Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent - news that matters.
COMMENTARY
Nelson Mandela’s Missed Opportunity
South Africa’s former president had the chance to launch a massive program of regional economic integration but failed to seize it. Click here to read...
France, Egypt, and India Can Help to Spread Security from Mediterranean to the Indo-Pacific
In March 2021, the container ship Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal for six days, triggering a worldwide supply-chain crisis with extensive economic consequences. Click here to read...
Veto Powers’ Foreign Policy Calculations in Africa: The New US Strategy of Divide and Rule
The veto-wielding powers are the Five Permanent Members (P-5) of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC): China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and United States. Click here to read...
NEWS
Tunisia hosts Japanese-African economic cooperation meeting
While 30 African heads of state and government attended the event in Tunis, Tunisia's capital, many key talks are being held remotely, including those involving Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Click here to read...
Japan pledges $30 billion in African aid at Tunis summit
Addressing a Japan-Africa summit in Tunisia, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tokyo would work to ensure grain shipments to Africa amid a global shortage. Japan also pledged $30 billion in aid for development in Africa on Saturday. Click here to read...
Angola's ruling party claims victory, opposition leader rejects results
Fewer than half of Angola's registered voters turned out for Wednesday's election, which now looks certain to give President Joao Lourenco a second five-year term and extend the rule of the MPLA, which has governed the southern African oil producer since independence from Portugal in 1975. Click here to read...
Guinea junta makes interim prime minister's appointment permanent
Guinea's ruling military junta on Saturday appointed acting Prime Minister Bernard Gomou to fill the position on a permanent basis, replacing Mohamed Beavogui, who has been absent since last month. Click here to read...
Guinea opposition cancels planned protests
A political opposition coalition in Guinea has said it was calling off planned protests against the country's ruling junta, at the request of a West African regional group. Click here to read...
France’s Macron concludes Algeria visit with new pact
French President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune have declared a “new, irreversible dynamic of progress” in their nations’ ties, concluding a visit by Macron aimed at ending months of tensions. Click here to read...
Egypt hosts five-state Arab summit
Amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, a rise in global inflation rates, tension between China and Taiwan, as well the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic, Egypt organized a five-state summit in the New Alamein city on Aug. 22 at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Click here to read...
Supreme Court ruling signals new order for Kenyan politics
The political uncertainty over Kenya’s fourth consecutive disputed presidential election outcome has shattered outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta’s hopes of breaking the cycle of divisive polls. Click here to read...
Morocco recalls Tunisia ambassador over Western Sahara
Morocco said Tunisia's decision to invite Brahim Ghali to a Japanese development summit for Africa that Tunis is hosting this weekend was "a grave and unprecedented act that deeply hurts the feelings of the Moroccan people".Click here to read...
Guinea-Bissau President Leaves Tunis Conference Over Polisario Invite
Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has left the ongoing TICAD8 development conference in Tunisia over the inclusion of Polisario representatives. Click here to read...
DR Congo seeks to ‘reclaim history’ with economic reforms
The finance minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo longs for the days when his country was pushing forward as an African industrial hub. Click here to read...
Anti-Jihadist fight: Burkina Faso and Niger invite Mali to “return” to Military cooperation
Burkina Faso and Niger, two countries affected by the jihadist violence that started in northern Mali in 2013, on Monday called on Bamako to "come back and assume its responsibilities" as part of sub-regional cooperation in the fight against jihadism. Click here to read...
Somali Forces End Hotel Attack That Left 21 Dead, 117 Hurt
Somali authorities on Sunday ended an attack by Islamic extremists that left 21 people dead and over 110 wounded when gunmen stormed a hotel in the capital. Click here to read...
Clashes between Rival Militias in Libya Kill at Least 32
The worst fighting in two years rocked Tripoli on Saturday, as residents feared a return to war. Click here to read...
Nigeria pays part of airline dues amid flight suspension threats
Nigeria released some funds owed to international air carriers to try and avert a crisis in the aviation sector amid warnings of flight suspensions from operators including Dubai’s Emirates Airline. Click here to read...
ECOWAS Parliament Calls for Implementation of 30% Affirmation for Women in West Africa
The Chairperson, Committee on Social Affairs, Gender and Women Empowerment of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Ayamba Laadi Ayii, has appealed to West African presidents to ensure the 30 per cent affirmative action in governance. Click here to read...
UAE sends 30 tonnes of relief to flood victims in Sudan, more to follow
The UAE has begun operating an air bridge to Khartoum to transport large quantities of relief aid and shelter materials for those affected by the torrential rains and floods in Sudan. Click here to read...
Modise’s trip to Russia highlights ANC’s ‘blind spot
South Africa’s ambiguous foreign policy won’t hurt the country in polite diplomatic circles but the ruling ANC’s “blind spot” on Russia could cost the party at the polls and dent the country’s pocket. Click here to read...
China to waive some Africa loans, offer $14 billion in IMF funds
China, the largest government creditor to emerging economies, said it will forgive 23 interest-free loans to 17 African countries and redirect US$10 billion (S$14 billion) of its International Monetary Fund reserves to nations on the continent. Click here to read...
China cancels around CFA1.5 billion of Togo’s debt
China recently cancelled part of a debt Togo owes it. The news was confirmed on August 18, by the Chinese minister of foreign affairs, Wang Yi. Click here to read...
Tanzania, Kenya to miss out on China debt relief plan
Tanzania could join Kenya on a list of countries that will be left out of the Chinese debt relief deal at the end of this year by virtue of their lower-middle-income status even as the East African nations grapple with a growing debt burden. Click here to read...
Tanzania ambitious to benefit from Chinese debt relief plan
Tanzania has applauded an initiative by the Chinese government to write off a series of interest-free loans to African countries, saying if Tanzania is among the beneficiaries, then money freed by debt relief, will be routed to the country’s development. Click here to read...
Iran FM departs for Africa
The foreign minister departed for Bamako, the capital city of Mali, at the first leg of his African tour which will later take him to Tanzania and Zanzibar. Click here to read...
Sudan is Türkiye's strategic partner in Africa
Sudan is Türkiye's strategic partner in Africa, the Turkish ambassador to the country said Tuesday, expressing hope that security, stability and sustainable development in the country will be achieved. Click here to read...
Ethiopia-Djibouti railway starts vehicle shipment
The Chinese-built Ethiopia-Djibouti railway on Thursday started vehicle shipment from ports in Djibouti to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. Click here to read...
Kenya's new highway signals shift in China's lending blitz in Africa
For many Nairobi denizens, a newly built 27-kilometer expressway connecting the Kenyan capital to its main airport has been a life changer. Click here to read...
Togo successful in eradicating four neglected tropical diseases
The world health organization (WHO) commended the efforts made by the small nation of West Africa, Togo, for wiping out four major tropical diseases from the country. Togo is also the first nation in west Africa to achieve this feat. Click here to read...
For clean energy, financial growth, Africa looks to UN talks
In Kenya’s semi-arid Makueni County, 50-year-old Purity Kinyili used to spend most of her time traveling for water and firewood to sustain her family and farmland. Click here to read...
Can Namibia turn oil into prosperity?
The recent discovery of large reserves of crude oil off the coast of Namibia has fueled speculation about the fate of the sparsely populated country, whose economy has been largely dominated by mining, agriculture, fishing and tourism. Click here to read...
Egypt, US, Spain hold joint naval drills in Mediterranean
The Egyptian, US and Spanish navies held a joint maritime exercise within the range of Egypt’s Northern Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, said the Egyptian military. Click here to read...
Militants kill six in attack on convoy from Burkina Faso gold mine
Unidentified gunmen killed six people and wounded two others in an attack on a convoy from the Boungou gold mine in eastern Burkina Faso. Click here to read...
Chad Rebels Say Killed 10 Soldiers, Government Denies Claim
A leading Chad rebel group said Saturday it had killed 10 soldiers in the north of the country, a claim the government rejected as "fake news.” Click here to read...
Mozambique’s jihadi rebels launch new offensive in north
A new offensive by Mozambique’s Islamic extremist rebels in the embattled northern province of Cabo Delgado has increased the number of displaced by 80,000 and undermines the government’s claims of containing the insurgency. Click here to read...
Ethiopia: airstrike hits playground in Tigray, killing at least seven
An airstrike on a children’s playground has killed at least seven people in the capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, medical officials there said, in the first such attack after a four-month-old ceasefire collapsed this week. Click here to read...
Al-Shabab Militants Issue New Threats against Kenya
Somali-based, al-Qaida-affiliated Islamist militant group al-Shabab has issued a new threat against neighboring Kenya. The group said it will continue its attacks in that country as long as Kenyan troops are in Somalia. Click here to read...
Somalia’s new government focused on Al-Shabab threa
The attack on a key hotel in Mogadishu by terror group Al-Shabab last week illustrated the tit for tat that is starting in Somalia under new President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Click here to read...
Coup d'état in Madagascar: conviction confirmed for 2 Frenchmen
The two Frenchmen were convicted of trying to assassinate Madagascar's president, Andry Rajoelina: their request to have their sentences of 10 and 20 years of hard labour overturned on Friday by Madagascar's Court of Cassation. Click here to read...
The Democratic Republic of the Congo declares Ebola resurgence in North Kivu
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a resurgence of Ebola late last night, following confirmation of one case in the country’s eastern province of North Kivu. Click here to read...
South Sudan Diplomat Recalled After Alleged "Rape Incident" In US: Report
South Sudan's foreign ministry said it has recalled a US-based diplomat after "an alleged rape incident" in New York City, suspending the official until an ongoing investigation is completed. Click here to read...
First Smartphone Made In Ivory Coast Caters To Local Users
The phone can understand commands and respond in 16 of Ivory Coast's approximately 60 spoken languages, including Dioula, Senoufo and Bete. Click here to read...
Nigeria becomes first country ever to ban foreign models in TV commercials
Nigeria has become the first country ever to announce a complete ban on foreign models when it comes to its television advertisements. The decision was taken by the Nigerian government in an attempt to “develop local talent” and will officially be implemented from October this year. Click here to read...
Niger Makes Artificial Rain To Curb Drought
The Nigerian government has decided to use chemicals to induce rain in response to the drought that has caused a severe food crisis in the country this year, the meteorological department said. Click here to read...
INDIA IN AFRICA
Nigerian President hails India-Nigeria long-standing friendship
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the relationship with India is a long-standing friendship both politically and economically and it will continue to grow stronger. Click here to read...
Nigeria, India Need to Improve On Existing Security, Political, Economic Relationship - Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has stressed the urgent need for Nigeria and India to improve on the existing security, political, as well as economic relationship between the two nations. Click here to read...
Eye on Indian Ocean: India & Tanzania to set up task force
In an important development from the India’s strategic perspective, India and Tanzania have agreed to set up a task force in defence. Click here to read...
India, Tanzania decide to set up task force to prepare 5-year roadmap for defence cooperation
India and Tanzania decided on Friday to set up a task force to prepare a five-year roadmap to boost bilateral defence cooperation. Click here to read...
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh & his Tanzanian counterpart Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax hold bilateral talks in New Delhi
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Tanzanian Minister of Defence and National Service Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax in New Delhi on August 26, 2022. A wide range of issues concerning bilateral, regional and defence industrial cooperation were discussed during the meeting. Click here to read...
Rajnath Singh likely to focus on strengthening defence cooperation between Indian and Egypt
Next month, defence minister Rajnath Singh is heading to Egypt for a bilateral meeting with his counterpart which is expected to focus on strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries and the possibility of exports of military platforms. Click here to read...
India, UAE join hands to launch projects in Africa
Last week, a joint India-UAE healthcare delegation visited Tanzania, recipient of India's biggest line of credit in Africa, to explore investment opportunities and meet senior government officials. The objective of the visit was to identify specific projects for collaboration with government and private healthcare providers in Tanzania. Click here to read...
Africa: India-Africa Partnership Gets a Boost with Investment Conclave
A number of African leaders was in New Delhi for a key investment meeting this summer that brought together 40 ministers from 17 countries including Burkina Faso, Congo, Cameroon, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon and Malawi among others. Click here to read...
Nigeria, India’s largest trading partner in Africa
The Minister of State for External Affairs of India, Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, has said Nigeria is India’s largest trading partner in Africa. Click here to read...
Nigeria, India bilateral trade has potential to hit $40bln - report
Bilateral trade between Nigeria and India is expected to reach $40 billion from the current $14-$15 billion, offering a “big opportunity”, The Guardian reported, citing Nigeria-India Business Council (NIBC) President V. Sharma. Click here to read...
African countries offer India lithium access to repay loans
In a massive boost to its efforts to secure critical mineral supplies, India has been approached by several African countries with offers to service part of their development loans by giving access to Indian companies in their mining operations and allowing exports of highly prized lithium and cobalt. Click here to read...
India, Mauritius sign MoUs for cooperation to boost MSME sector; discuss B2B meets, training programmes, more
The MSME Ministry on Thursday announced two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed between India and Mauritius on cooperation in promoting the MSME sector of the two countries. Click here to read...
India–Namibia Relations Get a Boost
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, visited India to attend the 17th CII EXIM Bank Conclave on India–Africa Growth Partnership, which was held on 19–20 July 2022. Click here to read...
TCS arm wins deal from South African capital markets firm
The TCS BaNCS solution will be deployed as an integrated front-to-mid-office platform to support trade management, clearing and settlement, and hosted on the AWS cloud. Click here to read...
CELEBRATING 75 – THE 18th Asia-Africa Business and Social Forum: Awards and Business Summit
‘Celebrating 75 Years of India’s Independence’ was the theme of the 18th Edition of Asia-Africa Business & Social Forum 2022 Awards & Business Summit, which concluded successfully on the August 25, 2022 at the majestic Taj Palace Hotel, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Click here to read...
Mumbai police receive message about avoiding 'Somalia-type' attack
A WEEK after the Mumbai Traffic Police WhatsApp number received threats about another “26/11-like” attack in the city, the same WhatsApp number on Friday received a message from an unidentified person advising India to avoid a “Somalia-type attack”. Click here to read...
South African Army Chief lays wreath at National War Memorial
Chief of the South African Army, Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha on Tuesday visited the National War Memorial and paid his respects to the fallen soldiers by laying a wreath. Click here to read...
Why India should support greater African representation under its G20 presidency
As India is all set to take over the G20 presidency from Indonesia on 1 December 2022 till 30 November 2023, it should step up its game and distinguish itself as Africa’s partner with a difference. Click here to read...
Kenya Safaris- the New Frontier for India’s MICE Tourism
The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has initiated several MICE-related projects and has, in the process, garnered some insights into the Kenyan travel industry. Click here to read...
Balwant Thakur showcases India Festival in Mauritius
India Festival entitled ‘Mairti Parv’ organised by Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture, High Commission of India, Mauritius came out to be a big success. Devised and designed by the eminent theatre director of India, Blawant Thakur who is also the Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian culture which is world’s biggest centre, this festival created a history by featuring nine iconic events in seven days. Click here to read...
Nigeria Celebrates the Art of Living with Grand Culture Festival - Vibrant Africa
Keeping with its philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam or One World Family, The Art of Living's Africa chapter put together the grand Cultural Festival 2022 titled Vibrant Africa - The Rising Rhythm. Click here to read...
Indian Manipuri Dance Troupe To Perform In South Africa
After a gap of 3 years Indian Council of Cultural Relations has sent a Manipuri dance troupe to Johannesburg on the request of the Consulate General of India. Click here to read...
Ujjain: City artiste plays Sarangi in East Africa
In the schools and colleges of Kampala City, Sarangi workshops and introduction of Indian classical music to African students along with promoting culture of Malwa are underway. Click here to read...
African kids show insane dancing skills as they groove to ‘Kala Chashma’. Watch
Social media seems to have rekindled its love for the song ‘Kala Chasma’ as many videos featuring the track have been going viral after a Norwegian dance group performed to the song. Click here to read...
Book Review
Career diplomat Gurjit Singh traces the growing partnership between India and Africa in The Harambee Factor
The Harambee Factor: India–Africa Economic and Development Partnership is part of a refreshing trend of diplomats documenting their experiences and insights for wider public consumption, thereby also demonstrating the demand among readers to understand the inherent complexities of esoteric disciplines such as diplomacy. Click here to read...
