Africa

China's debt diplomacy threatens African countries' natural assets

The crisis is worrying as most African countries with Chinese loans are witnessing a repayment crisis and are seeking deferment of interest payments and re-negotiating loan terms

C20 conference discusses inequalities, seeks justice for African kids

Inequalities in the world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where a large number of children are out of school to work as labourers, was among the highlights of the second day of the Civil20 India 2023 inception meet here on Tuesday. The conference had 'Civil Society Organisations and Promotion of Human Values' as its theme. C20 is one of the official Engagement Groups of the G20 that provides a platform for Civil Society Organizations around the world to voice the people's aspirations to the world leaders of G20. Owain James, global director of the 100 Million Campaign, a youth-led call to action for a world where all young people are free, safe and educated, called for justice for Africa's children, said a government release. He said there has been a rise in the number of Sub-Saharan Africans living on less than $2.15 a day since 2015. The number of child labour and children out of school is also increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa, he said. The continent has some of the best natu

Cyclone Freddy death toll hits 447, over 362,000 displaced in Malawi

Cyclone Freddy hit Malawi's southern districts hard from the night of Sunday through Tuesday, causing strong winds, floods and mudslides, and killing hundreds

Cipla inks pact with Africa Capitalworks to sell 51% stake in Uganda unit

Drug major Cipla on Tuesday said it has inked a pact with Africa Capitalworks to sell a 51.18 per cent stake in Uganda-based Cipla Quality Chemical Industries Ltd. The company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Cipla (EU) Ltd and Mauritius-based Meditab Holdings Ltd, have entered into a share purchase agreement with Africa Capitalworks on March 14, Cipla said in a regulatory filing. Subsequent to the sale, Cipla Quality Chemical Industries (CQCIL) will cease to be a subsidiary of the company, it added. Consideration to be received by Cipla (EU) Ltd and Meditab Holdings Limited shall be in the range of USD 25-30 million, Cipla noted. The proposed sale is expected to be completed by May 31, 2023, it added. Africa Capitalworks is a wholly owned subsidiary of Africa Capitalworks Holdings (ACW), an investment management company incorporated in Mauritius. ACW is engaged in providing permanent equity capital and complementary skills to mid-market companies across Sub-Saharan Africa.

UNDP calls for proactive measures to eliminate violent extremism in Africa

Growing threat of violent extremism in the Sub-Saharan African region should be nipped in the bud using a raft of economic, social and political tools, a UNDP report said

ONGC Videsh eyes oil, gas 'hot spots' in Africa, Latin America, says MD

It's better to invest in bigger hot spots where you can get larger discoveries... Africa and Latin America still hold a lot of potential. Ghana is there, Suriname is there

World Food Programme secures $71mn to address food crisis in Africa

'Targeting 11 countries, the contribution allows WFP to provide life-saving assistance at a time when humanitarian needs continue to soar'

China uses US debt battle to deflect pressure on relief for Zambia

The Chinese government says the United States should stop pressuring it on debt relief for Zambia and get its own financial house to avert a default and possible repercussions for the global economy. The Chinese embassy in Zambia responded Tuesday to remarks by U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who said on a visit to the African nation this week that it's crucial to address its heavy debt burden with China. The biggest contribution that the U.S. can make to the debt issues outside the country is to cope with its own debt problem and stop sabotaging other sovereign countries' active efforts to solve their debt issues, the Chinese Embassy said in a statement. Chinese development banks have emerged as major lenders to poorer countries around the world for natural resource, transport and power projects, though that lending has fallen sharply in the past five years, according to Boston University's Global Development Policy Center. In responding to Yellen, China zeroed in on the ..

Thousands in West, Central Africa could face starvation, warns UN

More than 25,000 people could face starvation in conflict-plagued parts of West Africa next year, a United Nations official warned Friday. Federico Doehnert of the World Food Program said violence and the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine are largely driving the threat to people in Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso. "One of the most striking things is that where we already had issues with severe food insecurity last year, this year we're seeing a further deterioration Doehnert said in Dakar while presenting findings from the latest food security report by regional governments, the U.N. and aid groups. The cross-border region between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger is the epicenter of West Africa's escalating humanitarian crisis, which is compounded by climate change, severe floods and droughts placing more than 10 million people in need of assistance, the U.N. said in a statement this week. Doehnert said nearly 80% of people facing catastrophic hunger - som

US, Africa seal $15 billion in trade investments during Washington summit

The United States committed to $15 billion worth of two-way trade deals with several countries in Africa during a summit in Washington this week, the White House said on Wednesday

Meta faces new lawsuit, accused of amplifying hate speech in Africa

Meta Platforms is facing a lawsuit in Kenya's high court accusing the company of failing Africans by amplifying hate speech and incitement to violence on Facebook

China casts long shadow over US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington

With dozens of African leaders descending on Washington this week, the Biden administration is offering a not-so-subtle pitch in its economic competition with China on the continent: The US offers a better option to African partners. Ahead of Tuesday's start of the three-day US-Africa Leaders Summit, Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves acknowledged that the US has fallen behind as China has surged past American foreign direct investment in Africa but argued that the US remains the partner of choice in Africa. We took our eye off the ball so to speak, and US investors and companies are having to play catch up, Graves said at an event hosted by the news outlet Semafor. He added, We're bringing the best technologies and innovations, the highest standards.... The US helps to build capacity in our partner countries as opposed to exploiting those countries. Heads of states from 49 African nations and the African Union have been invited to take part in the summit that has been billed as a

Biden aims to narrow trust gap with US-Africa leaders summit

President Joe Biden is set to play host to dozens of African leaders in Washington this week as the White House looks to narrow a gaping trust gap with Africa one that has grown wider over years of frustration about America's commitment to the continent. In the lead-up to the three-day U.S-Africa Leaders Summit that begins Tuesday, Biden administration officials played down their increasing concern about the clout of China and Russia in Africa, which is home to more than 1.3 billion people. Instead, administration officials tried to put the focus on their efforts to improve cooperation with African leaders. This summit is an opportunity to deepen the many partnerships we have on the African continent, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said when asked about the shadow that China and Russia cast on the meetings. We will focus on our efforts to strengthen these partnerships across a wide range of sectors spanning from businesses to health to peace and security, but our .

Morocco beats Portugal to become 1st African country to reach WC semifinals

Morocco became the first African country to reach the World Cup semifinals by beating Portugal 1-0 on Saturday, likely ending Cristiano Ronaldo's chances of winning soccer's biggest prize. Youssef En-Nesyri scored the winning goal in the 42nd minute to continue Morocco's improbable run that has generated an outpouring of pride in the Arab world during the first World Cup to be staged in the Middle East. The 37-year-old Ronaldo, one of soccer's greatest players, didn't start for the second straight game but came on as a substitute in the 51st minute. The five-time world player of the year is set to finish his career without capturing the World Cup or ever getting to the final. Morocco will play either France or England in the semifinals. It is a seminal moment in World Cup history, with an African nation finally advancing to the levels typically only reached by European or South American teams. Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) all reached the quarterfinals but got n

Covid burden falls in Africa but vigilance crucial in year-end season: WHO

Although the level of COVID-19 infections across the African continent is at its lowest since the start of the pandemic two years ago, a recent four-week sustained increase calls for maintaining vigilance as the year-end holiday season sets in, the World Health Organization's Africa director has said. Despite the recent uptick, there is hope that Africa will be spared the challenges of the previous two years, when surging cases and deaths withered normal life and caused deep devastation. While the current trends keep the pandemic under control, we are carefully monitoring its evolution, said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa at an online media briefing Thursday. The investments made in the COVID-19 fight over the last three years were paying off, with the region better able to cope with the virus and its health emergency response systems bolstered, he said. We must remain vigilant, continue to increase vaccination coverage and be ready to adopt more stringent ..

M23 kills 131 civilians including 17 women, 12 children in east Congo: UN

In eastern Congo last week, M23 rebels killed at least 131 civilians, including 17 women and 12 children, a UN spokesman said

As Covid-19 becomes routine, African countries prepare for next crisis

Building on the experience of battling the COVID-19 pandemic, African countries are strengthening health systems to prepare for the next health crisis, the World Health Organization's Africa director said Thursday. At the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, some of the 54 countries in the continent of 1.3 billion people lacked the facilities or trained health workers to respond adequately to the health crisis, with some struggling to provide hospital isolation wards and intensive care units, Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization's Africa regional director, said at an online briefing Thursday. However, over the course of three years, African countries have ramped up investments in health infrastructure in the race against the pandemic with support from global donors, she said. The future, however difficult the past couple of years have been, will find us in a much better situation in terms of our strategies, our investments and our capacities to confront public health ...

Illicit trafficking in cultural property harms Africa's identity: UN

The UNESCO has said the illicit trafficking in cultural property harms Africa's identity

Ethiopia receives 25,000 tons of food grain from Ukraine amid drought

The first shipment of grain as part of Ukraine's own initiative to supply countries in need arrived in Djibouti Monday for delivery to neighbouring Ethiopia amid the region's worst drought in decades. Ukraine's embassy in Ethiopia confirmed that the Grain from Ukraine" shipment of 25,000 tons is separate from a United Nations World Food Program effort that has funded humanitarian grain shipments from Ukraine. A second ship with 30,000 tons of wheat will be heading to Ethiopia next week, while a third vessel is currently being loaded with 25,000 tons of wheat bound for Somalia, an embassy statement said. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky last month announced the initiative aimed at helping countries the most struck by the food crisis. Ukraine has said it plans to send more than 60 ships to Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Congo, Kenya, Yemen and other countries. Millions of people in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya are going hungry due to drought following the fifth straight

Saas-based accounting platform Zoho Books has eyes on world markets

Zoho, which so far was focused on India, is expanding its footprint in countries such as Latin America, Mexico and Africa