Investment Times Newspaper 2023 Edition | Issue 21

D evelopment banks must embrace nuclear energy

5th edition of Made in Africa Conference’ set to come off on June 14-15 in Accra 3

Yofi Grant named

African

Business Personality for 2022

Yo Grant, the esteemed CEO of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), has been honored with the prestigious title of African Business Personality of the Year 2022 by International Investor Magazine. This coveted award recognizes Yo Grant's outstanding leadership and contributions to promoting investment and economic growth in Ghana and across Africa.

Lukoil's offshore projects in Ghana delayed until April

By Investment Times Reporter

Reports have indicated that Ghana delays submission of revised plan for o shore project involving Lukoil until April 2023.

The Russian oil giant Lukoil has been placed under United States sanctions due to Russia's invasion in neighbouring Republic of Ukraine.

According to the reports monitored by Investment Times, Norway's Aker Energy has completed a comprehensive front end engineering and design study for the

Pecan eld development and prepared a revised Plan of Development (POD) for the Deepwater Tano/Cape Three Point (DWT/CTP) block o shore Ghana.

POD submission has been delayed due to the uncertainties and risks caused by the situation with Ukraine and Lukoil Overseas Ghana Tano Ltd.'s 38% interest in the license, as well as supply chain disruptions and in ation, Aker said in a report.

Project participants had intended to submit the revised PDO to Gha-

na's government by the end of 2021. Thus, was then delayed until the end of Q2 2022. "The current POD deadline has been extended to April 2023. The company is considering strategic alternatives in response to the challenges, which is expected to be clari ed by the new POD deadline," Aker said.

Russia's Lukoil is listed as one of the entities subject to U.S. energy sector sanctions pursuant to Directive 4 under Executive Order 13662. "However, these restrictions will not apply

to the DWT/CTP project due to the project being initiated before 29 January 2018. Aker Energy will comply with all Norwegian and international sanctions applicable for Aker Energy and the DWT/CTP block in Ghana," Aker said.

Lukoil joined the DWT/CTP project in March 2014. The Tano block covers an area of just over 2,000 square km and is located in the western part of Ghana's waters in the Gulf of Guinea, 80 km o the coast of Cameroon.

Furthermore, GIPC, representing Ghana, was also awarded "Best FDI Destination in Africa for 2022," solidifying its reputation as an innovative leader in fostering foreign direct investment opportunities in Ghana and the continent as a whole.

It is a major milestone for the GIPC and illustrates the hard work and dedication of the CEO in steering Ghana to become one of Africa’s most attractive investment destinations on the back of several reforms and policies by President Nana Akufo-Addo to improve the Ghanaian business environment.

Finance Ministry expects improved credit ratings to enhance engagements with external creditors

The stock market closed at a 11-day low yesterday after recording two decliners and one advancer.

According to a UMB Stockbrokers report, the benchmark com-

posite index as a result slumped 18.78 points to 2,408.03 index-points, with a year-to-date change of -1.47 per cent.

The nancial stock index also cut

Ghana misses restructuring target in blow to ailing currency

Ghana’s cedi, the world’s second-worst performing currency this year, is heading for more pain after the West African nation missed a self-imposed deadline to restructure its bilateral debt and move closer to tapping foreign

The Ministry of Finance says it expects improvement in Ghana’s local currency sovereign credit ratings to enhance engagement with external creditors on its debt treatment.

This comes after S&P Global Ratings on Friday, February 24, 2023, raised Ghana’s local currency sovereign credit ratings from selective default (SD) to ‘CCC+/C’.

“This acknowledges the completion of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme with a successful delivery of new securities to bondholders. In doing so, the selective default is substantially

cured,” the Ministry said in a press release. It reiterated the im portant role of exter nal creditors to the country’s long-term macroeconomic stabil ity, saying “Govern ment of Ghana takes this opportunity to assure our external creditors of their equal importance to the Re public of Ghana.

“We will, therefore, continue to work together to advance the

International Monetary Fund (IMF) had revealed that the country’s public debt, both external and domestic was unsustainable.

Lukoil's offshore projects in Ghana delayed until April 2023

The sea depth within the block varies from 1,600 to 3,000 meters. Seven deposits, ve oil and two gas, have been discovered there.

The Pecan eld is one of the deepest deposits in the world at 2,600 meters. The Pecan eld's total re-

serves are estimated at 334 million barrels of oil, with a production plateau of 110,000 barrels of oil per day. Production is expected to last more than 25 years. A total investment of $4.4 billion was planned, excluding the charter rate for a leased oating pro-

duction storage and o oading or FPSO vessel. Aker hoped to launch production in 2022.

Aker Energy owns 50% of the project, Lukoil Overseas Ghana Tano Limited owns 38%; Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has

10% and Fueltrade Limited has 2%.

Aker Energy said in March 2022 that a nal investment decision for the eld's development had been delayed due to falling oil prices. It also altered the concept for devel-

oping the Pecan eld and now proposed to use not one but two FPSO told Interfax lower costs. Aker had an option as of the beginning of 2022 to acquire the Dhirubhai-1 FPSO for $35 million. .

Yofi Grant named African business personality for 2022

As the CEO of GIPC and Director for Sub-Saharan Africa on the WAIPA steering board, Yo Grant has been instrumental in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into Ghana and shaping investment policies across the continent.

He has led initiatives to streamline the investment process, reduce bureaucracy, and increase transparency by spearheading the digitization of investment registration at the GIPC, making Ghana an attractive destination for investors.

Under his leadership, GIPC has been able to attract signi cant investments into the country in diverse sectors such as energy, manufacturing, and services. The agency has also facilitated partnerships between local businesses and multinational corporations, promoting knowledge transfer and technology exchange.

Commenting on the awards, Mr.

Grant noted that "the awards recognize the positive impact of the organization's initiatives and policies in attracting foreign investment into Ghana and the continent as a whole."

It highlights Ghana's attractiveness as an investment destination, with a stable political environment and an expanding economy, encouraging more investors to consider Ghana as a destination for their investments.

He added that, "with the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, Africa’s position as a leading destination for investors seeking vibrant markets and real economic opportunities has heightened." This has put the continent in a favorable position to attract more foreign investments and promote economic growth. It is therefore expedient that we remain at the forefront of this new wave, taking a leadership role in the e ort to attract investment for the region”.

Other winners of the Internation-

Finance Ministry expects improved credit ratings to enhance engagements with external creditors

al Investor Awards 2022 include; PWC China (Best ESG advisory rm); Access (Best

Banking Environmental & Social Performance // Africa 2022);

Nordea Asset Management (Best ESG Firm // Northern Europe 2022) and Standard Chartered Bank (Best ESG Bank // South East Asia

In that regard, the Ministry of Finance on December 19, 2022, announced a suspension of all debt service payments under certain categories of external debt, pending an orderly restructuring of the a ected obligations. This suspension includes payments on

Eurobonds; commercial term loans; and on most bilateral debt.

It, however, excluded payments of multilateral debt, new debts (whether multilateral or otherwise) contracted after December 19, 2022, or debts related to certain short-term trade facilities.

GSE composite index plunge 18.78 points after yesterday’s trading

36.94 points to 1,946.57 index points, with a -5.17 per cent year to date change.

NewGold closed the day with a massive GH¢13.21 million in value of trades, and a -2.89 per cent drop in share price to GH¢225.50.

By close of day yesterday, a total volume of 88,932 shares valued at GH¢13,244,114.90 were exchanged in 14 equities.

The current market capitalization of the Ghana Stock Exchange is GH¢64,235.77 million.

Ghana misses restructuring target in blow to ailing currency

national Monetary Fund program.

So far, Ghana has only partially completed the domestic-debt part of the exchange program.

The cedi has slumped 21% against the dollar in 2023, the worst performer among more than 100 currencies tracked by Bloomberg after the Lebanese pound. Still, the missed deadline doesn’t automatically derail the talks.

Rather, it highlights the di culties Ghana faces as it tries to reduce its debt load and contend with critics ranging from international bondholders to local trade unions.

“For the foreseeable future the cedi will continue to be volatile until we are able to make substantial progress on the external debt

restructuring front,” Kweku Arkoh-Koomson, an economist at Databank Group, said by phone.

“The IMF deal is what will cause a clear stability in the cedi,” he added.

Ghana is trying to restructure most of its public debt, estimated at 576 billion cedis ($45 billion) at the end of November. Local bondholders have been asked to voluntarily exchange 130 billion cedis of debt for new bonds that will pay between 8.35% and 15% interest, compared with an average of 19% on old bonds.

Ghana stands to ask external creditors to write o as much as 50% of the debt it owes them — far higher than the 30% the government initially considered, S&P Global Ratings said in a report

Tuesday.

“Uncertainty on when the rest of the restructuring will be completed” is in uencing cedi volatility, said Courage Boti, an economist at Accra-based GCB Capital Ltd. “To the extent that those things are hanging in the balance now — in that timelines are not very certain — the volatility of the cedi will continue.”

To date, local investors have exchanged 87.8 billion cedis, or 67.5% of bonds under restructuring, for new securities, against an overall target of 80%. The country will have to reorganize obligations owed to local pension funds to complete the domestic exchange, a move that’s running into criticism from trade unions. The government aims to start

“substantive” discussions with international bondholders and their advisers in coming weeks, Ofori-At-

ta said last month, o ering eurobond holders some losses while seeking to reschedule payments on bilateral obligations.

5th edition of ‘Made in Africa Conference’ set to come off on June 14-15 in Accra

BCA Leadership, a pan-African leadership organization on a mission to transform Africa through leadership, will organise the 5th edition of its annual 'Made in Africa Conference' in Accra, Ghana, for the rst time.

Since its beginning, the conference has been hosted in Kigali, Rwanda. The second and third editions were virtual, the fourth took place in Zambia last year, and the fth will take place on June 14 and 15, 2023 in Accra, Ghana.

The conference, which is an annual inaugural gathering of African company owners and executives, Chief Executive O cers (CEOs) and their Direct Reports, Managing Directors (MDs), Board Executives and Public Sector Leaders. The 2023 edition will be held under the theme ‘Making Africa Work for Africans: Collaborations and Partnerships’.

The two-day hybrid (in-person and virtual) conference aims to inspire and support leadership development among African leaders, promote intra-Africa trade and collaboration, and boost productivity and production of goods and services in Africa.

This year’s MLC will be hosted in Ghana by Catherine Engmann, a Leading Chartered Governance

Professional and Certi ed Coach; Doris Ahiati, a Chartered Banker and CEO of Crescendo Consult; Samuel Ayim, a Ghanaian Lawyer, Banker and CEO of the Centre for Transformational Leadership; Dr. Modupe S. Taylor-Pearce, Scholar and Practitioner of leadership and organizational management and Dr. Yaw Perbi, Global CEO of The HuD Group and Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative.

Dr Modupe Taylor-Pearce, Chief Executive O cer of BCA Leadership, on commenting on the need for a learning conference such as MLC for African leaders said that now is the moment for African leaders to unify and ght for the greater welfare of the African continent.

“For far too long, Africans have waited for someone else to come

and x our continent. We have waited for the British, the French, the Germans, the Americans, or the Canadians, and lately for the Chinese. None of these groups are ever going to love our continent the way that we love our continent. African problems will be solved by African leaders collaborating with each other to devise solutions; the solutions to African problems are already in Africa,” he said.

He added: “MLC is a conference for civil service leaders and elected o cials; for small business owners and corporate leaders; for community leaders and NGO leaders; because all of us share one thing: we are all people whose decisions impact the lives of others.

As leaders, our primary job is to make optimal decisions, and those decisions result in outcomes that are experienced by ourselves, our communities, our companies, and our countries.

The quality of those decisions made today and this year will determine the future of Africa in the next 5 - 10 years. At MLC, leaders will gather to acquire the skills, networks, and knowledge to make better decisions.”

Target audience

The target audience of MLC are Chief Executive O cers (CEOs) or Managing Directors (MDs), C-Suite, African company owners and executives, Board Executives, Small Business Owners, and Leaders in public sector.

Modalities & logistics

Conference attendees will register to join the conference upon paying a registration fee. Flights are at the delegates’ costs. However, conference fee will cover meals, transportation and conference attendance for two days.

The early bird ticket price for international delegates is US$499. It covers conference participation for two days, two nights hotel accommodation in Accra and industrial and recreational site visits.

For Ghana-based participants who will not require accommodation, the early bird cost for partic-

ipating in the conference is GH¢1,999.

Virtual participants can participate online at the cost of US$50. Delegates can register at bcaleadership.com Conference format

“Peer Learning Labs” is a 75-minute meeting with 12 – 18 delegates, facilitated by a BCA Coach, during which there is a guest speaker who “prompts” a topic with a 20-minute talk. After the talk, the delegates then ask the guest speaker questions and they also discuss among themselves about the topic. The objective is to have delegates learn something new, primarily from their peers.  The learning lab starts with introductions, an ice-breaker, and then the talk, and then discussions, and then conclusions, with each delegate sharing what new thing they have learned or new perspective they have gained or old knowledge that they have reinforced.  There will be ten learning labs during MLC. There will be four room options for delegates, each room covering a different topic. Potential topics may be “Quality in the face of Adversity: Leadership Lessons”, “Leading to Let Go: Leadership Transitions”, “Trade and Collaboration in Africa”, “Transforming health service delivery in Africa”, “From CFO to CEO: Leadership Transitions & Transformations” and “Creating African/global footprints using the church's playbook”. Intended outcome of this session: to enhance leadership knowledge and facilitate the exchange of ideas.

“Peer-Based Problem-Solving & Industry Site Visits” is a half-day event which incorporates splitting Leaders into groups of 15 – 20 people, taking them to various “Ghanaian” business/factories (producing a product or a service), giving them a tour, and giving them a current problem/challenge that the company is facing that they can investigate, discuss, and pro er solutions to in a meeting with the CEO of the

host company (and, if the CEO chooses, with other members of the host company).

The CEO of the host organization will welcome the delegates, introduce them to the company (site tour and introduction to management team), introduce them to the problem/challenge, and (depending on the speci c nature of the problem) stay to discuss it with them or given them some time to discuss the problem among themselves and other members of the host company team before re-joining them to get some insight on the problem and possible solutions. By the end of the session, the CEO should have additional insight on the problem and garnered solution ideas to solve the problem or mitigate its e ects.

Intended outcome of this session: to facilitate & enhance critical leadership skills such as strategic thinking and innovation while solving African Problems by African Solution providers.

“Needs and Leads” is a facilitated round-table (or stand-up) session during which delegates, by turn, indicate a need that they have, and then other delegates who might have a lead to solve that need speak up and let the “need” delegate know that they have a lead. The delegate with the need notes the “lead” delegate and they will follow up after the session.

There would be 3 or 4 round tables with at most 25 persons per table. Each table will have one of the following themes where needs would be directed towards; Technology, Human Capital, Supply Chain & Financing. After 30 minutes, participants can change their tables to a second theme of their choice.

Intended outcome of this session: to spur collaboration and communication among African CEOs, which can lead to tremendous intra-trade business deals.  -ENDAbout BCA Leadership

BCA Leadership formally called Breakfast Club Africa is a GBL-1 Corporation registered in Mauritius. The company exists to transform Africa into a middle-income continent by 2030 by enhancing the growth of leaders of organizations in Africa through the provision of executive coaching and amazing peer-learning experiences. Established in 2017, BCA is already impacting leaders from various African countries including Kenya, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Malawi, Rwanda, The Gambia, Zambia, South Africa, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, and Sierra Leone. The company is made up of forty African world-class coaches who support leaders in Africa with various leadership interventions such as executive coaching, board evaluations, retreat management, and thought leadership. www.bcaleadership.com

Development banks must embrace nuclear energy

Multilateral development banks (MDBs) have historically been reluctant to invest in nuclear energy, and the World Bank has not nanced a nuclear power plant  since 1959. In the absence of MDB funds, the majority of international nancing for such projects has come from state banks in Russia and China, establishing Russian and Chinese companies as the primary suppliers of nuclear technology to low- and middle-income countries.

While this approach has allowed MDBs to avoid controversy, they must acknowledge that the world has changed. The urgent need to curb greenhouse-gas emissions, together with Russia’s war in Ukraine and subsequent surge in oil and gas prices, has increased global demand for nuclear power.

With the 2011 Fukushima disaster fading in the rearview mirror, even Japan is planning to restart its reactors. France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have all announced plans to build new nuclear power plants, Sweden is considering it, and the European Union now allows nuclear energy to be labeled as a green investment. In the United States, the federal government is expected to  pump about $40 billion into the sector over the coming decade, and private investment in nuclear energy is surging. This change in sentiment coincides with rapid technological advances. The development of smaller and safer reactors has made nuclear power cheaper, faster to deploy, and easier to maintain.

Whereas the construction of traditional nuclear power plants has

historically been a major national undertaking, with costs frequently running into the dozens of billions of dollars, so-called small modular reactors allow for a more tailored approach and more manageable nancing packages.

This is particularly important for developing countries, which must gure out how to expand their power supply while curtailing greenhouse-gas emissions as they become increasingly industrialized and urbanized. The International Energy Agency estimates that demand for energy in Africa will jump by one-third by the end of the decade, owing to population and income growth, as well as improved access. While increased MDB support for renewable energy has helped put developing economies on the path toward carbon neutrality, most countries still rely on coal- red power plants and natural gas for baseload electricity production.

To complete the shift away from fossil fuels, governments must complement wind and solar energy with low-carbon sources that are not dependent on weather conditions.

But without nuclear power (or hydroelectricity, but not all countries have that option), governments will nd it di cult to replace their fossil-fuel baseload. While it may be possible to achieve this by combining renewable energy with utility-scale battery storage, the costs are prohibitive, and modern batteries come with their own sustainability issues. Geothermal energy could also play this role, but currently it is limited to areas where geothermal heat is available

By Håvard Halland, Jessica Lovering

close to the Earth’s surface. New technologies could expand access to geothermal power, but they are costly.

By abandoning their reticence about nuclear power, MDBs could help scale up low-carbon energy supply while enhancing global security. Western countries’ withdrawal from nuclear energy over the past few decades has enabled Russia to establish itself as the leading international provider of reactors, services, and nancing for nuclear-power projects. At a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, it is in the interest of MDBs’ democratic shareholding governments to establish an alternative for emerging countries interested in nuclear power but hesitant to make their energy security dependent on Russia. Simultaneously, MDBs would promote better safety and sustainability standards.

Given that international development agencies tend to follow MDBs’ lead, and that private nancing of energy infrastructure projects in developing countries often depends on multilateral lenders’ risk-mitigation policies, MDBs should reverse their position on nuclear power. Otherwise, Russia and China will remain the world’s primary suppliers of such projects.

To be sure, MDBs must carefully assess proposed nuclear energy projects to ensure that they meet appropriate technological and sustainability standards. While some under-resourced countries with weak institutions might not be  ready to pursue nuclear power, MDBs are uniquely positioned to

support emerging economies seeking alternatives to Russian and Chinese technologies and nancing. The climate crisis, too, has created unprecedented momentum for reform. The US, Germany, a G20 expert panel, and Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley have all called for strengthening MDBs’ capacity to support developing countries in mitigating and adapting to climate change and in mobilizing private nancing for this purpose. Meanwhile, the World Bank recently published an “evolution roadmap” that aims to increase its capacity to respond to climate change.

Reforming MDBs’ nancing structures and energy policies is crucial to supporting developing countries in mitigating the worst e ects of climate change. Moreover, Russia’s war against Ukraine has revealed the critical role of the multilateral nancial system as a bulwark against tyranny. Since the

start of the war, the World Bank has disbursed $16 billion in nancial support to Ukraine, with other multilateral nance institutions providing comparable amounts. By explicitly permitting MDBs to nance nuclear power, their shareholding governments could weaken Russia’s still-considerable in uence in emerging countries.

The momentum generated by nuclear energy’s renaissance, the geostrategic imperative to reduce Russia’s role as the dominant international provider of nuclear energy infrastructure, and the looming climate crisis, has presented MDBs with a unique opportunity to update their nuclear energy policy. To ght climate change and achieve a safer, more sustainable future, they must seize it.

The opinions and arguments expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reect the o cial views of the OECD or its member countries.

Prioritise liquidity to survive challenges – Absa Bank tells SMEs

Absa Bank has implored small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to adjust their operations and prioritise liquidity to survive the current economic challenges.

The country has made good progress in restructuring its domestic debts under an exchange programme that was concluded earlier this month. Negotiations for an IMF bailout programme is also underway. However, until that is concluded, the economy continues to face challenges, evident in high in ation, a weak exchange regime and high interest rates –all unfavourable to businesses. At an engagement session or-

ganised for its SME clients in Accra, Executive Director for Retail and Business Banking at Absa Bank, Kobla Nyaletey, said “Businesses need to survive the pre-IMF period and re-set their operations to thrive during the next phase. Cost containment, a no-frills approach to operations and a focus on getting cash into their businesses early, will be key.”

“Liquidity is king in volatile times. Businesses that generate frequent cash, have low receivables and diversify their business models from a reliance on big ticket contracts, will survive and begin to thrive when the economic challenges recede.”

The SME clinic, attended by over 200 clients, was under the theme: “Survive and Thrive: tactics for uncertain times.” It was also the rst in-person SME engagement for the bank’s customers since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her opening remarks, Head of SME Banking and Partnerships at Absa Bank, Audrey Abakah reiterated the bank’s commitment to creating a learning platform for SMEs to build capacity and enhance their knowledge in nancial management. She advised participants to also leverage customer service experience to transform their clients into net promoters for free.

As part of the engagement, the SME businesses were taken through a series of practical sessions, including liquidity management, cost line management, revenue generation and utilisation of credit lines.

The Absa SME Clinic was created to assist SMEs in gaining

access to the Bank's specialised capacity-building programme, which aims to inform and assist small businesses to operate strong and sustainable enterprises. It also provides a platform for direct communication between customers and the Bank.

Societe Generale launches new ‘Boafo Loan Product’ in Kumasi

Societe Generale Ghana has launched its new ‘Boafo Loan Product’ in Kumasi at its Central Branch at the heart of the Adum business district. The very well patronized event held on Thursday 23rd February, had in attendance key stakeholders, customers, media, and sta of the bank.

The Boafo Loan product is a short-term working capital loan package designed to address the needs of Micro Small Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). Businesses

can access up to GHs 600,000.00 with a repayment period of one (1) year without the need to provide the typical collateral as is mostly required.

Welcoming guests to the launch event, Mr. Ernest Sarpong, the Deputy Head for Retail Business, stated that, “MSME’s continue to face challenges particularly with access to capital. Locally, the prevailing economic conditions further impact the sustainability of the sector especially with rising in ation

and the depreciation of the Ghana cedi against the major currencies. The timely introduction of the new ‘SG Boafo Loan Product’ is to help owners of MSME mitigate some of these challenges”.

“MSMEs are the heart of the economy, and the Bank will continue to support their growth and development. SG Ghana will not only support businesses with credit facilities but specialized business products and advisory services as well,” Mr. Sarpong

concluded.

SG Ghana’s Bank’s prides itself in truly understanding the needs of its customers and creating products and services that help solve the practical challenges they are faced with in their lives and businesses. The launch of this new product under the tagline “no collateral, no problem” is a perfect demonstration of the Bank’s innovation to meet the needs of its customers.

The very engaging Event,

had the Retail Management of Societe Generale Ghana, responding to the myriad of questions posed by the excited invited guests especially on how to qualify for the facility.

Mr. Eli Muzzu, Head of Marketing, Multichannel and Quality, thanked customers for patronizing the event and for their continued support over the years.  “The Bank would not exist without you our customers and it is for this reason that we will continue to develop innovative products and services that do not only meet your needs but exceed your expectations,” he stated.

Abramova meets African Diasporas in connection with Russia-Africa Summit

On February 27, Director of the Institute of African Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences and member of the Organizing Committee of the Russia-Africa Summit, Professor Irina O. Abramova, held a special meeting with leaders of the Union of African Diasporas (UAD) in Russia.

The meeting discussed some aspects of the forthcoming Russia-Africa Summit.

Professor Abramova briefed them on the preparations and other related events for the

Summit, and further stressed that the second gathering is highly considered as the most important event on the Russian-African foreign policy agenda.

She, however, urged them to pay particular attention to identifying potential business agencies and organizations in order to make necessary preliminary coordination, and to develop comprehensive cooperation with them. In the context of the changing geopolitical situation, the goal of the upcoming summit is to make transi-

tion unto a qualitatively new stage of multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Africa.

In addition, they had a substantive discussion on important issues concerning the challenges in development of the Russian-African relations, including in the context of forthcoming Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for late July in St. Petersburg, the second largest city in the Russian Federation.

The meeting also deliberated on the possibility of promot-

ing forums for academic and youth activities. These will tremendously enhance useful contributions to the envisaged common bilateral friendship. In relation to this, emphasis was placed on achieving overwhelming results in this sphere of public diplomacy.

During the meeting, the lead-

ers of the Union of African Diasporas (UAD) rea rmed their mutual commitment to intensify networking for African participants for the July Summit which aims at consolidating and expanding mutu-

ally bene cial cooperation in trade, economic, humanitarian and other elds.

The meeting was attended by Professor Zenebe Kinfu Tafesse at the Moscow International University, President of Union of African Diasporas (UAD) and Leader of the Ethiopian Community Russia; Dr Maurice Okoli, President of the Nigerian Community Russia; Dr Noel Anderson, Acting President of the Ghanaian Community Russia (GhCR); Dr Masambah Kah from Gambia and a few other African representatives in the Russian Federation.

Rotary Peace Symposium ends with a cal to promote global peace and security

By Baptista S. Gebu

Today, over 70 million people are displaced as a result of con ict, violence, persecution, and human rights violations.

Half of them are children. With so many people around the world su ering as a result of war and violence, a peace dialogue is important as ever now. This dialogue must symbolize hope for peace.

The call to imagine this Rotary year is equally a call to prioritize dialogue on peace to promoting global peace and security as our collective responsibility, in a world in which peace amongst other factors will support promote Sustainable Development.

This peace event was put together to commemorate Rotary’s 118 years and to celebrate the power of global solidarity for building a peaceful and sustainable world. This dialogue on peace was a joint project with Rotary International District 9102’s selected clubs in Ghana.

The Rotary Club of Accra in partnership with Rotary Clubs of Accra- East, Morning Tide, Tema Community 25, Weija West and the Rotaract Club of the University of Ghana Legon on February 27, 2023 held this peace symposium at the Labadi Beach

Hotel.

This peace event was graced by Rotary leaders and dignitaries to include the District Governor Victor Yaw Asante, District Governor Nominee Maame Hagan, Past Rotary International Director and former Council of State member Hon. Samuel Okudzeto who was the Chairman for the occasion, Past Assistant Governor and Chair of the Peace Symposium Planning CommitteeJack Andrews Dotsey.

Professor Vladimir Antwi Danso - an international relations and security expert, Mrs Janet Sarney-Kuma – a director responsible for capacity development outreach with the Peace Council representing the Chairman of the Peace Council, and Mr. Abdourahamane Diallo of UNESCO representing the UN Resident Coordinator took turns to address the gathering on peace and security trends. Present were other Rotary district leaders, Imagine Presidents, fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors and guests.

The event was called to order by the Rotarian President Michael K. Frimpong of the Rotary club of Accra who re-iterated the event concept and gave way for speaker’s submission on the theme.

This paved way for participant’s engagement and with some cultural performance put up by the Asante Traditional Cultural Troupe.

The Event was facilitated by the District Vocational Training Teams and Rtn Juliet Amoah, the Rotary Peace Fellowship Chairs respectively.

To strive for peace, we must all refuse to accept con ict as a way of life. We all can support a call to cease re of all hostilities around the world. This Russia – Ukraine war is costing world peace and a ecting not only global supply chains but a number of very important thematic issues. Elections are ongoing in the sub regions. Ghana’s election 2024 will be underway soon. Hence a call for stakeholders and all people of goodwill to focus on peace dialogue is a call in the right direction.

New forces of division have emerged, spreading hatred and intolerance. Terrorism is fueling violence, while violent extremism seeks to poison the minds of the vulnerable and young. In the poorest and least-developed parts of the world, climate-related natural disasters are compounding existing fragility, increasing forced migration and heightening the risk of violence.

Since 2002, The Rotary Foundation provides sponsorship for 130 Peace Fellows each year globally at 8 universities for a certi cate or a master’s degree programme.

The Rotary Peace Fellows are contributing to global peace through their various professions across industries.

The barriers to peace are complex and steep - no one country can solve them alone. Doing so requires new forms of solidarity and joint action, starting as early as possible. To approach the concept of peace with greater cohesion and inclusivity, broadening the scope of

what we mean by peace building, we all need to nd more ways for people to get involved in peace dialogue which begins with you.

Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. Solving real problems takes real commitment and vision. For more than 110 years, Rotary's people of action have used their passion, energy, and intelligence to take action on sustainable projects. From literacy and peace to water and health, Rotarians are always working to better our world, and stay committed to the end.

Towards a more open and accountable future – the role of regulation and transparency in the blockchain industry

By Nadeem ANJARWALLA

For the cryptocurrency industry, 2022 was a year of immense upheavals, causing governments, consumers, and other associated stakeholders to question the debated topics of trust, credibility, and user protection in the cryptocurrency industry. Overall, this has created a need for organizations and leaders within the space to consistently reiterate their commitments, as well as demonstrate their initiatives geared towards building trust, ensuring user fund transparency, and fostering user safety.

However, it is important to note that while the events from last year have permeated a sense of short-term distrust, the overwhelmingly undeniable truth is that crypto is here to stay - a testament to the innumerable applications of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, especially in terms of improving nancial inclusion and its simpli cation of borderless payment transactions.

Moving ahead with user fund transparency

Perhaps, the most worrisome question on the minds of crypto users and investors is “Will my money be safe?” This inclination is entirely expected for a plethora of reasons. To avert the feelings of fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD), there is an undeni-

able need for reassurances that guarantee crypto users and investors the protection and nancial security they require.

For one, user funds must never be mismanaged and all measures must be maintained to keep user funds secure. Exchanges should follow three very simple rules: hold user assets in custody 1:1, never trade against your users, and don’t take on debt.

The cryptocurrency industry needs to prioritize user protection and allocate resources accordingly, focusing on ensuring security and maintaining transparency. To achieve this, many exchanges have taken the initiative by publicly sharing wallet addresses and reserve proofs, as well as creating recovery funds.

Proof of reserves is considered one of the most e ective methods of increasing the transparency of user funds in cryptocurrency exchanges. Users have the right to verify the safekeeping of their assets held in a centralized exchange’s custody and the presence and nature of reserve assets on an exchange provide insights into the platform's operation; one of such reserves is Binance’s proof-of-reserves.

Additionally, education must be prioritized as users need to

better understand the di erent crypto o erings on the market –so they can distinguish which ways are safe to enter and what actually makes certain crypto o erings trustworthy and reputable.

All exchanges must dedicate resources to provide their users with su cient knowledge about their products, services, and the broader industry. Materials should clearly explain the risks associated to enable users to make informed choices. These e orts will continue to help rebuild trust within the industry and support future innovation. Regulatory compliance is key The importance of adhering to regulatory standards in establishing stability, credibility, and con dence in cryptocurrencies is often overlooked by some as they believe it hinders the underlying innovation that drives the crypto industry. However, smart regulation is bene cial to the safe custody of cryptocurrency and crypto providers must further shoulder the responsibility by engaging in open and ongoing communication about the structure of their products and the regulations that govern them. Like seatbelts in a car, a more regulated crypto market provides greater protections for everyday

users. Another key lesson from the past year is that regulation can play a crucial role in the revival, long-term success, and broader acceptance of cryptocurrencies, particularly in growing markets. By providing safety and peace of mind for users and conferring legitimacy, regulation can help restore the industry's image and renew consumers' trust in cryptocurrencies. After all, institutional interest will follow where regulation goes, further proving the value and legitimacy of the crypto industry.

To conclude, given the rapidly changing nature of the crypto industry and its protocols, it is imperative for the industry to collaborate and establish standards for the quality of security measures for exchanges and projects. Collaborating with law enforcement is crucial in order to support investigations and retrieve stolen funds. In addition, developing better incubation programs to equip new projects with adequate security measures is essential.

Amazon's best-selling authors Hazel, Karen launch new book on diversity

Two of Amazon's best-selling female authors, Hazel Herrington and Karen Mc Dermott have together with 12 other women co-authored a new book on diversity.

The book, titled: 'Lady Diversity Power: Why Diversity Is the

way to do

globally.

Lady Diversity Power is a must-read for people looking to build more "inclusive and equitable workplaces."

Rahhal El Atfani, Naila Qazi, Linda Fisk, Kelly Markey, Joanna James, Hilda Johani CMA, Dr. Khomotso Mashalane, Lisa L. Levy, Annie Gibbins, Cathy Dimarchos, Dr. Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes, Sarah Blake, Shelli Brunswick, and Toni Lontis.

In the Foreword of 'Lady Diversity Power', H.E Laila Rahhal El Atfani says "The business world is changing. The days of the white, middle-aged man running the show are coming to an end. In their place, we are seeing a new kind of leaders: one who understands and values diversity."

Touching on why diversity is the new way to do business, Ms. Herrington stated that "Lady Diversity Power is a concept that encapsulates the idea that diversity is a strength, not a weakness. It is about recognizing and celebrating the unique perspectives, experiences, and talents that women from diverse backgrounds bring to the table."

According to her, "in today's

rapidly changing global marketplace, diversity is no longer just a moral imperative, it is a strategic one. Companies that fail to embrace diversity risk being left behind, while those that actively seek it out and cultivate it stand to thrive in the new global economy. By empowering women of diverse backgrounds to lead, we can create more innovative, inclusive, and equitable workplaces that bene t everyone."

She explained that "Lady Diversity Power is not just a catchphrase, it's a call to action for all leaders to embrace the richness of Diversity and harness its power for the bene t of all."

About the authors

Ms. Herrington, a multiple award-winning Zimbabwean author, celebrity interviewer and CEO of Herrington Publications Worldwide, has authored several other books including: 'Personal Branding: Build Credibility and Elevate Your BrandThe Ultimate Guide:', 'How to Achieve Personal Growth - The Essential Guide,' and 'The Ultimate Speaker Branding Blueprint on How to Build a Strong Personal Brand', all of which are available on Amazon.

She is also a co-author of a number of books including: 'Mediation Beyond Covid', 'A Woman's Guide to Business Domination,' and 'Think Limitlessly.'

Karen Mc Dermott is the founder of Serenity Press, Making Magic Happen Academy and Everything Publishing Academy.

An award-winning entrepreneur, multi-genre author of over 20 books, mentor and renowned speaker, Mc Dermott founded Serenity Press in 2012.

Linda Fisk is a multi-award-winning leader, speaker, best-selling author and university professor dedicated to amplifying and extending the success of other high-calibre business leaders.

Dr. Khomotso is a globally recognized humanitarian, philanthro-

pist and women empowerment advocate.

H.E Laila Rahhal El Atfani, is a globally respected women empowerment advocate and successful businesswoman.

Meanwhile, Ms. Herrington and Mc Dermott, two renowned, internationally-acclaimed authors, are scheduled to soon launch another book titled: 'Lady Entrepreneur Power'

At the j ust en ded Tre asu ry Bill a uction , the re was a 100% s ub scription rate across all te nor s with gover nment accepting total t en dered bids to the t une of GH¢5.067 bil lion a

the 91 182 a nd 364- day bill s desp

y S S & & P P a a s s d d o o m m e e s stti i c c d d e effa a u ullt t c c u urre e d d

Kazakhstan seeks external partnership to boost its national economy

Kazakhstan, former Soviet republic with a huge economic potential, has embarked on several initiatives to diversify its economy, systematically adopting western-oriented models of management and development.

None of the ve former Soviet republics in Central Asia, (Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) traditionally viewed as part of the Kremlin's sphere of in uence, publicly backed the February attack on neighbouring Ukraine.

Since the Russia-Ukraine crisis began, those Central Asian republics have kept their neutral position and are pursuing their own geopolitics without much ties to the dictates of Moscow. Kazakhstan has welcomed tens of thousands of Russians eeing from the military call-up (mobilization) since last year.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev spoke on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy several times since Russian troops rolled into Ukraine in February 2022, calling for a diplomatic resolution of the conict in accordance "with the U.N. charter and commonly accepted norms of the international law."

Concerned about diversifying it economy, Kazakhstan is steadily opening its doors for a broader external expansion. Given its geographical location and combined with current political reforms aim at transforming the economic from the Soviet-styled system to a more modernized system infused with western culture of life, Tokayev has chosen multi-vector policies.

“I believe that given our geopolitical situation, given the fact that we have over $500 billion involved in our economy, given that there are global companies operating in our market, we simply have to pursue a multi-vector, as they say now, foreign policy,” Tokayev said, long ago, in the context of the growing geopolitical confrontations, contractions and the

emerging new world order.

With the emerging new world order, Kazakhstan has been developing relations with many external partners. Late February, Tokayev underlined during a meeting in Astana with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the country was steadfast ready to develop strategic cooperation with the United States.

"We have built a very good and reliable long-term partnerships in so many strategically important areas like security, energy, trade, and investment. So we are ready to further develop this cooperation. I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the continuous and rm support of the United States for our independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty," Tokayev told Blinken.

Tokayev noted that the United States was one of Kazakhstan's largest investors, with more than $62 billion in total investments. The Kazakh leader also welcomed US e orts to expand cooperation in the C5+1 format (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and the United States), noting the importance of the Astana meeting of Central Asian and US foreign policy leaders.

Declaring that the creation of a fair Kazakhstan as its main goal, Tokayev has emphasized that the foreign policy course must also aim at protection of national interests, strengthening of mutually bene cial cooperation with all interested states, international peace and security.

In pursuit of sharing fresh experience of nation building, the president noted the importance of better quality education and the implementation of best global practices in domestic higher educational establishments at a meeting with Almaty students and young researchers, according to the presidential press service.

“Academic cooperation with the leading foreign universities is increasing on my orders. Branches of higher educational establishments from the UK, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, South Korea and the United States will open in Kazakhstan shortly. The integration into the global education space will bolster the competitiveness of our higher educational establishments and will raise the appeal of Kazakh higher education,” the press service quoted Tokayev as saying.

Interestingly, English language is gaining popularity among younger generation since the collapse of the Soviet Union. It, however, projected that the people of Kazakhstan in the future will speak three languages (Kazakh, Russian and English). As part of promoting multi-cultural and friendly society, Kazakhstan has seriously made in-bound tourism as one of its priority spheres, so it has established a visa-free regime for citizens of 54 countries, including the European Union and OECD member states, the United States, Japan, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

At the start of 2023, it has changed rules for entry and stay for immigrants. The new resolution has amended the rules of entry, stay and departure for immigrants in Kazakhstan. It was published in the database of laws and regulations on January 27, 2023.

The document changes the allowable period of immigrants' presence in Kazakhstan. For instance, immigrants without a visa will be allowed to stay in Kazakhstan for up to 30 days from the day they cross the border, and a total of 90 days during each 180-day period.

That however, citizens of member states of the Eurasian Economic Union will be allowed to stay for up to 90 days from the day they cross the border, and a total of 90 days during each 180-day period. Previously, there was no 180-day limit for persons arriving in Kazakhstan without a visa.

With it's primary aim is to raise development to an appreciable level, therefore currently seeks to stratrgically engage highly-skilled foreign professionals and specialists for considerable long-term in the country.

The Kazakh Labour and Social Protection Ministry has approved a list of in-demand professions in the spheres of science, healthcare, industry and IT with which foreigners can receive residence permits in Kazakhstan under facilitated procedures, the ministry's press service said in late February. The list includes more than 20 in-demand professions in various spheres including science, engineering and medicine.

"Foreigners who have in-demand professions can receive in interior a airs agencies residence permits using facilitated procedures without conrming their solvency," the press release said. Residence permits will be issued for ten years or for the period in which a foreigner's passport is valid.

In March 2020, the Concept of the Foreign Policy of Kazakhstan for 2020–2030 was announced. The document outlines the following main points:

An open, predictable and consistent foreign policy of

the country, which is progressive in nature and maintains its endurance by continuing the course of the First President – the country at a new stage of development; protection of human rights, development of humanitarian diplomacy and environmental protection; promotion of the country's economic interests in the international arena, including the implementation of state policy to attract investment and maintaining international peace and security.

Development of regional and multilateral diplomacy, which primarily involves strengthening mutually bene cial ties with key partners – Russia, China, the United States, Central Asian states and the EU countries, as well as through multilateral structures including the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and a few others.

Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country, located in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. Nursultan Nazarbayev became the country's rst President, and now was replaced by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Kazakhstan was the last Soviet republic to declare independence after Soviet's collapse in 1991. With approximately 20 million population, Kazakhstan strictly recognizes its political freedom, national interest and territorial sovereignty, and is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Stride to 5.5G Era, Extending Business

Frontiers

At MWC Barcelona 2023, Huawei showcases leading technologies, new business opportunities, and industry progress in the 5.5G era.

The company aims to work with carriers and industry partners around the world to further the evolution of ICT infrastructure, lay the foundation for the 5.5G era, and build on the success of 5G for even greater prosperity.

At the event, Huawei presents ve major characteristics of the 5.5G era: 10 Gbit/s experience, all-scenario IoT, integrated sensing and communication, Level 4 autonomous driving network, and green ICT.

Composition and key characteristics of the 5.5G era

Technological innovation in the 5.5G era will bring operators a 10-fold increase in network performance over 5G.

Ÿ 10 times higher experi-

enced speeds: The peak rates experienced by mobile and home broadband users will increase from 1 Gbit/s to 10 Gbit/s, ensuring better experiences in immersive and interactive services.

Ÿ 10 times more connections:

Passive IoT technology enables an increase in the number of connected things from 10 billion to 100 billion.

Ÿ 10 times more deterministic: There will be a 10-fold improvement in latency, positioning accuracy, and reliability.

Ÿ 10 times higher energy eciency: CO2 emissions per terabyte of data transmitted on a mobile network will be reduced 10 times.

Ÿ 10 times more intelligent: Autonomous driving networks (ADN) will be upgraded from level 3 to level 4 autonomy, with 10 times more e cient network O&M.

5.5G can help operators open up

new business frontiers and

100-fold

business opportunities.

Frontier 1: Explosion in services with immersive and interactive experiences

3D applications, such as 3D online malls, 24K VR gaming, and glasses-free 3D video, will become mainstream. Services with immersive experiences emerged in the 5G era, but in the 5.5G era, services with both immersive and interactive experiences will become commonplace. With continuous breakthroughs in device technologies and a boom in content, the number of online users of immersive and interactive services in the 5.5G era is expected to exceed 1 billion, a 100-fold increase.

Frontier 2: Further enabling industry digitalization

As 5G private networks become increasingly capable, their scope of application will expand by 10 times, and the value of each connection in key applications

will increase by even more than that. We predict that the number of 5G private networks deployed will increase from 10,000 today to 1 million by 2030. Fiber connections are extending from homes and enterprises to production lines and even production equipment.

Frontier 3: Cloud applications entering a new era, creating new opportunities for network connectivity

Cloud-based and multi-cloud enterprise applications are becoming a new trend. The cloud applications will need real-time, reliable, and easily-accessable connectivity, bringing new opportunities to transmission networks, whether they are between edge cloud nodes, between edge cloud nodes and central clouds, or between enterprises and the cloud.

Frontier 4: Cellular networks cover all IoT applications and passive IoT enables 100 billion connections

Passive IoT technology is extending mobile connectivity from high-speed active solutions to ultra-low-speed passive ones. Passive IoT tags can transmit data, and can also be used for positioning and on temperature sensors. Such tags can be used in a wide variety of scenarios, such as automated inventory of warehouse items, agriculture and livestock development, and positioning of personal items. Currently, more than 30 billion passive IoT tags (based on technologies like RFID) are consumed a year. As more industries go digital, the number of passive IoT tags used every year is expected to reach 100 billion.

Frontier 5: From communication to integrated sensing and communication, facilitating new services

5.5G networks with the sensing capability can be used extensively in scenarios like smart city road tra c ser-

From Kestér Kenn Klomegâh in Astana

vices and perimeter sensing, making urban infrastructure more e cient and intelligent. For example, in rainy or foggy weather, 5.5G networks can automatically detect obstacles or abnormalities on the road and notify drivers through the maps in their cars one kilometer in advance, making transportation safer.

In July 2022, Huawei released its vision of "Innovation, Lighting up the 5.5G Era". At this year's MWC, together with operators and industry partners around the world, Huawei will explore innovative services and new business opportunities of the approaching 5.5G era.

MWC Barcelona 2023 runs from February 27 to March 2 in Barcelona, Spain. Huawei showcases its products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1. Together with global operators, industry professionals, and opinion leaders, we dive into topics such as 5G business success, 5.5G opportunities, green development, digital transformation, and our vision of using the GUIDE business blueprint to lay the foundation for 5.5G and build on the success of 5G for even greater prosperity. For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2023.

Customer wellbeing the pivot of Stanbic Bank’s commitment to excellent service delivery

The mention of excellence in customer service delivery in this part of the world is often met with some apprehension due to experiences that point to the contrary.

In the midst of the seeming gloom, however, Stanbic Bank Ghana have, in many ways, distinguished themselves as leaders in the delivery of excellent customer service.

The bank’s road to excellence in service delivery began with a deep commitment to make the client the center of the Business and Operating Model, to drive a culture of obsessed client wellbeing, continuous improvement, and innovation and to deliver on their customer promise. The journey began with deliberate measures that had endorsement from person at the helm of the bank.

The Chief Executive, Executive Committee and Head of Client Experience initiated steps to drive a mindset and cultural shift in the entire organization with a dedicated team in place to drive the agenda.

The mindset and culture shift were not targeted to only the frontline sta

By Takatoshi Itor

The rst anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a good opportunity to re ect on the war’s global implications. In addition to untold human misery, Russia’s aggression triggered a historic food and energy crisis and caused global in ation to spike, endangering the world’s fragile economic recovery from COVID-19. But the war also highlighted the shaky foundations of the international security order that emerged after the end of World War II, sending shockwaves around the world and encouraging countries like Germany and Japan to rearm.

While some still try to justify Putin’s actions by claiming that Russia was somehow provoked by the “eastern expansion” of NATO, the fact is that Ukraine posed no threat to Russia when Putin invaded the country. Putin was not seeking to defend Russia’s territorial integrity from Ukrainian or Western encroachments; he simply wanted to pursue his imperial ambitions. The possibility of a Russian victory in Ukraine has caused panic among Russia’s neighbors in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as governments across Central and East Asia. If Russia, a nuclear power, can invade its much-smaller neighbor and prevail, what is to stop Putin from going after Poland next, or China from invading Taiwan? While the world desperately needs a uni ed strategy, the United Nations is splintered and dysfunctional. After Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution denouncing its invasion at the beginning of the war, the UN General Assembly has

Th

but to the entire workforce, with the understanding that excellent client experience can only happen if it is an end-to-end delivery. This ensured that the importance of delivering exceptional service and transforming client experience was brought to the fore.

To reinforce their commitment to excellence, Stanbic Bank developed a Service Charter to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the bank and the client, service principles and the standards by which the bank operates.

This initiative was probably the rst in the Standard Bank Group and the purpose is to drive continuous awareness of the standards the bank stands for. The initiative also ensures that new employees are exposed to and actually imbibe the ideals of excellent customer service delivery. Beyond the people, systems and process are also critical in ensuring the best customer experience.

The next logical step in building excellence in customer service delivery was to ensure the e ectiveness of the

bank’s systems, streamline the processes, procedures and even the solutions the bank delivers to its clients.

To ensure that this was not a fad, a Business Improvement Team has been instituted by Stanbic Bank to ensure that the systems, processes and procedures are mapped and documented. Another initiative that gives credibility to Stanbic Bank’s commitment excellent customer service delivery was the introduction of Salesforce, a world class customer relationship management platform that gives a 360 view of the client, understand their needs and circumstance to provide tailor made solutions in a timely and convenient manner.

The Salesforce platform also enables the bank to leverage data and insights to deliver optimal solutions anytime, anywhere.

With the understanding, that “What gets measured gets done or respected” there are KPIs and measurements in place to track progress at any given time relative to customer service delivery.

A Service Control team is also in place

to drive turnaround time and enforce service level agreements. Clients’ needs are dynamic and very uid and therefore, it is critical that organizations stay close to them to solicit feedback to be able to adapt to the changing demands. It is also important that systems are put in place to ensure continuity and relevance due to the constantly changing customer demands and in this vein, Stanbic Bank Ghana’s initiatives provide a good model of what an excellent customer service delivery enterprise should look like.

The UN must not be powerless

passed toothless resolutions, including one on February 23 calling for Russia’s immediate withdrawal.

Faced with the biggest threat to global stability in a generation, it seems that the body created to oversee and defend the international liberal order cannot stop it from unraveling.

The problem lies with the UN’s governance structure. The Security Council was created to maintain global peace, but the veto power  granted to its ve permanent members – the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom – has always been a major obstacle to achieving this goal.

Now that one of its veto-holding permanent members is waging an aggressive war against a neighboring country, in  agrant violation of international law and the UN Charter, the Security Council is virtually powerless to impose economic sanctions or bring about a peaceful resolution.

The Security Council’s authority has been further undermined by North Korea’s repeated violations of its resolutions. The North Korean regime launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone on February 18 and is reportedly preparing for its seventh nuclear test. Last year, it red  more than 90 missiles over the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan. Yet the Security Council has remained silent since China and Russia vetoed a US-led bid to impose new sanctions on the country, leading to a US rebuke.

The UN’s inability to address these growing threats to global stability has encouraged Germany and Japan to shed their decades-long aversion to developing robust military capabilities. With a land war raging in Europe, Germany has  pledged to increase its defense budget by €100 billion ($106 billion) and (reluctantly) agreed to send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. And Japan, deeply shocked by Russia’s invasion, plans to double defense spending by 2027 (though Prime Minister Fumio Kishida must rst gure out how to pay for it) and is revising its national-security strategy to enable the military to strike enemy targets abroad in the event of an actual, or imminent, attack.

Despite its newfound commitment to remilitarization, Japan has maintained its paci st constitution and remains opposed to acquiring nuclear weapons, owing to the trauma of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While most of the Japanese public  supports the boost in defense

spending, many still believe that the US-imposed constitution was right to restrict the military’s role to self-defense. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, together with North Korea’s provocations and China’s increasingly aggressive posture, has highlighted the importance of building up the country’s deterrence capabilities and accelerated its shift away from paci st idealism.

At the same time, protecting liberal democracy against aggressors like Russia and North Korea requires a multilateral body capable of tackling threats to world peace. To fulll its peacekeeping role, the UN Security Council must undertake signi cant reform. At the very least, Japan and Germany should be granted permanent seats and veto power. Alternatively, a permanent member’s veto power should be suspended if, like Russia, it becomes an aggressor. With the world on the precipice of disaster, there is no alternative to overhauling the cornerstone of global governance.a

FX Insights

Rand sinks to lowest in more than 3 months

Foreign Exchange Down

32%

As Nigerians prepare to go to the polls on Saturday to elect a new president, a cash shortage caused by a policy to exchange old Naira notes for newly designed bills continues to cripple the economy, creating a rift in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party. The note swap plan championed by incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari has led to violent protests across the country and resulted in a temporary suspension of banking operations in some states. Several governors have petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the policy, citing severe hardship faced by people and businesses dependent on cash for survival. Buhari’s apparent intention behind the policy is to curb vote buying by politicians, turning a deaf ear to APC governors who have made repeated calls to postpone the implementation of the policy. Amid fears of the current tensions spilling over to political violence, Buhari said he’s mobilising military and security agents to monitor polling stations for evidence of vote rigging. The severe cash shortage has held the currency steady in spite of the economic turmoil, with the Naira strengthening marginally against the dollar to 755 from 756 at last week’s close. In this context, resolving the cash shortage has become more significant for the Naira outlook than the election result—with the rate likely to hold around current levels until Naira supplies recover.

Ghana’s latest ratings downgrade drives Cedi lower

Murega Mungai Trading Desk Manager, AZA Finance

Foreign Exchange

Alex Barmuta Forex Dealer, AZA Finance

Foreign Exchange

Down 18%

The Cedi weakened against the dollar, trading at 12.76 from 12.38 at last week’s close as Fitch Ratings cut Ghana’s foreign currency credit rating to ‘restricted default’ after the country missed a $40.6m coupon payment on one of its outstanding Eurobonds. The downgrade aligns with Fitch’s local currency rating, which was cut earlier this month. The foreign debt default was largely expected after Ghana said it would suspend payments on certain bonds as part of its restructuring plan to unlock $3bn in emergency funding from the IMF. The country faces pushback from bondholders over preferential treatment for bilateral lenders, who are being offered better terms in the debt restructuring. Against this backdrop—and with inflation remaining elevated despite a slight improvement in January—we expect the Cedi to depreciate further in the near term.

Mitch Diedrick

Foreign Exchange

Down Down 99%

Shilling strengthens as Uganda resists rate rise

Yadhav Panday

Foreign Exchange Down

4.8%

The Rand depreciated against the dollar, trading at 18.25 from 18.05 at last Friday’s close—its weakest level since early November. The currency is being dragged lower by broad risk-off sentiment globally and ongoing domestic concerns about the electricity crisis. In an effort to ease concerns about Eskom’s finances, South Africa’s government said it will take on more than half of the power company’s debt over the next three years to help strengthen the balance sheet and avoid the risk of default. We expect the Rand to continue trading with an 18 handle in the near term, mainly due to the risk-off mood that is impacting emerging markets FX.

Egypt issues debut $1.5bn sukuk

The Pound depreciated against the dollar, trading at 30.60 from 30.48 at last week’s close, amid broader risk-off sentiment and a stronger dollar. Egypt this week issued its debut Islamic finance bond, or sukuk, raising $1.5bn. The three-year deal priced to yield 11%, having attracted investor demand of more than $5bn. The deal provides some relief to Egypt’s finance ministry given the country’s need to boost FX inflows and repay existing debt. We expect the Pound depreciate further in the week ahead mainly due to dollar strength.

94%

The Shilling strengthened against the dollar, trading at 3674 from 3684 at last week’s close. Uganda’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate on hold at 10% for a second consecutive monetary policy meeting. The bank last raised by 100 basis points in October, with rates ending the year 350 basis points higher than they were at the start of 2022. Policymakers said the decision to hold rates was aimed at containing domestic demand pressure and supporting economic recovery. The bank said it expects inflation to slow to its 5% target by the end of the year despite inflation edging up to 10.4% last month. In the near term, we expect the Shilling to weaken amid continued food and energy price inflation.

Kenyan Shilling hits new low as FX reserves dwindle

Foreign Exchange

Down

The Shilling weakened to a fresh low against the dollar, trading at 126.15 from 125.90 at last week’s close amid increased FX demand from the oil and energy sector. The currency has now lost more than 2% of its value this year. Kenya’s foreign currency reserves also dropped to a new record low $6.88bn from $6.94bn the previous week. There are signs of recovery in FX flows: Kenya secured a $27m funding deal with the European Union to boost exports to the 27-nation bloc and strengthen the overall business environment. The government is also anticipating $3.4bn in tourism-related earnings this year as it expects tourist numbers to exceed pre-pandemic levels. In the immediate term, however, we expect the Shilling to remain under pressure as importers clamour for dollars to meet month-end obligations.

11.7%

Senior Treasury Associate, AZA Finance

Minority to engage dev’t partners, others on use of Ghana Card

TThe Minority in Parliament has announced plans to engage broad spectrum of stakeholders including development partners, faith-based organisations on the proposed C.I by the Electoral Commission seeking to make the Ghana Card the sole identi cation for the continuous registration exercise ahead of next year’s elections.

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, on Tuesday told Parliament during a Committee of the Whole brie ng that the use of the Ghana Card as the sole identi cation document for continuous voters’ registration will guarantee the credibility and integrity of the country’s voter register and aid elections as a whole.

However, the minority at a press conference in parliament on Wednesday, led by its leader, Dr. Ato Forson, stated that given the critical nature of the issue at stake, and the potential of this C.I to undermine our democracy and thereby disturb the peace and security of our country, the minority would push for a broader consultation on it.

“The Minority Group will in the coming days be engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including our Development Partners, Faith-based Organizations, Traditional Authorities and Civil Society Organizations to get them to appreciate the issues at stake and the consequences this bodes for Ghana’s democracy and stability.

The minority caucus will in the coming days collaborate with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to hold a major forum on this subject. This will a ord us an opportunity to further explain these issues for the understanding of the Ghanaian populace,” he said.

According to Dr. Forson, claims by the EC that the proposed C.I is for only continuous registration is not only misleading but also mischievous.

“Regulation 33 in the draft C.I revokes C.I 91 and C.I 126.

Therefore, by operation of the law, once this proposed C.I is passed, it will be the only law on voter registration in Ghana. The Electoral Commission knows

that it does not have separate laws for continuous registration and limited registration or mass registration.”

Further, the minority indicated that millions of eligible Ghanaian voters do not have the Ghana Card and therefore stand the risk of being completely disenfranchised, stressing that three groups comprising those who have registered for the Ghana Card but have not been issued with cards. The number of people in this category stands at a staggering 645,663.

There are those who registered for the Ghana Card, but have unfortunately misplaced their cards and proceeded to do another registration, which registrations are on hold. This category of people accounts for thousands of Ghanaians as well.

Thirdly, there are a huge 2.5 million Ghanaians who have not been able to register for the Ghana Card at all.

“Any attempt by the Electoral Commission to insist on the Ghana Card as the sole identity document for the registration of voters will therefore deprive the vast majority of our people of their constitutional right to register and vote.”

The minority also insisted that the guar-

By Eugene Davies

antor system is “time tested, proven” and that it should not be non-negotiable and that it should part of the requirement for veri cation for a voter.

New C.I.

The C.I. seeks to promote the continuous registration of voters and advocates an all-year round registration of eligible voters at the district o ces of the EC.

It is a clear departure from the previous system where voters’ registration was done for a limited period.

Under the limited voters’ registration exercise, the registration of new voters was only done for a limited period.

MTN, Huawei sign MoU to advance digital inclusion and sustainable development

MTN Group and Huawei have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen strategic cooperation in environmental, social and governance matters.

The MoU, signed at MWC Barcelona, is aligned with MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy and Huawei’s Corporate Sustainability Development strategy, including its TECH4ALL initiative.

“Leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress can only be achieved through the power of partnerships,” said MTN Group Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs O cer Nompilo Morafo. “Working with companies like Huawei, we can pool our technologies and expertise to drive greater access to connectiv-

ity, digital skills and greener and more sustainable solutions to the bene t of all.”

Li Peng, Member of the Huawei’s Supervisory Board and President of the Carrier BG, said Huawei expects to work closely with MTN Group on rural coverage, reaching net zero and digital skills training: “We believe that digital technology will become an important force driving social development and making the world more inclusive and sustainable.”

The Huawei DigiTruck provides free training in digital skills for those in need, including rural communities, the elderly, the unemployed, and girls and women in particular. Converted from a used ship-

ping container mounted on a truck, the DigiTruck is a solar-powered mobile classroom equipped with laptops, smartphones and 4G connectivity.

It is complemented by the Huawei ICT Academy, which trains university students in ICT skills such as 5G, cloud computing and AI. There are 1 900 Huawei ICT Academies in 110 countries, serving around 150 000 students a year.

MTN’s Skills Academy seeks to enhance the link between digital skills training and demand for jobs to ensure that people across the continent are producers, consumers and innovators of digital technologies.

Today’s partnership agree-

ment seeks to accelerate efforts to reach more rural and remote communities and to broaden the portfolio of available digital skills training.

With a signi cant portion of Africa’s population living in rural areas, MTN is committed to expanding our network to under-served communities and reach a target of 95% rural broadband coverage by 2025. The partnership with Huawei will support the achievement of this target as well as our approach to expand the number of collaborations and the types of partnership models we follow.

MTN and Huawei are collaborating on deploying RuralStar, an a ordable connectivity solution for providing online access to remote and rural

communities. The solution overcomes traditional barriers that make network connectivity in such scenarios unviable for carriers. The parties will extend their collaboration following the completion of the rst RuralStar proof-of-concept in Ghana in 2017.

In terms of reducing carbon emissions, Huawei will support MTN's commitment to minimise the impact on the planet and achieve net zero by 2040. The partners will work on decarbonising MTN’s telecommunications infrastructure, spanning radio access network (RAN) sites, transport networks, storage and data centres. Network decarbonisation will be done via a mix of energy e ciency technologies and the application of innovative green solutions.

This year Independence Day anniversary in Ho must be an avenue to improve accessibility to the region’s tourist attractions

This year's Independence Day celebration will be held in Ho, the Volta Regional capital. This is in line with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's vision of regional rotation in the celebration of the event which hitherto had been centred in Accra. This year celebration is expected to sell the Volta Region to the world and might lead to investors coming to invest in the region. Less than a week to the celebration, preparations towards the event are far advance in ensuring a smooth anniversary celebration. I travelled to the Volta Region twice last month

Philip Gebu is a Tourism Lecturer. He is the C.E.O of FoReal Destinations Ltd, a Tourism Destinations Management and Marketing Company based in Ghana and with partners in many other countries. Please contact Philip with your comments and suggestions. Write to forealdestinations@gmail.com / info@forealdestinations.com. Visit our website at www.forealdestinations.com or call or WhatsApp

+233(0)244295901/0264295

901.Visist our social media sites Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: FoReal Destinationsand I retuned on one occasion with a broken tire due to the bad nature of some part of the road. I don’t know if the road leading to Ho has been improved prior to the celebration since many people will be travelling to Ho. All commuters on that road will a rm that the road needs a facelift. The celebration is

coming at the right time and I hope this will lead to an improvement. Investor and tourists will love to travel on a smooth beautiful road devoid of potholes. Three factors make every destination successful and accessibility is one of the 3As in tourism. Without good accessibility to a destination, tourism will not thrive and as we try to sell the region, it must come with good accessibility especially leading to our tourist sites.

An essential requirement for the development of tourism and most sectors of the economy is the development of a transport infrastructure, and adequate accessibility to the surrounding areas. A transport infrastructure contributes to economic success based on tourism. For a majority of tourists, a good accessibility to a tourist destination is when the area can be reached and explored, quickly, cheaply and comfortably (e.g. by car or using public transport). Prideaux (2000) argues that a destination should be easy to get to and easy to travel around the area. On the other hand, certain recent studies (Celata 2007; Toth & David 2010) indicate that there is no absolute connection between the improvement of geographical accessibility long-term tourism medium-term tourism short-term tourism. These studies also indicate that there is a signi cant di erence between the theoretical models of tourism and the actual tourist waves. A number of other studies (Komornicki et al. 2010; Michniak 2010, 2011; Rosik 2012) clearly indicate that nowadays networking and overall regional development must be based on detailed accessibility analyses. Optimisa-

tion of the transport system can then be achieved even if there is no direct impact on tourism.

Accessibility and tourism destination choice  The cost of travel is one of the  main components of tourism expenditures; but distance is only  one of many factors in uencing  the choice of destination. Many  tourism areas have developed  considerably despite their relative distance from competitors.  A scarce accessibility can be  balanced by other elements and  can even become itself a source  of attraction. The hypothesis is  that tourists choose their destination according at  rst to local  resources and attractions. In the  decision process, tourists consider a number of alternative  destinations with similar  characteristics and vocations.  Only after this  rst selection,  destinations are compared according to their accessibility.

The weight of accessibility on  the decision is then correlated  to the  substitutability of  destinations. Localities possessing competitive advantages can  attract tourists despite their relative distance. The problem of  accessibility may thus be relevant only for  destinations  with similar characteristics – for  example the sea and sun. Model of tourism and not for  unique places like historic cities  and naturalistic sites. Accessibility per se cannot represent a  source of competitiveness. We  need to reverse the usual representation of the relation between peripherality, accessibility and local development: competitive  advantages do  not arise from being closer to  the market, but from the ability  to use and promote   the local attractive potential to reduce the  weight of distance. If a destination is unique – accessibility has  no in uence on its attractive-

ness. Filippo Celata, Università  di Roma did a lot of studies in Italy to con rm the correlation between tourist ow to a destination. Assessing di erent destinations he found that destination with poor accessibilities, received low tourism ow unlike destinations with better accessibilities. This explains how road networks in Europe have been improved over the years and has led to increased tourism ow. As we journey to Ho to celebrate our independence, we need to remember that the Volta Region has some of the best tourist attractions in the country and the overall package for Ghana as a preferred tourist destination must lead to improvement to the road development in all re-

By Philip Gebu

gions thereby attraction go transport systems. Happy Independence anniversary to all Ghanaians.Philip Gebu is a Tourism Lecturer. He is the C.E.O of FoReal Destinations Ltd, a Tourism Destinations Management and Marketing Company based in Ghana and with partners in many other countries. Please contact Philip with your comments and suggestions. Write to forealdestinations@gmail.com / info@forealdestinations.com. Visit our website at www.forealdestinations.com or call or WhatsApp +233(0)244295901/0264295901. Visist our social media sites Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: FoReal Destinations