Through this platform the First Ladies will encourage the exchange of information about illnesses particularly affecting women and children on the African continent and bold and holistic actions that can be introduced.
One of the key participants at the summit was Mozambique’s First Lady, Maria da Luz Guebuza. She told reporters that “the conference was a great opportunity to exchange experiences with other First Ladies from the continent who are also confronted with similar problems. Our countries have high rates of maternal and infant mortality, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other maladies. We have been sitting at the same table discussing how to tackle these problems”.
Maria da Luz said that the summit reiterated the call for more openness about breast, cervical and prostate cancer. She told reporters “it is true that on our continent breast and cervical cancer are considered taboo and are not talked about enough. But we appeal for you to talk about this problem with more openness because it is killing many women. It is the same for men and prostate cancer”.
During the summit she invited participants to come to a conference due to be held in Maputo in July on cervical cancer. In Mozambique, out of every hundred new cases of cancer diagnosed in women, eight are breast cancer and 32 are cervical cancer. For men, prostate cancer is the most common cancer, representing 16 per cent of cancer cases.
The summit also touched on the importance of peace, without which it is not possible to implement any of the proposed actions to improve the health of women and children.
The example of Mali was raised. The West African country has been affected by a civil war for over a year and this is cancelling gains made in the health of women and children.
At the end of the conference in Los Angeles it was agreed that the next health summit will be held in Beijing in China. Chinese representatives at the summit stated that China can contribute extensively to tackling some of the issues raised at the summit in LA, hence the desire to meet again to discuss unresolved problems.
(AIM)
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23413 MINAS DE REVUBOE AWARDED MINING CONTRACT
London, 5 Apr (AIM) – The Japanese corporation Nippon Steel has announced that Minas de Revuboe has been awarded a mining contract by the Mozambican government, which represents a big step towards the commercial exploitation of coal at the Revuboe mine in the western province of Tete.
The agreement was signed in Maputo on Wednesday by Mozambique’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Esperanca Bias; the Chairman of Talbot Group, Denis Wood; and Yasushi Aoki of Nippon Steel.
The Revuboe concession is close to the coal projects operated by Rio Tinto (the Benga and Zambeze projects), and to the open cast mine of the Brazilian company Vale. It has an estimated reserve of 1.4 billion tonnes of coking and thermal coal.
Coking coal is used in steelmaking and is in great demand in Asia. Thermal coal can be used in Mozambique and neighbouring countries for producing electricity or pig iron.
It is estimated that once fully operational the mine could produce five million tonnes of coking coal per year.
Revuboe has been in the news over the last week due to the decision by mining giant Anglo American to pull out its 555 million US dollar buyout of Talbot’s share in the project. Plans are now being drawn up to go ahead without Anglo American, with coal production due to begin in 2016.
Minas de Revuboe is currently owned by the Talbot Group, Nippon Steel (33.3 per cent share) and the South Korean steelmaker Posco (7.8 per cent share).
Under the agreement signed with the government, five per cent of shares will be transferred to the Mozambican state represented by the Mozambican Mining Company (EMEM) with another five per cent being made available to national investors at market value.
Post published in: Africa News