Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 11, 2023)

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

COMMENTARY

The Role of India for a healthy Africa

India is the leading supplier of low-cost generic drugs to Africa. India provides Africa with 45 per cent of all generic medicines. Click here to read... [2]

Emmanuel Macron's mission to counter Russia in Africa

Libreville, Luanda, Brazzaville, Kinshasa - France's President Emmanuel Macron is on a whirlwind tour of African capitals as he tries to shift French policy on the continent away from military involvement. Click here to read... [3]

NEWS

Nigeria’s Atiku, supporters march to protest presidential election results

Nigerian presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar on Monday led hundreds of supporters in a peaceful protest over the electoral commission’s handling of last month’s disputed vote. Click here to read... [4]

Nigeria's electoral agency postpones elections for governors

Nigeria's electoral commission has postponed by a week Saturday's elections to choose new governors, saying it needed more time to reconfigure electronic machines that are at the centre of last month's disputed presidential vote. Click here to read... [5]

Lagos in focus as Nigerians elect new state governors

Nigerians will return to the polls on Saturday to elect state governors across the country, two weeks after a disputed presidential election, with the main focus on the race to lead Lagos, the country’s economic heartbeat and wealthiest state. Click here to read... [6]

Mali postpones constitutional referendum

Mali’s interim government has postponed a constitutional referendum, a key step on the country’s path towards elections meant to restore democracy after a military takeover in 2020. Click here to read... [7]

Split Libya pushes back against UN plan for elections

The new UN envoy to Libya had hoped to usher in long-delayed elections, but his initiative is facing pushback from the eastern-based parliament and a lukewarm reception by its rivals in Tripoli. Click here to read... [8]

Cameroon Says Rebel Attacks Intensify to Disrupt March 12 Senate Elections

Cameroon's military says separatists in its North-West region have blocked roads and attacked military vehicles to disrupt Sunday's Senate elections. Click here to read... [9]

Freedoms at stake in Senegal, year ahead of the presidential election

Senegal, touted as a "democratic model" in West Africa, is facing rising tensions, a year ahead of the presidential election. Click here to read... [10]

Meeting between President Kiir, Machar rescheduled to Friday

A meeting planned between South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar has been rescheduled to Friday. Click here to read... [11]

Tanzania's Opposition Welcomes President's Pledge to Restore Competitive Politics

Tanzania's opposition has welcomed President Samia Suluhu Hassan's pledge to restore competitive politics and review the country's constitution. Click here to read... [12]

Algeria steps forward and urges China and France to "protect themselves from Morocco"

Tensions between Algiers and Rabat are on the rise due to propaganda campaigns issued by Tebboune's governmentClick here to read... [13]

Morocco ‘Deeply Regrets’ South Africa, Algeria’s Financing of Polisario’s Separatist Agenda

Algeria continues to feed Polisario’s propaganda and independence claims amid growing international support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces. Click here to read... [14]

UN renews Sudan arms embargo as Russia and China abstain

The U.N. Security Council approved a resolution Wednesday renewing an arms embargo and other sanctions imposed over violence in Sudan’s western Darfur region that began in 2004. Click here to read... [15]

Gambia: opposition holds rally against corruption

Gambian protesters are gathering to march against corruption through the capital Banjul after a youth group affiliated with the main opposition party called for a demonstration. Click here to read... [16]

Egypt is selling citizenship: How economic turmoil has left the Arab nation desperate

To address its foreign currency shortages, Egypt is offering citizenship to foreign investors on certain conditions. Click here to read... [17]

Somalia working to ‘stop violence’ amid Somaliland tension

Somalia is working closely to restore peace in its northern breakaway region of Somaliland amid heightening tensions between the region’s authorities and local clan forces. Click here to read... [18]

South Africa appoints electricity minister over blackouts

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a special Minister of Electricity to deal with the country's energy crisis. Widespread blackouts have been blamed on the 100-year-old state energy firm Eskom. Click here to read... [19]

South African President to announce cabinet reshuffle on Monday

A cabinet shuffle has been widely expected since Ramaphosa was re-elected leader of the governing African National Congress (ANC). Click here to read... [20]

Tunisian protesters defy ban to demand release of detainees

Hundreds of Tunisians defied a protest ban on Sunday to demand the release of political detainees amid a deep political crisis in the North African country. Click here to read... [21]

South Sudan's President Dismisses Country's Defense Minister And Political Rival's Wife

South Sudan’s president has dismissed the defense minister who is the wife of his longtime political rival, Riek Machar, Machar's office said it occurred without consultations. Click here to read... [22]

Uganda is on its way to becoming Africa’s third nuclear-powered country

The Ugandan government has expressed interest in optimizing its Uranium reserves by constructing East Africa’s first nuclear plant. Click here to read... [23]

Algeria’s 2023 budget: President Tebboune’s make-or-break first-term project

On Dec. 25, 2022, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune signed the 2023 budget bill into law. Click here to read... [24]

Benin's leader meets with French counterpart in Paris

Beninese president Patrice Talon was welcomed Tuesday (Mar. 7) by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. Click here to read... [25]

Blinken to travel to Ethiopia, Niger next week

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Ethiopia next week, the State Department said on Friday, as concerns linger over the implementation of the peace agreement following the conflict that left tens of thousands dead and millions uprooted. Click here to read... [26]

U.S. Weighs Offering Economic Lifeline to Ethiopia Despite War Atrocities

The Biden administration is weighing plans to lift restrictions on aid and financial assistance to war-battered Ethiopia in a move that has drawn backlash from human rights advocates and some factions within the administration. ‘Click here to read... [27]

Chinese consortium to build US$650 million toll road in cash-strapped Zambia, but will it pay off?

A consortium of Chinese companies will finance the upgrading of a 327km (203-mile) road linking the Zambian capital Lusaka to Ndola, in the country’s Copperbelt province, after years of false starts. Click here to read... [28]

At 5th UN LDC Summit, African Leaders Urge West To End 'era Of Unkept Promises

At fifth United Nations Conference of Least Developed Countries (LDC5), African leaders called for concrete action to end West's 'Era Of Unkept Promises'. Click here to read... [29]

African Union urged to step in and settle Egypt-Ethiopia dam dispute

Ethiopia will continue building its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile river, its Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, despite continuing protest from Egypt. Click here to read... [30]

Tunisia's Saied to restore diplomatic relations with Syria

Tunisia severed ties with Syria during the Arab Spring to protest the Assad government's brutal crackdown against the opposition. President Kais Saied has now vowed to reverse this move. Click here to read... [31]

Islamist militants kill at least 25 in Nigeria’s Borno state

Islamist militants have killed at least 25 people in an attack in a fishing town in Nigeria’s Borno state, police and residents said on Thursday. Click here to read... [32]

Burkina Faso: 11 soldiers and 112 "terrorists" killed in fighting

Eleven soldiers and 112 "terrorists" have been killed in recent days during several anti-jihadist operations in Burkina Faso, the target of deadly attacks in recent weeks. Click here to read... [33]

Forty die in suspected DR Congo rebel attacks

The ADF is among the most violent of the dozens of armed groups active in eastern Congo and has been accused of a string of bomb attacks and civilian massacres. Click here to read... [34]

Uganda considers bill to criminalize identifying as LGBTQ

Uganda’s parliament on Thursday took up a bill that would criminalize identifying as LGBTQ, with lawmakers saying the current ban on same-sex relations does not go far enoughClick here to read... [35]

Namibia, South Africa sign 90 trade deals

This was announced at the opening of a meeting of senior officials during the third session of the Namibia/South Africa Binational Commission in Windhoek yesterday. Click here to read... [36]

Mali gold exports rise 8.4% in 2022

Mali's gold exports rose 8.4% in 2022, reflecting a rise in industrial gold production over the same period, data from the country's statistics agency showed on Friday. Click here to read... [37]

Botswana intent on selling more diamonds without De Beers

Botswana will not drop its demand to sell a bigger share of the diamonds produced by its joint venture with De Beers. Click here to read... [38]

Russia says it's working with Guinea to settle Nordgold mine dispute

Russia is working with authorities in the impoverished West African nation of Guinea to settle a labor dispute that hit output of gold at a mine run by Russian company NordgoldClick here to read... [39]

Record-breaking Cyclone Freddy approaches Mozambique — again

After more cycles of rapid intensification than any other tropical cyclone, Freddy is nearing two other world records for duration and strength. Click here to read... [40]

8 killed in Cyclone Freddy's path through Madagascar

The death toll from Cyclone Freddy's second assault on Madagascar rose to 8 on Tuesday as it strengthened on its way to Mozambique, authorities said. Click here to read... [41]

Seychelles is first WTO member from Africa to formally accept fishing subsidies agreement

Seychelles deposited its instrument of acceptance for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 10 March, making it the third WTO member and first African country to do so. Acceptances from two-thirds of WTO members are needed for the Agreement to come into effect. Click here to read... [42]

Preservation of tropical forests at heart of Gabon's One Forest Summit

The African forest, the Congo Basin, is the largest tropical forest in the world after the Amazon, and spans six countries, including Gabon. Click here to read... [43]

Rwanda to chair Platform of Environmental Protection Agencies in Africa

The first-ever roundtable meeting of Heads of Environmental Protection Agencies and Directors of Environment in Africa (EPAs) has elected Rwanda to chair the platform in Africa. Click here to read... [44]

Ghana celebrates its Independence Day with parade

Ghana on Monday celebrated its 66th Independence Day. Click here to read... [45]

INDIA IN AFRICA

India wins South Sudan’s praise for its advice & support; ‘A Friend In Need Is…

South Sudan has thanked India for its support and valuable advice given to his country. Click here to read... [46]

Kenyan Supreme Court delegation calls on President Murmu

A delegation of the Supreme Court of Kenya led by Chief Justice Martha K Koome called on President Droupadi Murmu. Click here to read... [47]

Chief Justice Of Kenya Lauds India's Ability To Translate Judgments Using AI

The Kenyan Chief Justice lauded the ability of the Indian judiciary to translate judgments using Artificial Intelligence. Click here to read... [48]

Nigeria, India to Collaborate in Meteorological Science

The federal government of Nigeria and the government of India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration in the areas of meteorological science, technical research and development. Click here to read... [49]

MHA Nod for MoU between Indian & Nigerian drug control agencies

The move comes after a meeting between the heads of the NCB and NDLEA following the 'No Money for Terror Conference' in Delhi in November last year. Click here to read... [50]

India and Ethiopia set to finalize stalled deals

India and Ethiopia are set to finalize stalled agreements on visa waiver and sister-city projects. Click here to read... [51]

South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor sees India's G20 leadership as opportunity for Global South

South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor has expressed her belief that India's leadership in the G20 is an opportunity for developing countries to set their issues on the world stage. Click here to read... [52]

A Joint Investment: India, UAE, and Africa

For decades, India has been an active investor in Africa. Its $74 billion of stock accumulated between 1996 and 2021 make it one of Afria’s leading inbound investors, and that engagement is growing as China pulls back. Click here to read... [53]

Africa emerges lucrative market for Indian rice exporters

For the full financial year, India’s rice exports to price sensitive Africa are expected to touch 11 million tonnes. Click here to read... [54]

Major Ruchi, The UN Peacekeeper in Congo

Major Ruchi Agarwal has spent nearly 16 months serving in Eastern Congo. She commands a 22-member team of Indian women army personnel deployed in the UN Peacekeeping contingent near Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Click here to read... [55]

Adani rout puts spotlight on billions flowing through Mauritius

While it isn’t illegal to register businesses in low-tax jurisdictions like Mauritius, the allegations around the offshore shell firms appear to be a throwback to a time when the tourist paradise featured in a slew of other Indian corporate controversies since the late 1990s. Click here to read... [56]