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Africa needs bold Innovative Initiatives to Unleash the Full Potential of the Continent—King Mohammed VI of Morocco

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Morocco

The Market Days, an initiative of the African Development Bank and seven other co-founding partners, is taking place in Marrakech, Morocco over the next three days

MARRAKECH, Morocco, November 9, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI opened the 2023 Africa Investment Forum Market Days on Wednesday with a call for Africans to work together to attract the levels of private investment needed to drive the continent’s inclusive development.

The Market Days, an initiative of the African Development Bank and seven other co-founding partners, is taking place in Marrakech, Morocco over the next three days.

The platform advances projects to bankability, raises capital, and accelerates deals toward financial closure.

“Africa needs now more than ever bold, innovative initiatives to encourage private entrepreneurship and unleash the full potential of our continent,” King Mohammed VI said in a keynote speech read on his behalf by his advisor Omar Kabbaj, a President Emeritus of the African Development Bank.

The King said Morocco could serve as a model for other African countries’ efforts to overcome their infrastructure gaps. “Over the past two decades, Morocco has made infrastructure development a priority in all economic sectors,” he said. He also informed the gathering that the country was pushing toward its goal of deriving over 52% of its national electricity mix from renewable energy by 2030. 

The King also stressed that African countries should enhance “coordination and cooperation mechanisms to drive regional integration.” As an example of the country’s push to partner with neighbors, he cited the Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline Project. The project will “enable all countries along the pipeline route to have access to reliable energy supplies and to be more resilient to exogenous energy price shocks.” 

Several heads of state and over 1000 participants including CEOs, heads of multilateral and regional financial institutions, business leaders and project developers and government ministers are attending the 2023 Market Days. Heads of state and government took the opportunity to make the case for investment in their countries by participating in deal-focused boardrooms and thematic plenaries. They include Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of Comoros and current chairperson of the African Union, Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio, Rwanda’s Prime Minister Eduardo Girente and the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley.

A platform for smooth investments into Africa

In his keynote address, Dr Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, highlighted Africa’s prospects as a prime investment destination.

The continent is not as risky as perceived and is growing and showing resilience despite global challenges, he said, offering reasons for global investors to pursue high-risk-adjusted returns in Africa. “As investors, put your monies where the future is—The future is Africa,” said Adesina.

Heads of state took part in a conversation on Accelerating Africa’s Economic Transformation following opening statements.

As investors, put your monies where the future is—The future is Africa

The President of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, pointed out that manufactured African exports account for just 1% of world exports.  “We export them to developed countries and these countries re-export them to us processed and sell them back to us at ten times the price. Despite the obstacles, there are enormous opportunities for the development of value chains in Africa.”

President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania said technological and aviation “connectivity is a problem in Africa. We need to invest in the continent’s connectivity.” She noted that she recently had to travel via Paris from her country in East Africa to her destination in Dakar, West Africa.

President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone said, “Obstacles are opportunities and how we turn obstacles into opportunities is the most important thing. Our economies are not sufficiently diversified and as soon as there is a shock, we suffer the consequences. And we are at the mercy of fluctuations in commodities like oil.”

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley thanked the government of Morocco and the African Development Bank for inviting her, allowing Africans and Caribbeans to reclaim our Atlantic destiny. “We are finding more and more that opportunities for synergies and solidarities are clear,” she said. Mottley has been a forceful voice on behalf of the global south. In 2022, ahead of COP27, she announced the Bridgetown Initiative, an agenda for the reform of the global financial architecture and development finance in the context of three intersecting global crises: debt, climate, and inflation.

“Don’t ask us to choose people over planet or planet over people,” Mottley said, recommending a unified approach to the creation of a level playing field. She said there was scope for African and Caribbean people to partner in a range of spheres including pharmaceutical development and tourism, particularly the cruise ship industry.

Rwanda’s Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente commended the Africa Investment Forum. “I like events where we are discussing action rather than potential. We need action now,” he said. He urged the removal of barriers to the free movement of people.

Adesina, the chairperson of the Africa Investment Forum, also praised the platform. He said, what makes the Africa Investment Forum unique and remarkable is that it is highly innovative, and 100% transactional. “We develop and curate projects, reduce transaction costs and risks and accelerate the closure of deals,” Adesina said. “Our goal is simple: make investments to land in Africa smoothly.”

He urged attendees to seize opportunities presented during the Market Days: “Let us be concrete, bold, and decisive. The boardrooms have been well prepared. The clock is ticking. The project developers are here. The investors are here. The heads of state and governments are here. And the financial institutions are here. So, let the deals begin.”

The theme of the 2023 Market Days is Unlocking Africa’s value chains. The forum helps connect investors with bankable deals in several sectors including renewable energy, agribusiness and the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

Adesina also conveyed the solidarity of Africa Investment Forum partners for Morocco following the devastating earthquake that struck the country in early September. The African Development Bank will commit €782 million to help finance various projects in Morocco in 2023.

The 2023 Market Days runs from 8 to 10 November. Previous iterations of Market Days have drawn more than 16,500 participants and generated cumulative investment interest of nearly $143 billion.

The Africa Investment Forum’s eight founding partners are the African Development Bank Group, Africa50, Africa Finance Corporation, Afreximbank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and Trade and Development Bank.

Market Days 2023 Agenda (https://apo-opa.co/3sq4Uxt)

Dr Akinwumi Adesina’s speech (https://apo-opa.co/3QOI7oz)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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WARC reveals insights from the winners of the Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions 2026

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3 hours ago

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August 12, 2026

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Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions 2026
Cultural insights, interactive experiences, strategic creator partnerships and platform-native ideas lead to commercial success
12 August 2026 – Strategically integrating cultural insights, interactive experiences, strategic creator partnerships, and platform-native ideas into campaigns are key drivers of commercial success, according to a new report by WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness.

‘Creative Effectiveness Lions – Insights from the 2026 winners’, identifies trends and themes common to the winners of this year’s Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions awards category, which rewards creativity that has also met business goals and driven sustainable impact over time.

Based on WARC’s exclusive access to the jury deliberations and analysis of the entries, the report unearths insights into what makes a campaign both creative and effective, offers a behind-the-scenes view on the strategies that led to success, and provides takeaways for advertisers, agencies, media owners, people and planet.

Commenting on the report, John Bizzell, Content Lead, WARC, said: “This year’s winning Creative Effectiveness campaigns offer valuable insights for marketers, demonstrating how creative excellence can address genuine business and social issues while delivering meaningful growth.”

On the winners, jury president Bertille Toledano, CEO, BETC, Havas Creative Middle East and President of Havas Creative Network, commented: “The jury sought to award Lions to campaigns that delivered genuine impact on real people – the kind of campaigns you would discuss with your mother over lunch. We kept in mind the Creative Effectiveness Ladder to select the most effective creative work that embodied a cultural vision and a clear sense of what the brand stands for. These are the ones I’ll be telling my mother about.”

The three key themes of the Creative Effectiveness Lions 2026 winners are:

  • Rewrite cultural rules, don’t just reflect them

Cultural insight is a strategic business tool that helps brands actively focus on what connects people, and how to respond and innovate. Brands that move beyond surface-level understanding and instead use cultural analysis strategically can unlock new opportunities for growth, relevance and differentiation.

 

Brands should prioritize activation over observation, position themselves as cultural solutions, and focus on value exchange rather than transactional relationships.

Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix winner, Three Words for insurance brand AXA by Publicis France, transformed its home insurance offering to support victims of domestic violence in France by adding the clause ‘and domestic violence’ to its contracts, enabling emergency relocations for those in need.

Gold winner Pedigree’s Caramelo campaign by AlmapBBDO São Paulo, redefined the concept of ‘pedigree’ and increased the adoption of mixed-breed dogs in Brazil, particularly the culturally significant Caramelo, expanding its total addressable market.

  • Interactive experiences foster deeper brand involvement

Turning brand assets into interactive tools enables brands to deepen engagement, foster participation and create memorable moments for audiences.

Brands should embrace direct consumer participation utilising assets, leverage data to build credibility, and implement meaningful reward mechanisms to drive engagement.

Vaseline, the trusted skin healer’s silver-winning Vaseline Verified campaign by Ogilvy Singapore, engaged directly with creators to address misinformation about its product on social media to ensure safe usage among consumers.

Furniture retailer IKEA’s Hidden Tags silver campaign in Portugal by Uzina, Lisbon, encouraged customers to discover the hidden production dates on their products to build consumer trust and reinforce long-term brand commitment.

  • Strategic creator partnerships and platform-native ideas build brands

Creators are more than paid promoters; they can be authentic advocates who add real value. Platform-specific features earn community buy-in and mean reach continues when spend stops.

Brands should focus on integration rather than interruption, look beyond simple amplification, and meet audiences where they naturally engage.

Uber Easts, the food delivery platform’s silver-winning campaign Football is for Food, by Special US, transformed its NFL sponsorship into a purchase opportunity by embedding itself into the sport, linking football with food.

Bronze-winning campaign ‘U Up?’ by Rethink Canada for IKEA leveraged multiple touchpoints to create unexpected brand interactions into points of purchase for mattresses by turning consumer insomnia into immediate conversation.

WARC’s John Bizzell added: “This year’s jury talked a lot about context, from sourcing to metrics and culture. The jury wanted to see work that included well-sourced, credible data and metrics on what was the business impact. They also wanted to see cultural context – on an international jury, not everyone may understand why an insight is so important for a brand or category. Entrants should bear these factors in mind for next year.”

The full report is available to WARC Strategy subscribers. An upcoming WARC Podcast available from 20 August will discuss the findings.

 

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Energy

ExxonMobil’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Breakthrough Signals New Era of Digital Exploration in Guyana Ahead of Caribbean Energy Week (CEW) 2027

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4 hours ago

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August 12, 2026

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Etu Energias

As artificial intelligence transforms upstream decision-making, Guyana’s energy sector continues to attract investment and innovation ahead of the Caribbean Energy Week 2027 In-Country Launch in Georgetown on 1 September 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, August 12, 2026/APO Group/ –ExxonMobil’s announcement that artificial intelligence has identified four new exploration opportunities within Guyana’s prolific Stabroek Block marks a significant milestone in the country’s digital transformation. By applying AI to historical discoveries, drilling results and subsurface data, the company is demonstrating how advanced analytics, machine learning, high-performance computing and next-generation seismic imaging can accelerate exploration, reduce costs and improve discovery success rates.

 

The breakthrough comes as Guyana targets crude oil production of 1.3 million barrels per day by 2027 and 1.7 million barrels per day by 2030, underscoring the growing role of digital technologies in maximizing resource development alongside continued investment in drilling and infrastructure.

Against this backdrop, the Caribbean Energy Week (CEW) 2027 Guyana In-Country Launch, taking place on 1 September 2026 at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, will bring together operators, technology providers, geoscience companies, investors and regulators to examine the latest developments shaping Guyana’s energy sector and build momentum ahead of CEW 2027 next July. Returning for its second edition, CEW provides a premier platform for advancing investment, showcasing new projects and highlighting the technologies driving the country’s next phase of upstream growth.

Momentum behind AI adoption continues to build. In May 2026, ExxonMobil Vice President of Exploration John Ardill confirmed the company was expanding its use of deep learning, machine learning and high-performance computing to analyze seismic data and identify hydrocarbon-bearing prospects that were previously more difficult to evaluate.

The company is simultaneously advancing an ambitious offshore drilling program. This month, ExxonMobil commenced new drilling activities in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone, including the Whiptail development well and Rockhead-1 exploration well. Earlier this year, the company also sought environmental authorization for the Haimara gas-condensate development and has proposed a 35-well drilling campaign between 2028 and 2033, reinforcing confidence in Guyana’s long-term exploration potential.

These developments are creating growing opportunities for AI developers, digital technology providers, seismic specialists, engineering firms and oilfield service companies that can support increasingly data-driven exploration and field development activities.

As the first official milestone on the road to Caribbean Energy Week 2027, the Georgetown launch will provide a platform for industry leaders to examine the technologies, partnerships and investment strategies driving Guyana’s next phase of growth while strengthening collaboration across the Caribbean energy sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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SOKOYO Advances Global Solar Street Lighting Capabilities

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5 hours ago

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August 12, 2026

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SOKOYO

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 August 2026 – SOKOYO, a top manufacturer of solar street lights, has installed 252 sets of lighting units in QatarEnergy’s solar power project in Ras Laffan and Masaieed in Qatar.

Installation of SOKOYO’s split solar street lights for the project being built by Samsung C&T Corp. was completed in July. The arrangement of solar panels was customized at the customer’s request for ease of maintenance.

“SOKOYO provided us with a specially customized solution for our power station,” said Ms. Kathy, senior procurement manager for Samsung. “The entire solar street lighting system consistently met our expectations for brightness, battery life and overall reliability.”

SOKOYO, founded in 2008, has manufactured more than 1 million lighting units installed in a wide range of settings across SoutheastAsia, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.

The company manufactures its own LED modules, solar panels, batteries, light housings and light poles. They have third-party certification for European Union and other safety and reliability standards, which qualifies them for export to global markets.

SOKOYO is regularly appointed to bodies that establish national and industry standards.

SOKOYO’s product line includes all-in-one solar street lights, all-in-two solar street lights and split-type solar street lights. They can be controlled remotely with IoT technology to improve safety and efficiency. Using solar power makes them immune to disruptions in supplies of oil and gas.

As the industry evolves to focus on “system-level R&D,” SOKOYO is reducing customer costs by enhancing reliability and resistance to heat and cold. To improve efficiency, it is developing smart lighting and IoT applications. It is promoting modular production, intelligent manufacturing and standardized process management.

The research team has seven engineers, some with more than two decades of industry experience. They develop technology for a wide range of environments and customer needs.

SOKOYO has experience in markets including Thailand, thePhilippines, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. It has developed technology to cope with heat, humidity, sandstorms and low light during extended rains, a challenge in central Africa and other areas.

In Uganda, SOKOYO supplied 1,000 light sets to help improve safety on a busy expressway between the capital, Kampala, and the eastern industrial center of Jinja. They provide the first nighttime lighting on a 22-kilometer section of road crowded with trucks, buses and motorcycles.

In Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, SOKOYO lights use LED modules developed to cope with heat, sun and sand.

The company supplied more than 2,000 light units to Saudi Arabia’s planned high-tech city of NEOM as part of the Saudi 2030 Vision plan.

Customers can use SOKOYO’s test facilities to try out different light configurations. Lights can be tested on roads of up to four lanes in an1,100-square-meter darkroom. Designers and urban planners can ensure light is distributed effectively, eliminating dark areas on the road and improving safety.

Batteries are tested to confirm they resist crushing, heat and cold, vibration, overcharging or being dropped. LED modules are drenched in salt spray for up to 72 hours to make sure they resist corrosion.

SOKOYO has been chosen for bodies that formulated eight national and industry standards including the “General Technical Specification for Solar Photovoltaic Lighting Devices” in 2025 with definitions and standards for split-type and integrated solar devices.

SOKOYO products have third-party certification that they meet standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and other bodies.Its batteries meet the requirements of the CB scheme under the IEC, recognized in more than 50 countries. Tests confirm they withstand overcharging, high temperature, vibration, impact and short circuit.

The company’s solar panels received IEC certification that they meet standards for electric shock protection, temperature changes, damp, heat, humidity, hail impact and other factors.

SOKOYO participates in efforts to improve the industry’s reputation by promoting “zero false labeling” and reliable products that refuse to cut corners.

SOKOYO pays attention to the environment. Its products are designed to minimize light pollution and limit disruption for wildlife, stargazers and the public.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

 

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