Kingdom of Ndongo Sovereigns Memorial construction announced

 Malanje- The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Environment announced Tuesday, in Malanje Province, the construction of the Memorial of the Sovereigns of the Kingdom of Ndongo and the requalification of the village of Muculu-a-Ngola, in the Municipality of Marimba.

The project foresees the construction of the tombs where the remains of King Ngola Kiluanji and Queen Njinga a Mbande lie, in addition to 40 residences for members of the court, the King's palace, a primary school, a health unit and the requalification of other monuments and kingdom sites.

 

When presenting the project to the local community, the national director of Communities and Institutions of Traditional Power of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Albano Cufuna, said that the budget has already been approved and the start of works depends on the rehabilitation of the road that gives access to the locality, since it is in an advanced state of degradation.

 

Despite this, he guarantees that feasibility studies are already underway for the execution of the project, which aims to dignify the kingdom and guarantee better living conditions for local communities.

 

On his turn, the deputy governor of Malanje for the Political, Social and Economic sector, Domingos Eduardo, informed that, with the construction of the memorial and the requalification of the locality of Muculu-a-Ngola, the area will be transformed into an important of tourist attraction.

 

The official highlighted the historical and cultural role played by the sovereigns of the ancient kingdom of Ndongo, which is why the Angolan government has the duty to restructure the place and facilitate its access to the youth and beyond, in order to be in contact with history.

 

The Deputy National Director of the Institute for Tourism Development (INFOTUR), Agostinho Xavier, praised the initiative, as the province could register an increase in the frequency of tourists and consequently raise more revenue for the State.

 

Meanwhile, the sovereign of the Kingdom of Ndongo, King Buba Nvula Dala Mana “Cabombo”, expressed gratitude with the project, considering that it will give greater dignity to the kingdom.

Angola hosts world final of Global Management Challenge

 Luanda - Angola hosts in September, for the first time, the final of the 2022 international business management simulation contest, called Global Management Challenge.

The event will feature more than 30 groups from around the world, including the hosts.

The Global Management Challenge is a strategic management competition for managers and university students. Participants form teams of 5-8 members to allow the development of skills for managers, company staff, among others.

According to the director of operations at Soik Investments, João Pereira, representative of the organizers of the event, it is a great value for Angola to organize one of the biggest simulation competitions in the world.

João Pereira added that, for the 2023 contest, registrations were already taking place across the country, until 31 May of the current
year, stressing that young Angolans could access the website: www.gms.ao. to participate in this edition.

To participate, he continued, it is sufficient that the candidate has completed at least the first university year, in any course, and is 18 years of age.

He said that the objective for that year is to include young people from all over the country, in order to get rid of the idea that only
Luanda participates.

"We have the objective of reaching the whole country, with the broadening of the candidacies. We had the opportunity to take the competition to the provinces of Namibe, Benguela and Huíla. We also intend to reach Huambo", he stressed.

The winners for the 2023 edition will be announced on the 6th of July of the current year.

Launched in Portugal in 1980, the Global Management Challenge has become the largest international strategy and management competition,
achieving, over the years, an enormous success, becoming an event of
high notoriety and visibility.

In Angola by Soik investments since 2007, it contributes to the
training and development of management skills, for university
students, company staff and Angolan managers.

Angola hosts African swimming event

 Luanda - After the 2015 Edition, Angola will once again host the African Championship in zone VI in swimming, from 3 to 7 May, at the Alvalade swimming pool, in Luanda, said this Wednesday to ANGOP the president of the Angolan Federation of this sport, Joaquim Santos.

The event should count on the participation of more than 14 teams, namely, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Comoros, and Uganda complete the range of competitors, according to the interlocutor.

 

The competition that had been initially nominated for Madagascar, which ended up declining, was assigned to Malawi, which also appeared unavailable, so Angola received the task of organizing it, on appeal.

 

According to the federative programme, from the 3rd to the 6th of May the athletes compete in the pure swimming event (swimming pool), and on the 7th of the same month, the XIX Edition of the biggest event in the region ends with long distance events, in open waters, on the island of Luanda.

 

Swimmers Pedro Pinotes (individual) Salvador Gordo, Daniel Francisco, Marco Furtado, Silvério Manuel, Carlos Fernandes, Luyane Costa, Yusseni Furtado, Djamel Pires, Enzo Anjos and Yano Elias (1º de Agosto) were pre-summoned.

Also listed are Luciano Afonso (Onda Sport Club), Henrique Mascarenhas, Alex Fortes, Janel Tati, Rafael Bredel, José Cochofel, David Padre, Guilherme Sousa, Kenzo Monteiro, Santiago Guimarães (CNIL).

 

In females, the shortlist includes Lia Lima, Jasmine Lourenço, Aleksandra Zhukov, Stephanie Jurado, Inês Clemente, Nayara Carvalho, Beatriz Pedro, Kenenise Vongo, all from 1º de Agosto club.

 

Ana Nunes, Maria Freitas, N'Hara Fernandes, Rafaela Santos, Welwichia Silva, Inara Santos, Milena Lourenço, Nyriam Morais, Rhanya Santo, Chelsea Vunge, Wezza Morais, Wendy Morais (CNIL), Alexia Vieira (individual) and Nelma Janota (OSC) complete the group.

 

In the field of open water competition, the country will be represented by Guilherme Sousa, Kenzo Monteiro (CNIL), Marco Furtado, Silvério Manuel and Carlos Fernandes (1º Agosto).

 

In females, they include Nyriam Morais, Rhanya Santo, Wendy Morais, Wezza Morais and Chelsea Vunge (CNIL), Stephanie Jurado, Inês Clemente, Nayara Carvalho, Beatriz Pedro, Kenenise Vongo (1º de Agosto).

 

In the first event of its kind organized in the country, eight years ago, the National Team placed 3rd in the general classification, with 61 medals, 22 gold, 21 silver and 18 bronze.

President inaugurates 5th edition of Expo-Industry2023

 Luanda - Angolan President João Lourenço inaugurated Wednesday the 5th edition of “Expo-Indústria/2023”, an event to take place from March 29 March to April 1 at Luanda/Bengo Special Economic Zone (ZEE).

The event is expected to be attended by over 230 companies, a figure that is higher than the previous edition held in 2019, when it had a three-year interruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

The 5th edition of Expo-Industry/2023 will bring together, among various sectors, the manufacturing industry, engineering and construction, as well as food industry and agribusiness.

 

The aim of the event is for industries to increase employment and improve living conditions of the population and leverage new partnerships and businesses.

Ghana’s anti-gay bill modified, president says

 Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on Monday said an anti-gay bill being debated in parliament has been “modified” following his government’s intervention.

Speaking during a joint news conference with the visiting US Vice-President Kamala Harris, Mr Akufo-Addo said the bill was not official government policy but rather had been put forward by a “handful” of private members.

He said the attorney general had submitted opinions to a parliamentary committee about “the constitutionality or otherwise of several of its provisions”.

“My understanding … is that substantial elements of the bill have already been modified as a result of the intervention of the attorney general,” he said without giving details.

President Akufo-Addo refused to say what he would do if the bill passed – and hoped the parliament would consider the sensitivity of the human rights aspect.

“We will see what the final outcome will be,” he added.

Ms Harris said she had addressed the issue with President Akufo-Addo and said the US considered it a matter of human rights.

If it becomes law, the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Value Bill would imprison those that identify as LGBTQ and criminalise advocacy for gay rights,

Ghana’s parliament held public hearings on the bill starting in 2021. It is unclear when it will be put to a vote.

Gay sex is already punishable with up to three years in jail in Ghana, where homophobic attitudes are widespread, but the draft law would impose longer sentences.

Mr Akufo-Addo has previously spoken out against same-sex marriage, saying it would never be legalised while he is president.

Source: BBC

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LGBTQ+ Is A Human Rights Issue – Kamala Harris

 Vice President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris, has spoken to the issue of the criminalisation of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) activities in Ghana.

Responding to a question at Jubilee House, in Accra, on Monday, March 27, Kamala Harris said that for her, the LGBTQ+ issue was one that bordered on human rights.
She added that every person has the right to live as s/he wants.

“Let me be clear about where we stand. First of all, for the American press who are here, you know that a great deal of work in my career has been to address human rights issues, equality issues across the board including those related to the LGBT community.
“And I feel very strongly about the importance of supporting the freedom and supporting and fighting for equality among all people and that all people be treated equally.

“I will also say that this is an issue that we consider and I consider to be a human rights issue and that will not change,” she stressed.
President Akufo-Addo also had a bite at the subject during their joint press conference at the presidency. He spoke to the current anti-LGBTQ law before parliament and assured that government had through the Attorney General made significant input into the legislation.

He said that the anti-LGBT bill, which was championed by “only a hand full of MPs”, is currently being considered by Parliament.
Akufo-Addo added that even if the bill is passed, it will still have to be ratified by him.
The two leaders made these remarks while addressing the press after having bilateral talks at the Jubilee House as part of Kamala Harris’s 3-day visit to Ghana.

Source: ghanaweb.com

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Freed Hotel Rwanda hero Rusesabagina arrives in Qatar from Rwanda

 Rusesabagina was sentenced in September 2021 to 25 years over ties to a group opposed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame that has an armed wing.

Paul Rusesabagina, who was portrayed as a hero in the film Hotel Rwanda about the 1994 genocide, has arrived in Qatar after being released from prison in Rwanda at the weekend, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.

Rusesabagina, a permanent resident of the United States, was sentenced in September 2021 to 25 years over his ties to a group opposed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame that has an armed wing.

He was released on Friday after his sentence was commuted following months of negotiations between Washington and Kigali.

Washington’s historically close ties with Rwanda have been strained by Rusesabagina’s detention and by US allegations, denied by Kigali, that Rwanda has sent troops into the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo and supports rebels there.

Rwanda has said Rusesabagina’s release is the result of a shared desire to reset the US-Rwanda relationship.

The 68-year-old former hotelier landed in Doha on Monday, a source with knowledge of the matter said.

He will return to the US from Doha, US officials have said.

Hotel Rwanda portrays Rusesabagina’s success in saving more than 1,000 people fleeing rampaging Hutus, including his family, during the genocide in 1994 by sheltering them in the besieged hotel he managed in Kigali.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES

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