#finance conference in morocco

[finextcon]

Exploring the Top Fintech Companies in Morocco

Morocco, a country known for its rich cultural heritage and strategic geographical location, has been making significant strides in the fintech sector. The fintech industry in Morocco is flourishing, driven by a blend of innovative startups and established financial institutions. These companies are leveraging technology to enhance financial services, promote financial inclusion, and drive economic growth. In this blog, we'll explore some of the top fintech companies in Morocco that are leading the way in this dynamic sector.

1. CIH Bank

CIH Bank is a leading financial institution in Morocco that has embraced digital transformation to provide a wide range of fintech solutions. The bank offers innovative mobile banking services, digital wallets, and online payment solutions. CIH Bank’s commitment to digital innovation has made it a key player in Morocco's fintech landscape.

2. Inwi Money

Inwi Money is a pioneering fintech company in Morocco, offering a mobile payment service that allows users to make transactions directly from their mobile phones. Launched by the telecommunications company Inwi, Inwi Money provides services such as money transfers, bill payments, and online purchases. This service is particularly beneficial in promoting financial inclusion, especially in rural areas.

3. Payit

Payit is a Moroccan fintech startup that focuses on providing secure and convenient payment solutions. The company offers a digital wallet that enables users to make payments, transfer money, and manage their finances through a mobile app. Payit’s user-friendly interface and robust security features have made it a popular choice among Moroccan consumers.

4. Hps Worldwide

Hps Worldwide is a global payment solutions provider headquartered in Morocco. The company specializes in designing and developing innovative payment systems for financial institutions, processors, and national switches. Hps Worldwide’s solutions are used in over 90 countries, making it a significant player in the global fintech market.

5. YallaXash

YallaXash is a fintech startup that provides remittance services to the Moroccan diaspora. The platform allows users to send money to Morocco quickly and securely. YallaXash’s competitive exchange rates and low transaction fees have made it a preferred choice for Moroccans living abroad who want to support their families back home.

6. Wafacash

Wafacash, a subsidiary of Attijariwafa Bank, is a leading fintech company specializing in money transfer and payment solutions. The company offers a range of services including domestic and international money transfers, bill payments, and mobile banking. Wafacash’s extensive network and reliable services have earned it a strong reputation in Morocco and beyond.

7. M2T (Maroc Traitement de Transactions)

M2T is a Moroccan fintech company that provides electronic payment processing solutions. The company offers a wide range of services including payment gateways, e-commerce solutions, and mobile payment systems. M2T’s innovative approach to electronic payments has made it a key player in the Moroccan fintech ecosystem.

8. WeCasablanca

WeCasablanca is a fintech startup that focuses on providing smart city solutions, including digital payments and financial services. The company aims to enhance the urban experience for residents and visitors through innovative fintech solutions. WeCasablanca’s initiatives are part of a broader effort to position Casablanca as a leading smart city in Africa.

Conclusion

Morocco's fintech sector is rapidly evolving, driven by a mix of innovative startups and established financial institutions. These companies are leveraging technology to provide a wide range of financial services, promote financial inclusion, and drive economic growth. As the fintech landscape in Morocco continues to develop, it will be exciting to see how these companies and others contribute to the country's digital transformation and economic progress.

Whether you are an investor looking for new opportunities, a consumer seeking convenient financial services, or simply someone interested in the fintech industry, Morocco's vibrant fintech ecosystem offers a lot to explore and appreciate.

[thxnews]

Agriculture's Future Debated in Rabat: ARC33 Opens Soon

As the world’s eyes turn to Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, a groundbreaking event unfolds that seeks to chart a new course for Africa’s agrifood systems. The FAO’s 33rd Regional Conference for Africa (ARC33), happening 18-20 April, represents a critical confluence of ideas, innovations, and discussions aimed at transforming agriculture into a more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable sector.  

The Urgency of Now

Challenges at the Forefront In the wake of growing hunger across Africa, exacerbated by conflicts, economic downturns, and the harsh realities of the climate crisis, ARC33’s agenda could not be more timely. The event stands as a beacon of hope and a call to action to address the pressing needs of a burgeoning population, aiming to end hunger and malnutrition through transformative change.   A Collaborative Effort Bringing together agriculture ministers, government officials, civil society groups, and representatives from the private sector, ARC33 is a melting pot of perspectives. Each delegate arrives with unique experiences, ready to forge regional recommendations that will influence global agrifood policy and practice.  

Voices for Change

Distinguished Speakers and Visionaries The conference boasts an impressive lineup of speakers, including H.E. Aziz Akhannouch, Qu Dongyu, and representatives from the African Union and various nations. Their insights will kick off a series of ministerial roundtables focusing on the FAO’s Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all.   Critical Discussions and Roundtables From investing in resilience to exploring the Blue Transformation in Africa, each session is designed to tackle key drivers of agrifood system transformation. Special events will delve into digitalization, women and youth in agriculture, and strategies for financing resilient agrifood systems.  

A Unified Vision for the Future

Toward a Ministerial Declaration As ARC33 concludes, a Ministerial Declaration will encapsulate the collective vision and commitments made, setting a course toward a transformed agrifood landscape in Africa. This document will serve as a guiding light for future actions, embodying the conference’s spirit of collaboration and innovation.   Sources: THX News & UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Read the full article

[kenbowe]

Saudi minister defends China's BRI lending to developing nations

[attheexactlyrighttimeandplace]

This long post is entirely due to Tumblr's faulty tagging system which refused to validate my tags. I couldn't vote because the poll was closed, I lost all my long tags and, frustrated, I wrote this!

Since the OP invited us to add some facts, I used the poll options to add some personal thoughts about my beautiful home:

People on this site are surprisingly ignorant on historical topics, especially decolonization. Schools in the Western world clearly oversimplify the treatment of the subject at best, which is when they address it instead of just ignoring it.

How could our heroic resistance and our martyrs be less associated with Algeria than the Western system of oppression they fought?

Algeria led the revolution against the North for the entire South: it was considered the “Mecca of the revolution” until the end of the 1970s from Cuba to Vietnam, via South Africa. Algeria welcomed Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Nelson Mandela, members of the Black Panther Party like Malcom X and Kwame Ture.

Its independence was considered in Africa as the mother of all wars of independence, the one which made all other African independences possible. Algeria hosted the first pan-African festival. All great African leaders, from Thomas Sankara to Nelson Mandela, have recognized that Algeria's blood was shed to liberate all other African countries.

The conflicts with Morocco are a territorial conflict concerning our borders AND a colonial conflict over Western Sahara, a small territory close to Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria, abandoned by Spain after the death of its fascist leader Franco in 1973, leading to its de facto independence. Western Sahara's affirmation of its right to self-determination has the full support of Algeria in all areas (diplomatic, economic, judicial, financial, cultural). Algeria contributed to having the struggle for the independence of the Sahara recognized by the UN and the ICJ, to the detriment of its relations with Morocco which wants to annex it because of its resources.

This conflict is now also linked to the war in occupied Palestine. Algeria is fully committed to the liberation of Palestine: it was the first country to recognize Palestine in 1988, and in fact Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat made his declaration of the creation of the State of Palestine in Algiers. More recently, in 2022, Algeria hosted a conference to unite all Palestinian resistance movements: armed resistance and official authority. It was the only Arab nation to continue financing the Palestinians in 2023 (Qatar financed Gaza but stopped the same year), provided them with substantial aid of €30 millions, welcomed Hamas on its land which opened an office and has a representative in our country now. Algeria also uses its place as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council to get other countries to apply the ICJ decision, and condemn Israel to various sanctions for having refused a ceasefire, and the entry of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

I like that Algeria has no connection with the zionists, calls their false state not by the name they gave themselves but "the zionist entity" in its official declarations, that Algerian public television channels celebrated the success of the events of 10/07 with Hamas. I'm proud that Algeria fights with its “body and heart” (the algerian head of state himself delivered a passionate speech in defense of armed resistance) against the accusations of terrorism against Hamas. We have been treated the same way by France, and I love that our leaders so deeply and absolutely sympathize with the Palestinian struggle and vehemently refuse to forgive or forget what our people have suffered.

Since Morocco signed the so-called Abraham Accords in 2020 in exchange for the illegal recognition by the United States of its authority over Western Sahara, moroccan politicians have been more strongly influenced by the Zionists: they are increasing their capacities military (they bought a factory from the zionists to manufacture drones and numerous weapons for millions of dollars) and by expanding their military zone to our common border. In retaliation, Algeria closed its border with Morocco, broke all diplomatic relations with them and is preparing for a possible war that it clearly does not want but which it will not be afraid to face as a last resort.

It's sad that Albert Camus is in this poll: he was never an algerian but a racist settler who supported colonialism. Better examples of french people to associate with Algeria: philosopher and psychiatrist Frantz Fanon who joined the struggle for independence, World War II resistance fighter and ethnologist Germaine Tillion who conducted large-scale investigations in Algeria before the Second World War on the living conditions of the natives and played an important role as mediator during the War of Independence.

Being the largest country in Africa is relatively new: it happened after the partition of Sudan in 2011.

The most remarkable characteristics of Algeria: its people, its nature and its local cultural traditions

The reputation for kindness and simplicity of interactions with algerians is not a lie.

You can be a stranger in the most remote area at night and talk to the first person you meet who doesn't even know your language, and still be 2 hours later in the safest place to have dinner and have secured at the same time a place to sleep and settle in for a few days for a good price.

Urban areas are more dangerous and are the place to be careful if you don't speak arabic, although foreigners, regardless of their origin, are generally easily identified and immediately offered assistance and protection.

The Amazigh are part of a larger ethnic group called Berbers that includes most people in northern Africa. Over a thousand years ago, the Arabs took control of the region during their conquest to spread Islam, and all the inhabitants/Berbers converted to Islam and many of them adopted the Arabic as a language, but this has not killed the diversity of languages and communities.

Natives who converted to Islam centuries ago and adopted arabic consider themselves full arabs (like my family) and completely reject the assertion that they are not true arabs (a criticism mainly coming from Middle Eastern arabs or westerners).

The Berbers are people of all kinds: their lifestyle is a set of ancestral customs that cover language, music and fashion style. Those who live in urban areas have a mixed culture: they speak arabic but still define themselves as members of their ethnic group. Those who live in rural areas or are pastoral nomads still pass on the most distinctive elements of their culture to new generations.

The northern communities: the Amazighs (also called Kabyles) and the Chaouis, as well as the southern Berbers such as the Tuaregs and the Mozabites (people originating from the desert region of M'Zab in the Sahara) are well integrated into the algerian nation, despite their shared history with other north african societies. They consider themselves algerian regardless of the degree of their opposition to arabs (the Amazighs are the most vocal about their resistance to arab culture, even if arab leaders, even if they are overrepresented in Algerian public institutions and dominate the political circles, are not hostile: Tamazight, the language of the Amazighs, is a national language in the same way as Arabic and there is no controversy on this subject). The fight against the french occupation and for independence united them.

The Sahara Desert should be higher in this poll: it's a space of wonder that takes you to another world. Traveling through the desert with the Tuaregs is my dream: observing the starry sky at night, listening to the silence of this empty and seemingly endless ecosystem, drinking mint tea shared with the guides at the end of a long day of walking seems to be the only journey worth experiencing in this life for me.

It is also an archaeological treasure (it contains the Tassili n'Ajjer national park which is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site). For all fans of traditional architecture like me, this is the ideal place (especially Ghardaïa, the most beautiful oasis ever built in the desert).

Algerian chaabi is a traditional musical style, which can be best summarized as a form of pure poetry that represents the heart and soul of Algeria.

Algeria is widely known for inventing Raï, a popular urban pop music genre, but Chaabi is timeless: it is played on classical instruments (violin, mandolin, piano) which perfectly complements the meaningful lyrics, which convey generally an emotional reflection on life, the past and memory, love of land and country, exile and sorrow. It hits you deeper and continues to haunt you in a way that Raï cannot compare to, despite its vibrant energy and romantic lyrics.

Our flag is an object of great pride for each of us! When visiting or living abroad, Algerians wear it to every event that concerns them or the Arab or Muslim world. It is truly an anti-colonial flag which affirms that Algeria is the land and nation of Islam. The colors, green and white, and the symbols, a red crescent moon and a red 5-pointed star, are the colors and symbols of Islam. This is how the French administration defined us: Islam was racialized under the occupation of Algeria to the point that even the rare Algerians of origin who converted to Christian religions were called Christian Muslims (!).

That's why "99%" of the algerian are muslims and "the constitution declares Islam to be the state religion and prohibits state institutions from behaving in a manner incompatible with Islam".

I have mixed feelings about Algiers: Algiers "the White" is a pure mediterranean city, all light and heat, full of bright colors, built on a hill, and looks like a spectacular lighthouse to guide ships, a beautiful gateway to Africa for all travelers. It's a city that leaves you spellbound: every feeling is heightened as you walk through the city, meaning every trip ends on a note of amazement and exhaustion. This city is an experiment in which vibrant life has become the permanent state of the world.

But I hate its development: I love all the buildings and works of art that predate colonization: the roof terraces so close together that people have conversations, full and intense relationships from different buildings, and which host intense social activity from hanging laundry to wedding parties. The very narrow streets which are an oasis of coolness in summer and open in a surprising twist onto very wide staircases. The extraordinarily heavy foot traffic during the day feels like a racing heartbeat, preceded at dawn and followed at night by a magical, almost spiritual calm. The architectural masterpiece that is the Casbah of Algiers: a timeless place built by the Ottoman Turks which is the most symbolic and most visited in the capital, designed as a southern village in the city and which is turns into a maze for strangers. The fact that it is difficult to find the usual international fashion or food brands: the traders are mostly local artisans who create what they sell or import it from small foreign retailers. It is therefore a classic commercial distribution chain, on a human scale, and not the oversized circuit created by capitalism.

But I can no longer stand the fact that we have kept so many buildings from the French occupation. I want to see the architectural attempts made by French settlers to appropriate our lands erased: I want to redesign the haussmanian boulevards, return the colonial statues, destroy and rebuild the french villas. I do not want to break the links with our history: we absolutely must remember our martyrs and honor them where they fell. But we do not need to keep as a kind of unwanted inheritance, the things that France has built and which still allow it today to boast of having civilized us.

Algerians don't really like eating out: their cuisine is therefore less cooked in restaurants and therefore less renowned and less sophisticated than moroccan food.

Couscous is also common in Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania. In fact, the 4 countries jointly asked to include this dish as a UNESCO intangible heritage. For me the dish that Algerians master is rather the rich soup called shorba (it is a mixture of vegetables and crushed green wheat with a small piece of lamb/mutton meat, served with traditional bread which is one essential Ramadan dishes).

The greatest merit of Algerian cuisine is that it is not fast food that you can buy in a chain. It is made from ingredients that you have to choose from street markets, and most of the recipes are grandmother's recipes passed down from mothers to daughters. Practice is the key word in learning to measure quantities.

Our best-known traditional product are dates. They are the best in the world and I'm not bragging. Nothing can compare to their taste, shape and color. The best variety we produce is Deglet Nour, but the name may be used by other countries, so be careful of the origin if you buy them.

We are less known for our other strength: our olive oil, because we export it less than other countries in northern Africa do for their oils. For a long time it was mainly produced for local consumption. For example, my family owns vast lands on which they have been growing olive groves for generations, but they only sell them to their close neighbors, their friends, and their friends' friends. It's like a secret we don't share, unless the person is meant to become socially close, at least. This is why the most popular Algerian olive oil is Amazigh olive oil, although other Algerian regions are much more expert in its manufacturing process and know how to obtain an inimitable rich and fruity taste, which makes you renounce all other oils.

God, this post is SO LONG, no one will read it or they will hate me if they try, but I have no regrets .

Please reblog for a bigger sample size!

If you have any fun fact about Algeria, please tell us and I'll reblog it!

Be respectful in your comments. You can criticize a government without offending its people.

[thisdayinwwi]

Jan 22 1919 #OTD Photo, IWM Q 55581, shows Emir Feisal and the Arabian Commission to the Peace Conference at Versailles. From Left to right:

Mohammed Rustum Bey Haidar of Baalbek: A Lebanese politician and an aide to Emir Faisal who later served as the Defense and Finance Ministers of Iraq.

Brigadier General Nuri Pasha Said: Born in Baghdad, during the Ottoman Empire. Fought against the British in Libya and was captured. As a POW he was converted to the Arab cause and joined the Arab Uprising. Later served as prime minister of Iraq.

Captain Rosario Pisani: A French officer who had arrived from Morocco to command 200 North African soldiers in the Arab Uprising. During the fighting against the Ottomans, Feisal took a liking to him and asked him to come to the conference to advise him.

T. E. Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia

Captain Hassan Bey Kadri  

In the back is an African man described in various sources as Emir Feisal‘s servant or slave. (It took until the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk for slavery to end in Turkey)

Over French objections Feisal made a speech promoting Arab self-determination. With Lawrence translating, he argued that the fighting against the Ottoman Empire had cost the Arabs dearly with 20,000 soldiers dead for a promise of freedom. Yet the Imperial victors of WWI ignored him and the Arab people, instead honoring the Sykes-Picot agreement.

A February 11, 1922 Saturday Evening Post article described the nations that were carved out of the Ottoman Empire by the British and French as an affront that “disturbed the currents of traffic which go back to the time of the children of Israel in Egypt, to the early days of Bagdad and Damascus, and to Marco Polo.”

As a consolation Emir Feisal was made King of the new nation of Iraq.

Colourized by Christos Kaplanis

Colourized by kaplanisart (Past in Color Χρώμα στο Παρελθόν)

National Archives Identifier:86709945 Local Identifier:111-SC-52371

[princessanneftw]

Princess Anne’s organisations ➔ Save the Children Fund

Princess Anne began her work with the Save the Children Fund on 15 August 1970 - her 20th birthday - when she accepted their offer to become their new President. She immediately wanted to see the kind of work the Fund were doing on the ground, and so embarked on her first overseas trip with the Fund to their Centre in Nairobi, which was filmed by the BBC’s Blue Peter team. This was the first in a long line of trips which would see her travel to some of the most remote, poverty-stricken, and dangerous places around the world, and which saw a colossal growth for the charity. 

While the majority of her engagements for the Fund are in the UK, it is on foreign tours that she gets involved with the Fund’s most important work and witnesses at first hand how the money she helps raise is used. These extensive tours for which she became famous for, beginning in the 1980s, were when people really began to sit up and take notice.

Visiting Nepal in 1981, the Princess spent ten days visiting the SCF’s four projects in the foothills and valleys of the Himalayas, which provide basic health care for mothers and children and are run by the locals, having been educated in modern health practices by the Fund workers. Around 300 children attended the clinics daily, trekking long distances to do so. To visit one clinic, Anne had a strenuous four-hour walk through the mountains, proving her stamina. 

In 1982, Anne undertook her most extensive tour with the Fund yet, which was to be a major turning point for the Fund. It took her to Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, North Yemen and Beirut. Covering 14,000 miles in three weeks by air, road and boat, she was met with poverty, starvation and disease. She visited immunization centres in places where typhoid and polio were rife, camps with tens of thousands of starving refugees, and children who were on the brink of death.

She was advised to abandon the tour halfway through when continuing hostilities between Ethiopia and Somalia had begun to reach breaking point, and the Foreign Office deemed it too dangerous. “Damn them, I’m going on” was her response. If that wasn’t enough, she rejected further warnings that she should cancel her visit to Beirut when, the day before her arrival, 62 people had been killed by a bomb close to the point where she would be travelling. It only gave her further determination. The duration of her visit to the capital, where civil war had killed hundreds, was extended by several hours which she spent touring refugee camps, medical centres and some of the worst hit areas. 

Throughout the tour, the press - who had only tagged along to try and get a scoop because Mark Phillips hadn’t gone with her - were admittedly shocked and impressed by where she went, what she saw and what she did. It was a first for a member of the Royal family. Startling, shocking pictures of human suffering, highlighted by her visit, were sent around the world, alerting a previously unaware public to the plight of the impoverished, disease-ridden conditions under which vast numbers of Africans were living - and dying, thus pointing the way to a massive relief effort. The Fund organisers were delighted with the impact of the tour, and it also gave great hope to those working for the children on the ground. 

In 1984, she embarked on a ten-day tour of Morocco, Gambia and Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), which she described herself as the most harrowing trip she’s ever made. When asked if she would ever consider a full-time career with the Fund, she said: “I have actually thought about it, but I think really I would only last about a year. What I saw, for instance, in Upper Volta made me realise I would not have the stamina to do it for much longer than that.”

What she saw was thousands of children who faced death within weeks. Life was in the hands of the weather: if the rains don’t come, the people starve. At the hospital in Gorom Gorom, she saw children with spindly legs and pot bellies through lack of food. Those too weak to move lay on rush mats, covered with flies. She brushed the swarming insects from one child’s face, but it was a futile task. “You have to stay remote,” she said, “or you’d just crack.”

There were no frills attached to these tours. Anne stayed in the refugee camps with the Fund workers. When asked about things like washing, her lady-in-waiting, the Hon. Shân Legge-Bourke, who often accompanied her, said: “We just stand under the shower with our clothes on - if there is a shower. But a bucket will do.” Anne neither expected nor received any special treatment for her Royal status. She slept in the same huts, was bitten by the same bed bugs - “little ‘friends’ who shared my sleeping bag” as she called them - and ate the same food.

Mark Bowden, who coordinated the African campaign, said: “There is a communal kitchen where the local staff prepare food that is either tinned, dried or heavily dominated by the only meat available - goat. There is goat stew, goat spaghetti bolonaise, goat everything you can think of... [Anne] is the most marvellous person who makes the most difficult conditions fun. Her presence gives everyone an enormous boost.” 

Her position gave her immediate access to presidents and other government heads who might never have been persuaded to discuss their country’s problems. Here, she demonstrated a knowledge acquired from her experience: the need for village food banks, water schemes, locally trained health workers.

On a trip to India, Fund workers had been trying to negotiate the building of a new nutritional centre for which they were being asked to pay £200,000 for. The day after Anne arrived, it was reduced to £40,000. A donation of £750,000 from the Townswomen’s Guild, of which she is patron, was used to build other health centres. She managed to secure a further £70,000 which was used to finance long-term relief projects in Bangladesh.

In Uganda, the Fund had been trying without success for months to obtain permission to go to a certain area. When Anne visited the country, she spoke to the President personally and within days, permission was given. “That is the sort of help she can give to us which no one else can do,” said Nicholas Hinton, the Director General of the Fund at the time.

When she wasn’t on a tour, she utilized her engagements in Britain to further the cause wherever she could. When she addressed a conference of freight hauliers in Brighton, she obtained donations of services from a worldwide courier company who promised to deliver medicines to any SCF project anywhere in the world free of charge. She extracted a sizeable donation from the delegates she addressed at a meeting of the Inland Revenue Staff Federstion. When Michael Parkinson invited her on to his chat show in Australia, she only agreed after a donation of £6000 was sent to the Fund.

She has since made further visits to Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Sudan, Uganda and Somalia. Her extensive work with the Fund has been recognised worldwide, so much so that in 1990, she was nominated by President Kaunda of Zambia for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Most recently, Anne has travelled to Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to her trips overseas, she regularly meets fundraisers and volunteers, and visits SCF shops around the UK. She also attends and speaks at many of their special events every year. 

In 2016, after serving as their president for 46 years, Anne became Patron of Save the Children, taking on the role from the Queen. Accepting her new role, she said:

"I am proud of my long association with Save the Children, and I am honoured to succeed Her Majesty as its Patron. It is an organisation that embodies a spirit of compassion, openness and excellence. Its values are an inspiration; its achievements, a source of hope for millions of children. From significantly reducing malnutrition in some of the poorest parts of Bangladesh to sheltering, feeding and vaccinating the young people affected by the devastating winds and rain of typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and ensuring children in the UK leave primary school reading competently and able to fulfil their potential, their efforts to ensure that every child survives to live a happy, healthy life are outstanding.”

[greatworldwar2]

• Philippe Pétain

Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Pétain generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain, was a French general officer who attained the position of Marshal of France at the end of World War I, during which he became known as Le Lion de Verdun (The Lion of Verdun). In collaboration with Nazi Germany, he then served as the Chief of State of Vichy France from 1940 to 1944.

Pétain was born in Cauchy-à-la-Tour (in the Pas-de-Calais département in Northern France) in 1856. His great-uncle, a Catholic priest, Father Abbe Lefebvre (1771-1866), had served in Napoleon's Grande Armée and told the young Philippe tales of war and adventure of his campaigns from the peninsulas of Italy to the Alps in Switzerland. Highly impressed by the tales told by his uncle, his destiny was from then on determined by the army. After World War I Pétain married his former girlfriend, Eugénie Hardon (1877–1962), on September 14th, 1920; they remained married until the end of Pétain's life. Pétain joined the French Army in 1876 and attended the St Cyr Military Academy in 1887 and the École Supérieure de Guerre (army war college) in Paris. Between 1878 and 1899, he served in various garrisons with different battalions of the Chasseurs à pied, the elite light infantry of the French Army.

Pétain's career progressed slowly, as he rejected the French Army philosophy of the furious infantry assault, arguing instead that "firepower kills". His views were later proved to be correct during the First World War. He was promoted to captain in 1890 and major in 1900. Unlike many French officers, he served mainly in mainland France, never French Indochina or any of the African colonies, although he participated in the Rif campaign in Morocco. Pétain would never receive the rank of general as by the time of 1914 he was already nearing retirement age. Pétain led his brigade at the Battle of Guise. At the end of August 1914 he was quickly promoted to brigadier-general and given command of the 6th Division in time for the First Battle of the Marne. Pétain commanded the Second Army at the start of the Battle of Verdun in February 1916. During the battle, he was promoted to Commander of Army Group Centre, which contained a total of 52 divisions. Because of his high prestige as a soldier's soldier and success in combat, Pétain served briefly as Army Chief of Staff ,from the end of April 1917. After the war ended Pétain was made Marshal of France on November 21st, 1918.

Pétain ended the war regarded "without a doubt, the most accomplished defensive tactician of any army" and "one of France's greatest military heroes" and was presented with his baton of Marshal of France at a public ceremony at Metz by President Raymond Poincaré in December 1918. He was summoned to be present at the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28th, 1919. His job as Commander-in-Chief came to an end with peace and demobilisation. in January 1920, was appointed Vice-Chairman of the revived Conseil supérieur de la Guerre (Supreme War Council). This was France's highest military position. Shortly after the war, Pétain had placed before the government plans for a large tank and air force but "at the meeting of the Conseil supérieur de la Défense Nationale in March 1920 the Finance Minister, François-Marsal, announced that although Pétain's proposals were excellent they were unaffordable". In 1928 Pétain had supported the creation of an independent air force removed from the control of the army, and on February 9th,1931, following his retirement as Vice-Chairman of the Supreme War Council, he was appointed Inspector-General of Air Defence.

Political unease was sweeping the country, and on February 6th, 1934 the Paris police fired on a group of far-right rioters outside the Chamber of Deputies. Pétain was invited, on February 8th, to join the new French cabinet as Minister of War, which he only reluctantly accepted after many representations. He improved the recruitment programme for specialists, and lengthened the training period by reducing leave entitlements. Some argue that Pétain, as France's most senior soldier after Foch's death, should bear some responsibility for the poor state of French weaponry preparation before World War II. But Pétain was only one of many military and other men on a very large committee responsible for national defence, and interwar governments frequently cut military budgets. Pétain had been made, briefly, Minister of War in 1934. Yet his short period of total responsibility could not reverse 15 years of inactivity and constant cutbacks.

In March 1939 Pétain became the French ambassador to Spain. When World War II began in September, Pétain turned down an offer of a position in the French government. However on May 18th, 1940, after Germany invaded France, Pétain joined the new government of Paul Reynaud. Reynaud hoped that the hero of Verdun might instill a renewed spirit of resistance and patriotism in the French Army. On May 26th, the invading Germans pushed back the French Army. General Maxime Weygand expressed his fury at British retreats and the unfulfilled promise of British fighter aircraft. He and Pétain regarded the military situation as hopeless. On June 5th, following the fall of Dunkirk, there was a Cabinet reshuffle, and Prime Minister Reynaud brought the newly promoted Brigadier-General de Gaulle. On June 10th, 1940, the government left Paris for Tours. Weygand, the Commander -in -Chief, now declared that "the fighting had become meaningless". He, Baudouin, and several members of the government were already set on an armistice.

Upon learning of France's surrender, the British prime minister Churchill told the French they should consider "guerrilla warfare". Pétain then replied that it would mean the destruction of the country. On June 12th, after a second session of the conference, the cabinet met and Weygand again called for an armistice. He referred to the danger of military and civil disorder and the possibility of a Communist uprising in Paris. Pétain and Minister of Information Prouvost urged the cabinet to hear Weygand out because "he was the only one really to know what was happening". Pétain strongly supported Weygand’s demand for an armistice and read out a draft proposal to the cabinet where he spoke of "the need to stay in France, to prepare a national revival, and to share the sufferings of our people". The government moved to Bordeaux, where French governments had fled German invasions in 1870 and 1914, on June 14th. Parliament, both senate and chamber, were also at Bordeaux and immersed themselves in the armistice debate. Reynaud declared his resignation as Prime Minister on June 16th, and felt he had little choice but to appoint Pétain in his place.

A new Cabinet with Pétain as head of government was formed. General de Gaulle, no longer in the Cabinet, had arrived in London on the 17th and made a call for resistance from there, on the 18th, with no legal authority whatsoever from his government, a call that was heeded by comparatively few. Cabinet and Parliament still argued between themselves on the question of whether or not to retreat to North Africa. On June 22nd, France signed an armistice at Compiègne with Germany that gave Germany control over the north and west of the country, including Paris and all of the Atlantic coastline, but left the rest, around two-fifths of France's prewar territory, unoccupied. Paris remained the de jure capital. On June 29th, the French Government moved to Clermont-Ferrand. The Chamber of Deputies and Senate, meeting together as a "Congrès", held an emergency meeting on July 10th, to ratify the armistice. The new Vichy government immediately used its new powers to order harsh measures, including the dismissal of republican civil servants, the installation of exceptional jurisdictions, the proclamation of antisemitic laws, and the imprisonment of opponents and foreign refugees. Censorship was imposed, and freedom of expression and thought were effectively abolished with the reinstatement of the crime of "felony of opinion."

Pétain championed a rural, Catholic France that spurned internationalism. As a retired military commander, he ran the country on military lines. He and his government collaborated with Germany in the years after the armistice. Pétain's government was nevertheless internationally recognised, notably by the U.S., at least until the German occupation of the rest of France. Neither Pétain nor his successive deputies, Laval, Pierre-Étienne Flandin, or Admiral François Darlan, gave significant resistance to requests by the Germans to indirectly aid the Axis Powers. However, when Hitler met Pétain at Montoire in October 1940 to discuss the French government's role in the new European Order, the Marshal "listened to Hitler in silence. Not once did he offer a sympathetic word for Germany." French government became increasingly fearful of the British and took the initiative to collaborate with the occupiers. Pétain accepted the government's creation of a collaborationist armed militia (the Milice) under the command of Joseph Darnand, who, along with German forces, led a campaign of repression against the French resistance. Pétain's government acquiesced to the Axis forces demands for large supplies of manufactured goods and foodstuffs, and also ordered French troops in France's colonial empire (in Dakar, Syria, Madagascar, Oran and Morocco) to defend sovereign French territory against any aggressors, Allied or otherwise.

On November 11th, 1942, German forces invaded the unoccupied zone of Southern France in response to the Allies' Operation Torch landings in North Africa. Although the French government nominally remained in existence, civilian administration of almost all France being under it, Pétain became nothing more than a figurehead, as the Germans had negated the pretence of an "independent" government at Vichy. Pétain however remained popular and engaged in a series of visits around France as late as 1944. Following the liberation of France, in September 1944 Pétain and other members of the French cabinet at Vichy were relocated by the Germans to the Sigmaringen enclave in Germany, where they became a government-in-exile until April 1945. Pétain, however, having been forced to leave France, refused to participate in this government. On April 5th, 1945, Pétain wrote a note to Hitler expressing his wish to return to France. No reply ever came. However, on his birthday almost three weeks later, he was taken to the Swiss border. Two days later he crossed the French frontier.

The provisional government, headed by De Gaulle, placed Pétain on trial for treason, which took place from July to August 1945. Dressed in the uniform of a Marshal of France, Pétain remained silent through most of the proceedings. De Gaulle himself later criticised the trial, stating, "Too often, the discussions took on the appearance of a partisan trial, sometimes even a settling of accounts, when the whole affair should have been treated only from the standpoint of national defence and independence." De Gaulle himself later criticised the trial, stating, "Too often, the discussions took on the appearance of a partisan trial, sometimes even a settling of accounts, when the whole affair should have been treated only from the standpoint of national defence and independence." After his conviction, the Court stripped Pétain of all military ranks and honours save for the one distinction of Marshal of France. Over the following years Pétain's lawyers and many foreign governments and dignitaries, including Queen Mary and the Duke of Windsor, appealed to successive French governments for Pétain's release, but given the unstable state of Fourth Republic politics no government was willing to risk unpopularity by releasing him. Although Pétain had still been in good health for his age at the time of his imprisonment, by late 1947 his memory lapses were worsening and he was beginning to suffer from incontinence, sometimes soiling himself in front of visitors and sometimes no longer recognising his wife. By May, Pétain required constant nursing care, and he was often suffering from hallucinations, e.g. that he was commanding armies in battle, or that naked women were dancing around his room. By the end of 1949, Pétain was completely senile.

On June 8th, 1951 President Auriol, informed that Pétain had little longer to live, commuted his sentence to confinement in hospital. Pétain died in a private home in Port-Joinville on the Île d'Yeu on July 23rd, 1951, at the age of 95. His sometime protégé Charles de Gaulle later wrote that Pétain’s life was "successively banal, then glorious, then deplorable, but never mediocre".

[kudosone]

South Africa's ratification of the Paris Agreement unlocks significant new funding opportunities

KudosAfrica welcomes South Africa’s decision to ratify the Paris Agreement. This is a vital step toward a low-carbon future and unlocks significant new funding opportunities for innovative responses by the private sector.

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding instrument that will further guide the process for universal action on climate change. It is also an important tool in mobilising finance, technological support and capacity building for developing countries to ensure their climate resilience.

For instance, advanced economies have pledged to mobilise USD 100 billion by 2020 to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change. The Green Climate Change, established by 194 countries in 2010, has already raised more than USD 10 billion to fund low-emission and climate-resilient projects in developing countries.

Africa is a key focus in the roll-out of the Fund. The Fund held its first Structured Dialogue with Africa in Cape Town last week, the largest dialogue to date. 103 officials from 48 African countries participated to create an ambitious investment pipeline of 130 low-emission and climate-resilient projects across diverse sectors.

This is just one of the mechanisms through which global capital is finding environmentally positive investment opportunities in Africa.

A recent KudosAfrica report shows the growing interest from the international investment community to invest in businesses that manage their environmental and social sustainability alongside good governance and profitability. In fact, investors increasingly act as partners to businesses looking to improve their environmental and social performance over time.

If we hope to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of holding the increase in global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, then the private sector will need to get on board with much more ambitious commitment than it has to date.

There are a number of things African businesses can do:

Start to measure and manage greenhouse gas emissions - by finding out how your business contributes to climate change, you can identify the easiest, high impact ways to reduce them.

Become more energy efficient - this is often a cost-saving opportunity and could improve operational efficiency as well.

Incorporate renewable energy options - for Africa, where energy supply can be unpredictable and costly, renewable energy options are increasingly cheaper and more reliable.

Prepare for climate impacts - Africa is set to be hardest hit by the impacts of climate change, including droughts, floods, disease, and migration. Is your business ready for these changes and how can you help your community adapt?

South Africa’s ratification of the Agreement gives it a seat at the negotiation table at the first meeting of the 22nd Conference of Parties (COP22), which opened in Morocco on 7 November.

Climate leadership

According to South Africa’s Minister of Environmental Affairs, Dr Edna Molewa, “South Africa's ratification of the Paris Agreement sends a positive signal of our continued leadership role in ensuring the effects of climate change are addressed”. KudosAfrica welcomes government policies that will inspire South African businesses to help achieve the national climate goals.

Promoting collaborative solutions

Now that the Paris Agreement has provided a shared vision for all parts of society, we also require more collaborative problem-solving that makes best use of our various resources and abilities. We welcome initiatives that will tap the rich reserves of knowledge in academia, business, civil society, and communities.

__________________________________________________

About KudosAfrica: KudosAfrica is a sustainable value capture platform for privately owned, unlisted African businesses. We have developed a unique and practical rating methodology that incorporates international best practice in the assessment of sustainability of companies in emerging markets. Our goal is to increase investment into responsible and sustainable African enterprises by encouraging companies to improve and communicate about their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.

KudosAfrica is a signatory to the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investing (PRI).

If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact KudosAfrica: info@kudosafrica.com Follow us on Twitter: @Kudos_Africa Connect with us on Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/kudos-africa Website: www.kudosafrica.com

First published on November 3, 2016 by Greer Blizzard.

[maando-mba-prince-carl-philip]

Prince Carl Philip of Sweden visits Volkswagen

02.04.2019

: HRH Carl Philip, Prince of Sweden, is signing the Volkswagen guest book. From left: HRH Carl Philip, Prince of Sweden next to Andreas Renschler, CEO of TRATON SE and a Member of t

HRH Carl Philip, Prince of Sweden, is signing the Volkswagen guest book. From left: HRH Carl Philip, Prince of Sweden next to Andreas Renschler, CEO of TRATON SE and a Member of the Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Board of Management    Visit centered on Volkswagen’s e-mobility strategy and test drives in the Volkswagen Group’s latest-generation electric vehicles    Sweden is one of Europe’s largest markets for electric vehicles – Passat GTE1 is the best-selling electric car in Sweden    With Scania, the Volkswagen Group is one of the largest industrial investors in Sweden – €2.4 billion invested in the country in the last ten years    Prince Carl Philip met with Swedish startup entrepreneurs at a Volkswagen event on innovative manufacturing technologies and Industry 4.0 Sweden is the Partner Country of Hannover Messe 2019. During his official visit to Germany, Prince Carl Philip was welcomed by Volkswagen Group representatives in Wolfsburg and found out more about the company’s e-mobility strategy. The Swedish Prince was one of the first to test the Group’s new generation of electric cars, including models from the Volkswagen ID. family. Sweden is one of Europe’s largest markets for electric vehicles. Andreas Renschler, CEO of TRATON SE and a Member of the Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Board of Management, said: “Sweden is a role model in the area of climate protection. Today, more than half of the electricity generated already comes from renewable sources. That is an essential prerequisite for making e-mobility sustainable for passenger cars as well as trucks and buses.” He went on to say: “We have several innovative e-mobility projects in Sweden, for example, Scania will soon begin testing self-driving electric buses for Stockholm’s public transport system.” Sweden is one of Europe’s largest markets for electric vehicles and therefore an important sales market for the Group’s electric models. With reference to Prince Carl Philip’s test drives, the Volkswagen Brand Board Member for Technical Development, Dr. Frank Welsch, commented: “Prince Carl Philip of Sweden is a talented racing driver and an expert on cars. He was a successful participant in the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia from 2008 to 2011. And he visited the Rally Sweden and the Volkswagen Motorsport team. I am delighted that an acknowledged specialist is one of the first to test our new generation of electric vehicles that will hit the market from 2020. Sweden will be one of the major sales markets for our ID.” His Royal Highness Prince Carl Philip met with 34 Swedish startup entrepreneurs in Germany for Hannover Messe 2019 on his visit to the Volkswagen Smart.Production:Lab in the IT:City, Wolfsburg. These selected startups participated in an Innovation Day at Volkswagen where concepts and innovations such as electrically-powered automated transport concepts and virtual reality solutions as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence software tools were presented. The event was designed to intensify Swedish-German cooperation in the field of innovative manufacturing technologies and Industry 4.0. The Volkswagen Group is one of the largest industrial investors in Sweden. Scania invested €2.4 billion in Sweden in the last ten years. Scania produces trucks and buses in Europe, South America and Asia and is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sustainable transport solutions. 96,500 trucks and buses were delivered to customers in 2018 – 19,000 of which were built at the Swedish plant in Södertälje. 20,700 of Scania’s total workforce of 52,100 are employed in Sweden. In early 2018, Scania invested €10 million in the battery manufacturing company Northvolt. The collaboration concerns the industrial scale production of battery cells. A joint research consortium called European Battery Union led by Volkswagen and Northvolt was announced recently. The consortium is applying for funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy to finance the research, development and industrial scale production of battery technology. Furthermore, the Volkswagen Group is one of the largest car manufacturers in Sweden. 103,000 passenger cars and 16,700 trucks from the Group were registered in Sweden in 2018, accounting for a 27.4 percent share of the passenger car market and a 30 percent share of the truck market. The Volkswagen Golf, Passat and Tiguan are among the top ten passenger car models in Sweden’s registration statistics, putting Volkswagen in second place behind Volvo. Electric vehicles accounted for a market share of eight percent in Sweden in 2018. The Volkswagen Passat GTE Leslie Bothge- photos Volkswagen

Permanent-URL:

http://www.automobilsport.com/prince-carl-philip-sweden-visit-volkswagen---188764.html

02.04.2019 / MaP

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[harry-sussex]

Katie what engagements are upcoming for the Sussexes and the Cambridges?

Hey babe!!  Here they are (including some of my educated guesses):

William2/13/19 - Visit to Passage, a homeless resource center2/14/19 - Visit to Pall Mall Barbers at their Paddington Central location to benefit The Lions Barber Collective (men’s mental health initiative)2/14/19 - Visit to Future Dads to benefit Future Men (men’s mental health initiative)3/17/19 - St. Patrick’s Day with the Irish Guards with Kate6/8/19 - Trooping the Colour with the rest of the family

Catherine2/13/19 - The Royal Foundation’s ‘Mental Health in Education’ conference2/13/19 - 100 Women in Finance’s Gala dinner at the V&A Museum to benefit “Mentally Healthy Schools” (a Heads Together initiative)3/17/19 - St. Patrick’s Day with the Irish Guards with William5/21/19 - 5/25/19 - RHS Chelsea Flower Show (at least one date in that range, or preview)6/8/19 - Trooping the Colour with the rest of the family 7/2/19 - 7/7/19 - RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival (at least one date in that range, or preview)Sometime in the fall - RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey (or preview)jjj

Harry2/12/19 - Gala performance of The Wider Earth with Meghan2/13/19 - Reception/Q&A to benefit England Rugby’s Try for Change program and the Jonny Wilkinson Foundation2/14/19 - Visit to Norway to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Exercise Clockwork operation2/23/19 - 2/25/19 - Morocco visit with Meghan6/8/19 - Trooping the Colour with the rest of the family

Meghan2/12/19 - Gala performance of The Wider Earth with Harry 2/23/19 - 2/25/19 - Morocco visit with Harry6/8/19 - Trooping the Colour with the rest of the family

I think that’s everything for now - please let me know if you know of any others!

[finextcon]

5 Ways to Growing Fintech Industry

Growing in the fintech industry involves a strategic blend of innovation, market understanding, regulatory compliance, and customer-centric solutions. Here are five key ways to achieve growth in this dynamic sector:

Embrace Technological Innovation:

Leverage Emerging Technologies: Integrate cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning to develop advanced financial solutions. Blockchain can enhance transparency and security in transactions, while AI can improve customer service through chatbots and personalized financial advice.

Invest in Research and Development (R&D): Continuously invest in R&D to stay ahead of technological trends and create innovative products that meet evolving customer needs.Fintech Event in morocco

Focus on Customer Experience:

User-Centric Design: Develop user-friendly interfaces and ensure seamless user experiences across all digital platforms. Prioritize simplicity, speed, and accessibility to attract and retain customers.

Personalization: Utilize data analytics to understand customer behavior and preferences, offering personalized financial products and services. Tailored experiences can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Expand Strategic Partnerships:

Collaborate with Established Financial Institutions: Form partnerships with traditional banks and financial services companies to leverage their customer base and regulatory expertise. This can help fintech companies scale faster and gain credibility.

Engage with Ecosystem Players: Partner with other fintech firms, technology providers, and regulatory bodies to create a collaborative ecosystem. Such partnerships can facilitate innovation and provide mutual benefits in terms of resources and knowledge sharing.

Navigate Regulatory Landscapes:

Stay Compliant: Ensure adherence to local and international financial regulations to avoid legal pitfalls and build trust with customers and stakeholders. Proactively engaging with regulators can also influence favorable regulatory developments.

Regulatory Technology (RegTech): Implement RegTech solutions to streamline compliance processes and reduce the cost and complexity of regulatory adherence. RegTech can automate monitoring, reporting, and compliance management.

Diversify Product Offerings:

Expand Service Range: Diversify into various financial services such as digital payments, lending, wealth management, and insurance. A broad range of offerings can cater to different customer needs and increase revenue streams.

Innovative Financial Products: Introduce innovative products like micro-investment platforms, peer-to-peer lending, and cryptocurrency services. These can attract a diverse customer base looking for alternative financial solutions.

By focusing on these strategies, fintech companies can navigate the competitive landscape, foster sustainable growth, and create significant value for customers and stakeholders alike. 

[thxnews]

UCLG Africa to Play Key Role at MEDCOP Conference, Tangiers: Promoting Climate Action

  RABAT, Morocco, June 20, 2023/APO Group/ -- The MEDCOP Conference, also known as the "Mediterranean Sustainable Development Cooperation Conference," will take place in Tangiers on June 22 and 23, 2023. As a major gathering of climate-focused actors from the Mediterranean region, the conference aims to discuss challenges and solutions in sustainable development. UCLG Africa, an organization committed to promoting climate resilience and equitable participation, will be actively involved in the conference.  

UCLG Africa's Mission for Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development

At the Heart of UCLG Africa's Vision UCLG Africa is dedicated to addressing climate change challenges by promoting resilience and integrating social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The organization actively participates in international initiatives to promote climate justice and plays a crucial role in advocating ambitious climate policies and solutions at the local government level in Africa.   Strategic Meeting for Climate Action Prior to the conference, on June 21, UCLG Africa will convene its Climate Task Force meeting. The strategic gathering will bring together representatives from the European Union, UCLG World, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the West African Development Bank (BOAD), and other key stakeholders. The objective is to create a roadmap that strengthens climate action at the local and regional levels, identifying concrete measures and promoting collaboration among key actors.  

Concrete Measures and Collaboration for Sustainable Development

The signing of Agreements and Conventions During the official opening ceremony of the MEDCOP Conference, significant agreements and conventions will be signed. One of these agreements, in particular, will focus on the decarbonization of industrial areas in the Tangiers-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region. UCLG Africa, along with the Moroccan Ministries of Energy and Interior, Moroccan employers, the region of Tangiers-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, and the Mediterranean House of Climate, will collaborate to support the transition to low-carbon industrial zones in Morocco.   Cooperation Agreements for Integration of Climate Action UCLG Africa will also enter into cooperation agreements with key partners, including ministries, regions, and civil society coalitions. These agreements will enhance collaboration and promote the integration of climate action at the territorial level, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainable development.   Gender and Climate Justice UCLG Africa recognizes the importance of gender equality as a catalyst for climate resilience. A special session of the MEDCOP on June 23 will focus on integrating a gender and climate approach in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Renowned speakers, including representatives from various organizations and government officials, will discuss the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, especially women. UCLG Africa aims to highlight the significance of gender-responsive policies and empower women as agents of change.  

UCLG Africa's Active Participation and Expertise

Engagement in Key Sessions and Roundtables Throughout the MEDCOP Conference, UCLG Africa will actively participate in various sessions and roundtables. The topics covered will include the Blue Economy, emphasizing sustainability in the maritime and coastal sectors. UCLG Africa will also share its expertise in innovative financing mechanisms and access to financial resources, supporting local climate initiatives at the subnational government level.   Building a Sustainable and Resilient Future UCLG Africa's presence and engagement at the MEDCOP Conference underscore its central role in promoting climate action at the local and regional levels. The organization's commitment to gender equality and climate justice further demonstrates its dedication to a sustainable and resilient future for African local and regional governments. By collaborating closely with stakeholders and sharing expertise, UCLG Africa actively contributes to building a more sustainable world.   Program of UCLG Africa's Participation in MEDCOP 2023 Here is the program of key events in which UCLG Africa will actively participate: - June 21: Meeting of the Climate Task Force - Hotel Hilton Tanger Al Houara - June 22: Official opening of the MedCop and signing of agreements - Hotel Hilton Tanger Al Houara, Kasbah room - June 22: Session on the Blue Economy - Hotel Hilton Tanger Al Houara, Chefchaouen room - June 23: Session on "Empowering Women to Overcome Climate-Enhanced Threats and Vulnerabilities" - Hotel Hilton Tanger Al Houara, Medina room - June 23: Roundtable on "Access to financial resources to support local climate initiatives at the local government level" - Hotel Hilton Tanger Al Houara - June 23: Migration: Impact and Opportunities - Hotel Hilton Tanger Al Houara, Medina room - June 23: Press briefing (exact time to be confirmed) - Hotel Hilton Tanger Al Houara  

Contact Information

For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact: Wafae Boumaaz Phone: +212 660128943 E-mail: wboumaaz@uclga.org  

About United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa)

UCLG Africa, founded in 2005, is the umbrella organization of local and regional governments in Africa. It represents 51 national associations of local and regional governments and over 2,000 cities and territories with more than 100,000 inhabitants. UCLG Africa aims to promote sustainable policies, strengthen local capacities, and facilitate access to climate finance. Headquartered in Rabat, Morocco, UCLG Africa has regional offices in Cairo, Accra, Libreville, Nairobi, and Pretoria. It is the regional chapter of UCLG for Africa and holds diplomatic status as an International Pan-African Organization.  

About the UCLG Africa Climate Task Force

The UCLG Africa Climate Task Force serves as a coordination and collaboration mechanism for climate-related initiatives in Africa. Comprising representatives from UCLG Africa, partner organizations, climate experts, and local governments, the Task Force focuses on strengthening climate action, integrating policies, and facilitating access to climate finance. It organizes regular meetings, workshops, and trainings to exchange knowledge and share experiences, contributing to the resilience of local governments and sustainable development in Africa.   Sources: THX News & United Cities and Local Governments of Africa. Read the full article

[annadelveyfoundation]

‘Anna Delvey,’ Fake Heiress Who Swindled N.Y.’s Elite, Is Sentenced to 4 to 12 Years in Prison

This is the full report so you don’t have to click on it. (Why give A.G. Sulzberger more money?). As reported in the The New York Times:

Anna Sorokin, the fake German heiress who swindled her way into Manhattan’s elite party circles, was sentenced on Thursday to four to 12 years in prison for bilking hotels, banks and a private jet operator out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The sentencing capped a case of a young grifter who spun her tale with brazen flair. Ms. Sorokin, who used the name “Anna Delvey,” wore designer clothes, lived in boutique hotels, dined in expensive restaurants and lured investors for a $40 million private club — all without a penny to her name.

“I am stunned by the depth of the defendant’s deception,” Justice Diane Kiesel said in handing down the sentence in State Supreme Court in Manhattan. She added that Ms. Sorokin was “blinded by the glitter and glamour of New York City.”

Ms. Sorokin, 28, was convicted last month of most of the charges against her. She has been held on Rikers Island since October 2017.

In addition to the prison sentence, Ms. Sorokin was fined $24,000 and ordered to pay restitution of about $199,000. A Russian national, she faces deportation once she is released.

Her lawyer, Todd Spodek, called the sentence “draconian,” arguing that his client was not violent or a career criminal. During the trial, he said Ms. Sorokin was an enterprising, business-minded woman eager to make it in the big city.

Before she was sentenced, Ms. Sorokin addressed the court. “I apologize for the mistakes I made,” she said.

But the judge said Ms. Sorokin showed no remorse for her actions throughout the trial, and seemed more concerned about her clothing and which actress would play her in an upcoming Netflix series about the case, set to be produced by Shonda Rhimes.

A juror who visited the courtroom to watch the sentencing, and asked to remain anonymous, said she had been annoyed by Ms. Sorokin’s apparent self-centeredness. Her concern about her wardrobe led to a two-hour delay in the trial one day.

“She was interested in the designer clothes, the champagne, the private jets, the boutique hotel experience and the exotic travel that went along with it — everything that big money could buy,” Justice Kiesel said. “But she didn’t have big money. All she had was a big scam.”

Jurors agreed with prosecutors that her gilt-edged life was an elaborate ruse financed by lies.

Ms. Sorokin stiffed hotels, persuaded a bank employee to give her a $100,000 line of credit, swayed a private jet company to let her fly on credit and tried to secure a $25 million loan from a hedge fund. In all, she stole about $213,000 in cash and services.

Still, the jury found her not guilty of the most serious offense — faking records in an attempt to obtain a $22 million loan. She was also acquitted of stealing from a friend who said Ms. Sorokin duped her into covering the cost of a $60,000 vacation to Morocco.

To many friends, there was every reason to believe that Ms. Sorokin was a wealthy German heiress with so much money that she frequently doled out $100 tips and flew on a private jet to Berkshire Hathaway’s annual investment conference.

Mr. Spodek, her lawyer, said during the trial that people believed what they wanted about Ms. Sorokin. She was enabled, he said, by a system “seduced by glamour and glitz.” She intended to pay back her creditors, he said.

“Through her sheer ingenuity, she created the life that she wanted for herself,” he said during the trial. “Anna was not content with being a spectator, but wanted to be a participant.”

Ms. Sorokin, a Russian immigrant from a middle-class family, arrived in New York from Paris in 2014. She had lofty dreams of opening a members-only arts club on Park Avenue South called A.D.F., for the Anna Delvey Foundation. In 2015, she enlisted the architect Gabriel Andres Calatrava to create what she envisioned would be a club similar to Soho House New York, with a bar, a nightclub and an art exhibit. Mr. Calatrava is the son of Santiago Calatrava, an architect who designed the Oculus, the centerpiece of the World Trade Center transit hub.

She also solicited help from a hotelier, André Balazs; a British-American entrepreneur, Roo Rogers; and a real estate developer, Aby Rosen.

She said she had found the perfect location for her club: 281 Park Avenue South, a landmark building. The project was expected to cost as much as $40 million.

At first, Mr. Calatrava and others believed she was good for it. Prosecutors said she told people that she had a trust fund and was worth 60 million euros.

She tried hard to get loans from banks and hedge funds, prosecutors said. She forged financial statements, and created a fake accountant and a phony financial adviser with emails that linked back to her, prosecutors said.

Ms. Sorokin tried to get a $22 million loan from City National Bank, but a banker rejected her request when he could not determine the source of her wealth. Mr. Calatrava had also stopped working with her when she could not provide proof that she could fund the project.

She then tried to secure a $25 million loan from Fortress Investment Group, prosecutors said, but she needed to pay a fee as part of the process to secure the loan. She turned to City National Bank and talked a banker into giving her a line of credit on her account for $100,000. She promised to repay it with a wire transfer from a European account.

After Fortress began investigating Ms. Sorokin’s personal and financial information, she withdrew from the deal, prosecutors said, and Fortress returned a little more than half of the money she provided. Instead of giving that money back to City National Bank, she spent it on expensive clothing and five-star hotels.

Prosecutors said Ms. Sorokin also tricked a friend, Rachel Williams, into spending $62,000 to cover the cost of a luxury trip to Marrakesh, Morocco, with two other people. The group stayed at the La Mamounia hotel, where they had a private villa with a courtyard, a pool and a butler.

When they returned to New York City, Ms. Sorokin promised to repay Ms. Williams through a wire transfer, Ms. Williams testified. Ms. Sorokin only returned $5,000 of what Ms. Williams said she was owed. A jury acquitted Ms. Sorokin of the charges associated with Ms. Williams.

In Manhattan, Ms. Sorokin moved from one luxurious hotel to the next, according to prosecutors. She was kicked out of 11 Howard in SoHo for not paying her bill. At the Beekman hotel, she had racked up an $11,000 tab. The W New York also forced her out when she did not put a credit card on file.

Her first arrest was in July 2017 at a restaurant inside the Le Parker Meridien hotel, where she was handed a lunch bill that was about $200. She could not pay it.

Jan Ransom is a reporter covering New York City. Before joining The Times in 2017, she covered law enforcement and crime for The Boston Globe. She is a native New Yorker. @Jan_Ransom

The New York Times is owned by the New York Times Company, which is publicly traded and controlled by one family.

[bitcofun]

This is a viewpoint editorial by Adam Taha, a business owner with twenty years of federal government and business financing experience. Disclosure: Bitcoin Magazine is owned and run by BTC Inc, the organizer of Bitcoin Amsterdam. Speaking from the celebration after the first day, Bitcoin Amsterdam is grand. BTC Inc understands how to toss a celebration in Miami, as we've all seen the substantial success of the yearly Bitcoin conferences there. Now, BTC Inc has actually gone to Europe. I need to confess that, when I initially became aware of the conference in Amsterdam, I had some doubts. I was incorrect. Sitting here at the Westergas location, I can see the quantity of interest and enjoyment about Bitcoin. Services, reporters, guests, business owners and others are all delighted about this conference. Plan B As Europe Scrambles The background for this Bitcoin conference is utter confusion in the British and European fiat systems. EU legislators are completing an offer for an expense targeted at Bitcoin, and the Bitcoin conference comes now as a type of reaction to that costs. Individuals of all strolls in Europe are here in Amsterdam to send out EU legislators a message, loud and clear: People desire Bitcoin, and no costs can silence that. In addition, among the world's biggest main lenders' occasions ( Sibos) is being held simply 6 miles from the Bitcoin conference. One can just picture their aggravation as their system collapses in sluggish movement. Not to forget, the turmoil in the U.K. as Liz Truss validated today in your house of Commons that she "will not cut public costs." Minutes later on, Chris Philp (the U.K. chief secretary to the treasury) verified that the revealed tax cuts will not be reversed. Numerous observers including myself are scratching their heads questioning where will the cash originated from if they're not cutting costs nor reversing tax cuts? The fiat system is broken and reserve banks can't repair it. With the U.S. inflation and customer rate index (CPI) prints due tomorrow, Bitcoin's case will just get more powerful and main lenders will just get weaker as they venture even more into turmoil. A Bright, Global Future Today, I fulfilled individuals from Lebanon, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Morocco, Sweden, Iceland and lots of other locations, all united by Bitcoin. What stuck out to me was just how much Bitcoiners aspired to assist each other. Some were discussing their experience with Lightning Network payments, others were discussing entrepreneurship concepts, some were discussing mining, others were talking about different methods for running their own nodes. This is not uncommon for Bitcoiners, naturally, however it was really brilliant today since this conference is the very first of its kind in Europe with the majority of the participants having actually never ever been to the conference in Miami. That desire to assist one another, link, guide and exchange concepts without trying to find something in exchange is really distinct and rejuvenating. It was likewise effective to see Greg Foss speak. He described in really basic terms how Bitcoin is mathematically inescapable, and how fiat is unsustainable. One distinct exchange I had was inside the exposition hall with an older and fantastic girl from Amsterdam called Brechtje. She informed me that she had no concept how Bitcoin worked or how to utilize it however she's participating in out of interest and for more information. The very first day of the conference was a substantial success, and the 2nd day will be filled with more activities and occasions, plus more interest. I think this is the start of something terrific and possibly a lot more Bitcoin conferences in numerous other EU cities, in addition to perhaps conferences in Asia and Latin America in the future, who understands. For a couple of minutes, I lost myself in a discussion with other Bitcoiners about the advantages and disadvantages of numerous other cities around the globe

to hold a Bitcoin conference in, with the exact same enjoyment one gets speaking about holiday or a promo or a brand-new experience. Every Bitcoiner wishes to be an ambassador for Bitcoin. We advised ourselves that in the meantime, Amsterdam is the best location to be to support Bitcoin and observe the fiat system implode. This is a visitor post by Adam Taha. Viewpoints revealed are completely their own and do not always show those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine. Read More

[adam-weitsman]

Early-Innovation Funders' Crucial Function

Technology startups frequently need extra money to get off the ground and maintain themselves. Many of these businesses obtain capital from family, friends, and personal funds. By providing quick cash to cover the cost of creating prototypes, hiring staff, performing market research, and other business services, early innovation funders can aid in extending the lifespan of these businesses. Even government grants can be used to pay for conference attendance and staff.

The majority of new businesses receive seed money from friends and angel investors. Later, business owners might look to venture capital firms for funding, but it's crucial to approach them correctly. Finding the appropriate investor at the stage of the business is necessary for this. Entrepreneurs must think carefully about which investors will be best for their business. Before addressing VC firms, it is essential to have a solid business strategy and an appealing company concept.

While some governments may lend money to budding businesses, few issue loan guarantees or grants with preferential terms. While such support may be beneficial, early-stage startups are less desirable to lenders due to the risk involved. In addition to having a high failure rate, early-stage startups sometimes struggle to find new investors. Therefore, they require early-innovation funders to offer loans and grant funding at a reduced rate.

The most challenging type of financing for startups is venture capital. It might be challenging for startups to raise the necessary funding because many venture capitalists have distinct investment strategies. They can only invest in startups for a short time and want to be involved in the company's operations. Finding the correct funding source and developing relationships with these people is crucial for these early-stage businesses.

Even though many early-innovation funding programs demand that startups form consortiums, some are more flexible and allow startups to be funded with the aid of consortiums. For instance, the Green Innoboost program in Morocco is intended to assist startups with minimal funding. The money is a grant or equity investment of up to MAD 1.5 million. Additionally, the startups must consent to pay RIESEN a royalty of 1.5% of their annual sales.

In early-stage startups, governments also make investments. Many countries sponsor venture capital firms with public money. The investments' track record for helping startups grow and giving taxpayers a return is inconsistent. Many private funds that governments support don't consider government technological priorities have a lower risk tolerance or a shorter time horizon. To advance their development, startups must look for government support.

Another type of early-stage funding is venture capital, which is best suited for businesses that have passed the seed stage. These businesses are attempting to expand more quickly than they can organically and may have received series A or B capital. Additionally, this kind of finance might assist businesses in going global. Venture finance is the ideal choice for those businesses. These funds have the experience and understanding necessary to guarantee that their companies are headed in the proper direction.