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

COMMENTARY

Africa has had eight coup attempts in recent months. What’s behind the ‘coup epidemic’?

Last week, soldiers in Guinea Bissau surrounded the government palace, attacking President Umaro Sissoco Embaló during a cabinet meeting. Although the coup attempts ultimately failed, the firefight resulted in numerous fatalities. Only a week earlier, widespread mutinies in Burkina Faso prompted army officers to depose another competitively elected African president. Click here to read…

NEWS

African Union postpones debate on Israel’s observer status

The African Union (AU) has suspended a debate on whether to withdraw Israel’s accreditation as an observer to the bloc, avoiding a vote that risked creating an unprecedented rift in the 55-member body. Click here to read…

African Union to Establish Permanent Mission in Beijing

Following a heads of state meeting in Addis Ababa, the African Union has announced it will open a permanent mission in Beijing this year. The proposal had been set forth by the Council of Ministers in an effort to engage more directly with Africa’s largest trading partner and diplomatic-ally. Click here to read…

Guinea-Bissau arrests ex-navy chief linked to drug trade over failed coup

Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo on Thursday accused a former Guinean navy chief with links to the drug trade and two accomplices of being behind a failed coup in the west African nation on February 1. Click here to read…

UN Security Council calls for release of Burkina Faso President

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has expressed grave concern about Burkina Faso’s “unconstitutional change of government,” and has called for President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and other government leaders to be released and protected. Click here to read…

Sudan’s military rulers step up crackdown, arrest activists

Amira Osman, a Sudanese women’s rights activist, was getting ready for bed a few minutes before midnight when about 30 policemen forced their way into her home in Khartoum last month. Click here to read…

Guinea transitional assembly holds first post-coup session

Guinea’s transitional assembly has held its first session, five months after the military overthrow of democratically elected President Alpha Conde. Click here to read…

Diplomatic flurry as crunch time on Western military role in Mali nears

Western foreign ministers will hold crunch talks on their countries’ future presence fighting Islamist militants in Mali on Monday, four European sources said, with three saying regional and international leaders will also meet on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Libyan parliament elects new PM to replace interim government

The Libyan House of Representatives, on Thursday unanimously voted for Fathi Bashagha as the country’s new prime minister. Click here to read…

Libyan PM survives assassination attempt as car shot: Sources

Assailants struck Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah’s car with bullets early on Thursday but he escaped unharmed, a source close to him said, amid intense factional wrangling over control of the government. Mauritius Presses Claim for Indian Ocean Islands Under ‘Unlawful’ UK Administration

A delegation from Mauritius is set to sail Tuesday to the Chagos Islands to press the country’s claim for the strategically important Indian Ocean archipelago, which is also claimed by Britain and is home to an American military base. Click here to read…

Taiwan to host Somaliland ministers in Africa diplomacy push

Taiwan will host a high-level delegation from Somalia’s breakaway Somaliland region this week, the government said on Monday, as the island pursues diplomacy in Africa in the face of Chinese pressure to limit its international footprint. Click here to read…

Several killed in attack targeting Somalia election delegates

A suicide bomber targeting a minibus full of delegates involved in Somalia’s parliamentary elections killed at least six people in Mogadishu, the ambulance service said, as the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab armed group claimed responsibility for the attack. Click here to read…

Central Africa PM fired amid tensions over Russia-France tug of war

The Central African Republic’s prime minister has been sacked, the presidency confirmed Monday, against the backdrop of tensions between pro-Russian and pro-French factions within the government of the poor, unstable country.Click here to read…

US aims to thwart China’s plan for Atlantic base in Africa

The Biden administration is intensifying its campaign to persuade Equatorial Guinea to reject China’s bid to build a military base on the country’s Atlantic Coast. Click here to read…

AfCFTA Adjustment Fund agreement signed in Cairo

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), signed the $10bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund on Wednesday in Cairo. Click here to read…

EU unveils €1.6 billion investment in Morocco

It is the first African scheme in the EU’s €300 billion “Global Gateway” infrastructure plan, the bloc’s response to China’s Belt and Road strategy.
https://www.dw.com/en/eu-unveils-16-billion-investment-in-morocco/a-60710607″ target=”_blank”>Click here to read…

French president voices support for Egypt’s regional development and anti-terror efforts

French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country remains committed to the continued enhancement of joint cooperation with Egypt in a number of fields, and to supporting Cairo’s efforts to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development, and combat terrorism and extremist ideology in its region. Click here to read…

Tanzania: Victory for media freedom as ban on four newspapers lifted

The lifting of ban on four newspapers that had been barred from publishing since 2016 and 2017 for exposing alleged corruption and human rights violations is a positive step, but the Tanzanian authorities must do more to guarantee media freedom going forward, Amnesty International said today. Click here to read…

Ethiopia’s telco battle will take place in the mobile money arena

Safaricom opened an office in Ethiopia last month, as Kenya’s largest mobile operator aims to take on one of Africa’s most sought-after telecoms markets. Click here to read…

‘Fragile Five’ Indebted Africa Nations Flagged by Top Lender

Five key African economies will face debt risks over the next two years, according to the continent’s biggest bank, as an era of extraordinary pandemic-induced stimulus and relief for poor nations draws to an end. Click here to read…

UN’s top court orders Uganda to pay $325 million to DR Congo

Delivering its judgement, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) broke down the compensation, awarding the DRC $225 million for damage to persons, which includes loss of life, rape, recruitment of child soldiers and displacement of civilians. Click here to read…

E-levy Ghana: Ghanaians hit streets of Accra to protest against electronic transactions tax way government want to introduce

Protestors for Ghana hit the streets of Accra to register their displeasure with the new electronic transactions tax way government want to introduce. Click here to read…

Deaths Rise To 92 In Madagascar Cyclone, 112,000 In Need of Assistance

The death toll from Tropical Cyclone Batsirai has risen to 92 in Madagascar, authorities said Wednesday, as humanitarian organisations ramped up aid efforts with more than 110,000 people in need of emergency assistance. Click here to read…

Zimbabwe teachers go on strike days after schools’ resume classes

A teachers’ strike has paralyzed learning at many Zimbabwean schools, which opened this week after a prolonged closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read…

Demand for traditional Chinese medicine in Africa sparks fears for endangered species

Amid the rise in demand for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products in African countries has sparked fear for poaching of endangered species. Click here to read…

Nigeria Islamic police destroy nearly 4 mn beers

Religious police in northern Nigeria’s city of Kano have destroyed nearly four milllion bottles of beer, on grounds that sale and consumption of alcohol is prohibited in the predominantly Muslim region. Click here to read…

‘White Malice’: How the CIA Strangled African Independence at Birth

In her latest book, historian Susan Williams ruthlessly reveals through factual evidence the unsavoury machinations of the CIA in Africa during the Cold War until the late 1960s. Click here to read…

Explained: Why Africa embraces Huawei tech despite security concerns

Huawei is popular across Africa, but its systems could also appeal to authoritarian regimes hoping to cling to power. Click here to read…

Should Bangladesh Lease Land from South Sudan?

For a long period of time, Bangladesh has been striving to ensure food security at home by planning to shop farmland abroad. Recently, South Sudan, an African country, has expressed interest in leasing a vast area of its fallow land to Bangladesh in order to collaborate in agricultural production, processing, and marketing in the central African countries. Click here to read…

U.S. reaches out to foreign producers in Algeria on gas options -sources

The U.S. government has asked to meet Eni, Total Energies (TTEF.PA) and other energy companies operating in Algeria to see if more gas can be sourced from the country, sources familiar with the matter said. Click here to read…

WHO Chief visits South Africa’s mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub

World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus today visited the groundbreaking mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in Cape Town and also met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss progress in making Africa self-sufficient in the production of COVID-19 vaccines and related treatments. Click here to read…

China’s StarTimes injects 1.76 mln USD to boost local content in Kenya

Chinese pay television firm, StarTimes on Thursday announced injection of an additional 200 million shillings (about 1.76 million U.S. dollars) to boost development of indigenous content in Kenya. Click here to read…

Zambia on course to launch satellite in 2023

Zambia on Friday said it is on course to launch a satellite in 2023. According to a statement by Science and Technology Minister Felix Mutati, moving to digital technology will enhance digital economic activities and help the government plan ahead in meeting challenges such as climate change, flooding, and health issues. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

Indian envoys hold virtual meeting with Comoros FM to review progress in bilateral ties

Indian envoy to Moroni Abhay Kumar held a virtual meeting with Comoros Foreign Minister Dhoihir Dhoulkamal and reviewed the progress made in bilateral ties between the two countries. … Recently INS Kesari visited Comoros in January 2022 to help repair a Comorian shipClick here to read…

Liaison officer from Mauritius posted at Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre

A liaison officer from Mauritius was on Thursday posted at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre (IFC) which has emerged as a key hub in tracking developments in the Indian Ocean. Click here to read…

Tanzania set to export avocado to India

Tanzania is set to begin exporting avocado to India, as the country seeks to strengthen bilateral trade ties and enable farmers to get higher returns for their produce. Click here to read…

Here is Why this Former PM of Kenya is Grateful to an Ayurvedic Hospital in Kerala

Former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinka, who was in Kerala recently, thanked Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Kerala for restoring his daughter’s eyesight. She had become blind after a stroke in 2017 and had spent two years in total darkness. Click here to read…

Ramaphosa’s hope of making S Africa major cell phone producer dashes as factory owned by Indian-origin entrepreneur shuts

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s hopes of the country becoming a major producer of mobile phones or Africa have been dashed with the closure of a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility owned by a Rwanda-based Indian-origin entrepreneur. Click here to read…

Mozambique: Harare, Maputo Deepen Economic Ties

Zimbabwe and the rest of SADC countries are set to benefit from infrastructural development being undertaken by Mozambique, with President Mnangagwa and President Felipe Nyusi committing to facilitate the emancipation of their people through economic development. Click here to read…Stranded in Mali: Relieved, say workers on their return to Jharkhand

Weeks after their distress calls, the first batch of seven Indian workers out of the 33 who were stranded in Mali without their earnings and their passports returned to the country on Saturday. Click here to read…

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

COMMENTARY

Eight Priorities for the African Union in 2022

The African Union’s twentieth anniversary in the coming year gives it a chance to assess its achievements as well as reinvigorate its work to safeguard peace and security on the continent. This briefing points to eight conflict situations needing the organisation’s urgent attention. Click here to read…

NEWS

Burkina Faso restores constitution, names coup leader president

Burkina Faso’s military government said it has restored the constitution a week after taking power and has appointed the coup’s leader as head of state for a transitional period. Click here to read…

Burkina Faso junta lifts nationwide curfew in force since coup

Burkina Faso’s junta lifted Wednesday a nationwide curfew they imposed after seizing power in a coup last month, the military announced. Click here to read…

Guinea Bissau president survives W. Africa’s latest coup attempt

Cheering crowds welcomed Guinea Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo’s election victory in 2020, but his opponent’s alleged fraud. Click here to read…

French ambassador expelled from Mali

Mali’s military leaders are expelling the French ambassador over what they called “outrageous” comments made by the French foreign minister about the transitional government. Click here to read…

Germany mulls end of military mission in Mali

German troops have been stationed in Mali for nearly nine years. But the Bundeswehr’s mission might soon be over. Critics in Berlin are questioning its purpose. And Mali itself is looking out for new allies. Click here to read…

Guinea-Bissau’s failed coup attempt may have been linked to drug trafficking

In a Facebook post on Feb. 1, Umaro El Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo, president of Guinea-Bissau, reassured citizens that their country was calm and that his government had not been overthrown by an armed groupClick here to read…

Guterres asks for immediate cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia

The United Nations’ Secretary-General on Tuesday made the “strongest possible appeal” for all parties in Ethiopia to immediately end the fighting in Tigray and other areas, in the spirit of the General Assembly’s Olympic Truce which began just a few days ago. Click here to read…

Sudanese security forces fire tear gas as protesters defy ban

Thousands of pro-democracy protesters have marched in Sudan’s capital and other cities, the latest demonstration to denounce military rule since the army seized power in October 2021Click here to read…

Somalia election on track, official says

Organisers of Somalia’s much-delayed elections say the polls have picked up the “right pace”, assuring citizens that they will meet the February 25 deadline to conclude voting. Click here to read…

US launches third military training project in Mozambique

The US government has launched a third Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) programme with Mozambique, to enhance the military’s readiness to contain rising insecurity.Click here to read…

DR Congo: At least 50 dead following militia attack on camp

According to the UN Mission in the country (MONUSCO), the attack was carried out by members of the so-called Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO) – a loose association of various Lendu militia groups.Click here to read…

South Africa’s Afrigen makes mRNA Covid vaccine using Moderna data

South Africa’s Afrigen Biologics has used the publicly available sequence of Moderna Inc’s mRNA Covid-19 vaccine to make its own version of the shot, which could be tested in humans before the end of this year, Afrigen’s top executive said on Thursday. Click here to read…

Mix of differences, challenges delays Arab summit until further notice

The Arab summit to be held in Algeria is facing many obstacles that could lead to its cancellation. This comes in the light of the mounting differences between the host country on the one hand and the Arab League on the other. Click here to read…

Kenya to Inject $176 Million Into Struggling National Airline

Kenya plans to inject 20 billion shillings ($176 million) of capital into the country’s cash-strapped national airline, which is battling to survive after years of losses and a mounting debt pile. Click here to read…

Tunisia elected to African Union’s Peace and Security Council

Tunisia has been elected to the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council for the term 2022-2024. Click here to read…

Wrangle over interim Libyan government intensifies

The speaker of Libya’s eastern-based parliament said on Monday the chamber would choose a new interim prime minister next week, but the current incumbent rejected the move. Click here to read…

Kenyan, Rwandan leaders discuss trade and security issues

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday hosted his Rwandese counterpart Paul Kagame for talks in Nairobi, focusing on a wide range of areas of cooperation. Click here to read…

African Experts Argue Prospects for China’s New $300 Billion Agreement

A Chinese official in Nigeria says Beijing plans to invest over $300 billion in Africa to increase African exports and help close the large trade gap with China. China’s plans for more investment in Africa have been welcomed by some, but critics worry about Africa’s growing debt with Beijing. Click here to read…

Private military contractors bolster Russian influence in Africa

Russia’s geopolitical ambitions in Africa have in recent years been backed by private military contractors, often described as belonging to the “Wagner group” — an entity with no known legal status. Click here to read…

Russian diplomat, African Union official discuss preparations for Russia-Africa Summit

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the meeting was held on the sidelines of the 35th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. Click here to read…

Egypt inks $1.6 billion deal for South Korean howitzers

South Korea on Tuesday said it signed a $1.6 billion deal to sell arms to Egypt a week after US President Joe Biden’s administration approved another massive arms sale to the Middle Eastern nation. Click here to read…

Explosion at Nigerian oil vessel sparks fears of major spill

A vessel with a storage capacity of two million barrels of oil has exploded off the coast of southern Nigeria’s Delta state, raising fears of an environmental disaster and concerns about the fate of its crew. Click here to read…

South Africa’s 10-yearly population census kicks off

South Africa on Wednesday launched its once-in-a-decade population census to collect data that will help the government’s policy formulation and planning, the statistics agency has said. Click here to read…

Shell Is Betting Big on Namibia’s Oil Boom

While all recent oil exploration attention has been on Exxon’s massive string of discoveries in Guyana, another giant player and a junior explorer are shifting to focus toward what may be the next up-and-coming oil hotspot It’s Namibia–a country that’s never produced a barrel of oil. Click here to read…

Zambia aims for IMF debt deal in May – FinMin

Zambia expects an International Monetary Fund (IMF) debt health check to be finalised this month, to strike a restructuring deal with creditors by April and get a formal agreement with the fund signed off in May, its finance minister said. Click here to read…

Russian paramilitary ‘saviours’ star in films on Africa conflicts

Paramilitary fighters from the Russia-linked Wagner group star in a new film singing their praises for interventions against rebels in the Central African Republic and elsewhere on the continent. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

Raila starts week-long trip to India, Ethiopia

ODM leader Raila Odinga has left the country for a week-long trip to Ethiopia and India. Click here to read…

Belagavi firm to build 6,000 houses in Rwanda

The Department of MBA at KLS Gogte Institute of Technology organised an online international conference on Indo African Businesses-Strategic Perspective in Belagavi recently. Click here to read…

Kebbi sponsors 117 indigenes to study in India

Kebbi State has awarded no fewer than 117 indigenes scholarship to study Medicine, Engineering and related courses in India. Click here to read…

‘India-Africa Relations: Changing Horizons’ review: An eye-opener on Africa

With China taking a lead, India should deepen its political commitment in the continent, set aside sizeable financial resources, and increase the capability of project execution, says a new bookClick here to read…

Zambia, India ties vintage

INDIA’S Republic Day, January 26, is a gazetted holiday celebrated throughout the world. It is a day to remember when India’s constitution came into force on January 26, 1950, completing the country’s transition toward becoming an independent state. Click here to read…

Mahindra sets record for monthly vehicle sales in South Africa

Mahindra South Africa has set a new record for monthly sales since it first started selling its range of automotive vehicles in the country 18 years ago. Click here to read…

Made-in-India Nissan Magnite exports expanded to 15 nations

The made-in-India Magnite is now sold in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Uganda, Kenya, Seychelles, Mozambique, Zambia, Mauritius, Tanzania and Malawi. In the second half of 2020, Nissan managed to ship out a total of 6,344 units of the Magnite. Click here to read…

Airtel Africa Q3 results: Net profit up 54% to $180 mn

Telecom operator Airtel Africa reported a 54.4 per cent increase in profit after tax (PAT) to $180 million for the December 2021 quarter. The company had posted a PAT of $116 million in the same period a year ago. Click here to read…

MONDIACULT 2022 | Africa Regional Consultation January 31 – February 1, 2022

The Regional Consultation on Cultural Policies for the African region will be held on January 31 and February 1, 2022. For two days, 47 Ministers of Culture are invited to meet online, with international and non-governmental organizations, with all the key actors of the Arts and Culture sector to discuss and present the voice of the continent on the issues of culture and development. Click here to read…

Week 5, 2022Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent – news that matters.

COMMENTARY

Burkina Faso is the site of Africa’s latest coup. How many more are coming?

The African continent was rattled by another military coup Monday—its fourth in less than two years—after Burkina Faso’s military ousted President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré from power. Click here to read…

African Politics: Return of The Military

The military seized power in Burkina Faso on Monday, ousting the country’s democratically elected President, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. I was in a conference on security in the Sahel last November and already at that time, the conversation was that the military had decided to seize power in the country and the only question was when not if they would. Click here to read…

NEWS

Burkina Faso crowd celebrates West Africa’s latest coup

More than 1,000 people gathered in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou on Tuesday in support of a military coup that a day earlier ousted President Roch Kabore, dissolved the government and suspended the constitution. Click here to read…

Denmark pulls troops from Mali as military gov’t swipes at France

The decision comes amid rising tensions after several countries imposed sanctions on Mali for failing to organise elections following two military coups. Click here to read…

Ethiopia PM open to talks with Tigray forces

Ethiopia’s prime minister has said there will be negotiations on a cease-fire between his government and the rival Tigray forces who have been waging war for almost 15 months. Click here to read…

Senegal ruling coalition suffers setbacks in key cities

Senegal’s ruling coalition suffered crushing defeats in the capital and other major cities in Sunday’s local elections, local media reported, in a vote seen as a key test for the president. Click here to read…

US envoy for Horn of Africa to visit Turkey to discuss Sudan crisis

The newly appointed United States special envoy for the Horn of Africa will visit five countries, including Turkey, to discuss Sudan and regional peace, the State Department said Tuesday. Click here to read…

Egypt sceptical of Ethiopia call for cooperation on Nile dam

Egypt sees Ethiopia’s latest call for cooperation over its controversial Nile dam as mere ink on paper, as Cairo continues to insist on resuming the negotiations to reach a legally binding agreement. Click here to read…

Sudanese protest against UN talks to resolve post-coup crisis

Sudanese pro-military demonstrators have taken to the streets of the capital, Khartoum, to protest against a UN attempting to resolve a political crisis that has been marred by a wave of bloody protests since a military coup in October. Click here to read…

Shell hits oil and gas in Namibian offshore well

Shell (RDSa.L) has made a significant oil and gas discovery at an closely-watched offshore well in Namibia which could spark a wave of investment in the southern African country. Click here to read…

The Republic of Congo to Receive $455 million IMF Loan

The board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $455 million loan for the Republic of Congo with the objective of extending fiscal relief and stimulating re-growth for the hard-hit economy of the central African country. Congo’s economy has been adversely impacted by the pandemic and the loan is vital for the country with a 52.5% poverty rate. Click here to read…

China writes off $25.3m of debt owed by Mauritania

Mauritania and China yesterday signed an agreement under which China wrote off part of its debts owed by the Mauritanian government. Click here to read…

Beijing puts Djibouti at odds with West by helping equip its army

Beijing is pushing ahead with its policy of providing military equipment by donating 160 Dongfeng trucks to the army, having already supplied two vessels to the Djibouti navy last year. Click here to read…

Uncertainty shrouds Arab League summit in Algeria

The Arab League is facing a third year without a meeting, as the summit due to be held in Algeria in March is set to be delayed. Click here to read…

Libyan parliament committee urges change of interim PM

A Libyan parliament committee has said the chamber should choose a new interim prime minister, a move that could set major factions against each other in the wake of a failed election. Click here to read…

Zambia’s president visits South Africa to discuss trade and security

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema arrived on Wednesday in South Africa to discuss security and trade between the two nations. Click here to read…

Kenya on High Alert After France Warns of Impending Terror Attack

The French Embassy in Kenya has issued a terror alert to Western nationals, urging them to avoid places this weekend where foreigners gather, such as hotels and shopping centers, especially in the capital, Nairobi. Click here to read…

Rwanda to re-open border with Uganda as relations thaw

Rwanda will re-open on Monday a border crossing with Uganda that was shuttered nearly three years ago, even as tensions rise between the central African neighbours, fuelled by accusations of espionage and support for each other’s dissidentsClick here to read…

Death Toll from Tropical Storm Ana in Mozambique, Malawi Rises to 12

The death toll from tropical storm Ana has risen to at least 12 in Mozambique and Malawi, authorities said, although officials and aid agencies are still assessing the full impact of the storm that swept through southern Africa on Monday. Click here to read…

Book Review: Politics of Change in Middle East and North Africa since Arab Spring

After decades of suffering and deprivation under authoritarian regimes, the incident motivated the Arab masses to take their anger and frustration to the streets and demand justice, freedom and democracy. Click here to read…

Where Is Pan-Africanism Today?

Kwame Nkrumah foresaw a period when Africa would be unified and coined the term ‘pan-Africanism’ in the 1960s. He thought that African unification was essential for the continent’s economic, social, and political growth. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

Shri G. Balasubramanian appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Shri G. Balasubramanian (IFS: 1998), presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Click here to read…

India-South Africa trade exceeds USD 10 billion target set by leaders

Trade between India and South Africa has exceeded the USD 10 billion target set by the leaders of the two countries, Consul General Anju Ranjan announced at a reception here on Wednesday to celebrate India’s 73rd Republic Day. Click here to read…

Tanzania, India agrees on new areas of cooperation

Tanzania and India have expressed readiness to open up new areas of cooperation to ensure sustainable development for mutual benefits. Click here to read…

Nigeria, India Deepen Ties to Boost ICT, Renewable Energy

The federal government and the Republic of India have mapped out ways through which they can strengthen the existing bilateral relations between both countries to enhance development in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and renewable energy. Click here to read…

India calls for countering terror in Africa’s Sahel and Libya

India has called on the international community to focus its attention on the threat of terrorism in Africa, in particular the Sahel region. Click here to read…

PM Modi thanks Zambian President for R-Day greetings, says ‘India greatly values its friendship’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday thanked Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema for his greetings on the occasion of India’s 73rd Republic Day on January 26. Click here to read…

Indian community marks 75th independence anniversary in Accra

The Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Sugandh Rajaram, has called for the strengthening of the bilateral relations between Ghana and India.
According to Mr Rajaram, the achievements chalked by his country had been possible due to the help of its global partners of which Ghana was tops. Click here to read…

Indian embassy in Madagascar celebrates 73rd Republic Day by unfurling national flag

Indian ambassador in Madagascar inaugurated the event by unfurling the Indian flag.Click here to read…

73rd Republic of India: Prime Minister inaugurates the Ashoka Stambh in Ebène

The Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Home Affairs and External Communications, Minister for Rodrigues, Outer Islands and Territorial Integrity, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, inaugurated the Ashoka Stambh to mark the 73rd Republic Day of India, this evening, at the High Commission of India, in Ebène. Click here to read…

Tanzania’s avocados now hit Indian markets

Efforts to find international markets for Tanzania’s avocados achieved a milestone after a maiden consignment was exported to India on Friday. This is good news to smallholder growers, traders and the government alike.Click here to read…

Made-in-India Nissan Magnite is now exported to 15 global markets

The Made-in-India Nissan Magnite is now on sale in 15 countries across the world. They are: India, Indonesia, South Africa, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Uganda, Kenya, Seychelles, Mozambique, Zambia, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Malawi. Click here to read…

NeoCov: India to monitor deadlier Covid variant found in South Africa

India is keeping an eye on reports of a Chinese study on coronavirus type NeoCov, which spreads among bats in South Africa. Click here to read…

Bharti Airtel’s subsidiary Airtel Africa to be added to FTSE 100 Index

Telecom major Bharti Airtel on Thursday informed that its subsidiary Airtel Africa has been made a part of the FTSE 100 Index with effect from Monday, 31 January, 2022. Click here to read…

Beijing raises NEV quota in 2022 new car plate allocation: Xinhuanet

December 29, 2021

Beijing Municipality will raise the quota of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) in the new car license plate allocation next year, authorities announced Wednesday. The city will allocate 100,000 new car plates in 2022, and the quota for NEVs will be increased from 60,000 to 70,000, according to the municipal office for car quota allocation management. Click here to read…

China unveils five-year plan to boost raw materials industry: Xinhuanet

December 29, 2021

Chinese authorities on Wednesday unveiled a plan to facilitate the development of the country’s raw materials industry during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). By 2025, a new development pattern for China’s raw materials sector that features higher quality, better profitability and distribution, low carbon, and more security will take shape, said the plan. It was issued jointly by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and two other government bodies. Click here to read…

Former senior provincial official indicted for graft, sheltering mafia-like gangs: Xinhuanet

December 29, 2021

Wang Like, a former senior Party official in east China’s Jiangsu Province, has been indicted on charges of taking and offering bribes, harboring and conniving mafia-like organizations, and forging identity documents, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) said Wednesday. Click here to read…

Egypt to join BRICS New Development Bank: People’s Daily

December 30, 2021

The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) announced Wednesday that it will add Egypt as its new member. “We are delighted to welcome Egypt into NDB’s family. We look forward to supporting its investment needs in infrastructure and sustainable development,” said Marcos Troyjo, president of the NDB. Click here to read…

China, Russia to sign new 5-year space cooperation program, build intl lunar station by 2035: Global Times

December 29, 2021

China and Russia will sign a new space Cooperation Program for 2023-2027 next year, which will include a plan to create an open and inclusive International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) by 2035, Russia’s national space agency Roscosmos told the Global Times in an exclusive interviewClick here to read…

China standardizes names of 15 more places in Zangnan based on sovereignty and history: Global Times

December 30, 2021

China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs announced on Wednesday that it had standardized in Chinese characters, Tibetan and Roman alphabet the names of 15 places in Zangnan (the southern part of China’s Xizang), in accordance with regulations on geographical names issued by the State Council. Click here to read…

Chinese customs fully prepares for the implementation of RCEP: Global Times

December 29, 2021

Chinese customs said it has fully prepared for the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), days ahead of the formal implementation for the largest trade agreement. In terms of rules of origin and tariff concessions, the General Administration of Customs said on Wednesday that it has completed 38 specific tasks to ensure the full implementation of the rules of origin and the agreed tax rate, and established the shared information system of visa data and customs clearance data. Click here to read…

Afghan officials discuss digital currency with Chinese businessmen: Global Times

December 29, 2021

Amid a deepening financial crisis that is putting Afghanistan’s financial system on the brink of collapse, Afghan Taliban officials have approached Chinese businessmen and discussed topics concerning digital currency, a possible solution that some said could provide short-term relief to the capital crunch of the war-torn country, sources told the Global Times on WednesdayClick here to read…

China to speed up use of next-generation tech like 5G, AI in rare-earth industry: Global Times

December 29, 2021

A senior Chinese official on Wednesday called on rare-earth companies to accelerate their digital transformation and carry out mergers and reorganizations, as the country has moved swiftly to upgrade the crucial sector and build an efficient, robust industry cluster. The use of high technologies marked by 5G, artificial intelligence and the industrial internet should be integrated with the rare-earth industry to enhance production efficiency and product quality, Chang Guowu, an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), said at a press conference in Beijing. Click here to read…

China’s jobseekers search for ‘stability’ as coronavirus and regulatory crackdowns take toll: South China Morning Post

December 30, 2021

Zhang Qijing left China for the United Kingdom last October to pursue a master’s degree she hoped would help her change career. Business at the inbound travel agency she worked for was decimated by pandemic travel restrictions and she wanted a fresh start. A higher degree would give her an edge in the labour market and help secure a more stable job as a public school teacher, she said. Pursuing further education seemed like an efficient way to wait out the pandemic too. Click here to read…

Tattoos targeted as Chinese authorities seek to set ‘good example’: Reuters

December 30, 2021

Chinese authorities have banned footballers from getting tattoos and instructed national team players who have been inked to remove or cover them up to set a “good example for society”. A growing number of high-profile Chinese players have been sporting tattoos, including international defender Zhang Linpeng, who has previously been told to cover up while appearing for both the national team and club side Guangzhou FC. Click here to read…

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

COMMENTARY

China has multiple military basing options in Africa, analysts say

China is reportedly looking to build a military presence in Equatorial Guinea, which would be its second such facility in Africa and the first along the Atlantic Ocean. But China’s options are not limited to the small country, analysts say. Click here to read…

NEWS

Ethiopia govt says no further advance into Tigray

Ethiopia’s government said on Friday that its troops would not advance further into the war-torn region of Tigray but warned that the decision could be overturned if “territorial sovereignty” was threatened. Click here to read…

A Tense Libya Delays Its Presidential Election

The postponement risks further destabilizing the oil-rich North African country, which has been mired in divisions and violence in the decade since Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi was toppled and killed in a revolution. Click here to read…

South African court allows Zuma to appeal return-to-jail order

South Africa’s ex-leader will spend Christmas at home after the court allows him to appeal the order to end his parole. Click here to read…

Mali rejects claims of Russian mercenaries’ deployment

Bamako and Moscow are only involved in a state-to-state partnership and Russia is only supporting the country’s national defence and security forces, Mali says. Click here to read…

Suicide bomber kills at least six in eastern Congo on Christmas Day

A suicide bomber attacked a restaurant and bar in Beni on Christmas Day, killing at least six people in the eastern Congolese town where Islamic extremists are known to be active. Click here to read…

Egypt, Russia to intensify joint efforts to settle Libya crisis

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi made a phone call on Saturday to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss the current situation in Libya. Click here to read…

Kenya Drops Plan to Nationalize Struggling Airline, IMF Says

Kenya’s government has scrapped a plan to fully nationalize the partly state-owned airline and is looking at other ways to safeguard money it has loaned the carrier, according to the International Monetary Fund.Click here to read…

Tunisia court sentences ex-president Marzouki to prison in absentia

A Tunisian court on Wednesday issued a verdict in absentia sentencing former president Moncef Marzouki to four years in prison after he criticised President Kais Saied and called for protests. Click here to read…

Morocco to restore diplomatic ties with Germany

Morocco says it is ready to restore diplomatic cooperation with Germany, apparently thanks to a perceived shift in position toward the disputed Western Sahara. Click here to read…

Guinea’s 2008 Coup Leader Returns Home from Exile

The man who led a 2008 coup in Guinea and whose brief rule was marked by a stadium massacre against peaceful demonstrators returned to the West African country Wednesday after more than a decade in exile. Click here to read…

Thousands again take to the streets in Sudan to call for return to civilian rule

Thousands of Sudanese protesters rallied Saturday two months on since a military coup, demanding soldiers “go back to the barracks” and calling for a transition to civilian rule. Click here to read…

Senegal: Railway to open in Dakar on Monday amidst protests

Senegal will on Monday December 27 welcome a new commuter railway line after having to wait for the past 5 years for work on the project to be completed. Click here to read…

Togo and Benin recently carried out a joint operation to fight illegal fishing

To fight illegal, unreported, and unregistered fishing (IUU) fishing, Benin and Togo surveyed their respective waters last week. The three-day operation closed on Tuesday and led to the interception of a vessel and four pirogues which were diverted to the Port of Lomé. Click here to read…

Nigeria destroys more than 1 million expired COVID vaccines

Move aims to reassure a wary public that the donated vaccines with a short shelf life were taken out of circulation. Click here to read…

The Gambia panel recommends ex-President Yahya Jammeh face trial

Truth and reconciliation commission says the former leader was responsible for a spree of killings, torture and rapes during his 22-year rule. Click here to read…

Rwanda achieves WHO’s end-year COVID-19 vaccination target

Rwanda has now fully vaccinated 40 percent of its population against COVID-19, becoming the seventh African country to achieve the target set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the end 2021. Click here to read…
Uganda buys Chinese arms for war on ADF
On Nov. 30, the Ugandan army alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Forces (FARDC) launched joint air and artillery strikes against camps of the Congo-based Uganda rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Click here to read…

‘Istanbul’ becomes most popular name in Somalia

The close cultural relationship between Turkey and Somalia morphed into popular culture as Turkish dramas are all the rage and ‘Istanbul’ becomes one of the most popular female names in the African countryClick here to read…

Nigeria’s Teesas secures $1.6M, to expand across Africa and launch tutor marketplace

After seven years in the production of electronic gadgets, under his company Imose Technologies, Osayi Izedonmwen took leave to explore an idea that he had toyed with for some time — an edtech startup, Teesas, which now offers video classes and other digital educational material for learners in Nigeria. Click here to read…

Madagascar shipwreck death toll rises to 85

Maritime authorities say 50 people have been rescued after boat sank with 138 people on board. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

Shri Anindya Banerjee appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of the Cameroon

Shri Anindya Banerjee (YOA: 2006), presently Assistant High Commissioner of India to Chittagong has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Cameroon. Click here to read…

Vale selling coal assets including Moatize mine to company of India’s Jindal Group

Vale has entered into a binding agreement with Vulcan Minerals to sell the Moatize coal mine and the Nacala Logistics Corridor (NLC) for total proceeds of $270 million, comprised of $80 million at closing and $190 million from the existing business until closing; plus a 10-year Royalty Agreement subject to certain mine production and coal price conditions. Vulcan is a private company and part of the renowned $18 billion Jindal Group. Click here to read…

Morocco, Costa Rica, Azerbaijan and Nigeria invite Indian investors

The ambassadors of Morocco, Costa Rica, Azerbaijan and Nigeria appealed to Indian entrepreneurs to invest in their countries during an international seminar organised by the Global India Business Forum (GIBF) here. Click here to read…

Vedanta continues its support against the Covid-19 pandemic in Zambia

The Zambian subsidiary of resources giant Vedanta Resources Ltd has further committed to assisting the fight against the increasing number of Covid-19 infections in the southern African nation. Click here to read…

Indian-origin philanthropist Dr Imtiaz Sooliman named South African of The Year

Indian-origin philanthropist and founder of disaster relief group ‘Gift Of The Givers’, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman has won the prestigious South African of the Year Award run by the Daily Maverick newspaper. Click here to read…

Indian-Origin Judge Appointed to South Africa’s Highest Judicial Bench

Narandran ‘Jody’ Kollapen, who has now been elevated from his position as a judge of the high court, started legal practice in 1982, focussing largely on public interest work. Click here to read…

India-South Africa ties grow stronger in 2021 despite Covid crisis

South Africa and India ramped up their political and trade ties in 2021 and the coronavirus crisis presented an opportunity to the two countries to extend cooperation in fighting the deadly pandemic. Click here to read…

On Christmas, an Indian atheist’s prayer for the people of strife-torn Lalibela in Ethiopia

In a land which was among the first to adopt Christianity, an ethnic war tears apart lives and troops occupy ancient churches. Click here to read…

Three foreigners arrested from Delhi for online con: UP cops

With the arrest of three Nigerian nationals from Delhi, the Uttar Pradesh police claimed to have busted a gang of cheats involved in duping Indians through social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Click here to read…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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

COMMENTARY

State of Emergency declared in Ethiopia

Rebels from Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region continues their assault as they are edging closer to Addis Ababa, the capital. The Tigrayans, who have been fighting the government for the past year, have joined forces with another rebel group as they advance on the capital. This has forced Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, to declare a state of emergency. Under the state of emergency, the president has sweeping powers to arrest and detain critics, impose curfews and restrict the news media. Meanwhile, US President Biden has revoked all the trade privileges for Ethiopia, including duty-free access to the United States and the US embassy in Addis Ababa urged its citizen to leave Ethiopia as soon as possible. The United Nations Security Council also expressed its deep concern concerning the expansion and intensification of military clashes. While PM of Ethiopia said that he would defeat the rebels with “the bones and blood of her children”, the world leaders should try, with a determined mix of pressure and persuasion to prevent Africa’s second-most-populous country from going the way of Yugoslavia.

NEWS

Removed Sudan PM demands gov’t reinstatement amid world mediation

Sudan’s deposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said the reinstatement of his government, dissolved in a military coup, could pave the way to a solution in the country. Click here to read…

Somalia gives African Union envoy seven days to leave country

Somalia has asked the African Union Commission (AUC) representative in the country to leave within a week after declaring him persona non grata. Click here to read…

Algeria and Morocco: The Conflict on Europe’s Doorstep

The relationship between Morocco and Algeria over leadership in North Africa could have direct implications for Spain. Click here to read…

Africa-France Summit 2021: A Real Revival or a Trick?

On October 8–9, the New Africa-France 2021 Summit was held in Montpellier. Partially covered by French mainstream media, the event was nevertheless quite important and telling as far as the Franco-African relations are concerned. Click here to read…

Biden suspends Ethiopia, Guinea and Mali from AGOA

Ethiopia is one of three African countries – alongside coup-hit Guinea and Mali – which will lose access to the scheme, which provides tariff-free access to the US market for African manufacturers, from January 1st. Click here to read…

Egypt to move govt to new administrative capital in Dec

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has instructed the government to move offices to the new administrative capital, being built some 50 km east of the capital Cairo. Click here to read…

South Africa’s ruling ANC party records worst poll result

South Africa’s voters have delivered a significant rebuke to the governing African National Congress, which got less than 50 percent of ballots cast in local government elections. Click here to read…

Chinese nationals kidnapped in Mali rescued

The three Chinese nationals who were kidnapped in Mali have been rescued on Monday and are in good health conditions. Click here to read…

Gambia Clocks 70 Years of Multiparty Elections

It is exactly 70 years since The Gambia held her first multiparty elections. In November 1951, the Gambia Democratic Party of late Rev. J.C. Faye, amongst others contested elections. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

MoS Murleedharan in Gambia, inks two agreements

MV. Muraleedharan, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, who was on a state visit to The Gambia, inked two agreements. Click here to read…

MoS Muraleedharan Meets Gambian Foreign Minister

MoS V. Muraleedharan on Tuesday met with Gambian Foreign Minister, Dr Mamadou Tangara and addressed a wide range of issues. Click here to read…

Visiting Indian External Affairs minister harps on Gambia-India relations

MV. Muraleedharan, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, who was on a state visit to The Gambia, has talked to The Point about the bilateral relations between The Gambia and India. Click here to read…

Air forces of India and Egypt conduct two-day joint exercise

Air forces of India and Egypt conducted a two-day exercise, called ‘Desert Warrior’, at the latter’s El Berigat airbase to enhance mutual understanding and share operational experience. Click here to read…

Government Of Ghana Completes Takeover of AirtelTigo

The transaction implies that AirtelTigo would now operate as a state-owned entity of the Government of Ghana. Click here to read…

Airtel Africa completes the sale of its Madagascar unit to Helios

The telecom group Airtel Africa PLC announced that it has finalized the sale of its Madagascar-based telecommunications tower company to Helios Towers Plc. Click here to read…

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

COMMENTARY

Sudan-South Sudan Rapprochement and Its Implications for the Region and Beyond

After a decade-long impasse, the borders between Sudan and South Sudan reopened on 1st October, 2021. With this first step of rapprochement, two countries can now slowly advance towards stabilizing the ties between them. Click here to read…

NEWS

Macron seeks to rejuvenate relationship with Africa at summit

The summit comes just as France’s influence in the former colonial power’s historic turf is increasingly contested, and amid parallel crises in relations between Paris and both Mali and Algeria. Click here to read…

Upcoming Africa-Turkey summit announced, to further strengthen relations

AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat’s visit has put an end to the suspense as it has been decided that the Turkey-Africa summit will be held in December in Istanbul. Click here to read…

Libya ready for polls despite disputes over laws

The presidential and parliamentary votes were initially set for the same day but on Tuesday parliament announced that the legislative elections, first since 2014, would be postponed until January. Click here to read…

Egypt threatens to send military to remove encroachments along Nile

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi threatened to resort to the army to confront in tandem with mounting fears by the Egyptian government that its share of the Nile water will be prejudiced by the escalating Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam crisis. Click here to read…

Algeria calls for Morocco withdrawal from Western Sahara

Algeria, the main backer of the Polisario Front, called Thursday for the withdrawal of Moroccan forces from the Guerguerat buffer zone in Western Sahara. Click here to read…

In Major Breakthrough, WHO Backs Malaria Vaccine Rollout for Africa’s Children

The WHO recommendation is for RTS,S – or Mosquirix – a vaccine developed by British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline. This is a vaccine developed in Africa by African scientists and we’re very proud,” said WHO director-general. Click here to read…

From ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero to convicted ‘terrorist’ — the story of Paul Rusesabagina

Rusesabagina, leader of opposition in exile against Rwanda President Paul Kagame and celebrated for saving lives during 1994 Rwanda Genocide, was sentenced to 25 years in prison this month. Click here to read…

Morocco names new government

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI named a new government on Thursday after last month’s election. The new finance minister, Nadia Alaoui, who was tourism minister in the previous gov’t, will be one of seven women in the cabinet. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

In India and Japan’s vision, Kenya key to Indo-Pacific

For India, Kenya is a key partner in East Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean region. With Kenya demonstrating greater interest, India could perhaps engage Kenya in an Indo-Pacific framework. Click here to read…

Seychelles connection

It’s a cause for concern that the name of a former Director General of Military Intelligence, Lt Gen Rakesh Kumar Loomba (retd), who also served as the General Officer Commanding of 3 Corps, has cropped up in the Pandora Papers. Click here to read…

Indian chemicals firm UPL asked to pay for forum on South Africa pollution

UPL has been accused by the department of illegally storing hazardous chemicals that were released into a residential area and a river system. Click here to read…

Mauritius ex-PM gets new life at AIIMS

If I am alive today, it is because of the doctors and nurses at AIIMS and the government of India, an emotional former prime minister of Mauritius, Navinchandra Ramgoolam. Click here to read…

Indian Air Force to take part in exercises in Israel, Egypt

IAF will be participating in exercises with Israel and Egypt later this month. This comes as increased engagement has been seen between Indian defence forces and West Asian counterparts. Click here to read…

Abstract:

As the US decided to withdraw some of its defence equipment like Patriot missile batteries from Saudi Arabia and some other countries, it conducted Falcon Claws 4 joint exercises with Saudi land forces. It also retaliated against Hezbollah and Iraqi militia groups justifying that the US military targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one in Iraq in response to drone attacks by the militia against US personnel and facilities in Iraq. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed “We took necessary, appropriate, deliberate action that is designed to limit the risk of escalation, but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message”. Iraqi militia groups aligned with Iran in a statement named four members of the Kataib Sayyed al-Shuhada faction who were killed in the attack on the Syria-Iraq border. They vowed to retaliate. Iraq’s government, wary of getting dragged into a US-Iran conflict, condemned the strikes on its territory and said it would “study all legal options” to prevent such action being repeated. Syria called the strikes a “flagrant violation of the sanctity of Syrian and Iraqi lands.” However, observers believe that these actions could have been taken within the knowledge of the Iraqi establishment. Iraq’s military issued a condemnation of the US strikes. US forces came under fire after the attacks.

On June 28-29, US and Italy organised an anti-ISIS Coalition conference which was attended by a large number of countries from the region including Saudi and Qatari and Israeli foreign ministers and the Arab League. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stressed “we must not ignore the fact that the organization is still a threat. This demands that all sides continue efforts and coordination to contain and eliminate ISIS completely.” On the sidelines of the meeting, Prince Faisal met with United Nations envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen, and his counterparts from the Netherlands, Sigrid Kaag; France, Jean-Yves Le Drian; Libya, Najla al-Mangoush; Iraq, Dr. Fuad Hussein; and Jordan, Ayman al-Safadi and Joseph Borrel of EU.

Palestinian Authority faced continuous demonstrations pursuant to the death of a video blogger and activist Nizar Banat in police custody. Officials in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the Fatah party accused the Gaza-ruling Hamas of plotting chaos in the West Bank and a coup against the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Hamas has felt emboldened after the recent Gaza-Israel war.
President Sisi, who brokered peace between Israel and Hamas spoke to the new Israeli Pm Naftali bennet urging that reconstruction of Gaza should be the priority along with finding a permanent solution for the Israel-Palestine issue. Bennet thanked Egypt for help find two missing Israeli soldiers since 2014 Gaza and wants them back as a precondition. However, it allowed passage of relief material as well as fuel supplies. Egypt and Qatar have pledged $500 million each for reconstruction in Gaza, where two-thirds of 2 million residents are dependent on aid.

Arch enemies Iran and Israel had new leadership. While Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party could not muster enough seats the “Coalition for Change” with eight political parties across the spectrum led by Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennet formed the government with a margin of only one seat (61 to 59) in the parliament. Netanyahu, who after his recent show of strength in the Israel -Hamas war hoped for the 5th election in two years, vowed to return to power. While Bennet became the new PM for half the term Yair Lapid became the new Foreign Minister as Benny Gantz retained his portfolio of defence ministry. First the Arab “Ra’am” Party supported the government in Israel and cut a deal to look after the interests of the Israeli Arabs and hopefully act as mediator with the Palestinians who are facing their own leadership crisis.

On the other hand the Iranians had a preconceived outcome as the ultra-conservative candidate Ebrahim Raisi, head of judiciary and closer to Ayatollah, won the Presidential election by 62% votes. Economy, unemployment and spiralling inflation as well as the pandemic will be the main priority for him when he takes over in mid-August. Meanwhile, he extended his full support to the resumption of the JCPOA nuclear deal and Vienna talks. Obviously Israel is unhappy with his election and the US efforts to re-join the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) without addressing the issues of Iranian missiles and proxy militias across the region.

After his visit to Rome and meeting with Bahraini counterpart as well as Secy Blinken and others, Israeli FM Lapid visited UAE for inaugurating their Embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai while carrying forward the dialogue and to address some of the concerns regarding the Palestinian conflict with his counterpart.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Palestinian Authority have submitted a 30 items list to the Biden Administration for reviving the Peace deal with Israel. But whether those will be acceptable to Tel Aviv is a big question apart from how far US is willing to get involved, although Washington has agreed to restore its consulate in Jerusalem for maintaining relations with Ramallah.

The leaders of Egypt, Jordan and Iraq met in Baghdad to discuss the developments in the region from Israel-Palestine conflict to economic cooperation. This was their 4th meeting. First Trilateral Summit was held in Cairo in March 2019. This was also the first visit by an Egyptian President to Iraq since the invasion of Kuwait in 1990 when ties broke between Egypt and Iraq. In February, the two countries had signed 12 MoUs including Iraq supplying 12 mn barrels of light crude in 2021. Jordanian FM Safadi said that Iraq must be isolated from regional interventions referring to Iranian influence. US welcomed this Arab Alliance that might help in security and economic cooperation and stability in the region. Meanwhile, Egypt has agreed to supply 700 MW of electricity to Iraq to tide over the immediate crisis.

Sudan was approved for debt relief of $2.5 bn by IMF as US sanctions had been lifted.

75 Libyan delegates met in Geneva under the aegis of UNSMIL to discuss and iron out differences over the December 24 elections. The Berlin II process also began to address security issues and to ensure steady movement forward. Holding elections and removal of foreign forces, militias and mercenaries were fundamental to the success of stability in Libya.

Post rapprochement between Qatar and Saudi led Quartet at Al Ula Summit, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani received the credentials of the new Saudi Ambassador to Doha, Prince Mansour bin Khalid bin Farhan. Likewise, Egypt has appointed a veteran diplomat, Amr el-Sherbini previously, ambassador at large at the Egyptian foreign ministry. Normalisation of Qatar’s relations with UAE and Bahrain are still moving at a slow pace.

PM Modi congratulated both Prime Minister Bennet and President elect Ebrahim Raisi hoping for continued good relations with both the countries.

Dr S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister visited Kuwait and held discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues with their leadership. In Rome he also met his Saudi counterpart among others. He also chaired a meeting with the Heads of Missions in the Gulf region and asked them to explore possibilities of early and smoother return of Indian work force which had to be evacuated under ‘Vande Bharat” missions due to pandemic and economic downturn.

More Details ….

Hardliner Ebrahim Raisi emerges winner in Iranian Presidential Race

The current Chief Justice, Ebrahim Raisi appeared as the clear winner in the Presidential election held on 18 June securing 61.95 percent of total votes. The presidential election held on 18 June 2021 saw the lowest turnout at 48.8 percent since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Interestingly, the no vote option received more votes than the first runner up, Mohsen Rezaei followed by the only moderate candidate; Abdolnasswer Hemmati.1 Raisi would join office in August 2021.

Raisi’s victory has consolidated the gains for the conservative faction that already controls the parliament. He enjoys good relationship with the clerical hierarchy, intelligence, security forces and the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Critics have expressed concerns over possibility of renewed social oppression including arrests of journalists and activists and further curbs in the already restricted cyber space. Amnesty International has called for investigation for crime against humanity of murder, enforced disappearance against Raisi during his long tenure within the judiciary.

On the nuclear issue, the Iranian delegation made some progress to renew the JCPOA with the US. Raisi has supported the nuclear deal however, sceptics have raised concern that the new president could complicate the possible US return to the nuclear deal. The US during the talks has insisted on extending the dialogue not only on nuclear issue but also on missile programme and IRGC’s activities in the region. The new Iranian President is not likely to concede to the new demands. Meanwhile, Joe Biden administration on 10 June lifted sanctions on three former Iranian oil executives and two companies indicating US’ willingness to carry forward dialogue.

In second week of June, it was widely reported that an Iranian destroyer, Sahand and intelligence gathering vessel, Makran are sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. Iran’s Deputy Army chief, Habibollah Sayyari called the expedition as navy’s longest and most challenging voyage. Iran is hoping that it would improve its navy’s seafaring capacity and provide long term durability in facing unfavourable weather conditions in the Atlantic Ocean. The goal of the mission is inconclusive however, the US officials have concluded that the vessel may be headed to Venezuela.

Anti-Netanyahu coalition takes control over Israel

Israel since 2019 has witnessed four elections to form a stable government. Due to the fracture in the right wing coalition, Benjamin Netanyahu despite receiving highest number of seats failed to present a stable government. Netanyahu after third election in 2020 managed to form a unity government with Benny Gantz led Kahol Lavan. The unity government eventually dissolved in December 2020 leading to fourth election in March 2021. The new government led by Naftali Bennet was formed after weeks of negotiations among right wing, centrist, leftist and an Arab party to replace Netanyahu. Bennet after serving as the Prime Minister for two years would be succeeded by Yair Lapid. The uneasy coalition is highly fragile and Netanyahu is likely to use the fissures to weaken the government.

In early June, Isaac Herzog, the former leader of the Labour party has been elected as the new President by 87 votes in the 120 member Knesset. Herzog is the son of former President Chaim Herzog. He is expected to hold office for a single seven year term starting on 9 July.

Israel-Palestine issue

Israeli air force conducted series of airstrikes at several locations in Gaza on 16 June reportedly targeting Hamas meeting sites. The air raids since the ceasefire with Hamas in May were carried out in response to incendiary balloons being launched by Palestinians in Gaza. Palestinians have condemned the provocative rally carried out by Israeli ultra-nationalists in East Jerusalem chanting “Death to Arabs” and “May your village burn” on 15 June to celebrate the Israeli takeover of the whole city after 1967 Arab-Israel war.

The parade and its prior approval was a difficult challenge for Prime Minister Naftali Bennet who has promised a pragmatic approach currently presiding over a delicate, diverse coalition government. Despite warnings about renewed escalation, Bennett went ahead with approving the rally in order to consolidate his right-wing support base. The leader of the United Arab List, Mansour Abbas who is currently a coalition partner in the Bennet led government called the rally as “an attempt to set the region on fire for political aims,” and undermine the new government.

Notably, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid condemned the racist slogans on Twitter calling it “a disgrace to the Israeli people,” adding, “The fact that there are radicals for whom the Israeli flag represents hatred and racism is abominable and unforgivable.”

Defence Minister Benny Gantz met with the military chief of staff, the police commissioner and other senior security officials highlighting the need to avoid friction and protect the personal safety of both Jews and Arabs. The Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, called the march an “aggression against our people.” The Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned the march as “unacceptable diluting the efforts to reduce friction between Israel and the Palestinians.

Moreover, according a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, around 53 percent of Palestinians have favoured Hamas as the most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people and only 14 percent has expressed preference for Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas’ 11 days conflict with Israeli forces in May has contributed to its increase in popularity.

In other news, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has halted “intelligence mapping” or the practice of conducting night time raids in Palestinian homes in the West Bank to derive information about the residents. IDF came under intense pressure by Israeli civil society and human rights groups i.e. Yesh Din; Physicians for Human Rights Israel and Breaking the Silence. The activist groups published a detailed report concluding arbitrary invasions of private Palestinian homes does not serve any strategic purpose and only leads to oppression and intimidation of the Palestinian population causing deep psychological trauma.

US’ UN Ambassador assures Humanitarian Relief to Syrian Refugees

The US Ambassador to Turkey, Linda Thomas-Greenfield during her visit to Turkey between 2 and 4 June, has announced that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing US$ 240 million to support humanitarian efforts for Syrian refugees settled in Turkey. The US has reportedly spent around US$ 13 billion in humanitarian relief for Syrian refugees in the last ten years. She met with UN agencies and NGO partners to provide-life saving assistance to millions.

The Ambassador met with senior Turkish leaders to discuss opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties, collectively address global challenges; upgrade the level of cooperation on Syria including management of refugees. The US recognised the crucial role of Turkey to facilitate cross border assistance and providing refugees.

Peace talks fail between Sudanese Government and Rebel Group

The transitional government in mid-June failed to accomplish the peace deal with the rebel group, Sudan Popular Liberation Movement – North led by Abdel-Aziz al Hilu. The government and PLM – N on 15 June shut down the negotiations and agreed to discuss the disputed points at a later date. Reportedly, only four out of 19 points remain unresolved. The group is demanding secular constitution; disbanding militias erected during Omar Al Bashir’s tenure and reforms in military. The government has been negotiating with the rebel group since the last two years and recently signed a declaration of principles entailing roadmap for talks. The current talks are mediated by South Sudan. PLM-N operates in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan provinces and threatened to call for self-determination in the areas under their control in case the demands remain unfulfilled.

In other news, Sudanese transitional government has indicated that it will review the agreement with Russia to establish a naval base. The naval base would hold up to 300 Russian troops and host up to four navy ships including nuclear powered vessels in Port Sudan. Russia had committed to provide weapons, military equipment and training, Sudan concluded the agreement during the presidency of Oman Al-Bashir. The deal was never ratified by the parliament.

Spain Reopens Embassy in Tripoli

Spain in early June reopened its embassy in Libya’s capital, Tripoli after a gap of seven years. The decision was made after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez held discussion with Libyan Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. Spain has agreed to start the authorisation process to expedite visas to improve mobility between both states. The Spanish Prime Minister expressed hope that it would pave the way for cooperation and benefit the Libyan political process.

Turkish President’s visit to Azerbaijan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on 15 June visited Azerbaijan and met with President, Ilham Aliyev in the historic city of Shusha. Shusha is an important cultural centre for Azerbaijan which came under Armenian control in 1992. Azerbaijan recaptured the strategic city in November 2020 during the six weeks conflict with Armenia. Turkey was crucial military ally for Azerbaijan supplying weapons and UAVs.

Both leaders signed declaration in order to deepen relations in several areas including security. Erdogan became the first foreign leader to visit Shusha. Turkey promised to set up a consulate in the city extending support for Azerbaijan’s control over city and other areas in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.