Uganda National Oil Company: Press Release (14.05.2019)

RDC: ACAJ lettre “Concerne: Necessite d’un dialogue avec LUCHA” (13.05.2019)

Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC): Dr. Josephine Wapakabulo resignation letter as Chief Executive Officer (13.05.2019)

DPP: Press Statement on the Plea Agreement entered into with OCP (K) – (09.05.2019)

Brexit: Johnny Mercer MP letter to Prime Minister Theresa May (08.05.2019)

RDC: ASADHO Lettre au Président Felix Tshisekedi sur la fiscalité de la Gécamines (03.05.2019)

South Africa’s State-owned Oil Company Signs Deal to Explore Highly-prospective Oil Block B2 in South Sudan (06.05.2019)

South Africa today signed an exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) with South Sudan for Block B2.

JUBA, South Sudan, May 6, 2019 – South Africa’s state-owned oil company Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF) will own and operate Block B2; In 2018, South Africa agreed to invest $1billion into South Sudan’s energy infrastructure; South Sudan has the third-largest oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa, estimated at 3.5 billion barrels, with just 30 percent of the country explored.

South Africa today signed an exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) with South Sudan for Block B2.

The deal – which is strategic for South Africa as an energy consumer – will see Block B2 operated by the state-owned Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF), the Ministry of Petroleum and Nilepet –  the national oil company of the Republic of South Sudan. This is the second EPSA signed since South Sudan gained independence in 2012 and shows progress for the country’s oil industry as production resumes at existing oilfields and new exploration begins.

South Sudan is an established, world-class petroleum producing region, whose territory includes a large part of the Cretaceous rift basin system that has proved petroliferous in Chad and Niger as well as Sudan. It currently produces 160,000 bopd, and aims to increase production capacity to 270,000 bopd by the end of the year. The country has the third-largest oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa, estimated at 3.5 billion barrels, with just 30 percent of the country explored to date.

Under this new EPSA which includes a six-year exploration period, the SFF alongside Nilepet, will launch a comprehensive aero gravity survey exploration campaign, seismic acquisition and drilling wells with great prospectivity. The SFF will also invest in capacity building initiatives, training of South Sudanese citizens, investing in social and community development projects and ensuring local content and women empowerment.

“The petroleum resources of Block B2 are vast. For South Sudan to reach its target of bringing back production levels of around 350,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and beyond, we need committed new entrants like the SFF,” said the Minister of Petroleum Hon.  Amb. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth. “South Sudan has great potential, yet our country remains vastly under-explored, and we believe the entry of new players like the SFF will lead to new world-class discoveries very soon given the aggressive exploration program and great petroleum viability of Block B3. This will support South Sudan’s economic revival and improve trade with other African countries.”

“We are bullish about this strategic and unique opportunity into Block B2 with great petroleum potential. It provides South Africa with a chance to further strengthen its energy security while entering one of the top three most lucrative onshore oil and gas markets in Africa,” said Hon. Jeff Radebe, South African Energy Minister. “South Africa has supported peace and economic development in South Sudan since the country’s independence and this is the continuation of long-term cooperation between both our countries and people. Investment is key to guaranteeing the economic progress of South Sudan”

Last year, South Africa’s Department of Energy pledged to invest $1 billion into South Sudan’s petroleum industry, with the aim of securing affordable energy supplies for South Africa. The countries are now in talks to set up a 60,000 barrel per day refinery to supply oil products to the local market in South Sudan, as well as to secure exports to Ethiopia and other neighboring countries.

“SFF is looking forward to working with our partners in South Sudan to make discoveries on this block. We believe there are highly significant quantities of oil in Block B2. Our work program and acquisition of new seismic will reveal better information on various structures. We look forward to a few wildcats and appraisal wells in the near future. We are thankful to the Government of South Sudan for this opportunity,” stated Godfrey Moagi, acting CEO of SFF.

The B2 area includes productive parts of the Muglad Basin and is part of the 120,000km2 Block B which was split into three in 2012. There has been much interest in South Sudan’s Block B acreages since the entry of Oranto Petroleum to Block B3 in 2017.  Much of South Sudan’s oil and gas blocks are yet to be fully explored and resources assessed.

The CEF group is responsible for discovering solutions that will meet South Africa’s energy needs. Through its subsidiaries, the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA), Petroleum Agency South Africa (PASA), Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF), African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation (AEMFC) and iGas, the group also manages the operations and development of the country’s oil and gas assets.

Citizen Mwangi: A tale of an activist apparently turned revolutionary!

“DCI DETECTIVES arrest Boniface Mwangi in Nairobi; police accuse activist of organising a revolution against the Jubilee government” (Nation Breaking News, 06.05.2019).

I didn’t know this, Boniface Mwangi might do a lot of things, he might ask a lot of questions and asks a lot of the authorities. He even tries to get people involved in their civic duties and their rights. He might even be brash about it, direct and say it like it is. Sometimes, people have wondered if he has done this as his hustle. However, he seems like a fighter, not for publicity, but for the causes. Even if he has no direct movement behind him or built around him. Which is weird, in the sense, that a man who is a direct threat to the state, doesn’t have a massive grassroots’ organization to beat the system with.

That is why this day is amazing, as he is charged with organizing a revolution. This is not a joke, this is a serious charge, which the Chief Inspector of Police George Muchiri have charged him with and arrested him for today. Therefore, his own livelihood and life as an activist is on hold. They are claiming he wanted to start a revolution that might cause a civil unrest against the Jubilee government.

This is really bloody brilliant, at the time of the Handshake with the fellow “opposition” parties, which has organized the biggest demonstrations to date of late. The ones whose has the OKOA demos and the other rallies Post Fresh Presidential Elections. Still, the ones organizing them is walking free and about, even assigned public official posts. While, Mwangi has just lingered on the internet and also had speech assignments elsewhere. Even taken a recent trip to Zimbabwe, but not caused havoc.

Why are they doing it now? His articles and speaking engagements has been known for long. His Ukweli Party is known and his Pawa254. Still, none of them is powerful or strong. If a man wants to fight corruption and demonstrate against it is a crime. Then, the President and his cronies should watch out, as they are supposed to have a life-style audit and a war-on-corruption. Alas, that is not happening, because we know they will not fight themselves.

What is unique is arresting the on a likelihood of a possible protest or demonstrations, which will cause civic unrest. If someone should be punished for that in rest memory is Raila Odinga and his CORD/NASA who has really sparked civic unrest in the Republic. Alas, his not an activist, but a high ranking official and a man of grace. Therefore, he will not be touched.

Now, three hours after the news was breaking, there now footage of his release from the Central Police Station. As this news was trending, because it is ridiculous to arrest someone, on a charge on something they haven’t committed or done. They are doing it on the basis, that he might spark civil unrest, but the Police by doing this pre-emptive arrests might clinch in the fire to actually pull-it off. Therefore, this what it is called to say, that something might back-fire.

In this case, this shows what sort of legal society, the Kenyan Republic is at this moment. They are suspecting people of actively engaging in activity to topple the government by a revolution. If the authorities or the regime itself isn’t afraid of the public and their opinion. They wouldn’t arrest someone on this lousy goosy basis as it did today. Because, this is just reckless. The hours of arrest and possible intimidation isn’t a winning tactic. Instead of asking the man, why he does what he does, they put him behind bars. That is just mere insult and another injury to someone whose just trying to do his civic duty. To ask the powers to be, that they can be transparent, just and honest. Which they are not, since they are arresting someone, someone they apparently suggest that he has the amplifier to start a revolution. That is really something else.

How blatant and weak is the government, when they arrest someone on suspicions like this? How idiotic and how much do they disregard the civic duty of all citizens, to ensure the checks and balances of government?

Well, this is just stupid and shows how little faith the Jubilee government has in its population. When even a mere activist can be taken into custody without producing evidence nor justifiable means for his arrest. They might be able to trace his TED talks and talks of demonstrations against the mere scale of grand corruption. But don’t anticipate that to spark a revolution, than John Githongo should have been able a long time ago on the same matter. Peace.

Uganda and European Union hold Article 8 Political Dialogue (04.05.2019)

Djibouti: World Bank Approves $6 Million to Ensure Refugees and Host Communities Access Healthcare Services (03.05.2019)

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2019—The World Bank today announced an additional US$6 million additional financing for the continuation of its Improving Health Sector Performance Project in Djibouti. Since its approval in April 2013, 143,000 women and children have received essential health, nutrition and population services in Djibouti. The program has supported improvements in access to quality health care services for maternal and child health and communicable disease control programs (HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis). The additional financing will allow the program to continue serving all of Djibouti, including refugee populations.

The additional financing includes US$1 million in International Development Association (IDA) credit, the World Bank’s arm for the poorest countries, and a US$5 million grant from the IDA18 Sub-Window for Refugees and Host Communities. Djibouti is one of 14 countries eligible to access this financing. The IDA18 Sub-Window for Refugees and Host Communities was created in response to demands from refugee-hosting countries, like Djibouti, as a mechanism for development assistance and concessional financing from the WBG.

“The Government of Djibouti has been committed to addressing the increasing health needs of refugees and host communities,” said Atou Seck, World Bank Resident Representative in Djibouti. “The capacity of health centers throughout Djibouti is under severe strain. In certain communities in Djibouti, displaced populations including refugees make up to 40% of the health service users.”

The new financing will support the Government of Djibouti’s efforts to mitigate the negative health impacts of the protracted refugee crisis and ensure that refugees and host communities have access to quality and equitable health services. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Health.

This is the second additional financing to the project. The first additional financing came in the form of a grant US$7 million from the Health Results and Innovation Trust Fund. The original project, approved in April 2013, was a five-year results-based financing project funded by a US$7 million IDA credit. The program is performance-based, whereby funds are disbursed directly to health care providers based on the number and quality of services delivered. The aim of this design is to encourage healthcare service providers to improve child health services such as immunization, management of childhood illnesses, and treatment of malnutrition. In addition, there is a focus on maternal health services such as prenatal care, family planning, and skilled birth attendance. “With six years of experience with the results based financing in Djibouti we have seen a marked increase in the utilization of maternal and child health services. The increased autonomy of health facilities has led to improved health worker performance and an overall increase in the quantity and quality of health services,” said Elizabeth Mziray, World Bank Task Team Leader for the program. “With the additional financing, the support will extend to reach more vulnerable populations and those most in need.”

The large influx of refugees from neighboring countries into Djibouti and the protracted humanitarian crisis have strained an already fragile health system and have further stretched the limited capacity of the health system to provide basic health and nutrition services. The limited coverage of health services and the absence of essential nutrition and water and sanitation facilities have increased the risk of disease outbreaks.

Contacts

Ghanimah AlOtaibi
202-458-8406
galotaibi@worldbank.org

Kadar Mouhoumed Omar
+253-21 35-1090
kmouhoumedomar@worldbank.org