Tuesday February 15, 2011

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Shannon de Ryhove

Making headlines:

Nedbank chief economist Dennis Dykes said that Infrastructure degradation, water inefficiency, backlogs in providing access to basic water services, wastage and problems such as acid mine drainage were exacerbating water scarcity in South Africa, and would pose binding constraints on the economy.

Speaking at the inaugural South African Water and Energy forum in Sandton, he said that pricing policies over the medium and long term would need to come into play, and would need to be reflected in integrated national plans.

Business Leadership South Africa CEO Michael Spicer added that the pricing of water should reflect the cost of infrastructure required to deliver that resource.

Ugandans will vote in a Presidential and Parliamentary election on Friday that President Yoweri Museveni is expected to win, despite a fierce challenge from third-time rival and former ally Kizza Besigye.

Besides from extending his rule to 30 years, the main prize for Museveni would be a chance to shepherd East Africa's third-largest economy through a period of embryonic oil production, and the resulting economic and political dividends.

Besigye, the President's doctor in the bush when he was a rebel leader, now heads the four-party Inter-Party Cooperation coalition that has made deep inroads into rural areas that are the veteran President's traditional support base.

Lawyers for the Côte d'Ivoire’s incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo have asked a court in Nigeria to annul declarations by regional body the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) that his rival Alassane Ouattara won a Presidential election last November.

The Côte d'Ivoire has been in turmoil since the November 28 polls which Gbagbo claimed he won, despite United Nations certified results showing that he lost to Ouattara. The standoff threatens to rekindle a civil war in the world's top cocoa grower.

Gbagbo's legal team filed a suit at the Ecowas Court of Justice in Nigeria's capital Abuja saying that the regional body's recognition of Ouattara as President "violates the supremacy" of the Côte d”Ivoire’s Constitutional Council.

Also making headlines:

Egypt's ruling Higher Military Council hopes to finalise constitutional amendments within ten days and put them to a referendum within two months, paving the way to democratic elections, members have told youth activists.

Business Unity South Africa has requested an “urgent” meeting with Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele to discuss the widespread economic and business implications of the toll roads tariffs structure being rolled out in Gauteng.

And, Ugandan firm Taylor Biomass Energy Uganda plans to invest $160-million to build a power plant that will burn rubbish and generate 40 MW, the firm said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.