Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA) launched Monday December 4 from China, EgyptSat-2, the country’s domestically-made satellite, to serve the North African country’s sustainable development goals by utilizing space technology to enhance vital areas, including agriculture and exploration of mineral resources. Also known as MisrSat-2, the satellite was built using China’s $92 million grant in February 2022. With Chinese cooperation, it was assembled and tested at EgSA’s Satellite Assembly, Integration, and Testing Centre (AITC), the agency notes. Into orbit, MisrSat-2 will help in identification of surface water sources, and studying the impacts of climate change on the environment. They include NileSat 101 launched in 1998, EgyptSat 1 launched in 2007 and Horus 1 satellite launched in February this year.

beIN SPORTS, the official broadcaster of the tournament in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) provided extensive, exclusive, and easily accessible coverage of the quadrennial event, held for the first time the in the Arab World. With six new high-definition channels, 20-plus studios, more than 120 analysts, and comprehensive social and digital coverage dedicated to the tournament, beIN raised the bar for how broadcasters should cover a major tournament. Throughout the month-long tournament, beIN’s linear channels recorded more than 5.4bn cumulative views, with the final watched by a record 242.8m viewers – equivalent to 68 per cent of MENA’s adult population. On beIN SPORTS’ official YouTube channel, the final match recorded a cumulative viewership of 25m and set a regional record with 4.4m simultaneous viewers. Across beIN SPORTS’ social media platforms, beIN SPORTS’ accounts generated 1.1bn video views and 5.5bn impressions.

Casablanca Station (pictured) forms part of Morocco’s Al-Boraq line, which the ONCF intend to extend before the 2030 World Cup. Morocco’s National Office of Railways (ONCF) has announced a tender for the acquisition of 168 trains, marking a major step in the country’s preparation for the 2030 World Cup. The World Cup imperativeFIFA’s decision to name Morocco, Spain and Portugal as joint hosts of the 2030 World Cup but award Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay the opening three matches has led to criticism from climate groups over the long-distance, high-emissions journeys teams will undertake between matches. There has also been scrutiny over the readiness of Morocco’s transport system. Morocco passed FIFA’s inspection in its initial bid for the 2026 World Cup but was deemed “high risk” in the accommodation and transport category.

Though each of the five selected countries are at varying levels of mini-grid adoption and deployment rates, each has the same goal of cultivating a thriving mini-grid sector. This not only showed the role private sector can play in some of the underserved markets, but also that private sector has a very important role to play in mini-grids. Some of the key stakeholders of the mini-grid sector in Sierra Leone at the training on the AFUR Tool. Governments are happy to allow private sector into the mini-grid space, but handing over of the sector to private sector fully is a long way off. The sooner private sector accepts such a stance on the continent of Africa, the easier it will be for the mini-grid sector to grow with both public and private sector fully benefitting from the value offered by private sector deployment in the sector.

Forty-five startups from across the continent have been named regional finalists for the latest MEST Africa Challenge, the winner of which will secure US$50,000 in equity funding. Founded in Ghana in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Jorn Lyseggen, MEST is a pan-African software and entrepreneurship training programme, seed fund, and incubator helping to launch technology startups across the continent. Disrupt Africa reported in August it had announced the opening of applications for the fifth edition of the MEST Africa Challenge, and 45 companies from Ghana (10), Nigeria (10), Kenya (10), South Africa (10) and Senegal (5) have now been named regional finalists. The grand prize at stake is US$50,000 in equity investment, plus long-term partnership and ongoing support from MEST Africa. Nigeria is represented by Doktorconnect, OneHealth, Sproutly, iblooy, HealthGo, Innovastra, SmartTeller, Artisan Oga, Blueroom Care, and Konnadex Technologies, and South Africa by Koa Academy, ESusFarm Africa, BOS Technology, Insaaph, Smart Food Growing Technologies, DeepLeaf, Thola, Aurora Media Group, SafeAfrica, and Biocertica.

In a groundbreaking move towards sustainable energy, 117 countries have joined forces at U.N’s COP28 Summit to commit to tripling their renewable energy capacities. During the conference, representatives from nations across the globe pledged to significantly increase investments in renewable energy projects. The ambitious agreement sets a target to triple the current renewable energy capacity, a move applauded by environmentalists and experts worldwide. In addition to increasing investments, governments and financial institutions will need to address the high cost of funding that has hindered renewable energy projects in underdeveloped countries if they want to reach the objective of 10,000 gigawatts of installed renewable energy globally by 2030. The collective resolve of 117 nations to triple renewable energy capacities signifies a shared commitment to building a sustainable and resilient future, free from the detrimental impacts of fossil fuels.

South Africa is reeling from a major egg and poultry shortage caused by a severe outbreak of avian flu and the subsequent culling of millions of chickens. The outbreak has pushed farmers in one of the world’s biggest producers and consumers of the bird meat to fill supply gaps by sharing hatchlings, turning to farms in unaffected provinces and importing products whenever possible.

Portugal backs the EU accession bids of Albania, North Macedonia, and Montenegro, the office of outgoing Prime Minister António Costa stated on Monday following his three-country tour. Costa, who will govern as acting prime minister until the snap elections in March, visited Tirana, Skopje and Podgorica on Sunday and Monday to reinforce his country’s commitment to EU enlargement. After meeting North Macedonia Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski on Monday, he had lunch with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić in Podgorica. Speaking about his North Macedonia trip, Costa wrote on X: “I was able to witness North Macedonia’s strong commitment to the EU accession process in a challenging geopolitical context. Albania and North Macedonia were granted the opening of accession talks in July 2022, with Tirana’s negotiations set to start in late December, while Skopje remains waiting over a veto from Bulgaria.

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DAKAR, Senegal, 4 December 2023 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/-Open Startup, a regional organization fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, is thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the OST Program Senegal Bootcamp, held at La – DER, Dakar, Senegal, on November 18th and 19th. The Bootcamp marked a significant milestone as the first-ever implementation of the OST Program in Senegal, with a vibrant participation of 18 startups and 15 talented individuals. Key Highlights:Participants: The Bootcamp brought together 18 startups and 15 talented individuals from various sectors of Senegal’s burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem. About OST:Open Startup (OST) is a non-profit organization serving as a regional hub for startups in North Africa and the Middle East. Media contactEmail: press@dabuzzconsulting.comThe post OPEN STARTUP: Successful kick-off of the 1st cohort of the OST Program Senegal with 18 Dynamic Startups in Dakar appeared first on African Media Agency.

Fast forward to the end of 2023, with the climate change conference under way amid high expectations for progress, 100 youth climate delegates made their way to Dubai through a programme led by Cop28 Youth Climate Champion Shamma Al Mazrui. Sara Badran - Lebanon"We're losing a cultural element of Lebanon, the cedar tree," said Lebanon's Climate Youth Delegate Sara Badran, 23. She recently graduated from the American University of Beirut with degrees in environmental science and food science management. I should be using that for the common good," said Morocco's Climate Youth Delegate to Cop28, Houyame Hakmi. But now that forest is no longer there," said Oumar Cisse, Mauritania's Youth Climate Delegate.

At the COP28 climate conference, EIB Global, the arm of the European Investment Bank for activities outside the European Union, signed a Joint Declaration on the Just Transition Investment Platform for North Macedonia. The Bank has significantly stepped up its engagement with the government, public utilities and the private sector in order to generate new projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy infrastructure upgrades. These efforts have resulted in over €100 million in green investments signed for North Macedonia in 2023 and new technical assistance for sustainable projects. About the EIB:The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. For more information regarding the EIB’s projects in North Macedonia, visit North Macedonia and the EIB (https://apo-opa.co/3TrVxsv).

By Aminu Abubakar with Laurie Churchman in Abuja:An army drone strike accidentally hit a village in northwestern Nigeria killing dozens of civilians celebrating a Muslim festival, local authorities, the military and residents said on Monday. The army did not provide details or a death toll for the strike late Sunday in Tudun Biri village, Kaduna State, but residents said dozens were killed and wounded. “Muslim faithful observing Maulud were mistakenly killed and many others injured following a military drone attack targeting terrorists and bandits,” Kaduna State governor Uba Sani said, ordering an investigation. “We have so far identified 30 dead victims,” he said, speaking earlier on Monday. The Nigerian military blamed “lack of appropriate marking of the area” in a report issued six months later.

KADUNA, Nigeria, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Civilians were killed in Nigeria's northern Kaduna state following a military drone attack targeting insurgents and bandits on Sunday night, the state governor, a religious leader and witnesses said on Monday. Kaduna governor Uba Sani said Muslims taking part in Maulud celebrations in Tudun Biri village "were mistakenly killed and many others injured following a military drone attack targeting terrorists and bandits". Sani gave no indication of the numbers involved, but a religious leader put it at 50 dead and two witnesses said 80 had been killed. Sani's deputy had earlier called a security meeting that was attended by heads of security agencies, religious and traditional leaders to review the incident. Sheikh Rabiu Abdullahi, a religious leader who attended Monday's meeting told reporters that a suspected air strike had killed at least 50 people during a religious celebration.

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility (LSF) on a repurchase agreement (repo) transaction between the LSF, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), on The Bank of New York Mellon's Triparty Platform, as part of its Global Market Infrastructure role, aiming to increase the liquidity of African Sovereign Eurobonds and incentivise investments under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), such as green bonds, in Africa. Designed with the support of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and Afreximbank, the LSF seeks to bring the benefits of a structured repo market to the African continent, with the goal of enhancing the liquidity of a diversified basket of Sovereign Eurobonds across 18 issuers. The LSF's objective is to contribute to addressing the gap in market participation for financing Africa's international sovereign debt, indirectly helping to promote a more stable repo market on the African continent. The LSF has a special focus on green and SDG-linked issuances. Press contactFor more information please speak to your local media contact.