Day: April 20, 2024

Tunis: The city of Douz, Kébili, and Chatt Ejrid are playing host as of Saturday to the 15th edition of the Tunis Fashion Week. The three-day event will see the participation of fashion designers and models from several countries, said organiser Anis al Montasser. Al Montasser Saturday further told TAP guests from Portugal, Algeria, China, Russia, Italy, Spain, Germany and France are attending the event. Partnership agreements are expected to be signed to organise joint fashion shows. Twenty international fashion designers are participating in this edition, he added. The Tunisian Vocational Training Agency is participating for the fourth time in this event, said Information Officer Faten Al-Adsi. Twenty-three young trainees in clothing representing the vocational training centres of Manouba, Ariana, La Goulette, Tunis, Ksar Helal, Sfax and Monastir will have their designs displayed. These designs focus on theme of women's Djeans overalls. The fabric is made from SEAQUAL, a high quality recycled polyeste r yarn made from 100% recycled materials including post consumer plastic bottles and plastic captured from the sea. The fashion show, she also said, is an opportunity to acquire experience and learn more about fashion trends. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Ouagadougou: The media regulator in Togo accuses RFI and France 24 of 'serious failings noted in the coverage of political news on Togo by RFI and France 24 […], in violation of ethical rules and the profession of journalist,' according to several media outlets citing an official press release from the Togolese authorities. The High Audiovisual and Communication Authority of Togo (HACC) has also suspended, since April 15, the accreditation of foreign correspondents for the coverage of the legislative and regional elections initially scheduled for this Saturday and finally postponed to April 29, 2024. In the HACC press release made public on April 15 and cited by several media including alome.com, no details support the accusations . In March 2023, the President of Benin, Patrice Talon, also accused RFI of 'promoting things that are very bad or that only exist in the imagination of the media'. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The President of the Transition, Head of State, Supreme Head of the National Armed Forces, Captain Ibrahim TRAORE arrived this Saturday in Pô, where he will chair in the afternoon, the end of training ceremony of the 23rd active promotion cadets from the Georges Namoano Military Academy. The ceremony will be marked, among other things, by the wearing of epaulettes, the swearing-in of applicants, and the passing of the torch to the 24th class. You will be able to follow the ceremony live from 5 pm on the Facebook page of the Presidency of Faso. Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: In the commune of Bittou (Bittou, Center-east), the Combatant Forces got their hands on Idrissa Diallo alias Abou Youssoufa, a major recruiter of terrorists, in early April, we learned AIB Saturday. The Combatant Forces engaged in the reconquest of the territorial integrity of the Center-East, carried out on April 5, 2024, an operation in the forest of Sangabouli, commune of Bittou, province of Boulgou, Center-East region. In this forest, the boys made a big catch in the person of Idrissa Diallo alias Abou Youssoufa. This terrorist from Guildjèga, commune of Bittou, joined the Forces of Evil in 2018 in the Soudougui forest. Later, the criminal will settle in the forest of Nouaho/Bittou, then that of Hourtougou/Bané. Diallo Idrissa alias Abou Youssoufa is best known as being an important element in the recruitment of terrorists for the benefit of terrorist bases in the East and Center-East, assure AIB sources. The criminal participated in several attacks and evictions from villages adjoining the Bittou-Cinkanssé axis. According to AIB interlocutors, the arrest of Diallo Idrissa alias Abou Youssoufa will considerably reduce the recruitment of young people into armed terrorist groups in the Center-East. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Georges Namoano Military Academy (AMGM) offered a traffic light to the town of Pô on Friday, noted the AIB. The commune of Pô benefited as part of the activities of the outing of active student officers of the 23rd promotion of the Georges Namoano military academy (AMGN) from a traffic light. The handover ceremony took place on April 19, 2024 in the presence of municipal authorities and the command of the Georges Namoano military academy. The president of the special delegation of Pô, Ilassa Dianda expressed all his satisfaction and that of the entire population of Pô with the command of the AMGN. For him, this achievement removes a big thorn in the side of the delegation's council. This fire, he concluded, will certainly reduce the number of accidents in the town of Po. For the commander of the AMGN Williams Baguéra, this traffic light will have a major impact on the lives of the populations of the commune of Pô. It is also their contribution to the development of this municipality. This infrastr ucture is in addition to other infrastructures already built for the benefit of the populations of the commune of Pô as part of the exit of cadet officers from the Georges Namoano military academy since 2022. It should be noted that the fire is located in the sector No. 1 on the national road No. 25 at the intersection of the Medical Center with surgical branch (CMA de Pô) Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: Nigeria has become the fourth largest economy in Africa this year, losing two places in one year. This is what emerges from the new 'World Economic Outlook' report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Nigeria, which occupied second place in Africa in 2023 in the GDP ranking, is now overtaken by Egypt and Algeria, according to IMF analysts. The African country with the highest GDP in 2024 is South Africa ($373 billion). It is followed by Egypt ($348 billion), Algeria ($267 billion) and Nigeria ($253 billion). Last year, South Africa was in first place (GDP almost $400 billion), followed by Nigeria ($395 billion), Egypt ($358 billion) and Algeria ($239 billion). The economies of Egypt and Nigeria are suffering significant losses due to high inflation and the depreciation of national currencies, while Algeria has benefited from strong global demand for oil and natural gas. According to IMF forecasts, Egypt will overtake South Africa in 2027 and take first place in Africa in the GDP rankin g. As for Nigeria, it will remain in fourth place in the ranking for some time to come. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The mining company Bissa Gold SA has undertaken measures to reduce its staff in order to be able to cope with the many difficulties it is experiencing recently, AIB learned from workers . The mining company Bissa Gold has started a series of internal communications since January 2024 aimed at encouraging voluntary departures of its staff. A reduction in its workforce is even underway for various reasons. According to a source well informed of the situation, Bissa Gold is going through several difficulties. 'Currently the mine is short of ore and the pit which supplied the factory is about to be closed in May. The Zandkoom and Bouly extensions are also unable to operate the mine properly,' our source indicated. In addition to these reasons, certain important equipment that needed to be renewed is blocked, as are certain accounts that are frozen following international sanctions against Russia. To cope with all these constraints, Bissa Gold has initiated a measure to reduce its staff. More than 90 people were affected. But with certain relaxation measures such as voluntary departures (early retirements and resignations), 61 people should ultimately be reduced. All departments and all jobs are affected except the factory. A Bissa Gold official confirmed to the AIB that the retrenchment process is underway but declined to comment on the reasons. As a reminder, Bissa Gold is a subsidiary of the Russian group Nordgold. It began mining in 2013 in Bam. Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: The association Supporting the Emergence and Valorization of the Local Economy in Africa (SEVE-Africa) trained from April 16 to 17, 2024 in Kaya, Center-North region, more than 40 local actors on the techniques and principles of mediation, negotiation and non-violent communication in order to prevent and sustainably manage conflicts. More than forty local actors made up of religious and customary authorities, community organizations and decentralized technical services from the Center-North region, were trained from April 16 to 17, 2024 in Kaya, by the association Supporting the Emergence and Development of the Local Economy in Africa (SEVE-Africa). This training was possible thanks to the project 'Strengthening the resilience and social cohesion of populations affected by crises and the impacts of climate change in the central-North region'. It is part of strengthening the resilience of the population and the network of local actors in the North-Central region for resilient and sustainable de velopment, as well as strengthening peace and social cohesion. In order to prevent and sustainably manage conflicts, two modules on the techniques and principles of mediation, negotiation and non-violent communication were presented by the communicator and trainer, Harouna Ouédraogo. For him, the North Center impacted by the security crisis has led to massive movements of populations from rural areas to large cities, particularly in the commune of Kaya. 'Added to this are existing conflicts such as the breeder-farmer conflict, the conflict linked to access to natural resources, the land conflict,' he said. After defining the concepts, whether it concerns negotiation between the parties to a conflict, or the intervention of a neutral third person to mediate, the trainer showed that non-violent communication will be necessary. throughout the process for effective conflict resolution. Participants were treated to Non-Violent Communication (NVC), a method and tool of communication, mainly verbal, which can b e used to resolve conflicts. By the way, Harouna Ouédraogo, to promote sustainable social cohesion, invited local actors, among others, to actively and empathetically listen to and promote open and transparent communication with the parties to the conflict, promote diversity and respect for cultural differences. , social and personal and promote collaboration between parties to find solutions that meet the needs of each in an equitable and sustainable manner. The project is financed by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany or Bundes Ministerium fr wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ), at more than 3 billion CFA francs for a period of 53 months. It is implemented in three (3) communes (Kaya, Kongoussi and Boulsa) in the Center-North region by Oxfam and its technical partners, the Technical and Development Assistance Alliance (ATAD) and the Soutenir association. the Emergence and Development of the Local Economy in Africa (SEVE-Africa). Source: Burkina Info rmation Agency

Tunis: All the passengers who were wounded in the sliding accident of a tourist bus, which occurred Friday at the Borj Cédria interchange (southern entrance to Tunis), left hospitals after receiving the necessary medical care, with the exception of two cases still admitted to the intensive care unit of the Trauma and Burns Center in Ben Arous, Local Health Director Rim Trabelsi said on Saturday. She told TAP that the 23 injured tourists were admitted to the Trauma and Severe Burns Center in Ben Arous (18 injured), and the Charles Nicolle hospital (3 cases). Two other children were referred to the Béchir Hamza children's hospital in Bab Saadoun. The health of the two cases admitted to the intensive care unit of the Trauma and Severe Burns Center in Ben Arous is "stable," the same source said, adding that "they will leave the hospital in the coming hours." Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Minister of Education Salwa Abbassi and Italian Minister of Education and Merit Giuseppe Valditara on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding in the education field between the two countries aimed at improving the quality of teaching the Italian language in the Tunisian education system and supporting cooperation between the two countries in the technical field. During the MoU signing ceremony at the Ministry of Education in Tunis, it was agreed to form a steering committee composed of representatives of the competent authorities to achieve the best results and facilitate dialogue and cooperation in order to continue this project, according to a ministry press release on Saturday. The Education Minister underlined the need to enhance the status of the Italian language within the network of foreign languages taught in Tunisian universities and institutes and to complete the cooperation projects between the two sides and enhance them, share experiences between the two countries' education systems, build the competencies of teachers and students, and improve the equipment and the necessary learning tools. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse