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Orange and MTN launch pan-African mobile money interoperability

22 novembre 2018 by Le Magazine de la Diaspora Ivoirienne et des Ami(e)s de la Côte d’Ivoire

PARIS, France, November 22, 2018/ — Two of Africa’s largest mobile operators and mobile money providers, Orange Group (www.Orange.com) and MTN Group (www.MTN.com), today announced a joint venture, Mowali (mobile wallet interoperability), to enable interoperable payments across the continent. Mowali makes it possible to send money between mobile money accounts issued by any mobile money provider, in real time and at low cost.

Mowali will immediately benefit from the reach of MTN Mobile Money (www.MTN.cm/en/MTN-Mobile-Money) and Orange Money (OrangeMoney.orange.fr), bringing together over 100 million mobile money accounts and mobile money operations in 22 of sub-Saharan Africa’s 46 markets. Mowali is ready to enable interoperability between digital financial service providers beyond MTN and Orange operations and markets, to support the existing 338 million mobile money accounts in Africa.

Mowali is a digital payment infrastructure that connects financial service providers and customers in one inclusive network. It functions as an industry utility, open to any mobile money provider in Africa, including banks, money transfer operators and other financial service providers.

The objective of Mowali is to increase the usage of mobile money by consumers and merchants. Mowali enables money to circulate freely between mobile money accounts from any operators in all countries. From the customer’s point of view, this means « I can pay or receive money anywhere from my mobile account regardless of my operator”. The system will unlock further innovation in the digital financial space within the continent.

For Stéphane Richard, Chairman & CEO of Orange, « by providing full interoperability between platforms, Mowali will provide an important step forward that will allow mobile money to become a universal means of payment in Africa. Increasing financial inclusion through the use of digital technology is an essential element in furthering the economic development of Africa, particularly for more isolated communities. This solution embodies Orange’s ambition to be a leading player in the digital transformation of the continent. By joining forces with another of Africa’s market leaders, MTN, we aim to accelerate the pace

of this transformation in a way that will change the lives of our customers by providing them with simpler, safer and more advantageous services. “

“One of MTN’s goals is to accelerate the penetration of mobile financial service in Africa, Mowali is one such vehicle that will help us achieve that objective. Furthermore, co-operation and partnerships that help us accelerate the pace of development and overcome some of the scale, scope and complexity of challenges that society faces are key. This partnership with Orange is therefore an important step in helping us play a meaningful role in supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals related to eliminating extreme poverty and enhancing socio-economic development in the markets we operate in and beyond. Thus giving our customers access to a bright, digital future.” said Rob Shuter, Group President and CEO of MTN.

The GSMA supports the Mowali initiative as interoperability at this scale is a key accelerator for both financial inclusion and Mobile Money usability across Africa.

“Today, there are over 690 million mobile money accounts around the world. Mobile money services have become an essential, life-changing tool across Africa, providing access to safe and secure financial services but also to energy, health, education and employment opportunities. The creation of Mowali will help to further transform mobile financial services throughout the African region. It demonstrates the mobile industry’s continued leadership and commitment to driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment through industry collaboration. The GSMA is proud to support its development,” said Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA.

“Interoperability of digital payments has been the toughest hurdle for the financial services industry to overcome, in support of financial inclusion. With Mowali, Orange and MTN deliver a solution that will enable them, and other companies, to scale digital financial services across Africa, faster, to everyone—including the poor,” said Kosta Peric, deputy director of Financial Services for the Poor, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation “This is a signal that a new wave of innovation, which can help alleviate poverty and drive economic opportunity, is coming. We’re pleased to see an implementation of Mojaloop[1]—an open source payment platform available to operators across the sector—help achieve that.”

[1] Mojaloop is open-source software for financial services companies, government regulators, and others taking on the challenges of interoperability and financial inclusion

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Ivory Coast: Does smoking fish the traditional way cause cancer?

12 avril 2018 by Le Magazine de la Diaspora Ivoirienne et des Ami(e)s de la Côte d’Ivoire

Smoked fish is a popular food in many of West Africa’s coastal communities.

The traditional smoking process, though, produces substances known to cause cancer.

In Ivory Coast, people are now being encouraged to use more modern and healthier methods.

Al Jazeera’s Charlotte Bellis reports.

All article on Al Jazeera

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30 ivorian girls begin their journey into the world of film making

26 janvier 2018 by Le Magazine de la Diaspora Ivoirienne et des Ami(e)s de la Côte d’Ivoire

ABIDJAN, COTE D’IVOIRE, January 26, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ — 30 beneficiaries drawn from the Centre Sainte Therese De L’enfant Jesus institution in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, began their journey into the world of film making as Sahara Group and Zuriel Oduwole held the final leg of the ongoing Grooming Film Extrapreneurs project in the West African nation.
The project had previously been executed in Ghana and Nigeria where 60 ladies were trained in the foundational aspect of filmmaking.

Country Manager, Sahara Group, Olayemi Odutola said the project represents the commitment of Sahara to promoting economic growth and sustainable development in the nation. “At Sahara, we are always looking for platforms that will help individuals and communities realise their dreams. This is a project we hope will inspire the dawn of a new day for the girl child in Africa.”
Welcoming the participants, Manager of the Institution, Sister Christina Coman, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sahara Group and Zuriel and thank Sahara especially for choosing our centre for the project. The training will give our students an opportunity to learn a new skill that will boost their on-going training in hairdressing, sewing and baking.”

Sahara Foundation Manager, Oluseyi Ojurongbe said the participants would be supported to improve their film making skills after the training that is being coordinated by Zuriel Oduwole a young film maker and girl child education advocate. “The project is in line with our passion for promoting the achievement of the Sustainable Development goals across the globe, with goals 4 and 5 which speak to quality education and gender equality bring the focus”
Handling a camera was a new experience for the participants who expressed delight at the opportunity to tell and share their stories to audiences across the world through film making.
24 year-old Konate Makoya said the high point of the event was when she actually held the camera for the first time in her life. “This experience would certainly change my life and I am looking forward to inspiring other ladies as well,” she said.

22 year-old Tuo Marie-Ange explained that she particularly enjoyed the aspect of the training where they were taught how to create stories and edit stories to achieve a final product that people would appreciate. “There are lots of stories about the girl child that the world needs to hear. I would like to express my gratitude to Sahara Group for this opportunity.”
Kouname Mariam, who is 25 years old said the participation of foremost Ivorian movie actress, Akissi Delta who urged the ladies to embrace education, work hard and never give up on their dreams was the best part of the training. “It was inspiring to learn about all she went through before becoming a star. Many more ladies out there need to hear these stories. I can confidently say that I really enjoyed and learnt a lot from this training.”
Delta who made a special appearance at the training centre, said she was delighted to be given the platform to share her experience with the beneficiaries. She commended Sahara Group for the initiative, describing it as one that “can begin a movement that will see girls in the nation take up the challenge of pursuing their dreams.”

According to her: “Given the right opportunities, girls in Africa will become agents of transformation in the country and ultimately the entire world. I am excited that Sahara Group and the young film maker, Zuriel chose a medium that will empower our girls to capture and share their stories as well as begin their march towards economic independence.”
Delta said her experience had taught her that the movie industry can help steer the society along the line of progress and prosperity true story telling. “These ladies can easily become the next superstars in our movie industry. Beyond film making, I want to urge them and in fact, all women to take education seriously, whilst calling on the government to come up with more policies that will empower the girl child.”

The participants, working with volunteers and Zuriel will have an opportunity to learn more and produce documentaries that highlight girl child issues for exhibition at global events.

INPresswire.com

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African Union Diaspora Headquarters to be established in Accompong Jamaica

25 janvier 2018 by Le Magazine de la Diaspora Ivoirienne et des Ami(e)s de la Côte d’Ivoire

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 24 January 2018 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- African Union Permanent Ambassador to the USA, Hon. Dr. Arikana Chihombori Quao, has re-affirmed the decision to establish an African Union Diaspora Headquarters in Accompong Jamaica during the official ceremony to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Peace Treaty between the Accompong Maroons and the British.

The Ambassador applauded the Maroons for maintaining their African cultural heritage and traditions, and described the Maroon state as being a piece of Africa in the heart of the Caribbean.

The Right Hon. Colonel Ferron Williams, Accompong Head of State, welcomed the decision and said « Today we Maroons are vindicated for having fought to defend our African heritage and identity. We are honoured by our ancestors valor and victory against European colonialism. »


AU Ambassador Arikana Chihombori Quao addresses the nation during the 280th Accompong Maroon Festival and announces new AU Diaspora Headquarters to be built in Accompong.

The new headquarters will be used to consolidate the African Diaspora in a strategic cooperation with the African Union, Governments and key institutions. The African Union officially recognizes the Diaspora as the Sixth Region of the Union, but it is widely accepted that the Diaspora must become organized before it can have a meaningful engagement with the continent.

Accompong’s Minster of Finance, Hon. Timothy McPherson, was instrumental in brokering the agreement which he describes as signaling « a new era of economic cooperation and development between Africa and the Diaspora. This cooperation is what the African family has been waiting for during the last 500 years, now that its here let’s return to building wonders of wonders and achieving things the world is yet to imagine. »

The Headquarters is expected to begin its operations in February 2018.

African Union Mission
The African Union Representational Mission to the United States of America is the first bilateral diplomatic mission of the African Union. Officially launched on July 11, 2007 in Washington, DC, its mandate is to undertake, develop and maintain constructive and productive institutional relationships between the African Union and the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government, the African Diplomatic Corps, the Africans in the Diaspora, and the Bretton Woods Institutions through.Sovereign State of Accompong
This state is a nation within the nation of the island of Jamaica. The Maroon settlement of Accompong perched high up in the mountains of St. Elizabeth in western Jamaica was founded in 1739, established after rebel slaves and their descendants fought a protracted war with the British, the runaway Maroon slaves signed a peace treaty with the British to gain semi-sovereignty over the area. Accompong is a little piece of Africa in the heart of the Caribbean.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of African Union.

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Kenya/ Youtap launches mobile money payment processing platform

25 septembre 2017 by Le Magazine de la Diaspora Ivoirienne et des Ami(e)s de la Côte d’Ivoire

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 25, 2017/ — Youtap (www.Youtap.com) has launched Youtap Cloud, a payment processing platform delivered as a cloudservice for mobile money and payment providers in developing markets.

Youtap Cloud enables real-time transaction processing for contactless mobile money and bank wallet payments. It supports QR code payments, as well as NFC technology, including low-cost micro point-of-sale (POS) devices, companion cards and ‘tap and pay’ using tags or wearables. The solution is a white-label service with minimal upfront costs, allowing the provider to focus on go-to-market initiatives and merchant acquisition.

Youtap Cloud connects to banking and traditional payment networks through a range of interfaces and to blockchain for digital payments, interbank, interbranch and cross-border settlement.

The service is deployed from regional PCI-compliant data centres as a public or private cloud service. Based on Java and Oracle, with a range of Android and Apple OS apps, Youtap Cloud provides banks and payment service providers with open APIs to integrate the next generation of mobile payments into their existing banking and payment applications. It can be integrated with an existing mobile wallet or for new entrant companies requiring a mobile wallet.

Peter Meredith, chief marketing officer for Youtap, said providing the payment platform as a cloud-based service allows for faster delivery and implementation.

“Mobile money providers can transform their business quickly and gain an edge over the competition in their markets,” he said.

“Other merchant payment platforms may take months to install. Youtap’s cloud-based white label solution can be skinned for mobile money services in a matter of weeks. Merchants with a participating service can download the Android app, register and start processing digital payments in less than 24 hours.”

Youtap Cloud can be integrated with devices from Verifone, Pax and Ingenico, while also supporting Android and Linux based devices from a variety of manufacturers.Youtap’s encrypted payment processing network ensures that transaction data is safe and secure.

Use cases for the service include merchant payments, airtime top-up, bill payments, toll-road and transport payments, disbursements and welfare to citizens and refugees, loyalty and promotions, microfinance and international remittances.

Youtap Cloud features a transaction-based pricing model. The standard solution includes white-labelled Android-based apps for merchants, consumers, and POS applications.Optional bundles can be selected for integration with transport readers, Visa/Mastercard acceptance, biometric fingerprint registration and authentication, and social media payments. Providers can also opt in for additional analytics services, including detailed consumer and merchant insights.

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The African Women in Agriulture (AWA) Marrakech Declaration

22 septembre 2017 by Le Magazine de la Diaspora Ivoirienne et des Ami(e)s de la Côte d’Ivoire

The city of Marrakech hosted on 11 – 12 and 13 September 2017 an important international Congress on the subject « African Women in Agriculture » (AWA).

This unprecedented meeting is organized by the American Association Believe in Africa in collaboration with the PRESMA Agency.

Some 200 participants from 17 African countries and the USA took part in the meeting for three days. Mrs Angelle KWEMO President and Founder of this important initiative, at the opening stated that « in terms of agricultural production in Africa, women do not hold the key but they are the solution to the continent’s food challenge. It is through women that the continent will achieve not only its food self-sufficiency but above all its « food sovereignty ».

Mrs Mbarka Bouaida, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Agriculture in charge of Maritime Fisheries, highlighted the role of women in agriculture in Africa and explained the situation in Morocco.

Mr. Abdelfateh Bjioui, Wali of the Marrakech-Safi region, who gave the participants a warm welcome, congratulated the participants on the choice of Morocco and recalled the ambitious policy of His Majesty King Mohammed VI that God help him develop partnership between countries of the African continent.

Mr. Aziz Mekouar, former Ambassador of Morocco to the USA, explained the importance of the effective involvement of women in the light of the climate change of the planet.

The opening ceremony ended by the keynote address delivered by His Excellency Mr. John Dramani Mahama, former President of Ghana and a great friend of Morocco who recognized that « in Africa, no other sector of the economy has such a large participation of women than of agriculture. »

a8c4bfe7-5df3-4cf4-b6f5-d66fe564b8b6 The African Women in Agriulture (AWA) Marrakech Declaration

Work continued over two days and resulted in important resolutions. « All are committed to see the role of African women in agriculture recognized, with the establishment of the » African Prize for the Media in Agriculture and Sustainable Development « to encourage the media to improve the image of African women in agriculture, « says Fawzia TALOUT MEKNASSI, one of the partners of the event.

The words of the end of this agricultural congress was delivered to Mrs. Angelle KWEMO, who said that « it is time for Africa to produce the leadership that will enable the continent not only to achieve food security, but also enhancing women actions, as pillar of this food security’.

The event was supported by OCP SA. Thus, during the plenary session titled « women central point of the green revolution », Mrs. Imane Belghiti explained the concrete actions carried out by the OCP in Morocco as in the rest of the African continent.

The Social Development Agency represented by its dynamic Director General M. Yassine HAMZA, shared with the other international agencies its expertise in supporting women’s agricultural cooperatives.

The event was also supported by international bodies such as UNO Women and the US Africa Development Foundation which not only supported rural women’s agricultural associations but also facilitated the participation of many women from the continent including leaders such as Korka Diaw, Korka Rice of Senegal and Mrs. Sirebara Foumata Diallo, President of the Union of Women Cooperatives in Agriculture of Mali. Appointment is therefore given in May 2018, for the second edition of « African Women in Agriculture ». Read the AWA Marrakech Full Declaration