African stock exchanges: BRVM Investment Days in New York: Investors showed significant interest for Africa and for the West African Economic and Monetary Union in particular

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> PRESS RELEASE
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> 3rd Edition of the "BRVM Investment Days" in New York
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> Investors who attended and the persons in charge of Bloomberg L.P. showed significant interest for Africa and for the WAEMU in particular
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> NEW YORK, United States of America, 30 September 2015/ --  Under the High Patronage of His Excellency Dr. Thomas Boni YAYI, President of the Republic of Benin, the third edition of the "BRVM Investment Days" (http://www.brvminvestmentdays.org) took place on September 23rd 2015 in New York at Bloomberg L.P., the headquarters of the world leader of broadcasting of financial information.
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> This edition was highlighted by the presence of high-ranking personalities of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) in particular the Prime Minister of Benin, Mr. Lionel ZINSOU; the Minister of State/ Minister of Foreign Affairs of Côte d'Ivoire, Mr. Charles Koffi DIBY, representing the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire; the Representative of Mr. Christian ADOVELANDE, President of the West African Development Bank (BOAD); the President of the Boards of Directors of the BRVM and the DC/BR, Mr. Pierre Atépa GOUDIABY and the CEO of both central structures of the Regional Financial Market of the WAEMU, Mr. Edoh Kossi AMENOUNVE.
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> The President of Bloomberg, Mr. Peter GRAUER honored the WAEMU and the BRVM with his presence at the opening ceremony of the Conference.
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> More than a hundred participants, among whom several actors of the Regional Financial Market of the WAEMU, the "Agence UMOA-Titres", companies listed on the BRVM, Investment Banks and International brokers based in New York, took part in the Meeting.
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> The Prime Minister of Benin, Mr. Lionel ZINSOU, a renowned African economist, the Minister of State/ Minister of Foreign Affairs of Côte d'Ivoire, Mr. Charles Koffi DIBY and representative of the West African Development Bank (BOAD), presented a forward-looking vision of Africa emphasizing the economic performances of the Union and perspectives for its future growth, as well as the potential for investments in the public and private sector to encourage the interest of American investors.
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> The Managers of the BRVM and the DC / BR took this opportunity to present the implementation status of their new growth strategy and the results obtained during the last three years (doubling of the capitalization of the market and the daily value of the transactions, new Initial Public Offerings operations etc.), as well as the goals of the stock market looking ahead to 2020, in particular the integration of the stock exchanges of the ECOWAS region (BRVM, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cape Verde).
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> The current operational structure, as well as expected innovations in the sovereign-debt market of the WAEMU, were also presented and explain by "Agence UMOA-Titres" and the national treasury departments of current member states present at the event. The performances of listed companies were presented and topics of common interest such as notation, the future of the CFA franc, the effects of political crises in Africa, were discussed.
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> Investors who attended and the persons in charge of Bloomberg L.P. showed significant interest for Africa and for the WAEMU in particular, because of the potential growth of this economic zone. They wished to have more regular information on both states and private sector, and in particular listed companies. BRVM will have to rely on Bloomberg to inform investors in this area in the future.
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> This "Operation de Seduction" of investors and the African Diaspora in the United States, thus, has kept its promise. The next rendezvous will be in February 2016 in Dubai and Abu-Dhabi. The 4th edition of "BRVM Investment Days" will target investors from the Middle-East.
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> Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM).
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> About the BRVM
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> 5th among the most promising African stock exchanges in the HAVAS classification (March 2015), the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM) (http://www.brvm.org)  is responsible for the organization of the stock market and for the broadcasting of market information within the WAEMU. It includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo and Côte d'Ivoire. The headquarters of the BRVM is located in Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire. Mr. Edoh Kossi AMENOUNVE is the CEO of the BRVM.
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> The BRVM which started its activities in September, 1998 had a capitalization of its equity market of 7,318.81 billion XOF as of September 23rd 2015.
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> Communications and
> Public Relations Office
> BRVM – DC/BR
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> SOURCE
> Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM)
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DHL Express to facilitate growth of SMEs in Sub Saharan Africa and empower them to connect globally

PRESS RELEASE

DHL Express to facilitate growth of SMEs in Sub Saharan Africa and empower them to connect globally

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, 30 September 2015/ --  DHL Express (http://www.dpdhl.com), the world's leading express logistics provider, will launch its Growing Beyond Borders entrepreneurial training program in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) in the coming weeks – an innovative programme specifically designed to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) understand the economic potential of international trade and the subsequent benefits to their businesses. The company will be launching the program in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Mauritius in October 2015, followed shortly by South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Uganda. The program will be expanded to a further 16 markets across SSA before the end of the first quarter of 2016. Hennie Heymans, Managing Director for DHL Express SSA, says that as Sub Saharan Africa continues to emerge as a growth market, so will the continent's attractiveness for business expansion. He adds that the stable GDP forecasts for the Sub Saharan Africa region (4.6% in 2016 and 5% 2017(1), coupled with a booming e-commerce sector will create significant opportunities for innovative SMEs to service online-savvy customers. "For example, in South Africa alone, the demand for online retail is growing rapidly, with significant opportunities existing to create cross-border e-commerce partnerships throughout Africa." A recent report by Ipsos(2), on behalf of PayPal and FNB, revealed that the majority of South African online shoppers could be cross-border shoppers in the coming years. It also showed that up to 46% already shop outside of South Africa. Similarly, the research shows 30% of Nigerian cross-border shoppers (online shoppers who have made purchases online from another country) have purchased goods from South Africa in the past 12 months. He adds however that while local entrepreneurs are identifying expansion and growth opportunities across Africa, many simply do not have the know-how to capitalise on these. "Many SMEs develop a plan to grow their business internationally, but battle to turn this plan into a reality. Our Growing Beyond Borders program will provide practical guidance on how to make the most out of the opportunities available, and assist SMEs to grow and connect across Sub Saharan Africa." The free of charge workshop model explores importing and exporting in new markets, provides guidance on how to find key geographical opportunities for the business' specific products and services, as well as how to identify different marketing avenues and ways to build long-term relationships with their target customers for long term success. Heymans explains that the Growing Beyond Borders workshop is unique in that it was borne out of the same vein as the DHL Express Certified International Specialist (CIS) programme – an internal learning and development platform which has seen nearly 4,000 DHL employees in 51 countries in SSA and 100,000 employees globally, receive comprehensive training on the fundamentals of international shipping. "CIS equips our employees with the specialised knowledge they need to do their job competently and confidently. Similarly, the Growing Beyond Borders workshop seeks to pass on logistics knowledge to our customers, equipping them with expertise on growing their business across borders." "We pride ourselves on being Certified International Specialists. DHL has been shipping across the globe since 1969, and the workshop takes entrepreneurs through the entrepreneurial history of DHL and lessons learnt from dealing with a multitude of customers along the way. DHL was founded by three far-sighted Californian businessmen, it was the potential of international trade they saw, coupled with a pioneering spirit and customer dedication focus, that has helped grow DHL into the world's most international company," adds Heymans. Since entering Africa in 1978, he says that the company has witnessed the continent develop into the emerging economic powerhouse it is today through continued foreign and local investment in the region. "SMEs are the lifeblood of the continent in stimulating continued economic activity, and we believe that by empowering SMEs to seize the numerous opportunities available to them, the African continent will continue to flourish," concludes Heymans.  Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Deutsche Post DHL. View multimedia content Sources: (1) The World Bank: Global Economic Prospects, Sub-Saharan Africa  (http://www.apo.af/F6A0qF) June 2015 (2) Ipsos, on behalf of PayPal and FNB: http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/technology/2015/08/17/online-cross-border-shopping-on-the-increase-in-sa-study-shows Media Contact: Megan Collinicos Head: Advertising & Public Relations, Sub-Saharan Africa DHL Express Tel +27 21 409 3613 Mobile +27 76 411 8570 megan.collinicos@dhl.com DHL – The logistics company for the world DHL (http://www.dpdhl.com) is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. DHL's family of divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With more than 325,000 employees in over 220 countries and territories worldwide, they connect people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including e-Commerce, technology, life science and healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world". DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 56 billion euros in 2014. For more information: www.dpdhl.com Stock images available: http://www.dpdhl.com/en/media_relations/media_library.html SOURCE Deutsche Post DHL Multimedia content Download logo Image: Hennie Heymans, Managing Director for DHL Express SSA Share Twitter |  Facebook |  LinkedIn |  Google+ |  Tumblr |  Reddit |  Pinterest |  StumbleUpon

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Starwood Hotels & Resorts Accelerates Growth in Africa and Indian Ocean with Seven New Deals

PRESS RELEASE

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Accelerates Growth in Africa and Indian Ocean with Seven New Deals

Company to expand portfolio by over 50% in the next five years entering new markets and introducing more brands

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 30 September 2015/ --  From the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) (http://www.Africa-Conference.com) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, hospitality leader Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) (http://www.starwoodhotels.com) today announced aggressive expansion in Africa and Indian Ocean, increasing its market penetration across the region. Today the company has a strong footprint with 34 operating hotels and a robust pipeline of 20 hotels under development. With the expansion of its luxury, upper upscale and mid-market brands, Starwood will grow its portfolio by over 50% in the next five years, with more than 50 hotels operating and nine out of its 10 compelling lifestyle brands flying their flag in the region. "The momentum of growth we are seeing in Africa today is unprecedented. It is a reiteration of the trust our owners have in us, the power of our distinct lifestyle brands and the strength of our global distribution and award-winning loyalty program," said Michael Wale, President for Starwood, Europe, Africa and Middle East. "Africa is a market with huge potential. With economic growth, a rising middle class and rapid urbanization, the demand for travel and quality lodging will continue to grow and provide us with a significant opportunity to grow our brands and play our part in supporting many emerging markets across the continent." Reaffirming its commitment to growth in the region, the company announced seven new deals including W Sharm El Sheikh and The Residences at W Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), Sheraton Bamako (Mali), The Westin Abuja and Residences (Nigeria), Four Points by Sheraton Abuja and Residences (Nigeria), Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport (Kenya), Aloft Dakar (Senegal), and Element Oyster Bay Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).  With the new signings Starwood will further build its position in Nigeria and Egypt, increase its presence in Senegal and enter new markets, which include Mali, Kenya and Tanzania. W Sharm El Sheikh and The Residences at W Sharm El Sheikh Renowned for its visionary design, playful luxury and Whatever/Whenever® mentality, W Hotels Worldwide will make its much anticipated entry into Egypt with W Sharm El Sheikh and Residences scheduled to open in 2020. Owned by Tower Prestige for Hotels SAE, the hotel with 350 stylish guest rooms and suites will be located at Nabq Bay in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm El Sheikh. It will also feature 50 branded residences with a dedicated Resident's Lounge and access to the signature W offerings and services available at the hotel. Sheraton Bamako Hotel Starwood's largest and most globally recognized brand, Sheraton, will foray into Mali in West Africa with Sheraton Bamako Hotel. Scheduled to open in early 2017, the hotel is owned by Koira Hotel Investment S.A. Boasting 200 modern rooms, the hotel will also feature all of the Sheraton brand signature experiences and amenities including a lobby bar serving the brand's latest food and beverage program Paired, Sheraton Club® Lounge, the Shine Spa for Sheraton™ and the state-of-the-art Sheraton Fitness® center. The Westin Abuja and The Residences With its distinct and winning approach to wellbeing, Starwood is gaining traction to grow Westin in gateway cities and in resort destinations. Home to 389 contemporary guest rooms and suites, each featuring the iconic Westin Heavenly® Bed and signature Westin services and amenities, the hotel will be part of a landmark mixed use development in Abuja's central business district, marking the debut of the brand into Nigeria. Scheduled to open in 2022, the hotel will also feature 194 branded residences with access to hotel facilities. In partnership with Century Health and Hospitalities Limited, the project also includes a Four Points by Sheraton Hotel with branded residences. Four Points by Sheraton Abuja and The Residences A part of the mixed use development project owned by Century Health and Hospitalities Limited, Four Points by Sheraton Abuja will feature 212 spacious and contemporary guest rooms including suites and 150 branded residences with access to hotel facilities. With the two projects together Starwood will add over 600 rooms reinforcing Starwood's position as a leading hospitality player in Nigeria. Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport With its emphasis on stylish comfort and genuine service at an honest value, Four Points by Sheraton spearheads Starwood's growth in the mid-market segment in the region. Strategically located within the secure boundary of the airport precinct, the 194-room Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport will mark Starwood's entry into Kenya. Owned by AirMarc Ltd the hotel will be operated under a franchise arrangement and is expected to become a welcome gateway for travelers transiting to leisure destinations in Kenya as well as for business travelers. Aloft Dakar Starwood is set to debut leading edge design and accessible technology into Africa with Aloft Dakar. Located close to the airport, the hotel with 150 loft-like rooms is scheduled for a 2018 opening and is owned by Vacances Cap Skiring VACAP SA, who also own the Sheraton Dakar Hotel, currently under development. Element Oyster Bay Dar-es-Salaam Element, Starwood's eco-innovation lab, with a nature-inspired, clean and modern design philosophy will debut in Africa with the 105 all-suite Element Oyster Bay Dar-es-Salaam. The hotel will not only mark the debut of Element brand into Africa but will also be Starwood's first hotel in Tanzania in East Africa. Owned by Opulent Hotel Group, the hotel will be operated under a franchise arrangement and is scheduled to open in 2018. "We are excited with the success we are seeing in the continent. Franchising has opened up new opportunities for us and is a strategy that is helping drive growth of our mid-market brands. We are also beginning to see more and more opportunities for conversion and are pursuing them actively. We are confident that this will give further impetus to our growth trajectory. We remain focused on choosing the right partner, and the right brand in established, emerging as well as unexplored but interesting destinations," said Neil George, Senior Vice President Acquisition & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Africa & Middle East. Following the announcement of its 10th brand, Tribute Portfolio, earlier this year, the company is also actively pursuing opportunities to introduce the brand in Africa and Indian Ocean. 2015/2016 Opening highlights Starwood will open 7 hotels in the next year, including: -Opening of Four Points by Sheraton Oran in November marking the entry of the brand into Algeria followed by Four Points by Sheraton Ikot Ekpene (Nigeria) in 2016. -Opening of The Westin Soma Bay Golf Resort & Spa, after conversion which marks the entry of the brand into Egypt, followed by opening of a new Westin in Cairo, The Westin Katameya Dunes, in early 2016, further strengthening the Westin brand presence and consolidating Starwood's position as a leading hospitality player in Egypt. -The debut of Starwood's ultra-luxury brand St. Regis in Egypt with opening of The St. Regis Cairo in 2016. -Re-opening of the iconic Sheraton Cairo after extensive renovation in 2016. -Opening of Sheraton Conakry, marking the entry of the brand and Starwood's first hotel in Guinea "Our long legacy gives us a competitive edge and our lifestyle brands are resonating with the aspirational and fast growing middle class in the region. Our accelerated growth and strengthened footprint is driving market share and building loyalty beyond reason. New openings will bring new opportunities for employment for the young and aspiring talent," said Hassan Ahdab, Vice President, Regional Director Operations for Starwood in Africa and Indian Ocean. Starwood currently operates nearly 9,500 rooms in 13 countries including Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda. It is now set to debut into new countries like Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan and Tanzania and will soon have more than 13,000 rooms with presence in 21 countries in Africa generating thousands of employment opportunities across the continent.  Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc..   Multimedia content Press Contacts: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Julien Guitard, +32 2 204 5160 Associate Director Communications – Europe, Africa & Middle East Julien.Guitard@starwoodhotels.com www.starwoodmediacentre.com Starwood Hotels & Resorts Africa and Indian Ocean Anjali Mehra Regional Director of Communications Tel: +971 565396555 Anjali.mehra@starwoodhotels.com www.starwoodmediacentre.com About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (http://www.starwoodhotels.com) is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 1,200 properties in some 100 countries and over 180,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences under the renowned brands: St. Regis® (http://www.stregis.com), The Luxury Collection® (http://www.theluxurycollection.com), W® (http://www.whotels.com), Westin® (http://www.westin.com), Le Méridien® (http://www.lemeridien.com), Sheraton® (http://www.sheraton.com), Four Points® by Sheraton (http://www.fourpoints.com), Aloft® (http://www.alofthotels.com), Element® (http://www.elementhotels.com) and the recently introduced Tribute Portfolio™ (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/tributeportfolio/index.html?ES=SWPR_TRIBUTE&SWAQ=NBK0). The Company also boasts one of the industry's leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®). Visit www.starwoodhotels.com for more information and stay connected @starwoodbuzz on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/starwoodbuzz) and Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/starwoodbuzz) and facebook.com/Starwood. SOURCE Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 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South Africa Rises 7 Places in Annual WEF Global Competitiveness Index

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South Africa Rises 7 Places in Annual WEF Global Competitiveness Index JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 30 September 2015/ --  Brand South Africa (http://www.brandsouthafrica.com) today welcomed the 2015/16 results of the World Economic Forum's annual Global Competitiveness Index which sees South Africa rise seven places from 56 to 49 of 140 countries. Speaking about South Africa's significantly improved performance in the Global Competitiveness Index, Brand South Africa's CEO Kingsley Makhubela said, "Building a country's competitiveness is a collective endevour involving the collaboration of government, business and civil society.  Ultimately it involves all South Africans to coalesce around this national objective." "The results of the 2015/16 Global Competitiveness Index shows that South Africa has made significant improvements towards ensuring we are a globally competitive destination.  The report resonates with our own assessment that we must work towards strengthening, amongst others, the education and health sectors to ensure our sustained competitiveness.  The National Development Plan outlines the steps we need to take to achieve this." "We thank all South Africans for your contribution to building South Africa's competitiveness and look forward to further improvements in the next year," concluded Mr Makhubela. [View multimedia content] South Africa's Achievements in the 2015/16 Global Competitiveness Index South Africa's biggest improvements come in the areas of: infrastructure (up 8 places), health and primary education (up 6 places), labour market efficiency (up 6 places), technological readiness (up 16 places), and innovation (up 5 places). South Africa has also improved in the areas of: macro-economic environment (up 4 places), higher education and training (up 3 places), and business sophistication (up 2 places). South Africa has dropped in the area of institutions (down 2 places), goods market efficiency (down 6 places), financial market development (down 5 places) and market size (down 4 places).Top of Form Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Brand South Africa. View multimedia content For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:  Tsabeng Nthite Tel: +27 11 712 5061 Mobile: +27 (0) 76 371 6810 Email:tsabengn@brandsouthafrica.com Visit www.brandsouthafrica.com Notes to the Editor For more on the 2015/16 WEF Global Competitiveness Index: http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-report-2015-2016/report-highlights/#ranking About Brand South Africa Brand South Africa (http://www.brandsouthafrica.com) is the official marketing agency of South Africa, with a mandate to build the country's brand reputation, in order to improve its global competitiveness. Its aim is also to build pride and patriotism among South Africans, in order to contribute to social cohesion and nation brand ambassadorship. Join the conversation at: Follow Brand South Africa @Brand_SA https://twitter.com/Brand_SA Tell us how you Play Your Part @PlayyourpartSA  http://www.playyourpart.co.za/tellus-someone   https://www.facebook.com/BrandSouthAfrica SOURCE Brand South Africa Multimedia content Download logo Image: South Africa's Achievements in the 2015/16 Global Competitiveness Index Share Twitter |  Facebook |  LinkedIn |  Google+ |  Tumblr |  Reddit |  Pinterest |  StumbleUpon

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