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VIVATECH 2024: PEUGEOT designs the future of driving pleasure with Hypersquare

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PEUGEOT

PEUGEOT aims to reinvent the sustainable mobility of tomorrow by placing pleasure and emotion at the heart of the customer experience

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, May 30, 2024/APO Group/ — 

PEUGEOT (www.PEUGEOT.com), a major player in technological innovation, electrifies VivaTech with its bold concept car INCEPTION, ushering in a new era of electric mobility. On its stand, PEUGEOT presents its vision of the future embodied by the revolutionary Hypersquare steering control– the innovation that redefines the driving experience of tomorrow.

ALLURE: The French public can discover the INCEPTION concept car for the first time.

EMOTION: The Hypersquare steering control radically transforms the driving experience and pleasure.

EXCELLENCE: PEUGEOT is a leader in technological innovation in Europe.

Building on over 200 years of innovation experience, PEUGEOT aims to reinvent the sustainable mobility of tomorrow by placing pleasure and emotion at the heart of the customer experience.

VivaTech 2024, will see PEUGEOT representatives present the brand’s innovation strategy. Sessions will take place four times, daily on the PEUGEOT stand, at 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM, and 4:00 PM.

  • Wednesday, May 22: Phil York, Marketing and Communication Director.
  • Thursday, May 23: Jérôme Micheron, Product Director.
  • Friday, May 24: Matthias Hossann, Design Director.

Register for one of the sessions offered via the link: http://apo-opa.co/3VimKy2

PEUGEOT innovation is about technological creativity connected to reality, meeting the real needs of customers and enhancing the joy of driving. At VivaTech 2024, PEUGEOT presents its vision of the car of tomorrow with the INCEPTION concept car and its revolutionary Hypersquare steering control that aims to reinvent the driving experience.

PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT: THE ELECTRIC MOBILITY OF TOMORROW

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT is the expression of PEUGEOT’s optimistic vision for the sustainable mobility of tomorrow. Unveiled at CES in Las Vegas, it will be presented to the French public for the first time at VivaTech 2024.

Featuring a new design language that exalts its feline and attractive attitude, its revolutionary interior design, and its promise of unprecedented driving sensations, the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT opens a new era and heralds the future electric vehicles of the brand.

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT reinterprets the brand’s genes, entering a new era of design. It is simpler and purer, with finishes and textures worthy of the digital world. This new design oscillates between sensual lines and athletic curves, more geometric and sharp.

The 100% electric PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT is equipped with 800 V technology. Its 100 kWh battery allows it to travel 800 km on a single charge.

The INCEPTION Concept’s interior showcases an array of new techniques that PEUGEOT will deploy to deliver on the STELLANTIS commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by more than 50% by 2030 compared to 2021, becoming fully Carbon Net Zero by 2038:

  • Forged textiles: 100% polyester fabric offcuts from the design centre’s prototyping workshops or suppliers are reused and thermo-compressed under vacuum, with the injection of a binder in the form of a resourced resin. This extremely hard and durable material can be transformed into structural or trim pieces.
  • The fusion of velvet and 3D printing: The upholstery of the seats and floor is made with a very special 100% recycled polyester velvet, which extends onto the floor, printed with 3D patterns to serve as a floor mat.
  • Air Quilting® padding: The comfort of the seats is enhanced by the presence of real adjustable mattresses at the shoulder level. This electro- welded, single-material upholstery, which is easy to recycle, is made from inflatable pockets recovered from conventional seats.

THE ICONIC PEUGEOT i-COCKPIT® REINVENTED WITH HYPERSQUARE

With over 12 million models equipped in the past 12 years, the PEUGEOT i- Cockpit® is emblematic of PEUGEOT’s innovation in customer service and driving pleasure, as evidenced by the spectacular latest generation of the Panoramic i-Cockpit® introduced in the new PEUGEOT E-3008 and E-5008.

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION Concept heralds the next generation of i- Cockpit®, with a completely rethought architecture that replaces the traditional steering wheel and stalks with the Hypersquare steering control, inspired by both digital and video game worlds.

The Hypersquare creates a new natural gesture, simpler and more intuitive. With either a simple click or touch of the fingertips, without removing their hands from the steering control, the driver can manage all the vehicle’s parameters. The Hypersquare is brought to live thanks to steer-by-wire technology making driving more instinctive and simpler.

The Hypersquare steering control is combined with a flexible display that broadcasts driving or infotainment information around 360 degrees. This HALO CLUSTER, with its circular screen, provides information to the driver and passengers as they approach the car. This external communication reinforces the concept of sharing and a new vision for the automobile.

The Hypersquare with digital electric controls consists of a screen featuring circular cells at each of its four corners, which have multiple functions:

  • The entirely natural and universal grip of the steering control.
  • The comfort of fingertip driving.
  • The activation of vehicle controls by simple thumb impulses.The driver discovers a gesture similar to that of daily smartphone use. This intuitive aspect leads to a higher level of safety.

The centre of the Hypersquare consists of a tablet like screen dedicated to displaying control information. The various functionalities (air conditioning, radio volume, driving aids, etc.) are displayed on the two side parts to facilitate access to the chosen command. This command is located inside the circular cells and is accessible by moving only the thumb without releasing the steering

control. For even greater driving comfort, the surround of the Hypersquare is made using 3D printing, while at the centre, the digital glass screen gives a high-tech and upscale appearance.

PEUGEOT Hypersquare and the next generation of i-Cockpit®, set to revolutionise the emotion and pleasure of driving, is set to be featured in the brand’s upcoming vehicles, by 2026.

DATA AND CONNECTED SERVICES WITH MOBILISIGHTS

At its stand at VivaTech 2024, PEUGEOT welcomes Mobilisights. The Stellantis Business Unit, specialising in Data as a Service (DaaS), provides access to telemetry data from connected PEUGEOT vehicles and other brands of the group.

The data collected by Mobilisights enables the personalisation of the driver’s experience through innovative services and applications from a third- party partner ecosystem, with the aim of improving the daily life of drivers, always and only with their consent.

For instance, Mobilisights data can be used to develop intuitive applications for electric vehicle owners that simplify charging, allow precise tracking of its cost, while enhancing the user experience.

“REMOTE DRIVING” WITH VAY

PEUGEOT also welcomes its partner, the scale-up Vay to its stand at VivaTech 2024, where PEUGEOT is exploring the potential applications of “remote driving.”

“Remote driving” refers to the remote control and operation of a vehicle. This technology allows for the efficient management of multiple vehicles with just one driver located remotely, using cellular connectivity and sensors such as cameras integrated into the vehicles.

At VivaTech 2024, PEUGEOT presents a “telestation” at its stand that enables Vay’s highly qualified and certified “teledrivers” to drive remotely by operating the steering, braking, and acceleration of the vehicle. The telestation provides a real-time view of the vehicle’s surroundings, ensuring a fully immersive and responsive control.

This technology enables increased efficiency of delivery operations, ‘click- a-button, get-a- car’ services for carsharing and car rental, and enables private cars owners to have their vehicle moved remotely when and where needed.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Peugeot.

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Africa’s Grid Constraints Come into Focus as Regional Markets Push Toward Integration

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4 days ago

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June 26, 2026

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Africa

Regional power pools are advancing and renewable pipelines are growing, but the regulatory and financial architecture needed to connect them remains the continent’s most critical infrastructure gap – an issue central to the Power Africa Today conference at AEW 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s electricity demand is projected to nearly double to 2,291 TWh by 2050, requiring an estimated $30 billion in transmission and grid infrastructure investment to unlock and integrate new generation capacity. Yet across the continent, grid systems are struggling to keep pace with rapidly expanding supply pipelines and rising demand.

In Nigeria, repeated nationwide grid collapses as recently as February 2026 underscore the fragility of aging transmission infrastructure. In East Africa, tower failures along the 428 km Loiyangalani-Suswa line temporarily stranded output from Lake Turkana Wind Power – Africa’s largest wind installation. Meanwhile, demand growth pressures are accelerating across North Africa, where electricity consumption is expected to rise by around 50% by 2035, driven by urbanization, desalination projects, and climate-related temperature increases.

Despite these constraints, generation investment continues to accelerate across Africa, particularly in renewables, gas-to-power and hybrid systems. However, without equivalent investment in transmission and interconnection, much of this new capacity risks being underutilized or stranded. This growing imbalance between generation and grid capacity is driving a sharper focus on system-wide planning and regional market design – issues that will be central to the newly launched Power Africa Today conference at African Energy Week 2026. The platform will bring together policymakers, utilities, investors and developers to explore how regional interconnection, cross-border trading frameworks and financing structures can better align generation growth with grid expansion.

Power Markets Experiment with Reform

Alongside infrastructure challenges, Africa’s electricity sector is undergoing gradual – but uneven – market reform. Most countries still operate vertically integrated systems dominated by state utilities, but a growing number are introducing competitive frameworks to attract private capital and improve efficiency.

Zimbabwe opened its electricity market to full private participation across generation, transmission and distribution in 2025, targeting $9 billion in new investment. South Africa is advancing one of the continent’s most ambitious grid expansion programs, with plans for 14,500 km of new transmission lines and 133,000 MVA of transformer capacity by 2034, alongside mechanisms designed to crowd in private financing. Kenya, meanwhile, has introduced open access regulations enabling independent power producers to wheel electricity directly to multiple off-takers, reshaping how generation assets interface with the grid.

Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future

Regional Integration Remains Fragmented

Efforts to connect Africa’s fragmented power systems are progressing, though at different speeds across regions. In Southern Africa, the World Bank’s RETRADE SAPP program, approved in 2025, is deploying $12 million to strengthen renewable integration and transmission capacity across 12 member states. In East Africa, the Ethiopia–Kenya–Tanzania Electricity Highway is now in trial operations at up to 2,000 MW, marking a significant step toward a more interconnected regional grid.

West Africa is also moving toward deeper integration, with permanent synchronization of the West Africa Power Pool expected in 2026. Analysts, including the African Finance Corporation, argue that such synchronization is critical to unlocking large-scale hydropower potential and industrial demand across the region. Longer term, full synchronization between the Eastern and Southern African power pools – targeted for the end of 2026 – could create one of the world’s largest cross-border electricity trading corridors.

Building Bankable Financial Architectures

While interconnection is advancing, infrastructure alone is not enough to create investable electricity markets. Investors consistently cite the lack of standardized offtake structures, creditworthy counterparties, and cross-border payment guarantees as key barriers to scaling capital deployment.

New models are emerging to address these constraints. Africa GreenCo, operating across Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, is helping to aggregate independent power producers under a single creditworthy intermediary, standardizing power purchase agreements and reducing counterparty risk. At a broader level, AUDA-NEPAD estimates that Africa requires around $30 billion in additional investment to complete priority transmission corridors and establish three fully interconnected regional trading blocs by 2030.

“Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The question at Africa Energy Week is not whether integration is possible – the evidence is already there. The question is which regulatory frameworks and financial structures will get projects to financial close, and which markets will be ready when capital is looking to move.”

The Power Africa Today conference will run alongside AEW 2026, taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, and will focus on the regulatory, financial and infrastructural architecture needed to build interconnected electricity markets capable of attracting institutional capital and delivering reliable, cross-border power at scale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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African Development Bank Group and La Francophonie Sign Partnership Agreement to Promote Youth Employment in Francophone Africa

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June 26, 2026

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The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France

PARIS, France, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) and The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) on Wednesday entered a strategic partnership to strengthen digital skills, employability, and entrepreneurship of young people and women in five African countries: Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar.

 

The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France. The agreement will address a major challenge faced by countries in the Francophone world and across Africa: providing young people with access to opportunities offered by the digital economy and fostering the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs.

The partnership calls for the implementation of training programs in digital professions and entrepreneurship, in fields such as web and mobile development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data analysis. Participants will also receive guidance toward employment and self-employment, as well as support for innovation and business creation, notably through training camps, prototyping activities, and partnerships with incubators and accelerators.

The African Development Bank Group and OIF will also work with national authorities in these five countries and training institutions to sustainably strengthen local capacities and promote ownership of the programs by national stakeholders. An initial pilot phase, lasting 12 to 24 months, will be rolled out in the five partner countries, followed by a gradual expansion to other member states depending on the results achieved.

The African Development Bank Group is pursuing a bold agenda based on “Four Cardinal Points” developed by Dr Ould Tah, the third of which is ‘Turning Demographics into a Dividend.’ This is about strategically converting Africa’s rapidly growing and youthful population into a decisive engine of inclusive growth, productivity, and innovation through large-scale investment in human capital—particularly youth and women.

 

It sees Africa’s growing young population not as a risk, but as a major asset. With the right policies and investments, this potential can create jobs, help small businesses grow, bring more informal businesses into the formal economy, and equip young people with the skills needed for the future. By investing more in education, science and technology, vocational training, entrepreneurship, finance, and digital tools, Africa can help its people drive economic transformation, stay competitive, and build lasting, resilient growth.

The OIF said the agreement marked the first concrete step in its initiative to mobilize innovative and additional funding for its most impactful projects.

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

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Paddles up! Hong Kong marks 50 Years of international dragon boat thrills

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June 26, 2026

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Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 June 2026 – With top teams from around the world gearing up for the hotly contested Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races this weekend (June 27-28), participants and spectators can expect a bumper programme of action, fun and entertainment along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui – one of the city’s most vibrant districts known for its iconic skyline views and tourist attractions.

There is much to celebrate. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races as well as 35th anniversary of both the co-organiser, Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, and the sanctioning body, International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF). The IDBF added to the occasion by announcing earlier this year the relocation of its headquarters back to Hong Kong.

Riding on the wave of excitement, the organiser, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), extended the annual Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival period to 13 days (June 19 – July 1), beginning on the historic Tuen Ng Festival (Dragon Boat Festival) and concluding on July 1, which is the 29th anniversary of the Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

As the headline international flagship event of “Hong Kong Summer Fun”, Dr Peter Lam, Chairman of the HKTB, said the Festival not only ran over a longer period, but also featured a stronger race line-up and more vibrant entertainment programmes than in previous years, offering an experience found only in Hong Kong for locals and visitors, while showcasing Hong Kong’s position as the Events Capital of Asia.

More than 220 teams from 16 countries and regions will compete for top honours in the world‑renowned setting of Victoria Harbour. This year’s event also introduces the special 50th Anniversary Fishermen Invitational Cup and the 50th Anniversary Championship, paying tribute to the traditional spirit of dragon boat racing.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a series of thematic activities along the Avenue of Stars, including a 22-metre traditional wooden dragon boat, a dragon boat-themed installation in collaboration with the new film Minions & Monsters, live music performances and a line-up of intangible cultural heritage performances, including martial art Wing Chun, Chinese juggling diabolo, traditional musical instruments ruan and guzheng.

Highlighting Hong Kong’s reputation as the birthplace of modern international dragon boat racing, as well as its strengths as a global hub city, the IDBF has taken a significant step in its long‑term global strategy with the formal incorporation of International Dragon Boat Federation Limited in Hong Kong on 29 April 2026.

“Incorporation in Hong Kong is not a conclusion, but a beginning. It anchors our Federation in the city where our international story started and strengthens our ability to serve our members and the global dragon boat family,” said Claudio Schermi, President of the IDBF.

As part of this new chapter, the IDBF has applied for funding under “the Pilot Scheme to Strengthen the Presence of Hong Kong in Asian and International Sports Associations”, which was recently introduced by the HKSAR Government’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. The Pilot Scheme is an initiative designed to support Asian and international sports associations establishing their headquarters or regional headquarters in the city.

The Dragon Boat Festival has a long and colourful history dating back more than two thousand years. Held each year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the day commemorates the patriotic poet Qu Yuan.

According to legend, Qu committed suicide for his beliefs by throwing himself into the Luo River. The villagers nearby raced out on their dragon boats, banging gongs and drums to scare away fish and other underwater creatures to stop them from eating Qu’s body. The tradition continues to this day, with dragon boat competitions taking place at locations across Hong Kong, each reflecting the unique characteristics of its neighbourhood.

Traditional dragon boat treats feature prominently during the festival, notably zongzi. These glutinous rice dumplings, traditionally wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed or boiled, are widely available during the festive period.

 

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