[The country is struggling economically and politically, but its first post-apartheid president, 93 today, may have given it the tools to find greatness.]
BURUNDI :
Rwanda, DRC, Burundi plan Ruzizi III power initiative
Sunday, 17 July 2011 / Alec Muhoho / . www.busiweek.com
KIGALI, RWANDA – Rwanda,Burundi and DRC Water Ministers last week signed a convention under the umbrella of Economic of the Great Lakes Countries(CEPGL) to mark the end of a 2 year technical feasibility study on Ruzizi III hydroelectric Project.
The ministers have now reached the opening stage of mobilizing finance for the project from International Financial Institutions in a donor Round Table Conference in Kigali.
The Rwanda Natural Resources Minister, Mr Stanislaus Kamanzi, who signed on Rwanda’s behalf said, “We are now at the stage where the three Countries need $450 million to complete the Ruzizi hydroelectric project which will address the Great Lakes energy needs.’
According to SOFRECO, a consultant organization in the energy sector that carried the Ruzizi III project, the donors want the project to be a public-private partnership, an environmental and social assessment of the plant ,drafting of the international convention on the integrated management of water on t Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River Basin.
“Energy is crucial for economic development in the Great Lakes region. Together with the European Investment Bank, the EU is pleased to provide European support for the Ruzizi hydropower project,” said Michel Arrion,EU Ambassador to Rwanda.
The Ruzizi project a Public private partnership, is expected to begin generating electricity 145MW for the three countries by 2013 and the European Investment Bank Associate Director for Central Africa and East Africa, Ms Flavia Palanza affirmed commitment to the project.
“We have already earmarked 300 to 350 million Euros for the Ruzizi project.So events in Europe will not affect the project.” Ms Palanza assured.
The Director of Geology of Burundi, Mr Gideon Nizeye said they need 300MW but only generate 65 MW and according to Rwanda’s State Minister for energy and water, Colette Ruhamya said,.
“The Ruzizi hydro project does not solve all our energy problems at once although it will reduce over reliance on Thermal energy.”
The Financial Institutions supportive to Ruzizi III Hydro project are the African Development Bank which pledged 50 million Euros, the European Investment Bank, and World Bank among others.
Difficile accès des Burundais en Tanzanie à partir de certains points de passage
Lundi 18 juillet 2011/Xinhua
BUJUMBURA (Xinhua) – Les Burundais qui se rendent en Tanzanie ces derniers jours à partir des points de passage de la commune de Muyinga, au nord-est du Burundi au niveau de la rivière Ruvubu, éprouvent beaucoup de difficultés de la part des autorités tanzaniennes, rapporte la radio nationale burundaise.
Le mois dernier, le Burundi a fermé au moins huit points de passage sur son territoire à Muyinga qui mènent vers la localité de Bushubi (Tanzanie) et les a réduits à un ou deux par colline frontalière avec la Tanzanie pour question de sécurité.
En réaction à cette mesure prise unilatéralement, les autorités tanzaniennes locales ont à leur tour fermé à partir de leur territoire ces passages, restés ouverts par la partie burundaise, si bien que les Burundais qui se hasardent de passer outre se voient tabasser et dépouiller de tout ce qu’ils ont sur eux.
Interrogé par Xinhua qui a cherché à savoir ce qu’en disent les autorités provinciales de Muyinga, le gouverneur A. Selemani a indiqué qu’il est au courant de la situation et qu’il compte entrer en contact d’ici peu avec la partie tanzanienne concernée pour trouver une solution négociée à ce problème.
Le Burundi et la Tanzanie sont membres de la Communauté des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Est où le mouvement des ressortissants est libre entre les pays membres.
Des jeunes burundais qui se rendent en Tanzanie à partir des points frontaliers avec ce pays sont souvent arrêtés par la police nationale qui les soupçonne d’être des recrues des mouvements armés qui, selon une certaine opinion, seraient en formation en Tanzanie, alors que toutes les personnes appréhendées jusqu’à ce jour ont toujours dit qu’elles s’y rendent pour chercher divers emplois, notamment dans les champs pour faire face à la paupérisation criante au Burundi, pays qui sort d’une longue période de conflit interethnique et qui vit une autre crise où des tueries à caractère politique sont venues s’ajouter à cette paupérisation.
RWANDA :
RDC CONGO :
RDC: Orange veut racheter un opérateur
AFP /18/07/2011
France Télécom-Orange souhaite racheter le quatrième opérateur mobile de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), Congo-China Télécom (CCT), détenu majoritairement par l’équipementier chinois en télécommunications ZTE, a annoncé lundi un porte-parole à l’AFP.
“France Télécom-Orange est en négociation exclusive avec ZTE pour le rachat des 51% qu’il détient dans l’opérateur mobile Congo-China Télécom”, a indiqué à l’AFP un porte-parole de l’entreprise.
Par ailleurs, le gouvernement de RDC qui détient le reste des parts de CCT a lancé un appel d’offre pour la cession des 49% restants.
300 millions d’euros évoqués
Orange, qui a confirmé participer à l’appel d’offre, attend une réponse fin juillet.
Avec 65 millions d’habitants, la RDC a un taux de pénétration du téléphone mobile inférieur à 20%, souligne Orange.
La CFE-CGC/Unsa et l’ADEAS (Association pour la Défense de l’Epargne et de l’Actionnariat) se sont inquiétées dans un communiqué des conditions du rachat des 100% de CCT, pour lequel Orange pourrait débourser 300 millions d’euros, selon eux. L’opérateur télécoms n’a pas confirmé ce montant.
RD Congo-Santé: Près d’1 million de malades du diabète, selon le PNLD
Pana /18/07/2011
Santé-Diabète-RD Congo – La RDC compte près d’un million de diabétiques dont 5 à 10 % sont des enfants et des adolescents, selon les estimations du Programme national de lutte contre le diabète (PNLD), révélées dans un document transmis dimanche à la PANA. Ce document résulte de la journée de réflexion organisée samedi à Kinshasa sur la prise en charge du diabète chez les enfants et les adolescents vivant en dehors de la ville de Kinshasa.
La prise en charge du diabète, affirme la source, pose problème en RDC à cause de l’ignorance du poids du traitement de cette pathologie.
‘L’apport du PNLD est insuffisant et limité, du fait du manque de financement », souligne encore ce document qui ajoute que les plus vulnérables des victimes sont des enfants qui, compte tenu de leur âge, dépendent totalement des adultes qui sont en majorité des démunis’.
Au début du 20e siècle, le diabète était rare en Afrique, mais avec l’urbanisation rapide et le changement du mode de vie, la maladie développe des complications, note le document.
On rappelle que le diabète est une maladie chronique qui apparaît lorsque le pancréas ne produit pas suffisamment d’insuline, une hormone qui régule la concentration de sucre dans le sang, ou que l’organisme n’utilise pas correctement l’insuline qu’il produit.
Il y a deux sortes de diabète: celui du type 1, essentiellement héréditaire, est dû à la destruction du pancréas, tandis que celui du type 2, causé par une mauvaise alimentation et évitable dans 80% des cas, est prédominant en RDC et représente 85% des cas contre 15% pour le type 1.
Sécurité aérienne: BAD-RDC, quid du projet de modernisation des aéroports congolais?
radiookapi.net /2011/07/18
Crash Hewa Bora Kisangani, Économie, Nationale.
– Un cargo à l’aéroport de Luano à Lubumbahi. patpozaire.free.frLa banque africaine de développement (Bad) a signé, en novembre 2010, avec le gouvernement de la RDC un accord de financement pour la modernisation des aéroports internationaux de Kisangani, Lubumbashi et Kinshasa. Un projet de plus de 150 millions de dollars américains. Après le crash d’un Boeing 727 de la compagnie aérienne Hewa Bora survenu le vendredi 8 juillet à Kisangani (Province Orientale), la problématique de la sécurité aérienne en RDC est relancée. Que devient le projet initié par la Bad et le gouvernement congolais?
La Bad doit financer ce projet à hauteur de 86% et le gouvernement congolais de 14%.
Un acompte de 1 millions des dollars a déjà versé pour le compte du gouvernement. La Bad attend la deuxième tranche du gouvernement congolais pour procéder au premier décaissement de sa part.
Les trois entreprises qui devront exécuter ces travaux ont déjà été désignées pour accélérer le processus.
Mamadou Tangara, représentant par intérim de la banque africaine de développement en RDC indique à quel niveau se trouve ce projet. Il est interrogé par Jocelyne Musau Ponde.
Elections 2011 en RDC : Jean-Pierre BEMBA ne sera ni électeur ni éligible
17/07/2011 / KongoTimes!
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Le Mlc se préparait à accueillir son leader dans l’espoir qu’il pourrait même prendre le départ aux élections de novembre 2011. Cela n’est plus possible avec ce procès qui va à pas de tortue. En plus du rythme lent du procès, l’opération de révision du fichier électoral se clôture sur toute l’étendue du territoire national. Le sénateur Bemba ne se sera pas enrôlé. Il ne sera ni électeur ni éligible. Il pourra bénéficier de l’ouverture de la loi qui veut que les candidats puissent s’enrôler au moment de la présentation de la candidature. La Cpi n’est pas le seul obstacle à la participation du Mlc aux élections de novembre 2011. D’ici cette date, si le procès que François Muamba a intenté à ce parti politique ne départage pas les parties, ce sera un vrai problème pour les parties d’engager le label Mlc.
Le leader du Mlc est aux arrêts à La Haye depuis bientôt trois ans. Le procès proprement dit est loin de commencer. Actuellement, on est à l’étape de l’interrogatoire des témoins. Cette étape du procès avait commencé depuis le début de cette année. On en est encore à l’écoute des témoins à charge. Le procureur Moreno en avait présenté une quarantaine. On en est seulement au 26ème témoin. Lors de l’audition des témoins, une lueur d’espoir est apparue notamment avec la déposition du juge centrafricain qui avait décidé le non lieu devant le tribunal centrafricain. Les militants du Mlc avaient raison d’espérer dans la mesure où, l’argument de la défense était que conformément à la Convention de Rome qui régit la Cour pénale internationale, on ne peut pas juger une personne deux fois pour les mêmes faits.
Lorsque le juge centrafricain a confirmé devant la Cpi que JP Bemba avait été effectivement poursuivi en Centrafrique et qu’un non lieu avait été décidé pour cause d’insuffisance de preuves sur la participation directe de JP Bemba dans le commandement des troupes du Mlc à Bangui, tout espoir était permis. Mais, le même juge centrafricain s’est repris en disant que si le tribunal centrafricain avait abandonné des poursuites contre JP Bemba, c’était pour des raisons politiques dues essentiellement aux bonnes relations entre la Rdc et la Rca et aussi au fait qu’entretemps, JP Bemba avait changé de statut, devenu vice-président de la République. Evidemment, la défense de JP Bemba rejette cette observation qui n’apparaît, selon elle, nulle part dans la décision du non lieu.
Au Mlc, on voyait donc JP Bemba revenir avant les échéances électorales prévues le 28 novembre 2011. Il s’avère que cet espoir est en train de s’envoler pour plus d’une raison. La première est interne en Rdc. Conformément à la loi électorale, ne peut être éligible que celui qui a la qualité d’électeur. Cette qualité s’obtient par l’inscription au fichier électoral. Aujourd’hui, cette opération est en train de se clôturer sur toute l’étendue du territoire nationale. Le leader du Mlc ne se sera pas enrôlé. Par conséquent, les élections sont perdues pour lui. Cependant, dans le cas où il arrivait à être libéré comme l’espère bien son parti politique, il nous revient que la loi laisse une ouverture en permettant que les candidats puissent s’inscrire sur le fichier électoral au moment de la présentation de leur candidature. Pour en arriver là, il faut compter avec Moreno Ocumpo. C’est ce que nous entendons par facteurs extérieurs qui pourraient faire que les élections s’éloignent définitivement du leader du Mlc, le sénateur JP Bemba.
Ainsi donc, au plan extérieur, c’est-à-dire suivant le déroulement du procès, il apparait de plus en plus clair qu’il ne sera pas possible que JP Bemba soit libéré à la suite de l’abandon espéré des poursuites. Car, la Cpi ne donne aucun signe qu’elle pourrait abandonner les poursuites contre le sénateur congolais. On voit bien le jusqu’auboutisme de Moreno Ocumpo. Bien plus, la Cpi ne semble pas pressée d’en finir avec ce procès. Elle prend tout son temps. C’est ainsi, apprend-on de bonne source, que le procès est suspendu depuis le lundi dernier.
Les juges ont pris leurs vacances. Ils ne reprendront du service qu’à partir du 22 août de cette année. Encore que le retour de vacances ne rime pas nécessairement avec la reprise du procès. Il est évident que, compte tenu du fait que la défense doit terminer l’audition des témoins à charge avant que l’accusation et la partie civile de leur part auditionnent les témoins à décharge, on en aura pour plusieurs mois encore. Car, la première audition jusqu’au départ des juges en vacances, aura duré 7 mois et seulement la moitié des témoins ont été auditionnés. On s’attend à ce que cette audition prenne autant sinon plus de temps encore. Sauf coup de théâtre, pendant ce temps, la Rdc aura organisé les élections dont les résultats seront connus. Sauf volonté inexpliquée de refuser de regarder la vérité en face, le Mlc ne doit plus compter sur le sénateur JP Bemba. C’est dur, mais c’est la réalité. Il faut faire avec. C’est ce que l’aile François Muamba semble avoir bien compris. Outre le fait que JP Bemba ne pourra pas être disponible pour les prochaines élections, il y a ce procès au TGI de la Gombe, on s’en doute bien, qui est une vraie douloureuse écharde sous le pied de la première force politique de l’opposition congolaise.
Le Mlc, aile Luhaka va-t-il présenter des listes aux prochaines élections ? Cela sera-t-il sans conséquences dans le cas où, avant les élections, le tribunal n’aura pas tranché sur le litige qui oppose le Mlc à son secrétaire général, François Muamba, limogé, ensuite radié, mais qui ne l’entend pas de cette oreille ? Il semble que c’est cela aussi l’Etat de droit que nous appelons de tous nos vœux. On ne peut pas abandonner un procès sans que le plaignant retire sa plainte ou que le tribunal déclare le non lieu. A notre connaissance, François Muamba entend aller jusqu’au bout de ce procès qu’il veut pédagogique pour tous les chefs des partis politiques. De sa part, la partie accusée ne semble pas aussi prendre la mesure des enjeux en laissant le procès s’embourber dans les aléas de la procédure. Par quelle manœuvre le Mlc va-t-il participer aux prochaines élections ? Le parti de JP Bemba serait-il poursuivi par le signe indien ? L’avenir nous le dira.
Joachim Diana G.
RDC : Etienne TSHISEKEDI à Lubumbashi, est-ce une provocation ?
17/07/2011 / KongoTimes!
Il ne faut pas considérer l’arrivée de Tshisekedi à Lubumbashi, quelle que soit la manœuvre qui pourrait paraître comme une provocation, comme un défi lancé à qui que ce soit, et par conséquent comme un mal à combattre à tout prix. Il est fort possible que pour les militants de l’Udps, l’arrivée de leur leader à Lubumbashi sera la prise de la Bastille.
Tshisekedi à Lubumbashi, est-ce une provocation ? Les observateurs pensent qu’il faut sortir de cette logique. Il faut se mettre en tête que chaque politicien a le droit de circuler dans toutes les provinces dans le respect de l’ordre public. On doit s’attendre également à que les fiefs de l’Udsp s’ouvrent à tout le monde et que Limete, particulièrement les abords de la 10ème rue cessent d’être un no man’s land pour les supposés adversaires de Tshisekedi.
Etienne Tshisekedi séjournerait maintenant en Afrique du Sud, selon nos sources. Il a ainsi engagé le chemin de retour au pays après que le leader de l’Udps ait presque clôturé sa longue tournée euro-américaine. La dernière étape, selon le programme dont nous avons eu vent, devrait être sa rencontre avec le leader du Mlc incarcéré à La Haye. Les observateurs avertis n’attendent pas grand-chose de cette rencontre entre Tshisekedi et JP Bemba. Le mérite cependant, de cette rencontre, tout comme celui de cette longue tournée, réside dans la volonté de Etienne Tshisekedi de faire feu de tout bois. Cela peut paraître comme un manque d’objectifs clairs à atteindre au point de sombrer dans une espèce de touche-à-tout. Mais, une chose est vraie, le leader de l’Udps a certainement une idée derrière la tête. Le contraire nous étonnerait.
A propos de la tournée européenne, la question ne se pose pas en termes d’opportunité, mais de résultats obtenus. Qu’est-ce que le leader de l’Udps apporte dans sa gibecière ? Si le but à atteindre était la sensibilisation de la communauté internationale pour qu’elle ouvre les yeux sur les élections en Rdc, on peut parler d’enfoncer une porte ouverte dans la mesure où on ne voyait pas les observateurs internationaux traditionnels sécher les élections congolaises. Cette démarche qui s’adresse à la Ceni, institution indépendante, est considérée à tort comme une pointe faite contre le gouvernement en place, même si, la vérité est que dans sa démarche l’Udps a dévoilé une certaine méfiance vis-à-vis des institutions congolaises même celles qui n’ont pas mission d’organiser les élections. Car, si on accuse la Ceni d’organiser des fraudes, on suppose qu’elle le fait au profit d’un candidat. Lequel ? Question essentielle dans la mesure où, opposition et majorité composent cette commission électorale nationale indépendante (Ceni). Et pourtant, si Etienne Tshisekedi est dans son droit d’aller demander l’intervention de l’extérieur, il est aussi du pouvoir du gouvernement et de la Ceni de dire oui ou non. Car, il revient à la Ceni de programmer les observateurs. Dans la mesure où la Ceni a instauré le dialogue avec ses partenaires que sont les partis politiques, cette question pouvait être traitée dans ce cadre. En allant sensibiliser l’extérieur, le leader de l’Udps voulait faire d’une pierre plusieurs coups. C’est aussi son droit.
La suite de la tournée de Etienne Tshisekedi au niveau national n’est pas sans intérêt. Il a choisi de faire son retour au pays par Lubumbashi. Apparemment, cela est normal, mais on aurait tort de penser que c’est innocent. Le Katanga est dans le processus électoral actuel, un point très sensible. Pour s’en convaincre, il suffit de prendre en compte tout ce qui se dit sur le compte de cette province.
Il y a d’abord la déclaration de Etienne Tshisekedi lui-même qui, évaluant ses chances de réussite, avait dit qu’il gagnera dans 10 provinces que compte la Rdc sauf au Katanga où il obligera son concurrent au partage. Un rapport, sorti de nulle part signé par FIDH accusait le président de l’Assemblée provinciale du Katanga d’organiser la chasse à l’homme contre les non originaires. Le responsable de la FIDH se proposait même de saisir le Conseil de sécurité de l’Onu. Aussitôt après, alors que l’enrôlement se poursuivait encore, on a parlé de l’enrôlement des mineurs spécialement dans cette province.
La Ceni a même été obligée de diligenter une enquête mixte Ceni-Monusco-Unicef-police nationale. Les conclusions de cette enquête, contrairement aux allégations de fraudes, on n’en a pas beaucoup parlées. Disons, personne ne voulait en parler pour ne pas faire tomber l’échafaudage autour de la prétendue fraude massive qui se préparerait au Katanga. Pour enfoncer le clou, on a insisté sur les prévisions de la Ceni en faisant remarquer que le Katanga ne pouvait pas enrôler 4 millions d’électeurs, au tant que Kinshasa.
Les faits sont là. Kinshasa n’a pas dépassé 2,5 millions d’électeurs. Par rapport à 2006, il y a 1,5 millions de plus. Personne ne peut parler de minimisation du nombre d’électeurs à Kinshasa. Le Katanga, quant à lui, a atteint les 4 millions d’inscrits au fichier électoral. Sans aucun doute, les yeux seront encore tournés sur cette province au moment de nettoyage du fichier. Le passage de Tshisekedi par le Katanga peut revêtir donc d’autres enjeux. Le leader de l’Udps peut avoir choisi de commencer sa tournée par le Katanga pour donner une leçon didactique sur tout ce qu’il a dit à ses interlocuteurs au cours de sa tournée, notamment sur l’intolérance politique. Pour que cela se réalise, il faut que les dirigeants du Katanga lui mettent réellement le bâton dans les roues, l’empêche de faire tout ce qu’il voudra faire.
Le comportement des dirigeants katangais ne dépendra pas de leur seule volonté de faciliter la tâche à Tshisekedi. Encore faudra-t-il que le leader de l’Udps veuille que les choses lui soient facilitées. Si on assiste aux manœuvres du genre de celles vécues devant le siège national de la Ceni à Kinshasa, et si les autorités du Katanga réagissent avec force, il va de soi que l’Udps sera dans son élément et atteindra son but. Pour empêcher de donner prétexte à l’Udps de crier sur tous les toits l’empêchement des opposants à se mouvoir sur l’ensemble du territoire national, devra-t-on le laisser faire faire ? Une chose est vraie, tout ce qu’on fera, laisser faire ou vouloir appliquer les lois en matière des manifestations publiques, contribuera à faire la publicité gratuite et de Tshisekedi et de l’Udps. On ne doit donc ni banaliser ni sortir cette tournée de son vrai cadre celui d’une tournée comme la ferait n’importe quel politicien. Ce qui est valable à Lubumbashi l’est pour toutes les provinces du Congo. Ce qui est valable pour Etienne Tshisekedi doit l’être pour tous les politiciens congolais partout au pays.
En termes clairs, il ne faut pas que Limete, particulièrement les abords du siège de l’Udps et de la résidence de son leader deviennent un no man’s land pour ceux qu’on considère à raison ou à tort comme ses adversaires. Il faudra que les autres candidats opposés à Tshisekedi circulent librement dans les fiefs de l’IUdps. Car, on ne peut pas faire croire qu’il y aurait des partis politiques qui auraient le droit à la violence jusqu’à mettre les forces de l’ordre dans le dilemme. Moralité, il ne faut pas considérer l’arrivée de Tshisekedi à Lubumbashi, quelle que soit la manœuvre qui pourrait paraître comme une provocation, comme un défi lancé à qui que ce soit, et par conséquent comme un mal à combattre à tout prix. Il est fort possible que pour les militants de l’Udps, l’arrivée de leur leader à Lubumbashi sera la prise de la Bastille.
L’Avenir
La RDC à la présidence de l’association des pays africains producteurs des diamants
mediacongo.net/18/07/2011
Le ministre des Mines de la République démocratique du Congo(RDC) Martin Kabwelulu a pris la présidence de l’association des pays africains producteurs des diamants (Adpa), à l’occasion de la clôture de la troisième session ordinaire du conseil des ministres de cette association tenu vendredi à Kinshasa, en RDC. Le ministre Kabwelulu qui succède à la ministre des Ressources naturelles de la République d’Afrique du Sud a indiqué, à l’issue de la cérémonie de passation des pouvoirs avec son collègue de la RSA, que son mandat s’inscrit dans le cadre de l’identification des membres réels de l’association pour une bonne organisation des cotisations et la participation aux réunions de l’Adpa. Les participants au conseil des ministres, pour leur part, ont convenu de renouveler le mandat du secrétariat exécutif, à l’issue d’un vote à l’unanimité et de le doter des moyens indispensables pour son fonctionnement. Le prochain conseil se tiendra en juillet 2012, au Ghana, rappelle-t-on.
A.D.P.A : un espace d’échange d’expériences et de solidarité
Auparavant, le vice-Premier ministre et ministre des Postes, Téléphones et Télécommunications, Simon Bulupy Galati, qui a présidé, à l’ouverture du conseil des ministres de l’association des pays africains producteurs des diamants, a indiqué qu’elle est un espace d’échanges et de solidarité.
Dans ce cadre, la R.D.Congo s’est engagée, aux côtés des autres pays membres à conjuguer les efforts pour que les échos de l’A.D.P.A, aient des effets clairs et non ambigus dans la position et la constance afin de préserver les intérêts des populations des pays membres avant de les appeler à développer une nouvelle dynamique et à susciter une politique axée sur la recherche de la plus value des diamants et de tirer les meilleures dividendes.
La RDC pour un statut spécial de l’A.D.P.A
De son côté, le ministre des Mines, Martin Kabwelulu, a appelé ses collègues et les experts des pays membres à s’investir pour que l’association obtienne un statut spécial, non seulement auprès de l’Union Africaine, mais aussi auprès du processus de Kimberly. Il a souligné la nécessité de valoriser les diamants africains et de mettre fin à l’exportation des minerais à l’état brut. Il s’agit, a-t-il renchéri, de concevoir une politique générale axée sur la taille des diamants dans l’espace A.D.P.A. Auparavant le ministre Kabwelulu avait reconnu les sacrifices consentis par l’Angola pour avoir pris en charge pendant plus de trois ans du fonctionnement de l’association avant de féliciter les pays membres pour leur soutien au Zimbabwe dans la levée de l’embargo qui frappait l’exportation de son diamant.
Pour sa part, le ministre de la Coopération Internationale et Régionale, Reymond Tshibanda Ntunga Mulongo, a plaidé pour que l’exploitation et la commercialisation des diamants puissent influer sur le développement des communautés des pays membres et que les bénéfices puissent servir également à baliser l’avenir de la jeunesse. Le ministre Tshibanda a enfin plaidé pour que les pays membres se remettent sur la vision de la création de l’association en novembre 2006 à Luanda en Angola qui s’est fixée comme objectifs la coopération et l’entraide entre les Etats membres, le développement des ressources humaines et la promotion de l’assistance technique et la transformation des diamants des conflits en diamants de paix là où le processus de Kimberly n’est pas respecté. L’association des pays africains producteurs des diamants comprend la Guinée, le Mali, la Namibie, le Zimbabwe, l’Angola, la République Centre Africaine, l’Algérie, l’Afrique du Sud, la République du Congo, le Gabon, le Ghana et la République Démocratique du Congo.
Kinshasa, 18/07/2011 (ACP/MCN, via mediacongo.net)
UGANDA :
Uganda power rationing hits coffee industry
By Nicholas Bariyo / MarketWatch/ July 18, 2011
KAMPALA -(MarketWatch)- The ongoing power rationing in Uganda is hitting manufacturers and the processing of coffee that is at the peak of the 2010-11 (October-September) coffee season, industry officials said Monday.
This is likely to slow the marketing season of the current crop, according to David Muwonge, the head of production and marketing at Uganda’s national coffee farmers’ body, Nucafe. Coffee processors have been affected most because they normally operate at night and that is when most rationing occurs.
“There is too much coffee coming from farmers, but the processors are not operating at the same pace due to power shortage,” he said.
In the past couple of weeks, Uganda’s power distribution company, known as Umeme, has been rationing power across the country due to a shortage caused by inadequate generation from fuel-fired thermal plants over unpaid fees by the government.
Last week, the government assured the owners of thermal power plants it would pay at least 300 billion Uganda shillings ($118 million) in arrears, which seemed to ease the situation as two plants resumed generation.
However, Uganda continues to face a shortage of around 50 megawatts of power, following the closure of the diesel-fired Kiira thermal plant operated by London-listed Aggreko PLC (AGK.LN).
The government has yet to renew Aggreko’s generation contract, preferring to boost generation from its main hydro power station on the River Nile, by releasing extra water until November, according to Irene Muloni, Uganda’s energy and minerals minister.
In a bid to address the public outrage triggered by the power shortage, Uganda’s energy regulator last week directed Umeme to restrict rationing mainly to night time, when most households are expected not be using power. However, this is hurting manufacturers, who deal in raw commodities such as coffee, cocoa, tea, fish and horticultural products.
Uganda contracted independent power generators in 2006 in a bid to ease power shortages caused by lower water levels at the country’s main hydropower stations following a long drought.
Later this year, some of Uganda’s thermal power plants are expected to start using heavy oils produced during the extended well-testing exercise in the oil-rich Lake Albertine rift basin.
Uganda is Africa’s largest robusta coffee grower.
Ugandan shilling slips on oil sector dollar demand
Mon Jul 18, 2011 / Reuters
KAMPALA (Reuters) – The Ugandan shilling weakened slightly against the dollar on Monday as demand from the oil sector began to pick up ahead of the month’s end, traders said.
Persistent demand for the greenback amid weak inflows and foreign speculators drove the shilling to a series of record lows last month.
At 1005 GMT, commercial banks in Kampala quoted the shilling at 2,570/2,580 to the dollar, slightly weaker than Friday’s close of 2,560/2,570.
“There’s demand coming in from the corporates — the oil sector — pushing the shilling a bit weaker and we’re heading into the end-of-month period,” Lucas Ochieng, treasurer at Orient Bank Uganda, said.
Traders said the shilling was likely to close in a 2,580/2,590 range on Monday.
Uganda’s central bank has shown willingness to sell dollars at the 2,600 level, though some traders do not believe it has the foreign reserve muscle to prop up the currency.
“Inflows will not be enough to sustain the consistent and sustained demand from the manufacturing, petroleum and telecom sectors,” Barclay’s Bank Uganda said in a note to clients on Monday.
Kenya not adhering to law -Uganda
Sunday, 17 July 2011 / David Muwanga / www.busiweek.com.
KAMPALA, UGANDA-East African Community Secretary General Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera last week concluded a one week working visit to Uganda during which he met several government officials including President Yoweri Museveni.
Among the officials he met was the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga who criticized the Kenyan government for mistreating Ugandan importers using the Mombasa port. She said that the Kenyan government is violating the international law which allows landlocked countries like Uganda to use the port without any inconveniences.
According to the Convention on Transit Trade of Land-Locked States, there should be equal and free access of seas between coastal states and states with no sea-coasts.
“To this end, states situated between the sea and a state having no sea-coast shall by common agreement with the latter and in conformity with existing international conventions accord: to the state having no sea-coast, on a basis of reciprocity, free transit through their territory,” the convention states in part.
“Therefore Uganda is supposed to have equal access to the nearest port but Kenya is treating us as foreigners, it is also cheaper to transport goods from Europe to Mombasa than from Mombasa to Kampala,” she explained.
She further explained that a trader pays $2000 to ship goods from Europe to Mombasa but pays $6000 to clear them at Mombasa.
Amb.Sezibera also met Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Eriya Kategaya and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa in Kampala.
He briefed Minister Kategaya on the programmes he intends to implement during his tenure that include the strengthening the operations of the EAC Customs Union and implementing the EAC Common Market Protocol. Others are concluding the negotiations of the EAC Monetary Union; putting in place a robust regional infrastructure and involving the people of East African in the regional integration process.
Minister Kategaya pledged Uganda’s firm commitment and support to the integration process.
Dr. Sezibera who also toured the premises of the East African Development Bank (EADB) urged East African citizens to support the establishment of a regional currency to guard against the effects of currency fluctuations and boost cross-border investments and trade.
He said volatility of the shilling in most East African countries has hampered investments especially in financial markets.
“I am committed to work closely with the bank to boost its capacity to finance agriculture, Small and Medium Enterprises and larger projects to boost productivity,” he noted. He said that a number of initiatives are being undertaken to increase exports from the region.
SOUTH AFRICA:
Nelson Mandela honored with global call to serve
By Pamela Falk/ www.cbsnews.com/July 18, 2011
After first lady Michelle Obama and her daughters Sasha and Malia met Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa last month, the first family kicked off the U.S. commemoration of Nelson Mandela International Day, created by the U.N. two years ago to mark the democracy icon’s birthday.
“Madiba continues to be a beacon for the global community, and for all who work for democracy, justice and reconciliation,” said Michelle Obama at the time, referring to Mandela by his nickname.
For 2011, the U.N. is marking Mandela Day, and Mandela’s 93rd birthday, with a request: 67 minutes of community service, from everyone, in honor of the man who has given so much himself.
The “Take Action! Inspire Change” campaign for Nelson Mandela International Day asks communities to take just over an hour for community service to honor Mandela’s 67 years of service, which culminated in his election as the first democratically-elected president of a post-apartheid South Africa.
“Everybody remembers — and, indeed, needs — an inspirational figure who has played a signal role in their lives,” said U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. “Nelson Mandela has been that role model for countless people around the world.”
In 1993, Mandela, who was in prison for 27 years, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize together with then-President of South Africa FW de Klerk, for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new, democratic South Africa.
In South Africa, 12 million schoolchildren sang “Happy Birthday” to the elder statesman as classes began, and at U.N. Headquarters in New York, visitors are able to make their pledge to “67 minutes of service” in an open message that will be sent to Mandela. (You can also make the pledge on the Mandela Day website.)
In New York’s Central Park, South Africa’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador, Advocate Doc Mashabane Mashabane, is planning to paint park benches with the help of other volunteers.
Not tainting the day, U.S.-South Africa relations have soured recently over the issue of Libya and have been particularly edgy with the participation of South Africa as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.
South African President Jacob Zuma has been critical of the U.N. resolution which is enabling the ongoing NATO bombing of Libya, which was meant to protect civilians.
“We strongly believe that the resolution is being abused for regime change, political assassinations and foreign military occupation,” Zuma charged recently.
Zuma was not available during the first lady’s trip to South Africa – widely seen as a missed opportunity, at best, and, at worst, a slight.
Along with Russia’s President Dmitri Medvedev, Zuma has been trying to negotiate an end to the Libya conflict between Qaddafi and the rebel umbrella group, the Transitional National Council, which the U.S. formally recognized this past week.
Regardless of current friction, Nelson Mandela International
Day has taken off around the world in the two years since the U.N. created it.
“Mandela has been a lawyer and a freedom fighter, a political prisoner, a peacemaker and president,” the Secretary-General said, “A healer of nations and a mentor to generations, Nelson Mandela – or Madiba as he is affectionately known by millions – is a living symbol of wisdom, courage and integrity.”
South Africa After Mandela
By John Campbell / www.theatlantic.com/Jul 18 2011
The country is struggling economically and politically, but its first post-apartheid president, 93 today, may have given it the tools to find greatness
Today is Nelson Mandela’s 93rd birthday, and South Africa is throwing him a big party. Among other things, 12.5 million South African children will sing him “happy birthday” at exactly the same moment at 8:05 a.m.Mandela’s birthday is a fitting occasion to celebrate, but also reflect both on his personal achievements and on the future of the country of which he is truly the father: a democratic and “nonracial” South Africa. Of course, he alone did not create the new South Africa: final apartheid-era State President F.W. de Klerk, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, trade union leader Cyril Ramaphosa, and former President Thabo Mbeki all immediately come to mind. But, absent Mandela’s unifying leadership and vision, it is hard to imagine today’s South Africa would have emerged, with its regular, credible elections, and a political culture bound by human rights and the rule of law.
Mandela’s vision for his country, which reflects his great strength of character, is based on the inherent dignity of men and women of all races. His courage shares similarities with that of Abraham Lincoln during the American civil war. His inclusiveness toward the Afrikaners that jailed him for 27 years shows an extraordinary generosity of spirit that recalls Martin Luther King. And his dogged determination and high political skills remind us of Winston Churchill in Britain’s finest hour. Perhaps above all, Mandela illustrates the crucial role of individual leadership in state-building. And, like Lincoln, Churchill, and King, Mandela has been remarkably successful in securing the support of his fellow citizens for his vision — in Mandela’s case, a “non-racial” democracy.
Sometimes nations are blessed (or lucky) with their founding fathers, as we Americans were. But truly outstanding leadership is rare. Western observers and friends of Africa like to anoint heroes: Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo, Congo’s Mobutu Sese Seko, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame have had that role thrust upon them at some point during their careers. Yet such leaders too often fail their countries, proving to be undemocratic, corrupt, and, at times, violent. Many cling to power. The Mo Ibrahim Prize for an African head of state who voluntarily steps down from office has gone unawarded for the past two years for want of a credible candidate. In contrast, Mandela voluntarily left his country’s highest office after a single term, an example of democratic leadership that the Mo Ibrahim Foundation recognized when it designated him as Honorary Laureate in 2007.
Nelson Mandela’s South Africa is a genuine African success story. Only a generation ago, civil war seemed nearly inevitable, with a radically segregated multi-racial population, a history of slavery, and an economy organized by a particularly rapacious form of capitalism. But its transition to non-racial democracy helped bring the rule of law and the protection of human rights by an independent judiciary, both near-exclusive to whites before 1994, to all South Africans.
Looking forward, can the democratic culture and institutions that owe so much to Nelson Mandela continue to flourish when the economic development of its largest racial community continues to lag so far behind? South Africa has not opened its economic system as much as it has its politics. As a result, its vaunted economy has failed to meet the human needs of too many of its people. More than a quarter of its total population is unemployed in the formal economy. Since the end of apartheid, the country has moved from having one of the poorest distributions of income in the international community to having the absolute worst, according to some South African observers. The white minority, now only about 10 percent of the population, remains the overwhelming beneficiary of the South African economy, followed by the ‘Indians’ (persons originally of south Asian origin). It is no surprise that members of Mandela’s ruling African National Congress (ANC), which has an overwhelmingly black African constituency, are making renewed calls for change, even at the expense of the rule of law and the constitutional protections that, to some, merely entrench white privilege.
Post-apartheid South Africa rapidly reintegrated itself into the world economy under the leadership of Mandela and subsequently the Mbeki and Jacob Zuma governments. But it largely left in place the national economy inherited from the apartheid state, which did not grow fast enough to meet the needs of the country’s rapidly expanding population. Economic activity, while diversified, continues to be dominated by large, white-controlled corporations, despite various “black empowerment” schemes that have enriched a small number of the well-connected. Critics deride it as a new form of ‘crony capitalism.’ Land tenure is another issue that has witnessed little progress since the end of apartheid. While there has been some reform, the present land tenure system still reflects the 1913 legislation that set aside 87 percent of the country’s land area for whites.
There are more problems with the potential to inhibit necessary economic development and fuel majority discontent. Two of the biggest are the political failure to improve education for the black population and the two-tiered, apartheid-era health system, which is struggling against a profound HIV/AIDS crisis.
Exacerbating these challenges is the gradual transformation of South Africa into a one-party state dominated by Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC), too often the venue of vicious political infighting. ANC youth leader Julius Malema indulges openly in anti-white rhetoric, such as his public singing of the apartheid-era “Kill the settler, kill the Boer,” — and exploits public frustration with such unresolved issues as land reform to advance his personal agenda. While he has little impact on economic policy, he sours the political atmosphere.
Internationally, presidents Mbeki and Zuma have disappointed in their lack of leadership on issues such as Robert Mugabe and the destruction of Zimbabwe, which in turn has resulted in massive refugee flows into South Africa and subsequent bouts of violent xenophobia spurred by intense competition for jobs.
South Africa’s politics and economy also show flexibility and adaptability. Politics remain open, public debates are on meaningful issues, and politicians are responsive to the electorate. Leadership at the highest levels is not a closed caste, as Mbeki’s ouster from the ANC party leadership and the presidency shows. The Democratic Alliance, once a largely white party, may have the capacity to develop into a multi-racial alternative to the ANC. And the ANC itself may also split between its left and right wings. The security services remain under civilian control and do not act independently. The University of South Africa is probably the largest “open” university in the world, with sophisticated approaches to distance learning with the potential to reach greater numbers. New post-Mbeki government-sponsored health programs may have slowed the spread of HIV/AIDS, and the debate over the future of land reform continues, though it is progressively less civil.
South Africa is all but unique in sub-Sahara Africa. Its political institutions are generations old and have spread from a privileged white minority to encompass the entire population. It is the strength of those democratic institutions, so fostered and supported by Nelson Mandela, that make it possible to be optimistic about South Africa’s future.
Rand Slides Against Dollar on European Debt, South African Fuel Shortages
By Robert Brand – /www.bloomberg.com/ Jul 18, 2011
The rand weakened for a third day versus the dollar as Europe’s debt crisis sapped demand for riskier, emerging-market assets, and on concern a strike by South African fuel transport workers will dent economic growth.
The rand weakened as much as 1 percent to 6.9555 per dollar, and traded down 0.9 percent at 6.9473 as of 10:03 a.m. in Johannesburg, bringing its decline in the past three days to 1.8 percent. The three-day depreciation is the second-biggest after the Hungarian forint out of more than 20 emerging-market currencies monitored by Bloomberg. The rand slipped 0.1 percent to 9.7553 per euro.
The euro, which pays for 45 percent of South Africa’s exports, dropped against 14 of its 16 most-traded peers and emerging-market stocks and commodity prices declined after European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet reiterated his opposition to a restructuring of Greek debt. In South Africa, more than 300 gas stations have run dry as a strike by fuel transport workers entered its eighth day.
“Risk aversion associated with euro-zone sovereign debt has culminated in a firmer dollar and higher gold price, while risky assets such as emerging-market currencies have sold off,” Standard Bank Group Ltd. analysts led by Johannesburg-based Michael Keenan wrote in a research note. “The rand is weakening more than most of its emerging-market peers, which we view as a function of the escalating industrial action in South Africa.”
Strikes
The rand may weaken to 7.08 per dollar “over the coming days,” Standard Bank said. The likelihood the rand will retreat to 7.08 per dollar in the next week is about 40 percent, according to implied volatility from options trading calculated earlier today when the rand was at 6.9493 per dollar.
Euro-area leaders will meet in Brussels on July 21 to discuss efforts to halt the crisis, European Union President Herman Van Rompuy said in a statement July 15. The second summit in a month follows the worsening of the debt concerns that pushed Italy to the attention of investors and drove bond yields to euro-area records across Europe’s most debt-laden nations.
The fuel strike has led to shortages at gas stations owned by Petroliam Nasional Bhd and Royal Dutch Shell Plc. The striking workers will be joined by union members at plants owned by Sasol Ltd. and PetroSa Ltd., a labor union said today.
The strike, together with another in the steel and engineering industry that ended yesterday, “poses a notable downside risk to our gross domestic product forecast of 3.8 percent in 2011,” Rand Merchant Bank analysts led by Theuns de Wet wrote in a research note.
Bonds declined for the first day in four, driving the yield on 10-year debt to a two-month high. The 6.75 percent securities due 2021 tumbled 35 cents to 88.76 rand, boosting the yield six basis points, or 0.06 percentage point to 8.47 percent, the highest on a closing basis since May 18.
Shrien Dewani given bail during extradition hearing
18 July 2011 /www.bbc.co.uk
A man has been granted bail during an extradition hearing over allegations he ordered his wife’s murder while on honeymoon.
South African authorities want Shrien Dewani, 31, to return to Cape Town, where his wife Anni, 28, was killed in November.
The couple were being driven through a township when their taxi was hijacked.
Mr Dewani, a care home owner from Bristol, was granted bail by Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court.
South African prosecutors say Mr Dewani, who was thrown out of the taxi while his wife was driven off and killed, had arranged the murder.
Taxi driver Zola Tongo, who has admitted his part in the crime, claimed in a plea agreement with prosecutors that Mr Dewani ordered the car-jacking.
Mr Dewani, who denies any wrongdoing, is said to be suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder and has been detained at a Bristol clinic.
In extradition proceedings that began at Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court in south east London in May, his lawyers argued that he may not be safe if held in a South African jail.
Mr Dewani’s supporters have also questioned whether he would receive a fair trial in the country.
The hearing in May was adjourned while a psychiatric report on his health was completed.
The court is expected to hear another four days of evidence this week before district judge Howard Riddle decides whether Dewani should be sent to South Africa to face trial.
UPDATE 1-S.Africa fuel industry, union in talks to end strike
Mon Jul 18, 2011 / Reuters
JOHANNESBURG, July 18 (Reuters) – Employers in South Africa’s oil industry will meet with unions on Monday in a bid to end a week-long strike that has left hundreds of fuel pumps dry and may cost Africa’s biggest economy billions of rand in lost output.
Tens of thousands of workers in the fuel sector began walking off the job on Monday, delaying deliveries and sparking panic buying at service stations in the economic hub of Gauteng province, which includes Johannesburg.
The industrial action intensified on Monday after a small but influential union joined other labour groups already on strike.
Fuel industry employers include BP Plc , Royal Dutch Shell , petrochemicals group Sasol , state-owned energy group PetroSA, Chevron and Total .
Sasol said the strike was impacting production at its Secunda synthetic fuels plant.
“In the interest of safety, sections of the East side of the Sasol Secunda plant are being run at lower production rates than normal,” Sasol said.
“These reduced production rates will impact on some fuel and chemical production. Sasol is doing everything in its power to continue to supply products to its customers using the available resources.”
The company added that it remained optimistic that the parties will do everything possible to resolve the impasse.
Sasol shares were trading 1.64 percent lower at 353.85 rand as of 0945 GMT, compared with a 0.74 percent fall in the Top-40 Index .
The Fuel Retailers Association said it was still collecting information as to how many service stations in Gauteng had run dry by Monday morning.
Economists said the fuel strike may cost South Africa billions of rand and impact its image as an investment destination due to frequent walk-outs in labour-intensive sectors such as mining, fuel and steel production.
The government called for a speedy resolution to the fuel strike to avoid a crisis which could spread to all sectors of the economy.
Many deliveries were hampered by intimidation from striking workers at depots, producers said.
Unions and employers are locked in their mid-year bargaining session known as “strike season”, with many labour groups seeking wage increases that far exceed inflation.
Companies from other sectors affected by strikes include paper makers Mondi and Sappi .
Numsa workers return to work
July 18 2011 /By BEAUREGARD TROMP / The Star/ www.iol.co.za
The violent two-week metalworkers strike has ended, with some workers gaining a 10 percent wage increase.
Eight of the nine National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (Numsa) regions accepted the offer, bringing an end to a strike that brought a near-total halt to the second-biggest contributor to GDP.
“Numsa members and our Numsa negotiators defeated the neo-liberal and two-tier labour market proposals of engineering employers,” Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim announced at the union’s headquarters in Newtown, Joburg, yesterday.
The strike was marred by a series of violent incidents involving Numsa members, but Jim again downplayed these, saying people wearing the union’s T-shirts were not necessarily Numsa members. “Numsa printed more T-shirts than most (unions),” he said.
He invited employers who had “specific cases of individuals” to report them to the union.
Numsa said it had also met Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa and will follow this up with another meeting “to ensure strikes are handled properly”.
Last week, the union criticised employers for using violence against striking workers. Jim also took issue with the “cheap shot” taken by employers to announce on Friday that the strike was over.
In signing the agreement, Numsa has attained the largest gain on the cost-price index (CPI) in the past five years.
The settlement succeeds in taking wages to 5.9 percent above CPI, which is the measure of the cost of consumer goods and services to households.
Numsa have insisted throughout the strike that the CPI was inaccurate as it did not take into account, for example, the dramatic increases in the cost of electricity.
The revised offer was tabled late last week, with leaders taking the offer to members at the weekend for discussion.
The union also gained some ground in phasing out labour brokers, with employers agreeing not to procure temporary workers for longer than four months.
Through a series of clauses in the agreement – including permanent employment for temporary workers employed for longer than four months and full benefits for temporary employees – Numsa believe they have discouraged employers from using labourbrokers.
The issue has been at the forefront of recent strikes and Jim denounced labour broking businesses as dealing in “human trafficking”. – The Star
South Africa trip increases Libya differences
Monday, 18 July 2011 /By Alex Stevenson/ www.politics.co.uk
David Cameron and South African president Jacob Zuma have openly disagreed over military intervention in Libya, increasing a divide between western and African states.
The prime minister had hoped his visit would focus on improving trade links between Britain and the two countries, but the joint press conference in Pretoria was overshadowed by both the phone-hacking scandal and Muammar Gaddafi’s future.
“It is no secret we have disagreed on some aspects of how to respond to violence in Libya,” Mr Cameron conceded.
“But we are agreed on the immediate imperative, that all sides must take every effort to minimise the loss of civilian life.”
Mr Zuma openly voiced the concerns of African Union nations about the lack of negotiations with Muammar Gaddafi.
He said the African Union (AU) had laid out a clear roadmap which would end the conflict through negotiation. Western states, including Britain, are insisting that debate about Libya’s future only take place after Colonel Gaddafi has stepped down.
“You need to negotiate on how must Gaddafi go, where must he go,” Mr Zuma insisted.
“These issues must be put on the table and the Libyan people must decide. That’s where the differences are.
“If he goes now, you have not even discussed and agreed on the conditions. Where must he go? What will happen to him at the end? That must be a product of negotiations.”
Rather than moving on Mr Cameron then made a strong argument in favour of the west’s military actions as he raised the ongoing “killing” and “maiming” of Libyan citizens.
He said “Arab countries like the Qataris” were stepping in to assist militarily as a result, before adding: “The president and I have spoken very frankly about this issue.
“The difference is the president sees that [the removal of Gaddafi] as the outcome of a political process, whereas I believe for a political process to work that has to be the starting point.”
Mr Zuma responded by acknowledging that a political process could not take place while violence was ongoing.
He said he wanted to see a peace process involving all the global players as well as both sides in Libya conducted after the fighting had died down.
The South African president said AU countries wanted to see a “ceasefire that could exist and be respected, while allowing the debate to happen including the future of Gaddafi”.
The situation on the ground in Libya appears to have shifted somewhat in recent days in favour of the rebel forces, who are making slow progress against Col Gaddafi’s forces. They have entered the town of Brega, a key oil town on the road to Benghazi.
Ministry of Defence spokesperson Major-General Nick Pope said: “British forces continue to make a significant contribution to the Nato-led Operation Unified Protector over Libya, striking Colonel Gaddafi’s troops, wherever they posed a threat to the civilian population, across the breadth of the country.”
TANZANIA:
Tanzania Gold Exports Increased to $1.7 Billion in May, Central Bank Says
By David Malingha Doya – /www.bloomberg.com/ Jul 18, 2011
Gold exports from Tanzania, which vies with Mali to be Africa’s third-biggest producer of the metal, increased 21 percent in the year through May, the central bank said.
Shipments grew to $1.7 billion from $1.4 billion a year earlier, the Bank of Tanzania said in an e-mailed report in Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital, yesterday.
The value of all exports from East Africa’s second-biggest economy climbed $1.4 billion to $6.4 billion in the year, it said. Imports swelled to $9.7 billion, a $1.5 billion increase, according to the report.
The country’s current account deficit widened 3.6 percent to $2.6 billion in the period.
“This was mainly on account of rise in imports of goods and services that outweighed the increase in exports of goods and services and official current transfers,” it said.
Tanzania’s foreign reserves amounted to $3.6 billion by the end of May, sufficient to cover 4.4 months of imports, while the national debt decreased to $11.4 billion in the period, it said.
SABMiller’s Tanzania Unit Earnings to Grow, Reuters Reports
By Mkhululi Mancotywa /www.bloomberg.com/ – Jul 18, 2011
SABMiller Plc (SAB)’s Tanzanian unit expects profit to increase 10 percent in fiscal 2012 as output and exports increase, Reuters reported, citing Managing Director Robin Goetzsche.
Tanzania Breweries Ltd. (TBL) had an operating profit of $124 million in the year through March 2011 on sales of $455 million, Reuters cited Goetzsche as saying. SABMiller, which owns 53 percent of the Tanzanian company, has invested as much as $40 million a year to expand it, Reuters said.
Kenya, Tanzania to build $630m pipeline
Sunday, 17 July 2011 /www.busiweek.com/Dorothy Ndeketela .
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA – Kenya and Tanzania will build a $630 million natural gas pipeline from Tanzania to Kenya to help meet the region’s rising energy needs.
The project which is said to be in the pipeline when the East African Energy Ministers meet this October will save more than 126 million East Africans upon its completion by supplying electricity and powering industries in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
In a telephone interview from Arusha, Mr Peter Kinuthia, a senior energy Officer at the East African Community told East African Business Week that the Petroleum Committee Ministers will pick the best option on the proposal to build the natural gas within countries because it will help to foster development as the pipeline has the potential to supply 710-720 MW of power.
“The East African Partner States are seeking for ways on how to improve energy infrastructure and ensure reliable electricity supplies to cater for economic expansion and population”, he said.
According to a recently study all four routes proposed in the report envisioned the pipeline running about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Tanzania’s commercial hub of Dar es Salaam through the northern town of Tanga and ending at Kenya’s port city of Mombasa. It could be operational by 2015, and an offshore alternative would be too expensive.
The study said that the four most feasible options for the pipeline were for it to run across land as opposed to sea, which would be too expensive. The feasibility study comprises four on-shore routing options and one off-shore option. The investment cost of the on-shore options are in the range of $515-630 million.
Tanzania has a proven natural gas reserve of 7.5 trillion cubic feet. Among the factories that will be in the position to benefit from the project will be the Tanga Cement.
So far nine international companies have submitted bids for oil and gas exploration blocks in Tanzania’s Tanganyika rift basin and interest in the country’s hydrocarbon sector continues to rise.
In their statement the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) mentioned companies that tabled their bids for evaluation include French’s oil major, Total SA, Canada-based Fort Calgary Resources Ltd., UK’s Orphir Energy PLC, and New Age Exploration Ltd and Swala Energy, both of Australia.
Others are Australia’s Beach Energy Ltd, and U.S based firms Kosmos Energy Ltd and ERHC Energy Inc.
The Lake Tanganyika rift basin is part of the western arm of the East African rift valley, where at least a billion barrels of oil have been discovered in neighboring Uganda.
Spurred by oil discoveries in Uganda as well as gas discoveries off the Tanzanian coast, interest in the country’s hydro carbon sector has been on the rise.
Tanzania is expected to hold a separate deep-offshore bidding round for at least 13 blocks off its coastline next year. At present, Tanzania has licensed 12 deepwater blocks and recent exploration works have encountered at least 7.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The country is yet to discover commercial oil reserves.
KENYA:
Kenya Shilling Weakens to Lowest in Five Days on Oil Demand
By Johnstone Ole Turana – /www.bloomberg.com/ Jul 18, 2011
Kenya’s shilling depreciated to the lowest against the dollar in five trading sessions as oil importers sought to buy more crude following a decline in prices.
The currency of East Africa’s biggest economy fell as much as 0.3 percent to 90.00 per dollar and was trading 0.1 percent lower at 89.85 at 10:50 a.m. in Nairobi. A close at this level will be the lowest since July 12.
“The shilling has weakened due to increased demand for the greenback from oil importers who anticipate to increase their purchase of crude following the price drop,” Wilson Mutai, a dealer at Nairobi-based African Banking Corp Ltd., said in a phone interview today. The currency is expected to trade within the 89.50 to 90.50 level in coming days, he added.
Brent crude declined for a third day in London as investors bet that Europe’s worsening debt crisis may slow the economy and crimp fuel demand.
Tents arrive for Somalia refugees
Posted by EVELYN NJOROGE /www.capitalfm.co.ke/ on July 17, 2011
NAIROBI, Kenya, July 17- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Sunday morning took delivery of the first consignment of emergency tents destined for Dadaab refugee camp.
This is the first in a series of UNHCR emergency airlift flights to bring aid to uprooted Somalis in remote refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia.
Speaking after offloading the cargo at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
UNHCR Public Information Officer Andy Needham said the batch containing 100 tonnes of family tents will then be transported by road to Dadaab on Tuesday.
“They arrived this morning at 9am and they have now been offloaded. Once they clear customs depart for Dadaab in a truck convoy on Tuesday,” Mr Needham said.
The tents he added will be distributed to about 2,300 families that are in most need of shelter including those that will be moved to the recently opened Ifo 11.
The officer disclosed that this is the first of five similar consignments that will arrive over the next few days.
The tents were airlifted from Kuwait with the subsequent flights expected to arrive from their stocks in Islamabad, Pakistan which will bring the stockpile to 6,600 tents to cater for the surging number of refugees in dire need of shelter at the camp.
“Another airlift of UNHCR aid supplies to Ethiopia is also set to begin as early as Monday. The airlift, which will deliver up to of 20,000 tents, will originate from UNHCR’s regional stockpile in Dubai and will deliver its cargo to Addis Ababa for onward delivery,” he said.
The airlifts will support UNHCR’s efforts to help more than 430,000 Somali refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia, including 164,000 who have arrived in the two countries since the beginning of the year.
Some 3,000 continue to arrive daily, fleeing continuing insecurity, drought and hunger in Somalia.
Last week, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres pledged the organisation’s full support to Kenya to help deal with the crisis.
Individual letters are said to have been sent to President Mwai Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga promising to assist Kenya cope with the growing number of the refugees.
Mr Guterres welcome the opening of the new camp saying it would relieve the deteriorating conditions caused by congestion at the 1991 Dadaab camp.
UNHCR has indicated that there are 380,000 Somali refugees at the Dadaab camp which is supposed to cater for 90,000 refugees.
“Including those living on the camp outskirts the number of Somali refugees in and around the Dadaab camp has swollen to 380, 000,” a statement from UNHCR read.
The Dadaab camp is the largest, most congested and one of the remotest refugee camps in the world with a plot designed to be occupied by one family holding five families.
During his visit to the camp, the Commissioner had emphasised the need for aid workers to operate from Somalia.
However, UNHCR’s Ron Redmond said security is still a major concern for aid workers who many want to operate from Somalia.
“The commissioner said it was urgent that more assistance be brought inside Somalia but we will have to wait and see what the security assessment shows because without guarantees from all parties in charge of safety, it is very difficult for humanitarian aid to be provided,” Mr Redmond said of the concerns.
Kenya election team plans to enrol 19m voters
By PETER LEFTIE pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com AND BERNARD NAMUNANE bnamunane@ke.nationmedia.com/ www.nation.co.ke/ Sunday, July 17 2011
The Electoral Commission aims to register a record 19.4 million voters for next year’s General Election.
At the same time, the winner of the presidential election will have to amass at least seven million votes in the first round to avoid a run-off.
Mr James Oswago, the commission’s secretary, said they had already registered 12.4 million voters and have rolled out a fresh campaign to bring on board another seven million by August next year.
The election date is the subject of a case expected to come up before the Supreme Court.
The IIEC says it expects a high voter turn-out of 70 per cent in the next elections — an equivalent of 13.5 million votes.
This means the winning presidential candidate must garner 6.9 million votes to avoid a run-off.
The candidate must also have won the elections in at least 24 counties. With this in mind, the major 2012 hopefuls appear to have already started quiet campaigns for the top seat.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta, suspended minister William Ruto and Gichugu MP Martha Karua have lined up meetings and functions across the country.
And they are targeting specific parts of the country, which they hope will add to their basket of votes.
Mr Odinga was in Kericho where he will need to secure votes after falling out with his erstwhile ally, Mr Ruto. He was also in Murang’a where he reminded residents that his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, supported Mzee Jomo Kenyatta while he (Raila) supported President Kibaki.
“Jaramogi and I supported Kenyatta and Kibaki knowing they were Kikuyus. It is, therefore, not true that I dislike the Kikuyu,” he said.
Mr Musyoka was in Mwingi where he declared that although presidential aspirants in the PNU Alliance will hold primaries to pick a flag bearer, he was the best suited for the job.
Mr Kenyatta spoke during the burial of Eliud Mathu Nyamu, father-in-law of Makadara MP Gidion Mbuvi, at Katoo Village in Mwingi South.
On Sunday, Mr Kenyatta, who is expected to launch his presidential bid next month, declared that he will have his name on the ballot papers despite being in the PNU Alliance.
“I know this is a challenging career but I want to assure you (his supporters) that there is no turning back in my presidential ambition”, he said.
Mr Ruto pitched tent in Kisii County urging the community to support him in 2012.
On Sunday, he held series of rallies in Kericho Town, Kapsoit, Muhoroni, Fort Ternan and Londiani areas — the same areas the PM visited on Friday.
“We (UDM) are consolidating the party everywhere. We are targeting pastoralists, the Coast, North Eastern, Kisii region and Western where we have New Ford Kenya as our partners. UDM is a mass party and we want to raise voters that can make us win comfortably,” he said.
Presidential hopefuls on the PNU Alliance ticket, he said, may come together to agree on a candidate. “But you don’t join an alliance when you don’t have votes. This is what we are busy working on,” he said.
Belgut MP Charles Keter said they were reaching out to key leaders in target regions to ensure they have adequate votes.
A key leader they have brought on their side is former National Assembly Speaker Francis ole Kaparo who wants to be UDM chairman.
“We are talking to many people and we are ready to make sacrifices to win the next election,” Mr Keter said.
Ms Karua was in Western seeking support for her presidential bid. And four ODM ministers and three assistant ministers said on Sunday they have a strategy to ensure the elections do not end in a run-off.
Ministers Fred Gumo, James Orengo, Otieno Kajwang’, Dalmas Otieno and assistant ministers Oburu Oginga, Ayiecho Olweny, Katoo ole Metito and chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo said they had a campaign in place.
“It’s now or never for Raila to ascend to the presidency following his unwavering support in all corners of the country… what we need to do is consolidate the votes for him come 2012 elections,” Dr Oginga said.
Mr Orengo said they will ensure that the ODM candidate wins the contest in the first round.
“We have a well spread out team, we have able pointmen and women in every corner of the country. Our strategy is to ensure Raila wins in the first round,” he said.
“Our opponents’ strategy is not based on any serious issue but on fighting an individual, that is a strategy of failures.
“Our strategy is based on making the new constitution work for Kenyans. That is when we can truly say we have a second republic,” Mr Orengo said.
Roads Minister Franklin Bett said Mr Odinga will focus on winning over areas in which he has traditionally performed poorly while retaining his core vote base.
“We will engage the people directly in their homes, villages, sub-locations, up to the national level. We will reach them on foot, by road, by air and by boat,” Mr Bett said.
Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo said the next election will be won at the county level.
“The Constitution is very clear that for you to take over the leadership of the country you have to get the support of 24 counties. This is because the county is the major unit of devolution,” Mr Gumbo said.
Under the Constitution, a presidential candidate is required to win a quarter of the votes cast in at least 24 counties apart from getting more than half of the votes cast countrywide to be declared a winner.
Former Siakago MP Justin Muturi, an ally of Mr Kenyatta said the camp favoured a free and fair nomination exercise to pick the PNU Alliance’s presidential flag bearer.
“It is a sure way of getting a strong presidential candidate and the beauty of it is that you build a very formidable team. But the primaries must be free and fair, devoid of any back room machinations like what ODM did in 2007,” Mr Muturi added.
Mr Oswago said the campaign to register the additional seven million voters would be sustained until the election.
He said the commission was prepared for a presidential run-off if the contenders did not reach the constitutional threshold for winning the race in the first round.
“We are definitely planning for a run-off, it is very possible,” he said.
EN BREF, CE 18 Juillet 2011… AGNEWS/DAM,NY,18/07/2011
