African Business Review - June 2017

June 2017

www.africanbusinessreview.co.za

INVESTING IN

GUINEA’S FUTURE WE TALK TO SMB-WAP ABOUT ITS FAST-PACED MINING PROJECT TRANS AFRICA PIPELINE Delivering water security

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Africa

EDITOR’S COMMENT

IN THE PIPELINE WELCOME TO THE June issue of African Business Review.

How do businesspeople balance ambition with reality?

New ideas must be driven by determination, but how do you know when to slam the breaks and give in to your limits? For insight into this conflict, we speak to Daphne Lavers and Rod Tennyson, co-founders of the Trans-African Pipeline project.

They plan to solve the Sahel region’s drought issues with an 8,000-kilometre water pipeline, spanning 11 countries. Find out about their bold business plan in our lead feature.

Hannes Burger, South African MD of Fujitsu, builds on the ‘ambition’ theme by answering the question: “Why Fujitsu in Africa?”. Fujitsu has bold plans for the continent - our tech piece uncovers them.

For ABR’s monthly top 10, we check out the ambitious malls touching down in Africa’s biggest cities. Africa’s appetite for shopping is growing rapidly - how are these malls satisfying it?

Don’t forget to browse our exclusive company reports. Every issue, we feature in-depth interviews with executives about stand-out African business developments. This month, it’s the turn of Guinea Ministry of Mines and Geology, SMB Societe Miniere de Boke and Khartoum International Community School.

Enjoy your read, and as always, tweet your feedback @AfricaBizReview

Enjoy the issue!

Wedaeli Chibelushi Editor wedaeli.chibelushi@bizclikmedia.com

F E AT U R E S PROFILE

UNTAPPED POTENTIAL

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The story of the Trans Africa Pipeline project, set to deliver water across the continent

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TECHNOLOGY

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TOP10

AFRICAN

SHOPPING MALLS EVENTS

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June 2017

African tech events for the UK diaspora

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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L ES

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MINING

MINING

Guinea Ministry of Mines and Geology

SMB Société Minière de Boké

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Khartoum International Community School TECHNOLOGY

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PROFILE

UNTAPPED POTENTIAL A solution to the Sahel drought problem may no longer be a pipedream. We speak to Rod Tennyson and Daphne Lavers, co-founders of the Trans Africa Pipeline (TAP), about their ambitious project Wr it te n by: W E D A E L I C H I B E L U S H I

PROFILE “A VILLAGE WILL have clean fresh water drilled into the aquafir well, then the aquafirs deplete and the wells break down,” Daphne Lavers tells us. Lavers and her husband, Dr Rod Tennyson, are frustrated that NGO-built African wells do not last long. According to UPGro (a research programme studying groundwater projects in sub-Saharan Africa) nearly one-third of such projects fail within a few years of construction.

One major reason for this is failure to train locals. Daphne explains: “NGOs haven’t trained anyone local

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to keep them going. It’s an irrational piecemeal way to deal with water shortages and it’s not necessary.”

It’s not necessary. In other words, Lavers and Tennyson think that water shortages in Africa are not inevitable or engraved by natural law.

Simultaneously, the United Nations (UN) predicts that by 2050, over 50 percent of agricultural land in the Sahel region could be infertile by 2050.

Lavers and Tennyson (both Canadian) feel this is a sort of fatalism held by the UN and NGOs. In response, they conceived TAP,

U N TA P P E D P O T E N T I A L

‘THE PROPOSED PIPELINE WILL BE 8,000 KM LONG, 1.2-1.5 DIAMETERS WIDE, CROSS 11 AFRICAN COUNTRIES AND COST $14.7 BILLION’

Dr Rod Tennyson signing agreement with Her Excellency Mrs Khadijetou Mbareck Fall of Mauritania

the Trans Africa Pipeline project. In 2005, Lavers and Tennyson designed a fresh-water pipeline that will cross the Sahel region of Africa, starting in the west (Mauritania) and ending in the east (Sudan). Though it hasn’t been constructed yet, TAP has secured private financing, deals with contractors and an agreement with the Mauritanian government.

The proposed pipeline will be 8,000 km long, 1.2-1.5 diameters wide, cross 11 African countries and cost $14.7 billion.

What qualifies Tennyson and Lavers to lead such an ambitious project?

A seasoned aerospace engineer and University of Toronto Professor Emeritus, Tennyson co-founded FOX-TEK, which specialises in fibre optic sensor technology. “It became apparent that fibre optic sensors could be used on pipelines,” Tennyson says.

Armed with a Masters of Journalism from Carlton University, Lavers handles communications for TAP. Like Tennyson, she also has experience in the pipeline sector, which she calls “a hot button subject for Canada”.

“When Daphne and I were listening to the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland [2005], they were talking 9

PROFILE

“PEOPLE SAY: ‘ARE YOU CR AZY, HOW CAN YOU DO THIS?’ WELL, WE CAN DO THIS” ROD TENNYSON CO-FOUNDER TAP PROJECT about the water shortage in Africa,” Tennyson adds. “Daphne asked that since I was involved in pipelines, why couldn’t I pipe water across Africa? That’s how it started.” Now, TAP has left the starting line, with various backers cheering its progress.

When complete, TAP aims to provide enough fresh drinking water for 28-30 million people across the 10

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Sahel region, along with water for them to grow crops. TAP plans to pump 800,000 m3 per day, and in two directions. There are two reasons for transporting water both east and west: “If for any reason there is a failure in the pipeline we can still pump in both directions up until the end of that pipeline,” Tennyson explains.

“Also, it’s for the security of supply.

U N TA P P E D P O T E N T I A L

For example, if one desalination plant goes down or fails, we still have water coming from another desalination plant.” Mauritania, Senegal, Sudan and Djibouti will each house a desalination plant, so there will be two on each coast TAP aims to cover some of its costs through these plants. Tennyson says: “If I put a gallon of ocean water through a desalination plant, only half a gallon will come through as clean drinkable water, the other half will be rejected as a very salty brine.” TAP will exploit the Sahel’s high evaporation rate to produce salt. “We expect to produce, in just the Mauritania branch, 800,000 metric tons of salt a year,” Tennyson comments. This by-product will then be sold on the open market at a gross value of about a hundred dollars a metric ton.

Tennyson believes this is necessary to pay off any debts TAP incurs.

TAP also plans to finance the pipeline via carbon credits. The carbon credit system was instated as part of the Kyoto Protocol (signed by the United Nations in 1997). A carbon credit allows a country, company or organisation to emit one ton of carbon dioxide. Credits are awarded

if the holder reduces its greenhouse gases below its emission quota, or reduces greenhouse emissions via an emission reduction project.

Carbon credits can be legally traded in the international market at their current market price. “Organisations like TAP and other groups that use clean power will make money from these carbon credits,” Tennyson says.

“If we were to build a power plant in Mauritania, we have no access to coal iron or gas. However, the sun’s energy can be used to drive the desalination plant. Wind power can be used to provide power for, say, manufacturing camps. We’re going to need 25 pump stations in order to power them and we’re going to build solar power farms at each station.”

The pipeline will also be funded in more traditional ways. 80 percent of TAP’s current funds has come from private financing. TAP hopes to secure the remaining capex financing soon; the team is waiting for the pre-construction budget to be approved by outside investors.

Meanwhile, TAP has been making progress with the Mauritanian government. Phase one of the TAP project will take place in Mauritania, 11

PROFILE

Concept design of TAP Solar power farm, helicopter landing pad and maintenance, solar power farm and water storage.

Schematic Shan Tennyson-MSC and according to Tennyson it is a £1.2 billion-dollar project. In May, TAP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government, highlighting the intent for both parties to co-operate during all phases of the project.

TAP hopes to draw up MoUs with the remaining 10 African countries and it is currently in talks with Sudan, Senegal and Djibouti.

Tennyson is well aware that the 12

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progress TAP is making will be reversed if it makes the same mistake other NGOs have made. He tells us: “One aspects of our pipelines project is to train thousands of Africans over the 11 countries, so the pipeline will revert to ownership of those countries.” Among these Africans, TAP plans to employ local graduate engineers and agricultural specialists.

Back in North America, TAP has been growing team of local

U N TA P P E D P O T E N T I A L

SAHEL FACTS The Sahel is a 1,000 kilometre wide grassland between the Sahara desert and the African rainforest The region includes 10 countries: Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Sudan and Eritrea According to the United Nations, around 1 in 7 people living in the Sahel are undernourished.

The same study found 1 in 5 Sahel children to be malnourished Climatologists suggest that the temperature of the Sahel will increase by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius by 2050

For more information on the TAP project, visit the website: www.transafricapipeline.org

employees. TAP currently works with its Atlanta-based charitable arm, the TAP Foundation US. TAP also has agreements with contractors who provide it with design advice.

Listed partners are based all over the world, and range from Irish project management company Kilmurn to the Pan African Agency of the Great Green Wall, an African initiative aimed at fighting desertification and poverty.

“People say: ‘Are you crazy, how can you do this?’” Tennyson laughs.

“Well, we can do this.” He and Lavers recognise that the pipeline is an audacious project, but have the utmost faith in TAP’s vision.

Alternatively, critics cite funding and intra-regional cooperation as major issues. Tennyson and Lavers are aware that there will be stumbling blocks and that the pipeline is a long way from completion. For now, they’re taking the project phase-byphase. For Tennyson, the ongoing phase must answer the following questions: “Do the economics work? Does it function technically as projected? Is the water sufficient for the people as well as for irrigation?” he asks. “When that’s done, we jump to phase 2 and away we go!”

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Africa Fujitsu, a leading Japanese ICT company, offers a range of technology products to customers worldwide. At the moment, it supports clients in over 100 countries. For a first-hand insight of Fujitsu’s African operations, we talk to the firm’s South African MD, Hannes Burger Writ ten by: WE DAE LI CHIBE LUS HI

TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY CAN YOU TELL US WHY FUJITSU IS A GOOD FIT FOR AFRICA? From a technology point of view, because of the scale of the region, business continuities are of key importance. The failure rate is very relevant to Africa in that the lowest failure rates are from a supportive and maintenance point of view. Fujitsu has the lowest failure rates in the industry, a position that is unique for Africa. So, it’s a very practical reason, but it’s very relevant to Africa.

On top of Africa being unique and beautiful, preventative maintenance, 24/7 monitoring of hardware and predicting hardware failures has become very important. We currently have a replacement from Germany, we monitor all hardware 24/7 and it’s amazing to see how you can solve incidents before the cloud even knows about the incident.

For me, that is very important. Then obviously, it’s all about skills and skills development. We’ve got groups of multinationals in all countries representing, delivering on SOA’s. I don’t know if you know this, but Fujitsu is in the leader squadrons in integrated systems in Gartner. So that sort of skill and knowledge, and skill transfer 16

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in country and the commitment that we make, I think that really is the most relevant point for me when answering, “why Fujitsu in Africa?”.

It’s more of a practical response then a hyperconverged one. We’ve seen that we’re growing rapidly in Africa.

CLEARLY FUJITSU HAS BIG PLANS FOR THE CONTINENT. WHAT AFRICA SPECIFIC PRODUCTS ARE FUJITSU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT? I’m going to use this opportunity to talk about a really new solution we’re really excited about. It’s so brilliant, yet the solution is so simplistic.

We’ve come up with a kiosk device for the unconnected workforce.

When you think about the unconnected workforce (basically in mining, manufacturing and the automotive industry) there’s a lot of people that don’t even have a smartphone. Their interaction with technology is almost non-existent, but when they do go out they encounter technology. But when they go out they encounter technology. One way or another, we need to educate them.

If you take for instance a big railway firm that has 40,000 unconnected

FUJITSU IN AFRICA

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FUJITSU IN AFRICA

‘When you think about the unconnected workforce (it’s basically in mining, manufacturing and the automotive industry) there’s a lot of people that don’t even have a smartphone’

workers, obviously, they need to get trained on technology.

They have a kiosk, where they go to the kiosk, and the company just moves information through to them, they can learn about what’s happening in the company. That’s the company pushing information done.

More important for me, is that they can look at their salary slips, they can put in their leave, they can apply for positions, whereas before they sometimes just don’t because they don’t know about it.

There was a third subject regarding municipal accounts, or accounts for school for their kids, so these people have to catch two taxis, five trains, or whatever, to go and pay a municipal account, or to go and pay their school fees.

What you have here, is you give them access to the device, in a training centre where in 15 minutes they get educated, they pay their accounts or whatever, they don’t spend a lot of their own money. The productivity - it’s so simplistic, yet it’s something that’s really kicking off in South Africa and that we’re pushing further into Africa in the next 18 months.

THE KIOSKS SEEM LIKE A MUCH-NEEDED SOLUTION. HOW WILL THEY OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES OF ERRATIC POWER SUPPLIES AND BLACKOUTS? Obviously, the technology needs to be robust enough to handle it. There’s a green sustainability point of view from Fujitsu and our devices use much less power than our competitors. That definitely assists from a power 19

TECHNOLOGY

‘There’s a green sustainability point of view from Fujitsu and our devices use much less power than our competitors’ consumption point of view. Even if you think of the fact that equipment can go up to 45°C. Obviously, the power usage of a server room given the air con and everything, puts a heavy strain on the power availability.

Although, I don’t know if you know that South African blackouts are due to coal, nothing else.

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR DATA CENTRE SERVICES. WHAT DO YOU OFFER? From a Fujitsu point of view, building data centre infrastructure its very often complex and time-consuming. From a client point of view, the DIY approach can be risky and expensive. It’s not their core competence and should not

FUJITSU IN AFRICA

be part of their core delivery. Ready to run systems with simple design and simple procurement, that’s key for them. Also, our reference architectures give shorter project timeframes, which is very important because process turnaround time is becoming shorter and shorter and the flexibility to adapt is there if you use some of

these integrated solutions we have.

Our brand is known as PRIMEFLEX. And in the PRIMEFLEX store you’ve got for PRIMEFLEX for SAP HANA. Interestingly, we’ve got 80 percent of the market. Then obviously, there’s PRIMEFLEX for OpenStack as well, PRIMEFLEX the hybrid cloud, and the k5 v-Shape selection with VMware.

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TOP 10

AFRICA’S TOP

SHOPPING MALLS Writ ten by: WE DAE LI CHIBE LUS HI

Africa’s appetite for shopping has become more and more voracious. Growing local spending power and an increase in the number of expat workers have led to huge investments in African shopping malls.

Which ones are the best? We pick our favourite 10 23

TOP 10

Sea Plaza Country: Senegal www.seaplaza.sn Located in Dakar, Sea Plaza was the first high-end shopping centre of its kind in West Africa. The mall opened in 2010 and boasts calming views of the Atlantic Ocean. If you like designer fashion (e.g. Hugo Boss, United Colours of Benetton), this one’s for you.

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Mall of Africa Country: South Africa www.mallofafrica.co.za Mall of Africa is South Africa’s largest shopping mall ever built in a single phase. Developed

by Atterbury Property Group, the mall spans 131000 m2 of Waterfall City. Mall of Africa boasts over 300 shops. Fairly new, the mall was finished in 2016.

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Polo Park Mall Country: Nigeria www.persianasgroup.com Built in Enugu, Polo Park Mall has become a tourist attraction for visitors to Southern Nigeria.

It also appeals to locals – its landmark giant ferris wheel and 27,000m2 retail space draws Nigerian families from across the region. Polo Park Mall’s anchor tenant is Shoprite.

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A F R I C A’ S T O P 1 0 S H O P P I N G M A L L S

The Junction Country: Kenya www.thejunction.co.ke The Junction covers 256,000 square feet and serves Nairobi with over 100 stores. Featuring both local and international brands, the mall prides itself on variety.

Shoppers can loiter into the mall’s craft market, where buyers can shop for handmade items from local vendors. Stores include Converse, Subway and Levis.

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Arcades Shopping Mall Country: Zambia www.arcades.co.zm Arcades Shopping Mall is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the Lusaka city centre. With 40+ stores, Arcades is relatively intimate too. It features a cinema, fast-food outlets, restaurants, cafes, a bookstore, and a large supermarket. Occasionally, the mall features musical and theatrical events.

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Genena City Mall Country: Egypt www.genenacity.com Genena City Mall is in the tourist hotspot of Sharm El Sheikh. The mall features shops, eateries, pharmacies and even a museum.

The mall even contains residential chalets. Stores include Adidas, Bella Donna, and Dalydress.

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V&A Waterfront Country: South Africa www.waterfront.co.za The V&A Waterfront is one of the top tourist destinations in Africa.

On the site of a working harbour, the V&A treats visitors to views

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of fishing boats and towering container ships. Inside the mall, there’s colonial-era architecture and historic sites like the Clock Tower and Maritime Museum.

Accra Mall Country: Ghana www.accramall.com Commissioned in 2008, Accra Mall is a shopping centre in Ghana’s capital. It holds 65 shops, of which 30 percent are operated by Ghanaian retailers.

Accra Mall is anchored by two South African heavyweights: Shoprite and Game Stores.

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A F R I C A’ S T O P 1 0 S H O P P I N G M A L L S

Manda Hill Mall Country: Zambia www.shopmandahill.com Like Arcades Shopping Mall, Manda Hill is situated far from the Lusaka city centre. It has several local and international stores with sectors ranging from jewellery to electronics.

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Two Rivers Mall Country: Kenya www.tworivers.co.ke Two Rivers is Kenya’s largest shopping centre. Planted on Limuru Road, Two Rivers opened in March 2016. The facility covers a total of 65,000 m2.

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EVENTS

African tech events for the UK diaspora How can Africans abroad connect with the continent’s tech sector? ABR went to two UK-based African events to find out: Writ ten by: WE DAE LI CHIBE LUS HI

LAGOS, NAIROBI, CAIRO, CAPE TOWN, ACCRA - all renowned hubs for African technology developments.

These are kernels of disruptive energy, pushing the industry via courses, conferences and co-working opportunities.

Clearly, it’s important for Africans to host tech events on the continent. But how can the African diaspora and international investors keep up with Africa’s tech developments?

In recent months, African Business Review attended two UK-based African tech events. These events sought to assemble the best in the industry, and prove that geographical distance doesn’t detract from passion for African tech. Here’s our rundown of the two summits:

1.87m 400yrs African heritage population of Britain

Length of time the African diaspora has existed in the UK

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EVENTS THE AFRICAN DIASPORA BIOTECH SUMMIT 2017 - 4 APRIL 2017 University of Cambridge, Cambridge The inaugural African Diaspora Summit was run by JR Biotek Foundation, a student led, not-for-profit organisation aimed to advance STEM skills in sub-Saharan Africa. As part of its efforts, the foundation brought together over 70 students, professionals, and leaders from Africa and the diaspora to discuss Africa’s bio-economy. As a precursor to the Summit, the Foundation ran a Molecular Laboratory Training Workshop for native African students.

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS DEPARTMENT OF PLANT SCIENCES • UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE • BBSRC GLOBAL RESEARCH CHALLENGE FUND • GATES CAMBRIDGE TRUST AND SCHOLAR’S COUNCIL • GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVES • CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY • TRINITY COLLEGE • CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

OUR HIGHLIGHTS Keynote speech from Professor Lucy Ogbadu, Director-General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) at the Nigerian Ministry of Science and Technology.

With equal parts humour and passion, Ogbadu addressed issues such as funding, politics and education.

She began and finished her rousing speech with the mantra: “Only Africans can do it for Africa”.

Regarding the African biotech field,

Panel on the role of women in biotech.

Advocate for Clean Climate Environment

This impassioned panel welcomed

(ACCE), an organisation aiming to boost

interesting insights from women delegates.

Nigerian climate change education.

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one audience member commented: “Women cannot contribute much, because we are the primary victims.

Especially in Africa, where almost everything is wired against women.”

NextGen Africa Bioinnovation Pitching Competion. Attendees from the Molecular Laboratory Training Workshop pitched innovative biotech solutions to a panel of esteemed judges.

The winner, Thanni Bolaji, proposed

AFRICAN TECH EVENTS

WHAT THE DELEGATES SAY Had a great time at the @JRbiotek #africanbiotechsummit yesterday - thanks to the organizers!

- Christian R. Boehm @CR_Boehm

Cant believe the @ JRbiotek Training Workshop+African Diaspora Biotech Summit are already over.What a wonderful 10 days w/ wonderful people!

- Chloe Orland @ChlOrland

“IT’S AMAING TO LEARN AND ALSO TO HEAR OTHER PEOPLE’S PERSPECTIVES” CAROL IBE FOUNDER OF JR BIOTEK FOUNDATION

WHAT THE ORGANISER SAYS Carol Ibe is the Founder of JR Biotek Foundation and PhD student (Gates Scholar) at the University of Cambridge Have you learnt anything new from the summit?

It’s amazing to learn and also to hear other people’s perspectives. Most of what the speakers talked about were problems that we know, but some of the solutions that they proposed I had never thought of. Some of them I had thought of before, but they presented them in a way that I hadn’t been thinking about them.

How will you make the summit bigger and better next time?

The plan for the Summit is for it to be held biannually in African countries.

We hope to move the Summit from country to country to ensure that we involve as many key stakeholders in the discussion as possible.

What tips would you give to someone wanting to hold an African tech event outside of Africa?

If there is a clear need for it to be done outside Africa, then the best advice I can give is to find good partners out here who believe in the vision and are willing to support it.

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EVENTS AFRICA TECH SUMMIT LONDON 2017 - 20 APRIL 2017 The Grand at Trafalgar Square, London Pan-African tech portal Appsafrica.com recently ran the second Africa Tech Summit (ATS) London. With the aim of driving investment and business partnerships between Africa and Europe, ATS London welcomed 200 delegates. Executives from the likes of Etisalat, EcoBank and BitPesa attended, while West, East and North Africa were represented by speakers alone.

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION • LINKLATERS • LIQUID TELECOM • BEDLAM INC • HELLO PAISA • HELLO GROUP • VCONNECT • ABACUS • DJEMBE COMMUNICATIONS • GUIDECATCH • WIMBART • ASOKO INSIGHT • TELECOMSPR AFRICA • MWABU • THE AFRICA CENTRE, MSURVEY • ALPHA EXCHANGE

OUR HIGHLIGHTS Panel on “Building, Launching and Monetising”. Launching tech solutions is a marathon, not a sprint. A panel of strategic whizzes (including CEO of HotelOga Marek Zmyslowski and Co-founder of Vconnect Deepankar Rustagi) discussed the complexities of planning, promotion and partnerships.

doesn’t work for every market…there’s

Blockchain talk. Charlene Chen,

talk of partnerships and future plans.

this quote from an MIT professor ‘culture eats tech for breakfast’”.

Networking. Not only did networking breaks give delegates a chance to fuel up on food and coffee, they enabled key collaborations to be forged. Speakers and delegates swapped business cards and the busy hall echoed with

COO from BitPesa and Phillip Jarman, COO of BenBen dispelled common myths on an intimate panel . “We talk about blockchain as this transparent ledger,” Jarman said. “Transparency 32

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WHAT THE ORGANISER SAYS Andrew Fassnidge is founder of Africa Tech Summit London and AppsAfrica.com

AFRICAN TECH EVENTS

WHAT THE DELEGATES SAY i pretty much lost my voice from all the talking [& perhaps the post-event drinks] at yesterday’s @ AfricaTechSMT #ATSLDN - great event guys - Jessica Hope @WimbartHope

Kudos @AppsAfrica for amazing @AfricaTechSMT! Great connections to push innovation & startups in #Africa #ATSLDN @ imaginecc #imagineafrica - Julie Chrysler @juliechrysler

“WE ARE DELIGHTED WITH THIS YEAR’S SOLD OUT EVENT” ANDREW FASSNIDGE FOUNDER OF AFRICA TECH SUMMIT

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SET UP ATS LONDON? Having worked across the African mobile industry since 2009, I had witnessed the explosive growth of the ecosystem from pre-mobile data days, to the rapid expansion of internet penetration across Africa. The vision for ATS London was to bring together all these great companies and initiatives I was seeing across the continent and connect them with a European community of ventures, investors and entrepreneurs who are also focused on Africa.

HOW DO YOU FEEL THE EVENT WENT? DID IT MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS? We are delighted with this year’s sold out event, we had over 45 speakers from across the African tech ecosystem and over 200 delegates driving business and investment between Africa and Europe.

WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WANTING TO HOLD AN AFRICAN TECH EVENT OUTSIDE OF AFRICA? Think about visa issues. Running an event outside of Africa is difficult as visas are a major issue for African’s coming into UK. We tried very hard to bring a number of key innovators over who just didn’t get visas approved by UK immigration.

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FOREWORD: AN INTERVIEW WITH GUINEA’S MINISTRY OF MINES AND GEOLOGY

WE ASKED DIAKHABY MAÏMOUNA OF THE MINISTRY ABOUT ITS ROLE IN THE COUNTRY’S MINING AND HOW IT GOES ABOUT CHAMPIONING RESPONSIBILITY Produced by Richard Deane 35

G U I N E A M I N I S T RY O F M I N E S A N D G E O L O G Y

Tell us briefly about the history of the Guinean mining Mining and the role that the Ministry plays in promoting and protecting it.

Guinea’s mineral tradition is centennial. Since ancient times, Guineans have been exploiting gold; a fact notoriously recorded in the legendary voyage of King Kankan Moussa in 1325 to Mecca.

However, it was not until colonial times that the mining industry was developed and the minerals riches of the country discovered, uncovering in the soil:

• 4 0 billion tons of bauxite, at more than 40 percent content of Al203, which represent over a third of global reserves of bauxite • 2 0 billion tons of iron ore, the largest and highest grade of untapped deposit of iron ore in the world • 700 tons of gold, and between 30 to 40 million carats of proven reserves of diamonds.

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The diversity and quality of the minerals coupled with 320 km of seacoast on the Atlantic allowing for evacuation through deep-water ports has helped the development of the Guinean mining Mining.

Over the years, Guinea has risen to become both Africa’s largest producer and the World’s second-largest producer of bauxite. The mining industry accounted for about 15 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2016. Mineral exports of bauxite, diamonds and gold accounted for 80 percent of the nation’s total exports in 2016.

With the advent of its transition into a democratic state in 2010, Guinea, through its Ministry of Mines and Geology, has undergone a series of reforms to promote transparency, accountability and sustainability in the mining Mining. The Ministry is keen on protecting and ensuring the judicious use of these resources for sustainable economic growth and development.

MINING

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G U I N E A M I N I S T RY O F M I N E S A N D G E O L O G Y

Outline the importance of the forthcoming Symposium of Mines in raising the profile of Guinea.

The organisation of this event in 2017 is pivotal to the department’s mining promotion policy. The Symposium Mines Guinée (SMG) is designed for a better understanding of Guinea’s mining and investments potential.

The SMG will draw a clearer picture of Guinea’s business climate as well as the government’s strategic orientations and reforms.

The Ministry’s goal is to appeal to More information about SMG is available online:

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key mining players and connect qualified investors to Guinea’s largely untapped resources and promising projects. Industry leaders, junior companies, investors, institutions will receive detailed briefings on mining and exploration projects. In short the SMG will allow us to develop a strong networking value chain.

The aim is to organise the event on annual basis and make it West Africa’s definitive meeting place for mining professionals.

MINING

Can you give us an overview of national industry developments and investment?

The Ministry of Mines and Geology has implemented comprehensive and courageous structural and institutional reforms to enhance productivity, accountability and sustainability in the extractive industry. Those steps include among others: The modernisation of its mining cadaster which is now available online at www. guinea.miningcadastre.org The creation of a one-stopshop for mining projects, with an internet portal covering all relevant information on permits and authorisations. In total, 107 permits and various authorisations issued by 13 ministerial departments during the year 2016 can be found on the portal.

The implementation of the Master Plan for Mine-Related Infrastructure Development, notably through the signing of the agreement to pool infrastructures

related to mines between major companies such as CBG, GAC, Rusal Dian-Dian and the State.

The establishment of a fully operational National Mining Commission for greater transparency.

The consolidation of these reforms initiated since 2010 has favored investment commitments in 2016 of more than $2.4 billion in the bauxite industry alone. Mining companies such as Dadco, Alcoa, Emirates Global Alumina, Anglo Gold Ashanti, Managem have all heavily invested in the Guinean mining Mining. Lenders such as IFC, Société Générale, BNP Paribas, UFK, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Société Générale de France, Natixis, Crédit Agricole, ING, Africa Finance Corporation have in the past year alone financed many major mining projects in Guinea.

Production in the bauxite industry is predicted to reach 60 to 80 million tons by 2020. Production in the gold Mining is expected to reach 65 millions tons by 2020.

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G U I N E A M I N I S T RY O F M I N E S A N D G E O L O G Y

What are the Ministry’s regulations and/or views on the importance of environmental responsibility?

As stipulated in the Mining Code, any mining activity undertaken must comply with the legislation and regulations governing environmental protection and management as well as health.

In particular, any application for an authorisation or mining operation permit must include an Environmental and Social Impact Study in accordance with the Environmental Code and its implementing regulations as well as internationally accepted standards in this area.

Administrative requirements depend on the extent of the scheduled work, ranging from simple Environmental Impact Notice for an Exploration Permit to a detailed Environmental and Social Impact Study including for example a Hazard Study, a Risk Management Plan.

Aside from these regulations and legislation, the Ministry of Mines

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and Geology has implemented an environmental and social strategic evaluation (ESES) process, as a tool of sustainable development enabling a better consideration at the national level of environmental and social concerns.

The ESES aims to: (I) a ssist the Government in identifying nationally the environmental and social impacts of existing and future mining activities so as to avoid, so as to avoid, mitigate or compensate them by adopting an appropriate mode of governance; (Ii) p rovide the necessary information and knowledge to support ongoing dialogue with stakeholders.

Can you describe any current, relevant legislation?

Guinea adopted a new mining code on 9 September 2011, which was amended by the 2013 Bill. The new amended code has been widely acclaimed.

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G U I N E A M I N I S T RY O F M I N E S A N D G E O L O G Y

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How important is sustainability?

What is your major goal? Â The Ministry of Mines and Geology main goal is to transform the non-renewable resources of Guinea into sustainable development gains for all stakeholders. In that spirit, the government in partnership with the World Economic Forum, the International Finance Corporation, UNDP, the African Minerals Development Center and GIZ, launched and achieved the Responsible Mineral Development Initiative (RMDI) during 2016-2017.

The Ministry with its partners gathered together for seven months mining operators, local communities, civil society and the state around a shared mining vision to identify priority themes, areas for joint actions and approaches to sustainably advance Guinea mineral development. The recommendation that emanated from this initiative is informing the government’s national strategic plan for the mining Mining. The Ministry has a win-win and effective business approach to the development of the industry. In that respect, it has create a one-stop shop to promote greater efficiency in the delivery of non-mining permits and cut down on cost for mining companies.

For a sustainable approach to community development, the Ministry in collaboration with the PNUD, elaborated last month a CSR policy for the mining Mining.

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GUINEA GOES INTERNATIONAL Written by Wedaeli Chibelushi Produced by Richard Deane 45

We talk to SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉWINNING AFRICA (SMB-WAP) about its fastpaced strict compliance bauxite mining project in Guinea. Managing Director Frederic Bouzigues and CEO of the group’s Winning Logistics Services Bosco Lau explain the process

A

ccounting for 26.9 percent of the world’s total reserves, Guinea is the number one bauxite producing country globally. The small, yet-resource rich West African country exceeds competitors like Australia, and furthermore, Guinea is predicted to rapidly increase its bauxite exports in the coming years. Asian-Guinean consortium Société Minière de Boké-Winning Africa (SMB-WAP) plays a major role in this future.

The consortium, consisting of four international entities, is currently mining bauxite in Guinea’s Boké region, then transporting it to China. SMB-WAP prides itself on “fast-tracking”, but “with strict compliance” – that is going from excavation to export in minimal time. To find out how SMP-WAP balances speed, compliance, sustainability and spending, we spoke to Managing Director Frederic Bouzigues and Bosco Lau, CEO of the group’s Winning Logistics Services.

SMB-WAP was established in 2014. Frédéric Bouzigues, who has lead the group for two years,

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4

Members of the SMB-WAP consortium: • Winning Shipping Ltd • UMS International Ltd • Shandong Weiqiao • The State of Guinea

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calls the consortium “a union of some of the strongest companies in their respective sectors”. Said firms are the Chinese Wei Qiao Group (biggest aluminium manufacturer in the world), Singaporean Winning International Group (transporter of 90 percent of Chinese bauxite imports), UMS Guinée SARL (leader in West African logistics) and the State of Guinea, which is a 10 percent shareholder in the project.

A year after forming, SMB-WAP’s first barge carried bauxite from

Guinea’s port of Katougma. Before the consortium could achieve this goal, it needed to acquire permits from the government. “We firstly obtained a surveying permit so that we could do reconnaissance ourselves on an area that was not limited to the main mining body area in Guinea, in fact the first mine we explored and exploited had never been fallen into the radar of any other party – when the others sit on the country’s high grade reserves for decades without

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VERMEER TERRAIN LEVELER SURFACE EXCAVATION MACHINES (SEM) DELIVER MORE THAN ROCK-PENETRATING POWER. ®

®

Your mining operation is constantly under pressure from increasing regulations, rising costs and environmental obstacles.

Vermeer West Africa offers innovative equipment solutions to combat these challenges, and serves the mining market in West Africa. Maximize productivity and product quality to get the most value from your mine, Vermeer has the features you need to get the job done fast and efficiently.

SMB Winning is working with the Vermeer T1255 Terrain Leveler SEM in West Africa. At this moment they have 2 Terrain Levelers working in their mines in Guinea-Conakry. Since they started working with Vermeer in October 2016 they know the benefits of working with the Vermeer Terrain Leveler SEM first-hand, starting with their ability to bypass primary crushers. “Most material is less than 200mm and the biggest part even less than 100mm. This enables SMB Winning to

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to load the material directly on barges for ocean transport to the refinery in China”, says Ruben de Meijer, General Manager Vermeer West Africa.

Another advantage is the selective mining.

With the help of GPS and the patented tilted drum it is possible to follow ore-bodies and select the high-grade ore from the lower grade. “The patented tilted drum makes it also possible to make mining floors on-grade. Especially in the rainy season in Guinea-Conakry which enables SMB Winning to continue their operation”.

The Vermeer Terrain Leveler SEM is a very maneuverable and stable 2 track machine with a low center of gravity. SMB Winning has been cutting 21% / 12 degrees, but the machine is able to cut up to 36% / 20 degrees. “The bauxite mines in Guinea-Conakry are hilly, so this is an extremely important benefit. It allows you to mine in all places of the mine without preparation work needed”

Vermeer West Africa will be associate sponsor at the Symposium of Mines Conference from 7-11 May in Conakry, Guinea-Conakry. Come visit our booth T30.

While starting to work with the Vermeer Terrain Leveler SEM SMB Winning had 3 Vermeer people on site to train the operators and technicians about operation and maintenance of the machine for 6 months.

After the training SMB Winning continued to operate with 1 supervisor on site (24/7 support). And both machines are operating 24/7 from day 1. By setting up operation this way they are able to react quickly.

downtime in the mining industry can cost a lot of money and it is our job as a partner to support the customer to lower operating costs” says Ruben de Meijer, General Manager Vermeer West Africa. “Vemeer West Africa also offers factory support for in-depth training and advice about mine planning, GPS sysems etc. to get our customers work most efficiently”.

The co-operation with SMB Winning has been a great partnership. “They give us the tips and ideas to improve the machine. Every environment has its own particular circumstances and from that we can learn as distributor and manufacturer”.

SMB Winning is using the Vermeer Terrain Leveler SEM for mining, but the machine can also be used to construct haul roads etc. as well. With the creation of a smooth surface it can increase the average speed of the trucks and lowers the wear and tear of these trucks. As the speed increases a lower amount of trucks is needed, which can lower the CAPEX. Vermeer also offer a wide range of trenchers and HDD drilling rigs, which can be used for utility installation (electricity, water, telecommunication etc.) and for drainage purposes. In addition, Vermeer also offers land-clearing equipment, like forestry mulchers, grinders and chippers to make your mine ready for operation in an early stage.

Vermeer machines are used to work in the most remote areas where you can’t take anything for granted. Vermeer West Africa is co-operating with SMB Winning to have a good parts availability on site to keep the machine running. “We know that 1 hour

6 • EMAIL : INFO@VERMEERWESTAFRICA.COM • VERMEERWESTAFRICA.COM

orporation. All Rights Reserved.

B O K É M I N I N G C O M PA N Y ( S M B )

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doing anything, we said we ‘boleh’ (Malay word for ‘can do’)” Bouzigues says. “This took almost nine months. Subsequently, we obtained our exploration permit and followed the mining code to the letter, giving the government regular updates.”

SMB-WAP’s pooled financial resources (Lau notes that the project’s capital expenditure is $600700 million) and in-house competences enabled it to progress rapidly from this point. The consortium carried out rapid drilling campaigns with its own equipment and staff, and with the help of its on-site laboratories, staff were easily able to determine which areas were prospects. “Once the results were positive, we applied for the The year that SMBmining license since we did WAP was founded not need to waste time for raising construction funds, seeking consultants/contractors, nor securing offtake. This came six months after obtaining the research permit and starting the production phase,” Frédéric Bouzigues says.

To enable production, the consortium established two entities in Guinea. Frédéric Bouzigues explains: “We have Boké Mining Company (SMB), which mines bauxite in the Boké region, and Winning Africa Port SA (WAP), which manages all of the river port terminal operations on the Rio Nuñez for the shipping of bauxite.”

The bauxite mining industry does not use any

2014

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QUALITY FIRST UMS is first and foremost the most prominent actor of integrated logistics in the region.

We supply mining, industrial and fuel companies with services ranging from all kinds of transportation, including customs paperwork, to mining infrastructures, to oil supply.

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MINING

products, processing, drying or burning. Thus, excavation is the sole element in the process.

Frédéric Bouzigues adds: “It’s worth remembering that at SMB we are dealing with people whose main task is logistical. We mine (moving ores from underground to the ground) the bauxite, load it in trucks that transport it to the ports, and from ports to boats it is transported by barges.”

With a field strength of more than 350 trucks (e.g.

HFO tank trucks, fuel tanks and cement tanks), UMS carries out the land transport process. The West African company’s trucks travel via the only road leaving the mine, and transport the bauxite to the port of Katougouma. After they arrive, The Winning Group takes over the process. Winning built the river port of Katougouma with consortium funds. The harbour covers an area of ​​41 hectares and has four quays for the 17 bauxite boats of 8,000 tons. Winning’s boats ship the bauxite to China to be processed.

According to Lau, trans-shipping is a major component of the process. “It is the world’s biggest transhipment system,” he says. “Similar standard operation models can be found in USA, Europe, Middle East, Australia and Indonesia. However, there is no match of scale.” Furthermore, the Winning Group’s 30 odd cape size vessels ensure ocean freight competitiveness and stability of Guinean products going to the far away PRC market.

After the bauxite arrives in China, it is finally processed into aluminum by the Wei Qiao Group.

“In all aspects, the process is in compliance of all regulations and CSR. We do this to unlock the country’s mineral and river transportation worth, and for the country to fund the development of other business sectors” BOSCO LAU

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B O K É M I N I N G C O M PA N Y ( S M B )

development of other business sectors, Bauxite is transformed into alumina like agriculture, industry and tourism.” in a refinery, and then transformed into aluminium with a smelter.

Custodians The journey from bauxite to Frédéric Bouzigues explains that aluminium is achieved by “prudent, SMB-WAP is heavily involved with the disciplined, quick and timely communities at all of its sites (“near decisions”. Lau explains: “This is the river terminals, in extraction possible because of the mutual areas, in the construction of trust with the country living and logistics bases”).

[Guinea] and the people, The consortium and the consortium’s mainly focuses on own fund, employment The number of jobs that competence SMB-WAP is and SMB-WAP has created committed to skilled staff employ in all the to physically localities in which the construct the project project operates. It has without the need of also built a literacy centre external assistance.” which enables young people SMP-WAP stresses that without training to gain skills, then be its “fast-track” process does not hired by the consortium. In association come at the expense of corporate with the Jiantsu Marine Institute, the social responsibility. “Fast-track is Winning Group offers courses to train not achieved by cost saving,” Lau future Guinean tugboat and oceansays. “In all aspects, the process is going ship sailors: a worldwide market. in compliance ‎of all regulations and Lau describes further community CSR. We do this to unlock the country’s efforts. “We support the state mineral and river transportation mineral reserves survey and initiated, worth, and for the country to fund the

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sponsored and supported city planning studies

by Surbana of Singapore and the Boké ‎special economic zone. The consortium has also arranged for Chinese and Singaporean potential investors to explore investment opportunities in Guinea,” he states. SMB-WAP also uses its logistics system to bring reliable, competitive two ways flows of goods and materials between Guinea and Asia.

We ask how SMB-WAP ensures minimal environmental damage. “The environmental impact is minimal because we primarily have an operation which is exclusively excavation without transformation,” Frédéric Bouzigues answers.

“No drying, burning or adding chemicals. We are lucky to have bauxite treated as a block, which does not spread much dust in the air.” Moreover, making use of the unique high temperature high pressure high traffic volume operation environment, the consortium innovatively caused the haulage road to basically a dust free corridor.

Additionally, SMB-WAP has built programs for the rehabilitation and reorganisation of excavated areas.

It will replant crops such as cashew and palm trees.

The consortium also recognises that it has an economic responsibility to the people of Guinea.

Professional services network PwC monitors the payment of foreign exchange taxes from SMB-WAP to the state and SGS analysis of cargoes. “It is interesting to refer to an important point which was made precisely by PwC on the bauxite market,”

“The project has attracted and worked with stakeholders of international standard from all over the world” BOSCO LAU

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Frédéric Bouzigues says. “SMB’s entry into production has enabled Guinea to double its exports of bauxite from 2016 with about 12 million tonnes of bauxite already exported.”

SMB-WAP presents other impressive statistics. As of 2017, the consortium will increase its production, by adding one more port (the port of Dapillon) and another set of marine logistics equipment, making it the first bauxite company in the Guinea to export 30 million tons. Bouzigues expects this total to rise to 35 million

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from 2018 to 2022. In 2016 alone, SMB contributed US $30 million in mining and export taxes.

None of these achievements would have been possible without SMB-WAP’s partners. “The project has attracted and worked with stakeholders of international standard from all over the world,” Lau comments. The consortium is supported by the expertise and resources of its partners, which are all leaders in their respective sectors.

These partners include Vermeer (USA),

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Sinotrucks (China), Terex (Germany) and Bureau Veritas (France).

Despite substantial support from partners, SMB-WAP must retain some credit for itself. The consortium has defied borders in order to create an international team of mining experts, while priding itself on giving back. The consortium recognises the potential of Guinea and its people, thus it empowers communities and boosts the countries overall bauxite exports.

SMB-WAP plans to continue on the economically responsible trajectory.

“We have two river terminals, each with a processing capacity of about 25 million tons of bauxite. So, if we have enough reserves, our consortium will be able to reach a production of 50 million tons. Combined with taxes this would have a considerable impact on the country’s economy and its development,” Frédéric Bouzigues concludes. With this success and the consortium’s logistics strength, SMB-WAP has decided to kick off an intensive feasibility study of building a refinery in Guinea.

Beyond bauxite, the established infrastructure can and will be used for import of capital goods and CKDs (for the assembling industry to be developed), and the development of a regional hub in Boke for the West Africa region. For instance, fertilizers and pesticides can be imported cheaply and reliably to support a cashew nut project in the pipeline.

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Empowering students through world-class education Written by Catherine Rowell Produced by Alex Barron

The KICS innovative classrooms

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Khartoum International Community School’s implementation of Blended Learning has transformed the student experience, integrating technology and education to provide world-class results

T

he education and teaching sector has been undergoing a rapid transformation with the rise of digitalisation and technological advances, presenting challenges to educators who must regularly redefine established instructional teaching methods. This is evident in schools and educational establishments worldwide, where providers regularly discover that developing technologies can revolutionise the way students learn, interact and communicate.

In keeping with the DAL Group’s vision of growth and excellence for Sudan, Khartoum International Community School (KICS) was established in order to be Sudan’s premier school for empowering children. With approximately 400 students from reception to year 13, the private school is highly diverse, with students from over 50 countries studying alongside

their Sudanese classmates.

Since the campus opened in 2005, the school has placed significant investment in developing its facilities to support a robust digital infrastructure and an integrated technology environment that is both cutting edge and supportive of best teaching practices. Consequently, KICS’ development of Blended Learning encompasses seven traits which focus on the advantages of integrated technology and experiences, which then maximise learning opportunities for students.

In order for Blended Learning at KICS to become a success, teachers have also been required to recognise that their role in the classroom is continually changing. Students are able to share work, exchange ideas and easily access world knowledge – and not necessarily from within the confines of the classroom. Students are encouraged to develop deep

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LEARN BELONG SERVE COLLABORAT E

At AISA, we are committed to fostering a learning community of educators shaping the future of international education on the African continent.

AISA schools are characterised by the values of AISA which include a commitment to international mindedness, learning, collaboration, and service which emerge from our belief in the intrinsic value of all individuals.

Our community of 74 internationally accredited schools benefit from: · Access to AISA annual conferences including the School Heads Retreat, Leadership Conference and Educators Conference · Access to over 20 Professional Learning Institutes held across the continent each year · Online professional community groups and learning · Annual student awards · Annual teacher scholarships · Networking and leadership opportunities throughout the AISA community

To find out more about AISA and how you can get connected go to: www.aisa.or.ke

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The KICS IT Support team

meaningful connections while using mobile technologies and internet tools to gain access to centres of knowledge. This has led to many teachers redefining their role within this new and changing digital world.

Technological advances KICS’ objective has been to develop a dynamic learning environment on and off campus, where individuals are empowered to take advantage of interactive possibilities. The

school operates an evolving digital classroom environment, KicsLearns, which is accessible by students, teachers and parents. Here, students can access their classes, participate in learning activities and communicate with one another.

Parents are also asked to participate in their children’s digital classrooms, while engaging in assignments, resources, collaborations and feedback, promoting the school’s anytime, anywhere learning vision.

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To support this vision further, all students from years 3-11 are provided with iPads, which they are able to keep until they leave the school.

Students in the infants section up to year two share classroom sets of iPads, and students in years 12 and 13 each are given a laptop computer.

If students have a question, they can go online and see what the other students have said, as well as see feedback from their teachers.

Social media presence Through utilising key technologies, the use of social media is also encouraged at KICS. Students regularly use Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and blogs, which encourage them to write openly and freely, connecting with classes in other countries and experts around the world. It’s not uncommon to students to discuss design principles, poetry, or health through social media, for example. The students gain a wealth of knowledge, which isn’t written in the form of dry textbook language, and they develop language that is increasingly

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KICS has separate media accounts for each school year level and subject

Nigel Winnard Principal of KICS

formal and complex in nature. This, in effect, prepares students for assessments and exams, allowing them to put across the messages or meanings they intend to express.

However, the school is acutely aware that internet and digital security is KICS’ largest concern with regards to social media access. To counteract this, KICS has separate media accounts for each year level and subject, and children under 13 years are not

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permitted to use personal accounts, and only engage with social media under teacher supervision.

Learning Lab, CafĂŠ 21 and the seven traits of Blended Learning Teachers are expected to acquire certain technological skills, but are also supported to embed Blended Learning in their classes, with training and resources available through KicsLearns. Furthermore, teachers can participate in weekly

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“Teachers can participate in weekly Learning Labs and Café 21; these are analogous to a Genius Bar at an Apple store.

This enables teachers to discuss new ideas or topics in education and gain further support” 70

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Learning Labs and CafĂŠ 21; these are analogous to a Genius Bar at an Apple store. This enables teachers to discuss new ideas or topics in education and gain further support.

Additionally, during the school year, teachers participate in Blended Learning environment (BLE) reviews and self-evaluations, which are based on the seven traits of a BLE framework that the school has independently developed.

Through these reviews, teachers are encouraged to look at how their learning environments are organised in order to promote active learning engagement. This helps enable KICS faculty to see how the digital environment can be designed to maximize learning opportunities and redefine the learning experience for students.

Local challenges Despite such transformations, KICS has faced a number of internal and external challenges.

Located in Sudan, the school has consequently been restricted by US economic sanctions. Despite

this, the school has come a long way and is in regular contact with other international schools across Africa, the Middle East, India and elsewhere. All these areas are striving to implement Blended Learning and embrace new teaching methods.

At the end of President Barack Obama’s term, sanctions were lifted; however, this is currently under a six-month review, so there has yet been no change in how the school conducts its business.

Looking to the future With the majority of graduating students attending outstanding universities, it is clear to see that KICS produces real learners who are global contributors and leaders. With support from the DAL Group, faculty and community, KICS has established a vision for learning which has enabled students to become increasingly empowered and creative. The student learning experience is clearly paramount, and great education will continue to be delivered into the foreseeable future.

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