Moreover, if the war continues, the UN further predicted that 8-13 million more people would suffer from malnutrition in 2022-2023…reports Asian Lite News
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed concern that the conflict in Ukraine would affect food supply in Europe and Africa.
He was speaking at a news conference in Versailles on Friday, American broadcaster CNN reported on Friday [local time].
Macron said that the war has already destabilized Europe and it could be worse in 12 to 18 months.
Citing the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Marcon said that all the European leaders will do everything that is considered effective and useful to stop Russia in this path of aggression.
Meanwhile, the UN said that the war in Ukraine could increase the food price by 20 per cent and also would raise international food and feed prices by 8-22 per cent as the war also affected agricultural activities.
Moreover, if the war continues, the UN further predicted that 8-13 million more people would suffer from malnutrition in 2022-2023.
Russia and Ukraine are the key players in the global agricultural trade, as both the nations contribute a quarter of the world’s wheat exports, at least 14 per cent of corn exports in 2020, and a joint 58 per cent of global sunflower oil exports in the same year, according to CNN citing analyses.
According to the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporary Occupied Territories, “As of March 11, Lutsk, Dnipro and Ivano-Frankivsk were shelled. The shelling of the Kyiv and Kharkiv regions continued. Due to blockade and shelling of Mariupol, 1,582 civilians died.” (ANI)
Pfizer set to supply Paxlovid Covid pills to Africa
US drugmaker Pfizer is set to supply Africa’s top health body with its Covid antiviral pill Paxlovid…reports Asian Lite News
Paperwork for the deal between the Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and Pfizer is now in the hands of the African Union’s legal office – after which a formal announcement will be made, Africa CDC director John Nkengasong was quoted as saying by the BBC.
Nkengasong urged health ministries to adopt robust measures spanning vaccines and testing. He added that the Africa CDCA is also seeking Merck’s molnupiravir pill.
This comes days after Moderna signed a deal with Kenya to build its first mRNA facility. Johnson & Johnson has also inked a pact with South African drugmaker Aspen to sell, package and distribute its Covid shots.
In February, researchers at the World Health Organisation-backed Africa’s first Covid mRNA vaccine technology-transfer hub made microlitres of the vaccine based on Moderna’s Covid shot.
The aim was to scale up vaccine production to address those massive shortfalls in the developing world. So far, roughly 12 per cent of people in Africa are fully vaccinated, well below the World Health Organization’s 70 per cent vaccination threshold.
Expressing concern about countries where vaccination rates were still very low, Nkengasong said African countries should be using a combination of public health measures, vaccines, and testing to overcome the Covid this year, Aljazeera reported.
“These molecules have a very unique role to play in a campaign to fight against this terrible pandemic,” he was quoted as saying, citing the Pfizer pill.
Studies by the pharma giant have shown that Paxlovid is effective against all Covid strains, particularly to the highly contagious and vaccine evading Omicron variant. CEO Albert Bourla estimates that the pills can avert 1,200 deaths and 6,000 hospitalisations for every 100,000 Covid patients who take the pills.
Both Paxlovid and molnupiravir have shown to reduce the chances of hospitalisation or death from Covid-19 in high-risk patients by 89 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. The pills should be taken early, within 3-5 days of getting Covid, and require several pills, multiple times a day for five days.
The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Africa reached 11,263,286 cases as of Thursday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said…reports Asian Lite News
The specialised healthcare agency of the African Union (AU) said the death toll across the continent stands at 250,108 and some 10,535,035 patients have recovered from the disease so far, Xinhua news agency reported.
South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya are among the countries with the most cases on the continent, said Africa CDC.
South Africa has recorded the most Covid-19 cases in Africa with 3,688,423 cases, followed by the northern African country Morocco with 1,161,848 cases as of Thursday evening, it said.
In terms of the caseload, southern Africa is the most affected region, followed by the northern and eastern parts of the continent, while central Africa is the least affected region, according to the Africa CDC.
It aims to plant 50,000 mangrove trees in the Republic of Kenya in celebration of the UAE’s Year of the 50th and Kenya’s 2030 development vision…reports Asian Lite News
In cooperation between Aqdar, Blue Forest Company and Kenya’s forestry authorities, Khalifa Empowerment Programme Aqdar has completed the first phase of the “Fifty Tree” initiative campaign, which was launched at Aqdar World Summit Dubai Expo 2020.
It aims to plant 50,000 mangrove trees in the Republic of Kenya in celebration of the UAE’s Year of the 50th and Kenya’s 2030 development vision.
Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to the UAE : The Kenyan people are extremely grateful to the Tree for 50 stakeholders for their contribution in the restoration of our Mother Nature which we all depend on for our survival.#WamNewshttps://t.co/LdR8Ssk11gpic.twitter.com/OR9wFKsyor
The tree planting was completed over a period of six months with the help of 144 volunteers from two local NGOs; Forest Restoration Agency and the Brain Youth Group. The work was overseen by the Regional Director of Kenya Forest Service to ensure compliance with Kenya’s tree planting, maintenance, protection and conservation standards.
The mangroves were planted in an area of 5 hectares along Tudor Creek. That area was once a lush mangrove forest spanning over 1,641 hectares. Today, only 215 hectares or 13 percent remain of that forest. Kenya Forest Service, the Custodian of all of Kenya’s forests, is supporting grass-roots efforts by local NGOs to reverse the forest loss in Tudor Creek.
The project was funded with the help of the Tree for 50 corporate partners which include: Deloitte, SAP, Amazon, Speedo, Edrington, Rotary Club, DimensionN and Quest for Adventure.
Kariuki Mugwe, Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to the UAE, commented, “The Kenyan people are extremely grateful to the Tree for 50 stakeholders for their contribution in the restoration of our Mother Nature which we all depend on for our survival.”
Dr. Ibrahim Aldabal, CEO of Khalifa Empowerment Programme, said, “We are proud to partner with Blue Forest and the Kenyan Authorities to implement this important environmental project, through which we write a new chapter in our journey towards placing global positive citizenship and sustainability at the core of our activities, which enhances international efforts to confront future climate changes.”
Vahid Fotuhi, Founder and CEO of Blue Forest, the company executing the project, added, “Kenya’s mangrove forests are among the most beautiful and carbon-rich in the world. We are honoured to be entrusted by AQDAR and KFS to do our part and, with the help of the local communities, restore the mighty mangrove forest of Tudor Creek.”
With Phase 1 now completed, the partners are aiming to restore the wider Tudor Creek mangrove forest as part of Phase 2. This will involve planting and protecting 10 million mangroves, in partnership with Community Forest Association members. (WAM)
The United Arab Emirates announced on Wednesday a commitment of US$85 million to support humanitarian operations in Ethiopia…reports Asian Lite News
In coordination with the Famine Relief Fund, the contribution will be disbursed to several agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The announcement was made during a briefing by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, on the Drought in the Horn of Africa.
On the contribution, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State, said, “The UAE attaches great importance to the stability of the Horn of Africa. The impact of climate change on the region has intensified the humanitarian situation. Therefore, our commitment will ensure that humanitarian agencies are better equipped to support the regions that need immediate assistance.”
The UAE’s contribution will build on the work of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) and the Khalifa Foundation, which includes a series of air-bridge flights and a relief ship to assist people affected by drought in Somalia.
The ongoing drought in parts of Ethiopia is increasingly deteriorating the living conditions and livelihoods of affected communities
UN officials say drought is ravaging livelihoods of Ethiopians. A Special report
The ongoing drought in parts of Ethiopia is increasingly deteriorating the living conditions and livelihoods of affected communities, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said.
The ongoing drought in the Horn of Africa is affecting close to 7 million in Ethiopia and is increasingly deteriorating the living conditions and livelihoods of affected communities in Oromia, Somali, South Western Ethiopia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) regions primarily, Xinhua news agency quoted the OCHA’s latest situation update as saying.
Some 3.5 million people are facing the consequences of the drought in Oromia region, while about 3 million people continue to suffer from the brunt of drought in the Somali region with over 900,000 reported livestock deaths, it said.
The OCHA said over 1 million people in 21 districts of East and West Hararge in Oromia region are living in dire condition where water tracking gap stands at 70 per cent, calling for an urgent need for additional 42 trucks in both zones.
The drought situation in the West Guji zone of Oromia region continues to have a severe impact and repercussions on the lives of affected communities, with over 27,000 children and 22,000 young women are facing serious protection concerns.
“An emergency response is ongoing and is further required for at least the next five months to save lives and livelihoods and prevent further deterioration of an already extremely dire humanitarian situation with increasing protection concerns for which additional funding is urgently required,” the OCHA said.
Meanwhile, the Agency said measles cases continue to be reported since December 2021 in Doloado and Bokolmayo districts in Ethiopia’s Somali region, with about 700 new cases and 12 deaths recorded as of March 3.
The measles outbreak affected 15 localities, including five refugee camps in the zone, it was noted.
It said that while the number of cases recorded has decreased since cases were diagnosed in December 2021, active cases remain.
President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo: Ghana is not only the best place for doing business in West Africa, but the fastest growing economy in the world according to the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report 2019
President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo expressed his country’s keenness to develop its economic and trade cooperation with the UAE in light of the growing bilateral ties between the two friendly nations, lauding the constructive cooperation approach adopted by the UAE, and its remarkable development and prosperity seen across various fields and sectors.
The African leader made the remarks as he attended ‘The Ghana: Limitless Opportunities Business’ Forum which kicked off today with high-profile dignitaries attending, including Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade.
Held at Jafza One Convention Center, Jebel Ali Free zone, Dubai, the one-day business forum has provided a platform for investors and businessmen from Ghana and Dubai to meet and explore viable, profitable business and investment opportunities.
It has also provided an opportunity for both countries to strengthen trade and investment ties, as well as explore new bilateral treaties that will benefit various sectors of their economies.
GHANA CEMENTS TIES WITH UAE (WAM)
“Ghana is interested to deepen its economic cooperation and bilateral relations with the UAE, President Akufo-Addo said while outlining Ghana’s promising investment opportunities available in various agricultural, industrial and mining sectors, in addition to its competitive advantages provided to investors within a stimulating business environment,’.
He stressed that Ghana has developed to become one of the best African countries for doing business thanks to its strategic location, prolific natural resources, and economic recovery programmes, launched recently to tackle Covid-19 repercussions and catapult the country’s economy to new heights of growth and development.
“Ghana is not only the best place for doing business in West Africa, but the fastest growing economy in the world according to the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report 2019, he added.
The Ghanaian President stressed the importance of the private sector engagement in supporting the economic growth of countries, adding that the “Ghana: Limitless Opportunities Business Forum,” represented an important opportunity to introduce the business community in the UAE to the business climate and investment opportunities available in Ghana.
He affirmed that Ghana is willing to build long-term strategic partnership relations with the UAE, calling on investors, companies and the business community in the UAE to visit the African country and take advantage of its distinguished facilities.
According to data from the World Bank, Ghana with a GDP of US$68.5 billion is the second-largest economy in West Africa. Ghana is also rich in resources and was rated as Africa’s number one producer of Gold, number two producer of Cocoa and also produces significant amounts of Oil, bauxite, manganese and other minerals.
Welcoming the Ghanaian President and the accompanying delegation to the UAE, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, stressed that the UAE and Ghana share strong economic relations with Ghana based on the principles of friendship, constructive cooperation and respect for common interests, lauding the two countries’ keenness to take their distinguished relations to new levels.
Addressing the event audience, Al Zeyoudi said: “The UAE has always enjoyed warm and friendly relations with this West African partner and welcomes events such as these that contribute to boosting economic ties between our two countries. The UAE ranks 7th globally and first in the Arab world among Ghana’s trading partners. The UAE accounts for more than 4 per cent of Ghana’s foreign trade with the world – and more than 75 per cent of its total trade with the Arab world.”
“The value of non-oil foreign trade between the UAE and Ghana amounted to US$2.7 billion in 2021, reflecting a 25% growth compared to 2020 – and 56% compared to 2019. Moreover, Ghana is among the most important African markets for the UAE’s non-oil trade,” the minister said.
“In terms of investments, the value of Ghanaian direct investments in the UAE exceeded US$5.3 million by the end of 2019. The value of the UAE’s direct investment in Ghana, meanwhile, totalled nearly US$300 million, placing the UAE as the 9th most important FDI source globally and first in the Arab world,” Al Zeyoudi noted.
GHANA CEMENTS TIES WITH UAE (WAM)
The event was attended by Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade and Industry of Ghana, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, Ambassador of Ghana to the UAE and Abdullah Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Walid Hareb Al Falahy, CEO of UAE Trade Center and the Dubai Consultancy.
This is in addition to Yofi Grant, CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Center, Omar Abdulaziz Khan, Director of International Offices at Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Ahmad Al Haddad, Chief Operating Officer of DP World, Essa Al Ghurair, Chairman of the Essa Al Ghurair Investment and member of Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Jamal Saif Al Jarwan, Secretary-General of the UAE International Investors Council.
The event also welcomed several CEOs, managers of a number of local governmental and private economic activities and representatives of the Ghanaian business community.
During the one-day forum, the UAE and Ghana signed five memoranda of understanding (MoUs). The first was signed between Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and Dubai Consultancy (DC) to establish a presence in the UAE and set up a GIPC office in the country in cooperation with DC to promote and attract investment to Ghana. This is in addition to another MoU between the UAE’s Ministry of Economy and Ghana’s Ministry of Economy to enhance economic and technical cooperation. The UAE International Investors Council and Ghana Investment Promotion Centre signed the third MoU to facilitate attracting investments from the UAE to Ghana. The fourth MoU was signed between the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Ghana National Chamber of Commerce to establish the UAE-Ghana Business Council, in addition to another MoU on technology equipment and information exchange with investment opportunities between the two countries.
The forum kicked off with a session discussing opportunities in Ghana’s manufacturing and tourism sector in addition to another panel discussion about the opportunities available in Ghana’s energy, sanitation and housing sectors. The two sessions highlighted the promising investment opportunities in Ghana’s vital sectors as well as its most important incentives and competitive advantages offered to investors, its flexible legislative environment and strategic location that makes it a gateway to Africa.
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, met with President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo at Expo 2020 Dubai…reports Asian Lite News
Sheikh Mohammed said the participation of African countries in Expo 2020 Dubai has given an opportunity for visitors from across the globe to learn more about the continent’s heritage, culture and investment opportunities.
The two leaders discussed ways of boosting bilateral cooperation and advancing the strategic partnership between the two countries especially in the fields of agriculture and technology. They also highlighted the importance of boosting trade and tourism between the two nations and unlocking new investment opportunities that will serve mutual economic interests.
During their tour of the pavilion of Ghana located in the Opportunity District, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and President Nana Akufo-Addo were briefed on the commercial opportunities the country is highlighting at Expo 2020 Dubai to attract more foreign investments.
Ghana is one of the world’s largest Exporters of cocoa and offers significant investment opportunities in its mining sector. The Ghanaian pavilion is also highlighting opportunities in the country’s financial, healthcare and food manufacturing sectors. The UAE Vice President learned about Ghana’s efforts to promote environmental sustainability and conserve its natural resources.
The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”…reports Asian Lite News
Zambia joined the rest of the world in commemorating this year’s International Women’s Day with President Hakainde Hichilema expressing concern that climate change was worsening the lives of women, especially in rural parts of the country.
The Zambian president said the negative effect of climate change has forced women in rural areas to walk long distances in search of firewood, water and food.
“The government recognizes climate change as a serious issue that needs to be addressed to ameliorate the suffering of women,” he said during the commemoration in Lusaka, the country’s capital.
The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”.
The Zambian president said the theme was appropriate as it comes at a time when the world was being ravaged by the negative effects of climate change, a situation that was threatening the achievement of sustainable economic development.
According to him, the effects of climate change especially on women should be viewed as a human rights issue, adding that the government was determined to find solutions to the challenges that women are facing.
He further underscored the importance of gender equity and equality in ensuring sustainable national development.
Coumba Mar Gadio, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Zambia, commended the Zambian government for the advancement of women’s empowerment through the appointment of women to key positions.
She said the UN will continue working with the government in ensuring more women’s inclusion in decision-making positions.
Kenya, UN partner to launch peace platform to curb electoral violence. Walid Badawi, resident representative at the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) Kenya said that the world body will provide financial and technical support for the conflict prevention and response initiative
Kenya and the United Nations on Tuesday launched a platform for peace to curb electoral violence during the upcoming general elections polls slated for Aug. 9.
Walid Badawi, resident representative at the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) Kenya said in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the world body will provide financial and technical support for the conflict prevention and response initiative, Xinhua reported.
“The platform will provide an early warning and response mechanism for potential conflict that may erupt in the coming electioneering period,” Badawi said.
According to the UN official, Kenya remains susceptible to electoral violence as political campaigns have emerged as confrontational spaces.
Badawi observed that the initiative will identify potential hotspots across the country in order to eliminate risk of electoral violence.
Samuel Kobia, chairperson of the state-owned National Cohesion and Integration Commission said that platform for peace is seized by the fact that the 2022 presidential election will likely present peace and security challenges.
“This is not just a Kenyan problem; experience globally has shown that elections are divisive and polarizing,” Kobia said.
Global Health Fund
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged governments and other stakeholders, including the private sector to raise their financial contributions to the Global Fund, a global financing organisation dedicated to prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Kenyatta said the seventh replenishment cycle of the Fund comes at a time when countries are battling Covid-19, hence the need for global solidarity in the fight against the world’s health challenges.
“In the sixth replenishment cycle, my administration contributed $6 million and we plan to enhance our commitment for the seventh replenishment cycle in support of the Global Fund,” he said from Nyeri County in central Kenya during the virtual launch of the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment cycle which will be hosted by the US government later in 2022.
In a statement released by the presidency, the President said increasing contributions to the Global Fund and broadening the entity’s partnerships will assist in raising adequate resources needed to boost the global fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, Xinhua news agency reported.
He commended the Global Fund for supporting Kenya’s efforts to combat HIV, TB and malaria, saying that since 2002, the Global Fund had disbursed more than $1.4 billion in grants to Kenya’s health sector and Kenya had managed to lower her annual AIDS-related deaths by 67 per cent between 2013 and 2021 with the help of the Global Fund.
“This encouraging performance reflects an increase of 83 per cent in the number of people living with HIV that are on life-saving antiretroviral treatment from 0.66 million people in 2013 to 1.2 million people in 2021,” Kenyatta said.
Kenya had achieved a TB treatment success rate of 85 per cent and a significant decline in the annual TB prevalence, he said, adding that the Global Fund’s assistance had helped the country to lower her malaria burden from a prevalence of 8.2 per cent in 2015 to 5.6 per cent in 2020.
