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Africa Celebrates Ranger Heroes at the 2024 African Conservation Awards

Location: News
Game Rangers Association of Africa

The 2024 African Conservation Awards, hosted by the Game Rangers' Association of Africa (GRAA) (www.GameRanger.org) is an opportunity to celebrate just some of the outstanding work by African conservationists. It is the GRAA's privilege to be able to showcase the exceptional contributions to protecting Africa's natural heritage. In 2024, the GRAA modified categories in this prestigious event to ensure Marine Rangers are also recognised and celebrated.

These awards continue to remind us of our responsibility to rangers working across Africa, many of whom are working in challenging environments with a lack of resources. Every organisation and individual nominated for these awards has displayed remarkable resilience and determination, despite their overwhelming odds and have remained steadfast in their dedication to achieving their conservation goals, inspiring us all with their unwavering commitment. Rangers should be acknowledged and celebrated.

The Winners for the 2024 African Conservation Awards are:

Best Field Ranger

Winner: Modiki Claver, Ranger Team Leader, Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic (CAR)

Modiki Claver, the Team Leader of Dzanga Sangha Protected Area's law enforcement section in CAR, has risen from starting as a porter in 2010 to becoming the top team leader in the landscape. Leading a team of seven rangers across the Congo Basin, including parts of Noubale-Ndoki National Park and Lobeke National Park, Claver exemplifies leadership by dismantling snares, seizing weapons, and making arrests. He has significantly contributed to scientific research, including tracking elephant populations, assessing the impact of logging, and monitoring illegal hunting activities. Beyond his law enforcement duties, Claver has fostered strong relationships with local communities and youth, guiding them toward conservation careers. During the 2013 military-political unrest, he demonstrated exceptional courage by covertly tracking rebel movements and providing critical information to protect wildlife. Known for his field skills, ethical leadership, and commitment to the rights of indigenous people, Claver is an inspiring role model in conservation.

1st Runner Up: Sekibibi Bareke Désiré, Central Sector Manager, Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

2nd Runner Up: Jean Claude Kyungu, Former Head Ranger Maiko National Park, DRC

Best Marine Ranger

Winner: Chanel Hauvette, Senior Marine Field Ranger, Robberg Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area and Keurbooms River Nature Reserve, South Africa

Chanel Hauvette is a Senior Marine Field Ranger who demonstrates extraordinary dedication to marine conservation, leading stranding responses, law enforcement, biodiversity monitoring, and community engagement across Robberg Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area. As coordinator of the Plett Stranding Network, she manages hundreds of annual strandings, from seals and birds to endangered turtles, often stabilizing animals at her own home. Despite challenges like limited resources and transportation, Chanel forges strong partnerships with local businesses, NGOs, and residents to secure support. Her leadership, innovative protocols, and passion for conservation inspire her team, educate communities, and ensure the protection of marine biodiversity.

1st Runner Up: Emily Nyevu Simba, Ranger Corporal, Watamu Marine Protected Area, Kenya

2nd Runner Up: Clive Hendricks, Section Ranger, Addo Elephant National Park - Marine Section, South Africa

Best Ranger Team

Winner: South Luangwa Rapid Response Unit for Human-Wildlife Conflict, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

The South Luangwa Rapid Response Unit for Human-Wildlife Conflict (RRU-HWC) is a joint initiative between Conservation South Luangwa and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. It has significantly improved coexistence between communities and wildlife through proactive education, innovative solutions, and swift conflict resolution. Reaching over 4,000 people, their educational outreach fostered awareness and led to a 44% improvement in predator-proof livestock enclosures, reducing livestock predation. The team also tackled challenges like elephant crop raids and predator attacks with rapid responses and non-lethal deterrents, earning trust within the community. Despite resource limitations, the RRU-HWC has empowered local wildlife committees, inspired community-led initiatives, and strengthened partnerships with government and NGOs. Their dedication has not only mitigated conflicts but also fostered a culture of conservation, ensuring long-term benefits for both people and wildlife.

1st Runner Up: Tango 1 Mobile APU Team, Tana Delta, Kenya

2nd Runner Up: South Luangwa K9 Unit, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Best Ranger Supporter

Winner: Munene Kamundi, Strong Ranger Initiative, Kenya

Munene Kamundi is a dedicated advocate for wildlife ranger wellbeing, leveraging his expertise in occupational health and safety to address critical challenges faced by rangers in conservation. Despite financial hardships and resource limitations, he has reached over 400 rangers this year, aiming to support 5,000 annually. Through his innovative wellness ambassadors program, Kamundi promotes mental health, safety practices, and emergency response training, aligning with global biodiversity frameworks like the Kunming-Montreal agreement. His tireless commitment, even in the face of adversity, highlights his transformative leadership and vision to integrate ranger wellbeing into sustainable conservation efforts across Africa.

1st Runner Up: Amon Koutoua Benoît, Technical Director, Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves, Côte d'Ivoire

2nd Runner Up: WCS Congo Counter-Wildlife Trafficking Teams (North and South), DRC and Republic of Congo

In a poignant video message, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, esteemed Patron of the African Conservation Awards, paid homage to the brave conservation heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice. He solemnly honored the memory of the 64 rangers who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty over the past year, safeguarding our planet's invaluable natural heritage. Prince Albert expressed profound gratitude to these fallen heroes and to all of Africa's rangers, who selflessly dedicate their lives to protecting our natural spaces. He urged collective action to support the 30x30 global initiative, emphasizing that achieving these ambitious goals requires providing rangers with the resources, infrastructure, and tools they urgently need. His message carried a deep reverence for the thousands of rangers who face immense risks daily, serving as steadfast guardians of our planet's biodiversity and natural wonders.

"Every year we are reminded of the dedication, commitment and resilience required to be a ranger in Africa. This year is no different and those recognised today are some of Africa's best working in seven different countries across our continent. We are humbled to call them our colleagues and to be able to bring their work out into the light for all to see. It is particularly exciting to be recognising Marine Rangers this year who do such inspiring work on our oceans and coastlines to conserve our marine resources. Well done to the winners, runner ups and nominees of the African Conservation Awards 2024! Thank you for what you do for our planet and its people!" - Andrew Campbell, CEO, Game Rangers Association of Africa

The African Conservation Awards are hosted annually by the Game Rangers' Association of Africa (GRAA) and are endorsed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment. His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, who is committed to the protection of endangered species through the support of his Foundation, is the Patron of the African Conservation Awards.

For more information about the African Conservation Awards, please visit https://apo-opa.co/4eD5JFr.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Game Rangers Association of Africa.

Media Contact:
Game Rangers Association of Africa
Louise de Bruin
Email: info@gameranger.org

GRAA background:
The Game Rangers' Association of Africa (GRAA) is a non-profit organisation, founded in 1970 which provides support, networks and representation for rangers across Africa. The GRAA is a proud member of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) where it serves as the voice of the African ranger.

Information:
African Conservation Awards: https://www.ConservationAwards.africa
Game Rangers Association of Africa: https://www.GameRanger.org/

Media files
Game Rangers Association of Africa
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Read moreAfrica Celebrates Ranger Heroes at the 2024 African Conservation Awards

President Ramaphosa concludes inaugural PICC under 7th administration

Location: News

President Ramaphosa concludes inaugural PICC under 7th administration

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the seventh administration has prioritised its commitment to scale up investment in infrastructure, as government seeks to boost the economy, create jobs, improve access to basic services, and the quality of life for citizens. 

President Ramaphosa said this at the conclusion of the inaugural Presidential Infrastructure Commission Council (PICC) under the seventh administration. 

The council convened to discuss, amongst others, a plan on dealing with crime and extortion at construction sites, the level of implementation of priority infrastructure projects and programmes, as well as strategic initiatives that are being developed to accelerate the pace and quality of infrastructure investments in the country.

“This administration has prioritised scaling up investment in infrastructure, as we seek to grow the economy, create more jobs, improve access to basic services, and improve the quality of life of our citizens. 

“Continuing the work of the sixth administration, we are working to involve the private sector in achieving our infrastructure development goals. It is encouraging that after a period of declining infrastructure spend, public sector capital expenditure is on the rise for the second straight year. 

“According to Statistics South Africa, last year, public sector institutions had a combined capital expenditure of R233 billion. This is an 11% increase on the previous year,” President Ramaphosa said. 

The council is constituted by the President, Deputy President, Ministers designated by the President, Premiers of provinces, Executive Mayors of metropolitan councils and the chairperson of the South African Local Government Association. 

Per the Infrastructure Development Act, the Council is tasked with, inter alia:

  • Coordinating the development, maintenance, implementation and monitoring of the national infrastructure plan; 
  • Coordinating the determination of priorities for infrastructure development;
  • Ensuring that infrastructure development in respect of any strategic integrated project is given priority in planning, approval and implementation;
  • Ensuring co-operation between organs of state affected by projects undertaken, and
  • Promoting investment and identifying and develop strategies to cause the removal of impediments to investment.

Implementation of Strategic Integrated Projects

The council noted that there are 19 completed Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) valued at R26 billion.

Of these projects, six are in transport, three in water and sanitation, one in energy, four in human settlements and five in student accommodation. 

Currently, 82 projects, valued at R437 billion, are in construction.

In addition to providing technical assistance and resources to help project sponsors prepare comprehensive business cases, ensuring they are economically viable and socially beneficial, Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) has played a pivotal role in supporting project sponsors to expedite approvals, authorisations, licences, permissions and exemptions with the relevant authorities. 

Over 654 requests for regulatory unblocking were lodged with ISA between 2020 and 2024. To date, 497 approvals have been granted and 157 are currently in progress.

The total project value of SIP projects gazetted between 2020 and 2024 has grown to R3 trillion, with the key drivers being the Eskom Programme (SIP 8, 9 and 10), the Embedded Generation National Programme and the Green Hydrogen National Programme (SIP 20E).

Aiding municipalities

The council agreed that there is a need to enhance the Municipal Infrastructure Service Delivery Model using ISA’s methodology, which emphasises project preparation using the Five-Case Model, which is planning and prioritisation, development of business cases, mobilisation of funds from private and public sectors, implementation of innovative solutions and effective monitoring.

This model will be piloted in four local municipalities and leverage external resources and technical capacity stemming from local and international partners. 

The following four municipalities will benefit from the “Adopt a Municipality” pilot initiative: Govan Mbeki Local Municipality in Mpumalanga, Kagisano-Molopo Local Municiapity in the North West, Umngeni Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal and Metsemaholo Local Municipality in the Free State.

This initiative, spearheaded by ISA, will address critical service delivery challenges, including persistent incomplete projects and infrastructure issues. ISA aims to drive urgent improvements over the next 24 months, with some projects being completed during this timeframe. ISA will hold further consultations on the next cohort of municipalities to be added to the initiative.

Crime and Extortion on Construction Sites

The council has lauded the contribution of the construction industry to job growth in the second and third quarters. 

According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa earlier this month, the construction sector added 176 000 jobs, playing a pivotal role in reducing the national unemployment rate by 1.4% in the third quarter.

The council said the construction industry is vital for socio-economic development, employment and infrastructure improvement.

"Crime and extortion on construction sites must be condemned in the strongest possible terms," the council said, while welcoming efforts by the police in addressing criminal and extortion cases.

The council further noted that there is an indication of increasing trends in criminal activities on construction sites, despite government's efforts to embed social facilitation and involve law enforcement. Effective mitigation will require coordinated efforts from all stakeholders.

The council has made the following recommendations on the matter:

  • Law enforcement must be allocated more resources to deal with criminal activity and violence on construction sites.
  • Policy reforms in the construction sector must be prioritised.
  • Industry must adopt best practices in social facilitation and invest in security measures.
  • Infrastructure project leads must enhance community engagement and encourage communities to actively participate in project planning.

Programme of Action for the PICC Council in the 7th administration 

The PICC Council has identified eight pathways to driving infrastructure investment and growth in the next five years. 

These pathways will underpin the infrastructure investment plan of the 7th administration.

The eight pathways include:

Pathway 1: Institutional Coordination

Affirming Infrastructure South Africa as a single point of entry for priority infrastructure projects.

Pathway 2: Centralised Planning and Prioritisation

Establish a gateway mechanism for projects and programme that are deemed strategic/catalytic.

Pathway 3: Budget Reforms

Accelerate the implementation of broader reforms to enable infrastructure investment.

Pathway 4: Address Regulatory Bottlenecks

Streamline regulatory and approval processes to fast-track implementation of infrastructure projects.

Pathway 5: Municipal Bulk Infrastructure

Address funding and financing of municipal bulk infrastructure.

Pathway 6: Unlocking other sources of funding

Increase and diversify sources of funding for both project preparation and infrastructure funding & financing.

Pathway 7: Economic Regulation in Construction

Strengthen regulatory framework governing construction industry.

Pathway 8: Cancellation of Tenders, Social Unrest, Damage to Infrastructure and Crime

Improving governance of infrastructure projects and ensure close collaboration with law enforcement agencies. - SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Fri, 11/22/2024 - 11:01

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Read morePresident Ramaphosa concludes inaugural PICC under 7th administration

President Ramaphosa to Officiate National Presidential Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises & Cooperative Awards

Location: News

The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa
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President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 22 November 2024 address the National Presidential MSME & Cooperatives Awards ceremony at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand.

This premier event is dedicated to recognising outstanding Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Cooperatives and is hosted by the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD).

The awards aim to spotlight and reward the achievements of South Africa's top-performing MSMEs, Cooperatives, and ecosystem enablers who drive growth and transformation across the nation.

This ceremony will honour businesses that embody innovation, commitment to local development, and entrepreneurial spirit. The selected finalists have advanced through rigorous district and provincial pitches and demonstrated their excellence and resilience across various categories.

This year's finalists are an eclectic group of companies that span various key sectors of the economy in both the formal and informal businesses. These small businesses have also shown a lot of creativity, ingenuity, and resilience in penetrating sectors that are normally hard to enter.

Categories for this year's MSME Awards include, but not limited to:
- Youth-Led MSME of the Year
- Township SMME of the Year
- Women-led SMME of the Year
- MSMEs Owned by Persons with Disabilities of the Year
- Cooperative of the Year
- Best Employing Cooperative of the Year
- Best Performing Rural Community-Based Initiative of the Year
- Best Performing Urban (Township) Community-Based Initiative of the Year

Small Businesses are a strategic tool for economic transformation, inclusive economic growth and job creation in South Africa. This celebration is a testament to the remarkable achievements of MSMEs and cooperatives, which have shown resilience and adaptability, particularly in challenging economic conditions.

The 2024 National Presidential MSME & Cooperatives Awards ceremony will take place during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), an initiative celebrated in over 200 countries to inspire and empower entrepreneurs around the world.

GEW highlights innovative solutions and resilient businesses that shape economies and enrich societies, resonating with the core values of the National Presidential MSME & Cooperatives Awards.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will officiate the award hand out ceremony to the winners, underscoring the importance of MSME development in advancing South Africa's broader economic goals.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.

Read morePresident Ramaphosa to Officiate National Presidential Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises & Cooperative Awards

President Ramaphosa to officiate National Presidential MSME and Cooperative Awards

Location: News

President Ramaphosa to officiate National Presidential MSME and Cooperative Awards

The importance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives’ development in advancing South Africa’s broader economic goals will come in to focus at the National Presidential MSME and Cooperatives Awards on Friday.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the awards ceremony at Gallagher Convention Centre, in Midrand. 

This premier event, hosted by the Department of Small Business Development, is dedicated to recognising outstanding Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives. 

The awards aim to reward the achievements of South Africa’s top-performing MSMEs, cooperatives, and ecosystem enablers who drive growth and transformation across the nation.

“This ceremony will honour businesses that embody innovation, commitment to local development, and entrepreneurial spirit.

The selected finalists have advanced through rigorous district and provincial pitches and demonstrated their excellence and resilience across various categories.

“This year’s finalists are an eclectic group of companies that span various key sectors of the economy in both the formal and informal businesses. These small businesses have also shown a lot of creativity, ingenuity, and resilience in penetrating sectors that are normally hard to enter,” the Presidency said in a statement.

Categories for this year’s MSME Awards include, but not limited to: 
- Youth-Led MSME of the Year
- Township SMME of the Year
- Women-led SMME of the Year
- MSMEs Owned by Persons with Disabilities of the Year
- Cooperative of the Year
- Best Employing Cooperative of the Year
- Best Performing Rural Community-Based Initiative of the Year
- Best Performing Urban (Township) Community-Based Initiative of the Year 

“Small Businesses are a strategic tool for economic transformation, inclusive economic growth and job creation in South Africa. This celebration is a testament to the remarkable achievements of MSMEs and cooperatives, which have shown resilience and adaptability, particularly in challenging economic conditions,” the Presidency said.

The 2024 National Presidential MSME and Cooperatives Awards ceremony takes place during Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative celebrated in over 200 countries to inspire and empower entrepreneurs around the world. 

Global Entrepreneurship Week highlights innovative solutions and resilient businesses that shape economies and enrich societies, resonating with the core values of the National Presidential MSME and Cooperatives Awards. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Thu, 11/21/2024 - 10:38

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Read morePresident Ramaphosa to officiate National Presidential MSME and Cooperative Awards

Call for collaboration to use technological innovations to address sanitation challenges

Location: News

Call for collaboration to use technological innovations to address sanitation challenges

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, David Mahlobo, has called for enhanced collaboration between government, the private sector and civil society to use technological innovations to help tackle the sanitation-related challenges experienced in parts of the country.

Mahlobo made the call at the Next Generation Water-Efficient Sanitation Technologies Investment Summit held in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

The summit, which coincided with World Toilet Day, was hosted by the Water Research Commission (WRC) in conjunction with South African Sanitation Technology Enterprise Programme (SASTEP) to highlight the various innovative solutions for sustainable sanitation and water security.

Mahlobo called for the investment of sanitation infrastructure and technological improvements to address sanitation challenges.

“We need significant investments in modern sanitation infrastructure and creative, forward-thinking solutions. Together, we can drive the change required to overcome the challenges in the sanitation sector,” Mahlobo said.  

Mahlobo acknowledged the WRC for its contribution in initiating innovative projects geared towards finding alternative sanitation solutions.

The innovations include, among others, the aptly-termed Next Generation Sanitation Technologies which will not only address the basic human right to sanitation but also align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives.  

Mahlobo said the reinvented toilets will offer significant advantages over traditional sanitation methods such as water-efficient and energy-neutral systems, which drastically reduce the environmental footprint of sanitation infrastructure.

The reinvented toilets will also safely treat human waste without the need for conventional sewage systems, protecting communities from waterborne diseases and can be deployed in schools, clinics, and public spaces where sanitation infrastructure is often inadequate.

“Furthermore, adding to the technological innovations, the Department of Water and Sanitation has developed the National Faecal Sludge Management Strategy. 

“The strategy is aimed at providing guidance to the sector on safe management of faecal sludge to enhance operation and maintenance of on-site sanitation systems, prevent groundwater contamination, safeguard public health, and protect the environment from pollution throughout the sanitation service chain,” Mahlobo said.

More work to be done to bring dignified sanitation services

While noting significant progress made towards addressing the sanitation backlog and providing appropriate sanitation to poor households since 1994, Mahlobo said much more work still needs to be done to bring about more dignified sanitation services to the communities.

Through government and stakeholders’ efforts, the number of households with access to proper sanitation has improved by 22.4% between 2002 and 2021, an increase from 61.7% to 84.1%, with most improvement made in Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces.

“Despite the notable work, we do admit as government that we need to keep our sleeves rolled up to ensure that all citizens of this country get to experience the pleasure of dignified sanitation facilities,” Mahlobo said. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Wed, 11/20/2024 - 10:56

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Read moreCall for collaboration to use technological innovations to address sanitation challenges

VFS Global Expands UK Visa Services in Sub-Saharan Africa in Second Phase of Rollouts

Location: News

VFS Global
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VFS Global (www.VFSGlobal.com) is proud to announce that residents of Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, travelling to the UK can now book appointments to submit their visa applications through VFS Global's new state-of-the-art Visa Application Centres (VAC).

From 19 November 2024 customers applying for a UK visa will be directed to VFS Global to book an appointment to complete their visa application. Customers will also have the option to choose additional services designed to make the application process easier.

VFS Global has been contracted by UK Visas and Immigration since 2003, offering visa services in 58 countries prior to the new contract. In 2023, VFS Global was awarded the new contract to provide UK visa services in 142 countries worldwide.

Mr. Alok Singhal, Head- Sub-Saharan Africa, VFS Global, said, “We are excited to embark on this new journey with UK Visas and Immigration here across Sub-Saharan Africa. We have enjoyed a long-standing partnership with UKVI since 2003 and look forward to now bringing travellers from Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, our best-in-class services.”

UK visa customers can now choose from a range of optional services, depending on their location, offered by VFS Global to provide enhanced comfort and convenience. These include document upload assistance, Prime Time for application submission outside of business hours, SMS notifications, document checking service, and courier return of the passport once a decision has been made. VFS Global's Keep My Passport While Applying service allows customers in all these locations to keep their passport once their application is submitted and biometrics have been enrolled. Customers will only need to re-submit their passport if a visa is issued.

Customers in Cameroon, Tanzania, and Uganda can also submit their UK visa applications from the comfort and safety of their home, office, or any other preferred location with our On Demand Mobile Visa service. In addition, our Premium Lounge service offers a personalised submission experience with dedicated staff members, which is available in Ethiopia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The services can be booked in advance on www.VFSGlobal.com or at the Visa Application Centre at the time of the appointment. These services are completely optional and have no bearing on the processing timeline and outcomes of visa applications.

In the African region, VFS Global will provide Visa Application Centres for the UK in 31 countries. Under the new contract, VFS Global is already operating UK Visa Application Centres in nine other countries across Sub Saharan Africa since October 2024, including South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana.

UK Visa Application Centres

Angola: Rua 28 de Maio, Edificio Kende nº15 /17 , 1st floor F, Maianga, Luanda
Botswana: Game City Mall, 1st floor, Unit U101, A1 Lobatse Road, Kgale Hill, Gaborone
Cameroon: 4th Floor, Immeuble Ekang, Opp Palais Des Sports, Warda, Yaounde, 
Ethiopia: 6th Floor, NIB International Bank HQ, Ras Abebe Aragay Street, City Centre, Addis Ababa
Malawi: La Piazza Mall, Shop 7,  Plot Number 4/068-069 in Lilongwe
Mozambique: Maputo Shopping Centre, 6th Floor, 604 Maputo
Namibia: Hilltop Village, Section 27, corners of Grove and Ombika Street, Kleine Kuppe, Windhoek 
Rwanda: 5th Floor -KN 4Avenue, 63 street, Cogebanque Building, Kigali 
Senegal: Immeuble Atryum-Center, 1st Floor, KM 8  Route de Ouakam, Dakar
Sierra Leone: Flat 7, floor 3 Aberdeen complex Building,58, Sir Samuel Lewis Road
Tanzania: 1st Floor, Right wing, Nature Building, Toure Drive, Masaki, Dar Es Salaam
Uganda: Plot No. 42, Wing C,2nd Floor, Lugogo House, Lugogo Bypass, Kampala
Zambia: Zep-Re Building, Alick Nkhata Rd No. 54, Plot No. 356184, Lusaka
Zimbabwe: Sam's Levy Village, Suites S And T, Sam Levy's Village, Borrowdale

Angola                                                                                                                                                      Website: https://apo-opa.co/4fx7MMr Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon, Tue, Wed & Fri)

Botswana                                                                                                                                                      Website: https://apo-opa.co/3YW6Bis   Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

Cameroon                                                                                                                                              Website: https://apo-opa.co/4i0MfgT Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

Ethiopia
Website: https://apo-opa.co/3YXsQVd Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

Malawi
Website: https://apo-opa.co/3AYcd3G Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

Mozambique
Website: https://apo-opa.co/4hPTckR Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

Namibia
Website: https://apo-opa.co/4hYqZZ6 Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

Rwanda
Website: https://apo-opa.co/3ZgdLzq Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Tue to Thur)

Senegal
Website: https://apo-opa.co/4fDAyLw Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon, Wed & Fri)

Sierra Leone
Website: https://apo-opa.co/40Wt55M Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon, Wed & Fri)

Tanzania
Website: https://apo-opa.co/3UYrsR7 Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

Uganda
Website: https://apo-opa.co/4fB7K63 Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

Zambia
Website: https://apo-opa.co/4hUbqBD Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

Zimbabwe
Website: https://apo-opa.co/40Wt5Tk Business hours: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon to Fri)

*Except public holidays

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VFS Global.

Media Contact:
George Cherian
georgec@vfsglobal.com
communications@vfsglobal.com

About VFS Global:
As the world's leading outsourcing and technology service specialist, VFS Global embraces technological innovation including Generative AI to support governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services for its client governments, increasing productivity and enabling them to focus entirely on the critical task of assessment.

With a responsible approach to technology development, adoption and integration, the company prioritizes ethical practices and sustainability while serving as the trusted partner to 69 client governments.  Operating over 3,400 Application Centres in 153 countries, VFS Global has efficiently processed more than 299 million applications since 2001.

Headquartered in Zurich and majority owned through investment funds managed by Blackstone Inc, along with the Swiss-based Kuoni and Hugentobler Foundation and EQT, VFS Global is committed to creating value for all stakeholders and leading in responsible, innovative solutions making government services more effective and efficient.

Read moreVFS Global Expands UK Visa Services in Sub-Saharan Africa in Second Phase of Rollouts

Call for Entries: The Earthshot Prize 2025 – Seeking Groundbreaking Solutions to Restore Our Planet

Location: News

MultiChoice Group
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Following a record-breaking year for nominations, and a historic first awards ceremony on the African continent, The Earthshot Prize (TEP) is officially open for entries for its 2025 cohort and MultiChoice (www.Multichoice.com) is proud to once again be an official Africa nominator for TEP. 

TEP seeks innovative solutions across five critical Earthshots: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean Our Air; Revive Our Oceans; Build a Waste-Free World; and Fix Our Climate. 
This year's cycle saw an unprecedented surge in nominations, with over 2,000 entries received from 139 countries, demonstrating a growing global momentum for environmental innovation.  

The star-studded awards ceremony, held in Cape Town, South Africa was broadcast live to millions of people across the continent by MultiChoice, the official African broadcast partner of TEP.  The ceremony celebrated several African-led initiatives, including: 

  • Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO) (Ghana): Winner of the Clean Our Air Earthshot, GAYO is tackling air pollution with its innovative “Zero Waste Model”. 
  • Keep IT Cool (Kenya): Winner of the Build a Waste-Free World Earthshot, Keep IT Cool is revolutionising food preservation for small-scale farmers and fishers with its sustainable refrigeration systems. 

These winners, along with all other TEP recipients, exemplify the power of local solutions to address global challenges and contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Each winner receives £1 million in prize money to scale their impactful solutions. 
 
TEP invites individuals, communities, businesses, and organisations across Africa and beyond to submit their groundbreaking ideas and technologies that can accelerate the transition to a sustainable future. The Prize seeks solutions that are:

  • Impactful: Demonstrating tangible positive effects on the environment. 
  • Inspiring: Motivating others to act and join the global movement for change. 
  • Inclusive: Benefitting communities and promoting equitable access to resources. 

TEP is a beacon of hope in the face of the climate crisis, searching for the next generation of environmental pioneers who are developing innovative solutions to repair the planet. Anyone with a bold idea is encouraged to apply here (https://apo-opa.co/3ZfDXdG).   

At the heart of TEP's mission is a determination to bring environmental solutions to scale as fast as possible, to reach the goal of protecting and restoring the planet by 2030.  
The deadline for entries is 4 December 2024. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MultiChoice Group.

For media queries contact:
Moipone Tsotetsi
Moipone.Tsotetsi@multichoice.co.za 

For entry queries email:
Info@multichoiceafrica.com  

About The Earthshot Prize: 
Founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2020, The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental prize designed to discover, accelerate, and scale groundbreaking solutions to repair and regenerate the planet. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's Moonshot, the Prize aims to catalyse an Earthshot challenge to encourage and scale innovative solutions that can help put the world on a trajectory towards a stable climate where communities, oceans, and biodiversity thrive in harmony by 2030. 

For more information, please visit: https://apo-opa.co/3CAsjRP

Read moreCall for Entries: The Earthshot Prize 2025 – Seeking Groundbreaking Solutions to Restore Our Planet

Government, stakeholders sign declaration to work together against “construction mafia”

Location: News

Government, stakeholders sign declaration to work together against "construction mafia"

The signing of the Durban Declaration between the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and stakeholders involved in the fight against “construction mafias”, has been welcomed by Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson

The department and the South African Police Service (SAPS), the National Treasury and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) have agreed to work together to bring an end to criminal disruption at construction sites.

The Durban Declaration was signed by the Minister, Deputy Minister of Police Cassel Mathale, Deputy Minister of Finance Ashor Sarupen and CIDB chairperson Khulile Nzo, at the end of the National Construction Summit on Crime-Free Construction at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on Tuesday afternoon.

“The Durban Declaration marks a historic partnership and commitment between different sectors of society to work together to bring an end to the so-called construction mafia and ensure that infrastructure projects continue uninterrupted. 

“It binds sectors to implement certain interventions to discourage criminality at construction sites, reduce opportunities for disruptions to occur, and hold the guilty accountable,” Macpherson said.

“From the moment I was appointed as Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, it was clear to me that unless we bring an end to these stoppages at infrastructure projects, we would never be able to attract additional investment which will grow our economy and create jobs. 

“As job creation is the Government of National Unity’s key priority, it was therefore imperative to address the issue head-on, and the signing of the declaration today is a fulfilment of this commitment,” he said.

The Durban Declaration proposes a series of interventions to end the disruptions at construction sites to be implemented over the course of the next year, including:

• Strengthening the legislation governing the construction industry

• Implementing appropriate policies for the development of the construction industry

• Improving the data and reporting systems

• Enhancing the rapid response to lead to arrests for extortion on construction sites and prosecutions

• Developing standard frameworks and guidelines for embedding social facilitation in project planning and implementation

• Providing for the systematic and structured development of emerging enterprises and skills development

• Establishing collaborative platforms for industry stakeholders to share best practices

• Collaborate on solutions to the problems faced by the construction industry

“By the time the next National Construction Summit takes place next year, I look forward to reporting that meaningful progress was achieved in these focus areas and that there has been a significant decline in the number of construction disruptions reported. 

“I have no doubt that by working together, we will be able to bring an end to the construction mafia and build a better South Africa. Together, let’s build South Africa,” Macpherson said. – SAnews.gov.za

Edwin
Wed, 11/20/2024 - 10:32

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Yellow Card Secures Crypto Asset Service Provider Licence in South Africa

Location: News
Yellow Card Financial

Yellow Card (www.YellowCard.io), Africa's leading stablecoin-based infrastructure provider, has been issued a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) licence by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa.  

Commenting on the FSCA's decision to issue the licence to Yellow Card Financial South Africa, Chris Maurice, Yellow Card's co-founder and CEO, said, “The CASP licence underscores Yellow Card's commitment to its customers in South Africa and regulatory compliance across the continent.This achievement reflects our dedication to providing secure, compliant and transformative solutions for our customers both in South Africa and across Africa.  

Stablecoin adoption is surging throughout Africa, with sub-Saharan Africa having the highest adoption rate in the world at 9.2%. In South Africa alone, where the number of total users of crypto assets is estimated to amount to 5.8 million people, stablecoins have experienced growth of 50% month over month since October 2023, displacing bitcoin as the country's most popular cryptocurrency.  Yellow Card is excited to play a pivotal role in this financial revolution in South Africa. 

Yellow Card, which launched in South Africa in 2020, has facilitated over US$3 billion in transactions in the last several years and now operates in 20 countries across the continent. The company recently completed a US$33 million Series C financing, led by Blockchain Capital and existing investors, including Polychain Capital, Valar Ventures, Third Prime Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, and Block, Inc. (Square/Cash App), reflecting strong investor confidence in its mission.   

As the stablecoin landscape continues to evolve, Yellow Card is committed to leading the charge in making digital assets accessible and secure for businesses across Africa. With the recent licensing and funding, the company plans to expand its B2B offerings by enhancing its stablecoin rails, upgrading infrastructure, and advancing its B2B API and Widget. These efforts will empower businesses with seamless solutions for liquidity management and their general operations. 

To learn more about Yellow Card, visit: https://YellowCard.io/. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Yellow Card Financial.

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Telecoming and MTN Partner to Launch Cloud Gaming in South Africa

Location: News

Telecoming
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  • Both companies extend their collaboration to introduce cloud gaming in South Africa.
  • MTN Cloudplay aims to revolutionize digital entertainment with affordable, high-quality gaming access.

MTN, Africa's leading telecommunications operator with over 290 million subscribers across the continent, announces the launch of Cloudplay, a revolutionary new cloud gaming service, with Telecoming (www.Telecoming.com), a sportech company specializing in developing and distributing mobile experiences for sports and entertainment. This project marks a new milestone in the ongoing collaboration between the two companies.

MTN Cloudplay: A Game Changer

MTN Cloudplay will allow MTN users in South Africa to access a wide range of cloud-based video games, providing a high-quality gaming experience without the need for downloads or high-end gaming consoles. The service will allow customers to stream high-end PC games to their mobile phones, enabling them to play anywhere, anytime.

This service seeks to democratize access to high-quality mobile gaming for the whole family; including various genres which include retro games and exciting popular gaming titles with multi-device gameplay, at an affordable price of only R79 per month.

Jason Probert, General Manager for Digital Services at MTN South Africa shared his thoughts on the collaboration:

"We're thrilled to launch MTN Cloudplay in South Africa. We're committed to enabling our customers to enjoy the benefits of a modern connected life and the advent of 5G means that it is now possible to stream and play games without the need for a PC or console. Customers can use their existing Steam licenses on the service, and have access to more than 300 games on the service for only R79 per month."

Alí Karaosman, MEA Director of Telecoming says "It is very exciting for us to extend our collaboration with MTN, bringing our nearly decade-long experience in this market and supporting the operator in this innovative digital entertainment offering, we are convinced that MTN Cloudplay will revolutionize the way users in South Africa enjoy video games. For Telecoming, this partnership with MTN is a strategic step in our mission to bring esports and innovative digital services to Africa. We are committed to continuing to develop technological solutions that enhance digital leisure for people in the region."

Service Details

MTN Cloudplay is available to all MTN users in South Africa since November 2024. With a vast library of over 340 games from over 50 publishers, this cloud gaming service offers an unmatched gaming experience on any device.

MTN Cloudplay is accessible to MTN subscribers. Users can visit https://Cloudplay.MTN.co.za to explore the platform and enjoy a wide selection of gaming titles.

Highlights

  • Extensive Game Library: Enjoy classics like Contra, PacMan and Mortal Kombat and modern hits like Hogwarts Legacy and Borderlands 3.
  • Bring Your Own License (BYOL): Access games you've purchased on Steam, such as Grand Theft Auto V and Fallout 4.
  • Multi-Device Access: Play on any device and switch seamlessly between them.
  • Low Latency: Experience responsive gameplay with minimal lag.
  • Subscription: Available directly on https://Cloudplay.MTN.co.za or via the MTN Play https://Play.MTN.co.za website for R79 per month.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Telecoming.

For MTN Queries​:
Leigh-Ann Chetty
Senior Manager: Public Relations, MTN SA  
Cell: 083 209 1310  
E-mail: Leigh-Ann.Chetty@mtn.com  

Mthokozisi Ndlovu
Senior Manager: External Communications, MTN SA  
Cell: 083 209 2683  
E-mail: Mthokozisi.Ndlovu@mtn.com   

Press Contact Telecoming:
Bárbara González
barbara@bgdiez.es
M. +34 603 578 65

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About the MTN South Africa:
Launched in 1994, MTN South Africa is a subsidiary of MTN Group, a leading emerging market operator with a clear vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our customers. We are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of modern connected life. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code ‘MTN'. Our strategy is Ambition 2025: Leading digital solutions for Africa's progress.  

About Telecoming:
Telecoming is a sportech company specializing in developing and distributing mobile experiences for sports and entertainment. The firm has been deploying monetization technologies in partnership with telcos since 2008. Telecoming is currently present in 18 countries. Its portfolio includes the official licenses of the leading soccer clubs in Europe and Africa, as well as the main competitions of 12 sports disciplines. Leader in the digital content economy since its foundation, the company has been recognized by the London Stock Exchange as one of Europe's most inspiring organizations. In addition, it is one of Europe's fastest-growing companies, according to Morningstar's 5000 Inc. ranking. For more information, please visit: www.Telecoming.com

Read moreTelecoming and MTN Partner to Launch Cloud Gaming in South Africa

vivo Brings Flagship X200 Pro to Africa, Powered by Mediatek’s Groundbreaking Dimensity 9400 Chip

Location: News
MediaTek Inc.

vivo (www.vivo.com/za), one of the top five smartphone manufacturers in the world, is bringing its all-new vivo X200 Pro flagship smartphone range to Africa in collaboration with MediaTek (www.MediaTek.com), a global fabless semiconductor company powering over two billion connected devices annually. The collaboration was announced at AfricaCom 2024 in Cape Town.

The vivo X200 Pro features groundbreaking imaging technology, exceptional processing power, and a suite of innovations for productivity and creativity. Among the first smartphones powered by Dimensity 9400 (https://apo-opa.co/3OjMjdG), the Vivo X200 Pro comes in the Pro Mini variant alongside the base and Pro models.

The device is built on the MediaTek Dimensity 9400, the company's new-generation flagship smartphone chipset optimised for edge-AI applications, immersive gaming, incredible photography, and more. Featuring the all-big-core Arm Cortex-X925 CPU at 3.62GHz, the SoC delivers blistering performance.

The design offers 35% faster single-core performance and 28% faster multi-core performance compared to MediaTek's previous generation flagship chipset, the Dimensity 9300. Built on TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, the Dimensity 9400 is up to 40% more power-efficient than its predecessor, allowing users to enjoy longer battery life.

“As our fourth-generation flagship, the Dimensity 9400 builds on our momentum in the premium segment,” said Rami Osman (https://apo-opa.co/48T6tVz), Director of Business Development for MediaTek Middle East and Africa. “It enables manufacturers like vivo to build future-proof devices with next-generation features like Wi-Fi 7 tri-band MLO and on-device generative AI.”

Incorporating MediaTek's 8th Generation NPU, the Dimensity 9400 is the first mobile chipset to offer on-device LoRA training, high-quality on-device video generation, and developer support for Agentic AI. Dimensity 9400 offers up to 80% faster large language model (LLM) prompt performance.

Tony Shi, GM of vivo South Africa, said: “In 2023, vivo joined hands with MediaTek to usher in the all-big-core era. This year, we are proud to collaborate with MediaTek to define the second-generation all-big-core 3nm Dimensity 9400. The SoC delivers excellent performance across all productivity, gaming and media experiences.

“The tuning of vivo's BlueChip technology solutions unleashes the performance of the Dimensity 9400 flagship, while achieving excellent power efficiency control. This achieves a balanced state of high efficiency and low power consumption, empowering the vivo X200 Pro with exceptional experiences in performance, power efficiency, gaming, communication, security, imaging, display, and AI.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MediaTek Inc..

For media queries:
Idea Engineers (PR agency for MediaTek)
Ashmika Naidoo
Mobile: +27 (0)78 371 1645
ashmika@ideaengineers.co.za

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Website: www.MediaTek.com

About MediaTek Inc.:
MediaTek Incorporated (TWSE: 2454) is a global fabless semiconductor company that enables nearly 2 billion connected devices a year. We are a market leader in developing innovative systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile, home entertainment, connectivity and IoT products. Our dedication to innovation has positioned us as a driving market force in several key technology areas, including highly power-efficient mobile technologies, automotive solutions and a broad range of advanced multimedia products such as smartphones, tablets, digital televisions, 5G, Voice Assistant Devices (VAD) and wearables. MediaTek empowers and inspires people to expand their horizons and achieve their goals through smart technology, more easily and efficiently than ever before. We work with the brands you love to make great technology accessible to everyone, and it drives everything we do. Visit www.MediaTek.com for more information. 

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African Development Bank to Join World Leaders at the G20 Leaders’ Summit

Location: News
African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Akinwumi Adesina is in Rio de Janeiro where he will reaffirm his commitment to ending hunger and malnutrition.

The theme of the G20 Rio Summit is “Building a just world and a sustainable planet”. It will be held from 18-19 November, and a major focus here will the G20's Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, an ambitious initiative led by the current G20 Chair Brazil, which seeks to unite developed and developing nations in eradicating hunger and addressing inequalities.

The Alliance will launch a range of coordinated actions which include expanding the production of healthy food and developing sustainable agriculture. Africa, which accounts for more than a third of the world's hungry people is central to that. According to the 2024 State of Food security and Nutrition in the world 20.4% of Africa's population are facing hunger.

“In Africa over 280 million people suffer from hunger, some 38% of the hungry people in the world” African Development Bank President Adesina stated at the 2024 World Food Prize Norman Borlaug Dialogue in Iowa last month.

“Hunger is the worst form of deprivation. The mind, the body, and the soul are shrivelled by hunger. Hunger strips away human dignity,” he said.

The African Development Bank, along with the World Bank and several other development institutions have affirmed support for the new Global Alliance initiative. Specifically, the African Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank have launched a campaign to use IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) channelled through multilateral development banks under a hybrid financing mechanism, to scale up financing to back the effort.

The African Development Bank's Feed Africa (http://apo-opa.co/3ZazvNe) strategy under its High Five priority blueprint, steadfastly continues to bolster its objective of food security and resilience in Africa.

The Brazilian Presidency is building upon the progress achieved under the Indonesian and Indian G20 Presidencies in strengthening multilateral development Banks to become bigger, better and more effective institutions.

Brazil will hand over the baton of the chair of the G20 to South Africa at the end of the Rio summit.  The Group of Twenty or G20, comprises 19 countries and two regional bodies: the European Union and the African Union. The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Contact:
Amba Mpoke-Bigg,
Communication and External Relations Department 
email: media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

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World leaders pledge to help developing countries fight poverty

Location: News

World leaders pledge to help developing countries fight poverty

By Gabisile Ngcobo

Rio de Janeiro - Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced initiatives to support global development and strengthen the Global South as a significant player within the Group of 20 (G20).

Speaking at the G20 Leaders’ Summit on Monday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, President Xi emphasised that China was committed to fostering a fair world centred on mutual development.

The President commended Brazil’s G20 Presidency for placing fighting hunger and poverty at the top of the agenda and the decision to establish a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.

“From Hangzhou to Rio, we have been working for the same goal, that is, to build a just world of common development,” he said. 

However, he said to build such a world, leaders needed to channel more resources to such fields as trade, investment and development cooperation, as well as strengthen development institutions. 

“There should be more bridges of cooperation, and less ‘small yard, high fences’, so that more and more developing countries will be better off and achieve modernisation.” 

He called on the opening, inclusive and non-discriminatory environment for international economic cooperation and integration in digital, smart and green development to bridge the North-South gap.

President Xi said China was committed to ensuring that the Global South research centre currently under construction is effective. 

He emphasised that the US$20 billion allocated for development funds would be utilised effectively to support developing countries and enhance practical cooperation in key areas, including poverty reduction, food security, and the digital economy.

“China has decided to join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. We support the G20 in continuing to convene the Development Ministerial Meeting and will stay a committed host of the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste.” 

Meanwhile, he announced that China, alongside Brazil, South Africa and the African Union, was proposing an Initiative on International Cooperation in Open Science to help the Global South gain better access to global advances in science, technology and innovation.

“China is pursuing high standard opening up and unilaterally opening our doors wider to the least developed countries (LDCs),” he explained, adding all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China zero-tariff treatment for 100% tariff lines. 

“From now to 2030, China’s imports from other developing countries are likely to top US$8 trillion.”

He called on leaders to promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation to bridge the North-South gap.

United States President Joe Biden highlighted his administration’s efforts to combat global hunger and poverty.

On Sunday, as part of his historic trip to the Amazon, President Biden announced that the United States had fulfilled the historic pledge to increase the country’s international climate finance to over $11 billion a year by 2024 – making the United States the largest bilateral provider of climate finance in the world. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed poverty, saying it was an important issue and that achievements in this area would significantly contribute to sustainable progress.

During his remarks, he spoke about India’s efforts, notably how the country collectively worked to remove 250 million people from the clutches of poverty.

The Prime Minister highlighted how India was providing free rations to 800 million people, thus strengthening the fight against hunger. 

He touched on the initiatives being undertaken to ensure top quality and affordable healthcare for the poor and elderly, steps to boost financial self-reliance among women and ensure food as well as nutritional security.

“India believes in the approaches of ‘Back to Basics’ and ‘March to Future’. That is why we are emphasising organic farming, popularising millets and encouraging climate-resilient crop varieties.” 

The G20 leaders will discuss global solutions to eradicate hunger, reduce social inequality, and promote sustainable development and food security to ensure a fairer and more equal future. 

Read I Two-day G20 Summit kicks off in Brazil

French President Emmanuel Macron said they were counting on Brazil's leadership to ensure that the G20 moves forward to address global crises and challenges. 

“No country should choose between fighting poverty and protecting the planet,” he said, adding that France will do everything in their power to address these issues. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

Gabisile
Mon, 11/18/2024 - 21:51

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World leaders urged to intensify fight against poverty, hunger 

Location: News

World leaders urged to intensify fight against poverty, hunger 

By Gabisile Ngcobo

Rio de Janeiro - President Cyril Ramaphosa has used the opening of the G20 Leaders’ Summit to urge world leaders to intensify efforts to eliminate poverty and hunger.

“We must advance gender equality. And we must overcome the planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and pollution,” he said on Monday.

The President was delivering a statement on social inclusion and the fight against poverty and hunger during the first working session on the first day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

READ | Two-day G20 Summit kicks off in Brazil

The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, an initiative launched today at the summit under Brazil’s G20 Presidency, takes a significant step towards its operationalisation with the announcement of the first members of its Board of Champions.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasised that hunger and poverty are not the result of scarcity or natural phenomena, but rather a product of political decisions that perpetuate the exclusion of a large part of humanity.

President Ramaphosa has thrown his weight behind the Brazilian Presidency’s focus on social inclusion and the fight against hunger. 

The alliance is an initiative dedicated to mobilising resources and coordinating actions among countries, institutions, and organisations to achieve ambitious goals of reducing hunger and poverty, working to find solutions for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 1 of no poverty and SDG 2 (zero hunger).

The Board of Champions will consist of up to 50 members, including 25 countries and 25 organisations, with South Africa still yet to announce its representative. 

“It is only through an integrated and comprehensive system of social support that we will be able to assist the most vulnerable in society,” the President told leaders.

According to the World Bank, nearly 700 million people are currently living in extreme poverty, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 67% of this population.

“At the same time, countries with developing economies are faced with declining growth prospects, declining investments and rising debt.”

The Head of State said the challenges could derail development gains and progress toward achieving the SDGs.

This is why he called for a renewed effort to eliminate poverty and hunger.

Since the start of democracy 30 years ago, the President said South Africa has invested significant effort and resources into alleviating poverty and reducing inequality.

“Through its substantial social protection programmes, our government has provided vital support to millions of South Africans, lifting many out of extreme poverty and ensuring that our communities meet most of their basic needs.”

These social protection measures include the provision of free basic services, healthcare, basic education, higher education, social housing and transport.

“South Africa is committed to ending poverty, malnutrition and hunger in line with our National Development Plan.”

In addition, he told his counterparts that food security will be one of the high-level priorities of South Africa’s G20 Presidency.

Preparations are underway for South Africa’s G20 Presidency and the hosting of the G20 Summit in 2025.

South Africa is set to assume the Chair of the G20 from Brazil on 1 December next month.

“As the G20, we need to ensure that the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals remains at the forefront of international financing decisions. 

“We need to ensure that long outstanding commitments are met. And we need to ensure that new, at-scale, affordable and accessible funding is mobilised to support sustainable development. We must leave no one behind,” he added. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Mon, 11/18/2024 - 18:19

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Two-day G20 Summit kicks off in Brazil

Location: News

Two-day G20 Summit kicks off in Brazil

By Gabisile Ngcobo

Rio de Janeiro - The long-awaited Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit has kicked off with Heads of State and their delegates being welcomed at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil on Monday. 

The venue, located in the heart of the city and showcasing a collection of Brazilian and international masterpieces, is hosting Heads of State from the 20 largest economies, along with representatives from the European Union and the African Union, over the next two days. 

Located within the iconic Flamengo Park, the museum boasts tranquil, lush green surroundings. 

This prominent gathering of world leaders has been convened to discuss critical issues affecting the globe, with a specific focus on climate change. 

Several roads will be closed to the public for the duration of the summit, which will conclude on Tuesday, 19 November 2024, as many visitors return home. 

Visitors are welcomed by clean streets adorned with billboards and posters featuring the G20 Summit logo. 

Security personnel, including local police and army members, are ensuring the venue is secure as they line the streets on a warm spring day, leading to the main venue and the media centre. 

Law enforcement personnel, many of whom are armed, are conducting security patrols and bag checks. 

The city has deployed 130 traffic operators along with 55 motorcycles and 22 operational vehicles in areas directly related to the event and along the city’s main traffic routes. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, United States President Joe Biden, and Chinese President Xi Jinping are among the leaders in attendance. 

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed the leaders of the G20 guest countries, while his wife, Janja Lula da Silva, greeted spouses of guest nations and G20 members. 

Da Silva delivered welcoming remarks before the first session, which will discuss social inclusion and the fight against hunger and poverty. 

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres is also attending the gathering and expressed gratitude to President da Silva for hosting him in his country for this year’s G20 Leaders’ Summit. 

“Our times are tumultuous, and we need to race much faster to tackle fundamental common challenges. The climate crisis has burned through another record, with 2024 likely to be the hottest year in history.

“We see the impacts everywhere. Look no further than the drought in the Amazon and horrible floods in southern Brazil,” he told the media. 

Meanwhile, he said conflicts are raging and impunity spreading, with repeated violations of international law and the UN Charter. 

“Inequality is growing, and progress on poverty and hunger has stalled. The Sustainable Development Goals are off-track.” 

He challenged the G20 leaders to lead and tackle key global problems including peace. 

He advocated for the strengthening of the global financial safety net to ensure that all countries are protected when shocks occur. In addition, he urged nations to agree on an ambitious climate finance goal that addresses the significant challenges faced by developing countries. 

“Many challenges, but also many possible solutions. The G20 must lead by example. 

“This is fundamental to restoring trust, credibility, and legitimacy of every government and our global system in these turbulent times. We need to seize every opportunity to lead transformative action for a safer, more peaceful and sustainable world,” the General Secretary added. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Gabisile
Mon, 11/18/2024 - 17:00

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Read moreTwo-day G20 Summit kicks off in Brazil

Celebrating the Trailblazers Shaping Africa’s Tech Future

Location: News
Africa Tech Festival

Africa Tech Festival (www.AfricaTechFestival.com) 2024 wrapped up last week, marking the most successful edition in the event's 27-year history. Organised by Informa Tech, the event is Africa's most extensive showcase of enterprise tech innovation, bringing together influential founders, business leaders, policymakers, investors, and startups.

Building on the momentum of the event's first two days, the final day kicked off with an opening address by Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, City of Cape Town. Commenting on the host city's standing as a leading tech hub hosting 51% of South Africa's startups, he emphasised Cape Town's focus on skills development in AI and tech in particular, reiterating his excitement at “making Cape Town a focal point for African innovation and setting an example of how tech can empower communities and social change.”

LeadersIn Africa Summit

Preceding the main event, the by-invitation LeadersIn Africa Summit was an exclusive VIP series of executive discussions designed to facilitate actionable dialogue between 100 of the continent's most influential tech players. Panel sessions, fireside chats, networking events, and roundtables provided a platform for sharing insights and collaborating on solutions to Africa's tech challenges. Topics ranged from emerging technologies to AI for startups, ESG, regulatory frameworks, fundraising strategies, and support for founders and investors.

Skills development and knowledge sharing

The final day of Africa Tech Festival 2024 also featured several keynote fireside discussions across the various event streams. Skills development was a theme of the day, including a masterclass session on AI content creation, a security fundamentals certification training session, and a technical workshop where participants worked in groups to develop scaling strategies for AI pilot projects.

Key Highlights

The USAID Young African Leaders Initiative(YALI) hosted the YALI Alumni Expo and Trade Show running alongside Africa Tech Festival. The YALI Expo  connected and celebrated YALI alumni making positive change in their communities by creating  these networking opportunities and showcasing innovations for sustainable impact.

One of the key topics focused on the gender gap and a panel discussion on day 4 centred around   Empowering Female Founders: Narrowing the Gender Gap in Venture Capital.  The challenge that female-founded companies face is that only 16% of tech funding and 8% of total funding go to these companies due to bias, lack of female representation among venture capital decision-makers or insufficient diversity in teams and investment criteria. It was proposed that female representation in venture capital leadership needed to be increased, more training and support was essential to encourage female founders to build networks and strengthen pitch preparation and business strategies.

The Africa Tech Festival Awards took place on the penultimate  night,  at the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town. The awards celebrated the  exceptional technological advancements and expertise across the continent and highlighted the pioneering work that is transforming lives and industries across Africa, inspiring future innovation and growth. Some of the winners included:

  • Telco of the Year: MTN Ghana 
  • Innovation for Impact: WIOCC Group 
  • CXO of the Year: Patrick Benon, Orange Cameroon 
  • Changing Lives Award: Orange Burkina Faso 
  • Creative Visionary Award: Brighton Mhlongo 
  • AIConics Award: GRIT - Gender Rights in Tech 

“Africa Tech Festival 2024 exceeded our expectations in terms of engagement, active participation by key industry stakeholders, and the sheer scale of the event. As we wrap up the 2024 event, we'd like to express our gratitude to all our sponsors and supporters, with special mention to the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and the City of Cape Town. 

As the largest and most influential telecoms and technology event in Africa, with an audience that spans the entire ICT ecosystem, we're proud of the progress made in opening dialogue, sharing insights, and working together to advance Africa's digital transformation journey,” said Informa's James Williams, Event Director of Africa Tech Festival.   

Visit the AfricaTech Festival website (https://apo-opa.co/4hPy9P7) for more details.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.

About Africa Tech Festival: 
Africa Tech Festival, including anchor events AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite & AI Summit Cape Town is part of the Informa Tech Connecting Africa event series. A vibrant celebration of Africa's diverse community of tech champions, Africa Tech Festival is the largest tech and digital connectivity conference and exhibition in Africa, attracting hundreds of exhibitors, more than 450 speakers and more than 15000 delegates.  

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Africa Tech Festival 2024 showcases innovation across Africa’s technology ecosystem

Location: News

Africa Tech Festival
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Over 15,000 attendees were welcomed to the 27th annual Africa Tech Festival (www.AfricaTechFestival.com) by South African Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Hon. Solly Malatsi. The Department is an official partner of this year's event, which features more than 300 exhibitors and 400 speakers representing all facets of the tech ecosystem.

Emphasising a shared vision of a digitally connected, inclusive, and prosperous Africa, leveraging technology to drive economic and social progress, the Minister reaffirmed host country South Africa's commitment to bridging the digital divide through policy, partnerships, and investments in universal connectivity and affordability. “While technology holds enormous promise, it is essential that we harness this potential in a way that can benefit all the people on the continent and the rest of the world. South Africa is honoured to play its role on this journey, both as a leader and a partner to our fellow African countries,” he said.

Organised by Informa Tech (https://www.InformaTech.com/), the Africa Tech Festival's anchor events –AfricaCom, AfricaTech, and AfricaIgnite – along with the AI Summit Cape Town, provided delegates with the opportunity to explore enterprise tech innovation and disruption across key sectors such as cybersecurity, cloud, data centres, and green ICT.

Highlights of the first two days of the event, which ran from 12 to 14 November at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, included:

AI Summit Cape Town

Hon. Mondli Gungubele, Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, opened the inaugural AI Summit Cape Town. Along with introducing the newly-formed AI Institute of South Africa, he called for collaboration among government, industry, academia, and civil society to maximise AI's benefits while addressing challenges like job displacement and ethical considerations, saying, “Let's seize this opportunity to shape a future where AI helps us uplift our citizens, drive economic growth, transform our society for the better and leave no one behind.”

The AI Summit features the biggest names and brightest minds in AI, all exploring how this transformative technology can create a brighter future for Africa. For instance, the panel session Navigating AI Policy Challenges: Collaborative Approaches to Strengthen Governance in Africa focused on fostering global cooperation in AI governance, emphasising cross-border collaboration, universal safety standards, and ethical innovation. The discussion also highlighted the role of public-private partnerships in implementing equitable AI policies.

AfricaIgnite

AfricaIgnite is the flagship event for founders, investors, and key players in the tech ecosystem. It supports market access and investment opportunities.

The panel Overcoming the Funding Winter: Strategies for Early-Stage Start-Ups highlighted resilience in the early-stage start-up ecosystem, exploring strategies employed by successful start-ups to attract investors and secure funding in a competitive market. It also examined the role of accelerators and incubators in fostering growth and supporting the development of African tech start-ups.

A dynamic fireside chat on The Rise of Debt Financing as an Alternative Funding Model explored the growing appeal of debt financing for late-stage start-ups, delving into the key drivers behind this trend. The benefits of debt financing and insights into the strategic considerations start-ups should evaluate when transitioning to this alternative funding model were also discussed.

Another high-level panel, titled The Search for Liquidity: Navigating African Startup Exits, explored the growing dominance of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as the main exit strategy for African start-ups, especially in fintech, with IPOs remaining scarce. It also examined the factors driving this trend and its impact on the African startup ecosystem.

AfricaCom

AfricaCom brings together Africa-focused connectivity leaders and the brightest minds in the telecoms space. Within the Connectivity & Digital Infrastructure stream, an insightful panel discussion on Connecting Africa's Next Billion: Scaling Africa's Digital Infrastructure explored the economic and social benefits and challenges of expanding internet connectivity. Industry experts and stakeholders discussed the critical role of governments, telcos, and tech innovators in building sustainable infrastructure to expand internet access, particularly in remote and underserved areas, to advance digital inclusion across the continent.

In the Telcos of Tomorrow stream, panellists explored AI's transformative potential in the telecoms sector in a session titled Integrated AI: Telco Blueprints for Business Model and Service Delivery Transformation. Emphasising how AI optimises complex organisational systems, the panel discussed the challenges of implementing these systems.

AfricaTech

Driving funding for female-led start-ups was the theme of the Empowering Female Founders: Narrowing the Gender Gap in Venture Capital panel discussion, which addressed the persistent challenge of gender disparity in African venture capital. Networks, mentorship, technical support, celebrating successful female founders as role models, and challenging stereotypes were some of the topics.

“2024 is a standout year for Africa Tech Festival, being the largest event in almost three decades. We have more attendees and exhibitors, more features, more content, and more opportunities to position Africa as a tech powerhouse. The opening days have been overwhelmingly positive, with delegates engaging, networking, and sharing insights that have the potential to reshape Africa's tech ecosystem. We are seeing innovative solutions to the continent's tech challenges and a commitment to contribute positively to growing Africa's economic potential. I'm confident that this will continue not only for the remainder of the event but into the future as well,” concluded James Williams, Event Director of Africa Tech Festival.

Visit the AfricaTech Festival website (http://apo-opa.co/3ANhFGy) for more details.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.

About Africa Tech Festival:  
Africa Tech Festival, including anchor events AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite & AI Summit Cape Town is part of the Informa Tech Connecting Africa event series. A vibrant celebration of Africa's diverse community of tech champions, Africa Tech Festival is the largest tech and digital connectivity conference and exhibition in Africa, attracting hundreds of exhibitors, more than 450 speakers and more than 15000 delegates.  

Read moreAfrica Tech Festival 2024 showcases innovation across Africa’s technology ecosystem

Regional Call-For-Action From the Children of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Location: News

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
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All children have the right to a quality education, to grow up in a safe and secure environment and to be protected from harm. Children's rights are human rights, enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Yet too many children cannot realize these rights and face exclusion, discrimination, violence, and exploitation. Children have the right to grow up in a world where every child is valued, included, empowered and protected.

As children of Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa Zambia and Zimbabwe, we recognize all the work done our respective Governments to promote the rights of children. But there is still much work to do to ensure that the rights of all children to a quality education are protected, promoted and fulfilled - without discrimination.

Our unified Call-for-Action on World Children's Day, aligned with the specific theme of the 2024 Regional World Children's Day commemorations "Educate and Skill the African Child for Posterity" is to drive progress in the following areas. Our Call-for-Action is informed by broad national consultations involving more than 5000 children across our seven countries, organized among our peers with the support of our Governments and civil society partners.

We, the children from Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, call on our leaders to listen to our voices, include us in decisions which affect us, adopt and implement our solutions and invest in our present and future.

We call on our Governments to take concerted action on the following issues:

To ensure access to Education:

  • Ensure all children – including children from disadvantaged backgrounds - have access to quality education, providing financial support for those in need and addressing the specific needs of girls and boys to access education.
  • Strengthen and enrich curricula to ensure inclusion of practical life skills that enhance daily living and learning to earning. Curriculum content should be designed to ensure relevance and meet the current demands of children.
  • Quality education needs to be innovative, allowing critical thinking and creativity, ensuring appropriate learning materials and a supportive learning environment, and facilitating engagement and practical skills development. Governments should provide this in consultation with children.
  • Educators should be equipped to deliver quality education, making learning fresh, and impactful, and delivered in pleasant environments and infrastructure, conducive to learning, including well-equipped labs and libraries.

For an inclusive and quality education system:

  • Provide children with equal opportunities for education, including children with disabilities and those in hard-to-reach areas.
  • Ensure integrated learning environments, allowing students to interact and collaborate with peers with special education needs from a young age instead of being separated.
  • Employ well-trained and qualified teachers for better learning outcomes; increase teacher salaries and benefits to improve retention.
  • Construct child- and disability-friendly infrastructure and provide sufficient teaching resources, including solar power for uninterrupted learning, build schools closer to communities or provide transportation for students.
  • Involve parents, guardians and community leaders in creating an inclusive education system – including adolescent girls at risk of drop out of school, children involved in child labour, minority groups and children with disabilities – to ensure no child is left behind.

To ensure relevant education, including emerging issues:  

  • Ensure an education that is impactful and useful to us in the current modern and developing world; an education with a positive impact in our lives, be it present or in future as we transition to the world of work; the curriculum should equip us with relevant skills to navigate life from a very young age.
  • We want a curriculum that is aligned with the rest of the world and puts emphasis on digital literacy. This will be achieved by improving ICT infrastructure in all schools.
  • Expand and enhance climate change education programmes and teach us about climate change, the environment, responsible and sustainable consumption and production as core subjects in class and/or school clubs focusing on climate.
  • Ensure we have access to education in a safe learning environment, also during emergencies.

***

Children's Pledge of Commitment

As children from Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, we stand united in our belief that our voices and actions matter. We are committed to being responsible citizens, ready to support and work alongside our Governments, leaders, parents and organisations to create a better future for all children in our region.

We the children the children from Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe commit to:

  • Actively participate in child parliaments, school councils, junior councils as well as other student forums, and take full advantage of opportunities to voice our ideas about curriculum and school programmes. By sharing our perspectives, we will help create an education system that meets our needs.
  • Advocate for the development of public libraries and recreational facilities, using these spaces for personal growth and encouraging others to engage in learning, sports, and creative activities that benefit our well-being.
  • Make our schools and communities more inclusive by embracing diversity, offering support, and advocating for accessibility in all areas. Together, we can create an environment where everyone can thrive, belong and feel safe.
  • Use technology responsibly and enhance our digital skills. We will engage in ICT programmes, share our knowledge with peers, and encourage others to join us in developing the skills needed to succeed in a digital world.
  • Learn and educate ourselves and others on climate change and commit to sustainable practices in our daily lives. Through small acts like reducing waste and participating in community clean-up efforts, we can help protect our planet for generations to come.
  • Make our classrooms more collaborative, helping our teachers, and supporting our peers, in a quest to foster a culture of mutual respect and encouragement, to overcome challenges together.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Read moreRegional Call-For-Action From the Children of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Government to host Construction Summit

Location: News

Government to host Construction Summit

Concerns around the so-called construction mafia, security and other criminal activity at construction sites, as well as the promotion of practical solutions for building crime-free environments within the construction industry, will come under the spotlight at the Construction Summit on Crime-Free Construction Sites next week.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), in collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb), will host the summit at the Durban International Convention Centre in KwaZulu-Natal.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Dean Macpherson, has expressed his strong commitment to addressing crime at construction sites across the country. 

“This is a fulfilment of a promise I made shortly after taking office to host a summit to deal with construction site stoppages nationwide.

“Construction sites should be places where workers build not just structures, but also a sense of safety, respect and trust. Unfortunately, crime has been a persistent challenge in the sector, undermining productivity, escalating costs and putting lives at risk,” Macpherson said.

The Minister committed to working with industry stakeholders to find solutions for safer work environments and underscored the government's dedication to eliminating crime, ensuring that workers return home safely each day.

The SAPS will also play a key part in the stakeholder engagement as law enforcement plays a critical role in maintaining security. Accordingly, Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, is expected to address the summit to reinforce the role of the police in combatting crime in the sector.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is also expected to speak at Tuesday’s summit.Other Speakers will include the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal and the Mayor of eThekwini.

The cidb, a key partner in ensuring the professionalism and development of the construction industry, is equally dedicated to creating a conducive environment for effective delivery of infrastructure. 

Bongani Dladla, CEO of the cidb, highlighted the importance of industry-wide collaboration in promoting security and efficiency in construction. 

"We’re looking forward to playing an active role in this summit as we strongly believe that the construction industry is vital to our nation's growth, and addressing crime is essential to protecting both assets and the lives of those who build our future. The cidb is committed to supporting initiatives like the National Construction Summit to set new safety standards and collaborate with the DPWI, law enforcement, and industry partners to make construction sites safer and more efficient,” said Dladla.

The summit will feature a series of expert-led discussions on legislation and policy, security and law enforcement, community engagement, empowerment, skills development and other strategic topics to equip stakeholders with the tools needed to combat crime on construction sites. 

It will also provide an opportunity for networking and forging partnerships aimed at improving site security and promoting the safety of workers. - SAnews.gov.za

Edwin
Fri, 11/15/2024 - 09:00

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Read moreGovernment to host Construction Summit

Liquid C2 Builds on Strategic Partnership With Cloudflare to Introduce Enhanced Cyber Security Solutions

Location: News
Liquid Intelligent Technologies

Liquid C2, a business unit of Cassava Technologies has further solidified its strategic partnership with Cloudflare. The latter has appointed Liquid C2 as the first distributor of their new range of cyber security products in South Africa, a testament to Liquid C2 expertise and trustworthiness in the industry. In addition to South Africa, the company will make the solutions available to its partners in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. 

With the new offering, Liquid C2 is set to deliver application services that provide security and performance solutions for web applications, network services that secure enterprise networking and zero trust services. The 2023 Cyber Security report from Interpol revealed a 23% year-on-year increase in the average number of weekly cyberattacks per organisation in Africa, underscoring the pressing need for cost-effective integrated cybersecurity services for businesses in the mid-market segment.

Oswald Jumira, CEO of Liquid C2, reassures, “Through this partnership, we will enable our channel partner ecosystem through Cloudmania to expand their cyber security solution offering to their customers. Modern businesses need robust, scalable, and secure solutions to support hybrid work environments, protect against network and application-level threats, and ensure reliable connectivity. This offering, which combines the reach of Liquid C2 and Cloudmania and Cloudflare's expertise, is a testament to our commitment to enabling businesses to thrive in the growing African digital economy”.

Graham Turnbull, Cloudflare said, “Cloudflare is excited to announce an expanded partnership with Liquid C2 to launch a Managed Services Programme aimed at delivering advanced security and performance solutions to businesses of all sizes across Africa. As long-standing partners, Cloudflare and Liquid C2 are committed to empowering organisations with scalable, resilient digital infrastructure. This collaboration brings together Cloudflare's world-class technology with Liquid C2's extensive network, supporting the continent's digital growth and security needs”.

Additionally, Cloudflare's zero trust services provide a security model that requires strict identity verification for every individual and device trying to access resources on a private network. This solution is critical for any organisation that has moved to a hybrid and remote work model. In today's ever-evolving cyber threat landscape, businesses need to secure access to applications and data from any location, ensuring that only authorised users and devices can connect. This milestone enables African companies to level the playing field against their international counterparts, making Africa an attractive investment destination.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Liquid Intelligent Technologies.

About Liquid C2:
Liquid C2, a business of Cassava Technologies, delivers cutting-edge cloud and cybersecurity services and solutions. Committed to facilitating digital transformation, Liquid C2 is positioned to provide comprehensive solutions tailored to meet the evolving demands of the digital era by empowering businesses to navigate the complexities of the modern digital landscape securely. The company's offerings span cloud solutions that enhance accessibility and scalability, and robust cybersecurity services to safeguard sensitive data and elevate security and compliance posture to ensure businesses remain seamlessly connected and protected. https://LiquidC2.com/

About Cloudflare:
Cloudflare, Inc. (www.Cloudflare.com / @ cloudflare: https://apo-opa.co/3YPYmnV) is on a mission to help build a better Internet. Cloudflare's suite of products protect and accelerate any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare have all web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. 

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Liquid Intelligent Technologies
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Read moreLiquid C2 Builds on Strategic Partnership With Cloudflare to Introduce Enhanced Cyber Security Solutions