BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 November 2024 – The first-ever Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty will be officially launched at the upcoming 19th G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, marking a further step towards the goal of eliminating extreme hunger worldwide by the United Nations’ 2030 deadline.
The nascent initiative was pre-launched by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the Ministerial Meeting of the G20 Task Force in July 2024. The idea for this initiative was proposed at the previous G20 summit by Lula, who stated that eradicating hunger and poverty is one of the three central tasks of Brazil’s G20 presidency.
Due to factors ranging from natural disasters to regional conflicts, the poverty issue has become increasingly noticeable in recent years. Between 713 and 757 million people may have faced hunger in 2023, meaning one in every 11 people in the world, according to the annual report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World released by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization in July.
The report highlights a clear trend of rising undernourishment in Africa, while progress is being made in Latin America and the Caribbean. It also showed that the prevalence of undernourishment in Brazil fell to 3.9 percent in 2023, marking the first year of Lula’s new administration.
At the ministerial meeting, Lula stated that nothing in the 21st century is as absurd and unacceptable as the persistence of hunger and poverty, adding that addressing this issue through the global alliance is a priority for Brazil’s G20 presidency.
Amid the ongoing hunger crisis worldwide, especially in developing countries, the upcoming G20 summit – where eradicating hunger and poverty is one of the top priorities – is expected to be of great practical significance.
Xu Feibiao, director of the Center for BRICS and G20 Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, stated that the G20 summit could provide global solutions, noting that both Brazil and China have made significant achievements in the fight against hunger and poverty.
In 2023, Lula launched the Brazil Without Hunger program. With 20 different actions and projects, the program, which has a total investment of more than $70 billion, reduced the number of people in Brazil suffering from severe food insecurity from 33 million to 8.7 million in just one year, said Valeria Burity, special secretary of the Ministry of Social Development and Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger of Brazil, in an interview with a Chinese news portal in November.
China has not only achieved its goal of eliminating extreme poverty by 2020, improving the living standards of hundreds of millions of people over decades of development, but it has also contributed to helping other countries, particularly developing ones, fight poverty. This has been done through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, which provide advanced agricultural technology and cooperation projects aimed at eradicating poverty and improving local well-being.
For example, under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has supported numerous infrastructure projects, including the Hungarian-Serbian Railway, the China-Laos Railway and the Chancay Port project in Peru. These projects not only enhance local transportation but also create jobs and boost residents’ incomes.
“China’s poverty eradication model and experience can provide strong support for relevant G20 programs,” Xu said.
Echoing Xu, Fernando Brancoli, an international relations expert from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told China Media Group that from the perspective of poverty alleviation, the G20 Rio Summit offers an ideal platform for Brazil and China to cooperate. The two countries continue to lead global efforts to reduce poverty by showcasing their respective poverty alleviation experiences, tailored to their national conditions and proven effective.
In addition to offering global solutions based on experiences from China and Brazil, Xu noted that sustainable development has been a key agenda for the G20, with eliminating hunger and poverty being an integral part of this agenda.
Xu pointed out that G20 members, which represent the world’s largest developed and developing economies, account for more than 80 percent of global GDP. “Once the G20 members reach consensus and put forward solutions, the G20 can be a key propeller for global consensus and action against hunger and poverty,” he said.
Hailing the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty as a critical first step in global action, Xu stated that the upcoming G20 summit is expected to launch initiatives, plans and roadmaps for combating hunger and poverty, integrating them with the broader agenda on health, education, infrastructure, financial inclusion, and other key issues to create more feasible and comprehensive solutions.
Brancoli emphasized that the global alliance will bring together global funds, resources and poverty reduction experience to jointly support the global poverty reduction cause.
Acknowledging that there will be some differences between countries in addressing this issue, Xu remarked that while it is impossible to solve it overnight, the G20 has prioritized it as a top issue, signaling that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Share your expertise with Africa’s power, energy and water community, connect with decision makers from across the value chain and contribute to the conversations shaping the continent’s next generation of infrastructure and investment
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Speaker submissions are open for Enlit Africa, created by VUKA Group (www.WeAreVuka.com), as it returns to the CTICC, Cape Town from 11–13 May 2027.
Do you have a project, lesson, strategy or innovation that Africa’s energy sector should hear about?
We invite utilities, project owners, developers, IPPs, commercial and industrial energy users, municipalities, policymakers, regulators, financiers, researchers and industry practitioners to submit abstracts sharing practical experience, case studies, research, projects and lessons from across Africa’s changing energy and water sectors.
What are we looking for?
We particularly encourage non-vendor speakers to submit contributions across:
Enlit Africa Main Stage – From Strategy to Execution
Policy, market reform, investment, leadership and the decisions required to turn Africa’s energy ambitions into implementation.
Generation
New capacity, generation technologies, energy security, operating performance and Africa’s evolving energy mix.
Transmission & Distribution
Grid expansion, modernisation, open access, system operation, cross-border interconnection, digitalisation and infrastructure investment.
Municipal Forum:Municipal management, with an emphasis on electricity and water – with a strong emphasis on service delivery.
Power Hub:Technical advancements in power generation, transmission, distribution and more. Technical presentations encouraged.
Water Hub:Technical insights into water management and solutions.
Water Security Hub: Strategy, finance, management and technology application for water security.
Project & Investment Hub: Project developments, country roundtables, project briefings, finance, and innovative financing models (including M300).
Renewable Energy & Storage:Covering both technical and strategic applications of renewables and storage.
What makes a strong submission?
We want to hear about what is happening on the ground.
Tell us about:
A project being implemented or developed
A challenge your organisation has solved – or is still trying to solve
Lessons from implementation
New research or industry findings
Innovative financing or commercial models
Technologies being deployed in real operating environments
Policy or regulatory changes and what they mean in practice
Approaches that could be replicated elsewhere in Africa
Preference will be given to submissions that provide practical insights, measurable outcomes and lessons that the wider industry can apply.
Why present at Enlit Africa?
Africa does not need another conversation about what should happen. Help us explore how we make it happen and how we ensure Africa is future fit.
Share your expertise with Africa’s power, energy and water community, connect with decision makers from across the value chain and contribute to the conversations shaping the continent’s next generation of infrastructure and investment.
Submission details
Abstract length: 300–500 words Submission deadline: 29 January 2027 Speaker feedback: 7 December 2026 – 5 February 2027
The 2025 awards attracted more than 80 entries and 31 finalists, culminating in eight award winners
The calibre of organisations and individuals recognised through the CEM Africa Awards demonstrates just how much extraordinary CX work is being done across the continent
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Customer experience professionals, teams and organisations across Africa have just days remaining to enter the 2026 CEM Africa Awards, with free applications closing on 30 September 2026.
Taking place on 10 November 2026 at the NH Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg, the Customer Experience Africa Awards form part of the CEM Africa platform and recognise the individuals, teams, technologies and initiatives raising the standard of customer experience across the continent.
For organisations considering whether to enter, the company they could be keeping provides a compelling indication of the calibre of the awards.
A growing roll call of African CX leaders
The 2025 awards attracted more than 80 entries and 31 finalists, culminating in eight award winners. Finalists represented organisations spanning financial services, technology, telecommunications, retail, insurance, public services and social impact.
Among them were Absa, Capitec Bank, Santam, Telesure Investment Holdings, Equity Bank, Takealot.com, NTT DATA, Frogfoot, Telviva, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, the University of Pretoria and South Africa’s Department of Social Development.
The 2025 winners included Serisha Iyer of Absa Corporate and Investment Banking, named Rising Star in CX; Alma Angela Olela of Jubilee Health Insurance, named CX Leader of the Year; and Franco Cotumaccio of Shadow Global, winner of Breaking Barriers in CX.
Corporate winners included Telesure Investment Holdings for Best Overall CX Solution, Krisp for Best Use of AI, Telviva for Best Enterprise Contact Centre Platform, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator for Best Customer Experience Team of the Year and the University of Pretoria for Best Citizen Experience Initiative.
That follows a 2024 edition in which winners included NCBA Bank, MultiChoice, Digital Solutions Group, Absa Bank and Telviva, alongside individual CX leaders from across the continent.
More than a trophy
For entrants, recognition through the CEM Africa Awards puts their work in front of a wider African CX community and an independent judging panel drawn from across the industry.
The 2026 judging panel includes global CX specialist Ian Golding; Andrew (Dré) Enebeli, Head of CX & Engagement at Access Bank; Dr Oliver Museka, President and Founder of IRDM College Eswatini; Jonathan Daniels, Managing Director of CX Centric; Joven Pillay, Partner and Head of Customer Consulting at KPMG; and Qaalfa Dibeehi, Managing Partner at Human2Outcome.
This year’s awards recognise excellence across four broad pillars – People, Innovation, Transformation and Government – covering categories including CX Leader of the Year, Rising Star in CX, Breaking Barriers in CX, Best Overall CX Solution, Best Use of AI, Best Enterprise Contact Centre Platform, Best Customer Experience Team of the Year, Best Digital Transformation in Public Services and Best Citizen Experience Initiative.
“The calibre of organisations and individuals recognised through the CEM Africa Awards demonstrates just how much extraordinary CX work is being done across the continent. These awards give that work a platform. Whether it is a major transformation programme, an innovative use of technology or an individual changing how their organisation thinks about the customer, we want to make sure Africa’s best work is being seen and recognised.”
Briteny Price, Event Manager and CEM Africa Awards Director
Final opportunity to enter
Applications for the 2026 CEM Africa Awards are free and remain open until 30 September 2026. Finalists will be announced in October, ahead of the awards ceremony on 10 November at the NH Hotel, Sandton.
Organisations, teams and individuals working to improve customer and citizen experience across Africa are encouraged to submit their entries before the deadline.
Apply for the CEM Africa Awards 2026 by 30 September 2026
The introduction of the A350 also marks the first time Emirates’ highly acclaimed Premium Economy cabin will be available to customers flying to and from Kenya, complementing the airline’s enhanced Business and Economy offerings
NAIROBI, Kenya, September 25, 2026/APO Group/ —
From 25 October, Nairobi becomes the 32nd destination to be served by the Emirates A350
Latest-generation aircraft introduces Emirates’ acclaimed Premium Economy cabin to Kenya for the first time, along with enhanced Business and Economy Class cabins
Deployment reinforces Emirates’ continued investment in Kenya and commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience across its Africa network
Emirates (www.Emirates.com), the world’s largest international airline, will soon serve Nairobi with its newest aircraft type, the Airbus A350 (https://apo-opa.co/47hy1nv). From 25 October 2026, the A350 will operate on EK717 and EK718, bringing Emirates’ latest-generation cabin experience to customers travelling between Dubai and Nairobi. The Emirates A350 is defined by spacious, bright cabins, enhanced technology, connectivity, and the airline’s signature hospitality across all three cabins.
The introduction of the A350 also marks the first time Emirates’ highly acclaimed Premium Economy cabin will be available to customers flying to and from Kenya, complementing the airline’s enhanced Business and Economy offerings.
Christophe Leloup, Emirates Country Manager in Kenya said, “The arrival of the A350 in Nairobi marks an exciting new chapter for Emirates in Kenya. We’re delighted to bring our latest aircraft and onboard experience to our customers in market, with more comfort, choice and thoughtful touches in every cabin. Combined with our growing flight schedule, the A350 gives customers travelling on the Dubai-Nairobi route something new to discover, while building on the experience they know and love from Emirates.”
What passengers can expect from the A350
The newest aircraft type to join Emirates’ all widebody fleet, the A350 accommodates 298 passengers in three spacious cabins – Business, Premium Economy and Economy. The bright and airy cabins have been thoughtfully designed to provide more space and comfort in every cabin, whilst cutting-edge technology and enhanced entertainment options elevate every journey.
Making its debut in Kenya, Emirates’ Premium Economy cabin offers elevated comfort, comparable to a Business Class experience on many airlines. The cabin is spacious with leather reclining seats that feature a generous pitch, adjustable headrests and more legroom. Customers can enjoy in-seat charging points, a wood-finished side cocktail table, a 13.3-inch TV screen, a generously sized pillow and blanket, complimentary amenity kits on select flights – including the Dubai-Nairobi route – and a globally exclusive sparkling wine, Chandon Vintage Brut 2017.
We’re delighted to bring our latest aircraft and onboard experience to our customers in market, with more comfort, choice and thoughtful touches in every cabin
Business Class is configured in a 1-2-1 layout ensuring every passenger has direct aisle access and a spacious, private environment for both work and relaxation. The fully lie-flat seat is wrapped in soft cream leather and features a personal minibar and wireless charging for comfort and convenience. At the back of the cabin is a snack display area allowing passengers to help themselves to refreshments throughout the flight.
Economy Class features an all new, airy colour palette of sky blue, bronze and cream, complemented by lighter-toned wood finishings. Each seat features the airline’s upgraded ice inflight entertainment system on a 13.3inch 4K adjustable touchscreen, while generous seat pitch and leather headrests provide support, comfort and extra legroom.
Continuing to raise the bar in Kenya
The deployment of the A350 follows a series of enhancements to the Emirates customer proposition in Kenya, including the introduction of the third daily flight between Dubai and Nairobi in July. With 21 flights per week, customers have greater flexibility and connections between Kenya and key markets across Europe and the US, via Dubai.
Nairobi is also home to Africa’s first Emirates World (https://apo-opa.co/4yeI34C) store, which opened in 2024, offering customers a more immersive way to discover Emirates’ products, while offering more convenience and personalised service.
Earlier this year, Emirates introduced further flexibility for customers in Kenya through a partnership with Cellulant, launching a split-payment solution (https://apo-opa.co/4xLYG6R) that allows travellers to combine multiple payment methods across 24-hour instalments when purchasing airfares.
Tickets can be booked now on Emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents as well as Emirates World Store (https://apo-opa.co/46Kglkc) in Nairobi. Emirates continues to offer flexible booking policies for added peace of mind while travelling. Every ticket booked after 10th August 2026 comes with free unlimited dates changes to Dubai and one complimentary date change to anywhere else in the world, in addition to significantly reduced refund fees across all cabins and fare types, allowing passengers to adjust their travel plans with minimal penalties.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Emirates Group.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.