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How Conflict Diamonds from CAR Enter International Markets via Cameroon

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Cameroon is allowing conflict diamonds from the Central African Republic to cross over its borders and into the legal supply chain due to poor controls, smuggling and corruption, Partnership Africa Canada said in a report published today.

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The report, From Conflict to Illicit: Mapping the Diamond Trade from Central African Republic to Cameroon, investigates the failure of Cameroon’s implementation of the Kimberley Process—the international diamond certification scheme meant to stop the trade of conflict diamonds. The report comes on the eve of the Kimberley Process Review Visit to Cameroon which evaluates the country’s implementation of internal controls that govern diamond production and trade.

Diamond exports from the Central Africa Republic were internationally embargoed after a coup d’état in 2013 sparked a civil war. The Kimberley Process partially lifted the embargo on zones it deemed compliant and conflict-free earlier this year. Yet, Partnership Africa Canada found the illicit trade of conflict diamonds is ongoing.

“While international outcry about ‘blood diamonds’ financing war in the Central African Republic sparked action to stop the trade, the same spotlight has not been turned on CAR’s neighbours. Our investigation shows the reality on the ground and how conflict diamonds from CAR still have entry points to international markets through Cameroon,” said Joanne Lebert, Partnership Africa Canada’s Executive Director.

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Partnership Africa Canada calls on the Kimberley Process to place Cameroon under Special Measures

Interviews with miners, traders and exporters detail the smuggling of Central African Republic’s diamonds across the 900km border its shares with Cameroon, corruption amongst officials charged with verifying the origins of diamonds, and large shipments of embargoed conflict diamonds passing through Cameroon’s transit hubs undeclared.

The report follows Cameroonian traders who buy diamonds from across the river—in the Central African Republic—and then on to buying houses in Cameroon’s East region. Diamonds are “self-declared” as originating in Cameroon and Kimberley Process Certificates are issued attesting to their conflict-free status, allowing for their export to international markets.

“As the Kimberley Process visits Cameroon, it must take action immediately and demonstrate to companies, retailers—and most importantly to consumers—that it is able to stop the flow of conflict diamonds,” said Offah Obale, Researcher for Partnership Africa Canada, and the report’s author.

Partnership Africa Canada calls on the Kimberley Process to place Cameroon under Special Measures which would require a tightening of internal controls within a three month period, during which time no diamond would leave Cameroon without expert and external oversight.

The report also calls on a Regional Approach to tackle the illicit trade of CAR’s conflict diamonds, bringing in other neighbours such as Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, for a harmonized strategy.

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AIRTEL MONEY PARTNERS WITH PRUDENTIAL UGANDA AND TURACO TO LAUNCH ‘HOSPITAL SENTE’, AN AFFORDABLE HEALTH AND PROTECTION PRODUCT.

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Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited (AMCUL) has today announced a strategic partnership with Prudential Assurance Uganda Limited and insurtech Turaco Insurance Brokers LTD to provide ‘Hospital Sente’, a low-cost hospital cash insurance product with Funeral Benefits, aimed at increasing access to insurance for underserved communities, and low-income individuals and families.

The cover aims to ease Airtel Money’s customers’ financial burden associated with hospital admissions and bereavement. Hospital Sente offers beneficiaries a cash pay-out if they are hospitalised.
It is designed to provide affordable coverage for unserved individuals and families conveniently through Airtel’s Mobile money platform by dialing *185*7*6#.

The product which is underwritten by Prudential Uganda is offered through Airtel Money powered by Turaco, a micro-insuretech that is changing the face of micro-insurance in Uganda.

“We are excited to partner with Prudential Uganda to offer this innovative and affordable insurance product to our customers,” said Airtel Mobile Commerce Managing Director, Japheth Aritho. “We believe that this partnership will help increase access to insurance for low-income households and help protect families against unexpected events.”

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“We are proud to partner with Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited (AMCUL) to bring this important product to the Ugandan market,” said Prudential Uganda CEO, Tetteh Ayitevie. “We believe that this partnership will help us reach more customers and provide them with the financial protection they need.”

Hamza Mutebi, General Manager, Turaco said: “Most Ugandans today remain unreached by mainstream insurance, all while being the most vulnerable to financial shocks caused by illness, accidents, and death. Strategic partnerships like these remain critical to enabling underserved Ugandans access to affordable insurance that provides a safety net in their times of need and ultimately peace of mind. I thank Airtel Money and Prudential for joining us in driving mass market insurance adoption in Uganda”.

The product comes in three affordable plans; –
The Platinum plan comes with a funeral benefit of UGX 4Million, a hospital cash pay-out of UGX 100,000 per night of admission at a premium of only UGX 5000 every month. The Gold plan provides a funeral benefit of UGX 2Million, a hospital cash pay-out of UGX 60,000 per night at a monthly premium of only UGX 3000. The Silver plan offers a funeral plan of UGX 1Million, and a hospital cash pay-out of UGX 40,00 per night of hospitalization at a monthly premium of UGX 1000.

Hospital Sente is available to all Airtel Money customers. For more information, customers can visit the Airtel Uganda website or contact customer service.

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Parents Urged To Let Children Learn French Language

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Alliance Francaise Kampala hosted its 2023 #FranceJobFairUg which was held on Saturday, 18th March at International French School which is located in Lugogo in Kampala.

The French Job Fair Uganda is organized by the Embassy of France in Uganda.

Both continuing university students and those that finished attended workshops on resume and cover letter writing, and mock job interviews, to prepare themselves for the competitive job market. They have also interacted with company representatives thus having the opportunity to strengthen their networks.

Addressing campuses, was the head of Cooperation and Cultural Affairs Mr. Yves Mercier who said that in the professional environment, French is a necessary asset and so he encouraged parents to take their children to learn the language.

He also added saying that training that includes different partners will create a platform for dialogue and the free exchange of ideas about our lives.

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Women Emphasized To Know The Importance Of Creating Exciting Content To Reach Targeted Audiences-Rita Arinaitwe Digital Lead At Zeus The Agency

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To celebrate Women’s Month, Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and Mastercard Foundation successfully hosted Season 2 of the Annual Women’s Katale, a women-focused event held at the UMA showgrounds. The event brought together businesses from both the public and private sectors to showcase their products and services, drawing people from all walks of life.

Attendees benefited from business clinics facilitated by various institutions, covering topics relevant to business growth. Among the expert facilitators was Zeus The Agency, a dynamic marketing agency based in Ntinda that has won two consecutive awards for Best Digital Agency of the Year. Despite being a young agency, Zeus The Agency boasts extensive experience across various industries covering creative services, digital marketing, production, media, and PR.

At the event, Zeus provided attendees with valuable insights and knowledge on digital optimization for business growth. The agency emphasized the importance of businesses having a robust digital presence to reach untapped markets, highlighting the need for a strategic approach to digital marketing. Through their participation in the Annual Women’s Katale, Zeus The Agency reinforced its commitment to helping businesses thrive by providing innovative solutions that drive meaningful results.

Rita Arinaitwe, the Digital Lead at Zeus The Agency, emphasized the importance of creating exciting content and understanding audiences to fully reach targeted audiences.

“Effective content creation is crucial in modern digital marketing. At Zeus, we take a data-driven approach to develop high-quality content that resonates with our clients’ target customers. Our team of experienced writers, designers, and digital marketers work together to create impactful content that drives results,” she said.

Zeus the Agency also offered to set up and optimize social media pages for the SMEs at the event. The team provided guidance on creating effective content and engaging with their audience to empower these SMEs to grow their online presence and take their businesses to the next level. “Through initiatives like this, we hope to make a positive impact on the local business community and help businesses thrive in the digital age,” Rita added.

The event organizers promised and delivered networking opportunities for the thousands of revelers in attendance, with unique discounted products brought closer to potential customers, and business skills shared. The skills learned at the event motivated more women to venture into businesses they hadn’t thought of before, while the knowledge shared had most admitting it was the push they needed to start.

Angela Bagaine, a PSFU board member, also urged women to adopt innovativeness, cut out plagiarism in the business, and give their consumers options. The guest of honor, Hon Hajjati Minsa Kabanda, Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, lauded the great work of PSFU and the various exhibitors for setting the pace of women’s entrepreneurship in the country.

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The event was capped off with wonderful performances from local divas, Winnie Nwagi and Etania, in an epic climax to what was a successful event.

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