Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 48, 2022)

Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent - news that matters.

COMMENTARY

Zimbabwe without Robert Mugabe: What has changed?

A climate of fear still lingers in Zimbabwe, five years after long-time ruler Robert Mugabe was deposed. As the country marks this milestone, few people are willing to speak openly about whether the government that took power has honoured its promise of transformation, either in terms of raising living standards or guaranteeing human rights. Click here to read... [2]

FIFA World Cup: Africa's angst and Pele's unfulfilled prediction

Sometimes, some stories are meant to be incomplete, but they are riveting, dramatic and symbolic. Click here to read... [3]

NEWS

This country in Africa is set to open a new Chinese-built parliament

Zimbabwe's president Emmerson Mnangagwa will formally open a new 650-seat parliament in the capital, Harare, that was funded by China this week, a report saidClick here to read... [4]

Zimbabwe: President calls for peace ahead of general elections

Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opened the Fifth Session of the Ninth Parliament of Zimbabwe. He delivered his State of the Nation address in a newly built Parliament. The multimillion-dollar building was gifted by the Asian economic giant China. Click here to read... [5]

Equatorial Guinea ruling party wins 99% of votes - early election results

Preliminary election results released by Equatorial Guinea's government on Monday showed the ruling party winning over 99% of votes counted so far in presidential, legislative, and municipal elections held on Sunday. Click here to read... [6]

Nigeria hopes new currency notes curb inflation, corruption

Nigeria on Wednesday launched newly designed currency notes, a move that the West African nation’s central bank says will help curb inflation and money laundering. Click here to read... [7]

New naira: CBN, EFCC to track large withdrawals

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele has said that it would work with law enforcement agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, to complicate and track large withdrawals. Click here to read... [8]

‘It changes nothing.’ Nigerians unimpressed with redesigned banknotes

Nigerians have criticized the “redesigning” of the country’s local currency proposed by its central bank to rein in counterfeiting and hoarding of large sums outside the banking system. Click here to read... [9]

Political veteran returns to Sudan opposing plan for military exit

Veteran Sudanese political and religious leader Al-Sayid Mohamed Othman al-Mirghani arrived in Khartoum from Egypt on Monday, throwing his clout against a possible agreement between pro-democracy groups and the military. Click here to read... [10]

Angola’s Isabel Dos Santos Considers Presidential Run From Exile

Isabel dos Santos, the self-exiled daughter of former Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, said she would consider running for president, even as she stands accused of causing billions of dollars in losses to the oil-producing nation. Click here to read... [11]

French-speaking bloc examines unrest in Africa

Facing calls to do more to resolve global crises, the world's French-speaking leaders met in Tunisia Sunday to discuss growing instability and popular discontent in francophone Africa. Click here to read... [12]

African Leaders Demand Congo Rebels Cease Fire or Face Attack

A summit of African leaders ordered the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to cease hostilities or face attack by a regional military force. Click here to read... [13]

Sudan is not invited to U.S. African summit

The White House excluded Sudanese military leaders from U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit which will be attended by leaders from across the continent in Washington next month. Click here to read... [14]

South Sudan’s Kiir invited to attend US-Africa summit

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir is among 45 African Heads of State to attend the second US-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington from December 13-15. Click here to read... [15]

Comoros seeks life sentence for ex-president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi for high treason

Sambi, 64, the arch opponent to current president Azali Assoumani, faces charges related to the alleged sale of Comorian passports to stateless people living in Gulf nations. Click here to read... [16]

Benin opposition gets green light for legislative election

Benin's opposition, weakened by arrests and the exile of its leaders, has been allowed to participate in January's legislative elections, four years after they were excluded from taking part in the last vote. Click here to read... [17]

Sierra Leone MPs scuffle over electoral reform

A brawl broke out in Sierra Leone's parliament in Freetown Wednesday (Nov 23) as MPs were in session. They debated a proposed change to the electoral system to allow for proportional representation in next year's election. Click here to read... [18]

One killed in Sudan anti-coup protests: medics

Sudanese security forces on Thursday shot dead a protester during renewed demonstrations against last year’s military coup led by army general Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. Click here to read... [19]

Kagame in Niger for AU summit

President Paul Kagame on Thursday arrived in Niamey, Niger for the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Industrialization and Economic Diversification, according to the Presidency. Click here to read... [20]

Food aid into Ethiopia’s Tigray ‘not matching needs’: UN

Aid deliveries into Tigray are “not matching the needs” of the stricken region, the United Nations food agency has said, even as a ceasefire takes hold in war-torn northern Ethiopia. Click here to read... [21]

China holds its first meeting with 19 countries in Indian Ocean region without India

The Chinese forum apparently is aimed at countering India's strong influence in the Indian Ocean region where India-backed organisations like the Indian Ocean Rim Association, (IORA), which has a membership of 23 countries have taken strong roots. Click here to read... [22]

Germany to withdraw troops from UN Mali mission by May 2024

Germany becomes latest country to pull its troops from UN Mali mission after facing difficulties in recent months. Click here to read... [23]

UK troops may go to Ghana in shift of strategy against terror

Britain may be invited to send special forces to Ghana after it was forced to withdraw all of its 300 peacekeepers from Mali in the face of bands of Russian mercenaries and jihadist groupsClick here to read... [24]

French embassy asks Burkina Faso for more protection after protests

The French embassy in Burkina Faso has asked the West African state for more protection after violent protests targeted the property last week, a letter to the government and a diplomatic source said. Click here to read... [25]

Al-Shabab gunman kills three Kenyan peacekeepers in Somalia

An al-Shabab gunman entered a military base in Somalia and killed at least three Kenyan peacekeepers on Monday, in the latest attack by armed fighters who oppose the presence of foreigners in the Horn of Africa nation. Click here to read... [26]

Islamic State Mozambique demands Christians, Jews convert or pay jizya in social media threat

As part of its mission to establish a caliphate, the Islamic State Mozambique terror group has demanded that all Christians and Jews convert to Islam or pay a tax if they do not want to be slaughtered, and has declared an “endless war” on the Mozambican army, Click here to read... [27]

Nigerian gunmen kidnap 60 people, mostly women observing Prophet Muhammad’s birthday

Nigerian gunmen kidnapped at least 60 people in a remote community in northwestern Zamfara state who were mostly women observing Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, residents said on Thursday in the latest wave of abductions to hit the state. Click here to read... [28]

Crime ‘worrying’ in South Africa: 7,000 murdered in three months

More than 7,000 people were murdered over three months in South Africa, according to new police statistics, which showed a rise in violent crime from the same period last year. Click here to read... [29]

Macron accuses Russia of 'predatory' behavior in Africa

President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia of feeding anti-French propaganda in Africa to serve "predatory" ambitions in troubled African nations, where France has suffered military setbacks and a wider loss of influence over recent years. Click here to read... [30]

“Africa is not a colony”, Italy’s Meloni reads the riot act for colonizer Macron

Although French colonialism was abolished in the African region in the 1950s, the jubilation was ephemeral because France continued to maintain most of its bases and influence over different nations long after the collapse of its colonial empire. Click here to read... [31]

Ghana plans to buy oil with gold instead of dollars

The move is aimed at tackling dwindling forex reserves amidst rising inflation and a weakening local currency. Click here to read... [32]

Namibia plans railway revamp to boost regional coal exports

Namibia’s state-owned railway company TransNamib plans to shift coal exports from Botswana off the road and onto rail by early next year, potentially doubling exports via Walvis Bay port, its CEO said. Click here to read... [33]

Algeria court sentences dozens to death over forest fire lynching

Forty-nine people were sentenced to death over the lynching of a man falsely accused of starting deadly fires last year. Click here to read... [34]

Togo solar plant gets 20MW upgrade, making it the largest in West Africa

AMEA Power, a renewable energy company in the Middle East, recently announced the expansion of the Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Solar Power Plant in Togo, from 50MW to 70MW. This will make it the largest solar PV plant in West Africa. Click here to read... [35]

Huawei-supported 5G network launched in Zambia

The leading mobile services provider MTN in Zambia has launched its fifth-generation mobile (5G) network which will enable consumers to have fast-paced and indestructible internet speed. Click here to read... [36]

Ivory Coast completes second shipping container terminal

Ivory Coast has completed construction of a second container terminal at its main port in Abidjan, paving the way for it to become a regional shipping hub, officials said late on Friday. Click here to read... [37]

Rwanda inks four major energy deals with Eni

Rwanda and Eni, an Italian energy company, have signed four cooperation agreements to develop innovative joint initiatives in agriculture, protection of unique forest ecosystems, technology and health. Click here to read... [38]

Kenyans express mixed reactions over lifting of GMO ban

A debate on whether to accept open cultivation and importation of genetically modified organisms to fight food insecurity is heating up in Kenya following the lifting of a decade-old ban by President William Ruto on Oct 3. Click here to read... [39]

Air Seychelles Adds A New Destination And It's... Kazakhstan?

The national airline of the Republic of Seychelles is launching flights to its first destination in Central Asia. Air Seychelles will launch a new route to Almaty, Kazakhstan, this winter. Click here to read... [40]

Namibia pulls down statue of German colonial officer

The statue of Curt von Francois, seen as a symbol of colonial oppression, was removed following pressure from local activists. Click here to read... [41]

Cameroon: People displaced by the conflict are exposed to devastating effect of climate shocks

People affected by the armed conflict in Cameroon find themselves severely exposed to the consequences of the devastating floods that the country has experienced in the past several weeks. Click here to read... [42]

Uganda Closes Schools to Curb Ebola Outbreak

The outbreak has claimed 55 lives out of 141 cases according to Ugandan authorities, who have imposed lockdowns in Mubende and Kassanda. Click here to read... [43]

INDIA IN AFRICA

Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi invited as chief guest for Republic Day 2023

For India, Egypt occupies a strategic position as a link between Africa and West Asia, which New Delhi describes as part of its extended neighbourhood. Click here to read... [44]

Adityanath extols on India- Africa ties after opening hackathon in Greater Noida

The relations between India and Africa are unique as they share a historic bond together for centuries, said Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday after inaugurating the four-day UNESCO-India-Africa Hackathon 2022 event being organised at Gautam Buddha University in Greater Noida. Click here to read... [45]

India-Africa relations exemplary for unity against colonialism, says Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the relation between India and African countries are exemplary in terms of unity against colonialism and cooperation among developing nations. Click here to read... [46]

Noida: Camaraderie is code at GBU as India Africa hackathon begins

Hundreds of talented youngsters, mostly engineering students from India and 22 African countries will match coding wits in a 36-hour hackathon that will begin on Tuesday. Click here to read... [47]

Pradhan meets counterparts from Mauritius, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ghana

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Mauritius, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Ghana, in New Delhi today. Click here to read... [48]

IIT In Tanzania Can Be Hub for Technology Education In Africa: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Tanzania can be a hub for technology education in Africa, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said here on Thursday. Click here to read... [49]

VP Dhankhar describes India and Africa as neighbors across the Indian ocean

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar underscored the civilizational connect and shared historical bond between India and Africa, and said that “we are neighbors across the Indian ocean".Click here to read... [50]

Vice President Dhankar Says India Transformation from Soft Power to Software Power Is for Global Welfare

Hailing India’s strides in the field of technology, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has said that technology has truly democratized governance. Because of this, governance has become more accountable. Click here to read... [51]

Bandaru Wilsonbabu named as the Ambassador of India to Comoros

Indian Foreign Service (2004), Shri Bandaru Wilsonbabu, presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Madagascar, has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Union of the Comoros, with residence in AntananarivoClick here to read... [52]

India, Morocco hold fifth foreign office consultations in Rabat, to expand ties in different domains

India and Morocco held the fifth foreign consultations in Rabat and resolved to further expand and strengthen bilateral partnership in different domains. Click here to read... [53]

India-Gabon Foreign Office Consultations

India and Gabon held the first Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi on 22 November 2022. The Indian side was led by Shri Sevala Naik Mude, Joint Secretary (Central & West Africa Division), Ministry of External AffairsClick here to read... [54]

2nd Foreign Office Consultation between India and Uganda

The second round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOCs) between India and Uganda was held on 22 November 2022 in New Delhi. Shri Puneet R Kundal, Joint Secretary (E&SA), Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation. Click here to read... [55]

Amit Shah raises detention of 16 sailors with Nigeria

Home Minister Amit Shah raised the case of 16 Indian sailors who have been detained in Nigeria for the last three months during a bilateral meeting with his Nigerian counterpart on the sidelines of a counter-terrorism financing conference on Friday. Click here to read... [56]

The government of Seychelles signs two Memoranda of Understanding under the high Impact Community Development Project Grant with the Government of India

The signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) under the High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) grant financed by the Government of India took place in a short ceremony yesterday at Maison Quéau de Quinssy. Click here to read... [57]

Mauritius-Hong Kong tax deal signed: HK funds may come to India via Mauritius

Hong Kong-based entities that put money into India may take an alternative route to invest into the country if a double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) between Mauritius and Hong Kong comes through. Click here to read... [58]

Jindal wins Botswana's 300 MW coal-fired power plant project

The energy ministry of Botswana has declared India's leading steel, mining, and infrastructure player, Jindal Steel, and Power (JSPL) as the preferred bidder in a tender to build a 300-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant. Click here to read... [59]

Mahindra XUV700 launched in South Africa

After winning the hearts of car buyers across India with its top-of-the-line SUV XUV 700, the Indian multinational automaker Mahindra & Mahindra Limited (M&M) has announced that it has launched the highly popular SUV in South Africa as wellClick here to read... [60]

Kubota aims to break into Africa with made-in-India tractors

Kubota plans to sell in Africa low-cost tractors produced in India, setting up a supply chain that takes advantage of India's low material and labor costs to carve out a sizable share in the continent. Click here to read... [61]

Library Containing English, Hindi Books Inaugurated; Revival Of Mahatma Gandhi’s Tolstoy Farm Continues

A library replete with books in English and Hindi related to Mahatma Gandhi, India's relations with South Africa and literary works by Indian writers was officially inaugurated at the Tolstoy Farm, the commune where the Mahatma started his Satyagraha campaign at the turn of the last century. Click here to read... [62]