CAIRO, Egypt, March 12, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (https://www.Afreximbank.com/) is pleased to launch the second season of its documentary series, Impact Stories. Building on the success of the inaugural season, the new collection of six films expands the series’ geographic scope to capture the Bank’s growing footprint across Global Africa, featuring stories from the Caribbean and Africa.

 

Produced by Afreximbank in partnership with Create, CNN International Commercial’s branded content studio, Season Two takes viewers on location to Grenada, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria. The series brings to life the impactful outcomes of strategic investments, moving beyond finance to capture the human and economic transformation unfolding across the continent and its diaspora. Each episode provides an intimate look at the landmark projects and partnerships that are unlocking enterprise, building critical infrastructure, and fostering a new era of prosperity.

Featuring stories that highlight the breadth and impact of Afreximbank’s interventions — from the expansion of the Silversands Resort in Grenada, a flagship project of deeper Africa-Caribbean cooperation, to the development of Dangote Refinery in Lagos, the films illustrate the scale of ambition driving Africa’s economic future. Viewers will be transported to Aba, Nigeria, to see how the Geometric Power project is revitalising a historic industrial hub with reliable electricity, and to Ghana, where the series follows the journey of cocoa from farm to global market through the Bank’s partnership with Plot Enterprise.

The series also celebrates the rise of Africa’s creative economy, spotlighting Ghanaian fashion brand Boyedoe as it prepared for its debut on global stage at Paris Fashion Week, supported by Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme. The final episode explores the renovation of Abidjan’s iconic Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium, showcasing how investment in national infrastructure delivers wide-reaching cultural and economic benefits for local communities.

Mrs. Anne Ezeh, Director of Communications and Events at Afreximbank, emphasised the series’ role in documenting the Bank’s core mission and impact: “These films are much more than stories about investment and projects; they are portraits of partnership and progress, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to fostering economic independence. By showcasing the entrepreneurs, communities, and national economies we partner with, we are sharing a vision of a prosperous and integrated Global Africa. This showcase is vital because it demonstrates that the building blocks for greater economic integration are already in place or being built now, inspiring businesses and regions to accelerate intra-African trade and encouraging entrepreneurs to forge cross-border collaborations that drive development at home and abroad.”

Martin Laing, Senior Director of Production and Global Executive Producer at CNN International Commercial’s Create Brand Studio, said: “It’s been a real privilege to work hand in hand with Afreximbank and their incredible team as co producers of Impact Stories again for the second season. Together, we’ve built a compelling, audience first YouTube documentary series dedicated to telling powerful human stories and showcasing the real-world impact of their initiatives across Africa, its global diaspora, and beyond. We are incredibly proud to collaborate on a truly international series that puts people at the heart of the storytelling and connects meaningfully with audiences around the world.”

The six new episodes which will debut on Afreximbank TV (https://apo-opa.co/47Dzbu0) on March 12th and serve as a powerful testament to Afreximbank’s mandate to finance and promote trade, as well as demonstrating how strategic investments are turning opportunity into tangible prosperity for businesses and communities across Africa and the Caribbean. The series will be promoted in high impact formats across CNN.com and in a long-form TV campaign across CNN International.

• Global connectedness stood at 25% in 2025, matching the record high first reached in 2022
• Namibia ranks among the top three countries globally for long‑term increases in connectedness since 2001; Mozambique, Nigeria and Zambia record strong gains
• The DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026 draws on more than 9 million data points worldwide

Globalization remains at a historically high level – despite escalating geopolitical tensions, rising U.S. tariffs, and unprecedented uncertainty about future trade policies. This is one of the key findings of the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026 (https://Group.DHL.com), released today by DHL and New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Based on more than 9 million data points tracking international flows of trade, capital, information, and people, the report offers the most comprehensive view of globalization available.

Sub‑Saharan Africa: connectedness gains point to rising relevance in global trade

Against this global backdrop, the report presents a nuanced picture for Sub‑Saharan Africa. While levels of connectedness differ significantly across the region, several economies are strengthening their integration into global flows, underscoring steady progress over time, and highlighting scope for further gains in others.

Namibia ranks among the countries with the largest increases in connectedness since 2001, with Mozambique also featuring among the strongest long‑run improvers. More recently, Nigeria and Zambia are listed among the countries with the largest connectedness gains since 2022, reflecting growing momentum in trade, investment and people flows.

Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub‑Saharan Africa, commented: “As supply chains across the globe continue to develop and trade routes expand into new territories, connectedness is emerging as a key differentiator for businesses and nations alike. The countries in our region that are strengthening their global links are becoming more visible in international trade networks. While this is an encouraging trend in terms of the scope of opportunities available, the key is to take advantage of these opportunities to drive consistent and reliable trade flows. This report further underscores how Africa is increasingly shifting from a narrative of aid to one of trade, a transformation powered by stronger integration, rising competitiveness, and improved access to global markets. To fully unlock this potential, the region needs strong regional connectivity, predictable cross-border processes, and partners that understand both local conditions and global trade requirements. At DHL Express, we are committed to being a catalyst for growth in Africa, ensuring that not only is Africa a part of global trade but a key driver within it.”

Beyond trade and investment, the report finds that people flows have recovered fully from the Covid‑19 collapse. In tourism, UN data show that Africa recorded a 17% increase in international arrivals in 2025 compared with 2019, the second‑largest increase among world regions, behind the Middle East.

In the report’s 2024 country ranking of 180 economies, South Africa ranks 53rd overall. Other Sub‑Saharan African countries with relatively higher overall ranks include Seychelles (40th), Mauritius (65th), Namibia (68th), Ghana (97^th), Nigeria (100th), Mozambique (107th), and Kenya (119th).

Globalization has held firm since 2022

The report tracks globalization on a scale from 0% (no cross-border flows) to 100% (borders and distance have no impact). The world’s level of globalization was 25% in 2025, in line with the record high set in 2022.

“Globalization is holding its ground – and that alone speaks volumes about its value,” said John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express. “From poverty to climate change, the world’s biggest challenges can only be solved through global thinking. The DHL Global Connectedness Report shows that countries and companies are not retreating behind national borders. That is good news. DHL strengthens global ties by connecting markets, businesses, and people so they can adapt, diversify, and unlock new opportunities – even in uncertain times.”

At the same time, the current level of globalization underlines how far the world remains from being fully globalized. In many areas, international flows could expand further in the absence of policy constraints.

 

No global split into rival blocs

Even as the U.S. and China decouple, most countries continue to engage with their longstanding partners. Over the past decade, only 4–6% of global goods trade, greenfield FDI, and cross-border M&A have shifted away from geopolitical rivals. Of these flows, most have not moved to close allies but to countries with flexible geopolitical positions, such as India and Vietnam. Overall, the world economy remains far from a broad split into rival blocs.

“The politics and policy surrounding globalization are much more volatile than the actual flows between countries,” said Prof. Steven A. Altman, Director of the DHL Initiative on Globalization at NYU Stern’s Center for the Future of Management. “Global trade patterns changed more in 2025 than they do in a typical year, but less than they did during other recent disruptions such as the early stages of the war in Ukraine. Sound decision-making requires a calibrated view of how much global business ties are really changing. The risks to globalization are real, but so is the resilience of global flows.”

The DHL Global Connectedness Report

Published regularly since 2011, the DHL Global Connectedness Report provides reliable insights on globalization by analyzing 14 types of international trade, capital, information, and people flows. The 2026 edition is based on more than 9 million data points. It ranks the connectedness of 180 countries, accounting for 99.6 percent of global gross domestic product and 99.0 percent of the world’s population. A set of 180 one-page country profiles summarizes each country’s pattern of globalization.

The report was commissioned by DHL and authored by Steven A. Altman and Caroline R. Bastian of New York University Stern School of Business.

 

The report and further resources are available at https://apo-opa.co/4diKcod.

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, March 11, 2026/APO Group/ –The fifth Geneva International Cooperation Forum (IC Forum) organised by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs’ Agency for Development and Cooperation last month, saw the participation of African Development Bank Group (https://AfDB.org/) Senior Vice President, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade.

Akin-Olugbade joined a high-level panel on “Private-Sector Partnerships in Humanitarian Contexts” which took place during the forum held from 26 -27 February 2026 at the Geneva International Conference Centre in Switzerland. On the panel with the senior vice president were key actors from the private sector and experts

Ambassador Pietro Lazzeri, Head of the Economic Cooperation and Development Division at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), set out the terms of the discussion: “In a global context of declining resources, the financing and implementation of humanitarian aid must be expanded. But how do we get the private sector involved in the solutions?” he asked. Lazzeri, who serves as the Bank’s governor for Switzerland, moderated the session

For the participants, it was essential for the private sector to adhere to the principles of humanitarian response, based on a shared responsibility approach. They also stressed that cooperation with the private sector should not replace cooperation with states but strengthen it.

Ms Akin-Olugabade added that “behind every crisis, there are collapsing markets and lost jobs.”

In Africa, where nearly 80% of the population works in the private sector, businesses are at the heart of crises, whether in terms of prevention, stabilisation or recovery. The panellists also called for more funding, provided that it is responsible and does not fuel conflicts.

Ms Akin-Olugbade presented the Bank Group’s approach which is not to replace humanitarian actors, but to complement them by intervening at the right time and with the right instruments.

In Madagascar, for example through the Transition Support Facility, more than 300 very small and medium-sized enterprises (VSEMEs) have gained access to previously unavailable bank financing. In Sudan, partnership with the DAL Group has helped to stabilise agricultural value chains in the nation despite the ongoing conflict. Also in the Sahel region, collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) illustrates how the Bank Group combines its financial instruments with humanitarian expertise on the ground.

These interventions, designed to complement the efforts of all stakeholders, aim to revive the local economy, restore essential services and reduce the risk of a relapse into crisis. According to Akin-Olugbade, it is this synergy between humanitarian actors, the private sector and multilateral development banks that is the key to a truly sustainable response.

In conclusion, participants unanimously agreed that the private sector cannot be reduced to the role of a mere donor: its expertise and capacity for innovation make it a full partner in humanitarian action, provided that this collaboration is structured, responsible and rooted in the realities on the ground.