Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent - news that matters.
COMMENTARY
A new chapter in India-Africa relations?
The size and health of India’s US$3.5 trillion economy have made the country a force to be reckoned with in global affairs. It has surpassed the United Kingdom in size and looks set to outstrip Germany by 2028, according to the International Monetary Fund.
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Kenyan politics, hit squads and Indians gone missing: The story so far
After having a blast of a lifetime at a popular club in a posh residential neighbourhood of Nairobi, the duo came out and got into a cab. Minutes later, a vehicle, the ones used by the now disbanded Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ (DCI) Special Service Unit (SSU), blocked the cab.
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Turkey deepens its defence diplomacy in Africa
Sales of drones and other arms to African nations are booming after Turkey signed military cooperation deals with dozens of governments on the continent. DW examines why so many countries are turning to Turkey for arms.
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NEWS
Diamond magnate Sam Matekane takes over as Lesotho's prime minister
Sam Matekane officially became Lesotho’s new prime minister on Friday, vowing to make the small southern African state “great again.” 64-year-old businessman formed his political party just 6 months before winning October elections.
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Burkina Faso: Apollinaire Kyélem de Tambèla, Captain Traoré’s surprise prime minister
A popular polemicist and convinced Sankarist without claiming it, Apollinaire Kyélem de Tambèla is known for his outspokenness and iconoclastic positions.
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US is now at Burkina Faso’s mercy in the Sahel region
There have been worries that Burkina Faso could follow the example of its neighbor Mali, which late last year hired mercenary fighters from the Russian Wagner organization to support its army's efforts to combat Islamist insurgents.
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Burkina Faso not planning to hire Russia’s Wagner mercenaries like Mali
Burkina Faso’s interim President Ibrahim Traore has assured US diplomats that he has no intention of inviting mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group to fight militants in the country.
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US blames Russia's Wagner Group for worsening security in Mali
Mali's security situation has become "significantly worse" due to the ruling junta's choices, including an alleged decision to partner with Wagner, a Russian private security firm, a senior US official said Wednesday.
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Sudan Islamists protest UN post-coup mediation, call for religious rule instead
Some 3,000 protesters in Khartoum on Saturday rejected UN mediation efforts between civilian and military leaders as “foreign interference” and called for religious rule in Sudan.
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US orders families of embassy employees to depart Nigeria due to heightened risk of terrorism
The State Department has ordered non-emergency US embassy employees and their family members in Abuja, Nigeria to leave the country “due to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks there.”
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Arab League seeks new start for joint Arab action, says Algerian foreign minister
The Arab League is seeking a new start for joint Arab action and global developments should not affect the pursuit of solving Arab issues
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Senegal: NGOs urge Macky Sall to give up 3rd mandate
Several Senegalese organisations on Thursday urged President Macky Sall to dispel any doubts and openly declare that he would not run for his own succession in 2024, a candidacy they say could spread "chaos".
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Ethiopia peace talks start in South Africa
The first formal peace talks aimed at ending two years of war between the Ethiopian army and forces from the country's northern region of Tigray started in South Africa.
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Witnesses allege deadly abuses by Eritrean forces during Ethiopia peace talks
Even as Ethiopia’s warring sides attend their first formal peace talks in a devastating two-year conflict, witnesses in the country’s embattled Tigray region tell The Associated Press that forces from neighboring Eritrea are killing some civilians and looting as they and allied Ethiopian forces head for the regional capital.
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Western Sahara: Morocco Welcomes Adoption of Resolution 2654
Morocco welcomed on Thursday the adoption of Resolution 2654 by the Security Council, which renewed the mandate of peacekeeping operation MINURSO in Western Sahara to one year.
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Madagascar minister fired for voting against Russia's Ukraine annexation
Madagascar's president has fired his foreign affairs minister for voting at the United Nations to condemn Russian-organised referendums to annex four partially-occupied regions in Ukraine.
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Zimbabwe President Gets Ruling Party’s Backing for Another Term
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa secured his party’s backing to be its candidate in next year’s elections.
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Seychelles: President Ramkalawan Announced Members of the New Defence Forces Council
President Wavel Ramkalawan today announced and convened the first meeting of the Defence Forces Council, at State House. The new Council has been set up following the promotions and restructuring of the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF).
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UN Security Council to receive report on Abyei region
The United Nations Security Council will on Thursday receive a briefing on the Secretary-General’s most recent report on the world body’s peacekeeping force in Abyei (UNISFA), covering the period from 15 April to 3 October.
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US Embassy issues demonstration alert for Port Louis, Mauritius, Oct. 29. Increased security likely.
The US Embassy in Port Louis issued a security alert Oct. 28, warning of a demonstration in the city Oct. 29. The purpose of the action is to demand justice for the killing of a local politician. Organizers plan protests at Place d'Armes, near Rogers House, from 14:00.
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Ramaphosa Criticizes US Over South Africa Terror Warning
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa criticized the US for failing to discuss a terror alert issued by the American Embassy with local authorities.
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Uganda: Keep Private Sector Money Out of Politics, Govt Asked
Stakeholders have raised concern over the increased financing of politics by the private sector that they said in turn kills the public interest of service delivery.
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Rice shipment brings relief to shortage-hit Comoros
It's late in the evening in the Comorian capital of Moroni but the city's port is filled with eager faces. An 800-tonne rice shipment docked in the Indian Ocean archipelago and was offloaded on October 3.
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President of Guinea-Bissau visits Kyiv after trip to Moscow
President of Guinea-Bissau and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Umaro Sissoco Embalo arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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French-Australian veterinarian kidnapped in Chad
Jérôme Hugonot, a conservationist with dual French and Australian citizenship, has been kidnapped in north-eastern Chad and a search and rescue mission is under way, the Chad government has said.
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Two car bombs set off outside education ministry in Somalia; 100 dead, says President
Two car bomb explosions outside Somalia’s education ministry in its capital Mogadishu on Saturday left at least 100 people dead and 300 injured
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DR Congo expels Rwandan ambassador as M23 rebels seize towns
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s government has ordered Rwandan Ambassador Vincent Karega to leave the country within 48 hours after accusing Kigali of supporting M23 rebels, who have seized two towns in the DRC’s east, raising tensions between the two countries.
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Burkina Violence Displaces 4,000 in Togo
More than 4,000 people have been displaced this year in northern Togo after the security climate worsened following jihadist attacks in neighboring Burkina Faso, the government said.
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Al-Qaeda Claims Deadly Attack In Burkina Faso
A powerful jihadist group has claimed responsibility for an attack Monday on an army base in northern Burkina Faso, adding it had also freed scores of prisoners in addition to killing 10 soldiers.
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Niger Lists 15 Anti-rebel Operations With French Forces
Nigerien and French forces staged 15 "joint operations" seizing arms and ammunition from jihadist insurgents along the African country's volatile border with Mali from July to October, Niger's army said Saturday.
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Saudi Fund for Development helps Comoros with $5m water project
A Saudi Fund for Development delegation laid the foundation stone for a $5 million water project in Moroni, Comoros.
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World Bank approves $275 million in development support for Zambia
The World Bank has approved US$275 million in assistance to help Zambia recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and deal with the fallout from the war in Ukraine.
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Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2022 to Examine Best Approaches for Angola to Achieve Fuel Self Sufficiency
The upcoming Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2022 conference and exhibition (https://bit.ly/3sButIz) which runs from November 29 – December 1, will explore the best approach Angola should implement to ensure fuel self-sufficiency.
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Guinea's Colonel Doumbouya visits Sierra Leone
The leader of Guinea's ruling junta, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, was greeted in Freetown during a visit to neighbouring Sierra Leone.
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Tanzanian President to visit China with focus on cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure
At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Samia Suluhu Hassan, president of the United Republic of Tanzania, will pay a state visit to China from November 2 to November 4.
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Turkey looks to sell armed drones to Libya
Ankara’s new deals with one of Libya’s rival premiers have inflamed the country’s internal rows, bringing the north African nation closer to acquiring armed drones.
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Burundi declares border with Rwanda open more than 5 years after closure
Burundi's foreign affairs minister officially declared that the border between the East African country and Rwanda has been reopened.
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Tunisia could lose its World Cup spot weeks ahead of 2022 kick off
FIFA has sent a warning to the Tunisian Football Federation (TFF) stating that its participation at the World Cup could be threatened if government interference is found within the organisation
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Saudi, Algerian ministers discuss bilateral ties
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji met Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra in Algiers, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
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Ivory Coast and Ghana join hands to destroy western chocolate industry and reclaim the cocoa throne
There is a famous saying that ‘God helps those who help themselves’. Two African countries have after years of exploitation decided to catch the devil by its horns in order to do something against the injustice being done to their farmers at the hands of the western multinational corporations.
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Gas, the new deal for Mauritania
In just a year, production is due to commence on the $4.8bn Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) liquefied natural gas platform. It will be operated by the British oil giant BP and Kosmos Energy of the US.
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Biden to visit Egypt, Cambodia and Indonesia for COP27, Nov summits
US President Joe Biden, as part of his North Africa and Asia visit, will attend the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 in Egypt and other November summits in Cambodia and Indonesia.
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Greenpeace accused of greenwashing Egypt’s image ahead of Cop27
Greenpeace has been accused by human rights defenders of “greenwashing” the Egyptian government’s image and discouraging other activists from forcefully raising the country’s abysmal human right record ahead of Cop27.
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Nearly 200 dead as Niger flooding death toll rises
Flooding caused by torrential rain in Niger has left 195 people dead and affected more than 322,000, an official toll showed on Saturday.
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INDIA IN AFRICA
India-COMESA Trade Council office opened
The launch was announced in a release on the first India - COMESA trade conference here on Thursday, an event in which Ambassadors of Ethiopia, Malawi, Djibouti, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Sudan participated.
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Jaishankar meets his UK, Ghana, UAE counterparts, discusses ways to boost bilateral ties
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday met his UK, Ghana, and UAE counterparts – James Cleverly, Shirley A Botchwey and Reem Al Hashimy respectively.
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MoS Muraleedharan underscores policy to deepen engagement with Africa
Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan underscored India's policy to intensify and deepen its engagement with Africa at the Dakar Forum held in Senegal.
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India stands ready to support Africa on its developmental priorities: MoS V Muraleedharan
Mr Muraleedharan was on a two-day visit to Senegal from 24th of this month to participate in the 8th edition of the Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security. Click here to read...
Indian Navy’s Goa Maritime Symposium to commence from Monday
The fourth edition of the Goa Maritime Symposium (GMS) is being conducted by the Naval War College (NWC) at Goa from 31 October to 1 November 2022.
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India Takes Part in Maiden Trilateral Maritime Exercise With Mozambique And Tanzania
The 1st edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise between the navies of the respective countries commenced at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on Oct 27.
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Navy holds drill with Mozambique,Tanzania
The first edition of the India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise (IMT TRILAT), a joint maritime exercise, concluded at Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam on Saturday.
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INS Tarangini Departs Djibouti
INS Tarangini visited Port of Djibouti from 23 to 25 October 2022 as part of Lokayan 2022. High level interactions were undertaken with Djibouti Coast Guard during stay. The ship was also open to visitors and a guided tour of ship was organised to help visitors understand the nuances of life onboard a 'Tall Ship'.
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With India’s generous help, Morocco will be providing “green energy” to Europe
Indian business tycoon Gautam Adani is holding talks with the Moroccan government to develop its renewable energy projects which will be used to supply electricity and hydrogen to Europe.
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Exports to African and Latin American countries on the rise
Exports to African and Latin American countries have jumped in the first five months of the fiscal compensating to an extent diminished opportunities in the US and Europe because of a global slowdown.
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‘Global interest in India-modified M4’ — South African defence firm wants to manufacture in India
South African defence major, Paramount Group — which has a tie-up with India’s Kalyani Group for the joint production of M4 armoured vehicles for the Army here — wants to expand its Indian manufacturing presence to cater to its global clients.
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India’s G20 Presidency and the next phase of industrial growth
India will assume the Presidency of the Group of Twenty (or G20) for one year from 01 December 2022 to 30 November 2023 and this is expected to be a turning point for further deepening India’s global footprints.
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Bug diplomacy: Parasitoid from Africa's Republic of Benin comes to aid of India's tapioca
India is the number one producer of tapioca (fresh tubers) in the world with 35.0 tonnes/hectare as against the world average of 10.76 tonnes/hectare.
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EAM @DrSJaishankar Met FM of Ghana, Shirley A. Botchwey; Thanked Her for Participation in ... - Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services
The latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services states, 'EAM @DrSJaishankar met FM of Ghana, Shirley A. Botchwey; thanked her for participation in UNSC special meeting.
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UNESCO-India-Africa Hackathon 2022 From November 22 For Students, Teachers; 23 Nations To Participate
The UNESCO India – Afrika Hackathon scheduled to be held between November 22 and 25, is an annual event that brings together students, educators, teachers and the research community of India.
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Why two Indians disappeared on a July night in Kenya
Two Indian tourists and their local driver disappeared in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on a July night. More than two months after the incident, nine policemen have been arrested in connection with the case, which India says it is "closely watching".
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Deaths of Gambian children cast dark shadow over India’s drugs industry
The tragic demise of 66 children in the West African nation of Gambia as a result of the use of suspect cough remedies has brought into focus a dangerous aspect of India’s massive pharmaceutical industry.
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Airtel Africa profit after tax down 17.2% at $180 mn in Sept quarter
Airtel Africa's revenue grew 12.7 percent on a reported basis and 18.5 percent in constant currency, to $1,308 million in Q2 September 2022.
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Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centenary Celebrations, Lusaka, Zambia
More than 8,800 visitors, including 1,500 students, from all over Zambia and Malawi, visited the seven-day Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centenary Celebrations organized by BAPS at the six-acre Pramukh Swami Nagar set up on the CPS Ground in the Kamwala area of Lusaka.
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