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Standard Bank Group was on Wednesday named African Bank of the Year by a leading publication in recognition of the banking giant’s achievements in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and empowering women.

African Banker (https://bit.ly/2T1pgvl) magazine announced the winners of its 2021 Awards at a virtual ceremony held on the side-lines of the African Development Bank’s 2021 Annual Meetings. The African Development Bank is a high patron of the event.
The 2021 virtual event featured performances by African diva Angelique Kidjo and Adina, a Ghanaian-South African singer.
The award for African Banker of the Year went, for the second consecutive year, to Hebert Wigwe, Managing Director and co-founder of Access Bank Group, which has grown rapidly to become one of the largest retail banks in Africa over the last decade, with over 40 million customers.
The 2021 edition of the awards set out to recognize institutions that have contributed to women’s empowerment on the continent and to the real economy, which has suffered from the impact of Covid-19.
Morocco’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Mohammed Benchaâboun, was named Finance Minister of the Year in recognition of his ministry’s exemplary response to the economic crisis brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.  
Omar Ben Yedder, Group Publisher of African Banker, commended the banking sector for its responsiveness to clients&#39; needs, and for setting up gender programs, supporting women-led businesses and promoting women within their organizations.
“Fintechs are really the flavor of the year and we’ve seen plenty of money from venture capital, from private equity wealth, going into the fintech space in Egypt, Kenya and in Nigeria, and to some extent crypto and blockchain, although those are at very early stages,” Ben Yedder said.
The continued strength and resilience of the banking sector would be critical to support economic recovery from the pandemic across Africa, he said.
Complete list of 2021 African Banker Award winners:
Sustainable bank of the year
Commercial International Bank (CIB) Egypt
Infrastructure deal of the year
Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway $1.46bn loan facility
 Nedbank | Standard Chartered | TDB
Deal of the year &#8211; Equity
Privatization of Afam Power Plc and Afam Three Fast Power Ltd
FBNQuest
Deal of the year &#8211; Debt
African Export-Import Bank, COVID-19 Support Facility
MUFG Bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
Award for financial inclusion
Trust Merchant Bank, DRC
African Banker Icon
Charlie Robertson, Chief Economist, Renaissance Capital
Finance Minister of the year
H.E Mohammed Benchaâboun, Minister for Economy and Finance, Morocco
Award for Innovation for Financial Services
Bank of Industry, Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme
Energy deal of the year
Nkhotakota Solar Power Plant in Malawi / 7.5 MW Solar PV Power Plant in Burundi
African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI)
Agriculture deal of the year
$400m Revolving Trade Finance Facility in favour of ETC Group
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)
African SME Bank of the Year
Ecobank
Best Regional Bank in Africa
North: Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco
West: Banque de Développement du Mali
East: Equity Bank, Kenya
Central: BGFI, Gabon
Southern: Mozabanco, Mozambique
Investment Bank of the Year
ABSA
Central Bank Governor of the Year
H.E. Lesetja Kganyago, Governor Reserve Bank of South Africa
Lifetime Achievement
Felix Bikpo
African Bank of the Year
Standard Bank Group
African Banker of the Year
Herbert Wigwe, Group CEO, Access Bank
For more on the African Banker Awards, please visit: www.AfricanBankerAwards.com
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media contacts:   Kwasi.Kpodo Communication and External Relations Department African Development Bank email: w.kpodo@afdb.org
African Banker awards@icpublications.com

African Banker Awards lauds winners’ innovation and resilience

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.
Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, in partnership with H.E. Dr. Mrs. AISHA MUHAMMADU BUHARI, The First Lady of Nigeria and Ambassador of ‘Merck Foundation More Than a Mother’ announced 6 awards across media, music, film making and fashion fraternity with the aim to raise awareness about breaking the infertility stigma, supporting girl education and following best practices amidst the second and third wave of coronavirus. The awards have been announced in Nigeria and the rest of Africa in partnership with African First Ladies.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of ‘Merck Foundation More Than a Mother’ emphasized, “I am very proud to present our 6 awards in partnership with my dear sister, H.E. Dr. Mrs. AISHA MUHAMMADU BUHARI, The First Lady of Nigeria and Ambassador of ‘Merck Foundation More Than a Mother’. I strongly believe that media and art can play a significant role in raising awareness about sensitive topics. One of the great challenges today is that we often feel untouched by the problems of others, even when we can easily do something to help. Giving people access to data most often leaves them feeling overwhelmed and disconnected, not empowered and poised for action. This is where art and media can make a difference specially in Nigeria which is considered as a leading country in medua coverage, art and fashion”.
H.E. Dr. Mrs. AISHA MUHAMMADU BUHARI, The First Lady of Nigeria and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother said, “After the huge success of the first editions of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” Media Recognition Awards and “Stay at Home” Media Recognition Awards 2020, I am very happy to launch 2021 edition of  Merck Foundation awards. Through these awards we would like to encourage 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. I also appreciate the Coronavirus theme-based awards strategized by Merck Foundation during this second and third wave of coronavirus 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: 
Online Category
 	Martins Ifijeh, ThisDay Newspapers, First Position 
 	Chinedu Asadu, Cable Newspaper Limited, Second Position 
Print Media Category
 	Chioma Obinna, Vanguard Media Limited, First Position 
RADIO CATEGORY 
 	Abubakar Sulaiman, Sawaba FM 104.9 Hadejia, First Position 
The awards winners of “Stay at Home” Media Recognition Awards 2020 awards are:
Online Category
 	Ishioma Emi Mary – Ventures Africa, First Position 	Ebere Agozie – GFH News, First Position 
 	Odimegwu Onwumere – The Nigerian Voice, Second Position 
Print Media Category
 	Ojoma Akor – Daily Trust, First Position 
Multimedia Category
 	Aneta Felix – TV360 Nigeria, First Position 
RADIO CATEGORY 
 	Ekene Odigwe  &#8211; Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (Coalcity FM), First Position 
The Awards 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
Sending multiple applications will increase the chances of winning the award.
In partnership with Nigeria First Lady, H.E. Dr. Mrs. AISHA MUHAMMADU BUHARI, Merck Foundation have provided Scholarships of one year diploma and two year master degree for 22 Nigerian doctors in many underserved and critical specialities such as; Diabetes, Endocrinology, Cardiovascular, Fertility&#038;Embryology, Reproductive&#038;Sexual Health, Respiratory, Acute and Critical Care, with the aim to build healthcare capacity and transform the patient care landscape of Nigeria.
For more information on the awards, please visit our website: www.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 and Nigeria First Lady launched together 6 Awards for Best Media coverage, Fashion, Songs and Films to break infertility stigma, support girl education and raise awareness about COVID-19

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.
TECNO (www.TECNO-Mobile.com) is said to be on the verge of redefining and launching PHANTOM as a separate sub-brand; The relaunch of PHANTOM brand marks TECNO&#39;s ambition for a higher-end market section of smartphone industry and to rival for the market leaders’ position in global emerging markets; PHANTOM X, as the first device of the new PHANTOM brand, is said to offer several firsts in the industry from premium design and innovative technologies and features in its segment.

TECNO, the leading smartphone brand in global emerging market, is said to re-define PHANTOM as its flagship sub-brand, aiming to tackle the premium smartphone market amid an ambitious global expansion plan.
The smartphone industry never lacks changes and competition. As TECNO is gaining more and more reputation and attention in global markets, its relaunch of PHANTOM brand not only marks a jump forward of the brand to rival at higher-end market section, but also a significant change to the competitive landscape in global emerging markets.
According to an industry observer, with the economy recovering from the pandemic globally, TECNO captured the changes in market demand and heard the want of high-end consumers to try new brands that bring bolder and better innovations that can inspire confident and bright minds of better future. The relaunch of PHANTOM comes just in time. It marks the TECNO’s determination as well as a solid step toward global outreach to high-end consumers.
Bearing the rich experience in global emerging markets of TECNO, PHANTOM brand is bound to reshape the competitive landscape and ecology of the entire smartphone industry of the mid and high-end segment by bringing industry the most-advanced technologies with fantastic innovative features.
As a new brand as well as a flagship to compete over other brands, the design and function of PHANTOM is expected to echo a premium level of care and respect which are far beyond expectations. Having features that accommodate the general needs and many of the overlooked aspects of daily life, with the added luxury of elegance in design, expectation is that the device will generate great interest and intrigue from high-end consumers.
According to credible source, the new device PHANTOM X is to be equipped with many industry firsts in target market segment, such as a 3D borderless screen, a special design of angle arc to present users with the best comfortable grip in hands, and an industry first curved glass surface etched texture, and more. While there will be improvements to the traditional advantages of a high-end smartphone brand, such as charging time, battery life and storage, the upcoming PHANTOM X will also feature the industry’s leading super large smartphone sensor.
In addition, PHANTOM as a new sub-brand, will also offer direct online purchasing service to consumers through its website, beginning with Nigeria and Kenya markets. The official website of PHANTOM ( www.mobile-Phantom.com ) will be formally launched in July, 2021. Here you will have access to browse PHANTOM products, as well as various options to exclusive VIP services including PHANTOM Club activities that customers and members are entitled to after purchase. With a convenient purchasing process, efficient logistics and distribution, exceptional after-sales service and customer-first focus in mind, PHANTOM aims to ensure consumers experience a first-class shopping experience.
 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 brand created for exceptional individuals who use every opportunity to break borders, reshape things, and be extraordinary, PHANTOM brand 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 through PHANTOM. PHANTOM X, the first and newest addition to the brand, 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 is to re-define PHANTOM as a flagship sub-brand

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Standard Bank Group, Africa&#39;s biggest bank, rewarded for its COVID-related and women empowerment programmes; Access Bank&#39;s Herbert Wigwe wins Banker of the year for second consecutive year; Innovation and resilience featured highly in this year&#39;s entries; Organisers highlighted that economic recovery will only happen with greater equity investments on the continent; African Banker Icon highlights the need for higher savings rates to drive investments in Africa.

Winners of the 2021 edition of the African Banker Awards were announced today at a virtual awards ceremony. The Awards, since 2013, are held during the Annual meetings of the African Development Bank, the event&#39;s High patron, which are taking place also virtually between 23rd and 25th June.
The Awards have become the most respected and recognised industry event celebrating African banking achievements. The organisers this year put an emphasis to recognise and reward institutions that contributed to the real economy which has suffered from the impact of Covid-19 as well as contributed to women empowerment on the continent.
Herbert Wigwe won for the second consecutive year African Banker of the Year. Access Bank is now present in South Africa following its acquisition of Grobank. As a result of its rapid growth the last decade, Access Bank has become one of the largest retail banks in Africa with over 40 million customers.
Morocco’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Mohammed Benchaâboun, won Finance Minister of the Year. He was recognised for the exceptional work of his ministry which coordinated an exemplary response to the economic impact from the crisis, helping to protect both lives and livelihoods. The fiscal stimulus provided has cushioned the impact of the pandemic. The ministry managed to crowd in both public and private sector resources that were used to support the most needy.
Lesetja Kganyago, Governor of the Reserve Bank of South Africa, was awarded the Central Bank Governor of the year. Under his leadership, the Reserve Bank has managed to act decisively but also, the Committee noted, in a measured way, managing both upside and downside risk.
Felix Bikpo earned the Life Achievement Award for his long and distinguished career. When asked for his outlook on the future of the continent, he remained upbeat saying technological developments and also the human capabilities that we have developed in Africa are cause for optimism.
Charlie Robertson, chief economist at international investment bank Renaissance Capital won the African Banker icon category. In his remarks he noted that it was important to drive up savings rates to help spur greater investments on the continent, if Africa is to replicate the Asian miracle.
Omar Ben Yedder, Group Publisher of African Banker said: “I was really impressed by the entries this year. It showed that the banking sector is healthy and resilient which will be critical if it is to support the economic recovery post COVID. What will be fundamental to our recovery is the support of the real economy, especially SMEs, and also a focus on more equity investments and investments in general. For that, as our African Banker Icon suggested, we will also need to increase our savings rate across the continent. If I had one comment on the winners, it was dominated by men this year. However I should add that the institutions that were recognised in our ceremony all had strong gender programmes, both in terms of supporting women-led businesses but also strong programmes to promote women and have women leaders within their organisations.”
This year the Awards were sponsored by the African Guarantee Fund, Bank of Industry (Nigeria), Banque du Développement du Mali and technology partner TagPay.
THE 2021 AFRICAN BANKER AWARD WINNERS
Sustainable bank of the year
Commercial International Bank (CIB) Egypt
Infrastructure deal of the year
Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway $1.46bn loan facility
 Nedbank | Standard Chartered | TDB
Deal of the year &#8211; Equity
Privatisation of Afam Power Plc and Afam Three Fast Power Ltd
FBNQuest
Deal of the year &#8211; Debt
African Export-Import Bank, COVID-19 Support Facility
MUFG Bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
Award for financial inclusion
Trust Merchant Bank, DRC
African Banker Icon
Charlie Robertson, Chief Economist, Renaissance Capital
Finance Minister of the year
H.E Mohammed Benchaâboun, Minister for Economy and Finance, Morocco
Award for Innovation for Financial Services
Bank of Industry, Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme
Energy deal of the year
Nkhotakota Solar Power Plant in Malawi / 7.5 MW Solar PV Power Plant in Burundi
African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI)
Agriculture deal of the year
USD 400m Revolving Trade Finance Facility in favour of ETC Group
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)
African SME Bank of the Year
Ecobank
Best Regional Bank in Africa
North: Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco
West: Banque de Développement du Mali
East: Equity Bank, Kenya
Central: BGFI, Gabon
Southern: Mozabanco, Mozambique
Investment Bank of the Year
ABSA
Central Bank Governor of the Year
H.E. Lesetja Kganyago, Governor Reserve Bank of South Africa
Lifetime Achievement
Felix Bikpo
African Bank of the Year
Standard Bank Group
African Banker of the Year
Herbert Wigwe, Group CEO, Access Bank
For more on the African Banker Awards, please visit: www.AfricanBankerAwards.com
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of IC Publications.
Media Contact: awards@icpublications.com
African Banker: African Banker is a quarterly magazine dedicated to banking and finance in Africa. It taps into the growing demand for information about Africa’s banking and financial world, a sector that is consolidating rapidly and reshaping the economy of the continent.
About IC Events – IC Publications IC Publications (www.ICPublications.com) has over 50 years&#39; experience in publishing magazines, newsletters, country supplements, industry reports and market intelligence on Africa. Our market-leading titles (African Business, African Banker, New African, and New African Woman) are published in both English and French, with a combined global readership of over 2 500 000.
IC Events (www.IC-Events.net) was established to complement IC Publication&#39;s publishing arm. Together with its dedicated team of specialists and extensive network of contacts, IC Events tailors innovative forums, roundtables and workshops responding to the most pressing issues in Africa. IC Events&#39; activities are 100% results-driven, bringing together major stakeholders and partners involved in the topics tackled to achieve concrete action plans.

Innovation and resilience common themes amongst winners of African Banker Awards 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.
African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA) (www.AVCA-africa.org), the pan-African industry body which promotes and enables private investment in Africa, today announced its collaboration with APO Group, the leading Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. The collaboration is aimed at driving trade and investment across Africa.

Over the past two decades, AVCA has empowered and connected fund managers, institutional investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs through pioneering research, advocacy, and international networking events. Earlier this year, AVCA appointed a new CEO to lead the next chapter of the Association&#39;s life as investors, fund managers and businesses navigate various economic, political, and social challenges. AVCA will be working very closely with the regional and local associations (e.g., SAVCA, EAVCA, PEVCA, AMIC, etc.) to support the policymakers and governments working hard to improve the ease of doing business in Africa.
APO Group works with companies in all 54 African countries. Its powerful global media channels facilitate the delivery of African stories to new audiences around the world, creating awareness and opening up business opportunities. The Company has unparalleled knowledge and expertise connecting the worlds of African business and communications. It also has a diverse, multinational client base that includes more than 300 of the world’s leading companies.
Speaking about the collaboration, the newly appointed AVCA Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Abi Mustapha-Maduakor, said: ‘&#8221;This strategic partnership with APO Group could not be happening at a better time in AVCA&#39;s journey. By leveraging our research, advocacy and networking strengths with APO&#39;s deep insight and knowledge of the continent&#39;s business and political environment, AVCA will continue to shine a light on the vast investment opportunities in Africa, while delivering greater value for the investors, entrepreneurs and changemakers who are committed to building a thriving private investment ecosystem on the continent.&#8221;
As the Pan-African industry body championing and promoting private investment into Africa, AVCA is defined by one mission: to drive Africa&#39;s growth story. “With the deep knowledge of key markets in Africa and wide-reaching network across the continent, we believe APO is the right communications partner for AVCA as we begin to implement our strategic vision for the next decade and broaden our reach across the private investment industry in Africa”, Abi added.
Commenting on the partnership, APO Group Founder and Chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com) said: ‘’We are excited to collaborate with AVCA as both organisations share a similar vision in driving trade and investment and helping to stimulate African economies. At APO Group, we believe in a holistic approach to enhance the visibility of our partners. To this end, we have created strategic collaborations across the continent to build stronger footholds, helping them increase international exposure’’.
APO Group is the strategic partner of Getty Images in Africa and has established partnerships with the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, CNBC Africa, Channel TV (Nigeria), and Africanews, a subsidiary of Euronews. APO Group content is available to AUB members in Africa, and also members of their sister associations around the world, including the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA).
Media contact: Yossie.Olaleye@avca-africa.org marie@apo-opa.com
About AVCA: The African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association is the pan-African industry body which promotes and enables private investment in Africa. With a global and growing member base, AVCA members span private equity and venture capital firms, institutional investors, foundations and endowments, pension funds, international development finance institutions, professional service firms, academia, and other associations.
For further information, contact avca@avca-africa.org.
About APO Group: Founded in 2007, APO Group (www.APO-opa.com) 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

African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA) and APO Group in partnership to drive strategic trade and investments across Africa

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ICAP AFRICA (www.ICAPAfrica.org) has launched a new division &#8211; AFRICA DIRECT &#8211; which offers a comprehensive range of financial services to corporate clients and institutional investors who are likely to be exposed to risk in African markets. Africa Direct will focus on financial risk analysis and risk management that is supported by real-time financial market data and analysis. The new division will have its headquarters in Johannesburg and will be headed by financial analyst and manager, Duncan Keil.

The new division’s services benefit from the core strengths of parent ICAP AFRICA and the TP ICAP Group &#8211; access to all major financial, energy and commodities asset classes. Their brokers’ ability to match buyers and sellers objectives, facilitates best market prices and the market intelligence generated on the global broking desks gives clients real-time, reliable and invaluable information, to make the best decisions.
ICAP endeavours to maintain its position as market leader with the introduction of new products and services and believes AFRICA DIRECT will significantly strengthen their offer.
Head of AFRICA DIRECT, Duncan Keil, commented “Feedback from existing customers informs the changes we make &#8211; particularly with regard to optimising existing services and launching new products such as fuel hedging and digital products broking, which we are about to launch”.
AFRICA DIRECT undertakes work for a wide range of clients from SME’s to multi-nationals, private equity, DFIs and impact funds as well as &#8211; increasingly &#8211; investment promotion agencies.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ICAP Africa.
For more information please contact: Duncan Keil duncan.keil@icapafrica.org

ICAP AFRICA launches new Division

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The new cutting-edge fintech platform Realsmart (www.RealSmart.io) makes micro-investment in global brick and mortar real estate possible using blockchain technology sold out pre-launch tokens in one night; The first real estate opportunity launched on the 27th of April, 2021.

Realsmart has launched the world’s first global online platform enabling investors to buy security tokenized shares in world-class real estate on the blockchain. It makes safe, fast, and frictionless real estate ownership possible with crypto or fiat currencies from as little as $1. By removing the barriers to entry into this asset class, the company plans to enable the next billion real estate investors.
Realsmart not only offers a diverse range of transactional capabilities but also manages all real estate assets on the platform end-to-end, from sourcing the property to managing the asset and tenants.
“Real estate investment has created the most millionaires in the world, but the barriers to entry have traditionally been very high. I first had the dream to make real estate investment accessible to everyone back in 2010, but now, finally, blockchain technology allows it,” said Anton Breytenbach, Co-Founder and CEO of Realsmart.
Investors can fund their Realsmart Wallet (https://bit.ly/3d6LaEe) by connecting their existing crypto wallet to Realsmart or by simply purchasing the native Real Estate backed ERC-20 token, with their debit card, credit card, or direct bank transfer with a fiat of their choice. Once investors have funded their wallet, they can browse real estate deals on the marketplace (https://bit.ly/35L7LSK) and select the number of real estate security tokens to purchase for each property available. These real estate security tokens give the holder direct ownership to the property and the subsequent rental income it provides.
Apart from earning capital and income on their properties, with rental income paid daily or in advance, investors can reinvest, cash out, or exchange their security tokens on a security token marketplace or decentralized exchange.
Investors can also pre-register to receive their Realsmart Visa Card and once in possession, spend their dollar-pegged Realsmart Tokens earned on their real estate holdings at any one of the 60 million merchants worldwide.
“Real estate is the best asset class in the world. Everyone should have access to property investment as a wealth-generating tool,” said Bruce Martin, Co-Founder and CTO of Realsmart.
For more information about Realsmart and the live deals on offer, visit https://Realsmart.io
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Realsmart.
Media Contact: Name: Bruce Martin Phone: 0721141001 Email: pr@realsmart.io Website: https://realsmart.io Company: Realsmart
About Realsmart: Realsmart is disrupting traditional real estate investment models with innovative blockchain-enabled fintech to enable anyone to become a real estate investor and build a portfolio of properties that deliver the same investment returns as direct ownership in that same property would. Users can directly own world-class income-producing real estate security tokens through decentralized blockchain applications using their crypto or fiat of choice.

Realsmart Launches Blockchain Enabled Real Estate Platform Increasing Global Access to World Class Investment Property

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The U.S. Embassy in South Africa and the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) (www.AWIEForum.org) are once again partnering to implement the 2021 Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) South Africa program.

Currently in its third year, another 125 participants will be selected nationwide for the 2021 cohort. This brings total participation in the program to 300 young South African female entrepreneurs, who have received training and mentorship in what has become a highly competitive entrepreneurship program.
The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs is an initiative of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) as part of the White House-led Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative which aims to empower 50 million women worldwide by 2025 to fulfill their economic potential, with the goal of creating conditions for increased stability, security, and prosperity for all. Currently implemented in more than 50 countries, AWE supports the growth of women entrepreneurs by equipping them with the practical skills, resources, mentorship, and networks needed to create sustainable businesses and enterprises. AWE is centered around DreamBuilder, an online training platform for women’s entrepreneurship developed by the Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management in partnership with the global copper mining company Freeport-McMoRan.
Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, Frank Whitaker, notes “We firmly believe that women entrepreneurs are key to our shared prosperity, both now and in the future. Women who take action to affect positive change can and must play a role in leading the way to a more sustainable and economically inclusive future.”
Irene Ochem, AWIEF Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said “The AWE South Africa program has been a huge success, empowering young women not only with requisite knowledge and skills they need to own and manage successful businesses of their own, but also personal development and growth. Last year in 2020, we implemented AWE during what I would describe as an unprecedented crisis and challenging time of our existence as human beings, at the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. We saw many inspiring young women move from just having a business idea to owning and operating a business of their own, overcoming all challenges.”
AWE 2021 will take place as a virtual program from August to December, with participants selected and grouped according to five South African cities: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. South African women entrepreneurs are invited to apply until July 11, 2021. 
Call for applications
Applications are invited from motivated and self-driven female entrepreneurs for the AWE program. Application is of no cost to the applicant at any stage. Selected candidates will receive no-cost entry to the program which includes:
 	Enrolment in the DreamBuilder platform and expert facilitated virtual business management training and mentorship sessions   	Networking and peer learning opportunities with like-minded entrepreneurs   	A collaboratively developed and refined draft of your business plan   	A DreamBuilder certificate after completing the program   	Membership to the AWIEF Community   	Free attendance to the AWIEF 2021 Virtual Conference, December 2 and 3, 2021   	 Participants who graduate from the program gain automatic membership to the U.S. government-funded Exchange Alumni network which provides access to a robust network of support, including follow-on business opportunities, potential  seed funding, and a vast network of like-minded and highly regarded entrepreneurs across the country.  
Eligibility criteria
 	Women between 21 and 35 years of age and fluent in English   	Resident in one of the five AWE South Africa cities: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria   	Must either have a feasible business idea or have been in business for no more than 2 years  	Not in full-time employment (please note this excludes self-employment) 	Ability to participate in weekly group sessions and must be able to commit 5+ hours weekly to accomplish designated tasks   	Computer literacy and access to a computer   
To submit your application for the AWE South Africa 2021 program, please follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3xCwJ2GAWESouthAfrica2021
For more information email: info@awieforum.org 
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF).

Applications Officially Open for South African Women to Join the 2021 Academy for Women Entrepreneurs

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www.Playcasino.co.za has been a long-standing and valuable resource for South African online casino enthusiasts. This online casino ranking and review website is hailed for its unbiased, objective and detailed reviews of leading online gambling portals for South African players.

The platform has now expanded to also shed light on South African lotteries. This news is music to the ears of online lottery players looking for dependable knowledge repositories. 
Their most recent publication titled “The Ultimate Guide to South African Lotteries (https://bit.ly/2SYXlfA)” has quickly become the holy grail in terms of South African online lottery how-to‘s.
According to Playcasino’s spokesperson Kelvin Jones, this all-encompassing guide is not only detailed, but gives players practical and actionable information about playing various South Africa lottery games.
In classic www.Playcasino.co.za style, the guide is well researched and composed based on firsthand experiences of seasoned online gambling pundits.
A Google search for information on South African lottery games leads players down the path to a cesspool of hastily written, for-the-sake-of-it reviews. www.Playcasino.co.za‘s holistic, South African specific lottery article is a guiding light in these otherwise murky waters.
The Ultimate Guide to South African Lotteries is especially effective in cutting through the clutter and getting straight to the heart of the most pressing questions that players of lotteries usually have.
This includes a participant’s real chances of winning the South African lottery, how the national lottery actually works, and the mathematical odds of winning. The guide also highlights how each lottery game is played and features such as quick pick vs. manual play.
Playcasino’s spokesperson Kelvin Jones says, “The guide has a short video, dummy proof explanations and lots of juicy information on how to easily enhance your odds, possible winning strategies and the process to follow if you win a lottery prize.
It leaves no stone unturned, and makes for easy reading by following a logical flow of questions from a participant’s perspective. Anyone who wishes to play the lottery will find this guide most insightful.
Most importantly the guide details precisely how international players can participate in the South African National Lottery”.
Having answered the hardest hitting questions with laser-like precision, the guide’s latter sections deal with lesser-known aspects of the South African lottery.
It addresses various facets such as – the nuances between state v. national lotteries, the history of the lottery in South Africa, and the potential effects of winning the lottery. One of the important aspects the guide addresses is why lottery winners should resist the urge to take a lump sum payment.
Playcasino’s spokesperson points out that there is plenty of other information worth reading. From how profits are split to what happens to unclaimed lotto winnings, the guide covers all. You’ll even find some quirky facts about the lottery to impress your friends with.
Do we strongly recommend reading the “The Ultimate Guide to South African Lotteries (https://bit.ly/2SYXlfA)”? We would go further to say that we beseech players to read, share and use the various tips and strategies to take their lottery game to the next level. This guide is undoubtedly a must-read for anyone who is serious about playing the lottery, and playing it well.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Playcasino.
About Playcasino: With over two decades of experience, Playcasino is one of the top iGaming portals to offer free valuable information on online casinos, casino games, payment methods, currency options, licensing, regulations, and customer support options. The site publishes detailed casino reviews, bonus promo news, casino games reviews, strategies, and guides for players of every budget and style.
Sources: www.nlcsa.org.za; www.Playcasino.co.za

Playcasino Releases Reveal-All Guide on South African Lottery

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Telecel Group Africa Startup Initiative Program (ASIP), with Africa&#39;s top early-stage tech Accelerator, Startupbootcamp Afritech (www.Startupbootcamp.org/accelerator/AfriTech), has selected the 10 tech startups that will participate in the inaugural ASIP Accelerator. The program received a record 2229 applications and managed to narrow it down to the Top 10, with the help of investors, corporate stakeholders, and industry experts who took part in an intensive 2-day selection process of 20 semi-finalists.

Founded by telecoms giant, Telecel Group, and backed by key tech partners including AWS and Google Cloud Platform, ASIP aims to support the next generation of early-stage African tech startups disrupting key industry verticals that include FinTech, InsureTech, AgriTech, eCommerce, Digital Health, and CleanTech. Telecel will provide the participating startups with access to markets through their mobile services across the continent.

Telecel Group CEO and founder of ASIP, Moh Damush stated that; “We are thrilled to see the quality of the startups that participated in the final selection days and we hope that the finalists will thrive with what we have to offer them in terms of helping them scale faster and more efficiently.”

Telecel Group Executive Deputy and ASIP Director, Eleanor Azar added that; “The top 20 startups are all exceptional, it was a tough choice but we made it. We are looking forward to working with the top 10 and exposing them to our entities while helping them achieve their targets. I encourage the rest of the teams to apply again for our next cohort in 9 months.“

We are honored to announce that the following startups will be joining the 2021 ASIP cohort:

Agrix (www.Agrixtech.com) leverages AI and image recognition to detect crop diseases and propose sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions to the millions of small-scale farmers in Africa.

Agrodata (www.Agrodata.com.ng) has created a bee-centered cropping model using an IoT device called iSmarthives which the startup installs for free at farmlands in Nigeria.

AGS Tribe (www.AGSTribe.org) is a pan African community built to inspire, connect and build the capacity of young entrepreneurs and professionals through capacity building, financial inclusion initiatives, and enterprise challenges.

Through Dawa Health (http://Dawa-Health.com), expectant mothers access tailored weekly maternal advice and support through a multi-lingual, AI-powered, digital health platform.

Motito (www.Motito.co) has a buy now, pay later platform that enables small businesses to offer an interest-free credit option to their existing customers at point-of-sale.

NucleusIS (www.NucleusIS.io) is a technology for Africa&#39;s health insurance value chain that curtails fraud, reduces cost, increases efficiency, and provides distribution channels for sales.

Thumeza (www.Thumeza.org.zw) is an online platform that provides small-scale transporters with immediately accessible working capital based on on-platform and off-platform transporter operational activities.

Ustacky (www.Ustacky.com) is an online stack-learning platform that offers micro degrees and courses in programming and tech. The startup is teaching industry-relevant technology skills to Africans through quality video content, quizzes&#038;projects which aid in student learning.

Weza Ventures (www.Weza.io) provides underlying technology to enable financiers and retail merchants to offer their goods and services on credit to the people in the informal sector.

Worldbay Technologies (www.Grocedy.com) is taking the principle of crowd-funding and thrift, applying it to food. The enterprise makes food affordable through a monthly subscription service for staple foods and leveraging economies of scale to drive prices lower for subscribers.

Dale Mathias ASIP Advisor stated that; &#8220;I am pleased to have been able to participate in Telecel Group ASIP final selection days. The breadth of talent on display over the last two-days has been inspiring and I am grateful for the time that all participants took in preparation for this event.&#8221;

Starting July 5th, Participants will spend 3 months undergoing intensive coaching through expert-led masterclasses covering scaling fundamentals including the business model canvas, lean methodology, and fundraising. They will each have exciting opportunities to run pilot projects with corporate partners to demonstrate the impact of their solutions, and these often lead to commercial contracts that help our alumni to achieve 18 months of growth in just 3 months. Due to Covid 19 travel restrictions, this year&#39;s program will be fully remote using the Accelerator Squared platform. This inaugural Telecel Group ASIP Accelerator powered by SBC AfriTech will culminate in an online Demo Day on September 30th, 2021 where startup founders pitch their disruptive solutions to a broad audience of media, investors, corporate partners, and industry stakeholders.

In addition to customized support from experienced mentors and dedicated Entrepreneurs-In-Residence, the 10 startups will receive benefits valued at more than $750,000, including credits and cash from Telecel Group, AWS, Google Cloud Services and many more.

“We have built a remarkable track-record with the 29 alumni that we have accelerated in the last 3 years &#8211; 88% are still operating, and they have collectively raised more than $90 Million in follow-on funding,” says Philip Kiracofe, Co-founder and Chief Disruptor at SBC AfriTech. “We’re thrilled to be launching the inaugural ASIP Accelerator with Telecel Group and are already hard at work with these 10 inspiring startups. We are confident that they will be the next superstars in their respective industries and are also excited that 8 out of the 10 startups in this year’s cohort have one or more female co-founders!”

Telecel Group and SBC AfriTech have also introduced the ASIP Scale Program, which is specifically designed for later stage scale-ups that can take advantage of access to commercial contracts and larger investors. The program helps these companies explore pivots and new product offerings to amplify their existing traction and to expand into new regions in Africa, and beyond. The first companies invited to participate are Dove Air and Chekkit Technologies.

Chekkit Technologies (www.Chekkitapp.com) provides product authentication technology to guarantee the integrity of products as well as safeguard the lives of consumers.

Dove Air (www.DoveAir.org) provides urgent delivery of medical products and vaccines with drones. This enables leaders and decision-makers in countries to have real-time, on-demand delivery strategies for effective emergency medical response.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Startupbootcamp Afritech.

Telecel Group ASIP Accelerator powered by Startupbootcamp AfriTech selects Top 10 startups for 2021 Cohort

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South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum (MoP) officially launched the country’s first-ever oil and gas licensing round in Juba on Wednesday; Hosted by the MoP and attended by industry executives and international stakeholders, the event signifies an historic moment in the country’s budding oil and gas sector; The launch precedes the country’s highly anticipated national energy conference, South Sudan Oil&#038;Power 2021, organized by Energy, Capital&#038;Power (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) and taking place at the Crown Hotel in Juba on the 29th-30th June.

South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum (MoP) officially launched the country’s first-ever oil and gas licensing round in an inaugural event on Wednesday  in Juba. Focused on accelerating exploration and production at new and existing blocks, and promoting the country as a competitive investment destination, the event signified an historic moment in the country’s competitive oil and gas sector.

The event was officially launched by Hon. Puot Kang Chol, Minister of Petroleum, where presentations were given by Hon. Awow Daniel Chuang, Undersecretary, MoP and Hon. Athian Ding Athian, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, with closing remarks by H.E. James Wani Igga, Vice-President and VP of the Economic Cluster, TGNU. With emphasis placed on political improvements, the improved legal framework, and the ongoing acquisition of new data, the launch has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to advancing the sector.

“Oil licensing is a proof of stability and progress in South Sudan. These blocks are part of a vision for lasting peace in the country and we want to open up the energy sector for investment. The Ministry of Petroleum has identified new exploration blocks with potential hydrocarbons for investors, operators, and other parties. We are inviting genuine investors and as mentioned in our Petroleum Act, we will try our best to be transparent,” stated Hon. Puot Kuang Chol.

“It is high time for us to help maximize the natural resources we have, and I applaud the MoP for what they are doing. The oil industry has had its ups and downs, but it is about time that these resources benefit the community, and everyone gets their rightful entitlement of the development that is taking place in South Sudan,” stated Hon.. Athian Ding Athian.

The newly launched licensing round aims to attract international investors and partners to help expand South Sudan’s exploration initiatives. Built against a backdrop of peace and stability, the new licensing round aims to attract investors, while ensuring sustainable developments and community benefits.

“Certainly, one can say with confidence that South Sudan is doing well in maintaining peace and implementing peace agreements. For the first time we can really promote investment. The country needs to rigorously enforce transparency and good governance. We need accountability to improve. I am glad that with this new licensing round, the whole country will benefit,” stated H.E. James Wani Igga.

Additionally, the launch meticulously outlined the licensing process and schedule, providing insight into new and available blocks, technical capabilities and data. By detailing crucial analytical data and information to assist operators and investors, the launch emphasized that South Sudan is officially open for business, and accordingly, is welcoming investors to its competitive sector.

“Most of the areas being licensed had previously not been explored properly in terms of seismic data due to complications from the war. In 2019, we contracted PETROTECH to help with the data. The absence of data previously made it difficult to conduct licensing rounds, however, this licensing round today allows South Sudan to conduct a transparent tendering process with trustworthy data that is available,” stated Hon. Awow Daniel Chuang.
According to the MoP, the Ministry will use stringent criteria in its facilitation of the bid evaluation and investor selection process. With the offered blocks falling between longitudes 25 and 36 and between latitudes 4 and 11, and the size of blocks ranging between 4,000 and 25,000km², the licensing round is expected to be highly competitive. Additionally, the MoP is emphasizing the role of Nilepet in facilitating growth across the industry.

“If you look at the producing blocks today, the percentage of Nilepet has gone to 10% equity. We want investors but we also want to promote the capacity of Nilepet as the national oil company,” continued Hon. Puot Kang Chol.

The newly launched licensing round will be expanded on at the South Sudan Oil&#038;Power (SSOP) 2021 conference, organized by Energy Capital&#038;Power and endorsed by the Ministry of Petroleum. The Ministry will unpack the exploration of new blocks, existing blocks and will explain how it will further explore already producing areas.

Taking place at the Crown Hotel in Juba on the 29th-30th June, SSOP 2021 is expected to drive investment, promote engagement, and accelerate growth within South Sudan’s oil and gas sector.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&#038;Power.

South Sudan launches First-Ever Oil and Gas Licensing Round

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Nairobi and Kisumu Counties are part of the pilot phase of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s newly launched Green Cities Regional Action Programme for Africa. The Programme aims to apply innovative solutions and turn urbanization into an opportunity for cities to become more sustainable, more resilient, provide access to healthy foods and ensure a better life for everyone.

The initiative aims to scale-up fast-action measures for large, medium and small cities to be more resilient, and food and nutrition secure, with pleasant natural environments, and more integrated nutritious food production and distribution systems benefiting residents and farmers alike.
 Letters of intent were signed with six African cities: Praia in Cabo Verde, Kisumu and Nairobi in Kenya, Antananarivo in Madagascar, Quelimane in Mozambique and Kigali in Rwanda. The six cities will be embarking on the pilot phase of a programme designed to involve 1 000 cities worldwide by 2030.
“We can redesign our cities,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in keynote remarks at the online launch. He explained: “With affordable healthy and sustainable food, with accessible green spaces, with green lifestyles, and with new jobs which our citizens need.”
He noted that the vast majority of Africa’s cities have fewer than 300 000 inhabitants. “With the right policies and planning, combined with innovative solutions, local administrations and communities can build resilience and improve the wellbeing of urban and peri-urban dwellers,” he said.
“The county government of Kisumu in the past 5 years, and with assistance of development partners has put in place several initiatives towards greening the city as well as resilient food systems. We are therefore pleased to part of this great initiative,” said the Kisumu County Governor Prof.  Anyang Nyong’o.
Salifou Ouederaogo, Minister of Agriculture, Hydro-Agricultural Development and Mechanization for Burkina Faso, hailed FAO’s initiative as timely for his country, where the share of the population living in cities is expected to double by 2050. FAO’s programme is “a real opportunity to consolidate and scale up pilot actions that are already underway at the national level and above all to include the Green Cities Initiative action plans to develop toolkits for developing the rural sector in our country,” he said.
Opening remarks at the high-level launch were also given by Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, and Jean-Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary-General of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), an umbrella organization for local governments across the continent.
The mayors of the six pilot cities also spoke at the event, as did senior officers from Senegal’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Global Fund for Cities Development and the Green Climate Fund and FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo.
FAO’s Director-General called upon committed cities and mayors to engage local innovators, entrepreneurs and young people to propose new solutions, digital technologies, climate-smart practices and strategies to create green jobs and enrich the connections between urban settlements and their rural surroundings. He invited authorities to engage youth, especially in places where urbanization is in an early phase and growing fast.

“We need to enable young people so they can define their own future city,” he said.
The vision
Some 55 percent of the world’s population lives in cities today, and that is expected to rise to 68 percent by 2050, with the vast majority living in low-income countries, especially in Africa and Asia. Cities provide powerful economic opportunities but can also be home to high levels of poverty and account for a large share of natural resource use, greenhouse gas emissions and food consumption.
FAO launched the Green Cities Initiative (GCI) in September 2020 at a high-level event during the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, underscoring the major role that urban demographic trends – as well as urban forestry, urban agriculture and urban food systems – are destined to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the transition to a low-carbon economy. Greener, cleaner and more resilient and regenerative towns can catalyze more self-sustaining opportunities as well as better lives.
The GCI is geared to promote sustainable and resilient local food production and short supply chains, establish green agro-processing hubs, efficient food distribution systems and food environments, and efficient circular-economy driven management of water resources and food waste. Landscape initiatives, parks and cleaner air are also an integral part of the Initiative. Increasing local food production and promoting short food supply chains has taken on new importance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
FAO is funding the initial phase and eyeing to attract more resources and interest for the full programme. The aim is to push for key innovative “quick win” actions to develop the capacity of local stakeholders in the first cities joining the project to integrate food systems, urban and peri-urban agriculture and forestry in local planning, requiring a holistic approach to governance that in the case of metropolitan areas often span several municipal jurisdictions.
That means fostering enabling environments with risk and vulnerability assessments, and targeted actions depending on a city’s characteristics. One key issue is to identify “functional territories” that underpin food systems and define urban-rural linkages.
FAO will help participating countries use geo-referenced data and other indicators to provide rapid and systematic understanding of potential vulnerabilities to shocks, identify potential biodiversity hotspots and strategic mapping of food retail environments to boost access to nutritious food where it is lacking. Local administrations will also be helped to promote rooftop and backyard gardens, vertical farms in abandoned structures and high-tech aquaculture, as well as training locals to maximize the value of such opportunities. The Organization will also support Members to set up platforms to engage in city-to-city dialogues and partnerships.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launches Green Cities Action Programme for Africa

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Following repeated incidents of violence towards refugees and migrants held in two detention centres in the Libyan city of Tripoli, international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced today that it feels obliged to temporarily suspend its activities in Mabani and Abu Salim detention centres.

Since February this year, incidents of ill-treatment, physical abuse and violence against people held in these detention centres have increased steadily. Over the space of just one week, MSF teams witnessed firsthand, and received reports, of at least three violent incidents resulting in severe physical and psychological harm.
During a visit on 17 June to Mabani “Collection and Return” detention centre, where at least 2,000 people are estimated to be held in severely overcrowded cells, MSF teams witnessed acts of violence carried out by the guards, including the indiscriminate beating of people who attempted to leave their cells to be consulted by our doctors.
The MSF team received reports of heightened tensions the previous night that culminated in mass violence, leaving both migrants and refugees as well as guards with injuries. MSF treated 19 patients suffering from injuries caused by the beating, including fractures, cut wounds, abrasions and blunt trauma. One unaccompanied child was left unable to walk after suffering serious wounds to the ankles. Others spoke of physical and verbal abuse by guards.
Earlier the same week, on 13 June, automatic weapons were fired on people held in Abu Salim detention centre, causing multiple casualties, according to reports received by MSF teams. For seven days following the incident, MSF teams were refused access to the detention centre, raising concerns about the repercussions of lack of treatment for those with potentially serious injuries and for the critically-ill.
“This is not an easy decision to make, as it means we won’t be present in detention centres where we know people are suffering on a daily basis,” said MSF head of mission in Libya, Beatrice Lau. “However, the persistent pattern of violent incidents and serious harm to refugees and migrants, as well as the risk to the safety of our staff, has reached a level that we are no longer able to accept. Until the violence stops, and conditions improve, MSF can no longer provide humanitarian and medical care in these facilities.”
The increase in violence since the beginning of 2021, coincides with a significant rise in the number of refugees, migrants and asylum-seekers intercepted at sea by the EU-funded Libyan coastguard, forcibly returned to Libya and locked in detention centres. As of 19 June, over 14,000 people had been intercepted and returned to Libya, exceeding the total number of forced returns for the whole of 2020.
This has resulted in severe overcrowding and a deterioration of the already desperate conditions inside. Most detention centres lack ventilation and natural light; some are so overcrowded that up to four people share one square metre of space – forcing people to take shifts to lie down and sleep. People lack consistent access to clean water and hygiene facilities.
Additionally, migrants and refugees receive insufficient food to eat, with just one or two small meals a day, usually a small piece bread with cheese or a plate of macaroni to share amongst many. MSF doctors observed that with the lack of food, people sometimes use their medication to manage the hunger. The lack of enough nutritious food has resulted in some women being unable to produce breastmilk to feed their babies. One woman told MSF teams she was so desperate to feed her five-day-old baby that she tried to give her ration of solid food to her infant so it wouldn’t starve.
In such inhumane conditions, tensions frequently result in eruptions of violence between guards and people arbitrarily detained inside.
MSF calls for an end to the violence and improvement of conditions for refugees and migrants trapped inside Mabani and Abu Salim detentions centres. MSF also reiterates its call for the end to the longstanding practice of arbitrary detention in Libya, and for the immediate evacuation from Libya of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants exposed to life-threatening risks – including those in detention centres.
“Our colleagues have seen and heard of vulnerable men, women and children, already held in desperate conditions, being subjected to further abuse and life-threatening risks,” said Ellen van der Velden, MSF’s operations manager. “No further people intercepted at sea by EU-funded Libyan coastguard should be forced back to Libya and into detention centres. Violence in detention centres must end and all those trapped in these inhumane conditions must be released.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

Libya: Recurrent violence against refugees and migrants in Tripoli detention centres forces MSF to suspend activities

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While thousands of people struggle to access vital healthcare in the restive North-West region of Cameroon, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is still denied the resumption of its healthcare care services in the region, six months after the forced suspension of its activities by Cameroonian authorities. MSF calls on the government of Cameroon to immediately lift this suspension and prioritise the medical needs of the population.

For over four years now, extreme violence in Cameroon’s anglophone regions of North-West and South-West has led to a catastrophic situation for the population. Raids on villages, kidnappings, torture, destruction of properties, extrajudicial killings have become the new normal in what is commonly known as the “anglophone crisis”.
In 2018, in agreement with Cameroon’s Ministry of Health, MSF launched an emergency response to the critical health situation in the North-West and South-West regions by supporting health facilities, setting up the only free 24/7 ambulance services and supporting community health volunteers in order to reach remote populations and those struggling to access healthcare facilities.
But on 8 December 2020, MSF was suspended from working in the North-West region as Cameroonian authorities accused the NGO of being too close to non-state armed groups in the area*. Despite months of discussions to respond to these allegations, MSF has been unable to restart its operations, leaving tens of thousands of people without access to lifesaving free health care.
“Vital medical services have been denied for six months now, and this is taking an unacceptable toll on Cameroonian citizens, many of whom have fled to the bush, unable to bear the sights, sounds and threats of violence any longer,” says Emmanuel Lampaert, MSF operations coordinator for Central Africa. “This decision represents a substantial blow to medical and humanitarian access. As we speak, our community health workers see people die and suffer because of the lack of treatment available in villages and displaced communities, and our ambulance call centre continues to receive emergency requests, which they are forced to decline. What rationale can justify these unnecessary deaths?”
“We call once again on the government of Cameroon to put the needs of the population first, and to immediately reinstate MSF’s essential medical services in the North-West. Our operations cannot remain on hold indefinitely.”
A massive health crisis
While armed violence and violations of human rights have made the headlines in the past years, the impact of this crisis on people’s basic medical needs has often been overlooked in the international media. However, according to the latest UN figures, the flare up of violence in the anglophone regions of Cameroon has pushed more than 700,000 people to flee their homes, while over 60,000 have fled to neighbouring Nigeria. Today, people’s living conditions are massively affected by the crisis and over 1.4 million people are considered in need of humanitarian support in North-West and South-West Cameroon.
“Access to healthcare services is of major concern in the North-West and South-West regions,” says Lampaert. “Because of insecurity, lockdowns, curfews and the targeting of health facilities, access to healthcare is extremely limited, with at least one in five facilities non-functioning. Displaced populations barely dare to move to health facilities, and the economic downturn has made it still harder to travel to hospital, or even to afford treatment. Unsurprisingly, mortality among vulnerable groups such as women and children has increased**, and the suspension of our medical support made the situation even worse.”
While MSF teams have treated patients for rape, torture, burns and gunshots, the vast majority of patients have been those in need of medical assistance for childbirth, malaria or diarrhoea, especially displaced communities. Last year, MSF-supported community health workers conducted over to 150,000 consultations for communities in both regions.
Insecurity and restriction of humanitarian space
The support provided by MSF and other humanitarian organisations proved to be all the more vital as insecurity and attacks on staff have limited the number of organisations present to provide lifesaving services.
“We are one of the few medical organisations present in those two regions to respond to people’s emergency medical needs, in a very challenging context” says Emmanuel Lampaert. “Since we started our interventions, our medical staff, volunteers and patients have regularly faced threats and violence from both state and non-state armed groups, with very little respect shown for the humanitarian principles of impartiality and neutrality. Our ambulances have been fired on and stolen, community health workers have faced sexual assault and murder, armed men have opened fire inside medical facilities, and our colleagues have faced death threats. Despite these extremely difficult situations, our staff kept on providing care to people in need, day after day.”
In 2020, MSF teams in the North-West region treated 180 survivors of sexual violence; 1,725 mental health consultations were provided; 3,272 surgeries were performed; 4,407 patients were referred by ambulance, of which more than 1,000 were women in labour; 42,578 consultations were provided by community health volunteers, mostly for malaria, diarrhoea and respiratory tract infections.
Present in many countries where government forces and non-state armed groups clash, MSF is committed to its charter which requires the provision of health care without discrimination or heed to political or religious affiliations, race or gender.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

Cameroon: Thousands continue to be denied urgent health care as MSF’s activities in the North-West region remain suspended by the government

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Nearly 9 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), 4.7 million refugees and asylum-seekers, and hundreds of thousands of migrants in East and Horn of Africa are suffering some of the worst impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from IOM, the International Organization for Migration, and the World Food Programme (WFP). 

The study, “Life amidst a pandemic: Hunger, migration and displacement in the East and Horn of Africa,” focuses on the pandemic’s impacts on mobility, livelihoods and food security in regional migration and hunger hotspots. 
“Migrants, refugees and other forcibly displaced persons are among the most disadvantaged and disenfranchised groups globally and understanding their needs, and our progress towards meeting them, is essential to understanding where we stand on the SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) commitments,” said Mohammed Abdiker, IOM Regional Director, East and Horn of Africa. 
COVID-19 increased the vulnerability of displaced people and migrants in 2020 and their challenges were exacerbated by reduced funding for humanitarian operations, a drop in crucial remittance flows caused by travel freezes and job losses for hundreds of thousands of migrants. These groups depend heavily on remittances, which are the most significant source of external financial inflows to Africa and are essential for low-income communities and households. 
As job and income opportunities shrank abroad, increased numbers of returning migrant workers headed home empty-handed and required extensive support to reintegrate, placing considerable strain on their home communities. 
The study also found that 54 million people were acutely food insecure in the East and Horn of Africa in 2020, including households in rural food insecure areas, as well as food insecure urban poor populations hit particularly hard by the pandemic.  
Sudan, Ethiopia and South Sudan were among the 10 countries with the worst food crises globally in 2020 – with 9.6 million, 8.6 million and 6.5 million people respectively acutely food insecure – while Burundi has one of the highest levels of chronic malnutrition or stunting of children globally. According to the study, the Tigray region in Ethiopia has become a new hunger hotspot since late 2020 with more than 4 million people facing severe food insecurity due to conflict.  
As the impact of COVID-19 lingers on the economy and livelihoods, the number of food insecure people is projected to remain high throughout 2021. 
The IOM-WFP report found the COVID-19 pandemic has also disrupted the mobility, public health and socio-economic opportunities of most people in the region. Other pre-existing, new and recurring challenges will continue to destabilize the region and strain the capacity of affected populations to cope with shocks, including conflict, insecurity, drought, floods and desert locusts. This will have implications for migration and hunger, with broader consequences for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 
“COVID-19 has only added to the challenges faced by these already vulnerable populations. We must come together so those in need are not forgotten and receive lifesaving humanitarian assistance to meet their food, nutrition and other vital needs,” said Michael Dunford, WFP Regional Director for Eastern Africa. 
IOM and WFP are joining forces through this study to advocate for priority actions on humanitarian assistance, inclusivity and access to critical services, labour mobility, immigration, data and evidence-building and gender-sensitive responses.
The organizations are urging UN Member States to step up action on realizing their commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals on poverty, hunger and partnership for the goals.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Nearly 14 Million Internally Displaced Persons, Refugees and Migrants Hit Hard by COVID-19 in East and Horn of Africa, New IOM-WFP Study Finds

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Uganda marks World Refugee Day this year amid a second wave of COVID-19, with growing concerns for the well-being of refugees and host communities that have been already hit hard by the pandemic and have not yet recovered from the loss of income and livelihoods.

According to the 2020 Global Trends Report recently released by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, Uganda remains the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, with nearly 1.5 million refugees currently present in the country. Over 860,000 are children, mostly from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Despite pandemic-related border closures since March 2020, Uganda applied several exceptions allowing thousands of asylum seekers to cross the border and receive protection and humanitarian assistance in line with COVID-19 screenings and protocols. 
“This is a stark reminder of the magnitude of needs and the scope of the response required,” said Hon. Hillary Onek, Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees. “Uganda and its people continue to share resources with their brothers and sisters in need. The international community must commit to do more to share the burden of supporting the refugees and the poor districts hosting them.”
This year’s WRD campaign calls for greater inclusion of refugees in education, health care and sports, underscoring the value and practice of “us” under the motto “together we can achieve anything.” Uganda has fully embraced this principle, making giant steps towards including refugees in national development plans and service delivery systems. Since the launch of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) in March 2017, the Government, with support from UNHCR, partners and donors, has operationalized four integrated plans to respond to the needs of refugees and host communities in Education, Health, Water&#038;Environment, and Jobs&#038;Livelihoods. Refugees are also included in the national COVID-19 response and vaccination plans.
&#8220;Inclusion has been and remains the hallmark of Uganda&#39;s progress refugee policy, right from the 1960s when the first refugees came to Uganda. From being allocated land by Government or host communities so that they can grow their own food and start a new life with dignity to participating in governance structures in settlements, Uganda endeavours to treat our brothers and sisters who come to our shores as humanely as possible,&#8221; said Hon. Onek.
Uganda’s progressive refugee model not only enables refugees to access social and community services like any Ugandan citizen but also to be part and parcel of systems delivering services to communities. Thousands of refugees serve as teachers and health workers in 13 refugee-hosting districts, working alongside their national counterparts. The role of over 3,000 refugees within the Village Health Teams was essential in helping with risk communication, identification and referral of alerts, and contact tracing. Through the Refugee Engagement Forum, refugees have representatives in the highest-level decision-making body of the Uganda refugee response, the CRRF Steering Group, where they can share the views and concerns of their communities.
“No doubt efforts must continue and increase to support and sustain Uganda’s inclusive approach to refugees. This means creating more synergy with development partners,” said Joel Boutroue, UNHCR Representative in Uganda, adding that while inclusion of refugees in national systems is crucial, it does not address the immediate needs of refugees, especially after the devastating effects of the pandemic and reduced food assistance. “With a response funded at only 22 per cent, I am concerned that the living conditions and well-being of refugees will further deteriorate if the international community does not pay closer attention to cover major gaps in meeting basic needs.”
Access to clean water remains a challenge, with funding shortages affecting both distribution and consumption. In addition to receiving an average supply of water of 16.9 litres per person per day (l/p/d), below the UNHCR post-emergency standard of 20 l/p/d, refugees are facing even greater challenges in collecting and storing clean water, with substantial geographical inequalities. For example, in Imvepi settlement, in the West Nile region, each refugee is able to access 27 litres of water a day, but only 37 per cent of refugee households is able to store and use more than 20 l/p/d due to lack of jerry cans. In Kyaka II settlement, in the South West, the situation is more dire. The average water distribution is 10.6 l/p/d, with 73 per cent of refugee households able to collect and store less than 20 l/p/d.
“Access to potable water for hygiene and a safe sanitation system are essential to protecting health, especially during the pandemic,” said Munir Safieldin, UNICEF Representative in Uganda. “With a second COVID-19 wave in full swing in this country, limited access to clean water exposes refugees to a greater risk of infection.”
Food assistance is an essential need. The rapid and drastic scale down of resources in this sector has led to multiple cuts in food rations since April 2020, with refugees currently receiving only 60 per cent of their food basket, either cash or in-kind.
“Food assistance is more than just ensuring adequate levels of nutrition. It provides stability to refugee households,” said El-Khidir Daloum, WFP Representative in Uganda adding that it is even more crucial now to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19. “With fewer jobs, limited income and rising food insecurity, there a risk that more and more refugees may resort to harmful coping strategies for survival.” 
Several studies undertaken in the last 12 months revealed that increased levels of poverty forced families to turn to negative coping mechanisms such as child labour, survival sex, and child marriage, to put food on the table.
Gender-based violence has been on the rise since the outbreak of the pandemic, with 3,999 incidents recorded in 2020 and another 1,394 in the first quarter of 2021. Most cases are young women who survived rape, physical assault and emotional abuse. 
“Even before the pandemic, gender-based violence was a challenging concern. As economies and schools are on lockdown, community and household tension has heightened, making women and girls more vulnerable to physical, sexual, economic, and emotional violence. Moreover, as health systems struggle to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, sexual and reproductive health services are interrupted,” said Alain Sibenaler, UNFPA Representative in Uganda. “While we remain committed to respond to the needs of survivors, many more resources are needed to explore preventive solutions that are grounded in gender equality and human rights.”
National and international NGO bear witness to the challenge refugees face trying to make ends meet and the devasting impact on their emotional well-being. The number of attempted and completed suicides increased by 129 per cent in 2020, with the highest numbers recorded in the period following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the enforcement of restrictive measures to curb its spread. The first quarter of 2021 is equally alarming, with 76 recorded incidents, compared to 68 in the same period of last year. Most cases concern young women, affected by gender-based violence.
“The ongoing gaps that persist in basic humanitarian assistance such as water, food, protection and education are critical in refugee communities throughout Uganda,” said Paul Mwirichia, Co-chair of the Refugee International NGO Forum. “We are seeing a vicious cycle of poverty, hunger, and negative coping strategies. We need the international community to come forward with increased assistance and sustainable funding with a strong focus on the most vulnerable populations including older persons, children, persons with disabilities, persons with chronic diseases and single-headed households who have been disproportionally affected by the current pandemic.” 
Given the pandemic surge in the country, planned WRD commemorations have been scaled down in compliance with COVID-19 restrictions, focussing on awareness campaigns, radio talk shows and online discussions. 
“This year we pay tribute to all refugees and nationals who lost their lives in this pandemic and celebrate all frontline workers who continue working tirelessly to save lives,” said Francis Iwa, Co-chair of the Humanitarian Platform for National and Local Organizations. “I hope more resources will be made available to firstly help families and individuals pursue the dream of a better tomorrow, and to break the cycle of violence that robs the children of a life of dignity.”
In Uganda, the Office of the Prime Minister and UNHCR coordinate the refugee response with support from over 100 partners, including line ministries, district local governments, UN agencies, international and national NGOs, and refugee-led organizations. To date, 628 refugees have tested positive to COVID-19, with 419 recoveries and 11 deaths. Since Uganda began the vaccination campaign in mid-March 2021, 8,761 people received the first dose of vaccine in the refugee response, including 3,905 refugees, 2,036 health workers, 1,940 teachers and 880 humanitarian workers.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UNICEF Uganda.

Joint Press Release: Uganda refugee response partners

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the team from the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC), winners of the KiboCUBE programme in 2018, run by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), saw their satellite deployed by JAXA from the International Space Station (ISS). MRIC is a parastatal organisation operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation of the Republic of Mauritius.

The satellite MIR-SAT1 ‘Mauritius Imagery and Radiocommunications Satellite -1’ is the first satellite of Mauritius. The primary objective of the mission is to acquire technology, knowledge and skills for further space endeavours as well as capture images of Mauritius. As a Small Island Developing State, Mauritius is particularly prone to natural disaster risk and set to benefit greatly from their own satellite technology.
MIR-SAT1 is equipped with an X-CAM-C3D camera, which will test the transmission of imagery and on-board communication systems, with the collaboration of amateur radio enthusiasts. Data collected by MIR-SAT1 will be made available for capacity building, experimentation, and research to all institutions in the country. The construction and testing of MIR-SAT1 was fully funded by the Government of Mauritius.
Positive results of this first venture could lead to future development of a bigger nanosatellite for application and research purposes pertinent to the main challenges faced by the country, such as fish depletion and frequent flooding. The mission will also allow Mauritian authorities and universities to get acquainted with the legal and regulatory considerations and responsibilities related to satellite projects. The satellite is also the first step for Mauritius to initiate their own space programme.
MIR-SAT1 is the third cube satellite (Cube Sat) deployed through the KiboCUBE programme, that enables teams from developing countries to develop and deploy their CubeSats from the ISS, following Kenya and Guatemala. Other winners of past rounds of the programme are also working on their satellites.
UNOOSA Director Simonetta Di Pippo said: &#8220;I am delighted to welcome Mauritius to the community of space-faring nations. With eyes from above, the country will gain powerful data and tools to confront challenges such as rising sea levels and managing ocean resources. UNOOSA and JAXA are proud to have made this achievement possible and stand ready to support the utilization of this CubeSat and the overall development of the space sector in Mauritius.”
JAXA Director General of Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, SASAKI Hiroshi, said: &#8220;It is my pleasure that JAXA successfully deployed the first satellite of Mauritius, MIR-SAT1 from the Kibo module of the ISS, and we are honoured to play a role for Mauritius joining the space-faring community. We would like to extend our respect to UNOOSA and the MRIC for their efforts. MIR-SAT1 has various significant missions including technology demonstration of image acquisition and communication transmission, to which I wish a great success. This deployment will pave the way for the further endeavour by Mauritius’ space activities. Furthermore, all the experiences gained from MIR-SAT1 will lead to the space development in Mauritius. We truly hope to collaborate with Mauritius again in the near future. Congratulations!”
Honourable Deepak Balgobin, Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation said: “This CubeSat opens a new historical chapter in technology development in the Republic of Mauritius. We are hopeful that our first satellite in space will serve as a thrust to STEM education and capacity building in Mauritius. We are investing in the economy of the future which will be powered by data and connectivity but also by the creativity of our youth. New avenues are now open to us and the possibility of space as a new socioeconomic pillar is now more real than ever. This is a momentous achievement and reflects the vision of the Prime Minister, Honourable Pravind Jugnauth, of a knowledge-based economy.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS).

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