On 13 and 14 December 2017, African Forum Scotland were honoured by the United Nations through their selection of its Group Executive Vice President ‘Festus Olatunde’ to be a key principal speaker at the United Nations trans-African gathering in Kigali, Rwanda. The Conference is entitled the ‘African Entrepreneurship Policy Forum’. This UNCTAD and Empretec initiative was attended by over 500 delegates representing Heads of Government, Policy makers, CEOs, leaders of NGOs, the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the Chief Executives of African Empretec divisions. Festus presented an overview of the successful and effective entrepreneurship and educational strategies and projects currently being implemented by AFS. On the conclusion of his presentation, Festus received a tremendous ovation of approval. During his presentation, Festus was also able to emphatically position AFS within the Empretec strategic firmament which strongly features Empretec’s recognition of AFS as exemplars and global champions of diaspora
led entrepreneurship through our strong commitment to design initiatives and create institutions to promote entrepreneurship.
African Forum Scotland announce the floating of 3 new companies to better reflect and present its direction and to better deliver its strategic impact. The broadcasting division covering radio and television platforms will trade as ABCi Media Limited. A new initiative entitled ACE Graduate Recruitment will shortly be launched and a new remittance and transaction service company to cover the UK and Africa will shortly be launched entitled African and Global (Digital Services and Transactions) Limited. Group Executive Chairman Ken Stewart stated ’This
is an exciting time for all at the AFS Group. Watch this space for further enterprising and enlightening announcements as the new restructuring, new appointments and fuller details emerge in early 2018’.
African Forum Scotland was selected and honoured by the United Nations team in Geneva to represent them by hosting the European leg of their global launch of the ‘Economic Development in Africa Report 2017’. This years subject being ‘Tourism for Transformative and Inclusive Growth’.
AFS partnered with The City of Edinburgh to host the Launch and The Lord Provost of Edinburgh Frank Ross delivered the Welcoming Address. AFS Group Executives, Ken Stewart, Beltus Etchu and Festus Olatunde all participated and an interested selection of Press and Scotafrican Diaspora leaders attended and engaged in enlightening post presentation discussions. This European launch timing was synchronised to coincide with the Secretary General’s global launch of this initiative in New York.
”AFS proudly registers our support for Dr Walter Mzembi from the Library of the United Nations Building, Palais des Nations, Geneva which is a most apt location from which to register the total support of African Forum Scotland (AFS) and all our global Branches for Dr Mzembi’s candidacy. AFS are present in Geneva as guests of UNCTAD and Empretec as we explore best practice and co-delivery of diaspora Trade initiatives into Africa. Our support at this juncture is therefore all the more considered and relative. AFS accordingly confirms our strong endorsement for his well deserved election and elevation to this high office as Chair of UNWTO”.
Ken Stewart, Chairman of AFS, announced today that AFS have opened 7 new offices in Africa and now also has a European presence in Valencia and Paris.
‘Following significant emerging opportunities involving Trans-African joint ventures and the prospective growth of strategic investment partnerships, we have joined with several of our reputable and enterprising African associates to jointly raise our presence across the Continent and maximise our profile and assist market growth’ said the Chairman.
Previously only operating from Abuja, AFS have now exchanged Agency contracts to open representative offices in Accra, Nairobi, Yaounde, Dakar, Abidjan, Malabo and Harare. In 2017, AFS are also to open in Europe, operating from Valencia and with additional representation in Paris.
Below are the representatives details
AFS NIGERIA
Chairman: Mike Zuokumor (DIG Police rtd.)
Scotland House
68 Romford Street
Suncity
Federal Capital Territory
Abuja, Nigeria
The Empretec Global Summit is the annual global gathering of business owners who have graduated from the United Nations’ entrepreneurial skills training programme, Empretec. The Empretec Summit offers new opportunities and incentives for Empretec Graduates to internationalize, and therefore improve productivity, create cross-border B2B linkages, identify potential funding sources and forge new partnerships. Not an Empretec graduate yet? Join us at the next Empretec Global Summit to discover our global community, explore inspirational business cases and find the next Empretec training opportunity nearest to you!
UNCTAD, as a key partner of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, organizes the Empretec Global Summit annually, in the context of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC), an inter-disciplinary gathering where over 7000 people from 150 nations gather to facilitate the role of entrepreneurship in driving social and economic growth.
The Police Scotland Positive Action Team based at Force Training and Recruitment Centre (FTRC), Jackton are currently running a four week Introduction to Policing programme aimed at attracting/recruiting members from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and under represented community groups to consider a career with Police Scotland.
Session two of this programme took place at The Scottish Police College, Tulliallan on Sunday 22 January 2017. This event, the first of its kind run in the UK, is a groundbreaking and innovative concept assembled by the Positive Action Team to showcase Police Scotland as an attractive career for BME communities.
Speaking with Chief Inspector Ann Bell, it is obvious that Police Scotland has put in a lot of effort to ensure that it mirrors the community that is serves. “The more BME’s we have, the easier it will be for the communities to relate with us”, she said.
Beltus Etchu – CEO of African Forum Scotland (pictured left) and colleague also represented
It is hoped that this programme will enhance and improve candidates’ knowledge of the selection process including the Standard Entrance Test (SET), standards/ fitness and the interview process It is hoped that upon conclusion of the programme this new knowledge of the selection process will lead to an increased confidence when submitting an application for the role of Police Officer.
During session two candidates participated in a mock fitness and received information on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They also received presentations from the Chief Constable Phil Gormley QPM, Chief Supt Brian McInulty, Divisional Commander G Division and Supt Faroque Hussain, U Division. Candidates were accompanied by family members and received a tour of the facility.
Chief Constable Phil Gormley and Arnold Asafu-Adjaye, General Manager of ABCi Media discussing Positive Action in recruitment
This event was attended by 113 guests – which included the 54 candidates who enrolled onto the Introduction To Policing programme and their family members – the candidates formed a diverse group which included Africans, Sikhs, Muslims, Latvians, Albanians, Spanish, Polish, Russians and those with a Middle Eastern heritage.
Representatives from the Sikh and Muslim communities, mosque committee members and African Forum Scotland were also in attendance.
Police Scotland Youth Volunteers and Special Constables were on hand to ensure the smooth running of the event.
African Forum Scotland’s media arm ABCi Media, Sikh Channel, GEO TV and the Daily Jang (Pakistani newspaper) covered this event as well as the Daily Record and Herald newspapers.
The event proved extremely successful during which some of the candidates commented that the support they received from the Positive Action Team would ultimately lead them to pursuing a career with Police Scotland either as a Special or regular Constable”
(L to R seated) Mia Hamwey – US Chair and Board Director, HALO Trust; Beltus Etchu – CEO, AFS; Amanda Pullinger – Chairperson, HALO Trust; James Cowan Major (rtd) – CEO, Halo Trust, Ken Stewart – Board Chair, AFS (L to R standing) Arnold Asafu-Adjaye, Communications Director – AFS; Steve Cardownie – Deputy Lord Provost, Edinburgh; Professor John Struthers – CAREED, UWS; Dr Rosemary Sleith – Education & Traing Manager, NSI; Peter Cecil Buekor – General Manager, AFS
An exploratory meeting took place in Glasgow where the AFS Board and Advisers met with the HALO Trust.
Arnold Asafu-Adjaye Director Of Communications (AFS)
Arnold Asafu-Adjaye, AFS Director of Communications, has been appointed to the elite project team responsible for both the United Nations Conference on Trade And Development (UNCTAD) ‘entrepreneurism and champion development’ enterprises and the CUTS joint venture initiative designed to assist disadvantaged people in Sub Saharan Africa.
Chairman Ken Stewart welcomed Arnold to this key AFS task force and recognised that his media and communication skills will bring added transparency, inclusion and accountability to both spheres of these exciting AFS operations.
‘The key to delivering success in Public Private Initiative partnerships is all about community engagement and we see Arnold’s deployment as vital in winning hearts, minds and the engagement of all participating parties’ said the Chairman.
Arnold’s career path is international, varied and comprehensive. It spans across many industry sector including logistics, media, retail, music production and manufacturing. His expertise includes successfully developing communications, information systems, social media and marketing skills.
Scots resident Arnold is British born of Ghanaian descent. He has developed an extensive network of key global decision makers within NGO’s, CSO’s, international media circles and the world of music.
Arnold as General Manager, heads up the AFS media arm ‘radio and television station’ ABCi and is also Director of Operations at Kinnect2 Africa where he will continue to grow these impactive enterprises.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development based in Geneva has appointed AFS as an official Partner to work with them to prepare entrepreneurs to create and deliver solutions for development issues in areas such as health, education, infrastructure development and beyond.
Chairman Ken Stewart recognises this as a significant accolade and congratulated CEO Beltus Etchu and Executive Director Festus Olatunde on the favourable impression they recently created at the UN Investment Forum in Kenya and on Beltus Etchu’s appointment to the UN panel responsible for the UN Women in Business Awards selection team and the annual ceremonies.
He stated ‘’We are especially keen to introduce AFS Health, Education and Infrastructure programmes and to formally align them to current and future UN initiatives. Our Agroforestry coaching of innovative technical and entrepreneurial initiatives has already improved yields and harvests from six to ten times better than existing performances and typifies how by working alongside the UN, we can make a difference to the lives and livelihoods of the disadvantaged. In Africa, AFS are helping transform subsistence farmers into entrepreneurs, creating new markets, empowering and employing women and young people and are also confronting and redressing urban migration. We look forward to learning from this exemplary and admirable organisation and our better understanding of how we can effectively and beneficially work together to empower and create employment and also help build stability and develop new markets and income streams for the benefit of the hungry, the excluded and the oppressed’’.
of its Group Executive Vice President ‘Festus Olatunde’ to be a key principal speaker at the United Nations trans-African gathering in Kigali, Rwanda. The Conference is entitled the ‘African Entrepreneurship Policy Forum’. This UNCTAD and Empretec initiative was attended by over 500 delegates representing Heads of Government, Policy makers, CEOs, leaders of NGOs, the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the Chief Executives of African Empretec divisions. Festus presented an overview of the successful and effective entrepreneurship and educational strategies and projects currently being implemented by AFS. On the conclusion of his presentation, Festus received a tremendous ovation of approval. During his presentation, Festus was also able to emphatically position AFS within the Empretec strategic firmament which strongly features Empretec’s recognition of AFS as exemplars and global champions of diaspora
African Forum Scotland was selected and honoured by the United Nations team in Geneva to represent them by hosting the European leg of their global launch of the ‘Economic Development in Africa Report 2017’. This years subject being ‘Tourism for Transformative and Inclusive Growth’.
