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King Charles III and Queen Camilla of Britain have ended their four-day State visit to Kenya.

The monarchs who left for London on Friday, November 3, were seen off by President William Ruto and First Lady Mama Rachel at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa. 

In a seemingly historical moment for Kenyans and the African continent, the King’s visit has attracted attention from various parts of the world as many wait to see its outcome.

King Charles bids Kenyans goodbye at Moi International Airport, Mombasa.[Royal Family, X]

So far, what is clear is that the United Kingdom and Kenya are working towards amending and strengthening their relationship. 

On their last day, they started off by meeting several religious leaders at Mombasa’s ACK Memorial Cathedral and AI Mandhry Mosque

King Charles III at Mandhry Mosque with one of the Muslim leaders.[Royal Family, X] 

This was crucial as the King addressed the work of the Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics and the importance of peace, security, and development.

Queen Camilla on the other hand met survivors of sexual and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) where she shared insights from working with survivors. 

Earlier, the King had a secret meeting with families of freedom fighters including Evelyn Kimathi, Alphonce Mkare, Ambrose Tarus, and Richard Langat who are members of Dedan Kimathi, Mekatilili wa Menza, Koitalel arap Samoei and Tapsimate arap Borowo families, respectively.

King Charles also met Mzee Gitu wa Kahengeri, the chairperson of the Mau Mau Veterans Association, who has played a significant role in seeking compensation for victims of colonial brutality.  By Esther Nyambura, The Standard

President Samia Suluhu Hassan (2nd L) and her counterpart Paul Kagame attend the opening ceremony of the 23rd Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council in Kigali, Rwanda. PHOTO | X via @

A global meeting on tourism has kicked off in Kigali, Rwanda on Thursday with calls to African governments to step up investment in the sector to tap its potential to foster the region’s socio-economic development.

This is because, despite the steady growth of tourism in Africa, tourism has not fully realised its full potential, a situation which is mainly attributed to several bottlenecks in the tourism sector such as the narrow tourism product offer which is mostly focused on wildlife-based tourism at the expense of other tourism segments.  

During the opening ceremony of the 23rd Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) on Thursday, Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania jointly underscored the critical importance of regional tourism collaboration.

Read: Samia, Kagame discuss trade expansion deals

In his address, President Kagame emphasized the significance of promoting regional tourism, highlighting the interconnectedness of African nations in the tourism sector.

He noted that tourists visiting Rwanda often extend their journeys to Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, or Uganda, showcasing the potential of Africa as a unified tourism destination.

 

With attractions and experiences that complement one another, the region stands as a single, multi-faceted tourism hotspot.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan shared her insights on the vital role of tourism in Africa's economies. She revealed that in Tanzania, the tourism sector contributes a substantial 17.2 percent to the country's GDP and accounts for 25 per cent of total export earnings.

This contribution she said, not only highlights the sector's significance but also underscores its potential for economic growth and job creation.

Read: Investors bet on conferences to lift tourism fortunes

“While this is a massive contribution for one single source, it entails that Africa can leverage tourism to drive economic growth and create employment opportunities. The sector (tourism) if well utilised can be of great use to most African countries in terms of repositioning the continent in other connected sectors and henceforth attract more foreign currencies…” said Suluhu.

East Africa is setting its sights on becoming a prominent tourism hub, akin to some of the world's most renowned destinations.

However, industry experts say the vision for success lies in a groundbreaking strategy: 80 percent of tourists are expected to originate from within the region itself.

This ambitious target calls for a re-evaluation of existing approaches to tourism development, including a fresh perspective on urban areas and cities as key tourism destinations.

“The region suffers from a narrow range of tourism products which are predominantly nature-based; market efforts are biased towards the traditional markets” Geoffrey Manyara, a tourism expert at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Uneca) Sub-regional Office for East Africa in Kigali told The EastAfrican.

Manyara highlighted that the region's tourism potential faces challenges such as a shortage of qualified tourism professionals, high air travel costs, limited accessibility, and inadequate tourism statistics, hindering strategic planning and sector development.

Read: The pain of flying in East African region

However, opportunities lie in tapping into the intra-East African Community (EAC) and the broader African market, in addition to nurturing domestic tourism.

“Given that the current efforts appear to be targeting the traditional markets, it will be good to see more efforts being made to tap the emerging African market which is showing great potential from what we have seen in the recent past, and more, so during and post the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The East African Community Tourism Marketing Strategy for 2021-2025 which aims to foster inclusive and sustainable tourism within the EAC region emphasizes the intra-EAC market and aims to attract over 11 million intra-EAC tourists by 2025, a significant increase from the 6.8 million recorded in 2018 if the strategy is effectively executed.

According to WTTC, Africa has the world’s youngest population and by 2033, $1 in every $13 created in Africa, will come from travel and tourism and 1 in 17 jobs will be in the sector.

This demonstrates the huge potential the continent’s sector has for new jobs and new economic growth for young people across Africa.  By BERNA NAMATA, The East African

Sky News commentator Andrew Bolt during a show on November 2, 2023 (left) and President William Ruto and King Charles III at Uhuru Gardens on October 31, 2023.

Sky News host Andrew Bolt caused an uproar among Kenyans after he stated that King Charles did not have to apologise over atrocities committed by colonialists claiming that Kenyans reaped several benefits including learning English.

While hosting the Bolt Report show, the Australian show host wondered why the King acknowledged that many Kenyans suffered under the hands of the colonialists. 

He opined that Kenya would not be where it is if the colonialists did not come to Kenya.

According to Bolt, the King needed to demonstrate pride opining that apologising would taint Britain's history.

"There are bad things we did, but there are also good things that we did. We gave you democracy even if Kenya does not always live up to it as it should.

"We gave you the gifts of the English language. I have been to Kenya and I look around and think that if the British hadn't been there, then it wouldn't have been good as it is," he stated. 

However, the comments by the Australian conservative columnist did not sit well with Kenyans online with many expressing outrage over the comments.

Some online users told off the commentator indicating that Kenyans already had their languages noting that English was imposed through the school system.

"I suppose I too, would feel angry having to pay for the sins of my grandfathers, but on the other hand, we were the victims of colonialism, they don't get to choose our reaction to it," Wa Irangu, an X user commented.

Bolt was reacting to King Charles III's speech during the State House Banquet hosted by President William Ruto on October 31. 

While the King did not issue an apology for the atrocities, he acknowledged that Kenyans suffered at the hands of the colonialists.

"It matters greatly to me that I should deepen my understanding of these wrongs, and that I meet some of those whose lives and communities were so grievously affected," the King stated. The King cannot issue an apology without approval from the United Kingdom Executive. By Washington Mito, Kenyans.co.ke

 
Photo: ITGA

Stakeholders in the nicotine business gathered in Dar es Salaam from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 for the annual meeting of the International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA).

Hosted by the Tanzanian Minister of Agriculture Hussein Bashe, the conference focused on environmental social governance (ESG) practices and the socioeconomic impact of tobacco, among other topics.

ITGA’s President José Javier Aranda urged governments to consider tobacco growers as partners, given the contribution of tobacco as an income generator and employer. He cited the example of Tanzania, where tobacco provides livelihoods to more than 2.5 million people and generates around $180 million annually in export revenue.

The ITGA president also highlighted the lack of alternatives to tobacco production: “Tobacco is still among the main cash crops in most of the countries where it is grown,” he said. “There is no room for crop substitution at this moment and only complementary crops can be considered as a way of transitioning away from tobacco in the long term.”

Participants in the conference also debated the increasing regulatory pressure on the tobacco industry. For example, the EU Supply Chain Due Diligence Directive, which is expected to enter into force in 2024, will require total transparency in the social and environmental sourcing of products imported into the EU. The ITGA delegates agreed that compliance is key, as compliant markets will have better opportunities to position their products and remain stable in the long term.

Speakers encouraged growers to actively pursue ESG initiatives in their communities. Such efforts, they said, will contribute to the long-term viability of the sector.

The forum also reflected on the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which is scheduled to take place Nov. 20-25 in Panama. As the only global tobacco growers association, the ITGA is looking forward to seeing the evolution of FCTC Article 17 (economically viable alternatives to tobacco growing) because the group has yet to see any evidence of viable alternatives to tobacco growing, ITGA CEO Mercedes Vazquez noted.

Vazquez also insisted on the inclusion in the discussions of farmers, who have been denied a voice in the FCTC debates for nearly two decades. She said the COP has yet to respond to ITGA’s request for observer status at the conference.

The Dar es Salaam meeting also took stock of the latest consumption trends. Modest growth in Asia Pacific and Latin America was offset by significant declines in developed markets, leaving total global cigarette volumes largely unchanged. Among emerging products, heated tobacco products continue to make inroads while e-cigarettes face regulatory headwinds, and nicotine pouches struggle to expand beyond their core markets.

In the leaf market, China, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Malawi and India significantly expanded production in 2023, while volumes in Europe and the United States continued to decline, according to ITGA experts. Tobacco Reporter

 

(Nairobi) – Environmental defenders and anti-fossil fuel activists in Uganda routinely face arbitrary arrests, harassment, and threats for raising concerns over a planned oil pipeline in East Africa, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

The 22-page report, “‘Working On Oil is Forbidden’: Crackdown Against Environmental Defenders in Uganda” documents the Ugandan government’s restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and assembly related to oil development, including the planned East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). Civil society organizations and environmental defenders regularly report being harassed and intimidated, unlawfully detained, or arbitrarily arrested.

“This crackdown has created a chilling environment that stifles free expression about one of the most controversial fossil fuel projects in the world,” said Felix Horne, senior environment researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The government of Uganda should immediately end arbitrary arrests of anti-oil pipeline activists and protect their right to exercise freedom of expression, in accordance with international human rights norms.”

Human Rights Watch interviewed 31 people in Uganda between March and October 2023, including 21 environmental defenders.

The oil pipeline is one of the most significant fossil fuel infrastructure projects under development globally. It will include hundreds of wells, hundreds of kilometers of roads, camps and other infrastructures, and a 1,443-kilometer pipeline, the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world, connecting oilfields in western Uganda with the port of Tanga in eastern Tanzania.

The French fossil-fuel giant TotalEnergies is the operator and majority shareholder, alongside China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC), and the state-run Ugandan and Tanzanian oil companies. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading authority on climate science, and others have warned that no new fossil fuel projects can be built if the world is to reach Paris Agreement goals and limit the worst impacts of climate change.

The activists are protesting both construction of the pipeline and the treatment of people in its path. Over 100,000 people in Uganda and Tanzania will lose their land for the oil developments. Many activists told Human Rights Watch that the constant threats from local government and security officials make it more difficult to provide support to those who have lost land.

The Ugandan authorities have routinely detained and arrested activists and human rights defenders on politically motivated charges. An environmental defender, Maxwell Atahura, described his 2021 arrest in Bullisa: “[The police] were asking me questions about oil … at a certain point they were calling me a terrorist, saboteur of government programs…. At the end they wrote on the police bond unlawful assembly.” Atahura also said that he has received threats and that he eventually relocated to Kampala for safety.

President Yoweri Museveni, a staunch backer of the EACOP pipeline, has warned he will not “allow anybody to play around … [with his] oil.”

Since October 2021, at least 30 people protesting or trying to address the impacts of the oil projects have experienced politically motivated arrests in Kampala and other parts of Uganda. In 2021, the government suspended 54 organizations on the basis of vague language in the country’s Non-Governmental Organisations Act of 2016, including several working on the oil sector and other environmental issues. Local organizations that continue to work on the oil issue do so under intense pressure from government and security officials who press them via phone and in person to halt their oil sector activities.

With limited options to influence government policy, some Ugandan nongovernmental groups alongside their international partners have filed suit in France against TotalEnergies. Two people who travelled to France for a court hearing in December 2019 have experienced continuous harassment by security and government officials since their return.

Activists in Uganda have heavily criticized the project because of the risks it poses to the environment, local communities, and its contribution to climate change. Activists have criticized the government for approving the project, as well as Ugandan and international companies potentially involved in its finance, insurance, construction, or operation.

Local civil society groups have become invaluable in assisting people whose land has been acquired for the oil developments to understand the compensation process and the various avenues open to them to secure fair compensation, Human Rights Watch said. In July Human Rights Watch reported human rights violations associated with the pipeline’s land acquisition project including inadequate compensation, and constant pressure from officials; threats of court action and threats from local government and security officials for those who have rejected compensation offers.

In an October 23 letter to Human Rights Watch, TotalEnergies stated they recognize “the importance of protecting Human Rights Defenders and do not tolerate any attacks or threats against those who peacefully and lawfully promote Human Rights in relations to their activities.” 

Human Rights Watch has also written to Uganda’s National Bureau for Nongovernmental Organisations, a semi-autonomous office under the Internal Affairs Ministry, the Internal Security Organisation, and the Uganda Police Force, but none responded.

Due to the opposition of the pipeline from civil society organizations and climate activists in Uganda and around the world, many financial institutions and insurance companies have made a public commitment to not support the pipeline. Financing for the pipeline is yet to be finalized, although in March, a TotalEnergies official stated that the company anticipates that funding should be in place by the end of 2023.

“The construction and operation of EACOP poses grave environmental risks, human rights risks, and contributes to the global climate crisis.” Horne said. “Financial institutions and insurance companies should avoid supporting the Ugandan oil pipeline due to the devastating impacts of fossil fuels on climate change as well as future risks of serious human rights impacts.” - Human Rights Watch

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