1. bibi says “infiltrators” from Africa dangerous to israel — another barrier needed to save israel. you know it must be hard to be as wonderful as israel.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday warned that ongoing illegal African immigration posed a threat to Israel, and announced that he will ask the government to endorse a plan to erect a barrier along Israel’s border with Egypt to prevent infiltration from Africa. The barrier is meant to prevent an expected “flood” of African immigrants seeking jobs in Israel, Netanyahu said.
According to Netanyahu’s plan, border guards and electronic systems will safeguard the proposed barrier, which will be partly above ground. In addition tothe barrier, the government will work to increase law enforcement against employers who hire illegal foreign workers.
Addressing the Manufacturers Association General Assembly, Netanyahu warned that African immigrants infiltrating Israel from Egypt were changing the “demographic landscape” in Israel. “I don’t know if you have been to Eilat and have seen what’s going on there. In Tel Aviv there are places you wouldn’t recognize, this is something that must be stopped,” Netanyahu said.
The problems are accumulating and could have disastrous implications if they are not solved, the prime minister warned. “One of the problems is the result of Israel’s successful economy- the economy is currently considered as developed, and in international comparisons we are weathering the financial crisis better than almost all the developed countries. The outcome is that we are rising up towards the First World. Unfortunately, this is not the situation in the Third World,” Netanyahu explained. “Some of the states and economies in our area are suffering immensely. That is the reason for the attraction- our economy is growing, and in the process attracts people from underdeveloped countries. In fact, Israel is the first and only country that people from the most economically deprived countries in the world can reach by foot,” Netanyahu said. “The illegal immigration of illegal workers to Israel may increase, changing our demographic landscape,” Netanyahu added, warning of “negative” social, cultural and national implications. “It must be stopped,” he concluded.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1263147945689
2. Kenyan government to continue with crackdown on illegal immigrants
The Minister said security forces were concerned with the dangers posed by illegal aliens in the country, particularly Somalia’s Al-Shabaab sympathisers whom he blamed for taking part in demonstrations last Friday….The Internal security minister maintained that the Jamaican cleric Sheikh Al-Faisal stay in the country pretense a great danger to the national security and the government was working on modalities to deport him in his country of origin and it was only a matter of time before he was deported. Newstime Africa has however learnt that Al-Faisal could be deported tonight since he is to appear in court tomorrow following court ruling last week that he do so.
3. police and private security in Africa, and dangerous partnerships — corruption as police protection becomes something you pay for
With crime on the rise and government police forces ill-equipped and distrusted by many of the people they are supposed to serve, Africa’s well-to-do are turning to private security companies for protection. But at what cost to the public? Investigation.
…the absence of police protection for the majority while private companies guard the wealthy few is common all over Africa.
Historically African police units were tools of colonial repression, Adedeji Ebo, who oversees the security sector reform team in the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, said. Only a few countries have successfully transformed their police into service institutions. “That is a fundamental deficit about policing in Africa,” Mr. Ebo observes. “Rather than being associated with safety, the uniform is often seen as a source of fear and oppression, abuse and extortion.”
…As the gap between the population’s need for security and government’s ability to provide it widened, wealthier citizens have turned to the private sector. The number of private security companies has mushroomed. In Nigeria, some 1,500 to 2,000 security firms employ about 100,000 people. Kenya has about 2,000 companies. But because private security officers are generally not allowed to carry guns, security firms often informally “hire” police officers to accompany their patrol vehicles. At first glance such cooperation may appear to help both the police and security firms be more effective. However, as researchers have discovered, these arrangements can actually reduce public security instead of improving it.
4. money laundered through real estate market in Kenya
The hike in real estate prices in the Kenyan capital has prompted a public outcry and a government investigation this month into property owned by foreigners. The investigation follows allegations that millions of dollars in ransom money paid to Somali pirates are being invested in Kenya, Somalia’s southern neighbor and East Africa’s largest economy.
Even as housing prices have dropped sharply in the United States, prices in Nairobi have seen two- and three-fold increases the last half decade.
“There is suspicion that some of the money that is being collected in piracy is being laundered by purchase of property in several countries, this one being one of them,” said government spokesman Alfred Mutua. “Especially at this time when we are facing global challenges of security such as terrorism and others, it is very important for us to know who is where and who owns what.”
5. France wants to invest in Nigeria’s Imo state — very specific — i wonder what kind of “agricultural” programs and “natural resources” are in Imo?
LAGOS, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) — The French government has the intention of investing in southeast Nigeria’s Imo state, the News Agency of Nigeria reported on Thursday, citing Consul General of the French Embassy in Nigeria Jean-Luc Bodin.
…He said he was impressed with the agricultural programs in the state. The state had a chance to benefit from the research breakthroughs of the Tropical Institute, based in France, Bodin told the governor.
According to him, Nigeria remained France’s biggest social and economic partner in the continent, stressing the need for Nigeria to diversify its economy and reduce its dependency on oil and gas. Bodin said he would scout for intermediate investors who would be interested in other sectors of the economy, apart from oil and gas. He advised Nigeria to intensify efforts at promoting its image abroad to encourage foreign investors to show interest in the country’s economic potential.
Earlier, Ohakim told the consul general that the state had other economic potential apart from oil and gas. He urged France to look at the state’s agriculture, health, transportation and education sectors. The governor said the state government had strived to provide the enabling environment for foreign investors to operate.
He added that now was time for France to be more committed to the affairs of Nigeria and Africa as a whole, lauding the policies of French President Nikolas Sarkozy. He urged the consul general to reach out to French investors because the state was blessed with abundant human and natural resources that would guarantee good returns on investments.
