The Kuwaiti General Directorate of Residence Affairs recently announced a ban on recruitment of domestic workers from five African countries.
The latest ban raises the list to 20 countries.
According local media sources, the Kuwaiti ministry of foreign affairs issued a circular mentioning the names of the 5 countries, which include Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Bhutan, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
Additionally, the other 15 African countries are Djibouti,Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Senegal, Malawi, Chad, Sierra Leone, Niger, Tanzania, the Gambia, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.
The circular also included five other African countries whose domestic workers faced a temporary ban, including Cameroon, the Congo, Burundi, Eritrea and Liberia.
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Showing posts with label malawi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label malawi. Show all posts
Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
ZAMBIA: Tourism Expo Opens
Venue is the sprawling complex of the Mulungushi International Conference Centre where nearly 50 exhibitors from Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi, the Seychelles, Mozambique, Botswana but notably also from as far as Indonesia are showcasing their companies and attractions.
RETOSA, the Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa, which brings together 15 member countries, was also represented at the expo.
65 hosted buyers had come to Zambia to meet the local tourism industry, as well as regional tourism authorities like Zimbabwe, airlines present like RwandAir - one of the key sponsors of ZATEX 2016 - Air Namibia or local carrier ProFlight, to talk business and the 'speed dating' set up in the afternoon turned out to be a beehive of activities as buyers and sellers met face to face though working on the clock. This was later followed at an easier pace when the Radisson Blu Lusaka hosted all participants, invited guests from Lusaka's business community and the media for a social evening which turned out to be more of a second networking event then a mere cocktail party.
Main host, Zambia Tourism Agency's CEO Mr. Felix Chaila, welcomed his guests, who came from as far as Japan, India, Germany, France and the UK while African participants traveled to Lusaka from South Africa, neighbouring Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Mozambique, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania including Zanzibar, Uganda but also Ghana.
While, in comparison to last week's Sanganai 2016 - Zimbabwe's 15th edition of their tourism trade show, ZATEX was more compact, it is a valiant effort to showcase Zambia's tourism attractions, given that this is only the second edition of the event and that the dates, due to circumstances beyond ZTA's control had to be shifted. Nevertheless has the exhibition literally doubled in size compared to the inaugural event in 2015, a sign that Zambia may at last become the 'en vogue' destination the local tourism marketers were long hoping for.
Twelve travel trade journalists too attended the show on invitation of Zambia Tourism, aiming to make an impact in their home countries like India, South Africa, Germany, France but also Angola, Zimbabwe and Uganda, where global market leader's eTurboNews Africa Correspondent is based.
Today's proceedings will be marked by the official opening of ZATEX 2016. Zambia's Minister for Tourism and Art, the Hon. Jean Kapata will tour the exhibition in the morning to meet hosted buyers, exhibitors and the media. She will then, later in the afternoon, invite the Guest of Honour who is none other than President Edgar Lunga to officially open the event.
Sunday, 15 May 2016
Expelling Poverty Through tourism
The power of tourism in any sequence cannot be underestimated, with the sector’s capability to contribute to economic growth and mitigate poverty especially in Africa, being recognized.
Under the theme “Connecting Africa’s Resources through Digital Transformation”, the World Economic Forum on Africa 2016, which took place between 11th -13th May in Kigali Rwanda, explored ideas towards combating global challenges, whose long term goal, in my opinion, remains to further revolutionize the continent.
As Africa and the whole world anticipate the outcomes of the forum, we would all be forgiven to expect that measures and policies on mitigating poverty in the developing countries, most of which – by default – happen to be African countries, will be discussed and implemented. Yet, this is all a matter of wait-and-see.
While various stakeholders seem to focus on tourism other factors such as technology and international trade as the way to go, which I don’t refute, it is important to remember that the tourism sector also holds immense potential towards alleviating poverty that is yet to be fully tapped. Think about this; while some remote places remain segregated with poor infrastructure, poorly built schools and health centers, these regions, are home to some of the unrivalled African cultures and tourist destinations.
Perhaps, if the respective governments would pay more attention to these rather left out attractions such as Turkana and Samburu in Kenya, Cape Maclear in Malawi and Nyanyadzi hot springs in Zimbabwe among others; by first educating and sensitizing locals on the opportunities they hold, then there probably will be a difference.
Establishing learning institutions that will provide technical training and financial support to tourism destinations in preparedness for skills as relates to tourism, will go a long way in putting food on the tables of a vast majority of the world’s hungry people; who according to WFP Hunger Statistics, live in developing countries, where 12.9 percent of the population is undernourished.
There is evident need for tourism stakeholders to increase efforts towards solving the poverty puzzle in developing nations. And as long as the human species has not quelled the need to explore new destinations, he will more often find ways and places to satisfy this unending urge. Then, what better way to tap into this opportunity but by investing in the tourism sector in developing countries? You are assured of virgin prospects while at the same time creating job opportunities for the locals. In return, this will stimulate local businesses and further translate into the development of the national economies.
Under the theme “Connecting Africa’s Resources through Digital Transformation”, the World Economic Forum on Africa 2016, which took place between 11th -13th May in Kigali Rwanda, explored ideas towards combating global challenges, whose long term goal, in my opinion, remains to further revolutionize the continent.
As Africa and the whole world anticipate the outcomes of the forum, we would all be forgiven to expect that measures and policies on mitigating poverty in the developing countries, most of which – by default – happen to be African countries, will be discussed and implemented. Yet, this is all a matter of wait-and-see.
While various stakeholders seem to focus on tourism other factors such as technology and international trade as the way to go, which I don’t refute, it is important to remember that the tourism sector also holds immense potential towards alleviating poverty that is yet to be fully tapped. Think about this; while some remote places remain segregated with poor infrastructure, poorly built schools and health centers, these regions, are home to some of the unrivalled African cultures and tourist destinations.
Perhaps, if the respective governments would pay more attention to these rather left out attractions such as Turkana and Samburu in Kenya, Cape Maclear in Malawi and Nyanyadzi hot springs in Zimbabwe among others; by first educating and sensitizing locals on the opportunities they hold, then there probably will be a difference.
Establishing learning institutions that will provide technical training and financial support to tourism destinations in preparedness for skills as relates to tourism, will go a long way in putting food on the tables of a vast majority of the world’s hungry people; who according to WFP Hunger Statistics, live in developing countries, where 12.9 percent of the population is undernourished.
There is evident need for tourism stakeholders to increase efforts towards solving the poverty puzzle in developing nations. And as long as the human species has not quelled the need to explore new destinations, he will more often find ways and places to satisfy this unending urge. Then, what better way to tap into this opportunity but by investing in the tourism sector in developing countries? You are assured of virgin prospects while at the same time creating job opportunities for the locals. In return, this will stimulate local businesses and further translate into the development of the national economies.
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
THAILAND: Aviation Safety, Federal Aviation Administration Bans Thai Flights
Fliers heading to Thailand may have fresh cause for concern after the country's airlines were hit with restrictions by U.S. aviation authorities.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that it was downgrading Thailand's aviation safety rating to Category 2 because the country did not comply with international standards.
The decision means Thai airlines will be banned from opening new routes to the United States or expanding existing ones.
While none currently operate direct routes to the U.S., the FAA's downgrades are often matched by other global aviation authorities, raising the prospect of restrictions on routes to Europe or East Asia.
Shares in several Thai airlines fell following the news.
In stripping it of the Category 1 rating it received in 1997, the FAA said Thailand's civil aviation authority failed to meet "minimum international standards."
Category 1 means that the country complies with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.
The ICAO, a United Nations agency, "red flagged" Thailand in June over safety concerns, listing it alongside Angola, Botswana, Djibouti, Eritrea, Georgia, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malawi, Nepal, Sierra Leone and Uruguay.
The ICAO's concerns have previously led to restrictions on new airline routes linking Thailand with China, South Korea and Japan.
In response to the FAA's decision, Thailand's prime minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, ordered a swift overhaul of his country's aviation systems.
He acknowledged the setback could undermine confidence in the military leadership that seized power in a 2014 coup.
"Therefore, all must join hands to bring peace to the country." "Don't try to pick a quarrel, because doing so will not lead us out of crisis."
The country's leading international carrier, Thai Airways, issued a statement defending its safety record.
It said the decision would have no impact on its business or customers as it ceased its only U.S. destination flight, to Los Angeles, in October, although it continues to operate code share connections.
"Thai confirms its commitment to aviation safety standards and assures all that Thai operates with the highest international aviation safety standards," it said.
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
East Africa, SADC, Determine To Fight Illegal Timber Trade
The recent signing of the Zanzibar Declaration on Illegal Logging by forest protection agencies in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and Madagascar is a hopeful sign of the commitment by eastern and southern African countries to stem the alarming growth in illegal timber trade which is costing the countries billions of dollars.
The deal which was struck at a global gathering on forests in South Africa in recent weeks, aims to improve communication between customs authorities and collaboration among forest officials from the east and southeast African nations.
“The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) welcomes the Zanzibar Declaration on Illegal Trade in Timber and Other Forest Products, the first such agreement of its kind in the region,” said Geofrey Mwanjela, head of the WWF Coastal East Africa Initiative terrestrial programme.
“The declaration comes at a crucial time. Illegal trade in timber is expanding at an alarming rate and this new commitment by governments will greatly amplify efforts to reduce such trade at the regional level.”
The declaration was accepted and announced at the XIV World Forestry Congress, one of the largest gatherings of world forestry leaders.
The event was facilitated by WWF, TRAFFIC, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
“The Zanzibar Declaration signals a firm commitment by the countries concerned to curtail the illegal and unsustainable timber trade that is benefitting criminals and depleting the natural resources of the region,” said Julie Thomson, TRAFFIC’s East Africa programme co-ordinator.
TRAFFIC is a joint programme by the WWF and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) to monitor wildlife trade and ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation.
Forest experts had for several years bemoaned about inadequate collaboration among national forest agencies and customs agencies across the region.
Lack of collaboration has led to unfettered growth in illegal logging that has seen violent armed groups and other mafia –type business thriving and profiteering from this trade.
In 2014, the United Nations Environment Programme reported that in east, central and West Africa, criminal groups are thought to make more money from selling illegal wood products – up to $9 billion annually – than through street-level drug-dealing.
Forest experts say there is growing intra-regional and inter-regional illegal trade of timber and other forest products flowing across Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, as well as further towards the Western and Central Africa termed Africa’s ‘Green Heart.’
Kenya loses roughly US$10 million per year from illegal cross-border trade between Tanzania and Kenya, according to a 2012 study by the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum and East African Wild Life Society.
Tanzania loses around US$8,33 million annually from such trade, according to a similar government report.
“If properly managed, forests provide jobs for workers and homes for wildlife. They also act as a filter pulling planet-warming carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, so protecting them is crucial for the broader environment,” said Juma Mgoo head of Tanzania’s Forest Service.
“Across the region, the illegal timber trade is flourishing at an alarming pace. Criminal groups are benefiting from the environmental destruction and forests continue to dwindle at unprecedented rates in our region.
“If we continue at the rate which we are going there will be nothing left for our children and their children to enjoy.”
In a presentation at the congress, WWF – Zimbabwe country director, Dr Enos Shumba said it was important for African countries to explore and promote the African perspective for building resilience of different forest ecosystems to withstand economic, environmental and social shocks through forest management.
He highlighted the opportunities for enhancing Miombo woodland ecosystem resilience through participatory forest management referring to environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests for the benefit of present and future generations.
He also stressed the need to enhance the participation of local communities and stakeholders and provision of adequate economic incentives to save forests.
“The existence of enabling governance and institutional frameworks and their enforcement at various levels, as well as functional cross sector coordination and respect for integrated land use planning and its implementation is critical to build resilience and save our forests,” Dr Shumba said.
WWF’s Living Forests Report projects potential forest loss in the East Africa region of up to 12 million hectare between 2010 and 2030.
WWF’s remote sensing analysis has indicated that forest losses from 2000 to 2012 were concentrated in Mozambique (2, 2 million hectares), Tanzania (2 million hectares) and Zambia (1.3 million hectares).
Globally, between 50 – 90 per cent of wood is harvested or traded illegally, according to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and it’s estimated to cost US$30 – 100 billion annually.
The Zanzibar Declaration was hammered after protracted debate and negotiations among key stakeholders in the forest sector, national forest agencies as well as regional and international partners and civil society organizations, including WWF.
Environment Africa Zimbabwe country director Barney Mawire said that although illegal timber poaching within the Sadc region is not as prevalent as in central and west Africa, the region needs to strategise and work together to fight illegal timber trade.
“The Zanzibar Declaration is quite noble and this should be tied in to trade bodies such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA),” he said.
“Timber poaching is growing and need to join hands and fight together. This will go a long way towards fighting illegal timber trade.”
Mawire said it was important to have forest experts at the ports of entry to monitor the illegal movement and trade in timber products.
“Forest experts understand the issues better and are better placed in dealing with timber poaching which is increasingly becoming sophisticated,” he said. “We need them at our borders and we need to work with our neighbours to develop new methods to curb illegal timber trade.”
Zimbabwe is losing approximately 330 000 hectares of natural forests and woodlands per year due to the over-reliance on biomass to meet the country’s energy needs.
More than 70 percent of the population depends on biomass for energy needs and this has over the decades depleted the country’s forest cover.
Forest experts say Zimbabwe now has around 15,6 million hectares remaining.
They say logging syndicates work with corrupt police and officials to exploit legislative loopholes that allow them to pass off illicitly obtained fuelwood as legitimate.
Zimbabwe passed a law in 2012 restricting the use, trade and movement of firewood, but with fines that rarely exceed $20 the legislation is proving a poor deterrent, experts said.
Power cuts are making it difficult to keep deforestation under control and forestry experts say it is becoming more difficult to enforce legislation as the situation becomes more about survival.
Deforestation has an adverse impact on the environment and experts warn that the depletion of the country’s forests could worsen water availability.
“Models show deforestation could result in a decline in precipitation of more than 5 percent across Zimbabwe by 2050,” Terrence Mushore, a lecturer at the Bindura University of Science Education was quoted saying in the media recently.
Despite the deforestation woes, Mawire said Zimbabwe had done well in saving its forests.
“Zimbabwe has done well in terms of preserving its forests and fighting illegal timber trade,” he said.
Timber poaching for trade is not as serious as in east, central or west Africa but as a country we need to continuously improve our strategies for curbing illegal timber trade.”
Poor implementation and weak enforcement still remains a major barrier in the fight against illegal trade in timber.
In the absence of political will, effective implementation and enforcement, the damage illegal loggers have done will continue unabated, costing Africa billions.
The future of children, will be under threat from unsustainable timber logging activities.
And, without enforcement, the Zanzibar Declaration, although an important step in the fight against timber poaching, will simply add time to the clock, but without doing anything to change Africa’s illegal timber trade endgame.
The deal which was struck at a global gathering on forests in South Africa in recent weeks, aims to improve communication between customs authorities and collaboration among forest officials from the east and southeast African nations.
“The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) welcomes the Zanzibar Declaration on Illegal Trade in Timber and Other Forest Products, the first such agreement of its kind in the region,” said Geofrey Mwanjela, head of the WWF Coastal East Africa Initiative terrestrial programme.
“The declaration comes at a crucial time. Illegal trade in timber is expanding at an alarming rate and this new commitment by governments will greatly amplify efforts to reduce such trade at the regional level.”
The declaration was accepted and announced at the XIV World Forestry Congress, one of the largest gatherings of world forestry leaders.
The event was facilitated by WWF, TRAFFIC, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
“The Zanzibar Declaration signals a firm commitment by the countries concerned to curtail the illegal and unsustainable timber trade that is benefitting criminals and depleting the natural resources of the region,” said Julie Thomson, TRAFFIC’s East Africa programme co-ordinator.
TRAFFIC is a joint programme by the WWF and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) to monitor wildlife trade and ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation.
Forest experts had for several years bemoaned about inadequate collaboration among national forest agencies and customs agencies across the region.
Lack of collaboration has led to unfettered growth in illegal logging that has seen violent armed groups and other mafia –type business thriving and profiteering from this trade.
In 2014, the United Nations Environment Programme reported that in east, central and West Africa, criminal groups are thought to make more money from selling illegal wood products – up to $9 billion annually – than through street-level drug-dealing.
Forest experts say there is growing intra-regional and inter-regional illegal trade of timber and other forest products flowing across Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, as well as further towards the Western and Central Africa termed Africa’s ‘Green Heart.’
Kenya loses roughly US$10 million per year from illegal cross-border trade between Tanzania and Kenya, according to a 2012 study by the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum and East African Wild Life Society.
Tanzania loses around US$8,33 million annually from such trade, according to a similar government report.
“If properly managed, forests provide jobs for workers and homes for wildlife. They also act as a filter pulling planet-warming carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, so protecting them is crucial for the broader environment,” said Juma Mgoo head of Tanzania’s Forest Service.
“Across the region, the illegal timber trade is flourishing at an alarming pace. Criminal groups are benefiting from the environmental destruction and forests continue to dwindle at unprecedented rates in our region.
“If we continue at the rate which we are going there will be nothing left for our children and their children to enjoy.”
In a presentation at the congress, WWF – Zimbabwe country director, Dr Enos Shumba said it was important for African countries to explore and promote the African perspective for building resilience of different forest ecosystems to withstand economic, environmental and social shocks through forest management.
He highlighted the opportunities for enhancing Miombo woodland ecosystem resilience through participatory forest management referring to environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests for the benefit of present and future generations.
He also stressed the need to enhance the participation of local communities and stakeholders and provision of adequate economic incentives to save forests.
“The existence of enabling governance and institutional frameworks and their enforcement at various levels, as well as functional cross sector coordination and respect for integrated land use planning and its implementation is critical to build resilience and save our forests,” Dr Shumba said.
WWF’s Living Forests Report projects potential forest loss in the East Africa region of up to 12 million hectare between 2010 and 2030.
WWF’s remote sensing analysis has indicated that forest losses from 2000 to 2012 were concentrated in Mozambique (2, 2 million hectares), Tanzania (2 million hectares) and Zambia (1.3 million hectares).
Globally, between 50 – 90 per cent of wood is harvested or traded illegally, according to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and it’s estimated to cost US$30 – 100 billion annually.
The Zanzibar Declaration was hammered after protracted debate and negotiations among key stakeholders in the forest sector, national forest agencies as well as regional and international partners and civil society organizations, including WWF.
Environment Africa Zimbabwe country director Barney Mawire said that although illegal timber poaching within the Sadc region is not as prevalent as in central and west Africa, the region needs to strategise and work together to fight illegal timber trade.
“The Zanzibar Declaration is quite noble and this should be tied in to trade bodies such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA),” he said.
“Timber poaching is growing and need to join hands and fight together. This will go a long way towards fighting illegal timber trade.”
Mawire said it was important to have forest experts at the ports of entry to monitor the illegal movement and trade in timber products.
“Forest experts understand the issues better and are better placed in dealing with timber poaching which is increasingly becoming sophisticated,” he said. “We need them at our borders and we need to work with our neighbours to develop new methods to curb illegal timber trade.”
Zimbabwe is losing approximately 330 000 hectares of natural forests and woodlands per year due to the over-reliance on biomass to meet the country’s energy needs.
More than 70 percent of the population depends on biomass for energy needs and this has over the decades depleted the country’s forest cover.
Forest experts say Zimbabwe now has around 15,6 million hectares remaining.
They say logging syndicates work with corrupt police and officials to exploit legislative loopholes that allow them to pass off illicitly obtained fuelwood as legitimate.
Zimbabwe passed a law in 2012 restricting the use, trade and movement of firewood, but with fines that rarely exceed $20 the legislation is proving a poor deterrent, experts said.
Power cuts are making it difficult to keep deforestation under control and forestry experts say it is becoming more difficult to enforce legislation as the situation becomes more about survival.
Deforestation has an adverse impact on the environment and experts warn that the depletion of the country’s forests could worsen water availability.
“Models show deforestation could result in a decline in precipitation of more than 5 percent across Zimbabwe by 2050,” Terrence Mushore, a lecturer at the Bindura University of Science Education was quoted saying in the media recently.
Despite the deforestation woes, Mawire said Zimbabwe had done well in saving its forests.
“Zimbabwe has done well in terms of preserving its forests and fighting illegal timber trade,” he said.
Timber poaching for trade is not as serious as in east, central or west Africa but as a country we need to continuously improve our strategies for curbing illegal timber trade.”
Poor implementation and weak enforcement still remains a major barrier in the fight against illegal trade in timber.
In the absence of political will, effective implementation and enforcement, the damage illegal loggers have done will continue unabated, costing Africa billions.
The future of children, will be under threat from unsustainable timber logging activities.
And, without enforcement, the Zanzibar Declaration, although an important step in the fight against timber poaching, will simply add time to the clock, but without doing anything to change Africa’s illegal timber trade endgame.
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
TANZANIA: Fastjet Grows With Arrival Of Fourth A319;
fastjet’s most recent route launch was from Dar es Salaam to Lilongwe in Malawi on 27 July. The route is currently served twice-weekly, though frequency will increase to four flights per week from mid-September. The LCC now operates to nine airports, four in Tanzania and five others in five different African countries.
The idea of a pan-African LCC is very appealing, but the lack of liberalisation across much of the continent has made it impossible (so far) in practice. fastjet was established to try and be such a carrier, but at present it has been confined to operating domestically and internationally from Tanzania, with its main base at Dar es Salaam. The airline’s first flight was on 29 November 2012 when domestic services were introduced. International flights started on 18 October 2013 with the airline’s first service to Johannesburg. fastjet now operates in four further countries; Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In Dar es Salaam fastjet is by far the leading carrier with over 11,000 weekly departing seats on its fleet of three A319s. This represents over one quarter of all seat capacity at the airport. The airline’s most recently published traffic statistics indicate that it carried 71,763 passengers in July (a new monthly record), an increase of 36% on the same month in 2014. Load factor was 72%. In 2014, fastjet carried almost 600,000 passengers. In the 12 months ending July 2015 that has increased to almost 750,000.
Domestic network currently accounts for 75% of ASKs
fastjet operates to five destinations non-stop in both directions from Dar es Salaam. These are Kilimanjaro, Mbeya and Mwanza in Tanzania, Johannesburg (South Africa) and Lilongwe (Malawi). Entebbe in Uganda is served from Dar es Salaam via Kilimanjaro, while Harare (Zimbabwe) and Lusaka (Zambia) are served using a triangular routing; Dar es Salaam-Lusaka-Harare-Dar es Salaam, resulting in both routes having a stop in one direction.
The airline’s domestic routes (shown in dark green) currently account for 75% of total weekly ASKs (Available Seat Kilometres), with the route to Mwanza alone accounting for over 42% of the carrier’s ASKs.
4th aircraft from mid-September
From mid-September fastjet’s fleet will increase to four A319s. No new routes are being added at this time but there will be frequency increases (especially on international routes) and schedule quality will improve with the return flight from Johannesburg no longer operating during the night. Frequency on the Johannesburg route will also increase from three flights per week to seven. The arrival of the fourth aircraft will see weekly flights across the network increase from 167 to 217, with international sectors almost doubling from 25 to 49. As a result, the proportion of ASKs coming from domestic flights will fall from the current 75% to around 61%.
fastjet’s network currently comprises nine airports, including four in Tanzania. The airline’s longest route is to Johannesburg in South Africa, which was also the carrier’s first international destination. The addition of a fourth A319 in mid-September will help allow frequency increases on international routes, but will not see any new routes launched.
Friday, 18 September 2015
MALAWI: Mzuzu High Court, Tanzania Blocks Malawi Ivory Burn
"We are disappointed because we were all set to burn the trafficked ivory on Friday morning to show our commitment to the fight against elephant poaching and illegal trafficking of ivory until Tanzania prosecutors appeared to seek a court order to stop the process," said Bright Kumchedwa, director of Malawi's parks and wildlife department.
In 2013, 781 tusks smuggled across the border from Tanzania were intercepted by Malawian customs officials.
The stash of 2.6 tonnes was due to be destroyed Friday, with an additional 4 tonnes to be torched later, as Malawi ramps up its efforts to curb poaching.
That has now been delayed after the Mzuzu High Court in Malawi ruled in favour of the Tanzanian appeal, granting a three-month court order halting the torching.
Last month, a court fined two Malawian siblings $5,500 for their part in trafficking the ivory and ordered it be burned within 20 days.
"We were just complying with the court order," Kumchedwa said.
Poaching has halved Malawi's elephant population from 4,000 in the 1980s to just 2,000, according to conservationists.
Jonathan Vaughan, director of conservation NGO Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, said that Malawi is a soft target not only for poachers but also traffickers because of the country’s reputation for corruption, and weak wildlife crime legislation and law enforcement.
Malawi is currently reviewing its wildlife act to provide for stiffer penalties.
Meanwhile, elephant census figures released by Tanzania in June showed a terrible decline of around 60 percent over the last five years, according to wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC.
A report by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency last November said that criminal gangs and smuggling syndicates had turned Tanzania into "the biggest source of illegal ivory seized around the world".
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