Latest news with #continent
Zawya
an hour ago
- Business
- Zawya
Mining Elites in Africa 2026: It's time to have your say
Do you know of a project, company or individual that making a difference in African mining? Nominations are now open for Mining Elites in Africa 2026. Every year Mining Elites in Africa recognises those companies and individuals who go above and beyond to ensure responsible and sustainable mining on the continent. Whether it is through financial contributions to countries and communities, protecting the environment or socio-economic development initiatives, they are creating an indelible legacy on the continent. Mining Elites in Africa 2026 pays tribute to these often unsung heroes. In addition, this annual publication, published by Mining Review Africa, features projects that are making a substantial contribution to growing the African mining sector. 'Mining Elites is the perfect platform to recognise those who are truly making a meaningful difference in African mining. Through their leadership and innovations, they are ensuring that mining is sustainable and positively impacts the lives of all stakeholders, especially communities,' states Gerard Peter, Editor-in-Chief of Mining Review Africa. Nomination process: Nominations are open to all projects and leaders in the African mining minerals value chain in a number of categories. The final selection of projects and people is made by an independent advisory board composed of experienced industry figures with extensive mining knowledge across the African continent. The 2026 categories are: Leaders Future leaders ESG Innovation and tech Projects How to nominate: This is your opportunity to publically acknowledge those companies, projects and individuals whose efforts contribute to sustainable mining that benefits all. To nominate simply scan the QR code or visit Nominations close on 1 September 2025 Check out the 2025 winners Scan the QR to read Mining Elites 2025 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.
Gulf Business
7 hours ago
- Business
- Gulf Business
Space42, Microsoft, and Esri launch initiative to digitally map all of Africa
Image: Getty Images Space42, the UAE-based AI-powered SpaceTech company under technology group G42, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft and Esri to launch the Map Africa Initiative, a groundbreaking effort to produce the most comprehensive base map of the African continent. The project will span all 54 African countries and serve more than 1.4 billion people, delivering high-resolution, scalable maps designed to close infrastructure, investment, and institutional data gaps. The initiative, which was unveiled during Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Smart Solutions at Space42, commented: 'Partnership is core to the UAE's DNA, and is central to how Space42 operates. This collaboration with Microsoft and Esri is more than technical; it's strategic. It advances Space42's business priorities, strengthens our role as a trusted partner to governments, and delivers meaningful benefits to communities across Africa. Accurate, high-quality mapping and the intelligence solutions built on it are essential for growth, resilience, and inclusive innovation. With reliable data, communities and economies prosper.' The mapping process will be a fully integrated effort among the three partners. Space42 will lead the initiative's fundraising, project management, and data provision through sovereign and commercial satellite sources. It will apply AI-powered Digital Twin models to process the data and deliver dynamic, sector-specific outputs, while also driving the research and development agenda for new AI models and automation technologies in map production. Jack Dangermond, Esri and Hasan Al Hosani, Space42 Esri will manage the base map production workflows by leveraging its GeoAI and remote sensing tools. The company will also support the establishment of regional hubs across Africa to train local talent and build long-term capacity. Meanwhile, Microsoft will provide secure cloud infrastructure and an AI framework through Azure, enabling the seamless processing, sharing, and integration of data at scale. Read: Jack Dangermond, president of Esri, said: 'We are proud to support the Map Africa Initiative in partnership with Space42. Transforming satellite imagery into detailed, accurate base maps at continental scale requires advanced geospatial technology and professional production workflows. These same capabilities have supported similar national and regional mapping efforts around the world. With Map Africa, we are helping to establish a foundational resource that will drive infrastructure planning, economic growth, and sustainable development across the continent.' The Map Africa Initiative The Map Africa Initiative responds to widespread concerns over fragmented, outdated, or inaccessible geospatial data across Africa. By producing accurate, timely, and locally managed mapping solutions, the project seeks to enable more effective land use, disaster response, and infrastructure planning. The data will be licensed to national governments, allowing long-term maintenance and updates by local mapping agencies. In parallel, the initiative is expected to stimulate a new ecosystem of African startups working with geospatial analytics and AI solutions. For Space42, the initiative marks a strategic expansion into Africa, reinforcing its role as a preferred partner for governments in need of advanced geospatial capabilities. It also unlocks commercial opportunities in data licensing, infrastructure support, and analytics services, positioning the company for long-term growth in new markets. Peng Xiao, group chief executive officer at G42, said: 'We believe intelligence is the foundation for societal progress, yet it remains out of reach for millions across the Global South. This partnership is a decisive step toward closing that gap. Together with our partners, we will deliver AI-powered insights that enable African nations to plan smarter, build better, and grow more sustainably and responsibly. From agricultural optimization and natural resource management to strengthening public services infrastructure and economic empowerment, this partnership will help turn data into development, and intelligence into impact.' He added: 'G42's partnership with Microsoft represents a shared commitment to harnessing AI as a global force for good. Together, we are building the infrastructure and applications that will extend the benefits of intelligence to communities across the world, transforming lives through technology that is trusted, responsible, and inclusive.' The initiative also aligns closely with the UAE's strategic investment agenda in Africa. With $44bn invested in 2024 alone, the UAE remains the continent's largest foreign investor. By exporting AI and space-enabled technologies through platforms like Space42, the UAE is reinforcing its leadership in digital transformation, supporting both its own innovation goals and those of partner nations across the Global South. As the project moves forward, data generated from Map Africa will be hosted in Microsoft and G42-managed data centers across the continent, ensuring accessibility and sovereignty for local stakeholders. In doing so, the initiative is expected to deliver meaningful progress on the ground—transforming the way African nations manage resources, deliver services, and chart a more connected, intelligent future.
The Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Ramaphosa tells Liberation Movements Summit it's time Africa processed its raw materials
Ramaphosa said the countries needed to be united in efforts to rid society of corruption and crime. "... and we need to work together, drawing on each other's experiences, to rebuild and renew our movements. Our movements were built through the struggles of the young people of the time. Today, we must rebuild our movements the same way,' he said. 'The impatience of young people is not something that we should fear. It is to be welcomed because it signals the determination of new generations of citizens to strive for a better life, for a more just society.' He said youth leagues should not be ceremonial wings of movements but must be engines of ideological clarity, economic innovation, digital activism and organisational unity and renewal. Liberation movements, he said, were under siege, with most having to contend with declining electoral support, shifting demographics and frustrated young people in various countries. Ramaphosa said the continent was also grappling with economic inequality and foreign interference. 'These trends speak to a deeper crisis, the disconnect between our founding narratives and the lived realities of a new generation of young people. It is a generation that sees and appreciates less of our past victories and more of our present shortcomings,' he said. Ramaphosa said the disconnect within the population emboldened external attacks on sovereignty, independence, development and security. 'In fact, there has been ample evidence that international actors use the legitimate grievances of our people to attack progressive governments. We have seen a revival of the forces of unilateralism, neocolonialism and imperial extraction.' He stressed that there can be no true freedom without the liberation of women, saying society cannot thrive if women are excluded. 'If girls are unable to complete school, if women cannot find decent work or run their own businesses, if they do not receive equal pay for equal work, if they are vulnerable to violence and abuse, then our freedom will not be complete and our societies will remain forever poor,' he said. Ramaphosa said he welcomed the comprehensive resolutions which include land equity for women, reproductive rights and the call to mainstream women in leadership, trade, learning and in peace processes. 'We echo the call to centre the Pan-African Women's Organisation in our regional agenda and commit to elevating women's voices and leadership in every aspect of our movement, government and the private sector.' Ramaphosa said one of the most dangerous narratives today was the weaponisation of migration. 'We must reject xenophobia in all its forms. Migration itself must not be seen as a threat. It is a consequence of underdevelopment, war, global inequality, not a moral failing of those who move in search of hope.' SowetanLIVE
Bloomberg
23-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Canal+ Gets Anti-Trust Approval for $3 Billion Africa Deal
Canal+ received South African anti-trust approval to buy MultiChoice Group Ltd., which will clear the way to make it the largest pay-TV and streaming business on the continent. The deal got the go-ahead from the anti-trust watchdog this week, enabling a transaction that values MultiChoice at about $3 billion. Canal+ has been buying up stock in the market since announcing the deal in 2024, and will now purchase the rest from shareholders.
Mail & Guardian
23-07-2025
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
South Africa must unlock financial sector for growth, says African Development Bank
The African Development Bank (AfDB) says South Africa's well-developed financial sector has the potential to be the continent's powerhouse. The African Development Bank (AfDB) says South Africa's well-developed financial sector has the potential to be the continent's powerhouse if structural constraints are addressed. 'South Africa has a well-developed and large financial sector with an asset-to-GDP ratio of 88%, well above that of most emerging markets. The financial system consists of banking institutions, pension funds and a dynamic stock exchange,' the bank said Accounting for 20% of GDP, the country's financial sector provides broad access to financial services. More than 90% of the adult population uses formal financial services, with 81% holding bank accounts and 78% using non-bank financial institutions. 'The country needs a concerted focus on enhancing domestic capital mobilisation, more efficient public expenditure, and a stronger overall business environment to unlock greater investment and foster sustainable growth,' the AfDB said. It urged the government to follow through with plans to enhance business growth by reducing red tape, fostering a supportive environment for small and medium enterprises, improving infrastructure, strengthening multilateral cooperation, clamping down on crime and promoting skills development. 'While the financial system is stable, non-performing loans rose from 4.7% of total loans in 2023 to 5.7% in 2024 due to weak business growth. Household financial distress from rising interest rates since late 2021 has led to mortgage defaults, but easing borrowing costs are expected to support the sector,' it said. The development bank forecasts that South Africa's real GDP growth will remain subdued at 0.8% in 2025, with a likely uptick to 1.2% in 2026, depending on 'improved energy supply, freight rail and port management'. It identifies some of the continued domestic risks as 'ongoing infrastructure deficits, unresolved problems in electricity provision, 'South Africa is one of Africa's most dynamic economies, underpinned by a diversified economic base, strategic geographic location and ongoing commitment to structural transformation,' the report said, noting however that economic growth has underperformed in the past three years to 2024, averaging 1.1%. Factors such as China's economic slowdown, geopolitical tensions, climate vulnerabilities and trade disruptions are projected to further add uncertainty to the country's growth outlook. The AfDB highlights strengthening institutions as essential to improving tax administration, corporate governance and capacity-building to make full use of natural, human, financial and private sector capital. Although the country has many advantages because of its location, targeted training, regional staff exchanges and international collaboration are vital to improving performance and resilience. 'GDP growth The bank said South Africa's income inequality remains among the highest globally, with a Gini coefficient of 0.67 recorded in 2018. 'Government spending remains highly redistributive, with up to 61% of the budget allocated to the social wage — spending on health, education, social protection, community development and employment programmes,' the report said. South Africa funds about 'To meet its Vision 2030 targets and the sustainable development goals, South Africa requires about $254 billion to $329 billion in financing for transport, water and sanitation and education between 2022 and 2030,' the report said. Inefficiencies in public spending and underuse of business and natural resources limit the country's financial capacity. 'Unlocking South Africa's natural capital requires good governance, stronger institutional coordination, adherence to the rule of law, infrastructure development, and capacity development,' the AfDB said.
