Cameroon signed an agreement to rehabilitate two hydroelectric dams on the Sanaga River that produce most of the country's electricity. The $1.7 million project will be led by AES-SONEL and funded through loans to be completed by 2011. The EU will grant $650 million over five years to support infrastructure development in East Africa, focusing on roads critical for trade. Cameroon launched a $260,000 aquaculture development project to promote sustainable fish farming and meet domestic demand, as coastal fish stocks have dwindled.

1. Veille 16 EN
Cameroon : two hydro-electric dams to be rehabilitated
The government of Cameroon signed on 16 September an agreement worth FCFA 75
billion (€ 1.143 million) with AES-SONEL. The Cameroonese subsidiary of American
AES Corp., is to rehabilitate the hydro-electric dams of Edea and Song-Loulou, on the
river Sanaga, which ensure 2/3 of the country’s electricity production. The Swiss
subsidiary of Austrian company VA TECH will be the technical partner for the work,
which is due to be completed in 2011 and create 800 jobs. It will be funded for 30% by
AES’ own resources and 70% by loans from international financial institutions.
PANA, 17 September 2008
http://www.afriquenligne.fr/cameroun:-75-milliards-fcfa-pour-le-secteur-electrique-
2008091812371.html
Infrastructure : EU grants € 650 million to East African Community
The EU is to grant an amount of € 650 million over the next five years to the regional
integration programme in the East African Community (EAC). The funds will serve
mainly to support the development of infrastructure in the region, with particular
emphasis on the road network, essential for trade.
East African Standard (Kenya), 9 October 2008
http://www.eastandard.net/business/InsidePage.php?id=1143996619&cid=14&
Cameroon : FAO funds aquaculture development project
The Cameroonese government launched on 24 September a project to develop fish-
farming (aquaculture) worth an estimated FCFA 171 million (€ 260 000). This project, to
which FAO will contribute FCFA 155 million (€ 236 000), will seek to promote
sustainable fish-farming, in particular by training fish-farmers. “Aquaculture today is the
only option for Cameroon, because its coasts no longer have enough fish”, said the
project’s national coordinator Fotso Kamga. Cameroon today produces 5 000 tons of fish
per year, which equals 2% of the nation’s needs, according to official statistics.
Afrique en ligne 24 September 2008
http://www.afriquenligne.fr/cameroun:-lancement-d'un-projet-de-developpement-
d'aquaculture-2008092412788.html
East Africa : reduce fishing and increase aquaculture in Lake Victoria
An expert study on fishing reform calls for a 40% decrease in fishing activity on Lake
Victoria to prevent the depletion of stocks of Nile Perch in the lake. The report, entitled
“The Sunken Billions: The Economic Justification for Fisheries Reform”, was published
by the World Bank (WB) and FAO on 8 October. It recommends the development of
aquaculture to preserve fish stocks.
The Daily Nation (Kenya) 10 October 2008
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/478862/-/tky2eo/-/index.html
SMEs : Ecobank and IFC develop credit

2. African private banking group Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) and the
International Finance Corporation (IFC – World Bank group), announced on 30
September that they are joining forces to support the African banking sector. The two
institutions are committed to increase their loans to small and medium enterprises which
have difficulty accessing credit. The IFC will make available to ETI for this purpose, a
series of financial mechanisms amounting to $ 213 million.
Les Afriques.com 30 September 2008
http://www.lesafriques.com/afrique/ecobank-s-allie-avec-la-sfi-pour-doper-les-prets-aux-
pme.html?Itemid=64?articleid=9846
African private sector : Japan grants $ 300 million loan to ADB
Japan granted on 11 September a loan worth ¥ 32,1 billion ($ 300 million) to the African
Development Bank (ADB). The loan is intended to support the private sector in Africa
under the “Enhanced Private Sector Assistance (EPSA) for Africa” programme.
ADB press release 12 September 2008
http://appablog.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/afdb-and-japan-exchange-notes-and-sign-
loan-agreement-2/
Congo : UNIDO programme for the relaunch of agro-industry
The United Nations Organization for Industrial Development (UNIDO) will support the
integrated post-conflict industrial relaunch programme in the Republic of Congo. This
was announced on 12 September in Brazzaville by UNIDO experts. The programme is
intended for small and medium enterprises in the agro-industrial sector. The agro-
industry sector head for UNIDO, Amadi Ouwahoui, said that the development of these
enterprises implies that production should be diversified. The programme is due to start
in Congo in 2009.
Africatime.com 15 September 2008
http://www.africatime.com/Congo/nouvelle.asp?no_nouvelle=424372&no_categorie=
East Africa : developing banana as a cash crop
A conference for the development of banana (sweet and plantain) as a cash crop for
export was organized from 7 to 9 October in Mombasa (Kenya), by the International
Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. Farmers, scientists and policy-makers from around the world seek to
formulate a ten-year strategy to develop commercial banana cultivation.
Daily Monitor (Ouganda) 7 October 2008
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/business_power/Uganda_takes_steps_to_turn_
bananas_into_cash_crop_72717.shtml
Togo : links with EU resumed
Togo’s links with the EU resumed at the “Conférence des partenaires du développement
du Togo”, held on 18 and 19 September in Brussels. Louis Michel, the European
Commissioner for Development Assistance, indicated that Togo would benefit from “a
basic allocation of € 95.5 million, to which is added an incentive tranche for the
governance programme worth 25%, for a total of € 123 million for the 2008-
2013 period”.

3. EU press release 19 September 2008
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/08/444&format=HT
ML&aged=0&language=FR&guiLanguage=fr
EPA : Accra summit fails to resolve differences
The leaders of 79 ACP states (African, Caribbean, Pacific) acifique) met in Accra
(Ghana) on 2 and 3 October for the “6th
Annual Summit of ACP Heads of State and
Government”. This meeting did not resolve the disagreements concerning the Economic
Partnership Agreements (EPAs). A delegation will travel to Brussels in November to
pursue negotiations. The Agreements provide for reciprocal opening of markets.
AFP 5 October 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hzBNfpEf2tJO9cpuWRbOvT8dk4rQ
Foreign trade : Africa’s share declines
The UNCTAD report entitled “Economic Development in Africa 2008” says that the
share of Africa in international trade fell from 6 to 3% in the past two decades despite
efforts to liberalize. The report explains the decline by the difficulty in Africa to produce
goods of the quality and quantity demanded by the international market. It refers among
others to the restrictions imposed in the 1990s on the import of fish from Kenya,
Mozambique, Uganda and Tanzania. Link to the report :
http://unctad.org/Templates/Webflyer.asp?docID=10370&intItemID=2068&mode=&lan
g=2
The Citizen (Tanzania) 18 September 2008
http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=7816
African business : a changing landscape
The emergence of multinational companies in Africa is changing the business landscape,
says South African Business Day. The paper says these companies are developing
regional and continental strategies, competing with their counterparts from South Africa,
Asia and the West.
Business day (South Africa) 26 September 2008
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A851100
Nigeria : Forum on self-employment for young entrepreneurs
A forum for young entrepreneurs in West Africa, the West-African Youth
Entrepreneurship Summit (WA-YES) was held at Ibadan, in south-west Nigeria, on 25
September, on the issue of “Development through know-how”. The forum was organized
jointly by the Distance Learning Centre (DLC) of the University of Ibadan and
Association pour la Communication sur le Développement et l'Environnement
(ADCOME) from Cameroon. The forum aims to be a venue for regional exchanges for
young entrepreneurs, as well as for companies, micro-credit institutions, institutions
supporting business development and concerned government agencies in West Africa and
Cameroon.
PANA 25 September 2008
http://www.africanmanager.com/detail_article.php?art_id=118701

4. SMEs : panafrican ECOWAS forum on competitiveness
The first meeting of the Pan African Competitiveness Forum (PACF) of the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was held on 26 September in Accra
(Ghana). This meeting assembled Ghanaian and Nigerian delegates who discussed the
strategy to improve the competitiveness of regional SMEs.
Joyonline.com 26 September 2008
http://news.myjoyonline.com/business/200809/21028.asp
Agriculture : African leaders plead for investments
African leaders pleaded at the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on
29 September for investment in agriculture in developing countries, to replace food aid
and enable them to face the challenges of development.
APA 2 October 2008
http://www.alpha-2.info/temoignages-re-A-L-ONU-Les-dirigeants-africains-plaident-l-
investissement-a-la-place-de-l-aide_a3620.html
West Africa : agriculture could benefit from rains
Abundant rainfall following drought could benefit West African agriculture and “the
agro-pastoral season could be good, if there is no invasion of insects”, says the head of
the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), Hervé Ludovic De
Lys. "West Africa for long had to manage water shortages. Now it has to manage
excessive rains” he said.
AFP 8 September 2008
http://www.romandie.com/infos/news2/080908150133.yfbbe4r9.asp
SMEs : Forum for the Pacific islands
Representatives of the private sector of 14 ACP member countries met in Samoa on 15-
16 October at a forum for small, medium and micro-enterprises with the support of the
ACP business climate fund “BizClim”. It was organized by the Pacific Islands Private
Sector Organisation (PIPSO), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the
government and Chamber of Commerce of Samoa.
PIPSO Press release 26 September 2008
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0809/S00634.htm
http://www.forumsec.org/
Telecoms : a new mobile phone network in the Solomon islands
Irish phone operator Digicel is on the point of launching its cell-phone network in the
Solomon islands. Since the mobile phone industry was deregulated in the Pacific, Digicel
has launched networks in Samoa, Papua, Tonga, Vanuatu and Fiji.
Radio Australia 7 October 2008
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200810/s2384425.htm?tab=latest
Tonga : AsDB private sector assessment
The Asian Development Bank (AsDB) private sector assessment for Tonga was
published on 8 October 2008. At its launch, Tonga Prime Minister Feleti Sevele stated

5. that this publication “outlines ways in which Tonga may be made a more attractive and
profitable country to invest in”. The report looks at recent economic reforms in the
country and its initiatives to encourage private sector development. Link to the report :
http://www.adb.org/Documents/Reports/PSA/TON/default.asp
Pacific Magazine (Hawai) 8 October 2008
http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/10/08/appraisal-of-tongas-private-sector-
launched-by-adb
Pacific : record profits for Papua New Guinea Credit Corporation
Papua New Guinea Credit Corporation, a credit and real estate company with operations
in Papua, Fidji, Vanuatu and the Solomon islands, announced a 346% rise in its profits,
which reached $ 93 million, for the first semester of this year. The company’s manager
said the investments that had generated these profits were in countries which had not yet
felt the impact of the global financial crisis. The company announced that it holds total
assets worth $ 313 million.
Radio Australia 24 September 2008
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200809/s2373295.htm?tab=latest
Bahamas : globalization conference and trade show
An event entitled “Globalization Conference” took place 2 to 4 October in the Bahamas.
At the same time, the “Bahamas Business Trade Show” brought together local business
operators. This event is an initiative of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and the
Bahamas Hotel Association, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and the Inter-
American Development Bank (IDB).
Bahama Islands Info 23 September 2008
http://www.bahamaislandsinfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1
636:globalization-conference-and-bahamas-business-trade-show-to-feature-international-
and-local-experts-on-trade-globalization-finance-and-competition&catid=61:nassau-and-
paradise-island-news&Itemid=164
Pacific : EU cooperation against illegal fishing
The first Ministerial meeting between the European Union and the Pacific Islands Forum
(PIF) took place in Brussels on 16 September. Representatives of Niue, Tonga, Australia
and European delegates determined the priority areas for cooperation between the EU and
the PIF : combating illegal fishing and climate change. The Forum’s 16 members are :
Australia, Cook islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New
Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua-New Guinea, Solomon islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and
Vanuatu.
The Australian : http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24359250-
12377,00.html
Fisheries : joint maritime surveillance in the Pacific
The largest maritime surveillance exercise in the Pacific, “Kurukuru 2008”, enabled the
localization of 300 foreign fishing vessels in the area covered, of which 20 were further
investigated. Covering and area of 10.6 million km² — including the Exclusive Economic
Zones (EEZ) of the Cook islands, Kiribati, Samoa, the Solomon islands, Tonga, Tuvalu

6. and Vanuatu —Kurukuru 2008 involved surveillance staff and police from all these
countries and their counterparts from Australia, New Zealand, France and the United
States during the 12 days of surveillance.
Solomon Times 15 September 2008
http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=2576