Volume 1 issue 47

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MONDAY | DECEMBER 01, 2014 Title Code: DELENG18579 RNI NO: DELENG/2014/54666 Postal Registration No.: DN/325/2014-2016 VOL. 1 NO. 47 Page 12 Price `10

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The 4th India-Arab Partnership Conference was held in New Delhi on 26-27 November 2014. This is a flagship event planned under the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between India and the Arab League in December 2013, which commands refreshed cooperation between the two sides. The Conference was planned by the Ministry of External Affairs in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Secretariat of the League of Arab States and the Arab industry. In keeping with its standing as India's largest source of crude oil, and its 4th biggest trading partner, Saudi Arabia was the partner country at the conference.It comes in the framework of the first senior officials meeting between India and the 22-member league here earlier this month which deliberated mounting business ties, particularly in energy and information technology.Directing to the Arab world's historical and now premeditated ties with India based on being neighbours across the Arabian Sea, Saudi Arabia's Commerce Minister Tawfiq Fawzan Al Rabiah voiced to the conference that "India is one of the biggest trading partners of Saudi Arabia. Relations between India and the Arab world have a long history"."The Indian rupee was a currency in the Gulf till not very long ago. Geographical closeness has given a new dimension to our relations. Urdu and Indian culture are very popular in the Arab world," he added.Saudi Arabia is India's largest provider of crude oil and the fourth biggest trading partner. Bilateral trade totaled to $48.75 billion in 2013-14. India is the 5th largest market for Saudi products and is, in turn, the seventh largest source of imports to that country.Some of the specific areas for deliberations at the conclave included pharmaceuticals, food and energy security, notably from renewable sources, healthcare, tourism, banking, human resource development, education, research and technology development.Member countries of the Arab League, home to over 7 million Indians and with a collective GDP of nearly $3 trillion, are a major endpoint for India's exports. Their investments to India have crossed $3.5 billion

Facebook King has Kenya on his Mind!!

Russia Seeks To Raise

Its Profile in Africa

LIBYA: THE MEDITER-RANEAN KNIGHTS

ASSAM AwAITS To DELIGHT You

CoMPLETE AGRICuLTuRAL SoLuTIoN PRovIDER

New HorizoNs iN iNvestmeNt, trade aNd servicesI n d i a S e e k i n g I n v e s t m e n t s f r o m A r a b R e g i o n

P A R T N E R S h I P C O N F E R E N C E4th IndIa arab

Wassupafrica02

Stratcomm Boss Esther Cobbah Is PR Personality for the Year 2013

Max International launched in Ghana

Rwanda, Sweden sign Rwf9.3bn grant to tackle unemployment

Russia Seeks To Raise Its Profile in Africa

The government signed a grant agreement of $13.5 million (about Rwf9.3 billion) to support implementation of the National Employment Programme which aims to create 200,000 jobs each year.

The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Claver Gatete, signed on behalf of government, while Maria Hkansson, Charg dAffaires at the Swedish Embassy in Kigali, represented her government. The funds will be used through 2017, to support projects aimed at creating sufficient jobs, equipping the workforce with vital skills needed by the private sector, and strengthening national employment structures.

The National Employment Programme is the government flagship programme for fulfilling the ambitions of the EDPRS II with regards to productive employment, Gatete said.

Creating jobs is important but it is not the end in itself. Employment needs to be sufficiently productive to provide a sustainable source of income. We recognise that the youth make up 67 per cent of the unemployed in Rwanda. Therefore, our target also focuses on youth entrepreneurship and skills development.

Sweden is a new member of the Private Sector Development and Youth Employment Sector Working Group and has been the first to donate toward the National Employment Program (NEP).

We see the funding of NEP as a way

to support the governments work on promoting productive jobs that provide people living in poverty, a sustainable way to self-reliance, Hkansson said.

The programmes approach fits into Vision 2020, and also with the priorities that emerged from the analytic work carried out by the Swedish Embassy earlier this year which indicated that moving towards productive off-farm jobs is needed to reach the ambitious targets for poverty reduction.

Also, people living in poverty across the country will need to be facilitated to grasp the job opportunities or become job creators themselves.

During this period, the programme will seek to promote entrepreneurship and SME growth.

Rwandas unemployment rate, according to the 2012 national census stands at 3.4 percent, up from 1.2 per cent in 2006.

New Times

Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications Africa (Stratcomm Africa), Ms. Esther A.N. Cobbah, was recognized by the Institute of Public Relations Ghana as the Public Relations (PR) Personality of the Year 2013.

This award was conferred at the Institutes Excellence Awards held on Friday 21st November, 2014 at the Banquet Hall, Accra.

Stratcomm Africa was also recognized as the Public Relations Consultancy of the Year 2013. In addition, two clients of the company, AngloGold Ashanti and Ghana Electrometer were recognized as PR organization of the Year, Extractive Industry and PR organization of the Year Manufacturing.

Speaking on behalf of all the award winners, Ms. Cobbah thanked the Institute for the recognition that had been accorded to them and added that these awards would spur them on to live up to the honour that had been done to them

Modern Ghana

Max International an industry leader in the production of wellness and weight-loss supplements and products has officially launched its operations in Africa through the opening of the Ghana office.Max International has its purpose, to empower people around the world to experience better health, success and significance. The company also offers more passion, inspiration, stability and community according to its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Joe Voyticky. he remarked, At Max International, people can make more than money. We provide three primary benefits a chance to improve health, enhance your wealth and achieve more through personal development .Mr. Joe Voyticky said Max International is committed to providing all of its associates with the resources they need to build a successful business. he also revealed that, the company has created several sales and educational materials custom designed for Associates of all levels of experience who will spearhead the companys dreams across the globe.President Vladimir Putin received the letters of credence of 15 new foreign ambassadors to Russia in a ceremony at the Grand Kremlin Palaces Alexander hall on November 19 in Moscow.Putin received letters of credence from the new ambassadors of Djibouti, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Poland, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Ghana, Vietnam, the United States of America, Zambia, Turkey, Tanzania, hungary, Peru, Nicaragua and Uzbekistan.In particular, Putin noted that Russia was interested in developing ties with the

Mr. Voyticky further explained that the company offers Nutrition that is not Available in Africa or Ghana until now, and that they are doing massive expansion into Africa and you can be the one that overrides this growth and earn fortunes helping us to expand our business.he emphasized We will together build a foundation that will last. We are not in Ghana to exploit the people, or make some money and live, we are here to grow with you and to live and carry people by helping them live their dreams, he said.Some of the companys product include Max One, Max N Fuze, Cellgevity, MaxGXL among others, which have the potency of improving mental clarity and focus, removing harmful toxics in the body, strengthening the immune system, providing critical antioxidants to protect the cells, and help the body function at optimal levels by providing essential vitamins and minerals.The Chief Executive Officer also spoke about the Max training

programme which he describe as an innovative system designed along with top field leaders to distil the best business building practices into simple steps and advice that even the newest Associate can use.he also explained that in addition to Maxs excellent products, there are two trends that make the company a good investment business. The first of these trends, he indicated, was the health and wellness trend that many people are following.The second international trend, he pointed out, was the consumer need for network marketing businesses. This need is illustrated by the inadequacies in public health care. Currently, a growing aging population, the rise of chronic illnesses, and massive budget problems are plaguing public health care systems. Prevention of these problems is just as important as treatment, and Max offers products that may help people live better, healthier lives, he said.Other African delegations and the USA represented in a large numbers at the official launch included Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, La Cote Divore, and Guinea among others.Modern Ghana

Republic of Djibouti and is open to cooperation in international affairs and building up contacts in economic and other areas in the interest of strengthening peace and stability on the horn of Africa.he said that Russia valued friendly relations with the Central African Republic. Together with the international community we will continue to assist the transitional governments efforts to reach political and inter-faith harmony and normalize the difficult humanitarian situation, he pointed out in his speech.With regards to Eritrea, he said: we are building up our relations with Eritrea. We share similar

approaches towards current issues on the international and regional agendas and seek to develop our trade and economic ties.Zambia is always on the economic agenda. Russia marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Zambia. The president said that Russia would seek to continue developing bilateral cooperation, including our traditional assistance in training professionals for your country and will continue to coordinate positions on the regional and international agenda.Russia wants to develop traditionally friendly ties with Tanzania, strengthen cooperation on the international stage, and expand trade and economic relations. Russia welcomes Tanzanias active role in resolving the African continents problems.Russian authorities pledged to help and offer necessary assistance and from that of ministries, agencies and the broader Russian civic society and business community to all foreign embassies in pursuit of their assignment in the Russian Federation.Modern Ghana

South Africa President Mr. Jacob Zuma with the Russian President Vladimir Putin

Ms Esther A.N. Cobbah, Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications Africa

MONDAY | DECEMBER 01, 2014

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since April 2000.Inaugurating the conference, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the second meeting of the India-Egypt Joint Trade Committee was held earlier this month to deliberate an action plan to upsurge trade between the two countries.Giving Egypt's instance as a pointer of India's endless efforts to upsurge its rendezvous with the Arab world, Sitharaman said: "I am also happy to convey that the 7th India-Oman joint commission meeting concluded successfully with both sides agreeing for enhanced cooperation in various fields."India's trade with the region in 2013-14 amounted to over $185 billion, accounting for around nearly a quarter of its global trade, Sitharaman said.India has hunted investments from both public and private sector companies in the Arab region in areas such as infrastructure and railways to further boost economic ties between the regions. "We invite both your public

and private sector companies to invest in India," she said. The Minister said that corporations can form joint ventures with domestic firms. She said mega infrastructure projects including Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and Amritsar-Delhi- Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKDIC) offered great potential for foreign investors."Under the 'Make in India' programme, we have identified 25 sectors including automobile, textiles, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and ports. It aims at inviting companies to set up manufacturing units," she said adding India also provides opportunities for technology transfers to the Arab region. Sitharaman said the country's policies are translucent, steady and also able to deliver a level playing field to both domestic and foreign investors. She also recalled the successful joint venture projects in the region. "With India being the largest importer of Jordanian phosphatic

Banks in the country have been urged to bring their systems and infrastructure up to the standard of what pertains in other parts of the world. That, when done, is expected to help them boost their competitiveness while serving their customers in real time through improved operational efficiency.The Managing Director of Subah Infosolutions, Mr Birendra Sasmal, made the call in an interview with the Daily Graphic after the company had made a presentation on its new tailor-made product for the banks at the 13th Ghana Banking Awards in Accra. The new product, Xelerate, he said, was a dynamic/robust revenue management solution to help improve the operations of banks in the country. The product, he said, was expected to address an array of offerings for banks which sought to inject more efficiency and profitability in their business while becoming customer-centric.

banks urged to bring systems up to standard The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOChAM) organized a Conference, India-Africa: Investing In The Future, on 25th November, 2014 at New Delhi. The Conference was attended by the Ambassadors, high Commissioners and diplomats from 20 African Missions situated in New Delhi. Other delegation were Government Officials and top executives from the Indian Companies having interest in Africa. In the Inaugural Session of the Conference the key Speakers were: h. E. Ms. Gennet Zewide, Dean of African Missions in India and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Shri. D S Dhesi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India; Ambassador V.B. Soni, Chairman, Overseas Infrastructure Alliance; Mr. Richard Fenning, Global CEO, Control Risks ; Mr. harsh Shrivastava, Senior Vice President & head-Corporate Affairs, SREI International Finance Ltd.; Ms. Preeti Sinha, Senior President and Global Convenor, Yes Institute, Yes Bank and Mr. D S Rawat, Secretary General, Assocham.Ministry of commerce will materialize the PDC (Project Development Company) by the end of this year to identify projects and take them up in a fast-track manner with active involvement of the governments of those countries, said D.S. Dheshi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce.he further added, The proposal is to set up a PDC (Project Development Company) with leading financial institutions of India led by EXIM bank, IL&FS and State Bank of India (SBI), in the partnership with the African Development Bank (ADB), which will identify projects and take them up in a fast track manner with the active involvement of the government of those countries and business entities of Indian sites.h.E. Ms Gennet Zewide, Dean of African Mission in India and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia said, there is an unexplored investment opportunity in Africa, it has 50% of the worlds gold, 90% of the cobalt, 40% of the worlds potential hydroelectric power, 65% of the manganese, and millions of acres of untilled farmland, as well as other natural resources. The continent also has large reserves of oil. however, the main driving force for the development and growth are not these resources but

India-Africa: Investing In The Future

African governments investment in educating its large pool of young workforce, investing in infrastructure and the health of its people.Ms. Zewide further said, Africas investment and business appeal is an opportunity for prospective business in India and elsewhere. Africa took a significant political and policy measure by establishing regional markets such as COMESA, SADC and ECOWAS etc. which foster trade and investment relation amongst member countries by removing tariff and other trade barriers.In order to grow further and realize our vision of reaching the level of a middle income economy as of 2020-23, a five year growth and transformation plan has been formulated in which agriculture, agro processing and manufacturing sector such as textile, leather and chemical industries are given priority. In order, to facilitate investment in the manufacturing sector the government is also setting up a industrial zone, added Ms Gennet Zewide.Ambassador V.B. Soni, Chairman, Overseas Infrastructure Alliance said, on the trade front from a level of $ 25billion in 2005-06, Indias bilateral trade with Africa increased to US $ 67 billion in 2011-12. This is likely to touch to $100 billion mark in the next few years.Other speakers also shared with the Indian businesses the opportunities present in Africa. The first session also had an Interaction Round which gave the opportunity to the Indian investors to share their queries and issues, which were addressed by the panel. This address is followed by delivering Vote of Thanks by Shri. D S Rawat, Secretary General, Assocham in which he thanked all the speakers on the dais to make this Conference a successful program by giving their valuable inputs.

During the next session Africa: Explore the Unexplored, the Ambassadors/high Commissioners and other diplomats from the African Missions gave the presentations/speeches and shown some trade promotional videos of their respective countries. The theme of the session was to highlight the investment opportunities exist in their countries.After the presentations and networking lunch there were B2B meetings, for which ASSOChAM had allocated a separate country table for every African country present in the conference, wherein the investors met the African country officials to discuss the business prospects and solved their queries.

Making a presentation to the banks at the just-ended Ghana Banking Awards in Accra, Mr Sasmal said the product was built on a technology agnostic platform with no dependency on the type of database, web server, operating system used.Xelerate is also built on top of a robust and highly scalable platform; it has comprehensive, yet cost-effective solutions to satisfy all the revenue management and business assurance objectives, he added. Mr Sasmal said the product would provide event-driven service-oriented architecture to facilitate integration and flexibility while maintaining high availability and load balancing.Xelerate offers graphical, rule-driven administration of the core transaction engine to provide business-driven configurability of business process flows, he added.Pointing out some of the benefits of the product, he said it helped ensure operational efficiency as it could guarantee real-time convergent charging and billing platform for all services and ensure centralised and automated services while improving audit compliance.he said it could also improve relationship through relationship-based pricing and complete customer view across information silos, among other things.Daily Graphic

products, a joint venture project JIFCO between Indian Farmers and Fertiliser Cooperation Ltd (IFFCO)...with investment of USD 850 millions is ready for formal inauguration,' she said. Likewise Oman India Fertiliser company project is a noteworthy milestone for safeguarding sustained supplies of urea to India. "This a JV project promoted by IFFCO and Krishak Bharti Cooperative Ltd from the Indian side and the Oman Oil Company from Omanese side with an investment to the tune of USD 360 million," she added. The two-way trade between India and Arab region stood at USD

185.6 billion in 2013-14, which is 23.4 per cent of the global trade of India. Speaking at the occasion, Saudi Arabia Commerce and Industry Minister Tawfiq Fawzan Al Rabiah said that India is one of the largest trading partners of his country. "India is a significant country for us for economic relations," he said.The India-Arab Partnership Conference has appeared as a vital biennial forum for promoting the two-way flow of business and investment, and is sturdily located to leverage the evolving opportunities for a win-win partnership.

Mr Birendra Sasmal, Managing Director, Subah Infosolutions

mONDAY | DECEmBER 01, 2014

environment at oil installations. Libya usually exports most of its crude oil to European countries, with Italy being the leading recipient. The United States restarted importing crude oil from Libya in 2004 after sanctions were removed, though the amount it typically imports is small. As with its oil sector, Libya's natural gas industry recuperated in 2012, but production still remained below pre-war levels. Libya's rank as a producer and reserve holder is less significant for natural gas than it is for oil. Most of its natural gas production is disseminated to Italy via pipeline. In 1971, Libya was the third

countryoftheWeek04

A Brief Overview Libya is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, the holder of Africa's largest proved oil reserves, and an important contributor to the global supply of light, sweet crude oil. Libya is supposed to hold large amounts of unexploited hydrocarbon resources as it shares similar hydrocarbon-bearing geological structures with its neighboring countries although most of the country remains unexplored. The country's National Oil Corporation (NOC) has highlighted the requisite to apply boosted oil recovery techniques to increase crude oil production at maturing oil fields. Before the 2011 civil war, the NOC claimed that capacity additions of around 775,000 bbl/d were possible from existing oil fields. Libya's oil production was disrupted for most of 2011 because of the civil war, but it began to recover relatively rapidly following the cessation of most hostilities by the autumn of that year. The country's oil sector was crippled again in mid-2013 as protests led to the closure of loading ports, oil fields, pipelines, and a sharp deterioration of the security

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country in the world, after Algeria and the United States (Alaska), to initiate exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG). Typically, the country exports a small amount of LNG to Spain. however, the LNG plant was smashed during the 2011 civil war, and Libya has not exported LNG since early 2011.Investment Opportunities

Financial Services: There is a growing requirement of quality financial services in Liberia. A strong financial system aids as the basis for growing much of the domestically driven economy and also providing a bridge for foreign investors to enter the country. At present, the largest growth sectors of the financial service industry include commercial banking, investment banking, leasing, and insurance. These fields deliver high growth margins in direct relationship to the industries that they service. Real Estate & Construction: The real estate sector is budding due to the requirement of increased security and the accessibility of mortgages and construction finance credit. Demand for real estate construction has so far been driven by the presence of organizations such as UNMIL, the World Bank, IMF, donor representatives, NGOs, and business interests.

Infrastructure: In Liberia, most of the infrastructure was devastated by the conflict, or left to fall apart due to insufficient upkeep capacity. Ports, airports, bridges, roads, power-plants, fixed communications, mobile networks, power-plants, sanitation amenities, and electricity and water distribution networks are all either in the commencement stages of rehabilitation, or require major new initiatives.Agribusiness: The government is dedicated to heartening the rapid growth of the agricultural industry. Rising food and commodity prices intensify the craving to increase domestic

agricultural production. The stimulation of this sector would be instrumental in providing jobs, returning people to the country, providing food security, and turning Liberia from a net food importer into an exporter. Mining: The country has widespread assets of iron ore, gold, diamonds, and other minerals that are proving to be tremendously valuable on the international commodity markets. Revenues from iron ore accounted for nearly half of the countrys earnings prior to the civil war. All iron ore mining operations were closed during the period of conflict and the needed support infrastructure was eroded, infrastructure which is now being replaced. Other concession arrangements are being exchanged

with several mining companies, the largest being the Western Cluster, which is also laden with high-grade iron ore. After awarding the Western Cluster to a South African company, the government has hired Deloitte & Touche to complete a due diligence exercise on all five bidders prior to ratification of the contract.Oil Sector: The Gulf of Guinea, extending from Liberia to Gabon, is a known depository of oil reserves. Indication of oil was exposed off Liberias shores decades ago, but investment was never forthcoming due to the political instability that plagued the country since 1980.

Prospects in relation to the oil-sector are extensive, stretching from financial services, shipping, housing and office space, and a collection of secondary support services. International investment into this area will range well beyond just the oil exploration and extraction itself, but should incorporate many sides of the Liberian economy.Electricity: Electricity generation has more than doubled from 2000 to 2010. Mounting power demand, which was better than gains in installed generation capacity, have led to electricity shortfalls. Libya's oil sector has also been touched by power supply issues, which has negotiated production at some of the country's largest oil fields.

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A. Nairsons ...................... Page 03

The Times of Africa .......... Page 05

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Parnantham .................... Page 10

Laxmi Publications .......... Page 11

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LIBYA AT A GLANCE

Official Name: State of Libya. Capital: TripoliIndependence: 24 December 1951Religion: IslamGovernment: Operates under a Transitional Government. Total Area: 1,759,540 sq.km.GDP: 73 BillionsInflation Rate: 3.2% Population: 6,244,174Languages: ArabicClimate: Mediterranean along coast, dry, extreme desert interior. Export Items: Crude Oil, Refined Petroleum Products, Natural Gas, Chemicals. Import Items: Machinery, Transport Equipment, Consumer Products.Natural Resources: Petroleum, Natural Gas, Gypsum.Main Economic Sectors: Petroleum, Tourism, InfrastructureTime Zone: GMT+2 Currency: Libyan Dinar (LYD) = 1.27 US Dollar Exports: 38.45 Billion DollarImports: 27.15 Billion Dollar

LIbYaT H E M E D I T E R R A N E A N K N I G H T S

Libya, formally the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. The three traditional parts of the country are Tripolitania, Fezzan and Cyrenaica. Libya is positioned in North Africa on the Mediterranean Sea. With an area of almost 1.8 million square kilometres (700,000 sq mi), Libya is the 17th largest country in the world. Libya is a member of the African Union (AU), African Economic Community (AEC), Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

MONDAY | DECEMBER 01, 2014

BusinessBuzz 05Global pharmaceutical firm joins Rwanda in cancer fight

Partnership Between Bank Windhoek and Fli

Liquid Telecom Wins Awards At AfricaCom

It was a mesmerizing moment for Liquid Telecom as it was acknowledged in the Best Pan African Initiative group for ramping up the East Africa Fibre Ring which associates Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and back into Kenya - the first fully redundant regional fibre ring, linking these countries to each other and the rest of the world.

The ring safeguards that people and businesses across the East African community now take delivery of permanency of Internet connectivity and an extremely trustworthy service.

Liquid Telecom's shared MPLS satellite service was entitled as the VSAT Innovation for Africa. Conventionally end-users needing MPLS satellite services in Africa have had to buy a devoted channel on a satellite link.

Liquid Telecom's R & D team established a method to split an MPLS channel so that it could service hundreds of customers at the same time, furnishing a quality service with 99.5 per cent availability, at a heavily reduced price. Customers comprise enterprises of all sizes that need a dependable and secure satellite connection.

Nic Rudnick, CEO, Liquid Telecom, said: "I am extremely proud of our team who continue to work hard to create Africa's digital future. We are an agile and entrepreneurial company which believes that everyone has a right to be connected. We will continue to innovate and set the standard for the African telecoms market."

During the annual AfricaCom conference and exhibition, Liquid Telecom revealed its evolution in laying Fibre To The Home over which it is rendering homes and small businesses with unlimited data packages and 100Mbps, the fastest

broadband ever accessible in Africa. The service has by now gone live in Zambia through various retail outlets; and in Zimbabwe via retail ISP ZOL Zimbabwe, part of the Liquid Telecom Group. Plans are now underway to launch FTTH on a wholesale and retail basis in Kenya, Rwanda and two further countries early next year.

Rwanda could soon be one of the first countries in Africa to venture into clinical trial tests and research for cancer and other diagnostic diseases.This follows an exploratory visit by Robert Mulroy, the CEO of Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company involved in developing and preparing innovative medicines for the treatment of serious diseases, amongst them cancer.Mulroy was in the country on a three-day visit, during which he held meetings with top government officials, including the CEO of Rwanda Development Board, Francis Gatare.he also interacted with senior officials from the Ministry of health to discuss key possible areas of partnership, most especially in the areas of clinical research tests.Speaking to The New Times after his meeting with Gatare, Mulroy said his firm carries out research with the hope of introducing better treatment for people across the globe and was

looking into ways of partnering with the Rwandan government.We have been discussing opportunities about how we could expand our research to include Rwanda and Africa, Mulroy said.he added that they had had positive discussions and were looking forward to exploring opportunities for partnerships.he said they had been attracted to Rwanda by the positive climate for partnership and that the ties would help improve the health sector. We visited the cancer centre at Butaro and were pleased with what we saw. We saw a strong foundation for cancer treatment and are committed to improving it further, Mulroy added.he disclosed that the government has also opened up opportunities of partnership in various sector.Patrick Ndimubanzi, the Minister of State in charge of Public health and Primary healthcare, said they are looking forward to the collaboration.The exploration by the pharmaceutical comes about the same time experts have been calling for the development of a multi-disciplinary approach for cancer management.New Times

Liquid Telecom has graciously won two awards at 2014 AfricaCom awards which rejoice and honor brilliance in the African Telecoms, Media and ICT Market.

Mark Zuckerberg has joined hands with Airtel to extend the Internet.org app to its prepaid and post-paid customers in Kenya. Facebook's Internet.org app Bank Windhoek and the Financial Literacy Initiative (FLI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on November 12, 2014. The MoU will oversee the terms of cooperation between and amongst the platform partners of FLI.FLI is a nation-wide podium which entails more than 40 stage supporters from the public, private and non-profit sectors, meant at cultivating the Namibian public on financial matters, counting consumer protection, with the aim of crafting a financial literate nation. Bank Windhoek is one of

Facebook King has Kenya on his Mind!!delivers a set of locally relevant basic internet services free of charge in order to make it more comfortable for people to access the internet.In his Facebook post, Zuckerberg wrote, "Today Internet.org reached a special milestone. With our announcement in Kenya this morning, free basic internet services will soon be available to more than 100 million people worldwide. We still have a lot of work ahead to make Internet.org available everywhere and to help 5 billion people connect and use the internet, but our recent launches in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia are a good start. Kenya already has a thriving startup ecosystem and the internet is already making a

big impact, with millions of people using services like mobile banking over SMS. To fulfill this country's full potential, we need to help everyone connect." At the launch, Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi said, "This partnership responds to the needs of our youthful customers who are in constant need to access the internet and keep in touch with events and activities at all times"The strategy is a grounding of the nations determined Vision 2030 program, which aims to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing, middle-income country providing a high quality of life to all its citizens, by 2030, by concentrating on economic, social and political reforms.

the Platform Supporters of FLI.Bank Windhoek has been a vigorous member and proud enthusiast of FLI since its launch in March 2012, as the Bank comprehends that a savings culture is developed with an augmented understanding of financial matters and information of banking products and services.The Managing Director of Bank

Windhoek, Christo de Vries, said: "Although the FLI is a voluntary platform, Bank Windhoek will continue to support the FLI and will play its role as a partner in educating and empowering our clients and the general public with knowledge on the Bank's products and services to enable them to make informed decisions about their finances."

mONDAY | DECEmBER 01, 2014

fRaNkLY sPeaKinG06

By kirit soBti, editor, [email protected]

While Africas post-independence leaders visualized of connecting their countries through road and railway networks, todays cream of the crop are on the tip of making their own dream come true - linking African countries with each other and the rest of the world through a high-speed telecommunications cable. The new know-hows, predominantly the Internet, hold an enthralment for many. It prolongs great potential, particularly as a relief to the work of development organisations, the media, and non-governmental organizations. The rewards of using the technologies, embrace low-cost communication, more competent ways to share information and knowledge, a delicate presence and brightness for Africa, and less seclusion for those studying and working in African universities and living in rural societies.Will using ICTs profoundly, would actually renovate life in Africa? how are they being used around the continent today? There have been noteworthy enhancements to Africas Internet connectivity in the last five years. Massive investment in telecoms infrastructure has considered these improvements, particularly in terms of intercontinental connectivity and terrestrial fibre networks: Submarine cable investment has amounted to around USD3.8 billion and terrestrial networks have seen over USD8 billion of investment. Internet exchange points (IXPs), used for local exchange of traffic, have become progressively significant in many countries.however, these investments have not always decoded into a corresponding enhancement in the Internet access services experienced by users, through

africa is sproutiNg witH every siNgle click!!

There is increased interest, especially in the last 18 months, in African contemporary art. I think for a long time African artists, especially contemporary artists, have been under represented on the global stage and I really feel that theres a role for the internet to change that.JAMAL SAGhIR

World Bank Director for Sustainable Development in the Africa Region

JuLIE TAYLORFounder & Director, Guns & Rain Art, South Africa

The sparkling country, South Africa has given birth to many successful entrepreneurs. South Africans have always incorporated the practice of entrepreneurship but certain components of the country have proved to be obstacles in the way of success of some businesses further affecting job creation and economic development of the country. One of such barrier is access to reasonable quality telecommunications.It was only the well-established businessmen who could utilize the exceedingly high price connectivity enabling usage of a wide range of applications and services mandatory for effective economic participation. But the days have passed and today we have the solution in hand. The leading telecom company, iBurst has launched a fixed wireless broadband solution especially for the small and medium empowering them to connect with their customers and expand their business at affordable price through mobile technology. Expressing his views on it, Clive Martin, owner, iBurst solution stated, "ICT services form an extremely important component of our competitve armoury as small and medium sized businesses but the pricing of many of these solutions have effectively made them unaffordable for many of the smaller businesses like mine," said Martin "This extremely reasonable yet quality offering by iBurst is really a Godsend for some of us and is helping my company in particular to lower overheads and improve efficiencies.Worth mentioning, the solution is a boon for SME's providing them a symmetrical service with speeds up to 40Mbps and superior quality service due to the low contention ratio. It is well suited for voice traffic and delivers up to five static IP addresses. The best part is that it can be installed very easily and efficiently and comes with the benefit of next day repair on logging of faults.Introduction of such reasonable ICT solutions is transforming the shape of SMEs in South Africa. Companies like iBurst and others are acting as the engine for SMEs and are bringing them forward allowing them to modernize and remain competitive in the world. Furthermore, it is assisting in the job creation in the country.

Affordable ICT provides a powerful push to entrepreneurs and SMEs in South Africa

The Internet and mobile phones are transforming the development landscape in Africa, injecting new dynamism in key sectors, the challenge is to scale up these innovations and success stories for greater social and economic impacts across Africa over the next decade.

Kenya presently leads in African connectivity with the highest bandwidth per person on the continent.

lowered prices or increased quality of service. In many countries the growth of Internet access services is still held back by constraints on key inputs, notably in relation to the terrestrial connectivity between the submarine cables, the IXPs, the last-mile access infrastructure whether fixed or wireless and the Internet service providers (ISPs) that provide access to the end-users in Africa. Policy remedies are required that remove roadblocks to new market entry and expansion, endorse of investment by providing clear rules, and provide strong political leadership to achieve ICT goals.But then also, for instance, Kenya presently leads in African connectivity with the highest bandwidth per person on the continent, the fastest speeds, and some of the lowest internet costs, according to a presentation held by Liquid Telecom Kenya CEO Ben Roberts, at the EastAfrica.com conference in Nairobi.Africa's claim to be the "mobile continent" is even resilient than previously thought, with researchers forecasting internet use on mobile phones will increase 20-fold in the next five years double the rate of growth in the rest of the world.To add to this, Facebook has revealed a new mobile app that permits people in developing countries to access basic services over the internet for free. By furnishing free basic services via the app, Facebook says it anticipates to bring more people online and help them determine valuable services they might not have otherwise.Social media roar, profusion of content-rich apps, rich video content and access to cheaper Smartphones has powered internet usage in Africa, photocopying the use of data from an average of 37,500TB (terabyte) a month in the year 2013 to 76,000TB of data a month this year.According to the June 2014 Sub-Saharan Africa Mobility Report by Ericsson, the ongoing digital revolution will endure in the coming year (2015) as data usage will upsurge to as much as 147 000TB per month because consumers, networks and media networks are now taking on the use of 3G and 4G technology.Rwandas long-awaited 4G LTE mobile service has officially launched pushing the Rwandan government to challenge telecommunication companies operating at local and regional markets to innovate with new personalized services despite high costs.Without any doubt, I can say technology is Africas greatest success story. Consumers in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria are progressively using video and media services on increasingly pocket-friendly smartphones.Mobile services are also shifting industry roles, refining sectors like agriculture, education, transportation and healthcare, as well as communications with government and local authorities while enabling social improvements in most of sub-Saharan Africa.Africans are also whispered to be among the most prolific Twitter users. The surge in affordable smartphones in the mobile market will back to a rise in third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation (4G) technologies, with 75 per cent of mobile subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa expected to be on 3G or 4G-enabled networks by 2019.This actually means that scores of millions of Africans could come online in the next few years.

MONDAY | DECEMBER 01, 2014

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A Peerless land, as that is what Assam means owing its roots from a Sanskrit word 'ASOMA', is an entrance to the North East India. It is a region where nature herself has decorated the vivacious landscape, hummocks, woods, brooks and streams, flora and fauna and above all the loving people. Assam stands a proud evidence of rich cultural heritage through its temples, monuments, and torrential Brahmaputra River. It is mythological state in terms of traditions and civilization and hence makes for an astonishing experience - in short Assam tourism info gives you best of Assams unbelievable travel experience.Adventure Sports in AssamIf you are driven by the zest of thrill, then take on Assam Adventure tourism. You have plentiful opportunities for it in the state. The landscape and varied terrains of Assam India beckons all the adventure partisans.

Rafting Adventure: The splendid Brahmaputra overwhelms many prospects

for rafting. You can relish river rafting holiday tours in this titanic river and its numerous tributaries. Angling Adventure: home to many species of fish like game fish, the Golden Mahseer, or tiger of the himalayan Rivers, rivers like Jia Bhoroli, Kapili and Manas give the fun of angling Adventure. River Cruise Adventure: Thinking

Assam Driven by the Zest of Thrill??

!!Assam tourism will certainly charm your minds. This land has always fascinated masses of people to discover and learn the jewels of nature. After reading these amazing facts on Assam,

you would definitely plan your next vacation to ASSAM!! Assam tourism awaits to delight you.

of challenging the stalwart Brahmaputra, even if it is risky! hmm! That's the spirit. The torrential river, the wild environs, the enormous hills all come in your way of river cruise. Adore the adventure thrill down your nerves. Boat Racing Adventure: Cities like hajo, Saulkuchi, Barpeta, and Guwahati hold boat racing events during festive occasions endorsed by Assam Tourism.

Golf Adventure: Many tea gardens of Assam have golf courses tucked with them. A holiday tour on tea gardens, playing golf will be a supreme experience of paramount happiness. Mountaineering and Trekking

Adventure: The North Cachar hills and Karbi hills are on hit list of the trekkers and mountaineers Adventure holidays. These provide extreme excitement to the tourists. The 'Elephant Rocks' in Morigaon District entice many trekkers. Mountain Biking and Cycling

Adventure: hey! Bikers over there... inspired by the frolic biking spirit. Welcome to holiday adventure tour of Assam India and curb those savage and unexplored terrains. You can even take part in bicycle and motorbike rallies. Para Sailing Adventure: Indian and Foreign tourists are fascinated to this novel sport in Assam introduced by The Assam Tourism Development Corporation. The best place for para sailing tour in Assam is the spot is North Guwahati. Hang Gliding Adventure: Aren't you excited to fly high? So if you wish to enjoy hang gliding come to the Kamakhya hills and hills around Kaziranga and soar up high. Bird Watching Adventure: The north east India is a shelter for many rare flora and fauna. While on your himalayan foothills travel you will encounter some of the prettiest birds in their natural habitat.

Fairs and Festivals of AssamFestival of Assam are patent with cheerfulness and rich merriments. Among the popular ones that you can enjoy on your Assam tourism are Bihu, Tea Festival, Ambubasi Mela, Jonbeel Mela, Baishagu, Rajini Gabra and harini Gabra, Dosa Thoi! Long Nai, Ali-Ai-Ligang, Rongker and Chomangkan. Assam on a PlatterSlake your craving, pamper your taste buds by the aromatic flavors of Assam. Different from other neighboring states, the cuisine of Assam is an amalgamation of authentic styles with a pinch of local variety and external impact. An atypical feature of Assam's culinary is the minimum use of oil and spice but broad use of herbs, fruits and vegetables. The preparations are not that lavish and use of jaggery or sugar is main.A classic Assam platter will have a starter Khar, a group of some dishes that are named after the main ingredient and will end with tenga, a sour dish. The cuisine of Assam has many vegetarian and non-vegetarian delights for gourmets. The staple food of Assam is rice cooked in many ways- boiled, roasted, pulverized or just soaked. Curry of boiling vegetables accompanies rice. Pithas made from rice powder is essential for many dishes here.

Celebrated Cities of AssamAssam tourism will take you to a number of bizarre destinations. Discover these destinations on your incredible Assam tour for an all-round experience.

Dispur City: The capital city of Assam India is well known for Auction Market of Tea. There are spaces of mythological implication like Basistha Ashram, and a cultural center Shankardev Kalakschetra.

Guwahati Capital City: Light of the East is well-known for regal Brahmaputra River. It is the hub of commercial trading in north east. The eminent tourist places in Guwahati are Umananda temple, Kamakhya Temple, Assam Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Assam State Museum.

Barpeta City: This Land of Satras has a fame in terms of business. A great number of schools and educational institutions make it a center for education in east.

Dibrugarh City: The name of the city has its derivation to the mouth of a river Dibaru. It is a small town less haunted by tourists. This commercial city located along the Brahmaputra is the largest tea exporting town in India.

Silchar City: Rolling to the extreme east of this city is the river Barak. The unmatched view of sunrise in the striking natural environs is marvelous. Bhuban hill, Sri Sri Kancha Kanti Devi Temple, Khaspur, Maniharan Tunnel and temple of Goddess Lakshmi Devi are must see tourist places for voyagers on Assam tourism.

mONDAY | DECEmBER 01, 2014

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Sonalika International is among the top tractor & farm equipment manufacturing company in India. The group caters to the wide product gamut through its tractors range (20 hP-90 hP), farm machinery attachments, multi-utility vehicles, engines, diesel gen-sets, auto components and pick & carries cranes. The company is presently exporting to more than 75 countries worldwide. Sonalika is one of the most trusted brands in Africa and has very strong relations with the African countries, which is evident from the fact that the company is the leading exporter of Tractors and Agricultural Equipment to the continent from India and further growing at exponential rate. Africa is, and has always been the popular business hub for Sonalika, and a major contributor to the companys international business. Sonalika always marks a respect to the day when the first Sonalika tractor landed in Africa, in the form of AGRI DAY

celebrations every year. Sonalika is already having a stronghold in more than 25 countries in Africa namely Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda & Mozambique to name a few. Presently, Sonalika is the market leader in Algeria, where the brand has gained accolades and customer faith at a much faster pace since its inception almost a decade ago. Sonalika has always looked beyond supplying tractors to the continent, and therefore, the company has further plans of opening up training centers, localization of parts and assembly lines in various African countries. This will contribute towards continent growth through employment generation, infrastructure development, better farming practices by way of advance mechanization, increased agriculture output yield & revenue generation which will prove to be beneficial not only in monetary terms, but will also uplift the overall morale of the farming community and the countries as a whole. Selling under the brand Sonalika & Solis, the tractors are popular for their low maintenance, robustness, high fuel efficiency and superior performance. Sonalika Engines and Tractors also comply with tough American

EPA norms as well as Euro homologation which has been done for several models to enable entry in the European markets thus making them eligible and certified in terms of global quality standards. LANDINI-SOLIS, another popular brand in South Africa, has been performing exceptionally well, has earned several key government orders, and already established sales facilities at over 60 points in South Africa itself. Sustained leadership with LOC Projects- Sonalika has successfully supplied tractors and implements to Malawi govt. and Cameroon under the Indian Line of Credit (LOC). The government of both these nations extended a successful cooperation to the company in implementing its LOC

business & helped in attaining Green Revolution. The company has also been an active participant in various international agricultural exhibitions in Africa. Besides corporate activities, Sonalika is also popular for various CSR activities it has done in India and other parts of the world, including Africa. Owing to its superior quality with the zest to become a truly International Agricultural Equipment Manufacturer has made Sonalika become a COMPLETE AGRICULTURAL SOLUTION PROVIDER.

Complete agricultural Solution Provider

MONDAY | DECEMBER 01, 2014

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ingredients 2 1/2 lbs lamb, cubed 3 tablespoons butter 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 cups water 1/4 cup sugar 16 prunes, soaked and drained (ready to eat) 2 tablespoons raisins 2 tablespoons almonds 1 pear, peeled and cubed 1/4 cup orange juice 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (mazhar)

uPCOMING

Imagination is more important than knowledge

tHougHt oFtHe WeeK

MECOS2 The International Symposium

It is organized by the Marine Biological Association of India. The conference will cover areas like to address current concerns in marine biology, fisheries, oceanography, marine biotechnology and social science.

Date: 02-05 Dec 2014 Venue: dream hotel, Kochi, India

International Contract Services Expo (ICSE India)

It is the only truly global exhibition where you can meet, mix, mingle, and do business with worldwide pharmaceutical outsourcing customers, potential clients, decision makers and journalists, in just three days.

Date: 02-04 Dec 2014 Venue: Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India

International Ergonomics Conference

It is organized by the Indian Institute of Technology. The conference will cover areas like Occupational Stress Health and Safety Defense Relevance Work Physiology and Sports Science Rehabilitation Elderly and Womens Issues Design and usability.

Date: 03-05 Dec 2014 Venue: Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India

Conference on Biomass - Fuelling India towards Self Sustainability

It is organized by the Precision Research and Consulting Pvt. Ltd. The conference will cover areas like fundamentals of biomass power generation, new policies and procedure implemented by the government of India in the field of biomass, impact of budget on biomass production, and technological advancements in the field of biomass.

Date: 03 Dec 2014 Venue: India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India

International Conference Innovation in Indian Agriculture

It is organized by the Institute of Economic Growth. The conference will cover areas like Policy Processes And The Political Economy Of Agricultural Development, Private Investment In Markets For Seeds, Nutrients, Water, And Other Inputs, Connecting Farmers, Firms And Consumers Through Commodity Markets, Value Chains, And Value-Added Products, Gender Dimensions Of A Changing Agricultural Sector, Technological Change, Innovation, And Incentives In The Scientific Research Community, The Nexus Between Environmental Sustainability And Agricultural Intensification.

Date: 04-05 Dec 2014 Venue: University of Delhi, New Delhi, India

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan signing an Mou between India and Mozambique for the Co-operation in the field of Oil and Gas with the delegation of Mozambique

PICTuRE Of ThE WEEk

prepration Method1. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan.

add the lamb and saute over a low heat for around 5 minutes.

2. Add the water, sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Cook on a moderate heat for approximately 40 minutes.

3. Add prunes, raisins, almonds, pear and mazhar. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Add the orange juice and mix well before serving (make sure you have a good mix of ingredients in each portion).

Some Sudanese tribes are among the tallest people (on average) in the world. In some of the tribes the average height of a man is six feet and four inches, whereas for women it is six feet.

must try desert with your loved ones

handy hindi1. I love shopping |

2. My friend is getting married

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3. I want a new phone |

4. My computer is not working

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5. I have not brought my lunch

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61. keeps your skin healthySugar contains glycolic acid which is known for maintaining good skin. It is also used in several cosmetics.

2. Prevents acneUsing a sugar face pack will remove dead cells that accumulate on the skin and cleanse your pores completely. In this way, you will prevent acne.

3. Reduces hair damageMassaging sugar all over your hair regularly can keep it healthy. Wash it off with water, it will control dandruff, impart healthy and beautiful

hair, reduce hair loss and damage significantly.

4. Softens your skinSugar can also soften your skin. It is not just limited to something as basic as exfoliation. If you simply use a scrub with raw sugar with olive oil, it will make the skin soft and supple. If it is too harsh on the skin, you could use powdered sugar. It will unclog pores and moisturize the skin.

5. Sugar body scrubYou will need lemon juice, raw sugar, olive oil and organic honey for this. Mix all of them together and make sure

north african Sweet Lamb dish

beneFItS oF SuGar

the content of these items are enough for your entire body. Now apply it gently and continue to rub in a circular motion. Do this for 3 to 5 minutes. Once done, you can wash it off with cold water. Your skin will feel soft and smooth.

6. Sugar face packSugar can also be used to prepare a healthy face pack at home. Take a few drops of lemon juice, sugar and honey and apply all over the face after you have made a solid paste. Wash off with cold water. Doing this once a week will keep your skin exfoliated and young.

1. Layered lookGet your hair cut in layers and maintain the length if you do not want to go short. Simply sport a middle partition and let your shiny strands fall on both sides. The middle partition

will elongate the face while the layers on the sides will camouflage the cheeks.

2. Bob cutIf you have a round and chubby face, a cute bob style will work wonders to hide the extra fat. Just ask your stylist to give you a chin-length bob look. The

length will draw attention to your jawline, and highlight your bone structure. The inward flip of the style will accentuate the angles of your face.

3. high bunsThe high bun is evergreen and looks super stylish. A bun on top of the head makes your face appear longer and creates a slimming effect

for your face. The extra height also acts as an add-on to your personality, truly a tempting bonus!

4. Side braidA side braid is a super effective way to draw away the attention from your

5 hairstyles To Make Your face Look Slimmerbaby cheeks. This style highlights the eyes so much that no one bothers about the roundness of the face. An added tip is to sweep some loose strands on

both the sides to give your face a more angular look.

5. Messy ponytailA sleek ponytail draws attention to your bone structure and highlights your cheeks. A messy ponytail on the

other hand, covers up your face in a stylish manner. As a result, the roundness of your face is less noticed.

mONDAY | DECEmBER 01, 2014

thefasHionistas10ContinentalDancee n d s o n a h i g h

FestivalIt was an energetic night of colourful performances, as the third edition of the annual East African Night of Tolerance-(EANT) dance festival came to an end.The contemporary dance festival started with professional workshops held by the visiting dancers at several locations in Kigali and huye.The performances started on November 20, with the Independence Cha Cha at the Rwanda Revenue hall in Kimihurura. On 21st Nov, the festival moved to Maison de Jeunes in Kimisagara, for a night of contemporary hip-hop from Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. Rapper, Edem was the biggest winner at the just ended tops 2014 4syte TV Music Video Awards bagging 3 awards including Best Directed, Best Photography and Most Outstanding Video for his music video, The One featuring Sway. The video was directed by Gyo Gyimah of Phamous Philms. Sarkodie won two awards on the night, including the biggest one, Most Influential Artiste and Best hiplife Video for Adonai, featuring Castro.VVIP and Shatta Wale also won two awards each. Other winners included Fuse ODG, Trigmatic, E.L , Becca, Cwesi Oteng and others.The awards for Best hiphop Video and Best African Artist Video were not presented during the event held at the Accra International Conference Centre.The event which was

Emerging London-based label RAAAH is getting ready for its debut in Nigeria during Africa International Fashion Week 2014 taking place between 2-6 December 2014 in Lagos, Nigeria.

Following a successful exhibition at UKs biggest trade expo Pure London and runway debut with her first collection Fly/Fly Higher at Africa Fashion Week London in August, RAAAH first showcased on the continent in designers native Zimbabwe during Zimbabwe Fashion Week 2014 where she was nominated for the Designer of the Year Award.

The emerging designer, recently named as one of the 15 African Women to Watch in 2015 by New African Woman magazine, has received much interest from Nigerian media, buyers and celebrities alike, with Tiwa Savage rocking her Loosen Up dress on the red carpet and more recently Seyi Shay wearing the Yesss bodysuit on the set of her video shoot.

Lagos will see RAAAH showcase brand new pieces from her upcoming Pre-Fall collection as well as some old favourites from Fly/Fly High.

With tones of silver and gun metal at the forefront, the silhouettes once again are inspired by feminine strength

Then it was back to the Rwanda Revenue hall on 20th for three East African contemporary groups and, finally to Papyrus Restaurant for an evening of solos with dancers from West Africa.This years theme was: Culture and Transgression.

The final performances were by dancers from Benin, France, Isoko Yu Buzima, Gabon and Cote dIvoire and the small venue at Papyrus was packed with a delighted crowd.Richard Adoussou of Benin opened the show with a piece called Murmures, which was inspired by former French President Nicolas Sarkozys

speech in Dakar, which claims: Africa has no history.Matthieu Nieto followed with the piece: I am not my colour. he dressed and danced like a Malian woman and spoke like one in fluent Bamanan to represent his diverse cultural influences.Next was a piece from Gabon by Amael Dibobe titled, Pepper in the Eyes, about a leader who puts on a mask in order not to see the suffering around him.The last performance was I Love Red by Ange Aoussou from Ivory Coast, which is about the post-election violence in Cote dIvoire and the countrys future. The dance festival was organised by Amizero Kompagnie and sponsored by the Ministry of Sports and Culture (MINISPOC), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Institut Franais Paris (IF), Institut Francais du Rwanda (IFR) and Positive production. It was also supported by Ishyo Arts Centre, Papyrus, the Office and Iriba Centre.

New Times

Sarkodie Wins Ultimate @ 4syte TV Awards Edem Was The Biggest Winner

RAAAH Ready for Lagos Debut at Africa International Fashion Week 2014

supported by Club Beer witnessed performances from Dee Moneey, VVIP, Kwaw Kese, D-Black, E.L, Stonebwoy, Jupitar, Episode, Gallaxy and many others.Below are winners from the event hosted by Bola Ray;Lifetime Achievement Award; Apostle Kwadwo Sarfo KantankaBest Male Video; Fuse ODG Dangerous LoveBest Hiplife Video; Sarkodie Adonai (Feat. Castro)Best Female Video; Becca Move (Feat. Uhuru)Best Reggae/Dancehall Video; Shatta Wale Everybody Like My TingBest Discovery; MzVee

Best Photography; Edem The OneBest Choreography; VVIP Selfie

Best Group; VVIP Selfie

Best Highlife Video; R2Bees LoveBest Directed Video; Edem The OneBest Storyline; EL AyayaaMost Popular Video; Shatta Wale Everybody Like My ThingMost Outstanding Video; Edem The OneMost Influential Artiste; Sarkodie

Ghanaian Chronicle

which are fast becoming RAAAHs driving design aesthetic, a blend of feminine fluidity with strong structures to signal powerful, confident women. The designer makes use of silk noil, silk bounded lace in pink and silver which give a subtle nod to African print, silk lurex, and fine brocade to create a range of contemporary pieces. Africa International Fashion Week organised by the International Business Consortium Nigeria, organisers of Africas prestigious model search and owners of Ecowas Fashion Week, in collaboration with Vogue Talents and in partnership with Studio 24 will also see the launch of Scouting for Africa

competition sponsored by Access Bank PLC Nigeria and Baileys, aimed at emerging womenswear, menswear and accessories designers of African descent. The shortlisted designers set to appear in Vogue Italia in 2015, and the winning designer presented with the opportunity to showcase their designs at Palazzo Morando in Milan in September 2015.

Africa International Fashion Week will take at the Grand Ball Hall at Oriental Hotel in Lekki in Lagos, Nigeria, with an awards evening sponsored by Baileys targeting women who have made their mark in the African fashion industry.

Modern Ghana

MONDAY | DECEMBER 01, 2014

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The national senior volleyball team will start preparations for the Zone V championships in January next year which will serve as a qualifier for the All African Games slated for September 419 in Congo Brazzaville. The Confederation of African Volleyball Board (CAVB) is yet to set the date and the venue of the event but Kenya has made a formal request to host the competition next year at the end of February.Rwandas head coach Paul Bitok will summon players to join camp on January 5. The top two teams from this tournament will qualify to the continental event but Rwanda is expected to face stiff challenge from Egypt and Kenya.

African duo of Yaya Toure and Morocco defender Mehdi Benatia are the two players from the continent who were named for the UEFA Team of the Year for 2014.The Ivory Coast midfielder, who plays for English side Manchester City, and the Bayern Munich centre-back were among the 40-man shortlist for the award.No Ghanaian player was included in the extensive shortlist.The inclusion of Toure is a

massive boost for the midfielder for the African Footballer of the Year award which will be held in Nigeria next month.Sergio Aguero, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie were the high profile Premier League-based players who failed to make the 40-man shortlist for the UEFA Team of the Year.

Whiteclouds were crowned champions of the womens UA Exchange and Xpress money T20

African duo of Yaya Toure, Mehdi Benatia named for UEFA team of the year award

White clouds win T-20 cricket tournament

Volleyball senior team set to start training in January

We are planning to start the training in January because we want to be ready for the championships and we want to prepare the team, said Bitok.Meanwhile, athletes from all over Africa will compete in 20 sports disciplines including athletics, badminton, basketball, beach soccer, beach volleyball, boxing, cycling, fencing, football, handball, judo, karate, rugby, swimming, lawn tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling.Rwanda will compete in 11 disciplines including handball, tennis, football, cycling, and fencing, athletics, taekwondo, indoor and beach volleyball and Paralympics.New Times

Manchester City striker Aguero has scored 23 goals so far in 2014 despite missing chunks through injury, while Rooney has netted 20 and his Manchester United team-mate Van Persie has notched 17. Former Liverpool forward Luis Suarez was also omitted.No English players made the list, but Wales and Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale was included along with Manchester City trio Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Yaya Toure.Chelsea duo Thibaut Courtois and Diego Costa are also on the list, as is Manchester United's Angel di Maria and Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez, although all of them were playing in Spain's Primera Division last season.Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich can boast nine members

of their squad Manuel Neuer, David Alaba, Medhi Benatia, Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm, Xabi Alonso, Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski have all been nominated.European champions Real Madrid, meanwhile, have eight members of their squad with Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, James Rodriguez, Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal joining Bale on the list.The 40 players have been chosen by UEFA.com writers based on their performances for a European club or national side during 2014. The public can select their preferred formation before picking their starting XI from four goalkeepers, 12 defenders, 12 midfielders and 12 forwards.

Modern Ghana

premier league at Kicukiro Cricket oval after defeating Kigali Angels in the final.Kigali Angels won the toss and batted first, making 53 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs and in reply, white clouds chased the runs and managed to put 54 runs in 20 overs for no loss winning by only 1 run.Marry Maina, who scored a total of 29 runs in the game, was named the best player of the match I am so delighted by this win and I attribute it to the entire team and RCA body for organising such cricket tournaments, said

Veronique Iriho, white clouds captain.Iriho also praised her team for going the entire tournament without losing a game.Sarah Uwera of Kigali Angels congratulated the Champions and stressed that they deserved it because they worked very hard and their team was well balanced in all positions.The champions will receive their trophy on November 30th after the mens finals that will pit Right guards and Indorwa at Kicukiro cricket oval.

New Times

mONDAY | DECEmBER 01, 2014

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Owner / Publisher / Editor: Mr. Kirit Sobti from 3rd Floor, Plot No. 3, Block PSP-IV, Service Centre Opp. Sector-11 (Extn.), Rohini, Delhi-85Printed at LIPEE SCAN PVT. LTD. 89 DSIDC ShED Okhala Phase 1, New Delhi

What was the dream behind the commencement of African - Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO)? Throw some light on its journey till date?In fact, AARDO had started as an international movement in the 1950s in East Asia against backdrop of the reconstruction that was required after the end of World War II. The movement speared over to Africa in the 1960s after decolonization of most of the African-Asian countries and required urgent task of nation building. To push forward agenda of Afro-Asian solidarity and South-South cooperation notably in the field of rural development, AARDO was established in 1962 with five member governments. The membership gradually increased over the decades to 30 governments from both the continents.AARDO has been mandated by its member governments to supplement their efforts notably in the field of rural poverty alleviation, women empowerment, sustainable agriculture, development of micro-enterprise, sustainable management of water resources, disaster risk reduction and management, etc. The celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary in 2012 was historic milestone that provided AARDO with an opportunity to showcase its achievements and charter it future course of action. Whats your take on the issue of

Climate Change in the African continent? What is the need of the hour in this regard?Impact of climate change as all of us know, has become very important concern for global community to respond. Many international organizations and country governments are already taking mitigation and adaptation measures. AARDO, at its level, is helping its member countries including 15 members from Africa in a variety of ways. To develop capacity of the officials of its member countries, AARDO has been organizing international workshops, training programmes, study visits, etc. The latest in this series was workshop in Sri Lanka on Climate Change and Agriculture that, among others, was attended by the participants from Malawi, Sudan and Zambia. Prior to this, AARDO organized international training on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Zambia as well as facilitated visit of experts from Mauritius to India to study and learn disaster

management institutions and their functioning in order to create similar type of Infrastructure in Mauritius. Further, AARDO provided financial assistance to the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana to undertake research study on Effect of Climate Change on household Food Security and Livelihood. Its findings will be useful particularly for those African countries situated in agro-ecological zones similar to that of Ghana.Agriculture is the mainstay of the African economy. Enlighten us with your valuable views on the same and how AARDO is contributing to improve the scenario of this imperative sector in the African continent?True, agriculture is a backbone of majority of African countries for sustaining livelihood. Majority of the people in Africa depends on agriculture for income and employment. As African agriculture holds immense potential, AARDO has been helping its African members to modernize this Sector through capacity building, pilot development projects,

study visits, information and experience sharing, etc. In fact, AARDO has been regularly organizing international training courses at its apex level centre of excellence in the field of Sustainable Agriculture Development, Agricultural Services, Irrigation System and Water Management, Use of Poor Quality Water in Agriculture, etc., that offer opportunities to the participants to learn from the advanced farm technologies applied by our member countries. Presently, AADRO comprises 15 members from the African continent. What endeavors are made by the esteemed Organization to add more African countries as members?This is true that there are 15 members from Africa and AARDO is making every effort to bring more countries into its folds. The countries which are not members, we call them eligible members. We invite high Commissioners/Ambassadors of most of our eligible African countries in the AARDO Liaison Committee meeting held in New Delhi as observers. This meeting held once in six months provides them with the opportunity to get acquaint about AARDO and its activities. Further, AARDO has six Regional Offices out of which three are located in Africa, namely, in Egypt for North and Eastern Africa region, in Ghana for Western Africa region and in Zambia for Southern Africa region.

"AARDO has been helping its African Members to Modernize Agriculture"

AARDO has been mandated by its member governments to supplement their efforts notably in the field of rural poverty alleviation, women empowerment, sustainable agriculture, development of micro-enterprise, sustainable management of water resources, disaster risk reduction and management, etc. With an impressive number of member countries from Africa, AARDO is making every effort to bring more countries into its folds.

H.E. Eng. Wassfi Hassan El-sreihinSecretary General, AARDO

MONDAY | DECEMBER 01, 2014