Merck Foundation’s (www.MerckFoundation.com) Rasha Kelej marks World Infertility Awareness Month at the World Infertility Awareness Summit (WIAS)2024 through releasing the first Animation Film to raise awareness about infertility in Africa; Watch “More Than a Mother” animation film here: https://apo-opa.co/4fEBXlm. 

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KgaA Germany and Africa Reproductive Care society (ARCS) together conducted the Third Edition of “World Infertility Awareness Summit (WIAS) 2024”. The Summit was co-chaired by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of “More Than a Mother” Campaign and also Chairperson of Africa Reproductive Care Society (ARCS) together with Prof. Oladapo Ashiru OFR, President of Africa Reproductive Care Society (ARCS) and also The Nigerian Academy of Medicine Specialties. 

It was attended by Dr. Edem Hiadzi, Immediate past President of the Fertility Society Of Ghana (FERSOG); Prof. Justin E. MBOLOKO, Immediate Past President, Inter-African Fertility Research and Application Study Group (GIERAF) and Dr. Moustapha Thiam, Obstetrician Gynecologist IVF President, Senegal. This summit is conducted annually to mark the world fertility awareness month and raise awareness about infertility stigma, male infertility and infertility prevention in Africa and beyond.  

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized, “We marked World Fertility Awareness Month with our Merck Foundation Alumni, fertility and reproductive care experts, presidents of fertility societies and members of Africa Reproductive Care Society (ARCS) and our media partners through 3rd Merck Foundation “World Infertility Awareness Summit”.  

The summit is part of our efforts towards raising awareness about infertility. especially male infertility, and to sensitizing communities to end the stigma associated with infertility and empower infertile women&couples through access to information, education, health and change of mindset.  

I am very proud to share that we, at Merck Foundation, have provided till today more than 574 scholarships of Embryology, Fertility and Sexual&Reproductive care to young doctors from 39 different countries in Africa and Asia.” 

“Many of our Alumni are trained to be the first local experts in their countries, where they never used to have local embryologists or fertility specialists before our program, such as The Gambia, Burundi, Guinea, Chad, Niger, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Malawi, Congo and more.” Dr. Kelej added.  

During the program, Merck Foundation showcased their animation film “More Than a Mother”, adapted from their storybook, to emphasize strong family values of love and respect from a young age which will reflect on eliminating the stigma of infertility and the resulted domestic violence in the future.  

“Together with African First Ladies, and other important partners, we are making history and reshaping the landscape of fertility&Reproductive care across Africa and beyond.” She explained. 

Prof. Oladapo Ashiru OFR, President of Africa Reproductive Care Society (ARCS) said, “Infertility has a great psychological impact on the women suffering from infertility stigma due to emotional and physical distress caused to her. In some cases, women also go through physical and psychological violence and lacks the family support. Infertility is not only a medical issue but also a social issue and emotional issue. It is imperative that the community is informed and educated about the issue.” 

“Infertility can be preventive by adopting various measures like switching to a healthy lifestyle, quitting smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, and ending the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).  

I appreciate the efforts of Merck Foundation for breaking the stigma around infertility and also raising awareness through various campaigns and efforts around infertility stigma.” He emphasized. 

The objectives of the Summit were: 

To raise awareness about infertility especially male infertility. 
To highlight preventive measure in infertility in Africa and developing countries. 
To discuss the challenges and define solutions to improve access to quality and equitable Infertility, Sexual&Reproductive Care via building healthcare capacity and raising community awareness. 
Define interventions to break infertility stigma around women and couples.  

The online program was attended by over 350 participants including Merck Foundation partners and Alumni who are future Fertility Specialists, Reproductive and Sexual Care Specialists, and Embryologists, Healthcare Providers, Policy Makers, and Media Professionals from over 25 countries in Africa and beyond, and over 4500 online viewers on our social media platforms. The experts answered questions from the media.  

It was conducted under Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother”, a historic movement that defines interventions to build quality and equitable Reproductive and Fertility Care Capacity, Break Infertility Stigma and Raise Awareness about Infertility Prevention and Male Infertility. 

According to WHO data, more than 180 million couples in developing countries – that is 1 in every 4 couple, suffer from infertility. In many cultures in Africa, infertility is a huge stigma. Women are solely blamed for failing to conceive and the social stigma of childlessness, especially for women leads to isolation and stigmatization and results in discrimination and ostracism. This mostly also leads to divorce or physical or psychological violence. As a part of “More Than a Mother” Campaign, Merck Foundation has launched many initiatives to break this stigma and create a culture shift. 

Moreover, Merck Foundation has trained more than 3200 media representatives from more than 35 countries to raise community awareness and break the stigma around infertility and infertile and childless women. 

Merck Foundation’s pan African TV program “Our Africa”, that is conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and features African Fashion Designers, Singers, and prominent experts from various domains with the aim to raise awareness and create a culture shift across Africa, has many episodes dedicated to raise awareness about infertility and breaking infertility stigma. 

Watch the episodes here:  

Episode 3: https://apo-opa.co/46EcfJu

Episode 5:  https://apo-opa.co/4fAuXWD

Episode 10: https://apo-opa.co/4fEZR08

Merck Foundation has also released about 30 songs, many of these songs have been created with the aim to break the infertility stigma, as a part of their “More Than a Mother” campaign.  

Listen to all “More than a Mother” songs here: https://apo-opa.co/4dd6CEH

To address this important issue of breaking infertility stigma and also a wide range of other social issues, Merck Foundation annually launches their ‘More Than a Mother’ Awards in partnership with African First Ladies, for Media, Fashion, Film making, and Musicians, students, and potential talents in these fields, to create a culture shift and break the silence about one or more of the following topics: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels. Entries can be submitted on submit@merck-foundation.com. 

Merck Foundation also conducts MARS Awards to empower African young researchers&women researchers, advancing their research capacity and promote their contribution to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).  

Details of Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit (MARS) Awards 2024: 
Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit – MARS 2024 will have scientific support from African Union Scientific-Technical and Research Commission (AU-STRC); African Reproductive Care Society (ARCS) and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). 

Theme: The Role of Scientific Research in Women Health and Reproductive Care 

Who can apply:  

Abstracts are invited from final year PhD students, young investigators involved in research and Medical Doctors in Postgraduate Medical Fellowship program related to either of the following topics:  

1) Women Health 
2) Infertility and Reproductive Health  

How to apply: Applications and abstracts can be submitted by clicking on: https://apo-opa.co/4deJYeV

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

Contact details:
Mehak Handa
Community Awareness Program Manager
+91 9310087613/ +91 9319606669
mehak.handa@external.merckgroup.com

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About Merck Foundation 
The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality&equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare and scientific research capacity and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website.  Please visit www.MerckFoundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/4dBFe2R), Twitter (https://apo-opa.co/3M0SRwI), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/3WXTehO), YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/3AgTkbP) and Flickr (https://apo-opa.co/3AgU0hn).

The Government of Rwanda and TradeMark Africa (TMA) (www.TradeMarkAfrica.com) will co-host the Trade Development Forum, bringing together Heads of State and Government Officials, Development Partners, Academicians, Multilateral Organisations and Private Sector from 14 TMA countries of implementation and beyond. Under the theme “Digital Trade”, this 2-day forum will take place in Kigali, Rwanda; from 2 December to 3 December 2024.

The previous editions were held in Kenya in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2019, and in Uganda in 2018.

This year’s forum will spotlight innovative digital trade practices and technologies including the interoperability of digital payments, the use of distributed ledger technology (DLT) and Artificial Intelligence in trade processes, and how automation can support green trade initiatives. Discussions will address leveraging technology to streamline trade facilitation and enhance policy frameworks across Africa. Sessions will explore the convergence of digital advancements with green trade initiatives.

David Beer, CEO of TradeMark Africa, expressed his enthusiasm about the forum, stating: “Africa’s economic prosperity is our business. TradeMark is driven entirely by generating practical results to remove trade barriers and drive-up exports within and from Africa. While we have seen serious progress from a range of trade facilitation interventions in the last decade, such as reduced transport times by about a third across the Northern Corridor in East Africa, there is another big step forward to take. The 2024 forum will focus on propagating digitisation successes more widely and introducing cutting-edge technologies. We look forward to sharing lessons and presenting innovative ideas to help Governments and the private sector further drive down the cost and time of trade.“

Honourable Prof. Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, Rwanda’s Minister for Trade and Industry said “we are honoured to host the Trade Development Forum, symbolising our commitment to Rwanda’s and Africa’s economic development,” adding “we strive to realise the vision of a seamlessly integrated Africa under the leadership of our President, who has relentlessly championed the process, initiation and formation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).  Initiatives like the Rwanda Electronic Single Window and Kigali dry port, are a testament to trade solutions that can overcome geographical challenges and enhance our trade capabilities.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of TradeMark Africa (TMA).

For more information, please contact:
Sylviah Luseno
Snr. Communications Manager, TradeMark Africa
Email: sylviah.luseno@trademarkafrica.com

Emmanuel NSHIMIYIMANA
Public Relations and Communication Specialist, MINICOM
Email: enshimiyimana@minicom.gov.rw

https://apo-opa.co/46Myk8Y

In a bid to drive the ease of doing business for global digital, finance, knowledge- and services-oriented enterprises in Nigeria, the Federal Government of Nigeria established a steering committee chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to drive the promotion and establishment of a digital free zone in Nigeria to accommodate the peculiar needs of innovative digital trade and service businesses.

This steering committee is chaired by His Excellency Mr President, supported by the Honourable Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy (“HMF/CME”) as Vice Chairman. Other members are the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; the Honourable Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment; Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy; and Interior; the heads of relevant Government Agencies and Committees; and the Initiative for the Promotion of Digital Free Zones in Nigeria (DiFZIN) as the private-sector stakeholders’ representative and technical advisers. DiFZIN is a non-profit advocacy and policy research organisation supported by a consortium of private sector development-focused and advisory institutions including Africa Finance Corporation, PwC Nigeria, Charter Cities Institute, Future Africa, and Itana. The mission of the organisation is to see Nigeria’s free zones ecosystem fulfil its full potential as Africa’s major hub for global technology and service businesses.

This Committee will work collaboratively with relevant agencies of government and private stakeholders to review and align Nigeria’s free zone policies, technology and processes with global standards, then develop and publish policy and operational frameworks to enable qualified global and local technology and service businesses to establish Pan-African or global operations from Nigeria. Businesses that take advantage of the zone will benefit from competitive business incentives provided by modernized free zones regulations, including tax, immigration and banking incentives, simplified government compliance processes, clear and predictable business regulation and an enabling business environment.

As part of the Federal Government’s strategic growth objectives, it aims to boost foreign direct investment, create employment opportunities, and facilitate the capital flow into Nigeria’s economy, through an innovative and future-oriented approach to the free zones ecosystem.

The HMF/CME stated that “the pivotal role of free zones to catalysing and sustaining economic growth in an emerging market such as Nigeria cannot be overemphasised. Its implementation in this digital age must not only encompass manufacturing undertakings but also integrate the central role of technology-focused businesses in attracting investments and making available to the global markets, our domestic talents under a liberal regulatory framework. These and more are what the Government aims to deliver through the digital free zones.”

Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, MD/CEO of NEPZA (Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority), emphasized the Authority’s commitment to digital transformation. He highlighted the e-NEPZA platform, which will streamline government services and comply with the Federal Government’s ease of doing business policy.

Dr Ogunyemi also noted the importance of data privacy, with data stored locally in local servers as well as the ability of small businesses to access global markets, addressing the need for digital infrastructure like fibre optics. “We look forward to partnering with DiFZIN to advance our digital processes,” he stated. NEPZA’s support for Digital Free Zones signals a move towards a digitally driven economy, unlocking new opportunities for small and medium-scale enterprises as well as large corporations in Nigeria.

Mr. Luqman Edu (Executive Director of DiFZIN and CEO of Itana) and the DiFZIN consortium, aim to support the Federal Government in positioning Nigeria as a hub for regional expansion across Africa. These efforts are designed to contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s GDP, government revenue, capital importation, and foreign exchange availability, while simultaneously generating employment opportunities for the burgeoning Nigerian youth population.

“DiFZIN is committed to driving the agenda for reforms to the regulatory frameworks for taxation, banking, immigration, and ease of doing business, among others, within the free zones ecosystem,” said Mr Edu. “Our goal is to create a conducive environment for global technology and services-based businesses to thrive, facilitating remote operations and banking from Nigeria for Africa, thereby positioning Nigeria as a hub for Africa, akin to what Delaware is for the US, and Dubai is for Asia.”

Speaking on the partnership with DiFZIN, Banji Fehintola, Head of Financial Services at AFC said “AFC’s advisory team is uniquely skilled in providing tailored financial and technical advice to public and private sector players across Africa. We look forward to collaborating with DiFZIN and all other partners to modernize Nigeria’s free trade zones, attract much-needed investment, create local jobs, and boost trade and commerce in Nigeria and Africa.”

Digital Free Zones foster innovation and economic expansion by leveraging cutting-edge digital technologies such as AI and Edge Computing, and a supportive regulatory environment. These ecosystems serve as incubators for innovation, providing a platform for businesses to drive growth and competitiveness. The supportive regulatory framework also ensures a conducive environment for experimentation, collaboration, and the seamless integration of emerging technologies into everyday business operations.

For more information about DiFZIN and its initiatives, please visit www.DiFZIN.org or contact hello@difzin.org.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

Media Enquiries:
Yewande Thorpe
Communications
Africa Finance Corporation
Mobile : +234 1 279 9654
Email : yewande.thorpe@africafc.org

About AFC:
AFC was established in 2007 to be the catalyst for pragmatic infrastructure and industrial investments across Africa. AFC’s approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.

Seventeen years on, AFC has developed a track record as the partner of choice in Africa for investing and delivering on instrumental, high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. AFC has 43 member countries and has invested US$13 billion across Africa since inception.

www.AfricaFC.org