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Seeking quality entrepreneurial location? Tunisia ranks 1st in Africa

According to the recently released Global Entrepreneurship Index 2018, which measures the health of the entrepreneurship ecosystems in each of the 137 countries it studies – Tunisia is ranked 1st in Africa, in terms of the quality of the entrepreneurial environment

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According to the recently released Global Entrepreneurship Index 2018, which measures the health of the entrepreneurship ecosystems in each of the 137 countries it studies – Tunisia is ranked 1st in Africa, in terms of the quality of the entrepreneurial environment.

This index is based on the analysis of 14 areas considered as key in the quality of the entrepreneurial environment.

The North African country owes its overall score (42.4 / 100) to the availability of private and public capital (venture capital) which is credited with a score of 70/100.

The ability to develop new products and to integrate new technologies is also a major asset for the land of Jasmine. The GEI 2018 reports that, the quality of human capital both in business and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in Tunisia exceeds the average of 50/100.

However, reveals the document, Tunisian entrepreneurs have a strong risk aversion. This lack of risk is mainly fueled by political instability. In the box of counter-performance factors that undermine the quality of the entrepreneurial initiative in Tunisia, competitiveness and the ability of the private sector to compete with the international market, hold a preponderant place.

In the Global ranking, Tunisia is 40th, followed by Botswana (52nd with 34.9 out of 100), the second in Africa’s ranking.

See the Top Ten (10) Africa Ranking, according to the quality of the entrepreneurial environment.

  1. Tunisia (42.4 out of 100)
  2. Botswana (34.9 out of 100)
  3. South Africa (32.9 out of 100)
  4. Namibia (31.1 out of 100)
  5. Morocco (29.2 out of 100)
  6. Egypt (25.9 out of 100)
  7. Algeria (24.7 out of 100)
  8. Rwanda (21.5 out of 100)
  9. Ghana (21 out of 100)
  10. Nigeria (19.7 out of 100)

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Ghana’s finance minister, Ken Ofori, to meet Chinese officials over debt restructuring

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Ghana’s finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta will meet Chinese officials on Wednesday to discuss a proposed restructuring of Ghana’s debt, a source has revealed.

The source said, “the talks are expected to focus on ways to reduce Ghana’s debt burden and secure additional financing assurances for the country’s economic programme.”

The source added that the Ghanaian government is currently preoccupied with securing IMF board approval, with the fine details of debt treatment operations to follow later, the source added.

Ghana has been struggling with its worst economic crisis in a generation and secured a staff-level agreement with the IMF in December for a $3 billion loan. Still, approval is contingent on it restructuring its debt of 575.7 billion cedis ($47.6 billion).

The West African country is one of several cash-strapped countries facing unprecedented delays in securing bailouts as China and Western economies clash over how to structure debt relief deals.

China is Ghana’s biggest bilateral creditor with about $1.7 billion of debt and the Chinese delegation visited Ghana this month for initial debt talks which the finance ministry said were “cordial and fruitful.”

In addition to restructuring its domestic debt, Ghana has requested that its bilateral debt be restructured under the common framework platform supported by the Group of 20 major economies.

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Zambian authorities show concern over market abuses in energy sector. Here’s why

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Zambian authorities are concerned about market abuses and social injustices in the energy sector, specifically regarding renewable energy technologies.

The permanent secretary of the country’s Commerce, Trade, and Industry, John Mulongoti, made the position at the commemoration of World Consumer Rights Day where he revealed that the concern was born out of outcry by consumers over the low quality as well as high prices of energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies in the market.

According to Mulongoti “the energy sector is prone to market abuses and social injustices as evidenced by consumers’ concerns over the low quality as well as high prices of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies on the market.

“It is, therefore, my expectation that this event will not only provide an opportunity for increasing consumer awareness of their basic rights but also create a platform for consumers to air their concerns on market abuses and social injustices that they face as they access services from not only the energy sector but also other sectors as well,” Mulongoti said.

“You will agree with me that Zambia has not been spared from experiencing the adverse impact of climate change. We, therefore, need to hold hands together to mitigate this challenge.

“As we continue to enhance trade and investment for the growth of our economy, the government is cognizant of the need to ensure that economic growth happens in a sustainable manner,” Mulongoti said.

Mulongoti said the government will work to create resilient, climate-friendly economies in addition to advocating that both businesses and consumers embrace technologies and solutions that can help mitigate climate change.

The administration of President Hakainde Hichilema has made moves to focus on renewable energy, in January, state-owned power utility Zesco signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates renewable energy company Masdar to develop solar projects worth $2 billion.

Zambia, like many other African countries, faces a myriad of environmental and socio-economic
challenges that include land degradation, deforestation, and regular droughts which shift to renewable energy strategy.

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