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Africa Investment Forum showcases major projects, including $15.6 billion Abidjan-Lagos Highway

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4 years ago

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Abidjan-Lagos Highway

Among the transactions presented were four transport infrastructure deals and four transactions focused on energy and power

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, June 10, 2022/APO Group/ — On the margins of the African Development Bank Group’s (www.AfDB.org) 2022 Annual Meetings, the Africa Investment Forum convened investors to promote the power of the platform to draw critical investment to the continent.

The investor roundtable on 25 May came at a time when capital flows are in flux in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Such discussions are integral to the Africa Investment Forum, connecting project sponsors, investors, and financiers, as well as the public and the private sector.

Within the context of this year’s Annual Meetings theme: Achieving Climate Resilience and a Just Energy Transition for Africa, the interactive dialogue highlighted several flagship projects that define the AIF platform’s unrivaled convening capacity. The drawcard of the Annual Meetings added to the appeal of the event. The Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group usually draws around 3,000 government leaders, policymakers and other decision makers.

The investment roundtable, held at the Kempinski hotel in Accra, Ghana, included AIF’s founding partners, development finance institutions, commercial banks, high net worth individuals, family businesses, representatives from venture capital and private equity firms. There was a strong showing by the host country, including the Ghana Investment and Promotion Centre (GIPC), the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund, Ghana EXIM, and several leaders in the banking industry.

Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s finance minister, and outgoing chair of the African Development Bank Group’s board of governors, applauded the AIF’s efforts to close Africa’s infrastructure gap, particularly as the continent absorbs the shocks from Covid-19. Ofori-Atta thanked the AIF’s senior director, Chinelo Anohu, for shining a light on Ghana’s portfolio on the AIF platform and he congratulated President Adesina for his foresight in establishing the platform in 2018.

Presentations featured AIF’s active deal pipeline transactions that cut across 26 countries and nine sectors. 2021 Boardroom deals are expected to result in the creation of 3.8 million jobs, both direct and indirect, with a million of these jobs targeting women and women entrepreneurs, and another million jobs for the youth.

The AIF2021 virtual boardrooms, held in March 2022, drew $32.8 billion in investment interest in 31 bankable projects

Among the transactions presented were four transport infrastructure deals and four transactions focused on energy and power. AIF also showcased two Ghanaian deals in transport services, and health.

On transport infrastructure, the $15.6 billion Abidjan-Lagos Highway (https://bit.ly/3N2MXdy) project, led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission took centre stage.  This is the largest investment opportunity that was discussed – and oversubscribed – at the 2021 AIF Boardrooms. This project, part of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), is a critical public-private partnership that will link Abidjan to Lagos, via Accra, Lomé, and Cotonou along the West African coast.

Also highlighted was the $4.5 billion 1,500 MW Mphanda Nkuwa Hydro Power Project in Mozambique. The African Development Bank and Gabinete de Implementação do Projecto Hidroeléctrico de Mphanda Nkuwa, an implementing entity, signed an agreement to provide advisory services for the development of the project on the sidelines of the Bank’s Annual Meetings. President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique and African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina witnessed the signing.

A spirited exchange followed the project presentations, with many participants focusing on the imbalance of perception in the risk premium that investors put on Africa, and the need for the continent to take control of its narrative, in the media and with rating houses. The interactive session amplified AIF’s voice as a leader in private sector development, boosting the platform’s thought leadership on investment opportunities in Africa and contributing to business development.

Investment interest in AIF Boardroom deals continues to grow from strength to strength. The two previous editions of the AIF in 2018 and 2019 secured investment interest across several important transactions of close to $78.8 billion.

The AIF2021 virtual boardrooms, held in March 2022, drew $32.8 billion in investment interest in 31 bankable projects, which included eight that are women-led or women-centred, with a potential value of nearly $5 billion. 

The AIF Market Days, to be held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, in November 2022, will accelerate these boardroom deals to closure.

Championed by the African Development Bank and its founding partners (Africa 50, Africa Finance Corporation, AfreximBank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Trade and Development Bank), the AIF is Africa’s investment marketplace to accelerate transactions to close Africa’s investment gaps.

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

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Energy

Building a Knowledge Hub for China-ASEAN Energy Cooperation

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5 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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ASEAN

NANNING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – During the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, China Southern Power Grid showcased a range of innovations designed to support energy cooperation between China and ASEAN. These included the DaWatt – Lao Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector V2.0 and the Flexible Grayscale Intelligent Monitoring & Analysis Platform for power system cybersecurity, highlighting expanding opportunities for cooperation in digitalization, intelligent technologies and green energy.

The Lao-language LLM has been deployed at Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), where it can automatically analyze thousands of inspection images within a short period of time. After its algorithms were optimized for Laos’ mountainous and rainforest terrain, the model completed intelligent inspection analysis for four transmission lines, processing 26,000 drone inspection images and identifying more than 3,600 equipment defects.

 




 
 

Liu Ying, general manager of the Digitalization Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd., said the company has been building multilingual professional corpora for the power sector, covering ASEAN countries including Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia. Drawing on the capabilities of the DaWatt foundation model, the company is developing energy and power models tailored to ASEAN languages and real-world power industry applications.

Talent development is another focus of the cooperation. The China-ASEAN Institute of Energy, jointly established by Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and Guangxi University, is exploring an industry-university training model with a strong emphasis on practical experience. So far, two cohorts totaling 53 students from ASEAN countries have enrolled.

Cooperation is also evolving from one-way training toward joint innovation. Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and the Royal Academy of Cambodia have jointly established a laboratory for artificial intelligence and safety equipment, while the company has also launched peer-to-peer exchanges with Electricité du Laos on improving power supply reliability.

To address language barriers in cross-border technical exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has developed an AI-powered translation platform backed by a specialized database containing terminology for more than 1,800 types of power equipment. The platform supports accurate translation between Chinese and English, Chinese and Lao, and Chinese and Vietnamese.

At a recent training program for Chinese and overseas engineers, the system supported one-click generation of bilingual course materials and real-time speech translation, helping participants navigate highly specialized power-sector terminology.

To support regular international exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has also established an international talent pool covering management, technical and skilled personnel. It has developed 24 hours of courses on international affairs as well as 20 short-form video courses.

“This year, we will also explore joint postgraduate programs with universities in ASEAN countries,” said Sun Xiaohua, deputy director of the Human Resources Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd.

Looking ahead, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. plans to further advance a development model featuring “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN.” The company will continue expanding its multilingual power-sector corpora and explore a “Token Goes Global” model for power-sector AI, with computing resources and models based in Guangxi while knowledge services are delivered overseas. The effort is aimed at creating new forms of China-ASEAN energy cooperation and supporting the green development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.
 




 

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Events

24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival to Showcase Asia’s Spectacular Autumn Colors

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5 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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Red Leaf Festival

BAZHONG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – The 24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival will run from October 1 to November 18 at the Guangwu Mountain Tourism Area in Bazhong, Sichuan Province, China.

Located in southwest China, Guangwu Mountain boasts a forest coverage rate of 97%, earning its reputation as a “natural oxygen bar.” Each autumn, 680 square kilometers of mountain forests burst into a dazzling palette. Over 40 tree species, including Fagus pashanica, maples and lindens, weave the mountains into a stunning autumn landscape.

Known as “Asia’s longest natural red carpet,” the Mountain has become a top autumn destination for backpackers, photographers and travelers seeking immersive cultural and nature experiences, and is widely recognized as one of western China’s signature autumn attractions.

 




 
 

The tourism area caters to international visitors who prefer slower-paced, in-depth, off-the-beaten-path travel. The new Yanziling Loop Boardwalk, launched in May 2026, winds along mountain cliffs, with a sea of clouds rolling beneath visitors’ feet and brilliant foliage unfolding alongside the trail, creating the feeling of “stepping into a painting.”

Guangwu Mountain offers a wealth of outdoor attractions. Highlights include the 1,888-meter Red Leaf Coaster and a glass water slide certified by Guinness World Record, combining thrilling experiences with stunning natural scenery.

The large-scale immersive production “New Dream of Guangwu Mountain” integrates cutting-edge light and visual technology with Bashan folklore and traditions, transforming the forest into an atmospheric nighttime experience. Visitors can also enjoy welcome performances and interactive robot activities, which offer more ways to discover the mountain’s late-autumn charm.

A major highlight of this year’s festival is the newly completed Micang Avenue. Stretching 85 kilometers, the route connects seven core scenic spots, including Guangwu Mountain, Micang Mountain, and Nuoshui River, reducing a four-hour drive to just one hour. Lined with continuous stretches of colorful forest and layered peaks, the avenue brings brand-new travel experiences for autumn foliage enthusiasts.

The festival will also feature cultural, sports and international exchange activities, including the third season of the “Sending You a Red Leaf” campaign, the China Micang Avenue International Road Cycling Race, and the “World Red Leaf Landmark” global collection campaign.

In addition, 31 scenic attractions and 18 museums and cultural venues across Bazhong will provide special ticket offers and visitor benefits during the festival.

Across mountains and seas, Guangwu Mountain invites visitors from around the world to witness one of China’s most vibrant red-and-gold autumn displays.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
 
 




 

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Business

DHL Invests in Greater Middle East-Africa Connectivity with New Aviation Lane

Published

5 hours ago

on

September 22, 2026

By

DHL Express

The investment also reflects shifting global supply chains, as companies diversify sourcing, manufacturing and customer markets beyond traditional corridors

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 21, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • New weekly B767/F Bahrain-Johannesburg service strengthens Sub-Saharan Africa connectivity and supports growing trade flows between Africa, the Gulf and global markets

DHL Express (www.DHL.com) has marked an important milestone in its regional aviation network with the successful operation of the first direct DHL flight between Bahrain and South Africa.

The inaugural flight arrived at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, opening a new weekly aviation lane operated by a DHL Express B767/F freighter. The route reinforces DHL’s continued investment in strengthening Sub-Saharan Africa network connectivity, expanding heavier-weight capability, improving flexibility and supporting growing trade flows between the Middle East and Africa.

 




  

As trade between Africa and the Middle East develops, businesses need resilient, well-connected logistics networks. The new service provides greater inbound and outbound capacity for South Africa and neighbouring countries through the DHL Johannesburg Hub, one of the company’s key gateways on the continent.

 

The investment also reflects shifting global supply chains, as companies diversify sourcing, manufacturing and customer markets beyond traditional corridors. Bahrain’s position as a gateway between Africa, the Gulf and Asia make it an important link for businesses seeking faster access to international markets.

 

Every new connection we introduce is designed with our customers in mind

“Every new connection we introduce is designed with our customers in mind. As global trade routes diversify and economic ties between Africa and the Middle East continue to strengthen, we are seeing powerful geographical tailwinds creating new opportunities for businesses. Demand is growing across sectors such as healthcare, technology, manufacturing and cross-border e-commerce, all of which rely on fast, reliable international logistics,” said Anthony Beckley, Vice President of Operations and Aviation for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

“While this first direct DHL flight between Bahrain and South Africa is a significant network milestone, its real value lies in the opportunities it creates for customers.”

 

 

South Africa is one of DHL’s Geographic Tailwinds markets, reflecting its growing role in global trade flows and its potential to drive future trade growth. And Johannesburg remains a critical gateway in DHL’s SSA network, linking South Africa and neighbouring markets to global opportunities through Bahrain and the wider DHL aviation network. Through continued investment in routes, aircraft capacity and hub connectivity, DHL is supporting customers across this dynamic lane.

 

“DHL Express is the only logistics provider operating a dedicated intra-regional air fleet across the Middle East, connecting customers through Bahrain with major global gateways including Hong Kong, Leipzig and Cincinnati,” said Richard Gale, Vice President of Aviation, DHL Express MENA.

 

“Bahrain’s position at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East makes it an ideal hub for customers seeking faster, more reliable access across these growing trade corridors. We are pleased to add this direct Johannesburg connection as economic ties between Africa and the Gulf deepen.”

 

DHL remains committed to helping customers seize opportunities created by changing trade patterns and expanding economic relationships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of DHL Express.

 

 




 

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