TOA JAN_March_2021

THE TIMES OF AFRICA BRINGING AFRICA TO THE WORLD

Cameroon 2500 CFA | GHANA 10 Cedi | India ` 100 | kenya Kshs 300 | Rwanda RWF 2000 | Tanzania TSHs 5000 | Uganda Ush 8000 | US $5

THE TIMES OF AFRICA BRINGING AFRICA TO THE WORLD

Cameroon 2500 CFA | GHANA 10 Cedi | India ` 100 | kenya Kshs 300 | Rwanda RWF 2000 | Tanzania TSHs 5000 | Uganda Ush 8000 | US $5

PORTRAIT OF The Times of Africa

PUBLISHER’S

MESSAGE Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results – Willie Nelson We are going to face the “new normal” after the last pandemic. A new situation has come into this world, especially because no one knows when or what might become normal, or what could be odd. One thing we can all look forward to when this pandemic ends is making improved plans.

In February and March, Black History Months help the community view today’s circumstances with a history lens and are awesome. In the midst of it all, • In 2021, it will remain a top priority to the government to address the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences. However, when a second wave has seen cases reach a new height, vaccination campaigns are uneven and the process will take time according to the situation in Africa.

• The ICT infrastructure pandemic and improvements continue to stimulate rapid digital innovation throughout the continent. However, with the spectacular development of the technology increases cyber threats and regulatory controls will arise.

• Democracy is likely to take a new turn by 2021 as the elections in Ethiopia, Benin, Zambia, and Gambia test democratic institutions and reform commitments. In Kenya and Nigeria, preparations will also begin for highprofile leadership successions.

We are hoping to see a better tomorrow by maintaining consistency with our editions.

Wishing everyone a prosperous 2021 and happy reading!

Kirit Sobti

www.thetimesofafrica.com

THE TIMES OF AFRICA is an international publication, which aspires to bring the stories of the economic, social and political fabric of the 54 nations of Africa to the World.

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We have a strong online presence on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Our success in making TOA a brand within and outside India lies in the fact that we have focused on AfroIndian partnerships and provided a link to the African marketplace. It is our earnest endeavour to make our readers conversant with all things that matter to the continent.

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CONTENTS 08 COVER STORY

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COVER STORY • The Future of Water is here! Meghdoot: Water from air solutions .........................................08 • Monolingual v/s multilingual: Power of Native language ................................................................12 SPOTLIGHT COUNTRY • Nigeria’s Nollywood: A Journey from Big Screens to Smartphones .........................................................16 CORPORATE • Deep-Pocket Investors for African Venture .............19 EVENTS

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• #checkbeforeyoushare: Fact Lens Ghana Presents “Building Resilience information to protect communities”.........................................................22 • Business opportunities available across the globe to utilize line of credit by Exim Bank ...........................26

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JANUARY- MARCH 2021  VOLUME 15  ISSUE 5

34

36

38

• Forma Launches its new Tractors made for the World Market....................................................31 FACE-TO-FACE • Global Community of Young People with Passion: The Young Creative Forum Africa ............................34 • FORMA is open for Africa: Exclusive interview with Mr. Vijay Agarwal, Chairperson........................36

42

SPORTS • Fly with the Ghanaian Baby Jet with his Fabulous Lifestyle ..................................................38 TRAVEL & EXPLORE • Let’s plan for Africa Trips 2021: New Thrill Africa by private jet ................................42 EN VOGUE “We are made in Italy” Africa-born designers open digital Milan fashion week .............................48 BON APPETIT • Maximize your presence & recognition at food Africa: Cairo Food Africa 2021: The 6th International Trade Exhibition for Food & Beverages- Launch to new markets and establish new business connections ..54 BRAINSTORM • Are you ready to challenge your brain?...................59

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Cover Story

THE FUTURE OF WATER IS HERE! MEGHDOOT: Water from Air Solutions

Interviewee: MR M. RAMKRISHNA Founder & Managing Director, Maithri Aquatech Pvt Ltd. Interviewer: ATLANTA MAHANTA, Sr. Multimedia Journalist, THE TIMES OF AFRICA

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Q. WATER SCARCITY IS ONE OF THE GLOBAL CHALLENGES AT PRESENT. MAITHRI AQUATECH PVT LTD CAME UP WITH AN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE BEST POSSIBLE SOLUTION. PLEASE SHARE HOW THE WHOLE CONCEPT WAS DEVELOPED?

HOW MEGHDOOT WORKS:

A. Globally 2.2 billion people do not have access to safe water at their homes and about 20% people live in regions affected by physical water scarcity. In Africa alone one in three people are affected by water scarcity and the situation is getting worse with population growth, urbanization and adverse impact of climate change and global warming.

The situation gets further aggravated due to discharge of wastes into scare water bodies leading to contamination of the water which in turn adversely impacts health.

The scarcity of water is a major issue in our country India as well wherein more than 54% of the country has been facing high to extremely high-water stress levels.

Living in such a water stressed country made me realize that there was an urgent need to look for an alternative solution to solve for the growing water needs. In my quest for finding a solution I realized that the solution was actually there around us i.e. in the air around us which contains so much water in the form of moisture that less than 1% was enough to meet the entire requirement of mankind, flora and fauna.

This laid the foundation to the start of the journey for our company Maithri Aquatech. We put in a team of bright engineers and forward thinkers who after years of intense research developed MEGHDOOT (which in Sanskrit means ‘Messenger of the Skies’). The company also partnered with the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), a nationallevel research centre that operates under India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial

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Research (CSIR) and jointly holds a patent for MEGHDOOT to ensure generation of superior quality of water at all times.

Q. FOR OUR READERS PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT THE PRODUCT “MEGHDOOT” A. MEGHDOOT is capable of generating clean, mineral-enriched potable water by tapping literally into thin air to. The water generation process is quite simple – air is drawn into the system and cooled down until the water vapour converts to water, which is collected, filtered through our multi-stage filtration process and mineralized before dispensing.

MEGHDOOT is a decentralized, plug-and-play solution that has zero dependency on ground and surface water sources, while having zero water wastage thus making it an environmentally- friendly solution. This is especially important as common water solutions, especially

those using Reverse Osmosis (RO) waste up to two-thirds of the water they purify and no other solution exists to actually generate water. The water generated by MEGHDOOT is mineral-enriched and meets if not exceeds the stringiest WHO (World Health Organization) Standards of Drinking Water quality. The solution is also available with patented customized dosing, allowing for the water quality to be tweaked as per the requirements of the customers.

MEGHDOOT is dependable, as it taps into a perennial resource – air, which contains vast amounts of water, recycled multiple times throughout the year by the natural water cycle.

It is also extremely scalable owing to its modular architecture, allowing it to meet water requirements from tens of litres to millions of litres per day. In addition to this, apart from drinking water, multiple grades of water can be provided to meet the requirements of various applications,

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Cover Story

be it medical, industrial or agricultural.

MEGHDOOT as a solution is both affordable and energy-efficient and can also run on renewable energy be it solar or wind.

What makes MEGHDOOT unique is that it is the only predictable source to generate water on a sustainable basis.

Q. THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF CLIMATE, GEOGRAPHICAL STRUCTURE OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES. IS THE WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY GOING TO CHANGE? A. What makes our solution unique is that water generated by MEGHDOOT across the planet will be the same quality, and would only require our filtration process with the mineral dosing to make it potable.

On similar lines to Solar Power generation, MEGHDOOT is dependent on a natural resource. The quantity of water generated can vary based on ambient conditions. However, unlike Solar Power, MEGHDOOT can still generate water anywhere.

Over 50% of the world’s population lives within 200 kms of the coast where MEGHDOOT works on very high-water production efficiency. This is incidentally also the regions most impacted by water scarcity due to high salinity in ground water resources. As we move further inland, MEGHDOOT will still be able to produce water albeit at slightly lower efficiencies.

Q. MAITHRI AQUATECH HAS MANAGED TO SELL ITS WATER SOLUTIONS ACROSS SECTORS SUCH AS DEFENCE, AIRPORTS, RAILWAYS, EDUCATION INSTITUTES AND RESIDENTIAL ESTATES IN INDIA AND IT IS NOW POISED TO EXPAND THE BUSINESS TO AFRICA AND SOUTHEAST

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ASIA. HOW IS MAITHRI AQUATECH PVT LTD PLANNING TO EXPAND ITS OPERATION IN AFRICA? A. Our company is a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and we are committed to UN Goals on sustainability. As an Indian water company, we understand that water scarcity is not just a problem for our country, but for also the planet. Africa is not new to us as we have already been exporting to a number of countries in Africa through partnerships.

We have also recently had a strategic partnership with Contec Global, a large UK based company which has a vast footprint in many countries in Africa. This will further help in bringing our innovative, cost-effective solution to many more people in Africa and will positively impact the continent.

Using MEGHDOOT will help in the endeavour to become self-reliant as it will ensure not only water security but also food security, and positively impact the health of people who consume clean and safe mineral enriched water generated by the solution.

Since MEGHDOOT is available in different capacities we can meet the requirements of water from as low as 25 litres per day to even millions of litres of water for every single day.

Q. HOW IS THE PRODUCT GOING TO BE EFFECTIVELY EFFICIENT IN THE SECTOR OF HEALTH, AGRICULTURE AND EDUCATION? AND WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU WANT TO CONVEY TO THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA? A. There exists no solution on the planet that can solve for both water availability and contamination. With MEGHDOOT being developed in a developing country, the technology has been optimized to become more accessible to all who are in need for water.

HEALTH: According to the WHO, 80% of all diseases are water-borne, which is especially true in developing and underdeveloped countries with poor or even non-existent water infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this worse, as it has made people consciously reduce external dependency on water.

MEGHDOOT as a decentralized solution, would be able to act as a dependable and personal source of clean and mineralenriched potable water.

AGRICULTURE: According to The World Bank, agriculture accounts for 70% of all freshwater withdrawals globally, with it being higher in many countries which use inefficient agricultural practices. This places an extreme strain on available freshwater sources. Pairing this with global warming, population growth, industrialization and urbanization, the demand-supply gap will considerably widen into the near future.

MEGHDOOT as a decentralised and scalable water solution would ensure that water requirements are met, while reducing dependency on available freshwater resources. This would promote much needed Food Security by increasing food production and reducing food shortages to meet the requirements of growing populations.

EDUCATION: 6000 children are estimated to die of water-related diseases every day, according to UNICEF. Children are often too sick to attend schools in developing, underdeveloped and even developed countries even in this day and age. The future leaders of any nation need to have access to the best quality of water, which MEGHDOOT can provide for, ensuring they miss lesser number of school days,

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learn more, and have access to better livelihoods.

with our proprietary mineral salt mixture.

UNBEATABLE WATER QUALITY.

We must understand the urgent need for alternative water solutions which are sustainable and eco-friendly. Everyone across the planet must understand that water is a precious resource, and if we are not careful and do not act now, there won’t be enough of it left for our next generation.

MEGHDOOT is a decentralised, ‘PlugAnd-Play’ solution and can be installed where needed. It is extremely scalable, capable of meeting requirements from tens of litres to millions of litres per day or more.

MEGHDOOT AWG uses refrigeration techniques to condense the humidity from the air. Air is sucked into the system through an air filter. Cooling coils located in the path of air provide a temperature differential between the air and the coil surface resulting in condensation. Water is then passed through set of filters to remove solids, to remove any odour & to eliminate any bacterial content. Pure drinking water is then supplied through the dispenser tap.

The filtration process removes all external particles and dissolved organic pollutants, thereby making the water completely pure, fully potable and of International (WHO) standards. It not only maintains the watersoluble minerals which are essential for our body but also uses specially designed cartridges, which enhance the quality of water with essential minerals. In select models, the water is further remineralized

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With water quality being paramount to our health, MEGHDOOT uses a dynamic filtration system: • Sediment filtration • Pre and Post Carbon filtration with activated charcoal • UV filtration • Mineralisation • Ozonisation Available products and services: • MEGHDOOT CLASSIC SERIES Up to 60 Litres Per Day Suitable for the average Home and Small Offices • MEGHDOOT PREMIUM SERIES Up to 250 Litres Per Day Suitable for Laboratories, Small Businesses and Apartments • MEGHDOOT MAGNUM SERIES Up to 1000 Litres Per Day Suitable for meeting water requirements of an Apartment Complex, Large Organizations, Laboratories, Defence requirements and many more • MEGHDOOT SIGNATURE Customised Solutions for requirements over 1000 Litres Per Day SPECIFIC FEATURES: MEGHDOOT produces water to WHO standards and is 100% Microbe free.

No carbon emissions.

Our solutions do not rely on delicate

natural resources and produce no exhaust gasses while running on renewable energy.

100% WATER POSITIVE. Zero reliance on available water resources and zero wastage of water.

PERSONAL SOURCE OF WATER. Our Water Solutions are end-to-end.

External dependence for water is now a thing of the past.

The Right to Clean and Pure potable/drinking water is a basic Human Right. Maithri Aquatech recognizes this and is working towards making pure and clean potable water easily accessible to one and all.

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Cover Story

MONOLINGUAL V/S MULTILINGUAL: POWER OF NATIVE LANGUAGES

“Sometimes, the simple act of speaking in your mother tongue can be a revolutionary gesture” Ngugi wa Thiong’o Good intentions lead to positive results. There are approximately 1500 to 2000 different African languages on the continent. It is imperative that we explore foreign languages with the advent of globalization. But it should not compel us to strangle our own linguistic roots.

Languages are not only a communication medium but also powerful instruments to

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.

Nelson Mandela

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preserve our culture and heritage. When a language dies, a significant part of the culture dies with it. Because of the level of globalization, the indigenous people have either been forced to abandon their native language or end up losing it. It’s estimated that at least half of the 6000+ languages spoken on Earth are in danger of extinction.

To prevent languages from becoming extinct, the UN introduced the

International Mother Language Day in 1999. It is celebrated every year on February 21.

Is it enough? Let’s begin with the preservation of language, which is the name given to every effort to prevent a language becoming forgotten, in other words, dead. You may wonder “how can a language be forgotten if you live in a one-language country?’ But most of the 7,100 languages are spoken—they are

“Language is the fulcrum and axis of any culture and identity of any individual. It is the definition of humankind and what surrounds them.

The preservation of culture is passed on across generations by word of mouth, through language.

Which is why the loss of any language no matter how many people speak it, should be a cause for concern.

The world and the diversity as we know it has been made possible because of a mix of cultures and languages,” said Harry Kiema from the University of Nairobi Department of Linguistics & Languages.

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not written. In general, parents in small communities teach these languages.

New members in these communities keep the speech alive, just as their parents did, by passing it to their children. Such languages may be forgotten because every person leaving the community is equal to one less speaker.

Despite years of extinction, a language spoken in today’s fast changing world is relatively easy to die. Indeed, linguists estimate that over 250,000 languages are already dead, and a language dies on average every 2 weeks. Not only are spoken languages at risk but some famous languages also lose their influence. Examples include Latin, Greek, Arabic, and even French. Studies indicate that, while they have written form and well-developed literature, several more global languages like English and Spanish dominate those languages.

Why does it Matter? Why do we need to care and why should we try to save the languages? You may think it would be much easier for all if humanity only had one language but what about cultural identity? As far as languages are concerned, the cultural elements involved cannot be just overlooked. Culture makes us who we are and language is one of the numerous forms that culture has developed, if not anything else. It can be regarded as an instrument for assessing and shaping our own culture. Nothing but language itself has the ability and the very same effect can also be observed for culture if it is changed in any way. This is why language is directly linked with human relationships, traditions, customs and even cooking. Once a language has been disregarded, all these will be forgotten along with history and more.

LANGUAGE PRESERVATION There are different organizations for linguistic protection and projects for language conservation. An example is the ELP (Endangered LanguageProject), which

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provides detailed international maps in every country of endangered languages.

Most of such projects are aimed at collecting data and, if possible, providing education. Some of them try to preserve languages spoken through documents.

You can donate or participate in projects to help these organizations. If you cannot do any of them, then it is sufficient to be aware that language is important and that it is also connected to culture.

There are other ways of preserving a language. For oral languages, it could be important to record the language when it is passed on to younger generations.

Writing about those languages (e.g. where you speak them) can also contribute to creating a historical account of almost extinct languages.

Written languages can also possibly be assimilated or become solectic in other languages. Assimilation is due to too many foreign language influences, and many languages are in danger of assimilation in our globalized world because of an enormous amount of English lending words. On the other hand, solecism refers

to grammar misdemeanours. It is because some grammatical errors are so common that they seem natural. Unfortunately, even the providers of language services can make these mistakes and produce full translations of grammatical and borrowed words. Fortunately, Protranslate with its expert team of translators and prudent proofreaders pays the utmost attention to the correct use of the language.

It’s very important to practice native languages.

When the original language is lost, family and other relationships may be weakened. Encouraging the use of the child’s native language skill is an excellent way to ensure their participation in the community. Individuals in socializing will become more comfortable. People need continuous learning. Many non-English speakers function at an intellectual level below their age when they only use English.

This will probably lead to the academic failure of the interruption of intellectual development. This is particularly true of parents and children when they talk to one another in their own dialect, as they try to relate to each other, they speak at their actual intelligence level of the family. As

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a result, students who learn English and maintain their mother tongue have better grades and achievements in later years.

Better jobs for people fluent in English and another language are available in the country and abroad.

Initial ways to keep our native language alive...

• Recording its origin in the any format of media platforms and printed resources • Teaching and adding as a subject • Using digital and social media outlets to represent one’s culture • Insist on speaking your native language LET’S EXPLORE AN OLD LANGUAGE OF AFRICA! Afro-Asiatic languages, also known as Afrasian languages, were Semitoformerly Hamito-Semitic, Hamitic, or Erythraean languages, and are spoken in northern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and some islands and surrounding areas in Western Asia.

Approximately 250 million people speak 250 Afro-Asian languages today. The number of speakers per language ranges from around 150 million in Arabic to only a few hundred in some Cushitic and Chadic languages.

branches: • • • • • •

Berber Chadic Cushitic Egyptian Omotic Semitic

Below is a list of the top languages within each branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family.

The languages belonging to the AfroAsiatic family are subdivided into six

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Ethiopia

Oromo BoranaArsi-Guji

Ethiopia

Sidamo

Ethiopia

Afar

Ethiopia

Bedawi

Sudan

Hadiyya

Ethiopia

Kembata

Ethiopia

Tachelhit

Morocco

Ethiopia Extinct but used in Egyptian religious (1 language) practice (Inputs from AAFO) Omotic (28 languages)

Tamazight

Morocco

Gamo-Gofa-Dawro Ethiopia

Kabyle

Algeria

Wolaytta

Ethiopia

Tarifit

Morocco

Tachawit

Alteria

Kafa

Ethiopia

Bench

Ethiopia

Aari

Ethiopia

Language Where spoken Berber (26 languages)

Tamajag Niger Chadic (195 languages)

Halaba

Hausa

Nigeria

Ngas

Nigeria

Kamwe

Nigeria

Koorete Ethiopia Semitic (77 languages) Middle East, Arabic (35 North and varieties) East Africa

Mlaghavul

Nigeria

Amharic

Ethiopia

Bura-Pabir

Nigeria

Tigrinya

Ethiopia

Silt’e

Ethiopia

Tigré (Xasa)

Eritrea

Gursgena

Ethiopia

Argoba

Ethiopia

Bade Nigeria Cushitic (47 languages) Somali

Following the classification of African languages proposed by American linguist Joseph H. Greenberg in 1955–63, the term Afro-Asiatic gained widespread acceptance. Scholars in the former Soviet Union prefer the term “Afrasian” to describe these languages. Although it is still used occasionally, the term HamitoSemitic (or Semito-Hamitic) is largely considered obsolete; many scholars reject it because it is linguistically incorrect— there is no linguistic entity “Hamitic” to be contrasted to “Semitic” as a whole. Other names, such as Erythraean and Lisramic, have received little traction.

Oromo Eastern

Somalia

Oromo West Central Ethiopia Afro-Asian language speakers were among the first to establish writing systems in human history. Some AfroAsian languages, such as Akkadian and Eblaite, are only known from records dating back over 5,000 years. Some have vanished but left traces in the form of inscriptions; for example, Old Libyan can be found in inscriptions dating back to 139 BCE. Others, such as the Guanche language of the Canary Islands, are listed in documents transcribed in European languages. Coptic is the third case; it dates back to antiquity and was spoken until the 16th or 17th century CE, but it is

now only expressed by liturgical phrases used by the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Within the Afro-Asiatic phylum, linguists identify six divisions: Amazigh (Berber), Chadic, Cushitic, Egyptian, Omotic, and Semitic. These divisions vary in terms of both the number of languages and the degree of genetic relationship as determined by mutual inherited vocabulary and grammatical features, both of which are discussed in greater depth further down. The degree of kinship between divisions and subdivisions tends to be much less than that between Indo-

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European branches. None of the current proposals for the relationship between divisions within the phylum, however, can be considered definitive.

There is no consensus on the subdivisions of the six main divisions, either. Since there isn’t enough evidence to support subclassification, some writers still follow Greenberg and recognize five coordinate divisions within Afro-Asiatic (or six, including Omotic in a separate family). Others may prefer a set of binary subdivisions, such as those shown in the genealogy below.

Scholars have searched for a special relationship between Afro-Asiatic and Indo-European languages because of certain similarities to Indo-European languages. Some scholars go so far as

to include the Uralic, Altaic, Kartvelian, and Dravidian language groups in their kinship hypothesis. Other African and European linguistic units, such as NigerCongo, Nilo-Saharan, and Basque, have attempted to connect Afro-Asiatic.

However, if there was a shared ancestor for these languages, it existed so long ago that applying sound comparative methods to modern languages to test this theory is nearly impossible.

The Afro-Asiatic language family, formerly known as Hamito-Semitic, is the largest in northern Africa. It is spoken in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Middle East, with a total population of more than 300 million speakers. Since Arabic, Hebrew, Coptic, and Syriac are the official languages of Islam, Judaism, and two Christian religions, the language

and the mysteries of ancient Egyptian civilization, as Jean-François Champollion had deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphics by learning Coptic Alphabet from the monks.

Similarities and Differences between Afro-Asiatic Languages; INPUTS FROM AAFO The Egyptian Language is one of the oldest written languages in the history as the earliest written records of this language has been found date from 3000 (BC), even though it’s considered to be extinct, Coptic language is the last stage of the ancient Egyptian but using Greek alphabet except for seven letters. Coptic Language is currently the liturgical language of the Coptic Church in Egypt, and used in religious practice.

According to some members of the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, several popes and some villages in Upper Egypt could speak in the Coptic language as fluently as Arabic. The Coptic Language is credited with Knowledge of the Egyptian language

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These languages are very distinct and have unique writing systems which make the Afro-Asiatic Languages very different from each other as these languages used different alphabets for example (Tifinagh alphabet, Arabic alphabet, Hebrew alphabet, Greek alphabet and also Roman alphabet). Also in the spoken waybeyond written language- one different between Afro-Asiatic languages is in the tone - Tonal languages use pitch or accent as a distinguishing characteristic inherent to a word -, as Chadic, Cushitic and Omotic branches are tonal languages but Berber, Semitic and Egyptian branches are non-tonal.

As for the similarities between Afro-

family reaches several millions of people in addition to native speakers.

The Afro-Asian language family is made up of 375 genetically related languages (Ethnologue) that evolved from a single ancestral language that existed in the 6th–8th millennia BC. While most scholars agree that the ancestral language originated in Northeast Africa, there is no consensus about where the ancestral Proto-Afro-Asiatic speakers lived. Ethiopia has been suggested as the original homeland, although the western Red Sea coast and the Sahara have also been suggested.

Data Reference: H. Ekkehard Wolff, University Professor Emeritus, chairman of African Studies, Institute of African Studies, University of Leipzig.

Asiatic Languages, one of them is using bilateral and trilateral roots while speaking, and also using the same word with the same pronunciation and meaning.

One of the questions that come to mind while reading this cover story is (Which AfroAsiatic Languages do we use nowadays and can be learnt?) These Languages are difficult to learn in their original state as many of them considered to be ancient, extinct and unpronounceable, yet there are descendant languages from AfroAsiatic Languages that can be learnt and already used like Arabic which is widely used as an official language in multiple countries and Also the Hausa or Somali languages which are derived from Chadic and Cushitic respectively, both have a large number of speakers spread across multiple countries.

Sahar Elantozy, Research associate, AAFO

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spotlight country

NIGERIA'S NOLLYWOOD: A JOURNEY FROM BIG SCREENS TO SMARTPHONES

According to the United Nations, Nigeria is already the most populous African nation and will be over twice as large by 2050, reaching 400 million people. The estimated figures for the national economy are over 1 million people and more than $7 billion, accounting for approximately 1.4 percent of Nigeria’s GDP. New movie theatres, and box office revenues are expected to reach 22 million dollars by 2021.

‘NOLLYWOOD’ IS BIGGER THAN HOLLYWOOD! FACTS: In 2009, UNESCO reported

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the Nigerian film industry – also known as “Nollywood” – had overtaken Hollywood to become the world’s second largest film industry, behind India’s Bollywood. In the following decade, output more than doubled to 2,500 films a year – and the industry is continuing to grow, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Some of the highest literary awards have been awarded to Nigerian authors, including Wole Soyinka, a playwright who won the first African Nobel Literary Prize in 1986. Things Fall Apart, the late Chinua Achebe novel’s debut, sold 20 million

copies over the six decades following its launch, which made him famous for challenging European colonialism. The Famished Road of Ben Okri won the Man booker award in 1991. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, contemporary feminist, was inspired by reading Things Fall Apart at age 10. In 2013, her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, was made into a film.

According to the World Bank, Nigeria’s GDP was about ten years ago greater than that of South Africa. Nigeria, which pumps around 2 million barrels a day is one of the world’s largest exporters of oil and the largest oil producer in Africa.

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spotlight country

Another great export, Afrobeats, has waltzed the world, followed by stars like Davido and Wizkid. The Davido single music video “Fall” had over 100 million views on YouTube. Music labels are noted and the Nigerian offices of Sony and Universal have been opened. According to PwC, the country’s music industry will reach 73 million dollars by 2021.

available is usually anecdotal evidence of censorship and comments from social media. Filmmakers learn about what films they produce, and film operators learn more about their sources of income.

Companies also learn how to keep a film in the cinema, the optimum number of screenings and other valuable information.

Huge marketing and advertising efforts were also attractive to audiences. Movie

lovers have crowded trailer venues, hoping to meet the filmmaker and actors.

For the experience, many were prepared to pay greater ticket prices.

Cinema participants in Lagos have been interested in production techniques and esthetic values as well as acting quality. While mostly attracted to romantic comedies, they sometimes enjoyed

Going to movies in Lagos, is a popular hobby of many young people. Lagos vibrates with culture and entertainment as a center for the country’s media and art industries. It has a vast creative ecosystem that includes film and exhibition production, theater, music, photography, fashion, hospitality and celebrations.

Lagos is also the capital of the renowned film industry in Nigeria, Nollywood. It has the largest film theater and distribution companies in the country and is Nigeria’s seat for cinema culture. Filmhouse Cinemas, Nigeria’s leading film chain, has 12 movie theatres. Six are made up of Lagos alone, while one is in other cities.

Research on the composition of African film audiences is limited. The information

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thrillers with powerful stories. For many, movies are a social process that starts with your own companion and continues with other viewers at the venue. The cinema experience includes activities like sharing expectations while at queue at the box office, looking for online film information, and deciding about refreshing options.

As the pandemic has caused loss in film chains, Showmax, Netflix, irokotv, and other on-demand video platforms are becoming more popular, it is still to be seen whether cinemas will return to positions before the Covid. However, research has to go on wherever movie audiences meet.

In Nigeria’s film industry Netflix has increased its investment. Through its newly created NetflixNaija Twitter handle, the dominant streaming company has announced its presence, while detailing plans to order original information by partnering and investment in local creative products. The streamer ordered a six-part

series that has yet to be named which will be directed by Akin Omotoso, Daniel Oriahi and CJ Obasi, the local directors.

For the industry, this is a positive project. Netflix offers Nigerian filmmakers a strategy to combat the adverse impact of piracy in Nigeria, apart from the visibility and increasing visualization. This isn’t the first attempt. IrokoTV, established in 2011 by an indigenous streaming platform, was using streaming to distribute content in Nollywood while keeping the pirates out of reach.

Netflix investment is huge, but it depends on certain legal fundamentals that the new resources will be maximized.

Will Nollywood gain added value for its rich creative resources in licensing negotiations and other transactional platforms?

In order to achieve progress, Nigerian policymakers and creators need cooperation. Above all, the proposed

amended Nigerian Copyright Act has to become legislation. The amended law will contribute to the digital market protection of Nollywood.

Nigerian copyright and performer rights organizations must learn and plan programs in order to enforce their Members’ rights. Contract formation involves various legal regimes with digital platforms. A reformed and recognized idea delivery agency based on deliberate policy and legal framework is required for Nigerian creators.

The economy of creativity should be the focus for Nollywood as well. The industry needs to measure and track capabilities and performance output. It will assist with the collaboration of economic, analytical, statistical and adjacent experts. In order to advise the creative sector of Nollywood, Nigerian universities should update their curricula to train existing and emerging lawyers to master the complexities of digital licensing.

Reference: World Economic Forum; UNESCO,the World Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Wire.

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DEEP-POCKET INVESTORS FOR AFRICAN VENTURE

In the 2000’s journalists have continuously cited ‘seven out of 10 of the world’s most rapidly growing economies are in Africa.’ In the 2020s, “three of ten major crypto users are in Africa.” Global investors from Asia’s entrepreneurs who are seeking to expand export to Africa to western crypto-evangelists, calling for an end to cen cantral finance are driving the widespread implementation of cryptography with its partner, DeFi. It is interesting to note that DeFi’s only biggest factor on the continent is small traders who trade with East Asia.

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Although Africa represents a small share of global aggregate consumption, retail consumption (i.e. consumer use) is more active than any other region.

different risk appetites and are forming their own solo general partnerships, encryption funds, rolling funds and angel syndicates.

Investors look for returns everywhere, including on the frontier markets and early stage investments, with nearly $10 billion of stimulus money entering into the US economy and trillions more around the world. Investing will also be motivated by the growing group of Super-Angeles, who are new to their tech initial public offerings in 2020. All of them have dramatically

Google’s DeepMind announced in November that it has resolved a 50year issue of mapping the protein form, enabling the development of vaccines that can be tried more quickly than ever.

The new generation of vaccines with the AlphaFold technology from DeepMind will start in 2021. This will affect dozens of neglected tropical diseases throughout

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the African continent. In order to get these clinical trials and distributors off the ground by startups like LifestoresNG, the Gates and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative will encourage funding to be granted.

Towards what was an extremely challenging 18 months ago with layoffs and office closures, developers will benefit from a world that does not require staffing and development. Toptal, the world’s leading connecting business with software engineers, could see Andela as an interesting opportunity to expand their talented market business on the world’s fastest growing market, building on its acquisition of the Skillbridge company.

Sonatrach operates in the oil and gas sector of the economy of Algeria. It is owned by the Algerian government. This global oil giant corporation came into being in December 1963. Sonatrach has its headquarters in Hydra, Algiers, Algeria.

This company is the largest oil exploration company in Algeria and Africa as a whole. Globally, it is the 11th largest oil consortium. Annually, 30% of the GNP of Algeria comes directly from the company.

Bruno Steinhoff founded Steinhoff International in 1964. It is a company that manufactures, sources and retails furniture and household goods in Africa, Europe, and Australia. Also, the group owns diversified industrial businesses in southern Africa through supply chain solutions, passenger services, timber products, and manufacturing operations across diverse industries. Steinhoff International competes with Tempur Sealy International, Sleep Number, and Simmons. It has its headquarters in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa Sonangol was founded in 1976 to monitor the production of petroleum and natural gas in Angola. With headquarters in Luanda, Angola, Sonangol is proud to be the only company with representations in the whole country. It is owned by the

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Data Source: African Business

government of Angola. The company also has offices in Asia, America, and Europe.

Sonangol has won many awards for the sponsorship of arts, sports in Africa and the rest of Africa.

The Bidvest Group Limited is a company that targets the foodservice, trading and distribution industries.

Bidvest Group was founded by Brian Joffe in 1990. Bidvest Group owns 300 companies and engages in several business lines; including an automotive

business, a commercial products business, banking, freight management, office, and print services, property investments, insurance and private security and facilities management of stadiums. The company has 130 877 employees on its payroll. The Bidvest Group competes with Prolog Projects.

Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd operates in South Africa. The company provides electricity for South African citizens. The company was founded by Hendrik van

TOP 10 Companies of Africa: Survey by McKinsey Africa

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der Bijl in 1923. An approximate 95% of the electricity used in South Africa comes directly from Eskom Holdings while 45% of the electricity used in Africa is being supplied by the same company. Eskom generates, transmits and distributes electricity to homes, industries, and redistributors. An estimated 49,000 employees work in the company. Eskom Holdings competes with Constellation Energy, Duke Energy Corporation, and Entergy Corporation. The company has its headquarters in Sunninghill, South Africa.

Sasol is an international integrated energy and chemical company.

Sasol develops and commercializes technologies, and builds and operates world-scale facilities to produce a range of product streams, including liquid fuels, high-value chemicals, and lowcarbon electricity. The company was founded in 1950. Sasol competes with ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, and Chevron Corporation. The company has 30,100 employees on its payroll. It has its headquarters in Sandton, South Africa.

The MTN Group formerly known as M-cell was established in 1994. The company involved in the provision of a

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wide range of communication services.

The Company’s services include the provision of an internet network (data and voice). MTN Group is a multinational telecommunications giant with a presence in Africa and the Middle East The headquarters is in Johannesburg, South Africa. During the financial year that ended in 2010, 17,510 employees were working in the company. MTN is the largest network in Africa and the eleventh largest globally.

ShopRite Holdings is the largest supermarket retailer on the African continent. They are a business with a market capitalisation of about R96 billion, over 146 000 employees, thousands of stores and a network of distribution centres across 15 countries. The company recorded R141 billion in revenue for 2017. They serve local communities with the lowest price promise. Thirty-five million people shop in a footprint of more than 2,738 outlets every day.

The company was founded in 1979.

The company has its headquarters in Brackenfell, South Africa.

Imperial Holdings Ltd located in

Bedfordview, South Africa was founded in 1946. With established capabilities in transportation, warehousing, distribution and synchronisation management and expanding capabilities in international freight management, the business operates in specific industry verticals – consumer packaged goods, specialised manufacturing and mining, chemicals and energy, healthcare, automotive, machinery and equipment, and agriculture.

They are a leading logistics provider across the entire supply chain – renown for driving innovation and continuous improvement.

Imperial Holdings competes with Barloworld Logistics, Super Group, and Hellmann Worldwide.

Bidford Company is a tier of the Bidvest company that is involved in the agricultural line of business and is located in the Southern part of Africa, South Africa. They have international presence in 4 continents. The company was founded in 1999 and has about 5,000 employees. It is an active company that has its headquarters located in the Greater Detroit Area, Great Lakes and Midwestern US. It is a profit organization that runs with a private IPO status.

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#CHECKBEFOREYOUSHARE:

FACT LENS GHANA PRESENTS "BUILDING RESILIENCE AGAINST MIS(DIS) INFORMATION TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES"

Photo credit: Nana Agyeman, Director of Operations and Mavis Sarfowaa, Engagement Coordinator

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Photo credit: Michael Hammond, 2nd left back - Editor, Vanessa Otchere, 2nd left front: Journalist, Mavis Sarfowaa, Engagement Coordinator, Steven Tindi, mid-front left: Lecturer GIJ Nana Agyeman, middle - Director or Operations, Jonas Nyabor, mid-front right: Journalist - Citi FM, Joy Agyepong, 3rd back right: Administrative Director, Nanaa Apokwor Korkor Tetteh, Volunteer MC, Giselle Asare-Kumi, Right -Goethe Institut Library Rep and Production Crew, 1st guy left and 2nd Lady right.

Photo credit: Vanessa Otchere: Journalist - Fact Lens GH

Photo credit: Jonas Nyabor (Left), Vanessa Otchere (mid), Stephen Tindi (Right)

Photo credit: Joy Agyepong, Administrative Director

Photo credit: Giselle Asare-Kumi, Goethe Institut Library Rep on Friday, March 19, 2021, Fact Lens GH, in

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partnership with Goethe Institut, organised the maiden edition of Media Literacy for Millennials (M4M), under the theme, ‘Building resilience against mis(dis) information to protect communities.”

Present at the event were officials from both institutions as well as selected resource persons who shared insights into the menace of mis(dis)information.

They included Steven Tindi, a lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), Jonas Yabor, a journalist with Citi FM and Vanessa Otchere, a senior journalist with Fact Lens GH. Highlights of the programme include a panel discussion among the resource persons, a launch of the #CheckBeforeYouShare campaign and a brief overview of plans to set up chapters in selected tertiary institutions.

Highlights from the event: • Generally, in Ghana, as seen globally, information dissemination channels have taken a different turn from traditional media to the use of new media, viz the Internet.

Much as it presents benefits, it also serves as a means to mis(dis) inform with its consequent adverse effects.

• Misinformation refers to sharing information that is not true.

Disinformation however refers to deliberately creating and sharing information that is intended to influence the actions and thoughts of the audience.

• Media literacy refers to one’s ability to access, analyse, evaluate and create information. It is necessary to help us decipher the difference between true and false information.

• The onus of fact-checking lies on

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us as individuals, much as the traditional media are to help with fact-checking and disseminating the right information.

• Currently, in Ghana, there exist some tools for fact-checking including resorting to factchecking organisations.

These social platforms have devised ways to control the spread by putting in place measures such as WhatsApp which has reduced the number of times you can forward a message. However, there is more to be done. The nature of fake news is such that its effect is felt more offline than online OBJECTIVES of Fact Lens Ghana

• To protect communities against disinformation, #CheckBeforeYouShare any information, especially if you have doubts or if you are unsure about the authoritativeness of its source.

• There are a number of reputable institutions that are dedicated to fact-checking information. When in doubt, it could be best to resort to help from such bodies.

• In times past, the state-owned media were primarily regarded as authentic sources of information and much value was placed on news shared by such media outlets.

•

With the advent of new media, it increasingly becomes difficult for authorities to implement measures aimed at curbing acts of mis(dis) information.

• It was, however, established that the passing of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008, Ac 775, provides a legal cure to deal with the spread of fake information online.

Fact Lens GH is a non-governmental organization in Ghana with a core mandate to conduct: Fact Checks; Journalistic Researches and Investigations; News Publications; Public Debates; Educational Forums. Fact-checking goes together with verification and the advent of social media makes it easy for mis(dis)information (fake news) to spread.

• Create an alternative to the “what you see is all there is “ mentality.

• Educate the public on how to recognise and or identify fake news and fake news sites.

• To provide daily information from a variety of verified and authentic sources to weave the gathered stories into a more comprehensive meaning for the public.

• To return the primary filter of journalists as established truthtellers, from the broadened sources of information by social media networks.

• Clarify the differences between facts and opinions, to the public.

Opinions informed by facts or the purposeful denial of them to amass a considerable number of truth seekers across the country and the globe.

• To prove to the general public our (Facts Lens GH) transparency with the truth and our form of accountability journalism. To serve as an overall round of quality control for news outlets content before publication.

• To serve as a source of employment.

To Debunk fake news as and when they surface. To portray objectiveness by levelling fact-checking, debunking and verification in a structure.

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TEAM PROFILE: MEET THE CORE TEAM ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR Joy N.Y. Agyepong is a social entrepreneur, an Open Advocate through fact-checking and provides Open Educational Resource support.

She is the co-founder and Administrative Director at Fact Lens GH and holds a Business Administration degree with a focus in Total Quality Management.

Joy is passionate about volunteering, leadership development and has the desire to promote accurate information for people’s consumption.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Nana Akwasi G Agyeman is a TechPreneur, Ethical Hacker by profession and a CyberMedia Evangelist. He is the CEO and Founder of PiCrate Dynamics LLC, Co-founder and Director of Operations at Fact Lens GH. Nana Agyeman is a passionate Hacktivist, CyberMedia Artist, and Advocate for Culture Enhancement through Technology. He has interests in Music, Deep Web Research and Operational Structure.

EDITOR

JOURNALIST

Michael NII Ayitey Hammond has several years of experience in writing and editing.

He holds an LLB and is passionate about law, media and entrepreneurship. Michael serves as Editor at Fact Lens GH, and is primarily responsible for ensuring errorfree write-ups on and off the website. Fun fact: He is passionate about sharing ideas and growing small businesses.

Vanessa Otchere is passionate about storytelling and a volunteer by heart.

She works as a journalist at Fact Lens GH. Vanessa loves fact-checking and writing articles. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a specialisation in Journalism. Fun fact: She is ambidextrous.

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ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR Mavis Sarfowah Ammah loves to read wide.

Knowledge is the source of her confidence and power. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Linguistics, Bachelor of Arts in Administration. Mavis is the Engagement Coordinator and her job is to oversee the entire communication channels of the organisation. She is also responsible for identifying and initiating partnerships and community engagements. Mavis is a jack of all trade and a master of administration and customer services.

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE ACROSS THE GLOBE TO UTILIZE LINE OF CREDIT BY EXIM BANK

O

n behalf of the Indian government, the ExportImport Bank of India (Exim Bank) has extended a line of credit (LOC) to Africa. Exim Bank now has 269 LOCs in operation, covering 62 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), with credit commitments totaling USD 26.64 billion, to fund India’s exports.

Latin America, CIS and the Oceania, with credit commitments of USD 31.58 billion.

LINES OF CREDIT (LOC) is a proactive mechanism to share India’s Development Experience with Partner Countries. Exim Bank extends and operates LOCs on behalf of the Government of India. As on February 28, 2021, 313 Lines of Credit, covering 64 countries in Africa, Asia,

NIGER: A project valued USD 15.67 million for setting up a 7 MW solar PV farm was financed under an LoC to the Government of Niger and completed in 2018. The project has helped Niger to meet the needs in electricity of its rural population thereby empowering the

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SUCCESS STORIES UNDER LOCS SENEGAL: Exim Bank has extended an LOC of USD 27.50 mn to the Government of Senegal for Rural electrification project.

The project scope also includes Solar Electrification in 62 villages, under which there are a total 1,750 solar connections.

socio-economic growth of rural areas.

COTE D’IVOIRE: GOI has extended a LoC of USD 25 .50 million to the Government of Cote d’Ivoire for financing the Mahatma Gandhi IT and Biotechnology Park in Cote d’ivoire. The project is a dedicated Free Trade Zone (FTZ) for IT & Biotechnology. The project has given the first computer assembling line in the country. Computer assembling line is of paramount importance under the Government of Cote d’Ivoire’s One Citizen, One Computer, One Internet Connection’ program launched in 2015.

The IT park is the first step in GO -CIV’s plan to build a Green Smart City for employment for 40 ,000 citizens and attract USD 2 billion of investments in the

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ICT & Biotechnology sector.

ESWATINI [SWAZILAND]: GOI extended a LOC of USD 37.90 million to the Government of Swaziland (GOS) for Agricultural Development and Mechanization of Agriculture in Swaziland. The project aimed to ensure sustainable food security in the target areas of Swaziland by enhancing Maize farming system productivity and capacity building of the local farmers through mechanized and scientifically designed farming techniques.

GHANA: Seat of the Government and Presidency (LOC of USD 60 million) GAMBIA: National Assembly building (LOC of USD 16.8 million)

the country, even in far flung remote areas.

4X4 Pick-ups, trucks, buses and spare parts were supplied by Tata Motors Ltd., Mumbai, under the GOI-supported LOC of USD 10 mn to the Government of Zambia.

Sudan: Um Dabakir Power Station (Kosti), a 4x125 MW combined cycle power plant set up under a Line of Credit of USD 350 million extended by the Exim Bank of India. It is the largest thermal power plant commissioned in Sudan. The power plant is contributing to one-sixth of the total power demand of Sudan. The electricity generated from the plant is also supplied to sugar and cement factories.

The project has been executed by BHEL. Rwanda: Two LOCs aggregating

USD 80 million were extended to the Government of Rwanda for financing the 28 MW Nyabarongo Hydro-power project in Rwanda. The project is one of Rwanda’s biggest hydroelectric power plants and caters to 25% of total electricity demand of Rwanda. Project executed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) & Angelique International Ltd. Gaurav Singh Bhandari, Chief General Manager, Exim Bank have share most of the data information as follows: INDIAN DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME [IDEAS] GUIDELINES Ministry of Finance, Government of

TANZANIA: LOC of USD 178 million : Water treatment plant. Upper Ruvu water treatment plant to increase supply from 80 to 200 MLD. Potable water to 7,00,000 people in Dares-Salaam in Phase-I MOZAMBIQUE: LOC of USD 19.72 million on rural drinking water development project. Rural water coverage of the respective provinces has increased from 30% to 50%. Project has impacted the lives of 824,500 people directly benefiting from gaining improved access to clean water. Clean water sources have helped the local community in combating water borne diseases such as cholera, chronic diarrhea and improved their standards in health, hygiene and sanitation. This was executed by Southern Borewells Pvt. Ltd. ZAMBIA: The Tata Group was among the first Indian companies to enter the African market. The vehicles were procured by Govt. of Zambia for its various departments, which includes – Zambia Police, Zambia National Services, and the Zambia Defence Forces. The supply of vehicles has majorly improved the Police presence and patrolling all over

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India, on December 7, 2015 revised the Guidelines on LOCs. The revisions reflect major changes pertaining to: • • • •

Terms of credit Mandatory DPR Pre-qualification by Exim Bank Vetting of tender documents and draft contract by Exim Bank • Vetting of bid evaluation report by Exim Bank • Appointment of PMC/EPC contractor through prequalification & tendering • Increased frequency of monitoring of projects Revised Guidelines available at www. eximbankindia.in/lines-of-credit REQUIREMENT UNDER THE PRESENT IDEAS LOC GUIDELINES Eligibility: The participation is limited to Indian entities registered in India and/ or incorporated/ established under any law in force in India.

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LOC PROCESS • Project identification and preparation of project proposal/ feasibility study; • Review and approval of the project proposal; • Offer of the loan, acceptance and execution of LOC agreement; • Preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR); • Prequalification of Indian companies; • Selection of the Indian contractor through bidding process by the LOC Recipient; • Coverage of contract under the LOC; • Project implementation, monitoring and supervision; • Socio-economic impact assessment after project completion; • The lessons learnt from the impact assessment/evaluation act as a feedback for the preparation, review and implementation of future projects; This process forms the ‘project cycle’

Requirement as to import of goods and services from India: • These loans are for project exports and the import of goods and services from India.

• Goods and services (including consultancy services) for minimum 75% value of the contracts covered under these loans must be sourced from India. (A relaxation of 10% may be considered on a case-tocase basis) • LOCs may finance upto 100% value of contract on FOB/CFR/ CIF/CIP basis.

• Soft loans under the scheme shall be free from all kinds of taxes and duties of any nature whatsoever levied in the recipient country (including all corporate/personal/ value added taxes, import/ custom duties, special levies and social security contributions) for temporary employees deputed by Indian exporters in relation to the project execution in the recipient countries.

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FORMA LAUNCHES ITS NEW TRACTORS MADE FOR THE WORLD MARKET

Photo Credit: Mr. Ashok Anantharaman,COO; Mrs Mona Executive Director; Mr. Vijay Agarwal, Chairperson; Ajay Malik, Head International Business

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Forma is open for Africa, the newly launched product’s UPS is the pulling power which is higher. Considering all the factors of geographical differences, Forma commits to offer excellent performance with less power loss.

SC FORMA SA is a 75-yearold company in the Agricultural and Automotive Domain with a traditional European legacy. It is based in the Romanian township of Botosani and is registered on the Romanian stock exchange. SC FORMA SA lately, known as the Botosani Mechanical Center, has a rich Romanian Heritage and has been a Major Centre for the development of agricultural equipment and components.

The former Technology and Mechanical Center later called MAIA (Mechanical companies for agricultural machinery) became a joint-stock company and the ownership right was changed in the late 1990s.

In 2000 FORMA became a private equity company and AVAS sold all its stocks to a Romanian investor. In 2009 it was acquired by Action Construction Equipment Ltd. SC FORMA has a share capital of 1,075,511 40 lei, with the current trade symbol as FORMA The current majority shareholder, Action Construction Equipment (ACE) holds 89.5183% of the shares of SC FORMA SA.

Photo Credit: Mrs. Mona Director and Mr. Vijay Agarwal, Chairperson

SC FORMA SA is located in the northeastern part of Romania UKRAINE is only 75 km away from the factory.

The plant is located in the picturesque industrial area of Botosani facing the hills and is less than a kilometer from the train station. It has a vast area of over 32500 sqm.

HERITAGE OF TECHNICAL & MECHANICAL EXCELLENCE • Plant located in 10 acres area.

• Russian manufacturing DNA of

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The vision was to create a presence in Europe with a large product portfolio of ACE and to update the current product range to the quality and efficiency of present competitors in the market. This could have been only possible through technical knowhow of FORMA. PRODUCT PLAN • 1st year – 5 Countries (500 Units) • 2nd year – 15 countries ( 1000 Units)

•

•

• • •

Ruggedness and Robustness European quality – DNA of Dependability, Reliability and Efficiency 500 machines, CNC. Jigs & fixtures, Broaching Machines Toolroom Giant Forging hammers Conveyorised paint shop Giant automated warehouses

PRODUCT RANGE • Tractors and agricultural implements • Car parts, car body, sheet metal panels • Metal forging tracks for tanks and armoured vehicles

REASONS FOR ACQUISITION Mr. Vijay Agarwal, Chairman & Managing Director acquired the FORMA Plant in Romania because he was impressed by their manufacturing facilities, versatility of machines installed and technology they had. Their products were always known for their Ruggedness, Robustness. Dependability, Reliability and Efficiency. He also felt that this strategic acquisition would facilitate entry into European and CIiS regions. Mr Vijay Agarwal respects their skilled work force and also salutes their enthusiasm and ability to work. He was also impressed by the fact that the plant produced lots of assemblies and aggregates for the Russian armoured Vehicle.

Mr. Vijay Agarwal, Chairperson; Ajay Malik, Head International Business along with the export team, Forma

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PRODUCT RANGE • Range of product from 26HP to 100 HP • Available in both 2 Wheel Drive & 4 Wheel Drive configurations • Phase 1: 40 HP to 50 HP • Phase 2: 60 HP to 90 HP • Phase 3: 26 HP and 100 HP PRODUCT FEATURES • Aerodynamic shape • Robust Structure • Projector Head Lamps • Power Steering • R- PTO • High Ground Clearance • High Torque CONNECTED TRACTOR / IOT / TELEMATICS • Location Marking • Live Tracking • Geo Fencing • Actual v/s IDLE State of Vehicle • Fuel Indicator • Engine Run Hours • Ignition switch on or off • Service Reminder • Filter choking • Start -Stop Track • Engine Temperature • Battery low warning APPLICATIONS • Disk Harrow • Rotary Tiller • Super Seeder • Cultivator • Haulage-Trolley

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FACE-TO-FACE

Interviewee: MR. GOODWILL GEORGE Founder of Young Creative Forum, Nigeria Interviewer: ATLANTA MAHANTA, Sr. Multimedia Journalist, THE TIMES OF AFRICA

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GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH PASSION: YOUNG CREATIVE FORUM, NIGERIA Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE YOUNG CREATIVE FORUM. A.Thank you so much, Young Creative Forum is a non-governmental and multinational organization. We are a global community of young people with passion in making our nation a better place. Young Creative Forum is a platform that brings opportunities to young people to learn new skills, equip them with valuable knowledge and the ability to work effectively and efficiently on time bound projects.

Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE ENTIRE IDEATION BEHIND THIS INNOVATIVE CONCEPT OF THE YOUNG CREATIVE FORUM? A. Young creatives forum is one of those innovative ideas I am blessed to initiate. It all started on January 30th 2019 when I created a WhatsApp group and added all the young creatives I know.

I have created and specially designed the platform to empower creative leaders with the opportunity to synchronize by sharing information with like minds. My major rationale was to unite creative young leaders in various entrepreneurial and enterprising fields, in order to build a system that ensures mutual support and synergy between its members. Today, we have members in over 10 countries across the world.

Young Creative Forum, having young people’s interest at its fulcrum, organizes annual youth conferences in different parts of the world to train and educate youths on: • Entrepreneurship • Leadership • Business • Career • Nation building • Social work • Positively inclined events.

Q. WHO ARE THE TARGET AUDIENCES? A. The targeted audience are the youth, not just any youth but creative young people who would love to make the world a better place with innovative ideas.

Q. WHAT ARE THE OUTCOME AND ADVANTAGES. A. The outcome and advantage of becoming a member of a young creative forum is that you will get opportunities to be part of our youth online talks, business meetings, debates, community service and SDG’s programmes. Young Creative Forum also offers members who are students/workers to connect with interesting projects and project partners, job opportunities, scholarships, fully funded internships, study abroad programs, and build a network of experienced people thereby creating a wealth of human resource for the future.

We are very much open for investors and partners. Together we can make the world a better place for us.

Q. WHAT ARE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES? A. Our aim is to bring together creative young leaders and professionals from around the globe and from different entrepreneurial and enterprising spheres to make a great societal impact and build a system that fosters mutual support and synergy among its members.

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FACE-TO-FACE

Interviewee: MR. VIJAY AGARWAL Chairperson, FORMA Interviewer: ATLANTA MAHANTA, Sr. Multimedia Journalist, THE TIMES OF AFRICA

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FACE-TO-FACE

FORMA IS OPEN FOR AFRICA: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH

Mr. VIJAY AGARWAL, CHAIRPERSON Q. PLEASE SHARE YOUR VISION FOR AFRICAN MARKET WITH FORMA. A. When we were selling ace tractors we realized that people in Africa prefer European brands. They have more confidence for that. So we had this company FORMA in Europe So we said why not get that technology introduce in the tractor and then give it to the African people So that is why we brought the tractor and we hope to be number one very soon because of the Reliability, Quality, Pricing as you have seen in all the electronics because a farmer you know just have to press the button and the service will be done to him. He doesn’t have to call, he doesn’t have to wait.

There is not going to be any breakdown time. So considering that we introduced this forma brand there.

Q. ACE HAS EXCLUSIVE DEALERS IN MANY COUNTRIES OF AFRICA, PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW FORMA IS GOING TO MAINTAIN ITS PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE AND EXPAND OPERATION? A. A tractor is a machine that requires regular maintenance, periodic service like filter change, oil change and it is a machine so it requires repairs. So we are not just selling and going away. Wherever we take the tractor we first ensure we have a very reliable dealer and FORMA

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is capable of sending people to training, how to maintain the machine. FORMA has to stock parts so that tomorrow if a tractor breaks down they don’t have to come all the way to India. So that we ensure that the parts are there, the service training is there, so that the tractors are well maintained and so with that we are already successful and the forma brand will be going further.

So like I told you we may in future seeing that that the volumes we may even help some country in setting up the assembly plant because exporting from anywhere containers and also we can assemble a plant there so that then in case it is very simple for the people because when they assemble they know the product servicing, maintenance and everything will be available with them.

Q. CONSIDERING ALL COMPETITIONS HOW ARE FORMA TRACTORS GOING TO BE STAND-ALONE PRODUCTS ESPECIALLY IN AFRICA? A. Competition is something that is very good because that helps in increasing the quality. As soon as one company becomes a monopoly they stop looking at the customers and they think that we will be the only one to sell so we don’t do that. We want the competition to

be there so that we can present a product which we can compare and show that it is a good product that is a value for money comparatively that is the whole idea. So we are sure, we are not worried about competition, even the parent company is not worried about competition. Today, also ACE is only competing against multinationals. We compete and we win.

We got 60% market in India. And Africa is a developing country. I am sure they want this type of product. They don’t want products which are very expensive and are not viable. And an Indian product developed with European GUTS is definitely going to be a success.

Q. TECHNOLOGIES USED FOR THE NEWLY LAUNCHED PRODUCT PLEASE SHARE HOW THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY CAN BE AN AID TO AFRICAN MARKET? A. If a farmer finds that he can easily get the service with just one press of a button and all the things provided, so automatically it will be a success. Then one finds that if let’s say I buy another brand of tractor it’s costing me so many dollars and here I am getting a product at a reasonable price. That is the idea we like in India. We want to give people Indian products at a reasonable price, value for money product and that is the whole aim of this company.

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SPORTS

FLY WITH THE GHANAIAN BABY JET WITH HIS FABULOUS LIFESTYLE Asamoah Gyan attended Ghana’s Accra Academy and graduated with honors. He aspired to be one of the world’s best football players since he was a young boy. He eventually got seriously into soccer and won laurels before joining the Liberty Professionals. As a person who grew up fascinated by the style of the game like Ronaldinho and Zidane. In 2003, the footballer joined Liberty Professionals and scored 10 goals in 16 games in the Ghana Premier League in his debut season, receiving acclaim from numerous sports critics f o r

August 31, 2010, he joined Sunderland of the Premier League, which is widely regarded as the most competitive football league in the world. Gyan made 36 appearances for Sunderland, scoring 11 goals and winning his place in the starting lineup.

Due to his ball

control skill and intelligence as a player, he had become one of the most feared strikers. On the 10th of September in 2011, Gyan joined Al Ain of the UAE Pro-League on loan from Sunderland.

Gyan had an impressive first season, scoring 24 goals in 27 matches. Gyan unleashed his top goal-scoring attitude the following season, becoming the league’s top goalscorer while helping Al Ain retain the UAE Pro-League crown.

Gyan set a record of scoring 28 goals in 32 matches.

But as it seemed, the footballer was the only player able to go after his record in the 2013–

h i s football prowess. For five years Gyan had been playing for Freedom Professionals and achieved major milestones in raising his name to top legends. The soccer player joined the Ligue 1 club Rennes in France on 11 July 2008. He was their striker and started to make a name for himself. Gyan stayed at the club for a total of two years.

Gyan had previously represented two separate leagues in Ghana and France as a rising star. This time, on

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SPORTS

14 season - he had 44 goals in 40 matches.

Competitions: • Fifa World Cup, 2006 - Germany • Fifa World Cup, 2010 - South Africa • Fifa World Cup, 2014 - Brazil • 2004 Summer Olympics to 2019 Summer Olympics ASAMOAH GYAN AWARDS & HONOURS Asamoah is an award-winning precise goalscorer who has set records for the Ghanaian national team together with Al Ain Football Club.

Club • Al-Ain FC • 2012: Arabian Gulf Super Cup • 2011–12 - UAE Pro League: • 2012–13 - UAE Pro League • 2014–15 - UAE Pro League • 2013–14 - UAE President’s Cup Individual • 2010 - BBC African Footballer of the Year • 2010 - CAF Team of the Year • 2013 - CAF Team of the Year • 2014 - CAF Team of the Year • 2011, 12 - UAE Pro League Top Scorer • 2012, 13 - UAE Pro League Top Scorer • 2013, 14 - UAE Pro League Top Scorer • 2014 - AFC Champions League Top Scorer • 2014 - AFC Foreign Player of the Year According to Gyan, “Ghana has had a lot of great boxers previously like Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey and Joshua Clottey, so we need to push the young ones coming up. I would like to encourage the young ones coming up and those who want to achieve their aim.” As a businessman, Gyan is said to own a club in Ghana and he launched his business in 2018 with his close friend, Nina.

Gyan began to focus on boxing

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Asamoah Gyan’s luxurious mansion

THE TIMES OF AFRICA 39

SPORTS

Asamoah Gyan’s luxurious mansion

promotion. He believes that Ghana has many unattended boxing talents, and through this journey, he believes that he will create a kind of hope that the sport will be fueled up to its former position. On 6 July 2012, he held his first boxing show.

LIFESTYLE Asamoah Gyan is a soccer legend who has worked as an outstanding striker throughout his career. Due to changes in his club, everyone came with different financial figures and he made an enormous amount in his career. With its La Basilica De Baby Jet, a luxury mansion with three floors each one having unique features and estimated at $3 million, Gyan has shocked people. With its beautiful view facing Weija Dam, he builds.

Asamoah Gyan Photo Source: Pulse Ghana

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The house has bulletproof doors and many more interesting characteristics.

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SPORTS

Asamoah Gyan is a giant automobile fan and has a number of cars including a Rolls Royce phantom costing $400,000 alongside his $ 250,000 Mercedez-Benz SLS AMG. Asamoah is now regarded as one of Ghana’s wealthiest soccer players.

It is estimated that it is worth more than 23 million dollars. As a business his net worth is growing simultaneously with his businesses, Ma Vits Noodles and Rice, Asa Band, Boxing Promotion, Jetlink Events and Logistics, Baby Jet Plaza, Real Estate and Transportation.

At the age of 17 Gyan debuted internationally. On 19 November 2003, in the 90th minute Gyan scored for his Senior International debut to Ghana in a FIFA World Cup qualifier, he came in for Isaac Boakye for the 62nd minute, three days before his eighty-year old age, helping Ghana win this game, making it the youngest ever player in Ghana. During the successful World Cup qualifying campaign he scored four times in seven

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matches. He was a member of Ghana’s Olympic 2004 team, which finished third in Group B in the first round. After 68 seconds he also scored the fastest World Cup goal in 2006. Ghana’s first goal at the World Cup, which saw the Black Stars in a 2-0 win, came on 17 June in the game against the Czech Republic at the RheinEnergieSTADION in Cologne, Germany.

All the businesses that are owned by Asamoah Gyan: • Mama Vits Noodles and Rice • Baby Jet Airline • Asa Band • Event management • Boxing Promotion • Baby Jet Plaza • Paradise Pac Water • Real Estate • Transportation Business • Hostel management Reference: News Agencies, Asamoah Gyan’s social accounts

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TRAVEL & EXPLORE

LET'S PLAN FOR AFRICA TRIP 2021:

NEW

L L I THR A C I R F A BY PRIVATE JET

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TRAVEL & EXPLORE

T

he unexpected is what makes travel so enjoyable. Now is the time to daydream about your next adventure and lay the foundations for it. Even if they’re difficult to locate, the universe is full of wonders. Although the pandemic has put a halt to our travels, it hasn’t discouraged our curiosity. This trip has a light/moderate activity rating; travelers should be in good health, comfortable climbing stairs and walking or standing for long periods of time, and prepared to be active for several hours on certain days. City walking tours, visits to historic or cultural sites, game drives, or nature walks are all potential everyday activities, with more physically challenging activities such as hiking and snorkeling also available.

Certain events, such as gorilla trekking in Rwanda, would include a signed medical form from your doctor before you can participate. If required, alternative destinations or events may be planned. Any medical conditions that require special care, diet, or treatment should be disclosed when making a reservation so that accommodations can be made.

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TRAVEL & EXPLORE

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SOUTH AFRICA

MOROCCO

GHANA

BOTSWANA

BOTSWANA

TANZANIA

TANZANIA

RWANDA

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TRAVEL & EXPLORE

Africa by Private Jet offers 39 trips which includes: Botswana (6) Egypt (2) Ghana (1) Kenya (4) Madagascar (2) Morocco (8) Namibia (6) Rwanda (7) South Africa (14) Tanzania (7) Uganda (3) Zambia (6) Zimbabwe (7). Based on Interest: “Birdwatching, hiking, history & archaeology, Nature & Wildlife, People & Culture, Photography and Snorkeling & Diving.” Under five

categories (Adventure, Culture and History, Nature, Family, Sustainability). A trip to Africa’s four corners will introduce you to a diverse range of exotic animals as well as breathtaking wildlife and scenery. Gorillas, lions, leopards, and a number of other species can be seen on safari in Botswana and Rwanda. Visit the woodcarving workshops in Ghana and artisans in Fez’s medieval streets. From a

slave fortress on the Gold Coast to Nelson Mandela’s island prison, hear inspiring stories of resilience and imagination as you journey through the continent’s history. On an adventure that marks the many wonders of Africa’s nature, history, and the spirit of humanity; take a panoramic view of the Cape Peninsula, visit the Victoria Falls fortress, and visit the Zanzibar Spice Plantations.

STEVE BOYES CONSERVATIONIST, BIOLOGIST DEPARTURES WITH THIS EXPERT: May 19-Jun 7, 2022 Conservationist, National Geographic Fellow, and TED Senior Fellow Steve Boyes has dedicated his life to preserving Africa’s wilderness areas and the species that depend upon them. A native of South Africa, he founded the Cape Parrot Project with support from National Geographic, and is the scientific director of the Wild Bird Trust. In 2015, Steve launched what has become the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project to promote broader protection for the Okavango Delta’s watershed and its wildlife. Steve’s work takes him all over Africa, studying wildlife rehabilitation and biodiversity, fighting the wild-caught bird trade, and planting thousands of trees in forest restoration projects.

Photo Source: National Geography

SANDESH KADUR FILMMAKER, PHOTOGRAPHER DEPARTURES WITH THIS EXPERT: May 19-Jun 7, 2022 Filmmaker, photographer, author, and National Geographic Emerging Explorer (2013) Sandesh Kadur creates award-winning wildlife documentary films and photography books exposing the need to conserve threatened species and habitats around the world. With subjects ranging from king cobras to clouded leopards, his films have appeared worldwide on the National Geographic Channel, the BBC, the Discovery Channel, and elsewhere. His photographs also have appeared in numerous books and magazines. Recently, Sandesh joined conservationist and National Geographic Fellow Steve Boyes and the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project team in Botswana to document a new 360-degree video series, The Okavango Experience. Sandesh’s many awards include CIWEM Environmental Photographer of the Year, the Nature’s Best photography award, the International Conservation Photographer award, and two Green Oscar nominations at the Wildscreen film festival.

Photo Source: www.sandeshkadur.com

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TRAVEL & EXPLORE

MIREYA MAYOR CONSERVATIONIST DEPARTURES WITH THIS EXPERT: May 19-Jun 7, 2022 National Geographic Explorer Mireya Mayor is a primatologist and conservationist who has reported on wildlife issues for more than a decade. As a correspondent on National Geographic’s Ultimate Explorer television series, she went underwater with six-foot-long Humboldt squid, tracked gorillas in central Africa, and worked with leopards in Namibia. In 2000, Mireya co-discovered a new species of mouse lemur in Madagascar and convinced the nation’s leaders to declare the species’ habitat a national park. Mireya has worked extensively with the gorillas of central and eastern Africa and was featured in the Nat Geo Wild program Mystery Gorilla. A Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation Fellow, Mireya has appeared in numerous publications and on MSNBC, CNN, and NBC’s Today show.

Photo Source:USA Science & Engineering Festival

ABOUT THE JET: Well suited for this incredible journey, a Boeing 757 provides unparalleled flexibility with its long-range capabilities and ability to land in smaller airports. Flying direct and avoiding layovers, we are able to maximize our time in each destination while delivering a superior travel experience. Instead of the

standard 233 seats, the jet’s sleek interior has been customized to accommodate 57 guest travelers in a spacious two-bytwo seating configuration, along with trip experts and staff.

Each reclining, VIP-style seat is handcrafted from the finest European

leather and outfitted with a center console, leg rest, fold out footrest, and four-way headrest, offering supreme in-flight comfort as we travel between destinations. You’ll also enjoy excellent access to experts and staff, who provide informative briefings and lectures throughout the expedition.

Photo Source:USA Science & Engineering Festival

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TRAVEL & EXPLORE

DAY 1: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM DAYS 2-3: FEZ, MOROCCO DAYS 4-5: ACCRA, GHANA

DAYS 16-18: KIGALI AND VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, RWANDA DAYS 19-20: ROME, ITALY

DAYS 11-13: VICTORIA FALLS, ZAMBIA, AND CHOBE NATIONAL PARK, BOTSWANA

Some of the world’s best accommodations are available on this expedition. These hotels and lodges were chosen for their excellent guest service, luxurious facilities, and close proximity to the locations they visit. It offers the best available lodging in more off-thebeaten-path locations to ensure your convenience. They have also organized special dining experiences with traditional entertainment in a variety of cities, offering a glimpse into local cultures.

DAYS 14-15: ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA

Amazing sights abound in Africa, from towering sand dunes to savannas

DAYS 6-8: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA DAYS 9-10: PHINDA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA

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teeming with wildlife. Experts will take you to Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Rwanda, Morocco, and more to see the continent’s many wonders. Witness the annual wildebeest migration on a Serengeti safari, or take a photo tour of Morocco’s sun-drenched towns. On an exciting family safari in South Africa, see lions, tigers, giraffes, and more.

They have organized visits to National Geographic-sponsored research sites and talks with field scientists on several of the Africa expeditions.

Reference: National Geographic Travel, National Geographic Partners, National Geographic Expeditions, National Geographic Society Newsroom, www.sandeshkadur.com, USA Science & Engineering Festival.

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EN VOGUE

" WE

ARE MADE IN ITALY"

AFRICA-BORN DESIGNERS OPEN DIGITAL MILAN FASHION WEEK 48

EN VOGUE

F

abiola Manirakiza was born in Burundi but she learned how to sew in a school run by Italian nuns in Zaire, which became the Democratic Republic of the Republic of the Congo. When she founded her label Frida Kiza in Italy in 2016, she used this skill as a trained doctor and was named as a tribute to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. After her parents were killed in Burundi in 1972, Fabiola Manirakiza came to Italy. In her Kiza label, Made in Italy, she incorporates in a western-sized silhouette, the influence of the Italian family who raised her, motifs from its Bantu tribe, as she was taught by an elder sister.

Five Italian designers of African origin made their runway debut during Milan Fashion Week on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021 under the banner We are Made in Italy, having nurtured dreams deemed unlikely in their native lands and which faced considerable obstacles in their adopted Italy.

Photo Credit: Fabiola Manirakiza at The Black Lives Matter Fall/Winter 2021/22 collective fashion show, presented in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021

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EN VOGUE

C

laudia Gisèle Ntsama is a Cameroonian fashion designer. She then relocated to Bologna, where she enrolled in the Accademia di Belle Arti’s Fashion Design program. She was able to attend classes at the “Haute Ecole des Arts du Rhin” in Strasburg, where she specialized in textile design, thanks to the Erasmus exchange program. She fell in love with hemp, a noble, organic fiber that isn’t commonly used in the fashion industry, after digging deep into the study of different materials.

Claudia participates in Milan Fashion Week with her namesake brand, offering a capsule collection that exudes highend artisanal craftsmanship while also revealing the designer’s passion for modern art and the purity of Japanese fashion design. Claudia created a collection of knitted pieces that feature intriguing volumes and elegant color variations, focusing solely on the use of hemp.

Photo Credit: Gisèle Claudia Ntsama; Photo Source: Milano Fashion Week

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EN VOGUE

K

arim Daoudi was born in Morocco and now lives in San Mauro Pascoli, in the heart of the Italian footwear city, where he works for a shoe company. Karim attended the Cercal Institute to study footwear design.

Following his passion for shoes, he launched his own company in 2017, winning a Federmoda Roma contest for young designers and exhibiting his designs at The One Milano trade show in the same year. He collaborated with Milano Unica in 2018 thanks to Cercal’s help, and in 2019 he was one of the participants in the “Fashion Graduate Italia” show.

The Karim Daoudi brand offers high-end shoes that are handcrafted in Italy by professional artisans and combine beauty, style, and comfort. The designer was influenced by a colorful jungle for the Fall/Winter 2021 series, producing a vibrant color palette ranging from bright green to hot pink, with elegant black&white touches. The models, which were produced in collaboration with the Ballin shoe brand, include refined optical pumps, booties, and sensual cage boots, all of which are enriched with eye-catching toe caps, giving the collection a distinct look.

Photo Credit: Karim Daoudi; Photo Source: Milano Fashion Week

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THE TIMES OF AFRICA 51

EN VOGUE

Photo Credit: A model wears a creation by fashion designer Fabiola Manirakiza’s Frida Kiza, as part of the Black Lives Matter Fall/Winter 2021/22 collective fashion show, presented in Milan, Italy, Feb. 17, 2021. (AP Photo)

Gisèle Claudia Ntsama’s Collection; Photo Source: Milano Fashion Week

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A model wears a creation by fashion designer Joy Meribe as part of the Black Lives Matter Fall/Winter 2021/22 collective fashion show, presented in Milan, Italy, Feb. 17, 2021. (AP Photo)

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EN VOGUE

A model wears a creation by fashion designer Frida Kiza as part of the Black Lives Matter Fall/Winter 2021/22 collective fashion show, presented in Milan, Italy, Feb. 17, 2021. (AP Photo)

Karim Daoudi’s collection; Photo Source: Milano Fashion Week

F

rom September, when the collections of Fab Five were hung in an exhibition room, collaboration has expanded to include one good five-day runway show, which takes place 99 per cent online at Milan Fashion Week. The designers worked with suppliers for their autumn-winter 2020-21 series and received expert mentorship from experts, all organized by the Italian Fashion Council, to bring their creations into a stronger partnership. A multi-ethnic team of designers, hairstylists and makers were present to prepare the runway show, and buyers can see the collection on the website of the Italian Chamber of Fashion.

References: Milano Fashion Week

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BON APPETIT

MAXIMIZE YOUR PRESENCE & RECOGNITION AT FOOD AFRICA:

CAIRO FOOD AFRICA 2021 The 6th International Trade Exhibition for Food & Beverages- Launch to new markets and establish new business connections

The International Fairs and Promotions Group’s diverse portfolio includes B2B and B2C exhibitions, conferences, and specialized events in a multitude of sectors, such as construction, energy, general trade, education, agriculture and food, hospitality, information technology, and logistics. Enhanced with a deep understanding of the industry and a keen focus on regional developments, their events provide an ideal place for small, medium and multinationals to unravel their business opportunities, discover latest technologies and promote and sell their

54

products while maintaining relationships with existing customers. Exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, and delegates will meet face to face, exchange expertise, make informed decisions, and ink lucrative deals at IFP Group’s specialized events and world-class conferences.

Konzept is a Cairo-based exhibition and event management organization with operations in more than 15 countries around the world. Konzept specializes in providing first-class marketing, networking, and knowledge solutions

in high-value markets, both in mature and emerging geographies, with over 20 years of experience. Individual Exhibition attendees, Country pavilions, and Corporate Events & Conferences will benefit from the full service program, which includes organization, logistics, and integrated marketing and public relations campaigns.

Egypt has a large consumer market, with a population of over 100 million people and a 2.38 percent growth rate.

Egyptians invest 35% of their income on

BON APPETIT

food on average, creating enormous business growth opportunities in the agrofood market.

Food Africa, the International Trade Exhibition for Food & Beverages, will return for its 6th edition from December 13 to 15, 2021 at Egypt International Exhibitions Center in Cairo, to remain on top of the industry’s demand and emerging opportunities. Food Africa is a fully functional international business forum that connects investors and agrofood suppliers with influential buyers and industry experts from Egypt, the Middle East, and Africa. A conference and multiple concurrent activities catering to specialized food markets are part of the show.

Data Africa: Following a successful debut at Food Africa 2019, Dates Africa, the International

Trade Exhibition for Date Palm, returns this year with ripe business opportunities in an increasingly growing market. The exhibition is an ideal specialized platform for local, regional, and international dates producers, suppliers, and exporters to meet substantial buyers from across the region and promote trade and investments.

Ingredients Africa: This year marks the second edition of Ingredients Africa, the International Trade Exhibition for Food Ingredients, alongside Food Africa. Catering to the versatile ingredients market, this specialized platform brings together local, regional and international manufacturers, suppliers, and food technology specialists to showcase food additives, ingredients, flavorings, and others to a large pool of buyers from Egypt, Middle East and Africa.

Sea Food Africa: Sea Food Africa, the International Trade Exhibition for Fisheries and Seafood, also returns to Food Africa this year with fresh opportunities for growth in an attractive market. The exhibition is an essential platform for local, regional, and international manufacturers, suppliers and distributors of fresh, frozen and processed fish and other seafood to foster trade relations in the Egyptian, Middle Eastern and African markets.

Food Africa Conference: The Food Africa Conference has become a staple concurrent event at Food Africa. With a keen eye for developments and emerging opportunities in the Food and Beverage market, the conference has become an annual meeting point for industry experts to share valuable knowledge and insights and network with

55

BON APPETIT

other stakeholders from various sectors within the agro-food industry.

Special Features: Live cooking show Hosted Buyers Program Exhibits Profiles • Bakery, Cake & Desserts • Beverages • Canned & Chilled Seafood • Canned & Chilled Food • Child Food & Ready Meals • Chocolate & Sweets • Condiments, Sauces & Preserves • Confectionery & Snacks Dairy & Gluten-Free Food Dates • Eggs • Energy Drinks • Ethnic & Halal Food • Fish & Seafood • Fresh Fruits & Vegetables Frozen Food • Grains, Cereals & Flours • Herbs & Spices • Honey & Jam • Ice Cream • Ingredients • Meat & Poultry • Milk, Cheese & Dairy Products • Mineral, Spring • & Flavored Water • Nuts & Dried Food • Oils, Olives & Olive Oil • Organic & Diet Food • Pasta • Rice • Tea, Coffee & Herbal Infusions HOSTED BUYERS CLASSIFICATION • • • • •

36 Africa 14 Europe 10 Asia & Far East 2 Americas 38 Arab Countries

Egypt is Brazil’s third largest market, they are enormous buyers, so this exhibition is very important to Egypt. This trade fair represents a point of contact for

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BON APPETIT

all the Arab companies and buyers who want to meet in Brazil. Some Brazilian products are shown and all the exhibitors meet here to do business with Brazil. The exhibition is excellent, the contact quality is incredible.

Roughly $15 billion is in Egypt’s food retail industry. Sources anticipate growth in the next five years of 15-20 percent.

The Egyptian market still dominates traditional outlets, which represent 98% of all outlets and about 75% of total sales.

Egypt’s food retail sector, with its 115,000 outlets accounted for 98 percent of the country’s 119.000 stores and 80 percent of sales, is fragmented and dominated by small, conventional food retailing companies. The remaining 2% comprise 1500 outlets and about 20% of total sales and the growing formal industry of modern supermarkets, hypermarkets and convenience stores. Between 2017 and 2021, the modern food retail market is expected to double. More than 7,000 food manufacturing companies are active in the country according to the Egyptian Chamber of Food Industries (CFI).

Africa’s rapidly increasing food demand fuelled by increasing populations and faster economic growth offers greater market and commercial opportunities for domestic farming. By 2030 the value of the food market in Africa is projected to be higher than 3-1 trillion dollars, giving farmers, food processing companies and agribusinesses tremendous opportunities, particularly via national trading. As expected by the African Union Commission, a successful growth and food safety intra-continental trading share in 2022 will be achieved from 10% until 52%. Egyptian exports to neighboring African countries have increased its interest. According to the central Agency for Public Mobilisation, 2018 saw a 23 percent increase in Egyptian-African trade exchange from $ 5.6 billion in 2017 to $6.9 billion and Egyptian exports in 2018 to $ 4.7 billion, compared to $ 3.7 billion

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BON APPETIT

Chains • Governmental Bodies, Cruise Line Operators, Airline and Military Caterers • HORECA • Fresh and Dried Fruit & Vegetable Retailers WHY BE PART OF IT?

in 2017. (CAMPAS). In 2018 Egyptian imports from African countries grew by 15.2% to 2.1 milliards dollars as against 1,9 milliards dollars in 2017. The exports in Egypt to Africa represented 16% of the total exportations of Egypt and 3% of total 2018 imports.

HOSTED BUYERS PROGRAM: The Hosted Buyers Program is Food Africa’s dedicated B2B platform that facilitates business undertakings and maximizes return on investment for participants, through expansion of their business networks and signing agreements on the spot.

Last year, the Hosted Buyers Program presented industry professionals the opportunity to meet with 476 selected buyers from Egypt and the region.

ELIGIBLE Owners and CEOs, Purchasing, Procurement, Import, and Category Managers of: • Wholesale, Distribution, and Import Groups • Food Distribution & Trading Companies • Department Stores & Specialty Store Chains • Supermarket & Hypermarket

• Source products efficiently through pre-arranged appointments with worldwide suppliers and manufacturers • Be the first to witness new product launches • Network with top international food industry professionals • Explore the latest food trends & innovations PROGRAM BENEFITS: • Airplane ticket from your destination to Cairo & back on an economy class basis • 3-night accommodation at a 5-star Hotel in Cairo on a Bed & Breakfast basis • Meet and assist services upon arrival at Cairo International Airport • Transportation from the airport to the hotel & vice versa • International Buyer Kit (Entry Badge, Catalogue, Floor Plan, Bus Schedule, etc.)

• Shuttle Bus from the hotel to the exhibition and vice versa • Access to the Hosted Buyers Lounge for meetings, checking emails, or networking with peers • One-on-one meetings with exhibitors of your choice • Matchmaking Sessions by Sector

Reference: Cairo Food Africa 2021, Egyptian Chamber of Food Industries (CFI),The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAMPAS)

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BRAINSTORM

It can improve your

IQ Are you ready to CREAT CREATIVITYY MEMORY PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS READING SKILLS challenge your brain?

CONCENTRATION

Chess C he ess is the only game which operates both sides sid of The Brain in tandem!

Puzzle 1

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THE TIMES OF AFRICA 59

BRAINSTORM

PAWN

PAWN

KNIGHT

BISHOP

ROOK

QUEEN

F8

G8

H8

E7

F7

G7

H7

Rank 6

A6

B6

C6

D6

E6

F6

G6

H6

Rank 5

A5

B5

C5

D5

E5

F5

G5

H5

Rank 4

A4

B4

C4

D4

E4

F4

G4

H4

Rank 3

A3

B3

C3

D3

E3

F3

G3

H3

Rank 2

A2

B2

C2

D2

E2

F2

G2

H2

Rank 1

A1

B1

C1

D1

E1

F1

G1

H1

KING

60 THE TIMES OF AFRICA

File G

KNIGHT

E8

D7

File H

BISHOP

D8

C7

File F

ROOK

C8

B7

File E

QUEEN

B8

A7

File A

KING

A8

Rank 7

File D

CHECK MATE !

ANSWERS 1. WQc6# (White Queen c6) 2. WBa6# (White Bishop a6)

Say

Rank 8

File C

Mate in One Move

File B

Puzzle 2

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