CAIRO, Egypt, May 29, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Switzerland-based supply chain solutions provider Panalpina (http://www.panalpina.com) (PWTN:SW) is to acquire its Egyptian agent Afifi, a highly respected family-owned company specializing in freight forwarding, customs clearance and logistics. The move is an important step in Panalpina’s continued strategic expansion in growth economies, in particular in the Middle East and Africa. Afifi has been Panalpina’s agent in Egypt for the last 20 years.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/panalpina.png“Egypt has a lot of potential for us,” says Peter Triebel, Panalpina’s regional CEO for the Middle East, Africa and CIS. “By uniting with our long-standing partner Afifi, we…
Author: apofeed
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 29, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — • Collaboration with Machakos Hospital (the “Hospital”) is part of a tender contract awarded to Philips by the Central Government of Kenya, which will entail the transformation of eleven ICU departments in level 5 hospitals across the country; • The project is testament to Philips commitment to advancing the delivery of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in Africa;• Inauguration of the refurbished ICU department at the Hospital coincides with Philips’ week-long visit to Kenya as part of its sixth consecutive Cape Town to Cairo roadshow (http://www.philips.com/C2CAfrica). Philips (AEX: PHI, NYSE: PHG)…
WASHINGTON, May 28, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Nigeria to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on May 29, 2015.The Honorable John Kerry, Secretary of State, will lead the delegation. Members of the Presidential Delegation:The Honorable James F. Entwistle, U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Department of StateThe Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Department of StateGeneral David M. Rodriguez, Commander, U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM)The Honorable Grant T. Harris, Special Assistant to the…
WASHINGTON, May 28, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United States remains deeply concerned about the widespread displacement of civilians and the denial of access for humanitarians to reach populations in need as a result of this man-made crisis.Accordingly, the United States announced today nearly $79 million in additional humanitarian assistance for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in South Sudan. With this announcement, the total U.S. humanitarian assistance since the beginning of the current crisis in South Sudan is nearly $1.1 billion.This additional assistance is part of the nearly $800 million the USG is contributing to the United Nations…
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina-Faso, May 28, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A Louis Berger-led consortium (http://www.louisberger.com) recently won a 2.3 million euro ($2.57 million USD) technical assistance contract for the Burkina Faso Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Artisans and various professional organizations that support private sector development. The contract is part of the Private Sector Development Support Program, a Burkinabe initiative financed by the European Development Fund.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/louis-berger.png“Burkina Faso’s private sector is growing, but additional support will accelerate growth, provide more access to export markets and contribute to sustainable development outcomes, such as poverty reduction,” said Daphnée Benayoun, director of institutional development…
PRETORIA, South-Africa, May 28, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — For the first time in its history, FIDH has opened an office in Pretoria, South Africa. This office, located in the headquarters of its member organisation in South Africa, Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), at the Kutlwanong Democracy Centre (KDC) in Pretoria, will be officially launched on May 29.“The decision to open an office in South Africa was motivated by the inspirational human rights history and journey of this country, the leadership role it plays within regional and international institutions, as well as the human rights challenges it continues to face,”…
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 28, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The newly appointed UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, Aristide Nononsi, called on the Government of the Sudan and the international community to create and maintain a safe and secure environment for the internally displaced communities in North and South Darfur. “I visited IDP camps in North and South Darfur States, namely Abou Shouk, Otash and Dereige IDP camps, and I am concerned not only of the ongoing displacement of the residents and the attendant humanitarian crisis, but also of the future of the IDPs,”…
DUBLIN, Ireland, May 28, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Their Excellencies, the Ambassadors of the Republic of Uganda, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Republic of Ghana presented their Letters of Credence to the President at Áras an Uachtaráin today.H.E. Ms. Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda, Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda, was accompanied by Mr. Innocent Opio, Second Secretary at the Embassy.H.E. Mr. Sayakane Sisouvong, Ambassador of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Somsanith Sisouvong, their son, Mr. Sayasone Sisouvong and by Mr. Soutsady Khamphanthong, Deputy Chief of Mission.H.E. Mr. Victor Emmanuel Smith, Ambassador of…
CAIRO, Egypt, May 27, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — As a part of the country’s efforts to increase IT exports and achieve ambitious economic goals, Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) (http://www.itida.gov.eg) helped setting out a number of partnership protocols and concluding business agreements between Egyptian companies and 17 leading African telecom companies, financial institutions and ICT enterprises, in 6 different African countries, in the framework of “Africa Together” program, Round II. Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/itida-1.jpgPhotos Link (Please download and don’t use “Save As”): http://www.apo.af/GmvktsVideo Link: http://www.apo.af/EYY4HvPresentation: http://www.apo-mail.org/150527.pptx The program reflects the government commitment to accelerate economic growth by expanding the…
HARARE, Zimbabwe, May 26, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Scandinavian-backed private equity investment company, SPEAR Capital (Pty) Ltd (“SPEAR”) (http://www.spearcapital.co.za), acquired 27% of Zimbabwe’s second largest dairy producer, Dendairy (http://www.dendairy.com). The deal, which was a combined debt/equity transaction, had a value of $6 million.Logo MNCAA: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/mnc.pngLogo Dendairy: http://www.dendairy.com/sites/all/themes/framework/logo.pngMNCapital Africa Advisors (“MNCAA”) was responsible for the introduction of the Dendairy opportunity to SPEAR and assisted SPEAR in its initial assessment of the opportunity.Commenting on the transaction, MNCAA Managing Partner, Mr. Mansur Nuruddin, stated: “Our combined 100+ years’ experience in the industry has ensured that we have access to numerous funders and…
STRASBOURG, France, May 26, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The foreign affairs committee meets Catherina Samba-Panza, interim president of the Central African Republic (CAR), at 16.15 on Tuesday. They are expected to debate the recently concluded national reconciliation forum in Bangui, preparations for the general and presidential elections, the political transition, the EU military advisory mission (EUMAM) in CAR and security-sector reform.The meeting will take place in the József Antall building, in room 2Q2. Follow it live on EP Live.
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 26, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM Libya yesterday evacuated 142 Senegalese migrants from Misrata and Tripoli, Libya via Djerba airport in Tunisia. The group arrived in Dakar this morning (26/5), and was met at the airport by Secretary of State for Senegalese Abroad Souleymane Jules Diop. The fourth such evacuation in recent months, this latest group included nine minors.This latest evacuation comes one month after IOM received a request from the Senegalese Embassy to help 187 stranded Senegalese nationals in Kararim detention centre in Misrata and another 10 in Tripoli.IOM worked in coordination with the International…
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 26, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM Director General William Lacy Swing travelled to South Sudan 23–24 May to visit IOM’s largest emergency operation and call attention to the urgent humanitarian needs of conflict-affected and displaced populations across the country.“IOM remains committed to saving lives in South Sudan as civilians continue to bear the horrific consequences of this crisis,” he said, noting the upsurge in violence in South Sudan in recent weeks.On 23 May, Ambassador Swing and Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Ellen Margrethe Løj, with donor country and partner representatives, visited the protection of…
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 26, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM Ethiopia has provided post arrival assistance to some 2,061 vulnerable Ethiopians returning from Yemen. They have included people injured in the conflict, as well as those in need of transport and accommodation.IOM is providing accommodation at its transit centre in Addis Ababa, onward transportation allowances and post-arrival health assessments, including referrals to hospitals in Addis Ababa.“I was working as a house maid in Yemen for two and a half years. I was near a gas cylinder when an air raid took place last month. The cylinder exploded and I had…
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 25, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Residents slowly returning to the South Sudanese town of Leer, in the aftermath of fighting in and around the town last week, say they have little or no food and need advanced medical care. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which had to put its regular activities on hold a week ago, is the first humanitarian organization to return to Leer, which some 100,000 people have been forced to flee. Livelihoods have been destroyed and several houses burnt to the ground in Leer. Four vehicles and all the furniture…
WASHINGTON, May 25, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Press StatementMarie HarfDeputy Department SpokespersonWashington, DCMay 25, 2015The United States strongly condemns the May 23 killing of the leader of the opposition party Union for Peace and Development (UPD), Zedi Feruzi, and his bodyguard. We also strongly condemn the May 22 grenade attack in a market that killed several people and wounded many more. These attacks only undermine ongoing efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to the current crisis through dialogue.We call on all parties to immediately renounce the use of violence. We urge the Burundian government to conduct timely and credible…
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 25, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — With basic and essential health services strained by the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, the Red Cross is taking steps to help reconnect communities with basic health services. Most health programmes stopped when the Ebola epidemic began one year ago, and are only now starting up again. “Not only did hundreds of health care workers lose their lives to the disease, parents became frightened to take their children for regular vaccinations, believing they might become infected with Ebola. Consequently, a large number of young children have missed out on their measles…
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, May 25, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The influx of 70,000 Burundian refugees to Tanzania is overstretching the capacity of the government of Tanzania and aid agencies to respond, as emergency aid workers struggle to meet the urgent demands of providing clean water, shelter and food to new arrivals, Oxfam warned today. Existing Nyarugusu camp is already beyond capacity, with schools and churches being turned into temporary accommodation while more appropriate shelter can be built. Families who have made the long journey from Burundi via the border town Kagunga, where many spent up to three weeks…
LAGOS, Nigeria, May 25, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Na 5.ª edição da exposição anual Mobile Money, em Lagos, Nigéria, o Ingenico Group (Euronext: FR0000125346 – ING) (http://www.ingenico.com), líder global em sistemas de pagamento integrados, venceu o almejado Prémio de “Plataforma de Inclusão Financeira do Ano”. Como reconhecimento pelas suas iniciativas na área da Inclusão Financeira em África, o Ingenico Group recebeu também os Prémios de “Melhor Combinação Mobile Money/Cartão” e “Melhor Solução de Data Monitoring”.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/ingenico.jpgPhoto: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=2016Os prémios Kalahari têm como objetivo reconhecer a criatividade, a excelência e o empenho em fornecer serviços financeiros em dispositivos móveis em África.…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, May 22, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Tobias Ellwood visits Tunisia, welcoming progress and reiterating continued UK supportplaceholderForeign Office Minister for the Middle East and North Africa said:I was delighted to make my first visit to Tunisia.In my discussions with Tunisian Ministers and political leaders I conveyed my warm congratulations on the completion of the democratic transition.I welcomed the strength of the UK-Tunisia relationship and desire to deepen this. I reiterated the UK’s support during this crucial period. The UK is delivering practical support bilaterally and through international fora…