If Africa wants to reap the rewards from its lithium industry, it must step up its game and learn to tame the Dragon. The flow and pace of the global energy transition may well be determined by the success of Africa’s negotiation skills. Click here to read… [2]
The recent spate of coups in Africa signals that civil and democratic ideals have regressed on the continent. Yet, the coups also present an opportunity for African governments and regional blocs to recommit themselves to continental development & social welfare. Click here to read… [3]
Today's political turmoil in West Africa and anti-French sentiment stem from the shift in French neo-colonialism, moving from costly military domination to asserting control through economic and technological superiority Click here to read… [4]
On 9 November, two men stood before Kenyans to deliver long-awaited speeches, separated by just a few hours and a few kilometres. Click here to read… [5]
Liberia’s president, George Weah, conceded defeat Friday night in his bid for a second term, after a tight runoff against Joseph Boakai, a 78-year-old political veteran, in an election that was considered a test of democracy in the West African nation. Click here to read… [6]
When Joseph Boakai won a place at Liberia’s prestigious College of West Africa in the 1950s, he helped pay his fees by working as the school janitor, cleaning floors and toilets at night and studying by day, his spokesman Amara Konneh told Reuters. Click here to read… [7]
Voters in Madagascar head to the polls on Thursday for the first round of a tense presidential election after weeks of opposition protests demanding a “fair and equitable” vote. Click here to read… [8]
Voting has ended in Madagascar’s presidential election after a turbulent campaign marred by boycotts and allegations of election irregularities. Click here to read… [9]
As dawn breaks in Antananarivo, streams of people begin their daily climb to the city's public fountains to collect enough water to wash or earn a few pennies, with Madagascar's upcoming election one of the last things on their minds. Click here to read… [10]
Announced by the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions and then adopted by the Council of Ministers, the timetable for the major stages of the transition in Gabon will reach its conclusion in August 2025. Click here to read… [11]
Gabon's military leaders say they plan to hold a general election in August 2025. Click here to read… [12]
Senegal's Supreme Court on Friday overturned a judgment that had put detained political opponent Ousmane Sonko back in the 2024 presidential race, ruling that the case would be retried. Click here to read… [13]
Public opinion is divided, with some calling for him to be allowed to run, and others supporting the court's decision. Click here to read… [14]
The Democratic Republic of Congo launched a month-long election campaign Sunday with 25 candidates running for president amid a tense political climate and relentless fighting in the east of the country. Click here to read… [15]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is expected to hold elections on December 20, 2023. The country’s electoral commission has announced President Felix Tshisekedi will be seeking re-election alongside 23 other candidates. Click here to read… [16]
The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, now a presidential candidate in DRC’s December elections, tells us that the opposition must find common ground to face off against Félix Tshisekedi. Click here to read… [17]
A group of African opposition politicians have banded together to check democratic backsliding on the continent, starting with Senegal where presidential elections next year may exclude the main opposition candidate. Click here to read… [18]
Leaders of the main opposition party said a member had been abducted while campaigning, the latest in a string of political violence. Click here to read… [19]
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali on Saturday said it had left a ninth of its 12 bases as part of its forced withdrawal from the junta-led country battling separatist and jihadi rebellions. Click here to read… [20]
Mali’s army said Tuesday it has retaken the northern city of Kidal from rebels, after a raid that left many insurgents dead. Click here to read… [21]
Niger’s military regime on Wednesday congratulated the Malian junta on the “liberation of Kidal" the previous day, a strategic town that had been under the control of predominantly Tuareg separatists. Click here to read… [22]
The governorship elections in three critical Nigerian states were marred by violence, observers said on Sunday. Click here to read… [23]
Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera has suspended with immediate effect all international travel for himself and his government in a bid to save money. Click here to read… [24]
South Sudan’s programme to unify forces from various militia is sorely late, an assessment by the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) shows. Click here to read… [25]
Two Togolese journalists were indicted and jailed in Lomé on Wednesday, accused of "defamation" after claiming on social networks that a minister had had the equivalent of 600,000 euros stolen from his home, their relatives said. Click here to read… [26]
Welcoming both the Non-Aligned Movement and the G77 to Kampala is a historic but costly endeavour with unclear benefits for President Museveni. Click here to read… [27]
Leaders from more than a dozen African countries will gather in Germany over the next two days for the G20 Compact with Africa conference, which aims to help bolster private investment in the world's poorest, but fast-growing, continent. Click here to read… [28]
The head of Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Wednesday met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy to discuss bilateral relations and the latest situation in the Horn of Africa. Click here to read… [29]
Algeria has appointed a new ambassador to Spain, after nearly 20 months of diplomatic friction caused by Madrid's U-turn on the Western Sahara issue, the Algerian Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday. Click here to read… [30]
Kenya's parliament on Thursday approved the proposed deployment of its police to Haiti to lead a UN-backed multinational mission aimed at restoring peace and security in the gang-plagued Caribbean nation. Click here to read… [31]
The Dr Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport opened for operation on Friday in Luanda, the national capital and largest city in Angola, marking the completion of the largest airport ever constructed by any Chinese enterprise outside of China. Click here to read… [32]
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has unveiled a China-funded reference laboratory at its headquarters in Ethiopia, creating another milestone for China’s health diplomacy. Click here to read… [33]
The Second Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Agriculture is being held from November 13-15 in Sanya, Hainan Province. Click here to read… [34]
A Chinese man wanted for allegedly embezzling millions of yuan (hundreds of thousands of dollars) from his company and then fleeing to Morocco was extradited back to China on Saturday, the Ministry of Public Security said. Click here to read… [35]
The Joe Biden administration is banking on Guinea to demonstrate whether the US can actually work with purportedly well-intentioned putschists to bring democracy back to Africa. Click here to read… [36]
Germany, through its KfW development bank, will on Friday sign an agreement to lend South Africa €500 million ($543 million) at below commercial market rates to help it transition away from the use of coal-fired electricity. Click here to read… [37]
As the African National Congress (ANC), we proudly celebrate three decades of thriving diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar, which began on 10 May 1994. This milestone marks a journey of mutual respect, cooperation, and shared values. Click here to read… [38]
I would like to thank the government of the State of Qatar for their warm and friendly hospitality and I welcome this opportunity to engage with Qatari business. Click here to read… [39]
Romania’s new strategy for Africa is designed to revive the country’s ties with Africa, leveraging a promising basis for collaboration, ahead of President Klaus Iohannis’ upcoming tour in Africa, which starts on Tuesday. Click here to read… [40]
South African lawmakers Thursday held a heated debate on the proposed closure of the Israeli Embassy in the country and suspension of diplomatic relations. Click here to read… [41]
The second phase of the Tema Port expansion project was officially launched last week by President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Click here to read… [42]
Ethiopia has cancelled a process seeking an international telecoms licence, a senior adviser at the finance ministry said on Friday, further delaying the potential entry of a third operator. Click here to read… [43]
Ghana secured its annual loan to pay for cocoa purchases at the highest interest rate on record, following this year’s debt restructuring of the West African nation’s obligations that ruined investor appeal. Click here to read… [44]
Zambia’s quest to restructure its debt is in tatters after official creditors, led by China, forced the copper-rich African nation to suspend a deal of almost $4bn in dollar bonds. Click here to read… [45]
Shell (SHEL.L) confirmed on Friday that Nigeria withdrew civil claims totalling $1.1 billion against it in relation to allegations of corruption in a 2011 oilfield deal. "We are pleased that this claim has been withdrawn. Click here to read… [46]
Niger has missed payments on interest and capital totalling 187.136 billion ($304 million) CFA francs since a July coup and its suspension from regional financial markets, data from the West African regional debt management agency showed on Tuesday. Click here to read… [47]
Angola will push ahead with removing all fuel subsidies by the end of 2025, which should enable state oil company Sonangol to pay taxes and dividends again, the country's finance minister Vera Daves de Sousa said. Click here to read… [48]
Humanitarian organisations in East Africa report that close to a million people have been displaced in the two countries, with Somalia bearing the brunt. Click here to read… [49]
Zimbabwe has declared a state of emergency in the capital Harare over a cholera outbreak. The outbreak has so far killed dozens of people with more than 7,000 suspected cases. Click here to read… [50]
Britain’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the government’s contentious plan to send some migrants on a one-way trip to Rwanda is illegal. Click here to read… [51]
Thousands of detainees across Nigeria have been released from prison in an effort to tackle overcrowding, interior minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said Saturday on social media. Click here to read… [52]
Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan will pay an official visit to Tanzania and Kenya from November 20-23. Click here to read… [53]
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar has said India's trade with Africa today is in excess of USD 100 billion and is fairly evenly balanced. Click here to read… [54]
India and Germany are in talks to expand their development cooperation programme in partnership with key third countries, according to persons aware of the matter. Click here to read… [55]
The Indian Navy has completed its second anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) in the Atlantic Ocean. Click here to read… [56]
The ship's visit aims to strengthen bridges of friendship and the Indian Navy's sustained efforts towards ensuring maritime security in the region by partnering with regional navies in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), as per an official release. Click here to read… [57]
India's outreach to the Seychelles, which lies off the coast of East Africa, has had a strong emphasis on defence, with India working on setting up a Coastal Surveillance Radar System (CSRS) and providing defence equipment like Dornier aircraft to the country. Click here to read… [58]
Indians invested heavily in commercial enterprises based in Zanzibar, profiting abundantly from them and finding themselves in possession of significant property. Click here to read… [59]
India played a significant role in making the G20 more inclusive by ensuring the African Union's permanent membership during its presidency, according to G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant. He described this achievement as a victory for developing countries. Click here to read… [60]
Ahead of the second edition of the virtual Voice of Global South summit, India, South Africa and Cuba have called for more prominence to interests and aspirations of developing countries in multilateral groupings. Click here to read… [61]
India’s deepening economic relationship with Africa is transforming the continent’s industrial landscape. This strategic partnership, driven by India’s investments in key sectors like pharmaceuticals, IT, agriculture, and automotive manufacturing, showcases a commitment to mutual growth and sustainable development. Click here to read… [62]
A host of South African Chambers of Commerce and trade organisations have welcomed an offer from the Indian Consulate in Johannesburg to use the various initiatives started by the government of India to boost mutual trade. Click here to read… [63]
Billionaire Lakshmi Mittal’s younger brother is effectively getting a helping hand — and a possible way out of financial distress — from Nigerian taxpayers. Click here to read… [64]
[68]
Links:
[1] https://www.vifindia.org/2023/november/24/africa-now-weekly-newsletter-week-47
[2] https://www.news18.com/opinion/opinion-can-africa-challenge-chinas-stranglehold-in-lithium-8665647.html
[3] https://republic.com.ng/october-november-2023/colonialism-coups-and-development/
[4] https://www.dailysabah.com/opinion/op-ed/what-is-happening-in-west-africa-and-why
[5] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67378500
[6] https://www.deccanherald.com/world/liberias-president-concedes-election-defeat-in-a-knife-edge-vote-2776046
[7] https://theprint.in/world/after-decades-in-the-wings-liberias-quiet-man-boakai-set-for-presidency/1850136/
[8] https://www.theafricareport.com/327883/madagascar-votes-for-president-amid-political-crisis/
[9] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/16/madagascar-kicks-off-presidential-polls-amid-calls-for-boycott
[10] https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/15/madagascar-unseen-by-politics-the-poor-snub-upcoming-elections/
[11] https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/18/gabon-transition-timetable-sparks-debate/
[12] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67409767
[13] https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/17/senegal-court-annuls-ruling-that-allowed-opposition-leader-to-run-for-president//
[14] https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/19/senegal-polarized-public-opinion-in-sonko-case/
[15] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/105336876.cms?from=mdr&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
[16] https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/kabila-family-legacy-looms-large-over-drc-polls-4435746
[17] https://www.theafricareport.com/327532/drc-elections-denis-mukweges-difficult-bet/
[18] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-13/african-opposition-leaders-move-to-halt-senegal-democracy-slide
[19] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/14/world/africa/political-activist-killed-zimbabwe.html
[20] https://www.voanews.com/a/un-mission-leaves-9-of-12-mali-bases-in-forced-withdrawal-/7361196.html
[21] https://www.voanews.com/a/mali-s-army-says-kidal-recaptured-from-rebels/7354689.html
[22] https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/15/nigers-military-regime-congratulates-mali-on-liberation-of-kidal/
[23] https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/governorship-elections-in-key-nigerian-states-marred-by-violence/3051444
[24] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67420470
[25] https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/south-sudan-s-2018-force-unification-sorely-late-4430422
[26] https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/16/togo-two-journalists-jailed-for-defaming-a-minister/
[27] https://www.theafricareport.com/328479/uganda-hosts-developing-and-non-aligned-countries-but-to-what-end/
[28] https://www.reuters.com/world/g20-led-summit-africa-highlights-renewed-interest-fast-growing-continent-2023-11-18/
[29] https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/sudan-s-al-burhan-ethiopian-prime-minister-discuss-bilateral-relations/3054887
[30] https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/17/algeria-appoints-new-ambassador-to-spain-after-nearly-20-months-of-friction/
[31] https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/kenyas-parliament-approves-haiti-police-deployment/article67540447.ece
[32] https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202311/14/WS6552dbe6a31090682a5ee0c6.html
[33] https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3241467/chinese-funded-africa-cdc-laboratory-opens-ethiopia-beijing-looks-health-diplomacy-boost-influence
[34] https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-11-13/Forum-on-China-Africa-agricultural-cooperation-opens-in-Hainan-1oHDuBjUShW/index.html
[35] https://www.voanews.com/a/chinese-man-extradited-from-morocco-faces-embezzlement-charges-in-shanghai/7360787.html
[36] https://www.theafricareport.com/327893/us-launches-democratic-transition-scheme-for-coup-plagued-africa/
[37] https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/germany-will-lend-south-africa-500-million-for-energy-switch-1.1999949
[38] https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/celebrating-30-years-of-saqatar-diplomatic-relatio
[39] https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/many-areas-to-improve-qatar-and-sas-relationship--
[40] https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/romania-adopts-national-strategy-for-africa/
[41] https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/south-african-parliament-debates-proposed-closure-of-israeli-embassy/3055938
[42] https://www.logupdateafrica.com/shipping/tema-port-expansion-termed-new-era-in-ghanas-maritime-industry-1350465
[43] https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/ethiopia-cancels-process-for-international-telecoms-licence-official/105285035
[44] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-21/ghana-to-sign-costliest-loan-ever-for-cocoa-as-debt-crisis-bites
[45] https://www.ft.com/content/522f8c3b-e8f3-41b3-a94a-0ca3c5c903a1
[46] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nigeria-withdraws-11-bln-claim-against-eni-oil-field-deal-bloomberg-news-2023-11-16/
[47] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/niger-misses-interest-payment-its-debt-agency-2023-11-14/
[48] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/reuters-next-angola-scrap-fuel-subsidy-by-end-2025-says-finance-minister-2023-11-09/
[49] https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20231119-crisis-upon-crisis-as-kenya-and-somalia-go-from-drought-to-floods
[50] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67447345
[51] https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/plan-send-migrants-rwanda-unlawful-at-risk-uk-supreme-court-101700044110646.html
[52] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/105334761.cms?from=mdr&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
[53] https://theprint.in/world/mos-muraleedharan-to-pay-official-visit-to-tanzania-kenya-from-november-20-23/1850830/
[54] https://www.businessworld.in/article/India-Africa-Trade-Exceeds-100-Bn-Shows-Fair-Balance-EAM-Jaishankar/11-11-2023-498469/
[55] https://www.livemint.com/news/world/indogerman-development-plans-to-cover-benin-ethiopia-11699978239361.html
[56] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indian-navy-completes-second-anti-piracy-patrol-in-the-gulf-of-guinea-in-atlantic-ocean/article67539196.ece
[57] https://infra.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/ports-shipping/ins-sharda-visits-port-antsiranana-madagascar-to-strengthen-ties-of-friendship/105334584
[58] https://www.livemint.com/industry/india-offers-upi-tech-cooperation-to-seychelles-11700114501864.html#:~:text=India%20offers%20UPI%20tech%20cooperation%20to%20Seychelles
[59] https://indianexpress.com/article/research/zanzibar-for-centuries-home-indians-now-iit-9023366/
[60] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/105254903.cms?from=mdr&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
[61] https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2023/11/15/india-south-africa-cuba-call-for-more-power-to-global-south.html
[62] https://themachinemaker.com/manufacturing-excellence/indias-manufacturing-might-fueling-africas-economic-surge
[63] https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/politics/s-african-chambers-of-commerce-welcome-initiatives-by-indian-missions-to-boost-trade-11737341.html
[64] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-17/how-lakshmi-mittal-s-younger-brother-got-a-massive-nigerian-bailout
[65] http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?title=Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 47, 2023)&desc=&images=&u=https://www.vifindia.org/2023/november/24/africa-now-weekly-newsletter-week-47
[66] http://twitter.com/share?text=Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 47, 2023)&url=https://www.vifindia.org/2023/november/24/africa-now-weekly-newsletter-week-47&via=Azure Power
[67] whatsapp://send?text=https://www.vifindia.org/2023/november/24/africa-now-weekly-newsletter-week-47
[68] https://www.vifindia.org/author/Samir-Bhattacharya