function industry_group_content() { // food industry content $food_brief = <<

Overview

Food prices have been rising since mid-2010, driven by increases in energy prices, bad weather and natural disasters, among other factors. By early 2011, the FAO food price index exceeded its peak during the mid-2008 food crisis. The price of wheat rose by 90 percent between June 2010 and March 2011, while that of rice climbed by 33 percent during the same period. Food prices are projected to stay high over the medium and longer term. Rising global food prices have been accompanied by increased volatility.

The short term global food price increases are caused mostly by supply shocks such as conflicts, natural disasters, oil price increases, and exchange rate fluctuations. Recently, commodity investments by financial institutions and hedge funds have also played a role. For example, in mid-2010 the Armajalo’s investment fund bought all cocoa supplies on the market, causing the highest surge in the cocoa’s price in 33 years. The rising demand due to population growth, higher incomes, changing tastes, demand for bio-fuels has driven the upward trend in food prices in the longer run. In Africa, the impact of these factors has been exacerbated by low agricultural productivity, severe distortions in agricultural markets, vast infrastructure gap, higher incidence of conflict, and a disproportionate damage from climate change. Higher global prices could stimulate agricultural production, but price transmission mechanisms in Africa operate with a lag and are impeded by market imperfections.

Challenges

Despite favorable weather conditions for cereal production in most Africa’s subregions, real growth in the agricultural sector has averaged at about 22.5 percent a year since the late 1970s to the same rate or below the population growth. Agricultural productivity thus remains far below world average. Clearly, raising agricultural productivity including that of smallholder farmers is a key component in reducing poverty and hunger in Africa. Raising Agricultural Productivity through GM Methods The recent gene revolution -- adoption of bio-technology in agricultural production driven largely by private companies from industrialized countries brings a lot of opportunities and challenges for African farmers. According to a FAO report, the world's top ten transnational bioscience corporations' collective annual expenditures on agricultural biotechnology R&D amounts to nearly US$3 billion. This is ten times the expenditures of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), the largest international public sector supplier of agricultural technologies focusing on the needs of developing countries. Agricultural biotechnology gives farmers numerous opportunities to raise their productivity through, for example, improved and disease-free planting material; pests/diseases resistant crops; and use of less harmful environment. However, there are concerns about affordability, adaptation, and relevance for local needs (especially for smallholder farmers) of the recent agricultural innovation through genetically modified crops.

Africa is the region most vulnerable to the impacts of the climate change. Preliminary estimates for the period up to 2080 suggest that agricultural productivity could decline by 15-30 percent on average and by 50 percent in the most climate change exposed countries. Occurrence of humanitarian and food crises is likely to rise due to more frequent extreme weather events. Poor farmers will be most vulnerable to negative implication of these developments. In some parts of Southern Africa, these challenges have been amplified by the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS.

African agriculture is in crisis, the CAADP affirms, and that situation “demands a crisis response.” Although urbanization is increasing rapidly, agriculture still provides livelihoods for about 60 per cent of the continent's active labour force, contributes 17 per cent of Africa's total gross domestic product and accounts for 40 per cent of its foreign currency earnings yet farmers' yields have essentially stagnated for decades. Although total output has been rising steadily often by simply extending the land area under cultivation this growth has barely kept pace with Africa's increasing population. Food production in particular has lagged, so that the number of chronically undernourished people increased from 173 million in 1990-92 to 200 million in 1997-99, the latest years for which accurate figures are available. Of that total, 194 million were in sub-Saharan Africa . This growth in hunger has come despite high levels of food imports costing $18.7 bn in 2000 alone.

After decades of economic stagnation and with the number of chronically malnourished people now reaching 200 million, Africa's leaders are intensifying efforts to find “sustainable solutions” to hunger and poverty, says Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. The main framework for that undertaking, he notes, is the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), which emphasizes that “agriculture will provide the engine for growth in Africa .”

Government agricultural policies also have been poor, providing only weak economic incentives to rural producers. Privatization and other structural adjustment policies led to an “over-hasty withdrawal” of the state from direct production. In the absence of a sound private sector, this caused “severe dislocation of production, farm trade and farmer support services.”

Agriculture also has been starved of investment. Many African governments devote less than 1 per cent of their budgets to agriculture. Not only have overall donor aid levels declined, but donor priorities have simultaneously shifted away from agriculture toward other sectors. Worldwide, the amount of aid allocated to primary agriculture declined from $11 bn in 1990 to $7.4 bn in 1998. The decline has been especially sharp in the case of the World Bank, which provided 39 per cent of its total lending to agriculture in 1987, but only 7 per cent in 2000.

Although available financial resources should be managed better, the CAADP acknowledges, overall investments in agriculture need to be drastically increased if Africa is to pull out of its agricultural crisis. The four pillars highlighted in the plan will require $251 bn in investments between 2002 and 2015 (see table). Although an ambitious amount, the annual average of $17.9 bn is less than the continent spends each year on food imports. The plan expects that Africa will be able to mobilize about half of the total amount from its own resources, with its share gradually increasing as the continent strengthens its domestic.

The public sector must drive the political ambition and develop policies structured around three main intervention areas: The production of public goods, mainly by investment in transport and communication, energy and market infrastructure; the deployment of efficient services (support and advice, for example), investment in research, and knowledge management, etc. The use of economic policy instruments with the capacity to guide strategies for economic producers and stakeholders. This mainly involves credit policies, risk management, and market regulation, etc.Regulations in areas as varied as rules governing access to and use of resources (land and forest codes, for example), the formulation and monitoring of compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards, and legislation in the area of cooperatives or interprofessional organisations, etc.

Opportunity

To succeed, Africa's efforts to boost agricultural output must also rely on greater use of science and technology, the plan's fourth, long-term pillar. Currently, only about 20 per cent of cropland in Africa is sown with improved cereal varieties. Many new varieties of maize and rice have been developed in laboratories, but must be better adapted to Africa's environmental conditions, as in the case of the New Rice for Africa (see page 10). Research has shown that improved varieties of millet, sorghum and other traditional African grains can also significantly boost yields. Beyond seeds, farmers need access to animal health remedies, safe pesticides and other inputs, as well as training in agro-forestry and various skills.

Africa's agricultural research institutes and extension services have very little capacity to engage in new scientific research or get existing technologies out into farmers' fields. In part, such problems can be overcome by finding new ways to generate and handle scientific knowledge, says the CAADP. Farmers themselves should be more closely involved in both research and dissemination.

While changes in functioning are important, says the CAADP, so too is greater financing. Public spending on agricultural research rose rapidly between 1961 and 1976, but stagnated during the 1980s and 1990s, at around $1.2 bn annually. African agricultural research institutes meanwhile became more dependent on donor financing, which rose from 28 per cent of the total in 1986 to about 40 per cent today. Overall spending on agricultural research should double within 10 years, says the NEPAD agricultural plan. To achieve that, research and extension services will need to diversify their sources of financing, increasing not only allocations from national budgets and donor agencies, but also by tapping the private sector, selling consultancy services to producers' organizations, deriving income from patents and urging governments to place levies on commodity sales. With adequate resources, says the plan, it will be much easier to build “a pluralistic and integrated system of agricultural research, extension and education that are responsive and accountable to farmers, agribusiness, consumers and other stakeholders.

Conclusion

Feeding 1.5 billion and then 2 billion Africans in 2030 and 2050 respectively is a challenge that Africa is capable of meeting. But there is more to this challenge. It is not simply a matter of how much food is needed and the amount of agricultural growth required. Indeed, Africa will be unable to achieve food security unless it succeeds in drastically reducing the poverty level undermining its production capacity and its food and nutritional security. It must, therefore, invent an agricultural growth model that simultaneously responds – or helps to respond – to its different challenges, relating to agriculture, demography, society (poverty, employment, reduction of inequalities, gender), environment (protection of natural resources and biodiversity) land (development, settlement regulation) and food. The regional integration process in which the regional economic communities and the African Union are currently engaged is one of the main assets that the region’s countries and stakeholders possess. Promoting agriculture and agricultural trade is one of the tools for building and deepening the regional integration process by and for Africans and by and for regional products. Regional cooperation and integration are tools for boosting agri-cultural performance, contributing to efficient, shared natural resource management and improving the region’s capacity for ensuring its food security and sovereignty.

brf; $food_about = <<The Food and Agricultural Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Food and Agricultural companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. The national economies within which agriculture in Africa is changing are extremely heterogeneous. While agriculture still holds a dominant position, especially in terms of employment creation, urbanization is rarely accompanied by economic diversification.

Agriculture is central to fostering economic growth, reducing poverty, and improving food security in the African region. More than 70 percent of the rural population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods, and regional economic growth has been constrained by poor performance in the agriculture sector. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals on poverty in Africa will largely depend on increasing agricultural productivity and trade.

abt; $food_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Food and Agriculture industry committee (FAIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Food and Agriculture industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Food and Agriculture industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of the Food and Agriculture industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Food and Agriculture industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

A Chiarman
A Vice chiarman
13 other members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Food and Agriculture industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of the committee:

Chairperson, been a member of the Oversight Committee
Vice Chiarman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Food and Agriculture Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Food and Agriculture industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Food and Agricultural industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $food_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Food and Agriculture Industry Committee.

Membership of Food and Agriculture Industry oversight committee.

Membership of Food and Agriculture Industry Technical committee.

Membership of Food and Agriculture Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Food industry content Ends ********************************************************************************** // Oil industry content Starts ********************************************************************************** $oil_brief = <<

Overview

Africa has considerable oil and gas resources that can help accelerate growth on the continent if used strategically. Although new resources are discovered progressively, they are not equally distributed; indeed, 38 African countries are currently net oil importers. High and volatile oil prices are thus a challenge for all of Africa; they represent an opportunity to be pursued for exporting countries and an obstacle to be tackled for importing countries. The broad objective of this report is to shed light on the key issues related to the social, environmental, and economic impacts of high and volatile oil and gas prices. This includes a discussion of Africa’s oil and gas status, from a worldwide perspective, and the continent’s major challenges and opportunities in the energy sector.

Introduction

Africa’s oil and gas industry is entering a new era. As the world looks to accelerate its transition away from fossil fuels, the pressures on the continent’s oil and gas producing nations are mounting. Our analysis has found that most are highly exposed to the global energy transition, as their economies depend on oil and gas revenues, while their reserves both cost more to produce and are, on average, more carbon-intensive than oil and gas from other regions.

At the same time, energy demand on the continent threatens to outstrip supply. Over the next two decades, rapid population growth and industrialization are expected to drive strong energy demand growth across the continent—including for fossil fuels. McKinsey modeling estimates that African energy demand in 2040 could be around 30 percent higher than it is today, compared with a 10 percent increase in global energy demand.

Africa accounted for roughly eight percent of the global oil output in 2021. Nearly 345 million metric tons of oil were produced on the continent that same year. The region generated 7.3 million barrels per day, one of the lowest production levels since 2000. However, oil remains a primary driver for the economy in producing countries, and its vast reserves may launch other African nations as new producers. The hydrocarbon sector has also shown its potential regarding natural gas, reserves of which exceed 625 trillion cubic meters.

Crude oil and natural gas production is distributed widely in Africa but heavily concentrated in the West and North regions. Located on the West African coast, Nigeria is the major and more mature African oil producer, accounting for around 20 percent of the continent’s production in 2021. Lybia, Algeria, Angola, and Egypt follow, composing the five leading African oil producers. Moreover, these five countries also constitute the largest producers of natural gas in Africa. Together, they accounted for over 90 percent of the continent’s output in 2020. In terms of oil refinery capacity, strong variations are registered among the five countries, ranging from 833 thousand barrels per day in Egypt and 80 thousand barrels per day in Angola. With the main African oil and gas producers in West and North Africa, the regions accounted together for some 10 percent of global oil exports in 2021. That same year, Nigeria led crude oil exports, with 1.6 million barrels of oil sold on the international market per day. The country also exported large quantities of natural gas, around 50 billion standard cubic meters, following Algeria and Egypt. Natural gas exports from both Northern African countries reached 85 billion and 62 billion standard cubic meters. Consequently, fossil fuels play a crucial role in producing countries' economies. For instance, crude oil and natural gas accounted for nearly seven percent of Nigeria’s GDP, and contributed 19 percent of Algeria’s GDP.

Apart from the established main producer countries, other African nations have been rising as potential players. As of 2020, Africa counted over 15 upcoming liquids projects. The main one is located in Uganda, with an estimated resource volume of 945 million barrels of oil equivalent. Moreover, roughly 40 percent of global gas discoveries in the last decades were in Africa. As the third-largest holder of natural gas reserves in the region, Mozambique has a promising future in the sector.

While these dynamics bring challenges that will need to be negotiated, they also create a clear opening for the continent to take stock and reconsider its energy approach. If oil and gas producing countries in Africa consider steps to create enabling environments, improve access to available capital pools, and attract the right skills and capabilities, they could both meet the energy needs of their developing populations and position themselves strongly in a new energy landscape.

The ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which has had deep human, social, and economic impacts across countries and sectors, adds another layer of consideration. European gas prices have increased by more than three times over the past 12 months, based on our data analysis. And since the start of the conflict, the European Commission has announced a plan to make Europe independent of Russian fossil fuels before 2030 through a combination of acceleration of renewable energy and diversification of natural gas supplies. This could result in increased demand for oil and gas from the African countries that have the reserves and infrastructure in place to help meet that demand. It is increasingly clear that the global momentum toward sustainability and away from fossil fuels is accelerating. For the first time, the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) explicitly referenced a shift away from coal and the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies in its 2021 decision text,2 while governments, investors, and consumers around the world are signaling plans for a more rapid shift away from fossil fuels. McKinsey’s “current trajectory” energy transition scenario suggests that global oil demand could peak by 2027, while global gas demand could peak by 2040. If leading countries achieve their net-zero commitments through targeted policies, the transition could be even faster. Under this “achieved commitments” scenario, global oil demand could peak as soon as 2024, while global gas demand could peak around 2030.

Despite these challenges, the shift to a low-carbon future could create significant opportunities for oil and gas producing countries in Africa; several options exist for them to potentially strengthen the resilience and sustainability of their resource bases and build robust positions in the new energy businesses of the future. The speed and the urgency of the actions required, and which levers to pull, will depend to a large degree on the level of reliance that each country has on oil and gas revenues and where they sit on the global hydrocarbon cost curve. African countries can be categorized into four archetypes based on the resilience of their crude oil reserves and the extent of their economic reliance on oil and gas revenues. Countries with more than 50 percent of projected oil production at risk in the event of a more rapid energy transition (achieved commitments scenario) can be considered vulnerable, while those with less than 50 percent of production at risk are likely to be more resilient to global shifts. This analysis focuses primarily on the competitiveness of African crude supply, given the global nature of oil demand and supply dynamics. In general, countries with significant gas production could expect their gas reserves to be more resilient than their oil reserves under a range of energy transition scenarios. However, it is worth noting that in Africa, more than one-third of gas production is associated gas—gas produced as a byproduct of crude oil production and therefore the resilience of gas production in Africa is linked, at least partially, to the resilience of the continent’s crude oil production.

Conclusion

As the world prepares for COP27, African oil and gas producing nations have an opportunity to be proactive in a rapidly evolving global energy sector. Operating in higher-cost, higher-carbon basins has become increasingly difficult in the face of mounting pressure from stakeholders and regulators alike. Furthermore, as African economies look to industrialize to meet the needs of rapidly growing and urbanizing populations, a rise in energy demand could leave many countries facing energy supply challenges. While these challenges are real, so are the opportunities. Specifically, African stakeholders have a significant opportunity to decarbonize existing production to maintain access to capital and customers. They also have the chance to leverage the energy transition to lead in the creation of renewable-energy businesses that will help to meet the growing energy demand on the continent and create new revenue streams and jobs.

If successful, a strategic shift of this nature could unlock significant value for the continent while reducing the risks of climate change and help to secure a greener and more prosperous future for all Africans.

brf; $oil_about = <<

The Oil Field Services committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Oil Field Services companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. For many the twenty first century, is the hydrocarbon century as the dynamics of global energy have become distinctly marked by sharp increase in global demand and severe supply shock that are hitting global economy. The Oil Field Services Companies play a crucial role in the operations, management and successful outcomes of oil and gas companies worldwide.

abt; $oil_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Oil field Services industry committee (DCIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Oil field Services Industry Committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Oil field Services industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Oversight Committee

Oversees the activities of the AEF Industry Committee on Oil Field Services Industries.
It Comprises:

Chiarman
Vice chiarman

I and II nominated by the selections committee of the AEF.

Official Executive Representatives of the top 15 Oil Field Industries in Africa.
Two Technical Consultants approved by the Technical Committee of AEF.
Lead Analyst (Oil Field Services Industries).

Technical Committee

Responsible for making the Technical, Scientiﬁc, Research and Technology issues related to the Oil Field Industries Industry in Africa. It would also advice the industry.
Committee on such related issues, It Consist of:

Chairperson, been a member of the Oversight Committee
Four other members

Membership is determined by the AEF Technical Committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of new Oil Field services perspective in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Oil Field services industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Oil field industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $oil_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Oil field Services Industry Committee.

Membership of Oil field Services Industry oversight committee.

Membership of the Oil field Services Industry Technical committee.

Membership of the Oil field Services Industry Strategic committee.

Membership of Oil field Services industry PPP committee.

nom; // Oil industry content Ends ********************************************************************************** // Pharmaceutical industry content Starts ********************************************************************************** $pharma_brief = <<

Overview

Africa may be the only pharmaceutical market where genuinely high growth is still achievable. Here’s what's driving that strength and how companies should react. Africa may be the only pharmaceutical market where genuinely high growth is still achievable. Here’s what’s driving that strength and how companies should react.

The value of Africa’s pharmaceutical industry jumped to $20.8 billion in 2013 from just $4.7 billion a decade earlier. That growth is continuing at a rapid pace: we predict the market will be worth $40 billion to $65 billion by 2020 (exhibit). That’s good news for multinationals and pharmaceutical companies seeking new sources of growth as developed markets stagnate. It’s also good news for patients, who have gained access to medicines previously unavailable on the continent. Yet it isn’t enough to know where the industry’s next growth engine can be found. Leaders must also understand what is driving growth, what challenges they are likely to face, and how to collaboratively work with health systems to win in this complex environment.

Africa’s pharmaceutical markets are growing in every sector. Between 2013 and 2020, prescription drugs are forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6 percent, generics at 9 percent, over-the-counter medicines at 6 percent, and medical devices at 11 percent. Three factors are driving this growth.

Introduction

Urbanization. Africa’s population is undergoing a massive shift. By 2025, two-fifths of economic growth will come from 30 cities of two million people or more; 22 of these cities will have GDP in excess of $20 billion. Cities enjoy better logistics infrastructures and healthcare capabilities, and urban households have more purchasing power and are quicker to adopt modern medicines.

Healthcare capacity. Between 2005 and 2012, Africa added 70,000 new hospital beds, 16,000 doctors, and 60,000 nurses. Healthcare provision is becoming more efficient through initiatives such as Mozambique’s switch to specialist nurse anesthetists and South Africa’s use of nurses to initiate antiretroviral drug therapy. The introduction of innovative delivery models is increasing capacity still further.

Africa’s pharmaceutical industry has great potential for boosting economic growth and creating jobs. Given current sustained and rapid economic growth, the African pharmaceutical industry, like that of other emerging markets, is expected to grow tremendously in the coming years. “Pharmerging markets” across the world show the potential for rapid growth in the industry. In the past five years China’s pharmaceutical industry grew 20%, Russia’s 14%, India’s 11% and Brazil’s 7%.

During the past decade the African continent has been home to some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, creating a large window of opportunity for the development of the pharmaceutical sector. The growing numbers of Africans with significant disposable income and spending power, the strong demographic dynamics, including fast urbanization, steady economic growth in most parts of the continent, and improved infrastructure in both rural and urban areas are all potential drivers of Africa’s pharmaceutical boom. Investments in the pharmaceutical sector are investments in the health sector with the greatest potential both in terms of financial viability and individual deal size. Job creation prospects are also immense all along the pharmaceutical value chain.

The business environment. To create a more supportive environment for business, governments have introduced price controls and import restrictions to encourage domestic drug manufacture; required country-specific labeling to reduce counterfeiting and parallel imports; and tightened laws on import, wholesale, and retail margins. In the pharma industry, meanwhile, pharmacy chains are consolidating, horizontal and vertical integration is on the rise, and manufacturing is expanding. A flurry of mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, partnerships, and private-equity deals are further extending Africa’s markets.

In a world of slowing and stagnating markets, Africa represents perhaps the last geographic frontier where genuinely high growth is still achievable. Early movers can take these four steps to pursue competitive advantage:

Focus on pockets of growth. Africa is not one unified market, but 54 distinct ones, with wide gaps between countries in terms of their market size, growth trajectory, macroeconomic landscape, legal structure, and political complexities. Over the past decade, ten countries have delivered more than two-thirds of Africa’s GDP and cumulative growth.1 However, much of the opportunity lies not at country level, but in cities. In fact, our analysis shows that 37 percent of African consumers are concentrated in 30 cities, which will have more consuming households than Australia and the Netherlands combined by 2025.

Build strong local teams. Real talent is key and requires investment in big, effective local marketing and sales teams. That means hiring more pharmacy representatives, building teams’ technical skills, and selecting and developing strong local managers to lead them. Sales teams also should be set up in a flexible way that enables them to be responsive to the needs of local markets.

Forge partnerships. Global pharmaceutical companies need local business partners manufacturers, packaging companies, and distributors to help them navigate the continent’s many markets, with their widely varying consumer preferences, price points, manufacturing, and distribution infrastructures. In the absence of a pan-African pharma regulatory body, they also need to invest in local partnerships to understand varying regulatory environments. Partnerships with governments are equally important, whether they involve working with medical opinion leaders to guide research priorities and secure funding, or collaborating with health ministries and nongovernmental organizations to provide public-awareness campaigns, health screening, treatment, equipment, and training for hospitals and clinics. Johnson & Johnson, for example, has partnered with the South African government to introduce an education program for maternal, newborn, and child health that operates via mobile-phone messaging.

Address supply and distribution challenges. In parts of Africa, supply and distribution mechanisms still pose challenges: regulations are evolving, transport and logistics infrastructures are patchy, and lead times can be long. The ability to innovate the distribution channel and set up effective operations against this challenging backdrop is critical to capturing growth opportunities. Helpful strategies include locating fixed assets in countries with well-established political and business structures, outsourcing supply chains to third-party operators, and partnering with local logistics providers to identify efficient transport routes. In the key area of customs and border control, companies should work with the most reliable agents to minimize shipping delays, use only bonded distribution centers, and ensure all customs paperwork is airtight.

Conclusion

In a world of slowing and stagnating markets, Africa represents the last geographic frontier where high growth is still achievable. As ever, the key to success lies in understanding individual markets in granular detail. Early movers with the right approach should be able to capture competitive advantage. Africa will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. Now is the time for drug companies to decide whether they want to be part of that growth and, more important, play an active role in improving public health.

References

https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/revitalizing-africas-pharmaceutical-industry

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/life-sciences/our-insights/africa-a-continent-of-opportunity-for-pharma-and-patients

brf; $pharma_about = <<The Pharmaceutical Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 pharmaceutical companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. In a world of slowing and stagnating markets, Africa represents the last geographic frontier where high growth is still achievable. As ever, the key to success lies in understanding individual markets in granular detail. Early movers with the right approach should be able to capture competitive advantage. Africa will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. Now is the time for drug companies to decide whether they want to be part of that growth and, more important, play an active role in improving public health. abt; $pharma_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Pharmaceutical industry committee (PIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Pharmaceutical industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Pharmaceutical industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of the Pharmaceutical industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Pharmaceutical industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

Chiarman
Vice chiarman
13 other members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Pharmaceutical industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of the committee:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee
Vice Chiatman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/ regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Pharmaceutical industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Pharmaceutical industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $pharma_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Pharmaceutical Industry Committee.

Membership of the Pharmaceutical Industry oversight committee.

Membership of the Pharmaceutical Industry Technical committee.

Membership of the Pharmaceutical Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Pharmaceutical industry content Ends ********************************************************************************** // Aviation industry content Starts ********************************************************************************** $aviation_brief = <<

Overview

Given current economic, demographic and geographic trends, Africa stands as the last frontier of commercial aviation, and the market there is set to expand over the next several years. A combination of political and economic decisions, changes to policy and regulatory frameworks, and global factors will shape this growth.

Introduction

The African aviation industry has gained substantial momentum of late, even despite the financial losses. After the overall failure of the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision (when 44 African countries agreed to remove regulatory barriers), the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) was launched in 2018, bringing a new commitment to liberalization of the sector. A flagship project of the African Union, the SAATM aims to create a single unified air transport market on the continent. So far, 28 countries have committed to the agreement (representing more than 80 percent of Africa’s aviation market); 10 of these have already implemented all of the concrete measures envisaged by the SAATM.

However, important players including countries like Uganda and Tanzania, as well as some Nigerian airline operators have been resisting liberalization, claiming that increased competition on what they consider an uneven playing field would benefit consolidated airlines, to the detriment of other carriers. Experience suggests that while the liberalization of air markets does not come without collateral damage, it has an overall positive impact for the industry, the economy in general and passengers in particular. Factors specific to Africa could accelerate the positive effects: the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA); the ongoing adoption by several countries of less restrictive visa policies; the possible creation of an African Union passport, aimed at facilitating the free movement of people across the continent; and Africa’s fast-growing tourism market. In 2018, the African tourism industry grew by 5.6 percent, the second-fastest rate in the world. For comparison, the global average growth rate was 3.9 percent.

Challenges

However, the prospect for open skies and a thriving aviation industry remains both distant and fragile. Many African countries’ aviation sectors are characterized by protectionist policies, infrastructural gaps, financing constraints and regulatory restrictions. Several governments consider the protection of national airlines a political priority, while other states see aviation more as a source tax revenue than an engine of economic growth. Moreover, African companies face specific competitive disadvantages that prevent them from expanding their market access, including safety bans imposed by external regulators, inadequate infrastructure and high operating costs. Furthermore, African countries are particularly vulnerable to the potential effects of unexpected economic or political shocks.

According to the African Development Bank’s figures from 2019, fuel (which accounts for 20 to 40 percent of airlines’ operating costs) and airport fees in Africa are 20 percent more expensive than in Europe, while maintenance and commercial costs are twice as high on average. Indirect operating costs such as leasing charges are often higher too, reflecting perceived security risks.

Despite the sector’s potential, there is significant uncertainty surrounding the demand for air travel in Africa, which may scare off potential investors. According to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), African airlines have an average load factor (percentage of seats filled) of 71 percent, well below the global figure of 81.2 percent. For most Africans, flying remains too expensive, while many countries have high risk profiles due to the potential for security shocks and political instability.

With the exception of Ethiopian Airlines, African national flag carriers are not profitable. South African Airways (SAA) has not generated a profit since 2011 and is set to receive a $1 billion bailout. In 2019, Kenya Airways registered net losses estimated at more than $75 million and is undergoing a painful restructuring process. However, several countries – including Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Senegal and Ivory Coast – are reviving or expanding their national flag carriers.

The rising star of African aviation is the state-owned Ethiopian Airlines. The company has made an extraordinary comeback, becoming the continent’s largest carrier by passengers, fleet and revenue. This growth was spurred by Ethiopia’s Vision 2025 plan, which included huge investments, several bilateral deals with other carriers, visa relaxation policies and the expansion of the Bole International Airport.

Opportunity

Considering the challenges and investments required, Ethiopian Airlines and large global players especially the three Gulf carriers and Turkish Airlines may determine the future of the African aviation market, either by action or inaction. Ethiopian Airlines expanded its footprint across Africa through strategic partnerships, partial acquisitions and opening hubs throughout the continent. The company has stakes in several smaller African carriers, including Malawi Airlines, Zambia Airways and ASKY Airlines (a West African carrier with headquarters in Lome, Togo).

Turkish Airlines, which benefits from its home country’s geography and diplomatic relations, has also established a significant network on the continent. It flies to more than 56 destinations in Africa and is the only non-African airline that flies to Somalia. The Gulf carriers (Emirates, Qatar Airlines and Etihad Airways) have all expanded their presence in Africa in recent years through more flights and new routes.

Africa’s largest carriers are set to benefit from market liberalization across the continent, if governments stop treating them as cash cows. Emirates, for example, generates the most revenue of any company in Africa’s airspace, operating four of the 10 most profitable routes to and from the continent. In 2019, Emirates established an agreement with Ghana-based Africa World Airlines (AWA) to increase connectivity in West Africa. Qatar Airways, which flies to 21 destinations in Africa, is also expanding its footprint on the continent, albeit more cautiously. The company will not venture into start-ups and has declared that it will only invest in stable countries and in markets that guarantee a return on investment. It recently signed a deal with the Rwandan government to acquire a 60 percent stake in the under-construction Bugesera International Airport south of Kigali and is in talks to buy a 49-percent stake in RwandAir.

Air transport supports 7.7 million jobs and $63 billion in African economic activity. That is 2.2% of all employment and 2.7% of all GDP in African countries in 2018. Every person employed by the aviation sector directly, and in aviation enabled tourism, supported another 16.5 jobs elsewhere in Africa. Similarly, $6 of economic activity was supported elsewhere in Africa for every $1 created by the air transport sector. In Africa the aviation sector employed over 500,000 people directly in 2018.

Conclusion

In the coming years, governments will further liberalize Africa’s aviation sector, leading to increased capacity, new routes and novel partnerships. The process will generate winners and losers, but as happened in Asia and Latin America, it will benefit Africans and the African economy. The continent has 16 landlocked countries, the lowest levels of road and rail connectivity in the world, a series of emerging markets and strong ambitions for regional economic integration. Estimates that air traffic in Africa will increase by 4.8 percent a year through 2038 (Airbus, 2019) may be too optimistic, but in the long term the sector will likely expand quickly on the back of economic growth, tourism, trade and the slow but steady rise of the middle class. This growth trajectory, however, will be compromised by overall low resilience to external shocks. Even under a best-case scenario, the coronavirus is expected to negatively affect the sector in the short to medium term, as Chinese routes vital for key companies operating in Africa are suspended and tourist flows are expected to decline.

References

https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/africas-aviation-sector

https://aviationbenefits.org/around-the-world/africa

brf; $aviation_about = <<The Aviation Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Aviation companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. Africa is the continent with the smallest number of air passengers annually. It accounts for roughly 2% of global traffic, including both passenger and freight. Air travel is predominantly driven by international tourism. However, with the continent's rapid growth population and income, further opportunities may arise. abt; $aviation_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Aviation industry committee (AIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Aviation industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Aviation industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of the Aviation industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Aviation industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

Chiarman
Vice chiarman
13 other members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Aviation industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Committee on such related issues, It Consist of:

Chairperson, been a member of the Oversight Committee
Vice Chiarman
3) 7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Aviation Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/ regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Aviation industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Aviation industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $aviation_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Aviation Industry Committee.

Membership of Aviation Industry oversight committee.

Membership of Aviation Industry Technical committee.

Membership of Aviation Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Aviation industry content Ends ********************************************************************************** // Banking industry content Starts ********************************************************************************** $banking_brief = <<

Overview

This brief includes just an overview of the most notable advances in the development of the fnancial sec-tor in Africa since the 1990s. The transformation was accelerated after the fnancial crisis of 2008 with the progressive replacement of the European and American banks that dominated the sector by a dynamic group of pan-African entities, mainly from SouthAfrica, Nigeria and Morocco.This same dynamic was translated to the insurance sector and fnancial markets.The number of stock exchanges have grown from 9 in 1989 to 30 in 2020 and the biggest ones are at a very advanced stage of interconnection that has increased liquidity and product diversif-cation. Two other highlights of the process have been the advancement of fnancial inclusion thanks to the penetration of telephone banking in which Africa is the world leader and the strengthening of regulation and supervision systems.

This fnancial transformation is favour-ing the process of economic integration at the continental level and interconnection with fnan-cial markets on a global scale.

Introduction

The financial sector in Africa has known a very positive development following the first generation of reforms that took place in the 90s with the liberalization of interest rates and the privatization of state-owned financial intermedi-aries.Coupled with the removal of many barri-ers to entry and exit in the sector, as well as greater transparency and accountability and re-inforced supervision since the crisis situation faced by the sector in the 1980s, financial sys-tems across the continent have experienced a substantial transformation. Existing analysis of African financial sector relies too heavily on the comparison with more developed markets around the World.

Africa has, since the 1980s, faced a myri-ad of challenges affecting the development of its financial sectors. Macroeconomic and so-cio-political instability in the late 1970s and early 1980s sparked an unprecedented banking crisis which worsened financial stability and fiscal imbalances. Financial distress was especially acute among government-owned commercial banks and development banks. As a result, many countries fell into financial turmoil as the resolution of this cri-sis imposed very large costs on govern-ments, while financial development suffered major setback. However, the crisis at also prompted far-reaching policy reforms. Most African countries implemented structural adjustment programmes championed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank with the introduction of widespread financial sector reforms as a key policy commitment.

These policies have successfully halted major banking crisis and led to the emer-gence of a more diversifies financial systems with efficient deposit-taking institutions, more dynamic insurance industry and security markets. The experience of failed state-owned banks and other DFIs, led African governments to also focus on other financially viable approaches to providing finance. Developments in the financial sector over the past two decades were also characterized by the proliferation of foreign banks following the early 90’s privatization programs, as well as the development of Pan-African financial in-stitutions (mostly banks and insurance compa-nies).Pan-African banks have tripledin number acrossAfrica between 2002 and 2017.The rapid rise of PABs was predominantly driven by the retrenchment of traditional European and US banking groups after the global financial crisis (GFC) in 2007/2008.This surge increased competition in financial intermediation and sig-nificantly stimulated Africa’s interbank markets as a result, turning pan-African banks into a positive driving force of regional financial integration.

Significant progress has also been made in terms of stability.MostAfrican banking systems showed remarkable resilience to the 2008 glob-al financial crisis, reflecting not only their low exposure to risk emanating from the subprime crisis, but also major improvements in the quality of banking regulation and supervision of the past two decades.African governments em-barked on aligning financial regulation and su-pervision to international best practices.As a result, financial systems became very stable will well capitalized and over-liquid banking sectors.

Financial sector deepening in Africa also came with additional risks emanating from new product and service offerings, more complex financial markets regional financial sector integration and deeper links with global financial market Large gaps still remain.Today finance in Af-rica remains insufficient in scale, too expensive and heavily geared towards the short end of the market.Banking systems are too small and concentrated, with low levels of savings mobili-sation to finance productive activities in the real sector.Market imperfections such as information asymmetry and inefficient operations lead to high cost of borrowing, to the exclusion of large parts of the population.Insufficient depth, liquidity and market infrastructure inhibit the ability of capital markets to play their role as intermediators of finance. Despite these constraints, theincreasein di-versity financial service providers Africa offers a tremendous opportunity for innovative ways to deliver financial services to the unbanked and underbanked.These trends, en-abled by digital technologies and new business models, offer a glimpse of hope that finance in Africa is slowly starting to realize its potential as the engine of inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Many African countries have seen signifi-cant growth and deepening of their banking systems.Today, the continent is the sec-ond-fastest-growing banking market in the world, taking both retail and wholesale banking together.Commercial banks continue to domi-nate the banking sector in Africa, apart from SouthAfrica, banks dominate the financial sector and therefore financial intermediation across the continent.The depth and coverage of finan-cial systems, as measured by the ratios of pri-vate sector credit and broad money (M2) to GDP, albeit lower compared to other emerging economies, has increased over the past few decades.

Access to finance has improved, but disparities remain.According to the Global Findex, the percentage of adults in Sub-Saharan Africa with access to an account has increased from 34 percent in 2014 to 43 percent in 2017, still below the global average of 67 percent.The spread of mobile money servicesin particular, has helped boost account ownership in many countries, surpassing traditional accounts.The percent-age of mobile money accounts in Sub-Saharan Africa almost doubled from 12 percent to 21 percent between 2011 and 2017, highlighting the key role of technology and innovation in ex-panding access to finance in the continent.

Conclusion

The weight of the financial sector in Africa is still very low both in absolute terms compared to the rest of the world and in relative terms with respect to the GDP of each country. There is great room for growth and the previous sections have outlined the main advances that have occurred in the last two decades and that are laying the foundations for a sustained and inclusive development of financial services that contributes to overall economic development.It should be noted, by way of conclusion, that most of the aforementioned aspects are fa-vouring greater regional integration both through the expansion of private financial groups and the interconnection of markets as well as public collaboration for the adaptation and improvement of regulation and supervision on a continental scale.

References

African Development Bank (2020).Developing Africa’s Workforce for the Future.African Economic outlook 2020.

Chironga, M., Cunha, L., De Grandis, H., y Kuyo-ro, M.(2018).Roaring to Life: Growth and Inno-vation in African Retail Banking.Global Banking Practice.McKinsey and Company.

brf; $banking_about = <<The Banking Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Banking companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. The perspective of Banking in Africa will bring together leading minds from around the world to explore the state of Africa’s financial markets and the prospects for the internalizing banking system. Another developing perspective of banking is in the infrastructural and investment project considered another area of development in banking that can be growth to the continent. abt; $banking_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Banking industry committee (DCIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Banking Industry Committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Banking industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Oversees the activities of the AEF Industry Committee on Oil Field Services Industries.
It Comprises:

Chiarman
Vice chiarman

I and II nominated by the selections committee of the AEF.

Official Executive Representatives of the top 15 Oil Field Industries in Africa.
Two Technical Consultants approved by the Technical Committee of AEF.
Lead Analyst (Banking and Allied Industry).

The Oversight Committee meets at least two times in the year.

Technical Committee

Responsible for making the Technical, Scientiﬁc, Research and Technology issues related to the Banking and Allied Industry in Africa. It would also advice the industry.
Committee on such related issues, It Consist of:

Chairperson, been a member of the Oversight Committee
Four other members

Membership is determined by the AEF Technical Committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of new Banking perspective in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Banking industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Banking industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $banking_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Banking Industry Committee.

Membership of Banking Industry oversight committee.

Membership of the Banking Industry Technical committee.

Membership of the Banking Industry Strategic committee.

Membership of the Banking Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Banking industry content Ends ********************************************************************************** // Digital Communication industry content Starts ******************************************************************************* $digital_brief = <<

Overview

This overview discusses digital communication and its impact in Africa. Digital space is driven and controlled by only a few powerful private to wester technology giants. Most African countries today no longer own or control their telecommunication infrastructure, as Africans telecommunication and digital infrastructure are been taken over by this big multinationals. As Africa embraces digital transformation for development, the phenomenon seems troubling as by powerful private and big foreign technology companies may re-colonize Africa like in the past , preying on the African digital space, undermining Africans digital sovereignty and may eventually totally dominate the African digital space. Are these feats founded? The chapter seeks to unpack the theoretical and practical understanding of this fear and recommends to arrest the trend.

Introduction

The advent of digital technology has taken the communication world by storm, offering new paradigm of communication different from what we have always known. No one can resist its power, not even Africa. Just like the rest of the world, the African continent is more and more immersed in this quite new digital technology era. Some even predict the upcoming death of the traditional media such as television, posters and printed advertisements. Digital communication is part of the information science branch and includes the use of digital media such as web, social media, mobile devices. According to several professionals,this new tendency is in vogue because it constitutes a great efficient value and has the potential to reach large numbers of people. All in all, this new trend is, indeed, a pot of gold for job seekers who have now a better chance of finding jobs in that department.

With more than 300 millions of internet users , platforms, tools and online payment methods have literally changed the ways and habits of the continent’s consumers. In Africa, the use of social networks has increased up to 50% in 2016, and is now at 170 millions with 150 millions connecting via their mobiles. Because of that, companies tend to have a strong foothold, online, so they can leave a better mark among the african consumers.

Digital communication has become such a big issue for the foreign investors that it was the main theme of the annual meeting of the Swiss-African Business Circle (SABC)’s “African Business Day”, on june 23rd 2017 in Zurich. The SABC is one of the main organization that offer a platform for swiss companies working in Africa and for swiss and african officials to share their experiences of the African job market. According to Tobias Becker one of the member of the experts and Directors swiss conglomerate named ABB Group (present in 10 african countries), it is very important to establish a constructive competition between the african countries. It is actually the best way to attract foreign investors in the country, especially in the manufacturing business.

One of the practical effect of this digital communication trend spreading all over Africa is the creation of brand new jobs offering new opportunities for job seekers in the continent. thanks to that new digital revolution, jobs in the multimedia field are increasing. Businesses and organizations are forced to adjust to the technological changes and the arrival of new media. Jobs in the communication field are getting more and more popular. from Webmarketer to Project Manager or even Community Manager then Brand content Manager, new jobs are emerging in Africa to meet with the demands in Digital Communication. It is understandable knowing that new innovations require new demands.

It is assumed that the futuretrends in digital communication will continue to be important and digitalliteracy will continue to develop distinct .registers. Nothing could be more obvious than the ways in which writing is changing. We only have to look around us at the ubiquity of text messaging, the increasing dependence on e-mail as a form of communication and the reach of web-based information and entertainment. Thefuture of writing is closely interwoven with the future of digital technology. In fact, when we look at current trends, four tendencies seem to be emerging. These could be characterised as convergence, portability, pervasiveness and transparency. Convergence refers to thecapacity to integrate technological functions in a single device. Hence, the mobile phone doubles up as camera, MP3 player and so on –or the home media system deals with music, TV, telephonics and e-mail. The general direction of convergence is to allow for access to multiple media from a single source. Convergence pairs up with portability, because as devices become more compact and wireless connection becomes more affordable and more ubiquitous,the possibilities of being able to use all media, more or less at any time or place, increase. Pervasiveness suggests that digital technologies will feature in more and more areas of everyday life, becoming even more closely interwoven with the way we get things done. As this pervasiveness increases, it is also likely that technological innovation will focus on making devices and their interfaces more transparent –in ways that touch screens and desktop icons begin to suggest.This relatively brief exploration of digital communication raises some fundamental questions about how we conceptualise literacy and literacy pedagogy. It challenges existing models and definitions of what constitutes text and what it means to be a reader, confounding recent attempts to simplify or reduce literacy to a set of basic skills and routines. Because of the disruptive nature of digital literacy, debates such as these are likely to continue. But in the meantime, researchers and educators would be well advised to begin to address these new literacies.

Conclusion

Digital communication used to be limited only to people knowledgeable about it. It has now become a part of daily life. More user-friendly programs have been developed. The price has also become more reasonable such that users now have more chances to use them. As a result, users’ skills have tremendously improved as well. In the 1990s, only trained experts used graphic design programs but now, many ordinary users are knowledgeable about it because of availability of information from technical books and the Internet. They can also receive feedback from other users through the sharing of information on the Internet. Professional education on graphic design programs is no longer a requirement to execute graphic design. However, many are dependent only on private lessons while the average age of the users continues to go down, meaning that young people are already into graphic design. Further studies need to be undertaken for users who want to be more competent in using the more complicated programs. While it is still not entirely apparent how the thinking of digital natives is changing, new technologies, when presented to teacher candidates in the context of their intended use, which is to enhance the teaching and learning processes, seem to motivate, engage, and offer more opportunities for self-directed learning and reflection. Such technologies provide avenues for creativity and foster inclusion of 21st-century skills in teacher education curricula. When the technology is already familiar and we employ these tools to challenge students to use critical skills, we reap the benefits of teaching today’s students in their familiar spaces. However, the development growth model is shaped like a snail shell, and digital technologies have not been the silver bullet that promoted the leapfrogging of creativity in stagnating countries. Information and communication technologies (ICT) should be considered as a means of technological learning rather than the end of creativity development. The challenge of strengthening stagnating Asian countries to become competitive and innovative nations will continue until the next decade. Unless necessary steps are taken to improve technological learning and local innovations in stagnating countries, their technological dependency will increase and thus deepen the marginalization in the coming eras.

In addition, training programs must be made available to non-users to help them gain knowledge on graphic design. This will prevent them from being alienated in the digital world. This can be regarded as a good government policy especially for a society that now has more senior citizens. Eventually, the average age of new learners will go down. I strongly propose that there be a standard educational policy for popular computer programs. This will help more people participate in digital communication easily.

References

www.talent2africa.org. Digital Communication in Africa

www.researchgate.net.Digital communication in Africa and Cross Roads

www.ojcmt.net. The digital communication revolution.

brf; $digital_about = <<The Digital communications Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Digital Communications companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. Providing access to and using digital information has become a major part of lives in Africa. Globally, about four billion people have internet access and use it regularly. In Africa, digital communications is now considered very important in driving the continent’s future growth and development. abt; $digital_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Digital Communications industry committee (DCIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Digital Industry Committee on how to scale up the operations and impact of the digital Communications industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of the Digital Communications industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Digital Communications industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It Comprises:

A Chiarman
A Vice chiarman
13 Other Members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa, and advising the Digital Communications industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of the committee:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee
Vice Chairman
7—9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Digital Communications Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/ regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Digital Communications industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Digital Communications industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $digital_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Digital Industry Committee.

Membership of Digital Industry oversight committee.

Membership of the Digital Communications Technical committee.

Membership of Digital Communications industry PPP committee.

nom; // Digital Communication industry content Ends ********************************************************************************* // Mining industry content Starts ********************************************************************************************** $mining_brief = <<

Overview

Africa is endowed with abundant mineral resources, including gold, silver, copper, uranium, cobalt, and many other metals which are key inputs to manufacturing processes around the world. The mining and extractive sector has contributed and continues to contribute a significant share of Africa’s exports, revenue and GDP annually. In 2019, minerals and fossil fuels accounted for over a third of exports from at least 60% of African countries. Additionally, 42 out of 54 African countries are classified as resource dependent, with 18 countries classified as dependent on non-fuel minerals, 10 as dependent on energy or fuel exports and the rest as dependent on agricultural exports. Mineral resources contribute a significant amount of fiscal revenues, foreign currency reserves and employment to African countries. Clearly, the mining and natural resources sector is critical in driving economic growth and development on the continent. Discussions about Africa’s extractive sector are often overshadowed by an over-emphasis on oil and gas resources. This makes it imperative to discuss non-fuel mineral extraction industries in-depth.

This Policy Paper discusses the untapped potential of Africa’s mining sector, especially the key trends, drivers, opportunities, challenges, and strategies needed to expand the sector and drive economic transformation on the continent.

Introduction

Emerging economies in Africa are at the forefront of the reinvestment of natural resource rents for the sustainable growth of the overall economy. Africa has immense natural resource endowments, especially in minerals used for technological development and manufacturing. As concerns about globalclimatechangecontinueto fueltransitions to renewable energy, Africa ispoised to benefit since the continent is endowed with many of the metals and minerals critical in clean energy production. For example, Africa produces about 80% of the total world supply of platinum, 50% of manganese, two-thirds of cobalt, and a significant amount of chromium2. Demand for these minerals is expected to increase substantially in the near future because they are required in the production of batteries, wind turbines, and solar energy3. Even though global climate change presents some challenges to the mining industry, it also creates an opportunity for investors to benefit from increased global demand for minerals required in clean energy production.

Sub-Saharan Africa is mostly dependent on natural resource rents for economic growth5. Minerals, ore, and metal exports accounted for 20% on average of total merchandise exports in 20176. In some countries, minerals constitute more than 50% of total merchandise exports. For example, minerals and metals accounted for 92% of total merchandise exports from Botswana between 2013 and 2017 and 81% of total merchandise exports from the Democratic Republic of Congo during the same time period. Over the past decade, Africa’s mining sector has proved resilient to adverse conditions in the global economy, such as the financial crisis of 2007-8 and the decline in world commodity prices since 2014, even if the COVID-19 pandemic has recently exacerbated the forward pressure on commodity prices. Most base metals and precious minerals have experienced sharp price declines because of demand side shocks when pandemic-related shutdowns started. The only exception was gold, the price of which has increased because of its perceived value as a safe-haven asset.

In 2008, the mining sector was bolstered by the African Union’s Africa Mining Vision (AMV), which seeks to build capacity, improve transparency and management of revenues, confront environmental and social challenges, and develop linkages with other productive sectors, especially manufacturing16. Africa accounts for a substantial share of global production of bauxite, chromite, cobalt, industrial diamonds, gold, iron ore, lead, copper, manganese, phosphate, and uranium17. Mining now makes up a significant portion of many of Africa’s national economies, with ores and metals accounting for 20%, on average, of total merchandise exports18. However, there is a substantial variation in the significance of mineral production across the continent, which tends to be driven more by differences in structural endowments than by the investment climate. For example, the mining sector accounts for more than half of total exports from countries including Burkina Faso, the DRC, Guinea, Mauritania, Mozambique, and Zambia. In such places, mining accounts for a significant concentration of economic production and a significant amount of foreign exchange earnings—in DRC, Botswana, and Guinea, for example, mining represented more than one-fifth of total fiscal revenues in 201519. On the other hand, many countries in North Africa and Central Africa produce less non-fuel minerals, largely depending instead on oil extraction and agriculture respectively, although Morocco represents an exception to this rule as a world leader in phosphate reserves.

Despite the seemingly contradictory relationship between mining and development, there is some evidence that the sector has been an important source of employment and infrastructural development in some of Africa’s most poorly managed economies. . One main challenge to the mining sector in Africa is that the clear majority of resource exports leave the continent unrefined. However, some countries are ratcheting up efforts to build linkages between mining and manufacturing, such as by the construction of cement factories. Roughly 12% of the new investments in South Africa are targeted towards processed minerals.

Importance of the Sector

The mining and natural resource sector is just as critical to human development as to economic growth. The stabilization of mining industries can be a necessary step to curtailing detrimental inflation, national debt, and outsized shocks to commodity prices. Political stability is a critical aspect of the mining industry’s success because it gives positive assurance that countries can avoid the resource curse, and encourages greater foreign investment. The mining and natural resource sector is just as critical to human development as to economic growth. The stabilization of mining industries can be a necessary step to curtailing detrimental inflation, national debt, and outsized shocks to commodity prices. Political stability is a critical aspect of the mining industry’s success because it gives positive assurance that countries can avoid the resource curse, and encourages greater foreign investment. Theminingindustryhasbeenakeydriverofgrowththroughouthistory—firsttheironandbronzeages, then the industrial revolution, and now the infrastructure of the modern information era. Research and analyses of the mining and natural resource sector are often focused on the macroeconomic impacts of the sector. Well-managed resources can be fundamental to overall economic growth, while also contributing to employment growth and income generation.

Despite the presence of significant challenges and risks within the Africa mining sector, several opportunities for investors are still available for exploration. Africa is home to many mineral resources, a significant portion of which unexplored or under-explored. The challenges of investment and growth in Africa’s mining sector depend, to a large degree, on the type of mining activity pursued.

Conclusion

Collaboration Among Mining Companies,governments,civil society,andotherstakeholdersisthe key to unlocking the potential of Africa’s mining and natural resource sector. Each of these stakeholders must avoid disputes and ensure equitable sharing of opportunity, wealth, and decision-making. The mining sector has suffered from fluctuations conflict,commodity priceboomsandbusts,corruption, and lack of accessible capital, but there is significant potential to overcome these challenges and ensure the mining sector is a revenue-generating stalwart for future decades.

References

African Development Bank Group. 2012. “Mining industry prospect in Africa”. https://www.afdb.org/en/blogs/afdb-championing-inclusive-growth-across-africa/post/mining-industry-prospects-in-africa

Africa Development Bank. 2020. “Africa Economic Brief - COVID-19 and gold mining in Africa: Turning challengesintoopportunities”-Volume11|Issue5.https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/africa-economic-brief-covid-19-and-gold-mining-africa-turning-challenges-opportunities-volume-11-issue-5

Africa Union. 2009. “Africa Mining Vision February 2019.” http://www.saprin.org/ghana/research/gha_mining.pdf.

brf; $mining_about = <<The new dimension in the mining world has gone digital. Thus, it is called "Digital Mine". The pace of digital change and the advent of the fourth industrial revolution has come to bear in the mining industry. Innovations will not only improve safety and operational efﬁciency but become a cornerstone of future competition through automation and disruptive innovation.

Further investment in the Mining Industry in Africa would help to drive Economic growth and development in the Continent. As the organization for public private collaboration in Africa, we bridge the public and private spheres, as it relates to the Mining Industry. We will help to build trusted relationship between the Mining Industry in Africa and key stakeholders including the government extractive industries regulators and other interested parties in Africa.

The Mining Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Digital Communications companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. Membership of the AEF Country Committee on Mining is restricted to the top 100 Companies in Mining as ranked by AEF index.

abt; $mining_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Mining industry committee (MIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Mining industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Mining industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of the Mining industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Mining industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

A Chiarman
A Vice chiarman
13 Other Members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Mining industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of the committee:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee.
Vice Chiarman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Mining Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/ regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Mining industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Mining industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $mining_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Mining Industry Committee.

Membership of Mining Industry oversight committee.

Membership of Mining Industry Technical committee.

Membership of Mining Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Mining industry content Ends ********************************************************************************************** //Energy industry content Starts ********************************************************************************************** $energy_brief = <<

Overview

Energy poverty is a major barrier to development, and this problem is particularly evidentinsub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of the population lives without access to electricity and clean cooking.The continent has more than enough resources to satisfy its current and future demands ,but most countries struggle with signiﬁcant difﬁculties to attract large investments and to support virtuous small businesses, both necessary to run the race towards universal access to modern energy.

The important and wide-ranging role of energy in the development process is well known and it needs no retelling here. However, sufficeit to state that there is a strong feedback relationship between the energy sector and the national economy. Energy demand, supply and pricing have enormous impact on social and economic development and the living standards and overall quality of life of the population. On the other hand the economic structure and the changes in that structure as well as the prevailing macroeconomic conditions are key determinants of energy demand and supply. Furthermore, energy affects environmental quality through deforestation associated with unsustainable biomass energy dependence and green house gas emission from fossil fuel use resulting in global warming. Priorto 1973, the rate at which energy consumption increased closely followed the rate at which the economy expanded.

Beyond the low level of energy consumption per capita, and unsustainable over-dependence on bio-mass (wood-fuel), Africa is faced with enormous problems in the quest for sustainable energy development. For the purpose of addressing these problems effectively, we can summarize the fundamental energy question facing Africa as providing and maintaining wide spread access of the population to reliable and affordable supplies of environmentally cleaner energy to meet the requirements of rapid economic growth and improved living standards.

A major constraint to efficient energy development in Africa is the low priority given to energy efficiency and resource allocation issues indomestic debates, especially in much major net oil exporting economies. These issues are often submerged by the perception that oil is apolitical good, and sharing the oil cake must imply cheap domestic fue. Policy reforms based on the fundamental economic principle of opportunity costs stress the need for the separation of allocative and distributional objectives in the energy market and using policy instruments that have comparative advantage in achieving either objective efficiently. Prices have comparative advantage in achieving efficient resource allocation while taxes and direct income transfers, rather than price subsidies, are more efficient tools for achieving distributional objectives. The thrust of economic policy reform should be to properly balance economic and social objectives. However, the socio-political repercussions of dramatic policy reversal in a depressed economy should not be underrated as the policy reform experience of recent years in many countries demonstrate. In this regard there is need for caution in implementing severe shock-prone policy changes which could inflict very high short and medium term adjustment costs on the economy because of the way such policy changes are implemented. Fundamental reforms, which are hastily implemented under crisis condition without sufficient preparation, impose unnecessarily high cost on the economy interms of output losses and reduction in living standards. In addition the cost-push and output deflation effects of a more liberalized energy price policy and market environment must not be under-estimated in a depressed economy. The lack of policy stability and consistency compounds the problem too.

Opportunities

The potentials for efficient energy use pattern and ultimately achieving sustainable energy future are great, provided a number of problems identified earlier are effectively dealt with Interms of designing approaches and polices to deal with the challenges of sustainable energy development, in the over all context of sustainable human development, a variety of policies and other measures are suggested below.

Policy interventions must encourage more efficient allocation of resources. Improvement in energy use pattern can only be sustainable when it is carried out in the context of a general improvement in the utilization of other productive resources.
Policy interventions that correct market and government failures, which have encouraged in efficient energy, usepatterns. Such are evident in choices involving the construction and use of residential and public buildings, agricultural and industrial machines and equipment, and other capital stock.The market environment must be sufficiently free such that consumers can economically trade off energy costs against service quality without policy induced distortions.
Capacity building in research and development that promotes the choice of economically and environmentally efficient energy use pattern.

References

African Development Bank (1996) The electricity subsector in Africa. Africa energy programe.Desai, AV. (1990) Energy in Africa. Willey Eastern Ltd. IDRC, and UN University TokyoInayemi, A. (1983) Energy in West Africa, Energy Policy, September 235-249.Africa Progress Panel (2015) Africa progress report 2015 - power people planet: Seizing Adeicans energy and climate opportunities Geneva.

brf; $energy_about = <<The Energy Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Energy companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. While Africa’s energy sector is vital to the continent’s economic prospects, it has not been able to achieve the reliable domestic energy supply that its people and businesses require. Energy demand in Africa has been increasing at an annual rate of around 3%, the highest among all continents, but energy supply continues to lag significantly It has been estimated that achieving global net zero by 2050 will cost as much as $130tn, making it the single biggest global growth opportunity. abt; $energy_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Energy industry committee (EIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Energy industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Energy industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of Energy industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Energy industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made of:

Chiarman
Vice chiarman
13 other members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Energy industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of the committee:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee.
Vice Chiarman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Energy Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Energy industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Energy industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $energy_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Energy Industry Committee.

Membership of Energy Industry oversight committee.

Membership of Energy Industry Technical committee.

Membership of Energy Industry PPP committee.

nom; //Energy industry content Ends ********************************************************************************************** // Health industry content Starts ********************************************************************************************** $health_brief = <<

Overview

Health spending in Africa remains largely adequate to meet the growing healthcare financing needs and the rising healthcare demands, creating a huge financial gap of 66 billion per annual. The slow down in economic growth and high public indebtedness across the continent have restricted the fiscal space for the public financing of health. With the average debt to GDP ratio increasing by 15 percentage points between 2010 and 2017. The achievement of the health goals of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and africa agenda 2063 demands countries to take a fresh look at healthcare financing as an important channel for improving health outcomes, enhancing labor productivity, creating employment and accelerating progress towards the continental and global health goals , while leaving no one behind.

Introduction

Health is increasingly recognized as a key aspect of human and economic development in Africa and countriesareincreasinginvestmentinactionsandreformstoimprovehealthoutcomesandaccelerate progress towards meeting the health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The political will of the national leaders to put health in forefront of development has been reiterated at the continental level through actions such as the Abuja Declaration of 2001 on increasing government funding for health, the Addis-Ababa Declaration of 2006 on community health in the African Region and the 2008 Ouagadougou Declaration on primary health care and health systems in Africa. Health system financing is one of the key areas that offer important opportunities to translate these commitments and political will into results.

Challenges

The need to develop strong health financing systems is a common objective of all countries. Even the richest countries are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with rising health care costs, and the current economic downturn is adding more pressure on health spending. In low and middle income countries, which are where the vast majority of African countries are ranked, scarcity of funds for health is an even more acute problem. The average total health expenditure in African countries stood at US$ 135 per capita in 2010, which is only a small fraction of the US$ 3150 spent on health in an average high-income country.

Insufficient investment in the health sector or in actions to tackle the environmental and social determinants of health is a serious obstacle to improving health outcomes in Africa, particularly considering that the continent bears the bulk of the global morbidity and mortality burden for maternal and infant mortality and HIV/AIDS. In addition, the rise in noncommunicable diseases and injuries has put many countries under the pressure of a double burden of disease.The major constraint arising from funds shortage in most African countries is that the strategies and mechanisms that underpin health financing systems pose problems. In about half of African countries, 40K or more of the total health expenditure is constituted of household out-of-pocket payments, which is the most regressive way of funding health care. The reliance on this payment mechanism creates financial barriers to access to health services and puts people at the risk of impoverishment.

Furthermore, the current financial flows within the health systems are creating and exacerbating inefficiencies and inequities, for example through skewed allocation of funds to urban areas and specialized care. These weaknesses in the health financing systems have been identified as the main underlying reasons for the limited progress towards achieving the health MDGs in Africa.

Opportunities

The health sector will increasingly be viewed as a productive and job-creating sector. The health sector will become a labor-intensive industry that can provide an estimated 2–3 million skilled jobs for young Africans and contribute to economic growth on the continent. As the pharmaceutical, medical technologies, and ICT segments develop, there will be more opportunities in research and development, manufacturing, sales and distribution. Within this industry, other opportunities will be driven by the hospital, health insurance, and medical education segments. Leveraging e-Health to Improve Access and Achieve Cost Efficiencies. Over the next half century, technology will also play an important role in the future of the African healthcare system. Harnessing technology and creating effective eHealth and m-Health108 services will be one way to increase access to healthcare across the continent. Harnessing e-Health will help overcome the triple challenges of inadequate access, finance, and human resources by delivering high-quality healthcare services to all citizens.Scaling up Human Resources in Health Addressing the challenge of inadequate human resources in health will require strategic initiatives. This will involve scaling up investment in medical education and training, and promoting community oriented education programs. International recruitment of health professionals will be required. In addition, performance incentives should be introduced to improve the 108 m-Health (or mobile health) refers to the use of mobile communication devices, such as mobile phones, tablet computers and PDAs, for health services and information. Quality of healthcare and the adequate supply of health staff to rural and remote areas. The future of healthcare in Africa will see increased task-shifting to non-professional healthcare workers. Through basic training to members of local communities in areas such as supporting treatment for HIV or delivering prescribed medicines, local communities can take ownership of health, freeing up some of the burden placed upon professional medical staff. Regional development organizations and international donors will be critical in establishing training academies for healthcare workers and paying their wages. African countries will also look for other ways to relieve staff shortages: for example, by advertising the prospect of inexpensive medical training to nationals of developed countries.

Conclusion

Several African countries have recently implemented successful health financing reforms. For example Ghana has moved from out-of-pocket payments to the use of prepaid and pooled funds; Botswana is looking at policy options for creating efficiencies that will help sustain its achievements and prepare for future challenges, and Rwanda has implemented a national health financing mechanism that covers the vast majority of the population and has been a key element in increasing access to health services. Many other African countries are looking for innovative ways to improve funding for health. For countries in which health systems financing has been improving and for countries with more acute need for reforms and action, there is need to constantly track health financing progress in order to adapt to changing situations and implement reforms and actions that keep them on the right track to achieve the health financing goals that will support the objective of UHC. In light of these cross-country observations, there is a great need to increase investment in health and to focus on the way health systems are financed. Countries will need to translate this general message into an in-depth, in-country situation analysis that is relevant to their context and policy aims.This analysis will serve to provide a solid evidence basis for developing a health financing system.

References

United nations economic commission for Africa (2009-2022)) Healthcare and economic growth in Africa. Addis Ababa UN.ECA

Palmer N., Mueller, D.H, Mills A., & Haines, A. Health fnancing to promote access in low income settings—how much do we know? 2004; Lancet 364: 1365 - 70.

WHO Regional Ofce for Africa. Word health Organization: The Abuja Declaration: ten years on. Brazzaville: WHO; 2011.

brf; $health_about = <<The Health Care Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Health Care companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. As Africa continues to grow, improving the health of people living on the continent remains the key to unlocking economic development and wealth. Whilst, Significant strides have been made in Africa’s healthcare provisions, healthcare financing remains the greatest hurdle towards quality and accessible healthcare on the continent. abt; $health_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Health Care industry committee (HCIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Health Care industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Health Care industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of Health Care industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Health Care industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

A Chiarman
A Vice chiarman
13 Other members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Health Care industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of the committee:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee
Vice Chairman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Health Care Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Health Care industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Health Care Industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $health_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Health Care industry Committee.

Membership of Health Care industry oversight committee.

Membership of Health Care industry Technical committee.

Membership of Health Care industry PPP committee.

nom; // Health industry content Ends ********************************************************************************************** // Insurance industry content Ends ********************************************************************************************** $insurance_brief = <<

Overview

Economic growth across the continent is actively reshaping Africa’s historically underdeveloped insurance market according to a recent report by McKinsey and Company, which outlines the trajectory of the African insurance market’s growth and the potential for prodigious development of the sector. Currently the second fastest-growing insurance market in the world, trailing behind Latin America, the African insurance market was expected to grow, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, at 7 percent per annum from 2020 to 2025. This projection placed the African insurance market’s growth at approximately twice the rate of North America, more than three times the rate of Europe, and slightly higher than Asia’s 6 percent growth rate. Furthermore, although the pandemic has upended consumer and commercial discretionary expenditures, including insurance, the report posits that the pandemic will delay, not alter, Africa’s insurance growth pattern, as well as accelerate the shift toward digital and remote platforms.

Introduction

The African insurance industry currently holds a valuation of $68 billion as measured by gross written premiums, which the International Risk Management Institute defines as “the total premium (direct and assumed) written by an insurer before deductions for reinsurance and ceding commissions.” In comparison to other emerging markets, Swiss Re reports Latin America and the Caribbean contain a $157 billion insurance market, and Asia (excluding China) occupies a $194 billion insurance market in 2019. Moreover, Africa’s insurance market is highly fragmented and maintains inconsistent distribution among countries. For example, 91 percent of insurance premiums are concentrated in just 10 countries, the largest of which, South Africa, holds 70 percent of the market’s premiums. Beyond South Africa, McKinsey identifies six “primary insurance regions in Africa”: Francophone Africa, Anglophone West Africa, southern Africa, North Africa, East Africa, and Angola. Notably, North Africa’s market share, second-largest after South Africa’s, is nearly three times larger than all other regions’.

The composition of insurance products by region is also quite heterogeneous, as southern and Anglophone West Africa maintain a roughly even distribution between nonlife and life insurance products; nonlife insurance policies dominate the market in Francophone, North, East Africa, and Angola; and life insurance policies comprise the majority of South Africa’s insurance products. Market penetration, as measured by the value of insurance issuance (the gross written premium, or GWP) as a percentage of nominal GDP, in Africa is half of the global average and premiums per capita are 11 times lower than the global average. According to the authors, this low level of market penetration among all African regions, even South Africa, suggests that Africa’s double-digit growth in insurance issuance has been driven more by economic growth than intensifying market penetration. McKinsey subsequently forecasts that, after the pandemic, consumers will utilize in-person and direct communication channels such as physical visits to bank branches and phone calls or video chats with bankers less frequently across all countries sampled. The McKinsey analysts perceive this trend as a positive development in accelerating insurance distribution in Africa.

Oppurtunity

Notably, increased penetration rates for insurance throughout African markets are directly connected to Africa’s overall development: Indeed, as Das, Davies, and Podpiera (2003) show, insurance can have positive effects on growth through six mechanisms: improving financial stability for businesses and households; mobilizing savings for public and private investment; reducing pressure on the government to provide public goods such as pensions; encouraging trade and entrepreneurship; mitigating risks and enhanced diversification; and improving social living standards. Other scholars have identified insurance premium thresholds associated with positive economic growth in Africa. Studies of Rwanda’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) found that increased enrollment was accompanied by higher utilization of health facilities as well a higher presence of skilled-birth attendants.

Despite these advantages, Africa’s aggregate insurance penetration rate in 2019 was only 2.78 percent, compared to the global average insurance penetration rate of 7.23 percent. With increased entry, participation, and expansion from traditional insurance companies and new microinsurance companies (as well as reinsurance companies), the potential for growth across the continent is immense. Recent disruptive events including an increasing number of natural disasters, political upheavals, and economic disruptions from current and future pandemics will continue to increase demand and foster rapid growth throughout this sector, particularly of digital insurance platforms.

The insurance sector is comprised of three subcategories: life insurance, nonlife insurance, and reinsurance. African countries have grown in each of these market segments at varying paces, following their own diverse growth patterns. For example, South Africa’s market is dominated by life insurance premiums, while other countries, like Kenya, Nigeria, and Tunisia, have a much higher volume of nonlife insurance premiums than life ones. These patterns are suggestive of future trends and point to vast, untapped markets for companies seeking to deliver insurance products that are both affordable and well suited to the mass market. Indeed, just five countries house about 84 percent of the estimated $68.15 billion total value of the continent’s insurance market. South Africa is the leader with about 70 percent of the total market share, followed by Morocco, Kenya, Egypt, and Nigeria. In most other African markets, though, the penetration rate remains below 2 percent. More specifically, life insurance market penetration has been slow because of the demand for specialized risk-management capacities and heavy investment in security and information gathering, which has left the sector fragmented and dependent on foreign investment. Five countries (South Africa, Morocco, Namibia, Kenya, and Egypt) comprise 92 percent of the life insurance market on the continent. Although McKinsey expressed concern about South Africa’s life insurance market losing ground given the COVID-19 crisis, low market penetration combined with expected increased consumer and business spending by 2030 will continue to create plenty of opportunities in less developed markets across the continent. Key to the sector’s growth and expansion is the region’s rapidly growing middle class, who can particularly find greater household stability with life insurance. As this segment of the population becomes increasingly aware of the value insurance provides to their households and businesses, they will be more inclined to spend more of their disposable incomes on insurance: In fact, according to an Ernst and Young 2016 survey of African insurance companies, increased earnings in households and businesses were the leading driver of increased insurance premiums.

The pandemic affords an opportunity in the form of consolidation: Unsustainable and inefficient players may be forced out of the market, facilitating innovation, healthy competition among thriving companies, and better coverage. Other experts suggest that commercial insurance for businesses will outpace the growth of individual insurance coverage over the next year, partly because of increasing reinsurance rates. The pandemic has also accelerated the digitalization of local insurance companies, opening the door for a more accessible and inclusive insurance industry in the long term, which could be fostered by a conducive policy environment.

Challenges

While opportunities abound, there are also risks and challenges for the industry to overcome, including COVID-19 and future pandemics; a decentralized cross-country market with regulatory barriers; gaps in regulatory enforcement; a shortage of technical human capital; low demand for insurance; and market volatility. Thankfully, investment mitigation strategies can help overcome these hurdles: For example, companies will need to invest in both human capital (training and developing qualified staff) and information technologies, adapt to trends in the market, and pursue innovative strategies. Partnerships between companies need to be focused on improving product differentiation, working with government to fill regulatory gaps and barriers, and increasing product awareness in the marketplace.

Africa’s underdeveloped insurance market represents an opportunity both for players in the insurance sector and for African societies in general. The first credible and convenient insurance providers will reap enormous rewards as this sector develops becoming pioneers in the region. Moreover, African households and businesses can benefit from the reduced risks and increased stability that insurance products can provide.

Conclusion

Technology adoption and innovation are the keys to growth in the African insurance industry. Microinsurance could also change the name of the game, as it can reach Africa’s rising middle class through small-scale, low-cost, low-risk products. MicroEnsure, which partners with telecommunications firms, is an example of a successful microfinance venture that offers basic health and life insurance coverage through a free add-on to customers’ existing mobile phone services. Furthermore, micro-health insurance products like Jamii have also entered the market, bringing affordable coverage to low-income populations. Similarly, health financing has been radically changed by mobile and online platforms: M-Tiba facilitates digital management of both public and private health insurance policies through partnerships with governments and providers.

Recognizing the role the insurance market can play in development, African governments are also working to improve the regulatory climate for insurance investors. Diversification, partnership, and cross-collaboration among insurers and banks is the foundation required to create economies of scale and increase revenues for both sectors. These partnerships, coupled with accelerated digitization to online and mobile platforms, have the potential to increase cost efficiencies and profit margins throughout Africa’s insurance sector completely transforming the insurance industry.

References

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2021/03/03/figures-of-the-week-african-insurance-market-poised-for-growth/
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa;capturing-africas-insurance-potential-for-shared-prosperity/

brf; $insurance_about = <<The Insurance Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Insurance companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. Among the drivers of economic growth and development in emerging countries, insurance is often overlooked in favor of flashier sectors like technology or infrastructure. In fact, though, insurance is a behind-the-scenes factor driving growth at all levels of society Recognizing the role the insurance market can play in development, African governments are also working to improve the regulatory climate for insurance investors. Africa’s underdeveloped insurance market represents an opportunity both for players in the insurance sector and for African societies in general. abt; $insurance_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Insurance industry committee (HCIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Insurance industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Insurance industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of Insurance industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Insurance industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

Chiarman
Vice chiarman
13 Other Members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Insurance industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of the committee:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee
Vice Chiarman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Insurance Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Insurance industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Insurance Industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $insurance_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Insurance Industry Committee.

Membership of Insurance Industry oversight committee.

Membership of Insurance Industry Technical committee.

Membership of Insurance Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Insurance industry content Ends ********************************************************************************************** // Pension industry content Ends ********************************************************************************************** $pension_brief = <<

Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the global economy and the financial system has many significant implications for pension funds, particularly after the resurgent gains experienced by global pension funds during 2019. According to the OECD, assets in pension funds rebounded in 2019, following a decline in 2018, growing by 13.9% in the OECD area and by 11.3% in other reporting jurisdictions. Pension fund assets (for OECD countries) rose to US$32.3trn in 2019, however, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global capital markets reversed some of these gains. Amongst OECD countries, the US remains the largest market, with assets in pension funds and all retirement vehicles at the end of 2019 at US$18.8trn. The United Kingdom was the second largest pensions market, at US$3.6trn. According to the 2019 annual report of the GIPF, Namibia’s largest pension fund, the fund’s long-term growth can be attributed to good investment returns due to a diversified investment strategy and a strong asset allocation process. Local asset requirements compel Namibian pension funds to hold 45% of contractual savings locally.

As there are very few opportunities to invest in the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSE), this regulation enables Namibian pension funds to seek viable long-term opportunities, while avoiding and limiting potentially bad investments in the process. The composition of African long-term assets mimics the global picture, where a few countries claim the largest proportion of long-term savings. In Africa, 95% of the assets are concentrated in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia, and Botswana. Within these countries, several large funds also tend to dominate. Examples include the GEPF in South Africa, the GIPF in Namibia, the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF) in Botswana and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) in Kenya. While in Nigeria assets are allocated across several Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), there is a large concentration of pension assets with a few PFAs, with the top five PFAs accounting for 65% of pension fund assets.

Introduction

At first sight, pensions may not appear to be the most pressing issue for the African region. Whilst social security is to some extent discussed, private (or rather funded) pensions are rarely debated. One may well ask why address this topic at all, given more critical policy priorities for the region such as education, health, poverty alleviation or agricultural development, and given the lack of demographic pressure in general? The urgent issue for pension reform in Africa is not only the need to introduce social protection systems - to help alleviate demographic pressures, poverty amongst the elderly and provide support for households headed by grandparents following the HIV AIDS pandemic and regional conflicts. In addition there is a vital need for reform of existing pension systems in the region, the cost of which is often crowding out spending on other key areas (such as health and education). Coverage of these systems is low (under 10 or often under 5 percent of the population) and usually only for civil servants or a minority of relatively highly paid workers in formal sector employment, making for highly regressive systems, with cross-subsidies required from indirect taxes (usually VAT) as pension payments from these systems frequently exceed contributions. The need for efficient pension arrangements in the region is undoubted – though the challenges for introducing them remain great (notably the large informal sector of workers).

Pensions play an important role in poverty alleviation of the elderly - one of the most vulnerable groups in any society, particularly older women. Yet, according to the ILO, only one in five workers is covered by adequate social security schemes, whilst the World Bank (Holtzman, Hinz (2001)) point out that 85% of the world‘s population over 65 has no retirement benefit at all. In sub-Saharan Africa less than 10% of the older population has a contributory pension (Palacios, Pallares-Miralles (2000). Basic, social support can be implemented via public pension arrangements. Indeed social protection is increasingly considered as contributing to the development process in the same way as health and education (van Dullen (2007)). It is beyond the scope of this paper to enter the debate over which type of social pension is most appropriate contributory vs. non-contributory / universal vs. means tested etc. - (see referenced ILO and World Bank papers as an introduction to the topic). However, irrespective of the type of arrangement, in addition to reducing poverty amongst the elderly, providing pensions has also been shown to have implications for broader society, as benefits are shared with household members – for example via providing food, clothing and school materials for grandchildren.

Indeed, older persons can often act as de facto heads of household, caring for relatives infected with HIV/AIDS and looking after orphaned children. Around 30% of households in sub-Saharan Africa are headed by a person aged 55 and over, with over two-thirds of these households including at least one child under the age of 15 (Help Age International (2006a)). Over 60% of orphaned children in Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and 50% in Botswana, Malawi and Tanzania, live with their grandparents (United Nations (2007)). Receiving and sharing a pension cements intergeneration relationship and makes the elder more integrated into communities, rather than feeling like a burden on their families. The following examples of the positive social impact which pension can have are taken from Help Age International ‘s Social Protection Facts and Figures (Help Age International (2006b)): • Pensions reduce the poverty gap ratio by 13% in South Africa and increase the income of the poorest 5% of the population by 50%;
For Africa, the fiscal cost of providing a universal noncontributory social pension to all of the elderly has been estimated at 2 to3 percent of GDP, a level comparable to, or even higher, than the levels of total public spending on health care in some countries (Kakwani and Subbarao (2005)). However, such estimates depend on parameters such as benefit levels and entitlement ages that can be adjusted in order to keep the fiscal cost manageable. That said, the debate over whether cash payment based pensions are the best way to tackle the broader social challenges mentioned needs to be considered but is outside the scope of this paper.

The structure and challenges to the pension systems in each country differ, with countries correspondingly adopting different reform agendas. The pace of reform also differs from country to country, ranging from the introduction of individual DC accounts in Nigeria, to extending pension coverage to the informal sector in Botswana; exploring ways to overhaul the civil service pension scheme in Kenya; to improving pension fund governance and reforming taxation of retirement funds in South Africa. Many countries - including Botswana, Kenya, Zambia - are reviewing their national social security and severance schemes to make them less expensive to administrate and more sustainable for retirees in the long run. A major component of these announced reforms is the need to improve the quality and effectiveness of the supervisory oversight of the burgeoning pension system. In most countries pension and social security institutions are not regulated and supervision is fragmented and weak. Countries such as Zambia and Kenya continue to establish their pension fund regulation, whilst new supervisory authorities have been created in countries such as Botswana. The challenges of systemic reform, where there is a shift from unfunded to funded schemes and possibly the introduction of private management of assets, are particularly great in Sub-Saharan Africa. Reformers face three major obstacles: a) First and foremost, any diversion of contributions to a new funded scheme will force governments to find resources to covers the resulting gap. Since most of the countries depend heavily on foreign aid to supplement their budgets, there is little scope for financing the transition, at least not a rapid transition. b) Second, existing public pension institutions are generally not equipped to meet the recordkeeping requirements of a funded individual accounts scheme. c) Finally, few of the conditions that make a privately managed, funded system viable –investment opportunities, solid regulatory institutions, and potential participants in the private pension sector are present in most of the region.

In addition to social pensions being affordable for many emerging economies, developing funded pension systems can also reduce government expenditure, thereby releasing funds to direct to other key policy challenges and initiatives. The reform of unsustainable pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pension systems can help reduce the fiscal burden that such schemes place on the population, and indeed avoid burdening future generations. Such concerns are greatest in countries with high levels of labour market informality, as is the case in developing countries in Africa and elsewhere, as large groups of the population may not have access to the pension system but support it indirectly via the tax system. Spending of pensions (particularly on pensions for civil servants and other special schemes) has increased enormously in the region and is crowding out spending on other deserving programs. The potential for major fiscal imbalances and regressive distributional outcomes is compounded when the pension scheme is designed to cover only specific workers with a high degree of political power. In Africa this is often the case of civil servants pension arrangements. In all countries the formula used to calculate the pension for civil servants tends to be more generous than for private sector workers. The impact of a more generous formula and a more mature system along with a lack of reserves results in a build-up of large deficits that are ultimately a burden on the rest of the population, and the crowding out of other important expenditures.

Conclusion

An increasing number of African countries have recently initiated major parametric and systemic reform of their pension systems (often on the initiative of stakeholder, advisory committees and international organizations) and are beginning to adopt diversified approaches to pension provision in order to strengthen retirement security of their workforce. Many other authorities are in the process of formulating serious reform proposals and are exploring ways to encourage more saving over the long run. In Africa, although the problems of the schemes that cover private sector workers have become increasingly evident, the motivation for reform has come more frequently from the fiscal pressures of civil service pensions (usually much more generous systems). In several countries, the need to address this short-term fiscal issue has led policy makers to reconsider overall pension policy. In particular, the alternatives to the current arrangements for civil servants include a new system that replaces the dualism with one in which all formal sector workers participate. Although it is still politically very difficult, a few countries have already considered and even implemented 'integration' of their pension systems. Reform is also being driven by an increasing awareness of old age provision as an integral part of social policy, fixing unsustainable existing schemes and making them more efficient in terms of administrative costs and returns (following serious mismanagement in some countries), as well as the desire to increase savings and develop financial markets in the region.

References

https://brightafrica.riscura.com/pension industry; Africa’s pension fund assets
https://www.oecd.org/finance private pensions

brf; $pension_about = <<The Mining Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Mining companies in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. The urgent issue for pension reform in Africa is not only the need to introduce social protection systems to help alleviate demographic pressures, poverty amongst the elderly and provide support for households headed by grandparents following the HIV AIDS pandemic and regional conflicts.

There is a vital need for reform of existing pension systems in the region, Coverage of these systems is low (under 10 or often under 5 percent of the population) and usually only for civil servants or a minority of relatively highly paid workers in formal sector employment, making for highly regressive systems, with cross-subsidies required from indirect taxes (usually VAT) as pension payments from these systems frequently exceed contributions. The need for efficient pension arrangements in the region is undoubted though the challenges for introducing them remain great.

abt; $pension_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Pension industry committee (PIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Pension industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Pension industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of the Pension industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Pension industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

A Chiarman
A Vice chiarman
13 other members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Pension industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of the committee:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee.
Vice Chairman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of new Pension perspective in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/ regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Pension industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Pension industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $pension_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Pension Industry Committee.

Membership of the Pension Industry oversight committee.

Membership of the Pension Industry Technical committee.

Membership of the Pension Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Pension industry content Ends ********************************************************************************************** // Logistics industry content Ends ********************************************************************************************** $logistics_brief = <<

Overview

Improvements in logistics performance are considered to be a significant driver of economic growth. Digitalization in logistics, which includes enhanced tracking systems, digitized flows of information, artificial intelligence and automation, has further enabled globalized trade. However, Sub-Saharan African (SSA) economies, majorly export-commodity-dependent, still lag behind, grappling with inadequate policy frameworks, huge infrastructure deficits and trade barriers which result in a broken supply chain that negatively impacts growth. Improvements in logistics performance are considered to be a significant driver of economic growth. Digitalization in logistics, which includes enhanced tracking systems, digitized flows of information, artificial intelligence and automation, has further enabled globalized trade. However, Sub-Saharan African (SSA) economies, majorly export-commodity-dependent, still lag behind, grappling with inadequate policy frameworks, huge infrastructure deficits and trade barriers which result in a broken supply chain that negatively impacts growth.

This study aims to investigate existing challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa, the potentials for the region to leapfrog traditional supply chain practices and adopt digital technologies, by evaluating previous findings in a systematic manner and augmenting these findings through semi-structured interviews. Systematic literature analysis conducted on published academic literature within a specific period and based on predefined criteria resulted in 287 articles being used for the final analysis. The most common logistics challenges and potential solutions have been identified. Semi-structured interviews with logistics service providers in the region have been conducted to establish the findings highlighted in the systematic literature review. The interviews showed that human capital training is a major factor when adopting digital technologies, and a focus on infrastructure investments, regulatory and institutional framework improvements will boost economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Introduction

Logistics performance is a strategic factor which indicates competitiveness of economies and businesses, and a catalyst for job creation and growth of the economy. The increased use of digital information technology in logistics management has resulted in enhanced competitiveness on global scales, by enhancing flow of information, planning, inventory control, packaging/handling, and transportation. Factors such as expanded operations across wider complex markets, changing business environments and customer requirements, faster speed of entry into market for new products and the need for responsiveness have made supply chains more economically vital, as well as volatile. Demand for digital solutions has been on the rise as the role of distributed ledger technologies, Industry 4.0 technologies and IoT-based cyber-physical systems (CPS) architecture to achieve sustainable productivity, profitability and performance is increasingly being embraced by organizations. This has resulted in concepts such as digital supply chains (DSC) and Logistics 4.0 which are very dynamic and continuously evolve in their configuration, coordination and management they have better visibility, higher consumer responsiveness and increased flexibility.

Research on African markets shows that the continent is emerging strategically as an important trading bloc particularly for Asia and parts of Europe, based on its vast resources, growing wealth and larger middle class with higher purchasing power, Freight transport in SSA faces many infrastructural and social challenges such as low intra-African collaboration/trade, bottle-necked port operations, expensive yet poor inland road quality, inadequate rail capacity, political and security instability, slow development in transportation and trade technology, and cultural differences. ICT implementation in several parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is still considerably low, compared to international standards, as there exists a digital divide with large numbers of Africans in rural areas living with limited access to make a basic telephone call, while other regions (urban) are saturated with fast internet access and advanced digital telecommunication systems. This gap is more readily pronounced in the wake of humanitarian crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, where inadequate access to digital tools has limited capacity for operational activities and humanitarian aid. These challenges have made Africa a difficult terrain for logistics business and limited the participation of big international companies by forcing them to adapt to local circumstances of informal economy, use costlier air transport instead of sea freight (to avoid the excessive port delays and reach landlocked countries with poor road networks) or maintain higher inventory volumes than anywhere else globally.

Outlook and Challenges

Africa is a continent with over 900 million people across 54 countries. Africa’s merchandise export contribution to the global market has steadily declined since 1948 from 7.3% to about 2.2% in 2016, which is remarkably poor considering the wealth of natural resources and agricultural products which are abundant in the continent. There are two main regions in Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and secondly, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). SSA is endowed with vast amounts of resources including diamonds, crude oil, gold and agricultural products; yet it is the only region with a dramatic increase in the world’s poorest population.

Two reasons are highlighted for this low trade performance, firstly, a predominant focus on international export of a few commodities (fuel, agricultural produce and mining products); secondly, supply chain and logistics difficulties across the region. A number of multinational firms that have been expanding into other emerging markets have found it difficult to penetrate SSA as the supply chain and logistics costs are too high. Thus, it is a strategic competitive priority for organizations that do, or wish to do business in Africa, to understand the present condition of logistics and SCM practices in Africa and identify the challenges and opportunities to succeed.

Economic fragmentation is high in Africa and intra-regional trade is significantly higher in other regions, 67% in Europe, 58% in Asia, 48% in North America and Latin America, 20% in the Caribbean, 16% in Africa. This low trade has been attributed to several factors including excessive tariffs, non-tariff barriers, regional conflict, corruption, poor logistical infrastructure and so on. Non-tariff barriers include measures such as price control (multiple exchange rates, foreign exchange allocation), monopolies, customs procedures and regulations, quotas, subsidies, anti-dumping or countervailing measures Studies have shown that spatial inequality has a tangible consequence on economic development, and the urban agglomeration of economic activity in a country determines the country’s economic development pattern; however, many African countries rely heavily on single commodities as their main export (e.g., Crude oil in Nigeria, Platinum in Zimbabwe, etc.). Several studies have shown that while exports are good for growth, the important factor is not how much goods are exported, but the type of goods which are exported. Regions in developing countries with lesser specialization and a wider diversification of exports have been found to experience increased GDP per capita and higher rates of economic growth.

Stiff regulatory environments are also very common in sub-Saharan African countries as most of them not having enabling regulations or policies for customs processes, logistic infrastructure, transportation, business practice. A transport policy review focused on road, port and maritime traffic, rail and corridor transit conducted across six countries in SSA revealed that the little progress recorded across these regions over the past two decades was still due to policies made in the 1990s. The Nigerian Government in 2019 decided to close its land borders with neighboring countries including Benin, Cameroon, Niger and Chad, in a bid to curb smuggling which is already prevalent due to import restrictions, thereby effectively blocking the legal movement of goods. After significant increase in inflation due to food prices, and without any tangible proof of effective results the government had to partially lift the closure in December 2020. Industrialization in Africa over the past 50 years has been very disappointing. Average share of manufacturing in GDP across sub-Saharan Africa in the 1970s was 10 percent and as of 2010 remained unchanged, while the share of global manufacturing has fallen from about 3 percent in 1970 to less than 2 percent in 2010, yet transport prices in SSA are very high compared with other regions, particularly for landlocked countries in Africa which have expensive transport costs. One study estimated that road transport was up to 40 percent higher in Cameroon, Mali and Cote d’Ivoire than in France (which has higher labor rates) and up to six times more expensive than it is in Pakistan. .

Logistics infrastructure suffers significantly across sub-Saharan African regions, limiting the smooth and efficient flow of cargo between different countries. Several logistics challenges still exist in SSA making the region lag significantly behind many parts of the world. While some countries are performing relatively strong, such as South Africa, which is rated to have a better transport infrastructure systems than some other fast-developing economies such as Indonesia, other countries in the region are not performing nearly as strong. The demand for Africa’s raw commodities and its expanding markets show that the continent cannot be ignored any longer, and the supply chain and logistics market is growing at a fast pace. With the recently commenced African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which seeks to create a single market for goods and services across Africa by providing a mutually beneficial and comprehensive agreement among the member states, the opportunities for the logistics industry across Sub-Saharan Africa are massive. By lowering the trade barriers and facilitating more intra-regional trade, more and more logistics companies and service providers will seek to participate in the market, which has huge opportunities for growth and revenue. Capital investments flow will therefore see a significant increase as more and more investors will be willing to participate in the single largest free trade area in the world. .

There are still so many underserved communities in SSA and therefore lots of room for expansion. Foreign governments and State-Owned Enterprises have been investing financially in massive projects, particularly, in SSA in exchange for raw materials and commodities. Several ports are being constructed or expanded to serve as gateways that will connect Africa to the rest of the world. Five of these include Lekki in Nigeria, Musoma in Tanzania, Lamu in Kenya, Lobito and Barra do Dande in Angola. Countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya are favorite entries into the African market for international investors as they have large markets with a rapidly increasing middle-class. Retail growth is driving much of the growth in SSA, which is subsequently developing the transport and logistics industry. Moreover, as a result of the pandemic, digital shopping has significantly increased within many African countries with increased percentage share of consumers shopping online of up to 81%, 79% and 72% in Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, respectively. The logistics industry is already in an upward trend and is expected to grow significantly over the next decade. Leapfrog development does indeed pose great potential especially for Africa, with several countries proving to be more open to new technologies and being innovative. In terms of drone usage, for example, African countries are leading the way, using drones in tourism, e-commerce and health services. A good example is the case of the first commercial drone delivery service in the world, Zipline, which began its operations in Rwanda and now delivers blood by drone to almost half of all the blood transfusion centers in Rwanda using orders made online via text, phone or WhatsApp.

Conclusion

Digitalization in logistics is going to play a very notable role in the facilitation of trade and logistics expansion and penetration across Sub-Saharan Africa. Technologies such as drones, mobile banking, tracker systems, digitized trucks for efficient transport and cold chain, digital platforms for supplier collaboration, robots, AR and VR for educational and operational purposes will boost the gains made by AfCFTA and support the proper servicing of the entire African market. Some technologies have already been tested, are in use and are successful, such as mobile payments (M-PESA), drone deliveries (Zipline), big data for end-to-end haulage (Kobo360) and so on. Digitalization will also facilitate automation across several parts of the supply chain, eliminating routine, low skill tasks, and will create new and advanced job opportunities across training and development, skilled workforce and new market openings, which will require a skilled workforce with higher pay, better conditions and an improved standard of living.

There will also be lots of jobs created and work skills trainings available over the next few years to fill the existing gaps in logistics created by the expanding markets. Several companies operating in SSA are already focusing on training and skills development for workers across the region.

References:

Adewole, A.; John, J.S. Logistics and Global Value Chains in Africa: The Impact on Trade and Development; Palgrave Macmillan: London, UK, 2019 Souza, G.R.; Valamede, L.S.; Akkari, A.C.S. Characterization of Digital Supply Chain. In Brazilian Technology Symposium; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland, 2020.

Muogboh, O.S.; Ojadi, F. Indigenous logistics and supply chain management practice in Africa. In Indigenous Management Practices in Africa; Advanced Series in Management; Emerald Publishing Limited: Bingley, UK, 2018; Volume 20.

brf; $logistics_about = <<The Logistics and Supply Chain Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Logistics and Supply Chain Industry in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. Infrastructure deficits are the bane of African countries’ logistics and supply chain management, despite trade openness and resource endowment, African countries remain marginal players in the Global Value Chains (GVCs) that dominate international trade. The obstacles to Africa’s competitiveness and trade performance are many but the most outstanding are those associated with underdeveloped trade logistics and weak supply chain management. abt; $logistics_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the AEF Logistics and Supply Chain industry committee (LSCIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Insurance industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Logistics and Supply Chain industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of Logistics and Supply Chain industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Logistics and Supply Chain industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

Chiarman
Vice chiarman
13 other members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Logistics and Supply Chain industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Committee on such related issues, It Consist of:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee
Vice Chairman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Logistics and Supply Chain Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Logistics and Supply Chain industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Logistics and Supply Chain Industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $logistics_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Logistics and Supply Chain Industry Committee.

Membership of Logistics and Supply Chain Industry oversight committee.

Membership of Logistics and Supply Chain Industry Technical committee.

Membership of Logistics and Supply Chain Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Logistics industry content Ends ********************************************************************************************** // Hospitality industry content Ends ****************************************************************************************** $hospitality_brief = <<

Overview

The tourism sector is expected to drive Africa’s economic growth following the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCFTA, through its travel and hospitality subsectors. This can be attributed to the progressive contribution of the two sectors to the continent’s GDP, from 7.8 per cent in 2016; 8.1 per cent in 2017 to 8.5 per cent (about $194.2 billion) in 2018). This impressive growth made African region the second-fastest-growing tourism industry in the world, with a growth rate of 5.6 per cent in 2018. In 2018, there were 67 million visitors to Africa on business and leisure.

This showed a seven per cent increase from 63 million recorded in 2017 and a significant increase from 58 million in 2016.

This figure is expected to rise in astronomical proportions in the coming years when the AfCFTA becomes operational. There are 55 countries on the African continent with about 1.2 billion people, and with a combined GDP of $2.4 trillion. The expectation is that AfCTA would create the world’s largest free trade area. This will hopefully promote intra-African trade that currently stands at a paltry 16 per cent.

Introduction

Globally, the impact of tourism and hospitality economy is very significant; the sector encompasses 266 million jobs and contributes 9.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Available statistics also indicate that African countries such as Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt have experienced continued economic activities thus, creating demand from institutional investors as well as major hotel brands to see expansion into the region as a source of future growth. The high volume of global capital chasing real estate opportunities also contributed to the recent surge of M&A (Mergers & Acquisition) activities in the region. Travel and tourism remains one of the key growth drivers of the economy in Africa, contributing 8.5 per cent of the GDP in 2018, equivalent to $194.2 billion.

According to the 2019 Jumia Hospitality Report Africa, this growth record placed the continent as the second-fastest growing region in the world, with a growth rate of 5.6 per cent, after Asia-Pacific and against a 3.9 per cent global average growth rate.

Record also shows that Africa received 67 million international tourist arrivals in 2018, to record a 7 percent increase from 63 million arrivals in 2017 and 58 million in 2016. This gradual increase is attributed to the affordability and ease of travel, especially within the continent, with spending among domestic travelers accounting for 56 per cent as compared to 44 per cent international expenditure. Additionally, leisure travel remains an important component of Africa’s tourism industry, taking up a majority 71 per cent of the tourist expenditure in 2018.

Meanwhile, the PWC Hospitality outlook: 2019-2023, indicates that overall room revenue in South Africa, Nigeria, Mauritius, Kenya and Tanzania rose 7.4 per cent in 2018, up from the 1.9 per cent increase in 2017, principally reflecting a 28 percentage point turnaround in Kenya, a 15.4 percentage point turnaround in Tanzania, as well as a 7.2 percentage point improvement in Nigeria. Mauritius continued to grow at double-digit rates in 2018, but room revenue growth in South Africa fell to only 0.5 per cent.

The report also show an increase in both foreign and domestic traveler numbers, along with an expansion in several hotel chains on the continent, which reinforces the hotel sector’s potential for growth.

The free movement of people and goods within the continent will expectedly open up new vistas in the tourism industry, creating business opportunities for investors. A few years ago, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, PwC, predicted that the hospitality sub-sector would be one of the key drivers of economic growth on the continent. The prediction was premised on the fact that an increase in both domestic and international travels would lead to an expansion of hotel chains on the continent, which would, in turn, reinforce the growth potential of the sub-sector.

PwC named five countries in Africa where the hotel sector is going to experience growth, with significant increase in room revenue, namely: South Africa, Nigeria, Mauritius, Tanzania and Kenya. The company expected Nigeria to be the fastest-growing hotel market in Africa over a five year period, ending 2022.

Indeed, the forecast is that Nigeria will become the fastest-growing tourism market on the continent, with a projected 12 per cent compound annual increase. This forecast is predicated on Nigeria’s growing affluence which would make consumer tourism a more important sector. Adventure tourism is becoming more popular and the growing interest in experiences is allowing the country to attract visitors interested in the local culture.

International hotel brands have apparently recognised the potential of the African hospitality industry, which explains why some of them are currently embarking on expansion programmes on the continent. In 2017, the Hyatt hotel chain announced plans to double its presence in Africa by 2020. Marriot started an expansion programme that would increase its portfolio on the continent by 50 per cent by 2023. It is the same year the Hilton group intends to double its presence in Africa, while Radisson will reach the same goal in Francophone countries on the continent by 2022.

A number of African hotel brands are establishing strong footholds on the continent, though without the spread of their international counterparts. The spread has started, all the same. The big ones are predominantly South African-owned, like Tsogo Sun under which are Southern Sun and Sun International, Protea as well as Laico Hotels and Resorts.

The expected growth of the hospitality sub-sector is going to impact on many other sectors in the value chain the reason it is predicted to be an economic growth driver. Such sectors include agriculture, garment, civil, mechanical and electrical engineering; furniture, manufacturing, etc.

Hotels will rely on local farmers for sources of agricultural produce, including poultry, beef and fish, thereby creating jobs and enhancing those businesses, with the ultimate benefit of improving the quality of lives of people in those sectors. They will also rely on local manufacturers of agro-allied products like fruit juice and dairy as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Establishment of more hotels means a boost to the garment sector that provides the source for the supply of curtains, table cloths, bedsheets and staff uniforms. There will be something for interior decorators as well. The economic benefits for producers and suppliers in the entire chain are quite enormous. Job creation is expected to receive a boost in the coming years, a direct fallout of the growth in the tourism industry. In 2018, the industry provided direct and indirect employment for about 24.3 million people in 2018, accounting for approximately 6.7 per cent of total employment on the continent.

The expected boom in the industry is one that will create a healthy competition, which would enable hotels to bring out their best in terms of service delivery. This is an opportunity for highly skilled and specialised workers such as managers, chefs, waiters and porters – the category of workers that may also benefit from regular training by hotels intent on maintaining the highest standards. All these will contribute to improving the quality of service delivery. The emerging scenario is one that holds high hopes for African hotel brands, though it will also task their ingenuity and resourcefulness in the face of stiff competition from international brands.

Tourism to the African continent has proven to be resilient in the face of economic and political uncertainty, impacts of droughts and other regulatory changes. The opportunities are aplenty for this industry to enjoy further growth albeit at a more modest pace. However, as we continue to see there are also a number of challenges facing each country. This is an industry that is reactive to the smallest change in political, regulatory, safety and sustainability matters,” Pietro Calicchio, hospitality industry leader for PwC Southern Africa, said in a statement.

A couple of factors are responsible for the growth in the sector within the continent, with Internet penetration being one of them. Available statistics show that penetration in the continent has gone up from 27.7 per cent in 2017 to 35.2 percent in 2018. With over 453 million Internet users, the rise of mobile technology is certain. In many countries the penetration of Internet is well above 50 per cent and this is a promising number for hotels to invest in mobile technology. Several issues, such as online bookings, booking confirmations, push notifications, guest feedback requests, guest reviews, and so much more can be tackled effectively, thus. Though Africa has a long way to go, there is still enough scope to make the most of the current scenario.

Meanwhile, for the last two decades or so, tech adoption in the hospitality industry has been on the rise. Especially in the last decade, several disruptions have transformed the way hotels operate. Right CRMs from replacing booking registers to maintain reservation logs, to kiosks replacing guest-facing staff to improve check-in and checkout processes, several advancements have taken place from the technological standpoint. And yet, it appears as if we are only just getting started.

The pace at which tech-adoption happens is a function of several factors such as budget, specific business requirements, availability of options, personal stigmas, etc. As for Africa, the biggest bottleneck is the lack of Internet connectivity. With sustained growth in Internet penetration, technology will steadily transform the climate of hospitality industry. Again, with the millennials contributing to about 30 per cent of the continent’s population, the need to adapt to their ways is high. Customization and personalization, on the other hand, have become key in the hospitality sector; nothing is as powerful as personalized service. From the inception stage right through the every-day guest experience activities, personalizing is non-negotiable. In the backdrop of several large hotel chains investing in Africa, it is very essential to retain the local essence as well. Be it open APIs allowing more tech customization, or targeted and customized marketing initiatives, to hyper-personalized guest experiences, this trend is surely going to bring in some sweet victories.

However, the premise is that, in due course of time, a cloud-based Property Management System will be the norm across the continent. When the best-in-class systems come together, your cloud-based Management System will be invincible. The myth that a reservation system alone is capable of handling the day-to-day activities of a hotel is soon dissolving, the world over. Hoteliers are waking up to the real potential of a cloud-based PMS that allows integrations with all the other systems that contribute to a holistic property management solution.

Conclusion

It is worthy of note that 2016 and 2017 saw some nasty high-profile cyber security breaches taking place across Africa. While regulators are imposing serious financial penalties on organizations that fall prey to such breaches, the trend has yet to subside. With cloud-tech adoption gaining increasing momentum, the chances of cybersecurity threats and breaches are minimized. Managing hotel operations on a cloud-based Property Management System gives multiple benefits; the most important ones being complete data security and anytime-anywhere access to your hotel data. An on-premise PMS can never compete with a cloud-based PMS when it comes to data security. But to realize the full potential of the sector, experts are of the opinion that cooperation from all industry players is required. Most importantly, governments have to be willing to eliminate visa requirements for African nationals traveling to their countries; there should be free movement across the continent.

Refrences

https://www.vanguardngr.com; hospitality-as-key-driver-of-africas-economic-growth
https://guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/statistics-indicate-growth-for-africas-tourism-hospitality-sector/

brf; $hospitality_about = <<The Hospitality and Tourism Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Hospitality and Tourism Industry in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. The tourism sector is expected to drive Africa’s economic growth following the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCFTA, through its travel and hospitality subsectors. This can be attributed to the progressive contribution of the two sectors to the continent’s GDP, from 7.8 per cent in 2016; 8.1 per cent in 2017 to 8.5 per cent (about $194.2 billion) in 2018). This impressive growth made African region the second-fastest-growing tourism industry in the world, with a growth rate of 5.6 per cent in 2018, after Asia Pacific and against a 3.9% global average growth rate. abt; $hospitality_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the Hospitality and Tourism industry committee (HTIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Hospitality and Tourism industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Hospitality and Tourism industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of Hospitality and Tourism industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Hospitality and Tourism industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

A Chiarman
A Vice chiarman
13 other members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Hospitality and Tourism industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of the committee:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee
Vice chiarman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Hospitality and Tourism industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $hospitality_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Hospitality and Tourism Industry Committee.

Membership of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry oversight committee.

Membership of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry Technical committee.

Membership of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Hospitality industry content Ends ****************************************************************************************** // Automobile industry content Starts **************************************************************************************** $automobile_brief = <<

Overview

While much attention has been paid to the lack of structural transformation or to processes of premature deindustrialization, a number of Sub Saharan African countries have actually made important steps in the development of a manufacturing sector, and have attracted increasing investment towards an emerging auto industry.

Introduction

The automotive industry, while shedding light on still relatively unexplored markets. In particular, it seeks to highlight the potential of a number of Sub-Saharan countries that have not received sufficient attention compared to more advanced North African auto industries like Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco or Egypt. Beyond the long established South African industry, this report thus includes a focus on Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, and Rwanda. While being at different stages, the auto industries in all of these seven countries have attracted new investments or have some potential to expand in the near future. In this regard, the present research tried to explore investment plans of the major auto-players present in the country, together with government's intentions to support the development of the industry and existing policy frameworks. Such an investigation was driven by various factors: the idea of sustainability, the scope, the objectives and the potential impact (in terms of local development on the labour market and on the broader economic environment) of the proposed investments. It not only seeks to address whether the promised investment will respond to the pressing need of generating employment which is extremely urgent across the African continent but it specifically questions whether the awaited jobs will be decent.

Besides the most developed auto industries in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt) and the long established South African industry, the automotive sector in the rest of the continent is characterized by relatively small, isolated markets at their infant stage (e.g. Rwanda) or still obstructed by severe structural weaknesses. Many countries are land-locked and still poorly connected to the neighbours on the continent or to large buyers/advanced auto hubs (Barnes et al, 2020). This adds to high transactional cost as transportation of goods and services are time consuming and expensive.1 In financial terms, setting-up a large-scale vehicle manufacturing plant requires a massive initial investment, still inaccessible to many small African economies.2 The level of existing infrastructure is often very low with insufficient road coverage – a pattern still serving the extractive industries and interrupted provision of water and electricity. As Markowitz and Black (2019) note, “Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest density of infrastructure of any world region. The existing infrastructure is primarily geared to supporting extractive industries, at the expense of stimulating growth in sectors with value upgrading potential.” The availability of adequate skills to meet the needs of the industry is often limited, and these are unevenly distributed across the working population. Besides the lack of access to quality education, the distribution of skills is often worsened by persistent gender and racial inequalities (see Namibian or South African cases). In addition to structural weaknesses, market ‘distortions’ like the still high importation of second-hand vehicles, the scarce localization in the manufacture of components (still subject to frequent global sourcing), and the excessive assemblage of CKDs and SDKs as opposed to proper manufacturing, frequently weigh on the growth and the expansion of the infant African industries (Black et al, 2018; Barnes, et al. 2020). The SSA region, however, also shows positive signs of growth and steps towards regional integration, which will increasingly attract new investments and hopefully determine more intense trade flows. In this regard, the launch of the AfCFTA in 2018, bringing together 55 economies from the continent, represents a visible attempt towards the creation of a common exchange area (Barnes et al. 2020). At the same time, moderate growth coupled with an emerging middle class undoubtedly constitute an attractive factor for foreign investors. In this regard, increasing domestic demand plus positive steps in the direction of regional integration are a promise of potential expansion and future growth. Taken individually, several SSA economies have started investing and supporting either the revitalization (e.g. Nigeria) or the early establishment of their automotive industries (e.g. Rwanda). The seven countries selected for this study, albeit at different stages in the development of their auto sectors, all show some promising indicators of future expansion, and important challenges for both policy makers and organized labour. For example, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria all signed MOUs with Volkswagen to establish vehicle assembly.

Challenges

The low level of industrialization is a major problem in Africa. Many analysts have argued that lack of structural change during the phase of economic expansion since 2000 will impede future growth prospects due to the ongoing reliance on commodities. This in turn has serious consequences for the ability to expand employment. The automotive industry is a relatively sophisticated industry, but with sub-Saharan Africa’s rapidly expanding market and automotive trade deficit of $16.3 billion, it is important that ways are found to efficiently attract investment especially into parts of the sector, which are more appropriate for lower income countries. A number of larger countries such as Nigeria and Kenya are now embarking on plans to develop domestic automotive production. Some of these plans run the risk of encouraging low volume, inefficient production which provides little value added or employment. What is required is the broadening of the market through regional integration to allow for large-scale, productive investment. These issues are explored using Kenya as a case study. Rights and Permissions All rights reserved.

Notwithstanding the recent trough in the commodity cycle, African growth rates since 2000 have been impressive, and in some cases even spectacular. It is, however, a striking fact that manufacturing has not kept pace. The level of industrialization remains low, and manufacturing has declined as a share of GDP. Examples of dynamic manufacturing growth are few and far between. Limited industrialization is Africa’s Achilles heel. There are very few instances where manufacturing growth has been the engine of rapid development in the continent. There are a number of reasons for this. One important factor is simply the reliance on commodities: Africa, according to Wood and Mayer (2001), has a comparative advantage in land, resources, and resource-based products. But Wood and Mayer go further to show that, even as a region that is well endowed in resources, Africa underperforms in manufacturing. There have also been inappropriate policies, which have led to inefficient industrialization in a number of countries. For example, the style of import substitution industrialization led to problems in the early years of independence. Much of this was then swept away by the combination of economic crisis and draconian liberalization under ‘structural adjustment’. With rapid growth on the continent since the turn of the century, conditions have become more conducive to manufacturing development and the question is whether a more deeply rooted process of industrialisation is starting to emerge. The market for cars and commercial vehicles is growing rapidly but for the most part is supplied by imports of used vehicles. A number of countries are putting plans in place to expand production. Industrialisation has everywhere been associated with economic development. However, in Africa the link appears weak. The share of manufacturing in GDP was around 10 percent in 2015 and, the sector has grown more slowly than the economy as a whole in every period since the 1960s. This includes the low-growth crisis years of the late 20th century as well as the boom times since 2000. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) refers to this as ‘deindustrialization’ (UNECA, 2015) and in a sense this is the case. However, it is important to note that manufacturing has been growing in absolute terms.

African countries generally have underperformed compared to Asian countries with regard to manufacturing growth, manufactured exports and manufacturing as a share of GDP. They perform particularly poorly according to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)’s Competitive Industrial Performance (CIP) Index, which is designed to determine long-run sustainable growth of manufacturing (UNIDO, 2015)2 . Essentially the Index is an indicator of how countries have upgraded technological capabilities, expanded production capacity, improved infrastructure and adopted suitable policies to improve manufacturing value added over time. Kenya, which is the subject of section 4, ranks ahead of its regional peers but nevertheless performs poorly according to this indicator. The background context for Africa’s poor manufacturing performance is well understood. In the post-independence period, manufacturing grew quite rapidly supported by import substitution policies and other forms of state support. Given the small domestic markets and the low level of manufacturing capabilities, much of this capacity was inefficient in the sense of being internationally uncompetitive. Manufacturing remained import-dependent, and exports were minimal.

Oppurtunities

The reality is that SSA consists of a large number of mostly small economies. The combined SSA market is, however, significant with a GDP of $1.66 trillion and a passenger vehicle market of 1.84 million units per annum. A comparison with India indicates the extent of the problem, but also the opportunity (Table 4). The total GDP of SSA and India, as well as average per capita GDP and population, are of the same order of magnitude. Vehicle market size is also similar. The major difference comes in production. India produces its own vehicles while Africa imports. India is also a significant exporter with net automotive exports of $8.3 billion. It also has its own brands such as Tata. SSA on the other hand, consists of a large number of mainly very small markets. It is heavily reliant on imports and, apart from South Africa, exports very little. As a result, the region had an automotive trade deficit of $16.3 billion in 2013.

As indicated above, the market for vehicles in SSA is growing very rapidly. While it is currently small, the region will become a significant global market over the next decade. This growing demand is for the most part being met by imports, especially of used vehicles. The question to which we now turn is the prospects for expanded production in SSA. According to OICA (Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles), Africa as a whole accounted for less than 1 percent of global vehicle production (831,000 units) in 2014 (AIEC, 2015: 38). South Africa accounted for the bulk of this output, followed by Morocco and Egypt. These figures exclude nascent assembly operations in a number of countries in SSA. Outside of South Africa and some countries in North Africa, vehicle production is almost non-existent. The largest plant on the continent is in fact the 400,000 car per year capacity plant built by Renault in Morocco with a total investment of €1 billion. The vast bulk of its production is for export to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. 9 Automotive exports have expanded from $0.4 billion in 2004 to $5 billion in 2015 and automotive employment increased by 67,000 over this period (Bughin et al., 2016: 76). Egypt also has an industry which has been established for many years.

The country now faces growing international competition especially as a result of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Agreement (EuroMed) with the EU under which tariffs are scheduled to decline to zero as soon as 2019. Imports have risen sharply and 59 percent of vehicles sold in 2014 were locally assembled, down from 66 percent in 2004 (El-Haddad et al., 2015). Domestic production is spread across a large number of small-scale assemblers, none of which can benefit from economies of scale, nor are they able to compete against growing international competition. Total production of vehicles was approximately 180,000 in 2014. If one considers light vehicles only, estimated average model volumes are approximately 10,000 units per year with the largest volume model being a pick-up truck which is produced in volumes of 25,000 units per annum. This makes it impossible for component suppliers to achieve the production runs required to be competitive without heavy protection. As a result, local content is quite limited; in many cases including only components such as wiring harnesses, air-conditioners, seats, axles, exhausts, and smaller components such as batteries. Vehicle exports are minimal and have declined since the 2008 peak to the value of around $50 million in 2014, this is in spite of the generous export subsidy. Component exports are more significant and amounted to $269.8 million in 2014. Both costs and quality are limiting factors in international markets (ElHaddad et al., 2015). In SSA, production is dominated by South Africa but output is still small in global terms with some 533,000 light vehicles produced in 2014 (AIEC, 2015). Vehicles were first assembled in South Africa in the 1920s and, as was typically the case in developing countries, the South African automotive industry grew under high levels of protection.

Conclusion

The present report specifically focuses on seven countries that have either experienced a flourishing automotive sector or that show promising prospects of future expansion: Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa. Although structural weaknesses persist (poor infrastructure, uneven distribution of skills, lack of real market integration, etc.) these seven countries have all demonstrated a commitment to grow the industry by implementing targeted policies and establishing partnerships with big auto players. Countries like Ghana (Ghana Automotive Development Policy, GADP), Kenya (National Automotive Policy, NAP), Nigeria (Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan, NAIDP) and South Africa (current South African Auto Masterplan, SAAM) formulated targeted auto plans to develop their industries. Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) with Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan, BMW and other big auto companies to establish vehicle assembly facilities, assess future mobility concepts and launch training centers for production and after sales. Ethiopia and Rwanda are exploring paths for the production of electric vehicles and the promotion of greener mobility. Overall, the auto industries in these seven countries reveal significant potential to attract future investment and to further expand. For sustainable growth, however, important policy challenges must be addressed. From an industrial development perspective, the large inflow of used vehicles and the prevalence of SKDs/CKDs assembly still weigh against the establishment of a local manufacturing base. This should be promoted more proactively, by focusing on increasing localization and deepening the local supply chain. Measures to support domestic demand for new vehicles, like incentives and financing schemes, should also be developed or enhanced. Issues related to urban mobility and environmental sustainability also emerge as increasingly pressing matters. The most compelling objective, however, remains the creation of more decent jobs.

References

https://www.industriall union.org/Africa industrial automotive
https://www.afdb.org/Automotive Industry Potential and Challenges

brf; $automobile_about = <<The Automobile Industry committee of the AEF brings together the top 100 Automobile Industry in Africa as ranked by the AEF Industrial Index, and to others by invitation only. The automotive industry is frequently cited as the most globalized of all manufacturing sectors. Multinational vehicle manufacturers currently setting up production plants in Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and other countries, are a clear indicator that there is potential to boost manufacturing for the sector in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). With demand for vehicles slowing down in developed countries and growing in emerging economies, including SSA, there is an opportunity for the sector to grow to meet domestic demand. Growing Economy and Government Initiatives Expected to Help the Automotive Industry. abt; $automobile_gov = <<

Governance

Global advisory committee

A standing committee of the Automobile industry committee (AIC). It provides global advisory and related industry insights to the Automobile industry committee on how to globally scale-up the operations and impact of the Automobile industry in Africa; to promote its global competitiveness and improve its collaboration with science and technology Research Institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. It would also help to build collaborations with other partners in other parts of the world.
It would be made up of the following:

2 Co-chairpersons
A Vice chiarman
9-15 other persons

Membership would reflect the 5 sub-regions of Africa and the 5 major regions of the world.

Oversight Committee

Would be responsible for the oversight of Automobile industry committee. It will work to ensure the continued growth and development of the Automobile industry committee in Africa and to promote its continued upscaling within the African region and globally.
It would be made up of:

A Chiarman
A Vice chiarman
13 other members

Membership shall reflect the various regions of Africa and also the various strata of the industry.

Technical Committee

Would be responsible for the review of emerging technical, business, political and related issues impacting on the industry in Africa and advising the Automobile industry committee appropriately. It shall have powers to set up various technical and or expert committees to execute various aspects of its assignment related to the industry in Africa with a view to enhancing its growth and development including organizing various meetings for this purpose.
Membership of Committee:

Chairman, being Vice- Chairman of oversight committee
Vice Chiarman
7-9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee

Would be responsible for the smooth engagement of the Automobile Industry in Africa with relevant Government Agencies/regulatory bodies concerned with the setting up and or operations of the Automobile industry in Africa. It will ensure continued the good relationship of members of the Automobile Industry committee and various public agencies concerned with regulation and or operations of the industry in Africa. It would ensure the creation and operation of appropriate platforms for promoting good understanding between the industry members and those of the relevant publics in Africa.
Membership of the Committee:

Chairman, being a Vice-Chairman of the oversight committee.
Vice-Chairman
7 - 9 other members, 3 of which must be members of the oversight committee.

gov; $automobile_nom = <<

Membership of the Global Advisory Committee for the Automobile Industry Committee.

Membership of Automobile Industry oversight committee.

Membership of Automobile Industry Technical committee.

Membership of Automobile Industry Strategic committee.

Membership of Automobile Industry PPP committee.

nom; // Automobile industry content Ends ****************************************************************************************** // Industry Content Arrays Starts Here ********************************************************************************** $industry_content = [ 'food' => [ 'index' => 'food', 'title' => 'Food and Agriculture Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Food and Agriculture Industry Core Group', 'about' => $food_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $food_brief, 'gov' => $food_gov, 'nom' => $food_nom, 'img' => 'images/food_industry.jpg', ], 'oil' => [ 'index' => 'oil', 'title' => 'Oil Field Services Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Oil Field Services Industry Core Group', 'about' => $oil_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $oil_brief, 'gov' => $oil_gov, 'nom' => $oil_nom, 'img' => 'images/oil_industry.jpg', ], 'pharma' => [ 'index' => 'pharma', 'title' => 'Pharmaceutical Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Pharmaceutical Industry Core Group', 'about' => $pharma_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $pharma_brief, 'gov' => $pharma_gov, 'nom' => $pharma_nom, 'img' => 'images/pharmaceutical_industry.jpg', ], 'aviation' => [ 'index' => 'aviation', 'title' => 'Aviation Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Aviation Industry Core Group', 'about' => $aviation_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $aviation_brief, 'gov' => $aviation_gov, 'nom' => $aviation_nom, 'img' => 'images/aviation_industry.jpg', ], 'banking' => [ 'index' => 'banking', 'title' => 'Banking Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Banking Industry Core Group', 'about' => $banking_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $banking_brief, 'gov' => $banking_gov, 'nom' => $banking_nom, 'img' => 'images/banking_industry.jpg', ], 'communication' => [ 'index' => 'communication', 'title' => 'Digital Communication Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Digital Industry Core Group', 'about' => $digital_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $digital_brief, 'gov' => $digital_gov, 'nom' => $digital_nom, 'img' => 'images/digital_industry.jpg', ], 'mining' => [ 'index' => 'mining', 'title' => 'Mining Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Mining Industry Core Group', 'about' => $mining_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $mining_brief, 'gov' => $mining_gov, 'nom' => $mining_nom, 'img' => 'images/mining_industry.jpg', ], 'energy' => [ 'index' => 'energy', 'title' => 'Energy Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Energy Industry Core Group', 'about' => $energy_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $energy_brief, 'gov' => $energy_gov, 'nom' => $energy_nom, 'img' => 'images/energy_industry.jpg', ], 'health' => [ 'index' => 'health', 'title' => 'Health Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Health Industry Core Group', 'about' => $health_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $health_brief, 'gov' => $health_gov, 'nom' => $health_nom, 'img' => 'images/health_industry.jpg', ], 'insurance' => [ 'index' => 'insurance', 'title' => 'Insurance Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Insurance Industry Core Group', 'about' => $insurance_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $insurance_brief, 'gov' => $insurance_gov, 'nom' => $insurance_nom, 'img' => 'images/insurance_industry.jpg', ], 'pension' => [ 'index' => 'pension', 'title' => 'Pension Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Pension Industry Core Group', 'about' => $pension_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $pension_brief, 'gov' => $pension_gov, 'nom' => $pension_nom, 'img' => 'images/pension_industry.jpg', ], 'logistics' => [ 'index' => 'logistics', 'title' => 'Logistics Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Logistics Industry Core Group', 'about' => $logistics_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $logistics_brief, 'gov' => $logistics_gov, 'nom' => $logistics_nom, 'img' => 'images/logistics_industry.jpg', ], 'hospitality' => [ 'index' => 'hospitality', 'title' => 'Hospitality Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Hospitality Industry Core Group', 'about' => $hospitality_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $hospitality_brief, 'gov' => $hospitality_gov, 'nom' => $hospitality_nom, 'img' => 'images/hospitality_industry.jpg', ], 'automobile' => [ 'index' => 'automobile', 'title' => 'Automobile Industry in Africa', 'about_title' => 'AEF Automobile Industry Core Group', 'about' => $automobile_about, 'intro' => '', 'brief' => $automobile_brief, 'gov' => $automobile_gov, 'nom' => $automobile_nom, 'img' => 'images/automobile_industry.jpg', ], ]; return $industry_content; // Industry Content Arrays Ends Here } function region_list_content() { $westafrica_brief = <<

Growth in West Africa slowed to 3.6 percent in 2022 from 4.4 percent in 2021. It is projected to pick up in the medium term, reaching 4.1 percent in 2023 and accelerating to 4.3 percent the following year. With the exception of Niger, Gambia, Guinea, and Togo, all other countries in the region decelerated in 2022. Sustained economic performance in the region’s more diversified economies is expected to drive average regional growth to 4.1 percent in 2023 and 4.3 percent in 2024.

In Ghana, growth dipped to 3.6 percent in 2022 from 5.4 percent the previous year, weighed down by deep macroeconomic imbalances—higher inflation, a depreciating local currency, and high public debt, estimated at 91 percent of GDP.
In Nigeria, the region’s largest economy, growth is estimated to have declined to 3.0 percent in 2022 from 3.6 percent in 2021, but still above the country’s population growth rate of about 2.4 percent. Nigeria has, however, suffered from a protracted decline in oil production due to technical inefficiencies arising from aging infrastructure and theft, limiting the gains from high international oil prices. It is also experiencing deep macroeconomic imbalances, underpinned by a costly subsidy on fuel, near 20-year high inflation, and foreign exchange shortages that fueled rapid depreciation of the national currency, further eroding citizen’s purchasing power. Uncertainty about policy continuity in the aftermath of the 2023 general elections, coupled with rising insecurity, has dampened investor confidence, which in turn has constrained investment, further weakening the country’s growth prospects. Against these headwinds, real GDP growth is projected to remain tepid at 3.1 percent in 2023 before slowly picking up to 3.3 percent later.
In Côte d’Ivoire, investment in strategic logistics infrastructure, expanded construction projects to meet growing urbanization, and planned energy projects to enhance the country’s renewable energy sector are expected to boost growth from an estimated 6.8 percent in 2022 to 7.2 percent in 2023.
Senegal, poised to become an oil and gas exporter in 2023 and capitalizing on a recovery in tourism and agricultural output, could ascend to list of Africa’s fastest growing economies. In this context, growth in Senegal is projected to accelerate from 4.7 percent in 2022 to 10.2 percent in 2023.

tag; $northafrica_brief = <<

Growth in North Africa is estimated to have declined by 1.1 percentage points to 4.3 percent, from 5.4 percent in 2021. This decline mainly reflects the sharp contraction in Libya and the effects of the drought in Morocco. Growth in the region is projected to stabilize at 4.3 percent in 2023 supported by the expected strong recovery in Libya and Morocco, countering the projected slowdown in Algeria and Egypt. However, the region’s economies remain subject to significant headwinds, notably the fluidity in Libya’s political situation and climate shocks, which could impact growth in 2024, as seen by the projected decline of 3.4 percent in real GDP.

In contrast, Egypt’s growth almost doubled from 3.3 percent in 2021 to 6.1 percent in 2022, boosted by expanded infrastructure investments, higher gas production, and increased vessel traffic through the Suez Canal.

Similarly, Mauritania’s growth more than doubled from 2.4 percent in 2021 to 5.3 percent in 2022, supported by a rebound in household consumption, greater production of iron ore and gold, and increased investment in natural gas and renewable energies.

North African countries exporting oil and gas, such as Algeria and Libya, could be alternative sources for the European Union’s oil and gas needs, if the bloc’s plans to diversify away from dependence on imports from Russia materialize.

tag; $southernafrica_brief = <<

Growth in Southern Africa is expected to remain tepid in 2022, declining to 2.5 percent, from 4.3 percent in 2021, reflecting persistent weaknesses in South Africa, the region’s largest economy and main trading partner.

South Africa’s real GDP growth more than halved to 1.9 percent in 2022 from 4.9 percent in 2021, due to the subdued global demand, power outages, and devasting floods that affected industrial production in KwaZulu-Natal.[i] A build-up in inflationary pressures also affected household consumption spending, a key driver of growth in South Africa. South Africa’s close trade ties with other countries in Southern Africa means that shocks buffeting the country are directly or indirectly transmitted to the rest of the region. In particular, countries in the Common Monetary Area[ii] and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU)[iii] experience near symmetrical shocks to those affecting South Africa.

Elsewhere in the SACU area, growth was above 2 percent, except in eSwatini, whose growth of 1.3 percent was even lower than for neighboring South Africa.

Fed by sustained recovery in tourism inflows, Mauritius real GDP grew the fastest at 7.0 percent in 2022.

Real output in Angola, the region’s second largest economy, expanded by 2.9 percent in 2022, supported by high prices of oil and other minerals.

Mozambique, which has been battling multiple shocks—including insurgency in Cabo Delgado region, lingering effects of cyclone Idai, and bouts of high inflation—posted 3.8 percent growth in 2022. Cessation of hostilities in Cabo Delgado is key to boosting investment in liquefied natural gas and other allied industries, for associated social benefits in surrounding areas.

Growth is accordingly projected to accelerate to 5.0 percent in 2023 and 8.0 percent in 2024. In the medium term, however, persistent weakness in South Africa will continue to weigh on the region, with real output projected to decelerate to 2.3 percent in 2023 before rising to 2.8 percent in 2024, largely reflecting broad-based improvement in economic conditions, led by Mozambique, whose economy is projected to expand by 3 percentage points to 8 percent.

According to Statistic South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal accounted for a fifth of the South Africa’s manufacturing in 2019.
Common Monetary Area—Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa. The Lesotho and Namibian currencies trade at par with the South African rand and circulate freely in these countries.
The SACU, comprising Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa, provides for common external and excise tariffs to this common customs area and the revenue collected in the bloc area is shared among members according to a revenue-sharing formula, as described in the agreement establishing the block.

tag; $eastafrica_brief = <<

Growth in East Africa is estimated to moderate to 4.2 percent in 2022 from 5.1 percent in 2021—and projected to rise to 5.0 percent in 2023 and 5.4 percent in 2024. While the production structure is relatively diversified, countries in the region are largely net importers of commodities and bear the brunt of high international prices in addition to recurrent climate shocks such as drought, particularly in the Horn of Africa.

The slowdown in 2022 was therefore mainly attributed to effects of these shocks, exacerbated by disruptions to global supply chains. Tight monetary and fiscal policy to rein in inflation has also constrained domestic household consumer demand, amplifying the effects of exogenous shocks on economic activity, home to some of the most fragile economies due to internal conflicts. Constrained household consumption was compounded by contractions in agriculture and manufacturing activities, weak private sector credit growth, and rising public sector debt.

The top growth performers in 2022 were Seychelles (8.3 percent), Rwanda (6.9 percent), and Kenya (5.5 percent). In contrast, fragility and structural weaknesses of South Sudan’s economy are likely to persist, with the recession projected to continue until 2023 before growth rebounds to 4.6 percent in 2024. Rwanda is projected to lead growth in this region in 2023 and 2024, at rates above 7 percent, benefiting from raising infrastructure spending. Uganda and Ethiopia are also projected to grow strongly in 2023 and 2024, exceeding 5 percent on account of developments in the oil sector for Uganda and continued infrastructure spending for Ethiopia.

tag; $centralafrica_brief = <<

Growth in Central Africa is estimated at 4.7 percent in 2022, up from 3.6 percent in 2021. The broad based growth benefitted from high commodity prices for a region with net exporters of crude oil, minerals, and other commodities.

Growth is projected to decline slightly to 4.3 percent in 2023 and to stabilize at 4.2 percent in 2024 as global demand picks up and domestic conditions strengthen to support consumer demand and investment, following pandemic induced risk aversion.

Real GDP in Democratic Republic of Congo and Equatorial Guinea grew the fastest in 2022, expanding by 6.6 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively.

Equatorial Guinea was among those most affected by the pandemic, with prolonged contractions extending into 2021, so its rapid expansion in 2022 reflected a recovery toward its previous growth path.

tag; $all_region = [ 'westafrica' => [ 'title' => 'West Africa', 'index' => 'westafrica', 'id' => 1, 'overview' => $westafrica_brief, 'intro' => 'Brief Content', 'img' => 'images/aef_econ.jpeg', 'hq' => 'Accra, Ghana.', 'regional_head' => 'Regional Vice President', 'industry_group' => [ 'Digital Communication', 'Health / Global Health', 'Oil & Gas (Majors)', 'Energy (Utilities)', 'Food & Agriculture', 'Logistics / Supply Chain Management', 'infrastruture Development', 'Electronics' ], ], 'northafrica' => [ 'title' => 'North Africa', 'index' => 'northafrica', 'id' => 2, 'overview' => $northafrica_brief, 'intro' => 'Brief Content', 'img' => 'images/north_africa.jpeg', 'hq' => 'Cairo, Egypt.', 'regional_head' => 'Regional Vice President', 'industry_group' => [ 'Advance Manufacturing', 'Automobile', 'Insurance', 'Infrastructure', 'Oil & Gas (Oilfield Services)', 'Aviation & Travel Services', 'Private Investment', 'Wood / Paper', ], ], 'southernafrica' => [ 'title' => 'Southern Africa', 'index' => 'southernafrica', 'id' => 3, 'overview' => $southernafrica_brief, 'intro' => 'Brief Content', 'img' => 'images/south_africa.jpeg', 'hq' => 'Johanesburg, South Africa.', 'regional_head' => 'Regional Vice President', 'industry_group' => [ 'Aero Space', 'Banking', 'Retail & Lifestyle Services', 'Pharmaceutical', 'Energy (Technology)', 'Media / Publishing', 'Water / Sanitation', 'Information Technology', ], ], 'eastafrica' => [ 'title' => 'East Africa', 'index' => 'eastafrica', 'id' => 4, 'overview' => $eastafrica_brief, 'intro' => 'Brief Content', 'img' => 'images/east_africa.jpeg', 'hq' => 'Nairobi, Kenya.', 'regional_head' => 'Regional Vice President', 'industry_group' => [ 'Rail Roads', 'Hotels & Tourism', 'Health Insurance', 'Real Estate', 'Sports / Leisure', 'High Education', 'Payment / Financial Technology', 'Security Technology', ], ], 'centralafrica' => [ 'title' => 'Central Africa', 'index' => 'centralafrica', 'id' => 5, 'overview' => $centralafrica_brief, 'intro' => 'Brief Content', 'img' => 'images/climate_change.jpeg', 'hq' => 'Duala, Cemeroon.', 'regional_head' => 'Regional Vice President', 'industry_group' => [ 'Fisheries / Forestories', 'Oil & Gas', 'Pension', 'Mining / Metals', 'Beverages', 'Shipping / Maritine', 'Institutional Investors', 'Events Technology' ], ], 'america' => [ 'title' => 'America', 'index' => 'america', 'id' => 6, 'intro' => 'Brief Content', 'img' => 'images/', 'hq' => 'Washinton, DC', 'regional_head' => 'Regional Director', 'industry_group' => [], ], 'europe' => [ 'title' => 'Europe', 'index' => 'europe', 'id' => 7, 'intro' => 'Brief Content', 'img' => 'images/', 'hq' => 'London, UK', 'regional_head' => 'Regional Director', 'industry_group' => [], ], 'middle_east' => [ 'title' => 'Middle East', 'index' => 'middle_east', 'id' => 8, 'intro' => 'Brief Content', 'img' => 'images/', 'hq' => 'Dubai, UAE', 'regional_head' => 'Regional Director', 'industry_group' => [], ], 'asia' => [ 'title' => 'Asia', 'index' => 'asia', 'id' => 9, 'intro' => 'Brief Content', 'img' => 'images/', 'hq' => 'Beijing, China', 'regional_head' => 'Regional Director', 'industry_group' => [], ], ]; return $all_region; } function region_list() { $region_list = [ ['West Africa', 'westafrica'], ['North Africa', 'northafrica'], ['Southern Africa', 'southernafrica'], ['East Africa', 'eastafrica'], ['Central Africa', 'centralafrica'], // ['America', 'america'], // ['Europe', 'europe'], // ['Middle East', 'middle_east'], // ['Asia', 'asia'] ]; return $region_list; } function country_list() { $all_country = [ ['Algeria', 'algeria', 2], ['Angola ', 'angola', 3], ['Benin', 'benin', 1], ['Botswana', 'botswana', 3], ['Burkina Faso', 'burkina_faso', 1], ['Burundi', 'burundi', 4], ['Cabo Verde', 'cabo_verde', 1], ['Cameroon', 'cameroon', 5], ['Central African Republic', 'central_africa', 5], ['Chad', 'chad', 5], ['Comoros', 'comoros', 4], ['Congo', 'congo', 5], ['Democratic Republic of Congo', 'drc', 5], ['Djibouti', 'djibouti', 4], ['Egypt', 'egypt', 2], ['Equatorial Guinea', 'equatorial_guinea', 5], ['Eritrea', 'eritrea', 4], ['eSwatini', 'eswatini', 3], ['Ethiopia', 'ethiopia', 4], ['Gabon', 'gabon', 5], ['Gambia', 'gambia', 1], ['Ghana', 'ghana', 1], ['Guinea', 'guinea', 1], ['Guinea-Bissau', 'guinea_bissau', 1], ['Ivory Coast', 'ivorycoast', 1], ['Kenya', 'kenya', 4], ['Lesotho', 'lesotho', 3], ['Liberia', 'liberia', 1], ['Madagascar', 'madagascar', 3], ['Malawi', 'malawi', 3], ['Mali', 'mali', 1], ['Mauritania', 'mauritania', 2], ['Mauritius', 'mauritius', 3], ['Morocco', 'morocco', 2], ['Mozambique', 'mozambique', 3], ['Namibia', 'namibia', 3], ['Niger', 'niger', 1], ['Nigeria', 'nigeria', 1], ['Rwanda', 'rwanda', 4], ['Sao Tome & Principe', 'saotome', 3], ['Senegal', 'senegal', 1], ['Seychelles', 'seychelles', 4], ['Sierra Leone', 'sierra_leone', 1], ['Somalia', 'somalia', 4], ['South Africa', 'southafrica', 3], ['South Sudan', 'south_sudan', 4], ['Sudan', 'sudan', 4], ['Tanzania', 'tanzania', 4], ['Togo', 'togo', 1], ['Tunisia', 'tunisia', 2], ['Uganda', 'uganda', 4], ['Zambia', 'zambia', 3], ['Zimbabwe', 'zimbabwe', 3], ]; return $all_country; } function city_list() { $city_list = [ ['Lagos', 'lagos', 'nigeria'], ['Kano', 'kano', 'nigeria'], ['Abuja', 'abuja', 'nigeria'], ['Portharcourt', 'portharcourt', 'nigeria'], ['Warri', 'warri', 'nigeria'], ['Kaduna', 'kaduna', 'nigeria'], ]; return $city_list; } function subgroup_list() { $sub_groups = [ [ 'index' => 'aefid', 'abs' => 'AEFID', 'title' => 'Africa Economic Forum International Development', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/aefid.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/aefid.jpg', 'url' => 'http://aefid.org/' ], [ 'index' => 'aefund', 'abs' => 'AEFUND', 'title' => '', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/aefund.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/aefund.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'agsgf', 'abs' => 'AGSGF', 'title' => 'AGSGF Africa Governors & Sub-national Governance Forum', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/agsg.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/agsg.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'acerg', 'abs' => 'ACERG', 'title' => 'Africa Commodities Economic Roundtable Group', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/', 'logo' => 'images/logos/', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'acger', 'abs' => 'ACGER', 'title' => 'Africa Council for Global Economic Relations', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/acger.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/acger.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'vsafrica', 'abs' => 'VS. AFRICA', 'title' => 'Volunteer Services Africa', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/aefvolunteer.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/aefvolunteer.jpg', 'url' => 'https://vsafrica.org/' ], [ 'index' => 'aif', 'abs' => 'AIF', 'title' => 'Africa Infrastructure Fund', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/aif.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/aif.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'acf', 'abs' => 'ACF', 'title' => 'Africa Children Fund', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/acf.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/acf.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'aertg', 'abs' => 'AERTG', 'title' => 'Africa Economic Roundtable Group', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/aertg.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/aertg.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'airtg', 'abs' => 'AIRTG', 'title' => 'Africa Investment Roundtable Group', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/airtg.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/airtg.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'awf', 'abs' => 'AWF', 'title' => 'Africa Women Forum', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/awf.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/awf.jpg', 'url' => 'awf.php' ], [ 'index' => 'ayf', 'abs' => 'AYF', 'title' => 'Africa Youth Forum', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/ayf.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/ayf.jpg', 'url' => 'ayf.php' ], [ 'index' => 'asf', 'abs' => 'ASMEF', 'title' => 'Africa SME Forum', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/ayf.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/ayf.jpg', 'url' => 'asf.php' ], [ 'index' => 'iatc', 'abs' => 'IATC', 'title' => 'Intra Africa Trade Council', 'intro' => 'Intra Africa Trade Council', 'img' => 'images/acertg.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/acertg.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'aiw', 'abs' => 'AIW', 'title' => 'Africa Industry Week', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/africa_industry_week.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/africa_industry_week.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'acw', 'abs' => 'ACW', 'title' => 'Africa Country Week', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/africa_country_week.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/africa_country_week.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'africa_future_industry', 'abs' => 'FoIA', 'title' => 'Future of Industry in Africa', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/africa_future_industry.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/africa_future_industry.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'ci', 'abs' => 'CEOI', 'title' => 'CEO Institute', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/ceo_institute.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/ceo_institute.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'acg', 'abs' => 'ACG', 'title' => 'Africa Crisis Group', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/africa_crisis_group.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/africa_crisis_group.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'eia', 'abs' => 'EIA', 'title' => 'Election in Africa', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/election_africa.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/election_africa.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'aef_institute', 'abs' => 'AEFInst', 'title' => 'AEF Institute', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/aef_institute.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/aef_institute.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'acmd', 'abs' => 'ACMD', 'title' => 'Africa Center for Migration and Development', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/center_migration.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/center_migration.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'auh', 'abs' => 'IIUHCIA', 'title' => 'International Institute for UHC in Africa', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/africa_universal_health.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/africa_universal_health.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'accc', 'abs' => 'ACAN', 'title' => 'Africa Climate Action Network', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/africa_center_climate_change.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/africa_center_climate_change.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'lgse', 'abs' => 'LGSE', 'title' => 'Lagos School of Economics', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/lgse.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/lgse.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], // [ // 'index' => 'afp', // 'abs' => 'FoodAid', // 'title' => 'FoodAid Africa', // 'intro' => 'Brief Description', // 'img' => 'images/afp.png', // 'logo' => 'images/logos/afp.jpg', // 'url' => '#' // ], [ 'index' => 'ggi', 'abs' => 'GGI', 'title' => 'Gulf of Guinea Institue', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/ggi.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/ggi.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'gauhcia', 'abs' => 'GAUCHIA', 'title' => 'Global Aliance for Universal Health Coverage', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/gauhcia.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/gauhcia.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], // [ // 'index' => 'kse', // 'abs' => 'KSE', // 'title' => 'Kigali School of Economics', // 'intro' => 'Brief Description', // 'img' => 'images/kse.png', // 'logo' => 'images/logos/kse.jpg', // 'url' => '#' // ], // [ // 'index' => 'cse', // 'abs' => 'CSE', // 'title' => 'Cairo School of Economics', // 'intro' => 'Brief Description', // 'img' => 'images/cse.png', // 'logo' => 'images/logos/cse.jpg', // 'url' => '#' // ], // [ // 'index' => 'ndi', // 'abs' => 'HUInst.', // 'title' => 'Hope Uweja Institute', // 'intro' => 'Brief Description', // 'img' => 'images/ndi.png', // 'logo' => 'images/logos/ndi.jpg', // 'url' => '#' // ], // [ // 'index' => 'aefhs', // 'abs' => 'AEF-HS', // 'title' => 'AEF Humanitarian Services', // 'intro' => 'Brief Description', // 'img' => 'images/aefhs.png', // 'logo' => 'images/logos/aefhs.jpg', // 'url' => '#' // ], // [ // 'index' => 'zmia', // 'abs' => 'ZMIA', // 'title' => 'Zero Malaria in Africa', // 'intro' => 'Brief Description', // 'img' => 'images/zmia.png', // 'logo' => 'images/logos/zmia.jpg', // 'url' => '#' // ], [ 'index' => 'avtc', 'abs' => 'AVTTC', 'title' => 'Africa Vocational and Technical Training Center', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/avtc.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/avtc.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'alf', 'abs' => 'ALF', 'title' => 'Africa Legacy Fund', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/alf.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/alf.jpg', 'url' => '#' ], [ 'index' => 'aefceo', 'abs' => 'AEF CEOC', 'title' => 'AEF CEO Council', 'intro' => 'Brief Description', 'img' => 'images/alf.png', 'logo' => 'images/logos/alf.jpg', 'url' => 'aef-ceo-council.php' ], ]; return $sub_groups; } function career_list() { $career_type = [ 'job_vacancies' => [], 'intership_programme' => [], ]; return $career_type; } function industry_list() { $industries = [ // null, ['Food & Agriculture', 'food'], ['Oil and Gas', 'oil'], ['Insurance', 'insurance'], ['Pharmaceutical', 'pharma'], ['Aviation & Travel Services', 'aviation'], ['Banking', 'banking'], ['Digital Communications', 'communication'], ['Mining', 'mining'], ['Energy', 'energy'], ['Health Care', 'health'], ['Pension', 'pension'], ['Logistics & Supply Chain', 'logistics'], ['Hospitality & Tourism', 'hospitality'], ['Automobile', 'automobile'], ['Digital Communication', 'digital_communincation'], ['Health / Global Health', 'g_health'], ['Oil & Gas (Majors)', 'oil_gas'], ['Energy (Utilities)', 'energy_utilities'], ['Food & Agriculture', 'food_agric'], ['Logistics / Supply Chain Management', 'logistics_supply'], ['Infrastruture Development', 'infrastructure'], ['Electronics', 'electronics'], ['Advance Manufacturing', 'advance_manufacturing'], ['Private Investment', 'private_investment'], ['Wood / Paper', 'wood'], ['Aero Space', 'aero'], ['Retail & Lifestyle Services', 'retail_services'], ['Media / Publishing', 'media_publishing'], ['Water / Sanitation', 'water'], ['Information Technology', 'info_tech'], ['Rail Roads', 'rail_road'], ['Hotels & Tourism', 'hotel'], ['Health Insurance', 'health_insurance'], ['Real Estate', 'real_estate'], ['Sports / Leisure', 'sports'], ['High Education', 'high_education'], ['Payment / Financial Technology', 'fin_tech'], ['Security Technology', 'sec_tech'], ['Fishery / Forestory', 'fisheries_forestories'], ['Mining / Metals', 'mining_metals'], ['Beverages', 'beverages'], ['Shipping / Maritine', 'ship_maritine'], ['Institutional Investors', 'inst_invest'], ['Events Technology', 'event_tech'], ]; return $industries; } function partner_list() { $partners_list = []; return $partners_list; } function slider_img_list() { $slider_img_list = []; return $slider_img_list; } function center_list() { $center_list = [ ['Center for Mingrations and Development', 2], ['Center for Climate change Action', 5], ['Center for Girl Child Education and Development', 1], ['Africa Insititute for UHC', 1], ['Lagos school of Economics', 1], ['Kisali School of Economics', 4], ['Center for Economic Eveluations of Health Projets and Interventions', 1], ['Center for Health Insurance competences', 1], ['AEF University', 1], ['AEF Insititute', 3], ['Africa Center for Vocational Training & Competencies', 5], ['Center for functional inclusion in Africa', 4], ['Cairo School of Economics', 2], ['Volunteer Training Instutute', 2], ['Agricultural Value chain Insititute', 4], ['Lake chad development Institute', 1], ['Niger Delta Institute', 1], ['Gulf of Guinea Institute', 5], ['Center for Economics Eveluation of public projects', 4], ['Center for Advance Manufacture', 2], ['Center for Promotion of Inter-Africa Trade', 5], ['Center for Study of Leading Economics', 1], ['Olusegun Obasanjo school of Government', 1], ['Nelson Mandela institute', 3], ['School of Foriegn policy', 4], ['Center for global finance (CGS)', 1], ['Health Financing Africa Hub', 1], ['UHC Africa 2035', 4], ['Africa in 2075 Policy center', 3] ]; return $center_list; } function blog_list() { $blog_list = [ [ 'id' => 1, 'index' => '', 'title' => 'A true story, that never been told!', 'content' => '', 'img' => 'images/blog/', 'region' => '', 'industry' => '', 'country' => '', 'topic' => '', 'category' => '', 'date_posted' => '', 'tag' => '', ], [ 'id' => 2, 'index' => '', 'title' => '', 'content' => '', 'img' => '', 'region' => '', 'industry' => '', 'country' => '', 'topic' => '', 'category' => '', 'date_posted' => '', 'tag' => '', ], ]; return $blog_list; } function blog_img_list() { $blog_img_list = [ 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', 'images/blog/', ]; return $blog_img_list; } function industry_img_list() { $in_img_list = []; return $in_img_list; } function boe_list() { $boe_list = [ [ 'id' => 1, 'name' => 'Professor Afees Salisu, PhD', 'img' => 'Professor Afees Salisu, PhD.jpg', 'content' => ' He is currently affiliated with three universities. He is an Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria, Department of Economics; a University Professor and Doctoral Advisor at the Global Humanistic University, Curacao; and a Research Fellow at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He is also the current Director of the Centre for Econometrics & Applied Research (CEAR) and READT International Resources Ltd. Ibadan, Nigeria.
He is consistently ranked among top 5% economists in the world (see https://ideas.repec.org/f/psa997.html), top 1% in Africa (https://ideas.repec.org/cgi-bin/rank.cgi?psa997&KxXC) and top 1% (https://ideas.repec.org/cgi-bin/rank.cgi?psa997&KxXC) in Nigeria based on the ranking by Research Papers in Economics (RePEc) Network which archives the largest database of economists in the world. Among several editorial engagements, he currently serves as a Subject Editor for Emerging Markets Finance & Trade, Co-Editor for Energy Research Letters and Guest Editor for Special Issues in Sustainability, Asian Economics Letters, and Energy Research Letters.
His articles have prominently featured in web of science (SSCI) indexed journals in economics and finance including but not limited to Energy Economics, Journal of Macroeconomics, International Review of Financial Analysis, International Journal of Finance & Economics, Journal of Forecasting, Computational Statistics and Data Analyses, Energy Policy, Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Finance Research Letters, Economic Modeling, International Review of Economics and Finance, Resources Policy, North American Journal of Economics & Finance, Research in International Business & Finance, Emerging Markets Finance & Trade, Journal of Commodity Markets, Applied Economics Letters, Borsa Istanbul Review, Energy, and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, among others.
', ], [ 'id' => 2, 'name' => 'Professor Rangan Gupta, PhD', 'img' => 'Professor Rangan Gupta, PhD.jpg', 'content' => ' He is currently a Professor at the Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa. He completed his Ph.D. in May 2005 from the Department of Economics, University of Connecticut, USA. He then joined the Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, as a Senior Lecturer in August 2005. He has obtained his B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Economics from the R.K.M.R College, Narendrapur, India, and M.Sc. degree in Economics from the University of Calcutta, India.
His main area of research is monetary policy and theory based on Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) models. In addition to this core area of research, I also do applied work using linear and nonlinear time series models for structural analysis and forecasting. He has over 750 publications in domestic and internationally accredited journals. ', ], [ 'id' => 3, 'name' => 'Professor Alaa Essam El Shazly', 'img' => 'Professor Alaa Essam El Shazly.jpg', 'content' => ' He is currently a Professor at the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypy. ', ], [ 'id' => 4, 'name' => 'Professor Alia El-Mahdi, Ph.D', 'img' => 'Professor Alia El-Mahdi, Ph.D.jpg', 'content' => ' She is currently Professor of Economics in Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences, Cairo University, and CEO of Egypols. El Mahdi was the previous-Dean of FEPS, director of the Center of Economic and Financial Research and Studies (2005- 2008) and the Vice president of MSA University (2004-2005).Area of specialization is in the fields of labor market studies, especially the informal labor, and the Micro and Small Enterprises dynamics and performance, as well as several research studies on the macroeconomic policies, FDI, industrial policies, education, social protection in Egypt and the Arab countries.Professor El Mahdi has published numerous papers and chapters in books published internationally as well as regionally and in Egypt. She also led numerous research projects in various fields of socio-economic research. In the last fifteen to twenty years, she led teams of researchers and conducted over 30 socioeconomic surveys for different domestic agencies/ ministries and research centers as well international organizations. She was in charge of leading a team, which undertook over 2000 political polls during the last 15 years. She acted as consultant and policy advisor to several ministries and international organization such as ILO, UNDP, UNICEF, WB, ADB, UNIDO, Brookings Institute, ESCWA, JAICA, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, GIZ, Arab Labor Organization, WFP, MSMEDA, etc. ', ], [ 'id' => 5, 'name' => 'Ahmed Farouk Ghoneim', 'img' => 'Ahmed Farouk Ghoneim.jpg', 'content' => ' He is currently a Professor, Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University. He is a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum for Arab Countries, Iran and Turkey (ERF) as well as at Center for Social and Economic Research (CASE) in Poland. He works as a consultant to several international and national organizations including the World Bank, WTO, UNCTAD, UNDP, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). He holds a Ph.D. in Economics and his special interests in research include mainly trade policy, trade in services, regional trade integration, the multilateral trading system, the World Trade Organization, the economics of Intellectual Property Rights, institutional economics, law and economics, and political economy in which he has published widely. He held different policy oriented positions, among which was an advisor on foreign trade issues to the Minister of Foreign Trade and advisor to the Minister of Industry on foreign trade issues and international agreements. He advised several governments on different trade policy issues, and helped in capacity building programs in a number of countries. Since August 2014 he has been appointed as the Cultural Counselor for Egypt in Berlin and Vienna and the Head of the Student Mission in Germany, Austria and a number of European countries, which is a diplomatic position lasting for three years. Starting November 2018 he has been back to Egypt, as A professor of economics, Cairo University and pursuing back his research and consultancy interests. ', ], [ 'id' => 6, 'name' => 'DR. VANESSA S. TCHAMYOU', 'img' => 'DR. VANESSA S. TCHAMYOU.jpg', 'content' => ' She holds a PhD in Applied Economics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium. She has a strong research experience with the publication of several peer-reviewed articles in international journals and is currently ranked by IDEAS/RePEc as the World’s best economist by Cohort (year, 2019). She has executed funded research projects and worked as a macroeconomist at the United Nations. She frequently serves as an expert in evaluating projects and referees in several international peer-review journals. She’s a research associate at the African Governance and Development Institute and co-chair/founder of the European Xtramile Centre of African Studies. ', ], [ 'id' => 7, 'name' => 'Dr. Philip Kofi Adom', 'img' => 'Dr. Philip Kofi Adom.jpg', 'content' => ' He is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He holds a PhD in Economics from the Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences.
His Research seeks to investigate the interrelationships that exist among the sustainable development goals. For this reason, his research cuts across various disciplines especially in energy economics and policy, applied econometric modeling, development economics, agricultural economics, and environmental economics. Other aspects of the research focus center on how learning experiences within the Global South and beyond could help achieve the just energy transition and subsequent local carbon transition. ', ], [ 'id' => 8, 'name' => 'Professor Simplice Anutechia Asongu', 'img' => 'Professor Simplice Anutechia Asongu.jpg', 'content' => ' He holds a PhD from Oxford Brookes University and is currently the Lead Economist and Director of the African Governance and Development Institute (Yaoundé, Cameroon) and Adjunct Professor at the University of Cape Town. He is also a: Senior Research Fellow at the Africa Growth Institute (Cape Town, South Africa); PhD Supervisor at Covenant University (Ota, Nigeria), the University of Ghana (Accra, Ghana) and Midlands State University (Gweru, Zimbabwe); DBA Supervisor at Management College of Southern Africa (Durban, South Africa) and Research Associate at the University of South Africa (Pretoria, South Africa), University of Buea (Buea, Cameroon) and Oxford Brookes University (Oxford, UK). He is also Associate Editor in some journals including the Journal of Economic Surveys, the Journal of African Business and the International Journal of Education Economics and Development.
Fields of expertise: Communication and information/ICTs, Economic policy / inclusive economic development, Education, Financing for inclusive development, Inclusive social development / inclusive societies / social inclusion, Reduction of inequalities / equity / poverty eradication, Science policy, technology and innovation policy, Social policy ', ], [ 'id' => 9, 'name' => 'Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke', 'img' => 'Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke (Nigeria).jpg', 'content' => ' NIgeria ', ], [ 'id' => 10, 'name' => 'Dr Njoumemi Zakariaou', 'img' => 'Dr Njoumemi Zakariaou (Cameroon).jpg', 'content' => ' Cameroon ', ], [ 'id' => 11, 'name' => 'Prof. Rasack B. lokina', 'img' => 'Prof. Rasack B. lokina (TANZANIA).jpg', 'content' => ' Tanzania ', ], ]; return $boe_list; } function bot_list() { $bot_list = [ [ 'id' => 1, 'name' => 'Prof. Rasack B. lokina', 'img' => 'Prof. Rasack B. lokina (TANZANIA).jpg', 'content' => ' Tanzania ', ], [ 'id' => 2, 'name' => 'Professor Alia El-Mahdi, Ph.D', 'img' => 'Professor Alia El-Mahdi, Ph.D.jpg', 'content' => ' She is currently Professor of Economics in Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences, Cairo University, and CEO of Egypols. El Mahdi was the previous-Dean of FEPS, director of the Center of Economic and Financial Research and Studies (2005- 2008) and the Vice president of MSA University (2004-2005).Area of specialization is in the fields of labor market studies, especially the informal labor, and the Micro and Small Enterprises dynamics and performance, as well as several research studies on the macroeconomic policies, FDI, industrial policies, education, social protection in Egypt and the Arab countries.Professor El Mahdi has published numerous papers and chapters in books published internationally as well as regionally and in Egypt. She also led numerous research projects in various fields of socio-economic research. In the last fifteen to twenty years, she led teams of researchers and conducted over 30 socioeconomic surveys for different domestic agencies/ ministries and research centers as well international organizations. She was in charge of leading a team, which undertook over 2000 political polls during the last 15 years. She acted as consultant and policy advisor to several ministries and international organization such as ILO, UNDP, UNICEF, WB, ADB, UNIDO, Brookings Institute, ESCWA, JAICA, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, GIZ, Arab Labor Organization, WFP, MSMEDA, etc. ', ], [ 'id' => 3, 'name' => 'Dr. Hope Uweja', 'img' => 'Dr Hope Uweja.jpg', 'content' => ' EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Over 17 years’ experience in: i. Development and Grants Management Over $100 million in grants for national and local initiatives in Health insurance & financing, particularly for Programmes with potentials to impact on the vulnerable populations.
ii. Strategic Planning and Facilitation Led strategic planning process for national programmes that have improved significantly access to healthcare in Nigeria. Well versed in translating Missions and Goals into operational Plans with appropriate indicators and Annual objectives.
iii. Budget Management Extensive Experience in Public Financial Management and budgeting with appropriate financial analytical tools. Designed financial protocols & procedures to control costs and monitor disbursements.
iv. Policy Development Well versed in Policy analysis and development particularly in assisting Federal and State Governments and Agencies in the development and implementation of key Policies.
v. Organizational Development and Capacity Building Participated actively in the design and review of the structure and operations of various Public and Private non-profit organizations, including selection of key and take-off teams and coordinated staff capacity building functions. Have managed a team of over 150 staff located in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
vi. Advocacy & Media Function Experienced carrying out Advocacy /Engagement of key Stakeholders of the Health and Social Services Sector, particularly the Federal, State and Local Governments and the Organized Private Sector. ', ], [ 'id' => 4, 'name' => 'Alhaji Osigwe Yesufu MBA. FCA.', 'img' => 'Aliu-Yesufu.jpg', 'content' => ' Nigeria ', ], ]; return $bot_list; } function bod_list() { $bod_list = [ [ 'id' => 1, 'name' => 'DR. VANESSA S. TCHAMYOU', 'img' => 'DR. VANESSA S. TCHAMYOU.jpg', 'content' => ' She holds a PhD in Applied Economics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium. She has a strong research experience with the publication of several peer-reviewed articles in international journals and is currently ranked by IDEAS/RePEc as the World’s best economist by Cohort (year, 2019). She has executed funded research projects and worked as a macroeconomist at the United Nations. She frequently serves as an expert in evaluating projects and referees in several international peer-review journals. She’s a research associate at the African Governance and Development Institute and co-chair/founder of the European Xtramile Centre of African Studies. ', ], [ 'id' => 2, 'name' => 'Dr. Hope Uweja', 'img' => 'Dr Hope Uweja.jpg', 'content' => ' EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Over 17 years’ experience in: i. Development and Grants Management Over $100 million in grants for national and local initiatives in Health insurance & financing, particularly for Programmes with potentials to impact on the vulnerable populations.
ii. Strategic Planning and Facilitation Led strategic planning process for national programmes that have improved significantly access to healthcare in Nigeria. Well versed in translating Missions and Goals into operational Plans with appropriate indicators and Annual objectives.
iii. Budget Management Extensive Experience in Public Financial Management and budgeting with appropriate financial analytical tools. Designed financial protocols & procedures to control costs and monitor disbursements.
iv. Policy Development Well versed in Policy analysis and development particularly in assisting Federal and State Governments and Agencies in the development and implementation of key Policies.
v. Organizational Development and Capacity Building Participated actively in the design and review of the structure and operations of various Public and Private non-profit organizations, including selection of key and take-off teams and coordinated staff capacity building functions. Have managed a team of over 150 staff located in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
vi. Advocacy & Media Function Experienced carrying out Advocacy /Engagement of key Stakeholders of the Health and Social Services Sector, particularly the Federal, State and Local Governments and the Organized Private Sector. ', ], [ 'id' => 3, 'name' => 'Ahmed Farouk Ghoneim', 'img' => 'Ahmed Farouk Ghoneim.jpg', 'content' => ' He is currently a Professor, Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University. He is a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum for Arab Countries, Iran and Turkey (ERF) as well as at Center for Social and Economic Research (CASE) in Poland. He works as a consultant to several international and national organizations including the World Bank, WTO, UNCTAD, UNDP, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). He holds a Ph.D. in Economics and his special interests in research include mainly trade policy, trade in services, regional trade integration, the multilateral trading system, the World Trade Organization, the economics of Intellectual Property Rights, institutional economics, law and economics, and political economy in which he has published widely. He held different policy oriented positions, among which was an advisor on foreign trade issues to the Minister of Foreign Trade and advisor to the Minister of Industry on foreign trade issues and international agreements. He advised several governments on different trade policy issues, and helped in capacity building programs in a number of countries. Since August 2014 he has been appointed as the Cultural Counselor for Egypt in Berlin and Vienna and the Head of the Student Mission in Germany, Austria and a number of European countries, which is a diplomatic position lasting for three years. Starting November 2018 he has been back to Egypt, as A professor of economics, Cairo University and pursuing back his research and consultancy interests. ', ], [ 'id' => 4, 'name' => 'Alhaji Osigwe Yesufu MBA. FCA.', 'img' => 'Aliu-Yesufu.jpg', 'content' => ' Nigeria ', ], [ 'id' => 5, 'name' => 'Dr Olanrewaju Jaiyeola Adebayo.', 'img' => 'Dr Olanrewaju Jaiyeola Adebayo.jpg', 'content' => ' Nigeria ', ], ]; return $bod_list; } function communities() { $communities = [ 1 => [ 'name' => 'Africa Art & Culture', 'img' => 'art-african-culture.jpg', 'overview' => 'The Africa Art & Culture Initiative, operating under the umbrella of the Africa Economic Forum Communities, is a vibrant and transformative platform dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and advancing the rich tapestry of art, culture, and creativity across the African continent. This initiative recognizes the profound significance of art and culture as catalysts for economic growth, social cohesion, and global engagement.', 'mission' => [ 'intro' => '' ], 'focus' => '', 'platforms' => 'The Africa Art & Culture Initiative employs a variety of collaborative platforms, including art exhibitions, cultural festivals, workshops, symposia, online galleries, and cultural exchanges. These platforms facilitate the exchange of ideas, artistic innovation, and the preservation of cultural heritage.', 'impact' => "The Africa Art & Culture Initiative envisions a future where Africa's artistic and cultural expressions not only flourish but also contribute significantly to the continent's social and economic development. By nurturing talent, preserving heritage, and fostering cross-cultural dialogue, the initiative aims to position African art and culture at the forefront of global cultural exchange.
As this initiative continues to evolve and engage with artists, cultural enthusiasts, and stakeholders across the continent and beyond, it holds the promise of not only preserving Africa's cultural legacy but also catalyzing its economic and cultural renaissance. In doing so, it contributes to the vitality, diversity, and global recognition of Africa's art and culture.", ], 2 => [ 'name' => 'AEF Book Club', 'img' => 'book-club.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 3 => [ 'name' => 'Center for Migration & Development', 'img' => 'center-immigration.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 4 => [ 'name' => 'CEO Action group for Universal Health Coverage in Africa', 'img' => 'uhca.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 5 => [ 'name' => 'Civil Society', 'img' => 'civil-society.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 6 => [ 'name' => 'CTO Community', 'img' => 'chief-technology-officer.webp', 'content' => '', ], 7 => [ 'name' => 'Expert Network', 'img' => 'expert-network.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 8 => [ 'name' => 'Partnership against corruption in Africa Initiative', 'img' => 'Mobile-money-transaction2.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 9 => [ 'name' => 'Niger Delta Institute', 'img' => 'niger-delta.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 10 => [ 'name' => 'Africa Climate Action Network', 'img' => 'climate-action.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 11 => [ 'name' => 'Strategic Intelligence co-creator community', 'img' => 'Strategic-Intelligence.png', 'content' => '', ], 12 => [ 'name' => 'Technology pioneers', 'img' => 'tech-pioneer.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 13 => [ 'name' => 'Forum of Young Africa leaders', 'img' => 'young-africa-leaders.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 14 => [ 'name' => 'Africa Young Scientist Forum', 'img' => 'africa-scientist.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 15 => [ 'name' => 'Africa Women Business Network', 'img' => 'africa-women-network.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 16 => [ 'name' => 'Fellow of the Forum', 'img' => 'africa-fellow.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 17 => [ 'name' => 'Future of Africa Councils', 'img' => 'future-council.jpg', 'content' => '', ], 18 => [ 'name' => 'Shapers of Africa Community', 'img' => 'shapers-africa.jpeg', 'content' => '', ], 19 => [ 'name' => 'Africa Innovators Communities', 'img' => 'innovator-communities.png', 'content' => '', ], 20 => [ 'name' => 'Africa Industry Innovation Weeks', 'img' => 'africa-industry-weeks.jpeg', 'content' => '', ], ]; return $communities; } function countryGroup() { $cosmorosOverview = <<
Tax measures adopted by the government to help cushion households from rising prices and the underperformance of state-owned enterprises led to a significant decline in government revenues and widened the fiscal deficit from 2.7% in 2021 to 3.9% in 2022. Rising import bills widened the current account deficit to 2.4% of GDP in 2022 (from 0.5% in 2021). This trend continued in 2023 Q1 but the external position remained broadly sound, with net foreign assets reaching an estimated $240 million in 2023 Q1. tag; $comorosMacro = <<
The budget deficit is projected to remain high due to increased public spending linked to continued government subsidies for certain products and support for the economic recovery, specifically public investment. The current account deficit is projected to widen to 4.5% of GDP in 2023 due to an anticipated drop in the trade deficit following economic recovery and reduced external aid. Public debt is projected to rise moderately, and foreign exchange reserves are projected to remain high. Possible headwinds are escalation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, reduced aid and external financing, and socio-political turmoil. tag; $cosmorosClimate = <<
Transfers from the diaspora—almost $232 million in 2021, equivalent to 16.5% of GDP—could also be used to finance low-carbon flagship infrastructure projects. This would require improving climate data, strengthening the public–private cooperation framework, and developing innovative climate finance instruments. The estimated value of natural capital—primarily forests, coastal ecosystems, and agricultural land—was $1.3 billion in 2018. Properly exploiting this natural capital could support climate finance and sustainable green growth. tag; $drcOverview = <<
Most people in DRC have not benefited from this wealth. A long history of conflict, political upheaval and instability, and authoritarian rule have led to a grave, ongoing humanitarian crisis. In addition, there has been forced displacement of populations. These features have not changed significantly since the end of the Congo Wars in 2003. tag; $drcMacro = <<
The risk of over indebtedness remains moderate despite a 1 percentage point increase in public debt from 2021 to 2022, to 24.7% of GDP. To mobilize local savings and finance the economy, the African Development Bank is supporting the country in developing financial markets and local currency bonds. The Central Bank of the Congo is also supporting this initiative, which is compatible with its monetary policy goals. Despite the increase in the prime rate from 7.5% in January 2022 to 8.25% in November 2022, credit to the private sector more than doubled from 17.8% in 2021 to 39.6% in 2022 due to economic dynamism. International reserves rose 54%, to 1.7 months of import cover, in 2022, due to increased mining exports. But the current account deficit widened from 1% of GDP in 2021 to 6.4% in 2022. Income poverty was estimated at 56.2% in 2020. tag; $drcOutlook = <<
The budget deficit is projected to narrow to 2.6% of GDP in 2023 and 2.2% in 2024, with average debt stabilizing at 24.1% of GDP between 2023 and 2024. The current account deficit is projected to narrow to 4% of GDP on average between 2023 and 2024. The extractive sector has the potential to boost climate finance, and foreign exchange reserves could reach $6.4 billion (1.9 months of import cover) on average over 2023–24. Possible headwinds include uncertainties linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a drop in raw materials prices, high imported inflation, and insecurity in the east of the country. tag; $drcClimate = <<
The estimated cost of adaptation and mitigation through 2030 is $48.7 billion, but government revenue was only $11.7 billion in 2022. The estimated finance needed to sustain green growth for 2021–30 totals $66.0 billion, or $7 billion a year, leaving a climate finance deficit of $6.2 billion a year. The mining sector, which dominates the economy (accounting for 98.9% of exports), could finance this deficit. Good governance is a priority for exploiting natural capital (wood, copper, cobalt, oil, gas, water resources, and the like) to fulfil ecological, economic, social, and cultural goals. Natural capital per capita fell more than 5% between 1995 and 2018. Meanwhile, the African Development Bank has mobilized a $2 million multinational, climate finance project. tag; $ivoryCoastOverview = <<
Growth was largely driven by sustained public investment and strong domestic consumption. Industrial and service sectors and the government's fiscal measures to control price rises also contributed to this economic performance in the first half of the year. Inflation averaged 5.2% in 2022, marking its highest level in a decade, driven by rising food, transport and energy prices. Nevertheless, the short- and medium-term economic outlook remains positive, albeit slightly below pre-COVID-19 levels. This optimism is underpinned by a strong commitment to macroeconomic stability and ongoing structural reforms in line with the National Development Plan (NDP 2021-2025).

Real GDP growth is expected to average 6.5% in 2024-25. Continued investment in network infrastructure, particularly in the digital and transport sectors, and the exploitation of recent oil discoveries, combined with prudent macroeconomic policies, should boost business confidence and boost productivity. Projects to develop value chains have the potential to improve agricultural productivity and boost manufacturing, underpinning long-term growth prospects. tag; $ivoryCoastOutlook = <<
The budget deficit is projected to narrow to 5.2% of GDP in 2023 and 4.1% in 2024 due to greater mobilization of domestic resources and better control of public spending. The current account deficit is projected to widen to 6.1% of GDP in 2023 and 6.0% in 2024 due to higher NDP investment. Possible headwinds include a deteriorating political climate following local elections in 2023, the ongoing effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a decline in the price of agricultural raw materials. tag; $ivoryCoastClimate = <<
Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading cocoa and cashew producer, is experiencing one of the fastest sustained economic growth rates in Sub-Saharan Africa in over a decade. With real GDP growth averaging 8.2% between 2012-2019, Côte d’Ivoire successfully contained the COVID-19 pandemic and maintained a 2% rate in 2020. In 2021, the country returned to its high-growth trajectory and continues to play a central role as a regional economic hub and host country for many nationals from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and elsewhere. tag; $djiboutiOverview = <<
The country's activity will continue to be dominated by demand for services (83% of GDP in 2020), mainly logistics and transhipment, thanks to the growth in Ethiopian demand. However, while the country benefits from a geostrategic location that favours maritime activities, it remains exposed to the ups and downs of world trade and to the political and economic situation in Ethiopia (on which 80% of the port of Djibouti's annual freight traffic depends), which is subject to the fragility of the peace agreement signed in November 2022 between the Ethiopian federal government and rebel forces. tag; $djiboutiMacro = <<
In 2024, the fiscal deficit is expected to remain on a downward trajectory, driven by the recovery in customs and transhipment revenues that accompanies the upturn in port and freight activity. However, public spending will remain high. This will be driven by increased capital expenditure. The government will also continue to support household purchasing power through food and energy subsidy programmes. Debt servicing, which has tripled to around 4% of GDP in 2022, will continue to fuel the deficit. This sharp rise in debt servicing has already led to an accumulation of external arrears, estimated at over 3% of GDP in 2022, and will continue to strain public finances. The financing of infrastructure will continue to weigh heavily on external public debt, more than half of which is owed to China, creating a high risk of over-indebtedness.

The current account deficit should continue to narrow in 2024 due to an improved external situation favourable to the resumption of export activities. Despite a rise in import volumes (mainly oil, fertiliser and palm oil), the trade deficit (25.3% of GDP in 2022) will narrow, and the recovery in port activities will help to widen the surplus on services (14.8% of GDP in 2022). Repatriation of profits by foreign investors will continue to widen the income account deficit. The transfers account will retain its surplus, fuelled by the leasing of land for foreign military bases and installations (notably by France and the United States, China and Japan) aimed at combating terrorist activities and piracy in the region. However, the surplus on the transfers account will shrink slightly as foreign aid declines against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and a global economic slowdown. That said, foreign exchange reserves should remain at the equivalent of around 3 months of imports over 2023-24, and will be supported by the peg of Djibouti's currency to the US dollar. tag; $djiboutiOutlook = <<
Increased investment in mining is expected to drive growth. However, Eritrea is already at high risk of debt distress. Although the large share of this debt is domestic, external debt represents 64.4% of GDP. This difficult macroeconomic situation limits the country's growth prospects. tag; $eritreaMacro = <<
The fiscal deficit was financed by drawdowns of government deposits with the central bank. Despite a drop in the public debt–to-GDP ratio to 164.7% in 2022 from 176.3% in 2021, reflecting debt servicing, Eritrea remains in debt distress. The current account surplus narrowed to 12.2% of GDP in 2022 from 13.5% in 2021, reflecting the uptick in imports due to higher international prices for energy and food. International reserves were estimated at 4 months of import cover in 2022. Inflation rose to 7.5% in 2022 from 4.5% in 2021. tag; $eritreaOutlook = <<
The private sector remains small, with low capacity and access to finance. Limited awareness and the absence of catalytic risk-sharing instruments are among the key bottlenecks to private finance for climate and green growth. Consequently, there is a need to develop national platforms for exchanging knowledge and information related to climate change adaptation and mitigation. Eritrea has substantial endowments of copper, silver, zinc, gold, and potash, which accounted for about 10% of GDP and 50% of exports during 2010–19. Strong potential also exists for wind and solar energy. In this context, implementing economic and financial governance reforms to boost competitiveness and enhance the enabling environment for private finance of climate and green growth is equally important. tag; $egyptOverview = <<
In December 2022, the International Monetary Fund Executive Board approved an Extended Fund Facility Arrangement of $3 billion for Egypt, which aims to maintain economic and financial stability and enhance comprehensive structural reforms. Moreover, the government announced the privatization of $40 billion worth of state-owned enterprises over 2023–27 to give the private sector more room to grow. Need for large external financing remains an important risk. tag; $egyptClimate = <<
Key long-term strategic opportunities for the private sector include creating a carbon market, issuing green bonds, establishing 15 new green cities, and implementing the Integrated Sustainable Energy Strategy, which steps up renewable energy in the electricity mix to 42% by 2035. Also, minerals are in large quantities but are yet to be exploited to their full potential. As of 2021, Egypt ranks 28th in proven oil reserves and 18th in proven gas reserves. Egypt’s natural capital could be a source of climate action and green growth financing, with the important involvement of the private sector. tag; $equatorialGuineaOverview = <<
Economic recovery widened the current account surplus to 3.9% of GDP in 2022 from a deficit of 4.0% in 2021. International reserves rose from 2.7 months of import cover in 2021 to 3.5 months in 2022, above the target of 3 months. Higher prices for consumer goods and transportation reduced household purchasing power and accentuated urban poverty, which reached 67% of the population during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to an overall poverty rate of 67% in 2022. tag; $equatorialGuineaOutlook = <<
The country has considerable natural capital, including the Congo Basin, a major source of carbon credits and climate resilience. It is also rich in bays, rivers, and mangroves; has a well-developed river system; and maintains a maritime environment that favors productivity in economically valuable fisheries resources that could contribute to climate finance and green growth. However, the government needs to put in place a regulatory environment and policies that incentivize this type of financing. tag; $eswatiniOverview = <<
The 2022 fiscal deficit is an estimated 4.6% of GDP, similar to the rate in 2021, a result of fiscal consolidation. Public debt stood at 42.7% of GDP in December 2022, up from 40.4% in December 2021. The current account deficit dipped to an estimated 0.9% of GDP in 2022 due to weak trade and secondary income inflows. International reserves stood at 2.6 months of import cover in December 2022, below the recommended 3 months. The nonperforming loans ratio increased from 6.5% in January 2022 to 6.9% by end-2022, while private sector credit increased 7.8%. Unemployment remained high, at 33.3% in 2021, exacerbating the poverty rate (58.9%) and inequality (Gini coefficient of 0.546) amid high HIV prevalence (27.9%). tag; $eswatiniOutlook = <<
With the forecasted higher growth trajectory, the public debt–to-GDP ratio is projected to decline to 41% in 2023 and 38% in 2024. The current account surplus is projected to average 0.9% in the medium term due to higher secondary income flows spurred by SACU. Economic tailwinds include the huge increase in SACU revenue windfalls and the proposed SACU Stabilisation Fund, expected to foster fiscal stability. Headwinds remain higher global inflation, weak growth in South Africa, and the difficult socio-political context. tag; $eswatiniClimate = <<
The private sector’s participation in NDC actions, though nascent, is imperative. Banks and large companies, such as sugar corporations, are key potential partners. Eswatini adopted the Strategy to Enhance Private Sector Engagement for climate finance, but barriers include lack of affordable long-term financing, market imperfections, inadequate enabling policies, perceived financial and technology risks, and high upfront capital costs. An enabling policy and regulatory environment to enable private innovation and investment in NDC actions is important, including creation of investment incentives that will minimize costs and reduce risks. tag; $ethiopiaOverview = <<
This debt servicing pause is contingent on the country achieving an IMF deal by March 2024. Meanwhile, in recent weeks, Ethiopia has deepened its economic ties with the Middle East: In mid-November, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia for joint ventures in the energy sector, and in early December, it reached an agreement worth USD 600 million with the UAE to build a wind farm. tag; $ethiopiaMacro = <<
The current account deficit deteriorated to 4.0% of GDP in 2022 from 3.2% in 2021 due to higher prices for commodity imports. International reserves declined to about 1 month of import cover in 2022 from 2.2 months in 2021. Public and publicly guaranteed debt declined to 50.1% of GDP (with external debt at 23.6% of GDP) in 2022 from 51.0% in 2021. Ethiopia benefited from the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative in 2020–21. However, Ethiopia’s application for the G20 Common Framework for debt restructuring in 2021 saw Fitch and S&P downgrade its sovereign rating from B to CCC. Income per capita grew 2.7% in 2022, but internal conflict and drought increased humanitarian support requirements from 15.8 million people in 2021 to 20 million in 2022. tag; $ethiopiaOutlook = <<
Tax relief and other incentives are needed to encourage private companies to invest more in climate and green growth as part of their strategic goals and corporate social responsibility. Ethiopia launched its Natural Capital Accounting Initiative to build a robust information system for natural capital to underpin national priorities and strategies. Natural capital accounts for about 40% of wealth, with natural resource rents amounting to about 5% of GDP. Raising awareness of and mainstreaming climate and green growth policies in public and private investment, especially in the natural resource sectors, are important to exploit the natural capital potential. tag; $angolaOverview = <<
Growth speeded up to 3% in 2022 from 1.2% in 2021, driven by growth in non-oil industries and a slight increase in oil production. Increased oil prices supported stronger domestic demand and led to a 7% increase in private spending by enabling fiscal expansion, particularly in public investments, and the appreciation of the national currency. tag; $angolaMacro = <<
Better terms of trade reduced the strain on global inflation caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. From 25.8% in 2021 to an expected 21.3% in 2022, food inflation and total inflation were decreased due to higher export earnings and agricultural output. In 2022, the banking industry saw improvement as well, with a favorable economic performance and a decrease in private sector debt. However, the nation still struggles to lower the poverty rate (which was 40.6% in 2019), and unemployment is still high at 30%. tag; $angolaOutlook = <<
The main risk to the projection is the unpredictability of oil prices, which is why the national budget for 2023 makes the assumption that oil prices would remain constant. In the event that oil prices maintain steady, a 0.3% GDP budget surplus is anticipated, with the current account remaining in surplus at 4.3% of GDP in 2023 and the debt-to-GDP ratio declining to 52.5%. tag; $angolaClimate = <<
A dedicated national climate fund, strengthened public resource generation systems with green taxes, and institutional improvements in regulatory frameworks to permit private participation as independent power producers are necessary to unlock the potential of climate finance. Public-private partnerships must also be structured in a way that supports growth initiatives with private participation. tag; // Botswana Entry $botswanaOverview = <<
In order to achieve a modest budget surplus by FY2025, the authorities intend to undertake a fiscal expansion in FY2023 and then two years of significant fiscal adjustment. The restoration of government cash deposits and foreign exchange reserves should be aided by this adjustment. tag; $botswanaMacro = <<
To help with living expenses, the government temporarily lowered the value added tax rate from 14% to 12% and zero-rated gas and cooking oil. In August 2022, the Bank of Botswana increased the policy rate from 1.65% in May 2022 to 2.65%. After a 9.5% GDP fiscal deficit in 2020–2021, the 2021/22 budget was balanced due to increased mining earnings and a poorly executed development budget. The 1.0% GDP deficit for 2022–2023 was financed by borrowing and reserve depletion. At 23.9% of GDP in 2021–2022, the public debt is manageable. The Southern African Customs Union's increased diamond sales and revenue were indicated by the 2022 current account surplus of 2.2% of GDP. In November 2022, international reserves were $4.6 billion, or 9.7 months' worth of import cover; by the end of 2021, they were $4.8 billion, or 9.9 months.

Between November 2021 and November 2022, the banking sector's capital adequacy ratio averaged 19.1%, which was higher above the regulatory norm of 12.5%. From 4.3% in December 2021 to 3.8% in November 2022, the ratio of nonperforming loans decreased. Botswana's 2021 poverty headcount ratio was low at 20.8%, but its 2022 unemployment rate of 25.4% was high due to youth unemployment of 39.9%. tag; $botswanaOutlook = <<
Complete implementation of the government's consolidation and public financial management measures can sustain the estimated 0.6% GDP fiscal surplus. As the tourism and diamond sectors grow again, the current account may continue to be in excess. The government's well-targeted social security system may help to reduce unemployment. tag; $botswanaClimate = <<
The low level of private climate finance can be attributed to a number of factors, including: a lack of institutional investor interest due to low expertise and an inadequate regulatory environment; perceptions of higher transaction costs in developing bankable green projects; and a less developed renewable sector that could support the issuance of green bonds. More national technological know-how will be needed to provide better adaptation data and estimate the costs of appropriate adaptation routes. Because the Okavango Basin contains 84 metric tons of irrecoverable carbon belonging to Botswana, it is critical to create safe markets for carbon trading by guaranteeing the efficacy of value chains associated with development and inclusive growth policies. To enhance the environment for private investment, Botswana should keep implementing more extensive regulatory changes. tag; // Country Group Array $countryGroups = [ "comoros" => [ "overview" => $cosmorosOverview, "macro_economy" => $comorosMacro, "outlook" => $comorosOutlook, "climate" => $cosmorosClimate, ], "congo" => [ "overview" => $drcOverview, "macro_economy" => $drcMacro, "outlook" => $drcOutlook, "climate" => $drcClimate, ], "ivorycoast" => [ "overview" => $ivoryCoastOverview, "macro_economy" => $ivoryCoastMacro, "outlook" => $ivoryCoastOutlook, "climate" => $ivoryCoastClimate, ], "djibouti" => [ "overview" => $djiboutiOverview, "macro_economy" => $djiboutiMacro, "outlook" => $djiboutiOutlook, "climate" => $djiboutiClimate, ], "eritrea" => [ "overview" => $eritreaOverview, "macro_economy" => $eritreaMacro, "outlook" => $eritreaOutlook, "climate" => $eritreaClimate, ], "egypt" => [ "overview" => $egyptOverview, "macro_economy" => $egyptMacro, "outlook" => $egyptOutlook, "climate" => $egyptClimate, ], "equatorial_guinea" => [ "overview" => $equatorialGuineaOverview, "macro_economy" => $equatorialGuineaMacro, "outlook" => $equatorialGuineaOutlook, "climate" => $equatorialGuineaClimate, ], "eswatini" => [ "overview" => $eswatiniOverview, "macro_economy" => $eswatiniMacro, "outlook" => $eswatiniOutlook, "climate" => $eswatiniClimate, ], "ethiopia" => [ "overview" => $ethiopiaOverview, "macro_economy" => $ethiopiaMacro, "outlook" => $ethiopiaOutlook, "climate" => $ethiopiaClimate, ], "angola" => [ "overview" => $angolaOverview, "macro_economy" => $angolaMacro, "outlook" => $angolaOutlook, "climate" => $angolaClimate, ], "botswana" => [ "overview" => $botswanaOverview, "macro_economy" => $botswanaMacro, "outlook" => $botswanaOutlook, "climate" => $botswanaClimate, ], ]; return $countryGroups; };
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