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



Covid vaccines from companies like Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca were linked to rare occurrences of heart, brain and blood disorders, a recent peer-reviewed study found, though experts say the risks of developing Covid-19 greatly outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



Researchers from the Global Vaccine Data Network—a research arm of the World Health Organization—looked at expected versus observed rates of 13 medical conditions that were considered “adverse events of special interest” in a study population of 99 million vaccinated people eight countries, making it the largest Covid vaccine study to date.



Rare cases of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/myocarditis.html#:~:text=Myocarditis%20is%20inflammation%20of%20the,Shortness%20of%20breath" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">myocarditis</a>—inflammation of the heart—were identified in the first, second and third doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s mRNA vaccines: The highest rate was seen after the second Moderna dose (6.1 times the expected rate of cases), according to the study published in the journal Vaccine.



Another heart condition called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pericarditis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352510#:~:text=Pericarditis%20is%20swelling%20and%20irritation,and%20goes%20away%20without%20treatment." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pericarditis</a>&nbsp;had a 6.9-fold increased risk in those who took a third dose of AstraZeneca’s viral-vector vaccine, while a first and fourth dose of Moderna’s vaccine had a 1.7-fold and 2.6-fold increased risk, respectively.



There was a 2.5-times greater risk of developing the rare autoimmune disorder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/guillain-barre-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20362793" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guillain-Barre syndrome</a>&nbsp;among those who took AstraZeneca’s vaccine compared to the rate researchers expected, and a 3.2-times greater risk of getting blood clots among the same population.



There was a 3.8-times greater risk of developing the neurological disorder acute disseminated encephalomyelitis after the Moderna vaccine was administered, and a 2.2-fold increased risk after AstraZeneca’s vaccine, according to the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



13.5 billion. That’s how many Covid vaccines have been administered worldwide since the start of the Covid pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to science research organization Our World in Data. Around 71% of the world’s population has received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“The odds of all of these adverse events is still much, much higher when infected with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), so getting vaccinated is still by far the safer choice,” CEO of biotechnology company Centivax Jacob Glanville, who is not involved in the study, told Forbes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Covid vaccines are meant to prevent severe infection, and studies have indicated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/recs/grade/covid-19-moderna-vaccine.html%5C" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moderna</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/recs/grade/covid-19-pfizer-biontech-vaccine.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pfizer-BioNTech</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-what-you-need-to-know#:~:text=The%20AstraZeneca%20vaccine%20has%20an,about%204%20to%2012%20weeks." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AstraZeneca’s</a>&nbsp;vaccines are effective at preventing severe illnesses, hospitalizations and death. Meanwhile, the chances of having a neurological event after a Covid infection were up to 617-fold higher than following COVID vaccination, which suggests “the benefits of vaccination substantially outweigh the risks,” according to the Vaccine study researchers. The risk of developing myocarditis is higher post-Covid infection than after getting a Covid vaccine,&nbsp;<a href="https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/akiko-iwasaki/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, professor of Immunobiology at Yale University. Myocarditis risk after the second dose of a Covid vaccine is 35.9 per 100,000 people, compared to a 64.9 per 100,000 risk after Covid infection. The risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome after Covid infection was six times greater, and the risk of developing it after vaccination was 0.41 times greater than the control group, according to a 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000207900" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in Neurology. While most Americans have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot, uptake for booster shots that are updated to combat new coronavirus strains has remained slow.



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



The rapidly spreading Covid variant JN.1 caused an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/12/20/jn1-covid-variant-of-interest-spreading-fast-in-us---heres-what-to-know/?sh=2fe82e10ccce">uptick in cases</a>&nbsp;during the fall and winter months, causing a resurgence of the tripledemic—when cases of Covid, flu and respiratory syncytial virus simultaneously increase. JN.1 made up&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions%5C" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">96.4</a><a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">%</a>&nbsp;of all cases in the two week period ending in Feb. 17. However, Covid cases (down 0.6%) and deaths (down 6.9%) are&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variants-genomic-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">declining</a>—though hospitalizations are up 0.8%—signaling an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/caileygleeson/2024/01/19/tripledemic-surge-eases-as-covid-rsv-flu-figures-drop-for-second-week/?sh=5b629a4c64ac">end</a>&nbsp;to the tripledemic. The variant was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/18122023_jn.1_ire_clean.pdf?sfvrsn=6103754a_3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">classified</a>&nbsp;as a “variant of interest”—meaning it’s spreading in a way that may pose “an emerging risk to global public health”—by the World Health Organization in December. JN.1 is an offshoot of the highly mutated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/11/28/what-to-know-about-rapidly-spreading-pirola-covid-variant-ba286-and-if-vaccines-offer-protection/?sh=27f10c0e1978">Pirola</a>&nbsp;(BA.2.86) virus that some experts worried wouldn’t be protected against the updated monovalent Covid boosters, which specifically target XBB variants. However, vaccine makers ensured their shots provided some protection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/12/20/jn1-covid-variant-of-interest-spreading-fast-in-us---heres-what-to-know/?sh=2fe82e10ccce">JN.1 Covid ‘Variant Of Interest’ Spreading Fast In U.S. — Here’s What To Know</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/caileygleeson/2024/01/19/tripledemic-surge-eases-as-covid-rsv-flu-figures-drop-for-second-week/?sh=5b629a4c64ac">‘Tripledemic’ Surge Eases As Covid, RSV, Flu Figures Drop For Second Week</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/11/28/what-to-know-about-rapidly-spreading-pirola-covid-variant-ba286-and-if-vaccines-offer-protection/?sh=717483311978">What To Know About Rapidly Spreading ‘Pirola’ Covid Variant BA.2.86—And If Vaccines Offer Protection</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

Japan begins the third inoculation of COVID-19 vaccine

Covid Vaccines Linked To Small Increase In Heart And Brain Disorders, Study Finds—But Risk From Infection Is Far Higher

Story curated by Chanel Retief and Nicole Pillay Art Direction: Lucy Nkosi Photography: Katlego Mokubyane ; Assistant: Sbusiso Sigidi Styling: Deneal Van Wyk; Outfits supplied by Fashimo Styles Studio, Ukara, Suited For Her and Preview Accessories Hair &amp; Makeup:Vanessa Unamaca, MakoleMade Location: NewKatz.Studio, Johannesburg



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



It’s the need of the hour that most entrepreneurs pivot in their approach to building businesses. This has become quite normalized in the tech space. Traditionalists see risks but not Dr Aisha Pandor, whose main goal has always been about building businesses that help those around her and help her plough back into her country’s economy. 



Pandor, a qualified human geneticist, started SweepSouth, an online home cleaning and gardening services platform, with her husband, software engineer Alen Ribic, in 2014. The idea came about when she had just left her corporate career. While they were reviewing different business ideas, the couple realized that they needed help at home, at the time.



“That sparked the idea that there are services like Lyft and Uber, but there&#8217;s nothing that helps to connect you to home services, using technology,” Pandor says.



Almost a decade later, Pandor walks in for the photoshoot at the NewKatz.Studio in Johannesburg, South Africa, ready to announce that she has stepped down as CEO of the online platform.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Over 30 Under 50: &#039;Not About Perfection, But About Constantly Trying&#039;-Dr Aisha Pandor" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FoYGSUI73EU?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>
</div></figure>


“One of the great things about being a scientist is that when you&#8217;re building, you measure your impact as you&#8217;re going along, you do it in a datadriven way.


“Now, I&#8217;m thinking about work-life balance. And so, I think it&#8217;s important to also showcase this phase in [a] woman&#8217;s career,” Pandor adds, stating that she will not be leaving SweepSouth permanently but will rather focus more on building a business centered around health, health technology and genetics.


“This is often the time when you&#8217;re having children or your children are old enough that you start thinking about the time that you spend with them. I think this notion of not needing to find the perfect balance, but being able to hold lots of spaces at the same time – that is really what being a power woman is about. It&#8217;s not about perfection. It&#8217;s about constantly trying.”

Most Attractive Youtube Thumbnail (3)

OVER 30 UNDER 50: ‘Not About Perfection, But About Constantly Trying’-Dr Aisha Pandor

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



OpenAI inked a deal with venture capital firm Thrive Capital that boosted its valuation to $80 billion or more, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/16/technology/openai-artificial-intelligence-deal-valuation.html?smid=tw-nytimes&amp;smtyp=cur" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York Times</a>&nbsp;reported, a nearly threefold increase in value from just nine months ago.



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



OpenAI will engage in an existing share sale under the “so-called tender offer” led by Thrive, the Times reported, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the deal, noting the deal would allow employees to cash out their shares in the artificial intelligence company.



The deal comes nearly 10 months after OpenAI closed a $300 million share sale, marking it at a valuation of about&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/28/openai-funding-valuation-chatgpt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$27 billion</a>.



An $80 billion valuation would rank the company as the No. 3 highest-valued tech startup in the world behind TikTok parent company ByteDance ($225 billion) and the Elon Musk-led SpaceX ($150 billion), according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbinsights.com/research-unicorn-companies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CB Insights data</a>&nbsp;cited by the Times.



Talks surrounding a new deal were reported last year, when a share sale that would have reportedly valued OpenAI at up to $90 billion was being discussed, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/openai-seeks-new-valuation-of-up-to-90-billion-in-sale-of-existing-shares-ed6229e0?mod=e2tw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wall Street Journal</a>.



OpenAI and Thrive Capital didn’t immediately respond to Forbes’ requests for comment.



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



OpenAI was founded in 2015 and received several large investments from multiple tech companies and investors in and by the end of 2023. Microsoft has invested a total of $13 billion in OpenAI, though the tech giant has said it doesn’t own any portion of OpenAI and is instead “<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-08/microsoft-s-answer-to-openai-inquiry-it-doesn-t-own-a-stake" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">entitled to a share</a>&nbsp;of profit distributions.” Last April, Thrive, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and K2 Global agreed to acquire new shares in OpenAI, bringing its valuation to around $27 billion. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who was ousted from the company last year and promptly brought back after<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/11/22/sam-altman-agrees-to-return-as-openai-ceo/?sh=7821de9c8a96">&nbsp;internal uproar</a>, has said the company has no intentions to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-ceo-has-no-ipo-plan-due-strange-company-structure-2023-06-06/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">go public</a>&nbsp;in the near future.



Forbes Daily: Get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.Sign Up



By signing up, you accept and agree to our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/terms-and-conditions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Terms of Service</a>&nbsp;(including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and you acknowledge our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Privacy Statement</a>.



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



OpenAI on Thursday unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/02/15/openai-reveals-sora-ai-video-model-capable-of-realistic-text-to-video-prompts/?sh=5206de69d361">its newest product, Sora</a>, which is able to generate videos from text prompts. The video service is not available to the public and it is unclear when it could be, as OpenAI said it is still going through “several important safety steps”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/02/16/openais-sora-has-rivals-in-the-works-including-from-google-and-meta/?sh=3f0911822843">to combat potential issues</a>&nbsp;related to misinformation and bias.



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



<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/16/technology/openai-artificial-intelligence-deal-valuation.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI Completes Deal That Values the Company at $80 Billion</a>&nbsp;(NYT)



<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/28/openai-funding-valuation-chatgpt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI closes $300M share sale at $27B-29B valuation </a>(TechCrunch)

In this photo illustration a Open AI logo is displayed on a

OpenAI Reaches $80 Billion Valuation In Venture Firm Deal, Report Says

Most Attractive Youtube Thumbnail (2)

Billionaires List: Africa’s Richest People In 2024

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



Medication abortions prescribed and delivered using video calls, text messages and pills delivered through the mail are just as safe and effective as a visit to the clinic, according to research published Thursday in Nature Medicine, as politicians across the country continue to fight over abortion access and the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/12/13/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-abortion-pill-cases-determine-whether-pills-should-be-restricted/?sh=2e0147367e27">prepares</a>&nbsp;to consider a challenge that could upend access to a key abortion drug, mifepristone.



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



Medication abortion, which involves taking two pills—mifepristone followed by misoprostol—can be delivered safely and effectively using telehealth, according to new peer reviewed research from University of California, San Francisco.



In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/16/health/abortion-pills-fda.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">permanently lifted&nbsp;</a>restrictions that required mifepristone to be dispensed in a medical clinic, paving the way for the pill to be prescribed through a telemedicine appointment and shipped to the patient by mail.



Pregnant patients who obtained the abortion pills from virtual clinics and had two remote follow-up appointments after they’d taken them had no serious adverse events—such as needing major surgery and blood transfusion—99.8% of the time, the researchers said after analyzing data from more than 6,000 patients from virtual clinics operating in 20 states and Washington D.C. between April 2021 and January 2022.



Additionally, the researchers said around 98% of the abortions administered this way took place without needing any further medical care.



The figures are on par with outcomes for patients who receive medication and abortion care in-person, according to the researchers, who urged lawmakers to rethink policies that restrict access to this “essential healthcare service” over purported fears over safety.



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



Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the constitutional right to an abortion, anti-abortion activists and lawmakers have turned their attention to other ways of restricting access. Initially, this fight mainly focused on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/05/us-abortion-clinics-close-after-roe-overturned" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">physical abortion clinics</a>, and the effort later expanded to target abortion medications like mifepristone and misoprostol, which respectively end pregnancy and empty the uterus by causing cramping and bleeding. Both drugs have undergone rigorous safety testing as part of the approval process in the U.S. and abroad and strong safety records from data collected over decades. Anti-abortion advocates have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/us/supreme-court-abortion-pill.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">questioned</a>&nbsp;the approval process behind the drugs and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/02/26/the-big-american-post-roe-battle-over-abortion-pills" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">claim</a>&nbsp;they are unsafe and harm women, urging officials and judges to take them off of shelves and ban them from being delivered through the post. Experts&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/04/11/mifepristone-ruling-here-are-the-unintended-health-consequences-of-attacks-on-abortion-pills/?sh=368c856e6405">warn</a>&nbsp;there could be unintended healthcare consequences from banning or curtailing access to the pills, as the drugs are also used for a variety of other medical conditions and to treat miscarriages.



Forbes Daily: Get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.Sign Up



By signing up, you accept and agree to our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/terms-and-conditions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Terms of Service</a>&nbsp;(including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and you acknowledge our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Privacy Statement</a>.



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



Despite the Supreme Court returning the power to regulate abortion access back to states when it overturned Roe, the court is due to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/12/13/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-abortion-pill-cases-determine-whether-pills-should-be-restricted/?sh=2e0147367e27">consider</a>&nbsp;the issue of abortion access once again after a federal judge in Texas took the&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/unprecedented-texas-abortion-pill-ruling-sparks-debate-judge/story?id=98531203" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unprecedented</a>&nbsp;step of suspending the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone. The court is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2024/01/29/mifepristone-scotus-abortion-pill-case-march/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">slated</a>&nbsp;to hear arguments for the case restricting access to mifepristone in March. In a press release, UCSF said the study has “already been cited in the amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court supported by more than 300 leading reproductive health researchers. ”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“Since the Covid-19 pandemic, telemedicine has become the new frontier in health care, including for medication abortion,” said the study’s lead author Ushma Upadhyay, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at UCSF. “A ruling against this method and the FDA’s rigorous science review process would be a huge blow to the American public and make this essential health service harder to get.”

Woman holding pills and glass of water while standing in kitchen at home

Abortion Pills: Telehealth Procedure Is As Safe As Clinic Visit, Research Finds

Rwanda’s capital played host to the first-ever UK-Rwanda Business Forum recently, showcasing the East African nation’s development andpositioning as a potential investment destination in the region.



Rwanda’s narrative has changed and the country is now proving to be a major hub for business in Africa. This, and more, formed part of the discussions at the maiden UK-Rwanda Business Forum, which took place January 29 to 31 in the country’s capital city.



“Over 1,200 people from 60 nationalities attended the conference; 130 UK companies were down in Kigali scouting for opportunities in this small-sized country with a fast-growing economy. The UK is quite keen to tap [into] financial services, mining as well as agriculture,” the UK’s Trade Envoy to Rwanda, Lord Dolar Popat says to FORBES AFRICA.



“Out of this forum, we have now built a bridge with Kigali and London. Rwanda now exports 10 tons of agricultural produce and we have increased direct flights on the back of Rwanda upping [its] cargo capacity. All this will open up the country to more trade investment eventually balancing off the trade numbers.”



Out of a multitude of UK businesses present at the forum, one of the major announcements came from data-driven super platform, Bboxx.



“We reinforce our dedication to the continent with a strategic move of our headquarters from London to Kigali. We are an Africa-first company,” said the company’s co-founder and CEO, Mansoor Hamayun.



Bboxx is reportedly planning to train an additional 1,000 or so Rwandans over the next five years and invest $100 million in the country. The announcement coincides with its ambitious plans for the year, with the company’s impact set to expand tenfold. It aims to reach 36 million people by 2028, thanks to a $100 million initiative&nbsp;with Kuwaiti investment company, EnerTech, announced in December 2023.



Rwanda is forging forward and becoming an attractive and emerging powerhouse, with UK High Commissioner to Rwanda, Omar Daair noting, “As the first ever forum, we see an opportunity to increase our trade with Rwanda. The level of interest in Rwanda is potent.”



Currently, trade between Rwanda and the UK sits at around $56 million. The East African nation’s economy is heavily reliant on agriculture with the country being the second largest exporter of tea to the UK, after Pakistan.



“We see a real drive in tech and innovation in Africa. We want to see that increase here in Rwanda. Africa is increasingly important. The middle class is growing. No country can think about its future economy without thinking about Africa,” adds Daair.



With increased investment in infrastructure, and widespread stability in the region, Rwanda’s government is upbeat about unlocking new frontiers in the mining space.



The country and UK mining giant, Rio Tinto Minerals Development Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in relation to the exploration and mining of lithium in the Western Province of Rwanda.



“We are happy that this is taking place here in Kigali. Several Rwandan businesses are also interested in venturing forth into the UK,” notes Rwanda Development Board CEO, Francis Gatare.&nbsp;



“This was a moment to plant seeds and to water the seeds that are already growing. I am encouraged by the number of Rwandan businesses that have signed MoU’s with British companies.”

RWANDA UK DORUM PIC 2

Building Business Between Kigali And London

As we progress further into 2024, a year guaranteed to be full of complexities and uncertainties, the heightened demand for genuine expertise to guide us through our challenges will become more important than ever.



The dilemma we face is that too many people are in a rush to claim their expertise, making it increasingly difficult to discern genuine or real experts from those who are still learning the ropes.



In today’s era of digital self- promotion and personal branding, the term “expert” is thrown around like confetti at a wedding celebration raising the question: do all those who lay claim to the title genuinely warrant it?



So-called experts are everywhere. Individuals self- assign this once prestigious title along with others like coach, consultant, and specialist to impress others, attract fresh business prospects, gain speaking opportunities, or boost their book sales.



A novice cook who decides to share a few recipes on a blog declares himself a culinary expert. A traveler who describes his own limited experiences on a social media platform promotes himself as a world travel consultant.



A person who successfully quits smoking for a few months positions herself as a “quit smoking coach”.



There’s also the individual who completes a coding bootcamp and subsequently calls herself a software development guru, the parent who has raised four children who markets himself as a parenting expert, and the former manager who proudly identifies as a management specialist.



And in the age of social media, many individuals with modest followings or experience in online marketing present themselves as digital marketing gurus. They may offer expert advice on growing one’s online presence, yet that expertise often lacks a solid track record of successfully driving results for clients.



Perhaps even more common are individuals who have made their own personal fitness transformations who brand themselves as fitness experts.



While their dedication to personal fitness is commendable, true fitness or coaching expertise involves a deep understanding of physiology, nutrition, and personalized training plans.



It seems that the whole idea of being an expert doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve dedicated your life to mastering something these days. It’s more like a jacket you can throw on, and it seems like anyone with a tiny bit of knowledge can wear it.



Put simply, being an expert has become a trendy label, applied to anyone with a hint of knowledge.



So if you need the services of a true expert, and you want to gauge the extent of an individual’s expertise, what might you look for?



True expertise isn’t simply being one step ahead of your neighbors on a particular topic. It’s about knowing more than most people in a particular field.



Becoming an expert usually requires substantial education or training, thousands of hours of practice, and a deep understanding of the subject.



And true experts continually learn to stay updated in their field.



Some also regard experts to be those individuals who not only have extensive knowledge and experience in a particular area – but who are also effective communicators who can explain complex concepts to others, making their knowledge accessible and understandable. For those seeking to become experts there are also some considerations.



While, the internet often promotes the notion of instant expertise, genuine greatness is a product of ongoing effort and unwavering commitment.



It means that those on the path to becoming experts must resist the urge to assert their authority prematurely.



It’s also important to recognize that true authority should be conferred upon them by others who recognize their expertise rather than being self-proclaimed. None of us get to call ourselves experts. It’s a term best applied by others to describe an individual’s accomplishments and expertise.



In other words, you can’t claim the expert title yourself. Only when others label you an expert, does it become a reality.



As we start a brand-new year full of challenges, issues, and opportunities, we don’t need more experts but we do need more apprentices or those willing to take the time to develop expertise. If you are finding yourself in need of guidance or expertise, look out for those who embody the principles of unwavering dedication, continuous learning, and a proven track record.



In a world awash with self-proclaimed experts, let’s champion those who have truly earned their stripes, and in doing so, let us collectively raise the standard for what it means to be an expert in 2024.

Businessman Signing Digital Contract On Tablet

Raising The Bar For What It Means To Be An Expert In 2024

Women-founded companies in African health technology soared to new heights last year, raising $52 million in funding, 31% of the total investments compared to 2022’s 1.4%, which represents over 2,000% increase, as per Salient Advisory&#8217;s latest Market Intelligence report titled 2023 Roundup: Investments in African Healthtech.



The report establishes that it is an increase over the $2 million in funding that went to women-founded companies in 2022. Year-over-year, the number of deals that went to women-led companies in comparison were 26 deals in 2022 and 33 deals last year. Funding to mixed-gender founding teams increased from 10% in 2022 to 21% last year.



&#8220;The key driver in the overall increase was the fact that we saw large funding rounds for a number of women-founded companies, including Kasha’s $21 million round which is the largest by a woman-founded company in African healthtech,&#8221; Yomi Kazeem, Engagement Manager at Salient Advisory, shares with FORBES AFRICA.



&#8220;Alongside Kasha (Kenya), Dawi Clinics (Egypt), Maisha Meds (Kenya) and Chefaa (Egypt), collectively accounted for 75% of the total funding raised by women founders in 2023.&#8221;



He considers it great to see such large funding rounds for women, explaining that it aligns with his team&#8217;s advocacy to investors and donors for intentional approaches to providing funding to women founders with the aim of bridging long-running gender financing gaps.



For him, if the trend is sustained, the implication is that funding in African healthtech ecosystems will become more inclusive, with more &#8220;amazing&#8221; women-founded companies getting crucial early and late-stage funding to support their work. &#8220;It will also mean that these women founders will also be at the forefront of transforming health systems across the continent.&#8221;



The report also highlighted a nuanced perspective on funding dynamics within African healthtech receiving $167 million in equity, grant, and debt funding. While overall investments experienced a marginal 2% decline, the sector demonstrated resilience compared to the broader African tech ecosystem, which saw a substantial 39% drop in funding.



The African healthtech ecosystem’s number of deals rose by 17%, to a total of 145. However, the average ticket size for deals decreased by 15%, to $1.1 million, with 78% of innovators raising less than $1 million in individual deals. In total, 114 innovators received funding last year, with 23 of them receiving multiple investments.



Zillah Waminaje, Consultant at Salient Advisory, elucidating on the funding landscape, states to FORBES AFRICA, &#8220;The reality is that much of the funding deals for healthtech startups on the continent are grants, which typically have smaller ticket sizes. In 2023, 52% of all the deals we tracked were grants but this added up to just 7% of all funding, with an average ticket size of around $170,000.&#8221;



Waminaje further highlights the strategic significance of grants, emphasizing their role in validating business models and propelling growth trajectories for innovators.



&#8220;We expect to continue to see a large number of grant deals for healthtech companies, especially as grant-based programs like Investing in Innovation, which has an annual cohort size of 30 healthtech companies, deepens the important work they are doing across African healthtech ecosystems.&#8221;



The report unveiled a surge in funding activity, with a notable focus on online pharmacy solutions, primarily driven by Series B raises. Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt emerged as focal points for investments, while francophone Africa witnessed a modest uptick, propelled by notable deals in Côte d’Ivoire.



Equity investments dominated the funding landscape, comprising 91% of total investments, with only a single debt-based investment recorded. Pre-seed and seed-stage funding collectively amounted to $36.8 million across 50 deals, and $99m was invested at Series A or higher stages across seven deals.



Last year also witnessed a doubling of merger and acquisition activity compared to 2022, with the report highlighting a burgeoning investor appetite for African health tech as over $600 million was raised in new funds.

close-up-hand-young-black-female-doctor-male-patient_536628-371

Women-Led African Healthtech Firms Secure $52M In Funding, Marking Over 2,000% Increase

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



OpenAI is testing a new feature that gives ChatGPT a memory to store information from a user’s previous chats—including their voice, tone and personal preferences—in order to create a more intensely customized experience for future requests.



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



Users will be able to choose whether they want ChatGPT to store a conversation, allowing the chatbot to remember specific details about the user over time to create more personalized responses, OpenAI&nbsp;<a href="https://openai.com/blog/memory-and-new-controls-for-chatgpt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;in a blog post.



The user will be able to control what information ChatGPT can store about them, the company said, though the chatbot’s “memories” will “evolve with your interactions,” allowing it to determine over time what information should be stored based on a user’s preferences.



If a user asks ChatGPT to create a birthday card for a child the user previously said likes jellyfish, OpenAI used as an example, ChatGPT may create a card featuring a jellyfish wearing a party hat.



The feature will be applied to other GPTs, including ChatGPT Team and Enterprises, allowing the chatbot to “remember your tone, voice and format preferences” while responding to certain tasks, while Books GPT will recommend books based on a user’s preferences, like favorite genres or top books.



Organizations will be able to upload data to ChatGPT, which will then create charts based on that data along with “three takeaways each,” while programming firms will also be able to store information about their programming language and frameworks to remember those preferences for future tasks, OpenAI said.



Forbes Daily: Get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.Sign Up



By signing up, you accept and agree to our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/terms-and-conditions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Terms of Service</a>&nbsp;(including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and you acknowledge our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Privacy Statement</a>.



Joanne Jang, OpenAI’s product lead, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-13/openai-gives-chatgpt-the-ability-to-remember-facts-from-your-chats" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bloomberg</a>&nbsp;that while the new memory feature can store information about the user, it was also designed to not save sensitive personal information like passwords, passport numbers or details about the user’s health.



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



The feature will be available for some free and paid ChatGPT users this week before it becomes more widely accessible, OpenAI said.



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



Memory for ChatGPT is the latest feature announced by OpenAI following the chatbot’s success over the last year. Last month, the company launched GPT Store, an online marketplace where users can share custom chatbots with others, after a two-month delay amid CEO Sam Altman’s ouster and subsequent return to the company. ChatGPT Team was also launched last month, a smaller version of ChatGPT Enterprise, which was released in August as an alternative for organizations to use the chatbot with “enterprise-grade security.”



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



Altman, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15UZCAr3shU" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spoke</a>&nbsp;over video during the Dubai-based World Governments Summit, reiterated his concerns about the possible dangers of artificial intelligence. Altman noted he was “not that interested in the killer robots walking on the street direction of things going wrong,” rather he was “much more interested” about the “very subtle societal misalignments” that could make the technology dangerous.



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



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/01/10/openai-launches-gpt-store-where-creators-can-share-and-possibly-make-money-from-their-chatbots/?sh=4904127c7cae">OpenAI Launches GPT Store: Where Creators Can Share—And Possibly Make Money From—Their Chatbots</a> (Forbes)

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

ChatGPT Can Now ‘Remember’ Users—Including Their Voice, Preferences

The CEO ofKenya’s Private Sector Alliance speaks to FORBES AFRICA about the country’s growth prospects on the back of its 60 years of independence celebrations.



Kenya is, arguably, East Africa’s most robust economy, with the country putting in the yards to better itself in several sectors. With 2023 marking a watershed moment for the country, it celebrated key achievements over the past 60 years as well as its impact on business in Africa through the creation of opportunities for investment.



“Kenya has a diverse and resilient economy, with sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, services, tourism, and energy offering opportunities for investment,” says KEPSA CEO, Carole Kariuki.



She adds that a systematic urge to position the country as a key investment hub is paying off.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Some of the opportunities for investments in Kenya include being the leading producer and exporter of agricultural products such as tea, coffee, flowers, fruits and vegetables. There is potential for value addition, agro-processing, irrigation, and mechanization in the sector.” &nbsp;



Kenya is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, with an average annual growth rate of 4.8% between 2015 and 2019 and an expected 5% growth in 2023. The country has reduced poverty from 36.5% in 2005 to 27.2% in 2019 and has improved its global ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index from 136th in 2015 to 56th in 2020.



As a leader in innovation and technology in on the continent, with a vibrant startup ecosystem and a strong digital infrastructure, Kenya is home to some of the most successful African tech companies, such as Safaricom, M-PESA and BRCK, among others.



However, there are challenges. High power costs have not been good for the economy and the country witnessed the exit of a large number of companies in December due to high operational expenses.



“Manufacturing has a well-developed industrial base that Kenya boasts of. The sector produces a variety of goods such as textiles, leather, food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and metal products. The government has identified manufacturing as one of the key pillars of its Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda,” admits Kariuki.



Despite the nation’s ambitious plans to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP, some heavy-lifting is necessary to tackle the high-power costs. Going into the next 10 years of growth, Kariuki says accelerated economic growth will be driven by increased investment in trade, transport, communication and innovation.



“The country has a well-developed infrastructure network, a skilled labor force, and a conducive regulatory framework for doing business. Kenya is well-positioned for take-off in the next decade, as it has many strengths and opportunities to leverage,” she says. &nbsp;



With a median age of almost 20 years, and a literacy rate of 81.5%, as reported in 2018, the country has all the necessary ingredients to chart out a new and prosperous future.&nbsp;But despite Kenya being a regional hub, weak governance could dampen the country’s prospects.&nbsp;



“My administration will be stepping up the war on graft. Any public servant found to be engaging in corruption will be subjected to face the full wrath of the law,” said President William Ruto, when the nation marked its Mashujaa Day celebrations in October last year. &nbsp;



Kenya has primed itself as a gateway to the East African trade corridor, a bloc that boasts a market of over 300 million people (about a quarter of Africa’s population) and a reported combined GDP of $305.3 billion.



According to Kariuki, the roll-out of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides preferential access for Kenyan products and services to these markets.



“A visionary and ambitious development agenda that aims to transform Kenya into a middle-income country by 2030 needs a renewed focus on delivering food security, affordable housing, universal health coverage, manufacturing, and SME development. That require[s] massive investment outlays and will put Kenya on the pedestal for industrialization,” she says. &nbsp;



Having being at the helm of&nbsp;KEPSA&nbsp;for a decade and counting, Kariuki believes that with democracy being the cradle of hope for a better Kenya, the private sector must also be an active player in the country.



“KEPSA&nbsp;continues to play an important role in achieving a better and prosperous Kenya by representing the voice of the private sector in Kenya and engaging with the government, development partners, and other stakeholders on cross-cutting policy issues and programs for social and economic development of the country.”



Kenya has transformed from a lacking and divided colony to a stable and prosperous nation with a vibrant democracy, a diversified economy, and a leading role in regional and global affairs.

Carole Kariuki of KEPSA; image supplied

Manufacturing, Energy And Agriculture Among Sectors Bound For Development In East African Economy

From Nigeria to the United States and the world, the international business community is mourning the loss of the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings.



At the age of 57, Dr Herbert Wigwe, Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, met his untimely demise in a helicopter crash near the California-Nevada border, along with his wife Chizoba, son Chizi, and former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Abimbola Ogunbanjo.



Wigwe&#8217;s journey in the finance world began at the age of 21 as a Management Consultant for Coopers &amp; Lybrand before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant at 23, setting the stage for a 36-year career marked by entrepreneurial strides and social responsibility. As Access Holdings, parent of Access Bank, one of Africa’s largest banking groups, mourned his passing, they remarked, &#8220;Herbert&#8217;s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to social impact initiatives have left an indelible mark on Access Holdings and the communities we serve. His legacy will never be forgotten.&#8221;



Wigwe graduated from University of Nigeria, Nsukka, receiving a Bachelor&#8217;s Degree in Accountancy in 1987 followed by a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from the University College of North Wales (now Bangor) in 1991. He bagged a Master of Science degree in Financial Economics from the University of London in 1996 and is an Alumnus of the Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, a Fellow of the Institute of Credit Administration, and an Honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.



Having bought Access Bank alongside Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede in 2002, Wigwe became Deputy Managing Director and later Group Managing Director/CEO in 2014, a position he held until May 2022. He was subsequently appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Bank effective May 2022. His tenure was characterized by strategic growth and impactful initiatives, including transitioning into a holding company structure to diversify and explore beyond banking opportunities in 2022.



Before Access Bank, Wigwe was the Executive Director at Guaranty Trust Bank where he spent over 10 years beginning as the Deputy Manager of the Corporate Bank arm.



Speaking on the merger with Diamond Bank in 2019, he shared insights in an exclusive interview with CNBC Africa, stating, “Access Bank has, over the years, built a very strong corporate banking business and commercial banking business, very strong on treasury and very strong on risk management. We have also built and pursued a value chain management strategy to deepen our retail incursion. Diamond Bank brings a very strong and phenomenal retail base. They have invested significantly in digital and they have been extremely successful as far as reaching out to customers with 17 million customers and a very significant retail base.”



Reflecting on his journey, Wigwe&#8217;s longtime business partner, Aig-Imoukhuede, emphasized their shared entrepreneurial spirit and mutual respect. Recounting their early days, he shared in an exclusive interview with FORBES AFRICA in 2016: “He was my closest friend in the bank and the professional colleague I most respected and I believe vice versa. So in terms of selecting a partner, he was the best person I could choose. I told Herbert, ‘listen we are doing this and we are doing everything we need to run a bank and the only way we can get that reward is if we are risking our own capital. So let’s get out and buy a bank, let’s do it together’. So Herbert’s entrepreneurial juices started running. We didn’t resign immediately, we were still giving GTB 100%, and nobody knew and we were talking to owners of banks.&#8221;



Beyond his banking endeavors, Wigwe&#8217;s influence extended to various sectors as Chairman of Access Bank (Ghana), Access Investment &amp; Securities Limited, and Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS), Access Bank (UK) Limited and Unified Payments Services Limited. He was also a Board Member of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company and actively engaged in advisory roles, including the advisory Board for Friends Africa.



Wigwe committed to social change through the establishment of the Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe (HOW) Foundation in 2016, dedicated to youth empowerment and health initiatives, particularly addressing malaria and prostate cancer. His vision for education led to the development of Wigwe University, a $500 million project set to commence academic session in September in his hometown of Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Southern Nigeria.



The outpouring of grief and tributes from world leaders, colleagues, and friends indicate the profound impact he had on lives.



French President Emmanuel Macron taking to Facebook expressed his condolences, highlighting Wigwe&#8217;s role in strengthening Franco-Nigerian relations. &#8220;France has lost a friend,&#8221; Macron lamented, acknowledging Wigwe&#8217;s efforts as President of the French Nigeria Business Council.



Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to Nigeria&#8217;s President Bola Tinubu, conveyed Tinubu&#8217;s shock and distress at the loss of Wigwe and others. &#8220;Their passing is an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension,&#8221; Ngelale quoted Tinubu.



Femi Otedola, Chairman of Geregu Power PLC, shared fond memories of Wigwe and his family in a post on X (formerly Twitter), describing him as a &#8220;banking genius&#8221; and emphasizing the lasting legacy he leaves behind.



The National Basketball Association (NBA) mourned Wigwe&#8217;s passing, recognizing his role as an investor in NBA Africa. The NBA&#8217;s condolences echo the sentiment shared by many who admired Wigwe&#8217;s contributions beyond the business world.



Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), expressed deep sympathies to the families affected by the tragic helicopter crash. She emphasized Wigwe&#8217;s significant contributions to Access Bank Group and extended condolences to his partner, Aig-Imoukhuede.



Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, recalled his last encounter with Wigwe and lamented the loss of a close friend and neighbor. He reflected on plans they had discussed for the aviation sector, highlighting Wigwe&#8217;s passion for innovation and collaboration.



Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), remembered Wigwe as a visionary leader dedicated to nurturing young talent and promoting educational opportunities. Abdullahi emphasized that Wigwe&#8217;s impact will continue to inspire generations to come.

WhatsApp Image 2024-02-12 at 16.33.04

Herbert Wigwe: Outpouring Of Grief And Tribute To An African Giant

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a revolutionary tool, reshaping industries, streamlining processes, and improving decision-making. The success of AI is because we now have access to more data, and we possess adequate computational infrastructure to analyze such data. AI has enormous potential in the legal field, promising to transform how legal practitioners function and individuals access the justice system. 



However, this potential is not devoid of ethical concerns and obstacles.



The function of AI in the legal domain is diverse. AIdriven research tools can rapidly analyze extensive legal databases, furnishing attorneys with insights in a previously unattainable manner. It entails the utilization of chatbots and virtual assistants to provide individuals with legal guidance, thereby enhancing the accessibility of legal information. 



AI saves time and money when producing legal documents using document automation tools.



Predictive analytics can predict legal outcomes, enabling litigants and attorneys to make well-informed decisions. Online dispute resolution platforms provide a viable substitute for conventional litigation, enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of dispute resolution. Nevertheless, as AI gains prominence in law, we must exercise caution and remain vigilant regarding the obstacles to this revolutionary technology.



The first such obstacle is the fairness and bias of AI systems, which are potential sources of concern. Algorithms for machine learning are trained using historical data, which may contain societal biases. AI could perpetuate and even exacerbate preexisting discrimination in the legal system if these prejudices are not addressed. AI development must prioritize fairness and equity, necessitating ongoing vigilance to identify and address bias in AI applications. Secondly, the opaqueness of AI decisionmaking processes raises concerns regarding transparency and accountability. In legal contexts, individuals have a right to be informed of the reasoning behind decisions made by AI systems.



Legal experts and technologists must collaborate to guarantee the transparency of AI systems and allow individuals to contest AI-generated outcomes. However, AI technology is lagging, and AI systems are subjected to the accuracy-transparency dilemma, whereby the more accurate the AI model, the less transparent it is, and vice versa. This is because the high accuracy of the AI model correlates to the increased complexity of the model. Furthermore, the more complex the AI model, the more accurate it is, but this results in reduced transparency of the model.



Thirdly, there is the problem of the security and privacy of individuals. Legal issues frequently necessitate the use of confidential personal data. Implementing robust data protection measures to secure individuals’ rights and privacy is critical.



Legal professionals must thoroughly contemplate the ethical and legal ramifications and enforce rigorous data security protocols when dealing with personal data. This requires technology, which is not necessarily available in many African countries. The African Union (AU) must ensure that groups of countries jointly procure such technologies to reduce the burden of the cost of this technology.



Furthermore, we must train enough people to deploy such technologies. Fourth, as AI’s capacity for legal research and document automation expands, concerns may arise regarding the potential displacement of legal professionals. However, rather than replacing legal professionals, AI should be considered a supplement to their work. By utilizing AI, legal professionals can increase productivity, decrease expenses, and improve their capacity to render expert opinions.



Fifth, legislative bodies and governments must establish transparent regulatory frameworks for AI. These regulations must delineate principles of ethics, foster transparency mandates, and stipulate the responsibility of these AI systems. Achieving an optimal equilibrium between fostering innovation and safeguarding the rights of individuals is a highly challenging endeavor and requires the training of regulators and lawmakers to understand these technologies. 



The AU can be a catalyst to ensure such knowledge is accessible across Africa.



Sixth, a potential benefit of AI in law is its capacity to improve the accessibility of justice. Tools propelled by AI can increase the accessibility of legal information for those who cannot afford legal representation.



Online dispute resolution has the potential to offer economically viable substitutes for conventional litigation. However, we must ensure that these technologies do not exacerbate but rectify existing disparities in access to justice.



AI is not a silver bullet that can solve all legal problems, nor is it the precursor that will end the legal profession as we know it. However, when utilized responsibly and ethically, AI is a tool that has the potential to enhance the agency of legal practitioners and facilitate improved access to justice.



The coexistence of AI and the law can produce a legal system that is more equitable, efficient, and accessible.

AI, Machine learning, robot hand ai artificial intelligence assistance human touching on big data network connection background, Science artificial intelligence technology, innovation and futuristic.

AI And The Law –Navigating The Future Together

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday night delivered his sixth annual State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Cape Town’s City Hall, taking a nostalgic approach to the event as part of commemorating 30 years of democracy, as well as addressing what is likely to be the most highly-contested general election the country has seen since democratic rule.



The occasion attracted intense scrutiny from opposition political parties, analysts, and commentators alike, as the country seeks to steer through severe socioeconomic and political challenges.



Ramaphosa&#8217;s address attempted to highlight the ruling African National Congress’ (ANC) critical role in South Africa&#8217;s progress post-apartheid. However, this endeavor revealed a profound disconnect between the government&#8217;s narrative and the lived realities of ordinary South Africans, according to some analysts, conflating the ruling ANC and the state. While the President highlighted key achievements such as the provision of housing and water to millions of people previously disenfranchized by the apartheid state, he acknowledged the challenges currently faced by the country, including “loadshedding, addressing the challenges in the logistics sector, tackling crime and corruption, and accelerating job creation” in his speech.



“Whenever Ramaphosa spoke about achievements, he conflated the party and the state – the &nbsp;highlighting figures that fought for democracy that were also part of the ANC, like Mandela and Tambo. But when he spoke about failures and challenges, he referred to the state,” says independent policy and risk analyst Marisa Lourenço to FORBES AFRICA. “This is typical of liberation movements-turned-ruling parties, which, at least in postcolonial Africa, draw their legitimacy from the past rather than the present, especially when their rule has overseen the decay of essential services, an energy crisis, and state capture.”



Critics of Ramaphosa’s address include both major opposition parties, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) condemning the address as “populist posturing and policy proposals, including the doubling down on state-centric policy and legislation and the arrogance of a president who is completely out of touch with ordinary South Africans,” according to a statement by the party’s leader John Steenhuisen.



Another leading opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), saw all of its members boycott SONA after a court application to dismiss its leader Julius Malema’s suspension from Parliament was dismissed earlier that day, following his conviction of contempt of Parliament for storming the stage during Ramaphosa’s 2023 SONA delivery.



Lourenço continued her analysis of Ramaphosa’s conflation of the state and the ANC, stating, “Not only does it place the ANC at the center of all accomplishments, including the transition to democracy, but it also implies that without the ANC, South Africa would be a worse place to live – and actually, that the democratic freedoms enjoyed since 1994 could be stripped away. It transmits the idea that we have only just emerged from the other side – the apartheid era – and that our democracy is still quite tenuous. In this way, then, the only way to preserve democracy is to ensure that the party which fought for it remains in power for another five years.”



The ANC is facing the most realistic challenge to its rule since South Africa became a democracy in 1994, with recent polls indicating that the party may retain less than 40% of the public vote in the elections set to take place sometime this year. Gustavo de Carvalho, a Senior Researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, says that one key takeaway from SONA is that it sets the tone of the ANC’s approach to the upcoming elections. “It showcases a comparison between today and 1994,” he tells FORBES AFRICA. “It&#8217;s clear that it is not only about commemorating the 30th anniversary of democracy but also about controlling the narrative that the ANC in this current administration has not improved as much as expected in terms of the economy and many of the social indicators.”



De Carvalho also notes that the fact that a date for the election has not yet been announced might indicate that the ANC is doing its best to make as much of the electioneering time available. “And I think for the ANC at this stage, the stalling of the dates for the elections provides them some time in terms of trying to shift certain narratives to regain some of the voters that have been under a lot of pressure and attention from other political parties.”



The run-up to the 2024 general election has seen the birth of multiple new political parties to add to the established opposition groups, with an ANC breakaway party being formed under former South African President Jacob Zuma in the form of the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, and Rise Mzansi as notable events, spawned out of severe dissatisfaction with the current political space and the ANC’s inability to resolve challenges such as wealth inequality, crime, and the electricity crisis.



While President Ramaphosa put forward many possible solutions to these challenges during his speech and cited historical achievements by the ANC as reasons to believe in a future under their governance, de Carvalho’s analysis is quite blunt. “On how effective the measures proposed by President Ramaphosa might be… do we believe in what he has to say?”



Lourenço concurs, reinforcing her earlier point about the language of the address ‘drawing legitimacy from the past rather than the present’, stating, “Ramaphosa spoke about better equipping law enforcement and also the importance of economic empowerment for women but didn’t mention the role that education plays in all of this. Improved access to education is not only absolutely vital in starting to close the gap between the rich and the poor in South Africa, going some way towards preventing at least some types of financially motivated crimes, but is also an area in which the government has absolutely failed in the post-apartheid era.”



President Ramaphosa’s SONA address comes at a time when South Africans are dealing with a multifaceted set of challenges, and while the ruling ANC has managed to deliver increased services and equality to many, they have reportedly failed to meet many of the promises made in democratic South Africa, with unemployment, infrastructural challenges, and crime becoming a scourge on society. The rise of new political movements, as well as President Ramaphosa&#8217;s nostalgic callback to the ANC&#8217;s achievements and deflection of criticisms, has led analysts to be critical of the address. However, one thing is certain: the election year ahead is likely to be hotly-contested and fraught with high stakes, signifying a critical juncture for South Africa&#8217;s democracy.

South African President Ramaphosa Delivers 2024 State Of The Nation Address.

Analyzing Ramaphosa’s State Of The Nation Address Amidst South Africa’s Socioeconomic Challenges

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



The Oscars are adding a new award in 2026—the Academy Award for Achievement in Casting— marking the first new category added to the movie awards show since 2001.



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



The award, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/coming-2026-oscars-add-academy-award-casting-directors-107068249#:~:text=%E2%80%9CCasting%20directors%20play%20an%20essential,said%20in%20a%20joint%20statement." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multiple</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://deadline.com/2024/02/motion-picture-academy-creates-casting-category-first-new-competitive-oscar-since-2001-1235819319/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>, will make its debut at the 98th Academy Awards in 2026, when movies from 2025 will be eligible for the recognition, the Academy said in a statement to the Associated Press and other outlets.



The creation of the award is a win for the Academy Casting Directors branch, which was created in 2013 and currently has nearly 160 members,&nbsp;<a href="https://deadline.com/2024/02/motion-picture-academy-creates-casting-category-first-new-competitive-oscar-since-2001-1235819319/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deadline</a>&nbsp;reported.



The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film was the last award added to the awards show, debuting in 2001.



Eligibility rules and voting for the casting award will be issued in 2025.



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



Awards for casting have been given out by several other arts organizations including the Emmys, Spirits and the BAFTAs. Carmen Cuba, the casting director of shows like “Stranger Things” and “Mr. &amp; Mrs. Smith,” has been vocal about the need for a casting category at the Oscars. In a 2021 interview with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2021-04-06/casting-directors-call-to-be-included-in-the-oscars" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Times</a>, Cuba said casting directors are the first people hired and are dealt full plates of work when kicking off a movie or TV show. “If 23 categories are eligible, we should be too,” she told the Times. The power of casting was well on display for this year’s Best Picture nominees. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” was lauded for its expansive and talented cast, boasting the likes of Best Actor nominee Cillian Murphy, Best Supporting Actor nominee Robert Downey Jr. and Best Supporting Actress nominee Emily Blunt.



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



<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2021-04-06/casting-directors-call-to-be-included-in-the-oscars" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Casting directors call to be included in the Oscars</a> (Los Angeles Times)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2024/01/22/oscars-2024-these-are-the-most-hotly-contested-categories-with-oppenheimer-expected-to-lead/?sh=845c41245ad7">Oscars 2024: These Are The Most Hotly Contested Categories—With ‘Oppenheimer’ Expected To Lead</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

96th Oscars Nominations Announcement

Oscars Introduces First New Category In Decades: Best Casting

The 15th annual Realizing The Dream Legacy Banquet recognized three community members who embody the leadership style of Dr Martin Luther King Jr., including Nigeria’s Adebola Aderibigbe, an advocate for girl child rights.



At the 15th Realizing The Dream Legacy Banquet recently, Adebola Aderibigbe, a 20-year-old student from Nigeria, became the youngest and first African to be honored with the Horizon Award.



Aderibigbe was recognized alongside former Birmingham Mayor, Richard Arrington, Jr. and attorney and former United States (US) Senator, Doug Jones, who received the Mountaintop Award and the Call to Conscience Award, respectively.



The recognition, given annually and in line with Dr Martin Luther King Jr.’s principles, celebrates individuals who champion social justice, peace and equality.



Hailing from Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun state in Southwestern Nigeria, she embarked on her advocacy journey for the rights of the girl child at the age of 15, winning the International Day of the Girl Child Essay Contest organized by HACEY Health Initiative, a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on improving the health and productivity of vulnerable and underserved populations in Africa, especially women and girls. Her winning essay, What Gender Equality Means To Me, marked the beginning of her journey, which led to an invitation to serve as a Girls Advisory Board member of the NGO where she has made both local and international appearances “educating people on why girls will always matter in the world today.”



When asked about the award, Aderibigbe shares her disbelief, telling FORBES AFRICA, “Honestly, it is still so hard to believe what happened the night of January 12th is real. Never in my life did I ever think I would someday be awarded something so prestigious. I feel honored to be recognized alongside notable dignitaries in the state.”



“Receiving this award reassures me of a statement I have always lived by – the ability to chase my dreams while changing the world around me. It has given me a greater sense of purpose knowing that there is still so much impact to be made regardless of where I find myself.”



Being a second-year student at Stillman College, Alabama in the US, Aderibigbe also manages The House Tuscaloosa, volunteering to promote literacy in The West End Community. Her commitment extends globally, having served as a panelist at the With And For Girls Awards in London in the UK, and featured on the podcast interview segment of I.G. Advisors, a UK-based organization focused on strategy consultancy and specializing in social and environmental change.



Aderibigbe also runs the initiative Girls Matter Too and contributes as a volunteer member of The Legend Lifeskills Foundation, an NGO set up with the aim of equipping young people, especially girls, with skills for success in life and career.

Tag: South Africa

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA