Browsing: Middle East

• Remittance inflows amounted to $385.9 million in February, compared to $309.2 million in February 2023, an increase of 24.8 per cent.
• The cumulative inflows for the 12 months to February 2024 totaled $4.33 billion compared to $4.03 billion in a similar period in 2023, an increase of 7.5 per cent.
• The US remained the largest source of remittances to Kenya, accounting for 54 per cent in February 2024.

Remittances to Kenya continued on a growth trajectory in February, latest Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) data shows, as easing inflation in the United States saw the country maintain its position as the leading source of inflows.

This comes amid a positive projection for the year where World Bank has forecast a 2.5 per cent increase on inflows to Sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya as leading recipients in the continent.

Remittance inflows in Kenya amounted to $385.9 million in February, …

• Ransomware Attacks and backdoors are the leading threats Kenyans contend with
• According to the CAK, Kenya experienced 860 million cyberattacks in 2022–2023.
• Check Point Research has also identified ransomware Attacks among the first rising in Africa.

Kenya was the second most attacked country by cybercriminals in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa region (META), according to new data released by cybersecurity solutions provider Kaspersky.

Only Turkey recorded the highest number of attacks among the 12 countries in the META region. The region comprises Bahrain, Egypt, Kenya, Kuwait, Nigeria, Qatar, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Oman, and Pakistan.keyvone lee jersey yeezy boost 350 v2 hyperspace sac eastpak custom youth hockey jerseys jock strap custom sublimated hockey jerseys jock strap johnny manziel jersey nike air jordan 1 elevate low brock purdy jersey brock bowers jersey college football jerseys air max 270 women custom youth hockey jerseys custom dallas stars …

• Over half of Sudan’s gold is smuggled out of the country with the proceeds going to finance internal conflict.
• Last year, Sudan’s Central Bank banned the export of gold by government agencies and foreigners, individuals, and companies.
• The directive, however, excluded concession companies operating in mining.

Lack of a well-coordinated management in the port of Djibouti is turning out to be a benefit for Russia, which is expanding its influence over Sudan’s gold reserves while solidifying its superpower standing in the Middle East.

These revelations are in a new report published by the Pangea-Risk, a specialist intelligence company. The report is offering analysis and forecasts on political, security, and economic risk in Africa and the Middle East.

The report comes weeks after the Wagner Group threatened to topple Russian President Vladimir Putin. With a power struggle in Moscow, Wagner’s clients are in a tailspin, unsure of the future of their …

A total of six banks from the Middle East and Asia have raised a combined $625 million in syndicated loan to finance Africa’s infrastructure under the African Finance Corporation (AFC). 

Through the AFC, Gulf Bank, National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah, China CITIC Bank Corporation, Qatar National Bank, Doha Bank and Industrial Bank of Korea Limited joined the syndicate as first-time lenders throwing their weight behind the leading infrastructure solutions financier in Africa. …

• The Middle-East market is showing great potential as the period from January to March 2023 witnessed a 20 percent jump in arrivals. 
• Building on this positive trajectory, Kenya aims to expand the Middle-East market by 30 percent by June 2024. 
• Authorities are leveraging partnership with Kenya Airways, travel agents, and private sector players.

Tourist numbers from the Middle East are registering an impressive pattern in Kenya, pointing to a key emerging source of holidaymakers, a trajectory that could drive arrival numbers, shoring up the country’s forex earnings.

To drive international arrival numbers, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is strategically positioning itself. The latest developments indicate KTB is harnessing recently-launched Mombasa and Dubai direct flights to woo tourists. With wide offerings for Mombasa-bound holidaymakers, Kenya could tap Middle-East market and boost inbound tourism.

Rising tourist numbers from the Middle East

The Middle East market is showing an immense potential on boosting …

Pyypl uses advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for regulatory compliance, Anti Money Laundering (AML), and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF).

The platform also conducts real-time Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) and sanctions (both country and individual) screening against the latest and historical UNSC, USDT, FATF, OFAC, and EUCFSF records, as well as all local databases.

Fintech startups in Africa have continued to gain a lot of attention from investors who have been pouring billions of dollars to support the industry. …

Nigeria’s oil production has fallen by 30 per cent in the last four years to 1.423 million barrels per day, mb/d in 2020 from 2.041 million barrels per day, mb/d in 2017.

This is according to a recent investigative study by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries OPEC, which includes pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the Niger-Delta.

The figure excludes 2020 condensate production, according to the data obtained by Vanguard Energy from OPEC’s monthly market reports between 2017 and 2020.

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The nation’s output declined by 19.3 per cent to 1.648 mb/d in 2018 from 2.041 mb/d in 2017 Year-on-year, YoY.

The production level, however, rose by 6.6 per cent to 1.765 mb/d in 2019 from 2018 figure before declining again by 19 per cent to 1.423 mb/d in 2020.

THE IMPACT

The gradual drop in output is a …

Small business enterprises in Egypt wishing to transact business with Amazon Payment Services, a payment processing service in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, have all reasons to do so after the Service provider announced that it will waive all fees for the new businesses.

This latest move is in line with Amazon Payment Services’ mission of providing business with simple, affordable and trusted online payment experiences.

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It is a support initiative undertaken by the Amazon payment services in line with an initiative launched by the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) of encouraging the transition to digital payments in Egypt.

This has seen Amazon Payment Services waiving all account setup and maintenance fees for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for its digital payment service throughout the month of Ramadan until the end of June 2021.

To implement …

The Middle East and Comesa have become the leading export markets for Ugandan goods, according to the Bank of Uganda(BoU) report for the year ended December 2019.

The two markets and others in East Africa, Europe and America saw a 10.1 increase in Uganda’s exports for the period under review.

During the period, the Comesa, Middle East and (Common Market for East and Southern Africa) each fetched earnings of $1.2 billion.

According to some experts, the increasing exports to the Middle East is mainly due to the growing gold exports, specifically to the United Arab Emirates.

Also Read: Uganda growth could lower and oil investment delays are part of it, IMF says

The report also added that the Middle East also received a good share of Uganda’s fruits, coffee and vegetable exports in the same period under review.

The report further indicates that Uganda’s exports receipts from Comesa mainly came …

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has agreed to invest in Kenya’s Big Four projects, a boost to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ambitious plan.

Investment by the fund will go a long way in helping realization of the Big 4 which incorporates revamping manufacturing sector, providing affordable housing, universal health care and food security for Kenyans.

READ ALSO:World Bank affirms support for Kenya’s Big 4 

The SFD has undertaken to rally similar organisations in the Middle East to invest in Kenya’s economy.

The announcement was made in a meeting between Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani and the Vice President and Managing Director of SFD, Dr Khalid Bin Sulaiman Alkhudairy.

Mr Alkhudairy said the Saudi Fund was keen in investing in Kenya’s affordable housing projects besides power, roads and education where it has already invested.

READ ALSO:Dubai owned bank expands network in Kenya

Alkhudairy said he appreciates that Kenya has …