Starbucks Franchise Lays Off Workers in Mideast Amid Gaza-Tied Boycotts
Starbucks franchise operators across the Middle East and Southeast Asia are losing significant business amid boycotts linked to the Israel-Hamas war, and at least one has started laying off employees. Alshaya Group, a Kuwait-based franchise operator that owns the rights to operate Starbucks in the Middle East, confirmed on Tuesday that it planned to cut 2,000 jobs across the region “as a result of the continually challenging trading conditions over the last six months.”Since the Israel-Hamas war began, Starbucks has been forced to deflect perceptions that the company has supported and even funded the Israeli government and the Israeli military. It issued a lengthy statement in October describing the claims as false, but that has not cooled the calls for boycotts in numerous regions. Alshaya Group, which operates over 1,900 Starbucks shops in the Middle East and North Africa that employ 19,000 workers, said in a statement that it would provide affected employees and their families with “the support they need.”
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 21:57 UTC
Spain interested in Morocco’s rail projects offering huge opportunities to investors – The North Africa Post
Spain, which is one of Morocco’s key economic & political strategic partners, looks forward to the railway projects launched by the North African Kingdom to meet growing demand. “The two parties will work together to develop Morocco’s high-speed trains network,” he added, noting that Spain is Morocco’s leading trading partner, in terms of exports and imports. The two sides also discussed the continental project linking Morocco and Spain, which will contribute to strengthening distinguished bilateral ties, as put by Baraka. He also praised the good relations between Morocco and Spain, calling for taking advantage of this dynamic to achieve further progress in the two countries. Oscar Puente Santiago is expected to visit in Casablanca the headquarters of the Spanish road transport company, Alsa, which operates bus networks in several cities in Morocco.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 21:23 UTC
Namibia Charts Parth Toward Diversified Energy Investments
The prospects for offshore oil and gas exploration have resulted in Namibia becoming a hotspot for hydrocarbon investment in recent years. These developments and more will be unpacked at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) forum (https://apo-opa.co/49GYDOy) in Paris, where a Namibian spotlight session establishes Namibia as the premier destination for diversified energy investments. Organized by Energy Capital&Power, IAE 2024 is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. In addition to the Orange Basin, Namibia’s onshore Kavango Basin is thought to hold more than 30 billion barrels of crude oil. Last May, Namibia commissioned sub-Saharan Africa’s largest green hydrogen production plant.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 19:24 UTC
Morocco’s Managem to raise capital to finance expansion plans – The North Africa Post
Morocco’s biggest mining company Managem plans to raise 3 billion dirhams (300 million dollars) to finance its expansion plans in Morocco and Africa. The new financing would also help the firm make progress with its Sudan gold mines, where it cooperates with Wanbao mining to increase production for a total investment worth 7.32 billion dirhams. Concerning copper, the company plans to increase activity in its Tizert mine while tapping into the Bou-Azzer assets. In January, Managem said it plans to increase its revenue by 50% from 9 billion dirhams currently, as it plans to increase gold and copper production starting from 2025. The company is also expecting cobalt prices to increase thanks to a growing demand on gigafactories.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 18:11 UTC
Eradicating Hamas Is a Deadly Delusion
But in his interview, Netanyahu painted a rosier picture, saying that “total victory” over Hamas is “within reach” and indeed only “weeks away” if the attack on Rafah goes forward. Netanyahu has been clear since October that he sees wiping Hamas “off the face of the earth” and attaining the “eternal disarmament of Gaza” as achievable war aims. Yet assumptions that Hamas is on the brink of total destruction don’t stand up to even cursory scrutiny. To the contrary, there is greater evidence by the day that the Israeli military campaign has failed to eliminate the group’s capacity for violence. By some metrics, the group’s strength has grown over the course of Israel’s war in Gaza.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 17:09 UTC
Bringing more women into renewable energy sector
Women are increasingly taking on leadership roles in the renewable energy sector – establishing businesses as energy producers, distributors and service providers. This is happening not just at entry level in clean energy companies across Africa, but more women are taking up roles in renewable energy than the traditional energy sector. In renewable energy companies in sub-Saharan Africa, women hold 25% of leadership roles, and 26% of middle and lower-level management roles. Empowering women to work in renewable energyThe report – Empowering Women in Clean Energy: Advancing and Retaining an Equitable Workforce – was funded by GEAPP as part of the Women for Green Jobs programme. What then is the pathway forward for women and renewable energy jobs?
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 16:47 UTC
Middle East and North Africa OTT TV and Video Market Forecasts Report 2024: A Projected 26 Million SVOD Subscriptions Across 13 Arabic Countries by 2029 - Netflix to be Surpassed by Shahid VIP
Dublin, March 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Middle East and North Africa OTT TV and Video Forecasts 2024-2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. There will be 26 million SVOD subscriptions across 13 Arabic countries by 2029, up from 14 million in 2023. Netflix will lose its market leadership to Shahid VIP. Netflix had 3.8 million subscribers by end-2023, followed by Shahid VIP (3.5 million) and StarzPlay (3 million). of Pages 132 Forecast Period 2023 - 2029 Estimated Market Value in 2023 14 Million Subscriptions Forecasted Market Value by 2029 26 Million Subscriptions Compound Annual Growth Rate 10.9% Regions Covered Africa, Middle EastWho should read this report?
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 16:20 UTC
New accusation of “life-threatening” intervention by Libyan coast guards
The German charity SOS Humanity accuses the Libyan coast guard of using violence and firing live bullets into the water during its “intervention” on Saturday (Mar.4). The NGO said that many migrants who were aboard three unseaworthy boats bound for Europe were forced to jump into the water. The Humanity 1 crew managed to rescue 77 migrants, but many others were forced on board a Libyan coast guard boat, “separating at least six family members from each other,” it said. Since 2015, the European Union has been funding the Libyan coast guard as part of efforts to stem the flow of migrants from the North African country towards Italian shores. As part of the deal, the coast guard has intercepted migrants in Libyan and international waters and has returned them to Libya.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 15:56 UTC
Orascom Development Announces Leadership Changes in Europe To Support Region’s Next Chapter of Growth
Orascom Development Holding AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous/MiscellaneousOrascom Development Announces Leadership Changes in Europe To Support Region’s Next Chapter of GrowthOrascom Development Announces Leadership Changes in EuropeTo Support Region’s Next Chapter of GrowthMaher Maksud focusses role as CEO of ECOBOSRaphael Krucker expands role as CEO of Andermatt Swiss Alps and Luštica BayECOBOS, a UK-based joint venture established in 2010 between Orascom Development and Imerys, delivered its first homes in West Carclaze Garden Village last year. To drive ECOBOS’s next phase, Maher Maksoud will prioritize advancing this development as CEO of ECOBOS and Orascom Development plans to bring in more investors to join the venture. Simultaneously, Raphael Krucker, CEO of Andermatt Swiss Alps, will take on the additional role of CEO of Luštica Bay. Krucker has been leading Andermatt Swiss Alps since 2020, guiding it to become the Prime Alpine Destination with a dedicated team accelerating its growth as a year-round destination. Omar El Hamamsy, Group CEO of Orascom Development, stated: “Since taking the helm at Orascom Development in 2020, I am proud of the significant progress Orascom Development has made on our transformational journey from a family-owned business to a global institution.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 15:32 UTC
Morocco Data Center Market Investment Report 2023-2028: Growth Opportunities in IT, Electrical, Mechanical Infrastructure, General Construction, and Tier Standards - ResearchAndMarkets.com
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Morocco Data Center Market - Investment Analysis & Growth Opportunities 2023-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Morocco data center market size will witness investments of $51.0 million by 2028 from $27 million in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 11.18%This report analyses the Morocco data center market share. Emerging as a critical hub for data center development in North Africa, the Morocco data center market attracts substantial foreign investments, mainly concentrated in Casablanca. Morocco's colocation data center market has witnessed significant expansion, fueled by the growing need for data storage and processing. VENDOR LANDSCAPESome key investors in the Morocco data center market are Africa Data Centres, Gulf Data Hub, inwi, and N+ONE Datacenters.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 15:14 UTC
Al-Shabab Jihadists force thousands to flee northern Mozambique – The North Africa Post
Thousands of civilians have been forced to flee northern Mozambique due to a surge in Al Shabab jihadist attacks, further worsening the humanitarian and the refugee crisis in the country. The UN refugee agency UNHCR said it was “deeply concerned about the escalating humanitarian crisis in Cabo Delgado,” which pushed thousands to seek a shelter south. Nearly 90 per cent of those displaced are women, many of them pregnant, people with disabilities, and the elderly, it added. Human Rights Watch said the attacks were perpetrated by Al Shabab and that government effort to counter jihadist attacks are insufficient to secure the area. “Mozambican authorities should improve security for residents in threatened areas and ensure better protection and reintegration plans for people who decide to return to their homes,” it said.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 15:11 UTC
On Cam: Hamas' Surprise Attacks On IDF In North Gaza, As Israel Focuses On South; Death Toll Rises
On Cam: Hamas' Surprise Attacks On IDF In North Gaza, As Israel Focuses On South; Death Toll RisesEven as the Israeli military announced fresh operations in southern parts of the Gaza Strip, Hamas claimed to have carried out attacks on IDF in the north. IDF said it raided "terrorist infrastructure" in Hamad locality of Khan Younis city. Meanwhile, Hamas said that its fighters had attacked IDF in Tel Al Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City. Watch the full video for more.INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 15:04 UTC
Armada and Edarat Group Announce Partnership to Bring Edge Computing and Artificial Intelligence to Middle East and North Africa’s Industrial Sector
Under the terms of this partnership, Edarat Group will deploy Armada's modular data centers, known as "Galleons," across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and MENA region. Story continues"This partnership with Edarat Group marks a significant step in our commitment to enabling key industries to enhance their processing and decision-making capabilities on a truly global scale," said Armada Chief Technology Officer, Pradeep Nair. Armada and Edarat Group will continue to expand their unique offering to build on this partnership and deliver business value in the MENA region. About Edarat GroupEdarat Group, a publicly traded company on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Edarat) provides Data Center Engineering and Hybrid-Cloud Managed Services. EdaratCloud is the first CSP to provide end-to-end hybrid-cloud services including Sovereign Cloud, Public Cloud, Bare Metal, Edge AI, Data Center and Managed Services.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 14:48 UTC
Ukraine's grain exports flourish amidst expired Black Sea Initiative
"Despite the expiration of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which once governed the region’s trade dynamics, Ukraine’s grain shipments have surged, contributing approximately 25 billion tonne miles monthly," says the latest update from Drewry. While these export figures are still beneath the levels seen before the conflict, they surpass the volumes recorded during the concluded Black Sea Grain Initiative." Post-Grain Initiative export routesIn response to the expiration of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2023, Ukraine swiftly adapted by establishing alternative export routes, the update added. Asian customers for Ukraine's grain, including Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh, face uncertainties. The establishment of alternative export routes and competitive pricing strategies demonstrate Ukraine's commitment to maintaining its position in the global grain market.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 14:12 UTC
Morocco: PLG takes another step into North Africa with HCS aquisition
With this alliance, PLG reinforces its ability to support client regulatory and compliance needs globally. Founded in 2016 in Casablanca, HCS, specializes in Regulatory Affairs, Quality and Industrialization consulting. These new regional capabilities will complement PLG’s end-to-end regulatory solutions designed to streamline compliance strategies across global markets. “PLG’s global presence and expertise, combined with HCS’s regional knowledge and capabilities, will enable us to deliver enhanced services and solutions to our clients,” said Xavier Duburcq, CEO of PLG. In June 2022, it acquired Pharma IT in Denmark and that deal followed quickly on from a transaction to acquire Quoretex.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 05, 2024 13:11 UTC