J-L K Blog

Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Sopot

2010-01-19T14:52:00.000+02:00

Hello Anna, doskonałe piękno, Widzę cię w moich snach .. Na zawsze

George Michael - careless whisper(LIVE IN LONDON 2009)HD

2010-01-19T14:28:00.000+02:00

Jean-Jacques Goldman - Là-bas (live 98)

2010-01-19T12:46:00.000+02:00

Dixie Chicks - Landslide (live)

2010-01-18T22:29:00.001+02:00

Éclipse : le phénomène a été observé à Goma, Watsa, Isiro et Bumba

2010-01-16T13:04:00.000+02:00

Eclipse solaire telle que observée vendredi 15.01.2010 à Goma

Éclipse : le phénomène a été observé à
Goma, Watsa, Isiro et Bumba

L'éclipse annulaire annoncée avec pompe
a été un rendez-vous manqué pour
la population kinoise et d'autres habitants
de plusieurs autres coins de la RDC.

Mais le phénomène a bel et bien eu lieu
et a été observé dans certaines villes
du pays, notamment dans
la partie est, rapporte radiookapi.net

A Goma, dans la province du Nord-Kivu,
par exemple, l'éclipse a eu lieu
ce vendredi matin 15 janvier,
vers 7h5', heure locale.

A Watsa et à Isiro, dans
la province Orientale, le phénomène
a été observé vers 7h30'.

Dans la partie ouest de
la République Démocratique du Congo,
ce sont les habitants de Bumba,
à l'Equateur, qui ont eu le privilège
de vivre l'événement comme l'ont affirmé
des échos en provenance de ce territoire.

Mais, là, l'éclipse a été partielle.

En revanche, dans plusieurs autres
parties du pays, la curiosité
des populations n'a pu être satisfaite
du fait du ciel qui est resté
couvert de nuages ou
de brouillard ce matin.

C'était le cas à Kinshasa, Lumbashi
et Kalemie (Katanga),
Mbandaka (Équateur), Kisangani et
Buta (Province Orientale),
Kananga, Tshikape
et Tshimbulu (Kasai Occidental)
ainsi que les provinces
du Bas Congo et de Bandundu.

Dans la capitale congolaise où
un grand nombre de personnes
s'étaient préparées à vivre
le phénomène en se procurant
des lunettes spécialisées mises
sur le marché sur fond
d'une grande campagne médiatique,
la soif de vivre l'éclipse cédait
la place à la déception
et même à la colère au fur
et à mesure que le temps passait.

Pour se consoler, certains
disaient avec humour
que l'événement a été reporté.

M. John Waku, administrateur
technique de Metelsat (Agence
congolaise de météorologie
et de télédétection par satellite)
est intervenu sur les antennes
de Radio Okapi, à midi,
pour confirmer que l'éclipse
avait eu lieu et expliquer
les raisons, celles données
plus haut, qui l'ont cachée
à l'observation
dans certaines parties du pays.

L'éclipse annulaire de
ce vendredi 15 janvier 2010
était également visible
dans l'ouest de la République
centrafricaine et au sud-ouest
du Tchad.

L'ombre de la lune a traversé
ensuite la RDC, l'Ouganda,
le Kenya et la Somalie avant
d'atteindre l'Océan Indien,
de poursuivre sa trajectoire
vers le sud de l'Inde,
la Birmanie et la Chine.

Selon les spécialistes
de la Nasa, la particularité et
le grand intérêt de
l'éclipse annulaire comme
celle de ce jour, s'affirment
du fait que sa bande de centralité
est d'une largeur
exceptionnelle : de 320 à
365 kilomètres en moyenne,
selon les pays traversés.

Et il en est de même en ce
qui concerne la durée de
la phase annulaire qui varie
entre 7 et 11 minutes
selon les zones des pays traversés.

D'après la Nasa, toujours,
une autre si longue éclipse
annulaire ne se reproduira pas
avant plus de mille ans.

Précisément pas avant
le 23 décembre 3043.

Cependant, une éclipse solaire
totale est prévue le 11 juillet 2010
prochain, presque entièrement
au dessus du Pacifique sud.

Copyright Radio Okapi

Link here

PS: Je suppose que la Radio Okapi
ne disposait pas d'un budget
suffisant pour observer
ce phénomène à... Gisenyi
--
J-L K

Teddy Pendergrass - Love TKO

2010-01-14T19:46:00.002+02:00

Angelique Kidjo - Wombo Lombo (Junior's Extended Club Mix)

2010-01-13T14:44:00.000+02:00

Kama Jeshi

2010-01-13T13:39:00.001+02:00

New Edition - If It Isn't Love

2010-01-10T21:13:00.001+02:00

Heavy D & The Boyz - Mr. Big Stuff

2010-01-10T16:33:00.000+02:00

Papa wemba- Rail on

2010-01-10T00:45:00.000+02:00

House for rent

2010-01-09T17:33:00.001+02:00

--
J-L K

CAN 2010: la sélection togolaise mitraillée en Angola

2010-01-08T21:33:00.000+02:00

Par Rédaction Grioo.com

D'après plusieurs sources, le bus transportant
en Angola les joueurs de
la sélection togolaise aurait été
mitraillé à la frontière entre
le Congo et l'Angola.

L'attaque est imputée à des rebelles.

Le chauffeur du bus aurait été tué,
et il y aurait quatre autre blessés,
dont deux joueurs.

Selon Thomas Dossevi qui évolue
à Nantes en seconde division française,
qui s'exprimait sur la chaine Infosport,
les deux joueurs blessés seraient
le gardien Kodjovi Obilalé (GSI Pontivy)
et le défenseur Serge Akakpo
(Vaslui FC/ROM).

Les autres blessés seraient
l'intendant chargé de la communication
ainsi que l'entraineur des gardiens de buts.

On a appris plus tard qu'outre
ces quatre blessés, le docteur et
l'entraineur-adjoint ont également été blessés.

Il a également indiqué que pour
se protéger des balles, les joueurs
seraient resté allongés sous
les sièges près d'une vingtaine
de minutes. Selon Football365.fr:

   Nous revenions de notre stage
du Congo pour nous rendre en Angola.
Et cinq minutes après que nous ayons
passé la frontière angolaise,
vers quinze heures, nous avons été
mitraillés par des rebelles,
nous a narré le joueur, en pleurs
et très choqué.

Certains joueurs comme moi ont eu
le temps de se protéger en se jetant
sous les sièges. Pour éviter les balles,
nous sommes restés allongés
une vingtaine de minutes au sol,
j'ai eu très peur, j'entendais les balles
et je ne savais pas ce qui se passait.

C'était très impressionnant. Moi,
j'ai été très choqué et je le suis encore,
mais au moins j'ai la chance d'aller
bien car j'étais dans le fond du bus.

C'est surtout ceux qui étaient à l'avant
qui ont été touchés. Il y avait beaucoup
de dirigeants et de membres du staff
qui étaient assis là.

Et beaucoup sont gravement blessé.
Mais pas uniquement par le bris des vitres,
qui ont explosé sous l'impact des balles,
mais, eux, par des balles tirées
par les rebelles avec leurs mitraillettes.

Ils nous ont mitraillés comme des chiens,
c'est dégueulasse. Obilalé et Akakpo
sont gravement blessés.

J'ai très peur pour Obilalé,
notre deuxième gardien.
Il pissait le sang, c'est très grave.

Notre entraineur des gardiens est blessé,
notre docteur aussi. L'intendant chargé
de la communication a lui aussi été
gravement blessé par balles ainsi
que l'entraineur-adjoint et
le chauffeur du bus.

Beaucoup de monde est dans
un sale état. Il y avait du sang partout,
tout ça pour du football.

Je ne sais même pas si nous
allons jouer la CAN. Là, nous sommes
à l'hôpital, nous avons été évacués
du bus et escortés jusque ici
par l'armée.

C'est incroyable ce qui
s'est passé. Tout ça pour du football.

Thomas Dossevi

Quelques heures après
l'agression, deux joueurs ont fait
savoir qu'ils ne souhaitaient plus
disputer la compétition,
et se demandent si le football mérite cela.

Nous attendons une confirmation
des autorités sportives togolaises.

Link here
--
J-L K

Ralph Tresvant - Sensitivity

2010-01-07T23:13:00.000+02:00

Not been part of a problem doesn't make you always part of it's solution

2010-01-06T12:50:00.001+02:00

Israel (Hebrew: יִשְׂרָאֵל‎, Yisra'el; Arabic: إِسْرَائِيلُ‎, Isrā'īl) officially the State of Israel

(Hebrew: מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל (help·info), Medinat Yisra'el;

Arabic: دَوْلَةُ إِسْرَائِيلَ‎, Dawlat Isrā'īl), is a country in Western Asia located

on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea.

It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east,

and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features

within its relatively small area.^[7] Also adjacent are the West Bank to the east

and Gaza Strip to the southwest.

Israel is the world's only predominantly Jewish state^[8] with a population

of about 7.5 million people, of whom approximately 5.62 million

are Jewish.^[9]^[10]

The largest ethnic minority group is the segment denominated as

Arab citizens of Israel, while minority religious groups include

Muslims, Christians, Druze, Samaritans and others,

most of which are found within the Arab segment.

The modern state of Israel has its historical and religious roots

in the Biblical Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael), a concept central

to Judaism since ancient times,^[11]^[12] and the heartland

of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah.^[13]

Following the birth of political Zionism in 1897 and

the Balfour Declaration, the League of Nations granted

the United Kingdom the British Mandate of Palestine after

World War I, with responsibility for establishing "...

such political, administrative and economic conditions

as will secure the establishment of the Jewish national home,

as laid down in the preamble, and the development

of self-governing institutions, and also for safeguarding

the civil and religious rights of all

the inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race and religion..."^[14]

In November 1947 the United Nations decided

on partition of Palestine into a Jewish state, an Arab state,

and a UN-administered Jerusalem.^[15]

Partition was accepted by Zionist leaders but rejected

by Arab leaders leading to the 1947–1948 Civil War in

Mandatory Palestine. Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948

and neighboring Arab states attacked the next day.

Since then, Israel has fought a series of wars

with neighboring Arab states,^[16] and in consequence,

Israel controls territories beyond those

delineated in the 1949 Armistice Agreements.

Some international borders remain in dispute,

however Israel has signed peace treaties

with Egypt and Jordan, though efforts

to resolve conflict with the Palestinians

have so far only met with limited success.

Israel is a developed country and

a representative democracy with a parliamentary system

and universal suffrage^[17]^[18].

The Prime Minister serves as head of government

and the Knesset serves as Israel's legislative body.

The economy, based on the nominal gross domestic product,

is the 44th-largest in the world.^[19]

Israel ranks highest among Middle Eastern countries

on the UN Human Development Index.^[20]

Jerusalem is the country's capital, seat of government,

and largest city, while Israel's main financial center is Tel Aviv.^[1]

Link here

If we agree that God's love, any

cartesian explanation of such hate?

Destruction, weapons's race.

What is the main motive?

What is the vision?

If a Christian wants to make

that journey, why should he / her

not been focused on beliefs only?

Wisdom doesn't grow within a month

I am calling on wise men to put aside

everything and remain with their beliefs,

their Faiths and try to adjust to our time

No winner, no loser

One Love

--
J-L K

I still believe in Tiger

2010-01-05T23:24:00.000+02:00

There is a saying: " a wounded tiger is deadly"

I don't do golf, in my opinion it's an exclusive's sport.

But, I have been following Tiger Woods

for quite a time

I asked myself if it was a joke when

as the tradition goes and

as the winner, he had to decide

on that lunch's menu

On tv, he was asked which influence

was stronger in him, his mum's or dad's

Few days ago, I was listening to radio,

I heard a guy saying that

another celebrity had the Tiger's fever too.

What is the fuss?

Morality?

He is human and a magnet

Please Tiger as your parents made

you out of love.

Deal with that issue...

Lol, Gbu

--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

10 obsolete technologies to kill in 2010

2010-01-05T11:38:00.001+02:00

By Mike Elgan

— Computerworld —

Some old-and-busted technologies die

gracefully of natural causes. Pagers,

PDAs, floppy disks -- they're gone, and good riddance.

But other obsolete tech lingers on, even though

better alternatives abound that are easier,

cheaper, higher quality and much more efficient.

1. Fax Machines

The fax machine was obsolete 15 years ago.

When someone says "fax it to me," I always feel like

I'm being punk'd. A fax machine is nothing more

than a printer, scanner and an obsolete analog

mode that work together to waste time,

money, paper and electricity.

Documents that are faxed usually start out

in digital format. So, to send a digital document digitally,

it must be converted into a paper format.

You insert the document, and the fax machine scans

it back into a digital format. It then uses an analog modem

from 1993 to convert the digital image into sounds!

The modem plays the noise over the phone line.

At the other end, another fax machine also

has a modem, which listens to the sounds,

and converts them yet again into a digital document,

just before it prints it out on paper.

Now the data in the document has to be

converted somehow into a digital format

-- either scanned or typed in by hand.

The document almost always begins and ends

in digital format. But during this epic journey,

the document is digital four times,

paper twice and sound once.

The mass delusion that perpetuates this

obscenely inefficient technology is that

paper "hard copy" is somehow more legitimate.

In fact, gluing a copy of someone's stolen

signature to a document, then faxing it, i

s the easiest way mask a forgery

because of the low quality of fax output.

People, let's stop the madness. Just e-mail it.

2. 'Cigar lighter receptacle' plugs in cars

The idea of building cigar/cigarette lighters

into car dashboards originated in the 1920s.

The technology was perfected in the 1950s.

Decades later, the automobile industry is still

building these weird sockets into cars,

but now usually without the actual lighter.

As electrical outlets, dashboard lighter ports

are dangerous, unreliable, underpowered,

inconvenient, unsightly and expensive.

They require that you purchase a special plug

and/or adapters, which add clutter to your car.

All cars should have standard household

electrical outlets, with the converter built in.

Or USB ports that can charge gadgets. Or both.

Almost nobody smokes in their cars.

Almost everybody carries phones and gadgets

that need power in the cars.

Sheesh. How obsolete can you get?

3. WWW

The original idea with Internet addresses is

that a prefix would identify the type of service provided.

So, for example, www.apple.com identifies

Apple's "World-Wide Web" servers, and

ftp.apple.com points to the company's offerings

available via the "File Transfer Protocol."

Network administrators get to choose whether

an address technically requires a

"www." But browsers fill it in

for you even when you don't type it.

That's why saying "www" as part of an address, printing it

on business cards or typing it into your

browser address box is always unnecessary.

We stopped using "http://" years ago,

and it's time to stop using "www" as well.

4. Business cards

Speaking of business cards, why do we still

carry around 19th-century "calling cards"?

When someone gives you a business card,

they're giving you a tedious data entry job,

one that most people never complete.

There are several alternatives to business cards,

all superior. If the meeting is arranged by e-mail,

include contact information in the invitation and

reply as e-mail signatures, attached vCards,

links to contact Web pages or some other electronic form.

Besides, you should always learn in advance

what you can about people you're going to meet,

and that's a good time to enter their contact information.

And if you just run into someone, and exchange

contact information, it's best to do it by e-mail

or some other means on the spot, with cell phones.

Adding someone to your contacts should involve

double clicking or, at most, copying

and pasting -- not data entry.

5. Movie rental stores

We're now two revolutions away from the

heyday of driving to Blockbuster (BBI), standing

in line, renting a video and driving home.

Movies are nothing more than digital files.

You can download them, or get them

on disk by mail. Driving?

Standing in line?

For an electronic file?

Come on!

6. Home entertainment remotes

Just about every component to

a home entertainment system comes

with its own overly-complex remote control.

The TV's got one. So does the TiVo.

The Blu-ray player has its own remote.

Even the sound system has one.

Some people have multiple TVs, disc players,

stereos and other remotely controllable electronics,

and end up with a dozen or

more remotes in the house.

Each one has to be programmed,

refreshed with toxic batteries and

kept track of (they tend to disappear).

Hardly anyone takes the time to properly manage,

consolidate or program their remotes.

Enough! It's time to replace

remote controls with mobile phone apps.

Mobile phones make superior remote controls

because they have better user interfaces,

rechargeable batteries and we tend

not to lose them.

Phone apps are more easily programmed and upgraded.

A few cool apps exist for iPhone and

other devices, which control TiVos,

and other devices. Apple (AAPL)

makes a really simple app for

controlling media on iTunes from an iPhone.

TV makers need to improve the functionality

for controlling settings on the TV itself, then join

the smart phone app revolution and

build simple remote-control apps that

can be universalized, so all devices

can be controlled from single apps.

7. Landline phones

The number of people in the US who have

ditched their home landline phones in favor

of cell phones doubled between 2006 and 2009,

according to a recently released

federal report. Now, one-quarter

of US households have no landline.

What are the other three-quarters waiting for?

Landline phones are redundant, annoying and

waste time (because chances are the person

who answers isn't the caller's target).

Landline phones either have

no way to take messages, or they

have some obsolete answering machine.

It's time to make the call and

get rid of that landline.

8. Music CDs

Music CDs work fine. It's just that

they have no significant advantages

over downloadable media, such

as MP3 files.

CDs are environmentally unfriendly,

fragile and inconvenient to carry around.

We should move to an all-digital,

file-based library, which can be

searched, backed up and carried everywhere.

9. Satellite radio

Sirius XM programming is great stuff.

But you don't need rockets and

orbiting satellites to deliver

noise to radios. Sirius XM itself demonstrated

this by offering its content on

the Internet, and via an iPhone app.

There are some cases in which

satellite has an advantage. For example,

when you're driving outside

a mobile broadband coverage area and

are listening to timely content, such as news.

But most of us rarely venture into

the wilds, and most Sirius XM content isn't

all that timely. Besides, you can't listen if

you travel outside North America,

or into covered parking. Or near buildings.

Or in tunnels that don't have costly repeaters.

Since the whole satellite radio idea was

dreamed up years ago, MP3-based music, podcasts,

audio books and other sound content

has been mainstreamed.

Car audio equipment now has

a jack for plugging in a media player or cell phone.

If you're going to pay a costly subscription

for something, pay for a mobile broadband

data subscription, which can bring you

the whole Internet, not just sound files.

Sirius XM should keep the programming

and the content, but drop the satellite delivery

and the subscription price, and continue

to serve their audience via the Internet.

10. Redundant registration

Many Web sites offer some form of registration,

which typically ask you to add your personal

contact information and

specify a username and password.

Why do some sites require me

to enter my e-mail address or

my password twice?

They're going to verify all this anyway.

Why do I have to enter city, state

and ZIP code, when the ZIP code

already knows the city and

state, and vice versa.

Bad, redundant and obsolete technologies

make life needlessly complex,

expensive, irritating and ugly.

Let's get rid of them.

Mike Elgan writes about technology and

global tech culture.

Contact Mike at mike.elgan@elgan.com,

follow him on Twitteror his blog, The Raw Feed.

Link here

« Quand la politique entre dans le prétoire, la justice en sort »

2010-01-05T10:42:00.001+02:00

Qu'est-ce que l'Angolagate ?

« Le plus gros scandale de trafic d'armes

de la fin du XXe siècle » [1], d'après Nathalie Funès

journaliste au Nouvel observateur.

« Une affaire de vente d'armes entre la Russie

et l'Angola, négocié en France, qui empoisonne

les relations entre les deux pays » [2], précise

Renaud Lecadre de Libération.

« En fait, la véritable histoire est celle de

la privatisation de la guerre en Angola et

de l'organisation du pillage des avoirs de l' État

à une échelle comparable à celle atteinte

au Zaïre par Mobutu et au Nigeria

par Abacha » [3], souligne d'un trait rouge vif

l'ONG Global witness dans un ouvrage publié en 2003.

L'Angolagate est avant tout une affaire

d'une exceptionnelle complexité. Il est indispensable

de retracer la genèse de

cette intrigue scabreuse internationale,

histoire de comprendre.

Sommaire :

Que reproche la justice aux prévenus ?

Les fondements juridiques du procès

Quels sont les principaux acteurs de l'Angolagate ?

Pierre Falcone

Arcadi Gaydamak

Jean-Charles Marchiani

Jean-Christophe Mitterrand

Charles Pasqua

Paul-Loup Sulitzer

Jacques Attali

L'Angolagate avatar de la Françafrique


Schéma simplifié d'un circuit françafricain : l'Angolagate

Le Portugal accorde l'indépendance à l'Angola

en 1975. Aussitôt le pays est déchiré

par une guerre civile effroyable qui oppose

d'un côté l'Union pour l'indépendance totale

de l'Angola (Unita), du charismatique et

impitoyable Jonas Savimbi et de l'autre

le Mouvement populaire de libération

de l'Angola (MPLA) dirigé par Agostino Neto,

le tout sur fond de guerre froide.

L'Unita est soutenue par le bloc de l'Ouest,

notamment par les USA et l'Afrique du Sud,

et le MPLA par l'Union soviétique et ses alliés.

C'est d'ailleurs avec l'appui des troupes cubaines

qu'en 1976 le MPLA prend le contrôle

du gouvernement. Agostino Neto est aux commandes.

A sa mort en 1979, il est remplacé par

Eduardo Dos Santos. La chute du mur de Berlin

vide le conflit de son intérêt stratégique,

les belligérants signent un accord de paix

en 1991 au Portugal et décident d'affronter

le suffrage universel l'année suivante.

Devant le raz-de-marée électoral du MPLA,

Jonas Savimbi reprend les armes,

Dos Santos est pris au dépourvu.

« L'insurrection renouvelée de l'UNITA

s'est avérée relativement réussie car

la plupart des unités d'élite du groupe

avaient gardé les armes et étaient

restées opérationnelles.

Par contre, les troupes du gouvernement

avaient démobilisé leurs forces

de façon disproportionnée et se trouvaient

donc une position de faiblesse relative » [4].

Cinq des dix-huit capitales provinciales

tombent entre les mains des rebelles,

la victoire de l'UNITA est désormais plausible.

Dos Santos qui a impérativement besoin

d'armes et d'argent ne peut pas compter

sur le bloc de l'Est qui n'existe plus.

Il envoie désespérément des signaux

de détresse à Paris. Mais si Mitterrand préside

à l'Elysée, Edouard Balladur gouverne à Matignon,

et Alain Juppé est incontournable au Quai d'Orsay.

De surcroît, François Léotard, « bien connu

à l'époque pour être l'un des plus grands

partisans de l'UNITA à Paris » [5],

est ministre de la Défense.

Le refus du gouvernement français

est catégorique : "On ne livre pas

d'armes à un pays en guerre".

« S'esquisse alors une diplomatie parallèle,

avec, par ordre d'entrée en scène,

le fils aîné du président,

Jean Christophe Mitterrand, ancien membre

de la cellule africaine de l'Elysée. » [6]

En fait, d'après les travaux de Global witness,

le gouvernement angolais prend d'abord

langue avec l'ancien expert

de l'Afrique australe auprès du parti socialiste,

Jean-Bernard Curial, qui à son tour contacte

le fils Mitterrand.

Ce dernier lui aurait suggéré de

se rapprocher d'un certain Pierre Falcone,

« à la tête d'un groupe de sociétés,

Brenco International, basé à Paris.

Falcone est aussi le conseillé clé

de la Sofremi (Société française d'exportation

des matériels et systèmes

du ministère de l'Intérieur), organisation

mi-privée mi-étatique opérant sous

les auspices du ministère français

de l'Intérieur à la tête duquel se trouvait

Charles Pasqua » [7].

Le mystérieux homme d'affaires est aussi

très lié à Jean-Charles Marchiani,

conseiller du ministre de l'Intérieur.

Pour le clan Pasqua, Balladur n'a pas

conscience du nouvel enjeu

stratégique angolais : le pétrole [8].

Les immenses nappes d'huile noire nichées

dans le sous-sol du pays

attisent les convoitises.

Les Américains ont cessé leur soutien

à l'UNITA et font désormais les yeux doux

à Dos Santos.

La France doit absolument jouer sa partition.

Pierre Falcone qui sait où se procurer les armes

est mis en contact avec le président angolais.

C'est le début d'une idylle sans fin

entre les deux hommes. « Un contrat de livraison

d'armes est conclu en 1994 entre

la société de Falcone, Brenco, et l'Angola,

pour un montant de 4 milliards de dollars

via une société slovaque [ZTS-Osos],

dont Arcadi Gaydamak, ex-colonel du KGB

devenu homme d'affaires,

est l'un des mandataires. » [9]

Les armes sont issues

des stocks de l'ancien bloc de l'Est.

L'argent provient des préfinancements,

accordés par la banque Paribas à l'Etat angolais,

garantis sur la future production de pétrole.

Le gouvernement de Dos Santos reçoit

à cette époque un arsenal considérable :

« chars, hélicoptères, mines, lance roquettes

et pièces d'artillerie, ainsi que

six navires de guerres.

Ces armes ont été envoyées, pendant sept ans,

de plusieurs pays est-européens,

comme la Russie, la Bulgarie et le Kirghizistan » [10].

Pour faciliter les transactions occultes

en France, les lobbyistes

Ni Alain Juppé, ministre des Affaires étrangères,

ni Edouard Balladur, Premier ministre, ne sont

au courant. En 2001, après les péripéties

qui vont mettre au jour ce "trafic",

le ministère de la Défense porte plainte » [11],

par le truchement du ministre Alain Richard.

Le procès s'ouvrira le 06 octobre 2008,

42 personnes sont renvoyées devant

le tribunal correctionnel de Paris.

Au banc des prévenus des noms célèbres

: Jean-Christophe Mitterrand,

Jean-Charles Marchiani, Charles Pasqua,

Jacques Attali, etc. « Elle [l'affaire Angolagate]

va être jugée pendant six mois,

avec risque de déballage à la barre » [12].

Epilogue. Ces livraisons massives d'armes

ont changé le rapport de force sur le terrain.

Le 22 février 2002, Jonas Savimbi est abattu.

Sa mort marque la fin d'une guerre civile

qui a duré un quart de siècle et fait 500 000 morts.

Que reproche la justice aux prévenus ?

Les fondements juridiques du procès

Le 11 juillet 2008 le ministre de le Défense

Hervé Morin adresse une lettre à

Me Pierre-François Veil, avocat

de Pierre Falcone, dans laquelle il écrit :

« Il résulte de l'examen du dossier

de mon ministère, à la lumière

de vos observations, qu'en l'absence

de transit par le territoire français,

la législation relative aux opérations

de ventes d'armes et de munitions

ne s'appliquait pas, aux dates retenues

par le dossier de l'instruction,

à l'activité exercée par M. Pierre Falcone. » [13]

Décryptage. « A l'époque des ventes d'armes

vers l'Angola incriminées par l'enquête,

la loi française exigeait une autorisation

gouvernementale si les armes étaient

fabriquées en France ou passaient

par le territoire national. » [14]

Sans ce cachet officiel, le commerce d'armes

était assimilé à un trafic.

Or les armes vendues par Falcone entre

1993 et 2000 ont été livrées à l'Angola,

en provenance de l'ancien empire soviétique,

sans transiter par la France.

Par conséquent, « le ministère de la Défense,

plaide [Hervé Morin], n'aurait jamais du

déposer plainte dans cette affaire

de commerce d'armes puisqu'il n'y a jamais eu

de « trafic » à proprement parler

à partir de la France » [15].

A la suite de cette missive, Hervé Gattegno

rappelle que « le dossier Falcone pourrait

se réduire à une affaire financière

[abus de biens sociaux] ordinaire,

dénuée de son caractère le plus explosif » [16].

Toutefois, dans un article publié le 22 juillet 2008,

sur le site de Bakchich.info, Eric Laffitte

ironise sur la bourde juridique

du ministre de la Défense Hervé Morin.

« Avant d'envoyer cette lettre incongrue

[à l'avocat de Falcone] le ministre aurait du

demander conseil à sa collègue de la Justice

ou du moins au Parquet …

Et on lui aurait expliqué que dans

ce dossier, l'accusation repose

sur un délit précis, le courtage en commerce

illicite d'armes.

A ne pas confondre justement avec

le trafic d'armes stricto sensu.

Le concept juridique précis de courtage,

régi par une ordonnance de 1939,

oblige tout négociant en armes œuvrant

depuis Paris à obtenir une autorisation

en bonne et due forme

du ministère de la Défense.

Et peu importe, dans ce cadre juridique

que les armes aient physiquement

transité ou pas, par le territoire français. » [17]

Or, d'après les investigations de Global witness,

plusieurs contrats de la livraison d'armes

à l'Angola ont été signés sur le territoire français.

« Lorsque les premiers contrats d'armes

entre ZTS-Osos et l'Angola ont été signés

en 1993 et 1994, Brenco France se trouvait

au 56 avenue Montaigne à Paris.

Il est intéressant de noter que cette adresse

et les numéros de téléphone et fax de Brenco

figurent sur le contrat initial de 47 millions de dollars,

avec la signature de Pierre Falcone (…)

Le caractère vraiment français

du dossier original de 47 millions de dollars

devrait être souligné (…)

Non seulement le document était

écrit en français, mais il aurait aussi été

envoyé à Elisio de Figueiredo

[ambassadeur itinérant de l'Angola]

qui était posté à Paris. » [18]

Dans cette optique, la plainte formulée

par le ministère de la Défense en 2001

est fondée.

D'ailleurs, le procureur Jean-Claude Marin,

a maintenu les charges qui pèsent contre les prévenus.

Quels sont les principaux acteurs de l'Angolagate ?

Pierre Falcone

Homme d'affaire français et homme de main

du président angolais Eduardo Dos Santos,

il était directeur associé de la Brenco International,

pièce maîtresse de l'Angolagate.

Falcone a, en outre, été un conseiller

très influent (1989 à 1997) auprès de

la Société française d'exportation

de matériel militaire

du ministère de l'Intérieur (Sofremi),

crée en 1986 sous l'égide de Charles Pasqua.

La Sofremi avait pour but, entre autres,

de « négocier des contrats de vente

d'équipement de communication et

de surveillance aux forces de police étrangères » [19].

Placé en détention provisoire entre 2000 et 2001,

il prend la fuite en 2003 grâce

au statut d'ambassadeur à l'Unesco

que lui accordé l'Angola.

Le 11 décembre 2007, il a été condamné

à un an de prison ferme pour une histoire

de détournements de fonds

au préjudice de la Sofremi.

Le 18 janvier 2008, c'est pour fraude fiscale

qu'une peine de quatre ans de prison ferme

et 37 500 euros d'amende est prononcée

contre lui par le tribunal correctionnel de Paris [20].

Dans l'affaire Angolagate, des soupçons

de corruption et de vente illicite d'armes

pèsent sur Pierre Falcone.

L'article publié par le quotidien Le Monde

à ce propos est édifiant : « Installés dans

un hôtel particulier de l'avenue Kléber

dans le 16e arrondissement de Paris,

dotés d'hôtesses ravissantes,

les bureaux de Brenco reçoivent des visiteurs

réguliers. Lorsque Jean-Christophe Mitterrand,

Jean-Charles Marchiani, l'écrivain Paul-Loup Sulitzer

ou le directeur général de RMC, Jean-Noël Tassez,

sont annoncés, le rituel est immuable.

Isabelle Delubac descend au sous-sol,

où sont entreposées des espèces,

et remplit des enveloppes, sans oublier

de noter sur ses fameux "mémos"

les initiales parfois codées des bénéficiaires

ainsi que la date et le montant alloué. » [21]

Arcadi Gaydamak

Nationalités russe, israélienne, française

et canadienne. Ex-colonel du KGB converti

dans les Affaires. Il est au moment des faits

le mandataire de la société slovaque ZTS-Osos,

qui a fourni, pour le compte de Brenco,

la majeure partie des armes vendues à l'Angola.

Gaydamak a donc été le partenaire de Falcone.

Il a été décoré de l'Ordre du mérite français par

J-C Marchiani. Milliardaire, l'ancien agent

des services secrets russes a

« officiellement changé de nom en Israël

en 1998 pour prendre celui de Arye Barlev » [22].

Un mandat d'arrêt international lancé

par la France pèse sur lui.

Arcadi Gaydamak est en fuite depuis 2000.

Jean-Charles Marchiani

« Jean-Charles Marchiani, 64 ans, natif

d'un petit village corse voisin de

celui de Charles Pasqua, a été

un authentique agent secret.

Du moins jusqu'en 1970, où il sera évincé

du SDECE (ancêtre de la DGSE,

Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure) ».

Dans ce portrait dressé par le quotidien Libération

dans sa livraison du 26 avril 2008,

Jean-Charles Marchiani est présenté

comme l'« homme à tout faire de la galaxie Pasqua ».

Ancien Préfet du Var, et ex-député

européen R.P.F, il a été condamné

en décembre 2005 par le tribunal

à trois ans de prison, « pour avoir perçu

des commissions en marge

de la vente de chars militaires au Moyen-Orient (…)

quelques semaines plus tard, il est condamné

à un an de prison dans une autre affaire

de commission occulte, perçue en marge

d'un marché portant sur

la sécurisation des bagages à Roissy » [23].

Dans l'affaire Angolagate, il aurait reçu de Falcone

et compagnies des sommes importantes

pour faciliter les ventes d'armes à Dos Santos.

« Une note saisie dans les bureaux

de l'intermédiaire fait état de virements

à un surnommé « Robert » : « Nous avons avancé

450 000 dollars, ils en attendent encore

un million. Nous croyons savoir que

cet argent devrait être utilisé pour

la campagne au parlement européen »

de 1999, celle du RPF. Marchiani dément

être le « Robert » en question, en contradiction

avec plusieurs protagonistes.

Un général angolais lui écrira ainsi

cette lettre à la veille de

la présidentielle de 1995 : « J'aimerais

vous apporter encore une fois mon soutien

dans ces élections et nous continuerons

à faire de notre mieux pour

que les bonnes personnes

soient aux bonnes places. » [24]

Jean-Christophe Mitterrand

« Sans Jean-Christophe Mitterrand,

il n'y aurait pas eu de contrat (de vente d'armes),

de la même manière que sans femme,

il n'aurait pas de bébé », avait expliqué

un des prévenus aux enquêteurs [25].

Fils du président défunt, il est

conseiller à la présidence de la République

Chargé des affaires africaines (1982-1992)

et conseiller d'une fondation suisse financée

par Elf entre 1992 et 1996.

Ex-commercial free-lance en Afrique Noire,

il est soupçonné dans l'affaire Angolagate

de complicité de commerce illicite d'armes

et recel d'abus de biens sociaux.

Il aurait reçu 2,6 millions de dollars de Falcone [26],

pour « avoir donné des conseils géopolitiques »,

précise Mitterrand. « Je n'ai jamais parlé

d'armes avec monsieur Falcone,

jamais en sept ans.

Il ne m'a jamais parlé de munitions. » [27]

Charles Pasqua

Ex-président du R.P.F., ex-président de la région

Hauts-de-Seine, tête pensante du réseau

qui porte son nom, ministre de l'Intérieur

des gouvernements Chirac (1986-1988)

et Balladur (1993-1995).

Il est mis en examen pour "trafic d'influence,

recel d'abus de biens sociaux".

« Charles Pasqua est soupçonné

d'avoir perçu 450.000 dollars en

1998 et 1999 de la société Brenco

pour favoriser les intérêts

du régime de M. Dos Santos

au Parlement européen » [28].

Paul-Loup Sulitzer

Auteur de best-sellers, conseiller

en tous genres (banque, finances,

presse auprès de Pierre Falcone).

Il sera devant la barre pour « "recel d'abus

de biens sociaux" en raison des 380. 000 euros

qu'il a perçus de l'homme d'affaires

Pierre Falcone, auteur principal

de la vente d'armes présumée illégale

pour un montant de 790 millions de dollars

entre 1993 et 2000 » [29].

Jacques Attali

Conseiller "spécial" auprès du chef de l'Etat (1981-91).

Ancien président de la Banque européenne

pour la reconstruction et le développement (BERD),

président d'ACA, société de conseils,

conseiller auprès de nombreux

présidents africains.

Me Guilloux, avocat de Falcone remet

à Hubert Védrine, chez Jacques Attali,

un dossier sollicitant un arrangement

à propos du redressement fiscal signifié

à ZTS-Osos, la société slovaque impliquée

dans l'Angolagate.

M. Védrine avait jusque-là évité

tout contact avec Me Alain Guilloux.

« "Je préfère l'Attali intellectuel

à celui qui fait ce genre de démarche",

dira aux enquêteurs M. Védrine.

Quelques mois plus tard, M. Attali se voit

confier une mission sur le microcrédit en Angola,

qui sera payée 200 000 dollars

par une société de M. Falcone » [30].

Il sera dans le prétoire le 06 octobre.

L'Angolagate avatar de la Françafrique

Après avoir été à l'origine de la plainte

qui a déclenché l'Angolagate,

l'Etat français a par la suite freiné

des quatre fers.

La France se déjuge. Aujourd'hui,

le ministère de la Défense par qui

le scandale est arrivé, cynique,

se fait même l'avocat de ceux qu'elle

a fait asseoir hier sur le banc des "accusés".

« Hervé Morin, ministre de la défense

de Pierre Falcone », titrait à juste titre Libération,

dans sa livraison du 19 juillet 2008.

En effet, dans la correspondance adressé

le 11 juillet 2008 à Me Veil, avocat de Falcone,

M. Morin affirme, que son département ministériel

n'aurait jamais du engager

des poursuites judiciaires

contre les prévenus, « puisque, dit-il, il n'y a

jamais eu de « trafic » à proprement parler

à partir de la France » [31].

Un grand écart juridique visant

à affaiblir l'accusation.

En fait, le ministre de la Défense marche

au pas et dans les pas de sa hiérarchie.

Depuis son accession à la magistrature suprême,

Nicolas Sarkozy s'échine en effet

pour déminer le terrain de l'Angolagate.

Primo, l'Elysée protège sans ménagement

le président angolais, parrain du système Falcone,

contre les investigations redoutables

du juge Philippe Courroye.

« Le président Dos Santos a d'ores et déjà

obtenu de ne pas être directement impliqué.

"Ce dossier est de nature totalement judiciaire.

L'instruction est bouclée" et

"aucun ressortissant angolais

n'est poursuivi", précise-t-on ainsi à l'Elysée. » [32]

Pour que le message soit plus audible à Luanda,

Nicolas Sarkozy déclare dans les colonnes

du Jornal de Angola : « Cette affaire concerne

un citoyen français [Falcone] poursuivi (…)

pour ne pas avoir respecté

des dispositions légales françaises » [33].

Explication, il s'agit du Falconegate

et non de l'Angolagate.

Mais Dos Santos ne l'entend pas

de cette oreille, pour le parrain

il est hors de question de sacrifier

ses filleuls, Falcone et Gaydamak,

sur l'autel de la justice française.

Déjà, le 26 février 2001, à l'occasion

de l'accréditation du nouvel ambassadeur

de France en Angola,

Eduardo Dos Santos déclarait :

« Je n'ai pas l'intention de m'immiscer

dans des affaires intérieures françaises,

mais j'ai le devoir de reconnaître que

certaines des personnes actuellement visées

dans des procédures judiciaires en France

ont donné une contribution immense

au développement de l'amitié et

de la coopération entre l'Angola et la France.

Monsieur Pierre Falcone, par exemple,

à travers son entreprise, a soutenu

l'Angola à un moment crucial de son histoire (…)

Pour l'acquisition d'équipements militaires

dont il avait besoin à l'époque,

le gouvernement d'Angola a trouvé

le concours de l'entreprise ZTS-Osos qui n'est pas

même une entreprise de droit français (…)

Toute cette confusion délibérée s'était déjà

produite avec monsieur Tarallo et je dois

vous avouer, Monsieur l'Ambassadeur,

qu'une telle situation nous laisse

simplement perplexes.

Ceux qui oeuvrent par des actions concrètes

et d'ampleur au rapprochement entre

nos deux pays finissent

par avoir des problèmes (…)

Monsieur l'Ambassadeur, l'amitié est

comme une plante qui, si elle n'est pas

régulièrement arrosée et fertilisée, s'assèche » [34]

Deux mois plus tard, le président Angolais s'immisce

dans les affaires intérieures de la France.

A travers correspondance adressée

à Jacques Chirac il demande

au pouvoir exécutif d'arrêter la machine judiciaire,

le tout, toujours, sur fond de menace à peine voilée :

« Monsieur le Président (…) le gouvernement

d'Angola a pris connaissance, à travers

la presse, de l'existence d'une action judiciaire

contre son mandataire officiel,

M. Pierre Falcone, dont les répercussions

causent de graves préjudices moraux

à la République d'Angola et peuvent

constituer un obstacle aux bonnes relations

existant entre nos deux pays (…)

La France n'est pas un fournisseur habituel

de l'Angola en matériels d'armement ;

de telle sorte qu'à aucun moment

les équipements en cause n'ont transité,

ni juridiquement ni matériellement,

par le territoire de la République française

ou à travers des entreprises ou

des établissements français

[argument repris par Hervé Morin, NDLR]

(…) Pour cette raison, il nous paraît

indispensable que l'Etat français,

qui est impliqué dans ce processus,

retire les plaintes qu'il a déposées

aussi bien pour fraude fiscale

que pour vente illicite d'armes. (…)

Nous souhaitons également retenir

l'attention de votre pays sur l'injustice

qui nous paraît actuellement commise

à l'encontre de notre mandataire, M.Falcone.

M.Falcone est un grand ami de l'Angola. » [35]

L'homme fort de Luanda omet de dire

qu'avant d'être un grand ami de l'Angola,

Falcone, comme son acolyte Gaydamak,

est d'abord son protégé,

l'homme des basses besognes.

« La société Brenco constituait une sorte

d'interface entre la présidence angolaise

(P. Falcone et son associé Arcadi Gaydamak

ont reçu des passeports angolais

et étaient « conseillers » du Président ;

Brenco versait des sommes à diverses personnes

et organismes français et angolais

avec l'accord ou à la demande du Président angolais...)

et des vendeurs d'armes de l'Europe de l'Est

(notamment l'entreprise slovaque ZTS-Osos

liée à Falcone). » [36]

Falcone et Gaydamak ont arrosé

le microcosme mondain parisien,

sur ordre du parrain Dos Santos.

Les deux chargés de mission avaient accès

aux comptes du gouvernement angolais ouverts

auprès de la banque Paribas à Paris et à Genève.

Certains ont parlé de la « privatisation de la guerre ».

Une partie de ce trésor garanti sur l'or noir angolais

s'est retrouvée sur les comptes particuliers

de Falcone, du milliardaire Gaydamak et…

du président Dos Santos, entre autres.

« L'enquête chiffre à 397 millions de dollars

les profits encaissés personnellement

sur les ventes d'armes par Pierre Falcone

et Arcady Gaydamak. » [37]

De même, dans le cadre d'une enquête

parallèle à l'Angolagate menée par

le juge genevois Daniel Devaud,

un compte du parrain, alimenté par Falcone,

a été découvert au Luxembourg.

« Confirmation de la brigade financière

française : les comptes basés au Luxembourg

-soit 37,1 millions de dollars- sont bel et bien

au nom de M. Dos Santos » [38],

écrivait Simon Petite en avril 2005.

L'Elysée est donc au courant

des détournements faramineux des avoirs

du peuple angolais par Dos Santos et ses affidés.

Après avoir mis le parrain à l'abri

des poursuites judiciaires, l'Etat français met

les bâtons dans les roues de la justice

pour permettre à ses filleuls de s'en sortir.

D'après « d'insistants échos venus

du sommet de l'Etat, Nicolas Sarkozy veut

nommer le juge Courroye

[qui dirige l'enquête, NDLR] à la tête

du parquet de Paris, ce dernier devra

peut-être se déjuger au grand jour » [39].

Qu'est-ce qui explique

toutes mesquineries élyséennes ?

Le pétrole. Le business est florissant

dans le pays de Dos Santos.

L'Angola est devenu le premier

producteur d'or noir de

tout le continent africain.

Les intérêts de Total, fleuron

de l'industrie française et bien

implantée sur place,

sont directement menacés.

A titre d'exemple, en octobre 2004,

« Manuel Vicente, le tout-puissant

patron de la Sonangol

[Société national des hydrocarbures

en Angola, NDLR], a adressé

une lettre à Thierry Desmarest,

le PDG de Total, lui signifiant que

l'Etat angolais allait récupérer

les concessions du bloc 3/80

qui arrivent à échéance.

Stupeur dans les étages supérieurs

de la Tour de la Défense,

siège de la compagnie (…)

D'après nos sources, c'est maintenant

le bloc 17 qui va faire l'objet du chantage » [40].

Pendant plusieurs années,

le soldat Chirac a tenté de résister

aux assauts du Parrain, du moins

a-t-il fait semblant.

Son épigone, lui, a opté

pour la danse du ventre.

« Nicolas Sarkozy s'est rendu

à Luanda, le 23 mai, les bras chargés

de promesses de cadeaux.

Le chef de l'Etat a ainsi annoncé

la réouverture des bureaux

de l'Agence française de développement (AFD),

qui avaient fermé suite au refus angolais

de payer une dette qui, à l'origine,

n'était que de 60 millions FF,

soit 9,1 millions d'euros…

A peine quelques fûts

d'une cargaison de pétrole.

Cette dette va sans doute passer

à l'ardoise magique en Club de Paris.

Une victoire pour le Palais rose. » [41]

Il était accompagné des dirigeants

de Total, Castel, EADS, Bolloré,

CMA-CGM, AIR France, Thales,

et de la Société générale.

Avant de prendre congé de son homologue,

il lui a lancé, les yeux dans

les yeux : « Je vous attends à Paris

en 2009, vous allez reprendre

vos habitudes sur la Côte d'Azur » [42].

Une fois le scandale de l'Angolagate étouffé,

le parrain ira peut-être bronzer

sur la croisette avec les crèmes solaires

de l'Elysée et l'argent spolié aux Angolais,

pendant ce temps l'espérance de vie

de ses sujets est de 41 ans,

40 % d'entre eux vivent sous le seuil

de pauvreté absolue, 62 % n'ont pas

accès à l'eau potable,

il y a 8 médecins pour 100 000 habitants

et 1 400 décès pour 100 000 accouchements [43].

Dos Santos est au pouvoir depuis 29 ans

et n'a pas l'intention de prendre sa retraite,

le système Falcone a lui permis

de détourner les ressources de l'Etat

et d'enrichir sa clientèle…

Tant pis. Avant le 6 octobre l'Elysée tient

à désamorcer la bombe Angolagate.

Les Angolais seront sacrifiés sur l'autel

du chiffre d'affaires de Total et

des entreprises françaises en Angola.

Il y a un an l'"homme de la rupture " déclarait

pourtant la main sur

le cœur : « Je veux lancer à tous

les Africains un appel fraternel pour leur dire

que nous voulons les aider à vaincre

la maladie, la famine et la pauvreté

et à vivre en paix.

Je veux leur dire que nous déciderons

ensemble d'une politique d'immigration

maîtrisée et d'une politique

de développement ambitieuse.

Je veux lancer un appel à tous ceux

qui dans le monde croient aux valeurs

de tolérance, de liberté, de démocratie

et d'humanisme, à tous ceux qui sont

persécutés par les tyrannies

et par les dictatures, à tous les enfants

et à toutes les femmes martyrisés

dans le monde pour leur dire que

la France sera à leurs côtés,

qu'ils peuvent compter sur elle » [44].

Le pétrole rend amnésique,

tous les psychologues vous le diront.

Fiche du DOSSIER. Diplomatie, Business

et Dictatures.

L'Afrique prise au piège françafricain

à télécharger en pdf

A lire

Communiqué de Survie du

6 octobre 2008 : Angolagate. Les pressions

politiques exercées au nom

des intérêts économiques français

ne doivent pas entraver la justice.

A télécharger

Afin d'interpeller l'opinion sur

la « diplomatie business » de la France

en Afrique et ses graves conséquences

en terme de soutien aux dictatures et

de pillage des ressources naturelles,

Survie publiera un dossier

intitulé Diplomatie, Business et

Dictatures. L'Afrique prise

au piège françafricain

A télécharger en pdf le 4 pages

de vulgarisation "Diplomatie, Business

et Dictatures. Les dessous de la présence

économique de la France en Afrique"

[1] Natalie Funès, « Pendant l'Angolagate,

le business continue ».

[2] Renaud Lecadre, « En trombe, Nicolas Sarkozy

solde les comptes de l'Angolagate »,

Libération, vendredi 23 mai 2008.

[3] Les Affaires sous la guerre, Armes, pétrole

& argent sale en Angola,

Global witness, Marseille, Agone, 2003, p.21.

[4] Idem.

[5] Global Witness, déjà cité, p.42.

[6] Pascale Robert Diart, « Mieux qu'un

polar : l'angolagate », Le Monde.fr, 05 août 2008.

[7] Global witness, déjà cité. p.42.

[8] Cf. Paul Barril, « Former Aide : Mitterrand Case,

"Disaster for France" », Reuters, 23 décembre 2000.

[9] Pascale Robert Diart, déjà cité.

[10] Antonio Garcia, « Le tribunal jugera

42 personnes », voire

RFI, http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/0...

[11] Pascale Robert Diart, déjà cité.

[12] Renaud Lecadre, déjà cité.

[13] Hervé Gattegno, « Affaires-Angolagate

: la lettre qui change tout », Le Point, 17 juillet 2008.

[14] Fabrice Tassel, « Hervé Morin, ministre

de la défense de Pierre Falcone »,

Libération, samedi 16 juillet 2008.

[15] Nicolas Beau, « L'étudiant en droit

Morin peut mieux faire », Bakchichinfo, mardi 22 juillet 2008.

[16] Hervé Gattegno, déjà cité.

[17] Nicolas Beau, déjà cité.

[18] Global witness, Les Affaires sous

la guerre, Armes, pétrole & argent sale

en Angola, Marseille Agone, 2003.

[19] Idem, p.44.

[20] « Pierre Falcone condamné à quatre ans

fermes pour fraude fiscale », dépêche AFP

du vendredi 18 janvier 2008.

[21] Pascale Robert-Diard, déjà cité.

[22] Global witness, déjà cité.

[23] Renaud Lecadre, « Marchiani,

l'homme de l'hombre qui

embarrasse Sarkozy », Libération, samedi 26 avril 2008

[24] Idem

[25] Pascale Robert Diard, déjà cité.

[26] « Angolagate, le tribunal jugera

42 personnes », cf. le site Internet

de Rfi, http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/0...

[27] Angolagate : Jean-Christophe Mitterrand

se dit "totalement innocent", cf. interview

accordée à Jean-Philippe Deniau sur

Franceinfo le 18 septembre 2008,

http://www.france-info.com/spip.php...

[28] « Angolagate : 42 accusés pourraient

être jugés », Nouvelobs.com, 23 juin 2008.

[29] « Maintien du contrôle judiciaire de

Sulitzer dans "l'Angolagate" »,

dépêche Reuters publiée le 24 octobre 2007 à 18h48.

[30] Pascale Robert Diard, déjà cité.

[31] Nicolas Beau, « L'étudiant en droit Morin

peut mieux faire », Bakchichinfo, mardi 22 juillet 2008.

[32] Marianne Enault, « Angola

: réconciliation express », leJDD.fr,

http://www.lejdd.fr/cmc/internation...

[33] Idem

[34] « L' « Angolagate » vu d'Angola,

« l'amitié est comme une plante »,

Politique africaine, n°82 juin 2001.

[35] « José Eduardo Dos Santos

à Jacques Chirac : « Retirez vos plaintes »,

Le Nouvel Observateur, nº1907, semaine du jeudi 24 mai 2001.

[36] « L' « Angolagate » vu d'Angola,

« l'amitié est comme une plante »,

Politique africaine, n°82 juin 2001.

[37] Gilles Trequesser, « L'accusation résiste

aux assauts contre le procès « Angolagate » »,

Le Point, 29 juillet 2008.

[38] Simon Petite, « La Suisse va rendre

des millions à l'Angola », Le Courrier,

samedi 02 avril 2005.

[39] Hervé Gattegno, « Affaires-Angolagate

: la lettre qui change tout »,

Le Point, 17 juillet 2008.

[40] La Lettre du continent, n°458, 11 novembre 2004

[41] La Lettre du continent, n°542, 5 juin 2008.

[42] Idem.

[43] Rapport sur le développement humain 2007/2008

[44] Discours de Sarkozy le soir de son élection

Link here

--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Opportunities For Export And Import In South Africa

2009-12-31T19:22:00.001+02:00

South Africa was originally founded in 1652
by Dutch traders.

They settled in Cape Town.

Diamonds were discovered in 1867.

Gold was discovered in 1886.

From that point on South Africa has
been known for the rich minerals and
precious metals that can be mined.

This is one of their biggest export industries.

If you are interested in doing import or
export business with South Africa you will
find that precious metals, agriculture,
electricity, and oil are
the biggest opportunities for you.

Gold, Diamonds, and Platinum are
the three biggest precious metals that
are exported from this country.

Emeralds are also mined but it is
not exported on as large a scale as
the top three precious metals.

Most of the jewellery that is purchased
for an engagement ring gets
its precious metals from South Africa.

Yellow gold is the most popular metal for wedding rings.

Platinum is more expensive than gold
and not used as often in jewellery
for the mere fact that it is much more rare.

Many agricultural items are exported
from South Africa. Corn, wheat, sugarcane,
fruits, vegetables, beef, poultry, mutton,
wool and dairy products are the top export items.

Although it might seem that South Africa
is a dry place with no water in sight,
it in fact is abundant with food
to sell to other countries in need.

Electricity is also exported by South Africa.

As more electricity is used than consumed
it is a top commodity that other countries purchase.

If you realize that it one of the major methods
of energy after natural gas, you will see
the true value of this.

Over 49 million people in South Africa have
a need for this but not everyone uses it.

A major item that is exported to other countries
is oil and natural gas.

This goes along the same line as electricity.

Any country that can meet their energy needs
and yet still able to export that product after all
its inhabitant's needs are met is a wonder.

This is how it can be a net exporter instead
of an importer for most of its goods.

As the price of oil will only increase
as less of it is discovered by
other countries it will continue
to be a top commodity.

There was a certain time in South Africa's history
when apartheid was an in effect.

Because of the very nature of its existence
it caused many problems as other countries
didn't want to do business.

It had to go through a major struggle
to get to the current state.

Now that it is no longer in effect
many countries that had bans from
doing business were lifted.

Now is a great time to do business
with South Africa.

The country has had many ideological changes
and is open to change to improve
the livelihood of its citizens.

This country has come a long way from
its original Dutch and British historical beginnings
to become one that is fair
to all people regardless of their race.

The Western Cape Investment and

Trade Promotion Agency (WESGRO)

Link here

--
J-L K

Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

PRINCE -purple rain -long version-

2009-12-31T13:27:00.000+02:00

In Memoriam - Madilu System - Ya Jean

2009-12-31T12:22:00.000+02:00

Ringo Madlingozi- Ekuseni

2009-12-31T09:10:00.001+02:00

Lucky Dube 'I Want to Know What Love Is'

2009-12-31T08:50:00.000+02:00

Kenya:Major Fuel Shortage Hits Western Region

2009-12-30T18:17:00.001+02:00

Business Daily (Nairobi)

Zeddy Sambu

Fuel pumps in most parts of western Kenya
have run dry as increasing demand
associated with the festive season
weighs on thinning supplies by major oil dealers.

Kisumu was by Tuesday the most
affected with no petrol supplied since Christmas eve.

Other major towns including Eldoret,
the greater Kericho and Kisii districts
also had their supplies exhausted
after marketers were said to have
collected inadequate fuel products
from the national distribution system
on Christmas eve.

National pipeline officials owned up
to delays in loading petrol for the Kisumu depots,
but accused oil marketers
of failing to replenish their stocks in time.

"Oil marketers last loaded on December 24.
Our depots have been open through out
but the marketers did not come
for replenishments," said KPC's
operations manager, Mr Philip Kimelu.

On Tuesday, however, KPC was preparing
to load up to seven million litres
(stocks to last for one week)
for the Kisumu depot that
serves the city and neighbouring Uganda.

"Kisumu which requires about one million litres
of various products per day will receive
seven million litres and Eldoret (five)
to last for the next one week.

Additional supplies will last
each of them for one week,"
said Kimelu.

Most marketers contacted by
the Business Daily declined
to comment on the shortages
and subsequent price hikes.

It also emerged that the oil dealers
with few remaining stocks have raised
fuel prices by between Sh3 and Sh5
due to supply shortages,
sparking protests from motorists.

Most of the branded stations
in the region were selling a litre
of unleaded premium at Sh83.40,
regular at Sh84.40 and diesel at Sh73.40.

The independent dealers were selling
a litre of regular at Sh81.90
and diesel at Sh71.90.

In Nairobi, unleaded fuel is retailing at
Sh87 a litre within the Central Business
District (CBD) and neighbouring areas.

Marketers stand accused for
hoarding petroleum products at
a time when demand is high,
as well as flouting market rules
whenever demand peaks.

Nairobi and Mombasa account
for nearly 60 per cent of
the country's petroleum consumption.

Oil prices retreated to near $73 (Sh5,475)
a barrel on Monday as
Opec giants last week, indicated
they would leave crude production levels
unchanged while seeking to ensure
compliance with members' output
quotas by March, next year.

On December 1, international crude prices
touched the record levels of $79.2 per barrel
(159 litres), fuelling pressure at the pumps,
having risen from $68 a barrel in October,
when local pump prices stood at Sh81 per litre.

Supply bottlenecks have gripped
the oil industry in recent months
from break down at country's sole
ageing refinery to capacity
constraints at KPC.

Fears that the fuel prices are likely
to increase further due to increased
demand during the festive season
were compounded by a recent rally
in the prices for crude across
major international markets.

Between January and June, the refinery
has been facing technical challenges
on its facilities used
to produce petrol and cooking gas.

Link here
--
J-L K

Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Some hot spots

2009-12-30T13:07:00.001+02:00

BARS

Café torero Kigali, Rue Chez Venant,

AudioTex Building,

Tel: +250 788419148

Chez Lando, Corner of ICTR Street

and Airport Road,

Tel: +250252582050

Chez Robert, In front of

the Mille Collines Hotel,

Tel: +250252575573

ChêneVert, Tel: +250252572615

Cosmos, Tel: +250252578244

Executive Car Wash, Next to RRA Building

Heaven Restaurant and Bar,
Tel: +250 0252500234

Mobile: +250 7888674366 / 788486581

Email: heavenrwanda@gmail.com

Jali Club, Tel: +250252571086

Le Plein Midi, Behind Chez Lando,

Tel: +250252574718

Matonge, Rd to Electrogaz,

Mobile: +250 78841889

Oasis Bar, Tel: +250252583497

Planet, Kigali Business Centre

Papyrus Lounge, Kimihurura, Kigali,

Mobile: +250 788308970,

Email: info@papyruslounge.com,

Website: papyruslounge.com

Republika Lounge, off Avenue

des Grands Lacs,

Kiyovu. Mobile: +250 78303030

Restaurant Bar Tranquillité,

Tel: +250 62696

Restaurant Bar Bravo, Tel: +250 62702

Virunga Sports Bar, MTN Centre.

Mobile: +250 788300005 / 78307250

CASINOS

Casino Kigali, Top Tower Hotel,

Umuganda Boulevard, Kigali,

Tel: +250 788306959,

Email: casino@casinokigali.com

Casino Gisenyi, at The Sodevi Nightclub,

Tel: +250 (0)252540777

Email: casino@casinokigali.com

website: www.casinogisenyi.com

BARS

Café torero Kigali, Rue Chez Venant,

AudioTex Building,

Tel: +250 788419148

Chez Lando, Corner of ICTR Street

and Airport Road,

Tel: +250252582050

Chez Robert, In front of

the Mille Collines Hotel,

Tel: +250252575573

ChêneVert, Tel: +250252572615

Cosmos, Tel: +250252578244

Executive Car Wash, Next

to RRA Building

Heaven Restaurant and Bar,

Tel: +250 0252500234

Mobile: +250 7888674366 / 788486581

Email: heavenrwanda@gmail.com

Jali Club, Tel: +250252571086

Le Plein Midi, Behind Chez Lando,

Tel: +250252574718

Matonge, Rd to Electrogaz,

Mobile: +250 78841889

Oasis Bar, Tel: +250252583497

Planet, Kigali Business Centre

Papyrus Lounge, Kimihurura, Kigali,

Mobile: +250 788308970,

Email: info@papyruslounge.com,

Website: papyruslounge.com

Republika Lounge, off Avenue des Grands Lacs,
Kiyovu.

Mobile: +250 78303030

Restaurant Bar Tranquillité, Tel: +250 62696

Restaurant Bar Bravo, Tel: +250 62702

Virunga Sports Bar, MTN Centre.

Mobile: +250 788300005 / 78307250

CASINOS

Casino Kigali, Top Tower Hotel,

Umuganda Boulevard, Kigali,

Tel: +250 788306959,

Email: casino@casinokigali.com

Casino Gisenyi, at The Sodevi Nightclub,

Tel: +250 (0)252540777

Email: casino@casinokigali.com

website: www.casinogisenyi.com

CHINESE

Flamingo Chinese Restaurant, Kimihurua, Kigali

Cell: +250 7883 00333.

Email: finaflamingo1@yahoo.fr.

Shangaï, Near Novotel Hotel,

Tel: +250 788503111

ETHIOPIAN

Lalibela Restaurant, Remera.

Mobile: +250 78519155

FAST FOOD / SNACKS

Amy's, Taxi Station, Downtown,

Tel: +250252517004

Baba's, Kigali Business Centre,

Mobile: +250 788589786

BCK Fast Food, Near Isimbi Hotel.

Cercle Sportif, Across from Saint Exupéry,

Tel: +250252574070

Hills Take Away, Union trade Center

La Galette, Next to the old central market,

Tel: +250252575434

Le Poséidon, Town Centre,

Tel: +250252501564

Masaka Farms @ Papyrus, Kimihurura, Kigali

Mobile: +250 788308970,

Website: www.masakafarms.com

Sopetrad, Main Street Kiyovu,

Tel: +250252573953

FRENCH

City Centre, Next to Gloria Hotel,

Tel: +250252571278; Remera branch

in Remera crossing

Chez Robert, Tel: +250252501305

Comme Chez Moi, Restaurant et traiteur,

Mobile: +250 788454162

GREEK

Hellénique, Near Cadillac Disco Bar,

Tel: +250252583731

INTERNATIONAL

Afrikabite (Kimihurura)

Tel: +250 788867258,

Email: Katie@nizette.org

Aérobar, Airport Building,

Tel: +250252584500

Arada, Minister's Road,

Mobile: +250 788860968

Banana Jam Café, Kigali Serena Hotel,

Tel: +250252597100

Baobab, Nyamirambo, Tel: +250252575633

Le Belvédère, Across from BCR Bank,

Tel: +250252570499,

Mobile: +250 7888562226

Comme Chez Moi, Restaurant et traiteur,

Mobile: +250 788454162,

Chez Lando, Corner of ICTR Street and Airport Road,

Tel: +250252582050

Chez Robert, In front of the Mille Collines Hotel,

Tel: +250252575573

Chez Venant, Nyamirambo Road,

Tel: +250252572260

Côté Jardin, Novotel Umubano Hotel,

Tel: +250252582176/7/8

East African Food (Mère Josée)

Restaurant and catereer

Gsm: +25078500064

Diplomat, Kigali Serena Hotel,

Tel: +250252597100

Gorilla (Le Dos Argenté), Next to Restaurant
Karisimbi,

Tel: +250252501717

Heaven Restaurant & Bar, Tel: +250252500234

Mobile: +250 788674366 / 788486581

Email: heavenrwanda@gmail.com

Iris, Near EU Delegation,

Mobile: +250 788753656

Isimbi, Near Post Office,

Tel: +250252572578, 572581/93

Karisimbi Restaurants & Bars

Tel: +250252575128,

Mobile: +250 788517073

La Vallée Douce, Old Airport Road,

Tel: +250252582981

New Cactus,, Kayuku Street,

Tel: +250252572572.

New Mangaroca S.A.R.L,

Tel: +250 78387144

Okapi, Rue de Muhima,

Tel: +250252574169. 574413

Panorama, Hotel Mille Collines,

Tel: +250252576530

Papyrus Lounge, Kimihurura, Kigali,

Mobile: +250 788308970

Republika Lounge, Kiyovu,

Off Avenue Des GrandsLacs

Tel: +250252504051,

Mobile: +250 78853007

Sierra, Beside Bacar Bank,

Tel: +250252575486

Sky Hotel, Main road to Nyamirambo,

Tel: +250252516693,

Mobile: +250 7883 00323

Tam-Tam, Near the Main Bus Station

Tennessee Club, Main Road to Kimihurura

ITALIAN /PIZZERIA

Havana Club, Kacyiru Road,

Tel: +250252510440.

Closed on Mondays.

Salsa music played at Havana

Karisimbi, Near Hotel Mille Collines,

Tel: +250252571528

New Cactus, Kayuku Street,

Tel: +250252572572.

Papyrus Lounge, Kimihurura, Kigali,

Mobile: +250 788308970

Sol e Luna, Main Airport Rd,

Tel: +250252583062

INDIAN

Ice & Spice,Tel: +250252570608,

+250 788513496

Handee Restaurant, Rue de L'Akagera Kiyovu,

Tel: + 250 750344900

Email: handee_2009@yahoo.com,

Khana Khazana, 10 Kajangwe Avenue, Kiyovu

Mobile: +250 788772087/ 758301729

Email: khazanarwanda@yahoo.com,

Mango, Main Taxi Station Downtown

Salt and Pepper, Albert House,

Mobile: +250 7885 60797

Sierra, Beside Bacar Bank, Tel: +250252575486

LATE NIGHT BITES

Masaka Farms @ Papyrus, Kimihurura, Kigali

Mobile: +250 788308970,

Website: www.masakafarms.com

RWANDESE

Banjo, Remera Road

Capri, Behind Shell Station

Comme Chez Moi, Restaurant et traiteur,

Mobile: +250 788454162

Fine Dine Bar & Restaurant,

Opposite Commercial Bank

of Rwanda, Revenue

Mobile: +250 788841375,

Email: expholdings@yahoo.co.uk

La Caverne, Road to Butare,

Tel: +250252574549

Chez John, Near Cercle Sportif,

Tel: +250252571678

Executive Car Wash, Next to RRA Building

Karibu Restaurant, Tel: +250252501793

Mc Doneil's, Road from Nyamirambo

Memories, Behind the Novotel Hotel

New Nectar, Next to the Sky Hotel

Ninzi Hill, Main Boulevard in Kacyiru,

Tel: +250252587714

Nouvelle Planéte, Opposite the Chez Lando,

Tel: +250252587527

Ozone Café. MTN Centre.

Mobile: +250 788301566.

Palisse, Main road to Kabungo

Passadena (Mu Rugo), Gikondo Nyenyere

Le Printemps, Behind Amahoro Stadium,

Tel: +250252582142

Via Nova, Near Main Post Office

THAI

Comme Chez Moi
Restaurant et traiteur, Kimihurura,Kigali

Tel: +250 788454162

Asoferwa ASBL Association de

Solidarité des Femmes Rwandaises.

Tel: +250252586394,

Mobile: +250 788533441

Email: asoferwa@rwanda1.com

Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund (DFGF),

Box. 2411 Kigali

Tel: +250252585850,

Website: www.gorillafund.com

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS),

Tel: +250252520810/11

International Gorilla Conservation

Programme, (IGCP),

Mobile: +250 788304977,

Website: www.igcp.org

Link here
--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

L'avenir de l'électricité en Chine passe par les ampoules basse consommation

2009-12-30T12:36:00.001+02:00

Joëlle Garrus (AFP)

La Chine, qui s'est engouffrée il y a plusieurs années
sur le marché des technologies "vertes",
a notamment ravi celui
des ampoules basse consommation,
appelées à remplacer celles
à incandescence dévoreuses d'électricité.

L'atelier de la planète était
le premier fabricant mondial
d'ampoules incandescentes, mais a su
saisir le tournant du 21e siècle,
vouant aux gémonies le bulbe classique,
qui produit plus de chaleur que de lumière.

Leur élimination progressive a déjà
commencé dans les pays industrialisés.
La Chine devrait suivre à terme.

"L'éclairage en Chine, c'est environ
12% de la consommation d'électricité - principale
responsable des émissions
de dioxyde de carbone".

Les lampes fluocompactes (LFC) "seraient
une bonne voie" à suivre,
commente Li Ang de Greenpeace.

En une décennie, le pays a multiplié
par 12 sa production d'ampoules
basse consommation: 2,4 milliards en 2006,
contre 200 millions en 1997,
selon le ministère du Commerce.

L'an dernier, la production de LFC
a même "atteint quelque 3 milliards
dont 2,1 milliards exportés",
affirme Chen Yansheng,
directeur de l'Association
de l'industrie de l'éclairage de Chine.

Dans le monde, les fluocompactes
restent encore minoritaires: 6%
des ampoules vendues,
contre 70% d'incandescentes,
selon le Programme des Nations
unies pour le développement (PNUD).

Mais elles sont à 80% fabriquées
en Chine et majoritairement par
des entreprises chinoises, selon M. Chen.

Les géants étrangers, comme l'américain GE,
ou l'allemand Osram (Siemens), sont
néanmoins présents.
Le néerlandais Philips produit ainsi
en Chine "l'essentiel de ses LFC
dans le segment moyen, le segment haut
provenant de Pologne", indique
un porte-parole sans préciser
ni volume de production
ni montant des exportations.

"En tant que leader du marché, Philips est
le principal distributeur de lampes LFC
venant de Chine", de ses coentreprises
ou de fournisseurs, selon la même source.

Mais les étrangers visent aussi
le prometteur marché chinois: 1,3 milliard
de consommateurs découvrant
à peine les lampes "vertes".

Si chaque habitant changeait
une ampoule de 60W pour son équivalent
basse consommation, "cela économiserait plus
que la production annuelle d'électricité
du barrage des Trois-Gorges",
pharaonique ouvrage sur le Yangtsé,
plaide Ang Li.

Des millions de tonnes d'eau,
de charbon, de CO2...

La Commission nationale pour la réforme
et le développement (planification économique)
a de son côté calculé que le pays
pourrait économiser, en dix ans,
entre 160 et 216 milliards de kilowatts heures
d'électricité, en se convertissant aux lampes économes.

Ce qui réduirait ses émissions de CO2,
principal des gaz à effet de serre
responsables du changement climatique,
de 175 à 237 millions de tonnes.

Un gros coup de pouce pour une nation
ayant promis, à la veille de la conférence
de Copenhague, de réduire ses émissions
de gaz à effet de serre par unité de PIB
de 40 à 45% d'ici à 2020, par rapport à 2005.

En outre, le premier producteur mondial
a tout intérêt à développer son propre marché
pour faire face à la baisse de la demande
étrangère attendue,
vu la longévité des flucompactes...

La Chine n'a pas encore imposé à domicile
les "lampes qui économisent l'énergie",
selon leur appellation chinoise.
Mais elle s'emploie activement
à les promouvoir, via notamment
des distributions d'ampoules subventionnées.

En juillet, Pékin a aussi signé un programme
de 84 millions de dollars avec le PNUD
sur quatre ans pour aider la conversion
de l'industrie de l'éclairage, éduquer
la population et résoudre la question
des ampoules usagées -- gros problème
en raison du mercure qu'elles contiennent,
dans un pays où le tri sélectif
n'existe quasiment pas.

Link here
--
J-L K

Diplomatic Missions - Embassies in Rwanda

2009-12-28T20:14:00.001+02:00

Rwanda Ministry Of Foreign Affairs

and Cooperation

Belgium, Rue de Nyarugenge,
Tel: +250252575551 / 2 / 3 / 4,

Fax: +250252573995.

Burundi, 4 Rue de Ntararuka,
Tel: +250252517529 / 30 / 575512.

Canada, Rue de L'Akagera,

Tel: +250252571762/3/4,
574228, 573210,

Fax: +250252572719.

China, 44 Boulevard de la Revolution,
Tel: +250252575415 / 510489

/ 572168 / 572773.

Egypt, Boulevard de L'Umuganda,
Tel: +250 87510 / 587560

/ 582039 / 582689.

Germany, Rue de Bugurama,
Tel: +250252575222 / 575141

/ 575505.

India, Rue du Lac Ihema.
Tel: +250252574556 / 576472,

Fax: +250252574290.

Kenya, Boulevard de L'Umuganda,
Tel: +250252583332 / 4 / 5 / 6 /

511889, Fax: +250252510919.

Libya, Tel: +250252572294 /

572309/572335,
Fax: +250252572347.

Netherlands, Boulevard de L'Umuganda.
Tel: +250252584348 / 584378 /584711.

Russia, Avenue de L'Armee.
Tel: +250252575286, Fax: +250252574818.

South Africa, Boulevard de L'Umuganda.
Tel: +250252583185 / 6 / 7 / 8,

Sweden, Aurora Building, 1 Floor. Kacyiru.

Tel: +250252597400, Fax: +250252597459.

Email:ambassaden.kigali@sida.se

Switzerland, Boulevard de Revolution.

Tel: +250252573534 / 575738.

Tanzania, Tel: +250252505400 / 1 / 3 / 585302

Tel/Fax: +250252505403 / 585301,

Fax: +250252505402.

Uganda, Rue de L'Akagera. Tel: +250 +250 76854
Fax: +250252576854,

Email: ugaemb@rwanda1.com

United Kingdom, Boulevard de L'Umuganda.

Tel: +250252586072 / 586050 / 584098 / 585771

Fax: +250252582044,

Email:embassy.kigali@fco.gov.uk.

Website: www.britishembassykigali.org.rw

USA, 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie (Kacyiru)

Tel: +2502525596400 Extension: 2553,

Fax: +250252596771 / 596591

ETHIOPIA:
If coming from a country where there is

no Ethiopian mission, you can acquire

a visa at entry points. Multiple visas are

offered for tourists staying longer

than 3 months and prices begin at US$20.

Transit visas are available for visitors

staying 72 hours or fewer. A valid passport

and passport-sized photo are required

to obtain a visa.

Ethiopian visas can take up

to 5 business days to process.

UGANDA:
Travelers from COMESA nations and

some island nations do not need

visas to visit Uganda. For all others, visas

can be obtained at entry points,

starting at a 3-month visa for US$30.

Multiple entry visas are available

for stays of 6 months or longer.

When ordering visas ahead of time,

allow 2 business days for processing.

TANZANIA:
Residents of Commonwealth countries

(except India, Nigeria, Canada, Australia,

New Zealand and the UK) do not require

visas to Tanzania. Neither do citizens

of Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Ireland, Romania,

Rwanda and Hong Kong. Visas, which also

allow entry into Zanzibar, can be obtained

at entry points. Visa fees begin at US$30.

Transit visas last up to 3 weeks

and 3-month visas are renewable.

BURUNDI:
Nationals of the Democratic Republic

of the Congo, Uganda and Rwanda do not

need visas to visit Burundi. Travelers from countries

where Burundi does not have

diplomatic representation and travelers

going to another country within 72 hours

can obtain visas at entry points.

Validity of visas is subject to

the discretion of the Immigration Department.

Visa prices begin at US$80,

with an added $10 fee for transit travelers.

KENYA:
Kenya Airways has made

visa application forms available on their website

for visitors to Kenya.

By visiting www.kenya-airways.com, travelers

can download visa applications for

processing at any of Kenya's entry points.

Citizens of most African countries do not

need visas to enter Kenya.

Lists of those who do not need visas can

be found on Kenya's government website.

Kenya offers transit (maximum of 7 days, US $20),

single entry (US$50) and

multiple entry (one year - US$110) visas.

Single entry visas permit travel to Uganda,

Tanzania and reentry into Kenya.

Travel elsewhere, i.e. Rwanda, will forfeit this.

REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO:
Citizens of Gabon do not require visas

to enter Congo, but Congolese nationals who are

also citizens of other countries

do require visas if traveling

on their other passport.

Visa fees for touring and business travelers

are US$70 for 15 days, US$100

for one month and US$180 for

three months (business only).

All visas are multiple entry.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO:
Visas are required by all travelers

except transit passengers staying up

to 48 hours. Visas can be obtained

at entry points and begin at US$70.

Link here
--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Steve Harvey Introduces Jesus

2009-12-28T16:00:00.000+02:00

Internet mobile : appelez-moi Bouygues Bing Telecom

2009-12-26T15:01:00.001+02:00

La filiale mobile du groupe Bouygues
propose à ses clients une première
version mobile sur-mesure
du moteur Bing.com
de Microsoft en français.

Publié sur ITespresso.fr
par Philippe Guerrier

Bouygues Telecom poursuit
son partenariat stratégique avec
Microsoft en intégrant
Bing.com dans son portail mobile.

Après avoir proposé MSN Search à
ses dix millions de clients
via Internet mobile, Bouygues Telecom
intègre désormais le nouvel outil
de recherche de Microsoft.

La firme de Redmond avait
inauguré Bing.com sur le Web
dans le courant du
printemps 2009.

C'est la première version mobile
de Bing.com que l'on voit
apparaître en France.

Microsoft a développé
une version spécifique de
son moteur pour l'opérateur basée
sur la technologie de Bing Mobile.

Elle agrège des résultats
des recherches entre le portail mobile
de Bouygues Telecom,
le moteur Gallery et le Web.

La filiale mobile de Bouygues Telecom
a toujours entretenu des relations
particulières avec Microsoft
dans le cadre de
déploiement de
services Internet mobile.

Ainsi, dès juin 2006, l'opérateur avait
adopté en premier la version mobile
de Windows Live Messenger
(messagerie instantanée),
un produit qui
avait démarré fort à l'époque.

Tags :bing, bouygues telecom,
messagerie instantanee,
microsoft, moteur,
windows live messenger

Link here
--
J-L K

Kenya widow opens arms to abandoned child

2009-12-25T14:19:00.001+02:00

Agnes Awori already had 11 children to care for
when she decided to take in a newborn baby
left in a plastic bag on a railway track
near her home last year.
She named him Moses.
(Robyn Dixon / Los Angeles Times)

Living in a Nairobi slum, she adds
a newborn found in a plastic bag
to her brood of four children
and seven orphans.
The problem of abandoned infants
is significant in Africa, activists say.

Follow Robyn Dixon on Facebook

Agnes Awori is hurrying to the market,
early afternoon.

She sees a cluster of perhaps
two dozen people on the railway track.

Probably the usual thing,
she thinks: someone killed by a train.

The 53-year-old widow, who lives
in the Kibera slum outside Nairobi,
doesn't have time to waste: She has
11 children to support -- four of her own,
the rest her dead sister's.

But she can't resist the twinge
of curiosity tugging her to the tracks.

Turns out it isn't a body,
just a plastic shopping bag.

It's been lying there
at least four hours, someone tells her.

It moves.

"It was a human being," Awori says.

"He was just dumped there,
with his umbilical cord.
He was naked, as he'd just been born."

Awori's heart sings. She will save this baby.

As she gently picks him up and
cuddles him, the women in the crowd
laugh at her. She carries him away,
a stream of ridicule
and laughter pealing in her ears.

"Some said, 'Don't you have work to do?'

Others said, 'You can't leave
your work for that.

You can just sell that child for 10 shillings.'

"I didn't care," she says.

"It hurts my heart to see
a human being thrown away."

She calls the baby Moses.

Child abandonment is disturbingly
common in urban townships
and slums in many cities across Africa.

One of Awori's neighbors rescued
a baby girl from a pit latrine.

Awori says unwanted infants
are often dumped in the river
next to the slum.

Many of the babies don't survive.

There are no statistics on
child abandonment in Kenya
or South Africa: Some infant corpses
are probably never found.

But anecdotal evidence
from charities involved
in child rescue suggests it is common.

"It doesn't happen sometimes.
It happens a lot," says
Tahiyya Hassim of New BeginningZ,
a child rescue charity she set up
eight years ago in Pretoria,
South Africa, after
a car accident left her
wondering what she had
contributed during her life.

In March 2008, Hassim established
an anonymous drop-off point
in Pretoria called the Wall of Hope
where mothers could
abandon babies without repercussions.

"Before I put the wall, it was a case
of the police phoning me
on a weekly basis, saying,

'We have found another
dead baby in a dustbin or
a park or a toilet,' " Hassim says.

Since then, 17 babies have
been abandoned at the wall.

The number of dead infants found
in the area by police has declined,
says Hassim, who has interviewed
many young women about
why they left children to die.

"They are often so desperate
they don't have any alternative,"
she says.

"A lot of the girls we spoke to
said how horrible the treatment
was that they got from
social workers at state clinics.

The social workers tell them,
'You made the baby, now deal with it.'

"Often girls have been raped
by relatives like brothers or fathers."

She recently created a second
drop-off point, but faces opposition
from the government's Department
of Social Development,
responsible for child welfare,
which told her she was
encouraging women
to abandon their children.

"We are just trying to prevent
children from dying in the street,"
Hassim says.

Sixteen months after she rescued
the baby on the train tracks,
Awori sits in her one-room shack.

She rocks constantly,
Moses dozing peacefully in her arms.

Thirteen people live behind
the red curtain in the doorway
of Awori's shack.

Moses is the youngest.
The oldest child is 15.

The room is divided in two
by a blue drape.

Behind it lies the bed where
the widow sleeps with
the smaller children.

The bigger ones
sleep with her neighbors.

A rusted bicycle frame is
suspended under the roof,
holding a bundle of firewood
for cooking.

In one corner, she has pinned
some cardboard religious
paintings, like a shrine.

A daughter, Elizabeth, cuts
Swiss chard into thin strips
for sale at their vegetable stall.

They have fewer customers
since election violence in
late 2007 and early 2008,
many of their best ones
having moved away.

Awori relies on credit from
shopkeepers to feed the family.

She makes about 200 shillings
(about $2.65) a day and
has accumulated about
10,000 shillings (about $132)
in rent and food debts
in the last two years.
She keeps sinking further into debt.

"I am just praying that
God will open his
own way for me," she says.

Awori says that when
her children get older, she'll
work hard and repay
the shopkeepers and
landlord, in installments.

"I'm happy in my life,"
she says, still rocking Moses.

"I'll bring him up well,
like these other orphans.
Everyone has
their own talents in life."

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

Link here
--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

The Top Five Natural Gas Companies to Watch

2009-12-24T20:35:00.001+02:00

By Kent Moors, Ph.D., Contributing Writer,
Money Morning

I've briefed Wall Street before.
This time, however, the 57th floor conference room
is packed.
Some heavy hitters invited me
to explain why natural gas is the upcoming energy play.

By the size of the crowd, it seems the word is getting around.

The last time interest was this high, natural gas
contracts on the New York Mercantile
Exchange (NYMEX) were racing past $14 and
the dominant players were making a fortune.

We're about to see them try it again.
Exxon Mobil Corp.'s (NYSE: XOM) recent acquisition
of shale gas producer XTO Energy Inc. (NYSE: XTO),
for example, is only the first
of several moves we're about
to see as the sector shakes itself out again.

This time, however, average investors
can move early and reap the benefits.

In a matter of days, gas contracts
have jumped more than 25%, approaching $6.

That's sparked an interest in production.
But there's a supply glut right now, so prices
can't go much higher.

Not in the near term, anyway.
And that means the largest producers
won't necessarily provide the heftiest returns.

For investors, the real money's in
operationally efficient companies, like the ones
I'm about to show you.

They boast prime field locations, too.
And they keep extraction costs low.

In the long term, of course,
the fundamentals for natural gas
are spectacular.

Demand Will Be Higher Than Analysts Expect

The Department of Energy projects a 15% rise in U.S.
demand over the next two decades.

But it will be higher than that. More power production
from gas generation (instead of coal)
and widening industrial applications
should push the increase closer to 20% to 22%.

It gets better, though.

Unlike crude oil, we have enough
gas reserves to cover all of our needs
for at least the next century.

And natural gas demand is
increasing much faster in
other parts of the world.

That gives U.S. producers
of liquefied natural gas
more export potential.

So how can investors
profit from natural gas now?

Here's what I told the fund managers
and high-net-worth analysts in New York…

    * U.S. demand is returning and natural gas
is becoming the fuel of choice.
But a tighter market means cheaper production
will be nudging more
expensive operations out of the picture.

    * Smaller producers - ones that can provide
constant volume at cheaper rates - will be
the smart investment moves. Lean, hungry,
niche operations are the ones who will make money.

* Unconventional production, especially shale gas,
is providing more volume at lower prices
than fast-maturing free-standing gas fields.

    * Pipeline developments in the U.S. will be
leveling off major regional price differences
and improving the bottom line
prospects of well-focused companies.

Now, people who attend my Wall Street briefings
are usually making seven figures or more a year.

These "market gurus" are supposed to be
on top of the movers and make the correct calls.

But that's usually not the case, especially
in the energy market. That's why they call me in.

(It doesn't hurt, of course, that my data banks regularly
follow 523 publically traded North American oil
and gas producers, along with hundreds
of overseas service providers and companies.

As the energy sector heats up,
several new ones are added each week.)

But while I'm quite content to invoice
the Wall Street gaggle for my services,
I never give these overpriced prima donnas
investment advice.

They serve merely to drive
the current herd mentality in the Big Apple,
often adding to the problems.

They also burn out too quickly,
replaced by another crew of
even younger, less-experienced hot shots.

How young?

One of them actually rode into
my briefing on a skateboard!

These guys are not the real driving force
in the market.

That role is occupied by
millions of individual investors - the real
soul of the free market.

That's why I making my recommendations
here, for people like you...

The Top 5 Natural Gas Companies

Applying the four points above, these are
the top five natural gas producers to watch.

They have all moved up sharply
in recent trading and are
primed for further advances:

    * Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK):
Up 16%, December 8-18.

    * Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN): Up 9%.

    * EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG): Up 8.5%.

    * Newfield Exploration Co. (NYSE: NFX): Up 19%.

    * Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC): Up 18%.

All of these companies are focused.
They're well managed. They have efficient,
cost-effective operations.

They're well located. And they're
of moderate size.

They also share another
interesting characteristic: They're all
primarily shale gas producers.

Devon and EOG are leaders in
the Barnett Shale (Texas), Newfield
in the Woodford Shale (Oklahoma),
Range in the Marcellus, where Chesapeake,
already a major shale gas producer
in the southwestern U.S.,
is now the largest lease holder.

And there are other producers
coming up right behind them.

As the Exxon acquisition of XTO indicates,
majors are looking to add companies
having developed shale gas production.

That will put the aforementioned
five in play as M&A targets.

[Editor's Note : Dr. Kent Moors, now
a regular contributor to Money Morning,
is the executive managing partner
of Risk Management Associates International LLP,
a full-service global management consulting
and executive training firm.

He is an internationally recognized expert
in global risk management, oil/natural gas policy
and finance, cross-border capital flows,
emerging market economic
and fiscal development, political,
financial and market risk assessment,
as well as new techniques
in energy risk management.

Dr. Moors has been an advisor to
the highest levels of the U.S., Russian, Kazakh,
Bahamian, Iraqi and Kurdish governments,
to the governors of several U.S. states
and the premiers of two Canadian provinces,
a consultant to private companies,
financial institutions and law firms
in 25 countries and has appeared
more than 1,400 times as
a featured television and
radio commentator in North America,
Europe and Russia.

He has appeared on ABC, BBC, Bloomberg TV,
CBS, CNN, NBC,Russian RTV,
and regularly on Fox Business Network.]

Link here
--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

United, we stand

2009-12-24T16:54:00.001+02:00

May the good Lord guide you safely
to Rwanda and Congo, so that, together
with the great people of those Nations,
you can help in building our region
into one Region.

"The Great Lakes Basin"

Which should be made up of almost
every variety of the human family.

Where there should be as before
God and the Law

No Muganda, no Acholi,
no Munyamulenge, no Muluba
no Mututsi, no Muhutu, no Muhima
no Mwiru, no Catholic, no Moslem,
no Protestant, no Pagan, no Rich,
no Poor, no Black, no White

But

One great people equal Rights
and
common Destiny
for all in the Region

May the Lord give you the unashamed courage
to believe in the highest and best ideals
of our People and enough
passionate patience to make them come true

With my Love and Prayers

Moses Kiwe Sebunya

Ambassador

--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Sandralina

2009-12-24T14:52:00.000+02:00

Nigeria offers volunteers for health sector

2009-12-24T14:02:00.001+02:00

Permanent Secretaries Eugene Munyakayanza (R)
and Agnes Binagwaho( L)
sharing a light moment with Nigeria's Ambassador to Rwanda,
Fidelis Ayogu (C) yesterday. (Photo J Mbanda)

BY JAMES KARUHANGA

KIGALI - The Nigerian government through its
Health Technical Support Progamme,
Technical Aid Corps (TAC) will send
to Rwanda 63 medical experts
to work as volunteers in Rwanda.

The first batch of 32 medical experts was
received yesterday by officials from
the Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs.

The Nurses and Doctors are part of
Nigeria's Technical Aid Corps (TAC),
a volunteering programme set up
by the Nigerian government in 1987.

The last batch of 31 medics is expected
in country in January and the group
hopes to windup its tour of duty in 2011.

Speaking during the occasion to receive them,
Nigeria's Ambassador to Rwanda
with residence in Kampala, Fidelis Ayogu
underscored his country's commitment
to assist fellow African nations.

"We are now saying that the best thing
for us is to go Africa, professionals are scarce
in all countries, even in the US.

We don't have them in abundance
but we have to sacrifice.

They will be here for two years and,
it's a government to government affair,"
Ayogu said.

While welcoming the group to Rwanda,
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health,
Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, noted that
the earlier group of medical volunteers
from Nigeria had been exemplary,
and guaranteed them utmost hospitality.

"Let me assure you Mr. High Commissioner
that they were perfect ambassadors,
not only perfect ambassadors for Nigeria
but perfect ambassadors for Africa,
and perfect ambassadors
for the health sector," Binagwaho said.

Nigerian Nurses and Doctors
first started volunteering
in Rwanda, in 2000.

Binagwaho said that this year,
government wants the team to focus
on the education sector,
especially training Rwandan nurses.

Funded by the Nigerian government,
TAC currently operates
in 20 African
and Caribbean Pacific countries.

Link here

Ends

--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Queen welcomes Rwanda to C’wealth

2009-12-24T13:25:00.001+02:00

BY EDMUND KAGIRE

KIGALI - The Queen of England,
Her Majesty Elizabeth II,
who is the head of the Commonwealth,
has congratulated Rwanda upon
its admission into the grouping
that comprises mainly former British colonies.

In a congratulatory message to
President Paul Kagame and
the people of Rwanda,
Queen Elizabeth said that Rwanda
has made significant progress
in the last 15 years, and
the admission to the Commonwealth
is reflection of what
the Rwandan people
have achieved during this period.

"I send the people of Rwanda congratulations
on the occasion of their accession
to the Commonwealth.

Rwanda has made much progress since
the terrible events of 1994, and
its accession to the Commonwealth
is an indication of this."

"Both Rwanda and the Commonwealth
will gain greatly from
this new relationship, and I welcome
Rwanda as the 54th Member State."
the Queen's message reads.

Rwanda was unanimously admitted into
the Commonwealth as a 54th Member
on the 29th of November by
the Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
held in Trinidad and Tobago.

Following an assessment by
the Commonwealth Secretariat, Rwanda's admission
merited on grounds of having
good democratic processes such
as free and fair elections,
the rule of law and
independence of the judiciary.

Rwanda was equally commended
for good governance, protection
of human rights, freedom of
expression and having
a transparent system in place.

Rwanda's was backed by some
of the prominent members of the group
including Britain, Australia, Canada,
India, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya,
Tanzania and Trinidad and Tobago.

Rwanda became the second member
of the commonwealth without
any historical British colonial links
after Mozambique.

The Commonwealth accounts for
a population of more than
two billion and $2.8 trillion in annual trade.

Its main focus is promoting trade,
education and good governance
among its member countries.

Ends

Link here
--
J-L K

MTN Uganda goes to court over interconnection rates

2009-12-23T14:04:00.000+02:00

IDG News Service

Edris Kisambira, The Industry Standard

Uganda's largest mobile telephone operator,
Mobile Telephone Networks (MTN) has taken
the industry regulator, Uganda Communications
Commission (UCC), to court over plans
to fix interconnection rates.

In April this year, the UCC announced that
it would come in to regulate interconnection fees
that players in the mobile telecom sector pay
when they carry each other's call traffic.

A fixed interconnection rate is
international practice, which
the Ugandan market had yet to adopt.

Today, every one of the five players in
the Uganda market charges
a high interconnection fee to maximize profit.

In the suit, which was filed at
the Kampala High Court, MTN wants
a declaration that UCC has
no legal authority to fix
telephone interconnection rates
among telephone operators.

MTN Uganda wants a permanent injunction
restraining the management of UCC
from fixing the interconnection rates.

MTN claims that on Dec. 7, the UCC fixed
telephone interconnection rates at
US$ 0.066 for mobile and fixed termination
near end; $0.063 for fixed termination far end;
$0.013 for transit; $0.007 for SMS termination;
and wholesale leased line charges
at a retail rate of less 20 percent.

"By law fixing telephone interconnection rates
between telephone operators is a matter
of negotiations and agreement and
as such UCC's decision shall have effect
of re-writing the said agreement contrary
to the law and public policy,"
the complaint reads in part.

The move to regulate interconnection charges
was informed by a consultation study
on interconnection, retail costs and pricing
that was undertaken by
PricewaterhouseCoopers London
on behalf of the UCC early in the year.

New mobile competitors coming into
the Uganda market have in the past
been critical of the existing policy
of leaving the issue of interconnection
to the players themselves.

The new interconnection regime aims
to provide users with the widest
possible choices of quality service
at the most competitive prices
and gives policy makers and regulators
opportunities to foster and
enhance universal service/access initiatives.

It also requires network operators
and service providers to perform
their competitive/complementary activities
in an orderly manner and
with due regard to public interest.

Link here
--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Gov’t acquires 67 modern ambulances

2009-12-23T13:14:00.001+02:00

Prime Minister Bernard Makuza testing one of the Ambulances Yesterday. (Photo/ J .Mbanda) BY EDWIN MUSONI KIGALI - Government yesterday unveiled 67 state-of-the-art ambulances that will be distributed in all district hospitals across the country. The ambulances were yesterday unveiled by the Prime Minister Bernard Makuza in a function held at the Amahoro National Stadium where the vans are currently parked awaiting distribution. Speaking at the function, the Premier said that the government spent over Rwf 2billion in purchasing the ambulances. "There was urgent need for the ambulances and their arrival will ensure an additional support to our health sector," said Makuza. With the already existing ambulances, each district hospital will now have at least three ambulances but government plans are to equip each district hospital with at least five ambulances. Makuza told directors of district hospitals to ensure maintenance and proper handling of the ambulances and warned that whoever mishandles the vans will be punished. The Minister of Health Dr. Richard Sezibera said that the ministry intends to install tracking devices within the ambulances to monitor their locations. "The software will have the capacity to freeze the vans whenever it is parked in illegal places," said Sezibera. The new ambulances have basic life support systems, installed oxygen system, one 4 - wheeled multi- level ambulance cot with retaining straps. Ends Link here

--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Never Again by East African Artists

2009-12-22T20:05:00.000+02:00

Juliana Kanyomozi with Nabikoowa on UGPulse.com Ugandan Music

2009-12-22T20:03:00.000+02:00

Donor budget support increases by 20 percent

2009-12-22T15:23:00.001+02:00

Finance Minister John Rwangombwa greets the Head of
Development Cooperation in the German Embassy
and other Development partners after the meeting.
(Photo/ J. Mbanda)

KIGALI - Development partners yesterday hailed government

for maintaining a steady economic growth path and

announced a 21 percent increase in their support

to the country's budget in the 2010/11 fiscal year.

Speaking on behalf of seven development partners after

signing a $335.4 budget support package

for next fiscal year, Dr. Heike Henn, Head of

Development Cooperation at the Germany Embassy

said that the commitment made was a result

of positive development Rwanda had registered.

"The year 2009 has been a year of successful

collaboration between the Government of Rwanda

and the Budget Support Development Partners.

We comment the government for the progress

we have seen throughout the year," he said.

"We have seen Macro-economic stability despite

the difficult environment.

We are seeing good progress regarding

EDPRS implementation for example in

health and education," Henn said

at the ceremony held at MINICOFIN.

She noted that the estimated growth figures

of 2009 and a strong performance of

the agriculture sector "are encouraging"

especially when the world is

facing economic hardships.

Within the new pledged support, the World Bank

contributed $91m, European Commission $80.5m,

United Kingdom $63.1m, African Development Bank

$27.6m, Germany $15.2m, Netherlands $14.4m

and Belgium $4.3m.

Most of the funding will be front-loaded

in the first two quarters of the 2010/11 Financial Year.

Rwanda will also receive additional funding

of $39.3m through Joint Financing Mechanisms,

bringing the total amount to $335.4

from development partners.

The commitment received yesterday means

that the government can now fully programme

all budget support contributions into

the National budget in due time

for the next fiscal year.

The commitment comes five weeks after

conclusion of the Joint Budget Support Review

held in November where development partners

and the government made an overall assessment

in of implementation of EDPRS programs

during the 2009/10 Fiscal year.

The partners also announced their commitment

to fund the 2011/12 and 2012/13

fiscal year budget.

"Budget support directly translates into public spending

on priority areas for economic development

and poverty reduction.

It makes up a significant share of the overall budget

and without it, the implementation of

the EDPRS would be impossible," Henn said.

Finance Minister John Rwangombwa commended

development partners and pledged

to ensure aid effectiveness and accountability.

"Budget support is an aid modality based

on deep mutual trust and depends

on development partner's confidence

in the country's systems," the Minister said.

"By their presence and the pledges made today,

our budget support partners signal that

they believe in the government overall

development plan with the ultimate aim

of reducing and eventually

eradicating poverty," Rwangombwa said.

He noted that the 21 percent increase

in the commitment is a sign of confidence

from the development partners and

Rwandans-assuring the partners that 'every penny'

received goes towards improving

the lives of all Rwandans.

Ends

link here
-

Koffi Olomide - Loi

2009-12-15T13:54:00.000+02:00

Koffi Olomide feat Papa Wemba ' Wake Up'

2009-12-15T13:13:00.001+02:00

Koffi Olomide, Mopao Sarkozy- papa bonheur

2009-12-15T13:08:00.000+02:00

Madilu & OK Jazz dans Destin (Biya)

2009-12-15T12:28:00.000+02:00

Congo (RDC) Lutumba Simaro Eau bénite Mfouela

2009-12-15T12:25:00.000+02:00

Kenya Telecommunications Report Q1 2010

2009-12-14T21:25:00.000+02:00

New report provides detailed analysis
of the Telecommunications market

by Press Office

(Companiesandmarkets.com
and OfficialWire)

LONDON, ENGLAND

The expectations surrounding SEACOM
and TEAMS continue, but the reality
is starting to hit the market that
significant change is going
to take some time to emerge.

Figures from the Communications
Commission of Kenya (CCK) show that
the total number of internet subscribers
in Kenya, including corporate subscribers
to high capacity data services,
mobile internet subscribers and
broadband and dial up connections,
was over 1.8mn at the end of June 2009.

It was only after that that the
new international connections started
to come online, so it remains to be
seen whether it has had
a marked effect on the number of subscribers.

Price was always the key issue,
and the cost to consumers
of internet services has not
noticeably changed.

Wholesale data providers, notably
Kenya Data Networks, have reduced
their charges considerably, but there
are a number of factors that still
keep consumer prices high.

There has been some speculation
that service providers have been tied
into signing large long-term contracts
for more data than they currently need
and that this has meant that
the reduction in cost per unit
of bandwidth has not been felt.

BMI suspects that the fact that
other significant overhead costs
apart from the cost of
international bandwidth
still remain, and it will only be
as services providers can
take better advantage of
economies of scale that
prices will really start to drop.

On the mobile front, Kenya is still
an exciting market, although
the first half of 2009 has
overall seen disappointing growth,
and this has led BMI
to downgrade our
mobile forecasts a little.

After a very poor first quarter,
growth in mobile subscriptions
did pick up in the second quarter,
but the dip will certainly have
had an effect on growth for
the year as a whole.

We do expect the pick-up in
the second quarter to be
continued into the third and fourth.

On the regulatory side,
Kenya's mobile market is looking
at some considerable
upheaval on the horizon.

The CCK is trying to introduce
tough new price regulations
that will see the operators having
to notify the regulator
in plenty of time when they want
to change a tariff and will put
a stop to long-running promotions.

The new measures were originally
to be put into place before
the end of Q309, but following
a request for more time
from the operators, it looks like
it will take a little longer
for the changes to be put in place.

Kenya Telecommunications
Report Q1 2010: http://www.companies
andmarkets.com/r.ashx?id=WV86782T7191830

Contact

CompaniesandMarkets.com

Mike King
info@companiesandmarkets.com

Tel: +44 203 086 8600

Link here

--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Bond Traders Put Pressure on Debt-Laden Nations

2009-12-14T14:10:00.001+02:00

Jason Alden/Bloomberg News
The central bank of Britain, a country attracting
the attention of investors seeking higher
interest rates on the nation's debt.
Gordon Brown, the British prime minister,
may not view the country's deficit as
a top priority, an analyst says.
Leon Neal/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

LANDON THOMAS Jr.

LONDON — The bond vigilantes are back.

But this time they are roaming mostly
through Europe rather than
the United States — at least for now.

Their mission: to force governments to cut
budget deficits that have ballooned
in the wake of the financial crisis.

As big investors in the credit markets,
activist bond traders developed
a fearsome reputation in the early 1990s
by pushing up yields on Treasuries
in order to force the government
to tame large deficits.

Their most famous target was
a newly elected president, Bill Clinton,
whom they pressured to
abandon campaign promises of tax cuts.

Today, the bond market posse has
set its sights on Europe — particularly
Britain and Greece — where stagnant
economies and high levels of
government spending have led
to the highest budget deficits in the region.

Although the left-leaning governments
in both countries are struggling
to show investors that they have
a workable plan to reduce
deficits — which now average around
13 percent of gross domestic
product — bond traders are
increasingly demanding higher
interest rates to reflect the rising risks.

Bond traders last week pushed
the spreads between Greek 10-year bonds
and their benchmark German
counterparts — a measure
of investor confidence in
the country — to highs of 250 basis points
after the nation's credit rating
was downgraded, raising concerns
over Greece's ability to service
its enormous debt.

In Britain, where the nation's economy
and finances have fallen so
sharply that investors fear a possible
downgrade of the country's triple-A rating,
bond traders are also taking
a hard line.

Last week, yields on gilts were
pushed to their highest levels
since the depths of the financial crisis,
after the Labour Party issued
a preliminary budget report
that skimped on details
of spending cuts.

"There is a clear drop in confidence
on the part of bond investors,"
said Mark Schofield, a fixed-income
strategist at Citigroup in London.
"I think it is all beginning to unravel."

The power of the bond trader to
influence governments once prompted
James Carville, Mr. Clinton's political
strategist at the time, to say that
he wished to be reincarnated
as one because "you can
intimidate everybody."

Mr. Clinton may not have been
intimidated, but he did heed
the advice of Robert Rubin, who joined
the administration from his post
at the top of Goldman Sachs,
that a policy of budgetary restraint
would keep the bond market happy
and interest rates on
United States government bonds low.

Since then, the vigilantes have been
largely in abeyance: As the global
economy boomed, public sector
deficits were not a concern for investors.

All that changed rapidly with
the onset of the credit crisis last year.
Bond traders surfed the global
liquidity wave, buying up government
debt all over the world in the view that,
just as most big banks were
too big to fail, so were
sovereign economies, no matter how
crushing their fiscal picture.

But Dubai World's recent decision
to delay payment on its debt has
brought the crisis to reality
for complacent bondholders.

They have begun to demand that
governments with large budget gaps
start to pay higher interest rates
on their bonds to reflect
rising sovereign risk — a development
that will lead to higher
borrowing costs in countries
like Britain, Greece, Ireland and Spain.

The United States and Japan also
face unusually high debt levels,
deepened by huge stimulus programs.

For the time being, investors are
still willing to lend to them
at generous rates.

But bondholders are running out
of patience as the finances of
even the wealthiest nations spiral downward.

As bond investors become
more impatient, some European
countries have taken
aggressive fiscal action.

In Ireland, the government this month
presented the most severe
budget in the nation's history,
largely to prove to wary bond investors
that it was serious
about cutting its own deficit.

"There is a greater market focus
now on who the fiscally vulnerable
countries are," said Michael Saunders,
the head of European
economics at Citigroup.

Britain falls into that category, he said,
because the British Labour government,
led by Prime Minister Gordon Brown,
is facing a difficult election battle
and appears more concerned
with pleasing voters than investors.

That could lead to a bond market
rout if gilt holders, a large proportion
of them foreign, come to the conclusion
that cutting the deficit is
not a top priority, he said.

In the euro zone, the European
Central Bank's interest in keeping
inflation low means that it is likely
to maintain a stable euro, leaving
smaller European economies with
no opportunity for a cheaper
currency to help
generate growth from exports.

As a result, governments in Portugal,
Ireland, Greece and Spain have had
to turn to increasingly skeptical bond
markets to raise funds while waiting
for their economies to recover
through the far more painful process
of squeezing wages
and shedding jobs
to restore competitiveness.

A recent report from
Standard Chartered even suggested
that weak euro members like Greece
and Ireland might reconsider
their ties to the union if investors
pulled the plug and stopped
refinancing their countries' debts.

"The idea that currency unions
can't break up is rubbish," said
Tim Congdon, an economist
and professed euro skeptic who
has advised Conservative
governments in Britain.

"The critical issue is whether
governments can repay their debts
in new currencies
or euros once they leave."

If they can pay back bond investors
in new and cheaper currencies,
then it is in the interests of countries
like Greece to go out
on their own, Mr. Congdon said.

But with other countries seeking
the shelter of the euro and leaders
like Angela Merkel of Germany hinting
that the big powers would come
to the rescue of Greece and other
distressed countries if necessary,
most economists argue that
the euro zone is unlikely to crack.

Still, that has not stopped
bond investors from talking up
a new divergence trade
in Europe — the flip side to
the convergence trade earlier
this decade, during which Irish,
Greek and Spanish government bonds
were bought on the theory that
a grand economic harmony
would sweep Europe.

Link here
--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Inno Gregoriano PLACARE CHRISTE SERVULIS, Studio di Giovanni Vianini, Milano, Italia

2009-12-14T00:13:00.000+02:00

Rebecca Malope-Namhla Nkosi

2009-12-13T23:52:00.000+02:00

Congo (DRC) - Papa Wemba - Maria Valencia

2009-12-13T23:38:00.000+02:00

Papa Wemba & Viva La Musica - Analengo

2009-12-13T23:28:00.001+02:00

KOFFI OLOMIDE, MONDE ARABE

2009-12-13T22:22:00.000+02:00

GATHO BEEVENS Azalaki awa

2009-12-13T22:21:00.001+02:00

KT launches wireless Internet service for Rwanda

2009-12-13T21:01:00.001+02:00

KT Corp., Korea's top fixed-line operator and
internet service provider, said Sunday
it has launched wireless Internet
network service in Rwanda,
according to the Yonhap News.

The communications network service for

Internet access, dubbed "WiBro," cost

$7.7 million to build and links major government

agencies in the capital city of Kigali, the KT noted.

KT said it hopes the service, which was

launched last week in the African nation,

will serve as a stepping-stone in

the company's bid to further

tap the African market.

Korea's No. 1 electronics company,

Samsung Electronics Co., and seven other

companies joined the project, said KT,

which won the deal last year.

WiBro, one of the world's major third-generation

wireless Internet standards, is a

homegrown wireless Internet access

technology developed by KT that enables

broadband-like Web connectivity even

when a user is in motion.

The technology competes with

Intel Corp.'s WiMax.

Link here

--
J-L K

WENGE MUSICA in Mulolo en live

2009-12-13T16:43:00.000+02:00

Papa wemba- Anibo

2009-12-13T16:35:00.002+02:00

VADIO MAMBENGA - tambula malembe

2009-12-13T16:35:00.001+02:00

Ceci-Cela　　Lidjo Kwempa

2009-12-13T16:27:00.000+02:00

Arthur Mafokate - Oyi, Oyi - Kwaito

2009-12-13T16:07:00.000+02:00

Woman, 98, indicted in death of 100-year-old nursing home roommate

2009-12-13T14:52:00.000+02:00

By Jason Kessler, CNN

A Massachusetts grand jury has indicted
a 98-year-old woman, accused of strangling
her 100-year-old nursing home roommate,
on a second-degree murder charge.

Prosecutors say Laura Lundquist killed
centenarian Elizabeth Barrow, a resident
of Brandon Woods Nursing Home in Dartmouth,
after the two women had an argument
over a table Lundquist had placed
at the foot of Barrow's bed.

Barrow was found dead September 24 with
a plastic shopping bag tied loosely around her head,
according the Bristol County district
attorney's office.
An autopsy indicated Barrow had been strangled.

Barrow complained that the table obstructed
her path to the bathroom, authorities said.
When a nurse's aide moved it, Lundquist
punched the aide and grumbled that
her roommate "might as well have
the whole room," prosecutors said.

District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter said
Barrow repeatedly complained that
Lundquist was making her life "a living hell"
in the weeks leading up to the woman's death, a
nd that Lundquist remarked that
she would outlive her roommate.

A nursing home spokesman said the facility twice
presented Barrow with the chance to change
either rooms or roommates, but
she declined each time.
He compared the pair to "sisters," saying
they took "daily walks together ...
ate lunch together every day,
and were heard at night saying,
'Good night, I love you,' to each other."

Lundquist's attorney, Carl Levin, contends
his client was not involved
in Barrow's death, saying,
"We maintain her innocence."

A superior court judge granted a motion
to send Lundquist to a state hospital
for a competency evaluation.
An arraignment will be held
only if Lundquist is found
competent to stand trial.

Link here
--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Bongo Maffin - Makeba

2009-12-13T01:11:00.000+02:00

Luther Vandross feat. Busta Rhymes - Lovely Day

2009-12-13T00:50:00.000+02:00

Presque Rien - Francis Cabrel

2009-12-13T00:18:00.002+02:00

Jocelyne Labylle & Cheela feat. Jacob Desvarieux & Passi - Laisse parler les gens

2009-12-12T23:51:00.000+02:00

Khaled & Magic System ( Même pas Fatigué ) CLIP

2009-12-12T23:02:00.000+02:00

Al Pacino - Scent of a Woman

2009-12-12T20:26:00.000+02:00

Natural Woman Carole King Aretha Franklin and others Live

2009-12-12T20:24:00.000+02:00

Sister Act 2 - Oh Happy Day

2009-12-12T20:22:00.000+02:00

Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Philadelphia Live Grammys

2009-12-12T20:21:00.000+02:00

RAY LEMA - ATA NDELE - www.raylema.com

2009-12-12T20:16:00.000+02:00

Congo (RDC) - Werrason - Wenge Musica Maison Mère - Vita Imana

2009-12-12T20:14:00.001+02:00

SCHILO (Groupe Gael)

2009-12-12T20:08:00.001+02:00

AMBASSADEUR YA RDC NA RWANDA AYAMBAMI NA BA CONGOLAIS

2009-12-09T23:07:00.000+02:00

koffi olomide à kigali partie 1

2009-12-09T23:02:00.000+02:00

European murderers' appeal fails in DRC

2009-12-09T19:41:00.000+02:00

Published in: Legalbrief Today

Category: Litigation
Issue No: 2457

A Norwegian citizen and
a former British soldier who were
sentenced to death for espionage
and the murder of
a taxi driver in the DRC
have lost their appeal,
notes a BBC News report.

A military tribunal in Kisangani rejected
the plea and ordered them
to pay $500m in damages before
facing the death sentence.

Joshua French, who holds
joint British-Norwegian nationality,
and Tjostolv Moland were also
accused of spying.

Their only remaining option is
to appeal before the Military High Court.

According to the report, the pair
was sentenced to death for
murder by a military tribunal
on 8 September.

Full BBC News report

Link here
--
J-L K
Sent from Kigali, Rwanda

Hola Mundo Bella Perez Videoclip en español

2009-12-04T23:37:00.000+02:00

Don Henley-The End of The Innocence

2009-12-04T23:34:00.000+02:00

NEW MARCIA 2009 "SAY ULL BE MINE" OFFICIAL VIDEO (CABO VERDE)

2009-12-04T23:33:00.000+02:00

J-L K Blog

Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Sopot

George Michael - careless whisper(LIVE IN LONDON 2009)HD

Jean-Jacques Goldman - Là-bas (live 98)

Dixie Chicks - Landslide (live)

Éclipse : le phénomène a été observé à Goma, Watsa, Isiro et Bumba

Teddy Pendergrass - Love TKO

Angelique Kidjo - Wombo Lombo (Junior's Extended Club Mix)

Kama Jeshi

New Edition - If It Isn't Love

Heavy D & The Boyz - Mr. Big Stuff

Papa wemba- Rail on

House for rent

CAN 2010: la sélection togolaise mitraillée en Angola

Ralph Tresvant - Sensitivity

Not been part of a problem doesn't make you always part of it's solution

I still believe in Tiger

10 obsolete technologies to kill in 2010

« Quand la politique entre dans le prétoire, la justice en sort »

A lire

Opportunities For Export And Import In South Africa

PRINCE -purple rain -long version-

In Memoriam - Madilu System - Ya Jean

Ringo Madlingozi- Ekuseni

Lucky Dube 'I Want to Know What Love Is'

Kenya:Major Fuel Shortage Hits Western Region

Some hot spots

L'avenir de l'électricité en Chine passe par les ampoules basse consommation

Diplomatic Missions - Embassies in Rwanda

Steve Harvey Introduces Jesus

Internet mobile : appelez-moi Bouygues Bing Telecom

Kenya widow opens arms to abandoned child

The Top Five Natural Gas Companies to Watch

United, we stand

Sandralina

Nigeria offers volunteers for health sector

Queen welcomes Rwanda to C’wealth

MTN Uganda goes to court over interconnection rates

Gov’t acquires 67 modern ambulances

Never Again by East African Artists

Juliana Kanyomozi with Nabikoowa on UGPulse.com Ugandan Music

Donor budget support increases by 20 percent

Koffi Olomide - Loi

Koffi Olomide feat Papa Wemba ' Wake Up'

Koffi Olomide, Mopao Sarkozy- papa bonheur

Madilu & OK Jazz dans Destin (Biya)

Congo (RDC) Lutumba Simaro Eau bénite Mfouela

Kenya Telecommunications Report Q1 2010

Bond Traders Put Pressure on Debt-Laden Nations

Inno Gregoriano PLACARE CHRISTE SERVULIS, Studio di Giovanni Vianini, Milano, Italia

Rebecca Malope-Namhla Nkosi

Congo (DRC) - Papa Wemba - Maria Valencia

Papa Wemba & Viva La Musica - Analengo

KOFFI OLOMIDE, MONDE ARABE

GATHO BEEVENS Azalaki awa

KT launches wireless Internet service for Rwanda

WENGE MUSICA in Mulolo en live

Papa wemba- Anibo

VADIO MAMBENGA - tambula malembe

Ceci-Cela Lidjo Kwempa

Arthur Mafokate - Oyi, Oyi - Kwaito

Woman, 98, indicted in death of 100-year-old nursing home roommate

Bongo Maffin - Makeba

Luther Vandross feat. Busta Rhymes - Lovely Day

Presque Rien - Francis Cabrel

Jocelyne Labylle & Cheela feat. Jacob Desvarieux & Passi - Laisse parler les gens

Khaled & Magic System ( Même pas Fatigué ) CLIP

Al Pacino - Scent of a Woman

Natural Woman Carole King Aretha Franklin and others Live

Sister Act 2 - Oh Happy Day

Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Philadelphia Live Grammys

RAY LEMA - ATA NDELE - www.raylema.com

Congo (RDC) - Werrason - Wenge Musica Maison Mère - Vita Imana

SCHILO (Groupe Gael)

AMBASSADEUR YA RDC NA RWANDA AYAMBAMI NA BA CONGOLAIS

koffi olomide à kigali partie 1

European murderers' appeal fails in DRC

Hola Mundo Bella Perez Videoclip en español

Don Henley-The End of The Innocence

NEW MARCIA 2009 "SAY ULL BE MINE" OFFICIAL VIDEO (CABO VERDE)

Ceci-Cela　　Lidjo Kwempa