Volume 2 issue 9

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MoneyGram reaches 25,000

locations across Africa

SEEKING JOINT VENTURE PARTNERSHIP WITH

South African Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Mzwandile Masina along with a delegation of 25 business leaders visited

India to explore FDI and joint-venture partnership opportunities here.

The team visited India to take part in the 6th Annual India Investment and Trade Initiative (ITI) which took place in Hyderabad and Kolkata from February 23 to 27.

The ITI is part of the Department of Trade and Industry’s export and investment promotion policy to concentrate on India as a high-growth export market and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) source.

The delegation included South African companies looking to entice FDI as well as companies in quest of joint venture partnerships in the agro-processing, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, mining and mineral beneficiation, infrastructure, architecture and renewable energy sectors.

According to Masina, South Africa’s economic relationships with India have prospered since the formation of diplomatic relations in 1993 as apartheid ended and democracy began under Nelson Mandela.

“Closer economic ties are also fostered using initiatives such as the Joint Ministerial Commission and business engagements facilitated through the SA-India CEOs Forum,” Masina said.

Airtel Ghana introduces DOTGO’s SMS Web Browsing Service

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: STEppING Up ThE LADDER

MAURITIUS: A TRUE hOLIDAy DESTINATION

MISS EARTh RWANDA 2015 AUDITIONS START NExT MONTh

Wassupafrica02

Moneygram recently announced an agreement with Safaricom that enables consumers in over 90 countries outside Kenya to send funds directly to nearly 20 million customers of M-PESA.

MoneyGram, a leading global money transfer company, announces today that its agent network in Africa has now reached 25,000 locations, following a strategic expansion initiative across the continent.

Recent technology advances and new agent and sub-agent signings, including an agreement with the Mauritius Post Office to offer money transfer services at more than 100 locations, have contributed to achieving this company milestone.

“MoneyGram continues to grow throughout Africa as a result of forming strategic relationships with reputable companies, including banks, post offices and retailers, to bring added convenience and more choices for our customers,” says Herve Chomel, MoneyGram’s vice

For the third consecutive year, the West African Development Bank (BOAD)

in its capacity as Arranger, is raising funds to support the cotton season in Benin. The Agreement relating thereto was signed by and between Mr. Christian Adovelande, President of BOAD and the Managing Director of the Office national de soutien des revenus agricoles (National office for farm income support) (Borrower) and the Managers of local banks involved in the transaction.

This Agreement was signed as part of the mandate on technical and financial assistance entrusted to BOAD by the Government of Benin in February 2014 with the aim of mobilizing funds for the 2014-2015

Nominations open for Africa’s leading banking awards ceremony

The most prestigious event in Africa’s banking and finance sector will take place during the annual African Development Bank meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire on 27th May. The 9th edition of the African Banker Awards, held under the patronage of the African Development Bank will celebrate and highlight the bankers and financial institutions who are playing a leading role in driving African growth and transformation. This year also happens to be an important year for the African Development Bank who will announce the successor to Donald Kaberuka, its president for the past ten years.

Organized by African Banker magazine in cooperation with Business in Africa Events, the African Banker Awards will continue to maintain its exclusive partnership with the African Development Bank, which over the past year has finalized its move back home from Tunis to Abidjan.

Recently the awards committee issued its call for entries for 2015, officially inviting all financial institutions operating in Africa to participate and compete. The deadline for entries has been set in a month’s time, on the 16th March.

The African Banker Awards is the landmark event on the banking calendar. Last year’s ceremony took place in

Namibia has emerged the best ranked African country in terms of media freedom according to the 2015 World Press Freedom Index released by the Reporters Without Borders.

With a score of 12.5, the country was ranked the first in Africa and 17th in the world out of 180 countries, moving five places up from last year's rankings.

Neighbouring South Africa ranked 39th globally and fourth on the African continent.

MoneyGram Reaches 25,000 Locations across Africa

Namibia ranks best in world press freedom

BOAD is raising XOF115 billion to support the 2014-2015 cotton season in Benin

president of Africa. “Remittances are an important part of economic development and financial inclusion throughout the region and are integral to providing household essentials, education and healthcare in many countries. We are excited to be a part of the region’s growth.”

Consumers have access to MoneyGram’s services in more than 50 African countries. In a series of recent successes, the company signed an agreement with First Bank of Nigeria’s subsidiaries in Ghana, Sierra Leone, and the Gambia, and also renewed a master agreement with Standard Bank Group, one of Africa’s top banks. MoneyGram’s

services are available at over 500 Standard Bank locations in South Africa and across 11 Southern and Eastern African countries.

MoneyGram is also implementing innovative self-service channels to make it more convenient for consumers living in Africa or abroad to obtain needed funds. The company recently announced an agreement with Safaricom that enables consumers in over 90 countries outside Kenya to send funds directly to nearly 20 million customers of M-PESA, Kenya’s leading mobile wallet provider.

Balancingact-Africa

cotton season. BOAD succeeded in rallying around itself local banks to raise a facility of XOF115 billion, to which the local banking system contributed to the tune of 79%. Members of the banking pool include ECOBANK (Agent Bank), BOA, Banque Atlantique, BGFI, Diamond Bank, BSIC and UBA. In addition to its role as an arranger, BOAD provides financing in an amount of XOF25 billion to this operation

Funds mobilized will be used to cover financial needs during the 2014-2015 cotton season, including cotton purchase from producers, ginning as well as storage, evacuation and marketing of cotton fiber and by-products. Projections for the cotton season

show a cottonseed production of 360,000 tons over an area sown of nearly 400,000 hectares.

Expressing his satisfaction at the trust renewed to his institution by the Beninese Authorities, Mr. Christian Adovelande stated that “this financial support provided by BOAD, complementary to that of the local banking system, is in line with the Bank’s strategic directions as well as Policy Statement”.

This third Agreement is attributable to the success of the two previous ones. The Government of Benin requested the support of BOAD for the 2012-2013 cotton season. The sub-regional institution then rallied around itself a pool of local banks and raised XOF82 billion, with Beninese banks contributing XOF62 billion, or 76% of the facility. Those resources made it possible to sow 351,000 hectares for a production of 240,000 tons of cottonseed. The facility was fully repaid at maturity.

Based on these positive results, the Government of Benin entrusted to the Bank a second mandate for supporting and assisting in structuring and raising a facility of XOF115 billion to cover all needs associated with the 2013-2014 cotton season. For this second facility, local banks contributed to the tune of 79%. 347,000 hectares were sown for a production of 307,355 tons of cottonseed.

African Herald Express

Kigali, Rwanda, and attracted some of Africa’s key decision makers including Central Bank Governors and Ministers of Finance as well as those playing a key role in the banking world, from bank CEOs to financiers and deal makers transforming the continent.

“Since we launched the awards, the sector has seen phenomenal growth and is doing things unimaginable a decade ago. The banks have a responsibility to drive Africa’s transformation, policy makers have a role to play in guiding banks and financial institutions to unlock capital towards priority projects and industries. Today more than ever, the financial services industry, which is still small compared to emerging markets standards, will keep rising to the challenge, as they have over the past ten years. We are looking forward to receiving and reading the entries, which make for insightful reading, especially in terms of how banks are helping drive African growth.” Omar Ben Yedder, CEO, IC Publications.

Past awards and nominations reflect the diverse achievements of Africa’s top ranking bankers and industry leaders. Last year HE Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, topped headlines after receiving a Special Recognition Award for his leadership and vision.


Ghana ranked 22nd, Cape Verde 36th, Botswana 42nd and Burkina Faso 46th.

"The Index is the fruit of Reporters Without Borders' constant work in defence of media freedom, the result of its day-by-day monitoring of freedom of information violations," it said.

"Top of the 2015 Index are Finland, which has been in first place for five years in succession, followed by Norway and Denmark."

Zimbabwe ranked 131th with

North Korea and Eritrea, coming out as the worst performers, ranked 178th to 180th.

The Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index ranks the performance of 180 countries according to a range of criteria that include media pluralism and independence, respect for the safety and freedom of journalists, and the legislative, institutional and infrastructural environment in which the media operate.

Oshili24.com

MONDAY | MARCH 02, 2015

Wassupafrica 03

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“Beyond bilateral relations, South Africa and India remain committed partners and are determined to strengthen the South-South Cooperation in the context of IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) and BRICS. This was one of the messages visiting Deputy Minister (Trade and Industry) of South Africa, Mzwandile Masina, and accompanying officials sought to highlight.

Deliberations with AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Industries Minister Jupally Krishna Rao shaped part of the South African Minister schedule, who led a delegation of industrialists to Hyderabad. While showcasing of the competences in agro processing, mining, food and beverages, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals and capital equipment remain the focus, South Africa is also keen on discovering prospects rising out of the “Make in India” programme.

‘Make in India’ is an effort from the Indian government intended at making the country into a worldwide competitive manufacturing hub through holding investment, invention and skill development.

Under the scheme, India could see the structure of National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZ) where the state would furnish the capital required for constructing supporting infrastructure, as well as institutions for skill development.

According to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from 2005 to 2011 saw bilateral trade between India and the African continent grow by 30 per-cent – even in the face of the global financial crisis. Business leaders from both countries have also been meeting since 2005 as part of the India-Africa Conclave which suggests constantly consolidating relations.

The process could be originated by the Indian government granting top South African businessmen and CEOs with extended VISAs which will help simplify more talks of this kind, and will allow a freer discourse between the two

nations.Discussions focused on

explicit economic issues that were perceived as potential impediments by the South Africans. Perhaps the two most pressing were the boundary limitations placed on the South African banking sector, in addition to gold tariffs.

South African Deputy Minister for Trade Mzwandile Masina stated that from 2009 to 2014 the country had benefited from up to 80 billion Rand (just under £4.5 billion) of investment from India. With talk of India building three new cities to embed their industrial output, the scale of investment from India could increase significantly, which could spell major increases in jobs and an expansion in the country’s skill set.

Mr. Masina and officials, including Consul General of South Africa in Mumbai, Pule I.Malefane, addressing media, said defence and ocean economy (encompassing a gamut from fishing, aquaculture, and ship building to sea port development) are key areas of collaboration. In the city, the Deputy Minister took part in the sixth international trade and investment initiative of South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry.

South Africa, “a strategic entry point for investors looking at Africa,” they said was looking at a complete range of opportunities, counting the plans of Andhra Pradesh to develop a capital. South Africa, the officials said, had from December last year initiated issuing long term (10 year), multiple entry visas to company heads and senior executives.

Looking for investments in Telangana, the State Industries Minister Jupally Krishna Rao assured of all support and cooperation to a visiting delegation from South Africa who met him at the state Secretariat.

The Minister painted state’s industrial policy of TS-iPASS and guaranteed all support. ‘’All industrial permits would be delivered through Single Window

African nation shakes up Malaysian website industry with free domains

Mali, one of the largest countries in West Africa, has introduced the .ML domain name registry in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as a new Malaysian domain extension. AGETIC, the governmental agency responsible for Mali's public infrastructure, is using new technologies to offer domain name registrations to all individuals and businesses in Malaysia at no cost.

"We have introduced a new .ML domain platform to internet users in Mali two years ago. With the introduction of free internet domain names and a modern platform, we instantly became the fastest growing country code top level domain in Africa.” says Mr. Moussa Dolo, the Managing Director of AGETIC. "Over the last year we have seen a large increase of registrations from Malaysian users. We did our research and found out that the ML extension

The 5th Africa Debt and Capital Markets (ADCM) Summit will take place for the first time in Washington D.C. during the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings on 16th April 2015.

Organized by the team behind African Banker magazine, this high-level summit will provide an update on the latest trends and development in Africa’s capital markets as well as explore the growing market for international issuances by African governments.

Formerly hosted at the London Stock Exchange, the 5th Africa Debt and Capital Markets Summit is the premier event looking at the development of African debt capital markets in Africa. Over 150 guests are expected to attend, including a range of institutional investors, African Ministers of Finance, Central Bank Governors, leading international investment bankers, private companies, investors, risk advisors and rating agencies.

The event was launched to create a platform to connect African issuers to the financial community in London, the agenda this year will broaden to explore the challenges and opportunities in

Mali Gives Millions of Malaysians a New Internet Identity

Africa Debt and Capital Markets Summit to take place during the IMF and World Bank Meetings

is popular in Malaysia, as it is an abbreviation of the country name. That is why we decided to create a special registration offering for the Malaysian market."

Every nation in the world receives a two letter abbreviation from the International Standard Organization (ISO), and in that process the ML code was associated with Mali. Malaysia's historical MY domain name is found to be hard to register. Registration is expensive, requires paperwork and has bureaucratic rules preventing Malaysian individuals and businesses to register MY domains quickly. With

System,’’ the minister said adding that there is a 2.50 lakh acre land bank available in the state exclusively for new industries. For water facility, 10 per cent of water is provided through water grid and government subsidies would be made available to them.

Special chief secretary, industries, Pradeep Chandra said that out of total pharma production in India, Telangana share is 33 per cent and the state alone contributes 25 per cent of pharma export. “Telangana state manufactures 75 per cent of total vaccination produced in India,’’ he said.

Mzwandile Masina showed interest in acquiring vaccinations to South Africa from the state, an official release said adding the visiting dignitary also invited industrialists from the state to invest in their country in mining. ‘’Masina also assured their cooperation in IT field to Telangana,’’ the release said.

South Africa is in support of a speedy finalisation of negotiations in respect to the proposed Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with India, said country’s minister. “Negotiations involving 1,000 tariff lines are complex. Our wish and aspiration is to make this thing happen,” Masina said adding, “Since India is more economically advanced than South Africa, it is our desire to consolidate trade relations with the country.”

Referring to Indian FDI in South Africa, the minister said over a 10-year period, total investments made by Indians in the African nation was USD 8.6 billion. However, South African investments in India over the same period was USD 4.7 billion. “India is not doing enough to promote investments in South Africa,” he told reporters.

The seminar, attended by more than 200 business people from India and South Africa, is part of the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s export and investment promotion strategy to focus on India as a high growth export market and foreign direct investment source.

the introduction of .ML as the free new MaLaysian domain, AGETIC offers a solution that addresses the demand for domains for the 20 million internet users in Malaysia.

The introduction of ML in Malaysia comes directly after the ICANN conference in Singapore. During this meeting of the international internet governance body, African participation in the international internet community was high on the agenda. With the introduction of ML domains in Malaysia, Mali is the first African country that looks abroad for domain name distribution.

Balancingact-Africa

Africa’s Capital and Debt markets. Recent global issuances have attracted wide interest from US investors, who hold the world’s biggest pool of capital, but African debt and capital markets still remain off-radar for the majority of the investment community.

The key focus of the 5th Africa Debt and Capital Markets Summit will be on the emergence of financial hubs in Africa, and on ways to make them become drivers of growth. There will be a focus on domestic resource mobilization with the rise of sovereign wealth funds and pension funds, the opportunities presented by international capital and how to tap into this, as well as a discussion on the debt issuances and the longer term outlooks for African sovereign and corporates using this asset class.

Since its inaugural edition in 2011, the number of sovereign issuances has grown rapidly although local capital markets remain largely illiquid. This summit, by connecting policy makers, as well as the buy and sell side, will help to contribute to more dynamic capital markets and more transactional activity across different asset classes relating to Africa.

The summit, a must-attend event for financiers in the emerging market space, will take place in Washington D.C. on the 16th April.

African Herald

mONDAY | mARCH 02, 2015

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Agritec Africa ................... Page 12

Officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the country is located in

Central Africa and is spread over an area of 28,000 sq. km. The country has emerged as one of sub-Sahara’s largest oil producer. Equatorial Guinea is flush with natural resources, expanding industries and ever-growing infrastructure. The country has been among the fastest growing economy in Africa.

The country was radically changed in the 1990s when oilfields were discovered and went into production. It was upgraded from a low-income, mainly agricultural country to a middle-income country, the third largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa and the second main destination of FDI – from foreign oil companies – in Central Africa. The country’s main trading partners are, in order of importance, the United States, China, Spain, Italy and France, to which Equatorial Guinea exports petroleum, methanol, timber and cocoa. Major imports include petroleum equipment, food and beverages. The tremendous growth driven by the oil and gas sector has enabled the development and improvement of basic infrastructure but has at the same time led to a decline in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, making the economy highly dependent on the oil sector.

OIL AND GAS SECTOROil reserves were discovered

in Equatorial Guinea in the year 1996, the country has since become one of the largest oil producers in Africa after Nigeria and Sudan. The oil boom has generated GDP which is at par with several industrial countries. Crude oil and LNG exports account for about 80% of government revenues and 95% of export income. Oil production totaled 110 million barrels in 2012 while liquefied gas and methanol production amounted to about 7 million tons. The economy’s huge dependence on oil and gas, currently accounting for nearly 90% of GDP and almost all of the country’s exports, makes its growth rate highly vulnerable to fluctuations in world oil prices and variations in the volumes produced and exported in the sector.

Due to high oil reserves, Equatorial Guinea became the richest country per capita in Africa. GDP grew ten folds, but was unstable because of the volatility of oil prices.

CONSTRUCTION- SECOND MAJOR SECTOR

The construction sector is the country’s second major activity after gas and methanol production. Growth in the sector has been largely driven by public investment to rehabilitate and build basic infrastructure such as roads, ports, airports, public housing and public buildings. Investments made under the first phase of the PNDES, which aims to turn Equatorial Guinea into an

emerging economy by 2020, have helped to increase the housing supply in urban areas and to develop transport infrastructure (roads, ports and airports) as well as electricity distribution. Public capital expenditure is financed by oil revenue. The increase in public capital expenditure in 2013, 2014 and 2015 aims to facilitate implementation of the second phase of the PNDES, which is intended to diversify the economy in sectors other than oil and gas.

3Fs- FORESTRY, FARMING AND FISHING

Forestry, Farming, and fishing are also the major economic activities in Equatorial Guinea, and contribute a considerable percentage to the GDP. Subsistence farming predominates the agriculture scenario in the country. Oil and gas production has limited the growth of agriculture in the country. Cocoa and coffee production has largely declined during the past few years. Equatorial Guinea imports70% of its food items. Cash crops like coffee and cocoa are encouraged over subsistence farming. ENTICING INVESTMENTS

Excluding hydrocarbons, most of the economic growth in Equatorial Guinea in recent times has been driven by public investment. These investments were made as an effort to improve basic infrastructure, like roads,

ports, airports and the likes. Public capital expenditure has grown constantly in recent years, and this trend should continue into 2015, despite the fall in oil revenue that began in 2012. The fiscal deficit, which grew from 5.4% of GDP in 2012 to 7.5% in 2013, is therefore projected to deteriorate further, reaching 11.4% of GDP in 2014 and 12.8% in 2015.

Aware of the need to make growth more inclusive and to broaden its bases, the authorities have developed a national economic and social development plan, the PNDES (Plan Nacional de Desarrollo

Económico y Social), aimed at turning Equatorial Guinea into an emerging economy by 2020. The first phase of the plan (2008-12) focused on developing transport and electricity infrastructure and public buildings (hospitals and schools) at the cost of substantial capital expenditure financed by oil and gas revenue.

The second phase, begun in 2013, plans to maintain high public investment in infrastructure while targeting the development of five priority sectors that offer the country untapped comparative advantages and could generate wealth and jobs: agriculture

and livestock farming; fisheries; petrochemicals and mining; tourism; and financial services. The authorities wish to improve the business climate in these areas to attract foreign investment and move up the global value chains (GVCs).

Stepping up the LadderEQUATORIAL GUINEA


BusinessBuzz 05PayGate launches e-commerce payment collection service for SMMEsAn e-commerce hurdle for smaller businesses in South Africa has fallen with the launch of a new payment collection service from PayGate.

“For a small company that’s turning over less than R100,000 a month, getting an e-commerce merchant account through a bank can be prohibitively difficult and expensive,” says PayGate’s business development manager Brendan Williamson. “Yet there are hundreds of small and home-based businesses in South Africa that are poised for growth, if only they had a realistic way to sell and receive payments online. That’s the gap we’re aiming to fill.”

Williamson says PayGate’s entry level e-commerce platform will allow SMEs to accept a wide range of payment methods, including international credit and debit cards, and get easy access to their money without needing to open a new bank account. “Our Payment Protector real-time fraud monitoring system

The DOTGO SMS Web Browser is a ground-breaking service that gives all mobile phone users access to the internet without cellular data or Wi-Fi – whether they use simple feature phones or smartphones. DOTGO’s SMS Web Browsing service gives mobile users – particularly in areas where Internet penetration

is low – access to e-mail, news, and to websites like Wikipedia, Yahoo! and Facebook. For many users, DOTGO is actually their first-ever access to the Internet.

U s i n g DOTGO’s SMS Web Browsing service is easy: A subscriber just sends an SMS to DOTGO c o n t a i n i n g the name of the website they want to browse. DOTGO responds with an interactive menu-based version

A company founded by Vérone Mankou, the Congolese entrepreneur

behind the first tablet made in Africa, announced the opening of its first VMK store in Abidjan on 19 February 2015. Located in the Treichville commune at Zone 3 C, Immeuble Rive Gauche, this point of sale – which will exclusively sell products from the VMK range – marks the beginning of the Congolese company’s expansion beyond its borders. The Abidjan VMK store, which will ultimately employ around 10 people, will be an addition to VMK’s first-ever store in Brazzaville, which was opened in partnership with the South African operator, MTN.

VMK plans to expand its store locations to five countries in the region by the end of the year. A second store is scheduled to open in the Ivory Coast economic capital, before the opening of three other VMK stores in Kinshasa, Douala and Dakar before the end of 2015. “My underlying ambition is to bridge the digital gap in Africa. These VMK stores are being set up to make new technologies accessible to as many people as possible,” explains Vérone Mankou. “We will offer a top-of-the-range selection of products, aimed at the general public.” The VMK range, which also includes two smartphone models available from FCFA 11,900 and FCFA 19,900 (EUR 18 and EUR 30 respectively) has recently been enhanced by the addition of a premium model, the Elikia L.

First VMK store opens in Abidjan

This outstanding handset, offered at FCFA 64,900 (EUR 99), comes equipped with a larger screen than its predecessor. Not only that, but VMK is getting ready to launch its second tablet in March. It will be available for less than FCFA 140,000 (EUR 210). “The opening of a store in Abidjan is an essential step in the extension of our Pan-African vision. It is here, at the crossroads of West Africa, that VMK has decided to embark upon conquering the new class of African consumers,” adds Vérone Mankou.

Produced in China until now, VMK devices will shortly be assembled in the soon-to-be factory in the Republic of Congo. This production unit, which is in the process of being built in the Mpila neighbourhood of Brazzaville, has required an investment of nearly two million dollars and will be used exclusively for the VMK range of products. VMK’s Chinese partner company has started training the locals who will be employed at the factory – more than 90 people in total. VMK plans to produce 350,000 units per month.


is part of the package, so people are protected against credit card fraud,” he adds.

Payment methods on offer include Visa and Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Diners Club, American Express, SID Instant EFT, PayD, paysum1 and UKash, says Williamson, along with a growing menu of mobile payment options.

The service can be activated within 48 hours, he adds: “The application form is just two pages long, there’s no security required and the approval is quick. This allows small business to collect payments more easily, to project a more professional image and to grow to a different level.”

PayGate will continue to

support small businesses as they grow, says Williamson. “There are other services aimed at the SME market, but if a business takes off it can outgrow those really fast - and having to change platforms can be very disruptive. At PayGate we support everything from home-based craft businesses to a major airlines, so we’re able to grow with

our customers.”However, he warns that

small businesses planning to go online should work hard on their marketing.

“You can’t assume that being online automatically sells your product - making your shop window visible is a key

challenge. Businesses who are new to e-commerce should make sure they choose web developers who are able to help them with advice on search engine marketing and pay-per-click advertising. Then once the customers are in the door, PayGate will make sure you can collect their money at the till.”

Balancingact-Africa

of the website condensed and formatted for SMS.

Manu Rajan, Marketing Director for Airtel Ghana commented: “DOTGO’s powerful platform has democratized the Internet for our subscribers. Yes, smartphone adoption is growing fast, but feature phones are still heavily in use.

With DOTGO’s expertise, we have instantly increased Internet penetration in Ghana by enabling our feature-phone users to access the Internet with their existing phones.”

Since all of DOTGO’s services are built using the same core DOTGO platform, launching new services introduces no further technical overhead once a carrier has launched any one

of DOTGO’s solutions, like the SMS Web Browser. This allows DOTGO carrier partners to rapidly launch new messaging services that create new value from their existing infrastructures.

From Group Messaging services to social networking with rich SMS support, DOTGO’s solutions have been adopted by over fifteen tier-one operators around the world.

Significantly, DOTGO’s messaging platform also provides mobile operators with much-needed protection against the growing revenue losses caused by Internet-based services that bypass the carrier, such as messaging delivered by OTT players.

The Ghanaian Chronicle

Airtel Ghana Introduces DOTGO’s SMS Web Browsing Service


fRaNkLY sPeaKinG06

By kirit soBti, editor, [email protected]

Revolutions, some silky, some bloody, have outlined the last two decades. The map of the world is now a patchwork of new states

and associations that exemplify achievements over dictatorship and so-called springs that deteriorated into acidic winters. In the turmoil of today's headlines, it is easy to oversee the optimistic opportunities to withstand with democratic transitions in many nations in Sub-Saharan Africa. What's going on there is truly innovative and should not be neglected.

Urbanization is mounting in both developed and developing countries. The percentage of the world’s urban population is anticipated to upsurge- to about 57% by 2050 from 47% in 2000. More than 90% of future population growth will be accounted for by the large cities in the developing countries.

In the developing world, Africa has went through with the highest urban growth during the last two decades at 3.5% per year and this rate of growth is expected to hold into 2050. Forecasts also designate that between 2010 and 2025, some African cities will account for up to 85% of the population. This rapid development has transformed the continent’s demographic landscape. Yet, urbanization in Africa has failed to bring about inclusive growth which, in turn, has ensued in propagation of slums, urban poverty and rising disparity.

Cities also permit cost effective delivery of critical services to the poor, with prospective to secure major economies of scale and scope in both their “lived” and “worked” environments.

"With over 450 million new urban dwellers expected between 2010 and 2040, Africa's surging urbanization demands vastly improved delivery of services," said Jamal Saghir, World Bank director for Sustainable Development in the Africa Region.

"This study shows that more urbanized countries have achieved lower poverty rates as well as higher gross domestic product per capita. We want to draw policymakers' attention to the fact that countries having more than 60% of their population in urban areas are expected to achieve 50% more Millennium Development Goals on average than those with urbanization rates of 40% or less. The pathway to end poverty and boost shared prosperity will necessarily go through Africa's cities." To comprehend this dream for the continent’s urban future, Africa’s policymakers and urban managers will need to cultivate clear priorities concerning policy and regulatory commitments for long-term integrated development, scaling up infrastructure investments, basic services and the urban environment, as well as building sound institutions and financial systems at all levels to

Urbanization and urban development are both positive products of and forces for human development and economic growth – if we can get them right, and that is what this regional round-table is all about. To set us on the right course by identifying top priorities and key ingredients of progress.John Wilmoth

Director of UN DESA’s Population Division

mizengo Pinda Prime Minister, Tanzania

Ethiopia is set to become an urban center soon. Another 10 million people are expected to move to cities by the year 2025.

Ethiopia has a golden opportunity to get urbanization right by following good urban planning. This will also help the country to deal with two staggering problems it faces today, that is, poverty and the race to become one of the middle income countries.

A report released recently by the Global Commission on the Economy & Climate led by the Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI) and the Global Green Growth Institute recommends proper planning and building compact, well connected cities, which will help cut costs, improve economic opportunities, create jobs, reduce congestion and pollution.

Compact cities equipped with world class facilities will help improve people’s lives. Less resources are used thus producing less waste and greater economic opportunities are offered. Ethiopian cities have an opportunity to become world class cities. The process of urbanizing Ethiopia has begun with Investment Addis’ Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

The report also highlights how a national policy framework for urban planning will facilitate the government’s five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). Ethiopia has invested heavily in infrastructure, rural to urban and urban to urban connectivity has improved. Economy has also widely improved, for example, around 40% of the population of Tigray lived more than 10 hours away from the city in 1984, by 2007 the number had come down to 8%.

The report also suggested setting up of clusters of cities in planned development areas and corridors, which offer proper connectivity and a conducive economic environment.

The coming few years are very crucial for Ethiopia. Key government initiatives and decisions will be the driving force in shaping Ethiopia’s cities for many decades to come.

Ethiopia’s chance for Rapid Urbanization

Managing urban areas has become one of the most important development challenges of the 21st century. Our success or failure in building sustainable cities will be a major factor in the success of the post-2015 UN development agenda.

While urbanization can provide a lift to national economies, it can also present many infrastructure and humanitarian challenges.

enable effective implementation. The good news is that Africa’s urbanization is yet to occur, and there is still time to get it right. With Africa less than halfway through the urbanization process, countries still have time to get “ahead of the urbanization curve” and get the best out of its benefits.

While urbanization can provide a lift to national economies, it can also present many infrastructure and humanitarian challenges. The advent of slums is a shared concern of rapid urban growth. According to the World Health Organization, sub-Saharan Africa’s urban slum population will double to 400 million by 2020 unless governments take decisive action. In sub-Saharan Africa, where only 32.8 percent of the population resides in cities, 72 percent of urban residents live in slums.

Only 54 percent of Africa’s urban population has access to sanitation, and the percentage of urban Africans with clean drinking water actually decayed

- from 86 percent to 85 percent - between 2005 and 2010. When urban populations grow speedily, it can be problematic or dreadful for governments and private enterprises to create a satisfactory number of

jobs. This forces many people to work in the informal sector, which usually pays much less.

In order to address the challenges of urbanization facing many African cities, some key reforms should be followed by governments. These include (i) upgrading informal settlements through the provision

of integrated infrastructures and services that target the marginalized groups, including the poor, youth, women and elderly people. In addition, governments should act proactively to safeguard orderly urban development by defining and implementing clear urban development strategies; (ii) summoning urban financing from local and foreign investors. These resources should be proficiently and adequately allocated between central and local governments’ urban projects and should encourage strengthening the role of municipalities; (iii) improving human capital through equal access to education and healthcare services and facilities for all categories of citizens in order to meet labor market needs; (iv) divergence of economic activities through the formation of new economic hubs concerned with high sustainable and value-added production and exportation. These reforms should be comprehensive to ensure that all categories of citizens, regardless of their age, race, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic conditions, have equal access to adequate housing, basic infrastructure and services and equal job opportunities.

AFricA’s UniMAginABle grOwth AnD chAngeWatching the striking growth of towns and cities across Africa, and it is often taken for granted that a great process of urbanization - whereby a mounting proportion of the population live in reputable settlements as opposed to rural areas - is happening across the continent.


traVeL&touRism 07

Sky Diving. The tour is incomplete without experiencing the thrill of walking with the king of jungle- a unique adventure activity called, “Walk with the Lions” at the Casela Nature & Leisure Park, which is also, home to more than 140 varieties of birds from five different continents. Also the zip-line ride is a thrilling experience in which people are allowed to fly over from one spot to the other, through a network of zip-line cables. It is an interesting way to discover the waterfalls, forest and landscapes of Mauritius. We also have a number of 18-hole championship or international standard golf courses.

Be it a destination wedding or a perfect honeymoon destination; Mauritius fits in perfectly in both the categories. Weddings are well catered with a choice of beautiful backdrops including plantation-style homes, pristine beaches and jagged volcanic mountain ranges. There are fabulous choices of luxury hotels and resorts for people to enjoy pre and post- wedding pampering activities or just a relaxed sunset cocktail in Paradise. Mauritius is perfect destination for an exotic moment of togetherness.

It has a plethora of local and international

gastronomical delights for every taste bud. Mauritius has the combination of flavors nurtured through its people of different cultural heritages and cooking traditions. Indulge your palate to an array of wonderful local and international cuisines that include English, Indian, Creole, French, Chinese, African, etc. Most dishes generally have an extensive yet subtle use of spices such as saffron, cardamom, cloves and many different herbs.

Tourists can enjoy a large selection of gateaux’s similar to the ones found in France as well as some wonderful Indian sweets. Mauritius also is proud to claim our local beer, Phoenix, to be one of the best in the world and the world renowned Green Island Rum.

The island also offers a vibrant night-life with casinos or the Sega dances / cultural events organized in the hotels. Watch Sega, which is national dance and musical form of Mauritius. Introduced by African slaves during the French colonial period, the Sega is an exotic dance to watch and enjoy Mauritius nightlife. The region of Grand Baieand Flic-en-Flac on the West coast region has some of the most popular pubs, clubs, bars and is a paradise for nightlife lovers.

The island is loaded with historic sites, cultural diversity, geographic variation and almost limitless activities to distract you from the daily grind of beach and pool. Mauritius enjoys a relatively mild climate. Visit Mauritius where you will have your dreams fulfilled.

Mauritius is a fascinating world-in-one island slice of paradise. Its very name conjures up images of tropical

luxury and stupendous extravagance. This delightful holiday destination offers a wide array of opportunities and services niche segments such as the organization of international events, high profile Weddings, Honeymoon, Spa resorts offering high quality accommodation/services within a highly distinctive well-being package.

Mauritius offers wonderful clean beaches, brilliant coral reefs, attractive multicolored aquatic species, tropical weather and serene atmosphere. Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, Deep-Sea Fishing, Kayaking, Submarine ride, Sub-scooter ride, there is a sport for almost everyone. One should definitely opt for Under Sea walk - an unusual activity where one can actually walk on the seabed with the weighed foot or opt for world's first Underwater Sub-Scooters. Experience the thrills of Dolphins swimming with you; visit Tamarin Bay, the most famous surf site in on our western coast.

The country has a diversified range of adventures land sports which includes Quad Biking, Para-sailing, mountain biking or

Mauritius A True Holiday Destination

The island was formed as an outcome of volcanic activity in the Indian Ocean, millions of years ago.

Dodo, the national bird of Mauritius is an extinct species of a flightless bird which was a resident of this island, centuries ago. Dodos were found only on this island and nowhere else in the world.

There are no wild animals on this islands and even the species of snakes found here are not toxic in the nature.

The coral reef around the island aids to keep the ocean water temperature lower than that in the high seas and guards the tourists from attacks by sharks, jellyfish and other aquatic animals.

INTERESTING FACTS


taLkiNGtecHnoLoGy08

Introducing the ‘Do-It-Yourself’ Backyard Poultry (BYP) - Sahyadri Industries Ltd. takes

a novel, giant and revolutionary step forward to make the women in the house become Self-reliant by earning a good sum every month, from the revenue earned from poultry. At the same time,it provides better health to the chickens and hygiene for the family and environment.

your house with a portable housing that works better for you, chickens and the environment around your house. Moreover it comes to you in a ‘Do-It-Yourself’ kit that is easy to install with the help of couple of family members.

Swastik Kukdookoo brings an opportunity to make women financially Self-reliant; an additional income for the family and at the same time healthy &

hygienic self- consumption.Plus points with Swastik Kukdookoo BYP» Reliable income-generation

alternative» Steady source of income» Reasonable Investment, Better

Returns» Feeds available from nearby

locations» All weather-resistant

structure» House can be used as a Storage

unit» Durable and Long Lasting for

Years

Benefits with Swastik Kukdokoo BYP» Healthy self consumption» High nutritional value» Safety from predators» Droppings can be easily

collected from the shed for

manure /fertilizer use» Increased Protein Intake –

Deficiency is the common phenomenon in the diet of rural people as

» their diets are predominantly based on cereals containing high energy but low protein

About Sahyadri Industries Ltd.

Sahyadri Industries Ltd. - a group that commenced 60 years back, now boasts of infrastructural capacities that can meet a colossal demand of supply across the globe at any given time. An ISO 9001- 2008 certified and BSE registered Company, Sahyadri is consistently reaching newer markets and dynamically growing in size and

strength. In a six decade journey, the company has brought to the fore, a plethora of products across different verticals: Roofing

- Swastik, Flat Sheets for all weathers and mezzanine floor applications - Cemply, Interior and Exterior Building products - Ecopro, Security enabled Main Doors - Entasafe, Pre- Engineered / Hybrid building solutions and Production for non-conventional energy.

SAHYADRI INDUSTRIES LTD.Registered Office:Swastik House, 39/D, Gultekdi, J.N. Marg, Pune - 411037, Maharashtra, INDIA.Tel: +91 20 2644 4625/26/27 Fax: +91 20 2644 4624, 2645 8888Email: [email protected] Website: www.silworld.in CIN No.: L26956PN1994PLC078941

Sizes Particulars Range – no. of Birds can be accommodated

4'x 4' G+1 & G+2G+1 = approx 30-40 chicks

G + 2 = Approx 60-70 chicks

6' x 4' G+1 & G+2G+1 = approx 60-70 chicks

G + 2 = Approx 80-90 chicks

8' x 4' G+1 & G+2G+1 = approx 80-90 chicks

G + 2 = Approx 120-130chicks

Start a Healthy & Wealthy Poultry Business


trysomethiNGNeW 09UPCOMING

The only thing in life that does not change is change itself.

tHougHt oFtHe WeeK

International Congress of I3SAW

It is organized by the International Society of Sport Sciences in the Arab World. The conference will cover areas like Sport History, Sport, Management and Tourism, Sport, Culture and Society.

date: 02-05 Mar 2015 Venue: Institute of Physical Education and Sports University of Sciences and Technology, Oran, Algeria

IBM Systems Technical Symposium

It is organized by the IBM. The conference will cover areas like Ibm Systems Technical Symposium to Ramp up Quickly on Smarter Computing Implementation, to Gain an In-depth Look at the Latest Innovations from Ibm Systems, to Learn about Recent Product Announcements, and the Chance to Swap Insights with Colleagues and Learn from the Experts.

date: 03-05 Mar 2015 Venue: Renaissance Cairo Mirage City Hotel, Cairo, Egypt

Addis Student Fair

The Addis Student Fair with its fascinating spread of educational services, training services, advanced study opportunities and other educational opportunities is a well acclaimed educational event that is solely dedicated to students and aims to promote education and development of students from the academic front. The event stands equally important for all exhibitors as it provides them with a vast and extensive educational market to promote and launch their products and services and reach out to a wide variety of students.

date: 02-03 Mar 2015 Venue: Harmony Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Africa Model United Nations Conference

It is organized by the United Nations Foundation. The conference will cover areas like following up from Last Year’s Inaugural Conference Themed

“balancing the Role of Africa in the Un”, This Year’s Conference Will Offer You a Chance to Analyze, Discuss and Device Solutions to the Most Critical Issues Africa Faces Today.

date: 05-08 Mar 2015 Venue: The African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Health Informatics in Africa Conference

HELINA 2015 is hosted by the Ghana Health Informatics Association (GHIA) this year. HELINA, the Pan African Health Informatics Association, is the African Region of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA).

date: 07-11 Mar 2015 Venue: University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meeting the Foreign Minister of Bahrain, Shaikh Khalid Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, in New Delhi on February 23, 2015.

PictuRe of the Week

Spicy AfricAn peAnut Soup

1. could you lend me an iron? Vous pourriez me prêter un fer à repasser?

2. how's your family? Comment va votre famille?

handy french

ingredients • 3 cups stock or 3 cups water• 2 slices fresh ginger• 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped• 2 carrots, chopped• 1 yellow pepper, chopped• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or 2 fresh chili

peppers• 1 tablespoon oil• 2 onions, chopped• 3 green onions, chopped• 1 tablespoon brown sugar• 1/2 cup peanut butter• 1 cup tomato juice• 2 garlic cloves, chopped• Salt and pepper

directions• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high

heat.• Add pepper, ginger, carrots, garlic, onions

and cayenne or chilies.• Cook for 2 minutes, then add potato and

stock.• Bring to the boil and simmer 10 minutes.• Transfer the vegetables to a food processor

and purée until smooth.• Return the purée to the saucepan and stir

in peanut butter and tomato juice or mash the vegetables in the saucepan until slightly lumpy.

• Add sugar, salt and pepper.• Serve sprinkled with green onions.

1. helps Promote fertility (folate)

Peanuts contain a good amount of folate. Repeated studies have shown that women who had a daily intake of 400 micrograms of folic acid before and during early pregnancy reduced their risk of having a baby born with a serious neural tube defect by up to 70%.

2. aids in Blood Sugar Regulation (manganese)

One fourth cup of peanuts can supply the body with 35% of the DV of manganese, a mineral which plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation.

3. helps Prevent gallstones

It may come as a surprise that peanuts can help prevent gallstones. But 20 years of studies have shown that eating 1 ounce of nuts, peanuts or

health Benefits of PeanutsAlso known as ground nuts, peanuts, along with beans and peas are members of the legume family which are the best sources of protein in the plant kingdom. Peanuts are found in a wide variety of products. They can be eaten salted, dry roasted, boiled and even raw. They can be found in peanut brittle, peanut butter and candy bars and is often a major ingredient in mixed nuts.

peanut butter a week lowers the risk of developing gallstones by 25%.

4. helps fight depression

Peanuts are good sources of tryptophan, an essential amino acid which is important for the production of serotonin, one of the key brain chemicals involved in mood regulation. When depression occurs, a decreased amount of serotonin may be released from the nerve cells in the brain. Tryptophan may raise serotonin’s antidepressant effects when there is an increased amount of serotonin in the blood.

5. Boosts memory Power (Vitamin B3)

Do you know what can be found in peanuts that gave them the “brain food” tag? This is due to their vitamin B3 or niacin content whose many health benefits include normal brain functioning and boosting memory

power.

6. helps lower cholesterol levels (copper)

The same nutrient which gives peanuts their memory enhancing power also helps lower and control cholesterol levels. Added to that is their copper contents which aids in reducing bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol levels.

7. lowers Risk of heart disease

Numerous studies have shown that regular nuts consumption is linked to reduced risk of heart disease. Peanuts are rich in heart-friendly

3. i can't believe it. Je ne peux pas le croire.

4. Where do you work? Où travaillez-vous?

5. are you on facebook? Êtes-vous sur Facebook?

6. talk to you later. On se parle plus tard.

South Africa has the 2nd oldest film industry in the world.

monounsaturated fats and antioxidants such as oleic acid. Reach for a handful of peanuts and other nuts at least four times a week to reduce your risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease.

8. Protects against age-related cognitive decline (Vitamin B2)

Study participants have shown that those who have an intake of the most niacin-rich foods like peanuts were 70% less likely to have developed Alzheimer’s disease. A quarter cup a day of peanuts can already supply almost aquarter of the daily needed value for niacin.


thefasHionistas10

Minister Ike announces 2nd album titled "Onyame Gya"

Joyce Blessing Wins Award

Teta returns with a new hit

Miss earth rwanda 2015 auditions start next month

There is definitely some power in God’s fire and multiple awards winner Minister Ike is back again to demonstrate it with his new album titled “Onyame Gya”. Minister Ike latest's release is distributed by Shepherd music production.

His first single from the album,

Joyce Blessing has won the DJ Song of the Year Award at the third edition of the Ghana DJ Awards held on February 21 at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) in Accra.

The Ghana DJ Awards, which is one of the biggest events in the entertainment calendar in Ghana, was organised by Mercury Republic Events to reward hardworking radio and mobile DJs who have contributed immensely to the growth of the entertainment industry in Ghana.

The celebrated gospel music

Even if you’ve never been a fan of Diana Teta’s music, her latest hit will pull your heart strings. The Gakondo group member, who was recently in Sweden, has returned with a club banger titled, Tanga agatego. The song was recorded in Sweden by producer Ben Joe.

“The song has a great message dedicated to music fans. The song is based on social issues - money

The Miss Rwanda 2015 edition may have concluded, but the world of beauty pageants still has more to offer. The first edition for the Miss Earth Rwanda 2015, (MER), search will take place early next month. Saida Bahati, the Managing Director of Chichi Media group, one of the organisers of the

pageant, said contestants will be selected through an audition process that will be carried out in 30 districts of the country. The pageant will feature contestants, aged between 18 and 25 years. They must be 55kgs, high school graduates, not pregnant and never given birth before.

After the auditions, only 30 girls will be selected to go to the boot camp for eight weeks, where they will be trained on cultural values, public speaking and the environment. There will be weekly eliminations where the public will vote by SMS and online, which will leave 15 girls to compete at the finale in July.

The pageant is a franchise of the World Miss Earth and its aim is to raise awareness on the issues of environmental degradation, global warming as well as climate change.

“We are looking for a girl to be an ambassador for the nature and culture of Rwanda. This is a good platform for the girls to get exposure and experience,” said Bahati.

Categories The contestants will compete in the categories of, Miss Earth, Miss Fire, Miss Water and Miss Air.

The winner will receive a brand new car, cash prizes of $US1000 and will participate in all Miss Earth activities. She will also represent Rwanda at the Miss Earth 2015 in Philippines, in November.

New Times

Advertisement please email to

[email protected] call at

+91 8595166674+91 9350564995

To book your

"Onyame Gya,"is currently playing and ruling the online sector, radio and TV will follow up intensively soon. With the “Onyame Gya” album, Minister Ike has created something to God's glory and bless people. Minister Ike further goes on to say that "Every song has a story and came from a place of abiding in Him, a place of loving the Lord and worshiping Him."

The 12-track CD is executively produced by Minister Ike featuring Anointed Queens singers. The album leads with 'Onyame Gya', an inspirational track with a message of fire of God to attack our enemies in both spiritual and physical.

The George Forest produced ‘Onyame Gya’ track arrived just in time for the hardships people are facing in Ghana and the world. “Onyame Gya” means the Fire Of God, the fire of God to burn enemies who are fighting against our progress, work, family, family,

finances and marriage issues”, he said.

This album also promotes an intimate time with God. The first released song from the album; This album is for real people who are going through real stuff he encourages people to buy and listen to “Onyame Gya (God’s Fire)” because it will encourage them to pray because this song is a prayerful which will bring break through.

Minister Ike has won twelve awards with his first album titled “Me Nyame A Ne Wo”. He is also a regular contributor gospel music in Ghana, Europe, Canada and USA. Minister Ike has travelled around the world for singing in churches and doing big shows to spread the testimony of how Jesus Christ has saved his life.

He has performed with renowned gospel musicians such as Kwaku Gyasi, Christiana Love, Esther Amoako, Diana Asamoah, OJ and many more.

Minister Ike will embark on a tour alongside some top gospel musicians soon to promote the album.

Modern Ghana

and jobless men,” she said.Teta said the video will be

shot in Rwanda to give it an African context. During her trip to Europe, the singer held a concert in Belgium that featured several Rwandan musicians living in Europe.

The 21-year-old started recording music in 2009 after emerging among the top three

in a local singing competition that was organised by a German group. She was thereafter given a recording opportunity and recorded two songs. The Call Me singer also auditioned for the Tusker Project Fame in 2012 but she was eliminated in the first round, which inspired her to join the music industry.

New Times

icon, who took home the award, beat icons such as Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Daddy Lumba, D Black and Yaa Pono to grab the award.

In 2013, the award-winning gospel musician grabbed five awards including the Gospel Artiste of the Year Award at the Ghana Gospel Industry Awards (GGIA).

Joyce Blessing disclosed that after her seven weeks performance tour in the UK, 'I have been receiving constant calls from my fans and music lovers to remix my award-winning hit song, 'Monko

Mo Akyi .''I thank God for how far He

has brought me, my management, Media Excel Productions, and all DJs who played my songs making it win this category. I thank my fans, everybody and management team for encouraging, and supporting me from the beginning to date,' she said.

In a chat, her producer and manager, Ernest Ennin, told BEATWAVES that Joyce truly deserves the award because she has played a very important role in the development and promotion of Ghanaian gospel music.

Modern Ghana


sPorts2WatCh 11

Team Rwanda Cycling was crowned the best African team at the 10th edition of

the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo Tour in Gabon.

The Rwandan riders emerged number one ahead of African giants like Eritrea, Morocco, South Africa, Algeria as well as hosts Gabon, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Ivory Coast.

Team Rwanda finished third in the general classification behind two professional teams, winners Skydive Dubai from the United Arab Emirates and Team Europcar from France.

“We are very excited about being the best African team. From the organizers to the teams and fans here in Gabon, everyone is awed by our performance. This is a very big achievement for Rwandan cycling and we are glad we could rewrite history for our

team rwanda win best African team slot

Rwanda enters two teams for continental events

Ghana winger Albert Adomah rediscovers scoring touch for Middlesbrough

country,” explained the excited coach Felix Sempoma.

Sempoma further mentioned that, “We were competing against very tough teams and to think that we finished above four professional teams from Europe is a very big achievement for us.”

Team Rwanda also finished above Bretagne Séché-Environment (France), Bike Aid (Germany), Roth-Skoda (Switzerland) and Wanty-Groupe Gobert (Belgium).

Meanwhile, 22-year-old Uwizeyimana emerged as the best U-23 rider after registering 23:05:17 to finish ahead of Morocco’s Eddine Salah Mraouni who got 23:05:55 with Eritrea’s Elias Afewerki coming in 3rd position after clocking 23:06:00.

Uwizeyimana also finished sixth in the general classification.

New Times

For the first time in the history of Rwandan cycling, two teams will compete at two concurrent events on the UCI Africa Tour which are the prestigious Tour of Algeria and Tour of Cameroon next month.

Team Karisimbi including reigning Tour du Rwanda winner Valens Ndayisenga, national team captain Janvier Hadi, Jean Bosco Nsengimana, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, Joseph Biziyaremye and upcoming rider Jeremie Karegeya will compete at the Tour of Algeria from March 6-30 in a bid to earn points for qualification to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

The other team will comprise of youngster Patrick Byukusenge, his older brother Nathan Byukusenge, veteran Abraham Ruhumuriza, Hakuzimana, Emile Bintunimana and Jean Claude Uwizeye will be competing in the Tour of Cameroon

Ghana winger Albert Adomah has rediscovered his scoring form for English side Middlesbrough after playing 20 matches without scoring for the Championship club.

The 27-year-old scored his first goal since October to secure a 1-0 Sky Bet Championship victory over Bolton at the Riverside Stadium.

The winger had gone 20 games without scoring, but showed no signs of nerves as he slotted a calm finish past Amos.

The Ghanaian is played behind strikers last season which

from March 13-22. Coach Felix Sempoma, who will be in charge of the team in Cameroon, revealed that Rwanda is capable of winning this event considering the strong side that will be fielded.

“In Patrick Byukusenge, we have a very strong and experienced young rider who we can protect if he gets the yellow jersey. Abraham and Nathan are very experienced riders who know what to do at this level and will bring massive knowledge to Cameroon,” explained Sempoma.

resulted in goals, says the change in position might have affected his scoring form

Adomah told the Evening Gazette: “I have played in a very different role this season, but it has definitely, definitely developed me as a player.

Middlesbrough kept up the pressure on Sky Bet Championship leaders Derby as they ground out a scratchy 1-0 victory over Bolton.

Albert Adomah's first-half strike was enough to secure the Teessiders their first win in three

Team Rwanda Cycling head of marketing and logistics Kimberly Coats, who is also the team manager explained that this is a very big achievement for the young riders like Bintunimana, Uwizeye and Karegeya to gain exposure and experience that comes with competing at many continental tournaments. The last time Team Rwanda competed at the Tour of Algeria was in 2012.

This year’s Tour of Algeria will comprise of stages including Circuit International d’Alger, Tour Internationale d’Oraine, Grand Prix de la Ville d’Oran, Tour International de Blida, Criterium International de Setif, Tour International de Setif, Tour Internationale de d’Annaba, Tour International de Constantine, Circuit Internationale de Constantine and Criterium International de Blida.

New Times

matches, and ensure they remained in an automatic promotion place despite their slight recent wobble.

Tomlin was the architect again, threading a delightful ball between Dervite and David Wheater to release Adomah through the middle.

Modern Ghana


What was the idea behind the African Construction and totally Concrete Expos?

This is the only forum in the continent where diverse groups of leaders and professionals from both the public and private sector can find take-home solutions to address the growing needs, opportunities and challenges in the African construction and concrete sectors. This is also the only concrete focused forum for the continent. We have over 40 countries represented and are able to present a truly pan-African picture and allow groups of people who don’t normally engage to do so, from concrete technologist to consulting engineer; from investor, Minister to financier.

We’ve also managed to secure the worlds’ best experts to present on the various topics – people that you will not see ordinarily at forums such as this

How do you think such events will help boost Construction sector in Africa?

The World Population Bureau estimates that the population of Africa will rise from 1.1 billion in 2013 to 2.4 billion in 2050. What this means is, that most of the continent’s economies will have to double in size in the next 36 years. If that is to happen, Africa’s infrastructure assets, including all of its residential, industrial and commercial buildings and power, transport and sanitation systems, will have to double in size.

In other words Africa will have to be built again in a single generation!

This will require unthinkable amounts of materials, planning, skills and manpower to accomplish such a momentous task. And, for this reason, infrastructure investment is providing the platform for the strong economic growth trends that will pave the way

for businesses, to explore a number of exciting commercial and business development opportunities in Africa’s construction sector. No single country, community or sector can do this alone

– we need to collaborate and work together – forums like this will be key segways for the industry.

In the ever competitive world, what is the driving force behind Hypenica?

Firstly we believe in partnerships – our approach has enabled us to build

meaningful and deep relationships with role-players across the continent and have a good understanding of the issues and drivers in our sector.

Secondly Innovation, innovation and more innovation! This is not only a concept that we believe in, but is one of our internal values. For the African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo’s

we’ve looked at how we can be more innovative in the topics themselves as well as how we present the content – which I must say is incredibly exciting for 2015. Delegates will be treated to a phenomenal experience at the show with the addition of exciting ways in which we present content like Pecha Kucha’s; Ignite Sessions; a by invitation only Leadership Forum; Women in Construction Awards; Debates; Town Hall meetings. PLUS we have 100’s of experts presenting!

Do you think the African continent

needs to market itself in a better way on a global scale?

Absolutely. Our continent has an amazing level of skill, experience and talent and we don’t show this off enough! We should be are proud of that which makes this continent great and celebrate our successes more.

Hypenica is thrilled to be including an entire panel about this very topic during our keynote on 13 May which will showcase the amazing technology that we’ve given birth to locally and exported and look at how some of this innovation can be transferred and utilized in the construction sector! Toby Shabshank editor of Stuff magazine and TedX speaker will be moderating this panel!

Hypenica aims at ‘Sharing knowledge, Connecting People, Identifying Opportunities’. How true do you think these lines hold true in context to Africa?

We believe and stand by the proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together” – this is an African proverb so holds very true in the African context.

What message would you like to pass on to our readers?

We’d love to have your readers join us in Johannesburg this May – we’d like to challenge and refresh their thinking with tangible and meaningful take-homes to take back to the office!

With growing population, creating new and stable infrastructure is the need of the hour. Construction sector is on the rise around the world, with a number of ambitious projects and organizations being launched in the continent of Africa as well. The Indo-Africa Times in an exclusive interview with, Ms Devi Paulsen-Abbott, CEO, Hypenica talks about the need for promoting construction sector in Africa. She also talks about the African Construction Expo, a flagship event to showcase, experience and learn about the latest building and construction methods, products, tools and technologies.

"The only concrete focused forum for the continent"

eNCouNteR WitH eDitor12

Owner / Publisher / Editor: Mr. Kirit Sobti from 3rd Floor, Plot No. 3, Block PSP-IV, Service Centre Opp. Sector-11 (Extn.), Rohini, Delhi-85Printed at LIPEE SCAN PVT. LTD. 89 DSIDC SHED Okhala Phase 1, New Delhi

Ms. Devi Paulsen-AbbottCEO, Hypenica


News & Politics

Volume 2 issue 9