Russia accuses Ukraine of opening ‘African front’ as Niger cuts Kyiv ties
Ukraine is seeking support from the Global South, but several West African states are ditching Western ties to turn to Russia. The claim by Moscow followed an announcement from Niger’s military government on Tuesday that it has cut ties with Ukraine. Several states in West Africa have recently ditched longstanding ties with the West to turn to Russia. Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military spy agency, said that the Malian rebels had received the “necessary” information to conduct the operation. Both have since ripped up defence agreements with France and turned to Russia for military support.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 23:28 UTC
Sacyr wins northern airport PPPs
A consortium comprising Sacyr Concesiones (70%) and Cointer (30%) has preliminarily won the Northern Airport Network of Chile public-private partnership project bundle, encompassing Atacama and Antofagasta airports. The consortium will invest UF7.01m (US$290.5m) to expand, improve and maintain the two sites over a 26-year concession. The award will take Sacyr’s airport PPP portfolio in the country to five, adding to Chacalluta in Arica, El Loa in Calama and El Tepual in Puerto Montt. Antofagasta is the second busiest in Chile with 2.3 million passengers in 2023, while Atacama Airport handled 723,000 passengers. An official award is expected in Q4, work begins in 2027 and the new facilities will come into operation in 2030.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 22:45 UTC
Tunisian opposition figure Moussi sentenced to prison ahead of October election
A potential presidential candidate in Tunisia has been sentenced to two years in prison, marking another setback to the country’s fledgling opposition challenging President Kais Saied as he seeks a new term. Moussi’s lawyer Nafaa Laribi told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she still intends to run in the Oct. 6 presidential election, and that, unlike other candidates, nothing in Monday's sentence prevents her from running. The sentence is the latest in a growing crackdown that observers have said is politically motivated against Saied's critics, regardless of political affiliation. With Moussi and other leading opposition figures in prison, Saied is expected to face little election competition in what was once the Middle East and North Africa’s most progressive democracy. A strong critic of Islamists such as imprisoned Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi, Moussi was an official in longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s ruling party.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 22:25 UTC
Gen Z anti-govt revolt in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria may fuel sub-Saharan ‘African Spring’ – The North Africa Post
As sub-Saharan Africa has seen an unparalleled surge of protests this year, from Kenya to Uganda and Nigeria, some observers are expressing the view that a new African Spring may be on the horizon. Young people in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria have taken to the streets protesting against the high cost of living, lack of jobs, and their corrupt governments. Now, some observers, such as the Al Jazeera columnist, Tafi Mhaka, are asking if a sub-Saharan ”African Spring” is in the offing. “More than 10 years later, I suspect the same may now be happening in sub-Saharan Africa,” Mhaka adds. Only the coming days and weeks will show if the burgeoning protest movement in sub-Saharan Africa has already got beyond the point of no return and a new wave of African Spring uprisings will engulf the whole region.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 22:08 UTC
Zambia: Renewable energy to power water and sanitation project
A project aimed at improving access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in Zambia is to use renewable energy technologies for the water production and supply system. The money is to be used to implement “innovative measures” and improve access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for 460,000 people in Kabwe and Bauleni. Improving water infrastructure in ZambiaThe project also aims to strengthen the resilience of the beneficiary populations to the effects of climate change. It will collaborate with partners such as UNICEF to strengthen the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services. Morocco: Solar energy used to power desalination plant in the desertThe Bank has supported Zambia’s water sector since the late 1970s.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 20:32 UTC
Africa and North America markets help boost Super Group Q2 revenue by 9%
Africa and North America markets help boost Super Group Q2 revenue by 9% The operator says revenue hit an all-time quarterly record. By Ciaran McLoughlinSuper Group has released its financial results for the second quarter of 2024, emphasising a positive period for the parent company of Betway and Spin. Africa and North America’s growth was a key driver for the group overall, though was partially offset by declines from the Middle East and Asia-Pacific markets. Adjusted EBITDA grew 8% year-on-year to €81.9m, while monthly active customers was 4.5 million during Q2 2024 vs 3.7 million in Q2 2023. Super Group CEO Neal Menashe said: “The second quarter of 2024 was our strongest quarter ever and demonstrates the exceptional progress we continue to make as a business.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 20:17 UTC
stc Group Partners with Nexthink to Enhance Digital Employee Experience
stc Group, has signed a strategic partnership with Nexthink, a global leader in Digital Employee Experience management. This partnership will support in implementing digital employee experience (DEX) management solutions to enhance stc Group service delivery and retain its position as a world-class digital leader. stc Group is a global digital enabler, comprising 13 subsidiaries across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. The Group has diversified its offer over the years and is now a provider of innovative digital products and solutions, encompassing digital infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), digital payments, digital media, and digital entertainment. Since the implementation, stc Group improved their DEX scores by over 50% – resulting in fewer ticket escalations, faster issue resolution by 20% and happier, more productive employees.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 20:15 UTC
eVisas are now available to all BRP holders
The eVisa roll-out involves the replacement of physical immigration documents with digital immigration status. The initiative was launched under the previous Government with a target completion date of 31 December 2024. Please get in touch with your usual Lewis Silkin immigration team contact. Employers should review their right to work processes to make sure that they will retain the statutory excuse after 31 December 2024. Keep a look-out for our ‘quick guide’ to repeat right to work checks, which will be published on our Insights page shortly.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 15:59 UTC
African Aviation: Optimistic Signs of Market Growth, or Increasing Risk?
Welcome back to the last in our series of articles focused on the African Aviation Market. In this article, we compare the rate of aviation growth across different regions of Africa. Airline capacity growth of over 24% in North Africa ranks as one of the highest recoveries by an IATA region since Summer 2019. Despite what looks like positive capacity growth, the structure of the market hasn’t changed for many years. And while perhaps one or two African airlines have developed services across the continent they are certainly in the minority.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 15:14 UTC
NORTH AFRICA | Egyptian Fintech, Qardy, Announces 7-Figure USD Investment to Support Expansion into MENA
Egyptian fintech, Qardy, has secured a 7-figure USD pre-seed round of investment, with participation from White Field Ventures and Vastly Valuable Ventures among other angel investors. Qardy is described as the first digital lending marketplace in Egypt and the MENA region for financial institutions to fund MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises). Since their soft launch in late 2022, the startup has quickly established itself as a trusted partner for MSME’s and financial institutions. Amal Dokhan, Managing Partner at 500 Global, says:“We are thrilled to support Qardy in their journey towards empowering businesses with accessible and efficient financial solutions. We are excited about the achievement Qardy has reached and are fully prepared to support their expansion into the KSA.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 09:31 UTC
New stablecoin, hybrid exchange platform launched in SA
South African startup NeoNomad has launched Africa’s first hybrid exchange platform, an innovative web application aimed at addressing the pressing issues of financial inclusion, high transaction costs, and limited banking accessibility across the continent. The NeoNomad app offers a South African stablecoin called ZARcoin (ZARC), which is pegged 1:1 to the South African rand, and facilitates seamless digital transactions locally and – soon – internationally, integrating cryptocurrency and real currency with enhanced reliability and equity. Held in reserves by South Africa-based ZARC (PTY) LTD, ZARC ensures security, verifiability, and transparency through simplified audits. “We want to empower people to make informed decisions about their investing,” said Hanres Beukes, CEO of NeoNomad. Users can make crypto payments using their holdings for point-of-sale transactions via QR code scanning.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 09:25 UTC
Chelsea Ryoko Wong Finds Solace in Unknown Places – SURFACE
Here, we ask an artist to frame the essential details behind one of their latest works. Bio: Chelsea Ryoko Wong, 38, San Francisco (@chelsearwong)Title of work: A Work That Outlives Me (2024). Where to see it: “Nostalgia for the Present Tense” at Jessica Silverman (621 Grant Ave, San Francisco) until September 7. Because this last year I’ve also been cycling through existential dread, I wanted to live presently and in the moment in Tunis. I read that the word “Tunis” could be derived from the Berber root ens, which means to pass the night.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 09:04 UTC
The world’s safest countries by perception
The region was a top performer in the 2023 safety perceptions index (SPI), which assesses levels of real and perceived risks in 121 countries. AdvertisementUzbekistan had the lowest overall 2023 SPI score of 0.072, followed closely by the UAE (0.073), Saudi Arabia (0.093) and Norway (0.098). This is contrary to the fact that most countries’ SPI scores tend to correlate with their scores in the IEP’s global peace index. AdvertisementThe top 10 safest countries vary by region and systems of governance. Sub-Saharan Africa was the worst performing region in the 2023 SPI, with the highest reported rates of experienced harm.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 09:04 UTC
stc Group to lift the IT experience of staff with Nexthink platform
Saudi-headquartered stc Group has inked a strategic partnership with Nexthink, a provider of software that helps IT teams optimize the digital experience of employees. Following a successful pilot with the Nexthink platform, stc Group has now taken its partnership with the Swiss-based software provider to the next level. stc Group also has a digital transformation and IT services business, Solutions by STC, which own a major stake in Devoteam. “This partnership will support stc Group in implementing digital employee experience management solutions to enhance service delivery and retain our position as a world-class digital leader,” said stc Group in a statement. Our platform has a unique position to empower stc Group in achieving its growth objectives by offering complete end-to-end visibility in IT performance.”
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 08:11 UTC
Kyowa Kirin International and NewBridge Pharmaceuticals Enter Into Agreement to Improve Access to Medicines for Rare Disease Patients Across Middle East and North Africa
Kyowa Kirin International (KKI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (TSE:4151, Kyowa Kirin) and a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today the signing of a Promotion and Distribution Agreement with NewBridge Pharmaceuticals for the distribution of its existing rare disease portfolio across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). As part of the agreement, NewBridge will exclusively distribute the two products across MENA countries of Algeria, Iraq, Libya and Jordan. Jeremy Morgan, President of KKI, commented: “At Kyowa Kirin our purpose is to deliver life-changing medicines and make people smile. We are pleased to be entering into this agreement with NewBridge Pharmaceuticals who have a clear mission to transform the lives of MENA patients and their families. Frequent Expression of CCR4 in Adult T-Cell Leukemia and Human T-cell Leukemia Virus Type 1-transformed T cells.
Source:The North Africa Journal
August 07, 2024 08:01 UTC