Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile is undertaking a Working Visit to Dubai and Abu-Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 22 – 25 April 2024. 

The Deputy President’s visit to the UAE is aimed at building and strengthening bilateral relations, particularly increasing economic and knowledge exchange between the two states. 

The visit will see the Deputy President and his delegation engage with experts in the telecommunications and digital economy, in line with South Africa’s goals related to expanding technological and digital infrastructure towards Meaningful Universal Connectivity. 

Countries are moving towards digital sovereignty and South Africa, as one of the leading nations in the sector within the continent has the opportunity to spearhead initiatives in this regard towards strengthening public service delivery and enhancing participation in the digital economy. This working visit is as such, integral to building capacity towards digital sovereignty. 

During the visit the Deputy President will interact with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Applications as well as other relevant national and regional entities within the UAE.

The UAE is a competitive market for the information and communication technology (ICT) sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The UAE public sector investment helps drive demand for ICT products and services in sectors such as healthcare, aviation, defense, transportation, financial services and others linked to the UAE’s economic diversification plans.

The visit by the Deputy President provides an opportunity for the South African government to increase knowledge and expertise in the ICT sector towards the improvement and expansion of public services and governance systems through digital economy channels.

The Deputy President is accompanied to the UAE by Deputy Minister Candith Mashego-Dlamini – Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Minister Mondli Gungubele – Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, and Minister Ronald Lamola – Department of Justice.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has said that he will rally Members of Parliament (MPs) to prioritise malaria prevention and control in the 2024/2025 financial year budget.

“This year we have put Shs25 billion in the budget for malaria testing kits. I think this is the first time, it is just the beginning,” Tayebwa said.

He made the commitment on Saturday, 20 April 2024 at Parliament after participating in a 10km Malaria Awareness Walk, ahead of the World Malaria Day commemorated on 25 April.

He tasked the Minister of Health, Dr. Ruth Aceng to take a position on spraying and larviciding as one of the interventions in the fight against the malaria epidemic.

“I want to ask Hon. minister that you and World Health Organisation reconcile your positions on spraying and larviciding because neighbouring countries which have eliminated malaria have sprayed,” he said adding that, ’this business of saying that Parliament said we cannot spray; this is a new Parliament, we are going to take charge. If we agree on spraying, we shall provide the money’.

Tayebwa asked the minister to present a costed strategy on spraying, to Parliament within three months.

“The money we are spending on treating malaria is too much and yet we are losing so many people. Let us make a commitment to fight malaria,” he said.

Responding to a petition that was presented by a section of children who urged Parliament to among other things, allocate more funding to research and innovations to combat malaria, Tayebwa said a special session will be held to handle the concerns raised.

“What is more important is taking action on the points,” Tayebwa said.

Minister Aceng applauded Parliament for promoting and investing in prevention of malaria saying that it is timely because partners are cutting funding for malaria control and prevention.

“It is time for Uganda to mobilise its own resources to end malaria. We are re-strategising and re-focusing all our resources,” she said.

She warned that the pattern of malaria is changing, affecting adolescents in addition to expectant mothers and children.

“The vaccine we are getting only protects 50 per cent; that means it is not the magic bullet,” Aceng said.

The Chairperson of the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Malaria, Hon. Timothy Batuwa said that MPs have now adopted a community approach to combat malaria deaths and this has attracted support from all public universities.

“We are involving the communities right from programme design to implementation. We shall be training village teams in testing of malaria,” said Batuwa.

According to the Director Public Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, malaria kills 14 people every day and blamed this on late testing and delayed care.

“We can reverse and end this. Once you seek care in time, we can eliminate malaria,” he said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Panoro Energy Senior Advisor Tim O’Hanlon will engage in an exclusive fireside chat at next month’s Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2024 forum, focusing on unlocking opportunities within Gabon’s energy sector.

Panoro Energy is leading infrastructure-led exploration and appraisal offshore Gabon, leveraging existing infrastructure to fast-track development of low-cost barrels. Last November, the company announced an oil discovery at the Hibiscus South field on the offshore Dussafu Marin Permit, contributing 6-7 million barrels of recoverable reserves to Gabon’s resource base and representing the sixth discovery to be made on the block under Panoro’s participation. Panoro Energy and operator BW Energy started up production from the well last month – just five months after discovery – with production stabilized at 5,000-6,000 barrels of oil per day.

Organized by Energy Capital&Power, IAE 2024 (https://apo-opa.co/49krKXM) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 14-15, 2024 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Gabon’s energy sector holds significant upside potential, as the country undergoes a revitalization of its oil and gas industry, with a view to launching new drilling and appraisal activities, applying enhanced oil recovery techniques and expanding domestic processing capabilities. The session – opened by a keynote address from Gabonese Minister of Petroleum Marcel Abeke – will shed insights into the country’s burgeoning investment opportunities and latest developments, including offshore discoveries, acquisitions and integrated gas projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.

Dr. Tsegai Medin, head of Research and Ancient Heritage at the Commission of Culture and Sports, announced the discovery of a petrified tree in Adi-Kinzinab, located in the Adi-Quala sub-zone. Dr. Tsegai highlighted that this discovery is part of broader ecosystem findings across the country and might provide evidence of the migration of large mammals that occurred 27 million years ago, prior to the formation of the Red Sea.

Dr. Tsegai further explained that this new find could be contemporary with the remains of the elephant family discovered at Kuda-Felasi in 2008, which offers insights into the area’s ancient environmental structure. He added that further research on the petrified tree will be conducted in cooperation with various partners, and an official report will be released in due time.

Mr. Teklit Gebrezgiabier, Head of Culture and Sports in the Southern Region, urged relevant institutions to protect this significant site as it might contain other valuable ancient remains.

In related news, ancient ceramics, metal ornaments, and what appear to be human bones have been unearthed at Egri-Mekel, where a new dam is currently under construction.

Adi-Kinzinab is situated 8 kilometers east of Adi-Quala, and Egri-Mekel is 5 kilometers south of Mendefera.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.