EGYPT: Israel Advises Tourists To Check Out Of Sharm el Sheikh Over Terror Threats

Egypt is likely to be subject to an ISIS terror attack in the near future according to Israel, which has warned tourists in the Red Sea resorts to leave immediately.

What does this mean for tourists?

Israel has warned that it believes an ISIS terror attack is imminent in Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, and is advising citizens to leave the area immediately.

Israelis have also been warned to cancel all future travel plans to the area.

“We don't want to cry wolf, wolf,” Eitan Ben-David, the head of Israel's counter-terror bureau, said. “We really believe that the threat is serious.”

The Red Sea resorts include tourist destinations such as Sharm el Sheikh, Luxor and Hurghada.

These are popular resorts with British holidaymakers for winter sun, and while demand has dropped off since prominent terrorist attacks in 2015 and last year, thousands still visit every year.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not updated its advice in response to Israel’s claims that a terror threat is imminent.

Although it advises against all travel to the Governorate of North Sinai and all but essential travel to the Governorate of South Sinai, it specifically excludes the Red Sea Resorts.

The FCO says: “The tourist areas along the Nile river including Luxor, Qina, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada aren’t included in the areas to which the FCO advise against all but essential travel.”

Rasha Azaizi, director of the Egyptian State Tourist Office in the UK, said: "Egypt is and has always been open for business and 2017 will be a year of major growth and recovery. Tour operators, like Thomas Cook, are reporting a pump up in sales.

"As in every country in the world, the security measures in Egypt are very strict. As the terrible events in London last week have shown, terrorism is a global phenomenon and we all must be vigilant."

British visitors are still warned not to fly into Sharm el Sheikh after a plane from Sharm to St Petersburg, Russia, crashed in 2015.

Russian authorities stated that the crash was caused by an explosive device on board the plane.

The FCO says: “As a precautionary measure, we are advising against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh.”

When asked about whether the threat level in Egypt had increased, an FCO spokesperson said: “FCO Travel Advice is kept under constant review.”

Frank Brehany, MD of HolidayTravelWatch, said: "Whilst tourism has essentially stayed away from Egypt, we must understand their reasons for doing so, whilst offering sympathy and understanding to those who rely on that tourism.

"It is not in my view the role of UK holidaymakers to be simply a ‘commodity' in the promotion of tourist trade between the UK and Egypt; that can surely only come when all the right measures and conditions are in place to guarantee their safety and indeed demonstrate that they not only work but that there is stability in any difficult destination."

The threat of terrorism is currently labelled as “high” in Egypt.

SOUTH SUDAN: Juba International Airport

Juba Airport (IATA: JUB, ICAO: HSSJ) is an airport serving Juba, the capital city of South Sudan. The airport lies to the northeast of the city's central business district, on the western banks of the White Nile. The city and airport are located in South Sudan's Central Equatoria state.

It is one of the two international airports in South Sudan, the other being Malakal Airport. Juba Airport handles international and local airlines, cargo air traffic and chartered commercial flights. It is also used by the South Sudanese military and by the United Nations UNMISS, UN Humanitarian Air Services UNHAS, World Food Program WFP, ICRC and many NGO's for relief flights for the country.

The airport resides at an elevation of 461 metres (1,513 ft) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 13/31 with an asphalt surface measuring 2,400 by 45 metres (7,874 ft × 148 ft).

The runway has two serviceable taxiways C/D. Backtracking is used for all departing aircraft movements.

As of May 2011, Juba International Airport was undergoing improvements and expansion. The work on the airport included expansion of the passenger and cargo terminal buildings, resurfacing of the runway and installation of landing lights to facilitate night operations.

As of July 2011, Juba International Airport had a new runway light system commissioned with simple approach lights for Runway 13/31, runway edge lights, taxiway lights for Exit Delta, Apron edge lights, illuminated windsocks, ATC tower rotating beacon as well as PAPI for both approaches.. The Aerodrome Ground Lighting system AGL manufactured by Safegate.

As of July 2014, The government announced a runway extension project to commence in September 2014 lasting 30 months. The project will extend the runway by 700 meters and also resurface the existing 2400 metre runway giving a new 3100 metre runway. The new runway will still be using backtracking access to the new extended 700 portion at Runway 13.Building activities for the new terminal building have been underway since 2009 with an estimated completion in mid 2016.

Airlines Destinations
Badr Airlines operated by Mid Africa Aviation-------Khartoum
EgyptAir---------Cairo
Ethiopian Airlines------Addis Ababa, Entebbe
Fly540 Nairobi–-------Jomo Kenyatta
flydubai--------Dubai–International
Kenya Airways--------Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta
National Airways Ethiopia--------Addis Ababa, Entebbe
Nova Airways--------Khartoum
RwandAir----------Entebbe, Kigali
Sudan Airways
operated by Yanair---------Khartoum

On 4 November 2015, an An-12BK EY-406 crashed on take-off, 800 metres from the runway. The fully laden Antonov-12 went low over buildings at end of the runway and crashed in a wet area next to the Nile river. There was no fire after the crash. At least 41 people were killed. Three survived the crash, though one later died, leaving a baby girl and a man the only survivors of this crash.

Cargo
Airlines Destinations
Astral Aviation Nairobi–---Jomo --Kenyatta
Ethiopian Airlines----------------Addis Ababa, Bujumbura
Safe Air (Kenya)------------------Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta

Incidents and Accidents
On 4 November 2015, an An-12BK EY-406 crashed on take-off, 800 metres from the runway. The fully laden Antonov-12 went low over buildings at end of the runway and crashed in a wet area next to the Nile river. There was no fire after the crash. At least 41 people were killed. Three survived the crash, though one later died, leaving a baby girl and a man the only survivors of this crash.

TANZANIA: Kagera Takes Approach To Save Lake Victoria

SMUGGLING of fish resources in Lake Victoria by traders from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Burundi is costing Tanzania billions of shillings.

A survey carried out at various fish landing sites in the lake has revealed that some traders collude with leaders of Beach Management Units (BMUs). Notorious exit points includes; Murusagamba, Kabanga and Rusumo (Ngara district), Murongo (Karagwe district), Mutukula, Kanyigo, Kashenye and Kyaka in Misenyi district, Bugabo and Rubafu in Bukoba Rural district. Illegal fishing together with destruction of the environment have resulted into depletion of at least 400 fish species in the lake in the last four decades.

Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC), John Mongela said starting this week that all fishing activities in Lake Victoria and other smaller lakes had been suspended for an indefinite period to allow fish to multiply and mature.

Smaller lakes includes; Burigi, Rumanyika, Ikimba, Liko, Karenge, Mitoma, Rwakajunju, Kamakala, Rushwa, Melula and Katwe. According to fishing census conducted during 2012, the region had a total of 23,067 registered fishermen and 7,183 fishing boats.

Fish species found in Lake Victoria includes the famous; Nile Perch, Sardines, Sato and Furu. Authorities have pledged close monitoring of the fishing gear to avert intensification of the threat. Mongela reminded fishermen and the public to avoid using explosives and other un-recommended fishing methods which destroys the ecological balance of the lake. Speaking on the regional economic planning and challenges faced in the last five years which now required extra supervision, he gave an example of aggressive measures taken by the government to control the situation.

“Impounded fishing gear worth 611.4m/- have been destroyed. These includes 6,089 gill nets which are below six inches, 469 mono-filaments, 317 beach seines, dagaa nets below 8 millimetres and 192,274 metres of ropes used to tug boat sizes,” Mongela explained. He added, “Additional efforts are necessary. Change of attitude among fishermen and the general public cannot be overstated.

People must realise that the resources belong to them and once depleted they will suffer the economic consequences. This is a collective responsibility and each of us must play part.” He said modern fishing gear increased from 1,077 engine boats in 2005 to 1,942 in 2010. Also a total of 286 fishermen were trained on modern fishing techniques.

“I call upon each of you to remain vigilant and expose all those behind the illegal fishing including dynamite fishing. “All fishermen must be licensed and their vessels registered,” he said. Councils in Muleba, Bukoba, Ngara, Biharamulo, Kyerwa, Karagwe and Misenyi Districts should ensure that drainage systems are well preserved to allow water to flow smoothly.

Some of the notorious areas often affected by floods in Bukoba municipality includes; Kashai/Matopeni, Hamugembe/Omukigusha, Hamugembe/ Kashabo, Katatolwansi and some parts of Bunin area.

The Aquaculture Division Director under the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Charles Mahika, said in an interview that he is optimistic that farmers in Kagera Region could double their income through aquaculture following a scientific report that a farmer could earn up to 20m/- in a year.

“Aquaculture is a very high value crop. Farmers in Kagera Region are encouraged to adopt cage pen based aquaculture because the region has a big potential. The region should start bleeding program by training farmers on best fish farming technology,” he said.

He advised farmers to contact the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), for technical guidance on how to get cages. Currently, the production of marine fisheries make up only 13.71 per cent of the nation fish production.

The remaining production comes from fresh waters, covering a total area of 58,000 square kilometres. This includes three big lakes namely Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa, as well as major reservoirs, small water bodies, rivers and ponds. The annual sustainable yield for all marine and island waters is estimated to range from 400,000 -500,000 tons.

The average annual fish consumption in Tanzania is estimated at 38kg. Fish contributes 40 per cent of the total animal protein supply. By 1992 only a few regions were actively engaged in fish farming.

They include; Ruvuma (4,960 ponds), Mbeya (849 ), Iringa (753), Arusha (700) and Lindi (62). Reasons which contributed to decline of aquaculture development in Tanzania include the structural organization of the ministry, low priority given to aquaculture for funds and training and land rights. At the regional and district levels there is no specific budget for aquaculture activities.

Due to the relatively high construction costs of fish ponds and the inability to meet preconditions for loans from banks, most individual subsistence farmers who comprise 90 per cent of all farmers, cannot take the risk of starting commercial fish farms/ponds.

The advantage of aquaculture is that it can be implemented on land that has a low or zero opportunity cost, for example mangroves and swampy areas. According to Dr Mahika there are an estimated 20,000 fish ponds in Tanzania with annual produce of 5,000 metric tonnes.

With well-managed skills ponds could increase to 50,000 with yields increasing to 500,000 within a few years,” he said. While fish farming or aquaculture may appear highly technical to many qualified investors, it’s still a business at its core and from this perspective it’s really no different from any other alternative investment that may be under consideration.

Global aquaculture production of tilapia was reported at 2.9 million metric tons in 2010, nearly tripling the 1.0 million metric tons recorded in 2000. The average annual growth rate of the global tilapia farming industry for the trailing 10 year period of 2000-2010 has been an astounding 19%.

The Officer in-charge of the Kagera Region Surveillance Unit, Mr Appolinary Kyojo, said over 100,000 people in the region depend on fisheries activities for their livelihood. “Lake Victoria is under threat, and the very people this natural resource is supposed to serve are the ones threatening its existence. Irresponsible human activities are threatening the world’s second largest fresh water lake,” he remarked.

“Lake Victoria is under threat, and the very people this natural resource is supposed to serve are the ones threatening its existence. Irresponsible human activities are threatening the world’s second largest fresh water lake,” he remarked.

Lake Victoria is the largest fresh water body in Africa, providing a lifeline for more than 5,000,000 people living in rural communities on or near its shore. The Lake is their source of water for bathing, drinking and cooking, and its fish populations provide both protein and an income for families. Many of the fish, including members of the lake’s large cichlid population, are endemic found nowhere else on earth.

Over 30 million people in Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) could greatly improve their livelihoods if they utilize the abundant investment opportunities in the basin. Under the East African Co-operation Treaty, the Lake Victoria basin has been categorized as an economic growth zone. Available investment opportunities include agriculture and livestock, trade and commerce, fishing, mining, wildlife and tourism.

Others are hydro-power generation, infrastructure development, human resources development, industries, research and technology. Lake Victoria is the world’s second-largest freshwater lake by area, but new research shows it ran almost completely dry in a severe drought 16,000 years ago. Africa’s largest lake is locally known as Lweru or “The Eye of the Rhino.”

Westerners will be more familiar with the name Lake Victoria — given during the United Kingdom’s expeditions of the area. In terms of surface area, it is second in size only to North America’s Lake Superior.

In terms of its importance, Lake Victoria supports the water resource needs of many central African countries and feeds into the Nile River, which supplies freshwater to some of Africa’s most densely populated areas. Recent research, however, suggests that Lake Victoria, on at least three separate occasions in its 400,000-year history, could not be called a lake at all because of severe drought.

By taking core samples from Lake Victoria, as well as Lakes Tana in Ethiopia and Van in Turkey, researchers discovered that ancient Africa and southeast Asia suffered an intense drought period roughly 16,000 years ago.

This drought parched the region and emptied all of the sampled lakes, including Victoria. From the core samples, researchers were able to pin the refill date of Lake Victoria to around 14,000 years ago.

Based on these historical records, some researchers suspect it’s only a matter of time before such a drought happens again. There’s not yet a consensus on the cause of the droughts, but speculations range from a shift in the Inter tropical Convergence Zone to more recent theories that tropical rainfall was weakened across Africa and Asia.