ECOWAS Business News

STATEMENT ON "AFRICA DOWN UNDER CONFERENCE" Members of East Africa Rising have noted with serious concern a poster advertising "Africa Down Under".  Scheduled to be held in Perth, Australia, for September 2021, the conference showcases 23 white faces who are scheduled to serve as presenters for the three-day conference.  First, the absence of any African expert on the panel is execrable for a conference that purports to talk about Africa. Secondly, members of EAR believe that any serious modern conference worth its salt should be more gender-inclusive by identifying women who work in the industry. Third, perusing the programme, we note there are 5 sessions in total of meeting African diplomatic Corps in Australia. This is too small and too insignificant an attempt to reflect Africans in the programme. Diplomats will never offer a full and robust picture of their country's resources against such an intimidating audience of white faces. Fourth, two of our members ...

Ensuring THE NEW FREE TRADE AREA HAS RULES OF ORIGIN THAT HELP GROW  INTRA-AFRICA TRADE Accra, Wednesday 17 February 2021 --- How will African countries ensure that the rules that determine the nationality of goods and services traded under the new free trade agreement are transparent, business friendly and simple?  The AfCFTA Policy Network (APN) is hosting a Zoom webinar with a high-powered panel of Ghanaian and international guests who will address this issue. The panelists include the Assistant Commissioner (Tariff and Trade) Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority, Fechin Akoto, the Morocco Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Imane Ouaadil, the  Head of Programs AfCFTA Secretariat, Dr. Francis Mageni, Trade Rules of Origin Expert, Unami Tlhole, the Director of Manufacturing (Quality and Engineering ) General Motors, Shady El Safty, the Managing Director Bank of Africa (Ghana) Mr. Kobby Andah, the Commissioner of Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Ghana Revenue Authority, Col. Kwadwo...

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEEK-LONG AFRICAN PRIVATE SECTOR SUMMIT: “ RIGHTING BUSINESS WRONGS HEADS” TO TRANSFORM THE AFCFTA NARRATIVE FROM 8-12 MARCH 2021 Arguably the biggest and most innovative Pan-African initiative to hit all Afcfta-watchers sideways is "Righting Business Wrongs" (#RightingBizWrongs) that seeks to help remind Africans to press policy-makers of  an enabling environment,  where African business can thrive and prosper; and where Afcfta can work equitably for #TheAfricaWeWant. The Summit is organised by an impressive galaxy of Pan-African superstar organisations, including Federation of West Africa Chambers of Commerce & Industry Www.fewacci.com Great Lakes Region Private Sector Forum www.twitter.com/ICGLR_PSF Pan-African Chamber of Commerce & Industry www.pacci.org East African Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture www.eastafricanchamber.org Association of African Universities www.aau.org Global Institute of Planning & Sustain...

by E.K.Bensah Jr One of the reasons for Kenyans' legendary enjoyment of Internet resides with the fact that Kenya's Safaricomm has served Kenyans for years with mobile money services (Mpesa) & stable Internet -- much to the envy of countries like Ghana that sold 50% of state owned Ghana Telecom to Vodafone in 2008. Ghanaians can barely call Vodafone Ghana a state-owned entity, what with all the controversy that came with it. Over in Kenya, however, lawmakers are having a field day contemplating whether they should break up Safaricomm into two parts as it has allegedly become too dominant. Curiously, Ghana has been going through similar discussions the past couple of months -- but with South African-owned MTN. MTN has ostensibly become a dominant player in Ghana handling both Internet, sim subscription and mobile money services more than any of the four other operators. The recent news that Airtel-Tigo may be folding up because it cannot withstand dominance of ...

This post is simulcast on: Ecowasbusinessnews.blogspot.com & East-Africarising.blogspot.com Recent tensions in Mali and Cote d'Ivoire have called into question the regional solidarity that had hitherto been part of ECOWAS' exceptionalism.  Thirty years ago this week, Ghana dispatched 3500 troops to join other West African soldiers, fighting under ECOMOG, into Liberia on an offensive mission to oust Liberia's Charles Taylor.  ECOMOG, ECOWAS' military force, would fight a simultaneous war in Sierra Leone alongside Liberia  between 1990 and 1997 culminating in a departure from ECOWAS' economic integration mandate. In the latest edition of Agenda2063 TV show, we return to an appreciation of Agenda2063's aspiration 3.  Here are some key questions we shall be asking: Questions : 1. What is relevance of AU's Transitional Justice Policy? 2. Thirty years after Ecomog's intervention in Liberia, can Liberia enjoy "benefits" of a TJ policy? 3. Can AU...

* GENERAL NOTICE: MAIDEN EDITION OF AFCFTA POLICY NETWORK WEBINAR SERIES * Dear Members & friends, As we count down to the maiden edition of the APN's WEBINAR series, we want to encourage you all to register and join whenever practicable.  There will be opportunities to be part of these WEBINAR series over time.  Do let us know if you encounter any difficulties Kind regards, Emmanuel K Bensah Jr Deputy Executive Director HOW TO JOIN Topic: AFCFTA POLICY NETWORK GHANA & DIASPORA WEBINAR SERIES  Entrepreneurship and Innovation: The Drivers of the African Continental Free Trade Area.  Time: Aug 14, 2020, 11:00 AM Eastern Time (the US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2140866636 Meeting ID: 214 086 6636 * HOW TO REGISTER * https://forms.gle/wa138tHoRC7cB5JKA Please register with this link ENDs

ASKY partners with Sabre, supporting growth across Africa through next-generation technologies Agreement will help power recovery of travel in West Africa and beyond   NEWS PROVIDED BY Sabre Corporation  Aug 05, 2020, 07:22 ET LOME, Togo and SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Aug 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- West-African airline, ASKY, has signed a multi-year agreement with  Sabre Corporation  (NASDAQ:  SABR ), enabling the carrier to move forward with innovative, next-generation technologies that will facilitate further expansion. The agreement will allow ASKY to leverage the global travel technology leader's passenger service system and its recently-launched Sabre Commercial Platform – the industry's only intelligent retailing platform. (PRNewsfoto/Sabre Corporation) Under the new agreement, ASKY will expand its shopping and payment capabilities, improve airport operations and offer a superior experience to travellers.  The carrier will also make use of Sabre's Revenue Optimiser, a real-time r...