The East Africa Outsourcing Summit will be held in Nairobi from 5 to 6 June 2012. The event is hosted by international business-to-business conferencing company, Kinetic Events in proud partnership with the Kenyan ICT Board.

Over the past decade the Information and Communications Technology sector has been among the major catalysts for economic growth within Africa. The sector has seen on average an estimated annual compound growth rate of 40% within the last five years. In particular, East Africa’s business sector showed significant improvement in 2011.

In a recent Global Competitiveness Rankings report, Kenya has moved up four places in ranking to 102^nd with its innovative capacity at an impressive 52^nd. The economy is largely supported by its financial markets, developed by international standards.

In Kenya, the ICT and mobile sectors have improved on average by over 20% annually over the last 10 years. The East African ICT sector continues to attract global attention as a potential driver of fundamental change more specifically within business process outsourcing.

With a global spotlight on East African business process outsourcing, The Kenya ICT Board is aiming to move the ICT sector forward with various key initiatives already in place. It is evident that opportunities in BPO and contact centres within the country are now in ideal condition to fully deliver on their promise.

The summit will act as a platform for both existing and potential players in the out­sourcing space in East Africa to network and gain insight from the major outsourcing regions. With a focus on global trends to underpin what it takes to achieve the market penetration and recognition, Kenya needs to develop as an outsourcing hub, which will support the development of a strong information technology industry.

The strategic invitation-only summit will explore the alignment of people, process and technology; offering insight into the solutions available to contact centres today, assisting companies in the negotiations and selecting the tools best suited to their needs. Attendees will be able to engage in interactive conference sessions and educational workshops designed for quality time and interaction with peers.

For more information, comment or photographs, visit www.eaosummit.com or contact Shaunei Meintjes on +27 21 555 0866 or shaunei@kineticevents.net. Follow @ITLeadersAfrica and @KineticEventsSA on Twitter for daily updates and news feeds.

ENDS

Prepared by:

Kinetic Events

5 Waterford Mews, Waterford Place

Century Boulevard, Century City, 7441, South Africa

Office: +27 21 555 0866 / Fax: +27 (0)86 547 5371

www.kineticevents.net

www.eaosummit.com



WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. and HIGHVELD PARK, South Africa, May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Row 44, Inc., provider of the world’s leading In-Flight Broadband Entertainment Ecosystem, and its African partner, Wireless G, in association with Mango and Vodacom, launched G-Connect In-Flight Wi-Fi on Africa’s first broadband Internet-enabled flight. The service provides Mango’s passengers with full Internet connectivity through their personal WiFi-enabled devices. Services include email, web browsing, access to all social networks, and a web-based air-to-ground SMS service.

On the launch, Wednesday evening at Lanseria Airport near Johannesburg, Wireless G and its South African partners made the following statements:

“The G-Connect In-Flight Wi-Fi service is offered in a totally new, integrated model which is a first of its kind in the world and which can be regarded as a new carrier-grade telecommunications access medium,” said Wireless G CEO, Carel van der Merwe. “Social networks and the tsunami of next generation Wi-Fi enabled devices and the related converged ecosystems makes in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity more relevant. Moreover, the specific way in which it is offered as an integrated telecommunications Internet access medium, is essential for our future convergence plans,” said van der Merwe.

Mango CEO Nico Bezuidenhout said that the introduction of on-board connectivity fulfils the airline’s on-going ideal of innovation in aviation and its desire for product differentiation. “In a highly competitive market where everything tastes like chicken, it’s important to taste like beef. Innovation is a cornerstone of our business along with sustained affordable fares that are relative to the prevailing market.”

Vodacom provides the satellite infrastructure to ensure that the G-Connect In-Flight Wi-Fi service will keep people connected even as they travel at over 800km/h. “This takes the notion of a mobile device to a whole new level – literally. We know how much customers value being connected; in fact 88% of people surveyed said they’d like to have broadband access when they fly. Vodacom prides itself on having the widest network coverage and thanks to our satellite technology the sky is no-longer the limit,” said Sipho Maseko, CEO of Vodacom.

“Row 44 congratulates Wireless G and its partners, Mango and Vodacom, on this impressive accomplishment in being the first partnership to deliver a true in-flight broadband experience to South Africa, one of the world’s most important commercial and cultural centers,” said Row 44′s CEO, John LaValle. “We are proud to be part of this partnership and look forward to supporting continued innovation with this team.”

The roll-out of the G-Connect In-Flight Wi-Fi service is underway and Mango’s entire fleet will be outfitted by the end of the year.

About Row 44, Inc.

Row 44, Inc. provides the world’s leading In-Flight Broadband Entertainment Ecosystem for commercial airlines. The company’s flying Wi-Fi hotspot — which delivers the world’s fastest aviation broadband speeds to passengers — provides airlines with an unmatched selection of revenue-generating and experience-enhancing entertainment, shopping and destination services. The company is partnering with innovative airlines around the globe to improve the commercial flying experience — including world-renowned Southwest Airlines and Market Leadership Award recipient Norwegian Air Shuttle. For more information, visit www.row44.com.

About Wireless G

Wireless G was founded in 2002 and has since established itself as a leader and innovator in the South African broadband market. Being the first to converge various networks, operators and platforms into a single revolutionary offering, Wireless G is fast evolving into one of South Africa’s leading telecommunications enabling enterprises. Wireless G is also the only South African company who have converged and offers 3G, ADLS, Wi-Fi and In-Flight Wi-Fi on a single online platform.

For more information visit www.gconnect.co.za.

SOURCE Row 44, Inc.
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RELATED LINKS

http://www.row44.com

Payments, Settlements and Remittances Asia 2012

Safe, secure and efficient payments through

cards, telebanking, online and mobile systems

30-31 May 2012, Le Meridien Jakarta

www.arcmediaglobal.com/paymentsindo

Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor Ronald Waas, Asian Central Banks uncover payment oversight at PSRA 2012 on 30-31 May 2012 at Le Meridien, Jakarta

Asian Central Banks, Commercial Banks, Telcos and Payment System Providers meet to discuss how to prepare the region’s financial market infrastructures and payments systems for a freer flow of capital goods of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

JAKARTA (10 May 2012).  Online banking has been on the rise in Asia and Indonesia takes the lead as the one of the most lucrative markets. Indonesia has  a 72% increase in online banking visitation, the highest growth in Asia. To meet this growing need, Bank Indonesia is in the process of updating its regulations to ensure that there are robust institutions to modernize systems and networks, reduce transaction costs and curb security threats.

Mr Ronald Waas, Bank Indonesia’s Deputy Governor, who led the payments systems oversight department, will expound on how Indonesia is modernizing its payments oversight to meet the new demands of e-money and mobile payments at the  Payments, Settlements and Remittances Asia 2012 held at the Le Meridien Jakarta on 30-31 May 2012. Mr Waas presentation is scheduled at 8:45am, 30 May 2012. Please visit www.arcmediaglobal.com/paymentsindo for more information.

Part of Bank Indonesia’s aim is to create efficient payments and settlements systems. Earlier this month, a regulation highlighted the unification of Indonesian time zones, set forth in the Master Plan to Accelerate Economic Development and Expansion of Indonesia to further facilitate the unification of the payment transaction banking. Bank Governor Nasution said, ”If Indonesia does not have the time difference, and other transaction costs will be much cheaper.”

Online shopping sites are getting more popular as well in Indonesia, consequently growing electronic payment system that facilitates transactions between buyers and sellers in digital world. What emerged as the biggest players are MNC with its joint-venture with Japanese Rakuten launched Rakuten Indonesia, Djarum Group’s blibli.com, Gudang voucher.com and more.  Bali-based payment gateway, iPayMu expects 300 million rupiah floating fund gathered from its e-wallets offering. The number of E-Money transactions in 2007 was only 165,193.

At the end of 2011, there were 12,130,185 transacting using E-Money, translating to over 32,270,796 transaction volume. The

number of E-Money transactions at the beginning of the year was only 165,193. The government is quick to respond by enacting a new law that regulates financial transactions between non-banking companies and services such as PayPal, KasPay, and Doku to protect online consumers. Indonesian Government introduced a regulation about fund transfer to the public on 3 May 2011. According to this regulation, non-bank institutions that run financial transaction within the country will have to be licensed (approved by The Government). Government officials said that the regulations was created to protect banks and customers and currently there were about 70 non-bank institutions that had the licenses.

• With the target date in realizing the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community Blueprint fast approaching in 2015, what would the implications be for payments, settlements and remittance services?
• How would this relate to ASEAN in 2030?

Bank of Thailand’s presentation would mainly discuss about the efforts of the Working Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems of the ASEAN central banks, established since 2010, in preparing payment and settlement systems to support regional financial integration.  It would also examine the aspirations in creating greater efficiencies and the challenges in safeguarding the stability of payment and settlement systems.

As payment service providers and public policy makers face key challenges in preparing the region’s financial market infrastructures to support the free flow of goods, services, skilled-labor and investment, and the freer flow of capital, in the future, Payments, Settlements and Remittances Asia (PSRA) 2012 (30-31 May 2012, Le Meridien Jakarta) is Asia’s most informed meeting place for central banks, commercial banks, settlement systems architects and connected payment services providers. Visit www.arcmediaglobal.com/paymentsindo for more information.

A special panel discussion on payments oversight is scheduled after the Deputy Governor’s speech and will include panelists from Thailand, South Africa, Indonesia, India and the Philippines. High-level attendees include: Bank of Thailand, apps developer JMango, Multiply.com, Tata Teleservices, Bank Indonesia, Dhanalakshmi Bank, Bank Danamon, CIMB Niaga, BCA, Panin Bank, Visa, Mastercard, CIMB Investment Bank, Multiply.com, Financial Intelligence Center South Africa, National Payments Corporation of India, RuPay, Reserve Bank of India, South African Central Bank, Golden Union KL, Multiply.com, JMango, Tata Teleservices and more!

Get to meet Bank Indonesia’s Deputy Governor, Ronald Waas as he expounds on “The changing landscape in Indonesian payment systems: Monitoring the developments in e-money, mobile payments, payments security and oversight.”

Payments, Settlements and Remittances Asia 2012 (30-31 May 2012, Le Meridien, Jakarta) is an international conference whose objective is to update, implement and enhance your settlement systems, technologies and techniques to empower you to meet the escalating needs of your customers.

Request brochure for more information.

Register in one of these 4 easy ways:

• Call +65 6844 2080
• Fax +65 6844 2060
• Email paymentsindo@arcmediaglobal.com
• Visit www.arcmediaglobal.com/paymentsindo

Analytics Software Enhances Insurer’s Ability to Resolve Claims Faster

JOHANNESBURG, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that Santam, South Africa’s leading short term insurance company, has saved $2.4 million on fraudulent claims in the first four months of using IBM business analytics software. The analytics software has enhanced Santam’s fraud detection capabilities and also enabled faster payouts for legitimate claims.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120509/NY03561 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

“IBM and OLRAC-SPSolutions have helped us build a solution that has not only transformed our claims processing methodology in terms of speed and efficiency, but also provides new insight which helps us identify false claims more quickly, which protects our business and customers,” said Anesh Govender, Head of Finance, Reporting and Salvage at Santam. “The solution has delivered a full return on investment and also helped uncover a motor insurance fraud syndicate in less than 30 days after the system went live.”

The claims division developed a new operating model for processing claims, depending on varying risk levels. IBM’s predictive analytics software has enabled Santam to automatically assess if there is any fraud risk associated with incoming claims and allows the insurer to distribute claims to the appropriate processing channel for immediate settlement or further investigation, which optimizes operational efficiency.

With the enhanced claims segmentation, Santam is also able to reduce the number of claims that need to be assessed by mobile operatives visiting the customer or claim site, resulting in further considerable cost savings for the company.

Speed of claims handling is an important differentiator for the company. Before using IBM analytics, it took at least three days to settle claims. Now, Santam is able to settle legitimate claims within an hour allowing the insurer to significantly improve customer service.

“IBM is investing in building business analytics solutions that help organizations to effectively mitigate risk,” said Rich Holada, vice president of predictive analytics at IBM. “Santam provides an excellent example of how insurers can put analytics into action in order to reduce fraud and risk, while improving the customer experience by settling claims faster and keeping premiums low.”

In the last five years, IBM has invested more than $14 billion in acquisitions. With investments in SPSS, Clarity, OpenPages, i2 and Algorithmics, and others, IBM is building business analytics solutions providing clients with capabilities for managing fraud, risk and threat. In addition, IBM has assembled almost 9,000 dedicated analytics consultants with industry expertise, and created a network of eight global analytics solution centers.

The Santam project illustrates IBM’s leadership in analytics in South Africa. IBM is also actively laying the foundations for a major presence throughout the African continent, with offices in more than 20 African countries, where the company is assisting businesses and governments in building strategies, expertise, solutions, frameworks and operating procedures to help improve performance.

The IBM predictive analytics solution at Santam was implemented by IBM Business Partner, OLRAC-SPSolutions.

For a video on this project, please visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZPb51V4m1k&feature=youtu.be.
For more information on Santam, please visit: www.santam.co.za.
For more information on OLRAC-SPSolutions, please visit: www.olsps.com.
For more information on IBM in Africa, please visit: www.ibm.com/press/us/en/presskit/34710.wss.
For more information about IBM Business Analytics, please visit: www.ibm.com/analytics.

Press Contacts:

Lisa Rautenbach
IBM External Relations, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 302 9255
Email: lisaraut@za.ibm.com

Leslie J. Monreal-Feil
IBM External Relations, Insurance
Office 561.862.3074
lmonreal@us.ibm.com

SOURCE IBM

http://www.ibm.com

Malik Fal, Omidyar Network Managing Director, Africa. (PRNewsFoto/Omidyar Network)

REDWOOD CITY, California, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire via African Press Organization (APO)/ — Omidyar Network today announced that Malik Fal has joined the philanthropic investment firm as managing director for Africa. Based in Johannesburg, Fal will lead efforts to increase investments on the continent, as well as to partner more closely with the organization’s Africa-based investees. Omidyar Network Managing Partner Matt Bannick made the announcement at the annual ON Executive Forum in Redwood City.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120508/SF03707)

“Omidyar Network is committed to identifying, supporting and scaling the catalytic work of entrepreneurs across our investment initiatives in Africa,” said Bannick. “Malik brings tremendous expertise and insight to the position, and he will be instrumental in expanding our work in Africa. His keen intellect, belief in entrepreneurism and passion for innovation will be invaluable to our investees and to our leadership team.”

Fal most recently was managing director of Endeavor South Africa where he led the rollout of ‘Excelerator,’ an initiative to expand the diversity of high-impact South African entrepreneurs accepted into Endeavor. Prior to Endeavor, Malik held leadership roles at Microsoft and PepsiCo, and served as a Monitor Group consultant to the World Bank, the Bermudan tourism industry and the Rwandan presidency. Born in Cote d’Ivoire, Fal holds a master’s degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

ABOUT OMIDYAR NETWORK

Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives. Established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, the organization invests in and helps scale innovative organizations to catalyze economic and social change. To date, Omidyar Network has committed more than $500 million to for-profit companies and non-profit organizations that foster economic advancement and encourage individual participation across multiple investment areas, including financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, property rights, consumer internet, mobile and government transparency. To learn more, visit www.omidyar.com.

CONTACT: Greg Pershall of Omidyar Network, (m) +1-360-607-8901, gpershall@omidyar.com

SOURCE

Omidyar Network

www.eaosummit.com

The East Africa Outsourcing Summit will be held in Nairobi from 5 to 6 June 2012. The event is hosted by international business-to-business conferencing company, Kinetic Events in proud partnership with the Kenyan ICT Board.

In a recent report conducted and released by the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, East Africa’s business sector has shown a positive improvement between 2010 and 2011. With a promising industry sector improvement, the continent is not slowing down the pace, with further improvement expected in the forthcoming years leading up to 2030.

Over the past decade the Information and Communications Technology sector has been among the major catalysts for economic growth within Africa. The sector has seen on average an estimated annual compound growth rate of 40% within the last five years.

In Kenya, the ICT and mobile sectors have outperformed all other sectors of the economy. Growing on average by over 20% annually over the last 10 years, the African ICT sector continues to attract global attention as a potential driver of fundamental change within the continent.

With a global spotlight on East African business process outsourcing, The Kenya ICT Board is aiming to move the ICT sector forward with various key initiatives already in place. In recent years, the Kenyan government has recognised the economic potential of technology and innovation and launched the Kenya Vision 2030 initiative.

In 2008 the SEACOM submarine fibre optic cable went live, connecting Kenya to the world. This marked the beginning of a rapid movement and growth for the country. The business process outsourcing industry in Kenya has gained momentum, positioned as a viable near shoring opportunity.

The summit will act as a platform for both existing and potential players in the out­sourcing space in East Africa to network and gain insight from the major outsourcing regions. With a focus on global trends to underpin what it takes to achieve the market penetration and recognition, Kenya needs to develop as an outsourcing hub, which will support the development of a strong information technology industry.

The strategic invitation-only summit will explore the alignment of people, process and technology; offering insight into the solutions available to contact centres today, assisting companies in the negotiations and selecting the tools best suited to their needs. Attendees will be able to engage in interactive conference sessions and educational workshops designed for quality time and interaction with peers.

For more information, comment or photographs, visit www.eaosummit.com or contact Shaunei Meintjes on +27 21 555 0866 or shaunei@kineticevents.net. Follow @ITLeadersAfrica and @KineticEventsSA on Twitter for daily updates and news feeds.

ENDS

Prepared by:

Kinetic Events

5 Waterford Mews, Waterford Place

Century Boulevard, Century City, 7441, South Africa

Office: +27 21 555 0866 / Fax: +27 (0)86 547 5371

www.kineticevents.net

www.eaosummit.com

RES Looks to Bring Reliable Solar Power Technology to Wireless Telecom Industry

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Renewable Energy Solution Systems, Inc. (RES Systems) (OTC Pink: RESS) (www.renewablesolutions.com), formerly Critical Point Resources (OTC BB: CRPI), announced its global launch and marketing campaign of its proprietary energy solutions to the wireless telecommunications industry. The campaign will include both domestic and global marketing efforts, specifically targeting the Caribbean, Nigeria and India, areas which are affected by constant interruption of cell service due to unstable power grids and remote cell sites.

A New Standard in DC-DC Solar Power
The Razor Series™ was specifically designed for wireless telecom carriers. A typical cell site runs on DC-power, and a typical solar application does not meet the needs of the telecom industry. Until now, if the power grid goes down, a typical solar power system will go down as well. Cell sites that install the Razor Series™ solar solution will continue to produce power during daylight hours even if the grid goes down.

RES Systems looks to Eliminate up to 99% of Diesel Power consumption for the Wireless Telecom Industry
RES Systems is primarily focused on off-grid cell site markets. Currently, brownouts affect many off-grid cell sites resulting in loss of service, and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to the mobile carriers. The Razor Series™ can eliminate up to 99% of diesel fuel, while reducing maintenance, eliminating brownouts and offering the wireless carriers the assurance that the cell site will not go down.

RES Systems’ unique design stabilizes the erratic behavior of solar-generated DC power which creates multiple issues with the carrier’s power management system. A typical solar application cannot offer this solution.

Key Features of the Razor Series™
The Razor Series™ is the primary source of power during daylight hours.
The Razor Series™ acts as a redundant source of power.
The Razor Series™ is the only technology that functions in concert with solar to work harmoniously with carrier’s power management systems.
The Razor Series™ streamlines the voltage for the client’s DC-powered telecom equipment which is achieved through its patent pending technology by stabilizing the constant DC fluctuation of voltage from the solar array and connecting directly to the DC busbar.
In an off-grid system, the Razor Series™ eliminates diesel fuel as the primary source of power. It is the PRIMARY SOURCE of power during daylight hours, trickle charges the batteries and captures more sunlight hours per day.
The Razor Series™ combines solar and telecom experience to create solutions that incorporate “Smart Technology” by using the MPPT technology (Maximum Power Point Tracking). This technology is the automatic adjustment of electrical load to achieve the greatest possible power harvest during moment-to-moment variations of light level, shading, temperature, and photovoltaic module characteristics, which results in capturing more sunlight during the day than a typical solar solution.

The Marketplace
By the end of 2017, there will be well over 500,000 telecommunications wireless cell sites in North and South America. Today in the U.S. there are approximately 300,000 cell sites. Each cell site has, on average, 2-3 individual wireless carriers requiring power which, by the end of 2017, will equate to a potential universe of 1,500,000 solar power application installs.

Renewable Energy Solution Systems, Inc. (RES Systems) (www.renewablesolutions.com), headquartered in Port Washington, New York, is the nation’s first renewable energy company dedicated to providing the wireless telecom industry with affordable, reliable, clean energy solutions. RES is the developer of the Razor Series™, a DC-DC power converter, for the wireless telecommunications industry. Follow RES Systems on Twitter.com/RazorSeries. For information regarding the RES Razor™ Series call 516-621-1166, Greg Okpych, President.

Forward-Looking Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Words such as “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “anticipates,” “likely,” “believes” and words of similar import also identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current facts and analysis and on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determined and assumptions of management. There are forward-looking statements within this news release, and actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors beyond the Company’s control. This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of our exploration program at our properties and any anticipated production. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. These and other risks are described in the Company’s 8K Report and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/nielsen-half-all-americans-now-own-smartphone/2012-03-29

SOURCE Renewable Energy Solution Systems, Inc.

http://www.renewablesolutions.com

Sanday Chongo Kabange

(ABN) HONG KONG – Mobile phones are transforming the way HIV test results are being transmitted to AIDS patients in Africa, a study has shown.

AIDS is one of the biggest diseases affecting the continent due to limited access to antiretroviral treatment and heath care.

AIDS related deaths account for close to 60% of all total deaths annually and mobile phone penetration has doubled over the last 10 years.

It is for these reasons that the World Health Organisation (WHO) embarked on an investigation to determine whether mobile phone technology could be used to transform the delivery of health care services to AIDS patients in Africa.

A WHO backed study published in the agency’s Bulletin, said the time it took to relay HIV test results to patients’ health facilities could be “dramatically” reduced by using mobile phone text messaging.

Scientists who carried out the study in Zambia found that the turnaround times for delivering a diagnosis by SMS (Short Message Service) were almost twice as fast compared to traditional postal methods.

The average time for a result notification from a testing lab to a health facility fell from 44.2 days to 26.7 days.

“We believe that this research signals how the processes behind testing of HIV and other illnesses can be transformed and improved through mobile phone technology, ensuring that healthcare facilities and patients are provided with their results far more quickly,” said Phil Seidenberg of Boston University in the U.S, one of the authors of the research that was jointly conducted with the Zambia Centre for Applied Health Research and Development and the Zambian Ministry of Health.

E-health, where digital technology is used to support health systems and m-health, where mobile phones and tablet computers are used are seen as key to improving healthcare in the near future.

In addition to decreasing turnaround time for HIV testing, these technologies can also improve treatment by getting people onto ART earlier, researchers said.

“As more people use mobile phone technology in Africa, more opportunities arise to harness e-health and m-health in support of the expansion of earlier ART for HIV, and to retain people on ART, particularly mothers and children,” said Dr Reuben Granich, Medical Officer in WHO’s Department of HIV/AIDS.

UNICEF in Zambia and the researchers developed the study to address concerns that the slow transmission of test results led to critical delays in children accessing treatment.

JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, May 7, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and The MasterCard Foundation today launched a partnership to increase access to financial services for an estimated 5.3 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. Building on recent economic momentum and stability in many African economies, the project will create new opportunities for economically disadvantaged people to expand businesses, gain access to cost-effective financial services, and manage risk.

Through this new $37.4 million partnership, IFC and The MasterCard Foundation will help microfinance banks expand more rapidly and develop new products and cost-effective delivery channels, while expanding coverage in new, often hard-to-reach locations. The project will also help providers to deliver low-cost mobile financial services to low-income customers.

“Disadvantaged people derive real benefits from having more control over their finances, and our partnership with IFC will help bring responsible financial services to a significant number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Reeta Roy, President and CEO of The MasterCard Foundation.

“As we scale institutions and support new mobile financial service opportunities, this partnership will also create knowledge that will be invaluable in promoting greater financial inclusion.”

The MasterCard Foundation has become a major player in the field of microfinance, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, having forged partnerships worth more than $230 million since its inception in 2006. To date, these partnerships have helped provide financial services to over a million people, and provided another two million with access to financial education.

The MasterCard Foundation partnership is IFC’s largest with a private foundation.

“This partnership leverages IFC’s global expertise, local knowledge, and client networks to promote greater financial inclusion,” said Nena Stoiljkovic, IFC Vice President for Business Advisory Services. “It will help IFC clients do more for low-income customers in Africa.”

Since its first microfinance investment in 1997, IFC’s involvement in microfinance has steadily increased, and IFC is now one of the top three global investors in microfinance. As of June 2011, IFC had directly committed over $1.2 billion in investments to microfinance projects globally, with more than 150 financial institutions in over 60 countries.

IFC invested early in mobile financial services, supporting pioneers such as WIZZIT in South Africa, and providing advisory support to MTN in Nigeria and Airtel in Madagascar. IFC’s portfolio includes six investments with dedicated e-payment service providers, and investments with financial intermediaries and mobile network operators offering mobile wallets.

IFC’s microfinance and mobile financial services programs in Sub-Saharan Africa have received support from the African Development Bank, Austrian Development Bank, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and the governments of Austria, Denmark, Japan, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

About IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in

the international financial markets. In fiscal 2011, amid economic

uncertainty across the globe, we helped our clients create jobs, strengthen environmental performance, and contribute to their local communities—all while driving our investments to an all-time high of nearly $19 billion.

For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

About The MasterCard Foundation

The MasterCard Foundation advances microfinance and youth learning to promote financial inclusion and prosperity. Through collaboration with committed partners in over 48 developing countries, it is helping people living in poverty to access opportunities to learn and prosper. Based in Toronto, Canada, The MasterCard Foundation was established through the generosity of MasterCard Worldwide at the time of the company’s initial public offering in 2006. It operates independently of MasterCard Worldwide.

For more information, visit http://mastercardfdn.org.

Stay Connected

www.facebook.com/IFCAfrica

www.twitter.com/IFCAfrica

www.youtube.com/IFCvideocasts

www.ifc.org/SocialMediaIndex

SOURCE

International Finance Corporation (IFC) – The World Bank

With the overall size of the m-commerce market is continuously growing into billions By 2015, almost $200 billion in revenue will be generated worldwide by goods and services purchased via mobile devices, according to a forecast by Fierce Wireless. Moreover as the shift in leadership at Google, Groupon’s potential entry into China, MSN’s focus shift toward the SNS and downsizing at Yahoo!, all seem to show that M-commerce is heating up.

Mobile Commerce@China2012 www.bbzgroup.cn/mc co-organized by China UnionPay and Business Brain Group will take place on 24th May,2012 will gather more than 150 senior executives from home and abroad, focus on the hot issues, such as: business models and trends, marketing and payments.

Confirmed Speaker

Confirmed Sponsors:

For any question ,please contact

T: +86 21 3471 9082
M: +86 134 7262 7315
E:  info@bbzgroup.cn