Africa Matters

Germany President Steinmeier visits Dar tomorrow

TANZANIA: German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier , is expected in Tanzania on Monday, ready to begin his three-day official visit. President Steinmeier will be accompanied by a delegation of business leaders from top German companies who will participate in a Business Forum with their Tanzanian counterparts and officials in Dar es Salaam on 31st  October,2023. President Steinmeier will hold official talks…

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Kigali to Host Africa’s Business Heroes Summit and Grand Finale in November

The City of Kigali will, from November 23 to 24, witness the celebration of top entrepreneurs competing in real-time for the 2023 Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) prize competition, and their share of $1.5 million in unrestricted grant funding. The competition, now in its fifth year, is sponsored by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy to shine a spotlight…

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Sebenza Women Awards: Business pioneers celebrated

From championing economic growth to challenging poverty, the awards shine a light on women who redefine leadership and success The Sebenza Women Awards ceremony, held at the Durban International Convention Centre (DICC) on October 6 2023, was a swirl of black and gold decor. The ceremony was in recognition of the important role women play in society, and in…

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Nigeria Rises to 4th in Africa’s Trade Rankings

The latest Africa Trade Barometer has revealed that Nigeria has moved up four positions from eighth to forth in the country rankings. The Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc shared some of its latest findings from the Africa Trade Barometer 2023 Issue three report. The report, which assesses key economic indicators in Africa, highlights several noteworthy developments across African countries. According…

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UN General Assembly elects 15 new members to Human Rights Council

The UN General Assembly on Tuesday elected 15 new countries to serve on the Human Rights Council, with Peru and Russia failing to secure a seat. After the ballots were cast and counted, Assembly President Dennis Francis announced Albania, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malawi, and the Netherlands were elected…

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Tanzania President Samia becomes first woman to be conferred honorary doctorate by JNU

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan was conferred an honorary doctorate by Jawaharlal Nehru University on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to be bestowed with the honour.President Hassan arrived in India on a four-day visit on Sunday.Hassan, the first woman president of Tanzania, went down memory lane to share her journey — from being born in a humble family in…

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Africa Mobile Broadband Summit 2023: Powering Digital Africa

Huawei and GSMA Intelligence held the Africa Mobile Broadband Summit 2023 in Dubai today. The event brought together African telecom regulators, industry organizations, carriers, think tanks, and industry partners to discuss a wide range of topics, including expanding mobile coverage, increasing 4G uptake, and managing the region’s evolution towards 5G. Li Peng, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President and President…

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Today is World Teacher’s Day

“The theme for this year’s celebration is “The teachers we need for the education we want.” Every year on 5 October South Africa commemorates Teacher’s Day to recognise the importance of educators in society. It is a day set aside for students and communities to recognise the crucial part that teachers play in helping students become better citizens and…

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France starts pulling soldiers out of Niger

Emmanuel Macron’s military drawdown in Africa’s Sahel region continues. France started to pull troops from Niger on Thursday, the French armed forces ministry said in a statement. “The disengagement of military personnel and assets stationed in Niger begins this week. This maneuver should enable all military personnel to return to France before the end of the year,” the statement…

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Uganda opposition leader Bobi Wine arrested upon return to country: Party

Uganda’s main opposition leader Bobi Wine has been arrested upon returning to the country from a trip abroad, according to his National Unity Platform (NUP). The singer-turned-politicians arrived at Entebbe International Airport on Thursday morning after a tour in several countries, including South Africa. “Our President (Bobi Wine) picked up by regime operatives as soon as he landed at…

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FIFA Will Host 2030 World Cup on Three Continents

Soccer’s biggest championship will celebrate its centenary by placing games in South America, Europe and Africa, with most of the games in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Soccer’s World Cup will be staged in six countries on three continents in its centenary edition in 2030, an unexpected and complex alteration to its traditional format that was approved on Wednesday in…

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Two Kenyan health startups picked for Google AI Growth Academy

Two Kenyan health startups have been selected by Google for a three-month Growth Academy that infuses artificial intelligence (AI) for development in the healthcare industry. The companies, Zuri Health and iZola Limited will be among 30 others selected globally and part of the five selected in Africa for the hybrid program whose aim is to support promising startups that…

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Tanzania, Uganda & Kenya to host 2025 and 2027 Afcons

Morocco will host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), organisers the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has announced. A joint East African bid from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania won the right to hold the 2027 tournament. Morocco replace Guinea, after the country was stripped of the tournament in October last year because of concerns about infrastructure and facilities….

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Kenya to build nuclear power plant from 2027

Kenya targets to kick off the construction of its first nuclear power plant in 2027 as the country seeks to further diversify its energy generation amid rising demand and push for zero-carbon energy. Acting CEO of the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) Justus Wabuyabo told the Business Daily the agency has advanced plans to float international tenders for the construction…

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Actor Viola Davis to join US African diaspora council

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced the first members of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement, including actor Viola Davis, who will advise Washington on deepening ties with African communities. Washington has sought to stress the region’s importance and counter challenges posed by China and Russia to the United States’ interests in the increasingly…

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Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter dies in South Africa at 43

SOUTH AFRICA . Johannesburg : Zoleka Mandela, granddaughter of South Africa’s first democratically elected President Nelson Mandela, has died of cancer at the age of 43. She passed away on Monday evening surrounded by friends and family, a spokesperson said. In recent years, Ms Mandela had become well known for detailing her cancer treatment. She was also open about…

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UNGA: U.S. plans $225m investment to support Africa

By Guardian Nigeria • Doles out $247m to support humanitarian needs• Seeks private sector partnership to fight corruption The United States yesterday announced $225 million in investments to support emerging democracies in the face of a rise in autocracies around the world. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Samantha Power, administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID),…

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Eagle Hills Diyar announces that 50% of its ‘Marassi Bay’ beachfront residences have already been sold

Eagle Hills Diyar (EHD), the pioneering developer behind the iconic Marassi Al Bahrain project, has announced that 50% of the apartments within the Marassi Bay development have already been sold. The project, which overlooks two kilometers of beachfront promenade, is proving to be extremely popular with those who want to experience sophisticated beachfront living in Bahrain’s new downtown. Marassi…

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South Africa holds state funeral for controversial Zulu prince Buthelezi

Thousands of mourners gathered in South Africa’s eastern town of Ulundi on Saturday for the state funeral of veteran politician and Zulu prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Buthelezi, a controversial figure during the apartheid liberation struggle because of his bitter rivalry with the African National Congress (ANC), died last week aged 95. The founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) served…

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English-born Ghanaian defender Jerome Opoku moves to Turkey

Opoku, the 24-year-old centre-back, joined Istanbul Basaksehir on a season-long loan deal. Istanbul Basaksehir signed the English-born Ghanaian defender Jerome Opoku, the club officially confirmed the deal via their website.  Opoku, the 24-year-old centre-back, joined the Turkish Super Lig side on a season-long loan deal, with the option for a permanent transfer at the end of the 2023-24 season….

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More than 5,000 believed dead in Libya floods, over 30,000 displaced

The International Organization for Migration said Wednesday that the deadly flooding that hit eastern Libya has displaced more than 30,000 people. The U.N. agency said at least 30,000 of the displaced were from the city of Derna, with thousands more from other areas including Benghazi. More than 5,000 people are believed dead, with exact figures difficult to confirm in…

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G20 admits African Union as permanent member

The eighteenth G20 Summit and the first hosted by India got under way on Saturday with the admission of African Union (AU) as its permanent member even as last-minute negotiations were on to achieve complete unanimity on an exhaustive Joint Declaration that spans about 80 paras. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his opening remarks at the summit, invited the…

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Tanzanian sworn in as new East Africa Court judge

Justice Omar Othman Makungu, who currently serves as a Judge in the Court of Appeal of the United Republic of Tanzania A Tanzanian judge was yesterday sworn as a new judge of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ). Judge Omar Othman Makungu (pictured) will serve in the Appellate Division of the regional legal facility based in Arusha.Burundi President…

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Wagner chief Prigozhin among 10 killed in plane crash

The crash comes two months after Yevgeny Prigozhin launched a short-lived rebellion — seen as the biggest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s authority since he came to power. The head of the Wagner mercenary group, which in June attempted to topple Russia’s military leadership, was on board a plane that crashed on Wednesday, with all passengers killed, Russian…

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 South African president to announce new BRICS members on Thursday

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce the names of countries that will be invited to join the BRICS group of nations as full-fledged members after BRICS leaders complete their discussion on the issue on Thursday morning. South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa Anil Sooklal told TASS on Wednesday that the leaders “will tomorrow morning have a further meeting to finalize…

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Wagner boss Prigozhin was on crashed plane, Russia says

Eyewitnesses report hearing two explosions at time of crash BBC’s Monitoring’s Russia Editor, Vitaly Shevchenko, says speculation is spreading about the plane crash that Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin was believed to be a passenger on. “I’ve seen a number of video clips filmed by eyewitnesses who said that they had heard two explosions and they drew the conclusion that…

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Tanzania is ready to lead Africa’s food systems transformation

By Hon. Hussein Bashe The world’s leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, and farmers will gather in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for Africa’s Food System’s Forum (AGRF) 2023 Summit from Sep 4 – 8 2023 September. This prestigious event marks Tanzania’s second time hosting, following the successful 2012 edition held in Arusha. For the Government of Tanzania, this international summit presents a…

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South Africa’s Zuma taken back to prison, released again within 2-hour

Former South African President Jacob Zuma reappeared at the Estcourt correctional facility on Friday, August 11. Surprisingly, he was quickly released under a remission process. The process, authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa, aimed at reducing prison overcrowding by putting inmates from jail under correctional supervision at home. It plans to release over 9,400 inmates from jails. This process was…

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World’s top 15 largest political parties, Africa has one

Tanzania has been ranked number 11 in the latest list of countries with the largest political party by members. The Global Index’s 2023 report says Tanzania holds the position through its ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) reportedly has a total of 8.4 million active members. Tanzania with a total of 61.7 million people, according to the 2022 Census,…

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CRDB scoops four Africa awards in Lagos

Tanzania’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Benson Bana said it was enthralling to see the bank scooping a number of international awards. Lagos. CRDB Bank PLC scooped four awards in the 5th Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Awards (APSCA) held in Lagos, Nigeria yesterday. A statement released by the bank said the institution won award on excellence in procurement…

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Mr Eazi Launches Africa Art Exhibition Alongside New Album

Afrobeats star, Mr Eazi, is making waves in the art world as he announces an innovative collaboration with 13 talented artists across Africa. Known for his chart-topping hits and electrifying performances, Mr Eazi, whose real name is Oluwatosin Ajibade, is taking his creativity to new heights by blending music and art in a way never seen before. The “Leg…

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Uganda signs agreement with Russia on NPP construction

Uganda and Russia have agreed to build a nuclear power plant, Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit. He also noted great potential in phosphates and ammonia production, and invited Russian companies to participate in this. The president said his country would also like to…

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Tanzania government to pay new salaries from August

President Samia Suluhu Hassan had announced the salary increase during the celebration of International Workers’ Day (May Day) at the national event held in Morogoro Region in May 2023. Dodoma. The government has confirmed that the long-awaited annual salary increase will begin to be paid next month. The Minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and…

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Boost for Kiswahili as Google adds it on Chatbot

Google opens yet another door to technology inclusiveness for native speaker of Kiswahili after adding it to Bard’s language options Arusha. Kiswahili has got another boost after being included in Google’s conversational generative Chatbot, Bard. The widely spoken medium of communication in the continent now becomes the first African language on the platform of the tech giant. Other languages…

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EU concludes Africa-Pacific treaty after Poland drops veto

More than two years of delay in ratifying the new EU treaty with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries ended on Thursday (20 July) after Poland confirmed its approval of the agreement.  The treaty is set to be formally signed by leaders at a summit in Samoa in the coming weeks. After Hungary abandoned its opposition to the treaty over…

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Africa: Women’s World Cup – Four African Nations Set Sights On Maiden Glory

Confederation of African Football (Giza) A quartet of African teams are aiming to make history at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand as the competition kicked off on Thursday. The most experienced campaigners are Nigeria’s Super Falcons, who have qualified for every edition but are yet to progress beyond the quarter-finals. With star striker…

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Putin will not attend summit in South Africa amid arrest warrant

Story by Dominic Waghorn, international affairs editor | Sky News Vladimir Putin will not be attending the BRICS trade summit in South Africa thereby avoiding the risk of arrest. The South African government broke the news with the following statement: “By mutual agreement, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will not attend the Summit, but the Russian Federation…

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14 women rescued from ADF captivity in DR Congo

KAMPALA, Democratic Republic of Congo — The Ugandan military said it has freed 14 women held by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in a joint operation with the DRC army. The rescue operation was conducted Monday night by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) and the Armed Forces of the…

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Tanzania to host Africa Heads of State Human Capital Summit

This is the first time the conference has been held in Tanzania or on the African continent. Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is expected to host the Africa Heads of State Human Capital Summit (HCS), which will discuss investment in human resources. The Summit to be held on July 25 and 26, 2023, under the theme “Accelerating Africa’s Economic Growth:…

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Open Institute Of Technology Introduces International Distance-Learning IT Degrees To Africa

Open Institute of Technology (OPIT), a European accredited Higher Education institution under the European Qualification Framework (EQF), has launched two online Degrees in Information Technology for students and professionals in Africa and across the world. For its maiden academic year starting September 2023, OPIT looks forward to welcoming students from all over the world to its first class in…

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Nelson Mandela Day: Two new statues of Madiba to be unveiled

There are over 19 statues of the late Nelson Mandela and 19 are in South Africa. Two new statues will be unveiled today. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to unveil two statues of South Africa’s first democratically elected President, Nelson Mandela on Tuesday, 18 July. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Madiba’s passing and he would have been…

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Tanzania: Dr Samia to Grace African Elders Retreat

By Edward Qorro Arusha — PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan will today officiate an inaugural Elders Retreat, which is part of the Africa Drive for Democracy week, scheduled to take place in Arusha. The annual gathering of the continent’s pro-democracy community in Arusha, Tanzania, brings together delegates from more than 45 African nations, comprising former Heads of State, scholars, leaders…

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African leaders meet in Nairobi to accelerate continental integration

The African Union’s fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (MYCM) kicked off in Nairobi on Sunday, bringing together various regional economic groups and mechanisms to accelerate continental integration. The theme of this year’s meeting is the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The meeting is being led by Kenyan President William Ruto with the participation of the President…

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AMAA 2023: Screening College Begins Film Selection Ahead of Nominations

Despite the unfortunate loss of its founder, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, earlier this year, the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) is dedicated to ensuring its continuity. The global award organisation’s board recently approved the start of film selection preparations. The AMAA Screening College, led by Chairman Dr. Shaibu Husseini, has commenced the evaluation of 389 entries from over 45 countries that…

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Eighth cheetah dies at Kuno National Park: Are satellite collars to blame?

Eight cheetahs have died this year at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park. Experts believe the big cats seem to have contracted diseases brought on by satellite collars, which are used to track their activity and health One more male cheetah passed away on Friday at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh, bringing the total number of feline fatalities…

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EU facilitating talks for possible local production of pharmaceuticals

THE European Union (EU) envoy in Guyana has been facilitating talks for possible pharmaceutical production in Guyana. This is according to European Union Ambassador to Guyana Rene Van Nes, during an interview with reporters on Thursday. He said that this initiative is about seeing if Guyana, together with Barbados and Rwanda could play a role in pharmaceutical production. Van…

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Floyd Mayweather poses for a photoshoot with President Mnangagwa

Floyd Mayweather is happy to meet with the President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. Mayweather received a special autographed book from President Emmerson Mnangagwa during his state house visit. Photos of the two great men were shared on social media. Mayweather showed his support by wearing the well-known Mnangagwa scarf provided by his political party. Floyd Mayweather Jr., who…

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Johannesburg residents enchanted by once-in-a-decade snow

Residents of South Africa’s biggest city Johannesburg were stunned by the first snowfall in over a decade on Monday, with some children seeing snow for the first time. While parts of South Africa regularly receive snowfall over the southern hemisphere winter months around June to August, Johannesburg last saw snow in August 2012. After getting her picture taken on…

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Zanzibar to ban Shisha and E-cigarette smoking

Unguja. Authorities in Zanzibar are set to impose a ban on import and consumption of Shisha and E-cigarettes saying it was being consumed carelessly in public places. In a communication to the public, Zanzibar’s Minister of State, Office of the President, Regional Administrations, Local Governments and SMZ Departments, Masoud Ali Mohammed said government will issue a special directive soon. “We are all…

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Muhimbili Hospital receives 150 medical students from Sudan

Summary The students have been relocated to Tanzania to complete their final year of studies following the outbreak of war in Sudan Dar es Salaam. Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) has received 150 medical students from the University of Medicine, Science, and Technology (UMST), Khartoum, Sudan. The students have been relocated to Tanzania to complete their final year of studies…

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EU, Kenya reach trade deal in boost to Brussels’ Africa ties

Nairobi. The European Union and Kenya signed a trade deal Monday in a coup for Brussels as it seeks deeper economic ties with Africa in the face of competition from China. Summary Kenyan President William Ruto presided over a ceremony in Nairobi to mark the formal conclusion of negotiations to the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement Kenyan President William Ruto…

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Over 100 people killed in Nigeria river boat accident

More than 100 people have drowned in north central Nigeria after a boat carrying families returning from a wedding sank in a river, police and local authorities said on Tuesday. Details about the accident in Kwara State were still emerging, but it was the latest boat tragedy in Nigeria where river capsizes are common due to overloading, lax safety…

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Eritrea rejoins east Africa trade and security bloc IGAD after 16 years

Eritrea says it is ready to work toward “peace, stability and regional integration after it rejoined the East African bloc, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Monday. It comes nearly 16 years after the politically isolated state pulled out of the bloc. Information Minister Yemane Meskel said Eritrea resumed its activity in IGAD and took its seat at…

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Binance declared illegal in Nigeria, ordered to cease operations

Binance, a blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider, has been ordered to cease operations in Nigeria after being declared an illegal crypto trading platform. Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued the directive on Friday, discouraging crypto investors from using the platform as Binance is neither registered nor regulated and its operations in the country were illegal. In a…

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Zanzibar chases Formula 1 round

ZANZIBAR has intensified a bid to become the continent’s sole host of the Formula 1 round as process to acquire the right is going on well. Formula 1 (F1) is the hyper class international racing event for open-wheel single-seater racing cars sanctioned by the International Federation  of the Automobile (FIA). Abdalla Salim Turky, one of the key planners, said…

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US reopens embassy in Seychelles after 27-year absence

The United States has reopened its embassy in the Seychelles after a 27-year absence during which China and other U.S. rivals made significant inroads in the Indian Ocean islands. The U.S. State Department announced the move late Thursday, after having unveiled plans to open a diplomatic mission in northern Norway, which will be its only only such facility above…

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Fuel prices in Nigeria almost triple in two days

Prices at the pump almost tripled at service stations in Nigeria after the new President announced on Monday that he would end fuel subsidies, journalists observed on Wednesday in several towns across the country.Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had just been sworn in as president, had declared on Monday that he would end fuel subsidies, one of his campaign promises,…

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Dar es Salaam’s Nyerere Road to be closed for four months

Summary The road will be closed from Sunday, May 28, and will be reopened on Saturday, September 30, 2023, when construction is completed. Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) has announced that Nyerere Road will be closed for four months due to the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). In a public notice by the…

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AfDB to establish entrepreneurship banks for youth

Summary The President of AfDB, Dr Akinwumi Adesina said the banks will access the critical financial resources to income generation projects run by the youth. The African Development Bank (AfDB) is seeking to establish youth entrepreneurship investment banks across the continent. The proposed financial institutions will finance young people’s innovations in creating wealth. This was announced on the sidelines…

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Kikwete calls for repositioning agriculture to unlock Africa’s intra-trade

Accra. Delegates at the Africa Leadership Forum (ALF) have urged African countries to refocus on how to build a stronger supply value chain for agriculture on the grounds that the sector occupies the best opportunity to grow the highly needed intra-trade. Leaders and other participants noted that Africa is endowed with adequate arable land to contribute substantially to the…

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Aliko Dangote’s Refinery Finally Opens as He Pens 74-Word Message to Nigerians in Rare Social Media Post

Aliko Dangote’s highly anticipated $19 billion refinery will finally begin operation today, Monday, May 22, 2023. The Dangote Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone of Lagos, is set to be Africa’s largest oil refinery, with a capacity to process 650,000 barrels of crude oil daily. Punch reports that the refinery has been designed to process crude oil…

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Uganda in talks with Turkish firm to construct SGR

What you need to know: Once completed, SGR is expected to ease transport of people and goods between the East African countries of Uganda, Kenya and also Tanzania. Currently, the government is focusing on compensating locals staying within the confines of the railway line.  Uganda is in talks with Yapi Merkezi, a Turkish construction firm to construct the long-awaited…

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Africa Finally Has Its Cannes Moment

With a record number of films in the official lineup, African cinema will be well represented on the Croisette this year, but insiders say top festivals need to do more to reflect the continent’s true filmmaking diversity: “It’s like they are ticking a box.” This could be the year African cinema conquers Cannes. The 76th festival has more Africa-set…

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Tanzania Announces Registration for Africa’s Food Systems Forum Summit (AGRF-2023) to Foster Transformation in the Continent’s Food Landscape

Tanzania Ministry of Agriculture Invites Registrations for Africa’s Food Systems Forum 2023 Summit (AGRF-2023) The Tanzania Ministry of Agriculture has made an exciting announcement, opening the online registration for the highly anticipated Africa’s Food Systems Forum 2023 Summit (AGRF-2023). This prestigious event, considered Africa’s premier platform for advancing agricultural and food systems, will bring together stakeholders from across the…

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Africa had more than 270 million mobile apps users as of December 2022, report

As of December 2022, the total number of monthly active users of mobile apps in Africa exceeded 270 million, a 14% increase compared to the beginning of the year. This is according to a new report released by DataSparkle, a data and analytics platform for emerging markets. The report provides a holistic analysis of the evolution of Africa’s mobile market over…

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Nigeria struggles to evacuate nationals from Sudan

Summary A first convoy of 13 buses left Sudan’s capital Khartoum on Thursday for the Egyptian border with a plan to fly on Friday to Nigeria, but the group was refused permission to cross the frontier Lagos. Nigeria’s government on Tuesday sought to overcome problems hampering the evacuation of around 3,000 of its nationals from Sudan, where rival military…

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Kenya opposition stages new protests

Kenyan riot police were out on the streets on Tuesday as the opposition defied a police ban and staged new demonstrations over the cost of living crisis and last year’s election results. Previous protests called by veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga have turned violent, with at least three people killed as police fired tear gas and gangs went on…

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Autopsies in Kenya cult deaths confirm starvation

A high-profile Kenyan pastor appeared in court on May 28, suspected of links to the murder of dozens of people found in mass graves that has been dubbed the “Shakahola forest massacre”. Ezekiel Odero, the flamboyant head of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church, was arrested on Thursday in the coastal town of Malindi and is accused of…

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Home at last: Tanzanians evacuated from Sudan arrive

Summary The Tanzanians, most of whom are students who were studying in Sudan, had to be evacuated after fighting broke out between the Sudanese Army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) An ATCL Dreamliner plane touched down at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam today at 9:15 PM carrying some 206 Tanzanians who have been…

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African Banker Awards 2023 nominees announced

The 2023 edition of the prestigious African Banker Awards ceremony is set to spotlight SMEs, women and gender. A new category has been introduced to recognise efforts towards bolstering financial inclusion of women across the continent. African Banker magazine has announced today the shortlist of nominees for this year’s edition of its African Banker Awards. Since their inception in…

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Museveni urges MPs to ‘reconsider’ anti-gay bill

President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday called on Ugandan MPs to “reconsider” draconian anti-gay legislation passed by parliament last month and widely condemned in the West. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 promises harsh penalties against anyone who engages in same-sex activity. “I return the bill to Parliament for reconsideration,” Museveni wrote in a letter to the house. The president has faced widespread…

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Kenya starvation cult toll climbs to 83 as more bodies found

Summary Police have spent days scouring the Shakahola forest near the coastal town of Malindi after receiving a tip-off about a cult led by Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, who urged his followers to starve to death in order to find God Malindi. Kenyan investigators on Tuesday exhumed 10 more bodies from mass graves linked to a starvation cult, bringing the…

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Sudan factions agree to 72-hour ceasefire as foreigners are evacuated

Sudan’s warring factions agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire starting today, while Western, Arab and Asian nations raced to extract their citizens from the country. The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) said the U.S. and Saudi Arabia mediated the truce. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced the agreement first and said it followed two days of intense negotiations. The two…

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Britain begins evacuating civilians from Sudan TODAY

Military flights will take ‘thousands’ of nationals with a UK passport out of the country as three-day ceasefire comes into effect The UK government will begin evacuating British citizens trapped in Sudan today, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said after he was accused of ‘abandoning’ thousands of civilians in the war-torn country. Military flights will now evacuate at least 2,000…

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Kenya’s Ruto vows action after 51 bodies linked to cult found

Kenyan President William Ruto on Monday vowed to crack down on “unacceptable” religious movements after police discovered the bodies of 51 people suspected of belonging to a Christian cult that practised starvation. A major search is underway in a forest near the coastal town of Malindi where dozens of corpses were exhumed over the weekend, with authorities fearing more…

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Second cheetah brought from Africa dies in India

A cheetah brought from South Africa to India has died, wildlife officials said, the second such death within a month in a country where the big spotted cat was declared extinct seven decades ago. So far, 12 cheetahs from South Africa and eight from Namibia have been brought to India after its top court ruled in 2020 that the…

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Tanzania moves from Covid-19 denier to a response model in Africa

Summary The World Health Organisation has declared the country the best performer in the Covid-19 Vaccine Delivery Partnership among 34 African nations whose vaccination rates were below 10 percent by January 2022 Dar es Salaam. Until early 2021, Tanzania was a Covid-19 denier, but two years later, the World Health Organisation (WHO) now ranks the country as the best…

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WHO warns Sudan’s hospitals running out of supplies, staff

Summary The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian crisis in the country, including the near collapse of the health system.Some health facilities were reportedly being looted and others being used for military purposes, he said.In separate comments earlier on Tuesday, the WHO said it had documented three attacks against healthcare facilities. The World Health Organisation’s chief on Tuesday…

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Hunger is soaring and spreading across West Africa, says UN

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Hunger is soaring and spreading across West Africa, with some 48 million people, a 10-year-high, facing food insecurity in the conflict-riddled region, the United Nations warned Tuesday. Driven primarily by violence as well as the economic fallout from COVID-19 and inflation, food insecurity has heavily impacted Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, northern Nigeria and Mauritania, U.N….

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Almost 200 dead, 1,800 wounded in Sudan battles

Fighting between the army and paramilitaries in Sudan has killed around 200 people and wounded 1,800, damaging hospitals and hampering aid after three days of urban warfare. A weeks-long power struggle exploded into deadly violence Saturday between the forces of two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed…

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US diplomatic convoy attacked in Sudan amid new truce appeal

The U.S. secretary of state says a U.S. diplomatic convoy came under fire in Sudan, where the country’s armed forces and a powerful rival have been battling for control since the weekend KHARTOUM, Sudan — Washington’s top diplomat said Tuesday that a U.S. Embassy convoy came under fire in Sudan and denounced “indiscriminate military operations” as the country’s armed…

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Jomo Kenyatta International Airport temporarily closed

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) was on Monday morning closed by the Kenya Airports Authority after a Singapore Airlines cargo plane developed mechanical glitches, putting its single runway under the spotlight. The KAA announced in a statement on Twitter that the plane failed to take off following a bird strike that caused an engine glitch. “We would like to…

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Explainer: Achraf Hakimi and Hiba Abouk divorce drama

Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi has been a trending topic on all media platforms across the world, in the last few days. This was after his wife, a TV model, discovered he owns ‘nothing’ despite earning millions of Euros in his football career. Hakimi is a football player with Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and the Moroccan national football team which…

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Conflict in Sudan: What we know

Nearly 100 civilians have died and hundreds wounded in ongoing battles between Sudan’s regular army and a powerful paramilitary force after long-running bitter brinkmanship spilled into conflict. At its heart lies two rival generals, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commander of the large and heavily armed paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), formed from…

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