Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO – Report:

.

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Matsumoto Yohei. The meeting was attended by Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif, Japan’s Ambassador to Egypt Iwai Fumio, Director-General for International Affairs at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Kitayama Kouji, also from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mr. Kobataki Yasu.

The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the President welcomed the Japanese minister and asked him to convey his greetings to His Majesty Emperor Naruhito of Japan and to Her Excellency Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The President emphasized that Egypt holds in high esteem its close and longstanding cooperation with Japan in various fields, particularly education. The President commended Japan’s significant contribution to the Grand Egyptian Museum project and the success of the Egyptian-Japanese Schools project, noting Egypt’s interest in increasing the number of these schools in various governorates and enhancing the participation and increasing the number of Japanese principals and experts managing them.

The Japanese Minister of Education noted this was his first official visit abroad since assuming office, which reflects Japan’s keenness to enhance cooperation with Egypt in the field of education. He emphasized that the Egyptian-Japanese Schools project represents a successful model of developmental cooperation and the support Japan provides to its partners in Africa and the Middle East. The Japanese minister also offered his congratulations on the election of Dr. Khaled El-Enany as Director-General of UNESCO, noting that Japan looked forward to further strengthening cooperation and coordination with UNESCO and Dr. El-Enany.

The meeting addressed prospects for developing educational relations between the two countries, including cooperation in developing Egyptian curricula, introducing software studies for approximately 750,000 students according to the Japanese curriculum, as well as cooperation in technical education and training Egyptian teachers to teach the Japanese language and curriculum, and supporting education and rehabilitation programs for people with special needs. Both sides also discussed means to expand the Japanese schools in Egypt to serve as a model that could be replicated in Africa and the Arab region.

The President expressed his appreciation to Japan for its cooperation with Egypt in all fields, especially education, and looked forward to doubling the targeted number of Japanese schools in Egypt in the next five years, as well as to increase the number of Japanese experts managing those schools. The President stressed the importance of benefiting from the distinguished Japanese experience in discipline and educational vision, and working to intensify student exchange programs between the two countries.

– on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Source: APO – Report:

.

Guyana is entering a new stage of local content development as its oil and gas economy expands rapidly. In late 2025, the Government of Guyana announced that, effective January 2026, companies seeking local content certification under the Local Content Act will benefit from faster, more structured processing times. Sole proprietorships and landlords can expect applications processed within five working days (renewals in three), 100% Guyanese‑owned entities within 15 days (renewals in ten), and all other firms within 21 days (renewals in 15), once documentation is submitted. The government has also committed to publishing an updated document list, launching online portals and encouraging use of a Local Content App to streamline access to procurement and employment opportunities.

This administrative reform builds on efforts to strengthen the 2021 Local Content Act, a cornerstone of the country’s strategy to ensure its oil boom delivers broad-based benefits. In 2024 alone, approximately $743 million in local content expenditures flowed to Guyanese companies across designated service areas, highlighting the law’s early impact on domestic participation.

In parallel, the government has initiated a formal revision process for the Local Content Act. The Local Content Secretariat began stakeholder consultations in late 2025 to increase the categories of work reserved for Guyanese and adjust existing targets, broadening local economic opportunities and addressing gaps identified since the law’s inception. Policymakers are also exploring ways to expand local ownership of high-value assets such as supply vessels, which remain constrained by capital intensity and access to finance.

These developments reflect a broader evolution: from establishing basic participation requirements to creating an implementable, agile framework responsive to industry needs and aligned with long-term national development objectives. Updated timelines and digital tools are expected to reduce friction in the certification process, boosting confidence among local firms seeking contracts and partnerships with international oil companies operating in the Stabroek and other offshore basins.

As the Caribbean’s energy landscape matures, Caribbean Energy Week (CEW) 2026, scheduled for 30 March to 1 April in Paramaribo, will feature a dedicated Local Content Track to exchange lessons learned, explore best practices and build regional cohesion around inclusive value creation. Sessions such as “From Discovery to Development: Maximizing Local Value Creation in the Caribbean’s Emerging Oil Economy” will examine how policies can translate natural resource wealth into sustained socioeconomic advancement, while “The Anatomy of a Viable Local Content Decree: Key Principles to Consider” will unpack legislative and practical elements that balance attracting foreign investors with ensuring meaningful local participation.

The trajectory of Guyana’s Local Content Act illustrates that legislation alone is not enough; implementation, institutional capacity and stakeholder engagement determine whether local content delivers tangible benefits. As Guyana transitions from foundational rules to efficiency-oriented regulation and stakeholder-driven revisions, the lessons learned offer a benchmark for other Caribbean and Atlantic Basin producers.

In this way, the next stage of Guyana’s local content journey – characterized by process reform, legislative refinement and digital enablement – sets the tone for regional collaboration. CEW 2026 will serve as a high-profile forum to share insights, forge partnerships and align Caribbean nations around a shared vision of inclusive energy growth.

Join us in shaping the future of Caribbean energy. To participate in this landmark event, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

– on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Source: APO – Report:

Vodacom Group (www.Vodacom.com) has once again been certified and recognised as Africa’s number one employer by the Top Employers Institute, marking its third consecutive win and reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering an exceptional employee experience.

This prestigious certification and first place ranking have been awarded to Vodacom Group, alongside separate certifications for Vodacom Mozambique, Vodacom South Africa, Vodacom Tanzania, and Safaricom Ethiopia and Kenya.

Vodacom Group Chief Executive, Shameel Joosub says, “Being certificated as Africa’s Top Employer for a third consecutive year marks an important milestone in our Vision 2030 journey. Not only is this testament to our consistency in leading with purpose but it also shows that our people centric approach and focus on talent development and workplace culture is impactful”.

The Top Employer certification is a critical benchmark for assessing Human Resources (HR) practices, evaluating how effectively companies align HR frameworks, culture, and employee experience with international standards of excellence. The certification spans 20 HR domains, including People Strategy, Talent Acquisition, Learning and Development, Leadership Development, Performance Management, Employee Wellbeing, and Diversity and Inclusion.

“We are incredibly proud to maintain our position as Africa’s Top Employer for the third consecutive year. This achievement demonstrates that creating an exceptional employee experience is a sustained commitment to our people. We believe that the well-being and empowerment of our employees contributes directly to our ability to fulfil our purpose of connecting for a better future,” says Matimba Mbungela, Chief Human Resources Officer at Vodacom Group.

Vodacom Group achieved an exceptional overall Top Employer score of 99.56%, with Vodacom Mozambique recording the highest Group score at 99.96%, Vodacom South Africa achieving 99.88%, and Vodacom Tanzania achieving 99.76%, maintaining its standing among the highest-rated employers globally. Safaricom Ethiopia and Safaricom Kenya each secured first place rankings in their respective countries. These results reaffirm Vodacom Group’s consistent delivery of world-class HR practices.

Driving Innovation and Ethical AI Integration

This year, the Top Employers Institute expanded its evaluation criteria to reflect evolving global priorities in people management and organisational ethics, with new questions focusing on three critical themes: empowering workforce innovation and creativity, evaluating the human impact of AI in organisational processes, and embedding ethics and integrity across HR and technology integration.

A major highlight of this year’s certification is the recognition of two Vodacom South Africa best practices for global benchmarking:

• Human-AI Collaboration Impact Evaluation: Vodacom proactively and continuously evaluates AI implementations to ensure that human-AI collaboration initiatives balance organisational needs with their impact on employees.
• Innovation and Creativity Empowerment: Vodacom fosters a culture of creativity and innovation by empowering employees to experiment, take risks, and share ideas without fear through various programmes including hackathons.

“The Top Employers Institute’s increasing focus on fostering innovation, ethical leadership, and prioritising the human impact of technology, reflects where the world of work is heading. We’re proud that Vodacom Group continues to set the standard in these areas by championing forward-thinking, employee-centric approaches and being recognised globally for these best practices,” adds Mbungela.

Employee-Centric Approach

Vodacom Group’s success is underpinned by continued investment in digital HR enablement, digital learning, future-fit skills, leadership capability, and holistic wellbeing. The organisation’s Employee Value Proposition, built on principles of Compassion, Acceptance, Respect and Empathy (C.A.R.E.), includes enhanced wellness initiatives supporting all stages of life and a comprehensive family responsibility leave policy.

The company’s commitment to talent development extends beyond its workforce to the broader African tech ecosystem. Through initiatives like the Vodacom Digital Skills Hub, CodeLikeAGirl, Discover Graduate, and Spirit of Vodacom, the company continues to drive empowerment and create opportunities across the continent, preparing the next generation for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Looking Ahead

“As we look ahead, Vodacom Group remains dedicated to creating a workplace that inspires excellence, supports growth, and connects every employee to our shared purpose. Our third consecutive year as Africa’s Top Employer is testament to our people-first approach and our commitment to fostering innovation and ethical technology adoption that puts people at the center of the organisation,” concludes Mbungela.

– on behalf of Vodacom Group.

Source: APO

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) (www.CCBAGroup.com) is proud to announce its recognition as a Top Employer in Africa for 2026 by the Top Employers Institute (https://apo-opa.co/45b21Rr). In addition to this regional accolade, seven countries in the CCBA footprint – Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda – have been certified as Top Employers at a country level.

This marks the second consecutive year that CCBA has achieved regional-level certification, with its operations in Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda also certified at a country level. Notably, all these countries have improved their performance compared to last year. Furthermore, this year represents the first certification for CCBA’s operations in Botswana, Kenya, and Mozambique.

The Top Employers Institute, active in 125 countries/regions, is considered to be the global authority in HR certification, benchmarking and advisory. Its programme (https://apo-opa.co/4sI5vF7) certifies organisations based on the results of its HR Best Practices Survey which covers six domains including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Wellbeing. 

“This certification demonstrates our commitment to unparalleled professional growth for our people, providing an exciting journey of learning and development within a passionate, caring team,” said Natasa Prodanovic, CCBA Chief People and Culture Officer.

“We thrive on delivering beloved Coke brands, making a positive impact on communities, and achieving market success together. We invest in our people to foster an inclusive and thriving workplace that accelerates our growth.”

Prodanovic added: “At CCBA, we don’t hand you a role, we create an opportunity, give you the tools and we challenge you to build a career, to make it yours.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa.