diplomacy&development

Roger Long, Director of Valuation & Advisory Services, Broll Property Group The outlook for each country’s market is largely tied to the expectations on the performance of the wider economy in that country. By Roger Long, Director of Valuation & Advisory Services, Broll Property Group ( www.broll.co.ke ) The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic not only affected people and communities, but also impacted commercial property values across the world. This report looks at the effect of the pandemic on property values in Africa, with a special focus on select countries. The outlook for each country’s market is largely tied to the expectations on the performance of the wider economy in that country. It is expected that these trends will persist in the short to medium term. Which sector has been the hardest hit? It was initially anticipated that the retail sector would be the most affected due to the lockdowns and the subsequent inability to trade. There were casualties, but many malls and ...

Executive Chairman at African Energy Chamber, CEO of Centurion Law Group During the last couple of years, the global community has increased pressure on African countries to speed up their energy transition. By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber ( www.EnergyChamber.org ) When nearly 200 government and business leaders from around the globe signed the Paris Agreement in December 2015, they did more than commit to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change. They also called upon developed countries to help with the considerable funding, technology transfers, and capacity-building undeveloped countries need to successfully transition away from carbon-emitting fossil fuels toward renewable energy sources. Equally important, the treaty they signed calls for a “just and inclusive” energy transition, meaning that the road to renewable energy sources is not to be littered with the economic well-being, energy security, and stability of the world’s developin...

Sophie Wilmès,  Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs  with Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen'Apala, Congolese Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès met last Friday in Brussels with Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen'Apala, congolese Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs who stayed in Belgium from Thursday to Saturday.  At the invitation of Her Excellency Madame Sophie Wilmès, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Head of Congolese diplomacy paid a visit to the Kingdom of Belgium from 21 to 23 October 2021.  "This visit confirms the desire of Belgium and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to strengthen their strategic partnership and maintain close consultation in many areas" following the visit carried out from September 18 to 22, 2019 by the president Congolese Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, said the two ministers in a joint stat...

Sophie Wilmès,  Ministre belge des Affaires étrangères,  avec Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen'Apala, Vice-Premier Ministre, Ministre Congolais des Affaires Etrangères La Ministre belge des Affaires étrangères, Sophie Wilmès  s'est entretenue vendredi dérnier à Bruxelles avec Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen'Apala, Vice-Premier Ministre, Ministre Congolais des Affaires Etrangères qui a séjourné en Belgique de jeudi à samedi.  À l'invitation de Son Excellence Madame Sophie Wilmès, Vice-Première Ministre et Ministre des Affaires Etrangères, des Affaires européennes et du Commerce Extérieur du Royaume de Belgique, le Chef de la diplomatie congolaise a effectué une visite au Royaume de Belgique du 21 au 23 octobre 2021. "Cette visite vient concrétiser la volonté de la Belgique et de la République démocratique du Congo de renforcer leur partenariat stratégique et d'entretenir une concertation étroite dans de nombreux domaines" à la suite de la visite effectuée du 1...

Africa’s climate is fundamentally linked to the state of Central Africa’s forests and massive logging can impact the quantity of rainfall throughout the region. Industrial logging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may severely disturb rainfall patterns across sub-Saharan Africa and bring about more extreme weather, including intense droughts and flash floods. In a letter ( https://bit.ly/3jr9DY0 ) sent today to the African Union, Greenpeace Africa is calling for an urgent discussion of the consequences that plans made in Kinshasa to lift its moratorium on logging would have for Congolese and African people in general.  Renewed industrial logging in the DRC poses a risk “to Indigenous People, local communities and biodiversity, as well as the whole of sub-Saharan Africa,” writes Greenpeace Africa’s Programme Director, Melita Steele, to the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko,  Africa’s climate is fundamentally linked to the s...

Le climat de l'Afrique est fondamentalement lié à l'état des forêts d'Afrique centrale et l'exploitation forestière massive peut avoir un impact sur la quantité de précipitations dans toute la région. L'exploitation forestière industrielle en République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) peut perturber gravement les régimes de précipitations en Afrique subsaharienne et provoquer des conditions météorologiques plus extrêmes, notamment des sécheresses intenses et des crues soudaines. Dans une lettre ( https://bit.ly/3jr9DY0 ) envoyée aujourd'hui à l'Union africaine, Greenpeace Afrique appelle à une discussion urgente sur les conséquences que les projets du gouvernement  de lever son moratoire sur l'exploitation forestière auraient pour les Congolais et les Africains en général. La reprise de l'exploitation forestière industrielle en RDC pose un risque « pour les peuples autochtones, les communautés locales et la biodiversité, ainsi que pour l'ensemble de ...

Dr. Misheck Sibanda said Zimbabwe was grateful for the UN support towards the country’s development in the face of various challenges. The government of Zimbabwe and United Nations have signed the 2022-2026 Zimbabwe United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework that will support the country’s efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The official signing and launch of the Zimbabwe United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026 was presided over by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda and UN Resident Coordinator Maria Ribeiro. UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa, Prof. Hubert Gijzen witnessed the signing ceremony together with other UN Country Team members and Government officials. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Misheck Sibanda said Zimbabwe was grateful for the UN support towards the country’s development in the face of various challenges. "I want to pay gratitude to Ms Maria Rebei...