Civil service absorbs over 811,000 employees

 Luanda - Around 811,000 workers, including military and paramilitary personnel, are currently included in the State's Integrated Financial Management System, the Minister of Public Administration, Labour and Social Security, Teresa Dias, said on Monday.

Teresa Dias disclosed the figure when delivering her speech at the opening of the National Meeting of Public Administration, Labour and Social Security, stating that in the management and control of civil service personnel, there were 398,815 employees until in 2018.

 

That number, she explained, fluctuated over the period under review, with a total of 399,820 employees by 2022.

 

She said, on the other hand, that the approval and entry into force, in 2022, of the Basic Civil Service Law, has allowed this ministerial department to reduce the probationary period from five to one year.

 

This enabled to include all agents in the permanent staff of administrative staff under contract, in total of 7,200, in addition to the transfer of employees from the special scheme to the general scheme, without the need for an appeal public tender.

 

"We would like to point out that the Executive also worked on the approval of Presidential Legislative Decree No. 3/22, of May 12, which established the general principles relating to the organisation and application of the indicative structure of the salary grids, as well as subsidies or additional remuneration from the Civil Service,” she stressed.

 

The Minister recalled that, as part of the training of civil servants and workers in the public sector of companies, the National School of Administration and Public Policies (ENAPP) trained 44,905 agents, having exceeded the target of 32,000 established in the National Development Plan (PDN).

 

The National Meeting on Public Administration, Labour and Social Security gathered members of the Executive, social partners, academics, journalists, among other guests.

Angola interested in learning from international organisation on education

 Luanda – Angola is interested in learning from international specialized organization on education field and to improve the cooperation with other Portuguese-speaking countries, the minister of Education Luísa Grilo said Monday in Luanda.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the International Forum of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) on Cooperation in Education, the minister highlighted the need of tangible support for the Action Plan and effective participation through programs linked to the strategic axes.

 

The Strategic Plan for Cooperation in Education in force constitutes, for the Member States, the manifestation of a fundamental commitment to cooperation in the education sector, thus serving as an integrated instrument of synergy and multilateral dialogue to respond to the interests and priorities of the States.

Among the axes of the plan are literacy, school feeding, education statistics, professional technical education, promotion of the Portuguese language, among others.

 

According to the minister, the challenges linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, HIV/AIDS, transactional terrorism, economic and financial crises, as well as armed conflicts require cooperation between governments and non-state actors.

 

Luísa Grilo considered the Forum as a space for reflection and consolidation of the mechanisms through which the Member States of the organization, through their respective agents, to have greater access to exchange opportunities available at the level of international organizations specialized in education and promotion of development sustainable.

 

Under the motto “Multilateral Cooperation, Safe Path to Transformational Education in the CPLP”, the meeting brought together members of the community, representatives of international organizations, the United Nations, among other guests.

72% of the country to have electricity access by 2050

 Luanda – More than 6.4 million families may have access to electricity by 2050 in order to achieve 72 percent of electrification goal, according to the Long-Term Strategy (ELP Angola – 2050).

The goals show the country's electrification rate increase from 43% in 2022 to 53% in 2030 and 72% by 2050.

 

In terms of renewable energies (including hydroelectric), the percentage of energy supply that, since 2022, is around 56% will increase to 70%, by 2030, and 94%, in 2050.

 

While that of thermal source will rise from 6.0%, attained in 2022, to 12.4% in 2030 and 32.9% by 2050.

With this strategy, states the document, the Government intends to ensure sustainable, efficient and inclusive energy sector that supports development, boosts economic growth and attracts large-scale private investment.

The ELP predicts that the demand for electricity in Angola will increase more than five times by 2050, and indicates that it is essential to ensure a sustainable system, making tariffs converge to the real cost of the system, reducing losses and attracting private investment in scale, to finance the growth.

 

The aim is to unlock economic growth in Angola, building a resilient economy that benefits all citizens.

Angola announces new programmes to reduce unemployment

 Luanda – The Ministry of Public Administration, Labour and Social Security (MAPTSS) will adopt a new strategy to help reduce unemployment in the 2023-2028 period.

The announcement was made by the incumbent minister, Teresa Dias, while addressing the National Meeting on Public Administration, Labour and Social Security.

Teresa Dias said the sector intends to develop measures to stimulate the valorisation of competencies, with the establishment of a new remuneration architecture to value public servants.

The plan is also, according to the minister, aimed to promote the implementation of a national employment programme, as an instrument of coordination of actions to reduce unemployment levels and regional asymmetries.

"We want to institutionalise the National Employment Fund and ensure the sustainability of the Obligatory Social Protection System, through the promotion of  increased contribution base," the minister said.

The event is taking place under the motto "Discussing the paths and progress of Administration, Labour and Social Security ''.

Government members, social partners, academics, journalists, several organisations and individuals, among other guests, are attending the meeting.

Sonangol, partners to unveil photovoltaic plant in Caraculo

 Luanda – Angola’s oil company Sonangol and partners will inaugurate Tuesday the first phase of the Caraculo Photovoltaic Plant, with global capacity for 50 megawatts.

The first phase of the project, located in the south-west Namibe province, is set to launch 25 megawatts of clean energy, with a total of 46,000 solar panels.

This is part of a joint action by Sonangol and the Italian multinational, ENI,  a national oil company source has told ANGOP.

In order to complete the expected 50 megawatts of the project, the source announced the addition of the other 25 megawatts.

The first photovoltaic power plants are located in the province of Benguela, specifically in the region of Biopio (188.8 MW) and Baia Farta (96.7 MW).

The projects were inaugurated in July 2022 by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço.

 

National Road Safety Plan 2022-2027 gets green light

 Luanda - Angola’s Cabinet Council approved Monday the National Plan for Road Safety and Prevention 2023-2027, a document that contains the strategic and operational objective aimed to reduce the number of road accidents in the country.

The Plan, according to the final communiqué of the meeting, chaired by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, also contains the actions to be implemented in view of the factors identified which contribute to road accidents in the country.

 

The Executive intends to improve the training process for vehicle drivers, develop a culture of road education, guarantee efficient management and increase the levels of safety of infrastructures, vehicles and road users.

 

The project also aims to improve and expand rescue and assistance to the victims of accident, thus reducing the death toll resulting from road accidents.

 

Water Sector

 

The session also approved the Regulations for Commercial Relations of Supply and Wastewater Sanitation Services as well as the Regulatory Information Regulation of the Water and Wastewater Sanitation Subsector.

 

The measure aims to boost the legal framework applicable to the Water and Sanitation Subsector, with regard to the duty of information of the Management Entities to the Regulatory Entity, thus allowing the creation of an ecosystem of concise, credible and easy to interpret information.

 

The session also approved the Regulation on the Quality of Service Provided in the Public Water Supply and Wastewater Sanitation Subsector, a document that also establishes, within the scope of reinforcing the powers of the IRSEA, the minimum levels of quality that must comply with the services provided in the said subsector, as well as the due compensation in the event of non-compliance.

 

The session approved the Sanctioning Regulation of the Water and Wastewater Sanitation Subsector, a diploma that establishes the sanctioning regime applicable to transgressions, infractions or non-compliance with the rules on the exercise of public water supply and sanitation of wastewater.

 

The determinations and recommendations of the Regulatory Entity of the Water and Wastewater Sanitation Subsector were also endorsed, also stipulating the norms that conduct the contravention process and the general rules on deadlines, notifications and decision.

 

Energy Sector

 

In this regard, the Cabinet Council took note of the General Guidelines for the Preparation of the National Plan for Rural Electrification.

 

The said planning instrument's main objective is to bring electricity to remote areas of the country, in order to improve the quality of life of the population and promote the economic and social development of these regions.

 

Health area

 

As for the Health Sector, the Cabinet approved the National Contingency and Emergency Plan for the Prevention of Influenza A (H1N1), an instrument that establishes a set of guidelines and procedures that, within a certain framework, aim at an effective response in the face of the threat of a pandemic by Influenza A.

 

To this purpose, the Executive intends to secure the continuity of essential services to the population, safeguarding people and the country's economic and social situation.

 

The plan foresees, among other strategic actions, the establishment of a multi-sector and multi-disciplinary coordination mechanism at national, provincial and local level; analysis of the risk of introducing and transmitting the disease in the country.

 

It also plans, promotes and monitors the implementation of the measures contemplated in each phase of the Contingency and Emergency Plan; the reinforcement of the National Public Health Epidemiological Surveillance System in relation to possible suspected cases in risk groups.

 

The same programme foresees the notification of flu cases; reinforce the institutional capacity of laboratories and establish mechanisms for detection and screening of the H1N1 virus in suspected human and animal cases; and implement preventive measures from an agricultural point of view and community awareness and mobilisation.

 

Reform of Business sector

 

As part of the implementation of the Roadmap for the Reform of the Public Business Sector, the session approved the transformation of Road Cargo Transport companies (Unicargas, U.E.E.) and Public Urban Transport of Luanda (TCUL, U.E.E.), into joint-stock companies.

 

However, reads the statement from the Cabinet Council, both institutions become companies in the public domain.

 

Thus, the said companies, henceforth, are renamed "Unicargas - Empresa de Transporte Rodoviário de Cargas, S.A." or abbreviated "Unicargas, SA." or even "Unicargas" and TCUL - Empresa de Transporte Colectivo Urbano de Luanda, S.A. or abbreviated "TCUL, S.A." or even "TCUL".

 

The Executive intends, with this transformation, to give a new dynamic to the structure and operation of these companies, through a business management model that ensures the achievement of greater efficiency and openness in the segments of freight transport, logistics operation and people and goods.

US says Russia cannot win in Ukraine, Moscow sees long war ahead

Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev said the war in Ukraine is likely to last decades with bouts of fighting and truces.

Russia will not achieve a military victory in Ukraine and Kyiv’s forces are unlikely to push back all Russian troops from their territory any time soon, the United States’s highest-ranking military official has said.

“This war, militarily, is not going to be won by Russia. It’s just not,” General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Thursday.

Russia’s original strategic objectives, including toppling the government in Kyiv, “are not achievable militarily”, Milley told journalists after the conclusion of a virtual meeting of dozens of countries that are members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which is also known as the Ramstein group.

There are also hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers in Ukraine, which would make Kyiv’s objective of recapturing all territory lost to Moscow’s forces unlikely “in the near term”, Milley said.

“That means fighting is going to continue, it’s going to be bloody, it’s going to be hard. And at some point, both sides will either negotiate a settlement or they’ll come to a military conclusion,” he said.

Milly’s assessment adds to a number of forecasts that the war in Ukraine appears set to drag on, with neither side positioned to win a clear-cut victory and no negotiations currently taking place.

Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev, a key ally of President Vladimir Putin, also said Moscow’s war in Ukraine could continue for decades.

According to comments published by Russia’s RIA news agency on Thursday, Medvedev described an ongoing conflict involving years of fighting with Ukraine, interspersed with multiple years of truces before fighting renewed.

“This conflict will last a very long time, most likely decades,” the RIA news agency cited Medvedev as saying during a visit to Vietnam.

“As long as there is such a power in place [in Kyiv], there will be, say, three years of truce, two years of conflict, and everything will be repeated,” said Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of Putin’s powerful Security Council.

Known for regularly making hardline comments on Ukraine and those considered Moscow’s enemies, Medvedev said earlier this year that a Russian defeat could trigger a nuclear war.

Tensions between Moscow and Washington continues to grow as the US spearheads the push for international support and military aid for Ukraine, including coordinating arms supplies from dozens of countries. In an apparent policy U-turn, the US last week announced it would support giving Ukraine advanced US-made F-16 warplanes.

In total, Ukraine’s supporters have provided nearly $65bn in security assistance to the country, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the press conference on Thursday.

On Thursday, Kyiv’s supporters “discussed plans for training Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter aircraft, including the F-16,” Austin said, speaking alongside Milley, noting that “planning and executing this training will be a significant undertaking”.

Austin said the Dutch and Danish defence ministers are working with the US on jet fighter training for Ukraine and that Norway, Belgium, Portugal and Poland have already offered to contribute to the initiative.

In addition, he said the allies would set up a fund so other nations could contribute to the overall effort.

Commenting on the F-16 fighters, Milley cautioned that they were not going to be “the magic weapon”.

(Al Jazeera)

“There are no magic weapons” – not the F-16s or other weapons, he said, noting that 10 F-16s could cost $2bn, including maintenance.

“The Russians have a thousand fourth and fifth-generation fighters, so if you’re going to contest Russia in the air, you’re going to need a substantial amount of fourth and fifth-generation fighters,” he said.

F-16s have a future role as part of Ukraine’s air capabilities but it is “going to take a considerable length of time to build up an air force that’s the size and scope and scale that would be necessary”.

Air defence systems are still the weapons that Ukraine needs most in the broader effort to control the airspace, he said.

The US is poised to announce up to $300m more in military aid for Ukraine comprised mainly of ammunition, two officials told the Reuters news agency. The package is expected to contain more Guided Multiple Launch Rockets (GMLRS) for HIMARS launchers as well as other ammunition.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington DC-based think tank, said that “a long war” is not a Russian goal but a means of adapting to the situation in Ukraine after its plan for a swift victory failed. Russia’s ability to sustain an extended military campaign in Ukraine is not assured, while a “long war” would allow Russia the time and space needed to rebuild its military forces, the institute said.

“Ukrainian counteroffensives will deny the Kremlin a breather to replenish its resources, will further deplete Russia’s offensive potential, and eventually enable Ukrainian forces to expel Russia from Ukraine,” the ISW said.

“The Kremlin’s ‘long war’ narrative reflects Putin’s intent to rebuild Russia’s large-scale warfighting capability. But it is also an information operation aimed to peel the West away from Ukraine. This information operation builds on previous Russian efforts, such as ceasefire narratives and nuclear blackmail,” the ISW added.

 

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

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Africa must not be a global powers’ battleground – AU

 The African Union has warned that the continent risks becoming a geostrategic battleground for competing big power interests. Its commission chairman, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said Africa must resist the consequences of intensifying global rivalries that he said threatened to create a new Cold War.

China, Russia, and the United States have all sent their top diplomats to Africa this year. Ukraine’s foreign minister is currently on a mission there.

The chairman’s warning was given on the 60th anniversary of the formation of the African Union’s predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity.

Source: BBC

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FBI Reveals 1980s Plot To Kill Queen Elizabeth II

 Queen Elizabeth II faced a potential assassination threat during a 1983 visit to the US, newly released FBI documents show.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released a cache of files relating to the late Queen’s travels to the US, following her death last year.

They show how the FBI, which helped secure the monarch’s safety during her visits, worried about IRA threats.

The assassination threat was made to a police officer in San Francisco.

According to the file, an officer who frequented an Irish pub in San Francisco warned federal agents about a call from a man he had met at the venue.

The officer said the man told him he was seeking revenge for his daughter who “had been killed in Northern Ireland by a rubber bullet”.

The threat came on 4 February 1983 – about a month ahead of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip’s visit to California.

“He was going to attempt to harm Queen Elizabeth and would do this either by dropping some object off the Golden Gate Bridge onto the Royal Yacht Britannia when it sails underneath, or would attempt to kill Queen Elizabeth when she visited Yosemite National Park,” the document says.

In response to the threat, the Secret Service had planned to “close the walkways on the Golden Gate Bridge as the yacht nears”. It is unclear what measures were taken at Yosemite, but the visit went ahead. No details of arrests were published by the FBI.

The 102-page cache was uploaded to the Vault, the FBI’s information website, on Monday, following a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by US media outlets.

Many of the late Queen’s state visits to the US, including the 1983 visit to the West Coast, came during heightened tensions amid the troubles in northern Ireland.

In 1976, the late Queen was in New York City for America’s Bicentennial celebrations.

The documents reveal how a summons was issued to a pilot for flying a small plane over Battery Park with a sign that read “England, Get out of Ireland.”

The files show how the FBI remained vigilant to what it considered to be the real potential of threats to the late Queen.

Her second cousin Lord Mountbatten was killed in an IRA bombing off the coast of County Sligo, Republic of Ireland, in 1979.

Ahead of a personal visit by the late Queen to Kentucky in 1989, an internal FBI memo read “the possibility of threats against the British Monarchy is ever-present from the Irish Republican Army (IRA)”.

It continued that “Boston and New York are requested to remain alert for any threats against Queen Elizabeth II on the part of IRA members and immediately furnish same to Louisville,” in Kentucky.

The late Queen, who owned racehorses, is known to have visited Kentucky several times during her life to enjoy the state’s equestrian highlights, including the Kentucky Derby.

On a state visit in 1991, the late Queen was scheduled to see a Baltimore Orioles baseball game with President George H Bush.

The FBI warned the Secret Service that “Irish groups” were planning protests at the stadium and “an Irish group had reserved a large block of grandstand tickets” to the game.

The bureau told NBC News there might be “additional records” that exist besides the ones released this week, but it did not set out a timetable for their publication.

Source: BBC

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Mississippi family seeks charges after policeman shoots boy, 11

Lawyer says Aderrien Murry, who called police at the request of his mother, was unarmed and following instructions when he was shot in the chest inside his home.

A Mississippi family is demanding a police officer be charged with aggravated assault for shooting an 11-year-old boy after police responded to the child’s own domestic disturbance call at his home.

Aderrien Murry, who called police at the request of his mother, was unarmed and following instructions from Indianola officer Greg Capers when Capers shot him in the chest last Saturday, family lawyer Carlos Moore said.

“We are demanding justice,” Moore said on Thursday during a protest that his law office showed on a livestream video.

“An 11-year-old Black boy in the city of Indianola came within an inch of losing his life,” Moore said at Indianola City Hall. “He had done nothing wrong and everything right.”

Aderrien’s mother, Nakala Murry, said her son is “blessed” to be alive but he does not understand why an officer shot him.

“This was the worst moment in my life and I feel like nobody cares. That’s my child, y’all,” Nakala said as she cried in the lobby of City Hall.

Moore said Nakala asked her son to call police at 4am when the father of one of her other children showed up at her home. Moore said the man was irate and Nakala felt threatened.

“He called the police to come to his mother’s rescue,” Moore said of Aderrien. “He called his grandmother to come to his mother’s rescue. The police came there and escalated the situation.”

Moore said two officers responded and one kicked in the front door before Murry opened it. She told them the intruder had left the home but three children were inside, the lawyer added.

According to Moore, Murry told him Capers yelled into the home and said anyone inside should come out with their hands up. Moore said Aderrien walked into the living room with nothing in his hands, and Capers shot him in the chest.

Indianola City Attorney Kimberly Merchant confirmed to The Enterprise-Tocsin newspaper in Indianola that Capers is the officer who fired the shot.

Moore called for bodycam video to be released and objected to Capers being placed on paid leave pending the investigation.

Murry was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for treatment and released on Wednesday, CNN reported. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation announced it is probing the shooting.

The incident is the latest in a string of police shootings of unarmed African Americans. In April, officers responded to a domestic violence call at the wrong house and killed a 52-year-old man in New Mexico.

Breonna Taylor was killed in 2020 during a botched police raid in Louisville, Kentucky.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES

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