Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent - news that matters.
Commentary
India’s G20 Presidency was a tribute to India-Africa Friendship
By working to secure a permanent seat for the African Union in the alliance, India demonstrated the sincerity of its message that there is “one earth, one family, and one future”. Therefore, India's G20 can truly be termed as a tribute to its friendship with Africa.Click here to read…
India points the way to digital access across Africa
Bill Gates is among the supporters who say DPI is key to reducing poverty but critics warn civil liberties could be at risk.Click here to read…
Is This the End of French Neo-Colonialism in Africa?
The anger against the French has been so intense that it has provoked at least seven coups in Africa.Click here to read…
News
Parliamentary vote set for Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy
The last absolute monarchy in Africa, the Kingdom of Eswatini, will hold parliamentary elections on Friday, with political parties banned from contesting.Click here to read…
Sudan's army chief says he favours negotiated settlement to war
Sudan's army chief said on Friday he had not sought military support on a recent regional tour and that his preference was for a peaceful solution to the conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions of civilians.Click here to read…
Sudan army chief: ‘Revolution can be restored
As Sudan’s deadly conflict nears six months, the country’s de facto leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has admitted the fighting could lead to a wider humanitarian disaster in the region.Click here to read…
Mali’s military government postpones a presidential election intended to restore civilian rule
Mali’s military government has postponed a presidential election that was expected to return the West African nation to democracy following a 2020 coup, a government spokesperson said today.Click here to read…
Gabon Residents Say They Support Junta's Arrest of Ousted Bongo Cabinet
The public in Gabon appears to support the military junta’s arrest and detention of the son of ousted president Ali Bongo and members of his cabinet.Click here to read…
Gabon partially suspended from Commonwealth after coup
Gabon has been partially suspended from the Commonwealth after military commanders carried out a coup ousting President Ali Bongo.Click here to read…
Niger coup: Macron says France to withdraw troops and ambassador
President Emmanuel Macron has said France will withdraw its ambassador and end all military cooperation with Niger following a coup.Click here to read…
Egypt to vote for president in December, Sisi expected to win
Egypt will hold a presidential vote on 10-12 December, the Elections Authority said on Monday, with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi widely expected to win re-election despite an economic crisis including record inflation and foreign currency shortages, Reuters reports.Click here to read…
Kagame goes for 4th term, potentially joining club of ‘power clingers’
Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s declaration this week that he will run for a fourth term in next presidential election slated for next year was not unexpected, but it has fuelled concerns about the future of democracy in Rwanda.Click here to read…
Ghana ex-trade minister quits ruling party to run for president
Ghana’s former trade minister said on Monday he would resign from the ruling party and run as an independent candidate during the next presidential election in December 2024.Click here to read…
Second round of negotiations on Ethiopia’s mega-dam wrap up
Protracted negotiations over the dam have failed to bring about an agreement between Ethiopia and its downstream neighbours Sudan and Egypt.Click here to read…
Burkina Faso suspends French news outlet Jeune Afrique for trying to 'discredit' army
Burkina Faso's military rulers on Monday ordered that the distribution of the Jeune Afrique title, which publishes online and in print, be suspended accusing it of seeking to "discredit" the military.Click here to read…
Uganda Leader Offers to Mediate in Somalia, Somaliland Reunion
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni offered to become facilitator in the reunification of Somalia with the breakaway Republic of Somaliland after more than three decades of separation.Click here to read…
Somaliland rejects talk of unification with Somalia after Museveni comment
The breakaway region of Somaliland said it has no plans to discuss unity with Somalia, appearing to contradict Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who said he would act as a “unification mediator” between the two.Click here to read…
Libya flood: Top prosecutor arrests eight current, former officials
Following the deadly Libya flood which claimed the lives of thousands of people, Libya’s chief prosecutor ordered the detention of eight current and former officials pending his investigation, reported Al Jazeera.Click here to read…
Former Central African Republic president sentenced to life imprisonment
The Central African Republic’s Court of Appeal has sentenced former President Francois Bozize to hard labor for life for “undermining the internal security of the state” and “assassinations.”Click here to read…
Zambia ex-President Edgar Lungu banned from 'political' jogging
Zambia's former President Edgar Lungu has been warned against jogging in public, as police describe his weekly workouts as "political activism".Click here to read…
African Union says its 2nd phase of troop withdrawal from Somalia has begun
The second phase of the African Union troop withdrawal from Somalia has begun, the bloc said Monday.Click here to read…
South Sudan transition stuck in mud of floods, politics
South Sudan’s intended transition to a full democracy is getting stuck in the mud, five years after a peace agreement was signed between various protagonists giving the country some semblance of stability.Click here to read…
As coup follows coup in West Africa, could Cameroon be next?
A recent survey of 36 African countries revealed that though citizens support democracy, a slim majority is willing to endorse a military coup if elected leaders abuse their power.Click here to read…
African Leaders Declare: 'We are Done Being Victims', Asserting Their Global Power
Addressing the U.N. General Assembly, African leaders unanimously declare that they are done being victims of post-WWII order and demand equal partnership.Click here to read…
South Africa calls at G77 Summit for unity of the Global South
South Africa´s International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor called at the G77+China Summit for the unity of the Global South to move forward to scientific-technological development.Click here to read…
Kenya plans abolishing visa requirements for foreign nationals
This move follows recent actions by Kenya to waive visa restrictions for nationals of several countries, including Indonesia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Comoros, and most recently, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which joined the East African Community in 2022.Click here to read…
Guinea-Bissau marks 50 rocky years of independence
When Guinea-Bissau declared independence in 1973, there were high expectations of development and prosperity — but that dream has soured amid the West African country's political instability.Click here to read…
Guinea’s Leader Defends Coups In Africa And Rebuffs The West, Saying Things Must Change
The recent coups in Africa are attempts by militaries to save their countries from presidents’ “broken promises,” the head of Guinea’s junta said Thursday as he rebuffed the West for boxing in the continent of more than 1 billion people.Click here to read…
Niger junta slams UN chief for General Assembly 'obstruction'
Niger's coup leaders accused the head of the United Nations on Friday of obstructing their participation in the body's General Assembly, saying it was "likely to undermine any effort to end the crisis in our country".Click here to read…
Central African Republic leader slams West for looting Africa’s wealth, sparking today’s migrant crisis
The President of the Central African Republic on Thursday accused Western countries of triggering a migration crisis by pillaging Africa's natural resources and impoverishing the continent through slavery and colonization.Click here to read…
Ethiopia at UN calls for quicker progress on peace deal
Ethiopia told the United Nations on Saturday it wanted quicker implementation of a peace deal in Tigray, including on disarmament of former rebels.Click here to read…
Zimbabwe’s president reiterates Africa's call for UN Security Council reforms
Zimbabwe’s president told the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday that there is an urgent need to establish a fair and inclusive global security architecture.Click here to read…
At UN, Horn of Africa nations urge global solidarity and real reform
As UN General Assembly’s general debate continued Saturday, Horn of Africa nations made a strong plea for action to rescue a world teetering on the precipice of climate catastrophe.Click here to read…
We have a duty to leave no one behind, South African President tells world leaders
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, addressed the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, stating that while every human effort should be directed towards realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.Click here to read…
UNGA78: Tinubu denounces autocratic, coup regimes in Africa
On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu denounced the recent wave of military coups in Africa, calling them wrong and unrepresentative of the aspirations of all Africans.Click here to read…
South Africa His Excellency Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa President
MATAMELA CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, President of South Africa, said that since much of humanity is confronted by war and conflict, by want and hunger, by disease and environmental disaster, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals seems increasingly remote.Click here to read…
United Republic of Tanzania His Excellency Philip Isdor MpangoVice-President
PHILIP ISDOR MPANGO, Vice-President of the United Republic of Tanzania, stressed that shifting geopolitical tectonic plates and the creation of new blocs are seeking to replace the obviously dysfunctional world order.Click here to read…
Senegal His Excellency Macky Sall President
MACKY SALL, President of Senegal, noted that for millions of people, daily life remains marked by fear, violence, poverty and inequality.Click here to read…
Comoros His Excellency Azali Assoumani President
AZALI ASSOUMANI, President of Comoros, said he wished to express — as Chairperson of the African Union — the voice of all African States, who believe in a fairer, more effective multilateralism that can help bring about a better life for the continent and the entire world.Click here to read…
European Union Delegation Accuses Algeria of ‘Extorting’ Businesses
EU officials recently issued a written note to all European companies operating in Algeria, urging them to resist procedures imposed on importers.Click here to read…
‘We are the new political home for all South Africans’ – fledgling political party UAT says service delivery is its apex priority
President of the fledgling political outfit, Seshunkoane Mathabatha, said the question of purported links to the IPHC church keeps hovering around the party.Click here to read…
South Africa plagued by crippling power outages and broken promises
Crippling power cuts in South Africa are devastating the economy and causing significant disruptions to daily life.Click here to read…
In 2022, China's loans to Africa fell to their lowest level since 2004 (report)
The report shows that China is backing big African infrastructure projects less, as many countries on the continent are debt-laden.Click here to read…
China Is Trumping Russia in Currency Tug-of-War
African countries are turning away from the Russian currency, the ruble, to pay for goods they import from Russia, with the Chinese currency instead taking precedence.Click here to read…
New landmark in DRC embodies China-Africa friendship
The China-aided Central African Cultural and Arts Center, an embodiment of China-Africa friendship, is taking shape in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.Click here to read…
Ethiopian Official Lauds China's Role in Helping the Global South
A senior Ethiopian official and scholar has underlined the significant role of China in addressing the current crises facing developing nations and building a sustainable future, saying that Beijing has championed the interests of Africa and the Global South.Click here to read…
China’s Rice Exports to Ivory Coast Hit Record After India Curbs
China exported a record volume of rice to the Ivory Coast last month after India implemented restrictions on its shipments of the grain.Click here to read…
Will Biden visit Africa this year?
President Joe Biden’s agenda is chock-full with many competing and challenging issues.Click here to read…
US and Kenya sign defense agreement ahead of planned Haiti deployment
The U.S. and Kenya signed a defense agreement Monday that will see the East African nation get resources and support for security deployments.Click here to read…
Mozambique-U.S. seek to deepen defence, security ties
Mozambican President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi was welcomed Friday (Sep. 22) by the U.S. Secretary of Defence to discuss the nations' bilateral defence relationship and security cooperation.Click here to read…
South Africa to host US trade forum as diplomatic tensions subside
South Africa will host a meeting in November of nations participating in the U.S. Africa Growth and Opportunity Act despite earlier calls to exclude the country from the forum.Click here to read…
Denmark's Novo Nordisk and South Africa's Aspen sign a deal to produce insulin for African patients
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention welcomed the move Wednesday, saying it would "greatly impact the fight against diabetes" in Africa.Click here to read…
Africa: Macron appoints interim Africa adviser
The French president is taking his time to pick his new Africa adviser, and a diplomat will soon be deployed to temporarily replace Franck Paris.Click here to read…
Uganda’s president says airstrikes killed ‘a lot’ of rebels with ties to Islamic State in Congo
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni said Saturday that recent airstrikes against rebels with ties to the Islamic State group in eastern Congo have killed “a lot” of the militants, possibly including a notorious bomb maker.Click here to read…
14 killed, 60 kidnapped in attacks in north Nigeria
Armed gunmen in Nigeria killed 14 people and kidnapped at least 60 others in two separate incidents in Zamfara state. The attacks come amid widespread insecurity in the country, with President Bola Tinubu yet to outline his strategy to tackle the issue.Click here to read…
At least 35 killed after fuel depot explodes in Benin
At least 35 people have lost their lives in Benin after a fuel depot explosion resulting in a billow of smoke into the sky, Al Jazeera reported citing the officials and witnesses.Click here to read…
Deadly truck explosion hits checkpoint in central Somali town
The death toll in a truck bomb explosion in the central Somali town of Beledweyne has risen to 18, a top regional official has said, as the Horn of Africa nation battles armed groups.Click here to read…
Positive Growth in Africa’s Smartphone Market in Q2 2023 After Continuous Decline
New data released by IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker reveals a noteworthy turnaround in Africa’s smartphone market, with shipments experiencing a robust year-on-year (YoY) growth of 7.6 percent in Q2 2023.Click here to read…
How Transsion managed to obtain more than 40% of Africa's smartphone market
With a population of 1.4 billion and an annual demand for more than 200 million smartphones, Africa is a big market. However, few have asked why it is that Transsion, a Chinese brand, enjoys a near monopoly in this market.Click here to read…
Heat stress, water scarcity threatening Zimbabwe elephants
The elephant population appears to be stable in Southern Africa, according to a new study unveiling a high mortality rate due to heat stress and drought is affecting the populations across national parks and impacting conservation efforts.Click here to read…
India in Africa
India Will Always Feel Pride For African Union's Inclusion In G20: PM Modi
“In the 75 years, the biggest achievement has been the continuously growing trust of the common citizen in their Parliament," he says.Click here to read…
Building on G20 Summit success, plans underway for India-Africa summit
New Delhi has been increasing its engagement with the continent. India's support to Africa is exemplified by the extension of concessional loans exceeding USD 12.37 billion.Click here to read…
Jaishankar holds bilateral with Madagascar counterpart, to address UN General Assembly tomorrow
As part of a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly session in New York City, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on his Madagascar counterpart, Yvette Sylla, on Monday.Click here to read…
India’s G20 presidency will go down in history: Mauritius Minister of Agro-Industry
Mauritius Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security Maneesh Gobin has said India's G20 presidency under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership will go down in history as one which has lived up to its call for sustainable and human-centred development.Click here to read…
India, Brazil, South Africa seek to amplify the Global South’s voice at IBSA meeting
India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) vow to uphold independent foreign policies, voice frustration on paralysis of UNSC reform talks, call for wider Africa, Asia, Latin America representation on UNSC.Click here to read…
India, Brazil, South Africa seek result oriented process for UNSC reforms
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his counterparts from Brazil and South Africa met for the 11th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission here on Saturday.Click here to read…
In New York, IBSA commits to working together on global south issues
India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA) have called for reformed multilateralism and are planning to add more substance to their trilateral grouping.Click here to read…
India’s ambitions for Africa trigger mounting FDI wave
A $14bn pledge by four conglomerates boosts Modi’s soft power push in the continent.Click here to read…
Cabinet approves signing of an MoU between India and Sierra Leone
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister approves the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 12th of June 2023 between the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Information and Communications of the Republic of Sierra Leone on Cooperation in the field of sharing successful Digital Solutions.Click here to read…
INS Sharda visits Mauritius
INS Sharda, Indian Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel visited to Port Louis, Mauritius 13 to 15 Sep 2023.Click here to read…
Malawi looks to deepen trade relations with India in key economic areas
African country Malawi looks to deepen trade and investment relationship with India in areas of energy, agriculture, mining and tourism, its High Commissioner to India Leonard Mengezi said here on Saturday.Click here to read…
African nations set to visit India for ethanol blending, biogas studies
Close on the heels of its historic outreach to African nations and the successful launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA), India will soon welcome delegations from countries like Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.Click here to read…
India to welcome delegations from Africa following launch of Global Biofuel Alliance
In India, the Business Standard newspaper reports that following the launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance, delegations from countries including Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are set to visit the country’s biofuel and biogas industries to learn how to speed up deployment in their own countries.Click here to read…
Salasar Techno Engineering gets ₹75 crore order in Africa
New Delhi-based STEL is a steel structure manufacturer and EPC infrastructure company, providing services across telecom, energy and railways.Click here to read…
Naveen Jindal’s Vulcan Steel in talks for investing in Nigeria
Naveen Jindal-owned Vulcan Green Steel is planning a $3-billion investment in Nigeria where it intends to set up a three-million tonne per annum (mtpa) steel plant.Click here to read…
Narayan Seva Sansthan Transforms Lives of over a Thousand Differently-abled Individuals in Kenya, Applauded by the High Commission of India
Narayan Seva Sansthan, based in Udaipur, Rajasthan, which has been providing free services in the field of disability, has transformed the lives of nearly a thousand differently-abled individuals in Kenya.Click here to read…
Dr Preethi Keerthi D'Souza among global luminaries at OD Conference in Zimbabwe in October
Dr Preethi Keerthi D'Souza, associate professor at Mangalore University is one of the renowned speakers at the UpLift Organization Development Conference slated for October 19-21 in Harare, Zimbabwe.Click here to read…
Sarovar Hotels & Resorts makes a splendid re-entry into Kenya
Sarovar Hotels & Resorts makes a spectacular return to Nairobi, Kenya, after a brief hiatus due to COVID- 19 pandemic. The group has reunited with its erstwhile partner Karim Teja to launch two prominent hotels in the city.Click here to read…
India rice export ban fuelling risk of unrest in Asia, Africa: UN
INDIA’S rice export ban is boosting prices around the world, increasing the risk of political instability in Asia and Africa, according to the head of a United Nations agency.Click here to read…
Gandhi Walk Resumed in Johannesburg, South Africa After Covid-19 Pandemic
The 35th edition of the annual Gandhi Walk, a cherished event in the predominantly Indian suburb of Lenasia in Johannesburg, finally returned after being postponed for three long years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Click here to read…
His road to success was through Africa and on to Latin America
At the height of the civil war in Angola in 2000, C C Paarthipan flew there on a business mission.Click here to read…
