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ARFSD-8 Puts Kigali Declaration On Track

African countries call for mutually reinforcing policies for sustainable development

The Kigali Declaration called on African countries to leverage new tools, innovative solutions, and technology, including through enhanced partnerships with the private sector, academia, non-governmental, civil society, and other stakeholders to build strong, agile, sustainable, and resilient national statistical systems.

Eight Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-8) ended with the adoption of the Kigali Declaration on good practices and solutions to enhance implementation of the sustainable development goals in Africa

African countries have reiterated the need to link mutually reinforcing policies for sustainable development and COVID-19 recovery to ensure inclusive emergence from the pandemic.

This came after the Eight Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-8) ended with the adoption of the Kigali Declaration on good practices and solutions to enhance implementation of the sustainable development goals in Africa, the ARFSD organizers announced Monday.

The Kigali Declaration called on African countries to leverage new tools, innovative solutions, and technology, including through enhanced partnerships with the private sector, academia, non-governmental, civil society, and other stakeholders to build strong, agile, sustainable, and resilient national statistical systems.

The ARFSD-8, organised by the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa (UNECA) and the government of Rwanda in collaboration with the African Union (AU) Commission, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other entities of the UN system, envisaged reviewing and catalyze actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and goals of the Africa’s 50-year continental development Agenda 2063.

“The Kigali Declaration urges African countries to link mutually reinforcing policies for sustainable development and COVID-19 recovery to ensure inclusive emergence from the pandemic,” the UNECA said in a statement.

The document highlighted the need for countries to leverage the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) to support the development of regional value chains, citing the case of minerals used in the production of batteries and electric vehicles as an example.

This year’s edition of ARFSD was held in a hybrid format in Kigali, Rwanda and virtually from March 3 to 5 under the theme “Building forward better: A Green, Inclusive and Resilient Africa Poised to Achieve the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.”

Hanan Morsy, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), explained that the main purpose of the meeting was to review Africa’s progress and catalyze actions to achieve the 2030 sustainable development goals. The meeting was also meant to achieve consensus on urgent priorities for action, which are captured in the Kigali Declaration to be presented at the high-level political forum in New York.

Addressing the opening session, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame expressed his hope that Africa will use the COVID-19 pandemic as a springboard to speed up progress and innovate smarter ways to invest in human capital development.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed development gains, and in some cases reversed the progress that have been made,” Kagame told the high-level meeting, as he emphasized that as part of the continental COVID-19 response efforts “we can build an Africa that is greener and more resilient with a sustainable development goals and Agenda 2063 as our blueprint.”

Kagame’s sentiments were also shared by Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, as she applauded the progress made on the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT).

The African continent must build “stronger and more resilient health systems by investing in healthcare,” a UNECA statement quoted Mohammed as saying during the opening session of the ARFSD-8.

UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UNECA, Vera Songwe, explained that progress achieved by Africa in the areas of climate change, the continental free trade pact, the management of COVID-19, and education must be applauded.

Songwe said despite the tendency for the AfCFTA to be perceived as far-fetched, the fact that African countries have traded more among themselves during the pandemic than the five years before that period is a testament to the potential of the partnership.

The ARFSD is an annual multi-stakeholder platform organized by the ECA and the host government. This year, Rwanda, in collaboration with the AU Commission, the AfDB and other entities of the United Nations systems, is hosting the high-level gathering.

ALSO READ: UFI Middle East & Africa Forum meet at Dubai Expo

According to the UNECA, the three-day ARFSD-8 brought together African ministers, senior officials, high-level policymakers and experts from ministries and agencies and practitioners from UN member states, private sector, civil society, academia and UN organizations.

The regional forum is one of the three mechanisms mandated by theUN General Assembly to follow-up, review and catalyze actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by UN member states in September 2015.

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UNEP Moots New Plan For Marine Protection

Regional conventions play critical role in marine protection: UNEP report … A special report by VISHAL GULATI

A series of regional conventions and policies are playing an essential role in monitoring climate change and preparing for extreme weather events, preventing oil spills, reducing plastic and other waste, saving coral reefs, and providing overall ocean protection and restoration of marine ecosystems.

These are the key findings of a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report, whose authors call for expanding the scope of collaboration on regional seas in the coming decade.

The report — Contributions of Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans to a Healthy Ocean — draws on a series of case studies which examine the cumulative impact of these conventions and policies over the past 45 years.

Through a robust body of evidence, the UN-led Regional Seas Programme — which produced the report — convenes and coordinates countries and institutions, and undertakes ecosystem-based planning and management to progress towards a healthy ocean and healthy people.

The Regional Seas Programme aims to bring all relevant stakeholders together to address the accelerating degradation of the world’s oceans and coastal areas through a “shared seas” approach. Since its establishment in 1974, 146 countries have joined 18 Regional Seas.

Through cultivating joint scientific research, policy development and implementation, this network of regional policies has become one of the cornerstones of protection, conservation, and restoration of marine and coastal environments, it said.

Susan Gardner, Director of UNEP’s Ecosystems Division, said: “Marine pollution, invasive species and natural habitat loss, excessive extraction, and ocean acidification all share one common trait: they do not respect national borders.

“Regional Seas demonstrate what can be achieved by working together for common goals at a regional scale. To secure the livelihoods of over three billion people, Regional Seas must not only be recognised, but their mandate ought to be expanded.”

Activities across regions are organised through Regional Action Plans for data collection and sharing best practices, addressing capacity needs (including of women, youth and indigenous peoples), mobilising financial and technical resources to support research and implementation, as well as monitoring and evaluation of ocean conditions and policy responses.

Some of the impacts of Regional Seas are in marine pollution, biodiversity protection, and scientific knowledge-sharing.

As many as 21 legally binding agreements relating to marine pollution have been adopted. These have, for example, increased preparedness to combat oil pollution incidents and spills in the Caspian Sea and the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) has successfully mitigated the impacts of an oil tanker collision outside of Kamarajar Port in India in 2017.

The 2013 Barcelona Convention for the Mediterranean has dramatically improved marine litter management across 10 Mediterranean countries, contributing to a 39 per cent reduction in beach marine litter and seafloor macro-litter from 2016 to 2019.

ALSO READ: CLIMATE ISSUES OF AFRICA

In the Pacific, the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Elsewhere, Regional Seas have been integral to the development of early warning systems, nutrient reduction, and the adoption of the Polluter Pays principle.

Regional Seas play a pivotal role in the creation of Marine Protected Areas across the world, and the Green Fins Initiative in the East Asian Seas, the Caribbean, Red Sea and Pacific regions brings together over 600 marine tourism companies in 11 countries.

Studies show that consequently dive operators have significantly lower reef contact (and hence reef damage), the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has introduced legal requirements for port inspection to prevent illegally landed fish from entering trade, mapping of capture and trade hotspots and a threats assessment have been jointly undertaken in west Africa, thanks to the Abidjan Convention, and in the Southern Ocean, Illegal Unregulated Unreported activities have decreased from around 33,000 to under 1,000 tons in less than a decade.

The UNEP report called on decision makers, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders to enhance collaboration across all Regional Seas, including establishing formal coordination with other types of organisation such as Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, UNESCO and the International Maritime Organisation, increased awareness raising campaigns on the value of a healthy natural environment to sustainable economic development and human wellbeing.

It concludes with a call to donors, the private sector, and NGOs to recognise and prioritise Regional Seas as a solution to some of the key risks facing the oceans.

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ADB Unveils Strategy To Create Health Infrastructure

African Development Bank Group approves historic health infrastructure strategy. Africa, needs around $26 billion in annual capital investments. As part of its health agenda, the African Development Bank has committed to investing $3 billion in Africa’s pharmaceutical industry over 10 years

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved its Strategy for Quality Health Infrastructure in Africa 2022-2030, a historic first for the Bank. The strategy was developed in response to a call by the Bank’s Governors for the institution to define its role in addressing Africa’s health infrastructure deficits, highlighted by the ongoing pandemic.

The strategy focuses on three categories of health infrastructure that match the African Development Bank’s comparative advantage, providing the flexibility to respond to the diverse needs of the Bank’s African member countries. It will be anchored in national health systems and sets out three cross-cutting themes: improved internet and communications technology connectivity, to strengthen health information systems and support innovation; promoting regional collaboration and harmonizing health policies and regulation; and policy dialogue and technical assistance.

 “We must give hope to the poor and the vulnerable, by ensuring that every African, regardless of their income level, gets access to quality health care, as well as health insurance and social protection,” Bank President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina commented.

The strategy is in line with one of the African Development Bank’s High 5 strategic priorities, namely improving the quality of life for the people of Africa. It also echoes the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 regarding good health and well-being, as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 plan to transform Africa into a global powerhouse. In addition, it forms part of broader efforts by the African Development Bank to expand access to healthcare on the continent.

The Covid-19 pandemic has further exposed shortcomings in national health systems in Africa, overwhelming testing and treatment capacity. In future, Africa’s growing population will place further strain on infrastructure. Health facilities are unevenly distributed, with major gaps in rural areas. Only half of primary healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa have access to clean water and adequate sanitation and only a third have access to reliable electricity.

ALSO READ: CPEC needs structural reforms: ADB

Against this backdrop, a grossly underfunded healthcare system in Africa, needs around $26 billion in annual capital investments. As part of its health agenda, the African Development Bank has committed to investing $3 billion in Africa’s pharmaceutical industry over 10 years. The Bank also launched a multibillion dollar Covid-19 Response Facility to support its regional members through the pandemic.

 “The three pillars and crossing cutting themes give the Bank the flexibility to respond to the diverse needs of different regional member countries in a more impactful and sustainable manner,” said Dr. Beth Dunford, the Bank’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, welcomed the Board’s approval of the Strategy. “The Quality Health Infrastructure for Africa Strategy sets out how the Bank will build up and consolidate its comparative advantage in health infrastructure and contribute to improving the quality of life for the people of Africa,” she added.

The Strategy was overwhelmingly endorsed via a series of consultations, including with health ministers of the Bank’s 54 regional member countries, development partners and civil society.

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Africa News COVID-19 News

Africa’s Covid-19 cases surpass 11.22 mn

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 11,220,954 as of Saturday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said…reports Asian Lite News

The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the African Union, said the death toll from the pandemic across the continent stands at 249,536, Xinhua news agency reported.

Some 10,466,353 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease so far, it noted.

ALSO READ: Africa’s Covid-19 cases near 11.19 mn

South Africa has recorded the most Covid-19 cases in Africa with 3,681,437 cases, while northern African countries Morocco and Tunisia reported 1,161,506 and 1,003,255 cases respectively, 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 in the continent, according to the Africa CDC.

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Talks on to settle the Nile dam issue

Egypt, EU discuss developments of Ethiopia’s Nile dam

Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel-Aty held talks in Cairo with visiting European Union’s special envoy for the Horn of Africa Annette Weber on the developments of Ethiopia’s grand dam built on the Nile River.

During the meeting, the two officials discussed the current situation of tripartite negotiations between Egypt, Sudan, and their upstream counterpart Ethiopia regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), said the Egyptian Water Ministry in a statement.

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile River

Abdel-Aty highlighted “the great flexibility shown by Egypt during the various stages of negotiation due to its desire to reach an agreement and build confidence,” according to the statement.

He added that achieving cooperation requires “political will and seriousness” on the part of Ethiopia to reach an agreement regarding the filling and operation of the GERD.

The Egyptian minister stressed that “reaching an agreement on the GERD would pave the way for achieving regional cooperation and integration.”

For her part, Weber said the EU seeks to advance negotiations regarding the Ethiopian dam with a bid to reach an agreement that satisfies all parties and guarantees the stability and development of all concerned countries.

The EU envoy urged reaching a tripartite agreement that would also meet the requirements of regional integration through the interconnection between water and energy, infrastructure and trade in light of climate change.

Ethiopia started building the dam in 2011, while Egypt is concerned it might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the Nile water and Sudan is also worried about its 18.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share.

ALSO READ:Sudan rejects Ethiopia’s power generation from disputed dam

Decade-long tripartite negotiations failed to reach an agreement regulating the filling and operation of the dam, including those mediated by the United States and the African Union.

In February, Ethiopia announced it began operation of the first two turbines of its multi-billion-dollar hydropower dam to generate electricity. Egypt, in response, sent a new letter to the United Nations Security Council to protest the move. 

Sudan’s Stance

Sudan called for reaching understandings between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia to start a smooth and effective negotiation on the dam.

“Sudan is the most in need for consensus among the three countries, and has been negatively affected by the prolonged negotiation without reaching a binding legal agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD,” Sudan’s acting Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Daw Al-Bait Abdul-Rahman said in a meeting with Egyptian Ambassador to Sudan Hossam Eissa.

The meeting was part of the two countries’ efforts to push the negotiation issue on the Ethiopian Nile dam, Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported.

“The remaining clauses of difference among Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia require political will from all parties,” the minister said.

The Egyptian ambassador delivered a message to the Sudanese minister from his Egyptian counterpart, voicing Egypt’s full readiness for cooperation and coordination in all fields, according to SUNA.

The meeting discussed Ethiopia’s decision to generate electricity from the GERD, and reviewed activation of cooperation mechanisms between Sudan and Egypt to achieve the common goals of the two countries and the Nile Basin countries.

Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia have been negotiating under the African Union over technical and legal issues related to the filling and operation of the GERD.

Sudan proposed a mediation quartet of the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and the African Union regarding the GERD issue, while Ethiopia rejected the proposal.

Ethiopia, which started building the GERD in 2011, expects to produce more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity from the project, while Egypt and Sudan, both downstream Nile Basin countries that rely on the river for its fresh water, are concerned that the dam might affect their water resources.

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CLIMATE ISSUES OF AFRICA

Marking African Environment Day, African experts and pan-African organizations on Thursday emphasized the need to tackle the continent’s continued climate change-induced disasters

Africa Environment Day, celebrated annually on March 3, was established in 2002 by the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor of the African Union, as a way of raising awareness of the pressing environmental challenges facing the continent. Since 2012, the Africa Environment Day has been celebrated in conjunction with Wangari Maathai Day in honor of the late Nobel laureate’s legacy in nature conservancy.

The African continent, in a bid to address the twin effects of climate change and desertification, is in recent years bracing itself to devote undiluted attention to integrating sustainable environmental management into the mainstream development policies at both continental and national levels.

Experts, however, argued that albeit the commendable efforts underway to counter the impact of climate change, the continent is in urgent need to exert strong efforts to end the scourge.

Adefris Worku, a senior forestry expert at the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission (EFCCC) of Ethiopia, said the extent of climate change in Africa is growing due to various causes, including the expansion of the agricultural sector.

Agriculture, which is the backbone of African economies, is said to be one of the major drivers of desertification in Africa. With a growing population, an increasing forest area is being harvested across Africa.

“Desertification is becoming a very significant threat to Africa. African countries have to do strategic interventions and approach to combat desertification because desertification has become overwhelming, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa,” Worku told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The AU, in its call for action issued Thursday in relation to this year’s Africa Environment Day, stressed that Africa continues to endure serious environmental challenges, saying the unfolding phenomena of climate change, biodiversity depletion, desertification, land degradation and unsustainable use of finite natural resources remain a serious risk for Africa as they pose real impediments to achieving the sustainable development goals envisioned in Africa’s Agenda 2063.

While saying environmental deterioration has exacerbated crises such as droughts, armed conflicts, or other natural disasters on the continent, the AU emphasized that sustainable environmental management is fundamental to the pursuit of food security, peace, security, and stability in Africa.

“To address the twin effects of climate change and desertification, Africa is bracing itself to devote undiluted attention to integrating sustainable environmental management into the mainstream development policies at both regional and national levels,” the pan-African bloc said.

According to the latest figures from the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), despite representing just 17 percent of the world’s population and emitting just 4 percent of global pollution, Africa stands as the most affected continent in terms of climate change.

“African economies are losing on average 5 percent of GDP because of climate change, increasing up to 15 percent in some countries,” said Linus Mofor, a senior environmental expert from the ECA, Wednesday.

Mofor, speaking during a virtual meeting on partnerships for tools and capacities to integrate climate resilience in investments for sustainable development, said in the absence of global concerted action on keeping warming at below 1.5 degrees Celsius, African countries must be supported with the tools and capacities needed to integrate climate resilience in the huge investments needed to close development gaps.

Mofor insisted that African countries have shown “great leadership” on climate action, stating “all but two African countries have ratified the Paris Agreement with ambitious nationally determined contributions requiring up to 3 trillion U.S. dollars for implementation.”

Despite the daunting challenges, however, African countries have been introducing a number of ambitious initiatives to contain the rapid expansion of desertification in the continent, thereby mitigating the impacts of climate change on communities’ livelihood.

ALSO READ: UNECA chief urges Africa to tap into tech, innovation

The Great Green Wall or Great Green Wall of the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative, which was launched by the African Union (AU) in 2007 with an overarching aim of planting a wall of trees across Africa at the southern edge of the Sahara desert, is one of the African-led initiatives aiming to restore Africa’s degraded landscapes.

According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Great Green Wall initiative will be the largest living structure on the planet once realized, covering 8,000 km of land stretching across the entire width of the continent from Senegal in West Africa to Djibouti in the east.

According to Worku, Ethiopia, one of the signatory countries of the initiative, considers the ambitious project as “a very important and relevant strategy to combat desertification and ensure sustainable development in the country.”

More than 20 countries across Africa have been implementing the initiative in hopes of restoring 100 million hectares of currently degraded land and sequestering 250 million metric tons of carbon by 2030.

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UAE hails historic Arab-African ties

The UAE and other countries believe in the importance of joint Arab, African and international action to take the initiative, titled, “Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate,” a success…reports Asian Lite News

Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), has said that the historical, geographic, and cultural ties linking Arab and African peoples are key drivers enhancing their mutual relations, and strengthening these ties is a priority of Arab and African governments.

He made this statement during his speech at the opening session of the 11th meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and Arab World Conference, which began today in Rabat, Morocco, under the theme, “Cooperation and Afro-Arab solidarity as a basis for urban upgrading and development in the context of the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic.”

ALSO READ: EU mulls stepping up trade ties with Africa, US

Ghobash also highlighted a growing number of global challenges, including conflicts. He referred to the importance of achieving overall food security amidst the challenges posed by climate change and the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite Africa’s significant agricultural potential, investments in agriculture are still below expectations, he added. The UAE and other countries believe in the importance of joint Arab, African and international action to make the initiative, titled, “Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate,” a success.

The Emirati delegation at the event included FNC members Saeed Rashid Al Abedy, Dr. Tariq Humaid Al Tayer, Sabreen Hassan Al Yamahi, Hamid Ali Al Shamsi, Maryam Majid bin Theneya, Ahmed Hamad Bou Shehab, Azra Hassan bin Rakad, Afra Bakheet Al Alili, as well as Dr. Omar Abdulrahman Salem Al Nuaimi, FNC Secretary-General, and Afraa Al Busti, Assistant Secretary-General for Parliamentary Communication.

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UNECA chief urges Africa to tap into tech, innovation

UN Economic Commission for Africa’s (UNECA) Executive Secretary, Vera Songwe, has called on African countries to tap into the potential presented through science, technology, and innovation as Africa’s blueprint for accelerated development…reports Asian Lite News

The UNECA chief called for the establishment of an African Technology Development and Transfer Network to spur innovation and accelerate development on the continent, according to a UNECA statement released on Wednesday.

An African Technology Development and Transfer Network could identify emerging technologies, anticipate needs and encourage the sharing of knowledge across the continent, Xinhua news agency reported citing Songwe.

“We need to build sound scientific, technological and innovation foundations to enable science, technology and innovation to deliver. As we have witnessed recently, many of our countries needed support to build capacities to test for Covid,” she said.

“As global supply chains collapsed, Africa’s over-reliance on imported medical supplies left the continent vulnerable in many aspects, and Africa was forced to innovate,” Songwe added.

ALSO READ:Museveni Seeks African Unity To Face Challenges

The UNECA co-hosted the 4th Africa Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Forum ahead of the eighth Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD8), slated from March 3 to 5 in Kigali, Rwanda under the theme “Building Forward Better: A Green, Inclusive and Resilient Africa Poised to Achieve the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063”.

The Africa STI Forum, which is a collaborative multi-stakeholder forum on science, technology and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established pursuant to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as part of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism.

The mechanism was established under the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and was launched by the 2030 Agenda to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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Ethiopians mark Victory Day

Ethiopians mark Victory Day

Ethiopians on Wednesday celebrated the 126th anniversary of Ethiopia’s victory of Adwa, which marked the East African country’s victory against a colonial power some 126 years ago…reports Asian Lite News

While marking the Victory Day Wednesday, Ethiopians from all walks of life called for replicating similar victory against what they referred to as “unwanted foreign interference.”

The Battle of Adwa on March 2, 1896, which is also referred to as the first Ethiopian-Italian war, marks the first black victory against the invading colonial forces of Italy in the African continent.

The war, which was largely fought in the Adwa mountains some 977 km north of Addis Ababa, the capital, is believed to have initiated other freedom fighters across the African continent to struggle toward independence and freedom against colonialism.

This year’s Adwa Victory celebration came as the East African country faced internal conflict between the government and rebel forces in the northern parts of Ethiopia. The conflict resulted in strong foreign interference.

Ethiopians mark Victory Day

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in his congratulatory message, said the Victory of Adwa is a bright monument that has taught the harsh consequences of trying to pose threats on Ethiopia.

“We are fortunate to be able to celebrate the Victory of Adwa where our brave mothers and fathers have registered great triumph by rejecting colonialism and slavery as well as inferiority and humiliation,” Ahmed said. “The Victory of Adwa had laid a solid foundation for peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America to break the yoke of slavery, the burden of colonialism and inferiority policy.”

This year’s Victory Day was celebrated across Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most-populous nation.

In Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, a high-level event marked the 126th anniversary with the presence of senior Ethiopian government officials, elders, diplomats and representatives of foreign countries, among others.

While addressing a commemorative event held in the capital, Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde called on Ethiopians to stand together and strive for national peace and development.

“We must learn from the victory of Adwa that nothing will stop us if we stand together,” she said. “We have shown that nothing can stop us from working together to make Ethiopia a better place. Once again, on this day, I call upon all the people in Ethiopia to repeat the victory we gained in Adwa to defeat backwardness and misery in the country.”

ALSO READ: Sudan rejects Ethiopia’s power generation from disputed dam

Henok Alene, 57, was one of the tens of thousands of Ethiopians attending the commemorative event held at Emperor Menelik II Square in Addis Ababa.

Alene called on the current generation to draw inspiration from the forefathers toward replicating a similar momentous victory against the surge of foreign interference in Ethiopia.

“The past year witnessed incessant foreign interference and pressure on our country. We, as sons and daughters of our forefathers, should maintain unrelenting gesture to those who have a destructive agenda against our country,” Alene told Xinhua.

Smrawit Solomon, 25, echoed a similar sentiment as she emphasized that Ethiopia, as the only not colonized African country, should keep its aspirations high against all odds.

“Unlike any other country, we Ethiopians celebrate Victory Day not an independence day; and now we should remain strong enough to bring our country into a development path that suits our aspiration,” she said. 

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Museveni Seeks African Unity To Face Challenges

Ugandan, Equatorial Guinea leaders call for African unity to address challenges … reports ADD Newsdesk

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and visiting Equatorial Guinea Vice President Teodoro Nguema Mangue have called for African unity to address the challenges facing the continent.

According to the State House statement, the two leaders while meeting at State House Entebbe, 40-km south of the capital Kampala, said security and social economic problems can be solved if countries worked together, Xinhua news agency reported.

Nguema Mangue said the current global changes and instability in parts of Africa are a challenge to the continent. The vice president is in Uganda on a two-day working visit. He delivered a special message to Museveni from his Equatorial Guinea counterpart Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

Uganda Economy

Uganda’s economy showed signs of recovery in the first half of the 2021/22 financial year despite the impact of new COVID-19 variants during the period, according to the country’s ministry of finance.

The ministry of finance in its half-year economic report, spanning July 2021 to December 2021, said high-frequency indicators of economic activity reflected continued recovery in business activity.

The indicators including the Composite Index of Economic Activity (CIEA), Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) and the Business Tendency Index (BTI) showed that although there was a bit of economic struggle during the month of July as the economy had just emerged from the second lockdown, the economy bounced back in the months that followed.

The CIEA on average grew at 5 percent compared to the same period the previous year while the PMI and the BTI both recorded indices above the 50-mark threshold from August to December 2021 as the gradual easing of the June-July lockdown measures led to growth in output and new orders. The threshold of 50 is a baseline to indicate an increase or a decline in business conditions.

The report showed that the first quarter of the financial year registered economic growth of 3.8 percent, reflecting an improvement in the gross domestic product (GDP) from the same quarter of the previous financial year. This is attributed to increased growth momentum in both the industry and services sectors.

The services sector grew by 7.9 percent compared to negative growth of 4.5 percent in quarter one of the previous financial year while the industry sector grew by 0.3 percent compared to negative growth of 2.7 percent in quarter one of the previous financial year. The agricultural sector continued to grow although at a slower pace of 3.6 percent compared to 6.8 percent in the same quarter of the previous financial year.

ALSO READ: DEBT-TRAP: China Takes Over Ugandan Airport

The report projected that the economy will grow at 3.8 percent this financial year from 3.4 percent registered in the previous year. This is on account of the expected recovery in production, aggregate demand and trade following the full reopening of the economy in January.

Growth will also be driven by government policy interventions such as support to small businesses as well as an accommodative monetary policy.

“The anticipated global recovery is expected to boost Uganda’s international trade further supporting economic growth,” the report showed.

The global economy is projected to grow at 5.9 percent in 2021 and 4.4 percent in 2022 from the negative 3.1 percent in 2020, as vaccination and policy support continue, said the finance ministry, warning new variants of the COVID-19 virus, associated lockdown measures and supply chain disruptions would pose concerns for the outlook.