Where must I go if I feel unwell or have an accident in Switzerland or must pay for it? What should I do in an emergency? What types of insurance do I need? How can I protect myself from illness? Where can I find health information in my own language?
IOM concludes its 109th Council Session in Geneva today, 30 November 2018. Photo: IOM/Muse Mohammed
SWITZERLAND – “Size alone does not determine the strength of an organization,” DG Vitorino explained in his welcoming remarks to the Council. “It is the commitment and skills of its staff that has enabled IOM to respond to complex emergencies, to provide advice to governments on diverse issues, and to thereby help to foster greater space for common ground.”
Nigerians once again dominate this year’s list in terms of entries, followed by Kenyans. For the first time the list is gender balanced. Four covers featuring Mo Salah, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, Denis Mukwege and Ahmed Abiy
LONDON: For the first time since publishing the list, there is an equal amount of men and women featuring in this year’s one hundred. Although this year’s listing is dominated by entries from Nigeria and Kenya, outstanding personalities from several other African countries are also featured.
The Swiss-African Business Circle has added another feather to its cap with the birth of the maiden edition of its annual publication the Swiss-African Business Relations Status quo 2018.
Group photo: (Source: Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA
PRESS RELEASE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) recently held its annual Partner Conference in Mauritius, during it highlighted its commitment to the region and announced that the company recorded over 20 percent solid growth year-on-year for the past three years.
A relative receives money sent by a Filipino working abroad at a remittance centre in Manila. Photo: Reuters/Eloisa Lopez
LONDON – It is found that the charges to send money home by some migrant workers are too high according to a report by UNESCO, the U.N. body for education, suggesting that lowering the fees could result in $1 billion more that could be spent on education in developing countries.
Dame Graça Machel, one of Africa’s foremost advocates for the rights of women and children, has called on African women and policy makers to challenge gender inequality and inadequate female representation in the continent’s business and economic, political and policy space.
President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (photo), of Mauritania has announced that he would not run for 2019 presidential election as the country’s constitution allows two terms. However, he indicated that he would run for the office when his country’s law would authorize him to.
The African Development Bank has approved a €17.96 million loan to the Republic of Cameroon to finance the construction of a Ring-Road Project in the North-West Province of the country, according to a press release from the bank.
It is estimated that about $8.6 million will be needed by the compendium of female expertise in Côte d’Ivoire (Compendium des compétences féminines de Côte d’Ivoire-COCOFCI) to meet the set-goals for the second phase of its action plan.
The delegates from both countries at the meeting
China Tiesiju Civil Engineering group Co. (CTE), Ltd, which specializes in infrastructures, confirmed that it will build in Togo a motorway and an agricultural industrial park.
Algerian public oil company Sonatrach and Chinese conglomerate Citic signed an agreement for the construction of a phosphate extraction and processing complex in Tébessa (630 km East of Alger), requiring a $6 billion investment, the official news agency APS revealed.
France will return twenty-six works of art pertaining to Beninese cultural heritage, a statement from the presidency announced recently.
More News
A pragmatic, mutually beneficial vision is under threat. Here's why it must be saved Image: Reuters/James Akena
SOUTH AFRICA – The 2nd edition Black Industrialists Energy Summit (www.BIES-SA.com) will be held in Cape Town from 11-12 December at the Westin Cape Town Hotel as part of the International Gas Cooperation Summit (www.IGCS-SA.com) and the Southern Africa Renewable Energy Summit (www.SARES-SA.com).
SWITZERLAND – Asylum seekers at the Mexican border fleeing violence or persecution are entitled to lodge claims in the United States to obtain sanctuary there, U.N. agencies said in a fresh attempt to shield migrants from tough U.S. immigration policies.
The inaugural Africa Link Annual Symposium was held on 8 September 2018 together with the 5th edition of Africa Link Solidarity Awards. The topics of the symposium were Corruption and Migration blended with a presentation on the importance of Entrepreneurship for the growth of Africa’s economy.
SPEAKERS AND PRESENTATIONS
The recipients of Africa Link Solidarity Awards 2018 from R – L: Next to Ambassador Osman Abufatima Mohammed is Mr. Matthias Meier Director Aiducation International Kenya, Mrs. Chantal Ebana representing Ambassador Léonard Henri Bindzi, Hellen Kahuga-Wakapa representing Ms. Sophia Bekele, VP Fepafrika Mr. Ueli Haller, Ambassador Claudinah Ramosepele, Mr. Augusto Moutinho representing Ambassador Osvaldo dos Santos Varela, next to him Ambassador Baba Madugu, and Johnson Oduwaiye, President / Editor-in-chief Africa Link
By Abdel Rahmane DIOP
Associate Migration Officer, Office of the Director General, Global Compact for Migration, Geneva Team, International Organization for Migration
Keynote address by: Ambassador Osman Abufatima Adam Mohammed
Deputy head of Mission at the Permanent Mission of Sudan-Geneva
At the 2018 Africa Link Symposium and Solidarity Awards Event - 8 September 2018, Bern
Yima Sen*
Discussion notes at the Africa Link Awards and Symposium, Berne, Switzerland, 8 September, 2018
[Nation] President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) pilot project in Kisumu County on Thursday amid much fanfare.
[Nation] The Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government will from next year supervisor circumcision of boys in wake of torture and death of an initiate a county administrator has said.
[Monitor] Kampala -Government has been urged to prioritise the health needs of over one million refugees in Uganda to achieve the United Nations health coverage goal for all by 2030.
[Observer] Kebbeh Monger, president of the Rural Women Association, on Wednesday, December 12, 2018, called for partnership between the traditional leaders and stakeholders to end female genital mutilation (FGM) across Liberia.
[The Herald] Civic organisations have called for a clear national sexual harassment policy to curb the increase in gender-based violence that has been fuelling the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the country over the years.
[Capital FM] Nairobi -President Uhuru Kenyatta is on Thursday expected to tour Kisumu for the first time since his election in the 2017 polls.
[The Herald] THE hip-hop fraternity has once again proved it does not learn from its mistakes.
[The Herald] Dancehall artiste Soul Muzavazi Musaki, popularly known as Soul Jah Love, appeared in court yesterday charged with breaching the aviation regulations after he allegedly forced himself through a screening point at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on Wednesday.
[The Herald] Chimurenga musician Thomas Mapfumo says he is geared to stage a memorable gig in Beitbridge that is likely to reunite him with some of his fans based in Limpopo Province, South Africa.
[This Day] Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Vanessa Obioha, were among the cream of the society that witnessed electrifying performances from award-winning singer A?a and other artistes, including iconic pieces from notable designers at the inaugural Spice TV Lifestyle Honours
[Observer] Last Friday, Sheebah Karungi held her second and biggest concert yet - the Omwoyo concert at Hotel Africana in Kampala.
[Nairobi News] DJ Pinye retirement is seemingly not going as planned. His recent confession on how he denied airplay to upcoming artistes has stirred his quiet life in retirement.
[This Day] The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has called on Nigerian celebrities to utilise their platforms to promote voter education, youth inclusion and non-violent participation in the 2019 elections.
[The Herald] Walter Nyamukondiwa Mashonaland West Bureau
[The Herald] Government, through the Lotteries and Gaming Board, has embarked on a programme of constructing multi-disciplinary vocational training colleges (VTCs) countrywide to equip secondary school leavers with essential technical skills, President Mnangagwa has said.
[Vanguard] Ado -The World Bank has indicated its intention to spend $3 Million on three government technical colleges in Ekiti State under the Bank's Innovation and Development Effectiveness for Acquisition of Skills, IDEAS, programme.
[Daily Trust] Lagos -Amaka Regina Nwoji and Mrs. Olaotan Catherine Enobong have been appointed as substantive bursar and librarian respectively of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka in Lagos State.
[Daily News] THE country's education system, whether we like it or not, needs to be addressed critically.
[News24Wire] "Sun City can confirm that Sun Central and the Valley of the Waves will be open today for day visitors and hotel guests," spokesperson Enid Vickers said on Sunday morning.
[News24Wire] Mop up operations are underway at the Sun City Resort after a massive storm wreaked havoc, leading to visitors being evacuated on Saturday afternoon.
[Premium Times] The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says a total of 10.9 million passengers passed through Nigerian airports in 163,646 aircraft movements between January and September.
[Monitor] Kampala -Ugandans intending to travel abroad have at least 68 countries, 15 of them in Africa, they can travel to without a visa.
[Vanguard] A strategic feedback mechanism to enthrone sustainable growth of rural and nature tourism within and around Nigeria's protected areas (National Parks) has kicked off in Okomu and Old National Parks in Benin, Edo State and Oyo State respectively.
[ENA] Addis Ababa -Ethiopian airlines inaugurated its second destination to Manchester in the UK next to London on Tuesday.
Pawel Pawlikowski's film about a long-running love story in Soviet-era Poland won best film and best actress. The best comedy award went to another Cold War film, the UK's The Death of Stalin.
The Greek-French director released the political thriller "Z" in 1969. The story of the assassination of an anti-war activist became a global hit and reinvented the genre. Costa-Gavras has inspired directors ever since.
Germany's summer was extremely hot in 2018, but the term "Heisszeit," or warm age, also reflects climate change as a whole. "Funklochrepublik" and "Ankerzentren" were other favorites this year.
While the Weimar Republic is often summarized as a period of "dancing on a volcano" ahead of the Nazi era, cultural historian Sabina Becker tells DW why the period should be revisited for its rich cinema and culture.
He's hard to miss with his black sunglasses and cap-like blond hair: Heino is Germany's most famous folk music star and a cult figure, and at 80, he's still going strong.
Soldiers shaking hands or shared cultural heritage are part of the ongoing diplomatic rapprochement between South and North Korea. A Berlin exhibition celebrates this idea.
[Deutsche Welle] For centuries, members of the Bimoba people in Ghana were forbidden to marry within their own clans. Today, the youth are trying to disengage from this rule.
[Deutsche Welle] The civil war that brought down Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi allowed the country's women to carve out niches for themselves in public life. Now they are being squeezed out and even killed.
[Nation] Practitioners of female genital mutilation have devised new ways of overcoming a government crackdown on the cultural rite of passage.
[Observer] Participants at the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Human Rights Day, held in Ganta, Nimba County.
[Observer] Campaigning against sexual violence against women and girls is an issue not many Liberian artists love to get involved in.
[FrontPageAfrica] Monrovia -On Thursday, Liberians woke up to the death news of Madam Ruth Caesar, a founding member of the Mano River Women Peace Network (MARWOPNET).
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena had triggered a constitutional and political crisis in the country by sacking Ranil Wickremesinghe in October. His reappointment, however, does not guarantee smooth sailing.
Turkey says Donald Trump recently confirmed he was working to extradite the Islamic cleric that Ankara blames for a 2016 failed coup, according to media reports. If true, the revelation marks a major U-turn by Trump.
Punitive social handouts to dissuade "Dublin" asylum-seekers are wanted by interior ministers of the 16 regional states, a report says. One in three applicants arriving in Germany via other EU nations could be affected.
Police in Sapporo are seeking the cause of the explosion which collapsed a building and injured 42 people in the northern Japanese city. Television footage of the incident showed the restaurant in flames.
The arrest of the chief financial officer of Huawei, Meng Wanzhou, will only exacerbate tensions in the US-China trade spat. But she and her firm should be presumed innocent until proven guilty, says DW's Frank Sieren.
German train operator Deutsche Bahn needs a basic overhaul, the government's own commissioner has admitted. Long-distance train punctuality sunk to 70 percent last month, further frustrating passengers and staff.
[News24Wire] President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the keynote address on Sunday at the national Day of Reconciliation celebration at the Walter Sisulu University Stadium in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, the Presidency said in a statement.
[Observer] Kyadondo East member of parliament Robert Kyagulanyi had to beat security to elude arrest and return to Kampala from Jinja, where he was blocked by police from performing.
[MFWA] There has been a major boost for the media in Sierra Leone with President Julius Maada Bio promising the imminent repeal of the criminal libel and sedition laws and the creation of a fund to support journalists.
[This Day] Mr. Tonye Princewill, former governorship aspirant in Rivers State thinks the recent peace accord may be an encouragement to the peace process, even if it does not go far enough
[Guardian] Governors elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in South-East geo-political zone have resolved to adopt cautious support for the party's presidential standard bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
[This Day] Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, have poured encomium on President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of his 76th birthday.
[Nation] The United States has once again renewed its war with China as it seeks to tame its influence in Africa, particularly in Kenya, which has enjoyed a lot of financial support from the Asian nation.
[New Zimbabwe] DOCTORS have claimed they are being forced to use condoms when performing examinations due to the shortage of gloves as the ongoing strike by junior General Practitioners enters its third week.
[Nation] Part of the fish imported into the region from China contains traces of heavy metal, harmful to human health, laboratory investigations commissioned by The EastAfrican show.
[Zimbabwe Standard] Zanu PF has admitted that the government's monetary policies have failed and that it fears the worsening economic crisis could lead to riots.
[This Day] Unity Bank Plc has won the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) 2018 sustainable banking award, clenching the award for 'Sustainable Transaction of the Year in Agriculture'.
[Guardian] Head, Agro-Economy Desk, FEMI IBIROGBA writes on the efforts of stakeholders in the cocoa value chain development to make the crop the mainstay of the economy; climate change management through agro-forestry and yardsticks for certification to meet international standards, among other industry issues.
It was another great weekend for Dortmund, whose win over Bremen secured them top spot at Christmas. But Bayern won big to prevent BVB from galloping clear, and there were two huge wins at the bottom end of the table.
Julian Brandt was one of the only Germans to emerge with any credit from the World Cup and his ability is clear. But he's stagnating at a club lacking direction and a move would do him good, says DW's Matt Pearson.
Bundesliga club Stuttgart are in mourning after the father of team captain Christian Gentner died in the stadium during Saturday's game. The tragic event overshadowed a rare comeback win for the club.
[Guardian] Abuja -Edo State has been declared as host of the 20th National Sports Festival in 2020, thus knocking out other contenders that include Delta, Imo and Cross River states.
[This Day] The maiden Lagos All Sail Boat Race has produced its first set of winners. In what will go down as one of the country's most keenly contested water racing championships in recent times, contestants coloured Lagos Lagoon with exciting and never-to- beforgotten performances in three categories of rowing, jeskying and boat racing.
[Guardian] After a very excruciating 10 days of competitions at the 19th National Sports Festival, Abuja 2018, Team Lagos led by the Chairman Lagos Sports Commission (LSSC), Dr. Kweku Tandoh, has finished fourth in overall position.
[Observer] Traders on Gbarnga main street said there are fewer buyers as compared to the number of sellers.
[SNA] Khartoum -The First Vice-President of the Republic, Gen. Bakri Hassan Salih was briefed on progress of implementation of development projects in Sudan.
[This Day] Anthony Nzeako, an Emeritus Professor of Electronic Engineering, who doubles as the Head of Department of Electronic Engineering and Dean Faculty of Engineering, University of Nigeria Nsukka, has convened a historical meeting of his fellow Ukabians in Abia State, to see how a village of over two centuries of existence with a population of well over 50,000 pending the confirmation of its proposed census, can turn around the high points of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to its advantage. In
[Addis Fortune] Despite being a continent with abundant energy resources, a great chunk of the African population still lacks access to electricity. This could change by focusing on the use of distributed energy resources, writes Desta Mebratu (Prof.) (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), CEO of African Transformative Leapfrogging Advisory Service.
[Thomson Reuters Foundation] Coinciding with one of the strongest El Niño events since at least 1950, widespread droughts occurred throughout southern Africa during 2015/2016. The scale of impact on urban areas was reflected in the widely reported 'Day Zero' water situation in Cape Town, South Africa, which began during the El Niño, but extended into 2018, as drought conditions persisted.
[New Times] Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) has started consultations with national stakeholders, including the private sector, to decide priority issues to be addressed under the sustainable cities project set to attract funding from the Global Environment Facility.
[SAnews.gov.za] Growing up in a village in Limpopo, Isabella Rammala's dream of emulating entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth - the first South African to travel to space - was questioned by those who surrounded her.
[This Day] The adoption of STEAM has been identified as being strategic to raising innovators and inventors, who will ultimately ameliorate the rate of importation into the country, thus ending capital flight, Ogechukwu Obi reports
[Guardian] The Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday challenged the Lagos State Public Service to embrace innovation as a potential solution to solving all problems in the system. Ambode spoke at a two-day training for civil servants on 'Leading and managing through strategic planning and innovation,' held in Ikeja.
[The Conversation Africa] Delta environments are low-lying and highly vulnerable to flooding and erosion by ocean waves. And these hazards are likely to increase as the world's climate changes and sea levels rise. Monitoring these hazards, and their impacts, is very important to develop strategies and protect communities living close to deltas.
[Daily Maverick] A group of 10 Khayelitsha students have become eco warriors and eco leaders. In the first week of December the students graduated from a year-long programme run by Project 90 by 2030, which taught them about renewable energy. Part of their graduation saw them hand over a solar panel to Salt River Secondary School, which has a group of budding eco warriors. It is hoped the solar panel will bring clean and cost-effective energy to the school while inspiring younger eco leaders.
[AIM] Maputo -The rural development project "Sustenta", launched in February 2017 now involves about 500 small scale farmers in five districts in the central province of Zambezia (Gurue, Ile, Gile, Mocuba and Alto Molocue), according to the provincial governor, Abdul Razak.