The Lobito Corridor project – a cross-border infrastructure development connecting Angola with mining operations in Zambia and the DRC – is expected to be complete in 2029. The project creates various economic opportunities for the region by strengthening both intra- and inter-African mineral trade.  

During the Critical Minerals Africa (CMA) 2024 summit, a panel discussion on The Lobito Corridor: Driving Economic Transformation and Opening Markets will delve into opportunities the corridor presents for Angola, the DRC and Zambia. Speakers include Tim George, Executive Director&CEO of Pensana Plc; Martin Lokanc, Senior Mining Specialist as the World Bank; and Kevin Ngunza Man, Economic&Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Department of State in the DRC. The discussion aims to examine how the project can serve as a blueprint for developing regional value chains, driving strategic infrastructure investment and maximizing socioeconomic growth in Africa.

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.

The respective governments of Angola, the DRC and Zambia signed the Lobito Corridor Transit Transport Agency Agreement in 2023, setting expectations to complete construction of the project within the next five years. A 1,300km-long railway line, the Lobito Corridor connects the Angolan Atlantic Coast to the town of Luau on the Angola-DRC border. The project also includes a 550km stretch in Zambia, linking the Jimbe border to Chingola in the copperbelt, as well as a 400km stretch in the DRC, connecting the mining town of Kolwezi.

The Lobito Corridor is considered a pioneering infrastructure project in Africa, creating newfound economic growth opportunities for the region. Historically relying on road-based transportation such as trucks, mineral exports from Zambia and the DRC have been plagued by challenges such as high costs and transport delays. The Lobito Corridor provides both a cheaper and faster alternative for exports, essentially streamlining the process from ‘pit to port.’ Beyond transport, the corridor creates jobs, strengthens supply chains, boosts connectivity and facilitates trade within southern Africa. In addition to rail, the project incorporates improvements in road infrastructure and digital connectivity and is therefore seen as a boost for regional development.

Given the importance of the corridor as a pathway for taking African minerals global, the Lobito Corridor has generated substantial financial support from an assortment of players. Italy announced that it is investing $320 million in the corridor in June 2024, with the funds supporting the development of core rail infrastructure. During the same month, the United States Agency for International Development announced a $235 million contribution to support Angola’s National Development Plan, which includes the development of the Lobito Corridor. Multilateral development finance institution the African Development Bank signed an MoU in October 2023 to mobilize funds for the project alongside the US, the European Commission, the Africa Finance Corporation and the governments of Angola, Zambia and the DRC. These commitments signal strong global support the project.

The panel discussion at CMA 2024 will explore the implications of the Lobito Corridor on the southern African region. Speakers will unpack the value of infrastructure investments in Africa’s mining industry while exploring how the corridor can serve as a blueprint for other markets across the region.

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

With the potential to produce 1,956 GW of solar energy and 106 GW of wind energy – in addition to its proximity to Europe – West Africa is taking its place as a global green hydrogen production hub. As such, this year’s MSGBC Oil, Gas&Power 2024 conference – taking place in Dakar from December 3-4 – will feature a green hydrogen-focused panel session, evaluating ongoing projects, key investments and the potential for green hydrogen to reshape Africa’s energy landscape.

Large-scale green hydrogen projects in the MSGBC region include Mauritania’s 35 GW Megaton Moon, 16-20 GW Aman and 10 GW Project Nour, which are being developed by Danish developer GreenCo Energy, renewable energy developer CWP Global and clean energy producer Chariot Energy, respectively.  Last year, management consultant Conjuncta GmbH – along with renewable energy producer Infinity Power – signed an agreement with Mauritania’s Ministry of Petroleum, Mines and Energy to produce up to eight million tons of green hydrogen per year for international markets, supporting the country’s goals to produce 12.5 million tons annually by 2035. Meanwhile, The Gambia’s government signed an agreement with H2 Gambia Ltd. – a subsidiary of green hydrogen developer HydroGenesis – last year to assess the commercial viability of hydrogen production in-country.

Explore opportunities, foster partnerships and stay at the forefront of the MSGBC region’s oil, gas and power sector. Visit www.MSGBCOilGasandPower.com to secure your participation at the MSGBC Oil, Gas&Power 2024 conference. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Set to outline current projects while sharing insights into the strategic potential of Mauritania’s green hydrogen market, Conjuncta CEO Prof. Stefan Liebing will participate in the panel session – From Vision to Reality: How Will Hydrogen Shape Africa’s Landscape? In its first phase, Conjuncta’s $34-billion green hydrogen project will have an electrolysis capacity of 400 MW and is expected to start operations by 2028. The plant, which will be located near Nouakchott, will feature an electrolyzer capacity of up to 10 GW and will convert clean energy to green hydrogen, ammonia and other fuels for export to international markets.

Thierry Lepercq, CEO of the largest European green hydrogen platform HyDeal, will also speak on the panel session, leveraging his experience to discuss leading investment opportunities in the green hydrogen sector. HyDeal’s first project, HyDeal España, is set to feature 4.8 GW of solar power and 3.3 GW of electrolyzers, supplying 3 million tons of green hydrogen over 20 years to major industrial clusters in Spain at competitive prices. Lepercq will apply his technical expertise with HyDeal España to discuss similar green hydrogen and green iron projects in Mauritania and The Gambia during the panel session.

Green hydrogen has emerged as a critical resource within the global energy transition. As African countries including Mauritania, The Gambia and Morocco emerge at the forefront of the sector, green hydrogen is expected to become one of the main drivers of the energy transition and sustainable growth in the MSGBC region.

“The size and scale of the MSGBC region’s green hydrogen potential is expected to play a major role in the growth and socioeconomic development of the region. This exciting panel at this year’s MSGBC conference will provide significant insight and unlock immense opportunities for energy leaders, financiers and investors to participate in the bloc’s burgeoning green hydrogen sector,” states Sandra Jeque, Conference Director at MSGBC 2024 organizer, Energy Capital&Power.

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

The 2023-24 ASIR highlights UPL’s (www.UPL-Ltd.com) strategic initiatives and progress in creating sustainable opportunities for Africa’s farmers and food value chain through tailored technologies, solutions, and services; Key performance indicators (KPIs) from this period underline UPL’s dedication to creating a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural ecosystem across the continent.

Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/3AzP4nN

UPL Corporation Ltd. (UPL Corp), a global provider of holistic and sustainable agricultural solutions, is pleased to announce the release of its third Africa Sustainability Impact Report (ASIR). This report highlights the company’s ongoing commitment to fostering sustainable practices across its operations in Africa for the period April 2023- March 2024.

Highlights from the Report Include:

Training&Environment Stewardship: 97,131 people trained on Good Agricultural Practices which promote sustainable productivity and 12,332 on Environment Stewardship.
Technology innovation: 103 new input products registrations and 132 seed varieties commercialized this year.
Food chain enhancement: 480,147 farmers reached through integrated projects combining access to input kits with farmer services like extension, input finance or market access.
Partnerships development: 535,571 farmers reached through 72 active partnerships with public, private and civil society organizations in the agriculture development sector.
Community engagement&Social impact: 93,750 people benefitted from our charity programs.

Marcel Dreyer, Regional Head of UPL Corp Africa, said: “Reflecting upon this third edition of UPL Corp’s Africa Sustainability Report, I am extremely proud of our achievements in innovation and human impact across the African continent. UPL has supported African farmers for decades, and as we work to define the future through sustainable agriculture, we continue to uphold this grower-first mindset.”

Florent Clair, Head of Partnerships for Sustainability, Africa, said: “UPL’s dedication to sustainability is brought to life through our numerous local initiatives across the continent. These efforts, deeply rooted in our five Africa Sustainability Pillars, underscore the diverse and impactful actions our teams are taking on the ground every day. These figures highlight our teams’ relentless commitment to fostering sustainable agricultural practices and nurturing change at a grassroots level.”

UPL has been a key player in Africa for over 40 years, establishing itself as the leading distributor of natural solutions and integrated programs tailored to the continent’s unique agricultural conditions. Marking a significant milestone in 2022, UPL became the first global agribusiness to release an independent sustainability report focused exclusively on its African operations. 

To download the report, visit: https://apo-opa.co/3SXoZFo

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UPL.

For more information, please contact:
UPL
Desere Ray
Marketing and Communications Manager, Africa
UPL Ltd.
Desere.ray@upl-ltd.com

About UPL Corp:
UPL Corporation Ltd. (UPL Corp) is a leading global crop protection and biological solutions company defining the future through sustainable agriculture and a grower-first mindset. With a robust portfolio of holistic solutions, UPL Corp aims to create shared growth and prosperity for farming communities, agriculture, and our planet. As the largest of UPL Group’s pureplay platforms, UPL Corp contributes to more than $5bn in annual revenue and is a leader in fostering collaboration through OpenAg® to develop advanced technologies for crop health and productivity.

About UPL Group:
UPL Ltd. (NSE: UPL, BSE: 512070, LSE GDR: UPLL) is a global provider of sustainable agricultural products and solutions that cover the entire agrifood value chain. With annual revenue exceeding $6bn, the company is one of the largest agriculture companies worldwide, serving growers in more than 130 countries. UPL Group consists of four pure-play platforms that include UPL Corporation Ltd. (UPL Corp); UPL Sustainable Agri Solutions (SAS); Advanta Enterprises Ltd.; and UPL Specialty Chemicals Ltd. (USCL). Together, these platforms are dedicated to Reimagining Sustainability and driving progress in our food system through our innovative OpenAg® approach. To learn more about UPL, please visit www.UPL-Ltd.com and follow us on LinkedIn (http://apo-opa.co/3AzMFth), X (http://apo-opa.co/3SSR7tm), and Facebook (http://apo-opa.co/4fRUBGo).

As part of our ongoing efforts to uphold the highest regulatory standards, we recently announced that Binance (www.Binance.com) has successfully registered as a reporting entity with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). This achievement marks Binance’s 19th global regulatory milestone. 

The registration with the FIU underscores Binance’s commitment to compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) standards in India as well as any other jurisdiction it operates in. This step is a testament to Binance’s dedication to fostering a secure, transparent, and efficient ecosystem, aligning with the company’s global standards.

Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, remarked on this development, saying, “Our registration with the FIU-IND marks an important milestone in Binance’s journey. Recognizing the vitality and potential of the Indian VDA market, this alignment with Indian regulations allows us to tailor our services to the needs of Indian users. It is a privilege to extend the reach of our cutting-edge platform to this thriving market, supporting India’s continued VDA evolution.”

Vast Opportunities for All

India leads the world in grassroots crypto adoption, according to Chainalysis’ 2023 Global Crypto Adoption Index. The country ranked in the top five by estimated transaction volume across centralized and decentralized exchanges, lending protocols, and token smart contracts. This highlights the vibrancy and massive potential of the Indian market.

As Binance navigates this exciting market, it is not just aligning itself with local registration requirements but also bringing its world-class compliance program, which encompasses robust anti-money laundering (AML) policies and controls and a comprehensive framework for combating the financing of terrorism (CFT). Binance hopes that implementing these industry-leading frameworks in the Indian market can meaningfully contribute to the local ecosystem and elevate market standards. Not only is this beneficial for the Indian VDA industry, but, most importantly, it ensures stronger protections for users.

Compliance Excellence

Alongside rigorous AML and CFT controls, key components of Binance’s compliance program include robust identity verification (know your customer, or KYC) processes and an industry-leading Financial Crimes Compliance (FCC) unit designed to assist law enforcement in investigating crypto-related crimes and capacity-building, thereby fortifying the collaborative security of the ecosystem. Richard Teng added, “Our commitment to stringent regulation forms a fundamental part of our business strategy. It’s about fostering a secure, transparent, and efficient environment.”

As we expand into the burgeoning Indian market, Binance aims to operate based on these principles of compliance, user security, and responsible growth while fostering the global evolution of digital assets.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Binance.