BRIEFINGWIRE: Cedrus Chairman Rani Jarkas and Cokal strengthens funding package for BBM Financing

BriefingWire.com, 2/24/2015 – Global metallurgical coal group Cokal Limited (ASX:CKA) is pleased to announce that Cedrus International Limited (Cedrus) with it’s Chairman Mr. Rani Jarkas has joined with Platinum Partners (Platinum) to provide a non-binding term sheet to Cokal in relation to a US$110 million project finance facility (Facility) for the BBM project.

Please click here to view the full announcement.

http://www.briefingwire.com/pr/cedrus-chairman-rani-jarkas-and-cokal-strengthens-funding-package-for-bbm-financing

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas

2014年非洲全球商业论坛探索非洲机遇-拉尼.亚卡斯（Rani Jarkas）

在阿拉伯联合酋长国（阿联酋）副总统兼总理，迪拜酋长穆罕默德· 本·拉希德·阿勒马克图姆（HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum）的主持下，第二届非洲全球商业论坛于十月一日在迪拜亚特兰蒂斯酒店举办，来自迪拜、中东和非洲地区的700多名政府官员和商界领袖参加了该次论坛，其中包括塞内加尔总统麦基萨勒（Macky Sall）、加纳总统约翰·德拉马尼•马哈马（John Dramani Mahama）、埃塞俄比亚总统穆拉图·特肖梅博士（Dr. Mulatu Teshome）和卢旺达总统保罗·卡加梅（Paul Kagame）。

该次论坛的目的是鼓励决策者参与全球投资并引导国际资金流入非洲。最近的一份由迪拜工商会与经济学人智库（EIU）合作完成的一份研究报告强调了在撒哈拉以南非洲地区的经济和投资机会，并指出该地区有望成为经济增长最快的地区。

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas

中国和美国在2014年联合国气候峰会释出令人鼓舞的信息-拉尼.亚卡斯（Rani Jarkas）

美国总统奥巴马9月23日在由联合国秘书长潘基文主持的气候峰会上表示，美国和中国肩负着特殊的责任，应引领全球对抗气候变化。奥巴马总统说，作为全球两个最大的经济体和最大的温室气体排放国，两国应该做得更多，以减少温室气体排放，并协助其他国家应对气候变化所带来的影响。美中两国的二氧化碳总排放量占了世界排量的大约45％。

https://ranijarkas.wordpress.com – 秘书长潘基文, speaks at the UN Climate Summit 2014. UN Photo/Kim Haughton

 

奥巴马表示，美国将履行其义务以实现2020年之前将温室气体排放水平降至2005年的17％水平。白宫还宣布了一系列措施，以帮助弱势群体对抗气候变化所带来的影响。基于先前的计划，白宫将提供高达十亿美元的联邦援助，以帮助美国各州和城市提前防备气候变化带来的影响。

 

而中国则在峰会上做出了最大胆的政策声明。作为习近平的特使，国务院副总理张高丽说，“中国愿与国际社会一道，积极应对气候变化所带来的严峻挑战。”他重申中国的目标是确保实现2020年碳排放强度比2005年下降40%-45%的目标。“我们致力于采取积极措施，推动节能减排，低碳发展和生态建设。”

https://ranijarkas.wordpress.com – Take Climate Action

 

政策观察人士说，奥巴马和张高丽的讲话鼓舞人心。世界资源研究所能源与气候项目总监珍妮弗.摩根（Jennifer Morgan）说，他们“释出了一个明确的信号，表明两国将努力落实解决气候变化，有助于明年在巴黎达成国际协议”。

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas

2014 Africa Global Business Forum on the Global Investment Scene – By Rani Jarkas

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President of United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, on October 1, 2014 attended at the Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai, the opening session of the two-day long second Africa Global Business Forum (AGBF) 2014 brought together more than 700 government officials and business leaders from across Dubai, the Middle East and Africa, including African heads of state Macky Sall (Senegal), John Dramani Mahama (Ghana), Dr. Mulatu Teshome (Ethiopia) and Paul Kagame (Rwanda).

 

Africa Global Business Forum 2014 [ranijarkas.wordress.com]

The objective is to encourage internationalrevenue flows into Africa by engaging leading decision-makers on the global investment scene. A recent study by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has highlighted economic and investment opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa and the potential for it to become the region with the fastest growth.

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas

BRIEFINGWIRE: China and the U.S Sending Encouraging Signs at UN Climate Summit 2014 – by Rani Jarkas

BRIEFINGWIRE: China and the U.S Sending Encouraging Signs at UN Climate Summit 2014 – by Rani Jarkas

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas

China and the U.S Sending Encouraging Signs at UN Climate Summit 2014 – by Rani Jarkas

President Barack Obama said on September 23 at the Climate Summit which was hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the United States and China have a “special responsibility to lead” the global fight against climate change. As the two largest economies and biggest polluters, the nations should be doing more to curb greenhouse gas emissions and to help other countries adapt to climate change effects, the president said in an address to the United Nations General Assembly. Together, the U.S. and China account for roughly 45 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions.

[https://ranijarkas.wordpress.com – United States President Barack Obama, speaks at the UN Climate Summit 2014. UN Photo/Kim Haughton]

Obama said the U.S. would meet its voluntary target to cut greenhouse gases to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The White House also announced a series of initiatives to help vulnerable communities build resilience against climate effects. The announcement builds on an earlier plan to dole out $1 billion in federal aid to help U.S. states and cities to prepare ahead of time for climate impacts.

China, for its part, made its boldest policy statement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Speaking after Obama at the summit, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, as the special envoy of President Xi Jinping, said “China is ready to work with the international community to actively tackle the grave challenge of climate change.”  He reiterated the country’s goal to cut carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 from the 2005 level. “We are committed to taking proactive steps to promote energy conservation, emissions reduction, low-carbon development and ecological progress.”

[https://ranijarkas.wordpress.com – Take Climate Action]

Policy observers say the statements by Obama and Zhang are an encouraging sign. They “send a clear signal that both countries will work seriously to put in place climate solutions domestically and reach an ambitious international agreement in Paris next year,” Jennifer Morgan, who directs the climate and energy programs at the World Resources Institute, said in a statement.

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas

China’s Ambition to Become a Global Leader in Nanotechnology by Rani Jarkas

China’s rapid economic transformation over the last 3 decades has been remarkable both in terms of its speed and scale. However, China is not known for its highly advanced technology manufacturing. “A lot of the entrepreneurial activities around the Asia-Pacific have been great market-needs kinds of things, where people haven’t had to develop a lot of advanced technologies to be successful,” says Dr. Richard Dasher of the US-Asia Technology Management Center at Stanford University.

 

However, this model is slowly shifting. Thanks to heavy investments in nanotech research, public-private partnerships and developments in nanotechnology, I will say within five to ten years China will compete in every part of the industry. China’s investment has already surpassed that of any other country after the US. Since 1999, China’s spending on research and development (R&D) has gone up by more than 20% each year.

 

Hardly surprisingly, there is a race to become the global leader in nanoscience and nanotechnology. China is rapidly moving to reposition itself away from low value adding economic activity, announcing its ambition to become a global leader in nanoscience and technology.

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas

拉尼.亚卡斯(Rani Jarkas):人民币的过去与未来

中国近年来一直致力于推进人民币国际化。根据环球银行金融电信协会（SWIFT）的报告指出，人民币在2013年已成为世界上交易量最大的货币之一，位列交易量排行榜第八位。

Chinese RMB [https://ranijarkas.wordpress.com]

2007年7月，中国国家开发银行首次发行了总值6.57亿美元的点心债券。 到2010年7月，仅中国及香港的银行获准发行以人民币计价的债券。而现在，所有的银行都可发行。

2013年10月9日，中欧开启本币互换，人民币国际化跨重要一步。中国人民银行与欧洲中央银行（ECB）签署了规模为3,500亿元人民币/450亿欧元的中欧双边本币互换协议。

英国央行于2013年6月与中国达成了一项英镑与人民币之间的货币互换额度协定，额度上限为人民币2000亿元，成为第一个和中国签订双边本币互换协议的G7成员国。2014年3月，英国财政部宣布，中英两国央行已达成一致，将在伦敦设立一家人民币清算银行。中英金融合作稳步推进，伦敦人民币离岸中心的定位渐行渐近。2014年7月，伦敦金融城政府政策与资源委员会主席包墨凯(Mark Boleat)近日再度访沪，期待今后中英双方更多的贸易和金融合作，进一步提高伦敦在全球领先人民币离岸中心的地位。

自从2011年以来，投资者一直热衷于以人民币计价的资产，于是香港作为试点开展了合格境外机构投资者RQFII业务，投资者可进入中国股票和债券买卖。投资者的涉足令货币快速升值。 然而，由于中国人民银行为了遏制热钱流入而采取的措施导致了人民币在过去六个月对美元的价值持续下跌。

在我看来，近期的贬值与其他全球货币的走势相比不是很大，人民币的整体波动性仍然非常低。投资者应将目光继续投向人民币，因为从长期来看，人民币将走向完全可自由兑换。随着中国经济的发展，人民币升值将成为必然趋势

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas

拉尼.亚卡斯（Rani Jarkas）：非洲的投资潜力

联合国贸易和发展会议（UNCTAD）出版的报告指出，高利润的外商投资在非洲的发展潜力非常巨大，然而许多投资者却因不了解而错过了以往和当前的投资机遇。

前联合国秘书长科菲·安南在非洲统一组织年度首脑会议中提到，“非洲的盈利能力是当今世界经济中保存最好的秘密之一”。他援引联合国贸发会议的报告，指出非洲在最近几年经历了令人瞩目的经济增长，外国公司在非洲的盈利率已高出世界上其他大部分地区。

如今，非洲已成为全球经济增长最快的地区之一，被视为希望的大陆和发展的热土。国际货币基金组织（IMF）指出，撒哈拉以南非洲地区的强劲增长将在2014年加速。国际货币基金组织发布的《撒哈拉以南非洲地区经济展望报告》（Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan African）称，2014年非洲多数石油出口国、一些低收入国家和动荡地区的经济前景有所提高，在其影响下，整个撒哈拉以南非洲经济增长将保持强劲势头，预计该地区今年GDP增长将达到5.5%，超过2013年5％的增长水平。国际货币基金组织非洲地区负责人安托瓦内特·萨耶赫（Antoinette Sayeh)表示，近年来非洲经济发展势头良好，主要得益于基础设施和矿业的高投资、交通和通信领域的稳定投资以及农产品产量回弹，预计该地区将继续保持经济增长趋势。

 

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas

Africa’s Investment Potential by Rani Jarkas

The potential for highly profitable foreign investment in Africa is enormous, but many investors remain unaware of the past record and current opportunities, argues the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

 

“Africa’s profitability is one of the best kept secrets in today’s world economy,” The Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan declared at the annual summit meeting of the Organization of African Unity. Specifically citing the UNCTAD report, he noted that Africa also has experienced impressive economic growth rates in recent years. The profitability of foreign companies in Africa has been consistently higher than in most other regions of the world.

Africa is favorably positioned to become the 2nd fastest growing region in the world, and according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), robust growth in sub-Saharan Africa is set to accelerate in 2014, reflecting improved prospects in most oil exporters, and in several low-income countries and fragile states. The IMF’s latest Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa projects GDP growth to accelerate to 5½ percent in 2014 from about 5 percent in 2013. The faster growth is expected to be underpinned by large investments in infrastructure and mining, maturing investments in transport and telecommunications, and a rebound in agricultural output.

Rani Jarkas, the Chairman of Cedrus Investments.

Rani Jarkas is a highly experienced financial services executive, with over 20 years of international banking experience. Currently, Mr. Jarkas is the Chairman of Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm. Cedrus’ domain expertise is in life sciences, natural resources, energy, cleantech and nanotechnology. – Rani Jarkas