Terrorism spilling over from Sahel to coastal West Africa- UN warns – The North Africa Post
The “pervasive threats” of terrorism and organized crime are spilling over from the conflict-stricken Sahel to more stable coastal areas in West Africa, a UN envoy said. Terrorist groups sprouting from the Algerian civil war legacy found safe haven in the vast desert swathes of the Sahel where they acted in connivance with trafficking groups taking advantage of weak central governments and porous borders. “It’s drugs, it’s weapons, it’s human beings, it’s mineral resources, and even food,” Leonardo Simão, the U.N. special representative for the Sahel and West Africa, said after briefing the U.N. Security Council. Groups such as Islamic State (IS) continue to wage a violent campaign in the region, with annual deaths due to terrorist activity growing more than 2,000 percent between 2007 and 2022. The Sahel now accounts for 43 percent of the world’s terrorism deaths—more than South Asia and the MENA region combined.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 16, 2024 17:05 UTC
FIFA asks for Club World Cup broadcast bids just 11 months before 32-team event launches in US
Just 11 months before the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in men’s football, FIFA invited bids on Monday for rights to broadcast the 63-game tournament to be staged in the United States. FIFA said a second phase of rights sales for the 2025 and 2029 Club World Cups will follow in Europe. However, the value of a potential Apple deal was seen as an issue for the influential European Club Association (ECA) led by Nasser al-Khelaïfi, the president of Paris Saint-Germain which is also in the Club World Club lineup. The Club World Cup will become a month-long tournament played every four years in June-July. The annual version was previously packaged up with World Cup deals.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 16, 2024 16:38 UTC
Space bridges: Italy and Africa’s strategic alliance
Central to the discussions is the revitalisation of the Malindi space centre in Kenya, envisioned as a training and education hub for the entire African continentItaly-Africa space alliance. On Monday, the opening session of the two-day Italy-Africa Space Conference began in Rome, marking a new chapter in space cooperation between Italy and Africa. The conference, which includes the participation of 20 African space agencies, including the emerging African Union Space Agency, aims to establish long-term partnerships in an increasingly strategic sector. The conference also focused on the revitalisation of the Malindi space centre in Kenya, a significant asset in Italy’s space history. According to a July 2022 report by COPASIR, the Italian Parliament’s Intelligence Committee, the Italian space base is essentially unusable due to the pervasive presence of Chinese technicians.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 16, 2024 14:54 UTC
Africa Emerges as Focal Point in Global Oil and Gas Exploration
The skewed activity is highlighted by explorers demarcating assets within their portfolios as ‘core’ areas of operations, with the majority of guided exploration spending being directed towards exploring these areas. These basins have not only seen an increase in activity but have also in recent years contributed significantly towards global conventional discovered volumes, which have been declining. However, a concentration of exploration within so-called core areas may prove a disadvantage for some host nations that could see their subsurface potential remain unexplored. However, the North African nation has since failed to unearth any discovery akin to the size of Zohr. Namibia on the riseDiscoveries in both Namibia and Guyana have seen industry players flocking to these countries to secure exploration blocks.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 16, 2024 14:04 UTC
Rwanda’s Kagame on track for win of fourth presidential term – The North Africa Post
With 79% of the ballots counted, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has won more than 99% of the vote during Monday’s (15 July) presidential election, according to electoral authorities, putting him on course to serve a fourth term as the country’s leader. Kagame has won every election since 2000 and he is set for a fourth term in office, an outcome that was widely expected as the east African country’s long-time ruler aims to extend this three-decade grip on power. After two of his stronger critics were blocked from running for high office, this year’s result mirrors the outcome Kagame achieved in 2017, when he took nearly 99% of the vote. In a recent campaign rally, Kagame told supporters a lot has been done but more is possible if they choose him again. Final results are expected by 27 July, although they could be announced sooner.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 16, 2024 14:03 UTC
African Union of Broadcasting and Media for Peace Partner to Host Artificial Intelligence (AI) Training Seminar for Journalists in the Sahel on July 9 -10, 2024, in Far North Cameroon
The African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) (www.UAR-AUB.org), in partnership with Media for Peace, will host a training seminar for journalists on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Sahel on July 9-10, 2024, in Maroua, the capital of the Far North Region of Cameroon. This initiative by Media for Peace, supported by the AUB within the framework of its AI Observatory in Africa, aims to strengthen the skills of media professionals in the use of AI, an increasingly essential tool in the contemporary media landscape. Chaired by the Governor of the Far North Region of Cameroon, Mr. Midjiyawa Bakari, the seminar will bring together training experts, media and communication professionals, as well as representatives of the African Union of Broadcasting and Media for Peace. The AUB, whose main mission is to support African media in their development, is committed to the success of this project. Grégoire NDJAKADirector GeneralDistributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union of Broadcasting (AUB).
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 05, 2024 08:32 UTC
Court orders refugee status for gay African who fears family
A man of North African origin celebrates with his lawyer in Osaka’s Kita Ward after the Osaka District Court recognizes him as a refugee on July 4. (Takuya Asakura)OSAKA—In an epoch-making ruling, the Osaka District Court ordered the government to grant refugee status to an African who fears his family in his home country will kill him because he is gay. The man came to Japan with his partner at the end of 2019 and applied for refugee status nine days later. The man told the court that his family members continuously sprayed him with a hose after he was seen with his gay lover. Japan has come under criticism for its low rate of granting refugee status compared with other industrialized nations.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 05, 2024 08:18 UTC
Cassava-based ethanol plant to be set up in Nigeria
A public-private partnership in Nigeria is looking to bolster the country’s bioenergy sector by setting up a cassava-based ethanol plant in Ekiti State to produce cooking oil. The State, in south western Nigeria, is home to more than 30,000 hectares of farms that are already cultivating the cassava root. According to the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan, 175 million people in Nigeria (87% of the population) lack access to clean cooking. According to sciencenigeria, the CEO of Montserrado Investment Limited, Ifeanyi Ajuluchukwu, said they will be building a 500-ton cassava metric plant that will convert cassava to ethanol. Agricultural Development: This initiative will motivate farmers to increase cassava production, improving income levels and livelihoods in rural areas.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 05, 2024 07:50 UTC
How the EU’s Plan to Replace Russian Gas Exposes Challenges in Algeria’s Energy Sector
[xxv] Some reports indicate that Russian news outlet are making more inroads into the Algerian media space than Western ones, potentially exacerbating this problem. ConclusionsAs it continues to gradually reduce Russian gas supplies, the EU will need to find reliable alternative sources, also in order to deal with unexpected events such as severe winters or geopolitical developments that impact supply. Despite the challenges Algeria has been facing in boosting gas production and exports, it remains a supplier to Europe, and some Western companies see potential for more flows. Just last month, U.S. oilfield technology firm Baker Hughes and Italy’s Maire Tecnimont were awarded a contract from Sonatrach[xxviii] to implement a project that would “boost and stabilize the pressure of natural gas and increase production”[xxix] at Algeria’s largest gas field, Hassi R’Mel. This situation will require the European Union to strike a balance between its need for Algerian gas and its commitment to methane emissions reduction.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 05, 2024 05:25 UTC
Nestle Digital Transformation Strategy Analysis 2024: Accelerators, Incubators, and Other Innovation Programs
DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Nestle S.A. – Digital Transformation Strategies” company profile has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. The report provides comprehensive information and insights into Nestle’s technology activities, focusing on its digital transformation strategies and innovation programs. It offers an overview of Nestle’s technology initiatives, covering partnerships, product launches, and acquisitions. Nestle S.A. (Nestle) is a food and beverages company, offering more than 2,000 branded products across 190 countries. Nestle manages R&D operations through a network of 40 R&D centers with 4,800 scientists and researchers, and product technology centers globally.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 05, 2024 03:05 UTC
Role of energy storage to green global grids
Energy storage is one such technology, and different storage techniques are emerging to support energy systems in various fashions. Of interestPower to Industry: C&I Solar + Storage basicsLiquid air energy storage (LAES)A journal paper in Advances in Applied Energy via the website Science Direct, Liquid air energy storage (LAES): A review on technology state-of-the-art, integration pathways and future perspectives, specifically looks at liquid air energy storage (LAES), discussing proposed LAES concepts from a techno-economic perspective. Latest developments in liquid air energy storageHighview Power recently secured £300 million ($382m) to build the UK’s first commercial-scale liquid air energy storage plant. Of interestBattery reserve function and its role in an energy storage solutionJCG CEO Kevin Teeroovengadum said they have always believed in Highview Power’s transformative potential in renewable energy storage. Of interestRenewable energy storage, safety and the South African gridJCG affiliate GL Energy (formerly Great Lakes Africa Energy) plans to license the Highview Power cryogenic energy storage technology to co-develop large-scale renewable energy generation and storage projects in sub-Saharan Africa.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 04, 2024 22:59 UTC
Will the ‘G3’ of Maghreb states reshape the balance of power in North Africa?
The signing of the Abraham Accords by Morocco in 2020 highlighted significant differences of opinion in the Maghreb. It is therefore interesting to note the luxury of precautions taken by the G3 to bring Libya into this alliance. Maghreb countries can represent a stronger front united than when they negotiate with the EU in individually. In the past, Brussels has accused Maghreb countries of blocking such extraditions, sowing further discontent in Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli. [vii]While the creation of the G3 clearly reflects Maghreb countries’ desire to gain control and influence, it is also part of a leadership rivalry aimed at disqualifying neighbouring Morocco.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 04, 2024 21:59 UTC
Get to Know the Africans Invited to Join the Oscars This Year
Get to Know the Africans Invited to Join the Oscars This YearThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited nearly 500 members to join over a dozen branches. Here are the Africans on the list.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 04, 2024 21:47 UTC
The Best Luxury Malls in Africa
Africa's infrastructure has seen significant improvements, particularly in urban areas where modern shopping complexes and luxury malls are becoming more prevalent. It is a stark representation of how design plays a crucial role in attracting consumers to luxury beauty and wellness malls. Here, we explore seven of the most notable luxury beauty and wellness malls in Africa, each perfectly corroborating a unique blend of architectural brilliance and premium store curation. Mall of Africa, South AfricaMall of Africa, located in Midrand, Johannesburg, is a beacon of luxury retail in South Africa. As Africa continues to develop, these luxury malls will undoubtedly remain at the forefront of the continent’s beauty and wellness landscape.
Source:The North Africa Journal
July 04, 2024 19:31 UTC