Launched in the capital Accra on Tuesday, in the presence of Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Ado, the global program For Better Business Together (4BBT) aims to support the resilience of local and global businesses, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of United Nations.
The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
“We are very proud to be having a Centre of Entrepreneurship here in Ghana to ensure we are ready with the necessary skill sets and tools to harness the untapped potential by truly knowing and embracing our local context whilst we also think global on standards and opportunities,” said Valentina Mintah ICC Executive Board member at the launch.
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The programme is supported by the Ghana Ministry of Business Development, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Business for Peace Foundation.
It aims to strengthen businesses following the Covid-19 pandemic, address sustainability challenges, encourage entrepreneurship and mobilize entrepreneurs around the world to find more sustainable business models. and more resilient to better face the future.
Its purpose is to facilitate potential investments and partnerships in start-ups and SMEs.
Among the initiatives of the program, the creation of a center for entrepreneurship and a campaign to support SMEs by the ICC, the development of investor maps in SDG-compliant projects by the UNDP, funding of SMEs through the Covid-19 Global Fund for the private sector, and a platform for the global launch of the Business for Peace Foundation’s Future of Business program.
For Better Business Together Ghana For Better Business Together Ghana
“The aims of the 4BBT programme — to support economic recovery, nurture entrepreneurship, and strengthen the sustainability and resilience of businesses for the future — are very much aligned with ICC’s own purpose and mission,” said Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO. “With partners worldwide, we continue to make the business case for enhanced international cooperation on debt, emergency financing and access to vaccines to combat COVID-19. Together, we can.”
Recall that the launch of 4BBT marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Global Compact, an initiative for corporate sustainability launched by the Ghanaian Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the UN.
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions. He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance. He is also an award-winning writer
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will start visa issuance to Nigerians from tomorrow October 8, 2020. This was made known by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who in a tweet said: “UAE confirmed that they will begin issuance of Visas from 8th of October, 2020. Travelers to have a return ticket, hotel booking, negative PCR result & a Health insurance (similar to Schengen requirement). Health insurance can be paid through travel agents/airline.”
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika
It could be recalled that the Nigerian government recently agreed to lift the ban placed on Emirates from operating into and out of the country based on the undertaking by the authorities of the United Arabs Emirates (UAE).
He had disclosed that UAE had written that they agreed to issue visas to Nigerians, consequently a decision had been reached to allow Emirates to fly into Nigeria, but added that “commencement of the Visa issuance is condition precedent.”
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
Africa’s leading commercial carrier, Ethiopian Airlines Group has announced as part of efforts aimed to protecting its millions of passengers from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic that it will cover the medical insurance including repatriation, evacuation and quarantine costs related to COVID-19 as of 01st of October 2020 until 31st of March 2021. The coverage is applicable on all Ethiopian’s international flights booked with the airline’s tickets.The global cover dubbed Sheba Comfort is part of the airline’s extra security measures to protect passengers and ensure that they travel with peace of mind.
Ethiopian Group CEO, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam
Passengers will have their medical expenses up to EUR 100,000 covered if they are diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travel in addition to quarantine costs up to EUR 150 per day for a maximum of 14 days. Sheba Comfort also includes repatriation and evacuation services whenever needed besides 24/7 assistance through the airline’s hotline.
Remarking on the global cover, Ethiopian Group CEO, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, said, “We are glad to be among the pioneer global airlines to introduce this extra security measure and provide global cover for COVID-19 with a view to boost passengers’ confidence. Our Sheba Comfort insurance scheme is part of the measures we have been taking to ensure the health and wellbeing of passengers on the ground and onboard. As the travel safety continues to evolve by the day, we will always be at the forefront of adopting all necessary changes to ensure the safety of our passengers as our top priority.”
The Sheba Comfort insurance scheme, introduced in collaboration with AXA Partners and Awash Insurance Company, is valid for 92 days for round trip and 31 days for one-way trip. It is to be recalled that Ethiopian recently unveiled an ultra-modern, spacious passenger terminal which is completed with emphasis on biosecurity and biosafety measures
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
U.K.-based CDC Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). The strategic investment partnership is designed to facilitate long-term inclusive growth and encourage private capital to scale up their participation in high-impact sectors of the Nigerian economy.
“The agreement includes information sharing on prospective projects in Nigeria and Africa at large with the ambition to co-invest in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and climate-resilience. The partnership will foster collaboration on areas of knowledge sharing with an explicit objective of creating jobs and generating impact in Nigeria and across Africa,” a press statement read.
Here Is What You Need To Know
CDC Group and NSIA have both invested in Africa-focused private equity funds managed by CardinalStone, Helios, and Sahel Capital. The announcement builds on CDC’s January 2020 commitment to invest an additional £2 billion in African companies between 2020 and 2022.
NSIA’s US$ 685 million Future Generations Fund invests in a diversified portfolio of asset classes, including private equity and venture capital, in order to provide future generations of Nigerians a savings base in the context of declining domestic oil reserves, mirroring CDC’s long-term commitment to sustainably investing in Nigeria.
CDC is funded by the U.K. government.
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions. He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance. He is also an award-winning writer
The African continent has experienced fewer COVID-19 casualties than initially predicted.According to the World Health Organization, the continent has benefited from social and environmental factors and strong public health measures.
While infections spread worldwide, COVID-19 cases have been declining across the African continent since July. The reason, according to the World Health Organization and other experts, is the result of a combination of public health measures paired with strong socio-environmental factors.
WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti
Timely response
Early on, some worried that a shortage of health professionals and equipment would make battling COVID-19 difficult – or even catastrophic. Others wondered if prevention measures, such as handwashing, could be easily adapted to varying contexts where finding fresh running water can be difficult.
Years of experience battling previous pandemics, however, helped ensure the continent’s response was swift and more tailored to local needs and capacities than it might have been otherwise. Fraying global solidarity also galvanized many nations to seek out solutions themselves rather than wait for resources or support.
“Africa has not witnessed an exponential spread of COVID-19 as many initially feared,” Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, was quoted in the release.
“The downward trend we have seen in Africa over the past two months is undoubtedly a positive development and speaks to the robust and decisive public health measures taken by governments across the region,” said Moeti.
Population
Africa’s younger population has helped keep case numbers – and deaths – down. Around 40% of the continent’s population is younger than 14, according to World Bank data. Algeria, one of the continent’s most affected countries also has one of the larger shares of older residents (6.5% of people 65 and older, around twice the share of the continent as a whole.)
What is more, African culture is more inclusive of older persons and many live with their families instead of care homes, which have proven to be extremely high-risk environments. Large shares of older populations helped drive death rates in countries around the world. At one point in the US, one third of all deaths came from nursing home residents and their workers.
Mobility
Travel challenges have helped limit the virus’ spread. Travel within the African continent can be more challenging than in other areas around the world due to the continent’s sheer size and the lower development of road networks. Additionally, the high-cost of inter-continental flights can make air travel less attractive.
To bridge those gaps, countries leveraged new technologies and approaches to adhere to health guidelines, keeping goods moving and people safe. For instance, a special system forged by the six nations of the East African Community helped truckers efficiently share COVID-19 test results to speed cross-border trade.
Meanwhile, lightweight drones helped get deliveries of supplies such as blood and PPE to hospitals and clinics to rural communities in Africa. Trips that might have taken an entire day by car can take 30 minutes or less by drone.
To date, the continent has seen 1.4 million cases and 36,000 deaths, a fraction of those other countries have experienced. Its recovery rate has been nearly 80%. Still, the country must remain vigilant. Nearly 80% of those infected in Africa show no symptoms, Moeti recently explained. Progress has made some complacent.
As long as the virus is spreading, the risk for an uptick in spread and overwhelmed health systems is real. As Moeti explained, “The slower spread of infection in the region means we expect the pandemic to continue to smoulder for some time, with occasional flare-ups.”
Aylin Elci, Communications Officer, World Economic Forum Geneva
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
The Global Systems for Mobile Association (GSMA) has announced that it will host MWC Africa in Kigali, Rwanda in 2021 – this comes after MWC 2020 was scrapped in the wake of numerous wireless tech heavyweights deciding to pull out from the conference citing the coronavirus outbreak. MWC21 Africa is expected to bring together the leading names in business and technology from all around the world.
GSMA Director General Mats Granryd
The GSMA Director General Mats Granryd speaking on the development said that “I am proud of what we have built with Thrive and the previous Mobile 360 events, which have helped shape the continent’s connected digital future.”
“From 2021 we will celebrate MWC Africa, joining our world-leading platform for thought-leadership and technology, recognising the important role Africa will play in our connected future.”
“Around the world, access to mobile internet is helping close the digital divide. Its transformative power is nowhere more obvious than in Africa. That is why I’m excited about welcoming the world to Kigali next year to shine a light on African mobile and tech innovation.”
The GSMA has also published its annual Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa report. This in-depth study explores the latest data, forecasts and trends for the region. It includes a range of policy recommendations that will help ensure that mobile internet makes the best possible contribution to the regional economy, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the fastest-growing region, with 477 million mobile subscribers at the end of 2019, with an additional 137 million subscribers over the period to 2025, representing a CAGR of 4.3%. Notably, 272 million are now mobile internet users, representing 26% of the population. In 2019, mobile technologies and services generated 9% of GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa, a contribution of more than $155 billion.
“The findings from our Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa report clearly show the importance and value of digital connectivity,” says Akinwale Goodluck, Head of Africa at GSMA.
“Realising the full potential of a progressive digital future requires an informed policy debate of the sort that GSMA Thrive Africa will deliver. I look forward to welcoming everyone in person to the inaugural MWC21 Africa, an event which represents the continent’s next step towards closing the digital divide.”
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
Remittances from Moroccans in the diaspora were not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, contrary to fear expressed by officials. This was made known by the Moroccan central bank Bank Al Maghrib expressing satisfaction with the “resilience” of remittances from Moroccans residing abroad (MREs) despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The apex bank noted that remittances from MREs would show a “limited decrease of 5% to MAD 61.5 billion ($6.6 billion).”
Morocco’s Minister of Economy Mohamed Benchaaboun
The bank forecasts an improvement of 2.4% in terms of remittances from MREs next year. With the improvement, remittances could reach MAD 63 billion ($6.8 billion) in 2021.The number of Moroccans residing abroad is estimated at over five million. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled and delayed hopes of thousands of MREs who were wishing to come to Morocco to visit their families during the summer holiday.
Morocco’s government suspended international sea, land, and air travel since March to limit the spread of the pandemic.
It was not until mid-July that Morocco eased travel restrictions for MREs. In September, Morocco opened its borders to non-Moroccan tourists who have hotel reservations, as well as business people with invitations from Moroccan companies.
The restrictions under the COVID-19 state of emergency impacted Morocco’s economy.In addition to the decline in remittances from MREs, Morocco’s account deficit will drop to 6% of GDP in 2020 against the 10.3% the bank initially forecast in June.
The deficit will further shrink to 5.2% of GDP in 2021. The year 2020 will end with a further decline in foreign direct investment, estimated at 1.5% of GDP compared to 2.9% in 2019. Morocco’s foreign direct investment is expected to return to its average pre-crisis levels in 2021.
In addition to remittances from MREs and foreign direct investment, Morocco’s imports and exports also experienced sharp declines this year due to the COVID-19 crisis. Bank Al Maghrib expects a decline of 16.6% in exports this year.The bank, however, expects an increase of 22.4% in Morocco’s exports next year.The bank also expects a sharp drop in travel revenues from MAD 78.8 billion ($8.5 billion) in 2019 to MAD 23.9 billion ($2.6 billion) in 2020.
Last week, Morocco’s Minister of Economy Mohamed Benchaaboun shared his predictions of a 4.8% economic growth in 2021. He said the growth will be the result of an expected increase in agricultural value by 11%. Benchaaboun also forecasts that Morocco’s cereal harvest will reach 70 million quintals, citrus production will increase by 29%, and production of olives will increase by 14%.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
South Africa’s healthcare sector has conducted roughly four million COVID-19 tests with around 650 000 positive cases identified. While infection rates continue to climb in much of the developed and developing world, stringent measures to contain the coronavirus in South Africa have helped flatten the curve to the point where most normal economic activity can resume.
Mervyn George, Executive Advisor for Innovation Strategy at SAP Africa
While public efforts at hygiene and social distancing have certainly contributed greatly to the decline in daily case numbers, it’s undoubtedly the tireless work of the healthcare sector that has helped the country get through the greatest public health challenge in a century.
Efforts to treat infected patients were complicated by a prevailing shortage of medical staff. The World Bank estimates South Africa has only 0.9 medical doctors for every 1000 citizens, Kenya has 0.15, and in Nigeria it’s 0.38. Compare this to the UK, where the rate jumps to 2.8, or Switzerland where the rate is nearly 4.3 doctors per 1000 people.
Africa’s doctors and nurses often have to work longer hours treating more patients and with fewer resources than their peers in more developed markets. Overworked doctors are more prone to make mistakes, and the long-term effects of working under such conditions often lead to burn out.
With pressure on the healthcare sector now easing slightly, it’s vital that we consider what measures we can take to support the healthcare sector as it prepares for the next wave of COVID-19 infections – or a new, as-yet-unknown health emergency.
To help them prepare for the next major challenge, healthcare providers should design and implement digital transformation initiatives that help them with three key aspects, namely:
Understanding operations
The old saying “you can’t manage what you can’t measure” applies to healthcare too. Modern hospitals, for example, operate more like a business than a public service, with complex operational intricacies that make outdated paper-based processes completely ineffective.
Healthcare organisations should look at investing in new technology tools that allow for greater visibility across all operations and provide real-time insights into the performance of every aspect of the organisation (including the workforce and patients).
The ultimate goal is to create an intelligent healthcare enterprise that blends operational data and experience data (from patients and employees) and leverages new technologies such as AI and advanced analytics to improve decision-making and operational performance.
Using a cloud platform also equips the provider with greater agility – consider for example the impact of COVID-19 on a healthcare organisation that still relies entirely on on-premise technology. Adopting cloud platforms and cloud software is as much about the tools as it is about the mindset – being open to rapidly adopt new and relevant applications that cater for a specific need will allow organisations to react promptly and appropriately. For the organisation stuck in on-premise thinking, chances are that organisation’s response to the pandemic was not as effective as their nimbler, cloud-enabled peers.
Understanding patients
While it’s true that the main purpose of healthcare organisations is to provide care for their patients, many patients today expect more than just care: they want a positive and personalised experience too. In fact, a PwC study found that nearly half (49%) of healthcare providers listed an improved patient experience as a top-three priority for the next five years.
Technology can play a key role here by removing friction in various stages of the customer journey and delivering personalised care at each step. This requires a deep understanding of each patient at an individual level. Healthcare organisations require the ability to collect patient data, identify risks, understand trends and communicate in a transparent and accurate way at scale while balancing their focus on driving profitability without jeopardising patient experience.
A report on 55 studies found a positive association between patient experience, patient safety and clinical effectiveness. Using an experience management tool, healthcare organisations can develop a deeper understanding of each individual patient’s experience. This empowers them with insights that can guide the design of personalised interventions at each step and help healthcare providers build a consistently positive overall experience.
Understanding healthcare workers
Considering the shortage of healthcare talent, healthcare providers should prioritise their workforce management efforts to ensure available talent is managed sustainably and with positive patient outcomes in mind.
One PwC study found that nearly three in every four (74%) healthcare workers would stay with an employer that offered training in new technologies that would help them meet future work demands. Seventy-five per cent said the same would be important to them when considering an employer.
Improving the workplace experience for healthcare practitioners should therefore be a top priority for talent attraction and retention. Constant feedback is essential: an IBM study found that 87% of healthcare workers reported a positive experience when they feel their ideas and suggestions matter, while 81% said they felt positive about their work when they receive regular feedback on their performance.
Employee experience management tools such as Qualtrics can give healthcare organisations a real-time view into the experience of healthcare workers and deliver insights into trends and other factors influencing that experience. Using these insights, healthcare providers can develop appropriate interventions and support measures to ensure workers can focus on the core mandate of improving patient outcomes.
These three aspects all centre around understanding operations, patients and staff. Only once the holistic picture of a healthcare organisation’s financial and operating stance, its brand affinity and the associated shortfalls are truly understood can leaders of these organisations acknowledge what their starting point is.
Once this has been identified, healthcare organisations can begin to paint a realistic future for their businesses and adopt data-led transformation initiatives that will drive resilience and futureproof them against further health sector emergencies.
Mervyn George is the Executive Advisor for Innovation Strategy at SAP Africa
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
Information Technology (IT) has become simpler and more complex. This is best described with the cloud making it easier to consume while adding challenges of massive data growth, increased siloes and growing numbers of workloads. In addition, ransomware and malware attacks are a very valid concern. Data protection needs to be modernised to meet changing needs, simplified to mitigate complexity, and flexible to adapt to a changing world.
Johan Scheepers, Country Head at Commvault South Africa
Above all, data needs to be consolidated to provide an all-encompassing view of it as a strategic business asset, moving beyond backups to data management. In a data-driven world the impact of a disaster is magnified.
With the emergence and growth of cloud technologies, data outages have become far less frequent. However, the impact of an outage is a lot more extreme. This is due to a number of factors, including the importance of data to a business, the interdependencies between various platforms, and our reliance on technology systems – which is far greater than ever before.
Data has become a key strategic asset, and digital transformation is driving innovation and new customer experiences. Businesses are expected to be online and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. Without access to their data, the majority of modern enterprises simply cannot function.
While outages have become less likely, they still happen as a result of human error, natural disaster, and increasingly due to a data breach or other ransomware attack. There is no longer any acceptable level of downtime, and outages and data loss events have a financial impact on business that can run into the millions.
However, the impact on the reputation of a business can be even greater, particularly when it comes to data breaches. The cost of recovery also needs to be considered, as well as any fines associated with compliance regulations, which are a real possibility when a data breach occurs. Having the right business continuity model, Disaster Recovery (DR) and data protection strategies in place is imperative.
Data growth has exploded in the last five years, and data has become increasingly fragmented as it occurs in multiple siloes. With the growing prevalence of multi-cloud and the emergence of new technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), this trend is accelerating.
While the old threats have not gone away, the threat landscape too is evolving, with ransomware becoming increasingly sophisticated and the number of attacks accelerating rapidly. In fact, according to the ESG Research Report: 2020 Technology Spending Intentions Survey, 60% of businesses surveyed experienced a ransomware attack in the past year.
Results from IBM’s 2019 Cost of a Data Breach Report estimate that it takes South African businesses an average of 213 days to identify and remediate a breach, and the cost of a successful attack can exceed $5 million. Data protection workloads have become one of the top priorities for business, and requirements have evolved beyond backup into data management. While best practices around backup still apply, businesses now need an integrated view of their data to simplify and centralise control, in order to manage and consolidate siloes. This is essential to enable them to protect access, govern and use all of their data across all of the various locations.
Beyond better backup
Data is not a technology problem, it is a strategic business asset, and it needs to be treated as such. Data protection strategy needs to solve business challenges and align with business priorities. A simple solution that scales up and out as needed, and meets objectives for areas of risk, is essential for mitigating exposure.
Improving data strategies and moving away from legacy solutions will offer better backups, more resiliency and ultimately better data protection, all essential in a data-driven and evolving technology world. Moving beyond backup and into the realms of data management, including Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity, can help businesses to improve efficiency, simplify complexity and enhance flexibility.
Modernising and simplifying data protection, in alignment with business goals and digital transformation strategy, is vital for meeting data needs today and in the future.
Johan Scheepers, Country Head at Commvault South Africa
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
One of South Africa’s biggest financial institutions has continued its innovative financial services with the announcement that shoppers across South Africa will now be able to make QR code payments at all standalone sale terminals. The bank says that this forms part of the ongoing expansion of its payments ecosystem and integrated App-based QR code, aimed at accelerating the adoption of digital payment solutions in the country.
FNB Merchant Services CEO, Thokozani Dlamini
FNB Merchant Services CEO, Thokozani Dlamini says given the challenges we are currently facing globally due to the COVID -19 pandemic, it was essential that FNB fast-track the rollout of QR code payments for enhanced convenience and safety.
“Added to the cost-effective, convenient and efficient payment process of contactless payments, both consumers and merchants will have peace of mind from a safety perspective, as physical contact will be limited. Moreover, this solution will help us in driving wider financial inclusion and acceptance – helping consumers move away from cash,” adds Dlamini.
Scan to Pay is powered by Masterpass, Mastercard’s digital payment service, which is interoperable with almost every major domestic QR Code payment service. Therefore, consumers will be able to use any compatible mobile QR Code scanning App including FNB Scan to Pay, Snapscan and Zapper.
For added convenience when using Scan to Pay, FNB customers can simply enable the FNB App ‘Scan to Pay’ widget or shortcut on their smartphones. Alternatively, they can select the Payments option on the FNB App – login and select ‘Scan to Pay’.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
