AFRICA

Chinese， local firms to explore energysector opportunities this monthTwo high-level free briefing sessions exploring business opportunities between Chinese and African companies in the energy sector will take place at Energex Africa， on June 7 and 8， at Gallagher Conven- tion Centre， in Midrand.Energex Africa is an energy solutions event， covering power saving， renewable energy and alternative power sources. Local role-players in the energy sector have an oppor- tunity to engage with leaders in the Chinese energy sector， explains organiser of Energex Africa Exhibition Management Services MD John Thomson.China Electricity Council (CEC) secretary-general Wang Zhixuan will lead a high-level Chinese trade delegation， participating in the business sessions and aiming to explore opportunities in the energy sector between Chinese and African companies.Delegates will represent top Chinese power companies specialising in thermal， hydro and renewable wind and solar energy systems， as well as highly efficient and economical fourth-generation nuclear power technologies. (www.engineeringnews.co.za)CSuhdinaan t aof etexrp ianndde ipnevnedsetmnceent in SouthJune 1， 2011 (JUBA) - The Peoples Republic of China -the world’s emerging second largest economy - has expressed its readiness to invest in South Sudan after its declaration of independence in July.The announcement came in a meeting this week between the vice president of the Government of Southern Sudan， Riek Machar Teny， and a visiting delegation from China’s ministry of Foreign Affairs.The meeting discussed diplomatic relations as well as economic cooperation between the two countries. Machar told the Chinese diplomats that the region was working to attract foreign investors in order to realize the expectations of the people of South Sudan after independence.In a statement to the press after the meeting， the Director General in charge of the department of West Asia and North Africa in the Chinese ministry of Foreign Affairs， Chen Xiaodang， said China was ready to expand its investment in various economic sectors in South Sudan.He said the two countries will promote their bilateral relations as China will encourage its private enterprises to carry out economic and trade activities between the two nations. Xiaodang also said the two countries would exchange cultural activities.The areas of investment will include physical infrastructure， hydroelectric energy， agriculture， education and health， among many others.China is currently the leading investor in the oil sector in Southern Sudan and has already invested in the constructions of roads. Oil revenues constitute around 98 percent of South Sudan’s budget.The region’s secession was made possible through a referendum agreed as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war between North and South Sudan. (www. sudantribune.com)Ecobank signs agreement with Bank of ChinaEcobank Rwanda will benefit from the co-operation agreement signed between its parent company， Ecobank Group， and the Bank of China.Patrick Masumbuko， Head of Brand and Communication at Ecobank Rwanda said that in the agreement， Ecobank will cater for the African interests of Bank of China clients， thus broadening Ecobank’s client base.“Currently the Chinese are extending their services in Africa，” Masumbuko said. “This agreement will make Chinese companies operating in Africa， bank with Ecobank which is a big opportunity to us.”Following the signing of the agreement in Beijing on January 22， 2010， China desks， with Chinese staff will be set up at Ecobank branches to assist the Bank of China customers in Africa. (www.newtimes.co.rw)West Africa: Ecowas to emulate Chinese development modelThe Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) said it would explore the possibility of emulating the integrated approach to development which has transformed China into an economic giant for the benefit of its citizens.President of the ECOWAS Commission， Ambassador James Victor Gbeho， said this in Beijing， according to a statement from the commission.Gbeho， who led a high-level ECOWAS delegation for talks aimed at strengthening cooperation between China， the Commission and its Member States， said at a meeting with the Chinese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs， Mr. Zhai Jun， that “ECOWAS will continue to look at the Peoples Republic of China as a source of inspiration on how to bring economic progress and integration to the West African region.”Ambassador Gbeho also applauded the United Nations Security Council of which China is a member for their support and understanding which contributed to the resolution of the recent political crisis in Cote d’Ivoire.He conveyed the gratitude of the ECOWAS Chairman and Member States to the Government and people of the Peoples Republic of China for their contribution to the development of West Africa.Welcoming the delegation， Jun said West Africa has a lot to learn from China which has prioritized the development of its infrastructure as the surest way of bringing development to the people in an integrated manner.The delegation was also at the China-Africa Development Fund (CADfund) where they canvassed for the Fund’s support for the development of the region’s infrastructure and agriculture. (http://allafrica.com)Chinese firm wins digital signal distribution tenderChina has secured a larger share of Kenya’s television market after one of its firms won a licence for distributing digital signals in the country， further cementing the hold of the Asian country in the economy.The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) is set to award the licence to Pan African Network Group for one of the two new digital signal distribution licences in a bid that had attracted Signal Distributors Ltd， Mayfox Ltd， Globecast Africa， Africa Link Agencies and a consortium of local broadcasters Nation Media Group and Royal Media Services.Kenya’s TV market is migrating from the current analogue broaChina has secured a larger share of Kenya’s television market after one of its firms won a licence for distributing digital signals in the country， further cementing the hold of the Asian country in the economy.The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) is set to award the licence to Pan African Network Group for one of the two new digital signal distribution licences in a bid that had attracted Signal Distributors Ltd， Mayfox Ltd， Globecast Africa， Africa Link Agencies and a consortium of local broadcasters Nation Media Group and Royal Media Services.Kenya’s TV market is migrating from the current analogue broadcasting platform to digital broadcasting by next June as part of a global initiative that will see broadcasters cede transmission of their content to the Chinese company， which will earn a distribution fee.“It was the only one (Pan African Network) that qualified and this means that the second licence remains free for now，” Mr Francis Wangusi， the director of broadcasting at CCK told the Business Daily on Wednesday， adding that the regulator is yet to decide whether to issue or scrap the second licence. (www.businessdailyafrica.com)Ghana looks to China for Western railway rehabilitationAlhaji Collins Dauda， Minister for Transport of Ghana， has estimated works on the Western railway lines at US$400million.He said the government was banking its hopes on a Chinese loan facility to start the rehabilitation of the railway lines， by the end of the year.Alhaji Dauda made this known during a workers’ durbar at a popular site at Ketan in the Western Region， known as ‘Bottom Tree’， where pertinent issues affecting railway workers and the railway sector were discussed.The Transport Minister noted that the economic viability of the railway sector was paramount towards revamping the economy and assured the workers that， government would not sit aloof for the Ghana Railway Company (GRC) to collapse.He urged the workers to support every effort being put in place by the government to revitalise the sector.Alhaji Dauda observed that the work attitude of the workers would go a long way to determine the fate of the Company.“There is a popular perception that， public institutions are not well administered because they do not belong to any individual. But if we change our attitude towards public work and work assiduously towards its sustainability， its positive rippling effects would be felt by all，” he stressed.Alhaji Dauda noted that， the railway sector was the heart of the people in the Region; particularly the people in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and， therefore， Government would do its best to secure funding for rehabilitation of the railway lines.“The current spate of road crashes in the country could be attributed to the inefficiency of the railway sector because heavy duty trucks that ply our roads often cause the accidents.“If we rehabilitate the railway lines， people would prefer using trains to cart their goods instead of vehicles since they are affordable and reliable，” he said.The Minister said he had set up a three-member committee to review the law that established the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA).According to him， there was the need for the law to be reviewed to ensure effective and efficient management of GRC He said: “The promulgation of the law has limited the GRC because the GRDA is the regulator whilst the GRC is the operator， thus; making decision-taking towards the revitalisation of the sector difficult.”Alhaji Dauda said as the law stood now， the GRDA had the authority to issue license to the GRC to operate. He noted that， if the law was reviewed， it would help the restructuring process of the railway sector effectively and efficiently.Alhaji Dauda charged the Management of the GRC to engage the workers regularly， at least once a month in order to know their problems and concerns.He advocated the frequent flow of information from the Management to the workers front to ensure trust and transparency.The Minister said communication was vital towards efficient management of any public or private institution.He pledged his commitment towards the payment of the workers’ salary arrears as well as promotion and collective bargaining agreement issues.The Acting Managing Director of the GRC， Mr. K. B. Amofa said freight traffic remained the mainstay of the company accounting for 90% of the revenue it generated， covering a route length of 947 kilometres. He said much of the freight traffic were primary commodities such as manganese， bauxite and cocoa meant for export through the Takoradi port.Mr. Amofa said successive governments failed to use the revenue generated from export to maintain the infrastructure and assets， thus leading to the current deplorable state of the railway line.The Acting Managing Director called for major infusion of capital into the railway sector to ensure the realisation of its full potential. “As at now， about 45 per cent of locomotives and wagons required to run and achieve set freight targets have broken down and are being repaired， but lack of spare parts has delayed their service since some of them are(more than) 50 years and needed to be replaced.“There is difficulty running cocoa trains due to the poor track infrastructure from Dunkwa to Kumasi while cement and timber trains cannot go to and from Kumasi for the same reason，” he said.(www.ghanaweb.com)