Power Africa boosts East Africa’s green energy future
An investment of $250,000 has been granted to two renewable energy companies to increase access to productive use of energy technologies in East Africa. The Power Africa grants are the first in a new series of funding rounds aimed at increasing private-sector participation to improve access to clean and affordable energy for households, human services and productive energy use across East and Central Africa. Simusolar and SureChill received grants to deploy solar-powered irrigation and refrigeration systems, boosting energy productivity for disadvantaged communities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Encouraging productive use of renewable energy markets“We are pleased to award grants to two visionary renewable energy companies, Simusolar and SureChill, whose work is transforming communities. It is great to work with a partner who shares our passion and commitment to provide access to sustainable energy and life-enhancing appliances,” he said.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 18:33 UTC
Updates: Deadly Israeli attacks continue in Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon
Updates: Deadly Israeli attacks continue in Gaza, West Bank and LebanonA new Israeli attack has targeted a house in the Jabalia camp, killing at least four people as siege of northern Gaza continues.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 18:12 UTC
Tunisia calls for tenders to provide 5G
African 5G revolutionTunisia's 5G plans comes at a time when many African countries are launching and rolling out the next-gen technology. Hormuud Telecom launch followed Somtel's 5G launch, which happened weeks earlier. Telecom operators interested in commercially deploying 5G technology in Tunisia must submit their applications to the ministry by September 2, 2024. Orange has announced its plans to launch 5G services in most of its African operations by the end of 2024. The Ethio Telecom launch came on the back of Emtel becoming the second telco to launch 5G services in the island nation of Mauritius in August 2023.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 17:31 UTC
UPDATE 1-ICC prosecutor to renew Congo investigation, focusing on North Kivu
The renewed efforts will aim to address allegations including potential war crimes and crimes against humanity, and it will assess the responsibility of all parties involved, without targeting specific groups, Khan added. He linked recent violence in the area to regional patterns of conflict dating back to 2002, when the ICC’s jurisdiction in the DRC began.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 16:18 UTC
Algeria moves from backstage to explicit involvement in Sahara issue under Tebboune – The North Africa Post
Algeria hosted the Polisario group, who at first had no separatist agenda, following the Green March that marked the end of Spanish colonial rule. The advent of the Hirak that toppled Bouteflika and brought about a recycling of the military regime marks a U-turn in Alegria’s policy regarding the Sahara issue with a more explicit involvement in the defense of its Polisario proxies in international fora. Ruling behind a thin civilian curtain, represented by President Tebboune, the military regime in Algeria made the Sahara issue a question of life and death (more an issue of death than life). UN reports on the Sahara issue have been mentioning Algeria more than the Polisario. Meanwhile the more Algeria gets enmeshed in the conflict the more its diplomacy makes blunders that reveal the real nature of the conflict opposing Morocco to Alegria’s Polisario proxies.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 15:31 UTC
Italy begins landmark migrant transfers to Albania
Weather AlertHeadline: Freeze Watch from WED 2:00 AM EDT until WED 9:00 AM EDTBulletin: ...FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 31 possible. * WHEN...From late Tuesday night through Wednesday morning. * IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. &&Type: Freeze WatchIssued for: 2024-10-16T02:00:00-04:00Ending at: 2024-10-16T09:00:00-04:00County Name:State: VirginiaCategory: MetUrgency: FutureSeverity: SevereCertainty: Possible
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 15:25 UTC
US report decries Algeria’s persecution of Christians – The North Africa Post
Christian churches have been forced to close in Algeria amid a crackdown on religious freedom and a persecution of Christians across the country, said the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. In a recent report, the Commission recommended the US to put Algeria on a Special Watch List in view of the violations of religious freedoms in the country. It also called on the US government to “condition financial and technical support to the Algerian government on addressing violations of religious freedom.”“In 2023, the Algerian government brought religiously grounded blasphemy and proselytization charges against several individuals, including Christians, Muslims, and freethinkers,” the report said. The report also warned of the surge of antisemitic tropes in Algerian state-media, noting that “with no operational synagogue left in Algeria, ritual observance for the roughly 200 practicing members of its Jewish community remains a challenge.”
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 15:01 UTC
Somalia welcomes Egypt’s offer to deploy troops – The North Africa Post
Somalia said it welcomes an Egyptian offer to deploy troops once the mandate of an African Union peace keeping mission expires in December. The decision is seen from Ethiopia as a hostile move, amid tension between Cairo and Addis Ababa over the Ethiopian renaissance dam. Somalian officials issued a statement following a summit in the Eritrean capital, attended by Egyptian president Abdelfattah El-Sissi. Somalia, Eriteria, and Egypt signed an agreement to back Somalian forces in their fight against terrorist groups. Ethiopia has previously warned that it will not accept Egyptian troops on its borders, adding that this would be considered as a casus belli.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 14:11 UTC
Eskom: 2GW renewable energy plan, 200 no loadshedding days
South Africa’s Eskom is looking to set up renewable energy sources at some of its power plants, with the country’s Minister of Electricity and Energy expressing support for the utility’s ambition to increase its new generation capacity. “Eskom 2.0 is my own reference… Eskom wants to enter the terrain of renewable energy generation…“How Eskom is going to fund this new generation and structure this new generation… Eskom at the right time will come out in the public. Mpumalanga’s path to renewable energy dominanceMarokane said Eskom is going through the evaluation stages of commercial proposals for the 75MW PV solar plant at Lethabo. Six key take-outs from the Eskom energy outlook for summerMinister of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa addresses the media at the Lethabo Power Station in the Free State on Monday, 14 October. Facing decommissioning, its coal-fired power generation units is mooted to be replaced by solar power, possibly in conjunction with battery energy storage.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 13:54 UTC
Jetapult Acquires Stake in UMX Studio
The investment is part of Jetapult’s broader strategy to support game studios in emerging markets with a $100 million commitment over the next five years. The acquisition aims to expand UMX Studio's portfolio and audience in overseas markets, and develop new game genres using Jetapult's expertise and technology. Jetapult has acquired stake in UMX Studio for $4.5 million, marking its first investment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Bengaluru-based Jetapult has picked up stake in Saudi Arabia-based game developer UMX Studio for $4.5 Mn (INR 38 Cr) in an all-cash deal, marking the gaming investment company’s maiden bet in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Founded in 2014 by Ali Alharbi, UMX Studio is a game development studio in Saudi Arabia.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 13:32 UTC
Successful training for diplomats from the Middle East & North Africa
This September, Clingendael Academy welcomed fourteen mid-career level diplomats from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to participate in a diplomatic training programme. Over the course of two weeks, the participants had the opportunity to dive into key cross-cutting policy themes that face their region and the world today. Highlights of the programme were a panel discussion on water diplomacy with three experts, a simulation on international negotiations, and a crisis meeting simulation. In addition, the programme provided a platform for enhanced inter- and intra-regional cooperation between the participants, forging a strong network during the working visits and social activities, including a visit to The Hague’s Panorama Mesdag museum. Panorama by Hendrik Willem Mesdag, a 360º experienceWe look back on an extremely successful and comprehensive training programme, with participants noting that the course was enjoyable and “highly engaging and informative”.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 13:23 UTC
Cairo to Host NewSpace Africa Conference in April 2025
Space in Africa, in collaboration with the African Space Agency and the Egyptian Space Agency, is organising the fourth edition of the NewSpace Africa Conference from 21st to 24th April 2025 in the Egypt Space City, Cairo, Egypt. “The 4-day NewSpace Africa Conference 2025 will explore policies, research, trends, and future outlooks in the African space and satellite industry. More details on the recent editions of the conference, NewSpace Africa Conference 2022, 2023 and 2024, can be accessed here. The NewSpace Africa Conference is the main event of Space in Africa to facilitate further business interactions and cooperation in the African space and satellite industry. About the African Space AgencyThe African Space Agency (AfSA) is the continental space organisation responsible for developing an adequate regional space capability on the continent.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 12:26 UTC
Africa's wheat dilemma
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, US — Before Russia invaded Ukraine, triggering a disruption of the global wheat supply and exacerbating the continent’s wheat deficit crisis, Africa’s wheat industry already was battling climate change, unfavorable trade policies, and inadequate investments in the sub-sector. In East Africa, wheat production has remained flat at 6.6 million tonnes from 2022 to 2024, according to the FAO. Between 2010 and 2020, reports indicated that Africa’s wheat production increased from 20.9 million tonnes to 25.3 million tonnes, a 21% increase. SAVE wheat varietyIn its drive to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat, Zimbabwe has embraced a new bread wheat variety called SAVE, developed by the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Other wheat producers such as Ethiopia and Sudan also have expanded their irrigated wheat acreage, increased use of modern irrigation technology and adopted climate change-resilient wheat varieties.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 12:23 UTC
The North Morrow Vector Control District ballot measure is a buzzkill for diseased mosquitoes
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Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 12:13 UTC
Barco projectors provide core of North Africa’s first VR CAVE
VR CAVE, at Zarzis Smart Centre, Zarzis Business Park, Tunisia, features three Barco F80 projectors, projecting onto three 2.4m × 3m screens at a resolution of 4,800 × 2,000 pixelsUsing Barco projectors, T Engineering Antycip (Antycip), a European provider of simulation and virtual-reality solutions, has delivered North Africa’s first-ever VR CAVE at the Zarzis Smart Centre, located within the Zarzis Business Park in south-eastern Tunisia. The CAVE features three high-performance Barco F80 projectors, projecting onto three 2.4m × 3m screens at a resolution of 4,800 × 2,000 pixels. The CAVE will also be accessible to educational institutions across Tunisia, including primary and secondary schools, universities, and training centres. Chaouki Friaa, president and CEO of Zarzis Business Park, said: “This VR CAVE will provide a unique, immersive space that will attract residents of all ages, strengthening social bonds within the community. In response to growing demand, the park has announced a 4,500m² expansion to the Zarzis Smart Centre, further establishing the region as a driver of technological progress.
Source:The North Africa Journal
October 14, 2024 11:08 UTC