President of Botswana Visits Peace Corps

19 September, 2007 in Botswana

source: Media-Newswire

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 18, 2007 – Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter welcomed the President of Botswana, Festus Gontebanye Mogae, to speak to Peace Corps staff as part of the Loret Miller Ruppe Speaker Series on Tuesday, September 18. President Mogae is the second guest speaker in the series, which features individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the Peace Corps in the tradition of the Agency’s longest serving director, Loret Miller Ruppe.

(Media-Newswire.com) – WASHINGTON, D.C., September 18, 2007 – Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter welcomed the President of Botswana, Festus Gontebanye Mogae, to speak to Peace Corps staff as part of the Loret Miller Ruppe Speaker Series on Tuesday, September 18. President Mogae is the second guest speaker in the series, which features individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the Peace Corps in the tradition of the Agency’s longest serving director, Loret Miller Ruppe.

In his remarks President Mogae thanked the Peace Corps and the 2,000 Volunteers who have served in Botswana since 1966. Currently, 77 Volunteers are working in Botswana with an exclusive focus on HIV/AIDS projects.

“It is with the greatest humility and respect that I, on behalf of a grateful nation, commend the Peace Corps, past and present for being amongst those members of the human race who have decided, not in exchange for any material reward, to make a positive difference to the lives of others,” said President Mogae.

Peace Corps Volunteers in Botswana are focused on [continue reading]

British Airways changes direct Harare service

19 September, 2007 in Zimbabwe

source: BBC News

British Airways has ended direct services from London to the Zimbabwean capital Harare for commercial reasons.

The airline said it had been suffering losses on the route and costs were spiralling, as well as the difficulty of getting aviation fuel in Zimbabwe.

From 28 October passengers travelling from Heathrow will be routed to Harare via Johannesburg with BA franchise partner Comair.

BA also said it was expanding its US flights from next spring.

The company will take advantage of the new transatlantic “open skies” policy.

New routes

The deal agreed between the US and Europe will, from [continue reading]

Visit cements ties

19 September, 2007 in Botswana

source: BOPA
18 September, 2007

WASHINGTON President Festus Mogaes visit to the United States of America will, among others, cement the good relations between the two countries.

The president, accompanied by, among others, First Lady Barbara Mogae and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Lt Gen. Mompati Merafhe, arrived in Washington DC on Sunday for a two-week official visit that will also take him to New York City.

Kgosi Lotlaamoreng II of Barolong is also in the presidents delegation. Highlights of the visit include a review of private partnership programmes such as African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership and Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) between Botswana and donor partners.

Mr Mogae is expected to share with his audience lessons learned from Botswanas experience in combating HIV/AIDS and also discuss the impact of PEPFAR in Botswana, as well as argue for its re-authorisation by the US Congress.

Botswanas Ambassador to the United States, Mr Lapologang Lekowa, said the visit will serve to cement the already existing good relations between Botswana and the United States.

Mr Lekowa noted that Botswana will continue to [continue reading]

Mogae in the US

19 September, 2007 in Botswana

source: BOPA
17 September, 2007

GABORONE – President Festus Mogae was scheduled to arrive in Washington D. C. yesterday afternoon to begin a two week official visit to the United States of America, where he will visit Washington D.C. and New York City.

The anticipated highlights of the visit, will include among others, a live interview with the Straight Talk Africa Programme.

Tomorrow, President Mogae will address four public events, organised respectively by: The Council on Foreign Relations, the Corporate Council on Africa, and the US Peace Corps. In the evening, he will be a Guest of Honour at the International Conservation Caucus Foundation Gala Awards Dinner.

Mr Mogae’s Wednesday schedule will include a working visit to the headquarters of the Washington Post newspaper.

He will meet with US legislators at Capitol Hill on Thursday morning. In the afternoon, he will address a major public event organised by the National Geographic Society.

Later in the afternoon he is expected to meet with the President of the World Bank, Mr Zoellick. In the evening he will attend a [continue reading]

Botswana supports UN declaration

19 September, 2007 in Botswana

source: BOPA
17 September, 2007

GABORONE – Botswana voted in favour of the revised text of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous People, which was adopted by the General Assembly on September 13.

A press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation says the vote “follows painstaking and protracted negotiations which ultimately resulted in the accommodation of some amendments submitted by member states of the African Union”.

The release also states that concerns of the member states of the African Union with respect to the original draft were that it contained provisions, which had the potential to promote division and conflict on the African continent.

Areas of concern included the absence of a definition of indigenous peoples, Interpretation of self-determination, Ownership of land and natural resources, Establishment of economic and political institutions and veto powers over laws passed by democratic national legislative bodies, National and territorial integrity; and Deployment of the military in lands and territories owned, occupied or used by indigenous peoples.

“Botswana is pleased that these concerns have [continue reading]

Gaborone Broadcasting Corporation TV Ready to Go National

19 September, 2007 in Botswana

source: allAfrica
The Voice (Francistown)

18 September 2007
Posted to the web 18 September 2007

Francistown

Following a multi-million pula deal with South Africa’s private television station etv, Gaborone Broadcasting Corporation (GBC TV) is prepared to go national and give viewers quality programming and content.

51 percent shareholder of GBC TV, Mike Klinck revealed prospects of quality programming and broadcasting national, after Sabido (Pty) Ltd a company that owns etv injected millions of Pulas as part of its 49 percent acquisition of GBC TV.

Klinck said the deal, which etv signed this April to acquire 49 percent of GBC TV has given the station an opportunity to grow and become the country’s best free to air television in the country. “Not only that, the deals brings etv’s inventory of dramas and sport programmes. There will also be training opportunities for GBC staff. As a result of this investment GBC TV is well capitalized to broadcast national,” he said.

He said partnering with etv does not mean importing programs from the popular television. “Of course we will benefit from etv movies because theirs are always up-to-date,” he pointed out.

GBC TV Director explained that in [continue reading]

Khama advices officers to be fair, considerate

19 September, 2007 in Botswana

source: BOPA
17 September, 2007

GABORONE – The Vice President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama congratulated 145 newly commissioned officer cadets for having succeeded in their basic military training course, which he referred to as the initial stage of their military career.

Speaking at the commissioning parade for the Officer Cadets Class 30 of 2006/2007 at Sir Seretse Khama Barracks in Mogoditshane, he said the graduation allowed graduates to mark another chapter in their lives as they start the process of transition from civilians to soldiers.

Gen. Khama emphasised that military is a demanding and challenging career and therefore implored the graduants to utilise the military skills they have acquired to prepare them for a number of roles and responsibilities that they would be expected to take during peacetime and wartime.

He went on to say that the BDF will strive to enhance their skills by putting them through many other training courses which will place them in an increasingly better position to operate in the ever changing military scenario regarding strategy, tactics, technology and human resource development.

The Vice President further told the graduates that [continue reading]

BPC explores various options

19 September, 2007 in Botswana

source: BOPA
18 September, 2007

MOLEPOLOLE – Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) is working with other organisations to intensify and promote use of solar photovoltaic technology in the country.

The Chairperson of the BPC Board, Ms Ewetse Rakhudu, assured dignitaries including cabinet ministers, MPs and Swedish representatives that we certainly are paying attention to the sun and the possibilities it offers.

Ms Rakhudu was giving a project overview at the ground-breaking ceremony of 100 villages electrification project in Gakuto in the Kweneng District last week.

She said it was of significance that the technology comes at a high premium. This is another of the project activities through which we aim to bring appropriate and sustainable energy services to communities of Botswana consistent with the ideals of Vision 2016, NDP 9 and the Millenium Development Goals, she said.

On the electrification project, Ms Rakhudu said the corporation would be seeking to give effect to another of governments policy objectives of the economic empowerment of citizens and local companies.

To that end, a total of 20 citizen and local electrical contractors would be working with the main contractor, ELTEL Networks of Sweden.

In addition, three local and citizen consultants would be engaged as sub-consultants to SWECO, Swedish consultants, to undertake project supervision and management.

After the first electricity pole that [continue reading]

SA: Milk shortage continues

19 September, 2007 in South Africa

source: IOL
September 18 2007 at 09:39PM

A milk shortage continues despite better milk prices for producers, the Milk Producers Association said on Tuesday.

Managing Director Etienne Terre’Blanche said since April this year the monthly milk shortage constantly sat at the 20 million litre mark.

“While a better milk price has brought much relief to producers, it has not yet managed to meaningfully increase production. The short-term capacity for improving milk production is limited and varies from region to region,” he said.

In general farmers need between 12 and 18 months to significantly increase milk production.

Terre’Blanche said the shortage could be attributed to the past winter being one of the coldest in many years followed by [continue reading]

Zimbabwe `is close to collapse´

19 September, 2007 in Zimbabwe

source: Channel 4

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Last Modified: 18 Sep 2007
Source: ITN

Zimbabwe’s deepening economic crisis has pushed the country “closer than ever to complete collapse”, an independent report has said.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) said the situation is also threatening to destabilise the rest of southern Africa.

The report has called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) group of nations to overcome internal divisions and focus on ways to persuade Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to step down.

The think-tank based in Brussels said in its report: “SADC must resolve internal differences about how hard to press into retirement Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s 83-year-old president and liberation hero, and the wider international community needs to give it full support.”

SADC has already launched an initiative led by [continue reading]