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BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-LifeCO has donated 1,200 seedlings towards Blantyre City Council’s Activation and Sustain Green Initiative.
The donation comes ahead of tree planting activity slated for March 27, 2024 in Mussa village, Group Village head Mpulura, Traditional Authority (T.A) Nkalo.
The Blantyre City Activation organizers, Sustain Green volunteers, people from Mussa Village as well as LifeCO staff and managers will be part of the team carrying out this exercise.
LifeCO Pension Services Manager Zacheus Nyirenda made the donation announcement at offices in Blantyre.
But making the donation, LifeCO Life Manager, Sheila Khombeliwa said, “Our company was interested in being a part of the Blantyre City Activation that happened last year and wanted to play a meaningful role in line with its goals.
“Although our choice is Chiradzulu being outside the town but because, the villagers in Mussa village which had recently been relocated due to the devastation of Cyclone Freddy last year we thought of supporting the initiative as the location dont have enough”.
She added, “LifeCO felt they could ease some of their needs by planting trees that can produce fruits the villagers will enjoy”.
In his remarks, Blantyre City Activation Project Manager, Talumba Chirwa said, “LifeCO was able to come onboard and help fulfill this remaining goal made for the Blantyre City Activations by donating seedlings and organizing the tree planting exercise”.
The Blantyre City Activation successfully launched on December 2, 2023 at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES) with over 1,000 attendees including venders, corporates, suppliers and community teams involved.
PARIS, France, 22 March, 2024 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- Viva Technology, the largest startup and tech event in Europe, is pleased to invite you to its online press conference on Thursday April 4, 2024 at 10:00 a.m CET.
We will reveal the elements of the 2024 program in the presence of:
Maurice Lévy, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Publicis Groupe
Pierre Louette, CEO of the Les Echos – Le Parisien group
François Bitouzet, Managing Director of VivaTech
To take part in the event remotely, you can register via this link. The connection link will be shared with you on the morning of the event.
If you share our excitement about being part of the event at Porte de Versailles from May 22 to 25, you can already apply for accreditation.
VivaTech accelerates innovation by connecting startups, tech leaders, major companies, and investors responding to our world’s biggest challenges.
Each year, over four exciting days in Paris, VivaTech creates Europe’s biggest technology and startup event, exploring the most disruptive topics in tech with world-premiere demos, launches, and conferences in a collaborative ecosystem. This is where business meets innovation. Join us for the eighth edition of VivaTech 22-25 May 2024.
The Egyptian government raised fuel prices on Friday in a move that is bound to exacerbate inflationary pressures on an already struggling population.
The new prices were announced on the Cabinet’s Facebook page and came into effect Friday morning. The price of diesel, the main fuel for the transport of people and goods, rose from 8.5 Egyptian pounds ($0.18) to 10 pounds ($0.21) per litre.
Egypt, a net importer of energy, increased the price of 95 octane gasoline to 13.5 Egyptian pounds ($0.29) per litre from 12.5 pounds ($0.27).
The government said the hikes resulted from the increased cost of importing energy because of the depreciation of the local currency and the global surge in energy prices following the turmoil in the Red Sea.
On March 6, Egypt’s central bank announced the adoption of a market-based exchange rate after nearly a year of defending an over-valued local currency, which inadvertently invigorated a parallel market. The pound’s official rate fell from nearly 31 to 51 per U.S. dollar before appreciating by nearly 10% in recent weeks as the banking sector began receiving large inflows of foreign currency, according to the government.
The government also increased the cost of widely used butane gas cylinders from 75 Egyptian pounds ($1.61) to 100 pounds ($2.14). Last year, a Cabinet member said Egyptians consume around 800,000 butane cylinders a day, 50% of which are imported.
The fuel price hikes are expected to further affect consumer purchasing power and inflation rates. Last month, the annual urban inflation rate jumped to 35.7% from 29.8% in January. The cost of food alone increased nearly 51% in February from a year earlier.
The price hikes are in line with conditions set by the International Monetary Fund for the disbursement of further loans to Egypt.
Egypt reached a deal with the IMF earlier this month to increase a bailout to $8 billion from $3 billion after marathon negotiations.
The lending institution has constantly urged the government to depreciate the currency and embark on monetary and fiscal tightening policies, including a cutback in government subsidies.
The Egyptian economy has been hit hard by years of government austerity, the coronavirus pandemic, the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and most recently, the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Houthi attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea have slashed Suez Canal revenues, which are a major source of foreign currency for Egypt. The attacks forced traffic away from the canal and around the tip of Africa.
Last month, the United Arab Emirates threw a lifeline to Egypt by announcing a $35 billion investment project along its Mediterranean coast.
LAGOS, Nigeria, 22 March 2024-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-The Nigerian Women in Public Relations has unveiled its Keynote Speaker and a stellar lineup of partners and sponsors for its much-anticipated annual Experiencing PR Conference, set to take place on Wednesday, March 20th, 2024, at the Civic Centre in Lagos.
The Nigerian Women In Public Relations wrapped up the 2024 edition of its annual Experiencing PR Conference with key stakeholders advocating for stronger relationships, a more intentional push by PR professionals to uphold ethical standards, and a positive perception of the industry and the country.
Held at the Civic Center, the event also marked the launch of the second edition of the Experiencing PR Magazine and a memoir titled “Experiencing Public Relations: Nine Women. Nine Perspectives,” which collects experiences from Nigerian female practitioners around the world. The conference welcomed top PR practitioners, including Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, Group Managing Director at CMC Connect (Perception Managers); Nkechi Ali-Balogun, Principal Consultant/CEO of foremost public relations training firm NECCI Consulting; Segun McMedal, President & CEO, Upticomm Marketing Company; Bolaji Abimbola, Managing Director/CEO, Integrated Indigo Limited; and keynote speaker Ndidi Nwunelli, President and CEO of ONE Campaign, alongside young and aspiring PR professionals and communications students.
The publications aim to contribute significantly to the industry’s body of knowledge, particularly in developing markets, and to shed light on the practical realities faced by Nigerian women worldwide. The publications are available for complimentary download here: https://ngwomeninpr.org/pr-magazine-2/https://ngwomeninpr.org/9-women-collection-2024/
During her keynote speech on the theme “Quiet Wars: Leveraging PR for Conflict Management,” Ndidi Nwuneli emphasized the importance of nurturing healthy connections
and relationships to navigate today’s challenges.
“We cannot fight any wars without relationships,” Nwuneli said, noting that these relationships are built on trust, and trust is built on integrity.
“Who wants to be associated with a chameleon? Relationships are built on trust. When you say something, I believe it. When you say you’re going to be on time, you’re on time. How strong are your relationships? How deep are your relationships? You cannot fight any wars for yourself, for your business, or even for your clients if you can’t pick up the phone and say, ‘Oh, I’m going to call the governor of Lagos State,’ and he’ll take your call. Or ‘Oh, I need to reach the head of customs,’ and you get his contact and you can reach him, and he would take your call? Never underestimate the power of relationships. Because when the times are good or when the going gets tough, you can pick up your phone and call them, and they will answer your call without hesitation. So, get to networking, build healthy relationships, and start building them now.”
James Hewes, Chief Executive of PRCA, who joined virtually, praised the vibrant community of PR professionals in Nigeria and across West Africa. He outlined PRCA’s priorities for the coming years, including campaigns on artificial intelligence and accessibility.
He said, “I’m new to PRCA. I only started here a few weeks ago, but already I’ve been impressed with the quality of the service that we provide to our members and the fact that we have this global reach with members all across the world. Our priorities for the next few years are going to be enhancing that service and extending it internationally so that we can continue to offer a great service to all of our members. That’s going to be focused around a number of campaigns.”
“I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about all of these today, but I just wanted to give you an overview of what we’re thinking about. The first one is about artificial intelligence and the power of generative AI. Understanding how that’s going to affect our industry. Understanding the principles that are necessary for us to adopt before we start working with this important new technology. And then finding examples of best practice. The second one is about accessibility. Accessibility and how we can ensure that everybody has a pathway to access work in our industry. We need to draw on the widest possible talent pool, and that means making PR communications the career of choice for young people in schools and universities across the world.”
Convener of the annual conference, Tolulope Olorundero, expressed her gratitude to all delegates, stakeholders, partners, and sponsors for the event’s success and massive turnout.
“Reflecting on the success of the Experiencing PR 2024 Conference, we express our deepest appreciation to our esteemed speakers, delegates, valued partners, sponsors, and volunteers for their invaluable contributions. These collective efforts played a pivotal role in making this event a resounding success. Looking ahead to the future with optimism, we eagerly anticipate the innovative contributions that the new conference committee will bring to the table for the 2025 Experiencing PR Conference.”
With a focus on conflict management, this year’s conference explored various strategies for navigating conflicts, influencing decision-making, and supporting decision making in 2024 and beyond.
The diverse lineup of speakers, including local and regional experts such as Odiri Erewa-Meggison, External Affairs (Corporate Relations) Director at British American Tobacco Cluster of West and Central Africa Markets; Lucy Pearson, Country Director of the British Council, Nigeria; Debbie Larry-Izamoje, Chief Operating Officer of Brila Media; Hemant Gaule, Dean of the School of Communications & Reputation; Osayi Alile, CEO of ACT Foundation; Eloine Barry, Founder and CEO of African Media Agency, shared their strategies for navigating conflicts, influencing decision-making, and implementing new tactics that will support decision-making in 2024 and beyond.
Through panel discussions, workshops, and networking sessions, delegates had the opportunity to collaborate, exchange ideas, and gain practical skills applicable to their professional endeavors. The conference also served as a platform for Nigerian women in Public Relations to showcase their expertise and contribute to the industry’s advancement.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Standard Bank Plc has given this year’s Malawi Law Society Annual Conference underway in Mangochi a boost by contributing K5 million.
Head of Private Banking Joshua Banda said the contribution is in recognition of the important role legal minds play in strengthening governance across multiple sectors, thereby contributing to economic growth.
MLS Lilongwe Chapter Executive Committee Secretary Chanju Kondowe, who recieved the sponsorship thanked Standard Bank for the partnership.
This year’s AGM is under the Theme, “Interrogating Malawi Electoral System Towards 2025 General Elections.”
Honourable Justice Dr Chifundo J. Kachale, Chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission, is the Guest of Honour.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)–Standard Bank Plc has pledged to step up efforts in mitigating the negative effects of climate change by promoting the planting of trees by its customers and staff in line with a commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen.
To encourage customers and staff to plant trees, the bank on Thursday designated its branches as collection points for seedlings to give different individuals better access to tree seedlings.
The initiative is part of the Bank’s activities to mark World Forestry Day or World Planting Day which falls on March 21.
Speaking from the Head Office, Chief Information Officer – William Nuka said Standard Bank is determined to transform Lilongwe and Malawi into a green and environmentally vibrant landscape.
“We are determined to make our city and surrounding areas greener and environmentally sustainable. We can make Lilongwe and Malawi green if we work together. At Standard Bank, we are geared to get our hands dirty today and in coming months for a better tomorrow,” he said.
The Bank has partnered with the Lilongwe City Council for the initiative, as a key player in ensuring that Lilongwe gets a green facelift.
The City Council provided 1,000 tree seedlings of 7 varieties both indigenous and fruit trees to distribute on this day.
The Chief Information Officer said, “today we successfully distributed 1,000 seedlings to customers and staff in Lilongwe through our 6 branches and service centres.
This is the beginning of a larger commitment we have towards supporting the Tree planting agenda for the nation.”
“Lilongwe suffers a tree loss rate of around 17.5% which is one of the highest deforestation rates in Malawi. We must take individual accountability towards planting trees and ensure every person and household has a tree.
“We are a partner for every Malawian that wants to see our current climate crisis eradicated,” said Nuka.
Nuka said, ” The initiative is part of efforts by the Bank to contribute to the country attaining the UN Sustainable Development Goals on the environment. This also aligns with the Bank’s commitment as a signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking (UN PRB).
“As such we are committed to ensuring that our operating strategy is consistent with and contributes to society’s needs and priorities, as expressed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), the Paris Agreement, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and sustainable banking frameworks,” he said.
Malawi is in line to earn billions of dollars from buyers of carbon credits if its citizens planted more specific trees.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)–Zamm Investments Limited, has attributed Cool Drop Bottled Natural water’s foreign objects content to technical faults.
The company is therefore assuring the nation that all measures are being taken to rectify the technical fault on provision of quality bottled water.
In a brief statement made available to The Maravi Post dated March 21, 2024, Zamm Investments management assures its customers that it has recalled batches from the market and waiting for official communication from the authorities for disposal
The company’s response comes barely two days after Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) urged the general public not to buy or consume water from five batches of Cool Drop Bottled Natural Mineral water manufactured by Zamm Investments which contains some visible foreign objects.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 and signed by its Executive Director Lloyds Vincent Nkhoma, “The warning goes to traders and the general public is because it has received communication that batch numbers; BTH277, BTH016, BTH253, BTH018 and BTH291 of Cool Drop Bottled Natural Mineral water manufactured by Zamm Investments do not meet the stipulated Malawi Standards”
But Zamm Investments says, “It is worth mentioning that this fault only affected few batches of 500ml bottled water, which were detected with white foreign materials.
“Many batches and 1L, 2L, and 5L, not affected. It was just some batches of our 500mls only with an issue”.
Add Zamm Investments statement in part, “We acknowledged that we had a technical fault at our factory which led to the supply of water that did not meet certain set of standards.
“Immediately after this fault was detected, we conducted a comprehensive root-cause analysis”.
The statement explains, “We voluntary reported to MBS that we have problem and we voluntary stopped production even before MBS told us. We recalled all the batches for that month and we put press release in newspapers
“Technical fault was our membranes was damaged, meaning that reverse osmosis was not taking place, Hence the white residues which are calcium and magnesium deposits”.
The company adds further, “We changed membranes, filters and UV light unit. We even got our water tested at LUANAR, results were clear.
“We brought in a specialist all the way from china to do install, do maintenance of our machinery and we rectified the problem”.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-NBS Bank Plc has given K2 million to the Malawi Law Society (MLS) for their Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for this week in Mangochi.
Making a symbolic cheque presentation at NBS Bank’s Head office in Blantyre on Friday, the Bank’s Head of Legal Felister Dossi, said they felt the need to support the conference since they believe that the rule of law is fundamental to political stability and helps a country to achieve economic and social progress and development which is important for a business environment that the Bank is operating in.
“Malawi Law Society has been a partner for several years. We are aware that this year’s AGM theme touches on electoral system and laws and as a Bank, we feel duty bound to contribute to MLS to help them achieve one of their strategic goals of safeguarding the rule of law,” said Dossi.
MLS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chrispin Ngunde said the support signifies the Bank’s commitment to promoting the rule of law, professionalism, integrity, and excellence.
“The Bank has been a partner for MLS for many years and the donation of K2 million further cements our collaboration. The theme for this year’s Conference and AGM is very relevant to the business of the Bank.”
“For the Bank’s business and any business to strive, it requires a stable business and political environment. Elections greatly contribute to creating this conducive environment. It is, therefore, pleasing to note that the Bank has taken a keen interest in elections and public interest through its support of MLS,” said Ngunde.
Ngunde added that MLS will continue to promote matters of public interest, rule of law, good governance, integrity, and professionalism by taking an active role, in among others, sharing thoughts on matters of national importance such as election matters
MLS will hold its AGM from March 21 to 24 under the theme ‘Interrogating the Malawi Electoral System Towards 2025 General Elections.’
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s local currency, Malawi kwacha has depreciated by three percent.
This means the currency will be now be trading at MK1 751 to dollar following foreign exchange auction conducted by the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM)on Monday, March 18, 2024.
In a communication to authorised dealer banks dated March 19 2024, the central bank said the forex auction in which four banks participated, was successful.
The RBM said the minimum selling price of the kwacha against the dollar will now be at MK1, 751.
Before the auction, the kwacha was trading at MK1, 700 against the dollar.
RBM spokesperson Mark Lungu confirmed the auction took place and Kwacha’s 3% devaluation.
The development comes barely four months after the local currency was devalued by 44% that resulted into skyrocketing of good and services.
Further depreciation of Malawi Kwacha has vindicated on what former RBM Governor Dr. Dalitso Kabambe predicted on November 9, 2023.
This is what Dr. Kabambe predicted, “Looking at the timing, this must be a prior conditionality for ECF. Since MK1,700/$ is still below the market equilibrium, we should anticipate further depreciations.
“Furthermore, this devaluation is just as reckless as the previous one given that fundamentals of the monetary policy stance remains helpless and fiscal consolidation is nonexistent”.
He added, “Mark my words, there will be no recovery from the macroeconomic meltdown. It will only make the suffering experienced by Malawians worse, as prices of basic goods and services such as fuel, fertilizer and food items, will soar”.
President Lazarus Chakwera Tonse Alliance government has failed to govern and unable to fix ailing economy four years in power.
Chakwera leadership has been characterised by high inflation, cost of living, forex and drugs shortage in public hospitals.
The leader however choose to have petty trips that drain hard-earned taxes.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-In a bid to boost diaspora remittances and foreign currency inflows into Malawi, Standard Bank Plc is proud to announce prizes worth more than K30 million for diaspora customers who remit U$2,000 back home through the Bank’s Bureau de Change (BDC).
Under the three-month Transfer and Win Diaspora promotion, Standard Bank has dangled a grand prize of a plot worth K20 Million back home and various cash prizes.
The promotion is for all individuals who send money to Malawi from the diaspora and Malawians earning in foreign currency abroad with a need to send funds back home.
Announcing the incentives, The Executive Head of Personal and Private Banking (PPB) Charity Mughogho said the promotion recognizes the role of diaspora communities in the economic development of the country through foreign currency remittances.
“Malawi needs such remittances to boost our foreign currency reserves position, supply and circulation. At Standard Bank, we recognize the significance of our diaspora communities in contributing to economic development back home.
“The promotion is open to individuals living in the diaspora who have a Standard Bank Diaspora Account or any international bank account from their country of residence,” she said.
“To enter the promotion a client needs to transfer a minimum of US$2,000 into a Malawi Kwacha account through Standard Bank BDC. This will give one entry into the monthly draw and subsequent grand draw.
“Through our Diaspora Account, we aim to provide a tailored banking solution that caters specifically to the unique requirements of individuals living abroad,” said Mughogho.
She said the promotion aims to empower individuals living outside the country with convenient banking solutions that enable them to seamlessly manage their finances and support their loved ones back home.
This promotion is open to the Bank’s Diaspora Account holders and any other international bank account from the sender’s country of residence.
Funds once sent will be deposited directly into the Malawian bank account of the beneficiary.
Malawians residing abroad and who wish to open a Diaspora Account with Standard Bank can do so by simply clicking here to download and complete the application documents or through the e-mail diasporasupportcentre@standardbank.co.mw and the bank’s website.
The promotion will run from 11th March 2024 to 31st May 2024 and draws will be conducted at the end of each month.
Monthly draws will see seven customers carting home MK500, 000 each.
Apart from the grand prize of a plot valued at MK20 million, other consolation prizes include a solar system valued at MK4,600,000 to the first runner up and the third winner will walk away with MK1 million.
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