Wednesday 16 March 2011

THE COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA (COMESA) INTER-TRADE HAS GROWS FROM $3.1BILLION TO $15 BILLION THIS YEAR

THE COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA (COMESA) INTER-TRADE HAS GROWS FROM $3.1BILLION TO $15 BILLION THIS YEAR SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE REGION BLOCK IN 2001.
BUT THE REGION IS STILL FACING CHALLENGES SUCH AS HARMONIZATION OF LAWS ON THE BASIS OF ITS IMMIGRATION MODEL LAW DESPITE THIS ENORMOUS GROWTH.
COMESA SECRETARY GENERAL SINDISO NGWENYA DISCLOSED THIS DURING THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE FOURTH MEETING OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMMIGRATION IN LUSAKA TODAY.
MR NGWENYA POINTED OUT THAT IN ADDITION TO THE HARMONIZATION OF THE IMMIGRATION LAWS, THERE IS NEED FOR MEMBER STATES TO COOPERATE IN ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT CONFRONT THEM SUCH AS INTEGRATED BORDER MANAGEMENT SECURITY OF DOCUMENTS, HUMAN TRAFFICKING , SMUGGLING AND CAPACITY BUILDING AMONG IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS.
HE NOTED THAT DESPITE THE PROGRESS MADE IN IMPLEMENTING PROTOCOLS AND POLICY ORGANS DECISIONS, IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT SOME MEMBER STATES ARE YET TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMMES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL AND THE COMESA AUTHORITY.
AND VICE PRESIDENT GEORGE KUNDA WHO IS ALSO JUSTICE MINISTER STRESSED THE NEED TO  IMPLEMENT REGIONAL PROGRAMMES BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL LEGAL INSTRUMENTS WHICH GO BEYOND NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY SUCH AS THE PROTOCOL ON THE GRADUAL RELAXATION OF VISAS AS WELL AS  THE PROTOCOL ON FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS.
VICE PRESIDENT KUNDA FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT THE REGIONAL INTEGRATION AGENDA WILL NOT BE COMPLETE IF PEOPLE DO NOT ENJOY THE BASIC TENEMENTS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION SUCH AS FREE MOVEMENT ACROSS BOARDERS .
THE VICE PRESIDENT ALSO SAYS  THE LACK OF IMPLEMENTATION OF LEGAL INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN FORCE AND GOVERNING THE REGIONAL PROGRAMMES SUCH AS THE PROTOCOL ON THE GRADUAL RELAXATION AND EVENTUAL ELIMINATION OF VISA IS RETARDING THE PROGRESS.

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ZAMBIA'S OPPOSITION VOWES TO USE THE PVT IN THIS YEAR'S GENERAL ELECTIONS

THE OPPOSITION UPND HAS MAINTAINED THAT THE PARALLEL VOTER TABULATION (PVT) MUST BE SUPPORTED AND USED IN THIS YEAR’S GENERAL ELECTIONS.
SPEAKING IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RADIO PHOENIX, UPND VICE PRESIDENT FOR  ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS FRANCIS SIMENDA SAYS THE OPPOSITION PARTY WILL SUPPORT THE PVT NO MATTER WHAT EVEN IF IT HAS RECEIVED TOTAL REJECTION FROM GOVERNMENT.
MR SIMENDA HAS EXPRESSED SADNESS THAT THE  WISHES OF PEOPLE ARE FROM TIME TO TIME BEING DENIED  BY THE  MMD GOVERNMENT.

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ZAMBIAN PRTESIDENT SENDS A MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN OVER THE DEATHS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE EARTH QUAKE

PRESIDENT  RUPIAH BANDA HAS  SENT A MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT OVER THE DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN AN EARTHQUAKE THAT TOOK PLACE ON 11TH MARCH, 2011.
IN A LETTER TO  NAOTO KAN, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN, PRESIDENT BANDA EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THOSE INVOLVED IN RESCUE OPERATIONS WOULD HAVE THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO CARRY OUT THEIR MISSION.
ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT RELEASED TO RADIO PHOENIX  BY SPECIAL ASSISTANT  TO THE PRESIDENT FOR PRESS AND PUBLIC  RELATIONS DICKSON JERE, THE PRESIDENT TOLD PRIME MINISTER KAN THAT ZAMBIA STOOD BESIDE THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN IN THEIR TIME OF DISTRESS AND SORROW, AND SHARED THE BURDEN OF GRIEF WITH THE BEREAVED FAMILIES.
PRESIDENT BANDA HAS SINCE  WISHED THE BEREAVED FAMILIES SOLACE AND FORTITUDE DURING THE PERIOD OF MOURNING AND DESTRUCTION.

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A NEW FROST AND SULLIVAN REPORT HAS REVEALED THAT INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) COUNTRIES STILL PRESENT THE BIGGEST BURDEN OF DISEASE

INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) COUNTRIES STILL PRESENT THE BIGGEST BURDEN OF DISEASE.
HOWEVER, URBANIZATION AND WESTERNIZED LIFESTYLES HAVE LED TO A RISE IN NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, ESPECIALLY IN COUNTRIES LIKE MAURITIUS, WHERE THEY ACCOUNT FOR A MAJORITY OF THE COUNTRY'S DISEASE BURDEN.
ACCORDING TO A NEW  ANALYSIS FROM FROST & SULLIVAN, SADC PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY NOTES THAT INCREASED ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY TREATMENTS IS ESSENTIAL IN ALLEVIATING THE HEAVY BURDEN OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES WITHIN THE COUNTRY.
IT HAS OBSERVED THAT THE INDUSTRY IN MAURITIUS, MALAWI AND ZAMBIA, GENERATED REVENUES OF $228.7 MILLION IN 2009 AND ESTIMATES THIS TO REACH $439.6 MILLION IN 2016.
FROST & SULLIVAN HEALTHCARE RESEARCH ANALYST JOLIZE GERBER NOTES THAT INFECTIOUS DISEASES, INCLUDING AIDS, MALARIA AND TB STILL PRESENT THE LARGEST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PROVISION OF PHARMACEUTICALS IN THE REGION, ESPECIALLY IN ZAMBIA AND MALAWI.
MR GERBER HAS STATED THAT THE HIGH BURDEN OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES WILL SPUR STRONG INVESTMENTS IN ANTI-INFECTIVE TREATMENTS AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE LARGE NUMBER OF NON-COMMUNICABLE OR LIFESTYLE DISEASES LIKE HYPERTENSION AND DIABETES WILL ALSO DRIVE MARKET DEVELOPMENT.

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GOVERNMENT RAISES 38.62BILLION KWACHA FROM REGISTRATION AND RETURNS OF COMPANIES.

GOVERNMENT HAS DISCLOSED THAT THE PATENT AND COMPANY REGISTRATION AGENCY (PACRA), RAISED ABOUT 38.62BILLION KWACHA FROM 2006 TO OCTOBER 2010 IN COMPANY REGISTRATION AND COMPANY RETURNS.
DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMERCE TRADE AND INDUSTRY DR. LWIPA PUMA TOLD PARLIAMENT TODAY THAT PACRA RECORDED ABOUT 7.1BILLION KWACHA IN COMPANY REGISTRATION AND 26.36BILLION KWACHA IN COMPANY RETURNS.
DR PUMA ALSO DISCLOSED THAT PACRA FURTHER RAISED ABOUT 3.8 BILLION KWACHA IN BUSINESS NAME REGISTRATION WITH 1.8BILLION KWACHA IN BUSINESS NAME RETURNS RECORDED

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Saturday 12 March 2011

AFRICAN ENERGY RESOURCES HAS CONCLUDS 100% ACQUISITION OF 2 URANIUM BASED PROJECTS IN ZAMBIA BOOSTING ITS AFRICAN BASED EXPOSURE TO URANIUM.

AFRICAN ENERGY RESOURCES HAS CONCLUDED ITS 100% ACQUISITION OF 2 URANIUM BASED PROJECTS IN ZAMBIA BOOSTING ITS AFRICAN BASED EXPOSURE TO URANIUM.
THE TWO PROJECTS, CHIRUNDU URANIUM AND KARIBA VALLEY WERE INITIALLY PART OF JV WITH ALBIDON.
AFRICAN ENERGY IS FUNDING THE ACQUISITION FROM EXISTING CASH RESERVES WITH WORKING CAPITAL FUNDED BY A PARTIAL DRAWDOWN OF THE USD 5 MILLION CONVERTIBLE LOAN FACILITY WITH MACQUARIE BANK.
URANIUM HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCOVERED WITH CHIRUNDU CONTAINING THE NJAME AND GWABE DEPOSITS, WHICH COLLECTIVELY CONTAIN A TOTAL OF 11.1 MILLION POUNDS IN U3O8 IN MEASURED, INDICATED AND INFERRED RESOURCES.
AFRICAN ENERGY IS LOOKING TO MOVE THE ACQUISITIONS FORWARD QUICKLY, AND IS EVALUATING A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL EXPLORATION TARGETS AT CHIRUNDU AND KARIBA VALLEY TENEMENTS WITH THE AIM OF BOOSTING THE RESOURCE.
A PRE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS COMPLETED AT CHIRUNDU IN MAY 2008 WHICH GAVE AFRICAN ENERGY A 70% INTEREST IN THE PROJECT.
FOLLOWING THIS IN 2009, THERE WAS A FURTHER BOOST TO THE PROJECT WHEN THE MINISTRY OF MINES AND MINERALS DEVELOPMENT GRANTED A LARGE SCALE MINING LICENSE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHIRUNDU.
AT KARIBA VALLEY, WHICH WAS THE COMPANY'S SECOND JV WITH ALBIDON AND PRIOR TO ACQUIRING THE 100% INTEREST, AFRICAN ENERGY HELD 30% STAKE AND COULD HAVE EARNED UP TO 70% INTEREST BY COMPLETING PRE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND DELIVERING AN INDICATED RESOURCE


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REVISIT YOUR DECISION ON THE PARALLEL VOTER TABULATION-RULLING MMD TELSS AMERCAN GOVERNMENT

THE RULING MOVEMENT FOR MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY (MMD) HAS ADVISED THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND ITS AMBASSADOR MARK STORELLA TO REVISIT AND RESCIND THEIR DECISION ON THE PARALLEL VOTER TABULATION AND NOT BRING CONFUSION TO THE COUNTRY WHOSE DEMOCRACY IS STILL GROWING.
SPEAKING IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RADIO PHOENIX, MMD NATIONAL SECRETARY DR. KATELE KALUMBA SAYS ZAMBIA HAS SINCE INDEPENDENCE EXPERIENCED PEACE BECAUSE OF THE GOOD ELECTORAL SYSTEM WHICH IS IN PLACE AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED AS IT IS LIKELY TO BRING CONFUSION TO THE COUNTRY AND A POSSIBLE CONFLICT.
DR KALUMBA HAS POINTED OUT THAT IN OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE SUCH AN ELECTORAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE, THERE HAS BEEN CONFLICTS AND ECONOMIES OF SUCH NATIONS HAVE BEEN DISTURBED ADDING THAT ZAMBIA CURRENTLY DOES NOT NEED TO DISTURB ITS GROWING ECONOMY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT BANDA.
DR KALUMBA WHO IS ON LEAVE FROM HIS PARTY POSITION DUE TO BAD HEALTH SAYS GOVERNMENT WILL NOT ENTERTAIN SUCH THOUGHTS FROM OUTSIDERS WHO DOES NOT SHARE THE VIEWS OF THE ZAMBIANS.
THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT THROUGH ITS AMBASSADOR MARK STORELLA HAS INDICATED THAT THEY ARE READY TO SPONSOR THE PARALLEL VOTER TABULATION AND THIS MUST NOT BE SEEN AS AN ELECTORAL SYSTEM WHICH CAN BRING CONFUSION TO THE COUNTRY.
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Thursday 10 March 2011

FORMER ZAMBIAN WORKS AND SUPPLY MINISTER MIKE MULONGOTI HAS CHARGED THAT BANNING HIM FROM ATTENDING THE RULING MMD PARTY'S FOURTH COMING CONVENTION IS AN ACT OF DESPERATION FROM SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE PARTY.
SPEAKING IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RADIO PHOENIX MR. MULONGOTI WHO HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FROM THE PARTY AS CHAIRPERSON FOR ELECTIONS AND HAS HAD HIS NOMINATION AS MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REVOKED BY PRESIDENT  RUPIAH BANDA, SAYS HE  IS YET TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION OVER HIS SUSPENSION AND IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR THE PARTY TO RESPOND TO HIS EXCULPATORY LETTER WHICH HE SAYS  IS ALREADY WITH THE SECRETARIAT.
MEANWHILE MR. MULONGOTI HAS MAINTAINED THAT DESPITE HIS SUSPENSION FROM THE PARTY, NOTHING WILL CHANGE HIS MIND FROM SUPPORTING PRESIDENT BANDA AT THE CONVENTION BUT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT MISUNDERSTAND HIM OVER THE MATTER BECAUSE HE IS ONLY VYING FOR PARTY VICE PRESIDENCY.
THE RULING MMD PARTY HAS BARRED SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PARTY WHO INCLUDE KATUBA MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT JONAS SHAKAFUSWA AND KAFULAFUTA MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT GEORGE MPOMBO.
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Wednesday 2 March 2011

THE NEW 2010 UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD HAS REVEALED THAT DESPITE A DECLINE IN COCAINE TRAFFICKING IN AFRICA IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING TO EUROPE IS ON THE RISE AGAIN

THE NEW 2010 UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD HAS REVEALED THAT DESPITE A DECLINE IN COCAINE TRAFFICKING IN AFRICA IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING TO EUROPE IS ON THE RISE AGAIN WITH ZAMBIA AS ONE OF THE FEW SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES GROWING AND PRODUCING THE CANNABIS HERB.
THE REPORT STATES THAT THE ANNUAL PREVALENCE RATES OF ABUSE ON THE CONTINENT AMONG THE POPULATION AGED 15-64 FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 5 TO 10PERCENT, REPRESENTING ABOUT DOUBLE THE GLOBAL AVERAGE RATE WITH MOROCCO REMAINING AMONGST THE WORLD`S LARGEST PRODUCERS OF THE CANNABIS RESIN.
EAST AFRICA IS REPORTED AS  THE MAIN TRANSIT ROUTE FOR SMUGGLING HEROIN FROM ASIA TO AFRICA, MAINLY THROUGH THE MAJOR AIRPORTS OF ADDIS ABABA AND NAIROBI WITH ESTIMATES OF MORE THAN 25TONNES USED TO SUPPLY AFRICA’S POPULATION OF DRUG ADDICTS OF ABOUT 1.3MILLION PEOPLE AND ABOUT 35TONNES OF HEROIN SMUGGLED INTO AFRICA EVERY YEAR.
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME NATIONAL PROJECT COORDINATOR, HIV/AIDS IN PRISON SETTING-ZAMBIA SHARON NYAMBE POINTED OUT THAT THE BOARD IS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT FACT THAT THE ABUSE OF ALMOST ALL TYPES OF DRUGS HAS INCREASED IN AFRICA OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
MRS. NYAMBE SAYS WHILST THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT ZAMBIA HAS A STRONG LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE MECHANISMS UNDER THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION TO IDENTIFY, FREEZE, SEIZE AND CONFISCATE THE PROCEEDS OF DRUG TRAFFICKING ,GOVERNMENT MUST ENSURE THAT IT CONTINUES TO USE THE LAW MORE EFFECTIVELY.
SHE NOTED THAT EXPLOITING ECONOMIC VULNERABILITY OF WOMEN AND UNDER FALSE PROMISES, DRUG TRAFFICKERS HAVE USED ZAMBIA WOMEN TO TRAFFIC DRUGS TO MANY COUNTRIES WHERE SOME WOMEN WERE ARRESTED AND DIED IN PRISON CELLS OF OTHER COUNTRIES.
MRS. NYAMBE HAS STATED THAT UNLESS THE LAW IS CONTINUOUSLY ENFORCED, PRODUCING, PROCESSING AND TRAFFICKING OF DRUGS WILL BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO THE COUNTRIES` DEVELOPMENT ENDEAVORS.
THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUG AND CRIME REPRESENTATIVE WAS SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR DR IYORLUMUN UHAA DURING THE PRESENTATION OF THE REPORT TO THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS MKHONDO LUNGU AT HIS OFFICE IN LUSAKA TODAY.
INSERT……….THE ANNUAL
AND SPEAKING AT THE SAME FUNCTION HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER MKHONDO LUNGU ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ZAMBIA IS INCREASINGLY RECORDING HIGH CASES OF ADDICTS PARTICULARLY THOSE OF HEROIN AND COCAINE WHICH IS POSING A SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ZAMBIAN SOCIETY ECONOMICALLY.
MR LUNGU ALSO DISCLOSED THAT GOVERNMENT WILL START CONSTRUCTING A DRUG REHABILITATION CENTRE TO COMMENCE THIS YEAR AT A COST OF 1.9 BILLION KWACHA AS MODERN METHODS OF FIGHTING CRIME.
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Tuesday 1 March 2011

THE ZAMBIA ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS SAYS ANY FURTHER INCREMENT IN THE PUMP PRICE OF FUEL DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR WILL LEAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR

THE ZAMBIA ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS SAYS ANY FURTHER INCREMENT IN THE PUMP PRICE OF FUEL DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR WILL LEAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR.
SPEAKING  IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RADIO PHOENIX , (ZAM) PRESIDENT CHANCE KABAGHE SAYS MANUFACTURERS IN THE COUNTRY ARE STILL CAPABLE  OF STRIVING  AND SUSTAINING  THE SECTOR WITH THE RECENT HIKE IN FUEL PRICES BUT ANY MORE UPWARD ADJUSTMENTS IN 2011 WILL SPELL DOOM FOR THE SECTOR.
MR. KABAGHE HAS NOTED THAT  ANY MORE INCREMENTS IN THE PRICE OF FUEL WILL HINDER THE REALIZATION OF THE OVER 5 PERCENT GROWTH TARGET THE SECTOR HAS SET FOR THIS YEAR.
THE ENERGY REGULATION BOARD LAST MONTH ANNOUNCED AN INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF FUEL BY MORE THAN 11 PERCENT WITH  PETROL GOING UP FROM K7,639 TO K8,647 WHILE  DIESEL ROSE FROM K6,999 PER LITRE TO K7,958 PER LITRE.
IN MAY LAST YEAR, ZAMBIA RAISED THE PRICE OF FUEL BY AN AVERAGE 13 PERCENT AND THERE WAS ANOTHER INCREASE OF 15 PERCENT IN JANUARY 2010 DUE TO RISING GLOBAL OIL PRICES.

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