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No matter which way you slice it, loadshedding is doing an incredible amount of damage to our economy. According to Investec, loadshedding cost South Africa R300 billion in 2022 and resulted on the loss of five percent of its GDP. For a hospitality industry already reeling from the impact of the pandemic, the threat of …
The Department of Water and Sanitation says the process to set up a governance structure for the newly established Makhathini Lower Pongola Water User Association (WUA) for collaborative use in the northern KwaZulu-Natal has commenced.
The Engen Computer School has capped another 72 graduates from South Durban whose basic computer skills qualification boosts their chances of finding employment. A graduation ceremony took place on 4 May 2023 at the Engen sponsored school, which has been transforming lives in South Durban for 14 years and has to date capped 2 753 …
Eskom is expected to alternate load shedding between Stages 4 and 6 for the rest of this week.
HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met on Sunday at the Amiri Diwan with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Libya Najla El Mangoush, who is visiting the country.
During the meeting, they discussed bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries, and the developments in the situation in Libya - especially the preparation for the elections, in addition to several regional and international issues of common concern.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The State of Qatar.
South Africa’s ambassador to Algeria, Billy Masetlha, has passed away, the Department of International Relations and Co-operations said.
Once again we have a seriously divided South Africa out on the streets again. The EFF are calling for the resignation of Cyril Ramaphosa and an end to loadshedding wth their National Shutdown campaign today whilst the security apparatus are out in full force showing teir teeth and threatening to arrest, incarcarate, quell and thwart […]
Responding to the security situation and threats to the safety of Indonesian citizens in Sudan due to the escalation of armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since 15/4/2023, the Government of Indonesia has decided to evacuate Indonesian citizens from Sudan.
Following up on the decision of the Government of Indonesia and at the direction of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum then declared Alert 1 status on 20/4/2023 and planned the evacuation carefully according to the contingency plan by taking into account the security and safety conditions of Indonesian citizens.
Phase I evacuation was carried out on Sunday, April 23 2023 from 2 predetermined departure points, namely the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum Safe House and the Sudanese PPI Secretariat (As-Sidiqin Mosque) using 8 buses and 1 minibus of the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum.
The number of Indonesian citizens who were evacuated was 538 people, consisting of 273 women, 25 toddlers and 240 men.
Most of the Indonesian citizens who were evacuated were students, Indofood workers/employees, Indonesian Migrant Workers, families of Indonesian citizens and families of Indonesian Embassy staff in Khartoum.
Phase 1 evacuation of Indonesian citizens was directly led by the Indonesian Ambassador to Khartoum, Mr. Sunarko and departed from Khartoum at 08.00 WS. The journey covers a distance of 830 km from the departure point in Khartoum to Sawakin, Port Sudan passing through cities including: Sabaloga, Shendi, Dammar, Atbara, Sinkat, Hayya, Sawakin and takes 15 hours of travel.
All Indonesian citizens who were evacuated in Phase I arrived safely in Sawakin, Port Sudan at 01.00 WS in the morning of 24/4/2023 and rested at the prepared shelter.
Henceforth, Indonesian citizens in relay were evacuated from Port Sudan to Jeddah - Saudi Arabia by ship.
The Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum thanked the Center for direction and support, as well as coordination and assistance from the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, the Indonesian Consulate in Jeddah and the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo in carrying out the evacuation of Indonesian citizens.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Khartoum, Sudan.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has dedicated this week to start a major clean up project to change the face of KwaZakhele’s economic hub; Injoli Square. This comes after the Metro engaged various stakeholders including the public transport sector, vendors who operate in the area, commuters and concerned residents in an effort to come up […]
The International Day of Plant Health was observed on 12th May, 2023 at the national level in the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture under the theme “Plant Health for Environmental Protection”.
Mr. Tekleab Misghina, General Director of Regulations and Inspection at the Ministry of Agriculture indicating that the International Day of Plant Health is being observed for the second time at the international and national level said that plants and environment have strong bondage.
Noting that human activities and climate change are creating pressure on the health of plants, agriculture, and the food system, Mr. Tekleab called for a coordinated global effort to address the challenges.
Mr. Tekleab also said that the Ministry of Agriculture is closely working with the International Plant Health Society and International Plant Protection Convention in controlling pests that are causing plant diseases.
Mr. Seid Nuredin, head of Seeds Resource Control, on his part, said that the objective of the International Day of Plant Health is to raise the awareness of the public, eradicate hunger and poverty as well as protection of biodiversity and the environment.
Mr. Seid also said that the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with Government institutions and stakeholders is working in controlling desert locusts and other pests as well as encouraging farmers to use organic fertilizers and pesticides.
International Day of Plant Health is being observed for the first time at the international and national levels.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Kenya’s Victor Kipruto and Veronica Loleo took line honours in the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K in the men’s and women’s races respectively on Sunday 14 May 2023, but it was a hard-fought win for both, particularly in the men’s race with the South Africans showing the Kenyan a little respect. Windy …
President Isaias Afwerki and his delegation in the morning hours of today, 14 May, arrived in Beijing for a four-day official visit to China on the invitation of President Xi Jinping.
Upon arrival at Beijing International Airport, President Isaias and his delegation were accorded a warm welcome by Mr. Sun Wedong, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The official State Reception Ceremony and meetings with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang are scheduled for tomorrow.
The two Heads of State will discuss political, economic, finance, development, and, trade issues to further consolidate the warm bilateral partnership that exists between the two countries.
The two leaders will also discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.
The official visit of President Isaias Afwerki to the People's Republic of China will have a significant contribution to consolidating the bilateral relations between the two countries that have been developing in the past 30 years.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
The second league of the Nelson Mandela Bay Cross Country League Series took place in wet and muddy conditions on Saturday, at Varsvlei, with 400 competitors. EP Athletics cross country chairperson, Attie Williams, was satisfied with the turnout of both athletes and spectators. “The poor weather did affect the number of competitors in the second …
The Independence Cup that commenced its journey in the Gash Barka Region on 12 May from Molqui semi-urban center, accompanied by Ambassador Mahmud Ali Hirui, Governor of the region, and Army Commanders of Western Command toured historical sites in the sub-zones of Shambuko and Laelai-Gash.
Upon arrival at the historical sites, the Independence Cup was awarded a warm welcome by the residents and members of the Defense Forces featuring cultural and artistic performances as well as military parades.
The Independence Cup is expected to tour the sub-zones of Golij, Teseney, Forto-Sawa, Haikota, Gogni, and Barentu.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Unlocking the Potential of Artificial Intelligence: Join the Informative Workshop on AI Applications and Prompt Engineering Howick, 15 May 2023 — Network Office, a premier co-working space, is delighted to announce an engaging and enlightening workshop titled “It’s an AI World: An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Prompt Engineering.” This 1.5-hour session is scheduled for …
Zimbabwe has concluded a fourth Structured Dialogue Platform meeting on debt clearance with creditors and development partners.
Government and development partners met Thursday 11 May, to review three draft policy reform matrices prepared by sector working groups on economic, governance and land tenure reforms. They also looked at compensation of former farm owners, and the resolution of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAs).
In welcome remarks, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube assured the participants of the country's “full commitment and ownership to the process,” including the implementation of policy reforms.
In December 2022, the Zimbabwean government established a Structured Dialogue Platform with all creditors and development partners, to institutionalize structured dialogue on economic and governance reforms to underpin the arrears clearance and debt resolution process.
Alexis Ferrand, Economics Advisor to the Government on Arrears Clearance, outlined the Economics Reforms Matrix's long-term and short-to-medium-term strategies, which will enable sustained inclusive economic growth, increased investment opportunities, and job creation.
The Matrix is centered on enhancing service delivery, public sector transparency and accountability, combating corruption and promoting human rights. It also covers electoral reforms, national unity, peace, and reconciliation. It was presented by Virginia Mabiza, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
Ncube encouraged stakeholders to continue with "constructive and candid dialogue, which is critical to building mutual trust and confidence, needed for the success of the arrears clearance and debt resolution process."
Zimbabwe's debt clearance process is being championed by African Development Bank President Dr. Akinumwi Adesina and former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, who has been designated as High-Level Facilitator. Both are expected in the country for a High-Level Debt Resolution Forum on 15 May 2023, led by Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
President Mnangagwa appointed Adesina as a champion in July 2022. The forum will focus on progress updates on the three policy reform matrices, presentation of the way forward and a tentative roadmap.
Zimbabwe's total consolidated debt stands at $17.5 billion. Debt owed to international creditors stands at $14.04 billion, while domestic debt stands at $3.4 billion. Debt owed to bilateral creditors is estimated at $5.75 billion, while debt to multilateral creditors is estimated at $2.5 billion. The country is in arrears for servicing its debt, with arrears to multilateral development banks, including the African Development Bank, the World Bank, and the European Investment Bank.
The fourth structured dialogue platform meetings come on the heels of previous ones held in December 2022, and in February and March 2023. The dialogue meetings are expected to continue after elections due in August this year.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contacts:
Amba Mpoke-Bigg
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org
Petronella Utete
Zimbabwe Country Office
African Development Bank
p.utete@afdb.org
On 5 May 2023, Nigeria passed a resolution advocating for a moratorium on donkey slaughter for the export of skins from Africa.
This commitment is made in light of the December 2023 Pan-African Donkey Conference and its resolution to have African nations prohibit the donkey skin trade for at least the next fifteen years. AU-IBAR collaborates closely partners institutions such as the Brooke East Africa, and African member nations to guarantee the successful implementation of the resolution.
The commitment of Nigeria to champion the moratorium is a significant step in the direction of protecting these gentle creatures from cruelty and exploitation.
This was encouraging news prior to World Donkey Day, 2023 that fell on 8th May.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, has invited comments on proposed amendments to the regulations that outline the procedure to be followed for the adoption of environmental management instruments.
Continuing the 1st evacuation of Indonesian citizens from Sudan on 23 April 2023, the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum again carried out the 2nd evacuation by dispatching 328 Indonesian citizens with the same scheme as the previous evacuation.
In the second phase of the evacuation, the departure of Indonesian citizens was prepared from 2 points, namely the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum Safe House and the Sudanese PPI Secretariat (Masijd As-Sidiqin) on April 25 2023 starting at 09.00 WS to Sawakin, Port Sudan. The evacuated Indonesian citizens consisted of 29 women, 5 toddlers and 294 men.
The second phase of departure used 7 buses with evacuation participants consisting of students, PMI professional workers and domestic workers, and Indonesian citizens' families.
The second phase of the evacuation group arrived at Sawakin – Port Sudan on April 26 2023 at 04.00 in the morning WS. then rested in 3 halfway houses.
Furthermore, all stage 2 Indonesian citizens departed in a relay from Port Sudan by using an Indonesian Air Force military aircraft from Port Sudan Airport to Jeddah and further flights to Indonesia.
Before and during the evacuation, the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum continued to communicate with the authorities in Sudan to ensure a safe route for the safety of Indonesian citizens.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Khartoum, Sudan.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will this week host Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of the Republic of Singapore for an Official Visit in Cape Town.
On his official visit to Seychelles, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Malta, Honourable Dr. Ian Borg, met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, to set the tone for Seychelles and Malta to collaborate in key sectors.
During discussions on Friday, May 12, 2023, at Maison Quéau de Quinssy, the two Ministers agreed that, while Malta has been a vital partner to Seychelles for capacity building in the education and maritime security sectors, there are opportunities to diversify and strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Minister Radegonde expressed Seychelles' appreciation to the Government of Malta for the support they have provided over the years, “we are keen to work with Malta to strengthen bilateral, international and regional cooperation in priority areas such as maritime security, education, health, tourism, renewable energy, fisheries and blue economy and exchange of best practices and joint capacity-building initiatives,”
The Minister emphasised that maritime security is significant for the country and “Seychelles is appreciative of the support of EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA and recognises Malta's contributions to the EUNAVFOR operation”. The European Union's proposal to extend the mandate of the EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA to include IUU fishing, drugs, and weapons trafficking is welcomed by Seychelles as it will help in the fight against illicit drug trafficking which is a major concern.
Both parties agreed that it is through capacity-building exercises, sharing of intelligence, and joining of resources that maritime crimes can be addressed so that peace and security are reinforced in the Western Indian Ocean.
Minster Radegonde highlighted that the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding on Health Cooperation and the establishment of a Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation will “provide the basis for in depth collaboration” in areas that are priorities for the country.
“There are many Lawyers and Auditors in Malta who would be interested in offering their expertise to Seychelles, furthermore, Artificial Intelligence block change, and the digital economy is rapidly expanding and we can explore opportunities in this fields” stated Minister Borg.
Other topics raised were the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States from the effects of climate change, which Malta understands as it is also experiencing the effects of sea level rises. Minister Radegonde thanked Malta for its advocacy on climate change and sought its support for the adoption of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) for Seychelles to access concessionary financing to mitigate against such effects.
Also present at the meeting were the Minister for Investment, Entrepreneurship, and Industry, Mrs. Devika Vidot, Minister for Education, Dr. Justin Valentin, Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Vivianne Fock Tave, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Malta to the African Union, H.E. Mr. Ronald Micallef, Acting Principal Secretary for Health, Dr. Susan Fock Tave and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism - Foreign Affairs Department, Republic of Seychelles.
The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has welcomed the decision by the Competition Commission to grant conditional approval of the transaction through which Takatso Aviation Proprietary Limited (“Takatso”) will buy a 51% shareholding in South African Airways SOC Limited (SAA).
Match tickets available as of 13 May; 24 teams competing in four venues across Argentina; Tournament kicks off on 20 May, Final on 11 June.
Football's Future Legends will take centre stage as the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ kicks off.
Category 1 tickets for the FIFA U-20 World Cup are now on sale.
Click here to access the ticket sales portal (https://apo-opa.info/3I4Fqdx)
Click here to view the match schedule (https://apo-opa.info/41y01hy)
The U-20 World Cup will feature 52 matches taking place across four host cities: La Plata, Mendoza, San Juan, and Santiago del Estero. It will be the first time this tournament will be held in South America since Colombia 2011.
The tournament will open on 20 May with four matches on the opening day in San Juan and Santiago del Estero, including hosts Argentina taking on Uzbekistan in Santiago del Estero Stadium.
Both cities will also play host to the quarter-final round, while La Plata Stadium will host the semi-finals, 3rd place match, and Final.
Official song “Glorious” released
Ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™, FIFA has also launched the Official Song of the tournament. The song, titled "Glorious" (https://apo-opa.info/3M2bArw), was written by Indonesian electronic trio Weird Genius, and performed together with young Indonesian superstars Lyodra, Tiara Andini, and Ziva Magnolya. The song will serve as the anthemic backdrop to the drama, thrills, and excitements of the tournament.
The song is available on streaming services:
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of FIFA.
Contact for African media:
AfricanMedia@fifa.org
Eskom has welcomed the arrest of a former short-term contract employee stationed at Tutuka Power Station on allegations for fraud and corruption. This is in relation to colluding with employees and a supplier.
