Socio-Economics is the study of relationship between economic activities and social life. It is a multidisciplinary components involving theories and modules from sociology and economics for human dignity among others. However, socioeconomists focuses on social impacts and political activities that affects economic changes, or causes that impact a society. The Goal to Socio/economic study is to bring about improvement on socioeconomic development environment…Give Opinion or Discuss
Monday, August 5, 2013
How Chinese Economy is Rising Pretty fast, Gaining China Power to Control the World Giving room for Decolonization of Africa in 21st Century
Maurice,
Precisely, you are
sport-on.........which is why, we must force for
Global dialogue, where people of the
world must open up to discuss
sense, with lead questions "Where are we
headed to"? and How can
we do better than what we are presently
engaged with? Realizing
that, all of us have reached dead-end, on top of a mountain cliff that
is about to cramble down........or on a
plane that is out of gas and is
about to nose dive...........I mean quick thinking capable to save a
situation...........We are in a state of
mind that have no minutes to
wonder about how much you have in the
bank, or even having the
luxury of time to look for your
briefcase with fundamental document.
What you have in your hands is a spilt
seconds to make serious life
saving judgement then take a
leap..........
This is the position where we, the good
people of the world are.
This is why, it is not a Racial, Tribal,
or one Nationality problem,
but a collective problem
requiring people of the world including
Chinese people themselves who are
challenging their own bad
rulership with complaints that it
is marred with numerous injustices
with violations of rights including
environmental pollutions and
degradation.........not caring even
for value of nature itself.........
The only person who qualifys and is
capable of heading this team
in a bipartisan manner, to evade looming serious world war with
catastrophic economic collapse, is none other than His Excellency
President Obama wuod alego.........
It is critical that we must dialogue Thura........ for the sake of
the world.
We can do better people, I believe we can do better........
Next month's
Beijing summer games have been dubbed the 'genocide Olympics' by Hollywood
campaigners who accuse China of supplying the Sudanese government with arms to
enable it to wage a campaign of violence in Darfur. Steven Spielberg recently
cut his ties with the Olympics over the issue.
Now, after months
investigating China's covert arms trade, Hilary Andersson provides the first
evidence of how China is arming Sudan's killers, all for the sake of oil. A
Panorama team follows a trail through Chad and Darfur, tracking down Chinese
military trucks which, with mounted Chinese guns, had recently been used against
civilians. Panorama also establishes that China is currently training fighter
pilots who fly Chinese built and maintained fighter jets that have been used in
recent attacks in a conflict which has now cost an estimated 300,000
lives.
(Earth Focus: Episode 27) In this episode
of Earth Focus, unregulated interstate radioactive waste dumping in the US is
exposed in the investigative report "Fracking Hell", and Guardian correspondent
Jonathan Watts is interviewed about his new book When a Billion Chinese Jump.
Watts travelled more than 100,000 miles across China, looking at cancer
villages, toxic air and water pollution and issues that may affect China's
ability to feed itself. Watch more Earth Focus at http://www.linktv.org/earthfocus
Chinese Communist Party Destroyed Traditional Culture
-8
Culture
is the soul of a nation. This spiritual factor is as important to mankind as
physical factors such as race and land.
Cultural developments define the
history of a nation』s civilization. The complete destruction of a national
culture leads to the end of the nation. Ancient nations who had created glorious
civilizations were considered to have vanished when their cultures disappeared,
even though people of their races may have survived. China is the only country
in the world whose ancient civilization has been passed down continuously for
over 5,000 years. Destruction of its traditional culture is an unforgivable
crime..........
I. Why Did the CCP Want to Sabotage Traditional
Culture?
II. How the Communist Party Sabotages Traditional
Culture
Baotou, Inner Mongolia is China's
largest rare earth mineral production base. Although it is a precious
mineral resource, rare earth imposes great dangers of pollution. Recently,
French media reported from Baotou.
Entitled "In China, rare earths are
killing villages", the report highlighted massive environmental
pollution. It revealed the impact of the production of rare earth minerals
on local residents, animals and land. The following is our
report.
French media 'Le Monde' reported from Baotou, stating that by
aerial viewpoint, it looks like a large lake, fed by numerous tributaries. On
site, it is actually an opaque discharge covering an area of 10
km2. Surrounding the industrial plants producing 17 minerals are reject
waste waters loaded with chemicals. There are no fish or algae
The Le
Monde article introduced that rock from Bayan obo rare earth ore mine,
located 120 kilometers away, are sent here for treatment. The concentration
of rare earth in the rocks is very low and must be separated and purified by
hydrometallurgical processes and acid baths. In the effluent basin are exist
all sorts of toxic chemicals and radioactive elements such as
thorium. Ingestion of these toxins causes cancer of the pancreas, lung and
blood.
A pungent odor exudes within radius of 10 miles. Local
villagers have been suffering from cancer. Rows of brown houses in the
village have been reduced to rubble.
Sichuan environmentalist Chen
Yunfei indicates that rare earth refining process causes great environmental
pollution and destruction. People are unaware of the specific dangers of this
project, and the specialists involved in the decision-making.
Chen
Yunfei: "Some officials only work on the image projects for profit. They
relocate once the money has been made. Some officials collude with the
business, caring about nothing but profit, leaving the mess for the
public."
According to local residents, Baotou used to be a vast
grassland. In 1958 the state enterprise Baotou Iron and Steel Company
began producing rare earth production. By the end of 1980, locals found that
the plant was in trouble.
Last year, China Environment News reported
that Baotou Iron and Steel Group's tailing dam leakage has caused damage to
five surrounding villages. It has affected more than 3000 farmers, and
ruined more than 3,295 Acres of farmland. Ma Peng, former Director of the
Baotou Rare Earth Research Institute, indicated that due to the lack of a
barrier below the tailing dam, the mining waste is directly discharging into
the Yellow River. The discharge is at a rate of 300m per year.
The
residents also said that further pollution has been caused by other
industries and thermal power plants. These industries followed rare earth
production by the Baotou Iron and Steel Company. Local residents have to
breathe air saturated with sulfuric acid and coal dust. Coal dust is
airbourne around the houses. Cows, horses, chickens and goats are being
killed by these poisons.
The locals have fled, and Xinguang Sancun
village has now decreased from 2000 villagers to 300. Every family is hit
with illness. After 20 years of complaints to the local government,
the villagers have finally won promises of financial compensation. These
have only been partially fulfilled.
Miss Hao, a resident of Baotou: "We
all know. The government is too dark. No one cares about the people,
whether they live or die, not to mention the pollution."
For many
years, there have been calls for attention for the issue of Baotou tailing
dam discharging thorium radiation to Baotou and into the Yellow River. The
hazards and pollution caused by the Baotou tailing dam have never been
effectively alleviated.
Environmentalist Chen Yunfei: "This is an
investment that has hurt several generations. It has polluted the whole
environment. This high cost investment ought to be condemned. Our future
generations are going to suffer for it."
China Environment News indicated
that Baotou is located in the stratum fracture zone. In the event of a
major earthquake or large-scale rainfall, the rupture of the tailing dam will
threaten the surrounding five villages, as well as tens of thousands of
lives of the Baotou Iron and Steel workers. If the tailings flow into the
Yellow River, it will cause serious pollution to the river.
Pollution in China has reached worrying
heights. Sixteen of the world's 20 most-polluted cities are in China, and
pollution from China is reaching the U.S. Barry Petersen reports.
(CBSNews.com)
From: Maurice Oduor
To: Cc: Sent: Monday, August 5, 2013 10:54
AM Subject: [PK] Re: [wanabidii] How
Chinese Economy is Rising Pretty fast, Gaining China Power to Control the World
Giving room for Decolonization of Africa in 21st Century
Judy,
The Chinese are not
just grabbing wealth out of Africa, they also own most of the $16 Trillion of
the US foreign debt !!!! It seems like the US too has to start worrying about
the Chinese. If they call in this loan and the US can not pay, they may
repossess the State of California.
Courage
How Chinese Economy is Rising Pretty fast, Gaining China Asianic Support and Power to Control and Rule the World Giving room for Decolonization of Africa in the 21st Century
Good
People,
How
corrupt politicians turn good intended public venture for security Mission, to
serve private and individual industrial aspects for business opportunity gains;
for minting public money under selfish greed is flabbergasting. It is going to
make the mission undertaken, extremely expensive and more life threatening for
the tax-payer instead........just like what is happening in the unconstitutional
occupation of the M23 in Congo.
Conspiracies
cooked to undermine and swindle public wealth and resources by unjustified
means, is spreading and taking toll in the world.This is breeding bad society that rewards public
theft with careless organized killings as acceptable norm.It is worse when the behavior as a result
jeopardizes and suppresses economic development of the world.Because, nothing good will ever be achieved without
a balance for mutual orderly for good trading practices with harmonized good
social welfare ethics for unity and peace is established.Subsequently, Democracy in the world gets
disoriented and the system stops functioning.
At
this point, value for good reasoning stalls and fails ultimately, leading to
world war, which no one wants.
My Good
people, is this where we are headed ???
I
say this because, everybody now knows that even the UN has failed to effect
peace in the Great Region of East Africa.They are not functioning the way they should, and people are simply
quite and comfortable not saying or complaining about ineffectiveness of the UN.
Those
in the game of this mega conspiracy to destroy Africa are all working to boost
Chinese take-over of the World's Economy to control the world, how people don’t
see this, fail me.
It
is because, the Engineers of these conspiracies are pulling strings, doing
everything possible to halt every other Governments of the world from functioning
the right way according to public mandate; and thus aiding to destroy functionability
of Democratic processes to be productively
serving public mandate.
In
my wisdom and understanding, I see this back-firing very badly........We must
therefore engage sober reasoning; because, people of the world are very tired
and are not happy that economy of the world is falling apart and are not
improving to benefit the people, but are forced to collapse instead; to benefit
Chinese with Asianic Regionals Taking-Over
power of the world.
This
mathematical theory unfolds who holds the upper hand in economic benefit and
superiority in this major undoing of destabilizing Africa, and who in the game
of decolonization of Africa, stands to get
the biggest advantage for their selfish greed.
The theory
simplifies easy corrupt sneaky trend for China with its Asianic Regional support,
gaining momentum and power to control the world.
They
are the ones who have instead taken Africa by storm, forcing it to
decolonization in a fast moving speed.They
have an advantage of their big human population planted as labour reservoir, spreading
out into the ends of the world strategically into the local villages of Africa doing
their things.For that reason, they have
grown in capacity and stature scooping public
wealth with mineral resource for free and this directly gives Chinese wider
birth to amass wealth for power.
Now
that they are sure their targeted concentration have the hold for power, on the
other side, they watch with glee as Europeans and Africans are busy engaged in stupid
squabbles with serious fights destroying themselves, and the Chinese known with
serious human rights crime, abuse and violations, now enjoys the luxury of calling
for Democracy to the world.Is this
it???
Who
is fooling who my good people.......???Shall we open our eyes and see that we are making the biggest mistake
ever in the worlds history???
Let
us reason together my good people.......let us put aside selfish greed, with destroying
ourselves and sober out in fair-play profitable reasoning which without it, there
is no short-cut to boosting and stabilizing our economy with providing Human
Rights with Environmental Protection.
Today
the scramble for Africa is real, that LAND GRABBING is presently out of
control, and that it is not for nothing, but everyone is looking for quick easy
means to get money to gain power and are rushing to the front line to hijack free
opportunity in Africa through killings and destroying Africans and by
suppression in oppressions, Africa is raped without any organized plan for
sustainability, with a hope the world will be free, peaceful and happy.This is not true with efforts and energy in
futility………
For
anything to meaningful that have good life span, there must be an established
system to guide people how to, in an orderly manner; so everyone gets a fair-share
to earn a living mutually in fair-play.It is the only way through which the Global-Emerging-Market
will benefit all towards economic enrichment and stability.But the way at which the scramble to Africa
is taking shape in this haste, is extremely worrisome.
If
only the Clintons, Tony Blair and the Bushes will understand the pain of human
decay in Africa with what is at stake (on behalf of their interests in Africa) and
stop supporting bad corrupt leadership of Kagame and museveni who are
supporters of M23 with take-over of Migingo and Mombasa Port, we shall all be
safe and USA and Britain will be leading in fair and peaceful democratization in
the world, showing by example, benefits of democracy that leads to
happiness.This will remain the most
powerful winning strategy honored by the world that no enemy of peace and
happiness will ever shake or destroy.
True
Liberty and Security for people of the world is the key to Happiness. This comes with packages of discipline, rules
and regulations under guiding policies of democratic principles, within which,
reasonable dialogue of best practices are deliberated.
These
are True balanced happiness the Chinese do not understand.They have taken Africa through corruption.They have a long way to go to be scholars and
political drivers for Democracy.For
now, European countries still have opportunity to do better……..Countries such
like USA and UK still have the capacity to do better in leading the world.
Since
The Chinese are experts of corruption and impunity, I can imagine what they can
do if they own power to control the world.
It
is therefore time that we all begin to critically think and accept reality,
that we must learn from each others mistakes and learn to appreciate and
utilize our diversity moving forward for goodness sake.Let us all invite cheer in our hearts and
engage in doing the right things........and God will rewards us all........
May
God help us all so we all should rise up to do good and make this world a
better place where happiness abounds equally for all........
A row is brewing between Kenya's new government and her regional counterparts over its readiness to sign the European Union's Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs).
It's really a bit of a quandary because while Kenya is under pressure to sign, thanks to lobby groups that argue that the government's delay was a threat to the country's fish and flower sectors, the other EAC member countries are under pressure not to endorse the deals thanks to lobby groups in their countries that say that the EPAs are a threat to their national economies.
The chief executive officer of Kenya Flower Council (KFC), Jane Ngige, is spearheading the move to urge her government to endorse the deal. She told the press in May that failure to sign the deal could spell doom for the country's horticulture sector. She said the country stands to lose its duty free quota and free access in the European market.
However Jane Nalunga, the Uganda country director of Southern and Eastern Africa Trade and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI), says Uganda should not be pressurized into taking the cue from Kenya. She suggests that Kenya could be making a mistake because it can still get other alternatives within the region and Asia for its products.
Dan Kidega, one of Uganda's representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), agrees. "Kenya is engaging in 'panic mode' over the loss of penetration into EU market, yet her worries can be sorted as bloc," he says.
Though he says that while the Joint Trade Negotiations Act that will prohibit individual members from negotiating trade agreements is still pending, Kenya should not succumb to pressure to sign the deal.
It appears Kenya's opposition Members of Parliament are taking the line of lobbyists in the neighborhood and are now urging the Kenyatta government to re-consider the country's interests before signing the deal. The negotiations have now been put to a halt.
But one negotiator, Emmanuel Mutahunga, the senior principal commercial officer at Uganda's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, is more positive. He says Kenya could be right to sign on the dotted line. "Kenya should not wait for the slowest member of the convoy to determine the speed of the rest hence should move on and sign the deal," he says.
Mutahunga is also the programme manager for EPA- related Trade and Private Sector Support (EPA TAPSS), an EU-funded project under the ministry. Speaking to participants at a recent agricultural dialogue organized by Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM), a CSO, he outlined the progress of the EPA negotiations in the region and the reason for Kenya's apparent panic.
Mutahunga said Kenya is in more desperate situation as it is not among the Least Developed Countries (LDC) like all the other four EAC members - Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and Uganda - which trade with the EU under Everything But Arms (EBA) arrangement under which all products except arms enjoy tariff free access to the EU market.
Without EPA, Kenya's exports may be subjected to punitive taxes under the third country or the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). GSP is a trade arrangement through which the EU provides developing countries and territories with preferential access to the EU market in form of reduced tariffs for their goods when entering the EU market.
"Signing the deal is not good for regional integration," he said, "But if Kenya sees that it's going to lose, then let her neighbours address her concern."
Nalunga, however, insists that because Kenya has a strong private sector, rather than look at EU only, it should focus on the regional market because "EU is demanding much more." "Kenya, just like Uganda, cannot compete with EU that gives a subsidy of about $2 per cow to promote milk production," she says.
Secondly, Nalunga argues, "we pay per carbon foot print for exports flown to the EU, which just pushes us out of their market."
She cited trade barriers in the deal as rules of origin, sanitary and phyto sanitary measures, tariff peaks and tariff escalations, most favoured Nation (MFN) treatment, where if European Commission gives better treatment to a 3rd country, they have to give it to the EAC as well and if EAC gives better treatment to a developed country or any country accounting for more than 1% of world merchandise trade, EAC has to extend the same treatment to EU.
"Members of the ACP group and other African countries are not covered by the MFN provision with respect to the EAC," Nalunga argues, adding, "This is tying our hands on who to trade with."
In a recent interview, the EU Delegation in Uganda said they are aware of CSO's concerns and "are already taking them into account." "EU is not pushing for the EPAs," it said. "The ACP countries are asked to make a decision about their future trading relationship with the EU.
Indeed, recently, EU officials in Kenya waived the clause and now EAC can trade with other ACP countries but not with other countries especially China.
The EAC countries committed themselves to allow EU goods into the market over a period of 25 years in three phases. For 2008-2020, they will open up to 64%, up to 16% between 2015 to 2023 and up to 2% in the last phases 2020 -2033, making a total of 82% for imports from the EU. Extensive liberalisation with EU with developed agricultural sector while subsidies remains a contentious issue.
Sarah Kirabo, the board chairman of PELUM, said "this wide spread opening up of markets will expose Uganda's agricultural and industrial producers to unfair and harsh competition from EU subsidized and more competitively produced goods," hence , "without adequate protection, Uganda's farmers and manufacturers will not survive; resulting into adverse impact on livelihoods, employment, and on efforts to industrialize."
But Mutahunga says the text on 'Trade in Goods' addresses issues of non-tariff barriers and trade defense instruments. "This allows EAC to raise tariffs to protect against imports of either goods that are being dumped or where an increase in imports is hurting local industry or are subsidized; otherwise no Party is to raise its tariffs."
Nalunga warns that the reduction of tariffs affects efforts to industrialise and eventually affects production.
Mutahunga though, says the agreement preserves EAC's right to continue to levy existing export-related taxes such as on hides and skins and allows the introduction of new export-related taxes in order to foster the development of domestic industry to facilitate value addition or to maintain currency value stability.
Uganda's exports to the EU are mainly composed of primary agricultural products such as coffee, cotton, tea, fish and cut flowers. EU imports to Uganda are mainly manufactured products with a higher value. EPA concerns:
Kenya is the biggest flower exporter to the EU and its foreign exchange earnings have steadily risen to 293 million Euros in 2012 up from 276 million Euros in 2010. However, if Kenya does not sign the deal, its flowers will be subjected to an 8.5% duty, which will make the flowers less competitive.
Without the EPA, buyers in the EU market may resort to cheaper flowers from other suppliers, which would make Kenya lose in price competition; something Mutahunga says is one of the problems Ugandan flowers also face.
The first phase of the EPA negotiations started in 2002 in Brussels, Belgium at the all ACP level but was launched on February 7, 2003 at the regional level. Uganda belonged to the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) that opted to negotiate in six phases that is development issues, market access, agriculture, fisheries, trade in services and trade related issues.
As a result of the complexity of the negotiations , a comprehensive EPA was not concluded by December 2007 as envisaged, instead Uganda and the other four East African Countries -Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi broke away from the ESA group and initiated an interim Frame work EPA(FEPA) on November 27 2007 with the EU.
It is against this background that the civil society in Uganda including SEATINI and PELUM are saying Kenya should rethink the EPA deal and its consequences on regional integration and regional trade.
The EPA negotiations have focused on economic and development cooperation; agriculture; rules of origin; export taxes; MFN treatment; dispute settlement, institutional arrangements and final provisions.
But to date, EU has not registered much success with Kenya and her East African counterparts plus the other ACP countries. For the EAC, the negotiations are expected to end by October 2014. EU officials in Kampala told The Independent that the deal would spur regional integration regardless of the CSOs' concerns.
Mutahunga suggests that there has been a form of compromise. For instance, both Parties have agreed that the following will be negotiated at a later stage: trade in services; trade-related issues including competition policy; investment and private sector development; trade, environment and sustainable development; intellectual property rights; and transparency in public procurement.
Now that ACP countries have delayed to sign the deal, some participants are concerned that the European Commission (EC) has resorted to using strong arm tactics such as setting deadlines. On Sept.30, the EC adopted a proposal amending Regulation 1528/2007 governing the market access of 36 ACP countries to the EU.
The proposal for amendment provides that unless the 36 countries listed in the Annex ratify and implement EPAs by January 2014, they will be taken off the list and thus lose the duty/quota free access of their goods to the European market, which Ngige fears could happen in Kenya's case.
There is also a proposal for reform of GSP. Secondly, it is only the EU that can determine whether a country qualifies - subjected to good governance, democracy, corruption and human rights to qualify for GSP. It has already excluded Myanmar.
An analyst told The Independent that Kenya may not be granted GSP because of the controversy surrounding their President Kenyatta's and VP Ruto's cases at the ICC plus the latest criticism the institution has received from the African Union leaders. "It is wiser if Kenya signs the deal before EU blacklists it on human rights grounds," the analyst said.
It is also claimed that the EU Commission could also reduce the number of beneficiary countries to make GSPs less attractive.
Even with GSP, this represents an increase in tariffs for ACP countries, which hitherto have benefited from duty free access to the EU market. The current GSP will end this December, which means that the new system will be put in place in January 2014, at exactly the same time the EC intends to remove ACP countries from the annex of the market access regulation.
Though the European Parliament rejected EC's 2014 deadline last September, Mutahunga says it made a U-turn this year and stayed the deadline. This means that the ball now rests in the hands of Kenya - to either sign or face the consequences Ngige and other private sector lobby groups are afraid of.
When The Independent contacted the Kenya High Commission in Kampala, Boniface Muhia, the deputy commissioner declined to comment saying the matter was still under discussion in the Kenyan Parliament.
Nairobi — European Commissioner for Trade, Karel de Gucht, was last week in Nairobi to drum up momentum for Kenya to quickly lead in signing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
None of the East African Community countries to date has signed the EPA that is supposed to define trade between the EAC and European Union for decades to come. Recently the EAC Secretariat disclosed that negotiations were coming to a close.
The EU has also reportedly backed down on some provisions. Influential regional business leaders felt it would hurt their interests when trade between the two blocs is fully liberalised.
Before flying out to Nairobi, De Gucht stressed there is no time to waste on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement negotiations between the EU and the EAC. While in Nairobi, he said Kenya's good export figures are largely result of free access to the EU's market.
This is guaranteed by a temporary instrument pending Kenya's ratification of the 2007 framework Economic Partnership Agreement.
"But if we want this success story to continue; we need to go further. The full Economic Partnership Agreement we are currently negotiating would not only make Kenya's existing free access to the EU market permanent. It would also deepen our trade relations in a host of areas, by reducing trade barriers, simplifying customs procedures, and by improving trade-related cooperation." he said.
De Gucht expressed his disappointment by the decision of the EAC members not to sign this framework Economic Partnership Agreement in 2010.
Saudi Arabia bars Sudan's
Bashir from entering airspace
Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir addresses a joint
news conference with his South Sudan's counterpart …
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Saudi authorities have prevented Sudanese President Omar
Hassan al-Bashir's plane from entering the kingdom's airspace, his spokesman
said on Sunday.
Bashir was heading to Iran, said the spokesman, Imad Sayed Ahmed. Iran and
Saudi Arabia have an uneasy relationship.
"Saudi authorities today barred the airplane of President Bashir which was
headed to Iran from crossing into its airspace," he said.
Saudi officials were not immediately available for comment.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said Iran was gathering more
details about the incident. He did not specifically name Saudi Arabia as the
country that had turned away Bashir's plane.
"We were informed by the Sudanese embassy in Tehran that one of the countries
in the flight path of Mr. Omar al-Bashir's plane did not give his plane
permission to fly in its airspace," Araqchi was quoted as saying by the ISNA
news agency.
"If it is true that this country took this step, it is extremely
unfortunate."
Araqchi was quoted as saying that flight permissions for Bashir's plane had
been obtained in advance but that the plane was still refused entry and
eventually forced to return to Khartoum.
It was not clear whether Bashir was on his way to the inauguration of Iranian
President Hassan Rouhani, nor how his plane was prevented from entering Saudi
airspace.
Tony Blair visits AGI Partner Countries, Ethiopia and Tanzania
Wednesday, Jul 24, 2013 in Africa Governance Initiative
In his latest visit to Africa Tony Blair visited five countries AGI is working in – Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria and Malawi – and also Ethiopia and Tanzania at the invitation of their respective governments. He took part in discussions on economic reforms with each country’s President while also meeting with the AGI programme teams.
Throughout the trip the issue of energy was a central part of the discussions, as a number of governments seek to bring sustainable and affordable power to their people. In Liberia, Tony Blair visited the country’s National Electricity Corporation where he met with the organisation’s management and discussed the country’s challenges around energy infrastructure and access. By 2016 Liberia hopes to have reconstructed its hydroelectric dam, which will generate power both for the country and potentially for its neighbours as well.
In Sierra Leone, Tony Blair also focussed on the issue of electricity; discussing the country’s plans for the Bumbuna Two hydroelectric plant. Under President Ernest Bai Koroma the country’s first hydroelectric plant, Bumbuna One, was completed in 2010. It provides 50MW of power to the country. Bumbuna Two would more than double this output and provide a huge boost to Sierra Leone’s aim of providing sustainable energy for all its citizens.
While in Nigeria, Guinea and Malawi Mr Blair discussed the on-going support that the Africa Governance Initiative (AGI) provides to the respective governments and the ambitious development reforms they are implementing.
Finally, Tony Blair also briefly visited Ethiopia and Tanzania. Both countries are currently undertaking significant reform programmes and Mr Blair and AGI’s CEO Nick Thompson were invited to meet with both governments to discuss their experiences of similar projects in AGI partner countries.
Reflecting on the trip Tony Blair said: "It is clear today that Africa is on the move. The sense of optimism is palpable. Effective governance remains central however to each country fulfilling its potential, especially to see through the necessary investment in infrastructure - in power, roads and ports. This will need the involvement of the private sector as well as the donor community, and above all leadership on the part of government."
To learn more about AGI’s projects click here.
Traveling with Chelsea in Africa to visit Clinton Foundation projects, Bill Clinton tweeted Hillary today.
Saturday, August 3, 2013 12:45 PM EAT President Clinton visits Barclays Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment site, “Banking on Change” Dar Urban PU Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
MEDIA ADVISORY: President and Chelsea Clinton Travel to Africa to Visit Clinton Foundation Projects
Jul 26, 2013 | Clinton Foundation | New York, NY | Press Release
Visit will highlight Foundation work in economic growth and empowerment, equality of opportunity, and health access in 5 countries
(New York, NY)—On July 31- August 8, President Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton will travel to Africa to visit Clinton Foundation projects in Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Rwanda, and South Africa. This trip, and the projects visited, will highlight many of the issues that President and Chelsea Clinton have long worked on—economic growth and empowerment, equality of opportunity, and health access.
Fifteen years ago, in 1998, President Clinton first traveled to Africa as President. This was the longest and most extensive trip to the continent made by a sitting American president, and was the first time a sitting president traveled to each of his six destinations. President Clinton’s trip followed a seminal visit that Chelsea and then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton made the year before. Since their initial trips, President and Chelsea Clinton have continued to build upon their longstanding commitment to Africa through the work of the Clinton Foundation, providing investment, opportunity, and health access to underserved communities. In July 2012, both President and Chelsea Clinton traveled to Africa to visit Clinton Foundation sites in South Africa, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Uganda, and in October 2012, Chelsea visited Nigeria for the launch of the Nigerian government’s Save One Million Lives Initiative to reduce child mortality.
For more information about the events and media accreditation please email press@clintonfoundation.org. For updates on the trip, visit the Clinton Foundation’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages: Facebook.com/ClintonFoundation, @ClintonFdn, Instagram.com/ClintonFoundation.
Former British Prime Minister TonyBlair , will visit Malawi from 23 to 24 July 2013, State House has announced. Presidential Press Secretary Steve Nhlane said in a ...
Tony Blair, who also came to Malawi in
August 2012, is in the country for a two day visit.
Visiting former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, has held talks with
President Joyce Banda in Lilongwe with a focus on the on-going support that the
Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative is providing to Malawi.
News Source: World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world)
Former British prime minister arrives in Malawi today, offering locals an opportunity to earn cash from the Arrest Blair campaign
Until recently, Tony Blair had never visited Malawi. Last summer there was a lot of international press coverage on the discovery of oil under Lake Malawi. Since then he’s developed an interest in the country’s “governance” and has visited twice in nine months.
He arrives in Malawi today, having successfully shoehorned a couple of staffers from his “Africa Governance Initiative” into high-level advisery roles with Joyce Banda’s government.
It’s anyone’s guess why Blair still believes he and his cronies are worth listening to. Presumably for the same reason he saw fit to rack up bills of £1m a year at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem while working as a “peace envoy”. (He’s obviously doing a terrific job and no doubt the Middle East will be at peace any time now). Egyptians know him as an astute analyst of international affairs remember how he pointed out that Mubarak was “an immensely courageous and a force for good” in, ahem, February 2011?
One thing Blair is very good at is getting large amounts of cash out of governments (just ask Kazakhstan) by riding the global gravy train for all it’s worth. He’s also good at setting up mystifying financial structures so nobody knows where he’s channeling his money.
It will certainly be a boost for him to be photographed with Malawi’s president, Joyce Banda, who despite facing a vigorous opposition at home nonetheless has far greater credibility on the international scene than he does (just last year Desmond Tutu called for Blair to be tried for his crimes at the Hague).
Malawians should protest against Blair’s visit and show Banda that she shouldn’t welcome such a person to Malawi, still less take any advice from him. The man who led the disastrous New Labour project in the UK, as well as waging two catastrophic wars, can have nothing useful to tell Banda. Malawian readers will understand what I mean when I say that Tony Blair is a stupid man. He will have plenty to say about things like “strengthening capacity” but it seems that the only thing Blair has shown a consistent commitment to is exploiting his former office in order to accrue vast personal wealth.
It should be noted that anybody who attempts to arrest Tony Blair during his Malawian safari can receive approximately 1.1 million Kwacha (£2,150), thanks to the Arrest Blair campaign established by British journalist George Monbiot. Here’s a helpful guide to making a citizen’s arrest, and the rules about how to make sure you get the cash.
Malawians like to reflect on their history by observing that they are a peace-loving people. As Blair arrives in the country, they should tell him only one thing: Choka!
Tony Blair's Malawi adventure
Malawians could cash in on the former British prime minister's trip through the Arrest Blair campaign, says Elliot Ross
Tony Blair with Malawi's president, Joyce Banda, last year. Photograph: Amos Gumulira/AFP/Getty Images
Until recently, Tony Blair had never visited Malawi. Last summer there was a lot of international press coverage on the discovery of oil under Lake Malawi. Since then he's developed an interest in the country's "governance" and has visited twice in nine months.
He arrives in Malawi today, having successfully shoe-horned a couple of staffers from his "Africa Governance Initiative" into high-level advisory roles with Joyce Banda's government.
It's anyone's guess why Blair still believes he and his cronies are worth listening to. Presumably for the same reason he saw fit to rack up bills of £1m a year at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem while working as a "peace envoy". (He's obviously doing a terrific job and no doubt the Middle East will be at peace any time now). Egyptians know him as an astute analyst of international affairs — remember how he pointed out that Mubarak was "an immensely courageous and a force for good" in, ahem, February 2011?
One thing Blair is very good at is getting large amounts of cash out of governments (just ask Kazakhstan) by riding the global gravy train for all it's worth. He's also good at setting up mystifying financial structures so nobody knows where he's channeling his money.
It will certainly be a boost for him to be photographed with Malawi's president, Joyce Banda, who despite facing a vigorous opposition at home nonetheless has far greater credibility on the international scene than he does (just last year Desmond Tutu called for Blair to be tried for his crimes at the Hague).
Malawians should protest against Blair's visit and show Banda that she shouldn't welcome such a person to Malawi, still less take any advice from him. The man who led the disastrous New Labour project in the UK, as well as waging two catastrophic wars, can have nothing useful to tell Banda. Malawian readers will understand what I mean when I say that Tony Blair is a stupid man. He will have plenty to say about things like "strengthening capacity" but it seems that the only thing Blair has shown a consistent commitment to is exploiting his former office in order to accrue vast personal wealth.
It should be noted that anybody who attempts to arrest Tony Blair during his Malawian safari can receive approximately 1.1 million Kwacha (£2,150), thanks to the Arrest Blair campaign established by British journalist George Monbiot. Here's a helpful guide to making a citizen's arrest, and the rules about how to make sure you get the cash.
Malawians like to reflect on their history by observing that they are a peace-loving people. As Blair arrives in the country, they should tell him only one thing: Choka!
Until recently, Tony Blair had never visited Malawi. Last summer there was a lot of international press coverage on the discovery of oil under Lake Malawi. Since then he’s developed an interest in Malawi’s “governance” and has visited twice in nine months.
He arrives in Malawi today, having successfully shoehorned a couple of staffers from his “Africa Governance Initiative” into high level advisory roles with Joyce Banda’s government.
It’s anyone’s guess why Blair still believes he and his cronies are worth listening to. Presumably for the same reason this inveterate warmonger saw fit to rack up bills of £1 million per year at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem while working as a “peace envoy”. (He’s obviously doing a terrific job and no doubt the Middle East will be at peace any time now). Egyptians know him as an astute analyst of international affairs — remember how he pointed out that Mubarak was “immensely courageous and a force for good” in, ahem, February 2011?
One thing Blair is very good at is getting large amounts of cash out of governments (just ask Kazakhstan) by riding the global gravy train for all it’s worth. He’s also good at setting up mystifying financial structures so nobody knows where he’s channeling his money.
It will certainly be a boost for him to be photographed with Joyce Banda, who despite facing a vigorous opposition at home nonetheless has far greater credibility on the international scene than Blair (just last year Desmond Tutu called for Blair to be tried for his crimes at the Hague).
Malawians should protest Blair’s visit and show Joyce Banda that she shouldn’t welcome such a person to Malawi, still less take any advice from him. The man who led the disastrous New Labour project in the UK, as well as waging two catastrophic wars, can have nothing useful to tell Joyce Banda. Malawian readers will understand what I mean when I say that Tony Blair is a stupid man. He will have plenty to say about things like “strengthening capacity” but the only thing Blair has shown a consistent commitment to is exploiting his former office in order to accrue vast personal wealth.
It should be noted that anybody who attempts to arrest Tony Blair during his Malawian safari can receive approximately 1.1 million Kwacha (£2,150), thanks to the Arrest Blair campaign established by British journalist George Monbiot. Here’s a helpful guide to making a citizen’s arrest, and the rules about how to make sure you get the cash.
Malawians like to reflect on their history by observing that they are a peace-loving people. As Tony Blair arrives in the country Malawians should tell him only one thing: Choka!
* Here are a couple of postcards Blair sent home to Cherie of himself offering valuable advice to good-governance-loving African leaders in recent years. How would they ever have managed without him?
Tony Blair helped Colonel Gaddafi in £1bn legal row
Tony Blair promised to help Col Muammar Gaddafi in a billion-pound legal
dispute with victims of a Libyan terrorist attack, according to official
correspondence obtained by The Sunday Telegraph.
Tony Blair with Colonel Muammar
Gaddafi in 2007.Photo: PETER
MACDIARMID/AFP
Documents show that Gaddafi turned to Mr Blair after a US court ordered Libya
to pay $1.5billion (£1billion) in damages to relatives of seven Americans killed
when a bomb exploded on a Paris-bound passenger jet in west Africa. According to
the email, Mr Blair approached President George W Bush after promising the
Libyan leader that he would intervene in the case.
Mr Bush subsequently signed the Libyan Claims Resolution Act in August 2008,
which invalidated the $1.5billion award made by the court.
UTA Flight 772 from Chad was blown up on Sept 19, 1989, by Libyan
intelligence services, killing all 170 passengers. The attack took place nine
months after Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie
killing 270 people.
The relatives of UTA Flight 772 had won the billion-pound court case in
January 2008 after a seven-year legal battle, causing serious difficulties for
the Libyan regime in the US. The ruling meant the proceeds of Libyan business
deals, mainly in oil and gas but including other investments, could be seized in
the US.
Mr Blair’s involvement in the case is outlined in an email obtained by The
Sunday Telegraph. The document was written by Sir Vincent Fean, the then
British ambassador to Libya, and was sent to Mr Blair’s aides on June 8, 2008,
two days before Mr Blair met Gaddafi in Libya.
It was one of at least six private trips made by Mr Blair to Libya after he
quit as prime minister in June 2007. The first trip to meet Gaddafi was made in
February 2008. The previous month a US federal court had made the $1.5billion
award to Flight 772 victims.
The email written by Sir Vincent outlines points for Mr Blair to raise in his
meeting with Gaddafi. It also shows that a key aide to Mr Blair had met with a
senior US diplomat to discuss the Flight 772 case.
Sir Vincent wrote: “On USA/Libya, TB should explain what he said to President
Bush (and what Banner [a Blair aide] said to Welch [a US diplomat]) to keep his
promise to Col Q [Gaddafi] to intervene after the President allowed US courts to
attach Libyan assets.”
The memo went on: “He [Blair] could express satisfaction at the progress made
in talks between the US and Libya to reach a Govt to Govt solution to all the
legal/compensation issues outstanding from the 1980s. It would be good to get
these issues resolved, and move on. The right framework is being created. HMG is
not involved in the talks, although some British citizens might be affected by
them (Lockerbie, plus some UK Northern Irish litigants going to US courts
seeking compensation from Libya for IRA terrorist acts funded/fuelled by
Libya).”
The memo reveals that Nick Banner, Mr Blair’s chief of staff in his role as
Middle East peace envoy, had spoken to David Welch, the US official who was
negotiating with the Libyans over compensation for victims of terrorism.
The American lawyer who had won the court order in January 2008 only to have
it made invalid by the act signed by Mr Bush said his clients had “got screwed”.
Stuart Newberger, a senior partner at the international law firm Crowell
& Moring, said: “This case was thwarted by President Bush, who directed the
State Department to negotiate a package deal that ended all Libyan-related
terrorism cases, including my judgment. I had heard rumours about Blair’s
involvement but this is the first time that role was confirmed.”
He added: “I never considered this an honourable way to carry out diplomacy.
It sent the wrong message to terrorist states – don’t worry about these lawsuits
and judgments as the politicians will eventually fix it.”
Under the terms of the Libyan Claims Resolution Act, Libya made a one-off
payment to victims of all Libyan state-sponsored terrorism including the
bombings of Pan Am Flight 103, UTA Flight 772 and a Berlin discotheque. The
payment, totalling $1.5billion, gave Libya immunity from all terrorism-related
lawsuits.
The relatives of victims of UTA 772 received about $ 100million, rather than
the court award of $1.5billion. Relatives of victims of Pan Am 103 welcomed the
agreement which saw them get the final instalment of compensation already
agreed. The deal meant all victims of Libyan terrorism received the same award.
The Sunday Telegraph has also obtained a separate letter, sent on June
2 from Gavin Mackay – a Foreign Office official seconded to Mr Blair in his role
as Middle East peace envoy at the Office of the Quarter Representative (OQR) –
to Libya’s ambassador in London.
The letter, on OQR-headed notepaper details Mr Blair’s gratitude that Libya
is providing him with a private jet to fly him from Sierra Leone to Tripoli for
a four-hour stopover and then on to the UK.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former Foreign Secretary, expressed concern that the
trip appeared to be arranged through Mr Blair’s public role as Middle East
envoy.
He said: “Unless Mr Blair can come up with a convincing explanation as to why
the Quartet secretariat should have been involved in this visit, it would indeed
be a reason for legitimate and serious criticism.”
A spokesman for Tony Blair said: “The only conversation he ever had with
regard to this matter was to give a general view that it was in the interests of
both Libya and the USA to resolve those issues in a fair manner and move on.”
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