Major International Business Headlines Brief::: 13 September 2024

Fri Sep 13 12:07:33 CAT 2024

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Major International Business Headlines Brief:::  13 September 2024 

 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

ü  Kenya: Mounting Pending Bills Put Counties in a Crisis

ü  South Africa: Loadshedding Is Not Over in Cape Town's Deep South

ü  Uganda: Nurses, Midwives Demand Govt Action Amid Overwhelming Challenges

ü  Uganda: Frustration Grows Over Delayed Luweero-Butalangu Road Project

ü  Career Fair for Namibian Nationals

ü  Ethiopia: Former Ethiopian PM Tapped for TradeMark Africa Chair

ü  Nigeria: N6.95trn Trade Surplus, Sign of Growing Economy - Tinubu

ü  Nigeria: Fuel Scarcity - Hawkers Sell Cheaper Than Filling Stations - Investigation

ü  Uganda Airlines to Get Six New Aircraft

ü  Sudan Forests At Risk From Rising Charcoal Demand

ü  Uganda: Govt Urged to Ensure Social Protection for All Ugandans

ü  Boeing workers strike as 25% pay rise rejected

ü  Ex-Ticketmaster boss sentenced for hacking rival company CrowdSurge

ü  New beanless 'coffee' emerges but does it taste any good?

 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

Kenya: Mounting Pending Bills Put Counties in a Crisis

Nairobi — Counties have continued to grapple with pending bills which set them up for debt crisis with the devolved units staring at Sh181.98 billion as at June 30, a new report has shown.

A report by the Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o showed that Nairobi County is leading with the highest pending bill at Sh118.4 billion which represents 65.1 percent of the entire stock of pending bills

The county accused of not declaring the amount of pending bills that had been settled during the reporting period.

In the listed pending bills, ninety percent of the pending bills in the Johnson Sakaja led administration is recurrent expenditure at Sh112.5 billion and Sh5 billion for development expenditure.

"At the beginning of the last financial year, the County Executive reported a stock of pending bills amounting to Kshs.107.33 billion. The County did not provide a breakdown of the pending bills into recurrent and development expenditures," the report read.

Kiambu County has the second highest pending bills across the 47 devolved units at Sh6.3 billion with Sh4 billion recurrent expenditure budget and Sh2.3 Billion for development budget.

Mombasa County has the third highest pending bill reporting Sh4.4 billion with Sh2.7 billion stocking pending bill in recurrent expenditure and Sh1.7 billion in development expenditure.

Governor Wavinya Ndeti led county has Sh4.2 billion pending bill according to the latest report with the huge bill on development expenditure at Sh2.3 billion and recurrent expenditure at Sh1.7 billion.

Bungoma County is also on the list shame with Sh3.5 billion spending bill with Sh1.9 billion as debt on recurrent expenditure and Sh1.5 billion on development expenditure.

Also on the list is Kisumu County with Sh3.1 billion with an outstanding debt of Sh1.6 billion in recurrent expenditure and Sh1.3 billion in development expenditure.

The Controller of Budget pointed out the worrying trend in counties when it comes to debt saying debt service payments shall be a first charge on the County Revenue Fund and the Accounting Officer shall county government does not default on debt obligations.

"Controller of Budget advises county governments to settle the eligible pending bills as a first charge on the budget in line with the law and prepare credible budgets with realistic revenue targets," the report read.

The Controller of Budget has cited late submission of financial reports and huge pending bills as among issues hampering effective implementation of the budget.

The report comes amidst government push to clear pending bills that has seen untold suffering to many Kenyans who have their monies stuck, even after taking loans to complete projects.

Capital FM.

South Africa: Loadshedding Is Not Over in Cape Town's Deep South

This winter's heavy rain and strong wind seems to have exposed weaknesses in Cape Town's electricity grid south of Scarborough and Simon's Town.

Residents say the power goes out whenever it rains, and stays off for at least six hours, but normally for much longer.

Although the area is sparsely populated, there are numerous small businesses, and it includes the Cape Point Nature Reserve, one of Cape Town's main tourist attractions.

Small businesses and residents near Cape Point have had at least ten electricity outages over the past two months, sometimes lasting for days at a time. The outages also affect the Cape Point Nature Reserve, which is one of Cape Town's most popular tourist destinations.

Business owners near Redhill, along Plateau Road, and at Rocklands Farm bordering Simon's Town said the power goes out for hours, and sometimes days, every time it rains, even during light rain. One power outage lasted for four days, from 8 to 11 August.

As a result, businesses, including those catering to tourists, have had to close for extended periods, and have lost revenue and customers.

Founder of Lakeside Brewing Company at Redhill, Morne Uys, said days-long power outages had resulted in the loss of several thousand rands worth of food as it was not possible to keep the fridges and freezers running.

Uys said his five employees also lost income due to lack of customers, and there was no communication from the City about how long outages would last.

"It's just chaos," he said.

Lakeside Brewing employees Munashe Mudadi and Arthur Mazivanhanga said the business, which also serves food, has a diesel generator but it is inefficient and can't run for long. They said as a result, customers experience long waiting times for their food, and then often don't tip well, which affects their earnings.

Founder of Burnett Wood Surfboards, Patrick Burnett, operates his workshop on the Good Hope Nursery farm off Plateau Road, and said he is struggling to complete orders from local and international customers.

Burnett said although his boards are hand crafted, he needs electricity for light, heat, and to operate power tools. He said whenever the power went out, it took the City six to eight hours, and often longer, to fix the fault. Running a generator for hours was not practical and the power outages are severely affecting his ability to keep the business afloat.

"The technical teams come out when they can, and there's not much communication as to when they're going to come out, what they're doing, and when they're going to fix it, or what the problem is," Burnett said. "I'm not sure why that is, and it would be nice to actually have some transparency there."

The nearby Redhill informal settlement of about 400 households is also affected. Redhill Community Centre programme director Yonela Duionta said school children used the centre to do homework and assignments, and adults used it to apply for jobs and use the internet. However, she said this was not possible when the power was out.

"The community suffers," Duionta said.

At Rocklands Farm adjacent to Simon's Town, owner of The Coop coffee shop and farm stall, Bridget Albert, said they were struggling to operate through regular power outages, and echoed the experience of other small businesses owners, saying the power went out every time it rained.

She said at least loadshedding was scheduled, so she could plan around it, but the City's power outages were unpredictable.

City mayco member for energy, Xanthea Limberg, said about half the "approximately ten" power outages over the last two months have been due to weather damage, with a smaller number due to theft and vandalism.

In a letter to Duncan Bates land surveyors given to GroundUp by ward councillor Simon Liell-Cock, Limberg gave additional causes for the outages, such as "bird strikes" and "baboon electrocutions".

Limberg said there was "ongoing maintenance" of electricity infrastructure along Plateau Road. The City wants to run cables underground, and "network rearrangements" are being considered.

This includes 'segmenting' the supply so that if there is an issue at one point, it does not impact the whole stretch and that the fault could be isolated, stated Limberg.

She was not able to provide timelines for these solutions, but stated putting the overhead cables underground to reduce theft and weather-related incidents would be completed "over a number of financial years." She said stolen copper cables are also being replaced with aluminium bundling as they are less valuable.

Leill-Cock said the affected area was "not a commercial zone" and businesses there "are not customer-intensive".

"The City has to prioritise where it makes sense," Liell-Cock said. "We can't just throw money at people because they moan."

Although Cape Point Nature Reserve, which is run by South African National Parks (SANParks) is one of the most visited tourist sites in the City, and has a restaurant at the lookout point and an electricity-reliant funicular for the long, steep climb to the point, SANParks did not respond to questions despite numerous attempts to obtain comment.

Calls to the funicular and restaurant went unanswered.

However, a supervisor at the reserve gate told GroundUp they had experienced numerous power cuts over the last few months, but she believed there was backup power available. She was not able to provide further details.

GroundUp.

Uganda: Nurses, Midwives Demand Govt Action Amid Overwhelming Challenges

Despite their crucial role in saving lives, Uganda's nurses and midwives are grappling with severe challenges, including long hours, minimal pay, and a lack of support.

Many healthcare workers feel physically and emotionally exhausted as they continue to perform beyond their training to meet the demands of an overstretched healthcare system."We are awake day and night, fighting to save lives, yet we are not rewarded for the sacrifices we make," said Joan Mugabi , Vice Chairperson of the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union (UNMU).With grueling shifts and little rest, nurses and midwives are feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by the lack of recognition and support from the government.

The situation is exacerbated by delayed deployment for nursing and midwifery graduates, with many remaining unemployed for years.

"Those who finished in 2003 are still in their homes. Kindly hear us out and put them on the list," Mugabi urged, highlighting the plight of thousands of qualified nurses left without jobs despite an urgent need for healthcare professionals.

Adding to the discontent is the government's focus on recruiting enrolled certificate-level nurses, while those with bachelor's and master's degrees are often overlooked.

"The government must employ all nurses," demanded Annet Birungi, General Secretary of UNMU, pointing to the lack of career progression opportunities and inadequate working conditions that are driving dissatisfaction in the sector.

While President Museveni's recent scholarship initiative for 18 nursing students was welcomed, it has been criticized as insufficient to meet the sector's growing needs.

Delayed payments for these scholarships have further fueled frustrations among healthcare workers.

"If the fees are not paid, nurses are going to demonstrate," Birungi warned, calling for an expansion of the scholarship program to support more nurses.

Uganda's healthcare sector faces systemic issues beyond financial concerns.

The Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination Board (UNMEB) has struggled to accommodate a growing number of candidates, with figures rising from 54,943 to 62,702 between 2017 and 2020.

Despite a budget increase from shs23.4 billion to shs 32.4 billion, the funding remains insufficient to address the challenges in training and certifying nursing professionals.

As Uganda's nurses and midwives continue to call for government action, the risk of losing a vital healthcare workforce looms large.

The urgent plea for support and systemic reform highlights the critical need for immediate intervention to ensure the sustainability of the country's healthcare system.

Nile Post.

Uganda: Frustration Grows Over Delayed Luweero-Butalangu Road Project

Residents and local leaders in Nakaseke district are voicing their frustration over the slow progress of the Luwero-Butalangu Road construction, a 30-kilometer project launched on Heroes Day, June 9, 2023.

Despite being 65% into the three-year project timeline, less than 10% of the work has been completed.

The project, valued at Shs 93 billion and awarded to DOTT Services Limited, has become a point of contention as community members struggle with inadequate transportation infrastructure. Enock Nyongore, Chairperson of the Roads Committee and MP for Nakaseke North, expressed concerns over the delay.

"When we inquired about the progress, they admitted to only 8% completion, even though 65% of the construction period has elapsed. We are worried about meeting the project's deadline," Nyongore stated.

He added that local residents face significant challenges due to poor road conditions, particularly in transporting goods like milk, resulting in substantial financial losses.

Nyongore also criticized DOTT Services for its lack of communication, noting that the company has repeatedly failed to attend committee meetings without explanation.

Efforts to reach the site manager for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls. Meanwhile, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has acknowledged financial difficulties contributing to the project's sluggish pace.

"We have been experiencing financial issues in the 2023/2024 fiscal year, but the government is actively working to resolve these problems. I visited the site two weeks ago and observed that the contractors are making efforts to advance the work," said Allan Sempebwa, UNRA Spokesperson.

Sempebwa also highlighted that compensation for affected landowners along the road has been a significant challenge but assured that steps are being taken to resolve these concerns.

The delays in the Luwero-Butalangu Road project add to the broader transportation issues facing Nakaseke district.

Last month, local taxi drivers staged a protest over the deteriorating state of the 53-kilometer Butalangu-Ngoma Road, emphasizing the urgent need for infrastructure improvement in the region.

Local leaders and residents are now calling on UNRA and the Ministry of Works and Transport to expedite the construction process and mitigate the negative impact on the community.

Nile Post.

Career Fair for Namibian Nationals

The African Development Bank Group in collaboration with Namibia Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, will host a 2-day Career Fair for Namibian nationals, on the 19th and 20th of September 2024, in Windhoek, Namibia.

12 September 2024Content from a Premium Partner

African Development Bank (Abidjan)

announcement

What: Career Fair for Namibian nationals

Who: The African Development Bank Group in collaboration with the Namibia Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises

When: 19th September 2024: 9:00 AM - 1:45 PM (Windhoek Time)

20th September 2024: 1:00 PM - 5:30 PM (Windhoek Time)

Where: Hybrid (In-person: Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) Online: Zoom )

Register here

The African Development Bank Group in collaboration with Namibia Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, will host a 2-day Career Fair for Namibian nationals, on the 19th and 20th of September 2024, in Windhoek, Namibia.

The fair will provide an opportunity for attendees to explore exciting career prospects with the African Development Bank Group, including the Internship Program, Young Professional Program, regular staff positions, and consultancy opportunities.

The AfDB team will share details on the Bank's recruitment process and available positions, and address questions from attendees.

The first day (Thursday, September 19) will target students, while the second day (Friday, September 20) is for professionals.

For inquiries about the event, please contact: [email protected]; [email protected]

African Development Bank (AfDB).

Ethiopia: Former Ethiopian PM Tapped for TradeMark Africa Chair

Hailemariam Desalegn has taken over as the new chair of TradeMark Africa (TMA) after the term of Erastus Mwencha came to an end after serving at the helm for eight years.

Mr Desalegn's appointment comes as TMA targets ambitious objectives, including increasing African exports, supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation, and expanding its operations from East Africa to West and Southern Africa.

The organisation will work closely with Regional Economic Communities, national institutions, the private sector, and international partners.

TMA has been instrumental in advancing trade facilitation efforts, particularly in reducing the time and costs associated with cross-border trade.

The organisation has spearheaded initiatives such as the implementation of digital trade systems, One Stop Border Posts, and the harmonisation of standards across Eastern and the Horn of Africa.

With its recent expansion into West Africa, TMA plans to replicate successful projects that have cut down trade barriers.

Currently in its third strategic phase, covering 2023 to 2030, TMA aims to raise approximately $700 million to support trade programmes in its operational regions.

This funding will be directed towards improving trade systems at key agencies such as revenue authorities and ports, assisting SMEs in market access, and collaborating with standards bureaus to harmonise standards and enhance awareness of phytosanitary measures, among other initiatives.

Business Day Africa.

Nigeria: N6.95trn Trade Surplus, Sign of Growing Economy - Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has hailed Nigeria's latest trade figures as a clear indication of the country's growing economic strength.

According to a recent report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria recorded a trade surplus of N6.95 trillion in the second quarter of 2024, marking a 6.60 per cent increase from the previous quarter's N6.52 trillion surplus.

President Tinubu welcomed the NBS report, emphasising that this robust trade performance underscores the positive impact of his administration's economic reforms, a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga indicated.

As Nigeria continues to consolidate on these economic gains, President Tinubu expressed confidence that the country is on track to unlock its full potential.

He reiterated his administration's commitment to addressing long-standing economic challenges and implementing policies that will sustain and build upon these positive trends.

The statement reads "President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 's new report on the country's trade balance.

"According to the report, Nigeria recorded another trade surplus in the second quarter of 2024, hitting N6.95 trillion. The current surplus is 6.60 per cent higher than the N6.52 trillion surplus recorded in the first quarter.

"Just days after the country recorded almost 100 percent oversubscription of its first $500 million domestic bond and half-year revenue of N9.1 trillion, the latest report underscores the increasing positive shifts in the economy over the last year.

"President Tinubu expresses confidence in the reforms his administration is pursuing and believes they will create a more robust economy that will usher in a new era of prosperity for Nigerians.

"The NBS report reflects the country's strong export performance in the second quarter.

Although total merchandise trade in Q2 2024 stood at N31.89 trillion, a 3.76 per cent decline compared to the preceding quarter (Q1 2024), it marked a 150.39 per cent rise from the corresponding period in 2023.

The NBS reported that the Q2 surplus was essentially driven by exports to Europe, the United States and Asia.

Total exports stood at N19.42 trillion, accounting for 60.89 per cent of the country's total trade. This represents a 1.31 per cent increase from N19.17 trillion in the first quarter and a 201.76 per cent surge from N6.44 trillion recorded in Q2 2023.

The dominance of crude oil exports remains a key factor in this performance, contributing N14.56 trillion, or 74.98 per cent of total exports.

"Non-crude oil exports, valued at N4.86 trillion, comprised 25.02 per cent of the total export value, with non-oil products contributing N1.94 trillion.

"The strong export performance, particularly in crude oil, ensured Nigeria maintained a favourable trade balance.

"In Q2 2024, European and American countries dominated Nigeria's top export destinations. Spain emerged as the largest export partner, receiving goods valued at N2.01 trillion, accounting for 10.34% of Nigeria's total exports.

"The United States followed closely with N1.86 trillion (9.56 per cent), while France imported N1.82 trillion of Nigerian goods, representing 9.37 per cent of total exports.

"Nigeria's other major export partners include India (N1.65 trillion or 8.50 per cent) and the Netherlands (N1.38 trillion).

"Generally, the economic indicators, which were very low when President Tinubu assumed office last year, are turning positive.

"The government will continue to consolidate on the gains of the reforms as more fiscal and tax policy reforms already embarked upon by the administration come to fruition.

"President Tinubu is determined to confront the inhibitions that have stunted the growth and development necessary to unlock the country's full potential,"

Leadership.

Nigeria: Fuel Scarcity - Hawkers Sell Cheaper Than Filling Stations - Investigation

Nigerians have not seen the last of the current petrol scarcity in the country as some funny developments have continued to emerge by the day.

The most amusing one presently is that fuel is now sold cheaper by hawkers when compared to the pump price at filling stations.

Vanguard investigation revealed that fuel is sold at #1,000 per litre by hawkers along Mile 2-Apapa expressway as against #1,070 and more at most filling stations controlled by independent marketers.

Apart from major distributors like Mobil, Total, Ardova Plc (formerly Forte oil), MRS, and Eternal filling stations, other are dispensing petrol at between #1,070 to #1,400 per litre.

Vanguard investigations further showed that while fuel might not be available at some filling stations, motorists could easily find any quantity to buy from the nearby hawkers displaying the product mostly in white gallons.

Investigations revealed that these hawkers never run out of product and they are sure of constant supply from tanker drivers at night who give them the fuel at give-away prices.

Although the hawkers were not ready to disclose their source of procurement, some people also doing business in the area said that the tanker drivers supplied the fuel to the boys without minding the loss to the owners of the product.

"My brother, you need to come around here at night when this lucrative business is going on and the kind of money that exchanges hands.

"I'm even considering joining them but I doubt if they would sell to me. The business is coded.

"The drivers know their customers and they do not hesitate selling to them," a young man who wouldn't like to be identified told Vanguard.

Meanwhile, a young man who told our reporter that he was rescued a few days ago, when he ran out of fuel by the hawkers described them as God-sent.

"I ran out of fuel in the traffic along Mile-2 expressway and only God knows what would have happened to me if these hawkers were not there to sell petrol," he said.

The man further said, "My car dashboard showed the amber light from Lekki, my place of work and I was looking out for a place to top my fuel but couldn't find any on the road. "The car finally stopped around Mile-2 at 8:30pm in traffic. I had no option than to patronize the hawkers who graciously sold petrol to me at #1,000 per litre. In fact I was ready to pay more for it, given how urgent I needed it.

"Maybe, I would have been attacked by hoodlums if not for the intervention of the hawkers who came handy with the product."

The situation has become so critical that most motorists see the fuel by the hawkers as the last option and would target to buy form them at anytime of the day or night.

Some buyers who patronize these petrol sellers confirmed that apart from the competitive pricing, the petrol sold by the hawkers is of the same quality with what is available at the filling stations.

All kind of cars, including exotic ones buy petrol from these hawkers.

A bus driver who would not like his name mentioned said that since the scarcity started few weeks ago, he had never visited a filling station.

He said: "I can't stand the queue. I rather buy the fuel at the same price or even cheaper from the hawkers than to queue up at the filling stations for many hours. Even at that, which filling station sells fuel twice a week in Lagos?"

As it stands now, Nigerians and indeed motorists are at the mercy of filling stations. Unlike in those days when filling stations would canvass for motorists to drive in and buy from their stations and even offered complimentary services like cleaning your windscreen, and giving drivers tips on how to keep their engine running among other offers.

Meanwhile, a trailer driver who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said that he was aware of deals by some drivers and their motor boys but declared that he would never join in the fraud.

It is a common sight to see the hawkers during the day and late night siting on the pavement in between the the expressway waiting for some motorists to run out of fuel. The line stretches from Mile 2 to Apapa Wharf everyday.

Vanguard.

Uganda Airlines to Get Six New Aircraft

The State Minister for Works , Fred Byamukama has revealed that the government is set to purchase more six commercial aircrafts , four mid-range and dreamliner aircrafts to boost , facilitate trade, investment, and economic cooperation, benefiting businesses and the overall economy in both Uganda , Africa and across the world.

The minister made remarks while launching Uganda Airlines' new flights to Abuja, their second destination in Nigeria.

"President Museveni has already approved the move purchase more aircrafts. This is in appreciation towards the significance and great performance of Uganda airlines; if they were not doing well , we would be pushing for this support" Byamukama added.

During the launch , the Minister said that direct flights to Abuja will increase Uganda Airlines' catchment area in the country and make it easier for tourists from Nigeria to visit Uganda and vice versa.

"This will boost Uganda's tourism sector by increasing the flow of Nigerian visitors. Although Nigerian movies have already introduced Ugandans to Nigerian culture, the availability of flights will take cultural interaction between Ugandans and Nigerians to the next level. Africa is pursuing continental integration. Starting with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the next step is to get the RECs to know and talk to each other" the minister stated.

Jenifer Bamuturaki, CEO of Uganda airlines said there have been reduced on the loses with in the company attributing it to the airlines expansion of flights in 14 routes.

"We will be using the Airbus for the two combined routes and the flight number will be UR900. We are very proud to be alive today to see this and to keep our promise to the country , Uganda and Nigeria" Bamuturaki said.

CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki emphasised that these additions will enhance connectivity across Africa, facilitating business, trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges.

The national carrier, Uganda Airlines which made its maiden flight to Abuja, Nigeria with over 162 passengers on board , will be operating every Thursday and Sunday, with flights departing Entebbe at 16:00 and arriving in Abuja at 18:15, using the Airbus A330-800neo aircraft.

This month, the airline will also introduce four weekly flights to Lusaka, Zambia, and Harare, Zimbabwe, using CRJ-900 aircraft.

The expansion is part of Uganda Airlines' 10-year plan to connect East, West, North, and South Africa.

Nile Post.

Sudan Forests At Risk From Rising Charcoal Demand

Wad Madani — Environmentalists are warning of the rapid destruction of Sudan's ancient forests in El Gezira state, as conflict continues to drive people towards charcoal production as a source of income. This widespread logging, which targets vital trees such as acacia, threatens the country's gum arabic industry, a critical export for Sudan.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga yesterday, environmental expert Dr Abdelrahman Eisa states that over 300 trees, many more than 200 years old, have already been felled in key areas. The destruction has particularly affected forest reserves, near the state capital of Wad Madani.

"The unjust cutting of trees will lead to future environmental disasters,"Dr Abdelrahman Eisa

Sudan is the world's largest exporter of gum arabic*, a resin produced by acacia trees that is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. These trees have a dual purpose, they produce gum arabic, a long-term renewable resource, but they are also sought after for charcoal production.

Acacia trees take years to mature and produce gum arabic, but when cut down for charcoal, they can no longer provide this valuable export.

With conflict devastating the economy, locals are increasingly turning to charcoal production for quick income, sacrificing long-term sustainability for short-term financial gain. The price of charcoal has skyrocketed, with the average bag selling for up to SDG 50,000, driving people to cut down trees at an alarming rate.

Dr Eisa explained that this not only accelerates deforestation but also poses a direct threat to Sudan's struggling gum arabic trade, with severe economic consequences for the many communities that depend on this valuable resource.

The conflict has exacerbated a pattern of environmental degradation in El Gezira that dates back decades.

Dr Issa noted that logging operations in the region began in the 1990s, often with government approval. While some trees had managed to regenerate in recent years, the renewed demand for charcoal has reversed these environmental gains.

Prior to the war, efforts were underway to rehabilitate the Baroness Forest Reserve. This included the resettlement of wildlife and the restoration of the forest, which had attracted increased tourism. However, these initiatives have now been abandoned as the focus shifts to short-term survival.

Issa has called on authorities to take urgent action to halt the ongoing destruction of Sudan's forests. He expressed concern that the loss of trees will not only lead to environmental collapse but also cripple Sudan's gum arabic industry, which provides a critical source of income for millions of Sudanese.

*Gum arabic is an emulsifier and a stabiliser made from resin from the acacia Senegal tree. Apart from shoe polish and ink, the food industry uses the stabiliser in chocolate and sweets, and, most importantly, in soft drinks, as it binds the sugar to the drink.

Sudan is the world's foremost producer at an estimated 88,000 tons a year. Sudan, Chad, and Nigeria, produce 95 per cent of gum Arabic exported to the world market.

The gum Arabic belt covers about one fifth of the country. North Kordofan and North Darfur are the largest producers, followed by the states of Blue Nile, White Nile, and El Gedaref.

Dabanga.

Uganda: Govt Urged to Ensure Social Protection for All Ugandans

Prof. Ezra Suruma has emphasized the importance of adopting social protection measures for all citizens to prevent them from falling into impoverished conditions.

During his keynote speech at a SEATINI Uganda dialogue on harnessing youth voices on investment policies, laws, and agreements for decent work, green jobs, and sustainable development in Uganda, Professor Suruma emphasized that the government must ensure its citizens can live with dignity."As a country, we should adopt social protection for all citizens, so that no one is allowed to fall into a subhuman state," he said.

The former finance minister highlighted the need for policies and programs aimed at reducing vulnerability by promoting efficient labor markets and enhancing individuals' capacity to protect themselves against hazards."We want full employment, We want everybody to be with the Health and able bodied to work, but sometimes this may not be possible, while between and in between contracts, while jobs are not available, we must find a way to make sure that people are not falling in total disputation and living less than animals."He suggested that if the government uses oil revenues to fund social protection programs, it would be easier to provide care for every citizen, particularly during times of vulnerability."

There must be an arrangement in line with other civilized countries, whereby the revenues from oil are set aside, so that the earnings from those revenues will be used to make social protection possible, so that in times of desperation, in times of unemployment, in times of old age, in times of illness, with social health insurance, there is some way in which care is provided to every citizen, because what does it mean to be a citizen if your country does not have any arrangement for making sure that you live as a human being," Prof.Suruma said.

He warned that neglecting the issue of social protection could lead to an increase in criminality."We must find a way to make sure that people are not falling in total disputation and living less than animals because if we don't do that, criminality will increase, immorality will increase, corruption will increase because insecurity is beyond what is bearable."

SEATINI Uganda held an engagement with youth leaders from Universities like Makerere, MUBS, Kyambogo, and Cavendish University at Essella Country Hotel to discuss investment-related policies and how the Investment Code Act 2019 can be leveraged to address challenges of unemployment and decent work faced by youth.Jane Nalunga, the Executive Director SEATINI Uganda said that the dialogue highlights the importance of policies in facilitating economic empowerment and stability."The dialogue emphasizes that effective policies can lead to job creation better social services and improved living standards," she said.

Nalunga emphasized the need for youth to advocate for investment policies that prioritize decent work, as this will ensure the sustainability of jobs in the country."It is critical for youths to understand and advocate for investment policies that prioritize decent work. This is not just about job creation but ensuring that these jobs are sustainable, fulfilling, and supportive of workers' rights," she added.

While discussing the role of investment policies in promoting decent work for youth, Robinnah Kagoye, Executive Director of Voices for Labour, stressed that these policies should focus not only on profit but also on improving the livelihoods of people."The investment policies should be fair. It should be responsible kind of investment, not investment that considers profits over people. When you're talking about decent work, the policy makers should always have at the back of their mind that labor is not a commodity. Workers are human beings, they are citizens, they are taxpayers.

In fact, when the labor market is torn apart, I do not think we can have economic development when labor is just being put in the periphery."Kagoye further explained that globalization is changing the nature of work, noting that with current trends, it is increasingly difficult to secure direct employment in private companies, which often does not meet the standards of decent work."When you go right now on the ground, it is now becoming very difficult to directly be employed in most of these private companies. There is what is called outsourcing, then there is agency work, where now we are having local recruiters that are recruiting workers and just supplying them from one company to another. And these do not fall in the agenda of decent work. All these practices have a lot of decent work deficits."

Herbert Kafeero the programs communications manager at SEATINI said that they engaged youths because they believe that this young generation is the next breed of policy makers and is the next breed of leaders."It is important to engage young people on investment related policies and how we can use our investment code act 2019 to address challenges that our young people are facing, challenges of unemployment, challenges of decent work."

We believe that the economy can work for all, including young people, but that is not obvious or automatic. The economy can only work for young people when the policies are right, when the policies are fit for purpose, when the policies are intentional on addressing issues like unemployment, decent work, among others."Kafeero noted that SEATINI Uganda analyzed the investment code act 2019 and realized that the number of gaps that need to be addressed.He added that they're leading on reviewing the investment code act 2019 and also on how they can promote Pro development investment related policies and practices in Uganda.

He revealed that all deliberations from the youths engagement are going to culminate into a manifesto on making investment policies work for the youth in Uganda."The outcome of today's engagement is a manifesto we are looking at making compiling all the views and concerns that have been shared by the youth in today's dialog on harnessing youth voices on investment policies to foster decent work, green jobs and sustainable development in Uganda, all the deliberations are going to culminate into a manifesto, which is dubbed manifesto on making investment policies work for the youth in Uganda."

Nile Post.

Boeing workers strike as 25% pay rise rejected

Boeing workers have gone on strike after they overwhelmingly rejected a tentative deal between union representatives and the plane maker that included a 25% pay rise.

More than 30,000 workers in Seattle and Portland downed their tools from midnight Pacific Time (07:00 GMT) on Friday.

The walkout is another setback for the firm, which is facing deepening financial losses.

It is also struggling to repair its reputation after a series of safety issues, including two fatal crashes.

The strike will be a major blow for Boeing's new chief executive Kelly Ortberg, who was appointed last month with a mission to turn the business around.

Almost 95% of the union members - who produce planes including the 737 Max and 777 - voted in the ballot rejected the pay deal.

Of those who voted, 96% back strike action until a new agreement is reached.

"Our members spoke loud and clear tonight," said Jon Holden, president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751.

"We strike at midnight."

Boeing said in a statement: “The message was clear that the tentative agreement we reached with IAM leadership was not acceptable to the members.

"We remain committed to resetting our relationship with our employees and the union, and we are ready to get back to the table to reach a new agreement."

Breakdown in trust

The walkout is a severe blow to Boeing and an embarrassment for Mr Ortberg, who had made a last-ditch plea to workers before the vote, warning that a strike would put the company's "recovery in jeopardy".

The question now is how long it will go on for. Boeing seems ready to get back to the table.

But there is an obvious breakdown in trust between management and the workforce – and equally between the workforce and the union leadership, who had said this was the best contract it had ever negotiated and had urged members to accept the deal.

As well as a 25% pay rise over four years, the preliminary agreement that workers rejected included a commitment from Boeing to build its next commercial plane in the Seattle area if the project started during the lifetime of the contract.

The union had initially targeted a number of improvements to workers' packages, including a 40% pay rise.

On the face of it, it is hard to see a quick solution unless Boeing capitulates.

Analysts say an extended shutdown could cost the company and its suppliers billions.

The current contract between Boeing and the unions was reached in 2008 after an eight-week strike.

That walkout cost the company about $1.5bn (£1.14bn) a month, according to credit rating agency Moody's.

In 2014, the two sides agreed to extend the deal, which expired at midnight on Thursday.

“It’s never a good time for a strike, at least from the perspective of management, the current situation makes it even more problematic," said Greg Waldron, Asia Managing Editor at aviation news website FlightGlobal.

"Still, a great deal will depend on how long the strike lasts. Airline CEOs with 737 Maxes on order will be watching this closely,” Mr Waldron added.

In July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to a fraud charge and a criminal fine of nearly $244m in connection with the fatal crashes of two of its 737 Max planes more than five years ago.

It is also facing other lawsuits and probes after a mid-air blowout in January of a door plug on a new plane flown by Alaska Airlines.

On top of mounting financial losses, the plane maker has had to slow down its assembly lines due to a 737 Max production cap imposed by the US Federal Aviation Administration.-BBC

Ex-Ticketmaster boss sentenced for hacking rival company CrowdSurge

A former Ticketmaster boss who illegally accessed a rival company’s computer servers to steal information has been sentenced.

British national Stephen Mead stole sensitive data from CrowdSurge – a smaller business he had previously worked for - between 2013 and 2015. His actions directly contributed to the company’s collapse, the Department of Justice, in New York, said.

Mead pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer intrusions against CrowdSurge, in June. He has now been ordered to pay $67,970 as a forfeiture (about £52,000), and sentenced to a year’s supervised release.

Court papers filed in the US state Ticketmaster executives had asked Mead to share “competitive intelligence” about the company.

Ticketmaster - which describes itself as the world’s biggest entertainment ticketing platform - did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

Another former Ticketmaster executive, Zeeshan Zaidi, also pleaded guilty to fraud charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusions and wire fraud in 2019. He is yet to be sentenced.

Mead was ordered to pay back a sum he received when he left CrowdSurge, as well as the pay rise he subsequently received at Ticketmaster.

A Foreign Office spokesperson told the BBC: “We are providing consular assistance to a British man in the US and are in contact with the local authorities.”

CrowdSurge - a website on which artists could sell pre-sale tickets to fans - was a rival ticketing company to Ticketmaster, with its headquarters in London and a US office in New York. US court documents say the company had an estimated value of more than $100m.

>From 2010, Mead was CrowdSurge’s senior vice president for global operations and general manager for North America.

The BBC has seen court documents that state that when Mead left CrowdSurge in July 2012 he signed a “separation agreement”, which stated he must not retain or share any confidential information - including client lists, and marketing strategies - with any third party.

According to the court filing, the agreement also stipulated Mead should not work for another ticketing company for a year and, as part of the arrangement, CrowdSurge paid Mead approximately $52,970.

But he repeatedly breached the separation agreement, the court papers say.

By the summer of 2013, Mead was employed by Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation, in a division called TicketWeb.

CrowdSurge computer server logs show at least 25 instances when its company data was accessed by computers with IP addresses registered to Ticketmaster and associated companies in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, between August 2013 and December 2015, the prosecution stated.

'Cut off CrowdSurge at the knees'

According to the prosecution, Mead shared CrowdSurge spreadsheets containing financial information and passwords without permission, and accessed competitive information about the company’s clients and technology at the request of Ticketmaster executives.

He also supplied other Ticketmaster employees with information that enabled them to access password-protected CrowdSurge information. He advised them to “screengrab the hell out of the system”, and discussed “cut[ting] off CrowdSurge at the knees”, court documents show.

They also state that on one occasion, at Zaidi’s request, Mead gave a presentation to at least 14 Live Nation and Ticketmaster executives and employees during which he used a CrowdSurge username and password to log in to their website without authorisation. During the presentation - which was projected onto a large screen in a conference room - Mead demonstrated one of CrowdSurge’s bespoke products called the Artists’ Toolbox - a web-based data analytics package for music artists.

During his employment, Mead also shared real-time ticket sales data and the identities of the performers CrowdSurge was working with.

⁠Oasis ticket row: How Ticketmaster's owner has grip on UK live music scene

UK competition watchdog launches Oasis tickets probe

The DoJ says the information was used by Ticketmaster to plan competitive responses to win pre-sale ticketing business and compare products and offerings. It added Mead’s actions led to monetary losses for CrowdSurge, which “were particularly significant in a highly competitive business environment”.

It says Mead was later promoted to become director of client services in Ticketmaster’s artist services division, in early 2015, reporting directly to Zaidi. He also received a pay rise.

Court documents say Mead did not engage in the criminal conduct to personally profit from the scheme, beyond the benefit he received by improving his standing and position within Ticketmaster.

CrowdSurge discovered Mead’s hacking after a former Ticketmaster executive started working for the company in 2015 and warned them to change how their systems could be accessed.

Mead’s employment was terminated by Live Nation and Ticketmaster around October 2017.

Court documents show Mead left the US in 2019 and returned to the UK. He was arrested in Italy earlier this year and extradited to the US.

Legal action

In 2015, CrowdSurge’s parent company, Complete Entertainment Resources, filed a civil lawsuit against Ticketmaster alleging it dominated the market and “attempted to destroy competition in the artist pre-sale ticketing services market in a number of different ways”.

These included “blocking” numerous artists from working with SongKick - a company CrowdSurge had merged with in June 2015 - and using its market power to “force” them to work with Ticketmaster instead.

Ticketmaster and SongKick settled their legal dispute in 2018, resulting in Ticketmaster paying $110m to the owners of SongKick and buying SongKick’s ticketing technology for an undisclosed amount.

Ticketmaster entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice in New York after pleading guilty to five charges of fraud in 2020. This process involves a company reaching an agreement with a prosecutor, where the company is charged with a criminal offence but proceedings are automatically suspended.

The ticketing giant was fined $10m and agreed “where necessary and appropriate to modify or maintain its existing compliance program”.

The DoJ confirmed Ticketmaster completed the terms of the deferred prosecution in July 2024.

-BBC

New beanless 'coffee' emerges but does it taste any good?

I am in a high-end coffee shop in a tech-heavy area of San Francisco, staring suspiciously into a cup of espresso. This is no conventional coffee: it is made without using a single coffee bean.

It comes from Atomo, one of a band of alt-coffee start-ups hoping to revolutionise the world of brewed coffee.

“We take great offence when someone says that we're a coffee substitute,” says Andy Kleitsch, the chief executive of Seattle based start-up Atomo, from whose pure, beanless ground product my espresso has been made.

Traditional coffee substitutes have a reputation for not tasting much like coffee and are usually caffeine-free.

However, the newcomers intend to replicate one of the world’s most popular beverages from taste, to caffeine punch, to drinking experience – and the first of this nascent industry’s beanless concoctions have begun to appear.

Atomo Atomo coffee in the filter which slots into a professional coffee machine.Atomo

Atomo's ingredients include date seeds, sunflower seed extract and pea protein

They say there's a strong environmental argument for their beanless brews.

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, coffee cultivation is currently the sixth largest cause of deforestation.

That impact is expected to widen as demand increases: consumption is fast rising in traditional tea drinking countries like India and China.

Meanwhile, climate change is pushing plantations to higher altitudes to escape the heat.

So, beanless coffee is potentially a less environmentally damaging alternative.

The newcomers also argue that, if scaled up, beanless coffee could be cheaper than its conventional competition.

And, with coffee prices reaching record levels on the international markets this year, that point is timely.

Also, in December, a new EU regulation is set to come into effect that outlaws the sale of products, coffee included, that can’t prove they are not linked to deforestation.

“A lot of big coffee companies are watching this field,” says Chahan Yeretzian, a professor of analytical chemistry, who heads the Coffee Excellence Centre at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland.

Niels Haak, director of sustainable coffee partnerships at Conservation International, an environmental non-profit, welcomes the innovative approaches to tackling coffee’s deforestation problem, but he also doubts if beanless coffee will be able to make much dent.

Coffee growing provides livelihoods and income to many smallholder farming families globally, he further notes. The conundrum is if they move away from growing coffee, they will likely instead turn to growing more coca – the plant cocaine derives from – which has similar deforestation issues. “There are no silver bullets,” he says.

He notes there is work ongoing – from coffee certification schemes, to efforts aimed at strengthening so-called shade coffee farming where coffee is grown under a canopy of other trees – to make coffee growing more sustainable and support communities. “[The coffee sector] is on a journey to transform,” he says.

Yet the beanless companies counter that transformation isn’t wide enough or quick enough. Coffee is causing massive deforestation and coffee farmers live in poverty.

If alt-coffee could offset even just the extra projected coffee demand it would be a win for the planet that wouldn’t put anyone out of business.

And, as the climate changes, there are plenty of crops beyond illicit ones that coffee farmers could switch to that don’t require slashing more forest.

Atomo Andy Kleitsch, the chief executive of Seattle based start-up Atomo, smiling and wearing a baseball capAtomo

Andy Kleitsch hopes to grab a slice of the giant coffee market

Atomo, which launched in 2019, is currently sold in more than 70 coffee shops in the US.

Coffee shop chain Bluestone Lane added it to the menu at all its locations in early August, including in San Francisco.

Since June, Atomo has also been selling through its website a blend of beanless and conventional coffee intended for home brewing that I have also purchased to try.

It currently costs slightly more than premium conventional coffee. For example, to make my espresso with Atomo adds on 50 cents (38p).

Atomo’s ingredients aren’t particularly high tech: date seeds, ramón seeds, sunflower seed extract, fructose, pea protein, millet, lemon, guava, fenugreek seeds, caffeine and baking soda.

Things begin with waste date seeds or pits. Rock hard, they are granulated then infused with a secret marinade of ingredients from the list above, before being roasted to create new flavours, aromas and compounds.

Further ingredients then finish things off. Atomo’s caffeine is sourced from green tea decaffeination, though synthetically-made caffeine is also used to provide beanless coffee’s kick.

Atomo operates a facility in southern California, where the date pits are cleaned and washed, and a second facility in Seattle where the manufacturing takes place. Current capacity is four million pounds a year, which Mr Kleitsch describes as a “rounding error” in the world of coffee production: Starbucks buys about 800 million.

As for trying Atomo, both the coffee shop espresso and the brew-at-home version tasted close enough to good coffee for me. Perhaps luckily for these companies, coffee can have many different undertones.

Northern Wonder A coffee machine makes two espressos using Northern Wonder beanless coffee.Northern Wonder

Dutch start-up Northern Wonder hopes to find a market with its beanless coffee

Others have different ingredients and methods.

Over the past year the bean-free coffee products of Dutch start-up Northern Wonder, founded in 2021, has secured space on supermarket shelves in the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Roasted and ground lupin, chickpea, malted barley, and chicory are amongst the major ingredients the company works with, along with an undisclosed natural flavouring.

Though notes David Klingen, the company’s boss, operations are still in the research and development phase. Ingredients may change as it perfects its brew.

Other companies on the scene include Singapore-based Prefer and San Francisco's Minus.

And, though it is further from market, also being pursued is the tantalising possibility of lab-grown or cultured coffee.

In the same way animal cells can be cultivated in a bioreactor and harvested to produce meat cell products – so cells extracted from coffee plants could be similarly grown, then fermented and roasted to produce a brew. Proof of concept was demonstrated in 2021 by Finnish government researchers, who are now trying to help accelerate commercialisation.

Cell-based coffee start-ups include Swiss-based Foodbrewer, US-based California Cultured, and Singapore-based Another.

The approach may provide a closer match to coffee than surrogates like Atomo or Northern Wonder, but regulatory approval for such novel food takes time and money. There are also doubts the technology will be able to scale economically.

Northern Wonder David Klingen, CEO of Northern Wonder, brews filter coffee using his companies beans.Northern Wonder

David Klingen says his company is still developing its beanless brew

Meanwhile, challenges for the beanless firms remain. The house-filling aroma that real coffee generates is still elusive for them. And bean-free coffee doesn’t provide emotional connections to faraway places – Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia – the way real coffee can.

Atomo’s main business hurdle now is finding large coffee partners who want to offer their consumers a new choice, while Northern Wonder’s is finding the right investors.

“People aren’t completely sure how big the category will be and when,” says Mr Klingen.

I don’t think I’ll be switching – I can’t help but like that real coffee is grown by people somewhere – but beanless coffee certainly left me thinking I should investigate the sustainability and ethics of my conventional brew.-BBC

 Invest Wisely!

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