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Weekly anb11155.txt #6

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 15-11-2001      PART #5/6
* South Africa. Police raid on platinum smugglers - South African detectives have smashed five syndicates believed to represent the world's biggest platinum-smuggling ring and charged 46 people, including two police officers, with theft and illicit trading. The country is the world's principal producer of platinum, which is more valuable than gold and is used in catalytic converters for cars and for toughening steel. Jewellery platinum is $425 an ounce. Captain Ronnie Naidoo, a police spokesman, said 150 officers were involved in the two-year, top-secret investigation, Operation Gold. Nearly 44,000kg of unrefined platinum (platina), had been seized. (The Independent, UK, 8 November 2001)
* Afrique du Sud. Opposition éclatée - Le 7 novembre, l'alliance de l'opposition sud-africaine a éclaté. Le Nouveau parti national (NNP, l'avatar du parti au pouvoir pendant l'apartheid) a rompu avec le Parti démocratique (DP) après une réunion de ses instances dirigeantes. La scission du bloc de l'opposition, seize mois seulement après sa formation, ouvre la voie à des coalitions entre le NNP et l'ANC, le parti du président Mbeki, notamment dans la province du Cap occidental. (Le Monde, France, 9 novembre 2001)
* South Africa. Telephone lines reduced because of fraud - About 500,000 fixed telephone lines were disconnected in South Africa last year as a result of fraud or non-payment, according to a report by the Geneva-based International Telecommunications Union (ITU). In the early 1990s South Africa had one of the highest ratios of telephone subscribers in Africa, after the island states of the Seychelles and Reunion. Telkom, which is part owned by the US-based SBC, was required to meet ambitious targets to roll out services to previously unserviced black communities in rural areas. Since 1998 Telkom has installed about 2m new lines. It had a total of 5m customers. But the contraction in its fixed-line network has pushed South Africa back to fifth place in the continental ranking, according to the ITU's African Telecommunication Indicators 2001, released this week. In the meantime the country has witnessed an explosive growth in mobile telephone use over the past six years. Although calls are more expensive, consumers have favoured the pre-paid payment system and quicker connection. Vodacom and the Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) have about 8m subscribers between them among South Africa's 40m population. Cell C, a third network, is launched this week. "The decline in the fixed-line user base casts a shadow over the future expansion of the internet, where South Africa had a lead among developing countries," the report said. "Hopefully the launch of the third mobile operator and the eventual introduction of competition in the fixed-line market will restore some of South Africa's lustre." (Financial Times, UK, 13 November 2001)
* South Africa. New bill could change politics - The ruling party in South Africa, the African National Congress, has proposed draft legislation which would allow members of parliament and the provincial assemblies, to switch party affiliation without losing their seats. The bill comes at a time of upheaval in opposition politics in South Africa - and it could allow the governing ANC to gain control of the Western Cape, the only province where it has no role in government. The party that ruled South Africa during the apartheid era, the New National Party, has decided to break from the opposition Democratic Alliance to seek a coalition with the ANC. A new acting Premier -- Cecil Herandien -- has been chosen in the Western Cape from within the New National Party to replace Gerald Morkel, who opposed the break from the Democratic Alliance. (BBC News, UK, 12 November 2001)
* South Africa. To expand nuclear capacity - South Africa committed itself on 13 November to an ambitious expansion of its nuclear capacity at a time when the world is gripped by the threat of possible nuclear terrorism after the attacks on the US on September 11. At a conference hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, South African minister of minerals and energy, said the country was striving to expand its role in nuclear technology by developing mini nuclear reactors. Eskom, the state-owned electricity utility, is developing 110-megawatt (MW) pebble bed modular nuclear reactors in partnership with British Nuclear Fuels and Exelon, the US electricity utility. The government believes the reactors have considerable export potential, particularly to the US, and could earn the country more than R18bn ($1.9bn) a year. Countries interested in buying pebble bed reactors include the UK, China, Indonesia, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia. "It is recognised worldwide as the leading innovation in nuclear technology," Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka said. The construction of the first pebble bed reactor is expected to begin next year in South Africa at a cost of about $120m. South Africa developed its nuclear capacity in the apartheid era. (Financial Times, UK, 14 November 2001)
* Sudan. Talisman faces law-suit - On 8 November, a US anti-slavery group filed a $1 billion law-suit against Talisman, the Canadian oil company, alleging that its operations in Sudan have contributed to an ethnic cleansing campaign against civilians in the south. The action suit, lead by a southern Sudanese church leader, also seeks an injunction to prevent Talisman from continuing its cooperation with the Sudanese government. A Talisman spokesman says: "We have been actively promoting respect for human rights in Sudan, and an end to the war. We are therefore disappointed in this move". (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 November 2001)
* Soudan. Médiation des Etats-Unis - Le gouvernement américain est décidé à trouver des points de convergence entre le gouvernement soudanais et les rebelles sudistes du SPLA, avant l'ouverture de véritables négociations, a annoncé le 14 novembre l'envoyé spécial du président Bush au Soudan. Nommé récemment, M. John Danforth a été chargé de jouer le rôle de médiateur afin de ramener la paix au Soudan. Le 13 novembre, lors d'un entretien avec le président El Béchir, il a fait quelques propositions, notamment l'accès sans restriction de l'aide humanitaire à la région des Monts Nouba et la création de "zones de tranquillité" dans le sud pour faciliter l'assistance humanitaire. M. Danforth a affirmé que les Etats-Unis n'avaient aucun plan de paix précis et qu'ils cherchaient pour l'instant à collecter des informations sur le conflit afin d'être en mesure ensuite de proposer des solutions. (PANA, Sénégal, 14 novembre 2001)
* Sudan. US peace envoy starts mission - The new United States peace envoy to Sudan, John Danforth, has met the Sudanese President, Omar al-Beshir, at the start of his mission to try and broker a peace settlement in the country's 18-year civil war. Sudan's presidential peace advisor, Ghazi Salaheddin, told the French news agency AFP that, during the meeting, the president had stressed his commitment to current peace initiatives. The US envoy is in Khartoum on a four-day visit, his first since being appointed to the post by President George W. Bush in September. Sudan's official news agency reported that Mr Danforth is also expected to meet leaders of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army and human rights groups. (BBC News, UK, 14 November 2001)
* Tanzania. "Compete or perish" - Tanzania has opted to make a major effort to improve her national, regional and international competitiveness, but to do this, the country must undertake to examine both its internal and external commercial conditions. The government has called on a number of international institutions to help it in this exercise. A survey conducted in 1999 discovered that corruption, among other problems, is still a major hinderance to encouraging investors. Also, conflicting policies and regulations were singled out as reasons for uncertainty and loss of investment. Despite these hurdles, economists and international financial institutions acknowledge the fact that Tanzania has managed successfully to undertake macro-economic reforms, resulting in low inflation and economic stability. But there are other remaining areas which need further attention to bring about improved economic performance. Transport systems, communications, the lowering of the cost of doing business in Tanzania, cutting down on red tape, controlling unhelpful bureaucracy, are all mentioned as areas needing attention. (Perege Gumbo, ANB-BIA, Tanzania, 29 October 2001)
* Tanzanie. Rapatrier les réfugiés burundais - La Tanzanie a lancé un appel à l'assemblée générale des Nations unies pour l'amener à considérer comme une question prioritaire le rapatriement de plus de 800.000 réfugiés burundais qui vivent sur son territoire. Le ministre tanzanien des Affaires étrangères, M. Kikwete, a déclaré le 13 novembre à New York que le retour des réfugiés dans leur pays permettrait d'accélérer le processus de paix. A l'heure actuelle, la Tanzanie abrite, dans les régions de Kigoma et de Kigera, un demi million de réfugiés qui ont réussi à échapper aux troubles politiques au Burundi. 300.000 autres demandeurs d'asile burundais sont toujours installés dans des camps dans l'est de la Tanzanie. M. Kikwete a demandé à la communauté internationale de s'attaquer aux causes profondes de la crise des réfugiés dans la région des Grands Lacs, afin de soulager la Tanzanie de la charge que constitue l'afflux ininterrompu de ces personnes. (PANA, Sénégal, 14 novembre 2001)
* Western Sahara. Oil find, strains Western Sahara peace deal - An upsurge of interest in oil exploration off the Atlantic coast of North Africa threatens to further complicate a peace settlement in the Western Sahara. In the past year, Morocco has signed a dozen exploration or reconnaissance licences. Almost 40 licences are in operation off Morocco's Atlantic seaboard as oil companies seek to disprove the adage that "the Ottomans stopped at Algeria and so did the oil". In May, a consortium led by Woodside of Australia struck oil offshore Mauritania, leading a junior partner to declare: "This could be like finding a new Gulf of Mexico." A second well was disappointing but more drilling is scheduled. Between Morocco and Mauritania lies the disputed territory of Western Sahara, which is potentially rich in oil reserves. (Financial Times, UK, 14 November 2001)
* Togo. Législatives en mars 2002 - Le premier tour des élections législatives anticipées aura lieu de 10 mars 2002, a annoncé le président de la Commission électorale nationale indépendante. Il a précisé avoir obtenu du gouvernement la garantie que les décaissements et les ressources humaines seront disponibles au moment opportun. Les opérations de révision des listes électorales débuteront le 7 décembre. D'autre part, le président Eyadéma a déclaré qu'il ne pouvait intervenir dans la libération de Me Agboyibo, le président du Comité d'action pour le renouveau, puisque l'affaire était pendante devant les tribunaux. Mais il s'est dit disposé à lui accorder la grâce présidentielle s'il en faisait la demande. (PANA, Sénégal, 13-14 novembre 2001) 

Weekly anb115.txt - End of #5/6