or the following one for loading the Bootstrap library from jsDelivr: -- End of the comment -->
Connect with us

Featured

Blast at Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Published

on

As the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip continues, 2.3 million Palestinians remain trapped as Israel announced a total blockade of the enclave – no water, no fuel and no electricity – in the wake of Hamas’s deadly attack on October 7.

Efforts to open the Rafah crossing have so far not yielded any results, with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry saying Israel has yet to allow the opening of the crossing, which connects Gaza to Egypt. He added that Cairo aimed to keep the crossing operational.

Egypt is expected to deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance to beleaguered Palestinians in the enclave but has rejected proposals to accept Gaza Palestinians into its borders.

So, what is the crossing that Egypt controls, how is Egypt tied to Gaza amid the continuing conflict and what happens next?

What is the Rafah crossing?

About a million Palestinians have already been displaced as a result of intense Israeli bombing, and an Israeli order to evacuate northern Gaza in preparation for an apparent ground offensive.

Tens of thousands of people have been sheltering in UN schools while the medical situation is at breaking point.

The Rafah crossing, located in the southern part of Gaza bordering Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, is the only way to cross into Egypt and serves as a vital link between Gaza and the rest of the world.

Both Israel and Egypt enforce strict control over the passage of people and goods as part of an earlier blockade imposed in 2007 after Hamas came to power.

The crossing is increasingly coming up in negotiations between different parties as they try to navigate the war that erupted on October 7 when Hamas fighters entered Israel and began launching rockets, killing at least 1,400 people so far. Israel has since killed at least 2,700 Palestinians in a relentless bombing campaign in the past eight days.

Rafah was closed after the start of the conflict, as Israel repeatedly bombed it. Egypt claims its own side of the crossing remains operational, but the Israeli air strikes have significantly damaged infrastructure on the Palestinian side.

Hundreds of tonnes of aid from NGOs and several countries were waiting on trucks in the nearby Egyptian town of El Arish on Monday for permission to enter Gaza, two sources there and a witness told Reuters.

Egypt’s Sinai peninsula and Gaza

The Sinai peninsula, which also borders Israel, is located between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the south. As the only part of Egypt to be located in Asia, it acts as a land bridge between Asia and Africa.

The Sinai was controlled by the Ottoman Empire for centuries until the 19th century, subsequently falling into the hands of the British colonial power, which maintained control till the mid-20th century.

Sinai was captured by Israel in the wake of the Six-Day War with Arab states in 1967. Israel returned Sinai to Egypt after the Camp David Accords brokered by the United States. Egypt became the first Arab nation to officially recognise Israel as part of the peace deals. Israel fully withdrew from the Sinai peninsula by 1982.

The Gaza Strip, which was under Egyptian control from 1948 to 1967, came under Israeli occupation. Israel would maintain its hold over Gaza for about 40 years before withdrawing under international pressure in 2005.

What about aid and refugees?

Hundreds of tonnes of aid on more than 100 trucks has arrived in Sinai from countries including Jordan and Turkey, with Egypt opening up its airport in El Arish to accommodate them.

The trucks are lined up in the northern parts of the peninsula close to Gaza and are ready to enter through the Rafah crossing once an agreement is reached to open it.

But despite visits by top United States and European officials to Egypt, Israel  has rejected safe passage for the aid trucks, so the crossing remains closed.

That has meant that foreigners and dual-national Palestinians trapped in the blockaded enclave have also been unable to cross into Egypt, pending an agreement.

The situation is different for Palestinians without any other nationalities, as it appears Egypt does not plan to allow them entry based on national security considerations.

Egypt, which hosts about nine million migrants already from Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Libya and elsewhere, and on top of that is facing an economic crisis, is reluctant to simply open the Rafah crossing to hundreds of thousands of more refugees.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

Vivo Energy Uganda announces Joanita Mukasa Menya as new Managing Director.

Published

on

By

Vivo Energy Uganda, the company that
distributes and markets Shell-branded fuels and lubricants, announced today that the
Managing Director, Johan Grobbelaar, will be leaving to take on a new role within the Vivo
Energy Group.
Under Johan Grobbelaar's leadership, Vivo Energy Uganda solidified its market-leadership
position by expanding the Shell service stations network, launching sustainability projects,
and driving innovation in its services. His commitment to operational excellence and
customer satisfaction has been a driving force behind the company’s sustained growth and
success in the downstream energy sector in Uganda.
Joanita Mukasa Menya is appointed Managing Director of Vivo Energy Uganda with
effect from September 1st. With extensive experience in sales and management, she
was previously employed at Unilever Uganda Limited as Country Lead and at Nestle
Equatorial Africa, where she served as Country Lead for Uganda and regional markets.
She is recognised for her innovative approach to leadership, business strategy and
excellence in delivering sales targets.
With Vivo Energy recently marking its tenth anniversary in Uganda, her strategic acumen,
experience and in-depth business knowledge of the sector makes her an excellent choice
to lead the company into its next stage of growth.
Menya, a certified transformational coach and the company's first female Managing
Director, envisions Vivo Energy Uganda continuing to focus on innovation, customer-
centric services, and sustainable business growth as key components of its future.
“I am honoured to take on this role at such an exciting time for Vivo Energy Uganda. I look
forward to building on the strong foundation laid by Johan and leading the company
towards even greater achievements,” said Menya.
Commenting on the leadership change, Hans Paulsen, the Executive Vice President for
East and Southern Africa at Vivo Energy, said: “We are immensely grateful to Johan
Grobbelaar for his outstanding contributions to Vivo Energy Uganda. Under his leadership,
the company has achieved remarkable milestones and strengthened its position in the
market. We are equally excited to welcome Joanita Mukasa Menya as the new Managing
Director. Joanita’s expertise and vision align perfectly with our strategic goals, and we are
confident she will continue to drive the company’s success in Uganda.”
ENDS.

Notes to editors:
The Vivo Energy Group operates and markets its products in countries across North, West, East,
Southern Africa and in the Ocean Islands. The extended Group has a network of over 3,900 service
stations in 28 markets operating under the Engen and Shell brands and exports lubricants to a
number of other African countries. Its retail offering includes fuels, lubricants, card services,
convenience stores, restaurants, and other non-fuel services. It provides fuels, lubricants, liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG) and chemicals to business customers across a range of sectors including
marine, aviation, mining, construction, power, transport, agriculture and manufacturing.  It is
continuing to develop innovative energy solutions to enhance sustainability.
The company employs around 6,000 people and has access to over 2.1 billion litres of fuel storage
capacity.

For more information about Vivo Energy, please visit www.vivoenergy.com.

Continue Reading

Business

OVER UGX 1 BILLION: KYAZANGA MASON AND BUDUDA CASUAL WORKER CLAIM THEIR SHARE OF THE OVER UGX 1 BILLION LOTTO JACKPOT

Published

on

By

– August 9, 2024 – ITHUBA Uganda, the official operator of the
Uganda National Lottery, is thrilled to announce the first 2 winners of the historic
LOTTO jackpot Draw on August 3, 2024. Samuel Mbonimpa, a mason from Kyazanga,
Lwengo District and Zeverio Namisi, a factory worker from Kawempe have emerged as
the first 2 winners to claim their winnings out of the lucky 5 winners who won their share
of the UGX1 Billion LOTTO jackpot.


Mbonimpa, 30 years old travelled to Kampala for the first time on Thursday to claim his
share of over UGX 1 billion at the ITHUBA Head Office after playing the LOTTO draw
17 on Saturday, August 3, 2024, using the USSD code *278#. The Division 5 prize of
UGX 932,340,000 will be shared among five winners who matched four of the six
winning numbers.
The second jackpot winner to come forth and claim his windfall is Zeverio Namisi, 27
years old, a factory loader in Kawempe. Namisi who played at a Kenkom shop and
clinched over UGX 186 million with a wager of UGX 9000.
Michelle Van Trotsenburg, Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at ITHUBA
Uganda, congratulated the winners and expressed pride in celebrating this monumental
moment with all jackpot winners.
She stated, "We are delighted to celebrate this life changing moment with the winners of
Uganda’s largest LOTTO jackpot. It’s a testament to the trust that Ugandans have
placed in our National Lottery after only nine weeks, from June 1, 2024, when we
started ticket sales."
Winners are encouraged to come forward and claim their prizes at ITHUBA Uganda's
offices.
If your numbers match our draw results, visit any registered retailer or the location
where you purchased your ticket to validate it. Those who played via USSD and the
website can check their numbers using https://nationallottery.go.ug/info/ticket_checker

“As Ugandans celebrate Namisi and Mbonimpa's success, we encourage the other
three jackpot winners to come forward and claim their winnings at ITHUBA Uganda's
head offices. If you believe you are one of the lucky winners from this draw or any other
previous draws held by the Uganda National Lottery, please visit any registered retailer
or location where you purchased your ticket to validate it,” Michelle Van Trotsenburg
added.
For more information about the Uganda National Lottery, upcoming draws, and how to
play, please visit www.nationallottery.go.ug or follow us on our social media channels.
For enquiries please contact the toll free Player Helpline at 0800 334433.
Winnings are tax free
Players must be 18 years or older. Play responsibly.

Continue Reading

Business

MTN Uganda Kicks Off the MTN ICT Expo 2024 Accelerating Business Transformation with Digital Technology.

Published

on

By

MTN Uganda successfully held the inaugural MTN ICT Expo 2024, a landmark event set to revolutionize Uganda's digital
landscape.
The Expo, held on the 1st and 2nd of August at the prestigious Mestil Hotel, brought
together industry leaders, innovators, and key stakeholders to explore the transformative
power of digital technology under the theme ‘Accelerating Business Transformation with
Digital Technology.
Building on the resounding success of the inaugural MTN ICT Solutions Conference in 2023,
this year’s Expo, endorsed by the Ministry of ICT, aimed to further establish MTN Uganda as
a pioneer in technology solutions. The event focused on four pivotal service areas: Cloud
Solutions, Unified Communications, Internet of Things, and Digital Services.
 Cloud Solutions: Enabling businesses to store, manage, and process data through
cloud-based platforms, enhancing scalability and reducing IT costs. Examples
include MTN's cloud storage services and data backup solutions.
 Unified Communications: Integrating various communication tools such as voice,
video, messaging, and conferencing into a single cohesive system, improving
collaboration and productivity. MTN's solutions include VoIP services and virtual
meeting platforms.
 Internet of Things (IoT): Connecting devices and systems to the internet to collect
and exchange data, enabling smarter operations and automation. Examples include
MTN's smart agriculture solutions and connected home devices.

MTN Uganda | Media Release

 Digital Services: Offering a range of digital tools and platforms that enhance
business operations and customer experiences. These include MTN's mobile money
services, e-commerce platforms, and digital marketing solutions.
The Guest of honor, Hon. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary of the Uganda
Ministry of ICT and National Guidance. commended MTN Uganda for organizing the MTN
ICT Expo and thanked all participating partners. “The government recognizes the private
sector’s crucial role in the Digital Transformation Roadmap for Uganda, which aligns with our
2040 vision. We appreciate MTN’s leadership in driving digital transformation and supporting
youth skilling,” said Hon. Zawedde
In her remarks, Sylvia Mulinge, CEO of MTN Uganda, emphasized the company's
unwavering dedication to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in ICT. "MTN Uganda's
commitment to investing in countrywide network coverage, sustainable and green data
centers across the country, and digital skills development for the young workforce aligns with
our Ambition 2025 to lead digital solutions for Uganda and Africa at large," said Mulinge.
"We are proud to drive Uganda's digital transformation and support both the private and
public sectors with our cutting-edge technologies."
Ibrahim Senyonga, General Manager of MTN’s Enterprise Business Unit (EBU),
highlighted the vital role of digital technologies in driving efficiency, innovation, and growth in
enterprises. "Our partnerships with leading companies such as Bayobab, Chenosis, ,
Infobip, , Galooli, Chrif Group, Cisco and Microsoft have enabled us to offer a
comprehensive range of enterprise solutions that cater to the unique needs of businesses,"
said Senyonga. "The MTN ICT Expo is a testament to our commitment to enabling
enterprises to thrive in the digital age."
MTN Uganda has been a crucial driver of digital transformation in the country, with
substantial investments in infrastructure, innovation, and partnerships. The company has
greatly expanded mobile and fiber network coverage, enhancing internet accessibility across
Uganda. MTN's Mobile Money service has revolutionized financial inclusion, offering millions
of Ugandans access to digital payments and financial services. Additionally, MTN has made
significant strides in deploying 4G and 5G technologies, fostering a dynamic digital
ecosystem through collaborations with various sectors, and promoting digital literacy to
empower individuals and businesses.
MTN Uganda has also supported several significant national digital transformation projects,
including the First National Digital Census and Digital Agent Payments, facilitating efficient
data collection and financial transactions, and UCC RUCUSAF Projects, connecting 4,200
homesteads to digital platforms.
The MTN ICT Expo 2024 showcased the latest innovations and underscored the profound
impact of technology on businesses, the public sector, and the broader community.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2021 SmartNews | All Rights Reserved | POWERED BY OVERSIGHT