SSABE

SUB SAHARA AFRICA BUILT ENVIRONMENT

INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED FACILITY

From the Desk of Paul S Rogers

+27 (0)83 520 7596

E: [email protected] Issue 398 - 5, 2013

SSABE CONNECTS YOU with Sub Sahara Africa at no cost, - it is a free service for all built environment suppliers and contractors. No registration, just a get-down-to-basics Internationally Acclaimed service. Just send your eddress and request to [email protected] SSABE PRODUCES - A weekly international tender and news collation of matters relating to the built environment. An easy scrolling ‘.PDF FORMAT NEWSLETTER’ in country alphabetical order divided into the key trade blocs. The articles covered in these weekly updates will provide you with the leads you need to follow up on early warning prospects. Most have names and companies for you to record. Should you target an individual country before a trade visit, scanning the relevant collations will give you a myriad of prospective appointments in business development.

SSABE TENDER NOTICES – Provides you with the full tender notice of the abridged version in the newsletter at a nominal fee [US$20 / ZAR150] – Just send request and the interested bid reference to [email protected] (A few notices will not be available and ‘Prior Information’ is posted 30 days or more before bid opening) TENDERS

BENIN: Tender - Consulting Services for the Construction of 26 Wells in the Municipality of Banikoara Opportunity Type: Services Proposal Due Date: Feb 22, 2013

BURUNDI: Tender - Laboratory Equipment for Quality Monitoring and Analysis of Wastewater Opportunity Type: Goods Proposal Due Date: Mar 01, 2013 Project Summary - ITB for Laboratory Equipment for Quality Monitoring / Analysis of Wastewater

BURUNDI: Tender - Laboratory Equipment for Quality Monitoring and Analysis of Wastewater Opportunity Type: Goods Proposal Due Date: Mar 01, 2013

CAMEROON: Tender - Invitation for Expression of Interest in Cameroon: Screening for Technical Studies (BET) and Supervision of Rehabilitation of Health Facilities in Northwest, West, Southwest, Littoral, Center and East Regions Opportunity Type: Services Express Interest By: Mar 06, 2013 Project Summary Original Language: French

CAMEROON: Project - Road Rehabilitation Project in Western Douala in Cameroon Opportunity Type: Services Project Summary - rehabilitate and redevelop the West RN3 access road to Douala. The total estimated cost of this project is EUR 75 million or approximately US$ 101.929 million

1 CAMEROON: Project - Program to Support the Technical and Vocational Agricultural Education in Cameroon Opportunity Type: Services Component 1: Development of training for agropastoral operators and fishermen Component 2: Development of agricultural, fishing, veterinarians training Component 3: Support to vocational training for youth and adults Component 4: Engineering and support Component 5: Support to the development of training methods The total estimate cost of this project is 38 million or approximately US$ 51.397 million

COMOROS: Tender - Control Work Potable Water in the Three Islands of the Comoros Opportunity Type: Services Express Interest By: Feb 20, 2013 - Un renforcement des adductions d’eau potable des villes de Ouani et Mutsamudu dans l’île d’Anjouan : réhabilitation de 2 captages en rivière et d’un réservoir ; création de 2 captages en rivière, de 3 réservoirs, d’une station de traitement ; pose de conduites d’adduction et de distribution (entre 10 et 11 km) ; - Un renforcement de l’adduction d’eau potable de la ville de Fomboni, dans l’île de Mohéli : réhabilitation d’un captage en rivière ; création d’un réservoir ; pose de conduites d’adduction et de distribution (environ 6,2 km) - La réfection des captages alimentant la ville de Moroni, dans l’île de Ngazidja : réhabilitation de 3 puits et leur équipement ; - La réalisation de l’adduction d’eau potable de la ville de M’Béni dans l’île de Ngazidja : création de forages de reconnaissance et de 1 ou 2 forage(s) productif(s) de 150 m de profondeur approximative ; création de 2 réservoirs et d’une station de reprise ; pose de conduites d’adduction et de distribution (environ 11,1 km).

Côte d’Ivoire: Tender - Rehabilitation of Administration and Security Buildings Opportunity Type: Services, Works Proposal Due Date: Mar 20, 2013

DRC: Promoting expansion of piped water supply networks and stand posts in DRC Phase 1 Request For Proposals Publication Date: Feb 4, 2013 Deadline: Feb 18, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Miscellaneous services

ETHIOPA: Supply of laboratory equipment and consumables to the project 'Improving and integrating animal health services in the livestock value chain through public private dialogue in Ethiopia (LVC-PPD)' Request For Proposals City/Locality: ADDIS ABABA Publication Date: Feb 6, 2013 Deadline: Mar 4, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Miscellaneous evaluation or testing instruments •Measuring instruments •Metering instruments •Diagnostic agents •Laboratory reagents

ETHIOPIA: Tender - Procurement of Soil Laboratory Equipment, Glasswares, Spareparts, Chemicals and Reagents Opportunity Type: Goods Proposal Due Date: Mar 22, 2013 Lot 1 Soil laboratory equipments Lot 2 Spare parts Lot 3 Chemicals and Reagents Lot 4 Glass, plastic and ceramics ware’s

GHANA: FEASIBILITY STUDY, ENGINEERING AND PREPARATION OF BIDDING DOCUMENTS FOR 161 kV ATEBUBU -TAMALE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM PROJECT Request For Expressions of Interest Publication Date: Feb 5, 2013 Deadline: Feb 21, 2013 Original Language: English Assignments •Feasibility study

2 GHANA: Tender - Feasibility Study, Engineering and Preparation of Bidding Documents for 161 Kv Atebubu - Tamale Transmission System Project Opportunity Type: Services Express Interest By: Feb 21, 2013 Project Summary - The 161 kV Atebubu -Tamale Transmission System Project includes the construction of transmission Lines and the associated substations as well as the provision of SCADA and Communication Works involved in the: •Construction of approximately 200 km 161 kV Atebubu - Salaga - Tamale and/or Yendi transmission Line •Construction of relevant new substations at Salaga and expansion of 161 kV Buipe Substation as may be required. •Expansion of the 161 kV Atebubu and Tamale/Yendi Substations for termination of the 161 kV Atebubu-Tamale Line as shall be determined.

GUINEA: Tender - Supply of Spare Parts for Hydroelectric Power Station in Garafiri Opportunity Type: Goods Proposal Due Date: Apr 18, 2013 •Lot 1: Pièces pour la prise d’eau •Lot 2: Pièces pour les groupes et pièces pour les auxiliaires des groupes et de l’usine Lot 3: Pièces pour le poste 110/20/0,4 kV et le Transformateur de puissance des groupes 31 MVA 5,65/110 kV

GUINEA: Project to support the public water service in rural and semi-urban areas in Guinea Prior Information Notice City/Locality: CONAKRY Publication Date: Feb 5, 2013 Original Language: French Goods, Works and Services •Consulting services for water-supply and waste consultancy •Works related to water-distribution pipelines •Operation of water supplies

GUINEA: Tender - Project to Support the Public Water Service in Rural and Semi-urban Areas in Guinea General Procurement Notice Opportunity Type: Services — section 1, component A: national and regional institutional support, support for communes and development of maintenance SMEs, — section 1, component B: detailed preliminary design studies for construction or rehabilitation of drinking-water supply systems and boreholes equipped with manually operated pumps; drawing up the invitation to tender dossier for the works, — section 1, component C: upgrading the database for monitoring of the hydraulic structures managed by the SNAPE (national water point service), — section 2: monitoring and inspection of the works to construct or rehabilitate drinking-water supply systems and boreholes equipped with manually operated pumps.

KENYA: Project - Lake Turkana Wind Power Project in Kenya Opportunity Type: Services The objective of the project is to finance the construction and operation of a 300 MW wind power plant near Lake Turkana, Kenya. The total cost of the project is estimated at EUR 580 million or approximately US$ 787.838 million.

KENYA: Consulting Services For Preparation of Integrated Strategic Urban Development Plans for Twelve (12) Towns in 4 Clus ters within the Nairobi Metropolitan Region Request For Expressions of Interest Publication Date: Feb 5, 2013 Deadline: Feb 27, 2013 Original Language: English Assignments •Urban development construction work •Urban environmental development planning

KENYA: Tender - Supply of Two Rough Terrain Container Handlers Reach Stacker Type Including Spare Parts and Ancillary Services in Kenya Opportunity Type: Goods Express Interest By: Feb 20, 2013 Project Summary - with top lift spreader for 20’-40’ ISO containers,

3 MALAWI: Development of an Irrigation Master Plan and Investment Framework Request For Expressions of Interest Publication Date: Feb 5, 2013 Deadline: Feb 18, 2013 Original Language: English Assignments •Irrigation works

MAURITANIA: Tender - Pre-qualification of Companies for the Procurement of Design, Supply and Installation of Facilities on the Realization of Interconnection Networks and Electrical Distribution Opportunity Type: Services Express Interest By: Mar 25, 2013 City/Locality: Nouakchott Publication Date: Feb 6, 2013 Deadline: March 25, 2013 Original Language: French

MAURITANIA: Tender - Recruitment of a Consultant for Control, Coordination and Supervision of Works Expressions of Interest Opportunity Type: Services Express Interest By: Mar 25, 2013 City / Locality: Nouakchott Publication Date: Feb 6, 2013 Deadline: March 25, 2013 Original Language: French Goods, Works and Services

MAURITIUS: Recruitment of the technical assistance team for the implementation of the regional programme 'Coastal, marine and island specific biodiversity management in the eastern and southern Africa-Indian Ocean (ESA-IO) coastal States' Prior Information Notice City/Locality: EBENE Publication Date: Feb 5, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Environmental management •Project management consultancy services

MOROCCO: Tender - Construction of High Voltage Substations in Morocco Opportunity Type: Works, Goods Proposal Due Date: Mar 27, 2013 Project Summary - la construction du poste 225/60 kV d’OULAD RAHHOU et les extensions 225 kV au poste de GLALCHA et 60 kV au poste 60/22 kV d’OULAD TEIMA.

MOZAMBIQUE: INVITATION FOR BIDS - SUPPLY OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS Prior Information Notice City/Locality: Maputo Publication Date: Feb 7, 2013 Deadline: Mar 13, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Secondary education services

RWANDA: INVITATION FOR PREQUALIFICATION FOR Independent Power Producer for a 50 MW methane gas fuelled power plant Prequalification Notice City/Locality: Kigali Publication Date: Feb 7, 2013 Deadline: Mar 26, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Operation of a power plant

RWANDA: CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR THE SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OF CONSTRUCTION WORKS FOR AN EARTH WATER-RETAINING DAM UPSTREAM KADAHOKWA WTP IN HUYE DISTRICT, SOUTHERN PROVINCE Request For Proposals City/Locality: Kigali Publication Date: Feb 6, 2013 Deadline: Mar 25, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Engineering services •Consulting services for water-supply and waste consultancy 4 RWANDA: Tender - Consulting Services for Planning and LED Advisor in Rwanda Opportunity Type: Services Express Interest By: Mar 25, 2013 Project Summary - The purpose of the Programme is to enhance local development through basic infrastructure as well as institutional development and support to responsive local governance. Phase III of the cooperation programme shall focus on further development of LED approaches in particular, in accordance with the priorities of the Government of Rwanda.

SENEGAL: General Procurement Notice Request For Proposals City/Locality: Dakar Publication Date: Feb 6, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work •Computer equipment and supplies •Miscellaneous repair and maintenance services •Site preparation work •Social services •Office-support services •Recruitment services •Office machinery, equipment and supplies •Road equipment

SOUTH AFRICA: Supply and delivery of a 2,5 ton Hydrostatic All Terrain Multipurpose Forklift Truck Request For Proposals Publication Date: Feb 5, 2013 Deadline: Mar 6, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Forklift trucks

SOUTH AFRICA: Supply and erection of a security boundary fence servitude either side of the Balmoral Canal System at Geelhoutboom Pump Station Request For Proposals Publication Date: Feb 5, 2013 Deadline: Feb 28, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Erection of fencing

SOUTH AFRICA: The supply and delivery of two diesel driven telescopic handlers with attachments—4 000 kg load capacity to construction Request For Proposals Publication Date: Feb 5, 2013 Deadline: Feb 28, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Lifting and handling equipment and parts

SOUTH AFRICA: The supply and delivery of three 18 000 litre off-road water tanker to construction Request For Proposals Publication Date: Feb 5, 2013 Deadline: Feb 28, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Water tanks

TANZANIA: Invitation for Bids for the Supply of Project Signs Request For Proposals City/Locality: Dar es Salaam Publication Date: Feb 4, 2013 Deadline: Mar 19, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Miscellaneous fabricated products and related items

TANZANIA: Consultancy Services for Design and Supervision of Construction of Training Facilities for the Zanzibar Institute of Tourism Development Karume Institute of Science and Technology and Vocational Training Authority Office and Rehabilitation Request For Proposals Publication Date: Feb 6, 2013 Deadline: Feb 27, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Miscellaneous services 5 TANZANIA: Consultancy services for design and supervision Construction of Alternative Learning Centres in Ungula and Pemba – S1 Request For Proposals Publication Date: Feb 6, 2013 Deadline: Feb 27, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Design consultancy services

TANZANIA: Consultancy services for design and supervision of construction of skills development centres in Unguja and Pemba - S2 Request For Proposals Publication Date: Feb 6, 2013 Deadline: Feb 27, 2013 Original Language: English Goods, Works and Services •Design consultancy services

TANZANIA: Project - LV Watsan – Mwanza Project in Tanzania Opportunity Type: Services Project Summary The objective of the project is to increase the coverage of water supply and sanitation services in lake side communities and protect the shared resource, Lake Victoria. The total cost of the project is estimated at EUR 105 million or approximately US$ 135.758 million. This operation was approved by the Board in 5 February 2013.

TANZANIA: Tender - Procurement of Multi-gas Analyzer/Identifier in Tanzania Opportunity Type: Goods Proposal Due Date: Feb 22, 2013

TOGO: Tender - Design, Construction and Commissioning of a Wind Energy Power Generation Plant in Togo Opportunity Type: Works, Goods Proposal Due Date: Mar 11, 2013 Project Summary - du projet, dont la puissance installée est de25,2 MW.

WEST AFRICA: Tender - Supply and Delivery of Personal Protection Gears in Western Sahara Opportunity Type: Goods Express Interest By: Feb 28, 2013 EARLY WARNING & PROSPECTIVES SADC

ANGOLA: Kilimanjaro Pens Deal for Angola Block - February 06, 2013 Kilimanjaro Capital signs an Oil Assignment Agreement with the Republic of Cabinda and the Front for the Liberation of the State of Cabinda (FLEC). ANGOLA: Chevron Plans to Proceed with Second Phase of Offshore Angola Project - February 06, 2013 Chevron Corp. plans to proceed with a $5.6 billion Mafumeira Sul project offshore Angola, where it anticipates reaching its first oil in 2015. ANGOLA: Angola and DR Congo negotiate oil block in common marine zone February 7th, 2013 - Angolan state oil company Sonangol and its Congolese counterpart Congolaise Hydrocarbures (Cohydro), the state oil company of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), continue to negotiate the development of a block in the marine zone common to the two countries, the Congolese Oil Minister said. “We are in talks with the Angolan authorities to see how the two national companies, Sonangol and Cohydro, can start prospecting and exploring the block”, said Minister Crispin Atama at IPAD DRC 2013, an international conference on mining resources held in Kinshasa, the country’s capital. “I think negotiations are going well”, the minister added, according to financial news agency Bloomberg. Nessergy Ltd, owned by Israeli businessman Dan Gertler, is involved in developing the block that is the basis for a production sharing agreement signed in 2006, according to the contract published on the DR Congo Mining Ministry website. (macauhub) Angola: Oil Companies Sonangol and Cabgoc Announce Mamufeira Sul Project Decision ANGOP 6 Feb 2013 The National Fuel Society of Angola (Sonangol E.P) and Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (Cabgoc) announced Tuesday, in Luanda, the Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Mamufeira Sul Project, under the Block zero exploration area, in the Angolan offshore. It is the second phase of Mamufeira field development, situated 15 miles (24 km) along Cabinda Province coast to a depth of 200 feet (60 meters). Sonangol informs in a press release sent to ANGOP on Wednesday that the project includes 50 boreholes, installation for processing and compressing as well as approximately 75 miles (121) of submarine.

6 ANGOLA: Angola to map its natural resources in the next three to four years February 6th, 2013 - Within the next three to four years Angola will have a complete map of all the mining resources in the country, the Ministry for Geology and Mining, Francisco Queiroz said Tuesday in Cape Town, South Africa.

At the end of a meeting with the Japanese Minister for the Economy and Industry, Isshu Sugawara and representatives of US company LKI, the minister said that from then on would be the time to start attracting investors both from Japan and other countries. (macauhub) Angola: Model of King Mandume Tomb Presented ANGOP 8 February 2013 - Namacunde — The model of King Mandume Ya-Ndemufayo, which will occupy an area of 1,500 square meters, to be built anew, was presented Thursday in Oihole, Namacunde Municipality, southern Cunene Province, in a ceremony which counted on the presence of Culture minister, Rosa Cruz e Silva. At the presentation, architect Francisco José, in charge of the making of the model said that he will keep Omufiaty leaves in the architectonic design of the tomb and the site will also have a photo exhibition hall. The construction work is in the final phase, with regards to the design of the statue, which will include the rehabilitation of the Oihole Memorial, site where the remains of King Mandume Ya-Ndemufayo lie. King Mandume fought several wars against Portuguese government that wanted at all costs to occupy this southern part of Angola and in 1917 he killed himself in the town of Oihole. DRC: Recovery of the agricultural sector : the DRC and ADB commit to rehabilitate rural infrastructures ANAPI - The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the African Development Bank (ADB) are determined to work for the rehabilitation of road infrastructures. In this context, it is established a program to support the development of rural infrastructures (PADIR) program, which will cover five provinces of the DRC, over a period of five years. 82 million are devoted. This is a support made available by the ADB. Provinces covered by this program are Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Katanga, Kasai Oriental and Kasai Occidental. For the Government, the DRC must become the breadbasket of Africa. Faced with this challenge, nearly 25,000 km of rural roads need to be rehabilitated. PADIR cross government initiative in the framework of the 2012-2013 crop year (USD 15 million allocated in a year) for maintenance and rehabilitation of rural feeder roads. The main activities of the project include the rehabilitation of 1,905 km of tracks and ferry dock, construction of 290 water points, 18 water supply systems and 40 markets. Added to this are the construction of 30 warehouses and 16 slaughterhouses, 40 vocational training structures, rehabilitation, mechanical tool making and processing of agricultural products. DRC: Relaunch plan of Gécamines : good prospects ahead for the mining giant of Katanga ANAPI - The Congolese company Générale des carrières et des mines (Gécamines) announced a few days ago, the acquisition of a significant part of funding amount (more than 900 million USD) of its re-launch plan. This is a sign of good prospects for this giant mining company in Katanga province. These funds will be used particularly for the rehabilitation of infrastructures and the acquisition of mining equipment. DRC: Infrastructure : the Government initiated a plan for reunification of the national road network ANAPI - About 40,000 km of roads said to be priority of which 20,000 km linking major production centers will soon be reunited, on the 58,129 km available in the DRC. According to sources from the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urban Planning and Infrastructure, Public Works and Planning (ATU-ITPR), it is expected fluency in many cities of the country. Several routes will be extended, depending on the size of various cities. The paved Kilometer costs on average 2.5 7 million when we integrate sanitation in it. Policies are also implemented to rehabilitate and modernize structuring and existing roads, by adapting them to the volume of traffic and the size of the population. The Government can also build new roads. To solve the problem of construction and modernization of public buildings, the Government intends to resort to public-private partnership. MADAGASCAR: Madagascar gets US$1m SEFA grant to provide reliable energy services 05 february 2013 Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) has approved a US$1 million grant to finalise pre-investment activities for a hybrid renewable energy project in Nosy Be Island in Madagascar. MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambican government approves loan from Brazil to build dam February 6th, 2013 - The Mozambican government has ratified a credit convention signed with Brazil, worth US$8.5 million, to finance studies for construction of the Moamba Major dam, in Maputo province, southern Mozambique, said the spokesman for the Council of Ministers, Alberto Nkutumula. According to daily newspaper Notícias, the spokesman, who is also the deputy justice minister, noted that building the dam, on the Incomáti River, is intended to improve the water supply and irrigation in Greater Maputo. Nkutumula noted that the start of construction of the dam will depend on the results of the environmental impact study and said that the loan offered by Brazil had to be used by 22 March 2013. “Once it is established that the project is feasible, we have to think about the issue of funding for construction of the dam”, said the spokesman. (macauhub) MOZAMBIQUE: German company finances assembly of sales and distribution points for photovoltaic systems February 6th, 2013 - German company Phaesun is funding the assembly of around 250 points of sale and distribution for photovoltaic systems, as a way of supporting the process of rural electrification using solar power, according to Mozambican newspaper Correio da Manhã. The programme is scheduled to be implemented over two years and will support Mozambique’s efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals in terms of reducing high poverty levels in the country, according to Tobias Zwirner, the managing director of Phaesun. One of the first power distribution locations was inaugurated last week in the Boane district of Maputo province. (macauhub) MOZAMBIQUE: Refurbishment work begins on MCM-Indústrias, formerly Mozambican textile company Riopele Têxteis February 6th, 2013 - The new owners of the former Riopele Têxteis textile factory, located in the Marracuene district of Maputo province, have started work to refurbish the unit that has been at a standstill for around nine years, according to Mozambican newspaper Notícias. A consortium made up of Mozambican group Intelec Holdings and by Portuguese companies Crispim Abreu, Mundifios and MundoTêxtil, in October 2012 signed a contract in Maputo to buy the Riopele Moçambique factory, which until then had been owned by State stake-holding company Instituto de Gestão das Participações do Estado (Igepe). (macauhub) MOZAMBIQUE: Lugela district in Mozambique to re-launch tea production February 5th, 2013 - Private investors interested in re-launching the tea production company in the Lugela district of Mozambique’s Zambézia province, have signed a contract with the provincial government, according to a report in Mozambican newspaper Notícias. Although it is considered to be strategic for the Mozambican economy, the tea sector is facing a period of weak public and private investment, aging of plants and low productivity. Recent studies show that in Zambézia’s case, the province where the most tea is produced, of over 30,000 hectares earmarked to grow tea, just 10,000 were being explored. After Gurué, Lugela is the region with the biggest potential for growing tea in Mozambique. (macauhub)MOZAMBIQUE: Rio Tinto group will find solution to logistics problems in Mozambique, minister says February 8th, 2013 - Anglo-Australian group Rio Tinto will be able to find a logistics solution to allow it to export the coal mined in Tete province, Mozambique’s Mining Resources Minister Esperança Bias said in Cape Town. On the sidelines of the Indaba Mining conference, held in Cape Town, the minister played down news that the group may sell its assets in Mozambique due to difficulties transporting its coal production. “Naturally we are concerned, but if we look at the problems faced by Rio Tinto we can see they are not exclusive to Mozambique and we believe that a solution can be found”, said Bias. (macauhub) MOZAMBIQUE: Railroad from Tete to Nacala in Mozambique ready in second half of 2014 February 8th, 2013 Vale Moçambique, a subsidiary of Brazilian mining group Vale, Wednesday signed a cooperation agreement with Mozambican state rail and port manager Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique to build the Nacala logistics corridor, Mozambican newspaper O País reported. The company’s director for logistics, Ricardo Saad, said this would be Vale’s biggest logistics project in Africa, and that the project was expected to solve the issues of transporting natural resources, particularly coal. Saad also said that the project was complex, but added that the company planned to finish construction of the railroad by the second half of 2014. (macauhub) MOZAMBIQUE: Portugal’s Sotecnisol enters Mozambican market in partnership with Entreposto group February 8th, 2013 - Sotecnisol, a Portuguese company operating in the construction, environmental and energy sectors, plans to increase its international presence by entering the Mozambican market in partnership with the Entreposto group, the Portuguese press reported. (macauhub) MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambique’s Transport and Communications Minister visits steel plant on the outskirts of Tokyo February 7th, 2013 - Mozambique’s Minister for Transport and Communications, Paulo Zucula Tuesday visited Kimitsu Works, in Chiba, of the Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, the Japanese group said in a statement issued in Tokyo. According to the statement the Japanese group is involved in the Revuboé coal project, in Mozambique’s Tete province, which is estimated to contain large amounts of coking coal, which is an essential material for steel production. However, the statement said, for the project to be successful it would be necessary for the railway and road network to see substantial improvements so that the coal mined there can be transported to the country’s ports. The Revuboé coal project in Tete province is expected to produce high quality coking coal, with an estimated annual production of 5 8 million tons and reserves of 1.07 billion tons. The Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation and Nippon Steel Trading Co. Own a 33 percent stake in the project, South Korea’s Posco owns 8.1 percent and the Anglo American group owns the remaining 58.9 percent, which was recently acquired from Australian group Talbot. (macauhub) MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambican farmers to benefit from funding from African Development Bank Feb 7th, 2013 The African Development Bank (ADB) has granted Mozambique funding of US$21.4 million to be used for the Sustainable Land and Water Resources Management Project, following a credit agreement signed Wednesday in Maputo. The project is intended to support four districts of Gaza province that are affected by changes in weather and that are cyclically affected by droughts and flooding. It is estimated that the project will benefit 20,000 farmers, half of which are women. (macauhub) MOZAMBIQUE: Construction of Ncondezi Coal thermal power plant in Mozambique due to begin in March 2015 February 7th, 2013 - Work to build a coal-fired power plant owned by mining company Ncondezi Coal in the northern region of the Moatize district, in Mozambique’s Tete province, is due to begin in March 2015, said the company’s managing director, David Eshmade. Speaking to daily newspaper Notícias, Eshmade also said that the power plant would be built near the mine and approximately 95 kilometres from the national grid’s power transmission line leading from the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Dam. The Ncondezi Coal Company owns 100 percent of the 804L and 805L licenses known as the Ncondezi Project, in the Moatize district, and the project has estimated resources of 4.7 billion tons of coal. The Ncondezi Coal Company mine is located around 25 kilometres from the Sena railroad, which ends at the town of Moatize, and two types of thermal coal will be mined there that are considered to be ideal for Asian markets and are comparable to international benchmark types of coal, such as Newcastle high ash Australian coal and Shanxi blended coal from China. Eshmade said that the company was considering four routes for exporting its coal production, with a short term strategy focused on gaining access to the two existing railway corridors to the ports of Beira and Nacala to meet the needs of the first stage of production. (macauhub) Namibia: New Permanent Road Block for Nampol NAMIBIA ECONOMIST By Melba Chipepo, 8 February 2013 The Namibian Police (Nampol) have constructed a permanent road block on the Trans Kalahari Highway near Kapps farm en route to the Hosea Kutako Airport. The construction of the building which started mid last year is said to have cost close to N$10million and is expected to be completed by the end of this month. Kanguatjivi also said that there are plans to build more permanent road blocks around the country and that Nampol is currently looking at building permanent road blocks in Rehoboth and Okahandja. The road block is constructed by Namibia Swedish Werke Construction Company. Namibia: Partner Wanted for Shiyela Iron Project NAMIBIA ECOOMIST By Waldo, 8 February 2013 - Australian uranium exploration company, Deep Yellow says it is looking for a partner in the development of the Shiyela Iron Project after receiving a mining licence late last year. The project is held by Shiyela Iron, a Namibian subsidiary of Deep Yellow and empowerment partner, Oponona Investments. It is the only known commercially viable iron deposit in the country. Once operational, the project will initially produce two million tonnes per annum of a high quality, coarse grained magnetite expected to attract a premium price in the export market. Depending on Walvis Bay port's capacity, ongoing exploration success and overall market economics, the project could ultimately be expanded to around 7.5 million tonnes per annum of magnetite product. But despite the commercial viability of the deposit, Deep Yellow announced in 2012 that divestment in the Shiyela Iron Project is a priority saying the project presents a potential opportunity to source non-dilutionary funding for the company. RMB Namibia was appointed to divest the project. This week the company was singing a different tune with MD Greg Cochran, saying they were now looking for a development partner for the iron project. He said: " we have gone from discovery to a mining licence in a little over four years ....with the recent positive outcome of the resource update and scoping study we will now quickly progress the search for a development partner for this attractive, well located project." Namibia: Multi-Billion Husab Project to Go Solo NEW ERA By Edgar Brandt, 6 February 2013 — After considering to join forces with the well-established Rössing uranium mine in terms of production, the owners of Husab mine, which holds one of the world's richest uranium deposits, this week confirmed that the mine will go completely solo and will operate independently in a venture that is expected to boost Namibia's exports by 20 percent and increase government revenue by between N$1.2 billion and N$1.7 billion. Taurus, an entity owned by China Guandong Nuclear Power Company Uranium Resources and the China-Africa Development Fund, has aggressively been pursuing Swakop Uranium's Husab ore body since 2011, first by successfully launching a takeover bid for Extract's majority shareholder, Kalahari Minerals plc, which owned 43 percent of Extract. This was followed by a US$2.2 billion takeover offer for Extract, which Extract's independent directors recommended their shareholders to accept. In November last year, Namibia's state-owned mining company, Epangelo, and Swakop Uranium finalised an agreement for the subscription of a 10 percent stake in Swakop Uranium in a deal valued at more than N$1.8 billion (US$226 million). At the ceremony, CEO of Swakop Uranium, Zheng Keping, said: "We are proud to confirm that more than N$1 billion has already been spent to get the project to its current state. Our budgets estimate a further N$20 billion will be required to bring the project to fruition." Namibia: Gecko Rethinks Strategy for Industrial Park NEW ERA By Edgar Brandt, 5 February 2013 The changing landscape of uranium mining in Namibia calls for a review in strategy for the development of Gecko Vision Industrial Park that would comprise sulphuric acid, soda ash, bicarbonate, caustic soda and phosphoric acid plants; and a thermal vapour compression seawater desalination plant, to supply the country's mines. 9 Although the much touted N$12 billion Gecko Vision Industrial Park planned for north of Swakopmund was given the initial go-ahead by the government in April last year, the company feels the changing scenario for uranium mining calls for a rethink of strategy by Gecko. Gecko's development is premised on the supply of much-needed sulphuric acid used by uranium mines in the extraction process to produce yellow cake - the final product exported by uranium mines. Currently, mines spend in excess of N$2 billion annually importing acid and alkaline products from mostly Asia. "Mines operating in Namibia still need a bulk port to export their products around the globe," said Galloway. Expressing doubt that mining companies operating in the Erongo Region could be accommodated at the Port of Walvis Bay, Galloway explained that the Gecko industrial park could be developed in phases once a new port is constructed. "Gecko could become a reality if it is developed around the footprint of a new bulk port to service the mining industry, particularly in the Erongo Region," commented Galloway. Despite plans to develop Gecko, Galloway says the future of four proposed mines now hang in the balance and the production of acid by Gecko may not be as urgent as once envisaged. Some mines, such as the Rössing uranium mine, have arrangements in place to source acid from copper mines in the Tsumeb area, while the huge Husab mine is yet to be developed. Also, Areva's Trekkopje mine has been put on the backburner as the industry awaits higher uranium prices that would in turn make uranium mining a much more profitable venture. Gecko Namibia said it was prepared to invest N$12 billion in the industrial park to ensure the country derives maximum benefit from the increasing mining of uranium. Soda ash, leaching agents and phosphoric acid were also going to be produced at the plant, and another desalination plant would be built. According to explanatory documents from Gecko, all the chemical substances required for exploiting uranium in Namibia are currently imported through Walvis Bay harbour and then conveyed to the mines in large trucks. Since new mines were expected to open it was envisaged that the demand for these materials would increase threefold, while Walvis Bay would not be able to handle the volumes. Namibia: Nigerians to Invest in Wlotzkas Salt Mine THE NAMIBIAN By Adam Hartman, 30 January 2013 LOCAL company Rainbow Salt is set to become the largest salt producer in Namibia, with a predicted annual output of one million tons of table and industrial salt from the Erongo desalination plant near Wlotzkasbaken. The brine from the desalination plant will be pumped into a series of shallow crystalisation ponds where the sun and wind will evaporate the remaining water. The project is situated northwest of Wlotzkasbaken inside the Dorob National Park, and Rainbow Salt has promised sustainable land use. An environmental impact assesment (EIA) is under way. At a public meeting last week, Rainbow Salt's Joel Shafashike, as well as the project manager of Nigerian client TY Holdings, Mike Illston, said the proposed project had nothing to do with the proposed 'Vision Industrial Park' (VIP) of Gecko Namibia. Last year, Cabinet gave VIP the nod in view of its potential economic benefits to the country. Cabinet granted Gecko a 99-year lease of 700 hectares of land at Mile 16. VIP would include three chemical factories (sulphuric acid, soda ash and phosphoric acid). The sulphuric acid plant is expected to produce up to 1,2 million tons of acid a year by processing about 400 000 tonnes of sulphur, which will be imported via a proposed port for bulk commodities, with a jetty stretching approximately 1,5km and a breakwater. A salt factory for the plant is expected to be erected at Cape Cross. "This [Rainbow Salt's project] is purely for export to Nigeria for West African use. Namibia does not have enough salt to supply to TY Holdings, but with this new venture, we will be able to supply," Shafashike told The Namibian. Rainbow Salt is a 51% shareholder in the project, with TY Holdings owning the other 49%. The project is expected to cost N$135 million and if it materialises, it could earn Namibia export revenue of N$280 million per year. "The market for this salt has already been finalised, and if all goes according to plan, TY Holdings could start importing this Namibian salt within the next five years," Illston told The Namibian. Until now, the brine from the desalination plant has been pumped back into the ocean. Namibia: Ambitious Plans for Karas Region NEW ERA By Francis Xoagub, 4 February 2013 Vaalgras — The Karas Regional Governor, Bernadus Swartbooi, has disclosed a series of infrastructural projects and educational development initiatives aimed at attracting business and investment to create much needed employment and mitigate poverty in the region. The governor said the region has so far collected N$15.7 million for the construction of the proposed southern campus of the University of Namibia (UNAM) in Keetmanshoop. According to Swartbooi, the projects to be tackled this year include the construction of a dry port, the servicing of 600 residential erven, the completion of a regional office of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, as well as a TB ward in Keetmanshoop. He said the list includes the allocation of 200 residential erven to contractors who will be working on the Neckartal Dam project for the accommodation of workers when construction starts. He also announced that the Lüderitz Corridor Development Initiative (LCDI) has been approved by the government, which will now pave the way for the long-awaited commencement of the N$400 million Lüderitz Waterfront Development project. He also announced the construction of a 1.5km long-ship loading and off-loading conveyor belt this year at Lüderitz. "Lüderitz harbour has a rocky bottom and the shallow depth has meant that larger vessels have not been able to use the harbour, therefore the construction of the conveyer belt will serve that purpose," according to the governor. SOUTH AFRICA: R50bn plan to develop Rosslyn into a high-volume vehicle assembly hub ENG NEWS By: Irma Venter 8th February 2013 - An ambitious 30-year, R50-billion concept hopes to establish Rosslyn, north of Pretoria, as South Africa’s vehicle assembly capital. The project name for the development is the Tshwane Auto City, and it hopes to emulate places such as Detroit, in the US, which houses America’s big three car-makers, or Toyota City, in Japan. 10 But what is an auto city? - Such a development houses all the fundamentals around people, product and process. Tertiary institutions providing trained staff to the companies in the auto city is critical, says Manilal. A globally competitive auto city also has research and development facilities, manu-facturing plants, residential and retail spaces, a race and test track and an efficient logistics chain, all coupled to favourable trading terms, which should be provided through incentives for the companies residing there. Manilal believes that improving the supply chain into and from Rosslyn will serve as the biggest key to unlocking the precinct’s potential. Here the Wonderboom airport, which belongs to the City of Tshwane, will play a major role. “An investigation into extending the runway, for example, to accommodate international freight carriers will be an important consideration. A key criterion for the auto city is a viable and efficient airport focusing on inbound and outbound freight,” says Manilal. Expanding the rail capacity into Rosslyn is also key, as it provides mass transport of vehicles to and from the ports for export and import purposes. Manilal says the AIDC is investigating the current rail capacity and opportunities for upgrades in line with the anticipated growth projections The Tshwane Auto City project will also look to establish a vehicle distribution centre from where vehicles will be dispatched to dealers and ports. Improving the logistics chain also means that roads have to be significantly upgraded, with Manilal saying that this can happen while the AIDC waits for the rest of the developments to fall into place. “At a conceptual level, we envisage three lanes in and out of Rosslyn, and we are looking at dedicated freight lanes that can ensure parts reach the plants efficiently.” A new housing development node will attempt to provide affordable housing close to people’s places of work, also focusing on their leisure and sports needs. A retail node will enable people to shop close to where they live and work. Current conceptual planning also allows for a test and racetrack, conferencing rooms, an automotive museum and a hotel. Work on the research and development hub will include the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and The Innovation Hub. “We also want big toolmakers in Rosslyn, press shops and, ideally, a foundry,” notes Manilal. The prefeasibility study for the Tshwane Auto City concept was completed in 2011. SOUTH AFRICA: Nampak to spend R1.6bn on glass, beverage can expansion projects ENG NEWS By: Idéle Esterhuizen 8th February 2013 - The board of South African packaging company Nampak approved capital expenditure (capex) of about R1-billion for the installation of a third glass furnace for its Nampak Glass division, at its Roodekop plant, outside Johannesburg. Meanwhile, the company’s beverage cans division also agreed to long-term supply contracts with its large beverage can customers. In this regard, Nampak would buy a new high-speed aluminium line and would convert existing lines from tinplate to aluminium at a capital cost of about R600-million. The new can line was expected to be commissioned in May and the conversion of the first of the existing lines would be completed by October and the balance in 2014, the company said in an update to shareholders on Friday. The two capex projects amounted to just under R1.6-billion and would be funded from Nampak’s own resources, given its strong balance sheet. SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape desalination plant feasibility study kicks off ENG NEWSBy: Idéle Esterhuizen 6th February 2013 - Sedex Desalination, a subsidiary of mineral exploration and development company Frontier Rare Earths, has commissioned consulting and engineering services provider Royal Haskoning DHV to undertake a feasibility study to establish the viability of implementing a seawater desalination scheme at the Zandkopsdrift rare earths project, in Abraham Villiers Bay, in the Northern Cape. The proposed plant would have a 7 Mℓ/d capacity and would supply potable and process water to the Zandkopsdrift mine, which was currently in the development phase. Key aspects of the project included marine works, which would comprise the sea intake and outfall works; a desalination plant; bulk water-supply infrastructure; bulk power-supply infrastructure; road access to the desalination plant; a transfer pipeline; and power lines. “The study envisions that potable water will be withdrawn from a 20 Mℓ capacity storage reservoir at the seawater desalination plant and pumped via a rising main to a height of about 191 m above sea level, over a distance of about 6.84 km,” Royal HaskoningDHV project manager Jack McGhie said in a statement. He explained that the potable water would gravitate further over a distance of about 10.66 km to the district of Kotzesrus, at a height of about 167 m above sea level. From Kotzesrus, the water would be pumped further through a booster pumpstation and through a rising main to a height of about 223 m above sea level, over a distance of about 2.3 km. The potable water would then gravitate for the last portion of the pipeline, over a distance of about 12.8 km to the Zandkopsdrift mine raw-water storage reservoir, at a height of about 203 m above sea level South Africa: Huge Deposit Boost for SA Platinum SouthAfrica.info (Johannesburg) By Lorraine Kearney, 6 February 2013 - A huge mineral deposit recently discovered in Limpopo province is even bigger than previously thought, and represents "enormous good news" for the future of platinum mining in South Africa, the head of Canadian company Ivanplats announced at the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Wednesday. Located on the northern limb of South Africa's Bushveld Complex, the Platreef (or Flatreef) discovery is a massive deposit offering high-quality metals - "650-million tons of indicated and referred resources in a six square kilometre area", Robert Friedland, the chairman of Ivanhoe Capital Corporation and the executive chairman of Ivanplats, Robert Friedland, told Indaba delegates. Bloomberg reported recently that Platreef's indicated mineral resources now totalled 223-million tons at a grading of 4.1 grams per ton of platinum, palladium, gold and rhodium, at a cumulative, average true thickness of 24.3 metres. It also has nickel and copper. "Flatreef is distinguished from other Bushveld projects by its tremendous size, the remarkable thickness of the polymetallic mineralised reef and its potential for significant by-product credits of nickel and copper," Friedland said on Wednesday. NOTWITHSTANDING THAT CANADIAN OPERATIONS ARE PRIMARILY SEEDING FOR INVESTMENTS SELL-OFFS 11 Tanzania: Lower Moshi Irrigation Scheme Set for Revival Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam) 8 February 2013 Dodoma — LOWER Moshi rice irrigation scheme that for so long has not been operating to its capacity will get a boost as the government announces plans to embark on construction of eight boreholes. "Other improvement measures to be taken include construction of rain water reservoirs and building of the right infrastructure to tap water from Kikuletwa River at the approved volume of 3.71 cubic metres per second," Malima explained. He said the government through Pangani River Valley Water Board, allowed utilization of water from Kikuletwa River at the specified volume to make sure that other stakeholders were not affected in the process. "The government of Japan through JICA conducted feasibility studies for the expansion of the project in terms of increased land for cultivation and availability of water from Kikuletwa River source. The cost for expansion project was pegged at 61.7bn/- but the experts advised otherwise saying that the economic value of the expansion project was not worth the investment. Lower Moshi Rice Production Scheme was established in 1987 under the support of the government of Japan. A total of 2,300 hectares were allocated, half with improved infrastructure specifically for rice production and the remaining for other crops. Tanzania: Mwanza Airport Repair Project Stalls Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam) By Nashon Kennedy, 8 February 2013 — THE Deputy Minister for Transport, Eng. Charles Tizeba, has directed a Chinese company known as United Engineering and Technical Consultants (UNETEC) to start rehabilitation of Mwanza Airport immediately. The deputy ministers' directive comes amid complaints from government officials and stakeholders that the rehabilitation has been delayed for a long period of time. "Members of the public want to see the project completed on time. They do not want to see your workers roaming here and there in the city without doing anything. This is an international contract and must be executed according to agreement," he said. The deputy minister was also dissatisfied with what he described as absence of senior personnel at the site. He asked: "Where is your material engineer? Are your experts not here? This is a government project. It is not a comedy show. "We will not tolerate project workers who laze around telling lies. We cannot afford to waste government money through shoddy projects," he said, looking agitated. On his part, the contractor with United Engineering and Technical Consultants from Dubai (UAE), Mr Xiong Tushang, who won a tender to rehabilitate Mwanza Airport at the cost of over 100bn/- acknowledged delay saying that the work was behind schedule. However, he promised that the rehabilitation would commence as soon as possible. Tanzania: Economist Upbeat On Public Private Partnership Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam) By Sebastian Mrindoko, 7 February 2013 - DYNAMIC, broad based, well functioning and socially responsible private sector in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is seen as a valuable instrument for increasing investment and trade. This was said in Dar es Salaam by the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) Executive Director, Dr Bohela Lunogelo, at the meeting of the team of experts on development challenges and tracking the effective implementation of international commitments to the LCDs. "The private sector is an essential component in generating economic growth and eradicating poverty as well as serving as an engine for industrialisation and structural transformation," he said. He said private sector is a key to steady, inclusive and equitable economic growth as well as sustainable development in LDCs. GOVERNMENTS TAKE NOTE Dr Lunogelo said agriculture investments particularly in the Southern Agriculture Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGGOT) is typical example of projects implemented by the PPP programme and has been showing positive progress. Tanzania: 84 Percent of Gas to Remain in Mtwara Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam) 2 February 2013 THE government has re-assured Mtwara residents that most of the gas to be produced in Mtwara will remain in the region and used for the development of southern regions. President Jakaya Kikwete said that the ongoing road construction to tarmac level in Lindi, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Rukwa, Kigoma and Kagera is self explanatory. Plans to improve the Mtwara airport to international standard and those of Lindi and Kilwa airports are a testimony of the government commitment. Zambia: Govt Awards K272 Billion Road Tender to Avic ZAMBIA REPORTS By NSE Udoh, 8 February 2013 The Ministry of Local Government has paid K272 billion kwacha to Avic Engineering Company for the expansion of Lusaka roads. Lusaka City Council Senior Civil Engineer, Mainza Simoonga said the project will see 2 thousand 8- hundred kilometres of roads within Lusaka being expanded. The project will start soon after the construction company completes designing the roads and is expected to be completed within 42 months. Under the project, 32 roads will be expanded. These include Burma, Chilimbulu, Thabo Mbeki and Independence Avenue among other roads. Meanwhile Nationalist road will be expanded in order to pave the way for an emergency lane for ambulances going into the University Teaching Hospital -UTH. And Dedan Kimath is also expected to have an extra lane which will ease the flow of traffic for buses going in and out of the inter-city bus terminus. Zambia: Dangote to Construct U.S. $50 Million Power Plant TIMES OF ZAMBIA 6 February 2013 - DANGOTE Cement Zambia Limited has commenced the construction of a 30 megawatts coal powered electricity generation plant worth US$50 million at its Ndola factory. Management said in response to a Press query that the construction of the electricity power plant which would be housed within the $400milion cement project which had the capacity to produce 1.5 million tonnes per annum. Zimbabwe: SA Company in Highway Feasibility Study ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT 8 February 2013 - THE Ministry of Transport through the Department of Roads has commissioned South African company Royal HaskoningDHV (formerly SSI Engineers & Environmental Consultants) to conduct a feasibility study for the improvement of the Harare - Beitbridge Road to determine the viability of the construction and tolling of the road. 12 Government will require about US$500-US$700 million for the Beitbridge-Chirundu highway. DBSA has already put in close to US$2 million in technical assistance to assess how bankable the project is. Royal HaskoningDHV project manager Phil Hasluck explained that the study, which would be carried out in association with five Zimbabwean partner firms, involves traffic studies, development of a toll strategy, engineering analysis and concept design, environmental impact scoping, economic feasibility study, financial modelling and preparation of draft project information memorandum for investors. The Harare - Beitbridge Road is part of the trunk road network of Zimbabwe and is a part of the North - South Corridor, one of the major arterial links in the regional road network. The road is the most direct link between the capital cities of Harare and Pretoria and provides landlocked Zambia access to the Indian Ocean ports of Durban and Richards Bay in South Africa. "The road carries between 1 000 and 5 000 vehicles per day with the heavier flows in the proximity of Harare," said Hasluck. "Of significance is the fact that a high proportion of this traffic are trucks that are carrying goods, equipment and machinery that are needed to support the Zimbabwean economic recovery," says Hasluck. The road project is approximately 580km long, starting just outside Harare and ending at the Beitbridge border post. It is a single carriageway two lane road with numerous bridges, some of substantial size. ZIMBABWE: Zim needs billions to bring infrastructure to acceptable levels ENG NEWS By: Natasha Odendaal 8th February 2013 - It would take several years and at least $15-billion to bring Zimbabwe’s basic infrastructure back to an acceptable level, said Frost & Sullivan environmental and building technologies research analyst Derrick Chikanga. Speaking to Engineering News Online, he said the infrastructure in the country had endured a decade of neglect and was in urgent need of refurbishment, but funding for infrastructure development projects remained elusive as the country attempted to revive its economy. The AfDB estimated that focusing on infrastructure development could see the country gain 7% growth, with a jump in gross domestic product from $4.7-billion to $9.5-billion in the next eight years. Further, by 2020, Zimbabwe could ensure that over 80% of the roads were in a good condition, 100% urban and 80% rural areas had sufficient water supply and sanitation coverage and about 15-million tons of road freight shifted onto rail. ROAD AND RAIL Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's 88 133 km road network was in a dire state as over ten-million tons of rail freight had shifted to roads over the past decade. In the mid-1990s, the AfDB said, rail carried about 14-million tons of freight, but this fell to 2.7-million tons – 15% of the design capacity – in 2009, owing to limited available locomotive and rolling stock capacity, as well as deterioration in the quality of the rail network. Chikanga commented that, currently, only about 50% to 60% of the rail network was currently functional and only 40% to 50% of the locomotives were operational. The 3 109 km rail network, which was supposed to be the backbone of the country’s economy, was expected to take about $4.5-billion to revamp over the next ten years – excluding locomotives and wagons. Earlier reports indicated that $200-million was required for road maintenance in 2012, but only $35-million was allocated, while only $209-million was set aside for a $2-billion road rehabilitation programme. Last year, the DBSA had granted a R1.4-billion loan to Infralink, a 70:30 joint venture between the Zimbabwe National Road Administration and South Africa-based construction firm Group Five, for the rehabilitation and implementation of tolling on a 801 km national road network linking Harare and Bulawayo, as well as Mutare, near the Mozambique border, and Plumtree, on the Botswana border. Last week, the Department of Roads in Zimbabwe commissioned Royal Haskoning DHV to undertake a feasibility study determining the viability of construction and tolling to improve the road between Harare and the Beitbridge border post. The cost of rehabilitating and improving the 580-km-long single carriageway was estimated to be in excess of $600-million. Zimbabwe: Mwana Africa, Chinese Sign Pact THE HERALD 8 February 2013 - MWANA AFRICA, a multi- commodity African mining group listed in the United Kingdom with a strong presence in Zimbabwe, has announced the formal signing of the Joint Venture Agreement with Zhejiang Hailiang Company Limited of China. The Alternative Investment Market-listed firm controls 52,9 percent in Zimbabwe-based Bindura Nickel Corporation, Africa's only integrated nickel miner, smelter and refinery listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. The co-operation and development agreement covers a total of 28 licences held by the multi-commodity miner in Africa the Democratic Republic of Congo southern province of Katanga. It also owns the entire shareholding in gold mining unit Freda Rebecca. Mwana Africa continues to invest in exploration and acquisition of new assets largely in Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo where most of the assets are domiciled. Mwana Africa had earlier announced on August 21 last year that it had entered into a co-operation and development agreement for 28 licences. The CDA required that the parties enter into a detailed joint venture agreement to implement the CDA. Mr Kalaa Mpinga, chief executive of Mwana Africa, said that he was pleased that the relationship with Hailiang has progressed well with the signing of the Joint Venture Agreement implementing the Co-operation and Development Agreement signed last year. "This joint venture allows our copper exploration and development programme in the DRC to be significantly accelerated. We are also very excited at the prospect of advancing Kibolwe in the near term. Under the agreement, Hailiang will invest US$25 million over a minimum period of four years to earn a 62 percent voting interest in the exploration joint venture. Zimbabwe: Unilever to Refurbish Zim Plant Financial Gazette (Harare) By Phillimon Mhlanga, 6 February 2013 UNILEVER Zimbabwe, a subsidiary of Unilever South East Africa, plans to rehabilitate its powder plant in Harare to augment capacity. Managing director, Nancy Guzha, said technical experts had already started assessing the plant and were expected to complete their work by June. "At the moment we have our supply chain experts from Dubai and 13 South Africa in the country to see through the plant and assessing what is required to put up a state-of-the-art plant and by June we should be able to sign off the figures," she said. "I can't tell you now how much we will invest into the factory's rehabilitation because we are still assessing but I am sure it's going to be quite a significant figure. If you ask me around June, I will be able to give you the figures and the exact dates the rehabilitation exercise will start," she added. Zimbabwe: Brazilians Bid for Batoka THE HERALD By Takunda Maodza, 7 February 2013 - A BRAZILIAN company Camargo Correa has made a bid for the construction of the Batoka hydro-electric power station worth a billion dollars. The power station is supposed to be constructed under a joint venture between Zimbabwe and Zambia. COMESA

East Africa: AfDB Seeks Geothermal Development in East Africa Capital FM (Nairobi) 7 February 2013 The African Development Bank (AfDB) is working on an ambitious geothermal development program for Africa, building on its Kenyan experience in the East African Rift Valley with the Menengai geothermal project. The AfDB on Wednesday said it is also working on a series of small-scale geothermal units, adapted to the specific context of each country of the East African Rift Valley having geothermal potential, besides projects such as the 400 MW geothermal development project under implementation in Menengai, Kenya. "An eloquent illustration of this new model is the Menengai geothermal development project in Kenya, which the African Development Bank has recently supported with approximately 150 million U.S. dollars highly concessional financing from its own resources blended with climate investment funds," Thierno Bah, AfDB senior power engineer, said in a statement received in Nairobi. The Menengai Project is the first ever project to be approved under the Scaling-up Renewable Energy Program for low-income countries of the Climate Investment Funds. The request for proposal for the Phase I of 400 MW Menengai Project will be issued in the first quarter of 2013 and thereafter evaluation will be undertaken to determine the four winning firms. A total of 120 wells will be drilled for phase 1. Construction of phase 1 power plants is set to commence in 2014. Menengai Phase 1 project will cost about 488 million U. S. dollars in drilling costs. Kenya's Geothermal Development Company (GDC) said it has obtained adequate funding for this phase from the government and development partners. The Menengai project, once completed, will have tremendous development impact for the Kenyan people by increasing the energy supply in the country by an amount equivalent to the current consumption needs of 500,000 Kenyan households, 300,000 small businesses and some 1,000 GWh for other businesses and industries. The project will also displace around 2 million tons of CO2 per annum, hence significantly contributing to the fight against climate change. The bank has provided 145 million dollars to Kenya's geothermal drilling at Menengai in the rift valley. The 400 MW power plant is expected to be operational by 2016. The AfDB said it's also focusing on developing the geothermal potential in Tanzania, as Tanzania has been identified as the next country having an important geothermal potential, with the appropriate institutional framework and being ready with concrete geothermal sites already identified. Source: Xinhua Ethiopia: Nyota Plans to Go Deep Underground for Gold Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa) 3 February 2013 Nyota Minerals announced last week that it will undertake an initial assessment of the underground opportunity of the Tulu Kapi Gold Project, located 510Km west of Addis Abeba in the first quarter of 2013 once the Ministry of Mines (MoM) approves its licence application. The main deposit, which covers a total of 8.44sqkm situated in the northern sector of a shield, consist of greenstone terrain known for its mineral prospects as confirmed by the study conducted by the company, which also confirms a technically feasible and economically robust project with gross revenues of 1.4 billion dollars. Ethiopia: Private Sector to Get Involved in Hydro Power Supply Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa) By Elleni Araya, 3 February 2013 - The Ministry of Water & Energy (MoWE) is evaluating a feasibility study for the construction of five small scale hydro-power generators, which could be built and managed by private investors. Four cooperatives, and a private investor from the Southern region have already been selected by the Ministry's Rural Electrification Fund (REF) to invest in the studied sites. The feasibility study, conducted by the Water Works Design & Supervision Enterprise (WWDSE) for close to two million Birr, assessed the potential energy that could be produced from five different rivers; in Amhara, Benishangul, Gambella, Oromia and the Southern Regional State. The study also included a cost feasibility analysis and designs for the five hydro power plants. Small scale hydro-power plants generate up to 10Mw of electricity, and can light up anything from a single home to an entire village. Unlike the bigger hydropower plants, the small scale ones do not necessarily need a reservoir to store water, according to Mebrate Tafesse (PhD), chief executive officer of WWDSE. Instead, an open masonry channel-like structure, called a wier, which diverts the water to the pipe (penstock), is to be built. The pipe would then facilitate the flow of water down to the turbine. This wier has the additional advantage of collecting sediment, according to Mebrate. "The cost and impact to the environment is smaller, when building to a small scale," Mebrate said. The MoWE commissioned the study a year ago, after frequently being approached by different cooperatives and individuals who wanted to invest in electricity generation. The requests had been coming in for the past four years, according to Samson Mamo,technical officer for the rural electrification fund, under the MoWE. Initially, the MoWE called for a study of the construction of micro-hydro power projects on the five rivers, which could generate a maximum of 1,000Kw. The study by the Enterprise, however, found that most of the rivers had a much larger potential

14 and fall into the category of small-scale hydropower, rather than micro, according to Betemariam Asefe, hydropower engineer at WWDSE, who participated in the study and design project. The one with the highest potential is the Teski River, near Dangla, in Amhara regional state, which has the potential to produce 8.5Mw. This can provide electricity for up to 56,600 houses, each with two bulbs and an electric plug, the study found. Following a long way behind is the Yabus River, in Asossa Zone, Benishangul regional state, which has the potential to produce 1.41 Mw and provide electricity for 9,400 houses. Dilla River, in Western Wollega zone, Oromia, comes in third, with a potential of 1.3 Mw to serve 8,400 houses. All three rivers flow into the Abay basin. Zey River in Gambella and Tum River in the South, however, make it into the micro hydropower category with a potential to produce 170Kw and 1,000Kw, lighting 1,100 and 6,700 homes respectively. Overall the study found that the project was feasible cost wise as well. However, WWDSE refused to disclose the amount of money it would take to build these small scale hydro power generators, since the projects may later be handed to private contractors through a tender. Investors can manage the supply of electricity on their own for now, since the locations are in off-grid areas, according to a former GIZ expert, who formerly worked on the project. Investors would have to pay the Ethiopian Electric Agency, the regulatory office in the sector, when they supply energy privately. There are around 50 private investors involved in the generation and supply of energy, according to data from the Agency. When EEPCo comes into the area, however, the investors will have to either sell the energy they generate to it and get connected to the grid system, or be out of work all together. "Currently, the situation is not promising, as EEPCo prefers to install its own electric system, rather than include small scale power into the grid," the expert told Fortune. However, a draft feed-in-tariff, whereby private investors can sell the electricity they generate to the national grid, is currently being considered by the council of ministers. This feed-in-tariff obliges the EEPCo to buy from those private investors, if they are already available in the area it is expanding. The tariff will pay 0.08 dollars for a kilowatt hour of hydropower generated, according to the draft proclamation. Of the rivers under study, Teski has the potential to generate 7.1 million kilowatt hours of energy annually, whilst Tum, with the smallest potential, can generate 1.53 million kilowatt hours of energy. A technical committee at the REF is evaluating the final report of the feasibility study. Once it finishes, it will be looking for financiers to assist the private sector. Should any of the four cooperatives and investors be dissatisfied with the study and decline to invest, the REF will either look for another investor or commission the construction itself, according to Samson. Ethiopia: Habesha's Eyes Land On Rama Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa) By Elleni Araya, 3 February 2013 - The ten storied Tegat shopping centre, located near Axum hotel on Haile Gebreselassie Street, will be part of Addis Ababa's vista, in a year and a half. Construction firm, Habesha Construction & Materials Development (HC&MD), has selected Rama Construction PLC for the construction of a 10-storey shopping centre at a cost of 123.9 million Br. The two companies will sign the contract at Hilton Hotel on Monday, February 4, 2013. The building, named Tigat Shopping Centre, will occupy a 2,100sqm plot next to Axum Hotel, located on Haile Gebreselassie Street. It will be a mixed-use building, hosting shops, offices and a four star 90-bedroom hotel. The total cost for the centre's construction, of which Rama will only handle structural works, currently stands at 233 million Br. The project will be among many that Rama Construction PLC, one of the top grade contractors in the country, engaged in road, industry, real estate and building construction, is involved in. Its recent projects in Addis Abeba, include the 7.5 million dollar expansion works for the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa (UNECA) and the construction of Odda Tower, a mixed-use building across from Zemen Bank, on Tito Street. Ethiopia: Thermal Power Expansion to Begin At Aluto-Langano Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa) By Yetneberk Tadele, 3 February 2013 - Expansion work is to begin at the Aluto-Langano Geo-thermal Power Plant, in February, with the delivery of equipment to the site. The project, estimated to cost 35 million dollars, has already had 17 containers of materials delivered, with 10 more currently at the dry port, according to Miskir Negash, public relations officer of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo). The Corporation will also import 400tn of international standard cement over the coming few weeks, Miskir said. The expansion includes the digging of four wells, up to 2,500m deep, boosting Aluto-Langano's geo-thermal capacity to 70Mw; the total potential for the country is 5,000Mw. EEPCo has confirmed that up to 100Mw of power can be produced from the Aluto steam field - an eight square metre area located in Aluto, 200Km south of Addis Abeba, in the Rift Valley Lakes region. The project is part of the government plan to raise power output to 10,000 Mw by 2015, in order to meet the growing demand, in line with the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). Ethiopia: Malaysian Edible Oil Giant to Build Plant Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa) By Elleni Araya, 3 February 2013 Malaysian palm oil manufacturer, Pacific Interlink, is set to erect the largest ever edible oil refinery in Ethiopia, which will produce 300,000tn of oil at an estimated cost of 401.1 million Br. Kenya: Kepsa On Investing in Northern Kenya THE STAR By Maureen Waruinge, 8 February 2013 - Businesses will now be able to expand to Northern Kenya as an investment fund strategy has been put in place to encourage economic activities for the area. Private Sector Alliance CEO Carol Kariuki says they are ready to partner with the government to help livestock based communities set up ranches to make Kenya a meat exporter and compete with countries like Botswana. Kenya: Isiolo Airport Upgrade to Be Launched THE STAR By Maureen Waruinge, 7 February 2013 - The groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Isiolo International Airport will be held this Friday. It will be developed at a cost of 900 million shillings. The runway will be expanded while the airport will be able to accommodate nine aircraft. 125,000 passengers will also be able to use the facility annually.

15 Kenya: Kwale to Gain From Mining – Firm THE STAR By Martin Mwita, 8 February 2013 - An Australian company has told Kwale residents that they will benefit from a sand mining project in the area. Base Titanium managing director Tim Carstens said the social and economic status of the resident will improve significantly. He said the project will upgrade social infrastructure, train the residents and give them jobs. He said the company will build hospitals and schools. KENYA: MORTGAGE lender Housing Finance has received a Sh1.7 billion from the International Finance Corporations to finance and pioneer the construction for environmentally friendly houses in Kenya. THE STAR The loans will be disbursed at much lower interest rates compared to the current HF mortgage charges but developers must put up houses that are energy and water efficient. For instance, such houses must be be installed with solar- powered water heating systems and the lighting system must also be energy-saving. The so called green houses also have rain-water harvesting systems, low-flow shower heads and dual flush tanks for water closets to reduce water consumption by more than 20 per cent. They are designed to reduce direct sunlight into the home reducing the need for indoor air conditioning hot areas. "HF now encourages property developers to fully embrace energy and water efficient within the design, planning and construction of housing development in Kenya," said HF managing director Frank Ireri yesterday. HF estimates that the green houses are 20 per cent more expensive than the normal houses that one end up saving in energy and water costs in the long run. The lender has yet to fix the interest rates for the new loans. Kenya: Contractors Want Affirmative Rule On Public Sector Jobs THE STAR By Wesonga Ochieng, 6 Feb 2013 Building contractors in Kenya want the government to effect a joint venture provision that will see them share lucrative contracts with foreign firms awarded public sector jobs. Chinese firms have in particular been singled out as dominating multi-billion shilling projects in the public sector as local firms are sidelined. Kenya: Investment in Hotel Properties to Pick Up – Report THE STAR By James Waithaka, 6 February 2013 Kenya is among few African countries where hotel development activity will pick up in 2013, according to a new survey. In the Annual Hotel Investment Outlook Report, Jones Lang LaSalle says it anticipates further investments in hotel properties in growing tourist destinations and business hubs including Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya. Kenya: Opec Loan to Fund Garissa National Grid Link THE STAR By Solomon Kirimi, 5 February 2013 Global oil cartel, Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has advanced Sh1.3 billion loan for construction of power transmission to connect Garrisa town with Kindaruma power plant. Energy permanent secretary Patrick Nyoike said the project will start in the first quarter of next year. The OPEC Fund loan will be used to finance connection of an additional 300,000 consumers to the national grid. The Garrissa link from Kindaruma, through Mwingi is expected to cost Sh1.3 billion along with substations. Rwanda: Nakumatt Honeymoon Over As Uchumi Eyes Rwanda Market THE NEW TIMES By Frank Kanyesigye, 8 February 2013 - THE DOMINANCE of supermarket chain, Nakumatt, in the local retail business will soon end after Uchumi Supermarket announced it would set up shop in Rwanda. South Sudan Pipeline Construction to Begin This Year Government of South Sudan (Juba) By Matata Safi and Apiku Simon, 7 February 2013 Juba — Construction of a pipeline to carry South Sudan's crude oil from oil fields in the landlocked country to an export terminal will begin later this year, according to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining. Ministry officials explained that a Japanese firm has completed feasibility studies on the Lamu route. They added that the Japanese and American companies have expressed interest to jointly fund the project on a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis. According to Dr. Gatwech Thich, the Ministry's Director for Pipelines, a German company, ILF, has been contracted to carry out a feasibility study on the South Sudan-Ethiopia-Djibouti route, which will begin this month. The study, said Dr. Thich, will take between six and nine months. The ministry said it was currently looking into the two options as possible routes for the pipeline. "So far we have not yet chosen the route," the Minister said. But regardless of the route the government of South Sudan eventually decides to be most appropriate, construction will "begin in October," the Director for Pipelines pointed out. Sudan: Qatar to Fund Chad-Sudan Road, Bashir Says SUDAN TRIBUNE 7 February 2013 — Qatar will fund the construction of a road connecting Sudan and the landlocked neighbouring Chad, announced the president Omer Al- Bashir following a meeting with his Chadian counterpart Idris Deby in Khartoum on Thursday. Since 2010 when the two countries sealed security and economic deals ending a five-year proxy war, the two countries said a road and a railway line will be built to enhance the economic exchange between the two countries. The talks focused on the projects aiming to connect the two countries which are the continental road and a rail way between Sudan and Chad, Bashir said, adding that all the efforts are now centred on the highway. Bashir pointed out that Sudan is working to complete the construction of the road up to the capital of West Darfur state. From El Geneina the rout will link Adré on the Chadian side of the border and then be paved to Abéché, the regional capital of eastern Chad. He went further to disclose that Qatar, in its efforts to boost the bilateral relations between the two countries, will fund the building of the road between El-Geneina and Abéché in eastern Chad, reaffirming that Chinese companies are preparing to construct the rail way. The Sudanese president also reiterated Khartoum's commitment to allocate economic facilities and dedicate some blocks in Port Sudan for Chad. He further said that Chad is an oil producer and now exploring oil in the northern part of the country, pointing out that if confirmed this oil would be exported through Port Sudan after the construction of a pipeline. Chad is exporting its oil and other goods through the port of Kribi in Cameroon, but seeks to reach Asian and Middle East markets via the Red Sea.

16 Uganda: 14 Firms Vie for Kenya-Uganda Pipeline Deal The Observer (Kampala) By Edgar Angumya, 5 Feb 2013 At least 14 companies have expressed interest in the construction of the Kenya - Uganda petroleum pipeline. The new tender for the project comes after both Kenya and Uganda agreed to terminate the contract that was earlier awarded to Libya's Tamoil East Africa Ltd. Under the new bidding conditions, a private investor will be required to own the pipeline for 20 years before it is transferred to the two governments. The 14-inch diameter pipeline will run 352km, from Eldoret to Kampala. The project will also include a common user depot at the pipeline terminal in Kampala. The companies' capital base and their experience will come under critical assessment. "The investor /lead investor must have a minimum annual turnover equivalent to United States Dollar 500 million. Evaluation of the financial statements will be on the bidders' financial strength as depicted by, among others, the return on capital employed, liquidity and debt ratios," according to the joint coordinating commission for the Kenya-Uganda Refined Petroleum Products tender announcement. The statement adds that "Capability and experience in successful development, construction, operation and maintenance of a similar pipeline" will be considered in the evaluation process. The contract previously awarded to Tamoil East Africa Ltd, a subsidiary of the Libyan African Investment Portfolio (LAIP), was cancelled following reports from the Ugandan government that the company had failed to comply with objections agreed under the memorandum of understanding of 2008. The fall of Muammar Gadafi's government in 2011 to a civil uprising, and earlier United Nations sanctions that called for the freezing of Libya's foreign assets, weighed heavily on Tamoil's plans. The governments of Uganda and Kenya are eager to have a refined petroleum products pipeline to ease the transportation of oil products following the discovery of oil resources in Uganda, and further explorations in Kenya. According the National Budget Framework paper for the year 2012/2013, Uganda considers the construction of the pipeline a priority. "Government is still committed to develop the Kenya-Uganda oil pipeline despite the challenges experienced in both countries of land acquisition and the need to redesign the infrastructure to cater for the future export of petroleum products from Uganda." The bidders: National Oil Corporation of Kenya & Indian Oil Corporation Punjloid Infrastructure Limited & Inpex Construction Limited (Japan) Capital star steel limited - combining Capital Africa Steel (Pty) Ltd (South Africa) & Seven Star Group (China) China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau, a subsidiary of China Oil and Gas Pipeline Bureau Eiffage SA (France ) & Consolidated Contractors Group Turner and Townsend (which is building a Uganda Breweries plant in Mbarara) Oil India limited and Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited Mota - Engil, Engenharia e Construção (Portugal) Oasis Consortium Group Denys NV (Belgium), Alfaraa Jihind Consortium, Vitol SA (France) National Gas Company (Trinidad and Tobago) Orascom Construction Industries (Egypt). Uganda: Italians to Set Up Coffee Factory THE NEW VISION 2 February 2013 - Euro Techno Group, an Italian company is planning to invest in coffee processing factory worth 20m euros, in Uganda. According to the investment plan presented by the Techno Group officials led by the company president Luca Anghinelli, to the Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi, the investment will run as a joint venture with Palombini, the third largest coffee roaster in Italy. He said that his company was interested in establishing a juice factory as well. Uganda: Kilembe Mines - New Owners to Be Named THE NEW VISION By David Mugabe, 5 February 2013 The Privatisation Unit (PU) expects to announce the winning firm to take over the almost $1b valued Kilembe Copper Mines by late April. Privatisation Unit spokesperson Jim Mugunga said over the weekend that the evaluation of the bids will immediately follow after due diligence is done. The firms are Sino-Steel (China), Tibet-Hima Group (China), Konkola Copper Mines PLC (Zambia), Shree Minerals (Australia) and Gingko Energy Investments Co. (China). Initially there were close to 40 firms interested in Kilembe. ECOWAS

CAMEROON: Victoria Now Fully Funded to Develop Cameroon Field - February 06, 2013 Victoria Oil & Gas says it is fully funded to commercialize its Logbaba gas discovery in Cameroon after raising $36 million. Côte d’Ivoire: West African Development Bank to fund Abidjan interchange 07 february 2013 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (PANA) - The Ivorian Economy and Finance Minister, Nialé Kaba, and the President of the West African Development Bank, Christian Adovelande, on Thursday signed a loan agreement for FCFA 14 billion to fund the construction of an interchange in Abidjan, the Ivorian economic capital. Cameroon: PM Yang Briefed on Local Chocolate Company CAMEROON TRIBUNE By Emmanuel Kendemeh, 7 February 2013 - The Director General of the local chocolate producing company, IM. SO.FER. SA, Giovanni Schettino, yesterday, February 7, 2013 briefed the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang on the activities of his company whose Yaounde-based factory employs over 200 people. The company, started in 2005, is the branch of the Italian chocolate producing Ferrero Group. 17 Giovanni Schettino disclosed after the audience that the company would want to build a bigger factory in 2013. Ferrero Group which is the fourth largest cocoa buyer in the world, has factories in South Africa, Cameroon and India. Prime Minister Yang, reportedly saluted the efforts of the chocolate company. This is because the local processing of cocoa into chocolate ties with country's vision of attaining an emergence status by 2035. Cameroon: Gov't Prepares Investment Incentives CAMEROON TRIBUNE By Emmanuel Kendemeh, 7 Feb 2013 The government of Cameroon is preparing investment incentives to attract both foreign and local investors and maintain them to grow and create wealth and jobs. The Regulation and Competitiveness Board meeting yesterday, February 7 chaired by Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang during its first session for 2013, examined the draft bill on the incentives that will eventually be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration. Liberia: Govt Heightens Priority for Water & Sanitation Sector THE ANALYST 8 February 2013 - Liberia yesterday unveiled a five-year investment plan which outlines priorities for rebuilding the country's water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector that had been ravaged by decades of civil conflict. The WASH Sector Investment Plan developed with support from the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) outlines funding requirements of US$600 million to achieve the targets set for 2017. Despite development partners' existing support to the sector, this leaves a US$450 million funding gap to achieve the targets set in the Agenda for Transformation (Liberia's second Poverty Reduction Strategy). The investment plan was largely informed by a digital map and inventory of more than 10,000 water points across Liberia developed through comprehensive national mapping exercise led by the Ministry of Public Works, with support from WSP. The water point atlas revealed glaring inadequacies on the state of functional water points, which helped to formulate policy recommendations. NIGERIA: Sea Trucks' Nigerian Unit, West African Ventures Win Erha North Contracts February 08, 2013 Sea Trucks Group announces the award of the Erha North contract to a consortium of West African Ventures, Sea Trucks' principle Nigerian business and Subsea 7's Nigerian subsidiary. Nigeria: Senate Asks FG to Save River Niger Bridge From Collapse THIS DAY By Omololu Ogunmade, 8 February 2013 - The Senate Thursday asked the Federal Ministry of Works to immediately commence what it described as reinforcement, repairs and rehabilitation of the River Niger bridge to avoid the dire consequences of its possible collapse. The senators also advised the Federal Government to carry out inspections on all over-water bridges in Nigeria with the aim of saving them from decay and collapse. Nigeria: East-West Road to Be Completed in 2014, Says Orubebe THIS DAY By Davidson Iriekpen, 8 Feb 2013 Following the criticism he has received in recent times on the deplorable state of the East-West Road and its non- completion, the Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, Thursday promised that the Federal Government would complete the project by December 2014. Nigeria: Will Cocoa Processing Factory Save Cocoa Business? DAILY TRUST By Eyo Charles, 30 January 2013 Now when key stakeholders in Cocoa business, including international merchants and financiers converged in Calabar capital of Cross River State few weeks ago, they confirmed that in order to secure the future of the business in the country and allay the fears of the farmers, an international consortium was ready to fund the multi-million naira cocoa processing plant in the state before long. Nigeria: 13 Construction Coys Bid for Kano Roads DAILY TRUST By Nuruddeen M. Abdallah, Nazifi Dawud Khalid, Ismail Mudashir, Ahmed Mohammed, Hir Joseph, 6 February 2013 - Thirteen construction companies have submitted proposals to the Kano State government for the construction of about 220 kilometers road medians on all the dual carriage ways in the 44 local government councils of the state. Some of the companies that bided for the contracts are Dantata and Sawoe, TEC Engineering and Construction Company LTD, HAJAIG Construction Company and Triacta Nigeria Limited among others. Nigeria: Ropeways to Launch Cable Car Mass Transit System VANGUARD By Princewill Ekwujru, 5 Feb 2013 For the first time in the history of Nigeria, a cable car company, Ropeways Transport Limited, is set to launch a cable car mass urban transit system in the nation's commercial capital, Lagos. This followed the signing of a 30-year Franchise Agreement between Ropeways Transport Limited, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and the Lagos State Government recently. Under the terms of the Agreement, Ropeways Transport will this November begin the construction of towers, stations and connecting network cables along various routes covered in the first phase of the project, namely, Ijora - Iddo, Iddo - Adeniji, Apapa - Oluwole, Oluwole - Adeniji, Adeniji - Obalende, Obalende - Falomo, and Falomo - Victoria Island. The project is expected to be fully completed and commissioned by early 2015. Nigeria: AFC Secures U.S.$15 Million Infrastructure Development Facility THIS DAY 6 February 2013 The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has said it is in partnership with the Dutch Development Bank - The Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelings Landen N.V (FMO) to secure a $15 million project development facility. The facility, according to the AFC, would make early stage investment in projects under development, pre-financial close, in the infrastructure sector across sub-Saharan Africa. The sum would be used to fund early-stage equity investments in projects under development by AFC as well as third party developers, including those referred to the facility by FMO. A statement further explained that the facility would be managed by AFC and would typically fund technical advisory services and third party expenses. These include -feasibility assessments and market studies, environmental reviews, financial modeling services, technical design and legal services. "The geographical focus of the facility is sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa and its sector focus is: power, transportation, oil and gas infrastructure, agribusiness and social infrastructure," it said.

18 "Few bankable infrastructure projects have closed in Africa in recent years, principally due to a lack of early stage development risk capital and the expertise to take such projects to financial close," the Corporation noted. AFC's President/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Andrew Alli, said: "Financial institutions need to form strategic partnerships in order to manage the risks involved in long term project development financing. Nigeria: Gulf of Guinea Plans N173 Billion Methanol Plant in Nigeria VANGUARD By Michael Eboh, 5 Feb 2013 Gulf of Guinea Oil Exploration Limited (GGOEX) is to invest N172.7billion ($1.1 billion) in the construction of a new methanol facility in the Niger Delta. Mr. Joe Ibeh, a former director of the United Kingdom subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and currently Executive Director of GGOEX, stated that financial closure for the project is expected to be achieved in the fourth quarter of 2013. He disclosed that the plant is projected to have a three year construction phase and will help promote an alternative to fuel. Nigeria: AfDB Approves U.S.$100 Million Loan to Boost Fertilizer Production DAILY TRUST By Olayemi R. Ibrahim, 4 February 2013 - The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a loan of $100 million for Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited (IEFCL) to build and operate a gas-to-urea fertilizer plant located in Port Harcourt. The company will serve markets in Nigeria, Benin, Brazil, Ghana, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, a statement from the bank said. Other project components will include an 84-kilometre pipeline and a multipurpose jetty and terminal infrastructure at Onne Port, 16 km from the project site. Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited (IEFCL) is the Borrower and Project Company. It is owned by Eleme and Indorama. Sao Tome and Principe: Government prepares to make decision on deep water port February 5th, 2013 - The government of Sao Tome and Principe plans soon to make a decision on the project to build a deep water port, work on which had been due to begin five years ago, Prime Minister Gabriel Costa said, according to Portuguese news agency Lusa. “We are going to contact Terminal Link and other operators to find out what stage the dossier is at and, above all, to find a path, make a better decision for our country, though obviously respecting agreements that have been made”, said the head of the Sao Tome government. Costa, who was speaking on the sidelines of the celebrations of 3 February, Day of the Martyrs of Freedom, said that construction of the deep water port was “a fundamental project for development” of the archipelago, which must be taken up again. The project to build the deep water port is expected to cost US$500 million and will be built in Fernão Dias, 17 kilometres north of the country’s capital. Its main operator is French consortium Terminal Link. (macauhub) SIERRA LEONE: Sierra Leone awards off-grid solar PV project contracts ENG NEWS By: Natalie Greve 8th February 2013 - Laos-based Sunlabob Renewable Energy on Friday announced it has been awarded two contracts for the design, supply, installation and training of locals for 13 turnkey solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in off-grid areas of Sierra Leone. To complete the 13 solar-powered local enterprise development projects – twelve 5 kWp plants and one 16 kWp plant – Sunlabob would embed members of its engineering team alongside local partners to undertake the design, installation, testing and commissioning of the systems. Sunlabob had previously designed, installed and provided community training for three solar PV plants totalling 53 kWp in three industrial growth centers in the villages of Bo, Kpandebu and Pujehun, in Sierra Leone. AFRICA

AFRICA: Investment challenges facing Africa's mining industry BBC By Matthew Davies 8 February 2013 Fifty-three years ago this week, the then UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan delivered his famous "wind of change" speech in Cape Town.

The real challenge for many African countries is not mining, but reaching their export markets On 3 February 1960, he spoke of the political change that was blowing through the continent as African countries lined up to claim their independence from Europe's colonial powers. This week, aside from the strong south-westerly winds that blast through Cape Town at this time of the year, there was another wind of change blowing through the Investing in African Mining Indaba. Many of the 7,500 delegates at the annual conference in Cape Town felt that the investment wind was no longer blowing south to South Africa's mining industry, but had changed and was now blowing north and west - seeking out opportunities in the rest of the continent. The reason is simple. Many investors are still nervous about last year's strikes at many of South Africa's mines and the devastating effect they had on production. Stability is key

19 Some analysts see better opportunities elsewhere and investors are looking at Ghana, Guinea, Mali and even Ethiopia. "If you look at where the majors seem to be doing their business, many of them are withdrawing from South Africa," says Charles Bond of the law firm Gowlings. "There are good deals to be had in South Africa but there's a lot of other opportunity around the other African jurisdictions. "A lot of those countries are welcoming in investors with open arms. They're trying to make their mining codes more easy, more accessible - whereas South Africa, because of the political uncertainty here, it's been more difficult to promote their mining investment." As belt-tightening happens in the investor countries, many countries in Africa are finding themselves competing for a shrinking pot of investment money. African governments know that investors will balance risk and reward, and that stability is key. Keen to point this out, Gabon's exhibition stand at the Indaba had a large poster with "a safe and friendly country" emblazoned across it. 'Yesterday is history' One way countries are stressing how investor-friendly they are is to quash any talk of nationalisation, which during the recent boom in commodities surfaced in certain places. Susan Shabangu, South Africa's Minister of Mining, spent some time last year reiterating her government's policy that there would be no nationalisation of the mines, despite the calls from the likes of the former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema. Other countries are adamant nationalisation is not even a consideration. Zambia's Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development, Yamfwa Mukanga, scoffed at the very notion when I asked him about it as a possibility. Mike Allen Hammah, Ghana's outgoing Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, told me a renationalisation of his country's mines would be against the constitution. "We won't go back," he said. "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is the present. For us, having learnt from history, there's no way we are going to go back to nationalising mining companies." Infrastructure investment But other African countries do face a challenge that South Africa doesn't - infrastructure. It is all very well having enormous mineral deposits, but if they cannot be exported, no-one benefits. Deloitte's South Africa mining leader, Tony Zoghby, says: "Africa, in terms of infrastructure, is relatively undeveloped. "Although the resources are there, actually getting them out of the ground and getting them from where they're mined to the ports is the big challenge." One estimate, by Standard Bank, says Africa will need $50bn (£31bn) of infrastructure investment over the next 10 years, if its resources are to be exploited effectively. 'Challenging time' Knowing that the rule of law is being abided by all sides is important for investors too. That's another reason why they were so spooked by last year's wildcat strikes in South Africa. Peter Major, mining analyst at Cadiz Corporate Solutions, says: "If you have average deposits you'd better have way, way above enforcement of law - and you want regulations enforced on both sides. "Mining companies have to comply but so do governments and the unions." Mungo Soggot, at Risk Analysis, says that all the major mining firms have either "quite significantly reduced their exposure" to South Africa or are thinking about it. "But it would be premature to say that the era of big mining is over in South Africa. It's an immensely challenging time," he says. So the consensus might not be one of doom, but perhaps South Africa should be looking at its golden years in its rear-view mirror. Developing Countries Bear More Trade Costs - World Bank Leadership (Abuja) By Isaac Aimurie, 7 Feb 2013 A new database developed jointly by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the World Bank has revealed that trade costs fall disproportionately on developing countries. This is despite the fact that the international economy has integrated considerably in recent decades. Disclosing this in a statement issued yesterday, the World Bank said the study noted that "although developing countries were becoming more integrated into the world trading system in an absolute sense, they are starting from a higher baseline and their relative position is deteriorating because the rest of the world is moving more quickly." The bank explained that the new Trade Costs database uses an innovative method to estimate trade costs in agriculture and manufactured goods, opening new analytical possibilities for policymakers and researchers interested in trade integration. "According to the research, trade costs are influenced to varying degrees by distance and transport costs, tariff and non-tariff measures, and logistics. The new data, which cover the time period 1995-2010, stress the importance of supply chains and connectivity constraints in explaining the higher costs and lower levels of trade integration observed in developing countries. "One of the key findings triggered by the database is that two areas amenable to policy interventions-maritime transport connectivity and logistics performance-are very important determinants of bilateral trade costs, with an effect comparable to that of geographical distance." Ravi Ratnayake, Director of ESCAP's Trade and Investment Division, which partnered with the World Bank on the project, said, "Technological factors are responsible for a significant share of the differences in trade costs around the world. From a policy perspective, reforms in areas such as infrastructure, core trade-related services sectors, and private sector development can thus have significant benefits for countries in terms of lowering trade costs." The global database shows the pattern of trade costs across countries and through time by offering a comparison of pairs of countries, and an identification of those trade costs that are high. As such, the data set can be used to examine the policy factors and "natural" factors that contribute to the levels of trade costs observed around the world. One telling trend: for upper middle income countries, it is easier to trade with high income countries than among themselves. 20 Africa: Massive Potential in African Mining – IFC SouthAfrica.info (Johannesburg) 7 February 2013 - Africa's under-invested mining sector has huge potential, supported by increased economic growth and political stability, and could play a vital developmental role on the continent, the International Finance Corporation's (IFC's) Bernard Sheahan told the Investing in African Mining Indaba on Wednesday. Africa is expected to grow at an above-average 5.5% per annum over the next five years, and according to projections in a recent McKinsey report, will have a larger labour force than China and India within the next two decades. Projections also point to rapid urbanisation, with the majority of Africa's population expected to be living in urban areas by 2023. Increased political stability At the same time, Sheahan said, there were signs of improvement when it came to political risk on the continent. "There is increased political stability ... we've seen positive political transitions in countries like Guinea, Senegal and Ivory Coast. This means better economic governance. It is not perfect in some countries, but there are improved policy choices which points to progress in investment climate reform. ER....WHAT ABOUT ZIMBADWE "Underpinned by social transformation in Africa, the continent is about to see a demographic dividend." Sheahan said the IFC - a member of the World Bank Group - was taking advantage of the potential it saw in African mining, which now accounted for more than half of the IFC's mining investments. Opportunities in infrastructure He said he believed the main opportunities in Africa lay in infrastructure. The continent has a huge infrastructure deficit, which the IFC believes will need an annual investment of US$93-billion. "Multi-user infrastructure can be an opportunity for mining to enhance the developmental impact of mining." At the same time, Sheahan said, the mining industry could play a critical role in reducing the political risk to doing business in Africa through job creation and skills development. "We need more cooperative approaches between companies and other stakeholders, and this is where the mining industry can play a role." He lauded the African Mineral Skills Initiative of the United Nations, in partnership with Anglogold Ashanti, for its role in skills development on the continent. He cautioned, however, that companies should be strategic in their community investments, and make them a core part of the mine project planning process. Local procurement was another area where the mining industry could contribute to reducing risk, he said, while stressing that a holistic approach was needed towards local sourcing. MIDDLE EAST/OTHER

EGYPT: Egypt to spend EGP835m on 'urgent' railway network overhaul - Egyptian planning minister Ashraf El- Arabi has announced a decision by the cabinet to allocate EGP835m in the 2012-2013 budget for the repair of the country's battered railway system, Mena has reported. The funds, required to implement an "urgent" plan for the maintenance and development of the Egyptian railway would involve repairing and automating railroad crossings, purchasing spare parts for vehicles, control and safety mechanisms, air-conditioned carriages and second-class carriages. EGYPT: Eni strikes oil in western Egypt - Italy's Eni has said it had made a new oil discovery in the western desert of Egypt, as the oil and gas major moves to consolidate its presence in the country, Reuters has reported. The new discovery was made at the NFW well "Rosa North 1X" located in the Meleiha Concession, Eni said. Two wells will be drilled in 2013 and production from each is estimated at 2,000 barrels of oil per day, the firm said. GCC: Galfar plans expansion in Saudi Arabia, Iraq - Oman-headquartered construction firm Galfar Engineering and Contracting has said that 15% of its business is subcontracted to local contractors, contributing to the local economy and benefitting local communities, Muscat Daily has reported. "Presently, we procure nearly OR200m of services from the local market, hiring equipment worth OR20,000 every day," said vice chairman and managing director Dr P Mohammed Ali. The company currently operates in Oman, India and Kuwait and plans to expand to other countries in the region. "We have plans to expand to countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq in the future," said Ali. Egypt: New Projects for Development of North, South Upper Egypt, Eastern Desert Egypt State Information Service (Cairo) 2 February 2013 - Minister of Housing and Urban Communities Dr. Tarek Wafik said on Saturday 02/02/2013 that plans have been finalized for the development of the Eastern Desert, North and South Upper Egypt. Plans for the development of North Upper Egypt include cultivation of 100,000 feddans of aromatic and medicinal plants. The plan also includes the establishment of mining and petrochemical industries as well as agricultural industrialization in North Upper Egypt. IRAN: Iran replaces CNPC with local firm for South Pars development project - The National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC) has replaced China's National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) with the Khatam ol-Osia Construction Headquarters to develop phase 11 of the country's South Pars (SP) gas field, after the withdrawal of the Chinese firm, Fars news has reported. The South Pars gas field covers an area of 9,700 sq km, 3,700 sq km of which are in Iran's territorial waters in the Gulf. The remaining 6,000 sq km are in neighbouring Qatar's territorial waters. IRAN: Iran's Global Petro secures €1.2bn contract for four drilling rigs - Iran's Global Petro Tech Kish Co has signed a €1.2bn agreement with the National Iranian Central Oilfields Co to build four drilling rigs, Mehr news has reported. The four rigs will be used for oil and gas fields in the Gulf, said Global Petro managing director, Mahmoud Zirakchianzadeh.

21 LEBANON: Lebanon receives $85m Kuwaiti loan to rehabilitate power plants - Lebanon has received an $85m loan from Kuwait to finance the upgrading and rehabilitation of two power plants, as part of efforts to overhaul the ailing electricity sector, The Daily Star has reported. The loan will partially finance the project to boost production in Zouk and Jiyyeh plants by 272 MW. "This is part of general plan to boost production by 1,500 MW, and if this happens then Lebanon will enjoy 24 hours of electricity every day," said the Lebanese energy and water minister, Gebran Bassil. Morocco: Nation to Upgrade Infrastructure Magharebia (Washington DC) 7 February 2013 - Morocco signed a 2.5 billion dirham (223 million euro) loan deal with the Islamic Development Bank, MAP reported on Wednesday (February 6th). The funds will be used for the construction of the 170 MW M'dez El Menzel hydro power plant. The loan will also help fund drinking water supplies in eight provinces and upgrade rural road networks. OMAN: Omani developer, Bank Muscat ink financing deal for Salam Residence - Omani developer Salam Properties has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bank Muscat to provide 'baituna' housing finance for Salam Residence units in Baushar, Muscat Daily has reported. The financing programme is available for Omani nationals, GCC nationals and expatriates. OMAN: Oman to spend $555.8m on development projects - Oman has approved a number of projects worth around OR214m ($555.8m) for the governorates of Dakhiliyah and Al Wusta, Times of Oman has reported. The projects include the construction of new roads in the two governorates, 150 social houses, equally distributed in the wilayats of Al Jazir, Mahout and Haima, in addition to 150 houses, which have been approved in the Wilayat of Duqum, as well as the expansion and upgrade of Haima Hospital in Al Wusta. OMAN: Port of Duqm to float liquid terminal tender by year-end - Oman's Port of Duqm Co (PDC) has announced the contract for the development of a major liquid terminal at the port will be floated later this year, Oman Daily Observer has reported. "We are now working on the formalities relating to the design and construction of the Liquid Terminal that will be used primarily for the supply of crude to the planned refinery," said the commercial director of PDC, Reggy Vermeulen. "Our objective is to have the terminal up and running in 2017, in parallel with the targeted launch of the refinery project. We are now working with our partners to prepare the tendering of the Liquid Terminal," he said. QATAR: Qatar says rail projects offer $38bn in returns over 20 years - Sa'ad Al Mohannadi, the chief executive of Qatar Railways Co has said there are around $38bn worth of potential returns for investors over the next 20 years in rail-related projects in the country, Gulf News has reported. Out of a total of 200 rail "business opportunities," 75% are in railway infrastructure, covering construction and operations maintenance, he said. "This [$38bn] will be spread in all project cycles, from construction to facility management," said Al Mohannadi. TURKEY: Kurdistan plans oil pipeline to Turkey - Ashti Horami, Kurdish minister for natural resources has announced government plans to build an oil pipeline for exports to Turkey without waiting any settlement with Baghdad, Aswat al-Iraq has reported. "The Kurdish region does not need a permission from Baghdad to build its infrastructure, including the oil sector, because the constitution permits so," Horami told the BBC. "The Kurdish government was preferring to work and coordinate with the central government in oil industry, but the other side does not want to cooperate which made the mission very difficult," he added. UAE: Etihad Rails awards Maxx Logistics rail wagons shipping deal - UAE's Etihad Rail has awarded Dubai- based MaxX Logistics, a joint venture between Saudi-based Almajdouie and China's Sinotrans, the contract for the shipment and handling of rail wagons. Under the terms of the contract, Maxx will be handling the shipment and transportation of rail wagons which will be used in Phase 1 of the Etihad Rail Project, which will link Shah-Habshan- Ruwais rail line in the Western Region of the UAE for the transport of granulated sulphur. Etihad Rail is an enterprise founded in 2010 to develop the 1,200km national railway network stretching across the UAE. UAE: Murray & Roberts trims Mideast staff count - Murray & Roberts Holdings, builder of Dubai's Burj Al Arab hotel, has blamed slower-than-expected tenders for projects in Qatar for its decision to cut more than a quarter of its workforce in the Middle East, Bloomberg has reported. Contracts for work in Qatar, which is hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022, haven't been tendered as expected, said the company's human resources director, Johan Fourie. As a result, the firm dismissed about 28% of its employees in the region "to resize ourselves to market conditions," he said. South Africa's second-largest construction firm and joint-venture partner Al Habtoor Leighton Group built the Sorbonne University campus in Abu Dhabi and the St. Regis Hotel and Residences on Saadiyat Island. The contractor also worked on the Dhs3bn ($817m) Zayed University campus in Abu Dhabi and a Dhs2.2bn Abu Dhabi hospital project. SAUDI: MFRI Saudi unit awarded $27m Jeddah airport district cooling deal - Saudi aviation authorities have awarded Perma-Pipe Saudi Arabia, a subsidiary of US-based MFRI Inc. new orders exceeding $27m for the first phase of the district cooling system expansion project at King Abdul-Aziz International (KAIA) airport in Jeddah, Arab News has reported. These orders are in addition to the $23m awarded earlier, bringing the total of major project work in Saudi Arabia to nearly $50m. The total facilities covered by the new orders span over 100 sq km including the chilled water distribution system, utility plants, utility tunnel, plant nursery, and transportation centre with integrated rail station. "We have spent two years investing in direct in-country capacity in Saudi Arabia. The Jeddah Airport is the largest single project we have received since we started our business activities in the Middle East some seven years ago," said MFRI chief executive, Bradley Mautner. SAUDI: Saudi Arabia to build 200,000 affordable residential units - Saudi housing ministry has announced plans to implement a programme that will involve the construction of 200,000 housing units in the country, Arab News has

22 reported. The housing units are intended to meet the needs of the lower income sector throughout the kingdom. Construction is scheduled to be competed at the end of this year. SAUDI: Saudi Arabia makes thermal insulation mandatory for new buildings - Saudi water and electricity ministry has said all new buildings in the kingdom are to install thermal insulation systems, Arab News has reported. The ministry asked engineering and consulting offices, contractors and thermal insulation manufacturers and suppliers to comply with the new rule, adding that building licences for new buildings will not be issued after February 11, unless the installation of thermal insulators had been ascertained through field visits. AFRICA INFO, GENERAL INTEREST & RISK ISSUES

African Lawyers to Discuss Assets Stolen By Leaders THE NEW TIMES 7 February 2013 - Africa's top Bar association, the Pan African Lawyers Union, will this month hold its triennial general assembly with a special focus on the theme, "Illicit Financial Flows from Africa: Sealing the leaks, Management and Repatriation of Frozen Assets" in Tunis, Tunisia from 21- 24. The conference is part of continent-wide efforts to fight corruption by turning attention to the illicit financial flows from Africa to foreign banks and international financial institutions. Palu chief executive Donald Deya estimates that up to $50b worth of assets is swindled from Africa annually. "This is approximately double the official development assistance (ODA) that Africa receives," Deya said. "This atmosphere is enabled by some 60 international tax havens and secrecy jurisdictions that facilitate the creation and operation of millions of disguised corporations, shell companies, anonymous trust accounts, and fake charitable foundations." Such outflows undermine the rule of law, stifle trade and worsen macroeconomic conditions. Taking prompt action to curtail illicit financial outflows from Africa will provide a major source of funds for development programmes in the continent. "It is of utmost importance that we work to put in place a legal framework, with transparent mechanisms, for the handling of financial transactions and the management of frozen assets," Deya said. UNLIKELY THAT BARRISTER BRIBERY AND COLLUSION WILL BE ON THE AGENDA Cameroon: BIR Deploys Troops to Protect Night-Time Travellers - Buses travelling to and from Bamenda in the North West Region are now escorted by Rapid Intervention Battalion soldiers. As part of efforts to protect public transport vehicles, passengers and their luggage against armed robbery attacks, Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR, soldiers in the North West Region have for some time now been offering escort services to mass transit buses travelling to and from Bamenda at night from the Littoral, South West and Centre Regions. China 'smuggles' Mozambique timber – EIA 7 February 2013

Mozambique's forestry laws are constantly breached, environmentalists say. Nearly half of the timber exported from Mozambique to China is illegal, a pressure group has said. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) said its investigation showed that Mozambican politicians and Chinese traders were systematically involved in timber smuggling and illegal logging. This has caused Mozambique to lose tens of millions of dollars a year in tax revenues, it added.

23 Cola and Botanic Blood Balm 31.01.2013

One of the most famous sparkling drinks in the world, Coca-Cola, was patented 120 years ago in the U.S. The rights to produce the drink from coca leaves belong to Asa Griggs Candler, the founder of Coca-Cola Corporation. With the help of Candler's efforts, the drink, conceived as an anesthetic, has become a legend, and The Coca-Cola company surpassed the cost of such giant as Microsoft. The would-be founder of a national symbol of the USA, Asa Griggs Candler, was born December 30, 1851 in Carroll County, into the family of a successful merchant and planter, who had a total of eleven children. Before the advent of the Coca-Cola brand in Candler's life, he was involved in a pharmacy business in Atlanta and produced patented medicines. An officer of the American Confederation, who ended the war as a pharmacist - John Steve Pemberton - conducted first experiments with coca leaves and the nuts of tropical tree, cola. In his laboratory in Atlanta, Pemberton was working on the production of pain-killing medications and medicines for various nervous diseases, as well as impotence. The wonder potion appeared in pharmacies on May 8, 1886. As long as the society was unaware of the dangers of cocaine at that time, the coca-cola drug could be solved freely. However, there was no high demand on the medication, so without the slightest hesitation Pemberton agreed to sell the rights to manufacture the drug to businessman Asa Griggs Candler. According to some sources, having become a full-fledged owner of the recipe for Coca-Cola in 1889, Candler cooked syrup in a metal pan together with his Botanic Blood Balm. The massive production of that drink was launched soon afterwards. Candler's entrepreneurial acumen and deep knowledge of such techniques such as marketing, allowed him both to patent the Coca-Cola drink in three years (1889-1891) and establish its production. To found The Coca- Cola Company, the American entrepreneur spent 2,300 dollars - a fortune in those days. In 1895, Coca-Cola factories appeared in Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. The drink was positioned as a refreshing and healing one, because it was based on cocaine. This ingredient became a sticking point between the founder of The Coca-Cola Company and the authorities of the United States in the early 1900s. In 1902, the turnover of the company for the production of Coca-Cola made up 120,000 dollars. The government and the media cracked down on Candler accusing him of selling a drug. In 1903, the New York Tribune published a devastating article, in which the product of The Coca-Cola Company was blamed for the attacks of black people from urban slums against the white population of the United States. Journalists of the renowned publication believed that black Americans were losing control of themselves under the influence of the drink from coca leaves. The allegations forced Candler to stop adding fresh cocaine leaves to the drink and replace them with pressed leaves that contained no disgraced alkaloid. The ways of packaging the beverage that was quickly gaining popularity in the United States were different at different times. Since 1894, Coca-Cola was produced only in glass bottles. Aluminium cans appeared only in 1955. Interestingly, the size of bottles and their design was also changing over time. It was also a marketing trick designed to reach wider audiences of consumers. In 1915, designer Earl R. Dean came up with the "contour" bottle of 6.5 ounces, which looked like cocoa beans. Supposedly, the designer messed up the words "coca" and "cocoa". However, during subsequent years, there were more than 6 billion of those bottles produced. In 1955, Coca-Cola started to produce bottles of 26, 10 and 12 ounces. On 4 December 2007, the company presented a new bottle, designed to reduce the use of glass, and the emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The 0.33-liter container was 20% lighter than its predecessor. The more powerful the Coca-Cola brand was getting, the more companies were getting jealous. In 1916, representatives of The Coca-Cola Company invited to court about 153 companies that tried to profit from the glory of the famous product. They were manufacturing products that were similar to Coca-Cola in their composition. However, no matter how competitors tried to scout out the formula of the most famous drink, no one has been able to do that up until now. The formula is a commercial secret of the Coca-Cola Corporation and its original copy is kept in the main vault of SunTrust Bank in Atlanta. As for the creator and founder of the corporation, Asa Candler, he fully transferred the business to his children in 1916, when he was elected the mayor of Atlanta. Candler died at age 78, on March 12, 1929. At that time, The Coca- Cola Company was owned by Ernest Woodruff's syndicate, who bought the profitable corporation from the descendants of the enterprising businessman. Maria Snytkova - Bigness CHINA: Millions prepare to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year BBC 9 February 2013 - Millions of people are preparing to celebrate Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, the most important annual holiday in much of Asia. The new year begins on Sunday, when the new moon is seen in the sky. In the Chinese zodiac, this year will be the year of the snake, taking over from the dragon of 2012. In China, an estimated 200 million people are travelling to be with their families in what is considered the biggest mass human migration on Earth. The BBC's John Sudworth, in Shanghai, says the big cities have been emptied of migrant workers, who are now at home in the far-flung provinces, reunited with family, often including their own young children, for the first time since last Lunar New Year. Saturday evening will see a spike in electricity consumption as an anticipated 700 million people 24 tune in for state television's annual TV gala, a variety performance show in which Celine Dion will sing her theme tune from the movie Titanic. Our correspondent says that, according to one well-known Chinese songwriter, My Heart Will Go On is one of two English songs that are well known in China. The other is Happy Birthday. However, the gala's producers have been ordered to make the show a more low key affair, in the wake of the new leadership's recent crackdown on corruption and official extravagance. The authorities in Beijing are also asking people to limit the number of fireworks they set off, given the recent high levels of pollution. The snake has a mixed reputation in China. It is associated with wisdom, beauty and intelligence but also pride and anger. DRC: The Managing Director of ANAPI won Oscar Vermeil of the best African Manager ANAPI - Selected among African managers who have excelled, the Managing Director of the National Agency for Investment Promotion (ANAPI), Mathias Bwabwa wa Kayembe brings back Oscar Vermeil of the leadership of top managers in Africa. "... I have eventually realized that this prize is actually, beyond my modest person, an acknowledgment of my country, the DRC. A hand that has been stretched to it, a call to resurgence of this giant of the center of Central Africa, if not Africa as a whole, "he uttered. He added : « Handing me this award, in my opinion, means recognition of the value of a profession of faith, recognition of the role DRC’s officers should play in the social and economic recovery of the country. Giving me the prize of good governance gives me the will and the courage needed to challenge my fellow Congolese to demonstrate total and unconditional commitment to transform the Congo into a source of pride for ourselves and generations to come." EAST AFRICA: Indian Ocean Ports under discussion in Beira, Mozambique February 5th, 2013 - The 7th edition of the Indian Ocean Ports and Logistics Conference is due to take place on 27 and 28 February and will be held for the first time in Mozambique, Mozambican daily newspaper Notícias reported. The conference is organised every year by Transport Events, a company with headquarters in Malaysia, and is aimed at sector professionals. The seventh edition will be attended by over 250 national and international exhibitors from Africa, Asia and Europe. Félix Machado, director of the Marketing and Sales Department of Cornelder Mozambique, the company that operates terminals at the port of Beira, said that during the conference, as well as promoting Mozambique’s development corridors, namely those of Nacala, Beira and Maputo it would highlight the importance of intermodal transport as well as its influence on the Southern Africa region. According to the company current and future critical aspects of Indian Ocean ports will be analysed along with processes to improve intermodal transport and the search for logistics solutions in regional development corridors. Companies such as Cornelder Mozambique, port and rail manager Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM), the Port of Maputo, the Mauritius Port Authority, the Walvis Bay Development Corridor, from Namibia, representatives from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Germany and Hong Kong will speak about their experiences, challenges and investments needed to develop the global logistics system based on growing global demand. The event will also exhibit equipment, technology and port products, innovation and information for deals and partnerships, serving as a platform for product launches, boosting brands, sales and business relationships. (macauhub) FLY 540: Five Forty Aviation Withdraws Licences From Fastjet - Five Forty Aviation Limited has withdrawn the licences it granted to Lonhro Aviation (BVI) Ltd which operations in Ghana, Angola, and Tanzania not to use the Fly540 brand with immediate effect. This is due to the failure on the part of FastJet's Africa Operations to comply with the respective licence agreements signed with the company. Global airports conference coming to SA ENG NEWS By: Idéle Esterhuizen 8th February 2013 - The Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition (ACE) would make its debut on African soil this year when it is held at the Emperors Palace Hotel, in Ekurhuleni, from April 24 to 26, London-based event organisers UBM Live announced. ACE executive VP Alex Kirby said a new strategic approach to airport planning and associated commercial development, known as the Aerotropolis model, was gaining momentum around the world. “It comprises an airport- centred commercial core, called the airport city, and outlying corridors and clusters of aviation-linked businesses. Airports today are multimodal, multifunctional enterprises, generating commercial development both within and beyond its boundaries,” he explained. Kirby said the development of airport cities was entering a new phase marked by a different level of political involvement. The conference was expected to attract at least 800 delegates, including 110 airport operators representing 45 nations, and more than 60 airport CEOs or executive directors. Kenya: Crew Wins in Somali Pirate Ship Case THE STAR By Martin Mwaura, 6 February 2013 - THE stranded crew of an Algerian ship, MV Blida, have obtained a court order stopping the owners from receiving payment from its sale. The ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates and held in captivity for 11 months was sold at $1,000,000 (about Sh87 million) following a petition by the crew. The abandoned crew include 10 Ukrainian and three Kenyans who served in the ship that was ferrying 19,000 metric tonnes of clinker to Tanzania. A Mombasa court gave the sailors orders to sell the ship after losing contact with the owners after offloading their property. In a sworn affidavit by Divosky Igor, the captain of the ship, the crew is claiming an accumulated salary of $200,000 (Sh17.4 million) from proceeds of the sale. Igor said they had gone without proper food and provisions from the ship owners for several months and have asked the court to stop them from receiving the sale proceeds. The sailors through lawyer Ananda Manase said they were unable to serve defendants with summons when they appeared before Justice Maureen Odero yesterday. Odero directed the applicants to serve the defendants by email and extended the interim orders stopping the payment of proceeds. Hearing was set for Monday 11. Kenya: Cable Firm Seeks Ban On Imports THE STAR By Winfred Kagwe, 7 February 2013 - East African Cables wants the government to ban importation of house wiring cables to stop the inflow of counterfeits. The listed firm says 25 Kenya has the capacity to produce enough cables to meet the market demand. "We have four factories that have the capacity to produce for this market, the firms chairman, Zeph Mbugua said yesterday. According to Mbugua, local cable manufacturers been losing more than Sh300 million a year due to trade in counterfeit. He said He said sub-standard electric cables also pose a danger to users as they may cause fires. Most of the counterfeit cables are ordered from China by rogue local traders who then re-package them imitating local genuine brands. Mbugua urged the government through agencies like Kenya Revenue Authority to intensify monitoring at the ports. However industrialisation permanent secretary Cyrus Njiru said a total ban of imports is not possible as it may create problems with Kenya's trading partners. Njiru said the government is instead considering increasing import duty to encourage consumers to buy local cables and also put limits on what cable sizes can be imported. It will also compel government agencies to only give tenders to contractors who commit to use locally made cables in their projects. "We are also developing a certification regime where installers and electrician are compelled to use genuine electric cables only," said Njiru. East African Cables has invested Sh50 million in a cable anti-counterfeit campaign. It will use a short code SMS system to enable consumers verify the authenticity of the cables before they buy. The system has been developed by technology firm, Sproxil and it alerts the anti-counterfeit agency and police when a fake code is entered twice. Knights of Malta Catholic order celebrates 900 years BBC 9 February 2013

Mr Festing says that the order has been looking after the sick for nine centuries. The Knights of Malta military order of the Catholic church - which dates back to the time of the Crusades - is celebrating its 900th birthday in Rome. The order is one of the few created in the Middle Ages that is still active. It has now become a major international humanitarian organisation. The order says that its battles today are no longer fought with swords, but with "peaceful tools against disease, poverty, social isolation as well as protecting the faith". It was officially recognised by Pope Paschal II in February 1113. Poverty, chastity and obedience The BBC's David Willey in Rome says that more than 1,000 knights and dames from dozens of countries - all dressed in flowing black robes bearing their order's distinctive eight-pointed cross on their shoulders - will walk in procession into St Peter's Basilica. They will attend mass and hear words of congratulations and blessings from Pope Benedict XVI for their charitable work among the sick and the poor all over the world. The current Grand Master of the Order, Matthew Festing, is elected for life and comes from Britain. He bears the title of prince, and ranks as a cardinal of the Catholic Church, having sworn oaths of poverty, chastity and obedience. "We have 13,500 members," he told the BBC, "with about 4,500 people here [in Rome] over the weekend, so it's a very big gathering. "It's interesting that a small band of Crusaders has expanded into this huge worldwide organisation. "The reason we've survived is because we have changed from knights in armour to what we are now in the 21st century. We are still doing what we did then, looking after the sick." The order was originally founded by a group of aristocratic European Crusaders who looked after sick pilgrims in Jerusalem in the 12th Century, when they received official papal recognition. Centuries later, they were chased from their headquarters in Malta by Napoleon and now have their headquarters in an ancient palace in the smartest and most fashionable shopping area of central Rome. Today they run hospitals and humanitarian operations in more than 120 countries. Our correspondent says that the order is eager to shed its image as a club for wealthy European aristocrats and is now searching for new talent to continue its worldwide mission. The Knights of Malta Believed to have been formed around 1048 Also known as Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem Founder was called Blessed Gerard All members are expected to conduct their lives in an "exemplary manner" They must live in conformity with the teachings of the Catholic Church They must also devote themselves to humanitarian assistance

26 MALI: Digging up the buried beer at Hotel Timbuktu BBC By Thomas Fessy 7 February 2013

After months of Islamist rule, Timbuktu is getting back to normal - with thirsty journalists replacing the traditional tourists and backpackers. The cloud of dust was so thick it was hard to breathe. I was trying to write up another script in the corridor, but a member of the hotel staff was sweeping the floor, whipping the dust into the air. This was the morning after the Hotel La Colombe (Dove Hotel) re-opened. It had been closed for 10 months during the occupation of al-Qaeda militants and their allies. When a bunch of reporters showed up shortly after the French recaptured the city, hotel manager Mohamed Toure could not believe his ears. A group of Westerners was offering to pay to stay in a building where nothing was working! Mr Toure looked up and lifted his arms to the sky. He gave us a huge smile of relief and thanked God, exclaiming: "Alhamdoulilah!" "I didn't think I would ever see Europeans again," he said. He told us that tourism had suffered over the past few years because of a rise in hostage-taking in the region. Yet his hotel was never short of guests. But the coup against the government in Bamako - followed by the arrival of Islamist militants in Timbuktu on 1 April last year - left him with no choice. He had to close. "I would have nothing to do," he told me, "but I would still be up by six o'clock and I would sit on the front steps of the hotel reading a novel all day long." When we first arrived, a small crowd of local people emerged, desperate to help out and to earn some money. The reporters, they found, had a list of items they urgently required. We needed a reliable power supply, so generators and good torches were priorities. Soon the hotel's terrace was unrecognisable, as a forest of satellite dishes and cables sprung up between the plastic tables and chairs. A local man toured each table asking whether we fancied mutton for supper. He told us that he planned to roast a whole animal stuffed with couscous for everyone to share. It sounded good to us. But when he came back with the cooked beast two hours later, it was clear he thought we had ordered the huge animal just for the four of us. Happily a compromise was reached - we did have to pay for half of the sheep, but there was mutton for all the news teams. When the Islamist fighters took over the city, they came to question the hotel manager, to ask if there was any foreign investment in his business. He had to prove, with official documents, that he was of Moroccan origin and that the only money had come from his father. So the place was spared while banks, sacred tombs and shrines were destroyed. Mohamed Toure did not have to answer any more questions, until the French started to drop bombs on houses they believed were occupied by jihadis. "About 20 of them forced themselves into my garden," recalled Mr Toure. "They hid under the trees before they left the city." It did not take long for trade to return to Timbuktu. Within days of our arrival, a turbaned craftsman had laid out a piece of local fabric with cotton shirts, wooden souvenirs and Tuareg silver knives. But conditions were still far from normal. When we did get to bed, sleep was difficult. Mattresses were dusty, bed-sheets filthy and torn. Electricity was in short supply - it cut out at noon each day. We soon got used to those generators roaring away hour after hour. Running water was also scarce. A few drops for a shower felt like a real luxury. But the real surprises were called "Guinness" and "Castel". Cases of the foreign beers had been buried underground when the fundamentalist fighters banned alcohol in town. At last it was time to dig them up. The bottles were caked in dust like a good French wine kept in a traditional cellar. There were not, however, very many of them so, of course, they were sold at wartime prices. It has been a great thrill talking to men and women who are experiencing freedom again after months of harsh Islamist rule. The tourists and backpackers - who the people of Timbuktu were used to - have been replaced by journalists and soldiers. Nevertheless, it means a bit of work and cash for residents who had little of either while the Islamists were in town. Tourism used to generate significant revenues for Mali's economy. Soon it will benefit from a new flow of people - journalists, aid workers, soon-to-arrive UN staff and other soon-to-be permanent delegations. As he struggled to believe his hotel was re-opening at long last, Mohamed Toure told me that, in the last few months, had only been able to afford one meal a day with his family. "But since you guys arrived," he told me with a smile, "we're able to enjoy THREE meals once again!" The remote mountains of northern Mali - perfect for guerrillas BBC 5 February 2013

27 The Tuareg have traditionally led a nomadic lifestyle, roaming across the Sahara Desert Journalist Andy Morgan describes the remote mountains in the deserts of northern Mali, where Islamist rebels are believed to have fled after French-led forces chased them out of the region's main towns, possibly taking several French hostages with them. Lost in the middle of Tegharghar mountains in the far north-east of Mali, Esel is a an eerie and magical place. It is dominated by a vast, smooth boulder, as high as a five-storey building and as long as 10 double-decker buses, that sits on top of a warren of caves. The rock itself has been split neatly in two by the heat of the Saharan sun and the cold of the Saharan night. The ground leading to it is strewn with ancient stone arrowheads and axes. In prehistoric times, those caves were home to hunter-gatherers. Now they could very well be sheltering Islamist militants fleeing the advancing forces of France and its African allies. I visited Esel a few years ago with Ibrahim, the lead singer of Tinariwen, a group of Tuareg guitarists and poets that I was managing at the time. For him and for many Tuareg, it is a place of reverence and contemplation, like Ayers Rock in Australia or the Grand Canyon in the US. It also happens to be on the frontline of Operation Serval, France's continuing mission to rid northern Mali of militant Islamist groups. The Tegharghar mountains give the word "remote" new meaning. Nearby Kidal, the largest town in a region that is sometimes known as the Adagh des Ifoghas, or The mountains of the Ifoghas tribe, is 1,400 km (900 miles) from the Malian capital, Bamako. 'Impoverished nomads' It has been at the epicentre of every single Tuareg rebellion against the central government since 1962.

Until the latest rebellion broke out in October 2011, precipitating an exodus of refugees, about 40,000 people lived in the low-slung buildings that sprawl around Kidal's 90-year old French Foreign Legion fort. The surrounding landscape is desiccated and featureless, encrusted with black rocks that bake under a merciless sun. It is the perfect place to fake a moon landing. Unfortunately for the French, the Tegharghar mountains are also a perfect place for a guerrilla army. The annual rains fill up the gueltas, or ponds, with drinking water for nomadic animal herds and insurgents. The numerous caves offer shelter from sand storms and helicopter gunships. Impoverished local nomads can easily be persuaded to part with the goats and camels needed to feed a rebel force. The Algerian border is close and porous enough to keep supplies of food, diesel and ammunition flowing in - as long as corrupt local officials can be bribed or forced to turn a blind eye. As I write, the French air force is bombing militant positions and arms dumps on the northern edge of the Tegharghar, around the village of Tessalit, a beautiful little oasis located next to a river that floods every June and July, if the rains are good. Holiday home France has its eye on the nearby military airbase, a highly strategic facility which it built in the 1950s. It is unclear why its troops have not yet captured the base. From there, it will be able to fan out and patrol the region from the air. Any ground convoy of more than three 4X4 vehicles is likely to be targeted, unless it can identify itself in time. The potential for collateral damage is high. But al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and their allies know the area all too well. They first set up base here in 2003, using the Tegharghar mountains and the endless desert plains to the north-west as an ideal bolthole in which to hide Western hostages and train new recruits. Apart from one skirmish in 2009, the Malian army left them to it. Mali has paid the price for that laissez-faire policy.

Tuareg rebels still control the desert town of Kidal Until 2009, when AQIM made it too dangerous for Westerners to travel north up the vast flat Tilemsi valley, an ancient riverbed which serves as the region's north-south highway, I was planning to build a holiday home in Tessalit. In the black basaltic hills that surround the village there are endless little valleys that turn green and verdant after the rains. Some of the hillsides are littered with pre-historic rock art. The all-pervading sense of timeless calm and abundant

28 space is quite intoxicating. It is a landscape in which you can feel free and it is that freedom that the Tuareg have been fighting for, these past five decades. The ultimate mission for Mali, France and the international community, beyond Operation Serval and the global war on terror, is to restore some of that magic and peace to the Adagh des Ifoghas. It will involve not only ridding the region of Islamist gunmen, but finding long-term solutions to northern Mali's political, social and economic problems. Right now, those problems seem as huge and immovable as the rock at Esel.

Who are the Tuareg?

 Sometimes called the Blue People because the indigo used in some traditional robes and turbans dye their skins dark blue  Historically nomadic Berber people who live in the Sahara and Sahel regions of Libya, Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, which they call Azawad  When camels were introduced into the Sahara 2,000 years ago, the Tuareg became the main operators of the trans-Saharan caravan trade in commodities such as salt and gold  Lost out when trade switched to the Atlantic Ocean  The Tuareg in Mali say they face discrimination because they are light-skinned and have been neglected by the government in far-off Bamako  They prefer to call themselves themselves the Kel Tamasheq or speakers of Tamasheq - their language which has its own alphabet Man to be jailed for killing great white shark in South Africa 08.02.2013 Pravda.Ru - A South African man will be the first person, who will be sentenced for the murder of a great white shark. Leon Bekker was found guilty of violating the law on marine resources, according to which the murder and attempted murder of a great white shark without permission is punishable by law. The man will have to pay a fine of $13,700 and serve a year in prison with the suspended sentence of five years.

29 MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambique Portugal Business Fortnight involves 200 Portuguese companies Feb 5th, 2013 Around 200 Portuguese companies are due to take part in the Mozambique-Portugal Business Fortnight, due to be held from 25 February to 7 March in Maputo, Beira and Nampula, the chairman of the AIP Foundation, Jorge Rocha de Matos said Monday in Lisbon. The event is part of a mission to support the internationalisation of the Portuguese economy by AIP – Fairs Congresses and Events and will include the Tektónica Moçambique, Intercasa Concept Moçambique and Fórum Agro-Alimentar Moçambique (Agro-Food Forum) events. “Construction, real estate, safety, environment, furniture and décor (…), agriculture and fishing and agro-industry with business meeting in Nampula/Nacala, Beira and Maputo/Matola are the sectors involved in the business fortnight” noted Rocha de Matos. (macauhub) Nigeria: Manufacturer Fret Over Imminent Collapse of Aluminium Industry THIS DAY By Sunday Okobi and Zacheaus Somorin, 8 February 2013 - The management of Tower Aluminium Nigeria Limited has called on the Federal Government to urgently come to the rescue of the aluminium industry in the country, in a bid to avert its imminent collapse. The company stressed that most federal government policies in the manufacturing industry were favouring importation of aluminium and aluminium finished products rather than the locally made ones, adding that if the situation is left unchecked, it would run the company aground, as many workers have been retrenched due to its inability to keep them. The country's head of Tower Aluminium, Chief Jinesh Dugad, who disclosed this at a media briefing in Ota, Ogun State, added that the company temporarily stopped operation last year December as they could not meet up with production requirement. Dugad stated that if the government did not come to its aid, the company would pack up as the main materials used in the production of aluminium products - aluminium scrap and ingot (primary aluminium) purchased from Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) attract import duty of five per cent just like those purchased outside the country. The Tower Aluminium boss explained that for the sector to survive and keep production stable, "Local manufacturer must be protected from the scourge of importation from China. We are suggesting that import duty on finished products be raised from the present five per cent to 35 per cent plus a levy of 15 per cent." THE TYPICAL PLEA OF INCOMPETENT MANAGEMENT UNABLE TO NURTURE COMPETITIVENESS AND GLOBALISATION Nigeria: Bouygues Nigeria Combines Fashion With Construction Leadership (Abuja) By Ayanda Ngwane Odey, 6 February 2013 - On Saturday, February 2nd, 2013, BOUYGUES CONSTRUCTION NIGERIA hosted a fashion catwalk show and launched their calendar in the Federal Capital City of Abuja. It was a relaxed evening with divine food, good company and soft music. Guests were entertained by the catwalk show of three vibrant and emerging fashion designers and also, a music performance by a group of three young, ambitious and promising artistes. The fashion show kicked off with a display of Sally Intiego Collection on the runway and the collections showed pure talent. There was a blend of lace couture fabric with a touch of African element. This, I call Afro-centric. Nene Kester's collection brought dazzle and fireworks to the evening as the models took the runway in bikinis and some dance as the music and the outfits told of the freedom of the African woman within. Finally, Kato Couture collection was the last to be seen by the guests. She was chic and sophisticated, displaying dinner gowns, long flowing dresses, well crafted and adorned with jewels and pearls, such bright and vibrant collection. A brief speech was given by the manager of BOUYGUES CONSTRUCTION NIGERIA, telling the story of how far they have come and plans to break new grounds in future in Nigeria. The catwalk show was concluded with the models fully dressed as construction workers. This brought humour and applause from the audience. The catwalk show was organised and coordinated by Mrs. Joan Okorodudu of the ISIS Modelling Agency. Mrs. Okorodudu also spoke on the fashion journey with BOUYGUES CONSTRUCTION, as they were the sponsors of the NIGERIA'S NEXT TOP MODEL. As the show came to an end, the guests still enjoyed good music and conversation. It was indeed an ideal and relaxing sturdy evening out. Nigeria: Halliburton Bribe - Paris Court Sentences Technip Executives for Bribing Nigerian Officials PREMIUM TIMES By Nicholas Ibekwe, 1 February 2013 - While no Nigerian official implicated in the $180 million (N27 billion) Halliburton bribery scam has been convicted, a Paris court, Friday, sentenced two former executives of French engineering and construction giant, Technip S.A, for their role in the scam. TSKJ, a consortium of four international companies (Technip; Snamprogetti; KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton; and JGC), paid the bribe to Nigerian officials over a ten-year period to secure the construction contract worth $6 billion (N900 billion). TSKJ partners admitted paying $132 million (N9.8 billion) to a Gibraltar corporation controlled by London-based lawyer, Jeffrey Tesler, and $51 million (N7.65 billion) to Marubeni of Japan. The money was meant as bribes to Nigerian government officials. Jean-Marie Deseilligny, Technip's General Manager; and Etienne Gory, the company's Commercial Manager for Africa were ordered to pay fines of €10, 000 (N2.15 million) and €5,000 (N1.1 million) respectively. Prosecutors had asked the court to fine the accused €100, 000 (N21.5 million) each. Jeffery Tesler, the main go-between for the consortium, is serving a 21-month sentence in the United States prison while Jack Stanley, KBR's former Chief Executive Officer, is serving 30 months. Using the Federal Corrupt Practices Act, FCPA, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Security and Exchange Commission has made the companies and individuals that paid the bribe to pay more than $1.7 billion in penalties and disgorgement. Halliburton, in January 2009, paid a $559 million (N84 billion) fine to the U.S government after the company was found guilty of bribing Nigerian officials. While the bribe givers have all been convicted and fined, and in some cases jailed in their countries of origin and in the U.S., no Nigerian bribe recipient has been convicted or jailed. The beneficiaries of the bribe, as revealed by 30 several investigations, include three successive heads of state, former petroleum ministers, officials of the Nigerian oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, and other government officials. SME Global SMEs More Successful – Survey THE HERALD By Martin Kadzere, 7 February 2013 THE macro-economic analysis and survey of 410 small to medium-sized business directors in G7 and BRICS economies has revealed that the SMEs trading on international markets are twice successful than those operating locally. Of the SMEs surveyed, most of the respondents are trading internationally and have significantly outperformed companies with operations in their home countries only. The SMEs said the benefits of this international approach had provided them with access to latest technology, product and services diversification. The study was done for DHL Express by IHS, a leading global research company. The results are an eye-opener for African SMEs. In recent years, the SME sector has been increasingly recognised as a key driver for economic growth in Africa. While no actual data is available on the number of small to medium-sized firms operating on the continent, it is believed they make up over 90 percent of formalised businesses, particularly in countries such as Ghana and South Africa. "The possibilities opened up by new technologies, the internet, and modern transportation means that there are many foreign trade opportunities out there for African businesses."With thorough research and a well-defined strategy, local SMEs can successfully expand into new markets, compete with larger companies, and use their size and nimbleness to their own advantage," said Mr Charles Brewer, the managing director for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa. The research noted that the small to medium-sized businesses established in the last five years were keeping pace with increasing pace of globalisation and have a sharper international focus than older SMEs, despite having less time in business. The majority of the small to medium-sized business who performed better on overseas markets in the last three years have indicated plans to increase their exports and turnover in the next three years, despite the uncertain economic environment. The report, however, does not highlight that inadequate business infrastructure was constraining business competitiveness by reducing efficiencies. SMEs biggest concerns relating to international trade are lack of information about foreign markets, high customs duties and the difficulties in establishing contacts with foreign partners and an overseas customer base. Most better- performing SMEs identified in the study employ more than 50 workers and they underscored the importance of resources in overcoming growth barriers. "There are clearly still some hurdles that remain for small businesses with global aspirations, but we are delighted to see that more and more SMEs are looking at the fantastic opportunity that international trade represents," said Mr Ken Allen, the chief executive of DHL Express. "Our mission as a global logistics company is to make this process more efficient, and we will continue to tailor our services and solutions to help SMEs grow and compete in the global village." SOUTH AFRICA: The Congress of South African Trade Unions in Gauteng will be resuming its campaign of mass action against e-tolls in a demonstration on Monday 11 February. Sudan: '2.675 Pupils Drop Out of School to Work in Gold Mines' - West Darfur Radio Dabanga (Hilversum) 6 February 2013 El-Geneina — The minister of education of West Darfur announced that 2.675 primary school pupils have dropped out of school this year to go working as artisan gold miners. Tanzania: China Picks Contractor for Dar es Salaam Port Expansion Works Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam) By Faustine Kapama, 4 February 2013 - THE Chinese Government has recommended that Chinese Harbour Engineering Construction Company (CHEC) undertake the expansion of Dar es Salaam Port. The move has put to rest a legal battle between Tanzania and another Chinese company. Previously, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Limited was awarded the tender to undertake the project, before the tender was revoked by the government of Tanzania, prompting CCCC to take the matter to court. The 'Daily News' has established that CCCC Limited has finally decided not to take part in the project and to withdraw its case before the High Court. The project came under Parliament scrutiny last year, contributing to the removal of the former Minister for Transport, Mr Omari Nundu, and his deputy, Mr Athumani Mfutakamba, from the Cabinet. "The Chinese Embassy has proposed a suitable company to undertake the assignment," a Counsel for the CCCC, Ms Anna Marealle, told the 'Daily News' in Dar es Salaam shortly after Judge Agnes Bukuku, granted her application for the withdrawal of the case. She named the company as Chinese Harbour Engineering Construction Company (CHEC) Limited. According to her, the company has been proposed to undertake the construction works, following a concession reached at a high level meeting between the government and other stakeholders. "Our clients (CCCC) have agreed that they are not qualified to undertake the project. We found that proceeding with the case will not serve the interest of the nation and the project itself," the counsel told the court, when applying for the withdrawal of the case. The CCCC had gone to seek court's redress, contesting the decision by the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to award the tender for expansion works at the port to another company. AND SUCH IS THE CHINESE FEDERATION OF CONTRACTORS LINEAL MARXIST MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTION Tokyo named world's most expensive city for 2013 - The Intelligence Unite of The Economist has published a report, "The Worldwide Cost of Living 2013." According to the report, the most expensive city in the world is Tokyo. The list closes with Mumbai and Karachi, reports the Times of India. The Japanese capital is followed by Osaka, Sydney, Oslo, Melbourne, Singapore, Zurich, Caracas and Geneva. Last year, Moscow was included on the list of the world's most expensive cities. The list closes (in addition to three above-mentioned Indian cities) with Kathmandu, Algeria, Bucharest, Colombo and Panama.

31 Uganda: International Traders Can't Interpret Terms THE NEW VISION By Prossy Nandudu, 8 February 2013 The lack of knowledge to interpret international terms of trade (INCOTERMS) is to blame for the high cost of doing businesses among importers and exporters, the secretary general of the Uganda Shippers Council, Amos Kankunda says. She said many importers do not understand international terms of trade such as Cost and Freight, Free on Board and Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF), yet in Uganda, taxation is done based on CIF. "This means that a Ugandan trader who is importing or exporting goods has to pay freight costs in the East African region, whose headquarters are based at Mombasa, in addition to cost of goods, insurance and freight charges for the goods," explained Kankunda. "If a Ugandan trader is able to understand these terms, then they will be in position to secure a local shipping line and pay a slightly lower cost compared to paying from the country where the goods are coming from." Kankunda said the application of inappropriate commercial terms, insurance policies and inefficient processing of various trade transactions when importing or exporting goods are some of the causes of the high cost of doing business in the region. It is estimated that transport costs make up 30% to 40% of CIF value of imported goods in East Africa, compared to about 5% to 10% in other regions. The training was organised by Trade Mark East Africa, with the Kenya Shippers Council and the Intergovernmental Standing Committee on Shipping. USA: Assange urges leak of drone documents 2013-02-09 Los Angeles - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange urged US officials on Friday to leak secret documents on drone strikes, saying that the broad discretion to kill citizens showed a "collapse" in the American system. Assange, who has angered US officials by releasing thousands of secret memos, used a rare US television appearance to condemn President Barack Obama's controversial greenlight to kill American citizens who conspire with al-Qaeda. "I can't see a greater collapse when the executive can kill its own citizens arbitrarily, at will, in secret, without any of the decision-making becoming public," Assange told the HBO talk show Real Time with Bill Maher. "That's why we need organisations like WikiLeaks. I encourage anyone in the White House who has access to those rules and procedures, work them on over to us. "We'll keep you secret and reveal it to the public." NBC News published an unclassified document by the Justice Department this week indicating that senior al-Qaeda operators may be lawfully killed, even if they are US citizens and are not shown to be actively plotting an attack. The Obama administration called strikes legal, ethical and "wise", and vowed to provide lawmakers with access to secret documents that outline the legal justifications for drone strikes. Human rights groups voiced outrage in September 2011 when a US drone strike in Yemen killed radical preacher Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan, editor of an al-Qaeda magazine. Both were US citizens who had never been charged with a crime. - SAPA Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly known as Valentine's Day, or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is observed on February 14 each year. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it remains a working day in most of them. St. Valentine's Day began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. The most popular martyrology associated with Saint Valentine was that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire; during his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius. Legend states that before his execution he wrote "from your Valentine" as a farewell to her. Today, Saint Valentine's Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion, as well as in the Lutheran Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church also celebrates Saint Valentine's Day, albeit on July 6th and July 30th, the former date in honor of the Roman presbyter Saint Valentine, and the latter date in honor of Hieromartyr Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna (modern Terni). The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards. WEST AFRICA: Canaries-based shipping company may expand its routes from Cape Verde to West African countries February 8th, 2013 - Canary Islands shipping company Boluda Corporación Marítima may increase its shipping routes between Cape Verde and the countries in the das Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the chairman of the company said in Praia. At a meeting with Adalberto Vieira, the Cape Verdean secretary of state for Maritime Resources, Vicente Boluda Foz, who was heading up a delegation of businesspeople 32 from the Canary Islands, said that the company planned to increase the frequency of its shipping route to the Island of Sao Vicente from once a month to once a fortnight as well as extending it to Praia, on Santiago Island. (macauhub) Zimbabwe's David Coltart: 18% pass rate is progress - Zimbabwe's education minister has deplored the fact that nearly 82% of students have failed their basic school leavers' exams, the Ordinary Level. But David Coltart told the BBC this was an improvement on 2009, when only 14% passed and blamed a decade of "chaos". Zimbabwe used to have one of the best education systems in Africa. The results reflect the political and economic decline the country has witnessed over the past decade, correspondents say. Zimbabwe: 'Execution fears' after hangman appointed - The announcement that Zimbabwe has a new hangman raises fears that executions may resume in the country, Amnesty International has said. Zimbabwe's last hangman retired in 2005, but the prison service had struggled to find a replacement, with the job repeatedly advertised in the local media. Zimbabwe: Renco Mine Shuts Down As Ownership Fight Drags On SW Radio Africa (London) By Alex Bell, 8 February 2013 - The fight for control of the Renco Mine in the Masvingo province has led to the closure of the mine, with government leaders being urged to intervene. The RioZim run mine has been the site of a labour dispute for several weeks, a dispute that turned political when ZANU PF MP Irvine Dzingirai took over as the manager. He had threatened staff that they had to work under him or face dismissal. He also threatened RioZim directors. This was revealed by RioZim in a statement last week, which also implicated Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi as the instigator of the ZANU PF take over. "Minister Mzembi arrived at the mine... He called a public meeting and announced that RioZim had not complied with the indigenisation obligations of the country and hence they were taking over Renco," RioZim said in a statement last week. The mining firm has since approached the High Court in a bid to secure their rights to their mine, but the court on Wednesday reserved judgement on the matter, leaving the mine in limbo. Renco Mine manager Cyprian Kachisa reportedly told the NewsDay newspaper on Thursday that they had ceased all operations and ordered the 2,000 workers to go back home until the issue had been resolved. The MDC-T's spokesperson for Masvingo Province, Harrison Mudzuri, told SW Radio Africa that this situation is further damaging Zimbabwe's abilities to repair its economy by encouraging new investments. "We are disturbed by these developments and we feel sorry for the workers. A prolonged shut down of the mine will cause serious problems for employees, for the mine, for Zimbabwe's future. We call on the leaders in government to intervene and solve this crisis," Mudzuri said. Minister Mzembi has denied RioZim's accusations, saying he only became involved with the mine when Renco workers lobbied him, as their local MP, to intervene in a pay dispute. Criticising the RioZim statements he said: "That's political slander. I'm surprised by their statement, which seeks to politicise what is a dispute between them and their workers," he told Reuters. He has since retaliated, publicly accusing RioZim of offering him a US$100,000 bribe. He was quoted by the state run Herald newspaper as saying: "They tried to buy me out of this case, with a US$100,000 brown envelope which I turned down, preferring to advance community and worker issues which they have blatantly violated over the past 40 years." Mzembi has also threatened to sue RioZim for 'defamation', revealing that he was challenged on the Renco Mine situation during a meeting with the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretariat. Zimbabwe is set to host a UNTWO meeting in Victoria Falls in August, and Mzembi has been busy trying to convince the world body that there will be no problems. He revealed in an affidavit filed at the High Court this week that the UNWTO Secretariat questioned him on the Renco situation while he was with them in Spain last week. The group is understood to have asked why the Minister was taking over the mine, after media reports on the situation surfaced. This caused Mzembi to lash out in anger, saying in his court affidavit: "The allegations made against me are malicious, scandalous and defamatory." He added: "They are intended to insult me in my personal capacity, ZANU PF, the government and people in my constituency who voted for me that I am a wrong minister who has no respect for rule of law." SW Radio Africa was unable to contact RioZim on Friday. Minister Mzembi's phone also went unanswered. STUK-IN-THE-STUKE, ONLY RECKLESS FOOLS WILL EMBRACE THIS INCESTIOUS COUNTRY

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