Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Key findings:
 	More than 445 teachers from 14 African countries uncover the route to technology and cybersecurity careers for African girls 	Only 3.7% of African schools offer cybersecurity as a subject 	It has become critical to dispel the stereotypes for women, to inspire them to enter technology, and to create positive role models that change the shape of the industry 
The 2021 Tomorrow’s Cyber Heroines study undertaken by CyberHeroines, KnowBe4 Africa and Infosphere Limited surveyed more than 445 teachers across 14 African countries to unpack the complexities that face African girls in the technology landscape. With Africa’s future reliant on its ability to adapt to digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), levelling the playing field for women has become critical. It has never been more important to change the cybersecurity workforce gender statistics than it is today.

“We have to give girls more opportunities, inspire them to get involved in technology and the cybersecurity field, and to remove the preconceived and socialised ideas that prevent women from pursuing careers in technology,” says Anna Collard, SVP of Content Strategy and Evangelist KnowBe4 Africa. “The world is digitising rapidly and women are at risk of being left behind. We have to change the dialogue around technology and make it more inclusive for women and girls.”

Women are already at a disadvantage. A recent study (http://bit.ly/39RuMGq) by the Association for Progressive Communications underscored the reality of the gender digital divide. In Africa women have less access to internet-based technologies than men, they have fewer opportunities, they are even more limited in their ability to move out from under poverty. As the world continues to move into automation, women will be the most affected as their roles are replaced by machines. Change has to start now, it has to start at home, and it has to be carried through into education.

“We want African women to participate in the digital age – we cannot leave them behind,” says Aprielle Oichoe, Managing Director of InfoSphere. “We must empower girls to go into technology and this starts at a young age. We need to make a conscious decision to change the way we treat young girls. The dialogue needs to focus on making technology interesting for girls, not just something that they should ‘leave to their brother.”

The study found that a lack of education, limited guidance, minimal role models and societal preconceptions are having a serious, long-term impact on women’s careers and futures. With cybersecurity and technology struggling to find skilled people, the market is wide open for those with the talent and the training to build sustainable and successful futures. In addition to thriving careers, training and education in technology and cybersecurity is essential for the wellbeing of young girls and women in Africa.

“According to research, women of colour are 34% more likely to be targeted by online hate speech than their white counterparts, and a huge percentage of African girls are concerned about their online safety,” says Collard. “We must give them the tools, training and confidence they need to prepare for this online vitriol, and protect themselves.”

The key factors inhibiting women’s entry to the worlds of technology and cybersecurity include: negative stereotypes, lack of role models or mentors, low self-confidence, and competing in a male-dominated industry. Women are generally discouraged from careers in STEM and steered towards traditionally female roles instead.

“There is no such thing as a female role, not anymore,” says Oichoe. “Now there is just opportunity. We just have to make sure that this opportunity is given to everyone.”

The report unpacks the findings, the insights, and the solutions put forward by educators and experts across Africa. It examines the education curriculum, the challenges facing young African girls today, and it looks at suggested initiatives that can be implemented to shift perceptions and transform the future for the women of Africa. Download the report here (https://bit.ly/3cKQmy8), or go to www.CyberHeroines.com to find out more.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.Media filesDownload logo

Cyber Heroines: Changing the Future for African Girls

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
By Charné Hundermark

The African continent is renowned for its rich diversity of cultures, languages, wildlife and landscapes, in which Mozambique enjoys the privilege of encapsulating these elements in one country. The southeastern nation is both a coastal paradise – with 2,500 km of white-sand beaches and an extensive coastline – and a wildlife utopia, with conservation projects covering approximately 15% of the country’s surface area. While Mozambique offers pristine beaches, unspoiled nature, eco-tourism, along with a rich historical landscape of cathedrals and colonial architecture, the country’s tourism sector remains significantly underutilized, particularly when compared to other African tourist hotspots like neighboring South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Historically, development of the tourism sector in Mozambique has been inhibited by political instability and economic uncertainty. However, at the end of the 1990s, it became the fastest-growing sector of the economy, and in 2005, the industry grew by 37%, representing the highest tourism industry growth rate globally. Between 2001 and 2020, its contribution to GDP has continued to grow steadily, accounting for 8.2% of domestic output in 2020. Under the administration of President Filipe Nyusi, the country has begun to progressively revitalize its tourism sector, recognizing the broader socioeconomic benefits initiated by its development. With a Strategic Tourism Development Plan 2015-2024 that provides a detailed strategy and action plan for directing government and private sector interventions, the Mozambican Government seeks to position the country as a leading tourist destination on the continent.
Energy Projects Spur Tourism Development
One of the primary challenges preventing travel to Mozambique concerns the lack of infrastructure and access to electricity. The country faces critical infrastructural deficits, predominantly within the transport sector, including insufficient road maintenance and access, as well as lack of a properly managed water supply. In conjunction with a low access to electricity rate – measured at 29% in 2020 – the tourism sector has remained significantly more underdeveloped than its potential indicates. However, with an influx of foreign investment and billion-dollar energy projects currently underway, the strategic opportunity has emerged to co-develop the tourism sector and associated infrastructure alongside large-scale gas infrastructure.
The majority of the country’s natural gas discoveries – which total approximately 100 trillion cubic feet of proven reserves – have been made in the Cabo Delgado Province, which serves as a tourism hotspot in the country, as well. Accordingly, as Liquified Natural Gas projects continue to progress, the province will see the upgrade and development of infrastructure, roads and water supply to support them. Additionally, through the development of key gas-to-power infrastructure, the country can maximize gas reserves as a power generation source, raising electricity access rates nation-wide. By developing gas-to-power facilities, the country can reduce electricity costs, bring competitiveness to the power sector and provide alternative generation solutions. Consequently, increased provisions will boost tourism, as living standards increase and economic growth is realized.
Re-injecting Capital to Boost Development 
In the context of Mozambique’s tourism sector, the benefits of transformative energy projects go beyond infrastructural development. As Mozambique begins to cement its position as a regional and global gas exporter, the country will generate a large amount of foreign currency and instigate opportunities for offshoot industry and trade. In order to fully develop tourism and establish Mozambique as a leader in the industry, its Government must ensure that revenues earned from gas exports are re-injected into the economy. By maximizing energy export revenues, Mozambique can indirectly grow its tourism sector, spurring job creation and broader economic development in the process. Additionally, by utilizing energy revenues through the improved provision of funding, investment in tourism can be catalyzed and economic stability – a predeterminant for many tourism operators – can be realized.
As the COVID-19 pandemic recedes and tourism begins to pick up globally, Mozambique holds the unique opportunity to utilize its energy developments to expand the tourism sector and become the premier tourist destination in Southern Africa. By leveraging energy revenues to spur infrastructural development and achieve enhanced economic stability, Mozambique can realize its goals of becoming an African tourism leader.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Oil &#038; Power Conference.
Africa Oil &#038; Power is working with the Mozambican Government to promote investment in energy and diverse sectors, including agriculture, industry, tourism, construction and logistics in 2021.
On March 8-9, AOP will host a Presidential Award ceremony (invite only) and Workshops Day in Maputo, preceding the Mozambique Gas &#038; Power 2021 conference and exhibition. If your organization would like to host a workshop, or if you wish to attend, please email sales@africaoilandpower.com.
Media filesDownload logo

Positioning Mozambique as the Premier Tourism Destination (By Charné Hundermark)

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Daily: Laboratory test: 6,002 Severe cases: 209 New recovered: 254 New deaths: 4 New cases: 749

Total: Laboratory test: 1,986,007 Active cases: 13,787 Total recovered: 124,242 Total deaths: 2,126 Total cases: 140,157

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
New cases: 435 Total active cases: 14,631 Total currently admitted: 264 (42 new) Total number of tests conducted: 153,670 (2,346 new) Total confirmed cases: 25,884* Total recovered: 10,264 (450 new) New discharges from treatment units: 14 Total deaths: 779 (18 new)

*Out of these, 134 lost to follow-up and 76 outcome under investigation.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Population, Republic of Malawi.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group. 
Download logo
The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) is financing the construction of the second phase of the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) in Juba, South Sudan.

The groundbreaking ceremony, held on Thursday, was presided over by Elizabeth Acuei Yol, South Sudan Minister of Health, in the presence of the African Development Bank Country Manager for South Sudan, the Head of Cooperation in the Embassy of Japan, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, various Ministry of Health officials, WHO South Sudan staff and the media.
The project, comprising infrastructure, furniture and equipment, will strengthen preparedness and response capacities of the country for public health emergencies, in line with the 2005 International Health Regulations.
South Sudan continues to experience recurrent epidemic-prone diseases, and other public health and humanitarian emergencies.
“By putting our collective efforts into a PHEOC project, the Ministry of Health will be better placed to respond promptly and effectively to public health risks and public health emergencies of international concern,” Acuei Yol said.
She said the health center needs the appropriate design and infrastructure to function effectively, in addition to staffing structure and multi-sectoral coordination.
Minister Acuei Yol highlighted the tremendous and ongoing commitments of the Government of South Sudan, the contributions of the African Development Bank and the commitments of WHO and other partners to strengthen mechanisms for delivering a more integrated public health response during emergencies.
Speaking during the ceremony, African Development Bank Country Manager for South Sudan, Benedict Kanu, said: “The support provided by the Bank is yet another testimony of the Bank’s growing commitment to closely work with the Government of South Sudan, a valued shareholder of the Bank, and other partners, to assist to build health system capacity for emergency preparedness in the country.”
Kanu assured the government of the significance the Bank attaches to human development in its partnership with South Sudan and its donors, and indeed, all other African member countries of the Bank to promote inclusive growth and development on the continent.
Since the inception of the $4.2 million African Development Bank grant-financed project to support the emergency response for COVID-19 and strengthen the health system capacity for emergency preparedness in South Sudan, considerable progress has been made, including delivering a wide range of essential medicines, lifesaving biomedical equipment and personal protective equipment.
In addition, with funding from the Bank, WHO is procuring an oxygen plant and vehicles to support the government’s ongoing COVID-19 response.
“Having the right infrastructure in place is important. It is equally important to have the right health policy and programs, so that we can better plan, prepare and respond to address everyone’s health,” said Dr. Guracha Guyo, WHO’s Health Emergency Program Coordinator, on behalf of Dr. Olushayo Olu, the WHO Representative for South Sudan.
WHO appreciates the generous contribution of the African Development Bank. The expansion of the PHEOC greatly improves the multi-agency coordination and improves operations efficiency through information sharing and joint decision-making, said Dr. Guyo.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: African Development Bank Gershwin Wanneburg Communication and External Relations Department Email: g.wanneburg@afdb.org
WHO Jemila M. Ebrahim Communications Officer Email: ebrahimj@who.int
Technical Contact: Dr. Guracha Guyo Emergency Coordinator WHO South Sudan Email: guyoa@who.int
About PHEOC: PHEOC is a hub that brings together, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health of South Sudan, all relevant experts, groups and stakeholders involved in preparedness and response. Using an incident management system, the PHEOC promotes structured collaboration and communication, and generates real-time quality information for evidence-based decision-making.

The African Development Bank and WHO cut sod for Public Health Emergency Operations Center building in Juba, South Sudan

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
1,340 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

FCT-320 Lagos-275 Rivers-117 Oyo-100 Akwa Ibom-57 Ogun-51 Ebonyi-48 Benue-44 Adamawa-42 Imo-38 Kwara-35 Gombe-32 Kaduna-31 Edo-29 Osun-29 Kano-24 Ekiti-15 Katsina-14 Delta-13 Nasarawa-13 Jigawa-10 Sokoto-3
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Tests conducted: 8,400,319 Positive cases identified: 1,466,767 Total recoveries: 1,327,186 Total deaths: 45,605 New cases: 3,751
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa, Department of Health.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) founder and Team Principal, Doug Ryder, says that he was “very emotional” watching the team race for the first time in 2021, during the opening stages of Étoile de Bessèges, in France.

Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) is Africa’s only UCI-registered WorldTour cycling team and came very close to closing down at the end of 2020, after struggling to find a title sponsorship amidst the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The end of the team would have ended the main pathway for riders from Africa hoping to ride in the pro peloton, and also bring the curtain down on Ryder’s dream, just five years after gaining access to cycling’s highest level.
“Watching the team on the road in our first race of 2021 was gratifying as there were so many times towards the end of last year, and in the last three months in particular, that we didn’t think that we would exist in 2021.
“To see Team Qhubeka ASSOS standing on the team presentation podium in our black and white ASSOS strip with the neon hand and details on the kit was incredible, and very emotional. We’ve always dreamed of having a team called “Qhubeka” in the peloton and to see it come to life this season is incredible and the next step in our journey. Thank you to all of our partners for making that happen, we are very proud.”
The opening stage of the race saw the European and Italian champion Giacomo Nizzolo fight for a strong fourth place which he then followed up with an excellent third in a crash-marred second stage.
“The team performed so well and this speaks to our value system and culture of “Ubuntu” – that we cannot exist in isolation – I am because we are. A team of riders is made up of brilliant individuals and when they come together with a plan you can make magic happen; and to see the team commit to each other and bring Giacomo to the podium already in our first race in our first race for 2021, was really beautiful to see.
“It just shows how hard this team has worked and how committed they are to each other, to Qhubeka and to our goals as a team. That does bode well for the strong season that we plan to embark on this year with all the challenges that it faces from a human perspective, the travelling, the logistical and the events. The UCI as the governing body of the sport and all of us as teams are working really hard to support each other to make it happen.
“We believe that our team will motivate others and give hope and opportunity to people and continue to create social mobility across the African continent.
&#8220;So the year ahead for Team Qhubeka ASSOS is exciting and we are so pleased to be on the road. We thank our fans for their engagement, our current partners for their involvement and we look forward to bringing many new partners into this team as we continue to make an impact that really matters to those in need,” Ryder concluded.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.
Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033
About Team Qhubeka ASSOS: Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world&#39;s biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016.
We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France.
We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team&#39;s inception.
We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa.
About Qhubeka: Qhubeka (www.Qhubeka.org) is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs.
A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go. 
All images attached to the press release can be used with the respective image credit in combination to this release.
Media filesDownload logo

Doug Ryder: “Emotional” to see Team Qhubeka ASSOS on the start line

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
By Charné Hundermark

The South African Government has been vocal about its efforts (https://bit.ly/3oScrgT) to grow domestic power generation and attain a more stable energy supply across the country. Through the implementation of its Integrated Resource Plan 2010-2030 – which seeks to employ a diversified energy mix to drive new project developments – South Africa aims to revitalize both its energy industry and national economy. However, such objectives cannot be achieved by government action alone. Speaking at the 27th Investing in African Mining Indaba conference this week, a panel of industry leaders discussed the necessity of public-private cooperation not only within the mining sector, but also the energy industry at large.   
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) provide a range of benefits, including accelerated sector growth, enhanced infrastructure solutions, more relevant technical expertise and greater fiscal depth. PPP-backed developments benefit from faster project completions and reduced delays, as government can help facilitate a timely provision of public services. Meanwhile, private partners offer access to private capital and mutual collaboration ensures that investment is directed toward projects with both tangible returns and socioeconomic benefit to the host country.  
“Collaborative efforts have demonstrated that if government and private sector work together, with one clear objective, we can achieve all of our strategic imperatives,” said panelist Advocate Thabo Mokoena, Director General for the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in South Africa.
“Collaboration starts with a minister whose heart is in the right place,” added panelist Neal Froneman, CEO, Sibanye-Stillwater. “The South African Minister has shown excellent engagement and substantial collaboration already. Government cannot on its own grow the economy. It is the collaborative effort in creating the right environment that is key. [The private sector] is not the enemy – it is part of the solution.”
Through its Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) program, South Africa has demonstrated the success that public-private partnerships can yield, encouraging independent producers to submit bids on the development and design of large-scale renewable energy plants to rapidly increase renewable share of the domestic energy mix. To date, 102 independent power projects have been procured from four bidding rounds, with a fifth round expected early this year. Cumulatively, the fourth bidding round in the REIPPP program represented a generation capacity of approximately 2,300 MW and a total investment value of five billion dollars. With more projects expected to come online over the next few years, the continued success of the REIPPP in providing a sufficient and secure electricity supply to the country rests on its ability to unite public and private interests.  
“It has reached a point of urgency,” said panelist Mzila Mtheniane, Executive Head, Stakeholder Affairs. “Collaboration and cooperation alone will not be sufficient. Rather, we need to see affirmative action as a result of these collaborative efforts. We need collaboration within the departments and within the mining industry as a whole.”
So, what needs to be done to facilitate public-private success? Firstly, political will is at the forefront of bilateral cooperation. According to the World Bank, the provision of infrastructure and services by the private sector is a radical change in the status quo, and the concept of private sector management and operatorship of “public services” can function as a major deterrent to such partnerships. As a result, effective collaboration requires significant political leadership, as demonstrated by South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe. Additionally, governments must create an enabling environment, in which transparency and standardized, easy-to-navigate processes are ensured.
“At a high level, we need to be working towards policy certainty,” said Froneman. “We require good policy that is helpful and establishes an investor-friendly environment. We have to get to a point where we respect the rights of investors and stakeholders. Currently, the country does not have a common vision for the industry. It is essential that we assign a vision and work towards that in a collaborative way.”
South Africa’s success to date in facilitating new project developments and spurring industry growth can be accredited to its utilization of public-private sector collaboration through initiatives such as the REIPPP program. Accordingly, the country can serve as a template for other African markets looking to expand their energy sectors and facilitate socioeconomic growth via the injection of private capital and expertise.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Oil &#038; Power Conference.
Africa Oil &#038; Power (www.AfricaOilandPower.com) is organizing the AOP 2021 conference and exhibition in Cape Town on October 5-7, 2021. In partnership with the DMRE, AOP brings together Africa’s energy community for three days of networking, deal-making and industry-leading content. Visit www.AOP2021.com for information or email sales@africaoilandpower.com if your organization wishes to participate.
 Media filesDownload logo

Continued Public-Private Cooperation Vital for South African Energy Growth (By Charné Hundermark)

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Thursday, during a call that preceded the 34th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), AU Chairperson H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa and FIFA (www.FIFA.com) President Gianni Infantino spoke of the positive momentum generated between both organisations in the past two years as well as the strong institutional bonds forged between the AU and FIFA for the benefit of the African people.

Reviewing the progress made since both organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding in February 2019, the two leaders discussed various topics, including plans to boost African Football with a particular focus on infrastructure (stadia, football pitches), football academies and competitions, but also on the fight against match manipulation, as well as safety and security at football matches across Africa.

The joint #SafeHome campaign from August 2020 between the AU and FIFA, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), where the four organisations addressed the important issue of domestic violence, which was exacerbated by COVID-19-related lockdowns and stay-at-home measures by launching a successful awareness-raising campaign is a further testimony of the close collaboration between the AU and FIFA. A number of Africa-based FIFA Legends supported the campaign via video awareness messages which were distributed on social and traditional media. Both the AU Chairperson and the FIFA President also recognised the opportunities that education through football can bring through the FIFA Football for Schools programme which is being coordinated globally via the FIFA Foundation.

Having visited 35 African countries in the last few years, Gianni Infantino stressed the important role that Africa plays in global football, and how that needs to be strengthened in future. This role has been supported with strong investments via the FIFA Forward programme which has already delivered close to 300 projects across the continent.

The rollout of the FIFA COVID-19 Relief Plan, supporting football across Africa during the pandemic, has also been significant and continues to play an important role to keep football alive in the continent.

Related to COVID-19, vaccination processes will also be crucial in the months ahead. In this respect, the FIFA President reiterated his support for fair access to vaccines for all, a message that he had passed to a global audience earlier this week at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in the presence of the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The FIFA President thanked the AU Chairperson for their continued support, and assured his AU counterpart that the strong relationship forged between both organisations in the past two years will continue when Félix Tshisekedi, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will assume the role of African Union Chairperson for a one-year term during the aforementioned Assembly, which takes place on 6 and 7 February 2021.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Fédération internationale de football association (FIFA).Media filesDownload logo

African Union Chairperson and FIFA President discuss ongoing strong collaboration

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
The European and Italian champion hit the front early on the uphill drag to the finish for Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) as a result of a slew of crashes, before being beaten on the line by Timothy Dupont (Bingoal &#8211; Wallonie Bruxelles) and Pierre Barbier (Delko).

This result follows on from Nizzolo finishing fourth on the opening stage of the race and now sees him 6th on the general classification.
Ahead of the start of the second stage Andreas Stokbro was ruled out as he was still suffering from the crash he went down on in stage one.
Giacomo Nizzolo I feel okay, obviously I&#39;d like to win but I think perhaps we actually ended up doing the roundabout a bit too fast and then were at the front for too long and I had to start the sprint early.
It was a long way to the line, especially as it was going slowly uphill but third place is not too bad and I think we can be confident for tomorrow.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.
Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033
About Team Qhubeka ASSOS: Team Qhubeka ASSOS (www.TeamQhubeka.com) is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world&#39;s biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016.
We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France.
We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team&#39;s inception.
We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa.
About Qhubeka: Qhubeka (www.Qhubeka.org) is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs.
A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go. 
All images attached to the press release can be used with the respective image credit in combination to this release.
Media filesDownload logo

Nizzolo sprints to 3rd in chaotic stage 2 of Etoile de Besseges

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group. 
Download logo
SunMirror AG (www.SunMirror.com) (&#8220;SunMirror&#8221;; XETRA Vienna: ROR1; ISIN CH0396131929), the mining and exploration firm specialising in raw materials such as gold, lithium and other metals and minerals, announces that it has today received a letter of intent to subscribe to new shares in the recently announced cash capital increase from Barracuda Group Limited (&#8220;Barracuda&#8221;).

Barracuda intends to subscribe to 1,000,000 new shares in a private placement at a price of CHF 70 each from the capital increase resolved on January 7, 2021, excluding the subscription rights of current shareholders. With the realisation of the subscription, the resolved capital increase in the volume of CHF 70 million would be fully placed.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of SunMirror AG.
Explanatory part: SunMirror plans to use the proceeds from the capital increase to expand its portfolio and business activities in tier-one jurisdictions. This includes Europe and Australia, where SunMirror holds prospecting and mining rights for promising projects. Opus Capital Switzerland AG acted as lead advisor in the capital increase and was mandated, among other duties, with structuring the transaction. In addition, the company acted as arranger of the transaction.
&#39;We are very pleased that with Barracuda we are likely to have an experienced strategic investor on our side, who will accompany our future company growth. Together with Barracuda, we could exploit additional market opportunities. Driven primarily by electromobility and the massive global expansion of energy storage systems, we see increased demand for raw materials in the battery industry, which we intend to acquire and market together with Barracuda,&#39; said Dr. Heinz Rudolf Kubli, Board of Directors of SunMirror AG.
Media Contact: edicto GmbH Doron Kaufmann/Axel Mühlhaus Phone: +49 69 905505-53 sunmirror@edicto.de Eschersheimer Landstraße 42 &#8211; 44 60322 Frankfurt/Main Germany
About SunMirror AG: SunMirror (www.SunMirror.com) is a natural resources holding company with a strategic focus on gold and other critical commodities &#8211; those metals and minerals that drive demand for sustainable next-generation technology. The company&#39;s shares (ISIN CH0396131929) are listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange (ticker: ROR1) and the Düsseldorf Stock Exchange. For further information, please visit: www.SunMirror.com.

About Opus Group: Opus Capital Switzerland AG and Opus Capital Asset Management AG (&#39;Opus Group&#39;) [www.Opus-Capital.ch] specialize in bringing next generation companies to market by combining extensive industry expertise with one of Switzerland&#39;s leading independent financial services firms. For more information, please visit: www.Opus-Capital.ch.
About Barracuda: Barracuda Group Limited (www.Barracuda-resources.com) ranks among the leading base and inevitable metals platforms for the production of lithium-ion batteries. The company acquires exploration and production assets for precious and battery metals such as gold, copper, nickel, cobalt and manganese and has prospective interests in companies with significant reserves and upside potential. For more information, please visit: www.Barracuda-resources.com.

SunMirror AG receives letter of intent from Barracuda Group Ltd. to subscribe to CHF 70 million capital increase

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group. 
Download logo
Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi announces six new COVID-19 deaths in Eswatini, taking total deaths to 591. &#8220;May their souls rest in peace.&#8221;

New cases: 71 Total cases: 16,045 Active cases: 4,261 New recoveries: 123 Total recoveries: 11,122 New deaths: 6 Total deaths: 591
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Around a dozen adults and children are waiting patiently for their check-ups. Sitting behind a small table, Etienne Esua listens to the patients, dresses wounds and pricks fingers to perform rapid malaria tests.

“When a test shows that a person has malaria, but the symptoms are not severe, I treat the patients with drugs,” Mr Esua says.
The consultations are taking place on the veranda of an ordinary house in a village in the South-West region of Cameroon. Mr Esua is not a medical professional, but a community volunteer trained by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to provide basic healthcare to some of the region’s most vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities.
Violence displaces people – which hinders access to healthcare
For the past four years, Cameroon’s North-West and South-West regions have been rocked by armed violence between government forces and non-state armed groups, which has displaced more than 700,000 people. The humanitarian needs are huge.
Displaced communities face difficulties accessing basic services, including healthcare. The crisis has severely affected the public health system. Many health centres have closed or are not functional; medical workers and facilities are being directly targeted by violence; and insecurity is hindering the supply of drugs and medical equipment.
Given this high level of insecurity, humanitarian organisations like MSF face serious problems to reach displaced communities, who often hide in the bush for their safety.
Healthcare in the community, by the community
To provide medical aid in such challenging conditions, MSF has set up a decentralised model of care in the South-West and North-West regions, which is delivered directly in the community, by the community. It relies on volunteers like Mr Esua.
“Community health volunteers are the bridge between the health facilities that we support and the vulnerable communities that don’t have access to health centres,” says Yilma Werkagegnehu, MSF field coordinator. “Communities don’t have access either because they are displaced, because health structures are closed or because they can’t afford to pay for medical services.”
MSF currently works with 106 community volunteers in several health districts near the towns of Mamfe and Kumba in the South-West region. Similar activities were conducted in the North-West until December 2020, but have been put on hold following a decision from the authorities to suspend MSF activities in the region until further notice.
People from communities trained to treat those in need
Community health volunteers have been recommended and selected by community leaders and are trained by MSF to detect and treat simple diseases like uncomplicated cases of malaria and respiratory tract infections, malnutrition and diarrhoea. They also learn how to carry out health promotion activities to prevent people from getting sick and how to look out for signs of sexual abuse and psychological distress. While they might not be medical professionals, these volunteers are still trained to adhere to medical ethics, and to treat those in need, regardless of background.
In 2020, community volunteers provided more than 150,000 free medical consultations in the South-West and North-West region.
The community health volunteers are paid incentives for their work and receive backpacks filled with medicines. They meet regularly with MSF supervisors to discuss their work, get advice and share medical data. Their backpacks are refilled before they return to visit remote communities, often walking for several hours a day.
Being able to refer patients to MSF facilities
If a treatment is beyond their capacity, community volunteers can refer patients to MSF-supported health facilities where they receive free treatment if they meet certain criteria, such as children with severe malaria, women with complicated pregnancies, victims of sexual violence or patients with intentional injuries.
One of the referred patients is a seven-year-old girl named Dorcas. She is sitting on a bench next to her mother outside the MSF-supported Presbyterian General Hospital in Kumba, South-West region. Her left leg is in a cast.
“The girl was injured in a traffic accident and was referred to the hospital by one of our community volunteers,” says Dr Guisilla Dedino. “She was assessed in the emergency room and was diagnosed as having an open fracture of the left leg. An MSF surgeon operated on her; she is making progress, with the fracture showing good signs of healing.”
Challenges of healthcare in a conflict context
Travelling from remote villages to health facilities is a major challenge for many people, due to insecurity, bad road conditions and lack of transport. MSF offers a free, 24-hour ambulance service that operates seven days a week, collects eligible patients at designated pick-up points and takes them to MSF-supported health centres and hospitals.
Where we cannot go, MSF provides money for public transport so that patients can reach health structures or pick-up-points. Managing a decentralised model of care and ambulance service is not easy in an insecure environment such as South-West Cameroon.
“Our community volunteers are sometimes harassed by armed men,” says Paulo Milanesio, MSF emergency coordinator for the South-West region. “We are in constant dialogue with different stakeholders to guarantee their safety.”
“We need everyone to understand that community volunteers and ambulances provide a much-needed lifeline for vulnerable communities who would otherwise be deprived of medical care,” Milanesio says.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).Media filesDownload logo

Healthcare in the community, by the community in Cameroon

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Total cases: 15,988 (+154) Recovered: 11,352 (+389) Active cases: 4,426 In critical condition: 17 Tests: 903,382 (+4,135) Test positivity rate: 3.7% Recovery rate: 71% Deaths: 210 (+2) | 1.3%
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.
Today, 4 February 2021, Trial Chamber IX of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “Court”) (www.ICC-cpi.int) found Dominic Ongwen guilty for a total of 61 comprising crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed in Northern Uganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005. The verdict may be appealed by either party to the proceedings within 30 days after the notification of the Judgment.

ICC Trial Chamber IX, composed of Judge Bertram Schmitt, Presiding Judge, Judge Péter Kovács and Judge Raul Cano Pangalangan, analysed the evidence submitted and discussed before it at trial and found, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Mr Ongwen is guilty of the following crimes:
 	attacks against the civilian population as such, murder, attempted murder, torture, enslavement, outrages upon personal dignity, pillaging, destruction of property and persecution; committed in the context of the four specified attacks on the Internally Displaced Persons camps (“IDP camps”)  Pajule (10 October 2003), Odek (29 April 2004), Lukodi (on or about 19 May 2004) and Abok (8 June 2004); 	sexual and gender based crimes, namely, forced marriage, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enslavement, forced pregnancy and outrages upon personal dignity he committed against seven women (whose names and individual stories are specified in the judgment) who were abducted and placed into his household; 	A number of further sexual and gender based crimes he committed against girls and women within the Sinia brigade, namely forced marriage, torture, rape, sexual slavery and enslavement; and 	The crime of conscripting children under the age of 15 into the Sinia brigade and using them to participate actively in hostilities. 
The Chamber found that these crimes were committed in the context of the armed rebellion of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) against the government of Uganda. The LRA, including Dominic Ongwen, perceived as associated with the government of Uganda, and thus as the enemy, the civilians living in Northern Uganda. This concerned in particular those who lived in government-established IDP camps.
The Chamber found that Dominic Ongwen is fully responsible for all these crimes. The Chamber did not find evidence that supported the claim that he suffered from any mental disease or disorder during the period relevant to the charges or that he committed these crimes under duress or under any threats.
Following this verdict, the Chamber will impose on Dominic Ongwen the sentence for the crimes of which he has been convicted. For this purpose, it will receive submissions on the appropriate sentence by the Prosecutor, the Defence for Dominic Ongwen and the legal representatives of the participating victims. A decision in this regard, including as concerns the timeline of the proceedings leading to the imposition of the sentence, has also been issued by the Chamber today. The ICC’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute, does not provide for a death penalty; the sentence may be up to 30 years of imprisonment (and under exceptional circumstances a life imprisonment) and/or a fine. Furthermore, a phase dedicated to the reparations to victims will be opened. 
Background: The trial in this case opened (https://bit.ly/2Mr7tdX) on 6 December 2016. The Prosecution and the Defence have completed the presentation of their evidence. The Legal Representatives of Victims also called witnesses to appear before the Chamber. On 12 December 2019, the Presiding Judge declared the closure of the submission of evidence in the case. The closing briefs were filed on 24 February 2020. The closing statements (https://bit.ly/36JhGsR) took place from 10 to 12 March 2020.
Over the course of 234 hearings, the Office of the ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, presented a total of 109 witnesses and experts, the Defence team lead by Krispus Ayena Odongo presented a total of 63 witnesses and experts and 7 witnesses and experts were called by the Legal Representatives of the Victims participating in the proceedings. The judges ensured the respect of the rights guaranteed by the Rome Statute to each of the parties, including the right to question the witnesses.
A total of 4095 victims, represented by their legal counsels Joseph Akwenyu Manoba, and Francisco Cox, as well as Paolina Massidda, respectively, have been granted the right to participate in the proceedings. They have expressed their position on matters heard before the Chamber and were authorised to examine witnesses on specific issues.
The Trial Chamber issued 70 oral decisions, and 506 written decisions during the trial phase of the proceedings. The total case record, consisting of the filings of the parties and participants and the Chamber&#39;s decision, currently includes more than 1760 filings.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Criminal Court (ICC).
For further information on this case, please click here (https://bit.ly/3jirMpG).
Trial Judgment (https://bit.ly/2O1wtIR)
Decision scheduling a hearing on sentence and setting the related procedural calendar (https://bit.ly/3cHtkbq)
Summary of the verdict read in Court (https://bit.ly/39Q0yUt)
Questions and Answers on the verdict: English (https://bit.ly/3trFJX7); Français (https://bit.ly/3cFxcd6)
Photographs of the hearing (https://bit.ly/3trTe99)
Audio-visual materials:
Ask The Court: Verdict in the Ongwen case at the ICC 
 	YouTube (for viewing) (https://bit.ly/3q1PJo1) 	Video (MPEG-4) for download (https://bit.ly/2LnOLmS) 	Audio (MPEG-3) for download (https://bit.ly/3rk052E) 

Verdict in the Ongwen case, full hearing, 4 February 2021
 	YouTube (for viewing): English (https://bit.ly/3aAdlcx), Acholi (https://bit.ly/3rsR9It) 	Video (MPEG-4) for download: English (https://bit.ly/39OYBrf); Acholi (https://bit.ly/3aAxuzq) 	Audio (MPEG-3) for download: English (https://bit.ly/3tuqix8); Acholi (https://bit.ly/3jgFLME) 
For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone at: +31 (0)70 515-9152 or +31 (0)6 46448938 or by e-mail at: publicaffairs.unit@icc-cpi.int
You can also follow the Court&#39;s activities on Twitter (https://bit.ly/3rzBszh) Facebook (https://bit.ly/39Mgnex), Tumblr (https://bit.ly/2LilPfR), YouTube (https://bit.ly/2O86IH5) and Flickr (https://bit.ly/2YKfv3T).
Media filesDownload logo

Dominic Ongwen declared guilty of war crimes and crimes against Humanity committed in Uganda

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group. 
Download logo
Kwik Delivery (www.Kwik.delivery) announces today that it has released its Kwik Delivery plugin for Shopify, allowing Nigeria-based Shopify merchants to seamlessly integrating Kwik’s groundbreaking last-mile delivery service.

“Last September, Kwik had become the first African last-mile delivery platform to release a WooCommerce plugin” explains Romain POIROT-LELLIG, Founder &#038; CEO of Kwik Delivery. “Our new Shopify plugin is the continuation of this innovative approach.”

By installing these plugins, large and small merchants can offer Kwik Delivery’s on-demand, just-in-time delivery service to all their customers. Kwik’s platform delivers within two hours in Lagos State.

“Fast and reliable last-mile delivery is the main hurdle to the development of e-commerce in Africa” declares Olivier DECROCK, Chief Technology Officer at Kwik Delivery. “Making the Kwik Delivery accessible for online merchants using popular platforms such as Shopify significantly reduces this obstacle.”

Launched in 2019, Kwik Delivery is an on-demand, last-mile delivery platform that connects African businesses to independent delivery riders, dubbed Kwiksters. The Kwik platform is currently open to Kwiksters operating in Lagos State. The Kwik Delivery app is available on iOS and Android. Kwik Delivery is the trading name of Africa Delivery Technologies SAS.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kwik.
More information about the Kwik Delivery + Woocommerce plugin and how to install it can be found at http://developer.Kwik.delivery.
You can also send an e-mail to: hello [at] kwik.delivery

APO

Cyber Heroines: Changing the Future for African Girls

Positioning Mozambique as the Premier Tourism Destination (By Charné Hundermark)

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

The African Development Bank and WHO cut sod for Public Health Emergency Operations Center building in Juba, South Sudan

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Doug Ryder: “Emotional” to see Team Qhubeka ASSOS on the start line

Continued Public-Private Cooperation Vital for South African Energy Growth (By Charné Hundermark)

African Union Chairperson and FIFA President discuss ongoing strong collaboration

Nizzolo sprints to 3rd in chaotic stage 2 of Etoile de Besseges

SunMirror AG receives letter of intent from Barracuda Group Ltd. to subscribe to CHF 70 million capital increase

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Healthcare in the community, by the community in Cameroon

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Dominic Ongwen declared guilty of war crimes and crimes against Humanity committed in Uganda

Kwik Delivery plugin for Shopify is released – all Shopify merchants can now ship faster with Kwik

News Tips

Advertise With Us

APO

Cyber Heroines: Changing the Future for African Girls

Positioning Mozambique as the Premier Tourism Destination (By Charné Hundermark)

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

The African Development Bank and WHO cut sod for Public Health Emergency Operations Center building in Juba, South Sudan

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Doug Ryder: “Emotional” to see Team Qhubeka ASSOS on the start line

Continued Public-Private Cooperation Vital for South African Energy Growth (By Charné Hundermark)

African Union Chairperson and FIFA President discuss ongoing strong collaboration

Nizzolo sprints to 3rd in chaotic stage 2 of Etoile de Besseges

SunMirror AG receives letter of intent from Barracuda Group Ltd. to subscribe to CHF 70 million capital increase

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Healthcare in the community, by the community in Cameroon

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (4 February 2021)

Dominic Ongwen declared guilty of war crimes and crimes against Humanity committed in Uganda

Kwik Delivery plugin for Shopify is released – all Shopify merchants can now ship faster with Kwik

News Tips

Advertise With Us

Newsletters