HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani participated in a media stand organized by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) group at the United Nations in New York. The media stand addressed the draft resolution submitted to the UN Security Council by the Kingdom of Bahrain, on behalf of the GCC states and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which condemns Iranian attacks on the territories of GCC member states and other countries.
In a statement delivered during the media stand, Her Excellency noted that the draft resolution was submitted in response to the unjustified and illegal attacks launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the territories of GCC member states, including the State of Qatar.
She explained that these attacks constitute a flagrant violation of national sovereignty and a direct assault on the security and territorial integrity of the GCC states, representing an unacceptable escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region.
Noting that the draft resolution is consistent with the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, she said that the large number of countries sponsoring it reflects a broad understanding of the gravity of these attacks.
In this context, Her Excellency expressed the State of Qatar’s hope that the UNSC would fulfill its responsibilities and unite in support of the draft resolution, sending a clear message about the need to immediately halt these attacks. She affirmed that no casualties were reported, thanks to the vigilance, efficiency, and high level of readiness of the Qatar Armed Forces and their air defense systems.
Her Excellency stressed that these attacks targeted the sovereign territory of the State of Qatar, endangered the civilian population, and caused damage to civilian infrastructure, emphasizing that these actions constitute a clear violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
Her Excellency added that the State of Qatar has been among the countries calling for dialogue with the Islamic Republic of Iran, in line with its policy of prioritizing the resolution of disputes and conflicts through peaceful means. However, the continued targeting of Qatari territory does not reflect good faith and profoundly undermines the foundations of understanding upon which bilateral relations between the two countries were based.
Her Excellency reiterated the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation of these attacks, affirming its full right to respond in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, in defense of its sovereignty and to protect its security and national interests.
Stressing that the message today is clear and simple: the Security Council must act and fulfill its responsibilities, Her Excellency warned that failure to respond would send a dangerous message that attacks on neighboring countries, which have nothing to do with the conflict, can go unpunished.
Today, Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com), met with His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe, at State House to discuss the need for Rugby Africa and Zimbabwe to support the nation’s preparation for the Rugby World Cup 2027, one of the largest sporting events in the world.
After 34 years, Zimbabwe returns to the Rugby World Cup, with the team—known as the Zimbabwe Sables—securing victory in the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup in Kampala to confirm their qualification. The achievement marks a historic moment for the nation, as Zimbabwe becomes the only African team to qualify through the regional competition, aside from reigning champions, South Africa’s Springboks, who qualify automatically.
Organised by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union, the meeting highlights the importance of strong collaboration between national governments, sports ministries and continental rugby bodies to ensure African teams have the structure, preparation and resources needed to compete at the highest level.
“I had the honour of meeting His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa today, and what stood out to me is how much the government here truly cares about the Zimbabwe Sables and the future of rugby in Zimbabwe. That level of commitment from leadership contributes massively to what this team can achieve. To Zimbabwe, it is not what Zimbabwe can do for you — it is what you can do for Zimbabwe. This moment belongs to the country and to the young men wearing that jersey. The Zimbabwe Sables have earned their place back on the world stage after 34 years, and every Zimbabwean should be proud. When government, the union and Rugby Africa come together with a clear vision, the possibilities for how we move forward are enormous. Our responsibility now is to build the structures, the preparation and the unity around these players so that when they go to the Rugby World Cup, they carry the pride of an entire nation,” said Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa.
Mensah reiterated Rugby Africa’s commitment to supporting Zimbabwe rugby as it builds momentum through new leadership structures, improved preparation, and the dedication of its players and staff. He also emphasised the importance of continued investment in the game and the opportunity to bring more continental tournaments to Zimbabwe, praising the strong support shown by government towards the Zimbabwe Sables and the broader development of rugby in the country.
The meeting also emphasised the broader role governments can play in supporting rugby beyond infrastructure, including investing in youth development, high-performance structures and competitive pathways. Also in attendance were Steph Nel, World Rugby Senior High Performance Consultant for Africa, and David Gilbert, former President of Botswana Rugby, former Vice President of Rugby Africa and current adviser to the President of Rugby Africa.
Zimbabwe’s qualification reflects the determination of both the government and the rugby community, with players and supporters working together to restore the nation’s place on the global rugby stage.
The Rugby World Cup 2027, organised by World Rugby, will take place in Australia, bringing together the best teams from across the globe. Among them will be South Africa, the only nation in history to have won the Rugby World Cup four times, underlining the continental growth and talent of rugby across Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rugby Africa.
About Rugby Africa:
Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) is the governing body of rugby in Africa and one of the regional associations under World Rugby. It unites all African countries that play rugby union, rugby sevens, and women’s rugby. Rugby Africa organizes various competitions, including the qualifying tournaments for the Rugby World Cup and the Africa Sevens, a qualifying competition for the Olympic Games. With 40 member unions, Rugby Africa is dedicated to promoting and developing rugby across the continent. World Rugby highlighted Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia as three of the six emerging nations experiencing strong growth in rugby.
The British Council (www.BritishCouncil.org) has been formally recognised by UNESCO as a new member of two key global education initiatives: the Global Education Coalition and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030. This membership demonstrates and reinforces the British Council’s commitment to global education recovery, equity, and innovation, and strengthens its role in shaping international policy and partnerships for inclusive, quality teaching and learning.
The Global Education Coalition was launched by UNESCO in 2020 to mitigate the impact of the educational disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-pandemic, the Coalition’s priorities have evolved to support Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. The Global Education Coalition is advancing transformation in the education sector, bringing together over 200 partners from governments, multilateral organisations, civil society and the private sector to collaborate and work towards our shared goals. As a Coalition member, the British Council will contribute its extensive experience in teacher development, English language education and inclusive learning to support countries in building resilient, future-ready education systems.
The British Council has also joined the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, dedicated to addressing the teacher-shortage crisis and advancing the status and support of educators worldwide. The International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, or Teacher Task Force (TTF), is a global independent alliance which raises awareness, expands knowledge and supports countries working on improving teaching quality and teacher-related issues. The TTF members include national governments, intergovernmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, international development agencies, civil society organisations, private sector organisations and UN agencies.
With over 90 years of experience supporting teacher education and professional development around the world, the British Council will bring valuable knowledge, skills and connections to this task force, particularly in supporting teachers in fragile, multilingual, and/or under-resourced contexts.
Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, said:
“Coordinated action for education has never been more urgent. Our participation in these global education initiatives will amplify the voices of teachers and learners worldwide, particularly in communities where opportunities are limited. We look forward to working with our global partners to share best practices, co-create solutions and champion inclusive, high-quality education as a foundation for peace, prosperity, and social cohesion.”
The British Council delivers a wide range of education programmes that strengthen teaching quality, improve learning outcomes, and promote equity and inclusion. From large-scale teacher development initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, to innovative digital learning platforms and support for English language teachers in conflict-affected regions, the organisation works in partnership with ministries of education, schools, universities and civil society to drive systemic improvements. Its approach is rooted in research, collaboration, and responsiveness to local context, ensuring that solutions are both sustainable and scalable.
The British Council has played a vital role in supporting education globally, working in partnership with over 50 ministries of education in 2025-26 to help build inclusive and future-facing education systems. Hosting the largest global online community of practice for 3.9 million teachers and teacher educators, we have unique opportunities for engagement with both practitioners and policymakers.
Participation in both the Global Education Coalition and the Teacher Task Force will create new opportunities for the British Council to work in partnership to drive global impact, support ministries of education, school leaders, teachers, and young people with evidence-based programmes, peer learning networks and scalable innovations that reflect the diverse needs of its beneficiaries. The British Council’s active engagement in these forums will help ensure that learners and educators in all contexts benefit from global collaboration, policy alignment and sustained investment in education.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of British Council.
About the British Council:
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024–25 we reached 599 million people.
La Banque Africaine d’Import-Export (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) est ravie de lancer la deuxième saison de sa série documentaire impact Stories (Histoires d’impact). Fort du succès de la première saison, ce nouveau coffret de six films élargit la portée géographique de la série afin de refléter l’empreinte croissante de la Banque à travers l’Afrique, en présentant des récits provenant des Caraïbes et d’Afrique.
Produite par Afreximbank en partenariat avec Create, le studio de contenu de marque de CNN International commercial, la saison 2 emmène les spectateurs à Grenade, au Ghana, en Côte d’Ivoire et au Nigeria. La série met en lumière les résultats considérables des investissements stratégiques, allant au-delà des aspects financiers pour montrer la transformation humaine et économique qui s’opère à travers le continent et sa diaspora. Chaque épisode jette un regard intime sur les projets et partenariats phares qui stimulent l’esprit d’entreprise, construisent des infrastructures essentielles et favorisent une nouvelle ère de prospérité.
À travers des récits qui mettent en évidence l’ampleur et l’impact des interventions d’Afreximbank, de l’extension du Silversands Resort à la Grenade, projet phare d’une coopération approfondie entre l’Afrique et les Caraïbes, au développement de la raffinerie Dangote à Lagos, les films illustrent l’ampleur des ambitions qui animent l’avenir économique de l’Afrique. Le public sera transporté à Aba, au Nigeria, pour voir comment le projet Geometric Power revitalise un centre industriel historique avec une électricité fiable, et au Ghana, où la série suit le parcours du cacao de la ferme au marché mondial grâce au partenariat de la Banque avec Plot Enterprise.
La série célèbre également l’essor de l’économie créative africaine, en mettant en avant la marque de mode ghanéenne Boyedoe qui se prépare à faire ses débuts sur la scène mondiale lors de la Fashion Week (Semaine de la mode) de Paris, avec le soutien du programme Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) d’Afreximbank. Le dernier épisode explore la rénovation de l’emblématique stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, d’Abidjan, et montre comment les investissements dans les infrastructures nationales apportent des avantages culturels et économiques considérables aux communautés locales.
Mme Anne EZEH, Directrice de la Communication et des Evénements d’Afreximbank, a souligné le rôle de la série dans la documentation de la mission et de l’impact de la Banque : « Ces films sont bien plus que des récits sur des investissements et des projets ; ils reflètent les partenariats et les progrès, démontrant notre engagement indéfectible à promouvoir l’indépendance économique. En mettant en avant les entrepreneurs, les communautés et les économies nationales avec lesquels nous travaillons en partenariat, nous partageons notre vision d’une Afrique mondiale prospère et intégrée. Cette vitrine est essentielle, dans la mesure où elle démontre que les fondements d’une plus grande intégration économique sont déjà en place ou en cours de construction, incitant les entreprises et les régions à accélérer le commerce intra-africain et encourageant les entrepreneurs à forger des collaborations transfrontalières qui stimulent le développement dans leur pays et à l’étranger ».
Martin Laing, Directeur principal de la Production et Producteur exécutif mondial au Create Brand Studio de CNN International commercial, a déclaré : « Ce fut un réel privilège de travailler main dans la main avec Afreximbank et l’incroyable équipe de la Banque en tant que co-‑producteurs d’impact Stories pour la deuxième saison. Ensemble, nous avons créé une série documentaire YouTube captivante, axée sur le public, qui raconte des histoires humaines fortes et met en lumière l’impact réel de leurs initiatives à travers l’Afrique, sa diaspora mondiale et au-delà. Nous sommes extrêmement fiers de collaborer à une série véritablement internationale qui place l’humain au cœur du récit et qui crée un lien profond avec les publics du monde entier ».
Les six nouveaux épisodes, diffusés sur Afreximbank TV (https://apo-opa.co/3PjBiwR) à partir du 12 mars, témoignent avec force de la mission d’Afreximbank consistant à financer et à promouvoir le commerce. Ils illustrent également comment des investissements stratégiques transforment les opportunités en prospérité concrète pour les entreprises et les communautés d’Afrique et des Caraïbes. La série bénéficiera d’une promotion percutante sur CNN.com et d’une campagne télévisée de longue durée sur CNN International.
Distribué par APO Group pour Afreximbank.
Contact Presse :
Vincent Musumba
Responsable de la communication et de la gestion événementielle (Relations presse)
Courriel : press@afreximbank.com
À propos d’Afreximbank :
La Banque Africaine d’Import-Export (Afreximbank) est une institution financière multilatérale panafricaine dédiée au financement et à la promotion du commerce intra et extra-africain. Depuis 30 ans, Afreximbank déploie des structures innovantes pour fournir des solutions de financement qui facilitent la transformation de la structure du commerce africain et accélèrent l’industrialisation et le commerce intrarégional, soutenant ainsi l’expansion économique en Afrique. Fervente défenseur de l’Accord sur la Zone de Libre-Échange Continentale Africaine (ZLECAf), Afreximbank a lancé les le Système panafricain de paiement et de règlement (PAPSS) qui a été adopté par l’Union africaine (UA) comme la plateforme de paiement et de règlement devant appuyer la mise en œuvre de la ZLECAf. En collaboration avec le Secrétariat de la ZLECAf et l’UA, la Banque a mis en place un Fonds d’ajustement de 10 milliards de dollars US pour aider les pays à participer de manière effective à la ZLECAf. À la fin de décembre 2024, le total des actifs et des garanties de la Banque s’élevait à environ 40,1 milliards de dollars US et les fonds de ses actionnaires s’établissaient à 7,2 milliards de dollars US. Afreximbank est notée A par GCR International Scale, Baa2 par Moody’s, AAA par China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI), A- par Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR). Au fil des ans, Afreximbank est devenue un groupe constitué de la Banque, de sa filiale de financement à impact appelée Fonds de développement des exportations en Afrique (FEDA), et de sa filiale de gestion d’assurance, AfrexInsure, (les trois entités forment « le Groupe »). La Banque a son siège social au Caire, en Égypte.
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) is pleased to launch the second season of its documentary series, Impact Stories. Building on the success of the inaugural season, the new collection of six films expands the series’ geographic scope to capture the Bank’s growing footprint across Global Africa, featuring stories from the Caribbean and Africa.
Produced by Afreximbank in partnership with Create, CNN International Commercial’s branded content studio, Season Two takes viewers on location to Grenada, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria. The series brings to life the impactful outcomes of strategic investments, moving beyond finance to capture the human and economic transformation unfolding across the continent and its diaspora. Each episode provides an intimate look at the landmark projects and partnerships that are unlocking enterprise, building critical infrastructure, and fostering a new era of prosperity.
Featuring stories that highlight the breadth and impact of Afreximbank’s interventions — from the expansion of the Silversands Resort in Grenada, a flagship project of deeper Africa-Caribbean cooperation, to the development of Dangote Refinery in Lagos, the films illustrate the scale of ambition driving Africa’s economic future. Viewers will be transported to Aba, Nigeria, to see how the Geometric Power project is revitalising a historic industrial hub with reliable electricity, and to Ghana, where the series follows the journey of cocoa from farm to global market through the Bank’s partnership with Plot Enterprise.
The series also celebrates the rise of Africa’s creative economy, spotlighting Ghanaian fashion brand Boyedoe as it prepared for its debut on global stage at Paris Fashion Week, supported by Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme. The final episode explores the renovation of Abidjan’s iconic Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium, showcasing how investment in national infrastructure delivers wide-reaching cultural and economic benefits for local communities.
Mrs. Anne Ezeh, Director of Communications and Events at Afreximbank, emphasised the series’ role in documenting the Bank’s core mission and impact: “These films are much more than stories about investment and projects; they are portraits of partnership and progress, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to fostering economic independence. By showcasing the entrepreneurs, communities, and national economies we partner with, we are sharing a vision of a prosperous and integrated Global Africa. This showcase is vital because it demonstrates that the building blocks for greater economic integration are already in place or being built now, inspiring businesses and regions to accelerate intra-African trade and encouraging entrepreneurs to forge cross-border collaborations that drive development at home and abroad.”
Martin Laing, Senior Director of Production and Global Executive Producer at CNN International Commercial’s Create Brand Studio, said: “It’s been a real privilege to work hand in hand with Afreximbank and their incredible team as co producers of Impact Stories again for the second season. Together, we’ve built a compelling, audience first YouTube documentary series dedicated to telling powerful human stories and showcasing the real-world impact of their initiatives across Africa, its global diaspora, and beyond. We are incredibly proud to collaborate on a truly international series that puts people at the heart of the storytelling and connects meaningfully with audiences around the world.”
The six new episodes which will debut on Afreximbank TV (https://apo-opa.co/3PjBiwR) on March 12th and serve as a powerful testament to Afreximbank’s mandate to finance and promote trade, as well as demonstrating how strategic investments are turning opportunity into tangible prosperity for businesses and communities across Africa and the Caribbean. The series will be promoted in high impact formats across CNN.com and in a long-form TV campaign across CNN International.
– on behalf of Afreximbank.
Media Contact:
Vincent Musumba
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com
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About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2024, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$40.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$7.2 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) at “Stable”, Moody’s (Baa2), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), and Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
O Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) tem o prazer de anunciar o lançamento da segunda temporada da sua série de documentários Impact Stories (Histórias de Impacto). Com base no sucesso da Primeira Temporada, a nova colecção de seis filmes alarga o âmbito geográfico da série para captar a crescente presença do Banco em toda a África Global, apresentando histórias das Caraíbas e de África.
Produzida pelo Afreximbank em parceria com a Create, a produtora de conteúdos da CNN International Commercial, a Segunda Temporada leva os espectadores a Granada, Gana, Côte d’Ivoire e Nigéria. A série dá vida aos resultados impactantes dos investimentos estratégicos, ultrapassando o âmbito financeiro para retratar a transformação humana e económica que se desenrola em todo o continente e na sua diáspora. Cada episódio oferece uma visão íntima dos projectos e parcerias marcantes que estão a desbloquear o empreendedorismo, a construir infra-estruturas críticas e a promover uma nova era de prosperidade.
Apresentando histórias que destacam a amplitude e o impacto das intervenções do Afreximbank – desde a expansão do Silversands Resort em Granada, um projecto emblemático de cooperação mais profunda entre África e as Caraíbas, até ao desenvolvimento da Refinaria Dangote em Lagos, os filmes ilustram a escala da ambição que impulsiona o futuro económico de África. Os espectadores serão transportados para Aba, Nigéria, para ver como o projecto Geometric Power está a revitalizar um centro industrial histórico com electricidade fiável, e para o Gana, onde a série acompanha a jornada do cacau do campo ao mercado global através da parceria do Banco com a Plot Enterprise.
A série celebra igualmente a ascensão da economia criativa de África, destacando a marca da moda ganesa Boyedoe à medida que se prepara para a sua estreia no palco global na Semana da Moda de Paris, apoiada pelo programa Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) do Afreximbank. O episódio final explora a renovação do emblemático Estádio Félix Houphouët-Boigny, em Abidjan, mostrando como o investimento em infra-estruturas nacionais proporciona benefícios culturais e económicos de grande alcance para as comunidades locais.
A Sr.ª Anne Ezeh, Directora de Comunicação e Eventos do Afreximbank, destacou o papel da série em documentar a missão central e o impacto do Banco: “Estes filmes são muito mais do que histórias sobre investimentos e projectos; são retratos de parceria e progresso, demonstrando o nosso compromisso inabalável em promover a independência económica. Ao dar visibilidade aos empreendedores, comunidades e economias nacionais com os quais estabelecemos parcerias, estamos a partilhar uma visão de uma África Global próspera e integrada. Esta apresentação é vital porque demonstra que as bases para uma maior integração económica já estão estabelecidas ou estão a ser construídas agora, inspirando empresas e regiões a acelerar o comércio intra-africano e incentivando os empreendedores a estabelecer colaborações transfronteiriças que impulsionam o desenvolvimento no país e no estrangeiro.”
O Sr. Martin Laing, Director Sénior de Produção e Produtor Executivo Global dos Estúdios Create Brand da CNN International Commercial, afirmou: “Tem sido um verdadeiro privilégio trabalhar lado a lado com o Afreximbank e a sua incrível equipa como co-produtores da Segunda Temporada das Impact Stories (Histórias de Impacto). Juntos, criámos uma série de documentários cativante e centrada no público no YouTube, dedicada a contar histórias humanas poderosas e a mostrar o impacto real das suas iniciativas em África, na sua diáspora global e além-fronteiras. Estamos incrivelmente orgulhosos de colaborar numa série verdadeiramente internacional que coloca as pessoas no centro da narrativa e se conecta de forma significativa com o público em todo o mundo.”
Os seis novos episódios, que serão exibidos pela primeira vez na Afreximbank TV (https://apo-opa.co/3PjBiwR) no dia 12 de Março, servem como um poderoso testemunho do mandato do Afreximbank de financiar e promover o comércio, além de demonstrar como investimentos estratégicos estão a transformar oportunidades em prosperidade tangível para empresas e comunidades em toda a África e no Caribe. A série será promovida em formatos de alto impacto na CNN.com e em uma campanha televisiva de longa duração na CNN International.
Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Afreximbank.
Contacto para a Imprensa:
Vincent Musumba
Gestor de Comunicações e Eventos (Relações com a Imprensa)
Correio Electrónico: press@afreximbank.com
Sobre o Afreximbank:
O Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação (Afreximbank) é uma instituição financeira multilateral pan-africana com mandato para financiar e promover o comércio intra e extra-africano. Há mais de 30 anos que o Banco utiliza estruturas inovadoras para oferecer soluções de financiamento que apoiam a transformação da estrutura do comércio africano, acelerando a industrialização e o comércio intra-regional, impulsionando assim a expansão económica em África. Apoiante firme do Acordo de Comércio Livre Continental Africano (ACLCA), o Afreximbank lançou um Sistema Pan-Africano de Pagamento e Liquidação (PAPSS) que foi adoptado pela União Africana (UA) como plataforma de pagamento e liquidação para sustentar a implementação da ZCLCA. Em colaboração com o Secretariado da ZCLCA e a UA, o Banco criou um Fundo de Ajustamento de 10 mil milhões de dólares para apoiar os países que participam de forma efectiva na ZCLCA. No final de Dezembro de 2024, o total de activos e contingências do Afreximbank ascendia a mais de 40,1 mil milhões de dólares e os seus fundos de accionistas a 7,2 mil milhões de dólares. O Afreximbank tem notações de grau de investimento atribuídas pela GCR (escala internacional) (A), Moody’s (Baa2), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-). O Afreximbank evoluiu para uma entidade de grupo que inclui o Banco, a sua subsidiária de fundo de impacto de acções, denominada Fundo para o Desenvolvimento das Exportações em África (FEDA), e a sua subsidiária de gestão de seguros, AfrexInsure (em conjunto, “o Grupo”). O Banco tem a sua sede em Cairo, Egipto.
Para mais informações, visite: www.Afreximbank.com.
Enlit Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4cEX08g) has released its full 2026 conference programme, featuring 280+ speakers across 8 specialised tracks including a new African Nuclear 2.0 session covering Koeberg’s 20-year life extension and Ghana’s nuclear vendor selection process.
The event, taking place 19-21 May 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, expects 7,200+ attendees and 250+ exhibitors, making it Africa’s largest gathering of energy and water professionals.
Award-winning business journalist and best-selling author Bruce Whitfield will deliver the opening address at the Project & Investment Network Business Breakfast on 19 May, kicking off three days of strategic sessions, deal-making platforms, and technical masterclasses.
New programme content includes:
African Nuclear 2.0 – A dedicated session examining the transition from planning to execution, featuring:
Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s successful 20-year life extension (Units 1 and 2 now licensed until 2044/2045)
Ghana’s progression to Phase 3 of its nuclear programme, evaluating US, Chinese, and Russian technology bids
West African Power Pool‘s 10 GW regional nuclear capacity target
Small Modular Reactor (SMR) deployment readiness across African grids
Independent Transmission Projects (ITP) – A new session exploring how private investment is unlocking Africa’s transmission bottleneck, featuring global case studies from India’s PowerGrid and lessons for scaling grid capacity across the continent.
Generation Masterclasses – Five interactive roundtables on gas-to-power, nuclear, hydro power, clean coal, and hydrogen.
AI in Africa’s Power Grid – Examining practical deployment realities, real-time analytics, and predictive maintenance applications already in operation across African utilities.
Conference sessions and technical hub sessions on the expo floor are CPD-accredited by the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) and the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE).
Co-located platforms:
Water Security Africa features country playbooks from Namibia (55-year potable reuse programme), Uganda (NRW reduction from 42% to 32%), Cape Town (Day Zero recovery strategies), and sector-specific stewardship sessions with Harmony Gold, Heineken, Mediclinic, and Growthpoint Properties.
Project & Investment Network (P&IN), part of the new Level 2 Executive Experience, connects project developers, investors, African utility CEOs, and DFIs through structured matchmaking, ministerial dialogues, and project briefings. Over the past two years, P&IN has facilitated $3 billion in project pitches.
Utility CEO Forum brings together 35+ confirmed utility CEOs under Chatham House Rule for candid, off-the-record strategic discussions on unbundling, prosumer management, and financial sustainability.
Municipal Forum addresses South African municipalities’ distribution, metering, and revenue challenges, including sessions on NRW management, tariff reform, Cost of Supply studies, and electrifying informal settlements.
Technical Hub sessions on the exhibition floor offer free, CPD-accredited training across Power, Renewable Energy & Storage, and Water tracks, with confirmed speakers from Eskom, ENGIE SA, ACTOM, National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), RenEnergy, and Matla Energy.
Site visits on 22 May include Koeberg Nuclear Power Station and the V&A Waterfront desalination plant.
Free expo passes provide access to 250+ exhibitors and CPD-accredited Technical Hub sessions.
Delegate Pass:
Early bird registration closes 3 April 2026. Delegate passes start at R15,100 (Silver), with P&IN Executive passes at R32,000 including access to the Bruce Whitfield breakfast, Level 2 executive lounge, and investor matchmaking.
Download the full programme: https://apo-opa.co/3NwCble
For sponsorship and exhibition:
Marcel du Toit
marcel.dutoit@wearevuka.com
About Enlit Africa:
Enlit Africa brings together utilities, municipalities, investors, technology providers, and policymakers to shape Africa’s energy and water future. Co-located with Water Security Africa, Project & Investment Network, Utility CEO Forum, Municipal Forum, and Women in Energy, the event provides a platform for strategic decision-making, deal facilitation, and technical knowledge transfer.
Enlit Africa 2026 takes place 19-21 May at the CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa.
About VUKA Group:
VUKA Group connects people and organisations across Africa’s energy, mining, mobility, green economy, and retail sectors through events, content, and strategic networking. Venture partners to The Global Trust Project and leaders of NPO Go Green Africa.
Ambassador Yin briefed on the key outcomes of the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the arrangements for this year’s China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Ambassador Yin emphasized that China stands ready to strengthen practical exchanges and cooperation with the Ministry of Public Works, continuously deepen the bilateral strategic partnership.
Minister Giddings thanked China for its longstanding support for Liberia’s development and expressed the desire to strengthen cooperation with China in areas such as public works and training to advance Liberia’s national development agenda.
– on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Liberia.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Suleman Lazarus, Visiting Fellow, Mannheim Centre for Criminology, London School of Economics and Political Science
The moment became a striking illustration of something my research keeps returning to: how music can carry the moral codes of cybercrime far beyond their origins, laundering them in rhythm, recognition and prestige.
Afrobeats is the broad label often used for contemporary Nigerian and west African popular music that has come to dominate global streaming culture in the 2010s and 2020s. Driven by artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Tems and Asake, it has grown from a regional sound into a global cultural force, filling arenas, winning major awards and shaping youth culture far beyond Africa.
Yet some of what travels with Afrobeats is more ambivalent. In the Nigerian context, the cybercrime most often referenced in music is linked to Yahoo Boys, a popular term for online fraudsters involved in scams such as romance fraud and advance fee fraud. In some lyrics, these figures are framed not simply as offenders but as resourceful hustlers or icons of success.
The songs in our study all contain explicit references to online fraud. All were performed by male artists. And all were globally available on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. What we found goes well beyond glorification. Afrobeats, we argue, is functioning as a moral text – one that actively rationalises, spiritualises and normalises cybercrime for millions of listeners worldwide.
In other words, some of this music is doing more than making crime sound cool. It is helping listeners make sense of online fraud as acceptable, even justified. It wraps criminal behaviour in the language of hustle, survival and divine favour, making it feel not just normal, but earned. And because Afrobeats is now heard everywhere, these ideas are travelling with it.
More than just ‘hustle culture’
It is tempting to dismiss fraud themed lyrics as bravado. They can seem like a form of performative edginess, not unlike gangsta rap. Gangsta rap is a branch of hip hop in which hustling, toughness and street survival became both narrative material and cultural style.
But that reading misses the depth of what’s happening. Our analysis shows that these songs use subtle rhetorical moves to present fraud as something other than wrongdoing.
One of the most pervasive techniques is what researchers call euphemistic labelling. Fraud is rarely called fraud in Afrobeats songs. It becomes “hustle”, “grind” or “blessing”. Lyrics frame scamming as honest work blessed by God, stripping away its moral weight. In one track, the phrase “work and pray for the payday” wraps a reference to cybercrime in the language of religious devotion and diligence.
Victims fare even worse. In these songs, they are rarely granted humanity. They become “maga” or “mgbada”, terms linked to the Igbo word for antelope, casting the fraudster as hunter and the victim as prey. In this language, victims are no longer people to be harmed, but targets to be chased: “clients”, “profiles”, even “cash cows”. We argue that this dehumanisation is not incidental. It makes exploitation feel rational, even honourable.
God, juju, and the spiritual economy of fraud
Perhaps the most striking finding in our research is the pervasiveness of what we call cyber-spiritualism. Across multiple tracks, success in online fraud is framed not as a product of skill or cunning but as a matter of divine favour and ritual protection.
This aligns with a broader phenomenon scholars have documented in Nigeria known as “Yahoo Plus” or cyber spiritualism, a variant of internet fraud in which digital scamming is combined with spiritual practices such as juju rituals, charms and incantations. The idea is that metaphysical forces can be mobilised to manipulate victims, attract luck and protect perpetrators.
What is striking is how openly some of these beliefs appear in music. One track includes lyrics invoking Aje – a Yoruba deity associated with wealth – while another frames a ritual object (“soap”) as essential spiritual insurance for a fraudster. Another song merges Islamic thanksgiving phrases with references to successful scam transactions, as if divine gratitude and financial crime can occupy the same moral space. Fraud, in this framing, is not a choice. It is destiny.
Why this matters beyond Nigeria
The genre now circulates across continents, through algorithms and playlists, reaching audiences who may know little about Nigeria’s specific struggles. These include a high unemployment rate, elite corruption, and the longer afterlives of British colonial rule. In some of these lyrical worlds, fraud is not framed simply as greed but as a way of taking back from a global order understood to have first taken from them. Similar justifications also appeared in interviews with active scammers in Ghana.
The fraud narratives in these songs emerge from real and painful structural conditions: blocked opportunities, absent institutions, the pressure on young men to provide for their families. Understanding those conditions is essential. But as these lyrics travel globally, they become detached from their context. For diasporic or international listeners, “maga don pay”, meaning “the senseless animal has paid”, stops being a commentary on poverty and starts sounding like a lifestyle aesthetic, a marker of ingenuity, cosmopolitan hustle and transgressive cool.
Our research also reveals a telling career dynamic. Emerging artists lean heavily on fraud references to establish credibility and street authenticity. More established artists tend to drop them as their careers develop. Fraud talk, in other words, is a currency for those still trying to break through. This makes it all the more concentrated among the youngest, most influential voices in the genre.
What should be done?
I want to be clear: this research is not a moral panic about Afrobeats. The genre is not responsible for cybercrime, and reducing it to a crime soundtrack would be both inaccurate and deeply unfair to its richness and complexity.
But music is never politically or morally neutral. When lyrics consistently dehumanise fraud victims, frame exploitation as a divine blessing and circulate these ideas to hundreds of millions of people, the cultural consequences are real. My previous study on scammers and their allies reports on that.
Streaming platforms must take seriously their role in amplifying these narratives. Policymakers, educators and the music industry itself need to understand the moral ecosystems in which cybercrime thrives.
– Afrobeats celebrates cybercrime and it’s becoming a global problem – https://theconversation.com/afrobeats-celebrates-cybercrime-and-its-becoming-a-global-problem-277543
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Fanny Georges, enseignant-chercheur, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris 3
His name is Khabane Lame, but he is known worldwide as Khaby Lame. Born in Dakar, Senegal, he is the most followed content creator on TikTok.
He became famous for video clips in which he reacts to absurd “life hack” videos with a blank, slightly annoyed face, showing the hack wasn’t needed.
At the time of writing he has over 160 million followers: a world record achieved without uttering a single word. In January he sold his brand rights for nearly US$1 billion.
But there’s another dimension to his story that the western media rarely mention: Khaby Lame is a practising Muslim and a hafiz, a Muslim devotee who has memorised the entire Quran. This after being sent to a Quranic school near Dakar at the age of 14.
The tension between the sacred body of the hafiz and the commercialisation of the influencer’s digital life makes his journey a rich case study.
For me, as a researcher of digital identity, his online career also raises questions about turning personal data into digital assets.
From the suburbs of Turin to the top of the global stage
Khaby Lame’s story reads like a modern-day myth. Not because it’s hard to believe, but because it mirrors the core narratives of digital modernity. It starts with hardship, goes through a period of creative isolation and ends with global recognition.
This is what the French thinker Roland Barthes called “mythical speech”, a story that seems natural and simple, but is actually shaped by deeper forces and structures.
In 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Khaby Lame lost his job as a factory worker. He was stuck at home and locked down in social housing in the suburbs of Turin, Italy, where his parents had moved when he was a baby.
Out of this hardship he made a simple decision: he started filming short videos. Just 17 months later, he reached more than 100 million followers on TikTok. He was the first content creator based in Europe to reach that milestone.
His story reflects the promise often promoted by TikTok that the platform can lift anyone up. All you need, it suggests, is a mobile phone, and talent will quickly be rewarded with global fame.
This should be celebrated. But the myth of instant success also needs a closer look. Behind every viral rise lie smart decisions, hard work, and the powerful, and often unpredictable, role of the platfom’s algorithm.
Comic tradition
What sets Khaby Lame apart from almost all the creators before him is the semiotic system (of signs and symbols) he invented – or rather reactivated. He brought back an old comic tradition.
Many compare him to British comedy actor Charlie Chaplin. Others see echoes of US comedian Buster Keaton. Both were masters of Hollywood’s silent slapstick comedy.
Charlie Chaplin in “The Kid – Fight Scene.”
Khaby Lame revives the codes of 1930s Hollywood silent comedy cinema: mime, meaningful glances, no dialogue, and burlesque sketches (short theatrical scenes) that convey messages. But the Chaplin connection ends there, as the two men inhabit their bodies in radically different ways.
Chaplin’s films carry emotional weight, driven by social and political themes. His character, the tramp, is a poor wanderer pushing back against an unfair industrial world.
Khaby Lame’s style is closer to Keaton’s. He says nothing. He simply shows how unnecessary and complicated these internet quick fixes are. His absolute impassivity in the face of the absurd is what Keaton perfected with his famous “great stone face”.
Buster Keaton ‘The Art of the Gag’.
But while the comic structure is similar, their relationship to their bodies is not. Throughout his life, Keaton remained completely indifferent to religion or metaphysics in any form. Khaby Lame is the opposite. He is a hafiz. The separation of his digital identity from his physical person is notable.
Wordless humour allowed him to build a global audience because there are no language barriers, just as silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin became global icons a century ago.
TikTok’s algorithm favours content that anyone can understand instantly. Chaplin needed a movie theatre, Khaby Lame needs only a phone and an algorithm. The mechanics are similar. The way it spreads has completely changed.
Digital identity
In January 2026, Khaby Lame’s carefully crafted expressive persona took on a new status. It became a financial asset. He sold his company, Step Distinctive Limited, for US$975 million to Rich Sparkle, a publicly traded company based in Hong Kong. The agreement includes the transfer of rights to use his image, voice and behavioural models to create an artificial intelligence-powered digital twin.
This digital twin will produce multilingual content, including material for advertising and promotions. Companies will be able to run commercials in several countries without Khaby being physically present. According to Rich Sparkle, this could help generate over US$4 billion in annual sales, especially through livestream e-commerce (a format already dominant in Asia), broadcast simultaneously around the world.
A mural in Gaza City shows the face of TikTok star Khaby Lame, September 3, 2021.Sameh Rahmi/NurPhoto via Getty Images
This transaction marks a turning point. Digital identity no longer merely represents a person. It becomes an asset that can be separated from the individual who created it. Now, a creator is no longer a brand ambassador, but a brand in its own right. In theory, Khaby Lame’s digital being is now legally separate from Khaby Lame himself.
The digital twin is, in this sense, the Buster Keaton body that digital platform capitalism has always dreamed of – impassive, reproducible, available across all time zones.
Signature gesture
Khaby Lame’s signature gesture is to place both palms open and turned upward. This seems simple and easy to understand, a light and humorous sign of of disbelief. But the gesture carries deeper meanings.
In Islamic tradition, as in many African cultures, this same gesture is linked to dua, the act of raising one’s hand in supplication to God. What millions of viewers read as a comic signature is also a spiritual practice.
Yet Khaby Lame’s digital double is not simply an image. It can act in his name. It can speak with his voice. It can repeat his familiar gestures. This is no longer simple representation. It is a form of transferring his way of expressing himself onto a digital system.
The same open hands, the same expressive gaze, the same voice that once recited the suras of the Quran in a school in Dakar are now the attributes of a commercial transaction valued at nearly a billion dollars.
There is an ethical question in handing over his active identity to financial markets.
An ethical question
For many young Africans, especially in Senegal, Khaby Lame embodies the possibility that digital spaces are territories where Africans can succeed, where the hierarchies inherited from colonial history can, at least symbolically, be overturned.
But the deal raises a difficult question: what does it mean to sell your digital self in a world where Black and African bodies have been used and profited from for centuries without consent and fair compensation?
Is this a win or a new form of exploitation? Can the financial benefits balance the transfer of his identity?
More African creators are building global audiences every year. That means these questions will become harder to ignore. Who owns a creator’s digital twin once it’s sold? Who set the rules for its use?
Khaby Lame is not just a social media success story. He is a revelation of the future and, perhaps unwittingly, a pioneer.
– Khaby Lame is the world’s most followed TikToker: the story of a Senegalese-born star who sold his identity – https://theconversation.com/khaby-lame-is-the-worlds-most-followed-tiktoker-the-story-of-a-senegalese-born-star-who-sold-his-identity-276910
