Indo Africa Times, a weekly newspaper has its key intend to create extensive awareness amongst people about Africa and India concerning different sectors like economy, politics, culture, fashion, sports and many more. It is our sincere endeavor to bridge the information gap between Africa and India by endowing our readers with updated and latest developments occurring in both the countries.

1. www.indoafricatimes.com
MONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015 Title Code: DELENG18579 • RNI NO: DELENG/2014/54666 • Postal Registration No.: DN/325/2014-2016 • VOL. 02 • NO. 11 • Page 12 • Price `10
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pg 04
pg 07
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pg 03
Christopher
to launch
Agatima
video
MADE HISTORY IN
SEYCHELLES
MODI
A Successful Trip to
Three Indian Ocean Island
Nations
renewable energy.
India has a robust and historical association
with the Indian Ocean islands nations. In recent
times, new elements have been added to these
connections. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar
and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval were
part of the Indian delegation during Modi's
talks with President Michel at the State House
in Victoria that lasted one hour. Seychelles has
a population of 90,000 people and 10 per cent
of them are of Indian-origin.
"Though this is my first visit to Seychelles,
the people of Seychelles have made me feel like
one of their own. I have been deeply touched by
their warmth and affection towards me. This
is the first visit by an Indian prime minister in
P
rime Minister Narendra Modi has
successfully completed a five-day visit
to three island nations - Seychelles,
Mauritius and Sri Lanka in an outreach that will
see unveiling of development projects while
enhancing economic ties.
Mr. Modi, during his visit to Victoria,
Seychelles had deliberations with Seychelles
President James Michel for India and the island
nation to involve in maritime security, with an
attention on better cooperation with respect
to anti-piracy measures. An essential element
of their discussions was 'Blue Economy'. India
and Seychelles are also working on maritime
security, better cooperation in anti-piracy
measures and are engaged in working towards
over three decades. Yet, President Michel and I
were able to strike a rapport as if we were old
friends," Mr. Modi wrote.
"I am impressed by President Michel's
vision. India considers Seychelles not only as a
maritimeneighbourbutasatrustedfriendanda
strong strategic partner. This visit has deepened
our mutual trust and taken our cooperation to a
new level. The beauty of this 'Paradise on Earth'
will remain with me forever," he added.
Strengthening its strategic partnership
with Seychelles, India signed four agreements
with the Indian Ocean island nation to improve
securityandmaritimepartnership.Mr.Modiand
Seychelles MAURITIUS sri lanka
ICD and
Afreximbank
Cooperate
To Develop
Private Sector
EAC leaders
urge
faster
integration
WEATHERING
THE STORM:
Changing
the Face of
Tunisia
WAYANAD:
The Land
of Paddy
Fields
Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting with President James Michel at State House, Mahe, in Seychelles


2. Wassupafrica02
Flydubai, a United Arab Emirates-
based budget airline, which entered
the Rwandan market last year,
has announced plans to increase
flights from the region to Dubai, a
statement from the firm indicates.
This comes on the heels of a
surge in its 2014 net profits, which
grew by 12.3 per cent, from about
$60.5 million (about Rwf40.3
billion) in 2013 to $68 million
(about Rwf46 billion) last year.
Its revenues increased by 19.1
per cent from over $1 billion (about
Rwf676 billion) to $1.2 billion
(about Rwf811.2 billion) over the
same period, the statement added.
The company recorded a 14 per
THE ISLAMIC Corporation for the
Development of the Private Sector
(ICD), the private sector arm of the
Islamic Development Bank Group
(IDB), has signed an agreement
with the African Export-Import
Bank (Afreximbank) to cooperate
in the development of the private
sector in ICD member countries in
Africa.
Under the terms of the
agreement signed in Manama,
Bahrain, the two institutions will
collaborate in joint operations,
expand financial products
and exchange information on
modalities for enhanced and
efficient interventions for private
sector development in ICD affected
countries.
EAC govts urged to streamline oil and gas industry tax regimes
East African Community (EAC)
governments have been urged to
streamline the oil and gas taxation
industry regimes to make the sector
more attractive to serious investors.
David Tarimo, the director of
PricewaterhouseCoopers, said though
regional governments are trying to
improve their tax systems, there are
still instances where wrong taxes are
levied on oil and gas industry activities.
It is, therefore, important to review
the oil and gas industry tax regimes
so that stakeholders and investors are
not ambushed with hitherto unknown
duties. This will attract more investors
into the sector and ensure maximum
benefit, as well as make the sector
competitive, Tarimo said.
Tarimo was speaking at the
ongoing 7th East African petroleum
conference and exhibition in Kigali on
Wednesday.
The three-day meeting, organised
by Rwanda’s ministries of East
African Community Affairs and Natural
Resources, attracted about 500
participants, including oil and gas
experts, and policy-makers.
Flydubai 2014 net profits up by 12%
ICD and Afreximbank Cooperate To
Develop Private Sector
cent increase in passenger numbers
between 2013 and 2014 in Africa,
mainly due to the introduction of
new routes in north and East Africa.
The firm plans to increase
flights to emerging markets in
North and East Africa to 63 flights a
week across 12 points.
Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al
Maktoum, the chairman of flydubai,
said the airline is committed to
serving previously underserved
routes. Last year, the airline added
23 new routes to its network,
totaling to 86 destinations. Fuel
remains the largest cost, at 36 per
cent of its total operating costs.
New Times
Khaled Al Aboodi, CEO and
General Manager of ICD, and
Jean-Louis Ekra, President
and Chairman of the Board of
Directors of Afreximbank, signed
the agreement on behalf of their
respective institutions.
According to the agreement,
ICD and Afreximbank will share
information on projects and
business opportunities in Africa,
and on participation in the
arrangement of syndications or
investment in funds.
They will also cooperate in
structuring sukuk/debt capital
market transaction opportunities,
co-invest in Islamic leasing
companies, and support local
financial institutions in Africa
through the raising of capital via
lines of finances.
In addition, they will exchange
information aimed at upgrading
knowledge and expertise about
Islamic finance, environmental
assessment, project finance
and advisory services. The
agreement also covers
exploration of opportunities for
cooperation in financing projects
in the construction, energy,
manufacturing and leasing
sectors in African countries. Mr.
Khaled Al Aboodi, CEO of ICD,
commented: “Africa and the
Islamic finance industry are key
strategic directions for ICD, and
we hope, via this partnership, we
will increase our presence in the
continent.”
“We are greatly encouraged
at this opportunity to collaborate
with ICD in growing the African
private sector. ICD’s leadership
and experience in promoting
the establishment, expansion,
and modernisation of private
enterprises, complements
Afreximbank’s longstanding
commitment to using the private
sector as the growth engine in
achievingitsmandateofpromoting
and financing intra and extra-
African trade,” said Jean-Louis
Ekra, President of Afreximbank.
Ghanaian Chronicle
Tarino argued that when a
country’s tax regime is not clear, it
is hard to attract firms with sufficient
expertise and capital into the oil and
gas sector, or gain maximally from it.
Priva Clemence, an energy expert
in Tanzania’s Ministry of Energy and
Minerals, called for strong regulatory
controls in petroleum infrastructure
development to ensure economic
sustainability.
“One of the fundamental
requirements for realising the
economic benefits from the oil and
gas industry is availability and access
to infrastructure. The development of
such infrastructure should be guided
by clear and strong laws to ensure both
investors and governments benefit
from the investment,” Clemence said.
According to Ernest Rubondo, the
acting director in Uganda’s directorate
of petroleum, there is need to, not
only look at oil production, but also
value-addition, to be able to meet the
growing consumption of petroleum
products in the region.
The region consumes over
250,000 barrels of oil per day,
according to recent data.
This demand is expected to more
than double in the next five years,
hence the need for clear laws to spur
the sector’s growth.
Evoda Imena, Rwanda’s State
Minister for Mining, said Rwanda is
working on a sector-friendly legal
framework, which will also look into
tax issues, to attract more investments
into the oil and gas industry exploration
and development activities.
He revealed that government is
currently evaluating applications for
exploration licences from international
companies that have expressed
interest in the country’s oil and gas
industry.
The EAC bloc is on the verge of
becoming an oil producer after huge
amounts of oil and gas have been
confirmed in Tanzania, Uganda and
Kenya.
Uganda is moving into the
production phase, while Tanzania has
already started gas production and
Kenya is expected to start within the
next three years.
New Times
President of Afreximbank Jean-Louis Ekra (left) with Khaled Al Aboodi, ICD CEO

Nigeria is PayPal’s second largest
market in Africa
Nigeria is PayPal’s second largest
market in Africa, says Malvina Goldfeld,
PayPal’s Head of Business Development
in Sub-Saharan Africa.
With over a million accounts, South
Africa remains PayPal’s largest market
in Africa. Following Nigeria, is Kenya,
PayPal’s third largest market in Africa.
“We are very happy to see that
PayPal has been widely-welcomed
by Nigerians since the launch of the
service in the country last year,” Malvina
Goldfeld said.
According to Goldfeld, PayPal
is meeting the needs of millions of
Nigerians that choose to perform
e-commerce transactions on foreign
platforms.
“There are millions of people in
Nigeria who are eager to engage in
online commerce and our goal is to help
them make payments more easily and
securely. Currently, we offer Nigerians
the opportunity to register for free for a
PayPal account to make payments on
overseas websites,” she said.
“Over time, we plan to expand
our service offering in Nigeria to
include services that will lead to better
experiences in online and mobile
payment methods in Nigeria,” Goldfeld
added. Currently, PayPal’s services in
Nigeria are limited to enabling Nigerians
to make payments abroad. The ability to
receive payments in Nigeria via PayPal
are currently unavailable, even though
there has been widespread expressed
demand for this PayPal service. Malvina
Goldfeld did not specify when the ability
to receive payments in Nigeria will be
available on the PayPal platform.
“Nigeria is a very interesting market
and over time we may expand our
presence, but for now we are satisfied
to help Nigerians register for free for a
PayPal account and make payments on
overseas websites,” Goldfeld said.
African Herald Express
MONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

3. network across countries.
The AfDB LoC will enable ABCH
and its three selected subsidiaries
to reach a larger number of SMEs
across a wide range of sectors
by offering medium- to long-term
loans, which are not currently
accessible for local SMEs. The AfDB
will provide local currencies, Botswana
Pula and Mozambique Metical to
support local currency lending and
promote development of the financial
sector in these countries. This facility
will also cover Zimbabwe where many
enterprises face liquidity challenge. The
facility is expected to support at least
200 SMEs and generate 800 jobs,
including 400 jobs for women, during
the period of the project. Leveraging the
relatively long tenor of the AfDB facility,
it is expected to increase the average
loan tenor for SME clients who can
consequently expand their business,
which will promote inclusive growth of
these countries.
AfDB
Wassupafrica 03
FROM PAGE 01
East African Heads of State have
commended achievements made
under the Northern Corridor
Integration Projects (NCIP)
initiative and advocated for faster
integration of the region to bring
about prosperity.
Presidents Yoweri Museveni
of Uganda, Tanzania’s Jakaya
Kikwete, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya,
Salva Kiir Mayardit of South
Sudan and Burundi’s Second Vice
President Gervais Rufyikiri as
well as Ethiopia’s Minister for
Foreign Affairs Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus, joined President Paul
Kagame in Kigali yesterday for the
9th NCIP summit.
Less than two years since
the northern corridor meetings
began, fourteen projects including
infrastructure, energy, transport,
ICT and trade have been launched.
Rwanda and Uganda also
ratified peace and security pact that
will soon be extended to Kenya to
ensure the three countries work
together to prevent and resolve
conflicts.
Opening the summit, President
Kagameemphasizedtheimportance
of maintaining the momentum:
President Kenyatta argued that
East African nations should not be
importing from elsewhere when
a surplus exists within the region
and added that with a common
market, nations have no reason not
to be manufacturing its own cars
or textiles among others. “ We can
create a region that has a strong
The Board of Directors of the African
Development Bank Group (AfDB)
through its private sector window
approved on March 11, 2015 a US
$50 million multi-currency line of credit
(LoC) with a seven-year tenor to ABC
Holdings Ltd. and its subsidiaries in
Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
ABC Holdings Ltd. (ABCH) is a
rapidly growing financial institution
targeting local small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) in these
countries covering various sectors
such as construction, agriculture,
manufacturing, transport and services.
ABCH is gradually increasing its SME
portfolio share targeting 30% by end
2018 as it plans to expand its retail
The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy
S6 Edge is now available to pre-order
in Nigeria. Pre-orders are not directly
from Samsung Nigeria or Samsung
West Africa but via online e-commerce
platform Konga.
Konga did not list how much the
device would go on sale for but the
company suggests users show their
interested by filling out their names,
email address, gender, choice of phone
- either the S6 or the S6 Edge and
phone number.
Samsung announced the Galaxy
S6 and it’s Edge cohort - the Galaxy S6
Edge at the MWC 2015.
Even though both devices have
been priced in some countries, the
Mr. Michel witnessed the signing
of four agreements: cooperation in
hydrography, renewable energy,
infrastructure development and
sale of navigation charts and
electronic navigational charts.
"Our agreement on hydrographic
survey adds a new dimension to
our maritime cooperation. I thank
Seychelles for their confidence in
India," Mr. Modi said.
Mr. Modi, the first Indian Prime
Minister to travel to Seychelles in
33 years, said his visit to the three
Indian Ocean island countries
"reflects our foreign policy
priorities in India's immediate
and extended neighbourhood".
During his day long stay, the
Prime Minister also visited the
Sree Navasakthi Vinayagar Kovil
(TemplededicatedtoLordGanesh),
took part in a civic reception
organized by the expatriate Indian
community, unveiled a plaque
and operationalized a coastal
surveillance radar system at the
Ma Josephine Mahe and attended a
lunch hosted by President Michel.
Mr. Modi’s second stop was
Mauritius where he offered $500
million concessional line of credit
to Mauritius for key infrastructure
projects as the two nations signed
five pacts, including on ocean
economy.
"I consider our security
cooperation to be a cornerstone
of our strategic partnership.
We intend to quickly build the
petroleum storage and bunkering
facility in Mauritius," Mr. Modi
said at the signing of the pacts
following talks with his Mauritian
counterpart Anerood Jugnauth.
Mauritius, in turn, offered
India cooperation on information
exchange on taxation. "I also
conveyed our deep appreciation
for the support and cooperation
offered by Mauritius on
information exchange on taxation,"
Mr. Modi said.
Our agreement on cooperation
in Ocean Economy is an important
step in deepening our scientific
EAC leaders urge faster integration AfDB approves US $50 million to
ABC Holdings Ltd. in Botswana,
Mozambique and Zimbabwe
Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge Available
to Pre-Order in Nigeria
voice on a global scale and is an
attractive place for investment,”
Kenyatta added.
Speaking on behalf of Prime
Minister Hailemariam Desalegn,
Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus described
the NCIP as an example of
integrationontheAfricancontinent.
During last year’s NCIP Heads
of State summit in the Kenyan
capital Nairobi, heads of state
renewed their commitment to fast-
tracking the implementation of
infrastructure projects, including
the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR)
for which they directed Ministers
of Finance, Infrastructure and
Attorneys General or Ministers of
Justice to jointly mobilise financing,
as well as completing agreements
on power purchasing and work on
building electricity transmission
lines.
“The Heads of State noted
with appreciation the progress
in the implementation of the
various projects under the
Northern Corridor Initiative, and
reiterated their collective resolve
to continuously work together in
pursuit of the set vision and goals
of fast-tracking the integration
process, for the benefit of the
citizenry of the Northern Corridor
Region,” the Presidents said in a
final communiqué issued after
the summit. They also welcomed
the announcement by Burundi to
“end its observer status” and fully
participate in the Northern Corridor
Integration Projects Initiative.
The 9th Northern Corridor
Integration Projects Summit also
marked the first meeting involving
members of the private sector. The
Heads of State resolved to facilitate
a stronger partnership with the
private sector including through
financing the Northern Corridor
projects. The next NCIP Summit will
be held in Uganda within the next
two months.
New Times
and economic partnership, said
Mr. Modi. During talks with Mr.
Modi, Mauritian Premier Jugnauth
elevated the issue related to
Mauritius-India Double Taxation
Avoidance Treaty (DTAA). "I have
requested PM Modi to give his full
support on DTAA as it is of prime
importance to global business
sector," Mr. Jugnauth said.
The India-Mauritius Double
Taxation Avoidance Agreement
(DTAA) is being reviewed amid
concerns that Mauritius is being
used for round-tripping of funds
into India even though it has
always maintained that there have
been no concrete evidence of any
such misuse.
Traditionally, Mauritius has
been one of the biggest sources of
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
into India. The five pacts signed
encompassed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) between
the two countries in the field
of 'Ocean Economy' which will
provide an extensive framework
for cooperation, a
novel and critical
area of sustainable
development in the
Indian Ocean Region.
The other
agreements signed
were a MoU for the
improvement in sea
andairtransportation
facilities at Agalega
Island of Mauritius,
MoU on cooperation
in the field of
traditional system
of medicine and
h o m o e o p a t h y ,
programme for
cultural cooperation
from 2015-2018 and
a pact on import of
fresh mango from
India.
India also offered to establish a
second cyber city in Mauritius after
it helped the island set up the first
one a decade ago. Mr. Modi visited
the Ganga Talao, considered to be
the most sacred Hindu place in
Mauritius, and offered prayers at
the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
In his speech at the National
Assembly, Mr. Modi said the
destinies of both nations were
"linked by the currents of the
Indian Ocean".
Addressing the National
Parliament of Mauritius, Mr. Modi
assuredthatbothsideswouldwork
to avoid the "abuse" of the double
taxation avoidance convention and
that India will "do nothing to harm
this vibrant sector of one of our
closest strategic partners".
Bothsideshavebeendiscussing
to modify the Indo-Mauritius tax
treaty amid India's apprehensions
that it was being misused to route
unaccounted money and evade
taxes through round-tripping.
Finally Mr. Modi arrived at the
last leg of his visit i.e. Sri Lanka
on 13th March. He met Lankan
President Maithripala Sirisena
and discussed bilateral and issues
of regional importance. Mr. Modi
said his meeting with Sirisena has
been very productive. It "gives me
confidence and optimism about
the future of our relations," Modi
said. This visit comes amid China's
moves to increase its footprint
in the key region, through which
a large chunk of the world trade,
including in oil, passes. He praised
the contributions of the Indian-
origin people who form 70 percent
of the country's population.
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Mauritian President Rajkeswur Purryag

President Kagame with Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Tanzania's Jakaya
Kikwete, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan, Burundi's Second
Vice President Gervais Rufyikiri, Ethiopia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus and EAC Secretary General Richard Sezibera.

device would go on sale starting April
2015 globally starting with 20 countries
which includes Germany, UK, US and
Italy.
Samsung has confirmed it has
received 20 million pre-orders for the
Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge from retailers
and carriers around the world.
An analyst report also claims
Samsung is expected to ship 46 million
units of the Galaxy S6 smartphone
(Galaxy S6 Edge inclusive) for the
whole of 2015.
Nigeria Communications Week
mONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

4. CountryoftheWeek04
Advertiser's Index
AGS Four Winds..............0 Page 01
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Chadha Power .................0Page 02
PHEL ...............................0 Page 04
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Laxmi Publications ..........0Page 11
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Prakash Ameusment .......0Page 11
Agritec Africa ................... Page 12
T
unisian Prime Minister
Habib Essid has assured
speedy improvements to
arouse evolution when he took
office at the head of a coalition
government uniting secular and
Islamist parties.
Four years after tumbling
dictator Zine El-Abidine Ben
Ali and stirring Arab Spring
revolutions in nations like
Egypt, Libya and Syria, Tunisia
is extensively applauded as an
exemplary for the region, having
held free elections last year and
adopted a new constitution.
However it faces stress from its
global lenders to control high
public expenditure, counting by
cutting politically subtle subsidies
on basic foods and fuel. Jobs,
high living costs and economic
prospects are the foremost
concern for most Tunisians.
"After the success of the
democratic transition, now we
must make a successful economic
transition, stimulate growth, fight
poverty and open new windows of
hope to desperate youths," Essid
said. "We must immediately start
structural reforms of the economy
and new development schemes
because temporary solutions are
no longer appropriate."
The government understands
economic growth fast-tracking to
3 percent in 2015 from a projected
2.5 percent in 2014, while the
budget deficit is predictable to
narrow to 5 percent of Gross
Domestic Product from 5.8
percent.
The International Monetary
Fund decided in 2012 to upkeep
Tunisia with a two-year credit
program worth $1.74 billion, of
which Tunis is still waiting for the
final instalment. In exchange, it
decided to keep its deficit under
control and make the foreign
exchange market more flexible.
Essid also faces safety challenges.
The armed forces are cracking
down on Islamist militants who
arose after the 2011 revolution
and have carried out attacks
frequently on the military. Tunisia
is also a major source of jihadi
fighters heading abroad to join
conflicts like Syria's civil war.
Agriculture
Tunisia is recognized as Tunis
Al-Khadra and Tunis Al-Falaha
[Green Tunisia and Agrarian
Tunis] by Arabs. Agricultural
production in this country
accounts for roughly 11 percent
of Gross Domestic Product (GDP),
engaging between 16 and 17
percent of the country’s total
workforce. This validates that the
agricultural sector is a fruitful and
lucrative industry. Even though
Tunisia is on its way to become
a modern service economy, the
agricultural sector is still of vital
importance, contributing 12.6 %
of GDP and employing almost one
quarter of the country's labour
force.
Tunisia is one of the world's
biggest producers and exporters
of olive oil, and it exports dates
and citrus fruits that are grown
typically in the northern parts
of the country. The midpoint of
the country is used mostly to
raise cattle, the Sahel region is
illustrious for its olive groves,
and the southern part of the
country is known for its date
production. Tunisia remains one
of the few Arab countries which
is self-sufficient in dairy products,
vegetables, and fruit and almost
self-sufficient in red meat.
Fish is Tunisia's second most
significant food export after olive
oil, and the government has made
robust endeavors to develop
processing and storage facilities
in order to match European
standards. The government
has also invested heavily in the
elevation of its ports and the
upgrading of its fleets.
According to the Minister of
Agriculture, the date harvest this
season touched about 223,000
tons matched to 198,800 tons
last season, i.e. an 11% increase.
The harvest is made up of almost
159,700 tons of Deglet Nour with a
12% growth compared to last year
and 63,600 tons of other varieties,
up 9% compared to last year.
Prices are between 1.5-3.5 dt/kilo
in Kébili and between 2-3.5dt/kilo
in Tozeur.
Tunisian date exports were
projected up until the 9th January
2015 at almost 24,861 tons with
an 18 million dinar value, related
to 24,330 tons evaluated at 98.3
million dinars in 2013, i.e. a
20% increase. Grape production
touched about 30,000 tons this
year compared to 32,000 tons in
2013, an almost 6% decrease.
Pomegranate exports, since
starting on the 18th September
2014, have reached 4,447 tons
compared to 1,672 tons last
season. National pomegranate
production reached 78.5 thousand
tons in 2013-2014 compared to 67
thousand tons the year before, i.e.
a 17% increase. This production
mainly comes from Gabès (30
million tons), both the country’s
largest planted acreage and
largest production area, making
up 35% of national production per
year. Pomegranate farms in Gabès
cover 3,000 ha, i.e. 1.3 million
pomegranate plants.
The total national fruit
production over 2013-2014
increased by 2% related to the
previous season, going from
654,000 tons to 669,000 tons,
whilst summer fruit production
reached 630,000 tons this season.
The total acreage of new
planted fruit trees for 2014-2015
is estimated at about 7,100 ha.
For the past two decades,
Tunisia has taken on imperative
structural reforms, which call
in most cases for market and
trade liberalization (agricultural
structural adjustment program,
GATT reforms, free trade area with
the European Union). The private-
led type of growth strategy with
less government intervention has
concluded these last years into a
more rapid economic growth and
openness.
Over the past decade, evidence
clearly paints a picture that
Tunisia's economic performance
has been one of the sturdiest in
the region, imitating continuing
but incessant structural reforms,
judicious macroeconomic policies
and well-targeted social policies.
Changing the Face of Tunisia
WEATHERING
THE STORM
MONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

5. BusinessBuzz 05
Visa, Airtel bring mobile
payments to 7 African nations
V
isa and Bharti Airtel, a
telecommunications services
provider with operations in
20 countries across Asia and Africa,
this week announced a partnership
to bring mobile payment services to
seven markets in Africa including
Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar,
Rwanda, Seychelles and Tanzania,
according to a press release.
Visa and Airtel will build on
the existing capabilities of Airtel's
Mobile Money service, enabling
subscribers to use their Airtel
Money account to pay in stores
and online wherever Visa is
accepted. Additionally, customers
can withdraw money and make
payments from their Airtel Money
account using their Airtel Money
Visa companion card.
"Mobile payments can transform
the lives of people throughout
Africa who commonly have access
to a mobile phone, but not a bank,"
said Vish Sowani, Vice President
of MNO partnerships for Visa. "For
most new subscribers, this will
MasterCard has made two
announcements at the Mobile
World Congress in Barcelona,
Spain, that expand mobile
remittance services in Africa.
MasterCard announced
an agreement with eTranzact
International PLC, a leading
Pan-African mobile banking and
payment services company, to
make international remittance
services available to millions
of consumers
in Nigeria. The
card network
also announced a
partnership with
Steward Bank
in Zimbabwe to
make remittance
services available
to the bank's more
than 1.5 million
accountholders.
Under the
e T r a n z a c t
agreement, citizens
will be able to
securely receive
i n t e r n a t i o n a l
remittancestotheir
eTranzact mobile
money wallets
or select bank
accounts through
the international
transfer hub,
represent their first payment
account and bring some of the latest
digital payment advancements into
the everyday experiences of Airtel's
customers."
In addition to everyday Visa
transactions in stores, online and
at ATMs, Airtel Money can also
be used to make micropayments,
conduct fund transfers, purchase
airtime and prepaid electricity, plus
Internet bundles.
"We are excited to embark on the
nextphaseofdevelopmentforAirtel
Money with our new partner, Visa,"
said Chidi Okpala, director and head
of Airtel Money Africa. "We can look
forward to further empowering our
Airtel Money customers with access
to retail, ATM and online payments
using only their Airtel Mobile Phone
and companion card to manage all
their mobile payment needs."
Visa and Airtel have already
launched an Airtel Money Visa Card
in Kenya and will roll out services in
other markets starting in early 2015.
Balancingact- Africa HomeSend. A joint venture
between MasterCard, eServGlobal
and BICS, HomeSend bridges
the gap between various entities
globally - such as financial
institutions, non-financial entities
and mobile network operators
- enabling Nigerians living and
working abroad to send money
from mobile money accounts,
payment cards, bank accounts or
cash outlets back home, according
to a press release.
"For millions of Nigerians, the
receipt of funds from friends and
family is an important lifeline.
HomeSend provides senders
across the globe and the recipients
in Nigeria with a convenient, safe,
and cost effective money transfer
channel," said Omokehinde
Ojomuyide, vice president and
area business head for West Africa
at MasterCard.
Upon receipt of funds into
their eTranzact mobile wallets,
Nigerians can use PocketMoni,
eTranzact's mobile money
platform, to pay bills, top up
airtime, pay select merchants,
cash out at agents or participating
bank ATMs, and send money to
any bank account, PocketMoni
user, eTrazact card or mobile
phone user. MasterCard is also
using HomeSend in the deal
with Steward Bank. In the next
phase of that agreement, Steward
Bank's sister company EcoCash
will soon connect to HomeSend,
enabling more than four million
EcoCash mobile money customers
to receive remittances into their
mobile money wallets, after which
they can pay bills, pay merchants,
send money and cash out. Those
who hold a MasterCard Debit
Companion card linked to their
EcoCash wallets will also be
able to withdraw money from
MasterCard-licensed ATMs.
Balancingact- Africa
BurgerKingWorldwideInc.plansto
enter new African countries before
theendoftheyearasitfollowsYum!
Brands Inc.’s KFC chain in tapping
demand from the continent’s
middle class.
“Our African expansion plans
are progressing at a very vigorous
rate,” Jaye Sinclair, Chief Executive
Officer of Burger King South Africa,
said by phone from Cape Town,
where the Miami-based fast-food
chain’s first outlet in the country
was opened in May 2013.
The maker of the Whopper
burger operates the South
African unit with Johannesburg-
based leisure company Grand
Parade Investments Ltd. and the
combined entity has rights to
open outlets in Zambia, Botswana,
Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia
and Mauritius, Sinclair said.
The company has also asked for
permissiontoopenstoresinAngola,
Africa’ssecond-biggestoilproducer.
Restaurant chains, retailers and
consumer-goods companies are
expanding in sub-Saharan Africa,
where the number of middle-
Burger King to expand to six new African countries
class households has tripled since
2010, according to Johannesburg-
based Standard Bank Group Ltd.
Bentonville, Arkansas-based Wal-
Mart Stores Inc., the world’s biggest
retailer, plans to increase African
store space outside South Africa by
45 percent over the next two years.
McDonald’s Corp., the world’s
biggest restaurant chain, is also
looking at potential new African
markets to build on its growth in
South Africa, CEO Don Thompson
said on Feb. 10. Pizza Hut, owned
by Yum! Brands, plans outlets in
Zambia and Angola in the first half
of this year.
BurgerKingSouthAfrica’starget
countries in sub-Saharan Africa
may get their first restaurants by
MasterCard expands mobile remittance services in Africa
the end of 2015 or early next year,
according to Sinclair, depending
on how quickly supply chains and
distribution centers can be set up. In
South Africa, the chain will almost
double the number of outlets to 60
by mid-year, he said.
“Our focus is on opening big-
formatdrive-throughunits,”Sinclair
said.“Weneedtoreallypopulatethe
South African landscape with our
drive-throughs and then after that
we will start doing in-fills of smaller
stores.”
Burger King South Africa is
talking to shopping-center owners
about building drive-throughs in
parking lots and there are “quite a
few of those under construction at
the moment,” he said. The company
is also considering whether to add
breakfasts, home delivery and
extend trading to 24 hours. The
company has outlets in three of
South Africa’s nine provinces and
plans to open stores in at least four
more, including the Eastern Cape
in early 2016. Burger King also has
restaurants in Egypt and Morocco.
African Herald Express
mONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

6. FRANKLY SPEAKING06
By kirit sobti,
editor, iat
editor@indoafricatimes.com
A
ccording to the Government of Ghana, all
Ghanaians deserve to live in a country
with better-quality infrastructure, which is
inseparably linked to augmenting the quality of
life. The feasibility of private sector investments
centers on a vigorous and functional infrastructure
of roads, rail, sufficient and efficient energy, stable
water supply and a unified communications and ICT
infrastructure.
Ghana has made noteworthy advancement in
infrastructure in recent years. A number of shapes
arise steadily across sectors. Ghana has prospered
in developing broad reach national infrastructure
backbones, and raising household access to services
far beyond what is typical for the low income peer
group. This is true whether one looks at mobile
telephones (67 percent penetration versus 15 percent
in the peer group), power (56 percent access versus
15 percent for the peer group), or utility water (40
percent coverage versus 26 percent for the peer
group). Furthermore, Ghana’s accomplishment in
service coverage is not limited to urban areas.
The country has proved an imposing performance
on both rural water and electricity coverage, and
progressively GSM signal extension. The country’s
road sector is also well established, with a striking
95 of the paved and 81 of the unpaved networks in
good or fair condition. Institutional reforms have
been efficaciously adopted in the ICT, ports, roads and
water supply sectors.
Ghana’s latest technical accomplishment of the
Millennium Development Goal remains a somewhat
hollow triumph. Power supply is also progressively
subject to reliability problems that stem from neglect
of ageing transmission and distribution assets. Even
in mobile telephony the increasing rate of dropped
calls has developed a recent concern, though it is
a comparatively standard side effect of a rapidly
mounting network. This overall pattern suggests that
Ghana may benefit from a systematic framework for
regulating quality of public services. Finally, the one
public service to which Ghana does not seem to have
paid so much attention is sanitation, where the lack
Jay Ireland
President & CEO,
GE Africa
Leslie Nelson
CEO, GE Ghana
Ghana’s President John Dramani
Mahama has stressed the need to focus
on building of infrastructure in the
country.
"While we continue to build more
hospitals and schools, other critical
sectors such as water, roads, transport,
ICT and Telecommunication sectors
continue to engage our attention.
Development of key infrastructure is not
only for job creation but also for general
socio-economic transformation", said the
President.
Currently, it has been estimated that
Ghana suffers infrastructure funding gap
of about US$1.5 billion per year.
"While creating conducive
environment for the private sector
to participate in infrastructure
development, government in 2014
took a decisive step and started the
process for the establishment of a Ghana
Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF)",
Mahama said in the recent address to the
nation. The GIIF is expected to act as a
mobilizer of development in Ghana. The
fund is mainly financed by the receipts
from a VAT levy and contributions from
tax.
The fund will help the government
reduce infrastructure gaps considerably
and will enable the government to invest
in infrastructure projects which will help
drive growth in Ghana.
"We have spent in excess of US$1.1
billion on the construction of new water
systems, and expansion of some existing
ones across the country.
"Water is a basic necessity of life, yet
for many decades, vast sections of our
people had no access to it, contributing
to the spread of water-related diseases."
A report released by the WHO
revealed that Ghana was successful in
eradicating the Guinea worm disease.
"We have over the last two years
reversed significantly the unacceptable
hardship many of our women and
children, especially, go through in their
search for water."
A number of water projects are
launched throughout the country
and others are at various stages of
completion
"This is in fulfillment of the
prescriptions of the National Water
Policy and the work programme of the
2012 Manifesto of the NDC, which seeks
to achieve 100 per cent water coverage
for our people by 2025," he added.
Mahama stresses
on Infrastructure
Development in Ghana
GE has long been
committed to unlocking Africa's
potential but, as our most
recent deals in the region
demonstrate, we believe there
is still more that we can do. Our
investments in infrastructure
and people only strengthen our
role as a key partner in helping
to build Africa's future.
Ghana
has made
noteworthy
advancement
in infrastructure
in recent years.
A number of
shapes arise
steadily across
sectors.
of progress in reducing open defecation remains a
concern.
With respect to regional integration, Ghana is
doing well in maintaining international road corridors,
but lacks power and ICT connectivity with its
neighbors. The Port of Tema is increasingly becoming
a transit gateway to the landlocked hinterland.
However, the continuing success of the Ghana
Gateway program depends on successfully tackling
capacity constraints at the port.
Ghana is making paces to launch itself as a
significant gateway to the West African market. Key
supporting factors are its plentiful natural resources,
economic liberalism, track record of political stability
and refining transport infrastructure.
Ghana’s logistics performance and customs
processes are better than its regional peers. Transport
infrastructure needs to be promoted to meet the
needs of a middle-income country. Subsequent to the
successful commercialisation of its oil reserves, Ghana
is in a place to nurture additional public funding for
infrastructure from its increased fiscal receipts and
consequently address the country’s infrastructure
needs.
The Ministry of Finance in association with
the World Bank and the Agence Francaise de
Developpement (AFD) recently organized a national
workshop on good practices on building Public Private
Partnerships (PPPs). Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr
Cassiel Ato Forson, who stressed on the position of
executing alternative funding solutions such as PPPs.
“We are therefore concentrating on developing our
professionals and specialists, who will anchor the
programme on foundations of knowledge, experience
and skills”, he said.
PPPs are long-term contractual partnership
provisions between public and private institutions
to improve public infrastructure and services. PPPs
are becoming progressively significant in developing
countries like Ghana as a development instrument.
The fundamental code of PPPs is to bring together
public and private entities to design, finance, build and
manage public infrastructure and services. PPPs can
be planned for a variety of sectors including drinking
water supply, sanitation, public transportation,
telecommunications as well as certain aspects of
healthcare delivery and education.
Presently, projects being undertaken as PPPs
in Ghana include the Accra-Takoradi Highway
Dualisation, Boankra Inland Port/Eastern Railway
Line, Takoradi Port Rehabilitation and Expansion, the
establishment of a New National Airline, Diagnostic
Services at Korle Bu, Model Markets project and the
Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal Assembly Community
Project.
The World Bank is supporting the Workshop
as part of its overall four-year support to the
Government of Ghana on PPPs through a $30
million IDA credit to deliver legislative, institutional
and transaction support aimed at improving the
Government’s capacity to generate a pipeline of
bankable projects.
To support both public institutions on one hand
and private companies on the other hand, AFD and
its subsidiary in charge of the private sector offer a
wide range of financial tools to finance PPPs in Ghana,
from soft loans, equity investments, and technical
assistance to grants.
Overall, Ghana’s infrastructure condition is fairly
anticipative relative to that of many African neighbors.
There are numerous strong areas to build upon, and
We are delighted to have
reached agreement with
Shell on the key parameters
of a long-term LNG supply
arrangement and have entered
into exclusive discussions on a
long-term LNG supply for the
Ghana 1000 project. Securing a
reliable, flexible and affordable
LNG supply arrangement is a
critical piece of the puzzle to
make this project a reality.
CHANGING THE FACE OF GHANA
a solid economic base from which to fund
incremental efforts. As Ghana spreads the
middle income threshold, it will need to focus
on elevating its infrastructure pointers in line
with this standard.
Constructing a New Narrative on Infrastructure Development
MONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

7. TRAVEL&tourism 07
WAYANADThe Land of Paddy Fields
A
district in the north-
eastern part of Kerala,
Wayanad is well known
for its landscapes.
The name Wayanad
is derived from Vayal
Nadu which means the land of
paddy fields. It is a picturesque
plateau situated at a height between
700 meters and 2100 meters above
the mean sea level nested among
the mountains of the Western Ghats
on the Eastern portion of North
Kerala and on the sides of Tamil
Nadu and Karnataka States.
human use and symbols. These carvings speak of a
highly civilized people of pre-historic age and inspires
the archaeologists and historians to rewrite the
history of Wayanad and Kerala as a whole.
Sentinel Rock Waterfalls: This waterfall is at
Vellarimala village near Chooralmala in Meppadi
panchayat. It is a picnic spot as well as a trekking
centre. The sentinel rock, a rock of more than 200 m.in
height, is ideal for rock climbing.
Kuruva Island: The Kuruva Island, 950 acres of
ever green forest on the tributaries of east flowing
river Kabani, is an ideal picnic spot. The island is
uninhabited. Rare species of birds, orchids and herbs
can be found here.
Lakkidi: One of the highest
locations in Wayanad, Lakkidi
also commands a picturesque
scenery. It is about 58 kms
north east of Kozhikode and
five kms south of Vythiri.
The lofty mountain
peaks, the gurgling
stream, luxuriant
vegetation and the
bird's eye view of
the deep valley on
the south, with its
winding roads, are
breath taking.
Wayanad lies in the Nilgiris biosphere. It’s part of the 1600 km long
Western Ghats, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The District
was carved out from the then Kozhikode and Kannur Districts.
About 885.92.sq.km of area is under forest. The culture of Wayanad
is mainly tribal. Wayanad’s landscape combines epic mountain
scenery, rice paddies of ludicrous green, skinny betel nut trees,
bamboo, red earth, spiky ginger fields, and rubber, cardamom
and coffee plantations. Foreign travelers are making it here in
increasing numbers, partly because it provides easy access between
Mysore or Bangalore and Kerala, but it’s still fantastically virgin
and satisfyingly remote. Importantly, it's also one of the few places
you’re almost guaranteed to spot wild elephants.
The higher elevation and forest cover creates a comfortable
and a cool climate. The weather is cool throughout the year except
in April and May. It rains heavily during monsoon, with an annual
average rainfall of 3200 mm.
Wayanad has two of the best wildlife sanctuaries in the country.
The Muthanga wildlife sanctuary and the Tholpetty wildlife
sanctuary. The Sanctuaries are rich in bio-diversity and form the
natural habitat of a variety of flora and fauna endemic to the region.
Must Visit..
Chembra Peak: At a height of 2100 meters, the towering
Chembra Peak is located near Meppadi in the southern part of
Wayanad. It is the tallest of peaks in the region. Climbing the
Chembra peak is an exhilarating experience and can take almost a
day. For tourists who like to camp, Chembra Peak can prove to be an
unforgettable experience.
Neelimala: Located in the southeastern part of
Wayanad, Neelimala is a trekker’s delight. At the top of
Neelimala, the sight is a breathtaking one with a view
to the Meenmutty falls located nearby and the valley in
the foreground.
Pakshipathalam: Pakshipathalam is located deep
within the forest in the Brahmagiri hills at an altitude
of more than 1700 meters. The region predominantly
comprises large boulders, some of them really
massive. The deep caves found here are home to a
wide variety of birds, animals and distinctive species
of plants.
Banasura Sagar Dam: Banasura Sagar Dam is
the largest earth dam in India. The dam is located
in the southwestern part of Wayanad district and
is close to the Karalad Lake. The project area of the
Banasura Sagar Dam also has the start point for treks
to the Banasura Peak. An interesting feature is a
set of islands that were formed when the reservoir
submerged the surrounding areas.
Pookot Lake: It is a natural fresh water lake,
brimmed with ever green mountains. The weather
here is salacious; the scenic beauty, hypnotizing and
the nature, unspoiled.
Edakkal Cave: The Edakkal cave in the Ambukuthy
Mountain, is not a cave in the real sense, but a cleft
about 96ft. long and 22ft wide in the rock. The rock
wall contains some interesting carvings, which
represent human and animal figures and objects of
mONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

8. TALKINGTECHNOLOGY08
R
esearch and analysis
following EIBTM 2014
(which has recently been
rebranded as ibtm world – www.
ibtmworld.com) has confirmed
that 97% of exhibitors who
participated in 2014 agree that
the event is important for their
business.
Jim Hensley, CEO, Global DMC
Partners comments, “EIBTM is the
strongest and busiest show in our
trade show calendar. We’ve had
more appointments each day here
than we have had in entire trade
shows. The buyers we have seen
have been good quality and most
importantly ready to do business
with proposals in place, rather
than general enquiries. We are
very optimistic about the future
business we will place thanks to
EIBTM.”
In addition to this, 93% of
exhibitors who participated in the
2014 show are planning to rebook
following the success of the show
which took place in Fira Gran Via,
Barcelona.
Isabel Agrelo, Communication
Manager, Global Sales Division,
Accor commented, “We have been
extremely busy at EIBTM with
over 800 appointments across
the three days. We have met with
some very interesting sales leads
and there will be some positive
contracts to come. We can’t wait
to return in 2015.”
The show reported a 4%
increase on overall attendance
and a 9% increase in visitor
attendance when compared to
2013 figures.
Analysis also confirmed
that over 9,750 visitors and
Hosted Buyers, of which 4,650
were CEOs, MDs and Heads of
Department, attended from 72
countries including UK, Germany,
Russia, Benelux, France, Italy,
U.S and China with 66% of them
confirming an annual budget for
meetings, events and business
travel of over $500,000.
Steve Bloss, President of Sales,
Worldwide Travel and Cruise
Associates Inc. commented, “This
is our 24th year exhibiting at
EIBTM and this is without a doubt,
the best year yet. The quality of
buyers we have met and the size
and nature of the enquiries have
been great.”
Sandrine Camia, Director
Monaco Convention Bureau also
commented, “EIBTM 2014 has
been our most successful show
since I have been the Director of
the Monaco Convention Bureau.
The quality and quantity of the
buyers visiting our booth have
been very good, and all our
partners had a very good show
with numerous serious requests
for proposals.”
Companies interested in
benefiting from access to a global
network of powerful meetings
industry buyers as well as a
number of additional networking
opportunities should contact
ibtmworld.sales@reedexpo.co.uk
for further information.
Reed Travel Exhibitions
Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the
world’s leading provider of exhibitions
in the travel and tourism industry,
with a wide-ranging portfolio of 21
international events in 13 countries
throughout the Americas, Europe, the
Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa.
Its market-leading, business-to-
business events cover all elements of
travel and tourism, including leisure
travel, luxury travel, meetings, events,
incentives and business travel, as well
as golf, ski and spa travel.
PLAYING A VITAL ROLE IN MEETINGS’
SUPPLIERS BUSINESS MIX
For media enquiries, please contact:
Nina Gardiner
Tel: +44 (0) 208 334 4004
Mob: +44 (0) 7770 306 689
Email: nina.gardiner@cut-coms.co.uk
Céline Sabattini
Tel: +44 (0) 208 334 4009
Email: celine.sabattini@cut-coms.co.uk
RTE is part of Reed Exhibitions
www.reedtravelexhibitions.com
MONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

9. TRYSOMETHINGNEW 09
upcoming
Good things comes to those who wait.
THOUGHT OF
THE WEEK
`Cairo International Fair
It is a multi-sector, multi-national
trade exhibition. The Fair is a
general exhibition of all types
of goods. The duration of the
event is ten days. The Cairo
International Fair receives active
support from the Government of
the Republic of Egypt through
the Ministry of Foreign Trade
and Industry.
Date: 18-27 Mar 2015
Venue: Cairo International
Convention & Exhibition centre,
Cairo, Egypt
Nigeria Oil & Gas Exhibition
The Nigeria Oil & Gas Exhibition
with its exclusive display of
oil and gas products, oil and
gas services, petrochemicals,
oil and gas compounds,
equipments, safety devices and
all associated with the oil and
gas industry, is one of its kinds.
The exhibition also conducts
conferences and seminars and
is a great platform to know
about the prevailing oil and
gas industry. It is a great forum
that gifts learning experience
and also hosts expert opinion
and decision makes from this
industry.
Date: 16-19 Mar 2015
Venue: Abuja International
Conference Center, Abuja, Nigeria
Annual African Society
for Talent Development
International Conference
It is organized by the African
Society for Talent Development.
The conference will cover
areas like Development,
Transformation and Technology,
and Is Especially Designed
to Look at Challenges That
Participants Are Facing from
a Macro, Institutional and
Individual Perspective.
Date: 17-19 Mar, 2015
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre,
Johannesburg, South Africa
Propak East Africa
This event showcases products
like aluminium, all flexible
packaging, board, labelling,
substrates, paper, polymers,
tinplate, rigid plastics, suppliers
of packaging, adhesives, boxes,
cans, closures, containers,
cartons, components, flexible
packaging, glass and plastic
bottles, drums, pouches,
tubes, packaging and ancillary
machinery, bottling, capping,
canning, Chemical, cosmetic,
pharmaceutical, toiletries and
detergent industries processing
equipment etc. in the Packaging
Materials industry.
Date: 17-19 March, 2015
Venue: Kenyatta International
Conference Centre (KICC), Nairobi,
Kenya.
National Equity and
Inclusion conference
The conference will cover
areas like Inclusive Wash
Technologies for Household,
Communities and Institutions
Equity and Inclusion in Practice –
Reaching under Served Groups
Policy Issues in Inclusive Wash.
Date: 18-19 Mar 2015
Venue: Hotel Africana, Kampala,
Uganda
H.E. Mr. Hamza Yahia-Cherif, Ambassador-Designate of Algeria to India, paid homage, along with the Algerian diplomats, to Mahatma
Gandhi on 3rd March 2015. The new Ambassador, who placed a wreath at Gandhi’s Samadhi at Rajghat, said it was spiritual to start his
mission in India by paying tributes to the soul of a strong freedom fighter whose weapons were nothing but peace and non-violence.

picture of the week
North African
Lamb Kebabs
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless leg or shoulder
of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes with some of
the fat attached
• 6 warm pita breads, for serving
Directions
• In a large bowl, combine the onion, lemon
zest, lemon juice, parsley, cilantro, mint, salt,
cumin, paprika, pepper, and olive oil. Add the
lamb to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover
with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4
hours.
• Soak 8 to 10 bamboo skewers in warm water
for about 1 hour before assembling the kabobs.
• Preheat the grill to high, and lightly oil the grill
grates to prevent sticking. Thread the lamb
onto the soaked skewers and place on the grill,
turning to evenly cook, about 12 to 14 minutes.
• Drizzle the pitas with sauce, then wrap the pita
around the meat on the skewer, fold over and
twist the skewer off the meat. Serve.
Eating 2-3 kiwis a day has been shown
to reduce the potential of blood clotting
by 18% and reduce triglycerides by 15%.
Many individuals take aspirin to reduce
blood clotting, but this causes many
side effects including inflammation and
intestinal bleeding. Kiwi fruit has the same
anti-clotting benefits with no side effects,
just additional health benefits!
6. Suitable For Diabetics
Kiwi is in the ‘low’ category for glycemic
index, meaning it does not raise your blood
sugar quickly. It has a glycemic load of 4
which means it is safe for diabetics.
7. Protects Against Macular
Degeneration and Other Eye Problems
Macular degeneration is the leading cause
of vision loss in older adults. A study on
over 110,000 men and women showed
that eating 3 or more serving of fruit per
day decreased macular degeneration by
36%. This is thought to be associated
with the kiwi’s high levels of lutein and
Health Benefits of Kiwi
zeaxanthin
— both
of which
are natural
chemicals found
in the human eye.
Although both fruits
and vegetables were
studied, this same effect
was not shown for vegetables.
8. Create Alkaline Balance
Kiwi is in the ‘most alkaline’ category
for fruits, meaning it has a rich supply of
minerals to replace the excess of acidic
foods most individuals consume. A
few of the benefits of a properly acid/
alkaline balanced body are: youthful skin,
deeper sleep, abundant physical energy,
fewer colds, less arthritis, and reduced
osteoporosis.
9. Great for the Skin
Kiwis are a good source of vitamin E, an
antioxidant known to protect skin from
degeneration.
10. Naturally
Organic
Kiwi fruit is on the list of foods
that are generally safe from a lot of
pesticide residues. For 2012 it came in
with the top 10 safest foods. While it is
always good to support organic when you
can as a matter of principle, it’s also good
to know whether there is a big danger if
organic is not available or viable for you.
1. I've lost my bag.
J'ai perdu mon sac.
2. Can I use your phone/mobile phone?
Puis-je utiliser votre téléphone/portable?
Handy French
3. Where does this train/bus go?
Où va ce train/bus?
4. Do you accept credit cards?
Acceptez-vous les cartes de credit?
5. It was delicious.
C'était délicieux.
6. I haven't done anything wrong.
Je n'ai fait rien de mal.
Lesotho, in Africa, is
the only country on
Earth to lie completely
above 1000 meters in
elevation.
Yogurt Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1. Helps Your Digestions with
Enzymes
Raw kiwi contains actinidain, a protein-
dissolving enzyme that can help digest a
meal much like the papain in papaya or
bromelain in pineapple.
2. Helps Manage Blood Pressure
Kiwi’s high level of potassium helps
keep our electrolytes in balance by
counteracting the effects of sodium.
3. Boosts Your Immunity
Kiwi’s high vitamin C content along with
other antioxidant compounds has been
proven to boost the immune system.
4. Smart Carb for Weight Loss
Kiwi’s low glycemic index and high fiber
content means it will not create a strong
insulin rush like other fruit with high
sugar contents — so the body will not
respond by storing fat.
5. Helps Fight Heart Disease
mONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

10. THEFASHIONISTAS10
Tic Tac receives award for contributing to hiplife
Musicians Union of Ghana,
(MUSIGA) bestowed on artise
Tic Tac, a Hiplife Honours award
for his immense contribution to
the genre over the years.
The event took place on at
the National Theatre during the
MUSIGA Ghana Music Honours,
as part of series of programmes
to commemorate the Ghana
Music Week Festival.
The initiative by the union
was to show reverence to
musicians and other industry
players who have contributed
immensely to the Ghanaian Music
Industry and are still relevant in
their field of endeavour.
It consisted of 21 awards;
with 15 meritorious honours
by the Industry, and six masses
choice determined by the public.
At the end of it all, Tic Tac
was given the coveted Hiplife
Honours for single-handedly
exporting Ghana music to
Europe, and other continents
while remaining relevant in
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please email to
ads@indoafricatimes.com
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To book your
Ghana music.
Tic Tac on receiving the award
thanked lovers of Ghanaian
music for their support for the
Industry.
He charged them to
continuously love and support
Ghanaian music, for it was that
relationship which would ensure
the survival of the industry.
When approached by the
media backstage to comment on
the award, the “Don't Let your
Baby Go” hit maker, said, his
passion for the music industry
continuous to grow daily and
added that the award would
shove him to do more. He charged
his colleagues in the Industry as
well as upcoming musicians, to
uphold and revere Ghana music
as posterity and generations will
remember their hard work.
The “All over the world”
singer said, TN records has lots
of surprises and good music for
the teeming fans in the months
ahead. He also hinted that he will
be dropping the video for one of
his singles, “Don't Let your Baby
Go” soon.
Modern Ghana
Dela Botri, Pat Thomas Rock
Francophone Festival
Viguiré, who collaborated with
Botri in 2014, which resulted
in performances in the French
capital, Paris, is expected to
jam the concert, which would
be a cool blend of highlife, jazz,
contemporary and traditional
Ghanaian music.
Dela Botri, who is also
known as the 'flute magician', is
the founder, leader and artistic
director of Hewale Sounds and
the 'Gouda' music group (former
Hewale Youth).
Leading and directing Hewale
Sounds, the group has performed
for highly enthusiastic audiences
in Togo, Benin, Nigeria, La Côte
d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Guinea,
Mauritania, Jordan, Egypt, South
Africa, Norway and the United
States of America.
In Ghana, the group has
enchanted audiences from all
regions during their national tour
and also at cultural institutions
such as the Alliance Française,
Goethe Institute, the British
Christopher
to launch
Agatima
video
RB singer Christopher Muneza has started shooting the video for the
song, Agatima.
The video for the track which is off the singer’s second album is being
shot in Kigali and is directed by KINA Music. The project started last week,
on Monday, and it is expected to conclude this week.
Agatima is one of the most romantic songs by Christopher. This
wonderful single contains soul touching lyrics and music—and it’s
definitely the perfect song that you can dedicate to your lover and just
feel the romance in the air.
On February 20, the 21-year-old released yet another song titled,
Urubavu, which features a combination of romance and music.
“Urubavu has a deep and profound message for married couples, as
they make vows never to separate until death,” he says.
Although he didn’t make it among the 25 nominees for this year’s
Primus Guma Guma SuperStar singing competition, Christopher never
considered it an issue and neither a discouragement.
“When I was entering my music journey, I never aimed at the PGGSS
competitions and therefore having been not chosen wasn’t a big issue
since I am still celebrating the success of my Valentine concert. So I have
no reason to be discouraged,” he adds.
Christopher sings about love and his music helps people to feel the
essence of romance. Some of his songs, such as, Iri Joro, Amahitamo,
Byanze, Babyumva, among others, are described by fans as engaging and
wonderful pieces of music which help them to appreciate love and feel its
real meaning.
New Times
film award in 2015.
On Saturday, March 21, the
Alliance Française would host a
Francophone cultural fair, which
would showcase the diversity
Francophone countries through
literature, music, dance, fashion
and food.
In the evening, Beninoise diva
and former UNICEF Ambassador,
Zeynab, would trill fans with her
exclusive style. Discovered in
2002 with 'Intori', her first album,
Zeynab has shaped Beninois and
French-speaking music of Africa
with her unique musical genre.
She efficiently succeeded in
mixing the rhythms of his time
(RB) and the traditional tones
of her country of adoption (Ivory
Coast) and of her native Benin.
Embassy of France in Accra,
Institut Francais (Ghana / Togo),
Canadian High Commission in
Accra, CFAO, ORSAM, Total, Societe
General, Bank of Africa and others
are sponsoring the festival.
Modern Ghana
Council and residencies of
ambassadors to Ghana from Congo,
France, Germany, the Netherlands,
Russia, Spain, Togo and the United
States.
Hewale Sounds has had
numerous performances for state
programmes and high official
visitors to Ghana. Most recently,
Hewale Sounds performed for
H.R.H. Prince Haakon of Norway
during his visit to Accra in 2011.
Some of the activities lined
up for the festival include an
exhibition of extremely evocative
artworks by three Togolese
painters, Emmanuel Sogbadzi,
Sokey Edorh, Camille Azankpo and
Pierre Segoh, would open at the
Alliance Française in Accra.
From Friday, March 20 to
Saturday March 28, a film festival
would take place with screenings
in several venues all over the city of
Accra. It is scheduled to premiere
'Timbuktu' by Abderrahmane
Sissako, director and producer
who was nominated at the Oscar
Dela Botri of Hewale Sounds, French guitarist Bernard Viguiré, alongside percussionist Maxwell
Abeyie and legendary singer Pat Thomas will on Saturday, March 14 perform at the Alliance Française
as part of the 2015 edition of Francophonie festival.
MONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

11. SPORTS2WATCH 11
E
uropean football lovers will
be in for a treat when pay TV
company Star Times Media,
launch a Sports Premium channel
in May that will show games
from one of the biggest European
leagues; the German Bundesliga
effective next season.
Star Times Media signed an
initial two-year contract to show
Europe’s most exciting league.
The Sports Premium channel
will also be showing other games
that weren’t previously available
to viewers on that platform like
Cricket, NBA, Athletics and Rugby.
Speaking to the Times Sport
yesterday, the Star Times Brand
and Marketing director Hussein
Kamanzi, said, “We’re launching a
new sports premium at end of this
season. The channel is going to be
broadcasting all the Bundesliga
Star Times to start showing
Bundesliga
New Sports Minister Uwacu wants Chan 2016
to stay in Rwanda
GFA Exco hails Black Stars for sterling performance
at AFCON 2015
game with whom we have signed
exclusively for two years.
The Sports Premium channel
comes in addition to the Unique
Package. Last Monday, Star Times
launched a new programme called
Sports Focus on a new package.
“The programme (Sports
Focus) will be giving sports
updates and it will also show the
Euro 2016 qualifiers and UEFA
Champions League,” Kamanzi
added.
Previously, Star Times would
give rights to show the Champions
League to local TV stations but
Rwandans will be able to watch
the games at a “reasonably priced”
Nova Package. The two additional
channels come after Sports 2
programme that was launched to
give viewers more sports.
New Times
The newly appointed Minister of
Sports and Culture, Julienne Uwacu
has challenged Amavubi to win the
2016 Africa Nations Championship
(Chan) that will be held in Rwanda
from January 16-February 7, 2016.
Uwacu, who replaced Joseph
Habineza, while giving her maiden
speech after swearing in ceremony,
also called upon all institutions
that operate under her ministry as
well as other stakeholders to work
together in order to achieve greater
success.
“We need to work together as
team, we have to work hard even
in order to achieve our mission and
bring pride to our nation,” she said.
The minister added, “We are
planning to beef up the national
team with many warm-up games.
We want to find the best
approach to build a solid national
The Executive Committee of the
Ghana Football Association has
praised the Black Stars for their
impressive performance at the
2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
This was revealed after an
Executive Committee meeting
held in Accra to review the team's
performance at the tournament
which was held in Equatorial
GuineafromJanuary17toFebruary
8. The Black Stars exceeded the
expectations of many by finishing
the tournament as runners up
after losing on penalties to Ivory
Coast in the final match.
Ghana recovered from a 2-1
defeat to Senegal in their opening
game to beat Algeria and South
Africa to finish on top of Group A.
Coach Avram Grant's side
went ahead to beat Guinea and
hosts Equatorial Guinea 3-0 each
in the quarter final and semi final
stage respectively before reaching
the finals. The team received lots
of plaudits from many football
fans and from President John
Dramani Mahama. And the GFA's
Executive Committee in its review
of the tournament, congratulated
the team for their sterling
performance.
“I can confirm to you that the
Executive Committee is highly
satisfied with the performance of
the Black Stars. They exceedingly
impressed by the performance
of the team at the Africa Cup
of Nations.” GFA President
Kwesi Nyantakyi said at a press
conference after the Exco meeting.
“We also congratulate Mr.
Avram Grant for the sterling
performance with the team
despite taking over in a very short
time”, he added.
Modern Ghana
Uwacu has been a Member
of Parliament since 2008. Before
joining the Chamber of Deputies,
Uwacu served as the Vice Mayor
of Nyabihu District in charge of
economy and development.
New Times
team which would be able to
challenge and make sure the trophy
stays in Rwanda.”
Sheconfirmedthatconstruction
works on modern stadiums that
will host the African Nations
Championship have reached
advanced stage. The competition
will be held at Amhoro Stadium,
Kigali Regional Stadium, Huye
Stadium and Umuganda Stadium in
Rubavu District.
Chan is a competition reserved
for players featuring in their
respective domestic leagues.
Democratic Republic of Congo
won the inaugural tournament in
Cote d’Ivoire in 2009, Tunisia won
the 2011 edition in Sudan while
Libya are the defending champions.
The former Minister of Sports
and Culture, Habineza will officially
hand over office to Uwacu today.

Julienne Uwacu, Minister, Sports
and Culture Minister
mONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015

12. How imperative is a dialogue
among people from India and Africa
to address the challenges of Air
pollution?
In India we have enormous problems
related to air pollution. Now we are
trying to understand what kind of
solutions we can adopt to reverse this
trend.
We are here to share experience
and best practices so that we can build
a platform to inform people and police
makers in order to get result-oriented
policy decisions. What we need today
is that even though, problems of Air
pollutions have been in Africa and India.
In Mumbai, there is a hope to address
these chjallenges , growing number of
cars and congestion, it is important to
tell the world that despite that in Africa
and India there are still people who are
still wlking and getting oublic transport,
this the best practice that we can
encourage since previous studies have
shown that transport is responsible for
around 25 to 70% of urban outdoor air
pollution.
How confident are you that some, or
most, of the objectives you spelled out
in your road map proposals can be
achieved?
There is a need to build cooperation
between people from Africa and India
with the mitigation of Air pollution
problems. The platform is to share the
best practices from Africa and India
so that we can engage with our policy-
makers. From our experience in India,
all parties should be involved in the
dialogue. If we want political will, it is
very important that we should be able to
build public knowledge. This experience
sharing platform is very critical so that
the public opinion could influence policy
makers. We are going to look at capacity
building exercise, research, so that we
could involve a range of stakeholders to
build the dialogue. More especially, the
involvement of different local actors and
creating local ownership are key success
factors for addressing all challenges.
What kind of research areas will
be concerned in this south-south
cooperation between India and
Africa?
We are going to look at how at
different national levels research can
be done to understand the challenges
and solutions. We are also going to
look at what kind of policy dialogue
we can build. To get the good benefit
to fight against the effects of climate
change climate change. This is a new
area of consultation and dialogue for the
countries of Africa and Asia could come
together to build those understanding.
Could you elucidate which function
Indian and African researchers hold
in this equation?
The civil society of India and Africa
can communicate each other so that
they can inform people from both sides.
This cooperation is not governmental
cooperation, it is between Africa and
India. As a future scenarios, people will
be able to communicate and build public
support and build cities congestion free.
We have the chance to do it. This is a
unique opportunity for both parties to
engage in the ongoing efforts to improve
air quality in congested cities from Africa
and Indian and mitigate climate-change
simultaneously. The way forward will
be to provide recommendations on a
number innovative actions, policy setting,
financing and institutional development
to enable rapid scaling up South-South
Cooperation initiatives between Africa
and India.
In an exclusive interview with Indo Africa Times (IAT), Ms. Anumita Roychowdhury,
the Executive Director of Research and Advocacy, at one of the notable Indian based
Think-tank, Centre for Science and Environment, has appealed to various stakeholders
from India and Africa to resort to dialogue as the means for mitigating air pollution
which is described as the deadliest environmental problem for millions of people. It
said these diseases are primarily caused by high levels of fine particulate matter and
carbon monoxide released by the burning of solid fuels such as wood, coal, crop
waste and charcoal in inefficient stoves. About 3 billion people around the world —
mostly in Africa and Asia, and mostly very poor — still cook and heat their homes by
burning coal, charcoal, dung, wood, or plant residue in their homes.
There is a need to build cooperation
between people from Africa and India
ENCOUNTER WITH EDITOR12
Owner / Publisher / Editor: Mr. Kirit Sobti from 3rd Floor, Plot No. 3, Block PSP-IV, Service Centre Opp. Sector-11 (Extn.), Rohini, Delhi-85
Printed at LIPEE SCAN PVT. LTD. 89 DSIDC SHED Okhala Phase 1, New Delhi
Anumita
Roychowdhury
Executive Director of
Research and Advocacy,
for Indian Think-tank,
Centre for Science and
Environment

MONDAY | MARCH 16, 2015