Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent - news that matters.
Commentary
What does the future hold for the Wagner Group in Africa?
After the exile of the Wagner Group's leader to Belarus and the departure of his men to Moscow, the future of the Russian mercenaries is still uncertain on the African continent. Click here to read...
Who benefits from development aid in Africa?
It is crucial to recognize that Africans deserve more than the simplistic notion of 'more aid.' Instead, they must lead in developing their plans, specifying aid needs and demonstrating the outcomes with evidence Click here to read...
The pros and cons of Israel recognising Morocco's sovereignty over the Western Sahara
Following the Israeli recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over the Western Sahara, Israeli voices are still raising more questions about the feasibility of this step, and whether it will be beneficial, or if it will be followed by greater harm. Click here to read...
On Russia-Africa Matters and the Emerging Multipolar World
In the last decades, great power rivalries and competition have characterised contemporary Africa, popularly termed as the new scramble for Africa. Click here to read...
News
Niger soldiers claim power after president’s own guards reportedly seize him
Men in military fatigues claimed to have taken power in Niger after President Mohamed Bazoum was reportedly seized by members of the presidential guard. Click here to read...
Niger Coup: General Leading the Mutiny Declared Head Of State, President Mohamed Bazoum Remains In Detention
The rebellious military personnel in Niger on Friday declared their military leader as the new head of state. Click here to read...
African Union, world leaders condemn ‘attempted coup’ in Niger
African Union to ‘resist any attempt to unseat Niger’s government’ as UN says it is monitoring the situation closely. Click here to read...
EU, African Union escalate pressure on Niger’s coup leaders
EU and France suspend financial aid to Niger, while the AU calls on the military to return to their barracks. Click here to read...
Prigozhin celebrates Niger coup, says his Wagner group can help
While the international community, including many African states, have condemned the coup in Niger, Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has his own take. Click here to read...
‘Washington has to thread a very difficult needle’ on Niger response, experts say
The United States and its Western allies are faced with a difficult conundrum as they navigate potential responses to the military takeover in Niger if democratic rule is not restored. Click here to read...
China warns citizens in Niger to ‘be vigilant’ as military coup removes president
China’s embassy in Niger advised citizens to “be vigilant” and avoid going out after a military coup that removed the country’s president on Wednesday. Click here to read...
Niger: after the coup, Burkina wants "closer cooperation"
Burkina Faso, led by a transitional government resulting from a putsch, on Thursday, wanted "closer cooperation" with neighbouring Niger where soldiers overthrew the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, in power since 2021. Click here to read...
Algeria newspaper indicates UAE role in Niger coup
French-language Algerian newspaper Le Soir d'Algerie reported that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may have played a role in the attempted coup against Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum. Click here to read...
Niger coup leaders warn against military intervention as west African leaders set to meet
Heads of state will meet in Nigeria on Sunday where they will decide on further actions to pressure army leaders to restore constitutional order. Click here to read...
Senegalese opponent Sonko arrested
The firebrand politician and presidential candidate has faced a number of legal woes in recent years, which he claims are part of a plot to keep him out of politics. Click here to read...
Senegal’s Ousmane Sonko charged with fomenting insurrection
New charges follow opposition leader’s arrest on Friday and are not related to an alleged rape case that sparked deadly riots in June. Click here to read...
Nineteen people to vie for Gabon’s presidency in August 26 vote
President Bongo is standing for a third term after ruling a country with no presidential term limits for almost 14 years. Click here to read...
Polls open in Central African Republic for referendum on new constitution
The Central African Republic began voting on Sunday in a referendum on a new constitution that would allow President Faustin-Archange Touadera to seek a third term in a country which has endured several coups. Click here to read...
Peace talks for Sudan's western region of Darfur held in Lomé
After more than 100 days of violence and destruction can Sudanese warring powers choose peace? Click here to read...
Mali drops French as official language
With its new constitution, Mali has dropped French, which has been the country’s official language since 1960. Click here to read...
Guinea-Bissau politics: Parliament set to reopen after opposition wins majority
Guinea-Bissau’s parliament is scheduled to reopen before the end of this month, following a historic legislative election in June. Click here to read...
U.N. Libya mission warns of violence after push for new interim govt
The United Nations Libya mission warned on Thursday against “unilateral initiatives” to address the country’s political stalemate after two legislative bodies proposed creating a new interim government as a precursor to elections. Click here to read...
Kenya's government and opposition agree to talks after protests
Opposition coalition Azimio la Umoja (Declaration of Unity) held a number of protests earlier this month, causing widespread disruption and in some cases violent confrontations with police in which more than two dozen people were killed and scores injured. Click here to read...
Morocco wants normal ties with Algeria, king says
King Mohammed VI said on Saturday Morocco hopes for a return to normality and open borders with Algeria amid severed diplomatic ties. Click here to read...
President Putin woos African leaders at Summit in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin courted leaders from Africa at a summit on Friday, hailing the continent’s growing role in global affairs and offering to expand political and business ties. Click here to read...
Putin says Russia wrote off $23B in African debt
Moscow supports further representation of African countries in UN Security Council, according to Russian leader. Click here to read...
Putin woos Africa with vows of expanding trade
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday courted leaders from Africa at a summit in St Petersburg, hailing the continent’s growing role in global affairs and offering to expand political and business ties. Click here to read...
Trade between Russia, Africa reached USD 18 billion in 2022, says Russian President Putin
Trade turnover between Russia and Africa reached USD 18 billion in 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, according to the Kremlin. Click here to read...
Putin tells African leaders Moscow is studying their Ukraine peace plan
Russian President Vladimir Putin told African leaders on Friday Moscow respected their peace proposal on Ukraine and was carefully studying it. Click here to read...
Russian President Putin promises to provide free grain supplies to 6 African nations
The two-day Russia-Africa summit in his native St, Petersburg is being looked at as a test of his support in Africa, as Putin retains support from the continent despite global isolation. Click here to read...
Russia-Africa Summit Excludes Polisario Despite Strong Algeria-Russia Ties
Russia addressed invitations to the summit to only UN-recognized states despite Algeria and South Africa’s lobbying to include Polisario. Click here to read...
Second Russia-Africa Summit Confirms Principle of Participation Limited To UN-Recognized States Of The Continent
By solemnly inviting to its summit, for the second consecutive time, the only African states that enjoy official recognition on its part, Russia has irreversibly enshrined the principle of participation limited to African countries recognized by the United Nations. Click here to read...
Egypt calls on Vladimir Putin to revive Black Sea grain deal
Abdel Fatah al-Sisi tells summit it is ‘essential’ to revive deal, as Kenya calls Moscow’s exit ‘a stab in the back’. Click here to read...
Zimbabwean president says country has food but grateful for Putin grain offer
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Thursday that his country was food-secure but was grateful for an offer of free grain from Russian President Vladimir Putin at a Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg. Click here to read...
Eritrean, Burkina Faso leaders align with Russia, deny Putin’s terrorist war
Amid Russia’s terroristic war against Ukraine, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki issued a shocking denial of the conflict’s existence during the Russia-Africa forum in St Petersburg on Friday, July 28. Click here to read...
China's Xi meets Mauritania, Burundi leaders, signs cooperation agreements
China signed a cooperation agreement with Mauritania and pledged to strengthen collaboration with Burundi on Friday in the latest in a series of talks between visiting African leaders and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Click here to read...
Amid Chinese Foreign Ministry Shake-Up, Wang on Africa Tour
This week as Beijing suddenly announced that China’s foreign minister Qin Gang had been removed after just seven months in the job, his predecessor and now replacement, seasoned diplomat Wang Yi, was on a tour of some of Africa’s key economies. Click here to read...
China, Africa vow to strengthen military cooperation
China and the African continent, under the umbrella of the African Union (AU), have vowed to strengthen the already fruitful military cooperation so as to realize their common aspirations toward securing peace and stability in Africa and beyond. Click here to read...
Israel, Ivory Coast sign framework agreements
Expanding Israeli relations in Africa, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Ivory Coast Foreign Minister Kandia Camara signed a framework agreement in the fields of agriculture, water and technology. Click here to read...
Western diplomats wary as Uganda leans towards the East
President Museveni is currently in Russia attending the Russia-Africa summit called by Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Click here to read...
UK accidentally sends email meant for US to Mali
The suffix used in the email address of the US military includes ‘.mil’ and leaving the ‘i’ out resulted in the mail getting redirected to ‘.ml’, the domain used by the West African nation Mali. Click here to read...
Zimbabwe and Ethiopia sign nuclear energy cooperation agreements with Russia
Two more countries - Zimbabwe and Ethiopia - have signed agreements with Russia to cooperate on the peaceful use of nuclear technology on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, which has been taking place in St Petersburg. Click here to read...
Burundi and Russia agreement on nuclear cooperation
The Republic of Burundi and Russia have signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) on peaceful uses of nuclear technology. It was signed as the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum takes place in St Petersburg. Click here to read...
Kenya and Uganda in search of financier to revive SGR extension
Kenya and Uganda have revived the near-dead project to build the standard gauge railway between them, signalling renewed efforts to upgrade infrastructure on the Northern Corridor for better trade. Click here to read...
Namibia's Crypto Assets Bill Is Now a Law
Namibia's virtual assets bill became an act and was put into law on Friday according to the Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. Click here to read...
End of Nigerian fuel subsidy set to squeeze Europe's refiners
One of Europe's main markets for gasoline has shrunk, threatening to squeeze European refiners, after Nigeria removed fuel subsidies, which destroyed much of the country's domestic demand and a regional market for smuggled fuel. Click here to read...
Congo accuses Rwandan forces of attacking its border guards
Democratic Republic of Congo's army said Rwandan forces crossed its border on Thursday morning and attacked its frontier security forces, potentially escalating tensions between the central African neighbours. Click here to read...
Sudan conflict brings new atrocities to Darfur as militias kill, rape, burn homes in rampages
Amna al-Nour narrowly escaped death twice. The first was when militias torched her family’s home in Sudan’s Darfur region. Click here to read...
Somalia: Al-Shabab Islamist kills dozens in attack on army
A suicide bomber has killed between 20 and 30 soldiers and injured nearly 60 more in an attack on a military academy in Mogadishu. Al-Qaeda-affiliate al-Shabab has been trying to topple Somalia's government since 2007. Click here to read...
Gabon launches tender for Africa's first debt-for-nature swap
Gabon launched what is set to be Africa's first debt-for-nature swap on Tuesday, with a plan to buy up at least $450 million of its government debt and switch it to an eco-friendly blue bond. Click here to read...
Deadly wildfires raging across Algeria
Wildfires, some spread by strong winds, moved across forests and agricultural areas in 16 regions causing 97 blazes. Click here to read...
Heatwave and drought leave Tunisia farmers struggling to survive
Farmers in northern Tunisia say conditions are getting progressively worse despite government efforts to combat climate change. Click here to read...
India in Africa
Putin backs PM Modi’s pitch for G20 membership of African Union
A growing number of countries, including Russia, are now backing India’s call seeking African Union’s reinforced presence in international forums, especially in the G20 – the world’s premier forum for economic cooperation. Click here to read...
Overwhelming response to PM's proposal of making African Union permanent member of G20: Amitabh Kant
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposal to make the African Union a permanent member of the G20 has received overwhelming response from the grouping, India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant has said. Click here to read...
Indian African campus set to open in Namibia
The centre will begin offering programs in ICT from July 31, opening with 125 students, in what is a wider part of India’s strategy for transnational education. Click here to read...
South Africa's radical leftist opposition party urges leaders of China, India and Brazil to boycott BRICS
South Africa's radical leftist opposition party released a statement on Saturday calling on the leaders of China, India and Brazil to boycott the BRICS summit. Click here to read...
South Africa: Minister Barbara Creecy participates in G20 Ministerial meeting in India
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy is travelling to India to participate in the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministerial meeting in Chennai, India, later this week. Click here to read...
NSA Doval meets with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in South Africa
During the meeting, NSA conveyed that the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China boundary since 2020 had eroded strategic trust and the public and political basis of the relationship Click here to read...
Shri Prabhat Kumar appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of South Africa
Shri Prabhat Kumar (IFS:1991), presently Special Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of South Africa. 2. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly. Click here to read...
An Indian Company, Neonicz Software Solutions, And Liberia Telecommunication Corporation Signed MOU To Strengthen Technological Advancement In Liberia
Neonicz Software Solutions Private Limited, an Indian-based technology company, is delighted to announce its new partnership with Liberia Telecommunication Corporation (LTC), a prominent state-owned entity in the telecommunications industry. Click here to read...
India’s EXIM Bank looks to expand operations in Africa
The Export-Import Bank of India is set to augment its investments within a line of credit program endorsed by the government, aimed at funding Indian businesses seeking to tap into the burgeoning African markets. Click here to read...
Airtel Zambia Announces Official Launch of 5G Network
Airtel Zambia officially launches its 5G network at a spectacular event, showcasing the capabilities of ultra-fast connectivity, VR experiences, and more. Click here to read...
Airtel Africa posts $151 million net loss in Q1; revenue rises 9.6%
Despite a 10 per cent increase in revenue, telecom provider Airtel Africa announced a net loss of $151 million in the first quarter (April-June) of FY24. Click here to read...
RITES Secures Lowest Bid for Locomotive and Wagons Supply to Mozambique
RITES Limited, a government of India enterprise operating under Indian Railways, has been declared as the lowest bidder in two tenders from CFM, Mozambique. The tenders are for the supply of ten locomotives and one hundred and fifty wagons. Click here to read...
Tirupati eyes 8% of global graphite market after Mozambique acquisitions
Tirupati Graphite (TGRT.L) plans to start producing 50,000 metric tons of graphite next year in Mozambique, targeting 8% of global output by 2030, its executive chairman has said. Click here to read...
Africa won’t get Indian rice this year
The most widely consumed grains, wheat and rice, have experienced an unanticipated shock over the previous two weeks of July 2023. Click here to read...
