The year 2020 came with lots of hopes and expectations for individuals and businesses, interesting economic projections across most of the world’s thriving industries, a landscape of growth and meaningful insights for what seemed like the most productive year ahead, leading onto the end of yet another decade.



What many did not envisage however, is a global public health emergency – the worst economic downturn since the great depression as described by the <a href="https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/14/the-great-lockdown-worst-economic-downturn-since-the-great-depression/">International Monetary Fund</a>, a truly global crisis where no country is spared.



Evidently, the impact of the Covid-19 has significantly hindered economic and social development across Africa, with individuals and businesses having to unlearn and learn new changes in lifestyle habits, business restructuring, adoption of innovation and technology and most importantly digitization in the way people live and work. In the last few months, the pandemic have now become a situation countries and people have to live through, with the hopes of an economic recovery. &nbsp;



If Africa is to recover, then a spotlight on small businesses, which make up a large percentage of global and local economies, will be pivotal to this transitioning. This business-led recovery will majorly revolve around digital technology; a catalyst for inclusive growth.



But how do we enable African SMEs to become digitally enabled? Clearly, the introduction of technologies can improve SMEs’ productivity, growth and improve quality of life for consumers, in regards to convenience. According to data from the World Bank in the <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ForesightAfrica2020_20200110.pdf">Foresight Africa</a> 2020-2030 report, GDP growth in the continent could increase by 2% per year if the African Union’s goal of universal and affordable internet coverage is reached, and fast internet could increase the probability of employment to 13.2% from 6.9%.&nbsp;



While this is a major challenge to the growth of Africa’s digital economy and would require years of policy implementation, corporate Africa can begin to support (in their ways) the digital transitioning of SMEs. Digital entrepreneurship has the potential of becoming an instrument of economic revolution for Nigeria’s largely young and business-thinking population for example. The country is home to some of the most innovative startups and small businesses in Africa which provide proof of Nigeria’s digital potential. One of such forward-thinking small businesses is a popular Nigerian indigenous skincare brand, Arami Essentials.



Earlier this year, part of corporate Africa and global digital payments company, Visa had championed a global <a href="http://www.visa.com.ng">WhereYouShopMatters</a> campaign which focuses on supporting small businesses and canvassing for renewed consumer patronage following the impact of the pandemic on shopping behaviors. Visa had researched consumers’ changing shopping habits since the pandemic and leveraged the results of the report to educate small businesses on the need to also change how they sell and do business. The Where You Shop Matters Initiative is an offshoot of Visa’s study which reveals that consumers are increasingly embracing e-commerce and digital payments over cash, and 42% of consumers started purchasing food for the first time online in Nigeria.



Since the pandemic, consumers now want safer and more convenient ways of shopping and so digital payments have been on the rise in Nigeria. Digital payments allow consumers to shop after-hours, when the traditional stores are closed and to avoid crowds and wailing lines, especially during holiday shopping and so retailers and small businesses are encouraged to embrace it.



One very critical angle to the Where You Shop Matters initiative is the educational fragment. Digital skills are a prerequisite for benefitting from any technology at all and the digital economy at large.  With wide digital literacy gaps in Africa, Visa set up a small business resource hub where entrepreneurs can find useful resources for growing their businesses. More importantly, SMEs can do more than just communicate with their customers online – they can find other businesses and create partnerships. This is also one strong element of digitalization for small businesses. The Small Business Hub provides the right visibility and partnerships needed to scale small businesses.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-382749" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-696x1044.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-1068x1602.jpg 1068w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-1920x2880.jpg 1920w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ore-Runsewe-NG-Aramiessentials-CNBC-1-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption>Ore Runsewe, Founder of Arami Essentials</figcaption></figure>



Nigeria based small business, Arami Essentials, had participated in the Where You Shop Matters initiative and was eventually nominated as a Visa merchant. The brand’s progress through the years have been remarkable especially since it began as an online store. The founder and CEO of Arami Essentials, Ore Runsewe, advocates for more education of the benefits of small business digitization which she believes is the reason for the low number of entrepreneurs doing business online.



“There is need for more education on the essence of small business digitization and if we can get a good number of small businesses in Nigeria logged into the digital economy – that would be a great feat. At Arami Essentials, we started on Instagram and then gradually built the website. Setting up the business on Instagram allowed us to reach a wide audience in such little time because we were constantly in their faces; if we had not a digital store there is the unlikelihood of reaching customers outside of Lagos and Nigeria”.



Ore also advocates for online retailers to partner with payment gateway companies to secure customer’s data on their websites and to enable cross-border payments as well. “The pandemic has shown that we need to look at ways to promote the digitization of Nigeria’s and African small businesses – encouraging merchants to join the digital economy” she says.



Small and medium enterprises that have been able to ‘digitally diversify’ have proven themselves to be more irrepressible during the COVID-19 crisis just like Arami Essentials. Those who were not digital as at the eruption of the pandemic had to play catch-up in the midst of an economic crisis.



To support these businesses, we must influence existing and create new technology offerings tailored towards these small enterprises in Nigeria, rolled out with the support of government.



And as the African Union Commissioner Amani Abou-Zeid had also emphasized in the past: “COVID-19 crisis has become the single biggest catalyst for digital transformation and has moved digitalization from a niche market into mass adoption&#8221;.

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Digitization, a catalyst to the exponential growth of African Small Businesses.

In the digital age, more people have access to some form of mobile device over a bank facility and this is nowhere more evident than in Sub-Saharan Africa. In fact, it must be noted that Sub-Saharan Africa is technologically agile and mobile-first. When looking into mobile phone usage, Africa is the home of mobile money users with at least half of these users originating from our continent. As a result of the current economic climate, mobile money systems are now including millions of people who were previously excluded from mainstream financial services via digital pay. This of course opens up a whole host of opportunities for both SMEs and Visa with regards to eCommerce and the digital space.



In this new norm, the Covid-19 era has pushed more businesses to join the digital age. This move has the potential to not only grow their current earnings but to also reduce expenditure and increase overall consumer base and consumption. The potential to boost and grow a business’ earnings with the use of mobile payments is overwhelming since they are significantly more cost effective than point of sale transactions. Also, when customers scan QR codes associated with a purchase, merchants can seamlessly accept payments through their mobile phones and directly into their bank accounts, instantly and hassle-free.



Visa published the Covid-19 CEMEA Impact Tracker as a way to highlight the effects of the pandemic and show how the company was leading from the front in curbing the strain felt by SMEs as a result of the pandemic. One of the ways Visa did this was by upskilling SME merchants on the value of digitising. By continuously working to provide the most secure and convenient digital payments solutions, such as frictionless eCommerce solutions and contactless payments, Visa has given consumers the confidence to shop via eCommerce and given merchants a new lease on life and the means to continue to thrive in a competitive and evolving world. Visa presents a plethora of unique opportunities for entrepreneurs who are willing to harness emerging technologies and tailor them to the needs of both their businesses and Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole.



Although Sub-Saharan Africa predominantly remains cash-based, Covid-19 has proven that the need for safe, reliable, and convenient financial services is of the utmost importance. Today, consumers expect to be put at the forefront and this in turn means services that are seamless, frictionless, on-demand, mobile-enabled and customisable to suit their daily needs. Because of this, a cashless and digital society is gaining notable traction in the financial sphere. Visa’s recent study has shown that in a post Covid-19 world, the driving growth in digital payments could deliver blanket benefits to various sectors including SMEs, which may ultimately stimulate long-term economic growth.



About Visa Inc.



Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network &#8211; enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device, for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/gwH-CVOy8AUxmNMZSytTyD?domain=usa.visa.com">About Visa</a>, <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/BQ6tCXDAjLsXjVm9umad5p?domain=visa.com">visa.com/blog</a> and



<a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/iVPYCYEBkWuLmE59SZi2ia?domain=twitter.com">@VisaNews</a>.

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Digital Transformation: A Key Driver of Business Success

The line-up for the SingularityU South Africa Online Summit features thought leaders from across the globe, some as far as USA, Denmark, Netherlands and Australia, and including sought-after South African captains of industry. 



The event is around the corner, and will take place on 14 and 15 October 2020. 



True to the SingularityU prowess of demystifying exponential technologies and their potential to solve the global grand challenges, the world’s top innovators will share the latest insights. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="600" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Vivienne-Ming.png" alt="" class="wp-image-382295" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Vivienne-Ming.png 600w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Vivienne-Ming-300x300.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Vivienne-Ming-150x150.png 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><figcaption>Vivian Ming, American neuroscientist</figcaption></figure>



American neuroscientist Vivienne Ming and founder of Socos Labs will address how artificial intelligence can make us better humans. Australian AI expert Kellie Nuttall will speak about artificial intelligence and the future of work while South African technology pioneer Andile Ngcaba will share how artificial intelligence can effectively be used by governments. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="600" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Andile-Ngcaba-.png" alt="" class="wp-image-382296" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Andile-Ngcaba-.png 600w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Andile-Ngcaba--300x300.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Andile-Ngcaba--150x150.png 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><figcaption>Andile Ngcaba, South African technology pioneer</figcaption></figure>



LinkedIn’s Top Voice in Tech Cathy Hackl will explain the impact of emerging technologies on business. World renowned leadership, disruption, and innovation expert David Roberts will discuss how to be a strategic, empathetic leader in the new world.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="600" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/David-Roberts.png" alt="" class="wp-image-382297" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/David-Roberts.png 600w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/David-Roberts-300x300.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/David-Roberts-150x150.png 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><figcaption>David Roberts, leadership, disruption, and innovation expert</figcaption></figure>



This year’s summit boasts several female headline speakers. Physician and futurist Dr Divya Chander will address human brain interfaces. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Divya-Chander.png" alt="" class="wp-image-382298" width="600" height="600" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Divya-Chander.png 600w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Divya-Chander-300x300.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Divya-Chander-150x150.png 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><figcaption> Dr Divya Chander, Physician and futurist</figcaption></figure>



Journalist and educator Esther Wojcicki will talk to after-school learning. South African healthcare entrepreneur Kim Hulett who enthralled audiences at the 2019 summit with her talk on designer babies will return this year to tackle the future of healthcare, while American Tiffany Vora will present an international perspective on this topic. Leading Johannesburg blogger Angie Dauberman will discuss abundance in food. New perspectives on cybersecurity in a digitised world will be addressed by Dutch cybersecurity specialist Jaya Baloo. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="600" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Jaya-Baloo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-382299" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Jaya-Baloo.png 600w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Jaya-Baloo-300x300.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Jaya-Baloo-150x150.png 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><figcaption>Jaya Baloo, Dutch cybersecurity specialist</figcaption></figure>



At the forefront of innovation in governance, Danish Carin Ism will speak on the future of governance in a post-Covid world.



Designer to inspire and empower businesses and entrepreneurs to think bigger and have a positive impact on the world, leading entrepreneurs will take to the stage to share their expertise in an actionable way. MTN executive David Gilarranz will address frictionless payments. 



American entrepreneur David Hite will speak about investing in a new world, while Catherine Wood will share her billion dollar expertise on investing in disruptive innovation. A session on wealth management and transparency will be presented wealth management tycoon Paul Pagnato. The World Bank’s lead economist Waolfgang Fengler and Fred Swaniker, founder of the African Leadership Group will share their unique perspectives on education and business.



The first five interactive workshops have also been announced:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Moonshot Thinking: by Lisa Andrews and Christina Gerakiteys</li><li>Smarten up your home with IOT (internet of things) &#8211; by Phathizwe Malinga</li><li>The Stress code – by author Richard Sutton</li><li>Business Rescue – by Maurice Crespi</li><li>Getting off the grid or whichever plain you’re on &#8211; by Adriana Marais</li></ul>



“We are thrilled to have assembled a stellar line up of trailblazers from around the world to headline the fourth annual SingularityU South Africa Summit, showcasing the ground-breaking technologies and innovations that are available to take the continent forward” said Mic Mann, Co-CEO of SingularityU South Africa. “This year’s summit will make a meaningful contribution to developing human capital in Africa, and work to enhance the quality of life through education, networking and an exponential mindset” added Shayne Mann, Co-CEO of SingularityU South Africa.



Now in its fourth year, the 2020 event will take place in a custom built online environment. The presentation format has been revised for the 2020 summit, with shorter talks making way for deeper engagement online with less screen fatigue and a greater variety of topics to be covered. The summit will also feature an online expo area, where delegates can engage with the latest products and developments from exhibitors and make business happen.



The SingularityU South Africa Summit 2020 will be hosted in collaboration with The Development Bank of Southern Africa, global partner Deloitte, and strategic partner MTN. To join the SingularityU community of changemakers, or to book, visit https://singularityusouthafricasummit.org/.



Ticket prices:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Early Bird: R5 000 incl vat. Book before 11th September 2020 and save R 5 000 off your ticket.</li><li>Early Adopter: R6 250 incl vat. Book before 24th September 2020 and save R 3 750 off your ticket</li><li>Standard Ticket:- R8 000 incl vat. Book before 2nd October 2020 and save R2 000 off your ticket price</li><li>Late Mover Ticket &#8211; R10 000 incl vat. 13th October 2020 Registration closes 16 October 2020</li></ul>



All prices include VAT.

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The star-studded multi-national line-up for SingularityU SA Online Summit 2020

What larger companies need to know about foreign exchange (FX), both during and after COVID-19



The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged communities and economies into a crisis of uncertainty. Tomorrow keeps changing and the future – of business especially – is more unpredictable than ever.



“This uncertainty is reflected in a lot of risk-on and risk-off sentiment,” says Chris Paizis, Head of Corporate FX and International Banking at&nbsp;Absa&nbsp;Group. “Today the world might be having a good day, with scope for a vaccine to come out sooner than expected, so all of a sudden investors are happy to take on riskier assets, and as a result the rand strengthens. But tomorrow might bring a completely different sentiment…”



Clearly, at times like these, currencies flip-flop and exchange rates can – and do – fluctuate more than usual. This volatility can have a significant impact on corporate income statements, as Paizis explains below. Here’s how larger businesses should approach FX in pursuit of a smoother ride.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. KNOW WHERE FX FITS IN</h2>



“Under normal conditions I think that FX is one of the most important components in a corporate treasurer’s life,” says Paizis. “If that’s true, then right now FX must be by far the most significant component!” For corporates, FX is – and remains – an income statement item, he adds. “If, for example, you can’t deliver your goods because of lockdown restrictions, and you have to roll your foreign exchange hedge, that might have big repercussions on your cash flows and on your ability to borrow.”



Take action: “You’re trying to lock the cost of your imports or revenue – if you’re receiving foreign currency – and mitigate the volatility that it can potentially create on your income statement,” says Paizis. Get more info and tailored risk-management support <a href="https://www.absa.co.za/corporate-and-investment-banking/products-and-services/manage-risk/" rel="sponsored nofollow">here</a>







<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. UNDERSTAND THE VOLATILITY</h2>



“Combined, market volatility and uncertainty are the biggest risk that corporates face during this crisis,” says Paizis. “In the early months of lockdown we saw the rand going to all-time weaknesses (about R19 to the dollar), before quite quickly returning to the lower R17s and R16s. The intraday volatility, often as a reaction to news events, is very choppy. Managing that risk and unpredictability is a very difficult task for corporate treasurers, and for corporates in general. Survival has to do with how you manage your exposures to survive the crisis.”



Take action: With the risk environment changing daily, corporates need an FX platform that enables quick and decisive responses, all online. Check out the new <a href="https://absaaccess.co.za/">Absa Access</a> platform, which provides research, analysis and expert advice – plus FX and payment capabilities – all in one place. To request an invitation to the platform, phone +27&nbsp;11&nbsp;895&nbsp;7318 or email <a href="mailto:AbsaAccessSupport@absa.africa">AbsaAccessSupport@absa.africa</a>.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. UNDERSTAND THAT FX IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST FX</h2>



FX clearly has an impact on currency exchange and cross-border transactions, but, as Paizis points out, it has deeper implications too. “FX also has an impact on liquidity, on income statements, on a corporate’s ability to borrow,” he explains. “At Absa we’ve stayed very close to our clients, understanding their exposure and providing our ongoing view of how the markets are unfolding. We’ve found this has been very valuable, because standard forecasts clearly don’t count when you’ve got so much volatility on a week-by-week – and day-by-day! – basis.”



Take action: Find the latest, updated forecasts, analysis and reports on the Absa Access research portal and <a href="https://www.absa.co.za/corporate-and-investment-banking/research/" rel="sponsored nofollow">here</a>.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. GET YOUR HEDGING RIGHT</h2>



Paizis believes that every corporate should have a clear and specific hedging policy. “That policy must offer certainty, flexibility and clarity to your management and banking partners,” he says. But he does add a word of warning: “At times like these, there might be the temptation to over-hedge. Say I’m an exporter and the dollar is at R19. It’s very tempting to then put hedges in place for exposures that I might not yet have, and that creates danger on my income statement and credit lines. It’s tempting to be greedy when you see big moves in the exchange rate, but you have to remember that as a corporate your role is not to speculate, it’s to manage your income statement exposures.”



Take action: Stick to a known and workable hedging policy, which makes it easier for banking partners to understand your company’s exposures and support you through the crisis. For advice on how to formulate your hedging policy, contact Absa’s Corporate and Investment Banking team on <a href="tel:0860500703">0860 500 703</a> or email <a href="mailto:Rsc.corpprc@absa.co.za">Rsc.corpprc@absa.co.za</a>.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. KEEP IT SIMPLE AND RATIONAL</h2>



We keep hearing it, even from the world’s top economic experts: this is unprecedented; nobody has seen anything like it before. In light of this, Absa’s Corporate FX and International Banking team is very excited about the all-in-one <a href="https://absaaccess.co.za/">Absa Access platform</a>, which has been purpose-built for South African and Africa-based clients &lt;hyperlink to LinkedIn article&gt; and their unique requirements.



“We had a long journey with our previous online trading system, BARX Africa,” says Paizis. “But Absa Access is much nimbler and allows you to do things you couldn’t do on BARX. For example, it’s a single sign-on system; we know it’s a real pain point for corporates to have to log into three different systems to do a payment, check an account and then do a forex trade.”



Take action: In addition to choosing simple solutions, like Absa Access, now is the time to stay rational. “Every day has a different sentiment,” says Paizis, “but acting on each one is irrational. You need to look through the cycle and know that you can still have a functioning economy during these times of uncertainty.”

ABSA CIB Covid-19 FX

The COVID Currency Survival Guide for Corporates

by: Patricia Holburn



Absa, recent winners at Global Finance’s 2020 World’s Best Corporate/Institutional Digital Banks Awards in Africa, is transforming trade on the continent.



The group is broadening access to trade finance by digitising its trade finance offering, ensuring increased trade opportunities that boost economic growth in Africa.



“Trade is critical to Africa’s growth,” says Michelle Knowles, pan-African head of trade finance product at Absa Corporate and Investment Bank. It has been hindered by a lack of access to trade finance, despite growing demand for products that give importers and exporters multiple ways of financing trade transactions and a range of proven risk mitigation options.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Trade finance gap set to widen</h2>



“There is demand for trade finance across the region,” Knowles says. But supply is not keeping up, pointing out that the estimated trade finance gap on the continent is $110bn to $120bn.



“Only a quarter of Africa’s trade finance needs are being met.”



She says the trade finance gap is likely to widen in the next 18 months, leaving businesses facing an uphill battle to access the resources and support they need to fulfil their trade needs.



“Trade finance is an integral part of <a href="https://www.absa.co.za/corporate-and-investment-banking/products-and-services/transactional-banking/?cmpid=SEM_92968">Absa’s business</a>. We are accelerating our efforts to meet the demand for trade finance and be a key provider of trade finance on the continent to enable the <a href="https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/world/africa/2020-05-07-new-free-trade-pact-could-help-africa-recover-from-virus/">free trade agreement</a>,” Knowles says. This includes digitising trade finance products.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">African experience and digitisation</h2>



With its experience on the African continent and ongoing digitisation journey, Absa is well placed to make good on its commitment to grow trade.



“Our experience in Africa and understanding of trade finance means we can deliver an accessible trade finance product,” Knowles says.



The group launched its online trade finance portal, Trade Management Online, in 2019, and is busy with other automation initiatives focused on their operations and services to further reduce costs, improve efficiency and provide a consistent client experience across all regions.



The portal recently won <a href="https://d2tyltutevw8th.cloudfront.net/media/document/press-release-worlds-best-digital-banks-2020--1597243977.pdf">Global Finance’s Best Online Portal in the </a><a href="https://d2tyltutevw8th.cloudfront.net/media/document/press-release-worlds-best-digital-banks-2020--1597243977.pdf">World’s Best Corporate/Institutional Digital Banks in Africa 2020 round one award</a>. The bank also won the regional award forBest Trade Finance Services.



Trade Management Online offers the bank’s corporate and business banking clients a comprehensive range of functionalities. Clients can initiate, receive and manage the full lifecycle of trade finance products and services through the channel, including:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>letters of credits,</li><li>bank guarantees,</li><li>import and export trade loans, and</li><li>collections.</li></ul>



Clients can also communicate via online messaging with technical experts in the bank through the platform.



Trade Management Online is available to Absa clients in the group’s African markets, including&nbsp; Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Mauritius, Uganda, Ghana, Seychelles and South Africa.



&nbsp;The portal is accessed through Absa’s best-in-breed digital platform, Absa Access.



“Our clients can now have a single view of all their trade and cash products – a unique proposition in the markets we operate,” says Randy Mavunda, head of digital trade finance operations at Absa.



Mavunda says the system is also multi-tenancy, which means clients have a single view of all their transactions in all the markets they trade in. As with any good digital offering, there is reduced paperwork and a shorter turnaround time. Absa has been on a journey to digitise and make their products easy for clients to access and use.



“We invested in a multi-year programme and developed a common framework to make sure we have a workflow system in place so our online channel can deliver a consistent and reliable client experience across the value chain,” Mavunda says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">More efficiency ahead</h2>



The team is now taking the next steps on their digital journey that will see Absa leveraging data and intelligence, including automating key processes. Mavunda says an example of this is automating the checking processes regulation requires.



“We are working on initiatives to leverage the data for decision support using artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning techniques. This enables us to be better at managing and monitoring fraud without relying heavily on manual controls,” he says.



“Using our AI models we can monitor for anomalies proactively and escalate these to management for a decision, making our trade platform safe for our clients and the bank.”



He says the bank is also focusing on building models to offer better decision support and improve on the overall turnaround times for processing trade products. “This will allow us to get ahead of the curve, and be more adaptive to changes while keeping the costs to serve low.”



Knowles sums up the bank’s trade finance products and platform in three words: efficiency, convenience and protection.



“We recognise the shift towards digital trade finance. Our award-winning portal and products meet our clients’ and the continent’s trade finance needs.”







<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



This article was paid for by Absa Corporate and Investment Banking.

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Absa commits to growing African trade with award-winning online platform

While the alcohol sector invariably draws strong feelings from across the philosophical divide during Covid-19, what is indisputable is that there are a number of integrated moving parts that have to work together to put a beer in front of a consumer. When the taps were recently switched off in &nbsp;the local pubs, it reverberated through the entire value chain of beer manufacturing.&nbsp; The pandemic had the same adverse effect on the resources and energy sector, but &nbsp;the good news is that this is proving to be one of the under-stated recovery stories in 2020 which proves that there are reasons to be optimistic, if you look for them.



It suddenly feels like we are back in the roaring 80s when gold was all the rage and if one takes a look at the current Gold price of USD2057/ounce, proving once again that Gold is a safe haven, amidst the dollar depreciation. &nbsp;In Rand terms if one takes into consideration the exchange rate volatility, the picture for gold is impressive:



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/gold.png" alt="A screenshot of a cell phone

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Copper, which is often considered as a good indicator of the health of the industrial or “real” economy is actually trading higher than it was a year ago for example:



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="637" height="421" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/copper.png" alt="A close up of a map

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Those who follow the oil price will know that it has more than doubled after its unprecedented sell-off in March 2020. The sentiment on fuel demand globally because of the Covid-19 pandemic will have a determining impact on fuel prices. US crude inventory levels and a weakening dollar will also play their part in settling the oil price. A combination of slowly improving oil prices, recent discoveries and the push towards using gas as an environmentally friendly energy source, is contributing to the renewed investor interest in the oil and gas sector on the continent. Africa is one of the leading regions in terms of oil and gas discoveries including the huge gas finds in Mozambique, Mauritania and Senegal will contribute significantly to meeting the growing demand for gas in the global energy mix.



While the sector has experienced an increase in negative investor sentiment over the past years because of rising production costs, infrastructural challenges, electricity supply, increasing environmental, social and governance standards and political and economic instability in certain regions, big name resource shares like Anglo American, BHP Billiton and Kumba have all recently hit new 12-month highs as interest in the resource sector picks up. All the factors mentioned above are placing business leaders under unyielding pressure to deliver superior returns to stakeholders.



Whilst every commodity has unique characteristics that have impacted their price movements, these new 12-month highs are potentially great news for the African continent which holds over 30% of the world’s remaining mineral reserves and increasing finds of reserves of oil and gas.



The key to unlocking investments into Africa is for industry stakeholders to continue to collaborate responsibly to promote economic growth. The key role of a bank is evolving and now includes also making sure that where we provide funding, the economy and communities benefit. The trick now is building sustainability through the value chain, and it’s important that “sustainability” is not dismissed as a “nice-to-have” but rather to see it as a critical part of the funding journey. Already we are seeing shareholder activists are pushing back against projects that don’t take into account environmental and sustainability related issues.



Issues such as climate change are no longer “soft” elements that can be tucked away in a sustainability report somewhere. Shareholders and other stakeholders are demanding that the banking sector adopts a responsible approach to funding of new projects and this is driving a change in behaviour for all sector participants. &nbsp;



The question will remain whether the industry is doing enough with regards to carbon emissions to meet the goals of the Paris agreement on climate change and the scopes listed.



The Paris Agreement’s central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the agreement aims to increase the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change, and at making finance flows consistent with a low GHG emissions and climate-resilient pathway. To reach these ambitious goals, appropriate mobilisation and provision of financial resources, a new technology framework and enhanced capacity-building is to be put in place, thus supporting action by developing countries and the most vulnerable countries, in line with their own national objectives.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Scope 1 covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.</li><li>Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.</li><li>Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain.</li></ul>



The EU formally adopted into law a series of measures that included&nbsp;a binding target for 32% of electricity production to come from renewables by 2030. Achieving this would require at least a 50% reduction in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, whilst global GDP could triple and population could grow by more than 2 billion. Performance so far has been mixed, with global emissions increasing c.1% per year since 2015. We expect climate change to fundamentally reshape the Resources industry.



For many companies, the majority of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and cost reduction opportunities lie outside their own operations, as these include purchased goods and services, business travel, employee commuting, waste disposal, use of sold products, transportation and distribution (up- and downstream), investments, as well as leased assets and franchises. While most of the industry has pledged to reduce operational ‘Scope 1 and 2’ greenhouse gas emissions, it is more difficult tackling those produced by their customers because of the complexities involved.



Green technology will be important to reduce carbon emissions in operations and reduce environmental impacts. The use of minerals and metals that support a transition to low-carbon technologies such as solar panels or wind power will be in demand. Use of water for mineral processing will have to be recycled.



Front-of-mind for all investors is a stable political and regulatory environment and one of the positives we noted at the Mining Indaba earlier this year is that the continent is making positive strides in this regard. The development of an indigenous resources service sector can be challenging due to the capital intensity of the sectors. To address some of these challenges, there is need for international companies to partner with local companies to raise the required capital and in-country capacity building and training. The fiscal framework must also be fair and transparent.



Power supply issues are topical in all countries in Africa and it is encouraging to note that there are a significant number of sizeable diverse renewable power projects being rolled out across the continent. While there has been a major focus on the fields of renewable and more-green energy solutions like gas-to-power, coal will continue to play an important role in our African energy mix in the near-term.



One of the big unknowns for 2020 is the disruptive impact that COVID-19 will play on the relationship between labour and the resource and energy sector. At the Mining Indaba, we noted that the relationship between the mining houses and their labour forces had – specifically in South Africa &#8211; improved and negotiations had been far less confrontational than in previous years. With organisations facing significant cost pressures, will tensions rise here?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Building on the question of labour, impact on surrounding communities is another key theme that corporates need to pay more than lip-service to. Greenfields mining projects have the ability to be a major catalyst for surrounding communities in terms of job creation and supporting small businesses &#8211; mining operations across the continent are becoming more and more sensitive to the role they play in ensuring the sustainability and their responsibilities here. As a funding partner, our deal teams will often conduct site audits and visits prior to approval of funding.&nbsp;



The commitment of 130 banks from 49 countries to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking which were adopted in September 2019 marks an important milestone for the banking industry and so for the natural resources and energy industry as well.&nbsp;



The Principles for Responsible Banking are:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Alignment (business strategy to society’s goals)</li><li>Impact and target setting (increase positive impacts and managing risks to people &nbsp;&nbsp;and environment because of our activities)</li><li>Clients and customers (activities to create shared prosperity for the future)</li><li>Stakeholders (engaging to achieve society goals)</li><li>Governance and culture (effective governance)</li><li>Transparency and accountability (reviews and reporting on sustainability)</li></ul>



Ultimately, all participants in the resources sector will need to recognise that the sector can no longer be open to exploitation. As a funding partner, we are committed to working with organisations who share our values and are prepared to invest responsibly throughout the value chain. As Absa we see ourselves as a natural partner to clients active across the natural resources and energy value chain in Africa.

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Responsible banking in a post-COVID commodity market – Investing responsibly throughout the commodity value chain

The Coronavirus pandemic has influenced us in a more global way than the Cold War, affecting the environment, industry, finance, healthcare, leisure and almost every other human endeavour.



Some of the areas of influence are clear and obvious. For example, the acceleration of digital transformation, which changes how organisations operate and provide value to their customers. There is also an increased demand for cloud computing, which provides most of the foundations, tools and infrastructure to fuel the digital transformation. Some world leaders in the cyber security space, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/covid-19-pandemic-teaches-us-about-cybersecurity-cyberattack-cyber-pandemic-risk-virus/">World Economic Forum</a>, predict that this rapid and unplanned move will result in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.checkpoint.com/cybersecurity-protect-from-cyber-pandemic/">cyber-pandemic</a>&nbsp;down the road – more on that later.



This acceleration in digital transformation and demand for cloud computing is occurring because there is no choice. Necessity is the mother of innovation, as businesses could not function normally and were forced to adapt their processes in order to survive. Some examples of this include:



<ol class="wp-block-list" type="1"><li>Working from home: The Times of India calls this “<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-the-cloud-computing-industry/articleshow/75697290.cms">productivity away from the desk</a>”, where employees spend months working remotely and companies made an unexpected shift to digital collaborative systems like Zoom in order to maintain productivity. Additionally, schools and universities implemented video conferencing systems to allow distance learning. Conversely, it is possible that companies are enjoying some of the benefits of remote work and will allow or even encourage more widespread and long-term remote work after the pandemic has ended.</li><li>E-commerce boom: During the lockdown, online shopping spiked, especially for food and other essential supplies. Online retailers generally use cloud-based solutions that are scalable; business can continue as normal during the demand spikes.</li><li>Healthcare: The primary concern during the Coronavirus has been medical. Remote access to doctors and medical assistance was often the difference between life and death, and we can expect this remote access trend to continue after the pandemic is behind us, albeit with less urgency. Cloud benefits like scalability and redundancy are vital to support this effectively.</li></ol>



In all these examples, business continuity during the pandemic has been dependent on cloud computing. As Paul Tacey-Green, cloud director at Amito,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.raconteur.net/technology/cloud-computing-models-covid">explains in Raconteur.net</a>: “The crisis has been a lesson in staying ahead of the curve when it comes to cloud deployment. Having the option to ramp up capacity has been the difference in being able to run your business or not.”



While IT spending in 2020 will slow significantly due to the coronavirus pandemic, software will be least impacted according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.idc.com/misc/covid19">an IDC report</a>. It is even possible that public cloud computing will benefit significantly from the long-term impact of the pandemic due to some of the trends mentioned above.



While cloud usage is accelerating, so is the demand for cloud security. Why is this the case?



The first explanation that comes to mind is the simple law of demand and supply. The growth in cloud computing means that more companies are putting more data and applications online, which&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.checkpoint.com/2020/03/30/covid-19-impact-cyber-criminals-target-zoom-domains/">attracts threat actors and cybercriminals</a>&nbsp;eager to benefit from the potential to make easy money through various cloud cybersecurity schemes.



Secondly, remote work, increased home entertainment, remote healthcare and a larger “online footprint”&nbsp; &nbsp;cause different patterns of network access and increases the potential attack surface. Is your home network safe? (In general the answer is “no” and even if “yes”, it is probably less safe than your office network.) Are you able to access business-critical applications and data from a potentially unsecured home network connection?



Finally, the rapid and unplanned quarantine and remote workforce has often resulted in security shortcuts. When faced with the dilemma of “quick and dirty” or “slow and steady”, some companies chose the quick route, intending to retrofit stronger security measures after employees started to work remotely.



Back to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.checkpoint.com/cybersecurity-protect-from-cyber-pandemic/">cyber-pandemic</a>&nbsp;discussion. One of the key stages that takes place in every attack is reconnaissance – the stage that involves looking for a weak point in security to plan an attack. Why a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.checkpoint.com/cybersecurity-protect-from-cyber-pandemic/">cyber-pandemic</a>&nbsp;is so plausible is because an unplanned or “quick and dirty” move – enabling business continuity without an integrated security strategy – would surely be a top of mind thought for any hacker at the moment. More so, these unplanned migrations create more chances of security holes and become an easy target for a hacker. And with such number of organizations making this move, the idea behind a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.checkpoint.com/cybersecurity-protect-from-cyber-pandemic/">cyber-pandemic</a>&nbsp;becomes even more real.



So how can you speed up while staying safe? Here are a few suggestions:



It is far better to plan properly,&nbsp;consult with a trusted cloud security advisor&nbsp;in order to benefit from industry best practices and&nbsp;<a href="https://pages.checkpoint.com/cloud-security-blueprint.html">architect cloud security into the design</a>.



Secondly,&nbsp;prevention is the only option for cloud security. Cloud security detection exposes organizations to risky and expensive cloud security threats which cause real danger well before the threat can be managed.



Cloud security is much more complex than traditional on-premises security because instead of one perimeter (the network link connecting your company to the internet), you now have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvVI3azDmOQ">multiple perimeters</a>, including each cloud computing service, each employee and access role accessing those services, each new data storage and each different workload or application operating in the cloud. You need to ensure that you secure your everything.



While each cloud provider has its own security services, there are thousands of 3rd-party vendors providing cloud security solutions to complement and enhance those of the cloud vendors. Each additional such “point solution” in your organization has staffing, training, deployment, integration and maintenance requirements. More point solutions cause an exponential increase in complexity. Therefore, it is strongly recommend&nbsp;to evaluate cloud security solutions that cover the broadest range of capabilities instead of multiple solutions with narrower functionalities.



While you may not have access to a crystal ball, visibility is particularly important in cloud security, because you can’t secure what you can’t see. And cloud computing can often cause multiple visibility problems.&nbsp;Broad and well-integrated cloud security solutions help you to eliminate cloud blind spots.



Organizations need to ensure that they are prepared for all possible scenarios. One of the lessons of the Coronavirus pandemic is to expect the unexpected.&nbsp;Perform regular risk management exercises&nbsp;for every possible and impossible cloud security solution.



Trust no one.&nbsp;Adopt&nbsp;<a href="https://www.checkpoint.com/solutions/zero-trust-security/">zero trust security</a>&nbsp;in everything that you do, for networks, people, devices, data and workloads.



In a post-pandemic world with accelerated cloud computing, a remote workforce, dynamic network access and more attack vectors for cloud threat actors, you need to ensure your business is secure in the cloud, and be ready for the potential of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.checkpoint.com/cybersecurity-protect-from-cyber-pandemic/">cyber-pandemic</a>.



Cloud security increases cloud confidence. Cloud confidence allows your organization to adapt to the changing world and provide business value. The Pandemic will disappear. Cybersecurity clean up, following the aftermath will stay, unless you act now. Make&nbsp;<a href="https://www.checkpoint.com/solutions/cloud-security/">cloud security</a>&nbsp;your key business enabler.

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A Cyber Pandemic May Be Next: How secure are you in the cloud?

Through the operations of the Gautrain rapid rail link, the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) has demonstrated that the face of public transport can be radically transformed. The Gautrain is a modern and efficient public transport system which has presented many benefits to Gauteng, such as contributing to the alleviation of traffic congestion, integrating public transport, influencing transport choices and rejuvenating inner cities in Johannesburg and Tshwane. Gautrain has also created jobs, enhanced the economy and helped to re-establish the rail sector in Gauteng.



These benefits illustrate the need for rail as being the backbone of public transport in the Province and have necessitated a strong demand for the extention of the Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN) project to connect the people of Gauteng and create a sustainable transport service for the Province.



As part of the GRRIN extensions planning the Gautrain Management Agency has completed the feasibility study on the extension. This study has been submitted to Provincial and National Treasuries and to major stakeholders that were consulted during the feasibility process of the proposed GRINN implementation scenarios.&nbsp; The feasibility study identified various links and stations. Timelines are dependent on factors like economic growth, population growth and transport demand.&nbsp; The proposed GRINN extensions will span over various areas and will be developed in multi phases over an extended period.&nbsp;



The GRRIN extensions feasibility study identified a total of 149km of rail and 19 stations for the final route.&nbsp; Herewith the proposed links and stations below:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>A link between Marlboro and Soweto with an additional station at Sandton, as well as new stations at Randburg, Cosmo City, Little Falls, Roodepoort and Jabulani;</li><li>A link between Jabulani and Mamelodi through Cosmo City, with new stations at Fourways, Sunninghill, Olievenhoutsbosch, Irene, Tshwane East, Hazeldean, and Mamelodi;</li><li>A link between Rhodesfield and Boksburg with new stations at East Rand Mall and Boksburg; and</li><li>A link between Cosmo City and Lanseria Airport with new stations at Cradle and Lanseria.</li></ul>



As part of the project preparatory work all of the proposed routes will be subjected to the Route Determination process as prescribed by the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Amendment Act, 2003. This process includes public participation at the appropriate time. In this regard, detailed information will be made available through the GMA website, the media, and Government Gazettes.



The feasibility study also provided various benefits such as significant economic benefits through job creation and investment.&nbsp; It is estimated that Phase 1(Marlboro to Little Falls through Sandton, Randburg, Cosmo City) of the GRINN extension will &nbsp;&nbsp;create close to 29,000 jobs during construction and an additional 7,729 long-term jobs during start of its operations. The GRINN Phase 1’s project is also expected to invest approximately R388 million skills development during the construction phase and a further R29 million during operations of the phase. &nbsp;Phase 1 economic benefits arising from the construction and operation of GRRIN is estimated at total present value of R33 billion.



Currently the GRINN extension’s Phase 1 has been submitted to National Treasury for Treasury Approval 1 (TA1) that will enable the commencement of procurement. This phase was also submitted to the Presidency&#8217;s Investment and Infrastructure Office for consideration.



Other major benefits of GRINN is the provision of; an upgraded-integrated transport network, and integrated city region resulting from the linking of the existing road-based public transport and rail systems and provision of access and connection to opportunities for people by connecting several townships to the centre of Gauteng and wider regions.



Compared to road transport, rail provides lower carbon transport solutions therefore the GRINN project will promote a greener Gauteng by providing environmental benefits and a good quality public transport which will reduce road-based transport thus reducing traffic congestion and carbon footprint.



Demand modelling was also done to determine transport needs for Gauteng in 2025 and 2037. Through the modelling process, it became clear that the ‘cost of doing nothing’ in Gauteng will lead to major road congestion in 2037, at which stage cars will travel at an average of 15 kilometres an hour due to doubling of car growth.



The GRRIN extension project will give access to private sector funds locally and internationally as well as opportunities for innovation and world-best-practice during design, construction, operations and maintenance.



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Twitter &#8211; @TheGautrain



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Call Centre – 0800 42887246



SMS alert line – 32693

Gautrain Train Airport Station

Expansion Of Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network To Connect More People And Places

Africa is undergoing rapid digital transformation. According to the World Bank, the continent is home to four of the world’s top five fastest growing economies, and as mobile and digital technologies expand, an increasing number of people are now connecting with the tools and networks they need to help them reach their potential, to achieve financial security and advance inclusive growth.



Since embarking on a deliberate journey of financial inclusion in Africa, Mastercard’s efforts have encouraged significant development in various spheres of national economies. As a payment technology company with operations across several countries in Africa, Mastercard’s mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere, by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, Mastercard’s innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments, and businesses realize and harness their greatest potential.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Boosting economic empowerment in Africa</h2>



Financial inclusion is an integral pillar of Mastercard’s business strategy and part of its vision to create a world beyond cash. Currently, the company is in talks with governments across Africa to expand their digital agenda and look at ways their tools and services can support them.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-716x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-381056" width="591" height="845" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-716x1024.jpg 716w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-210x300.jpg 210w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-768x1098.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-1074x1536.jpg 1074w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-1432x2048.jpg 1432w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-696x995.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-1068x1527.jpg 1068w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-1920x2746.jpg 1920w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-600x858.jpg 600w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FADL8425-1-scaled.jpg 1790w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 591px) 100vw, 591px" /><figcaption>Raghav Prasad: Divisional President, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mastercard.</figcaption></figure>



In essence, digitization has the unique power to drive socioeconomic growth. Statistics show that each one percent increase in usage of electronic payments produces, on average, an annual increase of $104 billion in GDP. Governments and other public and private institutions can therefore look to leverage technology by bringing entire ecosystems online – from mass transit to schools, and from global trade to local supply chains. This will ultimately improve effectiveness, whilst also saving time and costs.



In fact, Mastercard recently joined forces with Direct Pay Online (DPO), to encourage digitization and help businesses across Africa move online. Powered by Mastercard Payment Gateway Services technology, the platform enables merchants in Africa to swiftly move their businesses online and continue to trade with their customers. Currently, 55 businesses providing essential products and services such as supermarkets, restaurants, groceries, pharmaceuticals and fresh produce have already signed up to the DPO Store in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia, showing that consumers are increasingly turning to e-commerce for their day to day transactions.



Another part of Mastercard’s strategy is to help societies transition from financial inclusion to financial security, thereby not just enabling access to the digital economy, but also providing tools and services to achieve financial security. This includes providing tailored digitization support to the microfinance sector, thus making it possible for micro-merchants to gain access to credit to grow their businesses and create jobs.



An increase in electronic payments has been found to boost national economic growth by reducing friction and increasing the pool of customers. To support this expansion, Mastercard has also partnered with mobile operators across Africa such as MTN Uganda and Vodacom Tanzania to provide Virtual Card Solutions (VCN) that enable safer online purchases locally and internationally, enabling the company to bring their innovations to an entirely new segment of consumers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Creating shared prosperity through digitization</h2>



Five years ago, Mastercard made a long-term commitment to drive safe and scalable financial inclusion in Africa, with the aim of bringing 500 million financially excluded individuals into the digital economy. Now that the goal has been achieved, the company is extending this to a total of one billion individuals by 2025. And it doesn’t end there – the commitment further extends by aiming to help 50 million micro and small merchants (MSMs) and 25 million women entrepreneurs connect to the digital economy.



By using advanced technologies and infrastructure, Mastercard has the ability to scale solutions that support people’s journey from poverty to prosperity. However, this cannot be achieved alone – which is why a complex ecosystem of different players and partnerships with both the private and public sectors is vital to making a sustainable impact across Africa.



Last year, Mastercard announced the signing of public-private partnerships with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) and Rabobank to extend the reach of the Mastercard Farmers Network (MFN) to millions of&nbsp; smallholder farmers in Africa.&nbsp; Under this partnership, key partners, will provide support to further roll out the MFN platform across Uganda making transacting much safer and simpler for many more stakeholders in the agricultural value chain – the farmer, the buyer and the agent.&nbsp;



MFN is an award-winning, innovative solution that helps to connect small-scale farmers with potential buyers, integrates their businesses with payment systems, and enables them to build a digital transaction record that can be used to access formal credit from banks and other financial institutions.&nbsp; Without this technology, many smallholder farmers struggle to access the market for their goods and financial tools that would enable them to grow their businesses and improve their livelihoods.



By fostering fruitful, long-lasting partnerships, not only is Mastercard’s business expanding across Africa, but most importantly, many of the continent’s greatest challenges are also being addressed. This approach is based on the company’s fundamental standpoint of ‘doing well by doing good,’ by creating a sustainable system where everyone can reap the benefits of a financially inclusive society, including citizens, customers, governments and businesses. Any business that hopes to thrive in future has to be built on trust and integrity, and even more so when that business has a direct impact on people’s money and affects the way they live and work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Empowering MSMEs, growing future skills</h2>



In Africa, MSMEs and the informal trading sector are the primary growth engines for the economy, creating approximately 80 percent of total employment. To support small business growth, Mastercard is actively promoting digital platforms and tools which supports their transition to the digital economy.



One of the platforms supporting MSMEs is Mastercard’s partnership with Unilever and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) to offer new lending models for micro-merchants in Kenya. The program offers a safe digital platform for enabling KCB to provide an interest-free credit line based on the micro-merchant’s purchasing history. The credit line is provided through a secure Mastercard digital payment solution, which is accessible via mobile phones and other handheld devices. This solution allows micro-merchants to buy more products, giving them access to formal credit services and therefore increasing customer traffic.



Other platforms that support this include mobile-enabled digital wallets and Masterpass, a digital payment service that allows users to load their credit and debit cards into an app and make payments using a QR code. The service is interoperable, and because a QR code is a simple, low cost tool, it puts digital payments acceptance into the hands of MSMEs.



With work founded in building pathways to financial security, Mastercard’s mission is to increase acceptance opportunities for all, as well as providing MSMEs with other value-added tools and solutions to help businesses grow, thrive and succeed.



However, more still needs to be done if Africa is to realize the full socioeconomic benefits that financial inclusion can deliver, including greater income and social equality, an expanded middle class, and better financial inclusion for all.

In this photo illustration the Mastercard logo is displayed

Mastercard Underpins its Commitment to Driving Economic Empowerment for All in Africa

MTN is adding its voice to the global drive to raise awareness about the importance of wearing masks with today’s launch of the #WearItForMe campaign across its 21 African and Middle Eastern markets.&nbsp;



To help drive this much-needed change in behaviour, MTN is committing its September 2020 marketing resources to encouraging everyone to do more to save lives. 



As our Africa and Middle East markets continue to navigate the “new normal” brought about by COVID-19, wearing masks remains one of the most effective preventative measures to slow the spread of the virus and accelerate recovery. However, many people refuse to wear them, wear them incorrectly, or still feel it is not important.



“COVID-19 has had profound health and socioeconomic impacts across the markets in which we operate. We empathise and mourn the loss of lives lost to the pandemic. With statistics revealing that infection rates are expected to reach a peak between now and September 2020 across our markets, now is not the time to be complacent,” says MTN’s incoming group president and CEO Ralph Mupita.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="580" height="1024" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-580x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-380425" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-580x1024.jpg 580w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-170x300.jpg 170w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-768x1356.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-870x1536.jpg 870w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-1160x2048.jpg 1160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-696x1229.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-1068x1886.jpg 1068w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-1920x3390.jpg 1920w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-600x1059.jpg 600w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MTN_Ralph-Mupita-1-scaled.jpg 1450w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px" /><figcaption>Ralph MupitaMTN ExecutiveJohannesburgSouth Africa17 February 2020Photograph: John Hogg</figcaption></figure>



“With the increasing evidence indicating that masks can prevent the spread of COVID-19, and eventually eliminate the disease if worn by 80-90% of the population, we need to do whatever we can to make a meaningful difference and flatten the curve. Wearing a mask is not only about protecting oneself, but about respecting and protecting others within our communities,” says Mupita.



#WearItForMe is the next phase in MTN’s COVID-19 response under Y’ello Hope &#8211; MTN’s umbrella initiative which provides much-needed support during times of societal need.



It is a powerful call-to-action using the voice of some of the most influential figures within our communities and across the continent; our mothers, and mother-figures. The initiative will see mothers and mother-figures sending heartfelt messages to their children, and all the children of Africa, to wear their masks and &#8220;wear it for me’’ – saving lives.



MTN’s #WearItForMe campaign will build on the work already carried out under Y’ello Hope to brighten lives and limit the impact of the pandemic. During this time, MTN has prioritised looking after its people, customers, communities and networks while focusing on efficiencies to help navigate the pandemic and its effects.



Initiatives ranged from free data lifelines and zero-rated access to educational sites. In addition, utilising technological solutions for contact tracing and dissemination of information through the Africa COVID Communication &amp; Information Platform across our 21 markets. &nbsp;&nbsp;



“Wearing a mask is, of course, not all that needs to happen to slow the spread of the virus. Sanitisation, hand-washing and social-distancing are just as important and should be done in conjunction with wearing a mask,” concludes Mupita.



#WearItForMe will run throughout the month of September. Visit <a href="http://www.wearitfor.me">www.wearitfor.me</a> to send a message to someone encouraging them to do the right thing. #WearItForMe: Because when we all wear masks, we protect each other.

MTN_Ralph Mupita

MTN promotes wearing a mask in new campaign

Research has shown that Gauteng manufacturing has declined considerably since 1994. Additional research carried by the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) clearly indicates that without any intervention, the sector will likely face the most job losses. It also needs to consider the massive economic contraction expected from COVID19.



The manufacturing sector is critical to economic growth. As a whole, it accounts for 13% of national GDP and in the Gauteng province, manufacturing is the fourth largest sector. It produces 14.5% of the formal sector GDP and accounts for 45% of the total manufacturing in South Africa.&nbsp; From an export perspective, Gauteng exports 55% of South Africa’s total exports, and for every R100 of exports out of Gauteng, R80 comes from the manufacturing sector. Additionally, for every R100 of goods imported into Gauteng, R63 accounts for goods going to the manufacturing sector.&nbsp;



Manufacturing is also a key driver to global trade, according to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). 80% of global trade is derived from merchandise trade or trade of goods produced in the manufacturing sector. Since 2014, 6 out of 10 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects into Gauteng have been in the manufacturing sector and its subsectors.



It is clear that a decline in the manufacturing sector has very serious effects on the Gauteng and South African economy.&nbsp; Since 1970, local manufacturing has dropped as much as 10 percentage points in contribution to GDP. The decline in Gauteng’s manufacturing output has also impacted the sector’s ability to absorb jobs. In 1994 the sector employed approximately 600 000 people in Gauteng, translating to 17.4% of all people employed in Gauteng. However, by 2019, that dropped to 10.4% of people employed in Gauteng.



It is clear that Gauteng and the broader South African economy needs serious interventions for revival. Research shows that long-term sustained economic growth has never been achieved in the absence of a strong manufacturing sector.



With this in mind, the Department of Economic Development together with its implementation agency, the GGDA, have keenly focused on resuscitating this sector as a key driver for economic growth into this next normal. Priorities include economic growth, job creation and infrastructure investment which is supported by the province’s 2030 vision of “Growing Gauteng Together”.



The GGDA’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mosa Tshabalala, is very clear on what the agency’s role is.&nbsp; In a recent live panel discussion with CNBC Africa, she confirmed that the GGDA actively enables a more conducive ecosystem to facilitate business growth, expansion and investment, whilst also promoting the ease of doing business within Gauteng.



For a revitalisation of the sector, the GGDA is cognisant of the importance of working with other government organisations to create beneficial ecosystems – one where skills development, lending and business support come together to build growth. To this end, the GGDA is fast-tracking the implementation of Special Economic Zone’s (SEZ) across the province to support manufacturers, providing them with the necessary infrastructure, policy advocacy and opportunities. The provincial government identifies Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as strategic apex programmes for accelerating and stimulating inclusive economic growth in the Gauteng City Region. To this end, through the GGDA, the expansion of the OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) SEZ (Ekurhuleni), establishment of the High Tech SEZ (Tshwane), the Vaal SEZ (Sedibeng), and the Tshwane Automotive SEZ form an integral part of realizing the strategic goals as set out in the GGT2030 to spatially boost manufacturing across the province.



GGDA Priorities for Economic Growth



The GGDA has set out high-impact priorities to accelerate economic growth in Gauteng in the current, and the future, economic climates:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>A focus on economic development which delivers sustainable jobs, encompassing job creation and job enablement;</li><li>Skills development for SMMEs which will transform value chains within targeted sectors and ensure an emphasis on building the ‘skills of tomorrow, today’;</li><li>Creating sustainable businesses that are enterprise and supplier development driven;</li><li>Economic infrastructure development which is geared at executing capital projects which enable prioritised sectors such as Automotive, ICT, Manufacturing and Agro-Processing;</li><li>Increasing the export of locally manufactured goods by highlighting SMME export opportunities and facilitating supply/demand based development;</li><li>To not only increase investment into the province, but also enable a greater focus on retaining investment through the development and implementation of an investor aftercare strategy;</li><li>Developing a holistic approach to the enablement of the Township Economy with a greater focus on young entrepreneurs and woman-owned businesses.&nbsp;</li></ul>



We need to manufacture more products locally. Localisation is a key strategy, and its efforts need to be very intentional and focused.&nbsp; Another key focus for the GGDA is preparing the Gauteng province to become an active participant in the Africa Free Trade Agreement, as it will bring with it many substantial opportunities for economic growth.



What About Township Economies and Women-Owned Businesses?



The GGDA has taken a very strategic approach when addressing the township, youth and women in business – it is creating pipelines with large investors, then plugging in potential SMME’s to create linkages and ultimately a successful ecosystem. The GGDA also supports these businesses in scaling their offerings by linking them to the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), and continuously advocating for their business growth.

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The GGDA’s Role in Resuscitating Manufacturing as a Key Driver of Economic Growth

Charmaine Mabuza, Group CEO of ITHUBA Holdings



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="188" height="60" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/image368cb2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-378917"/></figure></div>



Every functional business has business continuity plans in place, ready to implement in a time of crisis. However, the truth is very few of us imagined a disruptive pandemic such as the COVID-19 virus to be a likelihood occurrence.



On 27 March 2020, a countrywide lockdown was announced in South Africa, a necessity that had to be implemented in order to save lives. But as many businesses shut their doors, the livelihood of many South Africans were at stake, some still are as businesses propel to get back to their feet.



As an employer, I can relate to the anxiety of fellow corporate and business leaders, to be uncertain of the future and worrying about the work stability of your staff and their families who depend on their income, has become a hard reality. We really do exist in an extraordinary time, which some business experts describe as the VUCA World. ‘VUCA’ is an acronym for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. How fitting is this description of today’s business world and especially the economy!



The President took bold steps in implementing measures that aim to preserve our health and safety as citizens of this country. However as employers, we have to take it a step further and safeguard the livelihood of the people we employ. We have an obligation to keep business afloat by being innovative and proactive, amid the crisis — our economy depends on it.&nbsp;



For ITHUBA, the South African National Lottery operator, innovative technology is what has kept our ship sailing. &nbsp;Looking back, I am so glad that we made a decision to move the National Lottery to a digital realm. Players can access Lottery products on the National Lottery website, the Mobile APP and through the digital platforms of our banking channel partners namely Absa, FNB, Standard bank and Nedbank. We implemented the Random Number Generator (RNG), in line with international best practice, as the procedure of selecting winning numbers, which are televised in a form of a digital draw show. &nbsp;This process has remained uninterrupted throughout the lockdown period. We saw a significant increase in on-line participation and 4 jackpot winners including the winner of R153Million PowerBall PLUS jackpot from the Friday 10 July 2020 draw. This player, who played via the Standard Bank App, became the biggest on-line winner in the history of the South African Lottery, and Africa at large.



I am not oblivious to the fact that there are many South Africans who do not have access to the relevant resources and the required digital literacy to be able to play on-line, I fully comprehend the challenges faced particularly by communities in previously disadvantaged areas. The National Lottery belongs to the people and it has always been ITHUBA’s intention to offer equal access to the National Lottery for everyone.&nbsp; To come to terms with the reality that during the lockdown restrictions, there was a group of people that could not play the Lottery, really unsettled me.



However, some of the best ideas have been born out of the most challenging times. On 30 June 2020, ITHUBA was excited to announce its partnership with 1Voucher &#8211; a card less, bank less top-up payment solution that allows customers to turn their cash into an on-line balance. This partnership is part of ITHUBA’s strategy to offer players convenient access to the National Lottery products. It enables players who do not have access to on-line banking infrastructure to top up their National Lottery wallets to purchase Lottery tickets via their mobile devices. We could not sit back and give up on our mandate because in-store ticket sales were paused. In fact, growing on-line gaming is one of the best things we can do for our economy. The global on-line Lottery market has seen significant growth and is projected to generate a revenue of $183.1 billion by 2026, growing at a healthy CAGR of 11.7% throughout the forecast period. Africa deserves a piece of this pie.



E-commerce is certainly one of the most innovative ways to keep trading. But for e-commerce to thrive, businesses must be willing to go an extra mile and address elements that hinder the growth of e-commerce platforms. Digital literacy is one of the factors affecting on-line participation. But the good thing about customers is that they are teachable, and once they understand the convenience of on-line shopping, it becomes their new norm.



One way in which ITHUBA addresses digital literacy, is by rolling out educational marketing campaigns. Once the new on-line players are on our e-commerce platforms, they are met by chatbots who assist them on a step by step basis.



The second biggest factor that affects on-line shopping is the fact that not everyone has credit cards that allow for on-line payment. It is therefore critical that we become flexible in our payment options in order to help bridge the digital divide.



I advocate for e-commerce as part of the innovation that will save us. South Africa’s on-line retail industry accounts for just 1.4% of total retail, while the United States and China is close to 20%. We have a long way to go. As leaders in our respective industries, we need to play our role in advancing e-commerce and ensuring that we catch up with the rest of the world.



A lot of industries around the globe suffered a loss as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, with no exception to the Gaming industry world-wide. In South Africa, National Lottery sales declined by 18% during the time in-store ticket sales were paused, while countries such as China for an example, recorded a dreadful decrease of 64.5% in Lottery sales, according to the research conducted by the World Lotteries Association (WLA). This is alarming, considering their advanced technology and a generally higher e-commerce participation in that country. On our side, we recorded an increase of 11.5% in on-line participation, where new players registered and played across all National Lottery on-line platforms. This peak is not too far off from the 16% increase in European countries such France and Norway – one of the leading countries in the digitization of Lottery games globally.



I know that there had been arguments that allowing e-commerce trading during the COVID-19 regulations is unfair to smaller, informal businesses such as spaza shops and other businesses that rely on face to face trading to make sales. In my view, we are better off utilizing e-commerce than we are when we don’t. Our first priority should be saving our lapsing economy and preserving the livelihood of our employees – that is our role and mandate as business owners.



I urge my fellow business leaders to think out of the box and push the innovation boundaries. Let us not forget to integrate women and youth entrepreneurs, whose wisdom and revolution should not be taken for granted. It is our combined efforts that will help bring back to life the deteriorating economy.

An Innovative Approach is what will save us

Dubai, United Arab Emirates / London, United Kingdom – 13 August 2020: Standard Chartered Bank and Airtel Africa have today announced a strategic collaboration to drive financial inclusion across key markets in Africa by providing customers with increased access to mobile financial services.



<a>Through the collaboration, Standard Chartered and Airtel Africa will work together to co-create new, innovative products aimed at enhancing the accessibility of financial services&nbsp;</a>and, ultimately, better serve people across Africa. In line with this, Airtel Money’s customers will be able to make real-time online deposits and withdrawals from Standard Chartered bank accounts, receive international money transfers directly to their wallets, and access savings products amongst other services.



Standard Chartered’s corporate clients will also be able to make rapid and secure bulk disbursements, such as payroll payments, directly into the Airtel Money customers wallet. This reduces the risks associated with travelling long distances for cash payments and instead customers can go to any Airtel Money agent, kiosk, or branch to cash-out their funds.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large td_pull_quote td_pull_center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“By collaborating with innovative organisations like Airtel Africa, we are accelerating our mobile and digital-led strategy to provide best in class financial services to Africa. Over the past year, Standard Chartered has rapidly launched digital banks across 9 countries on the continent, allowing our customers to enjoy seamless services from the safety of their homes even during the peak of the pandemic. This partnership will further enhance the ability of our customers to manage and move money safely and securely and create market-leading financial solutions across countries.”<cite>SUNIL KAUSHAL, REGIONAL CEO, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST</cite></blockquote>



The recent announcement is another step taken by Standard Chartered to further extend its reach and enhance its unique produce offering. By partnering with mobile wallet providers, the bank has expanded its network into markets where mobile wallets are prevalent, offer solutions that enable corporate and institutional clients to leverage the opportunities presented by mobile money, and enable efficient, scalable e-commerce and m-commerce solutions.



This partnership supports Airtel Africa’s efforts to expand the range and depth of its Airtel Money offerings across its 19 million customer base, with new products and services helping to promote the wider adoption of mobile money and increasing financial inclusion.



Raghunath Mandava, CEO, Airtel Africa,&nbsp;said:&nbsp;“Our relationship with Standard Chartered boosts financial inclusion across the continent, giving millions of people access to valuable banking services. We continue to invest heavily in cashing in and cashing out locations for our customers and increase our distribution. This means that&nbsp;our customers can now send or receive digital payments via Standard Chartered Bank directly to their mobile phones, as well as cash-out their funds at our exclusive kiosks and branches at their convenience. This highlights Airtel Africa’s commitment to providing affordable, innovative, best-in-class solutions to enhance the daily lives of our customers.”



Mobile banking transfers between Airtel Money and Standard Chartered Bank are now live in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Remaining products will be rolled out later this year subject to regulatory approvals.







For further information please contact:



Standard Chartered:



Monica Barten Communications, Africa &amp; Middle East Standard Chartered Bank + 971 4508 4565 / <a href="mailto:monica.barten@sc.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">monica.barten@sc.com</a>



Airtel Africa:



Hudson Sandler Sue Hutchinson / Bertie Berger / Rebekah Chapman <a href="tel:+44%20(0)%2020%207796%204133" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">+44 (0) 20 7796 4133</a> / <a href="mailto:airtelafrica@hudsonsandler.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">airtelafrica@hudsonsandler.com</a>

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Standard Chartered and Airtel Africa form a partnership to drive financial inclusion across Africa

THE COVID-19 GLOBAL pandemic has brought forward the future. It has brought about humanity’s biggest challenge in a century, to choose between life and livelihoods. In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, banks have played a supporting role to clients and communities. Standard Chartered announced a commitment of US$1 billion globally to support companies in the health delivery supply chain to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, and an additional US$50 million to assist communities in presence markets, especially Africa.&nbsp;



Generally, banks have entered the COVID crisis much stronger and resilient than they did before the global ﬁnancial crisis of 2008. This resilience is owed in part to the raft of regulatory reforms and stronger supervision since 2008, aimed at ensuring adequate capital and liquidity buffers against market-wide stress and also to avoid future taxpayer bailouts. Bank resilience notwithstanding, there is a catch! Well, several!



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1110" height="740" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-1110x740.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-378144" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-696x464.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kweku-new-image-sta-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /><figcaption>Kweku Bedu-Addo, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank South Africa &amp; Southern Africa </figcaption></figure></div>



Many jurisdictions have placed ﬁghting this pandemic at par with war by employing emergency measures and massive ﬁscal stimulus packages to provide relief to businesses and households and hopefully to bring the public health crisis under control. Relative to Q1 2020, total lockdown is now perceived as a blunt instrument in responding to the pandemic due to its potential for economic destruction and jeopardizing livelihoods. There is some convergence of views towards recalibrating easing of lockdown alongside placing high emphasis on both corporate and individual responsibility to obey public health recommendations and to observe good hygiene.



As the world emerges from lockdown, the nature and shape of the recovery is an important variable. Whether the recovery is a V-shape, U-shape or a W- shape makes a world of a difference to how banks will respond. We are only beginning to understand and measure the true economic cost of the pandemic, transmitted through lockdown and the deleterious effects on growth and the viability of some sectors. Many companies around the world face the grim prospect of possible collapse, necessitating tough survival decisions on rationalizations, write-downs of asset values and other corporate actions.



National governments need to determine the right balance between restarting economic activity and growth without compromising the capacity of healthcare infrastructure. The ability to do so would in turn inﬂuence the nature and shape of the recovery as well as which companies or sectors can survive the new reality, and which would fail. Then there is digitization. Digitization and the new ways of working will deﬁne who stays competitive, productive and can survive. Almost every sector or industry and even governments will need to invest in digital solutions to future-proof their survival and relevance.



While banks certainly have a critical role to play during and post crisis, the reality is there is no certainty or clarity on how events might unfold. In the meantime, a better understanding of the nature, virulence and measures to conquer the invisible enemy remains elusive, thereby drawing parallels with the expression “fog of war”.&nbsp; The unfolding challenges and after-effects of the pandemic are not sequential or in any particular order. Neither will the responses be. Responses need to be diligent, intelligent and wise in order to safeguard the future. The pre-COVID bank resilience is a necessary and comforting condition but insufficient for post-COVID recovery unless banks themselves can successfully navigate the fog of this new war to avoid joining the casualty list that is beginning to grow around the world. They will certainly be dealing with elevated credit risk, strains to capital and liquidity and heightened operational and cyber security risk, among others. Livelihoods and economic security look fragile in the short run as the pandemic exposes cracks, ﬁssures and chasms in the existing socio-economic order globally. This systemic stress could precipitate a repurposing of legacy political, economic, social and security arrangements by national governments which could be consequential to businesses recovery and viability, household incomes and social cohesion. For the banks, it becomes a waiting game!

THE FUTURE JUST ARRIVED: THE ROLE OF BANKS IN A POST-COVID WORLD

By: Mathieu Mandeng 







In the current complex and challenging circumstances that are testing the resilience of our economies and its foundations, I believe Mauritius remains in a unique position to create a partnership for shared prosperity with African countries.&nbsp; Mauritius is leveraging its unique selling proposition of being the only investment grade international financial centre “ IFC” in sub Saharan Africa to drive trade and investment in mainland Africa.



An IFC is fundamentally a response to the complexity, inefficiency and hardship of doing business in mainland by leveraging the five factors of competitiveness that are business environment, financial sector development, infrastructure, human capital and reputation. A quick health check shows that Mauritius that now ranks 13th globally in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business is a conducive jurisdiction that upholds the rule of law with the UK Privy Council as the ultimate court of appeal. Mauritius has a high transparency index, the 3rd in Africa and ranks number one in the Mo Ibrahim Index of good governance. The Financial Services sector is well developed and highly regulated while allowing free flow of capital; total bank assets as a percentage of GDP is more than 300% and banking penetration rate is 90%. The infrastructure that includes digital, transport and energy is world class and keeps developing with the recent construction of the light metro. Human capital is highly skilled and bilingual, able to serve both anglophone and francophone Africa. The country is therefore playing on its key strengths as a centre of excellence, leveraging its solid regulatory and legal framework as well as its reputation&nbsp; to provide a unified platform to direct investments into key projects that can relaunch the Continent’s fragilized economies.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-377998" width="192" height="288" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-768x1151.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-1367x2048.jpg 1367w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-696x1043.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-1068x1600.jpg 1068w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-1920x2877.jpg 1920w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-600x899.jpg 600w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Mathieu-Mandeng-1-scaled.jpg 1708w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 192px) 100vw, 192px" /><figcaption>Mathieu Mandeng is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Standard Chartered Bank Mauritius Ltd</figcaption></figure>



The country developed itself by creating markets outside of its insularity,&nbsp; diversifying its economic model from a monocrop economy, the sugar industry, back in 1968 with a GDP per capita of around USD 200 to a high-income country with a GNI per capita of USD 12,740 in 2019 for a threshold of USD 12,535, according to the World Bank report released on July 1st, 2020. The industrialization process in the 70s and 80s &nbsp;and the rapid growth of the hospitality industry in the 80s and 90s, the development of financial services in the 90s and ICT and professional services more recently, have all contributed to its success. Today the sugar industry only represents 2% of the GDP compared to financial services, that is nearing 13% of GDP, aiming at doubling its contribution within the next ten years.



The Mauritian global business sector has been a key contributor to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows in India over the past fifteen years backed by solid&nbsp; bilateral relationship and investment agreements. India received more than USD 300 billion in terms of FDI, a third of which went through Mauritius, contributing directly and indirectly to India&#8217;s economic and industrial development. With financial flows come also the invisible flows such as expertise, technology, know-how, training, etc. The renegotiation of the bilateral agreements a few years back offered Mauritius the opportunity to reinvent its model that was too heavily reliant on India. The country is now looking towards mainland Africa to migrate best practice, building on its experience to channel funds, skills and expertise. With a high literacy rate and a number of talents that are bilingual, Mauritius can export its human resources to contribute to the development of sectors such as financial services on the Continent. Tourism and Sugar are the other mature industries that have generated a number of talents with the depth and expertise that can help these sectors develop in Africa.



A concrete example to illustrate how Mauritius is driving this agenda, is the creation of the Mauritius Africa Fund in 2014 worth Rs 500 million (USD13m), to develop “Special Economic Zones&#8221;, with pioneering countries that include Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ghana and Madagascar. In doing so, Mauritius is&nbsp; asserting its ability to manage the risks associated with issues related to lack of good governance, conducive business environment, poor infrastructure and lack of regional integration that are key challenges when investing into the Continent.&nbsp; Mauritius is taking advantage of its share of development in Africa, where the growth is driven by the three &#8220;Cs&#8221; that are &#8220;commodities&#8221;, &#8220;consumption&#8221; and &#8220;corridors&#8221;. And the latter is a powerful lever as we are describing here the emerging corridors, that are facilitating trade and investment coming from Asia, Turkey and Brazil. As for the first corridor, Mauritius, through its agreements with India, in the case of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA), and China, with the FTA (Free Trade Agreement), but also the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has a fundamental role to play in facilitating trade and investment between Asia and Africa, and within&nbsp; Africa. These avenues of collaboration and growth can help both Mauritius and mainland Africa navigate the aftermath of this pandemic resiliently.



With its unique selling proposition of being the only global bank bullish on the African with a presence of more than 18 years in Mauritius, Standard Chartered is leveraging its unique coverage of the Continent and its global products suit to deliver high value-added solutions to network clients. The case in point is the Regional Treasury Centre (RTC) value proposition that provides solutions for liquidity management, procurement and shared service centres to clients managing their regional operations out of their regional office in Mauritius.&nbsp;



As Africa embarks on its own industrialization journey to create value derived from the abundance of minerals and other resources, it would be beneficial for the Continent to engage in diversifying its economies. The current crisis offers an opportunity to accelerate this key agenda for its sustainable development. Mauritius can play a strategic and catalytic role in this process by creating the right conditions for investors to access the opportunities that arise. While the unprecedent COVID-19 crisis has heavily disturbed the global value chains and presents real challenges to African nations that need to balance the act of preserving the health of populations and relaunching their economic development, this is the right opportunity for them to cast away the overdependence on commodities’ exportations and overreliance on imported manufactured products by diversifying their economies. And Mauritius is uniquely placed to develop win-win solutions in a partnership for shared prosperity with mainland Africa by leveraging its experience and key differentiating capabilities.

Op-Ed: Tourism sector in Mauritius devastated by COVID-19

Mauritius-Africa, a partnership for shared prosperity

The City of eThekwini pulled out all stops to give fans of the annual Vodacom Durban July (VDJ). The Virtual Vodacom Durban July (VDJ) Experience indeed delivered to its expectations of promoting the City’s travel in order to boost tourism as from 24 July people were reminded how it felt like to be in to be in Durban.



This was witnessed by #VDJ2020 which trended as number one in the social networks on the day of the Africa’s biggest horse race, 25 July and throughout the weekend which means the event was the most talked about.



The highlight of the #VDJ 2020 experience included a breakthrough for two iconic township restaurants namely Eyadini and Max’s Lifestyles in Umlazi who received betting license for the first time in the VDJ history.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignfull size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1110" height="740" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade-1110x740.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-377539" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade-696x464.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/July-Fashion-Promenade.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /></figure>



Commenting on these major news, Max’s Lifestyle’s Marketing Manager, Zinhle Mqadi, said “To host punters for betting in their venue was a dream come true. This was truly a breakthrough for our establishment as we had always wished to have a license to allow for their patrons to place bets during the July.”



She further added that this is a good sign and adds value to the growth of their place and they will make sure that is betting opportunity occurs annually.



The Virtual Experience is not yet over, as viewers at home are set to be blown away by a two-hour long Mother of All Parties on 30 July 2020 which will feature prominent and upcoming local Durban talent and entertainment, between 16h00 and 18h00 on social media platforms. The Mother of All Parties will be followed by the ‘Virtual July Township Experience’ entertainment special to be aired on Friday between 16h00 to 18h00 at MTV Base, channel 322 and all Durban Tourism social media platforms showcasing the lifestyle of five township restaurants base in Umlazi, Chesterville, Umgababa and KwaMashu, namely – Artizen Lounge, Casablanca,Coastal Lounge, Eyadini Lounge, Mashamplane’s Lounge, Max’s Lifestyle, Mojo’s Lounge, Nsimbini Lounge, the Zone, Umgababa Lounge, Under the Moon and Zarks. &nbsp;More Durban township products will be featured through destination in various media platforms as we invite people to explore the products in a Covid-19 responsible way.&nbsp; The aim is for the whole world to see the African cuisine served in these places, ambience, music played and all so that they will consider exploring Durban.



In a bid to &nbsp;promote the Durban destination together with the local entertainment talent, the City partnered with various stakeholders in hosting #VDJ 2020 virtual music concerts such as pre and after parties which was the most talked about during this weekend and reminded people about the nightlife. The platform afforded and contributed to the artists’ income as they have not been on stage for a very long time. The total number of artists who benefitted is approximately 50 who received a stipend payment and exposure. The artists expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to earn an income during this challenging time of the Covid-19 pandemic.



As part of destination promotion, Durban Tourism partnerd with Gold Circle to shoot with models and horses at the Durban promenade as well as Max’s Lifestyle, bring much excited to both areas and showcasing the symbol and spirit of the VDJ



Fashion was also the centre of attention at the VDJ themed “Butterflies” that saw nine local designers from the Durban Fashion Fair Programme receiving utmost exposure on DSTV interviews about their outfits, professional social media video posted on VDJ &amp; DFF platforms digital platforms, 2 x professional studio images (model + designer &amp; model), R5000 cash from Gold Circle, R1000 Gateway Shopping Mall voucher and 5gig data from Vodacom.



EThekwini Deputy City Manager for Economic Development and Planning, Philip Sithole said: “I am happy that our hard work is paying off. Most of the establishment and brands successes within the industry are because of our endless support and through the maximum exposure we provided during this virtual VDJ we know they are bound to even take the City’s flag higher.”



Sithole reiterated that there was no way they could just forget about this event and not host it as there are so many subsectors who depend on it and who are economically bleeding because of current economy situation. “Because of our creative virtual concept, we are happy to state that some of these sectors benefitted.”



These include health and safety consultants, technical production companies, activations, events and marketing consultants, décor and stage production, catering, graphic design and creatives, videographers and photographers, models, make-up artists, medical services and social media influencers.



Taking the concept beyond, Durban Tourism will be engaging online with various tour operators on a campaign named Re-discover Durban’s &nbsp;hidden gems through a continued Durban virtual experience campaign.



Deputy Head of Durban Tourism, Winile Mntungwa said: “Re-discover Durban is a continuation of the #Durbanhasmore campaign where the public and potential tourist are being reminded about the hidden gems of the City. It’s an initiative that entrenches the brand by piquing the interest of tourists about the hidden gems that Durban has to offer and will run until the Summer campaign begins.”



The holistic aim of the Virtual Durban July Experience was for the City of Durban to remain top of mind with tourists and also to showcase what the VDJ is known for as a spectacular explosion of fashion, food, entertainment and of course horse racing.



Follow the Durban’s Virtual July Experience on twitter @dbntourism and on Facebook @DBNTourism and Instagram @dbntourism and also on <a href="http://www.visitdurban.travel">www.visitdurban.travel</a>

Qwabe

VIRTUAL VDJ EXPOSES LOCAL CREATIVE AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

Economic growth continues to be one of the focus areas for the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) and the Gautrain responds to that through its socio-economic impact strategy.&nbsp; For every R1 spent on Gautrain, R1.72 has been added to the Gauteng economy. The recent independent Hatch impact study has concluded that the Gautrain continues to deliver jobs and investment in Gauteng.&nbsp;



The Gauteng MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure, Mr Jacob Mamabolo, has recently alluded to Gautrain being in the forefront, as he examines ways of growing the economy through smart investments in transport, restructuring the urban form around transport nodes, the use of technology as an enabler of better and more efficient transport systems.&nbsp; This is a result of Gautrain’s positive contribution to spatial development, urban restructuring, economic growth, job creation and modal integration.



The GPG’s current strategic focus is economic growth and Smart Mobility as an enabler of the vision for growing Gauteng’s economy.&nbsp; Smart Mobility refers to the innovative ways of getting around. It involves the use of various transport modes that are smarter, cleaner, safer and integrated and that moves people, goods and services more efficiently. It promotes sustainable mobility and is coupled with numerous urban, social, economic and environmental benefits. Gautrain is such a Smart Mobility service.&nbsp; It uses latest technology; it safely and comfortably moves people to their destinations though an environmentally friendly transport option. The Gautrain is supported by an integrated network of other buses, midi-buses, Bus Rapid Transport systems and other rail services.



The Covid-19 pandemic has brought many changes to society including changes in travel regulations and social gatherings. Gautrain has demonstrated that it is cognisant of these changes through its responsive actions that was approved by the National Minister of Transport during his visit to Gautrain. The following health and safety measures are part of actions implemented and are still in place:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Alcohol-based hand sanitisers are available at all stations, buses and midibuses;</li><li>Regular cleaning protocols are in place, i.e. trains, buses and midi-buses are cleaned and disinfected at regular intervals throughout the day.&nbsp; Special cleaning staff are deployed at stations to wipe-down and disinfect touchpoints, such as handrails; fare gates and other surfaces,</li><li>In ensuring that social distancing is adhered to, all stations have floor decals to assist passengers to keep clear and required distances;</li><li>Seats on trains, buses and midi-buses have been cordoned off to allow for social distancing;</li><li>The use of face masks is compulsory on Gautrain just as it is in all public transport modes and public areas.&nbsp;&nbsp; All passengers and staff are required to wear a face mask at all times at stations and onboard trains, buses or midi-buses.&nbsp; Security guards monitor this;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>All staff in direct contact with customers are screened for Covid-19 ahead of resuming their normal duties. Staff is screened for fever throughout the day; and</li><li>Staff is required to wear the respective personal protective equipment as stipulated by government regulations.</li><li>Detailed information on health and safety measures, is available at <a href="http://www.gautrainalerts.co.za/">www.gautrainalerts.co.za/</a>.</li></ul>



After ten years of operation and close to 125 million train passenger trips and 38 million bus passenger trips, Gautrain matters for Gauteng, the service not only continues to offer safe, reliable and convenient public transport but contributes significantly to the economy and society.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Follow us on:</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Twitter &#8211; @TheGautrain</li><li>Facebook – <a href="http://www.facebook.com/gautrainn">www.facebook.com/gautrain</a></li><li>Instagram – TheGautrain</li><li>Website – <a href="http://www.gautrain.co.za">www.gautrain.co.za</a></li><li>Call Centre – 0800 42887246</li><li>SMS alert line – 32693</li></ul>

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Brandcom Partner

Digitization, a catalyst to the exponential growth of African Small Businesses.

Digital Transformation: A Key Driver of Business Success

The star-studded multi-national line-up for SingularityU SA Online Summit 2020

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Absa commits to growing African trade with award-winning online platform

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