Day: October 5, 2022

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East African Community to set up Diaspora Desk for investment, trade

IRVING (Texas, US)— The East African Community (EAC) is setting up a Diaspora desk that will focus on facilitating East Africans living in the diaspora to invest and trade in the region.

EAC Secretary General Dr Peter Mathuki has revealed that the Secretariat is also currently developing a Diaspora Engagement Strategy, providing a framework for interacting with the diaspora community.

The Secretary General was speaking during the East Africa 17th Annual Trade and Investment Conference, organized by the East Africa Chamber of Commerce in Irving, Texas, USA.

The meeting saw hundreds of East Africans residing across the USA and East African-focused investors, converge to explore areas of investment and deliberate on solutions to overcome investment and trade challenges.

The diaspora community highlighted a lack of trust in local financial institutions as one of the challenges deterring investment in East Africa. Dr Mathuki responded by urging them to establish financial institutions such as an EAC diaspora bank, located in one EAC’s Partner States , where they can access credit and transact business.

Dr Mathuki shared that the diaspora community will also be incorporated in EAC signature events, such as Pre-Summit retreats, offering them an opportunity to engage with EAC Heads of State, Ministers and the regional business community.

The Secretary General urged the diaspora community to take advantage of EAC’s online investment guide portal (https://www.eac.int/investment-guide), which highlights investment procedures, incentives and opportunities; and increases transparency on access to relevant information required by investors.

“The EAC Trade Information Portal available on our website also provides a step-by-step guide on licenses, pre-clearance permits and clearance formalities for the most traded goods within, to, and from the East African Community,” he added.

Dr Mathuki noted that the diaspora community has a huge role to play, “The EAC recognizes the role of diaspora remittance, which continue to outpace Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs) to become the largest source of external financing.”

The inflow of funds from the diaspora has been on an upward trajectory in recent years. For instance; in 2021, the Kenyan diaspora remittance stood at $3.718 billion, while remittances from Uganda stood at $599.3M. The inflow of funds from the Tanzania diaspora stood at $569.5 while Rwanda diaspora remitted $246 million.

“The inflow of funds from the diaspora contributed largely to the EAC’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) which stood at $8.2 billion- a 35% growth; and helped the region’s economy withstand the devastating economic impact of Covid-19 and the trickle-down effect of the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” the Secretary General added.

Dr Mathuki noted that the time taken to register a business had reduced significantly and the establishment of One Stop Centres for business registration had further eased the process.

The Secretary General highlighted investment opportunities in the region such as agribusiness, which is the backbone of the EAC economy, employing more than 80% of its labor force.

“The investment opportunities include; large-scale commercial farming, agro-processing, value addition in agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry products,” he shared.

He further explored investment opportunities in the energy, mining, oil and gas industry and manufacturing sectors.

“EAC has developed a master plan for the development of infrastructure, creating linkages for Intra EAC road and railway networks as well in Airports and Port projects. It is thus opportune to tap into the Public-Private Partnerships to invest into this infrastructure in the region,” Dr Mathuki added.

The opportunities in advisory and facilitatory areas to access finances and technology, ICT, health, particularly in Physical and Mental Health were also highlighted as potential areas of investment.

In her remarks, the East Africa Chamber of Commerce (EACC) Chair, Elsa Juko McDowell noted that the diaspora community is ready to invest in the region and keen on collaborating with the EAC governments.

“We are committed to continuing collaborating in supporting the USA – East Africa trade relations, promoting trade missions and cooperation and marketing East Africa as a trade and investment destination,” she added.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

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WTO Economists Forecast Gloomy 2023 World Trade

The World Trade Organization predicts global trade growth will slow sharply to 1 percent in 2023, down from the expected high of 3.5 percent this year.

WTO economists say trade has played a key role in keeping the global economy running throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. While merchandise trade plunged amid lockdowns in 2020, they note it subsequently rebounded, keeping the world supplied with food, medicine and other essential goods.

However, they say multipronged crises, including the pandemic, climate shocks and the war in Ukraine, continue to cause supply chain disruptions. Fiscal and monetary policies and inflationary pressures, they note, are causing energy and commodity prices to rise. They say low-income developing countries in particular face serious risks from insecurity and debt distress.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says most regions will likely register slightly positive export growth in 2023, with the exceptions of Africa and the Middle East. She expects both regions to experience negative export growth. World GDP next year is expected to slow to 2.3 percent, she says, down nearly a full percentage point from the WTO’s previous estimate.

“Policymakers face unenviable choices as they attempt to find an optimal balance among fighting inflation, maintaining employment and advancing important policy goals such as the transition to cleaner energy,” Okonjo-Iweala said. “Trade restrictions may be a tempting response to economic distress, but these would only deepen inflationary pressures and reduce living standards.”

Okonjo-Iweala says free trade generates growth and can help keep prices from rising. For example, keeping markets open for food trade, she says, will increase the availability of essential foodstuffs and maintain downward pressure on prices.

“Our monitoring work on food trade has pointed to some recent backsliding on restrictions, so we need to remain vigilant,” Okonjo-Iweala said. “Looking ahead, a better response to the supply chain vulnerabilities exposed by the past two years is to build a more diversified, less concentrated base for producing goods and services.”

Diversification will boost economic growth and contribute to supply resilience and long-term price stability, she says, adding it also can help meet current and future economic challenges.

Source: Voice of America

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Cross Border Syndicates Implicated in Surge in Rhino Poaching

While Africa is seeing a drop in the rate of rhinoceros poaching, Namibian wildlife authorities say they are seeing a surge in rhino killings in the southern African nation. Conservationists say poachers seeking rhino horns for Asian markets are targeting Namibia’s commercial farms.

Save the Rhino Trust CEO Simson Uri Khob said there are reports that syndicates of rhino poachers from South Africa are operating in Namibia. He said poaching cases are rising, especially in Etosha National Park and commercial farms.

“It’s a problem,” Khob said. “The only thing I can say is we have to take more hands with the communities [that are] in the areas and do more awareness.”

Salmon Vermaak, who heads an anti-poaching group called Namibia Wildlife Protection, said the group has received two rhino poaching reports in the last four months, the first such cases since the organization began operating in the area eight years ago.

“We pick up tracks of prospective poachers on the farms we look after,” Vermaak said. “The figures from the Ministry of Forestry show what the increases are. There are definitely syndicates operating between here and South Africa.”

Vermaak said his group isn’t involved with intelligence or the infiltration of the syndicates, but is primarily involved with the protection of the country’s rhinos.

Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Forestry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said recent statistics show a surge in poaching, although the latest figures are still being verified. So far this year, Namibia has reported 48 poached rhinos compared to 43 in 2021 and 40 in 2020.

Muyunda also welcomed the recent conviction of preacher Jackson Babi — who is also described as a “self-proclaimed prophet” in documents from the Gobabis Magistrate Court.

“We want to believe that this will deter others that are involved in poaching of rhinos or any other wildlife crime and also those who want to get involved in this illicit activity,” Myunda said.

Namibia is home to the largest black rhino population in the world.

Source: Voice of America

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Survey commissioned by IHG Hotels & Resorts reveals what consumers value when they travel

DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — IHG Hotels & Resorts today revealed the results of a survey commissioned to better understand how consumers like to enjoy their time as a hotel guest, encouraging guests to be themselves.

IHG Hotels & Resorts launches Guest How You Guest

The company’s new global campaign, Guest How You Guest, is a celebration of hotels and taking a break from having to do it all.  The survey results revealed what guests from the region are looking for in a hotel experience, with the three most popular features of a hotel stay rated as room service at 54%, facilities (pool, sauna, etc…) (52%), and selection of food available (49%). Meanwhile approximately 40% of respondents enjoyed not having to clean up after themselves or having to cook for themselves.

The research showed that 22% like to get changed for dinner to look their best, while 20% are comfortable enough slouching in their pajamas and hotel slippers.

92% of respondents felt they could be totally themselves when staying in a hotel, with 54% feeling they are always relaxed during their stay. But 14% worry that their kids may misbehave and cause disturbance to other guests.

Haitham Mattar, Managing Director India Middle East & Africa, IHG Hotels & Resorts commented: “The region’s tourism and hospitality industry offers tremendous opportunities, and it is known to welcome diverse guests travelling for business and leisure. The needs, desires and preferences of our hotel guests are constantly evolving, and therefore it is fundamental for us to deliver what they’re looking for the most — a personalised, individualised experience.”

Earlier this year, IHG introduced IHG One Rewards – the brand’s new loyalty program – empowering members with more choice, value, and richer rewards than ever before. The reimagined loyalty program connects IHG One Rewards members to IHG Hotels & Resorts’ growing portfolio of 6,000 hotels and 17 brands, including one of the largest Luxury & Lifestyle collections in the world.

To learn more about the IHG One Rewards programme and how to apply, visit ihg.com/one.

Editor’s note:

Research was conducted online between 14/09/22 and 23/09/22 resulting in a panel of 7060 adults across 9 markets.  All research adheres to MRS Code of Conduct and guidelines.

About IHG®

IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.

With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in over 100 countries, and more than 1,800 in the development pipeline.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 325,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.

Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations and IHG One Rewards. To download the new IHG One Rewards app, visit the Apple App or Google Play stores.

For our latest news, visit our Newsroom and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

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Ryan Kavanaugh and Proxima Media Launch New Banner Production Company ‘The Quad’ in Partnership With Amy Kim and Jaime Burke of Lifeboat Productions

The Quad will produce 3-5 films per year with a self-funded budget of $3M – $12M each, and will star a top influencer paired with a world-renowned director and actor

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ryan Kavanaugh, in tandem with Proxima Media and Lifeboat Productions’ Amy Kim and Jaime Burke, proudly announces their new banner production company called The Quad. Matt Weaver and Jason Barhydt will also serve as producers with the company, which specializes in feature-length films focused on horror, thriller, American comedies, and love stories. Their annual slate will consist of 3-5 films and will have a self-funded budget of $3M – $12M per picture. The Quad will utilize Kavanaugh’s deep relationships with the top influencers and surround them with world-renowned actors and directors. The Quad has already secured deals with top talent, including Charlie D’Amelio, Bryce Hall, and King Bach.

The Quad has its next four movies slated back-to-back on the heels of wrapping SKILL HOUSE over the next 12 months.

“The Quad intends to break the boundary between social media culture and what we know as Hollywood today,” said Partner Ryan Kavanaugh. “We are thrilled to be bringing Charlie D’Amelio, Bryce Hall, and now King Bach’s acting chops to the big screen. Their talent has no boundaries, and their digital footprint will help bring audiences back into theaters. I couldn’t be more excited to bring this new company to life with award-winning producers and powerhouses Amy Kim and Jaime Burke alongside veteran producer and entertainment exec Matt Weaver.”

“We are excited to be on this journey with a veteran producer like Ryan. He has a love of filmmaking that is infectious and a constant desire to create new space in the entertainment industry. The people assembled to make these movies add a depth of experience that will ensure quality projects aimed at talents’ strengths to bring top-quality entertainment to all film fans,” adds Amy Kim and Jaime Burke.

Previously Weaver and Kavanaugh together produced the Grammy-nominated documentary, I’LL SLEEP WHEN IM DEAD about Steve Aoki for Netflix, documentary THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY, about the Met Ball that was produced in conjunction with Anna Wintour for Magnolia Pictures, and the Tony Nominated Broadway Musical ROCK OF AGES which Weaver was the Lead Producer and General Partner and Kavanaugh a producer and many other television shows and content.

In addition, Triller’s Jason Barhydt will produce with The Quad. Barhydt previously worked with Kavanaugh on some of his biggest hits, including IMMORTALS, LIMITLESS, DEAR JOHN, ACT OF VALOR, SAFE HAVEN, and THE FIGHTER.

The Quad’s third project, MILES RYDER, slated to begin production later this year, starring King Bach, comedian and actor, is a JOHN WICK meets DOCTOR STRANGE style thriller with The Quad.

King Bach first entered the scene as Vine’s most followed social media user on their platform, with over 11 million followers. Bachelor parlayed his Vine success into major followings on platforms including YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, with nearly 23M followers on the latter alone. He most recently appeared in Ric Roman Waugh’s sports drama NATIONAL CHAMPIONS as well as 20th Century Studio and Broken Road Productions’ hit comedy VACATION FRIENDS for Hulu. Bachelor has also appeared in series including THE MINDY PROJECT, HOUSE OF LIES, BLACK JESUS, and KEY & PEELE, and in such films as FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK, THE BABYSITTER, and TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE. He ventured into acting with over a dozen roles from NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, VACATION FRIENDS, FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK, TO ALL THE BOYS I LOVED BEFORE, and the Adult Swim series “Black Jesus.”

The Quad is currently in post-production on SKILL HOUSE, the first installment in the R-rated horror film franchise starring social media phenomenon and TikTok star Bryce Hall, in co-production with global hip hop icon Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s G-Unit Film & Television. The film stars Hall alongside veteran actors Neal McDonough (Yellowstone, The Arrow, The Flash) and Leah Pipes (The Originals, SORORITY ROW).

Pre-production is underway from The Quad for the highly anticipated Charli D’Amelio supernatural thriller HOME SCHOOL, written by Casey Giltner. SVP of Production at Proxima, Daniel Herther, who shepherded the development of Home School, will be producing alongside Kavanaugh, Barhydt, Burke, and Kim with Kavanaugh’s partner Bobby Sarnevesht. Marc, Heidi, and Dixie D’Amelio will serve as executive producers.

“I forgot how much I loved the art of making movies. Going back to my roots where I was hands-on in the creative process for projects like BROTHERS, THE BANK JOB, LIMITLESS, IMMORTALS, DEAR JOHN, THE FIGHTER and many others, it’s reminded me of what I loved about making movies. For the first time, I have the best of the best partners in Amy, Jaime, and Matt to make sure we execute and deliver with an A+ standard and quality. This time we are doing it our way!” Kavanaugh continued.

About Proxima Media and Ryan Kavanaugh
Founder of Proxima Media, the controlling shareholder of Triller, Ryan Kavanaugh, is one of the most accomplished, prolific, and honored executives in entertainment industry history. Using an intelligent model of film finance, he was dubbed the creator of “Moneyball for movies.” He produced, distributed, and/or structured financing for more than 200 films, generating more than $20 billion in worldwide box office revenue and earning 60 Oscar nominations. He is the 25th highest-grossing film producer of all time. His productions include Fast and Furious 2-6, 300, Social Network, Limitless, Fighter, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and Mama Mia! Kavanaugh and Proxima pioneered an innovative finance deal for post-bankruptcy Marvel, making the studio and finance structure that led to Marvel Cinematic Universe. He built the SVOD (streaming) category with Netflix, which boosted that company’s market capitalization from $2 to $10 billion. Kavanaugh is the co-founder of Triller, one of the three fastest-growing social media apps. He recently led the acquisition, merger, and re-launch of the social media and music app.

He also created the powerhouse television company, now known as Critical Content, producing hit shows like Catfish on MTV and Limitless on CBS, which he sold for $200M. The company had 40 television series across 19 networks before its sale. Kavanaugh has earned several achievements and awards, from Variety’s Producer of the Year Award to The Hollywood Reporter’s Leadership Award, from Fortune’s 40 Under 40 Most Influential People in Business to Forbes’ Fortune 400, Billion-Dollar Producer by the Daily Variety and the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Vanity Fair. Proxima and Kavanaugh are repped by Neil Sacker.

Given his passion for animals, Kavanaugh is also active in the pet food brand Dog for Dog, which donates dog food to local and national shelters for each product purchased to save dogs from being euthanized. He also served on the boards of several charitable foundations, including the Sheriff’s Youth Foundation and Cedars-Sinai’s Board of Governors, and served as the Chairman of Art of Elysian for
almost eight years, amongst others.

About Lifeboat Productions
Amy Kim and Jaime Burke are award-winning producers with over 20 years of diverse experience. They have produced original content for all the leading streamers and studios with their most recent credits, including the Apple+ series Surfside Girls and Amazon’s Undone. Kim got her producing starts with the Academy Award Winning short film, WEST BANK STORY, while Burke worked for 20th Century Fox and produced indie features prior to forming Lifeboat Productions. Lifeboat will continue to produce its slate of projects as well as collaborate with current and future partners in addition to The Quad.

About Matt Weaver
Matthew Weaver will be producing projects for the company. Previously Weaver and Kavanaugh produced the Grammy-nominated documentary, I’LL SLEEP WHEN IM DEAD, about Steve Aoki for Netflix. They also produced the documentary THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY, about the Met Ball that was produced in conjunction with Anna Wintour for Magnolia Pictures. Kavanaugh was also a producer on the Tony Nominated Broadway Musical ROCK OF AGES, on which Weaver was the Lead Producer and General Partner on.

Media Contact
Michelle Vieyra
(202) 415-7714
michelle@jiveprdigital.com
www.jiveprdigital.com
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Customertimes Hires Maksym Matiash as Senior VP of Sales for EMEA 

NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Customertimes, a global innovator in product development and systems integration, announced today that veteran technology and software sales leader Maksym Matiash has joined the company as Senior VP of Sales for the EMEA region.

Mr. Matiash formerly served as Managing Director for SAP and as Regional Director of Business Applications Sales at Oracle, where he created and managed highly successful regional and global sales teams in numerous markets, including former CIS and much of Eastern Europe.

At Customertimes, Mr. Matiash will help the company’s EMEA sales team trailblaze transformative digital journeys for clients through the implementation of leading technology platforms integrated with Customertimes’ world-class proprietary software, bespoke development capabilities, and stellar customer support services.

“Mr. Matiash’s mastery of enterprise software and his service to some of the world’s most progressive companies make him the ideal fit for us in the EMEA market,” says Roman Khudyakov, Chief Revenue Officer at Customertimes. “His commitment to growth-oriented customer service will have an immediate and positive impact, and his connection to the people of Ukraine closely aligns with our mission of standing resolutely with our many colleagues who are impacted by the war.”

Mr. Matiash observes he is looking forward to contributing to the dramatic growth Customertimes has experienced in recent years.

“Customertimes has an impressive roster of leading international enterprise clients,” he says. “This company is truly unique. We have a deep bench in consulting, development, and product expertise, and our leadership within the Salesforce ecosystem is a key differentiator. There is tremendous demand for the skills and services that Customertimes offers, and I am committed to helping our customers maximize – and profit from – their technology investments.”

To learn more:

About Customertimes

Customertimes Corp. is a global SI and ISV partner dedicated to making the top IT technologies accessible to customers. With more than 4000 projects completed and 1600+ highly skilled experts, our solutions are engineered to help clients realize true business transformation and achieve maximum value from their technology investments. An early entrant into the Salesforce consulting and implementation space in Eastern Europe and an award-winning product development organization, Customertimes Corp. has headquarters in New York City, with regional offices in London, Paris, Toronto, Kyiv, Poznan, Riga, and Podgorica. For more information, visit www.customertimes.com.

Media Contact:

Meriel Sikora

Customertimes

212-520-0059

meriel.sikora@customertimes.com 

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