{jcomments on}The training is expected to revamp the Somali police force. The officers who have been in the camp for more than a month would graduate in March this year. The Somali police unit dissolved at the collapse of Somali government in 1991 and is just picking up. There are about 20 female officers undergoing the refresher course. One of them – Shamsa Mohammed said she is not scared of Al Shabaab militiamen and would help to crush them.

BURUNDI :

BURUNDI: Land key obstacle to reintegration

Photo: IRIN

Landless returnees are the most vulnerable and difficult to reintegrate, according to a Burundian official

BUJUMBURA, 10 January 2011 (IRIN) – After living abroad as refugees for years – in some cases decades – many of the half-million people who have returned to Burundi since 2002 are having to cope with a severe shortage of one of the tiny country’s most precious commodities: land.

“The issue of access and entitlement to arable land on which to undertake subsistence farming and of securing shelter [for the returnees] … are among the most acute hurdles which continue to confront returnees,” Hugues van Brabandt, associate external affairs officer for the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, told IRIN.

He added that those returning home – especially those who fled in 1972 after a rebellion prompted mass killings of Hutus – often found that the state had taken over their property.

“State-occupied land is sometimes used for exploitation of palm oil, sugar or other more lucrative crops, making land claims more intractable,” he said.

Célestin Sindibutume, the general manager in charge of repatriation, resettlement and reinsertion of IDPs and refugees in the Ministry of National Solidarity, Human Rights and Gender, said the landless returnees were “the most vulnerable and difficult to reintegrate”.

More than 20,000 disputes over land have been registered by the National Commission on Land and Other Properties, of which some 13,000 had been resolved, often amicably.

Manassé Havyarimana, chairman of the Bujumbura section of the commission, said his team faced the difficult task of reconciling the law and fairness.

“We have, on the one hand, the law protecting the occupant after 15 years of regular occupation if the property was acquired in a legal way, or 30 years of regular occupation whichever way the occupant got it,” Havyarimana said.

“On the other, we have a returnee who could not come to claim ownership of his property because his absence was not voluntary. You have to take the two into account.”

Compensation fund

According to Havyarimana, a compensation fund is vital.

“Some houses were sold by the government, how you can tell the occupant to evacuate them?” he said. “The compensation fund will allow Burundians to get reconciled.”

Such a fund would certainly help the likes of Pascal Mugabonihera, 70, a former refugee who returned to Burundi with his four children in September 2009.

Mugabonihera said he found private houses built on his cassava field on the border of Ntahangwa River in Bujumbura.

Photo: Judith Basutama/IRIN

A group of returnees aboard a UNHCR lorry. According to a UNHCR official, long periods of exile exposes returnees to social dislocation “I was told it was government property; there is no way to get the field back,” he said. “Another plot I owned is now occupied by priests. They have refused to tell me who they bought it from. I have no evidence for it but I am sure there are traces at the land registry agency, but I know there is no hope.

“I have been in the country for two years now but I have no right to my properties, yet when I was repatriated, I was told I would live in my own houses.”

Mugabonihera had counted on a compound he had in Nyakabiga suburb in Bujumbura but the occupants refused to leave, saying it was theirs as they had lived there for so long.

Despite the commission ruling that the plot be restituted to Mugabonihera, he has still to recover it.

Other options

The returnees have been encouraged to form associations which would help them initiate income-generating projects.

“For those associations, the ministry gives them a reintegration kit; it might be cash to start a project, and it might be a mill, a welding machine depending on the beneficiaries’ potential,” Sindibutume said.

The government and its partners have also initiated integrated rural villages to settle landless returnees and other vulnerable people.

According to UNHCR, eight such villages have been constructed since 2008.

As Burundi moves from a post-conflict phase to a development phase, many facilities such as health, sanitation, education and road facilities have not kept up and remain in deplorable conditions.

Van Brabandt said multilateral donor support to communal development plans, “which is still low, needs to be improved in almost all areas of return”.

He said the long periods of exile also exposed refugees to social dislocation. Some lost family members. In addition, some – especially returnees born in exile – are “culturally and linguistically alienated and this also complicates their reintegration.

“The chronically ill, persons with disabilities, hearing, speech and sight impediments; single elderly persons as well as survivors of gender-based violence, belong to categories at particular risk and whose needs are yet to be properly addressed through a comprehensive national policy and/or legal framework,” Van Brabandt said.

jb/js/am/mw

Theme (s): Aid Policy, Governance,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

Egypt maintain perfect record in Nile Basin, beat Burundi 3-0

Karim Farouk, Tuesday 11 Jan 2011

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/6/52/3683/Sports/National-Teams/Egypt-maintain-perfect-record-in-Nile-Basin,-beat-.aspx

The seven-time African champions are dominating the proceedings and had the match in their pockets when Mohamed Nagy ‘Gedo’ and Ahmed Ali bagged goals in quickfire succession inside the opening 10 minutes at Ismailia stadium.

Al-Sayed Hamdi made the Burundi keeper pay for his fatal mistakes, scoring the third in the 80thminute to maintain Egypt’s perfect run in the group stage.

Egypt coach Hassan Shehata reshuffled his squad as he kept some of his key players on the bench like inspirational playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika, flamboyant winger Mahmoud Abdel-Razek “Shikabala”, strikers Al-Sayed Hamdi and Ahmed Belal, in addition to his keeper Abdel-Wahed Al-Sayed.

It took only 46 seconds for Gedo to break the deadlock as he picked Ahmed Ali’s rejected ball and sent it back into the empty net.

Ali then claimed his own piece of the limelight as he headed past the keeper, in the 10thminute, converting an excellent cross from Hossam Ghaly.

He could have doubled his tally but he blasted the ball over the bar from the six yards midway through the first half.

Two goals down, the visitors had a mountain to climb against a vastly experienced side. They tried to react but nothing that could have worried keeper Mohamed Sobhy.

The Pharaohs lost their pace after the break and despite Shehata bringing in all his master pieces with the likes of Abou-Treika, Shikabala, Hosni Abderabou, Walid Soliman and Al-Sayed Hamdi, the team failed to improve.

10 minutes from time, Hamdi scored his team’s third, heading in a fine cross from Ahmed Fathi to move to the top of the tournament scorers’ chart with three goals.

The hosts will now play Kenya on Friday while second-placed Uganda will face DR Congo in the semi-finals.

RWANDA

Rwanda Starts Operating Rukarara Hydropower Plant, Ministry Says

By David Malingha Doya – Jan 12, 2011

Rwanda started commissioning units at its 9.5 megawatt Rukarara hydropower plant, the country’s Ministry of Infrastructure said.

The plant is generating between 2.5 megawatts and 6 megawatts of electricity during the current testing phase, the Kigali-based ministry said in an e-mailed statement today.

The East African nation is targeting to increase access to electricity to 50 percent of its population by 2017 from 6 percent now, it said.

To contact the reporter on this story: David Malingha Doya in Kigali via Johannesburg at asguazzin@bloomberg.net

Rwanda comes to Gujarat to seek investment

Gandhinagar, Jan 12 (IANS) With robust 8.5 percent growth since 2006, the east African nation of Rwanda is seeking to put behind the ugly civil war of 1994 that claimed a million lives, calling upon Indian and global investors to invest and benefit from its progress. Prime Minister Bernard Mazuka led the country’s sales pitch at the two-day Vibrant Gujarat conclave here and spoke about the opportunities, especially in agriculture, energy, tourism, information technology, mining and realty.

‘Africa has grown at six percent in the past five years. Our own country has sustained a growth of over 8.5 percent,’ Mazuka told the large gathering of global and Indian investing community Wednesday.

‘The opportunities are there for you to consider.’

A power point presentation circulated here said: ‘Rwanda has been rebuilt since the traumatic events of 1994 as a thriving, safe country. It claimed political stability better than that in India and China, based on a World Bank study.’

The country, it said, adopted some major commercial laws in 2009, in addition to administrative changes, to make it easier to start a business in the country, employ workers, register property, get credit and be protected as an investor.

Officials also quoted CNN Money as calling their country a Mecca for venture capitalists and Fortune magazine as

saying: ‘Rwanda is the most undervalued stock on the continent and maybe in the world.’

A country of around a little over 10 million, Rwanda is in the heart of central and east Africa, sharing its borders with Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. The region has around 100 million consumers.

‘Our Vision 2020 is to transform the economy into a middle income country from a subsistence agriculture economy to a knowledge-based society, with high levels of savings and private investment,’ the presentation said.

In tourism, it said, the kind of journey offered was one of its kind – it is home to a third of the remaining mountain gorillas and Africa’s bird species, apart from volcanoes, game reserves, resorts and islands.

‘In a short vacation, a tourist can reach volcanoes, rainforests, savannah, islands, lakes and the beautiful city of Kigali.’

An average tourist spends $200 a day and stays for at least a week. The country has 200 hotels and 4,500 rooms, with an occupancy of 70-97 percent. Investments into the tourism sector comprised 30 percent of registered projects in 2009.

These apart, a $500 million investment ensured a 2,700 km optic fibre link for high-speed communications. In fact, India’s Bharti Telecom, one of the two major telecom players, is also making a sizeable investment to spruce up infrastructure.

(Arvind Padmanabhan can be reached at arvind.p@ians.in)

IMF Sees Rwanda’s GDP Growth At 6.5% This Year

1/12/2011 (RTTNews) – Rwanda’s economy may grow 6.5% this year, at the same pace as in 2010, driven by a strong growth in exports, a report from the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday.

Last year, along with a rebound in exports, stronger-than-expected growth in services, especially in telecommunications, as well as in construction sector, strongly supported growth.

Rwanda’s economy is showing clear signs of recovery from the external and domestic shocks of the past two years, while inflation has remained low, the Fund said in the report.

Moreover, for the first time in many years, annual inflation has remained below 5% in 2010, reflecting the benign external environment, especially stable food and fuel prices. Consumer prices would have risen 4.6% last year. Inflation is projected to reach 6% this year.

Significant improvement in investment and productivity could drive the economy to achieve 8.5% growth in the medium term in the absence of any adverse shocks, the Fund’s executive board said.

However, risks to the outlook are on the downside, reflecting mainly slower pickup in external demand and domestic credit, the report noted.

by RTT Staff Writer

Rwanda to Spend $7.2 Million on Local Elections, Commission Says

Rwanda plans to spend 4.3 billion francs ($7.2 million) on the local elections in February and March, Electoral Commission Executive Secretary Charles Munyaneza said.

“Most of the money will come from the Treasury,” Munyaneza said in an interview today from Kigali, the capital. “We also expect some money from the donor basket which we manage at the commission.”

The local elections will run from Feb. 6 to March 5, starting at the village level and moving up to district councilors and mayors. Rwanda’s political parties are banned from fielding candidates. Local representatives should be chosen on their ability to implement government policies, Munyaneza said.

Local representatives will implement “policies like ensuring that every family has a cow, everyone has healthcare, mechanizing agriculture, and better housing,” he said. “They also mobilize people to join saving cooperatives, and avoid deforestation.”

President Paul Kagame was reelected in August with 93 percent of the vote.

To contact the reporter on this story: David Malingha Doya in Kigali via Johannesburg at asguazzin@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Philip Sanders in London on psanders@bloomberg.net.

Le Rwanda prêt à déployer un nouveau bataillon au Soudan

(AFP) – 11/01/2011 – KIGALI — Le Rwanda est prêt à déployer un nouveau bataillon de soldats de la paix au Soudan, a indiqué mardi à l’AFP le ministre rwandais de la Défense, le général James Kabarebe.

“Nous préparons un autre bataillon si besoin est”, et qui pourra être déployé au Darfour (ouest) ou au Sud-Soudan, a déclaré le général Kabarebe, interrogé au téléphone par l’AFP.

Le ministre confirmait ainsi des propos tenus la veille à l’occasion de sa rencontre avec le chef du commandement américain pour l?Afrique (Africom), le général William Ward, en visite à Kigali.

Quatre bataillons des Forces rwandaises de défense (FRD), soit environ 3.300 hommes, sont déjà déployés au Soudan au sein de la mission ONU/Union africaine au Darfour (Minuad), et près de 250 autres au sein de la mission Unmis, chargée de surveiller la mise en oeuvre de l’accord de paix entre le Nord et le Sud-Soudan.

L?armée américaine apporte un appui logistique et dispense des formations aux soldats rwandais appelés à participer à ces opérations de maintien de la paix.

Le général Ward effectuait lundi une visite de travail d?une journée au Rwanda, au cours de laquelle il s?est entretenu avec le président Paul Kagame.

“Je suis ici pour féliciter et remercier le peuple du Rwanda et ses forces de défense pour leur rôle dans les efforts visant à ramener la paix dans la région, sur le continent et dans le monde”, a déclaré lundi soir le général américain sur les ondes de Radio Rwanda.

Il a réaffirmé (son) “soutien continu à la coopération” entre les Etats Unis et le Rwanda, en vue d?”un monde plus stable, une Afrique plus stable et une région plus stable”.

Le général Ward avait commencé sa visite plus tôt dans la journée en se recueillant au mémorial du génocide des Tutsi à Kigali, où il a déposé une gerbe de fleurs, toujours selon la radio nationale rwandaise.

RDC –Congo

UGANDA

Tullow delays planned €10bn Ugandan investment

Irish Home / By Thomas Molloy / Wednesday January 12 2011

TULLOW Oil has said it will delay a €10bn investment in Uganda until next year due to the complexity of the company’s operations in the east African country.

The largest Irish company on the Dublin stock exchange had planned to begin production in the final quarter of this year, but a long-running dispute with both the government there and Tullow’s former partner, Heritage Oil, appears to have delayed that target.

Tullow is the largest exploration company operating in Uganda’s Lake Albert basin, which is estimated to contain roughly 2.5bn barrels of oil.

A US diplomatic cable from December 2009 — which was released in the WikiLeaks reports — details an alleged conversation between a US diplomat and a Tullow executive.

The latter is alleged to have said that the company’s Italian rival ENI was trying to pull off a “corrupt back-door deal” to gain a 50pc stake in the basin by bribing Ugandan officials.

Tullow denies the details of the conversation.

“Let’s just be aware of the fact that oil production will have started after a very short period of time after the oil will have been first discovered,” Tullow Uganda’s manager Brian Glover told reporters yesterday.

“Exactly when that’s going to be, we’ll have to look very carefully, but I think 2012 is a good time,” he said.

Mr Glover added that plans to meet the earlier target were “quite challenging”.

Tullow paid about $1.5bn (€1.16bn) in July to Heritage Oil for its interests in the Lake Albert basin. However, Uganda has delayed final approval on the purchase of the stakes, saying it is owed $404m in capital gains tax from the transaction.

Tullow’s investment in the country will increase to about $10bn over the next decade, making it the region’s biggest investment project, according to Mr Glover. The company has spent $800m so far.

He added that Tullow had explored 37 wells in the country, of which 36 were found to be viable. It discovered 1bn barrels of recoverable oil, with another 1.5bn yet to be found.

Uganda’s oil reserves may place it among the top 10 African producers and 50 biggest producers in the world, it says.

The company wants to bring in China National Offshore Oil and Total as partners to develop the country’s oil industry.

A refinery planned by Tullow has the potential to reach production of 200,000 barrels of oil per day, Mr Glover added. (Additional reporting Reuters and Bloomberg)

– Thomas Molloy / Irish Independent

TANZANIA:

Tanzania falls again in Fifa ranking Send to a friend

Wednesday, 12 January The Citizen Reporter

http://thecitizen.co.tz/sport/16-football/7178-tanzania-falls-again-in-fifa-ranking.html

Dar es Salaam. The national soccer team, Taifa Stars, have dropped four places in the first edition of the 2011 FIFA world ranking.

Taifa Stars, who succumbed to an embarrassing 5-1 away defeat to Egypt’s Pharaohs in one of their latest international matches, now occupy the 120th position.

Algeria and Morocco, who are with Tanzania in Group D of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers (AFCON), occupy the 36th (1 down) and 77th (2 up) places respectively.

The Central African Republic, another country in the four-team group, are placed 112th (1 down).

Taifa Stars, trailing the group in the rankings, will have a tall order clashing with the Central African team later this month in their third qualifying tie.

In their first two qualifiers, Jan Poulsen’s team forced Algeria to a one-all draw in Algiers before crashing to a 1-0 home defeat to Morocco late last year.

They fared poorly in the on going Nile Basin tournament in Cairo, Egypt where they tumbled 5-1 to the hosts before battling to a one-all draw with Burundi.

In their final Group A match, they drew 1-1 with Uganda Cranes on Tuesday, thus crashing out of the inaugural tournament.

Uganda Cranes top the ranking for the East African countries. They occupy the 83rd (3 down) while Kenya are on 125th (5 down), Rwanda (134th, 2 down) and Burundi (140th , 12 down.

African champions Egypt are the only African team in the top 10, occupying the 10th spot, but have dropped by one place.

As expected, there are no great changes in the top 10 of the ranking.

The 2010 World Cup winners, Spain, for the third year in a row, continue to lead the way, ahead of the Netherlands, Germany and Brazil.

The only change in the top 10 sees Croatia (9th, up 1) and Egypt (10th, down 1) swap places.

Spectacular moves are also thin on the ground further down the ranking, with only 12 teams within the top 50 changing places.

There is greater movement around position 100, where China (79th, up 8) and Qatar (105th, up 9) have made the biggest leaps forward.

The hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup recorded a surprise victory over Egypt and are now aiming to break into the top 100. Belarus (37th, up 1), Hungary (41st, up 1) and Antigua and Barbuda (103rd, up 3) have all achieved their highest position since the introduction of the world ranking. The first highlight of the year is currently under way in Qatar, where 16 national teams are vying for the AFC Asian Cup.

All 32 matches will be reflected in the February edition of the ranking and are sure to lead to some reshuffling of the pack.

The Fifa world rankings are determined by points awarded from match results in a three-year period, with more recent games given greater weight. Teams get additional points for playing relatively strong opponents.

KENYA :

Kenya Coffee Exchange Sales at $45.7 Million in First Quarter

By Fred Ojambo – Jan 12, 2011

Kenya’s Nairobi Coffee Exchange traded $45.7 million of the beans in the first three months of the 2010-11 season, the exchange said.

The earnings were from exports of 133,910 50-kilogram (110- pound) bags from October through December, the exchange said today in an e-mailed report from the capital, Nairobi. It didn’t give comparative figures for the corresponding period a year earlier.

AB, the second-highest grade, accounted for 54,423 bags, or 41 percent of the beans sold during the quarter and the top AA grade made up 18 percent of the beans sold, the exchange said.

The exchange handles 85 percent of the country’s annual coffee exports, while the rest is shipped through direct sales, according to the state-run Coffee Board of Kenya. The country consumes around 3 percent of its annual crop, it said.

-Editors: Gordon Bell, Ana Monteiro.

To contact the reporter on this story: Fred Ojambo in Kampala via Johannesburg at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.

Kenya seeks Africa support over Hague

By BERNARD NAMUNANE bnamunane@ke.nationmedia.com AND OLIVER MATHENGE omathenge@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Wednesday, January 12 2011 at 22:20

A special division of the High Court has emerged as the local option to try the Ocampo Six.

This emerged as the Kenya government launched a charm offensive to seek Africa’s help to block The Hague from opening cases against the suspects.

Senior government officials are being sent to various African capitals to lobby for support ahead of an African Union meeting later this month.

Cabinet ministers from both sides of the Grand Coalition Government, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said they had agreed to create a local alternative to the International Criminal Court before the Pre-Trial Chamber rules on Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s notice to charge the six.

As part of the deal, Parliament has been recalled and MPs will be back in the House next Tuesday to pass Bills that are key to an overhaul of the Judiciary and the Kenya Police Service.

MPs will also expedite the appointments of a new Chief Justice, Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecutions and the Inspector General of Police.

Given that the Judicial Service Commission has been sworn into office, they will quickly move to recruit new office holders, vet both High Court and Appellate judges, and establish the Supreme Court to give the Judiciary a new face and the capacity to handle the post-election chaos cases.

A minister in the ODM wing of the Cabinet said that there have been efforts in government to create a local mechanism that satisfies international standards to deal with the suspects.

It is believed that with new faces at the Judiciary and Police force, the UN Security Council can ask the ICC to defer the case against the Kenyans.

Even though Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo urged Kenyans to isolate the fate of the Ocampo Six from the urgency of implementing the new Constitution, he could not run away from reports that the urgency to revamp the Judiciary and the Police Force were meant to convince the UN Security Council that Kenya has the capacity to try the suspects.

“By August we will have a new CJ, AG, DPP, Inspector General (of Police) and Supreme Court. What would you need the ICC for?” he posed.

It is, however, clear that the new Constitution prohibits creation of a local tribunal, which is a superior court that works outside the jurisdiction of the Kenya criminal justice system.

In Article 162 (1), the Constitution states: “The superior courts are the Supreme Court, the High Court and the courts referred to in clause 2 (which are to be established by Parliament).”

Crimes against humanity

This means that a special division of the High Court, as provided for in the International Crimes Act which defines the crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes is the only option.

Section 8 (2) of the International Crimes Act, states: “ A trial authorised by this section to be conducted in Kenya shall be conducted in the High Court.”

Aware of the provisions of the new Constitution, the government has sent out key leaders, among them Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka to rally African Union members behind its push for the UN Security Council to have the ICC cases deferred.

Mr Musyoka who was in South Africa to meet President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday, also flew to Uganda for talks with President Yoweri Museveni ahead of the AU summit on January 29 in Addis Ababa.

AFRICA / AU :

Kenyan-trained Somalia police ready for duty

By BONIFACE ONGERI

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/InsidePage.php?id=2000026640&cid=4

At 35, Farah Hussein has seen it all and gunshots no longer send a cold shiver down his spine.

Since the fall of former Somali dictator Mohammed Siad Barre’s government in 1991, his country has known nothing but bloodshed and hopelessness.

He has witnessed some of the gory war scenes he will not forget in his life. He has witnessed rebels rout successive governments that tried to succeed Barre.

But he is finally hopeful that the madness in his country was about to end following the intervention of friendly neighbours.

“I have witnessed nothing but bloodshed. I can’t stomach the sights of dismembered bodies anymore. All this must come to an end”, he says with bitterness.

Hussein is among 192 Somali security officers undergoing a three-month intensive training at the Kenya Wildlife Service -owned Manyani Training center near Mombasa.

These Somalia police recruits display their skills at the Manyani training center

“The Al Shabaab rebels are the biggest headache to the rule of law and order in Somalia. I want to help halt their activities,” he said

NOT SCARED

He added: “I know they are dangerous but with the training I have received here, I am ready to face them for the sake of civilians who have suffered all these years.”

The training is expected to revamp the Somali police force.

The officers who have been in the camp for more than a month would graduate in March this year.

The Somali police unit dissolved at the collapse of Somali government in 1991 and is just picking up. There are about 20 female officers undergoing the refresher course. One of them – Shamsa Mohammed said she is not scared of Al Shabaab militiamen and would help to crush them.

“We will overrun them this time round. Wait till we graduate, their days are numbered”, she said fuming with anger. “I know they would laugh and underrate women but we will show them we are better trained”, she said.

Assistant Minister in the Office of the President Simeon Lesirma who was at the camp on Tuesday, said Kenya had offered the training facility to the Somalia government for free.

The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia (Amisom) and Head of Mission Ambassador Boubacar Gaoussou Diarra said the organisation was fully committed to advice and help restructure the Somalia-bound force.

The training is conducted by Africa Union with funding from Italy.

“Amisom has targeted 3,000 more army recruits to be trained in Uganda” Diarra said during the launch of the training.

KENYAN FORCES

Steven Kasima, the Amisom Police Co-ordinator, said the skills the officers will acquire would help them supervise those joining the force.

Some of the women recruits [PHOTOS: JONAH ONYANGO/standard]

He said another training was ongoing in Djibouti. There are about 15 trainers and instructors including Kenyans.

“There are long term plans to equip police stations with necessary logistics and open more beyond Mogadishu”, he said.

There have been fears that some recruits may end up joining Al Shabaab ranks once they get the training. However, Kassim said the trainers and recruits would get stipend to fend off offers from the militias.

“Maybe we can’t march what Al-Shabaab may offer but the trainees understand that they are defending their country,” he said.

INTERNAL AFFAIRS

The Kenyan government has reiterated that it won’t meddle in Somalia’s internal affairs but it was concerned with spillover effects of the war into her territories.

“Kenya has borne the brunt of Somali war and we will do everything to ensure peace is restored”, Lesirma said.

Italian Ambassador to Somalia Stefano Dejak said hosting the training was an indication that Kenya cared for Somalia.

“You are not only going to strengthen the government but also to protect tradition and culture which is under threat by the militants”, said the envoy.

He added: “Al Shabaab will come with it’s black flag, but you have to defend, uphold and honour the Somali’s blue flag.”

UN /ONU :

USA :

US may cut Sudan from ‘terror list’

Last Modified: 12 Jan 2011

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/01/201111205050946751.html

The week-long vote for self-determination is expected to see south Sudan go it separate way from the north [AFP]

The United States has said it may remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism if the government in Khartoum recognises the outcome of the south’s referendum on whether to split from the north.

“Should the referendum be carried out successfully and the results are recognised by the government, President Obama would indicate his intention to begin the process of removing them,” Princeton Lyman, the lead US negotiator with Sudan, said on Tuesday.

“It is a process that takes some time, but by beginning the process in the wake of the referendum, the hope is if they meet all the conditions it can be done by July.”

Lyman made the remarks on the third day of voting in the referendum, which was organised as part of a peace agreement in 2005 that ended two decades of civil war between the north and the south.

The referendum is widely expected to lead to mainly Christian and animist southern Sudan seceding from the predominantly Muslim north of the country.

Bashir praised

Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president, has been praised for saying that he will celebrate the outcome of the poll whatever it may be and will work with an independent south Sudan if it chooses to secede.

However, the vote has been mared by sporadic acts of violence between pro-Khartoum tribes and southern security forces and attacks on southerners heading from the north to vote.

Officials in south Sudan said 10 people were killed when their convoy was ambushed by Misseriya nomads in Southern Kordofan on Tuesday.

Johnnie Carson, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, said another key condition for removing Khartoum from the US blacklist is that it does not “directly or indirectly” support “terrorist” groups.

Countries on the list of state sponsors of terrorism cannot receive US aid or buy US weapons, and bilateral trade is restricted. The list currently includes Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria.

The United States has banned virtually all trade with Sudan since 1997.

Source: Agencies

CANADA :

La Canada, l’autre partenaire stratégique de l’Algérie

12-01-2011 Par Ali Boukhlef / http://www.latribune-online.com/evenement/45682.html

Après une visite qui aura duré quatre jours, le ministre canadien des Affaires étrangères, Lawrence Cannon, a quitté hier l’Algérie.

Le chef de la diplomatie canadienne n’est pas rentré les mains vides. En plus de différentes réunions tenues avec les responsables algériens, à commencer par le président de la République, Lawrence Cannon a signé d’importants contrats et lancé de nombreux projets. «Le Canada sait qu’il peut se fier à l’Algérie et à son Président dans la promotion de la paix et de la sécurité, particulièrement sur le continent africain», a confié le responsable canadien après son entretien avec Abdelaziz Bouteflika. «J’ai eu un entretien extrêmement important et intéressant avec le président Bouteflika. Nous avons abordé des questions d’intérêt mutuel, notamment la lutte contre le terrorisme. Nous avons approfondi aussi la question des Objectifs du millénaire pour le développement», a-t-il précisé.

Plus concrètement, Lawrence Cannon a estimé que son pays a l’intention de travailler avec l’Algérie dans le domaine de la lutte contre le terrorisme. «Nous allons travailler en coopération avec l’Algérie contre le terrorisme», a-t-il déclaré à l’AFP en fin de journée, en guise de conclusion de ses entretiens avec les responsables algériens. «Le Canada prend avis et conseil auprès de l’Algérie sur la manière dont on doit lutter contre le terrorisme. C’est un fléau», a-t-il encore ajouté.Sur le plan économique, le responsable canadien est venu en Algérie avec des projets concrets. Outre la présence d’entreprises de son pays dans des secteurs traditionnels tels que les travaux publics et l’hydraulique, le ministre canadien a annoncé la construction d’une usine d’aluminium. «Il faut laisser les entreprises négocier librement», a tempéré Mourad Medelci, ministre des Affaires étrangères.Une chose est sûre : le Canada ne veut pas rater le train des gros investissements lancés par l’Algérie. «Nous allons encourager les entreprises canadiennes à accompagner l’Algérie dans ses projets d’investissement», a annoncé M. Cannon lors d’une conférence de presse conjointe animée avec son homologue algérien, lundi dernier en fin de matinée. Parmi les sujets importants de coopération qui peuvent intéresser les deux pays, l’énergie occupe une place de choix. C’est pour cela d’ailleurs que le ministre canadien a rencontré le ministre de l’Energie, Youcef Yousfi. L’Algérie est surtout intéressée par les capacités canadiennes dans des domaines pointus des énergies renouvelables, notamment éoliennes. Il faut rappeler que l’Algérie est le premier partenaire commercial du Canada dans la région Afrique du Nord et Moyen-Orient. Quelque

5 000 Algériens émigrent au Canada chaque année ces dernières années. La communauté algérienne est essentiellement établie dans la province francophone du Québec.

A. B.

Benmeradi et Cannon examinent les moyens de développer la coopération algéro-canadienne

Le ministre de l’Industrie, de la PME et de la Promotion de l’Investissement, M. Mohamed Benmeradi et le ministre canadien des Affaires étrangères, M. Lawrence Cannon, se sont entretenus hier sur les moyens de «développer» et de «raffermir» la coopération politique et économique entre l’Algérie et le Canada, selon un communiqué du ministère. Les deux parties ont ainsi abordé les questions d’intérêt commun, notamment celles ayant trait aux relations de coopération aux plans politique et économique, qualifiées par M. Benmeradi de «stables» et qui seront appelées, à se «développer en vue de les raffermir et de multiplier les partenariats profitables aux deux parties», est-il précisé dans le communiqué. M. Benmeradi a affirmé, à l’occasion, la volonté des autorités algériennes d’œuvrer davantage avec les partenaires canadiens dans le cadre de la réhabilitation de l’industrie nationale pour lui faire atteindre «les seuils de rentabilité normale» et la rendre «compétitive» afin que ses branches d’activités puissent «récupérer ses parts de marché et se positionner pour l’exportation». Le ministre a tenu, en outre, à répondre aux préoccupations de certains représentants d’entreprises canadiennes, en clarifiant les mesures de sauvegarde prises, et qui ne sauraient, selon lui, «freiner l’élan de nos partenaires étrangers», a ajouté la même source.

AUSTRALIA :

EUROPE :

Ivory Coast Escalating Tension Prompts Senegal Call for Military Invasion

By Pauline Bax, Olivier Monnier and Drew Hinshaw – Jan 12, 2011

Senegal’s President Abdoulaye Wade. Photographer: Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty Images

Senegal renewed calls for military intervention to end the post-election stalemate in Ivory Coast, where clashes in the commercial capital, Abidjan, marked escalating post-election tensions in the world’s top cocoa grower.

Senegal’s President Abdoulaye Wade is lobbying leaders in the Economic Community of West African States to stand by a Dec. 24 pledge to use military force to remove incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo from power if he refuses to step down in favor of Alassane Ouattara, the United Nations-recognized winner of the presidential election in November, his spokesman said.

“Gbagbo has to leave by any means necessary, even military means,” Wade’s spokesman, Papa Dieng, said yesterday in an interview in Senegal’s capital, Dakar. “If he stays there, African leaders will feel there’s no need to ever concede an election.”

At least four people were killed yesterday after security forces loyal to Gbagbo conducted a house-to-house search for weapons in Abobo, in the north of Abidjan, according to an Ouattara spokesman. A doctor at the military hospital in the city said nine members of the security forces were shot and injured, state-owned RTI television reported.

Abobo Dead

Ouattara won 59 percent of votes in Abobo, according to the electoral commission, which named him the overall winner. Gbagbo, 65, refuses to cede power, citing a ruling by the Constitutional Council that annulled votes in parts of Ivory Coast’s north on fraud allegations and gave him victory. Gbagbo has retained the loyalty of the army, while Ouattara is backed by the African Union, the U.S. and former colonial ruler France.

The dead in Abobo included two residents seeking shelter from gunfire, said Mustapha Ouattara, a spokesman for the pro- Ouattara RHDP coalition in the area. While the identity of two others wasn’t known, they were not members of the opposition group, he said by phone yesterday.

A United Nations patrol was halted by a roadblock as it attempted to enter Abobo, Kenneth Blackman, deputy spokesman for the UN mission in Ivory Coast, said yesterday. Peacekeepers were pelted with stones by civilians whose political affiliation wasn’t clear, Blackman said. The UN peacekeepers are protecting Ouattara headquarters in Abidjan.

UN Reinforcements

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked the security council to agree to send that 2,000 soldiers and three attack helicopters be rushed to the West African nation to deter the threat of “widespread violence” as “the precarious situation could quickly degenerate into widespread conflict”.

The UN’s 9,100 peacekeepers and civilian police are “operating in an openly hostile security environment with direct threats from regular and irregular forces” loyal to Gbagbo, Ban said in a Jan. 7 letter to Ambassador Ivan Barbalic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, president of the UN Security Council this month. The body is due to discuss the situation in Ivory Coast on Jan. 14.

A rally planned yesterday for the area by pro-Gbagbo youth leader Charles Ble Goude was canceled because of the violence, his spokesman, Charles Tra Bi, said.

An estimated 210 people have been killed in post-election violence, the UN said last week before the Abobo clashes. As many as 25,000 people have fled from the west of the country into neighboring Liberia, and are arriving at a rate of about 600 each day, the UN’s refugee agency said in a statement yesterday.

Odinga’s Return

Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga is due to return to Ivory Coast this week in his second attempt to find a resolution to the conflict. He follows former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who made an unannounced visit to the country on Jan. 8.

John Atta Mills, the president of neighboring Ghana, on Jan. 7 said it will not contribute troops to an Ecowas intervention, saying he doubted it would “bring peace.”

Senegal, which has contributed troops to peacekeeping missions in places such as Liberia, Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo, has a “well-trained and disciplined” army, according the U.S. State Department website.

Senegal supports sanctions imposed on Gbagbo’s leadership by the European Union and U.S., Wade’s spokesman Dieng said.

“We’re talking timidly about sanctions,” he said. “The president feels that we here in West Africa should start.”

Amid the political crisis, Ivory Coast missed a $29 million interest payment on its $2.3 billion of Eurobonds on Dec. 31. It has a 30-day period of grace to make the payment.

Eurobonds

The government is “taking all necessary measures” to avoid defaulting on the bonds, according to a statement sent to bondholders by Gbagbo-appointed Finance and Economy Minister Desire Dallo and dated Jan. 10.

The statement caused the Eurobonds to jump the most in intraday trading yesterday since being issued in April, gaining as much as 11 percent. They traded 1.4 percent lower at 40.25 cents on the dollar at 8:19 a.m. in Abidjan today, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The yield on the bond, due December 2032, increased 22 basis points to 15.906 percent.

The statement from Gbagbo’s minister “is a good sign, but we have to be a little bit cautious because in principle they are cut off from the Ivorian accounts with the central bank, so it’s hard to see how they will make the payments in practical terms,” Samir Gadio, a London-based emerging-market strategist at Standard Bank Plc, said by phone yesterday.

The Central Bank of West African States recognized Ouattara as Ivory Coast’s president last month, giving him control over state reserves previously governed by Gbagbo.

Cocoa prices have risen 6.5 percent since the election and climbed for a third straight day yesterday, adding $53, or 1.8 percent, to $2,934 per metric ton by the end of trading in New York yesterday.

To contact the reporters on this story: Pauline Bax and Olivier Monnier in Abidjan via Accra at ebowers1@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net.

EU says Tunisian crackdown unacceptable

Wed Jan 12, 2011 BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union on Wednesday criticised the crackdown on demonstrators in Tunisia, calling the use of force by police disproportionate and unacceptable.

Recent violence in the North African country has claimed the lives of 23 people, according to an official count, though some international human rights groups said the figure is higher.

Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, reiterated EU concerns about the unrest and added:

“This violence is unacceptable. The perpetrators must be identified and brought before the courts.

“And we cannot accept the disproportionate use of force by the police against peaceful demonstrators.”

“The Tunisian authorities should do everything they can to bring calm and to address the underlying social issues.”

Speaking at a regular news briefing, Kocijancic repeated a call for the release of bloggers, journalists, lawyers and others detained after taking part in peaceful protests.

“The authorities must also guarantee fundamental rights and freedoms such as freedom of expression, of opinion, of association, also the independence of the judiciary,” she said.

Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fired his interior minister on Wednesday and ordered that all those arrested in weeks of clashes with police should be released.

UPDATE: EU Supports Expanding Euro Area Emergency Fund
JANUARY 12, 2011 / By Riva Froymovich

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

BRUSSELS (Dow Jones)–The European Union put its weight behind expanding the euro area’s emergency lending facility Wednesday, as part of its latest drive to fend off bond market speculation and build a path for sustainable growth.

In a report and a press conference, the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said the size of the EUR440 billion European Financial Stability Facility must be reinforced and its application should be expanded.

“The EFSF funding capacity must be reinforced,” European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said, adding that “the scope of activities should be widened.”

The fund was set up for bailing out indebted euro-zone countries, and was created after the Greek debt crisis in May and has already been tapped by Ireland. European leaders have agreed to replace it with a more permanent funding vehicle after it expires in 2013.

Barroso said he believed a consensus could be reached on a reinforced fund, but stressed that a beefed up facility is not a signal that more cash is required for any immediate bailout. This must be done by the European summit of heads of state and government in the first week of February, he said.

The EU presented Wednesday its plan for sustainable growth and economic reforms for member states: the first European Commission Annual Growth Survey. The report marks the start of the “European semester,” an effort to coordinate budgets among member states. The semester format allows Brussels to steer national budgets before they are presented to governments.

The fresh initiative comes as the cost of insuring European sovereign debt has climbed to a record high this month, and as market pressure grows on Portugal to be the next country that needs a European financial package, after Greece and Ireland. Nevertheless, on Wednesday, Portugal sold bonds at a lower than expected yield amid high demand.

While France dismissed Wednesday that European leaders are looking to increase the size of the EFSF, EU diplomats say there are several proposals on the table ahead of the Eurogroup meeting of finance ministers this Monday to boost market confidence in the EU’s ability to backstop its member states.

One option includes increasing the lending capacity of the EUR440 billion fund to actually match that amount. Currently, it is supported by EUR440 billion in euro-zone government guarantees, but actually has a much smaller ability to lend.

“The goal is to get an effective borrowing capacity of EUR440 billion,” which would require increased government guarantees of more than EUR200 billion, said an EU official.

Other possibilities on the table include giving the EFSF the ability to buy bonds in the secondary market to aid the European Central Bank in its role. In addition, the euro zone could set up a flexible credit line similar to the International Monetary Fund, as a preventative measure. The credit line would aid countries that have sound economic fundamentals but are having trouble accessing global markets. The IMF used such a facility to help Poland and Mexico during the global financial crisis.

EU Commissioners would not comment on such proposals Wednesday. However, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn said a reinforced EFSF is a better option right now than introducing a common euro bond, as proposed previously by Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker and Italian Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti.

Rehn stressed the need for fiscal consolidation across members states to ensure economic growth in the future.

He said consolidation must exceed 0.5% of gross domestic product per year, and supported countries creating fiscal frameworks with specific targets governments would have to reach.

Earlier in the day, he outlined reform goals in pensions systems, broadening national tax bases, increasing employment and education, and accelerating the restructure of troubled banks, among other topics. He added that the EU must put private capital to work, such as through EU project bonds to build new infrastructure and allowing venture capital firms to operate freely.

Rehn indicated these necessary but difficult financial reforms do not necessarily mean political suicide for governments, pointing to election victories in Sweden and Greece despite measures taken by leaders there.

-By Riva Froymovich, Dow Jones Newswires, +32 (0) 2 741 1489; riva.froymovich@dowjones.com

CHINA :

US Defense Secretary Calls China Talks Productive

Stephanie Ho | Beijing 12 January 2011

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Gates-Hopeful-of-Improved-China-Relationship–113339764.html

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is in Tokyo, following three days of meetings in China that he called productive.

Gates declared that his talks aimed at mending damaged ties between the US and Chinese militaries were successful.

“I think the discussions were very productive and set the stage for taking the military to military relationship to the next level,” he said.

Gates spoke to reporters on the Great Wall Wednesday, his last stop in China before leaving for Tokyo.

Earlier in the day, Gates made a rare visit to China’s nuclear warfare headquarters, which maintains control over nuclear and conventional strategic missile forces. Both the United States and China have missiles that can reach each other’s shores, although both nations say they have no intention of using the weapons that way.

Gates said his talks – which touched upon nuclear strategy and China’s overall approach to conflict – were wide-ranging and “open”” He met with top Chinese military leaders, as well as the foreign minister and President Hu Jintao.

“What came across to me was that both the civilian and the military leadership seemed determined to carry this relationship further, and build upon it,” said Gates. “Are there those who have issues with it? Possibly. But I certainly didn’t meet any of them on my trip, and I’m very encouraged going forward.”

China Wednesday repeated its assurance to the United States that the first test-flight of its new stealth fighter jet one day earlier should not be seen as a threat.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai told reporters that other countries should not be concerned about the advanced fighter.

Cui says the development of the aircraft is not targeted at any other country. He also says the timing of Tuesday’s test flight had no relationship to Gates’ visit.

Gates is the first U.S. defense secretary to visit China in five years. China last year pulled out of military talks and withdrew an earlier invitation to Gates to protest a U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, a separately governed island that Beijing considers part of Chinese territory.

After meetings in Tokyo, Gates travels to South Korea Friday before heading home.

US: China test of stealth fighter no surprise

By ANNE FLAHERTY / The Associated Press / Wednesday, January 12, 2011

WASHINGTON — The top U.S. military officer says China’s test this week of a new stealth fighter jet wasn’t a surprise to the Pentagon.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen says China has long been developing “very high end, very high tech capabilities,” including the J-20 fighter.

Speaking to reporters at the Foreign Press Center, Mullen said the Chinese have the right to develop whatever military they want. But he said many of the capabilities seem targeted at the United States and he doesn’t understand why.

The test flight came on the second day of a rare visit to Beijing by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and appeared to be a show of force by China’s military.

As China moves to free up yuan, investors want more

By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss / NEW YORK | Wed Jan 12, 2011 4:03pm EST

Jan 12 (Reuters) – State-owned Bank of China Ltd’s move to offer limited deposit services in the renminbi to U.S. customers represents a tiny step in what will be a long journey for the Chinese unit to become a widely-traded international currency.

The move generated little buzz among fund managers and investment banks eager to see more aggressive changes from China, but most were hopeful it could lead to more flexibility in the currency.

The Bank of China’s news, reported by newspapers and news wires on Tuesday, is significant because it is the first Chinese bank to widely offer non-corporate deposit services in the renminbi, also known as the yuan, outside Hong Kong and mainland China.

“It’s indicative that they’re moving in the right direction but we need to see China move a little faster before we can get excited about being able to fully trade the currency,” said James Dailey, chief investment officer at TEAM Asset Strategy Fund in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Dailey’s firm manages assets of around $130 million.

“It’s a situation where I’d like to see the yuan floating and freely convertible for a little bit more before I start investing in it.”

The New York branch of Bank of China (3988.HK)(601988.SS), the country’s fourth-largest bank, said it now lets companies and individuals buy and sell the yuan via accounts with its U.S. branches. U.S. businesses and individuals can also trade the currency through Western banks

Apparently, the BoC has been accepting deposits since February last year. It’s also a service available at all its international branches in the 29 countries where it operates and has been doing so since early 2010.

The terms, though, are limited. Essentially, any individual can open a yuan account, but cannot deposit or withdraw funds, unless somebody remits to the account in the local unit.

Bank of China limits the amount of local currency that can be converted by U.S. individuals to $4,000 per day, but there is no limit on the amount that can be converted by U.S. businesses if engaged in international trade.

NO ARBITRAGE OPPORTUNITY

Anthony Chung, director of currency strategy research at money manager AllianceBernstein in London, also viewed Bank of China’s initiative as a “step in the right direction” but it’s not useful for him as a portfolio manager. Alliance manages assets of more than $480 billion.

Chung said there’s no difference in the price of the yuan both onshore and offshore that he can use to his advantage. “There’s no sense that you could arbitrage things.”

The Bank of China news was met by skepticism from some in the banking community.

“This is not a new capability by any means so the timing of the story is curious,” said a banking source, adding that all state-owned banks with U.S. offices can effectively offer deposit services although at varying degrees.

The story came ahead of a scheduled state visit to Washington by Chinese President Hu Jintao next week. It’s an event that could spotlight China’s currency policies again.

La crise ivoirienne ou le prélude à la guerre Chine Occident

11/01/2011 / La Chine acceptera t-elle de financer l’Europe et les Usa pour la combattre en Afrique ?

Par Jean-Paul Pougala / 11/01/2011 http://www.grioo.com/ar,la_crise_ivoirienne_ou_le_prelude_a_la_guerre_chine_occident,20385.html

Depuis le début de la crise ivoirienne, tout et son contraire ou presque ont été dits. Les Occidentaux soutiennent presque tous M. Ouattara qu’ils appellent “Président élu” alors que les Africains soutiennent presque tous le président sortant Gbagbo qu’ils désignent par “Président Réélu”. Au-delà des choix partisans pour l’un ou l’autre président élu ou réélu, il est intéressant de constater qu’il y a une autre bataille celle là à distance qui est en train de se jouer entre la Chine et l’occident en Cote d’Ivoire. A travers des appuis militaires directs ou indirects.

L’occident défend une vieille idée de l’Afrique dans laquelle il contrôle tout à travers ses hommes de mains et s’accommodent volontiers d’une misère de masse. La Chine est celle qui veut changer la donne et faire de l’Afrique la vitrine de sa puissance économique et militaire hors d’Asie. Ce qui froisse fortement l’Union Européenne et les USA. Mais ces derniers ont-ils la force et l’énergie pour résister longtemps au rouleau compresseur chinois qui a malencontreusement décidé de faire de l’Afrique un des piliers de sa superpuissance en construction ? Exactement comme les USA avaient fait de l’Europe il y a 66 ans.

M. Laurent Gbagbo entrera-t-il dans l’histoire comme un dirigeant médiocre, méchant, valeureux ou éclairé ? Nul ne pourra le dire. Ce que nous savons par contre c’est qu’il est l’homme qui symbolise le mieux les frustrations des Européens et des Africains

Jean-Paul Pougala

Pour les Africains, les deux personnages de notre feuilleton symbolisent deux conceptions opposées de la politique africaine. M. Ouattara, se définit comme « Houphouëtiste », c’est-à dire quelqu’un qui était ouvertement contre les Etats-Unis d’Afrique. En 1963, son mentor Houphouët Boigny était avec l’ancien président Sénégalais Léopold Sedar Senghor les 2 principaux fossoyeurs du rêve de Kwame Nkrumah de créer immédiatement les Etats-Unis d’Afrique. Pour Senghor et Houphouët la relation avec la France était plus importante que toute nécessité d’autonomie africaine. Ce dernier avait alors prononcé la célèbre phrase :

“Ils disent qu’ils vont unir l’Afrique du Cape au Caire. Il le feront sans nous, sans ma Cote d’Ivoire”. La suite on la connaît : l’OUA est née comme une nullité avec un seul programme cher à Senghor et Boigny : “intangibilité des frontières héritées de la colonisation européenne” et adieu le vieux rêve de Nkrumah contenu dans son livre prémonitoire publié en 1961 du titre :

Africa must unite (l’Afrique doit s’unir si elle ne veut pas connaître famine, pauvreté et guerres). Mettre fin à la triste parenthèse de l’OUA était une priorité pour Gbagbo dès son arrivée au pouvoir en 2000 pour passer à la nouvelle Union Africain (en 2002) comme étape intermédiaire vers la création des Etats-Unis d’Afrique. Aujourd’hui, M. Ouattara continue dans la même voie de Houphouët : il ignore les institutions de la Cote d’Ivoire (le conseil Constitutionnel) et préfère attendre sa légitimité de Paris ou de Washington. Il demande à une partie du monde de venir faire la guerre pour tuer une partie du peuple ivoirien.

aucune élection, aucune personne ne mérite qu’il y ait une seule vie de perdue. Les hommes passent, les empires disparaissent. Mais les cicatrices d’une guerre ne finissent jamais. L’Irak peut-il nous servir de leçon ?

Il demande d’affamer les fonctionnaires ivoiriens en les privant de leur salaire. Il demande à la France d’organiser des commandos sous le couvert de la CEDEAO, et comme Houphouët, il n’a jamais expliqué ce qu’il compte offrir à la France en retour. Aux apprentis sorciers de la théorie des guerres éclair, j’ai envie de dire : aucune élection, aucune personne ne mérite qu’il y ait une seule vie de perdue. Les hommes passent, les empires disparaissent. Mais les cicatrices d’une guerre ne finissent jamais. L’Irak peut-il nous servir de leçon ?

Trois exemples hors d’Afrique pour élucider mes propos :

– Le 19 décembre 2010, on a voté en Biélorussie, le président sortant a proclamé qu’il a gagné avec 72% et a aussitôt mis en prison les dirigeants de l’opposition. Y-a-t-il un seul pays Européen qui a menacé ce pays d’utiliser la force pour déloger Alexander Loukachenko au pouvoir depuis 16 ans ? L’Union Européenne n’a prévu aucun plan militaire pour aller déloger le dictateur. La raison est simple : les 27 pays de l’Union Européenne ont à cœur la valeur de la vie de leurs frères et sœurs de la Biélorussie. C’est à chacun de soigner ses intérêts et les Européens considèrent la vie humaine en Biélorussie plus importante qu’un dictateur qui s’en ira tôt ou tard.

– Le Secrétaire Générale des Nations Unies M. Ban Ki-Moon et le Représentant de l’ONU en Cote d’Ivoire M. Y Choi sont tous les deux citoyens d’un pays divisé en deux, la Corée. Il y a un des deux présidents Kim Jong-Il qu’ils disent fou et un danger permanent pour sa propre population et pour ses voisins. Mais pour Kim, M. Y Choi et M. Ban Ki-Moon ont toujours justement prôné la retenue.

l’Angola est le premier partenaire africain de la Chine sur le plan commercial, mais aussi militaire. Et le hasard veut justement que l’Angola soit le pays qui soutient militairement les Forces de Défense et de Sécurité de Laurent Gbagbo

A ceux qui veulent faire la guerre en Cote d’Ivoire j’ai deux questions : En quoi la vie d’un Coréen serait-elle plus précieuse à préserver que celle d’un Ivoirien ? En quoi la mort des populations civiles en cote d’Ivoire serait-elle moins grave qu’en Corée ? En quoi Laurent Gbagbo est-il plus dangereux pour ses voisins que le dirigeant Nord-Coréen M. Kim Jong-Il ? au pouvoir hérité de son père depuis 17 ans et qui lui-même l’avait exercé pendant 46 ans jusqu’à sa mort et qu’il s’apprête à passer à son fils.

– En Birmanie (Myanmar) en 2000 un vainqueur des élections présidentielles a été privé de sa victoire, pire, privé de liberté depuis 10 ans, Mme Aung San Suu Kyi s’est contenté en silence d’un prix Nobel de la paix, sans jamais exiger une quelconque intervention de l’extérieur pour aller déloger les usurpateurs du pouvoir. La victoire de Mme Aung San Suu Kyi validée par la Cour Constitutionnelle Birmane est-elle moins importante que la défaite de M. Ouattara déclarée perdant par le Conseil Constitutionnel de son pays ?

La Chine

M. Laurent Gbagbo entrera-t-il dans l’histoire comme un dirigeant médiocre, méchant, valeureux ou éclairé ? Nul ne pourra le dire. Ce que nous savons par contre c’est qu’il est l’homme qui symbolise le mieux les frustrations des Européens et des Africains. La crise Ivoirienne s’est vite transformée en une crise raciale entre les Blancs et les Noirs, entre l’Afrique et l’Europe. Avec cette fois-ci un 3ème larron, la Chine en embuscade.

Le jour précis (17/12/2010) où l’Union Européenne annonçait d’avoir à l’unanimité choisi le camp de Ouattara dans la crise Ivoirienne, contre Laurent Gbagbo, la Chine nous annonçait être devenue le premier partenaire commercial du continent africain en publiant les chiffres de 10 mois d’échanges avec les pays Africains. Il en ressort une augmentation du volume d’affaires à 20 milliards de dollars avec l’Angola faisant de ce pays son premier partenaire africain sur le plan commercial, mais aussi militaire.

Depuis 2007 l’Union Européenne a tout mobilisé pour proposer à la Chine une sorte de triangulaire pour stopper les gigantesques investissements chinois en Afrique

Et le hasard veut justement que l’Angola soit le pays qui soutient militairement les Forces de Défense et de Sécurité de Laurent Gbagbo en Cote d’Ivoire. Et c’est ce même jour que le général Chinois de division Jia Xiaoning, directeur adjoint du bureau des affaires étrangères au ministère chinois de la Défense était reçu en audience au Cameroun par le Président Biya. Ont-ils parlé de la crise ivoirienne ? La chine peut-elle aider financièrement l’Europe pour sortir de la crise économique et accepter qu’elle utilise cet argent pour la combattre en Afrique ?

Ce qui est sûr, c’est que c’est un scénario que l’Europe n’avait pas prévu. L’annonce la même semaine de l’entrée en service d’ici quelques années de l’avion chasseur bombardier furtif chinois le Chengdu J-20 est-elle un simple hasard de calendrier ou un message militaire lancé aux USA et à l’Europe ? Le message a été bien reçu à Washington, puisque le nouveau avion militaire furtif F-35 en préparation devant remplacer le F-22 est déjà jugé obsolète et on parle déjà de l’abandon du projet avec des milliers d’emplois à risque, à cause de la nouvelle barre technologique très haute que la Chine vient d’imposer à l’industrie de l’armement américaine jusqu’ici considérée comme la plus avancée du monde.

Selon les experts militaires américains, le J-20 chinois doté de gros missiles antinavires est spécialement conçu pour détruire les nouveaux 10 port avions américains en construction jusqu’en 2058. On comprend dès lors pourquoi le port avion français Mistral qui en ce moment fait route vers Abidjan pour déloger Gbagbo avant la fin du mois de janvier comme nous l’a promis Ouattara, serait détruite par le nouveau J-20 chinois en moins de 5 minutes. Pour l’instant, la Chine ne tirera pas un seul coup dans la crise ivoirienne, mais il y a à parier que la prochaine crise sera très différente, car l’hégémonie européenne qui dure depuis l’an 1.454 en Afrique vit ses dernières heures à Abidjan.

La crise ivoirienne est aussi le prélude d’une longue saison tumultueuse entre l’Afrique et l’Europe qui peine à accepter l’inexorable autonomie effective de l’Afrique, 50 ans après la parodie d’indépendance

La crise ivoirienne qui n’était apparemment au départ qu’un simple démêlé entre Européens et Africains s’est très vite révélée comme l’anticipation de la bataille militaire Chine-Occident qui ne fait que commencer, sur le sol africain. C’est aussi le prélude d’une longue saison tumultueuse entre l’Afrique et l’Europe qui peine à accepter l’inexorable autonomie effective de l’Afrique, 50 ans après la parodie d’indépendance. Les généraux de l’armée chinoise sont en train de défiler un peu partout en Afrique pour tisser des accords de partenariat militaire ; à Pékin, on ne cache plus que le vrai but est de neutraliser toutes les rebellions que l’Europe organisera sur le sol Africain pour les freiner et retarder cette autonomie.

L’arrivée de la Chine sur la scène politique, économique et militaire africaine est en train de se transformer en cauchemar pour l’Europe qui en perd toute sa lucidité. Depuis 2007 l’Union Européenne a tout mobilisé pour proposer à la Chine une sorte de triangulaire pour stopper les gigantesques investissements de la Chine en Afrique. L’ex Commissaire Européen au Développement Louis Michel a fait d’incessants déplacements à Pékin pour faire mille propositions sans succès. L’Europe n’en démord pas pour autant, c’est chacun des 27 qui essaye même en solo.

L’homme le plus recherché à Pékin et qui donne les maux de têtes aux occidentaux s’appelle : Zhang Ming, le “Monsieur Afrique subsaharienne” du ministère chinois des Affaires étrangères. Tous le détestent et tous lui font la cour. Que lui veulent les occidentaux ? Ils lui demandent ni plus ni moins que de faire semblant d’aider l’Afrique, sans vraiment passer à l’action. On lui explique que c’est cela les règles du jeu depuis 5 siècles et qu’il y a très gros à gagner. Que répond-il ? NIET.

La Chine n’est intéressée par aucune triangulaire. L’Afrique qu’on disait marginalisée est remise par la Chine au centre des convoitises. Le président Chinois a visité presque tous les pays africains et certains, 3 ou 4 fois, lorsque les Présidents américains en 8 ans ne visitent que 2 ou 3 pays africains. Et sur les 27 pays de l’Union Européenne, 21 sont dirigés par des présidents qui n’ont jamais mis pied en Afrique.

L’Europe est en train de tomber dans une médiocrité des plus grotesques tentant d’embourgeoiser les Chinois en Afrique et de leur enseigner leurs vieilles recettes mesquines qui ont cloué au sol pendant 50 ans le décollage de l’Afrique, avec des slogans tout aussi burlesques et minables : “L’Union européenne et la Chine se sentent plus près de l’Afrique que tout autre continent.”

Les rares documents que nous avons entre les mains des propositions secrètes européennes à la Chine justifient toute cette panique à bord par l’inquiétude des Européens vis à vis d’un probable surendettement de l’Afrique si la Chine continuait sur cette lancée. Cette thèse est complètement saugrenue. C’est comme si un interdit bancaire allait voir son banquier pour lui expliquer qu’il ne dort pas depuis des semaines parce que son voisin risque de devenir surendetté si cette même banque continuait de lui donner des crédits.

Et le supplie de ne plus traiter directement avec ce voisin, mais de passer par lui afin qu’il filtre et suggère ce qui va bien pour son voisin. Récemment le FMI a refusé un crédit à la RDC au motif que le Congo reçoit des investissements chinois. Edwards Bernays dans son livre “Propagande ou l’art de Manipuler l’opinion publique en démocratie” nous enseigne que la manipulation consciente, intelligente, des opinions et des habitudes organisées des masses joue un rôle important dans une société démocratique.

Ceux qui manipulent ce mécanisme social imperceptible forment un gouvernement invisible qui dirige véritablement le monde. L’Union Africaine doit reprendre la main en Cote d’Ivoire pour que le gouvernement invisible de l’Europe n’entrave, ne déstabilise et n’enlève à l’Afrique une des pièces maîtresses du puzzle (la Cote d’Ivoire) dont elle aura besoin pour former et bâtir le mosaïque des Etats-Unis d’Afrique. Si aujourd’hui la Cote d’Ivoire est sacrifiée pour offrir à l’Europe une consolation de répit dans sa guerre commerciale et industrielle perdue d’avance avec la Chine (comme le diktat chinois sur les terres rares), demain à qui le tour ?

La crise ivoirienne aura pour le moins, le mérite de nous donner plusieurs enseignements :

– L’ONU est une boite vide qui nécessite une complète refonte. Cette organisation est en train de se transformer en instrument de déstabilisation des nations et l’initiatrice des guerres civiles plutôt que d’être un instrument de pacification des peuples comme elle a été originellement conçue.

– La finalisation des Etats-Unis d’Afrique est un impératif qui ne peut plus attendre. Tout le processus de la fédération africaine en cours doit être accéléré pour ne pas laisser l’espace aux vieux démons de l’Afrique de faire repartir un nouveau cycle de violences, de guerres et donc de déstabilisation du continent contribuant ainsi comme durant les 50 ans précédents à détourner l’attention des vrais enjeux et des objectifs de création du bonheur pour les populations africaines.

– L’entrainement pour la première guerre mondiale du 21ème siècle entre l’Occident (Europe/USA) et la Chine se fera très probablement sur le sol africain. Le déclin des premiers ne les prive pas de l’instinct d’arrogance habituelle pour continuer d’humilier la seconde en lui intimant ce qu’elle doit faire en Afrique, sur la dévaluation du Yuan. Le ridicule ne tue pas. Ce sont les pays qui se sont de trompés de politique et sont responsables d’une crise financière mondiale, qui prétendent de donner des leçons à la Chine qui elle a été vertueuse dans sa gestion. Il y a une ligne rouge que tôt ou tard l’occident va traverser et ce jour là, cela va faire : Boum ! Et c’est pour ce Boum que l’Afrique sert aujourd’hui à l’un et à l’autre de terrain d’entrainement.

Conclusion

Il me plait de conclure avec ces deux extraits de commentaires sur la crise ivoirienne :

1- “Les colonialistes ont toujours un masque. Ils ne disent jamais du bien de vous. Ils pillent vos ressources naturelles. Ils ont commis des génocides à l’égard des Indiens d’Amérique, détruit des civilisations comme celle des Aztèques. Au nom de la liberté du commerce, ils ont imposé à la Chine trois guerres d’opium. Au nom de l’esclavage, ils sont venus imposer le travail forcé en Afrique. Aujourd’hui, c’est au nom de la justice internationale qu’ils interviennent en Cote d’Ivoire. Quelle est cette justice Internationale ? Les magistrats du Tribunal Pénal International sont atteints de ce qu’on appelle un daltonisme au noir. Le dalton ne voit pas certaines couleurs.

Ils ne voient que le noir. Si vous allez à la Cour internationale, tous les inculpés sont noirs, pas parce qu’il ne s’est rien passé à Gaza, pas parce qu’il ne s’est rien passé à la prison d’Abugraïb. La question que je me pose maintenant est : Pourquoi l’Afrique accepte-t-elle cela ? Je ne dis pas que tout le monde est innocent, mais si ces gens sont coupables, c’est aux Africains de les juger. Pourquoi l’Afrique accepte-t-elle que ses dirigeants soient jugés par une bande de cosmopolites qui la méprisent”. Jacques Vergès Avocat Français (ancien défenseur du leader Serbe Milosevic au TPI).

2- “Derrière le maintien ou non de Gbagbo au pouvoir se joue le contrôle du Golfe de Guinée, cet Eldorado pétrolier que Français ou Américains, en perte de vitesse dans le monde arabe, et unis pour cette fois, ne souhaitent pas voir passer en d’autres mains. A leurs yeux, Alassane Ouattara, ami personnel de Sarkozy, ancien directeur du FMI et gestionnaire libéral, représente un interlocuteur beaucoup plus crédible que Gbagbo le nationaliste”. Colette Braeckman, journaliste au quotidien belge Le Soir. Née en 1946, grand reporter, elle collabore aussi au “Monde Diplomatique”

Voilà pourquoi à mon avis il n’y a jamais eu d’élection en Côte d’Ivoire, mais une parodie d’élection. Avec 300 milliards de Francs des Ivoiriens que l’Onu a jeté par la fenêtre pour un simulacre d’élection on aurait pu construire 300 hôpitaux, 1000 écoles, 50 Universités, 3.000 crèches, 5.000 dispensaires.

(*) Jean-Paul Pougala est Camerounais co-auteur du livre : L’Afrique, l’Europe et la Démocratie Internationale (ed. Federop 1990) et professeur à l’Université de la Diplomatie de Genève en Suisse

INDIA :

Groupon s’étend en Inde, en israël et en Afrique du Sud

Publiée par Guillaume Belfiore le Mercredi 12 Janvier 2011

http://pro.clubic.com/actualite-e-business/investissement/actualite-390194-groupon-etend-inde-israel-afrique-sud.html

Après avoir récemment levé la somme record de 950 millions de dollars, le site Groupon, spécialisé dans les offres promotionnelles groupées, affiche de nouvelles ambitions.

En effet, la société s’étend sur trois nouveaux territoires : l’Inde, Israël et l’Afrique du Sud. A cet effet, Groupon a réalisé trois acquisitions de sites proposant des services similaires : SoSata, Grouper et Twangoo. Rob Solomon, président et chef des opérations techniques du groupe, déclare ains que dans ces territoires « les achats collectifs sont en pleine ébullition et nous voyons un fort potentiel ».

Ces trois acquisitions ont toutes été stratégiques puisque SoSasta, dévoilé il y a à peine trois mois, propose des offres promotionnelles dans 11 villes indiennes. Grouper et Twangoo sont pour leur part les plus populaires en Israël et en Afrique du Sud respectivement.

Sur le vieux continent, Groupon s’est introduit sur le marché français en avril 2010 en rachetant la société CityDeals. La firme est désormais installée dans une quarantaine de pays et bénéficierait de 50 millions d’abonnés.

Célébration de la diaspora indienne à New Delhi

L’Inde a accueilli la 9ème édition du Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, célébration de la diaspora indienne. Présente, la délégation réunionnaise ressort satisfaite de ses échanges.

“Nous avons quitté l’Inde mais l’Inde ne nous a jamais quittés !”. Prononcée de façon émouvante par un des délégués du “Engaging Global Indians”, cette phrase reflète l’attachement certain de la communauté indienne à ses racines.

Les 7, 8 et 9 janvier, une rencontre avec la diaspora indienne du monde entier, forte de 25 millions de personnes résidant dans 110 pays, a eu lieu à Delhi en Inde. Il s’agit du 9ème “Pravasi Bharativa Divas”.

Trois jours de conférences, de séminaires, d’exposition et de présentation d’Etats, de stands innovants, commerciaux… auxquels pas moins de 1.600 délégués, venus de 50 pays, ont participé.

Le droit de vote accordé aux Non Résidents Indiens

Au delà du caractère prestigieux de cet événement, avec la présence de la présidente de la République Indienne, Pratibha Devisingh Patil ,et du Premier ministre Dr. Manmohan Singh, les représentants de la Réunion affirment avoir apprécié les promesses tenues par le Premier ministre. Notamment le droit de vote accordé aux Non Résidents Indiens (NRI) à condition d’être présents pendant les élections et la création d’un centre culturel indien dans des pays comme les USA, l’Arabie Saoudite ou la France.

D’autres mesure importantes ont également été annoncées concernant les Réunionnais : “la fusion entre la statut de PIO (personne d’origine indienne) et celui d’OCI (citoyens indiens d’outremer)”, la création d’un centre d’enseignement pour les enfants et la jeunesse des expatriés indiens, ou encore la mise en place d’un fond de solidarité pour les indiens non résidents se trouvant dans d’autres pays.

Avec des sessions sur l’éducation, la technologie, la santé, l’engagement des jeunes indiens d’outre-mer, la culture, l’économie, la communication, les sciences, l’humanitaire, l’occasion était unique pour la diaspora indienne de confronter ses expériences, et de créer des synergies nouvelles.

Comment développer des relations bilatérales avec un pays sans pouvoir y entrer?

Lors d’un entretien privé avec le ministre indien d’outremer, Valayar Ravi, la délégation réunionnaise a demandé qu’il puisse insister auprès de ses confrères du gouvernement pour que le statut de descendant d’origine indienne, souvent de la 4ème voir de la 5ème génération, soit reconnu et ce malgré l’absence d’archives détaillées.

Mais comment développer des relations bilatérales avec un pays sans pouvoir y entrer? Tel est le challenge pour les Réunionnais qui peuvent obtenir un visa en 48 heures auprès du Consulat de l’Inde à Saint-Denis, alors qu’un indien, qu’il soit touriste, officiant, artiste, professeur, chef d’entreprise ou autre, ne peut entrer sur le sol français sans un délai minimum de deux à trois semaines, voir un mois.

“Le gouvernement indien veut développer les relations bilatérales avec les pays hôtes au cours de cette nouvelle décade et a lancé un signe fort en inaugurant le mardi 11 janvier une stèle sur le port de Calcutta commémorant la mémoire des millions de travailleurs engagés qui ont franchi les océans pour une nouvelle aventure humaine. Cet acte levant le voile sur tout un pan de l’histoire jusqu’ici occulté par les autorités indiennes”, a rappelé le président de la fédération tamoule, Daniel Minienpoullé, dans son communiqué.

Mercredi 12 Janvier 2011 – http://www.zinfos974.com/Celebration-de-la-diaspora-indienne-a-New-Delhi_a24727.html

BRASIL:

Des pluies diluviennes font 127 morts au Brésil

Reuters – Publié le 12/01/2011 – RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Inondations et glissements de terrain provoqués par plusieurs jours de pluies diluviennes ont fait au moins 127 morts dans une zone montagneuse du sud-ouest du Brésil, selon le bilan établi mercredi.

Teresopolis, à une centaine de km au nord de Rio de Janeiro, déplore à elle seule 89 décès et une cinquantaine de disparus, a déclaré le maire de la ville. L’équivalent d’un mois de précipitation y est tombé en 24 heures.

Vingt-cinq morts ont été dénombrés dans deux autres localités de la région, a-t-on appris auprès de la protection civile. Treize personnes ont par ailleurs trouvé la mort mardi dans l’Etat de Sao Paulo.

Sergio Cabral, gouverneur de l’Etat de Rio, a demandé la mise à disposition des moyens aériens de la marine pour acheminer les secours à Teresopolis, dont les accès routiers sont partiellement coupés.

Stuart Grudgings, Nicole Dupont et Jean-Philippe Lefief pour le service français, édité par Gilles Trequesser

BRESIL / FLAMENGO :QUAND PELÉ CHARGE RONALDINHO…

Nizar HANINI / mercredi 12 janvier 2011 / Le transfert de Ronaldinho à Flamengo a fait couler beaucoup d’encre au Brésil. Pointé du doigt pour son infidélité, Ronaldinho doit également subir les critiques des gloires du pays, dont Pelé.

Pas vraiment réputé pour offrir des retraites dorées, le championnat brésilien a fait de gros efforts financiers pour rapatrier Ronaldinho. Rien de bien étonnant quand on a marqué la Brasileirão de son empreinte. Toutes les folies deviennent alors légitimes. Celle réalisée par Flamengo est ahurissante. Pour attirer dans ses filets le Ballon d’Or 2005, le club de Rio de Janeiro a cassé sa tirelire en lui proposant un contrat de 770 000 euros par mois ! Autant dire une fortune pour un club loin d’être reconnu pour son inépuisable richesse. A titre comparatif, Ronaldinho touche un peu moins que Messi, l’actuel meilleur joueur du monde et double détenteur du Ballon d’Or (environ 900 000 euros par mois).

Forcément, un tel salaire à trente ans passé, ça fait des envieux. Et les critiques n’ont pas tardé à fuser. Le roi Pelé ne s’est d’ailleurs pas fait prier pour commenter avec virulence le choix de son compatriote. « En réalité, Ronaldinho ne va pas jouer par professionnalisme ou pour l’équipe qu’il aime mais juste pour celle qui le paiera le plus », a-t-il déclaré dans une entrevue accordée à Globosporte. La polémique aurait pu s’arrêter à l’aspect économique. Après tout, Ronaldinho ne sera le dernier joueur à avoir eu un goût prononcé pour l’argent. Non, la véritable polémique se situe au niveau du choix du club. Courtisé par Grêmio, son club formateur, Ronnie, à la surprise générale, a refusé l’offre en signant à Flamengo, le club rival.

« S’il aimait vraiment Gremio, il y aurait joué gratuitement, poursuit Pelé. Je pense qu’il a assez d’argent pour vivre tranquillement le reste de ses jours et toute sa famille aussi. Ce n’est que mon opinion mais quand Santos a eu des problèmes économiques, j’ai renoncé à mon salaire pour aider le club et j’ai joué une saison entière gratuitement. » Une belle preuve d’amour devenue aujourd’hui irréalisable. Chez les supporters de Grêmio, la colère est perceptible. « Ronaldinho, que Dieu te pardonne parce que nous ne te pardonnerons pas », pouvait-on lire à son arrivée. L’intéressé, qui a mis un point d’honneur à passer sa première soirée en discothèque lundi à Florianopolis, a été pris à partie par son ancien public. Le retour au pays s’annonce tendu pour Ronnie « l’infidèle ».

http://www.football365.fr/etranger/reste-du-monde/article_486431_bresil-flamengo-Quand-Pele-charge-Ronaldinho….shtml

Brazil Petrobras: Gasoline Sales Hit Record In December

RIO JANUARY 12, 2011

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110112-707663.html

DE JANEIRO (Dow Jones)–Domestic gasoline sales in Brazil set a record in December as the country’s economic boom generated strong demand, state-run energy giant Petroleo Brasileiro (PBR, PETR4.BR), or Petrobras, said Wednesday.

Petrobras said that it sold an average of 399,000 barrels a day of gasoline, topping the previous record set in March. For 2010, gasoline sales increased 17.8% compared with 2009, the company added.

“The outlook for coming months points toward continued heated sales, a function of the larger fleet of light vehicles on record auto sales in 2010 and the inter-harvest period for sugar cane,” Petrobras said in a filing with stock regulators.

Higher sugar prices have caused ethanol prices to climb in recent months, making gasoline more attractive to drivers of Brazil’s flex-fuel fleet of cars and trucks.

Aviation fuel sales also set a record in December, thanks to greater numbers of Brazilians traveling via airplane, Petrobras said.

The company sold an average of 119,000 barrels of aviation fuel per day, a 4.9% increase from the previous record set in July. Aviation fuel sales were up 16.6% in 2010 compared with 2009, Petrobras said.

-By Jeff Fick, Dow Jones Newswires; 55-21-2586-6085; jeff.fick@dowjones.com

EN BREF, CE 12 janvier 2011… AGNEWS /DAM, NY,12/1/2011