China International Book Trading Corporation Reading China Series 1 

China International Book Trading Corporation, released the first part of Reading China, a series of high-end interviews. This series of interviews focuses on "A Community of Shared Future for Mankind", "High-quality Development" and other key issues of concern to the international community, interviewing experts in international relations, politics and economics to explain their understanding of China's paths and development practices.

Three honorable guests, namely, Zoon Ahmed Khan, Research Fellow of Belt and Road Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, Harvey Dzodin, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization and Donatien Niyonzima, former Official Gazette Editor in the Office of the Prime Minister of Rwanda were invited to discuss together upon the topic of "A Community of Shared Future for Mankind". 

In the face of a complex international situation and the threat of cold war mindset and power politics, Chinese President Xi Jinping has delivered a keynote speech entitled "Work Together to Build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind" in January 2017 in the headquarter of the UN's office in Geneva. President Xi said "We should work together to build a world of common prosperity through win-win cooperation."

Zoon Ahmed Khan believed that developed countries need to understand that the prosperity of China and other developing countries is inevitable, and it is not hegemony that these countries seek.

In the context of a slow recovery in the world economy, complex changes in the international investment and trade landscape as well as multilateral investment and trade, President Xi Jinping has proposed the "Belt and Road Initiative" in 2013 as a major initiative to promote the interconnectivity between countries and economic integration across continents.

Harvey Dzodin expressed that it has been proven wrong that the "Belt and Road Initiative" will lead to a debt trap or that China is forcing developing countries to accept agreements; and he thinks that China does not want to dominate other countries in such a way, but rather to help participating countries prosper through a win-win cooperation.

Donatien Niyonzima said that the "Belt and Road Initiative" has opened up more possibilities for cooperation between China and his home country Rwanda in the areas of infrastructure development, education and even e-commerce.

South Sudan has bought a piece of land in Djibouti for the construction of a harbour in its latest effort to find an alternative to the port of Mombasa which is facing an onslaught from Dar-es-Salaam.

South Sudan has bought three acres of land at the port of Djibouti for the construction of a facility that will handle its import and export goods as Juba seeks to cut reliance on the Mombasa port in Kenya.

The latest development comes just two months after the Chamber of Commerce in South Sudan said it will shift its cargo to the port of Djibouti, which it termed as convenient for the Africa’s youngest State.

“We have been only using Port Sudan and Mombasa but recently, we have decided to go to Djibouti and as I am speaking to you, we have land in Djibouti,” South Sudan Minister for Petroleum Puot Kang Chol is quoted by local media.

The minister said the land was procured by the Ministry of Petroleum for the purpose of exporting the country’s crude oil as well as use it on imported goods. If effected, the move will hit the port of Mombasa given that Juba is one of Kenya’s largest clients.

Mombasa has been the main route for all consignments destined to the landlocked country with South Sudan importing nearly all of its cargo through the Kenyan port.

Mr Chol said they were ready to facilitate and stock goods destined for South Sudan through Djibouti.

“If any of you have goods, and you want to bring them through Djibouti, we have a land, we will have a space for you to accommodate your materials [or] whatever you want to bring,” said the official.

South Sudan is the second country in terms of cargo throughput volumes at the Mombasa port after Uganda, accounting for 9.9 percent of transit volumes. Uganda accounts for 83 percent of all throughput cargo followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Rwanda at 7.2, 3.2 and 2.4 percent in that order.

Kenya Ports Authority managing director John Mwangemi said South Sudan is one of their largest clients but they can choose a preferred facility. “I am not aware of the development in South Sudan but the government there can make a choice on which port to use,” said Mr Mwangemi.

The announcement by South Sudan comes just a few days after President William Ruto issued a directive for all inbound cargo to be cleared in Mombasa, dealing a blow to the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Naivasha.

Kenya allocated South Sudan land in Naivasha for the construction of a dry port, which would see goods destined to Juba cleared at the ICD facility to save truckers the long journey to Mombasa. Kenya has also allocated a piece of land to Uganda to clear its goods in Naivasha.

Dr Ruto promised during the election campaigns to return the port services to Mombasa if elected as President in the August election. - GERALD ANDAE, The EastAfrican

President William Ruto is on Wednesday set to make his inaugural address at the 77^th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the president will also hold bilateral talks with several Heads of State and Government during the four-day meeting.

“Participation at the highest level in the UNGA is particularly important for Kenya as the country seeks to complete the second year of its non-permanent membership to the United Nations Security Council,” a statement from the Ministry indicated.

It said that at the bilateral level, President Ruto will lead Kenya’s quest to harness relations with the United States of America guided by the 5 pillars bilateral strategic dialogue partnership.

“The Head of State will also attend to a working session with senior representatives of the American businesses during which he will urge for increased trade and investment between the two countries.”

It indicated that the president will also seize the opportunity to engage other select World leaders on priority areas of bilateral relations.

In his capacity as Coordinator, President Ruto will also chair a meeting of the Conference of African Heads of State on Climate Crisis (CAHOSCC).

The statement pointed out that at United Nations Headquarters, Kenya will seek to promote its Foreign Policy at the multilateral system including “enhancing participation in the quest for realization of SDGs and global leadership in emerging issues including climate change.”

The 77th UNGA coincides with the worst drought in the Horn of Africa with many countries in the region including Kenya experiencing unprecedented effects in the last forty years. Source: Capital News

Subsequently, during inquiry, the authorities came to know that the drugs were concealed in pallets and were hidden in his stomach. (File)