Hello, and welcome to  Reports from Developing Countries on China Radio International. I'm Qi Zhi in Beijing.

In this edition:

World experts are trying to address risks and the economic potential of a volcano on the Indian Ocean.

The UN Security Council has decided to strengthen the arms embargo on Somalia.

And Myanmar strives to promote traditional medicine.

Stay tuned.

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Experts from around the world have gathered in Moroni, the capital of the Union of the Comoros to discuss the Karthala volcano.

In April 2005, a volcanic eruption ejected ash and volcanic debris on the eastern part of the island, affecting as many as 40,000 people.

The three-day conference is looking at scientific research, prevention and management of risks and the economic potential of the volcano on the Indian Ocean.

To find out more about this, UN Radio's Derrick Mbatha spoke with Opia Mensah Kumah, the Representative of the UN Development Programme in the Comoros.

[report]

That was UN Radio's Derrick Mbatha talking with Opia Mensah Kumah, the Representative of the UN Development Programme in the Comoros.

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China National Petroleum Corporation has signed an agreement with Costa Rica on a joint venture to upgrade a Costa Rican oil refinery.

The deal was signed during Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit earlier this week.

Under the terms of the 25-year deal, the joint venture will help modernize and expand the subject refinery, increasing its annual oil refining capability to 3 million tonnes from the current 1.2 million tonnes.

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The UN Security Council has decided to strengthen the arms embargo on Somalia by specifying sanctions against violators and expanding the mandate of the committee that oversees the ban.

Head of the UN International Maritime Organization, Efthimios Mitropolous, told the council that the escalating incidents of piracy in the Somalia waters and the Gulf of Aden was of great concern to his organization.

This year alone, 120 attacks had been reported, with 35 ships seized and more than 600 seafarers kidnapped.

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Myanmar has called on traditional medicine practitioners in the country to protect and preserve them from depletion and extinction and to ensure their perpetual existence.

Myanmar possesses valuable herbal plants, rare plant species and priceless traditional medicine. Diploma courses and practitioner courses have been opened to train out skilled experts in the field.

In 2001, Myanmar established its University of Traditional Medicine in Mandalay, the second largest city, where traditional medicine, anatomy and physiology, microbiology and medicine and Chinese acupuncture are taught.

The Myanmar traditional medicine is composed of such ingredients as roots, tubers, bulbs, natural items and animal products. In a historical perspective, it has represented the typical Myanmar culture and traditional values.

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And that concludes this edition of  Reports from Developing Countries on CRI. For more, please visit us online at crienglish.com. I'm Qi Zhi in Beijing. Thanks for listening.