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Human Settlements Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has announced plans to give the Housing Development Agency (HDA) the sole responsibility to provide basic services to the communities of informal settlements in Cape Town.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), launched today an emergency cash assistance programme to support vulnerable people fleeing the conflict in Sudan. WFP's pre-established cash delivery platform will also be made available to sister UN agencies to enable them to quickly extend their assistance to vulnerable people arriving in Egypt from Sudan.
WFP and partner agencies have conducted a rapid assessment to identify the most vulnerable arrivals needing assistance. Assistance provided to identified people will allow them to access basic food and other essential needs. The food agency is already supporting over 100,000 refugees in Egypt through its existing cash delivery platform.
WFP will support the most vulnerable families arriving in Egypt who have crossed into the country with nothing or have run out of money after a long and perilous journey.
“They are drained by the journey that they and their families had to take to reach safety and are extremely food insecure. At this time of great uncertainty, cash assistance helps secure their most basic needs,” said WFP Representative and Country Director in Egypt Praveen Agrawal. “WFP will avail its cash delivery platform to sister UN Agencies like the UN's children fund (UNICEF) and other development partners enabling them to quickly reach vulnerable families in need of support.”
This assistance comes in addition to the emergency ready-to-eat food packages new arrivals received upon arrival. At the onset of the crisis, WFP dispatched more than 20 metric tons of fortified emergency food assistance. WFP further expanded its assistance with additional packages of food, including enhanced nutritional food items that are distributed by the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) at the two entry points of Arqeen and Qustol on the Egyptian-Sudanese borders.
WFP is coordinating with the Government of Egypt and the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) the provision of assistance and has so far dispatched food assistance enough for nearly 90,000 people.
According to Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about 88,000 people (83,000 Sudanese, and 5,000 Egyptians and third-country nationals) have crossed through the Sudan-Egypt border as of 11 May.
Egypt had already been hosting over 60,000 Sudanese refugees, and WFP has been a long-term supporter of the most vulnerable, providing monthly cash assistance to more than 10,000 of them to help them secure their basic food needs. Refugees receive monthly cash assistance through e-cards redeemable at over 140,000 points of sale nationwide.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).
With a bold ambition to achieve 80% broadband penetration by 2025, the government with support from the World Bank has embarked on a project dubbed Digital Tanzania in partnership with mobile network operators that will see the extension of broadband services to 713 wards which translates to 1,407 villages and benefit over 8.5 million Tanzanians across the country upon its completion.
Officiating the signing ceremony at the country's capital of Dodoma, H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania commended the various ongoing partnerships between public institutions and private organizations (PPPs) in successfully implementing strategic development projects that benefit Tanzanians.
“Today we have witnessed a historic event that will see all 26 regions across Tanzania's mainland reached with quality and reliable telecommunication services compared to Zanzibar which was wholly covered in November 2022. The presence of services is of great significance not only in rural areas but also in town areas as it accelerates development and inclusion politically, socially, and economically as well as for the safety and security of the nation. The implementation of this project is in line with the government's commitment to improve telecommunication services and facilitate youth with opportunities in the ICT sector,” explained H.E. President Suluhu.
President Suluhu acknowledged the initiative as it is going to further grow businesses in rural areas as the farmers now will have information at their fingertips and expand markets for their products. She also noted the government is going to change and expand the usage of feature phones to smartphones given the availability and assurance of quality communication services. Another area that is going to be significantly impacted is the health sector specifically telemedicine. In particular, she pointed out and commended the excellent implementation of the m-mama program in partnership with the Vodacom Tanzania Foundation which has remarkably decreased the maternal mortality rate across Tanzania.
On his part, Vodacom Tanzania Plc's Managing Director, Mr. Philip Besiimire when asked about the essence of the partnership linked it with the company's vision to lead Tanzania to the digital age and change lives through technology, stressing that through innovation and community-driven insights, they have been able to come up with products and services that touch on key socio-economic sectors such as health, education, agriculture, and mobile financial services.
Echoing the President's remarks Mr. Besiimire explained that in a country where three-quarters of the country's workforce works in the agriculture sector and most of them reside in rural Tanzania, their innovative solutions have accelerated farmers' registration on their M-Kulima platform reaching over 3.1 million farmers. They've gone further to distribute proceeds worth north of TZS4 billion to the enrolled farmers via M-Pesa in the last year, which provided ease, security, and speedy distribution. M-Kulima is designed to provide farmers with digital agricultural services including cashless electronic payments, market information, and weather forecasts, all delivered through mobile devices, and through their latest partnership with UCSAF, more farmers will benefit from such services.
Speaking of their network investment he said "Over the years we have built thousands of sites across the country out of which 3,429 are 2G sites; 3,066 are 3G; 2,315 are 4G and last year we introduced the country's first 5G network whereas to date we have built 231 sites in Tanzania's mainland and Zanzibar, connecting Tanzanians, and reaching a broadband coverage of 93% of the population. We continue to strengthen our network by widening our broadband coverage and modernizing our 2G sites to meet modern world demands,” explained Mr. Besiimire.
Through our partnership with the government through UCSAF, Vodacom has reached Tanzanians who would otherwise remain unconnected. We have built 296 sites, reaching close to 300 wards, and connected over 3.6 million Tanzanians to mobile services such as voice, data, and M-Pesa.
Mr. Besiimire emphasized the impact of network availability in driving digital transformation, noting the company's network leadership has enabled them to transform communities, create jobs through direct and indirect employment, and advance solutions in health and education working closely with the government in various regions of the country.
“To pick one example, we transformed the lives of the villagers in Mundarara, a mining town in Longido district, Arusha region, where communication infrastructure was absent. It was achieved through facilitating access to GSM services, broadband, and M-Pesa services thus driving financial inclusion through access to not only peer-to-peer (P2P) services but also savings, loans, and other life-changing opportunities,” concluded Mr. Besiimire.
With Vodacom Tanzania allocated 190 wards through the Digital Tanzania partnership, the company will extend its reach to approximately 4.1 million people which is equivalent to 3.7% of Vodacom's network coverage. By the completion of this project, Vodacom will have reached 525 wards, getting 8,179,367 Tanzanians connected and exposed to the wide array of their products and services, allowing them to participate in the digital economy.
Vodacom Tanzania PLC has been a key stakeholder in the usage of National ICT broadband backbone (NICTBB infrastructure since 2012, with capacity leasing contracts worth over USD 60 million in the past years. This has helped the extension of internet accessibility, where more people can access digital facilities, such as health services, education delivery, and agricultural information as well as furthering the growth of financial inclusion nationally.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vodacom Tanzania Plc.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, through his weekly newsletter to the nation, has reiterated South Africa’s stance that the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine must be resolved through negotiation and peaceful means.
Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, GITEX AFRICA 2023 (https://GITEXAfrica.com/), from May 31 to June 2, 2023 in Marrakech, the largest Tech & Startup event on the African continent, amplifies Africa's digital aspirations and achievements. Capital Quant Agency, as an innovative Fintech startup, is thrilled to be part of this collaborative global event that showcases an untapped market of limitless opportunities, provides global reach for local African technology and enhances skills to inspire the world to create and to innovate.
As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, capital and financial markets have become more complex and volatile than ever before, the case of the city of London. The rise of digital technologies and globalization has brought unprecedented opportunities and challenges for investors and financial institutions alike. Technology has enormous potential in Finance, and more specifically in capital and financial markets. When it comes to market finance and financial asset management, there has been a huge rise in the use of technology over recent years. This is due to some major challenges faced by financial institutions, trading rooms – asset managers and institutional investors on a daily basis. The expression “Fintech” combines the terms “Finance” and “Technology”: it refers to an innovative start-up that use technology to rethink and solve some specific financial services challenges.
The rise of Financial Technology (Fintech) has transformed the landscape of market finance, and it's essential for trading rooms and institutional investors to stay informed on this trend. Fintech has revolutionized the way financial institutions manage financial assets, helping them tackle major challenges that arise on a daily basis. Through the use of advanced data analysis, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms. Some fintech startups like Capital Quant Agency are developing an innovative decision-making software as a service (SaaS) that can help financial institutions optimize their portfolios, assess investment opportunities, and migrate financial risks.
This is where Capital Quant Agency comes in. As a leading fintech startup, based at Casablanca (Morocco), it can help its clients make more informed decisions, increase efficiency as well as revenue through maximizing transparency, automation, and connectivity. Quantitative analytics require robust, interactive and easy-to-use interface. By leveraging advanced analytics and quantitative resources capable of producing better results for both institutional investors, investment – asset managers, financial institutions and hedge funds. The software will help them assess the best investment opportunities, optimize their portfolios and migrate financial risk. Moreover, it is committed to using ethical and responsible practices in all its operations. By adhering to high standards of data privacy, cybersecurity, and ethical conduct, Capital Quant Agency helps its clients build trust and confidence in their decision-making process. This is particularly important in an age where unethical practices are becoming increasingly common in the financial industry.
Fintech is revolutionizing market finance, and it's crucial for trading rooms and institutional investors to stay informed. Understanding the power of fintech can help financial institutions optimize their operations, streamline their processes, and maximize profitability. However, navigating this new digital landscape requires careful attention to the latest trends and developments in fintech. By staying informed, financial institutions can unlock the full potential of fintech and stay ahead of the game in the ever-changing world of market finance.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of GITEX Africa.
In a major boost for the game in the province, Cricket Eastern Cape (Pty) Limited has signed a sponsor in a multi-year deal that will include the Warriors and the iconic St George’s Park Cricket Stadium. “We are very happy to announce that going forward the team will be known as the Dafabet Warriors and …
Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has strongly condemned incidents of violent disruptions, arson, vandalism and intimidation at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and the University of the Western Cape.
Amadiba Crisis Committee secures interim interdict against development
Burundi has officially inaugurated the country's first utility-scale solar field, as part of push to leverage renewable energy for improved access to electricity for homes and businesses.
The grid-connected 7.5MW solar power plant, located in Mubuga, became operational in 2021. It has since then provided more than 10% of Burundi's electricity.
During the official inauguration, President Évariste Ndayishimiye pledged, with support of development partners, to double the generating capacity at the plant.
“We celebrate economic and climate progress in Burundi, which is open to direct foreign investment to catalyse economic growth for our people,” President Ndayishimiye said in a statement released by Gigawatt Global, the renewable energy company that developed the field. “Thanks to this solar field, and my agreement to double the size of it, we have increased energy security that can reliably run agro-businesses."
Burundi ranks poorly as one of the least electrified countries (https://apo-opa.info/3o4j0Te) in the world, with only about 11% of the country's 11 million people (or roughly 1.2 million people) having access to electricity.
The country's electricity supply comes largely from hydropower, but the energy gap has forced many to rely on costly and polluting diesel fuel. Thanks to the project in Mubuga, the electricity generated by the solar field has been able to replace significant power coming from diesel, expanding output to new users.
Partnering for clean energy development
Developing and building Burundi's first solar plant took a six-year process led by Gigawatt Global, a multinational green energy developer and independent power producer for Africa.
Gigawatt broke ground on the Solar field in 2017, but full construction began in January 2020. Commercial operations took off (https://apo-opa.info/3ObXExM) in October 2021.
But before the project came online, it received financial support through a grant from the Energy and Environment Partnership (a joint Finland, UK and Austria fund) and the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries, to cover the studies relevant to constructing the field. The field also got support of the African-EU Renewable Energy Cooperation Program, engaging in the project with due diligence.
Financing for the construction of the project was provided via a consortium including pan-African private equity investor Inspired Evolution via its Evolution II Fund, the UK government-funded Renewable Energy Performance Platform, and Gigawatt Global. The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has been leading in the area of Political Risk Insurance and refinancing of construction debt.
The project, Burundi's first grid-connected solar development by an independent power producer, is expected to pave the way for further foreign investment into the country's renewable energy sector.
"This project demonstrates how the world community can realize shared development goals by utilizing international financing facilities best suited for frontier and emerging markets," Gigawatt Global Burundi SA Managing Director Michael Fichtenberg said.
Moving forward with 'Energy Hub'
Gigawatt Global says a small business and community center powered by solar energy, providing access to productive use of electricity locally, is also moving forward.
This 'Energy Hub' for which land and funding are being secured, will promote community development through women and youth empowerment programmes, along with various educational components developed in conjunction with local and international NGOs.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Green Energy Africa Summit.
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Don't miss out on joining 1000+ senior industry decision makers as they come together to map out Africa's energy journey.
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No matter which way you slice it, loadshedding is doing an incredible amount of damage to our economy. According to Investec, loadshedding cost South Africa R300 billion in 2022 and resulted on the loss of five percent of its GDP. For a hospitality industry already reeling from the impact of the pandemic, the threat of …
The Department of Water and Sanitation says the process to set up a governance structure for the newly established Makhathini Lower Pongola Water User Association (WUA) for collaborative use in the northern KwaZulu-Natal has commenced.
The Engen Computer School has capped another 72 graduates from South Durban whose basic computer skills qualification boosts their chances of finding employment. A graduation ceremony took place on 4 May 2023 at the Engen sponsored school, which has been transforming lives in South Durban for 14 years and has to date capped 2 753 …
Eskom is expected to alternate load shedding between Stages 4 and 6 for the rest of this week.
HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met on Sunday at the Amiri Diwan with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Libya Najla El Mangoush, who is visiting the country.
During the meeting, they discussed bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries, and the developments in the situation in Libya - especially the preparation for the elections, in addition to several regional and international issues of common concern.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The State of Qatar.
South Africa’s ambassador to Algeria, Billy Masetlha, has passed away, the Department of International Relations and Co-operations said.
Once again we have a seriously divided South Africa out on the streets again. The EFF are calling for the resignation of Cyril Ramaphosa and an end to loadshedding wth their National Shutdown campaign today whilst the security apparatus are out in full force showing teir teeth and threatening to arrest, incarcarate, quell and thwart […]
Responding to the security situation and threats to the safety of Indonesian citizens in Sudan due to the escalation of armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since 15/4/2023, the Government of Indonesia has decided to evacuate Indonesian citizens from Sudan.
Following up on the decision of the Government of Indonesia and at the direction of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum then declared Alert 1 status on 20/4/2023 and planned the evacuation carefully according to the contingency plan by taking into account the security and safety conditions of Indonesian citizens.
Phase I evacuation was carried out on Sunday, April 23 2023 from 2 predetermined departure points, namely the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum Safe House and the Sudanese PPI Secretariat (As-Sidiqin Mosque) using 8 buses and 1 minibus of the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum.
The number of Indonesian citizens who were evacuated was 538 people, consisting of 273 women, 25 toddlers and 240 men.
Most of the Indonesian citizens who were evacuated were students, Indofood workers/employees, Indonesian Migrant Workers, families of Indonesian citizens and families of Indonesian Embassy staff in Khartoum.
Phase 1 evacuation of Indonesian citizens was directly led by the Indonesian Ambassador to Khartoum, Mr. Sunarko and departed from Khartoum at 08.00 WS. The journey covers a distance of 830 km from the departure point in Khartoum to Sawakin, Port Sudan passing through cities including: Sabaloga, Shendi, Dammar, Atbara, Sinkat, Hayya, Sawakin and takes 15 hours of travel.
All Indonesian citizens who were evacuated in Phase I arrived safely in Sawakin, Port Sudan at 01.00 WS in the morning of 24/4/2023 and rested at the prepared shelter.
Henceforth, Indonesian citizens in relay were evacuated from Port Sudan to Jeddah - Saudi Arabia by ship.
The Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum thanked the Center for direction and support, as well as coordination and assistance from the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, the Indonesian Consulate in Jeddah and the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo in carrying out the evacuation of Indonesian citizens.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Khartoum, Sudan.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has dedicated this week to start a major clean up project to change the face of KwaZakhele’s economic hub; Injoli Square. This comes after the Metro engaged various stakeholders including the public transport sector, vendors who operate in the area, commuters and concerned residents in an effort to come up […]
The International Day of Plant Health was observed on 12th May, 2023 at the national level in the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture under the theme “Plant Health for Environmental Protection”.
Mr. Tekleab Misghina, General Director of Regulations and Inspection at the Ministry of Agriculture indicating that the International Day of Plant Health is being observed for the second time at the international and national level said that plants and environment have strong bondage.
Noting that human activities and climate change are creating pressure on the health of plants, agriculture, and the food system, Mr. Tekleab called for a coordinated global effort to address the challenges.
Mr. Tekleab also said that the Ministry of Agriculture is closely working with the International Plant Health Society and International Plant Protection Convention in controlling pests that are causing plant diseases.
Mr. Seid Nuredin, head of Seeds Resource Control, on his part, said that the objective of the International Day of Plant Health is to raise the awareness of the public, eradicate hunger and poverty as well as protection of biodiversity and the environment.
Mr. Seid also said that the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with Government institutions and stakeholders is working in controlling desert locusts and other pests as well as encouraging farmers to use organic fertilizers and pesticides.
International Day of Plant Health is being observed for the first time at the international and national levels.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Kenya’s Victor Kipruto and Veronica Loleo took line honours in the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K in the men’s and women’s races respectively on Sunday 14 May 2023, but it was a hard-fought win for both, particularly in the men’s race with the South Africans showing the Kenyan a little respect. Windy …
President Isaias Afwerki and his delegation in the morning hours of today, 14 May, arrived in Beijing for a four-day official visit to China on the invitation of President Xi Jinping.
Upon arrival at Beijing International Airport, President Isaias and his delegation were accorded a warm welcome by Mr. Sun Wedong, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The official State Reception Ceremony and meetings with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang are scheduled for tomorrow.
The two Heads of State will discuss political, economic, finance, development, and, trade issues to further consolidate the warm bilateral partnership that exists between the two countries.
The two leaders will also discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.
The official visit of President Isaias Afwerki to the People's Republic of China will have a significant contribution to consolidating the bilateral relations between the two countries that have been developing in the past 30 years.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
The second league of the Nelson Mandela Bay Cross Country League Series took place in wet and muddy conditions on Saturday, at Varsvlei, with 400 competitors. EP Athletics cross country chairperson, Attie Williams, was satisfied with the turnout of both athletes and spectators. “The poor weather did affect the number of competitors in the second …
Springbok Women interim Head Coach Louis Koen invited a group of 35 players to assemble in Pretoria on Sunday, with a travelling squad of 28 to leave for Madagascar on Thursday, 18 May to compete in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup 2023. The travelling squad will be announced on Wednesday, a day before departure to …
The Springbok Sevens team put in a huge effort at the HSBC France Sevens this weekend, but sadly the results did not show that, so from the perspective of Blitzbok head coach Sandile Ngcobo, it was not all doom and gloom. The Blitzboks lost to Australia in the fifth-place semi-final on Sunday in a desperately …
