[wanabidii] World Bank Grant to Mobilize Kenya’s Diaspora for Development...False or Fiction ???

Folks,   Could these be the signs of Mitt Romney's Foreign Policy to Africa......???   Kenya is lost and is truly headed the wrong way with Vision 2030 of the Emerging MarketPlace Headquartered at Boston in Massachusetts........ Holding Uhuru's interest connection at heart selling Equity, Lake Victoria & Migingo Business Empire Plus Plus, killing and taking everything from Lamu, Tana River, Mombasa to Lake Victoria. Things are in shambles. The two Principles in the Coalition Government, Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila, having promoted Uhuru to the peek to have his way without borders, to acquire all these Public Lands, control Finances and Security with facility and utilities empire of Public Wealth and Resources falsely, why are they crying foul….???   Is this Falsehood Drama or Fiction meant for us to enjoy and sing to the tune of lullaby........???.......Where are the Regulatory Policies put in place to Protect Public Mandate Interests, Wealth and Resources.....???.....Why is there evasion from settling Financial Policy regulators established in the Constitutional Policy, why is there no Policy Constitutional enactment, why is there no Land Constitutional Policy settlement and regulatory policy establishment, why is there no County Constitutional Legislative Policy enactment to formalize security and Protection Acts for the People not to lose their Public Wealth and Resources to unscrupulous Corporate Special Interest Business connections in the International world region.......???   Who is fooling who People.......??? Africa wake up.......??? Things are not going to the Right Direction........? It is time that Legal Action is taken rightly and conclusively……..People's lives cannot be used like a playing card or animals for guinea-pig put in a gamble.....It is time to demand why the World Bank with other Foreign Institutions did what they did to polarize and steal from Africa crudely, mercilessly and shamelessly without consideration to Human Rights Abuse, violation or criminality and cruelty to life. Without consideration to Environmental pollution or even caring to protect the Nature from destruction and extinction.......This the players must be answerable and pay for all these consequences.......   There are possibilities of the same why Mitt Romney and Team are pushing for wars from their approach to Foreign Policies against what President Obama believes where Peace and Unity for Mutual common good of all is his number one priority; so the world can be united under peace and thereby nurture happiness.......   Good Democratic Principles for fairness in shared Mutual interest common to all is what President Obama stands for in the Foreign Policy. It is because he knows that, where there is good Mutual understanding and cooperation with acceptable policy regulatory understanding, peace and unity abounds......   We are fighting for Justice, Dignity, Value and Virtue to be enjoyed by all in an available opportunity where business activities are put in checks and balances in order there can be Transparency and Accountability.......and where All those who engage in both Local or International business, play by the same RULES, without discrimination or biasness.......   The 1% of the Rich and Powerful, are the ones who put Economic Crisis, careless killings, pushed those unfortunate disadvantaged into extreme poverty and as a result, there is too much Pain and Sufferings ..... yet, Africa is the only available source of life and nature supply to all humanity in the world.......This is criminology of the highest order…….   Things must be done differently so we can earn happiness where the commandment of love helps us all to shape our destiny..... Judy Miriga Diaspora Spokesperson Executive Director Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc., USA http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com         Watch This .........     Greg Palast: "Mitt Romney's Bailout Bonanza: How He Made Millions From The Rescue of Detroit" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwG_sBQU7OQ Published on Oct 18, 2012 by democracynow DemocracyNow.org - We turn now to a major new exposé on the cover of The Nation magazine called, "Mitt Romney's Bailout Bonanza: How He Made Millions From The Rescue of Detroit." Investigative reporter Greg Palast reveals how Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney made some $15 million on the auto bailout and that three of Romney's top donors made more than $4 billion for their hedge funds from the bailout. Palast's report is part of a film-in-progress called, "Romney's Bailout Bonanza." Palast is the author of several books, including recently released New York Times best seller, "Billionaires & Ballot Bandits: How to Steal An Election in 9 Easy Steps." To watch the entire weekday independent news hour, read the transcript, download the podcast, search our vast archive, or to find more information about Democracy Now! and Amy Goodman, visit http://www.democracynow.org.       "Mitt Romney's Bailout Bonanza: How He Made Millions from the Rescue of Detroit" (1 of 2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlAMwWziSXU Published on Oct 18, 2012 by alowlyapprentice The Nation magazine called "Mitt Romney's Bailout Bonanza: How He Made Millions from the Rescue of Detroit." Investigative reporter Greg Palast reveals how Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney made some $15 million on the auto bailout and that three of Romney's top donors made more than $4 billion for their hedge funds from the bailout. Palast's report is part of a film-in-progress called "Romney's Bailout Bonanza." Palast is the author of several books, including recently released New York Times bestseller, "Billionaires & Ballot Bandits: How to Steal an Election in 9 Easy Steps." http://www.thenation.com/article/170644/mitt-romneys-bailout-bonanza         IDF Grants The Africa Union | Ethiopia | Kenya | Mali | Sierra Leone | Uganda World Bank Grant to Mobilize Kenya's Diaspora for Development STORY HIGHLIGHTS A recent IDF grant aims to advance the develop Kenya's Diaspora Engagement Strategic Policy Framework and its Action Plan The Kenyan government plans to engage in consultations to make sure the strategy is relevant and realistic Through the pioneering strategy, the estimated 2.5 million Kenyans in the Diaspora will be able to contribute to the country's economy     WASHINGTON, April 19, 2011 – The Kenyan government's International Jobs and Diaspora Directorate received a boost on April 6 with the approval of a World Bank-administered Institutional Development Fund Grant (IDF) of US$500,000 to support the engagement of the Kenyan Diaspora in development. This IDF grant will advance work already underway to develop Kenya's Diaspora Engagement Strategic Policy Framework and its associated Action Plan. It will also assist the Directorate with development of its communications, outreach, and information gathering capacity. Under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Diaspora Directorate was established in 2007, with a view to formally integrating the Kenyan Diaspora in national development, as outlined in Kenya's "Vision 2030." "The estimated 2.5 million Kenyans in the Diaspora may be far from home, but the Kenyan government recognizes their valuable contributions to Kenya's economic development and encourages their full participation in its economy," said Mr. Maurice O. A. Okoth, Kenya's Director for Diaspora Affairs. Preparation of Kenya's pioneering strategy and action plan for Diaspora engagement is already underway. However, to ensure the strategy is both relevant and realistic, the government plans to engage in a series of consultations with Kenyans in the Diaspora. The IDF grant will support workshops, conferences and outreach efforts designed to elicit meaningful contributions from Kenyans in the global Diaspora, according to Mr. Okoth. It will also assist the Directorate in increasing its reach to an additional 250,000 Kenyans in the Diaspora through development of a Diaspora database and web portal, enhancement of its virtual communications capacity, and specialized training for the diplomatic corps. Kenya's Diaspora initiative is important because of its large and established global Diaspora and its potential to contribute to the realization of goals embodied in the country's development strategy, according to Richard Cambridge, Diaspora Advisor in the World Bank's Africa Region. "Engaging the Diaspora could fast-track development goals outlined in 'Vision 2030'' by enhancing economic opportunities for growth and wealth creation," said World Bank Country Director for Kenya Mr. Johannes Zutt. "The National Economic Blue print, the 'Vision 2030', in recognition of the impact the Diaspora can create," said Kenya's Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Richard Onyonka, "has placed it as one of the flagship projects under the financial sector." The Africa Union Commission (AUC): IDF Grant for Strengthening the Africa Union Commission's Diaspora Program in North America - P110750     Background African Diasporas in North America represent some of the most highly educated, skilled and resourceful communities of Africans anywhere in the world. Remittances from African immigrants in the U.S. constitute significant percentages of the GDP of several countries e.g., Nigerians and Ghanaians in the U.S. are among those who remitted more than US$1 billion to their home countries in 2006. African Diaspora populations are also influential e.g., in the U.S., African Americans constitute about 13% of the population, and this constituency champions Africa's development through advocacy for appropriate U.S. Government policies and priorities on Africa. On July 14, 2008, AUC and the World Bank signed an agreement for an IDF grant for $487,900 for "Strengthening the African Diaspora Program of the African Union Commission." The Objectives and Activities of the IDF Grant The grant is part of Bank's support in enhancing capacity of AUC, specifically the AU's Representational Mission to the United States of America to carry out its core functions of developing and maintaining productive institutional relationships with the African Diaspora in the Americas. The main activities being supported are: Development of a reliable database of African Diaspora networks and individuals, their resource potentials, products and services Facilitating deployment of Diaspora professional networks, especially in the health and education sectors: e.g., the AU mission launched the Diaspora Health Initiative on September 26, 2008. African Diaspora professional networks are being nurtured in education, finance, business and procurement, governance, infrastructure (energy, water & sanitation), information technologies, agriculture, community and rural development, based on Diaspora participant data during the World Bank-African Union Open House for the Diaspora held at the World Bank Headquarters in November 2007. Establishing the AU Mission as a Policy Center on African Diaspora Mobilization: The Mission will improve coordination with the African Diaspora in the Americas for their inputs and participation in the frameworks and activities of international, bilateral and multilateral institutions on Africa. Helping to identify good practices in the Americas on leveraging remittances e.g., Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and its work with Latin American economies and their Diasporas, which could assist African Governments develop policies for banking reforms and value-added services to recipients and senders of remittances, issuance of Diaspora bonds (see separate note), and securitization of future remittances. Organizing African Diaspora Business Roundtables in the Americas, primarily in the U.S., on investment opportunities in Africa, and how the Diaspora could help investors identify these opportunities and constitute part of the elite human resources in firms that want to do business in Africa, and thus address the skills gaps often experienced by Diaspora investors. The Africa Union Commission (AUC): IDF Grant for Strengthening the AUC's Global Diaspora Program     Background In 2009, the AUC requested World Bank support of its global Diaspora program in the following areas: a. Completing the regional consultative process to include Middle-East, Australia and Asia, working in close coordination and cooperation with the AU Member states; b. Creating a consolidated Africa skills database, inclusive of new and existing Africa and Diaspora skills databases; c. Working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for the Migration for Development in Africa program; d. Mobilizing skills and resources of the Diaspora to enhance the institutional capacities of national and regional institutions; e. Supporting the role of the AUC as the focal point and coordination hub of all Diaspora initiatives on the Continent; and f. To this end, Diaspora issues should be a standing item on the programs and agenda of AUC Summits, and the AUC's Directorate tasked with Diaspora matters, be strengthened and capacitated in financial and human resource terms.     The IDF Grant     In August 2010, the Region's Institutional Development Fund (IDF) Committee (RIC) approved in principal the Grant for $990,000. The Objectives and Activities of the IDF Grant: The main objective of the Grant is strengthening the capacity of African Union's Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) in order for it to implement selected high priority activities of its larger global Diaspora Program. The main components and activities to be supported are: Component 1: Strengthening implementation capacity of staff in CIDO to implement its global Diaspora program, specifically by supporting the regional coordination liaison function located in the AUC representational missions in different parts of the World. Component 2: Implementing the high priority activities of the AUC's global Diaspora to include: Developing a legal framework for Diaspora participation in the AU; Preparing the African Heads of State Summit on the Diaspora including a draft Plan of Action Creating and consolidating the Regional Diaspora networks through Regional Consultative Conferences in USA, Caribbean, and South America; in Europe; the Middle East and the Gulf; and in Australia and Oceania; Strengthening AU's outreach and communication capacity to African Diaspora and African Member states; and Launching a pilot project to establish the AUC's Diaspora Volunteers Program with specific focus on volunteer medical doctors and nurses.       ETHIOPIA: IDF Grant for Strengthening Capacity to Mobilize and Engage the Diaspora     Background and Objectives   The Ethiopian Expatriate Affairs (EEA) Directorate General, a department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is the focal institution tasked by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) with mobilizing and engaging the Ethiopian Diaspora. Its major achievements, among many, include actively working with the GoE to establish a legal status for the Ethiopian Diaspora. Consequently, Ethiopian Diasporas who hold non-Ethiopian nationalities have been entitled to an "Ethiopian Origin ID Card" that grants them all the rights and privileges of an Ethiopian national. This act alone has been by far the most important incentive enabling Ethiopians in the Diaspora to increasingly engage with their home country through various activities, most notably through investment and knowledge transfer. The EEA Directorate General has achieved these results with meager financial resources and limited institutional capacity. Moreover, its initiatives and activities have been guided more by its business mandate and less by a comprehensive policy framework for engaging the Diaspora, as the latter does not yet exist. Notwithstanding these limitations, and in fact to overcome them, the EEA has outlined a number of goals that it would like to pursue: (i) mobilize the Ethiopian Diaspora for the formulation of a national policy framework for Diaspora engagement; and (ii) acquire a state of the art live database that will enable systematic collection and cataloguing of information on the Ethiopian Diaspora.     Activities of the IDF Grant   Component 1: Develop capacity for participatory policy formulation The EEA Directorate General has been working on a draft Diaspora Engagement Policy Framework that will guide all future government engagement with the Diaspora based on identified national development needs and priorities. The EEA Directorate General would like to create an opportunity for the Ethiopian Diaspora community to actively participate in refining the draft Framework. It would like to create a platform – initially physical and eventually virtual – that will enable the large Ethiopian Diaspora community spread around the globe to provide substantive views and inputs. By undertaking a participatory approach to the formulation of the Framework, the EEA hopes to instill in the GoE and the Diaspora community a sense of ownership to the process so that both stakeholders will have equal stake in the success of its implementation     Component 2: Develop capacity for acquiring and maintaining a database that collects and catalogues information on the Ethiopian Diaspora   Despite several years of engagement with the Ethiopian Diaspora, there has been to date no systematic gathering and cataloguing of personal and professional information on the Diaspora. The EEA recognizes that the Ethiopian Diaspora community is diverse and is keen to tailor its initiatives to target varied groups differently and would like to build the technological capacity that will enable it to differentiate the Diaspora community by different categories and characteristics.         Kenya: IDF Grant for Strengthening Capacity for Diaspora Engagement with Specific Focus on Building Capacity of Diaspora Affairs Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - P121227     Background The Government of Kenya (GoK) has recognized that Kenyans in the Diaspora can contribute to economic development through the injection of their knowledge, ideas, and resources for projects and programs. Best practices gained by the Diaspora who work in and/or do business in developed economies, can be applied to fast-track government goals as articulated in the Kenya economic blueprints such as the "Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation" and "Vision 2030". In 2007, GoK in recognition of the significant contribution of Kenyans living abroad to its national development established the Diaspora Affairs Directorate i.e. International Jobs and Diaspora Office (Directorate), in the MoFA to specifically deal with Diaspora matters. MoFA plans to create opportunities for the Diaspora community to actively participate in refining the draft Diaspora Engagement Strategic Policy Framework (DESPF). By undertaking a participatory approach to the formulation of the Framework, the MoFA hopes to instill in the Diaspora community, a sense of ownership in the process so that it will have an equal stake in the success of implementation. The Ministry has entrenched Diaspora Diplomacy as one of its key objectives as outlined in its Strategic Plan for the 2008- 2012 period.     The Directorate has the mandate to design and implement strategies that would integrate the Kenyan Diaspora into national development as outlined in "Vision 2030". The Directorate has been assigned to work on a draft DESPF that will guide all future government engagement with the Diaspora based on identified national development needs and priorities. More specifically, the Directorate has been tasked to: (a) mobilize the Diaspora to participate in the formulation of a Diaspora engagement policy; (b) establish a database that will enable systematic collection and cataloguing of information on the Diaspora; (c) undertake programs for the Diaspora to engage in development activities; (d) support organized Diaspora associations to carry out some of these development activities in a coordinated manner; and (e) work closely with Kenya's Foreign Missions to identify and facilitate professionals to return (real or virtual) to contribute to national development. The IDF grant will develop the communications, outreach, and information gathering capacity of the Directorate office.     The Objectives and Activities of the IDF Grant   The main objective of the IDF Grant is to enhance the capacity of Directorate in MoFA to mobilize the Kenyan Diaspora for development. Emphasis will be given to mainstreaming the Diaspora into national development as outlined in the Kenyan Economic blueprint: "Vision 2030". Enhancing the capacity of the Directorate would lead to the development of a national Diaspora Engagement Strategic Policy Framework and Plan of Action; and would strengthen the GoK's communications with, outreach to, and information gathering from its Diaspora.   Component 1: Develop the Kenya's Diaspora Engagement Strategic Policy Framework and Plan of Action of Action   This component will strengthen capacity of staff in the Directorate to develop the strategic framework, plan of action and benchmarks to engage Kenyan Diaspora for development. Activities include to provide support to: Outreach workshops to the Kenyan Diaspora Networks and Hometown Associations in the United Kingdom and Europe, and in the United States. Outreach for participation of the Kenyan Diaspora at the Bi-annual conference of Kenyan Ambassadors and High Commissioners. Outreach Kenya Diaspora through engagement with Kenyan Think Tanks for preparation of policy notes on Kenyan Remittance flows and leveraging investments for development investment climate and constraints. Component 2: Develop the Communications, outreach, and information gathering capacity of the Directorate office The component will finance short term consultant assignments to strengthen staff capacity in the Directorate. Activities include to: Develop a web portal for exchanging experiences, and global communication strategies Learn best practices experiences of Diaspora engagement through study tours in Asia and Africa as well as utilization of the Global Distance Learning Network (GDLN) Improve the virtual technology of the Directorate to engage with the Kenyan Diaspora Develop a training module which includes training curriculum and training manual at the Foreign Service Institute in MOFA on the role of Diaspora in Kenya's economic and social development.     MALI: IDF Grant for Strengthening the Transfer of Knowledge through the Expatriate National Program (TOKTEN) Mali has a strong migrant population. It is estimated that over 4,000,000 Malians live abroad (Diaspora), out of which 3.5 million live on the African continent. To make sure that the needs of this heavily migrant population are meet, the Government of Mali created in 1991, a Ministry in charge of Diaspora affairs and a secretariat, "Le Haut Conseil des Maliens de l'Extérieur" (HCME) through which Malians abroad make their voice heard. Mali Diaspora policy is designed to encourage continued contacts with, and investment in the homeland by Malians living outside of the country. In key development areas, namely higher education, there is a lack of highly qualified professionals with enough expertise in scientific and technological areas. In addition, a significant number of high-level professionals become Diaspora every year by moving abroad permanently and exacerbating the brain-drain phenomena. In order to address the issue of brain drain and the consequences of large unplanned return of immigrants, the Government has adopted the Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) approach. The Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals Program (TOKTEN) was first propose by UNDP in 1977 and has been operational in 50 countries in Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. The program presents an opportunity for developing countries to take advantage of the expertise of their Diaspora. Through the program, Diaspora professionals can voluntarily return to their home country for short periods, through consultancies, and give their expertise to improve development. In 2007 as the Malian Government and the World Bank were developing their country assistance strategy, it was proposed that an increased in technical support was necessary to enhance capacity to produce measurable results. To this end, the policy of engaging Diaspora in the country would be supported through an institutional development fund (IDF) grant. In addition to several ongoing capacity building initiatives in monitoring and evaluation and reinforcing audit institutions, the Mali-IDF will support capacity development through a specific program for "brain-gain" through the increased engagement of Malian Diaspora professionals in the university and attendant institutions. Therefore, the Mali-IDF's objective is to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Malians Living Abroad to expand the university teaching aspects of the Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals or Diaspora (TOKTEN) program. The IDF grant was approved on July 13th 2010 and will commence implementation by December 2010. The Malian Diaspora will be enlisted to support curriculum development and distance learning opportunities at the university level. The two components of the IDF grant are: Coordination of Malian Diaspora for university teaching which comprises the following activities: Review of existing teaching curriculum to incorporate distance learning modules and e-courses by Malian visiting professors. The Ministry in Charge of Malians Living Abroad will make sure that a pool of Malian experts are also available to assist students taking e-courses. Support to the establishment of a Virtual Library. At the request of the Ministry in Charge of Malians Living abroad and of the Ministry of Higher Education, Diaspora Malian professors from universities outside Mali will assist the University of Bamako in establishing a Virtual Library and exchange references with their respective universities. The Virtual Library is also an opportunity to further the exchange of knowledge and reverse the brain drain.     SIERRA LEONE: IDF Grant for Strengthening the Directorate of Diaspora Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Specific Focus on the National Health Sector program - P114113 Background The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) looks to its Diaspora to assist in rebuilding the capacity of its governing institutions. Civil service, local government, public financial management, judicial systems, anti corruption, and police reforms are at the center of GoSL's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (2005-2007). The Bank has been supporting the government's agenda through the Institutional Reform and Capacity Building Project and strengthening the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework budget process. The government, in turn, has enacted key legislation to support the decentralization policy and public sector reform programs. The government established the Directorate of Diaspora Affairs (Directorate) in the Ministry of Presidential and Public Affairs (MOPPA). The primary roles of the Directorate are to: (a) help mobilize the Diaspora for the country's development, (b) coordinate efforts to improve relationship with the Diaspora, and (c) harness the Diaspora expertise and resources for development. This central office will ensure broad stakeholder involvement, coordinate alignment and harmonization of all donor activities for capacity development through the Diaspora. In May 2008, GoSL requested Bank support for developing and implementing a national Diaspora engagement policy framework. The government also expressed concerns about the shortage of health personal such as medical doctors and nurses and requested the Bank's support especially in the health sector. The Directorate would like to provide support in all public sectors but for the purpose of this Grant, the GoSL decided to focus on Health Sector as a pilot.     The Objective and Activities of the IDF Grant   The main objective of the IDF Grant is to enhance the capacity of the Directorate in the MOPPA for mobilizing Sierra Leone's Diaspora in addressing critical gaps in the Public Sector with a specific focus on the National Health Sector program. The main components and activities to be supported are:     Component 1: Develop the capacity of the Directorate to prepare Consultative Strategies for the Public Sector   This component provides support shot term consultant assignments to support improving the capacity of the Directorate to develop various Diaspora consultative strategy papers with specific objectives. For example, the objective of the strategy paper is to enhance the capacity for improved services in public and private sector, institutions by Diaspora Technical Expert Networks. Activities would include: Strengthening the communication and network coordination capacity of the Directorate; Developing data generation, management, and application capacity of the Directorate; and Learning from the experience of other countries through study tours and other exchanges.   Component 2: Designing a Diaspora Engagement Strategic Framework, Plan of Action, and Benchmark in the Health Sector This component will finance short term consultants to assist in strengthening the Directorate in (a) preparing four health sector analytical papers; and (b) developing the National Comprehensive Diaspora Engagement Strategic Framework, Plan of Action and benchmarks with focus on the health sector. Activities would include: Strengthening the knowledge of Directorate and other policymakers about African Union Diaspora Health Sector Initiative which was launched in September 2008, and Strengthening the Directorate to prepare analytical papers and issue the National Diaspora Engagement Framework, Plan of Action, and benchmarks for building capacity in the health sector.     UGANDA: IDF Grant for Strengthening Capacity for Diaspora Engagement with Specific Focus on Infrastructure Sector (Energy, Roads and Railways) - P119720 Background The Government of Uganda (GOU) looks to its Diaspora to assist in rebuilding capacity in infrastructure support in the selected focus areas of energy, roads and railways. Infrastructure has, and will continue to be, an integral part of the Government's development plan. Capacity issues in the infrastructure sector are a central part of the Republic of Uganda's National Development Plan (2010/11 – 2014/15) and the world Bank new Country Assistance Strategy for 2010-2013 . The Bank is providing support to Government to improve institutional efficiency and capacity through the Kampala Institutional and Infrastructure Development Project and the Transport Sector Development Project. Recognizing the need for specialized services that would enable the country to engage the Diaspora for Uganda's development, H. E. President Museveni directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to create a Diaspora Department/Division (Division) . The MoFA was selected by the President as the Ministry to house this Department because of its coordination role in dealing with external partners outside the country. The Division seeks to: (a) undertake programs for Uganda Diaspora to engage in development activities; (b) support organized Uganda Diaspora associations to carry out some of these development activities; and (c) work closely with Uganda's foreign missions to identify and facilitate professionals to return to Uganda and contribute to national development. In July 2009, the GOU requested Bank support for developing and implementing a national Diaspora engagement policy framework. The Government has expressed concerns about the shortage of civil servant personnel for infrastructure support. The Diaspora Division would like to provide support in all public sectors but for the purposes of this Grant, decided to focus on the infrastructure sector (energy, roads and railways) as a pilot. On May 14, 2010, GOU and the World Bank signed an agreement for an IDF grant for $500,000 for strengthening the capacity of staff in the Diaspora Division. The MoFA is working with other development partners such as UNDP on obtaining additional resources for the Diaspora Division.     The Objectives and Activities of the IDF Grant The main objective of the IDF Grant is to enhance the capacity of staff in the Diaspora Division in MoFA and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development's Petroleum Exploration and Production Department (MEMP), Uganda National Roads Authority (URA) and Uganda Railways Cooperation (URC) to engage Ugandan Diaspora in infrastructure development support in selected focus areas i.e. energy, roads and railways. The main components and activities to be supported are: Component 1: Design Strategic Framework and Plan of Action to Engage Ugandan Diaspora Talent in Infrastructure Development This component will strengthen capacity of staff in the Division to design the strategic framework, plan of action and benchmarks to engage Uganda Diaspora in infrastructure development. Activities include to support to: Learn from best practice experiences of Diaspora engagement through study tours of Diaspora engagement in Asia and utilizing the Global Distance Learning Network (GDLN). Organize workshops in Europe, UK, and North America with a focus on infrastructure talent in the Ugandan Diaspora. Produce three Diaspora capacity needs assessments and a strategic framework and plan of action in the focus areas of energy, roads, and railways. Component 2: Strengthening Knowledge Sharing and Building Infrastructure Capacity in Energy, Roads, and Railways The component will finance short term consultant assignments to strengthen staff capacity in the MEMP, URA and URC to ensure that they have the essential institutional capacities. The activity is to issue the following three reports: Energy: Report on options for sources of financing and human capital for a mini oil refinery. Roads: Report on recommendations for updating all sections in the manual for highway and road safety. Railways: Report on recommendations for guidelines to design and evaluate Private Public Partnership proposals. Permanent URL for this page: http://go.worldbank.org/B8B2R8Y980         Kenya's Vision 2030 Quote: http://www.vision2030.go.ke/index.php/news/press/20 Kenya Explores ways to avoid Africa's road to Curse without constitutional policy protection ????? Three key primary forms of energy; natural gas along the Coast, oil in Turkana and the coal discovered in Kitui are expected to equip the country and are required to boost industrialization, socioeconomic development and power itself to middle income status under the economic blueprint of the Vision 2030..... Monday Oct 01, 2012 03:41 PM Read Art Pass Internship Laws without Constitutional policies protection ???? 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Tuesday Sep 25, 2012 08:47 AM Read Article Business Pictorial Vision 2030 Director General Mugo Kibati and Toyota Motor Corporation MD, Dr. Johannes Van Zy follow proceedings during the official opening of Toyota's new showroom in Nairobi...... Tuesday Sep 25, 2012 08:47 AM Read Article UNAITAS hold conference for "chamas" Aiming to make chamas source of financial growth and wealth creation, Unaitas Sacco Society Ltd held its first annual chamas conference. This is to position itself to pioneer the transformation of self help and investment groups into viable investment companies through provision of financial products as well as encouraging a savings culture in line with Vision 2030…… Tuesday Sep 25, 2012 08:47 AM Read Article State must equip police with resources to fight sophisticated crime As Kenya work hard to realize Vision 2030, police must be well equipped to fight crime so that the country is made safer and protected from invasion by foreigners with evil motives…… Tuesday Sep 25, 2012 08:47 AM Read Article Food Security Tops 2013 Election Food security has become a hot item in running up to the next general elections with contenders for the seats of president or governor ignoring the issues at their own political peril. The critical stake that agriculture holds in the destiny of politicians vying for electoral positions took center stage during a lively public forum is Kenya on track towards food security...... Tuesday Sep 18, 2012 04:53 PM Read Article Captain Steering Vision 2030 beaming with confidence As the Country's development blueprint enters the medium term phase next year, Conrad Otieno caught up with the Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat Director General Mugo Kibati to review the progress made so far...... Tuesday Sep 18, 2012 04:53 PM Read Article Envisioning Kenya in 2030; Motor driving Kenya's development blueprint As a regulator charged with setting quality standards on imports and exports in the country form food, textiles, agricultural produce, electro-technical sector, ICT to chemical, mechanical and civil engineering as well as service sector like tourism, education and financial sector the Kenya Bureau of standards (KEBS) is the core of the country's operations it has to achieve its vision 2030 development blueprint ...... Tuesday Sep 18, 2012 04:53 PM Read Article Asian economic giant sees opportunity in Kenya's Vision 2030 ambitions South Korean is angling for a larger share of the Kenyan market in a drive targeting investments in infrastructure projects under vision 2030 development blue print...... Tuesday Sep 18, 2012 04:52 PM Read Article KAA finally signs KSh 55 Billion deal to build new airport terminal Kenya Airports Authority has signed the contract for the Ksh 55billion airport tender with Chinese firm in what is promising to bring to an end the controversy that has dodged the project for months...... Tuesday Sep 18, 2012 04:50 PM Read Article Press Articles More Press‹ First < 3 4 5 6 7 > Last › Kenya must make a stand to cure tribal illness blurring collective Vision In a recent moving presentation to the Kenyan catholic bishops director of Vision 2030, Mugo Kibati eloquently captured our underpinning value system. According to him, what ails us in Kenya is a very deep illness that seems to have completely eroded our value system – negative ethnicity...... Tuesday Sep 18, 2012 04:49 PM Read Article Kenya attracts more joint business ventures As the country's infrastructural and housing development agenda forges ahead may foreign companies are aligning themselves to take advantage of emerging business opportunities in the process...... Tuesday Sep 18, 2012 04:48 PM Read Article Let's use technology to improve our economy The Nation's editorial yesterday on constructive use of the information superhighway just fell short of saying that Vision 2030 will remain a pipe dream..... Thursday Sep 06, 2012 03:42 PM Read Article Why Airport tender has stalled Kenya Airways and Vision 2030 Secretariat however have opposed the design being floated by the company that won the tender..... Thursday Sep 06, 2012 03:41 PM Read Article Over 150 business persons benefit from Japanese agency and local tertiary college JICA has played a significant role in shaping the route towards achievement of Vision 2030 through the training...... Thursday Sep 06, 2012 03:41 PM Read Article Private Sector must not delay achievement of Vision 2030 Last week the government inaugurated 19 working groups that will drive the second phase of the Vision 2030...... Thursday Sep 06, 2012 03:41 PM Read Article Elgon Kenya, a leading manufacturer of packaging materials, distributor of agrochemical and fertilizers have moved to stamp its foot in the regional market. The scheme is to enhanc3e efforts towards boosting food levels in the country, alleviating rural poverty and contributing to the attainment o Vision 2030..... Thursday Sep 06, 2012 03:41 PM Read Article Hard Lessons for Vision 2030 Steering Team Private sector on the spot for snubbing some critical projects in the development blueprint..... Thursday Sep 06, 2012 03:10 PM Read Article Apply policies that will eradicate infant mortality Children below five years are dying in large numbers even as the country talks of achieving the Vision 2030...... Thursday Sep 06, 2012 03:41 PM Read Article Vision 2030 is very much on course The overarching aspiration of Vision 2030 is to transform Kenya into a globally competitive and prosperous nation within the next two decades. The strategy comprises three pillars - the Economic, Social and Political anchored on the Enablers and Foundations...... Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:21 PM Read Article Press Articles More Press‹ First < 4 5 6 7 8 > Last › General Electric's (GE) commitment to Kenya's Vision 2030 For over 100 years, GE has proudly partnered in Africa's growth, providing locally relevant and technologically advanced solutions to the public and private sectors in the 35 countries. These include its four biggest markets Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa..... Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:21 PM Read Article Coast Region has great potential in all sectors: we must exploit it to the full The theme of the Mombasa International Show, "Enhancing Food Security and National Growth", is most appropriate…… Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:21 PM Read Article Authority plans to light every home by 2030 Rural Electrification Authority (REA) is on track to achieving its Vision 2030 targets by achieving 77% level of electrification during the first MTP 2008-2012……. Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:22 PM Read Article KARI contributes to Vision 2030 Milestones Of the three pillars on which Vision 2030 is anchored, KARI contributes to the economic pillar which aims to achieving an economic growth rate of 10% per annum up to 2030. The Vision identified agriculture as one of the key sectors to deliver 10% annual growth rate and recognizes the role of science, technology and innovation in the development of new knowledge which plays a central role in wealth creation, social welfare and international competitiveness…… Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:22 PM Read Article Livestock Disease-free Zoning Project The Ministry of Livestock Development is the lead agency for implementing the multisectoral Vision 2030 flagship project called "Establishment of Disease-Free Zones". The zoning concept process from the observation that though a resource-poor country may be infected with a trade-sensitive disease, some parts of the country may be unaffected or the infection rate may be low….. Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:22 PM Read Article NHC all out to overcome challenges to house Kenyans The Corporation has been able to deliver over 45,000 urban housing units countrywide and also enabled more than 8,000 Kenyans in the rural areas access housing development loans….. Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:22 PM Read Article Progress Made by the State Corporation in Attainment of Vision 2030 It is however a reality that with globalization, international markets are getting increasingly competitive. Export destinations have become more stringent with regard to quality and safety standards. Compliance is now a fundamental for markets(s) access. This is why the Vision 2030 Blueprint reiterates support for the Horticultural Sector and underlines the need to maintain key markets and create new ones, while increasing Kenya's bargaining power in the global markets….. Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:23 PM Read Article National Irrigation Board – Mid-Term Plan in Attainment of Vision 2030 Targets The government through National Irrigation Board is committed to promote irrigation based farming for both food and cash crops. Agriculture is the mainstay of the Kenyan economy and currently represents 24 per cent of GDP. More than one-third of Kenya's agricultural produce is exported, and this accounts to 65 per cent of Kenya's total exports. The sector accounts for 18 per cent of total formal employment in the country….. Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:23 PM Read Article The Pillars, Milestones of Vision 2030 Through the Vision 2030 pillars – Economic, Social, Political and the Enablers and Macros – the government is committed to transforming Kenya into a middle-income country as stipulated under Kenya Vision 2030 the country's development blue print….. Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:23 PM Read Article Vision 2030 implementation process on course despite challenges Since the launch of the first Medium Term Plan (MTP1) of the Kenya Vision 2030 – currently in its fourth year of implementation – the operating macroeconomic environment has been challenging in terms of domestic and external shocks….. Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:23 PM Read Article Press Articles More Press‹ First < 5 6 7 8 9 > Last › Internet penetration still below Vision 2030 target The percentage of Kenya internet has stagnated at 10 per cent since 2008 despite sharp decline in the price of data…… Friday Aug 31, 2012 04:21 PM Read Article Good governance is a catalyst for development Ministry of Finance, Ministry of cooperative development, Vision 2030, CMA, KASNEB, Insurance Regulatory Authority, KAM, Brand Kenya, SASRA, Institute of directors, Kenya Institute of Governors, CDSC, Centre for corporate Governance, KePSA, Association of Professional societies of East Africa and Registration of Certified Public Secretaries Board are partnering with ICPSK in the Award...... Wednesday Aug 01, 2012 02:39 PM Read Article Kibaki urges investors to invest in Kenya President Mwai Kibaki who is in London has said that Kenya is an investment destiny of choice calling on investors from various parts of the world to take advantage..... Wednesday Aug 01, 2012 02:39 PM Read Article KPA invites bids for Lamu port KPA has invited bids for the design and construction of 3 births for the Lamu Port project which will be the first face of the LAPSET project..... Wednesday Aug 01, 2012 02:39 PM Read Article The Green Revolution that offers youth a chance to mint millions. As poverty and lack of jobs ravage young adults, a new plan with good returns has come forth- the making of "Facebook farmers". Armed with a wealth of experience from Israel, Gilad Millo is on a mission to make Agribusiness appealing to the youth...... Thursday Jul 26, 2012 05:21 PM Read Article Work on Africa's biggest geothermal project starts Kenya will embark on the construction of the continent's largest geothermal project this week, as the country moves to bring on stream green energy projects to cut its dependence on hydro and thermal power...... Monday Jul 23, 2012 03:08 PM Read Article Government to Upgrade technical institutions Plans are now at an advanced stage to upgrade the Kenya Polytechnic, Mombasa Polytechnic and Kimathi Institute of Technology into fully fledged Universities...... Monday Jul 23, 2012 03:08 PM Read Article Construction of Dongo-Kundu free port to start soon The long awaited development of free port at Dongo Kundu in Mombasa is set to start in the next two months...... Monday Jul 23, 2012 03:08 PM Read Article Documentary: Kenya Vision 2030 A documentary on Kenya Vision 2030 and its aim for development in the country....... Monday Jul 23, 2012 03:08 PM Read Article Kenya plans big investor conference in Hong Kong Kenya is planning a big meeting in Hong Kong to market eight massive infrastructure projects to be developed and constructed through concessions and other forms of public private partnerships...... Monday Jul 23, 2012 03:08 PM Read Article Press Articles More Press‹ First < 6 7 8 9 10 > Last › New dawn as State registers Diaspora SACCOS The SACCOS based in London & Atlanta will enable Kenyans working in the UK & US respectively remit money directly to accounts back home...... Thursday Jul 19, 2012 07:57 AM Read Article State acquires Ksh.5 billion rigs for geothermal drilling The Geothermal Development Corporation (GDC), the state-owned firm to fast track development of geothermal resources has acquired two rigs from China at a cost of SH. 5 billion to speed up drilling of steam wells at the Menengai geothermal project in Nakuru...... Thursday Jul 19, 2012 07:57 AM Read Article Treasury to release Shs 2 Billion for Lamu Port takes off Construction of Lamu port is set to begin when Treasury releases Sh 2 billion for the project, Transport Minister Amos Kimunya has said…… Friday Jun 22, 2012 03:49 PM Read Article Tatu City projects gets House team approval The parliamentary committee on public works, Roads and Housing has endorsed the multi billion shillings Tatu City project coming up in the outskirts of Nairobi…… Friday Jun 22, 2012 03:49 PM Read Article Mombasa Port starts receiving bigger vessels after expansion Cargo volumes through the Mombasa port a getaway to several countries in East Africa, are expected to rise in the coming months after its handling capacity tripled following its expansion to accept bigger vessels, a senior ports official said on Tuesday….. Friday Jun 22, 2012 03:49 PM Read Article Software sector has great potential The software development industry has the potential to become a major growth sector in Kenya…… Friday Jun 22, 2012 03:49 PM Read Article Government reassures donors on Vision2030 The Government yesterday reassured development partners that the implementation of the second Medium Term plan of the Vision 2030 will not be interfered with by change of regime next year……. Friday Jun 22, 2012 03:49 PM Read Article 10 KM buffer zone to be made at Konza The Government will create a 10KM buffer zone around the proposed Konza ICT city in Malili Ranch, Makueni County…… Friday Jun 22, 2012 03:49 PM Read Article ICT key to Vision 2030, State told The government has been urged to lay more emphasis on information communication and technology as it is an integral component towards the actualization of vision 2030 development plan....... Thursday May 31, 2012 08:17 AM Read Article General Electric signs Vision 2030 deals Giant American Equipment Manufacturer, General Electric, has partnered with Kenya to develop transport facilities, healthcare, energy and technical training for engineers and technicians...... Thursday May 31, 2012 08:17 AM Read Article Press Articles More Press‹ First < 7 8 9 10 11 > Last › Irrigation scheme turns floods curse into blessings for small scale farmers. After two years of civic works, Kimira Oluch Scheme is near completion and will benefit over 3000 families in Homabay....... Thursday May 31, 2012 08:17 AM Read Article Innovators exhibition kicks off in Kisumu Kisumu will play host to an exhibition bringing together innovators and technology providers at a weeklong event to be officially opened by Labour Minister John Munyes....... Thursday May 31, 2012 08:17 AM Read Article 7 million grant to help farmers improve production Over two million small scale farmers in West Africa will benefit from 7 million grant to improve yields....... Thursday May 31, 2012 08:17 AM Read Article Jubilee Insurance to expand. Jubilee Insurance will start operations in three new countries over the next two years as it intensifies its growth plans to operate in 15 countries in Africa by 2020,the company said....... Thursday May 31, 2012 08:17 AM Read Article General Electric Inks deal to boost the production of energy Energy generation projects and refurbishment of the country's rail network are among the key Vision 2030 projects prioritized for completion in a new agreement signed yesterday....... Thursday May 31, 2012 08:17 AM Read Article Plan for Nairobi's commuter train moves closer to reality The Metropolitan commuter plan will see the capital linked with train system form JKIA to the rest of the city suburbs…… Thursday May 24, 2012 06:45 PM Read Article Kenya is on track to achieving Vision 2030. The Country could still achieve its long term development objectives outlined in the development blueprint – Vision2030.This is despite a number of hurdles that may interfere with some key pillars……. Thursday May 24, 2012 06:38 PM Read Article Varsities told to align training with Vision 2030 Kenyan universities have been urged to align their training with Vision 2030 and boost linkages with industry to produce graduates relevant in the labour market……. Thursday May 24, 2012 06:40 PM Read Article World Bank Refuses Call to Halt Land Deals By Carey L. BironReprint WASHINGTON, Oct 5 2012 (IPS) - The World Bank has rejected a call to suspend its involvement in large scale agricultural land acquisition following the release of a major report by the international aid agency Oxfam on the negative impact of international land speculation in developing countries. "We share the concerns Oxfam raised in their report," the bank stated in an unusually lengthy public rebuttal to the Oxfam Report. "However, we disagree with Oxfam's call for a moratorium on World Bank Group…investments in land intensive large-scale agricultural enterprises, especially during a time of rapidly rising global food prices." "A moratorium focused on the Bank Group targets precisely those stakeholders doing the most to improve practices – progressive governments, investors, and us. Taking such a step would do nothing to help reduce the instances of abusive practices and would likely deter responsible investors willing to apply our high standards," the rebuttal said. In 2011, Sylvia Meltina's family could no longer afford regular meals because of rising food and fuel costs. Credit: Peter Kahare/IPS Over the past year, aid agencies, local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and development watchdogs have warned that international investors are increasingly engaging in massive and sometimes predatory land deals in the developing world, particularly in Africa. These acquisitions are partly to blame for rising food insecurity. Food prices are once again nearing record highs. In late August, the World Bank warned that due to adverse weather in parts of Europe and the United States, the global cost of certain staple crops was approaching levels last seen in 2008. Ironically, multinational companies interested in growing food crops to address this need have been doing much of the recent investing. According to Oxfam, however, two-thirds of the investments made between 2000 and 2010 were exclusively for export-oriented crops, while other lands are being used to meet the increasing international demand for biofuels. "Already an area of land the size of London is being sold to foreign investors every six days in poor countries," Oxfam stated, noting that in Liberia, land deals have "swallowed up" 30 percent of the country over the past five years. The report did not reject what good can potentially result from private investment but warned that food-price spikes from 2008 to 2009 led to the tripling of land deals, as "land was increasingly viewed as a profitable investment" even though it largely failed to benefit local communities. Slow the speculation "The world is facing an unbridled land rush that is exposing poor people to hunger, violence and the threat of a lifetime in poverty. The World Bank is in a unique position to stop this," Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam's executive director, said Thursday, noting that the bank both invests in land and advises developing countries. Oxfam is calling on the World Bank to temporarily halt its investments in agricultural land to give it time to review the advice it offers developing countries, and to put in place stronger policies to slow or stop the speculation and "land-grabbing" projects in which it is said to be involved. World Bank investment in agriculture has reportedly tripled in the past decade. Since 2008, however, local communities have also brought 21 formal complaints against bank-funded projects that they say have violated their rights. Related IPS Articles Starving for an Equitable Food System U.S. Company Accused of Greenwashing Cameroon 'Land-Grab' World Bank Overseeing Global Land Grab In a way, the bank's response to the call for a moratorium demonstrated outright denial: "The Bank Group does not support speculative land investments or acquisitions which take advantage of weak institutions in developing countries or which disregard principles of responsible agricultural investment." The bank also noted that 90 percent of its agricultural investment is focused on smallholders, and that the agricultural work of its private-sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has provided 37,000 jobs. By 2050, it warned, the global population is set to grow by two billion people, requiring a 70 percent increase in global food production. Still, the bank recognised that its massive systems are imperfect and highlighted an upcoming overhaul of related guidelines that would "review and update its environmental and social safeguards policies". "We agree that instances of abuse do exist, particularly in countries where governance is weak, and we share Oxfam's belief that in many cases, practices need to ensure more transparent and inclusive participation in cases of land transfers," the rebuttal stated. Impetus from below The degree to which these safeguards are followed nevertheless remains voluntary, said Anuradha Mittal, the executive director of the Oakland Institute, a U.S.-based think tank that has been at the forefront of recent civil society warnings about the effects of land speculation in the developing world. "Back in 2009 and 2010, we were clearly identifying the role that the World Bank Group has been playing in promoting and facilitating these large-scale investments, completely ignoring the social and economic impact," she told IPS, referring to two reports (available here and here) that the new Oxfam work builds upon. "Oxfam is reiterating that this kind of investment is misinvestment in communities, in agriculture, and unfortunately the bank is choosing to ignore the clear evidence that has been brought forward." Bank officials did not respond to requests for additional comment. Mittal said that the development discussion needs to focus less on prescriptions handed down from multilaterals and more on the national implementation of internationally agreed rights including the rights to food and to free and prior informed consent. "We're not interested in voluntary guidelines coming from Washington or Geneva, but rather in strengthening local and national capacities that help communities work best themselves," she said. "Each country in Africa, for instance, is in a unique situation. So what we need are real consultations at the local level to see what kind of development actually works for the local populations." While Oxfam had called on the World Bank to move to halt its involvement in land deals before the annual meetings between the bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in Tokyo next week, the bank's new president is now suggesting that he will use the meetings to begin pushing substantial reforms aimed at holding the bank's anti-poverty approaches more to account. "If we are going to be really serious about ending poverty earlier than currently projected…there are going to have to be some changes in the way we run the institution," World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, preparing to attend his first annual meetings, told journalists on Thursday. Kim said he would be pushing for a model "where our board and our governors focus much more on holding us accountable for results on the ground in countries, rather than focusing so much on approval of large loans". World Bank Overseeing Global Land Grab By Carey L. Biron WASHINGTON, Apr 23 2012 (IPS) - The World Bank continues to facilitate land-grabbing in poor and developing countries around the world, according to new research released here on Monday. There are fears that a "land rush" in the developing world is leading to hunger, conflict and human rights abuses. Credit: Isaiah Esipisu/IPS The report by Friends of the Earth, an international watchdog, is part of a host of initiatives taking place ahead of the start of the Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty, which runs for the next four days. Friends of the Earth says that anywhere from 80 to 227 million hectares of rural, often agrarian land, typically in poorer countries hungry for foreign investment, have been taken over by private and corporate interests in recent years. Programmes and policies pushed by the World Bank, the organisation suggests, have been both directly and indirectly responsible for this trend, with examples reportedly coming from more than 60 countries. "Some of these are countries which struggle to feed their own populations – but which have enough fertile land to attract foreign investors," the report states. Such figures are on the rise, driven by increased human demand for vegetable oils and the evolving global market for biofuels. According to some, these developments have been further exacerbated by certain international efforts to combat global climate change, such as the U.N.-sponsored Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) programme. Related IPS Articles Massive Theft of Developing World's Farmland At the Nexus of Agrofuels, Land Grabs and Hunger – Part 1 At the Nexus of Agrofuels, Land Grabs and Hunger – Part 2 According to activists and farmers speaking ahead of the World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty here in Washington, part of the blame also needs to be placed on the Bank's own technical assistance, past and present. The issue formed a core message during more than 250 protests worldwide on Apr. 17, marked as the International Day of Peasant Struggle. "Decades of World Bank policies have created the basis for what is happening today," Giulia Franchi, a campaigner with the Italian Campagna per la Riforma della Banca Mondiale, said on Monday. Franchi and others express particular frustration with a Bank-led initiative known as the Principles for Responsible Agricultural Investment that Respects Rights, Livelihoods and Resources (commonly referred to as RAI), which came into existence in January 2010. The RAI, Franchi says, constitutes "an attempt to support transnational corporations to acquire land worldwide. While it looks like it's standing with local communities, there is no way that the expropriation of people's lands can be considered responsible." According to the Bank's explanation of the motivations behind the RAI, recent years have seen "a sharp increase in investment involving significant use of agricultural land, water, grassland, and forested areas in developing and emerging countries … some countries have been confronted with informal requests amounting to more than half their cultivable land area, and other countries are actively seeking major investments." The code of conduct inherent in the RAI is thus aimed at trying to "better spread the benefits and balance opportunities with risks in major investment programs". Some warn that such an approach is wrongheaded from the start. The RAI "creates an illusion that by following a set of standards, large- scale land acquisitions can proceed without disastrous consequences," Friends of the Earth's Kirtana Chandrasekaran told IPS. "RAI may seek 'transparency' from land deals, but even if done 'transparently', the transfer of large tracts of land … to investors is still going to deprive smallholder farmers and local communities from crucial, life-sustaining resources for generations to come." Chandrasekaran points instead to a recently created set of principles, the Voluntary Guidelines on the Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests. A final draft of the Voluntary Guidelines was released in March following three years of negotiations between 96 governments and civil society organisations, under the auspices of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The guidelines are to be formally endorsed in May. Most important, Chandrasekaran says, the Voluntary Guidelines "anchors the land-grabbing issue to the existing obligations of states under international law, explicitly mentioning the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." There is also a potentially more direct feedback loop under the Voluntary Guidelines. According to the FAO, the Guidelines "allow government authorities, the private sector, civil society and citizens to judge whether their proposed actions and the actions of others constitute acceptable practices." Still, others caution that the Voluntary Guidelines might be too open with regards to investment safeguards. According to Devlin Kuyek, a Montreal-based staff member for GRAIN, an international NGO focused on sustainable agriculture, "an investment chapter was inserted into the Voluntary Guidelines at the last minute, over the objections of civil society organisations, that is very similar to what the Bank has been promoting with regards to private investment … to try to make it appear that land acquisition can be done responsibly." Kuyek notes that there are several similar guidelines in the works that will attempt to impose some regulation – or the appearance of regulation – on the surging market for foreign investment in fertile land. While each of these will offer some competition to the RAI, observers suggest that the World Bank appears to be little inclined towards changing its stance on the issue. "I've seen absolutely no sign whatsoever that the World Bank Group has made any meaningful moves at all to genuinely respond to the criticisms that its policies lead to land-grabbing," Joan Baxter, a researcher with the Oakland Institute, an environment-focused think tank, told IPS. Baxter points to the roster of presentations at the current World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty. "How can (the Bank) invite hedge-fund manager Susan Payne and land-grabbers such as Addax Bioenergy to speak at this conference?" she asks. "Instead, why doesn't it invite some rural women to talk about how the loss of their land to rich investors has robbed them of their livelihoods?" U.S. Company Accused of Greenwashing Cameroon 'Land-Grab' By Carey L. Biron WASHINGTON, Sep 6 2012 (IPS) - Environment groups are accusing a New York-based agricultural company, Herakles Farms, of going forward with plans for a 73,000-hectare palm-oil plantation and refinery in southwest Cameroon despite a lack of government authorisation, two court injunctions, and in the face of significant community opposition. Because Cameroon is a major new palm-oil producer, many worry that what happens with the Herakles deal could set a precedent for the entire continent. Credit: One Villiage Initiative/CC by 2.0 On Wednesday, the Oakland Institute and Greenpeace, two environment watchdogs based here in the United States, released a report suggesting that the project, situated in what is described as a biodiversity hotspot between four major conservation zones, could negatively impact up to 45,000 people. The groups warn that the project, which is linked to the Blackstone Group, a massive investment group, represents the vanguard of a new "scramble for land" in Africa by Western companies. "Herakles claims to be engaged in improving Cameroon's food security and humanitarian situation, but we have found this to be a total fraud. In fact, they are about to destroy the livelihoods of thousands," Frederic Mousseau, the report's author, said in a media call Wednesday. "Likewise, Herakles claims local support, but we found this to be a blatant lie. Finally, the claim that this land is secondary forest and degraded is misleading. In fact, large portions have never even been logged." (By deadline, Herakles officials had not responded to requests for comment.) The project, overseen by a Herakles subsidiary called SG Sustainable Oils Cameroon (SGSOC), is still at an early stage, currently consisting of three large nurseries. "We are now waiting for an official decision by the Cameroon government to proceed beyond these nurseries," Mousseau says. "So this is an important moment – the project can still be stopped." The backlash against SGSOC took on new energy over the past week, following the Aug. 24 notification that Herakles was removing the project from formal compliance with a set of eco-friendly industry guidelines called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). In explaining the move, Herakles, which describes itself as "committed to addressing the complex issues of food security through sustainable agriculture initiatives", cited the length of time its RSPO application had been pending, while noting that it was "addressing a dire humanitarian need" in Cameroon. No formal approval The legality of the project's nurseries has already been called into question. Although SGSOC did sign a 99-year agreement with the government in 2009, Cameroonian law requires that the use of such large tracts of land have direct presidential consent. Given that such a decree has yet to be given, activists suggest that SGSOC had no legal basis on which to start bulldozing the forestland and cocoa and vegetable farms on which local communities depended. A local judge has filed two injunctions against the company's actions, but according to local observers the company has refused to comply. "Not only do they not want to comply with existing law, but the company has clearly turned its back on sustainable practices," says Samuel Nguiffo, a lawyer and director of the Center for Environment and Development, in Cameroon's capital, Yaounde. "The government structure in our country is very weak, so we're asking the U.S. to stop the company." Herakles officials do say they have received community support for the project, but eyewitness accounts suggest that this is patchy at best. "When the company came here, they said that this project had (already) been authorised by the president of Cameroon … So we just kept quiet," Edward Ndomo, the chair of the local traditional council, told Oakland Institute researchers for a new documentary. "We never had any full meetings with the company." Marie Meboka Boya, a member of Parliament representing the area in which the nurseries have been built, told researchers that she thinks the company has taken a "buy-off approach", offering small amounts of money or food in return for some local backing. "From the reaction of the community and the dodgy attitude of the company," she says, "I know that there is no proper agreement." Scramble for Africa The Herakles project is one of a large number of new foreign-invested land deals in Africa. And despite its significant size, it is not the largest – in Congo, for instance, a deal of a million hectares have been discussed. "There are so many Europeans and Americans looking for new land in Africa right now, we're worried that a land-rush may be imminent," Greenpeace's Rolf Skar says. Because Cameroon is a major new palm-oil producer, many are now suggesting that what happens with the Herakles deal could set a precedent for the entire continent. "If we confirm the bad deal we have now, all the companies coming in will have as bad a deal as Herakles," says Nguiffo. "Cameroon and neighbouring countries are currently experiencing a huge demand for land, and land grabs at this scale are very new for us – it's frightening." Nguiffo says that while Cameroon currently has about 500,000 hectares of land under plantation, mostly on old farms, over the past three years demand for land has shot up to nearly three million hectares, driven by foreign investors backed by pressure from foreign governments and multilateral lenders. "Donors and international financial institutions have increasingly been asking African countries to open up their economies, despite the fact that in most of these countries there is very little rule of law," says Anuradha Mittal, the executive director of the Oakland Institute, which in recent years has researched about 70 of the new industrial-scale land deals. Almost all of these deals, she says, are marked by a lack of both transparency and local involvement, as well as an absence of the many benefits promised to local and national economies – jobs, growth in gross domestic product, the construction of new clinics or water sources for local communities. "There have also been a lot of myths around who the investors are," she says. "It's not just the Chinese or Indians or the Gulf states. The number of investors from Europe and U.S. is huge, including private equity and hedge funds, all looking for opportunities in the next soft commodity." Development for whom? Still, certain oversight trends have changed in recent years, as consumers become increasingly aware of labour and environment issues around the world. "A company has to sell its product somewhere, and these practices are in direct contrast to other producers and buyers – Kraft, Nestle, Unilever – which are asking for much higher standards for the palm oil they purchase," Greenpeace's Skar says. "Herakles is falling off the cart on this issue and will have to answer to its shareholders as to why." For many advocates, the issue comes down to the type of development that the international community is pushing. "Today the big push is to get rid of the millions of smallholder farmers in Cameroon, to transform them into low-paid labourers on large farms," Greenpeace's Mousseau says. "In today's development discussion we're told this is necessary, and we give legal and fiscal exemptions to investors. But we don't actually see any development resulting from investments – what we see is exploitation of human and natural resources." Africa: World Bank Refuses Call to Halt Land Deals Tagged: By Carey L. Biron, 5 October 2012 Photo: P. Casier/CGIAR Farming the land with the help of cattle. Washington — The World Bank has rejected a call to suspend its involvement in large scale agricultural land acquisition following the release of a major report by the international aid agency Oxfam on the negative impact of international land speculation in developing countries. "We share the concerns Oxfam raised in their report," the bank stated in an unusually lengthy public rebuttal to the Oxfam Report. "However, we disagree with Oxfam's call for a moratorium on World Bank Group...investments in land intensive large-scale agricultural enterprises, especially during a time of rapidly rising global food prices." "A moratorium focused on the Bank Group targets precisely those stakeholders doing the most to improve practices - progressive governments, investors, and us. Taking such a step would do nothing to help reduce the instances of abusive practices and would likely deter responsible investors willing to apply our high standards," the rebuttal said. Relevant Links International Writers and Artists Warn Global Land Rush Is Hurting the Poorest Land Sold Off in Last Decade Could Grow Enough Food to Feed a Billion People Over the past year, aid agencies, local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and development watchdogs have warned that international investors are increasingly engaging in massive and sometimes predatory land deals in the developing world, particularly in Africa. These acquisitions are partly to blame for rising food insecurity. Food prices are once again nearing record highs. In late August, the World Bank warned that due to adverse weather in parts of Europe and the United States, the global cost of certain staple crops was approaching levels last seen in 2008. Ironically, multinational companies interested in growing food crops to address this need have been doing much of the recent investing. According to Oxfam, however, two-thirds of the investments made between 2000 and 2010 were exclusively for export-oriented crops, while other lands are being used to meet the increasing international demand for biofuels. "Already an area of land the size of London is being sold to foreign investors every six days in poor countries," Oxfam stated, noting that in Liberia, land deals have "swallowed up" 30 percent of the country over the past five years. The report did not reject what good can potentially result from private investment but warned that food-price spikes from 2008 to 2009 led to the tripling of land deals, as "land was increasingly viewed as a profitable investment" even though it largely failed to benefit local communities. Slow the speculation "The world is facing an unbridled land rush that is exposing poor people to hunger, violence and the threat of a lifetime in poverty. The World Bank is in a unique position to stop this," Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam's executive director, said Thursday, noting that the bank both invests in land and advises developing countries. Oxfam is calling on the World Bank to temporarily halt its investments in agricultural land to give it time to review the advice it offers developing countries, and to put in place stronger policies to slow or stop the speculation and "land-grabbing" projects in which it is said to be involved. World Bank investment in agriculture has reportedly tripled in the past decade. Since 2008, however, local communities have also brought 21 formal complaints against bank-funded projects that they say have violated their rights. In a way, the bank's response to the call for a moratorium demonstrated outright denial: "The Bank Group does not support speculative land investments or acquisitions which take advantage of weak institutions in developing countries or which disregard principles of responsible agricultural investment." The bank also noted that 90 percent of its agricultural investment is focused on smallholders, and that the agricultural work of its private-sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has provided 37,000 jobs. By 2050, it warned, the global population is set to grow by two billion people, requiring a 70 percent increase in global food production. Still, the bank recognised that its massive systems are imperfect and highlighted an upcoming overhaul of related guidelines that would "review and update its environmental and social safeguards policies". "We agree that instances of abuse do exist, particularly in countries where governance is weak, and we share Oxfam's belief that in many cases, practices need to ensure more transparent and inclusive participation in cases of land transfers," the rebuttal stated. Impetus from below The degree to which these safeguards are followed nevertheless remains voluntary, said Anuradha Mittal, the executive director of the Oakland Institute, a U.S.-based think tank that has been at the forefront of recent civil society warnings about the effects of land speculation in the developing world. "Back in 2009 and 2010, we were clearly identifying the role that the World Bank Group has been playing in promoting and facilitating these large-scale investments, completely ignoring the social and economic impact," she told IPS, referring to two reports (available here and here) that the new Oxfam work builds upon. "Oxfam is reiterating that this kind of investment is misinvestment in communities, in agriculture, and unfortunately the bank is choosing to ignore the clear evidence that has been brought forward." Bank officials did not respond to requests for additional comment. Mittal said that the development discussion needs to focus less on prescriptions handed down from multilaterals and more on the national implementation of internationally agreed rights including the rights to food and to free and prior informed consent. "We're not interested in voluntary guidelines coming from Washington or Geneva, but rather in strengthening local and national capacities that help communities work best themselves," she said. "Each country in Africa, for instance, is in a unique situation. So what we need are real consultations at the local level to see what kind of development actually works for the local populations." While Oxfam had called on the World Bank to move to halt its involvement in land deals before the annual meetings between the bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in Tokyo next week, the bank's new president is now suggesting that he will use the meetings to begin pushing substantial reforms aimed at holding the bank's anti-poverty approaches more to account. "If we are going to be really serious about ending poverty earlier than currently projected...there are going to have to be some changes in the way we run the institution," World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, preparing to attend his first annual meetings, told journalists on Thursday. Kim said he would be pushing for a model "where our board and our governors focus much more on holding us accountable for results on the ground in countries, rather than focusing so much on approval of large loans". Turkana wind project gets boost from Vision 2030 By NATION REPORTER Posted Monday, October 8 2012 at 19:53 In Summary The secretariat is expected to officially sign a memorandum of understanding with the project team next week Failure to secure an agreement on how much of the power produced the State will absorb into the national grid has led the guarantor to withhold funding, delaying the project by four months now The projects have two components of funding; that of the wind power plant at Lake Turkana and the 428-kilometre transmission line which will link the wind farm to the national grid The 300mw Turkana wind project got a boost on Monday after Vision 2030 agreed to get on board to help unblock a stalemate that has delayed the project's takeoff. The secretariat is expected to officially sign a memorandum of understanding with the project team next week. "This project will reduce the need to depend on unreliable hydro and on expensive, unpredictably priced fossil fuel-based power generation. Also, it will insulate Kenya's power tariff by providing a low and consistent power price," Vision 2030 director general Mugo Kibati said in statement to media houses. Failure to secure an agreement on how much of the power produced the State will absorb into the national grid has led the guarantor to withhold funding, delaying the project by four months now. This is one of the areas that Vision 2030 could play a leading role in helping to unlock. "Hopefully, it will fast-track the project," Mr Kibati added. The projects have two components of funding; that of the wind power plant at Lake Turkana and the 428-kilometre transmission line which will link the wind farm to the national grid. The plant is estimated to cost about Sh62 billion while the transmission line is to cost about Sh15 billion. Main funders of the wind plant are African Development Bank, Standard Bank of South Africa and Nedbank Capital of South Africa. The World Bank pledged to be the guarantor of Kenya Power, which will purchase the power produced by LTWP, to the tune of Sh4.5 billion. The PPA states that Kenya Power will buy, for 20 years, electricity produced by the plant. Viewpoint: Will corruption kill off Kenya's Vision 2030 plans? 18 October 2012 Last updated at 09:29 ET Konza City is an example of the modern country Kenya hopes to project - but will the old forces of corruption sabotage the great leap forward? Economist James Shikwati asks whether Kenya's ambitious Vision 2030 plan can bring the country out of a cycle of corruption and economic stagnation. Since independence in 1963, Kenya's great development plans have been held back by the plunder of government resources. The attitude that what belongs to the public can be taken with impunity has been seen as one of the most serious impediments to development in the country - and by extension, the rest of Africa. Lawrence Reed, president of the Foundation for Economic Education, described it as: "What belongs to you, you tend to take care of; what belongs to no-one or everyone tends to fall into disrepair." Continue reading the main story Can Kenya avoid election violence? Mombasa: One Square Mile of Kenya Solving local problems with apps Could Kenya host the Olympics? Working Lives: Kenya Country Profile: Kenya More from Kenya Direct A new constitutional order, however, has been created to reduce the arbitrary and discretionary powers used by politicians and civil servants to steal public money. Kenyans voted for the new constitutional order in August 2010 with the hope of liberating the country from a curious type of "state capture;" the system which has allowed Kenya's leaders to commandeer state resources and keep power within ethnic boundaries. Boosting growth Dismantling the old structure will not happen overnight, however. Kenyans will have to try and adapt, and the changes to the way the country has been run will take some time to take effect. Vision 2030 is the name of the economic plan the country's leaders hope will be the country's great leap forward but it is not the country's first development plan. Revitalising Kenya's railway network will be a crucial part of the plan In 2003, the Kenyan government sought to boost an economy whose growth rate was low - only 1.1%. It put in place a short term initiative dubbed Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation. In 2005, a government-sponsored constitutional referendum aiming to overhaul areas such as land ownership and the president's executive power was proposed. Kenya's Sessional Paper No 10 in 1965 had directed the government to spend resources only in areas with high potential. The outcome was political exclusion and economic marginalisation of communities in the arid north and rural areas of Kenya, away from big cities such as Nairobi and Mombasa. In response, the government set up a National Economic and Social Council in October 2006 to oversee Kenya's long-term planning. From this came "Kenya Vision 2030: A Globally Competitive and Prosperous Kenya". Kenya's Vision 2030 was launched by the country's coalition government on 10 June 2008. Technology hub Its intent was to change Kenya's political framework so that lawmakers were obliged to plan further into the future than the length of their own careers. Vision 2030's cost is yet to be finalised. It is based on three pillars - economic, social and political. Most Kenyans continue to live in poverty The economic aim is for an average GDP growth rate of 10% per year from 2012 and to ensure all of Kenya's regions see development. The country's economy has grown at an average of 3.5% since 2008, below the sub-Saharan African average of 5.5%. The key elements of Kenya's economy include wholesale and retail, transport and communication, manufacturing, financial services and agriculture and forestry. The social pillar, meanwhile, is intended to build "a just and cohesive society with social equity", according to the plan's director general, Mugo Kibati. Kenya is preparing for elections, which are set for 4 March next year. The vote is expected to be a barometer measuring Vision 2030's ability to create a truly democratic political system respecting the rule of law and protecting the rights and freedoms of all Kenyans. The chair of Kenya's Vision 2030 Delivery Board, James Mwangi, argues that the initiative is yet to be felt by ordinary Kenyans because more emphasis has been put on infrastructure and institution building. The Vision 2030 initiative is keen to align with regional economic communities such as the East African Community, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) and Community of Sahel-Saharan States among others. This has influenced key flagship projects including Lamu Port and the Lamu-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor. When complete, this project is expected to connect Kenya to Bangui in the Central African Republic and Douala across the continent in Cameroon. Other developments include: Improving Nairobi's commuter rail and turning small railway stations settlements into mini cities Investing in green energy (geothermal power) Building an electricity transformer factory and a solar panel factory Setting up an international sports academy Building the tech hub popularly referred to as Konza City The construction of the ambitious port and railway networks at a projected cost of $23bn (£14.2bn) is likely to attract support from growing economies. China, for example, has agreed to finance the recalibration of the existing Kenya-Uganda Railway to the tune of $2.6bn (£1.6bn). This will mean bigger loads can be carried at much faster speeds - up to 125 km/h compared to less than 25 km/h at the moment. People in the arid north of the country have for the last 50 years been mostly excluded from political and economic developments. Building better transport links in the northern corridor might address their exclusion. This, together with news of oil being discovered in Turkana in the north-west and the possible gas deposits off the Lamu coast gives Vision 2030 much-needed impetus. Stretches of Kenya's coastline will be transformed by the new Lamu port The recent discovery of massive underground water reserves in northern Kenya gives extra hope to delivering this new vision. All these natural resources mean Kenya now has extra bargaining power when it looks for overseas investment. It however remains to be seen if Vision 2030 will change the attitude that has affected Kenya's development until now. Changing role Many Kenyans' attitude to the public purse can be summed up with the following phrase: "Kwani pesa ni ya mamako?" ("Do public funds belong to your mother?"). The question loosely translates as a motivation to plunder public resources because it does not belong to any one person. Similar sentiments are behind the desire for political power, which ethnic communities refer to as the "buses" to deliver opportunities for political fraud, euphemistically referred to as "eating". The quest to "eat" public resources can lead to an increase in clan and ethnic violence as communities jostle to control the country's new county governments. Kenya's Vision 2030 has to address new challenges because the recent discovery of natural resources were not part of the original plan. It also has to focus on the changing role of Africa in the ever evolving global dispensation. For Kenya's Vision 2030 to be effective, it has to take heed of a famous Chinese saying: "Resources are the mother of wealth; hard work is the father of wealth - only the two combined can produce wealth." James Shikwati is the founder of Inter Region Economic Network and publisher of The African Executive. Troubled waters in Lake Malawi Daily Maverick – Mon, Oct 8, 2012 View Photo Troubled waters in Lake Malawi There can rarely have been a more incongruous location for a diplomatic spat than Lake Malawi. The lake is one of Africa's most beautiful spots, with its tranquil, turquoise surface and picturesque islands. Tourists love it, drawn by the white sandy beaches and abundance of fresh seafood, and Malawians are inordinately proud of their national landmark. Only one problem: Tanzanians are quite proud of it too. The lake straddles the borders of three countries – Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. The lion's share of the lake falls in Malawian territory, while Mozambique gets some too. Tanzania, however, gets nothing; under the terms of an 1890 Anglo-German treaty, the border between Malawi and Tanzania runs along the Tanzanian shore, denying Tanzania any access to the lake's waters. This has been an area of dispute between the two countries ever since they achieved independence in 1963. Although Tanzanian fisherman were permitted to continue to use the lake under the terms of the treaty, Tanzania wants full control of what it thinks is its rightful share. Malawi, naturally, disagrees. Although it has occasionally strained relations, the issue of who owns Lake Malawi has never really been a problem – until now. Something has changed, and that something is the unconfirmed but promising potential for huge oil and gas reserves buried under its shores. Conditions for this are thought to be ideal: "There is enough geological evidence suggesting the existence of thick sedimentary rock sequences and structures capable of trapping oil under Lake Malawi," said Ibibia Worik, legal advisor to the Commonwealth Secretariat. To explore this potential, Malawi last year granted a licence to Surestream Petroleum, a British company. Suddenly, the dispute over Lake Malawi – fuelled by national pride more than anything else – became a lot more serious. Real money is at stake. Tanzania, naturally, wasn't too happy about this development, and made its displeasure clear. One senior official threatened military action if the problem was not resolved to his country's satisfaction. This year, a series of high-level meetings between the Malawian and Tanzanian governments have attempted to reach some kind of mutually agreeable compromise. They failed. Last week, Malawi's President Joyce Banda declared the negotiations dead in the water (excuse the pun). Said Banda: "When I was leaving the country for the UN, I thought the issue with Tanzania was sorted out and that we were going to pursue dialogue. However, in the period I have been away, Tanzania launched a new map (showing parts of Lake Malawi as belonging to Tanzania)…We have been informed by Tanzania that our boats should stop sailing on the lake otherwise they will blaze them up." As a result of these alleged threats, Banda has cancelled a planned visit to Tanzania later this month. Instead, she is going to take the matter up with the International Court of Justice. "The issue has gone too far and Malawi will seek international help to ensure that justice prevails," the president added. Tanzania too has indicated in the past it is happy to accept international arbitration, although on Saturday it specified that it would prefer mediation from a former African head of state. Both options seem like sensible – and peaceful – solutions, which is an encouraging sign. Also, the fact that both countries are willing to seek outside help indicates they both think they have a strong case. Malawi's is simple. It will argue that the terms of the treaty are quite straightforward and leave no room for dispute. Further, it will point to the African Union's repeated commitment to colonial-era boundaries as proof of its borders' legitimacy. This commitment was even affirmed in the continental body's founding charter – of which Tanzania is a signatory. Tanzania has a more complex case to make. From the government's statements on the issue we have a pretty good idea of what they will argue, however. First is the issue of international norms: where a lake divides two countries, it is customary for the border to pass in the middle of the lake (just look at a map of Africa to see the truth of this argument. Lake Malawi is clearly an aberration). Second, Tanzania deserves a share because Tanzania's rivers provide a large part of the lake's water. Third, the current borders are untenable because of the constantly-shifting tides. Because the border is along the shore, this means it too changes with the tides. Given what is at stake, the decision has the potential to change the destiny of both countries – and of Lake Malawi itself. Whatever happens, one suspects that once the verdict is in, and the drilling commences, it won't be quite as tranquil as it was before. DM Read more: "Kikwete: Why we own part of Lake Nyasa," on Tanzania's The Citizen; "Lake Malawi and Tanzania's war drums: smart for Banda to distrust Kikwete's hollow promises," on Maravi Post; "Malawi halts talks with Tanzania on border dispute," on Reuters Africa; Photo: Fishermen prepare their nets on the banks of Lake Malawi about 100 kilometers east of the capital Lilongwe, May 14, 2008. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko Read More on Daily Maverick Deadlock in Malawi/Tanzania Border Crisis Written by Winston Mwale Saturday, 25 August 2012 17:25 The Malawi and Tanzania Deadlock Talks Malawi has told Tanzania that the border crisis between the two countries should be referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after talks between the two countries hit a deadlock in Lilongwe on Saturday. Tanzania had insisted that oil exploration on the disputed Lake Malawi should stop, but Malawi indicated it was not possible to so immediately because that would breach its contract with the company doing the work. The countries have agreed to meet again from September 10 to 14 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Officials from Tanzania and Malawi held closed door talks in Lilongwe on Saturday to map the way forward on the Lake Malawi border dispute after week long talks held earlier in Mzuzu where technical experts discussed the issue. The long standing dispute has resurfaced this year after Malawi started oil exploration on the lake. Tanzania claims it owns half of the water body, and has called on Malawi to halt the exploration, but Lilongwe has stood its ground saying it owns the whole lake. A press conference held after talks clearly indicated there was a stalemate. Tanzania foreign affairs minister Bernard Membe told reporters in the Malawi capital that there could be other ways of resolving the dispute other than referring it to the ICJ. But Malawi foreign affairs minister Ephraim Chiume said referring the matter to the ICJ was the only solution. He, however, indicated that Malawi would still engage in talks with Tanzania in the meantime. Mr Chiume said there was need for arbitration because the dispute has brought uneasiness among the people living along the border in the both countries. Malawi foreign affairs secretary Patrick Kabambe said cabinet will decide the way forward on the request by Tanzania to halt the oil exploration.—Zodiak Online Malawi/Tanzania : US partnership to bring clean water to 30 schools Posted on May 24, 2011 by dietvorst | Leave a comment The Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (WASRAG) announced a partnership to bring 5 million gallons [19 million litres] of clean water, along with sanitation and hygiene education, to 30 schools in Malawi and Tanzania during its fourth World Water Summit on 20 May 2011. The other members of the partnership are Africare, Procter and Gamble, and H2O for Life. Africare will implement the project, Procter and Gamble will provide PUR water purification packets through its Children's Safe Drinking Water Program, and H2O for Life will connect schoolchildren in North America with those in Malawi and Tanzania to educate them about the water crisis. Rotary clubs and districts will donate to the project and use their community connections to help find schools to participate. WASRAG estimates that the water treatment will cost US$ 20,000 per school. Rotary clubs and districts will provide about a sixth of the funding. The group announced several other partnerships during its summit, including an alliance with Chevron to develop a technology demonstration centre in Niger and an agreement with car wash owners in Atlanta, Georgia, who plan to contribute a portion of the cost of every car wash to water projects. WASRAG is also working with Jamie Bartram, director of the Water Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to develop monitoring protocols for its projects. Related web sites: Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (WASRAG) Africare – Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Procter and Gamble - Children's Safe Drinking Water Program H2O for Life Water Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill This entry was posted in Africa, Funding, Hygiene Promotion, Sanitary Facilities and tagged Africare, H2O for Life, Malawi, Procter and Gamble, schools, Tanzania, Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group. Bookmark the permalink.

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