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ReConnect Africa is a unique website and online magazine for the African professional in the Diaspora. Packed with essential information about careers, business and jobs, ReConnect Africa keeps you connected to the best of Africa.

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A round-up of recent news from the UK, Africa and around the world.
A round-up of recent news from the UK, Africa and around the world.

 

UK Charity Awards Open for 2015 Entries

The 16th annual Charity Awards are open and accepting entries from charities of any size based anywhere in the UK who have achieved something exceptional in their work. The annual Charity Awards were established in 2000 by Civil Society Media to recognise and celebrate the inspirational and excellent work of UK charities and share best practice and learning across the sector. Working in partnership with Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), Civil Society Media is seeking charities who can demonstrate the ten Hallmarks of Excellence in their area. Projects should be able to demonstrate achievement in most if not all of the Hallmarks of Excellence which include Leadership, People development, Planning, Innovation, Enterprise, Learning and Impact measurement. Entries can be made in any of the following categories: Advice, support and advocacy, Arts, culture and heritage, Children and youth, Disability, Education and training, Environment and conservation, Grantmaking and funding, Healthcare and medical research, International aid and development and Social care and welfare. An overall winner is selected from the winners in each category. Entry is free and open to all charities of any size based anywhere in the UK. The deadline for entries is 6 March 2015 (midnight). The shortlist will be announced on 11 May 2015. The awards will be presented at a gala dinner in London on 18 June 2015. Further details along with the entry form can be found on the Charity Awards website

Business Impact Challenge Offers up to £15 Million for UK Companies Addressing Social Issues

The Business Impact Challenge has been established to appeal to those who are active within the UK’s corporate industries, in union with the country’s community, charitable, and social enterprise sectors. The aim is that by working together, these partners will generate solutions to some of the most notable issues prevailing in society at the current time. The programme provides an opportunity for businesses to invest in social activities that can in turn impact their profitability as well as accessing new markets, products, services and technologies that complement their strategic priorities. The charitable and social enterprises working alongside will have the opportunity to access the capital and business acumen of the corporate world, in order to deliver scale and greater impact to their social undertakings. The competition will provide match funding for a private sector company towards a large investment proposal that can generate strong corporate and social value in the UK. The winner of the Challenge will be required offer the soft skills of a company to drive commercial and social impact. The winning submission will receive between £5 million and £15 million in investment from Big Society Capital (BSC), which must be matched by the entrant. The competition is open to small and medium-sized businesses. Entries can come from individual companies or partnerships, which could include voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations, but must include at least one private company. All must fund or support social-purpose organisations with an interest in the UK, and entries will be judged primarily on the potential social impact. Ideas must be submitted by 1 May 2015.

More than One-Third of Employees Plan to Change Jobs in 2015

With 37 per cent of UK workers planning to leave their current job in 2015, a survey from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) has revealed a dramatic increase in potential employee turnover from 2014 in the UK. One fifth (19 per cent) of employees planned to move jobs when the same survey was conducted last year – a slight increase on 2013 levels of 13 per cent – with a further 31 per cent unsure whether to look for a new job. But according to the survey of more than 1,000 UK workers and managers, this year employees want more from their job than better pay. Almost three-fifths of respondents (59 per cent) want more development opportunities, compared to 56 per cent of employees hoping for an increase in salary. Half of those surveyed said a more interesting role would tempt them to change jobs. The survey also revealed that staff are feeling increasingly undervalued by their managers, with 25 per cent of those planning to leave because they feel underappreciated in their current role. Nearly a third (30 per cent) of employees looking for a new job this year said better management would tempt them to take a new role, while 27 per cent of respondents are looking for more training and development. According to survey results last year, 31 per cent of employees said they wanted to spend more time doing things they enjoy away from the workplace. Just 18 per cent of respondents to the 2015 survey said more opportunities for flexible working was a priority for them when looking for a new role, and 3 per cent are looking for better options for parental leave.

A Fifth of UK Parents Consider Quitting Job over Childcare Costs

High childcare costs are forcing almost a fifth of working parents in the UK to think about reducing the hours they work or quitting their jobs this year, a national survey has found. The research with 1,000 parents of children aged under 16 years old, commissioned by charity 4Children, found that of those parents paying for childcare, 18 per cent found that the costs outweighed the benefits of working. More than a quarter (28 per cent) of the same parents said they plan to reduce the number of treats for their family to meet high childcare costs, while 16 per cent admitted they plan to cut back on essentials this year. Workers with children under four are having a particularly difficult time financially, and 73 per cent called on political parties to offer them more help with childcare costs, and 62 per cent said this issue should be an election priority in 2015.

UK Millennial Talent ‘more critical’ of Employer Behaviour than Global Peer Group

Businesses looking to attract the leaders of tomorrow from the millennials employee group (born after 1982) will need to make significant changes, according to the global survey of millennial employees’ attitudes by Deloitte. The survey asked 7,800 graduates across 29 countries about what makes effective leadership, how business operates and impacts society. It found that 77 per cent of UK millennials, and 75 percent globally, think businesses are focused on their own agenda rather than helping to improve society. This perception matters because fewer UK respondents (71 per cent) said businesses have a positive impact on society, compared to 82 per cent in emerging markets and 73 per cent globally.  Academics and employers already acknowledge that younger workers place a higher importance on business ethics, sustainability and equality but this research shows how much more critical UK employees are than their global peer group. In the Deloitte survey, only 48 per cent of UK millennials said businesses showed strong leadership on important social issues, compared to 61 per cent globally. Similarly, just 39 per cent of UK respondents agreed that businesses act in an ethical manner, compared to 52 per cent globally. Further findings from the study showed that education can do more to equip future UK business leaders with the skills they need. Overall, just 36 per cent of UK respondents said the skills they developed in higher education are useful in fulfilling their day to day work responsibilities, while 44 per cent said their higher education experience is useful to improving their long term career objectives. And just over a fifth of UK millennials, and 28 per cent globally, felt their current employer is making full use of their skills.When respondents were asked which of their skills were strongest when they left higher education, academic knowledge and personal traits such as patience, maturity and analytical skills ranked highest, while leadership, entrepreneurial, sales and marketing skills and financial knowledge ranked lowest.

A Fifth of Women Believe it’s ‘impossible’ to Attain a Top Job

A large proportion (45 per cent) of working women still believe that women don’t hold enough of the senior posts in their company, according to research from telecoms firm O2. A further 48 per cent of the 2,000 women surveyed by the firm said they believed all the decision-makers in their organisations were male. With just over 10 months to go until Lord Davies’ deadline for achieving 25 per cent female representation in the UK’s FTSE 100 boardrooms, 17 per cent of survey respondents felt it was “impossible” for a woman to reach a senior management role in their business. The report Breaking the Boardroom: A guide for British businesses on how to support female leaders of the future’ which details the survey findings, said that the dearth of women at the top of UK PLC has not been caused by a lack of ambition. More than a quarter (28 per cent) of women said they dreamed of being a chief executive, while 35 per cent plan to reach board level. But a third (32 per cent) said their career so far had failed to live up to their expectations, with poor line management (33 per cent), a lack of proper training and development programmes (22 per cent) and negative office politics (28 per cent) all cited as obstacles to progression. Crises of confidence also threaten to derail women’s progress up the ranks. More than a third (36 per cent) of those surveyed said they lacked the confidence needed to ask for a pay rise or promotion they felt they deserved. Meanwhile, those who said their careers had met or exceeded their expectations cited ‘luck’ as the number one factor in their success above more tangible factors such as skill, ambition and determination.

Spirit of the Community Awards Open to Charities in England and Scotland

The Yorkshire and Clydesdale Bank Foundation invites not-for-profit groups in England and Scotland to apply to its Spirit of the Community Awards 2015. The Spirit of the Community Awards were launched in 2013 by the Yorkshire and Clydesdale Bank Foundation and created to support the people and communities in which the banks work and to recognise organisations that ‘go the extra mile’. Registered charities, not-for-profit community organisations and constituted voluntary groups in England and Scotland can apply for an award as long as their project is located in, and benefits, a community where the banks operate. Projects must address one of three categories: Financial education - The focus is on initiatives that advance financial education including initiatives that promote accessibility to both financial education and financial services. Employability – The focus is on initiatives that build on and develop skills in individuals to equip them for the workplace and help them become ready for work. Environment – The focus is on projects seeking to protect or improve the environment. The total awards available for 2015 is £150,000 with half going to groups in England and half going to groups in Scotland. An overall winner will be selected for each category in England and in Scotland and will receive £10,000. Three highly commended groups will be selected from each category and receive £5,000. The deadline for applications is 6 March 2015. Winners will be notified in May and the Awards will be made this summer. An application form and further information can be found on the Yorkshire and Clydesdale Bank Foundation's website

Housing Projects that Make a Difference: Enter the World Habitat Awards!

The annual World Habitat Awards are a great way of identifying and celebrating good practice in housing worldwide and entries are now open for the 2015/16 competition. David Ireland, Director of BSHF, the Awards’ funders and co-ordinators said: “Previous winners have included projects which really demonstrate the wider benefits of good housing, for example health improvements, energy savings or improved community cohesion.  Recent winners have included projects which have had a significant impact on people’s lives by tackling topics as wide-ranging as chronic homelessness and the regeneration of historic cities.”  Housing projects which demonstrate practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to current housing needs are invited to submit their entries via the World Habitat Awards website www.worldhabitatawards.org..  Entries must be received by 30 April 2015.

High Proportion of UK Graduate Employers Can’t Fill Vacancies, finds AGR

More than two-fifths (45 per cent) of graduate employers had one or more unfilled job last year, the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) has found. Employers responding to The Graduate Recruitment Survey 2015 (Winter Review) said they had received an average of 74.5 applications for each graduate post. And this is set to become a bigger issue as the survey showed that the number of graduate vacancies is expected to rise by 11.9 per cent this year. The survey found IT and telecommunications employers had the most unfilled graduate vacancies, with 11.8 per cent of places remaining empty. This is despite each graduate role in the sector attracting 87.3 applications on average. The survey also revealed that IT and telecommunications employers had a high ‘turn-down rate’ – which indicates how many positions are offered but then turned down by the candidate – of 22 per cent. This is the highest rate of any industry, and is much higher than the 14.4 per cent average across all employers. But, the average time between people applying and receiving an offer in the IT and telecommunications industry is just seven weeks, compared to a 13-week average for all employers

One in Three UK Working Fathers ‘take sickies’ to Care for Children<

More than a third of working fathers have claimed sickness in order to juggle the competing demands of work and childcare, a survey has found. But one in three of all working parents said they do not work flexibly, while many admit to neglecting their own health because they don’t have time for themselves. The study of more than 1,000 working parents, published by childcare provider Bright Horizons and charity Working Families, highlights the problem working parents face trying to care for their children and older relatives. The 2015 Modern Families Index found that 36 per cent of fathers would rather feign illness than tell their bosses they need time off to look after their offspring. Survey results revealed that 44 per cent of working fathers had lied to their employer about their family for various reasons, including concealing the true extent of family commitments or problems at home. Dads need the time to collect children from school, cover when childcare arrangements breakdown, and hold birthday parties for pre-school children. The survey also found that half of working fathers were nervous about asking their employer to reduce their hours, while 34 per cent said they would be nervous about asking their employer if they could miss work for a family event. Work impinges on family life for two-fifths of all working parents, while three quarters said they use their paid annual leave to support their childcare requirements. Almost a third (31 per cent) of working parents said work and family life were both out of balance and quarter said they would accept a pay cut to reduce their working hours.

Launch of the 2015 First Women Awards

The First Women Awards aim to recognise and celebrate the successes and achievements of senior-level ground-breaking business women and professionals in the UK. Winners receive a trophy and benefit from the accolade and kudos associated with winning. 2015 nomination categories: Tourism & Leisure, Manufacturing, Engineering, Finance, Science & Technology, Media, Retail & Consumer, The Built Environment, Public Service, Business Services, Entrepreneurship (new category), Young Achiever (new category). The Awards are open to all women in business in the UK. Nominations can be made by the individual herself or by a professional colleague. The 2015 Awards will be hosted by television presenter and journalist Clare Balding. 2015 entry deadline: Friday 10 April 2015. The 2015 awards ceremony takes place on Thursday 11 June 2015 at the London Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square. See the website for more details.

Launch of the 2015 Worldwide Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards seek to encourage entrepreneurial activity and recognise the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. The Awards operate globally across 145 cities and 60 countries worldwide, celebrating those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses. In Great Britain, entries will be grouped into four regional programmes (Scotland; North; Midlands; and London, the South and Wales) to determine regional winners, with regional winners going forward to a UK Masterclass to compete for the Overall UK Entrepreneur of the Year title. The UK overall winner will then go on to represent the UK at the World Entrepreneur of the Year awards in in Monte Carlo. Note: Entries from Northern Ireland are invited at http://www.eoy.tv The benefits of entering include the following: Opportunity to join a global business network; Opportunities to excel - from regional to national to global success; Significant profile-raising through regional and national media coverage. UK entrants must be based or have their chief operations in the UK, and must have been incorporated for at least two years as of 1 January 2015. The deadline for receipt of applications is 6 March 2015.

Entries for the 2015/16 European Business Awards Invited

The European Business Awards recognise and promote excellence, best practice and innovation across the European business community. The annual Awards are judged in line with the broad aims of the European Union, and recognise the achievement of companies that have successfully developed and implemented winning growth strategies, exceptional ethical credentials, outstanding customer focus and forward-thinking innovations. Applications for 2015/16 are invited under the following categories: The RSM Entrepreneur of the Year Award, The Employer of the Year Award; The Award for Customer Focus; The Award for Environmental & Corporate Sustainability; The Business of the Year Award with Turnover of €0-25 million; The Business of the Year Award with Turnover of €150 million or higher; The Business of the Year Award with Turnover of €26-150 million; The Growth Strategy of the Year Award; The Import/Export Award; The UKTI Award for Innovation. The deadline for applications is 29 July 2015. See the website for more details.

Nestle to invest $137 million in Egypt

Nestle, the Swiss food group, is set to inject $137 million in Egypt in the next couple of years. Nestle’s capital outlay will pay more attention on manufacturing, new products and the nutrition and health industries, according to the CEO. Food is a fast-growing economic sector in Egypt, often described as the most populous Arab nation with the population numbers amounting to 90 million people. A flood of company amalgamations has bolstered the bustle on the Cairo Exchange, showing increasing global interest in Egypt as the economy starts to emerge from the doldrums.

Social Entrepreneurs Programme Invites UK Applications for 2015

The Lloyds Banking Group is accepting applications to its School for Social Entrepreneurs Programme which will begin in October 2015. Entering its penultimate year, the Social Entrepreneurs Programme aims to support start up social enterprises or those who want to scale up their projects. The programme is open to social enterprise organisation which will create social change in the UK. Existing organisations that are under two years old must have an income of less than £25,000 per year and no permanent staff. The programme offers a place on a fully funded year of learning in different locations around the country. A grant of £4,000 is available to start up a social enterprise or £15,000 to scale up an existing social enterprise. Applicants can apply to either of the following: Start Up - For those who are in the early stage development of a project or organisation. This programme will support personal development and business skills development to help turn projects or project ideas into a reality. Scale Up - For established organisations that are looking to take their operations to the next level. This programme will equip applicants with the tools to develop their enterprise further and maximise its social impact. The 2015 programme is being delivered in 12 locations in England. There are no catchment areas and only 14 contact days which means that anyone who is willing to travel to one of the following locations may attend the programme. The programme is running taster sessions to provide information and guidance on applying to the programme. These sessions will be held in the locations listed above in February and March. Information on the sessions and how to book a place can be found on the programme's website.The deadline for applications is 2 April 2015 (3pm). Full details can be found on the School for Social Entrepreneurs website

African Countries Top List for Eradicating Hunger.

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has honoured 13 countries that have made the most significant strides in fighting hunger in recent years. These countries, six of which are African, include Brazil, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gabon, the Gambia, Iran, Kiribati, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, the Philippines and Uruguay. Their accomplishments include hitting international targets ahead of the end-of-2015 deadline including the early achievement of the Millennium Development Goal 1 (MDG-1) hunger target – to halve the proportion of hungry people by 2015 – or the more rigorous 1996 World Food Summit (WFS) target of halving the absolute number of hungry people by 2015. With this new addition, the world now has 63 developing countries that have reached the MDG target, and 6 more are on track to reach it by 2015. Of the 63 countries which have reached the MDG target, 25 have also achieved the World Food Summit (WFS) target of halving the number of undernourished people by 2015. There are critical success factors that drive success in the fight against hunger and these have been identified by the UN State of Food Insecurity in the World 2014 (SOFI 2014) report. A key driver is the ability of each country to transform political commitment into effective action, and countries like Brazil which were successful in this regard will continue to see lesser hunger rates. In other countries, including Ethiopia, Gabon, the Gambia, Mauritania, Mauritius, and the Philippines, the achievement of the goals was directly linked to economic growth and the policies enacted by their respective governments over the last two decades. In some of these nations, agricultural interventions have been complemented by social protection programmes aimed at providing immediate relief to vulnerable population groups.

Kenya to see Growth from Infrastructure Investment

Growth in Kenya, East Africa’s biggest economy, is expected to accelerate over the next three years as the government increases spending on roads, railways and power plants, the National Treasury said. The economy may expand 6.1 percent in the fiscal year that ends on June 30, 2015, according to Geoffrey Mwau, economic affairs director at the Treasury. The rate is forecast to increase to 7 percent in 2015-16 and 7.3 percent the year after, he said. Kenya has sold $2.75 billion of Eurobonds this year to help fund spending on infrastructure. Kenya’s investment needs $4 billion a year to deliver on its infrastructure pledges is one of the largest on the continent, according to the Abidjan-based African Development Bank. The initial phase of the $3.8 billion standard gauge railway project, being 90 percent financed by the Export-Import Bank of China, will run from Kenya’s port of Mombasa to Nairobi. The link will be extended to bordering Uganda and the landlocked states of Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. The nation’s annual inflation rate is expected to “ease and stabilize” to the mid-point target through the end of the fiscal year in June, according to Mwau. The inflation rate slowed to 6.1 percent in November from 6.4 percent in October.

Research Reveals GCC Trade with Africa on the Rise

Investors are seeking opportunities in new sectors and geographic locations with Dubai and the UAE a well-placed hub to drive and facilitate growth. Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries are placing more attention on new markets in east, west and southern Africa as their trade flows with the continent expand, according to a report released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in conjunction with Falcon and Associates. The EIU study, entitled GCC Trade and Investment Flows, explores the GCC’s economic ties with each world region and identifies major growth drivers. Key findings show the GCC’s push into Africa is broadening by sector and geographical location. From telecommunications and private equity in West Africa to energy projects in South Africa and Mozambique, investment flows are diversifying. Opportunities in infrastructure are a primary growth driver, where, according to World Bank estimates, US$96bn a year is required to bridge the gap, while fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) is one of the fastest-emerging opportunities on the continent, driven by increased spending power and rising consumer needs. Findings show Dubai and the UAE as a major trade and investment partner across the African continent. In 2014, the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) signed a US$300M agreement with Dangote Cement in West Africa and bought a significant stake in Kerzner International. 2014 also saw Dubai-based Jumeirah Group expand operations into North Africa with a management agreement in Mauritius and the recent deal between Emirates Airline (which already operates more than 160 flights a week to Africa) and TAAG Angola Airlines will improve connections to Central and South Africa. In addition, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts has signed its first Memorandum of Guidance with their counterparts in the High Court of Kenya advancing legal structures and enabling more confident investing. With robust infrastructure, geographic location and global connectivity, Dubai acts as a strategic and world-class hub for doing business with Africa. The emirate not only facilitates trade and investment flows into and out of the continent, it provides a stable and secure base from which global firms can operate.  The findings follow the success of the 2nd Africa Global Business Forum (AGBF), held in Dubai earlier this year and organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which was attended by more than 1000 delegates from 62 countries where discussions focused on encouraging investment opportunities and promoting sustainable development across Africa.  The full GCC Trade and Investment Flows report can be viewed online and downloaded at http://www.economistinsights.com/analysis/gcc-trade-and-investment-flows

National Bank of Canada acquires 9.5% stake in Mauritius bank

National Bank of Canada (NBC) has bought a 9.5 percent stake in Mauritius-based AfrAsia Bank Limited, its first foray into Africa, as it focuses on exploiting opportunities offered by emerging markets. The investment also represents a major vote of confidence in AfrAsia’s business model, financial standing and unique positioning in regional and international markets, which have also been validated by other investors such as the Singaporean private equity firm, Intrasia Capital and French partner PROPARCO. The bank’s growth plans and strategic vision is led by the founder shareholder GML, a Mauritian conglomerate. AfrAsia Bank’s total assets at the end of June 2014 were recorded at $1.56 billion. By offering tailor-made and innovative banking and investment solutions, with expertise in the local and international financial sectors, AfrAsia Bank aims to grow from having clients in 104 countries to becoming one of the biggest players in Africa and expanding in European as well as American markets.

Uganda Approves Single East African Currency

The Ugandan parliament has approved the establishment of the East African Monetary Union, which will see Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi adopting a single common currency. Uganda's Minister of State for Finance Planning, Matia Kasaija, said the monetary union is intended to promote and maintain monetary and financial stability aimed at facilitating economic integration to attain sustainable growth and development of the East African Community. According to provisions of the protocol for the establishment of the East African Monetary Union (EAMU), partner states agreed to harmonise and coordinate their fiscal policies, formulate and implement a single monetary policy and a single exchange rate policy, and to develop and integrate financial payment and settlement systems. In addition, the states will integrate their financial management systems and harmonise their financial accounting and reporting practices. The monetary union is the third stage, following the customs union and the common market, towards the full realisation of a political federation for the five countries in the region. Partner States also agreed, according to the treaty, to cooperate in monetary and financial matters. It is unlikely that South Sudan and Somalia, who recently applied to join the five member regional body will use the currency until they are accorded full membership.The move will not be the first time a single currency will be used in the region. Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania used a common currency during the colonial era up to early 1970's when the then East African Community collapsed.

Nigeria’s infrastructure fund secures $500m from UK, Spanish lenders

Nigeria’s dedicated infrastructure development finance institution, The Infrastructure Bank Plc (TIB), has partnered with Gemfonds of UK and Madrid-based investment banking firm Sigrun for a $500 million Nigeria-focused Infrastructure Fund. Formerly known as the Urban Development Bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund 1 (NIF1) is to set up, invest in and lend to greenfield and brownfield public private partnership projects, primarily within the Nigerian infrastructure space. The fund will be managed by The Infrastructure Bank Asset Management Company Limited (TIBAML), a subsidiary of TIB, under the overall guidance of its management and Board of Directors. Primary focus sectors for the fund, according to the statement, will be transportation, municipal common services and utilities, power and renewable energy, oil and gas logistics services as well as real estate and telecommunications. As the fund commences around mid-2015, it is expected to offer unique opportunities for local and international investors who are particularly interested in infrastructure. The end result, as envisaged by TIB, is a significant infrastructure upgrade whose multiplier effect stimulates further economic development and boosts GDP in a sustainable fashion.

National Wealth Up 32% as Tanzania Revises Data

The size of Tanzania’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 31.7 per cent to Sh69.85 trillion in 2013, revised data published in Dar es Salaam show. The calculation of the GDP in which agriculture remains the leading sector (carrying 31.7 per cent share) changed its base year to 2007 from 2001 following the trend by many African economies to include the newly included economic activities. Finance minister Saada Mkuya said per capita income in 2013 was revised to Sh1.56 million from Sh1.18 million estimated using the 2001 base year. Agriculture GDP  for 2007 has increased by 26.2 per cent between revised and old series while the highest change is observed in other social and personal services (223.7 per cent) followed by education (193.9 per cent). Tanzania plans to become the middle income country by 2025. The revised economic growth for 2013 was 7.3 per cent from 6.6 per cent estimated earlier. The increased ownership of mobile phones is said to be an indication of the improved economic growth as facilitated by technology. According to 2012 population census, 63 per cent of Tanzanians on the Mainland own mobile phones. Poverty is also estimated at 28.2 per cent in 2012 compared with 35 per cent in 2007. All public policies including the current budget will reflect the newly disseminated economic data and the annual headline inflation rate for November 2014 further decreased to 5.8 per cent from 5.9 per cent recorded in October. Economic growth continues to be driven by growth in a few sectors, particularly the ICT, financial services, construction, trade and mining sectors. Except for mining, activities within these sectors are largely concentrated in urban areas, according to the World Bank. The 2007 revision is the fifth in the revision of GDP in Tanzania Mainland. Other revisions were for 1966, 1976, 1992 and 2001, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The move by Tanzania follows similar exercises in 2014, which increased the size of GDP in other African nations such as Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria, which overtook South Africa to become Africa’s largest economy after updating its base year. The revised GDP for the base year 2007 replaces the GDP series with the base year 2001 as official estimates for the GDP in Tanzania Mainland, according to NBS.The revision disseminated was for Tanzania Mainland only and Zanzibar is expected to do so in 2015. Mr Daniel Masolwa, national accounts statistics manager at the National Bureau of Statistics, said some activities like landline phones were left out of the new figures while the telecoms were included to reflect the reality in the economy.

Heineken Inaugurates Ethiopia's biggest brewery as part of Euro 310 Million Investment

Heineken has inaugurated its new brewery at a greenfield site in Kilinto on the outskirts of Addis Ababa.  With a total capacity of 1.5m hectolitres, the Kilinto brewery is already producing the recently launched Walia® beer together with Bedele® and Harar® beer brands. It is planned that the site will also brew other brands including the flagship Heineken® beer. Employing around 280 people, drawn from the local workforce, the new facility complements the already established Bedele and Harar breweries; which were acquired from the Ethiopian government in 2011. The Euro110 million new brewery is part of a total Euro 310 million investment in the country by Heineken since 2011. With this enhanced production footprint, the company believes it will be well placed to further develop its portfolio of high quality beers that will meet growing demand in the country. The new facility, which more than doubles the company’s potential output, will enable it to satisfy rising demand for local and international brands.

Largest Privately Funded Renewable Energy Company for Africa

Access Power MEA, a power project developer focused on the Middle East and Africa has joined forces with EREN, a renewable energy firm, to form Access Infra Africa (AIA), an investment vehicle that will be dedicated to investing in the early stage development of power projects in Africa. According to the company, AIA will be the largest privately funded vehicle of its kind as it intends to implement an ambitious development plan leading to the realization of a portfolio of power assets in Africa worth over $500 million. Under the agreement, EREN will acquire a strategic equity stake in Access and a seat on the board of Access. In December 2014, Access was awarded the contract to build, own and operate the first solar power plant in Uganda, a 10 MWp solar photovoltaic facility in Soroti, Northeastern Uganda.  Once complete, the plant will be the second largest privately owned solar PV project in Africa excluding South Africa.

Kenya to Boost Coffee Exports Through New Branding

Kenya has launched a coffee branding initiative designed to boost the country's reputation for producing high-quality beans and help the industry regain its position as a top foreign exchange earner. Under a scheme set out by the Kenyan government, bulk coffee sold to roasters will be branded "Coffee Kenya Mark of Origin" by producers and traders, with the Kenya Coffee Directorate policing the system and ensuring the beans are from the east African country. According to the government, it is seeking to add value to exports through initiatives such as branding, widening the appeal of Kenyan coffee with consumers and following similar schemes used by other producers. Coffee exports, worth $254 million in the 2013/14 season which runs October to September, are Kenya's fourth-biggest foreign exchange earner after tourism, tea and horticulture. In the 1980s, the sector was the leading earner accounting for 40 percent of foreign exchange. Output was 49,475 tonnes in 2013/14, down from a peak of 130,000 tonnes in 1988/89, although Kenya's high-grade beans are still appreciated by roasters who often blend them with lower-quality beans from other growers.

South Africa’s Youth Subsidy Creates 270,000 Jobs, says Government

The implementation of the Employment Tax Incentive Act has resulted in 270 000 young people getting jobs ever since its inception, according to South Africa’s National Treasury. National Treasury spokesperson Jabulani Sikhakhane said there were around 29,000 different employers who had made use of the incentive ever since it came into effect last year and that information received from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) indicates that employers have claimed the incentive for at least 270,000 employees up until the end of September 2014. This follows the passing of the law in December 2013 after it had been put on ice to allow for consultations with labour unions and business at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) to take place. The incentive was first announced by President Jacob Zuma in 2010 against the concerns of an increasing rate of unemployment amongst young people. After the announcement, the then Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan later introduced it during his 2010 Budget. These announcements were followed by the publication in February 2011 of a discussion paper, “Confronting youth unemployment: policy options for South Africa”. The National Treasury will continue to monitor the implementation of the incentive and may act to change the incentive if there are unintended consequences that are not in line with the objective of creating more employment.The current phase of the Employment Tax Incentive is aimed at helping young people between the ages of 18 and 29 to get work.

African Diaspora Support Calls for African Universities

Under its newly launched African Diaspora Support to African Universities, the Council for the Development of Social Science research in Africa (CODESRIA) is pleased to invite interested scholars universities to submit proposals for joint research projects. The Programme seeks to mobilize the African academic diaspora to support the teaching of higher education, the humanities and social sciences in African universities and to strengthen the linkages between African academics in the diaspora and African universities. It seeks to mobilize African academics in the diaspora to contribute to the strengthening of African universities, the nurturing of new generations of scholars in Africa in a culture of excellence, and the revitalization of the social sciences, higher education studies, and the humanities. The specific objectives of the programme include the strengthening of PhD programs and the curricula in the social sciences, higher education, and the humanities; contribute to the filling of gaps and dealing with shortages in teaching; PhD supervision and mentoring of young social science scholars in Africa, more generally; as well as in strengthening the relationships and linkages between African academics in the diaspora and the institutions where they are based with African universities. Completed application documents should be received by 15th March 2015.

Aggreko Extends 200 MW Ivory Coast Power Project

Aggreko, the world leader in the provision of temporary power and temperature control services, has announced a three year contract extension to its 200 MW gas-fired power project in Ivory Coast, with an option to extend this by a further two years. The Aggreko plant in the Vridi area of Abidjan provides critical power to Ivory Coast and surrounding countries interconnected to the Ivory Coast grid. The facility was installed in 2010 with the first phase of the project producing 70 MW. This was later increased to 100 MW in 2011 and again increased in June 2013 to 200 MW. With a booming economy and GDP growth of around 9%, demand for energy has been increasing steadily in recent years. The Aggreko plant injects vital capacity into the local grid, helping keep essential infrastructure and services running, while also ensuring power supplies are maintained to both business and domestic users. Aggreko maintains a strong presence in Ivory Coast and views the country as a vital platform in its West African operations. In addition to the Abidjan plant, Aggreko also runs its West African youth training initiative, The Aggreko Technical University in Ivory Coast. The programme involves an intensive training syllabus incorporating advanced technical, engineering and project operations modules. Graduates have access to fast-track employment opportunities within technical and project operations positions in the Ivory Coast and other locations in Aggreko’s network of international power projects. The programme has so far seen 18 Ivorian and West African engineers trained with 14 of these going on to graduate and join Aggreko in various locations across Africa.

Cape Town Ranked Second in World’s Best Beaches

Cape Town has been ranked by National Geographic as the world's second-best beach city in their latest Top 10 list. The international magazine places Cape Town's beaches behind Barcelona's "eight white-sand beaches that rim its Mediterranean coastline". But the South African "capital of cool" pips Hawaii’s Honolulu, Nice in France, Miami in the US, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Santa Monica in California, Sydney in Australia, and Israel's Tel Aviv.

More Ugandans Turning to Mobile Banking than Banking Halls, Survey Finds

More Ugandans are turning to their mobile phones as a medium for making transactions than bearing the hassle of lining up in banking halls, a new survey, commissioned by the Uganda Communications Commission, shows. The majority of Ugandans can’t even afford to read or manage the requirements needed while opening up bank accounts. But they can easily register accounts with mobile money and keep their money on the phone, where they can easily access it any time, according to Fred Tusubira, the managing director of Knowledge and Consulting, the firm that was contracted to carry out the survey. Mobile money gives customers access to banking services where they can send, deposit and withdraw money at any time. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics also had an input in the survey. Tusubira said about 24 per cent of Uganda’s population uses mobile money against the 17 per cent who own bank accounts. Tusubira said the survey also found out that most Ugandans didn’t appreciate the benefits of internet services. According to him, many Ugandans don’t have access to internet because they find it to be too expensive, and this has discouraged them from having an interest in it. Tusubira explained that many Ugandans use internet at the office and in the cafes, but rarely access it when they are at home or elsewhere. Dr Twinemanzi Tumubweinee, the head of Competition and Consumer Affairs at UCC, said their findings showed that  many Ugandans also found it expensive to own a phone, leave alone buying airtime and paying for the power to charge it. He noted that the survey found out that 50 per cent of Ugandans cannot afford to buy mobile phones because they are expensive and the cost of airtime is also expensive, which is still a big challenge in communication,

Orange and Ecobank Launch Money Transfer Service in Africa

Orange and pan-African banking group Ecobank have rolled out a service that will enable Orange Money subscribers who also have bank accounts with Ecobank to transfer money between their respective accounts. The service has already been launched in Mali and will be rolled-out in several other African countries, including Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Conakry, Niger, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, during the first half of 2015. The two companies have launched the service following the signature of a memorandum of understanding. The partnership comes as part of a joint strategy to enhance mobile financial services and to increase access to banking services across Africa.

West Africa Lags East Africa in Use of Mobile Money Platforms

Countries in the West African region are lagging behind their East African peers in terms of adoption, development and usage of mobile money platforms, according to research by advisory firm, Mondat. East Africa has recorded significant growth and uptake of mobile money platforms, largely propelled by expanding usage in Kenya and Tanzania among other countries in the region. However, West African countries have been slow to seize the opportunity presented by mobile money. Nigeria has a huge market and a large number of mobile money deployments, but low levels of adoption and usage. Sierra Leone and Liberia which suffered outbreaks of Ebola last year managed to capitalise on mobile money revolutions and increased usage of such platforms in deploying financial assistance volunteers, aid workers and others involved in the fight against the outbreak of the deadly epidemic. Liberia has promulgated a new set of mobile money regulations designed to encourage a market-led growth in the ecosystem. The report said more than 16 000 Ebola response workers received 'danger money' payments through mobile money in 2014. There is even wider scope for growth in mobile phone usage in the three countries that were affected by Ebola last year, adds Mondato. According to the report, barely three out of five Guineans or Liberians have a mobile. In Sierra Leone, that number drops below half, and all three countries lie in the lowest docile of the 187 countries ranked on the United Nations' Human Development Index.

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