African Markets Outpace Peers in Freight and Logistics Industry

The African continent continues to outperform its peers, posting impressive growth statistics in the recent Cargo Market Analysis for the third quarter according to a report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

It was also reported by the association that African airlines transporting freight in the region witnessed a 10.2 per cent increase in demand in August, building on the 2012 positive growth trend.

According to Alan Cassels, Managing Director of DHL Express Equatorial Africa, this positive growth bodes well for business in the region as it translates into economic growth for the continent.

Cassels says that the increasing freight volumes in the region can be linked to improved business and consumer confidence as the airline industry performance tracks developments in the global economy.

 

“It is extremely positive that emerging markets such as those in Africa continue to outpace the Western economies and, set against a backdrop of continued global economic uncertainty, job stagnation, a very challenging European environment and a global debt crisis, this shows the continued and increasing importance of Africa,” said Cassels.

He says that the growth in both cargo and freight volumes could be linked to the fact that many businesses, both locally and globally, are looking to Africa for expansion and with the new discoveries of gas and oil fields in Southern and Central Africa, coupled with the technology and healthcare boom, there is an expected improvement in regional trade expansion.

The IATA Cargo Market Analysis report pointed to an increase in the number of air freight routes between Africa and the Middle East, with the highest rate of 17.9 per cent recorded in February. In contrast, the route between Europe and the Middle East only showed 1.4% growth over the same period.

The report noted that during the first quarter of the year, the revenue earned from cargo leaving Africa was $45.8 million, with inbound revenues totaling $333.7 million.

“While Africa only contributes 3 per cent of the global economy, it is growing the fastest. 28 of the 52 countries have 5 per cent average economic annual growth and countries like Ghana, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mozambique, Niger and Uganda could potentially grow up to 10 per cent.”

Cassels did however caution against complacency. “Sub-Saharan Africa undoubtedly provides numerous opportunities for both SMEs looking to reach out globally, and international companies looking to expand. However, there are still numerous challenges around infrastructure, labor relations and the ease of trade within the region which need very urgent attention.”

Government of Kenya and Nokia partner to stimulate Kenyan ICT sector

 

The Government of Kenya, through the Kenya ICT Board, and Nokia Corporation have announced a collaboration aimed at growing the Kenyan Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, using mobile solutions to accelerate socio-economic development across the country.

Through the agreement, Nokia intends to build technical and business skills of Kenyan mobile startups through collaboration with local universities and innovation hubs. The objective is to train more than 200 students per year and to support dozens of companies during the program. Nokia will also support the Kenyan Government in developing new innovations to deliver services to the population, through platforms such as Nokia Data Gathering or through development of new applications and content.

In addition, Nokia and the Government of Kenya intend to introduce mobile enabled value adding services for Kenyans to improve agricultural productivity and health of rural populations. The agreement also includes support in various critical policy areas such as management of eWaste, and fighting the counterfeit challenge to protect Kenyan consumers from the dangers of sub-standard and fake handsets.

Addressing the media on this partnership, Dr. Bitange Ndemo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications, acknowledged the role of ICT in stimulating economic growth:

“The building of an effective information society is a joint effort between government, private sector and civil society, and that is why we continue to pursue close cooperation with business. Companies such as Nokia are working tirelessly to realize these goals along with the government, and partnerships such as this are essential in moving the Kenyan economy forward.”

Vice President for Corporate Relations for Nokia Middle East and Africa, Jussi Hinkkanen, said ICT’s are not just the luxury of the urban population, but critical tools for fighting poverty and marginalization.

“Our objective is to support local talent in developing their skills, and to open up a channel for their innovations to reach both regional and global markets. As East Africa’s leading mobile company, it is our responsibility to identify areas where our technical skills can facilitate the development of society. We hope this collaboration will motivate thousands of Kenyan’s to further the ICT agenda in the country.”

The duration of the initial agreement is two years, with an option for renewal. Both the Government of Kenya and Nokia have agreed to include additional components under the collaboration as new themes and programs are identified, and that all activity will be coordinated by the Kenya ICT Board. The Board’s mandate is to stimulate the development of the Kenyan ICT sector and the building of an information society where all citizens have equal access to information and digital services.

“Nokia has a long and rich history in Kenya,” concluded Shiv Shivakumar, Senior Vice President of Nokia India Middle East and Africa. “This agreement confirms our commitment to Kenya and to our continued efforts to improve the lives of Kenyans through mobile technology”.

Epson achieves another first with the introduction of HD-Ready 3LCD projector with iPod docking station

Epson has introduced into the local market the first HD-Ready 3LCD home cinema projector featuring an iPod docking station, leveraging on the company's experience to position itself as the global leader in the projector market.

With this latest product users will not need to download apps or clip on attachments but will simply connect their iPods, iPhones or iPads to the docking station built into the projector.

The MG-850HD, which comes with inbuilt 10W stereo speakers, can play music, videos and photos, as well as TV programmes and feature-length films previously downloaded from iTunes, on a large, cinematic scale that can reach up to 300 inches. Its versatile connectivity also means that content can be viewed from traditional Blu-ray, DVD, PC, TV and gaming sources.

Epson Regional Sales Manager – East Africa Mukesh Bector said the projector is targeted at film enthusiasts, sports lovers and gamers who are keen to have cinema experience at home, providing convenience with the plug and play functionality that allows users to set up and use the projector quickly and easily.

“Epson continues to stretch the boundaries of innovation as is clearly evident with the MG-850HD. The user-friendly menu, for example, has been designed to help viewers navigate with ease, while a unique remote control design features a stylish button layout and backlight for ease of use while watching content in the dark,” he said.

Harnessing Epson's latest technologies, the projector delivers top quality white and colour light output of 2,800 lumens and a high contrast ratio of 3,000:1, ensuring high quality images are projected, even in daylight. Epson's 3LCD technology ensures that images are clear, bright and easy on the eyes.

Whatever the angle of the actual projector, users can easily align the projection to ensure a straight and correct image with its user-friendly horizontal keystone slider.

The projector is now available in the Kenyan market.