Orange completes acquisition of mobile operator Airtel in Burkina Faso

Airtel is the 2nd largest mobile operator in Burkina Faso, with close to 4.6 million customers

PARIS, France, June 22, 2016/ -- Orange (www.Orange.com) announces today that, together with its subsidiary Orange Côte d’Ivoire, it has completed the acquisition of 100% of the mobile operator Airtel in Burkina Faso. Since the signature of an agreement with Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands) BV (“Airtel”) in January 2016, Orange has obtained all the official approbations necessary to complete this transaction. Airtel is the 2nd largest mobile operator in Burkina Faso, with close to 4.6 million customers (on the basis of active customers within a 30-day period). On the mobile financial services market, Airtel is the uncontested leader and is already interoperable with Orange Money in neighbouring countries allowing international transfers to be made. Airtel is also positioned as the country’s leading Internet provider thanks to its extensive 3.75G network, which has been rolled out in over 100 towns. With 18 million inhabitants and a relatively high mobile penetration rate for the region (80% of the population), Burkina Faso becomes the 20th country in Africa and the Middle East to join the Orange group. Orange’s investments in the coming years will enable customers in Burkina Faso to take advantage of the Orange group’s expertise and momentum in terms of innovation and development of the digital ecosystem, thus responding to a strong expectation from customers in Burkina Faso. This acquisition in one of the countries with the strongest growth rates in the Economic Community of West African States (5.8% annual growth of GDP) strengthens Orange’s presence in Africa by confirming is proactive strategy in the African market. Bruno Mettling, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Orange group and Chairman & CEO of Orange MEA (Middle East and Africa), stated: “We are pleased to announce that the acquisition of the mobile operator Airtel in Burkina Faso has been finalised. This new acquisition will further strengthen the Group’s positions on the African continent.” Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Orange.

UN Global Compact Unveils “Making Global Goals Local Business” Strategy to Drive Responsible Business Activity on Sustainable Development Goals

(New York, 22 June 2016) – Today at the United Nations, the UN Global Compact unveiled a multi-year strategy to drive business awareness and activity that supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Key elements of the new Making Global Goals Local Business strategy include an annual Leaders Summit, the SDG Pioneers programme, Local Network SDG Action Plans, UN-business partnerships, and impact reporting. The announcement came at the opening of the 2016 UN Global Compact Leaders Summit, a two-day gathering of more than 1,000 leaders from business, finance, civil society, labour, academia, the UN and Government.

“The UN Global Compact is uniquely prepared and positioned to lead business in the SDG era,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Achieving the SDGs will require unprecedented cooperation, radical innovation and extraordinary leadership. And it will require us each to be a pioneer, forging ahead into new territory. That means taking personal and corporate responsibility for how we do business and who we choose as our staff and partners. It means taking stock of our decisions as consumers and investors. It means raising our voices and taking a stand when it matters. The United Nations Global Compact is the forum to make all this happen.” 

This year’s Leaders Summit marks the first official business forum since the launch of the SDGs, ushering in a new era and expectation for business to contribute to global goals. While the SDGs provide a blueprint for creating a sustainable world by 2030, they also point the way to the business activities and markets of the future. Through the Leaders Summit, the UN Global Compact aims to jump-start the responsible business practices, breakthrough innovation and transformative partnerships that will be needed to achieve the SDGs.

“The Leaders Summit is the first step on a long-term journey to engage business on the 2030 Agenda. The expectations on business in the new SDG era are immense, but at the same time the opportunities are enormous,” said Lise Kingo, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. “We need to invent, develop and launch countless new ideas and solutions within a very short time. Through our Making Global Goals Local Business strategy, we will build a powerful global movement of companies doing business responsibly and innovating around the SDGs to create the world we want.”

To inspire business women and men around the world, today the UN Global Compact announced ten Local SDG Pioneers. Selected from more than 600 nominees in 100 countries, the Pioneers programme shines a spotlight on entrepreneurs and changemakers who are demonstrating how business can unlock economic, social and environmental gains in their markets for the new SDG era.

The inaugural class of Global Compact Local SDG Pioneers includes:

• Kerry Adler, Founder, President and CEO, SkyPower (Canada)
• Zubaida Bai, Founder and CEO, ayzh (India)
• Farzana Chowdhury, Managing Director and CEO, Green Delta Insurance (Bangladesh)
• Sonia Consiglio Favaretto, Press and Sustainability Officer, BM&FBOVESPA S.A. (Brazil)
• Xiaohui Liang, Chief Researcher, China National Textile & Apparel Council and Adjunct Professor, Peking University (China)
• Patrick Ngowi, Founder and CEO, Helvetic Global (Tanzania)
• Claus Stig Pedersen, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Novozymes (Denmark)
• Ulisses Matiolli Sabará, President, Beraca (Brazil)
• Dina Sherif, Co-Founder and CEO, Ahead of the Curve, (Egypt) 
• Ulysses Smith, Attorney, Linklaters LLP (United States)

“We need pioneering corporate leaders and entrepreneurs who can build the sustainable societies of tomorrow. Each of the 2016 Local SDG Pioneers exemplifies how business can be a force for good in addressing the challenges we face as a global society,” added Ms. Kingo.

At the Summit today, Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Relations Susanna Malcorra and Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Macharia Kamau, underscored the indispensable role business must play as a complement to Government efforts, especially through national SDG action plans. Their remarks emphasized the need for greater private sector activity, investment and partnership on the ground to advance the global goals, and called for more companies to adhere to the UN Global Compact’s ten principles as a fundamental step in contributing to sustainability.

A number of CEOs and civil society voices also called for a new mindset to meet the world’s ambitions for 2030. Speakers today included: Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, Founder and Executive Director, soleRebels; Hannah Godefa, UNICEF National Ambassador to Ethiopia; Adena Friedman, President, NASDAQ; Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, Youth Director, Earth Guardians; Alaa Murabit, SDG Advocate and Founder of The Voice of Libyan Women; Mads Nipper, Chief Executive Officer, Grundfos; Francesco Starace, Chief Executive Officer, Enel; and Axel Weber, Chairman, UBS AG.

Tomorrow at the Leaders Summit, the UN Global Compact will further outline its Making Global Goals Local Business strategy, including releasing action plans for its Local Networks on the SDGs and hosting an Innovation Circle with UN agencies and programmes. Additionally, Accenture will announce the results of the 2016 CEO Study which advances the views of 1,000 Global Compact participant CEOs on the role that business should play in tackling the SDGs, and the opportunities ahead to reshape markets and transform business models.

The "MEYLE Mechanics" recommend: Replace defective engine mounts at once and create long-term value for your customers

New video tutorial details system intricacies and offers help

Hamburg, 21 June 2016. Defective engine mounts are a safety hazard and detrimental to driving comfort. Methods to diagnose defective engine mounts and the resulting consequences are the key topics in the latest "MEYLE Mechanics" video on the "MEYLE TV" YouTube channel. Hamburg manufacturer Wulf Gaertner Autoparts highly recommends that any defective engine mount be immediately replaced.

Engine mounts are prone to fail prematurely caused, for example, by frequent temperature changes from ambient air to operating temperatures, excessive vibration and high engine loads. The consequences range from unresponsive steering and unpleasant noise to – sometimes dramatically – reduced driving comfort.

In their latest video on the "MEYLE TV" YouTube channel the "MEYLE Mechanics" detail the system intricacies and demonstrate potential consequential damages of a defective engine mount: It will put the remaining support points under extra stress as vibration increases or cause the engine to tilt to a degree where it may contact the body or any peripheral components including the drive train, hoses and cables. By replacing worn engine mounts workshops can effectively prevent this scenario and even offer their customers the immediate and noticeable benefit of considerably improved driving comfort.

Under its MEYLE and MEYLE-HD brands Wulf Gaertner Autoparts offers three generations of MEYLE engine mounts: Full-rubber mounts, hydraulic engine mounts and electrically or pneumatically switchable engine mounts.

To watch the new engine mounts video tutorial follow this link: https://youtu.be/xQ-7kTD5YTQ. 

AUC PROFESSOR MAKI HABIB: ROBOTIZATION ACCELERATES THE EFFORTS OF DEMINING

June 21, 2016, Cairo – Maki Habib, professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and director of the Robotics, Control and Smart Systems graduate program at The American University in Cairo (AUC) has been working for the past four years as advisory board member and researcher in the TIRAMISU European project, which addresses the need for integrating different technologies to build a global toolbox for demining practices worldwide.  Landmines and explosive remnants of war pose a threat not only to Egypt, but more than 80 countries worldwide. “Landmines are prominent weapons,” said Habib, who established a concentration in mechatronics as part of AUC’s Mechanical Engineering program. “They are so effective, yet so cheap, and easy to make and lay.”

According to Habib, the project aims to provide the foundation for a global toolbox that would cover the main UN Mine Action activities, from the survey of large areas to the actual disposal of explosive hazards, including Mine Risk Education. “The toolbox produced by the project provides Mine Action actors with a large set of tools, grouped into thematic modules, which helps them perform their jobs better. These tools are designed with the help of end-users and validated by them in mine-affected countries,” he said.

One of these tools is the use of robots to clear landmines. “Robotization accelerates the demining process and avoids having deminers in direct physical contact with the mines,” Habib said.

Habib explained that the north coast is heavily mined from World War II, largely as a result of fighting that took place between Germany and Britain. “This is a good region for development, but this development is being delayed because old and unsophisticated landmines remain in the region and the changing levels of sand cause the mines to be pushed deeper and deeper below the earth.”

Habib has made advancements in robotics for demining. “Most countries afflicted with landmines are poor, and the technical know-how is not high. Lightweight and portable robots are the one type of technology that enables residents to use it easily, while at the same time keeping in mind the use of local resources in developing it,” noted Habib, whose work in robotics has not only helped in demining, but also aided the elderly and individuals with special needs.

The first demining robot Habib helped develop was a multi-mode, low-cost mobile robot, PEMEX-B, with mountain bicycle wheels that could be adapted to local material such as bamboo or any suitable local resources.

In many developed countries, Habib explained, researchers have created highly logistical, expensive technology that not always works as required. “Any minor damage to these robots affects their efficacy, and maintaining them is difficult, so you end up losing a lot of money,” he noted. “That is why it is important to use inexpensive, local resources while properly protecting the sensing and decision-making components.”

In addition to utilizing local resources, robots involved in demining must have “intelligent and flexible mechanisms,” Habib affirmed. “They must be able to learn from experience, their movements must be controlled, and they should have sensors to ensure safety. Sensors are the most effective tools supporting the robotization of the demining process.”

Demining robots must also have the capability to move through a muddy, sandy, rocky or grassy area, and even a forest. For that purpose, Habib developed navigation systems with obstacle-avoidance techniques that enable the robot to avoid obstacles blocking its path, navigate to effectively search the mined area in order to map any detected mine, ensure area coverage and communicate the necessary information as required. He also developed a heterogeneous, multi-robotic system that enables different robots to coordinate and cooperate in navigating mined areas –– searching, marking and mapping wide mine fields.

While no single country afflicted with landmines is currently declared mine-free, Habib’s work continues in an effort to build a global database of technology in the fight against destructive mines. “The tools we are devising represent a step forward in forming a unified, comprehensive and modular integrated solution for the clearing of large areas from explosive hazards,” he said.

Humanitarian demining is a critical first step for reconstruction of post-conflict countries, Habib explained. The primary goal of demining is the total clearance of land from all types of mines and unexploded ordnance.

However, a number of difficulties plague the demining process. First, afflicted countries have landmines that date back to World War I and most of these countries do not have the economic infrastructure or logistics to organize for removing these landmines.

Demining technology also has to account for issues with sensing mines as there will likely be other exploded material fragments lodged in the land. “This creates problems for basic metal detectors, as they will pick up on metal shrapnel and assume them to be mines. And this does not even touch on the issue of other types of mines, for example those with plastic or wooden casing where the triggers are very small pieces of metal.”

Another challenge is that landmines can be literally found anywhere, at the seashore, in agricultural land, under normal cities, in residential areas, in the desert –– you name it,” Habib said. “What kind of technology can accommodate all of these different terrains? A single solution does not exist. Many UN Mine Action participants have called for a global toolbox from which they could choose the tools best fit to a given situation.”

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FAO appointed Maggie Habib as a special Ambassador for the International Year of Pulses 2016 (IYP)

21 June  2016, Cairo –  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United  Nations  (FAO) named Ms. Maggie Habib as a special Ambassador for the International Year of Pulses 2016  (IYP) for the Near East and North Africa (NENA).

The Egyptian Ms. Habib joins a group of  five regional ambassadors for the International Year who will support FAO in promoting the health and environmental benefit of pulses through international events and outreach to media.

During a Media Ifar that was held by FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa, Mr. Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, FAO Assistant -Direction and NENA Regional Representative stated “The 68th UN General Assembly declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses and The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been nominated to facilitate the implementation of the Year in collaboration with Governments, relevant organizations, non-governmental organizations and all other relevant stakeholders.”

“The IYP 2016 aims to raise public awareness on the nutritional benefits of pulses, boost their production and trade, and encourage new and smarter uses throughout food chain.” Ould Ahmed added.

Ould Ahmed emphasized in his speech on the major role pulses can play in achieving the global Zero Hunger goal by 2030 because of their nutrient-density, affordability and positive impact on soil. He also stated that pulses can contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers used to introduce nitrogen artificially into the soil.

We have appointed Ms. Maggie Habib for her high passion towards healthy nutrition and household food security, and balanced  healthy recipes for children and mothers, as well as her commitment to the revival of traditional foods in Egypt and in the region, in addition to extensive local and traditional food knowledge. Ould Ahmed said, during the Designation Ceremony of Ms. Habib and the Media Iftar.

“We are  very confident that the designation of Ms. Habib with her knowledge and influence will implify the message that increasing the consumption of pulses can improve the quality of people’s diet and their overall health  in the NENA region and Egypt in specific, especially that pulses are available that  part of the diet our region, thus there is a huge room to increase its consumption. We believe that her role would also send a strong message to countries of the NENA region and Egypt in specific, on the potential of pulses to improve food security.

For her part, Ms Habib commented: "I am pleased that I was chosen by FAO as a special ambassador for IYP 2016. This was a big dream coming true, but it is also a big responsibility. With help from FAO, the organisation that works with thousands of people in rural areas to develop agriculture, I will work to raise awareness and encourage people in the region to change their food routines. I will stress the importance of pulses in achieving food security and encourage people in all the countries of the region to ensure that pulses remain a main item on their food tables."

During IYP 2016, Ms Habib will work to promote FAO mandate and messages through all possible media and channels; raise public awareness on the positive impact of pulses to climate change, human health and soil biology; and increase opportunities for dialogue, participation and access to information on pulses. She will also work to motivate relevant stakeholders to take advantage of the IYP to encourage connections throughout the food chain in order to better utilize pulse-based proteins, further global production of pulses, crop rotations and address the challenges in the trade of pulses.

In his speech at the Iftar ceremony, Ould Ahmed congratulated the representatives of the media on the occasion of Ramadan and thanked them for their valuable role in educating the public on the issues of food security and the fight against hunger and highlighting the big challenges to sustainable development in the NENA region, such as water scarcity and climate change.

In addition to Habib, FAO special ambassadors for IYP 2016 include Ms Jenny Chandler from Britain (for the region of Europe), Joyce Boye from Canada (for the region of North America), Kadambot Siddique from India (for the Asia-Pacific region), and Elizabeth Mpofu from Zimbabwe (for the Africa region). A special ambassador for the Latin America and the Caribbean region is yet to be nominated.   

IYP aims to raise public awareness on the nutritional benefits of pulses, boost their production and trade, and encourage new and smarter uses throughout the food chain. Pulses will play an important role in achieving the global Zero Hunger goal by 2030 because of their nutrient density, affordability, and positive impact on soil. Furthermore, pulses can contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers used to introduce nitrogen artificially into the soil.

The IYP is engaging key players, including farmers, researchers, academia, the private sector, indigenous people and their representatives, in developed and developing country-driven activities throughout the world.

الفاو تختار ماجي حبيب سفيرة خاصة للسنة الدولية للبقوليات 2016 لمنطقة الشرق الأدنى و شمال أفريقيا

خلال حفل إفطار بحضور إعلاميين محليين ودوليين

21يونيو 2016، القاهرة  –  أعلنت منظمة الأغذية والزراعة للأمم المتحدة (الفاو) اختيار السيدة ماجي حبيب سفيرة خاصة للسنة الدولية للبقوليات 2016 لمنطقة الشرق الأدنى وشمال افريقيا.

وبذلك تنضم المصرية ماجي حبيب إلى مجموعة مكونة من خمسة  سفراء خاصين للسنة الدولية للبقوليات حول العالم، سيعملون على دعم جهود المنظمة في الترويج للفوائد  التغذوية  والبيئية للبقوليات من خلال فعاليات محلية واقليمية ودولية، ومن خلال التواصل مع وسائل الإعلام.

وخلال حفل إفطار استضافه المكتب الاقليمي للفاو في القاهرة للإعلان عن هذا الاختيار بحضور عدد من الإعلاميين المحليين والدوليين، قال السيد عبدالسلام ولد أحمد، مساعد المدير العام المساعد، والممثل الإقليمي للفاو لمنطقة الشرق الأدنى وشمال افريقيا، :" بعد إعلان الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة عام 2016 سنة دولية للبقول، دعت منظمة الأغذية و الزراعة  إلى القيام بدور رئيسي في توعية الرأي العام بالفوائد  التغذوية  للبقول وتحفيز المزارعين على إنتاجها والمتاجرة بها والتشجيع على استخدامها بطرق جديدة ومبتكرة، خاصة أن للبقول دوراً هاماً في تحقيق الهدف الثاني من أهداف التنمية المستدامة، وهو القضاء على الجوع وسوء التغذية بحلول سنة 2030، كما أنها تمتاز بكثافة المغذيات التي تحتوي عليها، وتأثيرها الإيجابي على التربة والبيئة، بالإضافة إلى أنها في متناول الجميع.".

وأضاف :" لقد تم اختيار السيدة حبيب بفضل اهتمامها بالتغذية الصحية والامن الغذائي الاسري، والتغذية المتوازنة للأطفال والامهات، بالإضافة الى حرصها على إحياء الاغذية التقليدية في مصر وفي المنطقة، كما أنها تتميز بمسيرة مهنية ناجحة، بالإضافة إلى معرفتها الواسعة بالأغذية المحلية والتقليدية".

واستطرد قائلاً :"إنني على أتمّ الثقة من أنّ اختيار سعادة السفيرة ماجي حبيب سيعزز جهود المنظمة في توجيه العائلات إلى زيادة استهلاك البقول والأصناف المماثلة الأخرى، ما من شأنه أن يحسّن نوعية النظم الغذائية المتبعة من جانب الأفراد وصحتهم بشكل عام، خصوصا وأن البقول موجودة بقوة في النظام الغذائي في منطقتنا، وهناك إمكانيات مجالات واسعة لزيادة استهلاكها، وإن قيامها بهذا الدور سوف يوجه أيضاً رسالة قوية داخل جمهورية مصر العربية وفي إقليم الشرق الأدنى و شمال أفريقيا، على حد سواء، بشأن قدرة البقول على تعزيز الأمن الغذائي، بما يشكل مساهمة في واحد من أهم المساعي للإنسانية جمعاء، ألا وهو القضاء على الجوع وسوء التغذية".

ومن جانبها قالت ماجي حبيب :" لقد أسعدني اختيار منظمة الأغذية والزراعة للأمم المتحدة لي للقيام بمهام سفيرة خاصة للسنة الدولية للبقوليات 2016، وهو ما كان بمثابة الحلم والأمنية الكبيرة لي، وهو أيضاً يحملني مسؤولية كبيرة للعمل على زيادة الوعي بضرورة تغيير أنماط الغذاء في المنطقة، بدعم من الفاو وهي المنظمة التي تعمل مع آلاف الأشخاص في القرى والنجوع في العديد من البرامج الزراعية ، وإنني سوف أعمل خلال الفترة المقبلة على التوعية بأهمية البقول في تحقيق الأمن الغذائي والتغذية، وتحويل البقوليات إلى عنصر رئيسي على قائمة الأطعمة في مختلف بلدان المنطقة".

وسوف تتركز مهام السيدة حبيب خلال السنة الدولية للبقوليات 2016 على الترويج لرسالة الفاو وبرامجها بشتى الوسائل والقنوات الإعلامية، ورفع الوعي بالأثر الإيجابي للبقول على تغير المناخ وصحة الإنسان والخصائص البيولوجية للتربة، وزيادة فرص الحوار والمشاركة والنفاذ إلى المعلومات عن البقول، إلى جانب تحفيز أصحاب المصلحة للاستفادة من السنة الدولية للبقول من أجل تشجيع الترابط عبر السلسلة الغذائية بغية استخدام البروتينات المعتمدة على البقول على نحو أفضل وزيادة الإنتاج العالمي للبقول ودورات المحاصيل والتصدي للتحديات في تجارة البقول.

وفي كلمته خلال حفل الإفطار توجه ولد أحمد بالتهنئة والشكر للإعلاميين على الدور القيّم الذي يقومون به في توعية الجمهور وتثقيفه حول قضايا الأمن الغذائي ومحاربة الفقر، وغيرها من الأمور المتشعبة الكثيرة، المتعلقة بالتنمية المستدامة في منطقة الشرق الأدنى وشمال افريقيا، والتحديات الكبيرة التي تواجهها منطقتنا في هذا المجال، مثل ندرة المياه والتغيرات المناخية، وغيرها.

وبالإضافة إلى حبيب تضم مجموعة السفراء جيني تشاندلر من بريطانيا (لمنطقة أوروبا)، جويس بوي من كندا (لمنطقة أمريكا الشمالية) وكادامبوت صديق من الهند (لمنطقة آسيا) واليزابيث إمبوفو من زيمبابوي (لمنطقة افريقيا)، ويتم حالياً العمل على اختيار سفير خاص لمنطقة أمريكا اللاتينية والكاريبي.

وتجدر الإشارة إلى أن الغرض من السنة الدولية للبقول هو توعية الرأي العام بالفوائد التغذوية للبقول وتحفيز إنتاجها والمتاجرة بها وتشجيع استخدامات جديدة ومبتكرة لها على امتداد سلسلة الأغذية، خاصة أنّ البقول سوف تؤدي دوراً هاماً في سبيل تحقيق الهدف العالمي المتمثل في القضاء على الجوع بحلول سنة 2030 نظراً إلى كثافة المغذيات التي تحتويها وسعرها الزهيد وتأثيرها الإيجابي على التربة.

وباستطاعة البقول كذلك أن تساهم في التخفيف من وطأة تغير المناخ من خلال خفض الاعتماد على الأسمدة الاصطناعية المستخدمة لضخ النتروجين في التربة نظراً لقدرة البقول على تثبيت النيتروجين في التربة.

ويشارك في السنة الدولية للبقول العديد من الجهات الفاعلة الرئيسية، بما في ذلك المزارعون والباحثون والأكاديميون وممثلون عن القطاع الخاص والسكان الأصليون وممثلوهم، حيث سيشاركون في الأنشطة التي تقوم بها البلدان المتقدمة والنامية في مختلف أنحاء العالم.