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East Africa

Occupied Palestinian Territory

The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, briefed UN Member States in New York this morning on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. 

He recounted the despair he witnessed as he spoke to families of Israeli hostages, and families who have lost loved ones and homes in Gaza. Mr. Griffiths said that what we have seen unfold in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory over the past 26 days is nothing short of a blight on our collective conscience.

Mr. Griffiths noted that 14 out of 35 hospitals in Gaza that can accept patients are currently not functioning. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is practically out of business, he said. As of yesterday, 72 of UNRWA’s brave staff in Gaza had been killed.

He said there are intense humanitarian negotiations under way – involving Israel, Egypt, the United States and the UN – with more than 300 trucks having moved into Gaza as of yesterday. More than 100 trucks arrived in Gaza on Thursday alone, he said, yet that remains far less than the 500 truckloads of goods that moved into Gaza every day prior to the current crisis. 

Mr. Griffiths called once more for the immediate release of all hostages and stressed the need to keep civilian infrastructure safe from harm. He reiterated the UN’s call for humanitarian pauses.

Lynn Hastings, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, briefed Member States via video link. She said the humanitarian impact of the attacks in Gaza has been catastrophic. 

Many people are drinking unclean water, while access to food is becoming a concern, she said. Ms. Hastings noted that the recent humanitarian deliveries do not include fuel, which is essential for Gaza as the generators to keep hospitals, desalination plants and other key installations running grind to a halt.

Thomas White of UNRWA discussed the worsening situation in Gaza as fuel runs out, noting that we could soon have a situation where raw sewage gushes out onto Gaza’s streets. He paid tribute to the work that UNRWA staff are doing there in dangerous conditions.

On Monday, the UN and partners will release an updated Flash Appeal for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, covering the remainder of the year. The US$1.2 billion appeal aims to support 2.7 million people – the entire Gaza population and 500,000 people in the West Bank.

The original appeal, launched on 12 October, asked for $294 million to support nearly 1.3 million people. The situation has grown increasingly desperate since then. The revised Flash Appeal will outline the need for food, water, health care, shelter, hygiene and other urgent priorities following the massive bombardments in the Gaza Strip.  

Democratic Republic of the Congo

OCHA reported that in October alone, more than 300,000 people were driven from their homes by escalating violence in North Kivu Province.

This brings the total number of people displaced in eastern parts of the country to more than 6 million. The eastern provinces are also facing continued outbreaks of cholera and measles.

Despite this volatile situation, the UN and partners have reached some 3 million people with humanitarian aid, including 1.9 million people with food assistance, in the region.

However, access remains challenging, and recent violence in Beni territory has forced many humanitarian workers to suspend their operations. This leaves more than 140,000 people unable to receive assistance.

This year’s $2.3 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for the Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently only 36 per cent funded, with just two months left in the year. 

Mozambique

The Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, visited Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado yesterday and today. The UN and partners continue to provide life-saving assistance to people impacted by the conflict there.  

Ms. Msuya met women, children and men who have returned to Mocimboa da Praia district after fleeing violence starting in 2017. Nearly three quarters of the more than 175,000 returnees in the district reside in areas where basic infrastructure – such as schools, health centres and water facilities – have yet to be restored.

More than 2 million people in Mozambique need humanitarian assistance to cope with the effects of conflict, climate change and extreme weather events, including Cyclone Freddy earlier this year.

During the first part of this year, the UN and partners reached some 1.5 million people in Mozambique with some form of humanitarian assistance. But to do more, more funding is needed. The 2023 Humanitarian Appeal for Mozambique for $513 million is just over one-third funded. Meanwhile, the response plan for Cyclone Freddy, floods and cholera is even less resourced, having received just 16 per cent of the $138 million needed. 

Sudan

The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, expressed deep concern over the military escalation in the Darfur region, and she called on the parties to the conflict to protect civilians and ensure safe passage for those trying to flee. 

Ms. Nkweta-Salami said that at a time when so much hope is being placed on the Jeddah talks to achieve a sustainable ceasefire and improved humanitarian access in Sudan, it is critical to prevent an escalation and expansion of the conflict. 

OCHA has facilitated an eight-truck convoy of food and medical supplies to South Kordofan’s capital, Kadugli – the first since intense fighting broke out in April. Though this is a positive development, sustained access is needed to ensure continued humanitarian deliveries to people in need across the country. 

Ukraine

OCHA said attacks continued this week across Ukraine, destroying energy facilities, schools, hospitals and other public sites. The Kherson Region in the south and the Donetsk Region in the east were particularly affected.  

Kharkiv City was also attacked last night. Humanitarian NGOs are already on site, providing psychological support and shelter materials to people whose homes were damaged by the attacks. 

The UN and partners continue to provide critical aid to front-line communities in Ukraine. Today, an inter-agency humanitarian convoy delivered vital supplies to the 1,600 people who remain in the front-line town of Orikhiv, in the Zaporizhzhia Region. The aid included medicine, household items, hygiene kits, blankets, mattresses, solar lamps and sleeping bags. Distributions of food assistance are ongoing.  

This year alone, the UN and partners have delivered 14 convoys to front-line communities in the Zaporizhzhia Region, providing essential support to more than 30,000 people living near the southern front. Since the beginning of the year, 96 humanitarian convoys have reached front-line areas.

Ahead of winter, humanitarian workers are distributing vital items, such as thermal blankets, mattresses and heaters. The UN and partners are appealing for some $435 million to deliver winter assistance to more than 1.7 million people across Ukraine through March 2024. Source: Ocha

 
Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA© Provided by The Guardian

Austria is seeking to adopt a Rwanda-style deal to deport asylum seekers to a third country, having agreed a deal to work with the UK on migration.

Suella Braverman signed a “migration and security agreement” with her Austrian counterpart, Gerhard Karner, in which the two countries agreed to work more closely together. 

It is the first EU country to sign such a deal with the UK, whose £140m Rwanda deportation scheme is on hold pending the outcome of a supreme court judgment on its legality.

Austria’s offshoring scheme would differ from the UK’s in that people deported to a third country would be allowed to return to Austria if their asylum applications were successful. Those rejected would be returned to their home countries.

Under the UK’s proposed Rwanda scheme, people would be deported on a one-way ticket to the central African country to claim asylum, unless they can show that it would expose them to a risk of “serious and irreversible harm”.

Rishi Sunak and the home secretary are pushing European partners to overhaul international asylum agreements, including the refugee convention and European convention on human rights (ECHR) in the face of a worldwide migration crisis. 

The supreme court is expected to rule on the legality of the UK’s Rwanda policy in mid-December. If successful, the Home Office hopes to have the first deportation flights in the air in February.

If it is ruled unlawful on the basis that there is a risk of asylum seekers being returned to their home country in breach of their human rights, Sunak will come under intense pressure from many Tory MPs, including at least eight members of his cabinet, to quit the ECHR.

Austria has also been pushing the EU to adopt a Rwanda-style scheme across Europe as part of changes to deal with the rise in arrivals from across the Mediterranean and its eastern borders.

Karner, Austria’s interior minister, said: “The UK has a lot of experience when it comes to processing asylum applications outside of Europe in the future. That was an important theme in my meeting with the home secretary in Vienna because Austria can benefit from this experience. 

“We will continue to make a consistent effort for the EU Commission to advance and enable such procedures outside of Europe.”

Braverman said: “The global migration crisis is the challenge of our age, with the UK and the European continent seeing huge movements of people travelling illegally across our borders. This is placing an unprecedented burden on our communities and public services.

“Austria is a close ally in tackling illegal migration, and we have already begun sharing knowledge of our actions and strategies such as third country removals. This joint statement is a commitment to work more closely together to achieve our aims, and enhance our cooperation on a wide range of security challenges.”

Denmark is the only other country that has previously drawn up plans to deport asylum seekers to third countries but its proposals have been on hold. By Rajeev Syal, The Guardian

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

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

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

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