U.S. Ambassador Visits Esna and Luxor to Highlight U.S.-Egypt Partnership

Ambassador Cohen also visited historic Esna where the U.S. is working with local organizations to improve the town's potential for tourism

U.S. Ambassador Jonathan R. Cohen visited Luxor and Esna on Saturday, September 19 to reaffirm the strong U.S.-Egypt partnership in wastewater management, agribusiness strengthening, and cultural heritage preservation with Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, and Secretary General of Luxor Governorate General Emad Abou El Azayem.     In Luxor, Ambassador Cohen joined Minister…

Coronavirus - Africa: The Lion’s Share provides lifeline to wildlife tourism communities, as COVID-19 jeopardizes conservation worldwide

Critical funds raised by innovative UNDP partnership with brands to support local communities at the frontlines of conservation in Africa, Asia and Latin America

The Lion’s Share today announced new grants to support communities dependent on wildlife-based tourism – an industry that employs millions and is critical to wildlife conservation around the world, but one that has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants will fund local projects in nine countries across Africa,…

Coronavirus - Madagascar: World Bank Provides $75 Million to Mitigate the Impacts of COVID-19 and Support Recovery

The Madagascar COVID-19 Response Development Policy Financing will help close a financing gap caused by the COVID-19 crisis

The World Bank Board of Directors recently approved a US$75 million development policy operation for Madagascar to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The Madagascar COVID-19 Response Development Policy Financing will help close a financing gap caused by the COVID-19 crisis while supporting key reforms to reinforce the effectiveness and transparency of the government’s crisis response and to lay the foundation for sustained and resilient recovery. …

Coronavirus - Africa: Life after lockdown - Rebuilding tourism globally, sustainably

The global tourism standstill due to COVID-19 has cost the sector dearly, especially in countries heavily reliant on it, like small island nations. A new UN report maps how tourism could be rebuilt. For Mahmood Patel, 2020 was supposed to be a bumper year for his Barbados-based, tourism-dependent small business…

Dispatch of the third Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Team in response to the oil spill off the coast of the Republic of Mauritius

The team will leave Japan on September 2nd to undertake on-site environmental assistance activities after arriving in the country

Japan has decided to dispatch the third Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Expert Team, which consists of 6members, to the Republic of Mauritius to deal with the oil spill from the bulk carrier "WAKASHIO" which has been stranded off the coast of the country since July 25th. The team will leave…

Coronavirus - Africa: Taxing the digital economy - COVID-19 heightens need to expand resource mobilization base

The social and economic lockdowns imposed by government worldwide has pushed many individuals and companies onto online platforms to conduct their business

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore, the focus on the rapidly growing shift to a digitalised economy across the globe. The social and economic lockdowns imposed by government worldwide has pushed many individuals and companies onto online platforms to conduct their business. While other sectors of the economy have…

Coronavirus - Africa: Secretary-General’s Policy Brief on Tourism and COVID-19

90% of countries have closed World Heritage Sites, with immense socio-economic consequences for communities reliant on tourism

The Policy Brief provides an overview of the socio-economic impacts from the pandemic on tourism, including on the millions of livelihoods it sustains. It highlights the role tourism plays in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, including its relationship with environmental goals and culture. The Brief calls on the urgency of…

Coronavirus - South Africa's GDP will take at least five years to recover from COVID-19 impact, says UNDP study

The study focuses on how COVID-19 will drive temporary and long-term changes in poverty levels in South Africa

South Africa’s overall GDP is expected to decline by at least 5.1 and up to 7.9 percent in 2020 and recover slowly through 2024. This will lead to major setbacks in addressing poverty, unemployment and inequality, according to a new UNDP study on the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in South…

Coronavirus - Seychelles: H.E Vincent Meriton, Vice President and Minister for Foreign Affairs, represents Seychelles at the 40th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit of Heads of State and Government

Conducted virtually for the first time due to travel restrictions currently in place to mitigate the spread of Covid-19

The Vice President stood in for President Danny Faure at the SADC Summit meeting, which is being conducted virtually for the first time due to travel restrictions currently in place to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. On this momentous occasion which saw the United Republic of Tanzania hand over the…

Coronavirus - Africa: Health Checklist to help Airlines implement International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) COVID-19 Guidance

Take-off guidance is global standard framework of risk-based temporary measures for governments and air transport value chain for safe operations during COVID-19 crisis

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released an airline self-assessment health checklist to support the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Take-off: Guidance for Air Travel through the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis. The Take-off guidance is the global standard framework of risk-based temporary measures for governments and the air transport value…