Asmara Tea

Marco Barbon travelled between 2006 and 2008 to Eritrea to make the pictures of his newly published book “Asmara Dream”. The book captures the timeless beauty of Asmara in Eritrea. The Author was born in Rome in 1972 and has a PHD in Asthetics of Photography from the Ecole Etudes en Science Sociales in Paris, France. He worked as a Photo Editor, Author and Film Director of a short film presented at the Italian Film Festival, Nice and at Cinema Le Latina, Paris.

Who is Marco Barbon?

I am an Italian photographer living and working in Paris. I was born in Rome but later moved to Paris the place of art, culture and inspiration.

What drives Marco Barbon?

The passion for travel, art and photography is what drives me. The places I visit and the things I see are my artwork. I try to capture them in a moment of time and space, revealing their beauty.

What is the subject of your work in Eritrea?

The subject of my book is the city of Asmara, more precisely that particular sensation of suspended time and subtle melancholy that struck me the first time I was there. The Italian flair and beauty of the city is something you can not forget after having visited Eritrea.

How did you find out about Eritrea?

Some friends who have visited the country some years ago told me about the beauty of Asmara and I was curious to visit it. So, I packed my things and got on the plane to see myself what they were talking about.

What do you think about Eritrea?

I think Eritrea is a very beautiful country. The tourism is potentially a great richness for the country, the people of Eritrea should continue to develop it because it has a great potential to help the country in the future.

What do you think of Eritreans?

Eritrean people are wonderful, I love them.

Which are your favourite photographs in “Asmara Dream”?

For me is basically impossible to say what are the « best photos » in the Book; it’s up to the reader to judge.

How many books of “Asmara Dream” have been printed?

We printed in total 1200 books. Out of this 600 books are in the Italian/English language and the remaining 600 are in the French / English language.

Will you visit Eritrea again? And what are your future projects?

I would like to visit Eritrea again – I hope in a near future. Now I have many friends there, I miss them very much. I am planning to continue my photographic work in other countries. I have few other book projects.

Do you have a message for our Eritrean readers?

I have no real message for them but a question for them: How do you see and dream the future of your motherland?

The UN refugee agency has entered into partnership to warn thousands of people about the dangers they face by crossing the perilous sea waves that separate the Horn of Africa from Yemen.

In a news release published here Tuesday, the agency said it has long been trying to spread awareness about the dangers, but people still keep making the perilous crossing.

In a bid to reach a wide audience, UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have teamed up with the BBC World Service Trust to air a weekly radio broadcast about the risks.

The first 30-minute “Lifeline” program was broadcast on Saturday on the BBC’s Somali service.

It will become a weekly feature over the next six months, when the Gulf of Aden sailing season is at its height.

Aside from awareness material, the Saturday afternoon program will also carry general information of interest to migrants and asylum-seekers.

“The program has come just in time. It will help people understand the dangers that they are likely to face,” said Hodan Hassan, a UNHCR community services officer in the northern Somalia port of Bossaso.

Every year, tens of thousands of people, mainly Ethiopians and Somalis fleeing poverty or conflict and persecution, pay smugglers to ferry them across the Gulf of Aden to the Yemeni coast.

Many never make it, drowning or dying from beatings, shark attacks and other dangers. So far this year, around 300 people have drowned or are missing at sea and presumed dead.

Put together by the BBC World Service Trust with the help of migration experts from UNHCR, IOM and other agencies, the program will help people make an informed decision about whether or not to cross the gulf or to seek asylum in neighboring countries.

The UN agency said the program will feature Somali refugees in Kenya, Ethiopia and Yemen talking about the opportunities and challenges of life in exile, and also from internally displaced people in Somalia.

Interviews with migrants and asylum-seekers show that many would not have undertaken the journey had they known about the risks involved.

In a country where literacy is low and national TV and newspapers non-existent, radio is one of the best ways to reach out to the population as many people have access to a radio set.

The smugglers stop sailing in July and August when the seas are too stormy. Since the beginning of this month, more than 190 boats have arrived at the Yemen coast carrying almost 10,200 people, bringing the total number of arrivals since January to more than 50,000.

UNHCR also hopes the BBC program will sensitize host communities in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Yemen about the plight of migrants and asylum-seekers and the reasons that lead to their flight.

“It will help in reducing xenophobic feelings directed at Ethiopian migrants and asylum-seekers by the host communities,” said Hassan. Source: (People’s Daily Online)

IMF

ASMARA, Eritrea September 29, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission visited Eritrea during September 14–29, 2009 to conduct the 2009 Article IV consultation discussions.

The last Article IV consultation was concluded in April 2008. The mission met with Mr. Ali, Minister of Energy and Mines, Mr. Woldemariam, Acting Governor of the Bank of Eritrea, Mrs. Woldeghiorghis, Director General of the Treasury and Mr. Tesfaldet, Director General of the Budget (both in the Ministry of Finance), other senior officials, and representatives of the international community and civil society.

The mission is grateful to the authorities for their very warm hospitality and fruitful discussions. Mr. Mario de Zamaróczy, mission chief for Eritrea, issued the following statement today in Asmara:

“The mission reviewed economic developments since the last consultation and discussed the authorities’ macroeconomic policies against the backdrop of a severe drought in 2008, the international food and oil price crises, and the global recession. In the wake of these exogenous shocks, Eritrea’s economic performance has weakened, with growth remaining elusive, while inflation has accelerated and progress in fiscal consolidation, stalled.

“The mission noted a number of areas where progress had been made. These included continued investment in agricultural and irrigation projects to wean the country’s farming industry progressively away from dependence on irregular rainfall; public investment program in targeted key sectors, such as education, health, mining, infrastructure, cement production, tourism, green energy, and fisheries. These investments are expected to contribute to a resumption of growth in the medium term. However, even with the positive impact of forthcoming mining and cement productions, Eritrea’s medium-term outlook could present downside risks. The mission expressed concerns with regard to the size of the fiscal and current account deficits, external and domestic debt levels, and high inflation. Growth, even with the maturation of earlier investments, may remain below the level necessary to achieve a significant reduction in poverty.

“The policy discussions centered on a number of possible policy measures to rekindle economic growth and private sector activities. In the short run, the focus should be on restoring macroeconomic and financial balances, through fiscal consolidation; reducing banking sector financing of the budget deficit; and relaxing import and exchange controls to re-launch imports of basic and intermediary goods. As global pressures recede, it would be important to bring inflation under control through restrained fiscal and monetary policies. The government’s expenditure prioritization efforts were identified as key to raising the effectiveness of public outlays in a resource-constrained environment. In the medium term, the focus should be on measures that promote external competitiveness; liberalization of the financial sector; removal of administrative bottlenecks; and promotion of private investment in the productive sectors. The mission believes that with the right set of reform policies and building on the country’s rich human and mineral resource potential, Eritrea could be well placed to rebound as the world recession wanes.

“The mission welcomed the authorities’ renewed interest in drawing on the IMF’s and other donors capacity-building assistance to develop institutional and human capacity in the civil service. The mission noted that the IMF’s East Africa Regional Technical Assistance Center (East AFRITAC) was well placed to provide technical assistance on a grant basis.

“It is expected that, subject to IMF management approval, the IMF’s Executive Board will consider the mission’s report in December 2009.” Source: (IMF)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia accounted for 42.3% of the total inflow of investment of the 14-state Western Asia region, which stood at $90.2bn.

Three countries combined, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE accounted for 77.6 % of the flow of investment to the region.

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s 2009 report, which covers the 2008 investment results, the Turkish economy had attracted some $18.1bn in 2008, down from $22bn recorded in 2007, while the UAE attracted $13.4bn, up from the $13.2bn recorded in 2007.

For comparison, in 2006 Turkey came in first place having attracted $21.1bn in investment, followed by Saudi Arabia, and UAE.

Multinational group investment

The increase in investment in Saudi Arabia took place with the influx of several foreign companies, including Royal Dutch/Shell (UK-Netherlands), Sinopec (China), Eni (Italy), and Lukoil (Russia), for natural gas exploration in the south-eastern region of the Kingdom.

In addition to awarding contracts to Mac Dermont (United States), Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Korea), and Petrofac (UK) to develop the onshore and offshore fields of Karan gas field.

By comparison, last year Saudi investments failed to exceed $1bn, representing a sharp decline compared to the $13bn in 2007. The report stressed the need to engage in institutional investment rather than individual investment, for its rewarding returns and reduced risks.

Increase in business ranking

Saudi Arabia has jumped three places in business environment and investment competitiveness ranking to number 13, according to a report by the International Finance Corporation of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The reforms pursued by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz seem clear, as the country has gone from number 67 in 2005 to number 13 in 2009 on the index, which measures 183 countries around the world.

The Kingdom has continued to maintain its performance as the best country for investment in the Middle East and North Africa, as it moved up the business starting index from 28 to 13.

The country also came 16 on the index for protecting investors.

FDI increase

Recent investments have focused on the real estate sector with an estimated 21%, the petrochemical industry with 16%, and the extraction of gas and oil with 10%, with economists projecting an increase of 40% of investment during the coming four years to exceed $3bn.

The global financial crisis has altered the image of foreign direct investment, by recording a sharp rise in the share of developing economies to total 43% in 2008. Inflow of foreign direct investment to developing economies has reached $621bn.

This change in the pattern of inflows may partly be attributed to the significant decline in FDI flows to developed countries which fell by 29% in 2008 compared to the previous year, to $962bn. Source: (AmeInfo)

Osman Mohammed Saleh

STATEMENT BY

HIS EXCELLENCT MR. OSMAN MOHAMMED SALEH

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE STATE OF ERITREA AT

THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 64th SESSION OF THE UNITED 

NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEW YORK, 28 SEPTEMBER 2009

Let me begin by congratulating our sisterly country, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, and you personally, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly and I express our confidence that your long diplomatic skill and leadership will lead us to a successful conclusion of the session. I wish to assure you the full support of the delegation of the State of Eritrea in the realization of your mission.

Permit me also to seize this opportunity to pay a well deserving tribute to your predecessor, H. E. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua, for the very able and effective manner in which he carried the affairs of the 63^rd session. Likewise, we commend the Secretary-General, H. E. Ban Ki-moon, for his efforts with which he continues to administer the affairs of our United Nations and especially for convening the Climate Change Summit last week.

Mr. President,

The United Nations General Assembly is holding its annual General Debate for 2009 at a very critical juncture. One year after the world “Financial and Economic Crisis” began, this gathering provides us another opportunity for reflection. The Hall in which we convene today and the lofty purpose for which it was founded have both outlived their time. This body was conceived in another era to address the challenges of the post World War I and World War II world order.

Therefore, it cannot realistically cope with the exigencies of the 21st century. From an objective point of view, the United Nations should have embarked on a process of transformation 20 years ago in concurrence with the end of the Cold War. By now, it should have been replaced by a reformed organization fit to address the challenges of the century we live in and beyond. The calls for the reengineering of this renewed organization have not been few. Two decades have passed without any meaningful outcome in the direction of substantial reform. The “Financial and Economic Crisis” and the global awareness that it has spawned are mere symptoms of the consequences of inaction at the cost of reform.

Mr. President,

The prevailing world order has not succeeded in guaranteeing the peace and security of our world, in spite of the noble intentions that brought forth its creation and despite the harsh lessons learnt from the two World Wars. On the contrary, this ageing world order has been hijacked to serve the interest of the few, opening the door for a myriad of ramifications. Financial institutions have been left to operate astray without restrictions or regulations. Economic structures that pillage the resources and wealth of peoples and nations have been consolidated. Illegitimate military and coercive blunders have been allowed to fester unchecked; the employment of war and its proliferators have been refined in a business like order. The number of people suffering from poverty and hunger has not been reduced; it has rather multiplied in many folds. Violent extremism has not received the attention it deserves; rather it has been further fuelled and manipulated as a pretext and excuse for ulterior motives. A culture of “politics of fear” and “management by crisis” has been nurtured, exploited and established as a norm. Indeed, world peace and security have been imperiled beyond measure.

The United Nations, itself, has been one of the victims of this world order. Evidences to this effect are known to us all and are well documented. Reform and change have been long overdue. Despite the fervent calls for reform by the international community, the few who control the outdated world order are unfortunately not attuned to the notion of change. They have instead regarded the crises and suffering as ordinary historical imperatives. Towards this end, they have resisted all attempts at introducing change, and through their preexisting clout, influence and advantages, they were able to block it. Thus, no real reform has been made so far.

Mr. President,

In this global maelstrom, where even the populaces of the developed countries have been adversely affected, none have been more exposed to harm than those of the marginalized in Africa. We, the peoples of Africa,have been victims of poverty and hunger, models of backwardness, metaphors for diseases and epidemics. And the continent has become the ground for crises and conflicts. In this regard, the most important case for concern is the fact that the special interest groups have rendered the Africans paralyzed.

Hence, instead of resolving our own problems, we find ourselves amid poverty, hunger and disease; rather than actively striving to achieve development and growth. Similarly, when it comes to the resolution of crises and conflicts, Africans find themselves dependent on the goodwill of others. However, criticism is not only reserved for the special interest groups that steer the prevailing world order but also be apportioned to the other special interest groups who serve as instruments and partners of the former. Indeed, the role of Africa in this august body as well as other international organizations could be better described as inconsequential. The evidence for this unfortunate matter is also well documented.

Mr. President,

In order that world peace rights be respected, poverty and hunger be eradicated, and economic development and growth be made to benefit the majority in a sustainable fashion, the need for fundamental change in this organization and other international bodies should not be left to the goodwill of the few. The change that needs to be effected to transform this “outdated world order” into a “new world order” should not only be gilded in reform, it should be solidly genuine to the effect that it portends peace, security and prosperity for the coming generations. The desired reform should not only be limited to increasing the number of seats in the United Nations Security Council. It should rather steer away our world from its dangerous path of descent, where it is controlled by the powerful few and redirect it towards a path that ensures the safety of all. Though this is the ideal for which the world’s population aspires and strives, the African Continent, for obvious and special reasons, need to expend more efforts to achieve it.

But beyond all the good wishes, the fundamental reform that we are waiting for requires collective commitment. On this auspicious occasion, it would not do justice to dwell on numerous current events, or consequences spawned by the fundamental flaws of the world order. Doing so would only serve to confuse and distort the bigger picture. Therefore, I have chosen not to address important issues of the Horn of Africa and Eritrea’s specific issue of illegal occupation of sovereign Eritrean territory which is already in the records of the United Nations awaiting responsible and urgent action.

I thank you, Mr. President.

Source: (United Nations)

Tadese

Monte-Carlo – Heading the Entry List for the IAAF / EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships which take place in Birmingham, UK on 11 October 2009, is three-time reigning champion Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea.

The World Half Marathon is the fifth and final IAAF World Athletics Series competition of 2009, and will bring together many of the world’s best road runners to contest this annual event.

Tadese won the first of his titles in Debrecen, Hungary in 2007, at the briefly (for two years) renamed World Road Running Championship, over the distance of 20km. He repeated his success the following year over the half marathon in the northern Italian town of Udine setting his personal best of 58:59 which still stands as the seventh quickest run of all time on courses applicable for record purposes.

The manner of the Eritrean’s third victory last year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was a picture of brilliance.

Tadese’s run was a solo venture of athletics magnitude, breaking away from a quality field after just 5km to win the first prize of US$30,000 in a time of 59:56, nearly two minutes ahead of his closest challenger, Patrick Makau Musyoki (1:01:54) who had also been a silver medallist in 2007.

Makau, the world’s fastest in 2009, is not in the Kenyan line-up this time but in the shape of Sammy Kitwara the winner of the Rotterdam Half Marathon in a PB of 58:58, the second fastest time of 2009, they still have a man more than capable of giving Tadese a run for his money in Birmingham.

Kenyan men have won nine of the 17 individual titles so far contested including victory at the inaugural World Half Marathon Championships which were also hosted in the UK on Tyneside in 1992.

Tadese, the former World Cross Country champion, has had a bit of an up and down year with his bronze medal finish at the World Cross in Amman in March followed up by the disappointment of his ‘did not finish’ in what was his marathon debut in London in April, and back up again to the elation of his World Championships silver medal over 10,000m (26:50.12) behind Kenenisa Bekele in Berlin.

Already the only three-time male winner of the World Half Marathon title, can Tadese make it number four on 11 October in Birmingham? Source: (IAAF)

Salva Kiir Khartoum

The leader of southern Sudan says the country is at a “historic crossroads”, as it gears up for a national vote and a secession referendum for the south.

Salva Kiir also raised the prospect of conflict between north and south resuming despite a 2005 peace deal.

“We don’t want to go back to war but people have to be alerted [sic] always,” he told a conference of opponents of President Omar al-Bashir. Meanwhile, the president has ended years of censorship on newspapers.

Until now, state censors inspected newspapers before they were published and removed articles they did not approve of. The presidential decree ending this came after journalists pledged to sign up to a new code of ethics.

Ready for anything

Some reporters fear that it will still be difficult to write about the war in Darfur and the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for Mr Bashir for alleged war crimes committed there. The BBC’s James Copnall in Khartoum says press freedom is seen as a key condition for the April 2010 election to be free and fair.

Tension is rising in the run-up to the poll – the first national election since the end of the two-decade north-south conflict in 2005.

Mr Kiir’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has accused northerners of stirring up recent ethnic violence in the south, which has left hundreds of people dead.

President Bashir’s National Congress Party (NCP) has rejected the accusations.

The NCP and SPLM are in a shaky coalition at national level, with some SPLM officials feeling the former rebels are being marginalised.

“To us in the SPLM, unity is a noble cause, but not any unity,” Mr Kiir said, according to the AFP news agency.

“Unity that does not generate a value-added to the present status of South Sudan does not attract anybody.

“The two possibilities of unity and secession… are real. Consequently, wisdom dictates us that we prepare ourselves to both eventualities.”

At the conference in the southern Sudanese capital Juba, prominent Islamist politician Hassan al-Turabi repeated his calls for Mr Bashir to travel to The Hague to face ICC trial.

Mr Turabi has previously been arrested for making these calls.

Semi-autonomous southern Sudan has been controlled by Mr Kiir’s SPLM since the peace deal ended the civil war. The NCP refused to take part in the conference.

Our reporter says the gathering of so many political heavyweights in one place must be of concern to those who are not there. Source: (The BBC)

Market Call Tonight

During the BNN program Market Call Tonight, the editor of Exploration Insight Brent Cook gave a comprehensive overview on “Junior Mining Stocks and Commodities” by answering questions of current and potential investors in mining shares.

According to Brent Cook big mining investments should be avoided in countries such as Russia, Mongolia, Venezuela and Ecuador due to the high risk of instability and corruption. He mentioned, for example that exploration projects with Russian ownership could be a very risky investment due to the involvement of the Russian Mafia.

However, he believes that places such as Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Angola and Eritrea are countries that are good to invest in due to the reliable actions taken by the governments in recent years. In respect to Eritrea he says, “I would definitely put money in Eritrea, I have been there a couple of times and talked to the government and they are under control“.

One viewer and investor asked Brent Cook on his thoughts about Nevsun Resources and their mining business in Eritrea. His reply was that the Bisha Mine is a fantastic deposit with a high grade gold cap they will mine and make a lot of money. He underlines that Nevsun Resoureces is a good company with a good deposit in a good country, which has its financing completed.

Brent Cook’s view can be supported by other analysts who say that at current metal prices, the Project is expected to generate enough cash in the first two and a half years to repay all debt facilities, in addition to further mine expansion. The Bisha Mine will be a low-cost gold producer for the first two years and a low-cost, high-grade copper and zinc producer for the remaining 10 year mine life. Further resource potential exists at depth and from nearby discoveries within the Company’s licensed areas.

For the next 12 months experts believe that the share price of Nevsun could go up to $2.56 or even $3.50, although Brent Cook thinks that the share price will be in the range of $2.50 in the next 12 months.

Watch the program with Brent Cook here:  BNN Market Call Tonight.

Brent Cook is an independent exploration analyst and advisor. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of several junior exploration companies and acts as a consultant to several institutional investors. Brent Cook produces the weekly investment newsletter Exploration Insights. For more information on Brent’s letter please visit www.exporationinsights.com

Mbhele

A South African man walked four brides to the altar, marrying them at the same time to save money and prevent cheating, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.  Although polygamy is legally recognised in South Africa, father of 10 Milton Mbhele was still unusual in organising the weddings at the same time.

The 44-year-old local government employee from KwaZulu Natal pledged his undying and equal love at a lavish white wedding held in a giant marquee in a sports field.

“This is the day I’ve been waiting for all my life,” said Mbhele before taking his multiple vows,” reported the newspaper. Mbhele, in a white linen suit, and his four brides, wearing white princess gowns and tiaras, arrived together in a limo.

Mbhele, who has seven children with his four brides and three from previous relationships, cited his Zulu “culture” and economic reasons for the unusual wedding. “It doesn’t help to have one wife and have 30 girlfriends that drain you so much you end up with no money,” Mbhele said.

He said he loved his brides equally and there was good competition among them. Eight cows will be slaughtered on Sunday at the groom’s home for the traditional part of the ceremony. Source: (AFP)

CHALICE

The Executive Chairman of Chalice Gold Mines Limited addressed shareholders in an opening letter of the Annual Report 2009.

 

 Dear Shareholder

During the 2009 Financial Year your Directors have focused activities towards a transaction that would change the profile of the Company through the acquisition of a major asset. At the time of writing I am pleased to report that we have now completed such a transaction through the merger of your Company with ASX-listed Sub-Sahara Resources NL (“Sub-Sahara”).

This merger together with the acquisition of a direct interest in Sub- Sahara’s main undertaking, being the Zara Gold Project in Eritrea, will give the Company 80% of that project. The project is located in the East African country of Eritrea and contains 944,000 oz at an average grade of 5.8 g/t at the Koka deposit.

This transaction provides shareholders with the opportunity to participate in the development of a potentially highly profitable, high grade gold project with untouched exploration opportunities near the current resource and regionally.

The Company now holds a substantial land package of 615 km2. This area has had little exploration, if any, and this provides a unique opportunity for the discovery of additional gold and base metal deposits. Full details of the project are disclosed in the following Review of Operations.

With the merger now behind us, the Company has commissioned Lycopodium Ltd to undertake a scoping study to be completed by October 2009 and then a detailed feasibility study to be completed by May 2010. In parallel with this work, a 5,000 metre diamond drilling program using two rigs will commence during November 2009 to upgrade the resource from Inferred and Indicated to a Measured category.

In conjunction with the studies being undertaken at the Koka deposit, the Company will also focus its attention towards the potential of further gold discoveries at depth and along strike. A 2,500 metre diamond drilling program has been planned to test these targets. Our preliminary geological assessment of the region suggests that there is considerable opportunity to locate additional ore bodies in similar geological settings along strike from the main Koka deposit.

TSX-listed gold and base metals company Nevsun Resources Ltd has recently secured US$235M of financing to develop the Bisha Project which lies approximately 90km south of our project and will be Eritrea’s first significant mining operation. We look forward to working with the Government and people of Eritrea to become the next mining operation within the country, which, all going well, could be in production in 2011.

I would like to thank my fellow Directors and staff for their efforts during the last 12 months as we continue to grow and develop your Company. I would also like to welcome Mike Griffiths who was formerly Managing Director of Sub-Sahara to the Board of Chalice. Mike brings to the Board considerable experience both in Eritrea and Africa generally and will be a valuable member of our Board and management team.

Last but not least, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and I welcome the Sub-Sahara Resources shareholders to our register. ANNUAL REPORT 2009.

Sunridge Gold Corp

On the heels of its strategic partnership with Antofagasta Minerals S.A. (“Antofagasta”), Sunridge announced the commencement of a new drill programme at the Asmara Project, Eritrea. Drilling will focus on expanding the known resources within the “Development Areas” that contain the four 100% owned deposits, Emba Derho, Debarwa, Adi Nefas and Gupo Gold.

According to the agreement, Antofagasta will fund US$10 million of exploration work over a 5-year period to earn a 60% interest in part of the Company’s Asmara Project in Eritrea. Antofagasta is also expected to purchase common shares of Sunridge in a non-brokered private placement for proceeds of US$5 million. Antofagasta will become Sunridge’s largest shareholder owning an approximate 18% interest in Sunridge.

Drilling has commenced at the Debarwa high-grade copper-gold-zinc volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) project. Approximately 2,000 metres is planned for this phase of drilling which will test several strong geological and geophysical anomalies that appear to be extensions of the known mineralized zones. The objective of this drill programme is to expand the existing resource, particularly the high-grade copper supergene zone. This zone has an average grade of 5.36% copper using a 1% copper cut-off, containing 158 million pounds of copper in the indicated category. The deep primary zone at Debarwa, which is open at depth, has an average grade of 2.53% copper with 3.23 % zinc in the Indicated category using a 1% copper cut-off and contains an additional 39 million pounds of copper and 49.8 million pounds of zinc.

The drill targets at Debarwa consist of strong geophysical anomalies which have been identified by gravity and audio-magneto telluric (AMT) surveys as well as detailed mapping and sampling over the last year. Drilling at Debarwa will focus on a geological and geophysical target outlined over a continuous 1.5 km in strike length located only 150 to 200 metres east of and parallel to the Debarwa Main Deposit. Management believes this could represent an eastern limb of the main deposit.

Upon completion of drilling at Debarwa, the programme will focus on possible extensions to the large Emba Derho copper-zinc-gold VMS Deposit. A positive Preliminary Economic Assessment Study on the Emba Derho deposit was completed in June 2009. The drill programme will continue on to the Gupo Gold Deposit to better define that resource.

Busy several months await at Sunridge. As investors recognise Eritrea’s potential as a mining destination, the market is expected to re-rate companies such as Sunridge.

About Sunridge Gold Corp

Sunridge Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration and development company focused on the acquisition, exploration, discovery and development of base and precious metal projects on the Asmara Project in Eritrea. Sunridge announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Antofagasta Minerals S.A. to form a strategic partnership whereby Antofagasta will fund US$10,000,000 of exploration work over a five year period on the “Exploration Areas” of the Asmara project to earn up to a 75% interest in these areas and also invest US$5,000,000 in a non-brokered private placement. Prior to the completion of the above private placement, the Company has 62.6 million shares outstanding and approximately $4.5 million in cash. (ProactiveInvestots)

WHO

The swine flu pandemic could kill millions and cause anarchy in the world’s poorest nations unless £900m can be raised from rich countries to pay for vaccines and antiviral medicines, says a UN report leaked to the Observer.

The disclosure will provoke concerns that health officials will not be able to stem the growth of the worldwide H1N1 pandemic in developing countries. If the virus takes hold in the poorest nations, millions could die and the economies of fragile countries could be destroyed.

Health ministers around the globe were sent the warning on Thursday in a report on the costs of averting a humanitarian disaster in the next few months. It comes as officials inside the World Health Organisation, the UN’s public health body, said they feared they would not be able to raise half that amount because of the global downturn.

Gregory Hartl of WHO said the report required an urgent response from rich nations. “There needs to be recognition that the whole world is affected by this pandemic and the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. We have seen how H1N1 has taken hold in richer nations and in the southern hemisphere. We have been given fair warning and must act soon,” he said.

The report was drawn up by UN officials over the last two months. It was commissioned in July after Ban ki-moon, the UN’s secretary general, expressed concern that the H1NI virus could have a severe impact on the world’s poorest countries.

It paints a disastrous picture for the world’s most vulnerable people unless there is immediate action. “There is a window in which it will be possible to help poor countries get as ready as they can for H1N1 and that window is closing rapidly,” it says.

“Countries where health services are overburdened by diseases, such as HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, will have great difficulty managing the surge of cases. And if the electricity and water sectors are not able to maintain services, this will have serious implications for the ability of the health sector to function.

“If suppliers of fuel, food, telecommunications, finance or transport services have not developed plans as to how they would continue to deliver their services, the consequences could be significantly intensified,” it adds.

The 47-page report provides a detailed breakdown of the basic needs of 75 vulnerable countries with the weakest capacity to withstand an escalation of the virus. Six countries from Latin America, including Cuba and Bolivia, 21 countries from Asia and the Pacific such as North Korea and Bangladesh, and 40 countries from Africa such as Congo and Eritrea are included in the survey.

UN officials say in the report that £700m should be spent on antiviral drugs and vaccines to protect health care workers and other essential personnel as well as cover those suffering from severe illness. They have identified 85 countries that do not have the ability to access vaccines from any other source and intend to cover 5-10% of each population.

A further £147m should be put aside to organise vaccine campaigns, improve communications, monitor levels of illness and improve laboratory capacity in 61 countries, the report claims. The remainder should be used to pay for the WHO and other UN-related organisations to help in these countries as well as an emergency fund for additional antiviral medicines, it argues.

The UN’s efforts were boosted last week when nine countries, including Britain and the US, pledged to give the equivalent of a 10% share of their swine flu vaccine supply to help fight the deadly virus’s global spread. In Britain, Douglas Alexander, the development secretary, pledged to give £23m.

Some officials within WHO believe, however, that this will not be enough. One said that richer countries were reluctant to pay out all of the money that was needed. “The downturn means that governments countries are reluctant to give,” he said.

Another said: “The money is a trickle, not a flood. It is going to be a struggle. If we are not careful, the virus could destroy a burgeoning economy or democracy.”

The UN’s request for the money comes as the virus begins to establish itself in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries. On Wednesday, health officials told one website that the African continent had recorded 8,187 confirmed cases of swine flu and 41 deaths.

Swine flu was declared a pandemic in June and has since been identified in 180 countries. Pandemic experts believe that the western world, including Britain, is facing a second wave of the virus. Source: (The Guardian)