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Download logoThe COVAX initiative shipped 504,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, licensed by the Serum Institute of India, to India, and 505,000 syringes to Abidjan, on 26 February 2021. This marks the second batch that has been shipped and delivered to Africa by the COVAX Facility in an unprecedented effort to provide at least 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2021. The vaccine doses were received at Abidjan International Airport by Côte d&#39;Ivoire’s Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Dr Eugène Aka Aouélé, accompanied by members of the COVAX Facility – the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) – in addition to the United Nations Development System (UNDS) Resident Coordinator in Côte d&#39;Ivoire and the ambassadors of the European Union countries, whose funding enabled manufacturing, transport and distribution of the vaccine. The vaccines transported by UNICEF came from India (Mumbai), and were transported through Dubai where a shipment of syringes from a Gavi-funded stockpile was collected from UNICEF&#39;s regional supply centre. UNICEF strives to monitor vaccines throughout the supply chain, from the factory gate to the port of entry in each country. After Ghana, Côte d&#39;Ivoire is now the second African country to receive doses of COVID-19 vaccine delivered through the COVAX Facility. This is an historic step towards ensuring equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide as part of the largest ever vaccine procurement and supply operation. “Côte d&#39;Ivoire is pleased and proud to be the second African country after Ghana to receive vaccines provided through the COVAX Facility. This is an important step in our shared fight against the common enemy that is COVID-19. The pandemic has taken a heavy toll around the world and our country is no exception. More than 32,000 people living in Côte d&#39;Ivoire have been infected with the disease, and 188 have died. This is a tragedy. I would like to honour their memory. The vaccines we have received today will enable us to contain the pandemic and improve the health of our population,” said the Ivorian Minister of Health and Public Hygiene. COVAX is the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and is led jointly by Gavi, WHO, CEPI, and UNICEF which is leading vaccine procurement and delivery operations. “This is an important moment for Côte d&#39;Ivoire, the African continent and COVAX, bringing us all closer to our common goal of equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines,” said Gavi’s Managing Director, Marie-Ange Saraka-Yao. “Our work on the global roll-out has only just begun, but Gavi is proud to see COVAX and AMC [Advance Market Commitment] become a reality with this first wave of deliveries which will protect the most vulnerable, including health workers fighting on the front line against this pandemic.” &#8220;Today is an important first step towards achieving our shared vision of vaccine equity, but it is only the beginning. We are proud that Côte d&#39;Ivoire is among the first countries in Africa to receive the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine through the COVAX Facility. The global pandemic has already caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and disrupted the lives of billions of people. As well as reducing the tragic number of deaths and bringing the pandemic under control, the vaccine will also prevent US$375 billion in losses to the global economy each month. Global and equitable access to a vaccine, which will protect health workers and those at greatest risk of contracting the disease in particular, is the only way to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on public health and the economy,” said the WHO Representative in Côte d&#39;Ivoire, Dr. Jean-Marie Vianney Yameogo. “Vaccines save lives. As health workers and other front-line staff are vaccinated, we will see a gradual return to normality, including improved access to health, education and protection services for all, and especially for children. UNICEF and its partners are working together to help countries prepare for the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine and the launch of the immunization campaign. In the spirit of universal health coverage, we must leave no one behind,” said Marc Vincent, the UNICEF Representative in Côte d&#39;Ivoire. “As the first donor to the COVAX Facility with a contribution of €2.3 billion, “Team Europe” (the European Union, its Member States and the European Investment Bank) is proud to have facilitated access for the people of Côte d&#39;Ivoire to the first COVID-19 vaccines. This is a tangible sign of solidarity, which will be gradually extended to other African countries,” said European Union Ambassador, Jobst von Kirchmann.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Coronavirus: Côte d&apos;Ivoire becomes second African country and first French-speaking country to receive vaccine doses via COVAX Facility

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UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has today launched a US$164 million appeal to provide life-saving assistance and protection to nearly 1.5 million uprooted Central Africans, including 210,000 who fled a new bout of violence related to the December 2020 presidential elections. With no end in sight to the violence fueling the displacement crisis, nearly one third of the Central African Republic (CAR)’s population of 4.7 million have been forced to flee. Since the new crisis erupted, some 100,000 people have been displaced inside CAR, while neighbouring Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo have received 111,000 new arrivals. Refugees continue to cross every day. Many new arrivals are reporting grave human rights abuses inside CAR. Our colleagues in Gore, Chad, are caring for a 26-year-old refugee mother who was beaten and raped by a rebel with her six-month-old baby at her side after fleeing her home in Maroukounde. She is now pregnant as a result of the assault and is receiving medical and psychosocial support from our teams. To enable UNHCR’s targeted and timely protection and assistance to the displaced Central Africans and their hosts, and to ensure our support to governments and other partners, we require urgent financial contributions. Unless funding is swiftly made available, we will be forced to reduce or halt vital assistance, even as the needs are rising. The appeal includes: 	US$35.2 million to address the ongoing protection crisis and to help us support the most vulnerable children and families, to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, and for monitoring, registration, and documentation. 	US$13.7 million to supply shelter and essential relief to the displaced living in dire conditions inside CAR and in neighbouring countries, and who now depend on the generosity of local host communities. 	US$27.8 million for health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, needed to prevent the spread of disease. These needs are compounded by the looming threat of COVID-19. Despite our limited resources, we have scaled up border and protection monitoring to proactively identify and address the most pressing needs of displaced Central Africans. We are registering and supporting survivors of sexual violence and mitigating the risk of further gender-based violence. We are also working to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infections by building and equipping quarantine centres and areas for treatment and isolation, as well as by testing, distributing masks, raising awareness on COVID-19 prevention and social distancing, and by improving water, sanitation and health resources. Funds for UNHCR’s humanitarian response to support displaced Central Africans are already critically low and under severe pressure due to the rising needs of both refugees and the host communities. We are urgently appealing to the international community to mobilize resources to protect and assist the displaced Central Africans and their hosts.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).Media filesDownload logo

UNHCR seeks US$164 million for displaced Central Africans

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Results of COVID-19 tests done on 25 February 2021 confirm 22 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are 40,322. The breakdown of the new cases are: 20 contacts and alerts: Kampala (10) Masaka (2) Soroti (1) Amuru (2) Busia (1) Moroto (1) Kalungu (1) Wakiso (1) Arua (1); 2 Truck Drivers: Elegu (1) Malaba (1).Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health &#8211; Republic of Uganda.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Uganda: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

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634 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria; Lagos-259 Osun-45 Edo-38 Ogun-35 FCT-33 Anambra-26 Imo-24 Ondo-24 Akwa Ibom-20 Plateau-20 Abia-19 Kaduna-19 Ebonyi-17 Borno-10 Rivers-10 Kano-9 Delta-8 Kebbi-7 Nasarawa-4 Oyo-3 Enugu-2 Ekiti-2 154,476 confirmed 131,699 discharged 1,891 deathsDistributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

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New cases: 207 Total active cases: 12,290 Total currently admitted: 110 (14 new) Total number of tests conducted: 193,072 (2,804 new) Total confirmed cases: 31,502* Total recovered: 18,045 (474 new) New discharges from treatment units: 15 Total deaths: 1,033 (4 new) *Out of these, 134 lost to follow-up.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Population, Republic of Malawi.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

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Thirty-seven patients have been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 in tests carried out today at Quarantine Centers in the Gash Barka, Southern Red Sea, Central and Northern Red Sea Regions. Out of these, thirty-one patients are from Quarantine Centers in Adibara (22), Barentu (6), Shambko (2), and Ali-Ghidir (1) in Gash Barka Region.  Four patients are from Quarantine Centers in Assab (3), and Rahaita (1), in the Southern Red Sea Region.  One patient is from Quarantine Center in Asmara, Central Region, while the last patient is from Massawa, the Northern Red Sea Region. On the other hand, fifty-two patients who have been receiving medical treatment in Gash Barka (36), Central (6), Southern Red Sea (6), and Northern Red Sea (4), Regions have recovered fully and have been discharged from these facilities. The total number of recovered patients to-date has accordingly risen to 2,225 while the number of deaths stands at seven. The total number of confirmed cases in the country to-date has increased to 2,826.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Eritrea: Announcement from the Ministry of Health (25 February 2021)

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Daily: Laboratory test: 6,212 Severe cases: 387 New recovered: 169 New deaths: 5 New cases: 878 Total: Laboratory test: 2,114,618 Active cases: 20,182 Total recovered: 133,607 Total deaths: 2,321 Total cases: 156,112Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

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Tests conducted: 8,999,322 Positive cases identified: 1,509,124 Total recoveries: 1,424,401 Total deaths: 49,667 New cases: 1,676Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa, Department of Health.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

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Africa could expand its economy by a staggering $1.5 trillion dollars, by capturing just 10% of the speedily growing artificial intelligence (AI) market, set to reach $15.7 trillion by 2030. Vera Songwe, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), made the argument Thursday. She was addressing several ministers and other participants at the third Africa Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Forum (ARSTI2021), through the Director of the Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resource Development Division of ECA, Jean Paul Adam. “AI growth can help in creating additional high value and decent jobs, diminish poverty, increase the productivity of firms, preserve the environment and foster better living conditions,” she added. “Research has shown that AI has the potential to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing Africa and drive sustainable development in agriculture, health, infrastructure, financial and public services and climate change,” Songwe maintained. ECA’s Executive Secretary said the Republic of Congo, which is hosting the Forum in situ in Brazzaville and online, finds itself in a special subregion, blessed with natural capital, such as huge forests. However, these forests have been disproportionately depleted, in comparison to those of other parts of the world, partly due to climate change. Artificial intelligence, she argued, could enhance already existing technologies which have been used to tackle COVID-19, to solve such climate change problems. The imminent creation of an African Artificial Intelligence Research Centre in Brazzaville, Congo, with support from ECA, could give momentum to this new movement in Africa. Léon Juste Ibombo, Congo’s Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Economy, praised ECA for its background work towards establishing the Centre, which, he said, “demonstrates Africa is innovative and uninhibited.” The Centre is being designed to improve the current landscape of Artificial Intelligence research in Congo and in Africa in general, to orient the use of AI to foster economic and social development, while promoting close collaboration between academia and the industrial sector in AI and robotics across Africa. According to Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, it is such investments and strong partnerships for capacity building in science, technology and innovation which would accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa. “Innovation cannot be decreed; it is planned and designed!” enthused Arlette Soudan-Nonault, Minister of Tourism and Environment of the Congo. “Africa therefore has no excuse to be absent from the big rendezvous of innovation, which defines the 21st century,” she warned, adding that university dons, economists and, industrialists must come together to lead today’s leaners into this exciting world. In such a world, “the STI that we teach will determine what our continent will become,” echoed – Amon Murwira, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Zimbabwe. “Our industry must emerge from our classrooms and laboratories,” supported by the correct educational system design and framework which no longer teaches students about “where they get things but how to make things,” he insisted, as he cited his country’s ‘Education 5.0’ philosophy. The philosophy is sequenced on (i) teaching, (ii) research, (iii) community outreach, (iv) innovation and (v) industrialisation. It is therefore up to Africa to take up this challenge of rapidly improving investments and attention to STIs, hinged upon its endowments in nature and biodiversity – “our surest guarantee” – said Parfait Aimé Coussoud Mavoungou, Minister of Scientific Research and Technological Innovation of Congo, and incoming Chair of the Forum. ARSTI2021 features several debates and breakout sessions to follow-up and review of progress made since the first two sessions of 2109 and 2020. It has also featured an innovation bootcamp for young Africans, both in person in Brazzaville and connecting from across the continent and affording them an opportunity to develop projects using skills they have learnt in relation to robotics and AI, as well as access to 3D printing technologies. By the time the Forum rounds off on Friday, it would have identified potential mechanisms and measures that African countries could deploy to leverage STIs for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Aspirations of Agenda 2063. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).Media filesDownload logo

UN forum unveils the wonders of artificial intelligence and other Science, Technology and Innovations for Africa

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Download logoMinister of Health Lizzie Nkosi announces one new COVID-19 death in Eswatini, taking total deaths to 650. &#8220;May his soul rest in peace.&#8221; New cases: 49 Total cases: 16,946 Active cases: 2,216 New recoveries: 230 Total recoveries: 14,031 New death: 1 Total deaths: 650Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

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Total cases: 18,553 (+110) Recovered: 17,279 (+15) Active cases: 1,016 In critical condition: 9 Tests: 996,342 (+4,425) Test positivity rate: 2.5% Recovery rate: 93.1% Deaths: 258 (+4) | 1.4%Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

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By NJ Ayuk Speaking at the International Petroleum (IP) Week on February 25, 2021, I commended Nigeria for its efforts in driving gas monetization, but we have to be clear that our industry and hardworking people remain frustrated by the delays and inability to pass and sign the Petroleum Industry Bill. There needs to be that fierce sense of urgency of now especially in the era of the energy transition. The Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) needs to be passed as it allows energy companies to turn their attention to producing energy that drives our economies. It will allow politicians to focus on other pressing matters like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) and security issues.  Africa is well-placed to become a key global supplier of LNG. Mozambique, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Senegal, and Tanzania are potential players.  But we have to be honest, Africa is falling behind. While capital investment in other regions has increased, it has decreased vastly in Africa. Competition for capital investment in the global LNG industry is fierce and for countries that want their resources to be monetized locally and internationally, a number of factors need to be considered and must be done so quickly. Rising (and sometimes reckless) government expenditure, burdensome regulations, and the lack of infrastructure to move Africa’s energy to grow markets are all undermining investor confidence in many African countries. This is negatively affecting exploration projects and even our ability to attract the capital needed to create jobs, implement the AfCTA and push for Africa wide prosperity. In my many meetings with African leaders, I have made it a point to champion an enabling environment for the energy industry. Many of our policy and regulatory initiatives proposed by governments, along with governance issues are undermining investor confidence and negatively affecting our ability to attract capital and remain competitive. We should not forget that we are competing for investment, labor, and capital in an increasingly globalized world. I believe in Africa and our people, even during our dark times, that there is always a righteous wind that drives us towards a place where winning is real. We are hardworking people and we have it within us to make this a pivot point in our energy industry and our history. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some industries, businesses, and segments of the workforce have thrived. But, of course, it has also been a very different story for others.  Entire industries have been decimated because people are not able to travel, gather, conduct business or carry out their lives the way they used to. For governments to recover, they must seek to not return to excessive regulation or anti-business policies and even sometimes punitive taxes. The positive effects of regulatory relief and pro-business policies on many African economies have attracted investment and ensured FID on many energy projects. Now is exactly the wrong time to further test the resiliency of businesses by hiking taxes or heaping on new regulations that do more harm than good to African and international investors. For Africa to see a balanced and sustainable energy mix, it is important that we urgently address the challenges facing our industry today. At the African Energy Chamber, we exist to build, educate, and mobilize the largest network of Africans advocating the principles of smaller government, better fiscal terms, lower taxes, less regulation, less red tape, common-sense, local content, free-market trade, personal liberty and the rule of law. Through these positions, we offer solutions to create an economically viable industry and Africa that meets both our environmental and competitiveness goals. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.Media filesDownload logo

Africa needs Pragmatic Free Market policies to attract capital into Gas markets (By NJ Ayuk)

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Simon Clarke will lead Team Qhubeka ASSOS’ (www.TeamQhubeka.com) charge in two races in France this weekend, which will include a strong defence of his title at the Royal Bernard Drome Classic on Sunday. The Australian rode to a sensational win beating Warren Barguil and Vincenzo Nibali, in very tough conditions in 2020, and says that he feels preparations have gone well as he looks to the upcoming 179km race. That will be preceded by the Faun-Ardèche Classic (171.1km) on Saturday, a race that includes nearly 3000m of elevation and has Remi Cavagna as the defending champion. Clarke’s experience will be complemented by the inclusion of Fabio Aru, Robert Power alongside Kilian Frankiny, who had a very strong ride at Ardèche in 2019. The lineup is completed by a young but very exciting trio of Connor Brown, Mauro Schmid and Karel Vacek who will play very important supporting roles across the two events. A video announcement of our team has been posted across our social media channels from a dedicated fan of the team – Daniel Solomon. We’d like to extend our thanks to Daniel for his incredible support, and also encourage other fans to get in touch with the team to contribute to an announcement in the future. Faun-Ardèche Classic &#038; Royal Bernard Drome Classic lineup [squad numbers]: 	Simon Clarke [09] 	Fabio Aru [21] 	Kilian Frankiny [19] 	Robert Power [11] 	Mauro Schmid [14] 	Karel Vacek [00] 	Connor Brown [06] Simon Clarke Last year was a pretty special experience for me and I’m just as motivated to try and make it just as special this year. These are two great races that suit my characteristics and its a really good check of form leading up to what are the early season objectives with Strade Biacnhi, Tirreno as well as Milan-Sanremo to come. So I’m super “G’d” to get back to Drome, wear the number 1 and hopefully defend my victory as best as possible. Fortunately the weather this year is looking like it will be a bit nicer, last year we had some pretty tough conditions but this year looks like 13/14 degrees and pretty nice conditions so that’s going to make it even more enjoyable than last year, that’s for sure. Alex Sans Vega – Sports Director These are really tough races; narrow roads with different types of climbs which makes very exciting racing but where you need be at a very good level and focused all day. Saturday’s race is suitable more to climbers so we we will be looking to see what Aru, Frankiny and Simon Clarke are able to produce on the day. Kilian’s already had a very good result in this race before so it’s a suitable course for him. On Sunday we have the former winner in Simon and so again we will try and repeat that success being focused 100% to support him on the day. All-in-all it’s going to be a hard weekend of races but it looks likely the weather will be much better than it’s been in previous years: sunny, warm dry and not much wind. This might makes the races a little bit more controlled but in the end these are races that are so hard it’s all going to be down to the legs and the power you have in the final. We have a well-balanced team for the weekend and we’re really hoping to show the Qhubeka ASSOS jersey in the front, and to score a good result.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033 About Team Qhubeka ASSOS: Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world&#39;s biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016. We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France. We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team&#39;s inception. We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa. About Qhubeka: Qhubeka (www.Qhubeka.org) is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs. A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go.  All images attached to the press release can be used with the respective image credit in combination to this release.Media filesDownload logo

Clarke relishing Royal Bernard Drome Classic title defence

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INFINOX (www.INFINOX.com), a leading CFD and FX trading broker with international presence, including in Africa, recorded a 61% increase in revenue and a 28% rise in trading volumes to $553-billion in 2020. This is on the back of the company’s resilient expansion strategy and increasing investor demand across the globe. The company aims to empower investors by providing them with a seamless user experience to trade effectively. This includes an array of assets including forex, equities, commodities and indices on the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 trading platforms. In late 2020, the company launched its innovative IX Social app &#8211; a mobile community trading platform that puts the world’s financial markets into the palms of the users&#39; hands. It enables them to share knowledge, real-time trades and their experience with like-minded international traders from the IX Social community. Regulated and licensed by South Africa’s FSCA and the United Kingdom’s FCA amongst other reputable financial authorities, Dany Mawas, Regional Director at INFINOX adds that this growth also comes as a result of the company’s increased global headcount, up by some 38%. “The pandemic also triggered market volatility which brought with it investment opportunities and a surge in investor demand. Since launching in the African market in 2020, and following recent regulatory approval in South Africa and Mauritius, we are now welcoming more African investors to our fast-growing and extensive client base.” Mawa’s sentiments are echoed by INFINOX CEO Robert Berkeley, who adds that while 2020 was a year of change and challenges for the investment sector, INFINOX most certainly rose to the occasion. “The rise in trading volumes to hit the $553-billion mark during somewhat of a trying year is an astounding milestone for the business. However, while we are very much a global business, we retain the agility, entrepreneurialism, and attention to client service that has helped us reach the levels of success that we enjoy today,” he explains. “The launch of our community trading app IX Social has brought the excitement and power of real-time trading to a whole new audience, and its popularity is fast becoming a cornerstone of our global growth.” Mawas adds that the past year has seen INFINOX adapting its operations to comply with major regulatory changes within the UK and the EU. This means responding to the increased global demand to provide a seamless, intuitive trading platform that will bode well with the new African markets. “Committed to the financial prosperity of traders in the continent, we see our expansion into African markets as an integral stepping stone for the success of African traders. This, coupled with our access to high levels of liquidity, has meant that we are well poised to tackle the challenges of 2021 and beyond,” concludes Mawas.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of INFINOX Capital.Media Contact: Nosipho Mlotsana nosipho@eclipsepr.co.za Tel: +2721 023 0440 Cell: +2778 792 3281 ABOUT INFINOX: INFINOX (www.INFINOX.com) is an award-winning and market-leading online trading platform. Founded in 2009, with the vision of delivering a customer-focused trading experience, INFINOX has been offering its clients premium service in a range of asset classes. We empower traders and help them gain access to markets so they can trade forex, stocks, indices, commodities, and futures; using our fast, efficient and reliable trading technology. We are committed to providing our clients with outstanding service and offer a dedicated multi-lingual support team that’s available 24 hours a day 5 days a week. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced trader, INFINOX provides the relevant tools to help you get started and improve your trading strategies. We offer instant funding options and the ability to withdraw your money swiftly. Founded in London, our operations in Africa are authorised and regulated by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB), Registration No. SIA-F188.Media filesDownload logo

Market volatility and global expansion drive INFINOX to half trillion mark

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The Alen gas monetization backfill project represents the first phase of Equatorial Guinea’s Gas Mega Hub masterplan; Launched by the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons in May 2018, the Gas Mega Hub seeks to aggregate gas from upstream producers to deliver it to onshore industry; Equatorial Guinea is currently in discussions with Cameroon and Nigeria to facilitate additional cross-border linkages.  The Alen gas monetization backfill project represents the first phase of the strategic vision to transform Equatorial Guinea into a Gas Mega Hub through the development of several offshore gas hubs and monetization of neighboring gas reserves. Aggregating gas from upstream producers and delivering it to onshore industry, the Mega Hub aims to create new efficiencies and safeguard the steady production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Equatorial Guinea, as well as reduce dependency on single upstream producers. The Alen backfill project provides for the monetization of 580 billion cubic feet of natural gas over six years via a 68-km pipeline, which connects the Chevron-operated Alen unit with existing gas-processing facilities in Punta Europa for the production of LNG, liquefied petroleum gas and gas condensate.  Located approximately 32-km off the coast of Bioko Island, the Alen field is a liquid-rich gas and condensate field that has functioned as a condensate production and natural gas recycling project since entering operation in 2013, as well as produced and reinjected natural gas into the reservoir to support enhanced liquids recovery. “This investment is crucial to the economy of Equatorial Guinea and the region. The Gas Mega Hub is an Investment that has created jobs during difficult economic times and will create the jobs of the future.” Stated H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons. “It will drive the energy sector and by closing deals with Cameroon and Nigeria, we intend to incentivize the industry, drive economic growth, and generate revenues for regionals governments to help finance  education, hospitals and infrastructure. It is possible with natural gas and we are committed to doing it with new technologies and investments” Concluded Gabriel Obiang Lima. The project represents a direct foreign investment of approximately $475 million, from which both local and international companies have benefitted from the provision of related services. For its part, Equatorial Guinea has emerged as a regional leader in gas monetization in West Africa and is currently home to two gas-processing hubs: the Marathon-operated Alba field and Chevron-operated Alen unit. The creation of an offshore gas industry has initiated new opportunities for tie-ins to unlock additional gas resources that would otherwise be left stranded. The development also serves to facilitate cross-border linkages with gas projects in neighboring countries and opens the door for the establishment of new hubs to service the region. Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons is in advanced discussions with Cameroon regarding a monetization framework for resources located in the Yoyo-Yolanda cross-border field, which could represent the second phase of the project. In addition, a State-to-State agreement has been signed between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria for the potential to transport Nigerian gas to Bioko Island. This, on top of talks with Cameroon, could potentially trigger additional investments in Punta Europa, including the construction of a second LNG train and implementation of other new projects. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons, Equatorial Guinea.Media filesDownload logo

Equatorial Guinea Leads Regional Gas Monetization via Alen Backfill Project

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Download logoThe Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has extended an Official Development Assistance loan of up to 30 billion Japanese yen ($289 million) to support Mauritius’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuild its economy. The loan, signed on 24 February, is a parallel co-financing agreement between JICA and the African Development Bank under the Enhanced Private Sector Assistance for Africa (EPSA) joint initiative to spur private sector-led sustainable and inclusive growth in Africa. The co-financing arrangement will help the Mauritius government contain the pandemic, secure livelihoods, and boost the resilience of the economy. A total commitment of $3.5 billion is targeted under the current EPSA4 over the period 2020 to 2022, with each of the partners co-financing up to $1.75 billion. Toshiyuki Nakamura, Senior Vice President of JICA, commended the efforts of the government of Mauritius to overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and hoped that “this new co-financing program with the African Development Bank will provide new leverage to strengthen such efforts.” Mr. Nakamura also expressed a deep appreciation to the African Development Bank for its continued close collaboration under the EPSA. In May 2020, the Bank approved the Mauritius COVID-19 Crisis Response Budget Support Program of €188 million as part of its COVID-19 Response Facility to assist its regional member states in mitigating the multifaceted impacts of the pandemic. Mauritius’ response to contain the pandemic has been successful. As at 24 February 2021 Mauritius had recorded 610 COVID-19 infections, with 10 deaths and 571 recoveries. To date, this remains low in comparison to other African countries. In January 2021, Mauritius became one of the few African countries to roll out a vaccination program for COVID-19. However, the country’s economy has been severely hit by the global consequences of the pandemic, impacting its traditional economic pillars such as tourism, foreign direct investment and exports. The Bank’s forecast anticipates that the country’s real GDP contracted 15% in 2020 – the worst economic performance since 1980 – against 3.9% growth in 2019. The Bank’s Director-General for Southern Africa, Leila Mokaddem, expressed appreciation for the partnership with JICA and lauded the two parties’ effective coordination in designing the support to Mauritius. Mokaddem commended the Mauritius government for managing the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic and preparing the country for economic recovery. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).Media contact: Emeka Anuforo Communication and External Relations Department African Development Bank Email: e.anuforo@afdb.org Technical Contact: Akiko Ida Deputy Director Africa Division III Africa Department Japan International Cooperation Agency Email: Ida.Akiko@jica.go.jp

Mauritius: JICA provides $289 million support to fight COVID-19 under initiative with African Development Bank

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group. 
Download logoWith the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria, WHO is supporting government to leverage on the existing  Auto-Visual Acute Flaccid Paralysis Detection and Reporting (AVADAR) system to strengthen community-based surveillance for the disease. In 731 wards across eleven (11) COVID-19 high risk states, WHO is supporting engagement of more than 670 AVADAR informants to conduct house-to-house COVID-19 surveillance and reporting of suspected COVID-19 cases, sensitize and support contact tracing in the communities.  So far, the informants have provided more than 85 000 households with COVID 19 preventive messages in Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Bauchi, Taraba, Borno and Yobe states. “We are trusted by community members because we are integral to the communities where we work,” says Mustapha, a Kano State-based AVADAR informant. “We speak the same language and are known by our communities since the days of AFP surveillance for polio. Thus, engaging the communities, penetrating the households and getting the real facts about suspected COVID-19 cases in high risk wards is easy and achievable” stated Mustapha.  Early detection and timely reporting of COVID-19 especially from rural and semi-urban communities is crucial to controlling the spread of COVID-19. AVADAR informants are trained on the use of mobile-based data collection to ensure real time reporting of suspected cases from communities. Hence, the AVADAR structure serves as the entry point for early detection and response to the outbreak. In addition, the informants are supporting contact tracing of cases and awareness creation using local languages and appropriate cultural mix of the communities. Therefore, they play key roles in increasing sensitivity of surveillance, tracing of contacts and reporting at the community levels.  In Kano state, WHO-supported AVADAR informants raised the risk consciousness of more than 23,000 households. While in Sokoto, the informants have empowered more than 25,000 households with COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies. Speaking on the intervention, WHO Nigeria Representative/Head of Mission, Dr Kazadi Mulombo says that AVADAR is critical for community-based surveillance for any disease outbreaks and indeed handy for COVID-19 surveillance at the community levels. “Leveraging on AVADAR structure for strengthening community-based surveillance for COVID-19 was borne out of the successful experience of the system in detecting suspected cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) for polio surveillance”, says Dr. Mulombo. “This, therefore, justifies why WHO has deployed its AVADAR informants to penetrate communities, identify suspected cases of COVID and provide real-time reports to the appropriate authorities for targeted response.” Prior to the deployment of AVADAR informants, WHO developed a standard case definition of COVID-19 in an audio format in major languages, strengthened the capacity of AVADAR informants on added responsibilities to support COVID-19 response in compliance to “Do no harm” and “duty of care” principles and equipped them with adequate IEC materials to facilitate sensitization, active case search and contact tracing.  Nigeria is experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 outbreaks. As of 24 February 2021, Nigeria has confirmed 153,842 cases of COVID-19 including 1,885 deaths. COVID-19 is preventable by social distancing, wearing of face masks and regular hand washing with soap under running water. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

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Market volatility and global expansion drive INFINOX to half trillion mark

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Coronavirus – Nigeria: Community informants employ mobile data collection tools to strengthen COVID-19 surveillance

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Coronavirus: Côte d'Ivoire becomes second African country and first French-speaking country to receive vaccine doses via COVAX Facility

UNHCR seeks US$164 million for displaced Central Africans

Coronavirus – Uganda: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

Coronavirus – Eritrea: Announcement from the Ministry of Health (25 February 2021)

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

UN forum unveils the wonders of artificial intelligence and other Science, Technology and Innovations for Africa

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (25 February 2021)

Africa needs Pragmatic Free Market policies to attract capital into Gas markets (By NJ Ayuk)

Clarke relishing Royal Bernard Drome Classic title defence

Market volatility and global expansion drive INFINOX to half trillion mark

Equatorial Guinea Leads Regional Gas Monetization via Alen Backfill Project

Mauritius: JICA provides $289 million support to fight COVID-19 under initiative with African Development Bank

Coronavirus – Nigeria: Community informants employ mobile data collection tools to strengthen COVID-19 surveillance

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