Her new term will begin on September 1, 2025, extending her groundbreaking leadership as the first woman and first African to head the global trade body.

The reappointment process commenced on October 8, 2024, under the guidance of Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, Chair of the WTO General Council.

With no additional nominations submitted by the November 8 deadline, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala stood unopposed.

Her candidacy was finalized during a special session of the General Council on November 28-29, 2024, following a presentation of her vision for the organization and a subsequent Q&A with member nations.

Ambassador Ølberg praised Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s achievements, highlighting her leadership through challenging periods.

“Her guidance has been instrumental in strengthening the WTO’s capacity and relevance,” he remarked.

Ølberg also acknowledged her commitment to fostering inclusivity and advancing a fair global trading system.

Since assuming office on March 1, 2021, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has made significant strides in rebuilding trust in the WTO and enhancing its role in addressing complex global trade issues. 

Her agenda includes strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms, promoting inclusive trade practices, and addressing emerging challenges like digital trade and climate adaptation.

Expressing her gratitude for the continued support, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala stated:

“The WTO has a vital role in fostering economic resilience, and I am committed to driving reforms that reflect the needs of all members. Together, we will shape a fair, rules-based trading system that benefits everyone.”

The newly formed company will focus on providing and installing Starlink services across Kenya, bringing advanced connectivity solutions to underserved areas.

This move follows Paratus’ designation as an authorized reseller of Starlink’s low earth orbit (LEO) satellite services across Africa, a milestone achieved last year.

Paratus Kenya’s establishment comes shortly after the company launched operations in Eswatini, signaling its growing footprint on the continent.

MoveOn Telecoms Limited, licensed by the Communications Authority of Kenya since 2015, brings extensive experience in telecom solutions.

The partnership aims to leverage MoveOn’s expertise and Paratus’ network capabilities to deliver stable and reliable internet connectivity, critical for economic growth and digital transformation in Kenya.

Joseph Kibwott, Managing Director of Paratus Kenya, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, highlighting its potential impact.

“Paratus Kenya is committed to driving economic development and GDP growth by creating jobs directly and indirectly. Stable and reliable internet connectivity plays a pivotal role in this mission, providing access to e-government services, remote work opportunities, real-time security solutions, and telemedicine. Enhanced connectivity in remote areas will empower Kenyans and foster growth in local economies,” he said.

Martin Cox, Chief Commercial Officer of Paratus Group, emphasized the strategic importance of the expansion.

“Opening in East Africa has been one of our primary objectives, and this marks a significant milestone. It’s a giant step forward in our mission to connect underserved African countries south of the equator. We are thrilled to partner with MoveOn and to bring Starlink services to Kenya.”

This initiative, set to launch in 2025, will provide participants with certifications such as Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) and Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD), recognized globally as essential credentials in the cloud-native field.

The free training program will last six to nine months.

Andela plans to select participants from its extensive talent marketplace, which features over 150,000 tech professionals, primarily from Africa.

This initiative is designed to address the worldwide gap of 7.5 million unfilled cloud-related roles anticipated by 2025, simultaneously creating job opportunities for African developers and tackling the global tech talent shortage.

Africa’s growing prominence in the global technology landscape makes this partnership particularly timely.

According to the Google Africa Developer Ecosystem Report, 38% of African developers are already working remotely for international companies.

As the continent boasts the fastest-growing developer population, equipping professionals with advanced skills in cloud-native technologies will enable them to thrive in a competitive global market.

Participants will benefit from a CNCF-developed curriculum focused on building, deploying, and managing scalable applications across diverse cloud environments.

The partnership brings together Andela’s AI-powered talent platform and CNCF’s leadership in open-source cloud technologies, underscoring the transformative potential of strategic collaborations to address global skill shortages.

This collaboration seeks to empower communities by offering eco-friendly transportation options, taking a significant step towards sustainable mobility in Africa.

Speaking on the partnership, Valerie Labi, Co-Founder of Wahu Mobility Ltd., expressed excitement about the initiative.

“Collaborating with Letshego is a pivotal step forward in our mission to deliver sustainable and accessible EV options to the African market,” she said.

Letshego echoed this sentiment, stating that the partnership aligns with their dedication to fostering inclusive, sustainable economic growth in the region.

The initiative introduces a financing program aimed at “Wahu Heroes,” individuals committed to embracing sustainable transportation.

Through Letshego’s financial expertise and Wahu Mobility’s EV knowledge, these users will benefit from affordable financing options, making it easier to transition to environmentally friendly vehicles.

The two companies plan a phased rollout of financing products, initially focusing on urban centers with an eventual expansion to underserved regions.

This venture also supports the African Union’s Agenda 2063 by promoting sustainable development and climate resilience across the continent.

The collaboration, championed by Nigeria’s National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), is expected to bolster the nation’s automotive sector with a focus on electric and gas-powered vehicles, alongside developing EV infrastructure.

Joseph Osanipin, Director-General of NADDC, unveiled the partnership during the recent Nigeria-Morocco business forum.

He underscored the initiative’s potential to foster local component manufacturing and strengthen Nigeria’s automotive industry.

“We have identified electric vehicle products that can be manufactured in Nigeria and exported to Morocco,” Osanipin explained, highlighting the mutual benefits of the partnership.

A delegation led by Osanipin visited key automotive facilities in Morocco, including the National Center for Homologation and multiple local firms.

The team held discussions with E-move Vehicles Company, a significant player in energy storage systems, specializing in electric motorcycles, tricycles, and batteries.

They also explored collaboration possibilities with Univers Acier Steel, a prominent supplier of automotive parts.

The Nigerian delegation also toured Cetiev, a Moroccan technology partner for automotive innovation, and reviewed six test centers spanning various sectors.

According to Osanipin, the goal is to replicate Morocco’s success in Nigeria, promoting local production, enhancing technical skills, and contributing to economic growth and sustainability.

“Their expertise in battery manufacturing and economical EVs is especially valuable. Producing these products locally will support Nigeria’s transition to sustainable mobility and create jobs,” Osanipin concluded.

This collaboration marks a significant step toward Nigeria’s vision for a self-sustaining automotive industry, with the potential to position the country as a regional leader in EV production and green technology.

As Deloitte’s first center dedicated to exporting digital services from Egypt, the hub aims to broaden the company’s global footprint in digital services.

The Deloitte Innovation Hub will offer services to clients in Europe and the wider region, focusing on artificial intelligence, data analysis, cloud technology, cybersecurity, and enterprise resource planning.

Deloitte envisions the hub supporting 5,000 jobs in the coming years, diversifying its service offerings and expanding its impact across various business sectors.

Hani Girgis, leader of the Innovation Hub, emphasized that the hub is designed to foster local talent, bring value to Egyptian society, and support clients across Europe and the Middle East.

Minister Talaat echoed this sentiment, highlighting Egypt’s appeal as a strategic location for IT and digital innovation, driven by its skilled young workforce and the government’s commitment to job creation and digital exports.

The Egyptian government has set ambitious goals.

Digital exports reached $6.2 billion in 2023, marking a 26% increase from $4.9 billion in 2022.

The government aims to create high-value jobs for youth and build a knowledge-based economy. It plans to train more youth in digital skills, freelancing, and outsourcing to achieve $3.7 billion in digital exports by 2024 and $9 billion by 2026.

Egypt has seen increasing investments from international tech companies, including Telecom Egypt and Huawei Cloud.

The latter recently announced plans to launch the first public cloud platform in Egypt and North Africa, supporting the nation’s digital transformation strategy.

The ambitious initiative will unfold in phases, beginning with a pilot phase within the first year and aiming for a continent-wide reach by year three.

The partnership allows African developers to access NVIDIA’s advanced ecosystem, offering participants training, certifications, and community support through the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute.

This collaboration comes just eight months after Gebeya transitioned into an all-in-one talent cloud provider, reflecting its expanded focus on solving organizational needs through various talent cloud solutions.

Gebeya’s AI-powered Talent Cloud will play a pivotal role in this partnership, with NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Institute integrated into its platform to provide certified learning paths.

Through this collaboration, African developers will gain critical AI skills, addressing the region’s shortage of expertise in this area while advancing growth and innovation across Africa’s tech industry.

Wei Xiao, NVIDIA’s Director of Developer Relations, emphasized the collaboration’s strategic importance in positioning Africa as an AI talent hub, which could attract investments and boost the continent’s global tech competitiveness.

Gebeya CEO Amadou Daffe noted the initiative’s potential to unify fragmented tech communities, address skill shortages, and accelerate industry development, establishing Africa as a center for NVIDIA technologies.

Gebeya’s partnership with NVIDIA follows its December 2023 collaboration with Microsoft to launch a platform dedicated to skilling and job-matching.

The platform aims to upskill 300,000 developers across several African nations. The target for the first year is 150,000 trained developers, creating significant momentum for tech talent development on the continent.

This new initiative with NVIDIA is expected to transform Africa’s AI capabilities, strengthening the continent’s position as a competitive tech talent hub on the global stage.

Operating under the name JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Representative Office Kenya, this new venture will focus on exploring business opportunities across the East African region.

Though the office will serve as a liaison and marketing hub, it is not permitted to carry out traditional banking activities as outlined by Kenya’s Banking Act.

This move strengthens Kenya’s position as a leading financial hub in Africa and enhances investment and trade ties between Kenya and the U.S.

The approval follows JPMorgan’s fulfilment of all the necessary requirements, according to CBK.

By establishing this office, JPMorgan Chase aims to capitalize on Kenya’s growing economy and its favorable business environment, contributing to the diversity of Kenya’s financial sector.

The presence of such a global banking giant is also expected to intensify competition among local banks, driving innovation and growth in the industry.

JPMorgan’s entry into Kenya underscores the nation’s growing reputation as a stable and attractive destination for international financial institutions.

The bank, which operates in over 60 countries worldwide, offers a broad range of services, including asset and wealth management, commercial and investment banking, and financial technology solutions.

This latest move marks a significant step in its expansion into the East African region.