South Africa: What the Majority Wants

In South Africa, the majority wants economic freedom, and most believe the struggle to obtain such freedom is all about a fight with the white minority group. Financial security, owning land, and having a job is important. The majority wants to stand together to reach a single destination. Many people realize that the desire for freedom of living in a democratic society is being used negatively, and that there is hatred directed at the majority, causing difficulties in gaining economic freedom. On the other hand, there are several thousands of people in South Africa who think that as long as the white minority own the land, there will never be freedom, and slavery shall continue into future generations.

However great the struggle is for the majority to obtain financial freedom, the struggle is being obscured by a few politically rational souls who continue to force an opinion upon the majority; a strong opinion that the entire blame of poverty and slavery falls on the white minority, who continue to steal the resources. The white minority is squarely the reason why blacks suffer in South Africa. There is the perception that as long as white people control the economy, there will never be freedom in South Africa.

The poor people who struggle to see the objective are blindly led to believe the white people are to blame, and there is no easy solution. They are told that whites must be fought against for the rightfulness of what belongs to the majority, and that the fight must be combated with commitment and determination to create a stable financial country. The majority must stop dreaming of financial security as it will never come to pass unless action is taken.

The battle must remain a fight for a financial solution, and that battle is against the white minority who were led by former president PW Botha, who hated the majority. How are the majority going to claim the stolen land, and how are the people going to benefit when none are skilled and there is no equipment to ensure productivity?

Whites are considered to be foreigners in South Africa and many wish for their quick evacuation so that the country can develop without the hindrance of a white person. The black man wants to produce moving machinery, farm, and live a life of opulence. While all the talk and mudslinging continues, the black man remains chained to poverty and laziness. That white people hate black people is the most aggressive untruth now being fed to the ignorant.

Many believe that most blacks are dependent upon some form of government grant and that the leaders are not brave enough to stand up to the superpowers. The poor remain powerless, and most are dying, because the government of South Africa does not condemn white supremacy. There is the conviction that the land has more than enough natural resources, minerals, and vegetation to feed the entire continent. The government should impose sanctions against the West.

The outcry of being victims of racism cannot be ignored for much longer. It is a cry for the majority to learn about African history and forget what the oppressors are saying. There must be a deep longing to understand the African roots and turn away from the white man's intelligence that blinds the wisdom of the majority.

There is a call to wake up and reclaim justice for the people of South Africa, and a call to take back what was stolen, either forcefully or peacefully, and sooner rather than later. There is a demand to stop the difficulty of teaching children about African heritage when white domination and superiority are continually observed, and to stop the mental slavery and return to the way of the ancestors. They want to stop being restricted and for people to realize the white man will forever be an enemy.

There is an appeal by a few radical few who continually state that the black majority must stop dwelling in the past and remove the whites in power who continue to cause problems. To achieve this, the majority must stop acting cowardly, condemning black people, and stand united against a common enemy. Many believe it is a systematic war of culture and religion with wealth traced back to Western countries. It is controlled with a simple solution to divide and conquer. Africans must stop being scapegoats.

However much the majority want a change to economic freedom, there is the conception that it will take decades to educate the masses in the way whites used to colonize black people; killing black people for land and shipping black people off to a foreign country to work as slaves. They believe that teaching the masses the humiliation of black women, and the method of defeat through education will also take a very long time. They want to forcing the majority to believe that blacks were inferior in order to fulfill the evil cause of white supremacy.

It is not what the majority want, but rather what a few revolutionary people want, and the greatest weapon being used is intimidation. The government has used intimidation for 21 years and has succeeded in remaining in power. Now that many have understood how easy it is to intimidate the masses, the call becomes louder and bolder with no foresight of a better future for all. The call that the few violent people make does not take into consideration the consequences of a revolution. White people want peace, black people want peace, and somewhere there is a solution for South Africa.

Opinion by Laura Oneale

Source:Corruption Watch – Corruption Hinders South African Economic Freedom

Photo Courtesy of Cyril Z.'s Flickr Page- Creative Commons License

  south africa

Source: South Africa: What the Majority Wants

Pilgrim of peace’: Pope Francis arrives in conflict-wracked Central African Republic

Pope Francis arrived as "a pilgrim of peace" in conflict-ridden Central African Republic (CAR) on Sunday, flying in from Uganda on what will be the most dangerous destination of his three-nation Africa tour.

Thousands of believers, many from neighbouring countries, are expected to pour into CAR's capital Bangui to see the 78-year-old pontiff on his landmark visit to one of Africa's poorest and most unstable countries.

"I come to the Central African Republic as a pilgrim of peace and as an apostle of hope," the pope said on his official Twitter feed as his plane touched down at Bangui's international airport where he was greeted by acting CAR president Catherine Samba-Panza.

Ahead of his arrival, the roads leading to the airport were bristling with troops and security forces. Close to the airport, tens of thousands of displaced people have sought refuge from the violence at a sprawling makeshift camp near to French and UN military bases.

I come to the Central African Republic as a pilgrim of peace and as an apostle of hope

Pope Francis

Ahead of the pope's arrival, workers have been busily repairing potholes and sprucing up the cathedral square for the visit which many are hoping will bring encouragement to a country where religious violence that has raged for more than two years.

Rights groups hope the Argentinian pope will address the violence on his two-day trip during which he will visit a mosque in Bangui's flashpoint PK5 district, a maze of red dirt roads and flimsy shacks that has been at the heart of the sectarian conflict tearing apart the impoverished nation. The area saw an unprecedented wave of violence pitting majority Christians against minority Muslims in late 2013 and early last year.

Francis is also due to celebrate mass in the Barthelemy Boganda sports stadium and visit a camp for people who have been displaced by the violence. Stalls have sprung up across the capital selling everything from Vatican flags to paper crowns to welcome the pope.

"We are very pleased to see the pope," said Fidele Nodjindorom, who is sheltering at a camp in Bangui.

"He knows that things have happened in our country and maybe he has come to ask God to save us."

The Central African Republic was plunged into chaos after president Francois Bozize was ousted in a coup in March 2013. The mainly Muslim rebels behind the coup went on a rampage that triggered the creation of the equally dangerous anti-Balaka militia in mostly Christian communities.

Concerns about the pope's safety have been running high ahead of his visit, and the pontiff's chief bodyguard, Domenico Gianni, has spent several days consulting with local security forces.

Speaking late on Saturday, the Vatican's spokesman said Francis' itinerary had been confirmed and all was expected to go ahead as planned, including the visit to PK5 "if there are no particular surprises".

"Everything has been done to ensure the safety of the pope... there is no real threat," said CAR Public Security Minister Chrysostome Sambia, while admitting there have been reports of "ill-intentioned groups in some areas".

We are very pleased to see the pope ... maybe he has come to ask God to save us

Fidele Nodjindorom

At the height of the massacres, around one in five of CAR's 4.6 million people were displaced and half the population depended on humanitarian aid. Violence continues to stalk the country, with at least 61 people killed in Bangui in late September before UN and French peacekeeping forces intervened.

Ilaria Allegrozzi of rights group Amnesty International said the pope "has a real opportunity to call for the protection of civilians of all faiths, and use his great moral authority to help reduce the tension that has recently resulted in deadly violence".

The pontiff left Uganda early on Sunday, a day after huge crowds celebrated as he honoured Christians martyred for the faith on the second leg of his first trip to Africa, which he hailed as "the continent of hope".

He also offered prayers for "the beloved people of Burundi" that the troubled central African nation will end months of strife that has sparked fears of renewed civil war.

Source: Pilgrim of peace': Pope Francis arrives in conflict-wracked Central African Republic

Pope to honour Ugandan martyrs on Africa tour

Kampala (AFP) - Large crowds of Ugandans greeted Pope Francis on Saturday as he held a mass youth rally and honoured martyred Christians on his landmark trip to Africa, which he dubbed "the continent of hope".

The 78-year-old pontiff was greeted by wild cheers and singing at a shrine to the martyrs at Namugongo, just outside the capital Kampala, that honours more than 40 Christians who were executed in the 19th century for refusing to recant their faith.

"Pope Francis we love you!", young Christians chanted at a youth rally at the Kololo grounds in Kampala, as thousands danced to pumping music, cheering as the pontiff leaned out of the popemobile to kiss babies.

Over 100,000 people had waited from before dawn at the open-air shrine to attend the mass, a highlight of his visit to Uganda, the second leg of his trip after Kenya, and before travelling to war-torn Central African Republic (CAR) on Sunday.

A total of 45 Catholics and Protestants, many of them youngsters working as royal pages, were executed by King Mwanga of Buganda -- a 19th century kingdom that was located in the south of present-day Uganda -- between 1885 and 1887.

At issue was their refusal to comply with the king's sexual advances towards them and other young boys in the court.

View gallery Pope Francis waves from his vehicle after leading a Holy Mass for the Martyrs of Uganda at the area  …

"Today, we recall with gratitude the sacrifice of the Uganda martyrs," Francis said at the Namugongo shrine where 26 of them were burned alive on June 3, 1886.

"Not only were their lives threatened but so too were the lives of the younger boys under their care," he said. "They were fearless in bringing Christ to others, even at the cost of their lives."

- Gay rights in focus -

Catholic faithful from neighbouring war-torn South Sudan were also among the worshippers, having travelled 12 hours by bus to catch a glimpse of the Argentine pope, who has made humility and help for the poor a hallmark of his tenure.

Fighting poverty has been a key theme of his visit but some of the faithful were hoping to hear the pontiff's thoughts on other issues such as gay rights.

View gallery Pope Francis waves to the crowd during a parade Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, in Philadelphia. The ponti …

"The challenges we have in Uganda are early pregnancies, drug abuse and homosexuality," said 18-year old schoolgirl Joyce Adong, dressed in her uniform and carrying rosary beads.

Homosexuality remains illegal in many countries in Africa, including Kenya and Uganda, where lawmakers passed tough anti-homosexuality legislation in 2013 that was later overturned on a technicality.

Ugandan gay rights activists had asked to meet the pope, who has said gay people should not be marginalised, but it was not clear if the meeting took place.

Among the visitors from South Sudan was President Salva Kiir who held a brief private meeting with the pope, according to a South Sudanese government official who gave no further details.

"If there's one country he should visit, it's South Sudan," said 37-year-old Anthony Beda from South Sudan, wearing a pope badge and waving a flag with the pontiff's face on it.

"I want to hear his powerful words of unity and compassion," Be da told AFP, saying it could help stop the civil war there. "I would love him to go... It would be a blessing."

In the midst of the crowds in Kampala, a policewoman went into labour, giving birth to a baby girl that she named Franchesca -- the female version of Francis, Uganda's New Vision newspaper reported.

- Arrests in Kenya -

Francis, who railed against corruption and wealthy minorities who hoard resources at the expense of the poor during his three days in Kenya, struck a more optimistic tone since arriving in neighbouring Uganda late Friday.

"The world looks to Africa as the continent of hope," he said in his opening speech, hailing Uganda's outstanding response in accommodating hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring war-torn states.

Despite fears that Islamist rebels from Al-Qaeda's East Africa branch, the Shebab, could use the opportunity to stage attacks, the visit has so far been peaceful, although police in Kenya on Saturday conf irmed they had arrested two Kenyan men with links to an alleged Iranian spy ring which was planning a series of attacks.

Kenyan police also issued a public appeal for information about a wanted British national believed to have "sneaked into the country" who is believed to be a Shebab militant.

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Source: Pope to honour Ugandan martyrs on Africa tour

Ecotourism: The top five destinations we should visit

In countries such as Nepal, Jordan, Afghanistan and Rwanda, your tourist dollar can do double duty helping the locals and wildlife, writes Louise Southerden.

Ecotourism: The top five destinations we should visit

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It's something we don't always think about, but where and how we travel can have a big impact on the places we visit, particularly now that more than a billion of us travel internationally each year. "Every time we travel," says UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) secretary-general Taleb Rifai, "we become part of a global movement that has the power to drive positive change for our planet and for all people."

With tourism now the world's largest industry – accounting for 260 million jobs and almost 10 per cent of global GDP –spending our disposable income in foreign lands helps in all sorts of ways, from stimulating economies and promoting employment and education to giving economic value to natural resources that might otherwise be exploited out of existence.

Tourists wanting to see orang-utans in Borneo, for example, are pressing "pause" on a palm oil industry destroying their forest habitats. Travelling in developing countries has kickbacks for us too, of course: affordable holidays and firsthand experiences that open our minds and hearts to the world. In fact the more we travel, the more aware we become of world affairs and the more we care about people whose lives may be affected by them, all of which makes us more likely to give back on our next trip. So where should we go to do the most good? One clue lies in this paradox: countries most dependent on tourism suffer twice when natural disasters or other events turn off the flow of visitors – but are quick to recover when travellers return.

In other words, the places we love to visit on holiday are the ones we rush to help when they're in trouble. Think Bali after the 2002 bombing; Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand after the Boxing Day tsunami; Christchurch and northern Japan after the 2011 earthquakes and tsunami; and, more recently, Nepal after massive earthquakes earlier this year and even Paris following the recent terror attacks which has seen mass cancellations of hotel and tour bookings.

PICKING UP THE PIECES

Tourism in the world's favourite trekking destination ground to a halt after the April-May earthquakes that killed 9000 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. But with hotels and major trails in Nepal open again, just in time for the post-monsoon October-May trekking season, now is the time to go.

"Trekking is a great way to inject tourism dollars into the most marginalised communities," says Sue Badyari, chief executive of World Expeditions, based in Sydney, "because every trekking group employs up to 25 local people from remote mountain areas, from porters and kitchen staff to cooks and trek leaders."

World Expeditions has six new Rebuild Nepal Treks that include five-10 days of hands-on work repairing schools in some of the hardest-hit areas, funded by the World Expeditions Foundation, and is running treks for outdoor equipment brands Paddy Pallin and Kathmandu.

Melbourne-based Intrepid Travel, the largest trekking operator in Nepal, is taking a different tack, donating all profits from its 2015-16 season to charities working in Nepal, with a goal of raising $1 million by June 2016. Either way, "every traveller, every trekker, every person who visits Nepal this year will be directly contributing to the rebuilding effort", says James Thornton, Intrepid's managing director.

Two other countries in our region needing tourism after natural disasters are Vanuatu, which was hit by category five cyclone Pam in March and launched a #YourHolidayHelps campaign in May urging people to book trips and share their holiday snaps on social media; and Sabah in Malaysian Borneo where Mount Kinabalu, one of the country's main drawcards, has just reopened after a magnitude 6.0 earthquake killed 18 trekkers in June. (A new track to the summit will open in December.)

CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE

Then there are countries in conflict, or perceived to be. "Syria will be written off for tourism for a long time now. We stopped running trips there two years ago because of the civil war," says Geoff Manchester, co-founder of Intrepid Travel. "But Jordan has also suffered because of its proximity to Syria. We used to take people from Cairo to Istanbul a couple of times a week, in both directions. That has totally stopped now."

To entice travellers back, hotels and tour operators in Jordan have been cutting their rates and the Ministry of Tourism recently launched the Jordan Pass, which gives visitors discounted tourist visas and free entry to sites such as the World Heritage-listed city of Petra, where visitor numbers have halved since 2010.

Travel has also slowed to a trickle in Egypt, since the 2011 revolution. "Five years ago, Egypt was one of the biggest destinations in the world," says Manchester. "We've started to see signs of tourism recovery this year, but we're still a long way from pre-revolution levels of travellers. It needs to not be in the news for six-12 months, to restore travellers' confidence."

On the upside, visit Egypt soon and you'll have it pretty much to yourself. When travel writer Belinda Jackson was in Cairo recently, she found the lack of foreigners "almost eerie: the pyramids are deserted, as is the Egyptian Museum, though the country is undergoing a massive infrastructure boost".

"For photographers, it's a great opportunity to get that perfect landscape shot without a hundred Spanish coach tourists in it."

A side effect of the Arab Spring and subsequent unrest in the Middle East has been "a disturbing anti-Muslim sentiment creeping into travel, a resistance to visiting Islamic countries", says Badyari. "Hopefully it will pass, because we need to visit such places precisely to remind ourselves that the majority of people, all over the world, are friendly and want to live in peace."

GOING TO THE NO-GO ZONES

One London-based tour operator is doing its best to counteract traveller resistance to certain destinations, in the name of adventure. Run by ex-British Army officers, Secret Compass ran its first trip in 2011, to eastern Afghanistan (sensibly side-stepping Kabul).

The following year it was the first commercial operator to go to South Sudan, the world's newest country, and its 2016 trip list reads like a roll call of no-go zones, including a high-altitude winter trek in Iraq and a jungle expedition in Panama's infamous Darien Gap.

"Visiting places like Afghanistan, Sinai, Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan is vital on so many fronts," says Secret Compass chief executive and co-founder Tom Bodkin. "The fact that our teams even go to these places sends positive messages to the locals in countries avoided by travellers due to generalised or outdated reporting.

"Our adventures foster optimism, as local people realise that the outside world perceives their country as a safe and welcoming place to visit once more. Our presence helps to stimulate fledging tourism economies.

"And through the post-travel reports of our team members [Secret Compass clients] – their conversations, Facebook photos and blogs, for example – the good news ripples out, so increasing numbers of people realise that certain destinations really are OK to visit again. As long as it's managed carefully, adventure travel in regions such as these can be a win-win situation."

OPEN AND SHUT CASES

Of course, you can wait for conflict and civil strife to pass before returning to troubled destinations and that's often when they need us most. The north-east of Sri Lanka is accessible again after more than 25 years of civil war; Intrepid Travel will run trips to Jaffna and the untouched beaches around Trincomalee from July next year.

New trips to North Korea are capitalising on traveller curiosity about this long-closed, and in some ways, much misunderstood country. It can take time for countries to recover, of course. Kashmir, in northern India, re-opened to tourists two years ago when the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) relaxed its advice, and is "cautiously marching ahead", says Badyari. "People can now enjoy this part of India again, have a houseboat experience, visit historic Moghul gardens. It was once a great Himalayan destination and it will be again, thanks to tourism."

Myanmar too, where opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won by a landslide at an historic general election earlier this month, is still "crying out for more travellers," says Brett Tollman, chief executive of The Travel Corporation and its not-for-profit TreadRight Foundation. "Not just for economic reasons, but to learn about and meet the people there, who also gain from meeting us, people from outside their country."

Re-opening to visitors can also bring greater transparency that can benefit a country's citizens, says Manchester. "We all know about Tiananmen Square in 1989, but most of us don't know about the pro-democracy demonstrations started by students in Yangon (Myanmar's capital) in 1988, which led to a military coup during which thousands of civilians were killed.

"Wherever there are tourists, governments think twice about how they treat their people, because tourists are increasingly bearing witness to world events and recording and sharing what they see."

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS?

Sometimes it's unclear whether visiting a country is the best way to help. Until recently, Greece needed tourists and their euros to assuage its economic woes, and travellers obliged despite warnings about potential inconveniences such as ATMs running out of cash.

Now the escalating refugee crisis – more than half a million refugees have arrived in Greece this year from Syria and other affected countries – makes that less clear. In fact the whole of Europe is in limbo.

At the time of writing, Sweden has just introduced border checks to process the 10,000 asylum-seekers it receives each week, other European countries are rethinking the entire Schengen Area open-border policy and Paris, one of the world's most visited cities, is reeling from its second terrorist attack this year.

Terrorism has contradictory effects on tourism, it seems, opening our hearts to the destinations affected while also making us wary. Another factor at work here is that we tend to see terrorist attacks as isolated events in Western countries but as part of a systemic problem in more exotic places, says Manchester.

"Tourists tend to return quickly to cities like New York and London partly because they're more relatable places, partly because of how the events are covered by media. While there may be a drop in visitor numbers to Paris, we'd expect it to bounce back more quickly after the latest attack [on November 13] than in places like Tunisia or Kenya."

IGNORANCE IS CONTAGIOUS

Africa needs visitors like never before, having experienced its greatest decline in tourism in living memory after the outbreak of Ebola last year – although some commentators have called it an "epidemic of ignorance" because fear of the virus, which has affected only three West African nations (Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea), has spread to the entire continent.

"The risk was as low as travelling in Asia or Europe, but some people didn't see it that way," says Badyari, whose company, World Expeditions launched a campaign late last year to reassure travellers and remind them of the humanitarian impact of cancelling their trips.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) currently has "do not travel" alerts for nine African countries including Somalia, Burundi and Niger because of armed conflict or the risk of kidnapping. But that doesn't mean it's not safe to travel to Kenya, Tanzania, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa – or Ethiopia.

"People hear the word Ethiopia and think: drought, famine, desert," says Bodkin, whose Secret Compass runs mountain biking trips in the Simien Mountains. "They're stuck in the '80s and the era of Geldof's Live Aid … [but] adventure tourism is really picking up for the region, which is great for small-scale operators and makes now a great time to go."

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

Another way to have a positive impact on Africa, and other destinations, is by going to see its wildlife, preferably in the wild or in sanctuaries that recreate wild conditions as much as possible, says Nicola Beynon of World Animal Protection, which helps by "funding conservation, deterring poaching and creating advocates for protecting biodiversity and the world's natural environments".

In a nod to the growing importance of animal-friendly tourism, World Expeditions, in partnership with World Animal Protection, last month launched its Animal Welfare in Tourism Code of Conduct, an industry first.

Where to go, to help the world's wild animals? Whale-watching in Iceland or Norway helps eco-tourism become more profitable than whaling. You could take a safari in east Africa, particularly in Tanzania or Mozambique, both of which have lost more than half their wild elephants to poaching in the past five years; or South Africa, where rhino poaching is at record levels.

The mountain gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda need us, as do the orang-utans in northern Sumatra, the tigers in India and snow leopards in Bhutan and Ladakh, in northern India.

Whether we're visiting countries after natural disasters or terrorist attacks, offering hands-on help or seeking a new take on misunderstood cultures and creatures, travel that benefits and respects the people and places we visit is a powerful force, one we can all participate in for a better world.

FIVE NEW BENEVOLENT TRAVEL EXPERIENCES

ECO-LUXURY, FRENCH POLYNESIA The vision of Hollywood eco-warrior Marlon Brando, who died before it opened in July 2014, The Brando is a 35-villa luxury eco-resort on a private island that uses solar energy, a coconut oil-fuelled generator and a pioneering deep seawater air-conditioning system. Villas from $3650 a night. See thebrando.com

INTO NORTH KOREA World Expeditions and Intrepid Travel both have new tours to the People's Republic in April 2016: an eight-day sightseeing adventure called the North Korean Explorer (costs $3690, see worldexpeditions.com) and a Pyongyang Marathon trip for runners and non-runners (the nine-day trip costs $3295, see intrepidtravel.com).

HORSES IN THE HOLY LAND This 15-day horse-trek to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in April 2016 (cost $6300) retraces Mark Twain's trip in 1867, and includes meeting Israelis, Jewish settlers, Bedouins and Christian and Muslim Arabs, and sleeping in kibbutzim and desert camps. See secretcompass.com

TREK THAILAND FOR A CAUSE Help end the dog meat trade by trekking in northern Thailand for four days, then spending two days helping at Soi Dog Foundation shelter in Phuket, in November 2016. The 11-day trip costs $4390 plus a fund-raised donation. See inspiredadventures.com.au

HOME-GROWN MYANMAR Trafalgar's 11-day Secrets of Myanmar trips ($4550) start in January 2016 and include sightseeing in Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake and exclusive interactions with local people through cooking classes, monastery visits and other experiences. See trafalgar.com

FIVE WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU TRAVEL DON'T RIDE ELEPHANTS

Intrepid Travel stopped offering elephant rides – which are "inherently cruel", says World Animal Protection – last year and more than 80 operators worldwide have pledged to do the same. Do: visit elephant orphanages and sanctuaries for rescued or abused elephants. See worldanimalprotection.org.au; elephantnaturepark.org

RESPECT MARINE LIFE

If you've seen the films The Cove or Blackfish, you'll know why you shouldn't swim with captive dolphins or visit aquariums that feature performing dolphins or orcas. Marine mammals belong in the ocean and suffer enormously in captivity. Do: swim with dolphins and other marine mammals in the wild, on their terms. See dolphinproject.net; dolphinencounter.co.nz

DON'T VISIT ORPHANAGES IN CAMBODIA

Orphanages can do more harm than good, tearing families apart and forcing children to live in substandard conditions, and visits rarely help. Do: support organisations that keep families together or sponsor a child. See thinkchildsafe.org, scv.org.au (Australian-run Sunrise Children's Villages).

DON'T BUY SOUVENIRS MADE FROM ANIMAL PARTS

Don't buy souvenirs or any products that include ivory, fur, feathers, shells or coral or Chinese medicines made from endangered or threatened species. Do buy souvenirs that are hand-made from local, recycled or renewable materials. See checklist.cites.org

DON'T GIVE TO BEGGING CHILDREN

Children on the streets are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, and child trafficking is a worldwide issue. Do donate to local charities or schools, or take a tour that benefits an entire community. See childsafetourism.org; kiberatours.com

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY…

There are some precautions you can take as a measure against unforseen events and for some peace of mind, wherever you're headed.

PLAY IT SMART

Register your travel plans with Smartraveller, the travel advisory run by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, even if you're travelling on a group tour or a cruise, so DFAT can contact you or notify your family in an emergency. You can also subscribe to updates on its travel advice for countries or regions you plan to visit. See smartraveller.gov.au

READ THE FINE PRINT

Check your travel insurance. Most travel insurers cover you against unexpected events such as terrorist attacks, riots and natural disasters, as long as you don't put yourself in harm's way and you're not in a country that already has a current DFAT "Do not travel" alert. Some insurers, such as Allianz Group, have their own travel advisories but still use the advice issued by the Australian government to evaluate claims.

KEEP IN TOUCH

Use Facebook Safety Check – when it is activated. Safety Check was created last year to allow Facebook users to let their friends and family know they're safe when natural disasters hit, such as the earthquakes in Nepal. That changed during the Paris attacks, when 4 million people in the city ticked "I'm safe" within 24 hours; Facebook has said it will now activate it during selected "human disasters" too. See facebook.com/about/safetycheck/.

The story Ecotourism: The top five destinations we should visit first appeared on The Sydney Morning Herald.

Source: Ecotourism: The top five destinations we should visit

Revealed: The Planet’s Most And Least Polluted Holiday Destinations

According to new research, some of the most frequently travelled global cities are amongst the most polluted holiday destinations on the planet. The 2015 study, surveying as many as 28 major world cities in terms of air quality, has disclosed some absorbing findings. The research compared cities and their Air Quality Index based on their respective levels of air pollution that may have detrimental implications for travellers owing to hazardous air pollutants active in the atmosphere.

According to the study, Thailand's capital city, Bangkok, has featured as the least polluted urban destination in the world, followed by Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Madrid. Also featuring prominently on the list of environmentally healthy global destinations are New York City, Paris, and Sao Paulo. Similarly, exceedingly popular cities such as London, Sydney, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Rome, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Mexico City have also fared moderately well, according to the findings.

However, those featured on the opposite side of the rankings include Beijing, Dubai, and Mumbai, which ranked among the most polluted cities for international travel, with Beijing ostensibly the most environmentally hazardous destination. Not too far behind are Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur and Turkey's Istanbul and capital Ankara, ranked as relatively unhealthy.

Dubai [Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images]

Statistically, more than three million people around the world each year succumb to the toxic and life-threatening effects of outdoor pollution. These figures go on to suggest that travellers need to be pronouncedly attentive to some of the problematic and possibly hazardous aspects of travel prior to picking a holiday spot.

Pollution is a major environmental challenge confronted by the world at present. The impact of pollution is felt most unremittingly in developing countries, leading to poor health, death, and disabilities of millions of people year after year. Many environmental experts have already warned that environmental pollution may, in fact, be inevitable in developing countries.

Generally, any substance introduced into the atmosphere that has detrimental effects on living things and the environment is considered air pollution. Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is the leading air pollutant and a principal force behind global warming. It fundamentally works as a pollutant when associated with cars, planes, power plants, and other industrial activities that involve the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas.

The Chinese capital, for instance, has for many years experienced perpetual air pollution. Primary sources of pollutants include exhaust emission from Beijing's more than five million motor vehicles, coal burning in neighbouring regions, dust storms from the north and local construction dust, all of these contributing to its appallingly modest standing as the least environmentally healthy city.

Beijing [Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images]

According to a recent study, the world's most eco-friendly cities are ranked according to the extent of their respective CO2 emissions, transportation alternatives, water and waste management, and overall environmental initiative.

As of last year, Vancouver featured among the leading cities of the world with an impeccable standing on carbon emissions and air quality, largely owing to the city's commitment to green energy endorsements and judicious exploitation of its hydropower. Likewise, as one of the pioneers of the world's first comprehensive, rapid-transit bus systems along with its consistently efficacious recycling measures, the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba continues to advance astonishingly well as a foremost eco-friendly city.

Among Scandinavian cities, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm continue to lead the march among Europe's greenest and environmentally most forward-thinking cities. Likewise, South Africa's second-largest city, Cape Town, after having made exceedingly noteworthy strides in Africa by strongly advocating energy conservation and actively harnessing its renewable resources, is among the world's least polluted top travel destinations.

[Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images]

Source: Revealed: The Planet's Most And Least Polluted Holiday Destinations

Rwandan designers showcase their products at 'Origin Africa'

Six Rwandan designers have returned to Rwanda from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where they showcased their work at Origin Africa, the continent's largest international trade show and conference for textile, leather, home and beauty products. 

This year's theme was about accelerating the value chain in Africa. Participants were told how the world markets are not only looking at the continent as an excellent sourcing destination but also how they have their eyes set on Africa for fashion inspiration.

This year's global colour trends are the best example for this with bright colours, classic animal prints, lush green tropical landscapes, exotic flowers and fruits and the continuous influence of African prints taking center stage.

For long, Rwanda has been dependent on used clothes imported from abroad. Times are now changing.

Teta Isibo of Inzuki Designs also attended. (Sarine Arsalanian)

Designers are becoming aware of the importance of the locally designed, sourced, and manufactured clothes, and are working hard towards achieving this. And when local sourcing is not an option, regional sourcing is.

Teta Isibo from Inzuki Designs, who was one of the exhibitors told The New Times that this is Africa's time to shine.

"I am proud to be here as a representative of Rwanda showing what can come out of our continent, and it's now actually a growing trend among international brands to source from Africa," she says.

Proud that Rwandans are now able to compete with other countries on the international market, Isibo feels that she is getting closer to her goal of seeing Inzuki products across Africa, and even international borders. The event certainly met her expectations; it allowed her to meet interesting players in the field, suppliers of raw materials such as leather, and different market players.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw

Source: Rwandan designers showcase their products at 'Origin Africa'

How Much Will Pope Francis' Visit Cost Africa? Kenya, Uganda Spending Millions Ahead Of Papal Trip

Pope Francis will make his first visit to Africa this week, stopping in Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic. But hosting the Holy See is not cheap, especially for impoverished and indebted African nations.

The papal visit to Kenya alone will cost the country about $2 million. The Kenyan Conference of Catholic Bishops held a dinner earlier this month to fundraise for the pope's three-day stay, which begins Wednesday, according to Kenya's Citizen Digital. Laborers have been busy paving new roads and refurbishing old ones in the capital, Nairobi, that will be used by Francis and his convoy. Meanwhile, the East African nation continues to accumulate debt to cover for a projected budget deficit of 8.7 percent of gross domestic product.

"A deficit of 8.7 percent is very worrying," Razia Khan, Africa economist at Standard Chartered Bank, told CNBC in July.

The closure of major roads in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, could also cost local businesses. Nairobi Police Commander Japheth Koome said Tuesday that traffic will be disrupted along Mobasa, Uhuru Highway and State House Road when President Uhuru Kenyatta receives Pope Francis Wednesday. Other roads will be blocked Thursday when the pope holds Mass at the University of Nairobi campus, according to the Star local newspaper.

After his visit in Kenya concludes Friday, Francis will head to Uganda. The country's Catholic Church received about $5.3 million for renovations of the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in a Kampala suburb ahead of the papal trip. Many Ugandans have also donated cash toward sprucing up the Catholic shrine at Namugongo, where more than 2 million people are expected to gather Saturday.

"To receive all these people is not easy. You have got to provide facilities for all of them, for all the pilgrims coming from everywhere," said Fr. Vincent Lubega, the rector of the Uganda Martyrs Shrine, told the Associated Press Tuesday.

The Ugandan government has set aside another $1.5 million for other costs during the three-day visit, such as security expenditures. An estimated 15,000 police officers are expected to be deployed to ensure the pope's stay is not threatened or interrupted,  local newspaper Daily Monitor reported. Meanwhile, Uganda's fiscal debt is forecast to average 6 to 7 percent of GDP for the next few years, nearly double its average since 2011, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Kenyan artist Simon Kizito tries to sell his painting of Pope Francis in Nairobi's Kangemi slum on Nov. 24, 2015.  Nichole Sobecki/Getty Images

It was not immediately clear how much Francis' two-day visit to the Central African Republic would cost the country. However, additional troops have already been deployed in the nation ahead of the pope's arrival Sunday. The United Nations said it plans to deploy some 300 peacekeepers to the Central African Republic from a U.N. mission in Ivory Coast for eight weeks to boost security ahead of the pope's visit and the country's December elections, Reuters reported. France currently has 900 soldiers in Central African Republic supporting the U.N. mission, which has 11,000 soldiers in total.

Although Pope Francis' visit to Africa comes with a heavy price tag, it could bring in major cash for local economies. The Uganda Tourism Board hopes the papal trip will drive tourism in the country.

"With the forthcoming papal visit and the billions being spent to develop the martyrs' sites, we believe that Uganda will climb the faith-based tourism hierarchy and join Israel, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Jordan -- who are the top four faith-based tourist countries in the world -- and our focus is to ensure this country takes up the fifth spot," Uganda Tourism Board CEO Steven Asiimwe told New Vision newspaper.

Kenya's struggling tourism industry has also pegged its hopes on the pope's visit this week. After deadly terrorist attacks in Kenya earlier this year, hoteliers along the coast are optimistic the papal trip will boost confidence in the East African nation as a safe tourist destination.

"This visit will again raise Kenya's profile and is also an endorsement, because a leader of such a big following from Catholics across the world coming to Kenya means a lot," Titus Kangangi, CEO of Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa in Mombasa, told local K24 TV. "This will help change perceptions in terms of security and safety of visitors."

Source: How Much Will Pope Francis' Visit Cost Africa? Kenya, Uganda Spending Millions Ahead Of Papal Trip

Ethiopia Receives Exotic Tourist Destinations of 2015 Award

Ethiopia has been named the top travel destinations of 2015 by the Russian branch of the National Geographic Traveler magazine, according to Ethiopian News Agency.

Gerum Abay, Ambassador of Ethiopia to the Russian Federation, has received the award on the behalf of Ethiopia at a ceremony held in Moscow on November 18, 2015.

Readers and viewers of this Journal were requested to vote online for a specific destination of their choice from the candidate nations in 12 various categories. Accordingly, they have voted for Ethiopia as the top travel destinations of 2015.

Among the Vietnam and South Africa, Russian viewers and readers of the Journal voted Ethiopia as the winner of the award in the category of "Exotic Tourist Destination of 2015".

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Source: Ethiopia Receives Exotic Tourist Destinations of 2015 Award

Kenya among top destinations for Gulf bloc investors

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce (DCC) says Kenya is among the top four countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that attracted the largest number of investors from the Gulf in the first half of the year.

Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda are the other countries favoured by foreign direct investment (FDI) from the Gulf region. Such investments range from setting up of green field projects to private equity companies taking up stakes in existing firms.

"Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Uganda have attracted the largest number of Gulf investors — between 10 and 25 firms each," said the DCC.

The chamber made the conclusion on the basis of new research. The study further revealed that east African countries had the highest appeal in non-commodity investment from the Gulf.

Commodity exports include those which derive significant income from exports of crude oil and minerals.

"The study also found that East Africa was the most appealing region for non-commodity investment from the Gulf, with retail and hypermarkets, automotives, commercial banking and tourism considered key sectors," said DCC.

It further noted that leisure, retail and tourism in Kenya and Mozambique, manufacturing in Ethiopia, and education in Uganda were also popular with Gulf investors. The investors already own 20 hotels and resorts in SSA.

The chamber report showed the Gulf provided Sh277 billion ($2.7 billion) in FDI to Sub-Saharan Africa in the first half of this year, and Sh953 billion ($9.3 billion) in the 10 years between 2005 and last year.

The most significant modes of FDI entry for Gulf investors interested in Sub-Saharan Africa are co-investment with private equity funds, purchase of private equity businesses and direct buyouts or minority share acquisition.

The study also highlighted private equity investment options, where Abraaj continues to lead the way having closed its third Africa-focused fund with Sh102 billion ($1 billion) in subscribed capital in April 2015.

Also cited is QNB's purchase of a 23 per cent stake in Ecobank of Togo and the Investment Corporation of Dubai's $300 million investment in Dangote Cement of Nigeria. Abraaj, and Ecobank already have investments in Kenya while Dangote Cement is planning a factory in Kitui.

The report showed that demographic trends, growing consumer markets, economic stability and an improving business environment, as well as a resilience are among key factors attracting investors to the SSA.

It predicted an SSA gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 5.3 per cent between 2017 and 2020. By the end of the century, Africa will host 3.9 billion people, it added.

girungu@ke.nationmedia.com

Source: Kenya among top destinations for Gulf bloc investors

Africa Industrialization Day through the micro lens

Despite my years of research experience on African industrial development, it has come to my attention for the first time that there has been a long tradition of celebrating Africa Industrialization Day on November 20—each year since 1990! But why celebrate African industrialization? In short, to raise global awareness on the importance and challenges of African industrialization and to stimulate the international community's commitment to the industrialization of Africa. In addition, African industrial development contributes to not just overall economic and social development but also to this year's theme: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for poverty eradication and job creation for women and youth.

1. Why do we care about African industrialization?

All countries should have an active industrial policy to achieve sustainable development: Sound industrial policies present Africa opportunities to invest in its human and physical capital formation, in technological innovation, and in supportive institutions. In addition to the merits of industrialization on its own, African industrialization also helps countries achieve pro-poor growth and safeguards economies against market and climate-related shocks. Thus, African industrialization is essential to spurring growth and improving overall well-being on the continent.

2. What is the state of African industrial sector?

The industrial sector, however, is not yet the main driver of most African economies. According to WDI (2015), only 11 percent of sub-Saharan Africa's GDP came from the manufacturing sector in 2014, after a decline from where it was in year 2000 (13 percent). The service sector, on the other hand, has seen an increase of nearly 10 percentage points (from just under 50 percent in 2000 to 58 percent in 2014). The industrial sector is not a major employer either, with the majority of the labor force employed in the agricultural sector. A small domestic market, and lack of access and capability to compete in the international market has kept the region's market for industrial products limited. In 2010, only 2 percent of world's merchandise exports were from sub-Saharan Africa. Of that small share of the region's total merchandise exports, just 28 percent came from the manufacturing sector (compared to a world average of 67 percent). Disaggregating total merchandise exports by export destinations reveals that over the past decade the share of sub-Saharan Africa's merchandise exports have started to shift from high-income countries to destinations in developing countries. 

Table 1. Sub-Saharan Africa's Exports by Destinations (% of total merchandise exports)

Leaving these macro figures aside and looking into the sector through a micro lens reveals that a typical business in Africa is small, employing a few workers besides the owner(s). Notably, SMEs contribute to the major share of employment in the sector while large and more formal firms take a lead on the sector's contribution to gross domestic product. Women and youth constitute the majority of SMEs in Africa's formal and informal industrial sectors.

3. Why is a typical firm in Africa small?

The small size of the domestic market for industrial products partly explains the size distribution of the African industrial sector. Very often SMEs struggle with lack of access to dependable markets due to limited business networks or lack of marketing skills to identify potential markets and to compete with more established large firms. Market failures, such as lack of access to affordable credit and investment uncertainties, also make it a natural starting point for Africa's entrepreneurs to start small and invest in small steps.

4. What are the survival and growth prospect of small businesses in Africa?

Unfortunately, small and young firms have the least likelihood of surviving competition regardless of their economic performance. Small businesses charge lower prices for their products for the first three to five years, though it is not obvious that they produce inferior quality products or use less productive technologies. The growth prospects of small startups surviving market selection is not as promising as we want them to be either. It is a highly debated matter whether SMEs take the lead in contributing to job creation in the African industrial sector (Ayyagari et al., 2011; Page and Soderbom, 2012). Central to this debate is the question of whether the total jobs created by SMEs is due to employment growth through expansion of existing firms or due to an influx of small startups that are unlikely to survive market selection a few years down the line.

5. How do these challenges influence Africa's industrial development?

The above challenges of small and young enterprises, coupled with high unemployment rates, contribute to the lack of incentives to formalize or start small businesses in Africa's formal industrial sector. For example, research on Ethiopia's urban informal sector shows that with the exception of the absolutely small firms, returns to invested capitals are smaller in the informal sector than they are for formal firms with comparable capital stock. Even in the informal sector, the study finds that firms with better access to dependable markets (through marketing linkages with traders and by being part of a value chain network of manufacturers) have better prospects of growth and capacity expansion.

6. What do we need to do about it?

Industry's role for job creation and poverty reduction is limited unless we address the survival and growth prospects of Africa's small businesses. To start, we need market development interventions targeting building marketing skills and capability of domestic firms to identify, network with, and compete in wider and reliable markets. Research shows that the firms that manage to translate market potentials into high profitability are more likely to grow (Banerjee and Duflo, 2011; Siba, 2015). Next, we need to encourage the entry of larger firms by addressing investment uncertainties and by widening the extent of local markets through reduction in transport costs. Following up a large-scale investment in road infrastructure, Shiferaw et al., 2015 find that reduction in transport costs is associated with an increase in average startup size. Finally, we also need to look beyond the domestic market and exploit the benefits of export promotion and regional integration to widen the market destination of Africa's industrial products.

I hope the state of research on Africa's industrial development has contributed to today's cause in making it clear that we need more jobs—and many more good jobs—for Africa's industries to meaningfully contribute to job creation and poverty reduction.

Source: Africa Industrialization Day through the micro lens

Turkish Airlines to fly in airport CEOs from all its 46 African destinations to ACI Airport Exchange Istanbul!

November 5: Durban, South Africa becomes Turkish Airlines' 46th African destination. The Star Alliance airline is providing free travel to Istanbul for all its partner African airport CEOs to attend ACI Airport Exchange in December. The event is being hosted by İGA Havalimanı İşletmesi A.S., the company building its new €10.2 billion Istanbul New Airport mega-hub.

Reflecting Turkish Airlines' intensive interest in Africa, where it has most recently opened its 46th destination (to Durban), the Star Alliance airline has agreed to provide free tickets to all airport CEOs across its African network so they can attend ACI Airport Exchange in Istanbul 8-10 December to learn about its brand new mega-hub, and get Turkish business more involved in African airport development.

This year ACI Airport Exchange is being hosted by İGA Havalimanı İşletmesi A.Ş., the company building Istanbul New Airport, the new €10.2 billion mega-hub which will be dominated by Turkish Airlines when it opens in 2018. Therefore the event is very much shaping-up to be a showcase of Turkish airports expertise, especially as the programme includes "The 1st Istanbul New Airport Development Conference" – one of seven specialist conferences around an exhibition of over 120 companies, many of whom are suppliers to the new airport.

Turkey's big African airport vision

Turkish Airlines' motivation to bring its African airport partners to Istanbul builds upon Turkish government policy which views Africa as a priority interest as it estimates the continent will become a $30 trillion economy by 2050. Turkish Airlines' expansion (it has just-announced Madagascar and Mauritius as destinations 46 and 47), and Turkish exporting businesses, are closely harnessed to this official policy, especially Turkey's thriving airports sector which is keen to play a central role in the redevelopment of African airports.

Indeed Serdar Yildirim, the new Director General of DHMI, the state airports organisation and sovereign landlord of all 55 Turkish airports (including all those in Istanbul), says DHMI wants a leading role in building and operating new African airports in partnership with skilled Turkish construction firms and airport operators. DHMI's plan is to export the Public-Private-Partnership model which has transformed the Turkish airports landscape, including the Istanbul New Airport.

Serdar Yildirim (right) the new Director General of DHMI, the Turkish state airports organisation: "The Istanbul New Airport-hosted ACI Airport Exchange will serve as a platform and shop window for Turkey's substantial airports capability." (Yildirim was commenting days after Limak, a leading partner in the new airport, won the $4 billion tender for a new terminal at Kuwait International Airport.)

Turkish airport PPP is also a ready-made model that Dr Temel Kotil, the Turkish Airlines CEO, enthuses about: "We have practiced building airports and now we can build them everywhere – today TAV (operator of Istanbul Ataturk and many other Turkish and foreign airports) and Limak (a central partner in Istanbul New Airport) are global players."

And there are already real examples in Africa of how the Turkish PPP model is bearing fruit, including the new terminal for Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport which was inaugurated by Turkey's President Erdoğan in February. The build-operate facility is managed by Favoli Airport LLC – a partnership between Turkey's Kozuva Construction and Cetin Group – it has a concession to operate the air terminal for 20 years.

There are real examples in Africa of how the Turkish PPP model is bearing fruit, including the new terminal for Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport which was inaugurated by Turkey's President Erdoğan in February.

"We're already operating twice daily to Mogadishu which has some 40 flights per day from a combination of all airlines – there should be 100 flights soon – it's really becoming accessible," says Turkish Airlines' Kotil who thinks there are many more African cities which could be receiving Turkish Airlines' services, often starting with 2-3 weekly frequencies.

Kotil: "Africa is going to be like heaven"

"Anybody serving Africa has a good profit – yields are two or three times higher than in Europe on every single flight, sometimes traffic may be tiny, but the profit is high. As the market grows this will change, yield is going to halve, but in 20 years Africa is going to be like heaven."

DHMI's Yildirim is similarly enthusiastic: "It's time we took our potential outside of the borders of Turkey…our first target is Africa, there are huge opportunities there…our scope is on Africa, and African attitudes to the presence of DHMI, and its Turkish partners, are very good."

Kotil agrees that the advent of Istanbul New Airport will also encourage traffic by other competitive airlines at the mega-hub, but he says this will also further increase Turkish Airlines' African dominance: "My message to other airlines, whether code sharers or Star Alliance is: Fly to Turkey more! We need feed – we are going to get it from ourselves – but we also welcome other airlines – for every 100 passengers they bring I will get 50 customers from these lovely 'other' airlines who will fly on to Africa."

Turkish Airlines' CEO Dr Temel Kotil tells anna.aero why Africa is so important: "Yields are two or three times higher than in Europe on every single flight, sometimes traffic may be tiny, but the profit is high. As the market grows this will change, yield is going to halve, but in 20 years Africa is going to be like heaven."

Source: Turkish Airlines to fly in airport CEOs from all its 46 African destinations to ACI Airport Exchange Istanbul!

South Africa Chips Away At Resolving Poultry Squabble

By Alex Lawson

Law360, New York (November 18, 2015, 12:44 PM ET) -- The South African government announced Tuesday that it will scale back its ban on U.S. poultry stemming from scattered outbreaks of avian influenza, putting to rest just one of several trade rifts the led the White House to revoke preferential status for the country's food imports.

In a bilateral agreement inked late last week, South Africa agreed to deny market access to U.S. poultry deriving only from areas affected by the disease, replacing its earlier policy that banned all U.S. poultry regardless of its specific destination....

Source: South Africa Chips Away At Resolving Poultry Squabble

Durban on its way to becoming global contact centre destination

The contact centre and business process outsourcing (BPO) industries in Durban continue to grow at speed, creating local job opportunities by attracting local and international investors. The city of Durban can rightfully claim its position as one of the leading BPO locations in South Africa.

This is according to Johann Kunz, Managing Director of WNS South Africa, the local arm of global business process outsourcing firm, WNS. "With its skilled talent pool, first-rate infrastructure and central location, Durban also has the potential to be a leader in the international contact centre industry," he adds.

Having the second-largest business and industrial base in the country, WNS identified Durban as a strategically suitable location to open its sixth South African delivery centre, located in the River Horse Valley Business Estate.

  See also

    "We envision our new Durban delivery centre to be a catalyst for job creation, skills development and economic growth within previously disadvantaged areas of the region. We have already created 400 jobs after opening our doors and aim to increase this to over 1 000 new job opportunities in the next 12 months," says Kunz.

Kunz adds that Durban has carved out its own speciality within the local contact centre industry; namely, delivering outbound and IT interactions.

Tebogo Molapisane, CEO of South African BPO industry body, BPESA, says that after more than a decade in operation, the South African BPO industry is maturing to offer a range of business process solutions. "The industry has also been identified by government as a priority sector and key contributor to economic growth," he adds.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) involves contracting a third party provider to take over the operation of a particular company's business functions with the aim of being more efficient. These functions, which include customer interaction services, among other processes, are often delivered from another country.

"The BPO/Contact Centre industry currently accounts for over 215 000 jobs across the country, with approximately 26 500 of those servicing international markets. This figure is expected to grow significantly over the next few years," says Molapisane.

Kunz says that the local BPO industry plays an important role in boosting job opportunities, especially for the youth of the country where it is most needed. "In addition to providing these employment opportunities, the BPO sector also provides young people with critical skills to build their careers. Through our registered in-house FET college, we will roll out a number of training and development programmes to benefit employees from previously disadvantaged communities within the eThekwini Municipality and surrounding areas."

"While creating employment opportunities remains important, the expansion of skills is vital to ensure sustainability and long-term advancement for both the industry and the individuals who work in it," concludes Kunz.

WNS

WNS (Holdings) (NYSE: WNS), is a leading global business process management company. WNS offers business value to 200+ global clients by combining operational excellence with deep domain expertise in key industry verticals including travel, insurance, banking and financial services, manufacturing, retail and consumer packaged goods, shipping and logistics, healthcare and utilities. WNS delivers an entire spectrum of business process management services such as finance and accounting, customer care, technology solutions, research and analytics and industry specific back office and front office processes. As of 30 June 2015, WNS had 29 672 professionals across 37 delivery centres worldwide including China, Costa Rica, India, Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and the United States. For more information, visit www.wns.com.

  Editorial contacts

WNS SATaryn WeldonGroup Manager - Marketing(+27) 21 819 6283This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Evan GilbertAssistant Manager - Marketing(+27) 21 819 6281This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

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Source: Durban on its way to becoming global contact centre destination

After Paris ISIS Attacks, Morocco Terrorism Under Scrutiny: Islamic State Is North African Country's Latest Terror Threat

After the alleged mastermind behind Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris was identified as being of Moroccan descent, police in the North African nation on Monday arrested four alleged members of the so-called Islamic State militant group, also known as ISIS, Reuters reported. French authorities named Abdelhamid Abaaoud as a primary suspect in the attacks that left more than 125 dead and at least 350 people injured, including nearly 100 critically.

Abaaoud is a Belgian national, but his Moroccan heritage could become an aspect of interest to investigators, who launched a series of overnight and early morning raids in Belgium Monday. Officials last week foiled a terrorism plot by a Moroccan that targeted a church in Europe, though it was immediately unclear which region of Europe was targeted. As a result, Morocco was placed on a higher-than-normal alert following this weekend's attack, raising its terror threat level to a "3," which is average, the same as the U.S., reported Morocco World News.

Just two months ago, the United Kingdom issued a warning of an increased terror threat in Morocco and cautioned British citizens over traveling to the nation because "Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners."

About two weeks prior to that, more than a dozen terror suspects with reported ties to ISIS were arrested in Morocco for allegedly planning to carry out attacks at various locations throughout the country. In that instance, Morocco and neighboring Spain worked in conjunction to foil the would-be attackers, who were headquartered in suburban Madrid, the Express UK reported. The countries' close proximity to one another underscores the potential threat each faces from ISIS, as more than 125 people have reportedly left Spain over the past few years to join ISIS, Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said in August.

A previous raid on ISIS in Morocco was carried out in March, yielding multiple arrests of alleged ISIS loyalists just two days after terrorists attacked a museum in nearby Tunisia, where more than two dozen people were killed and dozens more injured.

Morocco has made it a crime to join foreign terrorist organizations, and has released data showing that it is the only country in the Middle East/North Africa region to avoid coming under a terrorist attack last year. Earlier this month, the U.K. ranked Morocco among the safest countries in the world.

Still, the Muslim Brotherhood group remains based in Morocco's popular tourist destination, Casablanca, and it has splintered across various cities in the nation, according to the Institute for Security Studies, a nonprofit think tank conducting research and policy advice on terrorism in Africa. The U.S. Department of State lists Morocco as "a strong partner in counterterrorism efforts" that "works closely with U.S. law enforcement," which could explain why the country hasn't seen a recent terror attack.

The most recent instance of terrorism in Morocco came in 2011, when an explosion in the city of Marrakesh killed more than a dozen people at a popular tourist destination and injured at least 20, BBC reported. The attack provoked widespread condemnation among world leaders. Other fairly recent instances of terrorism in Morocco include separate suicide bombings in Casablanca in 2007, highlighted by an attack at the U.S. diplomatic offices there in April of that year, Al Jazeera reported. In 2003, suicide bombers launched five separate attacks in Casablanca and killed nearly four dozen people, including the bombers.

Source: After Paris ISIS Attacks, Morocco Terrorism Under Scrutiny: Islamic State Is North African Country's Latest Terror Threat

Ex-Niger PM jets home but is arrested

Niger's opposition presidential candidate Hama Amadou was arrested on Saturday on his return from a year in exile over allegations of baby trafficking, a party colleague said.

"He was arrested on alighting from the plane. Police presented him with a warrant issued for his arrest," said lawmaker Amadou Salah.

The former prime minister and national assembly president fled the country in August last year to escape baby trafficking charges.

According to Salah, after leaving the plane Amadou was led to a car and taken to an unknown destination.

Security forces blocked the route and access to the area as the two-time former premier was driven away.

Late Saturday, Niamey Governor Hamidou Garba confirmed that Amadou had been detained in line with a "correctly executed warrant" and told state television that "Niamey has confronted a rebellious movement comprising Modem supporters."

Garba added that "defence and security forces have shown their professionalism to avoid matters pointlessly and dangerously spilling over" into unrest.

Earlier, a reporter witnessed clashes between security forces and supporters of Amadou's Modem party outside the airport.

After sporadic clashes throughout the day, calm returned as night fell around 7pm.

The party's Niamey headquarters was also cordoned off.

Source: Ex-Niger PM jets home but is arrested

The best hotels in South Africa

Leisure and travel magazine, Conde Nast has published its list of the 25 best hotels in Africa – 16 of which are found within the borders of South Africa.

Of the 16 South African hotels, three are found in Joburg, two in Franschoek and one in Umhlanga, Stellenbosch and Hermanus – with Cape Town scooping eight positions, "proving that the Mother City is a world-class travel destination," according to Cape Town Tourism CEO, Enver Duminy.

Four South African hotels made it into the top 5 – with the Belond Mount Nelson Hotel taking the top position on the continent.

The South African tourism industry has had a tough year, with no thanks to government for pushing onerous visa laws through which made it more difficult for foreigners to enter the country.

"After a year of challenges, accolades such as these – in addition to the announcement that visa and birth certificate regulations are to be relaxed – are encouraging for all our partners in the tourism industry, Duminy said.

"We are well-placed to highlight Cape Town as a top travel destination as we head into the high season."

The best hotels in South Africa

1. Belond Mount Nelson Hotel – Cape Town

2. The Oyster Box – Umhlanga

3. Ellerman House – Cape Town

4. The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa – Cape Town

5. Birkenhead House Hotel – Hermanus

6. Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa – Johannesburg

7. Babylonstoren – Cape Town

8. La Residence – Western Cape

9. One&Only – Cape Town

10. Cape Grace Hotel – Cape Town

11. Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff – Johannesburg

12. The Table Bay – Cape Town

13. Spier Hotel – Stellenbosch

14. Taj Cape Town – Cape Town

15. Le Quartier Français – Franschoek

16. 54 on Bath – Johannesburg

More on hotels

South Africa's top hotels for the super-rich

Most expensive hotels in the world

Most expensive homes for rent on Airbnb in South Africa

Source: The best hotels in South Africa

Collusion and Control: Europe Pays Africa to Keep Refugees

Things are getting their populist worst in Europe, with proposals of payment to various regimes to control the flow of refugees assuming grand proportions. Various African governments (Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia) have been offered in the order of 1.8 billion Euros to accomplish such dubious ends. "It could almost be satire," writes Ahmed H. Adam in The Guardian.

The Malta Migration Summit in Valletta saw a range of suggestions that betrayed the lengths of desperation European states are willing to go. Rather than seeing a comprehensive set of plans to deal with migrant flows at the source, in transit, and at points of destination, we have a set of primitive proposals centred on aid and bolstering repressive regimes. The end result is the same: monetising a humanitarian problem with such proposals as an Emergency Trust Fund. Member states have been asked, in turn, to make matching contributions.

The governments slated to receive money have, to a large extent, been vigorous contributors to the very refugee crisis they are now being told to stem. The result, rather perversely, is a form of refugee aid in reverse.

The Sudanese case is particularly striking, with the High Commission for Refugees noting that some 400,000 people have been internally displaced in Darfur, with a further 6.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The number of internal displacements are set to increase by the end of this year.

Another proposed recipient state, Eritrea, has similarly been the catalyst for large numbers of refugees heading to Europe. Eritreans, in 2014, constituted the second largest migrant group, after Syrians, reaching 34,320. As Maimuna Mohamud and Cindy Horst note in African Arguments, "These figures give an indication of the ongoing and prolonged political repression in Eritrea and tragically, these asylum seekers often face further insecure conditions in Libya – a hub for migrants en route to the EU, and a country on the brink of state collapse."

Out of this has grown a market in smuggling which is globalising by the week. It implicates entire structures of government officialdom, be it those in the intelligence services willing to make some ruddy cash, or those offering a poisonously dangerous hand in shifting people out.

The glaring consequence of having such Trust Fund money allocated will not address the root causes of population movements (the regimes, after all, will not change). Instead, they will provide an encouragement to deport undesirables within the state. Countries of origin effectively become countries of deportation, egged on by monetary incentives.

(via Twitter)

The Valletta Migration summit proposals effectively continue elements of the Khartoum Process, otherwise known as the EU-Horn of Africa Migration Route Initiative, which aims to combat migrant trafficking and smuggling between the Horn of Africa and Europe. All well and good, till one considers the usual suspects in refugee production.

Iverna McGowan was quick to note the implications of the proposals. "With the EU seemingly intent on enlisting African nations as proxy gatekeepers, the Valletta summit is likely to result in a one-sided border control contract dressed up as a cooperation agreement."

There are other problems with this proxy enlistment. The underlying issue here, again rooted in a monetary conceptualisation of the problem, is that the refugees fleeing for Europe from certain areas of conflict are treated as the economic sort. This skewed reading invariably invites further hostility in European quarters while denigrating the actual humanitarian character of those fleeing brutal regimes and states of fear. Forking out cash to those very regimes neither encourages protection, nor fosters stability.

The line of reasoning there is that the African refugee dilemma is being treated differently from that of Syria and Iraq. Those from Iraq and Syria are deemed humanitarian refugees; those from Africa, economic. The assessment is flawed at its core, given the conflicts afflicting Somalia, Eritrea, some parts of Nigeria and the Central African Republic.

The last, though by no means exhaustive point in these sham proposals, is the lack of monitoring and transparency that this will entail. The EU has pressed for guarantees that those returning to origin states such as Eritrea will have their safety assured, and that no torture will take place.

This stunningly naïve approach avoids the very reason why such individuals flee in the first place, effectively making a gentleman's agreement out of regime cruelty. The rule against non-refoulement enshrined in the Refugee Convention can never be reduced to such Queensberry rules of decency.

If ever there was incitement to continue a crisis rather than curb it, this is it. Such recipient governments have every interest in perpetuating, not stemming, the problem. Scores can be settled while money is funnelled into the ether. While Australian government officials pay the very people smugglers they supposedly loathe to relocate to Indonesia, various regimes can be guaranteed a sum for supposedly quelling problems largely of their own making.

The Valletta summit would suggest an acceptance of the most rudimentary reading of the global refugee problem: Throw money at it, supposedly relocate or displace the problem, and hope it vanishes before the local populace gets testy.

Source: Collusion and Control: Europe Pays Africa to Keep Refugees

Equipping Africa's Next Generation for Jobs in the Hospitality Industry for Sustainable Growth

Photo Credit: South African Tourism

The Africa continent is increasingly becoming a desired destination for millions of world-class travelers, who enjoy the white sandy beaches, wildlife safaris, and cultural tours in every region of Africa.

Some 55.7 million international visitors traveled to Africa in 2013, according to the UN World Tourism Organization. The top tourist destinations in Africa are Morocco, South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Overall, 33 of Sub-Saharan Africa's 48 countries have the capacity to build a thriving tourism industry.

Tourism is helping to drive socio-economic progress in African countries and today accounts for 9 percent of Africa's GDP.

Yet, there is tremendous room for growth.

Given the high unemployment rate in many African nations, increased investments in tourism will produce considerable economic returns in local economies. Tourism has the potential to create 200 full-time formal jobs for each $250,000 invested compared to 100 stable jobs in the resources sector, cited McKinsey Global Institute's "Africa at Work" report.

The World Bank estimates that the tourism industry could potentially add 3.8 million jobs over the next 10 years in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Still, increased investments must be coupled with a robust skills training and education opportunities to strengthen the workforce in Africa's hospitality sector.

The lack of hospitality skills in the African workforce has become a major barrier in advancing tourism in Africa. Currently, the hospitality sector faces a major skills gap in business management and operations and customer service.

The overall low education and skills of local industry workers, as well as language and cultural b arriers are impeding the growth of tourism in Africa.

Tourism and hospitality education is key in fueling the hospitality sector in Africa. The Africa-America Institute (AAI), the organization that I lead, is committed to providing opportunities for advanced professional education and training to managers and workers in key sectors of Africa's tourism ind.ustry.

AAI President Amini Kajunju participated in a panel at the Africa Travel Association's 40th Annual World Congress.

Education will help to professionalize an industry that has a high capacity for employment along the whole value chain. Professional development training will also ensure that a well-trained and committed staff is in place to provide high-quality travel experiences, which increases the va lue of future tourist stays.

To boost the hospitality sector, African governments need to create an enabling environment for strengthening the workforce in the tourism industry by setting high standards for the industry, quality control and assurance of hotel workers and tour operators, and recruitment of top teaching staff at educational institutions.

While training for entry-level positions like front desk management, housekeeping, and food service is critical to the tourism industry, training is also needed for employees who work in the public sector related to tourism, such as wildlife reserves and national parks. The public sector also needs civil servants with managerial level skills for destination planning and management.

In a technological world, online communications and technology should play a greater role in tourism and hospitality education. Universities and technical and vocational schools that are better equipped with the latest technology can teac h courses in hospitality priority areas like reservations, marketing and communications. Tech innovators can help change perceptions about Africa by showcasing a fully connected continent where tourists can gain access to high speed internet connections and mobile phones.

Education institutions and the private sector must work together to bolster Africa's tourism industry and spur economic growth. As the creator of jobs, the private sector can weigh in on designing curriculums to prepare graduates for industry jobs, offering an assessment of graduates' readiness for employment, and placing students in internships.

The Africa Travel Association's 40th annual World Congress, which was held from November 9-14, 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya, provided a platform for African tourism ministers, industry professionals, travel agents and operators, and other stakeholders to come together to envision ways of strengthening the hospitality sector. Expanding opportunities for young people to receive a tourism and hospitality education for workforce development was discussed at the gathering.

Nearly 135 million international travelers are expected to visit Africa by 2030. Well-trained staff is a traveler's first and lasting point of contact. Now is the time to invest in building a strong workforce - and to ensure that both regional and international visitors keep coming back to tourist destinations in Africa again and again.

To learn more about The Africa-America Institute, visit www.aaionline.org

Source: Equipping Africa's Next Generation for Jobs in the Hospitality Industry for Sustainable Growth