In the news

The nightmare of Afghanistan at war remains very real, begging the question: Is tourism sustainable or even beneficial? James Willcox, one of the founders of Untamed Borders, a tour company, believes it is. “It’s not too early for tourism in the Wakhan Corridor,” he says, referring to Afghanistan’s mountainous, northeast region, a place untouched by conflict where his company offers alpine trekking tours.

At Islamabad's National Art Gallery, artists from Afghanistan, Chitral, Hunza and Peshawar offered Islamabad the chance to hear the mystical music traditions of their regions. Arranged by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), the Aga Khan Cultural Service and the French embassy, the two-hour concert opened with a performance by Ustad Ali Gohar and his team of drummers.

International relief and development organization Oxfam America, along with the Aga Khan Foundation, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, CGAP, Freedom from Hunger, Plan International, the SEEP Network, and USAID, launched “50 by 2020,” an initiative seeking to expand savings groups to 50 million members globally by 2020.

In a year that saw most banks post impressive results, Diamond Trust Bank said yesterday its profits before tax for 2012 rose by 40 per cent to Sh6 billion, up from Sh4.3 billion in 2011.

Read the full article from The Star here. 

Today Roshan announced it has secured funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to support the rollout of the company’s 3G and high speed data services throughout Afghanistan.

Read the full article from Khamma Press here. 

The World Bank Group is strongly committed to helping the people of Afghanistan by promoting growth and reducing poverty during and beyond the withdrawal of Western security forces in 2014. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group’s private sector arm, invested a $65 million loan agreement in February with Roshan, one of Afghanistan's leading mobile operators, to finance a 3G network and invest in its development.

With its stunning scenery, the Afghan authorities hope the mountains of Bamiyan can become a big pull for adventurous travellers." Organising a ski competition seems frivolous, but it has a symbolic dimension," said Christoph Zürcher, the event's founder. "People here can think that Afghanistan is going somewhere instead of going down."

Diamond Trust Bank has opened five more branches in Kenya as it seeks to increase its footprint in the local and regional market. The opening of the branches increases its network in Kenya to 44.

Read the full article from The Daily Nation here. 

SEACOM has selected Ciena Corporation’s 6500 Packet-Optical Platform and OneControl Unified Management System for the upgrade of its submarine network across the Southern and Eastern African coastlines. SEACOM is focused on driving the development of the African internet and opening the broadband tap for African consumers.

Tanzania’s long-term battle against cardiovascular diseases is likely to produce positive results. The Aga Khan Hospital, Tanzania, a giant and global health institution, is expected to set up a special facility for cardiovascular treatment in a government-driven initiative to make cardiovascular treatment accessible (locally) at an affordable cost.