Category: APO-OPA

PARIS, France, August 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Sage (http://www.sage.com), a leading global vendor of business management software, announces that it has won three court cases against pirate companies in Maghreb and in Francophone Africa. In addition to damages and/or fines totalling several thousand euros, prison terms were handed down.

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Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1272 (Fabien Poggi, Manager of Sage’s Export division)

Court decision in Cameroon

By judgment dated 6 March 2014, the District Court of Douala Bonanjo, correctional section, found Mrs MONKAM, Managing Director of the company MOZALE SARL, guilty of software copyright infringement. She was ordered to pay CFAF 2,031,000 in damages to Sage as well as CFAF 102,225 in court costs and a fine of CFAF 500,000. The court issued a warrant of commitment for 18 months’ imprisonment against Mrs MONKAM in the event of non-payment within the legally prescribed period.

Software and brand piracy is a global phenomenon with repercussions for software publishers, businesses and national economies. All of these groups suffer significant losses due to unfair competition by copyright infringers: destruction of jobs, loss of revenue, impediment to information technology innovation, etc.

“In spite of our market leadership, piracy continues to penalise not only Sage and our business, but also the growth of software publishing in Africa and the economic activity that would result from it”, laments Fabien Poggi, Manager of Sage’s Export division.

The deeply concerning statistics on the scope of the problem supply the proof. According to the latest study by The Software Alliance (BSA), a group of international software publishers, the rate of software piracy in the Middle East and Africa reached 59% in 2013 and is soaring in countries like Algeria (85%), Cameroon (82%) and Côte d’Ivoire (80%). These troubling numbers have shown no signs of dropping since 2009.

These court decisions follow a number of campaigns led by Sage, working together with other international publishers, to raise awareness of the issue among institutions. At the same time, Sage is informing the public and businesses of the risks associated with using pirated software – whether on computers, mobile devices or in the cloud – and of the need to implement software asset management programs. By enhancing operational effectiveness, such programs have a direct and positive impact on productivity. Questions on the topic can be directed to Sage at the following address: antipiratage@sage.fr

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Sage.

Press contact

Carole Basson – Tel.: +33 (0)5 56 181 744 – Carole.basson@sage.com

About Sage

We provide small and medium-sized organizations with a range of easy-to-use, secure, and efficient business management software and services—from accounting and payroll to enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, and payments. Our customers receive continuous advice and support through our global network of local experts to help them solve their business problems, giving them the confidence to achieve their business ambitions. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and entered the FTSE 100 in 1999. Sage has over 6 million customers and more than 12,700 employees in 24 countries covering the UK & Ireland, mainland Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, Asia, and Brazil. For further information please visit: http://www.sage.com

JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, August 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Africa offers US multinationals a compelling trade and investment opportunity thanks to the rapid economic growth rates being experienced across the continent along with burgeoning population growth and increasing urbanisation, according to Standard Bank (http://www.standardbank.com).

Download the infographic: http://www.apo-mail.org/140804.pdf

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1275 (Mr Sim Tshabalala, Chief Executive of Standard Bank Group)

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Economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa has exceeded 5% a year for more than a decade now giving the continent a 4.1% share of global gross domestic product (GDP), up from 3.4% in 2000. By 2050 one in four of the world’s population will reside in Africa with at least 60% of the continent’s people living in urban centres.

“Trade with African economies and investment in Africa offer big rewards but it requires sound local knowledge, strong local partnerships, and a long term view,” said Mr Sim Tshabalala, Chief Executive of Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank by assets and market valuation. “In that sense the US plan to revitalise its commercial and trade links with Africa couldn’t come at a more opportune time.”

The renewed US interest in Africa is embodied by President Barack Obama’s Power Africa Initiative which was launched last year and aims to double access to power in six partner countries in sub Saharan Africa: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania. The US government has committed more than $7 billion in financial support and loan guarantees to the project over the next five years. That commitment has been doubled by the almost 30 private sector partners who have pledged $14.7 billion in project finance through direct loans, guarantee facilities, and equity investments for Power Africa.

Nevertheless, the US still has some catching up to do. While the US is a major investor in Africa – particularly in information technology, manufacturing, resources, power, and financial services – trade flows have advanced on a much gentler trajectory.

Although US-Africa trade doubled from about $50bn in the early 2000s to $110bn in 2013 it still lags China whose trade with Africa exceeded $200 billion last year. Yet it is precisely China’s emergence as Africa’s largest trading partner which underscores the potential value on the continent for US firms.

Foreign direct investment into Africa has increased dramatically in the last decade and a half, and continues to grow. In 2013, FDI to Africa increased by 9.6% to an estimated $56.6 billion, representing 5.7% of global FDI. FDI is forecast to exceed $60 billion in 2014. Total foreign inflows to the continent reached $186 billion in 2013, and are expected to top $200 billion in 2014.

Emerging economies – and the BRICS in particular – are seizing the African opportunity. In 1992 China, India and Brazil accounted for just 3% of Africa’s global trade compared to 25% today. A wide range of firms from India, Brazil and South Africa are also expanding quickly in Africa, often with strong support from their governments.

Yet, while the US may be arriving late to this party, the world’s biggest economy still offers unrivalled commercial and industrial excellence in many key fields. The vibrancy of US multinationals, with their proven track records, industrial processes, established retail networks and brands, are of immense attraction to the ongoing consumer revolution taking place across Africa.

US firms are also increasingly interested in the commercial opportunities in Africa. Major private equity firms, including the Carlyle Group, have launched Africa-focused funds valued in the hundreds of millions. Leading US technology companies are investing in new ventures and start-ups across the continent. IBM has invested at least $100 million, with new Innovation Centres in Lagos and Casablanca. Microsoft and Intel Capital are embarking on partnerships with African tech companies, and Google is working on delivering broadband to remote communities.

“Africa has come a very long way from its era of aid-dependence,” said Mr Tshabalala. “The rapidly emerging middle class in Africa is driving large-scale diversification of Africa’s economies which offers immense opportunities for companies willing to invest.”

In Nigeria the middle class has swelled by 600% since 2000. Today, Nigeria is home to 4.1 million middle-class households, containing 11% of the total population. Other economies doing particularly well on this measure include Angola, where 21% of households are considered middle class followed by Sudan (14%) and Zambia (10%).

The number of mobile phone users in Africa has multiplied 33 times since 2000 and in the next five years it is likely that almost every adult African will have a mobile phone. Over 50% of urban Africans are already online, a figure that is likely to grow rapidly over the next decade.

“While there is still a lot to be done the overall direction that Africa is moving in is overwhelmingly positive,” said Mr Tshabalala. “US companies can do very well in Africa provided they put in the effort to understand the continent’s markets in detail, rather than looking at the continent as a single, homogenous entity.”

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Standard Bank.

Media contact

Kate Johns

Group Communications | Africa Media Relations

Tel: +27 11 721 8406 | Mobile: +27 82 805 0210

kate.johns@standardbank.co.za | http://www.standardbank.co.za http://www.standardbank.com

Standard Bank (http://www.standardbank.com), trading as Stanbic Group, is the largest African bank by assets and earnings. Our strategy is to build the leading African-focused financial services organisation using all our competitive advantages to the full. We will focus on delivering superior sustainable shareholder value by serving the needs of our customers through first-class, on-the-ground operations in chosen countries in Africa. We will also connect other selected emerging markets to Africa and to each other, applying our sector expertise, particularly in natural resources, globally. We operate in 20 countries on the African continent, including South Africa.

Standard Bank has a 151-year history in South Africa and started building a franchise outside southern Africa in the early 1990s. In recent years, Standard Bank has concluded key acquisitions on the African continent in Kenya and Nigeria. Africa is at our core and we will continue to build first-class on-the-ground banks.

The group’s nearly 49 000 employees in all regions deliver a complete range of services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking and wealth management. Standard Bank’s Corporate & Investment Banking division offers its clients banking, trading, investment, risk management and advisory services to connect selected emerging markets to Africa and to each other. It has strong offerings in mining and metals; oil, gas and renewables; power and infrastructure; agribusiness; telecommunications and media; and financial institutions.

Normalised headline earnings for 2013 were R17.2 billion (about USD 1.8 billion) and total assets were R1 694 billion (about USD 162 billion). Standard Bank’s market capitalisation at 31 December 2013 was R209.4 billion (about USD20 billion).

The group’s largest shareholder is Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the world’s largest bank, with a 20,1% shareholding. In addition, Standard Bank Group and ICBC share a strategic partnership that facilitates trade and deal flow between Africa, China and select emerging markets.

For further information go to http://www.standardbank.com

Or if related to CIB deals:

For further information go to http://www.standardbank.com/cib

GENEVA, Switzerland, August 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The joint 100 million US dollars plan, announced by WHO and the West African nations affected by the Ebola virus disease, is a positive step forward in affording the crucial means to tackle the spread of the deadly disease. However, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is gravely concerned over the slow and negligible response from international community and is calling for an immediate scale-up of efforts.

Only concerted action from the international community will enable the containment of this deadly virus. However, there is prevalent fear not only within the affected communities, but also within the international community to respond to the situation, which may hinder the rapid control the outbreak.

As the Ebola virus disease spreads out of control across some of the poorest countries in West Africa, the IFRC is intensifying its response to the emergency by sending an emergency response unit to Kenema, one of the worst affected areas in Sierra Leone.

The deployment was prompted by the urgent request from the government of Sierra Leone and the World Health Organization (WHO) to set up an isolation ward and provide clinical care to infected patients.

According to Panu Saaristo, the IFRC’s emergency health coordinator, “the Red Cross Red Crescent is extremely worried that the situation is spiralling out of control. The response capacity and resources of the government and humanitarian aid agencies in the affected countries are already stretched beyond the limit, and the virus continues to spread, making this the deadliest outbreak of Ebola ever.”

The situation has prompted the IFRC to make an exceptional allocation of 1 million Swiss francs from its disaster relief emergency fund (DREF) to mobilize an emergency response unit consisting of 15 international health workers and 7 support personnel as well as equipment to Sierra Leone.

“This fund is typically used to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red Cross Red Crescent’s emergency response. The fact that we needed to allocate this amount from the DREF reflects the challenges in engaging the international community’s support. The last time such an amount was released was for the response to the Tsunami in 2004.”

The Sierra Leone Red Cross Society has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, WHO and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) from the onset of the outbreak to help alleviate fears and dispel misinformation within affected communities through education and awareness activities, as well as assisting with the tracing and monitoring of suspected infections, and dead body management.

“The spread of the virus can only be halted with scaled-up support and coordinated action by all parties – governments, corporations, donors and aid organizations. We cannot continue to turn a blind eye on what is happening in western Africa. Inaction will cause the further spread of this deadly virus across the borders of this remote region, making true our fears.” Saaristo adds.

Earlier in April, the IFRC appealed for some 1.3 million Swiss francs to support the Sierra Leone Red Crescent Society, 2.6 million Swiss francs to support the Red Cross Society of Guinea and 1.8 million Swiss francs to support the Liberia Red Cross Society to respond to the outbreaks in the respective countries. All three appeals are currently underfunded.

GENEVA, Switzerland, August 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Concern is growing at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Libyan Red Crescent over the plight of thousands of people affected by intense fighting in Tripoli and Benghazi. Both organizations have renewed their efforts to assist the wounded and the displaced.

“Our volunteers are striving to respond to the most acute needs of people in areas where fighting is in progress,” said Omar Jaouda, Secretary-General of the Libyan Red Crescent. “They have been working very hard to transport wounded people, remove dead bodies, and assist civilians. I should add that they are doing all this in extremely difficult conditions. We are trying to negotiate safe access for our teams with the parties involved in the fighting, which is proving to be no easy task.”

The Libyan Red Crescent – one of the few humanitarian organizations present on the ground – has transported dozens of wounded people to hospitals, and carried away numerous dead bodies. It has also helped civilians to evacuate areas affected by the fighting and, in coordination with local authorities, provided medical and relief assistance for hospitals and displaced civilians. The ICRC has provided the Libyan Red Crescent with wound-dressing materials and hundreds of body bags since 15 July. It is also stepping up its efforts to assist displaced civilians.

“Dozens of people have been injured or killed since the outbreak of violence in Tripoli,” said Antoine Grand, the head of the ICRC’s delegation in Libya, which is temporarily based in Tunisia. “We are extremely concerned about the plight of civilians in Tripoli, particularly those who have been displaced or trapped in their homes in the southern section of the city. The situation in Benghazi, where there has been a sharp rise in armed violence since May, is equally worrying.”

The Libyan Red Crescent and the ICRC are urging all parties to take every possible precaution to spare civilian lives and infrastructure, and to ensure safe and unimpeded access for Red Crescent volunteers.

The ICRC will not abandon the victims of armed violence in Libya. Owing to deteriorating security conditions its international staff were moved to Tunis on 15 July, but they are expected to return as soon as the situation improves. The ICRC will, however, carry on working through its 130 locally based staff, and will also respond to emergencies, in cooperation with the Libyan Red Crescent and other local partners.

Plano, TX, August 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — DreamTrips™ Vacation Club (https://www.dreamtrips.com), one of the world’s leading travel and vacation club membership organizations, was voted “Europe’s Leading Travel Club” for 2014 as part of the World Travel Awards. The World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony was held at Divani Appolon Palace & Thalasso in Athens, Greece on Saturday, August 2, with hundreds of hospitality industry leaders.

Logo WorldVentures: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/worldventure.png

Logo Europe’s Leading Travel Club: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/140813.jpg

This award recognizes the commitment to excellence that DreamTrips has demonstrated in Europe within the last year. The award, voted on by travel and tourism professionals worldwide, recognized DreamTrips’ outstanding service and product offerings. Nominees in other European region travel categories include W Hotels Worldwide, Ritz-Carlton, KLM – Royal Dutch Airlines and Royal Caribbean International.

“It’s an honor to be named a leader in the European travel industry and to be selected for this award by our peers,” WorldVentures Co-Founder and Chief Visionary Officer Wayne Nugent said. “This outstanding accomplishment is a reflection of the high standards our entire team strives to maintain, especially our travel agency partner, Rovia, which aims to deliver excellence and unforgettable experiences to all of our members.”

Since 1993, World Travel Awards (WTA) has acknowledged and celebrated excellence across all sectors of the global tourism industry. Last year, DreamTrips was also named “World’s Leading Travel Club” at the 2013 WTA Grand Final. The Europe Gala Ceremony is the second stop on the annual Grand Tour which visited Dubai earlier this year, and will include stops in Nigeria, Ecuador, India and Anguilla, before arriving in Morocco for the Grand Final in November.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of WorldVentures.

For inquiries, contact:

Christine Carter

Email: press@worldventures.com

About DreamTrips

DreamTrips delivers high-quality, one-of-a-kind curated travel and vacation experiences to its vacation club members. More information can be found at

www.dreamtrips.com/experience-more.

About World Travel Awards

The World Travel Awards was launched in 1993 to acknowledge and recognize excellence in the global travel and tourism industry. Now celebrating its 21st anniversary, it is regarded as the highest achievement a travel product or service could hope to receive. More information can be found at www.worldtravelawards.com.

NEW YORK, August 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the decision by the Constitutional Court of Uganda to annul t…

OTTAWA, Canada, August 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State (Foreign Affairs and Consular), today issued the following statement regarding the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone:

“Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic outbreak in western Africa.

“There are no confirmed cases of Ebola in Canada, and according to the Public Health Agency of Canada the risk to Canadians remains very low.

“The Ebola virus itself does not spread easily from person to person. It is not like the flu. It is spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, not through casual contact.

“All points of entry into Canada are routinely monitored, and travellers showing symptoms would be referred to quarantine officers, who have the authority to implement public health measures under the Quarantine Act to protect Canadians.

“The Government of Canada recommends that Canadians avoid all non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. This recommendation is designed to protect Canadian travellers and allow health officials in the affected countries to focus their resources on responding to this tragic outbreak.

“For the latest advice and more information from the Government of Canada, Canadians should consult the Government of Canada’s Travel Health Notice on the Ebola Outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

“The government is closely monitoring the situation and is in close contact with our missions responsible for the affected regions.

“Canada and its international partners are working around the clock to provide support to the affected regions. The Government of Canada has committed $1.41 million to date, and is providing Public Health Agency of Canada experts and a mobile lab in Sierra Leone which ensures rapid and vital diagnostics to assist in the response on the ground. Canada remains the second-largest donor country towards the response efforts.

“Canadians requiring emergency consular assistance should contact the nearest Government of Canada office or the Emergency Watch and Response Centre, toll-free at +1 613-996-8885 (collect call) or via email at sos@international.gc.ca.”

OTTAWA, Canada, August 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today announced the following diplomatic appointments and term extensions:

Louis de Lorimier’s term as Ambassador to the Republic of Mali is extended.

Chantal de Varennes’s term as Ambassador to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire is extended

Ivan Roberts’s term as Ambassador to Burkina Faso is extended.

Lisa Stadelbauer’s term as Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe, with concurrent accreditation as High Commissioner to the Republic of Botswana, is extended.

Biographical Notes

Louis de Lorimier (BA [Political Science], Université de Montréal, 1979) worked as a journalist for Le Journal de Montréal, programs director for the Canadian University Service Overseas and desk editor for La Presse before joining the Department of External Affairs in 1982. He served abroad as second secretary and vice-consul in Côte d’Ivoire (1983 to 1985), counsellor and consul for La Francophonie at the Embassy of Canada to France (1989 to 1993), counsellor and consul for the political section at the Embassy of Canada to the Republic of Korea (1996 to 1998) and as counsellor for communications and public affairs at the Embassy of Canada to France (1998 to 2002). At Headquarters, he served as departmental assistant to the minister of external affairs (1985 to 1988), assignments officer (1988 to 1989) and director of the Francophonie Division (1993 to 1996 and 2003 to 2005). From 2005 to 2008, he was Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon. From 2008 to 2012, Mr. de Lorimier served as Canada’s ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg and Canada’s representative to the Council of Europe. He has served as ambassador to Mali since 2012.

Chantal de Varennes (BA [Political Science and Economics], Laval University, 1982; Certificat [International Administration], École nationale d’administration publique, 1994) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1982 as a foreign service officer. Between 1983 and 1992, she served abroad at the United Nations in Geneva, then in Paris, Caracas and Lima. She returned to Ottawa and worked in human rights, becoming chief of External Affairs and International Trade Canada’s Threat Assessment Unit in 1993. From 1995 to 1999, she was first secretary and consul in Dakar and then returned to Ottawa to work in human resources. From 2001 to 2003, she became counsellor and consul in Algiers and then returned to Ottawa in 2003 to become deputy director in the Francophonie Affairs division. From 2007 to 2011, Ms. de Varennes was counsellor responsible for La Francophonie in Paris. She has served as ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire since 2011.

Ivan Roberts (BA [Economics], Queen’s University, 1979) began working with the Canadian International Development Agency in 1989, in the International Humanitarian Affairs Division, after 10 years of experience in advisory and officer positions with various government organizations, including the Bank of Canada, Agriculture Canada, Supply and Services Canada and Industry Canada. In Canada, he served as senior analyst in the Andes Program from 1994 to 1998, as manager of the Nigeria Program from 2001 to 2004 and as director of the Gulf of Guinea Program from 2004 to 2008. Abroad, he served as first secretary in Harare from 1991 to 1994, as head of aid and counsellor (cooperation) in Lima from 1998 to 2001 and as director of the Senegal Program and counsellor (cooperation) in Dakar from 2008 to 2011. He has served as ambassador to Burkina Faso since 2011.

Lisa Stadelbauer (BA [Administrative and Commercial Studies], University of Western Ontario, 1988) joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1990. Her first assignment abroad was in 1992 to Tel Aviv, and she later served in Hanoi as counsellor, then in Oslo as counsellor and consul. In Ottawa, she worked with the India, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal and Bhutan Desk, the Middle East Peace Process Coordination Group and the United Nations and Commonwealth Affairs Division. Until 2011, she served as director of the Eastern and Southern Africa Division and deputy to Canada’s Africa Personal Representative to the G-8. She has served as ambassador to Zimbabwe since 2011.

MOGADISHU, Somalia, August 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG), Nicholas Kay, has condemned the murder today of Sheikh Aden Madeer, a Member of the Somali Federal Parliament, and expressed his concern over the continued attacks on MPs.

Mr. Madeer was killed in Mogadishu. He served as Chairperson of the Finance Committee of the Federal Parliament of Somalia. Mr. Madeer is the fifth MP to be assassinated in 2014.

“The assassination of Sheikh Aden Madeer is an appalling act,” SRSG Kay said. “The murder of MPs is an attempt to intimidate and undermine those working to build a better Somalia. Their killers will not achieve that objective.”

“I commend Somalia’s MPs for their courage and dedication in the face of continued attacks against them. The UN is committed to supporting the important work of the Federal Parliament,” he added. “Urgent action is needed to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

SRSG Kay offers his sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Madeer, as well as to the Federal Parliament of Somalia.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, August 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union Commission commends the ongoing continental and global efforts to turn the tide against the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The current epidemic is the biggest and most complex that the West African region has experienced since the first human outbreak occurred in 1976. The current epidemic has killed 729 people out of 1,323 infected since February according to the latest reports.

“The response to the Ebola outbreak needs concerted continental and global action to address the epidemic which poses a threat to global health and development” said Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

The Ebola virus epidemic is spreading throughout the Republic of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and one case has since been recorded in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There is a possibility that the outbreak may spread to other countries in West Africa and beyond if effective measures including community engagement are not put in place. Various mechanisms will need to be put in place to ensure that African countries are prepared to deal with the threat.

Efforts by the African Union Commission to mobilise Member states, partners and the international community to complements the efforts of the affected countries, especially in replenishing the African Public Health Emergency Fund are underway. More resources are needed to meet the needs on the ground including the deployment of several hundred medical personnel in affected countries to ease the strain on overstretched treatment facilities.

Various actions that are needed to stop the epidemic include strengthening surveillance systems and community education. The Ebola outbreakhas further provided the impetus to urgently speed up the establishment of the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention for early detection, preparedness and response.