Monday 1, April 2024 {HMC} The Uganda Consulate in partnership with the tourism stakeholders at the Kenyan coast will next month hold a four-day Ugandan culture and food festival as part of ongoing efforts to enhance tourism among the two East African neighbours.

The event, which will run from April 17 to April 20, seeks to expose the unique Ugandan products to a wider number of corporate Kenyans at the Coast, the youth and other regional and international tourists at the Kenya Coast.

The festival will have an array of events to be held at Diani Reef in Kwale, Ocean Beach in Malindi, Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi, and Fort Jesus in Mombasa.

A golf tournament will also be held at Vipingo Ridge, Kilifi County, as part of the festival. At least 1,800 Kenyan and Ugandan tourism and business communities are expected to attend the festival in Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa counties.

Speaking during the launch of the festival in Mombasa, Ambassador Paul Mukumbya, the Consul General in Mombasa, said the Uganda Festival will be about celebrating Ugandan culture, and bringing Ugandans to the Kenya coast.

“We are trying to use culture and golf to grow the tourism numbers between our two countries. Since as we know Uganda is already the number two source market for Kenya in terms of visitors, and Kenya is the number one source market for Uganda again in terms of visitors,” said Mukumbya.

He added, “This is something on which we are building to grow the numbers to encourage regional tourism so that we also stop that seasonality of relying so much on the international arrivals.”

For three years in a row, the Uganda consulate in Mombasa has been organizing the tourism and business events to bring Ugandans to tap into the available opportunities in Mombasa.

“This partnership is built on the concept of complementarity between Uganda and the Kenya Coast, whereas the Kenya Coast has the very beautiful beaches and the historical sites, and in Uganda, we have the mountain gorillas, the chimpanzees, the adventure tourism on River Nile, the Kampala nightlife, the cultural and religious tourism at the Uganda Martyrs Shrine,” he said.

Others present during the Uganda Festival launch were Mombasa County Trade and Tourism Executive Osman Mohammed, Kenya Coast Tourists Association Chairperson Victor Shitakha, and Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers coast executive Dr Sam Ikwaye.

Shitakha said the conversation with the Ugandan consulate began in 2022 and it has now grown into an annual event.

“We need to get our people and youth to get involved and see what culture is all about so that we can grow. This is what we’re looking for, numbers. The numbers coming into Kenya from Uganda grew from 137,000 to 200,000 after our two conferences,” said Shitakha.

He added, “The numbers going from Kenya to Uganda grew up to about 350,000. We are the number one supplier of tourists. So, we are doing good for them, and we want them to come to Kenya as well. And that’s why this is a fantastic opportunity for us to learn about these cultural activities so that we can attract a lot more of them into Kenya.”

SOURCE

By Haniel Mengistu

Monday 1, April 2024 {HMC} The Canadian government on Saturday, March 30 announced the deployment of soldiers to train troops from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ahead of the peacekeeping mission to Haiti.

In a statement from the National Defence, it was revealed that about 70 troops from Canada’s Armed Forces will be deployed to Jamaica where the training will be held.

“At the request of the Jamaican government, they will provide training to military personnel from Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations who are set to deploy to Haiti as part of the United Nations-authorized, Kenyan-led, Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission,” read part of the statement.

According to the National Defence, these troops will drawn from the 1st Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment from Valcartier, Quebec. This is a mechanised infantry battalion whose role is to generate and train versatile troops capable of operating in the full spectrum of operations.

This training is among Canada’s contributions to the Kenya-led mission in Haiti as the crisis escalates. Troops who will receive training from their Canadian counterparts will help boost the Haitian National Police (HNP).

In Operation HELIOS, the Canadian Armed Forces will provide training on core peacekeeping skills and combat first aid as well as carry out validation and integration exercises for the troops.

This training shall continue for an average of one month and the CAF will train approximately 330 CARICOM troops from Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas.

“Operation HELIOS also builds on Canada’s ongoing efforts to increase the capacity of CARICOM nations to participate in United Nations missions,” read part of the report.

The training shall also involve different topics such as the protection of civilians, conduct and discipline, and conflict-related sexual violence.

Speaking after the announcement, Mélanie Joly the Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasised that Canada was committed to supporting the Haitian people.

The Minister added that Canada was stepping up with the most important contributions to Haiti’s security to help restore peace.

“I’d like to thank members of the Canadian Armed Forces for their dedication and support towards a successful deployment of the MSS mission, a critical step in restoring security, law and order and democracy in Haiti. As we’ve said from the beginning, Canada believes in Haitian-led solutions to the political, security and humanitarian crises in Haiti,” Joly added.

She further explained that Canada would continue to engage other stakeholders and international partners to protect the people of Haiti and strengthen its security.

Earlier on, Canada announced an investment of Ksh8.2 billion (80.5 million) for the multinational security support mission.

SOURCE 

by MAUREEN NJERI

Monday 1, April 2024 {HMC} At least seven people were killed and thirty injured on Saturday in a car blast in a busy market place in the rebel held Syrian town Azaz near the Turkish border, residents and rescuers told Reuters.

They said the blast occurred during peak late night shopping after breaking of the fast during the Muslim month of Ramadan.

“It’s timing comes with heavy congestion by shoppers,” said Yaseen Shalabi who was near the site of the explosion shopping with his family.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The Arab-populated town run by Syrian rebel groups backed by Turkey opposed to Syrian President Bashar al Assad has been relatively quiet since it was hit by a car blast over two years ago.

Main towns in the northwestern border area have in recent years been frequently hit by bombings detonated in crowded civilian areas.

The civil defence forces said that at least thirty were wounded with some seriously injured transferred to local hospitals.

Residents and rebels in the mainly Arab-populated rebel-held northwest have long suspected the Kurdish led YPG who control large swathes of areas in northeast Syria and east of the Euphrates in northern Syria. Others blame groups loyal to Assad.

The YPG have long denied such claims.

Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Ahmed Tolba; Writing by Enas Alashray, Editing by Franklin Paul.

SOURCE 

Monday 1, April 2024 {HMC} Truce talks between Israel and Hamas are expected to resume in Cairo on Sunday, Egyptian media reported, days after the United Nations Security Council issued its first demand for a ceasefire in the war on Gaza.

The resumption of indirect negotiations, reported by Egypt’s Al Qahera News TV on Saturday, comes as more protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu erupted in Israel’s capital.

Many Israelis feel that Netanyahu is the main obstacle to signing a deal with Hamas and bringing the captives held in Gaza back home, Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut said.

“These people have been calling for a deal to bring back the captives for more than 175 days. They say that the policies of Israel’s government have simply failed,” Salhut said, reporting from a protest in Tel Aviv where thousands, including families of the captives, had gathered.

Demonstrations also took place near Netanyahu’s residence and in other cities across Israel.

Qatar, Egypt and the United States are trying to reach a captive swap deal and a ceasefire in Gaza, as the first pause lasted only a week in late November last year.

An Israeli official told the Reuters news agency that Israel would send a delegation to the Cairo talks on Sunday. A Hamas official however told Reuters the group would wait to hear from Cairo mediators on the outcome of their talks with Israel first.

Al Jazeera’s Salhut said a statement from Netanyahu’s office said he had authorised the Israeli negotiating team to meet with mediators in both Cairo and Doha, and had given them a mandate with which to negotiate.

“Mediators like the United States say they remain optimistic that a deal can be reached. But there are still heavy sticking points from both sides, and huge non-negotiables,” our correspondent said.

Hamas has sought to parlay any deal into an end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel, however, has ruled this out, saying that even if there is a long pause in the fighting, the war will not end until Hamas is defeated.

“While there are sticking points, mediators say that it is a positive sign that these talks are going to be ongoing,” Salhut said.

‘Immediate and permanent ceasefire’
Elsewhere on Saturday, the French, Egyptian and Jordanian foreign ministers called for an “immediate and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza and the release of all captives held by Palestinian armed groups.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Cairo, France’s top diplomat Stephane Sejourne said his government would put forward a draft resolution at the UN Security Council setting out a “political” settlement of the war.

He said the text would include “all the criteria for a two-state solution” of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the peace blueprint long championed by the international community but opposed by the Netanyahu government.

The three ministers renewed their governments’ support for the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, which has faced a funding crisis since Israel alleged that a few of its 13,000 Gaza staff were implicated in the October 7 attack.

“Israel is not only starving Palestinians, but wants to kill the only entity capable of standing in the way of a famine,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Gaza “can endure no more destruction and humanitarian suffering”, and called on Israel to open its land crossings with the Strip to allow humanitarian aid.

More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7. This followed a Hamas attack on southern Israel, in which 1,139 people were killed and over 200 taken captive – some of whom remain in Gaza.

This week, after nearly six months of war, the UN Security Council finally reached a consensus and passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

However, the fighting continues, with Israel still launching aerial and ground attacks across the strip and promising to launch a full invasion of the southernmost city of Rafah where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

Monday 1, April 2024 {HMC}  Mr. President,   Thank you to you and your team for the warm welcome.

I am very pleased to be here in Garowe. This is my fourth visit to Puntland since I started as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative.

I am very glad we had the opportunity to have an open and frank discussion. I congratulated President Deni on the appointment of his new cabinet, many of whom ministers we met this morning.

So, we broadly discussed two sets of issues.

The first is about the development program in Puntland, and I’ve seen the outline summary that the government has put together with the various pillars, which is very clear.

I reassured the president that he has the support and the full commitment of the UN family. I have George Conway with me today, who is my deputy who leads on development and humanitarian.

So, for example, we discussed the potential around fisheries that Puntland has with the longest coastline within Somalia. If Puntland can get to the point where it can meet international standards, fisheries could be a great export opportunity as well as of course a source of nutrition and livelihoods domestically for the population.

So, many opportunities, but also many challenges. One of the challenges we’ve discussed is the recent cholera outbreak, which is very serious here in Puntland and we, the UN, is scaling up our support to help the government tackle the cholera problem.

The second set of issues we discussed is of course around the ongoing amendments to the Constitution. The vote that took place in parliament yesterday and of course, I’ve seen the statement the government of Puntland has put out, and I clearly note their concerns on some substantive elements and also around the process.

But I was very pleased to hear from the president that he is committed to try and find a way through this to ensure that dialogue can continue with the federal government to ensure that there is an inclusive process and the whole country can come together to ensure that eventually the constitution at the federal level defines and ensures that the individual federal member states have their autonomy within that and can play their part.

So, thank you President Deni for being open to finding solutions to the current impasse. And we, the UN, through my good offices, we are here to help find a way through this.

The future of Somalia is at stake. The country, which has so much potential and can’t move forward without the full and inclusive participation of Puntland.

Thank you very much, Excellency.

Monday 1, April 2024 {HMC} The breakaway region of Somaliland has dissociated itself from the recent constitutional changes approved by the federal parliament of Somalia, insisting that it has never been part of the constitution that the Horn of Africa nation has been using.

Puntland rejected the constitutional changes and announced withdrawal from the federal system, arguing that the changes were pushed hurriedly without proper public participation. The northern state withdrew from the arrangements in which federalism is anchored.

Ali Hassan Mohamed, Somaliland’s minister for information, said the state will not be bothered by changes in Mogadishu, adding that the breakaway region has never used Somalia’s constitution. Legally and conventionally, Somaliland is a region in Somalia.

During an interview with Sahan TV, Ali Hassan Mohamed said that the people of Somaliland have never been part of Somalia’s Constitution. He added that the region is not interested in Mogadishu politics, which could degenerate into deep political divisions.

“Somalia is a state of our neighbours. The Constitution does not concern us. Even in 1960, when a constitution was voted on, we rejected it as it was just for them,” said Minister Ali Marehaan.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but no country has recognized its sovereignty in the decades since. The region signed an agreement with Ethiopia which if implemented, would see Addis Ababa recognise it as a sovereign country.

The new changes reduced the powers of the Prime Minister significantly besides dictating that the new president will be elected by the people. Currently, Somalia is using the traditional model where elders pick legislators who in return elect the president..

Further, the life span of federal autonomy was placed at 5 years, after which all state leaders will seek reelection. The government of Somalia insisted that the amendments were long overdue while acknowledging parliament for approval of the Bill.