''Corona Voice'' - Angola. The tok show with Sofonie Dala. Don't miss it. Day 17

 Our coronavirus show is live in Angola. Day 17

COVID-19 is taking its toll on the world, causing deaths, illnesses and economic despair. This is a crisis like no other the world has faced in recent decades in terms of its potential economic and social impacts. It's estimated that the pandemic could push about 49 million people into extreme poverty in 2020.

Today we invited Silvestre, he will share with us the challenges he faces during the time of Covid-19 pandemic. 

Sir, what's your name?

My Name is Silvestre

Could you tell us how the corovirus has affected you?

It affected me badly. I live alone in a rented house, I am sick and I'm struggling to continue paying rent.

Due to the lack of capacity to support my children, I sent them all to the province. Even though I can not send anything to them, I can not meet with my family, I live here alone without anyone.

Before the rise of covid-19 what was your life like and now how are things going?

I think life got worse. It has been degenerating more and more, really. I'm not feeling well at all, I live alone without a family, I feed myself alone when I have nothing no one gives me.

What have you been doing in your day to day life?

In my daily life I have been selling on the streets.

This is the first and the only Coronavirus show in Angola where the most ordinary citizens show their brilliant talents.

The heroes of the program are the most ordinary citizens - they share with the audience their songs, poems and real stories of how the Coronavirus pandemic affected their lives.

We launched the “Corona Voice show” campaign to provide a space for young women and men around Angola to share their views, experiences and initiatives.

Click here to watch free full webisodes: https://coronavoice-angola.blogspot.com/

Africa Educates Her- Angola. Campaign with Sofonie Dala. Don't Miss Out! Season 3

Our girls back to school campaign is ongoing. Day 3

The “new normal” brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has suddenly and abruptly redefined the future of education for millions of girls in Africa. This program is focused on girls ID education and today's webisode will help us to understand the impact of COVID-19 on girls from their own experiences.

Our today's guest is Edvania, she will share with us the challenges she faces during the time of Covid-19 pandemic. 

Good afternoon! My name is Edvania, I'm a university student. As an Angolan I would like to share some points about what covid-19 caused in Angola.

Well, in the academic context, it affected me particularly because I am a person who at certain points feels too lazy to read some books and review the class notes so with the arrival of covid-19 this got even worse.

The coronavirus affected my mental sense, laziness got worse. When the university reopened, I faced many difficulties to adapt, and this caused an enormous disorder in my academic development.

In the social context, covid-19 affected my family financially, we have been facing many challenges because my family depends on education, and education is one of the sectors that was most affected, people were unable to pay the tuition fees.

Costs and plans increased, when my classes returned, my family found it difficult to continue financing my studies. We have been paying accumulated expenses since the first presidential decree of the state of emergency, people have been losing a lot, food prices have also risen.

 For these and other reasons I find it very difficult to pay my tuition because the money is no longer enough. That was how the coronavirus affected me as a student.

The future of millions of girls will never be the same because of the disruption to education systems caused by COVID-19. The lived realities of girls in the face of COVID-19 and its impact on education are aptly captured by some of the girls. COVID-19 has shrunk the space for education.

Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus would you like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the pandemic? Don't miss this opportunity to bring girls back to school. Tell us your story!

Click here to watch free full webisodes: https://she-leads.blogspot.com/

Biden vows to rejoin Paris Agreement “on day one”

 THIS JUST IN – The United States President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to rejoin the Paris Agreement which his predecessor Donald Trump exited five months into his administration in 2017.

On June 1, 2017, United States President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would cease all participation in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation, and begin negotiations to re-enter the agreement “on terms that are fair to the United States”

However those interest in the renegotiations waned and the United States stayed away from the important global accord regressing important advances that had been made in the area of ​​fighting climate change.

But in a tween minutes ago, Joe Biden said “On day one, my administration will rejoin the Paris Agreement and put America back in the business of leading the world on climate change.”

The Paris Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance, signed in 2016.

Many observers believe America -s leadership is crucial in advancing the objectives of the global agreement and thus welcome its possible re-entry.

DNT News, Wilmington, Delaware

Ghana’s Cocoa Processing Company Limited to increase its production

 Mr Kwaku Owusu Baah, Board Chairman of the Cocoa Processing Company Limited (CPCL) says the Company is now better placed to retool and rehabilitate its obsolete plant and machinery to fully increase its production and consumption base.

This he said would enable them to have full access to its processing lines and explore international markets as well.

He said CPCL, in addition, the Company would continue to introduce new products and recipes and adopt a more progressive marketing posture by expanding its marketing outlets to all parts of Ghana as well as identify new foreign markets.

Mr Owusu Baah, made this known at the Company Mrs 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 Annual General Meeting held in Accra

He explained that; “The operationalization of the Continental Africa Free Trade Area in January 2021 creates an enabling environment for CPCL to tap into the over 13 billion Africa population and we intend to do just that”, Mr Baah said.

The Company he said would also put in place the needed measures to improve on its operating capacities and efficiency to enhance its market presence and market share to return the Company to a path of sustained growth and profitability.

The Company processed 25,085 metric tonnes of cocoa beans in 2017/2018 as against 28,449 metric tonnes in 2018/2019, representing an increase of 39 per cent.

Turnover also increased from 28.2 million dollars to 28.4 million dollars in the years under review, representing 0.6 per cent while gross profit jumped from 375,061 dollars in 2017 to 788,437 dollars in 2018.

Mr Baah said the company had changed its name to Cocoa Processing Company Limited and the new name was in compliance with the new Companies Act 2019 of Act 992 and it is committed to pursue total transformation machinery and inject funds into its capital structure.

No dividend was recommended for payment to the shareholders in the 2017/2018 and the 2018/2019 years under review.

GNA

Armed rebel groups in CAR form coalition ahead of polls

 Leaders of three main armed rebel groups occupying large areas of the Central African Republic announced a coalition ahead of next week’s elections.

The move, announced on Saturday, could further increase tensions already on the rise in the troubled country ahead of a presidential and legislative vote on December 27, where the opposition fears massive electoral fraud.

The armed groups decided “to combine all of our movements into a single entity, called the Coalition of Patriots for Change or CPC, under a unified command”, they wrote in the statement.

The CPC invited “all other armed groups to join.” They also urged its members to “scrupulously respect the integrity of the civilian population” and to allow vehicles belonging to the United Nations and to humanitarian groups to circulate freely.

The UN mission in the CAR, MINUSCA, said on Friday that its blue helmet forces were on “maximum alert” to prevent armed groups from disrupting the elections.

The CAR spiralled into conflict in 2013, when then-president Francois Bozize was overthrown by the Seleka, a rebel coalition drawn largely from the Muslim minority

The coup triggered a bloodbath between the Seleka and so-called “Anti-balaka” self-defense forces.

France intervened militarily in its former colony and after a transitional period, elections were staged in 2016 and won by president Faustin-Archange Touadera.

Inter-communal fighting has receded in intensity in the last two years, but armed groups hold sway over two-thirds of the country, often fighting over resources.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES

Qatar to receive first batch of COVID-19 vaccine on Monday

 Qatar will receive its first batch of the coronavirus vaccine on Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani has announced on Twitter.

“Under the directives of His Highness the Emir, the first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine will arrive the day after tomorrow, and I have directed the health sector to provide it to everyone in accordance with our health standards,” the prime minister said on Saturday.

“This is an important step on the road to containing the pandemic and gradually returning to normal life.”

It is unclear when the vaccination campaign will begin.

But the elderly and those with chronic illnesses would be the first recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Advisor Consultant to the Minister of Public Health Abdul Wahab al-Musleh told local media last week.

On Saturday, Qatar reported 142 new cases of the coronavirus, taking the total number of cases to 141,858 with 243 deaths.

A total of 139,521 people living in Qatar have recovered from the virus since the start of the pandemic.

TAAG PRESENTS A NEW RESTRUCTURING PLAN

 Angola Airlines (TAAG) presented on Saturday its Restructuring Plan and path for growth during a webinar with the company's employees.

The refurbishing plan was presented by its Executive chairperson, Rui Carreira, who explained the company’s Executive Committee program.

He said that the commission intends to place the company as a reference airline in the African regional space, disputing the leadership in its area of ​​influence with the main players of the African continent.

Career presented the guidelines and perspectives for the global airline market, its growth and profitability and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aeronautical sector.

In order to deal with the great challenges related to the restructuring of TAAG, Rui Carreira defended deep changes in companyreiras culture and its functioning to achieve the plan goalss goals.

According to him, the opening of new commercial routes, one of the main strategies for the growth and profitability of the company, requires rigorous processes based on market feasibility studies.

The event also discussed the reduction of operating costs, with a review of operational policies and procedures, renegotiation of existing contracts to ensure more competitive prices and matching the fleet to the needs of the markets where the company operates.

The chairperson of TAAG's Executive Committee called on employees to join effort for the company's growth.

PRESIDENT JOÃO LOURENÇO REAFFIRMS "DEEP CHANGES" IN ANGOLA

 The Angolan head of state, João Lourenço, said Friday that "a process of deep changes" was underway in the country, with priorities for development in the agriculture, technology, education, transport, infrastructure, health, pharmaceutical, banking and insurance sectors.

João Lourenço, who was participating, by videoconference, in a round table before the US President's Advisory Council on business in Africa, said that these sectors may be of interest to US investors, who are predominantly focused on the oil segment.

"The interest in investing almost exclusively in hydrocarbons should be corrected, taking into account the enormous potential that the Angolan economy offers," noted President João Lourenço.

The Angolan statesman considered the convergence of points of view between the Angolan government and the future US administration, regarding the issue of fighting corruption, a matter of national security.

"It is in this spirit that we are conducting, in Angola, a process of correction of bad governance practices and management of public affairs, with the support of important institutions from friendly countries, of which I highlight that of the Treasury Department, which has been providing technical assistance to our Financial Information Unit, "he noted.

On that occasion, the President of the Republic announced that the law to combat money laundering was already in force, adding that the Angolan government had taken measures to bring the country into line with globally established good practices.

In this context he indicated that the Angolan government had started, this year, the process of joining the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

THE ANGOLAN GOVERNMENT WANTS BETTER MANAGEMENT OF ANTI-POVERTY BUDGET

 The Deputy Governor for the Political, Social and Economic Sector of Cunene, Apolo Ndinoulenga, Friday in Ondjiva called for more rigor in the management of the funds allocated to each municipality under the Integrated Program for Local Development and Fight against Poverty (PIDLCP).

Cunene province has six municipalities, each receiving 25 million kwanzas per month, for the implementation of social projects, which reflect the improvement in the population's quality of life.

Speaking at the opening of the capacity building seminar on combating poverty for municipal administrators, he said that the management of the values ​​given to the municipalities should serve as a source to ensure access to basic public services for the well-being of citizens.

He said that the program to fight poverty, created by the Angolan government, aimed to reduce poverty and guarantee the social inclusion of the most vulnerable families.

"Since the creation of this program several social projects have been carried out, but the targets set out in the National Development Plan (PDN) 2018/2022, are still to be achieved," he said.

COVID-19: ANGOLA REPORTS 173 RECOVERIES, 64 NEW INFECTIONS

 Angolan health authorities announced Saturday the record in the last 24 hours of 173 patients recovered from Covid-19, 64 new infections and two deaths.

According to the Secretary of State for Public Health, Franco Mufinda, who was speaking at the country usual update session for Covid-19, of those recovered, 81 are in Zaire, 60 in Luanda, 31 in Cuando Cubango and one in Huambo, aged between five and 70.

As for the new positive cases, he pointed out that they involve citizens aged between 15 days and 67 years, 37 men and 27 women.

According to him, 29 cases were diagnosed in Luanda province, 26 in Cuanza Norte, six in Cuanza Sul and one each in Lunda Sul, Huambo and Cuando Cubango.

He noted that the deaths were of two Angolans, aged 58 and 81, one resident in Luanda and the other in Zaire.

Angola has 16,626 positive cases, 386 deaths, 9,518 recoveries and 6,722 active people.

Of the active cases, four are in critical condition with invasive mechanical ventilation, seven severe, 74 moderate, 144 with mild symptoms and 6,493 asymptomatic.

Health authorities follow up 229 patients admitted to treatment centers in the country.