Category: Africa

Africa: The Revolutionary Promise of New Year’s Day

In 1804, enslaved Africans seized their freedom on the Caribbean island that became Haiti. It came at an unthinkable cost, but it remains an inspiring example of what popular commitment and organisation can achieve. The celebration of New Year’s Day as a moment to contemplate renewal, usually personal renewal, follows the calendar adopted by Julius

Zimbabwe: Bulawayo Rapper Asaph Shortlisted for Listeners Choice Award

A BULAWAYO-based rapper, ASAPH has been short listed to represent Zimbabwe in the Listeners Choice Award at the MTV Africa Music Awards. The award winning rapper and musician broke the news on his Twitter account as he pleaded with Zimbabweans to vote for him in order for him to get the opportunity of a lifetime.

Africa: Zimbabwe Forced to Put CHAN Preparations On Hold

Zimbabwe have been forced to put their preparations for the African Nations Championship finals (CHAN) on hold after nine members of the squad tested positive for COVID-19 when the team re-grouped after Christmas on Monday. A further five members of the technical team also tested positive, Zimbabwe Football Association communications and competitions manager Xolisani Gwesela

South Africa: Stocks to Watch in 2021

Investors had high hopes for the JSE in 2020. After a lacklustre five years, ending December 2019, when the JSE managed subpar returns of 6% and barely beat inflation, it was hoped that 2020 would be the year of recovery. Instead, it’s been a year of wild rides beginning in March, when bourses around the

Africa: How to Usher in a New Year in ‘Lockdown’

Bogged down by the Coronavirus pandemic, the year 2020 brought with it lockdowns, economic insecurities, anxiety, ailment, and even deaths. So much that the world is hopeful for a new beginning in 2021. Fingers and toes crossed, the world is preparing to bid adieu to 2020 and ring in the New Year with renewed hopes

Mozambique: Covid-19 – 261 Recoveries, 62 New Cases and One Death

Maputo — The Mozambican health authorities on Tuesday reported that a further 261 people have made a full recovery from the Covid-19 respiratory disease. According to a press release from the Ministry of Health, this brings the total number of recoveries to 16,439 – which is 89.5 per cent of all those diagnosed with Covid-19

Africa: COVID-19: One year later – WHO Director-General’s new year message

Geneva — As people around the world celebrated New Year’s Eve 12 months ago, a new global threat emerged. Since that moment, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken so many lives and caused massive disruption to families, societies and economies all over the world. But it also triggered the fastest and most wide-reaching response to a

Zimbabwe: Khupe Still Party Leader, Engaging Madhuku Over Mwonzora’s ‘Poll Theft’

EMBATTLED MDC-T former interim leader Thokozani Khupe is reported to be still in charge of the opposition party and waiting for legal opinion from her lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, her spokesperson has confirmed. Khupe Sunday tried in vain to stop delegates attending party’s chaotic extraordinary congress from voting accusing former interim secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora of rigging

African Union Celebrates Outstanding Education Innovations Across Africa, Crowning 3 Winners

Three (3) outstanding education innovations were awarded grants of USD 60,000, 40,000 and 20,000 at the Innovating Education in Africa Pitch Event 2020. The grants will be used to undertake pilot projects in collaboration with African Union Member States. The innovations included: BAG – Building A Generation – A gamified platform that offers real-time access

Africa Pilots Anti-Illicit Financial Flows Project

Africa has been selected to pilot a United Nations-funded project to reduce illicit financial flows. The pilot by the United Nation Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) support the project, which is aimed at helping the region achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the

Africa: International Day of Epidemic Preparedness

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of investing in systems to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. The first ever International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, being held on 27 December 2020, was called for by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for and partnership

Mozambique: Nyusi Inaugurates New Bridge in Cabo Delgado

Maputo — Bilibiza (Mozambique), 28 Dec (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Monday inaugurated a 300 metre long metallic bridge over the Montepuez river in Bilibiza, in Quissanga district, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The metallic bridge replaces the conventional bridge which collapsed almost exactly a year ago. In early January, the

Africa: Eight People, Processes and Political Events Set to Shape 2021

While we all wish 2021 would start with a clean slate, it won’t. Many key themes from annus horribilis 2020 will be with us well into the new year. The Covid-19 vaccine It’s clear that the global scramble for vaccines will be decided along economic rather than moral lines, and there is controversy about the

NIGERIA : Why Buhari is dragging his heels on marginal field awards

As we revealed (Africa Intelligence, 03/12/20), last week the head of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Sarki Auwalu, sent out an email to all of the companies shortlisted in the tender for 52 marginal fields left behind by foreign Source link

Zimbabwe: SA Authorities Say Beitbridge Border Congestion Now Cleared

SOUTH AFRICAN authorities say they have managed to clear the traffic congestion at the Beitbridge border post. In a statement, the South African Department of Home Affairs said the border was now easily accessible. “The Musina Local Municipality provided additional holding areas which enabled vehicles going to the border to be released to travel in

Africa: 2020 in Review – Investigations

Geneva — Our reporters uncovered sexual abuse allegations against Ebola aid workers in Congo, a data breach the UN tried to keep under wraps, and more. Sex abuse, corruption, missing aid money, data breaches, and alleged cover-ups: Our investigative reporting explored these topics and others as we looked at the multibillion-dollar aid sector in 2020.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC : Parisian PR agency ImaGGE backs Catherine Samba-Panza's campaign in France

Early this month in Paris, Catherine Samba-Panza, candidate for president of the Central African Republic, relied heavily on ImaGGE communications agency for PR. Source link

South Africa: Yaadt Music, a People’s Expression

There is always a song, remixed by no-one-knows-who, playing in many of the Cape’s spaces. It’s music that has become a part of the culture of the communities who produce as well as consume it. The history of yaadt music, a sound born in the Cape and its surrounding towns, is shrouded in obscurity and

Africa: A Year Without Precedent – WHO’s Covid-19 Response

Taking stock of all that’s been achieved – and the partnerships working to end the pandemic. It was the scenario the public health community had feared for decades. A dangerous virus emerges. It spreads rapidly around the world. COVID-19 infects people when they come together, but coming together is also how we will beat it.

SOUTH AFRICA/UNITED STATES : Arms broker Gareth de Nysschen does battle with US State Department

The South African entrepreneur Gareth de Nysschen, the founder and main shareholder in the South African firearms distributor Dave Sheer Guns, has been embroiled in a dispute since the summer with the US State Department and Department of Commerce after they refused him an import licence. Source link

Malawi’s Top Chess Player Mwale ‘Between Rock and a Hard Place’ to Defend His Chessam Title

Malawi’s top ranked chess player, Joseph Mwale – who is based in South Africa – wants to come and defend his Chess Association of Malawi (CHESSAM) National Championship title but is torn between a rock and a hard following the closure of all land borders for two weeks starting from December 23. In an interview,

Africa: Transparency in Extractives to Tame Graft Starts January

All countries subscribing to the global extractives initiative will effective January 1, 2021, have to publicly publish new and amended contracts signed with mining firms according to transparency disclosure requirements. Tanzania and Uganda are the East African countries subscribing to the Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI). EITI said Tanzania and Uganda are among 55 countries

CENTRAL AFRICA/WEST AFRICA : Jeantet opens new 'green' OHADA desk

Green energy will be the theme of the first two seminars organised by Jeantet’s brand new OHADA desk. Source link

Mozambique: Sasol Pulling Out of Ressano Garcia Power Station

Maputo — The South African petrochemical giant Sasol has announced that it is selling its share of the gas-fired Ressano Garcia Thermal Power Station (CTRG), in the far south of Mozambique to the Nigerian company, Azura Power Limited, for 145 million US dollars. Sasol has a 49 per cent holding in CTRG. The other 51

Africa: ‘African Leaders Are Not Thinking Right’ – Thomas Mapfumo

Zimbabwean music maestro Thomas Mapfumo channeled his revolutionary rasp and talked tough about Africa at the third edition of African Crossroads. The Chimurenga music legend was the headline performer and guest of honour at the event which was screened from seven hubs on December 10 and 11. His prerecorded set included liberation-era songs while his

AFRICA/UNITED ARAB EMIRATES : How Abu Dhabi calmed African countries' protests over its visa freeze

As part of its preparations for the historic official visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahou, which is due to Source link

Africa: WFP Cuts Refugees’ Food Rations in Uganda As Funding Declines

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today warned it will have to further reduce monthly relief cash and food rations for 1.26 million refugees in Uganda due to a funding shortfall.  With effect from February 2021, refugees will have to make do with only 60 percent of a full ration. “COVID-19 must not be

SOMALIA/KENYA/SOMALILAND : Kenyatta and Odinga play the Somaliland card to weaken Farmajo's 2021 election chances

The president of the self-proclaimed republic of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, who made an official visit to Nairobi last week, lunched discreetly with Somali presidential candidate Hussein Abdi Halane on Monday 14 December, just before boarding his plane back to Source link

South Africa: Vaccine Rollout – Here Is Where South Africa Stands

Johnson & Johnson is trying to get approval for a vaccine against Covid-19 that only requires one shot. Details of the vaccine’s trial are expected to be released in January. Only a massive global rollout of an effective vaccine can end the Covid-19 pandemic in the short term. The vaccine is being rolled out in

Africa: IGAD – Statement By the High Representative Josep Borrell On IGAD Summit

Statements by the HR/VP The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) leaders are meeting in Djibouti today at a time when the region has pulled together impressively to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and a desert locust invasion. And at a time, when the stability of the region is threatened by conflicts, ancient border disputes and a