Newsletter15

Bolivarian Government of Venezuela

Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs,Office of the Deputy Minister for Africa

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).

Vol. 3: Issue 15, 18th April, 2017

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Angel Falls is a waterfall in Venezuela. It is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, with a height of 979 meters and a plunge of 807 meters

Iran supports dialogue between the Venezuelan Government and the opposition

Inside This Issue 1. Iran supports dialogue......

The Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Iran, Bahram Qasemi says that Iran supports the continuation of negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition to settle the dispute that exists in the country. “Iran is against any kind of foreign meddling in the internal affairs of Venezuela,” Qasemi noted in reaction to the recent developments in that country.

Iran attaches importance to the security and stability in the Latin American region, the friendly country of Venezuela in particular, Qasemi stressed. The senior diplomat went on to say that the continuation of unrest in Venezuela will be of no benefit to both sides, and will just continue to increase pressure on the people of Venezuela.

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s principled policy is continuous support for Venezuela’s legitimate government coming from the people’s votes, Qasemi concluded after calling for respect of the sovereignty and independence of Caracas. www.avn.info.ve

2. UNASUR and ALBA-TCP united 3. ....the XV Political Council of Alba-TCP - ....candidate defends his favorable position to ties with ALBA 4. Direct access to health.......

5. Poster 6. Promoting the unknown about Africa

UNASUR and ALBA-TCP united in solidarity, cooperation, sovereignty and self-determination The ALBA-TCP reiterates that solidarity, cooperation, the defense of sovereignty and self-determination, participation and pluralism are principles shared by the Bolivarian Alliance for the People of Our America – People’s Trade Treaty and UNASUR for the emancipation of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean, as stated by the Secretary-General of the ALBA-TCP, Ambassador David Choquehuanca.

The Ambassador stressed that ten years after the establishment of UNASUR “the progress in the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean seems to be threatened by the emergence of conservative leaderships that are distanced from the reality of our people and are aligned with those who never wanted the unification of Latin America and the Caribbean”. Furthermore, he expressed on behalf of the Bolivarian Alliance for the People of Our America- People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA- TCP), their most sincere congratulations, when today 17th April, 2017 we celebrate the X Anniversary of the establishment of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

Choquehuanca recalled that on 17th April, 2007, the Heads of State and Governments of South America gathered in Margarita Island within the framework of the "South American Energy Summit", in which they decided to establish UNASUR. The space of integration of the Union of South American Nations was born as a legacy of the strategic vision of great political leaders of the region such as Presidents Evo Morales and Rafael Correa, the former Presidents Nestor Kirchner, Luis Ignacio Lula Da Silva and the Eternal Commander Hugo Chavez, among others.

The Secretary-General stated that creation of UNASUR overcame the colonialist ideal of an eternally divided South America, and recovered our free and sovereign identity, with diversity of visions, but with a single historical destiny that we all share. In light of the above, the Ambassador quoted the words of Simon Bolivar: "The unity of our people is not a mere figment of men, but an inexorable decree of destiny".

He highlighted that the work of UNASUR in peace, democracy and human rights matters strengthens the integration of our Great Homeland as well as the plural political dialogue, cultural diversity and social participation.

South America being declared a zone of peace is a heritage of our people, for whom we will never give up.

According to the Ambassador, peace is not merely the absence of war; poverty existing in our region can still be a worse form of violence. The inequity and inequality built and encouraged by the capitalist models are also enemies that we have to face in order to recover our human dignity.

He emphasized that in this decade, UNASUR as a space for integration has enabled us to reach important agreements on the basis of consensus. This new South American integration, that respects differences and emphasizes diversity, can demonstrate important achievements in political dialogue, participation in electoral missions and recognize the importance of achieving harmony with nature, with Mother Earth, which is essential to achieve sustainable development.

From the ALBA-TCP, Choquehuanca sends a message of recognition to the Pro Tempore Presidency of Venezuela, especially to the work of Delcy Rodriguez Gomez, Minister for People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, who has led, in various spaces, a fight in defense of this new integration, sovereignty, unity, respect, peace and independence of our people in a moment in which Latin America and the Caribbean face a new battle to defend their independence and sovereignty.“The response to the imperialist aggression must be more union, more brotherhood and more integration of our nations. Therefore, from the ALBA-TCP we encourage cooperation and convergence between the organisms of integration in the region”.

The Secretary-General concluded by stating that The ALBA-TCP, in this X Anniversary of UNASUR, recalls the words expressed by Commander Fidel Castro in the inaugural session of the Second Ibero-American Conference of Heads of State and Governments, held on 23rd July, 1992: “Divided, our people cannot guarantee their independence, the respect of those in power, the welfare we look forward to and a decent place in the world”.

Caracas, 17th April, 2017 www.alba-tcp.org

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Attacks against Venezuela were strongly rejected at the XV Political Council of Alba-TCP Member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America - Trade Treaty of the People (Alba-TCP) along with the Movements and Social Organizations of Cuba, rejected the American interference against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

At the Closing of the Fifteenth Political Council of the Alba-TCP, the sister countries and representatives of Organizations and Social Movements expressed their continuous support for the Bolivarian Revolution, led by President Nicolรกs Maduro Moros in the face of aggressions and threats from imperial centers against the homeland of Bolivar.

Likewise, the Secretary General of the Cuban Workers' Confederation (CTC) Ulises Guilarte, repudiated the interventionist actions propagated by the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, against Venezuela that they only want to fulfill the interests of the American empire.

"The Central Workers of Cuba have called for a march on May 1st to repudiate the aggressions against Venezuela and raise the flags of peace," said Guilarte.

For her part, the president of the Cuban University Student Federation (FEU), Jennifer Bello, raised her voice on behalf of the student community in support of the Bolivarian Revolution, rejecting the violent acts pushed by the Venezuelan opposition that call for foreign powers intervention .

"We demand that Venezuela and President Nicolรกs Maduro be respected ," Bello said. www.mppre.gob.ve

French candidate defends his favorable position to ties with ALBA By: Prensa Latina | Monday, 17/04/2017

The candidate of the French left believes that it is a coalition of countries in pursuit of non-military development or free trade. Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leftist leaning candidate participating in elections in France, defended his policy to strengthen ties with Latin America, and in particular with the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).

of the ALBA, which is to be members of a coalition that regroups countries in a project of cooperation for development, and not military or free trade," he defended.

The candidate defined France as a universal and non-Western nation, and then enumerated the overseas departments of Gauls existing in Africa and America. As part of its program, the candidate proposes to remove Paris from the European Union and also from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In this last case, the politician affirms that it is an alliance based on a Western and militaristic conception, completely subordinated with the American interests.

At a large rally held in the southern city of Toulouse, the leader of the France Insumisa movement highlighted the country's presence in that region through the overseas departments, in reference to territories such as Guyana, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Thus he responded to the numerous attacks against him in recent days, by some media and rival politicians who question his desire for showing closeness and even inclusion in the ALBA.

The most recent polls place Melenchon third in the vote, with an estimated 20 percent support from the electorate surpassed only by right-wing Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron, at around 23 percent .

Melenchon said that such an initiative is not a crazy idea, as France, through its overseas territories, is already an associate member of regional organisations such as the Association of Caribbean States. "Yes, we will seek to be members of the ALBA, which is to be members

www.aporrea.org

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Democratizing direct access to health is a priority of Bolivarian Revolution Democratizing access to health in its different stages is one of the priorities of the Bolivarian Revolution and proof of this have been the continuing policies created in recent years, such as the Mission Barrio Adentro, launched in 2003 by the socialist leader Hugo Chavez, with the premise of providing health care in a direct and free way to all segments of the population.

In the case of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the Venezuelan government is responsible for ensuring free treatment to treat them. In 2016, $ 8 million was invested in the purchase of antiretrovirals.

Venezuela's Health System also includes the Mission Negra Hipolita, a social program aimed at strengthening the policies for rescuing and assisting homeless people, people with low self-esteem problems that can degenerate into different levels of depression and / or addiction, and are addressed and treated for their reintegration into the process of social, family and productive development of the country.

After 14 years, this health policy has diversified and to strengthen its expansion, the national government created the Special Coverage Plan Barrio Adentro (2016 -2017), whose goal is to reach the whole country in April this year. The objective of the plan is to provide primary, preventive and community health care, which is complemented by specialized care in recently created hospital centers to expand access to citizens.

In addition, the Bolivarian Government invests 70% of the national budget in social policies of this type, which aim to strengthen fundamental rights such as health, education and food, sectors prioritized by the revolution that have policies to protect the people and improve their quality of life.

In addition to Barrio Adentro, there are many social programs developed to bring comprehensive care to the population through the National Public Health System.

www.avn.info.ve

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Bolivarian Government of Venezuela

Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs office of the Deputy Minister for Africa

Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Kenya concurrent to Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and5Somalia

Permanent Mission of Venezuela to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat).

KENYA:

RWANDA:

PROMOTING THE UNKNOWN ABOUT AFRICA

UGANDA: TANZANIA: SOMALIA:

Rwanda’s achievement in the energy sector

Building the first peat-fired power plant in Africa Rwanda recently celebrated the opening of its first $39.2M project peat-fired power plant at Gishoma in the western part of the country. It is the first of its kind in Africa.

Another larger peat plant, costing $350M is under development in Gisagara to the east. The plan is for Gishoma to start feeding 15MW of electricity into the national grid imminently, and Gisagara 80MW by 2019.

The Rwandan government is hoping to achieve its goal of connecting 70% of the country’s 11.7 million people to power by 2018. This is a near three-fold increase on the number connected at present. The peat-to-power plant will contribute to this goal, and further increase the installed capacity of the nation. This will reduce Rwanda’s reliance on expensive imports of diesel oil for power generation.

At the moment, only 25% of households have access to the 190MW of power generated in country. But over the next two years the capacity is projected to reach 563MW in line with national development goals. This increase will be made possible in part through the harnessing of power from peat.

Peat power

Peat provides an effective energy source when dried, comprising a minimum of 30% organic matter. It develops under anaerobic conditions, where waterlogging significantly slows or prevents the decomposition of dead vegetation. As the vegetation grows in the surface layers, it absorbs atmospheric carbon through the process of photosynthesis.

When it dies, this carbon is stored in the accumulating substrate which is peat.

Peatlands are found across the world. But they are concentrated within certain regions where high humidity or low temperatures reduce the rate of decomposition. These include the coastal lowlands of southeast Asia or northern Russia’s permafrost zones. Despite covering just 3% of the world’s ice-free land surface, peatlands store up to 30% of its total soil carbon stock. This makes them the most efficient carbon storage facility we have.

Rwanda energy mix

Rwanda’s energy comes from a diverse mix of renewable sources. Hydro-power is the main contributor at 59%, followed by thermal (40%) and methane (1%). There are also ambitious plans for off-grid power from solar.

Peat power is considered one of these more sustainable indigenous sources of energy. It has the potential to contribute nearly 20% to the national energy supply in five years’ time.

It’s estimated that there will be sufficient peat deposits to power Rwanda for 30 years, or some proportion of the country at least. The enhanced power that will come from the Gishoma and Gisagara peat-to-power plants is seen as an important part of the country’s development provision.

The plans are enabled through financial support from the African Finance Corporation, the Development Bank of Rwanda and Finnfund, the Finnish Development Finance Company, among other lenders. Finland has expertise in peat extraction and its use in the energy industry, with an average of 5% of its national supply coming from peat. This was encouraged by subsidies until recently.

But where is Rwanda’s peat?

The Gishoma plant is nestled within the Nyungwe Forest National Park.

This is anuntouched natural rainforest that is filled with exciting biodiversity. The park’s website boasts of the presence of hundreds of species of trees and orchids within the park, such as the swamp-dwelling Eulophia horsfellii. It’s also host to numerous plants species of medicinal value, like the East African satinwood, Zanthoxylum gilletii, and to one of the last stable populations of chimpanzees in East Africa. But there is no mention of peat. It’s evidently not a key feature for the average tourist.

There are vast areas of peatlands across the Tropics that we are only now starting to map and understand their full extent and carbon content. For example, it was only a few months ago that the first map of the world’s largest tropical peat complex was published.

Around 145,500 square kms of peat swamp forest was found in the central Congo Basin.

There may well be vast resources of peat in Rwanda that local residents have known about for years, or that the Finns have sniffed out recently, of which science has yet to be told or be concerned about. But whatever the scenario defining the nation’s peaty asset and wherever it is exactly, it is unlikely to be there for much longer if peat-to-power generation continues to be Rwanda’s cost competitive energy solution. www.econotimes.com 6