Category: Government Policy

The Nakuru County government has prioritized improved sanitation at all markets in a bid to advance cleanliness, well-being of the traders, and the health and hygiene of market goers. The County’s Trade Chief Officer Samwel Ndegwa said adequate toilet facilities enhance overall sanitation and hygiene in the markets, and it reduces the risk of diseases for the traders and their customers. He was speaking today during the handing-over ceremony at the Kiamaina ward in Bahati Sub-county. Traders and county officials touring the sanitation He noted that access to clean and well-maintained toilets provides individuals with dignity and privacy, which is particularly important to women, children, and people with specific needs, ensuring that they can address their basic hygiene needs comfortably. Additionally, the officer said inadequate sanitation can lead to contamination of food and water sources, posing significant health risks to both vendors and customers. Hence more toilets can help mitigate these risks, ensuring safer food handling and consumption. While commending the county government, the MCA for the area Paul Waweru said markets are essential economic hubs where people buy and sell goods and services. And, by improving sanitation through more toilets, markets can attract more customers, leading to increased revenue for local businesses and higher tax revenue for the government. He further said clean and well-maintained markets with adequate toilet facilities can attract tourists, hence boosting the local tourism industry and the overall economy of the county. The traders lauded the county management for the improved sanitation and promised to maintain proper waste disposal for environmental sustainability. They noted that the facility will also be a source of employment opportunities, especially for area youths who will be managing the toilet as well as the Curio shops. Proper sanitation management in markets has always been an issue of health concern in the county since most traders spread their goods on the ground and during the rainy season, the entire area becomes inaccessible.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Ambassador to Djibouti Birhanu Tsagaye affirmed that the long-standing diplomatic relations between the two countries continue to strengthen in all spheres.

Ambassador Birhanu characterized the Ethio-Djibouti ties as an inseparable, mutual friendship that has endured through the ages.

He told ENA that the two countries have been working in partnership and based on mutual benefits in the areas of water, roads, railways, electric power, ports and other vital development sectors.

The countries are enjoying encouraging cooperation in the areas of political, economic, trade and infrastructure based on mutual trust, the ambassador indicated.

He said the people of Ethiopia and Djibouti are strongly interlinked with culture, language and other social bandages.

Regarding infrastructure, the Ambassador noted collaborative efforts are being underway to improve road conditions from Djibouti to Ethiopia.

The countries are also working to address complaints about Djibouti’s customs services and expedite imports at Djibouti’s ports.

Ambassador Birhanu highlighted joint initiatives like transporting fertilizer at a rate of 5-6 tons per day.

He also highlighted how the two countries implemented Green Legacy Initiative by importing seedlings from Ethiopia.

The ambassador reaffirmed the commitment of the countries to supporting each other and overcoming challenges together.

The two countries have started diplomatic ties in 1984, building on a long history of cultural, linguistic and social bonds

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

WINDHOEK: The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) will as of 17 November this year, undertake a special Festive Season Crime Prevention Operation and Road Safety Campaign, to preserve road safety on national roads and prevent crime.

This was announced by the Inspector-General (IG) of NamPol, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo while addressing the 2023/24 festive season crime prevention and road safety operations preparatory meeting for all 14 regional commanders, here Tuesday.

Shikongo said the countrywide operation will run until 16 January, and that all police officers will participate in the operation with only a few to be left in the offices to attend to administrative matters.

“The majority of members should be deployed in the streets, location, hot spots and other critical areas. The operation is aimed at saving lives and the protection of properties,” Shikongo said.

He further said the operation will target identified hot spot areas, increase police visibility, improve response time, target alcohol and drug abuse, target excessive speed and drunk driving, road unworthiness vehicles and increase the number of fixed and mobile roadblocks.

“In order to achieve the objectives of the operation, there should be multiple intelligence-driven and heightened police visibility at all identified areas such as hot spots, areas where large numbers of our communities gather during holidays, the beaches, and tourist destinations; these include regular vehicular and foot patrols, sporadic roadblocks, search and tracing of wanted suspects,”Shikongo said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Addis Ababa, A 10-year strategy that aims to transform the country into a major leather and leather products exporter was launched today.

The new Leather Sector Development Strategy tabled by Ministry of Industry aims to address challenges in the sector and realize the potential to drive economic growth.

Industry Minister Melaku Alebel stated on the occasion that Ethiopia’s livestock provide immense opportunity. The country has Africa’s largest cattle population along with significant sheep, goat and camel herds.

While Ethiopia has over 165 million cattle and produces 41 million hides and skins annually, the country’s leather sector under-performs, he noted, adding that only 22 million hides reach tanneries each year.

According to the minister, the leather sector has the potential to be a major source of foreign exchange and to create jobs for millions of Ethiopians.

“With the implementation of this new strategy, we are confident that we can achieve our goals and make Ethiopia among the top leather and leather products industry.”

If implemented effectively, it will have a transformative impact on the sector and help Ethiopia to achieve its full potential as a leather and leather products exporter.

Leather Research Center Director-General, Mohammed Hussein said over the last few years weak demand, supply challenges, and low productivity have caused a major decline in exports and revenues.

In 2020/21 exports were 40 million USD, down from 133 million five years ago.

However, in a 250 billion USD global leather trade market, the new strategy aims to tap the potential through solutions like organizing the sector into clusters, training to improve quality, and connecting companies to international buyers.

The strategy was discussed by different stakeholder from the sector.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has become self-sufficient in wheat for the first time in its history, African Development Bank (ADB) President Akinwumi A. Adesina said.

In a speech he delivered at the Norman Borlaug International Dialogue-World Food Prize 2023-Des Moines, Iowa, USA, the president said that Ethiopia’s wheat production has increased from 1.4 million hectares in 2022 by an additional 1.6 million metric tons in 2023.

“This has made Ethiopia self-sufficient in wheat and for the first time in its history it has become an exporter of wheat to neighboring countries,” Adesina noted.

According to him, African Development Bank’s flagship program Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) had distributed more than 100,000 tons of certified seeds of heat-tolerant wheat varieties.

“It expanded the cultivated wheat area under irrigated low land from less than 5,000 hectares in 2018 and 2019 to 1.4 million hectares in 2022 and 2023. Wheat yields (therefore) increased on average from 2 tons per hectare to 4 tons per hectare.”

The African Development Bank’s flagship program Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) has brought together the international agricultural research centers of the CGIAR, national and regional research centers, seed and fertilizer companies and agri-business to deliver climate resilient agricultural technologies at scale.

In just four years, the TAAT platform delivered heat tolerant wheat varieties, drought tolerant maize varieties and high-yielding rice varieties to 12 million farmers, and increased food production by an additional 25 million metric tons.

The president stated that TAAT is also boosting rice production. “New high yielding rice varieties from the program have been cultivated on 1.4 million hectares, impacting 3.2 million households.”

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa, The stage is now set for the 2023 African Economic Conference, jointly organized by the African Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The conference will be held from 16-18 November in a hybrid format, with the physical location being the UN Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to ECA, this year, the largest research and economic gathering on the continent will focus on “Imperatives for Sustainable Industrial Development in Africa”.

African ministers, United Nations partners, and key development and private sector representatives will meet up to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities for Africa to boost green and sustainable industrialization.

The conference will also provide a platform for established academics and young researchers to present their solution-oriented research to decision-makers.

The 2023 African Economic Conference is centered on efforts to increase sustainable industrialization in Africa and meet the continent’s Agenda 2063 aspirations.

Participants will discuss the evidence of where sustainable industrialization has been successful, including in Africa.

Since its inception in 2006, the AEC series has fostered research, expert and policy dialogue, and knowledge sharing on a wide range of issues and challenges facing Africa.

The African Economic Conference is the leading pan-African forum for discussing emerging economic challenges and opportunities.

Past conferences have underscored the importance of adapting international policies, instruments, and agreements and building the local capacity of African states to better respond to Africa’s needs.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency