June 10, 2023 – Page 2 – L' Observateur Burundi

June 10, 2023

Seychelles’ Regatta back again in August at Beau Vallon

After an absence of four years, the popular Seychelles Regatta Festival will return along the northern Mahe beach of Beau Vallon from August 25-27 and funds raised will go towards the redevelopment of the site.

The event, which will celebrate its golden anniversary this year, was officially launched on Saturday at La Plaine St Andre, the premises of Takamaka – the main sponsor.

The annual Regatta which first took place back in 1973, at Beau Vallon Beach, did not take place for the past four years mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money earned from the event usually went towards a chosen cause but the President of Round Table Seychelles, Alexander Durup, said this year it will go towards the redevelopment of the site where Regatta has taken place for the last 50 years.

“For 50 years we have used the site and we feel like it has been left behind along the way. We hope to put all the money we earn this year into building a family park that will be free for all Seychellois,” said Durup.

The REGATTA50 as it’s being advertised will also see the return of Miss Regatta. Miss Regatta Seychelles is an annual beauty pageant held as part of the Seychelles Regatta Festival. It is open to young Seychellois women between 18 and 35 years old.

Also part of the event is the popular Regatta lottery which was also launched at the event, and the star prize is a Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyrider SUV.

“We wanted to bring back Regatta as Seychelles knows, where people can expect a fantastic opening ceremony, along with a couple of special things planned that I will not reveal just yet,” Durup said.

The 2023 Regatta logo was made by Seychellois artist Georges Camille. His son Alex Camille unveiled the logo on behalf of his father, along with the President of Round Table Seychelles.

The Regatta weekend will be full of activities, especially sports, and this year it will include rugby, beach soccer, beach volleyball and boxing.

They will also be as musical performances, food, drinks and many more.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

June 10, 2023

Head of State considers relations with Portugal dynamic

The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, said the relations between Angola and Portugal are dynamic, in a message for the Day of Portugal, Camões, and the Portuguese Communities which is celebrated annually on 10 June.

In the letter, published Saturday and addressed to his counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Angolan President stresses that exchanges in various sectors are the base of the dynamism in relations with Portugal.

Among the sectors, João Lourenço highlighted the institutional, business, academic, scientific and cultural ones, through which Angolans and Portuguese deepen their ties of friendship and cooperation.

The Angolan statesman added that the contacts at the highest level will help to create the bases that will boost the development and progress of both nations.

On behalf of the Angolan Government and himself, President Lourenço congratulated the people and the Portuguese government for celebrating the date, and wished the Portuguese nation health, well-being, and success.

Regarding cooperation with Portugal, there is a strong presence of Portuguese companies to operate in sectors such as construction and banking.

Portugal is also an important exporter of food products and beverages to Angola.

As for Angola, it is the main African investor in Portugal with activities ranging from energy, telecommunications and banking.

However, there are about 9,000 Portuguese companies that export to Angola, in addition to the fact that trade between the two countries in recent years has decreased significantly due to the covid-19 pandemic.

In the last three (3) years, Angola’s exports of goods to Portugal represented a total of over USD 1.2 million and USD 4.5 million in imports, according to data from the Angolan Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The figure corresponds to a negative trade balance of about USD 3.3 million

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

June 10, 2023

Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan departs on state visit to Maldives

Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan will undertake a state visit to the Maldives from June 10 to 14 at the invitation of the President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, according to State House on Saturday.

“President Ramkalawan and President Solih have previously interacted on various international platforms and most recently met on the sidelines of the 5th UN Conference of Least Developed Countries in Doha last March. Seychelles and Maldives enjoy close bonds of friendship with a wide range of shared values and common interests since the establishment of diplomatic ties in July 1980,” said the press statement.

President Ramkalawan will be accompanied on this mission to the Maldives by the First Lady, Linda Ramkalawan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde and the director general, Bilateral Affairs Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Lindy Ernesta.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

June 10, 2023

President João Lourenço congratulates Guinea-Bissau people

The Head of State, João Lourenço, congratulated Friday in Luanda the people of Guinea Bissau for the orderly and democratic manner of the legislative elections held on Sunday, 4 November, with the victory of the party coalition Inclusive Alliance Platform (PAI) – Terra Ranka.

In a message addressed to his counterpart from Guinea-Bissau, Umaru Sissokó Embaló, and to the Guinean people, the Angolan statesman highlights the fact that the Guinean people have been able, in conditions of great openness, transparency and stability, to freely choose the PAI-Terra Ranka coalition in the legislative elections.

In his dual capacity as President of the Republic of Angola and as president pro tempore of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), João Lourenço highlights the orderly, exemplary and democratic manner in which the legislative elections in Guinea-Bissau took place.

“I am convinced that Guinea-Bissau will be able to overcome the great challenge it faces, in order to build the bases on which the unity of all the living forces of the nation will be based, and that it will be up to them, in a true climate of national unity, to drive the development of your country”, reads the President’s message.

The Angolan statesman also expressed the hope that the two countries can explore their common potentials in order to conceive a bilateral cooperation based on concrete initiatives that promote the prosperity and well-being of the peoples of the two countries.

The PAI – Terra Ranka party coalition, led by Domingos Simões Pereira, who is president of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde (PAIGC), won the legislative elections in Guinea-Bissau with an absolute majority, winning 54 of the 102 seats.

The results also show that the Movement for Democratic Change (Madem-G15), led by Braima Camará, won 29 MPs, while the Social Renewal Party (PRS), led by Alberto Nambeia, won 12 and the Guinean Workers Party (PTG), led by Botche Candé, won six MPs in its electoral debut

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

June 10, 2023

German Ambassador to Cameroon reassures restitution of artifacts

The German Ambassador-designate to Cameroon, Corinna Fricke has reassured Cameroon of the return of Artifacts taken to Germany during the colonial era.

This was during an audience she had on Friday, June 9, 2023, with the Minister of Arts and Culture, Pierre Ismaël Bidoung Kwwatt.

Both officials met to discuss the stakes of plans by both countries to return the Cameroon archives and artifacts taken to Germany during the colonial era.

Her Excellency Corinna Fricke promised to continue supporting the committee set up to facilitate the restitution of these historic arts.

“During the last months, I have been attending conferences in Yaounde and one in Berlin. It was about our Cameroon past, we will cooperate with the Ministry, government, and civil society to bring back the arts from Germany” She said.

She also stated that “I am also glad about our cooperation with the family of King Rudolf Duala Manga Bell. Our Minister of State was in Douala last year and made an important speech, and now several towns in Germany have decided to give places and streets the Name Duala Manga Bell”.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

June 10, 2023

“Seychelles in your pocket”: Updated map of islands entirely hand-drawn

Tourists travelling to Seychelles will now be able to have updated maps of the islands to use during their travels with a new “Seychelles in your pocket” map.

On the pocket-sized folded map produced by a local company, Antik Colony, travellers will be able to see the map, updated with all the new features of the islands, including new roads, hotels and other places of interest.

“The map itself consists of a lot of work because it is updated yearly. We update accordingly all the developments that the country is undertaking, mostly in the tourism sector, which is more important for the visitors who come to our country and also all the updated roads to guide them to where they want to go,” the company’s director, Franca Rolfini, told SNA.

The map was part of the “Seychelles in your pocket” guidebook, which was first produced in 1987, giving tourists details of areas of interest on the islands.

Rolfini said, “At first the map was different from the ones we are printing now, in 2004, we decided to change the concept of the map to make it smaller and more easily portable – pocket friendly.”

The map has been produced completely by hand, including the drawings and most of the folding, showcasing the great craftsmanship of a young Italian, who Rolfini claims is very difficult to get in touch with.

“We have to search all over for him. He is young, yes, but he still working as if he is in the 18th century with no mobile phones and no computer. He does everything by hand, nothing digital,” added Rolfini.

This is the 17th edition of the map, which features a help card, where they can enter their names, important medical information and emergency numbers.

The maps are available to all customers for free and will also be available at the Seychelles International Airport, hotels, restaurants and other areas popular with tourists.

“It is distributed, free of charge, in order to ensure its maximum distribution, thus optimising the exposure of the products and services promoted on the map,” said Rolfini.

Source: Seychelles News Agency