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The BEAC and CEMAC’s Monetary and Economic Harakiri (By Leoncio Amada NZE)

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BEAC

Despite potentially being an important market of approximately 59 million inhabitants and abundant natural resources, the CEMAC zone continues to be the least developed with the worst fiscal and monetary policies on the African continent

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 30, 2022/APO Group/ — 

By Leoncio Amada NZE, Executive President of the African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org) CEMAC zone, President of APEX INDUSTRIES SA

The global health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the economic foundations of the CEMAC zone in an unprecedented way due to the limited integration and economic diversification of the region. The six countries from the union – Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Chad, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo – share a regional economy dominated mainly by hydrocarbons, which represent 80% of export revenues and 75% of tax revenues, according to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. From the six member states, only Cameroon is a net importer of oil. However, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon are more dependent on oil than Cameroon.

The Promised Economic Diversification that has Never Arrived

For decades, governments from CEMAC countries have been talking about economic diversification programs that have not been as successful as we all hoped. The reason: excellent economic diversification plans and programs have been prepared on paper, but the private sector’s development has not kept pace: one cannot speak of diversification and economic growth in the absence of a strong national or regional business fabric that generates employment and business opportunities for nationals and foreigners. In short, the private sector must have the weight it deserves; it must be the thermometer with which the temperature and vigor of economic activity is measured; and, above all, it must be the master of the orchestra in the design and articulation of any macroeconomic program in the medium and long term for it to has a minimum chance of prospering.

Despite potentially being an important market of approximately 59 million inhabitants and abundant natural resources, the CEMAC zone continues to be the least developed with the worst fiscal and monetary policies on the African continent.

Out of 190 countries in the World Bank’s “Doing Business” index in 2020, the six CEMAC countries are in the worst positions with Cameroon in position 167; Gabon at position 168; Equatorial Guinea in position 178; Chad at position 182; Central African Republic in position 184; and Republic of the Congo at position 180. With the scenario described above, it is not surprising that the flow of foreign investment to the region has decreased exponentially in recent years.

A Sinking Ship

There are moments when it becomes necessary to call things by their name, moments when the silence is not an option, moments when it is necessary to denounce and expose the bad actors that are holding back the development of the African continent, moments when we must put the general public interest above anything else.

The time has come for the BEAC to remove its suffocating boot from the neck of the small entrepreneur and businessman from the CEMAC area

The time has come for Mr Abbas Mahamat Tolli, Governor of the BEAC, to respond to regional and international public opinion on certain issues related to the implementation of his disastrous #BEACForex Regulation in the CEMAC zone.

The regional business community, foreign investors, partners in development and the general population of the CEMAC region are experiencing unbearable pain because of irresponsible monetary policies that are ruining thousands of lives and businesses. The excuse for the implementation of clearly disastrous and Neanderthal-style monetary policies to safeguard the parity of a currency whose economy is in free fall no longer convinces anyone.

Does BEAC’s Governor work for the strengthening and development of CEMAC’s business ecosystem, or is he at the service of certain interests whose geostrategic objective could be to see the region totally financially destroyed and indefinitely in the economic mess in which the six countries find themselves?

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) invites the Governor of BEAC and his team to participate in the upcoming African Energy Week (AEW) 2022 that will take place from October 18 to 21 in Cape Town, where, among other things, issues related to the economic and financial spectrum of the CEMAC area will be addressed, to give him the possibility of using a powerful platform such as #AEW2022 to give explanations to the African and global business community about the monetary and financial objectives pursued in the medium and long term with the implementation of disastrous policies that the BEAC is enforcing for the macroeconomic interests of the subregion.

Need for an Urgent Intervention of Public Authorities

The AEC invites the Heads of State and Finance Ministers of the #CEMAC zone to adopt corrective measures that would mitigate the unnecessary economic damage caused in the region by the implementation of the disastrous and irresponsible BEAC’s Foreign Exchange Regulation – an issue that has become a true nightmare for businessmen and women who generate national wealth and employment in the subregion. A monetary policy that constitutes today the main obstacle for the attraction of foreign direct investment into the region and blocks any attempt or maneuver of economic recovery.

A monetary and financial system conceived and created more than four decades ago and that has not been adapting itself to the economic realities of a globalized, dynamic and increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, cannot respond or face the complexities that derive from the interaction between economic actors of the subregion with the outside world.

The time has come for the BEAC to remove its suffocating boot from the neck of the small entrepreneur and businessman from the CEMAC area.

The time has come for CEMAC economies to take advantage of incentives offered by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement for their development and diversification.

And, above all, the time has come for Mr. Abbas Mahamat Tolli to step aside from his position as Governor of the BEAC and allow people with the macroeconomic vision that the current times require and that the CEMAC zone deserves.

CEMAC businessmen and women are simply crying out: “We want to breath.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Business

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres Delivers on Responsible Scaling, Surpassing 2028 Carbon Intensity Target Three Years Early with Renewables at 83.2%

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ST Telemedia

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 July 2026 – ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) today published its 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, setting out how the Singapore-headquartered global data centre provider is meeting accelerating demand, including from AI-driven workloads, through infrastructure that is more resilient, efficient and sustainable by design. The report highlights 83.2% renewable energy usage, a 70.5% reduction in carbon intensity from its 2021 baseline, 41.2% improvement in water usage effectiveness (WUE) from the 2020 baseline, and continued progress in embedding ESG considerations into how STT GDC designs, builds, finances and operates its data centres at scale.

The report positions responsible growth as a core business discipline for STT GDC, linking sustainability performance to long-term asset resilience, customer trust and operational excellence. Across its global platform, STT GDC is integrating ESG considerations into capital allocation, site selection, design, operations, risk management and workforce development to support reliable digital infrastructure at scale.

Bruno Lopez, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, says, “The next phase of digital growth will be defined by how the industry resolves the tension between rising demand — particularly from AI — and the finite nature of energy, water and land. Responsible scaling is therefore not a sustainability commitment alone; it is a commercial and operational imperative that shapes where we build, how we design, and how we run our data centre platform. Our 2025 progress reflects disciplined execution of a strategy we have been advancing for years, delivering meaningful improvements in energy efficiency, emissions and resource management across our global platform. As we scale further, we will continue to advance with the same discipline — in the infrastructure we build, the governance that underpins it, and the positive impact we create for the communities and ecosystems we are part of.”

Scaling efficient, lower-carbon infrastructure

STT GDC continued to advance its decarbonisation strategy in 2025, delivering measurable reductions in emissions and improvements in resource efficiency while scaling its global data centre platform to meet rising digital demand. The Group’s approach focuses on embedding sustainability into the design and operation of its infrastructure, enabling long-term performance while managing growing energy and resource requirements. Key environmental achievements include:

Furthered renewable energy adoption, with 83.2% of electricity consumption sourced from renewables, supporting STT GDC’s transition towards carbon-neutral operations by 2030.
Reduced carbon intensity by 70.5% from the 2021 baseline, surpassing STT GDC’s 2028 target three years ahead of schedule, alongside a 15.2% year-on-year reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions
Improved energy efficiency across operations, achieving an average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.44, a 13.0% improvement from the 2020 baseline, reflecting continued optimisation of data centre design and operations.
Enhanced water stewardship, with Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) improving by 41.2% from the 2020 baseline, supported by a balanced approach to managing energy and water use in cooling systems.
Continued progress in sustainable infrastructure, with 48% of its data centres achieving green building certification, reflecting the integration of sustainability considerations across the lifecycle of its facilities.
Building a safe and future-ready workforce

As STT GDC continues to scale its global data centre platform, investing in people, safety and workforce capabilities remains central to delivering reliable and sustainable operations. In 2025, the Group maintained a strong focus on safeguarding its workforce, strengthening organisational capability and supporting the development of future-ready talent to meet the growing demands of the digital economy. Key social achievements include:

Maintained strong safety performance, with zero work-related fatalities and a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of 0.1 across more than 41 million hours worked, reflecting robust health and safety management across construction and operations.
Strengthened workforce capability, with an average of 18 training hours per employee, supporting the development of technical, operational and leadership skills across the organisation.
Advanced diversity and inclusion, with 21.7% women representation across the Group, reinforcing ongoing efforts to build a more inclusive and balanced workforce.
Expanded talent development initiatives, including the DC Power Up programme and partnerships with 10 Institutes of Higher Learning across our markets, helping to build a pipeline of industry-ready talent for the growing digital infrastructure sector.
Deepened community and workforce engagement, through skills development programmes and industry-academic partnerships that support long-term talent development and contribute to local economic growth.
Strengthening Governance and Resilience at Scale

Strong governance, disciplined risk management and robust operational controls underpin STT GDC’s ability to scale responsibly in an increasingly complex digital environment. In 2025, the Group continued to strengthen its enterprise-wide approach to governance, embedding ESG considerations into decision-making, risk management and day-to-day operations to support long-term resilience and performance. Key achievements include:

Strengthened governance and ethical business practices, with 100% of employees completing anti-corruption training, reinforcing STT GDC’s commitment to integrity and accountability across its global operations.
Enhanced enterprise-wide risk management, incorporating climate, cybersecurity and operational risks into planning and decision-making, ensuring infrastructure resilience as the Group scales.
Advanced cybersecurity and operational resilience, including strengthened governance, technical controls and preparedness through initiatives such as executive-level cyber exercises and risk assessments across key facilities.
Improved supply chain governance, embedding ESG criteria into procurement processes and reinforcing responsible sourcing practices across its global vendor network.
Strengthened organisational alignment and execution, through the inaugural Group ESG Summit, supporting capability building and consistent application of ESG priorities across markets.
These efforts come as data centre operators face growing expectations to deliver capacity while managing energy, water, climate and cybersecurity risks with greater transparency and accountability.

STT GDC’s 2025 ESG Report reflects a continued evolution in how the Group approaches sustainable growth, with a stronger focus on disciplined execution, operational resilience and long-term performance as it scales its global platform. As digital infrastructure becomes increasingly critical to economies and societies, STT GDC will continue to embed sustainability, risk management and governance into how it designs, builds and operates its data centres.

By working closely with customers, partners and communities, the Group aims to deliver infrastructure that is not only efficient and resilient, but also capable of supporting the next phase of digital growth, including AI-driven workloads, in a responsible and sustainable way.

The full 2025 ESG Report is available at https://www.sttelemediagdc.com/about-us/our-esg-progress

About ST Telemedia Global Data Centres
ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) is one of the fastest-growing data centre providers with a global platform serving as a cornerstone of the digital ecosystem that helps the world to connect. Powering a sustainable digital future, STT GDC operates across Singapore, the UK, Germany, Italy, India, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam, providing businesses an exceptional foundation that is built for their growth anywhere. For more information, visit https://www.sttelemediagdc.com/

 

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Energy

London Showcase to Bring Venezuela’s Energy Opportunities to Global Investors Ahead of 2026 Summit

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A high-level London industry showcase on July 30 will bring together UK and European investors, financiers and energy leaders to explore emerging opportunities across Venezuela’s oil, gas and power sectors ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2026

LONDON, United Kingdom, July 17, 2026/APO Group/ –As Venezuela accelerates efforts to revitalize its energy sector and attract international investment, Venezuela Energy Week 2026 will host an exclusive Industry Showcase in London on July 30, bringing together investors, financial institutions, international oil companies, commodity traders and energy executives for market intelligence, networking and partnership development ahead of the flagship conference taking place this October in Caracas.

 

Designed as a strategic preview of the main event, the London showcase will provide UK and European stakeholders with first-hand insight into Venezuela’s evolving investment landscape while creating opportunities for commercial dialogue with industry leaders, potential partners and key decision-makers.

Home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves and significant natural gas resources, Venezuela is entering a new phase of energy development focused on increasing production, expanding gas commercialization and modernizing critical infrastructure. Ongoing reforms and renewed international engagement are creating opportunities for companies able to provide capital, technology and technical expertise.

The timing is particularly significant as several UK and European energy companies continue to strengthen their presence in Venezuela. UK-based majors Shell and BP are advancing key natural gas developments, with Shell preparing for 2027 drilling at the Dragon offshore gas project and BP signing agreements in April to develop the Cocuina-Manakin offshore gas field, marking its return to the Venezuelan market. Spain’s Repsol recently announced plans to increase production from its Venezuelan assets, while Italy’s Eni is relaunching a heavy crude project in the Orinoco Belt. France’s Maurel & Prom, meanwhile, remains a key partner in strategic assets such as the Urdaneta Oeste field. On the trading and commercialization front, Geneva-headquartered energy trader Vitol has renewed its engagement with Venezuelan crude exports, reflecting broader international interest in reconnecting the country’s resources with global markets.

Against this backdrop, the London Industry Showcase will highlight Venezuela’s re-emerging investment potential while creating a platform for strategic networking and direct engagement with government leaders, national energy companies, regulators and private sector partners.

The event is expected to attract representatives from investment funds, export credit agencies, commercial banks, private equity firms, commodity traders, engineering companies, technology providers and UK-based independent energy companies exploring opportunities across Venezuela’s energy value chain.

The showcase will also provide an exclusive preview of Venezuela Energy Week 2026, including ministerial dialogues, executive forums, technical conferences and dedicated business-to-business networking sessions designed to connect international investors with the decision-makers shaping the country’s energy future.

Taking place on October 26–29, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela Energy Week serves as the country’s premier platform for advancing investment across the oil, gas and power sectors. By bringing the conversation to London – one of the world’s leading financial and energy centers – the Industry Showcase builds momentum ahead of the flagship event while strengthening ties between international capital and one of the world’s most resource-rich energy markets.

To participate in the London Industry Showcase on July 30 or secure your place at Venezuela Energy Week 2026 in Caracas this October, contact info@venezuelaenergyweek.com to learn more about delegate, sponsorship and partnership opportunities.

Supporting Venezuela’s Earthquake Recovery

 

Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. As the country begins the long process of recovery, we encourage members of the global energy community to support relief and reconstruction efforts through the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela, which channels contributions from individuals, companies and organizations to emergency assistance, essential services and long-term rebuilding efforts.

 

To learn more or make a contribution, please visit the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela (https://apo-opa.co/3RKKqfz).

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

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Events

October 2-4, 2026, Announced as New Date for the Inaugural Alamein Africa Forum

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The Forum which was earlier scheduled to hold in June 2026 was postponed following concerns about the evolving public health situation on the continent at the time

The Government of Egypt and the African Union Commission alongside other key stakeholders and partners are pleased to announce new dates for the inaugural Alamein Africa Forum (www.AlameinForum.com).

 

The Forum which was earlier scheduled to hold in June 2026 was postponed following concerns about the evolving public health situation on the continent at the time.

The inaugural Alamein Africa Forum will now be held between October 2-4, 2026, in Alamein, Egypt following consultations between the relevant stakeholders. It will be held in parallel with the African Union mid-year Summit which will take place in Alamein on 4 October 2026.

Please accept our sincere appreciation for your understanding, flexibility and continued support.

The Forum presents a unique opportunity to engage key policy makers, including African Heads of State and Government, as well as senior leaders from finance, industry and institutional investors to advance Africa’s private sector agenda.

Additional information regarding accommodation and logistics as well as the Forum programme will be made available on the Forum website as soon as next week.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Alamein Africa Forum.

 

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