Relatives of Palestinians, died in the Israeli airstrikes, mourn as they take the body from the morgue of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for the funeral ceremony in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza on November 11, 2023. ( Ashraf Amra - Anadolu Agency )

JOHANNESBURG

South Africa has summoned the Israeli Ambassador to Pretoria Eliav Belotsercovsky in connection with his recent alleged conduct relating to the ongoing, tragic Israel-Palestine war.

Belotsercovsky is accused of making disparaging remarks about those who speak out against attacks on Palestinians.

“Ambassador Belotsercovsky is called upon to conduct himself in line with the Vienna Conventions, which accord heads of diplomatic missions certain privileges and responsibilities, key amongst which is to recognize the sovereign decisions of the host nation,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Friday evening.

Belotsercovsky met with Foreign Ministry Director General Zane Dangor, who expressed South Africa's grave concern over Israeli airstrikes and ground attacks on Gaza, which have killed over 10,000 civilians, including over 4,300 children.

Dangor told Belotsercovsky that South Africa wants the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Israeli leaders for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

The official also reiterated South Africa’s position, saying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be solved by ending the occupation and beginning immediate talks towards a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis.

South Africa also called for an immediate comprehensive cease-fire, the opening of humanitarian corridors, and the release of all civilian hostages.

Last week, South Africa withdrew its entire diplomatic staff from Tel Aviv for consultation on Israel’s war on Gaza.

While announcing the government's decision to withdraw diplomatic staff, Minister in Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters, "Genocide under the watch of the international community cannot be tolerated. Another Holocaust in human history is not acceptable."

South African citizens have held over a dozen protests since the Israel-Palestine armed conflict began on Oct. 7. Rights activists were calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Pretoria as well as the recalling of the country’s diplomats from Tel Aviv. Anadolu Agency

Uganda is upset that it was kept in the dark about the negotiations around the government-to-government fuel deal between Kenya and two Gulf nations. PHOTO | NMG

The Kenyan High Court will in the next few weeks determine if Kenya should go ahead and grant user rights to Uganda for the Kenyan oil pipeline, potentially solving or worsening the ongoing tiff between Nairobi and Kampala over fuel imports.

Trade and diplomatic relations between the two capitals have chilled over the past year, putting into question the state of the initial “bromance” between Ugandan veteran leader Yoweri Museveni and Kenya’s William Ruto.

Read more here   By The East African

Afghanistan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo , Sudan, Yemen, Pakistan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Syria, and South Sudan were listed as the top 10 countries in need of humanitarian aid. PHOTO: AA

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar, in the wake of outbreak of Congo virus in Balochistan, has directed the Sindh health and livestock departments to take precautionary measures in the bordering districts.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a widespread disease caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family. The ticks infect livestock and then the disease is transmitted to people. Bawar said that reports of Congo virus outbreak in Balochistan hasraised concerns for the districts including Dadu, Shahdadkot, Kashmore, and Jacobabad being in close proximity to Balochistan, face potential risks due to frequent cross-border movements. 

Read Karachi sets up Congo unit to deal with virus

Baqar said that the main transmission routes of the Congo virus include ticks from livestock and close contact with infected animals and humans. He directed the provincial health and livestock departments to intensify surveillance, particularly in the districts and tehsils close to Balochistan.

The CM also directed the administrations of both the departments to launch public awareness campaigns about preventive measures, including the use of insect repellents and protective clothing, besides monitoring of livestock markets, especially in border areas. Baqar insisted on close coordination between the health, livestock and other concerned departments of both the provinces to prevent the spread of the virus.

The CM said that the hospitals should be equipped with necessary diagnostic tools and treatment arrangements for the Congo virus-affected patients. Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2023.

Public debt hit Sh10.58 trillion in September, with the National Treasury revealing that both domestic and external liabilities have risen rapidly under the government.

The elevation of the public debt points to a sustained borrowing appetite by the Kenya Kwanza government and the impact of the weakening shilling against foreign currencies.

The debt levels have grown at a time when the National Treasury has acknowledged Kenya’s headroom for more public borrowing is narrowing in a move expected to pile pressure on the taxman to raise funds for servicing public debt. “As of September 31, 2023, Gross Public Debt increased by Sh310.0 billion to Sh10.58 trillion compared to Sh10.27 trillion at the end of June 2023,” said National Treasury Principle Secretary Chris Kiptoo in a presentation before the National Assembly’s Public Debt and Privatisation Committee. 

Dr Kiptoo said the Gross Public Debt comprises Sh5.66 trillion (53.5 per cent) external debt and Sh4.92 trillion (46.5 per cent) domestic debt. “The depreciation of the Kenya shilling has been the primary driver of nominal growth of external debt,” he said. The local currency hit an all-time low against the dollar yesterday, setting up the government for further debt servicing distress. It has weakened by nearly 20 per cent against the dollar since the start of the year. According to Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) data, the shilling exchanged at an average of 151.6794 against the dollar – a record low.

Kenya’s sovereign loan repayments have been rising faster than collections of tax revenues in recent months, National Treasury disclosures show, signalling the country could be headed for a fresh debt crisis.

The lagging revenues against the pending urgent debt obligations highlight mounting concerns about the strength of the economic recovery and the government’s ability to sustainably service upcoming debt repayments, including the $2 billion (Sh302 billion) Eurobond. 

On Thursday however, President William Ruto finally revealed a much-awaited plan to pay off the Eurobond.

“Our efforts to stabilise the situation have yielded such progress that next month, in December, we will be able to settle the first $300 million (Sh45 billion) instalment of the $2 billion Eurobond debt that falls due next year,” he said in his State of the Nation address in Parliament.

“I can now state with confidence that we will and shall pay the debt that has become a source of much concern to citizens, markets and partners.”

The Kenya Kwanza administration has been betting on the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to ramp up collections to support debt servicing alongside the daily running of crucial programmes such as health and education or building new roads.

There have been concerns that rising debt servicing costs are squeezing funding for economic development, hindering the Kenya Kwanza administration from implementing its development programmes.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u earlier said this is compounded by lower-than-expected revenues, which could impact the government’s ability to deliver on its ambitious bottom-up promises. By Brian Ngugi, The Standard