THE BEN TV DIPLOMATIC AWARDS 2011

H.E MUMTAZ KASSAM the Uganda deputy ambassador was around to pick her award fro Distinguished services to Diplomacy .To present the award is Christian Udechukwu, Managing Director, BusinessinAfrica.

The BEN TV Diplomatic Awards which gives us the great privilege in inviting DIPLOMATS to witness what we believe will be an extension, to the platform we have constructed through BEN TV. As the only black ethnic orientated channel broadcasting in Europe and North Africa , ten years have now passed since our initial launch.

Minister Political at the Nigeria High commission recieved an award on behalf of the Nigeria High commission .The Nigeria high commission won an award in the category of Good customer service ,Dispora development and involvement.Presenting the the award was Chief Bimbo the chairman of CANUK

Kato enteprises director ,presented an award of Good customer service, Positive projection of country's image abroad,Economic and Cultural Diplomacy

With the high and lows that come with maintaining a business based in an external market, BEN TV continues to go strong and spread its reputation around. This past year, we felt privileged to be profiled on CNN as part of their ‘African Voices’ features.

Did you know that The European Union has eased sanctions on Zimbabwe by removing 35 individuals from a list of people affected by visa bans and asset freezes?

The Eritrea Ambassador H.E Tesfamicael Gerahtu Ogbaghiorghis, (Black suit) picked a gong for his mission which won in the category of good customer srvice , positive projection of country's image and Diaspora developement.The amabassador was awarded the DIPLOMAT OF THE YEAR 2011( HORN OF AFRICA)

Pastor Tunji Adebayo of ISAAC- presenting an award to the Uganda deputy High commissioner.Uganda High commission won in the category of pOSITIVE PROJECTION OF COUNTRYS IMAGE ABROAD,Diaspora developement , economic and cultural diplomacy

Our quest is to provide a positive and constructive representation of Africa and its wide diaspora is now a respected reality, if too occasionally a challenge to sustain. But with all these expected obstacles, the output both creative and commercial remains as rewarding to the team as it is to our loyal audiences across the country and beyond

CPA UK -Commonwealth Parliamentary association got an award for Distinguished services to diplomacy.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch (CPA UK) provides opportunities for UK parliamentarians to liaise with fellow parliamentarians across the Commonwealth.
Through seminars, conferences and parliamentary delegations, CPA UK fosters cooperation and understanding between parliaments, promotes good parliamentary practice and advances parliamentary democracy.

The Jamaican high comissioner presented an award of Diaspora development and involvement to the representative of the Ondo state government

The Barbados mission in London got a gong for Good customer service ,ecomonic and cultural diplomacy and positive projection of country's image abroad.Recieving the award is the deputy high commissioner

MEET HIS EXCELLENCY MR. LALESHWAR K. N. SINGH, CCH- our Life Diplomatic achievement award winner 2011.He is also the Dean of the commonwealth diplomats,the deputy dean of the diplomatic corps and the CARICOM dean here in the UK

FROM:

1993 Appointed High Commissioner for Guyana to the United Kingdom


Appointed Non-Resident Ambassador to
1993 The Netherlands;
1995 Republic of France ; Russian Federation
1997 Czech Republic
1998 Holy See

ALSO:
Dean of Commonwealth High Commissioners
Dean of Caribbean High Commissioners
Deputy Doyen of the London Diplomatic Corps


1993-2005)
2011 ) Permanent Representative to UNESCO


2004 Chairman, Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat


2000-02 Chairman, Executive Council,
Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International


1971-93 Clerk to the Justices Inner London Magistrates’ Court Service:
Principal Chief Clerk’s Office, Horseferry Road;
Bow Street; Marlborough Street; Highbury Corner;
Clerkenwell; Old Street



EDUCATION: Member, Lincoln’s Inn


AWARDS:
1996 Cacique Crown of Honour, bestowed by the Guyana Government

The sierre leone High commission team led by Florence Bangalie the HOC .Mrs Bangalie got a gong for Distuished services and resources to Diplomacy
The staples of BEN continue to be programmes which revolve around us, the black communities primarily of the UK- the institution that takes us all back, be it to Africa, the Caribbean or Australasia, for example.Our documentary series ‘Swahili Diaries and The Dialogue ’, features interviews and profiles on political issues, movements and icons especially from the Greal Lakes Area of East Africa, both with interviews here in the UK and frequent travels to across the world.

Sierra Leone High commission's HOC Ms F.Bangalie doing an acceptance speech .The sierra leone High commissioner H.E Edward Turray was awarded the diplomat of the Year 2011 (ECOMOG).

The Tanzania High commissioner H.E PETER KALLAGHE with the Diaspora development,Economic and cultural Diplomacy,Country Human Development , and economic and cultural diplomacy award

Ayoub mzee consulting with the Chairman of Ben tv Dr Alistair soyode

H.E Mr Khalid al-Duwaisan the dean of the Diplomatic corps recieved the highest award in the house , the LIFE DIPLOMATIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2011

HOC Florence Bangalie and the sierra leone high commission team

Dr Mohan Kaul the commonwealth Business council was present to recieve his award fro Distinguished services and resources to Diplomacy.
About CBC
The Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) provides leadership in increasing international trade and investment flows, creating new business opportunities, promoting good governance and corporate social responsibility, reducing the digital divide and integrating developing countries into the global market. In fulfilling its mission, CBC strives to provide a bridge between the private sector and governments, between emerging markets and developed markets and between small businesses and international private sector.CBC’s goal is to achieve economic empowerment for shared global prosperity through the enhancement of private sector contribution to social and economic development. Today we also address the following four challenges, working in partnership with Commonwealth governments and the private sector. Changing perceptionsMany Commonwealth countries offer good investment opportunities but suffer from popular misconceptions, uneven media coverage and failure to promote their economic strengths to important external audiences. The CBC is well placed to work with governments and investors to bring focus to their sound fundamentals and the investment opportunities that these countries represent. GlobalisationWith the growth of the global economy, national and regional boundaries are losing their relevance. Countries must increasingly take a more global view of opportunities for growth. The CBC, as a microcosm of the wider international economic community, can help countries cope, drawing on its close relationships with business and governments, and its mission to share knowledge and experience. Technology and skillsThe application of new technology is a key ingredient of economic success - more important in the long term than mere money. But technological advancement can happen only if information access systems are available to those with vision and enterprise to seek out and develop opportunities. Commonwealth co-operation through the exchange of skills and knowledge can help overcome that divide. For example, the CBC plans to deliver programmes for skills development and capacity building in partnership with training institutions such as Cambridge University, Aston University and City & Guilds International. The Commonwealth FactorThe Commonwealth legacy has equipped member countries with affinities in language, legal systems, and administrative procedures and political outlook - the "Commonwealth Factor". This goes a long way towards ensuring that members are prepared to function individually or as a group in the fast-moving global context.Governments and the private sector have demonstrated that this relatively homogenous trading group is also capable of drawing investment from non-Commonwealth states including the United States, Japan and the countries of Europe. Our main objective is to help developing countries and their private sector attain a standard that enables them to play a proper role in globalisation. If we contribute to this process even to a small degree, we will have achieved our purpose.

The Belize High commissioner giving an acceptance speech after recieving an award for Good customer service , positive projection of country's image abroad, economic and cultural diplomacy

The Belize High Commission in London has as its main objective the promotion and defence of Belize's interests in the United Kingdom, and more generally, in continental Europe. It aims to assist the Government of Belize in achieving its national objectives with effective presence in national and international fora.Our work includes the promotion of trade, investment and tourism, as well as cooperation in other areas at official and unofficial levels. This Mission also has an important role in maintaining contact with Belizeans residing in Europe and in the protection of the rights of Belize Citizens in the region.

Ayoub mzee

The night recognise dand celebrated the diplomatic achievements made within the African, Caribbean,Asia and Pacific regions

The Kazakhstan Mission got an award for Economic and cultural diplomacy, positive projection of country's image abroad

Mr Owusu of enterpring minds

The cameroon high commission won the Good customer service, economic and cultural diplomacy,positive projection of countyr's image abroad, cultural and economic diplomacy

These awards are suported by Newdeal Africa www.newdealafrica.com

Joint Statement on the U.S. - EU Energy Council Ministerial
Begin Text:
On November 28, 2011, the U.S.-EU Energy Council met in Washington DC to review progress achieved on strategic energy issues, cooperation on energy policies, and research collaboration on sustainable and clean energy technologies as mandated by the Energy Council in 2009.
Led by U.S. Secretary of State Clinton and U.S. Secretary of Energy Chu, EU High Representative Ashton and EU Commissioner for Energy Oettinger, participants renewed their commitment to continued cooperation on energy for mutual security and prosperity, the importance of leading-edge energy technologies in creating jobs and fostering economic growth, and facilitating the Trans-Atlantic trade in energy products and services. Under-secretary Stelmach of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also attended, representing the rotating EU Presidency
The Energy Council commended the work of the Energy Policy Working Group, specifically with regard to joint work on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), energy efficiency, smart grids and electric vehicles, and nuclear safety, as well as the following developments:
The U.S. and EU stated their intent to establish two Electric Vehicle-Power Grid Interoperability Centers, one at Argonne National Laboratory in the United States and one at JRC-Ispra in Italy to deepen joint work on electric vehicle interoperability with charging and smart grid equipment.
The U.S. and EU concluded negotiations for an agreement to develop common energy efficiency specifications for office equipment and the common use of the ENERGY STAR logo, in coordination with the work conducted under the High Level Regulatory Cooperation Forum. This renewed agreement will establish consistent targets for office equipment manufacturers, thereby maximizing the effect of their individual efforts to increase the global supply of and demand for energy efficient office equipment and help consumers in both markets identify energy efficient, cost-effective products. It is an important milestone for further agreements to facilitate international harmonization and promotion of energy efficient office equipment.
The U.S. and EU stated their intention to continue their strategic dialogue on global gas markets, including the role of unconventional gas, for example shale gas, with the objective of exchanging information on regulatory aspects and best practices.
The U.S. and the EU recognized the importance of leading the way in promoting the highest levels of safety and security for nuclear power plants and exploration and production offshore of oil and gas, and will continue to work together closely to achieve this.
The U.S. and the EU stated their intention to deepen their co-operation on knowledge-sharing between CCS projects, including the exchange of best regulatory practice in support of our respective large-scale demonstration projects.
The Energy Council recognized the significant contributions of the Technology Working Group and its efforts to leverage the energy RD&D budgets and laboratory expertise on both sides of the Atlantic, and urged further initiatives and actions with added value, including coordinated research and other efforts to foster greater research cooperation.
The Energy Council endorsed the prioritization of four of the current nine co-operation areas: namely advanced materials including critical materials for clean energy supply, smart grids including energy storage for grids, nuclear fusion, and hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The Energy Council asked for the preparation of two-year joint actions plans in each of the four priority sectors. In addition, the Energy Council took note of the following developments:
The U.S. and EU intend to co-operate on continuing the Solar Decathlon Europe competitions, transforming them into an initiative to foster sustainable economic development by creating markets on both sides of the Atlantic for integrating innovative technologies and renewable energy sources into new and refurbished low impact buildings.
The U.S. and EU have made efforts to foster greater research cooperation including through lab to lab cooperation and researcher exchanges. On the U.S. side, thousands of EU researchers are present at DOE labs at any particular time, and the EU FP7 Framework is open to non-funded participation of U.S. researchers. The Energy Council requested both sides to propose measures to identify and lift the remaining legal and administrative obstacles to research cooperation.
The U.S. and EU launched a major Trilateral Critical Materials Initiative with Japan that could also involve other international partners, aimed at co-operating on the sustainable separation, extraction and processing of critical materials, their substitution and more efficient use. The Energy Council called for decisive follow-up action on this initiative, at programmatic and project levels.
The Energy Council commended the Energy Security Working Group’s sustained progress on its global oil, gas, and electricity markets dialogue; coordination on energy infrastructure projects; and cooperation toward third countries and international organizations. Highlights of this progress include:
The U.S. and EU acknowledged the significant signing on October 25, 2011 of a gas transit agreement between Turkey and Azerbaijan, bringing the Southern Corridor one step closer to being launched. The Energy Council looks forward to the conclusion of commercial agreements with the Shah Deniz II consortium, which could ultimately open multiple sources of gas for the Southern Corridor. The Energy Council reiterated its support for the creation of sufficient dedicated infrastructure which will provide substantial volumes of gas.
The U.S. and EU welcome Ukraine’s accession to the Energy Community on February 1, 2011, its significant role in Europe’s energy security, and its important steps towards increasing its trade and economic ties with Europe. The Energy Council recognizes the urgency of Ukraine implementing the reforms in its gas sector that would permit the International Financial Institutions and the private sector to invest in the modernization of the gas transit system, including the long promised internal gas price reform to put Naftohaz Ukrainiy on a path to cost recovery and a more sustainable financial footing. The Energy Council further urged Ukraine to adopt appropriate production sharing legislation and policies, to attract international investment in the development of Ukraine’s conventional and unconventional energy resources in a responsible and efficient manner, as well as promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy resources.
The Energy Council recognizes Russia’s role as an indispensible part of Europe’s and the world’s energy solutions, particularly as the global leader in hydrocarbon production, and also acknowledged the role Russia played in helping to ease oil supply shocks in spring 2011. The Energy Council urged the government in Moscow to implement its energy sector tax and investment reforms in a transparent and consistent manner, as well as promote further market opening in the energy sector.
The U.S. and EU noted Nigeria’s 2011 adherence to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, a particular focus of last year’s Energy Council, and called on the Nigerian authorities to pass and implement a Petroleum Industry Bill to increase transparency in energy resource development, and to implement its far reaching program on power sector reform. While recognizing the positive impact of the Amnesty in the Niger Delta so far, the US and EU urge the Government of Nigeria to follow up on the UNEP report on Ogoniland, to remedy the critical health and environmental problems facing this region and to further engage the oil companies and the international community on this issue. The U.S. and EU stated their intention to coordinate their respective efforts to support Nigeria’s reform and development agenda, communicating regularly on key issues such as improved access to electricity, reduced gas flaring and good governance in the energy sector.
The U.S. and EU look forward to Libya regaining its role as a trusted supplier of oil and natural gas to Europe. They affirmed their intent to encourage the Libyan government to pursue greater transparency in the hydrocarbon sector and implement sound public financial management principles.
Looking forward, the Energy Council recognizes the benefit of continued cooperation on the security and diversification of energy resources, and will strive to continue and deepen ongoing research cooperation and information exchange and trade and investment in energy storage technologies, e-mobility, the extraction and substitution of raw materials, energy efficiency, and the deployment of clean energy technologies.

Africa will not become the graveyard of the Kyoto Protocol – African Negotiators.

Durban, South Africa 29 November 2011 (ECA) - The African Group of Negotiators has vowed not to bury the Kyoto Protocol in Africa, reporters of the Information and Communications Service of ECA learnt in Durban today.

“Africa will not become the graveyard of the Kyoto Protocol”, Mr. Victor Kabengele wa Koudilu, one of the chairs of the Group and lead negotiator of the Democratic Republic of Congo announced at the opening session of the Ad-hoc Working Group on the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) at the COP 17 talks in Durban, South Africa.

Urging Parties to work towards a binding agreement in Durban, Mr. Kabengele declared that: “The African Group would like to state loud and clear that it will not allow African soil to become the graveyard of the Kyoto Protocol.”

He reiterated Africa’s position, adopted by the African Heads of State and government that developed countries should “take ambitious, legally-binding, quantified emissions reduction commitments in the second commitment period of at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020; and between 80 – 95 percent by 2050.”

He expressed serious concern about the slow progress registered on reaching a new accord, despite many hours of negotiations.

“In the light of the approaching deadline of the first commitment period, the African Group expresses its serious concern on the slow progress being made under the AWG-KP, particularly in relation to our work on aggregate emissions reductions numbers and securing the political commitment to a second commitment period,” he said.

Mr. Kabengele recalled that Africa’s constant position has been that the Kyoto Protocol should continue and expressed “disappointment that some countries are not seriously committed to any future for the agreement.”

“Regardless of the views of our partners, the African Group is of the firm view that the planet cannot afford to waste thirteen years of negotiations,” he said, pledging Africa’s cooperation with the chair of the negotiations to ensure that an agreement is reached in Durban.

The Working Group is seeking a new legally-binding agreement on emissions reductions to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires next year. Kyoto is the only international legally-binding agreement and there are fears that if a successor is not found soon, global temperatures could rise above the two degrees level that scientists have warned could threaten the very existence of the planet.

Issued by the Information and Communication Service of ECA