World on African Updates

Haiti: Prime Minister Henry resigns amid gang violance increase

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Haiti’s PM Ariel Henry has tendered his resignation following an emergency meeting of regional nations and appealed for calm as the country descends into chaos.

Regional leaders of the Caribbean Community have held the emergency summit to discuss a framework for a political transition, which the US had urged to be “expedited” as armed gangs wreaked chaos amid repeatedly postponed elections.

Haiti is facing escalating turmoil as criminal gangs tighten their grip on Port-au-Prince, controlling up to 90% of the capital.

France: Filmmaker Polanski goes on trial in Paris on defamation charges

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Roman Polanski goes on trial in France on Tuesday over allegations he defamed a British actress who accused him of sexual abuse in the 1980s. A Veteran Franco-Polish filmmaker who is 90-year-old is wanted in the United States over raping 13-years-old in 1977 and faces several other accusations of alleged sexual assault dating back decades and past the statute of limitations though he has rejected all claims. Polanski who won Oscar-winning films “Rosemary’s Baby”, “Chinatown” and “The Pianist” fled to Europe in 1978.

Wamkele Mene has been reappointed for the second-term as Secretary General of the AfCFTA

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Mr Wamkele Mene has been reappointed as the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat (AfCFTA)

Mr Mene got appointed for a second four-year term during the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States and Government of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Mr Wamkele Mene is the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), His responsibilities include coordinating and facilitating implementation of the AfCFTA agreement among African states. His role are to promote the AfCFTA and undertake activities to enhance intra-African trade.

Senegal: Members of parliament are set to debate election delay

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Today Members of parliament in Senegal will meet to consider the postponement of presidential elections announced by President Macky Sall, a move that has plunged the country into crisis.

Opposition leaders have used the term “constitutional coup” to describe the current situation, which they say is an assault on democracy.

Protesters in Dakar decry Senegal’s Macky Sall for postponing presidential election, saying they will vote.

It is expected that deputies will vote on a proposal to postpone the presidential poll which was previously set on 25th February, 2024 for up to six months.

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 elections: opposition allegs fraud, Voting marred by delays

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

Voting in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s high-stakes presidential election has been marred by lengthy delays at polling stations.

Voters waited in long queues at many polling stations in the capital, Kinshasa, and other cities as they opened about two hours late.

Ballot papers were delivered at the last minute in an election that has proved to be a logistical nightmare.

In the eastern cities like Goma and Beni, some people struggled to find their names on voter lists, which were only made available at their polling stations on Wednesday morning, according to Reuters witnesses.

Climate: Commonwealth launches e-learning course to help countries access billions in climate finance

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A new Commonwealth e-learning course launched on Tuesday 11th December 2023 will improve the ability of small and other vulnerable states to access billions of dollars in climate finance.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, launched the ‘commonwealth climate finance Essential E-learning Course’at an event in Dubai during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28).

The course builds on the extensive experience of the commonwealth climate Finance Access Hub. The hub has helped 17 small and vulnerable states in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific to access more than US$322 million in climate finance for projects to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

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:

Convoy of aid trucks lines up at Egypt-Gaza border in preparation for truce

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A large convoy of aid trucks has lined up on the Egyptian side of the the Rafah border crossing between between Egypt and Gaza, on standby for when a truce between Israel and Hamas begins.

Today The Egyptian Government press said that it’s not yet clear what type of aid, or how much aid, will be allowed into the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, Egyptian Government press office director Ayman Walash said a total of 2,222 tons of medical aid had been delivered via the Rafah crossing since the war began, in addition to 6,063 tons of food, 4,625 tons of water, and 1,407 tons of other aid.

Israel says no ceasefire, hostage release before Friday

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The release of hostages under a temporary truce between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants will not happen before Friday, Israel’s national security adviser and the US said, dashing hopes of relatives that some would be freed on Thursday.

Israel and Hamas reached a deal for a four day pause in fighting and the release of at least 50 hostages held in Gaza – but none will be freed before Friday.

New partnership between U.S. and African companies

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On 1st November 2023 The AfCFTA secretariat and Corporate Council for Africa has signed an MoU with the objective to promote partnerships between U.S. and African companies that build on provisions of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement to achieve the shared goal of increasing private sector support for and involvement in realizing the goals of the AfCFTA.

The MoU signed is articulated around different sectors such as transportation and logistics, vaccine manufacturing, health sector productive capacity, trade and investment, the automotive sector, agriculture and agroprocessing and women and youth in Trade.

Burundi becomes 100th country to implement FIFA’s Football for Schools Programme

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Burundi has become the 100th country to implement FIFA’s Football for schools programme in a ceremony held in a celebratory atmosphere at the Urunani Stadium in Buganda, outside Bujumbura, and attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The ceremony took place in the presence of the Burundi Minister of East African Community Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Gervais Abayeho, and the President of the Football Federation of Burundi, Alexandre Muyenge.

“Thanks to this wonderful Football for Schools project, FIFA and Burundi are uniting the world. We’re uniting the world with a football project, with an education project, with a project that gives chances and opportunities to the youth, to the boys and girls of this wonderful country, Burundi,” the FIFA President told the crowd.

Portugal: Trans woman crowned ‘Miss Portugal’

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A transgender woman has won the Miss Portugal beauty pageant for the first time and will compete with another transgender woman for the Miss Universe title in El Salvador, Portuguese media reported.

Marina Machete, a 28-year-old trans woman has won the Miss Portugal beauty pageant in Évora and will now compete with another trans woman for the title Miss Universe, to be held in El Salvador in November.

“Proud to be the first trans woman to compete for the title of Miss Universe Portugal,” she wrote on social media before winning the title.

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.

Iraq: 113 People died in wedding fire accident

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

At least 113 people have been killed and more than 150 injured in a fire that ripped through a wedding celebration in Iraq’s northern Nineveh province, local officials said.

Nineveh Deputy Governor Hassan al-Allaq confirmed the death toll, which may yet rise. The fire was reported to have started at approximately 10:45pm local time (19:45 GMT) on Tuesday night.

The fire engulfed a wedding hall in Nineveh’s Hamdaniya district, where the celebration was taking place. Hamdaniya, also known as Qaraqosh, is a majority Christian town, and is located outside of the northern city of Mosul, some 400km (about 250 miles) northwest of the capital Baghdad.

Egypt: President Sisi expected to win election in December

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Egypt’s presidential election will take place in December, rather than in the spring of 2024 as the Constitution allows, a deadline shortened by economic considerations in the country caught between inflation and devaluation, according to observers.

“Egyptian voters will cast their ballots throughout the country on December 10, 11 and 12,” announced the head of the Electoral Commission, Judge Walid Hassan Hamza, on Monday. And “the final results with the name of the elected president will be published in the official gazette on December 18”, he added.

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.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit Russia

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi is set to visit Russia for talks on security

Today on 18th September 2023 Wang Yi will begin a four-day visit to Russia for security talks as the latest in a series of high-level visits and phone calls between the two countries.

This comes few weeks after President Putin said he is expecting president Xi Jiping but he did not say when.

Mr. Putin has not travelled abroad since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him over war crimes in Ukraine.

Morocco: Survivors await aid after deadly earthquake

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The 6.8 magnitude quake that struck a mountainous area southwest of Marrakech has claimed more than 2,100 lives and injured over 2,400, many of them seriously according to the most recent report.

In Moulay Brahim, a remote village located close to the quake’s epicentre, dozens of people have been confirmed dead and many more are still missing.

Moroccan rescue workers, backed by foreign teams, continued Monday in a race against time to find survivors and provide assistance to hundreds of homeless people whose homes were razed to the ground, more than 48 hours after the earthquake that killed more than 2,100 people.

President Kagame Attends the Africa Climate Summit 2023

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday -5th September 2023, President of The Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame is in Nairobi, Kenya, where he attended the maiden Africa Climate Summit, co-hosted by the African Union Commission and the Government of Kenya, alongside African leaders, heads of Regional Economic Communities, and distinguished representatives from international organizations.

The three-day Summit, which is concurrent with Africa Climate Week, one of four regional climate weeks, and is held under the theme “Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World,” seeks to address the growing vulnerability to climate change and its effects in Africa and around the world.