South Africa released its draft Gas Master Plan (GMP) – a policy instrument that aims to establish a secure supply of gas by diversifying options from local and international markets – in April 2024, outlining projected demand, infrastructure requirements and targeted capacity. The GMP supports policies such as the Gas Integrated Power Producer Procurement Program, which targets 2 GW of new generation capacity to be derived from land-based gas-fired power facilities. As a frontier hydrocarbon market, South Africa offers a wealth of prospects for companies in exploration, production and infrastructure development.

To attract investment in South African oil and gas, South Africa’s Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Gwede Mantashe has joined the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy conference – taking place November 4-8 in Cape Town. Minister Mantashe’s return to the conference aligns with national efforts to drive oil and gas development across the country as the government strives to advance energy security and country-wide industrialization.  

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit http://www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

Given the pressing need to bring new energy sources online in South Africa, the government is promoting investment in frontier exploration. Offshore, proven potential in neighboring Namibia has further enhanced the attractiveness of the South African Orange Basin. A string of billion-barrel finds were made in Namibia between 2022 and 2024 and a combination of independent and major energy companies have recently farmed-in to South African blocks in the hopes of unlocking similar discoveries.

Energy majors TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy acquired participating interestes in Block 3B/4B this year. The transaction provides the companies with a 33% stake and a 24% stake, respectively. Additionally, oil and gas exploration company Eco Atlantic – through its wholly owned subsidiary Azinam South Africa – signed a farm-in deal for a 75% working interest in South Africa’s Block 1, also situated in the Orange Basin. The company assumed operatorship of the block, which is estimated to be one of the largest in the basin. These transactions are just the start, with South Africa’s offshore basins offering a rich combination of undeveloped and unexplored acreage.

Onshore, South Africa is making great strides towards leveraging gas resources for both power generation and fuel-related purposes. The country’s shale formations in the Karoo Basin are estimated to hold as much as 209 trillion cubic feet of gas resources, making it a highly attractive onshore play. Several projects are underway. Independent E&P company Panoro Energy applied for an exploration right for helium and natural gas in the basin in June 2024. This project scope comprises a three-year work program and will enhance the geological understanding of the basin. Additionally, gas explore Kinetiko Energy is progressing with a five-well gas flow testing program in the Mpumalanga province, expected to start in Q3, 2024. The campaign aims to identify high-flow rate gas zones in exploration rights 271 and 270.

Beyond exploration, South Africa is seeking partners to invest in energy-related infrastructure, including hydrogen, power generation and transmission, refining and distribution. Gas-to-power has been identified as a priority industry for the country, given rising power demand and emerging resource potential. The country’s Integrated Resource Plan 2023 – a comprehensive plan to bring new generation capacity online – shows that South Africa requires between 7.2 GW and 8.6 GW of new gas-to-power capacity to support industrialization and electrification efforts. This highlights a strategic opportunity for both upstream players and downstream investors.

“To address its energy crisis, South Africa needs natural gas. Exploration campaigns in both onshore and offshore basins have made clear the significant reserve potential in the market. Yet, lack of investment continues to hinder development in the sector, further restricting the country’s efforts to enhance energy security. It is great to see companies entering the South African side of the Orange Basin but much more needs to be done to maximize the country’s oil and gas reserves,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Minister Mantashe’s return to the AEW: Invest in African Energy conference underscores a commitment by the ministry to maximize the development of the country’s oil and gas resources. During the conference, Minister Mantashe will connect with investors, technology providers and regional counterparts while driving discussions on investment opportunities, regulatory support and national energy priorities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Ahead of the upcoming CANEX Weekend in Algiers, Algeria, from 16 to 19 October, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has announced the reconstitution of the Creative Africa Advisory Group (CAAG). This group oversees and provides guidance for implementing the Bank’s Creative Africa Nexus Programme.

The first meeting of the reconstituted Advisory Group took place at the Waldorf Astoria, Heliopolis, in Cairo on 9 July 2024. Co-chaired by H.E Amb. Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the African Union Commission, and Senator Mr.Ben Murray-Bruce, Founder of Silverbird Group, Nigeria, the CAAG is tasked with guiding Afreximbank’s strategy to support the growth of creative and cultural industries in Africa and its diaspora. Each member will serve a two-year term.

During the meeting, the CAAG was updated on the overall implementation of the CANEX Programme and particularly on the preparations for the upcoming CANEX Weekend in Algeria. Members were also briefed on the status of the CANEX Africa Digital Platform and the establishment of CANEX Creations Incorporated, the Bank’s intellectual property investment vehicle. Amongst the recommendations shared by CAAG members was to establish a finance subcommittee to ensure optimal disbursement of the Bank’s financing facilities and funding, and continued outreach on our financial products to creatives.

Co-Chair H.E Amb. Minata Cessouma-Samate commented: “The Bank has been instrumental in helping the AU’s Culture and Sports Programme deliver initiatives aligned with our long-term development objective – The Africa We Want Agenda 2063, and the Revised AU Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries, 2023. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Creative Africa Advisory Group and galvanizing opportunities between the Bank and the Commission leading to conducive policies and regulatory environment for Africa’s creative and cultural economies.”

Co-chair Senator Ben Murray-Bruce emphasized the crucial role of the Bank in supporting creative ventures through innovation. He stated: “Some of the biggest artists in the world today are Africans and we must be innovative so that channeling money to the continent ceases being an enigma.”

Dr. Gainmore Zanamwe, Acting Director, Trade Facilitation&IATF – Intra-African Trade Bank, spoke on behalf of Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development.  He expressed the Bank’s deep appreciation for the contributions of the members of the first cohort of the CAAG.

“Reconstituting the Creative Africa Advisory Group marks a significant milestone in our journey to elevate Africa’s creative and cultural industries to new heights. The contributions of the first CAAG cohort have been invaluable in bringing us to this point. As we move forward, I am confident that the reconstituted CAAG will build on their legacy, driving innovation, fostering investment, intra-African trade and export development, and enhancing cultural expression across the continent. Together, we will continue to support and empower Africa’s creative talents, in the context of a Global Africa, ensuring their rightful place on the global stage.”

Other members of the reconstituted CAAG are: Alex Okosi, Managing Director, Google Africa; Vincent Berry II, Singer, Songwriter and Producer; Didier Drogba, renowned African footballer and President, Didier Drogba Foundation; Omar Ben Yedder, Group Publisher and Managing Director, IC Publications; Azza Fahmy, Founder, Azza Fahmy Designs; Oscar ‘Oskido’ Mdlongwa, Recording Artist and Record Producer, Legend Live; Olasupo Olusi, Managing Director and CEO, Bank of Industry; Kibonen Nfi, CEO, Cameroon Clothing; Mamou Daffe, President, African Culture Fund; Hana El-Beblawy, Founder, ARD Art Institution; Orlando Romain, OECS Advisor on the Creative Economy; George Gachara, Founding Partner, The Heva Fund; and H.E. Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy of Nigeria.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media Contact:
Vincent Musumba
Manager, Communications and Events (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com

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About Creative Africa Nexus:
Recognising the relevance and opportunities provided by the creative economy as a key driver for development and job creation, Afreximbank established the Creative Africa Nexus programme (CANEX) to support the development of Africa’s creative and cultural industries and address some of the challenges faced by that economy, through the provision of access to finance, capacity building, trade, investment and export promotion, access to new market opportunities, digital solutions and policy advocacy in order to fast-track the scaling of Africa’s creative sectors within the global economy.

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 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 industrialization 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 is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at over US$37.3 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$6.1 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its 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.

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

Maseru-To address the delays in detecting and responding to health threats, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently conducted an event-based surveillance training for 3, 455 community leaders and village health workers in Mohales Hoek, Butha Buthe, Qachas Nek, and Thaba Tseka Districts.

Event-based surveillance involves systematically collecting, monitoring, and assessing information related to events that may threaten public health. These events could range from disease outbreaks to environmental disasters and other health-related incidents. Event-based surveillance strengthens public health preparedness and response mechanisms by proactively identifying and managing health events, enabling timely intervention and control measures.

An Intra-Action Review (IAR) conducted in 2021 revealed that the adverse events following immunization (AEFI) surveillance system in Lesotho remains weak. One of the reasons contributing to this weakness is inadequate knowledge of health workers on the prevention, detection, reporting, management, and investigation of adverse events following immunization.

“Establishment of an Event-based Surveillance system is therefore a critical step toward building a resilient public health infrastructure capable of proactive detection and management of health events. By prioritizing early detection and response, this system will contribute significantly to safeguarding community well-being and reducing the impact of health emergencies”, says WHO Expanded Programme on Immunisation(EPI) Consultant, Francis Abobo.

Abobo explained that village health workers play a crucial role in event-based surveillance, as they are often the first point of contact within communities and possess valuable insights into local health dynamics. Their on-the-ground experiences and observations can contribute significantly to the enhancement and effectiveness of event-based surveillance systems.

“Capacitating village health community workers on Community-based surveillance will assist in detecting diseases at an early stage within their communities hence preventing the spread of diseases before they can cause a burden to our health system”, says Malebonyane Mahase, a field epidemiologist, at Ministry of Health.

With support from WHO and its partners, event-based surveillance has been introduced in Lesotho.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Lesotho.

County officials, business leaders and leading non-government organizations reviewed the findings of a study that looked at ways to create jobs and grow the economy in Turkana County.

Turkana is home to Kakuma, one of the world’s largest refugee camps. But many people in Turkana are agro-pastoralists, giving few opportunities for refugees to integrate into the local economy.

A major study of county’s market looked at which areas offer the best prospects for growth, and at how new businesses could link into existing value chains.

A key finding indicated untapped market potential in digital services, artisanal goods, and agriculture. Beekeeping showed especially strong prospects. The study also revealed a growing demand for digital services. That resonates with the large, tech-savvy youth population – despite a lack of digital infrastructure, especially among the refugee population.

Kenya hosts over 770,000 refugees, with 288,000 in Turkana alone. The county in Kenya’s northwest borders Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia.

The value chain assessment report lays the foundation for a four-year project where the International Trade Centre (ITC) will work with partners to grow small businesses in Turkana. The project is called Promoting Sustainable Socio-Economic Development and Creating Market-Based Livelihood Opportunities for Refugees and Host Communities.

The project is funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). It’s part of the innovative Socioeconomic Hubs for Integrated Refugee Inclusion in Kenya (SHIRIKA) Plan, which seeks to transform refugee camps into integrated settlements. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a key part of that effort.

‘Our expectation is that we will tailor and make activities that will support the provision of business development services to traders in refugee hosting areas of Kakuma and host communities,’ said the Director of Trade for Turkana County Government, James Lokwale.

He spoke at a workshop hosted by ITC on 26 June 2024 in Lodwar, the Turkana County seat. The event brought together County officials, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and organizations such as Good Neighbors Kenya, Amahoro Coalition, Inkomoko, Turkana Christian Development Mission, World Relief, LOKADO, Apir Turkana and ACDI/VOCA.

Local organizations in Lodwar and Kakuma contributed valuable insights from their experiences in the agricultural sector. Their input will be instrumental as the project begins its activities in 2024.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.