Bolivarian Government of Venezuela
Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs Office of The Deputy Minister for Africa
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Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Kenya Concurrent to Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Somalia
Permanent Mission of Venezuela to the United Nations Environment programme (UNEP)and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat).
Newsletter
VOL. 2: ISSUE. 23 20th June 2016
Venezuela elected to UN Economic and Social Council
On Tuesday 15th June 2016, the president of Venezuela NicolĂĄs Maduro said that Venezuela has been elected as principal member of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Organization (UN) by 177 votes out of 193. The president announced this in a joint radio and television broadcast from the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas. In accordance with the website of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Organization, this council aims to advance the three dimensions (economic, social and environmental) of sustainable development, and is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals. It is also responsible for the follow-up to major UN conferences and summits. www.avn.info.ve
Inside this Issue!
Pg 1. Venezuela elected to UN Economic and Social Council
Pg 2. Foreign Affairs Minister Rodriguez talks with the European Union High Representative about the truth in Venezuela
Pg 3. OAS Permanent Council to address Almagro's meddling in Venezuela
Pg 4. Venezuela will be projected as a must-see tourist destination in international fairs
Pg 5. Promoting the Unknown about Africa: No more cuts during network maintenance, says Kenya Power
Foreign Affairs Minister Rodriguez talks with the European Union High Representative about the truth in Venezuela
The Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Delcy Rodriguez, on Saturday 18th June, 2016 at the headquarters of the European Union located at the Belgian capital held a working meeting with the Vice President and High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini,
the dialogue initiative in Venezuela that is accompanied by former presidents Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero (Spain), Leonel Fernandez (Dominican Republic) and Martin Torrijos (Panama); in addition to agreeing to establish an expedited communication channel between the Bolivarian Government and the European Union.
The event, billed as friendly, frank and productive for both diplomats, served to discuss and exchange views about the Venezuelan political reality and delve into the growth potential of our country.
This mission of the Bolivarian Peace Diplomacy in Europe, led by Minister RodrĂguez, continues to bring the truth about the international campaign to discredit the country that the Venezuelan opposition is irresponsibly carrying out.
At
this
meeting,
the
High
Representative of the EU, Federica Mogherini, reaffirmed her support for
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OAS Permanent Council to address Almagro's meddling in Venezuela
With 19 votes in favor, members of the Organization of American States (OAS) approved a Venezuelan led resolution requesting to address the interventionist stance by the Secretary General of this organization, Luis Almagro, against the Bolivarian nation. This was announced by Venezuela's foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez in statements to state media, after the 46th regular session of the general assembly held in the Dominican Republic. In the process, the proposal received 12 votes against, one abstention and two absences. Rodriguez explained that after these results, Almagro's interventionist behavior against Venezuela will be evaluated by the General Assembly, the highest body of the OAS, and the Permanent Council. In this regard, she said: "This is a historic decision the one taken today, 19 votes in favor says a lot about how countries have matured and moved forward, and ratified its sovereignty and independence." "There, one by one voted – said Rodriguez to support the concern of how Secretary General Almagro has illegitimately overstepped his authority, violated the rules and the organization, a
group of countries to whom we are grateful, so as we said before, it is a vote in favor of institutions of this organization." This vote in support of Bolivar's homeland has "institutionally strengthened the organization ... We are setting a new course in the organization ... We are making a new path in our region," said Rodriguez stressing that Venezuela is glad for this victory, calling it a triumph of the region and "a direct message for the Secretary General to channel his behavior in accordance with the rules and principles that are fundamental pillars of the organization." She stressed that Venezuela as a sovereign country demands a show of respect for President Nicolás Maduro. She further said that the vote is also an endorsement to the Government of Venezuela. During the meeting, OAS members also adopted the declaration of Dominican Republic ‘to condemn the validation that the OAS made on the invasion of Dominican Republic in 1965.’ www.avn.info.ve 3
Venezuela will be projected as a must-see tourist destination in international fairs
Venezuela will this year be promoted as a destination for international tourism through trade fairs that will take place in Managua, Nicaragua; Tokyo, Japan; London, England; Montreal,Canada; and in Sao Paulo, Brazil; through Venezuelan diplomatic missions in those countries.
"Venezuela is a unique country that develops jointly with social inclusion and we have more than 3,500 km of coastline in the Caribbean Sea, savannah, forests, and sand dunes, an important hotel infrastructure and human quality," he said.
"We have a lot to offer tourists and have human qualities. I think Venezuela is and will remain a country of destination and we are working so that we strengthen the presence of foreign tourists here in Venezuela," said Deputy Minister of International Tourism, Ali Padrón, in statements to Venezolana de Television on Tuesday.
He made special mention of the Mukumbarí cableway, inaugurated last April in Merida State by the President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro, a system which, as noted, shows unique characteristics not only for being the highest and longest in the world, reaching up to 4,768 meters high and more than 12.5 km long, but each of its five stations has over 70 tourist attractions.
He said that the nation last year participated in fairs in Colombia, Cuba, and England; at the International Tourism Fair of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in which Venezuela was the guest country, and this year at the fair in Beijing, China, it won a prize as the most popular stand.
He also cited the Canaima National Park in Bolivar State, one of the country's protected areas, unique in the world as well as the island of Margarita in Nueva Esparta State, which has an important hotel infrastructure, suitable beaches as well of the Venezuelan Llanos and biodiversity, among many other natural attractions.
Padrón explained that part of the activities within the Tourism promotion of the Bolivarian Economic Agenda is to strengthen the position of Venezuela as a tourist destination on the basis of its natural characteristics, which are different, and are attractive in the global arena.
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Promoting the Unknown about Africa
No more cuts during power network maintenance Homes and businesses will no longer suffer electricity cuts after Kenya Power starts live maintenance of its network. Kenya Power managing director Ben Chumo said the live maintenance will boost the utility’s sales and save companies from losses caused by electricity disruptions. The utility has been investing billions of shillings upgrading its transmission network to boost reliability of power supply, prompting electricity cuts during repairs. Kenya Power also suffers from frequent blackouts because of generation shortfalls and an ageing grid. “This is a new initiative we are deploying to ensure we minimise and eventually eliminate the need to switch off our customers to undertake repair works, routine maintenance, system reinforcement and connection of new customers,” the managing director said. “We are the second utility company in Sub- Saharan Africa after Eskom of South Africa to deploy this technology.” The live maintenance will start in Nairobi before a countrywide rollout. Kenya Power has invested Sh720 million in the first phase of the project, which saw the training of 72 technicians, while the World Bank has offered Sh202 million for the second phase.The technicians will mainly operate on 11kV, 33kV and 66kV distribution lines, which are non-high voltage lines that link homes and businesses to substations. “We are focused on bringing down energy losses in our network to a single digit figure. Live line maintenance is key in achieving this because every time we switch off a line for maintenance we lose on efficiency,” said Kenya Power chairman Kenneth Marende.
Kenya Power has invested Sh10 billion in the current financial year towards strengthening transmission to cut the losses from 17.5 per cent to below 10 per cent. The utility is losing about Sh17.5 billion annually through electricity thefts and leakages from an ageing transmission network. The firm had an earlier target of keeping the transmission losses below 15 per cent. The combination of power theft and leakages from the ageing transmission grid, which stems from the long period of underinvestment, has continued to keep the system beyond the set targets. Kenya Power recorded a six per cent growth in net profit to Sh7.43 billion for the year ended June 30. This means that system losses of Sh17.5 billion is more than twice the firm’s annual profits and equivalent to 22.4 per cent of its Sh77.8 billion sales. The inefficiency in the power flow system happens in high voltage wires, substations and low voltage lines connecting households and businesses. www.nation.co.ke
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