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.
A blockage on supplies and financial challenges are delaying Africa’s rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and risk curtailing plans to significantly expand the continent’s rollout later this year.

Vaccine deliveries to Africa through the COVAX facility ground to a near halt in May as the Serum Institute of India diverted doses for domestic use. Between February and May the continent received just about a quarter – 18.2 million – of the 66 million expected doses through COVAX.
“As people living in richer countries hit the reset button this summer and their lives start to look normal, in Africa our lives will stay on hold. This is unjust,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “We are optimistic that vaccine availability will improve significantly in the second half of the year. We can still catch up and make up for the lost ground, but time is running out.”
The COVAX Facility continues to explore options to mitigate the impact of this global supply shortage and is in active negotiations with other manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines to diversify the portfolio while supporting the medium- to long-term scale up of manufacturing capacity.
“The supply gap can be closed if countries with surplus doses set aside a percentage of vaccines for COVAX,” said Dr Moeti. “I welcome the pledge by the United States this week to share 80 million doses with other countries, in addition to recent shipments of vaccines from France to Mauritania. Dose sharing is key to ending the supply crunch and the pandemic as a whole, as no one is safe until everyone is safe.”
While limited supplies of doses are hampering the large-scale rollout of vaccines, funding for operational costs is also a critical barrier. Eight countries have used up all their vaccines, but over 20 countries have administered less than 50% of their doses.
COVAX is providing its share of vaccines for free to lower-income countries, but there are other significant costs. It is estimated that 60% of every dollar spent on delivering vaccines is needed for operations. The World Bank calculates that on top of the money needed to buy enough vaccines to ensure adequate protection from COVID-19, another 3 billion is required to deliver the vaccines into the arms of people.
In some African countries, the lack of funds is already causing delays in addition to a shortage of vaccinators, sub-optimal training, weaker communications to boost the uptake of vaccines and an inability to capture crucial data or to print and distribute immunization cards.
Most African countries have financial plans in place to cover the first 3% of their populations, but early evidence shows that many financial plans are inadequate for the larger, more geographically spread next phases. The costing plans also miss crucial expenditures such as hiring vaccinators, administration, cold-chain storage, logistics and transport for vaccines to reach widely dispersed populations.
While domestic financing of these operational costs is encouraged, COVAX, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Bank and other donors are ready to provide some funding. However, to unlock these funds, robust financial plans are necessary.
“It’s critical to use this time, while there are only limited doses, to cost and plan for a more effective rollout and ensure that all doses are used as effectively as possible and none go to waste,” said Dr Moeti. “WHO is on hand to support countries with their COVID-19 costing plans.”
Only a handful of African countries have made good use of the COVID-19 Vaccine Introduction and Deployment Costing Tool produced by the COVAX Facility, which aims to help countries determine their funding needs. The tool is the first step to a well-structured budget, offering a quick yet comprehensive estimation of incremental costs.
Together with the World Economic Forum, WHO held a virtual press conference today with Dr Moeti, Dena Ringold, Regional Director, Human Development, West and Central Africa Region, World Bank, and Razia Khan, Standard Chartered, Head of Research and Chief Economist, Africa &#038; Middle East. They were joined by Dr Richard Mihigo, Coordinator, Immunization and Vaccines Development Programme, WHO Regional Office for Africa.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Coronavirus – Africa: Supply bottleneck, financial challenges fuel delays in Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout

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The Rugby Cranes XV management has selected 70 players from 11 rugby clubs to the first national team training session at Kyadondo at 8:00am on 22nd May. This will mainly be a screening, profiling and testing session and it is from this session that 32 players will be selected for the official training camps outside Kampala in preparation of the International games starting in June.

With the Rugby Cranes coach, Robert Sseguya currently hospitalized, the Uganda Rugby Union executive committee has appointed experienced Coach Robert Musinguzi to assist Coach Brian Makalama. Coach ‘Bobby’ as he is fondly called will have to immediately take the players focus away from the goings on off pitch and try together with Brian to steer the team back to focus on the tasks ahead.
List of the 70 players for training:
Steven Kinyera, Francis Mukundane, Allan Alango, Daniel Nshiyimana, Zachariah Bol,David Agassi, Morgan Odoch, Collins Kimbowa, Saul Kivumbi, Brian Odongo, Wilobo Mukili, Faragi Odugo, Trevor Maina, Jude Juuko, Robert Aziku, Emmaneul Ecodu, Arthur Mpande, Brian Asaba, Aaron Jurua, Josiah Ssempeke, James Ijongat, Derrick Tukwasibwe,Edgar Seruwagi, Justin Kimon, Alhaji Manano, Conrad Mukwaya, Daudi Ssemwami, Karim Arinaitwe,Ivan Kabagambe, Kenneth Matovu, Nathan Bwambale, Sunday Jaguar, Abel Agum, Frank Kidega, Sydney Gongodyo, Moses Ziwa, Isaac Rujumba, Stephen Alul, Conrad Wanyama, Ivan Magomu, Timothy Odongo, Timothy Kisiga, Haruna Muhammad, Amos Asimile, Spencer Muhiirwe, Santos Ssenteze, Ronald Kanyanya , Aziz Khan, Scott Oluoch, Paul Epilo, Jordan Bongomin, Innocent Gwokto, Claude Otema, Sean Mubiru, Peter Bisaso, Jacob Ocen, James Okello, Charles Tomusange, John Echeru, Tawfiq Bagalana, Maxwell Ebonga, Denis Etwau, Aziz Bagalana, Eliphaz Emong, Brian Oroma, Joachim Chissano, Andrew Olweny, Edgar Kairu, David Patrick Ntambazi Semu , Samuel Wamala,Mark Omoding and Nicholas Kato.
Quote from Coach Brian Makalama:
”It is exciting to meet the group of players on Saturday. I am curious to see who will honor the call-up since that will be our first training session. First sessions are usually challenging because it sets pace on the rest of our contact.”
Quote from Coach Robert Musinguzi:
”It is huge honour to be chosen to work with the national team. As a coach, the opportunity to work with the top players and coaches in the country is something very exciting. I have worked with Coach Brain Makalama before at club level and I am looking forward to another enjoyable, memorable and ultimately successful experience with him at the National level.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Uganda Rugby Union.
Media Contact: Bwaha +256 778 340143
Rugby@APO-opa.com
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Uganda Rugby Cranes XV team to start training

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Marriott Hotels (www.Marriott.com), the signature of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, today announced its debut in Nigeria with the opening of the highly anticipated Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja. The hotel reflects the newest global design vision for Marriott Hotels, featuring sophisticated and intuitively designed spaces for today’s modern traveller, enabling guests to relax, work and find inspiration during their stay.

“We are excited to have opened the Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja, bringing Marriott Hotels’ transformed vision to Nigeria,” said Volker Heiden, Area Vice President – Sub Saharan Africa, Marriott International. “Lagos is a vibrant and bustling city with much to see and do for leisure and business travellers. What better place to debut the Marriott Hotels brand in Nigeria with its thoughtful service and intuitive spaces that enable guests to be inspired during their stay.”
Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja offers 206 guestrooms and 44 suites each with expansive views of the city. The spacious guestrooms are thoughtfully designed with contemporary décor and intuitive in-room amenities.  Natural colours, crisp lines, purposeful lighting and comfortable bedding create an intimate and peaceful space for guests to get into their best headspace for success. Deluxe walk-in showers and spa-like lighting complete the relaxed experience throughout the room.  In line with Marriott Hotels’ newest global design strategy, local accents add a sense of place to the sleek aesthetic. Open workspaces allow for flexibility to connect anytime.
The Greatroom at the heart of the hotel blends modern elements with local touches inspired by Nigeria’s rich heritage and traditional crafts. The multi-use space is designed for guest to socialise, relax and work.
The M Club is an exclusive space reserved for Elite members and Club paying guests and provides complimentary breakfast, evening drinks, hors d’oeuvres and premium beverages throughout the day. The M Club also offers the brand’s signature Mind Menu, a selection of delicious snacks and beverages with active ingredients to enhance mind and body. Accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the M Club provides free Wi-Fi, printing services and power supplies to ensure uninterrupted productivity for business travelers.
Guests can relax in the hotel’s tranquil spa offering rejuvenating and restorative treatments, steam rooms and saunas.  Guests seeking to stay active during their stay can enjoy complimentary fitness classes at the Fitness Center, and make use of the state-of-the-art fitness equipment and outdoor pool.
Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja caters to small and large-scale events with 1,380 square metres of sophisticated event space, including the largest ballroom in Ikeja.  The hotel offers six breakout rooms and nine event rooms. The meeting spaces can be adapted to cater to a variety of event formats and group sizes, with pivotable walls, moveable partitions, soft seating and modular furniture. Ideas are easily captured with tech-savvy tools such as rewritable surfaces, magnetic panels and shared-screen technology to support productivity and collaboration.
The hotel boasts a diverse selection of restaurants offering regional and international cuisine. The Azure Grill Restaurant, with stunning views of the pool terrace, serves a variety of dishes cooked to perfection on an authentic charcoal grill. The WAKAME specializes in Asian-Fusion cuisine originating from China, Japan, Thailand and Northern Indian. The Koriko &#038; Co is an all-day dining buffet restaurant featuring international favourites and live cooking stations.
Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja is located in the heart of Lagos, just 15 minutes from the Murtala Muhammed International airport and a short distance to the third main land bridge providing easy access to the other side of the Ikeja. The hotel is in close proximity to the city’s main attractions, leisure facilities and shopping malls including the Ikeja City Mall. The hotel also shares its area with The Shrine and Motherland &#8211; two globally acclaimed African music entertainment hubs.
“We are exciting to welcome local residents and travellers to our inspiring space and look forward to creating experiences that nurture their creativity,” said Rudi Janse van Rensburg, General Manager, Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja. “Guests at Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja will be able to free themselves of distractions when they step into our hotel, allowing them to focus solely on being the best they can be.”
To celebrate the opening of the Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja, the property launched a special Stay and Dine offer. For details, visit: https://bit.ly/3v8Nz8C.
Guests of the hotel can enroll in Marriott International’s global travel program, Marriott Bonvoy and enjoy more value, more choice and more access across the 30 brands within the portfolio. Existing members can enjoy their member benefits at this exciting new hotel.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Marriott International, Inc..
Media Contact: Chandan.Belani@marriott.com
About Marriott Hotels: With over 580 hotels and resorts in over 65 countries and territories around the world, Marriott Hotels is evolving travel through every aspect of the guest&#39;s stay, helping to relax, clear minds, stimulate new ideas and anticipate travelers’ needs, leaving them inspired to reach their full potential. Boldly transforming itself for mobile and global travelers who blend work and play, Marriott leads the industry with innovations, including the Greatroom lobby and Mobile Guest Services that elevate style &#038; design and technology. To learn more, visit www.MarriottHotels.com. Stay connected to Marriott Hotels on Facebook (https://bit.ly/3u4z30e), @marriott on Twitter (https://bit.ly/3v6yrZl) and @marriotthotels on Instagram (https://bit.ly/3u8nyoq). Marriott Hotels is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments (https://bit.ly/2SUI7rt) and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit www.MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.
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Marriott Hotels Debuts in Nigeria With Opening of Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja

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By James Bayhack

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many customer service departments under immense pressure to meet client expectations while keeping response times low. This is particularly important in competitive industries like eCommerce, travel and hospitality, where customer service is a priority.
To address this challenge, companies must enable their support staff with the right tools and channels to meet and exceed customer expectations.
WhatsApp should be one of these support channels for your business. According to the Global Web Index’s 2020 Social Media User Trends Report (https://bit.ly/3bG5209), Kenya has the highest percentage of monthly WhatsApp users compared to the rest of the world, with an astonishing 97% of internet users who use WhatsApp every month.
WhatsApp is clearly the preferred communication channel for Kenyans – and thanks to WhatsApp Business, your company can access the ultimate platform for conversational customer support.
The basics of the WhatsApp Business API
To help companies learn more about the WhatsApp Business API, CM.com has developed a guide that details best practices, features, use cases and how to integrate it into your customer journey.
 	Click here to download the full guide (https://bit.ly/2QxChLS). 
The WhatsApp Business Solution leverages the popular WhatsApp messaging application to make it easy for businesses and consumers to chat.
Just a year after the launch of WhatsApp Business, five million businesses had already started using it, which is not surprising since WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging service, with around two billion users.
Whether you are a small business looking to engage in intimate communications with your customers, or a large business that wants to send high volumes of support messages and notifications to thousands of customers in one go, WhatsApp Business offers the features and functionality to turbocharge your customer journey.
Smaller businesses can use the WhatsApp Business app for their communication needs, and medium-to-large businesses will need to use the WhatsApp Business API.
The API is designed for organisations that send high volumes of business messages, and it’s easy to integrate into your current customer service platform.
How the WhatsApp Business API can integrate into your customer journey
If you decide to integrate the WhatsApp Business API into your customer service system, there are three key steps that you should take.
1. Map out the customer journey and identify customer pain points
Determine the type of questions you wish to answer using the WhatsApp Business API by identifying friction points in your existing customer journey.
2. Identify top use cases and opportunities
Identify how to transform your pain points into opportunities by building use cases.
3. Choose what use cases to begin with
Decide which use cases offer the highest impact and fastest implementation.
Key functionalities enabled by the WhatsApp Business API
The WhatsApp Business API offers more than just a messaging service; it provides various additional functionalities that can streamline the customer journey.
These include:
Automation – You can integrate automated flows into your WhatsApp Business Solution by leveraging interactive templates that use buttons with pre-defined answers.
Chatbot – You can add a chatbot to your WhatsApp Business Solution that can handle recurring jobs before handing over to a customer support consultant.
This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to harnessing the power of the WhatsApp Business Solution. CM.com’s extensive guide offers a more in-depth look into the WhatsApp Business API and how it can help accelerate your business.
Leading conversational commerce business CM.com (https://bit.ly/3fw04EC) is happy to help you with any questions you may have about implementing the WhatsApp Business API into your customer service system.
Click here to download the full WhatsApp Business API guide (https://bit.ly/2QxChLS).
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CM.com.
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97% of internet users in Kenya use WhatsApp; here’s how businesses can reach them (By James Bayhack)

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.

St. Regis Hotels &#038; Resorts, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, today announced the highly anticipated debut of The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm. Heralding the storied heritage and celebrated traditions of St. Regis, this hotel joins a dynamic global portfolio and brings the brand’s signature hallmarks of bespoke service, innovative design, and exquisite experiences to the world-famous island and cosmopolitan city of Dubai.

A ribbon cutting ceremony marked the debut of The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm, with His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Group; His Excellency Mohammed Al-Shaibani, Chairman of Nakheel; and Satya Anand, President for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Marriott International in attendance. 
“With its spectacular skyline, breathtaking desert landscapes, contemporary architecture, thriving culture and varied entertainment offerings, Dubai is one of the most sought-after destinations for global leisure travellers,” said Sandeep Walia, Area Vice President – United Arab Emirates, Marriott International. “The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm is an exquisite addition to our global portfolio and offers a century-old legacy of uncompromising refinement and bespoke service on Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah.”
“We are delighted to welcome the St. Regis brand to our portfolio of hospitality partners. Palm Jumeirah is firmly established as world-leading destination for living, leisure and tourism, and the opening of The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm brings yet another world-class hospitality offering to the island’s ever-growing list of attractions, including The View, which opened at the top of The Palm Tower last month. With its enviable location, luxury facilities and signature service, the hotel is sure to be a draw for UAE residents and Dubai’s regional and global luminaries,” said Omar Khoory, Chief Assets and Hospitality Officer at Nakheel.
Sophisticated Design and Exceptional Accommodations
Designed to feature the brand’s sophisticated aesthetic, The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm balances local influences with the modern glamour and visionary spirit of St. Regis. Elegant décor and contemporary interiors are accentuated with bespoke elements such as the hotel’s grand staircase, which is embellished with gold detailing that encircles an exquisite chandelier. Inspired by the Arabian palm tree, the chandelier is gilded with shimmering crystals that gracefully illuminate the ground floor of the hotel.
The intimate lobby features plush lounge areas and a tucked-away library lit by an artful fireplace. The corridors and gathering spaces are adorned with a thoughtfully curated art collection featuring contemporary artwork and paintings. The 264 lavishly appointed guestrooms and 26 elegant suites offer luxuriant comfort, exceptional amenities and expansive views of Palm Jumeirah, the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows. The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm features the renowned hallmarks of the St. Regis brand, including St. Regis Butler Service, which allows each guest to customise their stay according to personal tastes and preferences.
Distinctive Culinary Experiences
The hotel is a vibrant lifestyle destination with a diverse selection of restaurants, bars and lounges.  Cordelia sets the tone for a sophisticated evening, offering a variety of flavourful cuisine, including premium cuts of meat and seafood sourced from around the world – expertly prepared and grilled to perfection.
Her by Caroline Astor offers an elegant gathering place to enjoy the brand’s signature Afternoon Tea. The ladies-only venue is an intimate setting and features curated tea pairings and a locally inspired take on this acclaimed St. Regis ritual.  
The iconic St. Regis Bar extends the legacy of the King Cole Bar at the brand’s flagship property at 55th and Fifth Ave. in New York City, where the world-renowned Bloody Mary cocktail was born in 1934. Guests can enjoy The Glitzy Mary, a locally inspired take on the brand’s signature beverage, which features traditional Emirati flavours including date syrup, an aromatic bezaar spice blend, sun-dried lime and earthy saffron. The poolside restaurant, Dip Pool Bar, with scenic views of Dubai’s skyline, is the ideal place to relax and enjoy a light meal.
Honouring a signature tradition at St. Regis properties around the world, The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm marks the transition from day to evening with a celebratory sabering at dusk.
Rejuvenation for the Body and Soul
A luxurious oasis, The St. Regis Spa offers transformative and bespoke signature treatments including the Signature Gold Journey, which uses 24k gold to nourish and strengthen the skin. Guests can work out in the exclusive Fitness Center, featuring a range of cardio and strength equipment, or enjoy a leisurely swim in a choice of two pools, one for families and one for adults. The hotel is also steps away from soft sandy beaches and the soon-to-open St. Regis Beach Club.
A Sophisticated Destination for Bespoke Events
Marking the brand’s legacy of iconic celebrations, The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm boasts an elegant Astor Ballroom, which is brightly lit with natural daylight and features grand sculpted doors, blended silk rugs and a striking chandelier with abstract fluted glass leaves. From intimate events to lavish celebrations and business gatherings alike, the hotel offers choice and flexibility with its six multi-purpose meeting rooms all equipped with state-of-the-art technology. 
“We are delighted to have opened the doors of The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm and look forward to inviting guests to enjoy our rituals and traditions, alongside exceptional luxury and anticipatory service,” said Marwan Fadel, General Manager, The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm.
The City’s Finest Address 
The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm occupies the first 18 floors of The Palm Tower, a stunning new 52-story landmark development connected to the Nakheel Mall which offers world class shopping, a variety of culinary venues and entertainment options.   Guests can also access the Palm Monorail from the mall for a scenic route to the landmarks of Palm Jumeirah. On the 52nd floor of the tower, The View at The Palm is an exclusive observation deck that rests 240 metres above the iconic island and offers sweeping, 360-degree views of Palm Jumeirah, the Arabian Gulf and the city skyline, as well as an interactive experience showcasing the history and creativity behind the island. The hotel is also a three-minute drive to The Pointe, an iconic waterfront destination, with restaurants, shops, and the world’s largest fountain measuring 7,327 square metres.  
For more information, please visit www.StRegisDubaiThePalm.com.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Marriott International, Inc..
For media inquiries, please contact: Tamara Youssef E: tamarayoussef@sevenmedia.ae M: 052 110 4996
The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm Social Media Handles: Instagram: @StRegisDubaiThePalm (https://bit.ly/2S81YDo) Facebook: @StRegisDubaiThePalm (https://bit.ly/3fuGJnb) Twitter: @StRegisDXBPalm (https://bit.ly/3421Jw5) LinkedIn: @StRegisDubaiThePalm (https://bit.ly/340KKdC)
About Marriott International, Inc.: Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,600 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 133 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy™, its highly-awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.Marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.
About St. Regis Hotels &#038; Resorts: Combining classic sophistication with a modern sensibility, St. Regis Hotels &#038; Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc., is committed to delivering exceptional experiences at more than 45 luxury hotels and resorts in the best addresses around the world. Since the opening of the first St. Regis hotel in New York City over a century ago by John Jacob Astor IV, the brand has remained committed to an uncompromising level of bespoke and anticipatory service for all of its guests, delivered flawlessly by signature St. Regis Butler Service. For more information and new openings, visit StRegis.com or follow Twitter (https://bit.ly/3owlhCe), Instagram (https://bit.ly/2RwZuhO) and Facebook (https://bit.ly/33ZIzXL). St. Regis is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments (www.Moments.MarriottBonvoy.com) and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.Marriott.com.
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St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Makes Glamorous Debut on Dubai’s Iconic Palm Jumeirah Island

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.
This is LIVE video.
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/O2KLsudXsqA?info=BmRSOABmBT1TKFEgUGsDZwBlVm1QJwcmVCBbZlAhXX4CD1JzAz4AZQdhViQDbAZ3UGoCMVFpB2hWIQEyVzIAYFZnC3pXZFw+US4HYANnXnYGNVI7AG4FN1NkUWlQYQNmAHdWbFB2B29UbFs9UHFdbwI+UmMDCAB8B21WawMyBiZQawJzUWoHY1Y6ATpXIABgVmYLZVdlXCZRMwdnA3peZAY1UiIAZQU3U2lRY1BmA2wAZVZnUCcHblQp
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
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Video News Release: Weekly Press Briefing on the Coronavirus Disease Outbreak

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.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
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Weekly Press Briefing on the Coronavirus Disease Outbreak

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.

Raha Limited (www.Raha.co.tz) today announces the first multi-tenanted Azure Stack deployment in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Availability of Azure Stack hub will enable businesses in the region access to cloud solutions that meet the local data regulatory requirements and efficiently run latency-sensitive business applications.

This investment showcases Raha Limited’s commitment to accelerate digital transformation in Tanzania by empowering businesses with a cloud solution that meets its regulatory demands. Additionally, the offering is highly secure, reduces latency, and enables real-time business continuity with flexible adoption models.
According to Reuben Lucas, Acting CEO Raha Limited, “The demand for Cloud migration has been growing steadily in Tanzania and, our expertise in the ICT space helps us partner with local businesses as they digitally transform. The deployment of Azure Stack in the country is yet another milestone achieved as we continue to help foster stronger economic and technological advancement as never seen before in Tanzania”.
Adil El Youssefi, Regional CEO of Liquid Telecom East Africa, said, “The investment into opening the first multi-tenanted Azure Stack hub in Tanzania and the Azure Stack hub deployed in Kenya last year are strategic moves that emphasise our commitment to our customers. Our customers in the EAR borders can rest assured that their IT environments are supported and secure round the clock”.
Raha Limited is taking the centre-stage to drive Tanzania’s digital transformation with our complete managed Cloud offering on Azure and Azure Stack. This is backed by our extensive and resilient fibre infrastructure across the continent. With each milestone, the organisation continues to foster economic and technological advancement in the country and the East Africa region at large. 
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Raha Limited.
For more information please contact: Angela Chandy angela.chandy@liquid.tech
About Raha Limited: Raha is Tanzania’s leading Internet Service Provider. For over 17 years, the organisation has provided fast, reliable, high tech, and most importantly value-driven connectivity to homes, businesses, and organisations. Raha today serves over 1500 businesses and a growing number of retail customers with a range of connectivity solutions, including fibre, satellite, WiMAX, and Wi-Fi. https://bit.ly/3hFwejK
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Raha Limited unveils Azure Stack in Tanzania

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“One of the major obstacles that prevent people from exploring opportunities in online trading are concerns about the security and safety of personal funds and data. Rightly so, as stories of online trading scams have been on the rise since the onset of COVID-19”, says Dany Mawas, regional director at INFINOX (www.INFINOX.com), a leading global CFD trading broker which recently launched its IX Social mobile app in Africa.

“Unfortunately many people that fall victim to trading scams are beginner traders, elderly or those struggling financially,” he adds.
To prevent this from happening, Mawas outlines a checklist that will help prospective traders not to fall victim to scammers:
Do your research: As a new investor, trying to find the ideal broker can be a daunting task. Doing generic internet searches, reading over customer reviews, and media reports will give you a better sense of the broker you are dealing with as well as insights from other clients.
Ensure the broker is regulated: Brokers are required to register with a regulator in the countries they operate. As such, it is vital to ensure that the broker you choose is regulated with an authority. Examples of respected regulatory bodies include South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) or the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Check the brokers website: Another plus side about the broker being regulated is that they have to be transparent to ensure that traders can make the most informed decisions. One such method is by making it clear, as a percentage level, the amount of traders that have lost money with that broker.
It is also important to check that the broker has a physical address listed. Although brokers run their businesses online, including a physical location is an indication of their commitment to their business, their teams, and ultimately to their clients.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is: Be wary of brokers where it is too easy to open an account, too easy to deposit, too easy to trade, and too easy to make money.
Be vigilant on social media: A recent TradeForexSA report (https://bit.ly/3fzK6cj) uncovered scams that use social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to seek out their victims. TradeForexSA’s report suggests that 50 percent of scams find their victims on social media platforms. As such, it is vital to ensure that any entity found on social media is regulated.
Are there protective measures in place:  Withdrawal and deposits are one of the most important aspects of a broker. You should be able to perform these actions simply and safely. Generally, the scammers follow the same patterns of high minimum deposits, and low withdrawal limits. 
However, traders should be able to deposit and withdraw funds easily via a client portal. This comes by brokers partnering with trusted payment providers with low fees and fast transactions. Being able to access your funds at any point you choose is vital.
It’s also important that client funds are segregated from operational funds and other forms of investment. Furthermore, brokers should have an insurance policy in place to protect their clients.
Africa is fast becoming one of the primary destinations for traders of all financial assets, says Mawas. “As such, it is essential for traders to be wary of online trading scams and ensure they remain vigilant and do not fall victim,” he concludes.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of INFINOX Capital.
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We are committed to providing our clients with outstanding service, and offer a dedicated multi-lingual support team that’s available 24 hours a day 5 days a week. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced trader, INFINOX provides the relevant tools to help you get started and improve your trading strategies. We offer instant funding options and the ability to withdraw your money swiftly.
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Do not fall victim to online trading scams

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Mauro Schmid only find out two weeks prior to the announcement of the Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) squad for the 2021 Giro d’Italia that he was one of the eight riders selected. The 21-year-old, in his first year as a professional, in fact a year ago was uncertain that he’d be able to find a team to take the step up into the professional ranks.

In Montalcino, at the finish of stage 11, the man from Zurich announced himself to the world with a stunning display to win the “Strade Bianche” stage of the 104th Giro d’Italia.
He looked a rider born for the big stage, although just the day prior to his victory, on the first rest of the opportunity of the race, he shed some light on how his debut race had been going.
“The Giro has definitely not been easy,” he said at the team hotel in Perugia. “It’s hard to get a feeling for it and I wasn’t sure what to expect from it. I’ve had a few difficult moments in these first 10 stages so far but now I’m starting to feel better and I hope that I will have two big weeks now.”
On to stage 11 then where he made his move early in the day’s breakaway of 11 riders which included teammate Bert-Jan Lindeman, who drove the pace to ensure the gap to the General Classification riders was big enough for the breakaway to go to the line.
In a stunning finish, Schmid eventually beat Alessandro Covi in the uphill sprint for the line in Montalcino. Behind him in the Tuscan dust, the race’s general classification riders were doing battle while Schmid collapsed, shell-shocked at what he’d just done.
In an instant, his life changed forever as he became a Grand Tour stage-winner in his first-ever Grand Tour.
“Honestly, I was thinking about winning from the start because this is what motivates me. I had concerns – a lot of them during the race – I was thinking about what Giacomo and Victor told me: “second or third place? nobody thinks about that, it’s only the win that counts” and this was my mentality today and in the end I was lucky that the plan was good,” he said on arriving at the team hotel following the podium ceremony and media duties.
“I honestly couldn’t feel anything, I was exhausted but also emotionally I couldn’t believe that I won when I crossed the line. This time last year I was hoping to get a contract but my chances were not very good and I signed quite late in the season. Then at the beginning of the season I wasn’t thinking about doing a Grand Tour or a big race and now I just won a stage at the Giro – it is amazing.
&#8220;We have a great spirit in this team. Everybody works incredibly hard for each other but we ride for a greater cause in the belief that bicycles change lives. This means a lot to me, I could feel the energy in the team during this Giro &#8211; through the bad times and the good times &#8211; and this purpose definitely played a huge role in helping me win the stage today.&#8221;
 	Please see the the following link for a short video, here (https://bit.ly/3ynDXbT). 	For further statistics on Mauro Schmid, you can visit his profile on ProCyclingStats, here (https://bit.ly/3hBl6nT). 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 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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Mauro Schmid: This Race Can Change Your Life

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Total daily tests: 473 New confirmed cases: 5 Cumulative confirmed cases: 18,530 Active cases: 50 Recoveries: 17,808 (2 new) Currently admitted: 12 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 (19 May 2021)

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Total cases: 26,424 (+80) Recovered: 24,808 (+0) | 93.8% Active cases: 1,268 In critical condition: 1 Tests: 1,385,943 (+5,140) Test positivity rate: 1.5% Vaccinated: 350,400  Deaths: 348 (+2) | 1.3%
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda.
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Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (19 May 2021)

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Mauro Schmid stormed to victory on stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia, claiming the first professional win of his career and Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) first win at this year’s Giro d’Italia.

The young Swiss rider (21), who was drafted into our Giro team two weeks before the Grande Partenza, got into the early break of the day with fellow teammate Bert-Jan Lindeman, along with 10 other riders.
It was to be a very special stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia as the 162km route through the Tuscan countryside included 4 gravel sectors, totaling more than 35km inside the final 70km of the stage.
Both Lindeman and Schmid were part of our team that raced the Strade Bianche earlier this year, and were able to draw on their experience of having trained and raced on the white roads already this year. Lindeman had in fact also stayed on after Strade Bianche this year to recon this Giro stage, information which proved invaluable for him and Schmid in the break.
Lindeman did a fine job to drive the break along with his younger teammate, as the gap to peloton maxed out at 14-minutes. It soon became clear that the stage victor would come from the breakaway.
The gravel sectors whittled the front group down as expected, but Schmid certainly looked like one of the more comfortable riders on the slippery sandy surfaces. Schmid excited the final gravel sector with just 2 other riders on his wheel and 9km remaining in the race.
A final cat 3 climb into Montalcino left Schmid to battle it out with Alessandro Covi (UAE-Emirates) for the stage win. With a strong track pedigree behind him, Schmid took the sprint on from the front and Covi was unable to match his turn of speed over the final 200m.
Mauro Schmid
I can’t believe it, it’s my first international win and I would never have expected it to be at a grand tour. I was not even expecting to do a Grand Tour this year, but the team believed in me and I got the chance to do the Giro. It’s an amazing race and it means a lot to me.
I started with mountain bike racing when I was younger, and cyclocross and now I also do track. I will go to the Olympics this year. The technical skills from cycle cross and the power from the track have helped me to develop as a rider.
We ride for a bigger cause; we ride for bicycles to change lives. We ride for a charity, but everything in our team is high performance. We have a great team spirit. For me, bicycles mean freedom, it means happiness. And that’s why we ride, that’s the reason.
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 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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Schmid soars to maiden WorldTour win for Team Qhubeka ASSOS

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With support from the European Union (EU), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have partnered to help improve food security and nutrition for vulnerable communities, including migrants, affected by COVID-19 in Libya.

This partnership comes as part of a broader EU project, “Protecting most vulnerable populations from the COVID-19 pandemic in Libya”. As part of this €20 million programme funded by the EU, IOM and WFP are providing ready-to-eat food assistance to vulnerable migrants living in urban areas, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and host communities who have lost their livelihoods due to COVID-19.
There are around 700,000 people in Libya who are in need of food and livelihood assistance, including 123,000 migrants and 76,000 displaced persons, according to the Libya Food Security Sector, co-led by WFP.
More than a year into the pandemic, the situation for vulnerable populations in the country continues to be particularly alarming as they remain at higher risk of contracting the virus, due to the socio-economic impacts that deprived them of livelihoods.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has severely aggravated the already difficult living conditions of many people in Libya – both Libyans who had been affected by conflict and the many migrants in the country, as well as their host communities. Providing food and most basic support to these most vulnerable people is an important aspect of our partnership with Libya in responding to the global coronavirus crisis,” said EU Ambassador to Libya José Sabadell.
“This assistance comes at a critical point for many vulnerable migrants who have been impacted by both the increased prices of essential commodities, including food, and limited or loss of income due to the lack of employment opportunities,” said IOM Libya Chief of Mission Federico Soda.
“Since the beginning of 2021, when the Libyan government introduced a new unified exchange rate, migrants’ living conditions have become increasingly challenging as the prices of some imported goods such as vegetable oil and milk has increased by 60 percent.”
Cost and affordability of food and other core items remain the main obstacle for migrants in Libya, the latest IOM-DTM Migrant Report found, while many of them have poor or borderline food consumption, which is a precondition for a weaker immune system. A joint IOM-WFP assessment is currently ongoing to shed more light on the food security status of migrants in Libya.
“We are grateful for the EU’s strong partnership and commitment to supporting the most vulnerable migrants in Libya who simply cannot afford to meet their basic food needs,” said WFP Representative and Country Director in Libya Rawad Halabi. “As soaring prices push a basic meal beyond the reach of many, a coordinated response is required now more than ever to prevent an alarming deterioration in food security and stop people sinking deeper into poverty and hunger.”
During the two-year-long project, IOM’s Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism (MRRM) mobile teams will provide emergency food assistance kits, supplied by WFP, to vulnerable migrants in Algatroun, Bani Waleed, Benghazi, Ghat, Sabha, Tripoli and Zwara.
Food kits contain essential ready-to-eat items such as canned beans, tuna, and halawa that will last over a month.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).

IOM-WFP Partner to Improve Food Security for Vulnerable Communities in Libya with EU Support

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Nearly half of the population &#8211; 47 percent &#8211; suffers from high and surging acute food insecurity in the Central African Republic as the country reels from the impacts of ongoing conflict and COVID-19, and braces for another harsh May-August lean season, warn the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

This means over 2.2 million people &#8211; most of them living in rural areas &#8211; face severe levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between April and August and need urgent support to avert the loss of lives and livelihoods, finds the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released today.
One third of the population (over 1.6 million people) are in a Crisis situation (IPC Phase 3) &#8211; meaning, they may skip meals entirely or sell what little they own to buy food; and, more than one tenth (over 630 000 people) are in an Emergency situation (IPC Phase 4) &#8211; meaning, they may sell their last animal or last source of livelihood, pull their children out of school, or resort to begging.
&#8220;The people of the Central African Republic have been bearing the brunt of conflict for a decade, and food insecurity has been on the rise for the past years. Yet, never before has the food insecurity outlook been so dire. COVID-19 is keeping borders and markets closed or restricted, hampering the flow of food and driving its price up. Soon, the lean season will set in and rains will make the country&#39;s dirt roads unusable. Delivering food, seeds for planting, and other essential supplies is only going to get tougher. It&#39;s critical that we act fast,&#8221; said Perpetua Katepa-Kalala, FAO Representative in the Central African Republic.
In the Central African Republic, the lean season (May-August) coincides with the main crop and vegetable growing season, and is the season when food is typically scarce before the harvest comes in.
&#8220;We need to break the vicious cycle of conflict and hunger in the Central African Republic. Never before have we seen so many people pushed right to the edge of survival &#8211; more than half a million people are one step away from famine. We urgently need to act now to save lives before it&#39;s too late,&#8221; said Aline Rumonge, WFP Deputy Country Director in the country.
A forgotten crisis that can no longer be ignored
Acute food insecurity has risen due to the impacts of renewed violence last December that occurred on the fringes of the presidential and legislative elections, sparking active fighting that spread across the country and cut off main transport corridors effectively blockading the capital Bangui and cutting off vital supply routes in the landlocked country, driving thousands from their homes. This latest uptick in violence comes after an almost decade-long conflict that has disrupted lives and livelihoods, uprooting over 740 000 people. Last year also saw a low output in terms of local food production.
This has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic that has kept food prices high &#8211; the price of cassava rose by up to 60 percent between November 2020 and January 2021, for example. People&#39;s movements and trade were also limited, and families were pushed to the brink as they struggled to keep their jobs and incomes.
In addition, the blocking of the Bouar-Garoua Boulai corridor near the Cameroonian border by armed groups at the end of last year disrupted the supply of vital goods and humanitarian services for several months.
FAO and WFP are concerned that insecurity will continue blocking much needed assistance reaching those in need and call for unhindered access to populations who so desperately rely on humanitarian assistance to survive.
FAO&#39;s and WFP&#39;s response in 2021
FAO needs USD 31.5 million to assist 970 000 vulnerable people in 2021 with life-saving support. FAO will distribute seeds and tools to help farmers make the most of the coming agricultural season; roll out a cash assistance programme; provide training in drought-resilient farming strategies and post-harvest loss reduction; and carry out vaccination campaigns to keep poultry, goats and sheep alive and support livestock production.
WFP needs USD 54.9 million through September 2021 to continue providing life-saving food and nutrition assistance to almost a million crisis-affected people in the country. Without new commitments, WFP will not have enough resources to respond to the increased needs and may be forced to reduce food rations or significantly scale down the number of people targeted for assistance in an already tense and volatile context.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
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Half of the population in the Central African Republic in the grip of dire food insecurity emergency, UN warns

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The Government of Japan has approved a total of US$ 833,000 toward strengthening Libya’s preparedness for the COVID-19 vaccination programme, especially with regard to the procurement of cold chain equipment, Ultracold Chain, and institutional capacity development of health staff.

“The Government of Japan is pleased to continue its partnership with UNICEF particularly in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. With the purpose of vaccinating 1.5 million people, the project will support approximately 200 facilities and 1,000 health officials and health care staff “, said Masaki Amadera, Charge d&#39;Affaires in the Embassy of Japan in Libya.
The Libya national deployment and vaccination plan for the COVID-19 vaccine has been developed under the guidance of the National Coordination Committee in close coordination with the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group, the Ministry of Health, and the National Centre for Diseases Control in partnership with WHO, UNICEF, IOM, and UNHCR.
The contribution will ensure the procurement of CCE’s, including cold rooms and refrigerators, provide logistical support for installation of CCE, strengthen the capacity of government staff including technicians on operation and maintenance of CCE, strengthen the capacity of health care facility staff on use and monitoring of CCE and vaccines, and support the government’s vaccine management with coordination and consultation, data collection and analysis and/or policy and regulatory formulation.
In expressing UNICEF’s appreciation for the support, the UNICEF Special Representative for Libya, Abdulkadir Musse, stated “UNICEF thanks the people and Government of Japan for the funding as it will ensure the procurement and proper installation of Cold Chain Equipment at national, municipal and health facility levels, as well as the proper storage of vaccines for complete efficacy and a wider reach,” he added. “As the delivery of the vaccines continues into Libya, together with our partners we will ensure no person is left behind.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Coronavirus – Libya: Japan supports Libya’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout

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By Amina Ali, International Energy Fellow, African Energy Chamber (https://EnergyChamber.org)

As Southern Africa’s leading economy, South Africa should evaluate the development of gas-to-power projects to address climate change, increase its power generating capacity, and stop load shedding, which represented an estimated loss to the South African economy of R338 billion over the last ten years, according to Business Tech. Such power projects could be fuelled by liquified natural gas (&#8220;LNG&#8221;) considering sub-Saharan Africa&#39;s significant natural gas resources, which remain underexploited. Such projects could be the key to transformative change, by making available reliable energy for growth and industrialisation at affordable rates, something that South Africa has been looking for a long time.

However, this will not be an easy task as South Africa&#39;s demand for affordable and reliable energy is expected to multiply multiple fold, considering its relatively young population, standing at a median age of 27.6 years and rising urbanisation. The South African government needs to elaborate energy plans for the next 50 years to keep the economy growing and meet the anticipated growth in demand. If that does not happen, South Africa will not only fail to stop load shedding, but the system may deteriorate under the weight of ever rising demand, leading to longer blackouts.

In his book Billions at Play, Mr. Ayuk describes Qatar, Equatorial Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago as an excellent example for the rest of the continent as they have &#8220;demonstrated a leadership position on the importance of utilizing its natural resources for the benefit of its people and neighbours. Its use of natural gas for LNG exports, for gas-to-power facilities, for compressed natural gas, and further down the road&#8230;provides a reference point for the rest of the continent&#8221;. This could serve as a &#8220;template for how African countries holding a wealth of natural gas can share their resources and work with their African neighbours on building gas import infrastructure.&#8221; Following that example, and others in the continent, South Africa could also look at LNG as an essential source to drive its economic growth. 

Gas to power can help South Africa reduce imports, grow exports, expand access to electricity, improve its economy, and fund social development. 

Load-shedding concerns.

South Africa has mainly utilized coal power plants as its primary energy source; however, meeting the supply has been challenging to the government as the demand for energy increases. Regularly scheduled mandatory load shedding started in 2007 to allow maintenance periods of power generators and recovery of coal stockpiles before the winter when electricity usage surges. It has been 13 years of the same problem with no practical solution on sight. 

According to a Public Servants Association (PSA) document published in 2015, South Africa&#39;s grid has inadequate capacity to operate within reasonable operating buffers due to overworking of aging power stations, triggering failures, and sparking load-shedding. The roots of the crisis lie in insufficient investment in new generation capacity. 

What is the country doing?

With the introduction of load shedding in 2007, the government took swift action by announcing a costly overhaul of two power plants, Kusile and Medupi, which were meant to become fully operational by 2015; however, the construction was set back by spiralling costs, delays, and corruption scandals. Eskom informed the public, that the first unit of the Kusile power station was connected to the national grid in 2016, adding 800MW to stabilize the power system. Kusile unit 2 achieved commercial operation on 29 October 2020 and  Unit 3 in March 2021, while Medupi Unit 1 will achieve commercial operation by July 2021. According to Eskom, Medupi Unit 3 reached its full generation capacity (793MW) in April 2020. The unit has completed seven consecutive months of improved performance since.




The government launched the Integrated Resource Plan for electricity (&#8220;IRP&#8221;) in 2010, which was later replaced by an updated version in 2019. The IRP 2019 proposes to add 39 696MW by 2030 to the national grid, including power generation by independent power producers (&#8220;IPPs&#8221;). In such regard, the government launched the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (&#8220;IPPPP&#8221;) and the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (&#8220;REIPPP&#8221;), with the target of producing 17 800MW by 2030. The REIPPP has procured projects from four bidding rounds, with the much-expected fifth-round launched in April this year. 

Furthermore, under renewables, the government has also been exploring generating electricity using solar energy, which also falls under the REIPPP. According to government&#39;s information, the program aims to bring additional MWs onto the country&#39;s electricity system through private sector investment in wind, biomass, and small hydro, among others. However, as much as it serves as a tool to bring additional megawatts onto the country&#39;s electricity system, it is unlikely to be the silver bullet, as photovoltaic devices die out after 20 years, need to be replaced and require a backup energy source for the grid.

Furthermore, The Department of Mineral Resources launched the Risk Mitigation IPP Procurement Programme (&#8220;RMIPPPP&#8221;) in August 2020 to procure 2000MW of new generation capacity and connect to the grid as fast as possible. The RMIPPPP was a success as there were eight successful bidders, including three contracts awarded to Karpowership, a subsidiary of Turkey&#39;s Karadeniz Energy Group, to supply power ships in the ports of Richard Bay, Saldanha, and Coega, under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement. Energy will be produced from these powerships from LNG. Per Business Insider South Africa, the powerships, will feed energy back into the grid at a cheaper cost than Eskom&#39;s current diesel-burn rate and produce a total of 1,220 MW across all three ports. While not optimal due to the length of the contracts, the power ships can reduce load shedding in the short term, giving the government some time to develop the gas industry trade and the option to explore or build regasification plants to boost its energy industry.

LNG-to-power can help South Africa meet its growing demand.

The aim of transitioning to LNG-to-power is to change our old way of generating electricity and change together with the rest of the world as we transition to a cleaner way of generating electricity. 

LNG-to-power could be used in South Africa to generate cheaper, reliable electricity. As an abundant energy resource, natural gas may meet the demand for electricity of the growing population in the country. Natural gas can be used to generate electricity, as fuel for industrial processes, for heating, and as a raw material to produce chemicals, fertilizer, and hydrogen. It can also be used in the residential, commercial, and transport sectors in several applications. 

LNG is the cleanest fossil fuel in the context of energy transition, it represents an excellent alternative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help combat global warming. As reported by ‘Elengy’- an LNG expert company, the combustion of natural gas does not emit soot, dust or fumes. It generates 30% less carbon dioxide (CO2) than fuel oil and 45% less than coal, with a twofold reduction in nitrogen oxide (N0x) emissions and almost no environmentally-damaging sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions.

By way of comparison, a thermal power plant fuelled by natural gas rather than coal is associated with:
 	an 81% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2), 	an 8% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx), 	a 100% reduction in sulphur (SO2) and fine particle emissions. 
The lower impact of natural gas on the environment is such that if coal-fired power plants were replaced by thermal power plants fuelled by natural gas, the CO2 emissions of the European energy sector would be cut by 60%, and 20% on a global scale.




GreenCity Times stated that in the United States, over 30% of natural gas is generated using advanced combined cycle gas generation; and that share of the U.S. gas market for the lower cost, higher efficiency gas combined cycle plants is increasing. The United States actually has reduced its Green House Gas’s (GHGs) back to 1996 levels, or by more than 12%. Much of the credit for that accomplishment has been attributed to a significant shift from coal to natural gas to power major U.S. electrical utilities. Coal has fallen from supplying over 50%

of U.S. total energy output at the turn of the century, to under 30%. Natural gas has increased from 15% to over 30% of overall United States energy production in that same time period. Because natural gas burns cleaner than coal, this shift to more gas than coal combustion for U.S. energy has without a doubt been a factor in the reduction of carbon being pumped into the atmosphere.

According to an article published by Econometrix (an independent economic consultancy in South Africa), states that South Africa has a high value domestic energy market currently dominated by base load coal (80%) with limited diesel peaking. Any gas development is likely to comprise onshore and offshore components and would consist of three phases of development activities: construction, operation and decommissioning.

The South African government should focus on developing gas-to-power projects, especially considering the recent Brulpadda and Luiperd gas discoveries. According to Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, the discoveries of gas condensate fields during 2019 and 2020 are significant, and they have the potential to expedite the government&#39;s much-touted energy transformation. While studies are still being conducted, early estimates are that the two gas fields may hold over 1 billion barrels of gas condensate each. If these estimates are accurate, these discoveries would be huge for South Africa as a non-producing country heavily reliant on oil and gas imports. 

What needs to be considered when recommendations are made about gas-to-power is the potential it holds for poverty alleviation, reducing levels of unemployment and raising standards of living. Producing electricity at the lowest, efficient, cost-effective price with security of supply is the single biggest employment-generating decision policy-makers can make. Cheaper ways of buying electricity for the man on the side of the road means that he has extra savings left at the end of the month. That way there is  more disposable income to fund education, to buy food and to start a business. It is in South Africa’s best interest to develop its gas industry and reach the government&#39;s much-acclaimed energy transformation from coal to a lower carbon emission source. With gas-to-power, the country can convert the country&#39;s aging diesel and coal-fired power stations to gas plants and reduce greenhouse emissions. 

Post-Covid-19 will see a more robust influence on the global energy market and the phase of transition. Decarbonization will shift the energy mix at an expeditious pace and is expected to place gas ahead of coal by 2030 to become the world&#39;s number two fuel, with oil remaining in the top position.

Where is the LNG coming from?

Among the magnificent discoveries over the past decade is Mozambique&#39;s natural gas, estimated at over 180 tcf (trillion cubic feet), which has already unlocked the first three large-scale LNG projects. Together with project expansion phases and additional exploration, these projects can position Mozambique as the third-largest global LNG producer after Qatar and Australia by 2030. 

Natural gas is becoming more significant to the region&#39;s energy sector as Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania develop natural gas fields in their respective countries.

Being a neighbor to Mozambique, South Africa is perfectly positioned to transport LNG as the country&#39;s short shipping distances from Mozambique to the Durban basin will help favourable delivery prices. In an article by Charne Hundermark, she highlights how South Africa may receive the LNG by developing a cross-border pipeline – the African Renaissance Pipeline Project – which aims to connect Mozambique&#39;s massive reserves with South Africa&#39;s growing energy demand. The pipeline will offer a direct export link to South Africa, capitalizing on the country&#39;s demand and providing sub-pipelines to branch off of the main one and connect to other countries, such as Zambia Zimbabwe.



The SADC region contains 9.2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven natural gas reserves. The majority of the proven reserves are located in Angola (11 Tcf), Mozambique (100 Tcf), Namibia (2.2 Tcf), Tanzania, with 57.5 Trillion cubic feet (Tcf) and DRC (0.04 Tcf). Overall, the region contains approximately 1.9 percent of Africa&#39;s natural gas reserves. Several projects are underway to expand utilization of natural gas in the region. Energy Ministers approved in 2018 the development of the SADC Regional Master Plan covering evaluation of the available gas resources and existing markets, gas utilization strategy, supply and demand analysis.

Mozambique and Tanzania gas resources, in particular, are well-positioned for cross-boundary development of gas pipeline infrastructure. Gas demand in the region must be serviced from regional gas resources to increase the opportunity for intra-African trade and economic collaboration. While the infrastructure for the transport of LNG is currently unavailable, its commissioning is the safest and easiest way to transport the natural gas once in place.

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges facing LNG projects in the continent is the lack of established infrastructure and logistics. According to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, the limited transmission and distribution infrastructure for gas and the relatively limited availability of gas are responsible for a slow uptake in South Africa. Additionally, South Africa needs to develop the energy industry to boost the economy and eliminate energy poverty/insecurity by developing gas to power infrastructure.

&#39;Efora Energy Limited&#39; formerly known as &#39;SacOil&#39; touted an R90 billion project in 2016 aiming to deliver gas to Johannesburg and the nearby towns by 2020. The aim was to promote a 2,600 kilometre, large-diameter natural gas pipeline from the Rovuma basin in northern Mozambique to Gauteng Province, which would have been a step in the right direction. Apart from unknown delays, Efora Energy&#39;s CEO believes this initiative will improve Africa&#39;s energy infrastructure landscape, support economic growth, increase the international competitiveness of southern African economies, create jobs, and improve living standards. Such projects, if realised will be a step in the right direction

Currently, the regulatory environment around the Petroleum Pipelines Act 2003 and the Petroleum Products Act 1977 has some rising issues under the South African legislation. The extent to which third-party access is required in regasification facilities and related infrastructure is essential, regardless of which party develops and operates these assets. This could serve as a hindering factor for the &#39;gas-to-power chain or if the government is to venture into &#39;gas-to-power. It will be imperative to clarify whether LNG regasification will be considered &#39;produced&#39; under the Petroleum Products Act. The delay in implementing such a law could take time and could cause wide uncertainty amongst potential developers and lenders alike if not clarified.

Gas must play an important role in the energy mix going forward if South Africa is to meet its economic, political and social objectives of reducing poverty, reducing inequality and raising the standard of living of all its citizens. The global transition to cleaner energy, coupled with the oversupply of fossil fuels, price volatility, and cost pressure, have made private and public sector oil and gas players rethink their business strategies. It is in the country&#39;s best interest to step up and jump in the moving train towards increased natural gas use.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Media files

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