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African Development Bank Holds First Industrial and Trade Business Opportunity Forum in Egypt

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African Development Bank

Egyptian businesses keen to increase business and deepen integration with other African countries

CAIRO, Egypt, February 24, 2023/APO Group/ — 

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), in collaboration with the Egyptian Commercial Services (ECS) department of the Egyptian Ministry of Industry and Trade, has ended its first Industrial and Trade Business Opportunity Seminar (IT-BOS) dedicated to establishing business relationships with Egyptian manufacturers and exporters.

The one-day seminar, held on 22 February, saw record attendance from participants who expressed a high-level of interest in strengthening ties with and exploring new business opportunities within Africa.

The meeting brought together industrial, agricultural, and private sector experts from 105 large Egyptian manufacturers and exporters with significant domestic and regional investment activity. The participating companies represented a wide sector of industrial and export councils, namely from the medical, fertilizers, building materials, engineering and chemical industries, mining, food processing and packaging sectors.

Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, African Development Bank Director of Industrial and Trade Department, delivered the opening address on behalf of Solomon Quaynor, Vice President of Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization.

He highlighted the purpose of the seminar: “to establish solid business relations and explore collaboration opportunities with the Egyptian industrial business community for growth in the domestic market and to deepen Egyptian regional integration in Africa.” He then presented the African Development Bank’s Ten-year strategy, highlighting the “High 5” strategic priorities with a focus on private sector development and job creation.

The meeting brought together industrial, agricultural, and private sector experts from 105 large Egyptian manufacturers and exporters

“African investments in Africa are below acceptable levels, Africa has endless business opportunities that are often unknown to businesses in neighboring countries – a cardinal sin in this information technology age. We should develop a common manual of doing business to facilitate intra-Africa trade we should proactively address the sources of high cost of doing intra-Africa business,” underscored Ambassador, Mohamed El-Badry, Assistant to the Minister for African Affairs.

Dr. Eng. Sherif El Gabaly, Head of the African Affairs Committee in the Egyptian Parliament, applauded the Bank and ECS for organizing the “timely meeting” with the Egyptian private sector. He added that Egypt has a longstanding and deep relationship with the African development Bank Group as a founding member and as the second largest shareholder of the Group, however, the country has so far mainly benefited from the public sector window. He highlighted that Egypt has a strong private sector with cutting edge ideas and talent; and urged the Bank to “support non-sovereign operations which will provide impetus to Egypt’s strategic industrial sectors.”

The seminar was a great opportunity for the companies to proactively share their aspirations, challenges, and opportunities in accessing and growing exports in African markets and exploring potential collaboration areas.  

Dr. Yousery El Sharkawy, Chairman Egyptian African Businessmen Association, encouraged Egyptian private sector community to “know the Bank, stay close and knock on the Bank’s door, as it is committed to Egypt’s sustainable growth and a heightened role in Africa’s regional integration.” He added that Egypt has a realistic sense of the ample trade and win-win opportunities with sister African countries, shown by the Country’s leadership’s emphasis on expanding Egypt’s regional alliances.

“This event is the first of its kind, in its focus, timeliness, and the high level of private sector participation from the most strategic Egyptian manufacturers. We want a series of this event to be organized regularly to nurture the business relationship that we have established today,” indicated Dr. Ghada Ali, a member of the Egyptian Parliament Economic Committee.

Yehia El Wathiq Bellah, Minister Plenipotentiary and Head of the Egyptian Commercial Representation stressed that the Bank’s Ten-year strategy is aligned with Egypt’s 2030 Vision which calls for a balanced, knowledge-based and export-based market economy. Hence Egypt should explore opportunities for private sector financing from the African Development Bank, he noted.

Samuel Kamara, Country Program Officer for the Egypt office represented the Bank’s Director General of North Africa, Mohamed El Azizi presented Egypt’s Country Strategy Paper for 2022-2026. Participants also heard presentations on the Bank’s financing instruments and modalities, as well as its private sector engagements in establishing special agro-processing zones in Africa. While the Bank’s footprint is established in twenty member countries, Egypt is yet to access the Bank’s expertise and financing in this sector, they heard.

Following the presentations, the Bank’s team engaged in business-to-business meeting towards the development of a comprehensive pipeline of Egyptian manufacturing and export projects eligible for potential Bank financing. The event was moderated by the Bank’s Principal Industrial Program Coordinator, Dr. Ghada Abuzaid, and Samuel Mugoya, Advisor to the VP Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialization.

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

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Ministers among hundreds of energy-sector leaders to attend AOW event

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Sinclair

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

AOW: Investing in African Energy (https://AOWEnergy.com) – Africa’s leading oil, gas and energy event – has confirmed attendance for more than 80 ministers and senior officials, representing African governments, energy departments and regulators at next month’s event.

These influential stakeholders will be among the more than 1 600 senior delegates and industry leaders who will be attending the event to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future.

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.”

Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention

Among the officials and government ministers attending will be energy leaders from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Eswatini, Uganda, CAR, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Gabon, Malawi, Morocco, Zanzibar, Liberia, Senegal, Congo Brazzaville and Sierra Leone.

In addition, the event will feature high-level delegations from numerous national oil companies, as well as multilateral bodies including the African Union, (AU), African Energy Commission (AFREC), African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

AOW will see these energy leaders networking with C-suite executives and decision-makers from more than 760 top energy companies at daily networking events, to discuss insights, forge new relationships, and negotiate major energy deals.

“We are so excited to see the calibre of delegates at this year’s AOW event,” says Chief Executive Officer of Sankofa Events, Paul Sinclair. “Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention. The high-powered attendance proves AOW is a key platform to enable this intervention.”

Key themes to be discussed at this year’s AOW will be sustainable upstream development; expanding gas value chains; renewables and new energies; adoption of best-in-class technologies; and access to finance.

AOW: Investing in African Energy will culminate in a special anniversary party at Groot Constantia Vineyard to celebrate 30 years of the AOW event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

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Afreximbank approves US$20.8 million for Starlink Global’s cashew factory project in Lagos

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PAPSS

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs

CAIRO, Egypt, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has approved a US$20.8 million financing facility for Nigeria-based Starlink Global & Ideal Limited to enable the company construct and operate a 30,000-metric tonne per annum cashew processing factory in Lagos.

We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria

According to the facility agreement signed in on July 22, 2024, Afreximbank will provide the funds in two tranches with the first tranche of US$7.48M going toward capital expenditure for the construction of the factory and the second, totalling US$13.25M to be deployed as working capital for the operations of the factory.

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs once the factory becomes operational. It is also expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra Africa Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said that by supporting Starlink Global to establish a modern processing facility, Afreximbank is making it possible for Africa to add value to its agro-commodities, thereby facilitating exports and subsequent inflow of much-needed foreign exchange into the continent.

“We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria. It will contribute to value creation and to the development of the local community while also improving the lots of smallholder farmers and small business suppliers that will work with Starlink across the value chain,” Mrs. Awani added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Sonangol to Lead Decarbonized Oil & Gas (O&G) Development, Says Angolan National Oil Company (NOC) Head

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Sonangol

Participating in an on-stage interview at Angola Oil & Gas 2024, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins emphasized that oil and gas remains a core focus for the national oil company

LUANDA, Angola, October 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Angola’s national oil company Sonangol reiterated its commitment to driving sustainable hydrocarbon development during the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference this week. Speaking during an “In-Conversation with” session, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins stated that the company will not abandon oil and gas, but rather advance decarbonized oil and gas development.

We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas

By investing in upstream oil and gas production while prioritizing low-carbon projects, Sonangol aims to boost national crude output, while diversifying and decarbonizing the industry. The NOC is focusing efforts on non-associated gas development, as well as alternative energy sources such as solar.

“We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas. Gas produced from Angola LNG will be used for the production of fertilizer and we are evaluating the utilization of gas in the south of the country, linking gas with steel industries. We also have a blue carbon project, linked to the reduction of carbon through the plantation of mangroves. We have one area in Luanda and have identified four additional areas for this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Sonangol has undergone transformation in recent years: following the creation of the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) in 2019, Sonangol transferred its role as national concessionaire and regulator. This transformation has aimed to make Sonangol more competitive and strengthen its capacity as an upstream operator. Concurrently, the government is partially privatizing the NOC, with privatization set to be complete in 2026. This process will enhance financial capacity, allowing Sonangol to drive new upstream projects forward.

“The transformation of Sonangol started several years ago, when we passed the regulatory, concessionaire role to the ANPG. At the time, we transferred almost 600 employees to the ANPG. After that, Sonangol underwent a restructuring program where we created five core business units from 36 different entities – starting with exploration and production. We want to go public, but we want to do it properly. So, we are currently going through all the processes to do this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

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

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