Japan pledges huge loans to Mozambique

The Japanese government has pledged to disburse, over the next five years, a financial package to the value of 70 billion yen (about 672 million US dollars) for Mozambican development programmes in areas such as infrastructures and agricultural growth. The aid was announced in Maputo on 19 January after talks between Mozambican President Armando Guebuza and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Much of the funding, which takes the form of loans, will go towards improving the state of roads, in the north of the country, particularly in the northern development corridor, which runs from the port of Nacala through Nampula and Niassa provinces to the Malawian border. Another slice of the Japanese aid will go towards the ProSavana project, a triangular cooperation agreement between Mozambique, Japan and Brazil intended to improve agricultural production in Nampula, Niassa and Zambezia.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed for interchanges between the Mozambican Agricultural Research Institute (IIAM), and the Japan International Research Centre for Agricultural Sciences.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401270528.html

US speaks out on Mugabe exclusion from US-Africa summit

US President Barack Obama did not invite President Robert Mugabe for a landmark United States-Africa summit in August because the Zimbabwean leader is currently a "Specially Designated National" (SDN), a US official has explained.

Acting United States embassy in Zimbabwe spokesperson, Jillian Bonnardeaux said apart from being on the SDN list, Mugabe was subject to US sanctions for "undermining democratic processes and institutions in Zimbabwe". A Specially Designated Nationals List is a publication of Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac) which lists individuals and organisations with whom US citizens and permanent residents are prohibited from doing business.

But despite Obama's snub on Mugabe, Bonnardeaux said the US was prepared to constantly revisit its bilateral relationship with Zimbabwe. "The US policy is not static and continually evolves," she said.

Bonnardeaux said the US valued and was committed to its long-term relationship with the people of Zimbabwe. She said the US continued to support Zimbabwe through its assistance in health, economic growth and other key areas.

"The US and Zimbabwe share goals of a strong, prosperous, healthy, and democratic Zimbabwe able to meet its people's needs," she said.

Bonnardeaux said Obama looked forward to welcoming leaders from across the African continent to Washington on August 5 and 6 to further strengthen ties with one of the world's most "dynamic" and fastest-growing regions.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401260337.html

Death toll up to four in South Africa following water protests

A fourth person has died following violent clashes near Brits over access to water, Jacarandafm News reported on Monday. Damonsville community leader Paul Hendricks said the man died early on Monday.

"He was shot in the head with live ammunition and taken to Ga-Rankuwa hospital where the bullet was removed," he was quoted as saying.

The man was in a coma and later died.

According to SABC radio news, the 36-year-old man spent seven days in the intensive care unit of hospital. He was injured during clashes last week. His family confirmed the death. SABC also reported that he had died, quoting his brother. Three others who were killed during the service delivery protest in Mothutlung were buried at the weekend.

Two protesters were shot dead, allegedly by police. Another man died after falling out of a moving police vehicle in a bid to escape, according to police.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401200943.html

Angola and World Bank agree $75 million funding for education

The national education system was attributed as from Thursday USD 75 million, fruit of an agreement signed in Luanda between the Angolan government and International Development Agency of the World Bank. The amount will be channeled to the "Learning for All Project", a tool created by the government in order to improve the teachers' competence and assist in the management of schools and assessment of students in primary school.

About 500.000 students in 980 primary schools in various parts of the country will benefit from the project, whose implementation timeline covers the period between 2014/2018. Under the same project, at least 24.300 teachers, municipal and provincial staff of the Ministry of Education will have access to training.

The implementation of the referred project, an instrument to take into account in the materialization of the National Development Plan for 2013-2017 period, also has a financial reinforcement of the government estimated at five million dollars. The accord was signed by the Angolan Minister of Planning and Territorial Development, Job Graça and the regional vice-president of the World Bank for Africa, Makhtar Diop.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401190221.html

High-level Zimbabwean government visit to China

A high-powered Government delegation has left the country for China to explore collaborative partnerships for the establishment of an e-Government Data Centre with a Chinese state-owned company. The delegation, being led by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda, would visit China from today to January 18 for technical collaboration between the Government and Inspur Group of China.

Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Ray Ndlukula, in a statement, yesterday said the e-Government Data Centre was the missing link in full realisation of the e-Government vision spelt out in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset).

"The Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet is leading a high-powered delegation of Senior Government officials on a visit to the People's Republic of China for five days at the invitation of Inspur Group of Company of China.

"Inspur is an information communication technology state-owned company which is a key player on the Chinese local market and internationally," he said.  Dr Ndlukula said the visit would strengthen and deepen political and technical cooperation between the two governments under the Look East policy.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401120191.html

Civilians in Mozambique feeling the presence of rebels

War scenarios, characterized by popular persecution, intimidation, arbitrary detentions and alleged rapid executions of defenseless citizens, especially youth and male adults, caused close to 4,000 residents in the regions of Nhambondo, Tazaronda, Mucodza, Nhataka, Tambarara, Nhankuco, Kanda, Tazonda, Egypt, Barnota, and Vundudzi, in Gorongosa district, Sofala province, to abandon their homes a few days ago.

They are taking refuge in Gorongosa village as a way to escape the atrocities perpetrated by armed Renamo men and government defense and security forces.

According to reports of citizens, some of whom were forcibly separated from their relatives - and reported as missing by virtue of having been captured by the military - the Renamo guerrillas and government forces have protagonized murders of citizens since last October. However, our correspondent can't say for what reasons the militants are provoking this "carnage" and they do not offer any concrete evidence of people who have been victims of this situation.

Manuel da Costa Simão, Pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Mozambique, and resident of the administrative post of Vunduzi, told us that living in this region is causes sadness due to the fact that there are people who are being abruptly executed and in addition to suffering various threats from armed Renamo men. Because of these reasons, he took refuge at a relative's home located in the village of Gorongosa.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401130613.html

Al-Qaeda in Yemen frees South Africans

Militants linked to al Qaeda have released two South Africans kidnapped in the Yemeni city of Taiz in May last year, according to Reuters. The man and woman were in good health, the local officials said, declining to give details of where they had been held or how they were released.

A security official in Taiz confirmed the couple had been released and said he had no information on the identity of the kidnappers. Kidnapping of foreigners in Yemen is common, often carried out by disgruntled tribesmen seeking to press the government to free jailed relatives or to improve public services, or by Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda.

Yemen has been grappling with an Islamist insurgency which took advantage of unrest in 2011 inspired by the Arab Spring to seize control of some southern cities. The insurgents were beaten back by government forces but have since regrouped and mounted attacks on government officials and installations.

Lawlessness in the poor Arabian Peninsula state has alarmed neighbouring Saudi Arabia, the world's leading oil exporter, as well as the United States, which increasingly views Yemen as a front line in its struggle against al Qaeda.

Original article: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/01/10/uk-yemen-kidnap-idUKBREA090OL20140110

Mozambique confirms presence of rebels

The Mozambican Defence Ministry on Tuesday confirmed the presence of groups of gunmen of the former rebel movement Renamo in Homoine district, in the southern province of Inhambane.

This contradicts the public position taken on Monday by the spokesperson of the Inhambane provincial police command, Delcir Marquel, who claimed there was no Renamo presence in Homoine, just groups of cattle thieves.

At a Maputo press conference, the National Director of Defence Policy in the Defence Ministry, Col Cristovao Chume said not only had Renamo gunmen entered Homoine, but some of them have been arrested.

“Renamo has moved men into Inhambane, particularly into Homoine, and has put psychological pressure on people living there”, said Chume.

This had led to frightened people abandoning their homes and their property, because of the traumas of the past “notably the massacres carried out by Renamo during the war of destabilisation”.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401071313.html

Japanese PM to visit Mozambique

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is to visit three African countries: Ethiopia, Mozambique and Ivory Coast, as well as the Gulf state of Oman for a week starting from tomorrow, Japanese ministry of foreign affairs said.

PM Abe is expected to hold bilateral talks with the leaders of the countries. In addition to that PM Abe is scheduled to give a policy speech on Japan's Africa diplomacy in Ethiopia. In Oman PM Abe is scheduled to hold talks with Sultan Qaboos bin Said and sign an investment pact between the two countries.

PM Abe's visit follows the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) held in June 2013 discussed issues, among others, trade and investment and peace and stability in Africa. Japan is seeking to bolster its ties with Africa.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401071309.html

World Bank closes Zimbabwe’s access to further support

The World Bank has become the latest institution to dismiss Zimbabwe's bid to access fresh loans from international lenders, unless the country first clears its arrears. Zimbabwe's external debt runs into billions of dollars and, last year, the country formally approached the World Bank for debt relief under the 'Highly Indebted Poor Countries' (HIPC) scheme.

However, the bank has since indicated that the country does not qualify for support and will need a comprehensive arrears clearance framework with the international community to qualify for fresh loans or further financial assistance.

"Zimbabwe's eligibility to receive assistance under the HIPC Initiative remains unclear," the World Bank said in its latest report.

"(The) Country could potentially be eligible for assistance if it meets end-2004 and end-2010 indebtedness criteria and if it clears its arrears to the (IMF's) Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust," the report further stated.

Tim Jones, policy manager at global lobby group Jubilee Debt Campaign said Zimbabwe was not automatically eligible for the "poor countries initiative".

"So a political decision has to be made over issues to do with the indebtedness criteria statistics has to be made for it to be considered for the scheme.

"There have been indications in the past from the World Bank and western governments that they will be willing to let Zimbabwe in but that was very much linked to political changes in the country," Jones said.

Jones added: "Following the July election result, it's hard to tell what's going to happen in future although we know that the Zanu PF government never wanted to go the highly-indebted poor countries route."

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201401080376.html