Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent – news that matters.
COMMENTARY
With Tears and Steel, Kenya’s ‘Hustler’ President Vanquishes His Foes
William Ruto built a career on beating the odds. In his greatest triumph, he is expected to be inaugurated as Kenya’s fifth president on TuesdayClick here to read…
The real reason Egypt is moving its capital
In 2015, Egypt’s government announced it would build a new capital city, about 45 kilometers outside of Cairo, the current capital. Click here to read…
Mikhail Gorbachev on the Streets of Accra
The aftershock of the collapse of the Soviet empire reverberated from Cape Town to Cairo. Click here to read…
NEWS
Kenya’s Supreme Court upholds Ruto’s narrow presidential win
Kenya’s Supreme Court on Monday unanimously rejected challenges to the official results of the presidential election and upheld Deputy President William Ruto’s narrow win in East Africa’s most stable democracy. Click here to read…
Angola court rejects poll result appeal, opposition urges protest
Angola’s Constitutional Court made a final ruling on Thursday to dismiss a complaint filed by the runner-up in the August 24 election seeking to annul the results that gave victory to the ruling MPLA party. Click here to read…
Tunisian opposition to boycott December elections, decry ‘coup’
The National Salvation Front, a body representing the main parties in Tunisia’s opposition, including Ennahdha, has announced that it will boycott December elections to replace a parliament dissolved by President Kais Saied. Click here to read…
Burundi president names new PM after coup plot claims
President Ndayishimiye, a former army general, gave no reasons for the replacement but had warned of a coup plot against his government last week. Click here to read…
Power struggle continues in Libya
Recent deadly clashes have alarmed regional and international powers, as civilians fear displacement and a shortage of medicine and food. Click here to read…
Denmark moves closer to sending asylum seekers to Rwanda
Denmark signed a deal with Rwanda to move the Nordic country closer to setting up an asylum center outside of the European Union to reduce the number of people seeking refuge. Click here to read…
Commonwealth to observe Lesotho’s general elections
The Commonwealth will deploy a team to observe the general elections in Lesotho, scheduled for 7 October, 2022. The group will be led by the former president of Seychelles, His Excellency Danny Faure. Click here to read…
Moroccan army to participate in Israeli military conference next week, Israeli spox says
Morocco and Israel have gone on to sign a number of agreements- especially military deals – since Rabat and Tel Aviv normalised ties in late 2020. Click here to read…
DRC officials tumble as bridge collapses at ribbon-cutting ceremony
Dignitaries gathered to inaugurate a footbridge in the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo only for the structure to collapse beneath their feet to the barely concealed delight of onlookers, a video shows. Click here to read…
Zambia seeks $8bn debt relief
Zambia is asking for more than $8bn of relief on its debts to Chinese lenders, private bondholders and other creditors, according to an IMF analysis, in a restructuring widely seen as a test of Beijing’s willingness to absorb losses on loans it has extended to developing countries. Click here to read…
Nigerian oil exports at lowest level in 25 years due to oil theft
Nigeria’s crude oil production fell below 1 million barrels per day (bpd) in August, figures from its regulator show, as the nation grappled with rampant theft from its pipelines. Click here to read…
Togo: Parliament extends state of emergency in the north for six months
Togo’s parliament on Tuesday extended for six months the state of emergency in the Savannah region in the far north of the country, which has been plagued by incursions by jihadist groups. Click here to read…
Dozens of civilians killed in eastern Mali
Local officials said dozens of civilians were killed this week in Talataye, a town located in north-eastern Mali. The locality which sits at croassroads of influence for rival terrorist groups was allegedly attacked by EIGS fighters who have ties with the Islamic State organization. Click here to read…
Thirty-five civilians killed in convoy blast in Burkina Faso
At least 35 civilians have been killed and 37 wounded when a convoy carrying supplies in Burkina Faso’s jihadist-hit north struck an improvised explosive device, the governor of the Sahel region has said. Click here to read…
At least six Mozambicans beheaded, Italian nun shot dead by insurgents
At least six people were beheaded and an Italian nun killed on Tuesday by Islamic State-linked insurgents in Mozambique’s Nampula province, authorities said on Wednesday. Click here to read…
Al-Shabaab: the latest addition to Ethiopia’s woes
In late July, al-Shabaab militants carried out an attack on three towns, Aato, Yeed, and Washaqo, which are on the Ethiopia-Somalia border. Click here to read…
Somali army kills senior Al Shabab militant, frees hostages
Somalia claims to have killed a senior militant leader during a military operation against Al Shabab terrorists in the country’s Lower Shabelle region, as well as freed several civilians who had been held hostage by them. Click here to read…
Thousands flee deadly violence in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state: UN
Deadly fighting between armed groups in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state has prompted thousands to flee from their homes and triggered violence in displacement camps, a UN spokesman said. Click here to read…
Burkina Faso buys 5 Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey
Burkina Faso is the latest country to acquire Bayraktar TB2 drone from Turkey to reinforce its aerial capabilities against insurgents. Click here to read…
Phase 2 of Senegal LNG project needs $5 bln – president
The second phase of Senegal’s Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project will need investments worth around $5 billion and could start in 2024 or 2025, Senegal’s President Macky Sall said on Thursday. Click here to read…
How gold mining in Ghana is threatening Swiss chocolate
As the world’s second-largest cocoa producer continues to lose swathes of farmland to illegal gold mining, Switzerland’s chocolate makers are waking up to the threat to their raw material supply. Click here to read…
African bloc outlines 10-year plan
Africa’s second 10-year plan will focus on expansion of infrastructure development across the continent, increase agriculture outputs and clean energy transition, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission said Friday. Click here to read…
Deep-Water Somali Port Gives Landlocked Ethiopia New Trade Route
Somalia will open a deep-water port on its northern coast next month, with a road link forging a new trade route connecting Ethiopia’s south-eastern region with the city of Gara’ad. Click here to read…
Türkiye to send grain to Africa if Russian exports unblocked
President Erdogan echoes view of his Russian counterpart; says Ukrainian grain goes to developed countries, not to those in need. Click here to read…
1st Ukraine grain ship for Horn of Africa reaches Djibouti
The first ship carrying grain from Ukraine for people in the hungriest parts of the world has docked at the Horn of Africa port of Djibouti as areas of East Africa are badly affected by deadly drought and conflict. Click here to read…
Eni buys BP’s business in Algeria to secure more African gas
Italian energy group Eni (ENI.MI) said on Wednesday it had agreed to acquire BP’s (BP.L) business in Algeria, including two major gas fields. Click here to read…
African nations urged to pile on pressure at climate summit
The former Irish President has called on African nations to pile on the pressure on rich, heavily-polluting countries to fulfill their climate pledges to the continent during a visit to Uganda. Click here to read…
Tanzania dismisses claims of freezing maize export permits
Tanzania has dismissed claims by Kenyan traders that it has frozen the issuance of new maize export permits, urging them to follow procedures. Click here to read…
China-built flyover helps reducing traffic congestion in Botswanan capital
A China-built rainbow intersection which partially opened Friday will help reduce traffic congestion in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, said Mmoloki Baele, the project manager. Click here to read…
Remembering Queen Elizabeth II in Zimbabwe
In 1991, Queen Elizabeth II visited Zimbabwe for the meeting of the heads of government in the Commonwealth, a community of former British colonies. Click here to read…
INDIA IN AFRICA
After vandalism during unrest in South Africa, India-based Cipla reopens Durban manufacturing site
Indian generic drug manufacturer Cipla revealed that one of its plants in South Africa has reopened more than a month after it was vandalized during a period of civil unrest that claimed the lives of more than 300 and caused an estimated $3.3 billion in economic losses. Click here to read…
INS Tarkash Visited Port Lome, Togo
As part of her ongoing deployment to the Gulf of Guinea, INS Tarkash entered Lome, Togo on 01 September 2022. The first Indian Navy ship to make a port call at Togo, she was welcomed there by the Indian Ambassador to Togo, along with the local Indian diaspora. Click here to read…
Indian warship INS Tarkash arrives at Nigeria’s Port Lagos
Continuing with her deployment in the Gulf of Guinea, the naval vessel was welcomed by officials of the Nigerian Navy, the High Commission of India and children of the Indian Language School at the largest port of Nigeria, the Indian Navy said in an official statement. Click here to read…
All set to create a sattvik environment in Africa
Sattvik Certification South Africa (Pty) Ltd, licensee of Sattvik Council of India, in collaboration with DNV Business Assurance South Africa (Pty) Ltd, has introduced the Sattvik Certification Scheme for the African market in New Delhi. Click here to read…
Lootere teaser: Hansal Mehta’s thriller shows Rajat Kapoor’s ship hijacked in Somalia
Helmed by Hansal Mehta, Lootere traces the story of an Indian ship hijacked in Somalian waters. Click here to read…