Latest news with #socioeconomicdevelopment
Malay Mail
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
FT Minister Zaliha denies rumours Tuaran MP appointed Labuan Corp chairman, says no decision made yet
LABUAN, July 5 — Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa has dismissed rumours that Member of Parliament for Tuaran Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau has been appointed as the new chairman of Labuan Corporation (LC). She clarified that no appointment has been made thus far, and that the Federal Government through Department of Federal Territories is still in the process of evaluating several qualified candidates for the leadership role at Labuan's local authority. 'The rumours and speculations circulating about the Tuaran MP assuming the position are not true. We are carefully scrutinising several potential individuals for the chairman post,' Dr Zaliha said in a statement to Bernama today. She stressed the government remains committed to identifying the most suitable candidate who will serve in the best interest of Labuan's socio-economic development. 'We are seriously looking into the right person to lead Labuan Corporation, someone capable of driving the island's growth and addressing the needs of the community,' she said. Dr Zaliha also urged the public to refrain from spreading unfounded claims and speculation, which could mislead and confuse the people of Labuan. The post of LC chairman became vacant following former Kimanis MP Tan Sri Anifah Aman concluding his term last month. — Bernama
Malay Mail
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
North-South Expressway southern corridor widening project to begin on July 28, PLUS assures no traffic disruption
JOHOR BARU, July 4 — PLUS Malaysia Bhd (PLUS) in a statement today said the additional lane construction project on the North-South Expressway's (NSE) southern corridor involving the widening of the number of lanes from two to three for the Sedenak to Simpang Renggam route (Phase Two), over a distance of 17 kilometres, is expected to commence on July 28. It said the implementation period for the works will take 36 months, with the contract for the additional lane construction project awarded to a local contractor after undergoing an open tender process. 'However, when the preliminary work on this route is carried out, it will not disrupt the flow of traffic because the two existing lanes in both directions of the affected highway will remain open to all vehicles,' said the statement. According to the highway operator company, the project is being implemented in phases, starting with Phase One (Senai Utara to Sedenak), followed by Phase Two (Sedenak to Simpang Renggam) and Phase Three (Simpang Renggam to Machap). The statement also said that the NSE widening project on the Kulai to Sedenak route (Phase One Package A), which began in July last year, is reported to be progressing smoothly according to schedule, while preliminary works for the Kulai to Senai Utara route (Phase One Package B) have also begun on site. 'The high-impact project is expected to benefit nearly 90,000 daily highway users and is hoped to act as a catalyst for more vibrant socio-economic development in the surrounding areas such as Sedenak, Kulai, Senai, Iskandar Malaysia and Pagoh,' according to PLUS. This effort is a government initiative to address the congestion on the NSE in the southern corridor, which often occurs during peak hours, and is aimed at providing a smoother journey for highway users in the future. Overall, PLUS said that the construction of this additional lane project is for the people's welfare and the economic development of the country. — Bernama
Arab News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Why the world must help Africa face climate change
According to the World Meteorological Organization, 'extreme weather and climate change impacts are hitting every single aspect of socioeconomic development in Africa and exacerbating hunger, insecurity and displacement.' This alarming statement underscores the scale of devastation sweeping across the continent as it faces the full force of a climate crisis it did little to cause. While Africa contributes only a tiny fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is bearing the heaviest burden of climate change — economically, socially and environmentally. As these impacts deepen, so too does the responsibility of global powers, especially the major emitters, to provide meaningful and sustained assistance. Africa's economies are uniquely vulnerable to climate change because they are predominantly reliant on sectors highly sensitive to weather patterns — especially agriculture, fishing and natural resource extraction. Across East, West and Central Africa, erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, extreme heat and intense floods are decimating crops, killing livestock, damaging infrastructure and eroding livelihoods. Countries such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mali and Sudan have seen agricultural yields plummet, often wiping out entire seasons of staple crops such as maize, millet, cassava and sorghum. This agricultural collapse is more than a farming crisis — it is an economic catastrophe. Agriculture accounts for up to 60 percent of employment in many African countries and constitutes a major source of national income. In Kenya and Somalia, repeated droughts have not only dried up fields but also drained public finances, as governments scramble to fund food aid, water delivery and emergency infrastructure repair. In 2024, floods across Central Africa destroyed critical roadways, bridges and water systems, forcing several governments to divert funds from education, healthcare and public development programs toward crisis management and reconstruction. Climate change is turning development gains back by decades, especially in countries already facing instability Dr. Majid Rafizadeh Moreover, energy and water systems, already under strain from underinvestment, have become further crippled by erratic climate conditions. Hydropower — an essential electricity source for countries like Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — is faltering due to drying rivers. As a result, power shortages are throttling manufacturing output, damaging businesses and pushing more people into poverty. The longer these economic stresses persist, the harder it will be for African nations to achieve sustainable growth or attract investment. Climate change is turning development gains back by decades, especially in countries already facing fragility, conflict or economic instability. Without urgent financial and technological support, these economies may spiral into prolonged recession or collapse, with global repercussions. Beyond the numbers and statistics lies an immense human cost. Families are being torn apart, homes destroyed, children are going hungry and millions are being forced to flee their lands. The continent is facing a massive displacement crisis — one that is rapidly escalating in scale and complexity. These numbers are only expected to grow, with many communities facing permanent relocation as climate shocks become more frequent and intense. Food insecurity has reached catastrophic levels. Across the Sahel and West Africa, the number of people facing emergency and famine-level hunger is now over 36 million. Malnourishment in children is spiking, with irreversible consequences on cognitive development and long-term health. In many regions, climate disasters have also destroyed or damaged schools, forcing children out of education and leaving a generation without the tools to rebuild their futures. Public health systems are also under immense strain. Rising temperatures and flooding have led to outbreaks of malaria, cholera and waterborne diseases. At the same time, heat waves are increasingly causing heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses, especially among the elderly and outdoor laborers. Poor communities, without access to medical care, clean water or sanitation, are bearing the brunt of these health emergencies. The social fabric of entire regions is unraveling. Competition over scarce resources — especially land and water — is intensifying conflicts. Climate change is not just a crisis of the environment — it is a multiplier of instability, violence and displacement. Africa's tragedy is made even more bitter by its innocence in the making of this crisis. The continent contributes less than 4 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Most African countries have historically emitted negligible amounts of greenhouse gases, yet they are the most vulnerable to climate extremes and have the fewest resources to adapt. This stark imbalance is a glaring injustice. The bulk of the world's emissions have come from industrialized nations — especially the US, European powers, China and other developed economies — that built their wealth on centuries of carbon-intensive industrialization. Yet these same nations have been slow, even reluctant, to fulfill their climate finance promises to developing countries, particularly those in Africa. Climate justice demands more than rhetorical sympathy. It requires concrete action, systemic financial restructuring and a shift in how the global community perceives responsibility and vulnerability. Africa is not asking for charity — it is demanding fairness. It is both a moral imperative and a strategic necessity for global powers to act. The industrialized world has the means, the technology and the historical responsibility to help Africa confront climate change. It must see African adaptation not as a cost, but as an investment in shared global security and prosperity. Failure to support Africa will only deepen instability, provoke mass migration, fuel regional conflicts and disrupt global supply chains and markets. The cost of inaction — social, economic and geopolitical — will be far higher than the cost of proactive, coordinated intervention today. Climate change is the ultimate borderless crisis. Droughts in the Horn of Africa, failed harvests in the Sahel and flooding in Central Africa do not remain contained — they send ripple effects across continents. Food shortages can lead to spikes in global food prices. Displacement and migration can strain bordering nations and contribute to humanitarian emergencies. Helping Africa is, in essence, helping the world. Global powers must see African adaptation not as a cost, but as an investment in shared security and prosperity Dr. Ramzy Baroud Wealthy nations initially pledged $100 billion annually in climate finance to developing countries by 2020 — a target they have repeatedly failed to meet. Now, under the new global goal, this figure needs to be scaled up to $1 trillion to $1.3 trillion per year by 2030. This funding must be predictable, accessible and focused on both adaptation and mitigation. Africa has enormous renewable energy potential — particularly solar and wind. Global support can fast-track a transition to clean energy, while also addressing the continent's vast energy access gap. Technological investment in climate-resilient agriculture, water management and disaster preparedness is essential. Tools like artificial intelligence-enabled early warning systems, climate-smart farming and green infrastructure can protect livelihoods and prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes. Many African nations are trapped in unsustainable debt, limiting their ability to invest in climate adaptation. Debt restructuring, concessional loans and new financing tools must be implemented to ease this burden. True resilience begins at the grassroots. Global aid must empower African communities, farmers, women and youth with the tools and knowledge to build adaptive systems suited to local realities. If Africa is left to face climate change alone, the consequences will be devastating — not just for the continent but for the entire world. Mass displacement could grow into one of the largest refugee crises in human history. Widespread hunger, conflict and economic collapse could destabilize entire regions. The suffering would be unimaginable. At the same time, failing to help Africa would undermine trust in global climate negotiations and multilateral cooperation. The legitimacy of climate agreements like the Paris Agreement rests on the principle of equity and shared responsibility. If the world's poorest and least culpable are abandoned, such agreements will lose meaning. Ignoring Africa today is sowing the seeds of greater crises tomorrow — crises that no border, wall or ocean can prevent. In conclusion, the responsibility of Western and global powers to help Africa is not optional — it is urgent, necessary and long overdue. Africa did not cause this crisis, yet it is paying the highest price. By acting now, global powers and the world's richest nations can prevent mass suffering, strengthen global stability and forge a path toward a more just and resilient planet. Helping Africa adapt to climate change is not just about generosity. It is about survival — for them and for us all.
Mail & Guardian
16-05-2025
- Science
- Mail & Guardian
How Africa should adapt to climate change
For Africa, this could be disastrous. Africa is getting the short end of the stick as climate change is tightening its grip on the continent, although it has only contributed about 3% (at most) of global carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution. Africa is the most vulnerable continent to the effects of climate change, with droughts, floods, extreme heatwaves and shrinking forests and vegetation causing widespread devastation. Irregular weather patterns mean that predicting storms and other weather-related phenomena is becoming increasingly difficult. The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the planet's global average temperature exceeded the 1.6-degree Celsius warming threshold above pre-industrial levels in 2024, which is higher than the target set out in the Paris Agreement. For Africa, this could be disastrous. It is estimated that climate change could force 5% of Africa's population, or 113 million people – more than the populations of Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and South Africa – to leave their homes by 2050. Furthermore, adapting to climate change is expected to cost between US $30 billion and $50 billion a year over the next decade, equating to 2%-3% of Africa's GDP. On Monday, 12 April, the World Meteorological Organisation published its State of the Climate in Africa 2024 report, stating: 'Extreme weather and climate change impacts are hitting every single aspect of socio-economic development in Africa and exacerbating hunger, insecurity and displacement.' Recent severe floods in South Sudan, which destroyed both livestock and livelihoods, are testament to this. The report also states that this has been Africa's warmest decade on record, that sea surface temperatures have reached record highs, and that droughts and floods will continue to wreak havoc on lives and livelihoods. It concludes that early warnings and climate adaptation must be scaled up. Dr Henno Havenga of the Climatology Research Group at the North-West University (NWU) in South Africa, agrees. 'My advice to policymakers on the continent is to invest in early warning systems and technologies, because climate change will continue to manifest itself in extreme weather events. While Africa is generally addressing the climate change dilemma with enough urgency at a policy level, this is not the case at a practical level. Early warning systems provide more than a tenfold return on investment. Just 24 hours' notice of an impending hazardous event can reduce the ensuing damage by 30%. According to the Global Commission on Adaptation, investing US $800 million in such systems in developing countries could prevent losses totalling between US $3 billion and $16 billion each year,' he explains. Although the forecast is bleak, Havenga warns against getting ahead of ourselves. 'We should be careful with our predictions, as they don't take into account human intuition and other technological developments. The only thing we can control is the here and now, so our focus should be on early warning systems such as weather stations, radar and short-term forecasts.' While Africa should increase its fiscal efforts to adapt to climate change, Havenga notes that human ingenuity provides a silver lining to this very dark cloud.
Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Telegraph
I visited Africa's under-the-radar safari hotspot, with excursions from £140
Damn. Raining. As we drove across northern Botswana, drops hit the windscreen. The drizzle escalated to a proper shower. Then, it stopped. The total duration of precipitation during my ten-day 'wet season' trip to the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area? About three and a half minutes. Perhaps I was lucky. Or well-timed. It was late March, the death throes of the rainy period, when the landscape is lush and the weather improving after summer's more fulsome downpours – but before tourist crowds and lodge rates have yet to catch up. It certainly seemed I'd picked an opportune moment to visit the largest on-land protected zone in the world. Nearly twice as big as the UK and sprawling over national borders, the Kavango Zambezi covers its namesake river basins, where Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe converge. Within it are 19 national parks, including headline acts – the Chobe river, the Okavango Delta, and Victoria Falls – but also lesser-known destinations such as Bwabwata in Namibia's little-visited Zambezi region (formerly the Caprivi Strip) and Zambia's Sioma Ngwezi. That the governments of all five nations worked together to create this ambitious entity is considered something of a miracle. Officially launched in 2012, its focus was on transboundary conservation, regional cooperation, and enabling tourism for broader socio-economic development. Now, there's an increased emphasis on marketing to let travellers know this place exists. Part of that effort is the creation of the Great Kavango Zambezi Birding Route, designed to showcase the area's prolific birdlife – over 650 species recorded – and promote sustainable tourism. Birders often stay longer, visit during the low season (when birding is best), and explore more off-beat areas. All this helps spread the tourist dollar, both geographically and throughout the year. Now, I'm no twitcher (as I've just proven, by use of what's essentially a birder's swear word). But I like birds a lot, especially the big, colourful, charismatic and copious sorts you get in southern Africa, which are capable of winning over even the most avian-ambivalent. And it's not as if there are no animals around, they're just more widely dispersed. The weather is riskier, and the days get pretty hot, but that means nights stay warm. There are also far fewer tourists, and prices are attractive indeed. I'd come, with binoculars and enthusiasm, to see if I could have an excellent Africa experience, off-season, across four countries, for less. 'This is paradise season,' reckoned Tinolla Rodgers, managing director and owner of African Monarch Lodges, as we sat under the Milky Way at Nambwa, her lodge in Bwabwata National Park, my first stop. 'It's lush and green, the weather's warm, lots of young are being born.' It's also bargain season – around N$6,000 (£248) a night cheaper than the peak months. 'I've worked in the Mara, the Serengeti, Kruger,' Tinolla continued, 'and Bwabwata is still my favourite; truly special.' I was getting that vibe. I'd arrived earlier, by boat (only possible when the water is high), skimming channels fringed with reeds and papyrus, slowing for hippos. Nambwa itself felt straight out of a fairytale, the whole place floating in the treetops, raised walkways winding between luxury stilted tents and a vintage-style lounge, with its fire pit and chandelier. It's raised like this so elephants can roam right underneath and to provide views over the Kwando floodplain – in peak season, you might not need to go on a game drive at all. But I did, and was treated to plenty: oxpeckers nit-picking the haunches of kudus, galloping sable, flashy lilac-breasted rollers, elephants wading through horseshoe lagoons. There are parts of Namibia's Zambezi that resemble the more famous Okavango Delta – only with lodges at a fraction of the price, and far fewer visitors. 'We've struggled for years to get people here,' Tinolla admitted. 'This is the forgotten part of the country.' Just the sort of place the Kavango-Zambezi project is encouraging people to visit. In truth, Namibia has just made things more difficult. At the time of my trip, the only country requiring Britons to buy a visa was Zimbabwe. In April 2025, Namibia instated visas too. In an ideal world there would be seamless movement between all five Kavango Zambezi nations – it's a long-term goal. But at least the travel was straightforward: none of my destinations were more than a three-hour drive apart, mostly less, on smooth tarmac, with no internal flights required. Next stop was Botswana, where I checked into the Pangolin Chobe Hotel, on the edge of Kasane, looking down to the wide, wild river. The focus there was on photography. As well as things like game drives and drinks, included in the rate was the use of top-of-the-range digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and lenses I could barely lift. Fortunately, that wasn't a problem, as the hotel's boat was kitted out with aircraft gunner-like seats, enabling you to mount the camera and swivel to the wildlife action. Owner and co-founder of Pangolin Photo Safaris, Guts Swanepoel is a force of nature. As we cruised down the Chobe river, he pointed out pied kingfishers, pygmy ducks, and red bishops (resplendent in their breeding plumage) while skilfully instructing even novices like me on how to photograph them. It was a brilliant barrage of technical, artistic, and zoological information, with chilled beers, hippos and dreamy sunsets thrown in. Pangolin Chobe is relatively competitively priced given all the inclusions, and there are discounts for longer stays during low season – a sure-fire way to come home with priceless photos. But Botswana is notoriously expensive. However, such is the compact nature of this area that those absolutely determined to keep costs down could do the country on a day trip instead. For instance, Jollyboys Backpackers in Livingstone, an hour's drive over the border in Zambia, offers not only ensuite double rooms for US$85 (£64) but Chobe trips for $185 (£140), including a morning cruise, lunch and an afternoon game drive. Livingstone, and its counterpart Victoria Falls, over in Zimbabwe, have the additional benefits of being sizeable towns, offering a choice of urban hostels, mid-range lodges and fancy tented camps in the surrounding national parks. And of course they're the staging posts for visiting mighty Victoria Falls itself. For this I was well-timed. Peak flow is generally between March and May, after which levels decrease to a dribble until November, before picking up again. I saw the Falls first from the Zambian side (cheaper than in Zimbabwe, US$20 compared to US$50) and felt physically slapped: it seemed less curtain of water than wall of white, thunderous rage. Butterflies and rainbows danced in the drenching spray – finally, I got my wet-season soaking. The elegant, steel-arch bridge over the Batoka Gorge, completed 120 years ago, may be the world's most scenic border crossing. Over in Zimbabwe, I gained a different perspective of the Falls, as well as a greater sense of the human/wildlife conflict issues that the Kavango-Zambezi hopes to address. The burbling rapids, wide vlei and mopane woodlands of Zambezi National Park are right on the town's edge. A game drive here provided wonderful sightings of buffalo herds and a parade of elephants joyfully kicking up dust in the dying sunlight, but ancient animal migration routes cross the main highway, and I saw many elephants while simply being driven from A to B. Then, on a tour of the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, I met researchers at work on projects such as DNA testing meat captured from poachers (to identify the species and determine the penalties) and collaring lions. The week before, one of Zambezi National Park's most dominant lionesses had been killed; the team were setting off to collar another member of the pride. The data is used to understand lion movements and devise mitigation techniques: this has led to a 50 per cent drop in wildlife conflict in the area. I hadn't seen any lions on my trip. My last chance was in Hwange, Zimbabwe's largest national park, bordering Botswana and a key wildlife dispersal area for the wider ecosystem. Deteema Springs camp closed completely for the worst of the rains, and had only just reopened for the year, with rates a third cheaper than in peak season. During the peak, the namesake springs attracted a full menagerie almost to your tent flaps. I had to make do with loping elephants, a cacophony of baboons, and a gazillion birds. Zimbabwe is renowned for having some of the best safari guides in the business which, based on my experience, seems fair. Calm, cool, possibly possessing an additional sense to the rest of us, senior guide Ophious Sibanda seemed able to read the bush's every grain and chirrup. I credit him entirely for the most astonishing game drive. Under the hot morning sun, a live-action Attenborough played out right in front of us: a herd of rare roan antelope ambushed by three cheetah; a successful kill; cheetah chased off by two lionesses; lionesses padding off; the arrival of an opportunistic jackal; the lionesses returning – with six adorable cubs. Oh, and bateleur eagles circling above. I was shellshocked. Ophious remained cool. I asked how this rated in the grand scheme of things. 'Eight out of ten,' he replied. What more do you need for a ten? For me, this – indeed, the whole, enormous, ambitious Kavango Zambezi undertaking – gets full marks. How to do it There are numerous tour options for the varied Kavango Zambezi. Cedarberg Travel (0208 898 8533) offers an 11-day, multi-country Kavango adventure trip from £2,878pp including premier and luxury accommodation, private transfers, most meals and some activities, excluding flights. Flight prices fluctuate but start from around £1,000pp. For further info, see and
