Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 47, 2021)

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

COMMENTARY

Scientists mystified, wary, as Africa avoids COVID disaster

When the coronavirus first emerged last year, health officials feared the pandemic would sweep across Africa, killing millions. Although it's still unclear what COVID-19's ultimate toll will be, that catastrophic scenario has yet to materialize in Zimbabwe or much of the continent. Click here to read... [2]

NEWS

US State Department urges US citizens to leave Ethiopia immediately

The US State Department on Tuesday again urged US citizens in Ethiopia to leave the country immediately, adding that the United States has no plans to facilitate an evacuation via military or commercial aircraft as Washington steps up pressure to bring an end to the conflict in Ethiopia. Click here to read... [3]

Guinea's transitional president promises smooth transition of power

Transitional president of Guinea, Mamady Doumbouya has reiterated his vision of a successful transition to his various ministers. He said this during the first meeting of Ministers under the CNRD which took place on Thursday, November 18. Click here to read... [4]

Document leak shows Kabila family, associates looted DRC funds

The largest leak of financial documents from Africa shows how a private bank in the Democratic Republic of Congo was used to channel at least $138 million of public funds to former President Joseph Kabila’s family and associates. Click here to read... [5]

Blinken opens his 1st official visit to Africa in Kenya, seeks preservation of democracy in region

Unites States secretary of state Antony Blinken appealed Wednesday for the preservation of democracy in politically and ethnically fractured societies as he opened his first official visit to Africa in Kenya amid worsening crises in neighbouring Ethiopia and Sudan. Click here to read... [6]

New Law in Kenya Allows Refugees to Work

This week, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta signed a new law that will give a half-million refugees in the country an opportunity to earn a living, instead of depending on the aid agencies that assisted them for three decades. Click here to read... [7]

Mozambique’s Matias Guente wins International Press Freedom Award

This year's International Press Freedom Award recipient is Matias Guente, the editor of Mozambique's independent weekly investigative publication, Canal de Mocambique (CanalMoz — online version). Click here to read... [8]

Completion of Somalia elections more important than ever: UN envoy

Although progress has been made in Somalia’s electoral process, it has been slow and uneven, the UN Special Representative for the country said in a briefing to the Security Council on Wednesday. Click here to read... [9]

S Africa urged to open diplomatic mission

Bangladesh has urged the South African government to establish a diplomatic representation in Dhaka in order to facilitate consular and other cooperation as the two countries seek greater cooperation in broader areas. Click here to read... [10]

5 dead in crackdown on protest against military coup in Sudan

At least five people were killed and dozens injured on Saturday when army chiefs in Sudan cracked down on mass rallies protesting against last month’s military coup. Click here to read... [11]

IMF Staff Concludes Article IV Mission to Zimbabwe

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Dhaneshwar Ghura, Mission Chief for Zimbabwe, held discussions through virtual meetings in the context of the 2021 Article IV consultation from October 25 to November 16, 2021. Click here to read... [12]

Morocco Launches “Fastvolt” its First Fast Recharging Network

Electrical transportation specialist Afrimobility deployed its first network of Fastvolt fast-charging stations in Morocco. Click here to read... [13]

INDIA IN AFRICA

Rwanda, India Sign Agreements, Explore New Areas of Cooperation

Rwanda and the India on Monday, November 15, signed several pending agreements, as the two countries welcome a fresh momentum of existing bilateral relations.The signing was held between Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Vincent Biruta, and India's Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan, on behalf of their respective countries. Click here to read... [14]

India’s external affairs minister visits Rwanda

India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri V. Muraleedharan, is in Kigali for a two-day visit, to among others give fresh momentum to the two countries' bilateral relations. Click here to read... [15]

MoS Meenakshi Lekhi Discusses Bilateral Ties with Egypt Ambassador

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi met Egypt's Ambassador Wael Hamed to discuss ongoing bilateral cooperation and initiatives in many fields. Lekhi took to Twitter to wish Egypt's Ambassador a successful stay in India. Click here to read... [16]

India committed to partner Ghana for development- High Commissioner

Mr Sugandh Rajaram, the Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, has reiterated the Government of India’s commitment in partnering Ghana for development. He noted that India had been the largest development partner over the years with a lot of businesses in Ghana over the decades. Click here to read... [17]

Cultural ties between Tunisia, India are deep: Ambassador Hayet Talbi

Tunisian Ambassador to India, Hayet Talbi talks about how the scenic locations of Tunisia can cater to the needs of the Indian filmmakers looking to shoot outside India, and the need to make Tunisian cinema more accessible to the Indian audiences. Click here to read... [18]

India's Jindal plans to start building Botswana coal mine in 2022

India's Jindal Steel & Power will start building a coal mine in Botswana's southeastern Mmamabula coalfields in 2022, aiming to supply the export market and a planned coal power plant, a company official said. The Indian industrial giant aims for the mine to produce 4.5 million tonnes of coal per year. Click here to read... [19]

Indian Navy to commission two new platforms next week

To deal with the growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Indian Navy is getting ready to enhance its capability at sea when it commissions two new platforms in service next week. Click here to read... [20]

India-UN Development Partnership Fund Supports Smallholder Farmers of Zimbabwe

India has handed over small grains production inputs and training material to the World Food Programme (WFP) for building resilience of smallholder farmers in Mangwe and Chiredzi districts in Zimbabwe.Click here to read... [21]

Kenyan imports hurting quality of Indian tea

Higher imports of Kenyan Tea have started denting the quality of Assam orthodox, Nilgiri orthodox, Kangra and Darjeeling teas owing to a section of blenders’ illegal blending. This, the Tea Board of India (TBI) fears, would adversely affect the brand name of Indian tea in the global market. Click here to read... [22]

Indian sugar enters Egyptian market to fill Brazil’s void

Indian sugar has found its way into the Egyptian market, filling the space left empty by Brazil, according to traders. The transcontinental nation is probably buying sugar for the first time in decades from India after having sourced it from the Latin American country till now. Click here to read... [23]

India, 12 nations vow to tackle emerging common maritime threats

Adopting a common stance at the Goa Maritime Conclave, 13 nations, including India, vowed to prioritise key maritime interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) with an emphasis on capacity building to tackle emerging common maritime threats. The Declaration of Common Maritime Priorities was unveiled on the final day of the Goa Maritime Conclave by chief of naval staff Admiral Karambir Singh and the naval chiefs of the eight other nations.Click here to read... [24]