UN blue helmets and Malian forces targeted in ‘cowardly’ terrorist attacks

APO News from Africa:

UN blue helmets and Malian forces targeted in ‘cowardly’ terrorist attacks:

The head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali today strongly condemned the “cowardly” attacks that took place against its personnel as well as members of the national armed forces, and voiced deep concern at ongoing insecurity in the northern and central parts of the country.

Early this morning, a vehicle belonging to the peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA) struck an improvised explosive device or mine about 30 kilometres south of Tessalit in the Kidal region, according to a news release issued by the mission. Two peacekeepers and one civilian were seriously injured; the vehicle, part of an escort of a logistics convoy, was damaged.

Also today, unidentified armed men targeted positions of the Malian Armed Forces and the National Guard at Gourma Rharous, located about 120 kilometres east of Timbuktu, according to the mission.

MINUSMA deployed its attack helicopters to the site in support of the Malian Forces and facilitated the medical evacuation of the wounded by air.

“There is hardly a day when reports of abominable acts of terrorism committed by the enemies of peace and the enemies of this country and its people are not received,” said Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of MINUSMA, calling the attacks “cowardly.”

“Their real target is the failure of the peace process and their goal is to impose the reign of violence and chaos,” he said, adding that the UN remains more committed than ever to support the Malian authorities and the country’s defense and security forces.

Mr. Annadif also stressed the need for all Malian parties to redouble their efforts to advance the peace process.

Distributed by APO on behalf of United Nations (UN).

Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa

Invitation to “Startup Boot Camp” for Tshwane’s Aspiring Engineers:

The U.S Embassy in Pretoria has partnered with Speak Afrika and Charities Aid Foundation Southern Africa (CAFSA) to deliver the first-ever “Desert Start-up Bootcamp” in Tshwane. Chosen from nearly 180 applicants, a select group of 55 aspiring entrepreneurs from Tshwane will hone their skills in a three-month experiential learning program at the American Corner Pretoria. The U.S. Embassy is sponsoring this program as a part of worldwide efforts to support young entrepreneurs who spur growth and promote trade. “Desert Start-up Bootcamp” participants will meet weekly for workshops, pitching sessions, and mentoring and engagement with established business leaders. The “Bootcamp” will culminate in August, 2017 with a pitch competition that will set the foundation for participants to build their client networks and investments in their business.

Media are invited to a launch at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 21, 2017 at American Corner Pretoria, located in Es’kia Mphahlele Community Library in the Sammy Marks Square. All interested media should RSVP to harveycr@state.gov.  

Speak Afrika is a youth-run education organization established in 2014 by alumni of the U.S. State Department’s Mandela Washington Fellowship. The founders are committed to developing entrepreneurial skills and leadership competencies among young people. Charities Aid Foundation Southern Africa (CAFSA), an organisation which supports socio-economic development through the effective resourcing of the non-profit sector, is supporting the U.S. Embassy to deliver the youth leadership, entrepreneurship and STEM programming at the U.S. Embassy’s American Corner Pretoria and Mae Jemison U.S. Science Reading located at the University of Pretoria, Mamelodi Campus. The American Corner Pretoria, established in 2015 in partnership with the City of Tshwane, is located in Es’kia Mphahlele Community Library in the Sammy Marks Square. The American Corner, which provides high-speed Internet access and state of the art equipment, together with print and digital resources was established to promote research, professional development, and personal enrichment.  In its endeavor to strengthen ties in education and culture with South Africa, the American Corner also serves as a place for collaboration and discussion to foster young leaders and entrepreneurs and create opportunities to build relationships with peers in the United States.

Distributed by APO on behalf of U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa.

Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa

Botswana Most Attractive Investment Destination in Africa:

Botswana is the most attractive economy for investments flowing into the African continent, according to the latest Africa Investment Index 2016 (http://APO.af/sUtRNQ) by Quantum Global’s (www.QuantumGlobalGroup.com) independent research arm, Quantum Global Research Lab.

According to the Index, Botswana scores highly based on a range of factors that include improved credit rating, current account ratio, import cover and ease of doing business.

Commenting on the Index, Prof Mthuli Ncube, Head of Quantum Global Research Lab stated: “Despite considerable external challenges and the fall in oil prices, many of the African nations are demonstrating an increased willingness to achieve sustainable growth by diversifying their economies and introducing favourable policies to attract inward investments. Botswana is a case in example – its strategic location, skilled workforce and a politically stable environment have attracted the attention of international investors leading to a significant influx of FDI.”

According to the report, the top five African investment destinations attracted an overall FDI of $ 13.6bn. Morocco was ranked second on the Index based on its increasing solid economic growth, strategic geographic positioning, increased foreign direct investment, import cover ratio, and an overall favourable business environment. Egypt was ranked third due to an increased foreign direct investment and real interest rates, and a growing urban population. The fourth country on the list, South Africa, scored well on the growth factor of GDP, ease of doing business in the country and significant population. Whilst Zambia was the fifth country on the list due to its significant domestic investment and access money supply.

Table: Top 10 and Bottom 10 countries (view the multimedia content section: http://APO.af/1LpDdA).

Mthuli further commented: “With a population of over one billion people and rapidly growing middle class, Africa clearly offers significant opportunities to invest in the continent’s non-commodities sectors such as financial services, construction and manufacturing amongst others. However, structural reforms and greater private sector involvement are crucial to unlocking Africa’s true potential.”

Distributed by APO on behalf of Quantum Global Group.

To the editor:
Construction of the Index:
The AII is constructed from macroeconomic and financial indicators and the World Bank Group’s Ease of Doing Business Indicators (DBI). The DBI ranks countries in terms of a regulatory environment conducive to business operation. The AII focuses on 6 pillars or factors from a wider range of investment indicators, which include the share of domestic investment in GDP, the share of Africa’s total FDI net inflow, GDP growth rate forecast, population augmented GDP growth factor, real interest rate, the difference of broad money growth to the GDP growth rates, inflation differential, credit rating, import cover, the share of the country’s external debt in its GNI, current account ratio, ease of doing business and the country’s population size. The AII indicators are based on secondary data collected from World Bank Development Indicators, IMF World Economic Outlook, UNCTAD Data Centre and own estimates.

The AII is a combination of individual indicator’s rank into a single numerical ranking. It averages the country’s macroeconomic and financial indicators rankings on the six different factors. Each indicator, and hence factors, receives an equal weight. Their rank score is then averaged to produce the total average score which is consequently ranked from 1 to 54. The lower the value of the ranking, the better the implied business investment climate. 

To produce an index score that captures medium-term changing aspects, individual country’s ranking is scaled relative to a benchmark or reference value (i.e., the past 3-year rolling average ranking). See Table 1A. In addition to the intended measurement, this approach enables us to avoid periods of structural changes (which may compromise the index) that may be present in a longer time span, whether we consider a change from a reference average value or a historical reference period.

Enquiries:
Linda Martin
+ 41 41 560 2900
media@QuantumGlobalGroup.com 

About Quantum Global:
Quantum Global (www.QuantumGlobalGroup.com) is an international group of companies active in the areas of private equity investments, investment management as well as macroeconomic research and econometric modelling. Quantum Global’s private equity arm manages a family of funds targeting direct investments in Africa in the sectors of Agriculture, Healthcare, Hotels, Infrastructure, Mining and Timber – as well as a sector agnostic Structured Equity fund. Our team combines a solid track record and proven expertise to identify and execute unique investment opportunities with focus on Africa. 

Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa