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Canon Central & North Africa Hosts Annual Dealer Conference in Dubai to Drive Innovation and Customer Experience

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Canon

The event provided dealers with valuable market insights & trends, a strategic outlook of the African business model, and Canon leadership’s vision for the coming years

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 15, 2024/APO Group/ — 

The conference, themed “ICE,” highlighted Canon’s innovations, customer relationships, and an immersive imaging experience; Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) recognized top-performing partners in five categories for B2B and B2C businesses at the conference.

Canon, a global leader in imaging solutions, successfully hosted its annual dealer conference at Hilton Habtoor City in Dubai, bringing together 144 channel partners, system integrators, industry verticals and value-added resellers from across Africa. The conference, themed “ICE: Innovation, Customer, and Experience,” focused on showcasing Canon’s latest innovations, strengthening relationships with customers, and providing attendees with an immersive experience of the entire Canon’s imaging ecosystem.

Aligned with Canon’s strategy of getting closer to its customers, the dealer conference served as a platform to foster stronger partnerships and explore new opportunities. The event provided dealers with valuable market insights & trends, a strategic outlook of the African business model, and Canon leadership’s vision for the coming years. The main aim of this comprehensive approach was to empower dealers to gain key insights and tailor their business strategies to the unique needs of the Africa’s imaging market. The event also highlighted Canon’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that meet the diverse needs of businesses and consumers in Africa.

To facilitate a comprehensive understanding of Canon’s offerings, the conference featured dedicated zones showcasing a wide range of products and solutions.

Business-To-Consumer Zones

We are committed to fostering strong partnerships and delivering exceptional experiences to our customers, empowering them to achieve their goals and unlock new opportunities

  • Content Creator Zone: This zone showcased Canon’s EOS R50, PowerShot V10, and EOS R8 cameras, designed to empower content creators, including photographers, videographers and social media influencers with exceptional image and video quality. Attendees learned how these cameras, paired with the Camera Connect app, streamline content transfer, and enhance workflow efficiency. Additionally, the zone highlighted Canon Academy Video, an immersive virtual online film school which is a valuable resource for content creators seeking to improve their skills on production stages, equipment, techniques and much more.
  • EOS R System Zone: This exclusive zone featured the newly launched EOS R5 Mark II and EOS R1 cameras, designed for professional photographers and videographers. Dealers had the opportunity to experience these cutting-edge products firsthand and witness their capabilities through live demonstrations showcasing their potential applications in various creative fields, such as sports, portrait photography, wildlife photography, documentary filmmaking, and more.
  • Cinema Zone: This zone highlighted Canon’s EOS R Cinema range of cameras and lenses, featuring the newly launched EOS C400 and EOS C80 models. Dealers had the opportunity to explore these professional-grade cameras and learn about their advanced features and capabilities for filmmaking and video production. Engineered to meet the high standards of cinematographers, Canon Cinema lenses offer exceptional optical performance, robust build quality, and versatility to meet the exacting requirements of film productions.
  • Home Zone: This zone focused on Canon’s consumer printing solutions, featuring the Maxify range and its banner printing capabilities. Attendees also explored the G-series printer range and learned about the benefits of i-Sensys Cloud connectivity (https://apo-opa.co/406o0Y6) including seamless hybrid working, agile collaboration, and easy printing and scanning from/to popular cloud storage platforms. The zone also showcased the Canon digital guide and Canon Print Hub (https://apo-opa.co/4eG2fCX) which is the first point of call to find a fountain of knowledge to make the most from your Canon printer (https://apo-opa.co/4gYImIC).
  • Education Zone: This zone highlighted Canon’s World of Education (https://apo-opa.co/4eG2gH1) which displayed the brand’s commitment to education and sustainability. Attendees learned about Canon’s various education programs and how they empower young African youth through technology and knowledge.

Rashad Ghani, B2C Business Unit Director mentioned: “Our annual dealer conference in Dubai was a resounding success, providing an excellent opportunity to connect with our valued partners across Africa. By showcasing our latest innovations and highlighting the benefits of our products, we aim to empower our partners to achieve their goals and business objectives. I would also like to congratulate the dealers who have won awards for their remarkable contributions to Canon’s success. We are committed to fostering strong partnerships and delivering exceptional experiences to our customers, empowering them to achieve their goals and unlock new opportunities. “

Business-To-Business Zones

  • B2B Solutions for Remote Working: Revised Paragraph: This zone highlighted Canon’s document and information management solutions (DIMS) and key products tailored to support remote workforces and boost productivity. Among the featured offerings were the laser printers i-SENSYS MF655Cdw and i-SENSYS MF463dw, as well as the inkjet printers GX2040 and GX7040. These products & solutions, designed to cater to business-to-business needs, offer reliable printing solutions for remote workers, ensuring efficient document management and seamless collaboration.
  • SMBs: This zone highlighted Canon’s solutions designed for small and medium-sized businesses, including printers, scanners, and software aimed at streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency. Featured products included the Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800 Series, advanced multifunction devices that accelerate document management and processing, and the Canon imagePROGRAF TM-350/355 MFP Lm36, a sustainable 36-inch multifunction printer renowned for its quiet operation, high productivity, intuitive interface, professional image quality, and integrated scanning capabilities. The integration of uniFLOW software further empowers businesses by automating workflows, optimizing resource allocation, and ensuring secure document handling.
  • Public, Corporate Bodies: This zone highlighted Canon’s solutions designed for government agencies and large corporations, focusing on document management, security, and workflow optimization. Featured products included the Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX 8900 Series, smart and secure A3 monochrome multifunction devices offering professional-quality output and a wide range of finishing options. The Canon imagePROGRAF TX-4200, a versatile 44-inch large format printer, ensures advanced productivity and reliable quality. Additionally, the document scanners integrated with Scan 2x technology provide efficient and secure document capture.
  • Commercial & In-House printing:  This zone showcased Canon’s solutions tailored for commercial and in-house printing, catering to print houses, print solution providers, print centers and organizations seeking in-house printing capabilities. The product featured included Canon imagePRESS V900 Series, which is a range of compact and reliable digital printing presses designed to meet the demanding requirements of print service providers and digital commercial environments. With its exceptional image quality, high productivity, and versatile finishing options, the imagePRESS V900 Series empowers businesses to deliver professional-grade printed materials efficiently and cost-effectively.

Amine Djouahra, B2B Business Unit Director said: “The dealer conference provided a valuable platform to showcase our comprehensive range of products, from scanners to large format printers and production print equipments, offering complete input-to-output solutions tailored to the diverse needs of small businesses, medium-sized enterprises, corporations, and print providers. By demonstrating how our technology can enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and drive business growth, we aim to strengthen our partnerships and position Canon as the preferred choice for businesses across Africa. I would like to commend all our partners who have been recognized with awards for their outstanding achievements. Their dedication and hard work have contributed significantly to Canon’s success.”

To celebrate the conference, Canon hosted a gala dinner and an awards ceremony to recognize and reward its top-performing partners. The awards were presented in five categories for both B2B and B2C businesses, acknowledging their outstanding contributions to Canon’s success.

By hosting this exclusive event, Canon has reinforced its position as a leading imaging solutions provider in Africa and reaffirmed its dedication to innovation, customer satisfaction, and exceptional experiences.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).

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African Development Bank Partners with Interpol to Combat Financial Crime and Strengthen Anti-Corruption Efforts in Africa

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1 day ago

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February 21, 2025

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African Development Bank

According to Interpol’s 2024 Global Financial Fraud Assessment, business email compromise, romance baiting, phishing, and other online frauds pose growing threats to Africa’s digitalized economy

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, February 21, 2025/APO Group/ –The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has taken a significant step forward in its fight against corruption and financial crime by signing a Letter of Intent with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) today. The Bank Group is the first multilateral development bank to establish such a collaboration with Interpol.

The Letter of Intent was signed on Wednesday by African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza, who visited the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan.

The partnership will enhance collaboration between the Bank’s Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption (https://apo-opa.co/3QrB4ku) and Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre. It will focus on sharing expertise, enhancing investigative capabilities, and developing preventive measures against emerging financial crime threats, including cybercrime, anti-corruption measures, and counter-terrorism financing.

This initiative comes as Africa faces significant challenges of illicit financial flows, estimated at nearly $90 billion annually—a loss of resources that could otherwise be invested in critical development needs including water, sanitation, health, food, and energy infrastructure.

As an institution that deploys approximately $10 billion annually in development financing, with the majority going to government projects, the African Development Bank Group brings crucial insight into regional financial flows and development challenges, Adesina said.

Corruption and financial crime are among the biggest obstacles to economic and social development in Africa and around the world

“This partnership demonstrates our commitment to protecting development resources and ensuring they reach their intended beneficiaries,” said Adesina. “As the world’s most transparent financial institution for two consecutive editions (https://apo-opa.co/41o3TVt) [according to Publish What You Fund’s assessment of sovereign portfolios], we maintain zero tolerance for corruption and terrorism financing. By joining forces with Interpol, we are strengthening our capacity to help African countries build robust systems against money laundering and financial crime.”

Rapid advancements in digital technology have also led to an increase in internet-enabled financial crimes. According to Interpol’s 2024 Global Financial Fraud Assessment, business email compromise, romance baiting, phishing, and other online frauds pose growing threats to Africa’s digitalized economy.

Secretary General Urquiza, who was elected to his position in November 2024, said, “Corruption and financial crime are among the biggest obstacles to economic and social development in Africa and around the world. The evolving nature of financial crime, particularly in the digital environment, requires strong partnerships between law enforcement and financial institutions. Interpol’s closer relationship with the African Development Bank Group will help law enforcement agencies and financial institutions across Africa tackle increasingly sophisticated financial crime threats.”

Adesina said the Bank will continue to tackle these challenges by:

  • Building capacity and supporting African countries in strengthening transparent and accountable governance and strong institutions capable of driving inclusive and sustainable growth and resilient economies.
  • Strengthening Know Your Customer and Due Diligence systems to prevent and to fight fraud and corruption.
  • Ensure that the Bank’s resources are used for their intended purposes in a transparent and accountable manner, a practice that has led to the Bank being recognized for two consecutive editions as the most transparent multilateral development bank in the world by Publish What You Fund.

The high-level Interpol delegation that accompanied Secretary General Urquiza included Mr. Silvino Schlickmann, Director of Governance and Ms. Paule Ouedraogo, Head of Interpol’s Regional Bureau.

The African Development Bank Group was represented by members of President Adesina’s senior management team including the director of the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption, Ms. Paula da Costa.

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

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World-leading Crypto Event Launches APAC’s Largest Debut with Consensus Hong Kong 2025

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1 day ago

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February 21, 2025

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Blockchain

Over 350 side events transformed mega digital assets event to mega festivities
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 February 2025 – Regarded as the “Super Bowl of Blockchain” and “the World Cup of Web3”, Consensus, the most influential and longest-running event of the crypto world, picked Hong Kong as a destination to expand beyond North America, with a record-setting debut of nearly 10,000 from over 100 countries and regions converging at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 18-20 February.

Phoebe Shing, Director, Business Development Team Lead, MICE • MICE-Business Development of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said, “The tremendous success of Consensus’s Hong Kong debut marked the city as one of the most conducive destinations to expand the global footprint of proven events. More than a world’s meeting place, Hong Kong is also a super-connector in the world of finance, innovation and technology (I&T) and global cultures. This mega crypto event also puts Hong Kong on the forefront of accelerating the region’s advancement, while generating high-yield tourism spending and business activities to fuel Hong Kong’s economy.”

A convergence of who’s who in the world of blockchain, digital assets and web3

Asia’s top financial policymakers, crypto thought-leaders and investors shared the main stage with Mainland and world pioneers in blockchain, digital assets and web3 fields, defining what’s next and mapping the way forward for greater impact. The cast of stellar speakers notably included Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, the largest crypto exchange by trading volume; Adam Back, CEO and co-founder of Blockstream, a global leader in Bitcoin and blockchain technologies; Yat Siu, Co-Founder & Chairman Animoca Brands, a global leader in blockchain and gaming; Hong Fang, President of OKX, a leading Web3 technology company and leading crypto exchange, and many more.

Sara Stratoberdha, CEO of CoinDesk said, “Consensus has been running for over 10 years and is one of the longest-running and comprehensive digital assets events in the world. Hong Kong, a Fintech hub in Asia serves as a global center for crypto and web3 technologies, with favourable policies and a large pool of talent for blockchain, digital assets and web3 to thrive. We are thrilled to see that over 75% of attendees are coming from outside Hong Kong. A truly international event! The city has proven the ideal choice for expanding Consensus beyond North America.”

A strong line-up of over 350 side events, delivering huge commercial value

Consensus Hong Kong 2025 was embellished with more than 350 side events, giving the energetic global crypto community diverse opportunities to showcase their expertise, create and renew partnerships and party to the heart’s content.

Michael Lau, Chairman of Consensus Hong Kong, added, “The scale of the inaugural Hong Kong event has surpassed our expectations, with nearly 10,000 attendees and what truly surprised us is that the community and industry were eager to participate and the fact that we ended up hosting over 350 side events is a strong testament to Hong Kong as a leading global FinTech hub where we have a vibrant ecosystem, entrepreneurial spirits, innovative cultures that nowhere else can replicate. I am also appreciative of the support from the HKTB in securing the event for the city I call home.”

Transforming business events into mega festivals

Consensus Hong Kong also spectacularly transformed a leading business event into a mega festival, kicking off with its Opening Party – Rooftop Revelry, held at Cloud 39, the ultra-luxury rooftop ballroom of iconic landmark in Central The Henderson that set the tone for the event’s sophisticated networking occasions. Action continued all the way to its long-established tradition of Music Festival and Crypto Fight Night, extending to Hong Kong’s unique horse-racing and night party at Lan Kwai Fong. The conference concluded with a bang with the Consensus Closing Party in Lan Kwai Fong, where participants were treated to an open bar, live music and fun networking.

Brad Spies, Vice President of Consensus, said, “Hong Kong has a long legacy of finance, banking and some of the deepest capital markets in the world; but it’s also such a vibrant and diverse city with the best restaurants, fantastic venues and unique experiences. The city simply fulfilled the promises of delivering the best of business and fun. Hong Kong is such a world-class city for people to come and transform business events into mega festivals.”

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Saudi Arabia Expands Energy Ties with Africa: A Look at Key Investments, Partnerships

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February 21, 2025

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Following Saudi Arabia’s latest energy efficiency cooperation agreement with Egypt, the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference will provide a vital platform to accelerate partnerships and secure new deals between Saudi Arabia and African countries

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, February 21, 2025/APO Group/ –Earlier this week, Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud signed an agreement to develop an executive plan for energy efficiency cooperation, strengthening bilateral ties in the energy sector and fostering sustainable development. This follows another significant development in September, in which Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly secured a $5 billion pledge from Saudi Arabia’s PIF, representing the “first phase” of a larger investment strategy.

As a leading global energy giant, Saudi Arabia has been actively investing in Africa’s energy sector, aiming to expand its energy reserves, advance energy diplomacy and compete with other global superpowers. This strategic push not only strengthens Saudi Arabia’s influence in the region, but also paves the way for deeper economic and political ties with African nations.

To date, the lion’s share of investment in Africa’s energy sector has focused on clean energy advancements. With total project costs reaching $7 billion across the continent, Saudi developer ACWA Power stands as the leading private-sector investor in African renewable energy. In October 2024, the company announced that its Redstone solar plant in South Africa was set to achieve its full 100 MW capacity, while its Kom Ombo solar PV plant in Egypt successfully reached its full capacity of 200 MW. ACWA Power is also leading Project DAO, South Africa’s largest hybrid renewable power plant, with an $800 million investment. The project is expected to come online by 2026 and aligns with the Kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 goals.

In addition to renewable energy, Saudi Arabia is diversifying its investments to secure critical minerals for clean energy technologies. In October, Saudi Arabia’s Manara Minerals, a joint venture between Ma’aden and the Public Investment Fund (PIF), entered advanced talks to acquire a minority stake in First Quantum Minerals’ Zambian copper and nickel assets. The potential investment, valued between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, underscores Saudi Arabia’s strategy to secure critical minerals that are vital for the global clean energy transition.

Turning to broader regional commitments, Saudi Arabia’s financial support for Africa’s energy infrastructure has grown. In October, the Kingdom announced a major funding initiative, pledging at least $41 billion for sub-Saharan African nations. This includes $1 billion for development, $5 billion for startups, $10 billion in financing from the Saudi Export-Import Bank and $25 billion in private sector investments over the next decade.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Ministry of Energy has established the “Empowering Africa” initiative as part of its broader commitment to supporting sustainable development across the continent. In collaboration with the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology and Health, the initiative aims to deliver clean energy, connectivity, e-health and e-learning solutions to enhance lives and promote long-term growth in Africa. Building upon the Clean Fuel Solutions for Cooking Program, it focuses on providing cleaner cooking solutions to vulnerable populations, aiming to reduce reliance on traditional biomass fuels and improve health outcomes for millions of households. Minister bin Salman Al Saud has emphasized energy as a fundamental human right and is spearheading efforts to improve access to clean cooking technologies across the continent.

Additionally, state-owned petroleum company Saudi Aramco is strengthening its partnerships with African nations to support energy investments and mobilization. These collaborations are expected to drive infrastructure development, enhance oil and gas production capacity and facilitate knowledge transfer between Saudi and African energy stakeholders, while aligning with broader energy security and sustainability goals.

In the multilateral arena, the African Energy Chamber is working with Saudi Arabia to support South Africa’s G20 energy investments and mobilization. This partnership is set to facilitate greater financing and policy coordination, ensuring Africa’s energy priorities are well-represented in global energy discussions. The upcoming African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies conference in Cape Town serves as a key platform to facilitate and support these investments, bringing together Saudi stakeholders, African governments and global energy leaders to advance new projects, strengthen partnerships and accelerate the continent’s energy transition. These collaborations are essential in addressing energy challenges, driving economic growth and fostering long-term sustainability. As Saudi investments expand – alongside those of other G20 nations – their impact on Africa’s energy landscape will only deepen.

AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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