Author: Steven Sahiounie

Editor’s note: Hannah Ryder is the CEO of Development Reimagined, an international development consultancy based in Beijing. The article reflects the author’s opinion, and not necessarily the views of CGTN. The 27th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Egypt is over halfway through, and it is proving difficult. However, even before the tense negotiations, copious side events and challenging press briefings began, sleepless nights had begun. Negotiators were huddling to decide if and how the issue of “loss and damage financing” – the question of reparations for already committed climate…

Ethiopia’s Tigray region on Tuesday welcomed the first international aid delivery since a truce to end fighting, with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) driving two medical trucks to the conflict-ravaged area. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and Tigrayan forces signed a ceasefire on November 2 to end two years of fighting. Implementation includes unhindered access for aid to a population facing disease and famine. “It is an enormous relief for us to deliver this cargo,” Nicolas Von Arx, head of the ICRC delegation in Ethiopia, said in a statement. “The healthcare system in the region is…

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has abolished 17 political parties following their failure to comply with laws governing political parties in the country. The EC announced the decision in a statement on Monday, saying the certificates of the affected parties have been canceled since November 1. The statement explained that none of the 17 political parties had national or regional offices as required by the law of political parties. “The EC has therefore struck out the names of the 17 parties from the list of political parties registered in Ghana,” said the statement. The EC carried out a nationwide…

Namibia on Tuesday launched a program, the MenStar strategy, to promote HIV testing and treatment among men for the country to ultimately reach the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030, an official said. Speaking at the launch of the program, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services Esther Muinjangue said the government, in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Namibia Office, implemented the MenStar strategy to increase the uptake of HIV services such as testing, treatment, care, and support to retain men on treatment and achieve durable viral load…

An official from Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s smart city, said Monday that the technology hub is seeking to attract Chinese investors to boost the country’s technology sector. Lucas Omollo, the manager of ICT (information and communications technology) and Smart City Solutions in Konza Technopolis, said Chinese technology firm Huawei has already completed the construction of a data center in the smart city. “Konza Technopolis presents opportunities for other Chinese investors to come on board in order to boost Kenya’s status as a regional technology hub,” Omollo said. Konza Technopolis is a technology city located about 70 km south of the Kenyan…

Editor’s note: Mbong Akiy Fokwa Tsafack is the Head of Communication at Greenpeace Africa. The article reflects the author’s opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. As the world looks yet again with hope and anticipation to the current round of talks at the global climate conference in Egypt (COP27), it is clear that one of the most critical ways to address the climate quagmire is to make polluters pay. This climate conference has already ensured that the issue of “loss and damages” is formally discussed and it must be pushed until it delivers justice to vulnerable communities at the…

China’s Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere in a controlled manner at 7:21 a.m. Tuesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMS). Most of the spacecraft’s components burned up during the re-entry, and a small amount of its debris fell into the scheduled safe waters of the South Pacific, the CMS said. The agency had put out a notice on Monday for the spacecraft’s re-entry, mentioning the location and where the debris would fall. The CMS on Tuesday also published orbital parameters for the second-stage debris of the Long March-7 Y6 rocket, the rocket that propelled the Tianzhou-5 cargo…

China sent a new remote sensing satellite of the Yaogan-34 series into space atop a Long March-4C carrier rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 09:38 a.m. on Tuesday. The Yaogan-34 03 satellite has successfully entered its planned orbit, according to China Media Group (CMG). This satellite will be used in land resources survey, urban planning, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and control, among other areas. It was the 450th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. This article is originally published at cgtn.com

Indonesia’s Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR), jointly constructed by China and Indonesia, is expected to start trial run during the G20 Summit in the Southeast Asian country. With a total length of 142 kilometers and a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour, the Jakarta-Bandung HSR connects the capital Jakarta and its fourth largest city of Bandung. The railway will cut the travel time between the cities from three hours to just 40 minutes. The line not only increases efficiency, but is also set to drive local economy. Started in 2015, the Jakarta-Bandung HSR becomes the very first high-speed railway in…

Before playing his last FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November and December, Lionel Messi said at the show Universo Valdano that Argentina should not be distracted by the hype that described them as a major championship contender. “All national teams are tough to play against these days,” Messi told Jorge Valdano. “Every team [at the World Cup] will be difficult to beat.” Argentina ended their embarrassing 21-year-long title drought after defeating Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final last year. La Albiceleste (The White and Sky Blue, nickname of the Argentine national football team) have remained unbeaten in 35…