Month: November 2022

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The world’s youth talk of making a difference

BEIJING, Nov. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — “We must do our part by finding our passion, dreaming big, then starting small, and loving others along the way, and we can absolutely take our impact on the world to a whole another level,” said Geresu Dagmawit Mesfin in the final of the fourth China Daily Belt and Road Youth English Speaking Competition, held online from Nov 26 to 27.

Mesfin, 24, of Ethiopia and Wang Zhisheng, 21, of China, and Gabriella Madombwe, 19, of South Africa, were the three winners among six contestants who reached the final. Nearly 40 young people in more than 30 countries and regions had taken part in the semi-final.

Speaking on the topic “Youth making a difference”, all finalists talked of how young people can contribute to making the world a better place by proposing and making positive changes.

In Wang’s speech, he calls on young people from every inch and crevice of the world to contribute to a better future for this planet for all human beings to share. “I believe, there is a huge difference youth can and should make.”

“Youth is seeing the world through your own lens, an unperturbed lens which has not been smudged by the restrictions of reality,” Madombwe said. “Optimism, hope, courage, idealism, energy – that is how I see youth.”

Concluding the final competition, one of the judges, Mark Levine, a professor at Minzu University of China, spoke highly of the event and the contestants.

“This was a very unique competition, extremely interesting and informative. People came from all over the world. ”

The China Daily Belt and Road Youth English Speaking Competition, first held three years ago, has been an important public platform for young people from all over the world to exchange ideas, deepen mutual understanding and polish their communications skills. The annual event has attracted participants from 51 countries and regions.

This year’s event began in January. Preliminary rounds were held offline in Malaysia, Russia, Serbia and South Africa, and nine universities in China. With this year’s event over, contestants will get the chance to take part in more activities so they can gain a deeper understanding of China linguistically and culturally.

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Assessment meeting on performance of students

The Ministry of Education branch in the Central Region held an assessment meeting on the performance and results of students in the 2021/2022 eighth-grade national examination.

At the meeting, Mr. Belai Habtegabir, head of the Ministry of Education in the region, said that in this year’s national examination 70.2% of the students scored passing marks compared to that of last year and called for integrated effort for a better outcome.

According to the report presented by Mr. Samson, Kibrom, head of eighth-grade national examination follow-up at the branch office, out of the 14 thousand 158 students that attended the national examination 9 thousand 934, including 68.3% females, scored passing marks.

Mr. Samson also called on schools that registered good results to preserve the achievements they registered and others to address the challenges that occur in the teaching-learning process and parents and stakeholders to strengthen participation in the effort.

Mr. Habte Asfaha, head of evaluation of the eighth-grade national examination, on his part reporting on the results registered at the national level said that compared to that of last year the number of students scoring passing marks has increased by 5.2%.

Indicating that the issues raised at the assessment meeting shoulder heavy responsibility to the concerned bodies and stakeholders, Mr. Musa Hussein Naib, Director General of General Education at the Ministry of Education, called on parents and teachers to play a leading role.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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“We All Should Give a Hand to Women, Mothers of Our Society” Nejat

Our guest today, Nejat Adem Beshir, is working for the development of children and women. Nejat is a journalist, an author, an administrator, and a tutor.

• Please, introduce yourself.

After I did my military service as a member of the 13th round, I studied Journalism and Mass Communication at the Eritrean Institute of Technology at Mai- Nefhi. After graduation, I served at the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students, in the Department of Culture and News as a writer for the eriyouth.com website for two years.

Now I am working at PFDJ’s Cultural Affairs Office as an administrator and coordinator in national festivals. I also write targeting the youth, in general, and students, in particular. My current job opened up opportunities for me to work with experienced artists. Since 2017 I have been involved in the production of musicals for Independence Day celebrations and was one of the film scriptwriters of ‘Georgio,’ a television serial that was broadcast on Eri- TV for three years. Before I took up my present job, I also worked as a teacher.

• I heard you used to write articles for Hadas Ertra, the national daily Tigrigna newspaper

Yes, I did. For 10 years, from 2009 to 2019, I wrote articles as a freelance in the “voice of women,” a column dedicated to women’s issues. I went in person to submit my first article, and it got published two days later. When I was later offered to be a columnist, I was excited because I like to engage with women’s and teenagers’ issues. I used the column to express my beliefs and address women’s and teenagers’ issues that are not often given credence by society or are considered taboos.

Overall, the column served as a forum to help women and men understand each other more easily and give them tips on how to lead their lives.

• What did you gain from writing articles?

When you write, you don’t just throw things at your audience; you, too, learn a lot of things. I believe a writer should initially read his surroundings and enrich his understanding by doing some research, consulting books, and surfing the Internet to be appealing to his audience. By doing this I learn a lot of things more easily.

• I always see you with a book in your hand.

Just as a person can’t live without oxygen, I don’t also think I can live without books. I’ve been reading since middle school. I used to read everything I could find around me, mostly fiction and journals. The year 2000 is when I really got into reading and began to realize the importance of reading books on a variety of fields such as history, politics, psychology, and philosophy that help you understand yourself, others, your surrounding, and the world better. Since I’ve been reading books I consider can help me to grow as a person.

• How many books have you read so far?

Every time I read I just concentrate on the ideas I can glean from my interaction with the text. Frankly, I can’t remember how many specifically, but I am sure they are more than a thousand.

• What do you think about today’s generation in regard to reading books?

It’s very sad. Today’s generation prefers watching videos, most of which don’t help in the development of their knowledge.

• Why did you shift from journalism to art?

I earned a diploma in journalism and always wanted to upgrade it to a degree. But when I was assigned to PFDJ’s Cultural Affairs Office, I changed my mind and decided to take classes in literature at SMAP Institute. After studying for two years, I got an advanced diploma and started to be involved more in art.

• Now that you have stopped working as a journalist, how do you plan to pursue your passion for writing?

As I grow as a person, my interest in children and women also grows. Even if I want to stop I can’t. There’s no question that working in the same field for a long period of time allows you to hone your skills and be very good at what you do. But I believe that it may also be good to take a break and come back with new angles or ways of communicating with your targeted audience. Today’s generation is more comfortable with audio-visual media than printed materials, and I plan to use such resources that are available around me to communicate with them, children, and the youth.

• Tell us a little bit about the film “Giorgio”.

When my crew and I agreed to make a television serial that reflects the life of Eritreans in the country (countryside and city) and abroad, we came up with Giorgio, a character who grew up in a countryside and left for America, where he lived for almost 50 years. When Giorgio came back to his homeland, he encountered a lot of problems that he hadn’t foreseen.

• What do you think about our society’s view of women?

Respecting the right of women is not a questionable fact because women mean “half of the society”. This is because it has been proven that a woman is not only fertile but also a producer. With the presence of a woman in any type of work, more flavor is added to it. It is a fact because she has the power of giving life to everything she touches.

I would say it has shown a remarkable improvement though more needs to be done. For instance, in terms of art, as there is no one who could describe a woman, her emotions, and her perspectives better than herself, I wish to see more female authors and film directors do the work in the first person.

I believe that the few who don’t recognize gender equality will come to their senses when they realize that regardless of gender everyone has their own unique capacity to work for the development of our nation.

• Have you had any opportunity to travel and attend events in relation to your job?

Yes, I have. In 2012, I went to Japan for the “Women and Child Health Management” meeting, in 2018 to China for the “Young African Leaders” summit, and in 2019 to Addis Ababa to participate in the “African Youth” program.

• What are your future plans?

I intend to disseminate my written work in the form of a talk show on social media. The focus will be on children and women and will involve successful women who will be giving presentations on issues that concern women, giving opportunities for the audience to participate.

I also plan to form a team of women involved in art so that they can produce their own works in their own language.

• Anything else you’d like to say at last?

Society should understand that working for the rights of women is creating the opportunity to grow together. We all should give a hand to women, and mothers in our society.

Women should understand that the improvement of a person’s life begins with an improvement in their self-concept. So, they should value themselves as subjects, not objects.

If we want to change or contribute to the development of our country and the world, we should change ourselves first. And to do this we should never cease to learn and empower ourselves.

• Thanks again, Nejat. Wish you success!

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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A Positive Step Toward the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Eritrea’s Living Marine Resources

Last week, Eritrea signed on to the Food and Agricultural Organization’s (FAO) Agreement on Port State Measures. The move is a significant and welcome step toward more effectively combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the region, and it is expected to play a positive role in contributing to the long-term conservation and sustainable use of Eritrea’s living marine resources and marine ecosystems. The following several paragraphs discuss several important points and provide a brief general overview.

What is the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA)?

Formally known as the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, the PSMA was approved by the FAO, a specialized agency of the United Nations, in November 2009. Several years later, in June 2016, it entered into force after the minimum threshold for signatures and ratifications had been surpassed.

With Eritrea recently joining the PMSA, the total number of PSMA parties has now reached 100 states. (Angola, Morocco, and Nigeria also recently became parties to the PSMA.)

The PSMA is the first binding international agreement to specifically target IUU fishing, and its chief objective is to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU fishing by the adoption and implementation of effective port state measures, such as preventing vessels engaged in such activities from using ports and landing their catches. As a result, the PSMA significantly reduces the incentive of such vessels to continue to operate while it also blocks fishery products derived through IUU fishing from reaching national and international markets. Overall, adhering to best practice and effective implementation of the PSMA is increasingly regarded as among the most cost-effective means to curb IUU fishing (for instance, using patrol vessels to track illegal operators on the open seas can be much more expensive and far less safe).

What is illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing? What are some of the main issues or related concerns?

According to the FAO, IUU fishing includes fishing and fishing-related activities that are conducted in contravention of national, regional, and international laws; non-reporting, misreporting or under-reporting of information on fishing operations and their catches; fishing by “stateless” vessels; fishing in areas under the mandate of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations by non-party vessels; and fishing activities which are not regulated by states and cannot be easily monitored and accounted for.

While estimates slightly vary according to source, around one in every five fish caught around the world every year is thought to originate from IUU fishing, while IUU fishing is believed to account for approximately 26 million tonnes of fish caught annually (which can come to around $23.5 billion worth of seafood each year). IUU fishing remains among the greatest threats to marine ecosystems due to its potent ability to undermine global efforts to manage fisheries sustainably as well as endeavours to conserve marine biodiversity. IUU is also broad; it is found in all types and dimensions of fisheries, occurs both on the high seas and in areas within national jurisdictions, and concerns all aspects and stages of the capture and utilisation of fish. Of particular note, it can sometimes be closely intertwined with organized crime or other illegal activities.

In addition to the above, IUU fishing can pose a threat to sustainable livelihoods, exacerbate poverty, and harm efforts to tackle food insecurity. For instance, IUU often results in the removal of resources available to legal, bona fide fishers, which can negatively impact regulated or small-scale fisheries, with small-scale fisheries in developing countries tending to be particularly vulnerable. Furthermore, the products derived from IUU fishing may find their way into overseas trade markets, thus negatively impacting local food supply.

How about Eritrea’s coastal region and marine resources?

Although Eritrea is not the largest in terms of geographic area – total land area in the country is approximately 124,320 km2 – it contains a wide range of ecosystem types. Among the most important, unique, and richly diverse are the coastal marine and island ecosystems along the Red Sea. Along with the country’s islands, Eritrea’s total shoreline, stretching from its northern border with Sudan to its southern border with Djibouti, spans approximately 3,500 km, making it one of the longest in all of Africa. (It is behind Madagascar, Somalia, South Africa, Mozambique, and Egypt.) In total, Eritrea’s territorial waters cover an area of about 55,000 km2, while the country has well over 350 islands of varying sizes, with most of them concentrated within the Dahlak archipelago, east of Massawa. (The largest island is Dahlak Kebir, with other prominent ones being Nora, Hawakil, and Dissei.)

The pristine waters off Eritrea’s hundreds of islands and its extensive mainland coastline contain over 1,100 fish species and 44 genera of hard coral, resulting in one of the highest recorded levels of endemism and species diversity for a water body. Remarkably, around 18 percent of fish species and 20 percent of coral species are reported to be endemic to these waters. According to different estimates, the approximate annual maximum sustainable yield of marine fish resources is in the tens of thousands of tonnes. As well, between 380- 400 km of the Eritrean mainland and islands coastlines are occupied by mangrove forests, with three of the seven mangrove species present in the Red Sea found on the Eritrean coast, while seagrasses also form an integral part of the coastal biodiversity.

Of course, Eritrea’s coastal regions are also home to many local communities and villages (made up of several different ethnic groups), a vital source of livelihoods for many, of considerable and growing socioeconomic importance, and host to Eritrea’s two main ports, Massawa and Assab.

Meanwhile, the Red Sea, along which Eritrea is located, is a pivotal global waterway that extends from the Suez Canal at the north and the Bab El-Mandeb Strait to the south. Not only does it boast marine resources and fish stocks, it also plays a crucial role in the global maritime trade by connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean. It is estimated that more than 10 percent of all seaborne cargo passes through its waters annually.

A significant and welcome step

Although it is widely overlooked, IUU fishing remains a terrible scourge with devastating impacts worldwide. Combined with its longstanding domestic sustainability, regulatory, and security efforts relating to marine resources, through becoming a party to the PSMA Eritrea has not only demonstrated strong commitment to multilateral cooperation and combating IUU fishing, it has also taken a positive step toward boosting the sustainability of fisheries, protecting the livelihoods of many individuals and communities, and the long-term conservation of its marine ecosystems.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Africa and the Caribbean face similar climate challenges, Dominica gears itself to meet global warming

Roseau, Nov. 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The recent  COP27 gathering brought together nations from across the world to tackle climate challenges facing the world. While a lot has been said about the commitments made by leaders of first-world countries such as president Joe Biden of the United States, many developing countries still face challenges similar to what they had before the gathering.

Biden announced that the US is supporting the Global Shield, a G7 initiative to better protect vulnerable countries in Africa and the Caribbean from climate-related losses and to quickly respond to climate-related damages by expanding access to risk-based insurance. The G7-led Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment is said to be working to meet the critical infrastructure needs in low- and middle-income countries with a specific focus on climate.

While the COP27 agreement to set up a fund for loss and damage caused by extreme weather condition is a great milestone in the joint effort to increase climate resilience, developing countries have been pursuing such a facility for decades. As yet, no agreement has been reached as to how the fund will be set up, how it will be funded, and who or which countries will fund it.

Developing nations have also been lobbying for a reform of the World Bank and other publicly funded finance institutions which are seen to be failing to provide developing nations with funding to help adapt to the climate crisis and to help cut their greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2009 wealthier countries agreed that at least 100bn US dollars a year would be provided to developing countries by 2020 from public and private sources, to help these counties with their climate efforts. However, this target remains unmet.

The U.S. is the second-largest CO2 emitter after China, and the largest historically. In 2019, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions totalled 6,558 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents – a two percent increase since 1990, while Dominica represented 0% of the global share of CO2 emissions in the same period according to Worldometer.

In a recent open letter by Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, posted during the run-up to COP27, he refers to what the U.N. secretary general has called “a climate of mistrust” that envelops our world. He wrote, “First, rich countries should direct a greater share of funding to developing nations’ adaptation to the effects of climate change. Most financing currently flows toward mitigation projects, such as renewable energy projects, that reduce emissions. While such projects have their uses, far more money needs to go to helping Africa adapt to the effects of climate change — which seems only fair for a continent that produces less than 3 percent of global emissions.”

Caribbean nations like Dominica face similar challenges. As a small island state that has not been causing global warming to any levels near those of developed nations, Dominica is disproportionately suffering the consequences of adapting to massive changes in weather conditions.

Instead of relying on the financial assistance of foreign countries, Dominica serves as a good example of a Small Developing Island State (SIDS) that has been using funds received through its very successful citizenship by investment (CBI) programme to support climate resilience and green energy programmes.

According to the UN, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a distinct group of 38 UN Member States and 20 Non-UN Members/Associate Members of United Nations regional commissions that face unique social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities.

While COP27 nations have agreed to phase down the use of coal, the same as during COP26, the Commonwealth of Dominica already obtains 28% of its energy requirements from renewable energy sources such as hydropower and wind. In March 2019, the World Bank approved a US$27 million project to support the construction of a 7MW small geothermal power plant in the Rosseau Valley area of Dominica, which aims to increase the share of renewables, diversify the country’s energy matrix, and identify a clear road map for private sector investment in geothermal development.

“The Geothermal Power Plant shows Dominica’s commitment toward resilience. Projects like the geothermal plant are putting the Nature Isle ahead of the world in combatting climate change while relieving the nation of its reliance on imported fossil fuels,” said Micha Rose Emmett, CEO of the world’s leading government advisory and marketing firm, CS Global Partners.

The country’s funding efforts have focused on upgrading and expanding its road network, including the adjustment of bridges to make them higher to allow for overflow of water and debris, building resilience capabilities in the local housing sector, and upgrading healthcare facilities and hospitals. Funds are also directed to supporting climate resilience programmes in agriculture, education, reforestation, community preparedness training and food security.

Dominica’s CBI programme is one of the best in the world, ranking as the number one programme of its kind for five consecutive years by the CBI Index. This is a ranking system published by the Financial Times’s Professional Wealth Management (PWM) magazine. With a minimum investment of 100,000 US dollars per single applicant, successful applicants obtain citizenship for life, with the right to live and work in the country. Dominica also offers increased global mobility and visa-free access to over 80 countries worldwide, with close proximity to the north American markets for those with business interests. Successful applicants maintain the right to hold dual citizenship and citizenship can be passed on to future generations.  Applicants can choose to invest by either making a substantial contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) or have the option to purchase government-approved property for a minimum of 200,000 US dollars that must be held for a minimum of three years.

PR Dominica
Commonwealth of Dominica
001 (767) 266 3919
mildred.thabane@csglobalpartners.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8703352

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La Conférence sur l’innovation et le développement a eu lieu à Nankin à l’occasion du 120e anniversaire de l’université d’agriculture de Nankin

NANKIN, Chine, 25 novembre 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Après douze décennies d’excellence en constante progression, l’université d’agriculture de Nankin (la NAU) a célébré son 120e anniversaire lors de la Conférence sur l’innovation et le développement qui s’est tenue le 20 novembre dans son centre sportif. Chen Ligen, Secrétaire du Comité du Parti de l’université d’agriculture de Nankin, a présidé la conférence, et le président Chen Fadi y a prononcé un discours. D’anciens élèves, des étudiants et des partenaires de tous horizons ont regardé la diffusion en direct de la conférence sur la plateforme web à l’occasion du 120e anniversaire de l’université d’agriculture de Nankin.

Innovation and Development Conference of Nanjing Agricultural University's 120th anniversary

Depuis longtemps, l’université d’agriculture de Nankin insiste pour s’ouvrir et promouvoir la coopération et les échanges internationaux dans les domaines de l’éducation, de la science, de la technologie et des talents. Elle a noué des partenariats étroits avec plus de 170 universités et instituts dans plus de 50 pays et régions du monde. Gary S. May, président du campus Davis de l’université de Californie, a déclaré dans un message vidéo que UCDavis et la NAU avaient entretenu un partenariat de longue durée et conjointement mis en œuvre le concept pédagogique de « santé mondiale » dans les domaines de l’agriculture, de l’alimentation et de la santé animale. Il s’est réjoui de la coopération future entre les deux universités au profit de l’humanité et de contribuer davantage à la santé humaine dans le monde.

Chen Fadi a déclaré qu’au cours des 120 dernières années, l’université d’agriculture de Nankin avait tenu le rythme et pris fermement position pour le peuple en prenant l’initiative de promouvoir la vertu par l’éducation. La NAU a connu de brillants succès et été à l’origine de nombreuses premières fois pour la Chine.

Chen Ligen a déclaré que la NAU avait réalisé 120 ans d’efforts. À l’aube d’un nouveau départ et d’un nouveau voyage, la NAU s’acquittera pleinement de sa tâche fondamentale consistant à promouvoir la vertu par l’éducation, et prendra pour mission de renforcer et de revitaliser l’agriculture, d’accélérer la construction d’une université agricole d’envergure internationale. Elle contribuera à la modernisation de l’agriculture nationale dans les zones rurales et à la revitalisation des campagnes dans leur ensemble en adoptant une attitude et un état d’esprit positifs.

Liens des images en pièces jointes :

Lien : http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=434715

Légende : Conférence sur l’innovation et le développement à l’occasion du 120e anniversaire de l’université d’agriculture de Nankin

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Hisense ouvre son premier showroom B2B en Afrique du Sud

LE CAP, Afrique du Sud, 24 novembre 2022/PRNewswire/ — Hisense, l’une des principales marques mondiales d’appareils électroménagers et d’électronique grand public, a annoncé l’ouverture de son premier showroom B2B en Afrique du Sud.

Situé à Johannesburg, le showroom servira de salle d’exposition pour présenter les offres d’Hisense pour son segment B2B, telles que les affichages commerciaux, les appareils médicaux d’échographie et les solutions pour les villes intelligentes. Les différents produits et solutions d’affichage numérique d’Hisense, son système de régulation du trafic intelligent, ses appareils médicaux, ainsi que ses téléviseurs laser, ses téléviseurs ULED et ses réfrigérateurs intelligents seront également exposés dans la salle d’exposition.

« De nombreuses personnes en Afrique du Sud connaissent Hisense grâce à ses produits électroménagers ; cependant, ces dernières années, Hisense a également connu un développement rapide dans son segment B2B en transformant continuellement ses produits et sa chaîne industrielle vers le haut de gamme et la haute technologie, » a déclaré Patrick, directeur marketing de Hisense.

L’un des pôles d’activité du segment B2B d’Hisense, celui de l’affichage commercial, qui a connu une croissance significative en 2021, présentera plusieurs de ses produits et solutions au showroom, notamment les tableaux numériques interactifs, les panneaux de signalisation numérique, les murs vidéo, les murs LED, et la signalisation extérieure.

Les visiteurs pourront également en apprendre davantage sur les offres d’Hisense en matière de transport intelligent. Hisense est sur le terrain depuis plus de 20 ans et a étendu ses activités dans de nombreux pays et régions du monde, notamment en Afrique du Sud, en Afrique de l’Ouest, aux Émirats arabes unis, en Indonésie, en Thaïlande, au Vietnam, en Slovénie et en Serbie, pour n’en nommer que quelques-uns. Il a également contribué à de nombreux projets importants dans le monde, notamment un système d’autobus intelligent à Addis-Abeba, la capitale de l’Éthiopie, et un projet pilote de construction de transport intelligent à Doha.

Fort des décennies d’expertise d’Hisense dans les domaines du traitement d’images, du traitement de l’information et de la technologie d’interaction, Hisense Medical a développé avec succès certains produits essentiels tels que l’échographe Hisense HD60 à haute résolution de pointe. Hisense a obtenu une licence de l’Autorité sud-africaine de réglementation des produits de santé (SAHPRA) pour l’appareil en janvier 2022.

L’investissement continu d’Hisense dans l’innovation et les décennies d’expertise accumulées dans la fabrication d’appareils électroménagers et d’électronique grand public lui ont permis de devenir non seulement une marque B2C, mais aussi une entreprise mondiale qui peut fournir des solutions compressives à des partenaires commerciaux du monde entier dans plus de secteurs. Considérant le segment B2B comme déterminant pour le développement de l’entreprise, Hisense est impatient de nouer des partenariats stratégiques avec davantage de partenaires commerciaux en Afrique du Sud et au-delà.

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