenue generating from vast oilfields in the south of the country. Currently the North and the South are splitting the proceeds of crude in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005. Last month a senior GoSS official said that the South may continue to share oil proceeds with the North for a limited time following secession to prevent an economic collapse there. Mr. Hattori said that the pipeline construction would be financed by Japan Bank for International Co-operation, if the bank agrees. This was reported by a Financial Times reporter who attended a briefing with Toyota officials in the office of the Kenyan prime minister. “We haven’t studied in detail, but a partnership with other investors, governments, foreign companies is of course one of the options,” Mr. Hattori was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. “Maybe to collaborate with a Chinese company would be one of the options.” It does not appear that Toyota has formalized any agreement with Southern Sudanese officials. But the ruling party of the South, which has some strongly separatist elements, might embrace this as an opportunity to reduce pipeline fees that will have to be paid to the Khartoum government under the present arrangement. Toyota Tshusho is the trading company of Toyota Motor Group, the Japan-based business conglomerate that is one of the world’s largest. Tsusho’s vision to increase the non-automotive share of its operating revenue balance, according to its website. The trading company has an office in Nairobi and may make additional acquisitions in the energy sector in Kenya. (ST) ANGOLA :
Angola: Over 150,000 Mosquito Nets Distributed Under Malaria Programme Lubango — At least 156,400 insecticide-impregnated mosquito nets are being distributed since January this year in 454 clinics of southern Huíla province, by the Public Health Department and Control of Disease, as part of the anti-malaria programme. Speaking to Angop in the province’s capital city, Lubango, the official said that of the mosquito nets mentioned, 84,039 are being distributed to pregnant women and 72,274 are going to mothers of children below five years of age. The official explained that the programme includes the distribution nof anti-malaria tablets and vitamin A. Lelo Zola informed also that the Public Health Administration handed 49,299 mosquito net over to clinics of Lubango. 14,900 went to Caconda district, 13, 900 to Chibia, 13,100 (Matala), 12,000 (Jamba), 11,100 to Gambos. He added that Quipungo will receive 9,800, while Kuvango will get 6,700 and 6,400 will be supplied to Caluquembe, and Quilengues, Cacula and Chicomba will get 5,100, 3,100 and 3,100, respectively. The official said that the purpose of the programme is to reduce the rate of malaria, in which the authorities are getting support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
This information can be read in a note released by the CNCS. According to the note, the CNCS highlights the fact that José Eduardo dos Santos said that the “State will continue to create conditions for the press to become stronger and stronger, freer, more plural, responsible and independent”. The note also reads that the references by the head of State correspond to the CNCS duties within the limits of its terms, sometimes misunderstood and treated with hostility by both public and private entities. The CNCS rejoices at the advances noted in the new Constitution, regarding rights related to freedom of expression, information and press, stressing the commitment of the State towards securing the existence and functioning of independent and competitive public radio and television stations. The CNCS is an independent body tasked with ensuring objectivity and freedom of information and safeguarding the freedom of expression and thought in the media, in accordance with the rights enshrined in the Constitution. SOUTH AFRICA:
Brown holds talks with South African President Zuma Thursday, 4 March 2010/news.bbc.co.uk Prime Minister Gordon Brown and South African President Jacob Zuma are holding talks in Downing Street. The two are expected to discuss the political situation in Zimbabwe, trade links, climate change and this summer’s football world cup in South Africa. President Zuma, who is on a three-day state visit to the UK, has called for sanctions against Zimbabwe to be lifted to help political reconciliation there. Mr Brown attended a banquet given by The Queen for Mr Zuma on Wednesday. Key issues At the event, also attended by senior British ministers and opposition leaders, the Queen praised South Africa’s successful journey of “liberation and democratic renewal” over the past 20 years. President Zuma and his third wife, Thobeka Madiba Zuma, were greeted by Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah at No 10 on Thursday morning ahead of about thirty minutes of talks. The two leaders are currently holding a news conference. Thursday’s meeting is likely to be dominated by questions over Zimbabwe and impact of the global economic downturn on Africa. Prior to arriving in the UK, President Zuma said the lifting of international sanctions against Zimbabwe could help the country to “move forward” and resolve outstanding political differences. President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai formed a unity government last year but remain deadlocked over key appointments while the upcoming trial of a political ally of Mr Tsvangirai’s for treason has raised tensions. The international community maintains that sanctions are still needed to keep pressure on President Mugabe to live up to his commitments to political and economic reform. The two leaders are also expected to discuss preparations for this summer’s World Cup in South Africa, with thousands of British supporters set to travel to the country to watch the tournament. Later on Thursday, President Zuma will visit the site of the 2012 Olympics in London as well as anti-racism and crime reduction projects in the capital. South African Equities: Anglo, Group Five, Impala Platinum By Carli Lourens/Bloomberg/March 4 March 4 (Bloomberg) — South Africa’s FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index fell for the first day in five, losing 6.69, or less than 0.1 percent, to 27,676.96 at 11 a.m. in Johannesburg. The following are among the most active stocks in the South African market today. Anglo American Plc (AGL SJ), which controls the world’s biggest platinum producer, declined 50.5 rand, or 1.9 percent, to 25.70 rand, the biggest intraday fall in five days. Its Scaw Metals steel plant near Concepcion, Chile, suffered “considerable damage” after the earthquake and operations are halted until further notice, the company said late yesterday. Group Five Ltd. (GRF SJ), a construction and engineering company gained 1.05 rand, or 3.1 percent, to 34.50 rand, the biggest intraday gain more than two weeks. First-half net income rose 14 percent to 274.3 million rand ($36.5 million) from 240.7 million rand in the year earlier period, the company said. Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. (IMP SJ), the world’s second- largest platinum producer, fell 4.10 rand, or 2.1 percent, to 189 rand. The metal declined after five consecutive days of gains, trading as much as 1.2 percent lower at $1,563.20. Anglo Platinum Ltd. (AMS SJ), the biggest producer, declined 6.17 rand, or 0.9 percent, to 686.73 rand. Group Five, Standard Bank: South African Equity Market Preview South Africa’s FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index advanced for a fourth day, increasing 311.73, or 1.1 percent, to 27,683.65 in Johannesburg. Bowler Metcalf Ltd. (BCF SJ): The South African plastic- packing manufacturer said fiscal first-half profit rose to 28.1 million rand ($3.7 million) in the six months ended Dec. 31, from 24.8 million rand a year earlier. The stock was unchanged at 6.15 rand. Group Five Ltd. (GRF SJ): The construction and engineering company reports fiscal first-half earnings. Fully diluted earnings per share in the six months through December rose as much as 15 percent compared with a year earlier, Group Five said Jan. 15. The stock gained 85 cents, or 2.6 percent, to 33.45 rand. Mvelaphanda Group Ltd. (MVG SJ): The investment company reports fiscal first-half earnings. Mvelaphanda said March 1 that earnings per share excluding one-time items for the six months to Dec. 31 are expected to rise between 115 cents and 130 cents from 1.3 cents a year earlier. Mvelaphanda slid 2 cents, or 0.2 percent, to 8.65 rand. Sallies Ltd. (SAL SJ): The miner of fluorspar and rare earth minerals said its first-half loss narrowed to 27.5 million rand in the six months ended Dec. 31, from a loss of 61.6 million rand in the same period a year earlier. The stock was unchanged at 14 cents. Standard Bank Group Ltd. (SBK SJ): Africa’s largest lender reports annual earnings. The company said Feb. 18 that 2009 profit may have fallen by 20 percent to 25 percent from a year earlier. Standard Bank dropped 10 cents, or 0.1 percent, to 110.90 rand. Shares or American depositary receipts of the following South African companies closed as follows: Anglo American Plc (AAUK US) rose 4.1 percent to $19.64. AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (AU US) added 1.9 percent to $37.68. BHP Billiton Ltd. (BBL US) advanced 1.4 percent to $64.42. DRDGold Ltd. (DROOY US) gained 0.2 percent to $6.40. Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI US) climbed 2.4 percent to $12.26. Harmony Gold Mining Co. (HMY US) rose 2.5 percent to $9.99. Impala Platinum Holdings (IMPUY US) climbed 3.8 percent to $25.70. Sappi Ltd. (SPP US) gained 2.6 percent to $3.90. Sasol Ltd. (SSL US) added 1.3 percent to $38.10. –Editors: Vernon Wessels, Paul Richardson. Adidas pins sales recovery hopes on World Cup glory By Jonathan Sibun, Assistant Sports Editor/ www.telegraph.co.uk/ 04 Mar 2010 The group, which is producing football kits for 12 teams at this summer’s sporting event – including Germany, Spain and hosts South Africa – said it expected the tournament to boost sales after pre-tax profits fell 60pc to €358m (£325m) last year. Adidas said a boost to shirt sales, allied with growth of its Reebok brand and strength in emerging markets should help offset weak consumer confidence in 2010. The company forecast growth in sales of “low to mid-single digits” this year, after a 6pc fall in 2009 to €10.4bn as the euro strengthened and costs rose. Herbert Hainer, chief executive of Adidas, said: “Without question, 2009 was the most difficult year since I became CEO.” Adidas’s shares fell €1.76 to €36.50 after fourth-quarter profits and full-year forecasts for 2010 came in below analyst expectations. The group said net profits were expected to rise to between €400m and €450m, from €245m in 2009. “In light of the World Cup the outlook for 2010 is rather weak,” said Heino Ruland, strategist at Ruland Research. During the last World Cup, Adidas saw sales boosted by more than €1bn as fans flocked to snap up football kits and balls. However, Mr Hainer did issue an upbeat forecast for Adidas in North America, compared to its main rival and world number one, Nike. “Adidas and Reebok will grow this year in North America,” Mr Hainer said. “I think we will grow more in North America than Nike. But I have no proof yet.” Adidas acquired Reebok in 2005. In a boost to shareholders, Adidas said it would increase its dividend as a share of profits from a range of 15pc to 20pc, to between 20pc and 40pc. AFRICA / AU :
IMF to upgrade Africa growth view – Africa director The IMF may upgrade its assessment of Africa’s economic growth prospects because some countries fared better than expected in a global recession that many feared would undo decades of poverty-fighting progress. In an interview, Antoinette Sayeh, director for the IMF’s Africa Department, told Reuters the more optimistic outlook for the region was due to stronger-than-expected performances by economies such as those of South Africa and Nigeria. She said the fund could revise up its 2009 growth forecast to close to 2% from an earlier projection of 1%. In addition, it could also raise its projection for 2010 to around 4,5% from a January outlook of 4,3%. Despite the stronger outlook, it is still a significant drop from the 6% growth rates of the past decade. “Our latest estimate suggests perhaps a more muted impact on growth than we had thought a few months ago,” Sayeh said ahead of a visit to Africa by IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn this weekend to see how the region has performed during the crisis. RECORD IMF LENDING As the global recession hit Africa’s exports causing revenues to fall, the IMF ponied up record lending of some $5-billion, including a $1,4-billion loan program to Angola. That is five times more than in 2008, a time when it looked like most countries were weaning themselves off IMF funding. Sayeh said IMF lending to Africa would probably be lower this year as global demand for African goods recovers. Still, a “significant number” of smaller countries in Africa have expressed interest in new fund-supported programs, she added. Strauss-Kahn’s visit, his third to the region since the crisis, will take him to Kenya, South Africa and Zambia — three countries at various stages of development and each affected differently by the crisis. South African government data shows that the economy grew by a faster-than-expected 3,2% in the fourth quarter of 2009 after a 0,9% rise in the previous quarter, which ended the country’s first recession in almost two decades. During the crisis, South Africa’s economy shed nearly one million jobs in the manufacturing sector, a worrying development given its already high unemployment rate. Higher growth, greater flexibility in its labor markets and more job opportunities for youths would help reduce the country’s high unemployment rate, Sayeh said. “South Africa has responded quite well in the course of the crisis in relation to macro policies, implementing fiscal stimulus and easing monetary policy, which has helped the recovery,” she said. The authorities could start scaling back support as soon as the recovery is under way to avoid overheating in the economy — much like other emerging market countries. “South Africa probably needs to continue those policies perhaps through this year,” Sayeh said. “But it will need to start the process of recalibrating its policy stance in the light of the fact that debt is increasing.” In contrast, Zambia’s economy has shown strong growth despite the global recession, reflecting an expansion of copper production and growth in its agricultural sector. she said. “It should be possible for Zambia to sustain that pace of growth over the next year,” she said, noting that increasing domestic revenue for infrastructure development and other pending priorities are among key challenges for Zambia. MAINTAINING POLICIES Instead of reverting to harmful protectionist measures of the past, Sayeh said African governments maintained the prudent economic policies that helped transform their economies over the past decade. Those efforts are helping the region recover quicker. “Even in the face of declining revenues they maintained social sector spending while some countries actually increased targeted social programs to help badly affected groups,” she said. “As a result it contributed to perhaps a more muted political impact of the crisis than we feared could be the case.” Still, recent worrying political developments in some African countries have emerged and Sayeh said if they were not contained they could disrupt economic progress in the region. A coup in Niger, tensions in Ivory Coast and questions over Nigeria’s president have all surfaced of late. Yet the crisis did not lead to the widespread instability many had feared. Edited by: Reuters The coup in Niger The recent coup by a military junta in Niger, though undemocratic and aberrant, was the logical outcome of Mamadou Tandja’s despotic and uninspiring ten years of leadership. No doubt, the February 19 putsch led by Col. Djibril Adamou Harouna and Major Salou Djibo was a befitting epilogue to Tandja’s vaulting ambition to hold on to power. It is no surprise that the coup was hailed by civil society groups and the people of the impoverished West African country. It marked an end to Tandja’s inglorious rule. By Niger’s constitution, Tandja was to govern the country for two terms of five years each. But towards the expiration of his second term in office late last year, he began to scheme for a third term of another three years in office, which is unknown to the country’s constitution. To ensure that his unpopular mission is accomplished, he organized a kangaroo referendum, changed the nation’s constitution, sacked the country’s constitutional court and muzzled all dissenting views and opposition. Though, military take-over of democratically elected governments the world over is no longer in vogue as it runs against the dictates of modern democratic culture and norms, Tandja’s ouster was unavoidable. The coup that ousted Tandja was self-inflicted, arising from Tandja’s handling of power. It was his insatiable lust and avaricious appetite for power that made the coup inevitable and attractive. Countries with leaders like Tandja are breeding grounds for coups and mass rebellion. Such countries are likely to witness forceful take-over of governments by military adventurists. Therefore, those blaming the change of guards in Niamey should first blame Tandja and his court singers for his willful and orchestrated truncating of Niger’s democracy by his penchant disdain of the constitution, the yearnings of his people, the concerns of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and the international community. It is, therefore, expedient that the coupists intervened to terminate the evil and intolerant regime of Tandja. But that in itself does not make it legal or welcome. It is true that what went on in Niger under Tandja cannot pass as democracy at all. Tandja, who came to power in 1999, is a sad reminder of other African despots like Mobutu Sese Seko, Kamuzu Banda and Idi Amin. The coup plotters, who promised to ensure that Niger becomes an example of democracy and good governance, must stand by their words and restore democracy in the country within a very short time. We say this because it is not uncommon for coup plotters to come to power on populist ideology and later do the opposite. The junta in Niger must not renege on the promise of restoring democracy back to the country soon. The civil society and the people of Niger must insist on a quick return to democracy. The only way the coup plotters can assure the people of Niger and the international community that they will fulfill their promise is to organize quick elections and return the country to democracy. Any attempt to deviate from this set goal would be counter-productive and must be resisted by the people. This is where the ECOWAS and the AU must come in and ensure that democracy prevails in Niger. That Tandja could do what he did was a failure on the part of ECOWAS and AU to strictly monitor the democratic affairs of their members. The suspension of Niger by these bodies was not enough to make him retrace his steps. Not even the withdrawal of aids by the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) could make him change his mind. What happened in Niger is a lesson to other despots on the continent. It is, indeed, time for them to change their ways or face the music. Coups are not desirable. They thrive where there is bad government. Good government remains the only antidote to coups in Africa. Gold Stocks Higher (AU, NEM, GG, GOLD, IAG, ABX, AUY, KGC) www.emailwire.com/March 04, 2010 You can Subscribe to these free stock alerts at http://www.PennyStockPickAlert.com Goldcorp Inc. (USA) (NYSE:GG) increased 2.12% to $40.06 on 9.15 million shares after the company yesterday announced that it has declared its third monthly dividend payment for 2010 of $0.015 per share. Shareholders of record at the close of business on March 11, 2010 will be entitled to receive payment of this dividend on March 19, 2010. Randgold Resources Ltd. (ADR) (NASDAQ:GOLD) soared 3.19% to end the day at $78.36. IAMGOLD Corporation (USA) (NYSE:IAG) gained 2.17 % to close at $15.54. In the last one year of trading sessions the stock prices have more than doubled. Barrick Gold Corporation (USA) (NYSE:ABX) added 1.70% to $40.14 on 10.79 million shares. Yamana Gold Inc. (USA) (NYSE:AUY) increased 3.24% to $11.14 on 3.28 million shares after the company reaffirmed its guidance for production from continuing operations to be in the range of 1,030,000 to 1,145,000 million GEO in fiscal 2010 and 1,045,000 to 1,150,000 GEO in fiscal 2011 representing an overall increase of up to 12% from 2009. Kinross Gold Corporation (USA) (NYSE:KGC) also went up 0.74% to $19.09 on 5.04 volume shares. ABOUT http://www.PennyStockPickAlert.com Penny Stock Pick Alert provides free stock news on various stocks of the day. These alerts help investors in making the wise stock market investments. Till date thousands of our subscribers have made huge gains using our daily stock alerts. We provide alerts on hot stocks, midcap & smallcap penny stocks, most active stocks and much more. You can become leader in stock market by keeping track of the daily activity. UN /ONU :
HIV/AIDS leading cause of death in women, UN says The issue that needs to be addresses here is gender equality, UNAIDS says, with AIDS services are not responding to the needs of women, who are “disproportionately” affected by HIV/AIDS. According to the UN, women in South Africa, for example, are three times as likely to contract HIV than men. A high rate of sexual violence also contributes to the spread of the disease. Seventy percent of women the world over are forced to have unprotected sex, BBC reports. UNAIDS Ambassador and singer Annie Lennox supports the move for gender equality. “Women are the face (of HIV/AIDS) now. Stigma runs from the very top echelons of society, all the way down to the poor,” CNN quotes her as saying. “(The women) have to be able to come out of the shadows, and we must represent them.” Celebrities who have been diagnosed with HIV include basketball star Magic Johnson and entertainer Liberace. Also in Global Health News: U.S. Ambassador to U.N.; Male circumcision; River blindness in Ecuador; Nursing shortage in Caribbean; Maternal health in Bolivia; Drug-resistant TB in North Korea; Cholera vaccine U.S. Ambassador To U.N. In Geneva Assumes Position, Ending 13 Month Vacancy Betty King reported to her new position as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports. “Washington’s Geneva mission had been without an ambassador since Warren W. Tichenor left his post on Jan. 20, 2009 – when Barack Obama was sworn in as president,” according to the news service (3/3). IRIN/PlusNews Tracks Progress Of Male Circumcision Programs In 13 African Countries IRIN/PlusNews tracks the progress of efforts to scale-up male circumcision programs for HIV prevention efforts in 13 African countries. Kenya, Zambia, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi and Uganda were “identified as priority countries for male circumcision scale-up by the U.N. World Health Organization,” according to the news service (3/2). Ecuador Becomes Latest Country In Americas To Stop River Blindness, Carter Center Says The Carter Center, a nonprofit global health organization created by former President Jimmy Carter, announced Monday, that “Ecuador has become the second country in the Americas to stop the transmission of river blindness, a disease that afflicts the poorest of the poor, mostly in Africa and South America,” AOL News reports (Drummond, 3/2). According to a Carter Center press release, Colombia was the first to achieve this goal in 2008 (3/1). “The organization hopes to eliminate river blindness transmission across the Americas by 2012,” AOL New writes (3/2). ‘Chronic Shortage’ Of Nurses In English-Speaking Caribbean Countries Hindering Healthcare, Report Says “A chronic shortage of nurses in English-speaking Caribbean nations is limiting the quality of healthcare and may be hindering development in the region, the World Bank said [in a report] on Tuesday,” Reuters reports. Loss of nurses through emigration to the Britain, Canada and the U.S. for higher salaries is a significant factor in the region’s nursing shortage, the report said. It also noted growing demands of aging populations as another contributing factor (Allen, 3/2). “These shortages have tangible impacts that may compromise the ability of English-speaking [Caribbean] countries to meet their key health care service needs, especially in the areas of disease prevention and care,” according to a World Bank press release. “In addition, the shortage of highly trained nurses reduces the capacity of countries to offer quality health care at a time when Caribbean countries aim to attract businesses and retirees as an important pillar of growth” (3/2). IPS Examines Bolivian Subsidy Program To Promote Maternal Health Inter Press Service examines a program aimed at reducing maternal mortality in Bolivia. “The ‘Juana Azurduy’ mother-child subsidy programme introduced eight months ago should reduce the maternal mortality rate in Bolivia, South America’s poorest country, by 80 percent in five years’ time, according to the driving force behind the new strategy, former health minister Ramiro Tapia.” According to IPS, women receive a total of $258 for health center visits. “The subsidy, paid in 17 instalments, is conditional on the mother attending a state health centre for four prenatal check-ups, receiving medical attention during childbirth, and attending 12 postnatal check-ups for the mother and baby until the child is two years old” (Chavez, 3/2). U.S. Scientists Help North Koreans Establish Lab For Detecting Drug-Resistant TB Scientists from Stanford University’s medical school recently helped North Korea establish “its first laboratory capable of detecting drug-resistant tuberculosis,” the New York Times reports. “The project began after John W. Lewis, an expert on Chinese politics at Stanford participating in informal diplomatic talks over North Korea’s nuclear threat, realized how serious a TB problem the country had. In 2008, doctors from North Korea’s health ministry visited experts in the San Francisco Bay area. Last month, a Stanford team began installing the new diagnostics lab at a hospital in the capital, Pyongyang,” according to the newspaper (McNeil, 3/1). Producing Cholera Vaccines In Developing Countries Could Expand Coverage Claire-Lise Chaignat, head of the WHO’s global task force on cholera control, said Monday that producing oral cholera vaccines in developing countries could help to ensure that more people are protected against the disease, Reuters reports. Chaignat “said infections continue to propagate in poorer countries that cannot afford vaccines made by Western companies,” adding that the WHO has “high expectations” for a vaccine made by Shantha Biotechnics, an Indian company. The vaccine is “in the pipeline for pre-qualification by WHO,” she said in the WHO Bulletin (3/1). Africa Lagging Behind In Development Of ‘Green’ Energy Economy – UN March 04, 2010/— BERNAMA A UNEP assessment noted that the entire continent has just over 120 carbon market projects up and running or in the pipeline in areas ranging from wind power to forestry schemes, and harvesting methane gas from landfills to fuel electricity generation makes up 20 per cent of all such initiatives. Larger economies in Africa such as Egypt and South Africa are home to the lion’s share of the schemes, with 32 and 13 projects respectively, while Zambia, Madagascar, Cameroon and Mali only have one or two projects each and several countries have none, according to the report. The study also reported patchy growth in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), an arrangement under the Kyoto Protocol allowing developed countries to reduce emissions and meet global warming commitments by investing in carbon reduction projects in developing countries, Qatar News Agency cited UN News Centre as reporting. However, the report – prepared for the opening of the Second African Carbon Forum – highlighted Kenya and Uganda as exceptions with the number of carbon market projects underway in these countries jumping from two in 2007 to 15 and 12 respectively. “The growth of the carbon markets in Africa are both cause for optimism, and cause for concern,” UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner told around 1,000 participants attending the three-day gathering, held at the agency’s offices in Nairobi, Kenya. “To realize only a few percentage points more of the massive potential for wind, solar, biomass and waste into energy schemes, action across a range of challenges needs to be stepped up,” said Steiner. He said this is the responsibility of the UN, regional development banks and international funding and donor bodies. However, private banks and individual Governments can do their part to make clean energy investments more attractive through innovative loans, forward-looking policies and smart market mechanisms. Steiner noted that the introduction a policy designed to encourage the adoption of renewable energy sources in Kenya triggered interest from a consortium to establish Africa’s largest wind farm in the country. “The groundwork has been laid for Africa to boost its participation in the carbon market, which is growing as an important commodity market worldwide,” said John Kilani of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “You are bound to do business [under the Kyoto Protocol’s CDM] when you bring all of the key market players together: the investors, buyers and sellers,” said Kilani. “This Forum is therefore bound to boost the number of carbon offset projects in Africa.” The new Africa-wide UNEP assessment estimates that close to 4,900 CDM projects are up and running or in the pipeline worldwide, a large number of which are in the big developing economies such as Brazil, China and India. USA :
Libya slaps embargo on Swiss, demands U.S. apology * Move follows Gaddafi’s Jihad call Stocks * Row comes on back of spat with U.S. * Swiss imports from Libya were 717.6 mln francs last year; exports 156.2 mln francs By Salah Sarrar/Reuters/March 4 TRIPOLI, March 3 (Reuters) – Libya slapped a trade embargo on Switzerland on Wednesday and demanded an apology for caustic U.S. comments about Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s call for a jihad, or armed struggle, against the European state. The announcements, reported by the state news agency Jana, marked an escalation of a dispute between Libya and Switzerland and showed the sensitivity of Tripoli’s ties with the West more than six years after its decision to abandon weapons of mass destruction led to a rapprochement with the United States. Libya summoned a U.S. diplomat to warn that ties would suffer if Washington did not apologize for a U.S. official’s dismissive comments about Gaddafi, leading to a U.S. effort to calm the dispute that fell short of an outright apology. U.S. energy companies including Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), Occidental (OXY.N) and Hess (HES.N) have invested heavily in Libya, home to Africa’s largest proven oil reserves, since the country emerged from decades of international isolation. Libya’s spat with Switzerland began in July 2008 when police in Geneva arrested Gaddafi’s son, Hannibal, on charges — later dropped — of mistreating two domestic employees. Gaddafi’s son was released shortly after his arrest, but Libya cut oil supplies to Switzerland, withdrew billions of dollars from Swiss bank accounts and arrested two Swiss businessmen working in the North African country. On Feb. 25, Gaddafi called for a “jihad” against Switzerland, branding it an infidel state that was destroying mosques, an apparent reference to a Swiss referendum in favor of banning the construction of minarets. “Any Muslim in any part of the world who works with Switzerland is an apostate, is against (the Prophet) Mohammad, God and the Koran,” Gaddafi said at the time. In a statement reported by Jana on Wednesday, the Libyan government said that in response to Gaddafi’s call it had “decided on an economic and trade embargo of the Swiss state involving the public and private sectors.” The statement said Libya would find alternatives for its imports of Swiss medicine, medical supplies and equipment and it suggested Libya had scrapped “electricity projects and other” activities by unspecified Swiss firms. A spokesman for the Swiss foreign ministry declined to comment on the Libyan move. Swiss exports to Libya totaled 156.2 million Swiss francs ($145.7 million) last year, according to official Swiss figures, while Switzerland imported goods worth 717.6 million francs from Libya, mostly crude oil. In 2009, Libya supplied some 30 percent of all Swiss oil imports. ‘OFF-HAND COMMENT’ The Libyan-Swiss dispute has since drawn in the U.S. State Department, which last week appeared to criticize Gaddafi. Asked about the Libyan leader’s “jihad” comment, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley responded dismissively on Feb. 26, drawing a parallel to Gaddafi’s one hour and 35 minute address to the United Nations last year. “It just brought me back to a day in September, one of the more memorable sessions of the U.N. General Assembly that I can recall — lots of words and lots of papers flying all over the place, not necessarily a lot of sense,” Crowley said. The Libyan Foreign Ministry said the remarks were ill informed and warned that if no apology was forthcoming, “that would have a negative impact on political and economic relations,” Jana reported. On Wednesday, the State Department spokesman sought to calm the dispute but avoided making a direct apology. “I made an off-hand comment last Friday regarding statements from Libya. It was not intended to be a personal attack,” Crowley told reporters. “That said, a call for jihad against any country or individual has the potential to harm and is not something the United States takes lightly,” he said, adding that Washington reserved the right to comment on the actions of other nations. Decades of strained U.S.-Libyan relations began to improve with Tripoli’s move in December 2003 to abandon the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. The United States restored diplomatic ties and dropped a trade embargo in 2004. U.S. aircraft bombed Tripoli in 1986 after Washington blamed Libya for a bomb attack on a West Berlin discotheque, one of several low points in relations between Libya and the United States since Gaddafi came to power in 1969. CANADA :
Vuepoint: In a word Today no one would argue that what happened in Rwanda was genocide, but in 1994 that word was not uttered by the international community. In fact, direct orders were given from the US state department not to use that word. Because the world had uttered “never again,” the state department knew if it named genocide for what it was it would have to act. So media and government reported civil unrest, political murders and ethnic cleansing. At the time genocide was associated and defined according to its international naming—the Holocaust. It was the highest crime. Recalling the situation in Rwanda, Romeo Dallaire remembers thinking that the world could not be confronted with so severe a state as genocide. Genocide was the Holocaust. But those who used the term early on recognized intent, not numbers. Apartheid is the segregation of racial groups. It’s called a crime against humanity according to existing international law. Today when we think of Apartheid, the only situation the world has confronted and named is South Africa, so if it doesn’t look like South Africa it is not Apartheid. We will not allow our definition to fit. Unfortunately, the world is not so clear-cut as our definitions allow. Apartheid is defined as the segregation on grounds of race. The African National Congress calls for its recognition on the basis of systematic, persistent and massive violation of human rights. Today in Palestine if human rights are being oppressed and a nation is being denied their full liberties, why are we stuck on a word? V Nortel Obtains U.S. and Canadian Court Approval for Sale to GENBAND of its Carrier VoIP and Application Solutions Business March 04, 2010/money.cnn.com Nortel(i) Networks Corporation (OTCBB: NRTLQ) announced that at a joint hearing today it, its principal operating subsidiary Nortel Networks Limited (NNL), and certain of its other subsidiaries including Nortel Networks Inc. (NNI) obtained orders from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice approving the asset sale agreement with GENBAND, Inc. (GENBAND) for the sale of substantially all of the global assets of Nortel’s Carrier VoIP and Application Solutions (CVAS) business. Certain other Nortel subsidiaries, including Nortel Networks U.K. Limited (in administration), have entered into a separate asset sale agreement with GENBAND for the Europe, Middle East and Africa portion of Nortel’s CVAS business. Under the agreements, GENBAND will pay an aggregate purchase price of US$282, subject to balance sheet and other adjustments currently estimated at approximately US$100 million for a net purchase price of approximately US$182 million. As announced on February 24, 2010, GENBAND’s purchase will include substantially all product platforms, all patents predominantly used, and other IP exclusively used in Nortel’s CVAS business, including softswitching, gateways, SIP applications, and TDM products and services. The agreements will also provide for the transition of substantially all of Nortel’s CVAS customer contracts to GENBAND. Nortel will work diligently with GENBAND to close the sale in the second quarter of 2010, subject to the timing of regulatory approvals. The sale is subject to court approval in Israel and certain regulatory approvals, information and consultation with employee representatives and/or employees in certain EMEA jurisdictions, other customary closing conditions and certain post-closing purchase price adjustments. About Nortel For more information, visit Nortel on the Web at www.nortel.com. For the latest Nortel news, visit www.nortel.com/news. Certain statements in this press release may contain words such as “could”, “expects”, “may”, “should”, “will”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “targets”, “plans”, “envisions”, “seeks” and other similar language and are considered forward-looking statements or information under applicable securities laws. These statements are based on Nortel’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the operating environment, economies and markets in which Nortel operates. These statements are subject to important assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, and the actual outcome may be materially different. Nortel’s assumptions, although considered reasonable by Nortel at the date of this press release, may prove to be inaccurate and consequently Nortel’s actual results could differ materially from the expectations set out herein. Actual results or events could differ materially from those contemplated in forward-looking statements as a result of the following: (i) risks and uncertainties relating to the Creditor Protection Proceedings including: (a) risks associated with Nortel’s ability to: stabilize the business and maximize the value of Nortel’s businesses; obtain required approvals and successfully consummate pending and future divestitures; ability to satisfy transition services agreement obligations in connection with divestiture of operations; successfully conclude ongoing discussions for the sale of Nortel’s other assets or businesses; develop, obtain required approvals for, and implement a court approved plan; resolve ongoing issues with creditors and other third parties whose interests may differ from Nortel’s; generate cash from operations and maintain adequate cash on hand in each of its jurisdictions to fund operations within the jurisdiction during the Creditor Protection Proceedings; access the EDC Facility given the current discretionary nature of the facility, or arrange for alternative funding; if necessary, arrange for sufficient debtor-in-possession or other financing; continue to have cash management arrangements and obtain any further required approvals from the Canadian Monitor, the U.K. Administrators, the French Administrator, the Israeli Administrators, the U.S. Creditors’ Committee, or other third parties; raise capital to satisfy claims, including Nortel’s ability to sell assets to satisfy claims against Nortel; maintain R&D investments; realize full or fair value for any assets or business that are divested; utilize net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes in the future; avoid the substantive consolidation of NNI’s assets and liabilities with those of one or more other U.S. Debtors; attract and retain customers or avoid reduction in, or delay or suspension of, customer orders as a result of the uncertainty caused by the Creditor Protection Proceedings; maintain market share, as competitors move to capitalize on customer concerns; operate Nortel’s business effectively under the new organizational structure, and in consultation with the Canadian Monitor, and the U.S. Creditors’ Committee and work effectively with the U.K. Administrators, French Administrator and Israeli Administrators in their respective administration of the EMEA businesses subject to the Creditor Protection Proceedings; continue as a going concern; actively and adequately communicate on and respond to events, media and rumors associated with the Creditor Protection Proceedings that could adversely affect Nortel’s relationships with customers, suppliers, partners and employees; retain and incentivize key employees and attract new employees as may be needed; retain, or if necessary, replace major suppliers on acceptable terms and avoid disruptions in Nortel’s supply chain; maintain current relationships with reseller partners, joint venture partners and strategic alliance partners; obtain court orders or approvals with respect to motions filed from time to time; resolve claims made against Nortel in connection with the Creditor Protection Proceedings for amounts not exceeding Nortel’s recorded liabilities subject to compromise; prevent third parties from obtaining court orders or approvals that are contrary to Nortel’s interests; reject, repudiate or terminate contracts; and (b) risks and uncertainties associated with: limitations on actions against any Debtor during the Creditor Protection Proceedings; the values, if any, that will be prescribed pursuant to any court approved plan to outstanding Nortel securities and, in particular, that Nortel does not expect that any value will be prescribed to the NNC common shares or the NNL preferred shares in any such plan; the delisting of NNC common shares from the NYSE; and the delisting of NNC common shares and NNL preferred shares from the TSX; and (ii) risks and uncertainties relating to Nortel’s business including: the sustained economic downturn and volatile market conditions and resulting negative impact on Nortel’s business, results of operations and financial position and its ability to accurately forecast its results and cash position; cautious capital spending by customers as a result of factors including current economic uncertainties; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; any requirement to make larger contributions to defined benefit plans in the future; a high level of debt, arduous or restrictive terms and conditions related to accessing certain sources of funding; the sufficiency of workforce and cost reduction initiatives; any negative developments associated with Nortel’s suppliers and contract manufacturers including Nortel’s reliance on certain suppliers for key optical networking solutions components and on one supplier for most of its manufacturing and design functions; potential penalties, damages or cancelled customer contracts from failure to meet contractual obligations including delivery and installation deadlines and any defects or errors in Nortel’s current or pl For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see Nortel’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other securities filings with the SEC. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Nortel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. (i)Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel Networks. AUSTRALIA :
EUROPE :
Brown says too early to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe Gordon Brown has said sanctions against Zimbabwe should not be lifted until concerns about human rights violations and media restrictions are addressed. After talks with South African President Jacob Zuma, Mr Brown said Zimbabwe must show progress in key areas including democratic reforms. President Zuma, on a state visit to the UK, has suggested sanctions should be eased to help Zimbabwe “move forward”. The BBC’s Mike Wooldridge said the two effectively disagreed over the issue. After talks in London, the two leaders sought to present a united front on Zimbabwe, with the prime minister praising South Africa’s role in helping bring “stability and change” to its neighbour. But our correspondent says differences remain and Mr Zuma had made it clear that if lasting change did not happen in Zimbabwe, some people could use international sanctions as an excuse. ‘Supporting progress’ President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai formed a unity government last year but remain deadlocked over key appointments. The ongoing trial of a political ally of Mr Tsvangirai’s for terrorism and treason has also raised tensions. The EU says sanctions are still needed to keep pressure on Mr Mugabe to live up to his commitments on political and economic reform. But Mr Zuma has said easing the measured could help the country resolve outstanding political differences. Mr Brown said some sanctions had been lifted and those remaining in place targeted individuals with a history of supporting violence not ordinary Zimbabweans. It was “vital” that commissions set up by the government to increase protection for human rights and freedom of speech and to support democratic institutions concluded their work quickly, he said. “The UK has always said we are ready to support progress on the ground,” he said. “But we must be absolutely sure that progress is being made. We must be moving from what is a unity, transitional government to free and fair elections.” Mr Zuma said he was “very positive” that progress was being made in Zimbabwe. He added that the international community now had a “better understanding” of what was happening in the country. Travel ban This week, the US announced it would extend sanctions on Zimbabwe for another year, saying its protracted political crisis remained unresolved despite the power-sharing agreement. Both the EU and the US maintain a travel ban and asset freeze on President Mugabe, his wife and inner circle in protest at disputed elections and alleged human rights abuses by his government. Other issues discussed by Mr Brown and Mr Zuma included the global economy, trade links, climate change, nuclear non-proliferation and the upcoming football World Cup in South Africa. The British prime minister praised preparations for the event and urged South Africa to use the “impetus and momentum” of the tournament to ensure that every child in the country could have access to primary education. Mr Zuma will later visit the site of the 2012 Olympics in London as well as anti-racism and crime-reduction projects in the capital. CHINA :
Standard Bank Full-Year Profit Falls 20% on Bad Loans (Update1) (Adds company comment in third paragraph.) March 4 (Bloomberg) — Standard Bank Group Ltd., Africa’s largest bank, said full-year profit fell 20 percent as customers battled to repay loans amid South Africa’s economic slump. Net income fell to 11.1 billion ($1.47 billion) from 13.9 billion rand a year earlier, the Johannesburg-based lender said in a statement today. So-called normalized earnings of 11.7 billion rand, which exclude accounting adjustments and one-time items, missed the 12.1 billion rand average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. “As the recession took its toll, demand for credit in both corporate and retail sectors fell,” Chief Executive Officer Jacko Maree, 54, said in the statement. “We anticipate that the group’s normalized headline earnings will recover from the 2009 base and management’s immediate focus will be to restore earnings to 2008 levels.” Standard Bank, which in 2008 partnered with the world’s largest bank, the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, expanded faster than South African rivals such as FirstRand Ltd. and Absa Group Ltd. in the past two years. During the global financial crisis, Standard Bank remained profitable and is targeting growth in China, Africa, Russia and Latin America. “Its strong management team, broad emerging-markets presence and ICBC strategic partnership makes it the most likely to succeed with a growth strategy and successful deployment of capital,” RMB Morgan Stanley said on Feb. 26. Standard Bank, which today kept its distribution payment to shareholders at its 2008 level of 3.86 rand per share, is the best-performing stock on the five-member FTSE/JSE Africa Banks Index this year, having risen 8.7 percent since January. “The group’s Tier I capital ratio is steadily strengthening, our outlook for profitability is improving and economic stress in our chosen markets is easing,” Standard Bank said. –Editors: Vernon Wessels, Paul Richardson. INDIA :
Indian tree provides low-cost water purification method for developing world WASHINGTON: A low-cost water purification technique that uses seeds from a tree found in Asian countries like India could help drastically reduce the incidence of waterborne disease in the developing world. The procedure, which uses seeds from the Moringa oleifera tree, can produce a 90% to 99.99% bacterial reduction in previously untreated water. A billion people across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are estimated to rely on untreated surface water sources for their daily water needs. Of these, some two million are thought to die from diseases caught from contaminated water every year, with the majority of these deaths occurring among children under five years of age. Michael Lea, a researcher at Clearinghouse, a Canadian organisation dedicated to investigating and implementing low-cost water purification technologies, believes the Moringa oleifera tree could go a long way to providing a solution. “Moringa oleifera is a vegetable tree which is grown in Africa, Central and South America, the Indian subcontinent, and South East Asia. It could be considered to be one of the world’s most useful trees,” said Lea. “Not only is it drought resistant, it also yields cooking and lighting oil, soil fertilizer, as well as highly nutritious food in the form of its pods, leaves, seeds and flowers.Perhaps most importantly, its seeds can be used to purify drinking water at virtually no cost,” he added. Moringa tree seeds, when crushed into powder, can be used as a water-soluble extract in suspension, resulting in an effective natural clarification agent for highly turbid and untreated pathogenic surface water. As well as improving drinkability, this technique reduces water turbidity (cloudiness) making the result aesthetically as well as microbiologically more acceptable for human consumption. “This technique does not represent a total solution to the threat of waterborne disease,” said Lea. “However, given that the cultivation and use of the Moringa tree can bring benefits in the shape of nutrition and income as well as of far purer water, there is the possibility that thousands of 21st century families could find themselves liberated from what should now be universally seen as19th century causes of death and disease,” he said. “This is an amazing prospect, and one in which a huge amount of human potential could be released. This is particularly mind-boggling when you think it might all come down to one incredibly useful tree,” he added. BRASIL:
Strides Arcolab to Buy Aspen’s Brazil Facility The Indian generic drug maker is looking to drive growth through its specialty pharmaceuticals business, which includes manufacturing and selling high-margin products such as steroids, hormone injections, cancer drugs and also complex antibiotics, such as those made in the Brazil-based facility. Last week, the Bangalore-based company had forecast a more than 50% growth in revenue from its specialty pharmaceuticals business from about 3.75 billion rupees in 2009. The purchase includes all related products and intellectual property rights of the facility that makes penicillin and penems–complex, high-value antibiotic products. Strides Arcolab’s Chief Executive Arun Kumar said the acquisition is important as the company has signed licensing agreements for penems with various customers worldwide. Indian companies, such as Strides Arcolab, are benefiting from a recent trend among multinational companies such as GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Pfizer Inc. which are signing supply pacts with local players as they look for alternative revenue sources such as generic drugs sales as their pipeline of patented products dry up and blockbuster drugs lose patent protection. The company has already signed two lucrative licensing and drug supply agreements with GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer. It earns licensing income and royalty on sales of these products that it licenses from around 14-15 companies worldwide, Chief Financial Officer T.S. Rangan told Dow Jones Newswires. The Brazil facility is expected to annually generate a revenue of $40 million, Strides Arcolab said in a statement. Mr. Kumar told news channel CNBC-TV18 that he expects the new facility to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals in about 90 days.
EN BREF, CE 04 mars 2010 … AGNEWS / OMAR, BXL,04/03/2010 |
BURUNDI – AFRICA / INTERNATIONAL : 04 MARS 2010 [ICC: 20 Kenya suspects named]
