Friday 26th March 2010
QUOTE OF DAY
"The positive response by South Africans to the 'Fly the Flag' and the 'Football Friday' campaigns was welcomed as a clear sign that the country is getting ready to welcome and host the world," South African government spokesperson Themba Maseko conveys his excitement at the launch of international road shows aimed at building up football fever ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup
AFRICAN POLITICS
Rwanda, Ethiopia strengthen defence ties – The New Times (RW)
26 March 2010
Rwanda and Ethiopia yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will see the two countries strengthen their defence and military cooperation. Full Story
Danjuma, militants in crucial talks – Vanguard (NG)
26 March 2010
As part of deliberate plans to rejuvenate the entire Amnesty programme and make it more people-oriented, key militants leaders from the oil-rich Niger-Delta yesterday met behind closed doors with the Presidential Advisory Council, PAC, led by Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma. Full Story
UN chief calls for eradication of modern forms of slavery – Afrique En Ligne (FR)
26 March 2010
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday in New York called for renewed international commitment to ensure that all forms of slavery are finally eradicated. Full Story
Angolan government authorised by parliament to negotiation sea border with Congo – Macau Hub (MAC)
26 March 2010
The Angolan government plans to reach a deal with its neighbour the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) before making a request to the United Nations (UN) to increase its sea border, the Minister for Justice said in Luanda. Full Story
Sudanese president reiterates adherence to elections' timetable – Xinhua News (CHN)
26 March 2010
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday reiterated his government's commitment to organize the general elections in the country as scheduled in April. Full Story
AFRICAN ECONOMY
Marcus Says S. African Growth No Threat to Inflation – Bloomberg (US)
26 March 2010
South Africa’s central bank unexpectedly cut its benchmark interest rate to the lowest in at least 12 years yesterday, saying that “subdued” economic growth posed little threat to an improved inflation outlook. Full Story
Tunisia: Services sector to reach 64 % of GDP – African Manager (TUN)
26 March 2010
The Tunisian-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CFTCI), Chokri Mamagholi, Secretary of State for Foreign Trade and representatives of companies operating in the service sector, held on Wednesday in Tunis a debate on the upgrading program of services. Full Story
Huge Windfalls Crown State House-China Talks- Cameroon Tribune (CAM)
26 March 2010
A CFA 3,200 million gift, an interest-free loan of the same amount and several agreements were signed after Mr Jia met President Biya at State House yesterday. Full Story
EAC-EU trade deal set for December – The New Times (RW)
26 March 2010
The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the East African Community (EAC) and the European Union (EU) will be signed in December this year, John Bosco Kanyangoga, Rwanda’s trade expert has said. Full Story
AFRICAN BUSINESS
Banking and Finance
EIB, DBSA to jointly fund projects in Africa – Afrique En Ligne (FR)
26 March 2010
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) have agreed to jointly fund, to the tune of 6 million euros, a technical assistance programme on infrastructural development, an official source told PANA here. Full Story
Mozambique’s Moza Banco posts profits of US$2.2 million in 2009 – Macau Hub (2010)
26 March 2010
Mozambican bank Moza Banco, a financial institution with Mozambican capital and part-owned by Macau casino magnate Stanley Ho, posted profit of US$2.2 million in 2009, the bank’s chief executive said Thursday in Maputo. Full Story
Oil and Energy
South Africa eyes Uganda’s oilfields – Daily Monitor (UG)
26 March 2010
President Jacob Zuma said yesterday that Uganda’s recent discoveries of commercial oil reserves present new investment opportunities for South African companies already playing a key role in the country’s telecom, banking and beverages sector. Full Story
British corporation says equipment now ready for Tanzania offshore oil search – IPP Media (TZ)
26 March 2010
Dominion Petroleum Limited, the London listed oil company among foreign firms highly active in the East African search for hydrocarbons, says it is now ready for its deep sea oil search in Tanzanian territorial waters. Full Story
Metals and Mining
AngloGold Sets Up Venture With State-Run Congo Miner – Bloomberg (US)
26 March 2010
AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., Africa’s biggest producer of the metal, set up a joint venture with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s state-owned mining company to develop its Ashanti Goldfields Kilo project. Full Story
RB’s promise paying off – Times of Zambia (ZAM)
26 March 2010
President Rupiah Banda is today expected to re-open the Munali Nickel Mine, which was closed last year as a result of the global financial crisis, which led to the collapse of metal prices on the foreign market. Full Story
Itochu’s Africa Uranium Project to Get JOGMEC Financing - Bloomberg (US)
26 March 2010
Itochu Corp.’s project to mine for uranium in Namibia, Africa, will receive 4 billion yen ($43 million) in financing from the state-owned Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. Full Story
Technology and Communications
Kagame to chair ITU commission - New Times (RW)
26 March 2010
President Paul Kagame is set to chair the new global broadband commission, an initiative that will be put in place by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to implement broadband initiatives. Full Story
Zain gives nod to Bharti to buy African unit – Vanguard (NG)
26 March 2010
African and Middle East telecommunications operator, Zain, yesterday, confirmed that its board has met in consideration of selling its African unit, Zain Africa BV to Bharti Airtel of India for $8.3 billion. Full Story
Comoros to get high speed internet connection Speed internet connection – Afrique En Ligne (FR)
26 March 2010
The operation to connect Comoros to the world optic fibber network will start on Saturday, the day after the arrival in Moroni of the boat to connect the submarine cable, Ahmed Abdou, Technical Manager of the Comoros telecommunication company, Comores Telecoms, said on Thursday. Full Story
Transport and Infrastructure
IRST to launch Biodiesel bus – The New Times (RW)
26 March 2010
The Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST) will today launch the Rwanda Biodiesel Express Bus. Full Story
Signing of Rusumo border pact today – IPP Media (TZ)
26 March 2010
Tanzania and Rwanda are expected to sign today a bilateral agreement to make Rusumo border crossing a one-stop border post. Full Story
Agriculture
Australia eyes COMESA partnership to link farmers with export markets – The Post (ZAM)
26 March 2010
The Australian government has expressed interest in partnering with COMESA's Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) in linking small-scale farmers to export markets. Full Story
FRA urges DACOs to advise farmers on maize drying – The Post (ZAM)
26 March 2010
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has urged District Agriculture Coordinators (DACOs) to sensitise farmers on how to effectively dry their maize because the agency shall not purchase a crop which has high moist content. Full Story
Other
Heineken, Diageo brewery in South Africa malt plant deal – Reuters (US)
25 March 2010
The facility is part of the two beverage giants' efforts to step up their competition with SABMiller (SAB.L) (SABJ.J) on its home turf. The two brewers are not investing any money in the malting plant, but the funds for its construction will come from Fabcos, the company said. Full Story
AFRICAN ENVIRONMENT
World deforestation decreased over the past 10 years, FAO report – Afrique En Ligne (FR)
26 March 2010
World deforestation, mainly the conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land, has decreased over the past 10 years but continues at an alarmingly high rate in many countries, FAO announced Thursday. Full Story
Ethiopia calls for common stand from developing countries at climate change negotiations in Mexico – Xinhua News (CHN)
26 March 2010
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Thursday that developing countries should have common stand at the climate change negotiations expected to be held in Cancun, Mexico. Full Story
The Green Revolution's new avatar – IRIN (US)
25 March 2010
The Green Revolution has a new avatar: transformed Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D), and food experts hope it will provide the panacea for hunger. Full Story
Ethiopia's rush to build mega dams sparks protests – The Guardian (UK)
24 March 2010
At the foot of a towering gorge slicing through southern Ethiopia the Omo river suddenly disappears into a tunnel bored into the rockface. Full Story
AFRICAN EDUCATION
Zambia fights poverty with schooling – BBC (UK)
26 March 2010
In the dark, cramped room she shares with her three younger siblings, 15-year-old Christine Makiya rises from her bed on the floor and kneels to say her prayers. Full Story
Japan provides equipment worth 445,555 USD to National Museum of Ethiopia – Walta Info (ETH)
25 March 2010
Japanese ambassador to Ethiopia, Kinichi Komano here on Thursday handed over equipment for hominid fossil related facilities in donation to the National Museum of Ethiopia. Full Story
Education crucial to lowering prevalence – IRIN News
25 March 2010
HIV prevalence among Tanzanians who attended secondary school fell sharply between 2004 and 2008, while remaining stable among the country's least educated people, a new study has revealed. Full Story
AFRICAN BLOGOSPHERE
StreetSpark coming to South Africa – South African Tech (SA)
26 March 2010
StreetSpark is an iPhone app that has taken the UK by storm, and now it is coming to South Africa. The developer of the application popped a comment on my blog with the press release quoted below. Full Story
Can Ghana avoid the oil curse – Reuters Blog (US)
25 March 2010
With a democratic touch rare in a region better known for dictators, Ghana is asking its citizens what it should do with the windfall from oil production due to start later this year. Full Story
The Best Smart Phones for Global Development – Appfrica (UG)
20 March 2010
The growing needs for workers heading into the field are becoming far more high-tech than in years past. Full Story
Is Africa underpopulated? – Katine Chronicles Blog, The Guardian (UK)
26 March 2010
It was not absolutely clear whether it was a moment to cheer or cry. In December, shortly after the participants in a UN conference on family planning had broken up in Kampala, Africa's billionth baby was born. Full Story
.jpg){kind=small}
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment