African Tenders February 26, 2010
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SSABE CONNECTS YOU with Sub Sahara Africa at no cost, – it is a free service for all built environment suppliers and contractors. No registration, just a get-down-to-basics Internationally Acclaimed service. Just send your eddress and request to westernpacificinvestments@gmail.com
SSABE PRODUCES – A weekly international tender and news collation of matters relating to the built environment. An easy scrolling ‘WORD FORMAT NEWSLETTER’ in country alphabetical order divided into the key trade blocs.
The articles covered in these weekly updates will provide you with the leads you need to follow up on early warning prospects. Most have names and companies for you to record.
Should you target an individual country before a trade visit, scanning the relevant collations will give you a myriad of prospective appointments in business development.
TENDERS
BENIN: PP6-ATM-273 SUPPLY OF TUG BOAT FOR THE PORT OF COTONOU
Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Cotonou
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2010 Deadline: Mar 24, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
34513200 – Tug boats
BURKINA FASO: Tender – National Plan on Drinking Water Provision by 2015 in Burkina Faso
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Proposal Due Date: Apr 01, 2011
BURKINA FASO: Tender – Agriculture Data Collection in the Sourou Valley and Comoe Basin
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Proposal Due Date: Mar 11, 2010
CAMEROON: Technical assistance for the rural development programme in the North-West, East and Far North regions of Cameroon Prior Information Notice
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2010
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services
71356200 – Technical assistance services
CAMEROON: Supply of Farm Equipment for the Tender Offers Affiliated to the Cocoa and Coffee Interprofessional Council in Cameroon
Status: Forecast
Opportunity Type: Goods
Project Summary
Intitulé Quantités
Lot 1 Groupe motopompe 37; Atomiseur 456
Lot 2 Décortiqueuses café 5
Lot 3 Récepteur de charge (bascules), portée 1000 – 1500 Kg 9; Balance romaine, portée 100 – 150 Kg 165;
Hygromètre 7; Hygromètre portable à sonde complet 7
CAMEROON: Project – Semi-Urban Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Cameroon
Opportunity Type: Consulting, Goods, Works
Project Summary – The total project cost is estimated at UA 45.58 million (US$ 68.37 million).
Component 1: Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Facilities
Component 2: Institutional Support
Component 3: Project Management and Coordination
C.A.R.: Tender – CEMAC Zone Regional Transport Facilitation Program in the Central African Republic: Procurement of Station for Crushing of Materials and Operating of Quarry
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 25, 2010
Project Summary
– Lot 1: une Unité de concassage
– Lot 2: Matériel d’exploitation
– Lot 2 A: un Chariot de forage hydraulique
– Lot 2 B: deux Pelles hydrauliques
– Lot 2 C: une Chargeuse sur pneus
– Lot 2 D: une grue tout terrain
– Lot 3: Camions bennes
– Lot 3 A: Deux (2) camions bennes de granulats
– Lot 3 B: deux (2) Camions Bennes de carrières
– Lot 4: un groupe électrogène de 500 KVA
La production de l’autorisation du fabricant est requise.
COMOROS: Tender – Drinking Water Provision in the Peninsula of Sima d’ Anjouan in Comoros
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Proposal Due Date: Apr 01, 2010
CONGO R.O.C.: Tender – Study of the Renovation for Doussala-Dolisie Road and Transport Facilitation of Libreville-Brazaville Corridor in the Republic of Congo and Gabon: General Procurement Notice
Status: Forecast
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods, Consulting
Project Summary
L’étude couvre les deux (2) volets suivants :
a) Faisabilité et avant projet détaillé en vue de la réhabilitation de la route LOUSSALA-DOLISIE, y compris les ouvrages de franchissement et le poste de contrôle frontalier unique ;
b) Audit du don.
Côte d’Ivoire: Tender – Preparation of a Study for the Master Plan for the Port Autonome de San Pedro
Status: Forecast
Opportunity Type: Consulting
EAST AFRICA: Tender – Nile Basin Initiative; Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program; Kagera River Basin Management Project in Eastern Africa: Consulting Services – Undertake the Feasibility Study for Agricultural Water Development Project in the Kagera River Basin
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Express Interest By: Feb 17, 2010
EGYPT: Project – Gabal El Asfar Wastewater Treatment Plant (GAWWTP) Project in Cairo, Egypt
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods, Consulting
Project Summary – (AfDB) Group approved a loan of EUR 53.33 million, equivalent to UA 48.56 million (US$ 72.84 million) to finance the project.
Component 1: Wastewater Treatment Expansion (UA 203.77 million/US$ 305.66 million)
Component 2: Institutional Support and Sanitation, and Hygiene Promotion (UA 0.66 million/US$ 0.99 million)
Component 3: Engineering Services (UA 8.21 million/US$ 12.32 million)
The total project cost is UA 212.64 million (US$ 318.96 million).
ERITREA: AMBULANCES 4WD STATION WAGON Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2010 Deadline: Mar 10, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
34113000 – 4-wheel-drive vehicles
ERITREA: Long-term technical assistance for the ERCOE project Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: ASMARA
Publication Date: Feb 5, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71356200 – Technical assistance services
ETHIOPIA: Project – Mombasa-Nairobi-Addis Ababa Road Corridor Project (Phase II) in Ethiopia and Kenya
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods, Consulting
Project Summary – The project, with a total cost estimated at UA 328.76 million (US$ 493.14 million), will be co-financed by the African Development Bank Group, the European Union, as well as the Ethiopian and Kenyan governments. The Loan Agreement for the Ethiopia component of the Project was signed on 15 January 2010.
ETHIOPIA: Tender – Construction of 85 Standard Health Centers, 9 Regional Warehouses, and Renovation of 100 Health Centers
Opportunity Type: Works
Proposal Due Date: Mar 19, 2010
Project Summary
The goal of this contract is to construct approximately 85 Government of Ethiopia (GOE)-standard health centers, construct approximately 9 regional warehouses, and renovate approximately 100 health centers. Construction companies must be registered in Ethiopia according to the applicable construction law.
ETHIOPIA: Consultancy service for Water Supply Study and Design Awareness Creation and Catchments Rehabilitation for Geffersa Legedadi and Dire Catchments Areas
Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Addis Abeba
Publication Date: Feb 8, 2010 Deadline: Feb 22, 2010
Original Language: English
Assignments
71610000 – Composition and purity testing and analysis services
65130000 – Operation of water supplies
65100000 – Water distribution and related services
71600000 – Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services
71630000 – Technical inspection and testing services
GAMBIA, THE: Tender – Technical Assistance for the Supervision of Rehabilitation and Upgrading Works of Trunk Roads in the Gambia and Senegal
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Express Interest By: Feb 28, 2010
Contract description: The technical assistance contract aims to provide the contracting authority and the supervising authorities with the on-the-spot supervision of the works contract, its administration and management, thus assuring a timely and proper technical, administrative and financial execution of the works. The works contract provides for periodic maintenance, rehabilitation and upgrading of 2 major trunk roads in the Gambia (approximately 225 km) and Senegal (approximately 13 km).
GHANA: Tender – Urban Water Project (UWP) in Ghana: Subsequent Year Investment Programme (SYIP) In Upper West Region: Covering Works on the Wa Water Supply System
Opportunity Type: Works
Proposal Due Date: Apr 01, 2010
GHANA: Supply and delivery of forensic science laboratory equipment to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service Request For Proposals
City/Locality: ACCRA
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2010 Deadline: Apr 14, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
22114000 – Dictionaries, maps, music books and other books
33696000 – Reagents and contrast media
38000000 – Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
38434000 – Analysers
38510000 – Microscopes
38651000 – Cameras
GHANA: Consulting Services for Technical and Operational Audit of the Power Utilities in Ghana
Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2010 Deadline: Mar 9, 2010
Original Language: English
Assignments
65300000 – Electricity distribution and related services
GUINEA-BISSAU: Tender – WAEMU Capital Market Development Project in Guinea-Bissau: Construction Works for Urban Roads in Bissau
Proposal Due Date: Apr 05, 2010
Project Summary – les Travaux de réhabilitation et de construction de voiries urbaines de Bissau. Le délai d’exécution est laissé à l’appréciation des soumissionnaires mais ne peut pas excéder treize (13) mois. Toute offre proposant un délai supérieur à treize (13) mois sera considérée comme non conforme et rejetée.
GUINEA-BISSAU: Tender – Rehabilitation Works on UN Buildings in Guinea-Bissau
Opportunity Type: Works
Proposal Due Date: Feb 23, 2010
Les travaux de réhabilitation ont été divisés en QUATRE LOTS:
LOT 1 : Réhabilitation/Reconstruction du Mur de clôture, des deux (2) guérites, de la maison et lettrines des gardiens.
LOT 2 : Réhabilitation du Bâtiment « 2 » (Bâtiment à deux étages)
LOT 3 : Réhabilitation du Bâtiment « 1 » (Bâtiment à un étage)
LOT 4 : Forage avec dépôt(s) et pompe(s) correspondant(s)
KENYA: Northern Corridor rehabilitation programme phase III Request For Proposals
City/Locality: NAIROBI
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2010 Deadline: Feb 26, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45233140 – Roadworks
KENYA: KE-Electricity SIL (2010) Prior Information Notice
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71320000 – Engineering design services
71310000 – Consultative engineering and construction services
KENYA: CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELDORET # KITALE, KISII # AWENDO AND KINDARUMA # MWINGI # GARISSA 132 K V POWER LINE PROJECTS
Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 8, 2010 Deadline: Feb 26, 2010
Original Language: English
Assignments
71530000 – Construction consultancy services
KENYA: REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR FEASIBILITY STUDIES, DETAILED DESIGNS, TENDER DOC UMENTS PREPARATION AND WORKS SUPERVISION FOR EXTENSION OF WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES TO INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN LAKE VICTORIA NOR TH WSB Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 2, 2010 Deadline: Mar 10, 2010
Original Language: English
Assignments
71311000 – Civil engineering consultancy services
71800000 – Consulting services for water-supply and waste consultancy
KENYA: Tender – Water and Sanitation Service Improvement Project (WASSIP) in Kenya: Feasibility Studies, Detailed Designs, Tender Documents Preparation and Works Supervision for Extension of Water and Sanitation Services to Informal Settlements in Lake Victoria North Water Service Board
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Proposal Due Date: Mar 10, 2010
KENYA: Tender – Supply of Water Meters in Kenya
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 24, 2010
Project Summary – KE-Kisumu: EDF — supply of water meters Location — Lake Victoria South Water Services Board region, Kenya
Description of the contract: The contract involves the supply, delivery, and after-sales service to the Lake Victoria South Water Services Board of bulk, zonal and consumer water meters in the following sizes:
— 1/2” — 4 000 No, — 3/4” — 500 No, — 4” — 100 No, — 8” — 10 No, —12” — 10 No, —14” — 5 No.
KENYA: Tender – Water and Sanitation Service Improvement Project (WASSIP) in Kenya: Feasibility Studies, Detailed Designs, Tender Documents Preparation and Works Supervision for Extension of Water and Sanitation Services to Informal Settlements in Lake Victoria North Water Service Board
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Proposal Due Date: Mar 10, 2010
Project Summary – services for Feasibility Studies, Detailed Design, Tender Document Preparation and Works Supervision for Extension of Water and Sanitation Services to the Informal Settlements in Mombasa and Malindi
MADAGASCAR: Tender – Equipment for Decentralized Rural Electrification by Means of Biomass Cogeneration, Additional Elements and Accessories in Madagascar
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Apr 09, 2010
Project Summary
MG-Antananarivo: EDF — equipment for decentralised rural electrification by means of biomass cogeneration, additional elements and accessories
— Specified cogeneration equipment:
• 6 steam boilers of 1 500 kg at 16 bars with a biomass burner made of refractory bricks containing a sloping grate adapted to the different types of biomass fuel (energy wood, rice husk, corn cob, etc.),
• 6 vertical steam engines, each with a capacity of 70 kW,
• 6 electric generators with a capacity of 70 kW.
MALAWI: Tender – Environmental and Natural Resources Management (ENRM) Action Plan in Malawi
Opportunity Type: Works, Consulting
Proposal Due Date: Mar 15, 2010
Project Summary – contractor to prepare an Environmental and Natural Resources Management (ENRM) Action Plan for the Malombe East and Malombe West catchments in the upper Shire River Basin, above the Liwonde Barrage – Malawi.
MALAWI: Regional Interconnection and Infrastructure Support to Malawi
Status: Forecast
Opportunity Type: Consulting, Works
Researcher Action Date: May 15, 2010
Project Summary – the indicative budget is EUR70 million ($108 million).
MALI: Tender – Agricultural Equipment in Mali
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 11, 2010
Project Summary – relatif à la fourniture des équipements/matériels pour les sols/nutrition/no-till component et du matériel biotechnologie /produits chimiques.
MALI: Tender – Energy Support Project in Mali: Consulting Services on the Component on Capacity and Extension of Network
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Express Interest By: Feb 26, 2010
MALI: Supervision and inspection of works to develop an irrigated perimeter of 2 500 ha in section ‘D’ of the M’Béwani rice zone and construction of 42 km of collector drain in the Kala Supérieur
Request For Proposals
City/Locality: BAMAKO
Publication Date: Feb 2, 2010 Deadline: Mar 8, 2010
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services
71700000 – Monitoring and control services
MAURITIUS: Tender – Supply of General Laboratory Equipment for the Quality Control and Inspection of Fishery Products in Mauritius
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 16, 2010
MAURITIUS: Technical assistance for implementation of a regional fisheries strategy for the ESA-IO region Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: QUATRE BORNES
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71356200 – Technical assistance services
MAURITIUS: Technical assistance for implementing the Small Island Developing States Mauritius Strategy in the ESA-IO region Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: QUATRE BORNES
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71356200 – Technical assistance services
MAYOTTE: Storage installation for non-hazardous waste — first phase Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: MAMOUDZOU
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2010
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services
45222100 – Waste-treatment plant construction work
MOROCCO: Tender – Construction Works for Sewer Networks in Morocco
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 16, 2010
Project Summary – les travaux de prolongement du delesteur D2 et renforcement de ses réseaux amont sur environ 1.5 km en dalot de dimensions allant de 1.2×1.2 à 1.7×1.7.
MOROCCO: Tender – Modernization of Irrigated Agriculture in the Basin Perimeters Dependent from Oum Er Rbia in Morocco: Provision of Technical Assistance in Monitoring and Control of Work for the Conversion to Localized Irrigation in the Haouz Perimeter
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Express Interest By: Feb 25, 2010
MOZAMBIQUE: CONCEPT AND DESIGN THE EXECUTIVE PROJECT TO CONSTRUCTION OF NEW MCT BUILDING Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Maputo
Publication Date: Feb 1, 2010 Deadline: Feb 15, 2010
Original Language: English
Assignments
71320000 – Engineering design services
MOZAMBIQUE: Tender – Technical Assistance for Engineering Services in Mozambique
Proposal Due Date: Mar 31, 2010
Project Summary – The objective of this assignment is to provide assistance to the MCA and IEs in analyzing and providing comments, according to the scopes of the Terms of References, the methodology and approach of the 8 consultant contracts for performing Detailed Design and Supervision of Works, for:
• upgrading and rehabilitation of 491km of roads,
• upgrading and expansion of 8 water supply systems,
• upgrading and expansion 6 sanitation and drainage systems,
• rehabilitation of the Nacala Dam, and
• construction or rehabilitation of 600 rural water point.
MOZAMBIQUE: General public services – Consultoria para o desenho do plano de accao para o establecimento do sistema de planificacao, monitoria e avaliacao baseada nos resultados
Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Maputo
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2010 Deadline: Mar 15, 2010
Original Language: Portuguese
Assignments
75110000 – General public services
75112000 – Administrative services for business operations
MOZAMBIQUE: Project – Energy Development and Access Project (APL-2) in Mozambique
Status: In Planning
Opportunity Type: Consulting, Goods, Works
Project Summary
Component 1: Primary Networks and Grid Extension Strengthening
Component 2: Rural and Renewable Energy Investments
Component 3: Rural Electrification and New Energy Infrastructure
Component 4: Institutional Capacity Building
The project has been approved by the Board on 4 February 2010. It is expected to be completed by 30 June 2015. The total cost of the project is estimated at US$ 98 million, comprising of an IDA Credit of US$ 80 million, and a financing from the Government of Mozambique.
MOZAMBIQUE: Capacity building in energy planning and management Request For Proposals
City/Locality: MAPUTO
Publication Date: Feb 5, 2010 Deadline: Mar 8, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71356200 – Technical assistance services
MOZAMBIQUE: Project – Niassa Provincial Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Mozambique
Opportunity Type: Consulting, Goods, Works
Project Summary
Component 1: Institutional Development Support;
Component 2: Water Supply Rehabilitation and Extension;
Component 3: Support to Sanitation Program; and
Component 4: Project Management and Audit.
The total project cost is estimated to reach UA 20 million (US$ 30 million).
The approved project is expected to commence on 29 April 2010.
MOZAMBIQUE: Project – Massingir Dam Emergency Rehabilitation Project in Mozambique
Opportunity Type: Consulting, Goods, Works
Project Summary
Component 1: Rehabilitation of the Massingir Dam Bottom Outlet; and
Component 2: Project Management.
The total cost of the project is estimated at UA 21.44 million (US$ 32.16 million).
The approved project is expected to commence on 15 July 2010.
NAMIBIA: Support for Hydroelectric Initiatives in Namibia
Status: Forecast
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods
Announced Date: Feb 15, 2010
Project Summary – an indicative UA20 million (US$30 million)
NIGER: Tender – Maradi, Tahoua and Tillabery Rural Areas Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Niger: Drinking Water Lot No.2
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 22, 2010
Project Summary – des travaux de 10 installations d’AEP dans la région de Tillabéry, constitués en un seul lot. Le délai d’exécution est de dix (10) mois hors hivernage (Août-septembre), y compris deux (2) mois de mobilisation.
Tender – Maradi, Tahoua and Tillabery Rural Areas Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Niger: Drinking Water Lot No.1 – des travaux de 10 installations d’AEP dans la région de Maradi, constitués en un seul lot. Le délai d’exécution est de dix (10) mois hors hivernage (Août-septembre), y compris deux (2) mois de mobilisation.
NIGERIA: Project – Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project (UWSSP) for Oyo and Taraba States
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods, Consulting
Project Summary – The total cost of the project, which will be implemented over five years, is estimated at UA 58.82 million (US $ 92 million). The project is expected to commence on 02 September 2010
Component 1: Infrastructure Provision (UA 42 million/US$ 63 million)
Component 2: Institutional Reforms and Capacity Building (UA 7.37 million/US$ 11.06 million)
Component 3: Project Management (UA 0.63 million/US$ 0.95 million)
RWANDA: Tender – Urban Infrastructure and City Management Project in Rwanda: Development Works of Roads and Drainage of Kimisange Site
Opportunity Type: Works
Proposal Due Date: Mar 18, 2010
RWANDA: GENERAL PROCUREMENT NOTICE Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: Kigali
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
03100000 – Agricultural and horticultural products
RWANDA: Tender – Rehabilitation, Planning and Asphalting of the Multinational Road Between Rwanda and Burundi: Rehabilitation Works for Nyamitanga-Ruhwa
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 08, 2010
Project Summary
Lot 2 : Volet 1 – Travaux de réhabilitation de la route Nyamitanga – Ruhwa (51km) ; et Volet 2 –
Travaux de construction et d’équipement du Poste de Contrôle Unique à la Frontière de Ruhwa;
The deadline for the submission of bids has been moved to 8 March 2010.
RWANDA: CONSTRUCTION WORKS OF THE ASPHALT CONCRETE ROAD Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Feb 2, 2010 Deadline: Feb 16, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45230000 – Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork
RWANDA: REHABILITATION, EXTENSION AND REINFORCEMENT OF DRINKING WATER
Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Feb 2, 2010 Deadline: Mar 23, 2010
Goods, Works and Services
65130000 – Operation of water supplies
65110000 – Water distribution
RWANDA: SUPPLY OF VETERINARY DRUGS FOR CATTLE Request For Proposals
City/Locality: MVK
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2010 Deadline: Feb 26, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
33600000 – Pharmaceutical products
RWANDA: SUPPLY OF VETERINARY DRUGS FOR BULLS Request For Proposals
City/Locality: MVK
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2010 Deadline: Feb 26, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
33600000 – Pharmaceutical products
RWANDA: SUPPLY OF MATERIALS FOR BOVINE SEMEN PRODUCTION Request For Proposals
City/Locality: MVK
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2010 Deadline: Feb 26, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
03300000 – Farming, hunting and fishing products
RWANDA: CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO PROVIDE TRAINING OF BUSINESS INCUBATOR STAFF AND STAKEHOLDERS Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 1, 2010 Deadline: Feb 23, 2010
In many competitive economies, business incubation is among tools that have been used to successfully create and strengthen new entrepreneurs and new businesses and significantly reduce the high early stage failure rate of small businesses.
Assignments
92312212 – Services related to the preparation of training manuals
80500000 – Training services
RWANDA: SUPPLY OF TENTS AND OTHER VARIOUS MILITARY CLOTHINGS
Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2010 Deadline: Feb 19, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
35811300 – Military uniforms
RWANDA: Tender – Study on Development of a National Strategic Plan for the Maintenance of Equipments for Production and Distribution of Renewable Energy in Rwanda
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Proposal Due Date: Mar 08, 2010
SADC: Tender – Strengthening of Economic and Trade Related Capacities and Competencies in the SADC in Southern Africa
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Announced Date: Feb 10, 2010
SADC: Tender – Supply of Analytical Laboratory Equipment for the Food Safety, Capacity Building and Residue Control Project Destined to Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Opportunity Type: Goods
Next Action Date: Proposal Due Date: Mar 29, 2010
SAO TOME é PRINCIPE: Tender – Education for All – Fast Track Education Project in Sao Tome and Principe: Construction of Classrooms for Primary and Preschool Education
Opportunity Type: Works
Proposal Due Date: Mar 12, 2010
SIERRA LEONE: Project – Lungi-Port Loko Road Upgrading Project in Sierra Leone
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods, Consulting
Project Summary – The Lungi-Port Loko Road Project in Sierra Leone seeks to enhance the land route between the airport at Lungi and the capital Freetown, and facilitate the development of regional trade between Port Loko district and the rest of the country as well as with neighbouring Guinea.
Component 1: Road Works
Component 2: Consultancy for Supervision of the Works, Monitoring, and Evaluation and Audit
The total cost of the initiative will be UA 26.86 million (US$ 40.29 million).
SOUTH AFRICA: CONSTRUCTION OF A 3ML RESERVOIR AND RELATED WORKS
Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Feb 6, 2010 Deadline: Feb 26, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45247270 – Reservoir construction works
SOUTH AFRICA: Tender – Trade and Competitiveness Program in South Africa
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Proposal Due Date: Mar 26, 2010
Project Summary – a four-year contract, with an additional one-year option, to develop and implement the Southern Africa Trade and Competitiveness program, whose overarching goal is to increase international competitiveness, intra-regional trade, and food security in the SADC region.
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Tender – Supply of Laboratory Equipment (General, Chemicals and Reagents, and Analytical) for the Quality Control and Inspection of Fishery Products in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Namibia
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 16, 2010
SUDAN: Tender – Eastern Nile Watershed Management Project in Sudan
Opportunity Type: Consulting
Express Interest By: Mar 22, 2010
Project Summary – The purpose of the Technical Assistance is to support the promotion of wider adoption of sustainable land and water managemet practices and technologies, to reduce land degradation and increase agricultural productivity in three watersheds, namely Lower Atbara, Bau and Dinder National Park.
SUDAN: Tender – Construction and Refurbishment of the Combined Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and the Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries State (MARF) Offices for Central Equatoria State, Eastern Equatoria State, Upper Nile State, Jonglei State and Unity State in Sudan
Opportunity Type: Works, Consulting
Proposal Due Date: Mar 03, 2010
SUDAN: Tender – Supply & Delivery of Stretcher, Tarpulin, Oxygen Inhaler, Ladders Aluminium, Fans, Hammers, Rubber Hose, Chocks, Chisels, Adjustable Wrench, Bolt Cutter, Crowbars & Food Dispenser in Sudan
Opportunity Type: Goods
Express Interest By: Feb 24, 2010
SUDAN: Tender – Supply and Delivery of Spare Parts for BRUNO CUMMINS and BRUNO/JOHN DEER Generator in Sudan
Opportunity Type: Goods
Express Interest By: Feb 24, 2010
SUDAN: Tender – Supply of Water Equipment, Spare Parts, Water Treatment Supplies for Kassala, Sudan
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 02, 2010
Project Summary
– Water Pumps
– Spare parts for water pumps/engines
– Chlorine tablets
– Consumables for Water Testing Kit
SUDAN: Tender – Third Party Provision of Engineering Plant & Operations in Somalia
Opportunity Type: Works, Goods
Express Interest By: Feb 22, 2010
Project Summary
The United Nations Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA) is currently seeking to identify companies such as engineering plants that can provide labour and machinery to support AMISOM in its undertakings in road repairs, preparation of defensive barriers, and other similar small engineering works as required based on Task Orders. The selected contractor should be able to tender their services to AMISOM for a period of at least two years but renewable to additional years as the situation and circumstances require.
SUDAN: Tender – 1. Supply of Caterpillar Spare Parts, and Maintenance and Repair Services of Caterpillar Equipment in Sudan
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Feb 28, 2010
Project Summary – seeking expressions of interest from qualified Firms for the provision of Caterpillar Spare Parts and Maintenance and Repair Services of Caterpillar Equipment.
To be considered, Vendor’s expression of interest must include, though not limited to, the following information:
1. Company’s full profile with all details (address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail, etc)
2. Company’s registration number (if already registered with the UN), license(s)
3. List of the company’s clients during the last 3 years (proof of similar services)
4. General organizational capabilities and resources
5. Proof of financial performance over the last 3 years
6. UNGM Registration Number
2. Supply of Kalmar Spare Parts, and Maintenance and Repair Services of Kalmar Equipment in Sudan
3. Supply of JCB Spare Parts, and Maintenance and Repair Services of JCB Equipment in Sudan
4. Supply of Toyota Spare Parts, and Maintenance and Repair Services of Toyota Equipment in Sudan
5. Supply of Nissan Spare Parts, and Maintenance and Repair Services of Nissan Equipment in Sudan
SUDAN: Tender – Construction Works in Sudan
Opportunity Type: Works
Express Interest By: Mar 01, 2010
Project Summary
1- Project 1: Construction of Community Police Centers in 10 locations inDarfur, Sudan ( Daly, Neem, Muhajeria, Khor Omer, Khor Abeche, Kalma, Kass, Greida, Sarif Umra, Fata Burna) Detail of works:
2- Project 2: Construction of helipads (100 X 100 meters) in 24 locations in Darfur: Zalingie, Mukhjar, Forabaranga, Masteri, Habila, Um Dukun, Seleah, El-Daien, Buddu, Graida, Kulbus,Malha,Tullus, Saraf Umra, Mallit,Shangail Tobaya, Kutum, Um Barru, Tine, Kass, Manawasi, Haskanita,Buram,Ed-ul-Fursan.
3- Project 3: Finishing works for 24 two-storey buildings in 4 locations: El Fahser, Nyala, El Geneina and Zalingie. Works consists in all finishing works including painting, partitioning, electrical and plumbilng works, false ceiling, floor finishing, data/voice network, HVAC system, Fire fighting system.
4- Project 4:Erection of pre-fabricated buildings in 25 locations in Darfur, including construction of walkways, construction of septic tanks and waste water connection systems. Location are: Tawilla, Sarif Umra, Korma, Kutum, Malha, Umm Barru, Tine, Mellit, Haskanita, Buram, Edd El Fursan, Tulus, Kass, Manawashi, Muhajeria, Buddu, Graida, Nirtiti, Saleah, Umm Dukhun, Habila, Mournei, Mukhjar, Masterie and Fora Baranga.
SUDAN: Tender – Supply and Delivery of Multistage Centrifugal Electrical Borehole Pumps in Sudan
Opportunity Type: Goods
Express Interest By: Feb 12, 2010
SUDAN: Tender – Consulting Services: Detailed Design, Tendering and Construction Supervision
Opportunity Type: Works, Consulting
Express Interest By: Mar 01, 2010
Project Summary
The services includes detailed design, tendering and construction supervision of three new Headquarter Buildings are to be constructed to house each of the two commissions SSACC, SSAC and the Ministry of Gender, Social Welfare & Religious affairs. Outline plans have been prepared for the building works envisaged, showing preliminary layouts and tentative structural details. The anticipated implementation period will be from April 2010 to June 2011.
SUDAN: CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CAPACITY BUILDING IN THE PLANNING DIRECTORATE OF MTRB Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 2, 2010 Deadline: Mar 7, 2010
Original Language: English
Assignments
73000000 – Research and development services and related consultancy services
73220000 – Development consultancy services
SUDAN: Printing Materials for DDR Public Information Project Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Feb 14, 2010 Deadline: Mar 1, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
79800000 – Printing and related services
42962000 – Printing and graphics equipment
SUDAN: Gum Arabic Value Chain Analysis Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2010 Deadline: Feb 28, 2010
Original Language: English
Assignments
73100000 – Research and experimental development services
73200000 – Research and development consultancy services
73300000 – Design and execution of research and development
SUDAN: Procurement of 6 4WD – Station Wagon Vehicle ( Diesel Engine Driven)
Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2010 Deadline: Feb 28, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
34113000 – 4-wheel-drive vehicles
SWAZILAND: DCI — land preparation, supply and installation of irrigation equipment for smallholder sugar cane growers in the north-east and south-east Lowveld — Kingdom of Swaziland
Request For Proposals
City/Locality: MBABANE
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2010 Deadline: Apr 26, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
43323000 – Irrigation equipment
45112700 – Landscaping work
SWAZILAND: Tender – Supply of Tools and Equipment for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions, Special Education Needs (SEN) and School Furniture in Swaziland
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 30, 2010
TANZANIA: Tender – Consultancy Services for Project Management for the Transport Sector in Tanzania
Opportunity Type: Works
Proposal Due Date: Mar 15, 2010
The Compact program aims at reducing poverty through the implementation of a programme consisting of three projects, each containing a number of activities and sub activities over the five year period of the Compact, namely:
1. The Transport sector Project consists of four distinct activities, the Mainland Trunk Roads Activity, the Zanzibar Rural Roads Activity, the Road Maintenance Activity and the Mafia Island Airport Activity.
2. The Energy Sector Project consists of three distinct activities, the Zanzibar Interconnector Activity, the Malagarasi Hydropower and Kigoma Distribution Activity, and the Distribution Systems Rehabilitation and Extension Activity.
3. The Water Sector Project consists of three distinct activities, the Lower Ruvu Plant Expansion Activity, the Non-Revenue Water Activity, and the Morogoro Water Supply Activity.
WEST AFRICA: Tender – Supply of Laboratory Equipment (General, Chemicals and Reagents and Analytical) for the Quality Control and Inspection of Fishery Products in West Africa
Status: Forecast
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Mar 16, 2010
YEMEN: Tender – Procurement of Localized On-Farm Irrigation System (2nd Consignment)
Opportunity Type: Goods
Proposal Due Date: Apr 06, 2010
Project Summary
Lot (1) Drip Irrigation System covering: (132 Hectare)
Lot (2) Bubbler Irrigation System covering: (157 Hectare)
Lot (3) In-line Dripper System covering: (56 Hectare)
Lot (4) Sprinkler Irrigation System covering: (52 Hectare)
ZAMBIA: Household Planting of Grass & Moringa Trees to 3000No Households in Makululu Township in Kabwe Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Kitwe
Publication Date: Feb 8, 2010 Deadline: Mar 26, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
90700000 – Environmental services
ZIMBABWE: Pipeline relaying works Request For Proposals
City/Locality: HARARE
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2010 Deadline: Feb 26, 2010
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45210000 – Building construction work
45231113 – Pipeline relaying works
45317100 – Electrical installation work of pumping equipment
EARLY WARNING & PROSPECTIVES
SADC
MADAGASCAR: Tantalus Rare Earths receives ‘spectacular’ assay results from Madagascar concession February 09, 2010 by Jamie Ashcroft. – Tantalus Rare Earths AG announced the first preliminary assay results of their massive sampling campaign conducted on its concession on the Ampasindava Peninsula in northern Madagascar between September and December 2009. The results show “spectacular” grades of up to 31% of total rare earth oxides. The remaining results are pending and expected later this month.
On the 300 square kilometre concession area a historic, non-JORC/NI43-101 compliant resource of approximately 15 million tons at 1.52% rare earth elements (REE) equivalent has been estimated, which given current prices, estimates the in-ground value at US$1.5bn, Tantalus said. The historic estimates originate from work conducted by a soviet geological mission during the late nineteen eighties and the early nineteen nineties.
MADAGASCAR: Madagascar oil auction seen in Oct this year Feb 9, 2010 (Reuters) – Madagascar’s auction of 50 offshore Indian Ocean oil blocks is likely to proceed in October this year after months of political turmoil delayed the process, a senior official said on Tuesday. The auction has been postponed due to a military-backed coup on the island last year, but Joeli Lalaharisaina, acting director general of the Office of National Mines and Strategic Industries (OMNIS), said it would happen this year. “I’m confident that this auction will be held (this year) despite the political situation … as most companies are carrying on with their activities, but to be realistic, it will be in October,” he told Reuters on the sidelines of an Africa energy conference. The sale of exploration rights will see the number of 2,000 sq km offshore blocks available rise from six to more than 50.
“We are very optimistic that in the next two years we will have proof that there are commercial finds in Madagascar,” he said. He said France’s Total remained on target to start producing heavy oil at the onshore Bemolanga oilfield by 2019 and Houston-based Madagascar Oil, which sold the Bemolanga stake to Total, could see production by 2015 at a second heavy oil project at Tsimiroro.
MALAWI: Country at Risk of Losing World Bank Loan The Malawian government risks losing a World Bank loan if it fails to approve, with the next five weeks, the project to interconnect the Mozambican and Malawian electricity grids.
Mozambique: Money Available to Rehabilitate Mavuzi and Chicamba Dams AIM 10 February 2010 — The Mozambican government has received the green light to go ahead with the rehabilitation and modernizations of the Mavuzi and Chicamba hydroelectric dams, in the central province of Manica. The Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Norwegian government, who are financing the project, assured the Mozambican government in November that the necessary resources are now available. The project is now budgeted at 39 million US dollars, higher than the initial estimate of 36.5 million US dollars. Mozambican Energy Minister Salvador Namburete told AIM that the government is now preparing a public tender to select suitable consultants and contractors to carry out the work.
The works in the two dams aims at increasing their generating capacity from 30 to about 80 Megawatts. The two hydroelectric dams are connected to the national power grid and operate in parallel with the Cahora Bassa dam, supplying electricity to the country’s central region and sometimes to the Zimbabwean city of Mutare.
Mozambique: Nacala Airport Construction to Start in April AIM 3 February 2010 — The construction of an international airport at Nacala, in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula is due to start in April, according to the spokesperson for the Mozambican government, Deputy Justice Minister Alberto Nkutumula. The work is budgeted at 112 million US dollars, and will be undertaken by the Brazilian company Odebrescht, in a period of 23 months, transforming the current Nacala military air base into an international airport. The work involves the construction of passenger and cargo terminals, a new control tower, and repaving the runway, bringing the airport up to the standards demanded by international civil aviation. The runway will be 3,400 metres long and will be able to take large aircraft such as Boeings 757 and 767. The airport will be able to handle between 500,000 and 600,000 passengers a year.
Nacala is home to the finest deep water port on the east African coast. In order to attract further investment, the government has given it the status of a special economic zone. There are plans to build an oil refinery at Nacala, although the project has been delayed by the international financial crisis.
Namibia: Cement Giant to Help Build Economy AT 109 metres the Ohorongo Tower north of Otavi, one of the highest buildings in Namibia, is a symbol of the giant role Ohorongo Cement intends to play in the Namibian economy when it starts production at the end of the year: foreign earnings from 300 000 tonnes of exported cement are envisaged to be around US$45 million, or nearly N$340 million,
South Africa: ‘Now Or Never’ for Coega Refinery Project BUSINESS DAY Jocelyn Newmarch 10 Feb 2010
SA MUST decide now whether to build a major new oil refinery, as a delay for Project Mthombo at Coega could make it no longer financially viable, PetroSA warned yesterday. Building a greenfields project such as Mthombo would be possible only in a recession, due to lower construction costs. “Other refineries built in boom times are closing now,” he said. “Coming from the private sector, it has been interesting for me to see the vested interests around the decision.” These interests did not always put SA first.
South Africa: Sappi, Mondi Push On With Restructure BUSINESS DAY Charlotte Matthews 10 Feb 2010
PAPER and packaging groups Sappi and Mondi are both continuing with restructuring moves within their southern African operations, but while Mondi’s restructuring at its Empangeni mill is moving smoothly, Sappi is meeting fierce resistance from unions in Swaziland over its Usutu mill closure. Globally, pulp and paper companies have been cutting costs and streamlining operations to respond to weak market demand and overcapacity in the industry.
SOUTH AFRICA: Coral Hotels opens Cape Town property Dubai-based Coral Hotels and Resorts has announced the official opening of its new South African property, the Coral International Cape Town. Owned by Cii Hotel & Resorts Cape Town, a subsidiary of Cii Holdings, the 137-room property had been under construction since the first quarter of 2007 and has been built at a cost of $40m.
South Africa: BHP Billiton Bullish on Resources Recovery BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest resources group, yesterday joined the growing number of industry leaders expressing optimism about the sector’s prospects after a year of bloodshed on commodities markets.
Tanzania: Best Farming Skills Needed The Citizen (Dar es Salaam) 11 February 2010 Poor knowledge of best farming practices, crop marketing and identification of risks are major factors affecting agriculture development in central regions of Tanzania, an expert has said. The Rural Livelihood Development Company (RLDC) chief executive officer, Mr Charles Ogutu made these remarks in Dodoma yesterday at a one-day cafe to discuss opportunities, achievements and challenges of agricultural development in central Tanzania regions.
“A number of risks, including failure to identify and procure quality seeds, risks in financial services, market systems, in crops pricing and on how to preserve crops after harvests, can make or break the rural farmer,” said Mr Ogutu. Among other issues raised was the call for the Government to encourage collaboration in developing agricultural crops processing industries. “As you know our country does not have enough processing plants, we urge on the authorities to look on how we can get those processing plants at affordable costs”, said Japhet Owino, who runs a small makeshift milk processing enterprise in Dodoma municipality. Other farmers requested the Government and RLDC to facilitate provision of modern milk collection and preservation equipment to smallholder dairy farmers in the corridor so ass to transform their sector.
ZIMBABWE: South Africa alarmed at Zimbabwe’s new business policy Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) There has been widespread reaction in South Africa to reports that white businessmen in Zimbabwe who do not cede control of their companies to black partners, could face jail sentences under a law coming in to effect next month. 10/02/2010
Zimbabwe: Two SA Companies Align to Develop Country’s Gold Deposits THE HERALD 9 February 2010
SOUTH Africa-based privately owned mining house Clarity Capital has formed an alliance with a subsidiary of the JSE-listed Aveng group, E+PC Engineering & Projects, to develop certain mineral deposits, including gold, in Zimbabwe. According to a statement by Clarity, the parties would start the alliance with the development of its flagship gold vehicle in Zimbabwe, Duration Gold’s Vubachikwe high-grade tailings reprocessing project. This will also include the initiation of a bankable feasibility study for the expansion of the Vubachikwe mine, as well as the development of the Athens and Gaika mines. A number of other projects owned by Duration and third parties were also under review for possible inclusion.
E+PC provides engineering, design and project delivery services and has experience in the operation and maintenance of metallurgical processing plants. “Clarity’s early-mover strategy offers us a unique opportunity to further expand our market in Zimbabwe, which we see as re-emerging with huge growth potential,” noted E+PC business development director Mr Mark Berger. Gold is one of the minerals that is expected to drive growth in the mining sector together with platinum. According to the 2010 National Budget, the mining sector is projected to grow by 40 percent, reflecting a significant output increase for gold, with moderate performance for the other minerals. BETTING ON BOB’S AGE AND SUSTAINED GOLD PRICE, ODDS 10-1 AGAINST
Zimbabwe: New Twist to Chiadzwa Diamonds Saga THE HERALD Zvamaida Murwira 9 February 2010
Mbada Diamond Mining Company one of two firms exploiting the Chiadzwa diamond resource has no background in the field and one of its parent companies used to deal in scrap metal, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy heard yesterday. The committee, chaired by Guruve South legislator Cde Edward Chindori-Chininga (Zanu-PF), was told that Grandwell Holdings had a background in scrap metal and not diamonds while one of its directors had a history of lecturing a “diamond-related subject” at university some years ago. Grandwell and the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation formed Mbada.
The other company operating in Chiadzwa is Canadile Miners, a ZMDC and Core-Mining and Minerals joint venture. Giving evidence to the committee, ZMDC chief executive Mr Dominic Mubayiwa said the Mines Ministry had forwarded Mbada and Canadile’s names as approved investors. He said while ZMDC had people representing it on the two firms’ boards, it did not participate in identifying them as the appointments were made by the parent ministry. “One of the companies was dealing in scrap metal but one of its shareholders had lectured at a university in a diamond-related subject some years back. “From the due diligence we made, both companies had the financial and administrative capacity to invest.
“The two companies were considered on the background of approved investors and discussions ensued between us and them,” he said. The committee was not satisfied by Mr Mubayiwa’s failure to give detailed backgrounds of the people representing ZMDC on the two companies’ boards. “It is this committee’s view that putting ZMDC and these companies to mine diamonds in Chiadzwa was irresponsible and in error. “Are you unlocking value to the nation or to individuals? You have no control of what is going on at Chiadzwa as ZMDC,” Cde Chindori-Chininga said. He also asked Mr Mubayiwa to comment on indications that many people representing ZMDC on the boards were there because they were connected to senior Mines
COMESA
BURUNDI: Burundi proposes “tax haven” to Belgian investors Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) – The Burundian Head of State, Pierre Nkuruziza, on Monday pledged to make the national tax system attractive for Belgian businessmen, saying this would be similar to a “tax haven”, PANA reported from here. 08/02/2010
East Africa: Comesa, Ecowas Sign Economic Partnership Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam) Austin Beyadi 9 February 2010 – THE Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) to enhance private sector development in the two regions and to advance regional economic integration towards attaining the African Economic Community (AEC).
Ethiopia: New Authority to Rejuvenate Rift Lakes Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa) Wudineh Zenebe 9 Feb 2010
A new authority is to be established under the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) with special responsibilities for the lakes in the Rift Valley. The ministry has hired a consultancy firm, Generation Consult, with which it signed an agreement worth 1.8 million Br to study the situations and propose the structure for the new authority. Five firms, including Desta Horecha Water Supply Engineering, ITAB Consult, and Omega Development had offered their tenders following the ministry’s invitation on October 27, 2009. The new authority will have jurisdiction over Langano, Hawassa, Zeway, Abiata, Shalla, Abaya and Chamo lakes. “All development work done on or along these lakes will require the permission of this authority,” said Fekahmed Negash, director of the Plan, Study, and Follow-up Directorate at MoWR.
One of the immediate works of the new authority, according to the official, will be the recovery of the receding Lake Abiata and charging businesses along the lake for the use of the lake’s water. This lake, located southwest of Addis Abeba after Zeway Town in Oromia, is one of Ethiopia’s natural salt lakes. The waters of Abiata have receded five kilometres. The Abiata Soda Ash Factory used to divert the lake water into 16 ponds and evaporate it to extract trona, a mineral used in glass and caustic soda production. “There are several investments around this lake which are using the water,” said Fekahmed.
Ethiopia: Adama Employs 8,810 in Cobblestone Scheme Adama (Nazareth) is paving of three kilometres of sidewalk with a width of 12 metres using cobblestone at a cost of 4.3 million Br.
Ethiopia: Tana Basin Study Aims to Irrigate 20,000ht A study for the irrigation of 20,000ht of land in the Tana Basin was delivered by the Tahal Group, a Netherlands based engineering company, to the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) on Monday, February 1, 2010.
Ethiopia: Tigray, Southern Towns Get First Roads Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa) Wudineh Zenebe 9.2.2010
The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) is awarding two road construction projects, worth 1.3 billion Br, for two local contractors. The first, a 76km segment from Dedebit to Adi Remets in Tigray, was awarded to Sur Construction which offered 801 million Br to the one billion Br offered by Yenkomad, the only other contender for the project. This project is the third segment, two of which are already under construction. The 71km segment from Shire (Enda Selassie) to Dedebit Road is being constructed by Satcon Construction at a cost of 510.7 million Br. The other segment, a 98km road from Adi Remets to Dejena Densha is being handled by the Chinese Hunan Hunda Company at a cost of 926.3 million Br.
Sur, which is owned by the Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT), initially offered 855.5 million Br but ended up cutting it down by 4.5 million Br. A second project, which drew five local bidders, is the 60km road from Arba Minch to Belta in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Regional State (SNNPR). The winning tender was offered by Brehane Hagos at 563 million Br, while Sunshine Construction offered the largest at 863 million Br. Other bidders were Akir, Sur and Yenkomad, according to an official at ERA.
These roads are part of the 2,046km of roads the authority intends to construct this fiscal year, with a total approved budget of 11.2 billion Br, way down from the 15.8 billion Br it had proposed to the government. Nine million Birr came from the Federal Government, while 1.8 billion Br and 355.3 million Br were obtained through loans and aid, respectively. ERA’s plan for the fiscal year involves 25 projects in areas which previously were not served by roads, including the above projects in the Tigray Regional State and SNNPR State, which will be asphalt roads.
Kenya: Now Pattni Plans Seven-Star Hotel DAILY NATION David Okwembah 5 February 2010
After losing out in the battle for the ownership of the Grand Regency Hotel, Nairobi businessman Kamlesh Pattni has now come up with an even grander project; a seven star Sh4 billion hotel complex just up the road from his former gem that was taken over by Libyans. But before construction of The Prince begins at Nairobi’s Museum Hill, Mr Patni will have to navigate the controversy over a new 50-year lease agreement on the land on which he intends to build the hotel and shopping complex. The ministry of Lands has controversially given a company linked to him a 50-year lease for the prime property at the city’s Museum Hill, throwing two government ministries at loggerheads.
On November 27, 2008, the Commissioner of Lands, Mr Zablon Mabea, granted the lease to Galaxy Walker Ltd for the building of the seven-star hotel, to be known as The Prince. Under the lease, all buildings on the property, which belong to the Office of the Vice-President and the ministry of Home Affairs, will be demolished and the multi-storeyed structure put up in its place. Also to be put up on the same plot is a shopping mall, furnished apartments, executive offices and a massive parking lot to accommodate 1,000 vehicles. The ministry of Lands kept the Office of the Vice-President in the dark over the 50-year lease.
Kenya: Kengen Sets Stage for Bulk Steam Power Business Daily (Nairobi) Kaara Wainaina 10 February 2010
The Kenya Electricity Generating Company has signed up a consultant to guide what is billed to become the biggest geothermal power project in Kenya. Sinclair Knight Merz of New Zealand is now expected to come up with the technical design, prepare tender documents and pre-qualify potential bidders for a 280 megawatts geothermal power project in Olkaria. The consultant is also tasked with tender evaluation, contract negotiation, supervision of construction contracts and general support during the warranty period of the project.
According to work schedule, the Sh100 billion project is expected to be completed mid 2013, and will effectively see Kenya’s green energy contribute about 30 per cent of the country’s electricity consumption estimated to reach 1,500 megawatts at the close of 2012. The project will be funded partly by the government and by international lenders among them Japan International Co-operation Agency JICA, French Development Agency, European Investment Bank (EIB), German Development Bank (KfW), World Bank and KenGen.
The geothermal project will involve installation of four 70MW power generating machines, steam gathering systems, construction of substations, transmissions lines and other necessary infrastructure. Whereas geothermal power requires heavy investments, in the long run it is cheaper than oil generation that the country resorts to avert crisis. Average bulk purchase prices by KPLC suggest geothermal power at Sh6 per kilowatt hour is the second cheapest mode of generation after wind (Sh7.50). Thermal power costs the distributor Sh14 per kilowatt hour.
Information given to investors during the Kengen Public Infrastructure bond put production cost for a Kilowatt hour from geothermal at Sh4.30 against thermal’s Sh5.20. For geothermal, the bulk of the cost lies in initial investment at Sh3.60 per kilowatt hour against thermal’s Sh1.90. It, however, costs Sh0.70 to maintain a geothermal unit against Sh3.30 needed to maintain a kilowatt hour of a thermal plant.
KenGen managing director Eddy Njoroge said the power utility had finished drilling wells for the geothermal project, meaning the successful bidder will just wire turbines and start generating. The government has been forced to drill steam wells in a bid to attract investors who are put off by the high costs and risks of striking a dry well associated with drilling. Geothermal is set to become the country’s main source of electricity largely due to the country’s massive potential estimated at 7,000MW of power, which is five times the current national electricity consumption. According to the power generator’s projections, the total output from geothermal is pegged at 675 Megawatts of power by 2015. KenGen is generating 115 megawatts from Geothermal at the Olkaria plant in Naivasha.
Kenya: AG, Muthaura Summoned over Railway Deal Extension Parliament’s Public Investment Committee has summoned top government officials to explain their reasons for extending the Rift Valley Railways (RVR) railway concession, despite the committee’s recommendation that the concession be terminated “immediately.”
KENYA: Kenya dhow captain fears new port Kenya’s government is planning to build a massive new port – expected to be the busiest in East Africa, serving neighbouring countries such as Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. But the port is near Lamu, a beautiful, unspoilt island, which centuries ago dominated the region’s trade in ivory, gold and slaves. Some local residents are looking forward to the wealth they hope the new port will generate. But dhow captain Fahad Mohamed Musa fears that the development will hurt local fishermen.
Rwanda: Nyamagabe Earmarks Frw1.3 Billion for Water THE NEW TIMES Eugene Kwibuka 8 February 2010
The district has earmarked Frw1.3 billion for the provision of clean water, Emmanuel Murangwa, the district vice Mayor in charge of economic affairs said yesterday. According to Murangwa, the district will build eight water channels to increase access to safe water. The water channels that are currently under construction will cover a radius of 112 kms.
Rwanda: KCC Kick-Starts Urban Agriculture THE NEW TIMES Bosco R. Asiimwe 6 February 2010
Kigali City Council (KCC), in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture, on Thursday kicked off a campaign to implement urban agriculture in line with the city master plan. The farming will be conducted according to the Urban Planning Agriculture (UPA) strategic plan which was designed by KCC in conjunction with the City of Rome. Among the types of farming to be practiced under this program include horticulture and coffee farming whose implementation will be overseen by districts and cooperative societies within the city. The Director General of Rwanda Horticulture Development Authority (RHODA), Magnifique Nzaramba, advised that the practice be aligned to schools’ curricula to encourage students take part in the agricultural sector.
Rwanda: Project Delays 5,000 Jobs Rwanda’s hopes of having a free trade zone where operators import and process products for re-export has delayed. NPD Cotraco, a local construction company that was hired to open and tarmac roads, fix a sewage system, extend water and electricity on the 100 hectare piece of land by December 2009 is yet to finish work.
SUDAN: Vietnam Targets Oil and Gas Exploration in Sudan February 12, 2010 – The Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade today expressed hopes that the Sudanese government will create favorable conditions for PetroVietnam to invest in projects in the African country.
Uganda: World Bank Gives Uganda Sh370 Billion Loan for Roads THE World Bank has granted Uganda $228m (about sh368b) loan to improve the transport and agricultural sectors, the country manager, Kundavi Kadiresan, has said.
Uganda: Tirupati Development Starts Agric Park TIRUPATI Development Uganda has earmarked $20m (about sh39.8b) for the construction of an agricultural produce market in Namanve, Kampala.
Uganda: Kabale to Get First Airstrip THE Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved the construction of the first airstrip in Kabale district.
Uganda: Country to Import More Fingerlings From Uganda In its continued bid to make Rwanda self sufficient in fish production, government has ordered for 35,000 fingerlings from Uganda to restock Rwanda’s land water bodies.
Uganda: Hydropower Will Secure Uganda’s Future POWER is a major requirements for the modern era and its demand is very high for industrial development and domestic use. Uganda, as a developing country, continues to be one of the states where hydropower will play a great role in the future. In economic development, hydropower boosts industries and energy exports.
Uganda: Ugachick Starts Sh2.4 Billion Fish Feed Plant Ugachick Poultry Breeders has invested $1.2m (about sh2.4b) in a drive to increase its fish feed production capacity.
Uganda: Tullow Sells Oil Wells to Chinese Company The second major prospecting firm in Uganda’s oil fields, the British company Tullow Oil plc, is expected to announce this week that it will sell half of its stakes in Uganda to a Chinese company at $2.5 billion (Shs4.7 trillion).
ECOWAS
CONGO R.O.C.: Maurel & Prom to Abandon M’Bafou Well in the Congo Friday, February 12, 2010 – Maurel & Prom will plug and abandon the M’Bafou well, drilled in the Marine III exploration permit in the Congo. The well met its oil targets, but production is not sustainable.
GABON: Manganese deposit found in Gabon Libreville, Gabon (PANA) – A new manganese deposit with reserves estimated at 60 million tonnes has been discovered in southeastern Gabon, it was announced by the Gabonese subsidiary of BHP Billiton. “We have set ourselves a target before building a plant and we need a significant quantity of resources before moving to the next phase,” said Gabriel Kamga, managing director of BHP in Gabon. 10/02/2010
GHANA: Mira Still in Talks with GNPC for Onshore Concession Wednesday, February 10, 2010 – Mira Resources is still in active negotiations with GNPC for a potential acquisition of the onshore Tano Basin concession in Ghana.
Liberia: Ellen, World Bank Chief Discuss Several Projects; Road Reconstruction Tops Agenda World Bank President Robert Zoellick has responded positively to a call by Liberian President Ellen Johnson to hasten the implementation of World Bank projects in Liberia, the Executive Mansion says.
LIBYA: Libya to import 500,000 gas cylinders in 2010 Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – Libya will this year import 500,000 gas cylinders to off set the deficit recorded in its local market and meet the country’s growing need , the administrative and financial director of the Libyan Company for the Commercialization of Oil Products, Briga, Omar Chamekh Mohamed, announced here. 11/02/2010
Nigeria: Benue Cement Company Shut Down over Alleged N190 MillionTax Evasion The Benue Cement Company BCC, Gboko has been shut down and production of the Portland brand of cement at the factory halted following a picket action carried out by the management of the Benue State Board of Internal Revenue Services Board.
Nigeria: Borno Rice Farmers Want Modern Tools The Zabarmari Rice Farmers Association in Maiduguri on Sunday, called on the Borno Government to provide it with modern processing machines, to add value to their produce.
Nigeria: Reps Revoke $120 Million Imo River Dredging Contract Leadership (Abuja) Adesuwa Tsan 3 February 2010 – The House of Representatives Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, has recommended the withdrawal of the contract for the dredging of the Imo River from UK-RUSAL, while directing the immediate refund of $120 million which was the contract sum of the project with an accrued interest of 3 years to the federation account by the Bureau of Public Enterprises ( BPE). The House committee made this decision yesterday during the first session of a two-day investigative hearing into the privatisation of Jos Steel Rolling Mill, Imo River Dredging (ALSCON) and Skypower Aviation Handling Company by the BPE. The contract in question was awarded at the cost of $120 million to UK-RUSAL, a major investor in Aluminum Smelting Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) three years ago, but work is yet to begin at the site.
The committee also queried the rationale behind awarding a contract for the dredging of the Imo River to the Imo River Dredging Company which was set up by RUSAL when the company’s strength is in aluminium smelting and not dredging.
NIGERIA: Nigeria’s New Leader Woos Oil Companies Friday, February 12, 2010 – Nigeria’s new acting president, Goodluck Jonathan, is attempting to breathe life into the nation’s ailing energy sector just two days after assuming the duties of President Umaru Yar’Adua.
TOGO: AfDB, Togo Sign Usd 36 Million Road Rehabilitation Grant Agreement African Development Bank 12 February 2010 – The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group and Togo have signed a USD 36.2 million (Units of Accounts-UA 23.31 million) grant agreement for the rehabilitation of a major road link which constitutes part of the Trans-African highway.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Mr. Mbesherubusa explained that the realization of the Aflao-Sanve Condji-Benin Border Road Rehabilitation and Modernization Project … will complete the missing link on the Togolese portion of the Abidjan-Lagos highway co-financed by the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the West African Development Bank and the ECOWAS Investment and Development Bank. “This project constitutes an integral part of the Abidjan-Lagos Tran-African highway which is a priority in both ECOWAS and the NEPAD initiative,” he said, adding that the highway is among the strategic road links in the zone and accounts for an important part of the road traffic between coastal cities in the sub-region (Abidjan, Accra, Lome, and Cotonou). Mr. Mbesherubusa emphasized the need to accelerate the project’s implementation process.
AFRICA
Africa: A Stronger Nepad Secretariat Vital DAILY NATION 8 February 2010 One of the key decisions taken at the end of the 14th summit of the African Union last week was to establish a new body to take over the functions of the secretariat of the New Partnership for Africa Development (Nepad). Established in 2001 with high hopes, Nepad’s achievement have been modest, at best. A major problem was that it took too long for the secretariat to evolve into a strong, well-funded institution. The management of Nepad has been in the hands of multiple committees, most chaired by Heads of State with little time for the programme. Indeed, the difficulties experienced by Nepad are a perfect illustration of what obtains when a large continent-wide organisation is left in the hands of weak and unwieldy committees that meet infrequently.
Turnover in the membership of these committees has been very low, and chairmen and committee members have been allowed enjoy long uninterrupted tenures, resulting in stagnation of ideas. It is time the Nepad secretariat underwent re-engineering and its mandate broadened. Right now, Africa badly needs a body to co-ordinate the operations of the several regional economic groupings. Trading arrangements and economic groupings have mushroomed to the extent that there are cases where countries find themselves belonging to more than one grouping.
For instance, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, the DRC, The seychelles and Zimbabwe are members both of Comesa and the SADC, while Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi belong to both the East African Community and Comesa. The continent needs a body to take up the responsibility rationalising membership to existing regional economic groupings. The mandate of the re-engineered Nepad should be expanded to include refereeing differences among the various economic groupings on the continent.
Africa: Aureos Raises U.S. $381 Million For New African Fund DAILY CHAMPION Comfort Ekeleme 11 February 2010 — Private equity fund manager Aureos has closed to new investors a fund investing in small and medium-sized businesses in Africa at a total of $381.1 million, the company said on Monday. The fund aims to make initial investments of up to $10 million in businesses that have potential to expand across Africa within two to three years, Aureos said in a statement. It has already invested around $120 million in 10 companies, including an East African milk production firm, a Nigerian biscuit manufacturer and a cement company in Senegal, it said.
AFRICA: Uganda to Host 2010 Agribusiness Meet THE NEW TIMES Emojong Osere and David Ssempija
11 February 2010 — UGANDA is to host the 2010 edition of the agribusiness forum. The conference, which comes at a time when the country and Africa are facing a slump in food production, will seek solutions to problems affecting food production on the continent. This year’s event is also expected to focus on ways of increasing agricultural business opportunities, address issues of food security and job creation.
The forum is organised under the theme “Food security: A business opportunity” and aims at boosting Africa’s agro-food sector. It will run from October 3 to October 6.
AFRICA: DRC to host 4th African Oil Congress next month Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) – DR Congo will next month host the 4th African Oil Congress (CAPE), which brings together 16 African oil producing countries, the Congolese minister of hydrocarbons announced on Thursday. 05/02/2010
MIDDLE EAST/OTHER
BAHRAIN: Bahrain plans 5,000 new homes a year New homes will only take two months to build using a new Chinese construction technique.
EGYPT: Egypt to start cement bid process by mid-2010 Egypt’s Industrial Development Authority has said it aims to start an international bidding process to grant cement licences by the middle of this year, Reuters has reported. ‘We’re presenting the case to the High (Supreme) Council of Energy to get their blessing,’ IDA Chairman, Amr Assal told the news service. ‘Afterwards, we will announce the international bidding process.’
EGYPT: Egyptian-Saudi power linkage project to start in June Egyptian electricity minister Hassan Younis has announced that a power-linkage project with Saudi Arabia will start in June. The project, aimed at transferring 4,500 megawatts at two stages, will be completed by 2013, he said. The project will be part of a power-linkage grid that will comprise other Gulf countries, Younis added.
QATAR: Qatar Diar finalises strategic partnership with Vinci by Gavin Davids 04 February 2010 Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company announced on Wednesday that it had finalised negotiations for a strategic partnership with French public works group Vinci, today. Following negotiations that began on Aug 31, 2009, Diar agreed to the wholesale transfer of Cegelec, a technological solutions firm, in exchange for 31.5 million shares in Vinci, making it the largest shareholder after the group’s employee savings fund. In addition, the Qatari company will appoint a director to the Vinci board, subject to the shareholder’s approval. It will also be a member of the Vinci group’s strategy and investment committee.
The two companies are currently working together to carry out studies on the proposed Qatar-Bahrain bridge. In the past, they have also worked together on a number of projects for DIAR’s urban development, Lusail City. The 40 kilometre long Qatar-Bahrain causeway is one of the longest in the world and its estimated final cost will be approximately three billion dollars.
QATAR: Qatar to move ahead with subsea tunnel project Jamal al-Kaabi, acting manager of the design department at Qatar’s Public Works Authority, has said the country will go ahead with plans for a 12km subsea tunnel that will link the capital’s new airport with the financial centre at a cost of more than $1bn, Zawya Dow Jones has reported. ‘The road is under the urban planning department for the concept design and then we will be taking that project for the detailed design and construction phase,’ he said. Danish engineering consultants COWI have submitted a feasibility study and a preliminary concept design, which is now awaiting approval from the Qatari government’s urban planning department.
SAUDI: ACWA to bid on $10bn of projects Saudi-based power and water firm, ACWA Power International is planning to bid for $10bn in contracts this year in the Gulf region, Africa and Turkey as well as its home market, Bloomberg has reported. ACWA CEO Paddy Padmanathan said the firm plans to bid on $2.5bn worth of projects in Saudi Arabia, and will also take part in tenders in Oman, Abu Dhabi, Morocco, Turkey, and may later also bid on projects in Qatar, Jordan, South Africa and Botswana. ‘We have picked these countries because they’ve all got wonderful opportunities for rapidly growing power demand,’ he told the news service.
SAUDI: Saudi Aramco to spend $120bn on projects Saudi Aramco plans to invest around $120bn over the next 5-6 years in developing projects in the oil and petrochemicals sectors, the company’s chief executive told Arabiya TV. The company plans to spend $60bn on the oil sector, while the remaining investement would be for the development of petrochemcial projects and foreign investments, said Khalid al-Falih. ‘Over the coming five to six years the total investment for Saudi Aramco will be around $120bn,’ he said. ‘Funding investments for our other projects comes from joint ventures, loans and individual Saudi investors.’
SAUDI: Faqeeh Poultry to invest SR3bn in expansion Saudi Arabia’s Faqeeh Poultry Farms, the world’s largest individually-owned poultry farm, has announced plans to invest more than SR3bn, as part of a plan to boost production over the next five years, Arab News has reported. The five-year plan aims to boost the company’s daily production to one million broiler chickens and three million table eggs. “The SR3bn development plan includes launching new farms, chicken feed factories, model abattoirs and a vast logistic system for the prompt supply of goods to consumers across the kingdom,” Abdul Rahman Faqeeh, founder and owner of the farm said. The group expects to create 6,000 jobs through the plan.
UAE: Abu Dhabi to invite bids on $2bn power plant The Abu Dhabi government has announced plans to invite firms to submit proposals in March to build a 1,600 megawatt power plant worth about $2bn, Reuters has reported. The Shuweihat 3 independent power project will be the emirate’s ninth power project under a privatisation plan launched in 1998, under which international developers take a stake in the project. ‘We have started the process of prequalification and we are targeting sending the request for proposals early next month,’ Abdulla Saif al Nuaimi, director of privatisation at the Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (Adwea), told the news service. ‘We expect to finalise selection of the developer by November this year, (make the) financial close by April 2011 and commissioning in summer 2013.’
UAE: Bids sought for $1bn Abu Dhabi football stadium Mubadala Development Co, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, has set May 24 as the closing date for bids on the contract to build an estimated $1bn football stadium in the UAE capital, Meed has reported. The 65,000-seat football stadium is part of the new Capital City District development next to Khalifa City, between Mussafah and Abu Dhabi International airport. The five groups which have prequalified for the tender include France’s Bouygues with the local/Lebanese Arabian Construction Co (ACC); South Korea’s Samsung Corp and Germany’s Ed Zueblin; Japan’s Taisei Corp and Beijing-based China State Construction Engineering Corp; and France’s Vinci Grand Projets with Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Co (CCC).
UAE: Dubai rents expected to drop further A new report predicts that commercial and residential property rents in Dubai will continue to decline this year due to oversupply and rising vacancy rates. ‘The real estate market remained sluggish during the final quarter of 2009 with few signs to suggest any imminent upturn in fortunes,’ property consultancy firm CB Richard Ellis said in its Dubai MarketView for the fourth quarter of 2009. Lease rates for commercial space in newer areas of Dubai, which have already dropped 50%, are expected to head lower ‘as competition for tenants continues to lead landlords towards greater incentive packages’, the report said. Residential units are also likely to see ‘a further small contraction during the course of the next year as a substantial volume of new residential accommodation reaches the final stages of construction’, it said.
UAE: International Consortia submit bids for Abu Dhabi highway Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport has announced it has received bids from three international consortia competing for the 25 year concession to upgrade, finance, operate and maintain the Mafraq – Ghweifat Highway, Wam has reported. The project, which is the first transport-related public-private partnership project in the GCC, will see the highway widened to four lanes in each direction (three in the less-trafficked portions near Ghweifat) and upgraded to meet international standards in highway design, safety, communications and services to users. The Highway, which stretches 327 km from Mafraq to the border at Ghweifat, provides the only access to the Western Region, including the industrial centre of Ruwais and several important tourist destinations.
UAE: Istithmar seeking buyers for Inchcape Shipping Istithmar World, the investment unit of Dubai World, has put Inchcape Shipping Services up for sale for $600m to $700m, the Financial Times has reported, citing people familiar with the situation that it didn’t name. Advent International, Cinven, Charterhouse, Montagu, TPG and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. are among private equity groups working on potential bids.
UAE: Dubai Investments’ glass unit eyes export markets Firm eyes double revenues this year as it taps new export markets & expansion.
UAE: Dubai World seeks $22bn debt freeze this month – report by Tamara Walid 10 February 2010
State-linked indebted conglomerate Dubai World intends to ask creditors for a six-month standstill on $22 billion in debt this month, until it completes restructuring, an Arabic-language daily said on Wednesday. According to a report published in the Al Ittihad newspaper, Dubai World will request a debt freeze from the end of February, which would cover a bond repayment of $980 million from property unit Nakheel. A spokesman for Dubai World said the company has not released a statement on a standstill and declined to comment further.
A last minute intervention from neighbour Abu Dhabi staved off a default on a major Nakheel bond payment on Dec. 14 , but further financial help is conditional upon a standstill agreement. Dubai World has access to about $4.9 billion remaining of the funds provided by Abu Dhabi, and the financial support will cover working capital and interest expenses, while a restructuring plan is hammered out. A meeting was held between Dubai World and some 97 creditor banks on Dec. 21 – bankers said at the time the firm may ask for a standstill in January. A $1.2 billion Islamic loan at Limitless is due for maturity in March, the next major loooming repayment, which Dubai World may seek to roll over, but it is unclear whether banks will agree without a standstill agreement in place. An unofficial coordinating committee of seven creditor banks is negotiating between lenders and Dubai World. (Reuters) PART OF THE RESTRUCTURING IS THE NAME TO GOODBAI WORLD
AFRICA INFO, GENERAL INTEREST & RISK ISSUES
Frankincense: Could it be a cure for cancer? 9 February 2010 The gift given by the wise men to the baby Jesus probably came across the deserts from Oman. The BBC’s Jeremy Howell visits the country to ask whether a commodity that was once worth its weight in gold could be reborn as a treatment for cancer. Oman’s Land of Frankincense is an 11-hour drive southwards from the capital, Muscat. Most of the journey is through Arabia’s Empty Quarter – hundreds of kilometres of flat, dun-coloured desert. Just when you are starting to think this is the only scenery you will ever see again, the Dhofar mountains appear in the distance.
On the other side are green valleys, with cows grazing in them. The Dhofar region catches the tail-end of India’s summer monsoons, and they make this the most verdant place on the Arabian peninsula.
Warm winters and showery summers are the perfect conditions for the Boswellia sacra tree to produce the sap called frankincense. These trees grow wild in Dhofar. A tour guide, Mohammed Al-Shahri took me to Wadi Dawkah, a valley 20 km inland from the main city of Salalah, to see a forest of them.
“The records show that frankincense was produced here as far back as 7,000 BCE,” he says. He produces an army knife. He used to be a member of the Sultan’s Special Forces. With a practised flick, he cuts a strip of bark from the trunk of one of the Boswellia sacra trees. Pinpricks of milky-white sap appear on the wood and, very slowly, start to ooze out.
“This is the first cut. But you don’t gather this sap,” he says. “It releases whatever impurities are in the wood. The farmers return after two or three weeks and make a second, and a third, cut. Then the sap comes out yellow, or bright green, or brown or even black. They take this.” Shortly afterwards, a frankincense farmer arrives in a pick-up truck. He is white-bearded, wearing a brown thobe and the traditional Omani, paisley-patterned turban. He is 67-year-old Salem Mohammed from the Gidad family. Most of the Boswellia sacra trees grow on public land, but custom dictates that each forest is given to one of the local families to farm, and Wadi Dawkah is his turf.
Camel train
He has an old, black, iron chisel with which he gouges out clumps of dried frankincense. “We learnt about frankincense from our forefathers and they leant it from theirs” he says. “The practice has been passed down through the generations. We exported the frankincense, and that’s how the families in Dhofar made their livings.”
And what an export trade it was. Frankincense was sent by camel train to Egypt, and from there to Europe. It was shipped from the ancient port of Sumharan to Persia, India and China. Religions adopted frankincense as a burnt offering.
Boswellia sacra produces the highest-quality frankincense
That is why, according to Matthew’s Gospel in the Bible, the Wise Men brought it as a gift to the infant Jesus. Gold: for a king. Frankincense: for God. Myrrh: to embalm Jesus’ body after death. The Roman Empire coveted the frankincense trade. In the first century BCE, Augustus Caesar sent 10,000 troops to invade what the Romans called Arabia Felix to find the source of frankincense and to control its production. The legions, marching from Yemen, were driven back by the heat and the aridity of the desert. They never found their Eldorado.
Oman’s frankincense trade went into decline three centuries ago, when Portugal fought Oman for dominance of the sea routes in the Indian and the Pacific Oceans.
Salalah’s Haffa souk: The place to buy Omani brands such as Royal Hougari
Nowadays, hardly any Omani frankincense is exported. Partly, this is because bulk buyers, such as the Roman Catholic Church, buy cheaper Somalian varieties. Partly, it is because Omanis now produce so little. “Years ago, 20 families farmed frankincense in this area,” says Salem Mohammed Gidad. “But the younger generation can get well-paid jobs in the government and the oil companies, with pensions. Now, only three people still produce frankincense around here. The trade is really, really tiny!”
Cancer hope
But immunologist Mahmoud Suhail is hoping to open a new chapter in the history of frankincense. Scientists have observed that there is some agent within frankincense which stops cancer spreading, and which induces cancerous cells to close themselves down. He is trying to find out what this is. “Cancer starts when the DNA code within the cell’s nucleus becomes corrupted,” he says. “It seems frankincense has a re-set function. It can tell the cell what the right DNA code should be. “Frankincense separates the ‘brain’ of the cancerous cell – the nucleus – from the ‘body’ – the cytoplasm, and closes down the nucleus to stop it reproducing corrupted DNA codes.” Working with frankincense could revolutionise the treatment of cancer. Currently, with chemotherapy, doctors blast the area around a tumour to kill the cancer, but that also kills healthy cells, and weakens the patient. Treatment with frankincense could eradicate the cancerous cells alone and let the others live.
The task now is to isolate the agent within frankincense which, apparently, works this wonder. Some ingredients of frankincense are allergenic, so you cannot give a patient the whole thing. Dr Suhail (who is originally from Iraq) has teamed up with medical scientists from the University of Oklahoma for the task. In his laboratory in Salalah, he extracts the essential oil from locally produced frankincense. Then, he separates the oil into its constituent agents, such as Boswellic acid. “There are 17 active agents in frankincense essential oil,” says Dr Suhail. “We are using a process of elimination. We have cancer sufferers – for example, a horse in South Africa – and we are giving them tiny doses of each agent until we find the one which works.” “Some scientists think Boswellic acid is the key ingredient. But I think this is wrong. Many other essential oils – like oil from sandalwood – contain Boswellic acid, but they don’t have this effect on cancer cells. So we are starting afresh.” The trials will take months to conduct and whatever results come out of them will take longer still to be verified. But this is a blink of the eye in the history of frankincense. Nine thousand years ago, Omanis gathered it and burnt it for its curative and cleansing properties. It could be a key to the medical science of tomorrow.
Jeremy Howell reports for Middle East Business Report on BBC World News.
Kenya: Principals Accused of Failing Graft War President Kibaki and Prime minister Raila Odinga were on Wednesday accused of giving lip-service to the fight against corruption by not sacking those involved in the vice.
Madagascar’s deputy prime minister resigns Madagascar’s vice PM Ny Hasina Andriamanjato has resigned in a sign of growing divisions within the government. Friday, 12 February 2010 Madagascar’s vice Prime Minister Ny Hasina Andriamanjato has resigned in a sign of growing divisions within the government over how to end the Indian Ocean island’s year long political crisis. Its diplomatically isolated leader, Andry Rajoelina, risks sanctions and the possible cancellation of critical foreign aid if he fails to compromise on a road map for holding elections that appeases opposition leaders, regional neighbours and donor nations. A source close to Andriamanjato told Reuters the deputy premier, who is also foreign affairs minister, told Rajoelina there would be no international recognition of the former disc jockey’s leadership, nor a resolution to the crisis, without the establishment of a unity government ahead of any ballot. “The vice Prime Minister supports the position of the international community. Furthermore, he feels the signals (from government) are heading in a different direction,” the source told Reuters late on Thursday. Reuters
Mozambique: TTA Insists That It Will Fly to Johannesburg AIM 11 February 2010 — The Mozambican private air company TTA insists that it will indeed begin scheduled flights between Maputo and Johannesburg on Sunday, despite a clumsy attempt by the Mozambican Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) earlier in the week to stop it.
According to a report in Thursday’s issue of the independent newsheet “Mediafax”, TTA met with the IACM on Wednesday and extracted an apology for the statement which the IACM had circulated to the press saying that the TTA subsidiary, TTA Airlink, had no authorisation to fly the Maputo-Johannesburg route.
The suspicion is that when the IACM claimed that TTA Airlink was not authorised to fly the Maputo-Johannesburg route, it was mounting a last ditch defence of the existing system whereby this profitable route is neatly carved up between the publicly owned Mozambique Airlines (LAM), and its South African counterpart, South African Airways (SAA).
Nigeria: Customs Recovers N6.87 Billion from Duty Evaders The Nigeria Customs Service has so far recovered the sum N6.87 billion as underpayments since it began a clampdown on customs duty evaders and fraudulent dealers in the import clearance process last year.
Nigeria: Importer Drags APM Terminals to Court over Excess Charges An importer, Clement Okonkwo has dragged the management of the AP Moller Terminals and a principal officer of the company, Mr. Campbell, to a Lagos High Court over excess charges slammed on him by the Concessioner of the container terminal.
NIGERIA: New acting president for Nigeria Nigeria’s Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan becomes acting president in place of ailing leader Umaru Yar’Adua.
South Africa: Signal Distributor Big Shots Told to Explain Dud Projects SENIOR management of embattled state-owned broadcast and signal distributor Sentech have been called before Parliament’s portfolio committee on communication to explain business decisions made by Sentech, including its involvement in a cable project on the west coast of Africa.
Southern Africa: SADC to Start Regional Stock Trading Soon INVESTORS are months away from being able to trade stocks across 10 securities exchanges in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) through a common technical interconnectivity platform – signalling the first significant step towards the integration of one of Africa’s economic regions.
Uganda: Oil Scramble Shouldn’t Turn Nation Into Global Septic Tank The Independent (Kampala) Samuel Olara 9 February 2010 — Uganda is in the midst of an “oil boom” and continues to attract serious attention from the world’s major oil players. The “oil boom” has predictably resulted in what appears to be “the global scramble for Uganda’s ‘crude gold filed’. Several international oil giants such as the Italian Eni and the Chinese state-owned CNOOC want to partner with Heritage Oil and Tullow Oil whose exploration has hit oil in the Lake Albert region and in Amuru Northern Uganda.
Heritage Oil has entered an understanding with Italy’s Eni International, to purchase its stake in Uganda’s Block 1 and Block 3A, a deal that culminated in Italy’s Foreign Affairs minister visiting Uganda in early January 2010, partly on a mission to shore up the company’s credentials.
Tullow Oil on the other hand says that it wants to partner with the Chinese firm, CNOOC, in developing Uganda’s oil industry. American Exxon Mobil have also been said to have shown an interest in Uganda’s oil.
Conservative estimates are that sub-Saharan Africa alone will receive more than US$250 billion in oil revenues in the next decade, the largest and most concentrated influx of revenue in the continent’s history.
It remains doubtful that the oil revenues will benefit sub-Saharan Africa’s economies; rather if we are learn from the experiences of countries like Nigeria, Angola, Sudan, DRC, Kenya, Egypt, Corte d’Ivore, and many more; they always have a way of generating mass human suffering, massive corruption, political instability, wars and enormous environmental damage. This day the catch phrase is the globalisation of the global village, here in Africa, we are under the impression of being that village’s septic tank.
With Uganda therefore joining the big boys in oil exploration, it is only a natural human instinct that we wonder about the future. Many commentators have already speculated about the benefit to the economy and GDP, while others have pointed to the “curse” that always seems to come with oil exploration. So can Ugandans be proud of this overwhelming interest from the world’s oil giants? It remains to be seen, but one thing is obvious; the interest of Ugandans has been overridden right from the word go. Our dear visioned leader, President Yoweri Museveni and his Cabinet could not resist the temptation of nodding to deals that only benefits a handful, at the expense of the country. It is a deal between the oil companies and state house, Parliament as usual has been overridden – it has not been allowed to scrutinise the deal let alone see it.
Even the Norwegian experts advising state house have expressed serious reservations: a review of Uganda’s contracts commissioned by the Norwegian Agency for International Corporation (NORAD) in 2008 concluded that the profit-share model adopted “cannot be regarded as being in accordance with the interests of the host country”. According to impeccable sources, the oil contracts are structured so that price risk lies primarily with the state, while the private companies are virtually guaranteed a healthy return even if the market slumps. As the oil price rises, investors will make a higher and unlimited profit, taking close to one quarter of oil revenues, whether each barrel is fetching $100 or $200. The 20-year contracts, consistently weak or completely silent on human rights protection, also include a sweeping “stabilisation clause” requiring the Ugandan government to compensate the companies for any future change in the law that affects their profits – designed to militate against improvements in environmental standards. Where it escalates into a Legal dispute between the two sides, it will not be resolved in Uganda, but in London: at the Energy Institute. Tullow Oil insists that “its contracts with Kampala were “the best deals in the world” for the government.”
Then there is the illegal disposal of toxic residue. All types of industries; whether big or small generate hazardous wastes. Oil companies are no exception, some will try to get rid of their dangerous waste by simply dumping it illegally. All for saving money at the cost of human beings and the environment. It’s a threat to our rivers, lakes, air, land, oceans and ultimately to our health, environment and our future.
Recent soil tests by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Purongo, Amuru district have shown unacceptable levels of heavy metals in the waste water and mud cuttings dumped by the oil companies in the process of their exploration activities. The cuttings are pieces of rock that come out of the Earth’s crust during drilling. They contain a mixture of chemicals that are used to cool the temperature of the drilling head. The heavy metals found during the soil tests were lead, zinc, chromium, cadmium, manganese, cooper, nickel, iron, manganese, phosphates, nitrogen, chloride and sulphates. In Murchison Falls National Park for example, waste was removed by Heritage Oil and deposited in the land of a peasant in Purongo. The peasant was paid Shs 300,000 to put the drill mud on his land. A pit was dug and the waste was dumped there. Exposure to these chemicals can damage the brain, cause cancer and tumor, kidney failure and ultimately cause death. In pregnant women, high levels of exposure may cause miscarriage, while in men it can damage the organs responsible for sperm production. The day will come when Ugandans will realize that they are being made into helpless pawns in a monstrously vicious game of masters and slaves. – Olara is a human rights advocate
Zimbabwe: Shabanie Mine Shooting – Fire Destroys Case Record SHABANIE Mine’s wage dispute, which last year saw police shooting two workers during a peaceful demonstration, has taken a new twist following a break-in at the offices of lawyers representing employees in the case.
Zimbabwe: Officials Squabble Over Diamonds Almost 30kgs of diamonds from the controversial Chiadzwa diamond claim have reportedly disappeared after being removed from the Reserve Bank by police last week.
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TRADE MISSION TO MADAGASCAR December 2, 2008
Posted by sdaco3 in Business in Africa, Commercial Financial Investment, Trade, Trade in Africa.Tags: Add new tag, Agriculture, Antananarivo, Business in Africa, Infrastructure, Madagascar, Oil and Gas, opportunit in Madagascar, Tourism, trade mission
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THIS MISSION WILL FOCUS ON MINING, OIL & GAS, AGRICULTURE, TOURISM AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Participants will have an opportunity to present during the first day and see presentations from these sectors. Thereafter, there will be individual desks for one-on-one discussion supported by a translator; continuing into the second day.
The third day will be open for familiarisation and local interaction, along with any follow-ups from the presentations.
The fourth day will depart for Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) viewing the deep water port and
prospects in developing an Oil Service Centre. Returning the fifth day to Antananarivo along with final meetings in the capital. Depart the sixth day.
Pre-Mission coverage will be undertaken in the local press and participants will have the opportunity to be presented on the local TV channel and respond to press interviews.
Further presentation will be made for the VIMA-SSABE TRADE CENTRE based in Antananarivo, where subscribers will have the opportunity to be fully represented in the region.
The VIMA-SSABE TRADE CENTRE will focus on these three sectors, Mining, Oil & Gas, Infrastructure; offering a walk-in facility where enquiries can be handled, translated and developed without having the difficulty of trying to do business from a few thousand kilometres off, let alone the translations and lost-in-space communications.
Sub representation will be undertaken in Tourism and Agriculture
Log this early warning now, before the end of year shut down, let SSABE know of your interest to participate. SSABE will confirm all the details on return to business, the second week in January.
Madagascar is projecting a 7% growth rate for 2009. Mining prospects are underway in various zones and a range of minerals – sands – bauxite – nickel – gold – semi-precious stones – uranium – iron ore – copper – coal.
Oil exploration covers the entire East Coast and primarily in the Ravuma Basin/Majunga Basin, being an area from Northern Mozambique to Mombassa and across to Madagascar. Positive developments have been forthcoming with the Bitumen Sands project and the Ravuma/Mtware Gas project already underway.
Agriculture is a primary target of the government with prospects in establishing the full range of services from cold rooms, processing, warehousing, mini hydroelectric plants,abattoirs,mariculture, floriculture, developing into EU export markets.
Tourism is a boom industry and excellent incentives are available. The Movie Madagascar helped create a positive awareness and this month the sequel was released as a box office hit.
Infrastructure has been top of the donor agenda since 2001, with surfaced and rural roads all being rehabilitated, along with airports, ports, towns and urban services. Hydroelectric prospects are healthy, with some 18 IPP’s already established (Independent Power Producers). Don’t miss this opportunity to create a work zone in this, great locality on the continent.
TO CONFIRM YOUR PARTICIPATION TO (SSABE) SUB SAHARA BUILT ENVIRONMENT BEFORE SHUTDOWN WITH FURTHER DETAIL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW YEAR
PLEASE CONATACT:
Paul S Rogers
+27 (…
FAX: +27 (0) 866360772
E: westernpacificinvestments@gmail.com
Tender for Africa December 1, 2008
Posted by sdaco3 in Business in Africa, Commercial Financial Investment, General, Trade, Trade in Africa.Tags: Add new tag, Business in Africa, business opportunity, EAC, Eastern Africa, ECOWAS, SADC, tender, tender for africa, Tendering
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TENDERS
BENIN: Porto-Novo: EDF — strengthening of the Parakou–Béroubouay road — works supervision
Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: PORTO NOBO
Publication Date: Nov 26, 2008
Buyer: MAITRE D’OUVRAGE DU BENIN, MIN DE L’ECONOMIE ET D’FIN, ORDONNATEUR NATIONAL DU FED
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services
98300000 – Miscellaneous services
BENIN: Procurement of Consultant Services for the Feasibility Study and Design of the Compulsory Inspection Base (BOC) for halieutic products Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Cotonou
Publication Date: Nov 25, 2008 Deadline: Jan 15, 2009
Funding Agency: Millennium Challenge Account
Buyer: MCA-Benin – Agence de Passation des Marchés
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services
77700000 – Services incidental to fishing
71240000 – Architectural, engineering and planning services
71600000 – Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services
90700000 – Environmental services
71320000 – Engineering design services
BURKINA FASO: Purchasing of computers, office equipment and access control system 3298129 & 3298109
Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Ouagadougou
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Jan 5, 2009
Buyer: MCA-Burkina – Finance’s Ministry
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
30200000 – Computer equipment and supplies
BURKINA FASO: Technical Support for the Implementation of the Diversified Agriculture and Access to Rural Finance Activities of the Agricultural Development Project Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Ouagadougou
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Dec 15, 2008
Buyer: MCA-Burkina – Finance’s Ministry
Original Language: English
Assignments
77100000 – Agricultural services
CAMEROON: Yaoundé: EDF — justice sector support programme, Cameroon Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: GIAOYNTE
Publication Date: Nov 22, 2008
Buyer: ORDONNATEUR NATIONAL EN REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN, MINISTRE DE L’ECONOMIE, DE LA PLANIFICATION ET DE L’AMENAGEMENT DU TERRITOIRE
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services
98300000 – Miscellaneous services
ETHIOPIA: Civil Works (Construction of Pumping Station, Transmission Lines, Reservoirs, Distribution Network and Auxiliary Buildings in Welkite Town Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Addis Ababa
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Jan 8, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Water Supply and Sanitation Project
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45000000 – Construction work
45200000 – Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work
71300000 – Engineering services
ETHIOPIA: Export Development Specialist (Individual Expert) for the Ethiopian Competitiveness Facility (ECF) Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Addis Ababa
Publication Date: Nov 22, 2008 Deadline: Dec 15, 2008
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Private Sector Development Capacity Building Project
Original Language: English
Assignments
79413000 – Marketing management consultancy services
79000000 – Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
79200000 – Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
79400000 – Business and management consultancy and related services
79412000 – Financial management consultancy services
79300000 – Market and economic research; polling and statistics
ETHIOPIA: Institutions Development Specialist (Individual Expert) for the Ethiopian Competitiveness Facility
Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Addis Ababa
Publication Date: Nov 22, 2008 Deadline: Dec 15, 2008
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Private Sector Development Capacity Building Project
Original Language: English
Assignments
79413000 – Marketing management consultancy services
66170000 – Financial consultancy, financial transaction processing and clearing-house services
79000000 – Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
79100000 – Legal services
79200000 – Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
79300000 – Market and economic research; polling and statistics
79400000 – Business and management consultancy and related services
79410000 – Business and management consultancy services
79411000 – General management consultancy services
79411100 – Business development consultancy services
79412000 – Financial management consultancy services
ETHIOPIA: Supply, Delivery and Installation of Green Houses Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Addis Ababa
Publication Date: Nov 25, 2008 Deadline: Jan 20, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Rural Capacity Building Project – Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
16000000 – Agricultural machinery
03000000 – Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products
03110000 – Crops, products of market gardening and horticulture
ETHIOPIA: Addis Ababa: evaluation consultancy services Request For Proposals
City/Locality: ANTIS AMPEMPA
Publication Date: Nov 26, 2008 Deadline: Jan 8, 2009
Buyer: THE EMBASSY OF SWEDEN, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
79419000 – Evaluation consultancy services
GHANA: CONSULTING SERVICES FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO GWCL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PERI-URBAN WATER SUPPLY STRATEGY, THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PILOT PROJECT AT BEREKUM Request For Expressions of Interest
Edition 2: Nov 25, 2008 (shown)
City/Locality: Brong Ahafo
Publication Date: Nov 25, 2008 Deadline: Jan 9, 2009
Funding Agency: Agence Française de Développement – Financing Agency
Buyer: Ghana Water Company Limited
Original Language: English
Assignments
71300000 – Engineering services
71800000 – Consulting services for water-supply and waste consultancy
GHANA: SPECIFIC PROCUREMENT NOTICE – SUPPLY, DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION OF SOLAR SYSTEMS FOR HEALTH INSTITUTIONS Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Accra, Ghana
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Jan 15, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Ghana: Energy Development and Access Project – Ministry of Energy
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
09332000 – Solar installation
GHANA: SPN – SUPPLY OF PICK UPS Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Accra, Ghana
Publication Date: Nov 28, 2008 Deadline: Jan 9, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Ghana Urban Transport Project
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
34113000 – 4-wheel-drive vehicles
GHANA: Municipal Contracts Pilot Project – Support to local urban management in Ghana
Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Tamale, Kumasi, Sekondi/Takoradi
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Dec 15, 2008
Funding Agency: Agence Française de Développement – Financing Agency
Buyer: Ministère des Collectivités Locales du Ghana (MLGRDE)
Original Language: English
Assignments
71340000 – Integrated engineering services
GHANA: EOI – FOR DEVELOPMENT, DEMARCATION AND PROTECTION OF MAJOR RIGHT OF WAYS (ROWS) ON MAJOR ARTERIAL ROADS IN GREATER ACCRA METROPOLITAN AREA
Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Accra, Ghana
Publication Date: Nov 28, 2008 Deadline: Dec 31, 2008
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Ghana Urban Transport Project
Original Language: English
Assignments
45233140 – Roadworks
LESOTHO: Supply of Vehicles for Millennium Challenge Account-Lesotho Request For Proposals
Edition 2: Nov 24, 2008 (shown)
City/Locality: Maseru
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Jan 19, 2009
Funding Agency: Millennium Challenge Account
Buyer: MCA-Lesotho
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
34100000 – Motor vehicles
MALI: General Procurement Notice Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: Bamako
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008
Funding Agency: Millennium Challenge Account
Buyer: MCA-Mali
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71300000 – Engineering services
71700000 – Monitoring and control services
71200000 – Architectural and related services
45200000 – Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work
45400000 – Building completion work
77100000 – Agricultural services
MOZAMBIQUE: Nacala Dam Feasibility Study, Environmental & Social Impact Assessment, Design and Supervision Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Dec 5, 2009
Funding Agency: Millennium Challenge Account
Buyer: Millennium Challenge Account-Mozambique – Millennium Challenge Account-Mozambique
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
65130000 – Operation of water supplies
65110000 – Water distribution
MOZAMBIQUE: Programme Management Consultants for the Community Land Initiative (Mozambique) – Services Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Dec 4, 2008
Funding Agency: Millennium Challenge Account
Buyer: Millennium Challenge Account-Mozambique – Millennium Challenge Account-Mozambique
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
77100000 – Agricultural services
MOZAMBIQUE: Maputo: EDF — revision of planning, design, preparation of tender documents and construction supervision of small piped water systems for the towns of Jangamo, Inharrime, Homoíne, Panda and Morrumbene in Inhambane province Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: MAPOYTO
Publication Date: Nov 27, 2008
Buyer: THE NATIONAL AUTHORISING OFFICER
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71248000 – Supervision of project and documentation
71356200 – Technical assistance services
79421100 – Project-supervision services other than for construction work
79600000 – Recruitment services
80500000 – Training services
MOZAMBIQUE: Technical and Economic Feasibility Study for Mozambican Integrated Transmission Backbone System (“CESUL Transmission Project”) Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Maputo
Publication Date: Nov 27, 2008 Deadline: Dec 19, 2008
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Mozambique – Malawi Transmission Interconnection Project – ESCorporation of Malawi Limited
Original Language: English
Assignments
79314000 – Feasibility study
NIGERIA: Procurement, Installation & Maintenance of ILS/DVOR/DME Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Nov 26, 2008 Deadline: Feb 27, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: West and Central Africa Air Transport Safety and Security Program – Phase 2
WCAATSSP – PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION UNIT
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
34960000 – Airport equipment
34997000 – Control, safety or signalling equipment for airports
34963000 – Instrument Landing System (ILS)
34964000 – Doppler VHF Omni direction Range (DVOR)
34965000 – Distance Measuring Equipment (DME
NIGERIA: CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR EXPLORATORY STUDY ON EQUIPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRAINING NEEDS OF THE NIGERIAN COLLEGE OF AVIATION TECHNOLOGY (NCAT), ZARIA
Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Nov 25, 2008 Deadline: Jan 16, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: West and Central Africa Air Transport Safety and Security Program – Phase 2
WCAATSSP – PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION UNIT
Original Language: English
Assignments
71311200 – Transport systems consultancy services
73220000 – Development consultancy services
RWANDA: Networks – Fourniture et installation des réseaux informatiques avec leurs équipements dans 12 Districts Request For Proposals
Notice/Contract Number: RITA/ER/TND/I/G/34/08
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Jan 15, 2009
Buyer: eRwanda Project – Rwanda Information Technology Authority
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services
32400000 – Networks
32410000 – Local area network
72710000 – Local area network services
72700000 – Computer network services
72000000 – IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
1. Le Gouvernement du Rwanda a reçu de la Banque mondiale un don pour la mise en œuvre de sa stratégie pour son « eGovernment ». Ce don a été octroyé dans le cadre du projet eRwanda et voudrait utiliser une partie de cette subvention par la ” Fourniture et installation des réseaux informatiques avec leurs équipements dans 12 Districts.” Ce marché comporte trois lots à savoir :
Lot 1 :
• 24 Routeurs Multiport avec Firewall et VPN
• 12 Routeurs pour le réseau Fibre Optique
• 12 WIFI Access Point
• 12 Commutateurs ( switches )
• 12 Commutateurs ( switches)
• 12 DMZ Switches
• 12 Rack Standard 42 U
Lot 2
• 12 Serveurs
• 12 ( 4KVA ) UPS
Lot 3 : Climatiseurs
RWANDA: TENDER TO SUPPLY AND INSTALL LAN EQUIPMENT IN 12 DISTRICT OFFICES
Request For Proposals
Notice/Contract Number: RITA/ER/TND/I/G/34/2008
Publication Date: Nov 24, 2008 Deadline: Jan 15, 2009
Buyer: eRwanda Project – Rwanda Information Technology Authority
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
32400000 – Networks
32410000 – Local area network
72710000 – Local area network services
72700000 – Computer network services
72000000 – IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
1. The Government of Rwanda has received a Grant from the International Development Association towards the funding of eRwanda Project and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this grant to payments under the contract for the “Supply and Installation of LAN Equipment in 12 District Offices.” The equipment required will comprise of three lots as follows:
Lot 1:
• 24 Multiport Routers with Firewall & VPN
• 12 Routers for Fiber Optic network
• 12 WiFi access point
• 420 Cat 6 drops
• 12 Main Switches
• 12 Floor Switches
• 12 DMZ Switches
• 12 Standard 42 U Rack
Lot 2:
• 12 Servers
• 12 (4-KVA) UPSs
Lot 3: 12 Air Conditioners
RWANDA: CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE TO RWANDA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AUTHORITY FOR THE PROJECTS: NATIONAL ID PROJECT AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT, ICT PARK PROJECT AND ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSULTING PRACTICE notice.do~3318309 & 3318308 Request For Expressions of Interest
Notice/Contract Number: 13/S/RITA/A&F-I/2008
Publication Date: Nov 28, 2008 Deadline: Dec 15, 2008
Buyer: Rwanda Information Technology Authority
Original Language: English
Assignments
72000000 – IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
72224000 – Project management consultancy services
SIERRA LEONE: Procurement of Agricultural Machinery and Equipments (ICB) Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Freetown
Publication Date: Nov 27, 2008 Deadline: Jan 5, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Institutional Reform and Capacity Building Project – Institutional Reform and Capacity Building Project
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
03110000 – Crops, products of market gardening and horticulture
SOUTH AFRICA: Pretoria: EPRD — technical assistance for the official development assistance programme (ODA-P) Request For Proposals
City/Locality: PRETORIA
Publication Date: Nov 28, 2008 Deadline: Jan 15, 2009
Buyer: NATIONAL TREASURY
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71356200 – Technical assistance services
TANZANIA: Interim General Procurement Notice Prior Information Notice
Publication Date: Nov 28, 2008
Funding Agency: Millennium Challenge Account
Buyer: MCA-Tanzania
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45233121 – Main road construction works
71521000 – Construction-site supervision services
73220000 – Development consultancy services
TOGO: Lomé: EDF — technical assistance with implementing the PNADE national decentralised action programme for environmental management in Togo Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: LOME
Publication Date: Nov 28, 2008
Buyer: MINISTERE DE LA COOPERATION, DU DEVELOPPEMENT ET DE L’AMENAGEMENT DU TERRITOIRE, ORDONNATEUR NATIONAL DU FED
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services
79410000 – Business and management consultancy services
UGANDA: Supply of Assorted Motor Vehicles Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Kampala
Publication Date: Nov 25, 2008 Deadline: Jan 9, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Uganda Millennium Science Initiative Project – Human Development
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
80300000 – Higher education services
ZAMBIA: Lusaka: EDF — rehabilitation of trunk road T1 from Zimba to Livingstone, km 30,00 to km 72,80
Request For Proposals
City/Locality: LOYSAKA
Publication Date: Nov 28, 2008 Deadline: Jan 30, 2009
Buyer: ZAMBIA NATIONAL TENDER BOARD
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45233140 – Roadworks
Diplomats work overtime in Goma November 19, 2008
Posted by sdaco3 in crisis in DRC, Hope for peace.Tags: Add new tag, cinflict in the great lakes, Eastern DRC. KIbati, Goma, hope, MONUC, Nkunda, peace., refugees, Virunga
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Diplomats are working overtime as they travel to and fro in an attempt to prevent the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo from escalating into an all-out war. In the Kenyan capital Nairobi, seven African leaders have reached a fragile agreement on working on a peace process between government forces and Tutsi rebels.
United Nations envoy to the DRC, former Nigerian president Olesugan Obasanjo, will attempt to mediate between the two parties. In the meantime, the situation of the refugees is as distressing as ever.
envoy for the Great Lakes Region, spends the whole time on the phone while we speed through western Rwanda’s breathtaking bright-green broccoli landscape in the direction of Goma, which lies across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Just after six p.m. our diplomat’s car arrives at the Rwandan-Congolese border. We are too late, since no vehicles are allowed to pass after six o’clock. Mr Van de Geer takes his briefcase and walks across the border.
Summit in Nairobi
EU colleagues are waiting for Mr Van de Geer on the Congolese side. We travel to the house of Annet Blok, director of a consultancy firm who has been living in Goma for 14 years. The small Dutch community is waiting on the balcony of her house, with its view of the Kivu Lake.
They are craving for news. Mr Van de Geer brings them up to date about the results of the summit in Nairobi, where seven African leaders agreed to organise peace talks. He also informs them that former Nigerian president Obasanjo will attempt to mediate between the two parties. Mr Van de Geer tells the group that a lot was achieved in Nairobi.
The refugees and the front
the next day we travel to the town of Kibati, which is 10 kilometres to the north of Goma. Here, refugee camps have been set up to house 60,000 people who fled the rebel army of Tutsi general Laurent Nkunda. After passing a guard post manned by troops of the United Nations peacekeeping force MONUC, my motor-taxi driver says:
“The UN is useless. If it gets dangerous they withdraw.” Suddenly it is deathly quiet. We have arrived at groups of huts that are empty. A hundred metres further there are huts that have been taken over by soldiers. This is the front where the governing army and Mr Nkunda’s rebels are less than 200 metres from each other. We have travelled too far and quickly turn around.
The displaced
Five minutes later I see a queue of displaced people waiting for pieces of plastic canvas. A woman breastfeeding her child while waiting in line says:
“We had to flee so quickly from Nkunda’s troops that we didn’t have time to take any possessions with us. On the day we left I could hear shots and explosions near our village. I left just on time, but my entire family was killed.”
Further on a man stands up from the plastic canvas on which he was sitting.
“Two weeks ago I fled from Rumangabo, which is 35 kilometres away. There was an enormous panic when we heard Nkunda’s troops coming. Around 2,000 of us fled into the Virunga national park. I lost sight of my wife and children in the confusion. Only 200 of the 2,000 people in my town have arrived in Kibati. I have no idea what happened to them.”
Later I meet Roeland van de Geer in Goma, at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The office is encircled by razor-sharp barbed wire. Mr Van de Geer:
“Although we’ve reached agreement on a political level, on the ground there’s a warlike mentality of fighting the conflict to the finish.”
When I visit Mr Van de Geer at his hotel in the evening he is much more positive. He has had intensive contact with President Joseph Kabila who has informed him that he is finally willing to negotiate with Mr Nkunda.
“I think that our work partly consists of refusing to see the challenge as a problem. Instead, we must see the problems as a challenge.”
Article by Harm van Atteveld* 15-11-2008
Radio umwezero
A nos Visiteurs Francophone November 16, 2008
Posted by sdaco3 in frican Views, Uncategorized.Tags: Add new tag, african vies, blog, Burundian blog, francophony, Great Lakes region
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Ce blog est une plate-forme pour tous les fils et filles de la région de Great Lakes (Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda, Ouganda, Tanzanie, Kenya et autres) ceux dans la région comme ceux dans les Diaspora peuvent s’exprimer, partagent leurs opinions en tant qu’élément de leur contribution à la région. N’oublions pas d’où nous venons, notre culture n’importe où nous sommes, laissez-nous se rende compte de ce qui se produit dans nos pays, notre région et d’une manière plus importante pour autoriser nos personnes en développant notre région, nos pays, provinces, zones, villes, villages et ainsi de suite.
Sentez-vous svp libre pour s’exprimer n’importe ce que les gens disent. Les gens peuvent convenir ou être en désaccord mais quels sujets est que vous avez parlé votre esprit. Est soit libre pour m’envoyer votre pensée, annonce vos produits ou services en français, l’anglais ou en Swahili (voir ma page de contact).
Ne vous reposez pas là, tranquillement tandis que votre ayez le potentiel de changer et contribuer sur le développement de votre pays et région. Faites votre voix être principale, svp contribuez, touchez le coeur, autorisez d’autres, faites une différence aujourd’hui.
“ Pour éviter la critique, ne soyez rien à, ne faites rien et ne dit rien”
– Albert Hubbart.
The Great Lakes Region November 12, 2008
Posted by sdaco3 in frican Views, Uncategorized.Tags: Add new tag, EAC, Eastern Africa, great lakes map, region
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The great Lakes
SUKUMA AFRICA April 30, 2010
Posted by sdaco3 in Uncategorized.Tags: Africa, Competition, Entrepreneur, Millennium development goal, poverty
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Sukuma Afrika calls for Social Entrepreneurs to send in their plans to be recognized for their outstanding efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals in Africa
After the great success the 2009 edition of the awards ceremony held in Cape Town in cooperation with the Annual Meeting of the Global Business School Network, Sukuma Afrika is glad to officially open its call-to-entries for the 2010 edition of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Awards.
The Young Entrepreneurs Awards
Sukuma Afrika was established in recognition of the critical role young entrepreneurs and the Diaspora play in the fight against poverty as the generation that will be responsible for reaching the Millennium Development Goals in 2015.The competition encourages young people across Africa to engage in ventures with a social angle and is opened to African youth up to 35 y/o presenting a for-profit business model which contributes to one of the MDGs.
The competition is organized in 5 categories:
• Category MDG 1 on poverty and hunger • Category MDG 2 on education • Category MDG 3 on gender equality • Category MDG 4,5,6 on health related issues • Category MDG 7 on environment
The Awards Ceremony
The competition aims to bring exposure to the outstanding efforts of the winners and to connect them with stakeholders in a position to help them expand their businesses. To that end, Sukuma Afrika targets prime events to hold its yearly awards ceremony.
Exceptionally, the 2010 award ceremony will be held with participating partners UN Office of Partnerships, UN Global Compact and UN Millennium Campaign at an event organised by Africa Investors at the New York Stock Exchange on 17 September, around the UN General Assembly which focused this year on the MDG review. 150 Business and government leaders, Senior UN representatives and the US Institutional Investment Community will attend this event and the media will be well represented with Bloomberg, Reuters, CNBC,CNN and other major titles, all of which have booths at the venue.
The Competition timeline
• 23rd April 2010: Opening Call-to-entries
• 11th June 2010: Closing Call-to-entries
• 14th June 2010: Announcement of the shortlisted candidate selected by the Sukuma Afrika Team
• 9th July 2010: Announcement of the finalists after Jury Deliberation
• 17th September 2010:Awards Ceremony Candidate can download the application forms on http://
http://www.sukumaafrika.org/campaign_competition.htm
Spread the word
If you are an individual, help your friends and inform anyone you know who might benefit of enrolling in the competition by simply forwarding this message.
If you are an organization, do not hesitate to inform your members or former finalists of this event. For partnerships, cooperations and the press please contact Magali Bongrand at +33 9 70 44 07 16.
Stand up Against Poverty
On October 17th to 19th, join the UN Stand up Campaign to break the world record of number of people Standing up Against Poverty around the world to ensure governments worldwide hear your demands to end poverty and inequality. Find all registered events at: http://www.standagainstpoverty.org.
2009 Winners
Cat. Name
MDG 1 Isaac Chege
MDG 2 Emmanuel Okwor
MDG 3 Isaac Aggrey
MDG Narcisse Mbunzama 4,5,6
MDG 7 Kunga Ngece
Country
Uchumi Grain Millers EA Ltd
Primary School Women Biz Center mydoctors.org
BEKEDEVcall to entries 2010 newsletter
AFRICA INFO, GENERAL INTEREST & RISK ANALYSIS February 18, 2009
Posted by sdaco3 in Uncategorized.Tags: Africa analysis, Africa Info, Africa risk, African General interest, Burundian blog, Risk & Analysis in Africa, Tenders
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TENDERS
BURKINA FASO: Land Services Technical Assistance Assignment Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 12, 2009 Deadline: Mar 6, 2009
Funding Agency: Millennium Challenge Account
Buyer: MCA – Burkina Faso
Original Language: English
Assignments
98110000 – Services furnished by business, professional and specialist organisations
Côte d’Ivoire: Abidjan: technical assistance assignment for the executive secretariat of the OCAB
Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: ABIDJAN
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2009
Buyer: ETAT DE COTE D’IVOIRE, REPRESENTE PAR L’ORDONNATEUR NATIONAL SUPPLEANT DU FED EN REPUBLIQUE DE COTE D’IVOIRE
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services
98300000 – Miscellaneous services
ETHIOPIA Management and Administration (MAP) Capacity Development Design Study
Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Addis Ababa
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2009 Deadline: Mar 6, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: General Education Quality Improvement Project – Ministry of Education
Original Language: English
Assignments
79400000 – Business and management consultancy and related services
79411000 – General management consultancy services
79410000 – Business and management consultancy services
79411100 – Business development consultancy services
73220000 – Development consultancy services
ETHIOPIA: Procurement of Information Communication Technology (ICT) Equipment
Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Addis Ababa
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2009 Deadline: Mar 31, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Post Second. Educ. Cap. Build
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
32500000 – Telecommunications equipment and supplies
30100000 – Office machinery, equipment and supplies except computers, printers and furniture
30200000 – Computer equipment and supplies
32200000 – Transmission apparatus for radiotelephony, radiotelegraphy, radio broadcasting and television
32400000 – Networks
ETHIOPIA: General Procurement Notice Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: Addis Ababa
Publication Date: Feb 12, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Africa Stockpiles Programme – Project 1
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
90400000 – Sewage services
90500000 – Refuse and waste related services
90600000 – Cleaning and sanitation services in urban or rural areas, and related services
90700000 – Environmental services
90900000 – Cleaning and sanitation services
KENYA: Consultancy Services for Supervision of Expansion Works for Eldoret Treatment Plant and Transmission Mains Extension Request For Expressions of Interest
Country: Kenya
Publication Date: Feb 12, 2009 Deadline: Mar 3, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Kenya Water and Sanitation Service Improvement Project
Original Language: English
Assignments
71520000 – Construction supervision services
LESOTHO: Establishment of Aquatic Monitoring System and Environmental Flow Guidelines and Procedures
Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2009 Deadline: Mar 2, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Lesotho: Second Water Sector Improvement Project – Commissioner of Water
Original Language: English
Assignments
71621000 – Technical analysis or consultancy services
MALAWI: Lilongwe: EDF — rural feeder roads programme — supervision services for the upgrading of Mchinji–Kawere (S118) road Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: LILONGWE
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2009
Buyer: THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71247000 – Supervision of building work
71356200 – Technical assistance services
MALAWI: Lilongwe: EDF — rural feeder roads programme — upgrading of Mchinji–Kawere (S118) road
Prior Information Notice
City/Locality: LILONGWE
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2009
Buyer: THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45233120 – Road construction works
MOZAMBIQUE: ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE OF EDM UNDER ITS PERFORMANCE CONTRACT AND EVALUATION OF TARIFF METHODOLOGY Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Maputo
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2009 Deadline: Feb 27, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Energy Reform and Access Program – Direcção Nacional de Energia
Original Language: English
Assignments
79311000 – Survey services
RWANDA: CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO DEVELOP RDB’S FINANCIAL, PROCUREMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE, HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, LEGAL PROCEDURES, INTERNAL AUDIT MANUALS AND RDB’S PERSONNEL STATUTES Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: kigali
Notice/Contract Number: 022/S/EOI/09/RDB/GS/GOV
Publication Date: Feb 13, 2009 Deadline: Feb 27, 2009
Buyer: OFFICE RWANDAIS DE TOURISME ET DES PARCS NATIONAUX
Original Language: English
Assignments
79410000 – Business and management consultancy services
79420000 – Management-related services
79100000 – Legal services
79140000 – Legal advisory and information services
79110000 – Legal advisory and representation services
RWANDA: RECRUTEMENT OF A MARKETING AND ADVERTISING FIRM IN GERMANY
Request For Proposals
Notice/Contract Number: REF: 035/S/ICD/RDB/TCD/GOR
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2009 Deadline: Mar 31, 2009
Buyer: OFFICE RWANDAIS DE TOURISME ET DES PARCS NATIONAUX
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
79400000 – Business and management consultancy and related services
79410000 – Business and management consultancy services
79421000 – Project-management services other than for construction work
RWANDA: RECRUTEMENT OF A MARKETING AND ADVERTISING FIRM IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Request For Proposals
Edition 2: Feb 11, 2009 (shown)
Notice/Contract Number: REF: 034/S/ICB/RDB/TCD/GOR
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2009 Deadline: Mar 31, 2009
Buyer: OFFICE RWANDAIS DE TOURISME ET DES PARCS NATIONAUX
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
79300000 – Market and economic research; polling and statistics
79400000 – Business and management consultancy and related services
79310000 – Market research services
79340000 – Advertising and marketing services
RWANDA: CONSULTANCY SERVICES- DESIGN AND PRINTING OF INFORMATION PACKAGE FOR RDB
Request For Proposals
City/Locality: kigali
Notice/Contract Number: : 016/S/NOC/RDB/OSC/GOV
Publication Date: Feb 13, 2009 Deadline: Mar 10, 2009
Buyer: OFFICE RWANDAIS DE TOURISME ET DES PARCS NATIONAUX
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
79400000 – Business and management consultancy and related services
79500000 – Office-support services
79800000 – Printing and related services
SOUTH AFRICA: AIR-CONDITIONING MAINTENANCE AT THE SARS ALBERTON CAMPUS
Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2009 Deadline: Mar 6, 2009
Funding Agency: South Africa
Buyer: South African Revenue Service
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45331000 – Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning installation work
SOUTH AFRICA: CONSTRUCTION 900 WATERBORNE TOILET STRUCTURE Request For Proposals
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2009 Deadline: Feb 24, 2009
Funding Agency: South Africa
Buyer: Bojanala Platinum District Municipality
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45000000 – Construction work
SUB SAHARA AFRICA: CONSULTANCY FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR GEOTECHNICAL STUDIES AND ENGINEERING DESIGN FOR THE REHABILITATION OF JEBB A HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT SPILLWAY STILLING BASIN AND AUXILIARY DAM NO.3 Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2009 Deadline: Mar 26, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: 3A-Niger Basin Water Resources
Original Language: English
Assignments
71356200 – Technical assistance services
SUB SAHARA AFRICA: Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
RECRUTEMENT D’UN BUREAU D’ETUDES TECHNIQUES POUR LE CONTROLE DES TRAVAUX DE CONSTRUCTION DES CLOTURES DE SURETE ET DES ROUTES D’ENCEINTES AUTOUR DES AEROPORTS INTERNATIONAUX DE DOUALA ET DE YAOUNDE NSIMALEN – Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2009 Deadline: Feb 23, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: 3A-West &Central Afr Air Tran TAL (FY06) – World Bank
Original Language: French
Assignments
71000000 – Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
71520000 – Construction supervision services
SUDAN: Upgrading Works of Damazin – Kurmuk Road Project Lot B (km. 55.5 – km. 93.5)
Prequalification Notice
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2009 Deadline: Mar 29, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Sudan National Emergency Transport Rehabilitation Project – Sudan Railway Corp, River Transport Corp.
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
45233100 – Construction work for highways, roads
45233120 – Road construction works
SUDAN: Business Development Training – Request For Expressions of Interest
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2009 Deadline: Feb 28, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Adolescent Girls and Young Women
Original Language: English
Assignments
79411100 – Business development consultancy services
80500000 – Training services
TANZANIA: Dar es Salaam: EDF — upgrading programme for urban water supply and sanitation
Request For Proposals
City/Locality: DAR ES SALAAM
Publication Date: Feb 14, 2009 Deadline: Mar 19, 2009
Buyer: MINISTRY OF WATER AND IRRIGATION
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
71356200 – Technical assistance services
TANZANIA: POSITION OF PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST Request For Proposals
City/Locality: Dar es Salaam
Publication Date: Feb 8, 2009 Deadline: Feb 27, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: Tanzania Energy Development and Access Project (TEDAP) – TANESCO & the Min of Energy and Minerals
Original Language: English
Goods, Works and Services
65310000 – Electricity distribution
TANZANIA: CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR A STUDY ON THE LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF MARINE MANAGED AREAS IN MAINLAND TANZANIA AND ZANZIBAR
Request For Expressions of Interest
City/Locality: Dar es Salaam
Publication Date: Feb 12, 2009 Deadline: Mar 11, 2009
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: TANZANIA MARINE AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROJECT (MACEMP)
MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND TOURISM (MNRT)
Original Language: English
Assignments
90713000 – Environmental issues consultancy services
79140000 – Legal advisory and information services
70331100 – Institution management services
UGANDA: Consultancy Services for Review of Road Safety Management Capacity
Request For Expressions of Interest
Notice/Contract Number: wb:ec100020601
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2009 Deadline: Feb 18, 2009
Buyer: World Bank Trust Funds
Original Language: English
Assignments
79417000 – Safety consultancy services
71317210 – Health and safety consultancy services
EARLY WARNING & PROSPECTIVES
SADC
ANGOLA: Malanje government invests in infrastructures repair Malanje – The governor of the northern Malanje Province, Boaventura Cardoso, announced last Thursday that his government is committed to rebuilding the main social and economic infrastructures of the region, the improvement of the Malanje Province’s image depends on the rehabilitation of public and private buildings, basic sanitation and the creation of appropriate rubbish dumps; it will be developed a work to improve green spaces, public street lighting, drinking water supply, as well as the creation of a system for thorough collection of solid residues.
Botswana: PHK Warns Mines On ‘Unauthorised’ Layoffs The Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Ponatshego Kedikilwehas sent a strong warning to mining firms that are retrenching workers without following the proper legal channels. LOVES LABOUR LOST
Botswana: Boteti Exploration Chiefs Step Up Cash Hunt Shareholders of Boteti Exploration, the holding company for AK06 Diamond Mine, say they are still surveying various funding channels for the mine, which is scheduled to start production in 2011.
Botswana: African Queen to Start Drilling Okavango Prospect African Queen Mines has awarded a contract to Botswana-based Discovery Drilling Africa for the first phase of a core-drilling programme on its Okavango diamond property, in the north-west.
Botswana: About Sekaka Diamonds MMEGI 9 February 2009 Sekaka Diamonds has approximately 48,500km2 of highly prospective diamond exploration ground in Botswana.
Sekaka has more than 30 known kimberlites in its licence areas. By 2004 Sekaka held 104 prospecting licences with a further 9 licences in negotiation. The company has announced that as part of their program for 2009 they will, among other things, focus on the DK4 and DK6 in the Jwaneng area. Kimberlites DK4 and DK6 (Jwaneng) – interpretation of modeled data points to possible surface areas of +- 1.5 ha (previously 0.4) and +- 2.5 ha (previously 0.9) respectively. DK4- was first discovered by De Beers in 1973 or 1974. Early this month Petra Diamonds, who own Sekaka Diamonds, announced in a release that they will focus on their projects in Botswana this year.
However due to the global financial crisis the company is scaling back its Botswana program, reducing its budget to $500,000 for the period until June 2009. “Botswana still offers an exceptional basis for exploration, in that it ranks highly with regards to diamond prospectivity and very favorably with regards to operating costs and ease of logistical operation,” Petra noted. The company added that it will not relinquish any license areas of interest in the country.
Botswana: Massive Diamond Find Perplexes Jwaneng Planners MMEGI Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe 9 Feb 2009
The new huge diamonds discovery south of Jwaneng is giving town council officials headaches. A P65m project to service virgin land at Unit 8 is in limbo after Sekaka Diamonds, a subsidiary of Petra Diamonds, announced the amazing discovery at its DK4 and DK6 sites, located in the service land. The company made the discovery last year.
The new diamond discovery issue has now pit the Ministries of Local Government, Lands and Housing, and Minerals, Energy and Water Resources against one another, accusing each other of poor consultation. The minister responsible for minerals, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, was requested this week by his counter-part at the Ministry of Lands and Housing, Nonofo Molefhi, to explain how Petra Diamonds came to be allocated exploration rights without Lands and Housing Ministry knowing.
The PS indicated that he would like developments to give way to mining. “It will be undesirable for us to build a town on top of a kimberlite pipe really, but we are still looking into the matter,” said the PS. Jwaneng officials are worried that the new diamond mine is not only going to disrupt the P65mn project going on at the site but its fence will also extend into some parts of the town centre where the diamond belt runs. A number of developments in the town like the Choppies mall, Spar mall and the town council are said to have been built on top of the diamond belt as well.
However the town council is furious after kick starting the P65m development project at the Unit 8 service land last year. Construction continues at the site where roads, storm water drainage, water pipes and electricity connections are currently on going. The Jwaneng Town Council last year appointed NMA consulting engineers, Tswelelo Electrical Consulting Engineers, CSC & EC-Landmark Projects joint venture civil contractors to start servicing the land. The Botswana Housing Corporation is also ready to start building houses there to solve acute shortage of accommodation in that town.
The councillor, also a miner with Debswana says he has always been skeptical about building a town on top of a kimberlite tunnel. “When the plan for the land was presented to us at a full council, it was clearly shown that there is a kimberlite pipe in the area, and I think we should have shifted developments to areas like Unit 9, 10, and 11, which don’t have a kimberlite pipe running through them. There was nothing that compelled us to go for Unit 8. There is bad planning in this town. Almost the entire town is built on a kimberlite pipe, which is sad really,” the councillor told the Monitor.
Botswana: Country Sees Coal Alternative to Diamonds BOTSWANA will soon launch a study into a 1,500 km rail link from its multi- billion tonne coalfields to a port in Namibia as part of efforts to diversify the economy away from its heavy reliance on diamonds, said Kgomotso Abi, director of Botswana’s mines.
Botswana: Rescue Plan for Mines in the Offing A British company, LEK Consulting, is to undertake a strategic mineral market review of Botswana’s mining sector with a view to padding affected mining houses and processing companies against the financial crisis garrotting them.
Botswana: Mining Crisis Cripples Property Market Demand for high cost and executive houses is expected to fall here after one of the major customers, Tati Nickel Mine Company, (TNMC) returned a number of units to landlords recently.
Mozambique: Gloom And Doom From the IMF AIM 13 February 2009 Maputo — The effects of the world financial crisis on the prospects for investment and development aid have led the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to review its projections for Mozambique’s economic growth for the next two years downwards. The IMF’s forecast is that the Mozambican economy will grow at 5.5 per cent in 2009 and 5.4 per cent in 2010. This contrasts with the Mozambican government’s target of a 6.7 per cent growth rate this year, rising to seven per cent in 2010 and 2011.
Speaking at a Maputo press conference on Friday, the IMF resident representative in Mozambique, Felix Fischer, said that the forecasts are preliminary, and have not yet been discussed with the Mozambican authorities.
“The economic crisis will result in a decline in investment, and will increase the uncertainty about the provision of official development aid”, said Fischer. He predicted a sharp drop in aid and investment from those countries which have poured vast sums of money into rescuing financial systems ruined by their bankers.
Fischer noted that many development projects were approved at a time when commodity prices (for oil, aluminium or coal, for example) were high, and when donor countries could finance them, thanks to the apparent stability of the financial system. But today commodity prices have fallen, while the costs of financing credit have risen, making it difficult for donors to maintain the pre-crisis levels of investment. So Fischer proclaimed that Mozambique could rely on less international support and will have to “reprioritize its plans”, and divert funds to new priorities, in an exercise which would be marked by public expenditure cuts.
Thus the IMF has returned to its traditional recipe of slashing public expenditure in poor countries – something which is quite impossible to square with its support for the Millennium Development Goals, which will require more, not less, public expenditure. Rich nations, such as the United States, intend to spend their way out of the recession, but the IMF will not allow countries such as Mozambique to follow suit.
A year ago, IMF predictions for Mozambique were rosy, now they are full of gloom. In reality, none of Mozambique’s main donors has announced any cut in aid for the next year – though certainly the recent decline in value of the British pound and of the Euro will affect the contribution of European countries when expressed in US dollars.
The Sunday TimesFebruary 15, 2009
MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambique unsatisfied with Zimbabwe electricity debt Songo Mozambique (PANA) , Despite promises to clear its debt, the Zimbabwean electricity company, ZESA, still owes large sums of money to Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB), the company that operates the Cahora Bassa dam on the Zambezi river, in the western Mozambican province of Tete. 13/02/2009
Mozambique: New Maputo Mayor Promises Improved Infrastructure The new mayor of Maputo, David Simango, on Saturday pledged that his governance will centre on improving the quality of urban infrastructures. MAYBE SHOULD CENTRE ON IMPROVED CONTRACTOR PAYMENTS
MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambique’s graphite mine resumes production in 2010 Maputo, Mozambique (PANA) – Contrary to expectations, the graphite mine at Ancuabe, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, will not resume product i on until 2010, PANA reports, quoting a report in the country’s news agency, AIM. 09/02/2009
MOZAMBIQUE: Australian mining coy to export Mozambican coal by late 2010 Maputo, Mozambique (PANA) – Despite the harsh international financial climate, t he Australian mining company, Riversdale, is pushing ahead with its plans to min e and export coal from the western Mozambican province of Tete. 10/02/2009
NAMIBIA: Namibia’s diamond miner not asking for govt bailout Windhoek, Namibia (PANA) – Namibia’s largest diamond miner, Namdeb, Monday maintained that its balance sheet was healthy, dismissing speculations that it had requested a bailout from government to strengthen its cash flow. 09/02/2009
Namibian Namibia: Namdeb in N$650 Million Overdraft GOVERNMENT has provided a N$325 million surety to Namdeb to renew its N$650 million revolving overdraft facility with local banks. IS THAT NOT A BAILOUT THEN…..
Namibia: NamWater Unveils Plans for a Desalination Plant NAMWATER intends to have a desalination plant up and running north of Swakopmund within the next two years, but this plan depends on a water supply agreement with uranium mines in Erongo.
Namibia: Commercial Agreements Hamper Development of Kudu Gas Field Efforts to develop the Kudu gas project off the southwestern coast of Namibia near Oranjemund is hampered by the failure to reach commercial agreements with gas buyers.
Namibia: Hydropower Plan in Spotlight Again NAMIBIAN Brigitte Weidlich 11 February 2009
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build a large hydropower scheme on the Kunene River near the Baynes Mountains has gained new momentum with the appointment of a British company to conduct the environmental impact assessment.
“The governments of Angola and Namibia have – through the Joint Permanent Technical Commission (PJTC) – appointed Environmental Resources Management (ERM) with headquarters in London, Britain, to undertake the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the proposed Baynes hydropower project,” the PJTC announced on Monday. “The ERM team for the EIA includes substantial local expertise, especially in the environmental and social fields,” according to the PJTC statement.
“The EIA will include public participation that will include communities in both Angola and Namibia and affected parties in the project area to voice their concerns, opinions and ideas about the project.” The PJTC said “it should be noted that no decision about the Baynes project will be taken until all the studies and consultations have been completed and thoroughly analysed and discussed at many different levels”.
Tenders via the Namibia Tender Board of the Finance Ministry for the EIA closed on October 22 2008, but no bids were received. As a result, the deadline was extended to November 3 2008.
Parallel to the EIA, a technical and economic viability study for N$80 million is under way. It is being conducted by the Cunene Consortium comprising of the four Brazilian companies Odebrecht, Electrobras, Furnas and Engevix. The proposed Baynes hydropower project would generate 480 megawatt of electricity and was originally planned further east near the scenic Epupa waterfall. The Epupa site would have submerged the entire valley and the waterfall and was vehemently opposed by the Himba community and environmentalists. Their fierce opposition made international headlines. It was seen as potentially destroying the Himbas’ way of life. It was also predicted that it would cause immense damage to the Kunene’s ecosystems.
The Baynes project, which includes a hydropower station and a storage dam, will cost approximately N$8 billion. Costs will be shared by Angola and Namibia. The 1995 feasibility study on Epupa cost N$40 million – the most expensive study of its type ever undertaken in Namibia then.
South Africa: Gold Fields Solves Outage Woes With R140 Million Generators GOLD Fields last week unveiled stand-by generators worth R140m to ensure continued safe operating conditions at three of its mines in case of power cuts.
South Africa: Diamond Prices to Fall on Supply The price of rough diamonds could fall 59%-63% this year because of structural problems in the diamond pipeline, even though demand from consumers has not changed fundamentally, Tacy Consultants principal Chaim Even-Zohar said yesterday.
South Africa: Simmer Expects Huge Increase in Output Gold and uranium company Simmer & Jack is expecting to more than treble gold production over the next two years after a five-year development programme.
South Africa: Arcelor Mittal Shelves Expansion STEEL giant ArcelorMittal SA has put growth plans on ice as global recession wreaks havoc in steel-using sectors.
South Africa: City Lodge on R1 Billion Growth Trail CITY Lodge Hotels is to spend nearly R1bn developing 10 hotels in the next two years, its biggest capital expenditure programme to date.
South Africa: Queensgate Expects Rise in Earnings ALTX-listed Queensgate Hotels & Leisure said yesterday earnings and headline earnings a share for the six months to end-February would be 420%-440% higher than in the previous comparable period.
South Africa: Eskom to Issue Bonds to Help Fund Growth POWER supplier Eskom said yesterday it planned to issue R150bn worth of bonds to help fund its multibillion-rand capital expansion programme. MORE LIKELY TO BE BAIL BONDS
South Africa: Ipsa’s Gas Turbines Become a Hard Sell THE global financial crisis was frustrating independent power producer Ipsa’s efforts to sell the four gas turbines previously intended for its Coega project near Port Elizabeth, the company said yesterday.
South Africa: De Beers to Reduce Production, Cut Costs De Beers Group would have to reduce production “significantly” this year in line with demand from its clients and would also have to cut costs to match lower revenue, De Beers Consolidated marketing director Stephen Lussier told the Mining Indaba yesterday.
South Africa: Consultancy Gets Guns Out for Land Bank THE Land Bank faces a R123m lawsuit after refusing to honour a controversial contract with international management consultancy Knox D’Arcy.
Zimbabwe: Retired Train Drivers Recalled as Strike Cripples NRZ Operations The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has recalled retired train drivers following massive resignations by employees disgruntled over low pay and poor working conditions.
Zimbabwe: High Fees Drive Out Small-Scale Miners ONLY about a quarter of the estimated 1,5 million small-scale miners who were affected by the government’s 2006 clean-up operation codenamed Chikorokoza Chapera have resumed operations due to high registration fees and Environmental Impact Assessment consultant costs, the Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation (ZMF) said this week
Zimbabwe: Zesa, Rautenbach Strike U.S.$800 Million Deal MINING magnet, Billy Rautenbach’s Zimbabwean-registered investment vehicle, Clidder Minerals, has struck a US$800 million joint venture deal with power utility, ZESA Holdings to extract coal and increase the power-generation capacity at the parastatals’ thermal plants, The Financial Gazette established this week.
Zimbabwe: Outcry Over Illegal Panning At Closed Mine MANAGEMENT at Golden Valley Mine in Kadoma has come under fire from the community for failing to prevent illegal panners from plundering the shutdown mine.
COMESA
DJIBOUTI: France to help transform Djibouti to economic hub Paris, France (PANA) – France wants to help Djibouti to become “an economic hub” connecting Africa to the rest of the world, said the president of the Frence-Dji bouti Group of friendship, Louis Duvernois in Paris. 10/02/2009
Rwanda: KCC Defaults On 10 Million Euro Payment to German Investors Kigali City Council owes a group of German investors-operating in Rwanda under the company name African Development Cooperation-10 million Euros (Frw seven billion and two hundred and fifty million) that they should have paid four months ago.
Uganda: Govt to Set Up Road Construction Company The Government is to set up a road construction unit following the high cost of road construction and allegations of price fixing cartels by private contractors.
Uganda: AFDB Doubles Funds to Country THE African Development Bank (ADB) has doubled its funds to Uganda in a move to accelerate development.
Uganda: Soroti Bosses Reject Road Contractor SOROTI Municipal Council has refused to extend the period for Omega Construction Company to complete tarmacking a road in the municipality.
Uganda: Kampala Sewerage System to Be Expanded A sanitation project worth 61m euro (about sh152.5b) will start in Kampala district soon.
Uganda: ‘Saudi Investor Still Interested in Shimoni Land’ The Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who expressed interest to build a five-star hotel ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2007 at the 15-acre land where Shimoni Demonstration Primary School and Shimoni Teachers College stood is hell-bent on retaining his land.
Uganda: Kenya Cancels RVR Contract THE Kenya High Court has allowed plans by the Uganda and Kenya governments to terminate the Rift Valley Railways (RVR) 25-year deal to run the two railway corporations
Uganda: Hoima Gets 500 Million Devt Funding HOIMA district has received over sh500m for road maintenance and the rehabilitation of health centres and water sources.
Uganda: Developers Raise Sh64 Billion for Old Taxi Park Malls THE plots around the Old Taxi Park developers have acquired sh64.8b to build modern shopping malls, their chairman, Dick Kizito, was obtained from various banks as loans. Kizito said construction work would start on February 15.
Uganda: NWSC Needs Sh202 Billion for Expansion THE National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) requires 86m euros (about sh202.1b) for network restructuring and expansion, the managing director has said.
ECOWAS
Benin: Rural Areas Still in the Dark IRIN 11 February 2009 Cotonou — Despite almost two decades of donor-funded reforms in the energy sector, Benin still faces “enormous” challenges providing electricity, particularly in rural areas, according to the government Benin Society for Electrical Energy (SBEE). Less than 25 percent of the country has electricity, according to SBEE’s deputy director of planning, Célestin Dangbédji. About half of urban areas do not have electricity while in rural zones – home to more than two-thirds of the eight million population – less than two percent of people have electricity, he told IRIN. “In rural zones, even some areas in cities, there are zones completely deprived of electricity,” said Dangbédji. Dangbédji estimated that electricity covers only three percent of the country’s energy needs. “It is an extremely weak sector. We cannot say the country has electrification.”
SBEE currently generates 50 megawatts per year, less than half of what it would take to power the country, he said. Over the past 18 years, 130 million donor dollars have gone toward energy sector reforms in Benin, according to a listing of World Bank-assisted energy investments.
The World Bank helped launch a US$95-million multi-donor energy reform project in 2004 to alleviate Benin’s energy problems. Goals included privatising the state electricity company, improving in-country transmission, and linking the country to electricity networks in neighbouring countries, according to project documents. The project financed a connection between Benin and Nigeria’s electrical grid. But using Nigeria’s energy puts Benin at the “mercy” of neighbours, said Dangbédji. “We have a terrible dependence and get only [energy] that people give us,” said SBEE’s planning official. “When Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana – our suppliers – run low [on electrical energy], our situation worsens.”
The World Bank has called neighbouring Nigeria’s unreliable electricity coverage the country’s biggest “infrastructure bottleneck”, saying it has increased the cost of doing business there by 10 percent. Some 85 percent of businesses in Nigeria use generators. The World Bank announced on 7 February a $30-million grant to Benin, some of which will go to energy improvements. Plans were underway as of late 2008 for SBEE to become partially-privatised, according to the trade group Council of Private Investors in Benin. [ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
Cameroon: CUD Destroys Illegal Constructions The Proprietor and population around Douala Bercy have complained bitterly towards the reaction of the Douala City Council police who destroyed a structure that was under construction. According to the Director, they were surprised to see the council police guys coming to start destroying without any notification or any document showing authorisation.
Chad: Cameroon, Chad Energy Inter-Connection Project – Inter-State Technical Committee Unit Created The Cameroon-Chad Electric Inter-Connection project, a component of the Energy Inter-Connection and Electrification of Cross Border Localities Project agreed upon between the two countries on 23 October, 2007 through a protocol agreement, went into an important phase last Tuesday, 10 February, 2008, following the creation of an Inter-State Technical Committee Unit to pilot the project.
GAMBIA: Briton docked in Gambia over fake travellers’ cheques Banjul, Gambia (PANA) – Michael Gerald Sheehy, a British national, was Tuesday arraigned before Magistrate Sagarr Jahateh of the Kanifing Magistrate Court, Gambia, for allegedly issuing false travellers’ cheques. 10/02/2009
Gambia: Gamworks Officials Tour CRR Project Sites The Gamworks officials last Friday visited Kaur and Wassu in the Central River Region, where they proposed to construct twenty canteens.
Ghana: US to Provide 1.1 Million Dollars for KIA Projects The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will provide 1.1 million dollars to upgrade the capacity of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) and help Ghana regain its Category 1 status under the International Safety Assessments (IASA).
MALI: Foundation stone for Mali’s new cement plant to be laid Sunday Bamako, Mali (PANA) – Malian President, Amadou Toumani Toure, will on Sunday lay the foundation stone of a cement plant in Diamou, a locality in the Kayes region , western Mali, official sources told PANA here. 13/02/2009
MALI: IFC vows to improve Mali business environment Bamako, Mali (PANA) – The International Financial Corporation (IFC), which promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries as a way of reducing poverty, has said it will make its impact better felt in Mali by promoting a better business environment in the country. 12/02/2009
NIGER: Saudi Fund grants US$20 million to Niger for Kandadji dam Niamey, Niger (PANA) – The Board of Directors of the Saudi Development Fund (FSD) has granted US$20 million to the Niger government towards the funding of the Kandadji dam project, a communiqué from the Saudi Arabia embassy in Niamey said on Tuesday. 10/02/2009
Nigeria: Minister Chides Consultants on Abandoned Projects The Minister of Works and Housing, Mohammed Hassan Lawal has called on all contractors and consultants handling Federal Government projects to return to site or be blacklisted. He made this known yesterday during an interactive session with the consultants, contractors and stakeholders of the ministry which took place yesterday in Abuja.
Nigeria: Delta Plans $5.6 Billion IPP DAILY INDEPENDENT (LAGOS) Bassey Udo 9 February 2009
The Delta State Government says plans are in top gear for the execution of 350 megawatts (MW) independent power project (IPP) that would take care of the power supply needs of its people and investors.
The project, which he said would be undertaken through a joint funding arrangement with some private sector players, particularly local and international consortium of banks, will see the state government holding specific equity in the assets. The 350MW capacity project, he explained, would be executed in two phases, first with 150MW in the short term, to take care of the immediate needs of the state, while the balance of 250MW in the long term would be for the captive market, to be injected into the national grid for distribution to other customers. “About 40 percent of the gas produced by the oil companies in Nigeria resides in the State,” he said. The governor said the state has already invested about N2.6billion in the procurement of the turbines and other components of the first phase of the project, which is expected to be delivered within the next two to three years to take care of the demand of consumers in the state estimated at 143MW.
Nigeria: Cash Crunch Hits Oil Sector The current nose-dive in the price of world oil is now impacting Nigeria’s oil sector negatively. Intelligence reports indicate that the decline in oil price has created a cash crunch, which has made it difficult for both foreign and local oil workers to carry on with oil trade in the country.
Nigeria: Cocoa Processing Sector Faces Collapse Fears about the vulnerability of the Nigerian economy heightened weekend with the announcement of the imminent collapse of the close to N40 billion cocoa processing sector.
Nigeria: FG Partners Luftansa Technik on Hangar Facility The Federal Government of Nigeria has concluded arrangements to establish an aircraft maintenance facility in Abuja, the federal capital.
Nigeria: Governors Are Delaying Inland Container Depot Projects – NSC Scribe The Nigerian Shippers’ Council has accused some governors of the six states where the inland container depots (ICD) are to be located in the country of refusing to cooperate with the operators of the ICD thereby delaying the take off of the project.
Nigeria: Govt to Spend N9 Billion On Power Minister of State, FCT, Chief Chuka Odom, yesterday said Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will spend N9billion on improvement of power supply in Satellite Towns in 2009.
Nigeria: Country Loses $17.8 Billion to Oil Thieves – Agbakoba NIGERIA loses $17.8 billion on the average, annually, to crude oil theft as a result of lack of security in the nation’s territorial waters.
Nigeria: N30 Billion Steel Factory for Zamfara The foundation laying stone of the multi-billion naira Integrated Steel Mill and Solid Minerals Processing Factory in Gusau in Zamfara State will be formally performed President Umaru Musa Yar’adua next month.
Nigeria: Justice Ministry Threatens Contractor Over Road Project VANGUARD 13 February 2009 Owerri-Imo State Ministry of Justice, yesterday said arrangements are in top gear to force a contracting firm, ROMIX, to either continue work on the four kilometres of road in each of the 27 local government areas of the state or refund money it collected from government for the project.
Nigeria: Repair of Locomotive Engines Begins in March Transport Minister, Ibrahim Bio, yesterday said repair of the 100 locomotive engines of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) by the Federal Government will commence in March.
Nigeria: FG Approves N2.4 Billion Contract For Communication Centres The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved contracts for the construction of buildings for emergency communications centres in all the 36 states of the federation and FCT.
Nigeria: Oil Companies Withdraw Expatriates From Niger Delta Citing the heightened insecurity, coupled with the threat by the militant Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to declare “sweeping assault” on the Nigerian oil and gas industry, companies operating in the region may have suspended further deployment of expatriate workers in the area pending when normalcy returns.
Sierra Leone: Freetown-Conakry Highway Soon CONCORD TIMES (FREETOWN) 9 February 2009
Freetown. — The contract to ensure the construction of a modern motor highway joining Sierra Leone and Guinea within two years has been signed by the government and the contractors, Compagnie Sahelienne d’Entreprises (CSE). The process was witnessed by a delegation from the European Commission, funding the project.
AFRICA
AFRICA: Almarai deal with PepsiCo will target Africa, East Asia, Mideast Reuters February 14, 2009,
Riyadh: Saudi-based Almarai Co, the Gulf’s largest dairy company by market value, said yesterday an investment joint venture with PepsiCo Inc will not cover Gulf Arab markets. The two firms formed a joint venture to invest in dairy and juice processors in Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Pepsi said on Friday. The venture will be called International Dairy and Juice Ltd and will be 52 per cent owned by PepsiCo.
AFRICA: OFID to finance five projects in Africa Feb 13, 2009 WAM Vienna, Feb 13th, 2009 (WAM): The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has extended five new loans in support of public sector projects in Mozambique, Niger and Zambia. AFRICA: African banking vigilance sought over deepening financial crisis Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – African central banks must urgently increase their supervision of foreign banks operating within their territories to prevent the risk of the global financial crisis affecting Africa’s banking sector, officials said. 10/02/2009
AFRICA: China’s Hu vows to increase Africa investment AFP – Friday, February 13BAMAKO, Mali (AFP) – – President Hu Jintao promised Thursday that China would step up its investment in Africa as Beijing looked to his whirlwind tour of Africa to shake off accusations it exploits the continent. China stressed the trip would focus less on securing energy supplies — as others in the past had done — and more on shoring up political ties, boosting aid, and working with Africa to fight the impact of the global economic crisis. “We will increase our investments in the continent,” Hu said in Mali, the first step of a tour that will also take him to Senegal, Tanzania and Mauritius.
“China will ask the international community to honor their promises to the developing countries,” he said, adding that China would take the lead by reducing the debt owed to Beijing by African nations. China is often criticized for its alleged drive to secure natural resources from African states, including from regimes spurned by the West like Sudan.
Africa is an important source of raw materials for China as well as a growing market for Chinese exports.
Mali is Africa’s third biggest gold producer and is one of the continent’s biggest cotton producers and has recently discovered uranium deposits. China’s state-owned aluminium firm Chinalco announced earlier Thursday a 19.5-billion-dollar (15.2-billion-euro) investment in troubled mining giant Rio Tinto, Beijing’s biggest investment ever in a foreign company. Rio Tinto has significant mining interests in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, as well as huge projects in Guinea and Madagascar.
Several hundred Malians had gathered outside the presidential palace in Bamako waving Chinese and Malian flags for the official welcoming ceremony. After the ceremony Hu and Toure signed several agreements but the contents of the deal were not disclosed. In a short declaration to the press Hu said China would expand its relations with Mali “in the field of agriculture, telecommunications and new technologies”. In the past few years China has ramped up its cooperation and aid efforts in Mali and Senegal spending on large infrastructure projects, health care and education.
On Friday Hu is set to lay the first stone of a new bridge in Bamako and open a malaria centre. Both projects were made possible by Chinese aid.
AFRICA: Oil price too low to attract investment, says UAE Crude oil prices of around $40 a barrel are too low to attract enough investment in new supplies, the oil minister for the UAE said. Mohammed al-Hamli, speaking at a conference in London, said the current crude oil price is about half the level needed to attract adequate investment in the industry, reported Reuters.
AFRICA: Gaddafi wants Caribbean in Africa 11 February 2009 Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has said he would like a United States of Africa to include “Caribbean islands with African populations”.
BUT THEN ON THE OTHER HAND……Col Gaddafi also raised eyebrows with another AU speech last week
Col Gaddafi, speaking in Tripoli as the African Union’s (AU) new chairman, said this could include Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. The Libyan leader also sympathised with Somali pirates, describing their actions as self-defence. Last week he said that multi-party democracy was not right for Africa.
The BBC’s Rana Jawad in the Libyan capital says Col Gaddafi’s critics believe he is too erratic to be chairman of the 53-nation AU. A week into his appointment his agenda for Africa is expanding and his views remain as controversial as ever to some people, she says.
Praise for pirates
Celebrating his new role at his compound in Tripoli on Tuesday, Col Gaddafi suggested Caribbean islands should join the AU and become a bridge between Africa and Latin America. He went on to tell a gathering of some 400 guests that Somali pirates were only hitting back against other countries stealing marine wealth from the region’s waters. Col Gaddafi said the United Nations should protect Somali waters from the piracy of other countries.
He also said he would use his 12 months at the helm of the AU to try to resolve Africa’s conflicts, including Darfur and Somalia. Last week, the Libyan leader used his inaugural address as rotating head of the AU in Ethiopia to push his long-cherished pet project of a United States of Africa. He envisages a single African military force, a single currency and a single passport for Africans to move freely around the continent. But the response from many of his fellow African leaders was lukewarm, with some saying the proposal would add an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.
He also raised eyebrows by saying that multi-party democracy only led to bloodshed in Africa and that the best model for Africa was his own country, where opposition parties are not allowed.
AFRICA: Infrastructure Projects ‘Show Way Out of Crisis’ BUSINESS DAY Charlotte Mathews 11 February 2009 Cape Town — Encouraging infrastructure growth in developing countries would stimulate global demand for commodities and promote the growth of a prosperous consuming middle class, Walter Mead, US foreign policy senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said yesterday. He told delegates to the four-day Mining Indaba, which attracts about 4000 from around the world, that infrastructure projects such as those SA was embarking on were the most hopeful path for the world to recover from economic crisis.
The least severe economic crises of the past 350 years were caused by “stupid bankers” lending incautiously in prosperous times, he said. But this latest crisis could be more serious because of structural changes in the world economy arising from implementation of information technology on financial markets and the rise of Asian economies.
China‘s industrialisation was far greater than Europe’s due to the number of people involved and the rapidity of growth. It was unlikely that fiscal stimulus measures would pull the world out of this crisis, although they would help, Mead said. Export-oriented economies had to stimulate domestic consumption.
Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica, who opened the conference, described SA’s investment in road and power infrastructure. About 38000km of national and provincial roads would be upgraded in three phases at a cost of R22bn. In the first phase, R15bn would be spent on upgrading existing freeways. In the second, R7bn would be spent on developing new roads from 2010 to 2020. The third phase would be one of long-term freeway development.
Mpumalanga coal haulage roads, which carry 800 or 900 trucks a day, would be rehabilitated for R3bn-R3,5bn. Eskom had contributed R550m for design and maintenance of priority sections of the road network. The minerals and energy department had asked for R1bn to help in building road infrastructure around the two new power stations. Port and airport infrastructure would be upgraded. To keep pace with SA’s expected economic growth, it was working towards adding 40000MW of electricity capacity. Sonjica said measures in place would ensure there was no electricity shortage by 2018. The effect of the global economic crisis on the minerals sector was short term and companies could make plans to respond quickly to another commodities boom, she said.
Anglo American SA head Kuseni Dlamini said World Bank projections were that Africa would grow 3,4% this year compared with the 5% of the previous four years, but it was still faster than the global average. Growth next year was projected at 4,9%. “I believe the current downturn gives Africa the opportunity to position itself as the next frontier of growth and prosperity,” he said. Africa’s population recently topped 1-billion. It had 90% of the world’s platinum resources, two-thirds of its diamonds and 40% of global gold reserves. It was in a better position to manage economic crises as it had strengthened its financial institutions and political governance and resolved some of the long-standing conflicts.
INTERNATIONAL: WB chief launches US$500m microfinance facility Dakar, Senegal (PANA) – World Bank President Robert Zoellick and German’s Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul have launched US$500-million facility to support microfinance institutions, in view of the global financial crisis, the bank said in a statement received here by PANA Sunday. 08/02/2009
AFRICA INFO, GENERAL INTEREST & RISK ANALYSIS
AFRICA: African financial executives train on managing public funds Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) – Chief executives of financial institutions in 16 African countries will begin a training session here from Monday on how to manage public funds, organizers told PANA Saturday. 15/02/2009 IT STARTS WITH….ONE FOR YOU, TWO FOR ME………
ANGOLA: Fishermen catch 13 Marlins on competitions first day Luanda – Fishermen teams participating in the third edition of the tournament “Big Game” of fishing sport Saturday, first day of the competition, caught 13 Marlin and 40 golden fish. Held at Luanda’s bay, the event marks the 85th anniversary of the Luanda Island Sea Club (CNIL), on February 28. Eleven of the 13 caught Marlins, were marked and returned to the sea, in line with the competition’s regulation, while the other two came on board dead. The two fish weighed 221 kg and 181 kg respectively, while the golden ones weighed over 8 kilograms.
Botswana: Sales Plummet As Levy Hurts KBL’s Profits Three months after the slapping of a 30-percent levy on alcohol, Kgalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL) is reeling under a 20-percent decline in sales, its ability to operate profitably, provide employment and contribute to the economy compromised.
Botswana: Witness Narrates How CMS Lost Millions Through Fraud An accomplice witness yesterday shocked a court when he revealed how he masterminded fraud at Central Medical Stores (CMS) by faking government orders and invoices. The fraud resulted in the loss of nearly P20 million.
AFRICA: The dragon bares its claws in eastern Africa February 11, 2009 Xinhua – To protect its commercial and maritime interests while projecting its superpower status, Beijing is modernising and expanding its military with major implications for Africa, writes Patrick Mutahi. China released its sixth biennial Defense White Paper on 20 January 2009 marking a double-digit increase in its budgetary allocation to $58.8bn in 2008 for the 20th year in a row.
In tandem with the emerging power’s rising influence and security vulnerabilities, the 2008 Chinese Defence white paper elevates the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) into echelons of power and decision-making in foreign policy. Now, this has security implications for the way Africa is going to relate with its biggest trading partner. The rapid economic expansion of China has not only afforded Beijing more leverage around the globe, but also expanded its vulnerabilities. Sino-Africa trade volume hit an all time high in 2008, reaching a historic new level of $106.8bn despite the global economic downturn.
Chinese engineers killed.
According to Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming, the Asian power has for the past eight years witnessed a super fast growth of 30 per cent annually since Sino-Africa trade volume reached more than $10bn (Shs19.5trillion) in 2000. This means that the bilateral trade exceeded $100bn (Shs195 trillion) two years earlier than predicted. China had expected trade to hit that mark by 2010.
The People’s Republic also plans to increase oil and gas imports from Africa by up to 40 per cent in the next five to 10 years. The trend is attributed to increasing shipments of natural resources to China, especially crude oil, mainly from Sudan, Chad, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo and Angola.
Beijing is also importing metals from Ghana, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and South Africa, as well as cobalt and other minerals. At the same time, goods manufactured in China are increasingly sought after by African consumers.
But this has also exposed the Asian country to various security challenges. In April 2007, nine Chinese and 65 Ethiopian oil engineers were killed in an assault on an oil exploration site operated by Sinopec’s Zhongyuan Petroleum Exploration Bureau in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. The militia group Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) also kidnapped seven Chinese men who it later released. The ONLF has repeatedly warned foreign oil companies to leave the region bordering Somalia. In February 2007, four assailants raided a Chinese building materials plant in Kenya and killed one Chinese employee. In April 2006, the militant Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) condemned China for taking a $2.2bn (4.29 trillion)stake in the delta’s oil fields. MEND detonated a car bomb and warned that Chinese investors would be “treated as thieves.”
Anti-Chinese sentiments have ballooned in Zambia since 2005 when an explosion at a Chinese-owned copper mine killed at least 46 workers and spawned complaints of unsafe working conditions and poor environmental practices. Despite the mounting insecurity to its investments, China unlike other major powers has not established a military presence in Africa. Likewise, China does not train African soldiers to deal with threats to its national interests. Instead of using a military presence to counter-balance other major powers, the People’s Republic joins collective security efforts within the framework of the UN and African regional organisations. Over the past few years this has evolved from passive support to active cooperation. However, Beijing is now bringing the PLA back to the forefront in foreign policy after being confronted with social, economic and security problems, from counterterrorism and anti-piracy operations to humanitarian and peacekeeping operations.
But Beijing’s military build-up is not exceptional. Most external powers, for which Africa’s mineral wealth has become indispensable to their growth, have backed up their economic forays with a projection of military might. This is aimed at suppressing local resistance in their dominions or fending off their realms from other imperialist competitors.
Nevertheless, this expanded role may be constrained mainly by China’s traditional view of state sovereignty and non-interference, which will continue to be an important factor for Chinese action. Released when President Barack Obama was being inaugurated and “intended to clarify afresh its defence policy principles at America’s historic turning point,” the nearly 100-page security document contains signs of efforts by Beijing to explain the objectives behind its nuclear strategy and naval deployments. In addition, it projects that future conflicts will be brought about by increased competition for energy and food.
The restructuring of China’s military to be more mobile and flexible with a longer reach was already under way, but the 2008 Defence White Paper makes it clear that this capability is intended not just for contingencies in China, but also abroad. Beijing has been modernising its military in ways that give it options for launching surprise attacks on targets far from its borders according to America’s Defence Department Annual report released in May 2007.
The report cites the Army’s acquisition of long-endurance submarines and warships, unmanned combat aircraft, additional precision-guided air-to-ground missiles and long-distance military communications systems.
“The People’s Liberation Army is pursuing comprehensive transformation from a mass army designed for protracted wars of attrition on its territory to one capable of fighting and winning short-duration, high-intensity conflicts against high-tech adversaries,” the Pentagon report said.
The deployment of the Chinese Navy (PLAN) to Somalia thus should be seen in this light and as a sign of things to come. The 2008 defence white paper indeed announced intention to bolster China’s ability to carry out maritime operations on the open seas. It says the country will “gradually develop its capabilities of conducting cooperation in distant waters and countering non-traditional security threats.” This proves that in the years ahead, the PLA intends to be every bit as global in its operations as other world powers.
China’s 2008 Defence White Paper emphasises Beijing’s response through Mootw — an acronym for “Military Operations Other Than War,” writes an analyst with Stratfor, a think-tank that tracks political, economic or military developments worldwide.
Dramatic expansion
Mootw serves as euphemism for a range of operations that fall short of outright war including deterring war, resolving conflict, promoting peace, and supporting civil authorities in response to domestic crises
Expanding Mootw on an international scale builds on prior years of shifting personnel and training, improving technology and communications, streamlining logistics and extending the range of Chinese military systems. It also fits in with China’s expansion of its overall global policy, where the military plays a role in tandem with economic and political tools as stated in the defence paper.
One of the most high-profile aspects of this trend is the dramatic expansion in Chinese peacekeeping deployments to UN operations. As of November 2008, China was the 14th largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, providing more personnel than three other permanent members of the UN Security Council—Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. China has 1,949 military peacekeeping personnel serving in nine UN mission areas and the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Among them, there were 88 military observers and staff officers; 175 engineering troops and 43 medical personnel for the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (UNMONUC); 275 engineering troops, 240 transportation troops and 43 medical personnel for the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL); 275 engineering troops, 100 transportation troops and 60 medical personnel for the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS); 275 engineering troops and 60 medical personnel for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL); and 315 engineering troops for the African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).
The paper also states that China’s submarine force now possesses a nuclear counterstrike capability; the military has focused on information and electronic warfare and has accelerated the introduction of third-generation technologies into the PLA. Moreover, the paper says that China has more precision-guided weapons, and that the military is expanding operations beyond China. It also lays out the process by which the Second Artillery Force, which oversees China’s ballistic missiles, would respond to a nuclear threat or attack.
To achieve blue water capability, China has been expanding its naval force. It now boasts 57 attack submarines, a dozen of which are nuclear-powered, 74 major surface vessels (destroyers and frigates) and 55 large and medium-sized amphibious ships.
A few nuclear-powered strategic submarines are armed with long-range ballistic missiles. A significant portion of this naval force has been built since 2000. China is now the world’s third largest shipbuilder — building one fifth of the world’s ships — and thus has a considerable industrial basis for further naval expansion. This maritime strength establishes China as a force to reckon with while dealing with piracy along the Somali coast which has disrupted a key trade route with Africa. “China’s military participation sends a strong political message to the international community, that a China with improved economic and military strength is willing to play a larger role in maintaining world peace and security,” Li Wei, Director of the Anti-terrorism Research Centre at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the China Daily last month.
A fifth of Chinese ships attacked
Around 1,265 Chinese commercial vessels passed the Gulf of Aden last year, including tankers carrying 60 per cent of China’s imported oil from the Middle East, as well as shipments of raw material from Africa. Also, Europe is now China’s largest trade partner, with much of the goods passing through the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. In December 2008 the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said that Somali pirates had attacked one fifth of Chinese vessels passing through Somali waters from January to November last year, hijacking 15 vessels.
The US, Japan, India and Europe are watching the development with unease. The London-based Times summed up the concerns in the West: “In an era when China is playing a much larger global role in commerce and politics, the deployment (of warships to the Gulf of Aden) redefines it as a nation prepared to spill blood protecting its diverse stakes in the world economy.”
A strategic report published this month by a US think-tank, the American Enterprise Institute, pointed out that the rapidly expanding Chinese submarine force had taken “American intelligence experts by surprise”.
Throwing in aircraft carriers
Since 1990, China has initiated five submarine programmes. As from 1995, the state has added 37 submarines to its navy, including nuclear-powered ones. By adding three new subs a year, China could have up to 85 submarines in eight years. “Never, since the period between the two world wars, has a nation undertaken a comparable level of submarine development,” the study concluded.
Another major concern for China’s rivals is recent preparations to build aircraft carriers. At the news conference announcing the dispatch of warships to Somali waters in November 2008, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Huang Xueping said Beijing would use aircraft carriers to “defend sovereignty over coastal areas and territorial seas”. His comment came just after Chinese general Quan Lihua told the Financial Times in November 2008 that China was considering the construction of one to two aircraft carriers. (The republic has already ordered 50 Su-33 fighters from Russia, specifically designed for carriers.) The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported on December 31, 2008 that the People’s Republic would start building an aircraft carrier at the Shanghai shipyard this year, to be completed by 2015. The two 50,000 to 60,000 ton carriers are to be conventionally-powered vessels and therefore much smaller than the US makes. They will be assigned to the Southern Fleet in the South China Sea and possibly to the Indian Ocean to protect oil shipments from the Middle East.
Reacting to the news of Chinese warships heading for the Gulf of Aden, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso instructed the defence ministry to “quickly participate in counter-piracy measures”. It is currently preparing to dispatch Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyers to protect Japanese commercial vessels from pirates off Somalia as early as March 2009. However, this deployment has already faced political opposition from the Liberal Democratic Party’s junior coalition partner, New Komeito. In addition, the country’s pacifist Constitution restricts the activities of its military. However, Hamada said that a new law would have to be passed to authorise the maritime force to pursue the anti-piracy mission off Somalia. India, another Chinese rival, is also concerned about Beijing’s Somali mission, fearing that the Asian power is seeking to patrol the Indian Ocean, long regarded by New Delhi as its sphere of influence.
Controlling the Indian Ocean
India is expected to spend about $40bn (Shs78 trillion) on military modernisation from 2008 to 2013. With its recent and ongoing upgrades and inductions, independent analysts expect that the Indian Navy may soon become a fully accomplished blue-water force. It is already powerful and with further upgrades in the future, the world’s fifth largest navy aims to control the Indian Ocean Region, from the coast of East Africa to Australia. Like its rivals that already have warships patrolling the strategically vital sea lanes through the Gulf of Aden connecting Asia and Europe, China’s naval presence is not so much about fighting the pirates, but protecting its own economic interests. While the 2008 Defence White Paper is not directly threatening to operationalise a more aggressive and confrontational Chinese military, it does suggest that the capabilities for a cooperative PLA are equally applicable to a confrontational one.
IRAN: Satellite Launch for Technology Not Missiles – Iranian Envoy Following apprehension over the recent launch of satellite by the Islamic republic of Iran, the Iranian ambassador to Nigeria, Khosrow Rezazadeh, has said the satellite is for research technology and also for monitoring of disaster and not for the purpose of using it for missiles.
KENYA: Bribe claims over Kenya tribunal A Kenyan MP accuses the government of blackmailing and bribing lawmakers to vote for an election violence tribunal.
Libya Stock Exchange takes a plunge Benghazi, Libya (PANA) – Libya Stock Exchange closed lower by 11.1% on Tuesday compared to the previous session, ending at 776.32 points. 10/02/2009
MADAGASCAR: Deadly power struggle lays Madagascar low 9 February 2009 By Jonny Hogg Former BBC Madagascar correspondent [AND OTHERS EDITED] – Madagascar’s opposition, which had seemed to be running out of steam, is likely to be given fresh impetus by the shooting dead of 28 of its supporters on Saturday. The government now has blood on its hands. Such bloodshed is not unheard of in Madagascar but it is rare.
People had hoped that the political crisis in 2002 which brought Marc Ravalomanana to office represented the last rites of the bad old days. Stability and growth would follow. That will seem a fairytale in the wake of these killings.
‘Red zone’
The presidential palace, a beautiful French colonial building perched on a hillside in the very centre of Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo, has always been heavily protected. Each morning when you walk past it you must remember to cross to the far side of the road, or be tersely redirected by the security forces who stand outside. Everyone knows it is what the Malagasy call a “red zone” – forbidden. It was always likely to be highly provocative for supporters of opposition leader Andry Rajoelina to try to take the palace. It is a potent symbol of President Marc Ravalomanana’s power.
But these tragic shootings have already claimed their first political casualty. Defence Minister Cecile Manorohanta has resigned, saying she wants no part of a government that kills civilians. The path to a solution looks tortuous.
Dwindling numbers at Mr Rajoelina’s rallies and a lack of support from the international community should perhaps have ended his hopes of setting up and leading a transitional government. He seemed to have overplayed his hand, pushing for too much power too quickly in the face of what is, after all, a democratically elected government.
Harmful
The tragedies of recent weeks could have acted as a wake-up call for the president, who has become increasingly isolated from his people. Now though, public support for him is likely to shrink still further without there being any practical alternative to replace him. The damage to Madagascar’s international reputation could be equally harmful. Under President Ravalomanana the country had been taking its first tentative steps into the global market after decades of socialist stagnation. Multinational corporations including Rio Tinto and Exxon Mobil have arrived, pouring millions of dollars into government coffers. The president himself has seen his own business interests – anything from dairy products to cooking oil – rise and rise. However, in appealing to foreign investors the government alienated many Malagasy people. Food and fuel have become more expensive whilst the foreign funds have not improved the quality of life for most people. President Ravalomanana’s reputation in the eyes of his critics has not been helped by his aggressive business approach and the fact that as his wealth continued to grow, the population was becoming poorer.
Proud
The final straw for many was the mooted plan to lease one million acres in the south of the country to the Korean firm Daewoo for intensive farming. Malagasy people have deep ties with their land and this was seen by many as a betrayal by their president. Now, with its fledgling reputation as a stable investment prospect in tatters and a population that feels both poor and disenfranchised, the country’s future looks gloomy once again. If Madagascar is not to spiral further out of control it will take the two men at the centre of this increasingly bloody stand-off to talk.
Both are proud. President Ravalomanana is not renowned for his largesse when dealing with opponents. It is likely that Mr Rajoelina’s popularity is all that has saved him from arrest. Furthermore there is speculation that he is being supported by political heavyweights from the country’s past – groups keen to topple the current government but lacking the charisma or popular appeal to do it. Unless a compromise can be reached the bloodshed could continue.
Thousands gathered Wednesday for a pro-government rally in Antananarivo, as President Marc Ravalomanana seeks to counter opposition protests and re-affirm his grip on power. Mahamasina stadium was packed as government supporters flocked to back the president, whose authority has recently come under fierce attack from 34-year-old opposition leader Andry Rajoelina. A huge banner inscribed with the slogan “We don’t need TGV,” a reference to Rajoelina’s nickname, welcomed 30,000 pro-government demonstrators who came to listen to some of the regime’s stalwarts.
“You should see this demonstration as the means of expression chosen by a majority that had so far remained silent, to show that it exists, and that there is a large part of the population which does not condone any form of anarchy,” The gathering was the first of its kind initiated by Ravalomanana since opposition protests began earlier this year, mainly on the capital’s May 13square, a symbol of democratic struggle in Madagascar.
“The strong message of this rally is to show Madagascar and the international community that the people’s voice is not the one heard on May 13 square and that the people are squarely behind the president,” a member ofparliament from the ruling party told AFP.
“I’m here to support the regime. I want to work and I don’t want any interruptions. At this rate, we’ll all be jobless and Rajoelina isn’t going to pay me a salary, is he…,” said Lalah, a 43-year-old driver.
Marc Ravalomanana, Madagascar’s president, addressed at least 35,000 supporters on Saturday in what was his first public appearance since violent clashes began in late January. Ravalomanana insisted he would remain president despite the challenge to his leadership by Andry Rajoelina, the capital’s former mayor. “I am president of the republic and I intend to remain so until the end of my mandate” in late 2011, he told supporters gathered in the capital’s municipal stadium. “Every problem in Madagascar can be resolved through discussion. We will do everything to restore peace.”
Namibia: Minister Warns Against Strikes LABOUR Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko has called on unions and employers alike to find alternative ways to settle their differences, warning that the continuous presence of labour unrest undermines efforts to attract investors.
Namibia: Credit-Card Fraud Widespread – Tourism Industry THE theft of about N$96 000 from a Portuguese couple who visited Namibia last year is but the tip of the iceberg as far as credit-card fraud in Namibia is concerned, sources in the tourism industry say.
Nigeria: Three Estate Agents Arraigned Over 68 Million Fraud Three estate agents have been arraigned before Yaba Magistrate’s Court for allegedly swindling their customers of over N68 million.
Nigeria: P & G Group President Visits Nigeria The Group President for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East including Africa (CEEMEA) Procter & Gamble, Laurent L. Philippe is expected to arrive Nigeria on a working visit today ( Monday, February 9, 2009.)Philippe, who will be accompanied by a team of P&G’s top executives, is scheduled to call on the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to discuss important issues KIND OF TELLS A STORY ABOUT THE WORLD ECONOMY IF P&G HAS TO MIGRATE INTO NIGERIA
Nigeria: Makarfi’s Achievements are Overblown – Politician – No Comment, Says Ex-Governors Aide The funds received by the erstwhile administration in Kaduna State are not commensurate with the projects executed in the eight years it spent in power, former state co-ordinator of the Obasanjo/Atiku campaign has said.
Nigeria: Firms Coalesce to Develop African Businesses Pan-African communications consultancy, Africapractice, has signed a partnership agreement with Rosebank Consulting Nigeria, to strengthen the capacity of African businesses to identify, implement and effectively communicate their environmental management processes and policies. WHAT ABOUT JUST THE CAPACITY TO DO A DAY’S WORK….
Nigeria: The Financial ‘Prostitutes’ Like Titanic, the ‘ship that cannot sink,’ the Nigerian Stock Exchange touted to be immune from the global financial tragedy, has hit a huge iceberg and it’s on its way to the bottom of the ocean as over N2 trillion was lost in January alone.
TANZANIA: Air Tanzania Debts to South Africa Airways Stand at $13 Million The Tanzanian government has said by the time Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) revoked its partnership with the South African Airways (SAA), its debts stood at TShs13.1 billion (US$13 million).
UAE: Oil tanker ablaze near Dubai An oil tanker is ablaze and close to sinking off the coast of Dubai following a collision with a container ship. The tanker is about 8km offshore from the Palm Jebel Ali. No casualties have been reported so far, but two crew members were rescued from the water, said a spokesperson for the port operator DP World. INSURANCE IS GREATER THAN HOLDING PRICE COLLAPSED STOCK ON SEA – ADDING RISK TO THE BANKING WOES; OR PUT ANOTHER WAY, THERE WERE NO FIRES AT $148 A BARREL
Oil tanker ablaze off the coast of Dubai (Photo courtesy of Seawings)
The tanker, called Kashmir, was carrying around 30,000 tonnes of petroleum products worth $9m from Iran to the Jebel Ali Port when it collided with a mid-sized container feeder vessel around 12:20pm on Tuesday, DP World spokesperson Sarah Lockie told Emirates Business. Officials said there had been no leakage from the tanker into Dubai’s sea waters. Any leak would have been a blow to the emirate, which has this week announced it was applying to join the Blue Flag Programme, which highlights clean beaches and marinas. Dubai recently suffered from having illegally dumped sewerage leak into its waters, but its waters were recently declared safe and clean again.
Uganda: PWDs Cautioned Over Wheelchairs PERSONS with disabilities (PWDs) have been cautioned against selling wheelchairs donated to them.
SOMALIA: Somali ‘pirates’ face Dutch court Five suspected Somali pirates are to appear in a Netherlands court over an alleged attack in the Gulf of Aden, say Dutch prosecutors.
Somalia: Pirates Try to Seize Another Six Ships Pirates in the Gulf of Aden made six attempts to hijack merchant ships during this week, but all the attacks were successfully repelled, maritime shipping agencies have reported. GADDAFI’S MEN?
South Africa: The Market is in Charge WOOLWORTHS’ decision to cut the prices of 245 food lines has to be a good thing, no matter how you look at it, even if, as some cynics suggest, the retailer has been forced to follow the lead of its competitors to recover market share lost since the world food price crisis hit SA.
Zimbabwe: Soldiers And Police Lead Invasion of Mazoe Estates As the new unity government between the MDC and ZANU PF continued to take shape this week, it has emerged that one of the country’s biggest commercial farms has been taken over by soldiers and police. HAVE TO DELIVER MORE FARMS TO THE NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND QUIET DIPLOMATS
Zimbabwe ‘treason case dropped’ Zimbabwe authorities drop a treason charge against politician Roy Bennett, replacing it with lesser charges, his party says.
ZIMBABWE: Caution rules in the new Zimbabwe 14 February 2009 Andrew Harding evades Zimbabwe’s restrictions on foreign journalists to assess the country’s new power sharing arrangement.
It has been a strange few days in Zimbabwe, it is hard to sum up the mood here. Everything has changed and nothing has changed. I drove into Harare late on Monday, or rather, slalomed round the potholes. The city is looking shabbier than ever. Unkempt grass along the roadsides as tall as a man. Derelict factories. Listless crowds on littered pavements. The place reminds me of the Burmese capital, Rangoon. That same sense of decay and, frankly, fear. People are wary about catching your eye, or talking too long on the phone. Or talking at all.
‘Momentous’ change
And yet, on paper at least, Zimbabwe is now a different country. No longer run as what you might call President Robert Mugabe’s feudal gangster kleptocracy. Instead after months of painful labour, a new unity government has been borne this week. Morgan Tsvangirai, the new prime minister, stood at an outdoor stadium on Wednesday and, between rain showers, told a rapturous crowd that this was Zimbabwe’s “yes we can” moment.
It was the 19th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from jail in South Africa and Mr Tsvangirai was keen to stress the historic parallels, saying that Zimbabwe too was at the start of a momentous political transformation. And yet, as he acknowledged, just like in South Africa, the path to democracy here will be neither straight nor inevitable. The crowd seemed to recognise that. I wandered round the stadium.
Two young men holding beer cans said they had no illusions, all this they said, was the just the start. “The aim is new and legitimate elections, as soon as possible. Then we can get rid of Mugabe at last.”
Power struggle
Roy Bennett does not seem the type to be easily intimidated. But on the phone he was sounding cautious. He is a prominent figure in the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). He has spent eight months in Harare’s notorious Chikurubi prison, and he had just come back from South Africa to take part in the new government as a deputy minister. But when I called him on Thursday, he said he was in hiding. Robert Mugabe’s security services had, it seemed, just put out an arrest warrant for him. Mr Bennett was in no doubt that Zanu-PF hardliners were trying to scupper the new coalition.
“They want us to walk away from this deal,” he said. “We’ve just got to be smarter than them.”
But Robert Mugabe, just shy of his 85th birthday, is not an easy man to outsmart. It feels, one prospective MDC minister said to me, “like we’re about to get into bed with a snake”. And, sure enough, just yesterday afternoon Roy Bennett was arrested by the police and driven as far from the capital as possible. It was an act, as one fuming diplomat put it to me, of supreme bad faith by Robert Mugabe.
‘Secret administration’
The men who have plundered and wrecked this country certainly seem unlikely to relinquish power without a struggle.
There is every chance they will try to co-opt or corrupt Mr Tsvangirai’s ministers and MPs, or simply bypass them altogether and run a secret parallel administration. They may well succeed. Then again, history sometimes happens when you least expect it. Maybe this unlikely political experiment will actually work. It could be months before we know for sure. Although an early sign will be whether or not dozens of MDC supporters and activists are finally released from prison. On Friday morning I went to meet Zimbabwe’s new prime minister. Well, actually, he came to meet me. Like most foreign journalists, I am here illegally, sneaking around, hopping between safe-houses in Harare. It is hard to tell if things are getting safer now for us. I suspect they may be. But we are still being cautious and so is Mr Tsvangirai.
And so we met, somewhere, shall we say, in the suburbs. He came, tellingly, in his own personal convoy with his own personal guards. He could have used the official state motorcade but clearly he and his team do not yet feel comfortable entrusting their safety to the same security services that have tortured, abducted and terrorised members of the MDC for years. State security came along anyway. Sixteen officers. We hid discreetly in a bedroom, waiting for the prime minister to arrive, savouring the absurdities of Zimbabwe’s new political landscape.
Grounds for optimism
Mr Tsvangirai was bullish, feistily defending his shotgun wedding to Mr Mugabe. “Mugabe may be part of the problem,” he said. “But he’s also part of the solution. We have to have a negotiated settlement for the sake of the people.” He promised that the next time we met, it would be legally and in his own office. Reassuringly, state security kept their distance. No funny business. “It’s a process,” said one of Mr Tsvangirai’s own guards, with a broad grin. “Sure, there have been some frictions. But actually it’s going pretty well so far.”
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From the Desk of Paul S Rogers
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Issue 100-5, 2009
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AFRICA: S.E.VEN Fund VINE Competition November 16, 2008
Posted by sdaco3 in Commercial Financial Investment, General.Tags: Access fo Finance, Competition, SME's
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Contribute Ideas on SME Financing for Chance to win $50,000. S.E.VEN Fund (Cambridge) 5 November 2008 Cambridge, MA
The Social Equity Venture Fund – S.E.VEN – (www.sevenfund.org) recently announced the VINE (Virtual Integrated Networking Experience) Project. The unique competition, open to all, merges the world of commercial financial investment with open innovation to promote investment in emerging markets. The $50,000 prize will be shared among all those who contribute to the winning idea, starting with the originator and continuing to contributors or nodes along the two-phased “vine.” The winning idea will be announced in January 2009.
Entrepreneurs in emerging markets frequently cite a lack of access to investment capital as a barrier to starting and growing their businesses. The VINE Project is an ideal opportunity to think differently about new ways to approach investment in emerging market SMEs to ultimately promote further investment.
The five-month long online competition invites anyone with ideas to submit, collaborate, and refine them. Once complete, S.E.VEN hopes to evaluate and release a set of metrics that can be used to help improve investor confidence and stimulate investment.
Participation
To participate, contributors may submit their ideas at http://www.sevenfund.org/vine/ until November 30. The second phase of wiki-based collaboration takes place between November 16 and December 30. The online VINE community will select finalists and a jury of experts will award the grand prize.
“S.E.VEN is inviting the general public; the people who are actually closest to the issue to propose their ideas, ” says Andreas Widmer co-founder of the S.E.VEN Fund.
This competition was funded through a generous grant from the John Templeton Foundation. For additional information about the S.E.VEN Fund,
Please visit http://www.sevenfund.org.
Great Lakes At A Glance November 12, 2008
Posted by sdaco3 in Uncategorized.Tags: Add new tag, business opportunity
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For quiet sometimes, governments on the African continent have allowed the winds of global competition to blow through their economies. As policy makers lowered tariff barriers and permitted foreign investments. We have seen multinational companies rushed in; China, India, Japan, US and European giants, it initially appeared, would quickly overrun local rivals and grab the market for almost every product or service. After all, they possessed state-of-the-art technologies and products, enormous financial resources, powerful brands and the world’s best management talent and systems. Local companies, start-ups and African young Entrepreneurs, often under pressure from developed countries, let in transnational companies, but slowly, almost reluctantly. They were convinced that global Goliaths would wipe out local enterprises in one fell swoop.
Business Opportunity in The Great Lakes
Region
That has not happened, research shows. Over the past resent year that, smart domestic enterprises are more than holding their own in the face of foreign competition. They have staved off challenges from multinational corporations in their core businesses, have become market leaders or are catching up with them, and have often seized new opportunities before foreign players could. That shows that there is enough for almost every one to benefit of. Africa is still virgin, as sons and daughters of the continent we have a big advantage over any international companies. Africa is our playground, we have the language advantage, some of us have been in the Diaspora for quit sometimes; we have a picture on how the world operate. Let us join forces and have a bit on this mammoth continent. Here are some early warnings on what is next
Early Warning and Prospective
Tanzania
Country to Review Mining Laws to Favour Locals The Tanzania government will soon work on recommendations by the two committees set up by the president and parliament on reforms in the mining industry.Power Crisis Stalls Tanzanite Mining Tanzanite mining in Mererani has ground to a halt as a result of a power blackout, The Citizen has learnt.
TIC Registers Project Worth Over Sh23 Billion The Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) had registered a total of 4,084 projects worth Sh23.3 billion by the end of last year.
2 Landlocked Countries to Build $4bn Railway Line The Citizen (Dar es Salaam) 5 November 2008
Landlocked Burundi and Rwanda will start work next year to build a 691 km (430 mile) railway line connecting both countries to Tanzania, Burundi’s transport minister Philippe Njoni said. Work on the line, which will cost an estimated $4 billion, will take five years.
“Economic studies showed that the railway will lower the cost of transport of merchandise from 40 per cent (of total costs) to five per cent.” Construction will be funded by Burundi, Rwanda and donors, the minister said, adding that both countries will work with Tanzania to seek finance. Discussions have started with the African Development Bank, which financed the feasibility studies, he said. The railway will aid exports of the tiny central African nation’s main hard currency earner, coffee.
East Africa
Total Buys Caltex Uganda, Kenya Business OperationsThe Monitor (Kampala) 5.11 Joseph OlanyoThe uncertainty surrounding Caltex’, now Chevron, operations has been brought to rest with Caltex announcing the sale of its businesses in Uganda and Kenya to its fellow rival Total. Chevron Corporation on Monday announced that its subsidiary Chevron Africa Holdings Ltd has agreed to sell 100 per cent of its shareholdings in Chevron Kenya Ltd and Chevron Uganda Ltd to Total Outre Mer S.A.
Groundbreaking of Cable Landing Station Sites Completed in Kenya and Mozambique SEACOM (Johannesburg) 4 November 2008 – The construction of SEACOM’s 15,000 km fibre optic undersea cable, linking southern and east Africa, Europe and south Asia, is on schedule and set to go live as planned in June 2009.
Some 10,000 km of cable has been manufactured to date at locations in the USA and Japan and Tyco Telecommunications (US) Inc., the project contractors, will begin shipping terrestrial equipment this month with the cable expected to be loaded on the first ship in September 2008. Laying of shore end cables for each landing stations will also proceed from September. This process will comprise the cable portions at shallow depths ranging from 15 to 50m where large vessels are not able to operate.
From October 2008, the first of three Reliance Class vessels will start laying the actual cable. The final splicing, which involves connecting all cable sections together, will happen in April 2009, allowing enough time for testing of the system before the commercial launch in June 2009. The final steps of the Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process are well advanced and all small archaeological, marine and ecological studies, which required scuba diving analysis, have been completed, as well as social consultations with the affected parties.
The cable, including repeaters necessary to amplify the signal, will be stored in large tanks onboard the ships. The branching units necessary to divert the cable to the planned landing stations will be connected into the cable path on the ship just prior to deployment into the sea. The cable will then be buried under the ocean bed with the help of a plow along the best possible route demarcated through the marine survey.
Temdo Braces to Lead in Techno DisseminationThe Tanzania Engineering and Manufacturing design Organisation (TEMDO) has just launched its three year corporate strategic plan which is expected to propel the organization towards designing, developing and commercializing essential machinery and equipment required for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) start up and growth.
Kenya:
Caution On Transit Cargo Station LiftedConstruction of the proposed transit container freight station in Changamwe for cargo destined to Uganda, may start in less than six months, the lead consultant for Great Lakes Ports Limited, has said.
Nock Turns to Other Options After Losing Caltex Bid to TotalThe National Oil Corporation of Kenya has admitted that its failure to successfully bid for Chevon’s business, which it lost to rival Total, is a major setback to its expansion strategy.
Avocado Exports to Resume Kenyan farmers may soon resume exporting avocados to South Africa. This comes after the two governments agreed to resolve their trade differences.
Road Upgrade to Boost Farm Produce Delivery The Government will give priority to road projects in rural areas with high agricultural production potential.
Demolitions Along Thika Road ContinueGovernment bulldozers continued flattening business premises on a road reserve along Thika highway for the second day on Sunday.
Rwanda:
Methane Gas Dream RealisedThe New Times (Kigali) 8 November 2008 Edwin Musoni
Finally, Rwanda’s dream of generating electricity out of methane gas has been realised with the first 1.8megawatts channelled to the national grid. So far, the power extracted from Lake Kivu can supply the whole of Rubavu District or more.
“This is a memorable day in the history of this country; we have finally succeeded in extracting methane gas that has been in this lake for thousands of years and today Rwandans are consuming electricity generated from it,” State Minister for Energy Eng. Albert Butare said excitedly at the mini-launch of the pilot methane gas plant in Rubavu district. He revealed that the Government was in the process of signing several agreements with foreign and local investors to extract the gas.
Country Accedes to UN Convention on Commercial ArbitrationThe small African Great Lakes nation of Rwanda has become the latest country to accede to a 50-year-old United Nations convention on commercial arbitration, the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) announced today.
A New Frontier of Business Opportunities in AfricaThe World Bank, in its Doing Business in 2009 report ranks Rwanda as one of the top 20 reformers on a global basis. Besides Rwanda, other African countries that are reforming their business environment faster include Botswana, Liberia, Senegal and Burkina Faso.
Inyange Industry in $27 Million Expansion ProgramThe New Times (Kigali) 4 Nov 2008 Eddie Mukaaya. The current factory located at Gikondo industrial area is expected to relocate to the new location on 4.3 hectares of land in Masaka, 19 km from Kigali City. Inyange Industries, a beverage company, is constructing a $27m (Rwf14.9bn) plant to increase its output from 2976 litres per day to 360,000 litres averagely.
Uganda:
RVR Owes Government Sh2 BillionTHE Government is demanding $800,000 (about sh2b) from the Rift Valley Railways (RVR) in unpaid annual concessionaire fees.
Fish Farming on the Rise – MinisterNew Vision (Kampala) 4 November 2008 John Kasozi. FISH production has increased from 285 tonnes in 1999 to over 50,000 tonnes by the end of 2007, the fisheries state minister, Fred Mukisa has said. “This has been possible with increased profits from fish and the availability of quality fish feed,” he said. “The sector supports up to 21,000 farmers and an estimated 200,000 livelihoods. If constraints in the systems could be addressed, the production is projected to reach 150,000 tonnes over the next three years,” Mukisa said. “Fish is currently number two to coffee in export earnings, with Nile Perch and Mukene (silver fish) taking the highest percentage of fisheries products,” he added. Fish exports to premium markets have increased from $0.4m in 1998 to over $145m annually for the last 10 years. Since the opening of the premium markets, fish factories have increased from two to 18, the minister said.
Russian Firm to Mine Tantalite, TinFresh from getting a mining and prospecting license, Russia’s Ugaruss Trading House Ltd is promising its initial operation by the end of November.
Mukwano to House Kasese SchoolMUKWANO Enterprises, a Kampala-based business empire, has offered to put up a storied building in Kasese town to house Aisha Preparatory School.
Norwegians to Set up Meat Processing FactoriesNew Vision (Kampala) 6 November 2008. Ronald Kalyango and Charles Ariko – TWO meat processing factories are to be set up in Nakaseke and Lyantonde districts, the state minister for animal husbandry, Maj. Bright Rwamirama, has said. The factories would be established with the help of Nortura, a Norwegian agricultural cooperative. “The equipment is ready. We are finalising technicalities to have them shipped into the country,” Rwamirama said.
Rwamirama however commended Nortura for a one-year feasibility study which they conducted about developing an export oriented meat industry. The one-year study was funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Corporation and was conducted by Nortura.
Hydropower Project Gets U.S. $49 Million BoostThe Monitor (Kampala) 6.11.08 Elias Biryabarema
Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund, EAIF, an international private infrastructure financier founded by the governments of UK, Sweden, Netherlands and Switzerland has offered a $49 million loan to the developers of two mini-hydro projects in Uganda. The projects, Mpanga and Bugoye hydropower dams being constructed in Kamwenge and Kasese districts respectively, are being developed by Tronder Power Limited, and South Asia Energy Management Systems, SAEMS, a US company that provides renewable energy solutions. Once completed, which is expected in a year, both projects will inject a combined 31MW of hydropower into the grid, partially plugging the ever-widening power deficit in the country and cutting back on the frequent outages.
$100m Fix for Sick HospitalsUganda is negotiating a $100 million (aprox. Shs192 b) loan from the World Bank to fix its dilapidated hospitals.
Govt Hunts for Shs15 Billion Munyonyo Bid InvestorThe government is looking for an investor to buy its Shs15 billion stake in Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, a joint venture with Meera Investments owned by city tycoon and hotel magnate Sudhir Ruparelia, MPs heard yesterday.
Country to Invest in Atomic EnergyUGANDA will invest in atomic energy, following an agreement signed with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Quack Architects Hamper Industry A great number of architecture graduates in Uganda lack practical skills needed to match challenges of the ever increasing needs of a blossoming housing industry. This has resulted into numerous collapsing buildings that have claimed several lives.
Tenders
BURUNDI: Bujumbura:
EDF – roadworks and road surfacing on the RN 13 Ruyigi-Cankuzo main road in the Republic of Burundi Request For Proposals
City/Locality: MPOYZOYMPOYRA
Publication Date: Nov 7, 2008 Deadline: Feb 17, 2009
Buyer: MINISTERE DE L’ECONOMIE, DES FINANCES ET DE LA COOPERATION AU DEVELOPPEMENT
Original Language: French
Goods, Works and Services 45233120 – Road construction works
RWANDA:
EXPERT IN PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA’S PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM PROGRAM (2009-2011)
Request For Expressions of Interest,
City/Locality: KIGALI
Publication Date: Nov 7, 2008 Deadline: Nov 22, 2008
Funding Agency: World Bank
Buyer: PUBLIC SECTOR CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT
Original Language: English
Assignments
75100000 – Administration services
75110000 – General public services
75120000 – Administrative services of agencies
75130000 – Supporting services for the government
MwAfrica 