Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 22, 2022)
Samir Bhattacharya

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

COMMENTARY

African-Indian Ocean Diving: Inside Modi government’s Africa policy

India is Africa’s fourth-largest partner with a volume of $70 billion. India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference scheme extends duty-free access to 98.2 per cent of India’s tariff linesClick here to read...

Africa Day 2022: the Good, Bad and Ugly

Every year May 25, the world celebrates Africa Day. On May 25 1963, 30 independent African leaders signed the founding charter of the OAU (Organization of African Unity). In 2002, to give more impetus to the organization, many new areas were added and it was transformed into African Union (AU). Click here to read...

NEWS

Africa provides a ‘home for hope’, despite new challenges: Guterres

On Africa Day, the world celebrates the diverse and dynamic continent’s “enormous promise and potential”, the UN chief saidClick here to read...

For new Somalia government, al-Shabab a threat to authority

Somali police officer recently received an unexpected summons from the enemy. An unknown caller ordered him to report to a town outside the capital, Mogadishu. Click here to read...

Tunisia's trade union rejects president Saied's proposed dialogue

Tunisia's powerful trade union centre UGTT has refused to take part in a dialogue proposed by President Kais Saied. Click here to read...

Security tensions in Tripoli as armed conflict appears to be looming

Tens of armed vehicles with tens of armed fighters took to roads in Hay Al-Andalus neighbourhood in Tripoli chanting words against the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity Abdul Hamid Dbiebah. Click here to read...

South Africa's Zuma suffers new setback in corruption trial

South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma has suffered another setback in his attempts to remove the lead prosecutor from his arms deal corruption trial. Click here to read...

UN votes narrowly to extend arms embargo on South Sudan

The U.N. Security Council voted by a narrow margin Thursday to extend an arms embargo on South Sudan and a travel ban and financial sanctions for targeted individuals for a year. Click here to read...

Afwerki defends Russia, China in Eritrean Independence Day speech

President Isaias Afwerki, authoritarian leader of Eritrea, defended both Russia and China while holding the West responsible for the situation in Ukraine. Click here to read...

Algeria-Morocco: Western Sahara diplomatic fight continues with Kabylia weaponised

The latest assertion from Morocco’s permanent representative to the UN against Algeria’s UN ambassador shows that Rabat is now determined to use the Kabyle card as a tool of counter-attack in the Western Sahara dossier.Click here to read...

Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets Angola's FM

Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed his Angolan counterpart to the State Department on Thursday. Click here to read...

Uganda criminally charges leader of protests over prices

Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was criminally charged Wednesday by authorities who accused him of inciting violence with his efforts to stage street protests against rising commodity prices that the government largely blames on the war in Ukraine. Click here to read...

Rwanda hotels prepare to receive asylum seekers from UK

Hotels and guest houses in Rwanda are being prepared to accommodate asylum-seekers illegally arriving into the UK. Click here to read...

Islamic State group ‘trying to control’ Mali-Niger border with series of attacks

The Islamic State (IS) group appears to be stepping up attacks close to the border between Mali and Niger, with sources suggesting that the jihadists are trying to seize control of the border itself. Click here to read...

Zimbabwe President Praises China, Slams West in Column

If there’s a new cold war brewing and both China and the United States are trying to get African countries on their side, it’s clear where Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allegiance lies. Click here to read...

Kenya elections: Ruto and Odinga square up to fight for presidency

Kenya’s upcoming presidential election might mark the seventh time its citizens have expressed their views at the ballot box, but polls in the East African powerhouse still make the international community wince. Click here to read...

Ethiopia arrests 4,000 in Amhara region crackdown, local state media report

Ethiopian authorities have arrested more than 4,000 people in the northern Amhara region. Click here to read...

Algeria lawmakers seek to criminalise normalisation with Israel

Algerian lawmakers, on Tuesday, submitted a Bill criminalising normalisation with Israel, including articles prohibiting travel or any direct or indirect contact with Tel Aviv.Click here to read...

M23 rebels advance on major military base in eastern Congo

Fighters from the M23 rebel group advanced in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday and were locked in heavy fighting with the army outside the region's largest military base. Click here to read...

Armed assailants kill about 50 people in eastern Burkina Faso

Armed assailants have killed about 50 people in a part of eastern Burkina Faso ravaged by Islamist violence. Click here to read...
Rwanda accuses Congo of shelling its territory" target="_blank">Click here to read...
Rwanda said on Monday that several civilians were injured in cross-border shelling of its territory by the military of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, known as Congo. Click here to read...

Mauritius protests: “When people feel lost, they resort to revolt”

In late-April, protests against the soaring cost of living erupted in cities across Mauritius. In Beau Bassin, Rose Hill, and the capital Port Louis, large groups of frustrated residents – particularly from low-income neighbourhoods – took to the streets. Click here to read...

Nigeria's Jonathan can contest presidential elections next year, court rules

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan can run in next year's presidential election, a court ruled on Friday, clearing doubts over his eligibility and paving the way for him to return to national politics. Click here to read...

World Bank won’t support Central African Republic’s Sango crypto hub

The World Bank has signaled its concerns over the Central African Republic (CAR) adopting Bitcoin (BTC) as a legal currency and says it won’t support the newly announced “Sango” crypto hub. Click here to read...

Cameroonian Villagers Protest China Iron Ore Mining Deal

Cameroonian authorities say Monday several hundred civilians took to the streets of Lolabe, a small coastal village on the banks of the Atlantic Ocean. Click here to read...

Zambian President announces 'big decision' to abolish death penalty

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has announced he is making moves to abolish the death penalty in the country. He termed it a "big decision" by the government. Click here to read...

Nigeria, Ethiopia to Hold Bilateral Talks on Trade, Economy, Politics

Nigeria and Ethiopia have concluded plans to hold a Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in Addis Ababa in June 2022 to discuss various areas of bilateral relationship and exchange perspectives on a wide range of international issues of mutual interest. Click here to read...

Italian energy giant Eni signs deal to boost Algerian gas supply

Italian energy giant Eni and Algeria’s state-owned Sonatrach have reached agreement to boost both gas exploration and the development of green hydrogen in the North African nation. Click here to read...

Is Japan Beginning to Overtake China on Infrastructure Financing in Kenya?

Recent media reports on Kenya’s infrastructure financing trends have suggested that Japan has overtaken China in the “loans race.” Click here to read...

In Niger, Scholz vows to support fight against Islamist militants

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised Niger long-term military and financial support to fight Islamist insurgents across West Africa, during a visit on Monday on his inaugural Africa tour. Click here to read...

German chancellor Scholz kicks off Africa trip in Senegal

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country is interested in a major gas exploitation project in Senegal as he began a three-nation visit to Africa. Click here to read...

Israel seeks to double trade with Egypt

The visit to Egypt of the Israeli Firqat Alnoor Orchestra reflects a clear trend in the past year and a half of cultural, environmental and economic ties warming up between the two countries. Click here to read...

In Morocco, Israeli innovation minister hails ‘amazing’ opportunities ahead

Israel and Morocco are signing the first government-to-government agreement to facilitate tech and science collaborations. Click here to read...

Central African Republic’s adoption of bitcoin is mostly about geopolitics

Imagine a landlocked, coup-prone country where armed groups control much of the territory outside the tiny capital and where people get by on a median income of $493 a year. Click here to read...

Has China changed its ‘hands-off’ foreign policy in South Sudan?

China has a reputation for maintaining a diplomatic strategy of non-interference, which is core to its foreign policy principle. Click here to read...

Dar port reaps from rising political heat ahead of Kenya polls

Smarting from the 2007 post-election violence that subjected businesses to heavy losses, Tanzania has become the favourite for most importers, who are avoiding the Northern Corridor ahead of the August polls. Click here to read...

A post-war surfing renaissance is underway in Africa's oldest republic

Nestled between Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Guinea, Liberia is the oldest republic in Africa. But despite its historic legacy, in the minds of many outsiders the West African nation is still more commonly associated with civil war and convicted war criminal Charles Taylor. Click here to read...

Tanzania's Samia among Time 100 most influential people

Tanzania’s first female president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, has been named among the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. Click here to read...

Mauritania details ambitious drive to exploit huge gas, solar and wind resources

Mauritania has laid out detailed plans to become a leading exporter of natural gas and green hydrogen, while also using these resources to develop and decarbonise the country. Click here to read...

Ghana secures $1.3 billion for climate adaptation

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) on Thursday pledged to help Ghana secure at least 1.3 billion U.S. dollars to implement its climate adaptation programs. Click here to read...

Davos 2022: Namibia pitches green hydrogen to Europe

It’s difficult to miss the Namibia House on Davos Promenade. The Namibian residence is plastered with posters exhorting potential investors to take a bet on its renewable potential. Click here to read...

Ghana and Uganda ban grain and food exports

Global food protectionism is now in full swing. After India, some major EU food exporting nations like Hungary halted the export of certain cropsClick here to read...

SADA launches national digital academy in Ghana

As a pan-African dynamic learning ecosystem, SADA says it aims to improve digital skills qualifications, employability, and meet the emerging talent needs of African citizens. Click here to read...

Russia Alleges Monkeypox Spread Began From 4 Biological Labs Operated by US In Nigeria

After accusing the US of having military-biological laboratories in Ukraine, Russia has claimed that there are at least 4 US biological laboratories in Nigeria. Click here to read...

Things are looking up again in Africa's tourism sector

Africa's tourism industry all but disappeared during the pandemic, but since the start of 2022, travellers are returning to the continent. DW’s Arian Kriesch reports from Cape Town. Click here to read...

INDIA IN AFRICA
African Heads of Missions in New Delhi celebrate Africa Day

African Heads of Missions in New Delhi and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) jointly celebrated Africa Day on Wednesday in New Delhi, the MEA said on Wednesday. Click here to read...

India’s cumulative investments in Africa stand at USD 70 billion: MEA

India’s cumulative investments in Africa stand at USD 70 billion while it has extended Lines of Credit (LoCs) worth USD 12.26 billion to countries in the continent, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Click here to read...

Africa is ‘priority continent’ for India, huge potential to join collaboration in resource exploration: MEA

Terming Africa a priority continent for India, the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said the continent has a huge potential of joining collaboration in the exploration of Oil and Gas, especially in Western Africa. Click here to read...

India committed to support Africa in Covid vaccination: Mandaviya

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said India is committed to Africa in taking the journey from vaccine availability to vaccination. Click here to read...

Africa Day: Here’s why the second largest continent is strategically important for India

According to reports in the vision statement of IMS 2050, the main aim is to develop a blue economy, and to foster increased wealth creation from the oceans and seas in Africa. Click here to read...

Noida International University Remembers Africa’s Culture, Heritage, History on Africa Day Celebration

Leading educational institute Noida International University (NIU) recently celebrated Africa Day by paying tribute to the rich African history, heritage and culture. Click here to read...

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu to visit Gabon, Senegal, Qatar from May 30: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs on May 27 informed that Vice President Venkaiah Naidu will pay an official to visit Gabon, Senegal and Qatar from May 30. Click here to read...

Main focus of Vice President’s visit to Sengal, Gabon is Francophone countries: MEA

The main focus of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu’s visit to Senegal and Gabon is the Western African region which is Francophone countries. Click here to read...

Indian troops, others under UN mission fend off militant attack in Congo

The efforts by the Indian peacekeepers were lauded by UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. Noting that the M23 armed group has been active. Click here to read...

SII plans plant in Africa

The Serum Institute of India (SII) is considering setting up its first manufacturing plant in Africa as it looks to expand globally after its success in selling COVID-19 shots, its CEO told Reuters recently. Click here to read...

2 diesel locomotives exported to Mozambique 15 months back stabled due to mechanical failure

Two out of the five Cape Gauge Diesel Locomotives exported to Mozambique from India have been stabled due to Mozambique from India have been stabled due to mechanical failure. Click here to read...

Airtel recalls bonds, sells towers in Tanzania, Malawi and Madagascar

Airtel Africa Plc has recalled $505 million bonds and sold off telecommunication towers in Malawi, Madagascar and Tanzania for a total consideration of $284 million. Click here to read...

‘Make in India’ Gets a Further Boost with Kenyan Interest in Indian Warehousing and Agri Derivatives Sector

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign gets a major boost in the African country. Click here to read...

Kenya keen to replicate Indian agriculture derivative ecosystem

High level committee from the African nation is on a visit in India to understand the process of issuance of electronic warehouse receipts. Click here to read...

Ashok Leyland partners with ETG Group to strengthen presence in Africa

As part of the tie-up, ETG Logistics (ETGL) will operate dealerships for Ashok Leyland in six key southern African countries. Click here to read...

TVS HLX 125 Gold and TVS HLX 150 Gold limited editions launched in Kenya

TVS Motor has announced the launch of limited edition TVS HLX 125 Gold and TVS HLX 150 Gold in Kenya. Click here to read...

ArcelorMittal studies pellet/DRI joint venture with Mauritania’s SNIM

Mauritanian iron ore mining company SNIM – Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière – and ArcelorMittal have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to assess jointly developing iron ore pelletising and direct reduced iron plants in Mauritania. SNIM would supply iron ore feedstock. Click here to read...

Modi carried friendship band to Africa, except it is a 10-point guide for mutual engagement

In ‘The Harambee Factor’, former Indian ambassador to African Union Gurjit Singh talks about how under Modi ministry, Africa has been receiving a lot of economic support. Click here to read...

Nigerian man who duped over 300 Indian women on marriage pretext arrested in Delhi

The accused befriended women through social media and matrimonial websites, where he introduced himself as a non-resident Indian (NRI) settled in Canada and a prospective groom, the officials said. Click here to read...

Contact Us