It’s impossible to have a conversation about the pan-African podcast space without mentioning Melissa Mbugua and Josephine Karianjahi. As the co-directors of Africa Podcast Day, these two women are breaking barriers and creating a space for African podcasters to be celebrated. On Saturday, 12 February 2022, the annual Africa Podcast Day took place. The hybrid, virtual and in-person, celebrations…
The last batch of Uganda soldiers withdrawing from DRC’s embattled Ituri region on May 19, 2003. The UN’s top court on February 9, 2022 ordered Uganda to pay the Democratic Republic of Congo USD325 million in reparations over a brutal war two decades ago. Summary It must also pay $60 million for damage to natural resources, including the looting…
On the last day of a five-day trip to Ethiopia, the Deputy Secretary-General said the East African nation is in “a much better place” to resolve the conflict that erupted 15 months ago in Tigray. “There is much more conversation and dialogue and talk around the national dialogue itself and the way to peace”, Amina Mohammed told journalists attending…
Nearly two decades since the launch of the India Development Initiative, India-Africa relations have evolved. This book by Rajiv Bhatia, a former high-ranking IFS officer, takes a deep dive into Indo-African engagement. Bhatia outlines the history and presents concise yet informative capsules of India’s relationship with individual African countries. It is a useful roadmap for companies looking to do…
Stallion Nissan Motors Nigeria Ltd has promised to start assembling no fewer than 500 units of the pickup in the country to ensure accessibility at an affordable price. Stallion Nissan Motors Nigeria Ltd is the Nissan’s exclusive manufacturer and product distributor in Nigeria. It has recently launched Nissan Navara into the Nigerian market. Addressing journalists at the launch, the…
A record number of eight African countries competed at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. At the 2022 Winter Games, currently underway, Africa is represented by six athletes from five countries: Eritrea, Ghana, Madagascar, Morocco and Nigeria. Five are competing in Alpine (downhill) skiing and one in cross-country skiing. These athletes are not touted to win…
PAN African music streaming service, Mdundo, has announced a 22 percent growth in its user base in the last quarter of 2021. The platform recorded 20 million users at the end of further quarter, up from 16.3m/-, in the third quarter and that is driven by strong demand for an easy-to-use music service coupled with aggressive expansion into new…
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), along with its partners, Google and Africa 24 successfully held the annual flagship initiative, the Africa Business Forum, on Monday 7th of February on the margins of African Union summit in Addis Ababa via hybrid format. Bringing together heads of state with CEOs and other stakeholders, the focus of the Forum this year was…
By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China’s development banks provided $23 billion in financing for infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa from 2007 to 2020, more than double the amount lent by such banks in the United States, Germany, Japan and France combined, a new study showed. The Center for Global Development think tank said a review of 535 public-private…
What you need to know: In an interview with AFP ahead of a visit to Senegal, Von der Leyen said she will use the trip to unveil the first African scheme in a new investment scheme dubbed Global Gateway. As China and Russia court impoverished and fragile African states with offers of security or loans, EU chief Ursula von…
Following military takeovers in five different African countries in the past year, some have suggested that democracy may not be the best form of government on the continent. But here, Leonard Mbulle-Nziege and Nic Cheeseman argue that – despite these set-backs – democracy is the way forward for Africa.© AFP Soldiers received a rapturous welcome after they seized power in…
African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government have approved Kiswahili as one of the bloc’s official working languages following a request from Vice-President Dr. Phillip Mpango. Dr. Mpango had suggested that Kiswahili is one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa with about 100 million people within and outside the continent. “Kiswahili is already in use in…
World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director For Africa, Dr Matshido Moeti, says the continent records 1.1 million cases of cancer with 700, 000 deaths every year. In a report he released to mark the World Cancer Day, which LEADERSHIP in Maiduguri, Borno State, Moeti said, “Every year, Africa records around 1.1 million new cases of cancer, resulting in up…
Madagascar’s disaster management agency said that Cyclone Batsirai had left 20 people dead and forced 55,000 from their homes. INTERNATIONAL NEWS – Cyclone Batsirai swept out of Madagascar on Monday after killing 20 people, displacing 55,000 and devastating the drought-hit island’s agricultural heartland, leading the UN to warn of a worsening humanitarian crisis. Madagascar was already reeling from a…
African Development Bank, AfDB, President, Akinwumi Adesina, has revealed that Africa’s public debt, currently estimated at $546 billion, represents one-quarter of the continent’s GDP and is higher than the combined total annual government revenues of $501 billion. Speaking , weekend at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Adesina said the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional…
Demonstrators gather in Ouagadougou to show support to the military while holding and waiving a Russian flag and an anti France banner on January 25, 2022. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP via Getty Images) The recent coup in Burkina Faso that deposed Roch Marc Kaboré may be a consequence of the president’s many failures. But it also reflects the…
The African Union concluded its annual summit on Sunday, condemning a recent wave of military coups on the continent. An unprecedented number of member states have been suspended from the bloc amid fears of democratic “backpedalling”. The recent spate of coups d’état on the continent was among the main issues raised at the two-day gathering in Addis Ababa, although…
As the 6th EU-Africa Summit approaches, few are questioning the need for a fundamental reset of relations – in particular after the turbulent events of the past few years. But what precisely does that entail? The path ahead is by no means clear, when long-standing challenges in Africa such as food security and migration are compounded by today’s immediate…
The African Mixed Martial Arts Confederation (AMMAC), a Member of the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA), has joined the Association of African Sports Confederation (AASC-UCSA) as an affiliate member. In a letter sent to GAMMA, AASC-UCSA President Major General Ahmed Nasser Mohamed confirmed the news, which is expected to result in the rapid growth of the sport…
Presidents and delegates at the African Union headquarters during the 35th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, on February 5, 2022. Uganda and Tanzania have been elected as a member of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council. PHOTO | TONY KARUMBA | AFP Summary The AU’s Peace and Security Council is a 15-member…
Can disruption be both devastating and inventive. Harvard professor Clayton Christensen believed so. And it makes sense. It begins when a firm targets overlooked – typically low-profitability – segments of a market, or creates a new market where none existed, and offers low-cost solutions. The entrant gains a foothold, eventually moves up-market and soon co-opts mainstream customers: the entire…
The 650,000bpd Dangote Petroleum Refinery, is expected to bring about a 36 per cent reduction in the importation of petroleum productions into the continent. Nigeria is the largest oil and gas producer in Africa. Nigeria’s economy and budget has been largely supported from income and revenues generated from the petroleum industry since 1960 and statistics as of February 2021…
Cassava Technologies (CassavaTechnologies.com) is proud to announce that it has appointed Tesh Durvasula as the new Chief Executive Officer of Africa Data Centres (ADC) effective 7 February 2022. He will be responsible for driving growth, innovation and strategy of Cassava Technologies’ data centres to meet Africa’s accelerating demand for data and digital infrastructure. Durvasula is an experienced technology and…
The streets of Senegal erupted in celebration after the Lions of Teranga beat Egypt 4-1 on post-match penalties in the Africa Cup of Nations final. Liverpool star Mane stole the show last night as Senegal washed away their AFCON final hoodoo to win a first-ever trophy at the Paul Biya Olembe Stadium. Mane, had fluffed his lines earlier in the game…
Kampala, Uganda. With 1.5million refugees, Uganda is the top refugee-hosting country on the African continent and one of the top five hosting countries in the world. Although the country has a relaxed policy which allows refugees to live outside camps, the country also has 48 refugee settlements, most of which are in areas experiencing the worst forms of environmental…
While Europe gets back on track from COVID-19, the recovery of African countries is undermined by vaccine inequality. The S&D Group’s ‘Africa Week’ initiative seeks to address this. We are neighbors, but we don’t know each other enough. We share borders, we share a sea, we share challenges, but our communication is still full of stereotypes, misconceptions and a…
Senegal dispatched Egypt on penalties in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday to bring to a thrilling conclusion the 33rd edition of the biennial continental competition as the Teranga Lions clinched their first-ever African title. Player of the Tournament Sadio Mane was the hero as he overcame a fourth-minute penalty miss to net the decisive spot kick in the shootout following a 0-0…
Across Africa, a digital revolution is happening, with the fast adoption of emerging technologies, such as drones, robots and smart cities. This revolution is touching several sectors, including agriculture and banking. Although Africa currently trails other regions in terms of digital adoption and maturity, the pace of adoption and infrastructure buildout is happening faster on the continent than any other region in the world. Blockchain technology is another…
COTE D’LVOIRE, West Africa – African Development Bank Group (ADB) President Dr Akinwumi Adesina has said that the most important lesson of the Covid-19 pandemic for Africa is the need to build a defense mechanism against external shocks, especially in healthcare and financial security. The bank chief said the continent needed $484 billion over the next three years to…
ADDIS ABABA – Liberia’s Foreign Minister H.E. Amb. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., has frowned on the hijacking of power through unconstitutional means, noting that the State of Peace and Security on the Continent, his delegation has observed with dismay the rise in terrorism and violent extremism. Minister Kemayah intoned that in the midst of these unfolding developments, the Government of…
In an effort to tackle plastic pollution, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has called on African governments to support the establishment of a negotiating mandate for a legally binding global treaty on marine plastic pollution at the fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (Unea) scheduled to take place from 28 February to 2 March 2022. Hosted by the…
Arusha, Tanzania. Governments need to tighten laws that protect wetlands to stem rising loss of lives and property due to floods. In a statement issued on the World Wetland Day, Dr. Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) said it is the encroachment of the wetlands that has led to the suffering communities…
Emirates has resumed passenger operations between Dubai and five African countries starting from 29 January 2022, offering customers more choice, superior value and enhanced connectivity to and through Dubai. UAE writes Hadi Sirika over NCAA’s action against Emirates Airline. The significant restoration of services will include Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; Nairobi, Kenya; Harare, Zimbabwe; Emirates’ three…
A Masai wedding ceremony at Mara Bushtops Luxury Camp in Kenya. Photo Credit: African Travel Inc. African Travel Inc. is launching a new series of romantic safaris and experiences Curated for weddings, anniversaries, honeymoons and other romantic getaways, African Travel’s romantic and honeymoon safari series will feature journeys to some of the continent’s most popular destinations, including Kenya, South…
National Geographic Wild’s 11th annual Big Cat Month takes place this February with a month of television programming dedicated to the fiercest felines, creatures of magnificent strength, ferocity and beauty. With visually impressive and powerful stories from around the world, from lions, tigers, cheetahs and leopards to the most unknown and forgotten such as the serval, the African wildcat or the…
Plans have been announced for an international maglev network operating across Africa. Afrailways is developing Afrail Express as a high-speed passenger rail system to connect the entire African continent, from South Africa to Morocco, and Nigeria to Egypt. Afrail Express is seeking to appoint a main contractor for the construction of the infrastructure. The first phase for the Afrail…
The African Union has suspended Burkina Faso from all its activities in response to last week’s military coup, effective until constitutional order is restored, the AU said on Monday. Burkina Faso had already been suspended from the West African regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, though ECOWAS stopped short of imposing sanctions after the Jan. 24 coup that deposed President…
We mostly hear about how the COVID-19 pandemic has crushed businesses, big and small, across the world. Almost every industry has taken hard knocks, what with supply-chain challenges across the board. The fashion and sports apparel industry has also suffered, being forced to rely on expensive air freight rather than container ships to complete the supply chain. There have…
The South African Cabinet has approved changes to the Adjusted Alert Level 1 COVID-19 regulations as South Africa has exited the fourth wave nationally. Based on the trajectory of the pandemic and the levels of vaccination in the country, Cabinet has decided to make changes to Adjusted Alert Level 1 with immediate effect. With the new changes, those who test positive…
Summary No tolls will be imposed for using the bridge which is open to all motorists. With a 180-tonnage Capacity, the bridge is expected to ferry 55,000 vehicles or thereabouts per day, and this is expected to significantly reduce congestion along the overwhelmed independence-time Selander Bridge. By Bethsheba Wambura Dar es Salaam. Construction of the new Tanzanite Bridge in…
The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, today commenced with its oversight visit to schools in the Western Cape to assess their readiness for the 2022 academic year. The committee visited seven schools in the Cape Metropolitan area. The schools visited include special needs schools, primary schools and high schools. The committee Chairperson, Ms Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba, said the committee commends the…
Dangote oil refinery The conversation around local refining in Nigeria is as old as the existing refineries offering little or no succor to the country. Nigeria’s four refineries, with a name-plate capacity of refining 445,000bpd of crude, were set up almost 30 years ago. Today, the refineries are a drain on taxpayers. Notwithstanding efforts to rehabilitate them, Nigerians appeared to…
The bank got certified by the Top Employers Institute. In Summary •To become recognised as a Top Employer, your organisation needs to be evaluated. •The said survey covers 6 HR domains consisting of 20 topics. Absa Bank Kenya has been named the top employer in Kenya and Africa in the 2022 accolade. The bank got certified by the Top…
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has said that 10.5 million children are out of school in Nigeria, which is the highest rate in the world. The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, disclosed this in a statement while commemorating the International Day of Education. Hawkins commended the Nigerian government for the pledge to increase the annual domestic education…
H.E. President of the Republic of Costa Rica Carlos Alvarado presents the Award for Humanitarian Energy to Dysmus Kisilu, Founder, Solar Freeze, Kenya | Credits: Andy Aitchison/Ashden Climate solutions charity aims to focus on projects that catalyse green job creation through this year’s grant funding awards Climate solutions charity Ashden this morning launched the 2022 Ashden Awards for…
Workers are leaving jobs like never before, and it’s causing a shortage of talent that has companies around the globe reeling. According to a recent survey conducted by Citrix, 40 percent of 1,000 knowledge workers in the US have left at least one job in the past year or are considering doing so. It’s been dubbed “The Great Resignation.” But it’s…
The decision comes amid tension between Mali and its international partners. In Summary • The Takuba Task Force was established as a partial successor to a French counter-terrorism operation in the West African Sahel region. • The statement said all partners in the task force needed a prior accord with the government before deployments in Mali. Mali’s government said…
For two whole years, the Covid19 health crisis has disrupted education systems worldwide and forced school closures which have impacted hundreds of millions of children. All of them have suffered learning loss. Some, though, have suffered more than others. In developed countries, access at home to computers and cheap and reliable broadband allowed students to make the transition to…
At least eight people have been killed and dozens more injured in a crush outside an Africa Cup of Nations football match in Cameroon. Videos showed crowds of screaming football fans being crushed at the entry gates to the Paul Biya stadium in the capital Yaounde. Witnesses described chaotic scenes outside the ground as thousands of fans struggled to…
Summary The three top national parks have been featured prominently among the best 25 national parks from across the world Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s Serengeti, Kilimanjaro and Tarangire national parks have been voted the best sites for outdoor enthusiasts, raising the country’s profile as the premier tourism destination. The three top national parks all located in Africa’s richest tourism circuit…
Summary The three top national parks have been featured prominently among the best 25 national parks from across the world Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s Serengeti, Kilimanjaro and Tarangire national parks have been voted the best sites for outdoor enthusiasts, raising the country’s profile as the premier tourism destination. The three top national parks all located in Africa’s richest tourism circuit…
Imagine a getaway drive on a highway in a fully loaded Mercedes-Benz S-Class with next generation MBUX infotainment system, active ambient lighting, rear seat comfort package, executive seat, with music blazing from a Burmester high-end 4D surround sound system. This is the experience Trigmatic and Mercedes-Benz Sandton created for guests at Trigmatic’s music showcase on the 21st of January…
For SMEs in Africa the effects of the pandemic have exacerbated a woefully under-financed area of the economy, but by cultivating the right environment and encouraging SMEs to formalize their operations, hybrid financing might provide the key to recovery Workers at an apple factory in South Africa It is tough being a small and medium enterprise (SME) in Africa,…
Human activity including shoreline encroachment, degradation depleting vital flora, fauna on Lake Victoria KAMPALA, Uganda The Ruparelia Group, a privately owned company belonging to Sudhir Ruparelia, acquired a permit to construct a resort and convention Centre on Lake Victoria shores in Uganda. The project is estimated to cost $100 million. A video recorded by angry residents showing trucks dumping…
ADDIS ABABA, The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 10,564,758 as of Sunday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia and Ethiopia are among the countries with the most cases on the continent, it said. South Africa has recorded the most COVID-19 cases in Africa with 3,579,428…
Agriculture deputy minister Antony Mavunde (second right) listens to ATCL managing director Ladislaus Matindi (right) during the launch of the maiden shipment of Tanzanian avocados to India at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Da es Salaam yesterday. Centre is Kamal Group director Sameer Santosh Gupta who is the coordinator of the Avocado market in India. Summary Tanzania has already…
Scientists say the plant enset, an Ethiopian staple, could be a new superfood and a lifesaver in the face of climate change. The banana-like crop has the potential to feed more than 100 million people in a warming world, according to a new study. The plant is almost unknown outside of Ethiopia, where it is used to make porridge…
At least 17 people have been killed in a huge explosion near a mining town in south-western Ghana, officials say. Police say a truck carrying explosives to a gold mine collided with a motorcycle near the town of Bogoso. Images shared by local media showed a large plume of black smoke rising above flattened buildings and scattered debris as…
Kololo is an iconic ground. It is where Uganda was handed its independence by the colonial Government in 1962. It has consequently been named Independence Grounds. Today (Friday), Uganda, which has for a long time been branded as, “Pearl of Africa” will go back to Kololo Independence Grounds to break ties with her past. The former British Prime Minister,…
Zanzibar’s President Hussein Ali Mwinyi looks on during the signing of the MoU with the Oman Investment Authority at State House Zanzibar on Thursday, January 20, 2022. The government of Zanzibar and the Oman Investment Authority has signed a memorandum of understanding to study the feasibility of a project to rehabilitate, develop and operate the Malindi Tourist Port, the…
Dar Es Salaam. Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) is banking on technology and modern equipment it seeks to up the efficiency of the Port of Dar Es Salaam and turn the country into a logistics hub in East and Central Africa.TPA director general, Mr. Eric Hamissi, said yesterday that so far the progress has been encouraging as the vessel turnaround improves…
Biubwa Amour’s biography written by journalist Zuhura Yunus. PHOTO | COURTESY The title of the book could be political but Mwanamke Mwanamapinduzi, the story of Biubwa Amour Zahor, 84, is about a fearless and determined woman who overturned cultural norms and changed her life, which is till today culturally revolutionary. From the story, as told by renowned journalist Zuhura…
The Africa Cup of Nations is heading into the knock-out stage after completion of the final round of group fixtures on Thursday. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the last-16 ties. Burkina Faso v Gabon January 23, Limbe, 1600 GMT Burkina Faso, who are 60th in the FIFA world rankings, went through to the last 16…
Demand for rhino horn in Asian markets, especially Vietnam and China, has pushed the remaining rhino populations to the brink of extinction. In the past decade, nearly 10,000 rhinos were killed by poachers in Africa. The remaining rhino populations in Africa and Asia are steadily declining, with fewer than 30,000 animals left in 2020 from a population of 500,000 at the beginning of the 20th…
Kenyan-based mobile commerce platform and goods distributor Copia Global has raised $50m from investors to fund its expansion into the rest of Africa, the firm said on Thursday. Source: Copia Global Copia is among a group of African startups that aim to use information technology to solve the continent’s problems, like highly fragmented and informal retail markets. “In the…
The group stage is over at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. In the third—and last—round in Group F, Mali defeated Mauritania 2-0 and took the first place in this group, with 7 points. The Gambia, which beat Tunisia 1-0, also garnered the same number of points and placed second. Tunisia came in third, with 3 points, and…
Hing Pal Singh is among dozens of patients with daily appointments at the Oriental Chinese Herbal Clinic in Nairobi. Singh, 85, has been suffering from spinal problems for five years and is now trying herbal remedies. “There is a slight difference,” Singh said. ” … It’s only a week now. It will take at least another 12 to 15…
A United Nations Security Council meeting in New York in August 2019. PHOTO | AFP Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday asked African countries not to accept anything less at the UN Security Council reforms, until the continent is granted at least two permanent seats. And speaking to a group of Foreign ministers from across the continent, the Ugandan…
Extreme poverty in West Africa rose by nearly three per cent in 2020, another fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a UN-backed report launched on Thursday that looks at the socio-impact of the crisis has revealed. The proportion of people living on less than $1.90 a day jumped from 2.3 per cent last year to 2.9 per cent in 2021,…
Audi South Africa has announced a partnership with GridCars to install ultra-fast charging stations across the country. This makes it the first electric vehicle brand to invest in this technology through publicly accessible sites. The 150kW public chargers initiated by Audi will be the first for the South African market. Image supplied “The charge points will provide up to…
Middle East and Africa solar technology contracts in Q4 2021 saw 46 contracts announced, marking a rise of 21% over the last four-quarter average of 38, according to Global Data’s power industry contracts database. The proportion of solar technology contracts by category tracked by GlobalData in the quarter was as follows: Project Implementation with 25 contracts and a 54.3%…
A recent study published in the American Medical Association’s JAMA Pediatrics medical journal shows that children in sub-Saharan Africa are dying of Covid-19 at a much higher rate than children in Europe and the US. The study was led by Professor Jean B. Nachega, an infectious diseases epidemiologist associated with South Africa’s own Stellenbosch University and the University of Pittsburgh in…
The Pfizer arrangement is far advanced … In time, if we narrow this down and finalize … with Pfizer, I’m sure we’ll engage with Merck as well,’ he said Africa’s top public health body plans to talk to Merck about obtaining supplies of its molnupiravir treatment pill for Covid-19, although talks with Pfizer about its Paxlovid medication were more…
Kenyan author Ngugi Wa Thiong’o shows his newly released book “Wizard of the Crow” during launch at a Nairobi bookshop. Kenya’s most celebrated author Ngugi wa Thiong’o turned 84 on January 5. Having published his first novel – Weep Not Child – in 1964, Ngugi remains active in writing and teaching. His latest creative effort is Kenda Muiyuru (The…
Grey Advertising Africa has announced that it will serve as the new creative agency for Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), the corporate and investment arm of FirstRand Bank Limited. Paul Jackson, Grey Africa’s CEO. The agency will be responsible for developing creative and strategic work across media and partnership platforms. Grey will work alongside RMB’s existing digital, brand and media…
South Africa, spearheading the fight for equal access to vaccines against Covid-19, launched Wednesday in Cape Town the continent’s first factory that will manufacture doses from scratch, funded by biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong.The goal is the production of “a second-generation vaccine, and we want to make it in Africa, for Africa, and export it around the world,” said the…
Weekly COVID-19 cases in Africa have dropped significantly and deaths dipped for the first time since the peak of the fourth pandemic wave propelled by the Omicron variant. The decline nudges the continent past its shortest upsurge yet that lasted 56 days. Newly reported cases fell by 20% in the week to 16 January, while deaths dropped by 8%….
The high-ranking officials who participated in the virtual event. Ministers of Agriculture of Africa and the Americas committed to working together to develop a cooperation agenda, and agreed that the two continents face common challenges and opportunities with respect to transforming their agrifood systems to make them more sustainable and inclusive. The agreement was reached during the First High-Level Roundtable…
The Agriculture ministry will today host the fourth Intergovernmental Forum for Agriculture (IGFA) that deliberates on policy matters and appraise sector performance at a time when the industry is grappling with unprecedented challenges.The IGFA, which Cabinet secretary Peter Munya has convened is co-chaired by the Council of Governors chairman. The forum brings together county bosses, CECs in charge of…
© Amos Gumulira Fame at 92: Malawian music legend Giddes Chalamanda has notched up millions of views on TikTok At 92, Giddes Chalamanda has no idea what TikTok is. He doesn’t even own a smartphone. And yet the Malawian music legend has become a social media star, with his song “Linny Hoo” garnering over 80 million views on the video-sharing…
In Kenya, like in many other countries, bees are under threat. Loss of habitat and intensive farming practices including the use of pesticides have led to a drastic reduction in the population of polinators in the last 30 years. The consequences can be catastrophic as bees play a vital role in the food chain. The most serious challenge is…
LAGOS – Nigeria is set to launch a second satellite (Sat 2) into orbit with a view to boosting the nation’s satellite communications capacity, Isa Ali Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy has disclosed. He disclosed this during a one-day working visit and interaction with the staff of the Nigerian Communications Satellite in Lugbe, Abuja. The minister also informed…
Nominations Open for the Africa Food Prize 2022 Nairobi, KENYA. The Africa Food Prize committee is pleased to announce the launch for 2022 nominations for the Africa Food Prize. The Africa Food Prize is the preeminent award recognizing an outstanding individual or institution that is leading the effort to change the reality of farming in Africa—from a struggle to…
In late August each year, the normally barren landscape of the Namaqualand, along the western boundary of South Africa, is transformed into a vista of brightly coloured daisies as far as the eye can see. The flowering of the Namaqualand daisies attracts close to 10,000 tourists per season to a part of the country that doesn’t get many visitors otherwise. But climate…
The Anglophone Africa building sector is going through several important and enduring changes dictated by various trends that will undoubtedly set the tone for future development and growth. Devan Pillay, cluster president, Anglophone Africa at Schneider Electric Trends today The first is urbanization; megacities, and even smaller cities and towns, are experiencing rapid growth. Urban centers play a critical…
Tedros said Ethiopia was preventing medicines and other life-saving aid from reaching civilians in Tigray Ethiopia has asked the UN health agency to investigate its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for “harmful misinformation” and “misconduct”, accusing him of backing rebels in his native war-torn Tigray region. Tedros — the highest-profile Tigrayan abroad — this week described conditions in the Ethiopian…
View of the Omo Kibish geological formation in southwestern Ethiopia Volcanic ash left over from a huge ancient eruption has helped scientists determine that important early Homo sapiens fossils found in Ethiopia in 1967 are older than previously believed, providing fresh insight into the dawn of our species. Researchers said on Wednesday they used the geochemical fingerprints of a…
The Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, has said the security threats being experienced in the country will soon become history. Irabor, who admitted that the insecurity was a challenge to the country, stated that the challenges were not much compared to the past. Irabor stated this during the National church service to mark this years’ Armed Forces Remembrance…
© Provided by Associated Press Nyayiar Kuol holds her severely malnourished 1-year-old daughter Chuoder Wal in a hospital run by Medicines Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) in Old Fangak in Jonglei state, South Sudan Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. Aid groups say more people than ever in the country will face hunger this year, because of the worst floods in 60…
The value of the iron and steel imports rose by 69 percent in the nine months to September driven by increased economic activity and a global price rise of the commodities after supply cuts. The latest Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) data shows that the imports of iron and steel in the period shot up to Sh120.77 billion…
© Reuters/AMR ABDALLAH DALSH Container trucks stand in line on the road due to bad weather in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt closed the two Mediterranean ports of Alexandria and Dekheila on Monday as a result of bad weather, the Alexandria Port Authority said in a statement. The ports will remain closed until the weather improves,…
© Reuters/MOHAMED NURELDIN ABDALLAH Protesters march during a rally against the military rule following last month’s coup, in Khartoum. KHARTOUM (Reuters) – A second protester in Sudan has died after being hit in the head with a tear gas canister in anti-military rule protests, medics said on Monday. This brings the death toll from Sunday’s protest to two, and from…
© Badru KATUMBA Schools in Uganda have been closed or partly closed for 83 weeks Uganda ended the world’s longest school closure on Monday, ordering millions of students back to the classroom nearly two years after learning was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. Students poured through school gates that had been shuttered in March 2020 when Covid-19 swept the…
China is proposing a grand infrastructure plan for the Horn of Africa that would involve expanding the two major railroads and developing ports on the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Under the proposals, announced during last week’s visit by China’s foreign minister Wang Yi, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Kenya will be extended to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and…
The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency has urged state governments to step up mass vaccination against COVID-19 as part of moves to combat the virus. The agency, in its latest advisory obtained by one of our correspondents in Abuja, also urged state governors to enact and enforce vaccination mandate for local and state government workers. This came to fore…
© Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency/picture alliance Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is son of Jomo Kenyatta, the founding president of the East African nation. Political dynasties are not new, with families grooming and later handing over power to their offspring. However, analysts say this practice is detrimental to African countries.There are several examples of political dynasties in Africa, including the Moi family,…
The United Nation’s Convention for Climate Change has published Nigeria’s 2050 Long-Term Low Emission Vision document, the Federal Government announced on Sunday. The Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, said the Long-Term Low Emission Vision document was a demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to play a leading role in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.Lagos Motor Park, Nigeria. (Photo…
With the August General Election fast approaching, Deputy President William Ruto has made six make-or-break gambles in his journey to succeed his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, that analysts warn could be his waterloo. Besides the decision to give regional parties a wide berth, Dr. Ruto has chosen to shun regional kingpins in favor of mostly first-term MPs as a…
Aid agencies have suspended their operations in an area of Tigray in Ethiopia after 56 civilians were killed in an airstrike , the United Nations said Sunday. “Humanitarian partners suspended activities in the area due to the ongoing threats of drone strikes,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement. According to the…
The threat of the resurgent coronavirus will hang heavily over the African Cup of Nations soccer tournament when it opens on Sunday in Cameroon. Still, organizers are pressing ahead with the monthlong championship, which features 24 teams, from defending champion Algeria in the far north of the continent to the tiny island nation of Comoros out in the Indian…