Orange (www.Orange.com) is launching the third season of its flagship program Y’Africa, which will be broadcast weekly from mid-April on 15 national TV channels across Africa; This new season is dedicated to the journeys of 28 rising sporting talents from 12 countries; Like the first two seasons, it is directed by Dan Assayag and produced by Fame Productions; Season 3 has 7 episodes, each 52 minutes long.

The Y’Africa project was launched by Orange in February 2020. The first two seasons were very successful, not only on the 15 African terrestrial TV channels on which it was broadcast, but also on social media, where content from the series has racked up 80 million views. The first two seasons highlighted the richness and diversity of African culture by profiling 63 artists. The third season presents 28 high-level Olympic and Paralympic athletes and champions, each of them represents the continent’s hopes.

Inspired by the extraordinary pool of talent seen across the continent, Y’Africa celebrates the vitality and plurality of modern Africa and its people. The name of the program also reflects this connection, “Y’Africa” is the contraction of “Africa Ya lelo”, or “Africa today” in Lingala.

Breathtaking images, extraordinary stories

Season 3 of Y’Africa involved 18 months of filming in all corners of the world: South Africa, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Spain, the US, Ethiopia, France, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tunisia. Among our 28 athletes are 13 Olympic champions, world champions, or world record holders, including:

Tigst ASSEFA (Ethiopia), World Marathon Women’s Record Holder
Hugues Fabrice ZANGO (Burkina Faso), 2023 Triple Jump World Champion
Cheick Sallah Junior CISSÉ (Ivory Coast), 2023 World Champion, gold medalist at the 2016 Rio Taekwondo Olympics
Tamirat TOLA (Ethiopia), 2022 World Marathon Champion
Amane BERISO SHANKULE (Ethiopia), 2023 World Marathon Champion
Amos KIPRUTO (Kenya), bronze medalist at the 2019 World Marathon Championships
Sabastian KIMARU SAWE (Kenya), 2023 Road Half Marathon World Champion
Khadija EL MARDI (Morocco), World Heavyweight Champion in Amateur Boxing 2023
Nicolas Pieter DU PREEZ (South Africa), gold medalist at the Beijing 2020 Paralympic Games in Road Cycling
Djamel SEDJATI (Algeria), 2022 World Vice-Champion in the 800 Meters
Kaylia NEMOUR (Algeria), 2023 Vice-World Champion, Uneven Bars
Soumaya BOUSAID (Tunisia), bronze medalist at the Beijing 2020 Para-JOs in the 1500 Meters T13
Oussama MELLOULI (Tunisia), gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics in the 10 Kilometer Open Water

Y’Africa Season 3 covers 21 Olympic disciplines, from traditional favorites (such as athletics, swimming, boxing, gymnastics, fencing, and judo) to the most exciting new ones (including BMX, skateboarding, and surfing). As well as the acclaimed athletes profiled in the series, we also feature rising athletes, training for top-level international competitions through sheer rigor and commitment, despite having not yet won a title. Their journeys, their preparation, and their stories are worth hearing.

Season 3 was also the occasion for last summer’s launch of the Y’Africa Facebook page (https://apo-opa.co/4d04OPE). With more than 350,000 followers to date, this exceptional communication platform will help us continue to promote African talent.

Jérôme Hénique, CEO of Orange Africa and Middle East: “Season 3 of Y’Africa marks a new stage in our commitment to highlighting the wealth and diversity of African talent. This series offers a unique platform to celebrate our ambitious and determined youth. I am delighted that the Orange Group is once again playing a key role in highlighting these inspiring stories.”

Caroline Guillaumin, Executive Director of Communications at Orange: “In this Olympic year, we have decided to highlight the sporting talents of the African continent. After two seasons dedicated to artists, Y’Africa returns with an exceptional series of portraits of athletes, women and men, champions, and their aspirations, all arranged around the theme of surpassing oneself. Through this program, launched in 2020, we want to share the dynamics of the African continent with as many people as possible. It is also another way of consolidating the Orange brand by establishing a sincere dialogue with audiences.”

Dan Assayag, Director: “I have admired the beauty, grace, agility, and power of athletes when they realize their full potential. I have understood why motivation is nothing without discipline. I have observed that top athletes have an above-average work capacity. I have also seen their tolerance of pain. I have understood that Olympic sport is a world of its own. And they made me understand, all in their own ways, what it meant to represent your country as an African. For all these reasons, Season 3 of Y’Africa is special for me.”

Discover the first episode of the new season: https://apo-opa.co/49KN1ci

Password: Y’africa

Additional information on Season 3 of Y’Africa is available on Orange.com

And here (https://apo-opa.co/3Jp4axr) you can find the biographies of the athletes, photos and a trailer, as well as the broadcast schedule for the program in the different countries.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Orange Middle East and Africa.

Press contacts:
Elodie Filopon
ef@35ouest.com
+225 07 89 031 724

Ibtissame Nafii
ibtissame.nafii@orange.com
+33 6 37 38 60 50

About Orange:
Orange is one of the main telecommunications companies in the world, with a turnover of 44.1 billion euros in 2023 and 137,000 employees as of December 31, 2023, including 73,000 in France. The group served 298 million customers on December 31, 2023, including 254 million mobile customers and 25 million fixed broadband customers. The group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also one of the world leaders in telecommunications services to multinational companies under the Orange Business brand. In February 2023, the group presented its Lead the Future strategic plan, built on a new business model, and guided by responsibility and efficiency. Lead the Future capitalizes on high-standard networks to strengthen Orange’s leadership in quality of service.

Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (ORAN).

For more information, see www.Orange.com, www.Orange-Business.com, and the Orange News app, or follow us on Twitter: @presseorange.

Orange and any Orange product or service mentioned in this press release are trademarks owned by Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.

2024 BAL Season (BAL.NBA.com) Continues Friday, April 19 with Nile Conference Group Phase in Cairo; 24 Players with NBA, NBA G League and NCAA Experience to Feature on Nile Conference Rosters; Tickets on Sale Now at BAL.NBA.com and Tazkarti.com; Fans Can Save Up to 35% On Group Packages.

Download document: https://apo-opa.co/4d5ATpa

The Basketball Africa League (BAL) today announced the 52 players from 11 countries across Africa, Europe and the U.S. who will compete in the 2024 Basketball Africa League’s (BAL) Nile Conference group phase, which will take place from Friday, April 19 – Saturday, April 27 at the Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo, Egypt*.

The four teams (https://apo-opa.co/3T0x5w8) competing in the Nile Conference group phase feature seven players with NBA and NBA G League experience, 17 former NCAA Division I players, four current NBA Academy Africa prospects, two NBA Academy Africa graduates, six former Basketball Without Borders (BWB) campers, nine players who have participated in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, and 28 players with FIBA AfroBasket experience.

The opening game of the Nile Conference group phase will feature first-time BAL participants Al Ahly Ly (Libya) and Bangui Sporting Club (Central African Republic) facing off at 4:00 p.m. local time / 10:00 a.m. ET. In the second game, home team and defending BAL champion Al Ahly (Egypt) will begin its title defense against two-time BAL participant City Oilers (Uganda) at 7:00 p.m. local time / 1:00 p.m. ET.  The complete game schedule is available at BAL.NBA.com.

Tickets are on sale now at BAL.NBA.com and Tazkarti.com, starting at 75 EGP with up to 35% off single game ticket prices by purchasing group packages by emailing BalTickets@thebal.com.

Following the Nile Conference, the 2024 BAL season will continue with the Sahara Conference group phase, which will take place from Saturday, May 4 – Sunday, May 12 at the Dakar Arena in Dakar, Senegal, and feature 2022 BAL champion US Monastir (Tunisia), home team and 2023 BAL runner-up AS Douanes (Senegal), 2021 BAL participant Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria), and first-time BAL participant Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball (APR; Rwanda). Tickets for the Sahara Conference group phase are available at Teewtickets.com, with up to 20% off single game ticket prices when purchasing packages for two, four or all 12 games.

Fans who purchase tickets will also have free access to BAL Fan Zones at the arena in each market.

FUS Rabat Basketball (Morocco; 3-1) and Petro de Luanda (Angola; 2-2) finished as the top two teams at the inaugural Kalahari Conference group phase in Pretoria, South Africa last month. The top two teams from each conference and the top two third-place teams from across the three conferences will travel to BK Arena in Kigali for four seeding games followed by an eight-game, single-elimination Playoffs and Finals from Friday, May 24 – Saturday, June 1. Ticket sales information for the Playoffs and Finals will be announced in the coming weeks.

The 2024 BAL season is reaching fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages through free-to- air and paid TV broadcast partnerships with the African Union of Broadcasting, American Forces Network (AFN), Canal+, NBA TV, Tencent Video, TSN, TV5 Monde, Visionary TV and Voice of America (VOA), and livestreaming on the NBA App (https://apo-opa.co/43eJtgR), NBA.com, BAL.NBA.com and the BAL’s YouTube channel (https://apo-opa.co/43gfoxt).

Linked here (https://apo-opa.co/4d5ATpa) please find select Nile Conference group phase player and coach storylines.

*Rosters are subject to change and will be updated in real-time on the team roster pages on BAL.NBA.com.

View Nile Conference Group Phase Rosters (https://apo-opa.co/3T0x5w8)

Basketball Africa League Season 4 Nile Conference Hype Video (Credit: Basketball Africa League) (https://apo-opa.co/4avTsAM)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Contact:
Edwin Eselem
Basketball Africa League
+221 78 615 42 87
EEselem@theBAL.com

About the BAL:
The Basketball Africa League (BAL), a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that will tip off its fourth season in March 2024.  Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, the BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Africa has organized across the continent and marks the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America. Fans can follow the BAL (@theBAL) on Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/3IryMxW), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/48G8a76), Threads (https://apo-opa.co/49zyG3f), X (https://apo-opa.co/3wLTzd4), and YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/43gfoxt) and register their interest in receiving more information at www.BAL.NBA.com.

RMB (www.RMB.co.za) one of Africa’s leading corporate and investment banks, has invested in Acre Export Finance Fund I which targets commercial debt tranches of Export Credit Agency (ECA) transactions supporting climate-aligned infrastructure in Africa.

The fund has announced its first close on 17th of April in which it has successfully raised an equity of ~$100m which will be used to part finance projects in four impact sectors: renewable power generation, health, food and water scarcity – as well as sustainable cities and green transportation.

Aymeric Perrin-Guinot, Senior Transactor ECA Finance at RMB London said: “By providing specialist funding for the commercial debt tranche and as a result unlocking the ECA guaranteed part of the transaction, the fund will enable the mobilisation of up to $2bln toward impact projects.”

“ECA finance, by enabling access to long-term debt for borrowers in emerging markets, is seen as a key contributor to the reduction of the infrastructure financing gap in Africa, which is estimated to be over $100 billion every year.”

Siyanda Mflathelwa, Sector Head of PPPs and Concessions at RMB noted that the fund fills a specific gap in the market which is the funding of the uncovered portion of ECA transactions, which has become increasingly difficult to fund. Thereby unlocking transactions that will have a multiplier effect on the economies of the countries where it is deployed.

The IMF has recently noted that for every $1m invested in infrastructure projects, between 8 and 30 jobs are created in low income developing countries.

“In addition, the fund is expected to have a significant positive social, environmental and economic impact, underlining RMB’s own ambitions in sustainable finance and our commitment to support Africa’s transition to a lower carbon economy in line with the Paris Agreement.”

Acre Export Finance Fund will align all its investments with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leverage industry-leading frameworks for impact reporting.

Perrin-Guinot added that RMB’s investment in the fund is a great example of African banks contributing to solutions to African problems.

Hussein Sefian, CEO of Acre Impact Capital said: “RMB’s investment in the Fund demonstrates the positive role that African financial institutions are playing in supporting the financing of climate-aligned essential infrastructure in Africa. We are pleased to have received commitments from premier African investors such as RMB.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rand Merchant Bank.

TelCables West Africa, part of the Angola Cables global network (http://AngolaCables.co.ao), shared details of its innovative Partner Program at a recent event held at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

This initiative is designed to empower companies in West Africa to shape the future of digital connectivity, tap into the rapidly growing enterprise market, and expand their businesses internationally.

​The TelCables Partner Program enables telecommunication companies, operators, ICT integrators, as well as internet service providers to extend their influence in shaping West Africa digital ecosystem.

Multinational telecommunications company Angola Cables operates in the wholesale market, providing connectivity, IT solutions and services, as well as international data circuit capacity and IP transit via owned, high-capacity submarine cables, including SACS, Monet, and WACS.

“Leveraging the Angola Cables Partner Program provides a unique opportunity for us to help connect our partners’ businesses from West Africa to the world,” said TelCables Nigeria CEO, Fernando Fernandes.

“As the most connected network operator in Africa, our secure, low-latency direct routings Data Center to Data Center  from West Africa to the USA and South America, and from West Africa to London provide an immense advantage to our partners.​ Moreover, our presence across a number of Nigerian IP hubs such as Lekki, WACS CLS, Medallion DC, Rack Centre and others, and connections across Africa via the Djoliba network, means our partners have access to some of the most advanced digital infrastructure on the continent and our featured products to address secure connectivity and Clouds2Africa the most interconnected Cloud IAAS in Africa benefiting to our Global Network in more than 400 Cloud and Anti-DDoS secured nodes,” he added.

The Partner Program provides a comprehensive suite of management resourceful tools to support partners in their sales efforts. This includes portal, sales and marketing tools that enable partners to define product, commercial, and marketing strategies, as well as receive technical formation and go-to-market initiatives to streamline and accelerate their market offerings. The personalized program also adapts to the needs of each partner’s experience and market demand, ensuring mutual success. Additionally, tailored training and support are provided to each partner to help them achieve their goals.

Based in Nigeria, and with a global footprint in 20 countries on five continents, TelCables offers a wide range of internet exchange points, points-of-presence, peering, and related services.​ Current participants in the Partner Program include Microsoft, NEC, Juniper Networks, Ciena and Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., all benefiting from Angola Cables’ extensive, low-latency direct access connectivity, connecting to the largest Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), Tier 1 operators, and global content providers in Africa and around the world.

As part of the Angola Cables family, TelCables West Africa’s Partner Program is a testament to the company’s dedication to empowering businesses in West Africa to reach new heights in the digital age. Companies interested in joining the Partner Program and becoming part of a network that is shaping the future of digital connectivity in West Africa, can do so here (https://apo-opa.co/3vZKoFL).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Angola Cables.