KIGALI, Rwanda – The President of the Senate of the Republic of Rwanda, H.E. Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo has emphasized the need to overcome fragmentation that exists at various levels of climate change management.

He explained that in Africa there are many initiatives that are engaged in climate change matters, including the East African Community through the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Inter Governmental Authority on Development, and the United Nations Environmental Programme. “There is need for synergistic interventions that optimize and ensure beneficial use of the available resources,” H.E. Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo added.

Speaking as Guest of Honor during the 3rd Nile Basin Development Forum in Kigali, Rwanda on 26th October, 2011 organized under the theme ‘Climate Change and its implications for Sustainable Development and Cooperation in the Nile Basin – Threats and Opportunities to Nile Basin Cooperation’ he said, “It is essential that policies, strategies, institutional and legal frameworks be developed, coordinated and harmonized at the global and regional level”.

Hon. Charity Kaluki Ngilu, Kenya’s Minister for Water and Irrigation and Chairperson of the Nile Council of Ministers in charge of Water Affairs, told participants that “the Nile Basin region is faced with a declining level of Lake Victoria. For us to guarantee water security for our citizens, I would encourage the Nile Basin Member States that are yet to sign the River Nile Cooperative Framework Agreement to do so.” She added that “Water security for Sudan and Egypt is not a matter for debate, but a right. To secure this right it is important the River Nile Cooperative Framework Agreement is ratified by all the Nile Basin States.”

Earlier, Dr. Wael Khairy, Executive Director of the Nile Basin Initiative, noted that achieving sustainable socio-economic development and management of the Nile Basin presents a great challenge, which calls for joint regional action as well as explicit political-will and financial commitment from all Nile Riparian States and development partners. He said the “Nile Basin can be resilient to climate change if, and only if, our Riparian States work together as one body”

The 3rd Nile Basin Development Forum was closed today 28th October, 2011 by the Host, Hon. Ambassador Stanislus Kamanzi, Minister of Natural Resources of the Republic of Rwanda.

He noted that participants have ably deliberated on the challenges, existing opportunities and the ever growing threats of climate change to development agendas, not only in NBI but in the whole of Africa.

“We received captivating key note speeches, deliberated on core issues and what can be done in Governance, Finance, Food and Energy Security in enabling us adapt to climate change”, he added.

Participants from the Nile Basin countries namely, Burundi, DR Congo Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, The Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda issued a ‘Kigali Declaration’ in which they called for cooperation among their respective countries in preserving and managing the Nile Basin environment by giving due attention to its water and land resources, wetlands and biodiversity and by addressing the impacts of climate change.

They also highlighted the need to support the empowerment of the Nile Basin Initiative to take more rigorous and effective steps towards implementing pertinent climate change adaptation measures, thereby contributing to the efficient water management and optimal use of the resources as well as poverty eradication leading to promotion of economic integration in the Nile Basin.

Participants further called for strengthening participatory and integrated approaches in planning and decision making, including the meaningful participation of the civil society and non-governmental organizations in our efforts on responding to climate change at national and regional levels.

During the Forum, NBI launched some of its key products relevant to the subject of climate change. These include the second release of the Nile-Decision Support System (Nile-DSS), which is a world class analytical tool for NBI Member States and NBI as an institution that supports rational decisions and promotes sustainable outcomes. It provides a trans-boundary framework for sharing knowledge, understanding river system behavior, as well as designing and evaluating alternative development scenarios, investment projects, and management strategies.

The first ever River Nile State of Basin report, which is currently under preparation, will be introduced. Among other things, this report provides access to accurate, credible and timely information to help in raising awareness and increasing understanding and appreciation about the natural environment, the people, communities and economic development of the basin.

The Nile Basin Sustainability Framework, a suite of policies, strategies and guidelines through which the NBI will ensure that its activities are sustainable. It will also be used ensure that the development and management of the Nile Basin water resources undertaken by NBI Member States with facilitation of the NBI are in accordance with the principles of integrated water resources.

The Nile Information System (Nile-IS), a web-based knowledge management tool that allows for easy storage, searching, organizing, retrieval, analyzing as well as disseminating and exchanging information collected from NBI programs and projects.

A number of FAO-Nile Information Products prepared between 1996 and 2008. These products are ‘policy neutral’ instruments for examining a linked future between the land and water in the Nile Basin– and exploring the issues related to the people that depend on the continued access to land and cycle of nutrients and water. They are tools for understanding the impacts of rising demand for food and water against a variable hydrological regime.

More than 200 participants from within and outside the Nile Basin countries, including Ministers in charge of Water Affairs and Members of Parliament in the Nile Basin countries, environmentalists, water managers, researchers, River Basin Organizations, International and Regional organizations, civil society, private sector, media, diplomatic missions and development partners attended the 3rd NBDF organized by the Nile Basin Initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources of Rwanda.

The 4th Nile Basin Development Forum will take place in Nairobi Kenya in 2013

By Amanuel Biedemariam

For Eritreans, the very existence of the nation as recognized by the UN is a testament to how victorious, hard working, independent, resilient and self reliant people that they are. The reason being, Eritrea was a condemned nation by the British, US, Italy and others from existence. These nations collectively decided that it would serve their interest if they make Eritrea a part of Ethiopia and imposed unnatural annexation of Eritrea by Ethiopia. As a result Eritreans were forced to endure untold hardships, immeasurable lose of life and years of instability. Millions became refugees and scattered. Eritrea’s chance of becoming a viable independent nation was severely degraded to below zero. Eritrea became a barren-dry-land due to successive brutal puppet Ethiopian regimes that wanted the land and not the people. As a result, after independence, Eritrea was forced to dig-out from the deep dark-whole into what it is today; an oasis in the middle of desert and thorny bushes.

Hence, the true measure of Eritrea’s successes needs to be looked back to the start of Eritrean revolution in 1961. The seed of independent Eritrea was sown then. At that time the wise leaders and the people of Eritrea decided to organize, arm and embark on a political awareness program unseen anywhere. That became the basis and a trajectory to the success that is Eritrea today. If one says Eritrea is the only independent nation in Africa today, it is a fact without exaggeration.

Eritreans are pragmatic and hard working people that faced the devil that is the West and won handedly without bowing to any one-nation or entity. Eritreans are smart people that know true freedom can only be attained with grit, determination, commitment and perseverance. They know what winning and victories meant from the inception of the revolution. They know what it entailed to ensure perpetuity. Hence, the liberation fighters-then sacrificed in ways that are impossible for the average person to imagine. They travelled in the harshest of climates, and the most difficult of terrains almost barefoot. They embarked on a national health and education programs in caves and under bushes. They build factories for products that they desperately needed in areas that are not ideal. They became masters of their destiny by doing many things creatively.

They embraced the public and in return the public embraced them-tenfold creating a harmonious partnership that is the foundation for the unity amongst Eritreans that exists nowhere-else in the world to date. They supported each other while building institutions that can stand the test of time. They worked hand-and-glove with villagers and farmers to create a farming partnership that expanded Eritrea’s agricultural capacity to ensure food security and expand the agro-industry for export. They developed indigenous mechanisms to build infrastructures in ways unseen anywhere in Africa. Eritrea turned every challenge imaginable into opportunities. Above all, Eritreans were able to accomplish all these miracles with joy and unparalleled generosity. All around the world Eritreans were supporting the war for liberation efforts while lifting one another from dire situations and dangerous places around the world. They were sending monies in everyway possible. Even the strictest of Ethiopian rulers were never able to control Eritreans from supporting their families.

This is proof that Eritreans are determined to leave poverty behind once and for all. There is also one undeniable fact here. If Eritreans waited to be saved by anyone, their hands will still be raised in prayer like a statue without a country or even history. With that knowledge in mind, Eritreans have done all they can to rely on Eritreans entirely to save and sustain them in good or bad. Eritrea has seen it all. For Eritreans drought, hardship and war is not new, in fact, it is has been a way of life thus-far. However, above all Eritreans have a very high hope, determination and confidence that their hard work and sacrifices will payoff for certain. And it is paying off big time.

The combination of principled approach to life and determination to-set their own destiny is bearing fruit. Their grateful and humble nature is making life easier because they are able to be thankful to the small victories that they have been able to amass into a gargantuan. Eritreans have learned that there is no small victory because they know when one kid plants a tree it is the cumulative effect that greens the country. They know one micro dam can change the life of a village in many ways and it is that knowledge that propelled them to build one of the largest dams in Africa in Gerset. This is taking place throughout Eritrea greening a nation that was once a desert due to neglect. Mountains are being terraced to reforest and protect the soil from erosion.

All these happen because there is harmony, understanding and cohesion amongst all the people. There is a great understanding amongst all Eritreans that the greatest resource Eritrea has is her people. Therefore, the focus has been-and-remains to be health, the successful nurturing of her pupils and education without exception and no matter where. To achieve that, Eritrea in her short existence has built schools and clinics in every village. There exists all types of social services in every part of Eritrea. The success Eritreans achieved in a short time is miraculous considering the hostilities that has been mounted against Eritrea. Consequently Eritrea is rich with all types of resources. And relative to the rest of Africa, Eritrea’s achievement is a standard that may never be reached!

This is a brief narrative of what Eritrea is about. Eritreans are not and will no be measured by the standards that the bigoted Westerners have set for Africans. They will not be cornered into the stereotypes of Africa that is hungry and dependent on handouts from the West. That is what Eritrea fought against in-principle and won independence. Self Reliance is a motto Eritrea breathes, eat and live by. Self reliance is not a proclamation for show or dogma; it is assurance to the very existence of Eritrea.

That is why it was perplexing to see a white South African Martin Plaut report about Eritrea based on fabrications, innuendo’s and assertions in order to create a new narrative of what Eritrea is or isn’t. Martin Plaut went to Ethiopia, a country at war with Eritrea, and reported stories about Eritrea based on the direction of Ethiopian authorities and proclaimed there is famine in Eritrea. Due to the sensitivities of naming the draught situation it took countless of reports for the UN to declare famine in Ethiopia and Somalia. Yet, Plaut took it upon himself to declare famine on Eritrea. How deceitful is that? The UN uses five categories to determine famine and the UN did not even place Eritrea in the list of countries affected yet, Martin Plaut took it upon himself to declare it.

To buttress his claim, Plaut sited, “satellite imagery from a weather monitoring group,” as if satellites can look inside a village or a home; noted personal accounts from people he spoke to in the Ethiopian side; sited Susan Rice’s insinuation that there may be famine that Eritrean authorities are hiding and flew with that.

This clearly shows Martin Plaut of the BBC and ilk are not journalists. They are agents of government-media organizations that are determined to create wars, instability, and hatred-based killings amongst people of a nation. They are agents of destruction, mayhem and genocide. They are experts at creating falsehood and misinformation in countries and governments of interest. They are brutal media mercenaries unconcerned about the people and issues they are reporting about. It is about the agendas they try to further. In this case, it is to make a long standing case against the government of Eritrea. To show pattern of civilian abuses so they can take actions as they have in Libya and other places.

It is not necessary or a standard for the BBC and other Western media organizations to send reporters in order to do due diligence and provide facts for the reports they give anymore. Instead they are relying on second and third hand information and report, as if it is factual information. And unfortunately, there is no scrutiny or penalty for gross misrepresentations these agents of evil spew regularly.

Martin Plaut is a South African-byproduct of the apartheid-era that thinks nothing about the suffering of the African people. If he did, he would have dared to look into his own homeland and cry for the suffering of his people that are facing starvation, the highest HIV infection rates and deaths due to AIDS related diseases. He would have gone to the shanty towns and face the inequalities his predecessors are subjecting South Africans into. Or he could have talked about his current residence UK that was mired by riots stemming from economic hardships. Instead Plaut-BOY found it convenient to talk about the only African country that found proven answers to poverty. How sad!

Let this be known to Plaut; Eritrea has reached a platform that no African country has reached strictly by relying on her self. There is also nothing Plaut or ilk can do about the riches of Eritrea poses. In addition, there is nothing Plaut can do to change the path of success Eritreans have created. And nothing he can do about the impenetrable unity amongst Eritreans. There is also another fact Plaut-BOY needs to know. Eritreans never abandon their own like he abandoned his African “brethren.”

All Eritreans need to expose the agents of evil BBC, Plaut and their hired Eritrean agents like Amaniel Iyasu!

ADH

Please find below a Press Release of Aktion Deutschland Hilft (an umbrella organisation founded by 10 of Germany’s most renowned aid organisations) about famine in East Africa.  The Press Release below is a google translated article of the German version (02.09.2011).

To read the original in German please visit: Aktion Deutchland Hilft

Today, the deputy chairman of Terra Tech, Dr. Gangolf Seitz, and Terra Tech Staff Christian Schmetz returned from their trip to Eritrea. They stayed ten days in the East African country to assess the status of agricultural projects in the Debub Province .

Together with its local partner, Vision Eritrea and the Eritrean authorities, a water supply for two villages and an irrigation system for the surrounding fields in the higlands were introduced.

The project started in January 2009 began the construction of a dam with a reservoir to ensure year-round water supply. Below the dam resulted in two wells. One is used to irrigate the fields, the other the drinking water supply for the neighboring villages and Abi Adi Adi Itay. A total of four miles were laid pipes, through which the water using a solar-powered pump in two high tanks.

In the villages, two collection sites were constructed. In order for 1,200 people with clean drinking water supply is secured. The irrigation system for the fields allows three harvests a year and result in a revenue increase of 60% for the affected farmers.

Eritrea is one of the East African countries affected by drought for years. However, agricultural projects such as the one from Terra Tech clearly reduced the exposure to climate variations. Therefore, Eritrea is not as strongly affected by famine as the neighboring countries.

“The current rainy season is rich and our lake is well stocked. The water supply of Abi Adi and Adi Itay ensures even during the next drought, “says Schmetz. Also Gerezghiher Hagos, project manager of Vision Eritrea is happy with the success of the project: “The inhabitants of the villages take the drinking water supply to enthusiastic, and a few days ago we could start sowing on the newly created fields. Thanks to the all-season irrigation farming activities can now be scheduled reliably for many years. “

Terra Tech is also active in countries in need of acute emergency assistance in the face of the current drought in East Africa. “Our efforts focus on the more affected Kenya,” says Dr. Seitz. “Together with our partner, the St. Consolata Hospital in Kisumu, we distribute food to starving families in the northern Turkana district.” The families can thus remain in their homes and not have to relocate into already crowded emergency camps.

To mitigate the effects of future droughts, Terra Tech is planning in Kenya the implementation of irrigation projects, similar to the project in Eritrea

If you want to help countries affected by the drought please donate to:

Eastern Africa

The Eastern Africa Energy Conference 2010 currently taking place in Kenya is to showcase East Africa as a new oil exploration frontier in the region.

The conference is part of worldwide suite of senior management events in/on Africa that has been conducted annually for over 16 years, and is endorsed by the Ministry of Energy, Kenya and the National Oil Corporation of Kenya.

Participating states and experts will examine emerging global oil and gas issues, economics and models driving the industry besides the black gold’s curse among others.

Further, Government policies, state interventions in the oil/energy market, state oil/energy companies, private energy investments and interests, corporate portfolio and strategies, new entrants, competition and regulation, inter-fuel issues, product pricing, taxation and the financing of non-hydrocarbon ventures, plus critical issues impacting the Eastern African future will be discussed.

It showcases the regional oil/gas and energy game in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Seychelles, Madagascar and Mocambique, and focuses on the corporate players (private and state entities) that are shaping the fast-moving dynamics one of the Continent’s rapidly growing energy markets – upstream, midstream, downstream, and in gas/power, CBM/CTL, as well as in renewables and biofuels.

On the first evening of the Eastern Africa Energy Conference organizers will host the 31st PetroAfricanus Dinner, with Guest Speaker: Jeff Hume, Managing Director, Upstream Petroleum Consultants.

Inside the week is a special and unique 3rd Petroleum Industry Fundamentals Industry Training Workshop presented by Dr Duncan Clarke, the world’s leading authority on African oil and gas and global national oil companies, as well as the author of the widely-acclaimed Crude Continent; The Struggle for Africa’s Oil Prize (Profile, 2008).

By Olad Hassan

East Africa is believed to have one of the biggest oil deposits in the world. Companies, both western and Asian, are hunting in earnest for oil and gas in the region. East African countries are experiencing one of the highest levels of investment in the world right now. However, year long conflict and political instability made the region to one of the riskiest places for local and foreign investment. Mainly due to the region’s trouble zones, the Horn of Africa and the Sudan Region of Darfur, which are believed to have the biggest deposits in natural resources.

Somalia.

Somalia has been without a functioning government since 1991, when former Mohamed Siad Bare’s Regime was over thrown.

In a 1991 a World Bank coordinated study intended to encourage private investment in the petroleum potential of eight African nations, Somalia and the Sudan topped the list of potential commercial oil producers.

The earliest indication of oil in Somalia was a large oil seep southeast of Berbera and several other seeps in various locations of the Somaliland province which considers itself independent from the rest of Somalia.

However, early exploration concentrated on an anticline structural approach since this had met with success in the Arabian Peninsula it took the oil companies a number of years to abandon this approach in Somalia. There is no evidence of large scale compressive folding in Somalia and the anticlines in the north of the country appear to be associated with the Miocene separation of Africa and Arabia and hence post-Mesozoic and early Tertiary oil and gas accumulations. Therefore, hydrocarbon accumulations must be sought in older structures and strata graphic traps.

Puntland, remains one of the last under-explored regions that have high potential for vast reserves of hydrocarbons. During the late 1980’s the State was divided into a number of concessions for oil exploration. Significant exploration was undertaken but this effectively ceased due to political instability that arose in 1991. However, there exploration activities have never ceased for good.

For example Australian exploration company Range Resources LTD. has been conducting studies on the mineral resources of the region during 2006 with a team of geologists based in Bosasso on the northern coast. The geological work has identified the potential of large silver rich lead zinc deposits analogous to the Jabali deposit in southern Yemen.

The agreements that Range Resources has entered was followed by intense negotiations between the Parties and their legal advisors. As part of this process the Parties have satisfied themselves that all previous mining concessions have lapsed.

The government of the semi-autonomous Puntland province has given Range Resources of Australia and Canmex Minerals of Canada joint E&P rights in parts of the region. The exploration period of its Somalia oil projects have been extended from 36 months to 48 months with the Somalian authorities, this is positive news as both sides see a reason to continue exploration in the area.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC) deal covers another part of Puntland and was endorsed by former President of Puntland and Somalia, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad, who hailed from the province, even though the transitional government’s authority there is tenuous. The prime minister himself has questioned the validity of the Chinese agreement because it was signed before the new oil law was in place.

The war torn nation is now under the eyes of Investors. Early 2007, the state-owned Chinese oil giant has signed a PSA with the former Somali Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed Gedi a, which ranks as a high-risk frontier even in an industry well accustomed to dangerous environments.

Kenya.

The East African republic of Kenya has no known oil or gas reserves. The Kenyan government is encouraging foreign interest in oil exploration and there is a modest upstream oil industry. It is endowed with other energy sources including wood fuel, coal, solar and wind power, much of which is untapped. The country’s commercial energy needs are supplied by electricity, coal, fuel wood and oil-derived products

Petroleum is Kenya’s major source of commercial energy and has, over the years, accounted for about 80% of the country.s commercial energy requirements. Demand for oil in Kenya is quite small due to the country.s underdeveloped economy, which is heavily dependent on labour intensive and rain-fed agriculture systems. The domestic demand for various petroleum fuels on average stands at 2.5 million tons per year, all of it imported from the Gulf region, either as crude oil for processing at the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited or as refined petroleum products.

Uganda.

Also in nearby Uganda, there is euphoria over oil discoveries as the region is sailing up as a new hydrocarbon producing zone attracting foreign investments. Early 2007, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni used the national thanks-giving service day in the capital Kampala to announce the discovery of oil in his country by London based explorer Tullow Oil. This discovery followed several years of the country’s painstaking search for oil.

The prospect Uganda becoming an oil producing country soon has caused a lot of excitement among many Ugandans. Even the government has boasted of the possibility of import savings of about a billion dollars (almost 2 trillion shillings) a year if the country’s oil needs are met from domestic oil supply, freeing much needed foreign exchange, and even of the possibility of Uganda becoming a net oil exporter.

This follows the confirmation Hardman Resources; an Australian drilling company working in conjunction with Tullow Oil from the United Kingdom, that Uganda has the capacity to produce oil to a tune of 10,000 barrels per day.

The world’s current oil consumption stands at 80 million barrels of oil per day having gone up from 65 million barrels per day (bpd) over the last five years. This jump in demand is a result of China and India’s rising demand of oil. Locally, Uganda’s demand for oil products is also rising at a rate of 6 % per day. Last year, Uganda consumed 700,000 cm of petroleum products worth $250 million. Per day, the country’s fuel needs stand at 50,000 cm (1,000 litres make up 1 cm). Per capita consumption of petroleum in Uganda has grown from 16 litres in 1991 to 24 litres at end of 2004 and that figure must be higher now.

At the cost of $70 (about 125, 000 shillings) a barrel, the average current price, 4,200 barrels a day from Waraga 1 would generate about $294,000 (Shs 546m) a day and Shs 199.5 bn annually just from one well.

Eritrea.

Eritrea is Africa’s youngest nation, having gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993. It lies to the north of Ethiopia and forms part of the North East African Region.  The two-year war between Eritrea and Ethiopia that began in 1998 has badly affected Eritrea’s economy, as Ethiopia was one of Eritrea’s major trading partners.

Eritrean mining and oil resources might soon become key elements of the countries economy. Two mining companies, Nevsun Resources and Chalice Gold, have announced to start within the next two years gold production in the Red Sea State. This will add Eritrea to the list of mineral exporting countries in Africa. Several other companies such as Sunridge Gold Corp. and South Boulder Mines  have also projects and mining assets in Eritrea.

Oil resources in Eritrea are believed to be substantial although there is little information available in this regard. In 2008 the Government of Eritrea signed two agreements with Defba Oil Share Company on oil exploration and development. The company is supposed to undertake oil exploration activities in two blocks of the Eritrean northern territorial waters.  The Defba Oil Share Company has been set up through the partnership of the Eritrean government and Energy Alliance Company W.L.L.

Hydrocarbon exploration, primarily offshore in the Red Sea, began in the 1960′s when Eritrea was still federated with Ethiopia. In 1995, Eritrea signed a production sharing contract (PSC) with U.S.-based Anadarko Petroleum (Anadarko) for the offshore Zula Block. Anadarko signed a second PSC for the offshore Edd Block, located south of the Zula Block, in September 1997.

Anadarko announced, in December 1997, that it had reached an agreement with ENI/Agip (Agip) to swap interests in exploration acreage. Anadarko received a 25% interest in a Tunisian block operated by Agip, and Agip received a 30% share in the 6.7-million acre Zula Block and 30% interest in the Edd Block. Burlington Resources, a U.S.-based independent, later joined the consortium by acquiring a 20% interest in both acreages. Anadarko’s first two exploration wells, both drilled on the Zula Block, were unsuccessful. In January 1999, a third dry well, Edd-1 on the Edd Block, was drilled. Citing the disappointing exploration results, Anadarko and its partners ceased exploration activities and relinquished their rights to the offshore blocks.

Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is endowed with energy resources such as coal, biomass, solar energy and natural gas and is not a great consumer of petroleum fuels. Current natural gas reserves are estimated to be 24 million cubic meters.

Just recently Ethiopia signed an oil exploration agreement for petroleum onshore development in the Ogaden Basin with Sweden- based Lundin East Africa Bv. There are in total 11 foreign companies exploring Oil in Ethiopia including Africa Oil Corporation, South West Energy and Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas. The Ethiopian government has announced that it will offer further 14 licences for oil and gas exploration over a period of three years starting from 2009.

In June 2003, the Ethiopian government signed an oil exploration deal with Malaysian company Petronas for 5,800 square mile tract in Gambela, in the far western part of the country. The region is closely related the Sudan oil fields. Petronas has committed to investing in regional infrastructure, employing local staff, improving health services, and developing the skills of the ministry of Mines. Petronas is also interested in natural gas exploration in Ogadenia region.

Ethiopia is totally reliant on imports to meet its petroleum requirements. Some petroleum imports are received at the port of Djibouti, and shipped via rail and tanker truck to Ethiopia. With the recent development of oil in Sudan, however, Ethiopia has begun importing oil which, under COMESA, is not subject to tariffs. Oil imports from Sudan began in January 2003 transported by tanker trucks along a new road between the two countries.

Petronas, is going to drill three oil exploration wells in Ethiopia’s Ogaden basin. They have hired a Dubai-based exploration company to replace China’s Zhonguyuan Petroleum Exploration Bureau, which refuses to go back to the region, after the Ogaden National Liberation Front, an ethnic Somali separatist group, attacked a Chinese-run exploration site, killing 65 Ethiopian and nine Chinese.

Uganda

By Olad Hassan

The Cranes of Uganda, defending Cecafa Champions, have again retained their regional tittle and 11th cecafa Senior challenge after beating Rwanda in the final of the tournament on sunday.

Dam Wagaluka opened the scoring deadlock of the final for Uganda 4 minuts before the half time and Emmanuel Okwi scored an other fantastic goal for uganda in the 73rd minuts, to give the win of cecafa in their consecutive two years.

Less than 5,000 fans have attended to watch the regional final, that looked poor attendence of a such high profile game of the region,this came after the hosts Harambee stars eleminated from the competition in the quarter final stage.

Uganda are considered to be the best team in the region, cranes have reached 15 finals of the Cecafa cup winning 11 of them.

Ugandan Scotish coach Bobby Williamson told the media after the game, that his player played their best and he that he was already expecting to win the cup.

Earlier Zanzibar defeated mainland Tanzania 1-nil to finish third in the regional competition.

Concerned about the serious threat posed by drug trafficking to global security, particularly in Africa, the Security Council yesterday called on the international community to strengthen its cooperation with the United Nations and regional organizations in fighting the scourge.

In a statement read out by Bedouma Alain Yoda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso, which holds the Council presidency for December, the Council recognized the anti-drug-trafficking measures undertaken by a range of United Nations bodies, from the General Assembly to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and encouraged them to take further action.

The Council also encouraged States to comply with their obligations to combat drug trafficking, to accede to relevant conventions and to investigate and prosecute those involved. It invited the Secretary-General to consider integrating the anti-drug-trafficking fight into conflict prevention strategies, conflict analysis and integrated mission assessments, as well as planning and peacebuilding support.

“Those who run trafficking operations are ruthless and often murderous,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said as he helped open a discussion of the problem following the Council’s adoption of the presidential statement. “We must pursue them and thwart them with the full force of the law and international resolve.”

He said the framework for international cooperation was being built around strong, United Nations-backed legal instruments, with the assistance of UNODC and other organizations. However, not all States had become parties to the instruments and they needed to be implemented more effectively. “So far, cooperation between Governments is lagging behind cooperation between organized crime networks,” he said. To counter the global threat, States must share more intelligence, carry out more joint operations, build capacity, and provide mutual legal assistance, he stressed.

Briefing the Council after the Secretary-General’s remarks, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said there were new, worrisome developments concerning drugs in both West and East Africa, as well as across the sub-Saharan land mass. The continent was facing a severe and complex drug problem – not only trafficking but also production and consumption. Serious consequences in terms of health, development and security were inevitable.

He said the recent discovery of laboratories in Guinea showed that West Africa was also becoming a producer of synthetic drugs (amphetamines) and of crystal cocaine refined from pasta basica.

In East Africa, 30-35 tons of Afghan heroin were being imported, causing a dramatic increase in heroin addiction and spreading HIV/AIDS in the slums of Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya’s two main cities.

The two streams of illicit drugs flowing into East and West Africa were now meeting in the Sahara, creating new trafficking routes of unprecedented scale across Chad, Niger and Mali he said.

Drugs were enriching not only organized crime but also terrorists and other anti-Government forces, he warned. To counter that threat, national capacity must be strengthened and information-sharing among affected countries promoted. In addition, he urged the creation of a Trans-Saharan Crime Monitoring Network to improve information, monitor suspicious activity, exchange evidence, facilitate legal cooperation and strengthen regional efforts.

In the ensuing debate, speakers welcomed UNODC’s efforts and called for a greater focus, as well as a more comprehensive framework of international cooperation, for fighting illicit drug trafficking in Africa and around the world. Many also described the extent of the problem in their own subregions, emphasizing the need not only to reduce supply, but also demand.

Most speakers called on the Security Council to pay more attention to the issue from the peace and security perspective. However, Venezuela’s representative said drug trafficking did not fall under the 15-member body’s jurisdiction and must be fought in a way that gained the approval of the entire international community, through United Nations units that reported to the General Assembly.

Austria’s Vice-Minister for European and International Affairs described the results of a donor round table that his country had co-hosted last week, with a view to increasing support for the Regional Action Plan on illicit drug trafficking and organized crime of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

UIA

In the period July to September 2009, the authority licensed 104 projects worth $265,765,528.

Out of the 104, 58 projects owned by Ugandans, 14 are owned by Indians while 37 are from 13 other countries. Apart from jobs, the country ill benefit from taxation and social infrastructure if the companies develop friendly social responsibility policies.

Major investors are from India, United Kingdom, China, Nigeria, Russia, Kenya, Virgin Islands, Sudan, Eritrea and Lebanon.

The major sector in attracting investment is the manufacturing sector that has attracted 36 projects with a planned investment of $93.4 million and is expected to create 4001 jobs, according to a quarterly released by the Uganda Investment Authority last week.

“The manufacturing sector continues to attract more investments and to create the urgently needed jobs for the Ugandans,” said the UIA Executive Director Dr. Maggie Kigozi.

She said some of these projects take off immediately while others delay because they have to carry out Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and others delay due problems in sourcing funds.

She said this is in line with the government’s strategy to create jobs and adding value to the agro-products and other raw resources.

“The steady increase in the manufacturing set ups is in response to the regional demand for Uganda’s edible oils, maize flour, and other food stuffs, dairy products, plastics utensils, from Uganda’s surrounding markets of Rwanda, DCR Congo and Sudan,” she said.

UIA Board Chairman Patrick Bitature said the authority is on course with the establishment of the 22 industrial parks as per the 2009/2010 budget with an objective of intensifying the drive to add value to Ugandan products and eradicate poverty through the provision of incomes.

He said the Kampala Industrial and Business Park (KIBP) located at Namanve on Jinja road, 10 kilometres East of Kampala is being implemented on a fast track arrangement.

This is a $150 million World Bank project that is also expected to create over 5000 jobs when industrialists start using it.

“Most of the earthworks that include construction of a road network to sub-grade level have been completed,” he said.

The authority also procured 70 acres of land for establishment of the an industrial park at Luzira, a Kampala suburb and factory construction by the beneficiaries is going on.He said the master plan for another 50 acres in Bweyogerere another Kampala suburb has been prepared and approved by the National Industrial Park Planning Committee.

The authority has also acquired 12 acres for the small and medium scale (SME) industrial park and is in the process of acquiring 640 acres of land in Western region town of Mbarara. Foreign Direct Investment in Uganda has grown significantly over the years and Uganda is set to draw in a lot more foreign investors courtesy of the young oil and gas sector that is just getting off the ground.

Phaunos Timber

The Phaunos Timber Fund (AIM: PTF) announced that it has increased its stake in Norwegian company Green Resource AS, invesring a further US$2.36m in the privately owned company. The deal is the third of similar transactions and it takes fund’s total investment in Green Resources, including loans, to approximately $35m.

Phaunos Timber Fund is a closed ended investment company which aims to achieve long term returns through a diversified portfolio of timberland and timber-related investments. FourWinds Capital Management is the appointed investment manager of the company.

Green Resources manages over 14,300 hectares of timberland in East Africa, including forests in Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique. Green Resources’ industrial operation, Sao Hill Industries (SHI), is East Africa’s largest sawmill and one of the largest transmission pole producers in the region.

There have been many positive developments in recent months at Green Resources. Earlier this year it agreed long term borrowing from the Norwegian development financial institution ‘Norfund’ and the IFC subsidiary of the World Bank. Through the agreements, Green Resources raised $25m.

The proceeds from the loans are being used for additional plantation development and for industrial operation improvements in Tanzania. The IFC loan is the largest ever to a private company in Tanzania.

In July, Green Resources’ plantations Mapanda and Uchindile were the first forest projects, outside of the US, to receive Voluntary Carbon validation (VCS). VCS is considered the world standard for voluntary carbon projects.

In August, Green Resources signed a framework agreement with the Government of Mozambique to establish a world scale forest plantation of up to 100,000 ha in Northern Mozambique.

Most recently, Green Resources’ subsidiary SHI signed a 20 year log supply contract with Tanzania’s Department of Forestry and was awarded a large contract with Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited to provide transmission poles. The majority of these logs will be harvested from Green Resources’ eucalyptus plantations established in the late 1990′s in Uganda and Tanzania. Source: (ProactiveInvestors)

EASBRIG

A standby force for the Eastern Africa region will be ready for operation next year, enabling regional countries to self-resolve their own conflicts, rather than rely on international forces.

According to the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade Coordination Mechanism the East African stand by force (EASF) will go operational in November 2010 after the Standby Brigade, which currently is in field training, meets the requirements set by the African Union.

The Brigade which will involve specially trained troops from 11 member countries will complete its field training in November after which it will be certified as fully operational.

The director of the East African Standby Brigade Co-coordinating Mechanism (EASBCOM) Simon Mulongo said.

Accordingly, Countries in East Africa and the Horn will soon be obligated to intervene in trouble-spots like Somalia and Darfur, instead of relying on help from the entire continent, the United Nations or European Union.

Mr Mulongo said the priority areas for intervention will depend on three factors: The most deserving conflict situation; the voting by the AU peace and Security Council; and a decision by the regional summit.

The stand-by force was established in 2007 by defense ministers from across the region. Its formation marked the sixth such force to the African continent.

Up on deployment EASF, will be used in peacekeeping missions as well as in respond to national emergencies. Member countries that originally signed for EASF were 13 countries .

They are Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan, Rwanda, Mauritius, Madagascar, Eritrea, Djibouti, Seychelles, Somalia and Tanzania. Military commanders from the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region recently met in Nairobi for a one-week conference that analyzed conflicts and disasters in the region, and how to respond to them as a region. Source: (SudanTribue)

African Farm

COMESA announced the creation of the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), which should help farmers to address their problems during rough times.

During the second congress of the East African Farmers’ Federation (EAFF) in Arusha, Tanzania the creation of  ACTESA was hailed as the most significant development in regional agriculture in 2009.

The EAFF highlights that farmers in the region have long required a focused initiative that would comprehensively address their market development needs.

“We need markets as producers but sometimes when our crops fail we need support – we see ACTESA as designed to meet these challenges.  We welcome ACTESA and we will work with it all the way,” the EAFF president stated.

The 2nd EAFF Congress was officially opened by Tanzanian Deputy Minister for East African Cooperation Honourable Mohamed Aboud, and the Congress brought together over 200 representatives of farmers’ organizations in the East African region to map strategies for the agricultural sector in East Africa over the next 2 years.

Newly appointed ACTESA Chief Executive Officer Cris Muyunda, during his address to the congress highlighted that ACTESA priorities over the next year included capacity building of farmer organizations, promoting of sustainable public – private partnerships in input supply and crop marketing and supporting modern instruments in structured agricultural trade. 

Other dignitaries at the Congress included ASARECA Executive Director Seyfu Ketema, and senior officials of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

In its resolutions, the congress urged COMESA, EAC and Member States to put in place a strong early warning mechanism for potential food shortfalls in the region, carefully examine the tax regime affecting agriculture in the region, fully consult farmers before concluding international trade agreements and deal with all security issues affecting farmers in the region, particularly those in the DRC.

Robert Wood, Deputy Spokesman of the US Department State said during a press briefing that food security is a priority to Secretary Clinton.

Asked what America plans to do on the worsening food situation in East Africa Mr Wood replied that the matter is of big concern to the United States.

He explained that the US is trying to provide resources not only direct on a bilateral level, but also by supporting international organizations.

The spokesman points out that it will take more than resources from the United States to address the problem. He calls for the assistance of other nations in order to deal with the serious food security problem in Africa.