APO News from Africa:
- Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the visiting leaders from Africa namely, H.E. Mr. Patrice Talon, President of Republic of Benin; H.E. Mr Macky Sall, President of Senegal; and H.E. Mr Daniel Kablan Duncan, Vice President of Côte d’Ivoire on the sidelines of 52nd Annual Meetings of African Development Bank, in Gandhinagar on 23 May 2017. Former President of Ghana H.E. John Dramani Mahama also called on PM. President Macky Sall had earlier visited India to participate in the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III) in October 2015. Vice President Duncan and former Ghanaian President Mahama had also visited on earlier occasions in their capacities as Prime Minister and President respectively. President Talon assumed Presidency of Benin in April 2016.
- India enjoys excellent bilateral relationship with all these countries. PM during his meetings emphasized on the ever growing trade and economic relations with the respective countries. Our current level of bilateral trade is nearly US$ 1 billion each with Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, about US$ 3.6 billion with Ghana and US$ 700 million with Benin.
- PM expressed gratitude for signing of International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement (ISAFA) by Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. PM requested Benin to consider early signing and ratification of the ISAFA. It may be mentioned that during IAFS-III India announced offering LoCs worth USD 10 billion for Africa, out of which, funds amounting to USD 2 billion have been earmarked for solar energy related projects. Keeping in view the potential in these countries, PM encouraged the leaders to consider more projects in this area.
- All the visiting dignitaries profoundly thanked PM and Government of India for extending Lines of Credit (LoCs) for their developmental activities. Vice President Duncan thanked PM for India’s support for Military Hospitals Modernisation project and Mahatma Gandhi IT & Biotechnology Park. President Sall and former Ghanaian President Mahama appreciated India for funding their respective agriculture sector projects through Lines of Credit (LoC). PM assured the leaders of all the efforts towards implementation of projects in a timely manner and in accordance with priority assigned by respective countries.
- PM raised the issue of the arrest of 2 Indian nationals with President of Benin and requested the latter for a fair trial for them.
- The leaders also discussed regional and international issues including United Nations Security Council reforms and expansion. Issues related to counter-terrorism and enhancing cooperation in different sectors were also discussed.
- The meetings were held in an atmosphere of friendship and brotherhood that is a hallmark of India-Africa relations.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Ministry of External Affairs – Government of India.
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
Committee to be briefed by Central Energy Fund on the sale of strategic fuel stock:
The Portfolio Committee on Energy will tomorrow be briefed by the Department of Energy, the Central Energy Fund and the Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF) on the report on the sale of strategic fuel stock by the SFF.
Details of the meeting:
Date: Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Time: 10h00
Place: Committee Room 1, Upper Ground, 90 Plein Street
Distributed by APO on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in South Sudan and the head of the UN peacekeeping mission, David Shearer, has announced the arrival of Lieutenant General Frank Mushyo Kamanzi of Rwanda as Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Lieutenant General Kamanzi commands a force with an authorized strength of 17,000 peacekeepers drawn from 55 different countries. He reports directly to the head of the Mission and is responsible for all military activities in support of the Mission’s mandate to protect civilians.
Lieutenant General Kamanzi brings to the position more than 28 years of national and international military experience. Before his most recent appointment as the Force Commander of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), he served as Army Chief of Staff in the Rwanda Defence Force (2012-2015).
He served as Commander of the Rwanda Military Academy (2010-2012) and commanded an infantry brigade (2007-2010). He held the position of Deputy Force Commander in the African Union Mission in Sudan (2006-2007) and also served as a member of Joint Military Commission, Lusaka Peace Process for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1999-2000).
Lieutenant General Kamanzi has a master’s degree in national security strategy from the National Defense University in Washington, DC, and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Makerere University in Kampala. He is a graduate of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji, Nigeria, and the Army Command College in Nanjing, China.
Born in Uganda in 1964, Lieutenant General Kamanzi is married and has five children.
Distributed by APO on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
