African LCC group fastjet passes hurdle with launch of Zimbabwe affiliate as Tanzania base expands

© CAPA

African LCC group fastjet has finally been able to launch an affiliate in a second market to supplement its original operation in Tanzania after nearly three years of multiple setbacks and delays. fastjet Zimbabwe commenced operations on 28-Oct-2015 with an A319 operating a domestic route between Harare and Victoria Falls.

fastjet Tanzania launched in 2012 with an initial fleet of three A319s. It recently took delivery of two A319s, its first additional aircraft in almost three years, and is using the additional capacity to expand across its network of four domestic and five international destinations.

Tanzania was never envisioned as a large operation given the relatively small size of the market. But fastjet's attempts to launch airlines in other African markets have been repeatedly set back, a victim of protectionism and bureaucracy.

fastjet Zimbabwe becomes seventh LCC to launch in Africa in 19 months

fastjet Zimbabwe launched operations on 28-Oct-2015, becoming only the 12th LCC in Africa but the second in the small Zimbabwean market. Four of the LCCs are South African including the three largest based on fleet size.

But the African market is starting to see an acceleration of LCC growth driven by a recent spate of start-ups. fastjet Zimbabwe is the fourth LCC in Africa to launch in 2015, joining flyafrica.com Namibia, FlyEgypt and South Africa's Skywise.

In 2014 there were three LCC launches in Africa including flyafrica.com in Zimbabwe, FlySafair in South Africa and Jambojet in Kenya. As a result the number of LCCs based in Africa has more than doubled in a span of only 19 months from five to 12.

See related reports:

Africa's LCC market outside South Africa remains tiny

But the total number of LCC aircraft operating in Africa is still tiny and the region's LCC penetration rate outside the domestic South African market is still well below 5%. None of the seven LCCs that have launched within the last two years currently operate more than five aircraft.

In fact there are only two LCCs in Africa operating more than five aircraft and both these airlines – Comair/Kulula.com and South African Airways subsidiary Mango – operate almost entirely in the South African domestic market, where LCCs now account for about 50% of seat capacity. Despite being by far the oldest LCCs in Africa, Kulula.com does not yet have any international routes while Mango has just one international route, a twice weekly service from Johannesburg to Zanzibar.

fastjet has by far the most international destinations in Africa among African LCCs. But still its international network as it approaches its third year anniversary is much smaller than initially envisioned as its ability to expand internationally – both from its original base in Tanzania and with planned new bases – has been repeatedly set back by regulatory delays.

Airline Country

International destinations

within Africa

International destinations

outside Africa  

Kulula.com South Africa 0 0 Mango South Africa 1 0 FlySafair South Africa 0 0 fastjet Tanzania Tanzania 5 0 Air Arabia Maroc Morocco 0 18 Jambojet Kenya 0 0 Skywise South Africa 0 0 flyafrica.com  Zimbabwe 1 0 FlyEgypt Egypt 0 0 Air Arabia Egypt Egypt 0 6 flyafrica.com Namibia Namibia 1 0 fastjet Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 0 0 fastjet continues to work on affiliates for Kenya and Zambia

Kenya has been an impediment for fastjet as it has struggled to secure approval to launch services to Nairobi using its Tanzanian carrier and to establish a local Kenyan affiliate. The group initially planned to launch operations in both Kenya and South Africa in 2013.

See related reports:

The South African project has been put on the backburner, a sensible decision as there are now four LCCs in the South African market. But fastjet remains keen on the Kenyan market and now seems to be on track potentially to launch operations in Kenya in 2016. fastjet Kenya secured on 12-Oct-2015 an air service licence (ASL) from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, paving the way for the start-up to begin the application process for an air operators' certificate (AOC).

fastjet Zimbabwe secured an air service permit (ASP) in Mar-2015 and an AOC in early Oct-2015. The group was not initially looking at Zimbabwe and only decided to pursue a Zimbabwean affiliate in late 2014.

Previously fastjet was instead focusing on neighbouring Zambia, where it was initially aiming to launch an affiliate in mid-2014. fastjet Zambia secured an ASP in Nov-2014 and announced in Jan-2015 that it had completed the first phase of the AOC process but the start-up is now still working on securing the AOC.

See related report: Zambia provides fastjet with easier affiliate option than South Africa, Ghana, Kenya or Nigeria

In deciding to also pursue an AOC in Zimbabwe, fastjet was likely tempted by Zimbabwe's relatively favourable regulatory environment. flyafrica.com selected Zimbabwe as its initial base for similar reasons while, like fastjet, confronting regulatory challenges in launching affiliates in other African markets. flyafrica.com's second carrier, flyafrica.com Namibia, launched in Sep-2015, after several months of regulatory setbacks.

fastjet to compete against two local airlines in small Zimbabwean market

flyafrica.com and fastjet have similar pan-African ambitions and are now competing in the relatively small Zimbabwe market along with flag carrier Air Zimbabwe.

fastjet Zimbabwe is initially only operating one domestic route, a three times weekly service from the capital Harare to Victoria Falls. Harare-Victoria Falls is a small and highly seasonal market which is also currently served by Air Zimbabwe with six weekly flights.

Harare-Victoria Falls was also the launch route for flyafrica.com Zimbabwe in Nov-2014. Flyafrica.com recently suspended the route but according to its online booking engine plans to resume three weekly flights between Harare and Victoria Falls at the beginning of Dec-2015.

flyafrica.com Zimbabwe currently operates domestic flights from Harare to Bulawayo and international flights from Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls to Johannesburg. fastjet Zimbabwe is also planning to launch services to Johannesburg, which is by far the largest international destination from Zimbabwe.

There are currently 115 weekly flights from Zimbabwe to South Africa, including 24 from flyafrica.com, 20 from Air Zimbabwe, 17 from Comair's British Airways franchise and 54 from South African Airways or its regional affiliates. South Africa accounts for nearly two-thirds of all international flights and international seats from Zimbabwe, according to CAPA and OAG data.

fastjet aims to serve several international routes from new Zimbabwe base

fastjet Zimbabwe also has stated that it is seeking to serve Kenya, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana and Malawi. All these markets are currently served by foreign carriers except Congo, which currently does not have any non-stop links with Zimbabwe, but has no LCC options. fastjet sees an opportunity to stimulate demand in all these markets by offering significantly lower fares than the relatively high fares now offered by the incumbents.

Lusaka in Zambia is also served by Air Zimbabwe. Zambia is the flag carrier's only international destination outside South Africa.

As CAPA has previously highlighted, fastjet group's four year fleet plan envisions fastjet Zimbabwe growing its fleet to only four aircraft. This is a sensible figure given the relatively small size of the Zimbabwean market. fastjet has tentatively allocated a larger number of aircraft to its home market of Tanzania, where it already operates four A319s, and Kenya, which is a much bigger market.

See related report: fastjet 2015 outlook: fleet expands and new affiliates launch but profitability remains challenging

fastjet Tanzania already serves Harare from its Dar es Salaam base with five weekly flights. With its current schedule of eight flights (five international and three domestic) the fastjet group already accounts for 5% of total seat capacity in Zimbabwe.

fastjet has succeeded at stimulating growth in Tanzania

fastjet sees a huge opportunity to stimulate demand in the Zimbabwean market and attract passengers that are now travelling by bus. fastjet Zimbabwe expects that up to 40% of its passengers will be first time flyers.

The new carrier should be able to follow the formula of fastjet Tanzania, which has been successful at stimulating demand and driving growth in the Tanzanian market. fastjet is now by far the largest airline in the Tanzanian market with about a 23% share of total seat capacity, according to CAPA and OAG data.

fastjet Tanzania currently operates up to 11 daily domestic flights across four routes. Tanzania's domestic market was very small prior to fastjet's launch.

Its international operation currently consists of 21 weekly flights to five destinations, based on OAG data for the week commencing 26-Oct-2015. fastjet Tanzania recently increased capacity from Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg, Harare, Lusaka and Lilongwe, which became its latest international destination in late Jul-2015. Its fifth international route is Kilimanjaro to Entebbe, which is operated with three weekly flights that originate in Dar es Salaam.

More capacity growth is expected in the coming months as fastjet Tanzania begins to fully utilise its two newly acquired A319s. The Dar es Salaam base had been stuck at three aircraft since shortly after its launch.

fastjet Tanzania has carried over 1.5 million passengers since its late 2012 launch and reported 33% year-on-year passenger growth in the most recent month, Sep-2015. The passenger growth rate will likely even accelerate further as fastjet Tanzania now has five A319s in its fleet.

Launching a second airline is a major milestone but challenges remain for fastjet

But as CAPA has previously highlighted, fastjet has been consistently unprofitable. The London listed fastjet group has accumulated losses of over USD200 million since it was established, including losses of over USD60 million at fastjet Tanzania since the carrier launched in late 2012.

While losses have narrowed in 2015 making money as an African LCC outside South Africa remains a difficult proposition. Markets such as Tanzania and Zimbabwe may be relatively easy to enter but lack size.

fastjet is banking on gaining scale by launching affiliates in multiple African markets. It has now finally started to make progress on its pan-African mission after three frustrating years. But it still has to overcome huge challenges as it tries to drive up Africa's anaemic LCC penetration rate and starts to connect the dots throughout the vast and hugely underserved region.

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Source: African LCC group fastjet passes hurdle with launch of Zimbabwe affiliate as Tanzania base expands

3rd India Africa Forum Summit: Rejuvenating Relations – Analysis

By Ruchita Beri*

Africa is in the air as New Delhi hosts representatives of fifty four countries from the continent for the third India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) from 26-29 October, 2015. Touted as the most spectacular diplomatic exercise hosted by India since the 1983 Non Aligned Movement (NAM) summit, this meeting provides opportunity for India to rejuvenate relations with the continent. While India's relations with African countries go back a millennium, in 2008 India began a structured engagement with Africa through the India Africa Forum Summit process. The second summit in 2011 at Addis Ababa expanded this cooperation. The current summit is important in the context of the evolving development partnership, trade and investment ties and the scope for convergence on peace and security issues.

In recent years African countries have experienced high economic growth. The average annual growth rate of real output has increased from 2.6 percent in 1990-2000 to 5.3 percent in the period 2000-2010. Further according to the World Bank, seven out of ten fastest growing economies in the world during the last decade are from Africa. Despite Africa's relatively strong economic performance in the recent years many countries in the continent are grappling with several developmental challenges such as high unemployment, lack of economic transformation, food insecurity, environmental degradation etc. The African countries have recognized these challenges and at the continental level, have formulated Agenda 2063 to deal with these issues.

Development Partnership

In this backdrop, India has forged a development partnership with the African countries. This development artnership is unique as it is based on a consultative model and is driven by African needs. The focus of the development partnership is on human resource development and capacity building in Africa. India has extended development assistance worth $ 7.4 billion through lines of credit given by the Export Import bank. Of this $6.8 billion has been approved and about $3.5 billion, nearly half, has been disbursed. These lines of credit have led to the completion of 137 projects in 41 countries across Africa. Apart from this, India had also pledged to set up nearly 100 Indian Africa Training Institutes across the continent. However progress on this project has not been very satisfactory. These institutes were to be set up in consultation with the African Union, regional economic communities and the host governments. The several layers of consultations required may have been one of the reasons for the delay in the setting up of these institutes. The 3rd India Africa Forum Summit provides an opportunity for the African countries to do a reality check on these projects and continue only those that are deliverable.

Another area of engagement that could be added in the Partnership is that of renewable energy. Both India and the African countries share the problem of access to modern means of energy. A large part of rural India is devoid of modern means of clean energy. Similarly almost two- thirds of Africa does not have access to modern energy. As there is a global focus on use of energy resources that are clean and lead to sustainable development, India has been involved in projects related to renewable energy such as solar energy in Africa. In Mozambique India helped set up the first solar panel production factory in the country. Moreover, the Mozambican technicians involved in the production process were trained in India. This factory provides the people in rural Mozambique an opportunity to access electricity through clean and renewable energy. So India can look into enhancing cooperation on renewable energy with Africa.

Trade and Investment

India's growing synergy with Africa is evident from the recent trends in trade. The total trade was than $1 billion in 1990-1991 and has grown to $71 billion in 2014-15. South Africa, remains the leading destination for India's exports to Africa in 2014-15. Other major export destinations include Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria, Tanzania, Mozambique and Mauritius. Important items of export include transport equipment, machinery and instruments, pharmaceuticals, non-basmati rice, cotton yarn fabrics, semi-finished iron and steel. In the case of India's imports from Africa, around 51 percent of them were sourced from Nigeria in 2014-15, South Africa is the second largest source of import followed by Angola, Egypt, Ghana and Tanzania. While petroleum crude accounted for a significant 67 percent of India's total imports from Africa during 2014-15, other major items imported from Africa include gold, inorganic chemicals, metal ores and metal scrap and cashew nuts.

Significantly, India's private sector has played a pivotal role in the expansion of trade relations. The chambers of industry such as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) have, through regular trade conclaves, provided a platform for the corporate sectors of India and Africa to interact and forge business ties. As a result Indian investments in Africa have multiplied and are currently pegged at around $ 35 billion dollars. They are spread across sectors such as telecommunications, information technology, hydrocarbons and agriculture. Over the years there has been a similar interest in engaging with Africa among the Chinese, the Americans and the Europeans. The value of Africa's trade with China was approximately $210 billion in 2013 while that with the United States was $ 85 billion. However recent decline in oil imports from the United States and sluggishness in the Chinese economy may push the Africans closer to India.

Peace and Security

There has been a growing convergence between India and Africa on peace and security issues. Africa like India has a long coast line and is concerned about the threats such as piracy, drug trafficking and security of sea lanes. In recent years India has deployed its Navy in the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean region in a bid to deal with the piracy challenge. In most parts of Africa the navies and coast guards are not equipped to deal with this threat. Thus the possibility of India – Africa maritime cooperation are immense. The African countries have developed the Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050 that provides a roadmap to deal with the maritime security challenges and measures to develop the blue economy. This strategy blends well with the Modi governments focus on ocean governance and economy. Thus the possibility of India extending a hand across Indian Ocean to promote Samudri Mitrata (Friendship across the Ocean) cannot to be discounted.

More recently, there has been a rise of terrorism in Africa with Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al Qaeda in Maghreb (AQIM) in Mali, the presence of Islamic State in Libya and Al Shabaab in Somalia. Terrorism and extremism are perceived as the greatest challenges the African continent is confronted with. The rising number of attacks and their increasing level of sophistication along with transnational connections with radical Islamist groups are a matter of concern for Africa. India has long been a victim of terrorism and therefore can share its experience in countering terrorism with the African countries if they so desire.

There are, thus, multiple avenues for cooperation which India and Africa should explore during the current summit to forge deeper and long lasting relations.

Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IDSA or of the Government of India.

Originally published by Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (www.idsa.in) at http://idsa.in/idsacomments/3rd-india-africa-forum-summit_rberi_291015

TOPICS:AfricaAl QaedaEconomicsForeign PolicyIndiaIslamic StateSecurityTerrorismTrade
Source: 3rd India Africa Forum Summit: Rejuvenating Relations – Analysis

Al-Sisi attended African-Indian cooperation summit

President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi made a public speech when he attended the Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-3) with the presence of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday.

Al-Sisi expressed hopes that the summit will focus on fighting poverty, improving healthcare, and developing education within its target goals in accordance with African Union Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development announced in New York in September.

"India is one of the most important examples of cooperation between countries working for the well-being of developing one. It contributed to a transition in economic and technical fields of cooperation with Africa since 2008," Al-Sisi said. "Given the many obstacles against development in Africa, we have to cooperate in conflict resolution and reinforce African Solutions for African Problems (ASAP) with Indian partnership as major contribution".

Al-Sisi praised Egypt's non-permanent membership acquired at the UN Security Council, as a representative of the African continent and that "developing countries must work on strengthening their positions in the international scene and decisions".

He highlighted the importance of African-Indian coordination regarding negotiations on climate change, ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference, which will be held in Paris in December, where Al-Sisi aims to push forward Africa's and other developing countries' needs.

Mukherjee expressed appreciation to Al-Sisi's visit, calling it "the foundation for a new era of partnership between India and Egypt".

Mukherjee said India is the sixth largest trading partner and third largest export destination of Egypt and both countries have a history of working together for peace and development in the world. "The development of new industrial zones around the new Suez Canal provides an opportunity to strengthen economic ties," Mukhejree said.

Amira El-Fekki

Journalist in DNE's politics section, focusing on human rights, laws and legislations, press freedom, among other local political issues.

Source: Al-Sisi attended African-Indian cooperation summit

Transylvania? Kotor? Lonely Planet announces best travel destinations for 2016

The travel giant has just released "Best in Travel 2016," its roundup of travel destinations and experiences.

The collection "highlights not the places travelers are headed to next year, but the places our team determined they should visit," says Tom Hall, Lonely Planet's editorial director.

Next year's must-visit country is Botswana, which the team at Lonely Planet calls "wild Africa at its best."

Botswana has "some of the greatest wildlife spectacles on Earth," from elephants and antelopes, to big cats and African wild dogs.

Also recommended are the Okavango Delta and Kalahari Desert, both "iconic African landscapes and vast stretches of wilderness."

The No. 4 country on the list the Pacific island nation of Palau, a tiny archipelago of about 200 limestone and volcanic islands covered in rich green forest and surrounded by turquoise seas.

For its incredible diving and snorkeling it's been dubbed "the underwater Serengeti."

Be a pioneer

The slogan of the Greenland tourist board is "Be a pioneer" -- picking up the torch, Lonely Planet is encouraging travelers to venture north by choosing it as its No. 9 pick.

It's an expensive trip for most. Lack of roads means shelling out on helicopter and boat rides, but "few places combine such magnificent scenery, such clarity of light and such raw power of nature."

Topping the list of recommended regions is Transylvania.

Lonely Planet says there's more to the area than vampire lore, Saxon villages and fortified churches.

The Carpathian Mountains offer lots of caving, hiking and skiing opportunities.

There are sidewalk cafes in Brasov, Sighisoara and Sibiu. Lonely Planet recommends the student town of Cluj-Napoca for nightlife.

Napoleon's island exile

No. 10 among regions is St. Helena. Napoleon's remote island exile will open to tourism next year with the arrival of a new airport.

Experiencing a tourism boost after a thaw in relations with the United States, Cuba's region to visit in 2016 is UNESCO World Heritage Site Valle de Vinales, a scenic valley filled with "soaring pine trees and bulbous limestone cliffs."

"Despite drawing in day-trippers by the busload, the area's well-protected and spread-out natural attractions have somehow managed to escape the frenzied tourist circus of other less well-managed places," says Lonely Planet.

Kotor named Best City for 2016

The coastal town of Kotor in Montenegro was recently named by Royal Caribbean cruise ship captains as having one of the world's most beautiful harbors.

Now it's been honored by Lonely Planet, which has named it top city for 2016.

The historic city is known for its Venetian-style architecture.

Other go-to cities include the Western Australian port city of Fremantle and its 110-year-old Fremantle Festival, and George Town, Malaysia's foodie capital.

Estonia is LP's 2016 best value destination.

The capital of Tallinn and its UNESCO-protected Old Town is one of Europe's "most captivating cities," says the guide, while the "sparsely populated countryside and extensive swathes of forest provide spiritual sustenance for nature lovers."

The Celtic-flavored city of Galicia in northwest Spain and Asia's newest country, Timor-Leste (also known as East Timor), also made the list.

Lonely Planet also has a whole bunch of thematic lists, including Best Mustache Destinations (Portland, Oregon, is No.2), Best Places for Silence (California's Esalen Institute is No .3) and Best Places to Elope (Lake Tahoe and nearby Reno, Nevada, are No.8).

In addition to being published in the Best in Travel 2016 book, the Top 10 picks will be available online at lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel and in the inaugural issue of Lonely Planet's new U.S. magazine "Lonely Planet," which hits newsstands November 3.

Lonely Planet's Top 10 countries for 2016

1. Botswana

2. Japan

3. USA

4. Palau

5. Latvia

6. Australia

7. Poland

8. Uruguay

9. Greenland

10. Fiji

Top 10 Regions

1. Transylvania, Romania

2. West Iceland

3. Valle de Vinales, Cuba

4. Friuli's wine regions, Italy

5. Waiheke Island, New Zealand

6. The Auvergne, France

7. Hawaii

8. Bavaria, Germany

9. Costa Verde, Brazil

10. St. Helena, British Territories

Top 10 Cities

1. Kotor, Montenegro

2. Quito, Ecuador

3. Dublin, Ireland

4. George Town, Malaysia

5. Rotterdam, Netherlands

6. Mumbai, India

7. Fremantle, Australia

8. Manchester, UK

9. Nashville, Tennessee

10. Rome

Top 10 Best Value Destinations

1. Estonia

2. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam

3. East Africa

4. New Mexico

5. Bosnia and Herzegovina

6. Galicia, Spain

7. Quebec City, Canada

8. Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast

9. Timor-Leste

10. Western Australia

Source: Transylvania? Kotor? Lonely Planet announces best travel destinations for 2016

Sub-Saharan Africa: New and Refurbished Venues

Much had taken place in the past year, with a number of large hotel groups announcing investment in Africa. Hilton is leading the race to develop new hotels on the continent with 7,250 rooms in its pipeline, while Carlson Rezidor has 6,953 room spread across 32 hotels. Marriott is in third place with 6,412 rooms in its pipeline – up by 22 percent since 2014. Hilton will also be opening its first hotel in Swaziland, while Best Western, Mangalis and Kempinski all have plans in the works for new developments. 

Closer to home, much has been happening. From a number of new convention and conference centres to fabulous new five-star hotels, the list is almost endless – but here they are, the new developments, the refurbished properties, and those currently going through expansion. 

Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)

Cape Town's most beloved and only world-class convention centre of its calibre is currently undergoing massive expansion to accommodate the many requests it has been receiving. Most recently it was chosen as the venue for the prestigious World Ophthalmology Congress in 2020 – the first time it will be held on the African continent. 

According to CEO Julie-May Ellingson, the expansion is "a key way in which the CTICC will help to raise the global competitiveness of Cape Town as a premier world-class meetings and events destination." The CTICC will have an additional 10 000sqm of multi-purpose exhibition space, 3,000 square meters of additional meeting space and a reduced environmental footprint – as well as a significantly increased socio-economic contribution.

Century City Conference Centre and Hotel (CCCC)

This brand spanking new venue only opens in early 2016 but has already seen sixteen conferences booked for next year. The much-anticipated Century City Conference Centre and its super-posh Hotel adjacent to the complex can accommodate 1,200 people cinema style. At capacity it can host 1,900 delegates across 20 venues. Its square can be used as additional exhibition space or for gala functions, while a further 1,200 square meters is available under a Bedouin canopy. Joint CEOs Glyn Taylor and Gary Koetser are currently leading the operation to completion at the end of 2015. 

Hoyohoyo Hotels & Resorts

This relatively unknown gem is a fairly new family-owned establishment – founded in 2009 – with six venues under their banner. Hoyohoyo is ideal for majestic getaways, with meeting facilities as follows: 

Chartwell Lodge – A four-star boutique hotel in Johannesburg complete with a relaxing day spa and eventing and conference facilities for up to 500 delegates cinema style.

Eagle's View Eco Estate – Set upon the breathtaking God's Window escarpment, this estate has two one-bedroom units and a four bedroom cottage complete with amenities. The venue can hold up to 650 guests, with fully inclusive packages for teambuilding and conferences.

Machadostud Lodge – A delightful cattle farm and fishing chalets in the mountainous Eastern Highlands of Mpumalanga, with three self-catering cottages for 12 or more guests. Their conference centre holds 18 guests, ideal for an intimate strategy session. 

Acorns Conferencing – Located near the Orpen Gate of the Kruger National Park, this unspoiled lodge and conference facility offers twelve double-storey cottages and meeting facilities for up to 300 delegates. 

Johannesburg Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch

Part of Marriott International's footprint across the continent is the 150-room Marriott Hotel in Joburg's Melrose Arch and a 200-unit Marriott Executive Apartments, slated for completion in February 2018. The Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch will also have conference and event facilities for up to 500 delegates, and will also include a business centre, restaurant and pool. 

"Africa is important to Marriott International's growth strategy because of its rapid economic growth, growing middle class and youth population, as well as the expansion of international flights onto the continent," explains Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa for Marriott International. The hotel and apartments will join Marriott's existing properties in the area, the African Pride Melrose Arch Hotel and Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Melrose Arch.

Lanzerac Hotel & Spa

If you enjoy the idyllic countryside, Lanzerac Hotel and Spa in Stellenbosch will be right up your alley. The 300 year old wine estate is in the process of completing a fabulous refurbishment after new management took over in 2012. Phase one was a complete remodelling of the Wine Tasting Room, with a beautifully appointed space for their acclaimed wines. Phase two was the full reconstruction of the Lanzerac function venue, The Cellar Hall, and the upgrade of the Manor House boardrooms. These state-of-the-art facilities are a firm favourite for high-profile events. 

Phase three, which takes place in 2015/16, is the redoing of all the hotel rooms to include new amenities, five star conveniences and comforts – as well as original antique pieces and artwork. The latter part of 2015 will see soft refurbs to the lounge and restaurant, as well as touch ups to the main pool area and a complete remodelling of the Lanzerac Spa, due for completion around March or April next year.

NH The Lord Charles Hotel

NH South Africa announced in September this year that the major refurbishment programme of its landmark property, NH The Lord Charles Hotel, was completed on schedule. The refurbs included major renovations to the conference centre, lobby area and Garden Terrace Restaurant, as well as 100 guestrooms. The refurbishment is part of the brand repositioning programme contained in the five-year strategic plan announced by the hotel group in 2014.

The upgraded conferencing facilities are ideal for up to 600 delegates and come complete with flexible room spaces and world-class equipment, from teleconferencing to audio visuals. The hotel is conveniently situated only 20 minutes from Cape Town International Airport and 30 minutes from the CBD.

Radisson Blu Le Vendome Hotel

Situated in Sea Point, Cape Town, Le Vendome Hotel opened its doors in early 2015. This incredible new property has modern conference facilities for meetings of up to 250 delegates in the Atlantic Meeting rooms, while the opulent London Boardroom is perfect for up to 10 delegates. Le Vendome has 143 rooms and suites featuring old world detail and convenient amenities – including free, high-speed Wi-Fi. Added to this comfort are its inspiring sea views – including meeting rooms with stunning seascapes, and some of the best eating and shopping options in close proximity.

Rustenburg International Convention Centre (RICC)

Rustenburg is set to become home to an International Convention Centre, according to Executive Mayor Mpho Khunou. It is estimated to cost R683 million, and potential investors will be invited to share in this during the next financial year. 

"The ICC will be combined with two hotels adjacent to it as well as retail outlets and possibly residential development nearby. The estimated costs are for the ICC only and do not include the two hotels and residential development," he said during his state of the city address in May this year. This move, as well as a boost in flights to the North West province is part of the region's goal of regaining the number two spot as a tourism destination in South Africa. 

Tsogo Sun Hotels

Tsogo Sun announced earlier this year they had reached an agreement to demolish the Tulip Hotel in Cape Town to make way for an exciting new 500 bedroom complex in the city centre. The new hotel will consist of two products in one – a 200 bedroom SunSquare Hotel and a 300 bedroom new generation StayEasy Hotel. Construction is slated for completion in September 2017.

Tsogo Sun CEO Marcel von Aulock explains, "We believe the continued development and rejuvenation of Cape Town's city centre will lead to growing demand for hotel accommodation. We already operate three full service hotels – The Cullinan, Southern Sun Waterfront and Southern Sun Cape Sun – as well as the recently refurbished SunSquare Cape Town in Gardens and believe the addition of an exciting new product aimed at the limited service market will allow us to provide the full spectrum of products to suit all budgets for both business and leisure travellers."

Tsogo Sun Garden Court Marine Parade, located on Durban's Golden Mile, has just received a 'majestic' revamp, according to IOL Travel. The hotel was first opened in 1985, and is an art deco masterpiece – especially after its R110-million restoration. It has 352 sea-facing rooms and a pool area on the 30th floor with sweeping views of the beachfront, harbour and city. The upgraded conference and event venues can accommodate up to 500 delegates. 

Tshwane International Convention Centre (TICC)

In 2006 the government announced that Tshwane, one of the largest metropolitan areas in SA, would be building its own international convention centre in Centurion. Almost ten years later and it is finally being realised. The Tshwane International Convention Centre is being developed by Community Investment Holdings and is set to be part of the African Gateway Convention and Exhibition Precinct, a project in the shape of the African continent on a 14 hectare site. 

TICC will be an 8,000 square meter multi-purpose facility hosting 2 000 delegates indoors and up to 5 000 guests including the outdoor plaza space. It will also have 20 breakaway rooms and two hotels with 500 rooms in total, including a five-star property linking directly to the convention centre. 

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Source: Sub-Saharan Africa: New and Refurbished Venues

African connection

So, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now turned his attention to Africa, a continent  with which we share a lot besides Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian diaspora. Understandably, the third India-Africa Summit is being organised with clockwork efficiency in Modi's mega style with lavish hospitality, a lot of colour and fascinating pageantry. Of course, India is also keeping a keen eye on serious and substantial discussions and negotiations about trade, business and investment and possible collaborations on global issues. To claim that the primary objective of this summit is to help Africa to accelerate its economic development is, rather, patronising.

It's not a secret that Africa, with a population of  1.1 billion (2013), and an estimated GDP of $3.7 trillion, is a hugely resource-rich continent with a diverse economic growth pattern. Some countries have been growing fast and have embraced the democratic process, while others have witnessed bloody conflicts and economic devastation. Not only China but the US and the EU too have been exploring the African continent for years. India has a relatively modest foothold in Africa; India's bilateral trade with Africa has touched  $72 billion, as against the bilateral trade of $220 billion with China; India Inc has invested around $30-35 billion in Africa. Besides, initiating Enet for connectivity, tele-medicines and tele-education and helping in fighting the scourge of HIV and AIDs, India had set up numerous technology and IT centres in various countries to help in capacity building. About 24,000 scholarships have also been offered. With the Chinese economy slowing down and the  Euro zone still not out woods, this Summit offers India a golden opportunity for upping its relations with Africa for mutual benefit. The three-day-long extravaganza should, to a large extent, address widely shared sentiment in African countries that India doesn't take them seriously and very few African Heads of State get invited. By gettin g representation from 54 African nations, India has stolen a small march over the China-Africa Summit organised in 2005 in Beijing, which was attended by 42 African Presidents/Prime ministers.

Though the Marwari and Gujarati businessmen were disliked and resented by the local population in many African countries in the 1970s and the 1980s, now there is a feeling of disillusionment against the Chinese, who are viewed as exploitative. India can expand its bilateral trade with Africa five-fold in the next 10 years if it's able to compete against the Chinese, the American and the European companies. It can project herself as more reliable, less exploitative and more willing to customise services and products according to local needs. The one-size-fits-all approach cannot be a rewarding strategy in Africa; India must calibrate its approach as circumstances on the ground warrant in different countries. South Africa, Nigeria, Sudan, Southern Sudan, Angola, Libya, Kenya, Mozambique, E gypt, Tanzania, Uganda, Botswana and Morocco have been major trading partners of India. Namibia, Niger, Malawi, South Africa and Madagascar are top exporters of uranium to India. Both, Reliance Industries and Essar Energy have been bidding in Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania. ONGC Videsh and IOC have invested in Southern Sudan,Nigeria, Libya, Mozambique and Egypt.

Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State Commerce and Trade feels infrastructure, energy, agriculture and health offer bright scope for economic cooperation. PM Modi referred to environmental security, climate change, a sustainable blue economy, food production while meeting the trade ministers. In his interaction with journalists, he also underlined the power of science and technology and the Internet to change the lives of people and the need for UN reforms and fighting international terrorism.

Some observers expect 500 agreements from the Summit worth billions of dollars. But what would matter is the follow-up action after the Summit. Its success will not sustain momentum, unless our political leadership and bureaucratic machinery change their mindset. A majority of IFS officers are reluctant to serve in Africa; three years back a Foreign Secretary confided that as many 27 posts of High Commissioners were lying vacant in Africa as no one wanted to serve there! Obviously, he couldn't press them as he himself had never served there. As a matter of fact, very few Foreign Secretaries have served in Africa. Similarly, while Cabinet Ministers globetrot merrily, they visit African countries only when they are forced to do so.  We aren't too keen to host African Presidents either. Before this summit, Arap Moi was the last Kenyan President to have visited India in1981; Indira Gandhi also visited Kenya in1981. African countries' general refrain is that India remembers them only when she needs their support for the Indian candidature for the UN or some other international organisation . Hopefully, this attitude will change after this Summit.

If the PM instructs the Ministers of commerce and trade, energy, transport, IT and telecom, health, agriculture and science and technology  to visit African  countries frequently, they would do so. Similarly, by laying down the rule that no IFS officer will be promoted to the rank of Additional Secretary or Secretary unless he has done, at least, one posting in Africa, Indian diplomats will make a beeline for African postings. As for junior diplomats, higher allowances and some credit points for serving in Africa could act as incentives.

 Nigeria, Southern Sudan, Angola, Libya (before the fall of Gaddafi) and Mozambique, Egypt and Cote d'Ivoir are important for India's energy security. Ethiopia, the largest recipient of Indian scholarships, has emerged a significant player in India's outreach in IT and service sectors. Indian generic drugs, especially for HIV and AIDS, have saved thousands of African lives. Wit h relatively lower costs and high standards, India is a favoured destination for African students and those who need medical treatment.  

The writer is a former Indian Ambassador to Mozambique & High Commissioner to Kenya.

Source: African connection

The best of Africa? Namibia, no contest

It has majesty, soul, magic... and aardwolves. Adventurer Steve Backshall is hooked

Sand rovers: oryx gallop over the dunes (Martin Harvey/Getty)

Magic hour seems to last an eternity in Namibia. Sunset stains the sky scarlet and burnishes every rock gold, ochre and vibrant orange. It's impossible not to get whimsical. My fiancée, Helen Glover, and I sit in a tiny cave, high up a boulder mount. The low-hanging roof is like a giant Roman nose of rock above us, and there's the slightly pungent odour of a dassie, or rock hyrax, that has recently scarpered.

The plains below are scattered with other boulder piles, grumpy black peaks beyond them, and dust-devil whirlwinds whip up the sands as thousands of unseen barking geckos chuckle merrily away. Scratched and sweat-encrusted from the climb, we feel like Neanderthals, scouting our domain for the following day's hunt.

Helen has always had a passion for the natural world, but faced with the demands of a career as an Olympic rower, she never had the chance to

Source: The best of Africa? Namibia, no contest

S.Africa to overhaul visa rules after tourism slump

Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa said Friday it will overhaul its controversial new visa regulations after the tourist arrivals fell by six percent earlier this year, the biggest decline in six years.

Introduced in June, the new rules demanded that visitors apply for visas in person at South African embassies to have their biometric information taken.

But after months of digging in its heels, the Department of Home Affairs has announced it would ease these restrictions.

"In countries where there is no South African mission, the Department of Home Affairs will receive applications, including by post, and capture biometrics of travellers on arrival at ports of entry," the government's statement said.

"To address concerns around the geographical spread of countries like China, India and Russia, certain measures will be put in place to ease the process of application, in particular for tourists."

The decision comes after President Jacob Zuma est ablished a committee in August to investigate reports that the tourism industry had been badly impacted by the change.

Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said in July figures for the first quarter of the year showed a "worrying drop".

According to Statistic South Africa, tourists from China decreased by 38 percent in the first quarter compared with the previous period in 2014. India was down by 13 percent.

The six-percent decline in overall tourist arrivals was the biggest fall since 2009 at the height of the global financial crisis.

The regulations still require children from non-visa-exempt countries to travel with unabridged birth certificates in addition to their passports when entering or leaving the country.

The rule has caused widespread confusion, but Home Affairs has strongly defended the measure as necessary in the fight against child trafficking.

The department is also considering the introduction of long-term multiple entry visas for frequ ent travellers.

South Africa is one of the leading tourism destinations in Africa, with officials aiming to attract 12 million international tourists by 2018.

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South Africa

Source: S.Africa to overhaul visa rules after tourism slump

Ethiopian Airlines Begins Flights To Durban

Ethiopian Airlines, the most profitable airline in Africa, has finalized all preparations to start flights to Durban in South Africa.

The airlines' flights to Durban are expected to begin in mid-December 2016.

It would be the third destination in South Africa in addition to Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Durban is the second largest metropolitan city and the second most important manufacturing hub in South Africa.

The city is also one of the main tourism destinations in Africa because of its warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches.

Ethiopian Group CEO, Tewolde GebreMariam said, 'As a Pan-African airline working to bring Africa together and closer to the entire world, we are bullish on the prospects of continuous expansion of our reach in our home market Africa and beyond.

'With continuous service to South Africa for over 22 years, this new and additional service will give passengers additional choice and flexibility by offering seamless and convenient connections through our main hub in Addis to more than 90 destinations in five continents.

He commended Star Alliance partner, South African Airways, Dube Trade Port, ACSA, KZN's Economic and Tourism Development departments for their relentless support to make this new operation a reality."

Ethiopian AirlinesEthiopian is global Pan-African global carrier serving more than 90 international destinations across five continents.

It operates the youngest fleet in Africa, including the 8737 Next Generation.

The airline has B787 Dreamliners, B777-200LRs, the longest range commercial aircraft and B777-300 ER.

[email protected]By Cephas Larbi

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Source: Ethiopian Airlines Begins Flights To Durban

The 10 Best Honeymoon Destinations -- For ANY Budget

A large flock of starlings fly illuminated by the setting sun near Bacau, north eastern Romania, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. Large numbers of starlings populate the vast cereal growing agricultural lands in eastern Romania, feeding on the seeds already laid in the ground. (Vadim Ghirda/AP)

In this late Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013 photo taken using long exposure, star trails are seen over Mount Sinabung as it spews volcanic ash into the air as seen from Tiga Pancur, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Authorities raised the alert status of the volcano to the highest level on Sunday after it had a series of eruptions. (Binsar Bakkara/AP)

Christmas lights outline towers at the Country Club Plaza shopping center as the sun sets Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. About 80 miles of lights with 280,000 multi-colored bulbs outline the buildings and towers in the shopping district. (Charlie Riedel/AP)

Indians, living in shanties in a farmland, walk as the sun rises in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013. Some 800 million people in the country live in poverty, many of them migrating to big cities in search of a livelihood and often ending up on the streets. (Altaf Qadri/AP)

A full moon is shrouded in haze as it rises over the Kansas City, Mo. skyline at sunset Monday, Dec. 16, 2013. (Charlie Riedel/AP)

A woman swims in the sea as the sun sets in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. Temperatures in Abu Dhabi reached 34 degrees Celsius, or 93 degrees Fahrenheit. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

A Pakistani boy, who was displaced with his family from Pakistan's tribal areas due to fighting between the Taliban and the army, is silhouetted against sunset while he walks back to home on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

This picture made with slow shutter speed shows Mount Sinabung spewing volcanic ash as seen from Tiga Pancur, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013. The 2,600-meter (8,530-foot) -high volcano has been erupting since Sunday, unleashing volcanic ash high into the sky and forcing the evacuation of villagers living around its slope. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)

A blue sky begins to emerge from early morning clouds and fog as the Simpson Tacoma Kraft Company pulp and paper mill operates along with cargo container cranes at the Port of Tacoma, Thursday, May 16, 2013, in Tacoma, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Photographers watch the sunrise at the Praia do Norte, north beach, at the fishing village of Nazare in Portugal's Atlantic coast Monday, Oct. 28 2013. On Monday Brazilian suffer Carlos Burle surfed a wave here that surf media suggest could be the biggest wave ever surfed and Maya Gabeira, also from Brazil, nearly drowned and was taken to hospital with a broken ankle after falling in a big wave. (AP Photo/Miguel Barreira) PORTUGAL OUT

An AC45 catamaran from Artemis Racing of Sweden makes its way past fog and the Golden Gate Bridge during training for the America's Cup on Wednesday, June 26, 2013, in San Francisco. Opening ceremonies for the sailing event are on July 4. Artemis is training on its smaller AC45 boats until its larger AC72 is ready in late July. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

A Pakistani youth runs after his horse along a field as the sun sets on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, May 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

A statue of the Angel Moroni on top of a Latter-day Saints temple is silhouetted against the rising full moon, Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

An air tanker drops fire retardant on a hot spot as firefighters continue to battle a wildfire on Friday, Aug. 9, 2013, near Banning, Calif. Southern California firefighters are facing another day of battle as they try to corral a wildfire that has destroyed 26 homes. Southern California's destructive wildfire has grown to 25 square miles, but containment has also increased. ((AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

In this July 1, 2013 photo, a tree grows near the shores of Rio de la Plata, or River Plate, where a couple sits together during winter in Montevideo, Uruguay. Winter turns Montevideo nostalgic, tranquil, reflexive. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)

High wire performer Nik Wallenda walks across a wire as he practices Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Sarasota, Fla. Wallenda, a seventh generation high-wire walker, will attempt to walk across the Grand Canyon on Sunday, June 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Buildings are reflected in the floodwather of the river Danube in Deggendorf, southern Germany, Friday, June 7, 2013. Heavy rainfalls in the past days caused flooding along rivers and lakes in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. (AP Photo/dpa, Marius Becker)

Mount Sinabung spews volcanic material as it erupts as seen from Tiga Pancur, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. Two volcanoes, Sinabung and Mount Merapi, erupted Monday in the country, prompting warnings for flights and evacuation preparations, official said. (AP Photo/Mafa Yuli Ramadani)

The monastery of Agia Trias is seen at Meteora in northern central Greece, on Tuesday May 14, 2013. Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is best known for its clifftop monasteries, some more than 500-years old. Greece is hoping for a busy tourist season with foreign visitors in 2013, but hotel associations at destinations like Meteora, which are favored by the domestic market, have reported weak bookings from Greek people so far this year as the country continues to suffer through financial crisis. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

A solo paddle boarder maneuvers down the Potomac River in Washington at sunset Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Temperatures in the Nation's Capital reached the low 90 degrees making a quiet paddle down the river a nice respite from the heat. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

A boater navigates over Cocibolca Lake, also known as Nicaragua Lake, near Granada, Nicaragua, Friday, June 7, 2013. A concession to build a canal across Nicaragua linking the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, which would go through the waters of Lake Nicaragua, will be awarded to a Chinese company, the National Assembly president said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

The sunrise colors the sky above Calais, Vt., on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013. Rain and colder weather is expected to return later in the week to Vermont. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

A tree is back dropped by the setting sun outside Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013. Romanian is enjoying a hotter than usual weather for the month of October with temperatures above 20 degrees centigrade (68 degrees Fahrenheit) . (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

The sunrises behind the scaffolding clad Washington Monument in Washington, early Monday, Nov. 4, 2013. The National Park Service has announced the decorative lighting will be turned off as work crews begin the task of removing the scaffolding from around the earthquaked damage monument. The work is scheduled to completed and the monument reopened in the spring of 2014. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

Dos israelíes observan un espectáculo aéreo en el Día de la Independencia en Tel Aviv, el martes 16 de abril de 2013. Israel celebra su Día de Independencia que marca 65 años desde la fundación del Estado en 1948. (AP Foto/Dusan Vranic)

In this May 7, 2013 photo, trees are reflected in water in Epecuen, a village that once was submerged in water in Argentina. Many residents of Epecuen fled to nearby Carhue, another lakeside town, and set up new hotels and spas, promising relaxing getaways featuring saltwater and mud facials. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

One World Trade Center emerges from the clouds in the night sky in a photo made from a passing airplane, Monday, March 11, 2013 in New York. Construction continues on the office complex going up on the site of the original World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Matthew Ziegler)

Lightning steaks across the sky behind the Young Meadows Presbyterian Church in Montgomery, Ala., Monday, March 18, 2013. Strong storms moved across much of Alabama on Monday, bringing hail, high winds, and heavy rainfall as a cold front passed through the state. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

A bunch of daffodils sprout up roadside as a windmill is seen on a canal outside Voorhout, near The Hague, Netherlands, Monday April 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

The sun's rays strike the rocky coast of Acadia National Park, in Maine, Thursday, May 2, 2013. A federal budget-related delay has pushed back the opening of many of the park's seasonal facilities until May 17. Acadia saw a 5 percent funding cut of it's roughly $7.8 million budget on March 1. The cut represented the National Park Service's share of federal sequestration. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

An US Airways jet flies over a rainbow as descends to land Tuesday, May 14, 2013, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Palestinian farmers harvest wheat on a farm near the West Bank city of Jenin early Monday, April 15, 2013. (AP Photo/Mohammed Ballas).

Backdropped by a full moon, thousands of balloons are released into the night sky honoring the Chilean soccer team at their 2014 World Cup qualifying soccer match against Uruguay in Santiago, Chile, Tuesday, March 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)

A horse with a rider atop walk to the track for a morning workout at Churchill Downs, Tuesday, April 30, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

A Palestinian man rides a bicycle on the beach of Gaza City during sunset on Tuesday. April 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

A delivery man pushes a wheelbarrow following a storm in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, March 6 , 2013. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Fire department personnel drive along Pacific Coast Highway near Point Mugu as a thick layer of smoke sits overhead during a wildfire that burned several thousand acres, Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Ventura County, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

In this picture made available Friday, May 10, 2013, flashlights light the sky over a wind energy park during a thunderstorm near Jacobsdorf, eastern Germany, Thursday, May 9, 2013. (AP Photo/dpa, Patrick Pleul)

The sun sets behind the Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt, Friday, April 26, 2013. Elsewhere, dozens of mostly masked protesters are hurling stones and firebombs in clashes with riot police at Egypt's presidential palace in a Cairo suburb. Protests have become a weekly routine in Egypt, as the country has plunged in turmoil during most of the past two years since 2011 uprising which ousted longtime president Hosni Mubarak out of power. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Afghan refugee boys play on a hill near the slum where they live with their families, on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, April 12, 2013. Pakistan hosts over 1.6 million registered Afghans, the largest and most protracted refugee population in the world, according to the U.N. refugee agency. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

A Chinese military member adjusts a camera as he watches over Tiananmen Square from a rooftop against a sun rise, across from the Great Hall of the People before the opening session of the National People's Congress in Beijing Tuesday, March 5, 2013. China's government promised its people Tuesday deficit-fueled spending to fight deep-seated corruption, improve the despoiled environment and address other quality-of-life issues demanded by an increasingly vocal public looking for change. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

A man walks through the Tiergarten park after fresh snow falls hit Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, March 19, 2013. Unfriendly winter weather continues in northern and eastern Germany on the last day of winter. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

View of roofed wicker beach chairs in light snowfall at lido Strandbad Wannsee in Berlin, Germany, 29 March 2013. Bathing season at the lido traditionally starts on Good Friday. (Rainer Jensen/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 photo, tourists visit St. Catherine's Monastery, located at the foot of Mount Sinai, Egypt, said to be where Moses received the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments. (Ahmed Gomaa / AP)

A full moon rises near the Jupiter Lighthouse, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Jupiter, Fla. The 108-feet tall brick structure was first lit in 1860. (Julio Cortez / AP)

A hot air balloon decends to land as the sun sets north of Phoenix Friday, March 1, 2013. (Charlie Riedel / AP)

Panoramic view of the Rio de Janeiro bay at sunset from Niteroi, on February 21, 2013. (Christophe Simon / AFP / Getty Images)

A cold front passes through the Russian River Valley leaving behind puffy clouds and freezing temperatures on February 19, 2013, in Healdsburg, California. Despite the cold winter weather, California wine producers are preparing for another successful vintage following the record harvest of 2012.(George Rose / Getty Image)

Black poplars are pictured at Fuente Vaqueros, near Granada on February 17, 2013. (Cristina Quicler / AFP / Getty Images)

A general view of the skyline of central business district on February 19, 2013 in Beijing, China. Large amounts of organic nitrogen compounds were found in Beijing smog in January, the worst month in recent years. Most alarming is that the Chinese Academy of Sciences says they've found organic nitrogen particles, a key component in the deadly photochemical smog in Los Angeles in the 1950s and the Great Smog in London. (Feng Li / Getty Images)

Steam from a heating plant rises as at temperatures of -14 degrees Celsius (-6.8 degrees Fahrenheit) are recorded in Minsk, Belarus, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2012. (Sergei Grits, AP)

Skiers and snowboarders enjoy the recent snowfall at Glenshee ski center on February 8, 2013 in Glenshee, Scotland. All five of the Scottish ski areas have had good amounts of snow in recent days with over a foot in the past week. With some Scottish Schools having a break all resorts are hopeful for a busy weekend with good conditions. (Jeff J Mitchell, Getty Images)

A couple sit by the Tagus river bank at sunset in Lisbon, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. (Francisco Seco, AP)

Arctic sea-smoke rises from Portland Harbor where the Bahama-based oil tanker, the Teesta Spirit, unloads it's fuel, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, in South Portland, Maine. A stubborn cold front continues to grip the region. (Robert F. Bukaty, AP)

Snow and ice form a graphic pattern on the icy Forggensee lake near Waltenhofen, southern Germany, on January 23, 2013. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand, AFP / Getty Images)

A Kashmiri fisherman throws a net to catch fish from Dal Lake during sunset, on January 24, 2013 in Srinagar, India. (Waseem Andrabi, Hindustan Times / Getty Images)

With the temperature at minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit, steam vapors from the Sappi paper mill dissipate into the early morning sky in Westrbook, Maine, Thursday morning, Jan. 24, 2013. An arctic cold front continues to grip the region. (Robert F. Bukaty, AP)

Snow covered Zabarwan mountains are reflected on the waters of Dal lake on January 21, 2012 in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Administered Kashmir, India. Weather has improved in Kashmir after a two-day spell of snowfall and rains. (Yawar Nazir, Getty Images)

Children and adults alike play soccer on a dusty field in Segou, central Mali, some 240 km (140 miles) from Bamako Monday Jan. 21, 2013. French troops in armored personnel carriers rolled through the streets of Diabaly on Monday, winning praise from residents of this besieged town after Malian forces retook control of it with French help a week after radical Islamists invaded. The Islamists also have deserted the town of Douentza, which they had held since September, according to a local official who said French and Malian forces arrived there on Monday as well. (Jerome Delay, AP)

Clearing skies await a tripod-toting photographer looking for a spot to capture the early-morning light at Portland Head Light, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. A snowstorm that ended before dawn temporarily transformed Fort Williams Park into a snowy scene. (Robert F. Bukaty, AP)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, two boatmen cross the Yangon River to a jetty to carry passengers in Yangon, Myanmar. (Khin Maung Win, AP)

A man cycles under frost-covered trees in Ghent, 50 km (31 miles) west of Brussels, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013. (Yves Logghe, AP)

Snow covers the historic windmills at Kinderdijk, The Netherlands, on January 15, 2013. In 1997 the windmills were put on the UNESCO World Heritage List. (Robin Utrecht, AFP / Getty Images)

A road cuts through paddocks covered by frost near the village of Meteren on January 16, 2013 where temperatures reached -10 Celcius bellow zero. (Philippe Huguen, AFP / Getty Images)

Horses in a field gallop away from the sound of motorcycles competing in the 9th stage of the 2013 Dakar Rally from Tucuman to Cordoba, Argentina, Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. The race finishes in Santiago, Chile, on Jan. 20. (Victor R. Caivano, AP)

The Pudong business district is shrouded by heavy air pollution in Shanghai on January 16, 2013. Several days of hazardous air quality across large swathes of northern China triggered an emergency response which saw schoolchildren kept indoors, factories closed and government cars parked. Experts are urging authorities to take firmer action to confront the consequences of China's rapid industrialisation -- and the spending habits of the middle classes created by its economic boom. (Mark Ralston, AFP / Getty Images)

A horse grazes in a pasture in early morning fog caused by frost-producing overnight temperatures in Chia, on the outskirts of Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. In Colombia's highlands, crops are prone to freeze damage in the first few months of the year when temperatures are high during the day but drop below zero at night. (Fernando Vergara, AP)

Two passengers brave the frigid weather while riding outside on a ferry crossing Casco Bay in Portland, Maine, at sunrise, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. The overnight low temperature dropped to 0 degrees Fahrenheit in Portland. The combination of cold air and warmer ocean water created the arctic sea smoke. (Robert F. Bukaty, AP)

An Indian walks surrounded by fog as the sun rises in Ajmer, India, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. North India continues to face extreme weather conditions with dense fog affecting flights and trains. (Deepak Sharma, AP)

People photograph the sunset in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013. (Felipe Dana, AP)

In this Jan. 20, 2013 photo, people wade on the shoreline of Agua Dulce beach, in Lima, Peru. While Lima's elite spends its summer weekends in gate beach enclaves south of the Peruvian capital, the working class jams by the thousands on a single municipal beach of grayish-brown sands and gentle waves. The only barrier to entry to Agua Dulce beach is two dollars, the price of bus fare to get there and home. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Partly snow covered mountains are seen near Enisried, southern Germany, on January 3, 2013. Meteorologists forecast rainy weather with temperatures around six degrees for southern Germany. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand, AFP / Getty Images)

A person looks at waves of the Mediterranean sea in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Wind gusts reached up to 40mph, as waves reached 9 meters high (30 feet). (Ariel Schalit, AP)

Clouds from a nearby bushfire are seen over Mount Wellington during day one of the Hobart International at Domain Tennis Centre on January 4, 2013 in Hobart, Australia. (Mark Metcalfe, Getty Images)

In this photo taken on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013, Plosky Tolbachnik volcano erupts in Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. A Russian volcano which started erupting last week has continued to spew ash and smoke into the air. The Plosky Tolbachik volcano, in the Kamchatka Peninsula, last erupted in 1976. (Alexander Petrov, AP)

A view of the full moon over the sky of Rome on June 23, 2013 in Rome, Italy. Tonight a pink full moon was expected to appear in the sky of Rome. The event occurs once a year when the moon reaches its nearest point to Earth, making it appear much larger than usual as well as being a peculiar shade of pink. The spectacle can be seen throughout the world, weather permitting.

A full moon is seen over an iceberg that broke off from the Jakobshavn Glacier on July 23, 2013 in Ilulissat, Greenland. As the sea levels around the globe rise, researchers affilitated with the National Science Foundation and other organizations are studying the phenomena of the melting glaciers and its long-term ramifications. The warmer temperatures that have had an effect on the glaciers in Greenland also have altered the ways in which the local populace farm, fish, hunt and even travel across land. In recent years, sea level rise in places such as Miami Beach has led to increased street flooding and prompted leaders such as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to propose a $19.5 billion plan to boost the city's capacity to withstand future extreme weather events by, among other things, devisin g mechanisms to withstand flooding. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

A cloud of ash belches out of Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano, some 55 km from Mexico City, as seen from Paso de Cortes, in the Mexican central state of Puebla, on May 20, 2013. Authorities have raised the alert level to "Yellow Phase Three," the fifth of a seven-stage warning system, restricting access to an area of 12 km around the volcano while preparing evacuation routes and shelters. (Arturo Andrade / AFP / Getty Images)

Near totality is seen during the solar eclipse at Palm Cove on November 14, 2012 in Palm Cove, Australia. Thousands of eclipse-watchers have gathered in part of North Queensland to enjoy the solar eclipse, the first in Australia in a decade. (Ian Hitchcock / Getty Images)

A full moon sets behind the Christ the Redeemer statue on top of Corcovado hill in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 25, 2013. Pope Francis will visit to Rio de Janeiro during the World Youth Day event on July 23 to 28.

A bee flies in front of a sunflower planted on July 11, 2013 in Sayo, Japan. Approximately 1.2 million sunflowers are planted in 24.1 hectares over six sunflower fields in the city of Sayo, Hyogo Prefecture, west Japan. (Buddhika Weerasinghe / Getty Images)

A Humpback whale jumps in the surface of the Pacific Ocean at the Uramba Bahia Malaga natural park in Colombia, on July 16, 2013. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate annually from the Antarctic Peninsula to peek into the Colombian Pacific Ocean coast, with an approximate distance of 8,500 km, to give birth and nurse their young. Humpback whales have a life cycle of 50 years or so and is about 18 meters.

Cherry blossoms bloom on the edge of the Tidal Basin after a colder than normal March and chilly April delayed the beginning of the cherry blossom season in the nation's capital April 8, 2013 in Washington, DC. Peak bloom was originally predicted between March 26 and March 30th, with the revised prediction moving to April 6-10. (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

A statue is pictured in the cloudy sky of Rome on November 17, 2013.

Sunset over Rio de Janeiro, on November 15, 2013. (Christophe Simon / AFP / Getty Images)

The Tokyo Tower, center, stands amid other buildings as it is reflected on a table at dusk in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2013. Japanese companies eased off on capital-spending growth in the third quarter and failed to step up exports even with a cheaper yen, contributing to an economic slowdown that puts pressure on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)

A view of the Blue Ridge mountains seen from Skyline Drive early November 23, 2013 in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. (Karen Bleier / AFP / Getty Images)

The sky changes color over the U.S. Capitol as the sun begins to rise September 25, 2013 in Washington, DC. Later today the U.S. Senate will vote on a stopgap spending bill that that passed the House last week.

Trees at the peak of Fall color are seen looking out over the Piedmont October 26, 2013 from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

A picture on November 25, 2013, shows the sunset in Nice, southeastern France.

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