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

Assistant Director-General for Emergency Preparedness-World Heath Organization (WHO), Dr Jaouad Mahjour, has joined the Al Sumait Prize Board of Trustees representing the WHO.

Dr Jaouad Mahjour is an expert in public health, international health regulations and health security. He brings a wide range of leadership experience in assessing communicable diseases control programmes at national and international levels.
Dr Khaled Al-Fadhel, Director General of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), member and rapporteur of Al Sumait Board of Trustees, said: &#8220;We are pleased to welcome Dr Jaouad Mahjour as trustee to AlSumait Prize Board and especially value his accomplished career and constructive contribution to the health domain. Dr Mahjour, who is a renowned expert in epidemiology and diseases control, joins the Board at a critical time much affected by the covid pandemic, and he will complement the Board&#39;s expertise and will provide insight as well as valuable perspectives as we continue to promote the contribution of the Prize to African development.
In response to his appointment Dr Mahjour said &#39;Al-Sumait Prize presents an important opportunity to acknowledge and support innovative and successful projects that promote progress in Africa’s economic and social development. We highly value the significant efforts made by KFAS to organize this prestigious award. The focus of this year&#39;s prize on the &#8220;health&#8221; theme has never been more timely. We thank KFAS for prioritizing health at a time when the world is trying to control the COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted all countries and each and every individual around the world.&#8221;
The Call for the 2021 Al-Sumait Prize in Health will close on 30th June 2021. 
The Health category includes but is not limited to initiatives, program, and research projects in the following areas:  Combating the prevalence of diseases in Africa, with a special focus on the utilization of effective frameworks and programs, to address and manage health crises such as SARS, COVID-19, and infectious zoonotic diseases; National capacity building in medical research and medical education; Upgrading and maintenance of national medical facilities; Developing national health policies and successful implementation of the outcomes.
Eligible candidates include organizations and research institutions whose initiatives and programs contributed significantly to solving health challenges in Africa, as well as outstanding researchers who are nominated by their institutions and peers.  
AlSumait Prize Criteria as well as the Application Form can be found via: www.AlSumaitPrize.org/nominations
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS).
www.AlSumaitPrize.org www.KFAS.com @AlSumaitPrize @kfasinfo @WHO
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WHO joins Al Sumait Prize Board of Trustees

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

Marriott International’s (www.Marriott.com) portfolio of luxury brands, including The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Hotels &#038; Resorts, The Luxury Collection, EDITION, W Hotels and Bvlgari Hotels &#038; Resorts, is delighted to unveil a collection of one-of-a-kind adventures in the Middle East and Africa curated in partnership with Quintessentially, the world’s leading luxury concierge company. Available to book now, each distinct itinerary features extraordinary experiences unique to the destination, paired with luxurious accommodations, flawless service and exceptional culinary offerings.

“Our guests are seeking new ways to explore a destination with a renewed sense of discovery and desire for personalised experiences,” said Candice D’Cruz, Vice President – Luxury Brands, Europe, Middle East &#038; Africa, Marriott International. “Following our successful partnership with Quintessentially last year, which saw the launch of several distinct itineraries across Europe and the United States, we are thrilled to enhance our collaboration by debuting this series of bespoke adventures across the Middle East and Africa. These unique itineraries will offer guests access to immersive and luxurious journeys created with the expertise of this leading concierge company.”
Luxury guests are increasingly seeking bespoke holidays which offer a more private approach. These curated experiences reflect this trend and address the growing demand for personalised experiences in trending and emerging markets.  Whether travelling to Jeddah or the Seychelles, the bespoke itineraries promise an unforgettable escape to some of the region’s most vibrant cities and island retreats. Guests can cruise the Gulf Sea by private yacht, enjoy a majestic evening in Dubai’s sand dunes, explore the unique marine eco-system in Abu Dhabi’s mangroves, snorkel in Saudi Arabia’s pristine coral reefs or spend an afternoon island hopping in the Seychelles, and more.
&#8220;As the resurgence of safe travel gains momentum, we are delighted to expand upon our partnership with Marriott for this exclusive Middle East and Africa adventure series,&#8221; said Darren Ellis, Group CEO, Quintessentially. &#8220;As one of the world’s most connected groups, we pride ourselves on being able to draw out the very best every destination has to offer with an unparalleled level of personalisation and authenticity. These incredible journeys speak to Quintessentially’s dedication to enhancing people&#39;s lives and we look forward to creating unforgettable memories for Marriott guests.&#8221;
These journeys will be available from June 1st until August 31st, 2021, and the highly coveted itineraries include:
A FAMILY REUNION IN ABU DHABI: The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort and Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort &#038; Spa.
Guest will enjoy a unique family get-together in Abu Dhabi; a city of luxury and innovation, a destination graced with glass-paneled skyscrapers, breathtaking desert landscapes, an array of cultural and outdoor attractions, and activities for the whole family.
 	Explore a unique marine eco-system during a guided kayaking adventure through the scenic mangroves 	Visit the Abu Dhabi Louvre, an architectural gem housing unique historical and cultural exhibits 	Discover Manarat Al Saadiyat, a historical, cultural and artistic enclave 	Explore the desert dunes, dive into desert activities and learn about Bedouin life 	Watch a falconry show and attend a race at Al Wathba Camel Racetrack 	Enjoy a range of activities for the whole family including watersports, golfing, tennis and horse riding 
DOHA, THE ‘ART CAPITAL OF THE MIDDLE EAST’: Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort &#038; Spa.
Located on the beautiful coastline of the azure Arabian Gulf, Qatar is a dynamic country of contrasts. Steeped in history, traditional Arabic hospitality meets modern ambition. From UNESCO recognised heritage sites and untouched scenic desert landscapes to emerging cities, Qatar is a captivating destination off the beaten path.
 	Discover the beauty of Doha from the sky including Westbay Lagoon, The Pearl Qatar and Zig Zag Towers during a private helicopter tour 	Visit the National Museum of Qatar and discover its historical and natural exhibits 	Stroll Doha’s century-old trading market, Souq Waqif 	Cruise by private yacht in the Gulf Sea of Qatar to Safliya Island 	Explore the vast collection of art at the Museum of Islamic Art, Mathaf the Arab Museum of Modern Art and Katara Cultural Village 	Unwind, relax and enjoy a wellness experience at Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort &#038; Spa 
SAND, SUN AND SKYSCRAPERS IN DUBAI AND SEYCHELLES: Bvlgari Resort Dubai and North Island, a Luxury Collection Resort.
Bursting with excitement, innovation and glamour, Dubai is an experience like no other. From Dubai guests will fly to the Seychelles, the beautiful archipelago islands in the Indian Ocean lying off the coast of East Africa.
 	Enjoy an intimate desert safari trip with private chefs and Astronomers in Dubai’s majestic sand dunes 	Indulge in extraordinary culinary experiences in Bvlgari’s exclusive atmosphere 	Relax with romantic sundowners over a bonfire from The Cross at the base of Spa Hill 	Cruise to La Digue and see the iconic granite boulders that frame Anse Source d’Argent beach 	Discover the surrounding archipelago islands by private boat 
FAMILY FUN IN JEDDAH: The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah
Guests will visit the Kingdom’s second largest city, along the country’s west coast overlooking the Red Sea and discover Jeddah’s enchanting history and culture through its narrow streets, museums and art galleries. Surrounded by deserts at this sea front city, the whole family will enjoy safari trips and thrilling watersports.
 	Explore Jeddah’s diverse culinary scene, from street-stall shawarma to fine-dining fusion 	Take a family day trip to the reefs for snorkeling and diving at Sharm Obhur 	Explore Balad, the magical historical quarter and Nasseef House 	Discover the labyrinthine lanes of Souq Al Alawi 	Visit the magnificent floating Mosque 	Swim with dolphins and learn about marine life at Al Fakieh Aquarium 	Enjoy the thrilling rides and family activities at Al Shallal Theme Park 
For more information please visit https://Quintessentially.com/marriott-experiences
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Marriott International, Inc..
For more images: https://bit.ly/2RJh7uT
About Marriott International, Inc.: Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,600 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 133 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy™, its highly-awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website, and for the latest company news, visit www.Marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook (https://bit.ly/3vnayg0) and @MarriottIntl on Twitter (https://bit.ly/3bRNIFI) and Instagram (https://bit.ly/3oRlCj5).
About Quintessentially: Quintessentially, the world’s leading luxury lifestyle group is dedicated to connecting individuals and communities, through life-affirming experiences. Quintessentially achieves this by providing unique access and specialist lifestyle services, and by fostering global brand relationships. With a global network, our specialists are experts in every aspect of contemporary luxury living.
Media files

Marriott International’s Portfolio of Luxury Brands and Quintessentially Unveil a Collection of Exclusive Luxury Experiences in the Middle East & Africa

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Kenya and Côte d&#8217;Ivoire joined global economies such as China and India in the top five markets with the greatest potential for future trade growth according to the latest standard chartered trade 20 index. Regional Head of Commercial Banking in Africa &amp; Middle East, Ad Ganesh joins CNBC Africa for more on the trade index.

Stanchart Index lists Kenya as top emerging trade partner in Africa

StanChart Index lists Kenya as top emerging trade partner in Africa

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Following the recent tensions in the Middle East oil prices have risen this week with many investors falling into safe havens of gold and palladium which is positive for South Africa but what does this mean for the country’s oil businesses? Rajen Reddy, Executive Chairman of KZN OILS joins CNBC Africa for more.

What rise in prices mean for oil businesses and investors in SA

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In a discussion on the potential for green bonds and why it&#8217;s important to unlock sustainable finance on the continent, Standard Chartered Bank Regional CEO for Africa and the Middle East, Sunil Kaushal joins CNBC Africa&#8217;s Fiona Muthoni for more.

Sunil Kaushal on innovative solutions to sustainable development in Africa

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Technology is increasingly on a rise and playing a central role in development of sectors, bringing together entrepreneurs, tech ventures and growing economies of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. To share more on the emerging trends in cybersecurity to keep up with the rapid adoption of technology, Harish Chib, Vice President in the Middle East &#038; Africa region at Sophos joins CNBC Africa for more.

Understanding cybersecurity trends  in SSA

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Last week, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) revealed how multinational companies used Mauritius to avoid taxes in countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas in what it called “Mauritius leaks”. The Mauritian government dismissed the findings as unsubstantiated and aim to harm the repute of the country. Ken Poonoosamy, Deputy CEO of Economic Development Board Mauritius joins CNBC Africa for more.

Mauritius Leaks: Are multinational companies using Mauritius to avoid taxes?

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The World Bank’s Country Director for the Maghreb, Malta, Middle East and North Africa; Marie Françoise Marie-Nelly, says it is important to create an enabling environment for start-ups to access seed finance and large markets. She joins CNBC Africa’s Kenneth Igbomor for more.

Creating an enabling environment for Africa’s entrepreneurs

Natasha Turak
Source: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/08/algeria-was-silent-during-arab-spring-now-its-erupting-in-protest.html">Algeria was silent during the Arab Spring. Now its streets are erupting in protest</a>
<ul>
<li>One thing Algerians don&#8217;t want, protesters say, is to be compared to the Arab Spring or share the fate of so many of their neighbors.</li>
<li>Economic stagnation and unemployment has long beset the country of 41 million, 70 percent of whom are younger than 30. Regional analysts warn of further financial woes triggered by the new uncertainty.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/08200239/105781984-1552030850339algeriaprotestmassivecrowd.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="RYAD KRAMDI | AFP | Getty Images"/>
Algerians are taking to the streets in droves as groups from across society demand their longtime president end his time in power.
Cities across Africa&#8217;s largest country have been flooded for the past two weeks with protesters opposing their ageing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika&#8217;s fifth re-election bid after 20 years in power. The demonstrations, which on March 1 by some estimates numbered more than a million, have sent shockwaves through the oil and gas-rich country — OPEC&#8217;s ninth largest crude producer.
For the security-heavy state that went largely untouched by the Arab Spring, the strength and audacity of the protests are a complete surprise, says Farah Soumes, a local freelance writer who&#8217;s been taking part in the demonstrations.
&#8220;When I went out into the streets, I was expected to be arrested, not to see solidarity. It&#8217;s amazing what is happening,&#8221; Soumes told CNBC via phone.
Tweet1
Soumes and others involved in the protests described participation by a broad array of Algerian society.
&#8220;There were intellectuals, former government and opposition party members, students, teachers, lawyers, women, men and the working class — you had a mix of conservative Algerians, Islamists, and as well as girls wearing jeans and makeup,&#8221; described Jihane Boudiaf, an Algerian analyst for IHS Markit, who was in the capital Algiers for the demonstrations.
&#8220;There is an incredible feeling of fraternity happening,&#8221; Boudiaf told CNBC. &#8220;Old and young people, united over one cause. But it&#8217;s not just about Bouteflika staying in power, it&#8217;s also about wanting a genuine change. A change in the system — they want more openness, transparency, opportunity.&#8221;
An absent president
The 82-year-old Bouteflika, who took power in 1999 and ended Algeria&#8217;s bloody decade-long civil war, has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. He is currently in a hospital in Switzerland undergoing medical treatment. He was not physically present to submit his own candidacy or address protesters.
Earlier this week, through a representative, the president offered to hold new elections after a year and a referendum on the constitution if re-elected during the country&#8217;s next contest on April 18. But that failed to satisfy activists, who have called for new and bigger protests on Friday. They say they hope to bring 20 million people out to the streets — half of Algeria&#8217;s population.
Peaceful protests and painful memories
Algerian state media played images of protesters fighting with police, something the demonstrators contacted by CNBC say is misleading. Videos posted to social media and witness reports describe overwhelmingly peaceful protests, with young people even cleaning up before heading home.
&#8220;Most people wouldn&#8217;t say &#8216;are you going to the protests?&#8217; — they would say &#8216;are you going to the selmiyya?&#8221; Boudiaf said. Selmiyya means &#8220;the peaceful&#8221; in Arabic.
Tweet2
This, she said, was likely because of the negative connotations linked to popular uprisings that remain in a country still healing from the wounds of its brutal civil war. The conflict, which went on from 1991 to 2002 and pitted Islamists against government forces, saw more than 150,000 people killed.
&#8216;Not the Arab Spring&#8217;
One thing Algerians don&#8217;t want, protesters say, is to be compared to the Arab Spring or share the fate of so many of their neighbors.
&#8220;People don&#8217;t want the same thing to happen that happened in other Arab Spring countries like Libya, Syria,&#8221; Boudiaf said. &#8220;Algeria lived the Arab Spring much earlier, so people are afraid of the past.&#8221;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/08200248/105781987-1552031039791algerialawyersprotests.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="RYAD KRAMD | AFP | Getty Images"/>
&#8220;A lot of Algerians are also worried about the danger of the Islamists taking over the social movement,&#8221; she added, &#8220;because that is what happened in 1988 and the election of 1992,&#8221; when the seeds of the civil war were planted.
President threatens &#8216;chaos&#8217; and &#8216;infiltration&#8217;
On Thursday, a letter published by Algeria&#8217;s state news agency quoted Bouteflika warning of &#8220;chaos&#8221; and infiltration of the protests by &#8220;domestic and foreign forces.&#8221;
For Algeria&#8217;s young people, that language is a sign of politicians playing the conspiracy card rather than addressing the demands at hand.
But the president also praised demonstrators for &#8220;peacefully expressing their opinions.&#8221;
Economic stagnation and unemployment has long beset the country of 41 million, 70 percent of whom are younger than 30. Regional analysts warn of further financial woes triggered by the new uncertainty.
&#8220;Algeria is arguably in a much worse starting position than the likes of Egypt and Tunisia were in 2011 and, as a result, the economic fallout could be more severe,&#8221; said Jason Tuvey, a senior emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, in a research note. The International Monetary Fund estimates the country&#8217;s current account deficit at 9 percent of its gross domestic product, a worse figure than that of the Arab Spring countries in 2010.
Still, the unrest is unlikely to impact the country&#8217;s liquefied natural gas and oil exports, which account for 85 percent of national exports and about 20 percent of GDP, according to OPEC statistics. The protests are not currently targeted at production facilities, whose security is very high. Algeria currently produces 1.05 million barrels of oil per day.
Could the situation escalate?

&#8220;Without iron-clad concessions from le pouvoir, protests will persist if not grow and intensify in the run-up to the vote on 18 April,&#8221; said Anthony Skinner, director of MENA research at Verisk Maplecroft. &#8220;Le Pouvoir&#8221; is the name attributed to Algeria&#8217;s ruling elite, which means &#8220;the power&#8221; in French.
&#8220;Cracking down hard on protests and having Bouteflika re-elected would be a risky approach for le pouvoir not just because it could trigger conflict, but also because it would further undermine the already limited legitimacy enjoyed by the ruling elite.&#8221;
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Eight years after the Arab Spring, observers hope that Bouteflika does not repeat the mistakes of his Arab counterparts who triggered war and displacement by responding heavy-handedly.
But if the political leadership feels its back is against the wall, &#8220;it may resort to more extreme measures,&#8221; Skinner warned. 
Furthermore, he said, &#8220;while most protesters reject violence, a heavy crackdown by the police could adversely change the dynamic and potentially encourage hard-core elements to emerge and confront the security apparatus.&#8221;
&#8220;People are not afraid anymore,&#8221; Soumes said, but added: &#8220;Algeria is very unpredictable. Whoever tells you they know what is going to happen, they are clueless. I myself don&#8217;t know what is going to happen … A lot is happening very fast and in every direction.&#8221;

Algeria was silent during the Arab Spring. Now its streets are erupting in protest

Natasha Turak
Source: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/26/egypts-foreign-minister-lauds-economic-progress-as-president-sisi-looks-to-extend-tenure.html">Egypt&#8217;s foreign minister lauds &#8216;economic progress&#8217; as President Sisi readies for extended tenure</a>
<ul>
<li>Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is likely to win constitutional changes allowing him to dramatically extend his tenure in power.</li>
<li>Egyptian lawmakers are pushing ahead for a change to the country&#8217;s constitution that would enable Sisi to stay in power until 2034.</li>
<li>Government-implemented structural reforms recommended by the International Monetary Fund have brought Egypt to its highest economic growth in a decade.</li>
</ul>
Egypt&#8217;s foreign minister praised economic reforms underway in the country, stressing that the country&#8217;s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, remained the right man for the job amid continued threats to security and stability.
&#8220;Of course the president has been effective in creating security and stability and economic progress, implementation of economic reform,&#8221; Sameh Shoukry told CNBC&#8217;s Hadley Gamble on Monday during the EU-Arab League Summit in Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt. &#8220;And we are seeing the first returns of that reform.&#8221;
Shoukry listed a number of major investment projects underway, including the construction of new cities and transport infrastructure for the country&#8217;s booming population. The president is overseeing &#8220;doubling of road networks, 12 cities that are being erected, incredible amounts of almost two million units,&#8221; he said.
Sisi, who took power in 2014 following a military coup that overthrew and arrested the democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, is likely to win constitutional changes allowing him to dramatically extend his tenure in power.

Egyptian lawmakers are pushing ahead for a change to the country&#8217;s constitution that would enable Sisi to stay in power until 2034. Currently, the former armed forces chief is due to stand down after completing two four-year terms in 2022.
Asked if Sisi was the right man for the job, Shoukry replied, &#8220;He is and continues to be.&#8221;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07130244/105097713-Egypt_al-Sisi.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="MOHAMED EL-SHAHED | AFP | Getty Images"/>
Supporters of the constitutional changes say Sisi needs to remain in power in order to maintain stability in the country of 98 million and continue implementing the economic reforms currently underway.
Constitutional changes require approval of two-thirds of parliamentarians and a subsequent referendum. Egypt&#8217;s 596-member parliament overwhelmingly backs the president.
&#8220;There are discussions related to amend the constitution that might allow, there are issues that are still under construction and there is public debate, decision is finally that of two-thirds of parliament,&#8221; Shoukry said.
Combatting terrorism
Major threats remain for the country, which continues to see sporadic terror attacks, though stability has significantly increased in recent years.
Egypt needs to continue working to &#8220;eliminate terrorism attacking both our military and our civilians, most recently our pilgrims in the Western desert &#8212; security forces have achieved a lot,&#8221; Shoukry said. &#8220;Overall, Egypt still is a phenomena that needs to be addressed by more cooperation by the international community.&#8221;
Egypt is the world&#8217;s second-highest recipient of U.S. foreign aid, at $1.4 billion annually, second only to Israel.
Controversy over presidential term extensions
Sisi was re-elected in April of last year with 97 percent of the vote, in a contest widely labeled a sham. The former general faced little competition as his opponents either dropped out or were arrested.
The 64-year leader is described by many as a dictator for his heavy crackdown on civil liberties and opposition groups. Critics in and outside of Egypt have signaled alarm at what they say is blatant authoritarianism and yet another affront to democracy. In the five years of Sisi&#8217;s rule, more than 60,000 people have been arrested or charged by Egyptian security forces, according to Human Rights Watch.
More than a year ago, in an exclusive 
interview with CNBC 
 in November 2017, Sisi said he was committed to the limits set out by the current constitution.
&#8220;I am with preserving two four-year terms and not to change it &#8230; I am not for any amendments to be made to the constitution in this period,&#8221; he said at the time, adding that any changes would have to be determined &#8220;by the Egyptian people.&#8221;
Macroeconomic progress
Egypt has seen significant macroeconomic improvement since the Arab Spring revolution and the successive coups and terrorist attacks that rocked the country from 2011 onward.
Government-implemented structural reforms and subsidy cuts recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have brought the Middle East&#8217;s most populous country its highest economic growth in a decade, and it&#8217;s now targeting 5.8 percent growth for 2019, up from 5.3 percent last year. Egypt remains the top destination for foreign direct investment in Africa.
Sisi&#8217;s supporters have praised his commitment to the reforms, and say that more time under his leadership is needed to see them through in their entirety.
But austerity has come at a high price for much of the Egyptian public, heralding spikes in the prices of basic goods and still-high unemployment, with nationwide poverty at 28 percent, according to Egypt&#8217;s minister of local development.

Egypt’s foreign minister lauds ‘economic progress’ as President Sisi readies for extended tenure

Natasha Turak
Source: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/12/egypt-president-sisi-pushes-toward-term-extensions-in-constitution.html">Egypt&#8217;s Sisi set to dramatically extend presidency, despite previously pledging no changes to constitution</a>
<ul>
<li>Egyptian lawmakers are pushing ahead for a change to the country&#8217;s constitution that would enable Sisi to stay in power until 2034. Currently, the former armed forces chief is due to stand down after completing two four-year terms in 2022.</li>
<li>Just last week, a parliamentary committee in Cairo approved proposed constitutional amendments that would increase presidential terms from four to six years and essentially reset the clock, allowing Sisi two additional terms.</li>
<li>In an exclusive interview with CNBC in November 2017, Sisi said he was committed to the limits set out by the current constitution.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07130244/105097713-Egypt_al-Sisi.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="MOHAMED EL-SHAHED | AFP | Getty Images"/>
Egypt&#8217;s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is likely to win constitutional changes allowing him to dramatically extend his tenure in power — just over a year after telling CNBC that he would never pursue such a thing.
Discussing the political developments while at the Milken Summit in Abu Dhabi Tuesday, Egyptian billionaire businessman Naguib Sawiris told CNBC&#8217;s Hadley Gamble that he expected the controversial move would be pushed through. Asked whether he believed it was the right or wrong step for Egypt, the country&#8217;s second-richest man simply replied, &#8220;We&#8217;ll see.&#8221;
Egyptian lawmakers are pushing ahead for a change to the country&#8217;s constitution that would enable Sisi to stay in power until 2034. Currently, the former armed forces chief is due to stand down after completing two four-year terms in 2022.
Just last week, a parliamentary committee in Cairo approved proposed constitutional amendments that would increase presidential terms from four to six years and essentially reset the clock, allowing Sisi two additional terms.
In an exclusive 
interview with CNBC 
 in November 2017, Sisi said he was committed to the limits set out by the current constitution.
&#8220;I am with preserving two four-year terms and not to change it &#8230; I am not for any amendments to be made to the constitution in this period,&#8221; Sisi told CNBC. &#8220;The constitution grants the right of the parliament and the president to request amendments. I am talking about the four-year terms. We will not interfere with it.&#8221;
He added that any continuation of terms could not take place &#8220;without the will of the Egyptian people.&#8221;
&#8220;So, the one who is in the president&#8217;s seat will not be able to stay after the term allowed by law and the constitution. And what determines this will be the elections by the Egyptian people.&#8221;
Crackdowns on opposition
The 64-year old leader, described by many as a dictator for his heavy crackdown on civil liberties and opposition groups, came to power in 2014 following a military coup that overthrew and arrested the democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Sisi was re-elected in April of last year with 97 percent of the vote, in a contest widely labeled a sham. The general faced little competition as his opponents either dropped out or were arrested.
Supporters of the constitutional changes say Sisi needs to remain in power in order to maintain stability in the country of 98 million and continue implementing the economic reforms currently underway.
Critics in and outside of Egypt have signaled alarm at what they say is blatant authoritarianism and yet another affront to democracy. In the five years of Sisi&#8217;s rule, more than 60,000 people have been arrested or charged by Egyptian security forces, according to Human Rights Watch.
&#8220;Project to amend #Egypt constitution unfolding &amp; in full throttle,&#8221; Egyptian Nobel Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei tweeted last week. &#8220;Arab Spring in reverse!&#8221;
Tweet1
Additional proposed amendments to the constitution include bolstering the executive&#8217;s control of the judiciary and allowing the president more power in appointing judges and public prosecutors.
Constitutional changes require approval of two-thirds of parliamentarians and a subsequent referendum. Egypt&#8217;s 596-member parliament overwhelmingly backs the president.
Macroeconomic improvement
Egypt has seen significant macroeconomic improvement since the Arab Spring revolution and successive coups and terrorist attacks that rocked the country from 2011 onward. Government-implemented structural reforms and subsidy cuts recommended by the International Monetary Fund have brought the Middle East&#8217;s most populous country its highest economic growth in a decade, and it&#8217;s now targeting 5.8 percent growth for 2019, up from 5.3 percent last year.
Sawiris praised those efforts by the Sisi administration, saying, &#8220;They&#8217;re getting it right that they were not stubborn and they executed all the demands of the IMF because, this was for the good.&#8221;
But the cost of these austerity measures has been steep. Basic costs for Egyptians have skyrocketed while wages have stagnated.
Private sector engagement will be crucial to support Egypt&#8217;s burgeoning population, currently facing unemployment of around 10 percent. Some investors remain wary of a still-tense political situation, a fragile banking sector, regional insecurity and insufficient infrastructure.

Egypt’s Sisi set to dramatically extend presidency, despite previously pledging no changes to constitution

Natasha Turak
Source: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/12/egypt-president-sisi-pushes-toward-term-extensions-in-constitution.html">Egypt&#8217;s Sisi on the verge of term extensions, despite previously pledging no changes to constitution</a>
<ul>
<li>Egyptian lawmakers are pushing ahead for a change to the country&#8217;s constitution that would enable Sisi to stay in power until 2034. Currently, the former armed forces chief is due to stand down after completing two four-year terms in 2022.</li>
<li>Just last week, a parliamentary committee in Cairo approved proposed constitutional amendments that would increase presidential terms from four to six years and essentially reset the clock, allowing Sisi two additional terms.</li>
<li>In an exclusive interview with CNBC in November 2017, Sisi said he was committed to the limits set out by the current constitution.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07130244/105097713-Egypt_al-Sisi.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="MOHAMED EL-SHAHED | AFP | Getty Images"/>
Egypt&#8217;s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is likely to win constitutional changes allowing him to dramatically extend his tenure in power — just over a year after telling CNBC that he would never pursue such a thing.
Discussing the political developments while at the Milken Summit in Abu Dhabi Tuesday, Egyptian billionaire businessman Naguib Sawiris told CNBC&#8217;s Hadley Gamble that he expected the controversial move would be pushed through. Asked whether he believed it was the right or wrong step for Egypt, the country&#8217;s second-richest man simply replied, &#8220;We&#8217;ll see.&#8221;
Egyptian lawmakers are pushing ahead for a change to the country&#8217;s constitution that would enable Sisi to stay in power until 2034. Currently, the former armed forces chief is due to stand down after completing two four-year terms in 2022.
Just last week, a parliamentary committee in Cairo approved proposed constitutional amendments that would increase presidential terms from four to six years and essentially reset the clock, allowing Sisi two additional terms.
In an exclusive 
interview with CNBC 
 in November 2017, Sisi said he was committed to the limits set out by the current constitution.
&#8220;I am with preserving two four-year terms and not to change it &#8230; I am not for any amendments to be made to the constitution in this period,&#8221; Sisi told CNBC. &#8220;The constitution grants the right of the parliament and the president to request amendments. I am talking about the four-year terms. We will not interfere with it.&#8221;
He added that any continuation of terms could not take place &#8220;without the will of the Egyptian people.&#8221;
&#8220;So, the one who is in the president&#8217;s seat will not be able to stay after the term allowed by law and the constitution. And what determines this will be the elections by the Egyptian people.&#8221;
Crackdowns on opposition
The 64-year old leader, described by many as a dictator for his heavy crackdown on civil liberties and opposition groups, came to power in 2014 following a military coup that overthrew and arrested the democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Sisi was re-elected in April of last year with 97 percent of the vote, in a contest widely labeled a sham. The general faced little competition as his opponents either dropped out or were arrested.
Supporters of the constitutional changes say Sisi needs to remain in power in order to maintain stability in the country of 98 million and continue implementing the economic reforms currently underway.
Critics in and outside of Egypt have signaled alarm at what they say is blatant authoritarianism and yet another affront to democracy. In the five years of Sisi&#8217;s rule, more than 60,000 people have been arrested or charged by Egyptian security forces, according to Human Rights Watch.
&#8220;Project to amend #Egypt constitution unfolding &amp; in full throttle,&#8221; Egyptian Nobel Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei tweeted last week. &#8220;Arab Spring in reverse!&#8221;
Tweet1
Additional proposed amendments to the constitution include bolstering the executive&#8217;s control of the judiciary and allowing the president more power in appointing judges and public prosecutors.
Constitutional changes require approval of two-thirds of parliamentarians and a subsequent referendum. Egypt&#8217;s 596-member parliament overwhelmingly backs the president.
Macroeconomic improvement
Egypt has seen significant macroeconomic improvement since the Arab Spring revolution and successive coups and terrorist attacks that rocked the country from 2011 onward. Government-implemented structural reforms and subsidy cuts recommended by the International Monetary Fund have brought the Middle East&#8217;s most populous country its highest economic growth in a decade, and it&#8217;s now targeting 5.8 percent growth for 2019, up from 5.3 percent last year.
Sawiris praised those efforts by the Sisi administration, saying, &#8220;They&#8217;re getting it right that they were not stubborn and they executed all the demands of the IMF because, this was for the good.&#8221;
But the cost of these austerity measures has been steep. Basic costs for Egyptians have skyrocketed while wages have stagnated.
Private sector engagement will be crucial to support Egypt&#8217;s burgeoning population, currently facing unemployment of around 10 percent. Some investors remain wary of a still-tense political situation, a fragile banking sector, regional insecurity and insufficient infrastructure.

Egypt’s Sisi on the verge of term extensions, despite previously pledging no changes to constitution

Natasha Turak
Source: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/22/port-operating-giant-dp-world-slams-chinese-companies-practices.html">Port operating giant DP World slams Chinese companies&#8217; &#8216;predatory practices&#8217;</a>
<ul>
<li>China&#8217;s rapidly expanding footprint in developing countries around the world is facing mounting scrutiny, even as states across Asia and Africa compete for Chinese investment dollars.</li>
<li>Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman of DP World, the UAE&#8217;s state-owned port operator and among the top four largest port operators on the planet by cargo tonnage, is among those critics.</li>
<li>Chinese companies &#8220;have taken predatory practices in something that (is termed) today to be a debt trap, whereby they overextend their debts to countries and eventually take their assets,&#8221; bin Sulayem said. </li>
</ul>
China&#8217;s rapidly expanding footprint in developing countries around the world is facing mounting scrutiny, even as states across Asia and Africa compete for Chinese investment dollars.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman of DP World, the UAE&#8217;s state-owned port operator and among the top four largest port operators on the planet by cargo tonnage, is among those critics. Speaking to CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he called out Chinese companies for what he saw as unethical practices in foreign countries.
&#8220;China as a government has great respect throughout the world. Unfortunately, the actions of Chinese companies don&#8217;t reflect that,&#8221; Bin Sulayem said. &#8220;They have taken predatory practices in something that (is termed) today to be a debt trap, whereby they overextend their debts to countries and eventually take their assets. This is something that tarnishes the reputation of China.&#8221;
For Bin Sulayem and DP World, it&#8217;s personal. The company in November of last year filed a lawsuit against China for its role in what it termed an &#8220;illegal seizure&#8221; of port and free zone facilities on the Red Sea coast of Djibouti whose operation had been exclusively granted to DP World. It accused the state-owned China Merchants Port Holdings of unlawfully inducing Djibouti&#8217;s violation of their agreement. UAE authorities also criticized the Djiboutian government for violating its terms with the port operator, an accusation that Djibouti senior officials have dismissed. The East African nation hosts Chinese and U.S. military bases and is seen as economically and military strategic.
&#8220;Unfortunately some of these companies, because they are flush with cash, this disturbs the balance around the world, and gives China a bad reputation,&#8221; the chairman said.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/20080312/105342020-1532055235774gettyimages-9923602821.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/Getty Images"/>
China has poured billions of dollars into infrastructure projects across Asia and Africa as part of its Belt and Road project, providing what many acknowledge is badly-needed investment for developing countries — but what&#8217;s at the same time sunk several nations into deep debt. Analysts point to Beijing&#8217;s offers of cheap loans and then demands of control over infrastructure as compensation when those debts cannot be paid off.
Dangerous debt?
In 2017, Sri Lanka, with more than $1 billion in debt owed to China, handed over its Hambantota port to Chinese state-owned companies. According to the non-profit Center for Global Development, the countries most affected by Chinese debt include Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Laos, the Maldives, Mongolia, Montenegro, and Pakistan, with the first three facing national debt at more than 75 percent of their GDP as of March 2018.
&#8220;I would say, you trust the Chinese government, you watch out for the Chinese companies,&#8221; Bin Sulayem said. &#8220;Some of them are good, we have great relations with them. But some of them, unfortunately, they use tactics which are not acceptable in getting market share.&#8221;
Of China&#8217;s approximately 150,000 state-owned enterprises, some 50,000 are owned by the central government, with the rest belonging to local governments, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/24140240/104669754-GettyImages-683262962.1910x1000.jpg" alt="China President Xi Jinping attends a news conference at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 15, 2017 in Beijing, China." height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="Jason Lee | Pool | Getty Images"/>
DP World is currently expanding its port projects in the disputed territory of Somaliland — which has enraged the federal government in Somalia — as well as in Rwanda, underscoring the growing importance of East Africa not just to China but to the UAE. DP World operates 78 ports in more than 40 nations.
Bin Sulayem isn&#8217;t alone in his view. White House national security advisor John Bolton in December slammed what he called &#8220;the predatory practices pursued by China&#8221; as something that would &#8220;stunt economic growth in Africa (and) threaten the financial independence of African nations.&#8221;
African countries should &#8216;be very careful&#8217; of the Chinese
Ahmed Heikal, chairman of major regional investor Qalaa Holdings, echoed those concerns while speaking to CNBC on Tuesday.
&#8220;The jury is still out on those investments from China,&#8221; Heikal said, when asked about the dominance of Chinese investment growth in Africa over that of the West. &#8220;A lot of those investments are extremely problematic and will end up in total write-offs. And (another) factor people need to be very careful about is that the Chinese — unlike any other government — they tend to convert debt instruments into equity.&#8221;
&#8220;The electricity company of Zimbabwe is now owned by the Chinese,&#8221; Heikal continued. &#8220;The port of Bangladesh is now Chinese. Soon the port of Kenya may end up being Chinese. So whether this is a deliberate strategy from the part of the Chinese government or not, those are investments that are difficult to see through in the short term. But something to be aware of.&#8221;
Egypt-based Qalaa Holdings itself has vast investment projects across the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, in sectors ranging from infrastructure and energy to logistics and agrifoods. For Heikal, the contribution of foreign investment to development is essential in fostering growth as well as stemming African migration to Europe. But he didn&#8217;t shy away from voicing his disapproval of what many call China&#8217;s model of debt-trap diplomacy.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think that the Chinese government is aware of the backlash that that may end up causing in the future,&#8221; he added. &#8220;You can do this once, twice, three times — but if it starts being a wave of buying assets for debts, I think it can have a serious backlash and can affect the future attractiveness of Chinese investments down the line.&#8221;

Port operating giant DP World slams Chinese companies’ ‘predatory practices’

Natasha Turak
Source: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/18/libya-biggest-oil-field-is-being-held-hostage.html">Libya&#8217;s biggest oil field is being held hostage, but even that won&#8217;t boost prices</a>
<ul>
<li>The protest group, known as the Fezzan Rage Movement, shut down the El Sharara oil field in Libya&#8217;s impoverished southwest earlier this month with the help of security personnel the Petroleum Facilities Guard, a militia known for its clashes with the Islamic State.</li>
<li>The movement of tribesmen is demanding better services from the government, which it claims has marginalized those living in Libya&#8217;s south.</li>
<li>Oil prices have fallen some 30 percent since hitting year-highs in October on concerns of global oversupply and slowing demand growth.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/19120242/100992669-libya.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="Leon Neal | AFP | Getty Images"/>
Libya&#8217;s state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) declared force majeure on operations at its biggest oilfield late Monday night amid a stand-off with armed protesters, expecting a loss of 315,000 barrels per day (bpd) for the OPEC member.
The protest group, known as the Fezzan Rage Movement, shut down the El Sharara oil field in Libya&#8217;s impoverished southwest earlier this month with the help of security personnel the Petroleum Facilities Guard, a militia known for its clashes with the Islamic State. The movement of tribesmen is demanding better services, health sector support, monetary stimulus for the southern region and better protection from the government, which it claims has marginalized those living in Libya&#8217;s south.
But while oil prices saw a slight rebound of about 2 percent one week ago on news of the shutdown, 
crude output from the U.S. is so high 
 it&#8217;s practically drowned out what would otherwise be a notable disruption in the oil market. Brent crude was trading at 58.54 at 2 p.m. London time on Tuesday, down 1.8 percent on the previous day.
&#8220;In terms of the impact on prices, at present it is struggling to overturn the prevailing bearish bias,&#8221; Stephen Brennock of PVM Oil Associates told CNBC on Tuesday. However, he noted, &#8220;any further unexpected outages could inject some much needed bullish impetus into the oil complex.&#8221;
Oil prices have fallen some 30 percent since hitting year-highs in October on concerns of global oversupply and slowing demand growth. The Energy Information Agency (EIA) projects U.S. shale oil output to top 8 million bpd by the year&#8217;s end and 
average a record 12.06 million bpd 
 in 2019.
While the crisis does heighten geopolitical risk, said Ehsan Khoman, head of Middle East and North Africa research at MUFG, &#8220;markets remained focused on the more structural concerns that U.S. oil production growth is well north of, and expected to stay, above global demand growth heading into 2019.&#8221;
Libya&#8217;s NOC said that production at El Sharara will only restart after &#8220;alternative security arrangements,&#8221; the Monday statement said, without elaborating.
&#8216;Security backdrop remains tense&#8217;
The North African country of 6.4 million has been struggling to rebuild its energy industry since its 2011 revolution that ousted longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi and the ensuing collapse in central power.
Exempt from OPEC&#8217;s supply cut agreements due to its civil conflict, 
Libya was enjoying its highest output levels 
 in five years in the latter half of 2018. Production reached 1.28 million bpd as reported in November, up from roughly 500,000 bpd the previous June.
But the latest supply disruption shouldn&#8217;t come as a surprise, regional analysts say, citing the crisis as a timely reminder that this fragile recovery shouldn&#8217;t be taken for granted.
&#8220;The truth of the matter is that the security backdrop remains tense,&#8221; PVM&#8217;s Brennock said. Numerous armed factions still grapple for control and a cut of Libya&#8217;s oil wealth in an environment where the internationally recognized government in the country&#8217;s west is ignored by a separate, yet powerful, independent government in its east. In September, IS militants attacked the NOC headquarters in Tripoli, killing two people.
&#8220;Libya&#8217;s political landscape therefore remains deeply divided and the country continues to be a tinderbox for conflict,&#8221; Brennock continued. &#8220;This is hardly conducive for a sustained recovery in oil production. In short, Libya remains a hotspot of uncertainty and conditions are ripe for further disruptions.&#8221;
Earlier this month NOC warned of &#8220;devastating consequences&#8221; of a production shutdown to both the southern region and Libya&#8217;s economy as a whole, local newspaper the Libyan Observer reported. But it has thus far refused to pay a &#8220;ransom&#8221; to the protesters, saying it would set a dangerous precedent to Libya&#8217;s many other armed groups and endanger yet more oil production facilities.
&#8220;We have decided to close the oilfield in Ubari until our demands are materialized,&#8221; the Fezzan Rage Movement&#8217;s representatives said in a statement last week, referring to the area where the El Sharara field is located.
&#8220;If not, we will close El Feel oilfield as well. Our demands are on the tables of Libyan governments.&#8221; The nearby El Feel oilfield remains operational for now, with production of about 70,000 bpd.

Libya’s biggest oil field is being held hostage, but even that won’t boost prices

Justina Crabtree
Source: <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/18/china-middle-east-are-spending-on-sudan-but-us-policy-is-confused.html">China and the Middle East are pouring money into strategic Sudan, but US policy is &#8216;confused&#8217;</a>
<ul>
<li>More interest from foreign investors is starting to trickle into Sudan after the U.S. lifted long-standing sanctions last October.
</li>
<li>But, China and the Middle East are currently the biggest international players in the East African country.</li>
<li>One expert on Sudan has told CNBC that the U.S.&#8217; policy on Sudan lacks clarity.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/18210230/105221010-GettyImages-898553932.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="Kayhan Ozer | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images"/>
Since the U.S. lifted long-standing sanctions on Sudan last October, foreign investors&#8217; interest has started to trickle in, an expert on the region has told CNBC.
But it&#8217;s Chinese and Middle Eastern actors who already have first-mover&#8217;s advantage, Matthew Kindinger, sub-Saharan African analyst at emerging markets advisory firm Frontier Strategy Group, added.
&#8220;Any firm that was prevented from entering Sudan because of the U.S. sanctions now has much larger scope to expand in the market,&#8221; he said. &#8220;(But) the current administration&#8217;s Sudan policy appears to have become confused at the least, or at best a very low priority.&#8221;
Given the U.S.&#8217; sanctions, some of which date back to 1997 over human rights concerns and terrorism links, China and countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have instead been Sudan&#8217;s most prominent foreign investors.
&#8220;These countries want to maintain access to resource exports, such as petroleum to south Asian markets, and livestock to meet growing food demand in the Gulf states,&#8221; Chris Suckling, senior analyst at IHS Markit, told CNBC.
Sudan, located on the Horn of Africa and one of the continent&#8217;s largest countries by area, has suffered from brutal conflict for much of its history and saw its economy hit hard by the 2011 succession of its oil-rich southern region. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued President Omar al-Bashir with arrest warrants for war crimes twice in the past decade.
Given its troubled past — and present — the country is yet to fully capitalize on its strategic potential.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/18210234/105220968-GettyImages-958301068.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="Ashraf Shazly | AFP | Getty Images"/>
Sudan boasts a Red Sea coastline just ahead of the Suez Canal, a shipping passage that permits access between Eastern and Western markets. The country borders landlocked Ethiopia, Chad and South Sudan, with the former in particular keen to boost its export capacity and diversify the transport infrastructure it relies upon. Turkey, Qatar and Ethiopia have all inked deals to develop Sudan&#8217;s ports.
The country is also resource-rich, with significant gold and oil reserves.
Sudan, for its part, has been attempting to position itself as open to business after two decades as an investment pariah under the U.S.&#8217; sanctions. In 2013, the government passed its National Investment Encouragement Act, which prohibits discrimination against foreigners in business.
&#8216;Confused&#8217; U.S. foreign policy
According to Frontier Strategy Group&#8217;s Kindinger, the U.S. has been sending out mixed messages on its Sudan policy.
He said that while ties improved under former President Barack Obama&#8217;s administration, current President Donald Trump added Sudan to his travel ban list in 2017, only to remove it eight months later.
Last October, the Trump administration revoked sanctions on Sudan. &#8220;This decision was meant to be taken four months earlier, but couldn&#8217;t because Mr. Trump had not yet made the requisite appointees in the Africa department,&#8221; Kindinger said.
Nonetheless, Sudan remains on the State Department&#8217;s list of official sponsors of terror, despite sanctions being revoked partly because of Sudan&#8217;s backing of U.S. counterterrorism strategies. Inclusion on this list is an obstruction to any debt relief.
For its part, the State Department website says that trade and investment in Sudan is &#8220;not favorable for American firms,&#8221; citing &#8220;endemic corruption&#8221; on top of other factors including conflict, multiple exchange rates and poor banking and transport infrastructure.
An internationally untouched market
Shahram Safai, a partner at Dubai-based Afridi &amp; Angell Legal Consultants who advises on investment in Sudan, said that potential opportunities lie in mining, agriculture, livestock and industry. &#8220;Sudan is one of the few internationally untouched markets and the investment opportunities are unique,&#8221; he added.
Meanwhile, Kindinger pointed out increasing investor activity in sectors such as health care, information technology and consumer goods. He added that any much-needed expansion of the country&#8217;s infrastructure also presented an opportunity, highlighting Turkish firm Summa&#8217;s March deal to build a new international airport in the capital Khartoum for a reported $1.15 billion.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cdn.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/18210239/105220976-GettyImages-940963156.1910x1000.jpg" alt="" height="1000" width="1910" data-licensor-name="Ashraf Shazly | AFP | Getty Images"/>
But, moving into Sudan&#8217;s nascent market requires caution. The country ranks 170th out of 190 on the World Bank&#8217;s Ease of Doing Business index, for example.
Sudan&#8217;s &#8216;impending economic crisis&#8217;
Regardless of Sudan&#8217;s scope as a foreign investment destination, the country&#8217;s bloody conflict between the Arabic north and non-Arab south has spelled economic disaster thus far. South Sudan&#8217;s secession in 2011 took with it 75 percent of the country&#8217;s oil reserves. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), gross domestic product growth for Sudan plummeted by 10.6 percent the following year.
The removal of U.S. sanctions &#8220;has so far done little to avert the continued deterioration of Sudan&#8217;s oil-dependent economy or improve the country&#8217;s attractiveness to foreign investors,&#8221; Suckling said. The resulting rise in international trade has also compounded the country&#8217;s foreign exchange shortage.
Nonetheless, investment from the U.S. is expected to pick up, although China and the Middle East remain dominant for the moment. According to Afridi &amp; Angell&#8217;s Safai, the Sudanese authorities are working to improve the country&#8217;s banking sector to better facilitate the transfer of money.
&#8220;Once the full benefits of the lifting of U.S. sanctions is fully realized and implemented, we expect to receive far more interest,&#8221; he said.

China and the Middle East are pouring money into strategic Sudan, but US policy is ‘confused’

<div id="article-byline"> <a href="http://www.reuters.com/journalists/aziz-el-yaakoubi">Aziz El Yaakoubi</a> | DUBAI</div>
The United Nations, short of funds to support millions of displaced people in the Middle East, has begun a scheme that would let Muslims make donations from the alms they typically pay state bodies for the benefit of the poor.
Muslims around the world are expected to pay &#8220;zakat&#8221;, typically 2.5 percent of any savings accumulated over the year, generally via state institutions that collect funds for aid to impoverished citizens.
The U.N. High Commission for Refugees said it had obtained religious rulings from top Muslim clerics in Egypt, Morocco and Yemen as well as a senior Islamic scholar in Saudi Arabia, that it hoped would persuade wealthy Muslims, especially in oil-rich Gulf countries, to donate their alms directly for relief work.
&#8220;It is an innovation in our efforts to raise funding,&#8221; said Muhammed Abu Asaker, a UNHCR Middle East spokesman.
The UNHCR posted the rulings on its webpage that appeals for zakat contributions to aid programs.
The amount of zakat money distributed each year in Muslim countries ranges from $20 billion to $30 billion, experts say.
The United Nations has projected it will need a total of $8 billion this year to provide life-saving assistance to millions of Syrians inside their shattered homeland and to refugees and their host communities in neighboring countries.
UNHCR has also called for $2.1 billion to provide food, and medicine for Yemen, where 12 million people are at risk of famine and cholera brought on by two years of civil war.
Millions of Syrians, Iraqis and Yemenis have been displaced by years of civil war, sometimes to neighboring countries, straining the hosts&#8217; resources as well as United Nations and other non-governmental humanitarian agencies.
UNHCR said it will use some of the additional funds it expects from the alms project to help some 30,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugee families in Jordan, with around $180 in monthly cash support for each family.
&#8220;The needs of these people increase daily and because the crises are ongoing, for example, the Syrian crisis is entering its 7th year,&#8221; Abu Asaker said.
&#8220;So anything these people had is not completely gone and they need continuous support. So this requires us as an organization to search for creative ways that go in parallel with governmental support, which has become insufficient given the rising number in refugees and IDPs (internally displaced people).&#8221;
Zakat payments can be a matter of personal choice in many Muslim countries, though it is a religious obligation under Islamic law. Governments in some countries deduct payments from savings accounts on a pre-determined day. The funds tend to be used to help those in poverty, in debt or refugees.
(Reporting By Abdelhadi Ramahi and Tarek Fahmy; writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi; editing by Sami Aboudi and Mark Heinrich)

UNHCR wins nod to use Islamic alms to aid Middle East refugees

By Mathieu Rosemain
French telecoms network operator Orange will continue to see slow growth in revenues in the Middle East and Africa this year, its regional business chief said.
The company sees the region as key to its future, especially since it sold its mobile operations in Britain and Switzerland, but is struggling to turn it into a strong growth driver as talks with a potential partner in Iran drag on and economic conditions in some African markets remain challenging.
Orange&#8217;s revenue growth in the region halved to 2.6 percent last year, a performance that was deemed disappointing by several industry analysts after the operator published its full-year earnings last week.
Bruno Mettling, Orange&#8217;s deputy CEO and head of operations for the region, indicated growth this year in the Middle East and Africa, where the company is present in 21 national markets, is unlikely to be much higher.
&#8220;In 2017, we think that we&#8217;ll have a growth that is at least identical, or even higher,&#8221; he said in an interview at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Monday.
The former French monopoly should also add to its 120 million customers in the region, he said.
Orange&#8217;s revenue and profitability in the region suffered last year from the devaluation of the pound in Egypt, where it has more clients than in France.
They were also hit by the Democratic Republic of Congo&#8217;s decision to ask for identification of the country&#8217;s mobile customers, which led to a decrease in the number of SIM cards.
Talks with Iran&#8217;s largest mobile operator, Mobile Telecommunication Company of Iran (MCI), meanwhile are &#8220;very far&#8221; from reaching a final agreement, Mettling said.
The discussions, which were revealed last year, first aim at a commercial agreement.
&#8220;It&#8217;s very long, it&#8217;s very slow, it&#8217;s very complicated,&#8221; Mettling said.
Orange plans to consolidate its Tunisian operations for the first time in its accounts this year, after taking a controlling stake of Orange Tunisia, in which it currently holds a 49 percent stake, Mettling said.
It also aims to partner with Vivendi&#8217;s pay-TV unit Canal Plus to develop digital terrestrial television in several sub-Saharan countries, after the two groups were pre-selected in a tender in Ivory Coast.
($1 = 0.9432 euros)
 
(Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Georgina Prodhan and Susan Fenton)﻿

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