© Bouchra Khalili. The hands handling materials in Khalili’s films draw viewers into the work of piecing together a multipolar and multiscalar story. © Bouchra Khalili. © Bouchra Khalili. © Bouchra Khalili.
© Bouchra Khalili. The hands handling materials in Khalili’s films draw viewers into the work of piecing together a multipolar and multiscalar story. © Bouchra Khalili. © Bouchra Khalili. © Bouchra Khalili.
“De-risking” has emerged as a guiding principle for European leaders in their interactions with China, particularly when it comes to vital green technologies, where Europe is heavily reliant. Yet, policymakers often grapple with the intricate interplay of economic, security, and climate concerns, and the impact of de-risking policies on third countries. Over coffee and croissants, we’ll explore the nuances of various de-risking approaches, with a special focus on their effects on climate priorities, and their implications for third countries. Our conversation will revolve around a key question: Can we trust Chinese companies to form the backbone of Europe’s green transition? Register here
As part of a multi-billion dollar investment, a Chinese battery manufacturer, with VW as a major shareholder, is to build an electric vehicle (EV) battery gigafactory in Morocco. Slated as the first such facility in the Middle East and North Africa, it will have an initial $1.3 billion investment and a planned battery capacity of 20GWh. In sealing the deal, Volkswagen became the first global automaker to invest directly in a Chinese battery supplier. In sealing the EV battery gigafactory deal, Volkswagen became the first global automaker to invest directly in a Chinese battery supplier. In 2025, Gotion High-Tech’s global production capacity is planned to reach 300GWh, of which overseas (outside of China) production capacity is planned to be 100GWh.
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Team Europe mobilises €472,6 million, including €334,6 million EU grants, to support the Italy-Tunisia electricity interconnection project “ELMED”. Team Europe affirms its dedication to sustainable development in the Mediterranean region by committing a total €472,6 million to the ELMED electricity interconnection project and its ecosystem. In December 2022, the European Union approved a €307.6 million grant from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for the ELMED project. To ensure a smooth implementation of the ELMED project, the EU approved an additional €27 million grant in December 2023 under the Neighbourhood Investment Platform. Co-implemented by Italy’s TERNA and Tunisia’s STEG, and with a total investment of €850 million, ELMED is currently under construction and set to become operational in 2028.
Air Arabia Expands Iraqi Network With New Sharjah-Basra RouteFavoriteReading Time: 2 minutesAir Arabia, the leading low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, has resumed flights to Basra, Iraq from Sharjah International Airport. This new service operates four times weekly, adding Basra as the fourth direct route from Sharjah, alongside Baghdad, Najaf, and Erbil. The inaugural flight was welcomed at Basra International Airport with a traditional water cannon salute and a ceremonial ribbon cutting, attended by officials from both Air Arabia and the airport. The airline boasts a modern fleet of 72 Airbus A320 and A321 planes, known for their efficiency and comfort. Additionally, Air Arabia offers the ‘Air Rewards’ loyalty program, allowing customers to earn, transfer, and spend points across various services.
Tomorrow, 15 June, is Global Wind Day, as the sector reflects on the gains made so far and the challenges that lie ahead. It included the two nations as part of its “markets to watch.”Lake Turkana wind farm in Kenya. SA: 140MW wind energy project gets PPA and reaches financial closeMarking Global Wind Day in South AfricaAhead of Global Wind Day, ESI Africa visited the Aurora Wind Power’s West Coast One wind farm in Vredenburg, Western Cape. SAWEA currently has 140 members across the wind energy value chain, including IPPs, developers, wind farm companies, consultants, investors, logistics, research and academia. Ahead of Global Wind Day on Saturday 15 June, ESI Africa visited the Aurora Wind Farm in misty Vredenburg in the Western Cape on Wednesday.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose Africa development plan has drawn criticism, has elevated the continent as a central theme and top priority at this year’s Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ meeting, positioning Italy as a key energy hub linking Europe with Africa. The project symbolizes her vision to project influence in Africa, transforming Italy into a key bridge for distributing gas from Africa and the Mediterranean to the rest of Europe, while also fostering economic growth to stem mass migration from the African continent. Emboldened by her victory in the recent European Parliament elections, at the G7 summit, Meloni is seeking partnerships, funding, and legitimacy for her vision. “Meloni wants to present Italy as the new European face in Africa,” Maddalena Procopio, a senior policy fellow from European Council on Foreign Relations, says. “Emphasizing the continent at the G7 is a strategic move because of the unprecedented global interest.”
This re-election reflects the high degree of trust enjoyed by the Kingdom for its role in the protection and promotion of human rights in the international community, the press release added. It also comes just a few weeks after the Kingdom’s re-election to a new term on the Human Rights Committee on May 29, 2024, and its re-election to a new term on the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on April 6, 2024. Morocco’s re-election to this important body also attests to the credibility of the Kingdom’s action to protect the rights of people with disabilities. Abdelmajid Makni, a committed civil society activist and former member of the National Human Rights Council, has in-depth expertise in promoting the rights of people with disabilities. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a body of 18 independent experts, recognized for their integrity, competence, and experience.
Egypt-based podcast production company Potcast Productions has secured an undisclosed pre-seed funding round to help enhance its content production capabilities, scale its marketing efforts, and accelerate the development of new series. Its pre-seed funding round comes from Innovative Media Productions (IMP), the media company behind Egypt’s Shart Tank television show, which made its first investment in Potcast Productions back in April. The funds will be used to enhance the startup’s content production capabilities, scale up its marketing efforts, and accelerate the development of new, high-quality podcast series that cater to a diverse and growing audience. This round of investment will also support plans to produce high quality audio experiences both digitally and offline, further solidifying Potcast’s position as a leader in audio-first content production. “Securing this follow-up investment from IMP and Ahmed Tarek Khalil is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team.
Having sufficient storage space on your smartphone is crucial in today’s world, particularly with photos, videos, apps, and games playing such significant roles in our mobile experience. TECNO is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer with operations in over 70 global markets. “With this in mind, TECNO’s new SPARK 20P smartphone is designed for content creators, selfie fanatics, mobile gaming lovers, and app enthusiasts. With its 256GB storage, there’s more than enough space for everything.” says TECNONow available in South AfricaShowcased alongside the SPARK GO 2024, SPARK 20C, SPARK 20, and SPARK 20 Pro 5G at a recent TECNO event, the new SPARK 20P is now available in South Africa. Alongside the 256GB storage comes a host of other top-tech features and specs, which makes the SPARK 20P a definite consideration as a new device, especially at its price point.
Nigeria has gone on the charm offensive in its bid to host the Africa Energy Bank (AEB) as it met with the influential Africa Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) in Abuja this week. On 4 June, APPO and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) met for the “historic signing” of the Establishment Agreement and the Charter of the Africa Energy Bank (AEB) at a ceremony in Cairo. Nigeria, alongside Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, Benin Republic, Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire are in the running to host the AEB. “… providing the bank with unparalleled access to key energy markets and decision-makers across Africa.”“Nigeria’s rich endowment of oil, gas, and renewable energy resources presents an unparalleled opportunity for the Africa Energy Bank to harness the continent’s vast energy potential and drive sustainable development,” he said. Africa Energy Bank: Favourite emerges as race to host heats upAPPO consists of 18 countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa.
Therefore, this snapshot delves into the information gaps experienced by people on the move in the Central Sahel, and explores how information is accessed as well as the sources of information most relied upon and trusted. Key findings• The majority of respondents (61%) experienced information gaps, either before and/or during their journey. • Safety/security (40%) and costs (34%) were the most reported information gaps:• Access to safety and security information was reported as a need, whether respondents had travelled through dangerous locations (42%) or not (38%). • Amongst respondents who reported information gaps and used a smuggler, almost half (49%) indicated challenges in obtaining costs-related information. • During their journey, surveyed migrants obtain information from a broader array of sources such as other migrants (42%), local communities (37%), travel agents (35%), and smugglers (24%).
Tomas Sales, Special Advisor, UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub (ASFH), spoke to ESI Africa about the organisation’s recent report into Africa’s green business market. He unpacks the opportunities for financiers and investors who want to get into the business of green in Africa. Find out more about UNDP Africa. This interview took place at Enlit Africa 2024.
Stagecoach to cut bus services in north Scotland1 day ago ShareGetty Images Stagecoach said some services would be stoppedBus operator Stagecoach is to cut services as it launches a review of its north Scotland operations. From August, a number of services will be stopped in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, with changes made to others. 'Change can be unsettling'Stagecoach North Scotland managing director David Beaton said: "We are a significant local employer and we understand the importance of bus services for the local community. "That's why we are working closely with both the trade union to protect as many jobs and as much of the local bus services as possible. Stagecoach said customers could find details of the upcoming changes, and proposed timetables, on its website.
