Minister of State at Ministry of Foreign Meets State Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia
During the meeting, they reviewed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them. They also discussed the latest developments in Somalia, in addition to several issues of mutual interest.
HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign reaffirmed the State of Qatar support for efforts aimed at promoting security and stability in Somalia, and achieving development and prosperity for its people.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The State of Qatar.
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Zawya
13 hours ago
- Zawya
South Africa: De Lille outlines tourism budget priorities, reforms and growth plans
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has outlined how the Department of Tourism's R2.434bn budget for the 2025/26 financial year will be directed towards destination development, tourism support services, legislative reforms, and job creation, with a strong emphasis on rural and township economies. "This budget is based on the Government of National Unity's Programme of Action for the next five years," said De Lille, addressing the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday, 22 July. "Our mission is clear: to elevate the profile of tourism as a key driver of economic growth and job creation, as it is identified in the National Development Plan and the Tourism Sector Master Plan." Budget allocation breakdown According to De Lille, the primary allocations from the R2.434bn budget include: • R1.3bn to South African Tourism • R331m to Destination Development, primarily directed to the Working for Tourism programme • R331m to Tourism Sector Support Services, which fund initiatives such as the Green Tourism Incentive Programme (GTIP), Tourism Grading, Market Access, and the Tourism Transformation Fund (TTF) Response to Select Committee concerns De Lille welcomed the recommendations from the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade, chaired by Sonja Boshoff, stating: "The Select Committee has identified key aspects where I, too, think the Department of Tourism and South African Tourism can sharpen their focus to deliver on our mandate." "These matters the Department is trying to address in its work, and the current Budget Policy is before the NCOP today for debate," she said. Focus on legislative reforms and governance The department will finalise and table the Tourism Amendment Bill, which aims to address short-term rentals, grading enforcement, and governance. De Lille also committed to: • Reviewing legacy strategies, including those on Heritage & Cultural Tourism, Rural Tourism, and Service Excellence • Implementing 60-day fund approval targets for GTIP, TEF and TTF, with consequence management • Enhancing oversight and governance through quarterly public dashboards tracking EPWP placements, fund disbursements, and risk metrics She said: 'We will strengthen internal controls, audit committees and contract and consequence-management frameworks.' New five-pillar sector plan launched De Lille unveiled the Tourism Growth Partnership Plan, a sector-wide action framework built on five pillars: 1. Ease of access – including visa reform, air connectivity and road transport 2. Coordinated destination marketing 3. Tourist safety and security 4. Tourism product development 5. Job creation – with a focus on youth employment and skills pathways She announced that an Execution Lab will be held next week with sector leaders to develop implementation strategies and timelines to meet 2030 growth targets. Destination development projects in nine provinces De Lille detailed 17 community tourism infrastructure projects scheduled for completion this financial year. Highlights include: • Mthonsi and Qatywa Lodges (Eastern Cape) • Qwa Qwa Guest House (Free State) • Muzi Pan Project (KwaZulu-Natal) • 10 Limpopo projects, including Mapate Recreational Tourism, Nandoni Dam and Phiphidi Waterfall • Mdluli Cultural Centre (Mpumalanga) and Manyane Lodge (North West) At the Tisane Project in Limpopo, upgrades to accommodation and a restaurant have already enabled the hosting of several community functions. "We are also working to finalise condition assessments for five World Heritage Sites," she added. Nearly 18,000 visit new dinosaur centre in a month Since launching on 22 June 2025, the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre at Golden Gate Highlands National Park has already attracted nearly 18,000 tourists in its first month. "This demonstrates the power of partnerships. The project was funded by the European Union, with the Department of Tourism working in close collaboration with the Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries," said De Lille. Investment and marketing initiatives In September 2025, the department will host the first Tourism Investment Conference in Cape Town to attract anchor investors for tourism infrastructure. "We will launch our Tourism Investment Booklet in collaboration with the UN Tourism," De Lille said. South African Tourism will also sharpen its marketing efforts, particularly in India, China, and Brics+ countries, supported by the improved air access and direct flights expected to resume through SAA. 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Zawya
14 hours ago
- Zawya
Rising platinum prices to benefit South Africa's fiscal plans
A platinum price rally and increased mining royalties should ease the pressure on South Africa's fragile coalition government ahead of its October budget, Old Mutual Investment Group, one of the country's largest institutional investors, said. The government, led by the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance, is attempting to balance competing interests across parties, and political analysts say that painful trade-offs, such as higher taxes or spending cuts, could fracture the coalition. South Africa is, however, the world's largest producer of platinum group metals - including palladium and other precious metals as well as platinum - that have rallied this year, meaning increased mining royalties could provide relief for the government ahead of its mid-term budget. "Given the role that PGMs play in revenue collection ... this could be a bit of a gift horse windfall to the government of national unity," Meryl Pick, portfolio manager at Old Mutual Investment Group, said during a briefing. She said a repeat was possible of South Africa's mining tax windfall in 2021 when revenue collections exceeded budget projections by R100bn, helping to narrow the fiscal deficit. Spot platinum prices touched their highest levels since August 2014 earlier this month, extending a record second-quarter rally fueled by a rise in demand and drop in supply. Some analysts have said the rally might not be sustained, given global economic uncertainty that may affect demand. But Old Mutual Investment Group analysts said prices were likely to keep rising on the basis of slower adoption of electric vehicles in Western markets, steady demand for hybrid cars, and constrained mining supply due to years of underinvestment. One of the major uses for platinum and palladium is to curb emissions from vehicles that run on fossil fuels. Old Mutual has more than R400bn of assets under management, and its funds have a significant allocation to resources and mining shares. The commodity rally has also buoyed South Africa's other markets. South Africa's MSCI index is up more than 32% since the start of the year - double the around 16% gain in the wider MSCI EM index.


The National
14 hours ago
- The National
US envoy Witkoff to discuss Gaza truce details with mediators in Rome
Talks set to take place on Thursday between US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Qatar 's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will be focused on finalising some of the details of a possible Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, sources have told The National. Mediators have been shuttling between Israeli and Hamas negotiators in Qatar for more than two weeks but the indirect talks have so far failed to yield a truce. Hamas has confirmed it had handed over a new proposal but did not disclose its contents, and Israel has said it was studying it. The sources said one of the issues at the top of the agenda in Rome were US and Israeli guarantees that Hamas leaders who leave the enclave with their families would not be targeted in exile. They will also discuss the period of time they will need to live abroad before being able to return to Gaza. The talks will also touch on the future of Hamas's investments outside Gaza, which are believed to be centred in the Middle East, said the sources. Israel opposes the proposed release of several high-profile Palestinians held in Israeli jails as part of the deal. Hamas has also called on Israel to release the bodies of late leader Yahya Sinwar and other top officials killed by Israel during the 21-month-old war. The sources said Hamas's demand for a long-term ceasefire was no longer on the table. Instead, the US will guarantee at least one equal extension of the 60-day truce when it expires to allow for more discussions on the political and security arrangements in Gaza after the war. Hamas has already said it would not be part of governing or rebuilding Gaza and suggested it was open to laying down its arms and storing them under international supervision when a long-term ceasefire is in effect. Israel, meanwhile, was on Thursday reviewing Hamas's response to the proposed deal, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. Both sides are facing huge pressure at home and abroad to reach an agreement, with the humanitarian conditions inside Gaza deteriorating sharply amid widespread acute hunger that has shocked the world. A senior Israeli official was quoted by local media as saying the new Hamas response was something Israel could work with. However, Israel's Channel 12 said a rapid deal was not in reach, with gaps remaining between the two sides including over where the Israeli army should withdraw to during any truce. A Palestinian official close to the talks told Reuters the latest Hamas position was 'flexible, positive and took into consideration the growing suffering in Gaza and the need to stop the starvation'. Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American who has been part of the US mediation team, described Hamas's response as 'realistic and positive'. 'Now, Israel must enter serious and swift negotiations to reach a ceasefire. Everyone is waiting for a breakthrough. The people of Gaza have suffered so much from the killings, destruction and hunger,' he wrote on Facebook. The Gaza war was sparked when Hamas attacked southern Israel communities in October 2023, killing 1,200 and taking another 250 hostage. Israel's response has been a devastating military campaign that has to date killed close to 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. Most of Gaza's estimated 2 million residents have been displaced by the war, more than once in many cases, and swathes of built-up areas have been reduced to rubble. If the latest round of negotiations yields a truce, it would be the third ceasefire since the war began. A two-month break in the fighting collapsed on March 18, when Israel resumed military operations, killing some 400 people on the first day. A week-long truce ended on December 1, 2023.