Category: Business News & Insight

Fabric

Can West Africa Lead the Way in Creating a More Sustainable Textiles Industry

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

– Textile and fashion is the world’s second-largest industrial polluter, behind oil and gas

– Concerted efforts are being made to create more sustainable business models

– Two solar-powered, sustainable textile plants under construction in Togo and Benin

– Increased cotton processing could mean value-added textile earnings stay in West Africa

 

With textiles and fashion expected to constitute an important post-Covid-19 growth driver for West Africa, stakeholders and key players in the industry are exploring ways to implement sustainable practices and make the sector more environmentally friendly.

While one might not instinctively include it among the world’s heaviest polluters, the textile and fashion industry is a key contributor to climate change, accounting for around 10% of global carbon emissions.

Indeed, with pre-pandemic annual emissions of 1.2bn tonnes, the industry is the second-largest industrial polluter behind the oil and gas industry, surpassing emissions from all international flights and maritime shipping put together.

A major factor behind the industry’s carbon footprint is the water needed for cotton production. For example, it can take an estimated 20,000 litres of water to produce 1 kg of cotton, or one t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

In addition, with up to 8000 chemicals used to turn raw materials into clothes, the World Bank estimates that 20% of global industrial water pollution comes from dyeing and finishing fabrics.

Another major factor behind the environmental footprint of the industry is the sheer mass of clothes produced to meet the needs of modern “fast fashion”. An estimated $500bn in value is lost every year from clothes that are worn for a short period of time and not recycled, with much of it ending up incinerated or in landfill.

 

Pushing for environmental sustainability

To combat the environmental impact of the textiles and fashion industry, a number of industry players are turning towards more sustainable means of operation.

For example, Jendaya, a UK-based, Africa-focused online fashion retailer avoids plastic and ships goods in recyclable cardboard packaging.

The company is also one of a growing number supportinggin cott designers who produce clothes in smaller capacities on a made-to-order basis, reducing waste and the amount of clothing that is consigned to landfill.

Other examples of African companies promoting local production using natural materials under made-to-order models include Nehanda & Co in Zimbabwe, Naked Ape in South Africa, Nkwo in Nigeria and Awa Meité in Mali.

There are also efforts to support this approach on an institutional level. Fashionomics Africa, an initiative developed by the African Development Bank, aims to develop a sustainable textile value chain and help create business models that will keep garments in use, make use of renewable materials and recycle old clothes into new products.

Another company driving sustainable solutions across the entire value chain in West Africa’s textiles industry is the India-headquartered Arise.

On top of existing industrial projects in Gabon, Mauritania and Côte d’Ivoire, the company is in the process of constructing two textiles parks in Togo and Benin. The sites, which source raw materials, gin cotton, and process and manufacture final products, will emphasise environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors across all aspects of the operation.

For example, some of the sustainability credentials of the textile park in Togo include processing 100% sustainably sourced cotton, under Cotton Made in Africa standards, and using 100% renewable electricity, offsetting 20 tonnes of carbon emissions per day. The site will also reuse 90-95% of the water used during processing and comply with independent international certifications when it comes to dyeing and finishing fabrics.

“The private sector needs to implement socially conscientious governance models across the textile value chain, enfranchising local communities through fair and equitable labour practices while also managing ecological resources sustainably,” Bhavin Vyas, chief ESG officer at Arise, told OBG.

 

Economic benefits

The benefits of such an approach are not just environmental. Increasing textile production on the continent will also provide an economic boon to the region as countries continue their recoveries from Covid-19.

Indeed, in April the African Circular Economy Alliance, a government-led coalition that promotes environmentally and socially sustainable solutions for economic development, identified the textiles and fashion industry as one of the “Five Big Bets” – alongside food systems, the built environment, electronics and packaging – that could drive the continent’s sustainable development in the future.

The issue is particularly pertinent to West Africa. Around three-quarters of the continent’s cotton is produced in the region; however, most of this is shipped to South and East Asia for processing, meaning that West African countries miss out on much of the value-added economic benefits traditionally associated with the textile industry.

Every year leading West African cotton-producing nations Benin, Burkina-Faso and Mali export 1.8m tonnes of unprocessed cotton worth $922m, but then import $2.4bn in finished cotton textiles and apparels.

In an effort to address the situation, Arise’s textile park in Togo aims to convert 56,000 tonnes of cotton fibres valued at $73m into apparel worth $1.5bn. The company says the construction and running of the site will create 20,000 direct and 80,000 indirect jobs, ensuring that much of the profit will filter into local communities.

Meanwhile, in Benin, where the cotton industry accounts for 12% of GDP and 60% of industrial earnings, the government is playing an active role in promoting domestic production, implementing a ban on 30% of cotton lint exports by the end of 2021, with this figure rising to 70% by 2022 and 100% by 2023.

Remote work

Is Working From Home Sustainable in the Long Run?

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

By Jiselle Rose

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every sector and industry. To avoid going under, many organizations and businesses had to innovate their operations and the way their employees worked. Working remotely has now become the new normal, as most offices and headquarters remain closed due to the virus. This working arrangement has also brought unprecedented and dramatic changes to the operations of many businesses and organizations across the Middle East and Africa.

In the region, many startups have already been employing remote teams for their technical and backend operations. Indeed, a Scene Arabia report notes that startups and SMEs have been the main driver for job creation in the GCC region, as they continue to accept remote workers from countries like Jordan, India, and Egypt. In these places, there’s an abundance of accessible talent that makes them appealing to up and coming companies.

Well-established organizations had no choice but to quickly adapt to the pandemic, too. In a previous post, we’ve talked about how the pandemic has triggered an e-commerce boom in sub-Saharan Africa as digital solutions were quickly deployed to keep companies afloat. Thankfully, bigger companies are already familiar with the work from home structures, so all they needed to do was utilize remote working programs and apps to let their employees continue working safely.

At the start of the pandemic, many workers were enthusiastic at the chance of being able to work from home and were ready to say goodbye to their office cubicles. In fact, a survey by research firm Davies Hickman Partners reports that people from the UAE were particularly happy with the remote working arrangement, and at least 64% said that the option to work from home has brought them happiness.

Managers in the Middle East are more likely to favor traditional working settings and tend to be more office-centric. However, a Bayt.com survey points out that 30% of remote workers across the MENA region have seen an increase in their productivity, so business owners and managers shouldn’t have that much of a problem with this non-traditional working arrangement.

Of course, working from home still has many pitfalls that both employers and employees need to address. For one, working from home allows for flexible working hours, which can easily blur the lines between work and home life. Because of this, writer James Gonzales advises that remote workers should still create a structure for their workday in order to avoid burnout and stress. In addition, people who work from home should carve out a space in their home that’s conducive for working, so they won’t be easily distracted by their roommates, partner, children, or pets. Lastly, managers of remote teams also need to expertly use popular remote working tools such as Zoom and Slack, as well as constantly communicate with teams to keep everyone in line.

Without a doubt, remote working structures have helped organizations across all industries withstand the dire economic consequences of the pandemic. However, many experts still think that this working arrangement is not going to become the new normal. There’s a lot that goes into making remote working arrangements effective for businesses and companies, and it needs managers to step up and create clear guidelines, clearly define KPIs, and be more proactive in handling their team members. If done right, working from home can be sustainable for an extended period of time, but companies still need to constantly find ways to optimize this working arrangement if they want to take better care of their workers and recover from pandemic losses.

Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Fourth Industrial Revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa: Key to the Coronavirus Recovery?

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

– Prior to the pandemic, 4IR technologies had begun to take root in the region

– Significant challenges still exist, among them ICT infrastructure and education

– 4IR uptake could hold the key to Africa’s Covid-19 recovery

– International bodies, governments and businesses must work together to implement 4IR

The coronavirus pandemic has significantly accelerated the global spread of technologies associated with the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), among them artificial intelligence, internet of things (IoT), big data and blockchain. In sub-Saharan Africa, many now see 4IR as key to the region’s recovery.

Progress towards the 4IR – characterised by the fusion of technologies in the physical, digital and biological spheres – was already under way in sub-Saharan Africa prior to Covid-19. In Kenya and parts of West Africa, for instance, blockchain was used to verify property records, while Ghana-based companies Farmerline and Agrocenta used mobile and web technology to support farmers.

Elsewhere, in 2016 Rwanda became the first country to incorporate drones into its health care system, using them to deliver blood to remote regions.

South Africa is another regional leader. October 2019 saw the inauguration of the South African affiliate of the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the 4IR Network, while in January last year President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the creation of a Presidential Commission on the 4IR, bringing together start-ups, researchers, trade unionists and cybersecurity specialists, among others.

In an article published by US research group the Brookings Institution at the same time, Ramaphosa argued that Africa had to leverage the 4IR in order to industrialise, pursue inclusive growth and attract investment.

He also expressed his ambition that, thanks to 4IR, by 2030 South Africa would be “an economy that uses technological innovation to revolutionise manufacturing and industrial processes and energy provision and distribution.”

“We want to demonstrate how science, technology and innovation have been used to enhance our food and water security and to build smart human settlements,” he added, highlighting some of the benefits that the 4IR could bring to the continent.

 

Strengths and weaknesses

Various factors stand the sub-Saharan region in good stead to take advantage of 4IR technologies.

For example, in recent times the region has seen a massive expansion of mobile technology, with consumers leapfrogging traditional development channels straight to digital services, particularly with regard to banking.

Africa also boasts disproportionately high numbers of young people, a demographic dividend which is already bearing fruit in terms of the 4IR.

More than 400 tech hubs have sprung up across the continent, largely thanks to the efforts of young people, with three key centres – Lagos, Nigeria; Nairobi, Kenya; and Cape Town, South Africa – achieving global recognition.

Further to this, a report published at the end of 2019 by the African Development Bank (AfDB) noted that IoT had expanded considerably in Africa, while there had been strong investment growth in technology-led areas. The report found this unsurprising, given the transformative impacts that such technologies can have in sectors as varied as agriculture, manufacturing, health care and governance.

But the report also highlighted a range of challenges, among them ICT infrastructure gaps and the fact that the start-up ecosystem was under-capitalised.

Education is also widely identified as a key hurdle, both in the sense that education systems in the region are often inadequate, with limited numbers of people attending higher education, and in the sense that there is a mismatch of skills, with many people not given the right training to take advantage of 4IR.

While progress has been made, many challenges remain. Released earlier this year, UNCTAD’s Technology and Innovation Report 2021 found that Africa as a whole was the world’s least prepared region to take advantage of 4IR technologies.

South Africa is the continent’s most prepared country, but it ranks far below fellow BRICS nations Brazil, Russia, India and China. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Gambia and Sudan number among the continent’s least prepared.

 

4IR and Covid-19 recovery

While the onset of the coronavirus pandemic stalled progress in many industries across the sub-Saharan region, it also provided a major fillip to a range of technologies, as OBG has extensively detailed.

For example, Covid-19 triggered an e-commerce boom in sub-Saharan Africa, and it is anticipated that growth in this field will be sustained moving forward: according to a report launched by Google and the International Finance Corporation at the end of last year, Africa’s digital economy could contribute $180bn to the continent’s GDP by 2025, an increase on the $115bn for which it is currently responsible.

Meanwhile, international bodies have prompted African countries to develop 4IR technologies.

For example, in June last year it was announced that the continent was set to receive a total of $50bn in support from the World Bank. The bank encouraged Africa to invest in digital technology through the introduction of new digital platforms, the installation of digital infrastructure, the development of digital skills and the establishment of an enabling regulatory environment.

A belief in the importance of the 4IR remains prominent among global organisations.

Cristina Duarte, special advisor on Africa to the UN secretary-general, wrote in March this year that, “to address the myriad challenges facing Africa in the areas of food security, education, health and energy, as well as bridge the digital divide, it is essential for African policy makers to harness innovation and the potential brought by digital technologies. This will be crucial for the continent’s recovery from the current Covid-19 pandemic.”

 

Ongoing 4IR initiatives

With the benefits of such developments abundantly clear, the question is: what is being done to ensure that 4IR technologies are used to help sub-Saharan Africa overcome its Covid-19 economic slump?

Various types of international bodies are playing a part. For example, the World Economic Forum’s Africa Growth Platform – launched in Cape Town at the end of 2019 – brings together governments, investors and entrepreneurs to create new employment opportunities and support Africa’s digital transformation.

Development banks are also key players. The AfDB, for example, runs the “Coding for Employment” scheme as part of its Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy. The programme provides equipment and training to give young people the soft and interpersonal skills required in many 4IR sectors.

In addition, the AfDB’s investments in agriculture are expected to quadruple to about $2.4bn by 2024. Much of the funds will go towards the transformation of food systems, with 4IR technologies to play a major part in this.

Elsewhere, the recently ratified African Continental Free Trade Area is an example of national governments taking proactive steps to push forward development across the continent.

Indeed, increased collaboration between the private and public sectors, as well as between national and international bodies, will be key to the growth and successful management of 4IR going forward. In short, if Africa can begin to close infrastructure and education gaps, it will be able to continue leveraging 4IR, both as a driver for recovery and as the foundation for a successful and inclusive future.

Luxury Jewelry

7 of the Best Destinations in the World to Buy Jewelry

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

Jewelry makes you look sophisticated and shows off your style. Accessory shopping can be fun anywhere, but it can be even more exciting when you’re traveling. Buying jewelry worldwide allows you to add beautiful pieces to your collection while going on an adventure!

Here are seven destinations to add to the top of your bucket list.

 

1.  The Gold Souk, Dubai

This location has a variety of gold pieces available. Suppose you’re looking for jewelry symbolizing wealth and confidence? This is the place to go. Gold accessories also have some health benefits alongside their elegant appearance. They can allegedly improve blood circulation, help heal wounds, and soothe your skin.

The Gold Souk is a covered market inside the city. Some of its shops include Damas, Liali Jewelry, and Taiba.

 

2.  Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is a great place to shop because you can buy directly from merchants. This city has many marketplaces lining the streets. If you’re looking to add to your silver jewelry collection, then you’re in luck. They offer a variety of sleek and chunky pieces alike.

Some of the top shops to look out for include Joanna Bristow, Jewels, and Gallerie Al Yel.

 

3.  Geneva, Switzerland

Geneva is known as the watch capital of the world. Companies from all over are headquartered in this stunning city. Tiffany & Co. is a popular one to check out. Some other shops to consider are Piaget, Escape Temps, Bucherer, and Swatch.

If you want to browse for a classy new accessory while enjoying beautiful scenery, this is the perfect place to go.

 

4.  Jerusalem, Israel

This location is home to some of the most luxurious jewelry made by both local and foreign designers. Here are some of the top jewelry stores to check out:

 

  • Baltinester Jewelry and Judaica: This store offers customized jewelry. It provides a wide variety of contemporary Jewish accessories in silver and gold.
  • Avi Luvaton Jewelry and Judaica: Their design style is a blend of traditional and contemporary elements. They also feature diamond and South Sea pearl collections.
  • Turquoise 925: They sell handcrafted wedding rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings made from gold, silver, and Israel stones. The jeweler also makes customized items for buyers.

 

5.  Paris, France

Paris is the location to visit if you’re looking for high-end jewelry. If you’re looking for a trendy and unique spot, try The 3rd Arrondissement.

Paris is also a romantic destination. If you’re looking for an engagement or wedding ring, this is an excellent place to go. Diamond bands are a classic choice. To verify it’s a natural diamond, take it to an expert for examination.

 

6.  Cape Town, Central Africa

Consider checking out the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, which offers many stores to fit your budget. St. George’s Mall is another place to search for jewelry. If you’re looking for jewelry with beading, this location is an excellent option.

 

7.  St. Maarten, Caribbean

Check out Philipsburg on Front Street for sellers who specialize in gem and diamond accessories. French Marigot is another palace that offers a wide variety of options. If you’re primarily looking for diamond pieces, consider visiting Caribbean Gems.

 

Find the Perfect Jewelry While Exploring the World

Jewelry helps to complement your outfit and is a way to express yourself. Shopping for these accessories can be even more fun when you add in an exotic location! Consider these destinations next time you want to explore.

UAE

Dubai CommerCity Launches Second Edition of MEASA E-commerce Landscape Report

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair
  • Amna Lootah: The value of the e-commerce market will reach $148.5 billion in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia in 2022
  • The Gulf region witnessed a 214% year-on-year increase in cross-border online sales by mid-year 2020
  • MEASA B2C products e-commerce market equates to 2.5% of the global B2C e-commerce market

Dubai CommerCity (DCC), the first dedicated e-commerce free zone in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), announced the launch of the second edition of ‘MEASA E-Commerce Landscape: B2C Products Edition’. Amna Lootah, Assistant Director General, DAFZA, and a Board Member at Dubai CommerCity, stated that the value of the e-commerce market will grow to $148.5 billion in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) by 2022.

This comes in line with the free zone’s efforts to strengthen its position as a gateway for growth of the regional e-commerce sector through the emirate of Dubai. The report also aims to provide insights from experts and industry specialists in the free zone to enhance knowledge transfer.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the e-commerce sector in the MEASA region with a focus on its activities and growth. It also analyses trends in 29 countries within the MEASA region and its expected developments within the next three years. The report offers regional and international businesses and entrepreneurs guidance on how to better benefit from the B2C MEASA market.

Amna Lootah, Assistant Director General, DAFZA, and a Board Member at Dubai CommerCity said: “The e-commerce sector in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia is witnessing a significant growth, which is driven by the confidence of its business community and ecosystem. This has also been led by the continuously changing consumer behavior and the adaptation of advanced technologies that played a key role in easing the overall consumer shopping experience. The MEASA region’s e-commerce market is experiencing a staggering CAGR at 18.4%, higher than the global 16.6% growth over the 2019-22 forecasted period, which represents a big opportunity for the region to benefit from the growing e-commerce activity. The report highlights regional growth, future opportunities and latest trends, which can guide SME’s and multinational companies on the right direction to benefit from and to expand their regional and global operations,”

“Dubai CommerCity aims to provide the business community with the latest insights, trends and statistics for the e-commerce sector. These reports support businesses in developing strategies to establish or expand their operations in e-commerce within the UAE and the wider region. This falls in line with Dubai CommerCity’s position as the first dedicated e-commerce free zone, which through its expertise, knowledge and industry specialists, supports entrepreneurs and businesses to achieve economic prosperity and growth in e-commerce,” Lootah added.

The report features interviews conducted with executives from top B2C companies in the region including Mr. Geoff Walsh, Country Manager DHL Express UAE, Mr. Hadi Raad, Regional Head of Digital Solutions Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA), VISA and Mr. Firas Ahmad, CEO Azam Pay who all provide firsthand insights.

 

The study shows that e-commerce has experienced a significant leap during the COVID-19 pandemic with the Gulf region witnessing a 214% year-on-year increase in cross-border online sales by mid-year 2020. Findings of the report indicate that the MEASA B2C products e-commerce market equates to 2.5% of the global B2C e-commerce market.

South Asia represents the largest sub-regional e-commerce market size, with India the largest country by e-commerce sales in the MEASA region, valued at $45.7 billion sales in 2019. GCC is the fastest growing sub regional e-commerce market over the forecasted period 2019-22, where Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates take the lead at 39% and 38% CAGR respectively. African markets are showing strong potential, covering at least 19% of the regional sales within the MEASA e-commerce market share in 2019. Nigeria is the second largest e-commerce market in the region at US$ 7.7 billion sales, with South Africa and Morocco also making it to the top 10 markets. Kenya is the 4th fastest growing economy at 36.6% CAGR.

The findings of the report suggest that the affluent, young population and cross-border e-commerce are the two strongest e-commerce growth drivers for the MEASA region. Other growth drivers include internet penetration, smartphone and social media adoption, government policy and ease of doing business. The evolving consumer demands and habits represent an important opportunity for the region to advance the e-commerce industry to reach international standards. This opportunity is further reflected with the United Arab Emirates leading many e-commerce related rankings regionally and globally including the highest global internet penetration at 99% and securing the 13th position out of 99 countries for ease of starting an online business ranking.

DeVere Forster, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai CommerCity, said: “At Dubai CommerCity, we are committed to developing and providing advanced infrastructure and innovative logistics, e-fulfilment and shipping solutions to enhance trade within the e-commerce sector. We are working with our strategic partners to build a world-class e-commerce ecosystem, which helps businesses start up, expand and enhance their operations at a time when the sector provides promising opportunities.

“This report shows the potential growth expected to take place in the e-commerce sector. It will help local, regional and multinational companies to better understand the B2C product market in the MEASA region. It will also guide the regional government entities and industry bodies to explore potential developments that can better facilitate the e-commerce sector at a regional and global level,” Forster added.

The region’s high rankings have made it increasingly attractive to some of the leading global e-commerce players. The report presents a unique list of the top 100 B2C e-commerce companies operating in the MEASA region, offering B2C e-commerce products. The ranking is based on unique visitors from MEASA, and collectively the top 100 websites represent 1.94 billion unique visitors from MEASA. These companies are mostly based in the Middle East with 38 companies, Africa with 26 companies and South Asia with 15 companies.

Within the report, marketplace represent the highest number of companies on the list, with 32 companies, followed by electronics and fashion with 19 companies each. Next on the list is food delivery with 10 companies. Other categories with less than five companies include bookstore, home and furniture shop, sports and clothing, and others. Some of the leading companies from the United Arab Emirates include Sharaf DG, Noon, Namshi and Centre Point (Landmark Group).

For the MEASA region to become an increasingly competitive global player, the report suggests that there are key structural barriers that must be addressed at a government and industrial support level. The report devises five broad strategic considerations around key e-commerce barriers. These strategies include robust policy framework, consumer awareness and trust-building, logistics and postal services, digital infrastructure, and global collaboration.

Dubai CommerCity is the first and leading e-commerce free zone in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. With an area covering 2.1 million square feet and an investment of around AED 3.2 billion, Dubai CommerCity is uniquely designed to cater to regional and international e-commerce businesses. The free zone provides a unique e-commerce ecosystem providing not only business setup solutions but also services such as e-commerce strategy consulting, guidance on e-commerce regulations in the region, end-to-end logistics and fulfilment solutions inclusive of warehousing and last mile delivery, complete e-commerce platform solutions, digital marketing services, and other e-commerce support services.

The free zone has implemented state-of-the art technologies to provide e-commerce players and investors with a smart and quality-focused ecosystem. Some facilities include high-end modern business community zone, clusters equipped with the latest technologies designed for e-commerce businesses and other high-tech features that will allow clients to establish and launch their businesses in the free zone efficiently and quickly.

Dubai CommerCity provides a holistic e-commerce ecosystem connecting logistics, electronic payment, and customer service providers. It will enable mega innovation trends like IoT, big data analytics, cloud solution and blockchain and offers simplified regulation and process, allowing major regional and international players to collaborate and leverage local talent to set a benchmark for the e-commerce industry.

Travel pass

Pegasus Airlines is One of the World’s First Airlines to Trial the IATA Travel Pass

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

Pegasus Airlines has signed an agreement with The International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the IATA Travel Pass, a mobile application which allows guests to digitally store and manage their health-related certifications required for international travel, such as their COVID-19 test results.

Leading low-cost carrier, Pegasus Airlines, has signed an agreement for the IATA Travel Pass, a mobile application developed by The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and which allows guests to digitally store and manage their health-related certifications required for international travel, such as their COVID-19 test results. Pegasus Airlines is one of the first airlines in the world, and the first carrier in Turkey, to pilot the IATA Travel Pass. Pegasus aims to help guests to have a faster and secure travel experience in terms of the country entry requirements for international travel that have been frequently changing during the pandemic. Information on test centres, test results and flight information can be managed digitally through the app.

The IATA Travel pass combines the verification of health information in a single digital app, whilst allowing guests to securely and easily verify that they meet the COVID-19 related country entry requirements that have been changing throughout the pandemic. Within the scope of the application, that has been designed to protect the privacy of its users due to the sensitive nature of health-related data, the data is stored on the mobile phones of the guests instead of any central database. Thus, guests have full control over the sharing of their personal information.

 

How does the system work?

The IATA Travel Pass app enables guests to create a secure digital version of their passport on their mobile phones and then enter their flight information to find the health requirements of the country they are travelling to. Guests who are required to take a test before they travel can access information on authorised test centres, and securely receive their results via the app. When guests upload their COVID-19 test results to the app and match this information with the digital passport they have created, the app verifies that the result meets the regulations of the destination country.  If the necessary criteria are met, a digital verification certificate is sent to the guest’s phone. Thus, guests can securely continue their travels by presenting this verification certificate at the airport or by sharing it with the airline digitally prior to travelling.

 

The next implementations are on the way

As the first implementer of the IATA Travel Pass in Turkey, Pegasus Airlines is working with Hitit, one of the world’s leading global providers of airline applications, to realise the integration. Pegasus Airlines is aiming to enable guests to travel in the most safe and healthy way possible by simplifying the health-related barriers for international flights with new implementations that are being planned for the upcoming period.

Oil & Gas

U.S. Africa Energy Forum 2021 Launches: Promotes U.S. Role as Primary Investor in African Energy

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

The U.S. Africa Energy Forum 2021 – organized by Africa Oil&Power, in partnership with the African Energy Chamber’s U.S.-Africa Committee – will foster alignment between U.S. and African governments’ energy policies and highlight African oil, gas, power and renewable projects across the energy value chain for U.S. investors; the multi-day forum unites U.S. and African policymakers, energy executives and industry leaders to create new linkages and foster discussions that drive long-term policy formation and project execution; the in-person, two-day summit and gala dinner will be hosted in Houston, Texas (October 4-5, 2021) and an online seminar and in-person networking event will be held in Washington D.C. (July 12).

Africa Oil&Power (AOP) and the African Energy Chamber are excited to announce the launch of the first-ever U.S. Africa Energy Forum (USAEF). This event aims to create deeper cooperation between the U.S. and Africa on energy policy, to reach alignment on long term sustainability goals, to stimulate greater American investment in the African oil, gas and power sectors, and to engage and reposition the U.S. as the primary partner of choice for African energy developments. 

Under the theme “New Horizons for U.S. Africa Energy Investment” the forum will explore diverse foreign investment and export opportunities across the continent, including natural gas as a vital fuel for the energy transition; energy storage and battery minerals; Africa’s place in global energy supply chains; the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area; evolving energy technologies and how they relate to the future role of petroleum resources; and on-and off-grid power developments. 

An online seminar and in-person networking event will be held in Washington D.C. on July 12, 2021, building up to the in-person U.S. Africa Energy Forum summit and gala dinner, to be hosted in Houston, Texas, on October 4-5, 2021. Africa Oil&Power and the African Energy Chamber invite all U.S.-based companies with an interest in engaging with African industry leaders and project developers to participate in the USAEF Houston summit.

This initiative comes at an important juncture in U.S.-Africa relations. The Biden Administration’s announcements of its intentions to proactively build a stronger U.S.-Africa partnership coincides with the fact that African projects are seeing rising interest from U.S. companies and lending institutions alike. The USAEF event is thus dedicated to enabling dialogue between its participants that advances these developments.

“Our mission has always been to showcase the resource potential that Africa has to offer while at the same time showing its growing preference for sustainable energy policies and technologies. Toward that end, we hope it becomes evident that Africa does not just want investment capital: it wants smart capital and an accompanying partnership with the investors,” says James Chester, Senior Director of Africa Oil&Power. “The U.S. Africa Energy Forum represents the first-of-its-kind opportunity to catalyze U.S. participation in Africa’s energy transformation – via technology, policy support, capital injection and skills development – and turns a new page in the chapter on global energy investment.” 

In partnership with the African Energy Chamber’s U.S.-Africa Committee, AOP will introduce American companies to African opportunities and advance an agenda of sustainable, long-term investment in African energy and other sectors by U.S. organizations. 

“The rise in support from the U.S. to the continent is a credit to Africa itself, which is increasingly viewed as a favored destination for global investors, multilaterals and export credit agencies,” says Jude Kearney, President of Kearney Africa and former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Service Industries and Finance at the U.S. Department of Commerce during the Clinton Administration. “Africa continues to command a healthy share of global FDI in oil and gas industries. It has for decades shown that investment in those sectors is favorable compared to other jurisdictions and can be successful by many measures. Even as Africa and the rest of the world wrestles with a global pandemic, Africa’s energy sector shows vitality and resiliency – not only in hydrocarbons but in regard to new opportunities in mining, liquefied natural gas, and agriculture.”

Both African governments and private sector sponsors of African energy projects value highly the combination of investment and partnership that US investors famously convey. The USAEF seeks to enable successful partnerships between its participants such that the energy development goals of U.S. investors and strategic partners and their African counterparts can be achieved.

Digital skills

Microsoft Empowers More Than A Quarter Million UAE-based Professionals To Train In Digital Skills During COVID-19 Crisis

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

Programme launched with LinkedIn in June 2020 benefits 30 million people worldwide and supports employers looking to adopt skills-based recruitment tactics and contribute to strong, speedy, inclusive economic recovery

Microsoft today announced that a global digital-skilling initiative launched in partnership with LinkedIn has allowed more than a quarter million people in the United Arab Emirates to acquire digital skills during the COVID-19 crisis.

The achievement stems from a programme launched in June 2020 by Microsoft and LinkedIn to support companies in moving to a skills-based recruitment methodology, leaving behind legacy approaches that placed emphasis on less relevant attributes, such as previous role or age. Since the programme launched, more than 30 million people around the world – including 250,313 in the UAE – engaged with the initiative and developed digital skills. Encouraged by the progress, Microsoft and LinkedIn have decided to extend the programme and help 250,000 companies globally make skills-based hires in 2021.

 

“Digital resilience is more critical than ever, as businesses rely on technology to adapt and thrive in the new normal,” said Ihsan Anabtawi, Chief Operating and Marketing Officer at Microsoft UAE. “The skilling programme with LinkedIn is part of our long-term commitment to skill, upskill, and reskill workforces to make them future ready for a global, digital economy. The ongoing pandemic has impacted so many of us, so we decided to create a suite of new tools and platforms that connect skilled jobseekers with employers to ensure a strong, speedy and inclusive recovery.”

As detailed in the Official Microsoft Blog, the Microsoft-LinkedIn skilling programme empowers professionals to train in highly sought-after digital skills and offers new resources from LinkedIn, GitHub, and Microsoft, including analytics to identify the most in-demand roles and the skills needed to fill them. Other offers include free access to course materials and job-seeking tools and reduced-cost certifications.

In 2021, Microsoft will extend free LinkedIn Learning and Microsoft Learn courses based on the 10 most in-demand jobs, as well as low-cost certifications, until 31 December. LinkedIn will pilot its Skills Path tool with select employers to connect LinkedIn Learning courses with Skill Assessments and help recruiters source candidates based on proven skillsets. In addition, Microsoft Career Connector will aim to place 50,000 job seekers in technology jobs over the next three years.

New LinkedIn profile features will help candidates market themselves more clearly, including via a video Cover Story. Career Coach – part of Microsoft Teams – will provide personalised guidance for higher education students, and expanded access to LinkedIn’s Skills Graph will help create a common skills language for individuals, employers, educational institutions, and government agencies.

Sustainability

Raxio Group and Meridiam Partner to Deploy Sustainable Data Centres in Africa, supporting the Local Economies and Digital Transformation

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

The Raxio Group (“Raxio”), a premier pan-African data centre developer and operator, and Meridiam, a global developer, asset and fund manager specialising in sustainable infrastructure and energy transition projects today announced a partnership to deploy a network of data centres across the African continent. Under this agreement, Meridiam will invest $48 million to support the continued deployment of data centres in Africa, where both Raxio and Meridiam already have strong local presence. Meridiam’s investment is made alongside Raxio’s founding equity partner, Roha Group who established Raxio in 2018, and has been funding the company since inception.

With the rise of connectivity on the African continent, Raxio’s facilities are built to boost digital transformation, economic growth and job creation, whilst using state-of-the-art design and technologies to minimise the impact on the environment. From the design phase, equipment choices are adapted to the local environmental and climatic conditions with a view to continuously reduce energy consumption. Raxio is also actively working on connecting its facilities to local renewable generation capabilities such as solar power, in addition to the hydropower sources it is currently using.

Raxio data centres will facilitate internet traffic to and from content providers locally and make the internet experience faster, more resilient, and more affordable for all digital users. Raxio’s data centres will also support the growth of the African IT sector and will be a catalyst for highly skilled job creation in all the planned countries. To improve latency and connectivity for businesses, Raxio works with local, regional, and international connectivity providers to share ducts and ensure its sites are located along major fibre routes, ensuring its facilities are true connectivity hubs in the local markets.

Robert Mullins, CEO of Raxio Group said: “We are delighted to welcome Meridiam as our new investment partner in our shared vision. This investment comes at an ideal time, as we have continued our expansion activities by investing in our third facility – in the Democratic Republic of Congo – following our first flagship facility in Uganda and launching the construction of our Ethiopian data centre. It is testament to our strategy of developing an Africa-wide network of local, interconnected facilities, that provide our customers with affordable, state-of-the-art solutions for their IT infrastructure, in a neutral, “always on” environment. Customers are core to the design process to ensure our facilities are efficient, sustainable and cost-effective. With its extensive knowledge in the development of sustainable infrastructure in the region, we are convinced Meridiam is the partner of choice for us to continue our deployment plans and reach our targets.”

Mathieu Peller, COO Africa for Meridiam said: “Investing in Raxio’s data centre platform was a natural move for us, as it fits our purpose to delivering sustainable infrastructure that improves the quality of people’s lives. We are excited to contribute to developing Africa’s digital infrastructure, by helping to roll-out energy efficient data centres that will drive the digital transformation of the continent and be a catalyst for highly skilled jobs creation, whilst respecting the local environment.”

By building its network of data centres with a focus on environmental sustainability and with the objective of driving technological advancement in the region, Raxio delivers impact across a wide range of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably:

 

  • the Industry Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG#9), as the project is using a fit-to-market, modular design to build an infrastructure critical to the digital transformation of Africa
  • the Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG#8), Raxio is expected to enable new opportunities for the digitisation of African economies, while providing high-skilled permanent jobs locally
  • and Climate action (SDG#11). Raxio will be maximising energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, thus providing much-needed capacity while minimising carbon emissions

 

Raxio’s data centres are designed and built to Tier III standards, with an availability rate over 99.9% a year. They are fully redundant and able to operate independently of the power grid for extended periods of time, and do not require any shutdown when equipment needs maintenance or replacement. 

 

In Africa, Meridiam has already invested in major infrastructure for a total amount in excess of 4 billion euros. In the continent’s transition energy sector, it has successfully invested in

  • 4 solar power plants in Senegal, offering some of the lowest tariffs in Africa,
  • Tulu Moye,a geothermal power plant and the first IPP (Independent Power Producer) in Ethiopia,
  • the Kinguele Aval Hydropower plant, which will deliver about 13% of the electricity needs of Libreville, the capital city of Gabon,
  • the Biokala biomass power plant in Côte d’Ivoire, the largest biomass power plant in Sub-Saharan Africa which will be fuelled from agricultural waste and will meet the electricity needs of the equivalent of 1.7 million people per year,
  • NeOT, a company rolling out 300,000 solar home systems and mini-grids across West Africa
Cyber attacks

In the Midst of COVID-19, We’re Seeing a Pandemic of Cyber Attacks

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

Author: Babur Khan, Technical Marketing Engineer – Enterprise Security at A10 Networks


In the first quarter of 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc around the globe. The coronavirus is continuously evolving and presenting new challenges.

In addition to the direct effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we also saw a sharp rise in cybercriminal activity. From simple phishing attacks to one of the largest DDoS attacks ever recorded, we saw the cyber threat landscape evolve and grow.

At the same time, we also saw a rapid growth in the tech and cyber security industry. From the roll out of 5G in many parts of the world to exponential growth in the SaaS industry, we saw the pandemic put many positive changes into full gear as well.

We believe that these challenges, and the changes that they brought about, will not stop. The effects of this pandemic on the tech industry will be long lasting. Moreover, some of the challenges introduced in 2020 will affect cybersecurity well into 2021, and even beyond. As we move deeper into 2021, here are some of the cyber security trends that we see:

 

Cybercrimes Will Experience a Surge

Last year was a busy year for both attackers and hackers as well as cybersecurity personnel defending against the plethora of attacks to which they were subjected. With an election year in the United States in 2020, we saw a rise in anti-government cyber activities, a prominent example of which was the attack on FireEye, allegedly by a foreign nation state sponsored entity, where multiple tools were stolen for use in attacks later on.

In 2021, such attacks will not just be more frequent, but they will also be very specific regarding who they target. International cyber espionage will be one of the main motivators for cyber attacks and we will see security vendors being attacked and compromised at an even greater pace. Even the attacks that happened in 2020, like the FireEye attack or the Sunburst attack, that targeted the SolarWinds supply chain,  will have long lasting effects. We have only seen the beginning of these attacks. Investigators suspect, for example, that up to 250 organizations may have been compromised in the SolarWinds attack. Actual results are yet to come.

Such attacks will not only create opportunities for newer attacks, or variants/branches of the existing ones, but will also drive cybersecurity innovation in 2021.

 

The Intelligent Edge will be Weaponized

One of the major innovations driven by 5G is the implementation of multi-access edge computing (MEC). Building intelligence into the edge will boost the availability and efficiency of 5G networks. However, keeping the global cybersecurity trends in mind, we can see that the intelligent edge might be hijacked by attackers for launching different kinds of attacks, both on the mobile core networks as well as on victims outside of the realm of the service provider that has been compromised. If nothing else, MEC can be used for propagating malware into different networks for drone recruitment in IoT botnets.

 

 

Low-volume DDoS Attacks will be More Frequent

In 2020, even though we saw one of the largest DDoS attacks ever recorded target one of the biggest names in the tech industry, we also saw that a large number of DDoS attacks went unnoticed because, even though the frequency of these attacks was very high, their size was not. These high-frequency, low-volume attacks will keep the security industry busy in 2021 and may be instrumental to disabling security infrastructures or just acting as smokescreens for larger malware attacks such as the recent Sunburst attack.

 

Five Million DDoS Weapons will be Added to the Global DDoS Arsenal

The A10 Networks security research team observed that the number of DDoS weapons doubled from around six million at the end of 2019 to 12.5 million in 2020. This trend will remain the same in 2021 as more IoT devices come online with each passing day, with an expected addition of at least five million weapons.

The large number of DDoS weapons will also enable attackers to launch another record-breaking DDoS attack in 2021.We will have to wait and see whether it will be made public by the victims or not.

 

2021 will be the Year of Zero Trust Implementation

2020 was the year of understanding what the Zero Trust model is in a practical sense. Throughout the year, we saw security vendors align their solutions with the Zero Trust model, adjust the model as we got more clarity on what it means to be a Zero Trust user, device, or network, and explore the policy changes necessary to a successful implementation of the Zero Trust model. As the COVID-19 pandemic fast-tracked the move to SaaS and made the “work from home” model mainstream, the importance of Zero Trust security has gained critical importance.

Organizations now understand that Zero Trust is not a specific device or vendor, but rather a series of strategic policy and practical changes that help enable better security. A successful implementation requires good understanding of what the Zero Trust model is as well as the many diverse solutions that have to work in unison to enable its implementation.

We believe that the concept of Zero Trust has reached a level of maturity and clarity where it will be effectively adopted and implemented by many organizations in 2021, and that it will become the go-to security model for all types and sizes of organizations. Sophisticated attacks like Sunburst will also drive the need for effective Zero Trust implementation.

 

SASE Adoption will Accelerate

Since 2020 forced most of the workforce to work remotely, attackers have been experimenting with new ways of exploiting security loopholes or shortcomings exposed by these rapid changes. This accelerated and will continue to accelerate the development and adoption of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions.

However, since the move to the cloud does not happen overnight, many organizations still have most of their resources hosted on-premises. They will keep on struggling with maintaining the remote work model and will revert back to business as it was once a vaccine for COVID-19 becomes readily available and things go back to normal.

This, however, might be temporary as the world has now experienced a pandemic and many organizations have already started moving their businesses from on-premises to the SaaS-based model, with the trend only being accelerated by COVID-19. In summary, SASE will be an essential part of the enterprise security infrastructure in 2021 and beyond.

 

2021 will the Year TLS 1.3 Shines

TLS 1.3 will finally start seeing widespread adoption, in part, driven by the adoption of QUIC/HTTP3 given that TLS 1.3 is built into it. Many vendors support TLS 1.3 already and that will help drive the protocol into mainstream use. Changes will also be made to the TLS 1.3 standard as the demand for encrypted SNIs rise.

That said, TLS 1.2 will still remain the more widely used choice as an encryption protocol over the internet since moving to the newer version may prove to be expensive for many organizations. But as QUIC/HTTP3 becomes more widely used by the end of the year, we may see this change.

In conclusion, we are facing new, persistent threats of all shapes and sizes, and we have to make sure that, going forward, we face these threats with the best of our collective abilities. 2021 will be the year of cybercriminal activities, but it will also drive innovations in cybersecurity like never before.

UAE Industry

Saudi Industrial Development Fund Approves USD 4.5 Billion in Projects for the First Time In Its History

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

The approved loans covered different tiers, out of which 84% of total loans were dedicated to SMEs, ensuring the fund’s strong continuous support to the key contributors of the economic growth in the Kingdom


The Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF), Saudi Arabia’s main financial enabler for its industrial transformation, has approved 212 loans that amounted to USD 4.5 billion in 2020 for 201 companies in the fields of industry, mining, energy, and logistic services. The approved loans covered different tiers, out of which 84% of total loans were dedicated to SMEs, ensuring the fund’s strong continuous support to the key contributors of the economic growth in the Kingdom.

These exceptional results have proven to be the largest in the history of the fund’s history, thus demonstrating, despite the economic pressures of the pandemic, the strength, and resilience of the Saudi private sector. Over the past years, the Saudi government has implemented programs to realize Vision 2030 structural, economic, and financial reforms that aim to diversify the economy. Such efforts have played a crucial role in the economy’s sustainability in times of global crisis.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, SIDF proactively supported small, medium, and large companies and offered financial initiatives tailored to their specific needs during these difficult times. The initiatives SIDF offered, which were part of a wider package of governmental support, resulted in three urgent financial aids that exceeded USD 1.3 billion; the aids were in the form of restructuring installments of 546 loans due in 2020, amounting to USD 1 billion. Financial The financial liquidity of the companies was augmented by credit instruments to finance the operating expenses of the companies, especially the ones impacted by the lockdown, out of which 86 companies have benefited from the initiative for a total amount of USD 127 million.  Finally, launching an accelerated working capital loan amounting to USD 172 million directed to finance the raw material requirements of the companies involved in the medical sector to help in boosting the local medical content and the Kingdom’s pharmaceutical security.

SIDF’s 2021 strategy aims to stimulate investments in priority economic sectors, improve client experience, enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations, strengthen governance and risk management, and focus on human capital development. The strategy will position SDIF in driving its support to realize the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

Healthcare

Healthcare Staffing Specialist Sees 400% Increase in Telemedicine Enquiries

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

New insights reveal the demand for telemedicine services and solidify its presence as a permanent healthcare offering

The recent boom in telemedicine is here to stay, according to TrueProfile.io, a leading provider of Primary Source Verification (PSV) services, which has seen a 400% increase in telemedicine enquiries from all over the world during the last quarter alone.

The industry of virtual health appointments, otherwise known as telemedicine, has seen a dramatic increase as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a Forrester report indicating that virtual care visits reached 20 million in 2020. It’s an approach to primary care that is here to stay and while healthcare institutions largely implemented temporary solutions to keep up with patient demand early on in the pandemic, they are now looking at implementing more dynamic and secure systems.

This is according to Alejandro Coca, Co-Head of TrueProfile.io, who says, “Given how COVID-19 has completely changed the world we live in, it comes as no surprise that the telemedicine industry is booming. What’s great to hear from the conversations we’re having is that healthcare institutions aren’t seeing telemedicine services as a stop-gap anymore and it’s firmly part of long-term strategies.

“For patients, telemedicine services provide quick and easy access to healthcare experts, therefore offering greater peace of mind around health issues, so it’s exciting to see this offering really taking off. We’re currently actively working with four telemedicine organizations to source verified, credible healthcare professionals – from doctors and nurses to radiologists and psychologists – for their platforms. In addition, we’ve seen our verification business grown 40% due to new business lines such as telemedicine and our sourcing industry has grown over 140% in the last quarter, demonstrating the sheer demand for these services from all over the world.”

Alejandro concludes, “Healthcare institutions are keen to get these new service lines up and running and properly functioning, but it’s critical that they focus on sourcing both the right technology and the right healthcare professionals. Only through both of these elements can patient safety and privacy be assured. What’s clear to see is that telemedicine services have seen a real turning point as a result of the pandemic and it’ll be interesting to watch this service line adapt and grow over the coming years, becoming part of our everyday lives.”