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The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ján Kubiš arrived yesterday in Tripoli to continue his engagements with the new interim Government of National Unity and various Libyan actors to fast-track the implementation of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) Roadmap, including mobilizing the required support and resources to hold the national elections on 24 December 2021.

The President of the Presidency Council (PC) Mr. Mohamed Almenfi and his deputies Mr. Abdullah El-Lafi and Mr. Musa Alkoni received Mr. Kubiš in Tripoli yesterday, accompanied by ASG/UNSMIL Coordinator, Mr. Raisedon Zenenga and ASG/Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms. Georgette Gagnon. In the meeting, the PC leadership reiterated their commitment to implement the LPDF roadmap, including fostering a comprehensive national reconciliation process; unifying sovereign institutions; and importantly to hold the elections on 24 December 2021. 
The meeting with PC leadership covered the need to accelerate the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, including the removal of foreign fighters, and the unification of security institutions. The PC also reiterated the need for the House of Representatives (HoR) to accelerate the process of appointing leadership positions for sovereign institutions.
The Special Envoy congratulated the PC leadership for the formal commencement of their work, commending their commitment to the LPDF roadmap. He affirmed the unified support of the UN and the international community to the Libyan people as well as to the new leadership to meet their commitments within the timeframe defined by the LPDF.
The Special Envoy also met with Prime Minister, Mr. Abdelhamid AlDabaiba. He congratulated the Prime Minister on the historic vote of confidence by the HoR and smooth handover from the Government of National Accord. The Special Envoy briefed the Prime Minister on the outcomes of his visits to several European and regional capitals as well as his outreach to a number of international and regional high-level stakeholders. He assured the Prime Minister of the unanimous support of the international community to his government to address the economic, humanitarian, security, human rights, and development challenges in the country.
The Special Envoy and Prime Minister agreed on the importance of prioritizing the needs of the people, including the response to COVID-19, and the provision of essential services. They stressed the urgent need to approve the national budget to ensure service delivery, allocate resources for local governance, and to hold the national elections on 24 December 2021.
They also discussed various issues including the required UN support to expedite the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and unification of state institutions.
Earlier yesterday, the Special Envoy met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Najla AlMangoush, who expressed her appreciation for the UN and international community’s support extended to Libya during this critical time. She stressed the need for a more coordinated approach to address the root causes of the conflict in Libya in order to launch a comprehensive and realistic process of national reconciliation and restorative justice.
Mr. Kubiš reiterated the UN’s readiness to mobilize the technical expertise needed to assist the new government in all areas to ensure an effective transition to stability and lasting peace.
The Special Envoy will conduct a series of meetings with various Libyan stakeholders in the coming days.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Media files

Special Envoy for Libya arrives in Tripoli, holds meetings with Presidency council, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister

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Over the last decade, Russia’s sphere of influence in Africa has been broadening. Among, peace, security and investment, natural resources have been at the forefront of many Russia-Africa discussions and continues to grow as interests rise to the development of interparty cooperation of the United Russia Party with African countries.

Due to the further developments of the agreements reach at the Russia – Africa summit with the participation of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and in order to prepare for the next Russia-Africa summit in 2022 at the initiative of the United Russia Party, an International inter-party conference ‘’Russia – Africa: Reviving Traditions’’ conference is set to take place On March 24 – 25 2021.

The conference which aims to discuss Russia’s preparedness to take part in a civilized competition for opportunities to cooperate with Africa, as well as Russia’s intolerance for attempts to take back former colonies under a new guise and reap excess profits, will be moderated by Deputy Secretary of the General Council of the United Russia Party of the Russian Fedation, Klimov Andrey and include the participation of African Heads of States such as Angolan President, Lourenço João, Chairman of the United Russia Party, Dmitry Medvev, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, President of the Prosperity Party, Amed Abiy and many others to mention a few.

Looking into Russia-Africa relations, the Opening Ceremony of the International Inter-party Conference: Russia – Africa: the revival of Traditions conference will highlight ways to contribute to the implementation of common tasks that lay in the interests of Russia and Africa. ‘’I am particularly looking forward to speaking on “Party support for economic cooperation”. I have seen too many unfortunate examples throughout African markets of politics getting in the way of economic development especially with the oil and gas sector’’ Stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.  ‘’There are also countless examples of great leadership, cross-party support for economic projects that really bolstered the economy, speed up approval of projects and build societies where people don’t feel marginalized. I look forward to these discussions with our Comrade Presidents and leaders and the opportunity to make a case for young Africans and Russians and our energy sector.’’ Ayuk further explained.

“So much good is going to come out of our oil and gas relationship with Russia. Sometimes both Russian and African businesses are not always right. We both can be selfish, and quick to shift the blame for our mistakes to others and blame our comrades. We need to change that and become more accountable. Both our compatriots expect better and more from our energy sectors” Concluded Ayuk.

Positive developments in Russia don’t go unnoticed as their active presence in the continent has been established over the years. Russia plays a fundamental role in transforming the system of relations towards greater opportunities in oil and gas. Although the realities of the COVID-19 has had an economic impact by knocking back Moscow’s Africa ambitions, the agenda for Russia still looks to focus on key countries and the stabilization of the situation in Central African.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber. Media files

The Need for Russia-Africa Dialogue agenda set for the International Interparty meeting with the energy sector to play a role

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Senior leaders with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned on Monday of the urgent need  to address the growing humanitarian crisis in the Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique, where an ongoing  insurgency has uprooted  hundreds of thousands of people.  

Assistant High Commissioners Gillian Triggs and Raouf Mazou were fresh from the country, where they heard shocking stories from survivors of a crisis that is unfolding in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of several devastating cyclones. 
The violence is escalating, they told journalists in Geneva, with the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) increasing from around 70,000 roughly a year ago, to close to 700,000 today, and expected to reach one million by June.   
“If one looks at the speed at which we are seeing the number of internally displaced persons rise, we know that the window of opportunity that we have is closing”, said Mr. Mazou, who is UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations.  
Beheadings and rape  
The insurgency began in 2017 and more than 2,000 people have been killed, but it is not clear who the insurgents are, how they are supported, or what they want, according to Ms. Triggs, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection.   
The “mysterious group” has been responsible for beheadings, killings, rape and other atrocities. 
The displaced people, more than half of them children, fled by boat or on land for safer areas further south in Cabo Delgado province.  Most, or around 90 per cent, have found shelter with family and friends in urban areas, or with host communities in villages. The Mozambican Government is developing sites for the remaining displaced people. 
The authorities have also moved some people from overcrowded areas to a settlement site, where they are living in primitive conditions, and shelter, food, clothing, as well as water and sanitation, are desperately needed. Ms. Triggs said while the authorities distributed food there in December, no further distributions have occurred since, either by the Government or the UN World Food Programme (WFP).  
UNHCR&#39;s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Gillian Triggs, (left) meets with displaced people in Cabo Delgado, in northern Mozambique.
She also heard shocking stories of grandmothers caring for orphaned grandchildren, which is now becoming commonplace. 
“In this case, the grandmother was caring for a baby, a few months old. Her daughter had been killed in the conflict. The father of the child had been killed, beheaded, And the grandmother was now in this period of grief, trying to care for this child without milk, where they were grinding up root vegetables for the children, giving them diarrhoea and exposing them to all sorts of other things”, she said. 
Step up support 
Ms. Triggs reported on some bright spots that have surfaced, including a project to provide the displaced people with official documentation which will allow them to access education, transport and social services. 
But with the Mozambican Government saying it is uncertain that people will be able to return home, given the instability, Mr. Mazou pointed to the need for greater international support.  A $254 million humanitarian appeal is only around five per cent funded. 
The authorities have established an agency for developing northern Mozambique, he said, in efforts to address some of the root causes of the crisis, which include lack of development and access to resources. 
“What we’re facing now is the need for immediate humanitarian assistance. and also to think of the long term for those who may remain in the places where they are now”, he said.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News. Media files

Mozambique: Cabo Delgado displacement could reach 1 million, UN officials warn

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New Cases: 0 Total Confirmed: 3,948 Deaths: 79 Recovered: 2,792 Total in quarantine: 37 Discharged from quarantine: 14,636
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information and Communication, Sierra Leone. Media files

Coronavirus – Sierra Leone: COVID-19 update (22 March 2021)

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Daily: Laboratory test: 6,922 Severe cases: 653 New recovered: 1,119 New deaths: 15 New cases: 1,537

Total: Laboratory test: 2,286,394 Active cases: 37,655 Total recovered: 148,571 Total deaths: 2,674 Total cases: 188,902
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Media files

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (22 March 2021)

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New cases: 26 Cumulative confirmed cases: 33,270 Active cases: 3,091 Total recovered: 28,947 (311 new) Currently admitted in treatment units: 33 (3 new) New discharges from treatment units: 4 Total tests conducted: 213,245 (203 new) Total deaths: 1,098 (2 new) Total vaccinated to date: 25,589 (1039 new)
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Population, Republic of Malawi. Media files

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (22 March 2021)

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Tests conducted: 9,649,219 Positive cases identified: 1,538,451 Total recoveries: 1,463,953 Total deaths: 52,196 New cases: 599
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa, Department of Health. Media files

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (22 March 2021)

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131 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

Lagos-64 Rivers-12 Kaduna-11 Plateau-9 Jigawa-8 Bayelsa-6 Ondo-5 Ebonyi-4 FCT-4 Osun-4 Borno-1 Kano-1 Ogun-1 Oyo-1
161,868 confirmed 148,125 discharged 2030 deaths
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Media files

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (22 March 2021)

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As of 22nd March 2021, we report 86 new cases out of 4,098 tests (2% positivity), 61 recoveries and 3 deaths.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI). Media files

Coronavirus – Zambia: COVID-19 update (22 March 2021)

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1,130 people have tested positive from a sample size of 5,119. Total confirmed cases are now 122, 040. Cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,419,984.

754 patients have recovered from the disease bringing the total to 90,376. 12 patients have succumbed to the disease pushing the cumulative fatalities to 2,023.
1,013 patients are currently admitted in various facilities. 3,003 are on home based isolation and care. 120 are in ICU.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Coronavirus – Kenya: COVID-19 update (22 March 2021)

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Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi&#39;s COVID-19 update on 22 March 2021:

New cases: 4 Total cases: 17,290 Active cases: 554 New recoveries: 23 Total recoveries: 16,067
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (22 March 2021)

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The Government of Canada and the African Development Bank have signed an agreement formalizing the Canada–African Development Bank Climate Fund (CACF), a transformative special fund aimed at providing concessional loans to climate change-related projects with a strong gender-responsive component.

The fund will be capitalized through a combination of a CAD 122.9 million ($104.8 million) repayable contribution, aimed at providing concessional loans for both sovereign and non-sovereign operations plus a CAD 10 million grant contribution for complementary technical assistance. The African Development Bank will administer the fund.

Speaking at a virtual signing ceremony to conclude the agreement, held 17 March on the sidelines of the Canada-Africa Clean Growth Symposium, Canada’s Minister of International Development, the Hon. Karina Gould, said the investment, with its strong gender footprint, recognized “the critical role that women need to play in climate action, and supports their efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.”

“Climate change is one of the most important challenges of our time…And, although we are all affected by it, we in Canada know that not everyone is affected equally…that means that vulnerable and marginalized people are bearing the brunt of this crisis.”

As a concessional facility, CACF resources will be deployed in innovative low-carbon technologies, renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable forestry, water management, and climate-resilience projects.  The fund will finance climate change related projects in the African Development Bank’s regional member countries, including those that demonstrate a strong gender equality focus. The empowerment of women and girls will be an objective across all concessional financing of the CACF, aiming at direct, measurable gender equality outcomes.
“In building back Africa, climate resilience is very important… This is why I’m delighted and thrilled with the Canada-African Development Bank Climate Fund that we are launching today,” African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina said in remarks after the announcement.
He thanked Canada for its “tremendous” support to the Bank in terms of general capital increases, temporary callable capital, and the support that Canada has given to Africa through the Bank.
“These resources that you are making available, it’s very unique, in helping us with adaptation. First, it is long-term financing. It will provide long-term capital to the private sector and to the public sector. It also provides it at affordable levels for countries…What I like most about it is that it looks at multi-sectoral use of this financing…all these things are very important to support Africa in climate adaptation and mitigation,” Adesina said. “Canada has always been there for Africa…Canada is a great friend of Africa.”
The African Development Bank’s financing for climate has increased fourfold from 9% of its total portfolio in 2016, to 36% by 2019, and is on track to achieve its target of 40% of total portfolio by the end of 2021. The Bank has committed to providing $25 billion in climate financing by 2025.
The Canada-Africa Clean Growth Symposium, co-hosted by Canada, Ethiopia and Senegal, brings together economic and business leaders from the public and private sectors from Canada and sub-Saharan Africa to explore innovative ways to grow their economies, while reducing emissions and building resilience to climate change.
The sessions focused on a blueprint for a green economy, incorporating socioeconomic development, while ensuring sustainable management of natural resources, minimizing waste and pollution, and following climate-resilient and low-carbon development pathways.
The symposium also included a trade policy discussion on environmental considerations in international trade and the promotion of rules-based trade.
Canada, one of the African Development Bank Group’s key non-regional members, has participated in all the Group’s capital increases. This includes its 7th General Capital Increase, the replenishments of the African Development Fund, including the 15th replenishment of the Fund (ADF-15), with a 7.5% increase in African Development Bank Units of Account (UA) terms. It has also contributed to numerous trust funds and initiatives managed by the Bank Group.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: Amba Mpoke-Bigg Communication and External Relations Department African Development Bank Email: a.mpoke-bigg@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) 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 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.
For more information: www.AfDB.org

Canada and African Development Bank sign CAD 133 million gender lens Climate Fund for Africa

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By Duygu Sanac Keçeci, EMEA Professional Printing Product Manager, Canon Europe (www.Canon-Europe.com)

Now is an important time for the print industry. It’s a time of change and where new and emerging technologies are influencing its future. The print industry is unique and has developed over many years, transitioning from analogue to digital technologies, but there’s still so much more to come. For it to continue to grow and transform, we need fresh ideas and out-of-the-box thinking. And one way that we can support this growth is to attract the next generation.
Print to you and me is a range of innovative applications that we interact with in our daily lives. However, print to someone who doesn’t know print’s full capabilities or creative potential could be seen as just a book or a poster you put up on your wall. Those outside of our industry don’t realise all that ‘print’ encompasses – everything from a calendar to instruction manuals, or wallpaper to window graphics. In fact, everything you read that is not on a screen (besides a handwritten letter) is printed. But if this is the perception of print, then how do we attract new and young talent to fuel future innovation?
Print is more than just a word
We know that print is rapidly advancing due to new technologies such as automation, augmented reality and robotics, and it’s these additions that present the opportunities for new talent.
In order to attract the future workforce, we need to re-look at the term ‘print’. What does it actually mean? For me, the word limits the scope of what print really is &#8211; it’s purely the output of what we do. And it’s impossible to encapsulate what our industry can do with just one word.
The magic of the industry is the end-to-end journey behind it including software, hardware, finishing etc. It should be positioned as a creative technology industry and this is what we need to bring to the fore to attract the next generation.
Young people today are digitally savvy, having grown up with smart technology at their fingertips. Some of them see print as old-fashioned and not ‘sexy’ like digital. So, we need to combine new technologies that they’re au fait with &#8211; and perhaps that they wouldn’t necessarily relate to print &#8211; in order to appeal to them. We need to speak their language and show them the strong role that print has to play alongside these digital and virtual platforms, and how they can be part of its exciting future in bringing the two more closely together.
Attracting the future print workforce
With a perception outside of the industry that print is dying, why would someone starting their career want to work in, what appears to be, a doomed industry? What they don’t know is that there are so many opportunities for growth – it is not a dying industry, but one that is constantly evolving. And it has huge creative and technology innovation potential.
One of the things I noticed when beginning my career in print, is that it offers such a scope for variety, bridging the gap between popular career routes such as technology and marketing. My background is in mechatronics engineering and I’ve been able to transfer these skills and apply them to new digital print technologies such as robotics and automation. Today’s digital printing devices integrate significant levels of automation to control virtually every aspect of production, thus changing the skill sets now required to operate these machines.
As a product manager in cut-sheet toner, I need to understand the technology behind the performance – but I also need to understand how to explain this technology in terms of benefits to the customer &#8211; the print service provider &#8211; and the customer’s customer &#8211; the print buyer. And this is where the skills I have developed through achieving a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree have helped in my conversations with customers to explain how to sell and market the technology and the role that print plays in helping them to grow their business.
There are so many different career avenues within the print industry where skills can be deployed – creativity and design, data analytics, technology, engineering, business development, customer loyalty, marketing strategies – whatever their skills, they could find a match within print.
We need to explore more engaging ways to relate print to younger generations’ hobbies and interests. Take someone who is interested in sport, for instance. They probably don’t know about all of the huge opportunities for print at just one sports stadium – from tickets, to flyers to graphics. If they have a passion for fashion, they could get involved with fabric printing or textile design.
Or perhaps one young individual is considering a career as a data analyst. They could be the brains behind a revolutionary software solution that integrates brand customer relationship management systems with print.
Love to travel? With a calendar of global print and packaging exhibitions and customers located around the world, there’s plenty of opportunity to explore new cities and countries.
The onus is on us, the print industry and large vendors, like Canon, to get out and in front of the younger generation. Attend trade fairs, work with colleges and universities or why not even send personalised print directly to their doors? We need to be in front of them to show them what print is really capable of; demonstrate how they could be part of this evolving industry and how they can contribute to the future of it.
Innovate with new talent
Time and time again I’m told that I’m still ‘new’ to the print industry, whereas, in any other workplace, three and a half years isn’t considered a short period of time. This demonstrates that it’s rare for people from other industries to start working in print and proves the need for our industry to cast the net wider when looking for new talent.
The advantages for hiring from within our industry are clear – people know the markets, competitors and technology. However, all this knowledge can be learned, we can help teach new recruits. And the good news is that younger generations are quick to adapt, so we need to begin imparting our knowledge to help build the print generation of the future.
We know that it’s a combination of people and technology that bring about change and innovation. Technology is rapidly evolving, so now is the time to integrate new talent with new ideas and perspectives to not only enhance digital print technology, but to also evolve print’s role in the future.
The benefit for us? They will bring innovation and fresh ideas, which will help us change our ways of working, for the better, and position print as an exciting medium that won’t be disappearing anytime soon. Now, more than ever, is a time to be a part of this creative technology industry and re-shape its future.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).
Media contact: Canon Central and North Africa Mai Youssef e. Mai.youssef@canon-me.com
APO Group &#8211; PR Agency Rania El Rafie e. Rania.elrafie@apo-opa.com
About Canon Central and North Africa: Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (Canon-CNA.com) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. The formation of CCNA in 2015 was a strategic step that aimed to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region &#8211; by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus. CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operating closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market.
Canon has been represented in the African continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region. CCNA ensures the provision of high quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace. With over 100 employees, CCNA manages sales and marketing activities across 44 countries in Africa.
Canon’s corporate philosophy is Kyosei – ‘living and working together for the common good’. CCNA pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon’s products, solutions and services. At Canon, we are pioneers, constantly redefining the world of imaging for the greater good. Through our technology and our spirit of innovation, we push the bounds of what is possible – helping us to see our world in ways we never have before. We help bring creativity to life, one image at a time. Because when we can see our world, we can transform it for the better.
Media files

The Next Generation of Print (By Duygu Sanac Keçeci)

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There is a common misconception that the most dangerous threats to encounter on modern users’ digital journeys are likely to appear during Internet surfing. The reality however, based on the most recent analysis of cyberattacks in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria within 2020 by Kaspersky experts demonstrates that users are in fact more likely to face malware related attacks hidden within their devices.

Such threats are classified as ‘local’, which means they are detected either on users’ devices or on portable data storage devices, such as flash drives. In 2020, 25% of Kaspersky private users in South Africa, 40% in Kenya and 38% in Nigeria were attacked by such threats. To provide a comparison, web attacks only affected 9% of users in South Africa, 11% in Kenya and 8% in Nigeria.

When looking at corporate users in these regions, the numbers are similar: 23% of corporate users in South Africa, 29% in Kenya and 35% in Nigeria encountered such local threats within 2020.

Unfortunately, there has been an increase in the sophistication of such threats – which may be hiding on the user’s device within a seemingly legitimate file for a while, to fly under the radar, and only strike later.

“The cyber threat landscape across Africa is constantly evolving,” says Denis Parinov, a cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky. “A few years ago, there were much more drive-by attacks – cases when different malicious software is downloaded and being run while the user simply browses the Internet. Nowadays, most of the web-threats “stays in browser”: they specialise in content replacement, browser locking or clickjacking, online-skimming, cookie stuffing, etc. Now the situation when a user could download a malicious file directly is not too often. It’s more common for a malware to be disguised as something else to hide from the security solutions, remaining an unseen threat to users. The good news however is that modern security solutions are too advanced for such malware to fly under radars – it is more likely to be blocked either during the initial scan of the file by a security solution that happens by default, or within the very moment such programs attempt to launch.”

To protect against cyber threats including malware, Kaspersky recommends keeping to the following guidelines:
 	Do not follow dubious links from letters, messages in instant messengers or SMS 	Regularly install updates for the operating system and applications 	Install applications only from official stores 	Use complex and different passwords for accounts 	Regularly copy important data from your device to the cloud, to a USB flash drive or hard drive 	Do not give applications access to those functions that they do not need 	Install a reliable security solution such as Kaspersky Internet Security (https://bit.ly/3168MCA) 
In addition, companies are encouraged to provide training to improve cyber literacy among their employees. For example, the automated platform Kaspersky ASAP (https://bit.ly/3cZ8frF) helps to develop safe behaviour skills and form sustainable cybersecurity habits. The solution allows the company to assess the current knowledge of an employee in the field of cybersecurity, and in accordance with this, determine the set of skills that the employee needs, depending on job duties and risk profile, and build a timetable for the program.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kaspersky.
Media Contact: Nicole Allman INK&#038;Co. Cell: +27 83 251 2769 nicole@inkandco.co.za
Follow us on: Facebook: facebook.com/Kaspersky Twitter: twitter.com/Kaspersky YouTube: youtube.com/user/Kaspersky Instagram: instagram.com/kasperskylab Blog: http://blog.kaspersky.com
About Kaspersky: Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help 250,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at https://africa.Kaspersky.com.
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The danger within: At least a quarter of users in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria are attacked by malware hiding within their devices

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By Maria Django

Dismissal is a problem faced by many employers. When done incorrectly, it usually leads to an unforeseen financial burden. If you are conducting operations in Equatorial Guinea, you need to be aware that the laws are designed to favour the employee. Even in the event of theft, where the employer fails to follow the proper dismissal procedure, the employer will be obliged to pay the employee a penalty. In this piece we will provide guidance on how to avoid the main common mistakes companies make when dismissing employees.
 	 The risks involved in the dismissal of an employee in Equatorial Guinea 
Dismissal issues are more complex than they appear. In Equatorial Guinea, it is imperative for the company to understand all the legal obligations a decision to dismiss entails before deciding to do so. The law requires much more responsibility on the part of the employer. Additionally, there are procedures in place that aim to provide more guarantees to the employee to remain employed.
To avoid surprises, the employer needs to take precautions and design specific mechanisms that prevent errors in dismissal procedures. In order to do this, it is important to have knowledge of the types of dismissals that the law establishes as well as the obligations and risks involved with each of them.
 	Justified dismissal 
This is the best dismissal you can opt for. The law authorizes the employer to dismiss the employee when he/she has breached his/her main contractual obligations. Article 87 of the Labor Law provides a list of what these obligations entails.
There are two scenarios that the employer can apply- a dismissal with notice or a dismissal without notice. Whether notice is issued or not may depend on the grounds for dismissal. Consult with a lawyer in this regard where there is uncertainty. Dismissal with notice requires notifying the employee that he will be dismissed within one month if the employee has worked for more than six months, or one week if he has worked for at least one month.
The employee will continue working during the notice period. Once the notice period has lapsed, a final dismissal letter will be issued to the employee indicating the reasons for which he is dismissed. Both the notice letter and the termination letter must be signed by the employee.
If there is no just cause for dismissal, but the employer still insists thereon, he or she can unilaterally decide to terminate the employment contract. The employer may also skip the prior notice letter (dismissal without notice). However, if dismissal is done in this way, the law is very clear that the employer must pay the employee the equivalent of 30 days&#39; salary and compensation of 45 days’ salary.
 	Dismissal for economic reasons 
The general rule is that the employee cannot be dismissed without just cause. The law does however allow the employer to dismiss a considerable number of employees when the company is suffering losses and needs to reduce costs. When dismissal is made for economic reasons, the employee’s compensation is considerably reduced.
This type of dismissal is subject to the authorization and verification of the Ministry of Labour. Consult with a lawyer before commencing this process in order to save a large sum of money by following the proper process. If dismissal for economic reasons are not done correctly, including the authorization application process, it may be denied.
To give an indication, compensation can range from 45 days’ salary per year worked to 30 days’ salary per year worked, depending on whether the employer obtained the authorization of the Ministry of labour. In certain instances, it may be better to suspend employment contracts rather than lay off large numbers of employees.
 	Null dismissal 
Dismissal is considered void when the legal process for dismissal has not been followed. Cases hereof would be when the employee has not received proper notice in the form of a dismissal letter or has been dismissed in specific circumstances that the law prohibits. For example, when a woman is on maternity leave; when employment contracts are suspended; or when the employee claims some of his labour rights before authorities and is then dismissed for doing so.
The risk faced by the employer for a null dismissal is that he may be ordered to reinstate the employee into the same position that he held prior to dismissal, under the same contractual conditions. Furthermore, the employer may be required to pay the employee the wages not receive during that time, as the dismissal had no legal effect.
 	The best way to deal with layoffs in your company 	Close dismissal deals with extrajudicial agreements 
This option is recommended due to its flexibility. An extrajudicial agreement can include clauses that prevent the employee from suing the employer in the future. Additionally, the amount of compensation can be negotiated and agreed upon. This autonomy will however be restricted if the employee institutes legal proceedings in court based on irregular dismissal procedures being followed.
 	Legalisation of the agreements signed with employees 
Although the agreement is valid from the moment it is signed by the parties, it is required to be legalised before the labour court. This provides greater security and allows the employer to use it in the future where the employee files a lawsuit in another court. It is very important that the content of the agreements is adequate and contains the correct clauses that safeguard the employer.
It is easy to make mistakes during dismissal procedures. Regardless of what the employee has done, the dismissal process must be legal. If due process is not followed, the company may be obliged to pay the employee. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain the appropriate advice when considering this kind of decision.
Maria Django The Centurion Law Group
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Centurion Law Group.
About Centurion: Centurion Law Group (www.CenturionLG.com) is a leading pan-African legal and energy advisory group with extensive experience in the Labour sector. Centurion specializes in assisting clients that are starting or growing a business in Africa. Get in touch (info@centurionlg.com) with the Centurion team should you require any legal assistance or advice.
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