Ghana has awarded President William Ruto the country’s highest honour, The Companion of the Order of the Star of the Volta.

Conferring the honour at a State banquet on Wednesday evening, President Nana Akufo-Addo said President Ruto was an “example of a new generation of African leaders” who have decided to insist on the application of principles of accountability and due process to all citizens no matter their status in society”.

He pointed out that President Ruto had done this no matter the complexity or sensitivity of political consequences.

“Under your leadership,” President Akufo-Addo said, “Kenya has become a shining example of a nation governed by the rule of law.”

He said under President Ruto’s leadership, Kenya has regained its place of pride at the international stage.

President Akufo-Addo cited declining inflation, growth in start ups and the number of Kenyans set to have access to housing and health insurance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of President of the Republic of Kenya.

The Ministry of Agriculture hosted an assessment meeting on 2 April in Massawa, focusing on the endeavors made to manage the desert locust infestation in the Northern and Southern Red Sea Regions during 2023.

The meeting saw the participation of Mr. Arefaine Berhe, the Minister of Agriculture, Regional Governors, heads of regional Assemblies, various officials, agricultural experts, and representatives of farmers.

Mr. Kibrom Andemicael, Managing Director in the Northern Red Sea Region, emphasized in his opening remarks the significance of the control efforts, highlighting their importance not only for Eritrea but also for neighboring nations.

Mr. Tesfit Gerezgiher, Director General of Agriculture and Land in the region, detailed the activities undertaken, the challenges faced, and future plans for mitigating the locust threat in his report. He noted that the locust invasion in 2023/2024 was unprecedented in scale and scope, with over 1,400 personnel, 14 spraying units, and 4 vehicles mobilized for the control operations.

Mr. Tesfit praised the collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Agriculture, the general public, defense forces, and local administrations, which effectively managed the locust threat before it could cause significant harm to agriculture and pasturelands.

Ambassador Mohammed-Seid Mantai, Governor of the Southern Red Sea Region, warned of the potential for increased locust activity following the onset of rains in various parts of the region, urging for vigilant monitoring and thorough preparedness.

Minister Arefaine Berhe highlighted the successful coordinated efforts among agricultural specialists, the community, local administrations, and defense forces in addressing the locust crisis. He further urged for a strengthened collective approach, including the provision of training, the development of alternative pesticides, and the execution of regular field inspections to prevent future invasions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

A senior delegation from the Russian Federation, led by Vice Admiral Vladimir Kasatonov, accompanied by Gen. Flipos Woldeyohannes, Chief of Staff of the Eritrean Defense Forces, along with other high-ranking military commanders, embarked on a tour of development and infrastructure sites in the Northern and Southern Red Sea Regions on 3 April.

During their visit, the delegation explored key facilities including the Assab International Airport and its adjacent port, the Haleb Boat Manufacturing and Maintenance Plant, the Fish Corporation and Ice Productions in Assab Sekir, various fish processing plants, and wind energy facilities in Borasole, among other infrastructures as well as Nakura Island.

The two sides also explored opportunities for cooperation, especially in the development of fisheries infrastructure in Idi, Tio, and other sites. Throughout the tour, coordinators at each site provided detailed briefings to the delegation, offering insights into ongoing and planned projects.

The tour was attended by Maj. Gen. Teklai Habteselasie, Commander of the Eritrean Air Force: Maj. Gen. Romodan Osman Aweliay, Commander of the Eritrean Defense Forces Training Center; Brig. Gen. Abraham Andom, Commander of Eastern Command: Col. Melake Teklemariam, Chief of Staff of the Eritrean Naval Force; and Ambassador Zemede Tekle, Commissioner of Culture and Sports.

This visit by the senior Russian Naval Delegation is part of a series of regular consultative forums aimed at strengthening ties and fostering collaboration between relevant entities of the two nations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (http://www.ITFC-idb.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group signed a US$600 million Annual Plan with the Government of Pakistan. The Plan reflects the longstanding cooperation between ITFC and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and demonstrates the ITFC steadfast commitment to bolstering trade and economic development in Pakistan.

The collaboration aims to provide vital financial resources to facilitate the importation of essential commodities crucial for Pakistan’s economic well-being. These commodities include crude oil, refined petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), food, and agricultural products, among others. Furthermore, ITFC remains committed to fostering trade development in Pakistan by providing capacity building programs designed for enhancing the capacity of the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) in specific trade related areas.

This agreement was signed during an official visit of delegation from Economic Affairs Division of the Government of Pakistan to the ITFC Headquarters, between Mr. Nazeem Noordali, Chief Operating Officer of ITFC and Mr. Muhammad Humair Karim Additional Secretary, Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Since its inception in 2008, ITFC has approved over US$ 7.15 billion for the Government of Pakistan to support the country’s energy and agriculture sectors. It is hoped that this financing will help reduce the cost of energy imports and support the country’s economic growth.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

Contact us:
Tel: +966 12 646 8337
Fax: +966 12 637 1064
E-mail: ITFC@itfc-idb.org

Follow us on:
Twitter: https://apo-opa.co/49nwieY
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/49eQEIa
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/49WCtY7

About the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC):
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided US$75 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.