Month: February 2023

DURBAN (South Africa), The South African Search and Rescue Organisation in association with Department of Transport will host a high-level, three-day Search and Rescue (SAR) Conference in Durban.

Through the leadership of Transport Deputy Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, the conference will take place from Monday until Wednesday.

“The three-day round table discussion will see approximately 100 marine and aviation experts and stakeholders converge and address maritime and aeronautical search and rescue commitments made by the country, existing gaps in delivering upon these commitments and challenges faced.

“Furthermore, the conference will seek to benchmark with international bodies in better dealing with challenges posed by search and rescue services and develop feasible mechanisms to finance new aerial technologies which are also aimed at improving upon the already existing resources,” the Department of Transport said.

Deputy Minister Chikunga will be joined during the conference by National Transport Director-General, Advocate James Mlawu, Acting CEO of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) Ndzimeni Ramugondo, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) CEO, Nozipho Mdawe as well as experts and key stakeholders in the search and rescue space.

U.S. first lady Jill Biden made a high-profile visit to a tiny Kenyan community to draw attention to the severe drought that has gripped East Africa and created an unprecedented food insecurity crisis in Kenya.

The United States has provided the lion’s share of humanitarian aid to East Africa after rains failed here for a third straight year, causing unprecedented hunger that stretches from Somalia to this dusty Maasai village just three hours from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

The U.N. chief for Kenya told VOA that 6 million people are on the brink of extreme hunger this year and that the situation is exacerbated by the food-supply crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine.

But the world’s richest nation can’t walk this road alone, Biden said after her visit to the Maasai village which is suffering the worst drought seen in this area in seven generations. The trip came at the end of a five-day visit that took her to Kenya and the Southwest African nation of Namibia.

“The United States is providing 70% of the budget, the money, that’s coming into this region. But we cannot be the only ones,” she told reporters after her 90-minute visit. “We need to have other countries join us in this global effort to help these people of the region.”

To get there, Biden made a three-hour journey to remote southern Kenya, near the border with Tanzania. The drive took her large motorcade through villages with emaciated cows, dried-up creek beds and packed churches on a hot, bright Sunday morning — all the way to a remote church that serves as an humanitarian assistance station.

In Lositeti, Biden was greeted by thousands of residents of the largely Maasai community — many who had walked from within a 40-kilometer radius to reach the area’s only water point. A group of residents sang and danced as they draped Biden in a bright red shuka, the traditional robe worn by the pastoralist people who are famed for their skill as warriors and hunters.

Biden sat with a small group of women under a lone tree and for 30 minutes, asked them questions, with the help of an interpreter, about their experience of this crisis, which the United Nations’ resident coordinator in Kenya, Stephen Jackson, said is driven by climate change and exacerbated by the global food supply crisis.

Biden did not ask the women about the multiple drivers of their predicament.

“How does this compare to previous droughts in your lifetime?” she asked a woman who said she was a grandmother.

How do you find work now? she asked a woman who said her cattle had died.

How many of your children cannot go to school? she asked another.

How old is your baby? she asked a woman — who was breastfeeding her eager 7-month-old son — while speaking softly to the group of White House and U.S. aid officials, watched by several thousand community members and a dozen Kenyan and American journalists.

The women Biden questioned responded quietly, many in the Maa language. Afterward, Biden shared what they said with the gathered press.

“They talked about how their livestock are dying,” she said. “Obviously, you can see the drought here, how bad it is. The one source of water here feeds 12 villages, and each village has approximately a thousand to 1,200 people.”

Brenda Kariuki, the World Food Program’s Nairobi-based head of advocacy and communication, told VOA that the need across the East African region — which includes Somalia and Ethiopia — is vast.

“We require $6.5 billion in 2023 alone to continue feeding the people that need it,” she told VOA. “WFP is aiming to reach 45 million people. That’s a significant task, and we can’t do it on our own. So, we look to our donors, our partners, our governments to really step up and make sure no one goes to bed without food.”

“I would just underscore what Dr. Biden said, is that everyone needs to help as best we can,” she told journalists. “Because this is going to continue for the foreseeable future. And this is very personal, and thank you for shining a light on the world so you’re an extension of their voices.”

Kariuki said a high-profile visit to a crisis area can make a big difference.

“The presence of the first lady of the U.S. in the region, especially at a time when we have a food insecurity crisis, is a significant moment,” she said. “And I think she brings attention to a challenge that the region will have to address … which is with food assistance and ensuring that people are not dying and going to bed hungry every night, but also to bring their attention to the world.”

Source: Voice of America

Polls officially closed for the presidential election in Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country, Saturday afternoon. But in some polling centers, voters are still trying to cast their ballots. The Independent National Electoral Commission has said the delay was caused by logistics issues and concerns of insecurity.

Hundreds of voters are still in line to cast their ballots several hours after voting officially ended.

Some of them say they had been waiting in queue since 5 a.m., more than three hours before the polls opened.

Frustration was getting to many.

“I’ll sleep here, and I’m ready to sleep until tomorrow. I’m not longer in a hurry. Anytime they’re ready, we will be ready, too. I have mattress and my pillow; everything is here already,” said this voter.

The Independent National Electoral Commission briefed journalists Saturday afternoon and said the delay has been caused by setbacks in deployment of staff and election materials to those areas, as well as security threats.

INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu said early Saturday that the commission was warned of an attack by bandits in Shiroro local government area of central Niger state and delayed opening the polls there.

Yakubu also said the INEC has received reports of election disruptions — including the theft of voting machines — and violence across many states, including Lagos, Anambra, Katsina, Imo, Delta, Abia, Kebbi and Bayelsa.

Yakubu said security officers responded and retrieved some of the stolen Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) and restored calm to these places.

“In Oshimiri local government area of Delta state, thugs attacked a polling unit and two BVAS machines were lost in the process. Similarly, in Katsina state, thugs attacked one of our voting locations and snatched six BVAS machines. But again, we’re able to recover and use the spare BVAS machines,” said Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman.

The Oshimiri machines were not recovered.

Out of 18 candidates in the race for presidency, three stand a realistic chance.

Across thousands of polling units where voting has been concluded, many praise the INEC for introducing the BVAS technology for the first time in a major national election.

“I’ve casted my vote and honestly INEC has done a good job, we’re not scared of anything. Whoever is verified is inside the system, it’s not a manual stuff. Our names are there, informations are there,”said Emeka Okafor who had just voted.

Many here say they will remain in line until they cast their ballot, however long that may take.

Source: Voice of America

Humanitarian needs across Sudan are at an all-time high, the four most significant risks are conflict, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and economic deterioration.

Over 418,000 people were newly displaced across Sudan in 2022 due to conflict and natural disasters – IOM DTM

A humanitarian overview of what happened in Sudan in 2022 (Sudan Humanitarian Update, December 2022)

Health sector partners provide medicines for 5.6 million people across Sudan in 2022

Prices of coarse grains following mixed trends in January 2023, but remain high – FAO

Sudan Humanitarian Key Messages (February 2023)

Humanitarian needs across Sudan are at an all-time high. Following the October 2021 military coup, uncertainty remains as to how the democratic transition that began in 2019 may evolve. The signing of a political framework agreement on 5 December 2022 brings hope for a political settlement though it is not yet clear how it will impact the humanitarian situation throughout the country. For 2023, the four most significant risks identified are conflict, disasters associated with natural hazards, disease outbreaks, and economic deterioration. Urgent action is required for vulnerable people and affected communities to access lifesaving humanitarian assistance and further build their resilience.

See Sudan Humanitarian Key Messages February 2023

Sorghum, wheat prices decrease in January 2023, but remain high compared to last year

In January 2023, the national average prices for sorghum and wheat decreased in Sudan by 4.88 and 2.75 per cent respectively compared to December 2022, according to the January 2023 issue of the World Food Programme (WFP) Market Monitor Sudan

The sorghum price decrease was due to the ongoing harvest of summer crops (November 2022 – February 2023). However, the average retail price of sorghum was higher by 149.8 per cent compared to January 2022, while it was 463 per cent higher than the average for the month of January over the past five years.

As for wheat, the prices have been slightly decreasing over the past few months. This declining trend is mainly attributed to the steadiness of the foreign exchange rate during the previous months as more than 80 per cent of wheat consumed in Sudan is imported. In addition, during November-December 2022 there has been high supply by local wheat producers from the previous season harvests. Meanwhile, the average retail price of wheat was 25 per cent higher than in January 2022.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

An elite Russian infantry force has suffered significant losses in Ukraine, the British Defense Ministry said Sunday.

The ministry said in an intelligence update that imagery from the Vuhledar section of Donetsk oblast shows “concentrated Russian vehicle losses,” with the vehicles probably from Russia’s 155th Naval Infantry Brigade.

The ministry said the Naval Infantry “has been tasked with some of the toughest tactical missions in the war and has suffered extremely high casualties.”

The ministry update, posted on Twitter, said the capability of Naval Infantry brigades has “almost certainly been significantly degraded” because its units have been replenished with “inexperienced mobilized personnel.”

The European Union agreed Saturday to impose new sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The restrictions “are directed at military and political decision-makers, companies supporting or working within the Russian military industry, and commanders in the Wagner Group,” the EU’s presidency said in a statement.

The 10th round of EU sanctions targets about 120 individuals and entities, including those involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children, those who spread disinformation, Iranians involved in sending drones to Russia and members and supporters of the Wagner Group mercenaries, including its activities in Africa.

The sanctions restrict exports of the electronic components used in Russian weapons, including missiles, drones and helicopters, and bans some rare earth minerals, electronic circuits and thermal cameras, the statement said.

The EU sanctions also prohibit transactions with three more Russian banks and lists 96 more entities, including seven from Iran that provide Russia with military drones used in attacks against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy applauded the sanctions and said in his nightly video address that Ukraine is working to extend sanctions to Russia’s nuclear sector “and all those involved in the missile program and the nuclear blackmail of the terrorist state.”

Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova, who is included in the sanctions, said listing her “violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all other international legal acts concerning human rights.”

Earlier Saturday, in its intelligence update, the British Defense Ministry said Russia has likely depleted its supply of Iranian one-way-attack uncrewed aerial vehicles.

The ministry said there have not been any reports of the vehicles being used in Ukraine “since around” Feb. 15, while at least 24 were reported downed between late January and early February.

“Scores were destroyed in the first few days of the year,” the ministry said.

Ukrainian and Western officials have said that Western sanctions are hampering Russia’s ability to replenish its stocks of guided weapons that rely on imported microchips.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, responding to that report, said Moscow has increased military production “by tens of times” at some factories and was closely studying weapons fired into Russian-held areas from the Ukrainian side in an effort to gain an advantage.

“We are not just expanding production, but also introducing the latest technologies, perfecting them literally ‘on the march,'” he said in an article published Saturday in National Defense magazine.

“It was funny to hear the Kyiv fantasists reasoning that ‘missiles ran out’ in Russia or ‘production stopped.’”

During the G-20 summit in Bangaluru, India, on Saturday, finance chiefs of the world’s largest economies condemned Moscow for its war on Ukraine, with only China and Russia not signing a joint statement.

With no consensus, India, which holds the G-20 presidency this year, said in what is called a “chair’s summary” that “most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed that it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy.”

Stating that it is essential to uphold international law, the summary said that “the use of or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue are vital. Today’s era must not be of war.”

The declaration noted that references to the war were “agreed to by all member countries except Russia and China.”

On Friday, a year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the White House announced that the Pentagon would commit $2 billion more in military assistance to Ukraine’s defense against Russia. The package includes additional ammunition for HIMARS, or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, 155 mm artillery rounds, munitions for laser-guided rocket systems, and funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment of equipment. U.S. President Joe Biden reasserted his vow that “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia.”

Zelenskyy has been pressing the U.S. and allies for fighter jets, but White House officials have said they are not the weaponry that Ukrainians need in the near term.

“There is no basis on which there is a rationale, according to our military now, to provide F-16s,” Biden said. “I am ruling it out for now,” he said during an ABC News interview Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to support Ukraine’s infrastructure. Blinken said the State Department in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Treasury Department are offering $10 billion in assistance, including budgetary support to Ukraine and additional energy assistance to support Ukrainians suffering from Russia’s attacks.

The Treasury Department said it is sanctioning Russia’s metals and mining sector among others. The action, taken in coordination with the G-7 leading industrial nations, seeks to punish 250 people and firms, puts financial blocks on banks, arms dealers and technology companies tied to weapons production, and goes after alleged sanctions evaders in countries from the United Arab Emirates to Switzerland.

Source: Voice of America

PRETORIA, The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has called on communities to heed the warning from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) and disaster management teams across the country regarding tropical cyclone Freddy.

Even though SAWS indicated that Freddy will have a very localised and limited impact on South Africa in the days ahead, Dlamini Zuma has urged all South Africans to be cautious, as rains are still expected in some parts of the country.

According to SAWS, the only province where there is a significant risk of direct impact from Freddy, in terms of heavy rain, flooding and/or wind damage, is in the eastern districts of Limpopo, in particular, Vhembe and Mopani.

These districts, including the northern half of the Kruger National Park (KNP), will be on the periphery of the heavy rain.

“To this effect, SAWS has issued a Level 5 orange warning, in terms of the SAWS Impact-Based Warnings system for the easternmost sections of Vhembe and Mopani respectively,” CoGTA explained.

The department has warned that this above-normal quantity of rainfall may lead to flooding, as the ground is already saturated after the recent rains.

“We urge all people living in low-lying or flood-prone areas to be careful and monitor the rising water levels and evacuate to safer areas or higher ground.”

“We urge communities to work and cooperate with disaster teams and other stakeholders during the heavy rains and flooding,” the department said.

Source: Nam News Network

Russian tourists are fleeing to Thailand to escape the war in Ukraine or look to move to the Southeast Asian country.

Thailand has become a haven for Russian visitors who are looking to escape Moscow’s war in Ukraine that has now entered its second year.

Visitors are in Thailand but are they fleeing Russia too.

Since Thailand fully reopened its borders and dropped COVID-19 restrictions in October, Russian arrivals have made up the third-largest group of visitors, only behind Malaysia and India, according to government data.

Now thousands of Russians are looking for a new home, fearing economic woes in Russia and a military draft because of the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.

Thailand has long been a popular holiday destination for Russian tourists. Thailand and Russia are close trading partners and, in 2019, Russia was Thailand’s seventh-largest market for tourism. Thailand has not followed the lead of Western countries and banned Russian visitors.

Russian tourists have taken advantage of that. For the months of October, November and December, Russian arrivals into Thailand were more than 331,000, according to data released by Thailand’s Ministry of Sport and Tourism.

Thousands of those arrivals also have been investing, buying property, or renting long term in Thailand. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a war mobilization in September, so for many wealthy Russians, the sunny shores of Thailand are an easy swap for the prospect of being drafted into the Ukraine conflict.

All male citizens in Russia ages 18–27 are subject to conscription for one year of active-duty military service in the armed forces.

Russia said it had drafted at least 200,000 citizens into Russia’s armed forces since Putin ordered a partial mobilization in September.

Amin Ettayeb is a sales manager from Moscow for InDreamsPhuket, a real estate agency on the Thai holiday island of Phuket.

“Over 90% [of our clients] are Russians. In November, when it was the peak of people coming in, people were buying everything,” he told VOA.

The family-owned real estate agency has seen a 10% purchase increase since November. Ettayeb said that for the rental market, villas that once went for less than $9,000 per month now go for more than $28,000.

“Rental is totally chaotic right now,” Ettayeb said. “Villas were 300,000 baht per month, some of them now are 1 million baht per month, but people still take it.”

Despite money not being an issue for some, Ettayeb said not all his clients are looking to stay in Thailand long term.

“Not many people want to permanently leave Russia, they just want to make sure they don’t have to go to war,” said Ettayeb. “When things go back to normal, they will most likely go back.”

Between November 1 and January 21, more than 233,000 Russians arrived in Phuket, according to data from Phuket International Airport. Last year, Russians bought nearly 40% of all condominiums sold to foreigners in Phuket, according to the Thai Real Estate Information Center, Al Jazeera reported.

Emil Saliani, originally from Ukraine, has lived in Thailand for several years. He works as a property sales agent and a development partner of Wyndham Grand and Natai Beach Resort in Phuket.

“We have a new hotel and one beachfront hotel, and we have almost 100% occupancy. Now we have more than 50% who are Russian who are staying for 10-14 days. There are no problems,” Saliani said.

He called the property investment scene a crazy “war market.”

“The project[ed] sales to the Russian market is crazy now. November, December, January was super high season, they sold more than the last 10 years. The ‘war market’ is crazy and the prices are going up by 15 to 20% in sales. The rent, some prices were going up by three or four times.”

‘It’s like a wild market’

This time last year, thousands of Russian tourists were stranded in Thailand following U.S. and other Western countries’ imposition of sanctions on Russia.

The suspension of Visa and MasterCard credit card services and the removal of Russian banks from the SWIFT financial network saw Russians without accessible funds as the Russian ruble crumbled.

Now, Russia still faces heavy sanctions as the war in Ukraine continues.

“The reason for the investment is because they want to move the money [from Russia],” said Saliani. “It’s a bad situation. They worry about the currency.”

The property market in Phuket has become so saturated that there are now unlicensed agents trying to make money, said Saliani.

“Now, anyone can be a property or rental agent, and [charge] a hundred times more,” he said. “It’s unbelievable, it’s like a wild market no one can control.”

Local news outlets in Thailand have reported that some Russian visitors also are illegally working as tour guides and taxi drivers in Phuket.

In a Facebook post this month, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, former president of the Phuket Tourism Association, called for officials to investigate the prospect of Russians illegally working in Thailand.

Russians flock to Koh Phangan

Since Thailand reopened its borders, the island of Koh Phangan also has become popular among Russian visitors trying to escape the war.

Kimberley Baka, a life coach from South Africa who is based on the island, said it feels like there has been a “takeover” in recent months.

Aside from its famous monthly Full Moon beach parties, Koh Phangan is popular with visitors who enjoy the island’s travel community and budget-friendly prices.

Soaring rental prices are forcing people to leave, Baka said.

“We must have messaged 30 different places, most of them were booked out for a year,” said Baka. “I inquired about four houses, probably the normal value around 12,000 baht [$345] a month each. One Russian woman had subleased all four of them for an entire year and she’s charging 1,300 baht [$37] per day, so [this adds] up to around 40,000 baht [$1,150] per month [per house].”

“Thai people can’t get a good deal,” said Baka. “Many people who have called Koh Phangan home for years are leaving.”

Source: Voice of America

Abuja, Voters in Nigeria cast ballots Saturday to choose a new president as Africa’s most populous nation struggles with a bank note shortage that some observers fear will result in a lower than expected turnout.

The presidential and parliamentary elections come amid fears of violence, from Islamic militants in the north to separatists in the south, though officials said the vote would not be postponed as the last two presidential elections were, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Voting started late in some states Saturday where electoral officials did not arrive on time to polling stations. Internet connectivity issues at one polling station in the northeast made it impossible for election officials to verify voter’s identities.

Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, who is stepping down after two four-year terms, called for calm after casting his vote in Daura in the northwestern Katsina state. He also warned against intimidation of voters.

“Nigerians should make sure they are being respected; that the candidate they want to vote for, they are allowed to vote for him,” Buhari said.

Out of the field of 18 presidential candidates, three front-runners have emerged in recent weeks to replace Buhari: the ruling party candidate, the main opposition party candidate and a third party challenger who has drawn strong support from younger voters grappling with a 33% unemployment rate.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Russia has halted supplies of oil to Poland via the Druzhba pipeline, Daniel Obajtek, chief executive officer of Polish refiner PKN Orlen, said on Saturday.

“We’re effectively securing supplies. Russia has halted supplies to Poland, for which we are prepared. Only 10% of crude oil has been coming from Russia, and we will replace it with oil from other sources,” Obajtek wrote on Twitter.

PKN Orlen said it could fully supply its refineries via sea and that the halt in pipeline supplies would not impact deliveries of gasoline and diesel to clients.

As of February, after a contract with Russia’s Rosneft expired, Orlen has been getting oil under a deal with Russia’s Tatneft.

Druzhba has been exempted from sanctions which the European Union has imposed on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The pipeline, which supplies oil to Poland and Germany, as well as to Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, was excluded from sanctions to help countries with limited options for alternative deliveries.

Following the invasion of Ukraine and before the EU embargoed seaborne supplies from Russia, Orlen stopped buying Russian oil and fuels via the sea. The company’s supply portfolio now includes oil from Western Africa, the Mediterranean, the Gulf and the Gulf of Mexico, it said.

Orlen also has a supply contract with Saudi Aramco as of 2022.

Seaborne supplies reach Poland via an oil terminal in Gdansk on the Baltic Sea. Its capacity tops volumes that can be processed by Polish refineries and is in part used to supply oil to refineries in eastern Germany that are linked to Druzhba.

Source: Voice of America