June 30, 2023

Verifone Launches New Brand

Verifone unveils new brand and enterprise website to exemplify its class-leading payments platform offering

Verifone new logo

New Verifone brand identity

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., June 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Verifone rebrands to highlight its innovative payment solutions by introducing a new logo, brand identity and global website to align with an updated vision. Verifone is now the “Payments Architect and Commerce Expert” partner for all businesses everywhere. Verifone’s robust product and services portfolio delivers on that promise as it spans digital payment solutions, secure payment devices, cloud-hosted Payments as a Service, merchant acquiring, point of sale technology, advanced business insights through data science, managed services practices, and more.

After rebuilding its entire offering and company culture under new leadership, the refreshed brand identity matches the innovation and passion of a new Verifone. Consumer recognition and trust in the Verifone name needed to be preserved while simultaneously highlighting Verifone’s heightened digital focus, future-first approach and leading position in the marketplace. The new iconography conveys the connected, modular and evolving nature of payments in modern life, and it shows the architectural role Verifone plays in payments and commerce. All of this comes together on Verifone’s new global website where consumers, merchants and other stakeholders are introduced to a new, more user-friendly Verifone experience. The new brand is extensible across business units and around the world.

Verifone T650m Mobile Payment Device

With half a trillion dollars in transactions traversing its cloud via payment devices or Verifone-powered websites and apps, Verifone truly enables global commerce. Verifone stands out in the payments space where most businesses still piece together fragmented offerings from multiple providers to address complex customer needs. Verifone is the single provider with a comprehensive, flexible toolset that streamlines and reduces costs for any enterprise to accept payments.

“The world of commerce evolves constantly, and it is this dynamic environment that we’ve simplified and continue to revolutionize. Verifone started in the Fintech space over four decades ago, rapidly evolving our service offerings to meet the needs of all large and small businesses,” said Mike Pulli, Verifone CEO. “We are the critical commerce partner for businesses worldwide, offering solutions with a futureproof architecture. Our new brand matches our digital-first thinking, employee-focused mindset, and accelerated innovation. Our customers, and their customers, rely on Verifone every day.”

Verifone has focused intensely on new, innovative payment capabilities and features in recent years, significantly expanding the solution stack and enabling new markets. The company’s commerce expertise means its solutions can easily be adapted across nearly every vertical. From complex, global, omni-commerce retailers to a local vendor at a farmers’ market, Verifone futureproofs payment ecosystems and tech stacks.

Verifone M440 Multilane Payment Device

To experience Verifone’s new identity, watch the introduction video https://vimeo.com/verifone/newbrandlaunch and visit the new corporate global website at https://www.verifone.com/en/global. New country-specific websites will go live in the coming weeks and months.

About Verifone

Verifone is the payments architect shaping ecosystems for online and in-person commerce experiences, including everything businesses need – from secure payment devices to eCommerce tools, acquiring services, advanced business insights, and much more. As a global FinTech leader, Verifone powers omni-commerce growth for companies in over 165 countries and is trusted by the world’s best-known brands, small businesses, and major financial institutions. The Verifone platform is built on a four-decade history of innovation and uncompromised security, annually managing more than 12B transactions worth over $500B on physical and digital channels.

Verifone Media Contact:
Email: Press@Verifone.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

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GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8867578

June 30, 2023

St Kitts and Nevis announces extension to Citizenship by Investment Programme Sustainable Growth Fund Limited Time Offer due to unprecedented demand

Basseterre, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — International investors have been clamouring to take advantage of one of the best deals in the investment migration industry this year – St Kitts and Nevis’ Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF) Limited Time Offer (LTO) which allows investors to gain approval for alternative citizenship in the country in as little as 60 days for a reduced fee.

In December 2022, the St Kitts and Nevis Head of the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), Michael Martin, announced the enactment of the updated St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Regulations 2023, which included the introduction of the LTO for the SGF investment option effective 1 January 2023 – 30 June 2023.

On 29 June 2023, Michael Martin made the following comment regarding the LTO:

“We have received an overwhelming response and demand for our Sustainable Growth Fund investment option through the Limited Time Offer and felt that we had to extend the offering for another seven months until 31 January 2024. International investors continue to see the value of the world’s first and finest Citizenship by Investment Programme and this proves it”.

The SGF remains the quickest and easiest route to alternative citizenship in St Kitts and Nevis and now until 31 January 2024, a main applicant can acquire alternative citizenship by contributing only US$125,000 to the SGF and receiving approval in principle within 60 days of acknowledgement by the CIU of submission of their application.

Under the LTO, the minimum SGF contributions are as follows:

Single applicant – US$ 125,000
Main applicant and a spouse – US$150,000

Main applicant and up to three dependants – US$170,000
Each additional dependant under 18 – US$10,000
Each additional dependant over 18 – US$25,000

Revenue from the SGF has facilitated economic development and social upliftment in the country. The SGF is used to provide financial support to educational institutions, and medical facilities, as well as support infrastructural development, increase tourism, preserve local culture and heritage and support sustainable growth initiatives in the twin-island nation.

Discerning investors are seeing the benefits of being part of St Kitts and Nevis’ success story. Following upgrades to the CBI Regulations, the country now offers one of the most secure and best-regulated investment migration offerings in the world.

This means that international investors looking to hedge their bets in a stable and growing economy should look no further than St Kitts and Nevis.

This extension is a fantastic opportunity for investors to obtain citizenship through the LTO. This is a final extension and from 1 February 2024, the minimum SGF contribution will increase to the amounts prior to the LTO period.

The country is making sure that it has only the best to offer international entrepreneurs and families who have realised that global powerhouses are no longer illustrious investment options due to security risks. Investors want to ensure that they can safeguard their families and wealth in a global economy that has been offering nothing but uncertainty since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Smaller governments such as that of St Kitts and Nevis have found ways, through CBI, to protect themselves from global shocks, offer favourable business policies aimed at growing corporations in international markets and, by using international funds channelled to the SGF, can diversify and grow their economy to meet global needs.

St Kitts and Nevis continues to create a name for itself as a financial nexus in the Caribbean with an attractive CBI programme underpinned by a sound legal framework and robust multi-layered due diligence.

For nearly 40 years, St Kitts and Nevis has been the pioneer of the global investor immigration industry and those who recognise this are taking advantage of the LTO.

Chantal Mabanga
Government of St. Kitts and Nevis
+44 (0) 207 318 4343
chantal.mabanga@csglobalpartners.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8867177

June 30, 2023

Ethiopia, Russia Plan to Upgrade Joint Ethio-Russian Biological Expedition

Ethiopia and Russia are going to upgrade their joint biological studies with the view to enhancing environmental protection and agricultural productivity, Ambassador Terekhin said.

In this respect, there is a plan to upgrade the Joint Ethio-Russian Biological Expedition which has been carrying out various scientific activities for over 35 years, the ambassador told ENA.

“We are planning to upgrade the joint institute of biological studies by signing inter-governmental agreement between the two countries in a short time.”

According to him, scientists of the two countries have made numerous scientific findings and studies in the field.

The ambassador elaborated that the expedition is very variable not only from the point of view of science but also making practical inputs into the development of agriculture and the protection of biodiversity.

Commenting on climate change, Ambassador Terekhin noted that it is not a problem of one separate country.

It is really a global issue which is affecting not only people of certain countries but the human kind as a whole. Therefore, joint effort is essential to overcome problems caused by climate change, he stressed.

“In Ethiopia, we see large-scale Green Legacy campaign, which will help to overcome the challenges of climate changes, especially in the country and the region.’’

Green Legacy campaign is an initiative which needs to be enhanced and followed by other countries of the region, and be supported by developed countries as well since it plays a significant role in overcoming the consequences of global climate change, the ambassador explained.

Of course, different countries use specific mechanisms and the capabilities to protect the environment and to tackle climate change in accordance their geographical location, he added.

The Joint Ethio-Russian Biological Expedition (JERBE) was established on the initiative of academician V.E. Sokolov in 1987, and operates to the present day on the basis of a repeatedly updated agreement on cooperation in the field of biological research between the Russian Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Ethiopia.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

June 30, 2023

Regional Gov’ts Urged to Develop Strong Climate Policy Frameworks, Implementation Structures

The East African region needs to come together, develop strong policy frameworks and implementation structures for early warning and action systems that prevent the devastating impacts of climate change, the Coordinator for Eastern and Southern Africa Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR) told ENA.

The CGIAR coordinator, Dawit Solomon, said that “in Eastern Africa, we should go beyond predicting and beyond forecasting, and really develop a strong policy framework and implementation structure and put in place a preparedness and early action system. East African governments need to come together and put that in place.”

According to him, it is crucial to subscribe and perhaps adopt the World Meteorological Organization’s new early warning system.

“The key point in all of these things is really to subscribe and perhaps adopt the new initiative by the World Meteorological Organization, which regional offices here in Ethiopia say early warning for all. So, early warning in principle should be a right for all Ethiopians, for all East Africans, and for all colleagues who are in the greater Horn of Africa and beyond.”

The coordinator further underscored the need to build overall capacity and take coordinated action in partnership with concerned actors.

“But having the early warning by itself is not a solution. So, once we have that, we need to have a clear-cut anticipatory action policy. We need to have clear-cut preparedness and a need to have clear-cut action to act early. So early warning, preparedness, and early action are critical. So I think we need to work to really build infrastructure, and technical capacity around this thing, and make sure that every citizen will get early warning, and then on the government and also on the international development side and NGOs and civil societies,” he elaborated.

Dawit added that the financial and technical support of international development partners and governments should be used to develop a very clear-cut policy framework, implementation strategy, effectively develop human, capital, and infrastructural capacity.

The coordinator, who claims that his organization is working by focusing on knowledge generation in this regard, revealed that in Ethiopia, for instance, “we’re developing next-generation drought forecasting systems” like developing flash flood contextualizing and flash flood forecasting tools.

He further noted that Ethiopia is at the forefront of climate change effects, and has put Food Systems Transformation policy that is admirable.

So,”we are involved in the knowledge generation innovation to the generation and research or development. We build the capacity, we link these things with a transfer system. And our goal is how we move from accessing technologies to uptake and use and for that what we do is we work with national governments, we look at their strategies, we look at their aspirations, and then we also look at their major initiatives and products. We link ourselves with these technologies.”

The coordinator finally noted that besides the efforts at national, sub-regional, and regional levels, the Intergovernmental Organization on Development’s Climate Prediction and Application Center has well established early warning system that can support the efforts at national and regional levels.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

June 30, 2023

Ethiopia, Germany Sign 21 Million Euros Grant Agreement

Ethiopia and Germany have signed a 21-million-euro grant agreement to increase Ethiopia’s equity contribution to the African Trade Insurance (ATI), according to the Ministry of Finance.

The grant is an integral part of Germany’s support to Ethiopia’s strategy to become a middle-income country by 2030, and its transition to a private-sector-driven economy.

According to the ministry, this grant shall be used to increase Ethiopia’s membership contribution to the African Trade Insurance agency (ATI), which is a pan-African insurance agency established by seven African countries in 2001.

The aim of the institution is to promote trade and investment by offering competitive insurance solutions for commercial and political risks, and thus to advance the development of economic growth in Africa, it was learned.

The insurance of direct investment has the potential to directly secure and promote jobs in Ethiopia, the ministry stated, adding that through this contribution an increase in insurance transactions with a focus on private sector growth in Ethiopia is expected to be mobilized.

The membership of the African Trade Insurance also plays a critical role in securing international investment and increasing business activity.

The grant agreement between Ethiopia and Germany was signed today electronically by Eastern Africa and African Union Director, Christoph Tiskens, KfW Development Bank Portfolio Manager Thomas Prien, and State Minister of Finance, Semereta Sewasew.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

June 30, 2023

Windhoek-Okahandja road to be completed in May 2024

The Roads Authority Chief Executive Officer, Conrad Lutombi, said the Windhoek-Okahandja road project, which has so far amounted to N.dollars 2 billion, will be completed by May 2024.

Lutombi said this during a media briefing on the progress of the project on Thursday, where he alluded to the number of challenges experienced during the construction of the roads.

“This was a big project that required optimal funding. We are happy that in this financial year we received adequate funding. The total for the Windhoek-Okahandja road was N.dollars 2 billion. As for materials, the contractors are hauling material from long distances, with some materials coming from as far as Karibib,” Lutombi said.

Lutombi added that this is a Harambee road project, and all finances have come from the Namibian Government. As for the contractors, this is a CMC-Otesa joint venture.

Speaking on the number of freeways constructed so far, Lutombi said there are the Windhoek-Okahandja, Windhoek-Hosea Kutako, and Walvis Bay-Swakopmund roads, and the Roads Authority also plans to construct a freeway from Windhoek to Rehoboth.

As for the other challenges experienced, the CEO said they had to look at where the communities would resettle and negotiate with the municipality to relocate these people, as well as deviate the road as a result.

“By the end of August, we plan to open the section of the road from Omakunde interchange to Gross Barmen interchange so that people can start enjoying these roads,” the CEO said.

Lily Brandt, Chairperson of the Roads Authority Board of Directors, said that the project is moving within the established timeline, especially since it was postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the bridges have been built to a very high standard.

“This particular road is one of the most important roads that we have undertaken to build within the last five years, and it’s important for us to finalise it at least by May next year. It will improve the traffic between the coast, the northern regions, and Windhoek. And also improve the lives of people as a result,” Brandt said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency