by: Gianfranco Belgrano | April 24, 2024
There are encouraging signs, signs that suggest that, beyond the announcements and conferences – although important – the country system as a whole is organizing itself to truly create a system in its action in Africa and with Africa. These are signals that we have been collecting and recording in recent months, that we are following and to which, in some cases, we are responding.
What we have noticed, as part of the Italian government’s Mattei Plan, is that there is one
effort by various institutions to “take” a picture of Italian initiatives that have connections with the African continent but also of the Italian entrepreneurial presence in Africa. This is not a minor job. On the contrary. Making a more precise mapping of what Italian is moving in Africa is a necessary and useful step to create further partnerships.
Given this work that is still mostly underground, doubts remain about the finance that will have to accompany the implementation of the Plan or even about the methods that will be followed. This is a front on which at least better communication would be needed.
A first litmus test on the interest that Italy is giving to Africa will be available at the next edition of Codeway, the fair on cooperation and the role of businesses in cooperation which will be held at Fiera Roma from 15 to 17 May. Even in this case, with information in hand, it seems that there is a real and concrete interest on the part of the private world in what moves especially along the channels of international institutions applied to development. This Italian ferment marries the great
dynamism that Africa continues to demonstrate. Far from painting an idyllic picture, in a
moment in which various regional and extra-continental contexts are the theater of war and geopolitical confrontations, let us remember, however, that the continent as a whole is destined to grow with even high peaks in some countries. According to the latest report from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa will continue to be the second fastest growing region in the world after Asia, with eleven nations achieving GDP growth increases of between 6% and 11%. “Despite the turbulence in the global and regional economic environment, 15 African countries recorded growth above 5%,” said the president of AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, a couple of months ago, calling for a greater amount of financing and different intervention policies to further increase Africa’s growth.
The focus of this issue of Africa and Business it is dedicated to Morocco, one of the African countries on which a certain interest is being concentrated. In recent years, Morocco is demonstrating an undeniable dynamism, which is changing the economic and relational profile of the country, despite several problems remaining. However, the climate issue, which aggravates the need for water, or the dossier linked to the tumultuous lands of Western Sahara, cannot obscure Rabat’s growing stature in Africa and the desire to go even further. But it’s not just Morocco, as demonstrated by the large presence of African heads of state and government at the summit at the end of January in Rome (I’m talking about the Italy-Africa Summit) and Italy must fit into this window open to collaboration and partnerships.
It is not a question of ideologies, Africa is a fact, a present of opportunities for itself and for a country like Italy with a great Mediterranean vocation.
This editorial appeared in the April 2024 issue of Africa e Affari, available for purchase here in paper format and here in digital format.
Related
9,800 units in Bundang – 6,900 units in Ilsan ‘mini new town level’ reconstruction
Designation of the 1st new city Seondo District in the second half of the year
Up to 30,000 homes, including 4,000 each in Pyeongchon and Jungdong.
Selection criteria announced next month… Construction begins in 2027
All over the complex, briefing sessions are being held and competition is going on behind the scenes… “Success depends on securing business feasibility in each district.”
The government will designate up to 30,000 units in the first new towns (Bundang, Ilsan, Jungdong, Pyeongchon, and Sanbon) as priority reconstruction targets (Seondo District) within the year. The goal is for each city to start construction on a mini-new city-sized city in 2027 and have it ready for occupancy in 2030. Complexes hoping to rebuild the first new town are already engaged in fierce competition behind the scenes ahead of the designation as a leading district in the second half of this year (July to December).
On the 27th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced plans to designate the first new city reconstruction leading district ahead of the enforcement of the Special Act on Old Planned Cities. The leading district is determined at 5 to 10% of the housing stock in each new city. This means that Bundang, with a total number of houses of 98,000, can be designated as a leading district with up to 9,800 houses. Ilsan, which has 69,000 homes, is expected to have up to 6,900 homes, and Pyeongchon, Sanbon, and Jungdong are expected to have up to 4,100 to 4,300 homes each. Considering the entire first phase of new towns, there are over 29,000 houses. It is more than twice the size of 12,032 units after reconstruction of Olympic Park Foreon (Dunchon Jugong reconstruction). In terms of number, it is expected that at least 1 or 2, but at most 4 or more locations will be selected for each new city. An official from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, “We are trying to select as many complexes as possible without causing instability in the jeonse market.”
The criteria for selecting leading districts of great interest will be announced in the middle of next month. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport chose ‘resident consent rate’ as the most important criterion. In addition, residential environments such as the overall scale of reconstruction, the number of parking lots per household, and the convenience of firefighting activities are also taken into consideration. An official from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, “If the consent rate is similar, we can look at whether it is an integrated reconstruction being developed together with a nearby complex and consider the scale,” adding, “We are also considering a plan to include the percentage of residents who oppose in the point deduction items.”
Even after the announcement of the Seondo district, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to select and announce the first new city reconstruction complex with 20,000 to 30,000 units each year. Accordingly, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport explains that all reconstruction complexes in the first new city can begin construction by 2042 at the latest. Considering that it takes about three years to complete, the first phase of new town reconstruction will be completed around 2045.
In each new city, competition over designation as a leading district is in full swing. In particular, we are focusing on increasing the consent rate of residents. An official from a reconstruction complex in Ilsan that is pursuing integrated reconstruction said, “We are holding face-to-face meetings every week and online meetings are also held frequently. There is a lot of interest, with 1,500 people attending the resident briefing session.” An official from the Bundang Pilot Complex Integrated Reconstruction Promotion Preparation Committee, which has 7,769 units, said, “Because it is the largest and most symbolic complex, residents’ expectations are high,” and “We plan to maximize resident consent.”
Of course, considering the recent surge in construction costs, securing business feasibility may be another task even if selected. An official from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, “We will try to secure business feasibility as much as possible through exemption from safety diagnosis under special laws and floor area ratio benefits.” In the case of integrated reconstruction in accordance with the Special Act on Aging Planned Cities, safety inspections are exempted and the legal upper limit of floor area ratio is raised to 150% (300% → 450% based on type 3 general residential areas). Benefits of changing the use area are also provided.
Song In-ho, director of the Economic Information Center at the Korea Development Institute (KDI), said, “Ultimately, the success or failure of this plan depends on whether or not the business feasibility of each district is secured.” He added, “The floor area ratio benefit and change of use zone must be achieved at a level that allows private construction companies to actively pursue orders for the project to take place.” “This will proceed smoothly,” he said.
Reporter Choi Dong-su [email protected]
Reporter Oh Seung-jun [email protected]
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9,800 units in Bundang – 6,900 units in Ilsan ‘mini new town level’ reconstruction
Samsung’s AI and Wearable Technology Push in Health Industry
AI can be implemented in almost every aspect of our lives, for better or for worse. When it comes to the health industry, there can certainly be great benefits. Dr. Pak (SVP and Head of the Digital Health Team at Samsung Electronics MX Business) spoke to members of the Samsung Health Advisory Board and discussed how artificial intelligence can improve consumption (read the full review here) .
Today, larger devices usually have powerful artificial intelligence. However, this has changed over the years. In the beginning, you needed very large models hosted on big data servers for any kind of generative AI. However, today it is possible to make a smartphone an AI machine using efficient models.
So AI achieves smaller form factors. This is important because wearables are the next logical step for AI. Imagine a generational AI assistant in a smart watch. There is no telling how this might add to (or detract from) your experience.
Samsung is talking about AI and wearables
It’s not news that Samsung is working on bringing AI to its Galaxy watches. However, with the way AI is progressing, we shouldn’t be surprised if the company continues to do so.
During the interview Dr. Rev. Pak asked one question: “What do you see as the future of health and what role will technology play in it, especially in combination with generational AI?”
In response, Professor Myung Jin Chung, director of the Samsung AI Research Center at Samsung Medical Center (SAIC), spoke about the importance of AI in sifting through and clarifying health data. We all know that smartwatches are good at collecting a lot of health data about us. Chung said AI can help better manage collected health data and help streamline the entire process.
One thing Dr. Michael Bloom, MD, CEO and co-founder of medical analytics platform BeeKeeper AI, that AI technology can be useful in taking data collected from smartwatches and to better predict some health problems and diseases.
Currently, it is not recommended to use a smartwatch instead of a real doctor. Even if it is driven by AI, it is real. However, it’s possible that AI could help your smartwatch become a better early detection tool.
This is just one example of how AI can be very useful to many people in different ways.
2024-04-25 15:10:30
#Samsung #talking #role #wearable #devices
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Samsung’s AI and Wearable Technology Push in Health Industry