Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 29, 2023)

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

Commentary

Zambian Girls are Riding to School Following an Indian Model

The adage “teach a woman, and you teach a nation” captures the significance of women’s education for any society.Click here to read… [2]

How democracy is stifled in Africa

Democracy has been a widely debated topic concerning the African continent since Ghana became the first independent country on the continent in 1957.Click here to read… [3]

World’s youngest workforce to rich resources–Africa is next big player in geopolitics

In the coming decades, Africa will become a pivotal player in international affairs.Click here to read… [4]

News

Congolese opposition politician shot dead amid tense political climate

An opposition member of parliament in the Democratic Republic of Congo was found dead Thursday in the capital Kinshasa, his party and family members said.Click here to read… [5]

Zimbabwe opposition leader launches campaign with promise of prosperity

Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa promised economic prosperity and an end to corruption as he launched his party’s campaign on Sunday for national elections set for Aug. 23.Click here to read… [6]

Senegal opposition leader calls for protests after nomination rally banned

Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko called for a peaceful protest on Saturday after authorities blocked a planned rally to publicly confirm his nomination as a candidate in upcoming presidential elections.Click here to read… [7]

Senegal's opposition supporters bang pots and pans in protest

Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko led a peaceful protest banging pots and pans after authorities blocked a rally to publicly confirm he would run in next year's presidential elections.Click here to read… [8]

Schools closed as Kenya braces for three days of tax-hike protests

Kenya’s government closed schools in the capital and two other areas on Wednesday as East Africa’s economic powerhouse braced for three days of demonstrations against the cost of living, which the president has said he would not allow to take place.Click here to read… [9]

Sudan: Conflict displaces nearly 200,000 alone in the past week

Nearly 200,000 people were displaced by fighting inside Sudan over the past week, the UN reported on Tuesday, citing new figures released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).Click here to read… [10]

Israel recognises Western Sahara as part of Morocco

Israel has recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, the Moroccan government and a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office say.Click here to read… [11]

President Bio completes his budget bursting ministerial line up for his final term of office

President Bio yesterday announced what has been described by many as “his reckless – money no object, budget bursting ministerial line up” for his final term of office.Click here to read… [12]

Morocco Becomes First African Country to Obtain Sectoral Dialogue Partner Status with ASEAN

This partnership presents an opportunity for significant cooperation, following a win-win approach that is central to Morocco’s South-South cooperation policy.Click here to read… [13]

Nigerian President Tinubu chosen as new West Africa bloc chief

West African regional bloc ECOWAS has chosen Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as its new chairman at a time of deepening insecurity, including military coups and terrorism, in the region.Click here to read… [14]

Nigeria petrol prices soar to record high after subsidy removal

Petrol prices in Nigeria reached 617 naira ($0.7802) per litre on Tuesday, the highest ever, as fuel prices rose in the second month after President Tinubu scrapped a popular but costly fuel subsidy in May.Click here to read… [15]

African countries are making digital service tax for foreign companies a norm as Uganda joins the race

Uganda’s new law imposes a 5% income tax on non-resident companies offering digital services. Services covered include online advertising, data services, and online marketplaces.Click here to read… [16]

Eyeing wider trade ties, Iran's Raisi starts Africa visit

Iranian and Kenyan ministers signed five memorandums of understanding on Wednesday related to information technology, fisheries, livestock products and investment promotion, the two governments announced.Click here to read… [17]

Iran seeks to expand its influence in Africa with Raisi's tour

It is the first trip by an Iranian president to Africa in 11 years and represents a bid by the ayatollahs' regime to diversify its economic ties in the face of the impact of sanctions imposed by the United States following its exit from the nuclear deal in 2018.Click here to read… [18]

Iran signs economic agreements with Zimbabwe as Raisi ends Africa tour

Zimbabwe and Iran signed 12 memorandums of understanding on Thursday to strengthen bilateral ties, as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi wrapped up his three-nation African tour.Click here to read… [19]

Africa: Germany takes over presidency of Sahel Alliance

Berlin says jobs, agriculture and security will be top priorities for its tenure at the helm of the development group. The Sahel is directly threatened by poverty and Islamic terrorism.Click here to read… [20]

Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali

Millions of US military emails have been mistakenly sent to Mali, a Russian ally, because of a minor typing error.Click here to read… [21]

Wagner forces arrive in CAR before referendum

Dozens of fighters from Russia’s Wagner mercenary group have arrived in the Central African Republic ahead of a constitutional referendum on July 30 that could see the president seek another term in 2025.Click here to read… [22]

France debunks presence of military in Benin

France’s envoy to Benin Marc Vizy has denied the presence of a military in Benin to help curtail terrorism activities in the north.Click here to read… [23]

Burkina Faso suspends third French media outlet in under 8 months

Burkinabè authorities should immediately reverse the suspension of French television news channel La Chaîne Info (LCI) and stop censoring local and foreign media coverage of the jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso.Click here to read… [24]

Xi says China will deepen cooperation with Algeria in several key sectors

China will deepen cooperation with Algeria in several key sectors including infrastructure and petrochemicals, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday in a meeting with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.Click here to read… [25]

China’s Huawei Launches Innovation Center in South Africa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday welcomed the opening of a new Huawei Innovation Center in Johannesburg, praising the Chinese company for its “confidence in the South African economy and its potential.”Click here to read… [26]

Zimbabwe's lithium market expands with Chinese investment worth $1 billion

As Chinese battery mineral manufacturers increase output in the African nation, Sinomine Resource of China announced on Monday that the building of a spodumene concentrate facility at its Zimbabwe lithium mine has been completed.Click here to read… [27]

DR Congo signs $1.9 billion mining deal with UAE

The deal would see the "construction of more than 4 industrial mines" in the provinces of South Kivu and Maniema.Click here to read… [28]

Despite EU-Tunisia deal, Black refugees pushed out ‘at gunpoint’

The EU has promised Tunisia $280m in aid. But on the country’s frontiers, refugees and migrants are still stranded.Click here to read… [29]

UK government's contested Rwanda asylum plan set to become law

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's highly contested plan to make it easier to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is set to become law after the government defeated attempts by parliament's upper house to make changes to the legislation.Click here to read… [30]

South Africa urges Putin to not attend August summit due to international arrest warrant

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to attend an economic summit in South Africa next month and the country is desperately trying to persuade him to stay away to avoid the legal and diplomatic fallout.Click here to read… [31]

US airstrikes kill 10 al-Shabaab members in Somalia

Ten al-Shabaab members were killed by airstrikes conducted by US Africa Command in Somalia in the overnight hours of Saturday, the Defense Department announced.Click here to read… [32]

South Africa: Zuma in Russia for 'health reasons'

The former president who had his bid to avoid returning to prison denied, is in Russia for medical treatment. Zuma had been jailed for contempt of court amid a corruption case.Click here to read… [33]

Madagascar launches two tenders for 210MW solar projects

Madagascar has launched invitations to tender for two solar PV projects with a combined capacity of 210MW.Click here to read… [34]

India in Africa

President Of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu Accepted Credentials From The Ambassadors Of Chad, Burundi, Finland, Angola And Ethiopia At A Ceremony Held At Rashtrapati Bhavan

The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu accepted credentials from the Ambassadors of Chad, Burundi, Finland, Angola and Ethiopia at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (July 19, 2023).Click here to read… [35]

India-Africa free trade agreement in making, says EAM Jaishankar

India finds a unified market in Africa but unified markets still require points of entry, regional hubs. That is why it is important for India to be connected to countries within Africa individually.Click here to read… [36]

‘India, Tanzania begin trade settlements in local currencies’

EAM Jaishankar stressed on frequent exchanges of business delegations to promote economic cooperation between the two countries.Click here to read… [37]

India, Tanzania agree to explore new areas of cooperation to boost bilateral ties

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday met Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Stergomena Tax at the 10th India-Tanzania Joint Commission Meeting in Dar es Salaam.Click here to read… [38]

African Union’s inclusion in G20 could become a reality: Officials

There has been no disagreement thus far among various G20 nations over the African Union’s inclusion into the global group, officials aware of the development said on the sidelines of the 3rd Sherpa Meeting being held in Hampi.Click here to read… [39]

India's proposal for G20 membership for African Union included in draft communique for grouping's summit

India's proposal to make the African Union a full member of the G20 has been included in the draft communique at the G20 annual summit due to take place in New Delhi in September.Click here to read… [40]

India receives 'overwhelming support' to include Africa as a G20 member

Explaining India's argument in support of granting Africa a membership in the G20, the official said this is an effort towards creating an inclusive world.Click here to read… [41]

Human resource development drives India-Tanzania ties

An agreement to set up the first overseas IIT campus was the highlight of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Tanzania last week. IIT-Madras and the government of Zanzibar have tied up to establish this institution.Click here to read… [42]

Indian students can also apply at IIT’s African campus

The campus will offer two full-time academic programmes, a four-year Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and a two-year Master of Technology in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.Click here to read… [43]

Mauritius boost marketing drive in India

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) has appointed All Known Marketers (AKM) as the representative for the Indian market.Click here to read… [44]

Vedanta Step Closer to Regain Control Over Zambia Copper Assets

Vedanta Resources, owned by billionaire Anil Agarwal, said it has reached an “advanced stage” of executing agreements with the Zambian government over Konkola Copper Mines Plc assets that have been in provisional liquidation for about four years.Click here to read… [45]

Sagar Asia Announces two MOU’s - NIJL, Netherlands and Reroy, Ghana

Sagar Asia, one of the most renowned aluminium extrusion and access system manufacturers in India, announces the signing of 2 MOU’s - one with NIJL Aircraft Docking of the Netherlands and the second one with Reroy Group Ltd (RGL), Ghana .Click here to read… [46]

Gambia unveils pre-shipment testing for Indian pharma

Western African nation The Gambia, where the deaths of at least 66 children last year was linked to an Indian cough syrup, has introduced a pre-shipment inspection and testing for Indian pharmaceuticals. Click here to read… [47]