El Kadi’s website and radio station emerged as key channels during the North African nation’s 2019 Hirak protests. AdvertisementIn April, a court in Algiers gave him a 7-year sentence that included three years in prison and ordered his website and radio station shut down. The sentence was part of a growing list of criminal penalties given to journalists, reflecting the increasing difficulties they face throughout North Africa. I have no words,” El Kadi’s wife, Djamila Ait Yala, told The Associated Press after her husband’s appeal was rejected. El Kadi was taken into custody in December 2022.

Power MovesIf a green pivot is to happen, power grids must become “supergrids,” continent-spanning networks that can move green energy thousands of miles. The technology is here, but politics may stand in the way.

Egypt is making a decent progress on several levels, including privatization and public finance, Al-Arabiya.net reported, citing Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva. The North African country is facing a number of challenges but its officials are doing a good job, Georgieva. Moreover, she added that the country still has to do some work regarding the issue of the best ways of the exchange rate movement. On October 4th, it was reported that the IMF would conduct its annual assessment of Egypt’s economy after concluding the country’s delayed review of its loan program. The IMF approved the 46-month $3 billion loan to Egypt under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) in December 2022.

Malian authorities have nullified authorization given to Air France to resume flights to the West African country after the airline suspended its services in August 2023. The decision came a day after Air France announced plans to resume flights to Mali from Friday October 13. The airline suspended on August 7 its flights to Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger after a junta deposed on July 26 Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum and shut down its airspace. Malian transition authorities on August 11 slammed Air France’s decision and accused the carrier of unilaterally suspending its flights to the country without prior and adequate information to authorities and customers. A statement by the Transport Ministry said the National Aeronautical Authority of Mali is still “examining the request made by Air France for resumption of flights.” Air France used to operate seven flights per week to Mali and five to Burkina Faso.

Cobb seeks to expand in Africa with a new joint venture with the Irvine’s Group. The joint venture will open a new grandparent (GP) operation in Tanzania that will help supply East Africa with healthy, affordable and quality broiler breeding stock. “With over 700 million people, Sub-Saharan Africa has a great long-term potential and we are excited for this new partnership and the future of Cobb East Africa,” said Mutimer. Cobb will leverage Irvine’s existing market development, local knowledge and existing parent stock operation in Tanzania. Local production, via Cobb East Africa, will deliver more competitive cost and reliable Cobb supply.

Other super apps in Asia include China’s AliPay, Indonesia’s GoJek, Careem in the Middle East and North Africa, and Grab in Southeast Asia. While super apps haven’t gained as much traction in North America or Europe, many companies are eyeing the super app opportunity. Super apps may also make it easier for users to compare and access various financial products offered by ecosystem partners. They may also struggle with data silos, whereas super apps require a holistic view of customer data for personalized experiences. For some banks, super apps represent an opportunity to revamp their customer experience and enhance engagement.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has launched a new carbon market in collaboration with infrastructure provider Xpansiv, under a separate legal entity called JSE Ventures. This initiative will allow local participants on the South African stock exchange to buy or sell carbon credits and renewable energy certificates (RECs) that are held in either local or global currencies. Partnership aims to sell carbon credits in sub-Saharan AfricaSouth Africa needs carbon market to stimulate much-needed decarbonisationLeila Fourie, JSE Group CEO said the world is witnessing a heightened focus on carbon markets. South Africa is the world’s 12th highest emitter of carbon emissions and has an increasing need to access and supply carbon credits. Formed in 2016, Xpansiv provides environmental market technology including registry infrastructure, market data and portfolio management platforms.

This collaboration aims to enhance global food systems while reducing vulnerability to fluctuations in hydrocarbon prices. This initiative signifies a pivotal step toward OCP’s goal of achieving 100% renewable energy usage in its fertilizer production by 2027. OCP’s solar initiative falls under its $13 billion Green Investment Program, aiming to increase green fertilizer production and transition its operations entirely to green energy by 2027. By reducing dependence on hydrocarbons, this partnership enhances sustainable food production, promotes price stability, and strengthens food security in developing and emerging countries. This initiative is also in line with IFC’s Global Food Security Platform, a $6 billion financing facility launched in 2022 to support the private sector’s response to the food crisis and promote sustainable food production.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a €45 million loan to Tunisia’s Société tunisienne de l’électricité et du gaz (STEG) for a submarine power cable linking Tunisia and Italy. STEG will combine the loan with a €307.6 million grant from the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility, and financing from the European Investment Bank, the World Bank and KfW to develop the 200-km 600 MW high voltage direct current transmission network.

The second largest hydropower plant in Nigeria is expected to meet around 10% of the country’s total domestic electricity requirements, with renewable and reliable energy. Global energy company GE Vernova announced that its Hydro Power business has completed the commissioning of four 175MW Francis hydropower turbines and generators at the Zungeru project in Nigeria. The 700MW Zungeru project is located on the Kadina River in Niger State, approximately 150km north-west of Abuja. It is the largest hydroelectric dam to be built in Nigeria since the commissioning of the Kainji dam in 1968. The IHA said the country’s total installed capacity is 12,522MW, not including off-grid generation, of which 2,062MW is hydropower.

Solar agri-voltaics and solar power are being introduced on the ground in Morocco to help farmers decarbonise their value chain as the power utility takes its own steps to accelerate renewable energy deployment. EBRD invests in solar energy to decarbonise pharmaceuticals in MoroccoSolar power for Morocco food chainIFC has also agreed to loan the Morocco fertiliser producer OCP Group €10m (around $10.6m) to construct two solar plants to power their operations in the mining towns of Benguerir and Khouribga. Decarbonising the sector helps to ensure sustainable food production, price stability and improved food security. This would create the first large scale solar PV project with integrated energy storage infrastructure in Morocco, and the largest in North Africa. In April this year IFC also provided OCP a €100m loan to construct four solar power plants, also in Benguerir and Khouribga, for a combined capacity of 202MWp.

Netanyahu may have taken this approach further than any other Israeli leader but he is hardly an outlier. Benjamin Netanyahu, the longest serving Israeli Prime Minister, has made sidelining and ignoring Palestinian demands for freedom and dignity his mantra and legacy. Instead of investing in a strategic vision for solving its conflict with the Palestinians, Israel has invested its strategic energy into consolidating more military might and control. Even before Hamas’s surprise attack, 2023 was already the deadliest year for both Israelis and Palestinians in over 20 years. Some Israelis, shaken by trauma and helplessness, have called on their government to recognize the common humanity of those on the other side of Gaza’s security walls.

The World Bank’s VP for the MENA region talks to John Everington about how 2023’s gloomier economic outlook belies progress made on diversification, the importance of boosting female participation across the region, and priorities for Morocco’s economy.

A heavyweight quartet of Africa’s biggest current and former football superstars, Didier Drogba, Mikel Obi, Sadio Mane and Achraf Hakimi, will support the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as Draw Assistants for the Final Draw of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023. The draw will start at 19h00 local time/GMT (21h00 CAT, 22h00 Cairo) and will be live on CAF TV (YouTube). The Final Draw will be beamed in over 50 countries, with millions of viewers expected to tune in to the event on CAF’s Official YouTube channel, as well as across CAF’s Global TV partners. Drogba scored 11 goals in 24 AFCON games for the Elephants and helped Cote d’Ivoire to two AFCON cup finals in 2006 and 2012. Mane is Senegal’s all-time leading scorer with 38 international goals and has scored eight goals in 18 AFCON games for the Teranga Lions.

Different roles within the IP practice and geographies significantly diverge in their attitudes towards AILondon, U.K. October 12, 2023. The report explores the effects the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) will have on IP law, practice and processes, and the legal sector. According to the survey conducted by Clarivate, IP practitioners are seeing significant adoption of AI in their field. Gordon Samson, President, Intellectual Property, Clarivate, said: “At Clarivate, we are confident that AI will add value to the IP lifecycle. Attorneys and law firms are the least comfortable with AI adoption, while non-attorneys, executives, and, most significantly, R&D respondents are more comfortable embracing AI.