Category: APO-OPA

ROME, Italy, December 18, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Lands declared “free of mines” in the Senegalese region of Casamance were restored to the local communities thanks to a project coordinated by UNDP to which Italy made a contribution of €300,000. Funds were used for expert surveys and demining training.

GENEVA, Switzerland, December 18, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — An agreement signed today (18/12) between the Vice-President of Libya’s General National Council (GNC) Ghiuma Ataigha and IPU Secretary-General Anders B. Johnsson in Tripoli marks a significant step in Libya’s efforts to establish a parliamentary democracy.

The GNC, which was elected this summer and has appointed an interim government, has a year to organize elections based on a new constitution yet to be drafted. These elections will lead to the formation of a new parliament in a post-revolution Libya.

The agreement between the GNC and IPU follows a request from Libya to help ensure a smooth transition to democracy. IPU will initially focus on a priority programme of support that includes reviewing the rules and procedures in the way the 200-member GNC works and sharing worldwide parliamentary experiences by providing advice on the process of drafting a new constitution. It will also provide training and other support to the GNC secretariat in effectively carrying out its function, and to women members of the GNC in a bid to empower women’s political participation and help lay the foundations for a parliamentary institute that is gender attuned.

The Arab region currently has the lowest regional average of women in parliament in the world at 13.2 per cent. In Libya, 16.5 per cent of women were elected to the GNC. IPU research has shown that democratic transition provides a unique opportunity to address inequalities from the past.

“Libya has set out a clear path to putting in place a fully democratic system in the country in the next year. IPU is committed to providing whatever support is required of us to helping Libya achieve its democratic goals as smoothly and as quickly as possible,” says Anders B. Johnsson.

The agreement revitalizes IPU’s links with Libya, which first joined the organization in 1958.

A three member team of IPU experts will begin work at the beginning of January 2013. In addition, it will also carry out a comprehensive assessment on what is needed to rebuild an effective legislative body in the North African country that also fulfils its role of overseeing executive government and holding it to account. The assessment will lead to a strategic plan of action on achieving this.

IPU’s support to Libya follows similar efforts begun this year to support the establishment of parliamentary democracy and help in democratic transform in Myanmar and Tunisia and Egypt.

NEW DEHLI and PLANO, TX December 18, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Rovia (http://rovia.com) is proud to announce it was awarded World’s Leading Travel Booking Website at the 2012 World Travel Awards held in Gurgaon, New Delhi, on December 12, and was selected over other leading booking engines such as Orbitz, Expedia, Priceline, and Travelocity. World Travel Awards is one of the most prestigious awards programs in the global travel and tourism industry, hailed by The Wall Street Journal as “the Oscar’s of the travel industry”.

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/logo-rovia.jpg

Rovia is the largest provider of curated group travel experiences in the world, annually producing and managing hundreds of unique pre-packaged experiences for groups numbering from a few dozen to a few thousand. Rovia’s advanced travel technology offers unmatched features and benefits. The company’s booking engine delivers unparalleled convenience and cost reliability, including an assurance of best prices.

The annual World Travel Awards program is highly comprehensive, honoring several industry segments, such as Airlines and Airports, Hotels and Resorts, Honeymoon Destinations, and Car Hire. In 2011, 791,358 individual votes were cast by travel professionals and consumers in 171 countries.

“Winning World’s Leading Travel Booking Website in the 2012 World Travel Awards reaffirms Rovia’s position as a prominent online travel company,” Rovia President Mike Putman said. “Rovia is a travel industry innovator and this award is testament to the fact that our customers can book their travel with security and confidence as we continue to set the ultimate standard for their online travel experience. We are honored by the mutual public and worldwide travel community’s expression of confidence as an industry leader.”

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Rovia.

About Rovia:

Rovia is a leading online travel company with offices in South Carolina and Texas. Established by the convergence of two well-respected travel companies with more than 50 years of experience in the travel industry, Rovia is the largest provider of curated group travel experiences in the world. The company annually produces and manages hundreds of unique pre-packaged experiences for groups numbering from a few dozen to a few thousand.

For inquiries, contact:

Hadas Sasson-Zitomer

Email: press@rovia.com

MORONI, Comoros, December 18, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today completed its fourth review of the Union of the Comoros’ economic performance under the program supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). Completion of the fourth review allows the disbursement of an amount equivalent to SDR 1.5575 million (about US$2.30 million), bringing total disbursements under the arrangement to SDR 10.46 million (about US$15.44 million).

The Executive Board also agreed that the Union of the Comoros has taken the steps necessary to reach its completion point under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.

This decision on the HIPC completion point is contingent upon the Executive Board of the World Bank concluding that the Union of the Comoros has reached the completion point under the enhanced HIPC Initiative, after which a joint press release will be issued.

The three-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement was approved in September 2009, for the equivalent of SDR 13.57 million (152.5 percent of quota).

Following the Executive Board’s discussion, Mr. Naoyuki Shinohara, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, made the following statement:

“Performance under the ECF-supported program has improved commendably. Economic activity and the fiscal position are strengthening, and the Union of the Comoros has met the conditions for reaching the HIPC Initiative completion point.

“The recent gains in macroeconomic sustainability will have to be consolidated. This requires further strengthening revenue collection and keeping spending compatible with fiscal sustainability. Critical to that end will be the establishment of the new General Administration of Taxes and implementation of new ministry personnel frameworks, as well as close adherence to the automated wages management system. The efforts to promote good governance will also have to be stepped-up, including rigorous implementation of the new COMESA-based public procurement code.

“Prudent borrowing policies remain indispensable. While debt sustainability will improve following the HIPC Initiative completion point, the Union of the Comoros remains at high risk of debt distress owing notably to a narrow export base. This underscores the need for fiscal discipline and reliance on grants and highly concessional loans in meeting the country’s financing needs.

“The authorities are to be commended for rekindling the structural reform agenda to invigorate growth and accelerate poverty reduction. The focus will be on enlisting reputable strategic partners in the management of the state-owned telecommunication (Comores Telecom) and electricity (MA-MWE) companies; and on ensuring a more efficient operation of the oil-importing parastatal (SCH). The authorities will also step up removal of excessive administrative requirements to starting a company and of unreliable contract-enforcement mechanisms for the private sector. In the financial sector, the banking supervision agenda and recommendations from the 2010 safeguards assessment will continue to be rigorously implemented, and the establishment of a new credit bureau expedited.

“The Union of the Comoros’ growth and poverty reduction prospects are broadly favorable in the post-HIPC/MDRI era. Rigorous policy implementation and steady donor support will be key to securing tangible gains in living standards for the population.”

VICTORIA, Mahé, December 18, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed today the sixth review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for the Seychelles. The completion of the review enables a disbursement of SDR 1.32 million (about US$ 2.0 million), which will bring total disbursements under the arrangement to SDR 19.8 million (about US$ 30.5 million). The Executive Board also approved an extension of the arrangement by one year to support the country’s economic reform program and an augmentation of access by 60.6 percent of quota.

The Extended Fund Facility became effective on December 23, 2009, in the amount of SDR 19.8 million (see Press Release No. 09/472).

Following the Executive Board’s discussion, Mr. Min Zhu, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, made the following statement:

“Economic growth in 2012 has held up, with tourism from new markets offsetting weakness in traditional European arrivals. An uptick in inflation in the first half of the year emanating from higher energy prices and exchange rate depreciation has been successfully curbed by tight monetary policy. The outlook is benign, but remains vulnerable to the uncertain global environment.

“The outlook is supported by sustained strong policy performance. Introduction of the value added tax, now planned for January 1, 2013, marks an important milestone in the ongoing modernization of Seychelles’ tax system, while the move to automatic price adjustment mechanisms for fuel and utilities will help strengthen the financial position of parastatals.

“Current economic policies are appropriate and consistent with falling public debt over the medium term. Tighter fiscal policy should also preempt potential balance of payments pressures and provide scope to loosen monetary policy as inflation declines. Given the difficult global environment and rising debt service, the authorities should aim to build buffers by increasing international reserve holdings, and they should take a cautious approach to contracting new loans.

“The structural reform program aptly aims to improve financial discipline in public enterprises through better oversight. Moreover, recent ad hoc price adjustments and the introduction of an automatic price adjustment mechanism for fuel are welcome first steps toward cost recovery pricing, which will be further strengthened by the planned utility tariff reform.”

RABAT, Morocco, December 18, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A staff team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Jean-François Dauphin visited Morocco December 5-18, 2012 to conduct with the country authorities the 2012 IMF Article IV Consultation and the First Review under the Two-Year Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL). The Executive Board of the IMF approved a 24-month arrangement under the PLL in an amount equivalent to SDR 4.1 billion (about US$6.2 billion, 700 percent of quota) in August 2012. During its stay, the mission also met with representatives of the private sector and civil society.

At the end of the visit, Mr. Dauphin issued the following statement:

“Morocco’s sound economic fundamentals and overall strong record of policy implementation have contributed, over the years, to a solid macroeconomic performance. This record helped the country qualify last August for a PLL arrangement, which aims to provide insurance against external shocks. The PLL also contributed to strengthen market confidence, as reflected by the lowering of CDS spreads in August. Staff’s assessment is that the authorities’ program is on track.

“More recently, Morocco’s solid performance has been challenged by the deterioration of the economic situation in Europe, high oil and food prices and, in 2012, a lower than average agriculture production. GDP growth is expected to slow to about 3 percent in 2012, although the non-agriculture growth is expected to remain robust at 4.5 percent. The current account deficit is expected to exceed 8 percent of GDP, even though international reserves have stabilized at around 4 months of imports. The successful sovereign bond issuance in December in the amount of US$1.5 billion—of which a third has a 30-year maturity—has confirmed market confidence. The fiscal deficit should decline to about 6 percent of GDP due in part to the adjustment in the prices of subsidized products in June. Inflation is projected to remain low at 1.3 percent in 2012, despite these price increases. Unemployment is stable around 9 percent, and remains especially high among the youth.

“External pressures are expected to continue and an additional deterioration of the international environment cannot be excluded. In this context, the authorities’ program supported by the PLL, which builds on structural measures to increase competitiveness, potential growth and employment, fiscal consolidation, and prudent monetary and financial policies, remains appropriate. However, implementing the needed reforms has become increasingly urgent if Morocco is to preserve its performance in the face of a challenging external environment.

“Morocco has made substantial progress in strengthening growth and reducing poverty over the past decade. But despite such progress, much remains to be done to reduce unemployment, in particular among the youth, and further improve social indicators such as the literacy rate and equal access to basic infrastructure, health services and education. In this context, structural measures to promote higher and more inclusive growth, through product and labor markets reforms, investment in human and physical capital, and improvement of the business climate are needed.

“Preserving fiscal sustainability remains a priority. The fiscal stance envisaged in the draft 2013 budget law is appropriate, but ensuring medium-term sustainability will hinge on the delivery of critical structural fiscal reforms which will also create the fiscal space for improved social protection and higher investment in human capital and infrastructure. In this regard, the reform of the subsidy system is crucial and urgent, as the current system is a drain on the budget and an ineffective tool to support the population in need. Similarly, a reform of the pension system is also urgently needed to ensure its viability and preserve medium-and long-term fiscal sustainability.

“In the context of a difficult external environment, improving competitiveness is a necessity. To fully reap the benefit of the authorities’ efforts to increase export market and product diversification and attract further foreign direct investment, structural reforms to improve the business climate and investment in education and training are necessary. Looking ahead, a more flexible exchange rate regime would strengthen the contribution of structural reforms to greater competitiveness and absorption of external shocks.

“The banking sector has proven resilient to the global crisis and remains sound overall. We support Bank Al-Maghrib’s efforts to continue to strengthen banking regulation and supervision, including through gradual adherence to Basel III standards. In addition, continuing efforts to foster deeper financial access, especially in rural areas, and strengthen intermediation, would help widen access to credit, particularly for small and medium enterprises, and contribute to higher and more inclusive growth.

“The mission would like to thank the Moroccan authorities and all other interlocutors it had the opportunity to meet for their excellent cooperation and fruitful discussions.”

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, December 18, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Today, the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU), Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway, Mr. …

BERN, Switzerland, December 17, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Switzerland will repatriate monies of Angolan origin of about USD 43 million to Angola. The assets will be used to fund development projects that directly benefit the population…

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa, Dec. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire via African Press Organization (APO)/ — TeamQuest Corporation announced a partnership with IntelliMagic, known for its storage performance management expertise. Through this partnership, TeamQuest adds a new storage dimension to its integrated capacity management solution.

“Until now, companies had no way of easily understanding the relationship between services and storage,” said TeamQuest Director of Business Development Edsar Calaguas. “This new storage solution allows customers to easily see which services are waiting for I/O and the specific storage devices causing the delay. By combining detailed storage data with business service, application, virtual server, and physical server data, we provide one solution that can optimize all the major cost drivers in today’s data centers.”

Companies can expect the following benefits:

• Service performance optimized against storage costs

• Accelerated “root cause” analysis

• Business and service aligned views of IT infrastructure performance and capacity

Gilbert Houtekamer, founder and CEO of IntelliMagic, said, “We are very pleased to have our Storage Performance Management software included as a key component in the TeamQuest CMIS for Storage solution. This combination brings unprecedented performance management capabilities to the industry.”

TeamQuest CMIS for Storage completes the TeamQuest suite of integrated products that help organizations optimize IT services. The suite includes capabilities ranging from performance management and reporting to performance monitoring and capacity modeling.

About TeamQuest Corporation

TeamQuest Corporation is the global leader in IT Service Optimization (ITSO), specializing in Capacity Management software. TeamQuest helps IT organizations consistently meet service levels while minimizing costs and mitigating risks. By combining performance data and business metrics, TeamQuest software enables IT organizations to provide accurate, objective information as input to critical business decisions. Companies around the world trust TeamQuest software to help them proactively improve service delivery and support best practices.

For more information, visit www.teamquest.com or call +1-641-357-2700. In Europe, Middle East and Africa, call +46 31 80 95 00, and in Asia Pacific call +852 2824 8510.

About IntelliMagic

IntelliMagic takes pride in providing the industry’s most advanced and reliable products for performance analysis and configuration planning of enterprise storage. Our fundamental principle is that with proper Storage Performance Management, companies can enhance their application users’ satisfaction, reduce risks and decrease costs all at the same time. By applying truly pro-active and predictive performance management, time is spent on preventing problems instead of on fire-fighting, and companies can invest in optimized rather than oversized storage configurations.

For more information, visit www.intellimagic.net or call +1-877-815-3799. In Europe, Africa, and Asia Pacific call +31715796000

ROME, Italy, December 17, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Italian fashion took centre stage today at the 8th edition of Mozambique Fashion Week, the most important sector event in that African country, with a runway show on the red carpet of…