Foreign investment in Africa has been on the rise in recent years, with a record level of $83 billion in 2021, more than double the investment achieved in 2020.

This significant growth has been driven by investments in various sectors, including renewable energy, with the number of international projects in the field of renewable energies in Africa increasing to an estimated 71 projects, almost double the 36 projects completed in 2011.

The majority of foreign investment in Africa comes from European countries, with the United Kingdom and France being the largest investors, with $65 billion and $60 billion in investments, respectively.

In terms of geographical areas, North Africa has seen a decline in foreign direct investment, with a 5% decrease to $9.3 billion in 2021, while other regions such as South, East, and West Africa have seen an increase in investments.

Egypt has been a major recipient of foreign investment, with a total of $11 billion in 2022, more than double the $5.1 billion in 2021, with investments coming from various countries including the United Kingdom and France.

The country has also seen an increase in investments from Gulf countries, with recent pledges of $22 billion in various sectors.

Morocco has also seen a significant increase in foreign investment, with a 52% increase to $2.2 billion in 2021, with major projects including a $20 billion construction project for a 3,800km transmission line to the UK.

Nigeria has also been a major recipient of foreign investment, with a total of $4.8 billion in 2021, with investments coming from various countries including China and the United Kingdom.

The country's oil and gas sector has been a major driver of foreign investment, with companies such as China National Offshore Oil Corporation and ExxonMobil investing in the country.

Other countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal have also seen an increase in foreign investment, with investments in various sectors including renewable energy, infrastructure, and agriculture.

In terms of industrial areas, the renewable energy sector has been a major driver of foreign investment, with companies such as Siemens Gamesa and Vestas investing in the sector.

The digital infrastructure sector has also seen an increase in foreign investment, with companies such as Google and Microsoft investing in the sector.

Major foreign companies that have made investments in Africa include British International Investment Plc, which aims to invest $60 billion in Africa over the coming five years.

Other companies such as Toyota, Nissan, and Toshiba have also invested in Africa, with a focus on the automotive and electronics sectors.

African entities that have formed partnerships with foreign companies include the Egyptian government, which has partnered with companies such as Siemens and General Electric to develop the country's infrastructure.

The Nigerian government has also partnered with companies such as ExxonMobil and Shell to develop the country's oil and gas sector.

In terms of projected figures, foreign investment in Africa is expected to continue to grow, with a projected increase of 5% in 2023.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is also expected to drive foreign investment in the continent, with a projected increase of 10% in 2023.

Overall, foreign investment in Africa has been on the rise in recent years, driven by investments in various sectors and geographical areas, with major foreign companies and African entities forming partnerships to drive growth and development.

Foreign investment in Africa has been on the rise in recent years, with a record level of $83 billion in 2021, more than double the investment achieved in 2020.

Title:

Content: FDI flows to North Africa down 5% in 2021
Foreign direct investment to North Africa fell 5 percent to $9.3 billion for the whole of 2021, according to a report on “Investing in the World ” released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on June 9, 2022.
These investments, towards Tunisia, improved slightly from $652 million in 2020 to $660 million in 2021.
The same investment to Morocco increased by 52 percent to 2.2 billion dollars in 2021, compared with a 12 percent drop to 1.5 billion dollars in Egypt.
Despite the decline in these investments in Egypt, it remains the second country to benefit from the inflow of foreign direct investment in Africa.
According to the same report, the flow of foreign direct investment in Africa reached a record level of $83 billion for the whole of 2021, more than double the investment achieved for the whole of 2020.
Despite this significant growth, the flow of investment to Africa in 2021 represented only 5.2 percent of the global total, compared to 4.1 percent in 2020.
Most African countries saw a slight increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2021.
These investments developed in South, East and West Africa, while they maintained their previous levels in Central Africa, while declining in North Africa.
Europeans remain the most important investors in Africa, led by investors from the United Kingdom ($65 billion) and France ($60 billion).
Increased investments in renewable energy
Despite the overall positive trend of foreign direct investment towards Africa, the announcement of new projects remained weak at $39 billion and shows only a weak recovery compared to $32 billion recorded in 2020 and less than $77 billion recorded in 2019.
In parallel, the number of international projects in the field of renewable energies in Africa increased to an estimated 71 projects, almost double the 36 projects completed in 2011.
Among these projects is a $20 billion project that aims to export wind energy to the UK from Morocco.
By laying 3,800 km of submarine cables.

What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

This significant growth has been driven by investments in various sectors, including renewable energy, with the number of international projects in the field of renewable energies in Africa increasing to an estimated 71 projects, almost double the 36 projects completed in 2011.

The majority of foreign investment in Africa comes from European countries, with the United Kingdom and France being the largest investors, with $65 billion and $60 billion in investments, respectively.

Which European countries lead investment in Africa?

Which countries are actively investing in Africa besides China?

In terms of geographical areas, North Africa has seen a decline in foreign direct investment, with a 5% decrease to $9.3 billion in 2021, while other regions such as South, East, and West Africa have seen an increase in investments.

Egypt has been a major recipient of foreign investment, with a total of $11 billion in 2022, more than double the $5.1 billion in 2021, with investments coming from various countries including the United Kingdom and France.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
It has reached $11 billion.
UN highlights doubling of foreign direct investment in Egypt
The United Nations Trade and Development Board (UNCTAD) said in its annual report on foreign direct investment flows for the year 2022, on Wednesday in Geneva, that Egypt witnessed an increase in foreign direct investment more than doubled to $11 billion as a result of increased cross-border M & A sales.
Investment flows to Africa fell to $45 billion in 2022 from a record $80 billion in 2021 and accounted for 3.5 percent of global foreign direct investment, the report said, adding that international project financing deals targeting Africa showed a 47 percent drop in value.
The report pointed out that the number of announcements of new projects increased by 39% to 766, and that six of the 15 largest new investment mega projects (those worth more than $10 billion) announced in 2022 were in Africa, stressing that Egypt witnessed an increase in foreign direct investment more than doubled to $11 billion as a result of increased cross-border M & A sales.
The number of new projects has more than doubled to 161, and the value of international project financing transactions has increased by two-thirds to $24 billion.
FDI inflows have risen over the past five years in four of the continent ’ s regional economic groupings, with FDI in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) growing by 14% to $22 billion, and inflows also rising in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) (quadrupled to $10 billion) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WEMU) (doubled to $5.2 billion). East African Community (up 9% to $3.8 billion).
According to the report, the largest increase in 2022 was in new field projects announced in energy and gas supply (to $120 billion from $24 billion in 2021), and the value of projects in construction and extractive industries rose to $24 billion and $21 billion, respectively, while the information and communication sector recorded the largest number of projects.
European investors remain by far the largest owners of FDI in Africa, led by the United Kingdom ($60 billion), France ($54 billion) and the Netherlands ($54 billion).

What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

Which African countries are driving the venture capital ecosystem?

Which European countries lead investment in Africa?

Which countries are actively investing in Africa besides China?

The country has also seen an increase in investments from Gulf countries, with recent pledges of $22 billion in various sectors.

Title:

Content: « Money » monitors the forecasts of economic analysts for foreign investment flows in the current year
A number of them predicted it would reach $10 billion.
Samar Al-Sayed
Praying for Mahmood
6: 59 AM, Wednesday, 27 Jul 22
Wael Ziadeh: The Russian-Ukrainian war is an opportunity for the Egyptian stock exchange to attract more capital
Esraa Ahmed: Clean energy, infrastructure and digital financial services are the most attractive sectors
Hani Geneina: Companies should be encouraged to reinvest their profits instead of transferring them to parent entities abroad
Naaman Khaled: Most of the money will come from Gulf markets
The Egyptian government aims to increase foreign direct investment flows, especially the Gulf, in the local market in the coming period, in light of the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the global and local economies, and a number of analysts and macroeconomic experts estimated the value of these investments to reach $10 billion, driven by various factors, including the decline in the stock prices of companies on the stock exchange, and the exchange rate of the pound against the dollar.
The latest report issued by UNCTAD in June on the volume of foreign investment flows in 15 African countries last year showed that Egypt ranked second in the list, recording the volume of flows about 5.122 billion dollars compared to 5.852 billion in 2020 compared to 9.010 billion in 2019.
South Africa came first last year with a 1,235% jump in investment inflows of $40.889 billion compared to $3.062 billion in 2020 and $5.125 billion in 2019.
Wael Ziadeh, founder and CEO of Zela Capital, said that the Russian-Ukrainian war had negatively affected foreign direct investment flows in the world, while inter-state assistance had increased to counter the negative consequences of the war.
He explained to Al-Mal that these negative effects included the exit of investment flows from some emerging countries, which led to the impact of their trade balance, especially as their imports of food and oil more than their exports, for example Turkey and many European countries, as well as Sri Lanka.
On the other hand, the war represents a positive area for these countries, especially in activating the stock market sector, he said, adding that in this context, the Egyptian Exchange has opportunities to attract more foreign investments in the coming period.
He predicted that Egypt will take no more than six months to recover its trade balance once the war is over, as the prices of petroleum products and food will fall rapidly, as they rose rapidly after the outbreak of the war.
The objectives of the Egyptian government published in July 2021 in the second and final review report of the Credit Standby Arrangement Program signed with the International Monetary Fund, amounting to about $5.4 billion, indicated that the percentage of net foreign direct investments of GDP will rise to 2.5% in the current fiscal year compared to 2% in the last fiscal year, adding that it recorded 1.4% in the fiscal year 2021 / 2020, 2% in 2019 and 2.6% in 2019. / 2018.
These targets pointed out that the proportion of net foreign direct investment will jump to 3% of GDP in the fiscal year 2025 / 2024 compared to 2.9% in 2023 / 2024.
The government also expected in the report to increase the volume of foreign direct investment flows in the local market to about 11.7 billion in the current fiscal year against 8.6 billion dollars in the last fiscal year 2022 / 2021 to rise to 14.9 billion in the next fiscal year (2023 / 2024) and 16.5 billion in 2025 / 2024.
According to the Central Bank of Egypt ’ s forecasts issued in its statistical bulletin for May, the proportion of net foreign direct investment in GDP declined to about 1.3% in the fiscal year 2020 / 2021 compared to 2% in the fiscal year 2019 / 2020, adding that it was 2.7% in the fiscal year 2018 / 2019 and 3.1% in the year 2017 / 2018.
Economist Hani Geneina predicted that the value of net foreign direct investments in the local market will exceed 10 billion dollars in the coming period, due to several different factors, including the decline in the prices of shares of companies in the stock exchange and the exchange rate of the pound against the dollar.
However, Egypt was the second largest recipient of foreign direct investment in the African continent, he said, adding that recent pledges from Gulf countries to invest about $22 billion in various sectors will boost foreign direct investment in the future.
The number of new green projects in Egypt has more than tripled to $5.6 billion, according to the UNCTAD report, pointing out that for example, the UAE real estate company Reportage announced a real estate project worth $1.5 billion.
According to the report, the volume of foreign direct investment flows to North Africa declined by 5% to $9.3 billion last year.
Geneina told Al-Mal that the flows of foreign direct investments to the markets are divided into three types, the first is the acquisition of one company on another by more than 10%, pointing out that this investment happened last fiscal year, such as the acquisition of the UAE Holding “ADQ ” on several Egyptian companies, pointing out the importance of this type of investment, but it is not very useful in the list of foreign investments.
This type of rapid investment is encouraged by the decline in both stock prices on the stock exchange and the exchange rate of the pound against the dollar, as well as the recent government stimulus measures that included the implementation of the state ownership document.
The document of state ownership announced by the government in mid-June revealed the most prominent sectors that will witness the stabilization or reduction of government investments (while allowing the participation of the private sector), a number of activities in the transport, education, mining, real estate, electricity, telecommunications and sports sectors.
Geneina said that the second type of flows is the reinvestment of a foreign company present in the market for its profits again, pointing out that this type is classified in the balance of payments as foreign direct investments.
He added that the most prominent local sectors that will go to this type of investment is oil and gas, due to the high value of its profits achieved last fiscal year, and will therefore reinvest its large financial surpluses during the current fiscal year.
He pointed out that the third type of investment is the most difficult, which is the establishment of a new company or project from the beginning, and the employment of new workers, pointing out that for example, Dana Gas announced that it will expand its operations implemented in the local market.
This area is likely to witness an increase during the current fiscal year, especially in the oil and gas sectors and related sectors, namely petrochemicals and fertilizers, especially by Gulf investments in light of the features announced recently by the government, namely the state ownership document, the gold license, as well as the large financial surpluses they have, which motivates them to invest in the local market.
In mid-May, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced a number of concessions on the industrial sector, most notably the issuance of the golden license for some projects, pointing out that it will be granted once and include three areas as a start, namely green hydrogen, electric car manufacturing and infrastructure, seawater desalination projects and renewable energy.
Geneina stressed the importance of the government encouraging foreign companies to reinvest their profits in the local market instead of transferring them to parent companies abroad by providing incentives to urge them to take this step.
According to the latest UNCTAD report, Mozambique ranked third in the list of foreign investment flows to 15 African countries last year, and its inflows rose by 68% to $5.102 billion compared to $3.035 billion in 2020, while it recorded 2.212 billion in 2019.
Nigeria ranked fourth on the list, attracting inflows of 4.844 billion over the past year, an increase of 103 percent from the previous year, the data added, adding that it recorded 2.385 billion in 2020 and 2.305 billion in 2019.
Ethiopia followed in fifth place, and foreign direct investment inflows increased last year by 79% to $4.259 billion compared to $2.381 billion in 2020.
In the sixth place came « Congo » with the volume of flows of $3.691 billion, a decline of 8% from its value in 2020, and recorded 4.016 billion dollars, followed by Ghana in the seventh place in the list and increased flows by 39% to reach 2.614 billion dollars during 2021 compared to 1.876 billion in 2020.
According to data from the UNCTAD list, foreign direct investment flows in Senegal jumped by 21% to 2.232 billion against 1.846 billion dollars in the previous comparison period.
According to the report, the value of flows to Morocco increased by 52% last year to $2.153 billion, and a major international financing deal was announced there, a $20 billion construction project for a 3,800km transmission line to the UK with a capacity of 3.6 gigawatts, sponsored by English company Xlinks.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo ranked 10th on the list, with investments up 14% to $1.870 billion compared to $1.647 billion in 2020.
Gabon came in eleventh place, with direct investment flows falling by 5% last year to record 1.635 billion dollars compared to 1.717 billion in 2020, followed by Uganda, with flows rising by 31% to 1.142 billion dollars compared to 874 million in 2020.
Tanzania ranked 13th, with foreign investment up 35 percent in 2021 to $922 million compared to $685 million in 2020.
According to the bulletin, investment flows in Algeria decreased by 24% last year to $870 million compared to $1.143 million in 2020, pointing to the decline of investments in Tunisia to $660 million compared to $652 million in 2020 to be ranked 15th.
Esraa Ahmed, a macro-economic analyst at the investment bank “Ahly Pharos ”, agrees with Geneina ’ s opinion as she expects the volume of net foreign direct investment in Egypt to rise to about $10 billion during the current fiscal year (2022 / 2023), up from levels that will not exceed $7 billion in the fiscal year ending 2021 / 2022.
She added that this rise is driven by the Gulf investment flows that have been announced recently, and the acquisition deals that we see are witnessing activity during the current period.
There are other factors that may prevent net foreign direct investment from rising to larger numbers in the near future due to the continuation of the war in Ukraine and its repercussions on the global economy.
According to Ahmed, these factors are the economic situation of the European Union, which is an important partner for Egypt in terms of trade and investment, in addition to the general reluctance globally to risk starting new projects, and the prevailing outlook for emerging markets and the risks of their currencies.
On the sectors that may witness foreign inflows during the coming period, she said that the most prominent of them are clean energy, new infrastructure driven by the expansion of the state in this field, in addition to digital financial services, and some branches of manufacturing industries.
For his part, Numan Khalid, a macro-economic analyst at Arqaam Capital, said that the current circumstances in the world prevent the possibility of predicting the volume of foreign direct investment flows in the local market during the coming period.
He added that most of the investments come from the Gulf market, especially from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, pointing out that these two countries have benefited greatly from the recent increases in oil prices, and thus have a great financial solvency through which to invest in surrounding countries, especially in Egypt, which is one of their target markets.
He pointed out that health, hotels, real estate and the financial sector will witness an increase in the volume of investment flows to them during the coming period.
During his participation in the Qatar Economic Forum last June, the Minister of Finance, Mohamed Maait, looked forward to increasing the volume of Gulf investments with the transformation of their deposits in Egypt into real investments that benefit from the promising development opportunities available in various fields.

What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

Morocco has also seen a significant increase in foreign investment, with a 52% increase to $2.2 billion in 2021, with major projects including a $20 billion construction project for a 3,800km transmission line to the UK.

Nigeria has also been a major recipient of foreign investment, with a total of $4.8 billion in 2021, with investments coming from various countries including China and the United Kingdom.

Title:

Content: Report: Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Industry to Face Liquidity Challenges in 2022

0

*Dangote refinery to alter sub-region’s fuel supply dynamics

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Nigeria’s oil and gas industry may struggle with liquidity challenges in 2022, a new report by Mordor Intelligence, a global market research and intelligence firm, has predicted.

The report also projected a slow Compound Annual Growth Rate of (CAGR) of two per cent for the industry during the period under review, on the back of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In its market overview for the year, the research firm noted that oil and gas production had been hampered in Nigeria in the past few years due to the attack on oil infrastructure by militants.

Furthermore, it explained that oil theft had been one of the major issues faced by the market in Nigeria, which has resulted in huge losses to operating companies in the country. “Such factors are expected to hurt the market growth during the forecast period,” it said.

For months, Nigeria has been struggling to match its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota, losing millions of barrels in 2021, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NURPC).

The commission had lamented that with the OPEC production quota of 1.683 million bpd in January and 1.701 million bpd in February this year, it is only able to pump 1.396 million bpd currently, leading to a loss of at least 115,926 million bpd daily, put at roughly $300 million monthly.
“We are losing about 115, 926 barrels per day, so that translates to roughly about $300 million and that’s a huge loss to a nation that requires these funds,” the commission’s Chief Executive, Mr Gbenga Komolafe told a visiting senate committee.

Komolafe attributed the underperformance to mostly oil theft, sabotage, vandalism as well as technical issues, including ruptures associated with the country’s oil assets.

However, the Mordor report noted that some of the major factors that would drive the market during this period could include increasing investments in the upstream sector and the development of large-scale modular refineries in the country.

“The Nigerian oil and gas market is expected to register a CAGR of more than two per cent during the forecast period. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly hampered the growth of the market, mainly due to global oil and gas demand contraction and global economic slowdown.

“The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the crude oil price crash of April 2020, leading to a significant reduction in Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) spending by oil and gas companies globally.

“The country’s national oil and gas companies were already struggling with liquidity and cash shortage, and due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the situation has further deteriorated,” the report stated.

It projected that although Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas industry continues to expand, albeit it will be very slow.

In the downstream, the firm noted that lack of infrastructure and security concerns are leading Nigeria to underutilise its refining capacities, thereby pushing the country to become a net importer of refined petroleum products.

“However, Nigeria is on the edge of altering refined products’ supply dynamics in the region with the help of the upcoming Dangote Refinery, and it is expected to become the regional refining hub in the coming years.

“Once completed, the country is planning to become the refinery hub in Africa. This, in turn, is expected to attract foreign players to tap into the country’s downstream market in the near future,” it added

Given the country’s huge gas reserves and its advantage as a clean fuel, the report pointed out that gas has already witnessed a massive surge in its domestic consumption in recent years.
The shift to gas, it stated, is also supported by the fact that major oil reserves are likely to get dry in the coming three to four decades.

“Hence, the oil market is considered to be one of the most vulnerable markets where natural gas has the highest potential to penetrate.

“Moreover, gas production has become a major focus for the oil and gas companies, in response to strong investment in gas-to-power projects, across the region,” it noted.

It explained that the growth of Nigeria’s offshore exploration and production activities has been mainly driven by the efforts of governments in the region, as well as a growing list of international oil and gas companies interested in exploring alternative fields to replace the maturing offshore producing sites.

“The China National Offshore Oil Corporation mobilised a $3 billion investment, in addition to the $14 billion already spent on its existing oil and gas operations in the West African country.
“A large share of this investment goes into the operations in Nigeria. One of the most ambitious ultra-deep offshore projects is the Egina oil field in water depths between 1,400 and 1,700 meters,” it added.

As one of the largest and oldest oil producers in Africa, it stated that the oil and gas sector is one of the most important sectors in the country’s economy, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the country’s exports.

“As of 2020, Nigeria had the largest oil and gas reserves in the African region, with around 37 million barrels of crude oil (36,910) and 5.5 trillion cubic meters of gas,” the firm said.
According to the research firm, the privatisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and the creation of a limited liability corporation into which the ministers of finance and petroleum would transfer NNPC assets, could make it easier for the struggling company to raise funds.

But the market intelligence company stated that foreign investment in the country’s oil and gas sector is expected to slow down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby hampering the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Which African countries are driving the venture capital ecosystem?

Which European countries lead investment in Africa?

Which countries are preferred FDI destinations in Africa?

The country's oil and gas sector has been a major driver of foreign investment, with companies such as China National Offshore Oil Corporation and ExxonMobil investing in the country.

Which countries are actively investing in Africa besides China?

Other countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal have also seen an increase in foreign investment, with investments in various sectors including renewable energy, infrastructure, and agriculture.

What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

Which countries are preferred FDI destinations in Africa?

In terms of industrial areas, the renewable energy sector has been a major driver of foreign investment, with companies such as Siemens Gamesa and Vestas investing in the sector.

The digital infrastructure sector has also seen an increase in foreign investment, with companies such as Google and Microsoft investing in the sector.

Title:

Content: British International Investment Plc (BII) aims to invest $60 billion in Africa over the coming five years, Bloomberg reported on July 27th.

The investments will be made in several fields including renewable power and digital infrastructure, along with supporting women-owned businesses.

BII will pay attention to the powerhouse markets in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Egypt, with the investments being focused on the private sector.

The support plan, which is a part of a global program worth $10 billion, covers a $76 million contribution to a $500 million fund being arranged by Old Mutual Ltd’s African Infrastructure Investment Managers.

For his part, BII’s CEO Nick O’Donohoe said in an interview that his fully-owned company by the UK has been a major investor in power, particularly renewable energy, in Africa over the past three or four years.

Copyright © 2022 Arab Finance Brokerage Company All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

Which countries are actively investing in Africa besides China?

Major foreign companies that have made investments in Africa include British International Investment Plc, which aims to invest $60 billion in Africa over the coming five years.

What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

Which European countries lead investment in Africa?

Which countries are actively investing in Africa besides China?

Other companies such as Toyota, Nissan, and Toshiba have also invested in Africa, with a focus on the automotive and electronics sectors.

Title:

Content: Japan, Korea and India experience to expand Africa, Taiwan and Africa entrepreneurs association
The “Taiwan-Africa Entrepreneurs Association ”, commissioned by the International Trade Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, attracted more than 130 enterprises interested in exploring the African market. The exhibition and consultation desk at the representative office showed that our company's desire to expand the African market is very hot.
The theme of the event was “The Key to Success for Foreign Investors (Japan, Korea and India) in Expanding Africa ”. The event was addressed by Wang Ximeng, Secretary General of the Foreign Trade Association, Liu William, Deputy Director of the Bureau of International Trade of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Msibi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Swaziland, and Chen Shu-fang, President of the Association of Taiwan Commerce. In addition, Hung Sheng Packaging General Manager Tang Jung-hung, Yi Ho Industrial General Manager Fu Yang-li, and Nam Wei Industrial Strategy Director Yang Wei-han analyze the development opportunities in Africa from their practical experience in the packaging, building materials, and textile industries.
Wang Ximeng, secretary general of the Foreign Trade Association, pointed out that in addition to the competition between Europe, America and China over the layout of the African continent, Japan, South Korea, India and other countries in Asia are committed to increasing investment and economic cooperation in Africa.
There are more than 1.3 million people of Indian descent in Africa, such as in East Africa, where more than 60% of the economic lifeline is controlled by Indians.
In addition, 18 of India's 25 newly established embassies and consulates are located in Africa, and India has become the fifth largest investor in Africa, while Japanese automobile manufacturers Toyota, Nissan, and electrical appliance giant Toshiba have already planted flags in Africa; South Korea's Hyundai, Samsung, LG and other large enterprises have also been stationed in Africa.
Through this event, we hope to help our business people to learn from foreign companies such as Japan, Korea and India, as well as African market leaders, and shorten the path to enter the African market.
Liu, deputy director of the International Trade Bureau, said that in recent years, the global economy has continued to be volatile due to changes in the international situation such as Sino-US trade frictions, global inflation, and the Russian-Ukrainian war, but Africa has shown great resilience during this period.
In addition, foreign direct investment in Africa reached US $45 billion in 2022, which has returned to the pre-epidemic level, indicating that confidence in investment in Africa has gradually recovered. In 2022, the total import and export value of Africa reached a new high in recent years, with imports reaching US $694.5 billion, up 14%, and exports reaching US $661.4 billion, up 19%. It is hoped that through the activities of the association, upstream and downstream companies in various industries can learn from each other and share their experiences, and work together to promote Taiwan-Africa economic and trade relations.
The event will be held in conjunction with AGOA, a major textile manufacturer in South China, and the representative offices of African embassies in Taiwan, Africa-related associations, and import and export banks providing trade and financial services. For more information, please visit africa.taiwantrade.com for more information.

Which Asian countries are investing in Africa?

Which countries are actively investing in Africa besides China?

Which sectors received the most foreign investment?

African entities that have formed partnerships with foreign companies include the Egyptian government, which has partnered with companies such as Siemens and General Electric to develop the country's infrastructure.

Which African countries are driving the venture capital ecosystem?

Which countries are actively investing in Africa besides China?

The Nigerian government has also partnered with companies such as ExxonMobil and Shell to develop the country's oil and gas sector.

In terms of projected figures, foreign investment in Africa is expected to continue to grow, with a projected increase of 5% in 2023.

Title:

Content: Global investors waiting to pour in money in Africa to firewall China

By IANS | Published: August 2, 2021 02:09 PM2021-08-02T14:09:05+5:302021-08-02T14:25:34+5:30

New Delhi, Aug 2: After a tepid inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) into Africa in 2020 amid the ...

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New Delhi, Aug 2: After a tepid inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) into Africa in 2020 amid the Covid-19, investors are once again warming up to the continent. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), FDI flows into Africa declined by 16 per cent in 2020 to $40 billion, from $47 billion in 2019.

China, the primary investor in the continent, has also slowed down its investments into the continent leaving an opportunity for other investors.

While the UNCTAD projected FDI inflow into Africa to grow this year, it said that the slow vaccine roll-out programme is a cause for concern. According to UNCTAD, FDI to the continent is projected to grow by only 5 per cent in 2021. But analysts said Africa as an investment destination has led to "an unprecedented curiosity" among other countries, which are now aggressively looking to mute China's dominance in the continent.

"Africa is critical in the new geopolitical and geo-economic contours. The continent, with its vast natural resources, offers a ready growth platform," an analyst told India Narrative.

According to a study published by Brookings Institution last week, Africa is home to 17 per cent of the world population. However, by 2050, it will have 26 per cent of the global population 2.53 billion people. "If Africa is not successfully integrated into the global economy, there could be a major threat to global prosperity and stability," the study said, adding that by 2050, the continent will be home to an estimated $16.12 trillion of combined consumer and business spending.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – the mega trade could give a push to intra-continental investment.

Touted as one of the biggest trade deals in the world, the AfCTA aims to create a single market comprising 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of about $3.4 trillion.

Meanwhile, the US may have woken up late in recognising the potential of Africa but is making all attempts to make up for the lost time.

The Group of Seven or G7 has already decided to support US President Joe Biden's proposal of carving out a mega infrastructure plan under the "Build Back Better World" (B3W) initiative, expected to bring in transparency and sustainability. Besides, the initiative will be carried out only in consultation with local communities.

The G7 in its meeting in June also announced that it will increase its support to the Indo Pacific and Africa. "We resolve to collaborate with partners around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific and Africa, to actively promote these shared values for the good of all," said the statement.

India too has pressed the pedal on investments in the region. Sources said that the still-born Asia Africa Growth Corridor—the mega infrastructure project that was launched in 2017 to connect Asia and Africa must be revived.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted that Chinese financiers committed $153 billion to African public sector borrowers between 2000 and 2019. "After rapid growth in the 2000s, annual lending commitments to Africa peaked in 2013, the year the BRI was launched. By 2019, though, new Chinese loan commitments amounted to only $7 billion to the continent, down 30 percent from $9.9 billion in 2018," it said.

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The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is also expected to drive foreign investment in the continent, with a projected increase of 10% in 2023.

Overall, foreign investment in Africa has been on the rise in recent years, driven by investments in various sectors and geographical areas, with major foreign companies and African entities forming partnerships to drive growth and development.

What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

Which countries are actively investing in Africa besides China?


The global trend toward a 4-day workweek is gaining momentum, with many companies and countries exploring its potential benefits.

Improved employee well-being and productivity are among the reported benefits of a 4-day workweek, with data from the largest trial in the UK showing a 22% increase in productivity and a 66% decrease in absenteeism.

Additionally, a survey by the University of Reading's Henley Business School found that 65% of respondents who adopted a 4-day workweek reported cost savings, 64% reported improved productivity, and 78% reported less-stressed workers.

However, implementation challenges, such as meeting customer demands and managing complexity, are also significant concerns for businesses.

Equity is another issue, as some jobs, such as customer-facing roles, may not be suitable for a 4-day workweek, and higher-paid employees may be more likely to benefit from the arrangement.

Despite these challenges, many companies, including 15 Brazilian companies, are piloting a 4-day workweek, with promising results, such as a 36% improvement in performance, 42% reduction in layoffs, and 54% increase in productivity.

The non-profit organization 4 Day Week Global is also advocating for the adoption of a 4-day workweek, citing benefits such as increased productivity, better work-life balance, and improved employee well-being.

Overall, while there are challenges to be addressed, the trend toward a 4-day workweek is likely to continue, with potential benefits for both employees and businesses.

The global trend toward a 4-day workweek is gaining momentum, with many companies and countries exploring its potential benefits.

Title:

Content: New normal | Will 2024 be the year of the four-day week boom? Probably not…

At one point in time, flexible working was a prime example of the benefits that truly had the power to lure and retain talent.

Those days are now behind us.

This isn’t because the prospect of working from home, or altering office hours around childcare or medical appointments isn’t still alluring. In fact, far from it. It’s because in the interim, the world experienced a massive shift. One that not only forced many businesses to adopt remote working policies or face the prospect of inactivity, but also changed the perceptions of workers about their careers, and the value of wellbeing in their working lives.

In a post-pandemic world, the concept of flexible working is largely considered a given. This is acutely true among companies that understand the persistent challenges in the talent market. So, where do we go from here? Where are those looking to push the boundaries of their benefits offering to turn? The answer is the four-day week.

You’ve likely heard the words ‘four-day week’ uttered at conferences, or read it plastered all over LinkedIn. In short, whilst there’s some variation in implementation, for most adopting a four-day week involves quite literally ditching one full working day. Employees work their normal hours, minus one fifth, and get paid the same amount for their effort.

The concept may sound ludicrous to some, yet the value of the idea goes far beyond simply being a valued benefit. Data from the largest trial ever to have taken place in the UK, as reported by Buffer, found that productivity among workers increased by 22%, job applications went up 88%, absenteeism went down by 66%. Employees are also reportedly less tired and happier.

So, we have an exciting new concept with stellar outcomes when trialled and the vast majority of businesses are yet to adopt it. Inevitably, this will be the next big thing in 2024, right? In reality, this is doubtful. Here’s why.

Whilst flexible working has been adopted en masse, let’s not forget the impetus that caused this boom – the pandemic. According to data from IPSE, the proportion of workers reporting they work exclusively at home rose from 5.7 per cent in January 2020 to 43.1 per cent in April 2020. Whilst flexible working was no new concept in early 2020, the pandemic served as the catalyst for huge change, convincing many traditionalists that ditching the nine-to-five and introducing remote working could actually work.

The pandemic was the biggest trial of such a concept in recent history. And herein lies the issue with the four-day week. Leaders need to be convinced. Yes, it’s likely that it will grow in 2024, but without a major shift in working culture to encourage those who dismiss it to give it a try, there’ll be no sudden boom. So no, 2024 will not be the ‘year of the four-day week’, but for early adopters, it could well be a vastly positive development.

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Improved employee well-being and productivity are among the reported benefits of a 4-day workweek, with data from the largest trial in the UK showing a 22% increase in productivity and a 66% decrease in absenteeism.

Additionally, a survey by the University of Reading's Henley Business School found that 65% of respondents who adopted a 4-day workweek reported cost savings, 64% reported improved productivity, and 78% reported less-stressed workers.

Title:

Content: Four-day workweek’s popularity grew during the pandemic — survey

As companies scrambled during the COVID-19 outbreak to reorient their workplace procedures and processes, one idea that gained ground was a shorter workweek.

More businesses adopted a four-day week during the COVID-19 pandemic as the shift to remote working spurred a major rethinking of work practices, according to a poll of senior leaders at 500 UK businesses by the University of Reading’s Henley Business School.

The survey, an update to research from 2019, showed that 21% of respondents adopted a four-day workweek for all staff in 2021, up from 18% in 2019. The majority of respondents (65%) said a four-day workweek is in place for at least some of their workers, up from 50% who said that in 2019. A four-day workweek is defined in the report as involving a reduction from five to four workdays for the same pay or a compressed workweek with the same hours across four days instead of five.

Though a four-day workweek has gained popularity, the UK numbers are perhaps higher than expected; job posting site Indeed told Computerworld that less than 1% of job postings on March 11 included the term “four-day week,” for example. A Gallup survey of full-time U.S. employees in March 2020 — prior to the pandemic — indicated that only 5% put in four days a week, with the vast majority (84%) working five days (and 11% working six days each week).

That said, numerous organizations have adopted or trialled a shorter workweek for staff since the start of the pandemic, including firms such as Atom Bank, Bolt, Buffer, and Kickstarter. And pilot projects are under way in several countries, including the US, UK, and Spain.

Such projects are not new, of course; Microsoft launched a trial at its Japan offices in 2019 that resulted in higher productivity, for example, while the UK’s Wellcome Trust ran into issues around complexity with its own project the same year.

A shorter workweek has been talked about for decades, but a shift from the five-day, 40-hour week that has been the standard for over a century has so far failed to gain momentum.

What’s behind the recent interest in the idea? One reason is that the widespread, and largely successful, shift to remote work during the pandemic showed the benefits of a more flexible approach to work, said Rita Fontinha, associate professor in Strategic Human Resource Management at the University of Reading’s Henley Business School.

“The pandemic led to a situation where most firms were forced to implement remote work and this has accelerated previous discussions that we have been having over the last two decades on flexible working,” said Fontinha. “Working from home led to increased trust [between employers and employees] and awareness of other ways of measuring performance that go beyond presenteeism. The pandemic showed that flexibility works.”

Report highlights four-day week advantages

The Henley Business School survey pointed to several advantages for businesses that implemented a four-day workweek, including costs savings (66%), improved productivity (64%), better quality output from staff (64%), and  less-stressed workers (78%).

Improved employee wellbeing is connected to business outcomes too, said Jack E. Gold, founder and principal analyst at research firm J. Gold Associates.

“Keeping employees happy and motivated makes for far more productive employees, no matter what hours they work,” said Gold. “Maximizing employee productivity is a much more important way to gain business value than hours worked.”

Another benefit, noted by 68% of survey respondents that had adopted a four day week, involved hiring and retention. “People were less likely to take sick leave, people were more productive, and it was easier to attract new staff, and to retain them,” said Fontinha.

The so-called Great Resignation is also likely contributing to interest in a shorter workweek.

“What’s different now than prior to the pandemic is that we’re seeing a temporary spike in the difficulty that firms are having in hiring and retaining workers, and the four-day work week is a relatively easy benefit to extend to help ease the challenge in the short term,” said David Brodeur-Johnson, principal analyst at research firm Forrester.

A shorter workweek can mean challenges

The survey also highlighted several challenges around implementing a shorter workweek, though employer concerns have softened during the pandemic.

Among companies that did not offer a four-day week, 65% said they were worried staffing costs would outweigh any productivity benefits (though that number was down from 80%). The biggest challenge cited by employers was meeting customer demands (75%), while 70% thought a shorter week would be too complicated to manage.

Some companies may find a switch to a four-day week easier than others, said Fontinha. IT-focused firms are more likely to switch, she said, largely due to the relative ease with which tech worker output can be tracked in comparison with other roles. “Areas where we were less likely to see the four-day week were sectors that involve contact with customers, or healthcare, for example,” she said.

A shorter workweek is also more suited to companies with a relatively homogenous workforce in terms of job roles, she said, meaning large businesses with a diverse workforce may find a short workweek complicated to roll out. At the same time, the smallest companies might not have the resources to support the shift, said Fontinha, adding that there are steps all businesses can take to implement a four-day week, even if they are more gradual.

“Having this overnight shift to a four-day working week will be hard for smaller firms,” she said. “What we suggest is a progressive reduction in working hours, moving towards a four-day working week by assessing how things are going and how needs are being met, how productive people are.”

Even if the benefits outweigh the costs for many, businesses should consider their reasons for moving to a four-day week. While a shorter week provides clear benefits to work/life balance and employee wellbeing, Brodeur-Johnson warns against adopting a four-day week as a shortcut to improving employee experience. “[T]he science is clear that what really engages people is being able to make progress in meaningful work every day; to know that they can and are succeeding,” he said.

“Employee experience peaks when we can leave work knowing that we made a difference, and had a really good day," he said. "It also comes from having a supportive manager, a supportive team environment, and feeling recognized and seen uniquely for the work that we do.

“All of these things are much harder for businesses to do for their people, because it involves behavior changes, manager development, culture changes, deeper resourcing and more that a four-day work week won’t solve on its own.”

Copyright © 2022 IDG Communications, Inc.

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What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

However, implementation challenges, such as meeting customer demands and managing complexity, are also significant concerns for businesses.

What challenges will the companies with diverse workforce have for implementing 4-day workweek??

Complicated to roll out for large companies

Equity is another issue, as some jobs, such as customer-facing roles, may not be suitable for a 4-day workweek, and higher-paid employees may be more likely to benefit from the arrangement.

Title:

Content: The four-day work week is welcome, but some challenges remain

This shift has thrown up interesting questions on macro and micro levels that over time will need answering

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The sin of presenteeism is shaping up as a pre-pandemic anachronism, and the principal reason for this is not just remote working but an emerging historic global shift towards a shorter working week.

The global headaches from supply constraints following Covid-19 disruption have overshadowed equally profound changes in the labour market. For some bosses, there is rationing not just of the number of workers but the time they are willing to work. As people reassess their work-life balance, responsible employers and some countries are looking at the advantages of compressed hours on the job.

The UAE is a trailblazer in this regard, with most emirates having formally adopted a 4.5-day working model. Sharjah has gone further by opting for a four-day model. Reporting last week in this newspaper found that its residents said they are healthier and happier, enjoying more weekend flexibility and having more time with their families.

Many forecasts over recent years have been very wide of the mark about the economic trajectory of the big developed economies. The Resolution Foundation, a UK-based think tank that looks at work, points out that in analysing the pandemic, “many feared a house price bust, expected the inflation spike to be small/short-lived, said unemployment/insolvencies for workers/firms respectively would surge and claimed this would be a ‘she-cession’. None happened”.

Technology is the driver of all this, and the trend may over time become irresistible

Analysis of Google searches in the UK from an employment agency recently reported the four-day work week had gained popularity among people on the hunt for their next job opportunity. “Google searches for "4 day week jobs" exploded a spectacular 1,011 per cent in early 2022, when compared to 2021,” according to the firm’s research.

One of Britain’s biggest and best-known corporate brands, the department store M&S, has hired a well-known female executive who is a prominent four-day week champion, Katie Bickerstaffe. She said her role was compatible with shorter hours, even though it is a round-the-clock operation.

“We’re a seven-days-a-week, 24-hour operation and that’s what you do, but I’ve always done that [four days] because it gives me the freedom to spend some downtime with my kids and not feel that I don’t have the opportunity to do that during the week,” she explained.

The news coincided with the announcement that 70 UK companies had voluntarily joined a scheme to alter the working week basis of their business. Signing on to a pledge to pay 100 per cent of wages for 80 per cent of the hours worked means much more than just creating new rotas. It means altering the internal working patterns of the business and finding new ways to accommodate latency in the workforce.

Not everyone is convinced this can deliver a kind of workplace nirvana.

The Centre for Policy Studies carried out some research last year that estimated that a four-day week would have a big cost to the economy if productivity levels remained constant. The annual shortfall to the economy would be £45 billion ($55.42bn). On more generous calculations, if a 6 per cent increase in productivity could be achieved in the first decade of the reform, the loss overall could be pared back to £17bn. The analyst behind the figures believes the evidence for productivity gains from compressing hours and having shorter working weeks is extremely limited.

That is not much of an argument for not experimenting with shorter weeks. Employees already job-share and expect work-from-home arrangements throughout the work force. In office-based roles or project work, the flexibility to complete the workload that comes with the job most obviously lends itself to working with a defined, shorter time frame.

There are hurdles for other jobs. Customer-facing roles or service functions will still need to be provided across a far longer time-frame than four days or 32 hours. Unlike in Sharjah, there is no clear directive in the UK for a common day that extends the weekend. Indeed, many people working four days chose a non-consecutive day, such as Wednesday, for the non-working option.

Without the government plumping for Friday as part of a three-day weekend, it is likely that businesses will experience co-ordination both internally and with clients and supplies if substantial numbers in the workforce are missing in action for part of the working week.

There are also concerns around the equality of the development. Can it be true that more flexibility would allow women, in particular, to better balance childcare obligations and thus erode the disadvantage with men?

And as the work-from-home phenomenon has shown, the higher-paid employees have snapped up the main benefits from structural changes in how people work. There is little to suppose that this trend would not emerge from the four-day week.

Technology is, of course, the driver of all this, and the trend may over time become irresistible.

Certainly, the difficulties of drawing an absolute boundary between the working day and your time revolve around the fact that your email is always in your pocket on the phone. That is double-edged. It would be difficult for employers to play another card: offering people four days’ pay, not the salaried five.

Published: June 13, 2022, 4:00 AM

Despite these challenges, many companies, including 15 Brazilian companies, are piloting a 4-day workweek, with promising results, such as a 36% improvement in performance, 42% reduction in layoffs, and 54% increase in productivity.

Title:

Content: Brazil test week closed 3 September from some companies trial
Central News Agency
To improve the quality of life of employees, Brazil will test the possibility of working four days a week, use 80% of the time and maintain 100% productivity under the same salary conditions, and the 15 companies participating in the trial will decide how to implement the plan from September.
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Nonprofit organization 4 Day Week Global and Brazilian think tank Reconnect _ Happiness at Work today announced at a press conference in Sao Paulo that 15 Brazilian companies will pilot a four-day week starting in September.
Generally speaking, the working day in Brazil is Monday to Friday, and only special industries work on Saturdays and Sundays, and the maximum working hours can not exceed 44 hours per week, 8 hours per day, and overtime can not exceed 2 hours.
The four-day workweek initiative, launched in New Zealand in 2019 and gaining more traction during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been tested so far in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Australia and other countries, and the model will be carried out in Brazil by Global Four Days a Week in partnership with Reconnect _ Happiness at Work.
According to Global 4 Days a Week, nearly 500 companies around the world test the possibility of working four days a week, and employees must commit to using 80% of the time and 100% of the time under the same salary conditions to improve their quality of life.
Gabriela Brasil, director of Global 4 Days a Week, stressed that the challenges of the initiative are not limited to local labor laws, but also a strong corporate and employee attendance culture, which will require extensive communication and adequate support from leadership to ensure employees feel safe and confident in the new work model.
The 15 participating companies will decide for themselves how to implement the plan and how many departments will enter the pilot phase, and with the help of the Global 4 Days a Week, they will meet from September 5 to learn the basic concepts and steps of the project.
Renata Rivetti, founder of Reconnect and a specialist in corporate happiness, points out that it takes three months to redesign the workflow, and everything has to be done with great care, not only to propose a reduction in workload, but also to propose a new business model with results.
The pilot program began in December, and data on project performance was collected after 3 months.
The whole process ends after 6 months and the numbers are measured again.
Data from participating companies worldwide show that compared to the previous year, 36% improved performance, 42% reduced layoffs, 68% reduced employee burnout, 54% increased productivity, and 63% were more likely to attract talent.
The data confirm that the health and motivation of employees are higher, which brings higher productivity and greater profits to the company. When the company reduces the work pressure of employees and becomes more humane, the productivity of employees will also increase. (Editor: Zhang Zhixuan) 1120831
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The non-profit organization 4 Day Week Global is also advocating for the adoption of a 4-day workweek, citing benefits such as increased productivity, better work-life balance, and improved employee well-being.

Title:

Content: [Workplace Culture] Non-Profit Organization 4 Day Week Global Advocates for Corporate Transition to “4-Day Workday ”
Commercial 15: 09 2022 / 06 / 01
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“4 Day Week Global ” explores and studies with businesses to see if they can stay 100% productive if their employees work 20% less hours, four days a week.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have changed their work patterns, such as hybrid work and flexible working arrangements such as the four-day workweek, to reduce the chance of infection due to social contact.
However, in 2018, before the outbreak of the epidemic, New Zealand entrepreneur Andrew Barnes had already piloted the four-day work system for his company, and later established the non-profit group “4 Day Week Global ” to promote and guide the implementation of the four-day work system to global enterprises.
Andrew Barnes experimented with a four-day workweek for 240 employees at his company, Perpetual Guardian, which turned out to be a great success, with employees becoming happier and more productive, making it a permanent system.
Report: 92% of HR executives plan to use AI to enhance talent recruitment and management processes
Andrew Barnes then founded “4 Day Week Global ” and spoke in 99 countries on the topic of the four-day workweek, working with businessmen, academics and researchers around the world to bring productivity-focused flexible working to life.
“4 Day Week Global ” explores and studies with companies to see if they can stay 100% productive if their employees work 20% less hours, four days a week. Andrew Barnes says it ’ s not just about work-life balance, it ’ s about how to increase productivity to make the business better.
Focus more on production and return time to employees
“The idea of working four days a week is what I can give my employees as an incentive to focus on production, ” says Andrew Barnes.
If they can use their time more wisely, it makes sense to give it back to them. ” So he created the “100: 80: 100 framework ”, which allows employees to trade 100% of their salary, 80% of their time, for 100% productivity.
Report: 60% of employees have misused email to leak company data
In June this year, 20 companies from Oceania participated in the 4-day workweek pilot project of “4 Day Week Global ” and collaborated with Boston College, the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne, and the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand to guide companies through each step of the implementation trial.
Since January, similar pilot projects have been running in Ireland, North America and the UK, with 125 companies enrolled.
Andrew Barnes warns entrepreneurs: “Your biggest risk right now is not whether or not to try the four-day workday, but whether or not your biggest competitor has implemented it before you. ”
He emphasized that if entrepreneurs can ’ t re-imagine how the business works, employees will leave you and choose leaders with a broader vision.
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What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

Overall, while there are challenges to be addressed, the trend toward a 4-day workweek is likely to continue, with potential benefits for both employees and businesses.

Title:

Content: To increase production and care for the family.
Saudi writer calls for "4" days of work and study
Journalist Omar Al-Omari calls for the application of the system of work and study for 4 days a week, considering that the subject has become worthy of study, as studies showed that employees who work (4) days a week achieved the same levels of productivity, but also showed positive levels in job satisfaction, teamwork and balance between work and caring for families, which increased their loyalty to the facilities in which they work.
Decreased motivation to be in the workplace
4 thoughts on “4 days a week?! ”
In Makkah newspaper, Al-Omari says: There is no relationship between productivity and the length of work, and the headquarters of the school is not the only place to learn, contributed by the presence of modern technology and advanced communication system, artificial intelligence and speed of information exchange and automation, all in its great purpose to serve man and save his time from daily routines, thus decreasing the need to be in the workplace. Innovative thinking, wider spaces of creative products and the acquisition of new skills to make real progress and development difference and impact, and this can only be achieved by creating a comfortable balance between social life and human humanity and the harsh official working environment. ”
Business Idea (4) days trending in recent months
While the idea of working for four days has been popular in recent months, and has been successful in a number of developed countries recently, it is not a product of the moment, so recent studies have shown that employees who are overworked by long work periods and transport to work are actually less productive than the average productivity of employees who work in the same field for less time and have more freedom.
Employees achieved the same levels of productivity
“Studies have shown that employees who work with the idea of   working four days a week achieved the same levels of productivity, but also showed positive levels of job satisfaction, teamwork, work-life balance and loyalty to the facilities in which they work.
People feel happy and satisfied
“I believe that the idea of working four days a week will increase some of the important global rankings as a soft power in enhancing the presence on the world map, namely (World Happiness Index), (World Wellbeing Index) and (Quality of Life), thus reflecting this on the ranking of the best cities and places to live in the world. Other contributing factors include additional income, social support, family empowerment, quality of health and education, security, absence of corruption and the level of freedoms enjoyed by individuals. ”
Greater care for families
According to several European research findings, working four days a week promotes work-life balance and greater personal and social space for the individual; employees will be able to spend more time with their families, better reconcile care and work obligations, be more committed to their tasks and duties, and less likely to be stressed or take sick leave; as a result, they return to work ready to face new challenges in solving problems. And promote the presence of innovation and creativity in the work to achieve efficiency and competition. ”
The subject is worth studying.
“I think the topic has become worthy of study at the level of the number of school days and the number of working days to enhance the quality of life, create wider social spaces, and enhance the happiness and mental health index, ” concluded Al-Omari.
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What did a survey on 4-day workweek conducted in Hong Kong show?

61% of respondents said employers could implement a four-day workweek to improve employees' mental health.

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

Increase in employee and customer satisfaction.