Very
productive visit to the UK for Ethiopia’s new Foreign Minister
PRESS
RELEASE
Release: Immediate
10th
January 2013
Ethiopia’s
new Foreign Minister, H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom, met with UK officials earlier
today on his first working visit to the UK in his new post.
The Minister
met with Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Rt. Hon William Hague, the
Secretary of State for International Development (DFID), the Rt. Hon. Justine Greening
and UK Africa Minister, the Rt. Hon. Mark Simmonds and other FCO officials for
discussions on both bilateral and regional issues.
Both sides
expressed their satisfaction at the expanding partnership between the two
countries. Minister Tedros expressed his appreciation of the quality of the UK
support for Ethiopia’s capacity building programme, which attaches key
attention to the priority areas set by Ethiopia so that the country fully
retains ownership.
On its part,
the UK expressed its appreciation at the effective way that Ethiopia uses
financial support and the productiveness of its various development programmes.
The two
countries’ representatives also discussed issues of mutual interest which
included inter alia the peace and security of the sub-region, the
situation in Somalia, Eritrea and the peace process in Sudan and South Sudan.
The Foreign Minister with Rt. Hon. Justine Greening
************
Later in the
day the Foreign Minister met with representatives of the business community and
led a round-table discussion with over 30 UK companies* who already invest in
Ethiopia or are keen to take advantage of the many opportunities.
The Minister
gave a detailed briefing on the policy framework, the regulatory framework and
expanding businesses and investment in Ethiopia. He engaged in an interactive
session where participants raised questions and gave comments on a wide range
of issues.
The minister
assured the participants of the commitment of his office to engaging them in
the coming months and years with a view to fulfilling investment activities.
*************
On Saturday
(12th Jan) the Minister will meet members of the Diaspora community
and brief them on recent developments, encouraging them to further support
development, investment and tourism opportunities.
---ENDS---
*These
include Diageo, Tullow Oil, Nyota Minerals, Satya Capital, UK Chambers of
Commerce, Chaucer Foods, British American Tobacco (BAT), Pricewaterhouse
Coopers LLP, Herries Gibbs Ltd, Tricor, African Bamboo PLC, Global Counsel, the
Eastern Africa Association, NEDBANK, Clyde & Co LLP, TVET, G4S, Margin
Capital, Mott MacDonald Ltd., Business Council for Africa, Beale and Company
LLP, British Expertise, Sagewood Ltd. and Addleshaw Goddard.
Background
Dr Tedros
has a long association with the UK, where he did his MSc at the University of
London and his PhD at the University of Nottingham and is well known for his
award-winning work on health and tropical diseases both in research and in his
previous post as Ethiopia’s Health Minister.
His former
university, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, awarded him an
Honorary Fellowship – the School’s most prestigious honour - during the annual
graduation ceremony on 10th March 2012.
For further details
contact the press office on 0207 838 3880/3
The Foreign Minister with Rt. Hon. Justine Greening
INTERPOL ON THE TRAIL OF UGANDAN JAIL BIRD BAD BLACK
By OKI MARTINS >>>
An international warrant of arrest has been issued for Ugandan
celebrity Shanita Namuyimbwa aka Bad Black for failing to return to jail
after a medical exeat. Bad Black a former prostitute and groupie jailed
last year for fraud was released on a Shs100m bail to go for breast
implants treatment in Dubai but has since not returned nor complied with
the conditions of her bail. Bad Black is now required to go back to
prison and serve her full four year jail term and the Ugandan
authorities have enlisted the services of Interpol to help find her.
Bad Black
was also supposed to report to court every two weeks during the exeat
period but authorities said the mother of two had failed to comply. Last
Friday, Bad Black was expected in court but she was nowhere to be seen
and a warrant for her immediate arrest was then issued.
Reports
say once outside jail, cash-strapped Bad Black who claimed to have seen
the light and turned into a pastor inside prison immediately went for
pastoral training. After being ordained she then hit the studios and
recorded a single 'Nkyamuka' which she hoped would earn her a few
Shillings.
Apparently
the bad Black Pastor is unperturbed by the warrant of arrest hanging
over her head as she reportedly posted the following update on her
Facebook wall:
"MMMMM UR
Joking!!! Ok look for me??Where Malaysia, Dubai, China, America am in
hospital (Dubai Breast Surgery Hospital)...But Uganda, I'm very sick and
you are looking for me...try Masaka"
FIVE GOATS FACE PROSECUTION FOR ROAMING IN OSUN STATE
By MITCH NGAMAN AND BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE >>> Wonders
they say shall never cease and some of these wonders can only happen in
Nigeria where no fewer than five goats were yesterday arrested at
Dele-Yesa area in Osogbo, the Osun State capital by officials of the
state Waste Management Agency (OWMA) for allegedly violating
environmental laws. In most countries it is the owners of animals that
fall foul of the law that get prosecuted not the animals themselves but
the Osun state Coordinator of the agency, Mr. Henry Ogunbanwo said the
goats would indeed be charged to court by the agency and would be
prosecuted in accordance with the laws guiding environmental protection
in the state.
He said the
state government had issued notice of warning to all residents of the
state capital on the need to monitor their domestic animals to avoid
public disturbance by the animals, which, he said, was against the
environmental laws. Ogunbanwo disclosed that the five goats arrested
were detained at the office of the agency in Osogbo from where they
would be taken to court for prosecution.
He said the
goats ran fowl of the laws guiding environmental protection by roaming
around the residential area of Osogbo instead of being caged by their
owners. He declared that the present administration in the state had
zero tolerance for dirtiness and environmental hazard; hence the need
for the enshrinement of the environmental laws.
GHANA'S OPPOSITION BOYCOTT PRESIDENT'S SWEAR-IN
Ghana's main
opposition parties disputing the incumbent president Mahama's December
election victory have boycotted his swearing-ceremony held Monday in
Accra. John Dramani Mahama,
54, took the oath of office in the Black Star Square, watched by heads
of state of some of Africa’s most powerful countries, including
Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, and President Jacob Zuma of
South Africa.
EFCC SEIZES EX-GOVERNOR SYLVA'S PROPERTIES
By Wilson Uwujaren - Acting Head, Media & Publicity >>> The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, January 3,
2013 took possession of 48 properties of the former governor of Bayelsa
state, Mr. Timpre Sylva who is being prosecuted at a Federal High Court
in Abuja for alleged misappropriation of N6.46 billion state funds when
he was governor of the state.
The interim forfeiture order to attach Sylva’s properties was granted by Justice A. R Mohammed on December 28, 2012.
Assets belonging to the former governor against which a forfeiture order was obtained by the EFCC include a mansion at 3
River Niger Street, plot 3192 Cadastral zone AO, Maitama District
Abuja; nine units (comprising six one bedroom and 3 two bedroom
apartments) at 8 Sefadu Street Wuse zone 2, plot 262 Cadastral zone AO2,
Wuse Abuja; 2 units duplexes at 5 Oguta Street, plot 906 Cadastral zone
Wuse 11 Abuja.
Others are a
duplex at Plot 1271 Nike Street Cadastral zone AO5, Maitama District
Abuja; a duplex at Phase 1 Unit No. 1 (Villa 1) Palm Springs Gold
Estate, Cachez Turkey Projects Limited, Mpape, Abuja; 10 units of one
room apartments at 8 Mistrata Street plot 232 Cadastral zone Wuse 11
Abuja; 5 units duplexes at Plot No 1070 Dakibiyu District Cadastral
zone B10, Abuja; 16 units service apartments at Plot 1181 Thaba Tseka
Crescent, Off IBB Way, Wuse 11, Abuja and 3 units of three bedroom
flats at No. 1 Mubi Close, Plot 766. Cadastral Zone A01, Garki, Abuja.
Sylva was
first arraigned on Tuesday June 5, 2012. The first three of the six
count charge against him reads: “ That you, Timpre Sylva, as Governor
of Bayelsa State, with others now at large, sometime between October,
2009 and February, 2010, at various places in Nigeria, including Abuja,
within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did conspire to commit
a crime to wit: conversion of properties and resources amounting
toN2,000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira) belonging to Bayelsa State
Government and derived from an illegal act, with the aim of concealing
the illicit origin of the said amount and you thereby committed an
offence contrary to Section 17(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition
Act), 2004 and punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act.
“That you,
Timpre Sylva, as Governor of Bayelsa State, with others now at large, on
or about the 22nd of January, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction
of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N380,000,000.00 (Three
Hundred and Eighty Million Naira), property of the Bayelsa State
Government, through the account of one Habibu Sani Maigidia, a Bureau De
Change Operator with Account No. 221433478108, in Fin Bank, Plc, which
sum you knew represented the proceeds of an illegal act with the aim of
concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said illegal act and you
thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Money
Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section
14(1) of the same Act.
“That you,
Timpre Sylva, as Governor of Bayelsa State, with others now at large,
on or about the 5th of February, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction
of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N50,000,000.00 (Fifty
Million Naira), property of the Bayelsa State Government, through the
account of one Enson Benmer Limited with Account No. 6152030001946, in
First Bank, Plc, which sum you knew represented the proceeds of an
illegal act with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the
said illegal act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to
Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also
punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act.”
The substantive suit is adjourned to 10th January, 2013.
- Culled from Saharareporters