Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 48, 2021)

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

COMMENTARY

What lies behind uprisings in Eswatini: the unfinished business of democratic reform

The Kingdom of Eswatini, the small, landlocked southern African country that shares borders with South Africa and Mozambique, has been in political turmoil since May. The country is Africa's last absolute monarchy. Click here to read... [2]

NEWS

Uganda Surrenders Airport for China Cash

Top Ugandan officials have been boxed into a corner of bother after lenders in China rejected their request to re-negotiate 'toxic clauses' in the $200m loan picked six years ago to expand Entebbe International Airport.Click here to read... [3]

Sudan’s PM Hamdok backed military takeover, says general

The deputy head of Sudan’s governing sovereign council, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has said that Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was aware of last month’s military takeover before it happened and was “completely agreeable” to it. Click here to read... [4]

Former Libya Ruler Gaddafi's Son's Presidential Candidature Rejected

The election commission of Libya said Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Muammar Gaddafi, was ineligible because he had been convicted of a crime.

Islamist bombing near school in Somalia kills 8; 13 kids hurt

An Islamist suicide bombing outside a school in Somalia’s capital killed eight persons and wounded 17, including 13 children, the latest in a string of deadly blasts this year in a country beset by political turmoil and drought. Click here to read... [5]

Equatorial Guinea: Ruling party congress concludes without announcement of presidential candidate

Equatorial Guinea has created surprise by not choosing its candidate for the 2023 presidential election at the ruling party's congress. This is a first in a country ruled by Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Click here to read... [6]

Top US diplomat warns Russian company not to interfere in Mali situation

Blinken said he was speaking particularly of the Wagner Group, which has deployed mercenaries in Syria, the Central African Republic and Libya, drawing protests from the West and others. Click here to read... [7]

Gambian commission urges prosecutions for Yahya Jammeh-era abuse

In a 14,000-page report handed to President Barrow gives details of nearly 400 victims of torture, killing and rape. Click here to read... [8]

As WHO designates 'Omicron' as 'variant of concern' EU, US ban travel from South Africa

The WHO designated B.1.1529 as a ‘variant of concern’ on Friday. Meanwhile, concerns over the new variant have triggered widespread travel bans with the European Union, the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia joining list of countries restricting travel from South Africa. Click here to read... [9]

Why the African Union isn’t waiting for COVAX

Blocked from buying vaccines made in the U.S., Europe and India, the head of the African Union’s vaccination effort says the only solution is building a vaccine infrastructure back home.Click here to read... [10]

Situation In Mozambique Beginning to Stabilize

With about 3,100 African, European and US soldiers deployed to the Cabo Delgado province, the security situation is beginning to stabilize in MozambiqueClick here to read... [11]

Morocco accused of “greenwashing occupation” of Western Sahara

The Moroccan government has been accused of using the renewable energy and low emissions of the disputed region of Western Sahara to “greenwash” its climate statistics. The Polisario Front has released an unofficial climate plan for the Sahrawi people, saying Morocco has built wind and solar farms on their land without consent. Click here to read... [12]

Ghana's parliament votes down 2022 budget over electronic tax

Ghana's parliament rejected the proposed 2022 budget because of concerns about a tax on electronic transactions including mobile money payments. Click here to read... [13]

SAA, Kenya Airways plan pan-African airline group by 2023

South African Airways (SA, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) and Kenya Airways (KQ, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) have signed a strategic partnership framework agreement to form a pan-African airline group by 2023. Click here to read... [14]

Egypt revives ancient road connecting temple complexes in Luxor and Karnak

A restored road connecting two ancient Egyptian temple complexes in Karnak and Luxor was unveiled in a lavish ceremony aimed at raising the profile of one of Egypt's top tourist spotsClick here to read... [15]

Malawi defends decision to ask Mike Tyson to be its cannabis ambassador

The government of Malawi has defended its decision to invite the former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson to become the country's official cannabis ambassador following a backlash over his conviction for rape in the 1990s. Click here to read... [16]

INDIA IN AFRICA

Morocco plans consulate in Bengaluru

Morocco's Ambassador to India, Mohamed Maliki on Friday, November 26, 2021, said that there are plans to open a consulate in Bengaluru. Morocco already has two consulates in India - in the cities of Mumbai and Kolkata. Click here to read... [17]

Direct flight to Morocco will boost bilateral trade: Karnataka Minister

Karnataka Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan on Friday said that direct flight connectivity between the state and Morocco will boost trade relations. Click here to read... [18]

Indian Embassy celebrates Constitution Day in Antananarivo

Constitution day was celebrated at the Embassy of India in Antananarivo which was attended by the members of Indian diaspora and others. Click here to read... [19]
Click here to read... [19]

India imposes restrictions on Kenyan tea to protect its farmers

India’s tea regulator has issued fresh rules to curb shipments of low-priced Kenyan tea into the Asian country to protect its farmers from loss of market, stoking fears of a trade spat between the two countries. Click here to read... [20]

Centre asks states to strictly screen travellers from Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong

In wake of transmission of the highly mutated covid-19 variant 8.1.1529 in Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong, Centre on Thursday asked states strictly screen and test travellers arriving from these countries as the international travel continues to ease. Click here to read... [21]