South Sudan: Ministry of Water Resources & Irrigation letter to President Salva Kiir (18.02.2019)

Ethiopia and Djibouti’s renewed resolve for cooperation and economic integration (18.02.2019)

The 15th Djibouti-Ethiopian Joint Ministerial Commission meeting was held at the end of last month (January 30-31) in Djibouti.

LONDON, United Kingdom, February 18, 2019 –  The meeting was held in a spirit of brotherhood that reflected the excellent relations between the two countries. At the same time, it also provided a unique platform for both countries, to serve as a venue for the determination of both governments to demonstrate a renewed resolution to continue to play a pivotal role in the progress of the Horn of Africa and of Africa. Both governments are, after all, engaged in a process of reform aimed, inter alia, to encourage their nationals to engage fully and practically in the creation of employment opportunity for youth, expand the structures of democracy, buttress ongoing economic progress, and respect the rights of the people.

This Joint Ministerial Commission meeting was an opportune occasion to showcase the renewed commitment of both countries to resolve all pressing issues, and underline their determination to work closely together on peace and stability in the region and to support economic development and regional integration.

The Ethiopian side commended the Government of Djibouti for taking steps to improve relations with Eritrea. Djibouti appreciated Prime Minister Dr Abiy’s bold moves to encourage tranquility in the region. The initiatives for peace provided a firm jumping off point to encourage youth to participate in the current wind of hope, change and confidence. The agreements reached clearly demonstrated the deep-seated commitment of both governments to encourage prosperity of their peoples. They included bolstering cooperation on criminal matters, formulating plans for ensuring regular, safe and orderly migration on the basis of the spirit of the Marrakech Agreement, and producing a new comprehensive agreement on labor issues, as well as enhancing existing cooperation on peace and security issues bilaterally and within the frame work of IGAD, the African Union and the United Nations.

The Joint Ministerial Commission in fact provided an important venue to underline the need to work closely together to revive the economy of areas that shared a common border and improve the conditions and ways of life of the populations on both sides of the border. There was strong awareness that this would give further impetus towards reinforcing already deep-rooted people-to-people ties. Similarly, aiming to further concretize the ties, a new level of cooperation was reached to exchange instructors and youth experts in such areas of logistics and transport, forestry, engineering, and language teaching.

The second distinctive feature of the Joint Ministerial Commission meeting was that it served as a venue to navigate the future of this symbolic cooperation and make clear the way forward for moving towards the dream of the “Africa we want in 2063.” Important milestones like the Continental Free Trade Area brokered by the African Union and signed up to by 44 of its 55 member states, in Kigali last year, can best be materialized if meaningful efforts are undertaken at regional level. Allowing free access to commodities, goods, and services across the continent are prerequisites to African unity. This was clearly shown by Ethiopia and Djibouti, both signatories to the CFTA, in expediting implementation of their bilateral Border Trade Protocol and General Trade Agreement at the JMC meeting.

Both sides have scaled up the gains achieved in port operation and transportation. They have made great efforts to remove impediments to enhance the efficiency of the port and ensure effective utilization of transport links. Enhancement of the quality of operations as well as completing interconnection projects, and initiating new phases of railway projects to augment integration, were discussed in detail. Joint mechanisms have been put in place. Both sides agreed that completion of infrastructure projects was essential to fast-tracking economic integration. They agreed to work to launch the natural gas pipeline project by fast-tracking technical issues.

Overall, the 15th Djibouti-Ethiopia Joint Ministerial Commission meeting clearly provided the opportunity for an important dialogue and a realistic working platform to further speed up the pace of cooperation and economic integration. It called for credible steps to resolve any outstanding issues, agreeing to implement solutions to encourage the continued upward spiral of economic links and joint peace and stability. It emphasized the need to forge closer follow-up of agreements, and to hone capacity to manage the systems underpinning prosperity and security. The meeting strongly underlined the value of holding bilateral dialogues regularly to encourage the advancement of the joint common agenda for the greater common good.

Brexit: PM Theresa May letter to Tories MPs (16.02.2019)

IGAD Chief Welcomes Call by AU for Cancellation of Somalia Debt (15.02.2019)

Ethio Telecom: Statement to Correct Misleading Information on International Internet Gateway Capacity (11.02.2019)

Brexit: Prime Minister Theresa May letter to Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn (10.02.2019)

RioZim Limited: Press Release – Regarding the Failure by Fidelity Printers and Refiners (Private) Limited (A Subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) to Pay Foreign Currency Nostro for Gold Delivered (08.02.2019)

Cameroon: Impex Trading SARL lettre – “Objet: Signature convention de collaboration” (31.01.2019)

Brexit: 50 days to D-Day, but the future is still loading!

Just as you thought it wouldn’t get more rocky, it does. The HM Government or the Tories have not delivered a smooth transition, neither has the House of Commons. As the European Union and the European Commission are not making it softer either. The stalemate are there and both parties are creating a battlefield. They are behind the barriers, but that was to be anticipated.

Because, the Department of Exiting the European Union (DEXEU), the Foreign Secretary and Secretary for DEXEU could have sorted this out, but it has been hectic and looking like nothing. That is why the Withdrawal Agreement made with the EU got voted down in the House of Commons. Since, then the Tories, Prime Minister Theresa May or anyone else haven’t solved anything.

The Tories and the politicians in London, still acts like they can negotiate and configure the results in their favour. As they are not considering the need of European Commission and the EU Members State majority of the 27 nations. The UK had the time since revoking the Article 50 and had two years to solve it. Instead, it has been a PR game and soft declarations without any binding legality between the parties.

That is why these days are weird. As the stalemate is getting so close. The Tories promised that this would be easy. That this would be a simple separation between the UK and EU. However, what the last two years have proven, that it is far from it.

This will cost, not only the UK, but both parties. The withdrawal and the possible “No-Deal” will hurt the economy. It will create a harder border and ensure that movement between the UK and EU will be with more hurdles. The procedures and the imports/exports situation will change as the WTO tariffs and others come into effects. Also, with the planned movements of Financial Institutions and stoppage of international companies who change destinations of production instead of doing it in the UK. That is what is happening, Global Financial Funds who have either moved to Ireland or Germany. This will create less jobs and less liquidity in the markets. Therefore, the no-deal will hurt the economy.

It is like they do this deliberately, the warnings was there. The Brexiteers called it scaremongering, when it really was a reality check. As Airbus, Barclays, Nissan, Honda and others has called it out and said they are moving their businesses, as the expenses of doing it in the UK will be to costly with a No-Deal. Not that it has mattered, because, that is just the way it is. That is why also many businesses have awaited to invest as, they are not sure of the market or the possibility to earn it there.

As well, as the years of austerity might make it worse. The Bank of England today said the no-deal would probably drive the Kingdom into a recession, as the hard hit on the economy are made by the lack of agreement and also smooth transition, which is needed in this sort of arrangement. The businesses and investors are awaiting and the multi-national companies already there are trying to move to a safe-haven to safe their assets and their businesses in general.

The UK have hit itself hard, as the reality check is loading. It is loading and the UK are still in limbo. The Tories are acting like they have all the time in the world. Brexiteers have acted like this was easy. Like it was child’s play or a pick-and-mix, where they could cherry pick the rules and regulations between the EU and UK. However, that has been proven, unfavourable and not the real deal.

I have stated from the beginning. The EU would have protocols and have regulations to put forward. Concerning borders, movement and trade, this being Customs Union and other direct trading between them. That would directly change when the relations between the UK and EU would become differently.

The uncertainty, the lack of trust and the lack of progress is staggering. As the time is running out. The future is now loading. But nothing in sight, that gives hope of solved enterprise or anything that would give solution at this very moment. The weirdest thing is that its only 50 days to the revoking of Article 50 comes into effect. Peace.

Bank of Uganda: Monetary Policy Statement for February 2019 (07.02.2019)