Day: May 24, 2023

IGAD’S Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) today announced that the June to September, 2023 forecast shows high chances of drier than usual conditions across the northern parts of the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA).

Accordingly, Djibouti, Eritrea, central and northern Ethiopia, western Kenya, northern Uganda, and much of South Sudan and Sudan are expected to receive insufficient rainfall until the end of the season.

ICPAC’s analysis also indicates an increased likelihood of warmer than usual conditions over the entire region, particularly over northern Sudan, parts of southern and central to western Ethiopia, central and northern Kenya, central and northern Somalia, and coastal parts of Tanzania.

The June to September rainfall season is particularly important for the northern regions of the GHA, where it contributes to more than 50 percent of the annual total rainfall.

ICPAC Director, Guleid Artan called for heightened vigilance “as the conditions we forecast could very well increase food insecurity in the region. Depressed rainfall, coupled with warmer than usual temperatures, are likely to affect crop productivity, with the risk of crop wilting and a hastened decline in pasture and water availability.”

He appealed to IGAD’s partners to “stay mobilized and continue to respond to the crisis where 49 million people are still highly-food insecure in the IGAD region.”

In most parts of the region, above average rainfall was recorded during the March to May, 2023 season, bringing some respite to the communities most affected by five consecutive failed rainfall seasons in parts of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

“It is now very likely that we will transition from La Niña to El Niño between July and September”, explained Hussen Seid, Climate Modelling Expert at ICPAC.

“At this stage, there is no indication of the strength or duration of El Niño, but in general it is associated with depressed rainfall between June and September in the north of the region and wetter conditions between October and December in the equatorial parts. So, we must get prepared for much wetter weather towards the end of the year. We encourage our users to consult our weekly and monthly updates that have a high degree of predictability.”

ICPAC is a designated Regional Climate Centre by the World Meteorological Organization.

Its seasonal forecast is based on an analysis of several global climate model predictions customized for the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA).

The 64th Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF64) was convened as a hybrid event on 24th May 2023 by ICPAC in collaboration with the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in the region and other partners to issue the June – September 2023 seasonal forecast.

The forum brought together climate services providers and users from key socio-economic sectors, governmental and non-governmental organizations, decision-makers, climate scientists, and civil society stakeholders, among others, to discuss impacts and mitigation measures for the upcoming season.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Ethio-Djibouti Railway has today officially begun transportation of medium and heavy trucks by train from Djibouti port to Addis Ababa for the first time.

It is to be noted last year in August Ethio-Djibouti Railway (EDR) Share Company had made the first Shipment of automobile vehicles.

The company has transported more than 3,000 vehicles during the current Ethiopian budget year.

Now it has also commenced the transportation of medium and heavy trucks with the arrival of 63 trucks today.

The commencement of transporting heavy trucks by train will save energy and time by enabling the company transport cargos in bulk.

Ethio-Djibouti Railways Chief Executive Officer, Abdi Zenebe said during the occasion that the company has been engaged in expediting the import and export trade activities of the country by expanding railways transportation services.

The commencement of transporting heavy truck is part of these efforts, he the CEO added.

Transport and Logistics State Minister, Dengie Boru for his part indicated that the transport sector is crucial to ensuring the national economic development of the country.

In this regard, Ethio-Djibouti Railways has been playing key role in facilitating the import and export trade of the country, he added.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Ethio-Djibouti Railway (EDR) Share Company is diversifying its services and building its capacity, Chief Executive Officer Abdi Zenebe said.

The CEO told ENA that the company has commenced transporting medium and heavy trucks from Djibouti to Addis Ababa.

Some 63 heavy and medium trucks have arrived at the Ethiopian capital today.

According to Abdi, this service will be enhanced and complemented with other different modes of transportation in order to increase the efficiency of the logistics sector at large.

He added that diversification is one of the major strategies of the company with focuses on the priorities of the government like agriculture, mining, and manufacturing.

EDR,which launched the transportaion of automobiles and small vehicles last Ethiopian year, has the capability to transport 240 automobiles with one train.

“We have been able to transport about 3,000 automobiles during the last 7 months and this will continue,” the CEO said.

Ethio-Djibouti Railway Share Company is owned by Ethioipia and Djibouti, and plays a big role in bringing economic integration between the countries.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Namibian and United Kingdom (UK) governments are trying to find reasons for the increasing number of young Namibians going to the UK to claim asylum, British High Commissioner to Namibia, Charles Moore, has said.

Speaking to the media during a courtesy visit to State House on Tuesday, Moore said a large number of Namibians are still going to the UK to claim asylum, which remains a concern for the UK government.

In September 2022, Moore raised concern over the many young Namibians turning up in the UK claiming asylum to secure job opportunities, stressing that asylum is not for people looking for employment in the UK and that Namibians are abusing the system.

He noted that at one point in 2022, Namibia had the highest number of people seeking asylum in the UK.

Moore said Namibians are claiming asylum with various reasons, however, after assessment a vast number of cases have no grounds to claim asylum, noting that most people actually see a potential for a better life and economic enhancement in the UK.

“We still see a large number of Namibians claiming asylum in the UK, it has not decreased. We are still working on how we might address this and we have been talking to the Namibian government as well as trying to find reasons for it and see the ways to decrease it. No decision has been taken just yet… but we are still quite concerned about the numbers,” he noted.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Committee of Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management will meet in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday to review the region’s preparedness to address disaster risks and mitigate disaster impacts.

A statement issued by the SADC Secretariat on Wednesday said the meeting, taking place in Kinshasa, will assess progress on the implementation of SADC programmes aimed at strengthening the region’s readiness to deal with disaster risks and minimising the impact of disasters.

The ministers will also sign an Intergovernmental Memorandum of Agreement among SADC Member States to establish the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre.

The statement said the meeting will receive updates on the implementation of disaster risk management programmes and the status of the implementation of decisions made by the SADC Summit of Heads of State and SADC Council of Ministers.

The meeting will be chaired by Peter Kazadi Kankolongo, DRC’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Security, in his capacity as the chairperson of the Committee of SADC Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management.

He will be assisted by Angèle Makombo N’tumba, the SADC Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Regional Integration, who will be speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary of SADC.

The ministers will discuss a number of issues, including the development and implementation of the regional disaster risk financing facility and the operationalisation of the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre.

The centre is based in Mozambique and is intended to coordinate humanitarian and emergency support for member states affected by disasters.

The ministers will also consider the Regional Multi-Hazard Planning Framework 2022-2030, the SADC Regional Multi-Hazard Contingency Plan 2022-2023, and the proposed SADC Disaster Risk Management Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2030.

In addition, they will review the status of the activities of the regional vulnerability assessment and analysis programme.

The meeting of the SADC Senior Officials Responsible for Disaster Risk Management is preceded by the meeting of the Committee of SADC Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management held on Wednesday and Thursday.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The United States (US) Embassy has announced the selection of 16 participants from eight regions in Namibia for the 2023 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.

The six-week professional development programme, hosted by college and university campuses across the United States, will help fellows develop their leadership skills through academic study, workshops, mentoring, networking with US leaders, and collaboration with local community members.

The embassy in a press release on Tuesday said the Mandela Washington Fellowship, which was established in 2014, is the flagship programme of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and reflects the United States’ commitment to investing in Africa’s future.

YALI was founded in 2010 to assist young Africans in promoting economic growth and prosperity, strengthening democratic governance, and enhancing peace and security across Africa, according to the statement.

“The Mandela Washington Fellowship has brought together approximately 6 000 young leaders from countries in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2014,” it said.

It added that in June, 28 educational institutions in 20 states and the District of Columbia will host Leadership Institutes for about 700 Mandela Washington Fellows.

To date, the US Embassy in Namibia has sent over 140 young leaders to the US to engage in the programme.

The participants selected for the 2023 Mandela Washington Fellowship are Eunice Shapange from the Oshana Region; Ngundambiriko Katire (Otjozondjupa Region); Kina Indongo (Khomas); Joseph Ndondi (Ohangwena); Nelao Immanuel (Khomas); Fredrick Shipipa (Kavango East); Beatrice Schultz (Erongo); Rosalia Joseph (Otjozondjupa); Ellen Nanyeni (Khomas); Ruben Ndatitangi Angala (Khomas); Beverlyn Ganes (Kunene); Romanus Kanyanga (Hardap ); Fillemon Aupokolo (Khomas); Shange-Ndamona Mungoba (Oshana); Mose Ndjarakana (Khomas) and Laina Ndeshitila (Omusati).

Source: The Namibian Press Agency