Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent - news that matters.
Commentary
Democracy at a Crossroads: The Quest for Hope in Sudan
Sudan is bleeding. A transitional administration was established in 2019 after Bashir was overthrown in a coup. Elections were expected to be held following the Click here to read...
Can China Broker Peace in Sudan?
Beijing could hold the key to any future peace in Sudan, but this projection must be buttressed with realism. Click here to read...
Türkiye should continue its rapprochement with Africa after the elections
The geographical importance and the role of Türkiye in global politics, especially after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has increased. Click here to read...
News
Gun battles, airstrikes rock Sudan amid Saudi, US-backed truce talks
Sudanese capital Khartoum was rocked by gun battles and airstrikes Sunday amid the latest cease-fire talks being held in Saudi Arabia. Click here to read...
A month into Sudan's brutal war, no end in sight
One month since Sudan's conflict erupted, its capital is a desolate war zone where terrorised families huddle at home as gun battles rage, while the western Darfur region has descended into deadly chaos. Click here to read...
South Sudan opens new camp to receive refugees from Sudan
South Sudan has opened a new refugee camp in its northern region to receive people fleeing conflicts in neighbouring Sudan, a senior official said. Click here to read...
In blow to Polisario, Portugal renews support for Morocco’s autonomy plan
Portugal renewed its support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, describing it as a serious and credible basis to end the dispute over Western Sahara. Click here to read...
Tunisia’s Ghannouchi sentenced to a year in prison: Lawyer
Opposition leader Ghannouchi was arrested in April, and sentenced after being charged with incitement, as crackdown on opposition continues. Click here to read...
Libyan forces deploy in western city after deadly fighting
A Libyan interposition force deployed in the country's western city of Zawiya after battles between armed groups left three people dead. Click here to read...
EAC troops failed, says DR Congo's foreign minister
DR Congo's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Christophe Lutundula, has said the East African Community regional force sent to the country's conflict-ridden east failed to deliver "expected results," signalling that it might have to exit by the end of June. Click here to read...
Kenya to reopen border with Somalia in 30 days
Kenya and Somalia have agreed to reopen their border crossing points after 11 years of closure. Click here to read...
Mysterious Killing of Chinese Gold Miners Puts New Pressure on Beijing
The massacre of nine workers in the Central African Republic and other recent attacks raise questions about China’s ability to protect its citizens overseas. Click here to read...
Beijing eyes big ticket deals in West Asia & N Africa region
China is trying to exploit Morocco’s strained relation with France to grab contract for Morocco’s proposed expansion of high-speed rail project between Casablanca and Marrakech. Click here to read...
PM Lee to visit South Africa and Kenya
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be making a six-day official visit to South Africa and Kenya from Sunday to Friday. Click here to read...
Ghana opposition chooses candidate for 2024 presidential race
Political parties are preparing to choose their presidential candidates as Ghana holds talks with the IMF over a $3bln bailout to help overcome an economic crisis and as it faces a growing jihadist threat from a conflict in neighbouring Burkina Faso. Click here to read...
Foxconn Founder Vows to 'Preserve Peace' With China if Elected Taiwan President
The billionaire founder of Foxconn vowed Sunday at a rally that if elected president of Taiwan, he would be able to "preserve peace" between the democratic self-ruled island and China. Click here to read...
Xi Jinping hosts Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki in Beijing, shoring up ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet in Beijing on Monday for his Eritrean counterpart Isaias Afewerki, saying that China opposed sanctions imposed on the Horn of Africa nation. Click here to read...
South China Sea secured, China now eyes west coast of Africa and Indian Ocean
China has a ballistic missile tracker Yuan Wang 7 off coast of Oman in Arabian Sea and another Yuan Wang 5 off coast of Durban in South Atlantic Ocean. Click here to read...
China may grab Morocco high-speed train project: report
Morocco will likely award a project to build a high-speed train linking two of its key cities to a Chinese company following a political crisis with France, according to a newspaper in the North African Arab nation. Click here to read...
US Unlikely to Sanction South Africa in Russia Weapons Dispute: Report
South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said his country had resolved a dispute with the U.S. over allegations that Pretoria supplied weapons to Russia, and South Africa is unlikely to face U.S. repercussion. Click here to read...
Africa Finance Corporation expands footprint in Benin, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia
Africa Finance Corporation (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, continues to expand and diversify its membership and shareholder base, recently welcoming Benin, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia. Click here to read...
Zambia asks France to help speed up debt restructuring talks
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Wednesday and asked Macron to use his country's influence to speed up Zambia's delayed debt restructuring talks. Click here to read...
AfDB working to raise billions to compensate Zimbabwe's white farmers
The African Development Bank said Monday it had developed the financial tools needed to make over $3 billion in compensation payments to white farmers who lost land and other assets in Zimbabwe. Click here to read...
Ghana gives assurances to help secure $3 billion IMF loan
Ghana joined forces with China and France on Friday to form a committee which will help pave the way for a $3 billion dollar International Monetary Fund loan. Click here to read...
Seychelles: Appointment of the Principal Secretary for The Blue Economy
The Office of the President has today announced the appointment of Mrs Phillianne Ernesta as the new Principal Secretary for The Blue Economy, effective from the 1st May, 2023. This follows the recent appointment of Mr Kenneth Racombo as Ambassador. Click here to read...
African countries are already booking stakes in Tanzania’s $42 Billion LNG project
As it prepares to sign the host government agreement and begin the front-end engineering design of what will become the largest energy project in eastern and southern Africa, Tanzania estimates that the cost of developing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) project is $42 billion after the most recent technical analysis. Click here to read...
Angola’s oil and gas sector rides a new wave of global investments
Angola’s oil and gas sector is witnessing an accelerated pace of new investments over the past few months thanks to the rising oil prices, Deutsche Bank said in a new report. Click here to read...
AU transition mission in Somalia steps up preparation to withdraw 2K soldiers in June
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has said that it has stepped up preparations for the withdrawal of 2,000 soldiers by June 30 from Somalia. Click here to read...
Will Tanzania lose the case over Maasai land grabbing?
Tanzania faces legal challenges over the government’s seizure of Maasai land, which has raised concerns about human rights abuses and could impact the country’s investment climate. Click here to read...
France sends top ministers to reconnect with people on Reunion Island
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has travelled to Reunion Island to “understand” and address the “daily preoccupations” of residents living in the Indian Ocean overseas department. Click here to read...
Iran, Egypt to restore ties, reopen embassies soon
An Iranian lawmaker said negotiations between Iran and Egypt are going on in Iraq and the two countries’ relations will be restored in the near future. Click here to read...
U.S. imposes election-related visa restrictions on Nigerians
The United States has imposed entry restrictions on more Nigerians for undermining the democratic process during the African nation's 2023 election cycle, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday. Click here to read...
Conflict in disputed Las Anod dims Somaliland’s diplomatic dreams
Since February 6, there has been fighting in the disputed city of Las Anod between forces in the self-declared state of Somaliland and local militia from the Dhulbahante clan in northern Somalia. Click here to read...
Mauritania opposition calls for cancellation of the election results in the capital
Mauritanian opposition parties demanded, on Sunday evening, that the results of the parliamentary, local and regional elections in the capital, Nouakchott, be cancelled, due to what they claim is "tampering with the voting process".Click here to read...
At least seven people killed by police gunfire in Guinea protests
An anti-government movement is planning new protests in Guinea after its leaders said at least seven people were killed and 32 wounded during demonstrations in the capital, Conakry, and other cities. Click here to read...
Senegal: Clashes in Casamance on the eve of Ousmane Sonko's trial
Clashes between the police and young supporters of the Senegalese opponent Ousmane Sonko occurred on Monday morning in Ziguinchor, Casamance (south), on the eve of the planned rape trial against the latter. Click here to read...
Comoros to accept migrants voluntarily returning from Mayotte
Comoros said Monday it will resume accepting its nationals returning "voluntarily" from the neighbouring French island of Mayotte, following a weeks-long standoff with Paris over the expulsion of undocumented Comorans. Click here to read...
6 tanker crew members seized by pirates freed in W. Africa
Six crew members of a Liberian-flagged tanker held hostage for more than a month by pirates in West Africa have been freed, the Danish shipping company that owns the vessel said Monday. Click here to read...
33 civilians killed in Burkina Faso 'terrorist' attack
At least 33 people were killed when gunmen opened fire on vegetable farmers in a jihadist-hit region of Burkina Faso, the governor said Saturday, as the country struggles to stem an insurgency. Click here to read...
Mali army, foreign fighters executed 500 in March 2022: UN report
The Malian army and foreign fighters executed at least 500 people during an anti-jihadist operation in central Mali in March 2022, according to a report released on Friday by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Click here to read...
Lesotho journalist Ralikonelo Joki killed after radio show
Lesotho authorities must launch a credible investigation into the killing of journalist Ralikonelo ‘Leqhashasha’ Joki and hold those responsible to account. Click here to read...
Flooding in Somalia displaces 200,000 people: official
Around 200,000 people have been displaced due to flash flooding in central Somalia, a regional official told AFP on Saturday, as the Shabelle River burst its banks and submerged roads. Click here to read...
Mozambique faces worst cholera outbreak in more than 20 years
Health authorities in Mozambique are battling the most severe cholera outbreak in the country in more than 20 years. Click here to read...
Climate change may wipe out Eswatini’s 2 major savanna tree species: Study
Climate change may wipe out Marula and Knobthorn — two tree species in Eswatini — from their current ranges, according to a new study. These widely occurring and dominant southern African species are critical to the functioning of lowland savannas. Click here to read...
India in Africa
Mauritius President visits Dakshineshwar temple in Kolkata
Mauritius President Prithvirajsing Roopun along with his wife offered prayers at the iconic Dakshineshwar temple in Kolkata on Monday. Click here to read...
Mauritius prez to inaugurate eye hospital
Mauritius president Prithvirajsing Roopun G C S K will participate as the guest of honour at the inauguration of Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital at Tirunelveli on May 17. Click here to read...
India appoints three new envoys for Botswana, Bahrain and Norway
India appointed three new envoys for three different countries, the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kingdom of Norway. Bharath Kumar Kuthati, a 2006 batch IFS officer, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Botswana. Click here to read...
Army chief heads for Egypt as part of Africa outreach
Army chief General Manoj Pande left for a visit to Egypt on Monday as part of the ongoing military outreach to African nations, even as chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan is now in the US to take part in an Indo-Pacific security dialogue with top military officers from the `Quad' countries. Click here to read...
India abstains from UN resolution for examining human rights violations in Sudan
India abstained on a West-backed resolution for examining human rights violations in Sudan. The Human Rights Council - made up of 47 UN member states - narrowly passed the resolution. 18 voted for the resolution, 15 against and 14 other nations abstained. The draft resolution was sponsored by the UK, US and European nations. Click here to read...
India Witnessed Highest African Participation Under Its G-20 Presidency
Africa's participation in the ongoing G-20 presidency under India has been the highest ever, the Permanent Representative of India to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said. Click here to read...
Government ramps up efforts to resume Mozambique gas ops
India is ramping up efforts to resume operations at a gas project in a terrorist-affected province of Mozambique where an ONGC Videsh-led Indian consortium has a 30% stake. Click here to read...
Trading in Indian rupees will strengthen ties between India and South Africa, says CII-IBF (SA) President
Trading in Indian rupees rather than the dollar or euro as has been traditionally done for decades is likely to encourage trade and promote economic growth and development between India and South Africa, a prominent business leader has said. Click here to read...
INS Tarkash at Port Djibouti
INS Tarkash visited Port Djibouti from 10 - 12 May 2023 for operational turnaround, as part of ongoing deployment to Gulf of Aden. Click here to read...
Venom Foundation and Kenya Unite to build a thriving blockchain and Web3 ecosystem
Cutting-edge technology companies and forward-thinking government entities come together to trade web3 knowledge and collaborate on shaping the future of Africa. Click here to read...
Airtel Africa Reports Over 11 Percent Revenue Growth and Increased Customer Base
Airtel Africa, a prominent telecommunications and mobile money services provider across Africa has announced positive operating and financial performance in the recently released results for the year ending March 2023. Click here to read...
Airtel Uganda Announces the Launch of eSIM
Airtel Uganda has launched its eSIM (embedded SIM) service, offering customers a digital alternative to traditional SIM cards. The eSIM provides the same functionality with added benefits such as easy setup, sustainability, and the ability to have multiple numbers on one device. Click here to read...
Indian national shot dead in Uganda by off-duty constable; ‘deliberate, pre-meditated act,’ say police
An Indian national was shot dead by an off-duty police constable in Uganda, with the police describing his actions as ‘deliberate’ and ‘pre-meditated.’ Click here to read...
After Gambia-Uzbekistan Fallout, India to Put a System of Checks at Govt Labs Before Exporting Cough Syrups
In an attempt to prevent exports of poor-quality cough syrups denting India’s reputation, the central government is planning to put a system of checks for the finished syrups at government laboratories before the final dispatch. Click here to read...
