Free Zones Wins International Award

The Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB) has received the 'International Star for Leadership in Quality award in Paris, France for its achievements.

The award was presented to GFZB by Business Initiatives Directions and BID Group One.

Hajia Hanatu Abubakar, Investor Support Service Manager, at a press conference in Accra said, 'The award is in recognition of our hard work in the area of exportoriented investment promotion over the years.'

Hanatu Abubakar said 'we would not relent in our efforts but rather continued to serve our customers to the best of our ability'.

He said the Free Zones standardizes service delivery to ensure Total Quality Management through improvement in business processes, stating that 'relationship marketing through our Investor Aftercare Programme has been our hallmark over the years since we owe our profitability, growth and continuous existence to the satisfaction of the licensed free zones companies.

'Not only do we attract businesses to locate their companies in Ghana through our relationship marketing efforts, we create, maintain and enhance strong value-laden relationships between these companies and other stakeholders,' Hanatu Abubakar said.

She said Ghana's strategic location as a middle coastal belt country, with two ports serving the landlocked countries in the sub-region, makes it an ideal location to set up industries to supply the West African market of over 300 million people and beyond.

'It is worthy to note that contrary to the misconception that the Free Zones is a reserve of foreign companies, a little over 60 percent of licensed free zones companies are wholly-owned by Ghanaians with the rest being joint ventures between Ghanaians and other foreigners,' Hanatu Abubakar said.

She said the Board has registered 253 companies with capital injection of $2.52 billion.

'We, at the GFZB, will keep distancing ourselves from any failure or mediocrity and continue be customer-focused. It is only by delighting our customers to ensure satisfaction that the Free Zones programme will continue to grow in the long-term and swim in the circle of success,' Hanatu Abubakar said.

The GFZB Programme is an institutional framework that allows businesses to site their companies in Ghana to add value to raw materials for export.

GFZB, in 2012, received an award for the 'Best Website of a Free Zone or Export Processing Zone' in 2012 by the World Free Zone Convention.

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Zimbabwe, India relations hailed

Relation between India and Zimbabwe are cordial and beneficial to both peoples, a senior diplomat has said. The first secretary at the Indian Embassy in Zimbabwe, Shri R. S. Malhotra said this in an interview with Indo Africa Times.

“Our cooperation with Zimbabwe is warm and friendly. We share the best possible relations,” he said. He said the two countries also share the same colonial past, and are always supportive of each other on the international arena. He said since Zimbabwe’s attainment of independence in 1980, a number of high ranking officials from both countries have visited each other.

These include the historic visit by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to take part in Zimbabwe’s Independence Day celebrations held in April 1980.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has also visited India on several occasions to cement the good relations. “At the government level, we also have a framework in place to boost cooperation,” he said.

“Our endeavour is that our relations expand and deepens relationships for the two peoples.” He said the target this year was tosend about 200 Zimbabweans to India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. Last year more than 206 Zimbabwean took part in the programme. The main aim of programme is to capacitate professionals and people from developing countries in various disciplines such as health, media and information technology.

“This programme is very popular with many people, and has helped contribute to culture exchanges between Zimbabwe and India,” Malhotra said. As part of the programme, students participate in various cultural activities, allowing them an opportunity to appreciate the Indian culture.

Malhotra also said cooperation with Zimbabwe is guided by the needs of the country, adding that the two are currently engaged in various activities covering sectors of water, energy, small and medium enterprises and mining. Meanwhile, Malhotra revealed that the Indian ambassador to Zimbabwe Jeitendra Kumar Tripathi will soon retire from service. “The ambassador is retiring on 30 June,” he said. “We will be having a new ambassador sooner than later.” Tripathi has been ambassador to Zimbabwe since 2011. Prior to his appointment to Zimbabwe, he served in Zambia, Hungary, Sweden, Venezuela, Oman and Brazil.

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Invincible takes best film script award

Invincible, a film documentary by Rwandan artiste Yves Montand Niyomugabo was voted the best film script among the final three that were selected from a pool of 600 films scripts presented to a select jury in June 2013. The top three scripts have already attracted sponsorship to be upgraded into movies.

The movie screenings started at 6:30pm at Serena Hotel and the audience acted as the jury. The three films, two fictions and one documentary, showed a stunning level of quality and took a fresh look at the issue of reconciliation. The other premiered movies included Crossing Lines by Samuel Ishimwe and Akaliza Keza by Philbert Aimé Mbabazi. The latter two films presented an exceptional in depth analysis of the difficulties of individuals trying to overcome barriers linked with the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The best film Invincible was based on a true story from a Rwandan artiste Jean Samputu whose parents and family members were killed in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi by a friend whom he forgave and has even helped his children financially.

The best script scooped Rwf 1 million.

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Rwanda tops World Bank economic handling report

Rwanda’s economic management and structural policies is the most-improved in sub-Saharan Africa, the World Bank’s Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) report shows

Overall, the country improved from aggregate 3.8 in 2012 to 3.9 last year.

The report, launched in Kigali, shows that Rwanda has the highest CPIA score in Africa, putting it alongside Cap Verde and Kenya at the top of the score range of aggregate 3.9, while South Sudan and Eritrea, both struggling with deep policy challenges, had the lowest scores.

Rwanda was followed by Burkina Faso and Senegal, who scored aggregate 3.8 each, while Tanzania, Uganda and Ghana tied in third with aggregate 3.7.

Over all, Rwanda scored aggregate 3.5 on property rights and governance, 4.0 on quality budgetary and financial management, and 3.6 on public sector and institutional management.

On efficiency in revenue collection, quality of public administration and transparency and accountability, the country scored aggregate 3.5. The performance was attributed to a prudent monetary policy, conducive business reforms, excellent debt policy management and measures geared toward transparency, accountability and good governance.

The good rating could see Rwanda’s resource envelope from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) increased, Punam Chuhan Pole, the lead economist at World Bank Africa and author of the report, said.

“We are seeing a tremendous improvement in the way Rwanda has been handling its budgetary and financial management, public administration, efficiency in revenue collection and the overall business reforms geared toward encouraging private sector investments,” Punam Chuhan said during the launch of the report.

The economist said fragile countries, especially post-conflict countries, accounted for over half of the improvement in overall CPIA scores in the region, illustrating the importance of peace and stability in economic growth.

Waleed Malik, the senior public sector management specialist at the Bank, said although Rwanda has put up an impressive performance, there is need to shift away from policy formulation to actual implementation, especially on judicial systems, revenue mobilization and property rights.

Francisco Ferreira, World Bank Africa chief economist, said African countries eligible for IDA lag behind those in other regions in their policy and institutional ratings.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Kampeta Sayinzoga, said despite the impressive performance, government was ready to work with all stakeholders to improve the areas where performance was low.

The World Bank has renewed its support toward the government’s economic objectives as enshrined in the second Economic Development and Poverty Eradication Strategy, with $700 million per year in funding over the next four years, up from about $500 million in 2013.

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Benin Speaker of parliament calls for Regional Cooperation to fight Terrorism in Africa

The Speaker of the National Assembly of Benin, Prof Mathurin Coffi Nago has stressed the need for Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to move beyond the rhetoric of integration and begin to institute mechanisms to fight terrorism and the uncontrolled movement of weapons in the West African sub-region.

According to him, these challenges “posed serious threat to peace and security for countries in the sub-region and have become a source discomfort at political, economic and social levels."

“The other danger of uncontrolled movement of arms is terrorism which unfortunately has already infiltrated some of our states, spreading terror and panic in our communities. This means that no state is saved, regardless of the nature of the regime,” he said.

He observed that these crises are a result of the ills plaguing the people and they include poverty, hunger, malnutrition, illiteracy, disease, corruption and bad governance.

Prof Nago noted that all these challenges can be met successfully if we conduct joint actions in a dynamic mutual solidarity and a better resources management in our respective countries.

He stressed the need for the heads of the various ECOWAS member states to find solutions that could be implemented in all the countries and called on the Parliaments of the various states to also come together to help address the challenges. “By doing so, we will finally address the major issues of current concern in the region, particularly the challenges of governance, poverty, peace and security,” he noted.

Prof Nago said parliamentary cooperation was of great importance because it would allow the law makers to exchange on all major problems and contribute to their solutions. He touched on the imminent Conference of Speakers of West African Parliaments slated for Cotonou in September this year to create the platform for the speakers to make contribution to the democratic process and socioeconomic integration in the sub region.

Earlier, the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, in a remark said a charter was currently being developed to strengthen and revitalize the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments of West African States.

“I am convinced that the preamble and the objects of the draft charter are aligned to the vision and aspirations of the revised ECOWAS Treaty and sufficient to help realize our desired goals of strengthening parliamentary democracy and achieving an integrated and united Community of West Africa through the application of modern instruments of parliamentary diplomacy,” he said.

He said the conference was aimed at building legislative harmony in pursuit of the wellbeing of the citizens of ECOWAS. Mr. Adjaho expressed the Ghanaian Parliament’s commitment to supporting the conference and other initiatives aimed at strengthening the political and economic integration of the sub-region.

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Rwanda is building foundation for peace, prosperity – Obama

By continually investing in its people, Rwanda is building a strong foundation for peace and prosperity in the years to come, US President Barack Obama has said.

“Over the last 20 years, Rwanda has emerged as a regional leader, borne by a deep commitment to strengthen economic growth for all Rwandans.

“It has improved health institutions across the country. And it provides wider access to healthcare and universal primary school education to all Rwandan children,” Obama is quoted as saying in a statement released.

In the press statement, Obama sent “best wishes to Rwandans on the 52nd anniversary of your independence on July 1”.

Rwanda gained Independence from Belgian colonialists on July 1, 1962 but the country continued on the path of sectarian politics and violence which would culminate in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Over one million Rwandans were butchered in a space of 100 days before the killings were brought to an end by the then Rwanda Patriotic Army rebels led by current Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

July 1 remains a public holiday but the day is observed jointly with the country’s liberation anniversary, which comes just three days later – on July 4.

Activities in the lead up to the 20th liberation anniversary kicked off weeks ago with the launch of the ‘Army Week’ campaign under which the men and women in uniform are closely working with local communities to construct 500 health posts across the country.

The RDF has also dispatched doctors to different parts of the country for a new phase of free healthcare services that target the vulnerable, including ailing Genocide survivors.

“Rwanda and its neighbours are turning adversity into prosperity, and I commend all Rwandans for their commitment to a brighter future,” the US leader added in the statement.

“I congratulate Rwandans for the significant strides and wish you a joyous Independence Day celebration.”

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The Opulence of Splendid Deserts NAMIBIA

Namibia never miss the mark to captivate its guests, to charge the fancies and imaginings of narrators in their efforts to appositely designate the manyfaceted splendor and harsh magnificence of this desert country. Having endured arid or semi-arid conditions for at least 55 million years, it is well-thought-out to be the oldest desert on Earth.

The wildlife and flora enduring here are captivating, and have adapted to life in this usually inhospitable region in unique and strangely attractive ways. A trip to this area is an extraordinarily fantastic experience, but most visitors revel in its strangeness.

In the Nama language, Namib means “vast,” and here the desert conquers around 80,900 square kilometers, elongating 1,600 kilometers along the Atlantic coast of Namibia, wavering in width from 50 to 160 kilometers. It is sheltered by the Namib-Naukluft Park, a wonderland of 50,000 square km of shifting sands and vibrantly-colored dunes. It is the world-famous Sossusvlei sand dunes that fascinate the most attention.

The enormous ochre sand dunes at Sossusvlei are one of the most surprising sights in the world. Puffed into razor-sharp ridges by the sand-shifting winds, the impossibly dramatic red dunes are the highest in the world, towering some 300 meters into the air.

These splendid dunes are reachable to any self-driving visitor, and there is sufficient of outstanding accommodation in and around the area.

The good time to view Sossusvlei is close to sunrise and sunset, when the lively colors change continually, permitting pleasing photographic prospects.

One of the best ways to treasure the grandeur of this area is by light aircraft on a picturesque flight from Walvis Bay or Swakopmund, or by catching a balloon ride over the dunes, although it can also be entered overland by gravel roads.

Namibia’s capital city, Windhoek, is laidback, jazzy and diverse, and one of the safest cities in Southern Africa. Coastal Swakopmund is one of the most dreamlike and memorable destinations in the country, with African and European inspirations having bonded exclusively and proposing a different kind of sand dune.

A unit of dunes have been set aside for escapade such as sand boarding and skiing, quad biking, camel rides, and off-road driving. Swakopmund also offers diving, surfing, or simply lazing on the beach, and boat trips to see dolphins and seals. Neighboring the town is the Namib-Naukluft Park, one of the most charming desert wilderness areas in Africa.

Etosha National Park, meaning “place of dry water,” is centered on a huge, flat pan of about 5,000 square kilometers. The pan provides a big, baked, silver-white backdrop of sparkling illusions to the semi-arid savannah grassland and thorn scrub. Comprising water for only a few days each year, the pan lures thousands of flamingos. Served by three wellestablished rest camps and a host of private lodges along its borders, Etosha offers visitors a wide choice of safari choices and a rich wildlife.

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