Democratic republic

• New York, United States of America, April 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Building on the resounding success of its flagship event Unstoppable Africa in 2022 and 2023, the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) is pleased to announce its plan to convene leaders from business, government and the United Nations in 2024.
• Unstoppable Africa will return to Cipriani’s in New York on 25 and 26 September 2024 on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
• “Now in its third year, the Global Africa Business Initiative is maturing into a year-round private sector-led initiative.
• For more information on the Global Africa Business Initiative, visit the website .

• This may explain why the region has the lowest proportion of children who are developmentally on track when it comes to literacy and numeracy.
• Recently, I set out with a colleague to assess how children in eight west African and central African countries were faring in this regard.
• Only about one in every 10 children (11.9%) in our sample were developmentally on track in literacy and numeracy.
• For all three activities, children who were developmentally on track were more likely than other children to have interacted with a caregiver.

The data

• The data was collected between 2017 and 2021 by the Multiple International Cluster Surveys (MICS).
• This global programme collects nationally representative data on maternal and child health using household surveys.

identify or name at least 10 letters of the alphabet
read at least four simple, popular words in any language
know the name and recognise the symbol of all numbers from 1 to 10.

• That makes it especially important to study in a sub-region where an estimated 89% cannot read and understand a simple text by the time they are 10 years old.
• The major takeaway from our study is that cognitively stimulating activities with caregivers matter.

What should be done

• Caregivers must be taught how important it is to regularly engage young children in these activities.
• Read more:
  How playing the 'School Game' helps kids on their journey to literacy

  This is particularly important for caregivers without formal education.

Pearl S. Kyei does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• Electra Battery Materials Corporation (NASDAQ: ELBM; TSX-V: ELBM) (“Electra”, “Company”) and Eurasian Resources Group S.A.R.L.
• (“ERG”), a leading diversified natural resources group headquartered in Luxembourg, announced today that they have signed a binding letter of intent for long-term supply of ERG’s cobalt hydroxide to North America’s first battery grade cobalt sulfate refinery.
• The agreement, effective April 1, 2024, supports efforts to onshore the battery supply chain and reduce reliance on foreign refiners.
• Electra and ERG are exploring further collaboration to de-risk the construction of another cobalt refinery in the Bécancour, Quebec district.

• Adenia Partners (“Adenia”), a leading private equity firm that has been making responsible and sustainable investments in Africa for over 20 years, has signed an agreement with Air Liquide, world leader in industrial and medical gases, for the acquisition of 12 of its subsidiaries in West and Central Africa and the Indian Ocean.
• In addition, as part of the transaction, Air Liquide has entered a long-term contract with Adenia for the supply of numerous industrial and specialty gases.
• These supplies, together with Air Liquide's support in the transition, notably through a technical assistance contract, will complement future investments.
• Adenia intends to accelerate the growth of this new group by investing heavily in production and storage capacity to better serve its customers."