BURUNDI :
RWANDA :
Sudan: Bishop Fears Rwanda Repeat in South Borderlands
SudanTribune/19 June 2011
London — A senior member of the South Sudanese clergy expressed his grave concerns about the situation in the North/South Sudan borderlands and called for international intervention in an interview on UK radio on Sunday.
Anthony Poggo, the Anglican Bishop of Kaju Keji told BBC Radio 4 he feared “another Rwanda” and called for the implementation of a no-fly zone along the border as “there is evidence that they [Khartoum] are bombing civilians”.
The UN received condemnation for their failure to react expeditiously to the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 where 800,000 people lost their lives. The security situation in the border regions of Abyei and between North and South Sudan has been deteriorating rapidly in the run-up to the declaration of South Sudan’s independence on 9 July.
The UN agencies estimate last week 60,000 had been displaced from South Kordofan people and on 7 June that over 100,000 people had been displaced in the Abyei region.
A Government of South Sudan official has already described the actions of the North Sudan army as genocide and on the 10 June a group of UK Peers said “the ethnic cleansing could soon become genocide.”
Poggo also called for the international community to take a tougher stance against Khartoum in light of their “encouraging the various rebellions” in South Sudan and to renew the UN’s mandate in Sudan, which is scheduled to end with the declaration of the South’s independence.
Rwanda: Ingabire Trial Resumes Today
Edmund Kagire/The New Times/20 June 2011
Kigali — The High Court will, today, begin hearing the case of Victoire Umuhoza Ingabire, the leader of the yet-to-be-registered political party FDU-Inkingi.
Last month, Ingabire, who has been in detention since October last year, requested the High Court to adjourn her case on grounds that she needed more time to study her file with her lawyers.
Ingabire is facing terrorism charges with the prosecution alleging that she was working with senior FDLR militiamen to form a military wing to her unregistered party FDU known as Coalition of Defence Forces (CDF), aimed at destabilising the country.
She is also accused of promoting ethnic divisionism, genocide ideology and trivialising the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
“I did not get enough time to study my file,” said Ingabire as she appeared at the High Court, last month, without her lawyers.
Ingabire also said that she needed enough time because some members of her defence team are foreigners, yet the file was prepared in Kinyarwanda and she needed more time to translate it.
Initially, she had asked court to postpone the trial to September 12 but the presiding judge, Angelline Rutazana, declined the request, offering her one month to prepare herself because it would be unfair to her co-accused.
The prosecution team, led by Ildephonse Hitiyaremye, the Deputy Prosecutor General, also requested that the hearing be merged with those of her co-accused since they are connected.
Ingabire’s co-accused are former FDLR commanders; Col. Tharcisse Nditurende, Lt. Colonel Noel Habiyaremye, Lt. Jean Marie Vianney Karuta and Major Vital Uwumuremyi.
They are accused of collaborating with Ingabire to form a military wing known as Coalition of Defence Forces (CDF) with an aim of launching subversive activities aimed at destabilising Rwanda.
Ingabire is represented by a legal team of three, two Britons and Gatera Gashabana, a local lawyer. Ingabire’s defence team, in the past, accused the judiciary of delaying her case but the Prosecution and High Court blamed her for the delay
RDC CONGO:
18.850 refugiés congolais au Rwanda prêts pour le retour volontaire en RDC
Lundi 20 juin 2011 / Xinhua
KINSHASA (Xinhua) – 18.850 réfugiés congolais vivant dans le camp de Kiziba, situé dans la province de l’ouest du Rwanda, à 30 kms de Kibuye, ont exprimé la volonté de retourner dans leur pays d’origine après près des 15 années passées hors de leur patrie mère, selon un communiqué parvenu dimanche à l’agence Xinhua (Chine Nouvelle).
Cette volonté a été exprimée à la délégation du gouvernement provincial du Nord-Kivu vendredi 17 juin 2011, au camp de Kiziba au Rwanda, lors d’une mission inscrite dans le cadre des rencontres des provinces transfrontalières de la Communauté Economique des Pays de Grands Lacs (CEPGL).
La partie congolaise conduite par le vice gouverneur de la province du Nord-Kivu, Feller Lutaichirwa Mulwahale, a visité pour la première fois ce camp, depuis l’établissement sur ce site de fortune depuis près de 15 ans, ces compatriotes congolais qui ont exprimé la volonté de regagner leur pays.
Feller Lutaichirwa leur a rassuré que des dispositions sont en cours d’exécution pour leur accueil. C’est, entre autre, l’installation des comités locaux permanents de conciliations (CLPC) dont la mission principale consiste à assurer la réinsertion des réfugiés dans leurs localités d’origine au Nord Kivu.
“Des rencontres tripartites régulières entre nos deux pays et le HCR se tiennent dans les perspectives de votre retour sur base des principes humanitaires internationaux”, a ajouté M. Lutaichirwa avant d’indiquer que ce sont des retombées de bonnes relations diplomatiques existant entre la RDC et le Rwanda.
“Toutes ces démarches sont les fruits de l’excellence des rapports entre nos deux chefs d’Etat Joseph Kabila de la RDC et Paul Kagame du Rwanda”, a-t-il affirmé.
C’est ainsi, a-t-il ajouté, qu’une proposition de “Go and se” (allez voir), a été émise, en vue d’échanger les informations entre les deux parties, enfin indiqué le chef de la délégation congolaise.
Environ 53.000 réfugiés congolais au total vivent au Rwanda, contre 89.000 réfugiés rwandais en RDC
Santé: L’épidémie de rougeole a fait 40 décès dans le Centre-est de la RDC
Pana /20/06/2011
Kinshasa, RD Congo – L’épidémie de rougeole a fait en l’espace de trois mois, plus de 40 décès sur plus de 3.000 cas enregistrés parmi les enfants, dans les zones de Santé de la ville de Mwene Ditu et du territoire de Luilu, au centre-ouest de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), a indiqué dimanche à le presse, le médecin coordonnateur provincial du Programme élargi de vaccination (PEV) au Kasaï Oriental, Jean Pierre Mukendi. Selon M. Mukendi, les zones de Santé touchées par cette maladie sont celles qui n’ont pas été couvertes par la dernière campagne de vaccination, organisée au mois de mai. Parmi ces victimes figure une fille de 26 ans, infirmière de son état, a-t-il souligné.
‘Comme la rougeole est une maladie qui revient après trois ans, il y a nécessité d’organiser une campagne de riposte de masse. Cette campagne a d’ailleurs déjà commencé pour les enfants de 9 mois à 15 ans, dans cette partie de la RDC, grâce à l’appui de Médecins sans frontière (MSF)’, a-t-il affirmé.
UGANDA :
Somalia: More Details – Prime Minister Pressured to Resign
20 June 2011/ Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
Mogadishu — Details about the resignation of Somali Prime Minister Mohammed Abdullahi Mohammed Faramajo emerged as foreign countries involved in sudden move.
Mohammed days ago held press conference in Mogadishu saying that he won’t stand down and said the calls of Somalis should be listened and respected.
After that statement, Uganda played key role in pressuring the Somali premier to abide by the so-called Kampala Accord that struck by Somali president and parliament speaker.
Kampala has sent a team of military officers including, Gen. Around Nyakairima, the chief of the Uganda Peoples Defense forces to put into practice the proposed resignation.
Uganda forces Mohammed to step down because the president and the speaker had agreed his cabinet including him to be removed within 30 days.
The premier turned deaf ear initially, arguing his government is very significant and has good quality in aspects bringing peace back to Somalia and good governance.
Some sources suggested the Ugandan military officials blackmailed him set 72 deadline to accept the so-called Kampala Accord and soon quit the job.
Ethiopia was among the countries played a significant role supporting the Kampala deal extending one year for president’s and speaker’s mandate.
Ethiopia has expressed its support for the Accord signed by the President of the Transitional Government of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and the Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, on June 9th in Kampala, and commended the efforts of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Somalia, Ambassador Augustine Mahiga.
In a statement issued on Tuesday this week, Ethiopia said the ‘Kampala Accord’ provided a basis on which to move forward on the issue of transition in Somalia and create a framework to consolidate recent gains in security in Mogadishu and elsewhere in the country. It called on both parties and other stakeholders to work towards full implementation of the Accord.
The bother of the resigned prime minister, Hassan Abdullahi Mohammed who is currently in Mogadishu told Shabelle Media Network that he had witnesses force irresistible of pressure on the prime minister.
He said the Somali people will never forget the foreign force stirring Somalis politics and that will be historic event.
However, during his term in office, Mohammed Abdullahi Mohammed Farmajo, the former PM has done a good job in the aspects of paying Somali military and police forces, fighting with corruption and insurgent groups.
Mohammed took office in November 2010 after his predecessor quit because of internal disputes.
Government promise decent burial for bus accident victims
By Cissy Makumbi & Andrew Bagala / http://www.monitor.co.ug
Monday, June 20 2011 at 00:00
Gulu/Kampala
The government has promised decent burial to all the victims of the Nimule accident that involved two Ugandan buses 28 kilometres inside Southern Sudan on Friday.
The State Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Mr Musa Ecweru, while visiting the survivors at Gulu Independent Hospital where scores were admitted, said the government would foot the bills of all those injured in the fatal crash that killed 29 people.
Mr Ecweru said on Saturday that the government would transport all the bodies of those who died when Baby Coach collided with Bakulu Coach to their ancestral homes for burial. “We shall take the bodies to the ancestral homes for burial and all the victims will be given befitting treatment,” Mr Ecweru said.
By yesterday morning the bodies had been transported to Mulago Hospital where relatives picked them. It was not yet established from the relatives whether they were given a package from the government as promised.
The chairman of Uganda Bus Drivers, Mr Hannington Kiwanuka, who attended the burial of Godfrey Mukiibi, the driver of Bakulu Coach at Gayaza, Wakiso District, yesterday said the transportation of the bodies from northern Uganda to Mulago Hospital was done by Bakulu Coach Bus Service. Asked whether the buses were insured, he said they were in Uganda and not in Southern Sudan. “Their insurance claims can only be done if the accident happened in Uganda or in any East African country under the Preferential Trade Area,” he said.
Mr Ecweru said the payments should not be seen as compensation for those who perished and sustained injuries in the accident but a sign that the government is being responsible for its citizens. “Treatment will be given to all causalities even those who are non-Ugandans,” he said. At least 191 causalities have been registered in the various health centres although some have since been discharged
Uganda awakens to her Tourism might
MONDAY, 20 JUNE 2011 / busiweek.com/ JEROME MUKASA
For decades under the current regime, Uganda has played third in exploiting tourism resources in the East African Community.
Surprisingly the third largest economy in the region has the biggest tourism potential compared to its two leaders, Kenya and Tanzania.
Both countries basically have two, at most three basic tourist attractions while Uganda has a diversity of options. Apart from animals and Ocean beaches, Kenya and Tanzania have more or less nothing more to offer.
But for their shortage of resources, they make up by effective exploitation through aggressive marketing and better development of facilities.
And for this they are able to earn no less than US$1 billion per year while Uganda settles for some $564m, as per 2008 figures, a very good account considering the inputs and the standard of services offered.
But this situation is bound to change after authorities seemed to wake up to the realization that the country can earn thrice more than its neighbours on the basis of its diverse resources.
With the diverse nature-based attractions like Mountain gorillas, over 1060, bird species, tree climbing lions, the source of the world’s longest river, the world’s best white water rafting sites, snow capped mountains, the world’s third deepest lake and Tropical forests, a visitor to Uganda is spoilt for choice.
The country has a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites, fascinating cultures and traditions, unique religious sites, delicious organic foods and drinks, and historical sites that are not found in any of the other East African countries.
It is this realization that the leadership has taken steps to exploit this huge potential. First came the political commitment with President Museveni devoting a fully fledged ministry to tourism, the first time in his more than 25-year reign.
With two ministers devoted to the cause, there is no excuse for Uganda’s tourism failing to emerge as the top forex earner not only in the country but also beating the entire region’s tourism figures.
And now the Uganda Tourist Board has developed a five year marketing strategy with the sole objective of positioning Uganda as the premier East African holiday and ecotourism destination with a variety of quality experiences in the wild, communities and everywhere in the country.
This strategy was unveiled at a workshop with stakeholders in Kampala on May 31. In the workshop, stakeholders shared a common belief that the country was gifted but needed to do more than its neighbours to get the industry moving.
Kenya and Tanzania commit huge amounts of money annually to marketing at $23 and $10m, respectively, while Rwanda sinks in $5m. Uganda’s commitment is embarrassing in that the $300,000 cannot really be called an investment.
Yet this industry, the workshop agreed, is the world’s fastest growing and employs huge numbers of people, according to Mr Cuthbert Baguma, the UTB Executive Director.
The Permanent secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Ambassador Julius Onen noted, Tourism is the most critical element of the economy.
“Through Tourism, the world is seeking global peace and development and the sector has the potential to be No 1 employer.”
Onen said tourism is one sector where a multiplicity of citizens are involved. “From the taxi driver to the vendor, collective behavior of the citizens must portray that the country is hospitable and the individuals are friendly.
Although the government’s definition of a tourist is a person who spends 24 hours away from home, it excludes the biggest number of tourists like day time travelers who depend on tourism facilities.
The proposed Tourism Marketing Strategy will require a total $42.9m spread over five years.
Key focus areas include brand manual development, publicity, e-marketing, capacity building, communication crisis management strategy implementation monitoring and research.
It is important that a huge section of the budget should to publicity and marketing campaigns and capacity building. As one stakeholder noted, even with a limited budget, Uganda can still take the lead in the tourism market in the region.
“The people in the sector must understand that ethics and professionalism plays a key role in tourism development. They must understand that tourists have plenty of options and as such whoever, satisfies the visitor will mostly get another booking, said Mr John Hunwick, who runs a tour firm.
He surprised attendees when he said Uganda has more potential than the United States but has a lot to do before it can realize its share of the global market.
Mr Cuthbert Baguma, who presented the strategy, outlined three key areas of operation both short term and long tewrm.
Under the short term, UTB plans to promote and increase Uganda’s domestic tourism among foreign residents, local affluent Ugandans and students; develop a comprehensive tourism product description for Uganda and brand identity by the end of this year.
Under the long term key activities will include undertaking a comprehensive industry diagnosis to determine visitor profiles, industry actors and their roles by end of 2012.
UTB plans to increase visitor numbers from key source markets by 200%; increase the length of stay by 100% and increase expenditure level of visitors to Uganda by 5% per year.
The institutional capacity and human resource development of UTB will be increased to effectively market Uganda’s tourism.
The plan will also see the improvement of information management, and coordination along the value chain to improve visitor experience and also increase competitiveness of the SME investment in the tourism sector.
The major key activities will be creation of an aggressive media campaign in key source markets and take a key role in organizing local tourism events; diversification and improvement of the quality assurance and standards enforcement; involvement of the private sector, establishment of a tourism research centre at UTB and creation of a data base on tourism in Uganda.
Other activities will include designing and integrating an ICT system for the different functions within private sector clusters and development of a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) marketing strategy.
Stake holders noted that apart from adequate funding, the entire population has to be involved in marketing the country.
Some areas of concern which were hitherto, not regarded as critical were the cultural resurgence whereby people appreciate their cultural values such as friendliness, courtesy, politeness and honesty.
Tour operators were advised to design their premises to reflect their industry such as dressing like a gorilla say on Monday, like a Lion on Tuesday, and another animal each day of the week.
The government was also advised to prioritise its resources in key locations like at the airport, key government offices etc.
Overall it was noted that Uganda had no choice but develop and market its tourism since the industry can be the missing link in fighting poverty.
With the creation of a ministry of its own, and the drawing of a strategy to develop facilities, enforce standards, market the resources and place the industry as a key employment sector, one can only hope that the country will realize a lot of forex and improve its general development standards.
This way the country will have awoken to the reality of its tourism potential.
Bank governor dispels FT story
MONDAY, 20 JUNE 2011 / http://www.busiweek.com/ PAUL TENTENA
KAMPALA — Uganda’s Central Bank Governor Mr. Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, has said that he was quoted out of context by United Kingdom based Newspaper Financial Times on what he thought was leading to high inflation and dwindling foreign reserves in Uganda.
The paper recently reported that Mutebile said “the exorbitant government expenditures and fiscal indiscipline” like the purchase of up to $740m (Ush1.7 trillion) jet fighters, as he was quoted in the Financial Times of the United Kingdom, has led to the surging inflation and declining foreign reserves in Uganda.
The FT added that Mutebile’s disagreement between him and President Yoweri Museveni was due to many factors, including a planned construction of the $2.2b hydro-power plant at Karuma Falls on River Nile, which the government says it will build with or without external funding and alleged tax exemptions to regime cronies. FT noted that the foreign reserves would reduce from six to four months of import cover.
Governor Mutebile
“It’s true, I talked to the Financial Times but it is not true as it was indicated that the government expenditures and fiscal indiscipline has led to the high inflation. The supply side inflation Uganda is facing is due to drought and external factors like high fuel prices,” explained Mutebile in Kampala.
To check the rising inflation, the Central Bank last month withdrew US$41m (Ush98.4b) from the banking system as a measure of pursuing a relatively tight monetary policy stance to check inflationary pressures and the upside risks on inflation in the near term.
It also injected $20m into the money market to counter outflows and rescue the weakening Uganda Shilling against the United States dollar and other foreign currencies.
Mutebile noted that the above measures were done to deter speculation as well as strengthening the Uganda Shilling.
“It is a Ugandan policy that market forces determine prices but we had to enter the market to rescue the shilling before the situation worsens,” explained Mutebile at a press conference.Mid last week, the Uganda Shilling was trading at between Ush2400 and Ush2500 against the US dollar. He also predicted that the Shilling will continue to lose ground against the dollar and other foreign currencies, despite the Central Bank’s interventions in the money market.
According to Mutebile the exchange rate in Uganda will further depreciate as it’s always difficult to predict and control in any money market.
“I want to stress that the Central Bank is not indifferent to further exchange rate depreciation in the country,” warned Mutebile.
In the month, money market rates and yields on government securities rose across the board. The Ugandan economy also rebounded strongly since the beginning of the fiscal year after a sharp decline in most of 2009/10.
Year on year basis, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.5%, 9.2% and 5.7% in the first three quarters of 2010/11. It grew by 6.4 on average. Uganda’s economy is projected to grow at 7%, underpinned by solid domestic demand.
The amount of money in the economy provides important indications about demand conditions. It is gradually declining in line with the tight monetary stance, as growth in monetary aggregates continue to be robust to signal strong economic activity.
Mr. Adam Mugume, the BoU research director noted core inflation forecasts have indicated that it is likely to be sticky, persistently above the 5% target for most of 2011.
“This is understandable given that raw material prices continue to rise. In Uganda, high food inflation inevitably translates into other forms of inflation, in addition to rising raw material prices, in part due to global commodity prices and the exchange rate depreciation,” Mugume said
UCC makes U-turn on minimum price
MONDAY, 20 JUNE 2011 / http://www.busiweek.com/ PAUL TENTENA
KAMPALA, UGANDA –The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has gone back on a directive the telecoms regulator made on June 10 requiring operators not to price especially their off-net call tariffs below 70% of the interconnection rates.
Uganda’s highly competitive telecommunications market is made up of five GSM operators who have been engaged in tough price war dating back to 2009 when Warid Telecom introduced near free calls for users after paying for a low-denomination recharge voucher.
In a public notice that was issued on June 10 and published in the local daily newspapers, UCC said “following a consultation process involving relevant stakeholders from the communications industry, the Uganda Communications Commission hereby announces the issuance of new tariff guidelines for Retail Voice Telephone Services in Uganda.”
The notice went on to say the guidelines which are based on recent trends in the voice market are aimed at promoting fair, efficient and competitive market conduct in the telecommunications sector.
Fast forward to yesterday (June 14), David Ogong, the UCC director competition and corporate affairs said they were continuing with a consultation process that started in January this year, yet the Friday public notice seemed to suggest the process had been complete. “The Uganda Communications Commission wishes to clarify that it has not issued a directive to telecommunication operators in form of retail tariff guidelines as reported in the press,” Ogong said.
“However, the Commission is concluding the process of consultation with industry players and other stakeholders which started in January 2011.” Ogong said they will complete the consultation process and the final retail tariff guidelines will be gazzetted.
“We have not directed any telecom company to put any minimum price to their retail price,” said Ogong.
According to the guidelines, which are available on the regulators’ website (www.ucc.co.ug), the move is aimed at curbing increased anti competitive pricing practices that may be to the detriment of new market entrants.
According to UCC, if the situation is left as is, it will lead to a lack of or limited awareness of tariffs to consumers due to their multiplicity and frequency of change and create inconsistencies in regulatory tariff requirements in the voice telephony market among others.
In a drive towards full competition in the Uganda telecoms sector, UCC adopted a fully liberalized licensing regime in 2006 resulting in the entry of a number of players. As a result the industry has gravitated towards what the regulator has called unfair pricing behaviour.
Ogong said this has been highlighted by the proliferation of a series of below cost tariff offerings that have undermined long term competition, sustainability and quality of service.
He said some of the offerings border on predatory pricing or price cannibalism, which jeopardizes long term consumer choice, affordability and overall economic growth.
The guidelines, which UCC said are still draft, stipulate that there will be a distinction between promotional and standard tariffs. Standard tariffs in this case shall be cost based, transparent and non-discriminatory.
That off-net calls shall not be charged a price below the UCC reference interconnection rate.
The biggest player in the market, MTN Uganda, with 7 million subscribers, welcomed the move saying the effect of the directive is to introduce a price floor.
“This would appear to be consistent with similar Government action taken in the region (specifically Kenya), to control the price wars in the telecoms sector,” Anthony Katamba, MTN Uganda’s general manager, legal and corporate services said in an email response.
Katamba said Government is reacting to the raging price wars that are not based on any significant changes in market dynamics such as supply exceeding demand. “In fact, a number of networks are strained because of increased traffic carried for which no revenue is earned,” he said.
Katamba said the price wars not only threatened the viability of most of the operators but have also negatively impacted Government revenue and the long term sustainability of the sector.
SOUTH AFRICA:
Africa’s young lions make Malema look tame
June 20 2011 /By ANDISIWE MAKINANA/ http://www.iol.co.za
While South Africans have become accustomed to ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema’s belligerence, the league’s conference which ended on Sunday showed that Africa is a breeding ground for youth firebrands who make Malema look tame.
Leaders of youth organisations from around the continent took the stage on Friday, the second day of the conference in Midrand, to deliver messages of support.
Predictably, they all supported the league’s call for radical economic reform policies, blasted the media and one even sang the contentious words of Dubul’ iBhunu (Shoot the Boer). But they also made Malema look more like a cub than a young lion.
Zimbabwean Tendai Wenyika, who is deputy secretary-general of the Pan African Youth Union, an organ of the AU, breathed life into otherwise dreary “messages of support”.
The husky-voiced Wenyika, a Zanu-PF Youth leader, brought the 5 000-plus delegates to their feet within seconds as she saluted, among others, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
Wenyika had the audience eating out of her hand as she gave the most quotable quotes of the day. “Young people of Africa refuse to live in perpetual poverty due to imperialism,” she began.
“This congress comes at a time when imperialism has raised its ugly head again. It comes at a time when the youth of Libya is being bombed left, right and centre.
“Young people should not allow Africa to be sold out ‘for the love of sugar’. In Ivory Coast, imperialism was allowed to reign by our African heads of state,” she said, criticising the continent’s leaders for allowing France to assist Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara in deposing Laurent Gbagbo.
Wenyika supported the nationalisation of mines and the transfer of land to the poor, saying “young people can’t be beggars”.
Then she sealed her place in the hearts of the league’s young lions: “I salute president Julius Malema because he is brave, firm and unwavering. Malema is not only the leader of the ANC Youth League, but is a leader of the struggle of all young people in Africa.
“Let us not allow chickens and cowards to reign, who are going to sell the rest of our people.”
While Malema denounced South Africa’s stance on the Libyan crisis, forcing President Jacob Zuma to explain the country’s support for a UN resolution authorising the use of force to protect civilians, Botswana youth leader Kagiso Ntime publicly rejected Zuma’s explanation.
Ntime, president of the Botswana National Front Youth League, said he differed with Zuma “on a basis of principle”.
“We meet at a time of re-emergence of the scramble for Africa. In Libya, we didn’t see popular uprisings by the civilians, but the armed insurgents who are armed by the US.”
Elijah Ngururi, of Namibia’s Swapo Youth, began his address by singing Dubul’ iBhunu before calling for the transformation of the media.
“The media has bestowed upon themselves the right to rule us,” he said as he pledged support for the ANC’s call for a media appeals tribunal.
Supporting the call for mine nationalisation, Zanu-PF Youth leader Kudzani Chipanga said: “Political independence without mineral resources is hollow and useless.” – The Star
Chilean volcanic ash cloud affects flights in South Africa
Monday, June 20th 2011 / http://en.mercopress.com
The ash cloud from the Chilean Volcano Puyehue-Cordón Caulle in eruption since June 4 has reached Cape Town airspace affecting flights in and out of Cape Town International Airport.
One of the grounded travellers was South African president Jacob Zuma who was scheduled to travel to the west of the country.
The ash cloud has circled the globe and has, in the last two weeks, disrupted flights in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Australia, and New Zealand.
Deon Cloete, General Manager of Cape Town International Airport, said on Saturday evening: “Airports Company South Africa would like to advise all passengers travelling today and in the next few days to contact their airline in order to confirm their flight details, as volcanic ash has been sighted in the Cape Town airspace and has impacted various flights in and out of Cape Town International, Port Elizabeth, and East London airports”.
Other South African airports will be affected as well. ACSA and the Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company are monitoring the situation and will update travellers as and when new information becomes available, concluded the release.
The South African tourist industry is also concerned about the impact of the volcanic ash cloud.
“The volcano sent a massive plume of ash around the Southern Hemisphere, delaying flights out of many airports and causing inconvenience for thousands of passengers. It is still too early to gauge the ash cloud’s impact on tourism in Cape Town. We are expecting a marginal and short-term knock-on effect on tourism arrivals to the Mother City and are in close contact with ACSA to bring the latest updates to the tourism industry” said Mariette Du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism.
In Santiago the Chilean flag carrier Lan reported that as of next Tuesday the suspended flights to Australia and New Zealand will be re-established.
Passengers left stranded were informed that they will be redistributed in the six weekly flights or Lan to Oceania.
The announcement coincides with the Chilean government authorization for residents displaced by the volcano to return to their homes, while farmers in the area will be receiving aid and forage to help feed livestock. Fields are covered with a blanket of volcanic ash impeding cattle and sheep to feed.
The Chilean National Atomic Energy Commission released a report saying the ashes found in Bariloche, Argentina, are comprised of 77.4% silicon dioxide, 9.7% aluminium dioxide and 5.4% sodium dioxide
South Africa’s sports tourism future shaping up
20 Jun 2011 / http://www.bizcommunity.com
Issued by: Thebe Exhibitions
South Africa’s national sporting and tourism bodies have taken a major first step towards the formalisation of the sports tourism industry, as tangible steps are put in place to ensure the legacies of the 2010 FIFA World Cup are sustained for years to come.
A media briefing at SASCOC’s Olympic House provided an update on preparations for the 123rd International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Durban from 3-9 July 2011 and also coincided with the launch of the Sports and Events Tourism Exchange (SETE), to be held in Cape Town from 27-29 July 2011.
Present at the briefing were Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr Fikile Mbalula, IOC Executive Member Mr Sam Ramsamy, SASCOC CEO Mr Tubby Reddy and South African Tourism Chief Marketing Officer, Ms Roshene Singh, who were joined by key players in the tourism and sports industry, as they addressed journalists on the future of sports tourism in South Africa, with the leaders of world sport preparing to converge on Durban in just three weeks time for the IOC Session.
With South Africa’s global reputation as capable mega events hosts firmly established, South Africa will use its hosting of the IOC’s Session in Durban to continue to emphasise to the world’s sporting leaders South Africa’s considerable qualities as a potential host of world-class international sporting events.
“We’ve hosted the world’s football fraternity in South Africa and we’re delighted to now be playing host to the entire Olympic movement in our country. As the South African Government, we’ve thrown our full support behind the success of the IOC Session. We look forward to constructive engagement with the leaders of world sport, as we look to continue entrenching our country’s positive reputation as a major international sports, tourism and events destination and as we look to bid for and host events across the sporting spectrum in South Africa,” said Minister of Sport and Recreation Mr Fikile Mbalula.
Mr Ramsamy said the IOC Executive Members, who include heads of state, royalty, international sports administrators, heads of international corporate companies and sports stars, would have an “unforgettable week” in South Africa next month.
“This is a historic moment for Durban, South Africa and for Africa to host the International Olympic Committee for the first time on the continent. This is the first time that such a group is assembling in South Africa and it provides us with abounding opportunities to showcase our economy, our tourism, our culture and our people. We are extremely grateful that the IOC has given us the honour of hosting this prestigious event and preparations are well on track for what promises to be a memorable event,” said Mr Ramsamy.
“We are now, with the IOC, fine-tuning our operational planning and detail for the 123rd IOC session in Durban. Preparations are going extremely well and we are very appreciative of the South African Government’s strong support for this event. As SASCOC we will also use the IOC Session to support the efforts of our federations in looking for opportunities to host major sporting events across all codes,” said SASCOC CEO Mr Tubby Reddy.
While the IOC Session will again showcase South Africa’s capacity as a major international sporting and events destination to a global audience, the two-day SETE conference and exhibition provides the opportunity to formulate a tangible South African sports tourism strategy to maximise the potential of sports and mega events to drive future tourism growth to South Africa.
Leading academics and experts in sports, events and tourism will share their knowledge and expertise with industry leaders at SETE, being held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and being hosted by South African Tourism, Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and Thebe Exhibitions and Projects Group (TEPG)
“Globally, sports tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry and with South Africa’s proven capability of hosting major events, as well as our significant infrastructure footprint, it makes sense that we start pursuing sports tourism as a viable route towards achieving our tourism goals. SETE affords us the opportunity to get together as tourism and sports bodies to collaborate towards maximising the potential of hosting sports and mega events. The FIFA World Cup was a major boost for South Africa’s international reputation, but it is important to note that hosting ongoing sustainable events across all sporting codes in South Africa are equally important for us to drive future tourism and economic growth,” said Singh, SA Tourism’s Chief Marketing Officer.
Alongside the strategic discussions at SETE there will be a trade show platform, where international buyers from various global sporting and events corporations will have the opportunity to interact with local sports bodies and agents, destination marketing agencies as well as stadia and other venue stakeholders.
Confirmed speakers at the SETE event include Mr Derek Casey, current Chairperson of the Board of the World Leisure Organisation and former Chief Executive of the UK Sports Council and Sports England, who served as a Bid Director in successfully bringing the 2014 Commonwealth Games to Glasgow, Scotland, Ms Nanita Ferrone, an international tourism and leisure consultant from Spain (who will present a paper on Barcelona and Spain’s success strategy on hosting mega sporting events) and Holger Preuss, a professor of sport economics and sport sociology at the Institute of Sport Science at the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz, Germany. Holger is also an international scholar at the State University of New York.
South African speakers include Dr Danny Jordaan, the Vice President of the South African Football Association and Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa, Mr Fikile Mbalula, Minister of Sport and Recreation South Africa, and Gillian Saunders, Principal and Director at Grant Thornton Strategic Solutions and Head of Grant Thornton Advisory Services.
Thebe Exhibitions and Projects Group (TEPG) Managing Director, Carol Weaving, is confident the inaugural SETE event will expedite the urgency to formalise the sports tourism industry.
“South Africa should not be content to simply keep up with global trends. When it comes to hosting sports events, we are a proven global leader and we should start looking at ways to entrench this positioning. This is the ultimate goal of SETE, and we look forward to moderating constructive discussions in this regard,” said Weaving.
Issued by South African Tourism, Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and SASCOC
TANZANIA:
Ruby Creek acquires Tanzania Gold Standard assets
MONDAY, 20 JUNE 2011 / DOROTHY NADEKETELA/ East African Business Week
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA-A US- based firm, Ruby Creek Resources Inc., an exploration and mining company, has set aside U$7.58 million that will see the acquisition of Tanzania Gold Standard assets in two months shore up gold production in Tanzania.
The $7 million will see the purchase of 95% controlling interest of Gold Standard Tanzania Ltd, whose assets include a 25-year 10 sq km mining license issued in September 2010. And the second acquisition is for the purchase of mining equipment located both on-site and in the capital Dar es Salaam.
Toby Hansen, the group’s Corporate Communication manager, told East African Business Week in Dar es Salaam that the total acquisition costs of that include assets, the mining license, property and equipment is quoted at $3 million plus the assumption of some liabilities approximated at $585,000.
He said that the terms of each agreement include a cash payment of $500,000 on closing, totaling $1million and an 18-month $1 million convertible debenture on each agreement totaling $2million.
“On closing”, he said “Ruby Creek will own 95% of Gold Standard Tanzania Ltd. and 100% of the mining equipment like excavators, dump trucks, loaders, bulldozers, supply and support vehicles, and other mining equipment that will increases Ruby Creek production capacity,” he added.
He told this paper that the Tanzania Gold Standard is very attractive to our company as it is on the north-west border of our property. We will get a large amount of highly prospective land, a mining license and a several pieces of mining equipment.
Gold Standard and Ruby Creek project Gold Plateau is located 140 km west of Nachingwea in the Lindi District in southern Tanzania.
Mr. Hansen said that the Ruby Creek acquisition project found no legal incumberances with the acquisition.
Robert Moriarty, President of Gold Standard Ltd. commented that this is a giant and very unique gold project and it makes a lot more sense to work together than to proceed independently.
“We have done a lot of work on the ground and I would love to see it in production. With Gold Standard’s and Ruby Creek’s properties bordering each other and Ruby’s commitments to this Project, this agreement makes extremely good sense.
Both Companies share similar strategies for bringing this gold deposit into production,” said Moriarty.
Robert Slavik, President and CEO of Ruby Creek said that this being the first mining license, “Adds so much value to our company.” It has only been 14 short months since the first gold property acquisition in the south of Tanzania .
“I am very excited and pleased about these acquisitions and our new relationship. It’s an unexpected gift to our employees and shareholders.
The acquisitions of Gold Standard’s assets bring not only the certainty of a 25-year mining license, but also add the very valuable regional environmental data,” said Slavik.
Ruby Creek says they want to collaborate on Tanzania development Community as part of their corporate social responsibility. The company is focusing on medical care, water, education and agricultural assistance.
Ruby Creek is also engaging in drilling water well for the village closest to the Gold Plateau Project, to help the citizens who walk 10 to get water for domestic and animal consumption.
Ruby Creek operates in Tanzania through its subsidiaries, Ruby Creek Gold ( Tanzania ) Limited and Ruby Creek Resources ( Tanzania ) Limited.
It is the operator of the Tanzania Gold Plateau Project, and has established operations and infrastructure, in plans full development and commencement of gold mining.
SABMiller to discuss unsettled tax claims with TRA and others
BY SPECIAL REPORTER/ SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN/20th June 2011
Denies it dodged paying taxes to five African countries
SABMiller Plc (SAB), the world’s second-biggest brewer by volume, has denied allegations that it dodged taxes in some African countries, including Tanzania, and said it’s prepared to discuss the matter with authorities.
Officials from South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana and Mauritius are to meet later this month to discuss tax payments made by the London-based SABMiller, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Logan Wort of the African Tax Administration Forum.
The meeting will be held on June 28 in Cape Town in the wake of a report by ActionAid, a UK non-profit group, which challenged the way the brewer paid taxes in those countries, the newspaper said.
“SABMiller strongly refutes the allegations made in ActionAid’s report,” the company said in an e-mailed response to questions from Bloomberg News.
“We do not engage in aggressive tax planning in any part of our operations, and the report includes a number of flawed and inaccurate assumptions,” it added.
ActionAid said in November that SABMiller avoided paying USD31m in taxes in Africa and India through legally permissible tax-avoidance strategies.
But the company, which has stock-exchange listings in London and Johannesburg, said it paid USD2.1bn in taxes to African countries in the past financial year.
The African Tax Administration Forum’s Lebo Leshoro confirmed by phone on Friday that SABMiller will be discussed at the June 28 meeting. The Pretoria-based organization didn’t return calls from Bloomberg News seeking further information.
The forum, which was set up in 2008 to promote efficient tax administration among 28 member states, has no statutory or policy-making powers.
It brings together heads of tax administration to discuss African tax policy, its website shows.
KENYA:
Mutunga, Baraza and Tobiko sworn in
Written By:Glena Nyamwaya/ http://www.kbc.co.ke/ Posted: Mon, Jun 20, 2011
Dr. Willy Mutunga, Nancy Baraza and Keriako Tobiko have been sworn in as Kenya’s new Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and Director of Public Prosecutions respectively.
The swearing in celebration took place Monday morning at State House Nairobi and was presided over by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The Registrar of the High Court took the three top judicial officers through an oath of office, this time round breaking away from sweaing allegiance to the presidency but now to the people and Republic of Kenya as outlined by the new Constitution.
Mutunga’s address
Dr. Willy Mutunga has since addressed Kenyans in his new capacity as Kenya’s Chief Justice.
Mutunga saluted Kenyans for the sacrifices made in passing the new Constitution and ensuring the country works towards achieving reforms outlined by the new law.
“As a country, we now stand on a constitutional frontier from which we expect to put tyranny, oppression and exploitation, opacity and impunity on the back-foot, while making strides towards freedom, opportunity, and transparency,” Mutunga said in his maiden speech as Kenya’s Chief Justice.
The new Chief Justice added that the constitution has provided a chance for the reconstruction of the judiciary so as to earn public trust that was long lost in the key arm of government.
“I am aware that the Constitution places great hopes on us by giving us a rare chance for reconstruction. That the citizens of this country should place such honourable expectations upon an institution in which they have little faith is not lost to me,” he said.
Mutunga promised to use his position to turn the judiciary into an institution of service to the people and ensure the judicial process is more accessible to Kenyans with rulings that quench the thirst for justice.
“The Judiciary must become an institution of service for the people. I am humbled by these expectations and will keep this humility in performing my obligations as Chief Justice,” Mutunga further stated.
He however called on citizens to monitor and report any disparities in the judicial process, saying the only way to achieve the reforms necessary would be if the citizens were actively involved.
Mutunga said, “As citizens, we share the responsibility to monitor, report and ensure that the judiciary is accountable to all Kenyans. I invite Kenyans to hold us to these ideals.”
His sentiments were supported by his deputy Nancy Baraza who said Kenyans must help in changing the face of the judiciary.
She promised to uphold the Constitution and the laws of Kenya in discharging her mandate as Kenya’s Deputy Chief Justice.
Mutunga further called for the protection of separation of powers as outlined in the Constitution saying failure to uphold this will be an insult to the sacrifices Kenyans made to adopt a new constitution.
“The courts shall uphold and respect the legislative power to enact just laws, and acknowledge the executive arm’s power of governance, subject only to the legal strictures but retain its power of review and defend its independence. Failure to observe and respect this constitutional design of separation of powers will not only imperil our nascent democracy but also be an unforgivable assault on the sacrifices and aspirations of the people of Kenya,” the new CJ explained.
He noted that the country has diverse interests, pledging that he will look to ensure the judiciary strikes to live up to the constitutional values.
“Our duty is to weigh all these interests with the scale of the constitution and the law. In so doing, we shall strive to live up to the values enshrined in our constitution that bind us to uphold tolerance, non-discrimination and inclusivity. I give but the unreserved assurance that none get less than the Constitution and the laws of this country promise and bequeath to you,” Mutunga promised.
He added that it was now upon him and his colleagues to ensure a strong judiciary full on confidence and respect by all Kenyans is realized.
Supreme Court Judges
However, the five nominees to the Supreme Court forwarded to the President by the Judicial Service Commission were not sworn into office as a High Court ruling last Friday barred them from participating in the swearing in process.
President last week gazetted the names of all the eight candidates to head the new face of the judiciary but the High Court ruling, arising from a suit coined around gender disparity, saw former Nominated MP Njoki Ndung’u and her four colleagues stopped from participating in Monday’s exercise.
UPDATE 1-Kenya shilling falls on central bank comments
Mon Jun 20, 2011 / Reuters
* Central bank says will not intervene to prop up shilling
* Central bank in the market to mop up 0.5 bln shillings
* Oil sector dollar demand seen weighing on the shilling
(Recasts with central bank actions, comments)
By Kevin Mwanza
NAIROBI, June 20 (Reuters) – The Kenyan shilling KES=
extended its losses against the dollar on Monday after the
central bank said it would not intervene to prop up the shilling
and planned to mop up shillings from the market.
Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Njuguna Ndung’u said
intervening in the market at this stage to prop up the shilling
would make things worse for the currency as some of its problems
stem from concerns about the euro zone. [ID:nLDE75J0O6]
The bank also said it planned to mop up 0.5 billion shillings
($5.6 million) through repurchase agreements and that it would
stay out of the foreign exchange market. The bank rejected all
the bids for its repos three times last week. CBK04
The bank’s repurchase agreements, or repos, basically take
shillings out of the market to tighten liquidity.
Traders said the central bank’s comments pushed the shilling
below the psychological 90.00 level against the dollar, but said
they expected the shilling to trade in the 89.00-90.50 range
against the dollar this week.
At 0924 GMT, the shilling was posted at 90.15/35 against the
dollar — falling further from 89.80/90 before the bank’s
comments — and weaker than Friday’s close of 89.70/80.
“The best they (central bank) can do is keep quiet. Such
comments are not good for the market at the moment,” said a
trader at a leading commercial bank who declined to be named.
Ndung’u was reacting to analyst comments that the bank
needed to do more than just increase interest rates to counter a
vicious inflation shock that has driven an 11.6 percent slide in
the shilling this year. [ID:nLDE7580LQ]
Traders said earlier that interbank trading limits were
tight following aggressive trading last week that saw the
shilling touch a string of all-time lows. The shilling touched a
record low of 90.85 on Thursday.
They said the shilling could face further pressure this week
as end-month corporate demand for dollars, especially from the
oil sector, come in to the market.
“The market is still illiquid after overtrading for the last
three days of last week. In terms of trading, the prices are not
viable and this is likely to slow things,” said Steve Lagat, a
trader at CFC Stanbic Bank.
“Corporate end-month demand from the oil sector may keep the
shilling under pressure this week,” he said.
KES= KES1=…………………….//Shilling spot rates
KESF= …………………Shilling forward rates
EURKES= KESX= KESX1=…………………..Cross rates
KES=KE…………………………….Local contributors
CBKINDEX…………………..Central Bank of Kenya Index
…………………Kenyan Bonds contributor pages
CBK03 CBK06 KE3MTB=……………Treasury bill yields
CBK04………………Central bank open market operations
CBK07…………………….Horizontal repo transactions
KEIBR=,CBK02…………….Daily interbank lending rate
………………………..Kenya Bond pricing
ECONAFRICA………………Real time Africa economic data
………………………African economic news
SPEED GUIDES:
REUTERS MONEY
(Editing by David Clarke)
Family Bank of Kenya Appoints Munyiri as CEO, Daily Reports
By Eric Ombok / http://www.bloomberg.com/ Jun 20, 2011
Family Bank Ltd. hired former Kenya Commercial Bank Ltd. (KNCB) Deputy Chief Executive Officer Peter Munyiri as its new CEO, Business Daily reported, citing people it didn’t identify.
Munyiri resigned from Kenya Commercial earlier this month after being appointed chief business officer for Kenya under a reorganization that abolished his position as deputy CEO, the Nairobi-based newspaper said.
Family Bank is a Kenyan provider of small loans that plans to start trading its shares on the Nairobi Stock Exchange.
ANGOLA:
Second new Boeing 777-200ER aircraft arrives in Angola in July
JUNE 20TH, 2011 / macauhub
Luanda, Angola, 20 June – Angolan flagship airline Taag is due in July to take delivery of its second new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from US manufacturer Boeing, Angola’s economy minister, Augusto da Silva Tomás said Friday in Luanda.
The minister, who was speaking at the official ceremony to take delivery of the new Boeing 777-300 ER, at Luanda international airport, said that the new aircraft, which was given the name, “Sagrada Esperança” (Sacred hope), the title of a book by Angola’s first president, Agostinho Neto, and another one due to be delivered in July, would boost Taag’s fleet and improve its services.
The contracts to acquire the two new aircraft were signed Friday at the headquarters of the US Eximbank in Washington.
Angola’s flagship airline has a fleet of three Boeing 777-200ERs operating on the routes to Lisbon, Beijing, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Pretoria and Johannesburg and four Boeing 737-700s on domestic and regional routes. (macauhub)
AU/AFRICA:
Ghanaian arrested for fake everything
VUSI XABA and FRANK MAPONYA/ http://www.timeslive.co.za /20 juin, 2011
A Ghanaian has been arrested for allegedly setting up his own Department of Home Affairs.
He was taken into custody in an operation involving the police’s crime intelligence unit and the Johannesburg metro police after being found in possession of Department of Home Affairs equipment.
He allegedly used it to produce fraudulent documents, including passports, visas, identity documents, driver’s licences, marriage, birth and death certificates – and US dollars.
The 44-year-old, who was arrested in Yeoville, Johannesburg, on Friday, was expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court today.
Johannesburg police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the man would face charges of fraud, malicious damage to property, contravening the Counterfeit Act and bribery. He allegedly tried to pay the officers on the scene a R3000 bribe.
Other charges include possession of Home Affairs property and impersonating a department official.
Dlamini alleged that the man removed bar-codes and identity numbers from genuine identity books and pasted them into fraudulent ones.
Also found on his property were blank visas, security tapes for new passports, blank Lesotho passports, original Home Affairs documents, traffic department documents and rubber stamps for the Johannesburg and Germiston offices of Home Affairs.
Credit cards and driver’s licences from countries that included Zambia, Angola, Brazil and Namibia were also found at the premises.
Dlamini said more people were likely to be arrested.
Three Home Affairs officials are expected to appear in the Lebowakgomo Magistrate’s Court, near Polokwane, today on charges of fraud.
They were arrested in a joint operation by the Department of Home Affairs and the Hawks.
Africa tree belt takes root
2011-06-20/http://www.news24.com
Tessekere – An ambitious plan to build a vast forest belt straight across Africa to contain desertification has taken root in Senegal, greening huge tracts of land with drought-tolerant tree species.
From west to east, the 15km-wide Great Green Wall (GGW) will span the continent from Senegal to Djibouti, passing through Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia.
In all, the coast-to-coast forest will run 7 600km.
“It is a crazy project, but a touch of madness helps when conceiving something which has never been conceived,” Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade said when he launched GGW at a conference of Sahel countries in 2005.
Work on Senegal’s section has made rapid progress since planting began in 2008, with various species of acacia trees stretching over 535km, covering around 15 000ha surrounded by 5 000km of firewalls.
Funding
The idea of erecting a great wall of trees to stop the southward spread of the Sahara came amid UN forecasts that two thirds of Africa’s farmland may be swallowed by Saharan sands by 2025.
International agencies have pledged to invest more than $3bn in building the wall.
In Senegal, the GGW is currently being funded almost entirely by the government to the tune of €1.4m ($2.1m) annually, but additional funding is expected from the EU.
Some €140m will be needed to complete the Senegalese section, which runs through the northern Tessekere-Widu rural region, according to Matar Cisse, head of the national GGW agency.
“Initially, it was just a political idea. Here, we added technical content adapted to the management of each eco-system in perfect harmony with rural populations,” of mostly ethnic Fulani herders, he said in an interview in May.
“It is a programme to fight climate change, drought, poverty,” said his deputy, Pape Sarr.
In this semi-arid region where the rainy season lasts less than three months a year, locals remember the devastating droughts of 1970 and 1980.
Medical care
The GGW has transformed the area, with nurseries growing the various tree species to be planted, alongside fruit and vegetable gardens tended by local women.
Water, a rare commodity, comes from wells, rainwater basins and a branch of the river Senegal.
Gilles Boetsch, an anthropologist from the French National Centre of Scientific Research (NCSR) hailed the GGW’s positive impact on the environment, human activities, health and diet.
He runs an observatory set up in Tessekere jointly by the NCSR and the Dakar-based Cheikh Anta Diop University, to study the project’s impact. Malian and Burkinabe scientists are also involved.
Lamine Gueye, a Senegalese professor studying the health impact of the green wall, however fears it may lead to a return of mosquitoes in a region where malaria was on the decrease.
But he also noted that the influx of scientists and medical experts has given locals free access to medical care in an area where “99% of the people had never seen a doctor”.
And every year hundreds of Senegalese students and foreigners now flock to Tessekere to plant trees and help develop this impoverished region.
– AFP
Amnesty slams Equatorial Guinea ahead of AU summit
(AFP) /20062011
LONDON — Amnesty International on Monday accused Equitorial Guinea of a clampdown on freedom of expression ahead of an African Union summit being held in the country this month.
The rights group says political opponents of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema and around 100 students have been arrested and detained in recent months.
Amnesty said the arrests appeared to be “a pre-emptive measure to prevent any demonstrations during the summit”.
“The authorities in Equatorial Guinea must end this deeply alarming wave of arrests, torture and ill-treatment of people merely exercising their right to freedom of expression,” said Tawanda Hondora, Amnesty?s deputy director.
“President Obiang?s government is already among the worst human rights abusers in Africa and the continuing persecution of political opponents is deplorable,” Hondora added in a statement.
Obiang, who has ruled Equatorial Guinea with an iron fist since seizing power in a 1979 coup, was named the AU’s new chairman at a summit in Addis Ababa in January.
Earlier this month he rejected suggestions there were human rights violations in Equatorial Guinea and noted that he had signed an agreement with the International Committee of the Red Cross to monitor the country’s rights record.
The full AU summit takes place in a city built especially for the occasion near Equitorial Guinea’s capital Malabo from June 29 to July 1. It will be preceded by six days of meetings.
UN/AFRICA:
US/AFRICA:
Michelle Obama leaves for Africa, second solo trip
Mon Jun 20, 2011 / Reuters/By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. first lady Michelle Obama left for Africa on Sunday, embarking on her second official solo journey abroad with a goal of advancing U.S. policies on education, health, and democracy.
The first lady will arrive on Monday in South Africa, where she will make stops in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Later in the week she will visit Botswana.
Her trip will be rich with imagery.
As the wife of the first black U.S. president, Mrs. Obama’s travel on the continent adds a different symbolic heft than previous first ladies’ trips there have had.
In South Africa she will meet Graca Machel, the wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela. She will also visit the island where Mandela was imprisoned under apartheid.
In Botswana she will meet with President Ian Khama and with women leaders. She will also see a nature reserve.
Her trip comes as the United States starts gearing up for the 2012 presidential election, when her husband, President Barack Obama, hopes to hold on to the White House. Pictures of Mrs. Obama in Africa could appear in the campaign to appeal to black voters, a critical voting bloc for Obama’s Democrats.
White House officials said her visit would advance her husband’s foreign policy goals.
“This trip by the first lady is very directly connected to the president’s agenda in Africa and the Obama administration’s foreign policy in Africa,” Ben Rhodes, President Obama’s deputy national security adviser told reporters last week.
“It’s no coincidence that she would be visiting countries that have embraced democracy, (and) in many respects, have shown that not only does their democracy deliver for its citizens, but it can provide a positive example for the neighborhood that these countries are in as well.”
The first lady’s previous official solo sojourn abroad was to Mexico.
She is joined on this trip by her two daughters, Sasha and Malia, as well as her mother
CANADA/AFRICA:
AUSTRALIA/AFRICA:
EU/AFRICA:
Mineral Deposits lands big African deal with Eramet
Matt Chambers From: The Australian /June 20, 2011
MINERAL sands miner Mineral Deposits is planning to announce a $1 billion-plus joint venture with French major Eramet to mine on the coast of the West African nation of Senegal and process minerals in Norway.
The Melbourne miner, run by former New Hamptons Goldfields boss Nic Limb, is understood to have signed an early stage agreement to vend its 90 per cent stake in the $500 million Grand Cote mineral sands project into a 50-50 joint venture with Eramet. The latter will put its Tyssedal titanium slag and high-purity pig iron plant in Norway into the new company and pay Mineral Deposits $US30m ($28.25m), according to an initial agreement signed by the two companies.
The Senegal government owns the other 10 per cent of Grand Cote, which Mineral Deposits says is the world’s largest undeveloped zircon and ilmenite-rutile-leucoxene deposit.
A formal agreement is targeted for next month, with plans to form the joint venture by the end of September
After remaining quiet in the pre-financial crisis boom, mineral sands prices have soared in the past year as supply has failed to keep pace with growing demand from China.
Zircon is used in ceramics such as tiles and toilets and titanium dioxide (made from the other mineral sands that will be mined) is used as white pigment.
If Mineral Deposits can get Grand Cote into production, it will become the world’s fourth-biggest mineral sands producer, behind Iluka, the Richards Bay joint venture controlled by BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and South Africa’s Exarro.
The project is expected to deliver 85,000 tonnes of zircon and 330,000 tonnes of titanium dioxide feedstock minerals a year.
Construction of the mine, expected to cost $500m, is planned to start in the September quarter, with first production targeted for the third quarter of 2013.
The deal with Eramet, 26 per cent owned by French nuclear giant Areva, reduces the development outlay for Mineral Deposits and gives it a smelter through which to process its stock.
Some might argue that this complicates the business when smelters are crying out for stock and miners have the upper hand in negotiations, but Mineral Deposits is assuming boom conditions won’t last forever. The deal will mean lower quality Grand Cote production will have a buyer over its more than 20-year mine life without being squeezed for price when the balance shifts in talks between miners and smelters.
Mineral Deposits, which started in 2003 with assets acquired from BHP, has flown under many radars, despite the mineral sands boom and despite having spun off its 120,000 ounce a year Sabodala goldmine into Toronto-listed Teranga Gold, whose market value is $616m. Mineral Deposits shares have risen 48 per cent since the Teranga spin-off, but this looks stagnant compared with Iluka, which is up 122 per cent in the same period.
CHINA/AFRICA:
INDIA/AFICA:
BRAZIL/AFRICA:
EN BREF, CE 20 Juin 2011 … AGNEWS/DAM,NY, 20/06/2011
