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How the global pandemic impacts us and our future: Be prepared

10May

By Conrad KullmanNo Comments

Main, Medicine

How the global pandemic impacts us and our future: Be prepared

by Conrad Kullman, MD at FAR UVC AFRICA Cue post-pandemic where business is back on its feet, we’re meeting new people and shaking hands with the regulars once again. Rewind to a year ago and It felt like a distant dream. People have spent the last year trying to understand what the novel COVID virus is and what will happen today and in the future. However, one year later and after much concern for the COVID vaccines that are currently underway, we’ve still got some way to go. As human beings, we usually only know how to solve a problem once it’s hit us without warning. This is the opportunity that we have to take in order to be prepared for the next big thing. Big Impact We’re all in agreement that we’re dealing with something bigger than we’ve anticipated. Looking back at the time when T...

5May

By Dr Nicolas KyriakidesNo Comments

Main

How to: Transform Lobbying

For businesses in Africa, lobbying can play a vital role in creating a more open, business friendly legal system which is fit for purpose. However, throughout history, the process of lobbying policymakers has been open to abuse and at times, controversial. One only has to look at Britain’s current Greensill scandal and the accusations facing the government of cronyism to know that there is often no easy solution to these problems, and even with legislation in place, the lobbying process can be wide open to abuse. The pandemic has also exposed the often-blurred lines between the public and private sector, especially when it comes to awarding contracts for public health work. Why is lobbying important? However, whilst the motivators and ethics behind certain lobbying activities can certainly...

16Apr

By Baker McKenzieNo Comments

Botswana News, Egypt News, Main, Mauritius News, Morocco News, South Africa News

Competition law in post-pandemic Africa a key driver for market participation, consumer protection and fair practices

With the growth of economies across Africa, competition law has remained one of the key drivers for effective market participation, consumer protection and fair business practices. However, the global pandemic introduced new challenges for competition authorities in Africa and abroad, with each enforcer pursuing the most beneficial enforcement method for its national or regional jurisdiction. According to Lerisha Naidu, Partner in Baker McKenzie’s Competition & Antitrust Practice in Johannesburg, “These efforts were aimed at curbing the persistence of unjustified price hikes, anticompetitive cooperation between competitors and other harmful business practices that sought to undermine competition. In addition to the urgent responses to the unprecedented impacts of the global COVID-19 c...

13Apr

By Andrew BroughNo Comments

Business, Main

Leaders In A Hybrid World Of Work

Andrew Brough Although some organisations were successfully navigating the challenges of remote work and distributed teams way before the pandemic, the last 12 months have highlighted issues that leaders cannot ignore. In the recent 2021 Work Trend Index report The Next Great Disruption Is Hybrid Work – Are We Ready? Microsoft uncovers some pressing trends. Flexible work is here to stay. The 2021 Buffer State of Remote Work confirms that the top three benefits to working remotely are a flexible schedule, the opportunity to work from anywhere, and not having to commute. In many instances, leaders are out of touch with employees and need a wake-up call. The Microsoft Study shows many people are struggling with isolation, disconnect and digital exhaustion. High productivity is maski...

4Apr

By Josephine WawiraNo Comments

Business, Kenya News, Main

Why a Plastics Pact is recipe for better environmental management practices

The year is 2016, outside a busy supermarket in one of Nairobi’s estates. Shoppers flow in and out carrying their groceries and other shopping items with plastic carrier bags. These are the order of the day, but their pollution to the environment is devastating. A year later in 2017, the Kenyan government would enact the ban on production, sale and use of plastics carrier bags. The ban is considered one of the sternest in the world and whose success rate is now recorded at approximately 80%. Fast forward to 2021, we have made tremendous strides in the fight against plastic pollution as a nation, with a ban on specific single use plastics in all protected areas taking effect from June 2020. There are also ongoing and ambitious plastics initiatives in the country, such as the Kenya Plastic A...

28Mar

By Dirk BolNo Comments

Cameroon News, Main, Nigeria News

Successful Development In Africa

Economic Trends 2000-2020 by Dirk Bol March 2021 Introduction In this paper I intend to review Africa’s economic progress since the year 2000, so two decades. When I say Africa I mean Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), 47 to 49 countries excluding the five North African ones (but including Somalia without data and South Sudan with little data). Africa (SSA) today accounts for around 14% of the world’s population, but only about 2% of global GDP. In the first part I review data with respect to the economic development of the continent during the last two decades, 2000-2020, with respect to economic growth, poverty, and the structure of the economy. This overview ends at the end of 2019, so does not include the corona crisis nor locust plague or other calamities (ethnic confict Ethiopia, ISIS i...

10Mar

By Baker McKenzieNo Comments

Main

Challenges remain for Industrials, but calculus shifts

Disruption arising from COVID-19 has accelerated trends already apparent in the industrials market –– particularly digitalisation and trade volatility –– and transformation has gone from a “nice to have” to a necessity, according to the latest findings from Baker McKenzie. The law firm surveyed 700 company leaders in six industrial sub-sectors in early 2020, and again at the end of the year after the pandemic had taken hold of the global economy. In Africa, challenges in the industrials market were exacerbated by the pandemic, and highlighted by the requirements for seamless trade, strong supply chains, digitisation and sustainability, that were necessitated by the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA), as well as by the post pandemic market environme...

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Vulnerable Trade Routes

2Mar

By Katarzyna RybarczykNo Comments

African News, Main

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Vulnerable Trade Routes

In 2020, 95% of all kidnappings at seas took place in the Gulf of Guinea. There, pirates, equipped with firearms, frequently enter ships, capture the crew, and steal cargo. Pirates are becoming more and more advanced in their tactics and the majority of attacks are carried out in hopes of getting ransom. Piracy creates problems for ships that on a daily basis travel through the Gulf to transport oil and other petroleum products. How the attacks are organised Most kidnappings happen within 60 nautical miles from the shore. Oil tankers are particularly at risk of being attacked as they carry petroleum products that many pirates hope to steal and later resell. Pirates approach a large ship, and, after taking control over it, move cargo from it onto multiple smaller vessels. They also take the...

The top 5 reasons why investing in Ireland makes sense for African businesses

24Feb

By Daireann GibsonNo Comments

Business, Main, South Africa News

The top 5 reasons why investing in Ireland makes sense for African businesses

By Daireann Gibson, Managing Partner at Gibson & Associates Solicitors Ireland is becoming an increasingly popular destination for individuals from across Africa who are looking to move abroad. South Africa in particular has seen 3,000 immigrants choose Ireland as their new home, and for investors in particular, Ireland provides a wealth of opportunities. The relationship between Ireland and the continent of Africa has long presented a lot of potential with regard to business. Plans are currently in action to increase the value of a two-way trade deal between Ireland and Africa, which is projected to be worth at least €5 billion by 2025. Trade in goods and services between Ireland and Africa increased by 29% between 2010 and 2017, from €3.4 billion to €4.4 billion. In addition, Irish e...

16Feb

By Pablo MitogoNo Comments

Equatorial Guinea, Main

Reduction Of Personnel For Economic Reasons Vs Suspension Of Employment Contracts: Why Are Companies In Equatorial Guinea Spending Money In Times Of Crisis?

By Pablo Mitogo, Associate Attorney, Centurion Law Group Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many countries have been overwhelmed and the health systems of the most powerful countries have collapsed. The wave of chaos has also reached companies, especially in small economies such as Equatorial Guinea. Many companies have seen their volume of activity decrease drastically, with subsequent cost reductions. The question remains how does a company reduce costs without drowning the company? In recent months we have seen many processes of reduction of employee workforce. Careful observation revealed that companies that reduced workforce for economic reasons suffered penalties of 30 days of salary per year of work for each worker. Consequently, they increased costs rather...