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138 people have tested positive to the disease, out of a sample size of 4,526 tested in the last 24 hours. The total confirmed positive cases are now 98,693. The cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,107,121. 119 are Kenyans while 19 are foreigners.

County distribution; Nairobi 65, Kericho 23, Mombasa 10, Makueni 6, Uasin Gishu 6, Nyamira 4, Kisumu 4, Kiambu 3, Busia 2, Migori 2, Nakuru 2, Kajiado 2, Taita Taveta 2, Kilifi 1, Lamu 1, Nyandarua 1, Bomet 1, Bungoma 1, Elgeyo Marakwet 1 and Isiolo 1.
266 patients have recovered from the disease. 251 from the Home-Based Isolation and Care, while 15 are from our various facilities. The total recoveries now stand at 81,933. 3 patients have succumbed to the disease raising the fatality to 1,723.
Currently there are 680 patients admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 1,730 are on Home Based Isolation and Care.  26 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 17 of whom are on ventilatory support and 8 on supplemental oxygen. 1 is under observation.
16 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 13 of them in the general wards. 3 patients are in the High Dependency Unit.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Coronavirus – Kenya: COVID-19 update (14 January 2021)

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Test conducted: 7,433,571 Positive cases identified: 1,296,806 Total recoveries: 1,049,740 Total deaths: 35,852 New cases: 18,503
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Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (14 January 2021)

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In the last 24hrs we recorded 1,700 new cases (from 66 districts; out of 9,038 tests), 936 recoveries, and 5 facility deaths [MTSRIP].
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Coronavirus – Zambia: COVID-19 update (14 January 2021)

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As at 14 January 2021, Zimbabwe had 25 368 confirmed cases, including 14 714 recoveries and 636 deaths.
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Coronavirus – Zimbabwe: COVID-19 Update (14th January 2021)

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Two hundred nine patients have been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 in tests carried out today at Quarantine Centers and OPD Services in the Central, Gash Barka, and Southern Regions.

Out of these, forty one patients are from Quarantine Centers (36) and OPD Services (5) in Asmara, Central Region.  Thirty two are from the Quarantine Center in Shambiqo, Gash Barka Region.  The remaining one hundred thirty six are from Quarantine Centers in Senafe (78), Obel (14), Mai Dima (13), Adi Keih (12), Mai Mine (7), Adi-Quala (5), Enda Ghiorghis (4), Mendefera (2), and, Adi Koteyo (1) in  the Southern Region.

On the other hand, eighty patients who have been receiving medical treatment in hospitals in the Central Region (78), and Anseba Region (2), have recovered fully and released from these facilities.

The total number of recovered patients to-date has accordingly risen to 1014 while the number of deaths stands at 6.

The total number of confirmed cases in the country to-date has increased to 1805.
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Coronavirus – Eritrea: Announcement from the Ministry of Health (14 January 2021)

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Total cases: 10,316 (+194) Recovered: 6,974 (+0) | 67.6% Active cases: 3,209 Tests: 779,511 (+6,063) Deaths: 133 (+5) | 1.3% Test positivity rate: 3.2%
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Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (14 January 2021)

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1479 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

Lagos-697 FCT-201 Nasarawa-80 Plateau-74 Rivers-72 Edo-46 Adamawa-43 Osun-39 Akwa Ibom-35 Delta-31 Anambra-27 Oyo-24 Kano-21 Abia-19 Enugu-19 Ogun-18 Sokoto-12 Bauchi-7 Taraba-7 Ekiti-4 Gombe-4 Imo-4 Bayelsa-2 Jigawa-2 Zamfara-1
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Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (14 January 2021)

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UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling for the immediate end to all violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) as nearly 60,000 people have been forced to seek refuge in neighbouring countries since December, a two-fold rise in just one week.

Most have fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), across the Ubangui River, where the number of arrivals topped 50,000 after 10,000 Central African refugees arrived in a single day on 13 January.
Some 58,000 people are still displaced inside CAR’s affected regions, according to the Population Movement Commissions, and nearly 9,000 refugees have arrived in neighbouring Cameroon, Chad, and the Republic of Congo this past month.
UNHCR commends neighbouring governments for continuing to grant Central African refugees access to territory and asylum despite border restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNHCR and partners in CAR are gathering reports of abuses by armed groups, including of sexual violence, attacks on voters and pillaging.
UNHCR is calling for an immediate return of all parties to meaningful dialogue and progress towards peace.
The events of the last month – since reports of election-related violence began – reverse the trend of recent years of Central African refugees returning home.
UNHCR and its partners are scaling up assistance for the new arrivals, despite poor infrastructure hampering the humanitarian response.
UNHCR was already seeking $151.5 million this year to respond to the CAR situation. The needs of the recently displaced Central Africans are mounting, and we will soon face a substantial funding shortfall.
We call on the international community to urgently expand support to the CAR humanitarian response to allow more aid to reach those in remote areas.
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Number of Central African refugees soars as violence intensifies

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Humanitarian operations in several parts of the Central African Republic are at a standstill due to ongoing election unrest and heightened insecurity, leaving many of the 2.8 million people in need of essential humanitarian aid without access to life-saving assistance.

“Like most of the other humanitarian organisations, we have had to suspend our response in major parts of the country, including Nana Gribizi, Basse-Kotto and Mabere Kadei localities, where more than 120,000 displaced people rely on humanitarian assistance to survive. We are deeply worried about the consequences for civilians in need of assistance, but it is just too dangerous for us to continue operating at the moment,” said David Manan, Country Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in CAR.
Repeated attacks against humanitarian workers have forced many international organisations to close field offices and repatriate staff to the capital, Bangui. Since December 15, 41 incidents against humanitarian personnel were recorded, including the killing of an aid worker, four people being injured and 35 robberies of field bases.
This insecurity, linked to fighting between armed actors puts the lives of both civilians and aid workers at enormous risk and has forced NRC to temporarily halt operations until it is safe to resume.
“Hindering our access in the country is like cutting the lifeline to more than half of the population who relies on humanitarian support to survive. Dialogue and interaction between civilian and all military actors in the Central African Republic are necessary to avoid incidents on the ground and preserve the humanitarian space,” said Manan.
There has been mounting hostilities in the country in the days before and following a contested election on 27 December 2020. Wednesday armed groups also launched attacks on the outskirts of the capital Bangui.
Up to 62,000 people are displaced inside the country and 30,000 people have sought safety in neighbouring countries due to the ongoing unrest. This adds to the already high displacement figures, with more than 600,000 internally displaced and an additional 600,000 living as refugees in neighbouring countries. Furthermore, dramatic increases in the prices of basic necessities have been recorded in several localities, jeopardizing people&#39;s livelihoods and ability to feed their families.
NRC calls for parties to the conflict to provide secure humanitarian access, protect civilians and ensure free movement of essential goods to prevent further suffering.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Norwegian Refugee Council.

Mounting hostilities disrupt aid delivery in the Central African Republic

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A delegation of United Nations officials visited Somalia’s South West State to discuss ways in which the world body can assist the Federal Member State in a range of areas in 2021.

“It’s the first of our visits to the Federal Member States in the new year, and we have come to discuss with the President and his ministers the work of the United Nations in support of South West State. This ranges from support for ongoing reconciliation, security and stabilization efforts to providing humanitarian and development assistance,” the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan, told the media in the state’s largest city, Baidoa.
The UN envoy was speaking at a joint press encounter with the Federal Member State’s President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed ‘Laftagareen.’
Earlier, they had been in discussions along with members of the President’s cabinet, the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Chief of Mission for Somalia, Richard Danziger, and, from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Head of its Humanitarian Access and Civil-Military Coordination Unit in Somalia, Edward Melotte.
“I also particularly came along with this delegation to listen to what the South West State authorities hope for and expect from the United Nations in 2021 so that we can better work together to ensure the needs of the people, and that those of South West State, are also met,” Mr. Swan added.
South West State support
In his remarks, the UN Special Representative flagged some examples of the world body’s local support, adding that some of the innovative projects currently underway are models that can inform the work of the United Nations in other locations in Somalia.
The projects included the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and the South West State government working together to improve the local environment through a scheme to plant six million trees around Somalia, with some 200,000 of those tree seedlings to be planted near Baidoa.
Mr. Swan spoke of how the United Nations is working with local partners to reduce its environmental footprint and support a shift to renewable energy production. He highlighted how an agreement signed last year, between UNSOS and a private sector firm, paves the way for the supply of solar power to the African Union-United Nations camp in Baidoa city as well to the general Baidoa market.
“Solar panels will be laid out later this year,” he noted.
In relation to the large population of internally displaced persons in and around Baidoa – numbered at around 500,000 – Mr. Swan spoke of the IOM’s work with partners to find durable solutions for them, including the development of new settlements near the town of Barwaaqo.  
“These settlements are approached as an integrated part of the urban environment, and planned as urban extensions, rather than temporary camps disconnected from the city. So far, more than 700 households have been relocated and a further one thousand households will soon join them,” Mr. Swan said. “These settlements will include basic services, such as health clinics and sanitation facilities, schools as well as police stations and roads.”
The meeting with South West state’s President and members of his team also covered issues of humanitarian access. The UN envoy, in his remarks to the media, noted that the opening up of airspace to enable unhindered humanitarian support to vulnerable populations remains a key concern.
He said he welcomed and encouraged the state government’s “continued support to ensure and sustain the security of airstrips across South West State.”
Political situation
The discussions with President Abdiaziz also covered the wider political situation in Somalia, including the country’s elections.
In this respect, the UN envoy expressed his appreciation for the South West State leader’s ongoing efforts to bring the different parties together to agree on a way forward.
Earlier this week, a wide range of Somalia’s international partners, including the United Nations, issued a joint statement in which they expressed their concern about the continuing impasse in implementing the electoral model agreed on 17 September by Somalia’s President Mohammed Abdullahi ‘Farmajo’ and the country’s Federal Member State leaders.
“I reiterate that a spirit of consensus and collaboration, which means putting the good of the country first, is paramount at this time,” Mr. Swan said. “We in the UN urge all of Somalia’s leaders to make every effort to engage in dialogue in a collegial spirit to ensure that the national elections are held, based on broad consensus (and) rooted in the 17 September agreement, and that these elections are underpinned by transparency, fairness and inclusivity.”
In his closing remarks, the UN envoy also highlighted that while the COVID-19 pandemic may be showing signs of lowered intensity, it is still present in Somalia. He underscored the importance of vigilance and continuation of precautionary measures. 
“The United Nations will continue providing support with surveillance to health authorities both in South West State and across all Federal Member States for as long as is required,” Mr. Swan added.
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UN Delegation visits South West State to discuss support and collaboration in 2021

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I remain extremely troubled by the humanitarian situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and its impact on civilians, in particular Eritrean refugees hosted in the region.

We have recently seen some positive developments, working with the government to access and assist vulnerable populations, including the transport and distribution of food to some 25,000 Eritrean refugees in the Mai Aini and Adi Harush camps in Tigray. Last week UNHCR and partners carried out a rapid assessment mission at the two camps with the Ethiopian Agency for Refugee and Returnee Affairs and have been able to start restoring the water supply and limited health services. We hope that soon we will be able to re-establish full protection and other humanitarian activities.
However, in spite of repeated requests, UNHCR and partners have not yet had any access to the Shimelba and Hitsats refugee camps since the start of the law and order operation two months ago.
I am very worried for the safety and well-being of Eritrean refugees in those camps. They have been without any aid for many weeks. Furthermore, and of utmost concern, I continue to receive many reliable reports and first-hand accounts of ongoing insecurity and allegations of grave and distressing human rights abuses, including killings, targeted abductions and forced return of refugees to Eritrea. Reports of additional military incursions over the last 10 days are consistent with open source satellite imagery showing new fires burning and other fresh signs of destruction at the two camps. These are concrete indications of major violations of international law.
Ethiopia has long given refuge to people fleeing conflict and persecution. The Federal Government has provided assurances that measures are being taken to minimize the impact of the conflict on civilians. I have impressed upon the Ethiopian leadership the urgency of ensuring the protection of refugees, preventing forced return, and keeping refugee camps safe from attacks and other threats from armed actors.
Equally distressing to UNHCR teams on the ground has been our inability to assist thousands of Eritrean refugees who continue to flee the camps in search of safety and support. Refugees arriving on foot to Shire town in Tigray are emaciated, begging for aid that is not available. Refugees who reached Addis Ababa are being returned to Tigray, some against their will. While access to Mai Aini and Adi Harush camps is a good start, I must reiterate the UN-wide call for full and unimpeded access – exploring all options to safely provide desperately needed assistance.
UNHCR remains committed to work with the Ethiopian government to carry out our mandate to protect and assist those forced to flee in line with the humanitarian principles of impartiality and neutrality. We remain available to seek solutions – together &#8211; to the current humanitarian problems in a spirit of collaboration and constructive partnership. Safe access and swift action are needed now to save thousands of lives at risk.
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Statement attributable to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the situation of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s Tigray region

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Active cases: 75 New cases: 3 New tests: 194 Total confirmed: 3,893 Recovered: 3,689 (+8) Deaths 127 (+1)
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Coronavirus – Gambia: COVID-19 update (14 January 2021)

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South Africa’s leading flexible workspace solutions provider, Workshop17 (https://Workshop17.co.za) has kick-started the new year on a high note by bagging a global finalist position in the Global Startup Awards (Bit.ly/2XKeRTD) the largest independent startup ecosystem competition. As the regional winner of the 2019 season from the Southern Africa Startup Awards (Southern Africa’s Best Co-working Space), Workshop17 will be going up against 5 other inspiring ecosystem players and startups in the Best Co-working Space category.

“We are very honoured to receive this recognition and extremely excited to be given the opportunity to compete on a global level with game-changing co-working space providers from across the world,” says Paul Keursten, CEO and Co-Founder of Workshop17.
The Global Startup Awards Grand Finale takes place every 2 years with the aim to find and recognize selected future-shapers in various industries that have all shown outstanding achievements in business and service to their respective communities. This year’s online award show will be taking place on 27 January 2021 and members of the public can vote (Bit.ly/3igtibs) for their favourite finalists until 21 January 2021.
Expanding existing footprint
Another highlight for Workshop17 is the opening of its new The Bank facility in the trendy suburb of Rosebank in Johannesburg which is scheduled for March. This will be the sixth addition to the company’s existing footprint of central business district and suburban state-of-the-art facilities.
The prolonged impact of Covid-19, in particular the need for social distancing, has caused entrepreneurs and corporates to look for new ways of working, as well as alternative workspaces that are flexible, aspirational and affordable. “Companies are looking for solutions that fit the New Normal, where working from home is combined with coming to an office to meet, work together, build culture and be inspired” says Keursten.
The launch of The Bank provides an opportunity for Workshop17 to respond to the growing customer demand for workspaces in suburban areas which have grown in popularity as they are both central, and closer to the homes of many.
An exciting new approach
The Bank is an exciting and unique fusion of work, leisure, hospitality and food &#038; drinks. Workshop17 members will enjoy preferential rates at IHG’s boutique hotel, Voco, and their guests will have the convenience of the benefits available at Workshop17 such as flexible use of offices, boardrooms, and enterprise grade Wi-Fi to name a few.
Workshop17 will also work closely with the exciting new restaurant coming into The Bank: Proud Mary. The eatery will trade seven days a week for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and everything in-between with an offering of nostalgic café food, coal-fired grills, and a unique chef’s bar where you can engage with the chefs at work. Valet parking and concierge services complement the offering in The Bank. The combination of Workshop17, Voco and Proud Mary creates a truly multi-functional offering and an integrated member experience.
“With feedback from our customers in mind, The Bank will have less hot desking than our other sites, and more dedicated offices of various sizes which are suited for use full-time by corporates or SMME’s; or for remote workers who need a convenient space for group status check-ins and brainstorming,” says Keursten.
All of Workshop17’s locations are well known for their unique and quality handcrafted pieces from local designers. The new facility is no different, with the continuation of support for local manufacturing in its various interior design features.
The future of work
For Keursten, the office of the future is no longer a specific space in one building, but a combination of physical spaces and virtual office resources for meetings, planning and collaboration.
Keursten concludes, “Our vision is to support South Africans to be more productive wherever they are by providing the necessary physical and digital resources. To meet the moment, our catalogue boasts physical and virtual offices, boardrooms, hospitality services, as well as enterprise technology solutions and solutions for workspaces in the home.”
For more information please visit www.Workshop17.co.za/.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Workshop 17.
More about the Global Startup Awards (GSA): Started in Denmark in 2012, the Global Startup Awards (www.GlobalStartupAwards.com) is the largest independent startup ecosystem competition with the mission to find, recognize and connect the future-shapers of the digital age from all around the world. The Awards currently cover over 105 countries of three continents. This year’s Awards show will be streamed online on 27 January 2021, 13:30 pm &#8211; 15:00 pm (CET). National communities can vote through the public voting process (Bit.ly/3igtibs).
Workshop17 won the award for Best Co-working Space in South Africa in 2018 and 2019, as well as regional Award for Southern Africa in 2019.
More about Workshop17: Passionate about building strong business and entrepreneurial communities, Workshop17 (https://Workshop17.co.za) opened its first co-working space in 2012 in Maboneng, Johannesburg. Currently, the company offers an extensive portfolio of high-quality, affordable, collaborative workspaces across South Africa that host over 1 700 members – SMEs, freelancers, nomadic workers and a growing number of corporates.
Winner of various industry Awards, the brand believes its success is not just linked to the quality and cost-effectiveness of its workspaces, but also its focus to create thriving communities of supportive and like-minded people.
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South Africa‘s Workshop17 starts new year as a global awards finalist & announces plans for a new workspace concept in Joburg

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Senegal is the hotspot for energy investment in West Africa right now, owing to a string of huge offshore hydrocarbons discoveries since 2014 (as well as its compelling renewables potential). The emergence of Senegal as a regional energy power is an exciting story. But for almost two decades, in fact, the country has been producing its own natural gas onshore, an hour’s drive from Dakar. Further investment could unlock Senegal’s onshore potential.

Introducing Onshore Senegal
Fortesa International, led by CEO Rogers Beall, started exploring in Senegal in 1997 and from the start, Beall aimed to create a business that was fully Senegalese. Today, the company has a staff of 125, with two expatriate mentors and some African expatriate staff, but the vast majority (around 98 percent) is Senegalese nationals. Beall has continually advocated for Senegal with U.S. companies and now serves on the U.S.-Africa Committee for the African Energy Chamber.
As AOP drove out to the Fortesa production site this week, Beall pointed to a plateau in the far distance, while we passed through a shallow valley. That, he said, is the edge of the 120-square-kilometer Thiombane Dome geological formation. It sits on the eastern side of the carbonate shelf edge that runs north to south along the coast of West Africa.
Volcanic eruptions in the sea 175 million years ago, joined up by sand blown in from the Sahara, created the Dakar peninsula. That same feature on the carbonate shelf edge extends deep into the Atlantic Ocean, and this is the basis for the massive offshore oil and gas fields generating so much excitement globally. This is where North America used to connect to Africa, and where we are driving now used to be the state of Georgia before it was the deep ocean bed. The African plate itself never moved.
“The single place between Morocco and Guinea where that shelf comes onshore is east of Dakar,” says Beall. Here, on land and a short drive from the capital, Fortesa is operating seven wells (one out of service temporarily due to an accident – the company’s first serious one – on December 20, 2020) tied back to a gas processing plant. The manifolds and tanks were built in Senegal, the whole facility was assembled by a local team, and on our visit, we met with dozens of Senegalese workers who had trained with Fortesa and were operating the facilities.
The Gadiaga field usually produces 3 million cubic feet (mcf) per day and could produce 7 mcf per day. This small field has produced just over $95 million of natural gas. But, as Beall says, “This is small potatoes compared to what Senegal needs.” The geology says that Gadiaga may sit next to a much larger gas field situated on the edge of the shelf in the Thiombane Dome. This strong potential is what Fortesa wishes to explore and develop, with fellow investors.
Natural Gas Could Do More
Fortesa’s operation may look familiar in the Niger Delta, where local companies have been producing onshore from marginal fields since 2002. But in this region, Fortesa’s gas production business is unique, and like the most effective Niger Delta marginal field companies, it enjoys the support of the local community to staff and safeguard the well sites, pipe yard and processing plant.
Energy independence is the key to Senegal’s success, says Beall. Energy poverty is a trap that ties people down to subsistence living from Senegal to Somalia. Natural gas, available in abundance onshore as well as far out to sea, can be a fuel to remove those limits.
“Right now, this country is paying $14 per mcf by using heavy fuel oil. [In doing this] they are making six times the pollution, six times the negative effect on the planet, and nearly double the cost,” says Beall. “We are able to make the investment and take the risk of drilling onshore, and [in this region] only Fortesa is doing this.”
Natural gas is cleaner and cheaper than the alternatives. It provides direct and indirect jobs for hundreds at Gadiaga, and more of it is available onshore. The company is keen to expand within its acreage to find and develop the onshore elephant that the geology points to, as well as optimizing current production. But with European and other Western financing institutions now shutting down funding for hydrocarbons, few options are available to fund expansion.
The Foundation Is Already There
Fortesa built a foundation for Senegal’s emergence as an energy player. Beall believed in the potential of Senegal before many in Europe and North America had thought to examine the country’s subsurface. His company worked with or trained many of the people now going on to run the sector or work at the national oil company Petrosen and others.
Onshore gas growth is possible and would lead to direct job creation and sustainable energy provision to households and businesses – and save on costly and high-polluting fuel oil imports.
“This is one of the most cost-effective operations in Africa. Fortesa has essentially unlocked the value of Senegal’s energy resources. The projects run by Rogers and his team are sound and are an example of projects that can generate cash and deliver the return on capital that investors are looking for,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, to AOP. “I see a team that is focused on improving asset-level economics, reducing capital outlay, and stretching their dollars to do more with less.”
AOP’s mission is to bring investment to African energy of all kinds, with a view to making life better for people and businesses. Issues of climate change and sustainability must be addressed urgently. But comparatively clean natural gas and the people that produce it (and industries that can use it) should not pay the price for Western institutions’ opposition to funding hydrocarbons. “We need to give a chance to people to advance,” Beall told us. “Let’s do things that work.”
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Senegal already produces Gas: Investors should look Onshore

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atingi (<a href="https://www.africa-newsroom.com/press/countlinks/150485/http:%7D%7Dwww.atingi.org/website" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atingi.org</a>), the digital learning platform of The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has exceeded expectations in its first year. Within twelve months,&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;has reached almost a million people in Africa and already enabled 100,000 of them to access vocational education and self-development courses for free.



atingi&nbsp;means &#8220;to achieve&#8221; in Esperanto, and the platform strives to improve the employability of young people through modern digital learning opportunities. With a large network of strategic cooperation partners – from politics and business to science and civil society – educational content which meets the needs of African audiences is made available, free of charge, via the&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;platform.



Although&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;is developed for people in all German Development Cooperation partner countries, the current focus is specifically on facilitating African economic growth. BMZ has chosen four pilot countries for a more intensive engagement, recognizing that each is in a very different stage of digital transformation &#8211; and is therefore suited as a test case to identify opportunities for pan-African scaling. The close cooperation with the pilot countries Togo, Niger, Rwanda and Benin, enables&nbsp;atingi&#8217;s&nbsp;learning proposition to be dynamically evaluated, adapted and targeted to local needs.



atingi is an innovative digital pioneer focused on helping African&#8217;s unlock their potential



Africa is recognized as a potential global workforce hub for the rest of the world because of its high youth population. In fact, by 2030, Africa will be home to more than a quarter of the world’s population of under 25s, and 15% of the world’s working population. To date, the lack of access to high quality education for its working-age citizens has been a critical inhibitor of African countries ability to compete effectively in the international labour market. There is an urgent need, therefore, for the continent to expand its pool of highly-skilled employees through the development of relevant, vocational skill sets.



This is where the role of digital transformation becomes significant. Digital technologies open up new avenues for rapid economic growth, innovation, job creation and access to services that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. In this context, online learning and orientation opportunities are essential to enabling people in Africa to keep pace with the digital transformation beyond their borders.&nbsp; This not only ensures they are well qualified for the jobs of the future, it can also ensure a more integrated knowledge economy that moves Africa, and its citizens, closer to realizing their economic and personal potential.



Furthermore, it can often be challenging for local educational institutions to reach people in rural and sparsely populated areas in Africa’s emerging markets. The reality is that there is a high demand for learning opportunities and vocational skills, but there are often geographic and infrastructure barriers, which can be addressed through online learning offers.&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;enables users to access high-quality, locally-relevant, digital learning materials anytime and anywhere. Recognizing the barrier of internet connectivity, atingi also offers low-tech and offline solutions. &nbsp;



Partnering for growth



The&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;development cooperation framework builds on existing local and global partnerships. Alongside the four pilot countries, a growing network of strategic cooperation partners has emerged for the development and distribution of the learning content. Renowned international partners such as Smart Africa (an alliance of 30 African digital ministries), UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Siemens Foundation are the cornerstones of the successful scaling of&nbsp;atingi.&nbsp;And that is precisely the long-term goal of the project: to scale the platform in all partner countries of the German Development Cooperation globally.



atingi&nbsp;project leader Jan-Gerrit Groeneveld is encouraged by the development and first stage results of the&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;initiative. He notes, &#8220;eLearning is ideal for the digital transfer of knowledge and improvement of the living conditions for many people in African countries. The Corona pandemic once again incontravertibly demonstrated to us how important it is to digitalise education, thereby facilitating access for all&#8220;.



He added that&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;has succeeded in enabling people on the ground to receive education and training via the latest technology; both ensuring people access skills development easily and that digital transformation in Africa is advanced substantially too. &#8220;Early user acceptance of the learning platform has exceeded initial expectations, which strengthens our belief that investing in digital education infrastructure on the African continent is the right way for us to contribute to unlocking the enormous local economic potential.&#8221;



Groeneveld also noted that for the next year, the aim for&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;is to grow exponentially in terms of user numbers, to scale approaches that have proven successful in the four pilot countries in other African markets, and to steadily expand cooperation with companies and learning content contributors.



Versatile, locally-relevant content certifies African youth for jobs of the future



Young people, women and people in rural regions are the target beneficiaries of the&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;platform. The courses offered cover a wide range of topics, such as vocational orientation, health, entrepreneurship and agriculture – all of which are aimed at increasing employability and skills. These modules are expanded and developed in a targeted manner with the help of local, strategic cooperation partners. Successful learners who complete the courses receive free digital certificates to provide evidence of the skills acquired that can be added to their CVs. In addition to English and French, some learning content is now also available in other languages, such as Spanish, Arabic and some local African languages.



atingi&nbsp;means &#8220;to achieve&#8221; in Esperanto, and the platform strives to improve the employability of young people through modern digital learning opportunities. With a large network of strategic cooperation partners – from politics and business to science and civil society – educational content which meets the needs of African audiences is made available, free of charge, via the&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;platform.



Although&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;is developed for people in all German Development Cooperation partner countries, the current focus is specifically on facilitating African economic growth. BMZ has chosen four pilot countries for a more intensive engagement, recognizing that each is in a very different stage of digital transformation &#8211; and is therefore suited as a test case to identify opportunities for pan-African scaling. The close cooperation with the pilot countries Togo, Niger, Rwanda and Benin, enables&nbsp;atingi&#8217;s&nbsp;learning proposition to be dynamically evaluated, adapted and targeted to local needs.



atingi is an innovative digital pioneer focused on helping African&#8217;s unlock their potential



Africa is recognized as a potential global workforce hub for the rest of the world because of its high youth population. In fact, by 2030, Africa will be home to more than a quarter of the world’s population of under 25s, and 15% of the world’s working population. To date, the lack of access to high quality education for its working-age citizens has been a critical inhibitor of African countries ability to compete effectively in the international labour market. There is an urgent need, therefore, for the continent to expand its pool of highly-skilled employees through the development of relevant, vocational skill sets.



This is where the role of digital transformation becomes significant. Digital technologies open up new avenues for rapid economic growth, innovation, job creation and access to services that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. In this context, online learning and orientation opportunities are essential to enabling people in Africa to keep pace with the digital transformation beyond their borders.&nbsp; This not only ensures they are well qualified for the jobs of the future, it can also ensure a more integrated knowledge economy that moves Africa, and its citizens, closer to realizing their economic and personal potential.



Furthermore, it can often be challenging for local educational institutions to reach people in rural and sparsely populated areas in Africa’s emerging markets. The reality is that there is a high demand for learning opportunities and vocational skills, but there are often geographic and infrastructure barriers, which can be addressed through online learning offers.&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;enables users to access high-quality, locally-relevant, digital learning materials anytime and anywhere. Recognizing the barrier of internet connectivity, atingi also offers low-tech and offline solutions. &nbsp;



Partnering for growth



The&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;development cooperation framework builds on existing local and global partnerships. Alongside the four pilot countries, a growing network of strategic cooperation partners has emerged for the development and distribution of the learning content. Renowned international partners such as Smart Africa (an alliance of 30 African digital ministries), UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Siemens Foundation are the cornerstones of the successful scaling of&nbsp;atingi.&nbsp;And that is precisely the long-term goal of the project: to scale the platform in all partner countries of the German Development Cooperation globally.



atingi&nbsp;project leader Jan-Gerrit Groeneveld is encouraged by the development and first stage results of the&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;initiative. He notes, &#8220;eLearning is ideal for the digital transfer of knowledge and improvement of the living conditions for many people in African countries. The Corona pandemic once again incontravertibly demonstrated to us how important it is to digitalise education, thereby facilitating access for all&#8220;.



He added that&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;has succeeded in enabling people on the ground to receive education and training via the latest technology; both ensuring people access skills development easily and that digital transformation in Africa is advanced substantially too. &#8220;Early user acceptance of the learning platform has exceeded initial expectations, which strengthens our belief that investing in digital education infrastructure on the African continent is the right way for us to contribute to unlocking the enormous local economic potential.&#8221;



Groeneveld also noted that for the next year, the aim for&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;is to grow exponentially in terms of user numbers, to scale approaches that have proven successful in the four pilot countries in other African markets, and to steadily expand cooperation with companies and learning content contributors.



Versatile, locally-relevant content certifies African youth for jobs of the future



Young people, women and people in rural regions are the target beneficiaries of the&nbsp;atingi&nbsp;platform. The courses offered cover a wide range of topics, such as vocational orientation, health, entrepreneurship and agriculture – all of which are aimed at increasing employability and skills. These modules are expanded and developed in a targeted manner with the help of local, strategic cooperation partners. Successful learners who complete the courses receive free digital certificates to provide evidence of the skills acquired that can be added to their CVs. In addition to English and French, some learning content is now also available in other languages, such as Spanish, Arabic and some local African languages.

atingi eLearning platform reaches nearly 1 Million African youth in 1st year

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 rise of the digital age has resulted in an information overload and often a lot of this information is made up of unqualified opinions and regurgitated statements,” says Jay Mawji, Managing Director of INFINOX (www.INFINOX.bs), an online trading partner which is now available in Africa with the aim of empowering traders to trade Forex, shares, commodities and other financial instruments with ease and confidence.

“As technology has grown, scammers have evolved to take advantage of digital opportunities, and as the number of online traders is expected to continue growing, it is vital for aspiring online traders to safeguard themselves when it comes to trading,” he says.

Mawji explains that many would-be traders are concerned about the security and safety of personal funds and data, and are therefore hesitant to start trading.

“As such, it is vital for potential traders to work with an established, reputable, and regulated broker who will monitor the activities of its clients, partners and stakeholders to make sure they are operating within the regulatory guidelines,” he says. “The implementation of stricter regulations has been a game changer, and regulated firms put their customers first and ensure they are running their companies in a sustainable way.”

Finding the right broker

In order to find the right broker, Mawji says it is crucial to conduct research on the brokerage and the regulations that they abide by, and adds that the best place to do so would be the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) who keeps an up-to-date register of all firms and their business activities.

Secondly, he explains that traders must recognise the investment risk versus reward, and take into account that it should be a balanced approach between the two, while being aware that if it is too good to be true, it usually is. “Be wary of schemes that are too easy to open an account, too easy to deposit, too easy to trade, and too easy to make money. This is a clear sign of limited regulations and processes,” he says.

It is also important to question that if your investment is too low, how is the brokerage making money? If this is the case there is often more at play that we may initially realise.

Mawji explains that the broker’s physical location also comes into play, citing that although the business is one that is run online, firms that have a physical presence demonstrate a commitment to their business, their teams, and ultimately to their clients. It is for this reason that INFINOX will soon offer clients on-the-ground presence in South Africa &#8211; an extension of its London-based headquarters.

Mitigating risks is key

While some traders may still fall victim due to more-elaborate schemes, Mawji does offer valuable advice on how best to mitigate the potential risks.

He says that apart from never dealing with unregulated brokers, traders should take their time when it comes to deciding which broker to partner with, and be familiar with their services. Most importantly, Mawji suggests that aspiring traders ask a friend for advice as they will most often only have your best interests at heart and make you aware of any potential risks they may be aware of. 

“There are unethical practices in all industries, and CFD trading is no different, but by having the right monitoring and supervisory policies in place, and by working with regulators, will grant the industry and its traders the peace of mind in knowing that there is no easy way for someone to tarnish the reputation of our industry,” concludes Mawji.
INFINOX is available in African countries including Nambia, Mozambique, Botswana, Tanzania and Ghana.
For more information, kindly visit www.INFINOX.bs.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of INFINOX Capital.
Contact details on behalf of INFINOX: Nosipho Mlotsana nosipho@eclipsepr.co.za Tel: +2721 023 0440 Cell: +2778 792 3281

About INFINOX: INFINOX (www.INFINOX.bs) is an award-winning and market leading online trading platform. Founded in 2009, with the vision of delivering a customer-focused trading experience, INFINOX has been offering its clients premium service in a range of asset classes. We empower traders and help them gain access to markets so they can trade forex, stocks, indices, commodities, and futures; using our fast, efficient and reliable trading technology.
We are committed to providing our clients with outstanding service, and offer a dedicated multi-lingual support team that’s available 24 hours a day 5 days a week. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced trader, INFINOX provides the relevant tools to help you get started and improve your trading strategies. We offer instant funding options and the ability to withdraw your money swiftly.

Founded in London, our operations in Africa are authorised and regulated by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB), Registration No. SIA-F188.
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Safeguard yourself from falling victim to online trading scams

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. 
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The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

As Ugandans prepare to take part in the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled to take place on 14 January, the Secretary General calls on all national stakeholders to ensure that the polls are conducted in an inclusive, transparent and peaceful manner.  He is concerned about reports of violence and tensions in parts of Uganda ahead of these polls and calls on all political actors and their supporters to refrain from the use of hate speech, intimidation and violence.  Any electoral disputes should be resolved through legal and peaceful means.
The Secretary-General further calls on the Ugandan authorities, particularly the security forces, to show maximum restraint during this period and act according to established human rights principles.
The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to support the country’s efforts to promote sustainable development and build a prosperous future.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations (UN).

Concerned about reports of violence ahead of Uganda elections, Secretary-General calls on all national stakeholders to ensure polls are inclusive, peaceful

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