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Learnerships are an essential resource to future-proof your business Black Broad-Based Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) is only effective in meeting its goals if the transformative ethos of the legislation is embraced, according to Rajan Naidoo, the Director of EduPower Skills Academy. “If B-BBEE is approached with a begrudging compliance mindset, merely ticking boxes, it will fail. …
By Gawie Kanjemba, International Energy Fellow, African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org)
Historically, oil and gas projects are known to experience delays ranging from 5% to 20% of the project duration owing to project complexity, significant capital requirements and the multi-faceted nature of developments. In 2023, oil and gas projects across Africa are experiencing even further delays, a trend which is detailed in the African Energy Chamber's (AEC) recent market-focused report, The State of African Energy Q1, 2023 Outlook. The report paints a telling picture of the challenges facing the industry and the impacts these delays could have.
Procrastination: The Foe of Progress
According to the report, delays from discovery to final investment decision (FID) to development kick-off have increased, leading to revenue losses due to deferred production, increased costs for contractors, and essentially lack of progress. This trend mimics Parkinson's Law of Delay, an observation that work will expand to fill the time allocated to it. In this scenario, procrastination is the ultimate foe of progress and productivity, and unless delays are addressed, Africa will not be able to unlock the full potential of its oil and gas.
Despite their significance, a number of large-scale projects are experiencing a lull. These include the Mozambique liquefied natural gas project which has experienced multiple delays due to security concerns. Developed by TotalEnergies, the project was originally scheduled to start production in 2024 (FID was secured in 2019) but the start-up is now delayed to the late-2020s due to the declaration of force majeure by TotalEnergies. Additionally, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline - which will transport crude oil from Uganda to Tanzania for export - has been delayed due to financing challenges and environmental opposition. The project, which is being developed by TotalEnergies and other partners, was initially expected to start operating in 2020 but is now expected to come online in 2025. In Nigeria, several offshore oil projects have experienced delays due to security concerns, regulatory issues, and technical challenges. For example, the TotalEnergies-developed Egina oil field, saw a 12-month halt due to issues related to local content requirements and delays in the delivery of key components. Meanwhile, sizeable natural gas volumes discovered in Ethiopia in the 1970–1980s are yet to see FID, with project delays extending decades.
However, there are several successful stories such as the Jubilee field off the coast of Ghana, which has been in production since 2010 and has had a significant positive impact on the country's economy. Another example is Egypt's Zohr gas field, which has been in production since 2017, and Angola's Kaombo, which has been producing since 2018. These countries have experienced relatively few delays in their projects and are now enjoying the benefits of their successful development. Unless other O&G projects are developed with the same urgency, Africa's production forecast will see a downturn.
Start-ups Critical for Long-Term Output
According to the AEC's report, the currently producing fields, both liquids and gas, are in terminal decline due to depleting reservoirs. Infill drilling or redevelopment programs on these fields, which involve brownfield spending, may only temporarily stabilize the decline in production. Liquids output from these fields is expected to decline from 7.66 MMbbls/d in 2023 to 6.85 MMbbls/d in 2025 and 4.7 MMbbls/d in 2030. The average annual production decline rate is 8% through 2025-2030 and a higher 10% through 2031-2040. Any further delays or shelving of future start-ups can be catastrophic to Africa's hydrocarbon output. Although short-term (2023-2025) start-ups are expected to have little impact on the forecast, the medium-term (2026-2030) and long-term (2030+) start-ups are expected to drive a revival in Africa's liquids output. The good news is that the overall impact of delayed start-ups is short-lived, and the total liquids output from Africa is expected to ramp up to about 8.4 MMbbls/d in 2036.
Similarly, regarding gas production, the decline in producing fields, though terminal, is not as steep as liquids-producing fields. The short-term start-ups are estimated to account for 10% of the total output by 2025, but the share from the currently producing fields is expected to drop to 50% by 2031 and further to about a quarter of the total output by 2040. The long-term start-ups are estimated to add up to a third of the total output by 2035 and half of the total output by 2037-2038, and this share is only expected to increase going forward.
Capital Flows to Africa's Deepwaters
Governments are already considering project delays and the issues caused, both economically for the countries dependent on hydrocarbon exports and domestically for countries looking to diversify the energy sector. Efforts have been made to address these issues, such as Nigeria passing the Petroleum Industry Act resulting in new production-sharing contracts signed with supermajors. As such, investment is seeing a gradual surge, and Africa's deepwater prospects are gaining attention.
Due to the fact that most of the untapped O&G are currently located in deep waters off the coast of Africa, the majority of future investment is expected to be directed towards the deep offshore. By 2025, it is projected that 45% of the estimated $24 billion greenfield spending will be in deepwater projects, and by 2030, it is estimated to increase to over 50%. This trend is expected to continue, with over 55% of the estimated $64.5 billion total spending in 2035 projected to be spent on deepwater projects. Of the estimated $775 billion total greenfield spending between 2023 and 2040, approximately 48% is expected to be spent on deepwater projects.
Some notable deepwater projects in Africa include the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA), Yakaar–Teranga, Bir Allah, and Orca projects offshore Senegal-Mauritania as well as the Pecan project offshore Ghana; the Brulpadda and Luiperd gas fields offshore South Africa; and the recently discovered Graff, Venus and Jonker finds offshore Namibia. These deepwater projects are significant in terms of reserves and cost, making them major drivers of O&G spending. Given the importance of these projects for Africa's production forecast, both governments and operators must prioritize securing funding for their development.
The AEC's State of African Energy Q1, 2023 Outlook provides a comprehensive overview of the state of play of Africa's O&G projects, highlighting the urgent need to advance collaboration, investment and development. Time is of the essence, and missing this opportunity could result in a significant development gap between Africa and the rest of the world. However, with accelerated projects, it is still possible for Africa to utilize its resources while adhering to global climate targets. In this context, AEC Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk's slogan, "Drill baby Drill!" holds a palatable meaning. Let us work together to prevent project delays and drive environmentally-sound developments so that Africa benefits from its O&G resources.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
“We simply do not know if the ANC or the DA obtains the majority of its funds from small donors or the big corporates” says My Vote Counts
The attorney acting on behalf of PRASA says he could not determine whether concessions were made by PRASA employees as claimed.
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Hon. Mathias Mpuuga, has called for an emergency bridge on River Katonga along the Kampala-Masaka Highway until the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) constructs a new one.
According to Mpuuga, the provisional arrangement will in meantime support the transport of persons and light merchandise.
He made the statement during his on-spot assessment of roads on Monday, 15 May 2023 that were affected by the flooding of River Katonga.
Hon. Mpuuga started his visit at the main bridge along the highway, in Mpigi district which caved in on Thursday, 11 May 2023. Thereafter, he inspected the damaged bridge that connects Gomba to Kalungu district along the Villa-Maria, Kyamulibwa- Kabulasoke Road.
Here, the bridge was washed away a week prior and travelers now use canoes to connect from one side to another. The LOP, accompanied by several members of his cabinet, ended his visit in Ssembabule district.
Following the flooding of River Katonga and the eventual damage visited on the bridge by ravaging storm waters, travelers from Kampala, the capital city, were advised to use the Mpigi-Butambala-Ssembabule Road as an alternative, while those from Masaka were asked to use the Masaka-Ssembabule Road.
"It is very unfortunate, the damage has greatly affected the local and national economy because this being a highway, it is a gateway to almost five neighbouring nations. Trade has been interfered with and movement of people...school children, persons going to hospital across Kayabwe... generally the general way of life of the community has been interfered with," said Hon. Mpuuga.
He said that alternative routes were not prepared for this kind of traffic and noted that the old bridge could have been built with substandard technology.
“If you look at the bars of the broken bridge...clearly there was a lot of compromising done. But I hope it is a huge lesson to engineers in UNRA as well as the environmentalists. This particular problem was just about to happen...it is only that it took a bit longer," Mpuuga said.
He recounted a decision made in the 10th Parliament advising government to halt rice growing and limit excavation of sand in Lwera.
"The interference with the eco-system could have been stopped long time ago. We all know that people mining sand in Lwera have no restoration or decommissioning programme to restore the environment. The rice growers are expanding...interfering with the eco-system and nature is fighting back," he added.
Hajjat Aisha Nakirijja, the Vice Chairperson, Mpigi District Local Government, expressed concern about the damaged bridge saying that markets for traders within the community are no longer accessible and that health facilities, like Nkozi hospital and Masaka referral hospital cannot be accessed by several people.
Fenekansi Sserwadda, the Kilyamenvu Village Local Council 1 chairperson also said that the 48 kilometre Villa-Maria, Kyamulibwa- Kabulasoke Road is key in transportation of the sick and goods from Masaka and that the current route through Ssembabule is longer, hence making it expensive for the locals to move goods to markets.
UNRA has assured the public that emergency repair works on the damaged bridge along the highway will take about three weeks.
The shadow ministers that accompanied the LOP included Hon. Yusuf Nsibambi (Works and Transport), Hon. Hilary Kiyaga (Culture and Performing Arts), Hon. Betty Naluyima (Local Government), Hon. Joyce Bagala (Information and Anti-Corruption), Hon. Gorreth Namugga (Science, Innovation and Communication Technology), Hon. Fortunate Nantongo (Gender, Labour and Social Development), Hon. Helen Nakimuli (Animal Industry and Fisheries), Hon. Francis Katabaazi (East African Community Affairs) and Kyamuswa County MP, Hon. Moses Kabuusu.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, has warned municipalities who do not collect water revenue effectively, and citizens and businesses who do not pay for water services, that they are likely to end up with no water at all.
The UAE has dispatched two aircraft with 34 tonnes of food supplies to assist the Sudanese people.
The first plane landed at Port Sudan Airport with 18 tonnes of food supplies, while the second plane arrived in Chad carrying 16 tonnes to provide urgent assistance to Sudanese refugees affected by the current situation in the Republic of Sudan.
This assistance comes as part of the UAE's continued efforts to support the Sudanese people and reflects its keenness to meet their needs based on its deep-rooted relations with Sudan, and commitment to supporting countries during crises and emergencies.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation.
The security situation in the Sahel remains very worrying and the spiralling crisis in Sudan is an additional source of concern, a senior UN official warned the Security Council on Tuesday.
"Non-State armed groups continue to carry out large-scale attacks against civilian and military targets and engage in clashes over access to resources, territorial control and influence," said Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, part of the political and peacebuilding affairs department, and UN Peace Operations.
The Council was meeting to assess the state of the G5 Sahel Joint Force, which brings together Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. Founded in 2017, it's main role as an international military operation is countering the rising threat of terrorism, improving criminal justice, border security management and the spread of militant religious extremism.
Extremists clash
"Terrorism and violent extremist groups frequently target border areas, particularly the tri-border area of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, Liptako-Gourma. In this regard, earlier this year there was an upsurge in clashes between the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and Jama'at Nu rat al-Islam wal-Muslirnin (JNIM)," she added.
In this context, "the recent instability in the eastern Sahel, Sudan, is an additional source of concern," Ms. Pobee said, adding that "the devastating effects of the continued destabilization of the Sahel will be felt far beyond the region and the African continent."
Dire humanitarian situation
She recalled that the security crisis is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation. In Burkina Faso, an estimated 4.7 million people will need humanitarian assistance this year, up from 3.5 million in 2022. And in Mali, 8.8 million people will need help, up from 7.5 million.
Regarding the G5 Force, the senior UN official noted that personnel had made steady progress in its operationalization, in a context of reconfiguration of European and French forces, and Mali's withdrawal from the Force, and intensifying threats in the tri-border area.
She stressed that the G5 Sahel nations were determined to strengthen intra-regional cooperation, including by establishing bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms with the Malian Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism.
Insecurity continues
However, she noted that, despite these efforts, insecurity in the tri-border area continues to grow.
Ms. Pobee stressed that the tripartite agreement between the European Union, the G5 Sahel and the UN is expected to end in June. With the expiry of this agreement, logistical and operational support from the UN Mission in Mali, MINUSMA, to the G5 Sahel Joint Force, will end.
She said that "provides an opportunity to reflect on how the international community should renew its approaches to supporting regional security mechanisms".
Ms. Pobee added that via the UN human rights office, OHCHR, the UN has continued to support the Joint Force in implementing its international human rights and humanitarian law compliance framework, noting that "significant institutional, legal and behavioural progress and changes have been made."
The Joint Force now has an internal mechanism to assign responsibility for incidents, analyse patterns, take necessary corrective action and adapt its operational conduct.
"Going forward, continued human rights work with regional and national security actors in the Sahel will remain essential in the context of the deteriorating security situation," she insisted.
In this context, Ms. Pobee stressed that political and operational support of partners remains essential for the stabilization of Mali and the whole Sahel region.
Renewed international support will prevent the Sahelian crisis from upsetting the fragile political balance of the region and will help prevent "a new spillover of insecurity in coastal countries".
"For its part, the United Nations stands ready to further support the efforts of the G5 Sahel, including through support for capacity building in areas such as the prevention of violent extremism and radicalization, the rule of law and border security management," she said.
She recalled that the UN is committed to working with all partners to ensure that governance structures are more democratic and open, and that the people of the Sahel have greater confidence in their institutions.
"Decisive progress in the fight against terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime in the Sahel must be made desperately. Without significant gains, it will become increasingly difficult to reverse the security trajectory in the Sahel and the continued expansion of insecurity to coastal countries in West Africa," she concluded.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) is seeking comments from interested parties on the proposal to prohibit the export of certain ferrous and non-ferrous waste and scrap metal.
President William Ruto has emphasized integrity and vigilance within Government ministries and departments.
He cautioned against corruption and wastage in the provision of services to the people.
The President asked the Cabinet to honour their responsibility to the Constitution and the people.
The President spoke at the 5th Cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi.
The meeting agreed to ensure the prudent utilization of public resources.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet has approved the restructuring of Kenya Power's balance sheet in an attempt to restore profitability. The new plan will focus on enhancing the company's financial sustainability by addressing loan balances and the liquidity gap.
In line with the Kenya Kwanza Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, the composition of Kenya Power's Board will be adjusted to reflect its shareholding.
The Cabinet has also endorsed proposed amendments to the Water Act of 2016, which introduces Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the water sector.
This will facilitate the construction of 100 mega dams through PPP and another 1,000 medium and 3,000 small dams to alleviate water challenges.
The changes to the Water Act clarify the roles of Water Works Development Agencies as bulk water service providers. They also establish a licensing framework for the agencies and align the Water Act 2016 with the Public Private Partnership Act 2021.
While the ongoing rains have provided relief to drought-affected areas of Kenya, the Cabinet recognized the need for locally-driven strategies and sustained resource mobilization to support long-term resilience building. The meeting also agreed to continue supporting the restocking of livestock to aid recovery among impoverished households in arid regions.
Additionally, the Cabinet acknowledged the importance of strengthening the implementation of drought risk reduction strategies to ensure sustainable natural resource management.
The Cabinet further approved the Kenya policy on Public Participation, which establishes the overarching standard for effective citizen engagement in development and governance, in compliance with the Constitution.
To expand Kenya's international presence, the Cabinet reviewed and approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Government of Kenya and the World Health Organization regarding the establishment of a regional emergency hub in Nairobi. The hub will create employment opportunities and markets for medical supplies.
To fulfill its international obligations, the nation's apex body has approved the Meteorological Bill and Meteorological Policy. These approvals will transform the Kenya Meteorological Department into Kenya Meteorological Services, in compliance with international instruments such as the Chicago Convention of 1944 and the African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET) of 2015.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of President of the Republic of Kenya.
Bail hearing of five alleged conspirators to continue on Friday
The South African Retirement Reality Report 2022 by 10X Investments notes that “46% of people polled said they don’t have a retirement savings plan” and nearly three-quarters of those who do, worry about whether they will have enough money to live on in retirement. Two-thirds of the respondents to Sanlam’s 2022 Benchmark Survey said they …
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, on Tuesday told Parliament that government will open a bid in July to procure additional renewable energy.
Bathroom accessories are an essential part of any bathroom, providing both functionality and style. From towel rails to toothbrush holders, these accessories can help to keep your bathroom organised and looking great. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most essential bathroom accessories and how they can enhance the look and feel of …
Africa contributes the least - less than 3% -- to global warming, yet the continent is the most vulnerable to climate risks. To build resilience against climate change, the countries have outlined tangible ambitions for green growth, including plans to increase climate investment.
Amid dwindling climate finance flows to Africa, the African Development Bank has committed to helping to de-risk and remove business barriers to increase private investors' (https://apo-opa.info/3MyzMDs) contribution to climate finance on the continent.
Over the past decade, the Bank has developed expertise and knowledge of financing climate-related projects. For example, the Bank launched its Africa Disaster Risks Financing Programme in 2018 in collaboration with the African Risk Capacity Group (ARC) to promote the deployment of disaster response mechanisms. Its total climate commitments increased to 45% in 2022 (https://apo-opa.info/42ZZOVl), up from only 9% in 2016. By this, the Bank has exceeded its target of having 40% of its funding reserved for climate-related projects.
During its upcoming Annual Meetings from 22 to 26 May in Sharm el Sheikh, the Bank will host a session to explore how to mobilize more private sector financing to tackle climate change in Africa, including domestic natural capital. This flagship event will bring together entrepreneurs, pension and private equity fund managers, financiers and government representatives to discuss different instruments and how to deploy them on a large scale on the continent.
The delegates will consider green financing tools such as green bonds, sustainable bonds, social bonds, sustainability loans and debt-nature or debt-climate swaps. Participants will discuss national and international levers to overcome obstacles to implementing such instruments.
With lessons from best practices in Africa and internationally, the African Development Bank hopes to foster the development of innovative financial instruments to support investment in climate and green growth while ensuring a fairer distribution of resources across Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Chumisa Qawe will lead the Springbok Women to the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar this month where they will play Cameroon, Kenya and Madagascar over the next two weeks. The DHL Western Province centre takes over from her provincial team-mate Nolusindiso Booi, who will miss the trip due to injury. Qawe is part of …
Manchester United FC are to play a pre-season friendly at BT Murrayfield Stadium (Edinburgh) this July. The English club, who have never previously played at the venue, will face French Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais (OL) on Wednesday 19 July as part of their five-match preparation for the new football season. It will be a …
Five referees who have been included on the Rugby World Cup 2023 match official panel have been appointed to take charge of the Springboks’ Castle Lager Rugby Championship and RWC warm-up Tests in the build-up to the international extravaganza in France in September and October. The two South African match officials who are on the …
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and OpenAI’s flagship software, the AI chatbot ChatGPT, have garnered widespread excitement in recent months. With advancements in natural language processing, personalization, and automation, AI tools like ChatGPT are transforming various industries and unlocking new possibilities. Now, the power of ChatGPT and AI is becoming even more accessible through MobileGPT, which brings …
Dear Editor Results from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) that was released today show that 81% of South African learners in grade 4 cannot read for meaning. In fact, South Africa scored significantly lower than the center point of the PIRLS scale – 288 compared to 500. What is possibly more concerning …
As government navigates through the present day challenges, it has committed to provide citizens with communication informed by its work to address load shedding, unemployment, crime, the rising cost of living, corruption and service delivery.
Sometimes all you need is delicious food, a good movie, and a pink cocktail! You don’t need a special occasion to treat yourself – it doesn’t matter if you’re home alone on a Friday night – order that takeaway pizza and make yourself that pink cocktail! Cape Town Gin & Spirits Company has the perfect …
The results of the 2021 Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study (PIRLS) were released today, which confirmed that learning losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic are severe across South Africa. South Africa's average PIRLS score dropped from 320 in 2016, to 288 in 2021, a drop of 32 points on the scale. However, the Western Cape scored 363, which is the highest score received by a province, and 75 points ahead of the average score for South Africa.
We have already taken decisive action to reverse the Covid-19 learning losses in the Foundation Phase based on our systemic test results:
What our 2022 systemic test results showed was that we had halted the decline in scores for Grade 3 Language, with the pass rate increasing marginally to 38.5%. Nonetheless, it is very concerning that the Western Cape's 2021 PIRLS score of 363 dropped 14 points from our 2016 score of 377. What the PIRLS results clearly confirm is that the pandemic had effectively wiped out years of gains, and put the futures of our youngest learners at serious risk.
Which is why we are investing a further R1.2 billion into our #BackOnTrack programme over the next three years, to improve learning outcomes across all phases so that our children have a better future in the Western Cape. 333 schools have been selected to receive targeted support based on the systemic test results, in addition to the 1 100 schools already receiving extra support in the Foundation Phase since 2022.
The new schools selected will identify 126 000 learners, 8 980 teachers and 28 000 parents targeted for focussed participation, in addition to the 310 000 learners and 10 000 teachers already participating in the Foundation Phase.
A tremendous amount of work has gone into getting this massive programme off the ground, and we invite all residents of the Western Cape to support us on this journey, and make the choice to invest in our children's futures. Let us all work together to get our children #BackOnTrack!
Read more about the #BackOnTrack programme here: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/gc-news/408/59620
Details of our 2021 and 2022 systemic test results are available here: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/gc-news/408/57906 https://www.westerncape.gov.za/gc-news/408/59400
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Western Cape Education Department, South Africa.
Woodlands Dairy triumphed at the Bloem Show Cheese Awards, the only show in South Africa where a dairy product competition is still presented. Offering sixteen categories which include butter, gouda cheese, cheddar cheese, continental, specialty cheese and exotic cheese, a large variety of milk products as well as goat milk products, the company won twelve …
