{jcomments on}[Chargée d’enquêter sur les crimes commis en Libye depuis le début de la révolte en février, la Cour pénale internationale a décidé de demander l’arrestation de Mouammar Kadhafi pour crimes contre l’humanité.]

BURUNDI : 

Des pluies torrentielles font des ravages dans le sud du Burundi

Dimanche 26 juin 2011/ Xinhua

BUJUMBURA (Xinhua) – Des pluies torrentielles se sont abattues vendredi et samedi sur les communes de Burambi et de Bururi de la province de Bururi, dans le sud du Burundi, et ont endommagé des champs de différentes cultures et emporté des vaches et des moutons, rapporte dimanche la radio nationale burundaise. |

Les collines de Kiremba et de Nyavyamo de la commune Bururi ont été les plus touchées par la pluie diluvienne mélangée d’une grande quantité de grêles.

Des cultures de haricots, de pommes de terre et de patates douces et des bananeraies ont été sérieusement endommagées.

Les populations de trois collines des deux communes, qui sont plus touchées que les autres, crient au secours pour que les bienfaiteurs puissent leur venir en aide en vivres 

Pr Touré Ténin Diabaté, sociologue : ‘’La Côte d’Ivoire doit s’inspirer du modèle des mécanismes en RDC, au Burundi et au Rwanda’’

Publié le lundi 27 juin 2011 | L’intelligent d’Abidjan / http://news.abidjan.net

Dans l’acte de notre dossier, le Pr Ténin Diabaté-Touré, Enseignante-Chercheur, Formatrice en négociation, médiation et résolution des conflits et Présidente du Réseau des Femmes Leaders Musulmanes d’Afrique-Section Côte d’Ivoire (REFMA-CI), relève les données sociologiques des conflits rwandais, congolais et burundais… pour apprécier si la Côte d’Ivoire doit exporter le modèle sud-africain en matière de justice transitionnelle, à savoir Vérité-Pardon-Réconciliation ou les mécanismes des pays sus mentionnés. Avec pour modèle Justice-Vérité-Réconciliation.

L’investiture du Chef de l’Etat SEM Alassane Ouattara en qualité de Président de la République de Côte d’Ivoire le 21 mai 2011, dans une ambiance d’osmose collective, plus d’un mois après l’arrestation de l’ex-Président Laurent Gbagbo, précisément le 11 avril 2011, marque l’épilogue de la crise postélectorale dans notre pays. Une crise qui a affecté les fondements sociologiques et économiques de la Côte d’Ivoire. Dans son adresse solennelle à la nation, le Président Ouattara a dégagé les deux axes majeurs de son mandat. A savoir, la reconstruction post-crise et la réconciliation nationale. Mais comment réconcilier tous les Ivoiriens, après un passé aussi divisé, une crise sans précédent ayant fait pas moins de 3000 morts ? Comment engager tous les Ivoiriens vers un avenir commun ? Tel me semble être le débat que l’Intelligent d’Abidjan ouvre et pose à la conscience nationale, à travers son dossier sur la Justice transitionnelle en Côte d’Ivoire. Sociologue, ayant servi pour le compte de certains organismes du système des Nations Unies dans des pays fragiles en Afrique, notamment la RDC, le Rwanda, le Burundi…, il me paraît important de procéder à une analyse sociologique comparative des conflits dans ces pays, avec celle de la Côte d’Ivoire pour voir si les mécanismes de justice transitionnelle qui y ont été appliqués sont exportables chez nous ou s’il faut procéder à des réaménagements, pour relever le pari de notre cohésion.

Données sociologiques des conflits Rwandais, Congolais et Burundais…

Le premier dénominateur commun des crises au Rwanda, au Congo (RDC) ou au Burundi est la question identitaire, la haine viscérale inter-communautaire. A cela s’ajoutent le vice, la violence, la paresse et les violences postélectorales. Les mécanismes de justice transitionnelle qui ont été activés dans ces pays, ont été liés à la résolution de ces problèmes. Pour le cas du Burundi, j’ai hébergé ici à Abidjan, un ami burundais avec qui j’ai travaillé lors d’une mission dans ce pays. Il était un haut cadre de l’administration en place à l’époque au Burundi. C’était peu après l’élection du Président Hutu Habriarimana. Une première dans ce pays où les Hutus, quoique majoritaires, n’occupaient pas les hautes fonctions de l’Etat. Ils étaient plutôt dans l’agriculture, le commerce et le secteur informel. Et c’étaient les Tutsi qui étaient les hauts cadres pour avoir été aux côtés des Belges pendant la colonisation. Entre ces deux communautés, la haine est viscérale. Mon ami en question se moquait de son patron, le ministre Hutu en disant qu’il ne sait même pas mettre une cravate ou encore des chaussettes, que c’est un ‘’gaou’’ comme on le dit ici à Abidjan. D’ailleurs, ce ministre a trouvé la mort lors du bombardement de l’avion présidentiel. Il était aux côtés du Président Habriarimana, lorsque l’avion en partance pour Kigali a explosé. Les Tutsi de l’administration acceptaient difficilement d’avoir pour ministre un Hutu. Un jour en fin de journée, sa secrétaire est venue me dire que son patron venait de signer son arrêt de mort, en quittant le parti Tutsi pour celui des Hutu. Elle a ajouté qu’on le ménageait parce qu’il est ‘’mélangé’’ (son père étant Tutsi et sa mère ainsi que sa femme sont Hutu). Mais que le jour où tout allait se gâter, il serait assassiné. Le lendemain, l’ami en question m’a dit qu’il compose avec celui qui est au pouvoir et que dans son pays, on s’élimine tous les trente ans. Qu’il ait fait allégeance au régime Hutu ou pas, il serait un jour éliminé. Le soir de cet échange, il s’est rendu dans un bar. Tous ceux avec qui ils avaient l’habitude de boire, l’ont fui. Il était devenu un paria. Peu après, il a reçu la visite de ses beaux parents à son domicile. Ceux-ci lui ont signifié qu’il venait de choisir son camp et qu’il devrait assumer. En clair, bien qu’il soit l’époux de leur fille, dès que la situation allait exploser, ils s’occuperaient de lui. Et le jour où la situation s’est dégradée, ceux avec qui ils buvaient habituellement, sont allés dans son village qui a été incendié. Tous ses parents ont été brûlés vifs. Et leurs restes, découpés à la machette. Lui-même n’a eu la vie sauve, que grâce à son premier mariage avec une belge. Il a été ainsi exfiltré par les forces Belges, à destination de Louvain où il a bénéficié d’une bourse pour des études pendant son exil. Le directeur s’est donc retrouvé du jour au lendemain, Etudiant à l’Université de Louvain et sans famille. Voyez-vous, jusqu’où la haine peut entraîner les hommes. En RDC, où j’ai également servi, c’est pareil. A l’époque, il y avait une bière très prisée, qui s’appelait Primus. Avec pour trame publicitaire « la bière qui fait mousser la vie ». Pour dire que les gens vivent. Et les Congolais, sous l’effet de cette bière, vivaient dans l’impudicité, la violence et le vice. Or, un peuple qui vit dans la violence et le vice sans aucune vertu, n’a pas d’avenir. Le Congo est un pays très riche, mais il est dans un état de pauvreté extrême. Au Katanga, région très riche en ressource minière (35 qualités de matières premières), les populations ne mangeaient que des feuilles. J’avais mal lorsque j’entendais des Ivoiriens souhaité cela dans leur pays. « Nous allons manger nos feuilles de manioc et de patates », a-t-on entendu dire ici. En voulant être comme ces pays qui ne travaillent pas et qui évoluent dans la haine, la violence, le vice et la danse, on ne résiste pas à la guerre ! Hélas c’est ce qui est plus ou moins arrivé.

La Côte d’Ivoire, une terre d’hospitalité devenue terre de guerre…

Mais, la Côte d’Ivoire n’est pas un pays de la guerre. C’est plutôt un pays de l’hospitalité. « La Côte d’Ivoire est attaquée. On est en guerre. Rien que Nous ! Il faut y aller. On n’est pas obligé de vivre ensemble. Pour une fois, mesurons nos forces, que le vainqueur s’impose et que le vaincu s’efface, etc.! »… Ces diatribes, nous les avons entendues dans des pays africains (Burundi, Congo et le Rwanda), qui malheureusement n’ont pas échappé à la spirale de la guerre civile. De la haine, des rancœurs, la soif d’en finir avec l’autre, et puis après ? Il est vrai que les tensions communautaires n’ont pas cessé d’augmenter dans notre pays ces dernières années. Mais disons le tout haut, la Côte d’Ivoire n’a pas une tradition de Guerre. Ma grand-mère me racontait que lorsque Samory Touré est arrivé dans le V-Baoulé, il y a rencontré un Peuple pacifiste, dont l’allure des hommes et des femmes (tous coiffés généralement à la garçonnière), n’incitaient pas le conquérant qu’il était, de s’en prendre à eux. Ainsi, pour justifier sa retenue : « il s’est écrié en disant : comment puis-je faire la guerre à un peuple dont on ne peut distinguer l’homme de la femme. Ils ont la même coiffure ! Ainsi, le peuple Baoulé a été épargné des frasques de la guerre. Prenons aussi l’exemple légendaire de la Reine Abla Pokou, qui a épargné à son peuple une guerre fratricide en sacrifiant son fils. Les enseignements de l’histoire témoignent que la Côte d’Ivoire n’est pas une terre de guerre. Mais, hélas, nous avons connu la guerre, parce que notre pays a renié les valeurs qui ont fait sa grandeur et sa fierté avec le repli identitaire et surtout la violence qui remonte aux années 1990.

Et de la faillite morale

Depuis cette date, la violence et les jeunes cohabitent dans la rue, dans les écoles, dans les amphithéâtres, etc. On assiste souvent médusé et écœuré aux agissements anti-sociaux des jeunes, ayant pris parti pour tel ou tel groupe politique. Des groupes de jeunes gèrent la sécurité des citoyens de leur bord, les autres sont leurs ennemis. Nous sommes aujourd’hui dans un pays de faillite morale. Il n’y a plus de repères. Depuis plus d’une décennie, tout ce qui dénature la dignité humaine est célébré. C’est le triomphe de la médiocrité, de la facilité et de l’impudicité. Des enfants consomment l’alcool, pis la drogue dans les écoles, bastonnent leurs enseignants, viennent sur le campus en Humer, manipulent des armes à feu alors qu’ils sont incapables de manipuler l’outil informatique. Un peuple sans repère et en faillite morale est dangereux. La Côte d’Ivoire d’avant la crise postélectorale marchait sur la tête. Il faut la remettre sur ses pieds. Sur ses valeurs d’antan. Il est question aujourd’hui de redevenir cette terre de fraternité. Ce qui nécessite la mise en œuvre des mécanismes de justice transitionnelle. Ce qui a été fait ailleurs, peut-il marcher chez nous ? Comment la réconciliation doit-elle se faire ?

Justice et réconciliation pour rompre avec l’impunité

Au Rwanda, au Burundi tout comme en RDC, les mécanismes les plus connus, à savoir, la mise en place d’une Commission de réconciliation, l’ouverture de procès des auteurs de crimes et l’octroi de réparation aux victimes ont été activés. A l’exception du cas sud-africain où la justice positive dans l’esprit d’une commission de Réconciliation a pris le pas sur la pénalisation des faits de la période Apartheid, dans ces pays ci-dessus cités, les vrais meneurs des tueries ont été arrêtés et jugés. Certains acteurs se sont même retrouvés devant la justice internationale hors de leur pays. Comme c’est le cas pour le Libérien Charles Taylor, le Congolais Jean-Pierre Bemba et plusieurs Rwandais dont le cas a nécessité la mise en place d’un Tribunal Pénal International spécial. Chez nous, le débat a pris forme. Justice et réconciliation, font-ils bon ménage ? Nous estimons qu’il faut que la justice fasse son chemin. Les bourreaux d’hier se sont-ils repentis ? Se sont-ils ramollis ou préparent-ils une revanche ? Le camp en face, est-il prêt à pardonner ? Dans tous les camps, les esprits ne sont pas encore au pardon. A preuve, les perdants d’hier pour la majorité, ne sont pas dignes dans la défaite et ne sont pas prêts à tendre la main fraternelle de la réconciliation. Concernant les vainqueurs, j’étais dans un supermarché de la place où j’ai surpris des échanges entre des amis. Ce qui m’a frappé, c’est qu’il y a une dame qui a dit : « votre gros français que vous dites à longueur de journée à la télévision, à savoir réconciliation, je ne veux pas en entendre parler. Ceux qui m’ont fait souffrir, vont payer». Un autre a dit : «Votre réconciliation-là, c’est pour les politiques. Nous allons régler les comptes dans les quartiers à ceux qui nous ont fait du mal, à ceux qui ont appelé à la haine dans ce pays, ceux qui se sont illustrés dans les opérations 125 encore appelé supplice du collier, qui consistait à mettre du pneu usé au cou et braiser des gens avec du pétrole 100 F et de l’allumette 25 F ». Ces propos achèvent de convaincre, que tous les esprits ne sont pas prêts pour la réconciliation. C’est pourquoi, il faut des mots justes pour apaiser les cœurs et les meurtrissures. Il faut expliquer la réconciliation. Il faut prendre des images de chez nous, mener des démarches historiques et sociologiques de notre culture. La réconciliation ne veut pas dire, je reconnais ma faute, excuse-moi. Mais, si déjà, on ne se fait pas excuser et qu’on est crispé dans son coin en attendant la réalisation d’une prophétie, cela veut dire qu’on n’accepte toujours pas la réalité, que celui qui a gagné le scrutin gouverne. Regardez dans les écoles, des parents refusent que les enfants reprennent le chemin de leurs écoles parce qu’ils ne reconnaissent pas le ministre de tutelle qui n’est pas de leur camp. Cela montre à nouveau que tous les Ivoiriens ne pensent pas la réconciliation et ne sont pas prêts à s’y engager. C’est dramatique. Chacun doit faire un flash-back. Chaque Ivoirien doit revenir à lui-même et faire une rétrospection. Ai-je bien agi ? Pourquoi ai-je agi ainsi ? Si tous les Ivoiriens arrivent à cet exercice personnel, à cette remise en cause, la réconciliation va se présenter sous de meilleurs auspices. Nous avons vécu longtemps avec la violence, au point qu’elle était devenue banale. La mort était devenue banale. Et cette banalisation de la dignité humaine a débouché sur l’article 125 F. Tout cela doit attirer notre attention et nous amener à allier Justice et Réconciliation pour rompre avec l’impunité. Les données sociologiques des crises dans les pays ayant opté pour le modèle Justice-Vérité-Réconciliation étant quasiment les mêmes, la Côte d’Ivoire doit avoir recours à ce modèle. La Côte d’Ivoire doit s’inspirer du modèle des mécanismes en RDC, au Burundi et au Rwanda mais en veillant à les parfaire sur la base du bon, du beau et du bien fait, pour renouer avec les valeurs de Justice et de fraternité.

Propos recueillis par M Tié Traoré 

RWANDA :

Rwanda: Mobile Banking Ushers in Cashless Economy

Dias Nyesiga/The New Times/27 June 2011

As the new wave sweeps towards a cashless economy, Rwanda has equally kept pace.

Telecom companies and banks through mobile banking to create a platform for the introduction of the cashless economy that will help to bring on board the unbanked, especially those in rural areas.

The developments and innovation in Rwanda’s ICT sector have paved way for an economy where cash will be disregarded in transactions.

Meanwhile, the government, civil society and financial services have recently taken strides to promote financial inclusion for all yielding a tangible Rwf10 billion as savings from SACCOs.

But this initiative crippled at its infancy by lack of access to banking services to tap into the huge savings from SACCOs, lack of infrastructure has left a lot to be desired in banking the unbanked and called for another intervention.

Economic observers believe that through mobile banking, the current majority of the unbanked, who are rural based, and accounting for nearly 80 per cent of the population, will be reached, facilitating economic growth.

“Our service is very popular upcountry and has helped many who did not have access to financial services. More than 60 per cent of all our agents are based outside Kigali today,” Albert Kinuma, MTN’s Mobile Manager said.

John Bosco Sebabi, the Director of Payment Systems in the central bank asserts that mobile payments and banking are one way to financial inclusion and that the bank is keen to develop this aspect of mobile payments and banking.

“We have seen a rapid growth in the use of the mobile phone as a payment instrument,’ he said, adding that government through RDB has just laid the fibre optic network at all the head quarters of banks to facilitate the m-payment system.

Mobile banking is also expected to provide limitless opportunities to culminate into these challenges. Mobile banking is the transfer of monetary value from one individual to the other via a mobile telephone.

Mobile banking also gives the client an opportunity to open and access their accounts on a mobile phone.

The recent success in the telecom and banking sectors are expected to stir up a cashless economy.

“We are going towards a cashless economy and mobile banking is the drive to this. It is helping us to serve our customers better and also decongest our banking halls,” Yvonne Gilbert Nishimwe, the electronic banking manager at Bank of Kigali noted.

Salma Ingabire, Mobile Banking Product Manager of Bank Populaire du Rwanda (BPR) is optimistic that mobile banking will bring a new dawn in the future of financial services sector in the country.

“We will create a facility that will allow people to save money without the hassle of doing it the traditional way of queuing in the bank. You come to the bank when you deem it better,” she said.

Ingabire notes that the objective of mobile banking is to reduce cash transactions in line with the country’s ICT policy.

The policy, according to Sebabi, emphasises the issue of modern payment instruments including mobile payments.

MTN Rwanda, the lead telecom company has over 310,000 on mobile money with more than Rwf19 billion transferred since the service was launched.

Tigo Rwanda which started this year has also wooed many on their Tigo cash service.

BPR, the champion of the mobile banking in the country has registered 75,000 people with 8,000 transactions per day. It is expecting 120,000 to subscribe with a drastic increase of 20,000 transactions a day by the end of the year.

According to Nishimwe, Bank of Kigali had registered 25,000 customers by end of May this year, with 6464 customers for Visa card. The bank is also soon launching the sales product card where people will be able to carry out transaction on a card.

Sebabi reassures that the central bank has several regulations in place that ensure the smooth operations of mobile banking to achieve its objective, adding that ” before licensing a mobile money service, our technical team ensures that the system is secure”.

“The Payment Services Providers regulation, for instance, puts limits to the amounts that can be sent through this channel. The same regulations also put in place float management measures”, he said.

MTN confirms that all security measures have been put in place to ensure that hackers

do not access people’s money, adding that controls on IT and in the4 overall processes are in place.

Rwanda annual inflation rate down in May

SUNDAY, 26 JUNE 2011 / BOSCO HITIMANA/ busiweek.com

KIGALI, RWANDA – Rwanda saw a drop of 0.44 points in annualised inflation rate in May due to reduced price indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, vegetables, meat and health beating earlier projections that inflation rate could continue to rise and reach 6% by end of June.

Annual inflation rate, which is a measure of consumer prices throughout 12 months, fell to 4.54% in May against 4.98% a month before, according to government’s latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) release.

The fall of annual inflation rate comes at a time when the government announced it would reduce fuel taxes effective July 1 this year and January 1, 2012 to tame the rising cost of living in the country with more than 50% citizens poor.

It is believed that the cost of fuel is passed on to other activities mainly industrial production and transport of goods, people and services, which require fuel to operate efficiently.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr John Rwangombwa said while reading the budget for 2011/2012 financial year that the cause of high cost of food on the local market was partly arising from faulty supply chain which needs to be worked on rather than fuel prices that have gone up on local and international markets due to unrest in oil producing countries including Africa’s Libya.

The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), which released the CPI stats, stated that monthly inflation rate was 2.4% in May.

NISR indicates that price index for meat fell by 0.78%, food and non-alcoholic beverages index fell by 0.92%, while vegetables and health indices contracted by 5.64% and 0.04% respectively.

Meanwhile, the underlying inflation rate, which excludes fresh food and energy, rose by 0.73% if compared to the previous month and increased by 4.32% on annual change.

The annual average underlying inflation rate stood at 1.7 % in May up from the previous month 1.5 %.

RDC CONGO:

En RDC, l’épidémie de choléra menace la ville de Kinshasa

Par RFI/lundi 27 juin 2011

Cinquante-trois morts et 991 personnes atteintes, c’est le bilan de l’épidémie de choléra qui s’est déclenchée voici trois semaines dans la province du Bandundu, le long du fleuve Congo. Epicentre de cette épidémie, la ville de Bolobo, où une panne de la station d’épuration et de distribution des eaux oblige la population à recourir à l’eau du fleuve. Une délégation de l’OMS et du ministère de la Santé s’est rendue sur place cette semaine, car l’épidémie menace la ville de Kinshasa où deux cas ont été détectés.

Docteur Benoît Kebela Ilunga

Directeur du programme de lutte contre les maladies épidémiques au ministère de la Santé de la République démocratique du Congo

Le plus important, c’est la sensibilisation de la population à reconnaître les signes de la maladie et à agir rapidement. Il faut que la population ait une hygiène importante, sinon on risque d’avoir une extension de l’épidémie vers Kinshasa.

REVUE DE LA PRESSE CONGOLAISE DE CE LUNDI 27 JUIN 2011

Last edited: 27/06/2011/ http://www.digitalcongo.net

Kinshasa, 27/06/2011 / Politique

Le processus électoral en cours en RDC continue de focaliser l’intérêt de la presse congolaise qui y consacre ses colonnes.

Elections 2011, LE PALMARES fait état d’une « Guerre des nerfs entre le Gouvernement et les bailleurs des fonds ». Le confrère rapporte que le gouvernement de la RDC lance un défi aux bailleurs des fonds en versant cash 20 millions Usd dimanche à la Commission électorale indépendante (CENI).

Il promet d’en faire davantage avec une troisième tranche avec la même enveloppe dans deux semaines pour atteindre le seuil de 60% de contribution de la RDC. Mais l’Union européenne a, quant à elle, signé vendredi dernier avec le gouvernement congolais, en présence du président de la CENI, la convention relative au financement du processus électoral à la hauteur de 47, 5 millions d’euros. Le président de la CENI, Ngoy Mulunda a rassuré que les élections seront tenues le 28 novembre 2011 pour la présidentielle couplée aux législatives.

LE PHARE rapporte à propos de l’Union européenne (Ue) qu’elle a confirmé, depuis vendredi 24 juin 2011 , son appui financier à l’organisation du cycle électoral 2011-2013 en RD Congo, pour un montant de 47,5 millions d’euros.

Attachée aux valeurs démocratiques se traduisant entre autres, par le libre choix de chaque citoyen d’élire ses représentants au sein des institutions nationales et locales, l’Ue a souligné qu’il importe que les élections législatives et présidentielle du 28 novembre prochain soient organisées de façon transparente et crédible.

LA PROSPERITE s’intéresse à la rencontre Tshisekedi-Ban Ki-moon. En effet, répondant à l’invitation du patron de l’Onu, le président national de l’Udps, Etienne Tshisekedi, et sa suite ont été reçus, vendredi 24 juin 2011 au siège de l’Onu à New York par le secrétaire général de l’Onu Ban Ki-moon.

Pendant près d’une heure, les deux personnalités ont échangé sur le processus électoral en cours en RDC. Le patron de l’Onu a exprimé, quant à ce, ses appréhensions sur ces processus. Lesquelles sont basées sur les difficultés observées dans les préparatifs de ces scrutins. Invitant le leader de l’Udps à donner sa lecture des faits sur ce processus, en tant qu’acteur politique congolais avisé, Ban Ki-moon a voulu savoir, par ailleurs, si l’Opposition à la quelle appartient l’Udps sera capable de s’unir pour présenter un candidat commun qui ferait face au candidat de la Majorité.

M. Tshisekedi a saisi l’opportunité de cet échange avec Ban Ki-moon pour lancer un appel à tous les partenaires pour qu’ils apportent leur soutien à ce processus afin de garantir des élections réellement démocratiques, transparentes et apaisées.

LE POTENTIEL table sur la recomposition des cartes au niveau international et titre à la Une : « La RDC à la croisée des chemins ». En effet, relève le quotidien de l’avenue Bas – Congo, le centre de contrôle du monde est en train de bouger. Les grandes fissures des économies de la zone euro n’en est qu’un prélude. Tous les analystes sont d’avis que le monde d’aujourd’hui n’est plus le même que celui d’avant 2008.

La crise financière de 2008 a recréé d’autres acteurs tels que la Chine, l’Inde, le Brésil, la Corée du Sud, etc. Cependant, alors qu’ailleurs les données ont sensiblement changé, en Afrique, nombreux sont ceux qui ne jurent que par les institutions internationales modelées sur le néolibéralisme.

LE POTENTIEL souligne qu’il est prouvé aujourd’hui que le salut de la RDC ne viendra ni de l’occident et encore moins de l’Orient. Dans la dynamique de la recomposition des cartes au niveau international, la RDC doit se refaire une véritable identité, celle sur laquelle elle devra bâtir son développement.

Théodore Ngangu/MMC

(TN/PKF)

RDC : Le financement n’est plus un handicap aux élections 2011

26/06/2011 /KongoTimes!

A travers la subvention de 68 millions de dollars Us, l’Union européenne apporte son appui financier à l’organisation du Cycle électoral 2011-2013 avec comme premier volet, les élections présidentielles et législatives du 28 novembre 2011. Pour sa part, le gouvernement de la République a mis à la disposition de la CENI la somme de 20 millions de dollars Us, montant qui va servir à acquérir la quincaillerie électorale (urnes, isoloirs, etc). Avec tout ce financement, qu’il y ait d’autres facteurs techniques pour justifier le report des élections, on les acceptera. Mais qu’il y ait un facteur relatif au financement, on le refusera car, il s’agit d’un engagement ferme du Chef de l’Etat.

C’est le cabinet du ministre des Finances Matata Ponyo Mapon qui a abrité la cérémonie de signature de la convention de financement pour l’appui au Cycle électoral 2011-2013 entre la Rd Congo et l’Union européenne, le 24 juin dernier. Tout s’est passé en présence du Président de la CENI, le pasteur Daniel Ngoy Mulunda et du Vice-premier ministre en charge de de l’Intérieur et de la sécurité, Adolphe Lumanu Milenda Bwana Sefu. Deux jours après, soit le dimanche 26 juin 2011, le gouvernement de la République, représenté par le ministre des Finances, a remis les preuves de paiement de la deuxième tranche de sa contribution aux élections de novembre 2011 pour un montant évalué à 20 millions de dollars Us. En effet, il n’y a plus de doute. Qu’il pleuve ou qu’il neige, les élections de novembre 2011 auront lieu en Rd Congo. Pour preuve, l’Union européenne avec à sa tête Richard Zink a signé cette convention de 47,5 millions d’euros, soit 67,7 millions de dollars Us pour financer l’organisation du Cycle électoral 2011-2013, avec comme premier volet les élections présidentielles et législatives.

Pour l’UE, ces élections sont une grande étape essentielle pour la stabilisation et la démocratisation de la Rd Congo. Et il importe qu’elles soient organisées de façon transparente et crédible, avec la participation de l’ensemble des électeurs, et dans le strict respect de la liberté d’expression et d’association et de rassemblement de chacun, partout jusque dans les coins les plus reculés de la Rdc. Dans son discours, Richard Zink a indiqué que compte tenu de la demande des partis politiques de l’opposition formulée à l’UE, il reviendra à la Haute représentante de l’UE, Mme Ashton de décider en vue du déploiement ou non de cette mission. Aussi, le déploiement d’une force européenne de sécurisation des élections comme c’était le cas en 2006 ne sera pas au rendez-vous en 2011. Car selon elle, la situation politique a beaucoup évolué depuis 2006 et l’UE va se contenter d’appuyer la Police nationale congolaise, à travers l’EUPOL.

Le financement n’est plus un handicap aux élections

Pour l’argentier national, le gouvernement a pris l’engagement de financer les élections à travers ses recettes internes conformément à la vision et aux instructions du Chef de l’Etat. Et pourtant, plus d’une personne ne croyait pas que le gouvernement pouvait mettre des moyens importants à la CENI. Aujourd’hui, c’est chose faite, tout en préservant la stabilité du cadre macroéconomique. Matata Ponyo pense que la CENI est une institution clé dans le cadre du processus de stabilisation de la Rd Congo. Car les élections transparentes constituent un signal fort aux investisseurs tant nationaux qu’étrangers. Avec cette contribution du gouvernement, sa part dans l’organisation des élections grimpe de 62 millions de dollars Us à 80 millions. A l’occasion, il a été annoncé qu’au mois de juillet 2011, la CENI aura encore une autre somme de 20 millions de dollars Us.

Donc, si la CENI a 80% du budget des élections venant de l’Etat, cette institution n’aura plus de raisons pour que les élections ne se tiennent pas dans le délai. Qu’il y ait d’autres facteurs techniques, l’opinion acceptera. Mais qu’il y ait un facteur relatif au financement, l’opinion le refusera. Ce financement, comme on peut bien le constater, est un engagement du Chef de l’Etat Joseph Kabila et le Trésor public ne fait que réaliser. Ainsi, ce montant de 20 millions de dollars Us a été virés dans trois banques : Acces Bank, Fgb Bank et Raw Bank, banques dans lesquelles la CENI a des comptes.

La CENI va acquérir la quincaillerie électorale nécessaire

Pour le pasteur Daniel Ngoy Mulunda, d’aucuns ne donnaient aucune crédibilité au gouvernement pour réaliser ses promesses en termes de financement du processus électoral. Et au début, les gens ne croyaient qu’à la contribution de la communauté internationale. C’est avec orgueil et fierté d’être Congolais qu’il a reçu les preuves de paiement de la somme de 20 millions de dollars Us. Et cette somme vient ainsi confirmer ses propos, selon lesquels, qu’il pleuve ou qu’il neige, aussi longtemps que le Gouvernement tiendra ses promesses, les élections se tiendront dans le délai. Il sied de souligner que la CENI a revu son budget à la hausse suite aux problèmes de logistique, sans en informer au préalable le gouvernement.

Après explication, la CENI a encore trouvé une oreille attentive du gouvernement qui n’a pas hésité à l’appuyer. Et si on compare la contribution de toutes les parties en présence, celle du gouvernement passe à 75% par rapport à celle de la communauté internationale. Ce qui prouve aux yeux du monde que les élections sont totalement congolaises. Grâce à cet argent, la CENI va acquérir toute la quincaillerie nécessaire à la tenue des bonnes élections (urnes, isoloirs, etc.). Le Président de la CENI a même indiqué qu’il compte acquérir des avions qui auront comme rôle de palier au cas où les avions de la Monusco n’arrivaient pas à couvrir toute l’étendue du territoire national. Soulignons en passant qu’à ce jour, la CENI a dépassé les 27 millions d’enrôlés, même si l’objectif est de plus de 30 millions.

Des préalables

La communauté internationale attend des autorités congolaises l’organisation des élections libres, démocratiques et indépendantes, même si certains disent qu’elles doivent aussi être crédibles et justes. Mais pour le Vice-premier ministre en charge de l’Intérieur et de la Sécurité, il y a néanmoins des préalables qu’il faut réaliser. Il est vrai que le gouvernement s’est engagé à réaliser ses obligations dans le financement des élections, car, c’est d’abord une question de souveraineté nationale, même si on ne peut pas tout réussir seul.

C’est ainsi qu’il a annoncé la présence de l’UE pour que ces élections soient créditées. Et sa présence est la preuve que les élections sont sécurisées dès le départ, car selon lui, si tout avait marché au niveau de la révision du fichier électoral, tout ne peut que bien marcher lors des élections du mois de novembre 2011. Il a réitéré le souhait du gouvernement d’avoir les élections dans le délai, avant de dire qu’il ne faut pas demander au gouvernement d’aller au-delà du délai, si les préalables sont réunis.

Jean-Marie Nkambua

Published By www.KongoTimes.info – © KongoTimes! – All Rights Reserved. 

UGANDA :

Uganda shilling slips within sight of new low vs dlr

Mon Jun 27, 2011 / http://af.reuters.com

KAMPALA, June 27 (Reuters) – Dollar demand from the oil

and manufacturing sectors pushed the Uganda shilling

within sight of a new low against the dollar on Monday and

traders said the local currency would remain under pressure this

week.

At 0855 GMT, traders in Kampala quoted the shilling at

2,505/2,510 against the dollar, weaker than Friday’s close of

2,495/2,500.

Unprecedented dollar demand amid tight supplies, a battered

shilling in neighbouring Kenya — the region’s biggest economy

— and speculative trading have driven the shilling south,

market players say.

The shilling touched a record low of 2,508 per dollar on

June 21 before a central bank injection of dollars into the

market spurred a slight recovery.

“We have strong demand from the oil and manufacturing

players and that’s exerting pressure on the shilling,” said

Faisal Bukenya, head of market making at Barclays Bank Uganda.

He said the local unit was likely to trade in the

2,500-2,530 range in the course of the week.

Mona Muguma, an analyst at African Alliance, said the Greek

debt crisis had knocked the euro and dented risk appetite in

east Africa’s frontier markets as investors sought refuge in the

dollar.

“The dollar is generally strengthening against most other

currencies including the shilling because of that,” Muguma said.

“Uganda’s exports have also been performing poorly and

that’s not helping,” she said.

Phillip Ssali, a trader at Standard Chartered Bank Uganda,

said the shilling might see some support in the coming days as

foreign-owned firms sold dollars to pay salaries and meet

end-month obligations.

UGX Spot Rate…..UGX=

Ugandan Shilling Money Guide….

Calculated Cross Rates……….UGXX=

Deposits……UGXDEPO=

Deposits & Forwards………….UGXF=

Uganda Equities Guide…….

Uganda All Share Index………ALSIUG

Shilling background …..

Ugandan Debt Guide…………

All Uganda Bonds………….<0#UGTSY=>

Uganda T-Bills…………..<0#UGTSYS=>

Uganda Benchmark………….<0#UGBMK=>

Central Bank BOUGINDEX

Ugandan Contributor Index….

Uganda Coffee Prices……

(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; editing by Richard Lough) 

US taps $45M in gear for terror fight in Somalia

By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press /27062011

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is sending nearly $45 million in military equipment, including four small drones, to Uganda and Burundi to help battle the escalating terrorist threat in Somalia.

The latest aid, laid out in documents obtained by The Associated Press, comes as attacks intensify in Somalia against the al-Qaida-linked terror group al-Shabab, including an airstrike late Thursday that hit a militant convoy, killing a number of foreign fighters, according to officials there.

No nation immediately took responsibility for the latest airstrike, though U.S. aircraft have attacked militants in Somalia before.

U.S. officials, including incoming Pentagon chief Leon Panetta, have warned that the threat from al-Shabab is growing, and the group is developing stronger ties with the Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. Panetta told lawmakers earlier this month that as the core al-Qaida leadership in Pakistan undergoes leadership changes, with the killing of Osama bin Laden, the U.S. needs to make sure that the group does not relocate to Somalia.

The Pentagon plan is aimed at helping to build the counterterrorism capabilities of Uganda and Burundi, two African Union nations that have sent about 9,000 peacekeeping forces to Somalia. The military aid includes four small, shoulder-launched Raven drones, body armor, night-vision gear, communications and heavy construction equipment, generators and surveillance systems. Training is also provided with the equipment.

In addition, the Pentagon will send $4.4 million in communications and engineering equipment to Uganda.

Somalia has not had a fully functioning government in two decades. The government had controlled just a small slice of the capital Mogadishu, but officials have said that the peacekeeping offensive is enabling them to wrest swaths of territory in the city and in southern Somalia from the insurgents.

The aid is part of a $145.4 million package that Pentagon officials approved and sent to Capitol Hill last week as part of a notification process before the equipment can be delivered.

Up to $350 million in military aid can be distributed this year to support counterterrorism operations in other countries. The Pentagon routinely releases the military aid in three or four installments each year, and the first package approved earlier this year was for about $43 million. So far, none of the assistance this year has gone to Yemen — which has been a top counterterrorism priority for the U.S.

Last year, the Pentagon allocated $155 million for aid to Yemen, and military leaders had proposed as much as $200 million for this year. But U.S. officials have become increasingly alarmed about the violent anti-government protests and unrest rocking the country.

Protesters are demanding that President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s powerful sons and other members of his inner circle leave the country, even as Saleh remains in Saudi Arabia receiving treatment for injuries he suffered in an attack on his palace earlier this month.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said that aid to Yemen has been interrupted by the chaos there, and once that ebbs the U.S. will consider what next steps to take. But U.S. officials consider AQAP in Yemen one of the most serious and immediate terrorist threats, fueled in part by radical American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has been linked to a number of terror attacks in the U.S., including the Christmas Day 2009 attempted airliner bombing.

The Pentagon aid package also includes funding for a number of other North African countries, including several where there is a continuing terror threat from al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. The plan includes:

—$22.6 million for Mauritania for a turbo prop aircraft for troop transport and surveillance, and necessary maintenance and training; and $8.1 million for airfield systems and construction and communications equipment to develop a forward operating base in the country.

—$17.7 million for an aircraft for Djibouti, where the U.S. has its only Africa military base.

—$12.1 million for helicopter upgrades and training for Kenya.

—$1 million for Mali for mine detector kits.

Also included in the aid package is $12 million for small boats and communications equipment for Maldives; $12 million for six patrol boats and trailers, body armor and communications equipment for Philippines; $8.4 million for communications equipment and weapons for Bangladesh; $900,000 for biometric data collection devices for Oman; and $850,000 for radar installation services for Malaysia.

There is also about $600,000 in the plan for human rights training in the countries. 

Envoys know more than what Museveni thinks

Guest Writers/ http://www.observer.ug/Written by Sam Akaki/ Sunday, 26 June 2011

In The Observer story I’ll deal with Besigye, Museveni tells envoys, General Museveni reportedly told 50 Ambassadors and High Commissioners that their interest in the current situation in Uganda “would be alright if only they understood and appreciated the country’s historical context.”

Of course Museveni is wrong, as usual, pretending that he knows everything. And, of course, diplomats accredited to Uganda know everything about the country. Unlike Uganda which uses cronyism and nepotism to appoint its ambassadors and high commissioners, in other countries, it is a prerequisite qualification for appointment and retention in their posts that Foreign Service officers know all about their host country, especially its history.

These officials know the incontrovertible fact that since independence from Britain in 1962, all Ugandan presidents have come to power through violence, ruled by violence and left power through violence. They also know that, like his predecessors, Yoweri Museveni was not elected president of Uganda in January 1986. He came to power through the use of unspeakable acts of terrorism.

The envoys know that all these activities were, and still are, illegal under international law. They have seen with their own eyes, especially since November 14, 2005, when Dr Kizza Besigye was arrested, that like his predecessors Idi Amin and Minton Obote, Museveni has been employing violence as a tool to govern Uganda.

Museveni is also wrong in his lecture to the envoys that colonialism is responsible for “distorting African society and laying the background for the current parochialism in the continent’s politics.”

Museveni may ignore the historical fact, but the envoys know that, like Uganda, Canada, India, Malaysia, Singapore and even the mighty United States were also once British colonies. They also know that Norway and the Netherlands were colonised by Germany, albeit briefly.

But unlike Uganda, the leaders of these former colonies are not personally controlling state institutions, especially the national army, police and state intelligence services, and overtly deploying them to influence the outcome of the elections in his favour, as reported by the European Union and Commonwealth election observers.

And unlike in Uganda, the armies and polices in these former colonies have not “indiscriminately used live and rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray against peaceful demonstrators” as reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, on May 1, 2011. The British poet and dramatist, William Shakespeare, who died almost 450 years ago, must be grinning in his grave to hear Museveni blaming colonialism for state terror, poverty and corruption in Uganda.

According to Edmond, the bastard in the tragedy King Lear, “when we are sick in fortune, often the surfeit of our own behaviour, we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars: as if we were villains by necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, thieves, and treachers, by spherical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers, by an enforced obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on: an admirable evasion!”

The real object of foreign envoys is not only that they should sell weapons and convey messages from their governments. Their purpose includes gathering secret information, like the exact position and condition of roads, paths, valleys, canals and tanks; whether or not they are fit for the passage of troops.

They also seek to know something about the ruler, the exact state of the army and its equipment, the feelings of the army as well as the common people; and all about the wealth of the subjects and the comparative population of the different districts.

Chas W. Freeman says in the Diplomat’s Dictionary that envoys also “try to penetrate into the working of the government, and know whether the ministers are honest or dishonest and whether the generals are experienced.”

Little wonder then that a Kampala daily reported that the envoys had demanded that Museveni should not reappoint corrupt ministers when he announces his new cabinet.

The author is a member of Democratic Institutions for Poverty Reduction in Africa, London.

SOUTH AFRICA: 

UPDATE 2-Naspers sees higher costs as M&A streak slows

Mon Jun 27, 2011 / Reuters

* FY core headline EPS 1,612 cents vs 1,426 cents

* FY revenue R33.09 bln vs Reuters forecast of R32.75 bln

* FY dividend 270 cents vs Reuters forecast of 309 cents

* Shares down 5 pct this year, vs 4.4 pct drop in index

(Recasts, adds analyst and company comment)

By David Dolan

JOHANNESBURG, June 27 (Reuters) – South African media and e-commerce firm Naspers (NPNJn.J) said earnings in the coming year are likely to be hit by higher development costs, as it moves away from growth by rapid acquisition.

Naspers, which reported a 13 percent rise in full-year earnings on Monday, has avoided the media industry’s rapid decline by buying up e-commerce companies in developing markets.

But with Internet valuations inflated, Naspers said it will now focus on building its existing businesses and developing new technologies, which could put a squeeze on bottom-line growth.

The shift away from acquisitions is likely a positive, said Ziyad Joosub, an analyst at JP Morgan.

“Considering that they’ve done a lot of acquisitions over the years, we haven’t gotten much disclosure and we haven’t seen an effective scaling up of the investments,” he said.

“The market will obviously like to see management focus on driving organic growth. But organic growth, as we’ve seen with these numbers, is going to come at the expense of bottom-line earnings.”

Founded in 1915 as “Die Nasionale Pers”, or The National Press, Naspers has transformed itself from an apartheid-era Afrikaans publisher to a multimedia business with operations in China, Russia, Latin America and Southeast Asia.

With a market value of $22 billion, Naspers is bigger than Britain’s Pearson Plc , the $15 billion publisher of the Financial Times, although it is still only half the size of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp .

TENCENT STAKE

“We are focusing somewhat more on growing our businesses organically and on developing new technologies,” the company said in a statement.

“This may dampen earnings in the year ahead as the cost of developing these businesses are expensed through the income statement.”

Naspers’ rapid growth has been helped by its 35 percent stake in Tencent Holdings , China’s biggest Internet firm. It also owns 29 percent of Russian Internet firm Mail.ru (MAILRq.L) and has indirect stakes in Facebook and Zygna, which produces the popular “FarmVille” and “Mafia Wars” games.

Naspers said core headline earnings per share totalled 1,612 cents in the year to end-March, compared with 1,426 cents a year earlier.

The company considers core headline EPS, which exclude certain one-time items, to be the best measure of its underlying profit.

Naspers said earlier this month it expected to report a 10 to 20 percent increase in profit. On a fully diluted basis, earnings rose 12 percent, compared with the average estimate for 35 percent growth in a poll of 9 analysts by Thomson Reuters.

Revenue totalled 33.09 billion rand ($4.8 billion), compared with 28 billion rand a year earlier.

There is some concern about the company’s valuation, given that the stock price has more than trebled in a little over five years.

“Whilst Naspers is a great business with exceptional prospects, it is priced that way,” Adrian Saville, chief investment officer at Cannon Asset Managers, said in a recent research report.

Shares of Naspers, which are down around 5 percent so far this year, were little changed at 0843 GMT, roughly in line with Johannesburg’s benchmark Top-40 index of blue chips . (Reporting by David Dolan; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter) (For more Africa cover visit: af.reuters.com — To comment on this story email: SouthAfrica.Newsroom@reuters.com 

South Africa Cosatu Says State Stalls Economic Policy Change

June 27, 2011/By Gordon Bell and Mike Cohen/ Bloomberg

June 27 (Bloomberg) — The Congress of South African Trade Unions, the country’s largest labor grouping, accused the government of reneging on promises to change economic policy, undermining the fight against unemployment and inequality.

“It is a choice between reform and revolution,” Cosatu President Sidumo Dlamini said in his opening address to a meeting of the federation’s leadership in Johannesburg today. “The class battle lines have been drawn.”

Cosatu has been a member of the African National Congress- led ruling alliance since South Africa’s first all-race elections in 1994. Alliance relations have been strained by the federation’s calls for the government to raise the budget deficit, nationalize fuel company Sasol Ltd. and steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd. and weaken the rand to help address the 25 percent jobless rate.

Cosatu played a leading role in helping President Jacob Zuma win control of the ANC from Thabo Mbeki in 2007. The ANC is due to hold leadership elections in December next year, and Zuma has said he will stand for a second five-year term.

Dlamini said Cosatu will have to assess whether to make its support for any candidate conditional on them implementing policy changes.

Policy Demands

In a document prepared for the conference, Cosatu criticized the government’s reluctance to introduce a tax on short-term capital flows to weaken the rand or limit currency speculation.

The rand has gained 36 percent against the dollar since the beginning of 2009, undermining the competitiveness of the country’s exporters and discouraging them from hiring.

“Policy makers in South Africa are effectively sitting on their hands, half-heartedly intervening in foreign exchange markets solely by buying dollars at a very cautious pace so as not to upset the inflation applecart,” Cosatu said.

Zuma called for unity within the ruling alliance and for any differences over policy to be debated internally.

“All ANC and government economic policies remain valid and are being implemented,” he told delegates. “We have made substantial progress, but there are still many challenges to deal with, given the legacy of colonial oppression and apartheid.”

–Editors: Philip Sanders, Ben Holland 

South Africa’s Government Failing to Lead on Economic Policy, Cosatu Says

By Gordon Bell -/ .bloomberg.com/ Jun 27, 2011

South Africa’s government is failing to lead on economic policy, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the country’s biggest labor federation, said.

The central bank isn’t doing enough to curb the rand’s gains and is “half-heartedly intervening in foreign exchange markets,” the labor group said in a report released in Johannesburg at its Central Committee meeting. Cosatu wants faster economic reforms, it said. 

South African Markets – Factors to watch on June 27

June 27, 2011 / ibtimes.com

The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect South African markets on Monday.

– – – –

DIARY

For South Africa corporate diary, click on [ZA/EQUITY]

For southern and South Africa diary, click on [ZA/DIARY]

COMPANIES

– South Africa media and Internet firm Naspers (NPNJn.J) is due to report a 10 to 20 percent increase in full-year earnings, as some investors worry the company’s breakneck growth is starting to slow. [ID:nLDE75P09H]

– South African discount retailer Massmart (MSMJ.J), now majority owned by Wal-Mart Stores (WMT.N), said on Sunday it aims to create 15,000 jobs in the next five years. [ID:nLDE75P0AR]

– South Africa’s junior mining firm

Simmer & Jack Mines (SIMJ.J) reported a loss in first-half earnings. [ID:nWEB7203]

– S.Africa retailer Holdsport prices IPO between 31 rand ($4.51) and 39 rand a share. [ID:nWEB7206]

– The following companies to trade Ex-dividend:

Acucap (ACPJ.J)

Sycom (SYCJ.J)

Famous Brands (FBRJ.J)

Vodacom (VODJ.J)

Clicks (CLSJ.J)

Tiger Brands (TBSJ.J)

Oceana (OCEJ.J)

Altron (ATNJ.J)

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS

South Africa’s stocks were up more that one percent while bonds gained as foreigners bought local debt, attracted by higher yields.

Despite offshore interest in bonds, the rand ZAR=D3 recorded its biggest weekly loss in six weeks. It was on the back foot partly due to Reserve Bank buying of foreign exchange. [.J]

GLOBAL MARKETS

The U.S. dollar rose and equities fell on Monday, with investors nervous ahead of a Greek vote on unpopular fiscal austerity measures this week that may sow doubts about financial stability in Europe.[MKTS/GLOB]

WALL STREET

Wall Street dropped for a third day on Friday on worries about the Italian banking sector and Greece’s debt crisis, but the S&P 500 managed to hold its 200-day moving average in a sign buyers still see value. [.N]

GOLD XAU=

Gold prices held steady on Monday, aided by active buying on the physical market in Asia, while a stronger dollar weighed along with caution as investors awaited a Greek parliament vote this week that is crucial to securing a sovereign debt bailout. [GOL/]

EMERGING MARKETS

For the top emerging markets news, double click on [nTOPEMRG]

– – – –

Some of the main stories out of the South African press:

BUSINESS DAY

– Probe seeks ‘millions’ missing at rail agency

BUSINESS REPORT

– Ratings agencies say SA is stable

– Africa forum to discuss tax avoidance 

Oprah Receives Honorary Doctorate in South Africa

TRACY / ivillage.com /ON JUN 27, 2011

Just call her Dr. Winfrey! Oprah Winfrey was on hand to receive an honorary doctorate degree from the University of the Free State in South Africa on Friday.

The daytime TV icon spoke to the students of the school where, five years ago, four white students made a video humiliating black housekeeping staff. In the clip, the housekeepers were shown eating a stew the students had mimed spiking with urine.

When Winfrey took the stage to receive her degree, she called the five cleaners up to join her and pronounced them heroes.

“What has happened here at Free State in terms of racial reconciliation, of peace, of harmony, of one heart understanding and opening itself to another heart is nothing short of a miracle,” she said. “It is truly what the new South Africa is all about.”

Winfrey shed tears as she accepted her degree, in front of a roaring crowd of hundreds. Receiving the 152nd honorary degree given out by the university, the citation accompanying her honor said said Winfrey “has truly become a South African. She did so because she believed that there was important work to be done here, and she wanted to be part of what Nelson Mandela and others had begun.”

Previous recipients of Free State honorary degrees include Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu 

Greenpeace hits Eskom

June 27 2011/ iol.co.za

At dawn today Greenpeace Africa activists used three tipper trucks to unload five tons of coal in front of Eskom’s Megawatt Park offices, effectively blocking the office park’s main entrance and causing a huge traffic jam in Sunninghill.

The action was intended to highlight the cost of Eskom’s heavy reliance on coal for power: environmental destruction, the pollution of scarce water supplies and the destruction of people’s health and wellbeing.

The environmental activists started their operation shortly before rush hour. With them were three tipper trucks coming off the highway along with a van full of support staff who quickly set up their traffic cones and unfurled a banner reading: “Eskom clean up your act”.

The three tippers dumped their coal loads at the main entrance to Eskom’s head office, causing a snarl-up at the alternative entrance, and a traffic back-up along Maxwell Drive.

At noon today the coal was still blocking the entrance to Megawatt Park but traffic was flowing as normal.

While there had been a small police presence, the protest passed peacefully and no arrests were made.

With temperatures dropping to 1ºC over the weekend and despite most Joburgers being thankful for a respite from the infamous load shedding, Greenpeace’s Melita Steele said South Africans should still be concerned about where their power comes from.

“Eskom should end its addiction to coal and shift massive investments to large-scale renewable energy products,” said Steele.

Her organisation wants Eskom to stop its construction of Kusile coal-fired power plant in Emalahleni, set to produce 4800MW of power while using 17 million tons of coal per year. Ninety percent of South Africa’s power is derived from coal.

“Everybody’s been very understanding and seem to comprehend the need for action to prevent climate change,” said Dianne McAlpine, a Greenpeace activist handing out flyers to passing motorists.

The activists argue that renewable energy is a much more efficient and cost-saving way to secure the country’s energy capacity.

South Africa already emits half of Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from coal-powered power stations.

The African Development Bank earlier this month approved a $365m (R2.4 billion) loan to help fund Eskom’s wind and solar projects.

The country is also keen to be perceived as more environmentally friendly in the run-up to UN climate talks in November in Durban, which will seek to create a deal to follow up on the Kyoto Protocol.

Responding to the activists this morning, Eskom spokeswoman Hilary Joffe said her company had two renewable energy programmes on the table but were stifled by a lack of funding.

The energy utility had committed to ensuring that 43 percent of all new capacity would be renewable energy. “We have money that’s sitting there for renewable energy projects but we need government to release it,” said Joffe.

Eskom had also started a 100MW wind power station in the Western Cape with a 100MW solar plant planned for the Northern Cape.

As the demonstration wound down, Steele warned there would be further protests if Eskom failed to deliver on their promises of ratcheting up their efforts to secure renewable energy sources.

Eskom’s objective is to install 1 million solar water heaters throughout country by 2015, with tens of thousands already installed in other cities around the country.

The company is offering 110-litre geysers for free in township homes, but wealthier families needing larger volumes also receive a subsidy to encourage them to switch to solar.

Eskom has so far spent R340m on its rebate programme.

“(The aim) is to save energy and to encourage the use of renewable energy, as well as to provide relief to low income households,” said Joffe.

The solar project has already reduced the demand for electricity by 22MW, she said.

That’s a tiny fraction of the power produced by a coal power plant, but about one-fifth of the electricity that would be generated by a planned solar field in the arid Northern Cape.

Massive new coal plants are being built to cope with South Africa’s energy needs, but international loans for those projects have also required the country to commit more resources to renewables. – Beauregard Tromp and SAPA

Stocks in South Africa Climb for a Second Day; AngloGold Ashanti, MTN Move

By Stephen Gunnion / bloomberg.com/ Jun 27, 2011

The FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index advanced for a second day, gaining 75.4, or 0.3 percent, to 30,755.63 by 1:18 p.m. in Johannesburg.

The following are among the most active stocks in the South African market today.

AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (ANG) , Africa’s biggest gold miner, fell to its lowest since March 2010, dropping 2.34 rand, or 0.8 percent, to 276.15. Gold slipped as much as 0.8 percent to $1,491.20 an ounce.

BHP Billiton Plc (BIL) , the world’s biggest mining company, increased for a second day, gaining 2 rand, or 0.8 percent, to 255 rand. BHP and Anglo American Plc (AAL) , the diversified mining company that makes up 10 percent of the benchmark stock index, were raised to “overweight” from “neutral” by analysts at HSBC Holdings Plc. Anglo American rose for a second day, adding 2.05 rand, or 0.7 percent, to 317.45 rand.

MTN Group Ltd. (MTN) , Africa’s largest mobile-phone operator, gained to its highest since June 15, climbing 126 cents, or 0.9 percent, to 138.36 rand. Nomura Holdings Inc. raised its price estimate on MTN to 152 rand, from 150 rand.

SABMiller Plc. (SAB) , the world’s second-largest brewer by volume, headed for its strongest close in a week, rallying 3.83 rand, or 1.7 percent, to 234.40 rand. Bank of America Corp. raised the stock to “buy” from “neutral.”

SacOil Holding Ltd. (SCL) , an oil and natural-gas explorer, headed for its highest close since June 8, gaining 3 cents, or 4 percent, to 81 cents. The group appointed Jan Maier as its chief operating officer, according to a regulatory statement.

KENYA:

Kenya: camel’s milk set for boom times

By Boris Bachorz (AFP) / 27/06/2011

ISIOLO, Kenya — For the tattered-clothed young men in this remote community, milking a camel’s stubby udders at sunrise is not a novelty, but a daily chore to get milk valued by their tribe for generations.

But camel’s milk, long-cherished by the Cushite people of central Kenya, is now enjoying a renaissance in the capital Nairobi and could, some say, become an internationally coveted health food product worth 10 billion dollars a year. “Camels are better than cows because they can survive when there is drought, but the cows cannot, so I can make a profit even during dry season,” said Halima Hussein, 45, whose 84-strong flock makes her a local camel-mogul.

“I’m going to sell to sell some of my cows to buy more camels,” added Hussein, whose family also owns 120 cows.

This arid region in central Kenya, like much of northeast Africa, has in recent years been hit with less predictable and more intense droughts, hindering cow’s milk production and boosting the value of camels.

In Isiolo, some 280 kilometres (175 miles) north of Nairobi, Hussein and the 63 other women in her local cooperative currently send between 3,000 to 5,000 litres (quarts) of camel’s milk a day to markets in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighbourhood.

Following this unprecedented demand, the Dutch development organisation SNV, which helps the women sell their milk in Nairobi, has suggested opening a milk bar in Isiolo, perhaps to introduce visitors to the unique flavours of camel-based diary.

The Somali, Oromo and Borana tribes — all part of the Cushite group — provide a reliable base of customers at Nairobi’s hectic markets.

But some insist there is a chance to turn this once ignored type of milk into a high-end health food product sought after on every continent.

“There is already a high demand for camel milk in the developed countries,” said Holger Marbach, a German national who founded Vital Camel Milk, which makes yoghurt, ice cream and other camel’s milk products.

Marbach said Vital Camel Milk currently sells its products to supermarkets in Kenya, Latin America, South Africa and United Arab Emirates, but could sell to more lucrative markets if “administrative and political barriers” were removed.

Leading food experts also agree that camel’s milk has potentially valuable properties.

“Camel milk is slightly saltier than cow’s milk, three times as rich in Vitamin C and is known to be rich in iron, unsaturated fatty acids and B vitamins,” according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s website.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says that with savvier packaging and more investment, camel’s milk could become a 10 billion dollar annual global industry.

Even though Starbucks has not yet introduced a ‘camel chai latte,’ the milk remains a hugely important food source for a community regularly hit by devastating drought.

“I feed my 12 children on camel’s milk,” said Safia Kulow, 40, who is president of the Isiolo women’s cooperative.

Daniel Muggi, the official in charge of Isiolo livestock at Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture, argues that the milk’s nutritional value, and the ability of camels to produce it regardless of the whether, may enhance its popularity.

“Circumstances force people to change and non Cushite communities are considering camels because of lessons learnt from the drought and famine here,” he said.

“I’m not saying people should abandon all the other types of milk, but I am saying camel milk is the saviour of the pastoralists during the dry season.”

While they welcome the surge in camel interest within Kenya, locals in Isiolo sound anxious to look beyond the domestic market.

“In the future, we are thinking of getting a camel milk factory,” said 56-year-old Adan Ali, the only male member of the Isiolo cooperative.

“We think camel milk will be gold, because we will start exporting to the European Union,” he said 

Kenya’s Top Prosecutor Asks for Funding Increase to Probe Crimes

By Sarah McGregor /bloomberg.com/Jun 27, 2011

Kenya’s office of public prosecutions needs increased funding to hire lawyers and offer its staff better salaries and benefits, its new chief said.

There is “a case to be made for the government to improve substantially the budgetary allocation for the directorate,” State Prosecutor Keriako Tobiko said today in the capital, Nairobi, at a training program for 32 newly recruited prosecutors.

Tobiko was sworn in on June 20 as the country’s first director of public prosecutions, a position created under a constitution enacted last year as part of wider changes that aimed to avoid a repeat of post-election violence in 2008. While the public prosecution office’s funding will almost double to 355 million shillings ($4 million) in the financial year through June 30, 2012, it receives about a fourth of the Kenya Anti- Corruption Commission’s budget, Tobiko said.

Two months of fighting sparked by a disputed election ended after President Mwai Kibaki signed a power-sharing accord with then-opposition leader Raila Odinga, who was named prime minister. The accord committed the leaders to changing the police and judiciary and settling land disputes.

Kenya had a backlog of 688,760 court cases at the end of last year, down 18 percent from a year earlier, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics said in a May report.

The appointment of Tobiko, along with Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and his deputy, Nancy Baraza, marks a turning point in the reform of Kenya’s legal system, which has been marred by unethical behavior and weak administration, Kibaki said on June 20 

Limo owner surfaces in student murder case

BY BERNARD MOMANYI/capitalfm.co.ke/ Jun 27

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 27 – A businessman whose car has been linked to the death of a University of Nairobi Student reported to the police on Monday and denied any involvement in the death of Mercy Keino.

The motor vehicle car dealer reported to the Parklands police station where he was questioned briefly before being moved to the Flying Squad department for further questioning.

He immediately denied any role in the student’s death after guards on Waiyaki Way reported seeing the green Mercedes Benz at the scene where Ms Keino’s body was found.

Ms Keino was found dead after the night of June 17, hours after she was evicted from a party at an apartment block in Westlands.

Several people who were at the party among them Juja MP William Kabogo have been questioned by the police in ongoing investigations.

On Monday, the Universities Student Leaders Association-Kenya issued a statement demanding explanation from the police on the death within three days.

“We are calling upon the police commissioner to catalyse the investigations concerning the death of our colleague. It’s a big blow to us because within a very short period of time we have lost students in ways that can’t be understood.”

The association’s secretary General Nandalwe Wanjala said: “We are therefore organising for mass protests if the police are not going to file a report within a period of three days.”

Police reports say Ms Keino had attended a party at an apartment complex on Church Road with some of her friends when she was reportedly ejected after a disagreement.

Police said they were analysing statements indicating that the woman was escorted out of the party by Mr Kabogo’s bodyguards who reportedly left her at the gate of the apartments.

Police are seeking to establish what happened next since she was found not far from the apartments.

“We are piecing together information that is available as we try to gather that which is not available. Anyone with information that can help is welcome to assist us,” Gigiri police chief Joseck Nasio told Capital News at the weekend. 

At least 10 killed in north Kenya clashes: Report

June 27, 2011/ http://africa.ibtimes.com

Ten people were left dead after violence broke out over land and water resources in a drought-afflicted northern Kenya on Saturday, according to a report.

Police and local leaders said the fighting occurred on the border between the Isiolo and Samburu districts, an area that is prone to drought and has been plagued by deadly clashes over resources in the past few years.

Marcus Ochola, the deputy police commissioner for Eastern Province, said six raiders and four local herders had been killed, more people had been wounded and the death toll might rise, according to Reuters

Civic leader Abdullahi Golicha also put the death toll at 10, split roughly between raiders and herders, and said the fighting was still going on so there could be more casualties.

The clashes were reportedly sparked by raiders from the Samburu community attacking Somali and Borana herdsmen.

In May, about 20 people died in fighting between raiders from Ethiopia and northern Kenyan tribesmen, prompting the two countries to tighten security along the remote frontiers 

Kenya’s expenditure comes from taxes says VP

Written By:VPPS/Judith Akolo,/ http://www.kbc.co.ke/ Sun, Jun 26, 2011

There is need for the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to jointly work out modalities of implementing the taxation of Members of Parliament, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has said.

Mr. Musyoka said MPs were willing to pay taxes, noting that the new constitution requires that all Kenyans pay taxes.

“We are all subject to the new constitution meaning that we all have to pay taxes,” said Mr. Musyoka.

Mr. Musyoka said in the past the 10th Parliament has a date with history as the parliament that successfully implemented the new constitution.

He said MPs should therefore be given the respect they deserve even over this matter of settling tax arrears.

Speaking at St. Stephen Anglican Church of Kenya, Mukuyuni in Kaiti constituency, during a fundraiser, the Vice President said the improvement of the country’s economic situation depends on payment of taxes.

“97% per cent of Kenya’s expenditure comes from taxes paid by Kenyans, companies and other organizations. It is only through these taxes that our economy can be uplifted,” he said.

Development

Earlier Mr. Musyoka attended an open-air Sunday service at the church, presided over by the Machakos ACK Diocese Bishop, Rev. Joseph Kanuku.

The VP called for teamwork and unity among Kenyans as one of way of achieving the much needed development in the country.

He said development was elusive to achieve if leaders do not work as a team in resolving the problems facing wananchi.

The VP noted that the devolved system of government is aimed at taking services closer to the people.

He urged women and the youth take advantage of the new approach and seek the positions at the county noting that the new constitution has catered for their interests.

Leaders who attended the function included assistant minister Gideon Ndambuki (Agriculture)as well as MPs Peter Kiilu (Makueni) and Prof Philip Kaloki (Kibwezi).

Others were former cabinet minister Prof. Kivutha Kibwana, former MP Adeline Mwau, cooperatives Secretary Daniel Maanzo, Anglican Church of Kenya, Makueni DC Ochilo Oyugi among others.

Mr. Kiilu said MPs were ready to pay taxes on their allowances and arrears, saying there was need for consultation on the mode of payment on the matter.

“MPs supported the new constitution and that they will not sabotage its implementation,” said Mr. Kiilu.

Speaker after speaker called for unity among Kamba leaders ahead of the coming general election. Mr. Ndambuki appealed to Kenyans to support Mr. Musyoka for the country’s top seat come 2012.

He said the Kamba community has supported other communities for presidency, saying it is high time for them to reciprocate by supporting Mr. Musyoka’s presidency when President Kibaki retires from office.

Meanwhile, three cabinet ministers have supported the Constitutional requirement to have MPs pay taxes.

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, Transport Minister Amos Kimunya and Trade Minister Chirau Mwakwere are however calling for dialogue with Kenya Revenue Authority before the directive is effected.

But Assistant Minister for Planning, Peter Kenneth is asking KRA to go ahead with the planned exercise and tax the MPs as provided for under the Constitution.

Kenneth says that it should not be an issue of willingness to pay tax but a Constitutional requirement that has to be fulfilled.

TANZANIA:

Tanzania scraps highway threat to Wildebeest

By AFP/ nation.co.ke/ Sunday, June 26 2011  

PARIS, Sunday 

A plan to build a highway through Tanzania’s Serengeti which environmentalists warned would spell disaster for the national park’s famed wildebeest migration has been dropped, UNESCO said Sunday.

The spectacle, which is a major tourist draw, is one of the planet’s greatest natural spectacles.

The proposed highway would have linked remote under-developed communities to larger hubs, cutting a swathe through the park into which giant herds of wildebeest crowd every summer to seek Kenya’s pastures.

Following criticism of the project, the Tanzanian government informed he United Nations’ cultural organisation UNESCO that it had been dropped. Campaigners however cautioned that the battle to kill off the project had not yet been conclusively won and warned that the government was looking at an alternative route.

“The World Heritage Committee has received assurance on the part of the Tanzanian government that the highway project is abandoned,” an official at the UN’s education, science and culture organisation told AFP.

“The committee has therefore decided not to list the site on its list of endangered World Heritage Sites because the threat has disappeared,” the official added. Tanzania’s government had backed the road plan by saying that the country should start caring for its people as much as it did for its wildlife.

But critics said it would destroy what scientists consider to be the “largest remaining migratory system on Earth” and lobbied hard against the project.

erengeti Watch, an organisation committed to preserving the Serengeti’s ecosystem, said it feared the highway plan could re-emerge at a later date. 

Victoire des écologistes sur le projet de route dans le parc du Serengeti

26/06/2011 /goodplanet.info

Le gouvernement tanzanien a décidé de renoncer à son projet controversé de route à travers du parc du Serengeti qui menaçait l’une des plus importantes migrations d’animaux au monde. La route devait relier la côte est de la Tanzanie aux pays des grands lacs (Rwanda, République démocratique du Congo, Ouganda et Burundi) mais coupait le trajet qu’empruntent chaque année 1,5 million de gnous et près de 500 000 antilopes et autres zèbres, risquant ainsi de diviser leur population par trois, rapporte le site Mongabay.

Andrew Obson a participé à la rédaction d’une étude d’impact sur ce projet. Il déclare que « cette décision est une décision sage et éclairée de la part du gouvernement tanzanien. […] Elle permet à la Tanzanie de montrer aux autres pays africains qu’en ce XXIe siècle, le chemin vers le succès économique passe par la balance entre la conservation des ressources naturelles et le développement économique. »

Pour les ONG qui se battent depuis le début contre ce projet, tout comme pour les scientifiques, cette décision est une grande victoire car d’après une étude réalisée par le gouvernement, la route aurait amené au cœur du parc près de 800 véhicules par jour en 2015, et plus de 3 000 en 2035. Les écologistes n’étaient par ailleurs pas les seuls à s’opposer à ce projet : les Etats-Unis, l’Allemagne et les Nations Unies avaient également fait part de leur opposition, tandis que la Banque mondiale avait proposé de payer pour la construction d’un itinéraire bis qui aurait contourné le parc.

Tanzania: Moshi Coffee Curing Firm Earns 7.4 Billion

Peter Temba/ Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)/26 June 2011

Moshi — THE Moshi-based Tanganyika Coffee Curing Company Limited (TCCCo) cured 1,341,197 kilogrammes of coffee in 2010/2011 season.

The firm suffered a curing loss by 23.16 per cent of 1,458,044 kgs of parchment coffee which underwent curing process.

Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union (KNCU) Acting General Manager, Mr Raymond Mushi told the just-ended 29th Annual General Meeting (AGM) that TCCCo also cured 138,112 kgs of organic coffee, which was in the process of disposal as clean coffee in the Moshi Coffee Auction.

“KNCU has already sold 1,045,000 kgs of clean coffee in the auction and earned 7,409,865,210/-,” he said, adding that clean coffee fetched 7,090/- per kilo while a kilo of parchment coffee earned 5,524/-.

Mr Mushi revealed that an overdraft of 2.5bn/- was secured from CRDB Bank to pre-finance coffee procurement from the Rural Primary Co-operatives under KNCU.

The Acting General Manager informed the delegates that the Union will in the forthcoming season 2011/2012 scout for investors to develop all undeveloped plots that it owns.

The union will also advance coffee farmers attractive and competitive prices for their produce and promote cultivation of the new coffee varieties were developed by Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) so as to increase coffee production.

Meanwhile, Moshi Municipal Council has given Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union (KNCU) 90 days to develop its Plot Number 35B, which is located along Old Moshi/Kibo Road and Plot Number 27-32 situated along Usseri/Viwandani Street opposite TCCCo.

KNCU Chairman, Mr Maynard Swai told the delegates that a feasibility study which was intended to develop Plot 35B has already been done and that 10.32bn/- was required to construct a nine-storey building.

However, he said the money for the intended project was yet to be raised.

He said 28.52bn/- was also needed to set up a modern commercial structure on Plot No. 27-32 whose feasibility study was completed since 2007.

The union management has approached the National Housing Corporatio (NHC), the earmarked investor, which has shown interest to invest in one of the plots 

Tanzania hosts sugar conference

SUNDAY, 26 JUNE 2011 / LEONARD MWANGA/ busiweek.com

DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA-Tanzania is hosting a two-day international sugar conference in Dar es Salaam starting this week on Monday.

The Tanzania Sugarcane Growers Association (TASGA) Chairman Dr George Mlingwa told reporters last week that over 100 delegates are expected to attend the historic gathering in Dar es Salaam .

“Tanzania expert will contribute to developments in sugar production, policies, sustainability practices, plus cane and tropical beet research,” Dr Mlingwa said.

The chairman said teachers would also visit Kilombero Sugar complex and out grower farmers, in Morogoro and the Sugarcane Research Institutes in Kibaha, Coast region.

The event brings together farmers and experts from 20 countries globally to deliberate on opportunities and challenges for beet and sugarcane farming in Africa. This is the second time such meeting is held in Africa.

The meeting, to be opened by the Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives, will also highlight the successful partnership between Tanzanian sugarcane farmers and the European Union (EU) delegation.

“This is crucial support, coupled with policy change. It is making Tanzania an increasingly attractive destination for sugar sector investment,” Dr Mlingwa said.

The EU and out growers partnership include road construction of 61 kilometres in sugar districts in Morogoro and Kagera; and block farming scheme assistance.

The partnership is expected to increase the out growers output yield to almost half of the total sugarcane requirement in 2016. Currently, out growers contribute one third of cane requirements, producing 800,000 metric tonnes a year.

The Head of EU Delegation to Tanzania, Ambassador Tim Clarke, who accompanied the TASGA chairman to the press conference yesterday, said the delegation has set aside 7million Euro (about 14bn/-) for helping small-scale sugar producers.

“I have seen with my own eyes the amazing results that have been achieved by sugar producers in Tanzania. This sector has brought prosperity to many small-scale sugar producers, bringing more and more farmers and their families out of poverty,” Mr Clarke said.

He said the potential is still there in sugar industry and out growers expansion as the country total sugar production is 300,000 tonnes per year while consumption stands at 480,000 tonnes.

“And there is a plenty of room for export and production for ethanol to meet the new motorists demands,” the head of EU said.

But he warned that a balance should be struck between human consumption and cars, because if not careful undertaken ethanol demands might cause land disputes.

“If am a government minister. I will want to see that household sugar demand is met, but an investor will maximise the opportunity,” Mr Clarke said, adding, “The objective here is to balance the two for betterment of all parties concern.”

Ethanol pays more than domestic sugar because it is regarded as the alternative cheap future energy for driving motor vehicle engines from expensive fossil fuel. 

Chinese wushu competition held in Tanzania

English.news.cn / Xinhua/ 2011-06-27

DAR ES SALAAM, June 26 (Xinhua) — The first Silver Leaf Chinese Wushu Competition was held on Sunday at Coco Beach in Dar es Salaam with 13 participating teams across Tanzania.

Co-organized by Tanzanian Wushu Association and Chinese Business Chamber of Tanzania, the competition featured two events of Taolu and Sanda.

Mwarami Mitete, President of Tanzanian Wushu Association, told Xinhua that the competition is expected to encourage more Tanzanians to learn Chinese Wushu and boost the sports and culture exchanges between the peoples of the two countries.

“Many Tanzanians like Chinese Wushu and some of them have been to China for training. I visited China’s Shandong province twice last year to study Wushu,” said Mitete.

He also expressed the hope that Chinese coaches could come to Tanzania to teach Wushu, however, there is a constrain of expense, he added.

For his part, Zhu Jinfeng, Chairman of Chinese Business Chamber of Tanzania, said that this is the first time for Tanzania to hold a national Chinese Wushu Competition, pledging continued support to the event and wishing greater success to next year’s competition.

After the competition, Chinese ambassador to Tanzania Liu Xinsheng sent congratulations on the success of the 1st Silver Leaf Chinese Wushu Competition, expressing his belief that the event for sure will enhance the people-to-people exchange between the two countries and wishing long-lasting China-Tanzania friendship.

Established in 2009, Tanzanian Wushu Association consists of 15 club teams.

Editor: Deng Shasha

ANGOLA: 

Angolan Central Bank Wants Banks to Lend More, Diario Reports

By Henrique Almeida / bloomberg.com/ Jun 27, 2011  

Angola’s central bank is adopting a series of measures to allow commercial banks in the southern African nation to increase lending and help bolster economic growth, Diario Economico reported today.

The central bank plans to introduce less restrictive measures for Angola’s financial institutions to help them lower the cost of loans to the market, the Portuguese newspaper said, citing Banco Nacional de Angola Vice Governor Antonio Andre Lopes.

AU/AFRICA: 

Latest developments in Arab political unrest stretching from North Africa to the Persian Gulf

By Associated Press,/ Published: June 26

___

SYRIA

Syrian forces open fire at funerals for slain political protesters, a human rights activist says, leaving two more people dead as Syria tries to subdue weeks of demonstrations against President Bashar Assad.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, the London-based director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, says the two were killed Saturday in al-Kaswa, a suburb of the Syrian capital. Security forces opened fire when the funerals for protesters killed on Friday turned into protests themselves.

Abdul-Rahman says one person was also killed Saturday in Damascus’ Barzeh neighborhood and two were killed in the village of al-Quseir, near the Lebanese border.

___

LIBYA

Rebels in Libya’s western mountains say they have advanced and are battling Moammar Gadhafi’s forces in a strategic town southwest of the capital, ramping up pressure against government troops on a second front.

The rebels’ claim of an advance into the outskirts of the town of Bair al-Ghanam, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Tripoli, follows weeks of intense fighting in the Nafusa mountains in which opposition forces have slowly pushed Gadhafi troops back toward the capital.

A rebel military spokesman in the Nafusa mountains, Gomaa Ibrahim, says opposition fighters and government troops have been fighting since early Sunday on the periphery of Bair al-Ghanam.

The town is significant because it is only 19 miles (30 kilometers) south of the city of Zawiya, a key western gateway to the capital and home to a crucial oil refinery.

___

EGYPT

A senior member of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood says he is forming a new political party as the Islamic fundamentalist group rapidly splinters. Last week, several young members broke off and launched a rival to the Brotherhood’s main Freedom and Justice Party.

Khaled Dawoud, a senior Brotherhood figure, says he and other members are forming a separate party to be called al-Riyada, Arabic for The Pioneers. He risks forfeiting Brotherhood membership as the group has banned members from forming separate parties.

___

YEMEN

The powerful son of Yemen’s embattled leader voices support for efforts spearheaded by the opposition and the acting president to find a solution to the nation’s political turmoil.

In a statement issued by his office, Ahmed Saleh, who controls the elite Republican Guards, expresses his backing for attempts led by Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and opposition leaders to “reach a solution to the current crisis.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters rally across Yemen, demanding that President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s family and members of his inner circle leave the country.

___

MOROCCO

Tens of thousands of people demonstrate around Morocco both for and against a proposed new constitution, just a week before it is to be voted on in a referendum.

In Morocco’s largest city, Casablanca, government supporters first block then attack with rocks a march by thousands of activists, wounding many.

King Mohammed VI announced a new constitution June 17 following unprecedented nationwide protests for greater freedoms in the preceding months.

___

TUNISIA

A gang of ultraconservative Islamists attack a movie theater in downtown Tunis because it was showing a film about secularism.

Around 100 bearded men shouting “God is great” smash the windows of Cinema Afrique, where the movie “Neither God nor master” by France-based Tunisian director Nadia Feni is playing.

An AP reporter saw eight of them forcing their way inside and attacking filmgoers, including prominent directors, before being apprehended by police.

Tunisia’s former regime ruthlessly cracked down on political Islam. Since its downfall in popular protests, however, Islamists have become more active.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 

Gaddafi vows to ‘stay out of AU peace talks’

26 Jun 2011 / http://english.aljazeera.net

African Union officials meeting in Pretoria say Libya leader has agreed not to take part in talks to end fighting.

Libya’s leader, Muammar Gaddafi, has agreed to stay out of negotiations to end the four-month old conflict in his country, African Union (AU) leaders said.

AU leaders announced the agreement in a statement on Sunday following talks in the South African capital, Pretoria, aimed at ending hostilities between pro-Gaddafi forces and opposition fighters seeking an end to his rule in battle-ravaged Libya.

Heads of states from the Republic of Congo, Mali, Mauritania and Uganda attended the talks hosted by South African President Jacob Zuma.

“The AU High Level Ad Hoc Committee welcomes Colonel Gaddafi’s acceptance of not being part of the negotiation process,” AU leaders said in a statement after Sunday’s meeting.

“Following the suspension of hostilities … the Libyan parties should begin the national dialogue for a comprehensive ceasefire, national reconciliation, transitional arrangements, as well as the agenda for democratic transformation.”

Al Jazeera’s Peter Greste, reporting from Pretoria, said AU leaders called for an immediate end to hostilities before anything else.

“It says that will all lead to an interim government with the support of the African Union and the United Nations,” he said.

“Of course, all of that is a very long way off. We have to get to those talks in the first place. But … it does appear to be a major breakthrough.”

There was no immediate confirmation from Libya that Gaddafi would step out of any negotiations – but if confirmed, the agreement would remove a major obstacle to peace.

‘Ceasefire coming soon’

Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from the eastern Libyan stronghold of Benghazi, said opposition leaders had dismissed the AU proposal.

“What they would like to see as the starting point is for Gaddafi to pull back his forces, for his forces to return to the military barracks, as well as for Gaddafi to release the scores of prisoners that they are holding,” she said.

“For them, there is no solution to this conflict unless Gaddafi actually leaves office [and] leaves power.”

Jalal El Gallal, a spokesman for the opposition Transitional National Council in Benghazi, said opposition leaders are also unwilling to talk to anyone in Gaddafi’s family or his inner circle.

“It’s very difficult to speak with anybody that has blood on his hands,” Gallal told Al Jazeera.

“If there’s going to be any negotiations, first they have to adhere to the resolution of the United Nations by withdrawing their forces to the barracks, allowing humanitarian aid and allowing people to demonstrate.”

African reservations

Many AU leaders, including Zuma, have voiced reservations over NATO’s ongoing air campaign against Gaddafi forces.

Gaddafi is a long-time backer of the AU and a forceful advocate for stronger continental integration. He held the pan-African body’s rotating chair in 2009 and has twice held talks with members of the panel.

The UN had sanctioned the air assault with a view to protect civilians from a security crackdown that the Libyan leader unleashed in response to the uprising against his rule.

Zuma’s government, which currently holds a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, did vote in favour of the UN resolution, accusing Gaddafi of committing a “heinous violation of human rights against his own people” with his crackdown on the anti-government protests.

But he has since been critical of NATO for pursuing regime change, straying far outside the resolution’s civilian protection focus.

Earlier this month, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who chairs the AU panel on Libya, told AFP that Gaddafi “can no longer lead Libya,” and that “his departure has become necessary”.

The president and other African leaders have repeatedly called for a ceasefire and a diplomatic solution to the conflict, although they have so far failed to come up with a truce proposal that meets the rebels’ and NATO’s pre-condition that Gaddafi and his inner circle must leave power.

In recent days, rumours have been rife that the Libyan leader may consider leaving Tripoli and that rebels could accept his internal exile to a remote location.

The rumours have been fuelled by a military deadlock on the ground and a steady trickle of defections from Gaddafi’s forces.

The rebels said on Saturday that 38 Gaddafi officers – including six high-ranking officials – fled to Tunisia a day earlier.

AU: Gaddafi not part of negotiations

Sapa / 27 juin, 2011

President Jacob Zuma, speaking at a meeting of African leaders yesterday, described the violence in Libya as “urgent”.

Speaking in Pretoria, Zuma criticised the Nato bombing of Libya, saying the UN resolution authorising air strikes did not sanction a regime change.

South Africa, a signatory to the resolution, has come under increasing criticism for supporting the bombardment of Libya by Nato forces.

Zuma, who met Muammar Gaddafi in Tripoli last month said: “The people of Libya are looking to us to end this carnage. The people of Africa want to see an immediate end to conflict in Libya and the beginning of the process towards a democratic dispensation there.”

The UN resolution’s intention ”was not to authorise a campaign for regime change or political assassinations”, Zuma said in an opening speech to the AU panel.

“Civilian lives have been lost due to these bombs and civilian infrastructure has suffered untold damage.”

Since voting for the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya by Nato, Zuma has, with increasingly forceful language, joined other African leaders in calling for an end to the air strikes

“On the ground, there is a military stalemate, which cannot and must not be allowed to drag on – both because of its horrendous cost in civilian lives and the potential it has to destabilise the entire sub-region,” he said.

“The solution in Libya has to be political and lies in the hands of the Libyan people.

“Our Libyan brothers and sisters – those in authority and those in the TNC [Transitional National Council] have to act boldly and show leadership.”

The meeting came after Libyan rebels said late on Saturday that they expected to receive a new offer from Gaddafi “very soon” through French and South African intermediaries.

Zuma met Gaddafi in Tripoli on May 30 but was rebuffed in his efforts to find a compromise.

Zuma was meeting the leaders of Mauritania, Uganda and Mali, and Congo-Brazzaville’s foreign minister, to find ways of pushing forward an AU “road map” for Libya.

The plan calls for a cease-fire and reforms “necessary for the elimination of the causes of the current crisis” but the rebels have rejected African leaders’ efforts to mediate a solution and insist that Gaddafi must end his grip on power before they will consider accept a deal.

In a further development yesterday, African leaders said Gaddafi had agreed not to take part in negotiations to end the turmoil in Libya.

There was no immediate confirmation from Libya of what could be a major concession.

In a communique issued after a day-long meeting in Pretoria, the African Union’s committee on Libya said it “welcomes Colonel Gaddafi’s acceptance of not being part of the negotiation process”.

The communique did not elaborate, and committee members did not take questions. 

Al Qathafi Not Part of AU’s Plan in Attempt to Map Out Peace Deal

27/06/2011 /http://tripolipost.com

In a statement on Sunday, the African Union said that Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi would not be part of the AU’s next attempt to map out a peace deal in Libya following a conflict that has been ongoing since mid February as rebels try to oust him from power after 41 years at the helm.

At the end of a meeting of the African Union’s special committee on Libya, Ramtane Lamamra, the African Union’s commissioner for peace and security, told reporters in Pretoria, that “The AU high-level ad hoc committee welcomes Colonel Al Qathafi’s acceptance of not being part of the negotiation process”

It was unclear who would represent the Libyan government in negotiations, or when negotiations would occur.

Over the past three months, embers of the special committee had meetings with Al Qathafi and also members of the opposition National Transitional Council based in Benghazi. The latest meeting Sunday follows yet another AU failed attempt to broker peace between the Libyan leader and the rebels, with the last initiative in April also falling through.

In its proposed agreement in April, the African Union said Al Qathafi had agreed in principle to stop all hostilities and allow outside forces to help keep the peace.

But rebels rejected the non-binding proposal, saying it did not address whether Al Qathafi would step down or provide any solution to the violence against the Libyan people.

South African President Jacob Zuma who hosted Sunday’s special meeting, expressed concern at the continued bombing by NATO and its allies. He said that initially, and according to the UN security resolution 1973, the intention was not to authorise a campaign for regime change or political assassination, but to safeguard the civilians in Libya.

The committee, which includes representatives from Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Uganda and South Africa, was established in March. It intended to discuss avenues to end the fighting in Libya that has left tens of thousands dead.

Libya also holds a seat on the 15-member Peace and Security Council, which is headed by Lamamra, as such, opposition leaders had voiced doubt that any mediation involving that multinational group would end the conflict in a way that would satisfy their goals, which include the ousting of Al Qathafi.

Ahead of Sunday’s meeting, human rights activists had urged the AU to prioritise the issue of the plight of civilians caught in armed conflicts, including Libya. It also followed claims a day earlier by the Libyan government that NATO warplanes had bombed a bakery and a restaurant in a key oil refinery town east of Tripoli, that killed 15 civilians.

Africa: Observations And Recommendations On the International Criminal Court And the African Union – in Advance of the 17th African Union Summit (30 June-1 July)

27 June 2011/ Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC)/ http://allafrica.com

document

I. Introduction

On the occasion of the 17th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU)-which will take place in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, from 30 June to 1 July-we, the undersigned African civil society organisations and international organisations with a presence in Africa, write to share our views and make recommendations with regard to matters concerning the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the AU.

The document covers seven areas of action, which we believe are critical for African ICC states parties to undertake. As discussed in detail below, we call on African ICC states parties to:

Take clear positions in support of the ICC at African Union summits;

Press for justice for serious crimes in violation of international law in Darfur and Kenya;

Direct concerns regarding AU deferral requests of ICC situations to the Security Council;

Address concerns regarding expansion of the African Court to prosecute serious crimes in violation of international law;

Ensure cooperation with the ICC’s prosecution of serious crimes committed in Libya;

Uphold ICC state party obligations vis-à-vis visits by persons subject to ICC arrest warrants; and

Ensure the selection of the most qualified candidate as the next ICC prosecutor through a fair and merit-based process.

II. Take clear positions in support of the ICC at African Union summits

Africa has been at the forefront of the fight against impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. African states played a critical role in the negotiations that led to the formation of the ICC, and over 30 African states have ratified the Rome Statute, which establishes the ICC.

Following arrest warrants issued by the ICC for President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur, the ICC’s relationship with the AU has been strained. The AU has expressed its deep concern over the arrest warrants, and undertaken initiatives that undermine the court, including calling for non-cooperation by AU member states in the arrest of President al-Bashir.[1] AU officials have also suggested that the ICC is targeting Africans.[2]

It is a fact that all situations under ICC investigation to date are in Africa, which has been a source of disquiet among some observers. Furthermore, international justice has yet to be applied evenly around the globe; individuals from powerful states and their allies have been able to evade accountability for serious crimes in violation of international law, for example, in Burma, Chechnya, and Gaza/Israel.

However, the number of African cases is also a manifestation of African commitment to justice for the most serious crimes. A majority of the ICC’s situations came about as a result of voluntary referrals by the governments of states where the crimes were committed.[3] We believe Africa should build on support for accountability as opposed to scaling down its resolve because others have failed to demonstrate their commitment or temporarily managed to avoid judicial scrutiny. The AU should indeed work proactively to achieve wider access to justice for the worst crimes, rather than seeking to limit the ICC’s ability to function effectively.

Support and cooperation by ICC states parties for the ICC is vital. Without its own enforcement mechanism, the court depends heavily on state cooperation to operate. Accordingly, we call upon African ICC states parties to:

Express support for the ICC and cooperation with the ICC at AU summits;

Work to avoid further calls by the AU for member states not to cooperate with the ICC or otherwise undermine the ICC’s ability to advance its mission and mandate;

Express individual government positions in support of the ICC where AU action might suggest lack of support;[4] and

Press for the establishment of an ICC liaison office at AU headquarters and conclusion of a memorandum of understanding between the AU and the ICC.[5]

III. Press for accountability for crimes committed in Kenya and Darfur and direct any concerns regarding requests for deferral of ICC situations to the UN Security Council

At the January 2011 summit, the AU adopted a decision to endorse Kenya’s request for a deferral pursuant to article 16 of the Rome Statute of the ICC’s cases involving Kenya.[6] Following this endorsement, the government of Kenya submitted a formal request to the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the two cases to be deferred. The Security Council held two meetings to consider this request in 2011, but did not grant it.

The undersigned organizations believe that a deferral of the ICC’s investigations and prosecutions in Kenya is unwarranted. For a deferral to be granted, the Security Council must find a threat to international peace and security pursuant to article 16 of the Rome Statute. This is a high threshold and suggests that deferrals should only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Notably, one of the main justifications for the AU’s support of Kenya’s bid for a deferral was to allow for national prosecutions. However, national accountability efforts are not a legal basis for deferrals, consistent with articles 17 and 19 of the Rome Statute.

In supporting a deferral of the ICC’s Kenya cases, we believe the AU has given inadequate attention to the will of the citizens of its states and the victims of atrocities who wish to see justice done. For example, opinion polls in Kenya have indicated that the majority of Kenyans support the ICC process, and that the ICC is the only process that could bring justice and address the festering culture of impunity.[7]

The situation in Darfur is distinct. While the Security Council has discussed the AU’s deferral request on Darfur,[8] the council’s consideration of the request was less direct than for Kenya.[9] Nevertheless, the victims of atrocities in Darfur similarly yearn for justice. The AU’s own panel on Darfur found that in Darfur and Sudan, “many are strongly opposed to any suspension of the ICC action, seeing it as an escape route… from the demands of justice,” and “welcomed… ICC prosecutions as the only appropriate mechanism for dealing with the situation they have suffered in Darfur.”[10]

Accordingly, we urge African ICC states parties to urge the AU to:

Take concrete steps to encourage the governments of Kenya and Sudan, consistent with the AU’s rejection of impunity in Article 4 of its Constitutive Act, to ensure accountability for serious crimes that have been committed in both states; and

Direct any outstanding concerns regarding deferrals of cases in the Kenya and Darfur situations to the UN Security Council (as opposed to the ICC, or the threat of non-cooperation with the court). The ICC has no authority to grant or reject deferral requests. This is a power left exclusively to the Security Council under article 16 of the Rome Statute.

IV. Concerns regarding expansion of the African Court’s jurisdiction

The AU has indicated its intention to expand the jurisdiction of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights (African Court) to include prosecutions of individuals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Increased avenues for accountability are positive in principle. However, the undersigned organisations have concerns with the proposed expansion given the range of challenges the African Court already faces and the additional challenges that expansion of its jurisdiction will pose.

In 2008, the AU issued a protocol merging two courts on the continent, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Court of Justice, establishing the African Court. The new court-whose protocol will enter into force once 15 states ratify it-comprises two chambers, one for general legal matters and one for rulings on human rights treaties. Notably, states will be required to submit declarations to enable individuals and non-governmental organizations (NGO) to submit claims directly to the African Court; only five states have made these necessary declarations for such submissions to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The African Court is limited to cases that relate to the responsibility of states vis-à-vis human rights violations and to the interpretation of treaties. Expanding the court’s jurisdiction to prosecutions of individuals for serious crimes would thus put enormous challenges on the court to address a large, distinct area. For example, prosecutions of individuals require criminal investigations, which often span many different locations and relate to multiple actors and incidents. They also require expertise in examining witnesses and victims with due regard to their protection, while ensuring the rights of the accused.

Against this backdrop, we encourage African ICC states parties to insist on:

Wider consultation with civil society-including victim groups and bar associations-and officials of the existing African Court and African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights regarding expansion of the African Court’s jurisdiction;

Adherence by the African Court to international standards and best practice regarding any prosecutions of serious crimes in violation of international law, including, but not limited to, judicial and prosecutorial independence, rights of the accused, and witness and victim protection;

The matching of the political commitment to expand the African Court’s jurisdiction and resources to enable operations in accordance with international standards and best practices; and

Clarity regarding the relationship between an expanded African Court and the ICC, and recognizing the ICC’s ultimate role in determining which cases come under its authority, ensuring that expansion of the African Court does not undermine the ICC’s role as a crucial court of last resort where accountability for serious crimes is not otherwise possible, consistent with the AU’s rejection of impunity in Article 4 of its Constitutive Act.

V. Ensure cooperation with the ICC’s prosecution of serious crimes committed in Libya

On 26 February 2011, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1970 referring the situation in Libya to the ICC. The unanimous vote for the referral, which was supported by the three African members of the Security Council-Gabon, Nigeria, and South Africa-followed sustained reports of grave human rights violations committed by the Libyan government. The Security Council was also mindful of widespread condemnation by the AU and others of violations committed in Libya.

The timing of the Security Council referral makes this the earliest the ICC has become involved in a situation. On 16 May 2011, the prosecutor disclosed that he was seeking arrest warrants for widespread and systematic attacks on civilians in Libya, namely for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi.

Meanwhile, on 17 March 2011, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, authorizing all means necessary short of foreign occupation to protect civilians in Libya. Although supported by the African members of the Security Council, the resolution was of immediate concern to the AU, which opposes any form of foreign military intervention in Libya.[11]

The AU subsequently issued a decision on 25 May, which we believe creates a risk that Resolutions 1970 (ICC referral) and 1973 (the authorization of the use of force) are being conflated.[12] Specifically, the decision states: “[T]he Assembly… expressed deep concern at the dangerous precedence being set by oneâ-sided interpretations of these resolutions [1970 and 1973], in an attempt to provide a legal authority for military and other actions on the ground that are clearly outside the scope of these resolutions….”

The ICC’s investigation and prosecution of crimes in Libya is distinct from the authorization of the use of force. While the interpretation and implementation of Resolution 1973 may pose concerns, the ICC’s work is a separate matter of accountability. Moreover, cooperation of ICC states parties is likely to be critical to the ICC’s investigation and prosecution of crimes committed in Libya: the court is investigating crimes committed in a country where the government is overtly hostile to proceedings and the enforcement of any future arrest warrants will be a major challenge.

Accordingly, we urge African ICC states parties to:

Ensure that concerns regarding the Security Council’s authorization of force in Libya do not detract from the ICC’s independent, judicial role in ensuring accountability for crimes committed in Libya; and

Ensure cooperation with the ICC in relation to its Libya investigations and prosecutions.

VI. Uphold obligations as ICC states parties vis-à-vis visits by persons subject to ICC arrest warrants

Following the AU decision calling for non-cooperation by AU member states with the ICC in the arrest of President al-Bashir, some officials have argued that the AU call for non-cooperation takes precedence over ICC treaty obligations.[13] Such claims, however, do not take into account that the ICC’s Rome Statute is a multilateral treaty, which contains binding international obligations. Such obligations are not negated by AU decisions, irrespective of conflicts that may arise between states’ commitments as AU and ICC members.

In ratifying the Rome Statute, African ICC states parties assumed obligations that require them to cooperate with the court, including arrest and surrender of suspects. Accordingly, while states can be expected to face pressure to allow President al-Bashir on their territory without arrest, ICC states parties are well-placed to take the position that:

A visit by President al-Bashir creates the prospect of a breach by ICC states parties of their obligations as parties to the court; and

Given their obligations under the Rome Statute, states parties should arrest President al-Bashir if he enters their territory, but at a minimum they should prevent visits by him.

This is consistent with an AU decision, which calls for states to balance ICC and AU obligations.[14]

VII. Support the fair selection of the most qualified candidate as the next ICC prosecutor

In December 2011 the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) of the ICC will elect its second prosecutor. The election of a new prosecutor will have a major impact on the court’s work, credibility, and legitimacy over the next decade.

We understand that the selection of the next ICC prosecutor may be considered during the AU summit. To ensure that the most highly qualified candidate is elected, it is essential that the search for the next ICC prosecutor be driven by merit. In this regard, we believe key qualifications include demonstrated experience in: prosecuting complex criminal cases, acting independently and impartially, managing institutions with professional excellence, and communicating effectively to a wide variety of constituencies.

The ASP Bureau’s December 2010 decision to establish a search committee to seek out possible candidates and carefully review expressions of interest with a view to recommending at least three prosecutor candidates is therefore a welcome development. Accordingly, we urge African ICC states parties to:

Forward to the search committee the names of as many of the most qualified candidates to ensure the search committee has the best possible pool of candidates from which to draw;[15] and

Avoid politicization of the elections process, which risks obscuring the merits of applications.

[1] See Assembly of the AU, Assembly/AU/Dec.296 (XV), Kampala, 27 July 2010, paras. 5, 8, and 9.

[2] See “ICC accused of ‘exclusively’ targeting Africans,” Mail & Guardian Online, 20 April 2011, http://mg.co.za/article/2011-04-20-icc-accused-of-exclusively-targeting-… (accessed 3 June 2010). (“‘We’ve been complaining…about the double standard,’ AU commission president Jean Ping said, referring to the court in The Hague…'[P]eople who are targeted there, all of them, are exclusively Africans.'”)

[3] These are Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Uganda, and Central African Republic. Two other situations were referred to the ICC by the UN Security Council (Darfur and Libya). The prosecutor acted on his own initiative to open an investigation in only one situation (Kenya).

[4] States such as Botswana, South Africa, and Uganda have reaffirmed their commitment to abide by their obligations to arrest ICC suspects in the wake of AU summit decisions calling for non-cooperation. See, for example, “Botswana stands by the International Criminal Court,” Botswana Press Agency, 28 July 2010, http://www.gov.bw/en/News/Botswana-stands-by-the-International-Criminal-… (accessed 22 September 2010); Godfrey Olukya, “Uganda willing to arrest Sudan President al-Bashir for war crimes,” Associated Press, 14 July 2009, http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/africa/2009/07/14/216163/Ugand… (accessed 14 June 2011).

[5] Despite African ICC state party support for an ICC liaison office at AU headquarters, the office was rejected for the time being by the AU heads of state in 2010. Assembly of the AU, Assembly/AU/Dec.296 (XV), Kampala, 27 July 2010, para. 8. We continue to believe a liaison office could play an important role in promoting effective communication and exchange between the AU and the ICC, including by helping to clarify misconceptions. In addition, a memorandum of understanding would allow the ICC and the AU to address matters of mutual importance. Similar agreements exist between the ICC and the European Union, the Organisation of American States, and the United Nations.

[6] The ICC has issued summonses for six individuals in two separate cases. These individuals include senior politicians and government officials affiliated with both sides of Kenya’s 2007-08 post-election violence.

[7] See, for example, Walter Menya, “Poll: 61pc of Kenyans prefer ICC trials,” Daily Nation, 5 April 2011, http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/-/1064/1139102/-/7qbmkq/-/index.ht… (accessed 6 June 2011).

[8] At a Security Council meeting in 2008 on the AU-UN hybrid operation in Darfur, the ICC’s Darfur prosecutions and the lack of sufficient support to secure deferral of the cases were discussed. For example, the Russian government stated that deferral was not possible because of “resistance by a number of Security Council members.” The Libyan government similarly noted: “Despite all the reasons that we put forward to justify [deferral of the Sudanese situation], we did not receive the hoped-for response from certain Council members.” UN Security Council, 5947th Meeting, S/PV.5947, 31 July 2008. See also UN Security Council, Resolution 1828, S/RES/1828 (2008), preamble.

[9] Discussions on the Kenyan deferral request resulted in a press statement by the Security Council. See SC President Néstor Osorio, “Press Statement on the request of Kenya for deferral under article 16 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (S/2011/201),” United Nations Webcast, 8 April 2011, http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/2011/04/sc-president-nestor-osori… (accessed 6 June 2011).

[10] AU Peace and Security Council, “Report of the African Union High-Level Panel on Darfur (AUPD),” Abuja, 29 October 2009, paras. 240 and 243.

[11] Five members of the Security Council-Brazil, Russia, India, China, and Germany-also abstained from Resolution 1973 for reasons including a rejection of the use of force and a concern for the impact on Libyans.

[12] Assembly of the AU, Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec/(01.2011), Addis Ababa, 25 May 2011, paras. 3 and 7.

[13] See “Chad says it will not execute ICC warrant against Libya’s Gaddafi,” Sudan Tribune, 18 May 2011, http://www.sudantribune.com/Chad-says-it-will-not-execute-ICC,38950; “Zambia says Sudanese president should not fear arrest on its territory,” Sudan Tribune, 11 December 2010, http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?iframe&page=imprimable&id_article=3… “Kenya pushes back over war crimes suspect’s visit,” CNN, 2 September 2010, http://articles.cnn.com/2010-09-02/world/kenya.bashir.visit_1_al-bashir-… (accessed 7 June 2011).

[14] Assembly/AU/Dec.296 (XV), Kampala, 27 July 2010, para. 6.

[15] Names of candidates may be provided to the ASP Search Committee through the ASP Secretariat, at the following email address: rene.holbach@icc-cpi.int. See “Search Committee for the position of ICC Prosecutor takes up work,” ICC press release, 2 February 2011, http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/exeres/09944531-548B-467F-882D-06EF5937899B.ht… (accessed 9 June 2011).

Africa moves to ban female genital mutilation

PTI / Times of India/ Jun 27, 2011

MALABO: Prohibiting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is part of the agenda of the 19th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council which has opened here.

The item on FGM was proposed by Burkina Faso, to educate African States on the need to fully support the draft resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations to ban FGM in the world, because it is considered harmful to women’s health.

The draft resolution is the result of a campaign that involves Burkina Faso and Egypt, among other countries, after it was revealed that 91.5 million victims of this phenomenon in the world are mostly children under the age of nine.

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that, despite the efforts over the last two decades to eliminate FGM in the world, “about three million girls undergo yearly the risk of genital mutilation.”

In Malabo, the AU foreign ministers will, among other things, consider setting up a common front and harmonised fight against FGM.

The recommended actions include the creation and implementation of national mechanisms to inform, educate, prevent and suppress the practice of FGM, as well as the ratification and implementation of regional and international legal instruments to fight against the phenomenon.

In Africa, the main actions against the practice are attributed to the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices affecting the Health of Women and Children (CWC), chaired by Burkina Faso since 2008, and national committees in 28 States considered to be the continent’s most affected. 

Experts to vet EAC’s development strategy

Monday, 27 June 2011 /By Mark Mugisha, East African News Agency/ http://thecitizen.co.tz

Arusha. Development experts are in the process of validating the East African Community’s 2011-2016 Development Strategy, with the aim of determining the areas of interest the strategy should focus on in the five-year period.

The weeklong validation process, which started over the weekend, is taking place in Kampala, Uganda, with experts from all the five EAC member states – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda – in attendance.

The experts are also due to discuss the strategy’s monitoring and evaluation framework in a bid to address issues such as what should be achieved and the costing of the development strategy.

“We need to know how much it will cost and this will determine how much each partner state will contribute,” Aime Uwase, the director of Strategy and Policy Research in Rwanda’s ministry of EAC Affairs, told the Independent East African News Agency (EANA).

He added: “As for Rwanda, we would like to see trade facilitation given its due attention. But emphasis should also be put on regional projects on infrastructure like roads and railways as well as energy.”

Rwanda would also like to see consolidation of the region’s Customs Union, Uwase said, as well as the removal of non-tariff barriers (NTBs).

Serge Kamuhinda, a senior policy analyst in the Office of the President in Rwanda, said that the EAC should adopt a single matrix and template to be used in the easy formulation of the development strategy.

A delegate from Kenya, who requested for anonymity, said trade and industrialisation should be given priority in the strategic plan.

“We need to move extremely fast on the region’s industrialization plan or we’ll be left in the new century,” the delegate said.

All the EAC partner states each presented proposals on what the strategy should entail. 

Gadhafi agrees to skip Libyan peace talks

African Union welcomes move

AFP/ June 27, 2011

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has agreed to stay out of negotiations on ending his country’s four-month conflict, African leaders said in a communiqué after talks Sunday in South Africa.

The African Union panel on Libya “welcomes Colonel Gadhafi’s acceptance of not being part of the negotiations process,” the statement said, without elaborating.

AU peace and security commissioner Ramtane Lamamra read out the communiqué but refused to take questions.

A South African official who requested anonymity said: “We wanted Gadhafi to make a public statement that he would not take part in the negotiations but he would not.” When asked about the significance of that, the official, who was part of a South African team that travelled to Tripoli last month in a failed bid to launch peace talks, said: “This means he is finished.”

The communiqué repeated the African Union’s call for an immediate ceasefire that would lead to negotiations toward democracy, as well as an end to NATO air raids against Gadhafi targets.

“The Libyan parties should begin the national dialogue for a comprehensive ceasefire, national reconciliation, transitional arrangements, as well as the agenda for democratic transformation,” it said. “These measures we are proposing should go hand in hand with an equally determined humanitarian effort,” it added.

“In this context, we reiterate the call we made at the extraordinary summit of the AU of May 25, 2011, for the stopping of NATO bombings and the observance of a humanitarian pause.” 

Kadhafi frappé par un mandat d’arrêt international

Par Thomas Vampouille/ lefigaro.fr/27/06/2011

Chargée d’enquêter sur les crimes commis en Libye depuis le début de la révolte en février, la Cour pénale internationale a décidé de demander l’arrestation de Mouammar Kadhafi pour crimes contre l’humanité.

Mouammar Kadhafi a rejoint lundi le club très fermé des chefs d’État recherchés par la justice internationale. La Cour pénale internationale (CPI) a annoncé la délivrance d’un mandat d’arrêt pour crimes contre l’humanité contre le dirigeant libyen. Une procédure très rare, puisqu’elle n’avait été jusqu’ici lancée qu’une fois contre un président en exercice, le Soudanais Omar el-Béchir, pour génocide

«Il y a des motifs raisonnables de croire que (…) Mouammar Kadhafi, en coordination avec son cercle rapproché, a conçu et orchestré un plan destiné réprimer et à décourager la population qui était contre le régime», a estimé la juge Sanji Mmasenono Monageng en annonçant à La Haye, siège du tribunal permanent, l’émission du mandat d’arrêt. Le fils du colonel Kadhafi, Seïf Al-Islam, et le chef des services de renseignements libyens, Abdallah Al-Senoussi, sont également visés. En tant que «premier ministre de facto» et bras droit» du colonel Kadhafi, ils ont «joué un rôle clé dans la mise en oeuvre de ce plan», selon le procureur de la CPI Luis Moreno-Ocampo, qui a réclamé ces mandats d’arrêt.

Omar el-Béchir toujours au pouvoir au Soudan

Saisi par le Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies, le procureur avait ouvert son enquête sur les événements en Libye le 3 mars, soit deux semaines après l’éclatement de la révolte. Selon lui, la répression menée par Tripoli a déjà fait des milliers de morts et donné lieu à une campagne de viols de masse. Elle a également entraîné la fuite à l’étranger de près de 650.000 Libyens, ainsi que le déplacement à l’intérieur du pays de 243.000 autres, selon l’ONU. La campagne de bombardements de l’Otan pour aider les rebelles libyens, qui dure depuis cent jours, n’a pas empêché l’enlisement du conflit, et le colonel Kadhafi est toujours au pouvoir.

Très forte symboliquement, l’annonce de la CPI a été accueillie par des scènes de liesse à Benghazi, deuxième ville de Libye devenue le fief de la rébellion. Mais elle risque pourtant de rester lettre morte. C’est le cas jusqu’à présent pour le président soudanais Omar el-Béchir, sous le coup d’un mandat d’arrêt depuis 2009 mais qui se trouve toujours à la tête du Soudan. Depuis qu’il est recherché, il a toujours pris soin de ne voyager que dans des pays qui ne reconnaissent pas la légitimité de la CPI. Or celle-ci, ne disposant d’aucune force de police propre, dépend de la volonté des États pour l’exécution des mandats d’arrêt.

Concernée par les dossiers soudanais et libyen, l’Union africaine s’était prononcée collectivement contre la CPI à propos d’Omar el-Béchir, refusant de l’arrêter sur le territoire africain. Sur la Libye, le président sud-africain Jacob Zuma avait, au nom de l’Afrique, haussé le ton dimanche face à l’OTAN, soulignant que l’Alliance n’avait pas été mandatée par l’ONU pour conduire «l’assassinat politique» de Mouammar Kadhafi. Il est donc peu probable, à nouveau, que l’UA soit décidée à épauler la CPI sur ce dossier

UN/AFRICA :
 

US/AFRICA :

Obama’s political comrade in arms: Michelle

Reuters/(27/6/2011)

Washington, June 27, 2011

She does not consider herself a “secret weapon,” but Michelle Obama’s trip to Africa showed the US first lady has sharp political skills that White House aides can exploit to help re-elect her husband. On her second official solo trip abroad, Mrs Obama played the roles of traditional and non-tradit

ional politician, meeting with the President of Botswana, calling on the first lady of South Africa, and sharing a moment with Nelson Mandela, the former South African president and anti apartheid icon.

She delivered a well received speech to encourage young leaders, painted a wall with teenagers infected with HIV/AIDS, and gave, along with her daughters, a lively oral reading of Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat” to a group of children.

Audiences were smitten, highlighting her unique ability to connect with people on behalf of and independently from President Barack Obama. Those skills will now be applied to domestic politics as the 2012 presidential election heats up.

The first lady arrived back in Washington late on Sunday and has a series of fund raisers for Democrats this week. More campaign related activities will crop up in her schedule over the coming months.

Despite her popularity at home and abroad, Mrs. Obama downplays her role in the president’s political universe. “I think my husband is his secret weapon. I mean, people will vote on who they think will make a good President. And they’re going to look at his accomplishments,” she said during an interview in Botswana with reporters traveling with her through Africa.

“They’re going to look at the future — or what kind of future we envision as a country. I think that’s what happened in the last election. My motto is: Do no harm.”

She does not appear to be doing any harm. In events throughout her trip audiences lapped up her “mom-in-chief” style of international diplomacy.

One of her most effective tools: the hug. At event after event, the first lady wrapped the young people she met in her arms, triggering tears from some who seemed, more than awed by the presence of a famous figure, overwhelmed by the intimacy of her outreach.

Political instincts

Obama is not shy about discussing her initial disdain for politics. She draws laughter regularly when she says she tried to discourage her husband from running for the White House. But she is a canny politician in her own right.

Like the President, she stays on message. She can be wordy but she is deft at dodging a question or steering a conversation toward a theme she finds more comfortable. Those skills — and her clear ability to connect with people — make her valuable, and she knows that.

But the first lady restricts her schedule to be available to her girls, Malia and Sasha, and White House staff adjust her public appearances accordingly.

“People don’t even ask me to do certain things. The first question is, what are the girls doing? And what time of the year is this?” she said. “So it’ll be the same thing (for this campaign). But when I get out there, my whole thing is that when I’m out, let’s make good use of my time.”

Analysts say first ladies do not swing elections. But they can, as Michelle Obama and her predecessors have demonstrated, bring in dollars and affect the images of their respective spouses.

“First ladies very often top the list of ‘most admired women’ in polls — but it doesn’t seem to affect the feelings for their husbands,” said John Mark Hansen, dean of the social sciences division at the University of Chicago.

If the feelings shown in Africa are a guide, however, this first lady’s impact will be a net positive in the 2012 campaign and on the continent she just left.

“There’s no better goodwill ambassador, I think, especially to Africa and to South Africa in particular,” said Jennifer Cooke, director of the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “Obviously she’ll be a powerful force in the campaign cycle as well. She’s got a very human, humble touch.” 

Michelle Obama heads home after African journey

Jun 26, 2011/ http://content.usatoday.com

First lady Michelle Obama is on her way home after a week-long journey to sub-Saharan Africa that ranged from an unexpected meeting with former South African president Nelson Mandela to a family safari and elephant encounter in Botswana.

The trip, which included daughters Malia, 12, and Sasha, 10, and Mrs. Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, included diplomatic meetings and community events designed to highlight the continent’s young people, education and HIV/AIDS policy.

The first lady led a whirlwind schedule through Johannesburg, Cape Town and Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, delighting in her encounters with wide-eyed children and dining on local fare.

The trip raised questions about President Obama’s policies toward Africa, a continent that was a key focus for his predecessor, George W. Bush, who created the PEPFAR program to combat HIV/AIDS in developing countries.

As president, Obama has visited Africa only once. He visited Egypt two years ago and stopped in Ghana in July 2009 at the end of a trip to Russia and Italy. Vice President Biden traveled to Kenya, where Obama’s father was born, as well as South Africa and Egypt a year ago. 

The Magic of Macy’s Goes International

June 27, 2011/ marketwatch.com

Beginning June 27, macys.com launches shipping services to 91 nations worldwide

NEW YORK, Jun 27, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Today, Macy’s M -2.37% announces the launch of international shipping on its e-commerce site, macys.com, to 91 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America. With the commencement of overseas shipping, macys.com’s international customers will be able to shop a broad assortment of apparel for him, her and the kids, as well as jewelry, home products and more. To offer this frequently requested service for customers, Macy’s has partnered with FiftyOne, the leading provider of international e-commerce services and infrastructure to U.S. retailers.

“International shipping will enable Macy’s to build upon its existing customer base beyond the United States by exposing our product offerings abroad,” said Kent Anderson, president of macys.com. “In 2010, non-U.S.- based shoppers accounted for 36 million visits to macys.com; the prospect of satisfying the demands of this consumer is an exciting business opportunity for us. It also provides Macy’s with a global platform on which to build our reputation as a source for great fashion and value.”

“FiftyOne is really pleased to be working with Macy’s to help serve international consumers,” said Michael DeSimone, chief executive officer of FiftyOne. “For over a century, people from all over the world have come to visit Macy’s legendary flagship store in Herald Square. With our new global partnership in place, we can now bring Macy’s to those very same consumers, in their own homes, and in virtually every corner of the globe. That represents a seismic shift in how one of the world’s leading retail institutions is able to market and sell internationally,” he concluded.

The shopping experience on macys.com offers customers a seamless changeover from domestic to international view. International customers in participating countries will automatically be transitioned to their local currency as they browse the assortment. Once customers are finished selecting items for purchase, the system will automatically provide the final price for the merchandise including all shipping-related costs. An important feature of this service is that an exact quote of duties/tariffs that may pertain to the shipping of these goods will be available to the customer prior to completing the transaction. Customers often criticize the hidden costs of international shopping, as import tariffs and fees are generally imposed later in the ordering process, sometimes after the item has arrived at the foreign destination. This will not be the case with macys.com. Customers who shop on macys.com and select the international shipping option will understand and provide full payment for the entire transaction at one time.

Macys.com began a successful pilot program for international shipping several weeks ago, with the initial launch of deliveries to Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Today, 88 additional countries will join the global e-commerce initiative including Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Macau, Maldives, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. International shipping is also available to domestic shoppers who wish to send items abroad to these select locations.

While the majority of product assortment sold on macys.com will be available for international shipping, some product categories and lines are exempt. They include cosmetics, fragrances, furniture, mattresses, appliances and select accessories and apparel. With varying laws, global vendor partnerships and even electricity standards across the spectrum of 91 different nations, Macy’s is unable to sell some products internationally.

With the launch of global e-commerce on macys.com, the magic of Macy’s will extend across borders to reach millions of customers around the world, who will now be able to experience and enjoy Macy’s unparalleled selection and superior value.

About Macy’s

Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc., delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at more than 800 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. Macy’s stores and macys.com offer distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks(R) and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade(R), as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Building on a 150-year tradition, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities that make a difference in the lives of our customers.

For Macy’s media materials, images and contacts, please visit our online pressroom at www.macys.com/pressroom .

About FiftyOne

FiftyOne empowers leading U.S. retailers to utilize their existing ecommerce infrastructure and online shopping experience to market, sell, and fulfill merchandise to international shoppers with absolute cost certainty. FiftyOne manages all aspects of the international order life cycle, including multi-currency pricing and payment processing, landed cost calculation, customs clearance and brokerage, international fraud management, international logistics orchestration, and customer-experience parity. FiftyOne is powering international ecommerce for many leading U.S. retailers, including Barneys New York, Bloomingdale’s, Brookstone, Crate and Barrel, Drugstore.com, Johnson & Murphy, Macy’s, Overstock.com, Sears, Shoes.com, Tilly’s, and True Religion. The company is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.fiftyone.com .

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6773721&lang=en

SOURCE: Macy’s

Macy’s

Orlando Veras, 646-429-7450

Orlando.Veras@macys.com  

Copyright Business Wire 2011  

SA hails ‘Queen of Africa’ from the US

June 27 2011 / iol.co.za/Maureen Isaacson

It surely cannot be counted against Michelle Obama that some of the fine print was omitted from her recent tour of southern Africa. If she was criticised for failing to mention unemployment while empowering young women in the Western Cape, the rest of her upbeat campaign could surely withstand it.

The world’s most famous woman, according to Forbes magazine, had a mission – to talk about youth leadership, education, health and wellness. She’d also come to talk about the US partnering with Africa.

But that was sandwiched in between the myriad messages that took her into the arms of the struggle heroes and giants, from Nelson Mandela to Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

It had this “Queen of Africa” hailed by Graça Machel and welcomed home by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

She’d come to rekindle old ties that hailed back to June 1966 when President Robert Kennedy spoke out against apartheid on a famous South African tour which Barack Obama had traced when he visited the country as senator in 2006. On her glamorous, splashy trip, the First Lady of the US swept the South African media, as well as the travelling crews from Washington, off their feet.

Weathering rumours about being snubbed by President Jacob Zuma, she lined up alongside his third wife, Nompumelelo Ntuli-Zuma, for a photograph. She had come to greet and meet, to raise Aids awareness – as her nation’s own mother and the proponent of her husband’s health-care plan and her own successful campaign against childhood obesity – not to show anybody up. At Regina Mundi Church in Soweto she brought an audience of more than 1 000 to tears. Hailing the 30 000 women of South Africa who had resisted the extension of the pass laws in 1956, she remembered their motto – “you strike the woman, you strike the rock”.

The applause was moving. She was grateful to the young people who faced bullets during the ’76 Soweto Uprising and fought “so that I could stand before you today as the First Lady of the United States of America”.

In that emotional moment, great dreams were invoked in the young women who were among the 76 chosen from South Africa and the continent to attend the Young African Women’s Leaders Forum to workshop leadership and community.

Obama came bearing the gifts of her nation, which she illustrated generously before the cameras as she dribbled football , did press-ups, danced with the orphans, read Dr Seuss and planted spinach in the garden of the US-funded HIV-Aids care centre. She had come to talk out against gender violence, specifically too, against domestic violence – a human rights abuse and for the right of people to love whoever they choose.

But she spelt out her purpose. “The… reason why I wanted to come here to South Africa to speak with all of you. As my husband has said, Africa is a fundamental part of our interconnected world. And when it comes to defining challenges of our times, creating jobs in our global economy, promoting democracy and development, confronting climate change, extremism, poverty and disease, for all this, the world is looking to Africa as a partner.”

Ahead of her visit the US government issued a press release stating that “South Africa is a vital global partner for the US, as political leader and economic engine in the continent, and a historic example of democratic transition in Africa and around the world”.

Obama mentioned the word corruption three times in the Regina Mundi speech that emphasised the fact that she and her husband had earned their place on the continent. They had done this because Barack Obama had organised boycotts against apartheid, because during the Struggle South Africans sang the US freedom song We Shall Overcome, while American Civil Rights activists sang Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. They had earned their place on the continent because Martin Luther King, whose works were now read by children in a US-funded library in Soweto had met with Chief Albert Luthuli.

Simunye, we are one!

Michelle Obama wanted it known that “my husband’s administration is not simply focused on extending a helping hand to Africa”. It, said Obama, was “focusing on partnering with Africans who will shape their future by combating corruption, and building strong democratic institutions, by growing new crops and, caring for the sick”.

But although her visit is widely interpreted by analysts as an exercise in soft power, Obama is not a foreign minister.

She is an image maker who endorses her husband’s policies, paving the way for the 2012 election which he looks set to enter with fervour.

This is despite the fact that he appeared on NBC’s Today show on June 14 saying: “Michelle and the kids are wonderful in that if I said, ‘You know, guys, I want to do something different’, they’re not invested in daddy being president or my husband being president.”

By talking grass roots and reminding us of her humble beginnings and those of her husband, she has laid down an essential plank of his campaign. 

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EN BREF, CE 27 Juin 2011 … AGNEWS/DAM,NY, 27/06/2011