FLASH HIGHLIGHT NEWS
POLITICS & SOCIETY
ASIAN AND LATIN AMERICA COUNTRIES: Philip Nyusi by strengthening economic cooperation
in Noticias
in o Pais.
THE PRESIDENT of the Republic, Philip Nyusi, highlighted yesterday on the need for the Asian and Latin America countries , with which the country has cooperation ties, to strengthen and improve cooperation in the economic and investment in order to raise to new level of Mozambican development.
Nyusi made the appeal yesterday during separate audiences to diplomats from Asia and Latin America accredited in the country, "to whom asked to submit concrete proposals in the development of the Mozambican economy, while developing their", according to the press the Counsellor of the President, Catarina Dimande.
The two counties groups expressed their willingness to support Mozambique in its efforts towards development, combat poverty and create jobs, especially at a time that he country is facing the adverse effects of floods that killed more than a hundred people and economic and social infrastructures destroyed priceless.
According to Ambassador of Indonesia, Harbangan Napitupulu, speaking on behalf of his Asian colleagues, the meeting with the PR was an opportunity to congratulate him of occupying the highest position of the nation and encourage him to take into fruition of governance priorities which pass through peacekeeping and poverty reduction.
"We take the meeting to express to the President our message of sympathy and condolences for the lives that were lost due to floods in the center and north. At the same time we express our full support for the recovery because we believe that with your leadership and your priorities, Mozambique will surely walk through the path of development, "Napitupulu said.
The Asian diplomat praised that with the leadership of President Nyusi the country will be able to maintain security and peace, conditions necessary to achieve the harmonious development.
In turn, the Ambassador of Brazil, Ligia Scherer, representing the Latin American countries, lined by the same pitch to pointing that "absolute priority is the establishment of peace in the country" as the premise for various investments, where there is a large Brazilian involvement, to drive for the desired development.
To achieve this goal, the Brazilian diplomat said that her country will sign in the next few days several memoranda with its Mozambican counterpart in order to materialize a number of programs to support the development and investments in various areas, with main focus on agriculture, human resources and natural resources.
In the two audiences there were represented by Asia, in spite of Indonesia, China, Japan, South Korea, East Timor, India and Vietnam.
Source: http://www.jornalnoticias.com
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Renamo wants to ban President's political party activities: "Absurd", says government
Yet another round – the 99th – in the dialogue between the Mozambican government and the former rebel movement Renamo ended in failure on Monday, with no progress on either of the agenda points currently under discussion, namely the separation of political parties from the state, and defence and security issues.
Renamo insists that the joint document on separating parties from the state should ban politicians from undertaking political work. It wants to extend the ban on party political activities in the state to the President of the Republic and all the figures whom he appoints.
This was a last minute addition to the document. At the beginning of March, it seemed that consensus had been reached and a document of principles could be signed, winding up this point of the agenda. But then, at the 2 March meeting, Renamo threw its spanner in the works – demanding that people whose jobs are eminently political could not engage in politics.
The government found the demand absurd and the dialogue has ground to a halt over the issue – as Renamo no doubt intended.
At the press conference following the Monday meeting, the head of the government
delegation, Agriculture Minister Jose Pacheco, said it made no sense to ban the President of the Republic from political party activities, since he was elected as a representative of a political party.
“We explained to Renamo that a driver or an accountant could be covered by the ban on political activities, with the freedom to engage in politics outside of work – but the ban cannot extend to the Head of State, since he represents a party, and was elected in the name of this party which gave hope to Mozambicans”, said Pacheco.
Renamo is not budging an inch. The head of the Renamo delegation, Saimone Macuiana, said the Renamo demand was “just”. Renamo wanted a total ban on political activities by state officials, up to and including the President, between 07.30 and 15.30.
“That’s what we defend and we shall continue to defend it”, he insisted.
As for defence and security, a new snag appeared with the international team of monitors observing the cessation of hostilities between government and Renamo forces (known by the acronym EMOCHM). After months of enforced idleness, since Renamo has refused to
cooperate in disarming its militia, half the countries involved in EMOCHM have withdrawn their officers – including Botswana, which had supplied a brigadier who was leading the entire team. The government and Renamo military experts proposed that the Botswanan be replaced by a Zimbabwean colonel, now the highest ranking foreigner in EMOCHM.
This should have been a simple matter – but the Renamo delegation claimed it needed to hold consultations before it could agree. “We believe that such consultations could have been held today, even before the end of this meeting”, said Pacheco.
But once again Renamo dragged its feet and so, by the end of the meeting, the leadership of EMOCHM was still in doubt.
As for the recruitment of members of the Renamo militia into the armed forces (FADM) and the police, Renamo is insisting that an “integration fund” be set up to pay them.
Pacheco said no such fund was needed, since any Mozambican citizen recruited into the army or the police, will be receiving a monthly wage packet.
Much more serious was Renamo’s continued demand for a share-out of senior military and police positions. Renamo wanted promotions for its members who were already in the armed forces (arising from the formation of the FADM out of volunteers from the old government army, the FAM/FPLM, and from Renamo in 1994), and “parity” with the government in positions of leadership and command.
Once again Pacheco pointed to the contradiction between demanding an end to party political activities inside the state, but forming the top military command on an explicitly party
political basis.
As for the alleged discontent of FADM officers who were once Renamo members, Pacheco demanded that Renamo present specific examples so that the cases can be solved. The government had spoken with the FADM leadership, he said, and their response was “you must help us identify the people who are suffering these injustices, and so Renamo should present us with lists”.
Renamo seems allergic to lists. For about six months the government has been requesting a list of the gunmen whom Renamo wants to incorporate into the FADM and the police, and Renamo has been refusing to provide one. The result is that not a single member of the Renamo militia has been disarmed or demobilized.
At the end of the meeting, Pacheco admitted to reports “the dialogue has run aground and it needs high tide to lift it”
Source: http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz
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SECURE MEAN OF SANITATION: Strategic measures from April
THE GOVERNMENT will launch on April 4 near the national campaign of sanitation and hygiene promotion in order to increase the levels of health and health education.
According to the Deputy Minister of Health and spokesman for the Government, Mouzinho Saide, during the campaign will be incremented education activities for health, but also the cleaning days in public institutions, markets, schools, hospitals, gardens, beaches and places of large
concentration of people.
will be a greater awareness of the consumption of drinking water and safe food.
It is expected also the increase of hygiene in places of sale and consumption of food and monitoring actions of the impact on communities.
This will be carried out from the central level to the provincial governments, administrations and municipalities.
The proposal is to enhancement of the levels of hygiene and sanitation and finding ways to perpetuate these actions.
"The campaigns aimed at solving specific problems but in order to keep this type of action permanently to reduce the prevalence of diseases caused by poor sanitation and hygiene deficiency", held Mouzinho Saide.
The campaign launch comes in a context where the country is facing a cholera outbreak which currently affects 18 districts of Tete, Sofala, Nampula, Zambezia and Niassa.
"Most provinces are able to control the number of cases and the actions taken to contain the outbreak are delivering its effect," he said.
In the context of cholera have been recorded 7073 cases and 54 deaths across the country and preventive actions carried out continue to keep the outbreak located in those provinces.
About the emergency situation, the spokesman of the Council of Ministers realized that there was no new impacts as the meteorological and hydrological situation will return to normal.
Just yesterday, the Council of Ministers approved the resolution which brings Armando Ussivane for the post of Chairman of the Irrigation Company Directors of the Lower Limpopo, EP and Almeida Xerinda for the same position in Hydraulics Chokwe.
The session also considered the presidential decree defining the duties and powers of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and Water Resources to submit to the President.
Source: http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz
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Mozambican writer Mia Couto shortlisted for Man Booker International Prize
Mozambican author Mia Couto has been listed among the ten finalists for the sixth Man Booker International Prize, according to an announcement yesterday on the award’s website.
The £60,000 (around US$89,000) prize recognises one writer for his or her achievements in fiction.
“I receive the news with surprise,” says Couto, as quoted by weekly news edition A Bola. “It would be an arrogance and a vanity not to say otherwise, it is an internationally renowned
prize,” he says.
The writer added that it is an accomplishment for African literature to have four Africans among the ten finalists, including Hoda Barakat (Libya), Alain Mabanckou, (Republic of Congo) and Marlene van Niekerk (South Africa).
"Africa was a continent of soccer players, dancers and sculpture; people did not expect much from Literature ", Mia Couto says.
"It's very good for us as Mozambicans, this means that our country will also be known for good things and not just rumours of war, as had been going so far, Mia told ‘O País’, adding that being in the short list is already such an honour to him that he must strive to forget it, in order to avoid anxiety until the announcement of the winner.
The jury highlights the "profound" and “precise” way Mia Couto uses language in his "stories on
civilization and barbarism".
"He (Mia Couto) weaves together the living tradition of the legend, poetry and song. His pages are studded with amazing images," said the jury.
The Man Booker International Prize is awarded every two years to a living author who has published fiction either originally in English or whose work is generally available in translation in the English language. Eight of the ten writers appointed this year do not originally write in in English, they are translated into English – the award’s highest ever proportion.
In 2014, Mia Couto was awarded the Neutstadt International Prize for Literature. He has won the Camões Prize (the most prestigious Portuguese-language award), the Latin Union Prize and the Vergílio Ferreira Prize, amongst others. His novel ‘Sleepwalking Land’ was voted one of the 12 best African Books of the 20th Century at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair.
The Man Booker Prize calls Mia “one of the most prominent writers in Portuguese-speaking Africa”. “His books, infused with magical realism and deeply rooted in the political upheavals, languages and narratives of his native land, have been published in more than 20 countries, ” adds Mia Couto’s presentation in the Man Booker Prize webpage
The 2015 Man Booker International Prize winner will be announced at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on 19 May. Mozambique and the three other African countries, as well as Guadeloupe (Maryse Condé) and Hungary (László Krasznahorkai), are first-timers in the finalist selection. Armitav Gosh (India), Fanny Howe (United States of America) and César Aira (Argentina).
The winner is chosen solely at the discretion of the judging panel; there are no submissions from publishers. Lydia Davis won the prize in 2013, Philip Roth (USA) in 2011, Alice Munro (Canada) in 2009, Chinua Achebe (Nigeria) in 2007 and Ismail Kadaré (Albania) won the inaugural prize in 2005.
The shortlist was announced yesterday at cape Twon's University, in Cape Town, South Africa.
Source: http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz
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ECONOMY
Millennium bim celebrates 20 years focusing on expansion and employment
Millennium bim complete this year, two decades of operation in Mozambican market. To celebrate, the bank will promote discussions on the domestic economy, as well as cultural, sports and social responsibility events.
At the launch of the festivities yesterday in Maputo, the President of the Executive Board of bim, Mario Machungo, highlighted the main achievements over the past two decades.
Machungo, who was speaking at a press conference in the presence of other conditions that institution revealed that the Millennium bim contributed to the change and the growth of the country, judging by the more than 1.3 million customers, as well as the expansion of the network counters for regions where there were banking, allowing coverage to 55 districts of all provinces, with a total of 166 branches.
The President also recalled that the bank was a pioneer in electronic payment means, including, ATMs, POS, other services such as internet banking and, more recently, the mobile banking channel.
Source: http://www.opais.com/
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Gaza gets 7 new agricultural processing units
Seven processing units for agricultural products are expected to be completed by May in the Irrigation Zone of Lower Limpopo, in Mozambique’s Gaza province, writes daily newspaper Notícias.
This will reportedly benefit 4,000 farmers as part of an African Development Bank (ADB)-funded project, which aims to raise agricultural productivity in a 3,000 hectare area, particularly for grains and vegetable crops.
ADB has invested US$44 million in the Lower Limpopo Irrigation Project, as it is called, which began in 2013 and is scheduled to end in 2018.
The initiative also provides farmers with access to agricultural machinery and storage facilities at the Nhocoene Agrarian House in Gaza, says the project’s Chairman of the Board of Directors Armando Ussivane.
Source: http://www.jornalnoticias.com
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Anadarko bankrolls cushy club memberships for executives
Anadarko Petroleum Corp., the Texas-based gas exploration company with operation in Mozambique, last year paid $127,252 in club fees for five of its executives, reveals Bloomberg.
“The dues include $38,388 for Chairman and Chief Executive Officer R.A. Walker and $37,173 for Chief Financial Officer Robert G. Gwin”, writes Bloomberg. “Charles A. Meloy, executive vice president of U.S. onshore exploration and production, received $32,062 in club dues, and Robert P.
Daniels and Robert K. Reeves, also executive vice presidents, received a combined $19,629”, it says
Anadarko spokesperson John Christiansen refused to comment, while Anadarko wrote in the filing that “for those clubs not used exclusively for business, the entire amount has been included, although we believe that only a portion of this cost represents a perquisite,” it reads, cited by Bloomberg.
Walker’s compensation totaled US$20.7 million last year, which included US$253,027 for personal aircraft use and US$15,868 for an executive physical, writes Bloomberg.
Anadarko lists 12 companies, including Chevron Corp. and ConocoPhillips, as peers against which it benchmarks compensation plans. Only two of those companies, Occidental Petroleum Corp. and Noble Energy Inc., pay club dues, according to data compiled by Bloomberg from their most-recent proxy filings.
Anadarko first disclosed club dues for its executives in its proxy statement filed in 2007, when it paid $116,755 for an “initiation fee plus club dues” for Walker.
Last week the Mozambican government halted Anadarko’s third round of public consultations in Palma, Cabo Delgado province. The consultations began over a year ago as part of the resettlement process for impacted communities in Cabo Delgado’s Afungi Peninsula, whose scheduled relocation to make way for the LNG terminals has sparked widespread protest locally as well as among civil society organizations.
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INTERNATIONAL
Women have key role in disaster prevention - according to the UNDP
Women and children are 14 times more likely to die in disasters duris because they are more likely to become trapped at home.
On the front lines, both at home and in hospitals, women are the first victims of natural disasters and epidemics, but also act as a key prevention, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
"They are the most exposed to disasters," said Helen Clark, UNDP director, in a recent interview with AFP.
Worldwide, women and children are 14 times more likely to die in a natural disaster than men. And when survive and displaced, 20 percent end up being victims of some type of sexual violence - according to United Nations estimatives presented at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held this month in Sendai, Japan.
"The challenge is to get women to participate fully and to promote equality," said the director of UNDP during the conference on the topic, held 14-18 March.
"They should become the engine of change necessary for our society and the economic world," Clark insisted.
The analysis is the same in the field of disasters and public health, as occurred in the case of Ebola epidemic that swept West Africa.
It was the women who paid more expensive, according Remi Sogunro, representative in Liberia at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Even in developed countries like Japan should be increased efforts to better involve women in reducing risk, he said, by
World Tuberculosis Day 2015: Facts about the epidemic which kills 1.5 million a year
Source: http://www.jornalnoticias.com
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World Tuberculosis Day 2015: Facts about the epidemic which kills 1.5 million a year
World Tuberculosis Day is marked every year on 24 March, highlighting one of the world's top health challenges. With nine million new cases and 1.5 million deaths each year, tuberculosis is an ongoing epidemic.
For World TB Day 2015, the United Nations, the Stop TB Partnership and the World Health Organization are calling on all governments and health organisations to mobilise political and social commitment for further progress towards eliminating the disease as a public health burden. The theme this year is "Reach the 3 Million: Reach, Treat, Cure Everyone" – aimed at securing care for the three million who fail to be treated every year.
The date commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch, the German physician and pioneering microbiologist, announced to the University of Berlin's Institute of Hygiene that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis. His discovery marked a turning point in the story of the virulent human infectious disease.
Modern problem
Yet over a century on, the disease continues to be a public health problem, with the highest
rates in Sub-Saharan Africa. A report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and WHO found that 1,000 people a day throughout Europe develop the disease and although the continent has experienced an annual 6% decline, Europe will not be TB-free until the next century.
There has been a sustained decline in cases over the last decade but rates of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, MDR-TB, remain at very high levels.
WHO regional director for Europe, Zsuzsanna Jakab, said only 50% of an estimated 75,000 multi-drug resistant TB patients were found in 2013 and just half were successfully cured.
"Multi-drug resistant TB is still ravaging the European region, making it the most affected area of the entire world," he said.
Source: http://www.clubofmozambique.com/
