{jcomments on} -.Kinshasa. Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) Adolphe Muzito has instructed the continental shelf steering committee to assemble all the available data for the final case to be lodged before the UN over oil dispute with Angola.




BURUNDI :

Burundi : ouverture du procès des présumés assassins d’Ernest Manirumva, militant anti-corruption

Publié par Voice of America le 19 janvier 2011 / Jeudi, 20 Janvier 2011 / Mercredi s’est ouvert à Bujumbura le procès pour le meurtre en avril 2009 d’Ernest Manirumva, ancien vice-président de l’Observatoire de Lutte contre la Corruption et les Malversations Economiques (OLUCOME). L’audience a été ajournée pour une question de procédure. Ce procès était très attendu. Les ambassadeurs des Etats-Unis et de la Belgique sont venus y assister, ce qui n’est pas une pratique courante. A noter qu’à la demande des autorités burundaises, le FBI, la police fédérale américaine a participé à l’enquête.

Burundi tea revenues drop 25 pct in December, FY rises

Fri Jan 21, 2011 / BUJUMBURA (Reuters) – Burundi’s tea export earnings fell by 25 percent in December from the same month in 2009, partly due to low volumes, the country’s state-run tea board said on Friday.

The tea board (OTB) said it collected $820,585 from the sale of 285 tonnes, down from $1.1 million from the export of 369 tonnes in December 2009.

“The tea sold in December was produced in November, and in November the harvest of tea leaves was not good due to a long drought,” said Remy Ndayininahaze, head of the export department at OTB.

“This is the main reason behind that fall in revenues.”

Total revenues for 2010 climbed to $17.9 million from 7,188 tonnes sold between January and December last year. The country earned $15.4 million in the same period in 2009, from the sale of 6,292 tonnes.

Land-locked Burundi sells 80 percent of its tea through a weekly regional auction held in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa.

Ndayininahaze said the average export price fell to $2.88 per kg in December from $2.99 per kg in the same period in 2009.

Tea is Burundi’s largest foreign exchange earner after coffee and employs some 300,000 smallholder farmers.

RWANDA

Roofings of Uganda Plans to Build Plant in Rwanda, Times Says

By David Malingha Doya – Jan 21, 2011 7/ Roofings Ltd., a Ugandan steel- products manufacturer, plans to build a plant in neighboring Rwanda, the New Times reported, citing Managing Director Sikander Lalani.

Rwanda mainly relies on imports for its steel supplies, the Kigali-based newspaper said. Roofings exports about $52 million worth of products annually, it said.

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

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

RDC : Le cas Nkunda embarrasse toujours le Rwanda

vendredi, 21 janvier 2011 / afrikarabia.com

Deux ans après son arrestation par le Rwanda, l’ex général rebelle congolais Laurent Nkunda attend toujours une quelconque décision de justice dans sa résidence surveillée de Gisenyi. Dans un article du site Daily Nation, le ministre rwandais de la Justice explique ces atermoiements par la complexité juridique, diplomatique et politique du dossier Nkunda. La République démocratique du Congo (RDC) réclame quant à elle son extradition vers Kinshasa afin de répondre de ses crimes pendant ses affrontements avec l’armée congolaise en 2008 et 2009. Pour l’heure, Laurent Nkunda embarrasse toujours Paul Kagame, son allié d’hier.

En plein été 2008, le général rebelle Laurent Nkunda lance une importante offensive contre l’armée régulière congolaise à l’Est de la RD Congo. Ses troupes sont à quelques kilomètres de Goma à la fin octobre et les autorités de Kinshasa commence à prendre peur. Nkunda renonce cependant à prendre la ville et déclare un cessez-le-feu unilatéral ainsi que l’ouverture de négociations avec le gouvernement de Joseph Kabila. En janvier 2009, coup de théâtre : le Rwanda voisin, l’allié de Laurent Nkunda, retourne sa veste et décide de sceller un accord avec la RDC de Kabila afin d’éviter le chaos à l’Est. Le 23 janvier 2009, l’inspecteur général de la police de la République démocratique du Congo annonce l’arrestation de Laurent Nkunda la veille au Rwanda ; le général déchu avait franchi la frontière alors qu’une opération conjointe des forces congolaises et rwandaises reprenaient le contrôle du territoire conquis par le CNDP de Nkunda.

Depuis lors, Nkunda attend toujours d’être jugé par son allié d’hier… en vain. Le général rebelle est en effet devenu très gênant pour Kinshasa comme pour Kigali et le status quo arrange tout le monde… sauf Nkunda qui réclame un procès.

En août 2010, après sa réélection, le président rwandais, Paul Kagame, a déclaré que si l’arrestation de l’ancien chef de guerre congolais a sonné la fin des combats en RDC, elle a depuis créé un autre problème pour le Rwanda. Et Paul Kagame de souhaiter régler rapidement le cas Nkunda. Au Rwanda, Laurent Nkunda doit être déféré devant un tribunal militaire… mais il attend encore, alors que la RDC a demandé son extradition vers Kinshasa pour être jugé de crimes de guerre et crimes contre l’humanité.

Selon le ministre rwandais de la justice, l’imbroglio judiciaire, vient du fait que Laurent Nkunda est un général congolais, arrêté sur le sol rwandais. Le ministre rappelle que “le Rwanda et la RDC sont deux états distincts, avec des lois distinctes. Mais nous sommes actuellement engagés avec la RDC dans un délai raisonnable pour régler cette question”.

Le ministre rwandais Karugarama et son homologue de RDC ont également recommandé la mise en place d’une équipe d’experts des deux pays qui devrait se réunir pour travailler sur la légalité du dossier et ainsi lever les obstacles juridiques en vue du transfert de Nkunda.

Christophe Rigaud / Plus d’infos sur www.afrikarabia.com

RDC –Congo

DR Congo to lodge case before UN over oil dispute Send to a friend

Thursday, 20 January 2011 / Kinshasa. Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) Adolphe Muzito has instructed the continental shelf steering committee to assemble all the available data for the final case to be lodged before the UN over oil dispute with Angola.

He gave the instructions when he chaired a meeting of the steering committee on the continental shelf held in Kinshasa this week. Congolese Foreign minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba, who is a member of the steering committee, told the press that the government still intends to negotiate with the Angolan government regarding this matter.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the president of the commission carrying out feasibility studies on the continental shelf, Kabuya Lumuna, pointed out that the commission’s pace of implementation of its mandate was being hampered by technical and budgetary constraints. (Xinhua)

UGANDA

Uganda leader says judge me on record, not tenure

(AFP) – 21/01/2011 / PRETORIA — Veteran Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said Friday during a state visit to South Africa that upcoming elections should see him judged on performance, rather than how long he has clinged to power.

Answering a question on whether he felt nervous about his position given the ousting of long-time Tunisian leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in a popular uprising, Museveni, who has been in power for 25 years, defended his record.

“I would not want you to confuse longevity with performance… social conditions in Tunisia are different to those in Uganda which are improving,” Museveni said at a joint press briefing with South Africa President Jacob Zuma.

“We have been in power for a long time. But we were in the struggle for a long time. I don’t see myself as being in power. I am in the struggle,” said Museveni, who is hoping to extend his rule when Uganda votes on February 18.

Museveni, a former guerrilla leader, seized control of Uganda when his rebel group captured power in 1986. He has since won three general elections.

Uganda will hold a presidential election on February 18.


Ouganda: des milices menacent de perturber les élections

(AFP) –21/01/2011 /// KAMPALA — Au moins neuf milices mises en place par des partis politiques ou des candidats menacent le bon déroulement des élections générales et présidentielle du 18 février en Ouganda, a averti mercredi le chef de la commission électorale.

“Certains partis politiques et candidats ont organisé des milices sous prétexte de surveiller le processus électoral”, a déclaré Badru Kiggundu lors d’une réunion d’information à la presse et au corps diplomatique.

“Les brigades suivantes et leurs dirigeants sont prévenus”, a-t-il ajouté, avant de nommer les neuf groupes désireux selon lui “de perturber le calme régnant sur la campagne électorale”.

M. Kiggundu n’a pas fait de commentaires sur les affiliations politiques de ces milices mais deux d’entre elles sont rattachées depuis plusieurs années dans des rapports indépendants au Mouvement de résistance nationale (NRM), le parti au pouvoir.

Les “Escadrons Kiboko” (bâtons), citées par M. Kiggundu, ont ainsi molesté le principal candidat de l’opposition Kizza Besigye lors d’un meeting à Kampala en juin dernier.

Les “Black Mambas”, également sur la liste de Kiggundu, avaient pris d’assaut en 2007 la Haute cour de Kampala et violenté un juge qui venait d’ordonner la remise en liberté de sept hommes accusés de trahison pour leur appartenance présumée à l’Armée de rédemption du peuple, un groupe rebelle accusé alors de soutenir M. Besigye.

Le chef de la police Kale Kayihura a pour sa part, lors de la même réunion, averti que la menace terroriste demeurait toujours élevée à l’approche de ces élections.

“Ces menaces terroristes sont directement liées à cette période” de fin de campagne électorale, a-t-il déclaré.

Un double attentat avait fait 76 morts à Kampala, le soir de la finale de la Coupe du monde de football le 11 juillet dernier, revendiqué par les islamistes radicaux somaliens shebab en représailles à l’implication majeure de l’armée ougandaise dans la force de l’Union africaine en Somalie (Amisom).

Par ailleurs, M. Kiggundu a annoncé mercredi que 13.954.129 électeurs étaient enregistrés sur les listes électorales. Les principaux leaders de l’opposition n’ont de cesse d’affirmer, scrutin après scrutin, que ces listes sont artificiellement gonflées en faveur du parti au pouvoir.

TANZANIA:

African Eagle raises £3,7m for Tanzania nickel project

By: Petronel Smit / 21st January 2011 / JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) − Aim- and AltX-listed African Eagle Resources on Friday announced that it raised £3,7-million by placing 23,8-million shares in the London market at 15,5p a share.

The company, which focuses on nickel projects in Tanzania, said that its offer was oversubscribed.

The placing represented about 5,83% of the issued ordinary share capital of the company, as enlarged by the placing. Following the placement, the total number of shares allotted and issued would be about 409,1-million.

The proceeds of the placing, together with the company’s current net cash of about £25-million, would be used to maintain the momentum of work on the prefeasibility study and bankable feasibility study for the Dutwa nickel/laterite project in Tanzania, and to fund the general working capital requirements of the group.

Chairperson Euan Worthington said that the company had been putting significant effort into explaining the Dutwa project to UK institutional investors.

“It recently became clear that there was strong demand for our shares, not only from existing shareholders, but also from other institutional investors. Although we budgeted our current cash to be sufficient to complete the prefeasibility study, we considered it prudent to have a reserve, in view of the weak pound and current inflationary trends,” he noted.

Marylebone Warwick Balfour Group and Anglo Pacific Group were two important shareholders which raised their stakes in the company significantly.

The expenses of the placing would be about £0,2-million. Dealings in the new shares were expected to start on January 26.

Meanwhile, Worthington said that the Dutwa project was progressing well and expected the prefeasibility study to be complete in the third quarter.

“Economic modelling in late 2010, indicated a pretax project net present value of $650-million at a nickel price of $8/lb, with an estimated average cash cost of $3,37/lb nickel,” he explained.

The model was based on a throughput of three-million tons a year for 26 years with processing by atmospheric tank leaching to a mixed hydroxide intermediate product, requiring an estimated initial capital expenditure of $600-million and yielding life-of-mine earnings of $8,2-billion at $8/lb nickel.

Mineral resources were currently 98,6-million tons grading 0,93% nickel and 0,02% cobalt, of which 46,2-million tons were indicated and the remainder inferred.

The company believes that further drilling would increase the total resource by up to ten-million tons.

Worthington also reported a bright future at Zanzui, 50 km to the south, where the company was evaluating another significant nickel/laterite resource, and at Nyawa, 15 km west of Dutwa.

African Eagle currently held a 90% interest in the eastern Wamangola deposit, which hosted about 60% of the total resource, with an option to acquire 100%.

The company also signed a joint venture (JV) with the Safina Group of the Czech Republic, under which African Eagle would earn an interest of between 50% and 75% in the western Ngasamo deposit by conducting and funding evaluation work.

Upon completion of the feasibility study, the two companies’ JV interests would be converted into equity in the combined project. African Eagle estimated that it would then hold about 76% of the equity. / Edited by: Mariaan Webb

KENYA :

Kenyan Bank Earnings to Rise 30% in 2010 on Margins, African Alliance Says

By Eric Ombok – Jan 21, / Kenya’s banks are poised to increase earnings by an average of 30 percent this year as interest margins widen, African Alliance Securities Kenya Ltd. said.

“The difference in what they earn from loans and what they pay out on deposits” will grow, Francis Mwangi, an analyst at Nairobi-based African Alliance, said in a telephone interview yesterday. The brokerage’s forecast applies to the nation’s five biggest lenders by market value. Nine of Kenya’s banks trade on the Nairobi Stock Exchange.

Kenya Commercial Bank Ltd. is the brokerage’s top pick, Mwangi said. The East African nation’s biggest lender by assets has a 2011 price estimate of 31.36 shillings and a “buy” rating. The stock closed at 23.75 shillings at 3 p.m. in Nairobi.

The nation’s economy grew more than 5 percent in 2010 and will probably expand even faster in 2011, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said on Dec. 31. Kenyan banks’ assets grew 25 percent to 1.6 trillion shillings ($20 billion) in the 12 months through August, central bank Governor Njunguna Ndung’u said Oct. 19.

Deposits held by the country’s 43 lenders increased by 22 percent to 1.2 trillion shillings and pretax profit jumped 53 percent to 47.6 billion shillings, Ndung’u said.

Monetary policy makers left the key lending rate unchanged at 6 percent for the second consecutive meeting on Nov. 25, following six cuts totaling 2.5 percentage points since March 2009 aimed at persuading commercial lenders to lower the cost of credit and spur growth.

Equity Bank Ltd., Kenya’s biggest lender by customers and market value, is rated “accumulate” with a price estimate of 37.15 shillings. Barclays Bank of Kenya Ltd., the second-largest lender by market value had a “reduce” recommendation with a price estimate of 63.91 shillings.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Ombok in Nairobi at eombok@bloomberg.net.

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

AFRICA / AU :

East African Community Proposes to Build Natural Gas Pipeline

Jan. 21 (Bloomberg) — The East African Community said it’s discussing the possibility of building a pipeline to carry Tanzania’s natural gas to other members of the bloc.

The proposal would send the fuel north from Tanzania’s commercial hub of Dar es Salaam to Kenya’s port city of Mombasa, the EAC, based in Arusha in northern Tanzania, said in an e- mailed statement yesterday. The group’s other members are Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

COWI A/S, a Danish engineering consultant, in July began studying the cost and environmental impact of the proposed pipeline with a $561,700 grant from the Tunis-based African Development Bank, the statement said.

Recent discoveries of natural gas off the coast of Tanzania have taken the country’s total reserves to 7.5 trillion cubic feet, sufficient to allow exports to the region, according to the statement. It didn’t provide more details.

Gas was found at two sites off Tanzania in a drilling program led by Ophir Energy Plc., a U.K.-based oil and gas explorer, in October, Halfani R. Halfani, director of exploration at Tanzania Petroleum Development Corp., said on Dec. 6. The company was due to start drilling a third deep-water well off Tanzania in December in partnership with BG Group Plc.

There are two gas deposits in commercial production in Tanzania. Songo Songo holds 1.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, while the Mnazi Bay field, near the border with Mozambique, has 2 trillion cubic feet, Halfani said.

Tanzanian waters have seen increased oil and gas exploration over the last several years. The Songo Songo West field may contain about 500 billion cubic feet, Peter Clutterbuck, deputy chairman of Orca Exploration Group Inc., said on Nov. 5. Aminex Plc, an Irish oil and natural-gas explorer, said in July 2008 that its Kiliwani-North gas discovery in Tanzania was commercially viable.

Halfani wasn’t reachable for comment in five calls to his mobile phone today.

–Editors: Ben Holland, Heather Langan.

UN /ONU :

UN: Ivory Coast Death Toll Up to 260

VOA News 20 January 2011 / Ouattara Says Force May Be Needed to Remove Incumbent Ivorian Government

The United Nations says at least 260 people have been killed in Ivory Coast since the start of a power struggle between two rivals who both claim to be president.

The local U.N. human rights chief, Simon Munzu, said Thursday the violence has also become more widespread since the crisis began about two months ago.

Munzu said at least 23 women have been raped during the last week in the western region, far from the southeastern city of Abidjan, where the political showdown has led to deadly clashes.

Incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo is defying international calls to cede power to opponent Alassane Ouattara. Most countries recognize Mr. Ouattara as the winner of November’s presidential poll.

On Wednesday, the incumbent president accused the African Union’s mediator, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, of siding with Mr. Ouattara. Mr. Gbagbo said he would no longer work with the prime minister on resolving the impasse.

Mr. Odinga has warned that time is running out to resolve the matter peacefully. The West African bloc ECOWAS has threatened to remove Mr. Gbagbo by force if he does not give up power.

Also on Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council agreed to boost its peacekeeping force in Ivory Coast by 2,000 troops, raising the total number to 12,000.

Mr. Gbagbo has demanded that all U.N. peacekeepers leave the country. Last week, pro-Gbagbo mobs attacked and burned several U.N. vehicles.

U.N. peacekeepers are protecting Mr. Ouattara who is living inside the Abidjan hotel that is serving as his headquarters. Pro-Gbagbo security forces have maintained a blockade around the hotel for more than a month.

USA :

La presse chinoise salue le “coup de maître” de Hu aux USA

Le président chinois Hu Jintao entouré par son homologue américain Barack Obama et sa femme Michelle, mercredi lors du dîner donné en son honneur à la Maison blanche. Un “coup de maître historique”: ainsi la presse chinoise juge-t-elle vendredi la visite du président chinois Hu Jintao aux Etats-Unis, sans s’étendre sur les thèmes délicats des droits de l’homme et du cours du yuan. /Photo prise le 19 janvier 2011/REUTERS/Jim Young (c) Reuters

par Ben Blanchard

PEKIN (Reuters) – Un “coup de maître historique”. Ainsi la presse chinoise juge-t-elle vendredi la visite du président chinois Hu Jintao aux Etats-Unis, sans s’étendre sur les thèmes délicats des droits de l’homme et du cours du yuan.

Les chaines d’information, soucieuses de présenter leurs leaders comme des gouvernants respectés et appréciés sur la scène internationale, ont en revanche largement diffusé les images de sa réception en grande pompe à la Maison blanche et du dîner donné en son honneur.

D’ordinaire peu amène à l’égard des Etats-Unis, le tabloïd Global Times lui-même parle d’une “importante contribution à la paix internationale”.

“Le monde entier doit applaudir la visite de Hu Jintao aux Etats-Unis et l’extraordinaire clairvoyance des dirigeants chinois et américains. L’attitude de la Chine et des Etats-Unis a permis de dissiper de nombreuses inquiétudes pour la région Asie-Pacifique”, se félicite son éditorialiste.

“Les relations diplomatiques sino-américaines, nouées en 1979, ont connu des hauts et des bas. Le dernier sommet Hu-Obama a été consacré à la prévoyance stratégique, à la sagesse politique et à la responsabilité globale des dirigeants des deux grands pays”, conclut quant à elle l’agence de presse Chine nouvelle, sous le titre: “Coup de maître historique de la diplomatie sino-américaine d’une portée mondiale”.

Les relations entre les deux superpuissances avaient pourtant connu un coup de froid en 2010, notamment en raison de ventes d’armes américaines à Taiwan, de la rencontre entre Barack Obama et le dalaï-lama et de contentieux liés à la souveraineté d’iles de mer de Chine méridionale.

DIEU DE LA PROSPÉRITÉ

Pékin et Washington se sont en outre affrontés sur les questions récurrentes du respect des droits de l’homme, du cours du yuan, du déséquilibre des échanges commerciaux et de la liberté d’expression, en particulier sur internet. Les dossiers iranien et nord-coréen, que les Etats-Unis souhaitaient voir traités avec davantage de fermeté, ont également donné lieu à des divergences.

Si de nombreux journaux chinois évoquent l’ouverture d’un nouveau chapitre dans les relations bilatérales, tous passent sous silence les réponses maladroites du président Hu sur le thème des droits de l’homme et rares sont ceux qui évoquent celui de la devise chinoise.

Hu Jintao s’est lui-même montré discret sur ce sujet, qui reste pourtant l’une des principales préoccupations des parlementaires américains, soucieux de combler un déficit commercial de 270 milliards de dollars.

Dans son édition internationale, le Quotidien du peuple, organe du Parti communiste, leur renvoie l’ascenseur en évoquant la responsabilité monétaire des Etats-Unis à l’égard de la Pékin, leur premier créancier.

Les bloggeurs chinois se montrent, eux, beaucoup moins admiratifs des prouesses diplomatiques de leur président. L’un se demande ainsi qui va régler le montant de ses commandes à l’industrie américaine. Un autre reproche à Barack Obama de l’avoir accueilli en véritable “dieu de la prospérité”.

Existe-t-il un tel dieu “dont la famille soit si pauvre et l’indice des prix à la consommation si élevé?”, s’interroge-t-il.

Jean-Philippe Lefief pour le service français

http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/actualite/monde/20110121.REU9902/la-presse-chinoise-salue-le-coup-de-maitre-de-hu-aux-usa.html

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BRASIL:

Brazil Aid After Rio Landslides Tops BRL1.5 Bln As Death Toll Grows

JANUARY 21, 2011 / RIO DE JANEIRO (Dow Jones)–Brazilian government aid to victims of recent mudslides and floods in Rio de Janeiro state rose to about BRL1.57 billion ($940 million) Friday as the death toll looked set to top 1,000 and local authorities discussed installation of disaster alert systems.

State-owned BNDES development bank Friday made available 400 million Brazilian reais in credit lines for emergency reconstruction work to companies located in the mountain resorts of Nova Friburgo, Teresopolis, Petropolis, Sumidouro and Sao Jose do Vale do Rio Preto which were partially destroyed after torrential rains caused landslides last week. This adds to BRL1.18 billion already made available by Brazil’s federal government to the victims of the mudslides in the mountain areas.

The BRL400 million credit being made available may be increased if there is sufficient demand, BNDES president Luciano Coutinho told reporters in Rio de Janeiro. The funds may be used by companies for construction work as well as for machinery and equipment, and to reorganize local operations. Loans granted under the scheme are repayable over 120 months, with a 24-month grace period, the bank said.

BNDES bank will also allow companies in the towns affected to refinance loan payments outstanding since the state of calamity was announced in the region following the Jan. 12 disaster. Loans worth BRL50 million are likely to be refinanced, Coutinho said. The loans may be financed over 48 months, with a 12 months’ grace period.

As well as being an important center for tourism, having attracted some 2 million tourists in 2010, Rio de Janeiro’s mountain region produces textiles, with garments sales last year of around BRL1 billion, Brazil’s National Integration Minister Fernando Bezerra said Friday. The area is also famous for small-scale agriculture, typically supplying 90% of the green vegetables consumed in Rio de Janeiro state.

The death toll from the mudslides and floods rose Friday afternoon to 772, according to the Rio de Janeiro state’s health secretariat. Approximately 400 people are still missing, many presumed dead, which could push the final death toll well over 1,000.

The state also estimated Friday that 13,850 people are either homeless or unable to return to their homes located in areas at risk of further landslides or floods. As many of the homeless are being accommodated in local schools, the start of the school year, originally programmed for Feb. 7. has been indefinitely postponed.

Three field hospitals are being operated in the region by the armed forces, which have helped restore electricity and water services to the local populations.

Discussion has centered in recent days on how the tragedy in the mountain resort area could have been lessened had local authorities passed on meteorologists’ warnings on the approach of heavier-than-expected rain. A regional climatic alert system set up in 2005 in the exact area of the disaster was deactivated last year due to lack of available funds.

The city of Rio de Janeiro’s Friday started to install an alert system that will be used to warn of the approach of heavy rains. Sirens are being installed in risk areas including shanty towns to advise local inhabitants of the importance of vacating areas that could be affected by downpours.

About five million Brazilians live in 500 areas deemed at risk for landslides and 300 areas at risk for flooding, Science and Technology Minister Aloizio Mercadante said earlier this week.

-By Diana Kinch, Dow Jones Newswires; 55 21 2586 6086; diana.kinch@dowjones.com

EN BREF, CE 21 janvier 2011… AGNEWS /DAM, NY,21/1/2011

News Reporter