In order to eradicate digital misinformation, the Ivorian Government announces the official launch of the National Campaign “for a Respectful and Secure Digital Environment.” This initiative, aimed at promoting a safe and respectful digital space for all Ivorians, marks a crucial step in the commitment to fight disinformation and protect citizens online. The ceremony took place today at the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan, in the presence of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Minister of Sports and the Living Environment, Mr Robert Beugré Mambé, the Minister of Communication, Government Spokesperson Mr Amadou Coulibaly and the US Ambassador Jessica Davis BA.

As a reminder, on August 16, 2023, a pilot phase of this campaign was successfully implemented. This pilot phase enabled us to gather valuable data and refine the approach to guarantee the effectiveness of the national campaign, ensuring that the action is both relevant and impactful.

At the launch ceremony, speeches by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Communication and the US Ambassador underlined the crucial importance of this campaign for the nation’s stability and social cohesion.

The Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, declared: “The fight against disinformation and the promotion of a secure digital space are priorities for our government. The National Campaign for a Respectful and Secure Digital Environment is a concrete response to these challenges.”

The bold slogan “Stop au Sorcier Numérique” (Stop the Digital Sorcerer) resounded with force today in Côte d’Ivoire, issuing a call to action to all Ivorians. It invites every citizen to play an active role in this fight against misinformation by encouraging heightened vigilance and the systematic verification of information before sharing it. This national initiative is creating a culture of digital responsibility. “The success of this campaign depends on the active participation of all citizens and partners,” said Communication Minister Amadou Coulibaly. “Together, we can create a safer, more virtuous and reliable digital environment. Every action counts, every responsible sharing makes a difference.”

US Ambassador Jessica Davis BA said, “We look forward to beginning this important work with Côte d’Ivoire and collaborating on relevant projects. Together, we will build a more resilient and informed society for the peace and prosperity of our people.“

This ambitious, visionary program is based on raising awareness, through a multimedia, educational campaign to educate people about the dangers of misinformation, and on training to give citizens the skills they need to identify false information.

This campaign is part of a global approach to combating misinformation, and aims to strengthen its collaboration with international organizations and experts. Côte d’Ivoire intends to share its experience and successes to inspire other nations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministere de la Communication de Cote d’Ivoire.

Press contact:
Andy KOUASSI
Mob. : (225) 07 07 40 64 39 – 07 08 29 18 76
Mail. ar.kouassi@communication.gouv.ci

#EnLigneTousResponsables

Global demand for critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies is expected to grow more than three-fold by 2030. For Africa – a continent rich in a variety of minerals – this highlights a strategic opportunity to bolster economic growth through mineral development. The upcoming Critical Minerals Africa (CMA) summit – scheduled for November 6-7 in Cape Town – will play a key role in exploring how Africa can not only increase mineral exploration and extraction, but also maximize value addition through local refining and manufacturing.

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Africa holds approximately two-thirds of global cobalt reserves, around 30% of lithium and significant shares of other critical minerals, including manganese, copper and iron ore. Leading mineral markets on the continent include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which contributes over 70% of global cobalt production; Gabon, ranking second in global manganese production; and Zambia, recognized as the largest exporter of unrefined copper globally. Additionally, Zimbabwe ranks as the world’s third-largest exporter of chromium ore and holds the largest lithium reserves in Africa.

Despite this substantial resource base, challenges persist in value addition and processing. Currently, China dominates the global mineral processing market, particularly in the production of lithium and cobalt. The country imported approximately $10 billion worth of minerals in 2019 from sub-Saharan Africa alone, underscoring the region’s reliance on foreign processing capabilities. While the DRC dominates cobalt mining globally, 60% of cobalt processing occurs in China, while in 2022, Zambia exported $6.6 billion in raw copper – most of which was sent to China.

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Recent developments, however, aim to reverse this trend, with an influx of infrastructure investments and the introduction of policies that support domestic processing capabilities. Last October, South African mining and minerals advisory firm Q Global Commodities partnered with investment firm F9 Capital Management to invest $1 billion in critical mineral production across southern and eastern Africa. The venture, targeting lithium, copper and nickel production, aims to develop new processing plants and logistics infrastructure.

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From a policy standpoint, several African countries are implementing reforms aimed at encouraging local mineral processing and value addition. In 2023, Namibia and Zimbabwe banned the export of unprocessed lithium and other critical minerals, leveraging rising global demand for transition metals and minerals. Both countries aim to regulate these exports, with Namibia only allowing small quantities of the specified minerals with the approval of its Ministry of Mines and Energy, and Zimbabwe emphasizing local battery-grade lithium production from concentrates.

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Against this backdrop, a dedicated panel at CMA 2024 – Advanced Manufacturing, End Use and Supporting Infrastructure for Critical Minerals Consumption Across Africa – will explore strategies for enhancing value addition within the continent’s critical minerals sector. Additionally, the session will address the crucial role of supporting infrastructure in facilitating extraction, processing and distribution, as well as the impact of policy reforms in incentivizing new refining capabilities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.

About CMA:
CMA is the largest gathering of critical mineral stakeholders in Africa. Taking place from November 6 – 7 in Cape Town, the event positions Africa as the primary investment destination for critical minerals. This year’s edition takes place under the theme Innovate, Enact, Invest in African Critical Minerals to Sustain Global Growth, connecting African mining projects and regulators with global investors and stakeholders to untap the full potential of the continent’s raw materials. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

NBA Africa (www.NBA.com) and New Era Education, a Cairo-based educational services and school management company that seeks to bring high-quality educational institutions to Egypt to provide Egyptian students with the best possible education opportunities, today announced a multiyear collaboration for New Era Education to launch and operate the first NBA Basketball School in Africa. 

Located at Uppingham School Cairo, an international school in New Giza, Egypt, NBA Basketball School will launch in January 2025 for Uppingham School youth ages 5-18. The year-round, tuition-based basketball development program will cover on-court training, skill development and basketball education for all skill levels.

“The launch of Africa’s first NBA Basketball School is a significant milestone in our continued efforts to grow the game in Egypt and across the continent,” said Head of NBA Egypt Mohamed Abdel-motaleb Soliman. “This landmark initiative will provide Uppingham School Cairo students with the opportunity to learn the game the right way and progress their development under the guidance of NBA-selected coaches.”

“The collaboration with NBA Africa on the NBA Basketball School program underscores our dedication to providing youth with opportunities for growth and development, both on-and-off the court,” said New Era Education Board Chairman Dr. Tamer Tammam. “Through this initiative, our students and their families will access a world-class training program that fosters leadership skills and promotes overall personal growth.”

NBA Basketball School will build on the league’s previous initiatives in Cairo, including the last three Basketball Africa League Nile Conference group phases, Jr. NBA clinics for local youth, the 18th edition of Basketball Without Borders Africa, the launch of the NBA Egypt office in January 2023, and more.

The NBA Basketball School curriculum, which is designed to develop players and provide parents, coaches and organizations with a better understanding of the process of improvement, was created by the NBA’s International Basketball Operations department in consultation with current and former NBA coaches, players and player development specialists. Since 2017, NBA Basketball Schools have been launched in Australia, Brazil, China, the Dominican Republic, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Lithuania, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Uruguay.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).

Contact:
Chumani Bambani
NBA Africa Communications
cbambani@nba.com
+27 65 548 1031

About NBA Africa:
NBA Africa is an affiliate of the National Basketball Association (NBA), a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  NBA Africa conducts the league’s business in Africa, including the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and has opened subsidiary offices in Cairo, Egypt; Dakar, Senegal; Johannesburg, South Africa; Lagos, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya. The league’s efforts on the continent have focused on increasing access to basketball and the NBA through youth and elite development, social responsibility, media distribution, corporate partnerships, NBA Africa Games, NBA Stores, the BAL, and more. 

NBA games and programming are available in all 54 African countries, and the NBA has hosted three sold-out exhibition games on the continent since 2015.  The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa concluded its fourth season in June 2024. Fans can follow @ NBA_Africa and @ theBAL on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

“Telefanz” (www.Telefanz.com), the new social media platform for exciting, spontaneous, genuine videos and photos, was officially launched this June with the slogan ‘Social Media Made Better’. Competing with leading platforms like TikTok, “Telefanz” stands out with SocialFi features. It also features Approved&Verified Content Creators, original content, and a secure community, along with support for 17 languages.

Andrew George, Founder of “Telefanz”, emphasizes, “Telefanz users find inspiration and entertainment on a single, completely secure platform where genuine photos and videos are one scroll away.”

Anyone can easily have a Verified Account

Telefanz, which can be opened in seconds with Email, Google, or Apple Login, is a platform where users can search for category-based Content Creators and follow only the Creators that appeal to their interests. In addition, every user can easily request verification in his profile settings and apply to have a verified account without the requirement of a minimum number of Fanz (followers).

According to DataReportal insights, it is known that, in January 2024, estimates show that TikTok alone has 171 million users in the MENA region. On the other hand, according to Statista, 62.6 per cent of the global population, or 5.07 billion people, use at least one social media platform. “Telefanz” is the newest player in a market where adoption is high.

A fairer revenue model for Content Creators

Telefanz’ approved Content Creators can earn Coinzz, the currency of Telefanz, per post and through Livestreams. Users can also gift between 1 and 50,000 Coinzz to their favorite Creators. These currencies can be used on the Telefanz platform, and Creators can also convert the Coinzz they earn through Telefanz into real currency on the Telefanz website. Each 1,000 Coinzz earned corresponds to 5 US Dollars, which makes Telefanz offering Content Creators a 50 percent share, as opposed to 35 percent on other platforms. This means a fairer profit for Creators and which is considered among the important features that distinguish Telefanz from other social media platforms.

Telefanz has all the features that internet users are accustomed to from other social media platforms such as liking, sharing, commenting, light/dark mode, chat, livestreaming, notification history, profile creation, and hashtags.

“It’s time to see considerable changes in the Social Media World”

“It’s time to see considerable changes in the social media world” says Mr. Andrew George, emphasizing that Telefanz is a super secure platform. And adds: “It pays more attention to data security and moderation than any of its competitors. Every post is instantly checked before going live to make sure we keep a safe environment. Telefanz will connect users in a safe environment in addition to unlimited benefits to each user being a streamer, an influencer or just someone who loves to see interesting videos and photos.”

For more information about Telefanz, which can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play Store, please visit www.Telefanz.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Telefanz.

Contact:
Lynn Khoury
support@telefanz.com