Category: General

Portimao, After two days of driver registration and kart distribution, on Monday track action began in earnest ahead of the 2022 Rotax MAX Challenge (RMC) Grand Finals, in Portimao, Portugal.

Team Bahrain drivers were thus faced with conditions the drivers are not as familiar with as their European counterparts, but nevertheless, it was a positive day for the team.

The 23rd edition of the Grand Finals, began with a wet track thanks to a fine drizzle that persisted through the night in the Algarve, meaning that some classes were forced to run wet weather tyres early in the day. As the day progressed the track dried and the pace picked up considerably but later in the afternoon the rain returned.

The first sessions of the day were mainly for drivers to setup and prep their brand-new karts and Rotax engines, for qualifying and heat races in days to follow.

Team Bahrain this year is represented by: Micro, Yousif AlGhaith (10), Bahrain; Mini, Khaled Najjar (11), Bahrain; Junior, Muhammad Wally (14), South Africa/ Poland; Senior, Najash Rashdan (23), Bahrain; and DD2, Sulaiman AlKandari (18), Kuwait.

While his teammates came to terms with the tricky conditions, Muhammad Wally showed strong pace throughout the day, ending third-fastest in the Junior category, and with it signalled his intent while giving Team Bahrain hope for a strong result in the MAX Junior Class.

Hasan Shehabi, BIC Commercial Karting and Team Bahrain manager, summed up the day. He said: “Rain is always a challenge for non-Europe based drivers, therefore it was no surprise some of our team were nervous. But once the action started they all gave their best.

“We are very happy with Muhammad Wally’s performance, he was among the pace-setters from the start, in the dry and wet, while the wet track provided the likes of Yousif AlGhaith, Khaled Najjar, Najashi Rashdan, and Sulaiman AlKandri with invaluable experience in these conditions.

“All in all, a solid day for Team Bahrain, with the serious side of the Grand Finals starting after Tuesday’s final practice day. The spirit in the team is high, and confidence growing.”

Tuesday is another day of practice, followed by qualifying heat races in the forthcoming days, with the Finals set for Saturday, 26 November.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

The Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) is designed to monitor humanitarian action, conduct multisector assessments (MSAs) of needs and to implement several types of emergency responses, including distributions of essential non-food items (NFIs) and high emergency biscuits (HEBs), emergency water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions, as well as cash transfer programming (CTP). Currently, the RRM is made possible through the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID/BHA), the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations ( DG ECHO), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). All RRM products are available on the Humanitarian Response portal.

Source: UN Children’s Fund

On 15-17 November 2022, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reducion (UNDRR), in partnership with the UN Resident Coordinator Office and the national strategic entity (Committee for Emergency Prevention and Management — CPGU) and operational entity (National Office for Risk and Disaster Management — BNGRC) for disaster management hosted the first Disaster Risk Reduction Retreat in Madagascar. The retreat was organized with the support of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Private Sector Humanitarian Platform of Madagascar (PHSP) and the Start Network. It was made possible through financial support of the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and the Connecting Business Initiative (CBI).

Madagascar is a country facing multiple hazards and frequently experiencing disasters such as cyclones and drought, where more than 3 million people are estimated as vulnerable across the country. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is a priority for the country, where it is understood that greater alignment of activities between the Government, international actors, civil society, academic and private sectors will bring significant co-benefits. While a lot of good DRR work has already been done in the country, more is needed to bring pilot projects to scale and substantially reduce the risks communities are facing.

During the retreat, participants focused on several themes: trends in DRR; lessons from around the world in implementing disaster risk reduction; the scaling up of DRR in humanitarian action and emergency response; joint planning for DRR; integrating DRR into development initiatives such as the UN-led zones de convergence initiative and; implementing the action plan of the national strategy for disaster risk management. A separate segment focused on the role of the private sector in DRR and saw almost 40 representatives of companies engage in discussions on scaling up risk reduction in their business operations.

The first day introduced the concepts of DRR with participants learning from each other and jointly identifying key DRR actions across development sectors. The second day was all about humanitarian response, anticipatory action and resilience-building as part of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus, with participants from different fields explaining the work already done to address underlying vulnerability and identifying opportunities to scale up DRR in humanitarian action. The Checklist on Scaling Up DRR in Humanitarian Action was reviewed to identify ways for improve humanitarian planning and programming.

The last day brought in new participants from the private sector to learn and share about DRR. The Private Sector Humanitarian Platform Madagascar and the UN Connecting Business Initiative highlighted their work on disaster preparedness and the ARISE network was emphasized as an opportunity for private sector companies to get engaged in DRR. The final segment focused on practical implementation, in line with the national disaster management strategy. This session was part of the Resilience Building and Disaster Response Management in the Indian Ocean (RDRM-IO) programme UNDRR, co-funded by the European Union (EU) in partnership with the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC).

Throughout the retreat, the energy and engagement by participants remained high. Engaging examples of DRR were shared and opportunities for better collaboration were identified. All in all, the event was an important step in increasing awareness of DRR and in bringing partners together for joint action. Concretely, retreat recommendations will be considered in the humanitarian planning for 2023 as well as in the UN’s zones de convergence initiative. This initiative brings together all UN entities active in Madagascar to jointly plan and deliver priority humanitarian, development and peace activities in eight communities of the country.

“DRR is a way to bring together humanitarian and development actors to jointly look at underlying vulnerabilities and find practical ways to address them. As risks are growing and humanitarian needs are on the rise, we need more collaboration on risk prevention,” said Amjad Abbashar, Chief, UNDRR Africa. “This DRR Retreat identified entry points and actions to mainstream DRR in key sectors and means to implement the Madagascar DRR National Strategy Action Plan in 2023 and beyond.”

To illustrate the importance of gathering different sectors ahead of disasters, the General Project Coordinator of the BNGRC, Lieutenant-Colonel Faly, visualized the importance of DRR: “It is not when we are under water, that we start to build a floating house”. With this pivotal image in mind, participants unanimously committed to taking forward DRR within their respective organizations, and to strengthen collaboration ahead of disasters. The DRR Retreat was an inspirational and engaging experience for all involved and will contribute to the operationalization of DRR actions across sectors and stakeholders.

Source: UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

Athens, Greece rescued hundreds of migrants on Tuesday after the fishing boat they were travelling on issued a distress signal off the island of Crete, the coast guard said.

A spokesperson for the coast guard cited survivors as saying about 400 to 500 people were on board. Two cargo ships, one navy frigate and one tanker assisted in the rescue, which was hindered by near gale force winds in the area, Reuters reported.

The migrants were taken to the southern seaside town of Paleochora. The spokesperson could not immediately confirm their nationalities nor the exact number of people on board.

Together with Spain and Italy, Greece is one of the main entry points into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Most asylum-seekers cross to Greece from neighbouring Turkey, though Greek news websites suggested those rescued on Tuesday had sailed from Libya.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Although the Gulf of Guinea has witnessed a steady decline in incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea, more needs to be done to fully operationalize the maritime security architecture, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as speakers called for renewed action to tackle the root causes of piracy.

Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, presenting the Secretary-General’s report (document S/2022/818) on the situation of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea, said such incidents have continued to decrease during the reporting period. The steady decline resulted from concerted efforts by national authorities, with the support of regional and international partners; regular deployment of naval assets by international partners; and piracy convictions in Nigeria and Togo in 2021, among others. However, piracy in the Gulf has also morphed during the past decade, she observed, adding that the aforementioned decline might be attributable to a shift by criminal networks to other crimes, such as oil bunkering and theft.

She urged States in the Gulf of Guinea region, alongside the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission, to step up efforts to establish a stable maritime environment, including through the full operationalization of the maritime security architecture as laid out in the Yaoundé Code of Conduct in 2013. However, she also noted that the Yaoundé Code of Conduct has faced challenges, including the lack of sustainable financing. Its forthcoming tenth anniversary will provide an opportunity to assess its implementation and set out a strategic roadmap for the next decade, she noted, adding that the Council’s support for this process will be invaluable.

Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), commended the Council for adopting resolution 2634 (2022). The threat of piracy has cost the region lives, stability, and over $1.9 billion in financial losses every year. The substantial decrease in piracy incidents and victims in the Gulf of Guinea this year, particularly for kidnapping for ransom, is a welcome result of many years of work, including in the context of the Yaoundé Maritime Security Architecture. While outlining efforts to this end, including through the first-ever piracy convictions in the region, in Nigeria and Togo, she cautioned: “It is yet too soon to declare victory. We need to instead capitalize on the momentum and create a sustainable framework to protect the Gulf of Guinea from pirate groups and any criminal activity they may engage in.”

Florentina Adenike Ukonga, Executive Secretary of the Gulf of Guinea Commission, said that the adoption of resolutions 2018 (2011) and 2039 (2012), combined with the political will of regional Governments to take responsibility for securing the maritime domain of coastal States and better funding for regional States’ navies and maritime security agencies, to name a few, have led to a considerable decrease in acts of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea region. “It is not, however, time to rest on our oars,” she emphasized. Other crimes are ongoing in the region, which, while not having such visible effects on international maritime trade, have a greater impact on the well-being of coastal populations and the economic well-being of regional Governments.

Nura Abdullahi Yakubu, Maritime Planning Officer, Political Affairs Peace, and Security Department of the African Union, also pointed out that although the Gulf of Guinea may be considered the lynchpin for the success of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, it has also been labelled as the world’s “hotspot” for maritime crimes, in part due to the absence or weak legal frameworks to prosecute maritime offenders. Spotlighting efforts to secure the region by the African Union, in cooperation with regional and subregional bodies, he underlined the importance of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct and its key pillars of information sharing, interdiction, prosecution, and victim support. Highlighting the importance of effective maritime information sharing, which led to the successful interception of the hijackers of the tankers Maximus and Hai Lu Feng, he also called for more joint training and exercises to improve maritime safety in the region.

Speakers throughout the meeting emphasized the need for a comprehensive response to security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea, including policies to tackle root causes of the drivers of piracy. Many speakers welcomed the decline in piracy and robbery incidents during the reporting period, as a consequence of enhanced coordination between international, regional and national efforts, with several underscoring the need to boost such cooperation through increased technical and financial support for the Yaoundé Architecture.

The representative of Gabon called on the Security Council to strengthen technical capacity and financial support for ECCAS and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member States, pointing out that for some years now, her country has suffered from acts of piracy such as kidnappings for ransom — sometimes with fatal results. “This is the price required,” she stressed, for an effective response to the threat of piracy in the economic and regional communities of the Gulf of Guinea. The direct links between climate and security are clearly visible in Africa, she said, pointing to the recruitment of coastal communities’ local populations by networks of pirates and terrorists as a consequence of decreased means of subsidence due to the climate crisis and pollution from oil and gas extraction.

Ghana’s delegate, Council President for November, spoke in his national capacity, noting that, despite the decrease in maritime crimes, the implementation of crucial institutional frameworks, such as the Yaoundé Architecture, is hampered by operational, logistical, funding, technical and capacity-building gaps. Maritime security strategies should adhere to a multidimensional, whole-of-society approach to address underlying drivers of piracy, including poverty, unemployment, and inadequate access to public services, he said.

In a similar vein, the representative of Kenya also called for a comprehensive approach to tackling the root causes of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, adding: “It is not enough to support coastal countries to patrol their sea waters against piracy. These countries need to be supported to invest in safe and sustainable blue economy to tackle poverty and underdevelopment.” Citing his country’s experience in dealing with maritime piracy off Somalia and elsewhere, he said it is vital that the necessary national and legal frameworks are in place for the effective prosecution of those who are directly and indirectly involved in piracy.

The United States’ representative was among several speakers who emphasized the need to ensure the requisite legal frameworks are in place to prosecute those involved in piracy. Less than one third of Gulf of Guinea States have enacted legislation to criminalize piracy as set out in the Convention on the Law of the Sea, he pointed out. Highlighting his country’s support for maritime security, he said United States naval forces in Africa are conducting training throughout the Gulf of Guinea with partners and allies.

The delegate of Nigeria said that his country has invested over $195 million to establish the Deep Blue Project, which includes maritime security platforms that facilitate rapid response to piracy, kidnapping, oil theft, smuggling, trafficking of drugs and persons and other crimes within Nigeria’s territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone. Underlining the importance of reinforcing the sovereignty of national waters and protecting a vital food source for the population, he said that enhanced naval capacity and presence will help address the issue of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the region. He called on international partners’ technical and material assistance to help States address such crimes and develop sustainable blue economies.

For her part, Germany’s delegate, speaking as a co-chair of the Group of Seven Group of Friends of the Gulf of Guinea, said that, since the group’s last plenary meeting in Berlin in July, it agreed to contribute to the implementation of resolution 2534 (2022) and will continue discussions in that regard during its meeting in Abidjan next week. She went on to highlight the Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre in Cabo Verde as a recent and important milestone in joint efforts and in the network of sub-regional coordination and information sharing centres.

The representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, cited the enormous costs of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, totalling $1.9 billion per year. In addition, the enormous cost of illegal, underreported and unregulated fishing, amounting to $1.6 billion per year, must be considered, he added. In the face of such challenges, he called for a hands-on security approach, as well as efforts to tackle the root causes of piracy on land. Spotlighting a strategy to this end, adopted by the European Union for the Gulf of Guinea in 2014, he said that such efforts are bolstered by the 2021 launch of the Coordinated Maritime Presences in the Gulf of Guinea, guaranteeing the naval presence of at least one European Union member State in the region at any time.

Source: UN Security Council

LONDON, The United Kingdom rolling out the red carpet to host South Africa for a State Visit for the first time under a new monarch, is testament that the country on the southernmost tip of the African continent is still an important player on the international stage.

Today, President Cyril Ramaphosa will participate in the first State Visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) at the invitation of King Charles III.

Ramaphosa is the first Head of State to be hosted for a State Visit by King Charles III, who assumed the throne, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, in September.

“It is an honour for President Ramaphosa to be the first invited by the new King, and it sends a signal that South Africa remains an important country, worthy of engaging with, and playing a critical role on the world stage again,” said Head of the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Steven Gruzd.

According to the Presidency, Royal State Visits are in the furtherance of bilateral relations and a symbol of respect and of the importance the UK ascribes to its relations with a particular country.

According to the UK in South Africa Twitter handle, South Africa is the UK’s largest trading partner in Africa while the UK is the number one investor in South Africa.

Relations are extremely important between both countries.

“There have been ties with Britain for centuries, and it was one of the countries that colonised South Africa. There are deep ties on the levels of government, business, media, sport, civil society and many others,” Gruzd told SAnews.gov.za, ahead of the start of the two-day State Visit.

With relations already at a high level between the two nations, a change in relations is not anticipated.

“King Charles III is the Head of State, not the Head of Government. So if changes come they would be through Prime Minister Rushi Sunak’s government. However, relations may get closer on issues such as the environment, where King Charles III has long been a champion,” he said.

Ramaphosa arrived in the UK on Monday and will officially be welcomed by the King at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace Tuesday. Later in the day, the President is expected to address a Joint Sitting of the Houses of Parliament, before being hosted in a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace.

According to Gruzd, the environment, COVID-19 and vaccine manufacture and distribution, trade links and travel bans, the G20, food security and the war in Ukraine are likely some of the issues that will be discussed by the King and President.

On the challenges and opportunities that exist between the two countries, Gruzd said that while South Africa was upset at the travel ban imposed by the UK when South African scientists discovered the COVID-19 Omicron variant last year, leaders may talk about preventing a re-occurrence.

“There is always room to increase trade and investment, desperately needed by both countries,” he noted.

During the course of the visit, the President will also hold official talks with Prime Minister Sunak to review a range of issues of a bilateral, continental and global nature.

“Key sectors under consideration for mutual benefit and to support economic growth and development in South Africa include infrastructure development, mining, energy, manufacturing, agro-processing, business process outsourcing and tourism,” the Presidency said in a statement.

Asked about the value of State Visits in a post-COVID-19 world, Gruzd said that this is a sign that the world is getting back to normal following the pandemic.

“They are a sign that the world is getting back to normal after the pandemic. This visit shows that South Africa remains an important country,” he said, adding that the visit provides an opportunity for South Africa to regain favour following challenges such as state capture and tackling corruption.

“So while South Africa remains a tarnished country, this is a chance to rebrand its image. It also serves to balance South Africa’s relations with the West and those with BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa] and the Global South.”

The Presidency said that the State Visit follows visits at this level to the United Kingdom by Presidents Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma since the advent of democracy and follows visits by King Charles III and the Queen Consort to South Africa.

A statement from the British Prime Minister’s Office ahead of the start of the Visit said that the UK and South Africa will join forces to drive economic growth and turbocharge infrastructure investment.

“South Africa is already the UK’s biggest trading partner on the [African] continent, and we have ambitious plans to turbocharge infrastructure investment and economic growth together.

“I look forward to welcoming President Ramaphosa to London this week to discuss how we can deepen the partnership between our two great nations and capitalise on shared opportunities, from trade and tourism and security and defence,” said Prime Minister Sunak.

The Prime Minister further added that a new education and skills partnership between the UK and the South African governments will also promote shared learning in technical and vocational education, driving youth employment.

The State Visit will conclude on Wednesday.

Source: Nam News Network

The White House brought out two of the nation’s top doctors Tuesday to urge all Americans to update their COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations in the next six weeks as the holiday season approaches.

The nearly $500 million effort will focus on reaching older Americans and communities hardest hit by the virus, which has killed more than 1 million and infected nearly 100 million in the U.S. since the pandemic began.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently reporting a “substantial” decrease in weekly deaths, which it attributes to two factors. The first is high levels of population immunity, which are a result of either vaccination or prior infection. The second is improvements in early treatment for high-risk patients.

The White House said it would increase vaccination efforts over the next six weeks by investing $350 million into community health centers for vaccination events or activities that encourage vaccination. The federal Department of Health and Human Services will also award $125 million in grants to organizations that serve older adults and people with disabilities so they can support those communities.

Additionally, the federal agency that oversees the government-funded health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid now has expanded powers to enforce compliance from nursing homes, which are required to offer vaccines to residents.

The U.S. has donated 665.2 million vaccine doses to 116 countries, the White House said. And last week, the Biden administration asked Congress for $1 billion in supplemental funding for global COVID-19 efforts. That funding, the White House told VOA on Tuesday, would support ongoing vaccination campaigns and test-and-treat programs. The money would also go toward integrating COVID-19 vaccination into the schedule of routine vaccines, which is how the spread of the polio virus was neutralized. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative was largely responsible for a 99% reduction in global polio transmission as a direct result of the vaccination campaign.

Dr. Fauci’s ‘final message’

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Tuesday made what may be his final appearance at the White House to emphasize that the vaccine is both safe and effective, but that immunity and protection diminish over time. Fauci, at 81, retires later this year after 38 years as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

“My final message — it may be the final message I give you from this podium — is that please, for your own safety and for that of your family, get your updated COVID-19 shot as soon as you’re eligible, to protect yourself, your family and your community,” he said.

Fauci acknowledged to VOA that misinformation and denialism — some of it coming from the White House during the early days of the pandemic — adversely affected the fight against the quickly changing virus. Critics of then-President Donald Trump say his mixed messages about the virus, his minimization of the situation and his unfounded medical pronouncements were detrimental.

“I contradicted those, which set off a whole series of things in my life,” Fauci said.

“People who have correct information, who take science seriously, who don’t have strange, way-out theories about things but base what they say on evidence and data need to speak up more,” Fauci said, “because the other side that just keeps putting out misinformation and disinformation seems to be tireless in that effort. And it’s going to be very difficult.”

Well-known figures, including several U.S. legislators, have spread what critics say is misinformation about the virus. That’s what led the social media site Twitter to suspend Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in 2021, though the site’s new owner, billionaire Elon Musk, reinstated her account this week.

Other legislators have opposed President Joe Biden’s vaccine policies and mandates, such as Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who said “the CDC continues to make recommendations that ignore science, erode public trust, and target Americans’ healthcare freedom” in response to a CDC vote to make COVID-19 a required vaccine for public schoolchildren.

Much misinformation has gained a wider audience on social media networks, White House officials said. As White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha put it: “You can decide to trust America’s physicians, or you can trust some random dude on Twitter. Like, those are your choices.”

As the doctors were speaking at the White House, a Twitter user replied, in real time, to VOA’s line of questioning, saying, “They ruined public trust. Most will never trust public health again. Myself included.”

Source: Voice of America

London, King Charles will host his first state visit since his accession to the British throne when he welcomes South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

King Charles , has played a leading role in many of the recent official visits by the 112 foreign heads of state during the record-breaking seven decades on the throne of his mother Queen Elizabeth, but will roll out the traditional pomp and ceremony for the first time in his own reign.

The last state visit hosted by Elizabeth was that by former U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania in 2019.

Ramaphosa and his wife arrived on Monday, but will be officially greeted by Charles’s eldest son and heir Prince William and his wife Kate the following morning at the official start of his two-day trip, Reuters reports.

The visit will include a ceremonial welcome from the king and his wife Camilla, the queen consort, a carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace where a grand banquet will be held in the president’s honour.

Ramaphosa will also visit Westminster Abbey to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and see the memorial stone for former South African President Nelson Mandela. He will also address lawmakers in parliament and meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“I look forward to welcoming President Ramaphosa to London this week to discuss how we can deepen the partnership between our two great nations and capitalize on shared opportunities, from trade and tourism and security and defense,” Sunak said in a statement ahead of the visit.

The last state visit to Britain by a South Africa leader was by President Jacob Zuma in 2010, when he was met by Charles and Camilla at the start of the trip.

Source: Bahrain News Agency