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FIFA (www.FIFA.com), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has today launched the Global Integrity Programme (http://fifa.fans/3eNNamw) – a comprehensive international programme aimed at providing all 211 member associations with enhanced knowledge and tools to fight and prevent match manipulation.

In line with FIFA’s overall vision of making football truly global (http://fifa.fans/3rVfpna), as well as its ongoing commitment to protecting and promoting the integrity of the game, the FIFA Global Integrity Programme is designed to improve education and build integrity capacity within all 211 member associations by sharing advanced know-how and resources with integrity officers. The programme also reflects the UNODC’s objective of supporting governments and sports organisations in their efforts to safeguard sport from corruption and crime.
With the objective of setting up successful and sustainable integrity and anti-corruption initiatives at local level, the new programme is organised regionally per confederation and includes a series of three-module virtual workshops to be delivered to all FIFA member associations. The first edition of the programme, dedicated to the member associations from the Asian Football Confederation, started with the first module on 4 March and will continue with the second module on 16 March.
Speaking about the FIFA Global Integrity Programme, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “Match-fixing is an issue that is very real and threatens the integrity and credibility of football in many countries around the world. Working in close collaboration with experts at the UNODC and alongside other ongoing efforts that FIFA is taking, the FIFA Global Integrity Programme is another important step by FIFA to protect the integrity of football and will play an important role in educating and building capacity within member associations to help fight match-fixing at a local level.”
Alongside the FIFA Global Integrity Programme, FIFA has also announced today that it will shortly be launching the FIFA Integrity Officers Community Platform. This will be the first-ever community-driven online platform dedicated exclusively to integrity officers across all member associations and confederations worldwide. This confidential platform will bring together a global network of integrity officers to share their experience and exchange best practice related to preventing and fighting match manipulation and promoting integrity in football.
FIFA’s Global Integrity Programme is in line with The Vision 2020-2023: Making Football Truly Global (http://fifa.fans/3rVfpna), which reaffirms FIFA’s commitment to fighting match manipulation by implementing integrity initiatives and reporting mechanisms, as well as setting up dedicated educational programmes. As part of its ongoing integrity initiatives, FIFA signed a memorandum of understanding (http://fifa.fans/38PiI7D) with the UNODC in September 2020 to step up their joint cooperation to address the threats posed by crime to sport.
For more information on the UNODC’s work on safeguarding sport from corruption and crime, please click HERE (http://bit.ly/3rVfR4Q). For more information on the FIFA Global Integrity Programme and FIFA Integrity, please visit legal.fifa.com.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
African Media: AfricanMedia@fifa.org
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FIFA launches Global Integrity Programme to strengthen fight against match-fixing

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New cases: 30 Total active cases: 4,782 Total currently admitted: 43 (1 new) Total number of tests conducted: 209,096 (418 new) Total confirmed cases: 32,894* Total recovered: 26,890 (283 new) New discharges from treatment units: 4 Total deaths: 1,088 (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 files

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (16 March 2021)

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“Since we’re now beginning to recover from the ravages of civil war, I am looking forward to our government prioritizing the agricultural sector,” said Assunta Vitale, a vegetable seller in Wau, South Sudan. “I bring fresh vegetables and fruit to the local market every day and I speak for all other small farmers like me when I say that we would benefit greatly from assistance.”

Assunta was speaking at an event with 40 representatives from local government, civil society organizations, faith groups, community leaders and the private sector, which aimed to build resilience among local communities.
Participants from the Jur river and Wau localities held robust discussions on ways forward to promote programmes boosting community-based recovery and resilience.
“It’s very important for us to share our experiences, challenges and lessons learned,” stated John Baptist, a participant. “Listening to our partners, our neighbours speak of how they’ve overcome the adversity that conflict visited upon us and what we need in terms of support is an eye opener for many of us. It also helps us understand that we’re not alone in the struggle to build stronger family units and more resilient communities,” he added.
For her part, Sarah Cleto Rial, Governor, Western Bahr el Ghazal, said she believed that platforms like this enable people to come together, share learning and come up with joint recommendations that enables the state government to comprehend and address key public needs for entire communities. “When it comes to recovering from conflict and fortifying our resilience as South Sudanese communities, we have suffered a major setback with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, if we set realistic goals, I feel that we can still do a lot to build our strength and livelihoods, despite the virus,” she stated.
Julie Kiwanuka, Team Leader, UNMISS Relief, Reintegration and Protection, echoed Governor Rial’s words. “What we’re trying to do through this forum isn’t something radically new. The objective is to tweak and harness the power of partnerships to help build community resilience and reconciliation,” she said.
“Humanitarian and development partners have come together today to discuss how to reduce the massive needs of communities living here. They have identified a number of stressors that every individual faces in South Sudan, including political upheaval, subnational conflict, displacement, food insecurity, disease outbreak, drought, and, now, COVID-19,” she added. “The challenge is to find a collective, sustainable way to minimize the impact of these community stressors.”
This UNMISS-organized event was a precursor to the Annual Learning Forum, which is a joint programme launched under the umbrella of the Partnership for Recovery and Resilience in South Sudan (PfRR).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Media files

UNMISS facilitates recovery and resilience-building forum in Wau

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Seven patients have been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 in tests carried out today at Quarantine Centers in Southern Red Sea, Central and Anseba Regions.

Out of these, four patients are from the Quarantine Center in Tio, Southern Red Sea Region. Two are from a Quarantine Center in Asmara, Central Region. The last patient is from the Quarantine Center in Keren, Anseba Region.
On the other hand, thirty patients who have been receiving medical treatment in the Central (20), and Southern Red Sea (10), Regions have recovered fully and have been discharged from these facilities.
The total number of recovered patients to-date has accordingly risen to 2,731 while the number of deaths stands at seven.
The total number of confirmed cases in the country to-date has increased to 3,062.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea. Media files

Coronavirus – Eritrea: Announcement from the Ministry of Health (16 March 2021)

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Daily: Laboratory test: 7,338 Severe cases: 591 New recovered: 660 New deaths: 18 New cases: 1,490

Total: Laboratory test: 2,240,827 Active cases: 31,045 Total recovered: 144,488 Total deaths: 2,573 Total cases: 178,108
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Media files

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (16 March 2021)

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Tests conducted: 9,490,435 Positive cases identified: 1,530,966 Total recoveries: 1,458,001 Total deaths: 51,560 New cases: 933
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa, Department of Health. Media files

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (16 March 2021)

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New confirmed cases: 42 Deaths: 9 Recoveries: 279 Active cases: 2190
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Coronavirus – Namibia: COVID-19 Update 16 March 2021

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1,064 people have tested positive to the disease, out of a sample size of 6,151 tested. The total confirmed positive cases are now 115,031. Cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,379,990. 964 are Kenyans while 100 are foreigners.

Nairobi 681, Kiambu 93, Nakuru 69, Uasin Gishu 40, Kisumu 25, Kajiado 23, Busia 20, Machakos 17, Kericho 17, Mombasa 15, Nyeri 10, Kirinyaga 8, Isiolo 5, Mandera 5, Laikipia 4, Turkana 4, Nandi 4, Meru 4, Elgeyo Marakwet 3, Migori 3, Siaya 3, Embu 1, Kakamega 1, Kwale 1, Marsabit 1, Murang’a 1, Narok 1, Nyamira 1, Nyandarua 1, Tharaka Nithi 1, Baringo 1 and Bomet 1.
185 patients have recovered from the disease, 149 from the Home Based and Isolation Care, while 36 are from various health facilities. Total recoveries now stand at 88,781.
7 patients have succumbed to the disease pushing the cumulative fatalities to 1,925. Our sincere condolences to families and friends of those who have lost their loved ones.
709 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 2,223 patients are on Home Based Isolation and Care.  
104 patients are in the ICU, 25 of whom are on ventilatory support
70 on supplemental oxygen. 9 patients are on observation.
25 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 24 of them in the general wards and 1 in the High Dependency Unit (HDU).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Coronavirus – Kenya: COVID-19 update (16 March 2021)

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179 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

Lagos-47 Kaduna-21 Rivers-18 Akwa Ibom-14 FCT-11 Edo-10 Cross River-9 Ogun-9 Nasarawa-6 Ebonyi-5 Ekiti-5 Zamfara-5 Delta-4 Kano-4 Osun-4 Plateau-3 Abia-2 Gombe-1 Sokoto-1

161,074 confirmed 146,072 discharged 2,018 deaths
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Media files

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (16 March 2021)

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As of 16th March 2021, we report 290 new cases out of 4,283 tests (7% positivity), 57 recoveries and 3 deaths [MTSRIP].
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI). Media files

Coronavirus – Zambia: COVID-19 update (16 March 2021)

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Total cases: 20,412 (+110) Recovered: 18,804 (+169) | 92.1% Active cases: 1,326 In critical condition: 9 Tests: 1,070,010 (+4,281) Test positivity rate: 2.6% Vaccinated: 317,708 (+3,693) Deaths: 282 (+0) | 1.4%
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda. Media files

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (16 March 2021)

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Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi&#39;s COVID-19 Update on 16 March 2021:

New cases: 4 Total cases: 17 243
Active cases: 735
New recoveries: 50 Total recoveries: 15 841
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (16 March 2021)

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In honour of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021 last week, Jumeirah Group (www.Jumeirah.com) hosted a special lunch of thought-provoking discussions with some of the country’s most aspirational women. Event forms part of Jumeirah’s March campaign to encourage people to pause, reflect and celebrate #HerMoment with the women in their lives and encourage self-love.

A historical moment on the global calendar, this year’s theme was #ChooseToChallenge to call out gender bias and inequality. With inclusivity a core value of its business, Jumeirah brought together women from a myriad of industries and backgrounds to mark the occasion, each having made a significant impact on their respective sectors. This included Government and private entity leaders as well as self-made entrepreneurs who have started successful businesses in fields such as luxury, technology, retail, and fashion to support and boost self-confidence. Senior media and communications figures also attended as well as financial, technology and senior legal councils who continue to shape the nation’s corporate world. A truly diverse group, the event was a reflection of the UAE’s long-term outlook to empower women in leadership roles.
Framed by stunning views of Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, the ‘meeting of minds’ took place at Pierchic, the multi-award-winning restaurant perched at the end of the private pier at Jumeirah Al Qasr, in accordance with all Government safety directives. Hosted by Asmaa Quorrich, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Jumeirah Group, who leads a team that is 68% female, and Head Chef Beatrice Segoni, one of the most celebrated Michelin Chefs of Florence, Italy, the event saw each woman tell their remarkable story, while collectively sharing empowering words of optimism for a more equitable and sustainable society.
The event forms part of Jumeirah’s month-long campaign to celebrate female strength and resilience, encouraging people to pause, reflect and celebrate #HerMoment by sharing precious moments with the women in their lives and encouraging self-love.
Asmaa Quorrich, Senior Vice President Marketing at Jumeirah Group, commented: “It was an honour to join this remarkable group in celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day. I was incredibly inspired to hear their stories and feel immensely proud to have stood alongside women who have achieved so much. As women, we are nurturing by nature, providing the people around us with the space to grow and prosper, whether personally or professionally. If we can encourage women to be authentic, to embrace and harness this quality, and to be comfortable with their vulnerabilities, the world will be a better place. I also believe that increased communication will push forward and empower more women, shining a spotlight on specific challenges to drive a more equal and sustainable society. Personally, I aim to continue this dialogue at every opportunity.”
Sophia Jalal, Business Executive Officer for Nestle Nutrition Middle East and North Africa, was one of the attendees, adding: “I was very pleased to be part of the International Women’s Day event at Pierchic celebrating women and our empowerment – a subject that is very dear to my heart. I am a strong advocate of female empowerment and at large, diversity and inclusion.  For me, International Women’s Day is about celebrating women’s everyday achievements and giving them the space to express themselves and deliver their best work. More than 20 years ago when I started my corporate career, the situation of working women was a lot different, however today there is a spotlight on the subject with the workplaces being incredibly supportive of their female employees.” 
Also in attendance was Joumana Al Darwish, Founder of HappyBox and HappyStudio, who said: “International Women’s Day is incredibly important because it allows us to celebrate each and every woman around us. I think we all have a responsibility as women to elevate and inspire each other. I think it’s imperative that all women support each other not just on International Women’s Day but every day. Us females are incredibly talented and there is so much room for growth together if we support one another. At the HappyBox and the Happy Studio, we are very fortunate because 80% of our staff is female and we celebrate and support them through various training and development workshops and mentorship programs as well. We provide them with equal opportunities to grow and thrive in the workplace.” 
Diana Hamade, Lawyer and Founder of the International Advocate Legal Services added: “I believe that women are celebrated everyday of our lives – by nature, by our families and communities. But on International Women’s Day, we share stories and experiences of women who have challenged the status quo and managed to set themselves apart as role models carving a better path for future generations. So, Happy International Women’s Day to all women.”
The event also saw attendance from Najwa Attiga, General Counsel at Emirates Investment Authority, who said: “To me, this occasion marks a day when women across the world are recognised for their achievements and contributions to their families, society, the economy, science and other sectors. On International Women’s Day, we celebrate women&#39;s work and accomplishments, we uplift those who need support and are grateful to all the women who are role models starting with my own great mother, as well as all women who strived for gender equality even before we were born. It is also a day to reflect on the road ahead, and what remains to be done in our quest for promoting women&#39;s rights, economic empowerment, and gender equality.”
At the Pierchic event, I was fortunate to connect with successful local and international women who are as passionate about issues related to empowering women as I am. We discussed our careers and how we had to adapt to the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has in many ways, deepened preexisting gender inequalities. We also shared stories and laughs and we saluted one another for all the amazing work we do on daily basis.”
Joy Ajlouny, Former Co-Founder and CMO of Fetchr, also attended and commented: “To me, women empowerment is about dignity and self-determination, and about finding your passion. Too many women rely on getting married and bearing children as their accomplishments in their lives. Marriages end and children grow up and move out. Women need to have something to hold onto that they accomplished for themselves. They need to set goals and accomplish them, this is what truly gives them dignity and a feeling of self-worth. What I have found is that when a woman goes out and makes money, it gives her a sense of accomplishment. Whether it’s $100 or 100 million, earning a paycheck gives you self-determination, it gives you your dignity and your freedom. I thoroughly enjoyed the Pierchic event, meeting a group of women who created their own destinies and earned their paychecks and their dignity by following their passion. That to me is women empowerment.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Jumeirah Group.
For more information, please contact: Maitha Al Jassim Cluster PR &#038; Communications Manager Maitha.aljassim@jumeirah.com
About Jumeirah Group: Jumeirah Group (www.Jumeirah.com), a member of Dubai Holding and a global luxury hotel company, operates a world-class 6,500+-key portfolio of 25 properties across the Middle East (including the flagship Burj Al Arab Jumeirah) Europe and Asia, with more properties currently under construction around the globe.
The health and safety of guests and colleagues is Jumeirah Group’s utmost priority. It has implemented a series of protective measures across all of its hotels, while strictly adhering to each market’s respective Government directives. Demonstrating Jumeirah’s commitment to operating its hotels to the highest global standards, 12 of its hotels were recently awarded the Bureau Veritas Safeguard Label, with Jumeirah Al Naseem being the first hotel in the world to receive the prestigious certification. The Group is working closely with Bureau Veritas to certify its wider portfolio. www.Jumeirah.com
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Jumeirah Group Honours Female Empowerment in Celebration of International Women’s Day 2021

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World Rugby’s announcement on Tuesday of a global women’s season was met with great excitement by the Springbok Women at their base in Stellenbosch, where the training squad were increased to 40 players as their preparations moved up a gear.

And with the local interprovincial competition due to return to the calendar this year, after it fell away last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Springbok Women’s coach Stanley Raubenheimer had reason to smile, especially with World Rugby’s new global schedule from 2023 set to super charge the women’s game.

The global season, which is set to comprise three competitions – WXV1, WVX2 and WXV3 – has been introduced with the objective to increase competition, commercial and fan engagement opportunities, while simultaneously raising the competitiveness of the women’s game.

The Springbok Women could be in line to qualify for WVX2 as one of the top teams from Oceana, Asia and Africa, or WXV3 as the winner of a play-off match between an African and South American team.

“It is one thing training and another thing playing, and obviously the more matches one plays the better you can become at your craft,” said Raubenheimer.

“We’ve seen with our other national women’s teams such as the Proteas cricket and netball sides, as well as Banyana Banyana (SA women’s soccer team) that the more they play the more they improve.”

Raubenheimer congratulated the Protea Women who took an unassailable three-one lead in the five-match One-Day International series against India on Sunday.

“We’d like to congratulate the Proteas for their series win in India,” said Raubenheimer.

“They have shown great progress in recent years and apart from taking great pride in their performances, they have come to show yet again that with regular competition, the sky is the limit, which is another reason why we are really looking forward to World Rugby’s new plans.”

Raubenheimer also welcomed another 16 players to the Springbok Women’s training camp in Stellenbosch. A squad of 24 players gathered at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport early in January, and the squad was increased to 40 players this past weekend.

To Raubenheimer’s delight the players immediately got down to business on the field on Monday and Tuesday, and with the SA Rugby Women’s Interprovincial Competition set to play out in the coming months, the coach was excited to step up their contact training.

“The objectives for us at this stage are to assess the new players from a conditioning point of view, to get a little bit of match practice and to see how the whole group gels,” said Raubenheimer.

“The game time will be in the form of contact sessions on Wednesday (17 March), Monday (22 March) and Friday (26 March), which are important since the players have not played for close to a year and a half now.

“Obviously we expect some rust, but this will be good to work in some contact and continuity, as well as to implement a few things that we have been working on at training.

“It will also allow us to reintroduce the players to rugby, and we hope this will set them in good stead for the Women&#39;s Premier league and Division One league.”

Additional Springbok Women’s squad members (in alphabetical order):

Roseline Botes (Hooker, Western Province)
Kirsten Conrad (Flyhalf, Western Province)
Edwaline Dickson (No 8, Blue Bulls &#8211; on loan from SWD)
Karthy Dludla (Lock, KwaZulu-Natal)
Annique Geswind (Hooker, Western Province)
Veroeshka Grain (Wing, Western Province)
Felicia Jacobs (Scrumhalf, Western Province)
Ayanda Malinga (Wing, Blue Bulls &#8211; on loan from Lions)
Vuyolwethu Maqholo (Fullback, Western Province)
Nqobile Mhlangu (Wing, KwaZulu-Natal)
Phelisa Mrwebi (Flank, Eastern Province)
Sesethu Mtshazi (Centre, Western Province)
Zinhle Ndawonde (Centre, KwaZulu-Natal)
Chumisa Qawe (Centre, Border)
Buhlebethu Sonamzi (Hooker, Eastern Province)
Alida Strydom (Lock, Boland)
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Rugby Union.
Media Contact: Rugby@APO-opa.com
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Good news as Springbok Women power ahead in Stellenbosch

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As more and more leading women spearhead through the sports industry, Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) has positioned itself to continue boosting women’s involvement in the game, including leadership, by announcing on International Women’s Day, Africa’s first two recipients of the 2021 Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarships.

This amazing opportunity qualifies two women from Africa to join the remaining ten women from around the world, who will each receive a £10,000 scholarship for leadership development support for formal or informal education, conferences, forums, mentoring and best practice study tours. Each scholarship will be tailored to meet the professional development needs of the successful applicants.

The scholarships are open to women who:
Are currently involved in Rugby at a governance level (Union/Region Board Member) or,
Are currently involved in Rugby at a senior leadership level (reporting to CEO at third tier and above)
or
Have the potential to be involved

PASSIONATE ABOUT WOMEN IN RUGBY
With their eyes on the prize and having carved a reputation within local rugby in their respective countries, recipients Peris Mukoko of Kenya and Abigail Mnikwa of Zimbabwe are proudly flying their flags high when it comes to leading women in sports.

Passionate about promoting young women in rugby, Mukoko comes with all the trimmings of leading this initiative. Currently a board member of the Kenya Rugby Union, a certified World Rugby licensed Educator (First Female in Kenya and Third in Africa), a Rugby Africa Unstoppable Campaign Ambassador (2020), an active Level 2 Rugby Referee (since 2008), and recently co-opted into Rugby Africa’s Referee Committee as Interim Referee Association representative, Mukoko is ready to take her knowledge and leadership skills to the next level.
‘I am thrilled to be accepted on this prestigious scholarship. This scholarship will certainly aid me in building my skills as a mentor, as well as my project management skills. Running the proposed programme, for young girls, will be challenging for me but it will enable me to grow as an administrator in the game of rugby and as a person. I hope to gain a greater understanding of grassroots rugby in Kenya while traveling as the proposed program is targeted to run outside of Nairobi,’ said Mukoko.
Just as talented and experienced, Mnikwa has worked within the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) for the past 14 years as both a physiotherapist and sports administrator. Serving on the Zimbabwe Rugby Union board, Mnikwa is also Zimbabwe women’s rugby chairperson, chairs the ZRU Covid-19 relief committee and is a World Rugby medical trainer.
As of recent, Mnikwa was appointed to the Rugby Africa women rugby advisory sub- committee for leadership, training, and conferences.

‘It is an honour to be accepted and recognised by Rugby Africa. I am truly humbled by this acknowledgment. With my key focus on continuing to raise the bar for women in rugby and amplifying the rugby medical fraternity, I am determined to use this scholarship to sharpen my skills and understanding so I can move the dial within my goal areas,’ said Mnikwa.

RUGBY AFRICA 2021 WOMEN’S EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS TAILORED TO MAKE WOMEN IN RUGBY SUCCEED
Wishing both the women well, Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee Chairwoman Paula Lanco said she was pleased that African women were taking on the challenge to become leaders, both on and off the field.
‘Rugby is a Sport, Not a Gender&#39;. As such my vision is to see the Africa women in rugby compete on the world stage. The Rugby Africa 2021 Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarships is one sterling tool for our women to step forward and surge forward in rugby. Peris and Abigail have started on a journey that will only catapult them into the fraternity.’
Congratulating the women on their acceptance, Rugby Africa 2019 Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarship recipient and Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee Leadership and Training Sub-Committee Chairwoman, Regina Lunyolo said the benefits of the scholarship would surpass the two women’s expectations.
‘The scholarship programme is a fantastic way of empowering the current and next generation of global female leaders in rugby. Women sharing the space with male counterparts will not be a differentiator, but rather as an excelling professional who shares the same passions for the game.’
Women’s Rugby Afrique Manager, Maha Zaoui shared similar sentiments, noting that the scholarships were indeed a booster.
‘A former recipient myself of the Rugby Africa 2018 Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarship, I have grown in areas that I would never have imagined. It set the course for my success to date and ability to alter women’s rugby. Thanks to this scholarship, I got into the MEMOS programme, which is an Executive Masters of Sport Organisations (Management), run by the International Olympic Committee. Peris and Abigail are on a good trajectory.’
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rugby Africa.
For media enquiries please contact: N: Fathima Ebrahim E: Rugby@apo-opa.com
News &#038; results: Follow @RugbyAfrique on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Website: http://www.RugbyAfrique.com/ 
Women’s Ruby in Africa: On the African continent, women’s rugby has seen tremendous growth. In the last decade it increased from 50 000 female players in 2012, to over 260 000 in 2018 and 350 000 in 2020.
For this tremendous growth to continue, strong leadership in women’s rugby needs to continue, the Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarship is one of the tools that will enable this.    
Africa will also be well represented when South Africa participates in the next rugby World Cup women in New Zealand in 2022 and Kenya in the Olympic Games in 2021.
About Rugby Africa: Created in 1986, Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com), previously the African Confederation of Rugby (Confédération Africaine de Rugby – CAR), is one of the six regional associations composing World Rugby (www.WorldRugby.org), the international organization responsible for the governing of Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens. Rugby Africa unites all African countries which play rugby union, rugby sevens, and women’s rugby. Rugby Africa organizes the qualifying competition for the Rugby World Cup, and Africa Sevens, a qualifying competition for the Olympic Games. Rugby Africa has 39 members.
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World Rugby awards two leading African Women in Rugby the 2021 Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarships

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New licensing agreement will significantly boost the availability of UMG’s African and International repertoire to music fans across Africa ; New markets include South Africa, Ethiopia, Côte d&#39;Ivoire, Cameroon and Senegal; with UMG catalog now also widely available across French-speaking territories for first time.

Boomplay (www.Boomplay.com), the leading music streaming and download service based in Africa and Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, today announced a new landmark licensing agreement that will extend licensing of UMG’s global music catalog from 7 to 47 countries across the African continent, as part of an extended relationship that will benefit African musicians and talent and expand the listening experience for Boomplay users across Africa.

In 2018, UMG became the first major global music company to license music to the service, which has continued to grow its audience reach and influence across Africa in recent years. Boomplay’s catalog currently stands at more than 50 million tracks and it boasts the largest repertoire of local African content globally, with 50million monthly active users (MAU). The renewal and expansion of this licensing deal with UMG, will enable African music fans across the continent to experience the best in both domestic African and International talent.

As one of the first entrants in Africa, Boomplay has been at the forefront of the music streaming market since 2015 and has a deep understanding of the local market. Now the leading African platform, in December 2020, Boomplay surpassed the 100 million app downloads milestone on Google Play. During this time, Boomplay has supported numerous African artists, across a variety of projects, including: The “concert of the year” &#8211; which saw UMG-signed Nigerian singer songwriter Tiwa Savage shut down Lagos with her debut performance of 49-99 and saw Boomplay invest in the first-ever documentary film focused on the history of Afrobeats.

Boomplay also gave away 250 million megabytes of data to users free of charge, so they could stream music online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Boomplay and UMG East Africa held conferences that brought together industry stakeholders to find ways of growing and supporting the African music community even further, as highlighted by Boomplay’s announcement to commit $1 million to support up-and-coming artists from the continent.

This agreement underscores UMG’s ongoing commitment to support and grow Africa’s domestic music ecosystems, while also creating new opportunities for Pan-African talent to reach new audiences domestically, regionally and around the world.

Over the past 5 years, UMG has taken a holistic approach to expanding operations across the continent, opening new divisions in Nigeria, as well as becoming the first major music company to establish divisions in Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon and Morocco alongside UMG’s longstanding operations in South Africa. This presence will continue to grow throughout 2021 and beyond, as UMG continues to further extend the company’s ability to support domestic artists on the ground across Africa and globally.

Boomplay users will now have access to UMG’s extensive catalog of both local and global recording artists and labels including: Tiwa Savage (Nigeria), Nasty C (SA), Mi Casa (SA), Sauti Sol (Kenya), Cassper Nyovest (SA), Toofan (Togo), Tekno (Nigeria), Suspect 95 (Côte d’Ivoire), Brenda Fassie (SA), Tenor (Cameroon), Black Coffee (SA), Dena Mwana (DRC), Singuila (DRC), Locko (Cameroon), Hugh Masekela (SA), Charlotte Dipanda (Cameroon), Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania), Alpha P (Nigeria), Tomi Owo (Nigeria), Cysoul (Cameroon), Major League Djz (SA), Fior De Bior (Côte d’Ivoire), Larry Gaaga (Nigeria), Prince Kaybee (SA) alongside international artists from the world’s largest music catalog including: Da Baby, Drake, Lil Baby, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Stevie Wonder, Billie Eilish, Booba, Dadju, Tasha Cobbs, Niska, Lionel Richie, Rihanna, Motown’s Catalog and Bob Marley.

UMG’s African Labels will also be supported under the new agreement including: Def Jam Africa, the continent’s first label dedicated entirely to the best in African hip-hop, afrobeat and trap music which launched in five countries in 2020, Motown Gospel Africa, AI Records, Afroforce1 and other distributed labels including: Kalawa Jazzmee, Aristokrat, Family Tree and Soulistic amongst others. The agreement also includes artists and labels distributed via Electromode and Ingrooves Music Group within the continent.

Recent projects include the release of Rhythms Of Zamunda: Music Inspired By Coming 2 America. The acclaimed 16-track Def Jam Africa compilation traces a musical roadmap through Western, Eastern, and South African soundscapes, introducing listeners to some of the continent’s most exciting artists was released last week.

Boomplay’s Director of Content &#038; Strategy, Phil Choi, added “Since our original deal with UMG, the African music industry has seen exponential growth and made huge strides towards being the next powerhouse that it should be. We’re excited to continue partnering with the UMG team to help promote their African and international artists by bringing their catalogue to even more regions across Africa.

Franck Kacou, Managing Director, Universal Music Africa, who lead’s Universal Music Group’s activity across French-speaking Africa said, “We are excited for our artists and labels to be available now to music fans across these 25 French speaking countries, but also to reach audiences across the rest of the continent. Africa is rich with artistic talent and musical culture and continues to inspire millions of Africans for whom music is an essential part of their daily lives. Working alongside Boomplay, we will help introduce these talents to new audiences, as the appetite for music continues to grow throughout these countries.”

Sipho Dlamini, CEO, Universal Music Group, South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, said, “We are delighted to expand our relationship with Boomplay, who over the past few years have shown themselves to be dedicated to providing the best in music to fans across the continent. Through this extended agreement, Boomplay will now help supply improved access to the world’s largest and most diverse music catalog to their broad user base, as we continue to introduce the best in African and international music to the rapidly growing streaming audience across Africa.”

Tosin Sorinola, Director of Artist and Media relations said, “We are very optimistic that this expansion will further embed the blossoming relationship between both parties. As a platform, we are committed to ensuring that we help artists spread their music and that our users have access to all the music they love wherever they are. This expansion will afford us an opportunity to help open up more music to our users and opportunities for artists in the new regions.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Boomplay.
Notes to editors: UMG content will now be available via Boomplay in the following markets: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, DRC, Côte d&#39;Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Guinea- Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Tchad, Togo, Uganda, Zambia &#038; Zimbabwe.
Media Contact: Universal Music Group James Murtagh-Hopkins / Global Communications James.Murtagh-Hopkins@umusic.com
Boomplay Camilla Owora- PR Manager camilla.owora@transsnet.com
Click here for Universal Music Africa assets: https://bit.ly/3vA06SP
About Boomplay: Boomplay (www.Boomplay.com) is a music streaming and download service owned by Transsnet Music Limited. Boomplay houses millions of songs, videos and entertainment news, connecting music lovers with their favourite songs anytime, anywhere. It currently has over 50 million monthly active users and has been downloaded over 100m times on the Google Play Store. The service is currently available for Web Android and iOS use. The app, which won the Best African App at the 2017 Apps Africa Awards, allows its users to stream and download their favourite songs and videos, as well as subscribe to flexible daily, weekly or monthly plans to access premium features such as ad-free streaming. Over the years, different payment platforms have been introduced so music lovers are able to pay for music via mobile money and bank cards. As the Home of Music, Boomplay aims to empower the African music eco-system to unlock its full potential.
About Universal Music Group: Universal Music Group (UMG) (www.UniversalMusic.com) is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries. Featuring the most comprehensive catalog of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. Universal Music Group is a Vivendi company. Find out more at: www.UniversalMusic.com.
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Universal Music Group and leading African streaming service Boomplay expand license to cover 47 countries across the continent

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The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) (www.ICD-idb.org), the private sector arm of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, and Banque de l’Union &#8211; Côte d’Ivoire (the Bank or BDU-CI), a member of the BDM Group, signed an agreement to finance private sector enterprises in Côte d’Ivoire.

Mr. Ayman Amin Sejiny, CEO of ICD and Mr. Wélé Diallo, Managing Director of BDU-CI, signed the Euro 8 million Line of Financing agreement under the Commodity Murabaha Financing Structure &#038; Wakala. On this occasion, Mr. Sejiny commented: “The Line of Finance facility will be utilized by BDU-Côte d’Ivoire to support economic activities of eligible private sector businesses. This facility intervenes in this difficult time due to the Covid-19 outbreak. We have no doubt that it will provide support to private sector businesses which have been affected by the Pandemic.”
In his speech, Mr. Diallo Wélé praised “the pro activeness of ICD in responding to their financing request during these challenging times and ensured that the facility will be extended to the eligible end beneficiaries.”
ICD has extended Line of Financing facilities to several financial institutions in Sub Saharan countries for the development of the private sector. This LOF facility is among the first ones deployed by ICD in Côte d’Ivoire.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD).
About ICD: The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) (www.ICD-idb.org) is a multilateral financial institution established by the Board of Governors of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) during its twenty-fourth (24) annual meeting held in Rajab 1420H (November 1999) in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ICD was established to be the IDBG private sector window. The authorized capital of the Corporation is USD 4 billion. The shareholders consist of the IsDB (rated Triple A), 55-member countries and 5 financial institutions from the member countries. ICD is rated ‘A2’ by Moody’s, ‘A-’ by S&#038;P and ‘A+’ by Fitch.
The ICD aims to play a complementary role to the activities of IsDB and the national financing institutions in the member countries by focusing on private sector institutions in their various activities and operations in full compliance with the principles of Islamic Shari’ah. In addition to extending financing and financial services, ICD provides advisory and consultancy services to governments and private sector institutions in order to adopt policies for establishing, expanding and modernizing private sector companies, developing equity capital markets (ECM), debt capital markets (DCM) in the form of Sukuk, adopting better management practices and strengthening the role of the market economy. ICD focuses its financing on development projects (such as infrastructure and private equity funds) that aim to create job opportunities and to encourage exports.
In order to achieve all these goals, ICD establishes and strengthens cooperation and partnership relationships with an aim to establish joint or collective financing. ICD also applies financial technology (Fintech) to make financing more efficient and comprehensive. Financial services institutions within ICD’s member countries are benefiting from fintech innovations by using artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, data analytics, and cloud computing services. ICD created a platform based on its relationships with 119 financial institutions, through which, the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDBG) in general and the institution, in particular, can have access to a concerned country and identify available financing opportunities. The platform allows financial entities to collaborate in identifying investment opportunities, sharing market information and laying the groundwork for actual financial transactions within the OIC member countries and across borders. For More Information, please visit: www.ICD-idb.org.
About Banque de l’Union Côte d’Ivoire (BDU-CI) : BDU-CI (www.BDUCI.com) is a limited company established on December 2013 on the initiative on the “Banque de Développement” du Mali (BDM), its parent company. The bank’s operational activities were officially launched on January 15th, 2015. BDU-CI is registered on the list of financial institutions under the number A0180Q. It is headquartered in Abidjan Plateau. The major shareholders of BDU-CI are BDM SA (80,71%), and BOAD (9,6%).
The establishment of the BDU-CI is part of the BDM Group’s external growth strategy, which aims to establish itself in the eight (8) countries of the Western Economic and Monetary Union African (WAEMU). To date, Burkina-Faso, Côte d&#39;Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Togo are covered by the network of subsidiaries of the BDM group. BDM started its expansion in West African Region since 2006.
BDM (the parent company of BDU-CI) was established on 3rd of July 1989. It is among the Bank leaders of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) in term of total asset, resources and net income. BDM is the first bank in Mali in term of market share which stood at 17.7% at end 2017. The BDM major shareholders include BMCE (32.38%), Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Mali (CCIM) (21, 33%), State of Mali (19.58%) and BOAD (15.96%). BDM was elected Best Bank of West Africa of the Year 2018 on the occasion of the AFRICAN BANKER Awards Ceremonies. The trophy was awarded on 22 Tuesday 2018 on the margins of the African Development Bank’s Annual Meetings, in Busan, South Korea. This trophy follows due diligence by the experts of AFRICAN BANKER. This consecration of the BDM-SA as the best bank in West Africa of the year 2018 recognizes the efforts of the establishment’s teams and the excellent quality of the management.
For more information please visit: Our different digital platforms: www.BDUCI.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.
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Signing of Line of Financing Agreement between the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and Banque de l’Union – Côte d’Ivoire (BDU-CI)

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