Venga Aerospace Systems Inc. (TSX VENTURE: VAV)(PINK SHEETS: VNGAF) (the "Company") announced that the Company's mining affiliate, Global Mineral Investments, LLC ("GMI") has signed a letter of intent with RAM Consulting Group ("RAM") of Charlotte, North Carolina wherein RAM has agreed, on a best efforts basis, to raise $12 million dollars through a new joint venture to finance GMI's proposed land based gold mining operations in Liberia.
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0582975.htm
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Ellen Holds Bilateral Talks At AU Summit -As Liberia Takes Leadership Role
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Saturday held bilateral discussions with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mr. Johnnie Carson, in the Ethiopian capital. The talks between President Sirleaf and the State Department official focused on Liberia’s development agenda and United States support in achieving these goals, with the Liberian leader praising the United States for remaining supportive of Liberia’s reconstruction programs. The Liberian leader spoke of her administrations’ progress in meeting some of the basic needs of the Liberian people, despite the difficult economic challenges which have been compounded by the global financial meltdown. The situation, the President noted, has affected the implementation of programs in critical areas in the “Lift Liberia” Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). The President spoke specifically about unemployment in the country and its potential to undermine the gains made over the years, saying, now that the financial situation has stabilized, she is hopeful that investment activities, put on hold during the financial crisis, will resume. Assistant Secretary of State Carson assured the President Sirleaf of his Government’s continued support in addressing the challenges facing Liberia. The United States, he said, is impressed with the progress Liberia is making and will continue to provide the necessary support to help the country reap the dividends of peace. Also on Saturday, the Liberian President received in audience the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Mr. Lawrence Cannon, and the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki. In a related development, President Johnson Sirleaf held discussions with President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. The two Presidents discussed possible areas of collaboration to strengthen the already cordial ties between their two countries. The meeting between the two Presidents was preceded by discussions between the Liberian President and the Foreign Minister of Niger, Madam Aichatou Mindaoudou. The Mano River Union Chairperson, serving as an ECOWAS representative, is also mediating in the political situation in Niger. With the Liberian President serving as Chairperson at Monday’s session, the AU Heads of State and Government are continuing their deliberations behind closed doors. During the morning session, the Heads of State adopted the Union’s budget for the 2010 financial year, while members of the Peace and Security Council were also appointed. The leaders also considered several reports, including the Report of the Commission on the Implementation of Previous Decisions of the Executive Council and the Assembly; the Report on the Peace and Security Council on its activities and the State of Peace and Security in Africa; as well as the Report of the Commission on Unconstitutional Changes of Government. The Summit ends today (Tuesday) with a closing ceremony, followed by a press conference to be hosted by the Chairperson of the Union and the Chairperson of the Commission. The 14th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union opened Sunday with the summit endorsing the election of Liberia as the 3rd Vice President of the Union. At a close door session, the Heads of State and Government also endorsed the election of Gabon as the first Vice President and Uganda, as the second Vice President. The countries are members of a new bureau that would run the affairs of the Union for a one-year term. The President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika becomes the new Chairperson, succeeding Libyan Leader, Muammar El Gaddafi. Libya will now serve as the fourth Vice President on the bureau. As Vice President, Liberia along with Gabon, Uganda, and Libya will, in collaboration with the Chairperson of the Union, provide guidance in the running of the affairs of the African Union during a one-year term which begins in February 2010 and ends February 2011. Liberia’s election followed an impressive presentation at a sub-regional level meeting chaired by Burkina Faso, to consider among, other issues, the question of Vice President for the Union from the ECOWAS sub-region. Meanwhile, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Sunday presented awards to two African scientists for their roles in stimulating scientific research on the continent. Professor Jan Hidelbrand of the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa was the winner in the Basic Science and Innovation category, while in the Earth and Life Sciences category, the winner was Dr. Patrick George Ericcson of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. President Johnson Sirleaf, in congratulating the recipients urged them to continue striving for excellence through science. AUC Chairperson Dr. Jean Ping said the objective of the award is to stimulate scientific research at national, regional and continental levels. AUC sources say it is the first time, through the African Union, that Africa is expressing gratitude to science by awarding two African scientists with awards for excellence. The winners were chosen from 50 candidates through a transparent process carried out by the African Union. Each winner received US$100 000. During Sunday’s opening session, the African Union unveiled its new flag. To tunes of the AU anthem, the new flag was hoisted by the outgoing Chairperson of the African Union, Libyan leader Muammar El Gaddafi. During the 8th African Union Summit which took place in Addis Ababa on 29 and 30 January 2007, the Heads of State and Government decided to launch a competition for the selection of a new flag for the Union. They prescribed a green background for the flag symbolising hope of Africa and stars to represent Member States. The AUC received a total of 106 entries proposed by citizens of 19 African countries and two from the Diaspora. The proposals were then examined by a panel of experts put in place by the African Union Commission and selected from the five African regions for short listing according to the main directions given by the Heads of State and Government. At the 13th Ordinary Session of the Assembly, the Heads of State and Government examined the report of the Panel and selected one among all the proposals. The flag is now part of the paraphernalia of the African Union and replaces the old one. This year’s summit has as its theme: “Information and Communication Technologies in Africa: Challenges and Prospects for Development’. It entered a closed session Sunday afternoon following opening speeches delivered by the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Mr. Jean Ping, United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, Guest of Honour, Mr. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, President of Spain, and the outgoing chairman of the African Union, Libyan Leader, Muammar El Gaddafi, as well as the incoming Chairperson of the Union, Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi. In his acceptance speech, Dr. Mutharika expressed his and the Malawian peoples’ condolences over the tragic accident of an Ethiopian airways plane on 25 January as well as to families of victims of the Haitian earthquake. Dr. Mutharika said he would priorities food security in his term of office, adding that Africa should strive to achieve food security for its people and to feed its people before exporting. “I am, therefore, proposing that our agenda for Africa should focus on Agriculture and food security. I propose that our slogan should be “Feeding Africa through new technologies; let us act now”, the Chairperson said.
Liberia: Boakai Dedicates Country's First Peanut Butter Plant, Urges Liberians to Take Initiatives
Liberia's Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has dedicated the country first peanut butter manufacturing plant, urging Liberians to take initiatives and not just to sit supinely and look up to the government for everything.
He said unless the country has people who take initiatives and track opportunities that Liberians can take advantage of, it would be difficult to usher the country out of the scourge of poverty.
Speaking Sunday, January 31 at a program marking the dedication of Liberia's first Peanut Butter manufacturing plant in Rehab Community, Paynesville, Vice President Boakai said the Unity party-led Government "believes in people who do not just sit and expect the government to do everything", and commended Rev. Luther Tarpeh of Transformation International for taking the bold step to establish the plant.
The Liberian Vice President lamented the tendency of many citizens to attribute everything, including their failures, to the government.
"Today in Liberia everything that happens that is bad is blamed on the government. If the grass is not cut, it is the government, if someone does not eat, they hold the government responsible for this," he said.
"But in a country, the government is there to create the environment and conditions and help to bring about safety, protect citizens and help them to move around and build infrastructure and challenge its citizens to work along with the government to get things done," he added.
Vice President Boakai also challenged youths to take advantage of opportunities open to them, noting that "unless something is done to better the lot of youths who are in the majority and who are coming from a bitter experience where they were misused and were forgotten about, the nation will be heading for more problems".
He noted that unless we get our young people prepared to become responsible citizens, whatever we are doing will be just for today," Vice President Boakai emphasized.
In his introductory statement earlier, the Founder of the faith-based NGO, Transformation International, Rev. Luther Tarpeh, said the Peanut Butter manufacturing plant was established with support from the U.S. based Global Strategies for HIV Prevention and the Presbyterian Church of Fort Collins of Colorado.
"Transformation International is a movement God has raised at this moment to be able to give values, to be able to raise a new generation of young people to be responsible, God-fearing and provide leadership for the country in years to come," Rev Tarpeh said.
According to Rev. Tarpeh, Transformation International focuses on raising street kids and giving them hope, education and values that will help them to be good leaders and responsible citizens.
He said the first phase of operations of the Peanut Butter plant will be to manufacture protein food for malnourished children for distribution to health centers, while the second phase will be to manufacture peanut butter for commercial purposes.
The Informer (Monrovia)
Liberia welcomes voluntary resettlement of Haitians in Africa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Liberian president, Ellen Johnson, announced on Monday a decision to accept voluntary resettlement of Haitians to Liberia and African soil as a whole.
President Sirleaf, who is the first elected woman president in Africa, said on the sidelines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa that her country was ready to accept Haitians who are interested in re settling in Liberia "voluntarily" and in Africa as a whole.
"As you know, Liberia is home only to 3.5 million people, and we certainly have a lot of free land to welcome the Haitians to my country," said President Sirleaf, whose country is recovering from several years of conflict.
The same offer was made by President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal who has also proposed at the on-going African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa his country's proposal on Haiti.
However, it is not yet clear if the heads of state will make any decisions on the proposals or not.
Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, a number of African countries are showing their solidarity with the Haitian people, with dome extending various kinds of support to the Haitian people.
More than 100,000 people are feared to have been killed by the earthquake while thousands have been displaced.
President Sirleaf is among several African leaders attending the 14th Ordinary Summit of the African Union being held under the theme, "Information and Communication Technologies in Africa : Prospects and Challenges for Development".
Question about the forthcoming elections in Liberia, President Sirleaf reiterated her decision to be a candidate in the October 2011elections.
She also indicated that her country was currently struggling with the fight against corruption, unemployment, and the rehabilitation of infrastructure that had been destroyed during the conflict.
Source - APA
President Sirleaf, who is the first elected woman president in Africa, said on the sidelines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa that her country was ready to accept Haitians who are interested in re settling in Liberia "voluntarily" and in Africa as a whole.
"As you know, Liberia is home only to 3.5 million people, and we certainly have a lot of free land to welcome the Haitians to my country," said President Sirleaf, whose country is recovering from several years of conflict.
The same offer was made by President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal who has also proposed at the on-going African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa his country's proposal on Haiti.
However, it is not yet clear if the heads of state will make any decisions on the proposals or not.
Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, a number of African countries are showing their solidarity with the Haitian people, with dome extending various kinds of support to the Haitian people.
More than 100,000 people are feared to have been killed by the earthquake while thousands have been displaced.
President Sirleaf is among several African leaders attending the 14th Ordinary Summit of the African Union being held under the theme, "Information and Communication Technologies in Africa : Prospects and Challenges for Development".
Question about the forthcoming elections in Liberia, President Sirleaf reiterated her decision to be a candidate in the October 2011elections.
She also indicated that her country was currently struggling with the fight against corruption, unemployment, and the rehabilitation of infrastructure that had been destroyed during the conflict.
Source - APA
Monday, February 1, 2010
THE ANALYST: Govt. Privatizes Free Port Soon -
The Chairman of the National Investment Commission, Dr. Richard Tolbert, has reportedly confirmed that bidding authorities in Monrovia would release, this week, the result of the bidding process to operate and maintain the Freeport of Monrovia.
If that happened, the nation’s biggest seaport and gateway to the outside world would be in private hands – perhaps modernized and relevant to the nation’s economic recovery process and made more serviceable to the Liberian people.
Sources said they were certain that the results would be released on schedule because the committee reviewing the proposals of the two bidding companies – the Bollore Group, a leading company in port management and operation, and APM Terminals, a port operation company based in the Hague – has substantially completed analyses of the bidding offers.
Of the two bidders, the sources, the Bollore Group has offered the highest amount in the tune of US $210 million, which it feels is suitable to undertake the kind of work needed to modernize the port and also to generate the needed revenue.
Port experts have hinted that under its present state of degradation, it would take some US $200 million to modernize the Freeport of Monrovia under a 20 to 25-year contractual management contract.
They said this was especially true if the modernization takes the form of infrastructural improvement and the provision of modern port equipment to provide basic and high-demand services to the international shipping community.
According to sources, the Bollore Group, considering the financial threshold, has offered a US $210 million investment package to bring the Freeport of Monrovia to the required modern standard.
They said the Bollore Group’s investment would cover areas of the port that are in dire needs of repair and modernization.
The group has offered, the sources revealed, US $100 million for equipment, being fully aware that such a project cannot be successful without modern equipment or state of the art equipment. For the construction of the quay, Bollore has offered US $60 million; and for other infrastructure, civil, and related works – including communication, its systems, training, capacity building – it has earmarked US $50 million.
This makes the total investment package of US $210 million, an amount port experts say is far above what should be the threshold package.
With a US a package of over the threshold US $200 million, according to the experts, the Freeport become a modernized port ready to compete with such regional preferences as the Port of Abidjan.
Reports say the secret behind the modernization and serviceability of the Abidjan Port is that the Bollore Group has signed a management contract with the Ivorian government and port authority since 2004 to reverse its then deteriorating standards.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetC" );
According to the report records show that the Port of Abidjan is the most functional, up to date, and profitable port by far and for sure, in West Africa and on the Continent of Africa comparatively.
A Bollore source has meanwhile noted that believing that the port is strategic, the group saw the need make the offer that believe will make the Freeport of Monrovia a strategic global partner in the international logistics chain in the region.
As a strategic global partner, the Bollore sources said, the port would generate increased revenue by providing services to larger vessels, and certainly but critically, introducing new shipping lines.
The sources said that Bollore, which has guaranteed the services of large vessels upon the modernization of the port, believed that additional service would stimulate competition at the Freeport of Monrovia, which is currently not the case.
As much as they stimulate competition, they said, improved condition at the port would also certainly benefit Liberian shippers, seafarers, and consignees.
They said a significant advantage the Bollore Group’s package brings to the bidding competition, investment port’s General Cargo handling area.
“The Bollore group has a long-term vision and commitment for Liberia and its company in Liberia, UMARCO and the port sector,” said one Bollore source.
According to the source who preferred not to be named, the group is prepared, as it has done in other countries in Africa, to increase its investment in related sector of the transportation chain, by linking other ports of Liberia to the operation to the Freeport of Monrovia or by developing these ports’ transport facilities.
Not much is known about the background and investment package of Bollore Group’s bidding competitor, APM Terminals of The Hague, but reports said Bollore was in a better position to snatch the bid.
The Bollore Group, a Paris-based French investment and paper-energy-plantations-logistics conglomerate, is basing its bid on having a wide range of experience and know-how of break bulk, timber products, bulk, vehicle, project, oil and gas-related cargo handling virtually, across many African ports within its global network.
The group presently through one of its partners, SETV operates the port of Abidjan following the signing of a concession in October 2004. The group now has new branches in Namibia, Djibouti , Mauritania , Maputo, and Ethiopia .
Statistics of the operation in 2008 show a turnover of 75 Euros, with 309 permanent employees as well as intensive training program with a yearly budget above 500,00 Euros. The group has its presence in 41 countries, with more than 200 agencies and 16,650 permanent staff.
Financially, sources said it earns 1.600 Euros annual income and more than 200 million Euros investment; five million square mile of warehouse space.
Source: The Analyst
If that happened, the nation’s biggest seaport and gateway to the outside world would be in private hands – perhaps modernized and relevant to the nation’s economic recovery process and made more serviceable to the Liberian people.
Sources said they were certain that the results would be released on schedule because the committee reviewing the proposals of the two bidding companies – the Bollore Group, a leading company in port management and operation, and APM Terminals, a port operation company based in the Hague – has substantially completed analyses of the bidding offers.
Of the two bidders, the sources, the Bollore Group has offered the highest amount in the tune of US $210 million, which it feels is suitable to undertake the kind of work needed to modernize the port and also to generate the needed revenue.
Port experts have hinted that under its present state of degradation, it would take some US $200 million to modernize the Freeport of Monrovia under a 20 to 25-year contractual management contract.
They said this was especially true if the modernization takes the form of infrastructural improvement and the provision of modern port equipment to provide basic and high-demand services to the international shipping community.
According to sources, the Bollore Group, considering the financial threshold, has offered a US $210 million investment package to bring the Freeport of Monrovia to the required modern standard.
They said the Bollore Group’s investment would cover areas of the port that are in dire needs of repair and modernization.
The group has offered, the sources revealed, US $100 million for equipment, being fully aware that such a project cannot be successful without modern equipment or state of the art equipment. For the construction of the quay, Bollore has offered US $60 million; and for other infrastructure, civil, and related works – including communication, its systems, training, capacity building – it has earmarked US $50 million.
This makes the total investment package of US $210 million, an amount port experts say is far above what should be the threshold package.
With a US a package of over the threshold US $200 million, according to the experts, the Freeport become a modernized port ready to compete with such regional preferences as the Port of Abidjan.
Reports say the secret behind the modernization and serviceability of the Abidjan Port is that the Bollore Group has signed a management contract with the Ivorian government and port authority since 2004 to reverse its then deteriorating standards.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetC" );
According to the report records show that the Port of Abidjan is the most functional, up to date, and profitable port by far and for sure, in West Africa and on the Continent of Africa comparatively.
A Bollore source has meanwhile noted that believing that the port is strategic, the group saw the need make the offer that believe will make the Freeport of Monrovia a strategic global partner in the international logistics chain in the region.
As a strategic global partner, the Bollore sources said, the port would generate increased revenue by providing services to larger vessels, and certainly but critically, introducing new shipping lines.
The sources said that Bollore, which has guaranteed the services of large vessels upon the modernization of the port, believed that additional service would stimulate competition at the Freeport of Monrovia, which is currently not the case.
As much as they stimulate competition, they said, improved condition at the port would also certainly benefit Liberian shippers, seafarers, and consignees.
They said a significant advantage the Bollore Group’s package brings to the bidding competition, investment port’s General Cargo handling area.
“The Bollore group has a long-term vision and commitment for Liberia and its company in Liberia, UMARCO and the port sector,” said one Bollore source.
According to the source who preferred not to be named, the group is prepared, as it has done in other countries in Africa, to increase its investment in related sector of the transportation chain, by linking other ports of Liberia to the operation to the Freeport of Monrovia or by developing these ports’ transport facilities.
Not much is known about the background and investment package of Bollore Group’s bidding competitor, APM Terminals of The Hague, but reports said Bollore was in a better position to snatch the bid.
The Bollore Group, a Paris-based French investment and paper-energy-plantations-logistics conglomerate, is basing its bid on having a wide range of experience and know-how of break bulk, timber products, bulk, vehicle, project, oil and gas-related cargo handling virtually, across many African ports within its global network.
The group presently through one of its partners, SETV operates the port of Abidjan following the signing of a concession in October 2004. The group now has new branches in Namibia, Djibouti , Mauritania , Maputo, and Ethiopia .
Statistics of the operation in 2008 show a turnover of 75 Euros, with 309 permanent employees as well as intensive training program with a yearly budget above 500,00 Euros. The group has its presence in 41 countries, with more than 200 agencies and 16,650 permanent staff.
Financially, sources said it earns 1.600 Euros annual income and more than 200 million Euros investment; five million square mile of warehouse space.
Source: The Analyst
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