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The second edition of the annual Hindu cultural day took place today at the premier club along forest road in Nairobi bringing together over two thousand Hindus from across the country to celebrate ther unity,diversity and national integration. 

Last year the event did not happen due to covid onset but saw the Hindu community donate over hundred million in support of Kenyans who had been affected by covid,This saw the birth of mobile health clinics which supports the vulnerable in the community but enabling them access medical assistance when needed.

The traditions and cultures of the Hindus has become part of Kenyas history especially by adoption of Hindu attires in kenyan weddings and traditional Hindu dances which are part of kenyas high end conferences and events which are performed to entertain international and local guests. 

Speaking during the official opening of the event,chief guest Dr virander Paul,the Indian High commissioner to kenya has called on Kenyans to join Hindus in the celebrations of their 75 years of independence  and the depth and bondness of the friendship between India and Kenya.

Hindus run the most successful generational business in Kenya some of which are in the third and fourth generation.

The two day event showcases everything Hindus,ranging from the wolrds most embraced spiritual and health sport Yoga which has gained prominence in Kenya,Indian foods,traditional games,traditional medicines, traditional attires,traditional music and arts,religious songs and traditional dances.

The event comes to a close on Sunday the 26th with over 25 local government officials expected to attend the evening cultural activities.

The East African Community (EAC) and the East African Business Council (EABC) with support from the German Development Agency (GIZ), have launched an EAC potato value-chain platform to be known as the “Jumuiya Potato Platform”.

This platform aims to harness the potential of the potato value chain in the region to enable proper production and commercialization of the food crop on the realization that it is one of the key agricultural produce traded and consumed widely.  Over 2.2 million farmers across the EAC partner states earn their living from the potato sector. The  Jumuiya Potato Platform has now been formalized under a Public-Private Partnership structure to enable sustainable research, innovation and free trade right from the potato seed.

The Jumuiya Potato Platform has been arrived at after a series of engagements between stakeholders representing national governments on the public front, farmers and traders on the private side with guidance from the EAC Secretariat and the EABC. Facilitated by GIZ, the stakeholders launched Jumuiya Potato Platform after a 2-day regional meeting held in Kampala.

Speaking at the meeting chaired by Dr. Irene Musebe of MEACA Kenya, the EAC Director of Productive Sector Mr. Jean Baptiste Havugimana noted that this initiative will go a long way in scaling up the production and marketing of the food crop which is currently cultivated on slightly over 400,000 hectares.

“We need to harness the potential of the potato sub-sector to fight poverty but also ensure food security right from producing our own potato seed which is largely imported from Europe, ”Said Havugimana.

Mr. John Boco Kalisa, EABC CEO who was the Chief Guest presented a key-note address on the competitiveness of regional value chains. He appealed to both the public and private sectors to work together towards having policies that will promote the sub-sector and see that it overcomes challenges like post-harvest losses which are estimated at USD 240m per year. He urged the elected leaders of the Jumuiya Potato Platform to advocate for ease of trade of potatoes and integrate the value chains in the sector.

“ While cross-border trade can be a major challenge in practice, the Jumuiya Potato Platform should facilitate the flow of technical and market-related information so that regulations are harmonized to favor better standards and prices in the interest of the farmers and consumers”

Those elected to head the Jumuiya Potato Platform under the EAC structures include: Wachira Kanguogo of Kenya as Chairman; Fidel Gahungu of Burundi as rapporteur; Tullah Mlonge and Rose Ndomba(Tanzania); Mbarushimana Salomon and Dr. Nduwumuremyi Athanasi of Rwanda; Jimmy Koto and Lawrence Olika(South Sudan); Komayombi Bulegeya and Elungu Moses(Uganda); Simon Maina from Kenya and Ernest Vyizigiro of Burundi.

Muslim leaders have condenmed the ethnic profiling ands hate speech by Nairobi county gubernatorial candidate Polycap Igathe.

Sheikh Abdullahi Abdi, the chairman of the Muslim leadership caucus told journalists in Nairobi that the verbal assault on the Somali Community is rooted in deep ethnic supremacy and intense bigotry.

“The Muslim community has enjoyed good and cordial relationship with the Kikuyu community and his attempts at whipping them against each other is doomed to fail,” Abdi said.

He said that the Muslim community will stand up and hold him accountable for his utterances at every stage.

By Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya and Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation.

The G7 will convene shortly to agree on a common response to the multiple crises buffeting our world. War, food shortages, energy shocks and inflation are causing havoc in nations both rich and poor, but Africa has been here many times before. Through long and painful experience, it has learned much about managing crises. What can Africa teach the rest of us?

First and foremost, Africa’s new approach is to look beyond immediate crisis to tackle the deeper causes of recurrent catastrophes.

It is a strategy born of necessity. Africa’s best efforts at development have been repeatedly dashed by events beyond our control—with climate change the most destructive force. Kenya estimates it is losing 3-4 percent of GDP a year to the multiple impacts of global warming (https://bit.ly/3HQkR3o). Other countries are equally impacted. The entire Horn of Africa is suffering its worst drought in decades. South Sudan was hit by floods last year that displaced 850,000 people.

Money spent on recovering from man-made climate catastrophes—which Africa did virtually nothing to cause—is money that does not go to education, health care, sanitation or to extending power and telecommunications networks. Climate change has come to dominate our lives in ways that people in the rich world can scarcely begin to imagine. It is consuming an increasing amount of scarce budgetary resources while steadily eroding the advances we have achieved in the past two decades.

Building Greater Resilience

For a long time, the continent has depended on aid and grants to fight climate impacts. But these are often emergency responses, when what Africa needs is to build long-term resilience to both current and future shocks.

So now we are trying a new approach. Last year, the 55 member states of the African Union backed a plan to accelerate adaptation to climate change across the continent. This is not a new development fad: It’s about survival. The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) and African Development Bank (AfDB) are mobilizing $25 billion toward a 5-year Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP). African governments are backing it with funds and other resources. The G7 summit in Germany later this week will be a good opportunity to discuss the longer-term commitments that need to be put in place—urgently—to help Africa and other regions adapt to the effects of climate change.

We are not suggesting for a moment that the G7 ignore the emergencies on their doorstep. But a more balanced approach is needed. Instead of lurching from crisis to crisis, and from short-term fix to short-term fix, we will all benefit if we plan ahead and lay the foundations for a more resilient world.

This is the lesson we have drawn from our recurrent crises, and we hope it might inform the G7 as it debates how to respond to the seismic shocks that are shaking all our economies and people.

Balancing Needs

The G7 must address the immediate global food crisis, the fuel shortages that are hobbling Africa’s non-oil-producing nations and may soon lead to rationing in Europe (https://bit.ly/3Nj1YHt), and other pressing problems.

But in Africa, as in other regions, immediate needs must be balanced with longer-term support for development and prosperity, for which climate adaptation is critical. This is where Africa is now putting its talent, its efforts and its money. The continent deserves full support from the G7.

If the G7 were to match just half of AAAP’s funding, the AAAP could accelerate projects that will strengthen Africa’s ability to withstand the impacts of climate change, and hopefully lay the foundations for a new kind of development.

There are big differences between the old approach and the new. Emergency funding for climate catastrophes is a sunk cost. It is a response to life-and-death situations. Spending on climate adaptation is an investment. It requires long-term planning and can deliver healthy returns. The Global Center on Adaptation estimates that the annual agricultural adaptation cost for Sub-Saharan Africa is $15 billion but the cost of inaction could be more than $201 billion) (https://bit.ly/3HRlXMr). The losses avoided by climate-proofing our economies are far greater.

The AAAP is an example of how Africa is thinking collectively about its future. Just in the past year, through its upstream financing facility, the initiative has helped enhance the climate-adaptation features of $3 billion worth of investments. Examples include projects to strengthen the resilience of infrastructure connecting farms and markets; civil works to protect seaports in Gambia and Benin from storm surges and rising sea levels; and a plan to address climate vulnerabilities in Ghana’s road and power networks. This is on top of the $66 billion African governments have already pledged (https://bit.ly/39U54nt) to meet their commitments to the Paris climate agreement.

Clearly, these initiatives are a drop in the ocean compared to Africa’s total investment needs, but they are steps in the right direction. Money invested in strengthening Africa’s ability to adapt to climate change is money that will not go to waste. Investing in adaptation will not eradicate hunger today, but it will radically improve Africa’s ability to feed itself tomorrow—and with it, the food security of the entire world.

Despite the clamor of events on its doorstep, the G7 should not forget Africa when it meets in Germany. We live in one, interconnected world—and only when we share lessons, solutions and resources will we all thrive.

Liberia has made headway with its COVID-19 vaccination having fully vaccinated 70% of the total eligible population since March 2021, when the vaccination programme kicked off. Robust coordination between the government and its partners, an effective COVID-19 steering committee and multiple mass vaccination campaigns have contributed to the country’s success.

Now the country is ensuring that its most vulnerable people are protected from severe illness, hospitalization and death from the virus. Efforts are underway to achieve high levels of vaccination among high-priority groups, including health workers, older adults over 60, people with co-morbidities and refugees and displaced people.

Preparations are underway for a COVID-19 vaccination day at the Bahn High Extension School in Bahn, Nimba Country, north-east Liberia.
The school is situated just outside Bahn Refugee Camp, which is home to around 10 000 refugees who fled post-electoral violence in Côte d’Ivoire more than a decade ago.
The school, which offers education to both Liberian and refugee children, is one of the sites offering community- based COVID-19 vaccination.

“Our target is to make sure that more people in the community get vaccinated. That way we will all be safe,” says Oretha Vanwen, a community health worker who administers COVID-19 vaccines to refugees and the host community alike.

In line to register for COVID-19 vaccination is Bernard Manhan, a 57-year-old father of eight who resides in Bahn refugee camp. Along with his wife and children, he fled to Liberia in 2011.

Manhan was a member of an opposition party during Côte d’Ivoire’s parliamentary elections in 2011. In the violence that followed the elections he lost most of his family members.
“I was being hunted by rebels,” he says, recounting a treacherous experience fleeing to neighbouring Liberia for safety. “I still fear for my life. This is the reason I have not made any efforts to go back home,” he says resolutely.

Coming to Liberia was a great relief for Manhan and his family as they now have access to essential health services, including COVID-19 vaccination.
Partners such as the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) is supporting efforts by World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure that people like Manhan are not left behind in the country’s efforts to protect vulnerable populations from severe impacts of the virus.

“When I heard of the COVID-19 vaccination I was not convinced that it was safe and feared becoming impotent, as those were the rumours circulating,” he says.
“However, my wife went ahead to get her jab, and nothing changed. She has remained very healthy. I then decided to get vaccinated, and I am happy I did,” he says, proudly displaying his COVID-19 certificate.

Two years after the start of the pandemic, the Republic of Congo has begun to apply the genomic sequencing capacities developed in the fight against COVID-19 to other pathogens, including those responsible for malaria, tuberculosis or diarrhoeal diseases in young children.

“Thanks to genomic sequencing, the authorities are informed almost immediately of the circulation of variants of COVID-19 in the country,” explains Professor Francine Ntoumi, president of the Congolese Foundation for Medical Research (FCRM), based in the capital, Brazzaville. “Now we want to use these sequencing capabilities to monitor other pathologies.”

FCRM has already established a sequencing protocol to describe the genes in staphylococcus responsible for the bacteria’s resistance to antibiotics, which will make it possible to better treat patients.

“We should have a sufficiently significant sampling by the end of the year,” enthuses Dr Armel Btachi Boyou, a researcher at FCRM and at the Albert Leyono municipal clinic, the centre specializing in the management of serious COVID-19 cases in Brazzaville. “We will then be able to adapt the treatments in order to circumvent this resistance.”

A similar approach will be applied to a battery of parasites responsible for widespread diseases in Congo.

“The development of genomic sequencing in the Congo has highlighted the importance of research, and of having molecular biology laboratories and trained personnel, to effectively fight against diseases,” underlines Professor Ntoumi.

The country now produces its own genomic sequences of the virus that causes COVID-19, circumventing the long, expensive process of sending the samples abroad.

“Best of all, we are now getting more accurate results corresponding to the exact situation in the country. We can thus describe the situation at home, without extrapolating from what is happening elsewhere,” adds Professor Ntoumi.

As the only organization with sequencing capabilities in the Republic of Congo, the FCRM quadrupled its daily sequencing capacity between 2020 and 2022, from 24 to 96 genomic sequences per day. A collaboration with the German Embassy enabled the Foundation to bring its equipment up to standard, to acquire reagents necessary for genomic sequencing and, to send two of its seven employees on a three-month training course in the University of Tübingen. Having trained personnel allowed for optimal use of the equipment on hand.

The FCRM is also implementing a project, supported by World Health Organization (WHO), to strengthen national capacities around clinical trials, with the aim of preparing the ground to introduce new treatments against COVID -19. In a similar vein, Congo’s National Public Health Laboratory is anticipating support from the World Bank to develop its own genomic sequencing capacities.

“Strengthening genomic sequencing capacities contributes to the empowerment of the country, in terms of disease surveillance and patient care – and therefore to the fight against epidemics,” says Dr Lucien Manga, WHO Representative in Congo.

President Uhuru Kenyatta today joined other Heads of Government at the Commonwealth leaders’ summit that focused on post-Covid recovery and sustainable development.

The official opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held at the Kigali Convention Centre was presided over by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales who represented Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the head of the Commonwealth.

Speaking at the event, Prince Charles emphasised the importance of the Commonwealth family. “…we should never forget the things which do not change: the close and trusted partnership between Commonwealth members; our common values and shared goals; and, perhaps most importantly, the strong and enduring connections between the peoples of the Commonwealth which strengthen us all,” Prince Charles said.

The opening ceremony was also addressed by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson who said the developed world had an obligation to help members of the Commonwealth to cope with the global challenges including climate change and food security that they have had no hand in causing.

Prime Minister Johnson said during UK’s time as Chair-in-Office, the Commonwealth Finance Access Hub mobilised over $38 million for the most vulnerable members but emphasized the need to press on for more to be done.

On the promotion of education for the girl child, the UK Prime Minister reported that the UK’s initiative of £212 million for the Girls’ Education Challenge announced at the last CHOGM in London in 2018 is now at work in 11 Commonwealth countries, ensuring that girls are able to gain at least 12 years of quality education.

“We need to empower them to play their full part in the economy when they leave school, so the UK is funding the “She Trades” Commonwealth programme, which has already helped over 3,500 women-owned businesses to become more competitive and generate more than £32 million of sales,” the PM said.

Host and incoming Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda paid tribute to Her Majesty The Queen, for championing the growth both in number and the scope of the Commonwealth family over her 70 years of service.

He highlighted the existential threat of climate change to small islands and developing states, and unlocking the potential for new technologies to create jobs for young people as some of the issues requiring urgent attention.

“The Commonwealth we need is on the frontlines of global challenges, not on the peripheries, watching events unfold. Our special strength is to bring issues into focus that might otherwise be overlooked,” President Kagame said.

On her part, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said the economic damage of Covid, the mounting debt and the rapid intensification of climate change pose existential dangers that CHOGM  must address.

“This CHOGM is, first and foremost, an opportunity to find answers to these questions. It will not be easy. The solutions will simply not ride up here onto the stage and present themselves before us.

“We must talk and listen to each other, and give all that we have to achieve progress for the 2.5 billion people we – you –represent,” the Commonwealth Secretary-General said.

Later, President Kenyatta attended the executive sessions one and two of the summit where the leaders deliberated more on the priorities of the Commonwealth and re-elected Patricia Scotland as the Secretary-General.

Eritrea Road Cycling Championship 2022 commences today, 24 June, at the Asmara Martyrs Cemetery area with an individual time trial.

In the junior men category that covered 18 km, Aklilu Arefaine, Samuel Haile, and Yoel Habteab stood first, second and third respectively.

Arsema Woldemicael also won the junior females’ category that covered 9 km, while Niat Teklehaimanot from Denden Club and Fithawit Teklu from Arag Club finished second and third.

In the female elite and under 23 categories that covered 18 km, Danait Fitsum and Adiam Dawit from Denden Club won the Gold and Silver medals respectively while Milena Yafet the Bronze medal.

The men’s elite and U-23 category that covered 36 km was highly expected by the cycling fans. Accordingly, the Eritrean Profession cyclist, Biniam Ghirmay finished the race in 43 minutes, 36 seconds, and 76 micro-second and become the fastest Eritrean rider of 2022.

Merhawi Kudus finished the race 15 seconds behind Biniam and Amanuel Gebrezgiabher finished 27 seconds behind Biniam to stand third.

H.E. Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources of Nigeria, provided insights into the latest across the country’s oil and gas sector during an exclusive roundtable interview organized and hosted by the African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org) on June 24, 2022.

Oil production in Nigeria has been on the decline recently. What are the main constraints causing this and what strategies are currently being implemented by the ministry to address these declines in 2022?

The current decline is due to a junction of many things. We had COVID-19 and just after coming out of the pandemic we have the Russian-Ukraine war which coincides with the upcoming election in Nigeria, complicating things for the country’s oil sector. We are trying to give the country’s oil sector a makeover. We had outdated laws since 1969 which could not support the industry further and it took us a long time to change those laws. However, with the passing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), we believe that we are ready for investors. Unfortunately, now that we are ready, many things including the energy transition are dwindling interest in the oil industry. However, with regulatory institutions enabled by the PIA now in place, we are seeing interest from investors in Nigeria and international firms including Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil who have committed to making additional investments in the offshore sector as some of these firms move away from onshore operations.

In early June, OPEC agreed to increase production through August. What is going to happen beyond August and what is Nigeria’s position in particular with OPEC?

At this moment the prices are fair and we do not expect to see any surprises beyond the regular price which we have agreed on. In terms of production, OPEC is being expected to pump more but there is very little additional capacity that can be brought to the market. Nigeria is at a low point, and we are not been able to meet our own OPEC level, which is our biggest headache right now. Our main focus at the moment is to address oil theft and we have given ourselves a month to address this. Due to COVID-19, there was also a shortage in wells, so we want to bring more of these wells online and ensure that by end of August, we are able to produce what is required by us by OPEC.

Europe is looking for other sources of gas and Nigeria has been pushing for the Trans-Saharan gas pipeline to be a major supplier. How realistic is it to get off the ground especially with regards to funding?

We are quite ready for the project especially with Europe also ready for our gas. We have already constructed 614 km of the pipeline within Nigeria. Algeria also started construction. It is between the end of Nigeria in the north through Niger to Algeria that we need to connect. We are doing a feasibility study at the moment. Regarding funding, we have been meeting with a lot of European firms and countries and we will get funding for the project from Europe. We had a meeting with Algeria and Niger in Abuja to discuss gas supply and with the demand for gas increasing and the energy transition intensifying, we are eager to develop to meet our timeline.

Where do you see the most capital constraints considering this has been a pressing issue across the globe due to tightening of financing as a result of the energy transition?

Capital is our main constrain in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. We have problems with investment from everywhere because the world is moving fast to renewables. But now, everyone is coming to terms with the fact that we need to stick with fossil fuels. Europe for instance, is considering gas as clean energy along with nuclear. As a result, the funding constraints will ease in due course. Africa is not ready to move away from oil and gas because we have a huge amount of people without access to energy and hydrocarbons will enable us to meet SDG 7 goals of providing access to reliable energy. We have decided that Africa-based financial institutions such as the African Energy Bank which the African Petroleum Producers Association is working towards will be the ones to fund African energy developments. International oil companies are increasing their interest in offshore investment because fiscal terms are attractive. If we keep fiscal terms attractive, we will get more funding from international parties.

What is the status of Bonga South West projects?  Has there be any movement?

There is a little bit of slow down. Shell thinks that it is easier to develop the north than south. The energy major wants to focus on Bonga north first and we have been having increased discussions with them on that as well as on gas.

What is the role of deepwater gas in Nigeria? Are there any incentives for firms wanting to produce?

Equinor discussed this and wanted the terms stated in the PIA. We will address this on a case-by-case basis, and we are happy to give favorable terms to them and other firms willing. We did this with Shell and worked with them on good terms.

The demand for hydrocarbons continues to increase and there is focus to increase energy access using gas in Africa. What are your plans to use gas to do that?

Africa will need to utilize hydrocarbons to generate power. Gas is our choice to produce and increase electricity access. One of the projects we are deploying in Nigeria is a major gas turbine in Abuja, which was previously unthinkable because there was no gas supply. In the north, we have a firm seeking to invest in an energy island. The project will transport gas virtually from the south via the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Natural Gas Pipeline. A lot of industries which had shutdown are now coming back into operation owing to access to gas from the AKK and with gas we will be able to resolve our energy problems. We are trying to build more gas turbines, gas grids and pipelines from Nigeria south to Lagos and we are taking these pipelines outside Nigeria. For instance, between Nigeria and Togo, we have a pipeline which we will extend to Morocco to support electricity production. We cannot move quickly to renewables: we are not ready, and we are happy that the world is redefining gas as a clean fuel. Fiscals in the PIA are enabling more gas production and with more exploration activities, we expect to increase our gas reserves from 200 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of reserves to 600 tcf. We have reserves to support investments and we want to discuss with investors who are willing to bring back projects such as the Lokola liquefied natural gas project online.

Nigeria is one of the OPEC members participating at African Energy Week in October. What message will you share with stakeholders and what deals would you like to see being signed?

It is too early to say we have deals but a lot of deals are at the table. We will bring back the Trans Sahara Gas Pipeline discussion and deal. We have also identified 20 critical gas projects in Nigeria which we will discuss or sign. We are focusing on gas going forward on the back of the Decade of Gas initiative and now we have clear gas fiscal provisions in the PIA. The government is encouraging investments and we are working with investors to bring these gas projects online.

A South African teacher who has lived in China’s coastal city of Xiamen for four years, said that BRICS is a great opportunity for people in the five countries to learn more about different cultures.

Jean Pierre Venter first learnt the concept of BRICS several years ago, when he learned that the BRICS Summit was held in Xiamen in 2017.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service