BREAKING NEWS, Business Briefs

–

THERE are strong indications that 2013 will be a favourable year for Etisalat Group, a leading telecoms operator in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The group on July 23, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, announced strong results for the second quarter of 2013, with an increase of quarterly consolidated revenues and subscribers across its operating markets.

According to the announcement, its revenues during the second quarter of the financial year, reached AED 9,882 million representing an increase of 20 percent in comparison to the same period of last year and an increase of 3 percent in comparison to the first quarter of 2013. During the quarter, the group consolidated revenues was affected by the changing in the accounting treatment of the operations in Pakistan, which was consolidated with effect from January 1, 2013.

In the UAE, revenues of AED 6,303 million for the quarter were 12 percent higher than in the second quarter of 2012 and 5 percent higher than the first quarter of 2012. The quarterly year-over-year growth in revenues was primarily due to customer acquisition, an increase in the revenues of data and handsets sales. Revenue from international consolidated operations grew by 50 percent to AED 3,513 million, representing 36 percent of consolidated revenues.

Etisalat Group’s first six months 2013 revenue increased to AED 19.5 billion compared to last year’s first six months (H1, 2012) where it was AED 16.5 billion. Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, the chief executive officer, Etisalat Group, said: “The outstanding performance of Etisalat UAE and the positive performance in Asia are reflected in our Q2 results.” According to him, the board’s declaration of interim dividend of 35 fils per share is a strong indication of our steady performance and the success of the Group’s strategic plan, which has been supported by a clear and ambitious vision from our top executives and smooth execution by a talented work force.

Etisalat’s commitment to communities and investment in human capital, technology and innovation is enabling growth across our operating markets and this is reflected positively in the results. These results demonstrate that Etisalat Group is absolutely on the right track and able to continue to add value to its subscribers, shareholders, employees and the communities it serves.”

Strong commitment to excellence and innovation has seen Etisalat become one of the world’s fastest-growing telecom groups, rapidly expanding across Asia and Africa. Its UAE operations, strategically located at the crossroads of East and West, enables Etisalat to be the major hub in the Middle East for Internet, voice, broadcast, roaming and corporate data services. Etisalat has been recognised as ‘Best Operator’ 10 times since 2006 and ‘Best Wholesale Provider’ four times in the last three years. Servicing 143 million customers in 15 countries, Etisalat continues to reach out to new customers and markets.

Partnership for Better Service

ORANGE, a financial services company, and Total have signed a partnership agreement to give Orange customers’ access to Orange money services at all Total service stations in Africa and the Middle-East countries where the two groups are present. Orange money, which is available in 13 countries, is the company’s payment and money transfer service for Africa and the Middle-East. It enables Orange customers to transfer money from mobile to mobile, to pay bills and even withdraw and deposit money through a network of certified distributors.

This partnership will extend Orange money’s distribution network to all service stations in the 13 countries where the service is available. It will also improve the service provided to customers of Orange and Total, both in terms of proximity and ease of use. Customers will benefit from the density of the Total distribution network, its service stations open for extended hours seven days a week; they will be able to open an Orange money account on site and perform withdrawals and deposits.

This first stage of the partnership is already operational in Senegal and Cameroon, and will go live in over 1300 service stations in the 11 other countries where both groups are present in the second quarter of 2013. A second stage will follow, which should enable Orange money customers to pay for purchases made in Total service stations using their mobile account.

Marc Rennard, executive vice-president, Orange’s Africa and Middle-East region, said he is happy to partner with Total. “We are proud to unveil this partnership with Total; we are creating synergies between two major groups in Africa and the Middle-East to better serve consumers. This agreement will add a whole new dimension to the Orange’s money distribution network,” he said.

Momar Nguer, Africa/Middle-East director, Total’s marketing and services division, said the partnership would enable Total to extend its services in Africa and the Middle East. “I am delighted with this partnership, which allows Total to further expand the range of products and services we offer across our entire distribution network. It’s a new example of our ability to innovate and anticipate our customers’ needs. Today our ambition is to take a leading position in mobile payment distribution in Africa,” Nguer said.

ECOWAS Energy Experts

IN ITS bid to regulate electricity in West Africa, energy experts from the Economic Community Of West African States, ECOWAS, member states met in Dakar, Senegal, from July 24 to 26, to agree on modalities for calculation and payment of regulatory fee, as well as its related regulatory text. The Dakar meeting is being organised in compliance with a May 24, 2013 directive by regional ministers of energy that the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority, ERERA, with support from the ECOWAS Commission, to find a consensus and finalise a draft regulation which lays down the rules for the determination and annual payment of royalties for regional cross-border electricity exchanges.

The draft resolution was first considered at a meeting of ERERA’s consultative committee of regulators and operators in May 2013 in Lome, Togo. The committee comprises representatives of regulatory authorities in member states, as well as electricity companies in the region. There meetings are part of ECOWAS efforts to fine-tune its regulatory mechanisms, including issues relating to harmonisation of policies and practices, in order to create an attractive environment for investors and also boost the development of cross-border electricity exchanges in West Africa.

The regulatory system is also expected to serve as a guarantee for the implementation, monitoring and control of cross-border exchanges, in realization of some of the main objectives for which ERERA was set up in 2008.

A Celebration of Efficiency

SINDISIWE Chikunga, South Africa’s deputy minister of transport recently paid a visit to Air Traffic and Navigation Services ATNS’s, Operations Centre in Johannesburg and thereafter celebrated with board members, executive managers and staff of the company for their achievements in the last 20 years.

In his congratulatory message, Chikunga praised ATN for coming up with innovative ways of delivering world-class safety and operational performance. “I am ecstatic that our coming here coincide with a great milestone commemoration where we as a transport family take out time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our very own Air Traffic and Navigation Services ATNS as South Africa and Africa’s leading air navigation services provider”.

Thabani Mthiyane, ATNS’s newly-appointed CEO, said that the South African aviation infrastructure is considered to be one of the best in the world, contributing to the country’s aviation safety record. “It is for this reason that ATNS continues to invest wisely in this infrastructure to support the country’s overall transport infrastructure. Through these activities, ATNS provides significant contributions to the South African and the continent’s aviation industry, thereby promoting safer skies.”

Established in 1993,   ATNS has been on a high, achieving the following significant and notable successes within the Air Traffic Management ATM environment: The ATNS Air Traffic Management ATM Roadmap which was developed in 2010, is meant to achieve an interoperable, global air traffic management system for all users during all phases of flight, meet agreed levels of safety; provide for optimum economic operations, be environmentally sustainable and to ultimately meet all national security requirements.

 While ATNS’s primary business focus remains air traffic management and aviation safety for South Africa, the company’s scope has grown to extend beyond the country’s borders to neighbouring countries and the rest of the continent, including the Indian Ocean region. This will enable ATNS to respond efficiently to global challenges, while providing the local aviation industry with air traffic management solutions that rank among the safest in the world. The ATNS Aviation Training Academy ATA was given the IATA Best Aviation Training Academy Award in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

— Aug. 5, 2013 @ 01:00 GMT

Tags:

Related Posts