September 8, 2022

Huawei Cloud Meeting Facilitates Shenzhou-14 Taikonaut Talk with African Youth

SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Three Shenzhou-14 Chinese astronauts (taikonauts), who are currently in space, took part in a dialogue with students from several African countries via video link on September 6. Behind the success of this globally livestreamed event was the unwavering support provided by Huawei Cloud Meeting, which ensured a smooth video connection between all participants.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the African Union. The activity, co-hosted by the Mission of China to the African Union, China Manned Space Agency (CMS) and the African Union Commission (AUC), was one of the activities organized to celebrate the occasion. It was the first time that the taikonauts had a direct dialogue with African teenagers.

Teenagers from Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia and South Africa had the opportunity to ask the three taikonauts questions. Taikonauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang, and Cai Xuzhe are currently on a mission at the Tiangong space station, and the trio answered questions on life in space, scientific experiments, and the growth that they have experienced.

The global network SparkRTC ensured stable real-time HD video connections for both the on-site and online meeting participants in China and the aforementioned African countries. Simultaneous interpretation between Chinese, English, and French allowed everyone to express their ideas easily and better understand one other. Diverse meeting control functions ensured that the event proceeded in an orderly manner. The professional end-to-end assurance and global service team of Huawei Cloud smoothened video connections.

Huawei Cloud Meeting ensures stable access from 170+ countries and regions. It has a proven track record of being featured at over 500 international conferences and earns the trust of more than 1.5 million customers in both private and public sectors. The professional cloud meeting solution helps organizations go digital and improve efficiency.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1893524/20220907_193008_WeLinkPC__ID_6a6b83e3ad7c.jpg

September 8, 2022

MORA Enters South Africa, Debuts Bar Fridges for Joy and Life

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — MORA, a pioneering household appliance brand owned by Hisense Group, takes a milestone to officially launch its presence in South Africa by introducing three bar-fridge products to its local consumers in September. The first step to fulfilling the essentials for a high-quality life, MORA presents its function, technology, and design to take care of the well-being of South African families with the vision of “full of joy, full of life”.

MORA, with a rich history that can be traced back to 1825 in the Czech Republic, takes the step into South Africa to join the Hisense brand, intending to meet the needs of South African households. By launching a series of must-have accessories which come with A+ energy efficiency features and low noise design, including the M65RTS that is already in store, as well as the M125RT and M125RWH coming soon to the market, MORA takes its path to become that can be a reliable helper and a natural centrepiece of its consumer’s kitchen.

The introduction of the must-have bar fridges echoes MORA’s commitment to making life easier and fun for its South African consumers. The bar fridges apply low noise design and energy-saving technologies with different capacities and colours available, making them versatile with the potential in fitting into multiple parts of daily life. From individuals living in limited space to business professionals, the bar fridges can enable an entertaining lifestyle in many ways.

Using MORA’s products, South African families can not only enjoy its product’s performance, reliability, comfort and simplicity but also in many scenarios from equipping the cottages to decorating suites or flats used for business purposes.

Entry to South Africa marks a step further MORA’s ultimate aim to accomplish daily tasks for its consumers while living important moments and experiences with the family. Its advanced technologies innovate home appliances to apply economical and environmentally friendly modern functions.

MORA has been a part of the modern kitchen since its inception. By sharing its experience and innovation with its consumers in South Africa, MORA will support South African families’ in-home cooking and help create moments that are fun, light-hearted, and adventurous in their life.

MORA’s products will be available through multiple channels, including distributors and stores such as OK and HNH. Find more at https://hisense.co.za/mora/.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1894631/image_5020023_43307694.jpg

September 8, 2022

The $1.19 trillion USD lost to the global economy due to illiteracy dubbed “the hidden impact of the pandemic.”

For a country by country breakdown visit https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/

LONDON, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — On International Literacy Day (September 8 2022) a new report has highlighted the economic cost and social impact of a spike in illiteracy rates due to the disruption in children’s education caused by the pandemic.

World Literacy Foundation (WLF) CEO Andrew Kay said, “The study finds that children from low-income homes are those most impacted in a post-pandemic environment. With gaps in their reading development, many children face lifelong illiteracy without effective intervention”.

Released today on International Literacy Day to highlight the impact of illiteracy caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation’s report titled “The Economic & Social Cost of Illiteracy” says illiteracy is costing the global economy $1.19 trillion USD. Report available here: https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/

Mr Kay said, “illiteracy traps young people in an endless cycle of poverty and life-long hardship, often unable to fill out a form, read a street sign or a medicine label”.

“The problem of illiteracy is often hidden by the person yet linked to numerous negative social and financial outcomes”.

“Globally, almost 770 million people can’t read a single word and another 2 billion people struggle to read a sentence.

As we observe International Literacy Day 2022, we must hold our political leaders to account, asking that they urgently remedy these catastrophic statistics.

“In both developing and developed countries, illiteracy is ruining lives and is linked with an array of poor life outcomes, such as poverty, inequity, unemployment, social exclusion, crime and long-term illness.

“We need to understand that early intervention can avert a lifetime of hardship, poverty and pain for a child, young person or adult who is struggling to read or write.

“Rapid change in digital technology is changing the landscape and ability of the populations in the poorest countries to learn to read and write. New and exciting opportunities are opening almost every day,” Mr Kay concluded.

September 8, 2022

Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa se félicite de la décision de la Cour de justice de l’Afrique de l’Est selon laquelle la saisie par le gouvernement rwandais du centre commercial Union Trade Centre était illégale

TORONTO, 7 septembre 2022 /PRNewswire/ — L’entrepreneur et philanthrope Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa est heureux d’annoncer que le 30 août 2022, la Cour de justice de l’Afrique de l’Est (EACJ, East African Court of Justice) a statué que la saisie et la vente aux enchères par le gouvernement rwandais de son centre commercial Union Trade Centre (UTC) étaient illégales. L’EACJ a accordé à M. Ayabatwa 1 million de dollars US, 6 % d’intérêts et les frais de justice. Le gouvernement a saisi le centre commercial de 20 millions de dollars en 2013, en alléguant que l’UTC avait été « abandonné » parce que M. Ayabatwa, qui est né au Rwanda, résidait hors du pays. L’UTC était à l’époque une entreprise florissante, accueillant 80 entreprises avec près de 500 employés, gérée par une solide équipe locale en règle avec les autorités rwandaises. Puis, en août 2015, le gouvernement a déclaré l’UTC défaillant fiscal à hauteur de 1,4 million de dollars, une affirmation absurde, puisque le centre commercial était géré par l’État rwandais. Deux ans plus tard, le gouvernement a vendu l’UTC aux enchères pour la modique somme de 8 millions de dollars, soit moins de la moitié de sa valeur réelle.

M. Ayabatwa a porté le gouvernement devant l’EACJ, qui a statué en 2020 que la saisie et la mise aux enchères d’UTC étaient illégales. Il a été ordonné au gouvernement de rendre compte des produits de la location et de la vente d’UTC depuis 2013 et d’indemniser M. Ayabatwa pour des dommages s’élevant à 500 000 dollars et des intérêts annuels de 6 % à compter de la date du jugement. M. Ayabatwa a toutefois fait appel du jugement, car la Cour ne lui a pas restitué la propriété d’UTC. C’est alors que le gouvernement a fabriqué une nouvelle allégation absurde selon laquelle M. Ayabatwa et ses associés avaient détourné 458 058 dollars d’UTC en 2011. Le « crime » cité était en fait un prêt contracté pendant la construction du centre commercial UTC. Aujourd’hui, le gouvernement rwandais a une fois de plus perdu l’affaire du centre commercial UTC. M. Ayabatwa a salué la décision de la Cour du 30 août 2022, en faisant remarquer « qu’il y a des moments où nous sommes impuissants face à l’injustice, mais avec la vérité de votre côté, la justice prévaut toujours ».

À propos de Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa

Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa est un entrepreneur et un philanthrope rwandais accompli. Il est le fondateur du Pan-African Tobacco Group, le plus grand fabricant indigène de produits du tabac en Afrique, présent dans neuf pays africains et aux Émirats arabes unis, et dont les activités commerciales couvrent l’Afrique orientale, occidentale et australe. M. Ayabatwa est l’un des principaux philanthropes d’Afrique. Il aide les communautés à progresser en matière de sécurité alimentaire, d’accès à l’eau potable, de reforestation, d’éducation et de stages en ingénierie.

Pan-African Tobacco Group

info@ptg-hld.com

www.ptg-hld.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1892959/Tribert_Rujugiro_Ayabatwa__UTC_founder_Tribert_Rujugiro_Ayabatwa.jpg

David Himbara, Pan-African Tobacco Group, info@ptg-hld.com, www.ptg-hld.com

September 8, 2022

Crises Halt Progress in Human Development: UN Report

A report published by the U.N. Development Program finds the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, economic uncertainty and other crises have halted progress in human development and reversed gains made over the past three decades.

Data from 191 countries show 90% failed to achieve a better, healthier, more secure life for their people in 2020 and 2021. For the first time in 32 years, the UNDP’s Human Development Index, which measures a nation’s progress, finds human development has declined for two years running.

U.N. Development Program administrator Achim Steiner said that is unprecedented.

“Nine out of 10 countries in this year’s human development report index are shown to have faced a decline,” Steiner said. “This has never happened before even during the last devastating global moment of crisis, the financial crisis, only one out of 10 countries faced a decline in human development indices.”

The Human Development Index captures a picture of a nation’s health, education, and standard of living. This year’s rankings show some countries are beginning to get back on their feet, while others remain mired in deepening crises. The report finds Latin America, the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia have been particularly hard hit.

Switzerland tops this year’s rankings, followed by Norway, Iceland, Hong Kong, Australia, and other wealthy nations. Countries from sub-Saharan Africa are among the lowest ranked in human development, with South Sudan at the bottom.

The report’s lead author, Pedro Conceicao, said the unprecedented decline in human development was driven by economic recession, and by an extraordinary decline in life expectancy. That, he said, includes the 21st-ranked United States, which has seen a dramatic drop in life expectancy due to COVID-19 from 79 years to 76.1 years.

Conceicao said other new data from the report show global levels of trust are the lowest on record. He added those who are most mistrustful hold the most extreme political views.

“Uncertainty and the feeling of insecurity hardens people’s commitments to a group that shares a similar set of beliefs and increases hostility to other groups that think differently,” he said. “And digital technology often adds fuel to this flame of divisiveness. So, as a result, the report documents that democratic practices are under stress.”

The report warns insecurity and polarization are feeding off each other. And that, it says, is preventing nations from taking the collective action needed to address the multiple threats and crises the world is facing.

Source: Voice of America

September 8, 2022

COVID Threatening Resurgence of Deadly Meningitis in Africa

The World Health Organization is warning of a resurgence of deadly meningitis in Africa because COVID-19 has disrupted lifesaving vaccination campaigns.

The near elimination of the deadly form of meningitis type A in Africa is one of the continent’s biggest health success stories. Over the last 12 years, about 350 million Africans have received a single dose of MenAfriVac, a vaccine designed specifically for the African meningitis belt.

The WHO regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said not a single case of meningitis Group A has been reported on the continent in the past five years.

“Now, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed vaccination campaigns targeting more than 50 million African children, raising the risk that these gains will be reversed,” she said. “In addition, major outbreaks caused by meningitis Group C have been recorded in seven of the African Sub-Saharan meningitis belt countries in the past nine years.”

Moeti noted a four-month outbreak last year in the Democratic Republic of Congo claimed more than 200 lives.

Francois Marc Laforce, director of technical services for the Serum Institute of India, played a pivotal role in the development of the MenAfriVac vaccine at the Serum Institute nearly two decades ago. He said that besides meningitis Group C, Africa currently is contending with residual outbreaks of other forms of meningitis.

“A new vaccine again specifically designed for the African meningitis belt will, hopefully, be prequalified later this year or early next year,” he said. But this vaccine holds the promise of finishing what MenAfriVac began, such that Africa may be the first continent to be free of meningitis epidemics.”

Meningitis is caused by inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Acute bacterial meningitis can cause death within 24 hours. Young children are most at risk. About half the cases and deaths occur in children under age five.

The WHO launched a new strategy Thursday to defeat bacterial meningitis in the African region by 2030. The plan calls for shoring up diagnosis, surveillance, care, and vaccination. The WHO estimates $1.5 billion will be needed to implement the plan between now and 2030.

Source: Voice of America