APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the premier award-winning Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, is glad to announce that its Founder and Chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), has been extended a prestigious invitation to attend and speak at the upcoming International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Centenary Celebration and 86th Congress. The invitation, extended by Mr. Gianni Merlo, President of AIPS, marks a significant recognition of Pompigne-Mognard’s contributions to the sports media industry.

The Congress, set to take place in Santa Susana, Barcelona, Spain, will host the AIPS Centenary Celebration on April 29, 2024. The AIPS Congress is a gathering of esteemed sports journalists and industry leaders from around the world, providing a platform for meaningful discussions on the future of sports journalism.

Founded in 1924, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) has been at the forefront of promoting fair play, ethical reporting, and camaraderie among sports journalists globally. With over 161 national sports press associations and more than 9,500 professionals as members, AIPS continues to champion the interests and working conditions of sports media professionals worldwide.

APO Group is proud to align with AIPS in their mission to advance the field of sports journalism and is honoured to contribute to the discussions at the Congress. Pompigne-Mognard’s participation in the panel discussion alongside other distinguished sports leaders will provide valuable insights into the future of sports media.

Nicolas’ wholly-owned company, APO Group, is the Pan-African Public Relations agency of the NBA and the Basketball Africa League, as well as the Strategic Partner of the Olympic Movement in Africa (ANOCA). It has also been the Pan-African Public Relations agency of FIFA during the last three years.

From 2017-22, APO Group was the Main Official Sponsor of Rugby Africa, the continental governing body of rugby in Africa, before progressing to become its Official Public Relations Partner and Sport Marketing Agency in 2023.

APO Group is the Official Partner of iconic French football club Olympique de Marseille’s OM Africa development programme, and it has been the Official Sponsor of Africa’s first ever World Tour cycling team, NTT Pro Cycling, from 2020 to 2022, and the Official Sponsor of the Lux Afrique Polo Day from 2019 to 2021.

APO Group has recently been selected as the exclusive Public Relations partner by the Beast Foundation – a leading sports and education programme set up by former Springbok rugby star Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira.

Nicolas is a Special Advisor to the President of Rugby Africa, providing expert advice and guidance on specific issues related to rugby and matters of interest on the African continent. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the World Football Summit.

Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard has been named among the 100 Most Influential Africans 2023.

The New African Most Influential Africans list credits Nicolas as an entrepreneur who is “dominating the African Public Relations landscape” and acknowledges “his mastery of Africa’s media landscape, which has earned him the trust of many prominent business and political leaders globally, making him a key agenda driver on the continent”.

“APO Group is honoured to be part of this historic event, commemorating 100 years of excellence in sports journalism,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder, and Chairman of APO Group. “We praise the work AIPS is doing in advancing the field of sports journalism and are eager to contribute to the dialogue on its future.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.

Media contact:
marie@apo-opa.com

About APO Group:
Founded in 2007, APO Group stands as the premier award-winning Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. Renowned for our deep-rooted African expertise and expansive global perspective, we specialise in elevating the reputation and brand equity of both private and public organisations across Africa. As a trusted partner, our mission is to harness the power of media, crafting bespoke strategies that drive tangible, measurable impact in Africa and beyond.

Our commitment to excellence and innovation in communication strategies has been recognised with prestigious awards, including a PRovoke Media Global SABRE Award, five PRovoke Media Africa SABRE Awards and two World Business Outlook Awards in 2023 alone, in categories, among others, including Leading Public Relations Firm Africa 2023 and Leading Pan-African Communications Consultancy Africa 2023.

Our esteemed clientele, including global giants like Canon, Nestlé, TikTok or Coca-Cola, reflects our unparalleled ability to navigate the complex African media landscape, with teams on the ground in numerous African countries, offering unmatched insights and reach across the continent.

APO Group is dedicated to reshaping narratives about Africa, challenging stereotypes, and bringing inspiring African stories to global audiences, with our expertise in developing and supporting public relations campaigns worldwide uniquely positioning us to amplify brand messaging, enhance reputations, and connect effectively with target audiences.

For more information, please visit our website: www.APO-opa.com

Professor Mehmet Asutay has been selected as the first-place winner of the 2024 Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) (https://IsDBInstitute.org/) Prize for Impactful Achievement in Islamic Economics in recognition of his significant and influential contributions to the field of Islamic economics and finance.

The prize laureate is a professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Political Economy&Finance at Durham University, United Kingdom. He is an internationally recognised academic who has produced pioneering and impactful scholarly works.

Professor Asutay was selected for his novel work on Islamic moral economy and the articulation of Islamic finance to be supportive of sustainable development and the welfare of human beings.

This year’s prize cycle recognises, rewards, and encourages significant knowledge contributions in Islamic economics with the potential to solve major development challenges of IsDB member countries. The prize comes with a US$ 50,000 award for the first prize winner, US$ 30,000 for the second prize, and US$ 20,000 for the third prize. However, the second and third-position prizes are withheld this year.

Every year the winners of the IsDB Prize are selected by an independent committee of experts from outside the IsDB Group, whose work is coordinated by the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

In his comments on this occasion, President of the IsDB, H.E. Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser, congratulated the laureate for his impactful knowledge contributions.

Acting Director General of IsDB Institute, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, also congratulated the winner and extended his appreciation to H.E. Dr. Al Jasser for guiding the Institute towards the successful coordination of the prize.

The winner of this year’s prize will receive the award during the IsDB Group Annual Meetings, scheduled for 27 – 30 April 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Below is the full citation issued by the prize selection committee:

Professor Mehmet Asutay’s knowledge contributions emphasize reconstituting Islamic economics in the form of an Islamic moral economy by essentializing an extended stakeholder-based governance system to ensure the moral grounds of the economic system.

An overall theme of the multidisciplinary research of Prof. Asutay relates to the articulation of Islamic finance to be supportive of sustainable development and the well-being of human beings. His empirical research resonates with and articulates the conceptual and theoretical reconstruction he attempts in his research.

The original contributions of Prof. Asutay have tangible policy implications with practical applications in IsDB member countries and Muslim communities worldwide.

In recognition of his novel work on Islamic moral economy, the IsDB Prize Selection Committee decided to award the IsDB Prize for Impactful Achievement in Islamic Economics, Knowledge Contribution Category 1445H (2024G), to Prof. Dr. Mehmet Asutay.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

Media contact:
Habeeb Idris Pindiga
Associate Manager, Knowledge Horizons
hpindiga@isdb.org

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About the Islamic Development Bank Institute: 
The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives. More information about the IsDB Institute is available on https://IsDBInstitute.org/

Director General of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) Dr. Sama Bilbao y León will speak at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) forum in Paris this May, unpacking unprecedented opportunities in southern Africa’s energy sector. 

The WNA is an international organization that promotes nuclear power with the goal of tripling nuclear capacity by 2050 to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. On the African continent, South Africa is currently the only country with an operational nuclear power plant – the 1,860 MW Koeberg Nuclear Power Station – which accounts for approximately 5% of power generation. Last December, the country’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced plans to procure 2,500 MW of additional nuclear capacity and is in the process of seeking bids to commission new projects.

Organized by Energy Capital&Power, IAE 2024 (https://apo-opa.co/3UMOOtQ) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 14-15, 2024 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Following the discovery of large uranium deposits in eastern Uganda, the East African nation is forming a joint venture with South Korea and Russia to construct two nuclear power facilities totaling 15,000 MW. Burkina Faso is partnering with Russia’s Rosatom to construct a nuclear power plant, while Ethiopia and Zimbabwe have also signed agreements with Russia to cooperate on nuclear technology and infrastructure development. Rwanda is developing a nuclear reactor pilot project in-country, expected to be operational by 2026.

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

The United Nations in Somalia recently hosted a career fair attended by more than 200 Somali students and members of the civil society.

Organised by the Human Resources Working Group (HRWQ), the career fair aimed to raise awareness about job opportunities and career pathways within the UN system.

Dr Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, Head of United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), addressed the students highlighting the fairs significance in capacity-building and opening doors to UN careers.

“This is a good step towards capacity building, opening doors and helping you to understand how you can navigate the system to access job opportunities within the UN to serve Somalia, and beyond,” said Dr Kacyira.   

She urged the students to utilise the forum to explore available career opportunities within various UN entities in Somalia, reaffirming the world body’s commitment to a successful transition process, including additional investment in expertise and capacity-building efforts.

“In the end, we are serving one community, which is Somalia. Feel free to ask, engage and interact, and I believe this is only one step into our adventure together,” added Kirabo.

The event was attended by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Catriona Laing; UN Women Representative in Somalia Dr Syed Sadiq; World Food Programme Country Director, El-Khidir Daloum among other representatives from the UN agencies, Federal Government of Somalia, and civil society.

Acknowledging the remarkable progress in Somalia’s state-building, Ms Laing reiterated the UN’s dedication to supporting Somali youth to help better their lives.

“One career route is through working with us at the UN, and there are many routes into that. There are many agencies, funds, and programs all of which are represented here today, which are going to talk and inspire you,” said Ms. Laing.

She emphasised the significance of prioritising careers for individuals aspiring to work for the UN and contribute immensely to the nation’s development progress.

“I look forward in future years to one of you standing here and addressing your colleagues,” added Laing, who also welcomed the role played by national staff in implementing the UN’s mandate in Somalia.

Somalia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs representative, Hodan Omar Mohamed, affirmed that the UN in Somalia has provided platforms with exciting opportunities earmarked for national staff.

“We are here to encourage you to pay attention to these opportunities that the UN is giving you in this event today,” said Hodan.

She added that the ministry strongly supports the UN agencies’ mandate in the country and actively collaborates with them on diverse projects focusing on labour and social protection.

Somalia’s UN Women representative, Dr Syed Sadiq, described the event as a golden opportunity for the women to take advantage of and apply for the available job opportunities in the UN agencies.

Reiterating the UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutterres’ vision for gender inclusivity, Sadiq welcomed the role played by the UN Women in promoting women’s empowerment to bridge the gender gap through equal participation of women in the job market and other disciplines.

“There should not be any restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in every capacity under conditions of equality in the system principles subsidiary organs,” said Sadiq, who virtually opened the second day of the event.

Youths from various tertiary institutions including Hormuud, Zam Zam, Hope, Horseed, Jamhuriya, SomBridge, Salaam, University of Somalia and Mogadishu University were oriented on the UN’s recruitment modalities, competencies, vacancy announcements, applications processes, as well as interviews and selection methods among others.

Maryan Ali, a graduate of Mogadishu Aviation College said the career fair had broadened her knowledge and understanding of UN careers and how to improve one’s chances of being employed by various agencies.

“I have learned a lot, including how to build my resume, networking with agencies and explore career opportunities, as well as interview techniques. I look forward to contributing to the development of my country,” stated Maryan, who dreams of being a flight operator.

Participant Abdi Aden Mohamed, currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and public administration at Hope University, urged the UN to hold similar events in other towns to enable more youth to participate.

“The programme is important because it creates job opportunities and provides the platform where students and the community interact in promoting social development.”

The two-day event, which involved both physical and virtual sessions, provided an opportunity for representatives of various UN agencies to interact with the students and members of the civil society.

“The UN has different tools and principles like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN Convention on the Persons with Rights to Disabilities, which are great tools that support PWDs (People Living With Disabilities) within the world,” said Mohamed AbdiSalam Diriye, the Chairperson of the Somalia Disability Empowerment Network (SODAN).

In his closing remarks, Mohamed Abdullahi, the National Staff Union President urged students to be proactive in seeking job opportunities offered by the UN.

“Let us work together and learn, keep applying and learning, do not lose hope.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS).