<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="801" height="711" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daniel-Padiachy-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423814" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daniel-Padiachy-2.jpg 801w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daniel-Padiachy-2-300x266.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daniel-Padiachy-2-101x90.jpg 101w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daniel-Padiachy-2-768x682.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 801px) 100vw, 801px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Daniel Padiachy, Executive: Supply Chain, Marketing and Technology at McDonald’s South Africa</figcaption></figure>



Collaborations are often born out of synergies and common values between organizations, and this is no different in the partnership between McDonald’s South Africa and FORBES WOMAN AFRICA.



McDonald’s South Africa has ventured into a two-year partnership with FORBES WOMAN AFRICA as a headline sponsor for the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit. By forging this alliance, the two organizations, each of which is a pioneer in its own field bringing about significant and positive changes in society, highlight the power of women.



“The partnership between McDonald&#8217;s SA and the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit is one that speaks to synergy and the beliefs that both organizations hold when it comes to diversity, equity, inclusion as well as women empowerment. McDonald’s SA believes in platforms that foster dialogue amongst female leaders to cross-weave their knowledge and drive socio-economic change,” says Daniel Padiachy, Executive: Supply Chain, Marketing and Technology at McDonald’s South Africa.



Real change is seen when women from different spheres provide each other a platform where they can learn, bestow knowledge and grow together. The power of women connecting and supporting each other should never be underestimated. Engaging women in leadership positions will champion other women. Thus, creating a safe environment where women can unlock their potential which leads to safe and functional communities.



McDonald’s South Africa has its own Women Leadership Network, a platform that encourages a cross-weaving of knowledge and inspires change among subject matter experts. It also aims to honor women by acknowledging and celebrating their achievements through conversations with phenomenal women in their own spaces of influence. Since its inception in 2021, the McDonald’s South Africa purpose-led initiative has reached over thousands of women across the country.



We have the responsibility and opportunity to bridge the gap and play our part in ensuring that women are offered equal opportunities and thus drive inclusion. We embrace this opportunity to drive meaningful progress, and to do so through our own initiatives as well as through collaborations. We are strongly invested in ensuring a world free of bias, with equal representation and an equal opportunity for women’s voices to be heard.



As big businesses we need to take this seriously and be committed as it allows for an opportunity to engage with women from all walks of life. We believe that we should always walk the talk, and not just talk the talk.



As McDonald’s South Africa, over the past 26 years, we are proud to have had over 65% women in our business; we continuously find ways to enable everyone within our business, not only focusing on women but inclusively bringing men along. The key driver in our business is a constant push against complacency, we strive to uphold transformation and excellence in all our interactions in all aspects of our business be it with our employees, executives or even our suppliers, thus giving us an opportunity to build a brand that lives in the hearts of our people.



Our young generation of women should always be empowered and encouraged to become better leaders who alter the narrative in their spheres, thus creating a bright future for their communities through conversations and action. By providing opportunities for women to succeed and realize their full potential, we hope to continue disrupting the power dynamic and alter the current status quo.

Daniel-Padiachy-1

A Partnership Creating A Platform For Women To Power On

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="672" height="672" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/thumbnail_image0.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423789" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/thumbnail_image0.jpg 672w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/thumbnail_image0-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/thumbnail_image0-90x90.jpg 90w" sizes="(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kevin Obiero is Centre Director of Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Chair of Board of Directors for African Center for Aquatic Research and Education, and IISD Experimental Lakes Area Board Member</figcaption></figure>



It is with great excitement,&nbsp;mild&nbsp;trepidation,&nbsp;and much hope&nbsp;for&nbsp;the future that I look forward&nbsp;to March 22&nbsp;which doubles up this year as&nbsp;World Water Day and the kick off&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unwater.org/news/un-2023-water-conference" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UN Water Conference.</a>



The first of its kind in&nbsp;almost&nbsp;50 years—&nbsp;it presents a golden opportunity&nbsp;to bring the world together to&nbsp;underscore the significant role of water for the Sustainable Development Goals and for the health and prosperity of people and the planet. We can tackle&nbsp;the&nbsp;plethora&nbsp;of issues&nbsp;threatening&nbsp;our freshwater supplies—a difficult but surmountable feat.&nbsp;



While&nbsp;I’ll&nbsp;be unable to travel to the&nbsp;continent of the Laurentian Great Lakes&nbsp;to speak&nbsp;in person,&nbsp;I’ll&nbsp;be dialed in from the shores of Lake Victoria&nbsp;in Kenya&nbsp;to discuss the future of Africa’s very own suite of Great Lakes at one of the many official&nbsp;dialogues and&nbsp;events&nbsp;dotted around the Big Apple.



Undoubtedly,&nbsp;the conference&nbsp;would not be complete&nbsp;without a comprehensive exploration of&nbsp;all&nbsp;the world’s&nbsp;freshwater supplies.



Not forgetting North America’s&nbsp;Great Lakes basin&nbsp;(a critical resource of&nbsp;drinking water,&nbsp;sustenance&nbsp;and economic support&nbsp;for tens&nbsp;of millions across the continent),&nbsp;Africa’s own suite of&nbsp;Great Lakes&nbsp;spread across&nbsp;Eastern and Southern Africa—to&nbsp;whose protection&nbsp;I have&nbsp;passionately&nbsp;dedicated my professional life—should not be missing from any&nbsp;discussion&nbsp;about the future of freshwater.&nbsp;Holding&nbsp;more than&nbsp;a&nbsp;quarter of the world’s available surface water,&nbsp;those&nbsp;lakes underpin the well-being and livelihoods&nbsp;of over 50 million people.



As the conference’s theme of&nbsp;“accelerating&nbsp;change” so&nbsp;succinctly&nbsp;articulates,&nbsp;bodies of fresh water, from&nbsp;Michigan to Malawi, on which we all so vitally depend are threatened.&nbsp;From&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cleveland.com/open/2022/10/federal-money-to-be-used-to-combat-algal-blooms-on-great-lakes.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unsightly,&nbsp;sticky harmful algal blooms</a>&nbsp;that uninvitedly camp out&nbsp;on&nbsp;the lakes in summer,&nbsp;biodiversity loss,&nbsp;plastic pollution, or new pharmaceutical drugs&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/14/drugs-have-dangerously-polluted-the-worlds-rivers-scientists-warn" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ending up in freshwater fish</a>,&nbsp;our freshwater lakes&nbsp;aren’t exactly&nbsp;flourishing.&nbsp;



Just last month, I&nbsp;co-chaired&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agl-acare.org/2022annualmeeting" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a pan-African&nbsp;summit on the African Great Lakes</a>&nbsp;in Dar es Salaam,&nbsp;bringing together&nbsp;hundreds of&nbsp;scientific&nbsp;voices from across the continent&nbsp;all too familiar with the&nbsp;aforementioned threats.



The&nbsp;rallying call among the&nbsp;summit attendees&nbsp;and local communities, as crystalized in many of the commitments that came from it can be neatly summarized:&nbsp;“Less talk,&nbsp;more action”.&nbsp;



What does this look like?&nbsp;And what does it mean for the upcoming UN Water Conference?



Without&nbsp;sustainable&nbsp;funding,&nbsp;Africa will struggle&nbsp;to keep pace with&nbsp;developed countries and&nbsp;attract and retain the next&nbsp;generation of scientists and&nbsp;researchers. For us,&nbsp;to&nbsp;develop a strong next generation of change-makers, we must invest and provide opportunities&nbsp;for&nbsp;early career scientists&nbsp;and&nbsp;remove barriers to entry for women.&nbsp;Even today, women in science are still under-represented at almost every level,&nbsp;particularly&nbsp;in decision-making&nbsp;positions.



In our highly interconnected world, science needs to translate into action and societal impact. When it comes to freshwater science, it means working together—across borders—to define and harmonize research priorities, set standard water sampling techniques and protocols, then digitizing and making available the data generated by those processes, so we can achieve shared goals much more easily.



The support of the international community remains critical, but assistance&nbsp;should not necessarily&nbsp;flow one way.&nbsp;A brighter future is now&nbsp;possible, but only if we are all willing to&nbsp;truly&nbsp;listen and&nbsp;collaborate&nbsp;across silos&nbsp;and continents&nbsp;to&nbsp;achieve&nbsp;<a href="https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">internationally agreed-upon water-related goals and targets.</a>



Within all the discussions, let’s not forget that conserving freshwater ecosystems starts with local communities as custodians of these resources and that these communities need support. This is a&nbsp;critical&nbsp;and urgent matter for all of us, and it is our collective future that we are seeking to improve and shape.



In this&nbsp;sense, Africa’s Great Lakes&nbsp;harbour valuable lessons for the world.

thumbnail_image0

UN Water Conference Should Highlight African Great Lakes

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="751" height="800" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_0164-751x800.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423644" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_0164-751x800.jpg 751w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_0164-281x300.jpg 281w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_0164-84x90.jpg 84w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_0164-768x819.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_0164-1441x1536.jpg 1441w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_0164-scaled.jpg 1921w" sizes="(max-width: 751px) 100vw, 751px" /></figure>



By Rabab Fatima, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative, UN-OHRLLS and Xiangchen Zhang, Deputy Director-General, WTO



As the world’s least developed countries (LDCs) work to build more resilient economies and lift their populations out of poverty, international trade offers them a proven route towards sustainable development. This is why trade is a key pillar of the <a href="https://www.un.org/ldcportal/tags/doha-programme-action-dpoa">Doha Programme of Action</a> which maps out commitments between LDCs and their development partners for the 2022-2031 decade.



With the LDCs’ share of global trade having stagnated at <a href="https://unctad.org/topic/least-developed-countries/chart-december-2021">less than 1%</a> in recent years, things need to change. Much more can and should be done to help LDCs gain the benefits of trade, which include better quality jobs, stronger economic growth and increased productivity. The Doha Programme of Action sets an ambitious target of doubling this share by 2031.



To gain a deeper understanding of what LDCs could explore to boost their exports, our offices organized regional consultations in Ethiopia and Cambodia. These were arranged in the context of the <a href="https://www.un.org/ldc5/">5th United Nations Conference on LDCs (LDC5)</a>. &nbsp;The consultations were attended by nearly 100 senior trade officials from over 40 LDCs, who discussed their trade challenges and priorities, plus how the development community can best support them in achieving their ambitions.



Here are some <a href="https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/ldc5_regional_consultations.pdf">key takeaways</a>:



<ol type="1">
<li>Multilateral cooperation can help LDCs tap opportunities in digital trade</li>
</ol>



Digital trade represents a fast-growing opportunity for LDCs to expand their share of global trade on a more equal footing with higher-income countries. For example, selling through digital platforms offers exporters lower-cost access to customers in other countries which would have been difficult otherwise.



Multilateral and regional cooperation could help LDCs grasp this opportunity more effectively and derive more benefits from digital trade, participants argued. For instance, findings from the <a href="https://dti.eui.eu/">Digital Trade Integration Project</a> show that LDCs have fewer policies in place that enable digital trade than do high-income countries. Yet, when LDCs participate in those discussions, they can often access technical assistance that helps them upgrade their policies and regulations to facilitate digital trade.



Such forums also give LDCs the chance to voice concerns and argue for their interests when trade rules or practices that impact them are being negotiated.



<ul>
<li>LDCs need targeted and nimble capacity-building support</li>
</ul>



Finding more effective and efficient ways to boost LDCs’ capacity to trade is critical.



LDC participants flagged they need more support from the international community, especially in reducing trading costs, addressing productive capacity constraints, and participating in global supply chains. They also highlighted partner practices that have proven most impactful, including engaging the private sector and facilitating country ownership.



Participants added that future multilateral trade support for LDCs should be more inclusive and fit for purpose. A stronger coordination mechanism, with robust monitoring, learning and evaluation capabilities, is needed to ensure that LDCs’ changing needs and requests are responded to nimbly.



<ul>
<li>Regional integration can help LDCs boost their trade and become more resilient</li>
</ul>



Deepening regional integration can help LDCs expand and diversify their exports and strengthen the resilience of their economies.



Full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), for example, could result in a 34% increase in inter-African trade by 2045, according to the UN Economic Commission for Africa. AfCFTA promises to be particularly beneficial for key productive sectors, like agriculture and services, helping reduce African economies’ reliance on energy and mining. This should make LDCs on the continent more resilient against external shocks.&nbsp;



Regional integration is also becoming central to Asian LDCs’ graduation strategies. For example, as well as being a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Cambodia recently signed bilateral free trade agreements with China and the Republic of Korea and is currently negotiating another such agreement with the United Arab Emirates.



Another trend is for LDCs in the region to build regional networks via preferential trade arrangements that include digital and sustainable development provisions.



<ul>
<li>LDC graduation and transition strategies require further focus</li>
</ul>



As more countries graduate from LDC status, participants expressed concern that some will lose trade preferences related to market access. Although some LDC trading partners already grant LDC graduates a transition period, LDCs want more of their trading partners to extend such preferences. They would also like to continue benefiting from LDC-specific special and differential treatment provisions in the WTO.



A sustainable graduation support facility (iGRAD) designed to support a smooth transition for graduating LDCs was launched at LDC5. With over a third of all LDCs already on track to graduate from LDC status – and the <a href="https://www.un.org/ldcportal/tags/doha-programme-action-dpoa">Doha Programme of Action</a> calling for an additional 15 to be supported to meet the graduation criteria by 2031 – the international community has an urgent responsibility to help them develop comprehensive transition strategies.



The global trading landscape is evolving fast. Trade priorities of tomorrow will not be the same as trade priorities of today. It is high time that LDC policy makers start exploring new frontiers to bring greater opportunities to businesses, to increase income and to raise living standards of one billion living in LDCs.

IMG_0164

A path to prosperity – harnessing trade to deliver for LDCs

Capturing the dividends from women’s economic equity. Too many women are locked out of economic opportunities, which is not only unfair but also harms growth and resilience for all. 



We know that in countries with greater gender inequality just closing the gap in women’s labor force participation could increase economic output by an average of 35 percent. Progress, however, is slow to come and shocks, such as health and climate disasters, social unrest, and war continue to worsen gender inequality by directly affecting women’s lives and livelihoods or keeping them out of school and work.



Appropriate economic and financial policies can help change these negative outcomes, improving economies by supporting the recovery and building resilience against future shocks. A dividend for women, in other words, is a dividend for all. For instance, while the pandemic set women further back everywhere, it also drove policy innovations. Several extraordinary pandemic assistance programs targeted women and brought more people into social safety nets. The latter makes it easier to provide targeted assistance to cope with the current food and fuel price spikes.



For policymakers, there are well-proven solutions to adopt gender-sensitive macroeconomic actions.



First, step up investment in women’s human capital. The gains from providing women equal access to food, healthcare, and education are especially large in emerging and developing economies. Think of cash transfers that help families afford the basics in countries with less developed social safety nets.



Brazil introduced the Emergency Aid cash transfer program early in the pandemic, which provided double the benefits to women-led households. IMF staff estimates show that the poverty rate among such households would have increased from 11 percent to more than 30 percent without Emergency Aid; instead, it fell to about 8 percent. And Egypt recently expanded cash assistance to low-income single mothers helping them keep their children healthy and in school. In Togo, mobile technology helped expedite emergency financial support during the pandemic, especially benefitting women.



The second confirmed solution is enabling women to work outside the home or start their businesses. Reforms to taxation, public spending, financial infrastructure and regulations, as well as labor markets can help . Providing access to quality and affordable childcare frees up more women to work and also creates jobs directly.



In Norway, the expansion of universal childcare increased the likelihood of mothers’ employment by 32 percentage points. In emerging and developing economies, access to mobile phones and the internet opens the door to economic opportunity. For instance, IMF research shows that traditional and digital finance is helping close the gender gap in access to financial services, including microlending—resulting in lower income inequality and higher growth.



A third area to tackle is biases. Out of 190 countries surveyed, the World Bank found that women were on equal legal standing with men in just 12 countries. Gender-based discrimination in social institutions costs the world economy $6 trillion according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. But in recent years, countries have reduced these costs through social and legal actions such as curbing underage marriage, criminalizing domestic violence, and increasing the number of female elected officials.



Fourth, increasing the representation of women in leadership positions is also critical. IMF analysis shows that a greater presence of women in financial institutions and financial policymaking goes hand in hand with greater financial resilience. And in fintech firms and the corporate sector, more women in leadership is associated with better performance and profitability, respectively.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-imf-s-gender-strategy">The IMF’s Gender Strategy</h2>



The IMF has supported members in deploying and improving gender policies for a number of years. And recently, our Executive Board approved the first comprehensive IMF Strategy for Mainstreaming Gender to help our members adapt pro-gender equality policies to their unique circumstances.



The strategy recognizes that macroeconomic and financial policies affect women and men differently, often unintentionally. We are helping policymakers identify and remedy these biases by applying a gender lens to our main activities—from our regular country policy surveillance to how we design and implement programs to our capacity development support.



We have supported increased spending on women in our program countries. For example, Egypt expanded pre-school availability and improved the safety of public transport under an IMF-supported program, helping women get to jobs. And São Tomé and Príncipe, with the support of an IMF program, launched an initiative on gender budgeting—the use of fiscal policies and institutions to promote women’s equality across government programs. We also quantified the productivity benefits of getting more girls into high school in Senegal and other countries.



Under the new strategy, the Fund will work in the years ahead with our 190 members and external partners to expand both the breadth of our policy recommendations and bring greater rigor in our analysis to help more countries tailor and deploy policies that support gender equality.



Over time, gender-sensitive macroeconomic and financial policies will result in higher growth, greater economic stability and resilience, and lower income inequality—a dividend not just for women, but for everyone.

13-8

How to Close Gender Gaps and Grow the Global Economy

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GA1305882_SR470041-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423548" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GA1305882_SR470041-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GA1305882_SR470041-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GA1305882_SR470041-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GA1305882_SR470041-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GA1305882_SR470041-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/GA1305882_SR470041.jpg 1999w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credits: Gates Foundation.</figcaption></figure>



It won’t matter how advanced technology is if the people who need it most can’t access it



We live in a world with a startling disconnect between rapidly developing technology and the women and girls it is leaving behind, especially in Africa. As we celebrate International Women’s Day under the “DigitAll: innovation and technology for gender equality” theme, it’s time to recognize this, refocus, and urgently act on it to ensure digital advancements and technology serve women and girls and do not widen gender gaps even further.



Progress towards gender equality is stalling in most of the developing world, including in Africa. According to the most <a href="https://www.equalmeasures2030.org/">recent gender equality index</a> for the Sustainable Development Goals, progress towards gender equality in sub-Saharan Africa has stagnated for at least the past two years, a situation made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.



However, looking beyond the impact of the pandemic, globally and in Africa, policymakers continue to overlook a crucial pillar to bridging gender inequality today – providing women with equitable access to digital technologies.



In an increasingly digitally driven world, women in Africa are being left behind in the digital evolution. In Africa, women only make up 30% of the jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Women are also less likely than men to access and use a mobile phone, smartphone, or go online. The digital divide has become the new face of gender inequality.



Digital technologies are rapidly transforming all spheres of our lives – work, education, relationships, economies, industries, and governments. Advancements in digital technology offer immense opportunities to address development and humanitarian challenges in Africa. Technology is a crucial driver of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), with the unprecedented growth of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) intersecting our daily lives. It has and continues to create a range of opportunities for innovation. For example, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, with the support of technology, will enable women to trade beyond borders and significantly change the face of trade in Africa.



Unfortunately, these opportunities also present a risk of perpetuating existing patterns of gender inequality. Growing inequalities are becoming increasingly evident in the context of digital skills and access to technologies, with women being left behind and excluded from the digital transformation, its benefits, and potential employment as a result of the digital gender divide. Women and girls are left out of digital transformation, its benefits, and potential employment. Multiple crises including COVID-19, conflicts, the growing cost of living, and climate change, have magnified the unequal pace of digital transformation within and across countries. Digital technologies are also creating unprecedented threats to the wellbeing of women and girls. Online spaces provide new venues for violence against women, offering perpetrators increased anonymity and impunity. Women in the public eye are targeted more than men, impacting their lives, and limiting their participation in public life.



It is hard to overstate just how much overlooking digital access for women in Africa is limiting the continent’s progress. Women in Africa remain underrepresented in the digital realm, despite data from UN Women showing that excluding women from the digital world has reduced the GDP of low- and middle-income countries by $1 trillion over the past decade. A number that could grow to $1.5 trillion by 2025.



We urge African leaders, governments, and the private sector, to take the lead in fostering women’s access to technology, promote and celebrate women in tech, and support the achievement of their full political, social, and economic participation.



This International Women’s Day presents a great opportunity to remind policy makers of the importance of addressing the gender gaps in technology and innovation in a way that transforms social norms and empowers women and girls. The issues of literacy (including, digital literacy); access (to the internet, gadgets, and technology); and safety (safety from online violence) are critical to the technology and innovation conversation



To access any digital space, one needs both functional and digital literacy. Support for women and girls in technology and innovation should be available along the entire pipeline – from primary school to employment. We urge African governments to embed digital capacity in educational curriculums; prioritize digital training of women and girls in government policies and programs to equip women with functional digital literacy and promote the use of digital technologies to start and grow businesses.



Even when a woman is trained, if she has no access to the internet or devices, her participation in digital space is limited. According to the <a href="https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/facts/FactsFigures2021.pdf">International Telecommunications Union (ITU)</a>, in Africa, women account for only 24% of the population using the internet, while men account for 35% of users. In rural areas, where internet penetration rate is lowest, only 15% of the population access the internet, which means that rural women access even less. Using a mobile phone is hampered by affordability, lack of electricity, patriarchal norms, and minimal access to or knowledge of relevant content. This must be addressed, as research indicates that mobile money accounts have become indispensable instruments that provide women greater financial autonomy than cash payments. In Uganda, for instance, women who received digital microfinance loans earned 15 percent more than those who received cash loans. So, when money is deposited into a woman&#8217;s mobile account, it is more difficult for others to claim it as their own.



We urge African governments and the private sector to build infrastructure and regulate markets to broaden access, affordability, and use of technology by women and girls, especially in remote rural areas, migratory routes and in refugee camps. An additional barrier women face towards digital access is online violence.



A survey of women journalists from 125 countries found that 73% of respondents had suffered online violence in the course of their work, 30% reporting that they self-censored in response. Technology often aggravates the level of violence perpetrated by individuals, organized groups or institutions that have the objective of controlling, harming, silencing or discrediting women. We call on governments to ensure that the digital space is safe for women and girls, design of digital protection laws should factor online gender-based violence laws and training of users, innovators, security, and law agencies. We call on individuals to be respectful in the digital space.



In addition, African leaders must ensure programs are available to change the current narrative portraying women and girls as passive users. We need to recognize and celebrate women championing technology and promote women and girls’ leadership in technology. <a href="https://africa.unwomen.org/en/where-we-are/eastern-and-southern-africa/liaison-office-to-au-and-uneca/african-girls-can-code-initiative-agcci#:~:text=The%20initiative%20aims%20to%20train,)%2C%20education%20and%20coding%20sectors.">The “African Girls Can CODE”</a> initiative, designed by UN Women, the African Union Commission and ITU to equip young girls with digital literacy, coding, and personal development skills, is one example of such initiative. Girls from 34 African countries are trained as programmers, creators, and designers, placing them on-track to take up education and careers in ICT and coding allowing them to control and influence the digital landscape as they see fit. Sex-disaggregated data must be collected and used to support gender-responsive innovation, determine the extent of the gender gap and monitor progress in bridging it.



<a href="https://techforgenerationequality.org/">The Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation</a>, launched as part of the Generation Equality Forum, is key to driving momentum and commitments to advance gender equality through technology and innovation, and to cementing alliances between Governments, the private sector, civil society, and the UN System to achieve this ambition. The Government of Rwanda is one of the Action Coalition leaders here in Africa.



Conversations on artificial intelligence (AI) are featuring heavily in global health discourse not least because of the promised transformative nature of such technologies. It is crucial that these discussions do not lose sight of the core objective, which is to ensure that technology infrastructure, institutions, and systems and regulations are designed with women and people from the Global South in mind. The transformative nature of technology is meaningless if it is inaccessible to those who need it the most.



UN Women and the Gates Foundation have prioritized innovation, technology, and gender data as key drivers of change to achieve gender equality and the SDGs. We believe that inclusive technology and digital education is crucial for a sustainable future on the African continent. Each of us can play a role: governments, the private sector, and individuals. Join us in making innovation and technology work for digital gender equality.



Dr Maxime Houinato is the UN Women Regional Director for East and Southern Africa and Rachel Toku-Appiah is the director, Program Advocacy and Communications, Africa at the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation

GA1305882_SR470041

DigitALL: Let us make innovation and technology work for everyone

It is one year already since I took on the role of Vice President, Corporate Communications &amp; CSR at Airtel Africa, an organization I have served for 21 years (20 of which were in Nigeria). While this is neither an appraisal of my work (it will be gratuitous for me so to do) nor a celebration of the anniversary (one pastime I don’t relish), the past few days in Nairobi, Kenya, where I attended the Airtel Africa-UNICEF Convention, provided me a great opportunity and, indeed, the inspiration, to reflect on the work my colleagues and I have been doing &nbsp;in partnership with our friends at UNICEF since 2022 to provide children of Africa, our future leaders, with access to digital education.



Let me start on a rather somber note by regretfully acknowledging that Africa currently sits precariously on the edge of a steep and slippery cliff with regards to educating her fast-growing children and youth population. The level of “learning poverty” (the inability to read and understand a simple text by the age of 10) across the continent is as disturbing as the statistics of out-of-school children, with both stubbornly headed south. The bad situation has unfortunately been aggravated by the horrifying impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to lockdowns and school closures. To put these sorry assertions in a much clearer (or rather gloomier) perspective, a 2019 World Bank study had sadly estimated that “48 per cent of children worldwide and 87 per cent of children in sub-Saharan Africa are ‘learning poor’.” There couldn’t be a more insidious threat to the future of the continent than when over 70% of the population is educationally disadvantaged and, therefore, economically vulnerable.&nbsp;



I need not here dilate on the excellencies of education for it is already well known that perhaps it is the most important factor in making people fit members of regularly organized society. Again, it is well known that education is a leveler; it helps in bridging the divide between the rich and poor as well as facilitating the shattering of known glass ceilings. Regrettably, education also makes a good man (or woman) better and a bad one worse, as we’ve seen in several instances where otherwise knowledgeable people have deployed their knowledge in doing evil. That said, education, at the end of the day, offers more advantages than otherwise. Ignorance and illiteracy are not alternatives.



Ironically, it has to be acknowledged that Covid-19, with all its deleterious and perilous consequences, has also opened the eyes of Africans and their leaders to not only the power of education but also the importance and urgency of implementing digital learning plans in their various countries. It must be acknowledged that literally every government in Africa has emplaced strategies, with all their imperfections, to connect their children, teachers and schools to various digital platforms to not only promote but also improve teaching and learning. This is where conscientious technology companies like Airtel Africa stepped forward as enablers to provide the needed and necessary support.



Like other socially responsible corporate citizens, Airtel Africa, through her operations in 14 African countries, joined hands with African leaders to bridge the yawning learning gap occasioned by the school closures due to the Covid-19 lockdowns. On her part, Airtel Africa zero-rated several government-approved websites and digital learning platforms to enable teaching and learning. This proved to be a great palliative, but like every known palliative, it did not adequately address the needs. For example, there were millions of children who, due to their unavoidable circumstances of poverty and locations could not afford the devices to access the free online educational resources, where they existed. In other cases, it was impossible to access the websites and platforms due to lack of internet facilities as most parts of the continent are still low on teledensity (number of mobile telephone users per 1000 population).



In acknowledgment of these huge and dangerous gaps and the potential of digital connectivity, I therefore, Airtel Africa, in pursuit of her vision to Transform the Lives of Africans, decided to invest $57m in the provision of&nbsp;Access to Quality Education, which later became one of the pillars of her Sustainability Strategy. At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Airtel Africa announced a 5-year partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to deliver this initiative, which in spirit and letter aims at connecting a minimum of 1400 schools and a million children to digital education.



In my honest opinion, there couldn’t have been a better partnership than this, with two institutions very passionate about and highly invested in the future of the African child. Personally, it has been an honor and privilege leading the Airtel Africa team co-creating and co-delivering the plans and activities in pursuit of this noble cause. As I pen this piece, three countries namely Kenya, Nigeria and Madagascar (in that order) have launched the initiative. 10 other countries, Chad, Niger, DRC, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda and Rwanda will launch before March 31, 2023, all things being equal.



By launch, we mean connecting selected government schools, especially those in remote communities, to the internet using Airtel’s high-speed internet and providing digital devices like tablets, laptops, desktop computers or television sets. It also means zero-rating and granting access to some government-approved educational websites and learning platforms for teachers and children of not only the selected schools but the entire communities. In Kenya, for example, 30 schools were connected, and two platforms were zero-rated namely Elimika (for teachers) and Kenya Education Cloud (for students), with over 600 teachers and 20,000 students already using the resources.



Not unexpectedly, it has not all been smooth sailing. There are still some obstacles on the way. For instance, the level of commitment to and understanding of the importance and urgency of this intervention are not at the same high levels across the continent. Hence, we still have some governments insisting that either Airtel Africa or UNICEF or both pay(s) tax for providing free data to enable children of their countries not only to continue learning but to also sort of catch up with their peers in other parts of the world. In any event, it is not a lost cause, I believe, because as we make headway in some countries, others will begin to appreciate the need to make hay while the sun is still shinning.



Interestingly, the third pillar of this initiative (one is connecting schools and two is zero-rating websites) is to engage in advocacy in support of providing access to digital education. So, between Airtel Africa and UNICEF, we will continue to engage the various governments and educational authorities to make them appreciate the enormity of the challenge, the urgency of the solutions and the importance of partnering with us to empower the future leaders of Africa. Of course, it goes without saying that our arms are wide open and outstretched to welcome partners, who are also passionate about and invested in this pursuit as we are. The larger the ecosystem, the better!



I also believe there is a whole lot to be said about the state of educational infrastructure across the African continent. In many of the countries, public schools are either literally nonexistent or totally decrepit. Some children still trek over 10 kilometers to attend school while some study under the shade of trees. Sometimes, one wonders how a school without desks and chairs or even blackboards could be amenable to digitization. This is where the words of the Group CEO and Managing Director of Airtel Africa, Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, resonates with us, the advocates and champions of this movement. According to him, “we need to think of new ways of learning beyond the construct of the four walls of a classroom.” This is the future. This is the way to go. Airtel Africa and UNICEF are irrefragably dedicated to re-imagining education to meet Africa’s post-Covid-19 and indeed 21st century realities. That in essence, my dear friend, is what this whole story is all about. Thank you.



At the end of the two-day Airtel Africa-UNICEF Convention, having looked back at what we have done, what we are yet to do, as well as the challenges and the lessons, we leave reassured that we are doing the right thing-at the right time. The next four years will test our capabilities, but we are all going back to our various countries or OPCOs (as we say in Airtel parlance) feeling privileged to be part of such a noble objective, indeed a sacred mandate, to empower Africa’s future leaders.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="735" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Emeka-Oparah_01022022_Airtel_Business-Headshots-18962-820x735.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423435" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Emeka-Oparah_01022022_Airtel_Business-Headshots-18962-820x735.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Emeka-Oparah_01022022_Airtel_Business-Headshots-18962-300x269.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Emeka-Oparah_01022022_Airtel_Business-Headshots-18962-100x90.jpg 100w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Emeka-Oparah_01022022_Airtel_Business-Headshots-18962-768x688.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Emeka-Oparah_01022022_Airtel_Business-Headshots-18962-1536x1376.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Emeka-Oparah_01022022_Airtel_Business-Headshots-18962-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Emeka Oparah, Vice President Corporate Communications &amp; CSR, writes from Nairobi.</figcaption></figure>

Airtel Business Headshots

Connecting Africa’s future leaders to Digital Education

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="538" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1247386478-1-820x538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423341" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1247386478-1-820x538.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1247386478-1-300x197.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1247386478-1-137x90.jpg 137w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1247386478-1-768x504.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1247386478-1-1536x1008.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1247386478-1-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">LAGOS, NIGERIA &#8211; FEBRUARY 22: Posters and banners of candidates are seen on the billboards ahead of the general elections in Lagos, Nigeria on February 22, 2023. Contenders for Nigeria&#8217;s president and national parliamentary seats concluded their campaign rallies Tuesday ahead of Feb. 25 general elections. The upcoming Nigerian presidential election is set to be a landmark moment for the country, with nearly 100 million people eligible to vote for a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is stepping down after two terms in office. (Photo by Emmanuel Osodi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



Surging population growth will see Nigeria emerge as the third largest country in the world by 2050. If properly harnessed, the so-called demographic dividend could turn Nigeria into a global economic engine – as it did in China, India and Southeast Asia. If it isn’t, a youth bulge facing a paucity of employment opportunities breeds instability, threatening to sink the region and precipitate a crisis with global ramifications.



Insecurity is already strangling Nigeria’s potential. As millions head to pivotal polls later this month, it stands stark as the top issue in voters’ minds. From Islamist insurgents in the North and secessionist agitators in the South East to pervasive banditry and kidnapping for ransom, the country is awash with threats to civilians’ personal safety.



Once the region’s security linchpin, Nigeria’s internal problems now drain its peacekeeping capacity. Consequently, the Sahel, the arid strip where the Sahara meets Sub-Saharan Africa, is on fire. Mali and Burkina Faso have both experienced military coups, triggered by flailing civil wars with Islamist insurgents. If security continues to deteriorate, migratory flows to Europe and the West will intensify. Neither the region, nor Europe – whose leaders have faced political pressure since the 2015 migration crisis – can afford for Nigeria to fail.



Subsequently, the security credentials of the three leading electoral contenders warrant attention. One is a former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar; the others former state governors, Peter Obi and Bola Tinubu. Abubakar is a perennial contender; this will be his sixth shot at the Presidency. 61 year-old Obi is seen as a fresh faced progressive who has won the support of the country’s youth. Bola Tinubu is running for the governing party All Progressives Congress, given the sitting president Muhammadu Buhari has reached his two-term limit.



Both Abubakar and Tinubu have sought to position themselves as experienced law-and-order candidates who will resolve Nigeria’s security issues by beefing up the capabilities of the police and military. Obi, on the other hand, propagates a consensual, social justice and dialogue-driven approach aimed at tackling the deeply entrenched inequalities that exist in Nigerian society that he sees as the root causes of the country’s security issues.



Although Obi’s words will sound appealing to liberal Westerners, his arguments should be treated with some scepticism. Last May, Obi’s home state of Anambra was targeted by the Indigenous People of Biafra, a violent secessionist group in the South-East of the country, in a series of attacks that killed 14 civilians, including a pregnant woman and several children. IPOB is designated as a terrorist organisation by the Nigerian government, yet Obi has consistently taken <a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/558028-throwback-ipob-members-not-terrorists-i-live-with-them-peter-obi.html?tztc=1">a soft touch approach</a> to the group and refused to condemn them. This is concerning, particularly as he is seen as the frontrunner, according to a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-28/who-will-win-nigeria-s-presidential-election-peter-obi-leads-in-opinion-poll">poll conducted by Bloomberg</a>.



The candidate’s <a href="https://guardian.ng/news/peter-obi-excludes-ipob-from-nigerian-terrorist-groups-lists-boko-haram-iswap/">refusal to criticise</a> IPOB has fuelled rumours of ties to the group. The separatists have denied these allegations, which aren’t substantiated with convincing evidence. But it is plausible that Obi is hesitant to call out IPOB for fear of alienating sympathisers. The South-east is both the area the group seeks independence and Obi’s electoral stronghold. His reticence could be a temporary political calculation that will be abandoned in office, but there are fears that the separatist struggle in the southeast could spiral out of control under an Obi presidency.



The Labour candidate has also had to defend his questionable security record as governor. He was forced to <a href="https://dailypost.ng/2022/10/24/peter-obi-opens-up-on-awkuzu-sars-killings/">deny allegations</a> that he was involved with the Awkuzu Special Anti Robbery Squad, an elite police unit that oversaw a brutal <a href="https://dailypost.ng/2022/10/24/peter-obi-opens-up-on-awkuzu-sars-killings/">reign of terror</a> in Anambra state during Obi’s governorship. SARS were known for detaining suspects, often on trumped up charges, and allegedly murdering many of them.



In contrast to Obi, PDP candidate Abubakar is seen as a more experienced candidate. However, his long career in politics has been dogged <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/28/1">by allegations</a> of corruption – which itself poses challenges for peace in Nigeria. The corrosive effects of graft spread like tentacles through state institutions, not least military and security agencies. <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/03/memorandum-on-establishing-the-fight-against-corruption-as-a-core-united-states-national-security-interest/">The White House</a> has recently defined the fight against corruption as a core national security interest. Incidentally, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-election-atiku-exclusive-idUSKCN1PT0TR">Abubakar was prevented from entering the US</a> for 10 years due to graft.



The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has <a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/2020/03/19/dubai-property-oasis-for-nigeria-s-corrupt-political-elites-pub-81306">described him as</a> someone “well-known to international law enforcement agencies” and his multi-million dollar property assets in Dubai <a href="https://www.icij.org/investigations/pandora-papers/united-arab-emirates-a-go-to-offshore-haven-for-africas-political-and-business-elite-leaked-records-show/">were detailed in</a> the Panama Papers leak. In January, an audio recording <a href="https://saharareporters.com/2023/01/10/audio-leak-pdp-presidential-candidate-atiku-admits-using-fasawe-andy-uba-syphon-billions">was leaked by</a> one of Abubakar’s former aides in which the candidate allegedly describes how he successfully siphoned away state funds from public work projects during his tenure as vice-president. For the record, Abubakar <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigeria-presidential-candidate-atiku-denies-new-allegation-corruption-bbc-2023-02-01/">rejected the allegations</a>.



The Nigerian Armed Forces already have <a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/523769-corruption-weak-judiciary-fuel-impunity-in-nigerian-army-sss-police-u-s-govt.html?tztc=1">significant problems with graft</a>. As a result, salaries – when they are paid – <a href="https://saharareporters.com/2022/10/01/nigerian-army-personnel-lament-delayed-salaries-non-increment-pay-over-10-years">have remained stagnant</a> despite galloping inflation in the country. Morale on the front line has waned. If corruption infects the allocation of security contracts, the fight against terror will suffer once more.



Whether Abubakar will be able to grapple with such forces is questionable. Indeed, this could be one of the reasons why Nigeria finds itself in its current state and it might also explain Obi’s surging popularity: few seem to believe that an establishment man like Abubakar is likely to deliver the changes that the country needs.



Tinubu too is tainted with graft allegations. Though tax revenues quadrupled under Tinubu’s tenure as Governor of Lagos (1999-2007), he <a href="https://www.theafricareport.com/35131/bola-tinubu-the-kingmaker-who-would-be-king/">allegedly has ties to Alpha Beta Consulting</a>, a company contracted to collect state taxes in return for a commission. However, he is <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9f1d9cc0-7e01-4bcc-812c-96114381bd73">regarded as</a> an effective governor of Lagos who laid the groundwork for the prosperity boom that <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/8b24d40a-c064-11e1-982d-00144feabdc0">the state has experienced</a>.



When he took power in 1999, Peter Lewis described the city as in <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=governing+lagos&amp;rlz=1C9BKJA_enIT929IT930&amp;oq=governing+lagos&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j69i59.2004j0j7&amp;hl=en-GB&amp;sourceid=chrome-mobile&amp;ie=UTF-8">stationary crisis</a>. Despite its problems, it is now a megacity with the country’s best infrastructure, a growing tech industry and cultural sectors, and technocratic institutions – as well as being the only state that doesn’t rely on federal oil exports to fund budgets.



Security is also regarded as one of Tinubu’s strong points and he is often credited with driving down high crime rates in Lagos by reforming and properly funding the police. He established the <a href="https://rrslagos.gov.ng/">Rapid Response Squad</a>, a highly-trained and well-equipped unit tasked with targeting the city’s gang problem. Social programmes were also designed to pull at-risk youth away from criminality, thereby making the state safer. Nigeria at large is a more complex challenge, but his supporters believe his track record on security could translate to the national level.



Regardless of who eventually wins the race, Nigeria’s next president faces daunting security challenges. But the ramifications of regression or, worse, collapse will be global.



Mat&nbsp;Whatley&nbsp;is former Security Chief for the EU Election Mission in Abuja. He is a British army veteran and former head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Donetsk Ukraine, the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia in the Caucasus, as well as former OSCE spokesman in then Yugoslavia.

GettyImages-1247386478-1

Nigeria’s election has security implications beyond its border

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG-5370-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423327" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG-5370-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG-5370-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG-5370-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG-5370-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG-5370.jpg 870w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr. Ahmed touring the new Africa CDC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia</figcaption></figure>



Our efforts and achievements over the past year have laid the groundwork for accelerated progress on our core ambitions, including transformative regional investments and enhanced global representation and participation.



31 January 2023 marked the sixth anniversary of the establishment of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. Reflecting on the past twelve months leading up to this anniversary, we can proudly highlight swift reactions to health emergencies, and investments in resilient systems, while noting areas for further action. Successes include upgraded and more efficient disease response; expanded partnerships; improved regional capacity in laboratory infrastructure; workforce development and progress towards local manufacturing and distribution of medical supplies. Major Africa CDC milestones for 2022 included the expansion of our mandate to become an autonomous health institution of the African Union; the authority to declare a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security; the launch of our Non-communicable Diseases (NCD), Injuries Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Strategy; expanded implementation of our Saving Lives and Livelihoods Initiative; the launch of our Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance; the Call to Action on Strengthening Public Health Emergency Operations Centres; and our successful in-person convening of the second annual international Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2022).



Epidemiology and Disease Response



The May 2022 Mpox (Monkeypox) outbreak in non-endemic countries mainly in Europe and North America, was declared a public health emergency of international concern in July, and by the end of the year had spread to 110 countries. Since the beginning of 2022, Africa recorded <a href="https://africacdc.org/disease-outbreak/outbreak-brief-26-mpox-in-africa-union-member-states/">more than 1250 confirmed cases and 226 deaths</a> across eight endemic countries (Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana (identified in animals only), Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone), in environments with limited testing and vaccine availability, once more highlighting the inequities in global health response. Africa CDC worked with the Nigerian Centers for Disease Control (NCDC) and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) to <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/africa-cdc-organizes-first-training-on-real-time-pcr-based-monkeypox-virus-mpxv-testing-for-20-african-union-member-states/">train 20 Member States</a> on diagnostics in June and provided test kits and sequencing support. We are grateful to the government of the Republic of Korea and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) for their timely donation of <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/the-republic-of-korea-to-donate-first-batch-of-mpox-vaccine-to-africa/">50,000 Mpox vaccine doses</a> during my November 2022 visit. By the end of the year, five of the eight affected Member States had recorded no new cases over three months.



Ebola presented another major health threat with an April 2022 outbreak in the <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/the-democratic-republic-of-congo-declared-ebola-virus-disease-evd-outbreak-in-mbandaka-equateur-province/">Democratic Republic of Congo</a>, and in <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/uganda-reported-an-outbreak-of-ebola-virus-disease/">Uganda</a> in September 2022. Africa CDC helped to quickly respond to both outbreaks and within <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/the-14th-ebola-outbreak-declared-over-in-equateur-province-democratic-republic-of-the-congo/">10</a> and <a href="https://africacdc.org/disease-outbreak/final-outbreak-brief-16-sudan-virus-disease-in-uganda/">18</a> weeks respectively both were under control. Africa CDC provided technical support including epidemiologists and laboratory scientists, as well as community engagement teams. The combination of robust national responses and end-to-end support from the Africa CDC demonstrates the potential of close collaboration with Africa Union Member States. We also supported the Government of Uganda in convening a <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/african-health-ministers-take-steps-to-curb-the-spread-of-the-ebola-disease-outbreak/">High-Level Emergency Ministerial</a> meeting in October, bringing together 11 neighboring Member States to endorse <a href="https://africacdc.org/download/communique-of-the-high-level-emergency-ministerial-meeting-on-cross-border-collaboration-for-preparedness-and-response-to-ebola-virus-disease/">key measures</a> such as contact tracing, information sharing, simulation exercises, and joint training of first responders. We also supported the vaccine trials for the Sudan strain of the virus. The challenges of conducting trials at the tail end of an outbreak, such as the dearth of enrollable cases, highlight the need for rapid and flexible approaches before and during outbreaks.



While the worst waves of the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent appear to have receded, with infections and fatalities down from the most recent <a href="https://who.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/0c9b3a8b68d0437a8cf28581e9c063a9">peaks</a> of June 2022, Africa CDC continued to work throughout the year on Member States’ <a href="https://africacdc.org/covid-19-vaccination/">vaccine coverage</a> (reaching 45% of eligible population by January 2023) and surveillance capacity, including through genomic sequencing. The Africa CDC Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Africa PGI) has supported more than <a href="https://africacdc.org/institutes/ipg/">130,000 sequences</a> covering most Member States and SARS-CoV-2 strains. Africa PGI is housed within Africa CDC’s <a href="https://ipg.africacdc.org/">Institute of Pathogen Genomics</a> and supports African national public health institutions (NPHIs) with sequencing tools, training, lab and data infrastructure.



We are also applying our genome sequencing work to Malaria and other infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. In September 2022, PGI co-hosted a <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/strengthening-the-malaria-genomics-workforce-in-east-africa/">training course</a> on Malaria Genomic Epidemiology with 34 participants from 7 East African countries. I remain optimistic that successful 2021 <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/20-04-2021-rts-s-malaria-vaccine-reaches-more-than-650-000-children-in-ghana-kenya-and-malawi-through-groundbreaking-pilot-programme">pilot programs</a> of the RTS,S Malaria vaccine in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi will soon lead to a wider rollout supported mainly by African financing for procurement and delivery. An initial test of Africa’s commitment to contribute further to health financing has been set by <a href="https://www.gavi.org/news/media-room/gavi-board-approves-funding-support-malaria-vaccine-roll-out-sub-saharan-africa">GAVI’s</a> commitment of nearly <a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/world/over-1-million-african-children-protected-first-malaria-vaccine">$160 million</a> to vaccine access – a similar allocation from African actors would be a positive step in this direction.



We remain acutely aware of other disease threats affecting our continent &#8211; non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues form a growing share of the continental disease burden and mortality. NCDs were responsible for 37% of deaths in Africa in 2019, and together with injuries and mental health issues, <a href="https://africacdc.org/download/africa-cdc-non-communicable-diseases-injuries-prevention-and-control-and-mental-health-promotion-strategy-2022-26/">increased</a> from 18% to 30% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) between 1990 and 2017. Furthermore, mental health conditions and NCDs are closely intertwined through shared risk factors, chronicity, and stigmatization. The launch of our <a href="https://africacdc.org/download/africa-cdc-non-communicable-diseases-injuries-prevention-and-control-and-mental-health-promotion-strategy-2022-26/">NCD, Injuries Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Strategy</a> demonstrates our effort to balance our focus and investments, and our commitment to providing technical support, funding advocacy, and peer review to improve national responses to disease threats.



To ensure that our Member States are always ready to rapidly detect any outbreak, and effectively coordinate response to health emergencies, Africa CDC facilitated a <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/call-to-action-strengthening-public-health-emergency-operations-centres-in-africa/">Call To Action: Strengthening Public Health Emergency Operations Centres in Africa</a>, that was launched by H.E. President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia. This Call was then followed by a high level meeting of ministers of health who agreed on steps to <a href="https://africacdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Communique_-CALL-TO-ACTION.pdf">operationalize the Call To Action</a>.



Partnerships



Our <a href="https://ipg.africacdc.org/initiatives/africa-pathogen-genomics-initiative-africa-pgi">Africa PGI initiative</a> is supporting broad collaboration with Member States. The initiative was launched in 2020 and is enabled by a <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/us100-million-africa-pathogen-genomics-initiative-to-boost-disease-surveillance-and-emergency-response-capacity-in-africa/">$100 million, four-year PPP</a> comprising support from the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, the US Centers for Disease Control, equipment and training from Illumina and Oxford Nanopore, and computing resources from Microsoft. Our $1.5 billion <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/saving-lives-and-livelihoods-initiative-hits-one-year-milestone/">Saving Lives and Livelihoods Initiative</a> with the Mastercard Foundation commenced implementation in Kenya in July, Ethiopia and Lesotho in August, and in November 2022 we rolled out activities including mobile vaccination sites, vaccine safety surveillance and risk communication across <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/africa-cdc-saving-lives-and-livelihoods-initiative-expands-implementation-in-southern-africa/">ten countries</a> in Southern Africa.



In July 2022, the World Bank approved a <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/07/21/africa-centres-for-disease-control-receives-a-100-million-boost-from-the-world-bank-to-strengthen-continental-public-hea">$100 million support programme</a> for Africa CDC to enhance our institutional technical capacity so that we can intensify our support to African Union Member States in preparing for, detecting, and rapidly responding to disease threats and public health emergencies. The grant is particularly timely as Africa changes her strategies for health security through the <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/africa-calls-for-new-public-health-order/">New Public Health Order</a> and as we operationalize Africa CDC as an autonomous health institution of the African Union.



In December 2022, Africa CDC hosted the 2nd International Conference on Public Health in Africa (<a href="https://cphia2022.com/">CPHIA 2022</a>) in partnership with the Rwanda Ministry of Health at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda. The conference welcomed more than 2500 in-person delegates from 90 countries and featured more than 30 sessions and 50+ side events on topics ranging from pandemic preparedness to vaccine production, non-communicable diseases, and strengthening NPHIs. One notable outcome was the signing on the sidelines of a <a href="https://www.mmv.org/newsroom/press-releases/medicines-malaria-venture-and-africa-cdc-sign-memorandum-understanding">memorandum of understanding</a> between Africa CDC and Medicines Malaria Venture (MMV) towards African manufacturing of malaria medicines. The huge interest in the CPHIA, particularly in Africa, has clearly indicated that the continent has come of age to chart its own scientific and public health horizons.



Workforce and infrastructure



Recent Africa CDC health worker support efforts include our Institute of Workforce Development (IWD)&#8217;s establishment of a Clinical Community of Practice for COVID-19 and other diseases &#8211; including a webinar series that drew 9,000 participants from 50 African countries, and the roll-out of a virtual knowledge hub.



We have also rolled out a wide range of capacity development initiatives to support various African healthcare professionals. These include the <a href="https://africacdc.org/kofi-annan-global-health-leadership-programme/">Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Programme</a> in partnership with the Kofi Annan Foundation; the Global Nursing Leadership program in partnership with Harvard&#8217;s T.H. Chan School of Public Health; funded masters programs for epidemiologists and biostatisticians in partnership with EDCTP; and an <a href="https://africacdc.org/news-item/africa-cdc-susan-thompson-buffett-foundation-partner-to-strengthen-sexual-and-reproductive-health-epidemiology-in-africa/">$11.5 million</a> grant from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation for capacity building in maternal and reproductive health epidemiology.



Our Takeaways



Despite its challenges, the past year has been a productive and exciting one for Africa CDC, with meaningful progress made on many of our core ambitions. Successfully implementing our vision of a New Public Health Order for Africa in 2023 and beyond entails a greater focus on larger and longer term resourcing for African healthcare systems, particularly through domestic financing of NPHIs; accelerating tangible investments in regional production of medical products to take advantage of agreements such as the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); and a stronger regional leadership and global representation role for Africa CDC, especially in the coordination of public health emergency responses. As Africa’s public health agency, our regional leadership role and global participation should now be brought up to par with those of our counterpart organizations covering large regions such as the CDCs of the US, EU, and China. As the Africa CDC of tomorrow, we will have more active participation in global health financing and research decisions, on top of our well-developed coordination and collaboration roles across the continent. In 2023, we will thus work towards securing the policies, partnerships, and resource commitments to convert ambitious programme plans into tangible successes and continue to pursue greater self-reliance and self-advocacy in the pursuit of improved public health outcomes for all Africans and beyond.

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Africa CDC Today – Reflecting on 2022

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="618" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Sithembile-Ntombela-Acting-Chief-Executive-Officer-for-BRANDSA-opinion-piece.-2-820x618.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423090" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Sithembile-Ntombela-Acting-Chief-Executive-Officer-for-BRANDSA-opinion-piece.-2-820x618.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Sithembile-Ntombela-Acting-Chief-Executive-Officer-for-BRANDSA-opinion-piece.-2-300x226.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Sithembile-Ntombela-Acting-Chief-Executive-Officer-for-BRANDSA-opinion-piece.-2-119x90.jpg 119w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Sithembile-Ntombela-Acting-Chief-Executive-Officer-for-BRANDSA-opinion-piece.-2-768x579.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Sithembile-Ntombela-Acting-Chief-Executive-Officer-for-BRANDSA-opinion-piece.-2.jpg 1066w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sithembile Ntombela, Acting Chief Executive Officer for Brand South Africa</figcaption></figure>



South Africa, like all countries, doesn’t exist in isolation, and its brand identity can be both positively and negatively affected by global perceptions of its partners, collaborators and socio-economic allies. South Africa, viewed as part of a greater network, is a more attractive investment opportunity than positioning the nation as an isolated unit. Having the security that South Africa has the support of the continent is an assuring proposition for potential global investors. And while Brand South Africa remains strong in communicating nation pride messaging, creating a positive continental image, and promoting an image of a unified Africa, is as important a means of attracting investment.



The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the core project behind the African Union’s Agenda 2063, provides the opportunity to expand Africa’s economy by $3.4 trillion, predominantly by eliminating tariffs on intra-Africa trade. A unified African economy demands unified messaging, thus the development of the AfCFTA relies on the strength of the continent’s image and intra-continental confidence.



Buy African, Invest African, and Support African is the message that all nation brand custodians should be amplifying in bringing to life opportunities and awareness of the AfCFTA. “African Made” is a term that intrinsically communicates continental unity, and it is a strategy that is currently being executed as part of the Agenda 2063 goals. Brand South Africa started this journey last year during its Nation Brand Forum wherein stakeholders from a few of African continent attempted to define the central idea of the African continent so as to identify a strategic angle that would amplify the African story.



Brand South Africa will work in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), and the African Prosperity Fund in order to strategically rollout “African Made” messaging and attractively position the idea of “Buying African Made”. The collaboration will include input from the The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) directorate, which has the main objective of bridging the digital and connectivity divides in Africa. Ultimately the unity being projected needs to be informed by an infrastructural and communicative unity, co-created through efficient access models under ICT research.



The more unified the messaging, the more attractive the product. The more people, including the layman on the streets, who understand the AfCFTA vision, the more buy-in would be realised. Promoting awareness around the vision posits an integral communication job to be implemented by Brand South Africa and other continental agencies tasked with the promotion of their country brands, investments or tourism.



Just as South Africa doesn’t exist in isolation, neither do the goals of Agenda 2063. They require collaboration on both infrastructural and ideological lines across the continent. Yes, the European Union (EU) benefits from its intra-trade agreements, but it also benefits from the external and internal perceptions of European unity and strength. This doesn’t diminish the member countries’ own national pride; it just translates that pride into one of intra-continental confidence.



“African Made” and the unified messaging intrinsic to “Buying African Made” is key to projecting this confidence within the African continent, and from a global perspective. It is a communicative cornerstone critical to the success of AfCFTA and Agenda 2063 &#8211; it engenders unity by manifesting unity.



“African Made” is not just a hollow marketing phrase. It’s a messaging product that not only communicates unity but requires it to be successful.&nbsp; It’s the messaging that will advance Africa’s competitive advantage and reputation.



About Brand South Africa



Brand South Africa is the official marketing agency of South Africa, with a mandate to build the country’s brand reputation, in order to improve its global competitiveness. Its aim is also to build pride and patriotism among South Africans, in order to contribute to social cohesion and nation brand ambassadorship.&nbsp;

Sithembile-Ntombela-Acting-Chief-Executive-Officer-for-BRANDSA-opinion-piece.-2

AFRICAN MADE:  REVIEWING SOUTH AFRICA’S ROLE IN AFRICA’S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="728" height="499" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/D2D2WHXSKNIGTJZ76POEB5X2ZE.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-421980" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/D2D2WHXSKNIGTJZ76POEB5X2ZE.jpg 728w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/D2D2WHXSKNIGTJZ76POEB5X2ZE-300x206.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/D2D2WHXSKNIGTJZ76POEB5X2ZE-131x90.jpg 131w" sizes="(max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks at the Summit on Economic Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities in Johannesburg, South Africa, December 8, 2022. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham</figcaption></figure>



Dear Mr. President,



This open letter brings together many of South Africa’s most significant manufacturers and retailers of food and other essential products, such as quick service restaurants and medicines.



We take our responsibility to feed and sustain the nation very seriously. We work tirelessly, night and day, to produce food and household products, secure healthcare products, and to ensure they are always available in our stores when customers need them.



The consumer goods industry’s contribution to the GDP is significant and is also the country’s largest employer. Millions of people depend on us for their livelihoods.



We are alarmed and dismayed by the levels of load shedding which we have all had to endure over the past decade, and which have escalated catastrophically in recent months.



While we have maintained our operations and supply chains so far by using emergency power generators, this has been at an unsustainable financial cost. It is crippling our businesses, and will in the end mean much higher prices for consumers, who are already under severe financial strain.



The deterioration of other essential infrastructure – including water, roads, rail, and policing – all make our tasks, and those of thousands of other businesses around the country, even more difficult.



If this crisis continues, we will not be able to guarantee stable supplies of food, medicines and other essential goods. The government needs to understand this, rather than believe we can maintain business as usual.



We require urgent and decisive action from government to solve the crisis, and specific steps to ensure that the consumer goods industry can fulfil its role as an essential service for every family in the country.



These steps must include: • rapid implementation of the plans already in place to solve the overall energy crisis • the removal of regulatory red tape and escalating indirect taxes such as the health promotion levy to enable investment and business sustainability • address the deterioration of essential infrastructure such as including water, roads, rail, and policing • a suspension of the fuel duty levy and road accident fund for the consumer goods businesses and value chain, for as long as we suffer regular load shedding. This is a critical sector that should be considered for fuel rebates similar to the mining, agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors • effective tax and other incentives to install localised renewable energy at small and medium scale • action to ensure that critical infrastructure, such as essential food production, medicines and distribution facilities are not only exempted from load shedding but are prioritised on the safety and security list, and • accelerate the fight against illicit trade across the economy as it reduces the tax base and deprives government of crucial revenue at this critical time.



We look forward to hearing your plans for action in the 2023 State of the Nation Address (SONA), giving due consideration to the proposals put forward in this letter by the Chief Executive Officers who are signatories.



We will continue to work tirelessly to sustain our customers and communities.



We will support government where we can and ask urgently for decisive action from you.



Signed:



Gareth Ackerman Co &#8211; Chair 



Johann Vorster Co &#8211; Chair 



Zinhle Tyikwe CEO



Issued on behalf of the following industry CEO’s: BAT East and Southern Africa Bidfood Massmart Famous Brands Exclusive Books Magaliescitrus Mars Burger King Coca Cola Tiger Brands Pick n Pay Retailers (Pty) Ltd Shoprite PepsiCo OBC

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks at the Summit on Economic Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities in Johannesburg

Open Letter To President Cyril Ramaphosa From The Ceos Of Member Companies Of The Consumer Goods Council Of South Africa (Cgcsa)

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/65GOX4BM3RI3VORRYQ5THS3W6M-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-419396" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/65GOX4BM3RI3VORRYQ5THS3W6M-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/65GOX4BM3RI3VORRYQ5THS3W6M-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/65GOX4BM3RI3VORRYQ5THS3W6M-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/65GOX4BM3RI3VORRYQ5THS3W6M-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/65GOX4BM3RI3VORRYQ5THS3W6M.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A view of a sign above the entrance of the Google office, ahead of presentation of the detailed investment plan for Germany, in Berlin, Germany, August 31, 2021. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse</figcaption></figure>



AI is the most profound technology we are working on today. Whether it’s helping doctors detect diseases earlier or enabling people to access information in their own language, AI helps people, businesses and communities unlock their potential. And it opens up new opportunities that could significantly improve billions of lives. That’s why we re-oriented the company around AI six years ago — and why we see it as the most important way we can deliver on our mission: to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.



Since then we’ve continued to make investments in AI across the board, and Google AI and DeepMind are advancing the state of the art. Today, the scale of the largest AI computations is&nbsp;<a href="http://arxiv.org/abs/2202.05924" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">doubling every six months</a>, far outpacing Moore’s Law. At the same time, advanced generative AI and large language models are capturing the imaginations of people around the world. In fact, our&nbsp;<a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.03762" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Transformer</a>&nbsp;research project and our field-defining paper in 2017, as well as our important advances in diffusion models, are now the basis of many of the generative AI applications you&#8217;re starting to see today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-introducing-bard">Introducing Bard</h2>



It’s a really exciting time to be working on these technologies as we translate deep research and breakthroughs into products that truly help people. That’s the journey we’ve been on with large language models. Two years ago we unveiled next-generation language and conversation capabilities powered by our Language Model for Dialogue Applications (or LaMDA for short).



We’ve been working on an experimental conversational AI service, powered by LaMDA, that we’re calling Bard. And today, we’re taking another step forward by opening it up to trusted testers ahead of making it more widely available to the public in the coming weeks.



Bard seeks to combine the breadth of the world’s knowledge with the power, intelligence and creativity of our large language models. It draws on information from the web to provide fresh, high-quality responses. Bard can be an outlet for creativity, and a launchpad for curiosity, helping you to explain new discoveries from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to a 9-year-old, or learn more about the best strikers in football right now, and then get drills to build your skills.



We’re releasing it initially with our lightweight model version of LaMDA. This much smaller model requires significantly less computing power, enabling us to scale to more users, allowing for more feedback. We’ll combine external feedback with our own internal testing to make sure Bard’s responses meet a&nbsp;<a href="https://ai.googleblog.com/2022/01/lamda-towards-safe-grounded-and-high.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high bar for quality, safety and groundedness</a>&nbsp;in real-world information. We’re excited for this phase of testing to help us continue to learn and improve Bard’s quality and speed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bringing the benefits of AI into our everyday products</h2>



We have a long history of using AI to improve Search for billions of people. BERT, one of our first Transformer models, was revolutionary in understanding the intricacies of human language. Two years ago, we introduced MUM, which is 1,000 times more powerful than BERT and has next-level and multi-lingual understanding of information which can pick out&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.google/products/search/key-moments-video-search/">key moments in videos and provide</a>&nbsp;critical information, including&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.google/products/search/using-ai-keep-google-search-safe/?_ga=2.98664346.52992333.1675136960-653895777.1637261672">crisis support,</a>&nbsp;in more languages.



Now, our newest AI technologies — like LaMDA, PaLM, Imagen and MusicLM — are building on this, creating entirely new ways to engage with information, from language and images to video and audio. We’re working to bring these latest AI advancements into our products, starting with Search.



One of the most exciting opportunities is how AI can deepen our understanding of information and turn it into useful knowledge more efficiently — making it easier for people to get to the heart of what they’re looking for and get things done. When people think of Google, they often think of turning to us for quick factual answers, like “how many keys does a piano have?” But increasingly, people are turning to Google for deeper insights and understanding — like, “is the piano or guitar easier to learn, and how much practice does each need?” Learning about a topic like this can take a lot of effort to figure out what you really need to know, and people often want to explore a diverse range of opinions or perspectives.



AI can be helpful in these moments, synthesizing insights for questions where there’s no one right answer. Soon, you’ll see AI-powered features in Search that distill complex information and multiple perspectives into easy-to-digest formats, so you can quickly understand the big picture and learn more from the web: whether that’s seeking out additional perspectives, like blogs from people who play both piano and guitar, or going deeper on a related topic, like steps to get started as a beginner. These new AI features will begin rolling out on Google Search soon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Helping developers innovate with AI</h2>



Beyond our own products, we think it’s important to make it easy, safe and scalable for others to benefit from these advances by building on top of our best models. Next month, we’ll start onboarding individual developers, creators and enterprises so they can try our Generative Language API, initially powered by LaMDA with a range of models to follow. Over time, we intend to create a suite of tools and APIs that will make it easy for others to build more innovative applications with AI. Having the necessary compute power to build reliable and trustworthy AI systems is also crucial to startups, and we are excited to help scale these efforts through our Google Cloud partnerships with&nbsp;<a href="https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/ai-machine-learning/accelerating-language-model-training-with-cohere-and-google-cloud-tpus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cohere</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://c3.ai/partners/googlecloud-partnership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">C3.ai</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anthropic-forges-partnership-with-google-cloud-to-help-deliver-reliable-and-responsible-ai-301738512.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anthropic</a>, which was just announced last week. Stay tuned for more developer details soon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bold and responsible</h2>



It’s critical that we bring experiences rooted in these models to the world in a bold and responsible way. That’s why we’re committed to developing AI responsibly: In 2018, Google was one of the first companies to publish a set of&nbsp;<a href="https://ai.google/principles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI Principles</a>. We continue to provide education and resources for our researchers, partner with governments and external organizations to develop standards and best practices, and work with communities and experts to make AI safe and useful.



Whether it’s applying AI to radically transform our own products or making these powerful tools available to others, we’ll continue to be bold with innovation and responsible in our approach. And it’s just the beginning — more to come in all of these areas in the weeks and months ahead.

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An important next step on our AI journey

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="599" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nardos-bekele-thomas-1-e1670506114997-1200x876-1-820x599.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-422869" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nardos-bekele-thomas-1-e1670506114997-1200x876-1-820x599.jpeg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nardos-bekele-thomas-1-e1670506114997-1200x876-1-300x219.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nardos-bekele-thomas-1-e1670506114997-1200x876-1-123x90.jpeg 123w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nardos-bekele-thomas-1-e1670506114997-1200x876-1-768x561.jpeg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nardos-bekele-thomas-1-e1670506114997-1200x876-1.jpeg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">AUDA-Nepad CEO Nandos Bekele-Thomas</figcaption></figure>



A well-known Ethiopian proverb claims that “regret, like a tail, comes at the end”. It succinctly states what I believe to be a universal truth and a reflection of what we, as Africans, tend to look at the grim situation enveloping the world today. It’s true that the current developments in the global community have forced global leaders to focus their efforts inwards and away from the African continent. However, that is not cause for regret, quite the contrary: it’s an opportunity for Africa to stand on its own two legs.



Anyone following the discussions at this year’s World Economic Forum is likely to encounter a new, unpleasant-sounding word: Polycrisis. The term gained popularity last year to describe recent historical events which were until then, treated separately &#8211; The Covid-19 pandemic, the Russian war in Ukraine, a general downturn in global stability with widespread financial trouble, and the ever-present climate emergency…



Regardless of what you choose to call it, the current global situation presents us with a multifaceted challenge for which no conventional wisdom exists. During the global financial crisis of 2008, many countries around the world passed austerity measures, tightened the fiscal belt and waited for the downturn to pass. But in our current climate no such predictions can be made, as the compounded effects of health, security, financial and climate crises are simply too complex to fit any previous model.



A proactive, rather than a reactive approach is therefore needed to deal with this challenge, particularly seeing how some of its components are likely to get worse if left unchecked. This is particularly true in Africa, where the 2020s brought a serious wobble to decades of sustained financial and security gains. Rather than waiting for the situation to improve, African leaders must come together and begin shaping the future of the continent.



The upcoming 2nd Dakar Financing Summit for Africa’s Infrastructure Development set to take place in Senegal will provide us with such an opportunity. Back in 2014, the inaugural edition saw several key breakthroughs concerning the implementation of the PIDA Priority Action Plan, including fast tracking and financing 16 mega regional infrastructure projects.



With a new Priority Action Plan agreed upon in 2021 by the African Union and major partners like the African Development Bank and the UN’s Economic Commission for Africa, expectations are high for this year’s Dakar Forum. The Forum seeks to bring together infrastructure stakeholders from all over Africa to strengthen political support from state actors and financial commitments from development institutions and private investors for regional infrastructure projects.



One cannot overstate the crucial role played by infrastructure in the future development of Africa. Rather than seeing the so-called polycrisis as an obstacle, we should treat it as a reminder of the importance and urgency of developing our continent. The fragility of modern supply chains was laid bare last year when the war in Ukraine sent shockwaves of food shortages and spiralling prices across the world. There has never been a better moment for Africa to step up its agricultural production and amplify its exports, but once again, outdated, or non-existent infrastructure is holding us back.



The efficient transport of goods, people, services, and ideas is fundamental to any economy, and progress in any number of fields will remain stunted while these basic requirements are not met. Experts reckon that Africa needs to invest about USD 100bn a year in infrastructure if it is to fulfil its economic potential and realize the ambitious African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Let’s mobilise our own financing and show that these projects are indeed bankable.



Global relations are based on reciprocity and a lopsided power dynamic will always lead to unequal terms. Africa must rise on its own if it expects to be treated like an equal. The last few decades saw amazing transformations in some parts of Africa, while others still lag behind. An organised push for regional infrastructure could level those differences by opening the continent and allowing development to spread in a more equitable manner.



While the world is going through troubled times, there is no need to give up and let either fate or chance have its way. Instead, Africans should heed the call of this polycrisis and work together towards our common goals, regardless of what history throws in our direction. And the road which will take our continent towards its bright future starts with building the road itself.

nardos-bekele-thomas-1-e1670506114997-1200×876-1

The Polycrisis is Not the End of the Road for African Infrastructure

Technologies have made financial instruments trading possible and accessible from anywhere on the globe where there’s Internet connection. Annoying ads always assure that stocks and currency trading is easy, but in reality the majority of self confident investors end up in losses. For some it is a discovery that you actually need to study first. Others may think that financial market trading is some kind of a game, however one’s profit would normally depend on accurate calculations and strict compliance with the rules rather than luck.



These rules have been elaborated by traders throughout decades. Those who know them and follow have more chances to achieve constant income in trading. Even though it seems that currency and energy carrier exchange rates are absolutely unpredictable, there are certain signals that show you when you need to place a buy or sell order. Understanding these signals one makes it easier to enter the market and then close the deal with profit. Therefore you need to pass a learner’s course before you open your first orders or invest into any financial asset.



Currencies are as good for trading as oil, gas, gold or wheat and anything else. Currencies rates are never static, they always move allowing traders to make a profit from it. You don’t even need to go to a bank to buy the euros, USD or Japanese yens there – you can do that right in front of your laptop or even tapping your phone’s screen would be enough. You can still buy and sell and consequently earn more than you currently have.



How’s that possible? The majority of the deals in trading are carried out using the leverage, a special setting that allows one to use 50, 100 or even 1000 times more funds. Sounds very attractive, but it’s not that easy: as we’ve mentioned before one has to follow specific rules and at least have an understanding of what to sell or buy.



It’s best to start with the basics of trading, for example on a free learner’s course by FIBO Academy. You’ll learn what trading is and how it works. Having understood the principles of financial markets you would discover new financial possibilities for yourself. The knowledge of basic terms will help you understand what it is being talked about in the finance news, how this news influence the currency rate movement and index and commodities prices. Studying the fundamental analysis will let you evaluate the economic situation yourself. The learner’s course will help you not only take the right decisions in trading or investment but also in life. It is also a good way to know yourself better, learn how to take weighed decisions and draw grounded conclusions. It is of zero importance if trading becomes one of your income sources, you can always apply your knowledge in other activities.



Watch: <a href="https://www.fibogroup.com/analytics-and-training/training/videocourses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.fibogroup.com/analytics-and-training/training/videocourses/</a>

CNBC Africa_Image One

Earnings in financial markets: is it roulette or science?

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="541" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Pieter-Bensch-Sage-1-820x541.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-422528" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Pieter-Bensch-Sage-1-820x541.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Pieter-Bensch-Sage-1-300x198.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Pieter-Bensch-Sage-1-136x90.jpg 136w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Pieter-Bensch-Sage-1-768x507.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Pieter-Bensch-Sage-1-1536x1014.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Pieter-Bensch-Sage-1-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pieter-bensch-1aa3a64/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pieter Bensch</a>, Executive Vice President for Sage Africa &amp; Middle East</figcaption></figure>



South Africa’s shortfall of power generation capacity has reached beyond crisis levels this year. We’ve experienced more days and hours of load shedding in 2022 than in any other year, but we also saw the longest stretch of unbroken load shedding across September and October. It’s clear there will be no quick fixes for this long-standing challenge.



In crisis lies the opportunity for organisations of all sizes, including small and medium businesses (SMBs). The public conversation often focuses on the challenges and costs of load shedding for smaller businesses and how these can be mitigated. But a more empowering way to look at it is as a chance for SMBs to champion and lead the shift to a cleaner, more sustainable energy world.



The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sage.com/en-za/company/sustainability-and-society/planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SME Climate Impact Report</a>&nbsp;commissioned by Sage and launched in partnership with Oxford Economics and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), shows SMEs&#8217; footprint totalled 29% of non-household emissions in South Africa when greenhouse gases generated in their supply chains were considered.



As such, SMBs can play a key role in the transition to cleaner energy. Let’s start with the enormous demand we see in the market for renewables. From independent power producers (IPPs) building wind and solar farms to feed into the grid to large companies self-provisioning power to solar installations for SMBs and homes – there are plenty of growth opportunities.



In 2020, electricity generated from renewables amounted to&nbsp;<a href="https://researchspace.csir.co.za/dspace/handle/10204/11865?show=full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a mere 10.5%</a>&nbsp;of the South African national total. One researcher&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globaldata.com/media/power/south-africa-power-supply-security-rely-gas-based-capacity-renewables-replace-coal-low-power-market-growth-expected-2035-says-globaldata/#:~:text=Renewable%20power%20capacity%20is%20expected,capacity%2C%20according%20to%20GlobalData.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forecasts</a>&nbsp;that South Africa’s renewable power capacity will increase at a compound annual growth rate of 10.7% from 2021 to 2035 to reach an estimate of 40.6GW by 2035, which will constitute 48.3% of total installed capacity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Opening the floodgates</h2>



President Cyril Ramaphosa recently opened the floodgates for renewables investment, announcing a broad package of reforms. These include making it easier for large power users to self-provide up to 100MW of embedded power generation, launching an Eskom feed-in tariff for solar users to sell power to the grid, and acceleration of IPP rollouts.



This creates enormous opportunities for entrepreneurs and SMBs throughout the supply chain, from providing and installing systems to manufacturing components and playing a role in power storage and provision. The market is far from saturated, and skills are in short supply, creating compelling entrepreneurial prospects in an industry with a bright future.



The pace of innovation in renewables has been astonishing; we could envisage SMBs playing a leading role in driving further progress. One of the lessons we could take from the load shedding crisis is that avoiding another monopoly would be highly desirable. Instead, we could foster a renewables ecosystem with competition at every level – from installation to power provision.



In fact, driving entrepreneurship is essential for a just transition. Government, labour and communities are justifiably concerned about the loss of fossil fuel jobs and the poor getting left behind in the renewable energy revolution. An inclusive renewables industry would help address these challenges by potentially creating&nbsp;<a href="https://gwec.net/report-capturing-green-recovery-opportunities-from-wind-power-in-emerging-economies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">250 000 new jobs over the next 25 years</a>&nbsp;and off-grid power solutions for rural communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Harnessing renewables in your business</h2>



Of course, not every SMB will want to become directly involved in the renewables industry, but every SMB uses electricity. Herein lies an opportunity for SMBs to evaluate ways of harnessing alternative energy to improve business resilience, sustainability, and efficiency. Rapid renewables innovation means a strong business case for going solar.



For most businesses, barring those with heavy machinery or commercial fridges, solar panels and battery backup are excellent backup power sources. They’re cleaner, quiet, and don’t depend on expensive fuel. What’s more, solar offers small businesses the prospect of becoming increasingly independent from the grid and reducing their power bill over time.



Some municipalities, such as Cape Town, allow businesses to feed power back to the grid for a rebate. Over time, solar installations will pay for themselves, even if you don’t factor productivity through load shedding into the equation. Becoming more sustainable is also a good reputational move that enhances an SMB’s standing with customers and suppliers.



Tools such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sage.com/en-za/news/press-releases/2022/10/sage-acquires-spherics-to-help-smbs-measure-and-cut-their-carbon-emissions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spherics</a>, a carbon accounting solution from Sage, can help businesses easily understand and reduce their environmental impact. Though not yet available in South Africa, it will help SMBs manage their carbon footprint and the data shows where the low-hanging fruit is for SMBs in making the transition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-renewable-energy-is-key-to-securing-energy-future">Renewable energy is key to securing energy future</h2>



Given that coal and nuclear plants are built on decade-plus timespans, solar and wind are the best options to address South Africa’s power shortfall rapidly. But the backstory is that we need to gradually wean ourselves from fossil fuels to meet our climate emission promise to the global community and play our part in addressing climate change.&nbsp;



It’s clear the future is renewable. Energy reform is an opportunity for businesses to increase growth and become more sustainable. SMBs need to take their rightful place at the energy reform table, so they don’t get left behind.&nbsp;Government and big business would be wise to tap into the resourcefulness and innovation of the SMB sector to help drive a faster and more successful transition.

Pieter-Bensch-Sage-1

The renewables revolution offers a brighter future for South African SMBs

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246320969-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-422511" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246320969-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246320969-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246320969-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246320969-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246320969-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-1246320969-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">DAVOS, SWITZERLAND &#8211; JANUARY 18: A general view of the World Economic Forum (WEF) as it continues with special sessions in Davos, Switzerland on January 18, 2023. (Photo by Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 18 January 2023 – African heads of state and global CEOs at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting backed the launch of the first of its kind report on how public-private partnerships can support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).   AfCFTA: A New Era for Global Business and Investment in Africa outlines high-potential sectors, initiatives to support business and investment, operational tools to facilitate the AfCFTA, and illustrative examples from successful businesses in Africa to guide businesses in entering and expanding in this area.   The report aims to provide a pathway for global businesses and investors to understand the biggest trends, opportunities and strategies to successfully invest and achieve high returns in Africa, developing local, subregional and continental value chains and accelerating industrialization, all of which go hand in hand with the success of the AfCFTA.   The AfCFTA is the largest free trade area in the world, by area and number of participating countries. Once fully implemented, it will be the fifth-largest economy in the world, with the potential to have a combined GDP of more than $3.4 trillion. Conceived in 2018, it now has 54 national economies in Africa, could attract billions in foreign investment, boost overseas exports by a third, double intra-continental trade, raise incomes by 8% and lift 50 million people out of poverty.   To ease the pain of transition to its new single market, Africa has learned from trade liberalization in North America and Europe. “Our wide range of partners and experience can help anticipate and mitigate potential disruptions in business and production dynamics,” said Børge Brende, President, World Economic Forum. “The Forum’s initiatives will help to ease physical, capital and digital flows in Africa through stakeholder collaboration, private-public collaboration and information-sharing.”   Given the continent’s historically low foreign direct investment relative to other regions, the report highlights the sense of excitement as the AfCFTA lowers or removes barriers to trade and competitiveness. “The promising gains from an integrated African market should be a signal to investors around the world that the continent is ripe for business creation, integration and expansion,” said Chido Munyati, Head of Regional Agenda, Africa, World Economic Forum.   The report focuses on four key sectors that have a combined worth of $130 billion and represent high-potential opportunities for companies looking to invest in Africa: automotive; agriculture and agroprocessing; pharmaceuticals; and transport and logistics.   “Macro trends in the four key sectors and across Africa’s growth potential reveal tremendous opportunities for business expansion as population, income and connectivity are on the rise,” said Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General, AfCFTA Secretariat.   “These projections reveal an unprecedented opportunity for local and global businesses to invest in African countries and play a vital role in the development of crucial local and regional value chains on the continent,” said Landry Signé, Executive Director and Professor, Thunderbird School of Global Management and Co-Chair, World Economic Forum Regional Action Group for Africa.   The Forum is actively working towards implementing trade and investment tools through initiatives, such as Friends of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, to align with the negotiation process of the AfCFTA. It identifies areas where public-private collaboration can help reduce barriers and facilitate investment from international firms.

World Economic Forum

Global CEOs Back Plan to Unlock $3.4 Trillion Potential of Africa Free Trade Area

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="461" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/weforum-820x461.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-422507" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/weforum-820x461.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/weforum-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/weforum-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/weforum-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/weforum.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /></figure>



Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 18 January 2023 – In an effort to tackle rising cybercrime levels, the World Economic Forum launched today at the Annual Meeting 2023 an initiative to map cybercriminal activities and identify joint public and private sector responses.   Building on the expertise of the Forum’s <a href="https://weforum.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6308fe51b420dc9ff3834abc8&amp;id=ed970aff1c&amp;e=d635155278" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Partnership against Cybercrime</a>, the Cybercrime Atlas initiative will provide a platform for leading cybercrime investigators, national and international law enforcement agencies, and global businesses to share knowledge, generate policy recommendations and identify opportunities for coordinated action to fight cyberthreats.   “The Cybercrime Atlas is a collaborative research initiative that gathers and collates information about the cybercriminal ecosystem and major threat actors operating today,” said Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “The insights generated will help promote opportunities for greater cooperation between the private sector and law enforcement to address cybercrime.”   Cybercrime, such as the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline in May 2021 that caused US President Joe Biden to declare a state of emergency, is a threat to national security, public organizations and businesses of all sizes. Despite the amount of digital data collected on cybercriminal activities worldwide, the effort to fight it is often uncoordinated, disjointed and dispersed. The Cybercrime Atlas aims to map the cybercrime landscape, covering criminal operations, structures and networks.   First announced at San Francisco’s RSA Conference in June 2022, the Cybercrime Atlas has benefited from a year of pro bono analysis of 13 criminal groups by cybercrime investigators. Their approach and findings have been welcomed by law enforcement agencies.   “This initiative underlines the need for an enhanced multi-sector approach to combat the increasing cybercrime threat,” said Jürgen Stock, Secretary-General, International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). “A global solution must include private sector insights to enable law enforcement to prevent, detect, investigate and disrupt cybercrime.”   The secretariat for the Cybercrime Atlas initiative will be hosted by the World Economic Forum for the next 2-3 years, with the support of Fortinet, Microsoft, PayPal and Santander, until it is sufficiently established to become an independent platform.   “The Cybercrime Atlas is an important initiative that will aid industry, law enforcement, and government agencies by providing a first-of-its-kind visibility to disrupt cybercriminals across their ecosystem and infrastructure,” said Ken Xie, Chief Executive Officer, Fortinet. “A global and unified effort will make it easier to get beyond the obstacles that shield cybercriminals.”   The Forum’s Partnership against Cybercrime initiative brings together a dedicated community to drive momentum for a public-private partnership to combat cybercrime.   “Cybercriminals work in the shadows and exploit vulnerabilities to inflict devastating attacks. The Cybercrime Atlas provides an important forum that brings the public and private sectors together to share actionable information and leverage cross-sector data, capabilities and expertise, crucial to disrupting cybercrime quickly, and at scale,” said Brad Smith, Vice-Chair and President, Microsoft.   &#8220;To mitigate and disrupt global cybercrime in today’s interconnected world, we need robust platforms to share intelligence and facilitate more meaningful institutional collaboration,” added Assaf Keren, Chief Information Security Officer and Vice-President, Enterprise Cyber Security, PayPal. “The Cybercrime Atlas represents a key next step in this work and an opportunity to unite global businesses, law enforcement and experts around concrete opportunities to protect the world’s citizens and their safety.”   “Given the global nature of cyberthreats, increasingly public-private collaboration is the best way to combat cybercrime,” said Dirk Marzluf, Group Chief Operating and Technology Officer, Banco Santander. “Organizations must look beyond their perimeter and combine efforts and resources with businesses, law enforcement and government.”

weforum

Forum-hosted Cybercrime Initiative to Boost Coordination between Private Sector and Law Enforcement

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="428" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/responsive_big_webp_3RTr8VzTuhQeqRRkAlTO-0f90NLSfzArX2-Ucr6mtn0-820x428.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-422495" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/responsive_big_webp_3RTr8VzTuhQeqRRkAlTO-0f90NLSfzArX2-Ucr6mtn0-820x428.webp 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/responsive_big_webp_3RTr8VzTuhQeqRRkAlTO-0f90NLSfzArX2-Ucr6mtn0-300x157.webp 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/responsive_big_webp_3RTr8VzTuhQeqRRkAlTO-0f90NLSfzArX2-Ucr6mtn0-160x84.webp 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/responsive_big_webp_3RTr8VzTuhQeqRRkAlTO-0f90NLSfzArX2-Ucr6mtn0-768x401.webp 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/responsive_big_webp_3RTr8VzTuhQeqRRkAlTO-0f90NLSfzArX2-Ucr6mtn0-1536x802.webp 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/responsive_big_webp_3RTr8VzTuhQeqRRkAlTO-0f90NLSfzArX2-Ucr6mtn0.webp 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Climate changes to the water cycle are threatening global water security. Innovative start-ups can help solve this urgent problem. Image: Pexels</figcaption></figure>



Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 18 January 2023&nbsp;– Securing the world’s global freshwater ecosystems, under increasing threat from climate change, population growth and consumer demand, has become more critical than ever. To tackle this escalating crisis, UpLink, the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum, in partnership with global conglomerate HCL Group, has announced 10 water-focused entrepreneurs who will share CHF1.75 million ($1.9 million) from HCL Group to scale their innovations.



Access to water plays a critical role in food production, education, job creation, health and well-being and the preservation of the natural world and is vital to achieving the UN’s 2030 sustainability agenda. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/options-decoupling-economic-growth-water-use-and-water-pollution" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">global demand for water will exceed sustainable supply by 40% by 2030,</a>&nbsp;with huge implications for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2019/08/20/worsening-water-quality-reducing-economic-growth-by-a-third-in-some-countries#:~:text=The%20report%20finds%20that%20a,key%20factor%20for%20economic%20growth" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">global economy</a>&nbsp;and society.



The 10 start-ups are the winners of the&nbsp;<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-issue/a002o0000173B6sAAE/global-freshwater-challenge" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Global Freshwater Innovation Challenge</a>, the first of five challenges under HCL and UpLink’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weforum.org/press/2022/05/new-collaboration-seals-15-million-funding-for-entrepreneurs-to-tackle-freshwater-crisis/">Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative</a>. Launched in September 2022, the challenge called for innovative solutions that would strengthen data-driven decision making, improve freshwater resilience in the face of climate change and restore water quality around the world.



Through a&nbsp;<a>$15 million investment over five years</a>, HCL Group is supporting UpLink and&nbsp;<a href="https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-water-initiative/innovation" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">the Forum’s Global Water Initiative</a>&nbsp;to launch a series of innovation challenges and create an innovation ecosystem for the global freshwater sector on UpLink.



The 10 water-focused entrepreneurs, or “aquapreneurs”, were chosen from 227 solutions submitted to the challenge, and will now each receive CHF175,000 ($190,000) in vital funding from HCL Group. Two of these innovators were selected to present their solutions at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos



<ul>
<li><a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pUXHFAA4/epic-cleantec-onsite-water-treatment-and-reuse">Epic Cleantec</a>, based in the US, is a water technology company leading the water reuse revolution in the urban built environment. Aaron Tartakovsky, CEO of Epic Cleantec,said: “With the combined challenges of ageing infrastructure, growing urban populations and a rapidly changing climate, the conventional approach to how we manage water is no longer sustainable. Epic is on a mission to ensure that our cities are water-secure for generations to come.” Epic aims to use its next-generation technologies to drive circularity in water use and to work with policy-makers to reshape the water infrastructure in cities.</li>



<li><a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pURnNAAW/kilimo-paying-farmers-to-save-water">Kilimo</a>, based in Argentina, uses big data and machine learning to verify, improve, and offset water usage in agriculture. Tatiana Malvasio, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer,said: “As founders from Latin America, we have first-hand experience with the tension between agriculture and water stress in our region. In response to this challenge, we set out to create a product that could help farmers reduce their water usage and be more efficient in their irrigation practices.” Kilimo uses artificial intelligence to help farmers optimize irrigation and then be compensated for their participation in water stewardship initiatives.</li>
</ul>



The other entrepreneurs to be awarded prize money from HCL and support from UpLink are:



1.&nbsp;<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pUYfCAAW/safe-water-anytime-anywhere" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">bNovate Technologies</a>&nbsp;(Switzerland) – An automatic, remote biosensor to monitor and detect bacterial concentration in water supplies



2.&nbsp;<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pUWbnAAG/electrically-driven-decentralized-treatment-of-water-for-reuse" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Indra Water</a>&nbsp;(India) – Electrically driven, decentralized wastewater treatment solution with no added chemicals in its primary treatment



3.&nbsp;<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pURV6AAO/decentralised-and-renewable-water-source-for-arid-and-semi-arid-regions" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Majik Water Technologies</a>&nbsp;(Kenya) – An atmospheric water generator system that uses proven condensation-based techniques to capture water moisture from the air



4.&nbsp;<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pUYqOAAW/aquanurch-combining-nature-intelligence-and-artificial-intelligence" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NatureDots Private Limited</a>: AquaNurch (India) – Derisking fisheries and water managers from ecological stressors, enabling remote-control and real-time monitoring of aqua-farms



5.&nbsp;<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pUVTaAAO/wavepowered-sustainable-and-affordable-desalination-solutions" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Oneka Technologies</a>&nbsp;(Canada) – A wave-powered desalination solution to produce drinking water using renewable energy created through waves



6.&nbsp;<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pUSY9AAO/providing-safe-water-through-microfranchising-and-engineering" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Openversum</a>&nbsp;(Switzerland) – A locally assembled and managed membrane filter that removes pathogen heavy metals from water



7.&nbsp;<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pUWd5AAG/resilience-restoration-and-decision-making-propertybased-retention-and-reuse" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">RainGrid Inc.</a>&nbsp;(Canada) – Building community-scale, property-based, digital networks for net-zero residential property rainfall runoff while generating verifiable ecosystem credits



8.&nbsp;<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pUYfqAAG/scaling-adoption-for-portable-water-filtration-device" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Wateroam Pte Ltd</a>&nbsp;(Singapore) – Production of safe, speedy and high-quality drinking water without electricity



“We are delighted to announce the first beneficiaries of the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative who have been selected after rigorous deliberation among a large panel of experts,” said Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson, HCLTech. “The availability of fresh water is rapidly changing worldwide, creating a tenuous future requiring attention from policy-makers, the private sector and the public alike. Having witnessed the efforts of aquapreneurs who are finding solutions to challenges around existing freshwater resources, I am positive that we are all moving in the right direction for the future of our planet. Many congratulations to the top 10 awardees.”



“These innovations are crucial to meet the increasing global demand for clean water and support the transition to a greener economy,” said Olivier Schwab, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “With water scarcity threatening countries all around the world, it’s essential to identify and empower the innovative start-ups that will help secure access to this precious resource, now and for future generations. The Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative, launched by UpLink and HCL, will connect these world-class innovators to the resources, expertise and vital funding they need to scale and drive truly transformational change.”

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