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

Out of these, fourteen patients are from Quarantine Centers in Adibara (13), and Agordat (1), Gash Barka Region.  Four other patients are from the Quarantine Center in Mendefera, Southern Region.  The last patient is from a Quarantine Center in Asmara, Central Region.
On the other hand, thirty patients who have been receiving medical treatment in hospitals in the Southern Region have recovered fully and have been discharged from these facilities.
The total number of recovered patients has accordingly risen to 3196 while the number of deaths stands at ten.
The total number of confirmed cases in the country to-date has increased to 3466.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea. Media files

Coronavirus – Eritrea: Announcement from the Ministry of Health (12 April 2021)

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New cases: 32 Cumulative confirmed cases: 33,859 Active cases: 1,021 Total recovered: 31,572 (93 new) Currently admitted in treatment units: 21 (4 new) New discharges from treatment units: 0 Total tests conducted: 224,636 (672 new) Total deaths: 1,132 (4 new) Total vaccinated to date: 212,615 (3,262 new)
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Population, Republic of Malawi. Media files

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (12 April 2021)

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The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ján Kubiš, extends his heartfelt congratulations to the Libyan people on the advent of the holy month of Ramadan.

&#8220;This year, Libyans celebrate Ramadan without fear of war and destruction, without the sound of the guns. They can celebrate this holy month in peace and with the hope to move past their differences and work together to building a unified, sovereign, democratic and prosperous state. This is a month of patience, of forgiveness, it is also a month of peace, stability and tolerance. I wish all Libyans a blessed and a happy Ramadan and I hope that this occasion offers an opportunity to finally achieve national reconciliation and transitional justice,” said the Special Envoy.
Special Envoy Kubiš commends recent initiatives of releasing civilian and non-civilian detainees by various parties in eastern and western Libya. He called on all parties to act in the spirit of this holy month and release all detainees, especially those arbitrary detained in a gesture of goodwill and to open a new chapter in the history of Libya, building on the current popular momentum in the country.
“In this month of compassion and humanity please do not forget the suffering and misery of many displaced, imprisoned, detained and deprived Libyans, but also of foreign refugees, migrants and detainees, that often barely survive in unbearable conditions,” the Special Envoy stressed.
The Special Envoy also reiterates his calls on Libyan authorities to work together to enhance the provision of services to the Libyan people, unify national institutions and to consolidate their efforts to achieve the Libyans’ demand of holding national elections on 24 December of this year.
Ramadan Mubarak!
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for Libya congratulates the Libyan People on the Advent of the Holy Month of Ramadan

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Daily: Laboratory test: 7,709 Severe cases: 983 New recovered: 1,347 New deaths: 34 New cases: 1,948

Total: Laboratory test: 2,453,287 Active cases: 55,754 Total recovered: 171,980 Total deaths: 3,208 Total cases: 230,944
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Media files

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (12 April 2021)

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Newly confirmed cases: 260 Recoveries: 81 Active cases: 1480 Deaths: 5
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Social Services, Namibia. Media files

Coronavirus – Namibia: COVID-19 update (12 April 2021)

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Tests conducted: 10,154,978 Positive cases identified: 1,559,113 Total recoveries: 1,484,356 Total deaths: 53,356 New cases: 655
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa, Department of Health. Media files

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (12 April 2021)

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486 people have tested positive to the disease, from a sample size of 2,989. Our positivity rate is at 16.3%. Total confirmed positive cases are now 146,156 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,564,827.

Nairobi has 349 new cases, Kiambu 21, Uasin Gishu 21, Mombasa 17, Kilifi 16, Kajiado 14, Machakos 12, Nakuru 11, Kwale 5, Kericho 4, Kirinyaga 2, Kitui 2, Nyeri 2, Mandera 1, Murang’a 1, Samburu 1, Siaya 1, Kisumu 1, Taita Taveta 1, Turkana 1, Bomet 1, Busia 1 &#038;Elgeyo Marakwet 1.

115 patients have recovered from the disease, 61 from various health facilities, &#038; 54 from Home Based &#038; Isolation Care. Total recoveries now stand at 99,210. Cumulative discharges are 72,115 from Home Based Care &#038; Isolation &#038; 27,095 are from various health facilities.

20 deaths have been reported; 2 occurred in the last 24 hours, 5 within the last one month &#038; 13 being late death reports from facility record audits. This now pushes our cumulative fatalities to 2,368.

New deaths by age; 0-9 years (1), 10-19 years (1), 20-29 (0), 30-39 years (2), 40-49 years (1), 50-59 years (5), 60 years and above (10). Cumulative deaths by age; 0-9 years (46), 10-19 years (18), 20-29 (95), 30-39 years (212), 40-49 years (327), 50-59 years (532), 60 years and above (1,138).

1,645 patients are admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 6,063 patients are on Home Based Isolation &#038; Care.  248 patients are in the ICU, 48 of whom are on ventilatory support &#038; 169 on supplemental oxygen. 31 patients are on observation.

Another 277 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 256 of them in general wards and 21 in High Dependency Units (HDU).

VACCINATION: As of yesterday, a total of 487,278 people had been vaccinated with the Astrazeneca vaccine. 118,833 are Health Workers, 39,523 Security Officers, 70,338 Teachers &#038; 258,584 are other members of the public who include those at 58 years and above.

GENDER: 275,382 (56.5%) are Males and 211,746 (43.5%) are females.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Coronavirus – Kenya: COVID-19 update (12 April 2021)

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Total cases: 23,535 (+109) Recovered: 21,272 (+29) | 90.3% Active cases: 1,947 In critical condition: 8 Tests: 1,224,739 (+4,671) Test positivity rate: 2.3% Vaccinated: 348,926 Deaths: 316 (+1) | 1.3%
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda. Media files

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (12 April 2021)

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After the endorsement of Dr. Arkebe Oqubay by the 34th Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government held on 7 February 2021,, as the sole African candidate for the position of Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the African ministers of finance, planning and economic development of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), meeting at their 53rd session (hybrid) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 22 and 23 March 2021, took note of the nomination of Arkebe Oqubay as the Africa candidate for the post of Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. They recognized the important role that the United Nations Industrial Development Organization must play in building forward better, and also in contributing to and supporting the industrial and economic policies that will support inclusive and sustainable growth in the developing world;.

The ministers further acknowledged Mr. Oqubay’s proven track record in leading, formulating and delivering innovative and meaningful policy change across developing economies. They express their confidence that that Mr. Oqubay’s extensive experience, combined with his international outlook, makes him the best candidate for the role of Director General. They also recognized Mr. Oqubay’s far-reaching vision for a revitalized United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the focus that he is placing on carbon-neutral industrialization, global knowledge exchange and inclusive industrial growth.
To that effect, the African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development welcomed the opportunity to work closely with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in the post-COVID-19 era and in the years to come; and extended their support for the candidacy of Mr. Oqubay for the post of Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. A statement was issued during the ministerial meeting to re-endorse Dr. Arkebe Oqubay as the sole African candidate for the post of Director General for UNIDO.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

African candidate for post of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Director General, Dr. Arkebe Oqubay, receives support from the Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development

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44 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

Enugu-22 Lagos-15 FCT-4 Osun-2 Kaduna-1

163,837 confirmed 154,177 discharged 2,061 deaths
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Media files

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (12 April 2021)

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As of 12th April 2021, we recorded 35 new cases out of 3,371 tests (1% positivity), 59 recoveries and 1 new death (Mhsrip).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI). Media files

Coronavirus – Zambia: COVID-19 update (12 April 2021)

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In the past twelve months, the African energy sector has seen several encouraging developments – in the form of both Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and strategic partnerships – that have advanced the sustainable development of its natural resources. In fact, despite a global downturn in investment in 2020, FDI flows to developing economies accounted for 72% of global FDI, the highest share to date. Given the magnitude of Africa’s oil and gas reserves – not to mention its abundant renewable resource wealth – the continent remains a highly attractive market for inbound investment, which is vital for its growth.

Take Uganda, for instance, which is home to one of the largest onshore discoveries in sub-Saharan Africa. Following multiple petroleum discoveries in Uganda’s Albertine Graben – estimated to contain 6.5 billion barrels of oil, of which 1.4 billion are considered recoverable – foreign investments into the country are expected to reach nearly $20 billion. Last April, Total E&#038;P Uganda B.V. signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Tullow Oil PC, through which Total will acquire Tullow’s entire 33.34% interests in Uganda’s Lake Albert development project and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). Five months later, the Ugandan Government and Total signed a host government agreement for EACOP, representing a significant step toward reaching a final investment decision. The deal pushes along an extended development process – slowed by infrastructure issues, tax complications, then COVID-19 – that not only promises to bring first oil by 2022, but also provides a pathway to monetization via associated transport infrastructure.

In addition to developments at Lake Albert, the Ugandan Government has proven its commitment to attracting FDI to its hydrocarbon sector through its second licensing round held last year, as well as its invitation to local and foreign entities to forge joint-venture partnerships with the Government. By prioritizing the establishment of mutually beneficial partnerships, the emerging East African producer aims to facilitate the successful transfer of skills, knowledge and technology, initiating an influx of technical expertise and working capital into the country.

“Those who have been locked out from access to opportunity want the same from the energy sector that the energy sectors want from governments.  We must not forget local content, local jobs, local opportunities especially for young people and women” Stated NJ Ayuk Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (http://EnergyChamber.org)





Meanwhile, in West Africa, Senegal has been reaping the rewards of a long-standing partnership with Germany, which has resulted in more than one billion Euros in funding, including significant support for small-scale power plants and renewable energy projects. Holding sizeable potential for solar and wind energy development, Senegal serves as a regional leader in renewable deployment as a means of rural electrification. Indeed, energy is a central component of poverty alleviation across Africa, with electricity access enabling greater independence, clean cooking and potable water, as well as dramatically improving the well-being of individuals, businesses and communities alike.  Rural populations are cognizant of the challenges posed by a lack of stable electricity supply – increased urban migration, lack of access to basic services, low economic competitiveness, to name a few – and distributed renewables can represent the fastest and least expensive path to electrification.

European interest in Senegal has shed light on and served as a model for co-operation opportunities between renewable-rich African countries and developed partners, which offer cutting-edge technologies and technical expertise to transform raw resources into viable off-grid and mini-grid solutions.  

Furthermore, while the cost of deploying renewable technology has never been lower, the availability of renewable-focused capital has never been higher. Investment in commercial and industrial solar has demonstrated resilience against the pandemic, continuing to be seen as a safe investment in light of rising utility costs and increasing distribution of both solar and financial technologies. Yet resource potential and low costs of equipment are not enough; Senegal and other resource-rich African nations require active investor interest and strong government support to unlock diversified energy mixes. In turn, a lack of investment represents a pointed threat to the achievement of long-term energy security.

“Young people and women have shown their great resilience, and it is our hope we close these deals in the renewable energy sector, Africans can have a sense of some hope that they will be included in the industry contracts and opportunities. It is no longer correct for the African to be the last hired and the first fired” Concluded Ayuk.





Moreover, without sustained levels of FDI continuing to move the needle on oil, gas and renewable developments, energy export revenues run the risk of being stranded and resources left undeveloped. For emerging producers like Uganda – as well as Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, among several others – this would mean foregoing critical government revenues that could aid in a much-needed, post-COVID-19 economic recovery. FDI is vital to Africa’s growth, and while it may be challenging to procure capital in a tepid global economy, it is even more difficult not to. Yes, COVID-19 has put emerging producers in a tough spot: new exploration is seen as risky, and new producers lack existing assets or low-cost development of marginal fields on which to fall back. However, it is not an option to slow or postpone time-sensitive developments that promise to harness natural resource wealth and make sustainable improvements in standards of living across the continent. Africa requires a sustained flow of investment and has proven time and again that it offers the scope of projects and magnitude of resources that are worthy of foreign capital.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber. Media files

African Energy Developments Demand Sustained Investment with new projects in Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, and Senegal

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Brabantse Pijl has traditionally been the transitional classic between the cobbled classics of West Flanders, like Gent Wevelgem and Ronde Van Vlaanderen, and the hillier Ardennes classics, like Fleche-Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

As the route includes cobbled roads and numerous short climbs ranging between 0.3km &#8211; 1.5km in length, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (TeamQhubeka.com) will take the start with a team suited to the varied terrain.
 Sander Armee, Connor Brown, Victor Campenaerts, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Bert-Jan Lindeman, Andreas Stokbro and Robert Power will be on duty for our South African registered UCI World Team.
 Thank you to Matt and his daughter for assisting with the announcement (https://bit.ly/3ddCUD2) of our Brabantse Pijl lineup!
 Aart Vierhouten &#8211; Sport Director Brabantse Pijl is an interesting and exciting race, as it provides opportunities to different rider types from potentially multiple race scenarios. What will be important for us is to be part of the racing throughout the 201km, so that we have options for the finale, which will take place over a very difficult and punchy lap around Overijse
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 (Qhubeka.org) 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.
Media files

Brabantse Pijl opens the road to Ardennes Classics

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The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group and its private sector development arm, the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) (www.ICD-idb.org), have joined hands with the government of Burkina Faso through “Maison de l’Entreprise du Burkina Faso (MEBF)”, to implement the “Business Resilience Assistance for Value-adding Enterprises” (BRAVE Women) Project in the country.

Implemented by the IsDB/ICD, the “ BRAVE Programme was initially launched in Yemen in 2016  with the aim of combining capacity building and a grant-matching scheme concept for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in addition to Value Chain support, all within an integrated framework that responds to the in-conflict challenges of the private sector. The MENA Transition Fund (Deauville Partnership) provided the sponsorship of this project which was successfully completed in 2020.

The IsDB’s President, Dr. Bandar Hajjar, has expressed his commitment to supporting strategies that promote women’s economic empowerment which is considered critical to building a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable world.

This BRAVE Women Burkina Faso project falls under the sponsorship of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), a collaborative partnership among fourteen donor governments (including Saudi Arabia), eight multilateral development banks (including the IsDB), and other public and private stakeholders, which seeks to address the financial and non-financial barriers faced by women entrepreneurs while attempting to create a better ecosystem for them. This new project is expected to not only enhance the resilience of SMEs owned/managed by women but to also support the National Economic and Social Development Plan (PNDES) of Burkina Faso.

According to ICD CEO, Mr. Ayman Amin Sejiny, the roll out of BRAVE Programme in Burkina Faso follows successful implementations of the similar ongoing projects in Yemen and Nigeria where it has managed to support 916 Women owned/led SMEs to date with business resilience trainings and disbursed $6.4 million of financial support out of which $3.2 million of funds were provided in the form of matching grants.

“ICD is pleased to play a significant role in the collective efforts aimed at overcoming the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in fragile environments. We aim to enhance the private sector, as the engine of sustainable growth in fragile settings. This cooperation seeks to enhance the resilience of Women owned SMEs that have struggled during the current crisis. And we pray to Almighty Allah for the success of the Burkina Faso project, as well,” he has stated.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD).
About la Maison de l’Entreprise du Burkina Faso (MEBF): The Maison de l’Entreprise du Burkina Faso “MEBF” (or Burkina Faso Business Association) is an organization which support the private sector in Burkina Faso (recognized as Association of Public utility since 2010) established with the help of the World Bank in 2002 in order to support and develop the Private Sector actors in the country mainly through an integrated platform of value-added services for the benefit of private companies and professional associations. The institution is attached to the Ministry in charge of trade which falls under the Government authority.
About the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB): The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development bank (MDB), working to improve people’s lives by promoting social and economic development in Member countries and Muslim communities worldwide, delivering impact at scale.
Through collaborative partnerships between communities among our 57 member countries (MCs), we seek to equip people and communities to drive their own economic and social progress at scale, putting the infrastructure in place to enable them to fulfil their potential.
The Bank’s New Business Model of “Making Markets Work for Development” contributes to strengthening the competitiveness of our MCs in strategic industries for better participation and upgrading within the Global Value Chains. These are the food and agribusiness industry, the textiles, clothing, leather, and footwear industry, the petrochemicals and petroleum industry, the construction industry, and Islamic finance.
We also foster innovative and sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest development challenges, leveraging the potential of Science, technology and innovation as strategic drivers of economic growth, as we work towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
About the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD): The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) is a multilateral development financial institution and is member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. ICD was established in November 1999 to support the economic development of its member countries through the provision of finance for private sector projects, promoting competition and entrepreneurship, providing advisory services to the governments and private companies, and encouraging cross border investments.
ICD is Rated A2’ by Moody’s, ‘A-’ by S&#038;P and, A+ by Fitch. ICD establishes and strengthens cooperation and partnership relationships with an aim to establish joint or collective financing. ICD also applies financial technology (Fintech) to make financing more efficient and comprehensive.

Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and the Government of Burkina Faso Join Hands to Support the BRAVE Women Project in Burkina Faso

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The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-IDB.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) and the Republic of Cameroon have signed on April 12, 2021 two agreements in a virtual signing ceremony between H.E. Alamine Ousmane Mey, Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (IsDB Governor) and Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO, ITFC.

The first signing is a three-year framework agreement amounting to US$ 750 Million under which ITFC will provide to Cameroon a financing envelop of US $ 250 Million annually over a period of three years to facilitate the imports of key commodities in the strategic sectors of energy, mining, in addition to the health sector with medical supplies including healthcare equipment. It will also sustain its already strong support to the priority sector of agricultural with the exports of agricultural commodities such as cotton, soy amongst others.
Through this framework agreement, ITFC will also be extending its support to SMEs and private sector through financing facilities to local banks and financial institutions. It will also support trade development through capacity building initiatives to strengthen key sectors including healthcare. The agreement also enshrines Cameroon’s membership to ITFC&#39;s flagship program, the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) program, which aims to facilitate trade and investment flows between Arab and African regions.
In this regard, H.E. Alamine Ousmane Mey stated that, “We are very pleased with the agreements signed with ITFC. The three-year renewal of our cooperation framework is a sign of the good and strong cooperation between Cameroon and ITFC, and of the continued goodwill to implement a successful planning strategy in the country. The US $750 Million financing will help the Cameroonian government consolidate its economic recovery efforts in the specific context of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, by facilitating the importation of crucial energy products, medical supplies, and agriculture inputs, whilst strengthening the fundamentals of the economy of Cameroon through private sector and SME development. This is an opportunity for us to reiterate Cameroon&#39;s sincere thanks to ITFC.”
The CEO of ITFC, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol reiterated the Corporation’s commitment to supporting economic recovery in Cameroon saying that, “We are keen to continue our successful collaboration with the Government of Cameroon through providing trade solutions that best meet the needs of the country, especially in view of the impact of COVID-19. We are committed to working closer with our partners and to support the country in its efforts to develop important sectors such as agriculture, especially cotton, which is a major export commodity, as well as to support the country’s financial institutions to boost private sector development and SME growth.”
The second signing is related to a EUR 98 Million Murabaha Financing agreement in favour of Société de Développement du Coton (SODECOTON), to facilitate the purchase of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, seed cotton, and soybeans. ITFC has a long-standing relationship with Cameroon and SODECOTON. ITFC financing to date has enabled the country to achieve a record production of 328,454 tons of seed cotton collected in 2019/2020, of which 115,000 tons of cotton lint were exported despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).
Media Contact: Tel: +966 12 646 8337 Fax: +966 12 637 1064 E-mail: ITFC@itfc-idb.org Twitter: @ITFCCORP Facebook: @ITFCCORP LinkedIn: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)
About the International Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC): The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided US$55 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.
Media files

ITFC and the Republic of Cameroon Sign a US$750 Million Three-year Framework Agreement to Support Cameroon’s Key Sectors through Integrated Trade Solutions

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According to the recently released SNG Grant Thornton’s Sub-Saharan Fraud survey, 60% of respondents cited that employees are currently the biggest threat to their businesses when it comes to fraud, with 77% expecting this to increase in 2021. As such, it is vital for companies to implement ways to safeguard their businesses from internal fraud, especially in light of employees working from home as a result of COVID-19, with this trend set to continue throughout the pandemic and beyond.

It is for this reason that Zecurion, a vendor of the Next Generation Data Loss Prevention (DLP), released the new version of its foremost solution, Zecurion DLP 11. This introduces a new level of effective detection of internal fraud and risk-based data loss prevention in the context of massive remote work. The solution includes several brand-new modules: Staff Control, Screen Photo Detector, Incident Workflow Automation, and risk-based User Behavior Analytics (UBA).

“Our aim is to understand the processes behind employee fraud and abuse, insider threats, and human mistakes. We then investigate solutions to combat this,” says Alexey Raevsky, CEO and Co-founder at Zecurion. “As such, our new solution makes an impressive leap in DLP development.”

“Traditional systems protect communication channels and devices, preventing sensitive data from being sent outside the network perimeter,” explains Raevsky. “However, added to this we have included advanced control, analytic and intelligence capabilities to identify whether user behavior is abnormal. This is done via the Next Generation DLP offering that essentially improves the internal security posture of organizations compared to classic DLP solutions.”

Raevsky outlines the top ways to mitigate employee fraud and how these are implemented using Next Generation DLP solutions:

Keep track of employees: Zecurion Staff Control was added as a separate module to Zecurion DLP 11. Staff Control records working hours via automatically generated timesheets, logs employees&#39; actions including the websites they visited and applications that were run, and evaluates employees’ efficiency. The module checks the activities of personnel for compliance with corporate standards and safety policies. This is then reported in a table with fast filters, groups, and data from up to tens of thousands of PCs.

Prevent employees from photographing their screens: This unique AI-based feature changes the game, stopping the insiders that were previously not being able to be caught. Now, whenever someone tries to photograph a screen with a smartphone, Zecurion DLP immediately detects it via webcam and blocks the computer. The revolutionary technology uses two neural networks to ensure reliable smartphone detection and flags cybersecurity incidents in a blink of an eye (from 0.06 seconds).

Screen watermarks prevent data loss: The security officer can set watermarks with the name of a user, PC, and date over certain windows (e.g. MS Office, CRM, and others). This feature effectively prevents data loss, as users can initially see the watermarks with their name and understand the aftermath.

Investigation Workflow Automation: This module simplifies investigations and shortens the incident response cycle. It minimizes the cybersecurity team’s workload by providing a 360° view of actual tasks with all the statuses, data on the investigation stage, executants, and deadlines. During the investigation, cybersecurity team members can leave comments on the task and discuss progress with other participants (from CISO to analyst), as well as attach documents and incidents as proof.

User Behavior Analytics: After installation of Zecurion DLP 11, each employee undergoes behavior analysis within at least one week. The solution collects data on various parameters: risks, behavior profiles, work time and connections. UBA then compares current employees’ parameters with their average values. A sharp deviation may signal a potential threat to information security or indicate a compromise of user credentials.

Investigate connections between internal and external users: The improved, interactive user connection diagram is extremely helpful during investigations as it displays connections between internal users and external contacts. In version 11 the security officer can customize it with a legend, quick filters, and display of up to 1000 objects at a time.

Analyze communications between two users: This integrative report simplifies the analysis of communications between two users by displaying all messages from different messengers (Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.) in one chat-like window. This window looks like your favorite messenger, allowing you to read all captured messages, files, listen to audio messages and calls from a single point.

“As employee fraud is expected to increase, it is vital for businesses to implement the necessary solutions to ensure their operations are protected in 2021 and beyond,” concludes Raevsky.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zecurion.
About Zecurion: Zecurion (www.Zecurion.com) is a world-class vendor of IT security solutions helping companies to protect against insider threats.
The company product portfolio offers a wide choice of solutions upon customer needs:
 	●  Zecurion Data Loss Prevention protects sensitive and private data from leaks in enterprise networks (200k+ computers); 	●  Zecurion Privileged Access Management provides visual control of power users and prevention of their abuse of privileges; 	●  Zecurion Secure Web Gateway ensures website access control and traffic analysis from a single point; 	●  Zecurion Storage Security offers transparent encryption of critical data on Windows servers and storage (SAN, NAS, etc.). 
Operating for almost two decades, Zecurion has earned the trust of more than 10.000 corporate customers, partnered with more than 150 business partners worldwide and by the year 2021 is present in more than 70 countries.
Media files

Safeguard your business against internal fraud

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.

By James Bayhack, Sub-Saharan Africa Director at www.CM.com

In today’s digital world, data-driven customer analytics have become the heartbeat of modern businesses. Customers are engaging with businesses through digital channels while innovative technology allows the tracking of online activity, giving businesses access to more customer insights. So, how can businesses manage all the data at their disposal?

Data management platforms (DMPs), customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and customer data platforms (CDPs) can all play an important part in the customer lifecycle, but telling the difference between them can get tricky. Let’s have a look at what they do, how they differ and what they can do for each business.

What is a data management platform? 
DMPs gather and categorise data from various sources. This information is usually gained from third-party web analytics, such as cookies and IP addresses, that track your page visits or even the contents of your shopping cart. Data from a DMP can then be fed into a demand-side platform (DSP) so that companies can serve customers adverts based on their online behaviour.
Legislation regarding user privacy affects how companies can use DMPs. For instance, Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and South Africa’s Protection of Public Information Act require data to be anonymous and short-lived. Kenya’s Data Protection Act of 2019 was modelled on the principles found in the GDPR, and it gives people whose data is collected many rights, including the right to be informed about what the data is going to be used for, and the right to access this data.

These regulations may make third-party data collection and storage via DMPs much more difficult, and in some cases, illegal. DMPs also don’t provide the same information as standalone analytical tools. They lack a complete view of your customers, which is where CRM and CDP systems become necessary.

What is customer relationship management? 
CRM systems aim to improve business relationships by managing interactions with existing and potential customers. They create a simple interface for employees to record basic customer information, such as email, contact numbers, or call conversations, as well as other important details, such as the customer’s buying prospects, contract status, or reasons for a won or lost deal.

CRM systems help businesses learn more about their customers, organise their information, and optimise their interactions. CRM is useful for operations in marketing, sales, and service, as you frequently use past customer data to contact new or returning customers. CRM can serve as an analytical tool to create a sales pipeline for forecasting and improving customer satisfaction. It also helps with creating personalised experiences based on past interactions.

A common drawback of a CRM system, however, is that it often creates a limited view of the customer as it focuses on first-hand interactions and isn’t able to fully integrate data from different touchpoints. Because it also usually relies on manual entry, it can easily become overly complicated, labour-intensive, and difficult to manage effectively. That is where CDPs step in.
What is a customer data platform? 

The main problem with customer data is that it is often siloed across different software systems and, while businesses have access to ever-increasing amounts of user data, the core of their business remains digitally unintegrated.

A CDP brings together data from various channels and sources to create a single, unified profile of each individual customer. CDPs work with first-party data, such as a CRM database of existing customers, combining them with second-party data (which is data bought from other companies) and anonymous third-party data (such as those gained by DMPs). This greatly benefits personalisation marketing strategies as it gives a more holistic understanding of known customers while incorporating second- and third-party insights to target prospective customers more effectively.

Businesses should be careful of platforms that have recently changed into CDPs but are, in reality, just CRMs, DMPs, or data warehouses. CDPs do not simply store information or route them between different systems, but they create a central database where information is organised, integrated, and made available to use when it is needed. Bringing all your customer data together is one thing, but you’ll need a trusted CDP if you want to use it well.

A leading CDP provider like www.CM.com (https://bit.ly/2PPSHiy) allows you to segment customer data based on certain criteria. It gives you real-time insights into your customer&#39;s behaviour, so advertising can be personalised and automated with workflows to reach customers via various channels exactly when they’re looking for it. Find out how you can unlock your customer data with www.CM.com’s CDP (https://bit.ly/2PPSHiy).

How they all come together 
DMPs, CRMs, and CDPs all come together to create a bigger picture of the customer journey. After DMPs have created new customer leads, CRMs keep track of the on-going relationship while CDPs bring all of this data together to help brands connect and engage with new and existing customers more effectively. Businesses don’t always need to choose one over the other; they all serve valuable roles in understanding your customer and aligning your marketing campaigns with data-driven insights.

As more people take to online activities, the amount of user data being generated will only increase. If businesses want more effective customer engagement and satisfaction, they need to start using that data to its full potential.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CM.com.
Media Contact: Kurt Ferreira (Junior) Account Director for CM.com at Clockwork Media (Johannesburg, South Africa) www.clockworkmedia.co.za | Kurt@clockworkmedia.co.za +27 11 463 0366 | +27 82 529 8064
About CM.com: www.CM.com (AMS: CMCOM) is a global leader in cloud software for conversational commerce that enables businesses to deliver a superior customer experience. Our platform empowers marketing, sales and customer support to automate engagement with customers across multiple mobile channels to drive sales, gain customers and increase customer happiness.
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Infusing customer insights into your business: A look at customer relationship management systems (CRMs), customer data platforms (CDPs), and Data management platforms (DMPs) (By James Bayhack)

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