By mid-October 2022, 150 small and medium-sized enterprises will be selected to participate
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, September 27, 2022/APO Group/ —
It has been three years since the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) launched a programme in Madagascar to support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in the country.
Objectives: To enable them to achieve economies of scale and create better employment opportunities for women and young people in key sectors of the Malagasy economy, in order to reduce inequality and poverty by building on private sector development.
Dubbed the SME “Business Linkage Program” (https://bit.ly/3RhA6W3), this programme, which already exists in Ghana and Senegal and is being prepared for the G5 Sahel countries, contributes to achieving one of the African Development Bank’s major objectives: to stimulate economic growth and social progress in Africa.
A new call for applications has been launched, open to all Malagasy small and medium-sized enterprises wishing to join the programme. By mid-October 2022, 150 small and medium-sized enterprises will be selected to participate.
Launched in September 2020, the SME Business Linkage programme has already benefited a first contingent of Malagasy small and medium enterprises.
This call for applications is aimed mainly at small and medium-sized Malagasy companies with a strong potential for commercial links with large companies
Some 300 Malagasy small and medium-sized enterprises operating in various economic sectors, 40% of which are run by women and young people, have taken part in the programme since its launch. A total of 607 enterprises from all over the country applied for the first year of the programme; 183 formal small and medium enterprises were selected and 141 actually completed the programme.
The small and medium-sized enterprises selected in this first phase come from 15 regions of Madagascar (58% from the Analamanga region, 8% from Vakinankaratra, 5% from Atsinanana, and 4% from Boeny). Half are run by women, 42% are young entrepreneurs under 35, 57% have 5-10 employees, 53% have been in business for less than 5 years and 32% have been in business for 6-15 years. In addition, 45% operate in the agribusiness sector and 16% in the service sector.
The SME Business Linkage programme has three thrusts, relating to access to skills, market and finance.
Regarding “access to skills”, participating businesses benefited from a capacity building programme in entrepreneurial culture, diagnostics, business plan development, and training in managerial skills, coaching and mentoring, as well as facilitating business linkages. Beneficiaries were also given the opportunity to undertake immersion internships in established companies.
The market access component, which concerns the establishment of a digital platform for connecting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with large established companies, is underway. This platform, which will be called “Mada Business Linkage”, will allow – among other things – large companies involved in the provision of goods and services to publish their needs for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, via a registration and listing system. The platform will be operational in early 2023; initially dedicated to the beneficiary companies of the programme, it will then be open to any formal company duly registered.
As for the “access to financing” component, a credit guarantee system has been set up with two local partner banks to promote access to financing for small and medium-sized Madagascan companies, so that they can respond to requests from large companies. This can be cash flow or investment financing. The partnership agreements are about to be finalised.
Small and medium-sizedMalagasy enterpriseswishing to participate in this second phase of the programme, which is due to end in December 2023, are invited to register directly on the page. This call for applications is aimed mainly at small and medium-sized Malagasy companies with a strong potential for commercial links with large companies. Professional groups and chambers of commerce and industry are encouraged to relay the information to their members.
Angola Oil & Gas 2024 returns to Luanda from October 2-3 under the theme ‘Driving Exploration and Development Towards Increased Production in Angola’
LUANDA, Angola, August 6, 2024/APO Group/ —
Global projects developers, independent E&P firms and regional investors are expected to enter the Angolan oil and gas market in the coming months as new blocks become available across onshore, offshore and marginal fields. In addition to accelerating exploration, new entrants signal fresh opportunities for collaboration and local contract opportunities.
The Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference – returning for its next edition from October 2-3 in Luanda – will feature a strategic track as part of its main conference agenda. The track will examine Angola’s investment outlook, strategies for enhancing local content and the role of women in the oil and gas industry. Stakeholders from both the global and local market stand to gain crucial insight into projects, opportunities in natural gas production and the business environment in Angola.
AOG is the largest oil and gas event in Angola. Taking place with the full support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; national oil company Sonangol; the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency; the African Energy Chamber; and the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute, the event is a platform to sign deals and advance Angola’s oil and gas industry. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.
Angola’s Namibe Basin is one of the final frontiers for oil and gas exploration, representing a significant unexploited hydrocarbon province. While minimal exploration has been conducted to date, seismic studies have shown promising results. Notably, Blocks 41, 42 and 43 in the Kwanza and Namibe basins are covered in their entirety with a 2D seismic dataset, with significant syn- and post-rift potential across the entire basin identified. A panel discussion on Frontier Exploration: Charting New Paths for Investment during AOG 2024 will explore the strategic potential of the basin, with speakers delving into block opportunities and partnership prospects.
In tandem with oil production efforts, Angola is making strides towards attracting investment across the natural gas industry. The country has a target to increase the share of gas to 25% of the energy mix by 2025 and is promoting exploration opportunities, infrastructure development and monetization solutions. Major projects include the Angola LNG plant – which celebrated its 400th cargo in 2023 – and the Quiluma and Maboqueiro development, Angola’s first non-associated gas project. The project will come online by 2026 and will serve as feedstock for the Angola LNG plant. During AOG 2024, a panel discussion on Beyond Oil: Angola’s Rise as a Gas Powerhouse will examine investment opportunities across the gas industry.
Up to $60 billion will be invested in Angola’s oil and gas industry in the next five years. The country’s enabling business environment and market-focused fiscals have played an instrumental part in attracting foreign capital to the market. A six-year licensing round launched in 2019 provides regular access to block opportunities while engagement with IOCs ensures ongoing review of licensing structures and fiscal terms. AOG 2024’s strategic track will feature a session on Perspectives on Investment: The key to Doing Business in Angola. The session will unpack the country’s business climate, including regulatory frameworks, industry procedures and rules of engagement.
As the country’s oil and gas industry grows, so do opportunities for Angolan SMEs and operators. As a mature producer, Angola’s industry success is largely attributed to the competitiveness of its domestic players. The Angolan government is driving local content through the Angolanization initiative, which strengthens national entrepreneurship by granting local service providers preference to oil and gas contracts. The initiative places local content at the forefront of projects by prioritizing the utilization of Angolan products and services. AOG 2024 will further explore this initiative through a panel titled Empowering Angola Talent: Local Content Strategies to Unlock Angola’s Human Capital.
Given the vital role women play in strengthening Angola’s oil and gas industry while driving project forward, the conference will also feature a panel discussion on Sailing into the Future: Women Steering the Ship of Angola’s Oil and Gas Evolution. The session will explore the contributions and future potential of women in the industry, with topics such as leadership, technical expertise and more featured.
AOG 2024 features a multi-track program that offering a comprehensive overview of the country’s oil and gas value chain. To download the program, visit https://apo-opa.co/3SCYLIq. For more information on panel discussions, speakers and topics, visit www.AngolaOilandGas.com.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
The event, taking place on 31 October in Dubai, will serve as a platform to explore and capitalise on the burgeoning opportunities along the UAE- and broader Gulf-Africa trade and investment corridor
The UAE is already the fourth-largest investor in Africa, and we are excited to work with the government to bolster commercial ties across the continent at this critical time
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, August 6, 2024/APO Group/ —
Invest Africa (www.InvestAfrica.com), a business network promoting trade and investment in Africa, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates to host The Africa Debate-UAE (https://TheAfricaDebate.com/UAE). The event, taking place on 31 October in Dubai, will serve as a platform to explore and capitalise on the burgeoning opportunities along the UAE- and broader Gulf-Africa trade and investment corridor.
Following ten successful editions of The Africa Debate in London, Invest Africa is excited to take the conference to the UAE – the largest investor in Africa among the GCC states. This year’s programme will spotlight investment opportunities along the UAE- and broader Gulf-Africa trade and investment corridor, featuring sessions on financial services, logistics and supply chain optimisation, energy and infrastructure, and ICT and digital transformation. The event will bring together global businesses, private and public investment bodies, thought leaders, and policymakers for a series of insightful debates on UAE-Africa relations in 2024 and beyond.
Chantelé Carrington, Chief Executive Officer, Invest Africa said: “Our partnership with The Ministry of Economy – UAE is a testament to our commitment to facilitating meaningful business connections and fostering two-way trade and investment between the UAE and Africa. The Africa Debate – UAE will not only spotlight investment opportunities but also provide a robust platform for dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders. The UAE is already the fourth-largest investor in Africa, and we are excited to work with the government to bolster commercial ties across the continent at this critical time in Africa’s growth story.”
H.E. Juma Alkait, Assistant Undersecretary for International Trade Affairs, Ministry of Economy – UAE said: “The UAE has long recognised the strategic importance of Africa as a key trade and investment partner. By collaborating with Invest Africa, we aim to deepen our engagement with African markets and explore new avenues for economic cooperation. The Africa Debate has already established itself as a premier platform for promoting Africa-forward initiatives and investment, and we are excited to bring this prestigious event to Dubai. We look forward to welcoming 300+ vetted industry leaders to advance UAE-Africa partnerships and drive mutual growth.”
The conference will feature a series of breakout sessions focusing on:
Financial Services
Logistics and Supply Chain Optimisation
Energy and Infrastructure
ICT and Digital Transformation
As global businesses, investors, and policymakers converge in Dubai, The Africa Debate – UAE will serve as a crucial nexus for those seeking to engage in trade and investment along the UAE- and broader Gulf-Africa corridor.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.
The aim is to provide the country with an industrial hub for processing agricultural products and establish a business zone to offer opportunities to young people and women in the Kara and Savanes regions
As well as consolidating the achievements of the first phase of the project, it was essential to support the structure of the Togo Agro-Food Processing Zone Project (Togo Agropole)
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, August 5, 2024/APO Group/ —
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) have approved a loan of US $26.55 million to Togo to implement the second phase of the Agro-Food Processing Zone Project.
The aim is to provide the country with an industrial hub for processing agricultural products and establish a business zone to offer opportunities to young people and women in the Kara and Savanes regions, in the north and far north of the country, respectively.
The project, approved in Abidjan on 19 July 2024, will also help to attract a significant level of private investment into key agricultural sectors, such as rice, maize, soya, sesame, cashew nuts and broiler chickens.
The funds come from the Transition Support Facility, an African Development Bank Group mechanism aimed at countries in transition, and will support investments that encourage inclusive agricultural growth that creates jobs and reduces food imports into the small West African country located on the Atlantic Ocean.
“As well as consolidating the achievements of the first phase of the project, it was essential to support the structure of the Togo Agro-Food Processing Zone Project (Togo Agropole) with a second phase. This will focus on the construction and operationalization of the agro-industrial park (the central hub), including building a network of infrastructure (various roads and networks, administrative buildings, electrification, water and fibre optics) to create the right conditions for establishing private businesses,” said Wilfrid Abiola, the African Development Bank’s Country Manager in Togo.
Among others, the project will support the creation and operationalization of the company that will manage the agro-park and the construction of an agro-industrial park in Broukou (in Doufelgou prefecture, in the north of the country) by opening roads, developing electricity and street lighting networks, and building an administrative, financial, civil protection and access control centre.
The project will also fund the purchase of small agricultural equipment for vegetable-growing plots, particularly for women. The plan is also to build the capacity of agricultural producers, including women, in production, processing, storage and marketing to help them find markets and sell agricultural products.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
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