Follow the UEFA Champions League final on Twitter

This Saturday, the “Old Lady” Juventus FC (@juventusfcen) will  come face to face with FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) most deadly forwards in World football in Lionel Messi, Neymar and Suarez for the very first time in a @ChampionsLeague final in Berlin, Germany. Football fans will flock to Twitter to connect with their favorite club, fellow fans and football experts to enjoy and live through every second of the match — before, during and after.

Hashflags
Every Tweet with #FCBarcelona, #FCBlive or #DR3AM — as well as #FinoAllaFine, #CeNeAndiamoABerlino, #ForzaJuve or #SeAndiamoInFinale — will trigger their club’s insignia in a hashflag, a tiny emoji resembling the club’s logo. Any Tweet with #UCLfinal will show an image of the game trophy.
Fans can also dive into the conversation by using the hashtags #UCLFinal and #UCL for the mother of all games in European international professional football. Make sure to follow the UEFA Champions League official handle @ChampionsLeague, too.
The teams
For these historically successful teams, it’s the eighth time they both stand in the Champion’s League final. Here’s how to follow each football squad on Twitter.
English-speaking FC Barcelona fans should follow @FCBarcelona and Spanish-speaking fans can follow @fcbarcelona_es.

You can follow the head coach of Barcelona, Luis Enrique (@LUISENRIQUE21) on Twitter together with some of his key players below:

• @NeymarJR
• @ivanrakitic
• @JordiAlba
• @3gerardpique
• @LuisSuarez9
• @DaniAlvesD2
• @andresiniesta8

For Juventus FC loyalists, follow @juventusfcen in English and @juventusfc in Italian.

You can follow the head coach Massimilliano Allegri (@OfficialAllegri) and the some of the key Juventus players below:

• @Pirlo_official
• @gianluigibuffon
• @paulpogba

afb receives US$ 20 million investment to advance expansion into sub-Saharan Africa

afb, a financial services company providing innovative consumer and SME financial products, has signed a US$20m investment deal with GEMCORP, an investment management firm with an emerging markets focus.

Commenting on the deal, afb CEO Karl Westvig said, “I am extremely pleased that afb has secured this new investment at an important time for the firm. The strategic investment by GEMCORP will help accelerate our growth strategy into sub-Saharan Africa.” 

afb currently operates in Ghana, Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania, and plans to expand into a number of other African countries by 2020, with innovative products and solutions designed to suit the needs of each market.

According to the World Bank Global Financial Index, there are over 400 million adults in sub-Saharan Africa still outside of the formal financial system. “afb aims to provide accessible, responsible and inclusive financial products to those who have been traditionally excluded, and in so doing give them the tools to improve their lives,” added Westvig.

Commenting on the investment, Atanas Bostandjiev, CEO of GEMCORP said: “Financial services is a key sector for our firm and we have been looking at the African market very closely, afb is a great investment opportunity for us. With its focus on driving financial inclusion through technology-based solutions, the company is poised for sustained and accelerated growth driven by the demand for access to credit amongst Africa’s growing middle class.”  

“We highly value GEMCORP’s commitment to afb and its confidence in our vision and strategy for the company,” said Westvig. “We look forward to working together on the future development of afb.”

China Trade Week expo to be held in Nairobi

Kenya will next month host over 150 Chinese exhibitors during the China Trade Week, which kicks off from 1^st to 3^rd of July at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

 

The China Trade Week will bring together Chinese companies across various industry sectors including building and construction, consumer electronics, electric vehicles, plastic molding equipment and materials, home electrical goods, green energy solutions, portable housing solutions and elevators system.

 

Organized by MIE Events, a leading organizer of trade fairs in Dubai and China, the trade week will be the first comprehensive China-focused trade event to be hosted in Kenya and the East Africa region.

 

The 3-day event is designed to provide Chinese companies with a unique opportunity to meet, discuss and develop trading and business partnerships with both Kenyan entrepreneurs and the region’s business community across various commercial sectors.

 

MIE Events Managing Director, Mr. David Wang (left) and Gary Robinson, MIE Events, International Director during the announcement of China Trade Week that will take place next month in Nairobi

Speaking during the announcement, MIE Events, Managing Director, Mr. David Wang said: “Kenya is the most developed economy in Eastern Africa and also the economic, commercial, and logistical hub of the entire region. Importantly, the China-Kenya economic cooperation and trade in various fields has gained momentum over the years, and it is the very reason why we are holding the China Trade Week in Nairobi.”

 

“We strongly believe that this event will provide an opportunity for Kenyan entrepreneurs to grow   strong business partnerships with Chinese companies and benefit from the industrial capacity and a wealth of knowledge from the People’s Republic of China,” he added.

 

This announcement comes in the wake of increased trade activities between China and Kenya, which continues to influence bilateral relations of the two countries.  In the last decade, China has become Kenya's largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and second-largest trade partner. It is estimated that, in 2013, China’s cumulative direct investment in Kenya had reached US$474 million. During the same year, the bilateral trade volume between China and Kenya reached US$8.4 billion.

 

Gary Robinson MIE Events, International Director, said the company is  delighted to provide a trade environment that is conducive to creating stronger ties between Chinese companies and the local business community looking to source for products and services from China.

 

“China Trade Week signifies the start of what could be a major trade milestone between the East Africa region and the People’s Republic of China. We want to link and empower many businesses with their counterparts in various parts of China and open up even greater opportunities for the local people,” added Robinson.

 

The exhibition will feature a series of practical and highly informative workshops and sessions on the best practices of doing business in China.

 

 

 

 

 

FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015 to be televised live on StarTimes

Soccer lovers in Kenya can now catch up on the latest action during this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup tournament which kicked off last weekend in New Zealand live and exclusively on StarTimes.

This follows the signing of an exclusive deal between StarTimes and the world’s football governing body, FIFA that will see StarTimes broadcast four major soccer tournaments namely this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand, Women’s World Cup Canada, Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal and U-17 World Cup in Chile.

The four competitions will be broadcast on both StarTimes and StarTimes Satellite in all sub-Sahara African territories.

The African continent will be represented by Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Mali and will be battling out with other major soccer powerhouses such as Brazil, Germany, Portugal and Argentina among others. The 52 matches pitying 24 teams will be broadcast live on StarTimes Sport 2 channel with the World Champions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015 being crowned on 7^th July, 2015.

Commenting on the development, Gary Rathbone, Head of Sport for StarTimes said “We are very excited to have secured these exclusive pay TV rights from FIFA to broadcast these prestigious competitions. Football remains a very popular choice and continues to gain momentum both as a participatory and spectator experience across Africa hence they will provide our viewers with high quality viewing entertainment,” noted Rathbone.

StarTimes also secured the exclusive pay TV rights deal with FIFA to broadcast the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 football tournament starting June 6^th to July 5^th 2015 that will be taking place in Canada. 

Coverage of the tournament will start exclusively on StarTimes Sport 2 on 6^th June 2015 with the final and closing ceremony scheduled for July 5^th, 2015.

“We are very excited to have secured these exclusive rights from FIFA to broadcast yet another prestigious competition. Millions of people will be watching and we hope that it will inspire young girls in Africa and specifically in Kenya to get involved in the sport,” concluded Rathbone.

Twenty four teams from across the world will be taking part in the largest single sports event for women worldwide, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 tournament. It will be the first single sport event held in Canada.

StarTimes will also be televising this year’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Portugal from 6^th June to 5^th July and FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile from 17^th October to 18^th November on StarTimes Sport 2 and StarTimes Focus channels.

Emirates offers fare deals for Kenyan travellers

Emirates, a global connector of people and places, has announced impressive economy class, business class and first class fare deals for Kenyans to some of the top destinations around the world.

Under the offer, Kenyans travelling from Nairobi to Amsterdam, Bangkok, Beijing, Dubai, London, Mumbai and New York can enjoy special rates for travel booked from 1^st June to 11^th December 2015.

Tickets are valid for return travel only and fares are inclusive of all taxes. The offer is valid until the10^th of June 2015.

“We are committed to facilitating ease of travel for diverse customers, who travel for leisure, with their families, or to conduct business in destinations across our vast network. Our convenient connections and high quality service ensures that our customers always get value for money,” said Anita Kongson, Emirates Country Manager, Kenya.

Fares for Economy Class to Amsterdam start from USD 699, Beijing USD 965, Bangkok USD 689, Dubai USD 479, London USD 901, Mumbai USD 463 and New York USD 1018.

When travelling on Emirates, all customers experience the airline’s award-winning ice entertainment system with hundreds of channels of on-demand audio and visual entertainment, gourmet cuisine and the world famous hospitality and service from its multi-national cabin crew. Business Class customers enjoy 40 kg of baggage allowance whereas Economy Class customers usually get 30 kg. First Class passengers enjoy a baggage allowance of 50kgs.

Emirates operates double daily flights between Nairobi and Dubai and onward to more than 140 destinations in 81 countries.

EK 719 departs Dubai International Airport every day at 1045hrs and arrives at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 1445hrs. The return flight, EK720, leaves Nairobi at 1640hrs and lands in Dubai at 2240hrs.  The second flight EK 721 departs Dubai International Airport every day at 1610hrs and arrives in Nairobi at 2010hrs. The second return flight, EK722, leaves Nairobi at 2250hrs and lands in Dubai at 0450hrs.