Iraq Twenty Years After
It fuelled the rise of sectarian discourse, which helped turn political polarisation in Iraq into three years of brutal civil war. The ISIS offensive in 2014 drew U.S. troops back to Iraq years after Washington had tried to wash its hands of the mess it created. Iraq became a textbook case of how exclusion – in this case of disempowered Sunnis under what emerged as Shiite Islamist rule – breeds grievance, the accumulation of which can spawn violence. With the Sunnis out of power, an insurgency led by al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) thrived amid the disorder, which the U.S. was unable to remedy and, arguably, uninterested in fixing. The U.S. occupation enabled Iran to spread its influence through Iraq ... up to the borders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 23:36 UTC
Paris-headquartered Maurel & Prom pledges to invest $85m in Gabon – The North Africa Post
Maurel & Prom, an oil company based in Paris, has announced it will invest $85 million to develop its activities in Gabon this year after spending $67 million in the African country last year. Maurel CEO Olivier de Langavant indicated that planned investment in Gabon is a chunk of the company’s total 2023 investment put at $100 million. The company is also planning to produce 26,200 barrels of oil equivalent per day this year, of which 15,600 bpd will come from Gabon. In 2022, Gabon produced 14,646 bpd. Maurel began a well-stimulation campaign in the fourth quarter of 2022, finishing in early 2023.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 21:21 UTC
Foreign company eyes Moroccan manganese mine for EVs
A Canadian company has signed the rights to production and the option to purchase a manganese mine in Morocco – the mineral used to expand the capacity and lifespan of batteries in electric vehicles (EVs). Manganese is used in the production of steel, among other alloys, and is regarded as a key component in renewable energy storage, especially in EVs. Combined with Elcora’s own manganese ore Atlas Fox Deposit, the Moroccan mine would bring the company’s overall manganese ore production capacity to more than 5,000 metric tons a month. Recent studies have shown that manganese-based compounds can be used in lithium-ion batteries to improve their efficiency and stability, the company said. “These batteries, commonly used in consumer electronics and electric vehicles (EV), have a limited storage capacity and can be expensive to produce.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 20:36 UTC
OTF invests in Tunisia’s edtech Shape
Tunisia-based edtech startup Shape has raised funding from The Oman Technology Fund (OTF). Founded in 2021 by Rahma Abid, Shape helps professionals deliver personalised training sessions. Source: AfrikanheroesThe Oman Technology Fund has been actively investing in North African startups, from the recently acquired Tunisian gaming startup Galactech, to Egypt’s Homzmart, Bekia and SWVL, the investor is back again, this time investing in Tunisian edTech startup Shape. Founded in 2021 by Rahma Abid, Shape has developed a digital platform that allows professionals to access continuous learning training. I launched the coaching program for future employees in October and received more than 400 candidates but unfortunately, I could only accept 20 candidates.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 17:26 UTC
Checkout.com turns to Mastercard to support faster payments in APAC
The news: Checkout.com started using Mastercard Send to enable faster payments for consumers and businesses in Singapore, per a press release. Mastercard Send is Mastercard’s faster payments network . It lets businesses send payments to more than 1.5 billion debit, credit, and prepaid cards. The bigger picture: Real-time payments are gaining steam across Asia-Pacific thanks to factors like new technologies, regulatory pressures, and merchant and customer expectations, per Global Payments. In the long term, expanding faster payments use cases will require collaboration between governments, banks, and fintechs.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 17:11 UTC
Van Niekerk officially calls time on stellar career
RETIREMENTVan Niekerk officially calls time on stellar careerby Telford Vice • Last updated onVan Niekerk didn't play for South Africa since injuring her ankle in a freak accident at the start of 2022. © GettyDane van Niekerk ended her international career on Thursday, six days after her wife, Marizanne Kapp, hinted on social media that the decision was imminent. Just five players have scored more runs for South Africa in ODIs than Van Niekerk, and only Lizelle Lee has made more in T20Is. But Van Niekerk didn't play for South Africa after September 2021. Van Niekerk is in Royal Challengers Bangalore's squad but has not played in any of the WPL team's six games.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 15:40 UTC
Egypt’s satellites to boost Africa’s climate change fight
Egypt’s space aspirations and formal space program have been focused on climate change monitoring for several decades. In November 2022, Egypt’s hosting of the COP27 climate change conference brought forward its space efforts regarding climate change for North Africa. Egypt’s launching of satellites to monitor climate change in Africa is important for confronting climate-related challenges and the resulting phenomena. At COP27, the fact that Egypt’s space program was emphasized as part of the country’s technological edge was welcomed by participants. African countries are the most affected and exposed to desertification, water shortages, beach erosion and drought as a result of climate change.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 12:32 UTC
Centre Pompidou to open contemporary art museum in Saudi Arabia
Centre Pompidou © Jean-Pierre Dalbéra/CC BY 2.0Paris’s Centre Pompidou has signed a partnership agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla to develop a contemporary art museum in the historic city. In a statement issued on 14 March, Centre Pompidou said the new partnership aims to support the cultural and artistic development of the AlUla site. ‘The Centre Pompidou will contribute its scientific and technical expertise in the training of staff, particularly in the areas of conservation management of collections and mediation. According to The National, the museum will exhibit a collection of contemporary Middle Eastern, North African and South Asian art, featuring immersive installations and land art. The museum will serve as a bridge between contemporary Arab and global artists.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 11:34 UTC
Applications open for Green Entrepreneurship Awards 2023
The Green Entrepreneurship Team at adelphi is now accepting applications for the Green Entrepreneurship Awards 2023. A collaboration between SEED and the Circular Economy Catalyst, this year’s awards is broken into two – the Climate Adaptation Awards by SEED, focusing on Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia; and the Circular Economy Awards by Circular Economy Catalyst for India and Kenya. Five runners-up in each country will receive six-month SEED Catalyser support and a matching grant of EUR1,500 (US$1,600) to support necessary investments to grow. For Circular Economy Awards, two winners in each country will receive a one-year accelerator support and a matching grant of up to EUR15,000 (US$16,000) to make necessary investments to scale. Ten runners-up in each country will receive six-month Catalyser business development support and a matching grant of up to EUR5,000 (US$5,400) to make necessary investments to grow.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 07:02 UTC
U.N. nuclear watchdog says 2.5 tons of uranium is missing from Libyan site
At least 2.5 tons of natural uranium has gone missing from an uncontrolled site in Libya, Reuters reported Wednesday. The news was revealed to Reuters in a statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — the United Nations' nuclear watchdog group. The IAEA told the outlet that "10 drums containing approximately 2.5 tons of natural uranium previously declared by [Libya] ... as being stored at that location were not present at the location." The agency added that the potential disappearance of nuclear material "may present a radiological risk, as well as nuclear security concerns." The IAEA confirmed that the site was not under the control of the Libyan government.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 06:16 UTC
Europe’s Solar Energy Surge: A Promising Solution Or Just A Palliative?
Solar for EuropeEuropean countries are among the most active proponents of renewable energy, especially solar power. Adding to arguments in favour of solar for Europe, European Market Outlook 2022-2026 asserts that solar is essential for the EU’s energy independence. IEA recommends that the EU install around 60 GW of solar power in 2023 to compensate for shortfalls in the Russian gas supply. Furthermore, the proponents of solar for Europe argue that solar power is not only sustainable but also a cheaper energy source. European countries have plans to invest and profit from the huge solar potential of their neighbours to the south of the Mediterranean.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 05:09 UTC
Netcracker Showcases Leadership and Expansion in the Middle East at FutureNet MENA 2023
WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Netcracker Technology announced today that it continues its commitment to customers in the region – including du, Etisalat by e&, stc, Vodafone Oman and Zain KSA – by participating in FutureNet Middle East & North Africa 2023 on Monday, March 20 at the Sofitel Jumeirah Beach in Dubai. Netcracker is a Gold Sponsor of the event and will feature its industry-leading Netcracker Digital Platform, which brings scale, agility and cost efficiency to networks and unlocks new revenue potential for operators. Netcracker will participate in the following panel session with other industry leaders to discuss the challenges and growth opportunities of partner ecosystems, how to engage with hyperscalers and how to achieve the goal of a truly open telco. Keynote Panel: The Open Telco: How Do We Harness the Innovation Required for Networks of the Future? Our comprehensive portfolio of software solutions and professional services enables large-scale digital transformations, unlocking the opportunities of the cloud, virtualization and the changing mobile ecosystem.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 04:25 UTC
Only ‘Strategic Generosity’ Will Stabilize the EU’s Southern Border
Late last month, 59 refugees and migrants died when the boat they were traveling in smashed against the rocks of the Calabrian coast of Italy. Each time, publics in Europe and North Africa have reacted with shock, until the news cycle moved on. This flow of people across the sea has been further fueled by the immense social turmoil experienced by societies on both sides of the Mediterranean in the past decade. As part of the EU’s collective border system, Rome has also shaped wider EU initiatives to patrol the union’s Mediterranean frontiers. Now, having promised to “stop the boats,” Meloni faces the same strategic dilemmas that every Italian prime minister before her has struggled with in trying to match tough rhetoric on border security with sustainable policy outcomes.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 16, 2023 00:46 UTC
North Korea launches ICBM before South Korea-Japan summit
North Korea test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile in a display of military might Thursday just hours before the leaders of South Korea and Japan were to meet at a Tokyo summit expected to be overshadowed by North Korean nuclear threats. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile Thursday just hours before the leaders of South Korea and Japan were to meet at a Tokyo summit expected to be overshadowed by North Korean nuclear threats. North Korea has long argued that U.S.-South Korean military drills are proof of their hostile policies against North Korea, though Washington and Seoul say they have no intentions of invading the North. After that launch, North Korea said the test was meant to further bolster its “fatal” nuclear attack capacity against its rivals. Experts had expected North Korea to further ramp up its testing activities during the drills.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 15, 2023 23:39 UTC
Organisations should boost Customer Lifetime Value with innovative CX solutions
The past few years have seen a growth in the adoption of digital customer engagement channels by organisations, as digital engagement provides them with valuable data on customer behaviour, which enables them to optimise their marketing strategies and product development. The first of these priorities would be customer engagement. Lastly, organisations should focus on revenue growth, which specifically refers to customer data and the analysis of this data, obtained from all customer interactions. A customer data platform is therefore becoming a must for forward-thinking enterprises, as it unifies the organisation’s customer data from marketing and other channels to enable customer modelling to optimise the timing and targeting of messages. Up until now, organisations have been spending too much on delivering substandard CX, with customer engagement that is fragmented and data that resides in silos.
Source:The North Africa Journal
March 15, 2023 22:00 UTC