<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Fast fashion retailer Shein shot down a Thursday report from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/chinas-shein-files-us-ipo-sources-2023-06-29/?taid=649dc58f25570b0001e072d2&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reuters</a>&nbsp;that claimed it confidentially registered with regulators for a U.S. initial public offering, in what would be a highly controversial listing in the U.S. given controversy around the brand’s labor practices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Shein told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;in an email that it denied “rumors” around the Reuters story, which reported the company had filed for an IPO with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



The company, which has been surrounded by&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/6247732/shein-climate-change-labor-fashion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">controversy</a>&nbsp;over allegations of using forced labor, could have been the most valuable Chinese company to go public in the U.S., according to Reuters.



Shein was valued at $66 billion following a $2 billion funding round from this year—a valuation down more than 25% from a year earlier, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/fashion-giant-shein-raises-2-billion-but-lowers-valuation-by-a-third-1f8c316b" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wall Street Journal.</a>



Shein did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Shein is known for its fast fashion platform that offers low prices on a wide variety of men’s and women&#8217;s clothing, making it a popular brand in the U.S. According to a Money.co.uk&nbsp;<a href="https://www.money.co.uk/credit-cards/most-popular-fashion-brands-2022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>&nbsp;last year, Shein managed to overtake companies such as Zara, Nike and Adidas in the world’s most-Googled clothing brands. However, the company’s success comes at a highly-scrutinized cost involving high emissions and alleged forced labor that lawmakers have encouraged the SEC to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/01/shein-china-congress-forced-labor-inquiry.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crack down on</a>. The company produced about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessoffashion.com/news/topics/shein-sustainability-emissions-global-warming-fast-fashion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">6.3 million tons</a>&nbsp;of carbon dioxide in 2021 and has historically&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/01/shein-china-congress-forced-labor-inquiry.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">denied</a>&nbsp;forced labor allegations and maintained that it has worked to comply with customs and import laws. However, attempts to clear its record, such as a tour of a clothing factory given by the company to influences, have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/darreonnadavis/2023/06/27/sheins-influencer-trip-backlash-explained-and-what-we-know-about-allegations-against-them/?sh=49c52cf73508">met with skepticism.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/shein-valued-at-100-billion-in-funding-round-11649126740" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$100 billion</a>. That was Shein’s reported valuation in a funding round last year before plummeting down to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e84a6fcd-0881-47a1-b5dd-610ab72e7fdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">around $60 billion</a>&nbsp;this year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/chinas-shein-files-us-ipo-sources-2023-06-29/?taid=649dc58f25570b0001e072d2&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Exclusive: China&#8217;s Shein files for U.S. IPO -sources</a>&nbsp;(Reuters)



<a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/29/shein-denies-report-that-its-filed-for-an-ipo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shein denies report that it&#8217;s filed for an IPO</a>&nbsp;(Axios)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/darreonnadavis/2023/06/27/sheins-influencer-trip-backlash-explained-and-what-we-know-about-allegations-against-them/?sh=49c52cf73508">Shein’s Influencer Trip Backlash Explained—And What We Know About Allegations Against Them</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://time.com/6247732/shein-climate-change-labor-fashion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shein Is the World’s Most Popular Fashion Brand—at a Huge Cost to Us All </a>(Time)

In this photo illustration, the fashion retailer Shein

Is Shein About To Hit Stock Market? Report Says Company Filed For IPO—But Chinese Firm Denies Plan

<h4 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-jehiel-oliverfounder-and-ceo-hello-tractorkenya">Jehiel Oliver Founder and CEO, Hello Tractor Kenya</h4>



Chatting to FORBES AFRICA from Nairobi, Jehiel Oliver recalls how he started a business on the Hello Tractor platform where farmers could make up to $30,000 in bookings a year.



“I&#8217;m from the US, and started my professional career in finance,” Oliver says. “But in [my] mind, I always wanted to do work that was meaningful for my community and I came from parents who were kind of pan-African in their view of the world.” 



When a young Oliver left banking and started doing consulting work, “mostly still in finance”, he looked at deal structuring for funds investing across the Global South which then led him to agriculture.



“That&#8217;s where I uncovered the importance of agriculture, the role it plays in Africa&#8217;s economy and future economic growth,” Oliver says. 



Hello Tractor, a Kenya-based smartphone app that connects small-scale farmers with nearby tractor owners, was built on understanding how much access smallholder farmers have to the basic needs of farming.



According to The Economist, in sub-Saharan Africa, 60% of crops are ploughed by hand, which in turn impacts the productivity of farmers and eventual crop yield. This is why over 220 million farmers in Africa live on less than $2 a day.



Oliver reiterates that smallholder farmers don’t have the machinery they need to fully cultivate occupied land. Tractors andfarm equipment are expensive, and financing is virtually non-existent. 



“For us, it was about economic growth and prosperity for these African economies,” Oliver adds, “starting in a rural sector, you have low-income populations underserviced by just about every part of the economy, and seeing an opportunity to commercially serve these economic actors, these farmers, who are also entrepreneurs themselves.



“And to serve them in a way where they can grow their productivity, they can grow their income, they can send their kids to school, and not pull their kids out of school to work the fields.”

Africa’s Green Economy: From Banking To Connecting Farmers And Tractors In Kenya

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



A new study published Wednesday is calling into question one of the oldest stereotypes about the roles of men and women, finding that female members of many of the world&#8217;s remaining foraging societies are just as involved in hunting as men, despite long-held perceptions that men hunted and women gathered.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The authors of the study—published by the Public Library of Science—looked into data from previous researchers on 63 living societies across the world that still practice hunting and gathering, then investigated how women participated in the hunting in various societies, what they hunted and what tools they used.



Women were found to have hunted game of all sizes, but most often large animals in a majority of societies, according to the study, spearheaded by Abigail Anderson of Seattle Pacific University’s biology department.



The study found women were actively involved in teaching hunting practices, used a larger variety of weapons than men and were instrumental in bringing home animals for their families to eat, regardless of whether or not they were mothers.



Many hunter-gatherer cultures have disappeared over the millennia, but some of the societies mentioned in the paper include the Tiwi people of Australia, the Hadza of northern Tanzania, the Ganij of New Guinea and the 3,200 indigenous Matsés people of the Brazilian Amazon, who still rely on hunting and gathering for most of their sustenance but have interacted with missionaries, the Peruvian government and researchers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



79%. That&#8217;s how many living foraging societies demonstrated female hunting, according to Wednesday’s paper.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



The study painted the long-held perception of men as hunters and women as gatherers as the building block for more modern stereotypes, like men being less emotional and more aggressive while women are more nurturing and focused on children.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The study, titled&nbsp;The Myth of Man the Hunter, confronts why the hunter/gatherer division has prevailed despite evidence to the contrary. Anderson and her colleagues said researchers typically presume that stone projectiles buried alongside males are hunting tools, but are less persuaded when projectiles are associated with females, and pointed to a 2017 incident in Sweden where a person found buried with weapons and equipment linked to high-ranking Viking warriors was assumed to be male, but later was genetically identified as a woman. The inherent bias of researchers can be blamed for the lack of &#8220;recognition of contributions by women to hunting”, the authors said, adding it &#8220;behooves each generation of scientists to ensure that paradigms fit the existing data.&#8221;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287101" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Myth of Man the Hunter: Women’s contribution to the hunt across ethnographic contexts </a>(PLOS One)

Female ginger hair archer shooting targets with her bow and arrow. Concentration, target, success concept

Women Hunt As Often As Men In Many Hunter-Gatherer Societies—Despite Age-Old Stereotypes, Study Finds

ChatGPT, a cutting-edge language model developed by OpenAI, has revolutionized how we interact with technology and access information through artificial intelligence (AI). As an AI-driven conversation agent, ChatGPT has the potential to significantly impact various sectors in Africa, offering opportunities for growth and development. However, ChatGPT also presents unique challenges that we must address to harness its benefits fully. 



This article explores the implications of ChatGPT for Africa, focusing on its potential applications in education, healthcare, agriculture, and language preservation, as well as the challenges associated with its adoption.



Before discussing the applications of ChatGPT in Africa, it is crucial first to discuss what ChatGPT can and cannot do. Firstly, ChatGPT, like many AI technologies, depends on existing data. Therefore, it cannot incorporate what does not already exist. For example, it will not recommend medications not yet discovered. Consequently, it would not have invented Einstein&#8217;s theory of relativity. However, it can gather and summarize existing information, which may help find new medicines. Despite these,



ChatGPT can be a valuable tool for enhancing education in Africa by providing personalized learning experiences, facilitating access to knowledge, and supporting educators. By offering tailored content based on individual learning needs, ChatGPT can help bridge the gap in educational resources and improve overall learning outcomes. Additionally, it can assist teachers by providing instant feedback on student performance, identifying areas for improvement, and suggesting targeted interventions.



ChatGPT can be crucial in providing medical information and support in Africa, where access to healthcare professionals is often limited. It can serve as a health assistant, offering advice on common health issues, symptom analysis, and self-care tips. This could help reduce the burden on healthcare systems and facilitate timely intervention, particularly in remote or underserved areas. For this to happen, we need to retrain existing and new medical professionals to develop competency in the seamless use of technology in medical care. This, therefore, calls for revising the medical curriculum to incorporate more technology.



Another application of ChatGPT is in the area of agriculture. ChatGPT can contribute to developing sustainable agriculture in Africa by providing farmers real-time information on weather patterns, pest control, and crop management. This could help farmers optimize their operations, improve yields, and enhance food security for the continent. This requires farmers to form learning communes where issues of agricultural performance are discussed together to augment existing recommendations of ChatGPT, which is based on existing information.



ChatGPT can be used for language preservation. Africa is home to a rich linguistic diversity, with over 2,000 languages spoken across the continent. ChatGPT can be trained to understand and interact in various African languages, promoting language preservation and cultural heritage. By making technology more accessible and inclusive, ChatGPT can help bridge the digital divide and empower local communities. However, for this to happen, we need to infuse the ethos of AI transfer learning methodology to ensure that all languages are included, irrespective of size.



One of the primary challenges for ChatGPT adoption in Africa is the lack of robust digital infrastructure. Limited access to the internet, unreliable connectivity, and high data costs can hinder the widespread use of ChatGPT and its associated benefits. To fully harness the potential of ChatGPT, investments in digital infrastructure and affordable internet access are essential. However, for this to happen, we need to bridge the digital divide and ensure that telecommunications data and affordable devices are accessible.



The adoption of ChatGPT in Africa also depends on the population&#8217;s digital literacy level. Therefore, promoting digital literacy through education and training programs is crucial to ensure people can effectively utilize ChatGPT and other digital technologies.



As with any AI technology, ChatGPT raises concerns about data privacy and security. Therefore, ensuring that ChatGPT complies with data protection regulations and safeguards user privacy is essential to build trust and encourage widespread adoption.



AI models, including ChatGPT, can inadvertently perpetuate biases and stereotypes in the data they are trained on. Addressing these biases and ensuring that ChatGPT&#8217;s interactions are culturally sensitive and contextually appropriate is crucial for its successful implementation in Africa.



ChatGPT has the potential to significantly impact various sectors in Africa, offering opportunities for growth and development. By harnessing its potential in education, healthcare, agriculture, and language preservation, Africa can benefit from the advancements in AI technology. However, addressing challenges related to digital infrastructure, digital literacy, data privacy, and ethical considerations is crucial for successfully adopting ChatGPT on the continent through collaborative efforts from governments, the private sector, and African civil society.



– The writer is a Rector of the United Nations University (UNU) Rector based in Tokyo, Japan. UNU has campuses in Ghana, Japan, China, Malaysia, Finland, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Belgium, Venezuela, Canada and the US.

In this photo illustration, the ChatGPT (OpenAI) logo is

ChatGPT In Africa: Opportunities And Challenges

International MSME Day on June 27 recognizes that small businesses and self-employed workers are crucial to the growth and development of economies. We also speak with Jeremy Awori, Chief Executive Officer, Ecobank Group, on the importance of this day.



Small and medium-size businesses (SMEs) are the lifeblood of Africa’s economy. They are responsible for more than 80% of the continent’s employment and 50% of the GDP, according to the World Economic Forum.



To celebrate the role played by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and increase awareness of their contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations (UN) General Assembly designated 27 June as International MSME Day.



The UN recognizes that small businesses and self-employed workers are crucial to the growth and development of economies, saying that if adequately supported, MSMEs can “effectively contribute to the structural transformation of economies and drive inclusive, sustained, and equitable economic growth and jobs.”



“SMEs play a crucial role in Africa’s economic growth and development, especially when it comes to the creation of jobs which remains a significant problem across the continent,” says Jeremy Awori, Chief Executive Officer, Ecobank Group.



With operations in 33 African markets, the bank has made it a priority to nurture and contribute to the growth and success of African SMEs and encourage them to leverage trade opportunities.



The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a single, continent-wide market that unites 54 countries, offers significant opportunities on the continent. Among its aims are to scale African businesses through integration of regional value chains and to increase intra-African trade by 52.3% by 2030.



As an entrepreneur in the education sector, Catherine Awuor Oduor manages the operations of Jabali Schools in Kenya and is a Senior Finance Officer at African Union.



She is of the opinion that the private sector and policymakers working in partnership with the AfCFTA can open expansion and growth opportunities for SMEs.



“They have the potential to transform the economies and the continent as a dynamic force in the international arena,” Oduor says. “If policymakers can draft very good policies, this will help businessmen and businesswomen to ensure that their business flows without challenges. As we are aware 60% to 70% of women are involved in business and in the cross strait area. And therefore, if the laws are well-drafted and could favor women, women could do their business very well. Finally, the private sector plays a critical role in the development of Africa, and hence strategy ensures businesses across the continent have access to tools and partnerships, they will be able to play a key area in creating a resilient environment in the future.”



Financial institutions play a big role in easing the ability of SMEs, and especially women-owned SMEs, to grow and develop in the currently challenging environment, and ultimately to tap into cross continental trade.



Despite women-led enterprises making up about a third of all registered African small businesses, the financial gap between men and women remains.



According to the UN, women- and youth-owned enterprises are often most vulnerable and at risk of external shocks. On top of this, they have to deal with limited access to affordable finance, capacity-building support, partnership networks, and global markets. There are many challenges for them to overcome, resulting in many being confined to the informal sector and necessity entrepreneurship.



For Oduor, limited access to cash is one of the challenges for SMEs. “Right now the economy has really gone down. And many lending facilities are offering loans at high interest rates, and this has affected quite a number of businesses.”



In her experience, other challenges include access to technology, poor monitoring and evaluation systems to track feedback, market analysis and feasibility studies and setting up a good business plan.



“For SMEs in the informal sector, we assist them to transition to the formal sector to ensure they gain access to better growth opportunities,” says Ecobank’s Awori. “In addition to catering to their banking needs, we also provide SMEs essential non-financial support such as skills training. In recognition of the vital role of women, Ecobank has curated tailored solutions through our comprehensive Ellevate program, specifically designed for women entrepreneurs.”



For the UN, MSME Day will also focus on supporting resilient supply chains to ensure workers and the environment benefit and encourage policymakers and businesses to join forces to ensure economically viable, socially, and environmentally sustainable supply chains.

Business owner hanging an open sign at a cafe

The Crucial Role Of MSMEs In The Economic Growth And Development Of Africa

Old woman walking with her dog and her wares through the streets of Makhanda, Eastern Cape, in 2021

Cityscapes: Snapshots Of South Africa’s Thriving Informal Economy

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Pfizer have all entered the race for FDA approval of a first-in-class oral weight loss and diabetes drug, and because pills are cheaper to manufacture, these oral weight loss drugs may signal a more affordable (and easier) alternative to drugs—like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro—that require injections.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Known generically as semaglutide,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2022/12/26/what-to-know-about-ozempic/?sh=792660675adb">Ozempic</a>&nbsp;and Wegovy—both manufactured by Novo Nordisk—are weekly injections and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (a class of drugs used to treat diabetes).



Wegovy was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-drug-treatment-chronic-weight-management-first-2014" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;by the Food and Drug Administration for weight loss in 2021 and while Ozempic is only FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/110526/download" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;for use in type two diabetics, doctors regularly prescribe it off-label for weight management.



The popularity of both medications caused a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/dsp_SearchResults.cfm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supply shortage</a>, with Novo Nordisk&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/05/05/wegovy-shortage-drug-maker-limits-distribution-heres-when-supplies-should-improve/?sh=2eaa52ab1fa4">limiting</a>&nbsp;Wegovy’s distribution of lower doses earlier this month to combat supply problems.



Manufactured by Eli Lilly,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/01/31/diabetes-drug-mounjaro-expected-to-be-approved-for-weight-loss-soon-what-to-know-and-how-it-compares-to-similar-drugs/?sh=12d6194a477a">Mounjaro</a>&nbsp;(known generically as tirzepatide) is a weekly injection and also a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which works by controlling blood sugar—it was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-novel-dual-targeted-treatment-type-2-diabetes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;for use in type two diabetics by the FDA in May 2022, though it’s also used off-label for weight loss.



The heightened popularity of weight loss medications has caused an increase in investor interest in the weight loss treatment market, which is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novo-nordisk-rivals-see-room-compete-100-bln-weight-loss-drug-market-2023-05-04/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimated</a>&nbsp;to reach $100 billion by the end of the decade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



On Sunday, Novo Nordisk presented findings from a new phase three trial that focused on oral semaglutide tablets. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01185-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>, published in the&nbsp;Lancet,&nbsp;lasted 68 weeks and followed 667 participants. 85% of the participants who took the semaglutide tablet lost at least 5% of their body weight compared to just 26% of those who took the placebo. On average, participants who took semaglutide saw a loss of about 15% of their body weight, around six times more than the placebo.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



69.9%. That’s how many Americans are either obese or overweight,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-trends-original/obesity-rates-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-trends-original/obesity-rates-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a>&nbsp;from the Harvard School of Public Health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rybelsus">RYBELSUS</h2>



Rybelsus is manufactured by Novo Nordisk (which also makes Ozempic) and is a once-daily oral version of semaglutide. The drug was FDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-oral-glp-1-treatment-type-2-diabetes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a>&nbsp;in 2019 for type two diabetes management and became the first GLP-1 receptor drug to gain approval for type two diabetics. In a late-stage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=166110" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;released Monday, the manufacturer released the results from a 68-week trial with 667 adults who are either obese or overweight with one or more comorbidity. On average, participants lost 15.1% of their body weight after 68 weeks compared to 2.4% of body weight from those on the placebo. The results are similar to those from a Wegovy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in&nbsp;The New England Journal of Medicine.&nbsp;In that trial, participants saw an average change of body weight of 14.9% compared to a 2.4% change in the placebo group over a span of 68 weeks. The Rybelsus study, which has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal, acknowledged the side effects were comparable to the semaglutide injections, with mainly mild to moderate gastrointestinal adverse events (like nausea or diarrhea) being the most common side effect. These adverse events mainly occurred when the dosage was increased. Novo Nordisk plans to “file for regulatory approval in the US and the EU” this year with availability depending on manufacturing capacity and how it prioritizes its medications. Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president for development at Novo Nordisk said in the study the ability for consumers to pick between a once daily oral pill and weekly injection for obesity “has the potential to offer patients and healthcare providers the opportunity to choose what best suits individual treatment preferences.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-danuglipron">DANUGLIPRON</h2>



Pfizer published a&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2805054" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;JAMA Network Open&nbsp;on the effects of the drug danuglipron in type two diabetics. Similar to rybelsus, the drug is an oral GLP-1 receptor, but it’s taken twice daily as a pill. The trial included 422 people with type two diabetes and found danuglipron not only lowered blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C at all doses, but it also reduced body weight at the highest dosage. Participants on the 80 milligram pill saw weight loss of 4.5 pounds and those on the 120 milligram pill experienced weight loss of 9.2 pounds by the 16 week mark. The pill was administered to participants once in the morning and once in the evening, both times with food. The most common side effects were nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla also explained the importance of an oral obesity pill at J. P. Morgan’s Health Conference,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/pfizer-ceo-talks-experimental-oral-glp-1-diabetesobesity-hopeful-90b-lilly-novo-battle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">saying</a>&nbsp;it’s “significantly more important…in the obese market than it is in the diabetic population.” Pfizer is also testing another oral medication called lotiglipron (though data isn’t available yet), but the company plans to choose only one of the drugs to advance into late-stage clinical trials in both diabetes and obesity, slated to begin in 2024, Barron’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/eli-lilly-novo-pfizer-stock-weight-loss-pills-dd516c95" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-orforglipron">ORFORGLIPRON</h2>



Eli Lilly (the manufacturer of Mounjaro), has its own oral GLP-1 drug, orforglipron, that&nbsp;<a href="https://investor.lilly.com/static-files/c0604a2b-5e58-4f00-bb77-d25da59d991e" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to Eli Lilly, shows people without type two diabetes seeing weight reduction between 14% and 15% over the course of 36 weeks, whereas those with type two diabetes saw weight loss of about 9.6% over the same time frame. Orforglipron is in two trials slated to end in 2025,&nbsp;<a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05803421" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to information posted on the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s Clinical Trials website. Evaluate Vantage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.evaluate.com/vantage/articles/news/corporate-strategy-snippets/lilly-steps-its-oral-obesity-push" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>&nbsp;Eli Lilly admitted orforglipron won’t be as powerful as Mounjaro because the former is just a GLP-1 receptor agonist, whereas Mounjaro is a GLP-1 receptor agonist and a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor drug.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/glucose-dependent-insulinotropic-peptide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GIP</a>&nbsp;is a hormone that helps with the release of insulin after food consumption. GIP receptors have been&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32459834/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;to reduce weight gain and cause weight loss in animals including nonhuman primates. According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in&nbsp;The New England Journal of Medicine,&nbsp;participants lost up to 22.5% of their body fat after 72 weeks on Mounjaro. Orforglipron’s side effects haven’t yet been made available, but Mounjaro’s most common&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mounjaro.com/how-to-use-mounjaro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">side effects</a>&nbsp;include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain and indigestion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/oral-or-intravenous-antibiotics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in the&nbsp;Australian Prescriber&nbsp;that compares oral antibiotics to injectable antibiotics, it was found oral drugs were cheaper to manufacture than the injectable ones. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05147" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>&nbsp;published in&nbsp;Health Affairs&nbsp;estimated the cost of oral medication rose by 9% between 2008 and 2016, whereas injectable drugs rose by 15% in the same time frame. This signals the potential approval of oral weight loss medication may be a cheaper, more affordable option than the already available injectables.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/05/05/wegovy-shortage-drug-maker-limits-distribution-heres-when-supplies-should-improve/?sh=2eaa52ab1fa4">Wegovy Shortage: Drug Maker Limits Distribution—Here’s When Supplies Should Improve</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2022/12/26/what-to-know-about-ozempic/?sh=6d645b6b5adb">What To Know About Ozempic: The Diabetes Drug Becomes A Viral Weight Loss Hit (Elon Musk Boasts Using It) Creating A Shortage</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/01/31/diabetes-drug-mounjaro-expected-to-be-approved-for-weight-loss-soon-what-to-know-and-how-it-compares-to-similar-drugs/?sh=21c4eb23477a">Diabetes Drug Mounjaro Expected To Be Approved For Weight Loss Soon: What To Know And How It Compares To Similar Drugs</a> (Forbes)

African American man pouring medications out of a bottle into his hand.

Ozempic As A Pill: Drug Makers Race For Cheaper Weight Loss Drugs (Without The Shots)

Sebastian Negri will go to the Rugby World Cup with Italy but was born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa. He will be key for the side, where they have a tough pool that includes hosts France and powerhouse New Zealand.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“When you get an opportunity later in life to represent those people who have helped you along the way, that adds passion and desire to make them proud.”
</blockquote>



Sebastian Negri’s family were forced off their farm in Zimbabwe literally overnight, fleeing as gunshots rang around them, a memory that remains vivid for the then eight-year-old.



But that trauma set Negri on a path that would ultimately see the flanker capped by Italy at international level as he prepares to play in his second Rugby World Cup in France later this year.



It has been a long road to this point, his family found refuge in South Africa having been assisted financially by Italian relatives, and he was able to attend the prestigious Hilton College in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands in South Africa.



Initially he hoped to be an international cricketer, but as he kept growing he realized rugby was the game that could take him places, and it certainly has.



He was signed after school by Cape Town-town based Western Province, but the lure of playing for the Italian national team set him on the path to where he is now.



Zimbabwe was never really an option because the level they play at is so low, but he could have pushed to play for South Africa’s Springboks. He would have followed in the footsteps of former prop Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira if he had followed that path, while another Zimbabwean, David Pocock, had a distinguished career with Australia.



However, his heritage and the memory of how those Italian relatives had helped his family in their most difficult moment spurred him on to represent the Azzurri.



“My coach at Hilton College was Brad MacLeod-Henderson, who spent time playing in Italy and is very close with (Durban-born former Italy international) Roland de Marigny,” Negri tells FORBES AFRICA. “We stayed in touch and when I was contracted by Western Province after school, that interest (from Italy) grew.



“My hunger for playing for Italy also grew, and that became my biggest dream. When I was at Western Province, I got invited to a few camps over here (Italy) and the rest is history.



“Our family in Italy were there for us when we needed them. A lot of South Africans and Zimbabweans were also there for us. When you get an opportunity later in life to represent those people who have helped you along the way, that adds passion and desire to make them proud.”



Negri made his debut for Italy in 2016 and played against Canada and South Africa at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.



Now established as a regular in the team, and one of the more senior players as he approaches 50 caps, he will be key for the side at this year’s World Cup, where they have a tough pool that includes hosts France and powerhouse New Zealand.



“It&#8217;s always going to be tough for us,” Negri says. “The expectation probably is for us to get knocked over by the two big teams. But, you know, we&#8217;ve got to have that mindset and belief that we can go to the World Cup and cause upsets.



“We must continue with the way we playing, believe in what we&#8217;re doing. Then anything can happen, the bounce of the ball. There&#8217;s a firm belief in the group that we can knock over a big team.



“We proved that in the Six Nations, we&#8217;ve came very close to beating Ireland and France. One or two decisions go our way, or one or two moments in the game, and the result looks different.”



Italy were seen as whipping boys a few years ago, but the arrival of New Zealand coach Kieran Crowley, and the emergence of players like Negri, has turned them into a side every major power will be wary of, as recent wins over Wales and Australia show.



“There’s been a big mindset change over the last 12 to 18 months, and especially since Kieran has come in. Before that we had a difficult couple of years, but I think we&#8217;re on the right track, we&#8217;re starting to get that respect and credibility back,” Negri says.



“Why can&#8217;t we beat France or New Zealand? I think it&#8217;s important that we focus on ourselves and that we don&#8217;t worry too much about what other people are saying.



“There&#8217;s a firm belief in the group, it&#8217;s a really positive environment to be in. And we&#8217;re just going to go out there and, as Kieran always tells us, give it everything you&#8217;ve got and whatever happens, will happen.”

Italy Team Run

‘Why Can’t We Beat France Or New Zealand?’: Africa-Born Rugby Player On The World Cup Later This Year

Words and Curation: Chanel Retief and Lillian Roberts Art Director: Lucy Nkosi Photography: Katlego Mokubyane Photography Assistant: Sbusiso Sigidi Studio: NewKatz Studio, Johannesburg CNBC Africa Videographer: Thabo Mathebula Video Editor: Chanel Retief Styling: Bontlefeela Mogoye and Wanda Baloyi Outfits supplied by: Kworks Design; Imprint South Africa; House of Suitability; LSJ Designs Hair &amp; Makeup: Makole Made



Covid-19 halted business, leading to lives and livelihoods lost and ruined economies worldwide. For Nicole Rogers, it had the opposite effect. 



“During Covid-19, we really took the plunge because we were able to insulate in Kenya for a bit and I got a huge opportunity to incubate my own ideas,” Rogers says. “&#8230;But we have a really audacious dream. And we know people and we know things that can help the dream be realized and we&#8217;re willing to take risks.”



As a purposeful entrepreneur, what drove the Canadian-born CEO to the bread basket of Africa and this dream was the law of economics. 



“Kenya has a strong and established horticultural export value chain…And so a lot of the produce that consumers in the United Kingdom and Europe are purchasing is grown in Kenya.” 



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="MEET COVER STAR Nicole Rogers: &#039;What Sustainability Tastes Like Is Africa&#039;" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e3rvdHk9qvU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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But it also started with a strong sense of taste, and flavors, in becoming a part of Africa’s food flavor and enhancer market, forecast to witness a CAGR of 5.12% during 2020-2025, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence.



When considering starting a plant-based B2B ingredient company (now Butterfly Foods) transforming regenerative grown crop inputs into high-quality flavors for today’s leading food brands, the one question on Rogers’ mind was why some foods taste better in some regions and are different in others?



This research led her to the soil and improving soil health. According to Rogers, when you have scaled operations or have big farms, growing one single crop could lead to the crop losing its intimacy with the soil, thus the flavors then get lost, sometimes even the nutrients. 



“For me, what sustainability tastes like is Africa,” Rogers explains. “Like truly, it tastes like Africa does–it’s a nuance of flavors. It depends on the soil. It&#8217;s crazy…And it&#8217;s really unique to Africa; I don&#8217;t see how you could do it in a lot of other places. You can&#8217;t do this in Europe!” She also works a lot with women as she believes women always have a better palate, with the ability to identify flavors such as bitter, sweet, and sour more strongly.

Untitled design (10)

MEET COVER STAR Nicole Rogers: Becoming A Part Of Africa’s Food Taste And Flavor Market

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Bitcoin rose sharply Wednesday and surpassed $30,000 for the first time in months, continuing a days-long increase in the cryptocurrency’s price, despite economic uncertainty and a regulatory crackdown on some crypto exchanges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Bitcoin’s price rose as much as 9.8% on Wednesday, peaking at $30,749.45 at around 12:35 p.m. ET, the first time Bitcoin has topped the $30,000 mark since mid-April.



As of 2:30 p.m. ET, bitcoin was trading at $30,222.52.



The surge Wednesday extended a rally that has caused bitcoin prices to shoot up almost 20% over the last week, along with a smaller 13% jump in ethereum.



Bitcoin took a dive just last week, when the price fell below $25,000 for the first time since March, amid lawsuits from regulators against Binance and Coinbase and after the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/15/bitcoin-drops-to-3-month-low-following-fed-rate-decision/?sh=400085da4dde">announced</a>&nbsp;it would not hike interest rates this month but could return to aggressive increases later in the year, both of which led to uncertainty about what the market’s future would look like.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Bitcoin’s price has nearly doubled since last December, when the cryptocurrency industry was left reeling from the collapse of exchange FTX and arrest of its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, on fraud charges. Since then, several other crypto firms have faced scrutiny from regulators. Prices of bitcoin are still well below their all-time peak of more than $64,000 in late 2021.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



The recent increase in bitcoin prices came six days after BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/06/15/blackrocks-spot-bitcoin-etf-plan-appears-to-be-a-case-of-perception-bending-reality/?sh=5aa055684afe">requested</a>&nbsp;to register a spot-market bitcoin ETF, despite the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission not yet approving any applications for spot bitcoin ETFs. The ETF would own bitcoins that are held in custody by Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based crypto exchange. In the past, the SEC has rejected ETF applications and said the product is not safe enough to be sold to investors and that prior applicants hadn’t proven they could prevent fraud and protect investors, CNBC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/20/bitcoin-hits-new-high-for-june-as-more-financial-incumbents-signal-commitment-to-crypto.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>. Meanwhile, a crypto exchange backed by Fidelity, Charles Schwab and Citadel Securities&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/crypto-exchange-backed-by-citadel-securities-fidelity-schwab-starts-operations-597f6d46" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">launched this week</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">CONTRA</h2>



U.S. regulators of late have been cracking down on crypto firms and several have been hit with civil lawsuits, leading some to question the timing of BlackRock’s application. The request came just one week after the SEC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2023/06/06/sec-charges-coinbase-alleges-crypto-trading-platform-operated-as-unregistered-exchange-since-2019/?sh=5f53d79b606e">sued</a>&nbsp;Coinbase, alleging the platform had been operating an unregistered broker since at least 2019. Just one day earlier, the SEC also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/06/05/sec-sues-binance-for-multiple-us-rule-violations/?sh=71839e407fcb">sued</a>&nbsp;Binance, another crypto exchange, for allegedly misusing customer funds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/15/bitcoin-drops-to-3-month-low-following-fed-rate-decision/?sh=3dbe7d0e4dde">Bitcoin Drops To 3-Month Low Following Fed Rate Decision</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/06/15/blackrocks-spot-bitcoin-etf-plan-appears-to-be-a-case-of-perception-bending-reality/?sh=5aa055684afe">BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF Plan Appears To Be A Case Of Perception Bending Reality</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/21/bitcoin-rallies-to-highest-level-in-over-a-month-on-etf-news.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin rallies 10% to highest level in over a month as traders get bullish on ETF news</a> (CNBC)

gettyimages-932503482-170667a

Bitcoin Surges Past $30,000 For First Time In Months

<h4 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-desmond-koneyco-founder-and-ceo-complete-farmerghana">Desmond Koney Co-Founder and CEO, Complete Farmer Ghana</h4>



There is no manual or playbook to tell you how to run a farm or even scale a business, as this agripreneur will tell you.



“I think a lot of times, especially for solving problems in Africa, you always underestimate then infrastructure gap that your solution needs to get to market,” Desmond Koney says to us from his home in busy, bustling Lagos.



Complete Farmer was built connecting three integral parts of agriculture; buyer, grower and vendor, connecting farmers to global food buyers and growing with them to provide a competitive edge across the supply chain. 



“I asked myself ‘how can we start looking at farming differently’?”



Koney went to the drawing board not as a farmer but as a qualified engineer who wanted to bring more success to the sector on the continent.



“I started thinking of the problem from an engineering perspective. Like, how would I have done this, if I were designing a factory or if I were using my production engineering skills to approach the problem of farming in Africa?”



According to Koney, the reasons why African farmers struggle to scale and sometimes ultimately fail are because the continent has supply chain as well as capital issues.



The AfCFTA: A New Era for Global Business and Investment in Africa report by the African Continental Free Trade Area reiterates that already the pressure on Africa’s food supply will require substantial investment in order to guarantee food security, as the continent remains the only region yet to experience a Green Revolution.



“So Complete Farmer really started with the question of how do we improve and digitize the African agriculture value chain,” Koney says.



“We did not have a clear path…I wanted to build but first we really had to figure out what the solution really is. And we spent close to five years refining the model to where we are today.”



Complete Farmer is an end-to-end digital agriculture platform that provides industries with an easy way to cheaply source quality farm produce and it offers individuals anywhere in the world a convenient way to own a farm by eliminating the middlemen and farm produce aggregators. The marketplace platform allows global industries to build the supply chain and solve their agricultural needs directly, these are then exclusively brought by African farmers.



“We&#8217;ve seen that data about what the potential for agriculture is in Africa,” Koney adds. “And then we&#8217;ve also seen that data for how food insecurity is increasing, especially with what&#8217;s going on in Europe. And given that we are talking about food, which is really something basic for human survival, this is what makes this industry full of opportunity.”

CF Des

Africa’s Green Economy: This CEO’s Advice On Digitizing The African Agriculture Value Chain

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Coast Guard Capt. Jamie Frederick said Wednesday afternoon a team of experts is analyzing banging sounds that were picked up earlier Wednesday and late Tuesday, but the search mission for the Titan submersible—which has five passengers and disappeared Sunday—has not yielded any other signs of the missing vessel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



A Canadian airplane picked up “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/06/21/canadian-maritime-surveillance-plane-detected-underwater-noises-in-titanic-sub-search-area/?sh=3da0017845be">underwater noises</a>&nbsp;in the search area,” Frederick said, leading authorities to direct many of their search efforts around the area where the sound was heard.



The sounds are being analyzed by experts, but their source has not yet been identified.



The search area has been almost doubled in size since the Coast Guard last&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/20/titanic-sub-has-40-hours-of-oxygen-left-as-authorities-search-area-the-size-of-connecticut/?sh=68719d8b4fc7">addressed</a>&nbsp;the public Tuesday afternoon, and is now incorporating an area twice the size of Connecticut.



Frederick declined to give a timeline for how much longer the crew would search for the submersible, and clarified the mission is still “100%” a search-and-rescue attempt and not yet a recovery mission.



He also shared the team’s thoughts and prayers with the families of the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/20/what-we-know-about-the-passengers-on-the-missing-titanic-submersible/?sh=1a20a8212d21">five people onboard</a> the Titan.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The sound from TITAN 📣<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OceanGate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OceanGate</a> The five people stuck inside the Titanic submarine 🥺 Paul-Henry Nargeolet, 73 Stockton Rush, 61 Hamish Harding, 58 Shahzada Dawood, 48 Sulaiman Dawood, 19<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TitanicRescue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TitanicRescue</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/titanicsubmarine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#titanicsubmarine</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OceanGate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OceanGate</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OceanGateExpeditions?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OceanGateExpeditions</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/submarinemissing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#submarinemissing</a> <a href="https://t.co/JftL3c6GU1">pic.twitter.com/JftL3c6GU1</a>&mdash; Abdullah Attique (@abooodddiii) <a href="https://twitter.com/abooodddiii/status/1671654454783885312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The Titan had 96 hours of life support, which means the passengers likely have less than 24 hours of air remaining. Coast Guard Rear Adm. John Mauger&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-us-canada-65967464?ns_mchannel=social&amp;ns_source=twitter&amp;ns_campaign=bbc_live&amp;ns_linkname=64931083f2e5745fd8a78178%26Oxygen%20will%20run%20out%20tomorrow%20morning%2C%20admiral%20says%262023-06-21T15%3A03%3A43.030Z&amp;ns_fee=0&amp;pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:b44431e1-1f73-4df6-8b03-204415f94808&amp;pinned_post_asset_id=64931083f2e5745fd8a78178&amp;pinned_post_type=share" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;the BBC on Wednesday that rescue crews are assuming they have until Thursday morning to find the submersible with its occupants still alive. But the oxygen “is just one piece of data” the team is considering in its time line for how much longer to search, Frederick said. The submersible&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/19/5-reportedly-missing-after-titanic-wreck-tourism-vessel-disappears-in-atlantic/?sh=777119a57190">went missing</a>&nbsp;shortly after it dove at 4 a.m. Sunday morning off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, to view the wreck of the R.M.S.&nbsp;Titanic&nbsp;more than 2 miles underwater.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/06/21/canadian-maritime-surveillance-plane-detected-underwater-noises-in-titanic-sub-search-area/?sh=3da0017845be">‘Underwater Noises’ Detected In Titanic Sub Search By Canadian Military Plane</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/20/what-we-know-about-the-passengers-on-the-missing-titanic-submersible/?sh=1a20a8212d21">What We Know About The Passengers On The Missing Titanic Submersible</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/19/5-reportedly-missing-after-titanic-wreck-tourism-vessel-disappears-in-atlantic/?sh=777119a57190">5 Reportedly Missing After Titanic Wreck Tourism Vessel Disappears In Atlantic</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/20/titanic-sub-has-40-hours-of-oxygen-left-as-authorities-search-area-the-size-of-connecticut/?sh=68719d8b4fc7">Titanic Sub Has 40 Hours Of Oxygen Left As Authorities Search Area The Size Of Connecticut</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

Bahamian research vessel arrived in the search area for the OceanGate Titan Submersible

Titan Sub Search-And-Rescue Still ‘100%’ On—But Just Hours Of Oxygen Left In Vessel

South Africa, Denmark, and the Netherlands have launched SA-H2, a $1 billion fund to bolster green hydrogen projects in South Africa. The fund, backed by major financiers, signifies a shared commitment to sustainable energy and a belief in green hydrogen&#8217;s critical role in a future low-carbon economy.



In an unprecedented alliance, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Denmark have unveiled a joint fund – the SA-H2 – dedicated to bolstering green hydrogen initiatives in South Africa, tapping into its abundant wind and solar resources. The fund, totaling $1 billion, was launched in Pretoria, South Africa yesterday, with an initial seeding of $50 million from the Dutch investment body, Invest International.



The remainder of the fund is set to be raised over the subsequent two years, with numerous stakeholders including the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Industrial Development Corporation, and insurance firm Sanlam stepping up to support the cause. The fund will be expertly managed by the Dutch Climate Fund Managers.



In his address, delivered beside the Prime Ministers of the Netherlands and Denmark, Mark Rutte and Mette Frederiksen respectively, President Ramaphosa acknowledged the urgent need to tackle South Africa&#8217;s electricity crisis and stressed the critical role of renewable energy in achieving long-term energy security. While acknowledging that the current loadshedding crisis in the country necessitates reliance on its current coal fleet, the fund is nevertheless a move toward more sustainable source of energy.



“From solar to biogas, from wind to battery storage, these investments are leading one of the most important growth industries in our country” said Ramaphosa.



The fund is expected to stimulate significant advancements in the green hydrogen sector, offering early investment opportunities in a technology set to play a transformative role in achieving global emission reduction targets. These investments are likely to be lucrative, given that South Africa’s COP27 presentation revealed the country is targeting $250 billion in green hydrogen investment by the year 2050.



Emphasizing the spirit of collaboration underpinning the fund, Ramaphosa highlighted the diversity of the SA-H2&#8217;s support base, extending beyond state entities and private sector players to include organized labor and NGOs, with all parties hoping for productive social and economic gains, alongside the environmental benefits.



“… that is the true architecture of our cooperation in our country” continued Ramaphosa, “… and it reinforces our view that these developments need to be inclusive, and needs to benefit all within society.”



While the Netherlands and Denmark are not presently part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), they have indicated a supportive stance toward its objectives, and discussions to join the alliance are underway.



The launch also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on green hydrogen between South Africa and the Netherlands. Additionally, an agreement was inked to expand an existing energy partnership between Denmark and South Africa. A finance package for water-related public infrastructure, announced by Invest International, rounded off the day&#8217;s commitments.



These collaborative efforts signify a collective commitment to combating climate change and a shared belief in green hydrogen&#8217;s potential to revolutionize the future energy landscape, with the launch of the SA-H2 fund represents a significant leap toward a sustainable energy future for South Africa.

President Ramaphosa Welcomes Prime Minister Mark Rutte And Mette Fredeiksen In Pretoria

Going Green Together–Netherlands, Denmark and South Africa’s Landmark Green Hydrogen Fund

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Drugmaker GSK <a href="https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-shares-positive-data-for-arexvy-its-respiratory-syncytial-virus-older-adult-vaccine-indicating-protection-over-two-rsv-seasons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> Wednesday its RSV vaccine gave long-term protection in older adults after a single shot, according to results from its late stage clinical trial, promising news for efforts to combat the common and potentially lethal infection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



GSK said the shot, which is designed to protect adults ages 60 and older and is marketed as Arexvy, conveyed strong protection against lower respiratory tract disease and severe disease from RSV over two full seasons.



The findings, which have yet to be fully published, come from the company’s late stage trial of around 25,000 people testing the safety and efficacy of a single dose of Arexvy against RSV, a very common respiratory infection that normally only causes mild, cold-like illness in healthy adults but can trigger severe, possibly fatal, disease in older adults, young infants and those with underlying health conditions.



Lasting protection was also observed in people with underlying health conditions or of advanced age, GSK said, a particularly important finding given the vulnerability of these groups following infection.



Tony Wood, GSK’s chief scientific officer, said the result “reinforces our confidence in [the vaccine’s] potential to make a significant public health impact.”



Other data, notably the shot’s safety and ability to provoke an immune response, were consistent with earlier observations from the trial, which showed the shot to be safe and have side effects in line with other vaccines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-don-t-know">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h2>



It’s not clear how often people will need to be vaccinated against RSV and the seasonal nature of the virus—similar to what happens with flu—suggests vaccines could be yearly. This is still an open question and one that will be guided over time by public health policy, real-world data and other concerns in addition to clinical trial data. GSK evaluated an annual revaccination schedule in around half of its trial participants. The findings were similar to those who had only received the one shot and suggested “revaccination after 12 months does not appear to confer additional benefit for the overall population,” GSK said. The company said it will continue to “evaluate longer term follow up” and assess the “optimal timing for potential revaccination.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is set to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/agenda-archive/agenda-2023-06-21-23-508.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meet</a>&nbsp;Wednesday. The group, comprised of vaccine and public health experts, meets regularly to discuss the science surrounding vaccines and infectious diseases and develop guidelines for how vaccines should be administered to the civilian population. These guidelines form the basis of official immunization schedules. RSV vaccines for older adults are on the agenda and talks will determine how they are rolled out for the very first time. There are now&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/05/03/fda-approves-first-ever-rsv-vaccine-after-brutal-2022-season/?sh=505f124410b2">two</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/06/01/fda-approves-pfizers-rsv-vaccine-for-older-adults-it-could-be-available-this-fall/?sh=8ef1bb335ca2">authorized</a>&nbsp;shots intended to protect older adults from RSV, both of which were only approved this year after years of setbacks. GSK’s shot was the first to gain clearance, followed closely by Pfizer’s shot, Abrysvo. FDA advisors have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/05/18/rsv-vaccine-fda-advisors-recommend-pfizer-shot-to-protect-infants-from-infection-heres-what-to-know/?sh=4e0f12523859">recommended</a>&nbsp;the agency clear Pfizer’s shot for use in pregnant people to protect infants in their first months of life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/06/01/fda-approves-pfizers-rsv-vaccine-for-older-adults-it-could-be-available-this-fall/?sh=8ef1bb335ca2">FDA Approves Pfizer’s RSV Vaccine For Older Adults—It Could Be Available This Fall</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://qz.com/rsv-vaccine-pfizer-global-south-1850401425" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pfizer&#8217;s RSV vaccine promise to the Global South is already several years behind schedule</a>&nbsp;(Quartz)

Human respiratory syncytial virus inoculation

RSV Vaccine For Adults Gives Long-Term Protection, GSK Says After Late-Stage Trial

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli on her passion for equipping and investing in the continent’s future game-changers and also changing the food narrative on the continent.



Why can’t a continent with over 60% of the world’s unused arable land grow enough food to sustain itself? For as long as she can remember, Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli has pondered this serious question about Africa.



Nwuneli, an entrepreneur, philanthropist and expert on agriculture and food ecosystems, fondly recalls growing her own avocados in the backyard of her family home in Enugu, Nigeria, and selling them at wholesale prices to women in the market. From that experience, Nwuneli knew she would always work, in some capacity, in the agriculture sector.



Her mother has been a staunch supporter of Nwuneli and her four siblings pursuing their passion. To help Nwuneli hone her business savviness, her mother would constantly share annual company reports with Nwuneli when she was an undergraduate student at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.



“That helped me with business and I enjoyed going into the social impact side of business. When I started school, I was passionate about Africa and Nigeria; [this was] when I moved to the United States,” says Nwuneli.



Her love for Africa led her to co-found the African Business Conference when she attended Harvard Business School which is now the largest student-run conference focused on business in Africa.



“The theme was reversing the African brain drain in 1999 and, at that time, no one was trying to come back to Africa. But we were already focused on that,” says Nwuneli.



After brief stints with McKinsey &amp; Company where she worked on numerous projects, including the transformation of the South African Police Service, Nwuneli joined the Michael Porter project in the Middle East to help Palestinian entrepreneurs scale and access their markets. That is when a conversation changed things.



“While I was there, a Palestinian asked me, ‘Why are you helping our country when yours is such a mess?’ I was like, it is one thing for Nigerians to say Nigeria is such a mess but for a Palestinian to tell me that my country was a mess, that was a wakeup call and this is one of the reasons I started working on initiatives back home.”



At 25, she joined investor and entrepreneur, Fola Adeola, and his FATE Foundation initiative, where she served as the pioneer executive director, to help empower Nigerian entrepreneurs.



“From an early age, we understood the reality that what is going to save our continent is not poverty alleviation but wealth creation. We had to create jobs for ourselves and others and, at the time, unemployment rates were still high. At the time the stats were saying 70% of our youth were unemployed and when young people are unemployed, they are seen as liabilities, not assets. The challenge was how can we transform this into positive change and wealth creation,” says Nwuneli.



Part of her initiatives involved organizing the first business plan competition for Nigeria as well as an investment forum and incubator to help young people create and scale their business.



Through working with the FATE Foundation, Nwuneli realized that it is one thing to teach young people how to make money, but another to instill the importance of creating businesses that are steeped in values, ethics and succession.



To help address this gap, she founded LEAP Africa. LEAP is an acronym for leadership, effectiveness, accountability and professionalism.



“The vision was to inspire and empower the next generation of African leaders. LEAP is 21 years old today and we work in eight African countries. I was the founder and on the board until this year.”



In 2007, Nwuneli’s husband suffered from a gunshot to his knee, which led the family to relocate to Senegal.



“He took a job with a private equity fund in Senegal. I have always wanted to make an impact in the food ecosystem and I thought this was a good opportunity to solve the food problem. My first project was with Oxfam [International], who needed a West African strategy for the food crisis and from then on, I started writing a lot of reports in and around Africa. That is what has birthed what we call Sahel Consulting, which now works across Africa, and our head office is in Abuja. I am the chair of the board.”



Nwuneli believes Africa can feed itself and the world. Through her consultancy work, she advises various institutions on how to improve the food scarcity issues plaguing Africa. That was when she moved on to her next venture, Aace Foods.



“I came up with Aace Foods because I realized so much of the food in Africa was imported and, as a continent, we had a high rate of malnutrition. Aace Foods processes food from local African farmers like spices and snacks, and our vision is to displace imports and also nourish our people,” says Nwuneli.



She has now come full circle when it comes to agriculture. Through her not-for-profit organization, African Food Changemakers, Nwuneli provides a platform for food and agriculture entrepreneurs in 37 countries to scale their business and change the food narrative on the continent.

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