Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
With DHL Western Province and the Border Ladies confirmed as the Women’s Premier Division finalists, the scramble for final spots in the First Division will take centre stage in what marks the penultimate pool round of the respective competitions on Saturday.

The Premier Division will strike round nine with log-leaders DHL Western Province hosting the Cell C Sharks Women in Cape Town, and the Boland Dames take on the Border Ladies in Wellington – both matches will be streamed live on Springboks.rugby.
The match between the Blue Bulls Women and EP Queens, meanwhile, has been cancelled in line with COVID-19 protocols following positive cases in the Pretoria team, which will result in the EP Queens earning four log points and the score recorded as 0-0, in line with tournament rules.
Three matches will play out in the Women’s First Division with the two Group 1 matches seeing Free State take on SWD in Bloemfontein, and Griquas going up against the Griffons in Kimberley.
In the only match in Group 2, the Valke will host the Limpopo Blue Bulls in Brakpan. The clash between the Mastercard Golden Lions Women and the Pumas has been cancelled as the team from Mpumalanga forfeited the match in line with COVID-protocols, which results in the side from Johannesburg receiving four log points and the score is recorded as 0-0.
Premier Division
DHL Western Province will have their sights set on stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches this season with the top spot on the table virtually sealed when they meet the Cell C Sharks Women at Newlands on Saturday.
The Capetonians have set the pace in the competition with their effective attack and defence, and they will be determined to maintain this standard as they attempt to defend their title in a little over two weeks.
Form and history favour the Cape side, who remain the only unbeaten team, as they seek their fifth win in a row against the KwaZulu-Natalians.
Their last two encounters, however, were close with no more than 10 points separating the teams on the scoreboard, which will add to the Cell C Sharks Women’s motivation to bounce back from a three-match losing run.
In Wellington, the clash between the Boland Dames and Border Ladies is expected to be thrilling as the home side looks to build on their convincing victory against the Blue Bulls Women last week while the East London side aims to build winning momentum with an eye on the final.
The Border Ladies have won the last two matches between the sides, but the Bolanders have surprised a few teams this season with their gutsy performances.
First Division
Free State will look to build on their strong start to the season last week (in which they registered a comprehensive 39-0 win against the Griffons) when they host SWD at the Toyota Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors, meanwhile, will take the field in their first match after their game against Griquas was cancelled last week due to logistical challenges.
This will require them to hit the ground running, but with only one pool match remaining after this encounter, they will have all the motivation they need.
In Kimberley, Griquas will want to make the most of their home ground advantage when they host the Griffons who will be resolute in their desire to earn their first win of the season.
In Group 2 the Valke and Limpopo Blue Bulls will both face a tough defensive test after the sides registered wins of 70 points or more in their last matches, which could set the scene for a gripping battle.
Women’s Premier Division Round 9 fixtures (Saturday, 3 July): DHL Western Province v Cell C Sharks Women Time: 10h30 (live stream on Springboks.rugby) Venue: Newlands, Cape Town Referee: Paul Mente Assistant referees: Local appointments
Boland Dames v Border Ladies Time: 14h00 (live stream on Springboks.rugby) Venue: Boland Stadium, Wellington Referee: Mpho Matsaung Assistant referees: Local appointments
Women’s First Division Group 1 Round 2 fixtures (Saturday, 3 July): Griquas v Griffons Time: 11h00 Venue: Tafel Lager Park, Kimberley Referee: Angie Bezuidenhout Assistant referees: Local appointments
Free State v SWD Time: 14h00 Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein Referee: Giana Viljoen Assistant referees: Local appointments
Women’s First Division Group 2 Round 4 fixture (Saturday, 3 July): Valke v Limpopo Blue Bulls Time: 11h00 Venue: Bosman Stadium, Brakpan Referee: Ashleigh Murray-Pretorius Assistant referees: Local appointments
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Rugby Union.
Media Contact: Rugby@APO-opa.com

Women’s Premier Division R9 and First Division R4 Preview

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The proposed Kinshasa Declaration, launched today at the Generation Equality Forum, outlines concrete actions for African Union member countries to advance gender equality in Africa by 2030; The proposed Kinshasa Declaration calls for doubling the number of women&#39;s organizations that can access funds from national economic stimulus programs and external funding.

A delegation of African women led by Her Excellency Madame Gisèle Ndaya, Minister of Gender, Family and Children of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madame Julienne Lusenge, gender expert on the Panel of Experts in charge of accompanying President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo during his presidency of the African Union for 2021/2022 shared the proposed Kinshasa Declaration on the sidelines of the Generation Equality Forum (https://bit.ly/3wdRHDZ)  being held in Paris from June 30 to July 2.
The proposed Kinshasa Declaration, drafted during the Conference on Gender Equality held in Kinshasa on June 10, is the result of a large mobilization of pan-African groups including youth, civil society, researchers, government officials, activists and international organizations. One of the main objectives of the conference was to show the collective capacity of the participants and organizers  to foster a more just world, where gender equality is no longer a struggle but a reality for future generations.
The proposed Kinshasa Declaration builds on existing texts on gender equality in Africa and a series of new recommendations. Its goal is to encourage the member states of the African Union to expand their actions in favor of gender equality and to put in place strong systems to evaluate progress.
For the Minister of Gender, Family and Children of the DRC, Ms. Gisèle Ndaya, this declaration offers concrete proposals for the member countries of the African Union. She highlighted that &#8220;one of the key recommendations of the declaration is to campaign for a quota system of at least 40% of women, including 10% of young women under 35 years of age in national government bodies, and in elective and nominative positions, by 2030, in order to increase the rate of women&#39;s participation in decision-making bodies on the African continent. &#8220;
Julienne Lusenge, member of the Panel of Experts in charge of accompanying the DRC during its chairmanship of the African Union for the year 2021/2022 said: &#8220;This proposed declaration makes a crucial contribution to the AU Strategy for Gender Equality and Women&#39;s Empowerment by proposing concrete actions and tools for measuring success towards gender equality in Africa by 2030. Through this proposed Declaration, we call for, among other measures, the development and strengthening of human rights and culture of peace curricula in at least 50% of primary and secondary schools, including the integration of age-appropriate information on existing laws, conventions, and action plans with a focus on gender equality and positive masculinity by 2030. &#8220;
According to the delegation, the proposed Kinshasa Declaration will be shared with African Union stakeholders, member states, civil society, international organizations and relevant bodies within African governments after the Generation Equality Forum. The objective is to the adoption of this Declaration at the next meeting of the African Union in 2022.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Panel chargé d&#8217;accompagner la République Démocratique du Congo à la Présidence de l&#8217;Union Africaine pour l&#8217;exercice 2021-2022.
Press contacts: Chakera McIntosh cmcintosh@globalhealthstrategies.com
Jenny Valliante jvalliante@yahoo.com
About the Panel in charge of accompanying the DRC during its presidency of the African Union for the year 2021/2022: Created within the Office of the President of the Republic as a specialized ad hoc unit, the &#8220;PANEL&#8221; is responsible for accompanying the Democratic Republic of the Congo in its chairmanship of the African Union for the 2021-2022 period. It is placed under the direct authority of the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is governed by the provisions of Ordinance No. 20/144 of October 30, 2020 on the establishment of a Panel to accompany the term of office of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as Chairperson of the African Union for the year 2021-2022. https://PanelRDC-UA2021.cd.

African women propose a 10-year plan for gender equality in Africa at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris

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Iconic French football club Olympique de Marseille (OM) (www.OM.fr/en), and APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, today announced a multi-year agreement making APO Group the Official Partner of Olympique de Marseille’s OM Africa (www.OM.fr/en/omafrica) development programme. 

The agreement, making APO Group the club’s first African partner, was formalized today at an official signing ceremony at the club’s Robert Louis-Dreyfus training ground by Olympique de Marseille Managing Director, Laurent Colette, and APO Group Founder and Chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com). 
Watch the video: https://youtu.be/pGeYb1yzxBs
B-roll and photos of the official signing ceremony are available for free and unrestricted news use:
 	Download the B-roll: www.bit.ly/OM-APO-Broll (702 Mo) 
 	Download the interviews in English only (B-roll): www.bit.ly/OM-APO-ITW (670 Mo) 
 	Download the pictures of the signing ceremony: www.bit.ly/PhotosOM-APO (13 Mo) 
Olympique de Marseille is one of the most renowned football clubs in the world. Founded in 1899, the club has won 30 major trophies, including the UEFA Champions League title in 1993. It is widely regarded as the most popular team in France, with the most passionate fans and the largest attendances in the country.
The links between Olympique de Marseille and Africa have always been very strong, with the city of Marseille itself heavily influenced by diverse African cultures. African football legends to have played for Marseille include Abedi Pelé, Didier Drogba and Mamadou Niang, and the club has proved to be a gateway to the international stage for dozens more African players. 
Support for the club is huge all over North and West Africa, where it is an instantly-recognisable, iconic brand. OM has ten dedicated fan-clubs operating in Africa, and more than four million African followers on social media, making up 38.7% of the club’s global fanbase.
To build on its proud African heritage, Olympique de Marseille has created OM Africa, a football development programme entirely dedicated to its millions of fans from the African continent. The club has established a football academy in Diambars, Senegal, while three OM Africa schools have been set up in Algiers (Algeria), Tunis (Tunisia) and Port-Harcourt (Nigeria). At these state-of-the-art facilities, local youths are taught the beautiful game by some of the best international coaches, and dream of being the next African superstar to play at the highest level.
OM Africa also coordinates regular initiatives designed to raise awareness of the game in Africa, including charity events, exclusive content and prizes for Olympique de Marseille fans, and ‘Legends’ matches.
APO Group sees sport as a valuable opportunity for promoting education, peace, violence prevention, gender equality, and health in Africa.
The company is the Main Official Sponsor of World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa, and an official sponsor of Team Qhubeka NextHash, the only professional African cycling team on the UCI World Tour, and the annual Lux Afrique Polo Day.
APO Group is also a strategic African partner of Getty Images, the most recognizable name in sporting imagery, and works closely with the NBA, and the Basketball Africa League.
Together, APO Group and Olympique de Marseille are committed to helping promote football in Africa, providing new opportunities for young players, and showcasing positive African stories on the international stage. 
“We have always seen ourselves as being a bridge to Africa,” said Laurent Colette, Managing Director of Olympique de Marseille. “The passion and vibrancy of African football is evident throughout our city and our team. APO Group share our vision for OM Africa to be a beacon for all African football fans, and a way of supporting sporting development across the continent.”  
“Olympique de Marseille is one of the most successful and enduring sporting organizations in the world,” said APO Group Founder and Chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard. “No other major European football club dedicates as much time, energy and resource to Africa. The OM Africa programme is a fantastic initiative, and it shows the unique power of sport in uniting people from different countries and cultures. We are thrilled at the prospect of being able to support Olympique de Marseille and their millions of African fans.” 
For further information about OM Africa, visit: https://www.OM.fr/en/omafrica   
This is a joint press release by Olympique de Marseille and APO Group.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.
Media contact: marie@apo-opa.com
About APO Group: Founded in 2007, APO Group is the leading pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. We assist private and public organisations in sharpening their reputation and increasing their brand equity in target countries across Africa. Our role as a trusted partner is to leverage the power of media and build bespoke strategies that enable organisations to produce a real, measurable impact in Africa and beyond. The trust and recognition granted to APO Group by global and multinational companies, governments, and NGOs inspires us to continuously enhance our value proposition within Africa to better cater to our clients’ needs. Among our prestigious clients: Facebook, Dangote Group, Nestle, GE, NBA, Canon, Coca-Cola, DHL, Marriott Group, Ecobank, Siemens, Standard Chartered, Orange, Jack Ma Foundation, African Development Bank, World Health Organization, Islamic Development Bank, Liquid Telecom, Rotary International, Kaspersky, Greenpeace…
Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland | Offices in Senegal, Dubai and Hong Kong
For further information, please visit our website: https://www.APO-opa.com

Iconic French football club Olympique de Marseille (OM) announces first ever African Official Partner

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The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) President, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, joined French President Emmanuel Macron and others at the Generation Equality Forum taking place in Paris this week. He highlighted the role of the Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative in growing the continent’s women-led businesses. AFAWA is a pan-African initiative whose goal is to unlock financing to bridge the $42 billion financing gap that women entrepreneurs face in Africa.

“Women run Africa and they should run Africa…they create more businesses than men &#8211; but the problem they have is that they do not have access to finance,” Adesina said to a socially distanced audience that included heads of state and government, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other participants from the government, development, gender, civil society, and small and medium-enterprise (SME) sectors.

President Adesina thanked President Macron for his leadership in supporting the African Development Bank in its drive to accelerate women’s access to finance and the growth of women businesses on the continent through AFAWA.

The Bank President was one of many participants invited to present at the Generation Equality Forum, a global gathering for gender equality, convened by UN Women and co-chaired by the presidents of France and Mexico.

Moderating the African Development Bank president’s segment during the forum opening ceremony, French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian introduced President Adesina and Gisèla Van Houcke, the founder of a Kinshasa-based SME that received a loan from Rawbank’s “Lady’s First” program. Rawbank was the first financial institution to sign on to one of AFAWA’s programs.

Van Houcke said: “In 2020, things became a lot more difficult as a result of the pandemic. The majority of our operations were closed down. Thanks to the AFAWA program, we managed to raise the funds that would allow us to survive during the time of Covid – to double our income, to hire more than 30 people, out of which 80% were women.” She told the audience that she started her Zuri Luxury hair and cosmetics business in 2015, selling wigs and weaves out of the back of a car.

Van Houke benefited from Rawbank’s non-financial services, ranging from training in marketing, positioning, and general financial management. Non-financial services are another pillar of AFAWA, which also provides training and technical services to women entrepreneurs who often lack the financial and business acumen to respond to the needs of financial institutions.

As financial institutions also lack the capacity to understand and respond appropriately to women entrepreneurs, AFAWA also provides training to enhance their understanding and ability to customize their products and services to women entrepreneurs’ needs.

Adesina said: “Financial institutions basically discriminate against women. There is a high-risk premium women have to pay when they go to look for money. But women pay back their loans, 99 percent of the time. So what we are really de-risking is bias against women.”

The Group of Seven (G7) countries, the Netherlands and Sweden also support AFAWA. Together, these countries have committed $450 million towards the AFAWA Guarantee for Growth program, a de-risking mechanism facilitating women’s access to loans with lower collateral requirements. The Women Entrepreneurship Finance Initiative (WeFi) also supports AFAWA.

Concluding his remarks, President Adesina told attendees that to receive African Development Bank funding, 100% of his institution’s projects and operations must demonstrate what they will do for women.

“It’s not just an issue of money &#8211; it’s about equity, it is about fairness, it is about respect,” Adesina said.

French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian reassured the African Development Bank president that France continues to support the AFAWA initiative.

For more about the African Development Bank’s AFAWA program, click here (https://bit.ly/3hatwlz).
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: Alphonso Van Marsh Principal Digital Content and Events Officer African Development Bank Email: a.vanmarsh@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 37 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.

African Development Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa program showcased at Generation Equality Forum

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The Annual Investment Meeting Africa Edition (AIM AFRICA), in multilateral partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) (www.IsDB.org), the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and the IsDB Group Business Forum (THIQAH), organized the first digital edition of AIM AFRICA.

The event was held on 29–30 June 2021, AIM AFRICA, the 2nd Regional Edition of Annual Investment Meeting witnessed a prestigious gathering of top government officials and reputable speakers from different countries and international organizations, as well as major investment stakeholders for the African region to explore rewarding investment opportunities that will benefit a multitude of sectors and enhance economic cooperation and support among nations.
As multilateral partners of AIM AFRICA, the ICD whose key motives are private sector investments, mobilizing funds in international financial markets, and offering corporate and government consultancy services; aims to promote and sustain long-term economic growth in Africa through AIM AFRICA.
The event featured a pillar dedicated to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) which includes investment roundtable discussions. The IsDB, on the other hand, is focused on building collaborative partnerships through investments, between communities and nations, across the public and private sectors while fostering innovative and sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest development challenges.
The IsDB Group Business Forum, THIQAH was established as a unique and innovative platform for effective dialogue, cooperation, and partnerships for IsDB Group and business leaders committed to joining in promising investment and trade opportunities. Through THIQAH, the IsDB Group seeks to reinforce the effectiveness and success of the partnerships that have been forged amongst the Group and business leaders and establishments in our Member Countries.
The event focused on increasing cross-border investment along with AIM AFRICA, which is supported by IsDB Group’s financial products and services.
The Annual Investment Meeting, ICD and THIQAH, with their huge potential, will give a major boost to Africa’s economic stability, sustainability, and prosperity.
Further information is available at: www.AIMcongress.com/africa.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB Group).
About the IsDB Group: Rated AAA by the major rating agencies, the Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development bank that has been working for over 45 years to improve the lives of the communities it serves by delivering impact at scale. The Bank brings together 57-Member Countries across four continents, touching the lives of 1 in 5 of the world population. Its mission is to equip people to drive their own economic and social progress at scale, putting the infrastructure in place enabling them to fulfil their potential. Headquartered in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, IsDB has regional hubs and centers of excellence in 11 of its Member Countries.  Over the years, the Bank has evolved from a single entity into a group comprising five entities: Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) tasked with research and training, the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).
About the Annual Investment Meeting: The Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) is an initiative of the UAE Ministry of Economy, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. AIM is the world’s leading investment platform with over 16,000 participants, over 400 exhibitors and co-exhibitors, 60+ high-level dignitaries, 150+ investment specialists and experts in 2019.
About the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD): The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) is a multilateral development financial institution and is member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. ICD was established in November 1999 to support the economic development of its member countries through the provision of finance for private sector projects, promoting competition and entrepreneurship, providing advisory services to the governments and private companies, and encouraging cross border investments. ICD is Rated A2’ by Moody’s, ‘A-’ by S&#038;P and, A+ by Fitch. 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. For more information, visit: www.ICD-ps.org.
About the Islamic Development Bank Group Business Forum (THIQAH): The Islamic Development Bank Group Business Forum (THIQAH) is the window of IsDB Group, which operates under the umbrella of ICD. THIQAH facilitates contact and coordination between entities concerned with the IsDB Group and private sector firms and related institutions in IsDB Group member countries. The main objective of THIQAH is to establish a unique and innovative platform for dialogue, cooperation and inclusive partnership for business leaders committed to partnering in promising investment opportunities. Through facilitation and catalyst roles, THIQAH leverages IsDB Group’s resources to offer necessary services and confidence to investors and to establish strategic partnerships with the leaders of the private sector. The primary focus will be on maximizing cross-border investment and trade among member countries to be supported by IsDB Group&#39;s financial products and services (www.IDBGBF.org).

Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group and AIM Partner to Promote Sustainable Investment in Africa

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TECNO Mobile (www.TECNO-Mobile.com) has launched PHANTOM, a bold sub-brand in TECNO’s latest chapter of extraordinary innovation; Produced by premium technology brand TECNO Mobile, a series of impactful films have been released to celebrate the launch of Phantom and its flagship handset PHANTOM X, to highlight the extraordinary creativity achieved through bold technology; PHANTOM BRAND FILM With creativity and excellence at its core, PHANTOM has worked with three artistic creators to spotlight PHANTOM’s brand spirit of rejecting the ordinary in everyday life, these include Eoin Dillon, founder of fashion label Reuben Avenue, plus artist Alexander James and model / designer Lucy Evans; PHANTOM X PRODUCT FILM A second film has also been released, focusing on the key product USPs in stunning detail; PHANTOM EXECUTIVE SPEECH TECNO’s General Manager Stephen HA summarises PHANTOM’s mission and values in a third film, an engaging executive speech shot amidst a stunning visual landscape.

Today, TECNO Mobile has released a series of three films to celebrate the launch of PHANTOM, taking you on a journey into the bold and extraordinary nature of PHANTOM brand. Using a variety of TECNO spokespeople and creative talents, each cinematic film brings to life PHANTOM’s bold and extraordinary values in stunning new ways.

This is TECNO’s latest chapter of extraordinary innovation. TECNO strive for discovery, progression, and excellence throughout product experience. And TECNO is determined to ensure this shines through in every single user, to help them push limits, stop at nothing, and experience an extraordinary and unforgettable journey in their own lives.

TECNO’s goal is to become the most admired tech brand in the world, and continually making breakthroughs in product and experience innovations. That’s why TECNO has launched PHANTOM X, the flagship handset from TECNO’s sub-brand PHANTOM which is designed for creators, innovators, and pioneers – born for those who reject the ordinary.

Stephen Ha, General Manager at TECNO, said: “Stopping at nothing to push the boundaries of mobile phone design is in our DNA; it’s in everything we do, it is fundamental.”

“PHANTOM is a way of life for the modern, exceptional individual. We never do ordinary. We want to be bold, to explore the unknown, refresh imagination, to leave a unique mark on our world.”

“PHANTOM X is best-in-class, featuring exceptional design and an infinite camera experience – we can’t wait to show you what it can do. So go on – be bold, be extraordinary, be PHANTOM.”

Working alongside creative innovators Eoin Dillon (founder of Reuben Avenue), artist Alexander James and model / designer Lucy Evans, PHANTOM’s brand film celebrates the people who embody Phantom, and bring its fearless, bold and extraordinary spirit to life.

Eoin Dillon, founder of luxury loungewear brand Reuben Avenue, embodies this spirit. He said: “I strive to be a pioneer. The fashion world is a daring and an unexpected place – it’s very competitive. So, you’ve got to be bold, and have a lot of passion, to succeed. I enjoy the intensity and being brave about what to do. I’m relentless in my pursuit to create a brand that really embraces the future. As a consumer, you’ve also got to be brave to buy something that you know will make you feel amazing.”

Of the PHANTOM X, he said: “The PHANTOM X is a phone that allows me to create but also to stay in touch with people. The images are incredible, the videos are incredible, so what I do is I’ll take pictures and upload them and then I can get an idea of colours, tones, shadows, shapes, silhouettes and because of the usability I can create them and change them over and over.”

All three films are available via TECNO Mobile’s YouTube channel, viewed here: https://bit.ly/3h7EisM.

PHANTOM X Product Film: https://bit.ly/363NMyQ.

To find out more about TECNO Mobile and its brand new PHANTOM X handset, please visit: www.mobile-PHANTOM.com.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of TECNO Mobile.

PHANTOM X Flagship Smartphone Illustrates the Impact of Bold and Extraordinary Design Through Series of Mini Films

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Radisson Hotel Group (www.RadissonHotels.com) in partnership with Madaëf are proud to announce the signing of seven Moroccan hotels, of which four will open its doors this month, located in renowned tourist areas, Al Hoceima, Saïdia and Taghazout. The new portfolio consisting of resorts and residences will add over 1600 rooms bringing the Group’s Moroccan portfolio to 10 hotels, fast-tracking its strategy to reach 15 hotels in operation and under development in the country by 2025.

Elie Younes, Executive Vice President&#038;Chief Development Officer EMEA, Radisson Hotel Group, says: “We are delighted to announce this portfolio of seven new hotels, as it not only accelerates our growing presence in Morocco, but also reaffirms our commitment towards the country and its future. Morocco is Africa’s number-one tourism destination in terms of foreign arrivals as a bridge between Europe and Africa and is a priority market for our African development strategy because of its vast potential of Morocco. We remain committed to the country’s Royal Vision, Morocco’s new campaign to promote national as well as international tourism development. We would like to thank our business partners for their trust in our brands and teams as we look forward to opening these world-class properties across Morocco together.”

Ramsay Rankoussi, Vice President, Development, Africa&#038;Turkey, Radisson Hotel Group, says: “This diverse portfolio which consists of four converted and three new-build resorts and residences spread across Al Hoceima, Saïdia, and Taghazout, reinforces our serviced apartments as well as our global resort offerings. Complementing our existing properties in Marrakech and Casablanca, these new properties also cement the presence of our flagship Radisson Blu brand, as well as the footprint of our fast-growing, upscale Radisson brand in Africa. The addition of these hotels, reinforced with the opening of four, has certainly catapulted and diversified our presence in this key market, which we look forward to continue rapidly expanding within.”

Mamoun Lahlimi Alami, CEO, Madaëf, the owning company, says: “We are proud to reinforce our position as the leaders in Morocco’s tourism investment through this partnership with Radisson Hotel Group to open seven hotels in three strategic destinations with high potential. These include two new openings representing the introduction of nearly 600 rooms this year in Al Hoceima, and the creation of 1500 direct and indirect jobs. Four properties will be rebranded with the aim of elevating the product and customer experience, in addition to a seventh hotel under development. We are thrilled to establish this relationship with Radisson Hotel Group through a partnership enshrined in Madaëf’s new asset management policy, which aims to maximize the performance of its portfolio.”

Al Hoceima, nicknamed “the Mediterranean Pearl”, often described as an earthly paradise due to its many beaches and crystal blue water, is located north of Morocco on the Mediterranean coast. The popular resort destination is renowned for its sandy beaches and mountainous areas, providing a spectacular backdrop to one of the country’s most beautiful bays.

Radisson Blu Resort, Al Hoceima Opening its doors this month, the newly built 432-room beach resort surrounded by the local reserve’s natural beauty, will offer guests the ideal coastal-leisure experience with direct beach access and an abundance of water sport activities.

Radisson Blu Residences, Al Hoceima The newly built 142-unit property, also opening its doors this month will comprise of contemporary one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. Residents will also have access to the properties’ three swimming pools and will be able to enjoy the extensive facilities at the adjacent Radisson Blu Resort, Al Hoceima.

Saïdia Resorts, is located on the Mediterranean coast in the north-east of Morocco and offers numerous hotels, leisure attractions and golf courses. It is one of the largest marinas along the Mediterranean coast and easily accessible through the country’s road network.

Known as the “blue pearl”, the destination has been developed to attract international travelers seeking mindfulness, joy and excitement during their stay. With an expansive 14km white golden sandy beach and all-year-round sunshine, Saïdia Resorts is an enviable haven with many activities available, such as water sports and golfing.

Radisson Blu Resort, Saïdia Beach On track to welcome its first guests within this month, the 397-room resort will be centrally located adjacent to the marina, offering guests memorable stays with direct beach access and an expansive range of facilities.

Radisson Blu Resort, Saïdia Garden Opening in Q2 2022, the 150-room converted resort will welcome guests with its modern standard rooms and luxurious suites. Guests will not only have access to the fitness center, all-day-dining restaurant, and bar but will also be able to enjoy the facilities at the adjacent Radisson Blu Resort, Saidia Beach.

Radisson Blu Residences, Saïdia With 192-units comprising standard and standard suite apartments, this renovated property is scheduled to open in Q2 2022 and will feature an all-day-dining restaurant, two specialty restaurants as well as lounge, snack and wet bars. Guests can enjoy the property’s on-site wellness facilities, as well as those of the adjacent Radisson Blu Resort, Saidia Beach.

Taghazout Bay, is a seaside resort located on the Atlantic coast in the South-West of Morocco, nestled in the rich hinterland and exceptional natural environment of Argan tree covered hills and glistening sand dunes.

Boasting an ideal climate and endless natural beauty, Taghazout Bay is built around a &#8220;new generation&#8221; seaside concept, offering a variety of activities throughout the year. Designed with an integrated and sustainable approach, it is focused on establishing the area as a sport, culture, nature and sustainable destination. Particular emphasis will be placed on the sports infrastructure and leisure activities with the establishment of a beach club, a medina as well as sports academies in the area. The upcoming properties will be conveniently located in the centre of Taghazout Bay, along the stunning 4.5km coastline.

Radisson Blu Resort, Taghazout Bay Surf Village The fourth hotel in the portfolio to open this month, is the Radisson Blu Resort, Taghazout Bay Surf Village, which will consist of various accommodation types perfect for family getaways. It will also have a wide array of facilities and dining options, for an ideal and memorable resort stay.

Radisson Residences Taghazout Bay On track to open in Q1 2023, the new build 208-unit property will comprise of two- and three-bedroom apartments and also provide guests with access to its outdoor swimming pool.

In line with Madaëf’s commitment to sustainable tourism, the hotels will be operated in respect of their close proximity to the natural wonders and aim to implement Radisson Hotel Group’s leading Responsible Business program.

Radisson Hotel Group’s top priority is the continued health, safety and security of its guests, team members, and business partners. The Group applies its Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol (https://bit.ly/2UYxogT) created in collaboration with SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, and recently unveiled its new comprehensive testing program as the first hotel group to roll out a rapid testing service for meeting and event attendees at properties across its EMEA portfolio. All hotels will adhere to the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol and SGS validation as of their opening dates.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Radisson Hotel Group.
Download more images: https://bit.ly/3xadJIU
Media Contact: Saadiyah Hendricks Area PR&#038;Communications Manager Middle East&#038;Africa Saadiyah.hendricks@radissonhotels.com
Evi Robignon Communications Manager Radisson Hotel Group, EMEA evi.robignon@radissonhotels.com
About Radisson Hotel Group: Radisson Hotel Group is one of the world&#39;s largest hotel groups with nine distinctive hotel brands, and more than 1,500 hotels in operation and under development in 120 countries. The Group’s overarching brand promise is Every Moment Matters with a signature Yes I Can! service ethos. 
The Radisson Hotel Group portfolio includes Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn&#038;Suites by Radisson, and prizeotel brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.  
Radisson Rewards (https://bit.ly/2Ui0irI) is our global rewards program that delivers unique and personalized ways to create memorable moments that matter to our guests. Radisson Rewards offers exceptional loyalty benefits for our guests, meeting planners, travel agents and business partners.  
Radisson Meetings (https://bit.ly/3xakt9T) provides tailored solutions for any event or meeting, including hybrid solutions placing guests and their needs at the heart of its offer. Radisson Meetings is built around three strong service commitments: Personal, Professional and Memorable, while delivering on the brilliant basics and being uniquely 100% Carbon Neutral.  
More than 100,000 team members work at Radisson Hotel Group and at the hotels licensed to operate in its systems. For more information, visit our corporate website (https://bit.ly/3dBaRgm). Or connect with Radisson Hotels on: LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3ho97sa) Instagram (https://bit.ly/3657iuL) Twitter (https://bit.ly/366ZKHW) Facebook (https://bit.ly/3jCDpKj) YouTube (https://bit.ly/3xbGC7G).
About Radisson Blu: Radisson Blu is the largest upper upscale hotel brand in Europe and delivers a positive and personalized service in stylish spaces. By paying close attention to small details that make a big difference, Radisson Blu inspires unforgettable experiences with every stay. Our hotels and resorts provide a full range of innovative products and services, delivering genuine and relevant guest experiences with a distinctive Yes I Can! attitude. Radisson Blu hotels can be found in major cities, key airport gateways, and leisure destinations. Guests and professional business partners can enhance their experience with Radisson Blu by participating in Radisson Rewards, a global loyalty program offering exceptional benefits and rewards. 
Radisson Blu is part of Radisson Hotel Group, which also includes Radisson Collection, Radisson, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn&#038;Suites by Radisson, and prizeotel brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.  
For reservations and more information, visit our website (https://bit.ly/3h89w2M). Or connect with Radisson Blu on: LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3h6DvIq) Instagram (https://bit.ly/3ydn5DX) Twitter (https://bit.ly/363qlpx) Facebook (https://bit.ly/3w87x2H) YouTube (https://bit.ly/3waXL03).
About Radisson: Radisson is an upscale hotel brand that offers Scandinavian inspired hospitality, which enables guests to focus on a work/life balance and find harmony in their travel experience. With nature-inspired design, and unexpected delights, Radisson inspires the art of being in the moment. Committed to building meaningful relationships with guests, Radisson has a Yes I Can! service attitude to ensure the satisfaction of every guest. Radisson hotels can be found in suburban and city settings, near airports and leisure destinations. Guests and professional business partners can enhance their experience with Radisson by participating in Radisson Rewards, a global loyalty program offering exceptional benefits and rewards. 
Radisson is part of Radisson Hotel Group, which also includes Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn&#038;Suites by Radisson, and prizeotel brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.
For reservations and more information, visit our website (https://bit.ly/3weWDYZ). Or connect with Radisson on: LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3xdeOQ6) Instagram (https://bit.ly/3duRDZJ) Twitter (https://bit.ly/2V1QnHv) Facebook (https://bit.ly/3jwCqLA) YouTube (https://bit.ly/3Ashw6H).
About Madaëf: Madaëf is a Moroccan leading tourism investment company and Tourism Branch of CDG Group. Madaëf brings its thorough understanding of the tourism sector to develop and operate various assets, making a substantial contribution to the emergence of new tourism destinations, to increasing accommodation capacity, and to the scaling up of the Moroccan tourism offering.
With its expertise and that of its various subsidiaries, Madaëf operates across the entire tourism value chain: planning, developing, and assets operating.
These complementary business lines provide Madaëf with the ability to develop strong synergies across its portfolio and to focus on performance and value creation.
Madaëf’s portfolio includes 35 operating hotels and 10 golf courses www.Madaef.ma/en.

Radisson Hotel Group reaffirms expansion plans in Morocco with the announcement of seven new hotels, adding 1600+ rooms to its current portfolio

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2021 sees TECNO (www.TECNO-Mobile.com) is venturing into new heights by announcing its newest flagship smartphone, PHANTOM X. Debuting on July 1st 2021, PHANTOM X features an elegant design of 3D Borderless Screen and the industry’s first silk glass back cover. The combination of the 50MP Ultra-Night camera and the industry’s leading 1/1.3 super large senor, 48MP Ultra-Clear Selfie camera with 105°Ultra-Wide angle, not to mention the AI-assisted Super Night Mode and 50mm Golden Portrait, provides a big leap in camera performance. Powered by a 4700mAh, 256G+8G large memory and a newly-updated HiOS 7.6 system, PHANTOM X empowers and supports every experience of your life and work.

Committed to bringing users bold and extraordinary innovations in design, technology, and complete user experience, PHANTOM X empowers consumers to feel their extraordinary best throughout all their special moments in life. PHANTOM X will be available in two artistic colors of Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Monet’s Summer.
Customers can get PHANTOM X through the online one-stop website www.mobile-PHANTOM.com and shop at local TECNO stores across Africa and other countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Columbia and more.
“We’re proud to introduce the all-new PHANTOM X. It is an extraordinary beginning that encompasses TECNO’s vision, encapsulating and reframed for a new audience of more demanding consumers,” said Stephen Ha, General Manager of TECNO, “PHANTOM X isn’t just an innovative high-end smartphone; it empowers the modern extraordinary individuals&#39; way of life-being bold to reject the ordinary, always strive for success and have the ambition to achieve new heights. Holding this spirit, we aim to continually make breakthroughs in product and design innovations as we have delivered through PHANTOM X.”
Extraordinary Beauty of Design PHANTOM X is equipped with a unique 3D Borderless Screen, embedded with a unique arc design at the right angle of 36.5° to accommodate a comfortable grip to the hand. The top-class 6.7&#8243; screen supports an enjoyable experience for videos and games. Unbounded by bezels, the 3D borderless screen features a large bending angle up to 70°, making text and images blend seamlessly into infinity around the edges of the device. The finest AMOLED display projects a streamlined and fluid vision of the world around you.
The new PHANTOM X offers the industry’s first curved glass surface etched texture. The innovative silk glass is based on a series of complex tests and manufacturing procedures, finally creating the elegant touch of “silk delicacy” and “glass sparkle”. The extraordinary etched textured design presents vertical refined lines, producing pure artistic expression based on exquisite craftsmanship.
PHANTOM X came up with two classical colours: Van Gogh’s Starry Night Blue and Monet’s Summer. Van Gogh’s Starry Night brings a stellar display of the mysteriously nebulous sky. Monet’s Summer is a display of warm and exuberant colors. Both are perfect options for bold explorers and innovators.
Extraordinary Pleasure of Technology
Extraordinary Camera Performance The powerful camera system of the PHANTOM X device consists of triple rear and dual front cameras. PHANTOM X adopts an industry-leading 50MP Ultra-Night Camera with a 1/1.3-inch Ultra-Large Sensor, making it easy to shoot crisp, professional photos. The 50MP Ultra-Night camera featuring 1/1.3-inch Ultra-Large sensor can take in 33% more light from the outer environment compared to camera featuring 108MP camera with 1/1.5-inch sensor. With a wider ISO range and less noise, better exposure, users are empowered with the ability to capture unexpected beauty with a pixel size of 2.4μm in 4-in-1 mode, whilst not having to sacrifice on image quality even in complex lighting conditions.
Imagine taking a selfie with PHANTOM X’s 48MP Ultra-Clear Selfie camera, you can capture every detail such as: clearer skin textures, sharper facial features, and even brighter smiles. It is ideal for both individual and group selfies with the AI-assisted 105°Ultra-Wide angle. With the self-developed AI face recommendation switching algorithm, when multiple faces are detected, the selfie camera automatically recommends users to switch to ultra-wide shot mode to meet the needs of those multiple party selfies.
PHANTOM X, equipped with a macro lens of 50mm Golden Portrait to capture detailed portraits with a short focal length, comparable to professional portrait lenses. Users can also choose seven diversified portrait lighting effects without changing the photo background. Three professional portrait color schemes are available to choose from to accommodate different skin color types, in line with multi-regional aesthetics and the demands from consumers.
With PHANTOM X’s Super Night Mode, night photography will never be a challenge again. Even in dark environments of less than 0.1 lux, PHANTOM X can bring more vivid details than the naked eye with the algorithm-enabled camera by utilizing AI segmentation and night protection. All the while, optimizing the purity of the picture, the focusing speed, and the color representation at night. PHANTOM X makes it easy for you to capture the glorious night city scenes with the Super Night View 3.0, and even allows you to take elegant portraits in the spectacular night view with the help of Super Night Portrait.
Extraordinary Inner Power PHANTOM X empowers users to become up to date mobile players with a large storage capacity, powerful battery, as well as an efficient UI and OS design. With 8G+256GB of storage, users can capture endless memorable pictures and videos. Also, you can always stay cool with the powerful 4700mAh battery. When fully charged, it can support 30 days standby battery life, 16-hour video streaming and 9-hour video meeting. With a 33W flash charge, 30 minutes of charge can pump up charge to 70% battery life and 60 minutes of charge pumping up to 100%. What’s more, PHANTOM X is comprehensively upgraded in UI design, intelligent operation, and system performance, bringing a higher efficiency and fluency in use. Be among the cool and latest smartphone users with PHANTOM X, fully charged and up for any challenge.
Extraordinary Exclusivity of Enjoyment PHANTOM X also features an industry-leading AI voice assistant who has mastered English and the Hausa language and can respond to your instructions even when you are offline. Activate Ella by calling “Hi Ella” whenever users need to make phone calls, set up alarms, play music, initiate driving mode and more, all without lifting a finger.
In addition, for other language barriers, PHANTOM X features AI live transcribe function that can transcribe more than 70 languages, allowing you to communicate with more than 80% of the global population without difficulty. Realtime and accessible communication is tailored for interactive conversations with a far-reaching audience. For business documents, the one-button Document Photography correction detects erroneous data with smart precision, and extracts words from any type of images.
Moreover, PHANTOM X provides a series of promising safety measures to protect user privacy. Functions like Peek Proof and App encryption hiding can avoid your information from being leaked. Even in the instance where users accidentally lose their PHANTOM X, an anti-theft function alerts and remote locks the device. Only you alone can unlock your smartphone, giving you confidence and guarantee in the security of your personal and sensitive information. The ultra-thin under screen fingerprint allows you to unlock PHANTOM X in less than 0.4s, giving you optimum unlocking speed without compromising on security.
Further Features of PHANTOM X:
 	Full Pixel Dual-Core Focus + Laser Focus: Find focus in a flash with full pixel dual-core focus and laser focus. 	AI Portrait Restoration: Using integrated neural networks provides surety that every portrait is flawless. 	Film Mode: Edit your own cinematic films with your own hands, whether it be for business or pleasure. 	Video Portrait Mode: Blurs out cluttered backdrops and puts you sharply in focus, even when you’re on the move. 	960fps Slow Motion: Every fleeting moment can feel like memories frozen in time. 	Most Used Office Software Built-in: Kick-off your day with most commonly used APPs. 	Floating Chatter Box: Receive pop-up message notifications as a bubble and chatter away with friends without interrupting your favorite videos. 	Smart One-button Phone Cloner: Transfer everything within your old phone to a new one quickly, efficiently, and hassle-free with a few simple clicks. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of TECNO Mobile.
About PHANTOM: PHANTOM is the newest redefined sub-brand from TECNO dedicated to high-end consumers. As an all-new sub-brand created for exceptional individuals who use every opportunity to break borders, reshape things, and be extraordinary, TECNO PHANTOM is committed to bringing them bold and extraordinary innovations in design, technology, and total user experience, empowering them to feel their extraordinary qualities and successful moments in life. PHANTOM X, the newest addition to PHANTOM, brings many extraordinary innovations &#8211; elegant and chic in design, borderless in view, fearless in its operation, and extraordinary in inspiring users to achieve more. By combining inspirational technology and unique aesthetics, PHANTOM presents technologies in the form of elegance that sits at the heart of the brand spirit of “Be bold and Be extraordinary”, allowing consumers enjoy the unlimited pleasure that technology brings. To learn more about PHANTOM brand and shop for PHANTOM X online, please visit PHANTOM’s exclusive one-stop website www.mobile-PHANTOM.com.
About TECNO: TECNO is a premium smartphone and AIoT devices brand from TRANSSION Holdings. With “Stop At Nothing” as its brand essence, TECNO is committed to unlocking the best contemporary technologies for progressive individuals across global emerging markets, giving them elegantly designed intelligent products that inspires consumers to uncover a world of possibilities. TECNO understands the needs of consumers from different markets and provides them with localized innovations and design breakthroughs demonstrated through their mastery of serving consumers who are “young at heart” and never stops pursuing excellence. TECNO’s portfolio spans across smartphones, tablets, smart wearables and AIoT devices made for consumers in over 60 emerging markets world-wide. TECNO is also the Official Partner of Manchester City, Premier League Champions 2020-21. For more information, please visit: www.TECNO-Mobile.com.

TECNO Launches PHANTOM X as a Brand-New Flagship Featuring Elegant Design and Extraordinary Camera Technology

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
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Team Qhubeka NextHash (www.TeamQhubeka.com) has released the first of a series of short films from the 2021 Tour de France titled ‘Success’.

This content focuses on South African cyclist Nicholas Dlamini’s participation at the world’s biggest cycling race, and how his story has served as inspiration to millions across the world.
Douglas Ryder &#8211; Team Principal &#8220;To be at our seventh Tour de France is incredible. The dream was always just to get to one, and to see the team racing again just makes me so incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together.
Our team selection has certainly made global headlines, and rightly so, the DNA of this team and what it wants to achieve in the world is centered on Nic’s story, and other young riders like him that are waiting to be discovered. Just him being on the start line defines success for us.
Also, prior to the start we made the very exciting announcements of new partners in NextHash as well as Burberry and launched a kit that has been the talk of the cycling world. That came with a name change for the remainder of 2021, with NextHash’ long-term commitment to the team.
It’s a hugely exciting time for our team and we continue to look for significant partners who would align with our purpose in effecting positive change in the world through cycling.&#8221;
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka NextHash.
Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 470 1710 or +31 625 739 033
About Team Qhubeka NextHash: Team Qhubeka NextHash 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 NextHash (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 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.

Team Qhubeka NextHash releases first Tour de France film: Success

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
The Saudi Export-Import Bank signed a new framework agreement with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-idb.org) to provide financing, insurance and guarantee services to the Bank’s clients. The agreement aims to strengthen the Saudi EXIM Bank’s leading role in stimulating the private sector, as well as supporting and developing companies engaged in exports in Saudi Arabia.

The new framework agreement was signed during a virtual ceremony by H.E. Eng. Saad Abdulaziz AlKhalb, CEO of the Saudi EXIM Bank, and H.E. Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO of ITFC. The agreement includes the provision of credit facilities products including Pre-Export Financing, Import Financing, Buyer’s Credit, Supplier’s Financing, and Line of Credit for international and local banks.
Commenting on the agreement, H.E. Eng. Al-Khalb said that he is delighted to partner with ITFC to contribute to the Saudi government’s efforts in promoting and supporting exports, banks, and financial institutions. It will also increase the support for Saudi exporters and international buyers of Saudi non-oil goods and services through financing and insurance products. In addition, the partnership will encourage Saudi and non-Saudi financial institutions to expand the provision of direct and indirect credit facilities.
H.E. Eng. Sonbol added that “ITFC recognizes the challenges faced by the private sector in the Kingdom, especially SMEs, and the difficulties they face in terms of access to financing services necessary to support their commercial and export activities. Through our new partnerships, we aim to support the Saudi EXIM Bank to provide them adequate and appropriate access to financing and credit facilities.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).
Media Contact: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Tel: +966 12 646 8337 Fax: +966 12 637 1064 E-mail: ITFC@itfc-idb.org Twitter: @ITFCCORP Facebook: @ITFCCORP LinkedIn: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)
Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi EXIM Bank) E-mail: info@saudiexim.gov.sa Website: www.SaudiEXIM.gov.sa/en Twitter: @SaudiEXIM LinkedIn: @SaudiEXIM
About the International Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC): The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided US$55 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.
About the Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi EXIM Bank): Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi EXIM Bank) was founded in 1441 AH corresponding to 2020 AD with the aim of promoting the development and diversification of non-oil Saudi exports and increasing their ability to compete in global markets in various sectors through providing export financing, guarantees, credit insurance and other facilities to enhance confidence in Saudi exports. Saudi EXIM Bank is one of the supervised development funds and banks by the Saudi National Development Fund (NDF).

New Saudi EXIM Bank-International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Framework Agreement to Boost Private Sector and Non-Oil Exports

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Leading Pan-African professional real-estate services provider Broll Property Group will present its highly-anticipated market outlook at the eighth annual East Africa Property Investment (EAPI) Summit from 5 to 9 July. Broll is a long-time sponsor of Africa Property Investment (API) Events, the leading event and thought leadership platform in African real estate. With a presence in over 16 countries, the Group is at the forefront of shaping the nascent East African property industry by using the EAPI platform to share insights from more mature property markets.

“The entry of new and more sophisticated investors within the real-estate sector means all players have to scale up their offering and invest in proptech if they are to remain relevant and create real value for their clients, especially in the property and facilities management space and retail leasing and management,” reveals Moses Lutalo, Managing Director of Broll Uganda.
Another highlight will be a research presentation, co-sponsored by API Events, on attracting investment in the affordable housing sector in Kenya. This will be co-presented by Jess Cleland, COO Outside of SA, Valuations&#038;Intel, and Vivian Ombwayo, Director of Research and Valuation at Broll Kenya.
A long-time sponsor of EAPI, Broll Uganda has been active in that country’s real-estate market for about five years. Its main focus is on occupier services, facilities management, property management, broking, retail leasing and management and advisory and consultancy services. “Opportunities abound within the occupier service space, ranging from asset to estate management as well as project management as businesses strive to optimise their real estate assets,” comments Lutalo.
Opportunities also exist in traditional service lines such as facilities management for new niche asset classes like data centres, healthcare centres and student accommodation etc. Another driver is implementing new workplace protocols due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and, most importantly, adopting the IFRS 16 accounting standards. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) recently proposed an extension of the application period of the amendment to IFRS 16 to help lessees account for Covid-19 related rent concessions.
In late June, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni placed the country under lockdown in the face of an unprecedented increase in Covid-19 infections and deaths due to the Delta variant. “We had started seeing activity within the commercial office space, retail and residential, mainly on the back of key partner agreements being signed for oil and gas pipeline development,” notes Lutalo.
Broll property Group has over the years been developing its capability to service major oil and gas players from a risk management and facilities management perspective, as well as real estate services underpinned by its sector focus ISO certifications and past experience. “We believe Broll will be a service provider of choice for the key players in this important sector,” adds Lutalo.
Warehousing and fulfilment centre space for owner occupation had also picked up significantly and stalled project had commenced again. Demand for expert housing had picked as well as office space requirements. “All of this obviously is going to slow down following the new lockdown measures, but my presentation will give an outlook for what the future holds, especially as Broll’s strategy is to be forward-looking and future-focused beyond Covid-19.”
For more information about EAPI Summit, visit www.EAPISummit.com.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Broll Uganda.
Notes to the Editor: To download hi-res images for this release, please visit http://media.ngage.co.za and click the Broll Property Group link to view the company’s press office.
Broll Property Group Contact: Hilton Rose Group Marketing Head Marketing, Brand&#038;Communications Phone: +27 11 441 4061  Web: www.Broll.com Email: hrose@broll.com
Media Contact: Rachel Mekgwe Account Executive NGAGE Public Relations Phone: (011) 867-7763 Fax: 086 512 3352 Cell: 074 212 1422 Email: rachel@ngage.co.za Web: www.ngage.co.za
About the Broll Property Group: The Broll Property Group is the largest independently-owned, proudly South African commercial property services company. With a footprint across Africa, we offer high-performing solutions built on a culture of innovation, distinguished by service excellence and longstanding client relationships – which is why we are renowned as the ‘progressive property people’.
Browse the NGAGE Media Zone for more client press releases and photographs at http://Media.NGAGE.co.za

Broll to present East African property market outlook at East Africa Property Investment (EAPI) 2021

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
MDBs publish 2020 Joint Report on Multilateral Development Banks’ Climate Finance; Eight MDBs committed $66 billion for climate finance in 2020, up from $61.6 billion; Of the total, 58 per cent was committed in low- and middle-income countries.

Climate finance committed by major multilateral development banks (MDBs) rose to a total of $66 billion last year from $61.6 billion in 2019, according to the 2020 Joint Report on Multilateral Development Banks’ Climate Finance (https://bit.ly/3dxJ6pf), published today. Of this, 58 per cent – or $38 billion – was committed to low- and middle-income economies.
The total climate co-finance committed during 2020 alongside MDB resources was $85 billion. Together, MDB climate finance and climate co-finance totalled more than $151 billion. The amount of private direct mobilisation stood at $5.9 billion.
Accelerating the transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient economies through climate finance is a key element of the MDBs’ effort to align their activities with the objectives of the 2015 Paris Agreement to keep global warming well below 2°C, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C, along climate-resilient development pathways. In the past six years, the MDBs have jointly committed a total of $257 billion in climate finance, of which $186 billion was directed at low- and middle-income economies.
The annual report is a key indicator on the progress MDBs are making on accelerating the delivery of climate finance, for which demand is clearly going to grow over time. This year’s report marks the end of the reporting period tracking individual climate finance pledges since 2015; for most, 2021 will mark the start of a new increase in ambition. In 2019, at the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit, MDBs announced (https://bit.ly/3jwEQtK) their expected joint annual climate action finance to 2025. These include at least $65 billion, with $50 billion of MDB climate finance for low-income and middle-income countries; an increase in adaptation finance to $18 billion; and private direct mobilisation of $40 billion.
“The MDBs will continue to improve their tracking and reporting of climate finance in the context of their commitments to ensure consistent financial flows to the countries’ long-term, low-carbon and climate-resilient development pathways, as established in Article 2.1 of the Paris Agreement,” says the 2020 report, which is the tenth in the series.
Of the 2020 total of $66 billion, $63 billion came from the MDBs’ own accounts and almost $3 billion from external resources channelled through and managed by MDBs. These included the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) (https://bit.ly/366Lpvi), Green Climate Fund (GCF) (https://bit.ly/3jDikj7) and climate-related funds under the Global Environment Facility (GEF) (https://bit.ly/3dA6YbL), EU blending facilities and others.
“The African Development Bank’s share of climate change related investments has increased four-fold from 2016 to 2019 and is expected to reach 40% of the Bank’s total investment at the end of 2021,” said Mr. Al-Hamndou Dorsouma, Officer-In-Charge Director of Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank. “We are on track to mobilize the target of $25 billion between 2020 and 2025 to support investments that address climate change and promote green growth,” he added.
The 2020 financing helped play a key role in supporting countries to embed green and climate-focused solutions as part of their recoveries from the impact of COVID-19. While these programmes affected MDBs’ normal lending operations and thus the delivery of their climate finance targets, seeing the total commitments for low- and middle-income countries dip from 2019’s $41.5 billion, the 2020 report says interventions and support from the MDBs laid a solid foundation for “building back better” for a greener, more resilient, post-Covid-19 future.
Nearly $50 billion (76 per cent) of total MDB climate finance in 2020 was associated with climate change mitigation investments that aim to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and slow down global warming. Of this, 50 per cent went to low- and middle-income economies.  More than $16 billion (24 per cent) for climate change adaptation finance was invested in adaptation efforts to help countries build resilience to the mounting impacts of climate change, including worsening droughts and more extreme weather events, from flooding to rising sea levels. Of this, 83 per cent was directed for low- and middle-income economies.
The 2020 MDB report, coordinated by the EBRD, combines data from the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) (www.ADB.org), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) (www.AIIB.org), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) (www.EBRD.org), the European Investment Bank (EIB) (www.EIB.org), the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDBG) (www.IADB.org), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the World Bank Group (WBG) (www.WorldBank.org). AIIB data is fully incorporated for the first time. As part of the MDBs’ ambition to extend and enhance climate finance reporting, the 2020 report also summarises information on climate finance tracking from the New Development Bank (NDB), presented separately from the joint figures and not yet included in the MDB climate finance total.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: Amba Mpoke-BiggCommunication and Exeternal Relations Deparment 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: j.mp/AfDB_Media

Multilateral Development Banks’ (MDBs) climate finance rose to $66 billion in 2020, joint report shows

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Technological advances combined with big data, artificial intelligence and distributed ledger technologies are opening new avenues for Islamic finance to achieve its objectives of integrating finance with productive activities and reflecting the moral values by adhering to its principles for good and sustainable outcomes.

This is part of the key findings of a new report issued jointly by the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI), the knowledge beacon of the IsDB Group, and Al Maali Group, a leading firm specialized in providing Islamic finance and business consulting in Morocco. This report was drafted with the support of and in partnership with Bank Al Yousr (Morocco), ITS (Kuwait) and Umnia Bank (Morocco).
Entitled “Bridging Islamic Finance and Sustainability through Fintech: Focus on The Maghreb Countries”, the new report focuses on how to leverage fintech in Islamic banking for linking finance to sustainable development.
It finds that the Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the need for sustainability and social orientation of finance to achieve development.
Linking finance to sustainable development has always been important. However, its significance has increased manifold during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has triggered GDP contraction and stymied the achievement of the SDGs. Building back in the post-COVID-19 era and keeping SDGs on track requires strong involvement of governments, the private sector, and financial institutions.
The report further sheds light on the role of participative financial institutions in closing the financing gap for SDGs in the Maghreb Region. It focuses on how to leverage fintech to align participative finance and sustainable development.
In his comments on the report, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI and the IsDB Group Chief Economist, said: “This report tries to strike a balance between the reality and the ideal. It elaborates on the use of technology in Islamic finance to achieve efficiency and greater impact on sustainable economic development in IsDB Member Countries.”
Dr. Wail Aaminou, CEO of Al Maali Group, meantime, stated: “The present report provides a valuable contribution to regulators, financial institutions, non-profit organizations as well as fintech companies in the Maghreb Region on how to create synergies and set up ecosystems that support doing well while doing good.”
The full report is available for download here: https://bit.ly/3g4V8XA
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB Group).
About the IsDB Institute: The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI), previously known as IRTI, is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDBI is mandated to lead the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of 57 Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. In alignment with the IsDB Group’s 10-Year Strategy and the President’s 5-Year Program, IsDBI works as a catalyst for knowledge-based sustainable development.

Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) – Al Maali Report Spotlights Leveraging Fintech to Bridge Islamic Finance and Sustainability

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
CEO of Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, and H.E. Mrs. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, The First Lady of Burundi&#038;Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother, co-chaired 2021 Annual Summit via videoconference to discuss their joint programs to transform patient care landscape in Burundi via building healthcare capacity and raising awareness about breaking infertility stigma and support girl education.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother emphasized, “I am very proud to meet the 40 Merck Foundation’s Alumni in Burundi and discuss their impact on improving the quality of healthcare in the country after receiving specialized medical scholarships provided by Merck Foundation. Moreover, celebrating the winners of the Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards and discussing their work as champions of raising awareness about infertility stigma, supporting girl education, and raising awareness about the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.”
In partnership with Burundi First Lady, Merck Foundation has provided till today, 40 scholarships of specialty training in many critical and underserved specialties for young Burundian doctors with the aim to transform the landscape of patient care in the country. 32 medical graduates have been enrolled in the fields of Diabetes, Fertility&#038;Embryology, Oncology, and Sexual and Reproductive Health.
H.E. Mrs. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, The First Lady of Burundi and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother expressed, “I am very proud that together with Merck Foundation, we made history by providing training to the first Oncologist, Fertility specialists and Embryologists in Burundi. Another 8 medical graduates have been already selected to be enrolled in PG Diploma courses in many new underserved specialties including Cancer and Clinical Oncology, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Neonatal Medicine, Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine; who will be the first specialists in their fields. This is an amazing achievement for our country. We will continue our efforts to provide medical scholarships to more young doctors from Burundi in the next 10 years.”
“I am very happy and proud of my association with our partner Merck Foundation. Their programs are very valuable and have brought about a significant impact in the public healthcare scenario, thus contributing to the social and economic development of Burundi”, The First Lady of Burundi added.
“We are looking forward to creating a strong medical army in Burundi with our partnership with Burundi First Lady and Ministry of Health. We have been able to work closely together to address sensitive and health issues such as infertility stigma and empowering girls through education”, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej added.
Merck Foundation together with Burundi First Lady, has also launched their important program “Educating Linda” to sponsor the education of 20 best performing girls in their secondary schools every year. This is a very important initiative to empower girls in education.
Moreover, Merck Foundation and Burundi First Lady have together launched three children storybooks; “David’s story” to emphasize strong family values of love and respect from a young age which will reflect on eliminating the stigma of infertility and resulted domestic violence in the future, “Educating FIFI” story to cover the importance of empowering girls through education and “Make the Right Choice” story to raise awareness about coronavirus prevention amongst children and youth as it provides facts about the pandemic and how to stay safe and healthy during the outbreak. It also promotes honesty, hard work, and the ability to make the right choices even during the most challenging times.
30,000 copies of the three storybooks have been distributed to young readers, school students of Burundi, with the aim to raise awareness about Covid 19, support girl education and break the infertility stigma and emphasize family values of love and respect.
Merck Foundation and Burundi First Lady also announced 6 Awards for Media, Fashion, Film, and Music fraternity. Speaking about the awards, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej explained, “After celebrating 14 Burundi Media Winners of the first editions of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” Media Recognition Awards 2019-20 and “Stay at Home” Media Recognition Awards 2020, we are very excited to launch together with Her Excellency, the 2021 edition of Merck Foundation awards for our media, fashion, film making, and music fraternity to raise awareness on the important topics of breaking the stigma around infertility, underscoring the importance of girls’ education and women empowerment at all levels. Together, we are also announcing the Coronavirus theme-based awards as this will help in raising awareness about continuing the best practices and also show support to our frontline workers in the country”.
The awards winners of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” Africa Media Recognition Awards 2020 are: 
Multimedia Category
 	Jean Népomuscène Irambona, Radio TV Buntu, Second Position 
RADIO CATEGORY 
 	Remy Rukundo, Radio TV Buntu, First Position 
 	Magendero Bénigne, Radio TV Buntu, Second Position 	Innocent Ndihokubwayo, Radio TV Buntu, Second Position 	Paulette Mugisha, Radio TV Buntu, Third Position 	NZEYIMANA Emelyne, Radio TV Buntu, Third Position 
The awards winners of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” Africa Media Recognition Awards 2019 are: 
Online Category
 	Raphaël BIGIRIMANA, National Radio TV 	Espérance NDAYISENGA, National Radio TV 
RADIO CATEGORY 
 	Aimée NSHIMIRIMANA, Indépendent Journalist 	Schola Bigaranya, Radio TV Buntu 	DUSHIME Ornella, Destiny FM Radio 	MAHEBURWA Gaspard, Radio TV Buntu 	Divine Irakoze 
The awards winners of “Stay at Home” Media Recognition Awards 2020 awards are:
 	Bahwa Ferdinand, Le Journal.Africa, Third Position 
The Awards for 2021 launched are:
1. Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards “More Than a Mother”: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work to raise awareness about Infertility Prevention, Breaking Infertility stigma, and Empowering Girls and Women through Education.
Submission deadline: 30th August 2021. Click here (bit.ly/2SFScsN) to view more details.
 2. Merck Foundation Film Awards “More Than a Mother” 2021: All African Filmmakers and Students are invited to create and share a FILM or a DOCUDRAMA to deliver strong and influential messages to break Infertility stigma, and /or Empowering Girls and Women through Education and at all levels.
Submission deadline: 30th August 2021. Click here (bit.ly/3xD7soU) to view more details.
3. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards “More Than a Mother” 2021: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to raise awareness about Infertility Prevention, Breaking Infertility stigma, and/or Empowering Girls and Women through Education.
Submission deadline: 30th August 2021. Click here (bit.ly/2Sha256) to view more details.
4. Merck Foundation Song Awards “More Than a Mother” 2021: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to Empower Girls and Women through Education and at all levels.
Submission deadline: 30th August 2021. Click here (bit.ly/3wX6tAh) to view more details.
5. Merck Foundation “Mask Up With Care” Media Recognition Awards 2021: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work to raise awareness on how to adapt best protection measures such as wearing your masks to show you care and love your family&#038;community; to encourage your community to choose to vaccinate when it is available and to sensitize them to support healthcare workers who are at the forefront of COVID 19 pandemic.
Submission deadline: 30th September 2021. Click here (bit.ly/3vL7UQP) to view more details.
6. Merck Foundation “Make Your Own Mask” Fashion Awards 2021: All African Fashion Designers and Students are invited to create and share designs of masks and other clothing items that carry messages to encourage people to wear masks to show they care and at the same time make it creative and fun!
Submission deadline: 30th September 2021. Click here (bit.ly/3xBcaDB) to view more details.
Entries for all the awards to be submitted via email to submit@merck-foundation.com.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.
Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard: Facebook: bit.ly/2LdbD8F Twitter: bit.ly/2LesKH8 YouTube: bit.ly/3sdHMxm Instagram: bit.ly/2LC26rm Flickr: bit.ly/2XqzQdU Website: Merck-Foundation.com Download Merck Foundation App: bit.ly/2MmNvAU
About ‘Merck Foundation More Than a Mother’ campaign: “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” is a strong movement that aims to empower infertile women through access to information, education and change of mind-sets. This powerful campaign supports governments in defining policies to enhance access to regulated, safe, effective and equitable fertility care solutions. It defines interventions to break the stigma around infertile women and raises awareness about infertility prevention, management and male infertility. In partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Information, Education&#038;Gender, academia, policymakers, International fertility societies, media and art, the initiative also provides training for fertility specialists and embryologists to build and advance fertility care capacity in Africa and developing countries.
With “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother”, we have initiated a cultural shift to de-stigmatize infertility at all levels: By improving awareness, training local experts in the fields of fertility care and media, building advocacy in cooperation with African First Ladies and women leaders and by supporting childless women in starting their own small businesses. It’s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child. 
The Ambassadors of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” are:
H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, 			The First Lady of Botswana
H.E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of The Gambia
H.E. MONICA GEINGOS, The First Lady of Namibia
H.E. SIKA KABORE, The First Lady of Burkina Faso
H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of Ghana
H.E. AISHA BUHARI, The First Lady of Nigeria
H.E. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE,
The First Lady of Burundi
H.E. CONDÉ DJENE, The First Lady of Guinea Conakry
H.E FATIMA MAADA BIO, The First Lady of Sierra Leone
H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic
H.E. CLAR WEAH, The First Lady of Liberia
H.E. ESTHER LUNGU, The First Lady of Zambia
H.E. ANTOINETTE SASSOU-NGUESSO, The First Lady of Congo Brazzaville
H.E. MONICA CHAKWERA, The First Lady of Malawi
H.E. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, The First Lady of Zimbabwe
H.E. DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI, THE First Lady of Democratic Republic of Congo
H.E. ISAURA FERRÃO NYUSI, The First Lady of Mozambique
The Former First Lady of Burundi, H.E DENISE NKURUNZIZA, The Former First Lady of Chad, H.E. HINDA DÉBY ITNO, The Former First Lady of Malawi, H.E. PROFESSOR GERTRUDE MUTHARIKA and The Former First Lady of Niger, H.E AÏSSATA ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU have worked successfully with Merck Foundation as Merck Foundation More Than a Mother Ambassadors to break the stigma of infertility and empower infertile women in their countries.

Merck Foundation launched new innovative initiatives to sensitize local communities about infertility prevention, male infertility with the aim to break the stigma of infertility and empowering infertile women as part of Merck Foundation More than a Mother COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, such as;
• ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Africa Media Recognition Awards and Health Media Training • ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Fashion Awards • ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Film Awards • ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Song Awards • Local songs with local artists to address the cultural perception of infertility and how to change it • Children storybook, localized for each country
About Merck Foundation: The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality&#038;equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare and scientific research capacity and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website.  Please visit Merck-Foundation.com to read more. To know more, reach out to our social media: Merck Foundation (Merck-Foundation.com); Facebook (bit.ly/2MU6Fht), Twitter (bit.ly/3scVf8t), Instagram (bit.ly/3boJ0jr), YouTube (bit.ly/3sf4aWX) and Flicker (bit.ly/3snPHZ8).

Merck Foundation CEO and Burundi First Lady co-chaired 2021 annual conference to continue building healthcare capacity, break the infertility stigma and support girl education

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Climate activists in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have expressed strong opposition to plans for oil exploration in the Virunga National Park. In a short film dubbed ‘Fossil Free Virunga’, that was released by 350Africa.org worldwide today, the activists raised concerns with the environmental impacts, as well as the impact to local communities’ livelihoods.

The short film, which was launched during a webinar, highlights the dangers posed to the national park and local communities by oil exploration in the area. Together with Salonga National Park, the world’s second-biggest tropical rainforest reserve, these vulnerable areas may be auctioned in a new series of oil permits (https://reut.rs/3h8rGBJ) putting at risk not only endangered species, but also the source of income for many local communities.
Through this petition (https://bit.ly/3jB3Jo7), climate activists are appealing for support to bring oil exploration in the area to a stop, in order to avert the adverse effects on the communities and the environment.
Landry Ninteretse of 350.org said, &#8220;Virunga national park is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. Any oil activity in the park and its surrounding areas could permanently damage the rich ecosystems and biodiversity of the area and negatively impact hundreds of thousands of community members whose livelihoods depend on the park’s resources and activities. The government of DR Congo needs to put the environment and the people first, as opposed to furthering the interests of the companies that have been granted permits for exploration.”
Andre Moliro, Climate activist in DRC said, “The government should act in the interest of its citizens by protecting them and creating opportunities that benefit communities&#39; livelihoods and preserve the natural resources in the region. Access to clean energy is an integral part of sustainable development and commitments to mitigate climate change should be driving efforts to develop sources of alternative and renewable energy.”
Justin Mutabesha, Climate activist based in Goma, DRC said, “The need to hasten our efforts and support the drive for ecosystem preservation and clean energy access for all is critical. It should therefore be the government&#39;s priority to ensure that no oil exploration or pollution occurs in Virunga and to accelerate sustainable livelihoods for the people and rich ecosystems of the area.”
Between 2005 &#8211; 2010, the Congolese government through the Ministry of Hydrocarbons approved licenses for oil concessions to foreign fossil fuel companies like Efora, Total, Socco, Dominion Petroleum to explore and operate seismic tests. This move is in violation of Ordinance-Law 69-041 of August 22, 1969, on nature conservation and international conventions ratified by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Watch the documentary: Fossil Free Virunga (https://bit.ly/3qDvLke)
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of 350.org.
For interviews and additional information contact: 350Africa.org Christine Mbithi Email: christine.mbithi@350.org Telephone: +254725906695

Climate activists oppose oil exploration, call for a Fossil Free Virunga in new film

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
The Africa Renewable Energy Fund II has achieved its first close at €130 million, following a joint investment of €17.5 million from The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the Climate Technology Fund through the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org).

AREF II, a successor to the original Fund, is a 10-year closed-ended renewable energy Private Equity Fund with a $300 million target capitalization. The Africa Renewable Energy Fund II, managed by Berkeley Energy, invests in early-stage renewable energy projects, thereby not only de-risking the most uncertain phase of power projects, but also promoting increased green baseload in Africa’s generation mix.
The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the Climate Technology Fund will each contribute roughly €8.7 million to mobilize private-sector investment into Africa’s renewable energy sector. The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa will also contribute financing to the AREF II Project Support Facility, which funds technical assistance and early-stage project support to improve bankability.
The other investors are the U.K’s CDC Group, Italy’s CDP, the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO), SwedFund and Proparco.
“We are proud to be associated with Berkeley Energy and other like-minded investors, and look forward to AREF’s continued success and leadership in promoting sustainable power development on the continent,” said Dr. Kevin Kariuki, the African Development Bank’s Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth.
In 2012, the African Development Bank selected Berkeley Energy, a seasoned fund manager of clean energy projects in global emerging markets to set up AREF. AREF II has a sharper strategic focus than its predecessor on “green baseload” projects that will deliver firm and dispatchable power to African power systems through hydro, solar, wind and battery storage technologies.
Luka Buljan, Berkeley Energy’s Managing Director, said: “We are very excited to have reached this milestone with strong support from our backers. The catalytic tranche from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the Climate Technology Fund will assist in mobilising private institutional investors up to full fund size of €300 million. We now look forward to concluding the fundraising and delivering projects that will provide clean, reliable and affordable energy across African markets.”
“AREF is intertwined with the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa’s history and success, and we have worked closely over the last decade to create precedents in difficult markets and challenging technologies. We look forward to continued collaboration to accelerate the energy transition in Africa,” said Joao Duarte Cunha, Manager for Renewable Energy Initiatives at the African Development Bank and Coordinator of the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Editor’s note: A version of the press release published on 18 June 2021 omitted to include Proparco as an investor in the Africa Renewable Energy Fund II’s first close.
Media Contact: Olufemi Terry Communication and External Relations Department African Development Bank Email: o.terry@afdb.org
Technical Contact: Joao Duarte Cunha Division Manager, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Dept j.cunha@afdb.org
About SEFA: SEFA is an African Development Bank-managed special fund providing catalytic finance for renewable energy. SEFA’s overarching goal is to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa, in line with the Bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa and Sustainable Development Goal 7. SEFA was established in 2011 in partnership with the Government of Denmark (um.dk/en/danida-en) and has since received contributions from the Governments of United States (www.usaid.gov), United Kingdom (https://bit.ly/3ju9oMT), Italy (www.minambiente.it), Norway (www.norad.no/en), Spain (www.mineco.gob.es), and Sweden (www.sida.se/en), Nordic Development Fund (www.ndf.fi) and Germany (www.bmz.de/en). SEFA is housed in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Department (PERN) under the Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth (PEVP) complex.
About CTF: The $5.4 billion CTF is one of the two multi-donor trust funds within the wider Climate Investment Funds (CIF). It promotes scaled-up financing for demonstration, deployment and transfer of low-carbon technologies with significant potential for long-term greenhouse gas emissions savings. The Bank became an Implementing Entity of the CIF in 2010 and since then has approved over $588 million in CTF resources for a total of 10 projects across Africa.

Correction and reissue: Africa Renewable Energy Fund II secures EUR130 million first close with SEFA and CTF investments

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
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Today, Opera (www.Opera.com) (NASDAQ: OPRA) becomes the world’s first alternative browser optimized for Chromebooks. The Opera Browser brings many unique features previously unavailable on the Chrome OS platform, including a free, unlimited, no-log browser VPN, built-in messengers, ad blocker, cookie dialog blocker and color themes.

With 30 million Chromebooks sold in 2020 and forecasts that a further 40 million will be shipped in 2021, Chrome OS has become an important operating system chosen by many for its convenience in both work and education. Chromebook shipments grew 276% in Q1 2021, hitting a record high of 12 million units in the first three months.
Even with their growing popularity, Chromebooks had until now lacked a full-featured browser alternative to Chrome that was optimized for these specific devices.
According to a study by Opera, people tend to use more than one browser and want different browsers for different purposes, e.g. one for work-related matters and the other for personal needs and their free time. Opera is the first alternative browser optimized for Chromebook that gives them that choice.
“Chromebooks, with their user-friendly interface and touchscreens, are excellent devices for people’s everyday needs. We decided it’s high time their users got access to an excellent alternative browser with a unique set of features they’ll find both useful and fun.” said Stefan Stjernelund, product manager of Opera for Android.
Opera’s unique features now available on ChromeOS
Opera on Chrome OS comes with a set of unique functionalities, including built-in messengers, a free, unlimited built-in VPN, ad blocking and tracker blocking, protection from annoying GDPR-related cookie dialogs as well as a built-in crypto wallet.
The Opera browser also makes surfing the web on Chromebooks more colorful with a set of five color themes available in both light and dark modes.
Netflix binge-watchers, late-night readers and workaholics will be happy to find that Opera is also eye friendly. The special night mode available in the browser protects Chromebook users from the blue light glare that disrupts sleep patterns, as well as relieves those nearby from disturbing light.
Laptop experience 
To make browsing on Chromebook as easy, fast and lightweight as possible, Opera for Chromebook is based on the Opera Browser for Android with custom-made optimizations that deliver a full-fledged laptop experience while maintaining all of its unique features. Users can keep using their mouse and keyboard, as well as useful keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl +T for opening a new tab and Ctrl + L for focusing the address bar.
Opera for Chromebook can be seamlessly synchronized with other Opera browsers, both on desktop computers, as well as on Android or iOS phones. You can sync them using the Flow feature by simply scanning a QR code. This creates a personal, end-to-end encrypted chat with yourself that lets you take notes, store images and small files, as well as save links for later reference on any of your devices with Opera.
Opera Browser for Chromebook &#8211; Flow Sharing &#8211; https://bit.ly/3jwuU3t
Built-in WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Messenger
Opera wouldn’t be Opera if it didn’t give you instant access to your favorite messengers. As the only browser offering this functionality on Chromebooks, it allows you to chat with friends and coworkers or check your Instagram and Twitter without having to interrupt your browsing or reach for your phone. All the messengers you need are within your reach.
The browser of choice for millions of people
This release completes the Opera ecosystem, making Opera available on all major operating systems: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and now Chrome OS. The latest update – Opera for Chrome OS is available here (https://bit.ly/2SGXKDi).
The Opera browser is the browser of choice for millions of people worldwide.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Opera.
About Opera: Opera is a leading global web innovator with an engaged and growing base of hundreds of millions of monthly active users. Building on over 20 years of innovation starting with our browser products, Opera is increasingly leveraging its brand as well as its massive and highly active user base in order to expand its offerings and its business. Today, Opera offers users around the world a range of products and services that include its PC and mobile browsers. Opera is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange (OPRA).

APO

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Broll to present East African property market outlook at East Africa Property Investment (EAPI) 2021

Multilateral Development Banks’ (MDBs) climate finance rose to $66 billion in 2020, joint report shows

Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) – Al Maali Report Spotlights Leveraging Fintech to Bridge Islamic Finance and Sustainability

Merck Foundation CEO and Burundi First Lady co-chaired 2021 annual conference to continue building healthcare capacity, break the infertility stigma and support girl education

Climate activists oppose oil exploration, call for a Fossil Free Virunga in new film

Correction and reissue: Africa Renewable Energy Fund II secures EUR130 million first close with SEFA and CTF investments

Opera becomes the world’s first alternative browser optimized for Chromebooks

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Women’s Premier Division R9 and First Division R4 Preview

African women propose a 10-year plan for gender equality in Africa at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris

Iconic French football club Olympique de Marseille (OM) announces first ever African Official Partner

African Development Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa program showcased at Generation Equality Forum

Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group and AIM Partner to Promote Sustainable Investment in Africa

PHANTOM X Flagship Smartphone Illustrates the Impact of Bold and Extraordinary Design Through Series of Mini Films

Radisson Hotel Group reaffirms expansion plans in Morocco with the announcement of seven new hotels, adding 1600+ rooms to its current portfolio

TECNO Launches PHANTOM X as a Brand-New Flagship Featuring Elegant Design and Extraordinary Camera Technology

Team Qhubeka NextHash releases first Tour de France film: Success

New Saudi EXIM Bank-International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Framework Agreement to Boost Private Sector and Non-Oil Exports

Broll to present East African property market outlook at East Africa Property Investment (EAPI) 2021

Multilateral Development Banks’ (MDBs) climate finance rose to $66 billion in 2020, joint report shows

Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) – Al Maali Report Spotlights Leveraging Fintech to Bridge Islamic Finance and Sustainability

Merck Foundation CEO and Burundi First Lady co-chaired 2021 annual conference to continue building healthcare capacity, break the infertility stigma and support girl education

Climate activists oppose oil exploration, call for a Fossil Free Virunga in new film

Correction and reissue: Africa Renewable Energy Fund II secures EUR130 million first close with SEFA and CTF investments

Opera becomes the world’s first alternative browser optimized for Chromebooks

News Tips

Advertise With Us

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