British Airways Trials Digital Queuing Technology

British Airways will be trialling new intelligent queuing technology from Qmatic, that will enable customers to virtually queue at check-in by pre-booking their slot time in advance of arriving at the airport.

The technology, which is optional for customers, will be trialled by British Airways for three months on selected flights departing from Heathrow Terminal 5. Customers will be sent an email before travel inviting them to book their personal check-in time.

When it is time for a customer to check in, the Qmatic system will notify them that it is their turn, allowing them to then simply go to the dedicated desk and the airline’s customer service team will be able to assist. Customers who have not booked a check-in slot through Qmatic, can proceed as normal, or have the option to join a virtual queue when they arrive at the airport by scanning a QR code.

British Airways will be the first airline to trial Qmatic, which is currently used extensively in public sector, retail, healthcare and financial organisations around the world, including BP Service Stations, the Tate Modern and the Post Office in the UK,  to help manage the flow of customers.

Declan Pollard, British Airways’ Head of Heathrow Customer Experience, said “In this new Covid-19 era we know that customers have been travelling less frequently than they normally would, and in most cases not at all. We understand many people will feel unfamiliar with the airport journey, so we are committed to exploring how technology can simplify that experience for them.

This technology means that our customers can plan their departure knowing that they have a personalised check-in time. We think this technology, coupled with digital travel apps, will help efficiently manage the flow of customers in the airport at any one time and give our customers reassurance.”

Mark Brackley, Managing Director of Jade Solutions, the exclusive supplier of Qmatic in the UK, added “The intelligent queuing solution will provide British Airways’ customers with the ability to add themselves to a virtual queue and see their position change in real-time, all from their phone. We are excited to be working with British Airways to trial this technology.”

Elsewhere, British Airways is also trialling digital travel apps to ensure customers meet the entry requirements for their destination before arriving at the airport. The airline’s customers can currently use VeriFLY on all flights to the US, Canada and France as well as on all inbound flights and the airline has been assisting in the development of IATA’s travel pass.

British Airways’ customers also travelling to Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal, can now also upload their negative Covid-19 test result and other documentation directly into ba.com for verification before travel.

British Airways will continue to explore how it integrates other technologies, such as VeriFLY, into its systems to further streamline the customer experience.

Lagos State Launches First And Last Mile Bus Scheme To Suffice For The Ban Of Tricycles and Bikes (Okada)

The Lagos State Government launches a new bus system initiative known as First And Last Mile Bus to serve as a replacement for the Tricycles and Bikes (Okada) which the government banned due to the increased level of insecurity.

This new functional and effective intermodal transportation system, the First and Last Mile Bus Scheme was launched at the Citizens Meditation Center, Agege Lagos on the 11th of May 2020 as the Lagos State Acquires 2000 new buses.

Last Mile Bus Last Mile Bus Last Mile Bus

On the 1st of February  2020, the Lagos State Government banned all activities of commercial motorcycles (Okaka) and Tricycles (Keke Napep) in 15 local government areas in the state and on all highways.

This development saw many riders and operators lament as Law Enforcement began to impound bikes and tricycles during this period.

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The Lagos State Government has deemed it fit to introduce a replacement for the Bikes and Tricycles with the First And Last Mile Bus which will move in the community-based routes within a distance of 3-4 kilometres.

The First and Last Mile Bus scheme will enhance the comfortability and security of the average Lagos State residents and it also promises to be very affordable.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government on Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale had this to say regarding the new initiative, “The First and Last Mile Bus Scheme routes, considered as community-based routes within a distance of 3-4 kilometres, are currently served by the Tricycles and Motorcycles.

Last Mile Bus Last Mile Bus

However, following the restriction of the operation of motorcycles in Six Local Government Areas and Nine Local Council Development Areas, it became expedient to conceive an FLM scheme that enhances passengers’ connectivity and accessibility to all the bus routes (standard and BRT routes) as well as proposed Rail corridors and waterways in Lagos.

To kick off the scheme, the State Government is facilitating the provision of 2000 buses, in collaboration with the private sector, to be operational in phases over the next six months. The first batch of 500 buses is set to be launched in the coming week.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me at this juncture urge all our residents who will be making use of the buses to do so with utmost care and ensure the buses are well taken care of and resist any attempt to vandalise the buses.

The buses belong to the people and therefore must be protected. The buses are provided to ease the transportation challenges of our people to make inner-street transportation easier.

The Office of Civic Engagement is advocating for the success of this First and Last Mile Bus Project as its success will be in fulfilment of our mandates to always bring relief to the stressed and vulnerable citizens of our dear State.

This has necessitated the initiation of social intervention programmes such as; Sanwo-Olu Listens, Eko Cares, Mother-Infant and Child (MICH), Snacks for thought in the Office of Civic Engagement geared towards providing relief to our vulnerable citizens who are challenged in the areas of health, unforeseen disasters, loss of jobs and businesses and infant and child development.

I will like to thank Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat for their vision and unflinching support for this programme not forgetting those who have worked tirelessly to make this scheme a reality.”

Beverage Makers Generate Highest Company Tax in Nigeria – NBS

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the federal government of Nigeria generated N392.77 billion as Company Income Tax (CIT) in the first three months of 2021.

This is against N295.72 billion generated in Q4 2020 and N295.68 billion generated in Q1 2020, representing a 32.82 per cent and 32.84 per cent increase respectively.

The Bureau disclosed this in its “Company Income Tax by sectors Q1 2021”, released on Wednesday.

The bureau said breweries, beverages and bottling companies generated the highest amount of CIT with N23.26 billion, closely followed by professional services including telecoms which generated N18.17billion.

The report stated that state ministries and parastatals generated N17.35 billion while the textile and garment industry generated the least and closely followed by mining and automobiles and assemblies with N13.49 million, N34.40 million and N73.57 million generated respectively.

Out of the total amount generated in Q1 2021, N152.33 billion was generated as CIT locally while N184.59bn was generated as foreign CIT payment.

According to the report, the balance of N55.85 billion was generated as CIT from other payments.

Davido Set To Host His Debut Twitter Space

Twitter has announced a special partnership with David “Davido” Adeleke, which will see the incredibly talented musician host his first Twitter Space to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his first single and presence in the Nigerian music industry.

The Space will take place on Friday, 14th May 2021 at 6:00 pm (WAT), and will be co-hosted by fellow musician and friend, Adekunle “Mayorkun” Mayowa Emmanuel.

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The partnership has also seen Twitter launch two custom emojis triggered by the hashtags: #DavidoAt10, #TheBaddest10years, #OBOis10, and #Echoke, a popular term coined by the hitmaker himself. On Friday, during the Twitter Space, “OBO” as he is popularly called will engage and answer fan questions and pinning the best tweets to the Space.

Davido is not only one of the biggest and most celebrated musicians in Africa, he is also one of the most followed Nigerian users and mentioned account holders on Twitter.

Davido’s Twitter Space will enable his fans to connect with him on a new personal level through a live audio conversation for the very first time. Spaces encourage and unlocks real and open conversations and discussions with authenticity and nuance, depth and power that only the human voice can bring. It allows for big discussions and intimacy, which allows users to build stronger and more valuable connections with thousands of listeners all over the world.

The Twitter space event will feature fellow record label mate Mayorkun, Davido’s manager, Asa Asika and DMW’s Creative Director, Black Tycoone.

How Spaces work

On Twitter for iOS and Android, when someone you follow starts or speaks in a Space, it’ll appear at the top of your timeline as a purple bubble for as long as it’s live. When you join a Space as a listener, you can react to what you hear with emojis, check out any pinned Tweets, follow along with captions, Tweet or DM Space, or request to speak.

Bella Shmurda, Omah Lay, Teni Set To Excite Audiences At Africa Day Concert 2021

The highly anticipated Africa Day Concert 2021 have announced the next global wave of talent set to take the stage by storm at the upcoming concert. This year’s concert will shine a light on Africa’s next wave of talent who are making their mark on the global stage with artists from South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Kenya who are set to perform.

The global event is a partnership between MTV Base, YouTube and Idris Elba and will be hosted by the Golden Globe and SAG winner, Idris Elba, this Africa Day. Be sure to catch the concert streaming exclusively on YouTube at 19:00 CAT/18:00WAT and broadcast across Africa on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) at 21:00CAT/20:00WAT.

Africa Day Concert

The virtual concert will be a Pan African event, featuring trailblazing stars from across the continent. Artists will perform on multiple stages from Lagos to Johannesburg in an event that will be streamed to a global audience on YouTube and broadcast across MTV channels. The show will feature appearances from the biggest names in music from across Africa who will introduce each act and shine a light on why exactly they are taking the world by storm.

South Africa’s Elaine, one of the continent’s most-streamed artists, is set to perform new music at the concert. She will be joined by rapper and MTV Base Hottest MC 2020 winner, Focalistic as well as rap duo, Blaq Diamond who is currently MTV Base’ Hottest MC New Wave title holders.

Nigeria’s most popular emerging artists will also take to the Africa Day Concert 2021 stage. Singer, songwriter and “Case” hitmaker Teni will perform at the event as well as Afrobeat star, Bella Shmurda, who rose to prominence with the song “Vision 2020”. Nigerian singer and songwriter Omah Lay will also perform his much-loved hits.

Also set to join the Africa Day line-up are artists who are making waves all over the continent. This includes Ghanaian artist & afrobeat/afro-fusion singer, Gyakie as well as Suspect 95 who hails from the Ivory Coast. Also set to deliver show-stopping performances are Kenyan singer Bahati and Tanzanian songstress Zuchu.

Viewers from around the globe can expect to see a spectacular display of African excellence as the sounds, sights and rhythm of the continent unite Africans once more this Africa Day. Be sure to catch the Africa Day Concert 2021, this Africa Day, 25th of May, streaming globally on Youtube at 19:00 CAT/18:00WAT and MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) at 21:00CAT/20:00WAT.

A rundown of all the artists confirmed to perform at the Africa Day Concert 2021 include:

  • Bahati (Kenya)
  • Bella Shmurda (Nigeria)
  • Blaq Diamond (South Africa)
  • Elaine (South Africa)
  • Focalistic (South Africa)
  • Gyakie (Ghana)
  • Omah Lay (Nigeria)
  • Suspect 95 (Ivory Coast)
  • Teni (Nigeria)
  • Zuchu (Tanzania)

Mouka Wins Most Outstanding Foam and Mattress Company of the Year Award

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Mouka, Nigeria’s leading manufacturer of mattresses, pillows and other bedding products, has won the Most Outstanding Foam and Mattress Company of the Year at the Nigerian Real Estate and Property Awards 2021 held in Lagos recently.

The award was bestowed on Mouka for its laudable achievements in the sleep sector and its reputation for exceptional product quality.

The Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Raymond Murphy, stated that this award from the Nigerian Real State reflects what Mouka is experiencing in this sector of the economy. He commented that Mouka is seeing a major uptick in demand from affluent Nigerians who are in the process of acquiring a new property.

Mouka
From Left: Akeem Audu, Senior Brand and Innovation Manager and Yemisi Obadina, Brand Manager, both staff of Mouka, holding the Mouka Most Outstanding Foam and Mattress Company of the Year Award received at the Nigerian Real Estate and Property Awards 2021, held in Lagos recently. | Brand Spur Nigeria

They expect the best and usually import products. It is partly for that reason that Mouka designed and recently launched their new Royal Pillow Top Mattress.

This is a top of the range, international spec mattress that is expertly crafted to international standards in a dedicated facility in Lagos. The product is comparable with any similar top-end mattress to be found in the UK, USA or Europe, except at half the price and in Naira!

In her remark, Mouka’sHead of Marketing, Tolu Olanipekun, affirmed that the awards, like others, won in the past, attest to the remarkable craftsmanship of Mouka, which has spanned over the past 61 years. She added that Mouka remains committed to safeguarding consumers’ wellbeing through its sleep solutions.

As the promoter of healthy sleep, Mouka has a portfolio of quality products such as Wellbeing orthopaedic mattresses, in addition to the Royal luxury pillow top mattress, Mondeo plus Spring mattress, and a wide range of pillows to help all Nigerians sleep well and wake up refreshed. Mouka really is ‘Adding Comfort to Life’.

Eva Baby Soap Signs Imade Adeleke As Brand Ambassador (Photos)

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Eva Baby Soap has announced the daughter of popular musician, Davido, Imade Adeleke, as its new brand ambassador.

The brand announced this on their official Instagram page while uploading Imade’s picture with the caption, “Unveiling Imade Adeleke as our very own Eva Baby Soap Brand Ambassador.”

Eva Baby Soap

Davido also took to his Instagram pages to celebrate his daughter’s new ambassadorship. He uploaded a video showing his daughter being unveiled as the new brand ambassador.

His caption read, “IMASCO! My baby! So proud of you! My daughter just became the new brand ambassador for Eva Baby Soap!

Eva Baby Soap

Imade is the singer’s first daughter, whom he had with Sophia Momodu in 2015.

British Airways Trials ‘World First’ 25 Second Covid-19 Test

British Airways is the first airline in the world to conduct a trial with medical tech company Canary Global, to assess how its Pelican Covid-19 Ultra Rapid Covid-19 test, which displays a result within 25 seconds, can play a role in opening up travel. 

The airline will be inviting flight and cabin crew to take the Pelican Covid-19 test and will compare the performance of the result against existing tests that they are already taking.  Recently approved for use in Europe and UK, the test is currently going through U.S. FDA approval and the airline is the first in the world to trial the new technology.

Subject to successful evaluation the airline hopes to be able to offer the test technology on applicable routes where tests have to meet the stated specificity and sensitivity standards.

Covid-19 Test

The test is a non-invasive saliva ultra-rapid digital antigen test that delivers 98% sensitivity and 100% specificity in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals with SARS-CoV-2. Users simply take a sample of their saliva into a disposable sensor unit, shake and insert it into a re-usable digital reader which is connected to a blue-tooth enabled device like a smartphone, and then wait for the results that appear through a mobile app. The test which probes for both the S and N SARS-Cov-2 protein is optimized to detect variants that have originated across the globe.

Sean Doyle, British Airways Chairman and CEO, said:

“As we start to see the opening up of travel we remain committed to exploring easy and affordable testing solutions to help our customers travel again, whether it’s for business, to reunite with family and friends or take a much-needed break abroad.

We think this new ultra-rapid test is a game-changer so we are delighted to work with the team at Canary to begin initial trials with our flight and cabin crew, before exploring what role it could play as a customer testing option.”

Raj Reddy, Canary’s CEO and inventor of the technology said:

“Combining the power of nanosensor and digital detection technology, the Pelican CV19 test is the first ultra-rapid test that can return a PCR-like accuracy of 98% sensitivity and 100% specificity.

We developed the test with the travel industry in mind where speed, accuracy and ease of use are paramount. We are very excited to partner with BA as a pioneer and industry leader to trial this test, and we hope the Pelican test can soon be used as a standard test for travellers and crew around the world.”

Canary Global is in discussions with other travel, hospitality and events organisers around the world to help them safely open up with the Pelican ultra-rapid Covid-19 test. The test could also help to safely open up other business and schools. Canary is currently ramping up its production to meet the global demand.

British Airways has consistently championed testing as a way to re-open travel safely and has ensured its customers have access to a wide range of discounted Covid-19 pre-departure, return to the UK and arrivals testing options. The airline has a dedicated webpage where customers can find the right test to meet the entry requirements for their destination ba.com/Covid19-tests.

To offer customers further reassurance before travel the airline is trialling the travel health app, VeriFLY. The digital health travel app, which can be downloaded to a mobile device, is designed to check customers meet the entry requirements of their destination by providing digital health document verification and confirming eligibility before they depart for the airport.

The airline is working to integrate VeriFLY into its systems with customers travelling to New York, Miami or San Francisco, able to check in online if they are using the travel app.

British Airways’ customers also travelling to Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal, can now also upload their negative Covid-19 test result and other documentation directly into ba.com for verification before travel.

Impact of COVID-19 on Africa Underestimated – Report

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12 May 2021 – As the world battles new COVID-19 variants and supply and rollout of vaccines remains critically low in Africa, new research from the Partnership for Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC) indicates that burdens experienced by people in African Union Member States remain grave: 81% of survey respondents reported challenges in accessing food, 77% reported experiencing income loss and 42% reported missing medical visits since the start of the pandemic.

The report calls for targeted public health measures for high-risk populations, increased surveillance in light of new variants, and scaled-up vaccine supply from the global community to control the pandemic in Africa.

“As case counts surge across the world, new variants emerge and vaccine rollout remains slow, it will be crucial for African Union Member States to use evidence-based strategies to manage COVID-19,” said Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “The PERC report provides valuable insights to countries to strategically tailor their ongoing responses.”

COVID-19
Photo of a person washing hands as a precaution against the Coronavirus. | Photo by Omotayo Tajudeen

Limitations in testing capacity and surveillance—as well as uneven demand for testing—are likely masking the true severity of COVID-19 on the African continent, fueling the dangerous myth that much of Africa has been unscathed by COVID-19.

Test positivity rates were above 10% across many Member States during the second wave—substantially higher than the 5% maximum warning level suggested by the World Health Organization and suggesting that many cases have gone undetected.

Vaccine acceptance was high among survey respondents—67% of people said they would get the vaccine when it’s available—with several important caveats. Acceptance varied widely among countries, from 91% in Morocco to 35% in Tunisia and Cameroon. At the time of the survey, most respondents did not yet have access to vaccines or much information about specific vaccines rolling out in the region. In fact, among those who expressed hesitancy about vaccination, lack of information was a leading reason.

“Vaccine hesitancy is driven by high levels of disinformation, misinformation, and lack of information, which erodes trust in the safety and efficacy of vaccines,” said Dr. Richard Mihigo, Program Coordinator, Immunization and Vaccine Development, WHO’s Regional Office for Africa.

“Going forward, we must prioritize sustained and targeted campaigns which address the growing infodemic around vaccines while providing evidence-based information to dispel myths and build confidence in vaccines. Communication and engagement is key to building trust and creating a positive discourse around vaccines from the ground up.”

Nearly nine in 10 respondents reported using masks when near others in February 2021—almost identical to findings six months before. However, in some of the populous and hard-hit countries, such as South Africa and Ethiopia, self-reported mask use trended downward in February, suggesting the need to redouble efforts to promote this low-cost and effective intervention in some areas. Overall, self-reported adherence to measures restricting social gathering and movement declined significantly between August 2020 and February 2021.

Given the delayed rollout of vaccines and the threat posed by new variants, all AU Member States will need to scale up effective testing strategies to detect early indications of potential surges and sustain the strategic use of public health measures to prevent subsequent waves while ensuring social protection.

The researchers conclude that clear, transparent communications from leaders and public health officials will be vital in building trust and influencing people to follow any further measures; respondents who expressed high satisfaction with their government, community leaders or Ministry of Health were more likely to report adherence to public health measures than those who expressed dissatisfaction.

“Countries are most effective controlling the pandemic when they consider what measures people will actually follow at this stage in the pandemic and take steps to inform, partner with, and support communities,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies.

“Analysis of PERC data can help governments predict adherence to preventive measures, craft effective communications and mount a stronger response to COVID-19.”

The PERC survey—the third in its “Using Data to Find a Balance” series— was fielded in February, when Africa was emerging from a second, substantially larger wave of COVID-19. PERC polled more than 24,000 adults across 19 African Union (AU) the Member States, compiled social, economic and epidemiological data from a range of sources and compared results from the previous survey conducted in August 2020.

Other key findings in the report include:

  • Three primary factors influenced people’s adherence to PHSMs: belief that such measures are necessary, perception of personal risk and satisfaction with the government’s handling of COVID-19.
  • Little more than half (53%) of respondents supported measures restricting social gatherings, such as limits on visiting places of worship, public gatherings and entertainment venues, compared to 65% in August; 54% supported measures restricting movement (stay-at-home orders, reducing trips to the market or store), down from 64% in August.
  • Fear of contracting COVID-19 continued to be the most common reason for missing care in the previous six months (26%). 51% of respondents believed that health care workers should be avoided because they might transmit COVID-19.
  • Affordability of care was a further barrier for missing care (20%), likely related to secondary burdens such as income loss.
  • Income loss and food insecurity have worsened since the beginning of the pandemic. Food insecurity is a grave concern, with 81% of respondents reporting issues in accessing food, and 48% reported having to reduce the number or size of meals in the past week.
  • Households in lower-income groups are the most affected and least reached by social protection programs (where such programs exist at all).

Recommendations include that governments and the global community invest in:

  • Increasing capacity to detect, test, sequence and trace cases and new COVID-19 variants;
  • Prioritizing targeted, individual PHSMs to high-risk areas to maximize adherence for the long run and minimize secondary burdens;
  • Using an evidence-based approach to identify and offer relief to high-risk populations;
  • Protecting health care workers via adequate personal protective equipment, fair compensation, paid sick leave and access to mental health care;
  • Prioritizing vaccination of health care workers and strategically communicating to the public to reduce stigma against them and to reinforce that seeking health care is safe;
  • Maintaining and strengthening vaccination information campaigns to bolster confidence, and supporting regional efforts to combat misinformation and build trust, in preparation for when vaccines become more available; and
  • Stepping up action from the global community to increase vaccine production, ensure equitable allocation and share technical expertise to facilitate local vaccine manufacturing with the Member States.

Read the full report here:

Rugby’s global expansion increases in Africa

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World Rugby’s reach across Africa grew further as Algeria and Burundi became full members of the international federation

Algeria and Burundi achieve full member status of the international federation; World Rugby membership stands at 128 countries, including 19 associate members; Both nations will enter Rugby World Cup 2023 qualifying via the Rugby Africa Cup 2021; Rapid growth in African rugby being led by a strategic focus on youth and women’s rugby; More than 350,000 registered female players recorded in Africa in 2020, up from 50,000 in 2012.

World Rugby’s reach across Africa grew further as Algeria and Burundi became full members of the international federation following approval at the World Rugby Council meeting, held virtually today.

The African nations were successful after achieving all the necessary criteria and their elevation to full member status sees World Rugby’s membership stood at 128, including 109 full members and 19 associate members.

Rugby

See the full list of World Rugby Member Unions

The announcement follows the launch of World Rugby’s new Strategic Plan 2021-25 in April, which provides a framework for the continued development and expansion of rugby, supporting unions and regions in building capacity and capability, as the international federation strives to continue the journey towards becoming a global sport for all.

Both the Fédération Algérienne de Rugby and the Federation Burundaise de Rugby are full members of Rugby Africa and have sustainable women’s rugby and development programmes in place as they continue to grow as rugby nations.

Burundi currently has 2750 registered players and has been an associate member of World Rugby since 2004, while Algeria has over 80 men’s and 40 women’s teams and became an associate member in 2019.

Both countries will enter the qualification journey for Rugby World Cup 2023 as they are set to compete in the Rugby Africa Cup 2021. The competition begins with a repechage event in June before the group phase sees four pools of three teams each playing a round-robin tournament at a single venue per pool.

Burundi will compete in the Rugby Africa Cup repechage in Burkina Faso from 5-13 June which also includes Burkina Faso and Cameroon. The winner of the repechage will join Rugby Africa Cup Pool D in Tunisia in July together with Tunisia and Zimbabwe. Meanwhile Algeria will play in the Rugby Africa Cup Pool C in Kampala against Ghana and hosts Uganda from 10-18 July.

The best two teams from each pool qualify for Rugby Africa Cup 2022, which serves as the final round of the Rugby World Cup 2023 qualifier for Africa. The eventual winner of the Rugby Africa Cup in August 2022 will qualify for RWC 2023 as Africa 1, entering group A alongside hosts France, while the runner-up will enter the final qualification tournament for another chance at qualifying.

Increasing the reach and diversity of the international federation’s membership represents a key element of World Rugby’s global growth strategy, ensuring that upon meeting the relevant criteria unions are provided with a framework and support to continue their growth and development as part of the World Rugby family.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “We are very pleased to welcome Algeria and Burundi as full members, reflecting their commitment and progress in achieving the relevant criteria, thanks to the many talented coaches, administrators and volunteers involved in growing the sport.

“We are dedicated to the sustainable global growth of our sport, combined with strong governance and there is no doubt that Africa is a key region with huge potential for the future development of rugby. Africa is home to the current men’s Rugby World Cup winners and we will continue to work closely with Rugby Africa to ensure we provide emerging unions such as Algeria and Burundi with continuous support and a solid framework to further accelerate the growth of the sport across the region.”

Mr Khaled Babbou, President of Rugby Africa said: “I am delighted to welcome the Burundian and Algerian rugby unions as full members of World Rugby, bringing the total number of African member unions of World Rugby to 20. Rugby in Africa is growing rapidly and our strategic focus on youth and women’s rugby is evidence of this dynamic growth.

“In 2020, we recorded more than 350,000 registered female players in Africa, up from 50,000 in 2012. This is the result of a firm collective commitment from all African unions. I wish to congratulate Mr Albert Havyarimana, President of the Fédération Burundaise de Rugby and Mr Abdelkader Sofian Ben Hassen, President of the Fédération Algérienne de Rugby for their dedication and relentless efforts culminating in this recognition today. Both countries are in the running for Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification for the first time in their history and the entire African rugby family wishes them good luck in this new chapter.”

Albert Havyarimana, President of the Fédération Burundaise de Rugby:

“This affiliation was long-awaited by all the participants of Burundian rugby and comes as a reward for many years of hard work. From now on, it becomes a rugby legacy for Burundi, that we will seek to preserve and build upon for the development of rugby. It is an unforgettable event for the Fédération Burundaise de Rugby (FBR). Joining the global rugby family will enable Burundian rugby players to develop rugby on all levels.

“Although this recognition comes at a time when the world is going through a difficult situation with the Covid-19 pandemic, we are confident that we will overcome these challenges. Achieving this membership required great effort from all of us and it will now enable us to accelerate our growth.

The FBR takes this opportunity to express its appreciation to all companies and individuals who committed themselves to bring this journey to fruition, including various players and coaches of the clubs and their technical and medical staff.

“This membership, far from being an end in itself, is rather the beginning of a challenge and calls on all of us to step up our efforts to make Burundi Rugby shine at the regional and international levels.”

Sofiane Abdelkader Benhassen, President of the Fédération Algérienne de Rugby said: “This long-awaited membership of World Rugby as a full member will provide us with support in four main areas. It will allow us to accelerate the growth of the game in the country.

Secondly, Algeria is currently ranked sixth in the African rankings, and will now come into the world rankings. We will from now on be able to participate in World Rugby’s General Assemblies and have a voice that counts. And finally, with this membership, Algeria can enter the qualification journey for the Olympic Games and the Men’s and Women’s Sevens and Rugby World Cups.

I would like to thank Rugby Africa and its President, Khaled Babbou, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Olympic Committee and ACNOA as well as our private partners for their support. And I congratulate all the clubs’ presidents and founders of Algerian rugby and the entire union staff for their relentless efforts that have led us to this wonderful day.”