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Moving from Sudan’s current fragile transition period towards stable civilian rule, requires a continued “spirt of unity, partnership and collaboration”, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Thursday.

“One of the key messages remains that we expect all parts of Sudan to work together for all of Sudan”, Special Representative Volker Perthes said after consulting on the country’s future with a wide and diverse group of participants.  
Paris Conference 
Having just returned from the Paris Conference, designed to encourage the economic revitalization of the country, he told ambassadors that Member States had announced bilateral debt forgiveness to help Sudan clear its arrears with international financial institutions. 
Sudanese civil society also shared their vision of a new Sudan based on freedom, justice and economic opportunity, while Prime Minister Abadalla Hamdok reiterated his commitment to peace, said Mr. Perthes, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS). 
“I encourage all of Sudan’s international and domestic partners to continue supporting Sudan as it implements key economic and political reforms”.  
Road to comprehensive peace  
Beginning with the peace process, the UN envoy said that on 28 March the Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council – which combines military and civilian representatives &#8211; and the leader of rebel group, the Sudan People Liberation Movement, had signed a Declaration of Principles, which paves the way for a final agreement. 
He also said that during talks scheduled for next week, UNITAMS would support the parties as well as neighbouring South Sudan, the mediator, as required. 
The UN official also discussed with Abdulwahid al Nur, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, in Darfur, one of the other main non-signatory factions, the importance of engaging politically with the Government for “a comprehensive peace”. 
Political overview 
The Government continues its efforts to advance the political transition, including the “important steps” of establishing a Peace Commission, Anti-corruption Commission, and Transitional Justice Commission, among others, said Mr. Perthes. 
Turning to delays in the transition process, he pointed “most importantly” to the fact that an inclusive and representative Transitional Legislative Council with at least 40 per cent female participation has yet to be realized. 
Amidst “great concern” over the limited progress in implementing the Juba Peace Agreement of October last year, the UN envoy noted some advances, such as preparations to establish its Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism.  
“Other critical aspects remain unfulfilled”, he said, pointing to security arrangements, a ceasefire, a Joint Protection Force and other security committees, all of which have “a direct bearing on protection of civilians and overall stability”. 
Resolving armed conflict 
After intercommunal clashes that left 144 dead and some 65,000 displaced last month in Darfur, the Special Representative told the Council that the Government had decided to implement further critical security measures, including joint security forces, enhanced security arrangements, related ceasefire committees, and more humanitarian relief. 
Despite the willingness of armed movements to put forward named representatives for ceasefire committees and identify personnel for joint security forces, he said, “deployments have yet to commence”. 
“I fear that without the speedy establishment of these Joint Forces, and the implementation of Sudan’s National Plan for the Protection of Civilians, we could see similar incidents like Geneina be repeated”, the UN official warned, referring to five days of fighting in West Darfur that left scores dead.
Sudanese women
Meanwhile, Sudanese women leaders have continued to draw attention to disparities in safety, basic needs and political participation, demanding their rights as continued reports reveal human rights violations against women and girls, including through social media campaigns inciting violence. 
The Special Representative the Government’s decision to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women was “an important step forward” as well as the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, and pledged the mission’s continued support for “an environment where women live free of fear for their safety and exercise their full rights”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.
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‘Spirt of unity, partnership and collaboration’ needed to realize Sudan’s aspirations

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49 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

Lagos-21 Rivers-16 FCT-5 Kano-3 Akwa Ibom-2 Ebonyi-1 Ekiti-1
165,901 confirmed 156,459 discharged 2,067 death
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
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Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 case update (20 May 2021)

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Nineteen patients have been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 in tests carried out today at Quarantine Centers in Gash Barka, Central, and Southern Regions.

Out of these, eleven patients are from Quarantine Centers in Ali-Ghidir (6), Adibara (4), and Barentu (1), in Gash Barka Region. Six patients are from Quarantine Centers in Asmara, Central Region.  The last two patients are from Quarantine Centers in Mendefera (1), and Adi Quala (1); Southern Region.
The total number of confirmed cases in the country to-date has accordingly risen to 3,906.
The total number of recovered patients to-date stands at 3,700 while the number of deaths is 14.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
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Coronavirus – Eritrea: Announcement from the Ministry of Health (20 May 2021)

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494 people have tested positive to the disease, from a sample size of 6,428 tested in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate is now 7.7%. Total confirmed positive cases are now 166,876 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,763,274.

New cases by County; Nairobi 110, Nakuru 80, Kisumu 62, Kericho 29, Siaya 25, Meru 21, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and Busia 16 cases each, Migori 15, Kilifi and Mombasa 10 cases each, Machakos 8, Bomet, Makueni, Kiambu and Nandi 7 cases each, Murang’a and Homa Bay 5 cases each, Kakamega, Nyamira and Kirinyaga 4 cases each, Laikipia, Mandera, Kisii and Nyeri 3 cases each, Bungoma and Embu 2 cases each, Kitui, Kwale, Narok, Nyandarua, Taita Taveta, Vihiga, Baringo, Garissa, Isiolo, and Kajiado 1 case each.
50 patients have recovered from the disease, 27 from the Home Based &#038; Isolation Care program, &#038; 23 are from various health facilities countrywide. Total recoveries now stand at 114,285. 83,081 are from Home Based Care &#038; Isolation, while 31,204 are from various health facilities. There was an arithmetic error in our reporting yesterday where we had reported that our total recoveries were 117,235 instead of 114,235. We regret the error.
5 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, 2 having occurred in the last 24 hours while 3 are late deaths reported after conducting facility record audits within the last one month. This now pushes the cumulative fatalities to 3,040.
1,085 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 4,624 patients are under the Home Based Isolation &#038; Care program. 109 patients are in the ICU, 20 of whom are on ventilatory support &#038; 67 on supplemental oxygen. 22 patients are on observation.
86 patients are separately on supplemental oxygen with 81 of them in general wards and 5 in High Dependency Units (HDU).
VACCINATION: A total of 948,980 persons have been vaccinated against the COVID-19 disease countrywide.  Of these; 288,146 are aged 58 years and above, Health Workers 163,490, Teachers 149,018, Security Officers 80,153 while Others are 268,173.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.
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Coronavirus – Kenya: COVID-19 update (20 May 2021)

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Supported by the European Union (EU), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) concluded today a virtual Regional Forum on Safe and Dignified Return and Sustainable Reintegration intended to discuss return and reintegration policies and ways to enhance migration governance in North Africa.

During the two-day event, government representatives from Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia as well as representatives of the EU and IOM experts discussed the link between safe return, sustainable reintegration and sustainable development and ways to strengthen return and reintegration policies in North Africa. To foster cross-regional dialogue on migration, government officials from Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia were also present to share their experiences.
“The Kingdom of Morocco, in the framework of implementing its international obligations and in line with the objectives of the National Immigration and Asylum Policy that was adopted in 2013 under royal directives, has been working on developing measures and procedures for a voluntary return programme for migrants who decided to return voluntarily to their countries of origin and accompany them to facilitate their reintegration according to a humanitarian and comprehensive approach. This is in close coordination with the diplomatic missions of their countries in Morocco and with IOM’s support,” stated the Delegation of the Kingdom of Morocco to the forum.
“The implementation of voluntary return and reintegration assistance programmes require the participation of different actors, including migrants, civil society and local governments. Return and reintegration can contribute to local, national and regional development in the return countries. This is an example of South-South cooperation.”
The participants explored an array of issues around safe and dignified return and sustainable reintegration in North Africa. The forum discussed IOM’s ‘Integrated Approach to Reintegration’ and how reintegration could contribute to good migration governance in North Africa and neighboring regions.
The new IOM policy on the full spectrum of return, readmission and reintegration as well as case studies on strengthening reintegration mechanisms in Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia and in North Africa were also presented and discussed.
“IOM is looking forward to further engagement with national governments in North Africa to help align the rights-based return management with sustainable development initiatives including sustainable reintegration,” concludes IOM Regional Director for the Middle East, and North Africa, Carmela Godeau.
The event was organized in the framework of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration in North Africa and with support from the EU-IOM Knowledge Management Hub.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Organization for Migration (IOM).
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The EU-IOM Joint Initiative Concludes a Regional Forum on Safe and Dignified Return and Sustainable Reintegration in North Africa

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Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, together with H.E. Mrs. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana and Ambassador of Merck More Than A Mother, announced the winners of “Stop GBV” Best Poster Contest during award ceremony. The Poster Contest was held with the aim to prevent Gender-Based Violence and child abuse in Botswana.

Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp Chairman of both of Executive Board of E.Merck KG and Merck Foundation Board of Trustees was the Guest of Honor of the ceremony to support the program and advocate for ending Gender-Nased Violence in Botswana and rest of Africa as part of Merck Foundation More than a Mother campaign.
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More Than A Mother, who joined the award ceremony virtually, emphasized “I am proud to announce the winners  of “Stop GBV” Best Poster Contest together with my dear sister H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana and Ambassador of Merck More Than A Mother. We have worked with the jury committee to select the most creative and inspiring work advocating one of the key contest objectives. This initiative is part of Merck foundation more than a Mother campaign.
In 2020, I virtually joined the Botswana First Lady, during her cycling tour to STOP GBV and marked the International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls together. I salute my dear sister, The First Lady of Botswana, for her great efforts and innovative idea to stop Gender-Based Violence and encourage us to take a stand against GBV and child abuse”.
H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana and Ambassador of Merck More Than A Mother said, “We launched the “Stop GBV” Poster Contest together with Merck Foundation, so as to advocate against Gender-Based Violence in Botswana. I am very happy to award the winners, who have shared some brilliant work. We will continue our joint efforts to fight against GBV, protect humanity, especially the girls and women. The COVID pandemic gave rise to violence against girls, women and children. GBV has destroyed families and promoted disunity within communities, both at national and international level; and this initiative to demonstrate our effort to fight for this cause, and eradicate GBV from our societies.”
The “Stop GBV” Poster Contest was held across Botswana and the aim of the contest was to select the most creative and inspiring work. The contest objectives were: 1) Stop Gender-Based Violence, 2) Take a stand against GBV and child abuse, 3) Help people understand that GBV is unacceptable and evil, 4) Promote Zero tolerance of GBV, and 5) Demonstrate that GBV can be emotional, financial, physical, and sexual.
“I am looking forward to joining the next cycling tour and to launch the second edition of this poster contest in partnership with the First Lady of Botswana in 2021”, added Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.
Merck Foundation will also continue to build healthcare capacity by providing Merck Foundation scholarships of one year diploma and two year master degree in many Medical specialities with the aim to transform the healthcare landscape and improve patient care in Botswana, specially during coronavirus pandemic.
“We have provided till today scholarships to more than 39 Doctors in Botswana in different critical specialities such as: Oncology, Diabetes, Cardiovascular, Endocrinology, Respiratory Medicines, Acute Medicines and Sexual and Reproductive, which is also very important to advancing women health and reproductive health. It is very critical to empower girls and women against many challenges and specially against GBV. Access to health, awareness and education is an important key to stop gender-based violence”, explained Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.
Link to the Live Streamimg of the award ceremony: https://bit.ly/3fxQWPL
The first three award winners of the “STOP GBV” Poster Contest are:
First Position: TAMUCHA TULU
Second Position: ELIJAH MAPHAKELA
Third Position:  MOHUMAGADI MORUTI
Moreover, the below 10 winners were awarded with a Sspecial Award:
1.       TSOTLHE MORAKENYANE
2.       THANDIE SIBANDA
3.       THAPELO LETSHWITI
4.       SADE. S RABASHA
5.       THATAYAMODIMO THEKISO
6.       TRUDY BAKWENA
7.       MALEBOGO W. RANTLHOTSE
8.       KUMBULANI MACHOLA
9.       TSHEPANG MOGOTSI
10.     MAIKANO MOJIWA
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.
For more images: https://we.tl/t-uSxPspjfOT
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: 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).
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Merck Foundation CEO and Botswana First Lady inaugurate STOP GBV posters awards ceremony together as part of “More than a Mother” Campaign

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Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) is delighted to announce their partnership with ABLOC (www.ABLOCbeer.com) “the ultimate sports beer”. The 2021 Giro d’Italia marks the start of the collaboration of Africa’s UCI WorldTour Team and international sports beer brand ABLOC.

The team, including staff and crew will be able to enjoy a tasty refreshing white beer after every stage. ABLOC Pro Zero is created for those who want to stay sharp. It’s alcohol-free, low in calorie and yet full of taste. The crispness of the Alpine Minerals turbo-charge taste and aid recovery. In the future, ABLOC will expand the partnership with extended support of the Qhubeka Charity as together we continue to change lives with bicycles.
Martijn Snelder, CEO ABLOC: “Team Qhubeka ASSOS and ABLOC share the same values. We both feel that sport can unite and inspire us. A shared passion for cycling, friendship and storytelling is why we love to be part of this purpose-led movement. Not to mention the high performance team TQA is. Together we can make this world a better place. Preferably with a cold beer in hand.”
Douglas Ryder, Founder, Team Qhubeka ASSOS: “This partnership came together on a human level. Martijn’s story, his love for the bike and the way it gets you places is our shared passion. The way it creates experiences that you can share with your friends and then wanting to have an alcohol free beer afterwards to tell stories connected with us; it’s that passion that went into creating ABLOC “The Ultimate Sports Beer”. So when you are à bloc it’s time to have ABLOC.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.
Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033
About ABLOC: Riding à bloc means going ‘flat out’. A term that best summarizes our ambition to produce the best low/no alcohol beers with maximum taste we can offer sports enthusiasts around the world. ABLOC beers are low in calorie and high in isotonic value. We want to be where achievements are celebrated and stories are told. To be the perfect reward to share with friends. Made for all sports enthusiasts who want to stay lean and fit. ABLOC. The Ultimate Sports Beer
About Team Qhubeka ASSOS: Team Qhubeka ASSOS is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world&#39;s biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016.
We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France.
We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team&#39;s inception.
We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa.
About Qhubeka: Qhubeka is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs.
A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go. 
All images attached to the press release can be used with the respective image credit in combination to this release.
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Team Qhubeka ASSOS partners up with ABLOC Pro Zero (Spoiler alert: it’s beer!)

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More than 1.2 million people urgently need health assistance in Cabo Delgado Province in northern Mozambique where recent armed attacks sparked further population displacement and deepened a protracted humanitarian crisis.

Violence and insecurity have damaged or forced shut nearly a third of the province’s 132 health facilities, depriving communities of basic health services and sparking emergency health needs for HIV, malaria and tuberculosis treatment as well as vaccination and safe delivery among internally displaced persons and host communities. Cholera prevention, COVID-19 response and provision of mental and psychosocial health services are also critically needed.
“The plight of thousands of families is worsening, and many of the violence-affected people depend on humanitarian aid for survival. We must swiftly step up assistance to save lives and alleviate suffering,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “We call for increased donor support to provide critical health services and other relief supplies that are desperately needed.”
Humanitarian needs have increased following the armed attacks in March in Cabo Delgado’s Palma District that forced 52 000 people to flee their homes. Some US$ 3.5 million are needed to provide health assistance. WHO has mobilized US$ 1.77 million to support the government and partner organizations in the emergency response. 
The Organization is ramping up health assistance and has set up three cholera treatment centres and built a provisional health centre to cater for internally displaced persons and the host community in Chiuri District in Cabo Delgado and deployed 17 staff to Pemba District. WHO has also provided essential health supplies, including cholera treatment and trauma kits.
“There is an urgent need to ensure full access to essential health services in all accessible districts and to establish mechanisms to improve the health access to all vulnerable people in hard-to-reach districts,” said Dr Joaquim Saweka, WHO Representative in Mozambique.
WHO is revising its response plan and will deploy additional human and material resources to Cabo Delgado and other health emergency hotspots in the country as soon as additional resources are mobilized.
Cabo Delgado has been affected by recurrent armed attacks since 2017. The province was also affected by Cyclone Kenneth in 2019 that destroyed infrastructure, including health facilities. The disaster was worsened by cholera and measles outbreaks, with the COVID-19 pandemic adding to the health challenges.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Over 1.2 million need health assistance in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province

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Liquid Intelligent Technologies Kenya, part of the Liquid Intelligent Technologies group (www.Liquid.Tech), a pan-African technology company, unveils its new brand identity.  This rebrand reflects the organisation&#39;s extensive business transformation from being a telecommunications and digital services provider to a full one-stop-shop technology group for local businesses.

Over the last two decades, Liquid has firmly established itself as the leading pan-African digital infrastructure provider. This rebrand to Liquid Intelligent Technologies highlights the organisation&#39;s expansion of its Cloud business, Cyber Security services, and other technologies added to its existing telecoms and connectivity capability.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies will expand its Managed Services offerings to drive and ensure successful adoption of tools to re-imagine their customers&#39; businesses and how they work and connect. Whether they are focused on enabling collaboration or utilising the most advanced cloud applications.
As a Microsoft Gold Partner, Liquid Intelligent Technologies is redefining Network, Cloud and Cyber Security offerings through strategic partnerships with leading global players, bringing innovative business applications, intelligent cloud services and world-class security to the African continent. Liquid Kenya was recently recognised as the winner in the Most Innovative Product or Service category at the 2021 East Africa Com for our partnership with Twiga Foods precision farming techniques enabled by our IoT network in Kenya
Commenting on the rebrand, Adil El Youssefi, CEO for Liquid Intelligent Technologies East Africa, said, &#8220;Through a five-year development plan under the Big Four Agenda, the government has been working towards transforming the country to ensure that all citizens have access to a high quality of life. Our recent award at East Africa Com recognises our contribution towards ensuring food security through the use of our IoT network, reiterating our capabilities as a digital service provider for businesses in the public and private sector. This rebrand is our reaffirmation to all our customers that we are a one-stop-shop technology company bringing African Intelligence to Kenya. Our unique digital solutions such as Cloud services, Managed Services, Cyber Security have enabled us to be a leading contributor to make Vision 2030 a reality as well”.
With the future of network security-driven from the Cloud, Liquid Intelligent Technologies&#39; recently launched its Cyber Security business unit, which uniquely delivers security at its core, protecting your business&#39;s data throughout its lifecycle.
&#8220;Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Kenya has been providing digital services to customers in addition to Digital Infrastructure to access to our extensive and reliable fibre connectivity and Data Centres. This rebrand will allow us to further create recognition with local businesses that we provide digital solutions in addition to the usual connectivity services, enabling them to accelerate their digital transformation, which is key in today&#39;s hybrid workspace. We are very proud as Liquid Kenya to share this bold statement that we are a technology company accelerating the Digital Economy by providing African solutions to African challenges” concludes Ben Roberts, Group Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
For more information contact: Angela Chandy Email: Angela.chandy@liquid.tech
Liquid Intelligent Technologies – Brand video (https://bit.ly/3bIvSoA) LinkedIn &#8211; https://bit.ly/3oDs11u Twitter &#8211; https://bit.ly/3u851bG   Facebook &#8211; https://bit.ly/3vkqW0I
About Liquid Intelligent Technologies: Liquid Intelligent Technologies is a pan-African technology group with capabilities across 14 countries, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa. Established in 2005, Liquid has firmly established itself as the leading pan-African digital infrastructure provider. Liquid Intelligent Technologies is redefining Network, Cloud and Cyber Security offerings through strategic partnerships with leading global players, innovative business applications, intelligent cloud services and world-class security to the African continent. Under its new brand identity, Liquid Intelligent Technologies has eight business units, namely: Liquid Networks, Liquid Business, Liquid Sea, Liquid Cloud, Liquid Cyber Security, Liquid Home, Liquid Innovation and Liquid Satellite. Liquid Intelligent Technologies is now a full one-stop-shop technology group that provides tailor-made digital solutions to businesses in the public and private sectors across the continent. The Group also operates state-of-the-art data centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Harare and Kigali, with a combined potential 19,000 square metres of rack space and 78 MW of power.
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Liquid Telecom unveils its new identity, Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Kenya as it establishes itself as the digital service partner of choice for African businesses

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Tests conducted: 11,246,917 Positive cases identified: 1,625,003 Total recoveries: 1,531,993 Total deaths: 55,568 New cases: 3,641
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa, Department of Health.
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Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 Statistics in South Africa (20 May 2021)

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Total daily tests: 590 New confirmed cases: 9 Cumulative confirmed cases: 18,539 Active cases: 48 Recoveries: 17,819 (11 new) Currently admitted: 4 New deaths: 0 Total deaths: 672 Total vaccinated to date: 35,227
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.
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Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 daily update (20 May 2021)

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Total cases: 26,529 (+105) Recovered: 24,884 (+76) | 93.7% Active cases: 1,296 In critical condition: 1 Tests: 1,390,666 (+4,723) Test positivity rate: 2.2% Vaccinated: 350,400  Deaths: 349 (+1) | 1.3%
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda.
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Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (20 May 2021)

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New Cases: 7 Cumulative Confirmed Cases: 34,238 Active Cases: 705 Total Recovered: 32,246 (0 New) Currently Admitted in Treatment Units: 5 (1 New) New Discharges from Treatment Units: 3 Total Tests Conducted: 240,114 (419 New) Total Deaths: 1,153 (0 New) CFR 3.37% Total Vaccinated To Date: 336,826 (1,594 New)
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Population, Republic of Malawi.
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Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 Daily Info Update (19 May 2021)

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A total of 40 355 tests were conducted in the last 24 hrs, with 3 522 new cases, which represents a 8.7% positivity rate. A further 167 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 55 507 to date. Read more: http://ow.ly/iVUi50EQHob.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Institute for Communicable Diseases, South Africa (NICD).
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Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 Statistics in RSA (19 May 2021)

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Turkey is the most globally connected country in South and Central Asia, according to the DHL Global Connectedness Index (www.DHL.com); The country moves ten places up to rank 55th out of 169 countries on the Index.

One of the few countries to have experienced economic growth in 2020, a year when COVID-19 ravaged economies around the world, Turkey saw its economy grow by 1.8% last year (https://bit.ly/3ftjqKq) and is forecasted to expand by 4.8% in 2021 (https://reut.rs/3v4QnTX). In addition to the Turkish Government’s robust economic stimulus campaign, the country’s global connectedness seems to have played a pivotal role in Turkey’s recovery.
Global Connectedness
According to the seventh DHL Global Connectedness Index (GCI), published by DHL and New York University’s Stern School of Business in December 2020, Turkey is the most globally connected country in South and Central Asia. It had the 10th greatest gains in international connectedness out of 169 countries in 2017-2019, moving up 10 places to 55th.
John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express, believes that international connections are indispensable in maintaining the global economy. “Trade and digital information flows play a critical role in keeping the world connected and generating forward momentum.
The bi-annual DHL Global Connectedness Index employs more than 3.5 million data points to track globalisation in 169 countries, based on the size of several international flows. The latest report provides a comprehensive assessment of globalization during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Against the backdrop of a difficult economic situation, the contribution of international flows to Turkey’s economy has grown significantly.  Turkey’s GCI gains were broad-based, across trade, capital, information and people flows,” explained Mustafa Tonguç, DHL Express Turkey’s country manager.
Exports
According to data by the Turkish Trade Ministry, Turkey exported to 226 countries and territories in 2020, with exports hitting an all-time monthly high of $17.84bn (€14.7bn) in December. Turkey’s gains in exports were especially notable in the 2020 GCI Index, with figures for both goods and services growing significantly as a share of Turkey’s GDP.
“Turkey launched a program to boost the country&#39;s value-added exports and to assist firms to expand production capacity, investing nearly $260m (€213.9m) to support exporters during the pandemic,” said Tonguç.
Turkey also plans to establish strategically-placed, new foreign logistics centres in Africa, the Americas, Europe, Far East and Russia.
In January this year, Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) chairperson Ismail Gülle revealed plans for the centre in the United States, which is expected to accelerate local exporters’ access to markets and boost Turkey’s foreign sales volume. “We have carried out a detailed study for the logistics centre we plan to open in the USA. We have a target of $100 billion in foreign trade volume with the country. We believe that the logistics centre to be opened is of great importance for us to achieve this goal quickly”, Gülle said.
E-commerce and Digitalization
Rapid digitalization and growing e-commerce is another factor in Turkey’s economic growth. Turkey’s e-commerce trade volume is expected to grow by more than $3bn to $28.9bn by 2022, with online shopping grabbing 38% of retail sales.
Tonguç says that small and medium businesses have rapidly adjusted to meet current consumer trends: “As the pandemic transforms behaviour, companies have started focusing on hygienic delivery and customer support and are investing in digitalization and e-commerce.”
The Way Forward
A successful vaccination process (https://bit.ly/3tZT9Zj), which started in December, will further help the country’s rebound. Thanks to an impressive logistics system, Turkey vaccinated nearly seven million people (https://bit.ly/3bEMFJ4) in just 40 days by late February.
“Connected supply chains and logistics networks play an essential role in keeping the world running and stabilising globalization, especially at a time of a crisis that spans our globe,” said Pearson.
“The recent vaccine breakthrough has put a spotlight on the systemic importance of fast and secure medical logistics dependent on a worldwide interconnected network that effectively ensures international distribution.”
Located at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East, Turkey is close to the Balkans, Russia and Central Asia. It has a geographic advantage as it acts as a strategic stopover point between Africa and Europe.
“This is an opportunity for Turkey to become even more connected and successful, taking advantage of our connections around the world to boost the amount of business that flows,” concludes Tonguç.
References:
 	Bi-Annual DHL Global Connectedness Index &#8211; https://bit.ly/3v704l0 	YouTube: https://bit.ly/3v4Z94v 	https://bit.ly/2S9msvl 	Turkey’s economy grew by 1.8% in 2020 overall – annual data released by Turkish Statistic Institute (Al Jazeera, March 1, 2021) https://bit.ly/3yoRDU1 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Deutsche Post DHL.
Media Contact: Jeslyn Pua jeslyn.pua@dhl.com
About the DHL Global Connectedness Index (GCI) 2020: DHL and the NYU Stern School of Business released the DHL Global Connectedness Index 2020 (GCI) in December 2020. The report, now in its seventh edition, is the first comprehensive assessment of globalization during the spreading COVID-19 pandemic. It tracks international flows of trade, capital, information and people across 169 countries and territories that together account for 99% of the world’s GDP and 98% of its population.
The 2020 GCI employs more than 3.5 million data points to track the globalization of 169 countries over the period from 2001 to 2019. It measures each country’s global connectedness based both on the size of its international flows relative to the size of its domestic economy (‘depth’) and the extent to which its international flows are distributed globally or more nar­rowly focused (‘breadth’).
The report was commissioned by DHL and authored by Steven A. Altman and Phillip Bastian of the New York University Stern School of Business. The methodology used to calculate the 2020 DHL Global Connectedness Index is largely unchanged from previous editions of the index.
The report and additional background information can be downloaded at https://DHL.com/GCI.
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Global connectedness spurs Turkey’s economic growth

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.
JetBlue Will be one of the First Airlines to Offer NBA League Pass to Passengers on Viasat-Equipped Aircraft Flying Around the World; NBA League Pass will be available on any route, except for flights within the U.S., Canada and China.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com) and Viasat Inc. (www.Viasat.com) (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company and leading in-flight connectivity provider to many of the world’s most recognizable airlines, today announced a groundbreaking multi-year partnership to make NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service, available to millions of airline passengers while in flight. The partnership will provide a streaming experience in the sky, enabling airline passengers to access live and on-demand NBA games and content on their personal electronic devices at no extra cost when they register for NBA League Pass in-flight. JetBlue will be one of the first airlines to offer NBA League Pass on Viasat-equipped aircraft, with additional airlines expected to be announced.
Available during the 2021 NBA Playoffs, which will tip off Saturday, May 22, Viasat will enable access to the premium version of NBA League Pass &#8211; featuring every NBA game live and on-demand &#8211; to passengers onboard aircraft with Viasat In-flight connectivity. NBA League Pass will be available on any route, except for flights within the U.S., Canada and China; international flights to and from these three countries will also have access to the service.
“We are thrilled to provide fans around the world with the unique opportunity to experience the excitement of the NBA on their personal devices while in-flight at 35,000 feet,” said NBA Senior Vice President, Global Media Distribution and Business Operations, Matt Brabants. “By leveraging Viasat’s world-class satellite technology and global reach, we believe this partnership will transform the future of content consumption for airline passengers and allow us to engage millions of new and existing NBA fans in a whole new way.”
“We’re focused on evolving the way passengers enjoy in-flight internet by offering differentiated, premium over-the-top content and streaming experiences,” said Viasat Managing Director, Media &#038; Mobile Applications, Dave Elliot. “We continue to explore and announce new partnerships, like the NBA. The trend to market content &#8211; and in this case, league assets &#8211; directly to customers is powerful, and offers more opportunity to drive customer acquisition through new business models that haven’t been previously offered through packaged, linear TV viewing.”
NBA League Pass provides the most comprehensive live and on-demand access to an entire season of NBA games in high-definition with live stats, alternative audio and multiple viewing options. Passengers on NBA League Pass-enabled flights will be able to use the speed and efficiency of Viasat’s global satellite network to access NBA platforms, create or sign into an existing NBA account, and immediately access League Pass’s Next-Generation game viewing enhancements, including new camera angles, multiple in-language streams, celebrity influencer commentary, in-depth analytics and statistical graphics and condensed games for on-demand viewing.
Viasat serves the world’s leading airlines, elevating the passenger journey with a network that is built to support the rising data requirements of the latest internet, streaming and over-the-top trends, even at 35,000 feet. The Company currently has an international satellite network consisting of owned and partner high-capacity Ka-band satellites to deliver high-quality, fast connectivity &#8211; even in the hardest-to-reach places.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).
NBA Contact: Mark Pozin NBA +1 (212) 407-8288 mpozin@nba.com
Viasat Contacts: Scott Goryl Viasat, Inc. +1 (760) 893-2796 scott.goryl@viasat.com
Paul Froelich/Peter Lopez Investor Relations +1 (760) 476-2633 IR@viasat.com
About Viasat: Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. For more than 30 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact people&#39;s lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea. To learn more about Viasat, visit: www.Viasat.com, go to Viasat’s Corporate Blog (https://bit.ly/3oAelE4) or follow the Company on social media at: Facebook (https://bit.ly/3bIX06Z), Instagram (https://bit.ly/3fznF77), LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3bGQ5er), Twitter (https://bit.ly/3v9fGoa) or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3f4pwSE).
About the NBA: The NBA is a global sports and media business built around four professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League and the NBA 2K League. The NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2020-21 season featured 107 international players from 41 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 1.9 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.
Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include statements that refer to the overall agreement between Viasat and NBA and the offerings and benefits of the partnership, including the features, free access and availability of the service. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: contractual problems, product defects, manufacturing issues or delays, regulatory issues, technologies not being developed according to anticipated schedules, or that do not perform according to expectations, and increased competition and other factors affecting the aviation sector generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in Viasat&#39;s SEC filings available at www.SEC.gov, including Viasat&#39;s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Viasat undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.
Copyright © 2021 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat signal are registered trademarks of Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

NBA and Viasat to Make NBA League Pass Available to Millions of Airline Passengers while in Flight

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.

As part of its celebration around ‘Africa Day’ on 25th May, Facebook (www.Facebook.com) today announced the launch of its global campaign titled: ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ – a series of short films unveiling the stories of eight phenomenal creatives and small business owners from across the continent who are breaking ground across the world.

Available to view on a dedicated ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ microsite and the official Facebook Africa page (https://bit.ly/3f1Nb5V) from 21st May 2021, the films provide a glimpse into the global successes of African creatives and businesses hailing from Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon. This includes fashion designer Laduma Ngxokolo from South Africa, whose clothing brand ‘Maxhosa’ has been worn by global names such as Beyonce and Alicia Keys, and most recently had his designs featured in the film ‘Coming to America 2’. Also featured are Sauti Sol, a collective Afro-pop music group hailing from Kenya who have gained international recognition with nominations and shows in Europe and the US and Mark Angel, a Nigerian comedian who has amassed over 15 million global followers on Facebook. The series is aimed at showcasing, hero’ing and honouring the people that are impacting Africa, as well as the world, through their music, arts and crafts.  

Included in the ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ campaign are:
 	Mai Atafo (Nigeria) (https://bit.ly/3wmhiLj) &#8211; Fashion designer and bespoke tailor  	Lafalaise Dion (Côte d’Ivoire) (https://bit.ly/3oyFS8Z) &#8211; Fashion designer and visual artist 	Jessica Allogo (Gabon) (https://bit.ly/3hCxwfj) &#8211; Founder of Les Petits Pots de l&#39;Ogooué Garmout Food brand  	Blinky Bill (Kenya) (https://bit.ly/3f41neL) &#8211; Musician, DJ, Rapper and Producer  	Sauti Sol (Kenya) (https://bit.ly/3u6egJs) &#8211; International award-winning Afro-pop group 	Lola Pedro (Nigeria) (https://bit.ly/3oziCYC) &#8211; Founder of Pedro&#39;s Premium Ogogoro drinks brand 	Mark Angel (Nigeria) (https://bit.ly/3v6ZJPh) &#8211; Digital comedian, script writer and video producer 	Laduma Ngxokolo (South Africa) (https://bit.ly/3oy4hLW) &#8211; Founder of fashion brand Maxhosa and creative artist  
Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director, Facebook Africa, said “At Facebook we’re deeply invested in the creative industry in Africa, and nowhere is it more exciting to witness this vibrant creative scene than here on the continent. These people and businesses are changing the way Africa is seen, not just in Africa, but around the world, and are cementing our position as leaders in innovation and the creative industries. We know that Africa is the future, and in honour of ‘Africa Day’ and the Africa Union’s 2021 celebration of African ‘Arts Culture And Heritage’, ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ is our way of recognising just some of these remarkable individuals who continue to inspire the world.”

As part of the ‘Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ campaign, Facebook will be creating dedicated ‘Africa Day’ Facebook profile frames available to Facebook users, and holding free virtual trainings for SMBs and Creators across Africa through its local training partners. Focused on providing other upcoming creatives and entrepreneurs with the digital know-how to take their ideas global, these will focus on creativity and Instagram including: how to creatively engage with your audience through Instagram; Reels school, Interactivity in stories and how to get creative with ads.

Media assets can be found here: https://we.tl/t-9X9dswKbpp.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Facebook.
Media Contact: Idea Engineers PR agency for Facebook Africa facebook@ideaengineers.co.za
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‘Spirt of unity, partnership and collaboration’ needed to realize Sudan’s aspirations

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Global connectedness spurs Turkey’s economic growth

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