Following on from the success of the first two programmes, run in 2011 and 2012, today Orange (http://www.orange.com) is launching the third Orange African Social Venture Prize. The project promotes social innovations in support of development that use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Orange, which is present in 18 African countries and boasts over 70 million customers, is seeking to becom ...

LAGOS: Militants from the Boko Haram Islamist group have told Bikyanews.com that they are in the midst of planning a new round of attacks on "special targets" in the country that they say will be a "major return" to the political scene after months of silence. Speaking via telephone to Bikyanews.com, the militant group affirmed that they had not dissolved. "We are as strong as ever and will be ready to cont ...

Less than one per cent of all patent applications relating to Clean Energy Technology (CET) have been filed in Africa, highlighting an opportunity for the continent to leapfrog existing fossil-fuel energy sources and thus cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions and bring major health benefits. A new study by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Patent Office (EPO)—Patents and Clean Energy Technologies ...

CAPE TOWN: Key players in the mining sector attending an industry partnership meetingfor Mining and Metals session organized by the World Economic Forum and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) have underscored that the window of opportunity provided by rising commodity prices must correspond to a rise in revenues for African governments by equal measure. Held on 8 May, the session was aimed at examinin ...

Africa cannot continue to be marketed as a country, when it is a continent of 54 countries, which, by 2040 will have the largest workforce in the world. The statement was made by the Economic Commission for Africa’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Carlos Lopes at the World Economic Forum on Africa this week during a session aptly titled:Myth Busting; investing in Africa. Mr. Lopes underscored that by 2040, Africa ...

CAPE TOWN: Canada's Julian Fantino, Minister of International Cooperation, attended the World Economic Forum on Africa, Grow Africa Investment Forum, and G-8 New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Leadership Council in Cape Town, South Africa, to promote private sector partnerships as a way to achieve innovative solutions to the challenges facing sustainable agricultural development, food security, an ...

Africa must increase competitiveness or jeopardize future growth, warns the Africa Competitiveness Report 2013, which assesses prospects for sustainable growth of 38 African countries. Jointly produced by the African Development Bank, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, the report identifies closer regional integration as an important driver for enhancing competitiveness. The strides made by Africa ...

LAGOS: According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a number of poachers have entered one of Africa's most unique and exclusive elephant habitats. The wildlife organization raised the concern that more elephants could be murdered in Cameroon's Bouba N'Djida National Park. In the past year, some 300 elephants have been slaughtered by poachers in the park and the WWF fears that another massacre could be taking ...

ADDIS ABABA: Today, Chinese and African leaders will come together at the 4th International Roundtable on China-Africa Health Cooperation to explore new partnerships to address some of the most pressing health challenges facing Africa and strengthen an innovative health partnership based on south-south cooperation. This year’s roundtable is the first to take place on the African continent. It will focus on ...

The United Nations educational agency today said it is ready to launch a pilot project combining mobile technology and teachers’ development to support primary school English teachers in Nigeria, which has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world. In a statement issued in Paris, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said “English Teacher” is one of the first attempts to e ...