Tunis: The book "Jebel El Milh" by Tunisian author Arbia Braham is one of the 13 nominees for the 2024 European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL). This work in Arabic was published by Editions arabesques in 2023. It is one of thirteen titles nominated for the 2024 EUPL, which includes other authors from twelve countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia and Slovenia. The annual prize is dedicated to contemporary fiction from Europe and beyond. Since 2009, it has rewarded the works of emerging writers from member countries of the European Union's (EU) Creative Europe programme. Since July 2017, Tunisia has been a member of Europe Creative, a European programme aimed at promoting the cultural and media sectors. The EUPL is co-organised by the Federation of European Publishers (FEE) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF). The judges for the 2024 edition are Andreï Kourkov, Elena Loewenthal, Kostas Spat harakis, Daniel Medin, Aurélie Bontout Roche, Raluca Selejan and Tauno Vahter. The winner will be announced at the Brussels Book Fair in Belgium on 4 April. Five commendations will also be awarded. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse The Makueni County Environment Committee has adopted environmental bills that will improve environmental management and conservation efforts across the county. Among the bills that have been adopted include the Makueni County Sustainable Forest Management Bill of 2023, the Solid Waste Management Bill of 2023, Makueni County Environment Bill of 2023, and the Makueni County Forestry and Landscape Restoration Plan (FOLAREP) (2023-2032). The bills will be escalated to the County Executive Committee (CEC) chaired by the governor who will deliberate on the bills before they are taken to the Makueni County Assembly for enactment. The adoption of the bills was done at a hotel in Makindu Sub County in a meeting chaired by the Chief Officer Dr. Geoffrey Muthoka on behalf of the Lands, Urban Planning, Environment, Mining and Natural Resources Executive Committee Member (ECM) Mr. Nicolas Nzioka. 'As CEC you have a mandate to ensure the environment is conserved and proper utilization of resources sustainably,' said D r. Muthoka. The above bills and plan have been developed through the funding from partners like World Resources Institute (WRI), Reconcile, ICRAF and UK PACT Kenya among others. 'Once the bills are enacted by the Makueni County Assembly, they will give operational framework to environmental issues like solid waste management and collection, noise pollution, management of forests and environmental restoration efforts and sustainable utilization of county resources,' said Makueni County National Environment and Management Authority (NEMA) Director Vincent Oloo Ochieng who is the secretary to the committee. During the meeting, members said that the 10-year plan will help in the restoration of the ecologically and sensitive degraded lands of Makueni especially to ensure the county plants 335 trees million in accordance with the presidential directive of planting 15 billion trees by 2032. The two-day event was funded by the World Resource Institute. The county assembly has also been sensitized about the bills which have also undergone public participation. Source: Kenya News Agency
