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MENA Climate Week from Feb 28 in Dubai

The first-ever Middle East and North Africa Climate Week, MENACW 2022, will be held from February 28 to March 3 in Dubai…reports Asian Lite News


This planned in-person meeting kicks off the Regional Climate Weeks in 2022 and a new era of cooperation on climate in the region.

MENACW 2022 is one of the first opportunities to advance implementation of the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Climate Pact adopted at November’s COP26 in Glasgow.

The event will build on the outcomes of last year’s COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, where regional collaboration emerged as a catalyst for global climate action.

The week will explore resilience against climate risks, the transition to a low-emission economy and collaboration to solve pressing challenges. This is an opportunity for governments, the private sector, cities, indigenous communities, youth and civil society to engage in solution-oriented dialogue, find common ground and collaborate on climate action, a statement by the UN Climate Change secretariat said.

Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, said: “MENA Climate Week 2022 is one of our first opportunities to accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement following COP26 in Glasgow in November.

“At COP26, the world took an important step forward for climate action. It is now time for us all to work together under the common set of guidelines set forth in the Glasgow Climate Pact and advance regional collaboration on reducing vulnerability, transforming global energy systems and financing a low-emission future.

“MENACW 2022 provides an excellent platform for these discussions, as regional collaboration is a catalyst for global progress.”

ALSO READ: NAMA launches Women’s inclusion Toolkit in MENA region

To encourage inclusivity and enable broad collaboration, some sessions will be webcast and virtual events are anticipated.

Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: “The Glasgow Climate Pact sounds a clear call for collaboration. It is a wake-up call to work together on green recovery from the global health crisis and a roadmap to achieve the vision of the Paris Agreement.

“Stakeholders from across the region are invited to join MENA Climate Week 2022 and further crucial conversations on overcoming the climate challenge and unlocking opportunity in the MENA region.”

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Africa News News

UN concern over Sudan Crisis

Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sudan, has expressed concern over the ongoing political crisis in the country and civilian casualties in street protests…reports Asian Lite News

The envoy said in a statement that he “remains concerned by the ongoing political crisis which risks further derailing progress made since the December revolution”, reports Xinhua news agency.

He said he was “deeply concerned by the number of civilians killed and injured in the context of the ongoing protests”.

Perthes urged the security forces to abide by their obligations under international law and strictly uphold the rights of protesters to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, saying that perpetrators of violence must be brought to justice.

The UN envoy also regretted the resignation of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday.

However, the envoy voiced respect for Hamdok’s decision and commended the accomplishments made under his leadership, during the first phase of the transitional period.

ALSO READ: 114 Sudanese protesters arrested over violations

On Monday, Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan stressed the need to form an independent government with consent of all the Sudanese people after Hamdok resigned.

Al-Burhan stressed the need to achieve the tasks of the transitional period with the top priority of realising peace and security and conducting elections in the country.

Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after Al-Burhan, also General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, declared a state of emergency on October 25, 2021, and dissolved the Sovereign Council and government.

On November 21, Al-Burhan and the then removed Prime Minister Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating the latter as Prime Minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the street.

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Africa News Arab News Dubai

Middle East and North Africa Climate Week from February 28 in Dubai

The first-ever Middle East and North Africa Climate Week, MENACW 2022, will be held from February 28 to March 3 in Dubai…reports Asian Lite News

This planned in-person meeting kicks off the Regional Climate Weeks in 2022 and a new era of cooperation on climate in the region.

MENACW 2022 is one of the first opportunities to advance implementation of the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Climate Pact adopted at November’s COP26 in Glasgow.

The event will build on the outcomes of last year’s COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, where regional collaboration emerged as a catalyst for global climate action.

The week will explore resilience against climate risks, the transition to a low-emission economy and collaboration to solve pressing challenges. This is an opportunity for governments, the private sector, cities, indigenous communities, youth and civil society to engage in solution-oriented dialogue, find common ground and collaborate on climate action, a statement by the UN Climate Change secretariat said.

Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, said: “MENA Climate Week 2022 is one of our first opportunities to accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement following COP26 in Glasgow in November.

ALSO READ: Erdogan’s African Agenda

“At COP26, the world took an important step forward for climate action. It is now time for us all to work together under the common set of guidelines set forth in the Glasgow Climate Pact and advance regional collaboration on reducing vulnerability, transforming global energy systems and financing a low-emission future.

“MENACW 2022 provides an excellent platform for these discussions, as regional collaboration is a catalyst for global progress.”

To encourage inclusivity and enable broad collaboration, some sessions will be webcast and virtual events are anticipated.

Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: “The Glasgow Climate Pact sounds a clear call for collaboration. It is a wake-up call to work together on green recovery from the global health crisis and a roadmap to achieve the vision of the Paris Agreement.

“Stakeholders from across the region are invited to join MENA Climate Week 2022 and further crucial conversations on overcoming the climate challenge and unlocking opportunity in the MENA region.”

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Africa News News World

South Africa’s Parliament fire flares up again

The fire service of South Africa’s legislative capital Cape Town said that the blaze at Parliament, which erupted two days ago, has flared up again…reports Asian Lite News

In a statement, the service said that the void beneath the roof sheeting of the building of the National Assembly, the lower house, was on fire and about 34 firefighters were busy battling it, reports Xinhua news agency.

On Monday morning, the city government said the fire service has scaled down resources from 9 p.m. on Sunday night, and the fire in the building was under control except on the fourth floor, which was still smouldering.

The fire has affected both the National Assembly Wing and the Old Assembly Wing built in 1885, which houses the upper house National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

The old wing’s fire was contained on Sunday.

The interior of the National Assembly building was “extensively destroyed,” and the structural ceiling of the National Assembly Wing collapsed.

The fire gutted the third floor of the old wing, including the office space and the gym, and its roof partly collapsed.

The fire led to the “complete burning down” of the chamber of the National Assembly, Chairperson of the NCOP Amos Masondo told reporters here.

It is “one of the biggest losses” caused by the fire, said Masondo.

The lower house’s chamber in the National Assembly building built between 1983 and 1985 was used to host plenary sittings of the National Assembly and the joint sittings of the two houses.

Masondo, however, said some important sections were saved, including NCOP Chamber and offices, the Parliament Library, the Museum including artworks and heritage objects as well as the Keiskama tapestry, an embroidery telling the history of South Africa on the ground floor of the Old Assembly Building.

ALSO READ: Man held over fire at S.Africa parliament

He said the multi-agency and multi-pronged investigations are underway and will be in full swing once the whole building is declared safe and handed over to the investigation team.

“We wish to assure all the people in South Africa that we will leave no stone unturned to enable appropriate actions to be taken by all relevant authorities,” said Masondo.

According to him, a multidisciplinary team of professional engineers has arrived in Parliament to determine the cause of the fire, the extent of damage, safety of the building, and the estimated cost as well as timelines for repairs.

South African Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia De Lille also told reporters that the team of engineers includes electrical, structural and mechanical engineers, and they focus on repairs that need to be done, the cost of the repairs and the timeframe for the repairs.

A fire expert, together with a fire forensic team, on Monday started to determine where exactly the fire started and a preliminary report is expected to be presented by Friday morning, she said.

The cause of the blaze is still unknown and one person has been arrested in connection.

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Africa News COVID-19 News

Botswana’s President tests positive for Covid-19

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi is in mandatory self-isolation at his official residence in Gaborone after testing positive for Covid-19…reports Asian Lite News

Masisi’s mandatory self-isolation is necessitated by having tested positive for Covid-19 following a routine test for the virus, John Dipowe, the acting permanent secretary in the Botswana government communications, said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

“Members of the public are assured that His Excellency the President does not have any symptoms and will continue to receive close medical monitoring from his doctors,” said Dipowe, adding that the self-isolation is a precautionary measure in accordance with Botswana’s Covid-19 health protocols.

ALSO READ: Botswana achieves WHO Covid-19 vaccination target

Botswana’s Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane will act as the southern African country’s president during Masisi’s self-isolation period until further notice.

Botswana has registered 219,509 cases of Covid-19 with 2,444 related deaths. So far, 48.6 per cent of the total population has received the first dose of vaccine, while 43 per cent fully vaccinated.

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Africa News News Travel & Tourism

1.4mn tourists visit Tanzania in 2021

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said that 1.4 million tourists visited the east African nation in 2021 amid the Covid-19 pandemic that hugely affected the tourism industry…reports Asian Lite News

In her message to welcome the New Year, President Hassan said only 620,867 tourists visited the country in 2020, the year that the pandemic was first reported in Tanzania and in several other countries across the world, reports Xinhua news agency.

“In 2021, there was an increase of 779,133 tourists who visited Tanzania,” she said in her address televised live by the state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation.

ALSO READ: S.Africa tourism shows signs of recovery

“Our expectations are that the tourism industry will continue to flourish in 2022 and beyond,” she said.

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Africa News News Travel & Tourism

1.4mn tourists visit Tanzania in 2021

1.4mn tourists visit Tanzania in 2021

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said that 1.4 million tourists visited the east African nation in 2021 amid the Covid-19 pandemic that hugely affected the tourism industry…reports Asian Lite News

In her message to welcome the New Year, President Hassan said only 620,867 tourists visited the country in 2020, the year that the pandemic was first reported in Tanzania and in several other countries across the world, reports Xinhua news agency.

1.4mn tourists visit Tanzania in 2021

“In 2021, there was an increase of 779,133 tourists who visited Tanzania,” she said in her address televised live by the state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation.

ALSO READ: World Bank Project To help 12 mn Tanzanian children

“Our expectations are that the tourism industry will continue to flourish in 2022 and beyond,” she said.

Categories
Africa News News World

Man held over fire at S.Africa parliament

Man held over fire at S.Africa parliament

A man has been arrested after a large fire severely damaged the Houses of Parliament in the South African city of Cape Town…reports Asian Lite News

A police spokesperson said the man was facing charges of arson, housebreaking and theft, and would appear in court on Tuesday, the BBC reported.

Firefighters have been working for hours to extinguish the blaze.

Man held over fire at S.Africa parliament

President Cyril Ramaphosa called it a “terrible and devastating event”, as he vowed parliament’s work would continue.

Footage from the scene on Sunday showed a plume of black smoke filling the sky, with huge flames coming out from the roof of the building.

Officials said the fire started on the third floor offices and quickly spread to the National Assembly (the parliament’s lower house) chamber.

The parliament is not currently in session because of the holidays, and no injuries were reported.

ALSO READ: S.Africa tourism shows signs of recovery

Brigadier Nomthandazo Mbambo said the suspect is also expected to be charged under the National Key Points Act, which protects sites of strategic importance. Further details were not immediately available.

In a statement on Sunday night, South Africa’s parliament confirmed that there had been “significant damage” to the New Assembly Wing of the building, which includes the National Assembly chamber where lawmakers sit. It also said some offices had been “severely gutted”.

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Africa News Travel Travel & Tourism

S.Africa tourism shows signs of recovery

S.Africa tourism shows signs of recovery

South African tourism is showing signs of recovery with the coastal city of Durban having 80 per cent occupancy at establishments and over 200,000 visitors during the festive season…reports Asian Lite News

“We desperately needed this development because we were bruised by the pandemic and multitudes of our people lost jobs. I am happy that following these figures, it means we are doing things right,” Xinhua news agency quoted Durban Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda as saying

S.Africa tourism shows signs of recovery

Kaunda said during this festive season restaurants and eateries in the townships and other destinations were full of tourists.

Over the Christmas weekend period alone, about 200,000 people visited the city, spending close to R150 million ($10 million).

ALSO READ: Africa Covid cases near 10 Million

Their contribution to the city’s gross domestic product was about R350 million.

On December 30, 2021, the South African government removed the curfew.

Categories
Africa News COVID-19 News

Africa Covid cases near 10 Million

Africa Covid cases near 10 Million

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Africa has reached 9,519,699, according to health authorities…reports Asian Lite News

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said the death toll across the continent currently stood at 227,708, while the recoveries have reached 8,556,200, Xinhua news agency reported.

South Africa has recorded the most Covid-19 cases in the continent with 3,417,318, followed by Morocco (956,410 ), the health agency said.

ALSO READ: Global Covid caseload tops 284.4 mn

Southern Africa is the most affected region, followed by the northern and eastern parts of the continent, while central Africa is the least affected.