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COP28 Presidency Partners with African Leaders to Raise Climate Ambitions, Seize Opportunity of Green Growth Through Fairer Climate Finance for Africa
- COP28 President-Designate Dr. Sultan Al Jaber addressed the inaugural Africa Climate Summit, held in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Speaking to heads of state at its high-level opening, Al Jaber announced a $4.5 billion clean energy investment initiative between the UAE and Africa that aims to unlock Africa’s capacity for sustainable prosperity.
- Working together, The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Etihad Credit Insurance, Masdar and AMEA Power will join with Africa 50 as a strategic partner under the guidance of the UAE and African leadership to “develop 15 GW of clean power by 2030.”
- The initiative will “demonstrate the commercial case for clean investment across this important continent” and will be “designed to work with Africa, for Africa.”
- “Will act as a scalable model that can and should be replicated and will support COP28’s global goal of tripling renewable energy by 2030.”
- “Al Jaber grounded his remarks in the reality that “the world is losing the race to secure the goals of the Paris Agreement and struggling to keep 1.5 within reach” And that Collectively, “we are not delivering the results that we need in the time we need them.”
- Al Jaber cited that currently, “Africa contributes just 3 per cent of global emissions, yet suffers some of the worst consequences. Droughts, floods and failed harvests have exposed one fifth of Africa’s people to hunger, tripled the number of people displaced in the last three years, and is dragging down Africa’s GDP growth by at least 5 per cent every year.
- In response, he called on “all parties to unite around a plan of action that is fully inclusive, that fast tracks a just, responsible and well managed energy transition, focuses on people, lives and livelihoods, and fixes climate finance.”
- Al Jaber called Africa “a beacon of hope, filled with potential and a global example of what pro-climate, nature positive development should look like, adding that “it simply makes sense for Africa to get a fairer share of the pie.”
- The “key to making this happen is finance, but it must be made available, accessible and affordable.”
- In his remarks, the COP28 President-Designate made calls to raise ambitions, including by “calling on donors to close out the 100-billion-dollar pledge they made over a decade ago, to replenish the green climate fund, to double adaptation finance by 2025 and for all parties to transform the Global Goal on Adaptation from theory into real action and tangible results.”
- He also called for “early pledges for the loss and damage fund to help vulnerable countries.”
- “What was promised in Sharm El Sheikh, must be delivered in Dubai.”
- During the three-day trip, the Al Jaber spoke on multiple platforms on topics including cooling, youth engagement, adaptation and security; as well as meeting with African leaders and visiting local communities experiencing climate-related hardships.
- Dr. Al Jaber was joined by esteemed member of the COP28 leadership team, including HE Shamma Al Mazrui, Youth Climate Champion; HE Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion; HE Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General of COP28 and HE Adnan Amin, CEO of COP28
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — COP28 President-Designate Dr. Sultan Al Jaber addressed the inaugural Africa Climate Summit, held in Nairobi, Kenya, where he emphasised the need for mitigation and adaptation finance as critical success factors for climate progress in Africa and globally.
Noting that the world is “losing the race to secure the goals of the Paris Agreement and struggling to keep 1.5 within reach,” Dr. Al Jaber called on “all parties to unite around a plan of action that is fully inclusive, a plan of action that fast tracks a just, responsible and well managed energy transition, focuses on people, lives and livelihoods, and fixes climate finance.
Addressing heads of state at the high-level opening of the summit, Al Jaber announced a new $4.5 billion initiative between the UAE and Africa that seeks to unlock Africa’s capacity for sustainable prosperity.
Al Jaber announced that “The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Etihad Credit Insurance,
Masdar and AMEA Power will join with Africa 50 as a strategic partner under the guidance
of the UAE and African leadership to develop 15 GW of clean power by 2030. Working together, we will deploy 4.5 billion dollars that will catalyze at least an additional 12.5 billion dollars from multilateral, public and private sources.”
“It is our ambition that this will launch a new transformative partnership to jump start a pipeline of bankable clean energy projects,” said Al Jaber.
The President-Delegate explained that the partnership will “demonstrate the commercial case for clean investment” across Africa and “act as a scalable model that can and should be replicated…it is designed to work with Africa, for Africa.”
Al Jaber acknowledged that “Africa contributes just 3 percent of global emissions, yet suffers some of the worst consequences. Droughts, floods and failed harvests have exposed one fifth of Africa’s people to hunger, tripled the number of people displaced in the last three years, and is dragging down Africa’s GDP growth by at least 5 per cent every year.
Al Jaber also recognized the scale of energy poverty within Africa, acknowledging that “almost half of Africa’s population still have no access to electricity, almost one billion people lack clean cooking fuels, and this energy gap will only increase as Africa’s population grows.”
Discussing how to fast track low-carbon solutions for Africa’s growing population, Al Jaber said that the “key to making this happen is finance, but it must be made available, accessible and affordable.”
As a part of the COP28 Presidency’s Action Agenda, Al Jaber emphasized his plan to fix climate finance. He urged donors to “close out the 100-billion-dollar pledge they made over a decade ago and to replenish the green climate fund…In parallel, we need a complete upgrade of the global financial architecture that was built for a different era. IFIs and MDBs must up their game, including by raising concessional capital and lowering debt burdens. They need to attract and leverage private capital at a multiple. And the multilateral, public and private sectors need to mesh together and work as true partners to accelerate the delivery of practical solutions and real, impactful projects on the ground.”
Addressing the imbalance between financing for mitigation and adaptation, Al Jaber called on donors to “double adaptation finance by 2025”, and to “transform the Global Goal on Adaptation from theory and text into tangible action and real results.” We also need early pledges for the loss and damage fund, to help vulnerable countries recover from severe climate impacts that they are already experiencing:
The COP28 President-Designate stated, “What was promised in Sharm El Sheikh, must be fully operational in Dubai.”
During his remarks, Al Jaber also highlighted many of Africa’s trailblazing climate initiatives noting that many African countries are already leading the way. Al Jaber noted how “Kenya is closing in on its goal of 100 per cent clean energy by 2030, the African Union’s Great Green Wall is helping reclaim degraded agricultural land across the Sahel. Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is enhancing food security and stimulating green jobs across the Horn of Africa. And the countries of the Congo Basin are protecting vital rainforests and helping preserve the world’s natural carbon sinks.”
Al Jaber expressed his belief that Africa is “a beacon of hope, filled with potential and a global example of what pro-climate, nature positive development should look like.”
Al Jaber concluded his remarks at the summit by saying that climate change is a “global fight and demands a global solution”. If Africa loses, we all lose, If Africa succeeds, we all succeed. Progress for one is progress for all.
This inaugural Africa Climate Summit was co-hosted by the Republic of Kenya and the African Union Commission, to convene national leaders from across Africa and the world, as well as leading figures from business, policy and civil society: to design and catalyze solutions which address climate change in Africa and across the world. The summit was attended by global and African leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Chair of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, and President of the African Union, H.E. President Azali Assoumani.
The full COP28 Presidency team accompanied the COP28 President-Designate to the Summit, taking part in a series of speaking engagements, meetings with national leaders, and community visits to improve collaboration on climate action.
The full COP28 UAE Presidency leadership team consists of:
- His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, President-Designate for COP28
- Her Excellency Shamma Al Mazrui, Youth Climate Champion
- Her Excellency Mariam Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment
- Her Excellency Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion
- His Excellency Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General of COP28
- His Excellency Adnan Amin, CEO of COP28
- Hana AlHashimi, UAE Chief Negotiator COP28
During the visit, H.E. Al Mazrui visited the Kibera Slum, Africa’s largest urban slum, to meet individuals whose lives are profoundly affected by climate change. UN Climate Change High Level Champion for COP28 Razan Al Mubarak took part in a series of events focusing on nature-based solutions for climate action, investments for nature, and inclusion.
COP28’s Director General Ambassador Al Suwaidi participated in an event to develop solutions for Voluntary Carbon Markets and announced a new ‘Pact on Fragility’, developed in collaboration with Kenya and Germany, to drive finance to countries experiencing climate change and conflict. Ambassador Al Suwaidi also visited the Dadaab refugee camp and witnessed the experience of refugees who have fled conflict in Somalia, whose hardships are compounded by prolonged droughts.
Dr. Al Jaber also engaged in bilateral meetings with African leaders, including the presidents of Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, African Development Bank, and several important officials and heads of states. Discussions revolved around mobilizing broader support for the COP28 agenda, addressing vulnerability to climate change impacts, seeking critical EU endorsement for COP priorities, garnering support for the hydrogen agenda, accelerating financing for adaptation efforts, and pursuing outcomes related to nature conservation packages, and many other important areas.
Notes to Editors COP28 UAE:
- COP28 UAE will take place at Expo City Dubai from November 30-December 12, 2023. The Conference is expected to convene over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors.
- As mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement, COP28 UAE will deliver the first ever Global Stocktake – a comprehensive evaluation of progress against climate goals.
- The UAE will lead a process for all parties to agree upon a clear roadmap to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition and a “leave no one behind” approach to inclusive climate action.”
- The four pillars of the COP28 Presidency’s Action Agenda are fast tracking the energy transition, fixing climate finance, focusing on people, lives, and livelihoods, and underpinning everything with full inclusivity.
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DAZN ADVANCES GLOBAL EXPANSION WITH ACQUISITION OF FOXTEL, A LEADING AUSTRALIAN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA GROUP
- Milestone deal for DAZN’s position as the global home of sport.
- This acquisition establishes DAZN’s sports platform in Australia, one of the world’s most attractive sports markets.
- Foxtel Group will leverage DAZN’s global reach, industry-leading technology and extensive content portfolio to further enhance the viewing experience for Australian sports fans.
LONDON, NEW YORK, and SYDNEY, Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — DAZN, a world-leading sports entertainment platform, has today announced an agreement to acquire Foxtel Group (‘Foxtel’) from its majority shareholder News Corp and minority shareholder Telstra at an enterprise value of US$2.2 billion, subject to regulatory approval.
The acquisition establishes DAZN as a leader in sports entertainment in Australia – a highly attractive sports market – while also expanding DAZN’s global footprint and enhancing the group’s standing as the global home of sport. The addition of Foxtel to DAZN brings the Group’s pro-forma revenues towards US$6 billion and provides the additional content, expertise, and expansion opportunities to accelerate DAZN’s growth trajectory.
Foxtel is one of Australia’s leading media companies, with 4.7 million subscribers, who will benefit from DAZN’s extensive portfolio of sports content, platform technology, and global reach.
From its beginnings as Australia’s original pay-TV innovator, Foxtel has evolved to become a digital and streaming leader in sports and entertainment and the proposed transaction positions Foxtel for continued expansion as a digital-first, streaming-focused business. Foxtel will maintain its local character, led by the CEO, Patrick Delany, and his world-class management team.
DAZN, a sports streaming platform with a truly global reach, is committed to growing the global audience for domestic Australian sports across the 200 territories in which it is available.
Under the terms of the transaction, News Corp and Telstra will become minority shareholders in DAZN, enabling them to retain an interest in Foxtel.
Shay Segev, Chief Executive Officer of DAZN, said: “Australians watch more sport than any other country in the world, which makes this deal an incredibly exciting opportunity for DAZN to enter a key market, marking another step in our long-term strategy to become the global home of sport. Foxtel is a successful business that has undergone a remarkable digital transformation in recent years, and we are confident that our global reach and relentless pursuit of innovation will continue to drive the business forward and ensure long-term success.
“We are committed to supporting and investing in Foxtel’s television and streaming services, across both sports and entertainment, using our world-leading technology to further enhance the viewing experience for customers. We are also committed to using our global reach to export Australia’s most popular sports to new markets around the world, and we will continue to promote women’s and under-represented sports.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with Patrick Delany and his team, as well as News Corp and Telstra as shareholders in DAZN, to realise our ambitious vision for the future of sport entertainment.”
Siobhan McKenna, the Chairman of Foxtel, said the agreement with DAZN was international recognition of the transformation of Foxtel from an incumbent pay TV operator to a sports and entertainment digital and streaming leader. “Over the last seven years the Foxtel team, with the strong support of News, have achieved an extraordinary turnaround in an intensely competitive environment.”
Foxtel Group CEO, Patrick Delany, said: “Today’s announcement is a natural evolution for the Foxtel Group, having reinvented the company over the past five years as Australia’s most dynamic technology-led streaming company.
“Kayo and Foxtel provide Australian sports fans with access to the best Australian and international sport and shows, including AFL, NRL and Cricket with 4.7 million subscribers.
“We are excited by DAZN’s commitment to the Australian market. They are experts in the sports media business and can play a significant role in supporting Foxtel as the business grows its streaming capabilities, bringing a bigger and better service to customers across entertainment, news and sport. They are a perfect match for us as we look toward this next era of growth.
“We have been grateful for the support of News Corp while we reimagined the future of Foxtel. In 2019, when we merged Foxtel and Fox Sports we had many people questioning our future.
“After launching Kayo later in 2019 and BINGE in 2020, today we are the largest Australian-based streamer of sport and entertainment, we have stabilised our Foxtel base and launched Hubbl to help consumers find all the streamed content they love all in one place. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support and encouragement of News Corp.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
About DAZN
As a world-leading sports entertainment platform, DAZN streams over 90,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide.
DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, LALIGA, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more including the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.
DAZN partners with leading pay-TV operators, ISPs and Telcos worldwide to maximise sports exposure to a broad audience. Its partners include Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Sky, Movistar, Telenet, Vodafone, and many more.
DAZN is a global, privately-owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 3,000 employees. The Group generated $3.2bn in revenue in 2023, having grown its annual revenues by over 50% on average from 2020 to 2023, through diverse revenue streams comprising subscriptions, advertising, sponsorship, and transactional. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.
About Foxtel
The Foxtel Group is one of Australia’s leading media companies with 4.7 million subscribers. Its businesses include subscription television, streaming, sports production and advertising. The Foxtel Group is owned 65% by News Corp and 35% by Telstra.
The Foxtel Group’s diversified business includes Fox Sports, Australia’s leading sports production company, famous for live sports and shows with the best commentators and personalities. It is also the home of local and global entertainment content and continues to be the partner of choice for the widest range of sports and international content providers based on established, long-term relationships, growing streaming audiences, and position as the largest Australian-based subscription television company.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/dazn-advances-global-expansion-with-acquisition-of-foxtel-a-leading-australian-sports-and-entertainment-media-group-302337997.html
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa met this week with Zambia’s former Vice President and Special Envoy Enoch Kavindele to discuss SADC’s candidate for the AfDB
President Mnangagwa, who is SADC Chairperson, reaffirmed his own country’s and SADC’s enthusiastic support for Zambian candidate Sam Maimbo
LUSAKA, Zambia, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Special Envoy Kavindele released the following statement following the meeting:
“I am elated to witness the growing success and momentum of Sam Maimbo’s candidacy to become the next President of the African Development Bank. I am filled with gratitude to our friends across both SADC and COMESA for their continued support and good wishes.
Sam has garnered such wide consensus due to his being uniquely qualified to deliver the transformative change and empowerment our continent needs. Sam’s 30 years in development work is defined by driving outcomes, improving processes, and investing in people. The AfDB needs a hands-on leader who is laser focused on delivering results and who is unafraid of making tough decisions in order to best serve our continent. Sam is that leader. Sam has the track record and experience to drastically enhance the pace, scale, and impact of the Bank’s work in service of the people and governments of Africa.
Our region has a proud history of supporting fellow Southern Africans. For example, we all recall Lusaka’s role in hosting the African National Congress’ headquarters during the dark days of Apartheid oppression.
It therefore gives me no pleasure to observe my South African brothers, who have themselves leant on Zambia’s steadfast friendship over many decades, fail to rally behind both SADC and COMESA’s chosen candidate for the AfDB. Africa’s urgent economic development challenges demand transformational leadership at the AfDB, it is all of our responsibility to put forward the best candidate for the job. This is not the time or place for a government to act with narrow self-interest, we all must act in the continent’s and AfDB’s best interest.
I thank Sam Maimbo for his lifelong service to our entire continent, and I am eager to witness his enormous impact as President of the AfDB.”
LONDON, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Heimdal Security shares a practical holiday cybersecurity checklist, offering expert insights to help businesses safeguard against cyber threats this festive season.
With reduced staffing, remote work setups, and a surge in online shopping creating heightened vulnerabilities, this guide offers actionable tips to enhance business security.
Going beyond basic advice, the checklist also highlights the most common holiday scams and features videos showcasing real-life examples of Christmas-themed cyber scams and effective prevention strategies.
Key Tips to Protect Businesses This Holiday Season:
- Strengthen endpoints: Ensure devices are updated with antivirus and endpoint protection software; consider Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and application whitelisting.
- Prepare for phishing spikes: Train staff to identify suspicious emails, enforce robust email filters, and establish protocols for reporting unusual activity.
- Secure remote access: Mandate VPN usage, monitor unusual logins, and deactivate inactive accounts temporarily.
- Segment and shield networks: Isolate sensitive areas, deploy DNS security and advanced firewalls, and maintain full visibility over network traffic.
- Apply timely patches: Regularly update all systems and test patches in a controlled environment to minimize disruptions.
- Mitigate supply chain risks: Assess vendors thoroughly and limit their access to essential systems.
- Have a response plan ready: Tailor incident protocols for the holidays, create an on-call rotation for the IT team, and enable rapid action against suspicious activity.
“ Cybercriminals thrive on holiday distractions, but with proactive measures like phishing training, secure endpoints, and network segmentation, businesses can stay ahead of potential threats,” said Alex Panait, System Administrator at Heimdal Security.
Common Holiday Scams That Businesses Should Watch For:
Cybercriminals often tailor their tactics to exploit the festive season. The most common scams include:
- Spear phishing: Emails disguised as holiday bonuses or event invitations that steal credentials or spread malware.
- Malicious holiday E-Cards: Festive greetings that contain links deploying ransomware or spyware.
- Fake E-Commerce sites: Fraudulent websites offering discounts to steal payment information.
- Insider threats: Distracted or disgruntled employees mishandling or exploiting sensitive data.
- Corporate travel scams: Fake booking platforms targeting business travelers.
- Business email compromise (BEC): Fraudulent requests for urgent wire transfers during year-end financial rushes.
For more, read the full article here or watch the video on YouTube to see how these threats unfold and learn actionable prevention strategies.
About Heimdal:
Established in Copenhagen in 2014, Heimdal® empowers CISOs, security teams, and IT administrators to improve their security operations, reduce alert fatigue, and implement proactive measures through a unified command and control platform.
Heimdal’s award-winning cybersecurity solutions span the entire IT estate, addressing challenges from endpoint to network levels, including vulnerability management, privileged access, Zero Trust implementation, and ransomware prevention.
For further press information:
Madalina Popovici
Media Relations Manager
[email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/stay-cyber-safe-this-holiday-season-heimdals-checklist-for-business-security-302337465.html
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa met this week with Zambia’s former Vice President and Special Envoy Enoch Kavindele to discuss SADC’s candidate for the AfDB