French President Emmanuel Macron said his country supports Ethiopia’s quest for access to the sea through discussion and respecting international laws and neighboring countries. Macron spoke on Saturday after a one-day visit to Addis Ababa, where he held bilateral talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. During a news conference, Macron welcomed the Ankara Declaration reached by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia on Dec. 11…In the declaration, brokered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, “the leaders of Somalia and Ethiopia reaffirmed their respect and commitment to one another’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity, as well as the principles enshrined in international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Act of the African Union.” The two sides also agreed to start “technical negotiations” by February on details of Ethiopia’s sea access, and that those negotiations would be facilitated by Turkey and be “concluded and signed” within four months. (VOA)
As Flooding Becomes a Yearly Disaster in South Sudan, Thousands Survive on the Edge of a Canal
[Extreme flooding] is becoming a yearly disaster in South Sudan, which the World Bank has described as “the world’s most vulnerable country to climate change and also the one most lacking in coping capacity.” More than 379,000 people have been displaced by flooding this year, according to the U.N humanitarian agency. Seasonal flooding has long been part of the lifestyle of pastoral communities around the Sudd, the largest wetlands in Africa, in the Nile River floodplain. But since the 1960s the swamp has kept growing, submerging villages, ruining farmland and killing livestock…South Sudan is poorly equipped to adjust. Independent since 2011, the country plunged into civil war in 2013. Despite a peace deal in 2018, the government has failed to address numerous crises. Some 2.4 million people remain internally displaced by conflict and flooding. The latest overflowing of the Nile has been blamed on factors including the opening of dams upstream in Uganda after Lake Victoria rose to its highest levels in five years. The century-old Jonglei Canal, which was never completed, has become a refuge for many. (AP)
Creative Destruction
Creative destruction is the dismantling of long-standing practices in order to make way for innovation and is seen as a driving force of capitalism.
Nyala Insurance partners with M-PESA to enhance digital payment solutions
By our staff reporter
Nyala Insurance S.C. (NISCO) has announced a strategic partnership with Safaricom’s M-PESA to provide customers with secure, efficient, and convenient mobile payment solutions for its insurance services. This collaboration aims to streamline premium payments, policy renewals, and other transactions through M-PESA’s digital platform.
During the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Tegegn Masresha, Chief Customer Officer of Nyala Insurance, emphasized the significance of this partnership in improving NISCO’s operations. “This collaboration allows us to deliver unparalleled convenience to our customers, enabling them to access our services seamlessly and securely through M-PESA,” he stated. He further added that by leveraging this partnership, NISCO is reinforcing its commitment to innovation and enhancing customer satisfaction by simplifying insurance transactions.
Elsa Muzzolini, Chief Digital Financial Services Officer at Safaricom M-PESA, echoed the importance of the partnership, stating, “Our commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s digital economy is evident through providing businesses like Nyala Insurance with the necessary digital tools to enhance customer connections.” This collaboration is expected to play a crucial role in advancing digital payment solutions within the Ethiopian insurance sector.
Nyala Insurance is prioritizing the expansion and utilization of digital platforms to enhance service efficiency and convenience for its customers. The company has established itself as a leader in offering smartphone insurance within Ethiopia’s insurance landscape. By integrating M-PESA into its payment systems, NISCO aims to make insurance transactions more accessible and user-friendly.
The MoU signing took place at the M-PESA office on December 27, 2024, and was attended by executive management from both Nyala Insurance S.C. and Safaricom. The event marked a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to modernize financial transactions in Ethiopia’s insurance sector.
