Central on African Updates

In Pictures : South Africa’s first exports shipped under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On 31st January, 2024 a historic milestone to boost trade in Africa has made as South Africa started exporting under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) highlited the results of South African industry and innovation.

“we are forging a path of mutual growth and shared prosperity. This is a powerful instrument to promote meaningful, impactful trade that benefits all corners of our continent.” H.E. Wamkele Mene said.

DR Congo: President Tshisekedi re-elected as opposition calls vote a ‘farce’

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi won reelection with more than 70% of the vote, the country’s election commission said Sunday.

The preliminary results of the 20th Dec 2023 election were announced in the capital, Kinshasa, amid demands from the opposition and some civil society groups for the vote to be rerun due to massive logistical problems that put the validity of the outcome into question.

Tshisekedi was followed by businessman Moise Katumbi, who received 18% of the vote, and Martin Fayulu, who received 5%. Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege, a physician renowned for treating women brutalized by sexual violence in eastern Congo, got less than 1%.

Intra-African Trade Fair 2023: Finding Packaging a big challenge to producers

Sat, 02 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

While Rwanda is one of the seven countries that have started to implement the African free trade program, there are some producers who say that they are still facing challenges in finding packaging for their products, such that they find themselves using expensive packaging or not meeting the international standards.

These are what some of the participants of the intra Africa trade fair that was held in Egypt from 9-15 November 2023 had to say:

New Gabon President Visits Congo to get Support

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Gabon’s transitional president, received a show of support from Republic of Congo after he met his counterpart Sunday, aiming to improve relations and ease Gabon’s isolation.

General Brice Oligui Nguema transitional president of Gabon met President Denis Sassou Nguesso in a work visit on this Sunday which was aimed at improving the ties and easing Gabon’s international isolation following the coup.

“I have come to consult, to discuss, to exchange with (the president), who for us is a key in the region, who can relay to global authorities what we have done,” Oligui said after holding talks with Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Gabon suspended from the Commonwealth

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The 63rd Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group /CMAG met in New York this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss developments in member states.

Held on Monday 18 September 2023, the meeting was chaired by the Hon Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Tourism, of Samoa. Ministers from Barbados, Canada, Ghana, Mauritius, and Rwanda, and representatives of Belize, Malaysia and Malta, were in attendance.

Deposed President of Gabon Ali Bongo ‘free’ to travel abroad

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Ali Bongo release comes after his cousin General Brice Nguema Oligui sworn in as interim leader later on Monday.

Gabon’s deposed president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, has been released from house arrest and is free to leave the country for medical treatment, the military which removed him from power last month has said.

Bongo, who had been held under house arrest since a military coup on August 30, was toppled from power shortly after he was declared the winner of much-criticised elections that would have seen him exended his 14 year as president