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

COMMENTARY

Strategy and ambition: In Wang Yi visit, China’s long Africa game

For a dozen years, China has been Africa’s biggest trading partner. Two-way trade in 2020 was $187 billion. The balance of trade is heavily in favour of China. Click here to read…

NEWS

Six people killed in blast in Somalia’s capital

Six people were killed on Wednesday in a car bomb explosion in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, a security official and witnesses said. The attack was claimed by the Al-Shabaab jihadist group, which said in a brief statement that it was targeting “foreign officers”.Click here to read…

US Africa envoy to visit Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Ethiopia

The US special envoy for the Horn of Africa will visit Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Ethiopia next week amid ongoing crises in the two African nationsClick here to read…

Mozambique kicks off first offshore gas project

A floating plant for liquefying natural gas arrived in Mozambican waters on January 3 after a seven-week maritime voyage from South Korea. Click here to read…

Violence erupts, police use water cannon on Tunisian protesters

Tunisian police used water cannon and sticks to disperse more than 1,000 protesters trying to reach central Tunis on Friday to demonstrate against the president in defiance of COVID-19 restrictions. Click here to read…

Ethiopia raps WHO chief for ‘supporting’ rebellion Tigray forces

Ethiopia has accused the World Health Organisation (WHO) chief of supporting the rebellious Tigrayan forces who are fighting the government.Click here to read…

Cameroonian senator and soldier killed in restive anglophone regions

A prominent opposition figure and a soldier have been killed in separate attacks in Cameroon’s restive anglophone regions, intensifying security concerns as the country hosts the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament. Click here to read…

Kenya ports authority receives Turkey-built tugboat

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPS) said Wednesday that the previous day it received a modern Turkish-built tugboat with fire-fighting (Fi-Fi) capabilities that will offer supplementary protection to port facilities and ships. Click here to read…

Nigeria lifts 7-month ban on Twitter

The human rights group Amnesty International said Wednesday night that the Twitter ban had been “illegal” and described it as an attack on Nigerians’ basic freedoms, including freedom of expression. Click here to read…

Malians rally after army calls for protests over ECOWAS sanctions

Thousands protest across Mali in support of ruling military after West Africa bloc-imposed sanctions over delayed vote.
Click here to read…

Uganda to destroy over 400k doses of expired Covid vaccines

Uganda is set to destroy more than 400,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines after they expired before being administeredClick here to read…

DRC forces launch offensive against ADF forces in eastern Congo

Armed forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo have launched a series of attacks against the positions held by Allied Democratic Forces in Virunga National Park in the east of the country.Click here to read…

Russia, China block UN support for ECOWAS sanctions on Mali

The draft council statement endorsing the sanctions failed to be approved during closed-door consultations. Click here to read…

5G buzz continues with launches in Zambia and Lithuania

There’s been no let-up in 5G activity lately, with Zambia’s MTN announcing the country’s first 5G launch and Telia highlighting a dynamic spectrum sharing-based 5G launch now underway in Lithuania. Click here to read…

MTN Uganda introduces overdraft facility as it steps up competition in digital lending space

Africa’s mobile-money sector remains the most active of any region in the world, according to GSM Association (GSMA), an umbrella body representing the interests of players in the telecommunications industry.
https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/12/mtn-uganda-introduces-overdraft-facility-as-it-step-ups-competition-in-digital-lending-space/” target=”_blank”>Click here to read…

Uganda’s schools reopen, ending world’s longest lockdown

Uganda’s schools reopened to students on Monday, ending the world’s longest school disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Click here to read…

Tanzania launches Chinese financed project to enhance civil aviation safety

Tanzanian authorities on Friday launched the enhancement of the civil aviation safety oversight systems project financed by the Chinese government for 1 million U.S. dollars grant. Click here to read…

Zimbabwe’s scrap metal rush creates a circular economy, and headaches for authorities

Small steel companies are paying scrap collectors and filling a production gap left by the country’s collapsed industry. But the rush for scrap has led to vandalism and theft. Click here to read…

Egyptian parliament to approve new law on status of Christians

Egypt’s parliament is set to approve new legislation drafted in collaboration with local Christian Churches regarding on the personal legal status of Christians in the country. Click here to read…

China helps advance technology in Africa

China has set a milestone in its technological commitments to Africa, with tech giant Huawei working with Zambia’s mobile telecom operator MTN in a pilot program to roll out the African nation’s first 5G network. Click here to read…

Sudan expresses desire to further strengthen ties with Turkey

Sudan’s Sovereign Council on Thursday hailed Turkey’s supportive stance toward the country and its keenness to strengthen ties between Ankara and Khartoum. Click here to read…

Namibia: 178 Pharmacies ‘Guilty of Price-Fixing’

NAMIBIA’S competition regulator says it will institute legal action against more than 170 pharmacies that have been found guilty of contravening the competition law by manipulating trading conditions to fix the price of medicines. Click here to read…

China applies brakes to Africa lending

Beijing has signalled a more cautious approach amid warnings that several African countries could struggle to repay debtsClick here to read…

“No Way to Censor”: How Africa’s WhatsApp-Only Newspaper Went Viral

Even though it’s published as a PDF file and distributed on WhatsApp, The Continent feels like an old-fashioned newspaper: Catchy headlines, short stories, reported pieces and interviews. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

India’s POWERGRID to set up first Independent Power Transmission (IPT) in Kenya

India has signed an agreement with the Government of Kenya to develop a Power transmission project in Kenya on a public-private partnership basis (PPP). The project entails the development, financing, construction, and operation of the 400kV Lessos – Loosuk and 220kV Kisumu – Musaga transmission lines under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework, said a senior officer of the Power Ministry. Click here to read…

Kenya Police inducts 100 made-in-India Mahindra Scorpio Getaway pick-up trucks

The pick-up SUV supplied to the Kenya Police is a single-cab model and is based on the current-generation Mahindra Scorpio sold in India. Click here to read…

India’s development partnership with Mali: Making difference on the ground

One such example is the ongoing construction of 393 kilometres of high voltage (225 kV) double circuit transmission line from Sikasso to Bamako, Mali’s capital city, to Sikasso, the second largest city of Mali and capital of its eponymous and southern-most region. Click here to read…

Rama Steel Tubes hit record high on signing a deal with Hong Kong-based Huihai Group

RST lndustries (RSTIL) signed a new annual contract with Huihai Group, Hong Kong for procuring 15,000 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) with an exclusive arrangement for Nigeria. Click here to read…

Indian Navy hands over interceptor craft to Mozambique

The Indian Navy has handed over two Solas Marine fast interceptor craft to Mozambique and provided military training during a port visit by the tank landing ship INS Kesari. Click here to read…

Vijay Construction to rebuild Seychelles’ health studies school as donation

Vijay Construction will bear the cost for the rebuilding of the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) following an agreement concluded by the company’s director and the Seychelles health minister on Tuesday. Click here to read…

Vedanta puts $12-bn price tag on privatisation-bound Bharat Petroleum

Vedanta Group is willing to spend $12 billion to acquire India’s state-owned refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp., an asset sale that’s among the nation’s biggest and which has faced delays in completion. Click here to read…

Madagascar Prime Minister reviews bilateral ties with India

Indian Ambassador on Tuesday attended a review meeting over the progress on bilateral ties between New Delhi and Antananarivo. Click here to read…

India to invest in Tanzania’s energy sector

The government of Tanzania has announced the country has opened its doors to India and its investors to explore opportunities in the country’s energy sector. ‘Click here to read…

Indian Embassy in Madagascar celebrates ‘World Hindi Day 2022’

World Hindi Day was celebrated at the Embassy of India in Antananarivo on 10th January 2022. The event was graced by members of ITEC, ICCR alumni, the Indian community, and the families of the Embassy officials. Click here to read…

Keywords: Africa, Cameroon, China, Covid, Coup, Ethiopia, Horn of Africa, Indian Navy, India in Africa, Madagascar, Mahindra Scorpio, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tigray, Uganda, Vedanta, World Hindi Day 2022

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

COMMENTARY

Africa: Looking Back at 2021 and Likely Trends in 2022

For the second year in a row, countries across the world battled to cope with the negative economic impacts of covid. Though African continent handled the initial impacts of Covid-19 relatively well, in 2021 it suffered immensely from Covid-19 outbreaks and the resulting lockdowns. While governments across the continent took several measures including complete economic lockdown to stop the spread of the mutating virus, people struggled to come up with the devastating loss of life and livelihoods.Click here to read…

NEWS

Russian Troops Deploy to Timbuktu in Mali After French Withdrawal

Russian soldiers have deployed to Timbuktu in northern Mali to train Malian forces at a base vacated by French troops last month, Mali’s army spokesperson said Thursday. Click here to read…

China plans peace envoy for conflict-riven Horn of Africa

China said on Thursday it would appoint a special envoy to foster peace in the turbulent Horn of Africa and wanted to shift focus on the continent to trade over infrastructure. Click here to read…

Morocco and China agree to implement the Belt and Road initiative

Morocco and China have enhanced their cooperation as they signed on Wednesday the joint Belt and Road implementation plan. Click here to read…

Why Equatorial Guinea May Host China’s First Atlantic Naval Base

Since mid-2021, U.S. defence officials have warned that China is considering whether to build a naval base in the Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea. If built, it would be China’s second such facility in Africa and its first in the Atlantic. Click here to read…

Chinese, Comorian FMs hold talks over bilateral relations

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Comorian Foreign Minister Dhoihir Dhoulkamal in Moroni, capital of the Comoros.
Click here to read…

Wang Yi’s Kenya trip shows importance of bilateral ties, offsets US’ ’empty checks’ and ‘politicized schemes’

Concluding a visit to Eritrea, where Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi signed a joint statement on opposing hegemonic interference, Wang’s new year trip moved on to Kenya. Click here to read…

Fire burns South Africa’s Parliament building in Cape Town

Firefighters battled a blaze at South Africa’s national Parliament complex on Sunday that sent a dark plume of smoke and flames into the air above the center of Cape Town. Click here to read…

Ethiopia releases several political prisoners

Ethiopia released several political prisoners on January 7 in a bid to jumpstart a “national dialogue” amid a gruelling civil war. The unexpected move to release political prisoners, including some from Tigray, the region whose forces are at odds with the federal government in Ethiopia, comes amid a pause in the conflict. Click here to read…

What next for Sudan after PM Hamdok’s resignation?

Amid mounting unrest, analysts expect ruling military to co-opt new civilian figure to avoid missing out on crucial foreign aid.’ Click here to read…

Three Chinese nationals abducted in Nigeria, police say

Police in Nigeria said gunmen abducted three Chinese nationals working in the country’s north central region, the latest incident in a cycle of violence in Africa’s most populous nation. Click here to read…

Morocco has advanced weaponry, so Algeria wants a Chinese defence system

The Algerian army has bought a sophisticated Chinese electronic warfare system because Morocco has obtained advanced weapons systems from Turkey and other sources. The Chinese system is capable of blocking enemy communications and detecting radar at a range of hundreds of kilometres. Click here to read…

Two years of COVID-19 in Africa: lessons for the world

In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa’s rapid and coordinated response, informed by emerging data, was remarkable. Now, in 2022, as vast vaccination campaigns have enabled the global north to gain some control over the pandemic, Africa lags behind.Click here to read…

Foundation stone laid for $1.1bn deep water port in Senegal

Macky Sall, the president of the West African country, laid the foundation for the 300ha facility on Monday. The ceremony follows a concession agreement signed in December 2020 between the Dubai-based logistics company and the government of Senegal. Click here to read…

Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and UAE join Security Council

Albania is joining for the first time while Brazil is taking an 11th turn. Gabon and Ghana each have been on the council three times before and the UAE once. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

Egyptian, Indian FMs discuss furthering cooperation, urge boosting coordination on int’l issues

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, discussed continuing to boost and expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Click here to read…

Agri trade is booming this fiscal, but April-Oct basmati exports fell 23% since last year

APEDA says basmati exports have dipped due to stock pile-up. But a top industry leader says high freight charges and issues over maximum residue levels in pesticides are to blame. Nepal, Bangladesh and African nations like Benin, Senegal and Togo were top importers for India’s non-basmati rice. Click here to read…

Indian Navy Ship lands in Comoros to provide technical assistance

Indian Naval Ship Kesari arrived at the port of Moroni, Comoros on Friday to extend technical assistance to the Comorian Coast Guard. Click here to read…

Congo Hold-Up: A Group of Indians in Spotlight for Illicit Money Transfers

Some of the chief operators of the alleged illicit money transfers are persons of Indian origin based in Congo, according to analysis of a data leak by Radio France International. Click here to read…

Karnataka: Ugandan national caught carrying Rs 1.5 crore worth drugs in Cerelac boxes

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested a Uganda national and have seized methamphetamine worth Rs 1.5 crore in Karnataka on Friday.Click here to read…

India, Somalia and Madagascar may join to become one continent in 200 million years: Study

The collision will lead to the ‘formation of a long mountain range along the modern west coast of India’ which the team named ‘Somalaya’. Click here to read…

COMMENTARY

The Re-election of Gambian President Raises Hope for Justice

On 4th December 2021, The Gambia, the smallest country in mainland Africa, held its presidential election. The present election can be viewed as a strong statement in support of successful transition towards a democratic society.Click here to read…

NEWS

South Africa develops own COVID-19 vaccine

From the outside, the building in an industrial district of Cape Town looks like any other nondescript warehouse. In fact, it is a beacon of hope for the biotech industry and vaccine production of the entire African continent. Click here to read…

France is one step closer to withdrawal from Mali

In Mali, French troops handed control of an army base on Tuesday to Malian officers near the city of Timbuktu. The handover follows President Macron’s June announcement of a major withdrawal of French troops from the region. Click here to read…

Democratic Republic of the Congo declares Ebola outbreak over

The Ebola outbreak that erupted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North Kivu Province in October – the second in 2021 – was today declared over, the national health authorities announced after no new cases were reported at the end of a 42-day countdown, or two incubation periods after the last confirmed case was discharged. Click here to read…

Egypt builds industrial city in Tanzania

Egypt and Tanzania close ties are strengthened further by the inauguration of an Egyptian industrial city adjacent to the Tanzanian capital. Click here to read…

Gadhafi’s son shakes up Libyan elections

Elections scheduled for Dec. 24 are now uncertain because of haggling among Libya’s political factions. Click here to read…

Hundreds protest in Tunisia on anniversary of revolution

Protesters rally for and against President Saied who has extended suspension of parliament until next year, sparking tensions. Click here to read…

Hundreds killed in Sudan’s Darfur clashes

At least 199 people have been killed in Sudan’s restive Darfur in tribal clashes over the past two months. Medics on Friday urged the government to stop the bloodshed in the country. Click here to read…

Guinea-Bissau affirms commitment to EU fisheries agreement

Guinea-Bissau has reiterated its commitment to the latest five-year fisheries partnership agreement with the European Union. Click here to read…

World Bank Supports the Modernization of Morocco Public Sector

The World Bank Board of Executive directors today approved a US$450 million loan to support key governance reforms in Morocco as part of the government’s ambitious strategy to modernize the public sector. Click here to read…

Hundreds protest treatment of Senegal’s opposition

Several hundred demonstrators protested Friday in Senegal’s capital, accusing the government of subjecting opposition figures to lengthy detentions. Click here to read…

Clashes in Cameroon’s north displace over 100,000 – UN agency

Clashes between herders, fishermen and farmers in the far north of Cameroon have driven at least 100,000 people from their homes in the past two weeks, creating a humanitarian emergencyClick here to read…

Officials Say Insurgency in Northern Mozambique Is Spreading

With violence by armed groups spreading beyond Mozambique’s northernmost province of Cabo Delgado into neighboring Niassa province, President Filipe Nyusi on Thursday cautioned against panic. Click here to read…

The Nobel Peace Prize that paved the way for war

Secret meetings with a dictator. Clandestine troop movements. Months of quiet preparation for a war that was supposed to be swift and bloodless. Click here to read…

Big decline in China’s BRI investments, cash grants to Africa: Report

Investments in China’s much-touted Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have fallen by 54 per cent since 2019 and Beijing is no longer doling out hard cash for projects in Africa, amid criticism over infrastructure debt and loan defaults. Click here to read…

Benin squeezes dissent with jailing of opposition leader over terrorism

Benin rarely makes international headlines. But this week, the French-speaking sliver of land with a population of 11.5 million jailed a leading opposition leader for terrorism. Click here to read…

Court in Madagascar convicts five people for plotting a coup

A court in Madagascar convicted five people for plotting a coup in the Indian Ocean nation. The defendants, including two French nationals, were part of a group of 20 people accused of trying to assassinate President Andry Rajoelina in July. Click here to read…

Russia-Africa Relations: ‘Geopolitical Arena with Many Players Operating’

As preparations are underway for the second Russia-Africa summit planned for 2022, African leaders, politicians, academic researchers and experts have been discussing several aspects of the current state of Russia-Africa relations. They, most often, compare it with a number of foreign countries notably China, the United States, European Union, India, France, Turkey, Japan, and South Korea that have held such gatherings in that format with Africa. Click here to read…

3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit to take ties to new stage

The third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit that started on Thursday will take relations between Ankara and the continent to a new level as new projects and areas of cooperation are within sight. Click here to read…

Rwanda turns to electric motorbikes to drive down emissions

When Rwanda motorcycle taxi driver Evode Niyorurema onverted his fuel guzzler to an electric motorbike, he had no idea he was on the frontlines of the East African nation’s fight against climate change. Click here to read…

Accor signs first Mantis in Masai Mara, Kenya

The Mantis Masai Mara Eco-Lodge is set to become a highlight property for the brand and the group, offering direct access to the Mara-Seregenti game reserve: the ideal location for unique safari experiences. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

President commends Indian community on contribution to economic development

President Yoweri Museveni has commended the Indian community in Uganda for its contribution to the economic development of the country and appealed to them to encourage more people to exploit the vast investment opportunities here. Click here to read…

Ram Charan Company bags USD 2.2 billion order from Ghana firm to supply waste to energy units

Ram Charan Company, the Chennai-based chemicals-trader-turned-renewable energy specialist with focus on sustainable R&D, has bagged a USD 2.2 billion order from the Ghana-based Masri Company to supply waste to energy units that is expected to generate 300 MW of power in the African nation. Click here to read…

Somaliland signs MoU with Chennai hospital

Addressing a press conference after signing the MoU with Chennai-based Deepam Hospitals here on Saturday, Somaliland Vice President Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail said there was a need to assist the citizens of the country who travel to India for medical treatment. Click here to read…

Airtel Africa secures $50m in investment as it withdraws from Nigerian auction

Airtel Africa confirms that Chimera Investment has investment $50 million in Airtel Mobile Commerce (AMC BV), through shares from one of its subsidiaries. Click here to read…

The India Embassy in Madagascar organised the 13th edition of monthly literary programme ‘LaLitTana’.

Indian Embassy in Madagascar organises 13th edition of monthly literary programme ‘LaLitTana’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

Western Sahara: The Conclusion (Almost) Everyone Suspects Is Coming

More than ever, the (reluctant) consensus among Western Sahara analysts and diplomats is that the self-determination referendum debate is over. Click here to read…

NEWS

Gambian President Barrow wins re-election; opposition cries foul

Gambian President Adama Barrow has comfortably won re-election, the electoral commission said on Sunday, though he may face a legal challenge from opposition candidates who rejected the results because of unspecified irregularitiesClick here to read…

Burkina Faso president names Lassina Zerbo as prime minister

The 58-year-old geophysicist is to take office amid rising popular discontent over deadly violence in the country. Click here to read…

Mali’s leader promises election timetable by new year

The leader of Mali’s military government says a timetable for a return to democratic rule will be announced by January 31. Click here to read…

Angola ruling party backs President Joao Lourenco for second term

MPLA leader, who succeeded Jose Eduardo dos Santos as president in 2017, will contest next year’s poll. Click here to read…

Libya delays list of presidential election candidates

Libya’s election commission on Saturday delayed publication of a final list of candidates for a presidential election scheduled in less than two weeks. Click here to read…

Western states ask Tunisia to return to ‘democratic institutions’

Diplomatic mission heads of the G7 nations plus the EU call for a swift return to functioning democratic institutions with an elected parliament. Click here to read…

Egypt to host UN anti-corruption conference

Egypt will host the ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption in Sharm El-Sheikh from Dec. 13-17Click here to read…

Senegal’s Parliament Backs Sall’s Move to Reintroduce Post of PM

Lawmakers in Senegal voted overwhelmingly to reintroduce the role of prime minister two years after President Macky Sall scrapped it, Agence de Presse Senegalaise reported. Click here to read…

More than 30,000 flee to Chad to escape violence in Cameroon: UN

More than 20 killed as farmers, fishermen and herders fight over access to water resources, the UN refugee agency says. Click here to read…

Witnesses say Tigrayan forces in Ethiopia retook Lalibela, UN Heritage site

Tigrayan forces have recaptured the town of Lalibela in Ethiopia, less than two weeks after government forces and their allies took control. Lalibela is a town in the Amhara region and a United Nations World Heritage site. Click here to read…

Algeria: Two Years After His Election, President Tebboune Continues Building New Algeria

Two years after the election of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on 12 December 2019, time has seemingly given reason to the Algerian people who, according to several observers, have made the right choice. Click here to read…

Burkina Faso president fires PM amid security crisis

Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Christian Kabore fired his prime minister on Wednesday amid an escalating security crisis that has killed thousands and led to street protests calling for him to go. Click here to read…

Benin opposition leader sentenced to 20 years in prison

A court in Benin on Saturday convicted one of President Patrice Talon’s main opponents for complicity in acts of terrorism. Click here to read…

China’s influence on African media: Challenge for Continent’s Democracies

Since 2012, Xi Jinping has repeatedly instructed Chinese State Media Organizations to tell “compelling Chinese narratives” and “better communicate China’s message to the world”. Click here to read…

Botswana’s removal from financial grey list spurs optimism

Botswana’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list after improvements to money-laundering regulations could boost efforts to diversify the economy and attract foreign investment. Amine Dinar reportsClick here to read…

As vaccines trickle into Africa, Zambia’s challenges highlight other obstacles

Vaccine misinformation spreads on TikTok and WhatsApp, and in evangelical churches where pastors warn that the shot “contains the mark of the beast.” Click here to read…

Somalia: Caught between drought and fighting

Scars left by the fighting remain in Guriel, but it is the drought that weighs heavily on people’s minds. Click here to read…

Nigeria’s digital payroll platform Bento expands to Kenya, Rwanda and Ghana, to enter six other African markets in 2022

Bento, Nigeria’s digital payroll and human resource management platform, is expanding to Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda, with plans to set up operations in six other markets in Africa over the next year. Click here to read…

How armed drones may have helped turn the tide in Ethiopia’s war

Cheap and efficient drones are increasingly becoming decisive weapons in modern conflicts. Click here to read…

South Sudan peace process at risk, UN warns

The United Nations on Wednesday warned South Sudan’s leaders that the young nation’s fragile peace process was under serious threat due to slow progress, calling for “fresh urgency” to revive negotiations. Click here to read…

Why is US worried about possible Chinese military base in Equatorial Guinea?

China’s massive investments in Africa were in the news recently, thanks to an airport in Uganda. There was speculation Beijing may take control of the Entebbe International Airport if Uganda failed to service a $200 million loan. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

Sudan owes ONGC Videsh $560 mn in unpaid dues: Govt

OVL, the overseas arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), had a 25 per cent stake in Block 2A&4 in Sudan. Sudan had since 2011 not paid OVL and partners for oil it bought from the block. Click here to read…

PM Modi’s 2022 foreign destinations: UAE, Germany, Denmark, Indonesia, Russia, Japan, Sri Lanka & Rwanda

A whole host of countries from West Asia to Europe will be on the list of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign travel in 2022, all of which depends on the COVID-19 situation globallyClick here to read…

India Strongly Condemns ‘barbaric’ Terrorist Attack on UN Peacekeepers in Mali

India on Friday, 10 December, condemned the terrorist attack on the convoy of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. Click here to read…

Will support Zambian govt in green energy transition goals: Vedanta

Demand for power in the country has been increasing over the last few years but generation capacity remains stagnantClick here to read…

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

COMMENTARY

Cameroon’s Forgotten Civil War Is Getting Worse

On Nov. 12, riots broke out in the city of Bamenda, the capital of Cameroon’s Northwest region, in response to the killing of 8-year-old Brandy Tataw by a stray bullet after a police officer fired a live round at a car that had supposedly not obeyed orders at a checkpoint. Click here to read…

NEWS

Gambians set for high-stakes polls, first since end of Jammeh era

Six candidates, including incumbent President Adama Barrow, vying for the country’s top post in Saturday’s election. Click here to read…

Uganda Sends Ground Troops into the Democratic Republic of Congo

Uganda’s military has confirmed sending troops into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels. Uganda blames the ADF for a series of bombings in the country. But analysts say inviting the Ugandan army into the DRC could raise tensions with neighboring Rwanda. Click here to read…

Chinese president Xi woos African leaders with debt waiver, Covid vaccines, jobs amid US push into Africa

The meeting took place amid efforts by US President Joe Biden’s initiative of Build Back Better World (B3W), which was seen as rival to Xi’s multibillion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with a focus on developing countries especially the African countries. Click here to read…

Uganda loses its only international airport to China for failing to repay loan

Uganda has lost its only international airport, the Entebbe International Airport, to China for failing to repay a loan, African media reported. Click here to read…

Nigeria and Ghana have reported first cases of the omicron variant

The omicron variant has been detected in west Africa. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), three persons with history of travel to South Africa returned positive tests for the new covid-19 variant. Click here to read…

World Bank Provides $100 Million to Accelerate Rwanda’s Digital Transformation

The World Bank Group today approved $100 million in financing under the International Development Association’s (IDA) Scale Up Window to help the Government of Rwanda increase access to broadband and selected digital public services, and strengthen the digital innovation ecosystem in Rwanda. Click here to read…

Kenya – DR Congo Trade Mission Officially Kicks Off in Kinshasa

More than 250 Kenyan businessmen and investors are currently in the DRC for a 15 – day trade mission which began on Tuesday. The mission which will see them visit the cities of Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma, and Mbuji Mayi is aimed at exposing Kenyan entrepreneurs to business opportunities in DRC which is Kenya’s sixth largest international trading partnerClick here to read…

Chinese embassy urges nationals in 3 provinces of DR Congo to evacuate immediately

The Chinese Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) issued an urgent notice requesting Chinese nationals in the three eastern provinces of DRC — Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu — to report their information to the embassy and evacuate immediately after a number of vicious cases of armed robbery and kidnapping of Chinese nationals took place in the region. Click here to read…

Militants kill at least 31 in central Mali, say local authorities

Militants killed at least 31 people in central Mali on Friday when they fired upon a bus ferrying people to a local market, local authorities said – the latest deadly attack in a region racked by violent insurgency. Click here to read…

Sudan military leader says ties with Israel ‘may eventually take a natural form’

Sudan’s top general, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has said that “Sudan’s relationship with Israel may eventually take a natural form.” In an interview with the Al Arabiya network published Friday, al-Burhan added that normalization with Israel was “necessary to return Sudan to the international community.” Click here to read…

Why Libya’s upcoming election raises more questions than answers

Analysts say the real test of Libya’s fledgeling democracy is not whether the December 24 election can be held, but what happens after it. Click here to read…

IMF agrees $1.4bn Zambia bailout

The IMF has reached an agreement with the Zambian authorities on a crucial three-year lending programme worth around $1.4bn that will help the country to restructure its extensive debts. Click here to read…

US launches talks with Guinea amid fears of Sahel militancy spill over

The State Department is dispatching its top West Africa official to Guinea to discuss a post-coup transition amid fears of rising instability in the region. Click here to read…

Russian Language Added to Central African Republic University Curriculum

Central African Republic universities will require students to study the Russian language, CAR media has reported as Bangui and Moscow continue to pursue activated military and economic cooperation. Click here to read…

What lies behind Mozambique’s failure to find lasting peace and true democracy

Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975 following a bloody liberation war that lasted about 11 years. But independence did not mean the end of conflict. Click here to read…

Angola: Start-Up of CLOV Phase 2 Project

TotalEnergies, operator of Block 17 in Angola, together with the Angolan National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) announced Friday the start of production of CLOV Phase 2, a project connected to the existing CLOV FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading unit). This tie-back project will reach a production of 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in mid-2022. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

India vows to stand by Africa, says all Covax orders cleared

Expressing support for Africa, which has been rattled by the discovery of Covid-19 variant Omicron, the government on Monday announced it had cleared all orders placed so far by the UN-backed Covax programme for supplies of Covishield vaccines, including to African countries like Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea and Lesotho. Click here to read…

India offers support to Africa to fight variant

As Africa grapples with new coronavirus variant Omicron, India on Monday said it stands ready to support the affected countries in the continent including by supplying vaccines, life-saving drugs and test kits. Click here to read…

Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict has impacted an unlikely group—hundreds of Indian professors

While the respect and goodwill cultivated over decades by Indian educators in Ethiopia has remained, the ongoing domestic turbulence has resulted in concerns for the future of the large community of Indian academics in the country and whether they will still be able to contribute to the country’s education system. Click here to read…

Morocco plans to open new Consulate in India, launches campaign to seek investments

A high-level trade delegation from North African economic major Morocco was on a six-day visit to India, beginning with Bengaluru to increase bilateral trade through ‘Morocco Now’ – the national brand that promotes investments and export in the country. Click here to read…

Vedanta will support Zambian govt in green energy transition goals

Vedanta, a global natural resources company, on Friday said it supports the Zambian government in its green energy transition goals. Click here to read…

Kasaija decries Uganda-India trade imbalance

Minister of finance, Matia Kasaija has expressed concern that trade between Uganda and India is still skewed in favour of the later. Click here to read…

Indian Embassy in Madagascar’s monthly literary program resumes after long hiatus

The Embassy of India’s monthly literary program, known as La Lit Tana, resumed after a long hiatus. 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

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…

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…

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…

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. Click here to read…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…
Click here to read…

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…

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…

Indian Businessman at Centre of Probe into Multi-Million Dollar Congo Embezzlement

Investigations into a multi-million-dollar embezzlement scandal involving former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) president Joseph Kabila by a global consortium comprising media publications and NGOs has shone a light on the role allegedly played by a DRC-based businessman of Indian origin, Harish Jagtani. 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

Insurgency in Mozambique far from over

30th September 2021 marked a new day for Mozambique as US government, recognising the importance of Mozambique’s success for the region, inaugurated the new United States Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique. This raises hope in a country which is tormented byJihadist terrorism since 2017. In August 2021, Rwandan Military along with Mozambican troops retook the last stronghold of Islamists, Mocímboa da Praia, a key port city from Islamist militants in northern Mozambique. Further, the government of Rwanda announced that their military will remain in Mozambique as long as Mozambique wants. Earlier this month, South Africa also sent nearly 1,500 troops to Mozambique to help the country battle jihadist militants. However, despite these significant military victories, insurgency in Mozambique is far from over as the war against hunger is yet to be won.

NEWS

Cape Verde Chooses the Opposition as New Leader

Opposition candidate and former Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves won Cape Verde’s presidential election on Sunday, as his main rival, the ruling party’s flagbearer Carlos Veiga, conceded defeat. Click here to read…

Libyan PM, foreign powers back landmark election in December

Libya’s prime minister and several foreign powers have endorsed the holding of a national election on December 24, as envisaged in a United Nations-backed peace plan aimed at resolving years of turmoil and division. Click here to read…

Ethiopia preps for third filling as Nile dam diplomacy stalls

Hope for negotiations on the crisis with Egypt and Sudan is fading as Ethiopia works toward the third-stage filling of its mega dam on the Blue Nile. Click here to read…

Somalia leaders strike deal on long-delayed election process

Somalia’s president and prime minister say they have struck a deal to speed up the process for long-delayed elections, ending their simmering feud which threatened to plunge the country into a fresh crisis. Click here to read…

Erdogan pledges to double bilateral trade at Turkey-Africa summit

The Turkey-Africa Economic and Business Forum held in Istanbul from 21-22 October, aims to provide a platform for Turkish businesses to gain a foothold on the continent. Click here to read…

Huge crowds march in Sudan in support of civilian rule

Throngs of Sudanese protesters took to the streets on Thursday to voice their support for civilian rule within the country’s power-sharing government. >Click here to read…

Nigeria to Launch Digital Currency on October 25

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will launch a digital currency on Monday aimed at improving the payments system in the West African nation, according to the central bank. Click here to read…

575 Prisoners Escape After Gunmen Attack Prison

In another blow to the Nigerian authority, gunmen have attacked a prison and freed around 575 prisoners on Friday. This was the third such incident in 2021Click here to read…

Is Algeria Weaponizing Airspace and Natural Gas?

In a series of shocking and unintelligible decisions, the Algerian Government closed its airspace to Moroccan military and civilian aircraft. Click here to read…

Drone sale to Ethiopia could jeopardize Turkey-Egypt dialogue

Turkey risks derailing normalization talks with Egypt by selling armed drones to Ethiopia, in addition to coming under international fire should Ethiopia use the drones in the conflict in Tigray. Click here to read…

Namibia to suspend use of Russian COVID-19 vaccine

Namibia will suspend its rollout of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, its health ministry said on Saturday, days after the drugs regulator in neighbouring South Africa flagged concerns about its safety for people at risk of HIV. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

India, Africa Can Empower Youth Through Quality Edu & Skill Development

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan said India has developed a program called “Study in India” to increase the number of foreign students coming to the country. Click here to read…

Indian Minister of State V Muraleedharan to complete Sudan and South Sudan trip

India’s Minister of State V Muraleedharan concludes his visit to Sudan and South Sudan today, his first visit to both countries. Click here to read…

Mauritius’ exit from FATF grey list may boost India’s FDI inflow

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, has removed Mauritius from its ‘grey list’ of countries which may indirectly lead to higher investment to India from the Island nation.’ Click here to read…

Over 800 Indian Army troops in Sudan get United Nations medal

A total of 836 troops from the Indian Army serving with the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan have been awarded the United Nations medal. India is the second largest troop contributor to the 18,300-strong peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, having provided nearly 2,400 soldiers. 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

A Wake-up Call for the State of African Democracy

Over the past couple of months, there have been several setbacks for democratic rule across the continent. In just over a month, Africa has experienced one successful coup in Guinea and one failed attempt in Sudan. This is happening in the background of two successful coups in Mali, one more unsuccessful coup attempt in Niger and an arbitrary military transfer of power in Chad in less than a year. In particular, the military coup that took place in the early morning of 15th August in Guinea, will have large implications for democratic governance in Africa. In northern Africa, there has been a diplomatic feud between Algeria and Morocco, which has all the resemblance of a cold war.

Another North African country Tunisia, where a pro-democracy spark first ignited, which later got known as Arab Spring, has been witnessing the strangling of democracy by President Kais Saied as he is reluctant to accommodate any opposition and continues to rule by decree. In the meantime, Islamist extremists of Western Africa, particularly in Nigeria and Mali, continues to disturb the regular life. In fact, there is a fear of re-run of Afghanistan in many parts of Africa. . While Africa have had disproportionate number of vicious military coups, the recent events should serve as a wake-up call for the international community on the state of African democracy.

Among this political crisis across continent, one event that stands out is the election of Hakainde Hichilema who became the president of Zambia by defeating an incumbent. The win of Hichilema seems to best capture Africa’s democratic gains, countering a pattern of recent setbacks for democratic rule, and marking a key step to advance from Africa’s leadership albatross. Also Morocco, the north African country bid adieu to the Islamists and brought back secular parties in power through ballot, thus turning the page on political Islam.

NEWS

In Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Prepares to Form A New Government

Ethiopia is holding the second phase of its belated elections. However, the embattled Tigray region remains excluded from the polls that have already handed a majority to the ruling Prosperity Party. Click here to read…

Guinea Coup Leader Sworn in as President

Col Mamady Doumbouya has been sworn is as Guinea’s interim president after leading a coup which saw the overthrow of Alpha Condé. Click here to read…

Sudan, South Sudan to Open Border Crossing

Authorities in Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to officially open their border crossings on October 1, a South Sudanese official disclosed. The border between the two countries was closed in 2011 when relations deteriorated after South Sudan seceded. Click here to read…

Tunisia gets Arab World’s 1st Woman Prime Minister

On Wednesday, Tunisian President Kais Saied appointed Najla Bouden Romdhane as its prime minister. She is the first woman to rise to the post of prime minister in any Arab nation. Click here to read…

In a first, 4 West African Countries Commit to Cooperate on Senegalo-Mauritanian Aquifer Basin

The Senegalo-Mauritanian Aquifer Basin is the largest in West Africa; Four countries have now agreed to cooperate on sharing it peaceably, setting a template for the world. Click here to read…

China Widens Presence in Indian Ocean through Djibouti

China chose Djibouti for setting up a military base in the guise of securing its communication cables in the sea and ships from attacks and piracy. To further its agenda of surveillance and block overseas and deep- sea maritime traffic at will, China vigorously participated in the construction of Djibouti’s ports, railways, highways and related infrastructure. Click here to read…

France Slashes Visas for Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia in Migrant Row

Paris will sharply reduce the number of visas granted to people from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, accusing the former French colonies of not doing enough to allow illegal immigrants to return, a government spokesman said Tuesday. Click here to read…

Angola and WB Prepare Report on Blue Economy

The Angolan Government and the World Bank (WB) are working on the preparation of the report on climate change, development of the country and the blue economy. Click here to read…

INDIA IN AFRICA

Indian Railways Rolls Out Customised Train Coaches for Mozambique

Indian Railways’ production unit in Raebareli, the Modern Coach Factory (MCF), has rolled out its first rake of train coaches to be exported to Mozambique. This is the first time that MCF is exporting train coaches through RITES. Click here to read…

America-Africa-India-Global Economic Partnership Launched

US India SME Council (USISME Council) and Africa India Economic Foundation (AIEF) have launched a Strategic Economic Development Partnership for bringing America, Africa, and India together. Click here to read…

APEDA Holds Virtual Meet with Stakeholders to Increase Rice Exports to Togo

APEDA organised a virtual meet of non-Basmati rice exporters in association with Indian Embassy, Lome, Togo, as part of its efforts to boost and expand rice exports. Click here to read…

India Contributes Funds for Revival Work of Gandhi’s Tolstoy Farm in South Africa

The revival of Tolstoy Farm, the commune started by Mahatma Gandhi during his tenure in Johannesburg a century ago, received a further boost with contributions from the Indian government on his 152nd birthday. Click here to read…

Zambia Arrests Liquidator for Embezzling $9 Million In Indian Copper Firm Saga

Zambia has arrested the liquidator of a major copper firm for embezzling $9 million, the latest twist in the African nation’s feud with India’s Vedanta Resources. Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), co-owned by London-listed Vedanta and Zambia’s state mining arm, is one of Africa’s largest copper producers. Click here to read…