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ETHIOPIA – Country receives two offers for new Telecoms licenses
Ethiopia announced on Monday that it has received two offers for the award of two licences that will put an end to the government’s monopoly on the ankylosed telecommunications sector, one of the last in the world to be closed.
The disruption of this potentially lucrative sector – currently controlled by the state-owned company Ethio Telecom – is one of the cornerstones of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s reform agenda. The bids were submitted by South African MTN and a consortium of Kenyan Safaricom, British Vodafone and South African Vodacom, according to a statement from the Ethiopian Communications Authority, the sector regulator. Other companies that had shown interest in the process eventually did not bid, such as the French Orange and the Emirati Etisalat.
Brook Taye, an advisor to the Ministry of Finance, told AFP that he was “very pleased” with the way this process has gone so far.” Our goal has always been quality rather than quantity, we would have loved to have many other participants but in the end everyone has their reasons,’ he added. Some companies may have been discouraged by a Central Bank directive prohibiting foreign companies from offering mobile financial services, or by restrictions on the development of independent infrastructure, he said. Ethiopia is also familiar with internet cuts, especially during periods of social unrest and even national reviews.
The government said that two licences would be awarded, but Mr. Brook said on Monday that there was no guarantee that the two bids submitted would be successful. The authorities will now examine the technical and financial details of the offers, and Mr. Brook anticipates a decision within two weeks. These new licences are expected to bring money, but also jobs and investment. The reforms announced in the telecom sector also include the sale of a share of Ethio Telecom’s capital, with the aim of making the company more efficient.
Source : Africa Radio
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CÔTE D’IVOIRE – Robert Beugré Mambé reassured after an infrastructure visit
Yamoussoukro, December 26, 2023- After an impregnation visit of the Charles Konan-Banny stadium in Yamoussoukro, Tuesday, December 26, 2023, the Prime Minister, Minister of Sport and Living Environment, Robert Beugré Mambé, said reassured. The stadium, he said, is ready to host Group C matches from Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea and The Gambia.
‘What we have seen is reassuring. Technically, from the equipment point of view, we are ready at the Yamoussoukro stadium. But we will remain vigilant until the end,” said Robert Beugré Mambé.
The Prime Minister called for on-call teams to be set up in all sectors. We will have specialists permanently because Côte d’Ivoire wants to be up to date, in all circumstances, with the expected benefits of this great country. We have given indications that vigilance is needed,’ insisted the Head of Government.
For this visit, which is part of the visits of infrastructure related to the CAN 2023, the Vice-President of the Republic, Tiémoko Meyliet Koné, accompanied by the Prime Minister and other members of the government, visited the host infrastructure, in particular the President’s Hotel where official delegations will stay.
CAN 2023 is scheduled from January 13 to February 11, 2024 in Côte d’Ivoire with 24 teams.
CICG
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AFIS AWARDS 2023: Brvm wins Innovative Deal of the Year award
The Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM), received the Innovative Deal of the Year Award from the AFIS AWARDS 2023, in conjunction with the SGI EDC Investment Corporation. It was on the occasion of the African Financial Industry Summit (AFIS), held in Lomé (Togo), on November 15 and 16, 2023.
A statement from the Brvm informs that this prize is awarded relative to the success of the introduction to the BRVM of Orange Côte d’Ivoire, on December 30, 2022, with a record capitalization at the introduction of 1538.19 billion Cfa francs.
The document reports that the distinction made to the BRVM through the «Innovative Deal of the Year» Award reflects the recognition of the African financial industry to a rare transaction in recent times on the markets (partial privatization by IPO) which raised the WAEMU stock market to fifth place on African stock exchanges in terms of capitalisation in September 2023.
Dr Edoh Kossi AMENOUNVE expressed the gratitude of the BRVM, its Board of Directors, its General Management and all its staff who are honoured to receive this distinction. It is the culmination of the efforts undertaken over several years in terms of promoting the regional financial market and innovation.
Dr AMENOUNVE took the opportunity to express his deep gratitude to the Ivorian Government and its Privatization Committee whose vision and leadership he praised. He thanked them for their ongoing concern for the BRVM. The public offer to sell the shares of Orange Côte d’Ivoire was arranged and conducted by SGI EDC Investment Corporation (Ecobank Group) co-winner of the prize.
Initiated by Jeune Afrique Media Groupe (JAMG) in partnership with Mazars, the AFIS Awards annually reward five categories of companies and individuals who have contributed significantly to the growth of the African financial sector.
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BURKINA FASO – Captain Traoré: “We are not enemies of the French people”
Burkina Faso is not “enemy” of the “French people”, said Captain Ibrahim Traoré, transitional president, following a coup d’état, in an interview broadcast Wednesday, September 06, 2023 by Radio television of Burkina (RTB, public.
“We are not enemies with the French people, it is the policy of those who lead France that poses a problem in Africa, so as long as a state is not in an imperialist spirit (…) there is no problem,” he said in the interview recorded on 31 August.
Burkina has been looking for new cooperation ever since. We have new partners who support us in terms of equipment and so on,’ he added, without naming them.
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Olivia Rouamba, on Monday expressed her country’s desire to “strengthen bilateral cooperation” with Iran, during a meeting in Tehran with President Ebrahim Raïssi.
A Russian delegation exchanged with Mr. Traoré last week in Ouagadougou, on issues of development and military cooperation and Captain Traoré went to Saint Petersburg in July for the Russia-Africa summit.
He reaffirmed his country’s support for Niger, the scene of a coup d’état on 26 July, with which Burkina shares the so-called “three-border” zone between Mali, Niger and Burkina, considered a hideout of jihadist groups.
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