JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — It’s been nothing but full speed ahead for South Africa’s first true low cost airline, FlySafair (https://www.flysafair.co.za), in recent weeks.
Logo: http://www.photos…
MARRAKECH, Morocco, November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The fifth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (#GES2014) (http://www.gesmarrakech2014.org) will take place on November 19 – 21, 2014 in Marrakech, Morocco, the first time in an African nation. The Summit, the largest gathering of entrepreneurs during Global Entrepreneurship Week, will be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco, and held under the High Patronage of his Majesty King Mohammed VI, brings together over 3000 entrepreneurs, Heads of state, government officials, global entrepreneurs, small medium enterprises (SMEs), corporate leaders, and young entrepreneurs.
Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/ges.png
The theme of this year’s Summit, “Harnessing the Power of Technology for Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” will explore the positive impact of technology on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Speakers will discuss:
• Financing new ventures
• Scaling up enterprises and moving to the formal sector
• Turning talent into entrepreneurship
• Engaging in social entrepreneurship
Vice President Joe Biden will lead the United States (U.S) delegation to the Summit in addition to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Members of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) initiative (http://goo.gl/ylZVKD) will be joining Secretary Pritzker, as entrepreneurship ambassadors.
They include:
• Daphne Koller, Co-Founder and President, Coursera
• Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO, Chobani
• Alexa von Tobel, Founder and CEO, LearnVest
Other U.S. speakers include Toni G. Verstandig, Chair Middle East Programs, Aspen Group, Kerry Healey, President of Babson College and John Macomber, Senior Lecturer in Finance, Harvard Business School, Ron Bruder, Founder, Education for Employment, and Zainab Salbi, Founder of Women to Women International.
Moroccan speakers include Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mohamed Boussaid, Minister of Economy and Finance, Mbarka Bouaida, Delegate Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Moulay Hafid Alami, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Digital Economy, Nizar Baraka, President, Social, Economic & Environmental Council (CESE).
Moroccan corporate leaders include Mohamed El-Kettani, CEO, Attijariwafa Bank, Othman Benjelloun, President and CEO of BMCE, Abdeslam Ahizoune, CEO of Maroc Telecom, Anas Sefrioui, CEO of Addoha Group, and Miriem Bensalah-Chaqroun, President, Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM).
Visit the 2014 Global Entrepreneurship Summit’s website (www.gesmarrakech2014.org/en/home). Register for the event here: https://registration.gesmarrakech2014.org/ and for a list of speakers go to: http://www.gesmarrakech2014.org/en/program/speakers.
Twitter: @GESMarrakech14
Facebook: facebook.com/GES2014Marrakech.
Richard Attias & Associates (RA&A), Part of WPP Group, is the Executive Producer of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2014.
Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of the 2014 Global Entrepreneurship Summit.
Press contacts:
Matthew Miller
Richard Attias & Associates
Matthew.Miller@richardattiasassociates.com
+1 917-226-7172 (mobile)
Daniel Rivkin
Rmedia Ventures
daniel@rivkinmedia.com
+1 917-817-6323 (mobile)
NAIROBI, Kenya, November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ —
• Launches pan Africa mobile music competition
• First of its kind partnership to promote Music Karaoke and VAS
Mahindra Comviva (http://www.mahindracomviva.com), the global leader in providing mobility solutions, today announced an exclusive partnership with TRACE TV, one of the leading music channels to launch TRACE Music Stars across all Airtel operations in Africa. Contestants will have the chance to compete for a grand prize of 30,000 Euros and a recording deal with Universal Music. The winner will travel toto New York to be personally mentored by American R&B and hip hop recording artist, songwriter, and record producer, AKON. The grand finale will be held on March 2015.
Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/Comviva-1.jpg
Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1526 (Atul Madan, Head of Digital Services, Mahindra Comviva)
Mahindra Comviva is providing a complete ecosystem and end-to-end solution for the rapid deployment, provisioning, execution, management and billing of various value added services to enable this initiative. Additionally, Mahindra Comviva’s mKaroke will provide the users with real-time singing analysis and voice supervision to deepen the user engagement.
TRACE Music Stars will be executed as a large-scale branding campaign and value added music service, available exclusively for Airtel subscribers. It is an IVR based music competition that gives subscribers the opportunity to become the next big music star in their country and possibly across Africa and the world without having to go through long and expensive traditional castings. The competition will offer participants an option to rehearse on a phone karaoke that scores their performance. On scoring low points the contestants can try again without having to stand in long queues.
Commenting on the initiative Atul Madan, Head of Digital Services, Mahindra Comviva said “Mahindra Comviva has been constantly working towards revolutionizing the music market in Africa by providing localized content, identifying independent artists and labels, and disseminating music across the region. On an average, music services in Africa contribute 40% to operators’ downloadable content revenues. To cater to fast evolving trends and sustain consumer engagement, the company is constantly introducing innovative service features like mKaraoke, user generated music content and social RBT. The partnership with TRACE and Airtel is a testament of our efforts in emerging as the leader in the digital music space.”
Olivier Laouchez, TRACE’s CEO said “We are pleased to partner with Mahindra Comviva in bringing a platform to empower the youth. Mahindra Comviva’s unrivalled expertise in digital music, VAS Technologies and deep understanding of the African market helped us bring this initiative to life.”
Mahindra Comviva is betting big on its digital music portfolio across video, voice and text. The company has collaborated with over 110 local and international content providers, copyright bodies, local artists, premium music labels and production houses in the continent. The company owns rights to unique music tracks in African, Arabic and international categories, and offers multiple genres including Hip Hop, Pop, Inspirational, Rumba, Hip Life, Football Chants, Gospel, Jazz, Rock, Reggae and Retro in more than 35 local African languages.
Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
For further enquiries, please contact:
Sundeep Mehta
Global PR & Corporate Communications
Mahindra Comviva
Contact: +91- 124-481 9000
Email: pr@mahindracomviva.com
About Mahindra Comviva
Mahindra Comviva (http://www.mahindracomviva.com) is the global leader in providing mobility solutions. It is a subsidiary of Tech Mahindra and a part of the USD 16.5 billion Mahindra Group. With an extensive portfolio spanning mobile finance, content, infotainment, messaging and mobile data solutions, Mahindra Comviva enables service providers to enhance customer experience, rationalize costs and accelerate revenue growth. Its mobility solutions are deployed by over 130 mobile service providers and financial institutions in over 90 countries, transforming the lives of over a billion people across the world. For more information, please visit http://www.mahindracomviva.com
About TRACE
TRACE is a brand and multimedia group focusing on two of the most popular entertainment segments for youth: Music and Sport Celebrities. TRACE offers five formats of thematic television channels with 18 localized versions distributed in over 130 countries. TRACE is also active in FM radios, digital and mobile services and organizes special events related to its editorial pillars. TRACE is owned by Modern Times Group (75%) and its founder and management (25%).
ROME, Italy, November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — FAO’s monthly food price index was stable in October, as sugar and vegetable oil prices rose to offset declines in dairy and meat prices.
The Food Price Index dipped to 192.3, technically, its seventh consecutive monthly decline, but a marginal 0.2 percent drop from the revised September figure.
The ongoing slight decline in the index is “very good for food importing countries,” FAO senior economist Concepción Calpe said in an interview.
The shifts come as FAO raised its forecast for a record global wheat output this growing season.
Dairy prices fell by 1.9 percent, as butter and milk powder prices dipped due to increased output in Europe, where many producers are grappling with Russia’s ban on cheese imports. The sub-index for dairy products dropped to 184.3, down 3.5 points from September, and 66.8 points, or 26.6 percent down from October 2013.
Meat prices also broadly declined, as pig production recovered in several countries hit by endemic porcine diarrhoea and growing cattle herds in Australia pushed down beef prices. FAO’s Meat Price Index fell by 1.1 percent or 2.3 points from September to 208.9, still more than 10 percent above its level a year ago.
The Cereal Price Index, which fell sharply over the summer as global wheat and maize production appeared set for record harvests, was broadly stable at 178.4 points in October as maize harvest delays in the United States and deteriorating prospects for Australia’s wheat crop led to firmer prices. Rice prices declined, however, as newly harvested supplies came to market. The cereals sub-index is now down 9.3 percent, or 18.2 points below the level one year ago.
Overall, the Food Price Index is at its lowest levels since August 2010.
Drought boosts sugar prices, palm oil production slows
FAO’s Food Price Index is a trade-weighted index that consists of the average of five commidity group price indices – cereals, meat, dairy products, vegetable oils, and sugar.
The Sugar Price Index rose to 237.6 points, a brisk 4.2 percent increase from the previous month, due largely to drought in parts of Brazil, leading to reports that the sugarcane crop will be smaller than expected. Despite the month’s gains, international sugar prices remain more than 10 percent below their October 2013 level.
The vegetable oils sub-index rose for the first time since March, clocking in at 163.7 points in October, up 1.0 percent, or 1.6 points from September. Palm oil production slowdowns in Indonesia and Malaysia, combined with a revival in global import demand, sustained the increase. Soy oil prices weakened due to robust North American harvest prospects, while sunflower seed oil quotations rose due to smaller than expected harvests in the Black Sea region. The oils index is down 12.9 percent from October 2013.
Projected 2014 cereal production trimmed back despite record maize and wheat harvests
Meanwhile FAO’s monthly Cereal Supply and Demand Brief also released today, trimmed back the Organization’s forecast for 2014 world cereal production by about one million tonnes.
At 2.5 billion tonnes, the full-year production figure would be 3.7 million tonnes below 2013’s record output.
The downward revision reflects a dimmer outlook for China’s maize production, even though global maize output is still expected to reach a new record of 1.01 billion tonnes on the back of bumper crops in the European Union and the United States.
Meanwhile, the forecast for global wheat production has been raised, as output from Ukraine is on track to be higher than previously expected. This growing season’s wheat crop is now expected to top last year’s record harvest with a total output of 722.6 million tonnes.
For rice, the forecast for global production remains unchanged at 496.3 million tonnes in milled rice equivalent. This would be 0.3 percent less than in 2013, and would mark the first decline since 2009.
Global inventories of all the main cereals remain on course to hit a 15-year high, although the forecast was marked down by 2.7 million tonnes from October’s projections to 624.7 million tonnes.
This figure is 8.0 percent above the level at the start of the 2014/15 growing season and would raise the global cereal stock-to-use ratio to a twelve-year high level of 25.1 percent.
Wheat reserves are projected to rise by 9.3 percent this year, while rice inventories are forecast to fall by 2.0 percent, reflecting expected inventory drawdowns, especially in major exporting countries such as India and Thailand.
FAO’s November brief also observed that global cereal utilization for direct human consumption is set to expand by 0.9 percent – in line with the global population, leaving per capita consumption stable – while utilization for livestock feed is expected to rise by 2.6 percent. This growth is being driven in part by large quantities of low-quality wheat currently in markets being used for feed
JUBA, South Sudan , November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The ongoing conflict in South Sudan affecting directly the North and the East of the country has diverted the attention from ongoing regular healthcare concerns like malaria epidemic which is affecting the West of the country. There have been insufficient distributions of antimalarial drugs in many peripheral health centers and as a consequence, Medecins Sans Frontieres / Doctors Without Borders (MSF), has reported an increase in the number of severe life-threatening cases.
Every year with the rainy season, mosquitoes multiply in the standing water and the number of malaria cases increases . This year, the epidemic is particularly widespread in the western parts of the country. Unusually prolonged and heavy rainfall in many areas and the lack of available treatments in some peripheral health centres means that many patients have had to travel to MSF health structures to be treated. They arrive after hours or days of travel in serious medical condition.
“Some patients die while they could have been easily saved if they had had access to treatment earlier,” said Renee Madrolle, project coordinator for MSF in Aweil state hospital which is the reference hospital of the Northern Bahr el Ghazal. “Malaria is the first cause of mortality in Aweil during the rainy season, and children are the most affected. “
The partner organisations of the Ministry of Health have been ineffective in distributing diagnostics rapid tests and drugs due to the current conflict and because of structural problems in the supply chain. These supply problems have had two major consequences on the health system. Firstly in terms of timely distribution: the drugs in Juba could not be delivered at the beginning of the rainy season when the first spike of malaria cases occurred end of May beginning of June 2014. Secondly, there were not enough drugs available for a comprehensive distribution in peripheral health centers and only a few facilities received them. As a consequence, there are large areas affected by malaria where people lack access to treatment.
MSF health facilties in Aweil and Pamat, Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, Gogrial in Warrap state, Yambio in Western Equatoria state and Agok in Abyei territory have treated nearly 60,000 patients since the beginning of the year. More than 10% of them have been hospitalized. This is more than triple the number of patients seen during the same period of last year.
In response to these needs, MSF urgently brought extra supplies of malaria rapid diagnostic tests and malaria treatments in most of the MSF projects in the West affected by malaria. MSF has set up in Gogrial health center a dedicated day care malaria zone to cope with the overwhelming number of patients.
” MSF cannot cover all the needs in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, Western Equatoria states and Abyei territory” said Renee Madrolle, MSF project coordinator in Aweil. ” More international health actors must be mobilized along the Ministry of Health to provide access to antimalarial treatment to the population”
In June MSF also opened activities in the outpatient department of Aweil hospital to identify new infections and provide treatment. The most severe cases are hospitalized in a specific 35-bed treatment unit set up by MSF in July inside the hospital. Today this capacity is insufficient.
In September, 71% of cases in the pediatric department in Aweil hosptal were malaria. MSF also regularly organizes mobile clinics in the most remote areas to reduce the number of severe cases coming to the hospital due to late treatment. In September, MSF treated in the western part of the country more than 10,000 cases of malaria.
DAKAR, Sénégal, November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The joint UN-African Union-Economic Community of West African States (UN-AU-ECOWAS) mission is continuing its consultations with all the parties and driving forces in order to ensure a democratic and civilian-led transition in Burkina Faso.
The Special Representative of the Secretary General for West Africa and Head of United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, welcomes the support being provided by regional leaders to find a solution to the political crisis. President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, President Macky Sall of Senegal as well as former Prime Minister of Togo, Mr. Edem Kodjo in his capacity as AU Special Envoy are currently in Ouagadougou to help all concerned initiate a peaceful transition period.
The joint UN-AU-ECOWAS mission, in coordination with all the parties, will continue its efforts and engagements to help resolve the crisis in line with the national Constitution.
WASHINGTON, November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Since the first cases of Ebola were reported in West Africa in March 2014, the United States has mounted a whole-of-government response to contain and eliminate the epidemic at its sour…
WASHINGTON, November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The President on Wednesday morning spoke by phone with the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps who are staffing the Monrovia Medical Unit (MMU), the 25-bed hospital constructed by the U.S. Military that will open its doors later this week. The President underscored the indispensability of the MMU’s mission—to treat national and international healthcare workers who fall ill with Ebola in their brave service to others. He noted that these PHS officers will offer hope to their patients while also reassuring other healthcare workers in the region and those around the globe whose services are needed to end this epidemic. The President thanked the members of the Corps as well as their families for taking on this challenge, commenting that, of the 71 officers selected, all of them accepted the assignment, a testament to their selfless service to the nation. The President specifically commended Rear Admiral Scott Giberson, who is heading the contingent, on his leadership, and reminded the full team that, through their service, we will bring this epidemic under control at the source, the only way to prevent additional cases of Ebola domestically.
CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The organisers of the annual Investing in African Mining Indaba (http://www.miningindaba.com) announced today that Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997 – 2007) will participate in a keynote presentation at the 2015 annual conference. Euromoney Institutional Investor Managing Director, Mr. Christopher Fordham, will host an “Interview with Tony Blair” during a special keynote presentation.
The 2015 edition of the annual Mining Indaba, the world’s largest mining investment event will take place on 9 – 12 February 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/miningindaba.png
“Mr. Blair has vast experience as a global leader and through the charity he founded in 2008, the Africa Governance Initiative, he has worked with African governments to improve regulation and investment oversight. As a result, Mr. Blair will provide unique and charismatic insights to our global delegation who are vested in capitalising African mining,” says Jonathan Moore, Managing Director, Mining Indaba.
Tony Blair was Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1997 – 2007, having secured an historic third term in office. As leader of the Labour party, he led extensive public service reform, introduced a national minimum wage, oversaw constitutional reform, led the London 2012 Games bid and was instrumental in the Northern Ireland peace process. He also oversaw devolution in Scotland and Wales.
Continuing his role in public life, Tony Blair now works to secure peace and prosperity in the Middle East, improve governance in Africa, encourage understanding of world faiths and boost access to sport for children in the North East of England. He also remains committed to finding solutions to climate change.
The 2015 Mining Indaba is expected to draw more than 7,000 investors, mining corporates, government leaders, global press, and other industry stakeholders from 110 countries.
In addition to Mr. Blair’s keynote presentation, the Mining Indaba will feature a blockbuster line up of global speakers including: industry’s most pervasive deal-maker, Robert Friedland of Ivanhoe Mines, global economist, Dr. Dambisa Moyo; creator of the acronym BRIC, Jim O’Neill; the World Bank’s Group emerging regions expert, Anita Marangoly George; and a host of other government leaders, world’s largest mining company CEOs, and international commodities analysts.
Mining Indaba also includes the Investment Discovery Forum on 8-9 February in Cape Town, which offers private educational and networking setting exclusively open to accredited investors (complimentary registration available) and mining corporates to engage in deal discussions. The ability to schedule unlimited number of one-on-one meetings in this forum enables investors and mining executives to maximize their ROI for their travel and time. For more information visit http://www.miningindaba.com/DiscoveryInvest.
The Mining Indaba will include a total of five and half days of deal-making and discovery showcasing ALL of Africa’s most attractive investment opportunities unlike any other mining investment in the world. For more information on registration and programme, visit http://www.miningindaba.com.
Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Mining Indaba™.
[Note to Editors:] Investing in African Mining Indaba is open to qualified members of the press. All members interested in obtaining accreditation for press access must do so before 24 January 2015. Please refer to http://bit.ly/M15PR2 for required credentials and application.
Media Contact
MARIA PALOMBINI
t: +1.212.224.3546
e: maria.palombini@miningindaba.com
About the Mining Indaba™
Investing in African Mining Indaba™ (http://www.miningindaba.com), often referred to as “the Mining Indaba™,” is an annual professional conference dedicated to the capitalisation and development of mining interests in Africa. It is currently the world’s largest mining investment conference and Africa’s largest mining event. For two decades, the annual Mining Indaba has served as the pathway for foreign investments into Africa’s mining value chain – opportunities ranging from small diamond deposits to mega coal projects. The Mining Indaba™ is now part of Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. Visit http://www.miningindaba.com for more details.
KHARTOUM, Sudan, November 6, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan a.i., Mr. Geert Cappelaere, has expressed deep concern that children in conflict affected areas of South Kordofan and Blue Nile may again be at high risk of contracting polio.
Sudan was recently declared polio free, but two new cases have emerged this week in South Sudan’s Unity state, near the border with South Kordofan, increasing the risk that the virus may return to Sudan.
South Kordofan and Blue Nile states are of particular concern, as no polio vaccination programmes have been undertaken in several localities since the military conflict between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People Liberation Movement – Northern sector began in 2011.
Since April 2013, the United Nations have operational plans in place to deliver a polio vaccination campaign for 165’000 children under-five years of age in those conflict affected areas of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
“It is vital that every effort is made to ensure that this vaccination campaign takes place immediately and all children, no matter where they live, are safe from contracting this terrible disease. Polio is preventable with simple vaccination – vaccines are available and free” said Mr Cappelaere.
“We therefore call upon the highest authorities in the Government of Sudan and in SPLM-N as well as the entire international community to ensure that the interests of the children concerned are of primary consideration in the next round of negotiations with all parties set to be held soon in Addis Ababa. All parties should agree to a minimum of 10 days of cessation of hostilities and unconditional support to the UN operational vaccination plan. There is no longer time to lose.”
