BELARUSANGOLA HOLDING LDA

Interview with Carlos Ventura 

PRESIDENT, BELARUSANGOLA HOLDING LDA 

Angola is a safe country and has a stable and friendly political environment. It currently holds a significant amount of investment opportunities within various industries, including notably mining and agriculture.

Can you provide a brief background into the BelarusAngola Company and highlight in which sectors of the economy the organization is involved?

I became involved in civil construction through projects with the Angolan government, and while looking for opportunities to expand abroad, I was introduced to the attractive prospect of partnerships in the country of Belarus. In 2015 BelarusAngola was created, and the company has been built on successful partnerships with Belarusian companies. We have the ongoing objective to gain support from both governments for a project to set up an assembly plant for tractors, trucks and buses, as well as creating a logistic center to market Belarusian products, in Angola.

In 2016, the BelarusAngola Company joined the mining industry, and we are currently in the process of obtaining exploration licenses. Beyond mining opportunities, the land in Angola is incredibly fertile, and we also see huge opportunities to make this a profitable venture. We have taken the first steps into pursing this avenue, which has included the construction of 100 km of access roads. Key to this project is the provision of necessary goods and services to the population in order to strengthen the agricultural production in these areas. We are very aware of the growing number of people living in poverty, and we therefore prioritize our contribution to minimizing the difficulties people face in this country on a daily basis.

The company intends to engage in large-scale alluvial mining, which requires heavy capital investments into equipment. From where will BelarusAngola source the machinery?

The company already has several contracts with Belarusian companies, and we purchased equipment to the value of US$1.3 million from AMKODOR. The BelarusAngola Company also owns US$1.2 million in tractors, and has invested US $1.3 million in MAZ buses, in addition to 6x6 dump trucks to complete our fleet. Belarus offers a more cost-competitive process in their equipment, which is why we mostly source from there. We are also managing a credit line from the Development Bank of Belarus.

Can you elaborate on the extent to which you believe private companies have a responsibility to support the development of local populations where they operate?

The government’s role is to serve people by providing electricity, hospitals, roads, schools and other key infrastructure. We believe that private companies must engage in social responsibility, and we must also play a role by helping people to gain documentation that leads to the creation of jobs and other opportunities to stimulate economic growth. Agriculture and particularly family farming may be the key to the development that is needed.

The Angolan government has pledged to facilitate a business climate that encourages foreign investment. How have you experienced working with the government and what advice would you give to newcomers?

Angola is a safe country and has a stable and friendly political environment. It currently holds a significant amount of investment opportunities within various industries, including notably mining and agriculture. The key to successfully investing in Angola is to do things the right and legal way, and to focus on the wellbeing of the population. Because the BelarusAngola Company prioritizes people in all our projects, we have managed to gain the support and respect of the government.

What would the BelarusAngola Company be looking for in a potential partnership with an international investor?

Our business philosophy is based on an “Angola first” approach. A potential investor and partner must keep this in mind in order to work effectively with us. Investment is not extremely vital at this stage, but we need someone that can bring experience, expertise and know-how to our operations.

What is BelarusAngola’s Company vision for the coming five years?

The current government is putting significant efforts into the development of the country. Recently, they began an initiative called “Operação Transparência” to end illegal mining exploration, which we believe will bring positive developments to our activities. Our projects are already in motion, and the BelarusAngola Company is looking forward to expanding further in the mining, agriculture, and building industries. Our commitment to the future of Angola is very strong, and in five years from now, I expect we will have accomplished a significant amount with the continued support from the government.

https://belarusangola.com/

Trump aprova sanções contra funcionários do Tribunal Penal Internacional

Trump autoriza sanções contra funcionários do Tribunal Penal Internacional

O presidente dos Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, autorizou nesta quinta-feira (11) sanções econômicas e restrições de viagem contra funcionários do Tribunal Penal Internacional (TPI) diretamente envolvidos na investigação de tropas americanas e funcionários do serviço de inteligência por possíveis crimes de guerra no Afeganistão sem o consentimento dos EUA.

Sanções econômicas e restrições de viagem atingiram funcionários envolvidos na investigação de tropas americanas e funcionários do serviço de inteligência por possíveis crimes de guerra no Afeganistão.

O chefe da diplomacia europeia disse hoje estar "muito preocupado" com a decisão do Presidente dos EUA de autorizar sanções económicas contra qualquer funcionário do Tribunal Penal Internacional (TPI) envolvido na investigação das atividades das forças dos EUA.

Fonte: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/11/politics/icc-executive-order/index.html

Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards 2021 for Innovative Women Entrepreneurs Worldwide (US$ 100 000 prize & Scholarship to attend INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Executive Education Programme )

Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards 2021 for Innovative Women Entrepreneurs Worldwide (US$ 100 000 prize & Scholarship to attend INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Executive Education Programme )

Application Deadline: July 31st 2020 https://bit.ly/3hc0z6D

The Cartier Women's Initiative is an annual international entrepreneurship programme that aims to drive change by empowering women impact entrepreneurs. Founded in 2006 by Cartier, the programme is open to women-run and women-owned businesses from any country and sector that aim to have a strong and sustainable social and/or environmental impact.

The Cartier Women’s Initiative Regional Awards select 21 fellows from 7 regions:

Latin America & the Caribbean
North America
Europe
Sub-Saharan Africa
Middle East & North Africa
East Asia
South Asia & Oceania

Requuirements

The Cartier Women’s Initiative is looking for women-run and women-owned impact-driven businesses. Entrepreneurs across all sectors and from around the world are encouraged to apply.

• For-profit: the business should be designed to generate sufficient revenues to support its operations and return some level of profit to its owners. Non-profit enterprises are not accepted.

Benefits

• US$ 100,000 grant for each of the 7 laureates (top business from each region)
• US$ 30,000 grant for each of the 14 finalists (2nd and 3rd runner-up businesses from each region)

Human Capital Support

The fellowship programme focuses on several key areas of human capital support for women impact entrepreneurs, including developing a strategic financial mind-set, speaking to inspire and scaling social impact.

• Community peer learning sessions
• ‘Strategic financial mind-set’ module that aims to support fellows in building their roadmap for growth
• ‘Speaking to inspire’ communication module that focuses on leadership presence and media training
• Strategy mentoring module developed by our academic partner INSEAD business school that supports fellows in refining their business strategies
• A scholarship to attend a one-week INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Programme pending admission based on INSEAD’s eligibility criteria and selection process

Problem Statement: People need a way to Educate and protect their self as well . How might we help them achieve this?

People need a way to Educate and protect their self as well.

Idea 1

Educate to save lives

Idea Description

Social media is the best way to connect the world together, we can educate on convid-19

Idea 2

Save others, save yourself

Idea Description

Observe social distancing of about 2m is necessary to save one from convid-19, stay at  home.

Idea 3

Town crier convid19 educator

Idea Description

Use of town criers to educate the masses in the village and other places

Call for Initiatives: Council of Europe World Forum for Democracy 2020 

Deadline: June 30, 2020

APPLY here: https://opportunitydesk.org/2020/06/08/council-of-europe-world-forum-for-democracy-2020/

The World Forum for Democracy calls for expression of interests in presenting innovative initiatives aiming at solving environmental problems and enhancing democracy from all over the world.

The World Forum for Democracy is a platform for global dialogue and democratic participation which brings new ideas into the work of the Council of Europe and promotes its principles across the world.

The ambition of the 9th World Forum for Democracy is to propose and discuss differing answers to the question of what it really takes to get the job done when it comes to stopping and reversing the devastating damage done to our environment.

Cost

• One presenter for the selected initiatives will be invited to Strasbourg to take part in the World Forum. Travel and accommodation expenses may be covered by the Council of Europe if required.

Eligibility

• Any public or private organisation is eligible to apply.
• Initiatives should be addressing topics including, but not limited to:
  • Climate activism
  • Participatory practices for the environment
  • Defending the defenders of the environment
  • Local partnerships guiding behaviour change within communities
  • Deliberative democracy and public policy
  • Environmental entrepreneurship
  • Global environmental justice
  • Public-private partnerships for environmental protection
  • Inequality and intersectionality facing climate change
  • Digitalisation at the service of the environment
  • Innovations in youth activism, youth mobilisation for the environment
  • Environmental education, training and awareness-raising
  • Use of new technologies to combat climate change
  • Protecting biodiversity, ecosystems
  • Sustainable development
  • Green lobbying

Application

Submissions should be made by answering the questionnaire and sending it to forum_democracy@coe.int by June 30, 2020.

Kenya Red Cross Youth Leaders Exchange Programme 2020 for young Kenyans (Fully Funded)

Kenya Red Cross Youth Leaders Exchange Programme 2020 for young Kenyans (Fully Funded).

Application Deadline: June 5th 2020 https://bit.ly/3dp24vY

 Kenya Red Cross Youth is currently looking to engage volunteer youth leaders who will work with Danish Red Cross Youth (DRCY) volunteers in strengthening young communities in Mukuru Informal Settlement area of Nairobi. 

- Are you a young person in Nairobi County? 

Are you passionate about working for and with fellow youth? and do you want to spend six months in supporting a youth project in Nairobi’s Mukuru informal Settlement? 

- Do you want to support the capacity strengthening and building of vulnerable youths? 

 - Do you have volunteering experience with Kenya Red Cross Society’s branch, regional or national activities that you can bring into play in an international context? Or is volunteering an act near to your heart, and do you have the time, the desire and the courage to live in Nairobi from September 2020 to March 2021? 

You will have the opportunity to strengthen your cooperation skills, establish positive and strong relationships with both Kenyan and Danish youth volunteers and gain experience working with KRCS in Nairobi. 

If you also want experience with a youth-to-youth working approach, where you learn from each other, then this is your unique opportunity to get an experience of a lifetime.

Exclusive opportunity: Peace First Fellows-in-Residence Programme 2020 for emerging social change leaders in Sub-Saharan Africa/Middle East & North Africa (Fully Funded)

Peace First Fellows-in-Residence Programme 2020 for emerging social change leaders in Sub-Saharan Africa/Middle East & North Africa (Fully Funded) 

Application Deadline: June 28, 2020.

 Apply here: https://bit.ly/30cYnWC

If you are passionate about youth-led change, love mobilizing and empowering others to act, and want to be part of a global team that helps young people make a difference right now, we invite you to apply to the Fellowship-in-Residence – a year-long, paid program for emerging social change leaders who want to make an impact by leading Peace First’s support to young people in their part of the world. 

Requirements

 You meet the following eligibility criteria: 

● Under 26 years old on August 1, 2020 

● Based in Sub-Saharan Africa/Middle East & North Africa 

● Fluent in English, preferably fluent or proficient in other languages spoken in the region as well. Fluency in French, Arabic, or Spanish highly desirable. 

● Have reliable access to fast, stable internet (assuming the cost of internet access is covered)

● Able to commit to at least one year as a Fellow-in-Residence, beginning August 2020 

Benefits 

Fellows-in-Residence will be selected for one-year, renewable terms. 

Each Peace First Fellow-in-Residence will receive a fellowship stipend that varies based location. 

The stipend takes into consideration the cost of living, comparable fellowship stipends, local compensation for full-time employees, local taxes, and local purchasing power. 

To ensure pay equity among our fellows, we run an annual stipend audit and use the learnings from the audit to inform our fellowship stipend band for the following year.

 In addition to intensive training and network building, Peace First will offer Fellows dedicated professional development support, including mentorship and a $1,000 USD fund for professional development expenses. 

Peace First will also provide an additional $80USD/month stipend for tech and internet expenses. Fellows may elect to use their own laptop or a Peace First-provided one. Peace First will also cover all of the Fellows’ travel expenses.

 Fellows-in-Residence report to the Senior Program Manager.