BURUNDI :

RWANDA

Kansan accused of Rwandan genocide

February 23, 2010/blogs.kansascity.com
From AP: A Kansas man accused of participating in the 1994 Rwandan genocide claims a U.S. immigration case against him should be thrown out because the Justice Department has allowed itself to be influenced by a Rwandan government notorious for its human rights violations.

Lazare Kobagaya, 83, is charged in federal court in Wichita with fraud and unlawfully obtaining U.S. citizenship in 2006. He has asked a judge to dismiss the indictment against him, based on alleged due process violations in the “fundamentally unfair” investigation and prosecution. The Topeka man contends he cannot get a fair trial because Rwandan witnesses are fearful of testifying truthfully. 

UGANDA

TANZANIA: 

CONGO RDC   : 

SADC ministers to meet in DRC

www.bizcommunity.com/23 Feb 2010
PRETORIA: The brunt of the global economic crisis in southern Africa is expected to take centre stage as the region’s ministers meet in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this week.
International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim will represent SA at the two-day SADC council meeting which starts on Thursday.

“South Africa will participate in the SADC Council of Ministers’ meeting within the context of strengthening SADC which remains the primary vehicle to achieve regional development and integration,” the department said in a statement.

SADC, as one of the regional economic communities on the continent, is regarded as a building block in the consolidation of the African agenda and wider continental integration.

Other matters expected to be under discussion include the political situation in the region, food security situation, the establishment of the Centre for Co-ordination of Agricultural Research and Development and the Zambezi Watercourse Commission. 

KENYA :

Kenya Mulls Constitution to Curb Election Violence: Week Ahead
February 23, 2010/By Sarah McGregor and Franz Wild/Bloomberg

Feb. 23 (Bloomberg) — Kenyan lawmakers will be presented with a rewritten constitution this week that aims to avoid a repeat of post-election violence two years ago by limiting presidential powers and curbing abuses of authority.

Discussion about the document comes amid a dispute between President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga over the extent of their powers. The two formed a coalition government in February 2008 to end ethnic clashes in which 1,500 people died and 300,000 were forced to flee their homes.

Kenya, East Africa’s biggest economy, is under pressure from donors including the U.S. and other Western nations to undertake constitutional changes that were promised in the power-sharing accord. Failure to implement them may lead to the country having its credit rating cut and serve as a deterrent to investors.

“The previous constitution was something that only centralized power in the presidency and narrowed space for civic freedoms,” Shadrack Gutto, a Kenyan-born analyst at the University of South Africa, said in an interview yesterday from Pretoria. “If the constitution doesn’t pass, the same rot will go on, with rampant corruption and the abuse of power. If it isn’t passed the cycle of violence could very well recur.”

Under Kenya’s original constitution, the president holds most of the political power and control over resources. That has deepened rivalries among the country’s more than 42 ethnic groups and, along with tensions over the removal of land from communities by politicians without compensation, was the root cause of the fighting in 2008. The clashes began when backers of Odinga, a member of the Luo ethnic group, accused Kibaki, a Kikuyu, of stealing the December, 2007 presidential election.

‘Essential’

“It’s essential that the new constitution will end the longstanding ‘winner take all’ approach in Kenyan politics, will help reassure all Kenyans that their interests will be protected, and will thus serve to de-emphasize the importance of ethnic electoral alliances,” U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger said in a speech in Nairobi on Jan. 26.

Kenya’s economic growth slowed to 1.7 percent in 2008 from 7.1 percent a year earlier as a result of the violence. Revenue from the tourism industry, Kenya’s third-biggest source of foreign currency after horticulture and tea, and which accounts for about 13 percent of the economy, was slashed by over a third in the same year.

The next presidential election is due in December 2012. “The feeling is that if there aren’t changes by 2012 it could result in violence again,” Odindo Opiata, a lawyer and the executive director of Haki Jamii, a human rights lobby group, said in an interview.

Rating Threat

Kenya may have the outlook on its credit rating lowered to “stable” from “positive” if political reforms aren’t implemented, New York-based Standard & Poor’s said in October.

Aly Khan Satchu, a Nairobi-based independent stock market analyst, said that while most international investors were confident that a new constitution would be passed, any “political gridlock” may deter them from the Kenyan market.

“The clearest barometer of political risk is the Kenyan shilling, it reacts the quickest,” Satchu said.

Kenya’s shilling fell as much as 1.6 percent to 78.10 to the dollar on Feb. 16, its lowest level in almost six months, after a dispute between Odinga and Kibaki erupted over the dismissal by the prime minister of two Cabinet members for alleged corruption. Shares on the Kenyan Stock Exchange dropped for three consecutive days, falling 1.4 percent.

Ministers Suspended

Odinga suspended Agriculture Minister William Ruto and Education Minister Sam Ongeri until probes into corruption involving a corn re-export program and alleged misappropriation of funds for primary schooling are completed. Kibaki overturned the decision hours later, triggering concern that the coalition government might collapse.

Odinga and Kibaki didn’t meet as planned on Feb. 21 to discuss the dispute, Odinga told reporters in Nairobi. He didn’t say why the meeting was called off or when it would take place.

Kenya’s parliament opens today and a draft constitution will be handed to lawmakers this week for discussion, Nzamba Kitonga, the chairman of the panel that wrote the document, said on Feb. 17. Once the constitution is approved by legislators, a national referendum will be held, the final step for its ratification.

The country has spent two decades trying to change a constitution it has had since independence from Britain in 1964. A 2005 attempt at a redraft was rejected by voters who thought it did too little to curb presidential powers.

Passage of the latest document is likely because of popular support for the process, Gus Selassie, a London-based analyst at IHS Global Insight, a research company, said in an interview.

“That it’s been written by an independent body and it has the backing of all the major parties, suggests that it will definitely be approved,” Selassie said.

–With assistance from Janice Kew in Johannesburg. Editors: Paul Richardson, Karl Maier.

ANGOLA :

International Gold Exploration acquires diamond operations in Angola

 [ 2010-02-23 ] /(macauhub)

Dublin, Ireland, 23 Feb – The International Gold Exploration (IGE) mining company announced on Monday in Dublin an agreement to acquire Efidium, an operational subsidiary of Pangea Diamondfields, which is registered on the Isle of Man.

IGE thus consolidates five diamond-mining operations in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa with its five diamond-mining partnerships in Angola.

Under terms of the agreement, IGE, listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, will issue 495 million new shares. Per last Friday’s quote they were worth US$48 million or 282 Norwegian kroner.

When the deal is completed, Pangea’s current shareholders will hold 38.4 percent of IGE, which will continue to be quoted on the Oslo exchange, while Pangea will no longer be quoted on the London Stock Exchange.

Angola’s foreign exchange reserves drop in December

[ 2010-02-23 ] /(macauhub)

Luanda, Angola, 23 Feb – Angola’s foreign exchange reserves fell to US$12.3 billion in December 2009, down from US$12.9 billion in November, indicates an internal document from the Banco Nacional de Angola.

The document obtained by Reuters also shows that in 2009 Angola’s central bank lost 30 percent of its foreign exchange reserves.

Although prices for a barrel of oil have more than doubled and are currently around US$80, the Angolan government continues to use part of the foreign exchange reserves in the country’s reconstruction process.

Banco Nacional de Angola announced late last year that it had increased the amount of dollars it was selling to commercial banks in its daily auctions with a view to strengthening the Angolan currency. This has also impacted on the volume of reserves.

SOUTH AFRICA:

Anglo, BHP, Mondi, Northam, Sasol: South African Equity Preview
February 23, 2010/By Renee Bonorchis and Janice Kew/Bloomberg

–Editors: Alastair Reed, Vernon Wessels.

North Korea Tank Parts Intercepted By South Africa, Reuters Says

By Ben Richardson/Bloomberg/Feb. 23

South African authorities found parts for T-54/T-55 tanks, Reuters said.

South African economy feels 2010 pressure

By Miko Schneider/www.playthegame.org/23 February 2010
Although official reports praise the economic benefit following the SA World Cup, reality is a potentially negative effect on local businesses and industries.

Although official reports praise the economic benefit following the SA World Cup, reality is a potentially negative effect on local businesses and industries.

Sex and SA World cup 2010
By Arthur Okwembah/www.zambianwatchdog.com/2010/02/23

The other challenge is the expenses required to institute legal action against perpetrators of violence are beyond the reach of many poor women and men. These are issues that need attention now.

AFRICA / AU :

Congo, South Africa, Uganda: Sub-Sahara Bond, Currency Preview
February 23, 2010/By Nicky Smith/Bloomberg

–With assistance by Janice Kew in Johannesburg. Editors: Vernon Wessels, Antony Sguazzin.

ANC firebrand denies funding lavish lifestyle from public purse
www.independent.co.uk/By Daniel Howden, Africa Correspondent/Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Youth League leader denounces claims that he pocketed millions as ‘lies’

South Africa’s most outspoken politician Julius Malema was at the centre of a furious row yesterday following allegations that he bankrolls his lavish lifestyle through lucrative state contracts awarded to his companies.

* “If we are going to refuse the youth to drive these cars it means they are only good for white youth. Ours will never drive those cars. So we must sit and appreciate the good things by whites and not by one of our own. That’s what we’re trying to break.”

UN /ONU :

UN: Surge in E-Wastes Inevitable

Especially in the developing world

By Tudor Vieru, Science Editor/ news.softpedia.com/ February 23rd, 2010

Countries such as China and India should be aware of the impending rise in electronic wastes (e-wastes) that is on its way. As sales of mobile devices, cell phones, gadgets, computers, laptops and other electronic devices are increasing substantially, the governments in these nations should be aware that their countries are in for many wastes from these products being dumped on their territories. The developed world has become especially good at discarding its used products on the other side of the world, in poor African nations, and in poor regions of China and India.

These countries have developed a workforce specialized in handling these e-wastes, cooking them up literally and saving the gold and other precious elements they may contain. However, this is done without adequate protection, and mostly by children and seniors. These people are many times forced to spend at least ten to 15 hours each day inhaling the toxic fumes that are produced when high-tech components are being burned on improvised stoves. The United Nations says that instances in which this happens may become commonplace in the developing world unless measures aimed at properly collecting and recycling these materials are set in place.

“This report gives new urgency to establishing ambitious, formal and regulated processes for collecting and managing e-waste via the setting up of large, efficient facilities in China. China is not alone in facing a serious challenge. India, Brazil, Mexico and others may also face rising environmental damage and health problems if e-waste recycling is left to the vagaries of the informal sector,” the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program, UN Under-Secretary-General Achim Steiner, says. The official highlights that the Asian nation is still the main dumping ground of e-wastes from the developed world, in spite of having banned imports some time ago.

“One person’s waste can be another’s raw material. The challenge of dealing with e-waste represents an important step in the transition to a green economy. This report outlines smart new technologies and mechanisms which, combined with national and international policies, can transform waste into assets, creating new businesses with decent green jobs. In the process, countries can help cut pollution linked with mining and manufacturing, and with the disposal of old devices,” the Rector of the United Nations University, UN Under-Secretary General Konrad Osterwalder, adds.

USA :

Despite progress, HIV/AIDS still persistent in South Africa
By Lark Turner/www.dailynorthwestern.com/Updated: Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Kerry Cullinan promotes HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and awareness. (Lark Turner/The Daily Northwestern)
Kerry Cullinan, a South African advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness, said during a speech at Annie May Swift Hall on Monday night that health care in South Africa was in critical condition.

“HIV/AIDS has attracted a lot of global attention and also quite a lot of resources,” Cullinan said. “But people seem to be getting bored of it now.”

About 35 people attended the event, including many Medill students planning on completing their journalism residency in South Africa.

Despite President Barack Obama’s promise to increase funding for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in Africa, “financial support has flatlined,” Cullinan said.

“We don’t think that the package is going to increase,” she said. “Obama has already said that he wants other diseases to be focused on.”

This approach is misguided because many other diseases are linked to AIDS, Cullinan said.

The current U.S. program that funds HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment is the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, which was launched by President George W. Bush in 2003. The program also provides funding to combat tuberculosis and malaria.

“One of the things I don’t think people know is how successful PEPFAR has been,” Cullinan said. “It’s probably saved about 2 million lives. That’s something to be incredibly proud of.”

Since PEPFAR was established the mortality rate in South Africa has dropped 18 percent, Cullinan said. As of September 2008, the organization had supported treatment for more than 2 million people, according to its Web site.

HIV is a complex virus that mutates easily and requires treatment by three different types of medications, Cullinan said. The program provides funding for these essential medications, called antiretroviral drugs, to patients in need.

Although the program has been successful in many ways, HIV/AIDS continues to pose problems for South Africa, Cullinan said. Testing is done largely on pregnant women and those with other illnesses, and many people are fearful of using treatment until it is too late, she said.

“Testing is your entry point to getting help whether you’re positive or negative,” Cullinan said. If a person tests negative, the process deters them from engaging in risky behavior that may result in contracting the virus. Those who test positive receive information on how to stay healthy and eventually get treatment, she said.

Jack Freifelder, a Medill freshman, said he thought the talk was interesting, but students are not equipped to change the problem.

“It seems like (Cullinan’s) pledging a lot of her time, and a lot of people around her aren’t putting in the same effort,” he said.

Virginia DeLancey, a Morton Grove resident who worked in Africa for many years, said other problems facing countries dealing with HIV/AIDS include reducing stigma surrounding the diagnosis and providing additional funding for medication.

If PEPFAR’s funding is cut, newly infected South Africans may not receive necessary treatment, Cullinan said.

“(Obama) promised an increase of a billion dollars a year,” she said. “Instead, the increase was $125 million.”

Rather than covering 500,000 more people, the smaller funding increase provides for 325,000, Cullinan said. That leaves many untreated, she said.

“For every one person on the pills, two to three are getting HIV,” she said. “It’s like mopping the floor when the tap is running.”

lark@u.northwestern.edu

US steps up calls for early Niger transition
By Boureima Hama (AFP) /23022010

NIAMEY — The United States stepped up calls Monday for an early transition from military rule in uranium-rich Niger as hundreds poured onto the streets of the deposed president’s home town to celebrate his ouster.

The demonstrators in Tandja’s southeastern home city of Diffa lauded the military junta for saving Niger from authoritarian rule and called for early elections, state radio said.

Colonel Mustafa Ledru told the rally the junta was committed “to reconciling Nigeriens and restoring a genuine democracy,” private radio Sarounia said.

Meanwhile, Tandja’s former ruling party said the 71-year-old president was under house arrest at a villa attached to the presidential palace.

Washington’s appeal came after junta leaders met concerned envoys from the United Nations, African Union and Economic Community of West African States on Sunday and appeared to convince them of their desire to hand over power to civilian rulers, as soon as politicians agreed on a new constitution.

But the military rulers provided no timeframe for a handover.

“The United States continues to support the hopes of the Nigerian people to see constitutional order re-established and a peaceful transition leading to prompt, fair and transparent elections,” said a statement in French from the US embassy in Niamey.

The US had already called Friday for a speedy return to democracy .

“They have given us the necessary guarantees and all this will be done with the participation of civil society and the political parties,” said ECOWAS chairman Mohamed Ibn Chambas Niger after Sunday’s talks.

“Dialogue will be opened with all the vital forces of the nation which will end in the drawing up of a new constitution and a period of transition,” he said.

Niger, which had enjoyed a decade of rare stability in the troubled west African region, was thrown into political turmoil last year when Tandja decided to extend his grip on power beyond the 10-year-limit.

The move stirred anger at home and abroad. Niger was suspended from a regional grouping as the European Union, the main donor to the impoverished country suspended aid.

The military said it stepped in to break the impasse as it became apparent political dialogue between Tandja and his rivals had stalled.

Although the coup has been condemned abroad, the military rulers lost no time in whipping up popular support among the impoverished country’s 15 million people, with thousands turning out in pro-junta demonstrations in the capital Niamey and across the country.
 

SA’s top cop says WC fans will be safe, tournament galvanized security forces
By Donna Bryson (CP(Canadian Press) )/23022010

PRETORIA, South Africa — South Africa’s top cop said Monday that World Cup fans will be safe, and the country will be safer because of the work his force has done to prepare for the tournament which begins in June.

In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, National Commissioner Bheki Cele said the World Cup’s legacy for police has meant new equipment for his force and training for his officers with experts from Britain, France, Germany, the United States and elsewhere.

“The question is, ‘Will people be safe in South Africa?”‘ Cele said Monday. “Starting on the 11th of June, people will be safe in South Africa.”

Cele said nothing he can say will be as persuasive as what World Cup fans will experience. He is determined that they go home telling a South African success story.

South Africa’s crime rate, among the highest in the world, has been a concern since it won the bid to become the first African host of soccer’s World Cup. The tournament kicks off June 11.

“One thing I would never do is to deny that there is crime in South Africa, especially violent crime,” Cele said.

But he said crime was decreasing, a point independent researchers also have made. The South African Institute of Race Relations said in a study last year that the number of murders and the rate per 100,000 have declined steadily since South Africa held its first all-race elections in 1994.

The institute, however, said the South African public still believed crime was worsening. That may be because crime, while falling, is seen as intolerably high, and because rates have been so high for so long, the institute said.

The World Cup has focused global attention on South Africa’s crime rate and how it stacks up internationally. South Africa’s murder rate per 100,000 citizens was 38.60 in 2006, compared to 0.88 in Germany, where the last World Cup was held.

Cele, who took over last year, said preparing for the World Cup has galvanized his force.

Preparations have included recruiting 55,000 new police officers. New equipment worth about US$88 million includes six helicopters, 10 mobile command vehicles, body armour and water cannons.

Some 200 Interpol officers will be in the country during the month-long tournament, along with up to eight officers from each of the 31 countries sending teams. Cele said they will work as advisers with South African police and not have arrest powers.

Cele said he set three priorities when he took the post: improving police stations and other infrastructures in impoverished areas; improving officers’ skills and supplying them with cutting-edge technology.

The World Cup has allowed South African police to make advances in all those areas, he said.

“We are working with everybody that is willing,” Cele said. “Our police will be better skilled after 2010.”

With just over 100 days until the tournament starts, Cele said police were finalizing details such as where officers would be deployed and ensuring they had training that corresponded to their assignments.

Cele spoke like an experienced soccer fan about an early match he would like to see pitting Portugal against Brazil in his hometown of Durban, one of nine host cities.

“But I’m not sure if I’ll be there,” he said. “My major task is to make sure that people enjoy 2010. So it can’t be me that is enjoying.”

CANADA :

UN: Tidal Wave of E-Waste Poisoning Developing Nations

By Richard Adhikari/TechNewsWorld /02/23/10

When people buy new gadgets, where do the old ones go? All too often, they get shipped to developing nations and recycled in ways that can severely harm the environment. A recent report from the United Nations warns that e-waste levels in many countries will more than double over the next decade, and national governments must enact policies and programs to deal with the influx.

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Developing nations will be buried under mountains of e-waste unless they quickly implement programs to collect and manage it, according to a report released Monday by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

By 2020, e-waste from old computers and other electronic devices will surge by 500 percent in India and by between 200 and 400 percent in South Africa and China. E-waste from discarded mobile phones, television sets and refrigerators will also soar.

Other developing nations, including Brazil and Mexico, may also be swamped, and it’s essential to establish ambitious, formal and regulated processes to collect and manage e-waste in China, Achim Steiner, executive director of UNEP, said.

Toxic Stats
By 2020, e-waste from discarded mobile phones will be about 18 times the 2007 level in India, and about seven times the 2007 level in China, the UNEP report predicted. e-waste from television sets will double by 2020 in both countries. In India, e-waste from discarded refrigerators will double or triple.

In 2010, China produced 2.3 million tons of e-waste, UNEP estimated, second only to the United States, which churned out about 3 million tons. Further, although China has banned “imports” of e-waste, it remains a major dumping ground for e-waste from developed nations, the UNEP report states.

One noted e-waste dumping site is the town of Guiyu, in Guangdong Province, China, which takes in about 1 million tons of e-waste every year, according to reports. Kids play in the toxic e-waste, which is spread throughout the town.

Most e-waste in China is improperly handled, with much of it being burned by backyard recyclers to recover valuable metals such as gold. This causes toxic pollution, according to UNEP.

Old Toys are Poison
Toxins in computers include barium, beryllium, cadmium, hexavelent chromium, lead, mercury, phosphorus, and PCBs. Dell (Nasdaq: DELL), HP (NYSE: HPQ) and Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) are among the computer manufacturers that have committed to producing green computers following pressure from organizations like Greenpeace.

“The U.N. report highlights the tsunami of e-waste that is growing from our use of electronics products,” Greenpeace campaigner Casey Harrell told TechNewsWorld. “Greenpeace is working in a number of countries, including India, Argentina and China, to implement or strengthen e-waste import bans and national collection laws, while also working in the EU and North America to pressure manufacturers to create laws on e-waste disposal and bans on exporting e-waste.”

The environmental group has not been as successful here in North America. “We’ve had more success in Europe than in Canada or in the U.S.,” Harrell said.

The Planned Obsolescence Predicament
One of the factors behind the growing e-waste mountains may be the need to regularly upgrade electronic equipment. Computer hardware often needs to be refreshed every three to five years, and this year is expected to be good for PC and server sales because enterprises held off refreshing these items during the economic crunch.

That’s good for the economy, but the problem lies in the disposal of outmoded equipment. Much of it may end up in dumps in developing nations. “Planned obsolescence is a huge problem,” Greenpeace’s Harrell said. “Even in Europe, where there are laws banning e-waste export and managing in-country e-waste collection, the average collection rate is still only around 35 percent. The more gadgets we have in circulation, the more likely it is that old ones will end up overseas, dumped on the shores of developing nations for crude disposal such as incineration.”

The United States needs a strong, comprehensive national recycling law for electronic products, Harrell contends. “It’s awful, simply awful,” he said of the U.S. approach to recycling.

The situation’s bad enough that the U.S. Government Accountability Office issued a report in August of 2008 calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to better control harmful exports of e-waste through stronger enforcement and more comprehensive regulation.

In 2009 U.S. Congressional Rep. Gene Green sponsored Bill H.R. 2595, which addressed the e-waste problem. However, critics said the bill has a huge loophole that lets recyclers continue exporting e-waste to developing nations by labeling shipments for repair or refurbishment.

Baby Steps
On the local level, much is being done in terms of recycling larger electronics items. Many states either have laws or programs for the recycling of old computers and mobile phones, and often city and county governments have their own programs.

Snohomish County, Wash., for example, encourages residents to recycle their old refrigerators with a US$30 reward for each appliance turned in. The program is aimed at reducing energy consumption, and has recycled 23,000 refrigerators since it was launched in 2004, Neil Neroutsos, a spokesperson for Snohomish County Public Utility District No. 1, told TechNewsWorld.

“We work with a local contractor who recycles about 90 percent of each unit,” Neroutsos said. “They safely recycle the metals and foam insulation, and incinerate others.” The average refrigerator contains 10 pounds of CFC-11 in its insulation, Neroutsos pointed out.

CFC-11, or trichlofluoromethane, is a colorless, nearly odorless liquid that boils at about room temperature and is used in air conditioners and refrigerators as a refrigerant. It has the highest ozone depletion potential of any refrigerant.

Meanwhile, environmental action group Basel Action Network has launched a certification program for electronics recycling, the e-Stewards Certification and Standard. This program relies on independent third-party auditors to verify safe and ethical e-waste disposal. About 50 North American recyclers are considered pledged e-Stewards and have committed to becoming certified in the next 18 months.

Another private organization, World Computer Exchange,is a global non-profit organization that provides used computers to kids in developing nations through its partners. It also works with environmental groups to raise public awareness about the proper recycling of electronic equipment.

Microsoft helps languages talk tech
(AFP) /23022010

SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft on Monday took steps to help local languages avoid being lost on the ever-changing computer technology landscape.

The list of languages supported by the newest releases of Windows, Office or Visual Studio software includes Yoruba in Nigeria, Oriya in India, Tatar in Russia, isiZulu in Africa, and Inuktitut in Canada.

A full list of languages was available online at microsoft.com/llp.

The US software giant also released 59 new Language Interface Packs for its latest-generation Windows 7 operating system and soon-to-be-released Office 2010 programs.

“Allowing for people to use and build software in their native language helps emerging markets build a stronger work force,” said Microsoft government and education programs senior director Lauren Woodman.

She added that the program “will also help people bridge the language gap and, for the first time, use technology in a meaningful way.”

The 95 languages supported through a Local Language Program translate into more than a billion people being able to work with Windows and Office in their native tongues, according to Microsoft.

The firm cited statistics indicating that, on average, one of the more than 7,000 languages in the world dies every two weeks.

Failure of languages to grow with new words for technology trends and innovations can contribute to their downfall.

“Linguistic diversity is under threat,” UNESCO director-general director Irina Bokova said in a release. “This loss not only erodes individual communities and cultures, but more broadly, the very makeup of our societies.”

AUSTRALIA :

Bank Of China Extends Yuan Settlement Program To Australia

online.wsj.com/FEBRUARY 23, 2010

SHANGHAI (Dow Jones)–Bank of China Ltd. (BACHY) said Monday it made its first cross-border yuan settlement in Australia, expanding the Chinese state-owned bank’s program of using the yuan to settle external trade.

The bank said it conducted the transaction for Auswaste Recycling Pty Ltd., a Brisbane-based waste collecting and processing company. It also said demand for yuan settlement in Australia has risen given surging bilateral trade between the country and China.

Bank of China said it made its first yuan settlement transactions in Africa in January, when China state-owned steel maker Sinosteel Corp. remitted CNY10.9 million to its unit in South Africa via the bank.

China has pledged to expand its yuan settlement trial this year after a lackluster start for the program in 2009.

Li Bo, a division head at the People’s Bank of China, said at a financial forum last month the PBOC is discussing with related government bodies to allow trade to be settled in yuan in more foreign countries and regions in China, the state-run Shanghai Securities News reported Jan. 22.

-By Joy C. Shaw, Dow Jones Newswires; (86-21) 6120-1200; joy.shaw@dowjones.com

‘Serious concerns’ over IPL security

www.stuff.co.nz/By DUNCAN JOHNSTONE – Stuff.co.nz / 23/02/2010
Terrorist threats in India continue to cause major disruption and several NZ players are caught in the middle of it.

New Zealand Cricket Players Association boss Heath Mills has confirmed there are serious concerns about security for next month’s Indian Premier League.

His association and its counterparts in Australia, South Africa and England want further assurances from the organisers of the lucrative tournament.

Mills was commenting publicly on the security report commissioned by the four countries which comes in the wake of last week’s specific threat to the tournament from terrorist network Al Qaeda.

“Our players are all up to speed with the content of that report. Together with us they remain concerned about travelling to India,” Mills said.

There had been major speculation that the report carried out by Australian Reg Dickason, an expert on security on the sub-continent, would raise doubts over the measures in place, especially with it deeming Al Qaeda’s threat as credible.

Mills said the independent report had identified some serious concerns with aspects of the current security process. These specifically related to the reported direct threat against the event and the status and implementation of the IPL’s security plan.

A united front by the leading international stars may be the only way to force action.

The respective players associations will co-ordinate their concerns through the Federation for International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) with the IPL and they await the response of the Indian organisers who clearly face some improvements to convince their drawcard international players.

But this comes against a backdrop where there are suggestions that the tournament organisers could pressure the players about their future involvement in the competition, the sport’s biggest money-earner.

Ultimately, despite official concerns from players’ associations it will come down to individuals making their own choices about participating with some having million-dollar contracts at stake.

New Zealand has Shane Bond, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram and Scott Styris involved along with Stephen Fleming in a coaching capacity.

The Black Caps stars may be able to buy some time over their decisions. While the tournament starts on March 12 their involvement will only begin after next month’s tour of New Zealand by Australia is finished.

Last year’s IPL was switched to South Africa at the last minute because of similar concerns with security worries spread by the Indian general election.

Al-Qaeda also issued warnings over next week’s hockey World Cup in Delhi as well as October’s Commonwealth Games in the Indian capital.

The Black Sticks have arrived in Delhi to begin preparations there. 

Hockey teams arrive under tight security
India Blooms News Service /www.indiablooms.com/Feb 23

New Delhi, Feb 23 (IBNS) Star studded Australia and Pakistan along with South Africa arrived here Monday amidst thick security cover for the Hockey World Cup starting Sunday.

Australians were the first to arrive in the national capital in the wee hours Monday followed by South Africa in the afternoon. The Pakistan team reached India via the Wagah Border and arrived in the evening. Spain and South Korea were also expected to arrive late in the night.

New Zealand, who were give a green signal by their federation Sunday, will arrive here Tuesday along with other participating teams. New Zealand’s star striker Simon Childe, however, pulled out at the last minute, citing security concerns.

After a six-hour drive from the Wagah border the 18-man Pakistan squad was received and garlanded at the Ambedkar Bus Terminal in South Delhi by the Pakistani high commission and Hockey India (HI). They were escorted from the Wagah border with unprecedented security cover. It is Pakistan’s first official sporting contact in India after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

“We have come here with the message of love and peace,” said team manager Asif Bajwa.

Bajwa, who is also the secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, said the team was satisfied with the security arrangements.

“We were the first team to say that we are satisfied with the security arrangements provided by the Indian government,” he said.

“Terrorism is a global issue and it is not specific to India and Pakistan. India is a safe place for the World Cup,” Bajwa said.

Pakistani player Rehan Butt said his team was upbeat about their chances.

“We had good preparations and I’m hopeful about our chances in the World Cup,” Butt said.

HI secretary-general Narendra Batra said the Pakistanis are our special guests and they would be looked after as such.

“We welcome the Pakistan team and any team from that part of the subcontinent gets special treatment, and they have huge following here,” said Batra.

Security has been heightened at Le Meridian hotel where the players will be staying following terror group Al Qaeda’s warning to international athletes against participating in any sports events in India.

The three-member support staff of the Canada team, including the coach, also arrived Monday.

“The whole team will be coming tomorrow. We are happy with the security. It’s a bit stifling though with so many security personnel around,” Canadian coach Alan Brahmst said.
 

Updated Quarter-End Portfolio Data Now Available For BlackRock Closed-End Funds

www.marketwatch.com/Feb 23, 2010
NEW YORK, Feb 22, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — BlackRock, Inc. today announced that quarter-end portfolio data for its closed-end funds, as of December 31, 2009, is now available. The information is available on BlackRock’s website at www.blackrock.com.

About BlackRock

BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At December 31, 2009, BlackRock’s AUM was $3.346 trillion. BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients’ needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares(R) (exchange traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions(R). Headquartered in New York City, as of December 31, 2009, the firm has approximately 8,500 full-time employees in 24 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit the firm’s website at www.blackrock.com.

SOURCE: BlackRock Closed-End Funds

EUROPE :

Bulgarian police officers in Niger

www.isria.com/2010/FEBRUARY/23
According to information from the competent Bulgarian authorities, ten Bulgarian nationals – police officers – are currently in Niamey, implementing joint tasks with representatives of the Belgian migration authorities, connected with the extradition of aliens illegally residing on the territory of the EU. The Bulgarian-Belgian team is currently staying at the Gaweye Hotel in the capital of Niger, most probably for their security in view of the military coup in the country.

The Bulgarian Consul in Nigeria – the nearest consular service to Niamey – is closely monitoring events and is in constant contact with his Belgian colleagues.

CHINA :

E-waste flooding developing countries, warns UNEP report
Desy Nurhayati and Stevie Emilia , The Jakarta Post , Nusa Dua /Tue, 02/23/2010

Developing countries face serious environmental and health problems from the alarming increase in hazardous waste from electronic devices, a report launched Monday by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warned.

The report, “Recycling – From E-waste to Resources”, listed old and dilapidated desktop and laptop computers, printers, mobile phones, pagers, digital photo and music devices, refrigerators, toys and televisions as main sources of waste.

It used data from 11 representative developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America to estimate current and future e-waste generation.

“Developing countries will face rising environmental damage and health problems if e-waste recycling is left to the vagaries of the informal sector, unless action is stepped up to properly collect and recycle materials,” said UNEP executive director Achim Steiner.

“It is urgent to establish an ambitious, formal and regulated process for collecting and managing e-waste by setting up large and efficient facilities.

“By acting now and planning forward, many countries can turn an e-challenge into an e-opportunity.”

The report was revealed at the newly opened three-day meeting of the Basel Convention and other world chemical authorities prior to the UNEP Governing Council meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, later this week.

The report said China produced about 2.3 million tons of e-waste domestically a year, second only to the United States with 3 million tons.

By 2020, e-waste from old computers in South Africa and China is predicted to jump by 200 and 400 percent respectively from 2007 levels, and by 500 percent in India.

By the same year in China, e-waste from discarded mobile phones will be about seven times higher than 2007 levels, and 18 time higher in India, the report says.

More e-waste is expected to be dumped in developing countries in the wake of rocketing sales and aggressive marketing of cell phones and other electronic appliances.

Steiner said the environmental agenda in the 21st century was not about telling people to switch off, but to ensure those who buy a computer, a cell phone or other electronic product also took responsibility for the consequences of e-waste-related issues.

“What we’re trying to do is not to stop people from buying those goods, but to make them safer so that people don’t suffer in terms of health and environment,” he told The Jakarta Post later.

“That’s why we have to tackle *the e-waste problem* both at national and international levels. Buy safer products; companies have to accept responsibility for recycling and governments must put incentives in place, because if they don’t, then very soon the world will say they won’t buy these products because they’re too dangerous.”

Jim Puckett, from the Basel Action Network, said around 50 to 100 containers of e-waste went into Chinese ports each year.

“We also checked recycling facilities in the United States and found they didn’t do recycling,” he said.

“Consumers unwittingly think they do the right thing by handing them over to recycling facilities, when in fact the companies simply load up the waste in container ships and send them mostly to China.”

Recently, he said, the network had tracked nine containers of hazardous e-waste from one such facility in the United States and found the containers were shipped to Indonesia, but managed to foil the attempt by calling Indonesian authorities.

The containers were then sent back to the United States.

Key Facts -Global e-waste generation is growing by about 40 million tons a year.
-Production of mobile phones and PCs consumes 3 percent of gold and silver mined worldwide annually; 13 percent of palladium; and 15 percent of cobalt.
-Modern electronics contain up to 60 different elements – many valuable, some hazardous, and some both.
-Globally, more than 1 billion mobiles phones were in use in 2007, up from 896 million in 2006.
-In the United States, more than 150 million mobile phones and pagers were sold in 2008, up from 90 million five years before.

China Unicom ‘Interested’ in Nitel, Revising Position (Update1)
February 23, 2010/By Mark Lee and Tim Culpan/Bloomberg

(Adds share reaction from first paragraph.)

Feb. 23 (Bloomberg) — China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd., which last week denied any involvement in a bid to buy Nigerian Telecommunications Ltd., said a unit is interested in investing in the state-owned company. Its shares fell in Hong Kong trading.

China Unicom (Europe) Operations Ltd., “would be interested in exploring the possibility of equity investment in Nitel,” as Nigerian Telecommunications is known, according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange yesterday. The subsidiary also “indicated its interest in the provision of technical and managerial support services,” the statement said.

Parent China Unicom, the country’s second-biggest mobile- phone company, doesn’t “have any involvement” in the project to buy Nitel, according to a Feb. 18 statement by spokeswoman Sophia Tso. That day, Nigeria’s government reiterated its Feb. 16 announcement that the Chinese company was part of a group named as preferred bidder after offering $2.5 billion for Nitel.

“It’s a short-term bad for the company,” said Marvin Lo, who rates the stock “underperform” at Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd. in Hong Kong. “Free cash flow is still negative, so they probably have to find a way to raise money to invest overseas. Nigeria is not actually a very high-growth market.”

Unicom fell 1.7 percent to HK$8.58 as of 11:40 a.m. in Hong Kong, the lowest since Feb. 19, compared with a 0.2 percent drop in the benchmark Hang Seng Index.

New Generation Telecom

A possible investment in Nitel is “subject to certain conditions being fulfilled,” Unicom said in the statement, without elaborating. The Chinese company hasn’t started discussions on any “substantive and legally binding agreements,” it said.

Nigeria’s National Council on Privatization said last week it selected New Generation Telecom Ltd., consisting of Unicom, Minerva Group of Dubai and Nigeria’s GiCell Wireless Ltd., as the preferred bidder after the group outbid other groups of investors, including Omen International Ltd. and Brymedia West Africa Ltd.

China Unicom said it will continue to observe the development of Nitel’s proposed sale to private investors and will make announcements as and when appropriate.

Today’s share decline may also be a reaction to Unicom’s net subscriber growth figures published yesterday, after rival China Mobile Ltd. added more customers during January, Lo said.

–Editors: Mark McCord, Jonathan Annells.

Heineken Profit Climbs on S&N Savings, Higher Prices (Update1)
February 23, 2010/By Andrew Cleary/Bloomberg

(Adds analyst comment in fourth paragraph, CEO in ninth.)

By Andrew Cleary

Feb. 23 (Bloomberg) — Heineken NV, the world’s third- largest brewer, said 2009 profit rose 4 percent as savings from the acquisition of Scottish & Newcastle Plc and price increases overcame declining beer sales in the U.S. and Europe.

Savings from the 2008 S&N takeover totaled 184 million euros, and Heineken also cut 155 million euros of costs by shutting breweries and reducing administration expenses under its Total Cost Management program. While beer sales increased in emerging markets such as Africa and Asia, so-called consolidated volume slid 5 percent in western Europe and 8.9 percent in the Americas as consumers purchased less premium-priced beer.

“The results are slightly better than expected, and it’s driven by the impact of cost cuts combined with price increases on margins,” said Gerard Rijk, an analyst at ING in Amsterdam. “It’s not about the volume — this is a weak top line.” Rijk has a “hold” recommendation on the shares.

Heineken’s total beer volume for the year fell 5.4 percent, excluding acquisitions, more than the 4.9 percent drop estimated by analysts. Revenue gained 2.7 percent to 14.7 billion euros on price increases in markets including the U.K. and China.

Competitive Strength

The brewer said it expects lower beer consumption and so- called down-trading by consumers to continue in “mature markets” including the U.S. Price increases across all markets will be “at a slower pace” this year than in 2009, Chief Executive Officer Jean-Francois van Boxmeer said.

So-called organic net profit, which excludes currency swings and acquisitions, rose 18 percent, compared with a forecast for a “low double-digit” percentage increase.

“The international spread of our assets continues to be a competitive strength in the recession,” Van Boxmeer said in the statement. “Strong pricing delivered stable revenues that compensated for lower volumes.”

The Total Cost Management program helped the brewer more than triple its so-called free operating cash flow to 1.74 billion euros from 550 million euros in 2008.

Weaker Economies

Heineken fell 10 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 35.04 euros in Amsterdam trading yesterday. The stock has gained 59 percent over the past year, and reached an 18-month high of 36.10 euros after the Dutch brewer agreed to acquire the beer assets of Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB last month.

In western Europe, the company’s biggest region by profit, sales were hurt by weaker economies in Spain, Italy and Ireland, though earnings rose 2.2 percent, helped by the inclusion of Scottish & Newcastle operations in the U.K. Beer volume in central and eastern Europe declined 8.6 percent, as excise increases and the recession pushed consumers toward cheaper beer and vodka brands in Russia and Poland, Heineken said.

Heineken said beer volume in Russia declined 17 percent, more than a 12 percent contraction for the country as a whole. The brewer “adjusted its commercial strategy” to focus on fewer brands in the country.

Van Boxmeer said it is “too early to say” what the impact of a tripled excise tax in Russia will be, though he agreed with comments today by rival Carlsberg A/S that the market will likely decline in “double digits” again this year.

Femsa Brands

Sales of Heineken’s Dutch brands in the U.S. tumbled 10 percent, offsetting a 1 percent increase in shipments of Femsa brands such as Dos Equis and Tecate.

“There is a lot of work for us to do in the U.S., but we will not go into discounting or heavy price promoting,” Chief Financial Officer Rene Hooft Graafland said in an interview. “Right now we see more occasions when people drink other, cheaper brands, but they will come back.”

Africa and the Middle East was the brewer’s strongest region, where beer sales rose 9.6 percent and earnings advanced 4.8 percent. Volume in the Asia Pacific region rose 1.4 percent.

–Editors: Paul Jarvis, Celeste Perri.

African Markets – Factors to watch on Feb 23
Tue, 23rd Feb 2010/Reuters

(Compiled by Nairobi newsroom)

INDIA :

Bharti Airtel CEO: Consolidation in India’s mobile market
Tuesday, 23 February 2010/www.onlykent.com/Written by Debbie Turner

Sanjay Kapoor, Bharti Airtel’s CEO has cautioned that consolidation will inevitably take place in the mobile market of India. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last week he said “There will never be enough space for 14 [operators] to operate profitably or sustainably”.
The warning comes as new growth in Africa is sought by the biggest mobile operator in India. Prices and ARPU’s for India’s mobile consumers have been tumbling as the large amount of operators compete in the market, and this has seen lower tariffs in an attempt to lure more low-income users.

Kapoor makes the point that India has far too many mobile network operators compared to other countries and suggests that 6 at the most might be viable for a country the size of India. Bharti Airtel’s efforts to spread beyond India look set to continue as it is in talks with Zain, based in Kuwait, and recently bought 70% of Bangladesh’s Warid Telecom.
 

Heineken says profit rose 4.1 percent in 2009
BY AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE/Feb 23

THE HAGUE, Feb 23 – Dutch brewing giant Heineken posted on Tuesday a better-than-expected rise in net profit in 2009 and said deals in Mexico and India would open the door to growth in emerging markets.

“In one of the most challenging trading environments ever witnessed in our industry, we have delivered an outstanding financial performance, transformed our platform for future growth and built a more competitive business,” chief executive Jean-Francois van Boxmeer said in a statement.

Heineken’s net profit rose by 4.1 percent to 1.05 billion euros (1.43 billion dollars) last year compared to 1.01 billion euros in 2008. This beat an average analyst forecast of 1.04 billion euros compiled by Dow Jones Newswires.

Sales increased by 2.7 percent to 14.7 billion euros despite a 1.5 percent drop in the volume of beer delivered last year during the global economic crisis, the company said in a results statement.

“Strong pricing delivered stable revenues that compensated for lower volumes,” van Boxmeer said.

Heineken said it would increase prices again in 2010 but not as much as last year.

“The global economic environment will continue to lead to lower beer consumption and down-trading in a number of regions in 2010,” the company said.

“Price increases will be at levels well below those of 2009. However, Heineken aims to continue passing on excise duty increases through higher sales prices,” it said.

Heineken said it was preparing to integrate Fomento Economico Mexicano SA once it completes the acquisition of the Mexican brewer in the second quarter.

The Dutch group said last month it would buy FEMSA in a share deal that values the company behind the Dos Equis and Sol brands at 5.3 billion euros.

Heineken also entered into a new parternship in December with India’s United Breweries Ltd, the maker of Kingfisher beer, and has completed the Sedibeng Brewery in South Africa.

“The intended acquisition of FEMSA Cerveza and our new partnership with United Breweries in India have increased our exposure to fast growing, developing markets,” van Boxmeer said.

“These agreements together with our new, fully operational brewery in South Africa will materially enhance the growth profile of Heineken,” he said.

The group said turnover fell 1.6 percent to 1.54 billion euros in the Americas last year.

In eastern and central Europe, sales dropped 13 percent to 3.2 billlion euros while beer volume was down 10 percent owing to the impact of recession and higher prices, Heineken said.

In western Europe, sales rose 10 percent to 8.43 billion euros and beer volume was up 6.3 percent, it said.

Sales also rose in the Africa and Middle East regions by 2.4 percent to 1.82 billion euros.

Founded in the 19th century in Amsterdam, Heineken makes more than 200 different beers and ciders and employs more than 55,000 people worldwide.

Players concerned about IPL security – Smith
Cricinfo staff/February 23, 2010

Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, has said his country’s ongoing tour of India is not an indicator that the players who are scheduled to feature in the IPL in March are comfortable with security arrangements for the tournament.

Tim May, the chief executive of FICA, warned of a spate of player withdrawals from the tournament due to security concerns, and the England team’s security adviser Reg Dickason said the threat from the 313 Brigade was credible and that security could not be guaranteed in India.  

BRASIL:

Looking for meaning in multilateralism
Last updated on: February 23, 2010/news.rediff.com
As one surveys the changing face of mulilateralsim today, we see mutation and multiplication. The underlying reality is that the world is multipolar and with more poles, you tend to get more constellations, writes B S Prakash.

The climate change summit in Copenhagen with 120 world leaders; the G-20 gathering in Pittsburgh with 20 leaders; the World Trade Organsiation ministerial trade talks in Geneva; the yet-to-be-held Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in April; this will be followed by India-Brazil [ Images ]-South Africa and Brazil-Russia-India-China summits in Brazil, and a week later the South Asian Association of Regional Corporation summit in Bhutan.

What happens in these meetings and why so many of them, wonders the skeptic. I meet plenty of them here in Brazil where I am based, as much as in India [ Images ].

The skeptic does not understand all the breathless reporting about late night meetings, hard fought battles, crafty compromises and declarations of breakthroughs when the world seems to run on pretty much the same way, unchanged in any significant way by all the communiqués.

Has terrorism diminished, proliferation prevented, trade barriers come down, or carbon emissions reduced? Why are diplomats like you so excited about these arcane and abstract rituals? And where is the good old United Nations in all this, asks he.

A fair question. Even for believers and insiders like me, the slow but steady transmutation of multilateralism, the way in which groups of countries do business with each other, and the way the ‘world order’ — a grand word — is being restructured is a matter of wonder. We see this proliferation of new groupings, some by acronyms: BRIC [ Images ], BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), BASIC (referring to India, China, Brazil and South Africa [ Images ]) to take one alphabet alone; and some by numbers — G8+5, ASEAN+3, G-20+? Is there a method in this multiplication?

People understand the UN, though they may not believe in its efficacy.

Created in 1945 at the end of the Second World War, it is one organisation with near universal membership, now at 192 countries.

In theory, all member-states are supposed to be equal; one country — one vote in the General Assembly. It also has as its agenda any subject under the sun from preventing war to protecting children, from fighting HIV/AIDS to promoting gender equality. With all the countries professing their faith and commitment to the UN, how does one see the manylateralism of multilateralism, as someone terms it? Also, are they a substitute for the UN or a complement?

It is of course recognised today even by those who oppose reform for tactical reasons that the UN does need reform, both substantive and procedural. No man made system of management should remain immutable for over 60 years. Actually, the UN has indeed changed over the years. The birth of new organisations to deal with specific subjects — UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation or WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisaion), concerned with industrialisation and intellectual property, the creation of new activities UNIFEM (United Nations women’s development fund) or UNAIDS (Joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS) to deal with women and HIV issues are examples.

However, with regard to the most central and difficult of its objectives “resolution of conflict and maintenance of international peace and security” the procedures for change are so difficult and so crafted so as to serve the interests of the major powers as in 1945, that meaningful reform has proved intractable. That is a subject for another day.

It would, however, be a mistake to see the emergence of new multilateral structures and systems as arising solely because of the inadequacies of the UN. There are other reasons.

The world does not stand still, nor does equations among nations or their interests. Broadly speaking, till 1990 there were two basic divisions: the ideological between the West and the Communist block with countries like India standing aside under the umbrella of Non-Aligned Movement; and the economic divide between the industrial and the developing countries. Groupings among nations largely reflected these realities: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, WARSAW pact (the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance), the G-7 or the G-77.

The first divide has become irrelevant and the second more layered with gradation on the development scale becoming more significant. This is one prism through which the new ways in which countries are trying to group together for negotiations can be seen. There are other aspects: the importance of regional blocks, groupings highlighting a common orientation say the ‘Community of Democracies’, the like-minded coming together to form lobbying groups for a specific purpose, the coalitions formed by compulsions.

Underlying all these is a recognition that to do serious business, sometimes you need to confer and conclude in smaller groupings. Seen this way, the emerging patterns in multilateralism are part substance, part procedure.

It may be illustrative to look at some current examples.

To start with the most important today, the G-20: for quite a while the major economies of the world had felt a need to come together periodically in small and manageable numbers to coordinate their approaches. This was the rationale of the G-8, a small, compact and like-minded group of major Western countries plus Japan [ Images ].

As the economies of China, India, Brazil and some others grew, the G-8 found it useful to invite the leaders of a select few such countries to their summits, the so-called G-8 plus 5 process.

This itself became a regular feature, but with the leaders of the ‘five’ being secondary players. The economic meltdown of 2008-9 and the subsequent recovery has shown conclusively that there is simply no sense today in trying to manage global economic policies without the inclusion of economies such as China and India.

The Group of 20, originally a Canadian idea has now taken roots as a larger but still manageable group of countries with significant economies. It encompasses countries from all continents and has a more representative character. Why 20 and not 18 or 22? What are the criteria and the yardsticks? There are no definitive answers to such questions.

It is a bit like joining the famed India International Center in Delhi [ Images ]. It is a club and the members decide the rules as to who is included and who is excluded. And there are always claimants saying that they have been excluded, though fully qualified!

To look at IBSA, in 2003 President Lula of Brazil had this innovative idea of India, Brazil and South Africa, three large countries from the three continents, all mature democracies, all developing countries, all with capabilities in industry and S&T, but with similar challenges in poverty alleviation, education, health etc coming together.

The three have all kinds of similarities: cultural diversity, national planning, urban slums, large disparities, love of sports, need for ‘inclusive growth’ — to mention some subjects in random.

To think of exchanging their experiences and ‘best pr
actices’ seemed a good idea. IBSA thus came into being as a grouping based on commonality of orientation.

BRIC is different. It is not a creation of the countries concerned, but of Jim O’Neill an economist from Goldman Sachs.

Looking for countries with consistent economic growth but also which are large markets for western multinationals. O’Neill realised that these countries could be branded as a new grouping with their performance and promise.

China being the largest, he toyed with the idea of starting with China and calling the group CRIB, but wisely realised that this would be derogatory. Good for him.

The brand name soon became the buzzword and the countries themselves have accepted the label with the second summit scheduled to be held in Brasilia in April this year.

Why not Mexico, South Korea, Indonesia? Why not, indeed, but you will need a new name.

What about BASIC, the newest avtaar on the block? (For the fans of the movie, yes, it has something to do with the environment, after all).

The formation of this group reflects another facet: the coalition of those with similar interests within a larger setting. Before the Copenhagen summit, it was realised that China, India, Brazil, and South Africa, all developing countries with significant emissions in terms of absolute numbers but relatively small emissions per capita, had some common interests. This was a grouping formed with a purpose around a specific theme. Nothing basic in the formation of BASIC then, except the context.

As one surveys the changing face of mulilateralsim today, we see mutation and multiplication. The underlying reality is that the world is multipolar and with more poles, you tend to get more constellations.

What is noteworthy is that in most of these India and Brazil are constants. If I am allowed to personalise this account, it is a matter of honour and joy as the Indian representative in Brazil to celebrate this.

B S Prakash is the Indian Ambassador in Brazil and can be reached at ambassador@indianembassy.org.br

FIFA acknowledges ticketing problems with World Cup 2010
23 Feb, 10 /www.eufootball.biz

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has indicated that ticket sales for World Cup 2010 has been disappointing and feels that the problem has stemmed from opportunistic pricing according to the Telegraph. He sees this as a learning experience and feels changes are in order for the ticketing policies for World Cup 2014 in Brazil. Valcke said, “We will increase the number of category four tickets because we cannot have a situation where the World Cup is in South Africa and people cannot see matches. But this will bring less income to FIFA, but we have already brought in the income we need to match the organising committee budget, which is USD 423 million…I think that we are facing a peak time where companies feel that they can put the highest level of pricing. We want to make sure that fans can afford to travel to South Africa. It is clear that people have decided that because it is the World Cup they ask the highest amount possible to maximise income, but it doesn’t work today. They forget that it is a long distance to travel to South Africa, you need to stay for more than a few days, so they have to make offers that the fans can afford.”
Valcke also admits that the exclusive ticketing and travel rights being handed over to Match may have been a mistake. This has led to almost a monopolistic situation on hotel rooms and a severe price hikes. Valcke believes Match will not make a profit in South Africa. “We have good lessons to learn from 2010 and they will help us in 2014. For the World Cup 2010 we will have to sell the tickets to fans direct, we will think about setting up Fifa ticketing centres around the world.”

Valcke fees the credit crunch has also played a role in the ticket sales problems. “It was the worst period to sell hospitality programmes, and I am sure that it [the credit crunch] has impacted by at least 50 per cent on the potential of selling hospitality.” There are 60,000 out of 308,000 hospitality packages still available and this includes some sky boxes for the final match.

At this point only 2.1 million tickets out of a total 2.9 million tickets have been sold. FIFA is planning to sell category two and three tickets as category four seats to South African residents for around USD 20 to ensure that stadiums are filled. This will mean losses for FIFA.

Valcke was pleased with other elements of the World Cup preparation in South African and said FIFA has been given control of 9 out of 10 stadiums with Soccer City expected to be ready in March. He compared to test events and other planned training as “We have a reliable 4×4 with four wheels and enough petrol to last 40 days, but now we are just adding bits and pieces to make it the most comfortable car, and training the drivers.”
 

EN BREF, CE 23 février 2010 … AGNEWS / OMAR, BXL,23/02/2010