Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent - news that matters.
As the world transitions to post-pandemic optimism, India and Africa have emerged as twin centres of growth and are poised to transform their multi-faceted economic relationship. Click here to read... [2]
Will the group’s call for hijrah (migration) to Africa prompt Southeast Asian Muslims to join the struggle? Click here to read... [3]
It is now a known fact that colonialism, which has been adopted by the West, particularly in France, as an "innocent ideology of helping socially, economically and politically underdeveloped nations adapt to the civilized world." Click here to read... [4]
Tunisian voters have approved a new constitution by referendum vote, one that further consolidates power for President Kaïs Saïed despite concerns from the political opposition over the future of the country’s democracy. Click here to read... [5]
The chair of the West African regional bloc has said Guinea will cut the timeline of its planned transition to civilian rule from three to two years. Click here to read... [6]
The first week of the election campaign in Angola went more smoothly. The political tensions of the pre-election period dropped considerably and the tone of the candidates has also become more positive. Click here to read... [7]
On August 9, Kenyans head to the polls and with soaring food and fuel prices, high unemployment and post-pandemic stagnation, a change in leadership could not come at a more critical time for East Africa's largest economy. Click here to read... [8]
Algeria, Nigeria and Niger have signed a memorandum of understanding to build a natural gas pipeline across the Sahara Desert. Click here to read... [9]
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to three African countries from August 7 to 12 with visits to South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and RwandaClick here to read... [10]
Several killed in violent protests calling for UN peacekeepers to leave. At least 12 civilians and three members of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) have been killed in days of anti-UN protests. Click here to read... [11]
Cairo lodges its protest at UN Security Council, objecting to Addis Ababa's unilateral filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam without a binding deal with downstream countries including Sudan. Click here to read... [12]
The last time that relations were this tense between the former Tuareg rebel groups and the Malian government was in 2015 when the peace process was launched in Algiers. Click here to read... [13]
Al Shabab militants have attacked a military base on the Somalia-Ethiopia border, triggering fierce fighting that caused an unknown number of casualties, security officials said. Click here to read... [14]
A local Somali official has welcomed a plan by Ethiopia's Somali state to create a buffer zone along the border inside Somalia to fight militant group al-Shabab. Click here to read... [15]
NOVEMBER 17, 2017 marked the end of the late former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe’s reign, who had tormented the people of Zimbabwe since 1980. Click here to read... [16]
Burkina Faso's former president Blaise Compaoré, sentenced in absentia to life in jail for the 1987 assassination of revolutionary icon Thomas Sankara, has apologised to the ex-leader's family. Click here to read... [17]
Senegal’s main opposition coalition is vying to gain clout in legislative polls on Sunday that will set the scene for a presidential election in 2024 – which could see President Macky Sall run for a controversial third term. Click here to read... [18]
Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera launched a nationwide anti-corruption campaign Tuesday at the end of a two-day conference on graftClick here to read... [19]
Parliament is controlled by the ruling APC and any move to impeach Buhari would require support from two-thirds of the 109 senators. Click here to read... [20]
Tunisians voted to drastically expand the president’s powers and critics warn the referendum could usher in a dictatorship. Click here to read... [21]
Fathi Bashagha, one of Libya’s two rival prime ministers, is from Misrata – as is his rival, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, whose internationally recognised government sits in Tripoli. Click here to read... [22]
Four people participating in demonstrations against the United Nations peacekeeping mission in eastern Congo were killed Wednesday when a high-voltage power line fell on them, officials said. Click here to read... [23]
The four-day visit to Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau is the French leader’s first diplomatic trip outside of Europe since winning re-election, showing how Africa is high on the list of priorities for the former colonial power. Click here to read... [24]
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is on a four-nation tour to Africa. The trip is part of Russia's ongoing charm offensive on the continent to shore up support. Click here to read... [25]
French President Emmanuel Macron has wrapped up a meeting with Paul Biya, his counterpart in Cameroon, the first port of call on his three nation tour. He reiterated that France would continue to support Africa's security needs. Click here to read... [26]
French President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up a three-country Africa tour in Guinea-Bissau Thursday that saw him pledge funding for education and economic development as well as military support to fight extremism in West and Central Africa. Click here to read... [27]
This week's visit to Benin by French President Emmanuel Macron was marked by the release of 30 opposition figures, imprisoned during the April 2021 election campaign. Click here to read... [28]
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Gideon Sa’ar reaffirmed on Wednesday his country's support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara. Click here to read... [29]
Days after Moscow launched its bloody war on Ukraine, a Russian cargo plane stood on a Khartoum runway, a strip of tarmac surrounded by red-orange sand. Click here to read... [30]
Uganda welcomed its highest-ever ranking visit from a Moscow official on 26 July. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov got a warm welcome from President Yoweri Museveni. Click here to read... [31]
Zambia on Friday commissioned a project financed by China aimed at improving water supply and sanitation in Lusaka, the Zambian capital. Click here to read... [32]
The sale of Central African Republic's first digital coin got off to a slow start, with just over 5% of the target bought in the hours after its launch, amid questions about the project's transparency and a wider downturn in the industry. Click here to read... [33]
The Coordinator of the Tanzania-Zambia Project (Taza) – which involves the construction of electricity transmission infrastructure between the two countries – Mr Elias Makunga, said yesterday that actual execution of the project will start in January, 2023. Click here to read... [34]
Force majeure will not be lifted until 2023 at earliest, while contract to build LNG trains will be revamped to account for higher costs. Click here to read... [35]
Egypt has cancelled contracts for a total of 240,000 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat that were booked by its state grains buyer for February and March delivery but never loaded due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Click here to read... [36]
Burundi has secretly sent hundreds of troops and members of a youth militia into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo since the end of 2021 to fight an armed rebel group, a Burundian human rights group said Wednesday. Click here to read... [37]
A villager was charged for involuntary fire in the northern Moroccan province of Larache, the region most affected by violent forest fires, a judicial source said. Click here to read... [38]
Widespread anger at chronic insecurity in the West African countries of Mali and Burkina Faso paved the way for military men to kick out failing governments over the past two years. Click here to read... [39]
ZAMBIA’S integrated power utility ZESCO has declared that the country how has surplus capacity of about 1,000 megawatts (MW) at a time the country is also enjoying an economic rebound. Click here to read... [40]
A major Chinese-built highway in southwestern Cameroon was inaugurated on Friday. Click here to read... [41]
Five years ago, Rwanda announced plans to introduce environmentally friendly transport services as part of the efforts to prioritise a climate resilient low carbon economy. Click here to read... [42]
A $200 billion trust fund has been initiated to conserve around 8,600 protected areas covering 26 million square kilometres in Africa. Conservationists have called for global contributions to it. Click here to read... [43]
The LoCs projects in African nations are spread across sectors roads, railways, power, ports and shipping, education, telecom, health, and aviation. Click here to read... [44]
The CII-EXIM Bank Conclave in India, which was held recently, focused on enhancing India-Africa relations through entrepreneurial initiatives and trade. Click here to read... [45]
Some 32,000 African students have benefited from Indian government scholarships since 2015, part of the 50,000 opportunities the country had pledged to give African students over a 10-year period. Click here to read... [46]
Egypt and an Indian company have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to construct a green hydrogen factory in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Click here to read... [47]
NASDAQ-listed ReNew Power Ltd is looking to foray into Africa by developing green hydrogen projects in Egypt and Morocco. Click here to read... [48]
Indian investment amounting to $5 billion is in the pipeline for Zambia, targeting sectors such as health, agriculture, and infrastructure development, the Zambian deputy president announced on Wednesday. Click here to read... [49]
India looks forward to pumping additional investments into Egypt amounting to about $700 million in the coming few years, New Delhi’s ambassador in Cairo has said. Click here to read... [50]
Indian Navy on Friday said its guided missile frigate, INS Tarkash, completed her Mediterranean deployment and entered the Atlantic to continue with her long-range voyage. Click here to read... [51]
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held a bilateral meeting with the Speaker of the Assembly of Mozambique, Esperanca Laurinda Francisco Nhiuane Bias at Parliament House Complex today. Click here to read... [52]
THE value of trade between India and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) member states stood at US$15 billion in 2021. Click here to read... [53]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, discussed with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres the recent attack on UN mission personnel in Congo, in which two Indian peacekeepers were killed, and called for an expeditious investigation to bring the perpetrators of the incident to justice. Click here to read... [54]
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday welcomed the Serum Institute of India’s (SII) pledge to provide an initial 2.5 million U.S. dollars to support the African Union (AU) COVID-19 Commission to improve healthcare systems on the continent. Click here to read... [55]
A Parliamentary delegation from Mozambique called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday. Click here to read... [56]
India’s previous efforts to secure a base on Assumption Island were rebuffed. As China gains ground, will New Delhi make another offer? Click here to read... [57]
India had called for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council after an attack on the UN mission in Congo killed Indian and Moroccan peacekeepers and also ensured that a strong-worded statement is issued by the 15-nation body that calls for accountability for the killing of the Blue Helmets. Click here to read... [58]
An offshore campus of IIT Madras in Tanzania is among the options on the government’s table as it works on a plan to ensure the country’s premier engineering institutes have a presence on the world map. Click here to read... [59]
India’s Ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros, Abhay Kumar, yesterday inaugurated a grand Hindu temple in Madagascar’s capital city Antananarivo. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the statues of the deities were unveiled amidst hymns and devotional songs. The temple, the first of its kind in the city, is built by the Hindu Samaj. Click here to read... [60]
The Foreign Minister of Madagascar, an East African country, Richard Randriamandrato, inaugurated the Indian Diaspora Center ‘Indian Dhow’ in Antananarivo on Friday. Click here to read... [61]
South African Tourism has announced the launch of a digital campaign for India in partnership with Air Seychelles. Click here to read... [62]
Revenue for the quarter ended June 2022 rose 13%-on year and 2.8% sequentially in reported currency, to $1.257 billion, the company said Thursday. Average revenue per user (ARPU) was up 0.6% on quarter and 4.4% on year, at $2.9. Click here to read... [63]
ONGC Videsh and Indian Oil Corp. are in talks to acquire a stake in Tullow Oil Plc’s $3.4 billion project in Kenya, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Click here to read... [64]
Allegations that Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth allowed Indian tech team to install equipment for intercepting internet traffic have snowballed into growing political scandal. Click here to read... [65]
Links:
[1] https://www.vifindia.org/august/01/2022/africa-now-weekly-newsletter-week-31
[2] https://thespace.ink/books-movies-music/book-on-india-africa-relations/
[3] https://thediplomat.com/2022/07/islamic-states-expansion-in-africa-and-its-implications-for-southeast-asia/
[4] https://www.aa.com.tr/en/analysis/analysis-france-still-not-paid-for-humanitarian-crimes-committed-in-africa/2647914
[5] https://africatimes.com/2022/07/27/tunisias-saied-consolidates-power-with-new-constitution-approved/
[6] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/29/w-africa-bloc-chair-says-guinea-accepts-two-year-transition
[7] https://www.africanews.com/2022/07/29/angolas-campaigns-gain-momentum-as-political-parties-call-for-peace/
[8] https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/28/africa/kenya-elections-ruto-odinga-intl/index.html
[9] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/algeria-niger-nigeria-sign-mou-saharan-gas-pipeline-2022-07-28/
[10] https://allafrica.com/stories/202207290639.html
[11] https://www.aljazeera.com/program/inside-story/2022/7/28/has-the-uns-peacekeeping-mission-in-dr-congo-failed
[12] https://www.trtworld.com/africa/egypt-protests-against-ethiopia-s-plan-to-fill-nile-dam-reservoir-59281
[13] https://www.theafricareport.com/226038/in-mali-risks-of-political-and-military-escalation-between-the-government-and-ex-rebels-of-the-north/
[14] https://www.trtworld.com/africa/al-shabab-attacks-military-base-on-somalia-ethiopia-border-59278
[15] https://www.voanews.com/a/ethiopian-authorities-to-create-buffer-zone-inside-somalia-/6679312.html
[16] https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/07/zimbabwe-yearns-for-real-change/
[17] https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20220727-burkina-faso-s-compaore-apologises-to-family-of-murdered-sankara
[18] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/28/senegal-legislative-poll-set-to-test-ruling-party-ahead-of-presidential-vote
[19] https://www.voanews.com/a/malawi-president-launches-anti-corruption-campaign-to-fight-graft-/6675985.html
[20] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/28/nigerian-opposition-senators-urge-buharis-impeachment-over-security-problems
[21] https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/07/tunisians-vote-expand-presidents-powers
[22] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/25/civilians-in-crossfire-as-shifting-alliances-spark-libya-violence
[23] https://apnews.com/article/africa-united-nations-government-and-politics-ee2331d95e7ef94eb09491f98c2ecbf8
[24] https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-africa-france-macron-45a87581ccf4dc7369a81793776fb325
[25] https://www.dw.com/en/russias-reengagement-with-africa-pays-off/a-61064011
[26] https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20220727-macron-says-france-will-stand-by-africa-on-security-issues-cameroon-biya
[27] https://apnews.com/article/africa-france-education-f49d80cb6be94bb65d1924a07afc2352
[28] https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20220728-benin-marks-macron-visit-by-releasing-30-jailed-opposition-politicians
[29] https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2022/07/350492/israel-reaffirms-support-for-moroccos-sovereignty-over-western-sahara
[30] https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/29/africa/sudan-russia-gold-investigation-cmd-intl/index.html
[31] https://www.theafricareport.com/227607/uganda-lavrov-visit-to-museveni-creates-headache-for-washington/
[32] https://english.news.cn/20220730/4fbd8219dcb1492d851262152820f1f9/c.html
[33] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/central-african-republics-digital-coin-finds-few-buyers-2022-07-26/
[34] https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/national/tanzania-zambia-sh1-4-trillion-power-line-to-start-in-2023-3894808
[35] https://www.upstreamonline.com/lng/mozambique-lng-saipem-says-work-will-not-restart-in-2022-and-original-epc-contract-will-be-revised/2-1-1267652
[36] https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/egypt-cancels-contracts-240000-t-stranded-ukrainian-wheat-sources-2022-07-27/
[37] https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/burundi-secretly-sent-troops-to-dr-congo-rights-group-3894150
[38] https://www.africanews.com/2022/07/29/wildfires-in-northern-morocco-a-villager-prosecuted/
[39] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-62052598
[40] https://www.newzimbabwe.com/as-zimbabwe-struggles-with-prolonged-daily-blackouts-zambia-declares-huge-1000mw-electricity-surplus/
[41] https://english.news.cn/20220730/29915a848e3146efbd343f688f7cd225/c.html
[42] https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/rwanda-course-grow-electric-mobility-market
[43] https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/africa/africa-protected-areas-congress-continent-gets-200-billion-conservation-fund-83955
[44] https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/india-extends-222-locs-worth-14-07-bn-in-africa-37-locs-to-neighbours-122072500367_1.html
[45] https://asianatimes.com/the-17th-cii-exim-bank-conclave-on-india-and-africa/
[46] https://thepienews.com/news/32000-africans-benefit-from-indian-scholars-since-2015/
[47] https://currentaffairs.adda247.com/egypt-signs-8-billion-agreement-with-india-for-suez-canal-economic-zone/
[48] https://www.livemint.com/industry/energy/renew-power-eyes-green-hydrogen-projects-in-africa-11658779759310.html
[49] https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/zambia-attracts-5b-investment-from-india/2641774
[50] https://www.arabnews.com/node/2130826/middle-east
[51] https://theprint.in/india/ins-tarkash-commences-atlantic-deployment-by-exercising-with-morocco-navy/1061316/
[52] https://newsonair.gov.in/news?title=LS-Speaker-Om-Birla-and-Esperanca-Bias-sign-MoU-of-Cooperation-between-Parliaments-of-India-and-Mozambique&id=445024
[53] http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/india-comesa-trade-stands-at-15bn/
[54] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-calls-for-speedy-probe-in-congo-attack/article65700476.ece
[55] https://africa.cgtn.com/2022/07/27/president-ramaphosa-welcomes-serum-institute-of-indias-2-5-million-pledge-to-boost-africas-healthcare/
[56] https://theprint.in/world/mozambique-parliamentary-delegation-calls-on-president-droupadi-murmu/1060933/
[57] https://thediplomat.com/2022/07/will-india-try-again-for-a-military-base-in-seychelles/
[58] https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-calls-for-un-security-council-meeting-after-attack-in-dr-congo-3203739
[59] https://indianexpress.com/article/education/iit-madras-in-talks-to-set-up-campus-in-tanzania-nepal-lanka-too-send-requests-8049405/
[60] https://www.vibesofindia.com/grand-hindu-temple-in-madagascars-capital-city/
[61] https://suspensecrime.com/World/Indian-Overseas-Center-inaugurated-in-Madagascar/cid8147177.htm
[62] https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/south-african-tourism-launches-digital-campaign-for-india-11658914853066.html
[63] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/airtels-africa-business-reports-net-profit-of-178-million-in-q1fy23-a-25-on-year-jump/articleshow/93189471.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
[64] https://www.thelocalreport.in/ongc-videsh-indian-oil-weigh-stake-in-3-billion-kenya-project/
[65] https://theprint.in/world/how-fears-of-chinese-digital-espionage-got-raw-involved-in-mauritius-led-to-snooping-scandal/1055705/
[66] http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?title=Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 31, 2022)&desc=&images=&u=https://www.vifindia.org/august/01/2022/africa-now-weekly-newsletter-week-31
[67] http://twitter.com/share?text=Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 31, 2022)&url=https://www.vifindia.org/august/01/2022/africa-now-weekly-newsletter-week-31&via=Azure Power
[68] whatsapp://send?text=https://www.vifindia.org/august/01/2022/africa-now-weekly-newsletter-week-31
[69] https://www.vifindia.org/author/Samir-Bhattacharya