Leading oil-and-gas multinational ExxonMobil is progressing several energy initiatives on the African continent, consolidating its status as one of the drivers of the industry on the continent.

Recent developments herald further expansions of the robust ExxonMobil upstream pipeline to strengthen energy security through reliable, affordable energy supply while achieving industry-leading emissions intensity.

The latest expression of this saw ExxonMobil upstream president Liam Mallon meeting (http://apo-opa.co/3zRRkXk) with Mozambican president Nyusi last month to confirm ExxonMobil’s commitment to the $24 billion Rovuma LNG project. Mallon confirmed front-end engineering design (FEED) for the project and laid out a clear path to a final investment decision by 2026.

Also in the Southern Africa region, Exxon Mobil has emerged as an exploration leader in the Namibe basin, offshore Angola, where a wildcat well has been spud and results are keenly anticipated by the entire industry.

The basin extends from Angolan waters into northern Namibia, and favourable, commercially viable results could shape energy development in the region for decades to come.

In Nigeria, ExxonMobil is poised to shift focus to its deepwater investments, as the sale of its shallow-water JV asset reaches finality (http://apo-opa.co/3XQFkgO).

Nigeria’s rich reserves were recently estimated at 37.5 billion barrels (http://apo-opa.co/3XQ5bpn) by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). With offshore oil reserves currently responsible for 32% of Nigeria’s production, ExxonMobil – with its core deepwater engineering strengths – is perfectly positioned to drive the next development phase for  Africa’s largest (http://apo-opa.co/3XJx3LL) oil reserves.

ExxonMobil is looking to expand this broad engagement in the African upstream at the forthcoming AOW: Investing In African Energy event, where the company is a platinum sponsor.  

“ExxonMobil is pleased to be a platinum sponsor for AOW as they commemorate 30 years of convening the energy industry for fruitful engagements and sharing of best practices,” said Richard Barke, ExxonMobil VP South Atlantic Exploration.”

The AOW partnership supports ExxonMobil’s role as one of the engines of the African upstream. AOW brings together governments, regulators, global operators, power producers, investors and service providers for engagements to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future.

Through strategic partnerships such as these, as well as its deepwater expertise, and cutting-edge exploration in frontier regions, ExxonMobil has established itself as one of the most critically relevant energy businesses in the global sector.

As part of the AOW partnership, Richard Barke, ExxonMobil’s Vice President of Exploration for Africa, will deliver a keynote address at the event, outlining the company’s strategic vision for the region.

“Africa’s energy landscape presents a compelling blend of opportunity and potential,” said Barke. “We see significant alignment between the continent’s resources and the world’s evolving energy demands.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

Owned by Sankofa Events, AOW (http://apo-opa.co/3XLWWKH): Investing in African Energy is Africa’s leading oil, gas&energy event, uniting industry leaders to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future. The event runs from 7 – 10 October 2024 at the CTICC 2, Cape Town.

In a retrospective report published today, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announced—together with the Ministry of Health— that MSF teams treated an unprecedented number of victims and survivors of sexual violence in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2023, and that this upward trend continued in the first five months of 2024. The vast majority of victims were treated in displacement camps in Goma, where tens of thousands of people have fled in recent years due to escalated fighting between various warring groups. The medical humanitarian organization is calling on all national and international stakeholders to take urgent action to prevent sexual violence and improve care for survivors.  

The report outlines that in 2023, MSF teams in DRC helped treat 25,166 victims and survivors of sexual violence across the country, averaging more than two patients every hour. This figure is by far the highest number ever recorded by MSF in DRC, based on data from 17 projects set up by MSF in support of the Ministry of Health in five Congolese provinces—North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, Maniema, and Central Kasai. In the three preceding years, MSF teams treated an average of 10,000 victims per year in the country. The year 2023 marked a massive increase in admissions.  

This trend accelerated in the first months of 2024: In North Kivu province alone, 17,363 victims and survivors were treated with MSF assistance between January and May. Not even halfway through the year, this already represented 69 percent of the total number of victims treated in 2023 in the five provinces studied.

Displaced women are the first victims

After being analyzed and verified over several months, the 2023 care data presented in the report, We are calling for help, show that 91 percent of victims treated with MSF assistance in DRC were admitted in North Kivu, where clashes between the M23 group and the Congolese army with their respective allies have been raging since late 2021. The escalation has forced 2 million people to flee their homes in the northeast region encompassing North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces.

The vast majority of victims were treated in the displacement camps around Goma, which continued to grow throughout 2023

“According to the testimonies of our patients, two-thirds were attacked at gunpoint,” said Christopher Mambula, head of MSF’s programs in DRC. “These attacks took place in the sites themselves, but also in the surrounding area when women and girls—who accounted for 98 percent of the victims treated by MSF in DRC in 2023—went out to collect wood or water, or to work in the fields.”  

While the massive presence of armed men in and around displacement camps explains this explosion of sexual violence, the inadequacy of the humanitarian response and the inhumane living conditions fuel the phenomenon. The lack of food, water, and income-generating activities exacerbates the vulnerability of women and girls (1 in 10 victims treated by MSF in 2023 were minors), who are forced to go to neighboring hills and fields where there are many armed men. The lack of sanitation and safe shelter for women and girls leaves them vulnerable to attack. Others are sexually exploited to support their families.  

“On paper, there seems to be many programs to prevent and respond to the needs of victims of sexual violence—but on the ground in displacement sites, our teams struggle every day to refer victims who need help,” Mambula said. “The few programs that do exist are always too short-lived and grossly under-resourced. Much more is needed to protect women and meet the urgent needs of victims.” 

Urgent action is needed to stop sexual violence

Sexual violence is a major medical and humanitarian emergency in DRC. According to the latest Gender-Based Violence Area of Responsibility  DRC information, which compiles data from various humanitarian organizations offering gender-based violence care services in 12 provinces, 55,500 survivors of sexual violence received medical care in the second quarter of 2024.

Based on the needs expressed by the victims, and building on previous work to solve this long-standing problem in the country, the MSF report lists some 20 urgent actions to be taken by parties to the conflict, Congolese authorities—national, provincial and local—as well as international donors and the humanitarian sector.

1. All parties to the conflict must ensure respect for international humanitarian law. 

In particular, MSF calls for the absolute prohibition of acts of sexual violence, as well as respect for the civilian nature of displacement sites. The protection of civilians caught up in the fighting must be a priority. Those involved in humanitarian programs must also protect civilians from abuse.  

2. Living conditions in camps for the internally displaced must be improved.

Namely, access to basic needs—food, water, and income-generating activities—must be improved, as well as access to safe and well-lit sanitation facilities and shelter. These investments must also be accompanied by increased efforts to raise awareness of sexual violence. While humanitarian funding must be sufficiently flexible to respond to emerging and urgent needs, implementing partners must also demonstrate accountability in delivering interventions.

3. Investment in better medical, social, legal and psychological care for victims of sexual violence. 

This requires long-term funding to improve medical training, post-rape kits for care facilities, legal support, as well as the provision of shelter for survivors. Funding is also needed for awareness-raising activities to prevent stigmatization or marginalization of victims, which sometimes prevents them from seeking help. Given the high number of victims requesting abortions, MSF is also calling for the adaptation of the national legal framework to guarantee access to comprehensive medical abortion care. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

Canon Europe (www.Canon-Europe.com) unveils the latest addition to its portable printer range with the launch of the SELPHY QX20, an exciting evolution to the previous QX10, enabling users to continue broadening their creative horizons with greater freedom. Leaning into popular social media formats, this upgrade now supports 2:3 as well as square paper sizes [1] and is available in on-trend terracotta red, dark grey and classic white.

The new QX20 is a must-have gadget for those with a passion for creativity. Whether that be making visual notes for personal projects, decorating journals or scrapbooks using sticky-backed paper, crafting personalised notes for loved ones, or simply decorating wall spaces, SELPHY QX20 delivers high-quality, long-lasting pictures straight from a smartphone. The flexibility in paper sizes lends itself nicely to 365 photo challenges, inviting users to print one photo a day as a wonderfully tangible way to remember smaller daily moments.

Without the need for ink cartridges, the SELPHY QX20 uses dye sublimation technology that produces smudge-free, high-quality photos. An overcoat is added to resist the effect of fading. Easily transportable and complete with a built-in battery and Wi-Fi compatibility, the printer fits comfortably in a bag, meaning it can be used on-the-go to transform memories into physical keepsakes on the spot. At home, its compact size means it can sit neatly on any shelf or desk without competing for tabletop space.

Beyond the choice of paper size, wider creative expression is available with the SELPHY Photo Layout App, where fun artistic touches like stamps, filters, borders, and text can be added to special memories. For example, snowflakes can be added to a selfie to use as a Christmas table place card or hearts when making a homemade Valentine’s Day gift. The update also includes collages, frames and customisable borders, with new edge-to-edge printing meaning more of the memory can be seen with each print.

Joining an expanding portfolio of portable mobile printers, including the CP1500, a super compact photo printer for the desk, and the Zoemini range, a series of pocket-sized devices to print instant peel-and-stick photos, the latest QX20 fits perfectly into this line-up – a functional yet stylish printer and the ideal product for unleashing creativity, anytime, anywhere.

More information can be found here: https://apo-opa.co/3N3B4FU

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).

Media enquiries, please contact:
Canon Central and North Africa 
Mai Youssef 
e. Mai.youssef@canon-me.com 

APO Group – PR Agency 
Rania ElRafie 
e. Rania.ElRafie@apo-opa.com

About Canon Central and North Africa: 
Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. The formation of CCNA in 2016 was a strategic step that aimed to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region – by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus. CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operating closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market. 

Canon has been represented in the African continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region. CCNA ensures the provision of high quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace. With over 100 employees, CCNA manages sales and marketing activities across 44 countries in Africa.  

Canon’s corporate philosophy is Kyosei (https://apo-opa.co/3NbQkQQ) – ‘living and working together for the common good’. CCNA pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon’s products, solutions and services. At Canon, we are pioneers, constantly redefining the world of imaging for the greater good. Through our technology and our spirit of innovation, we push the bounds of what is possible – helping us to see our world in ways we never have before. We help bring creativity to life, one image at a time. Because when we can see our world, we can transform it for the better. 

For more information: www.Canon-CNA.com

The President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr. Wavel Ramkalawan, received the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission Chief, Mr. Todd Schneider, at State House yesterday during a courtesy call. Mr. Schneider was accompanied by the IMF Resident Representative in Seychelles, Ms. Aissatou Diallo. Also present were the Minister for Finance, National Planning and Trade, Mr. Naadir Hassan, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Seychelles, Ms. Caroline Abel.

President Ramkalawan expressed his gratitude for the IMF’s continued support and longstanding partnership with Seychelles. He emphasized the importance of staying informed about the progress of the IMF’s lending programme, which plays a crucial role in helping the country achieve its economic goals and targets.

The meeting served not only as an opportunity for Mr. Schneider to provide an update on the current IMF programme review but also to discuss broader economic issues. The dialogue focused on areas that may require adjustments, considering both local and global financial challenges.

Seychelles is currently engaged in a three-year IMF lending programme, with reviews held every six months. The September 2024 review marks the third in this ongoing series of evaluations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.