(Togo First) - The committee of ministers of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) project met in Lomé recently to discuss operational aspects of the infrastructure through which natural gas is transported from producing countries (Nigeria, mainly) to countries that import the fuel (Benin, Ghana, and Togo).
(Togo First) - Orabank Togo and Togocom will launch Mbanking, a service that allows its users to transfer money between the bank and a mobile wallet.
A United States human rights group, Article3.org, has honoured retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu with the Human Rights Global Treasure Award “in recognition of his lifelong commitment to advancing peace, equity, equality and human rights.”
The organisers of Mining Indaba online conference “are extremely pleased to confirm that His Excellency, Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has confirmed his participation at the online conference.”
For a nation that prides itself on being on the global forefront of new technologies and science, particularly health care, Switzerland has an astoundingly poor record for dealing with Covid-19. The Lake Geneva region, which borders locked-down France, ranks as one of the worst coronavirus hotspots in Europe. Many Swiss, too, act as if there is no pandemic by crowding into shopping malls or socialising without masks.
The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has earmarked two billion dollars to empower smallholder farmers in Nigeria, according to the National Coordinator for the agency, Princess Gloria Akobundu.
The 6th edition of the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) conference held on 02and 03 December in South Africa explored post-pandemic recovery for the African markets and addressed women’s economic empowerment.
DHL has appointed Clement Blanc as Managing Director for its business in South Africa, one of the key markets for the logistics giant in the fast-growing region according a press release for the company.
SouthBridge Group, an innovative, pan-African financial advisory and investment firm, working with corporates, sovereigns and multinationals across the Continent, concluded two significant transactions in the Republic of Togo.
The Nigerians In Diaspora Organization World Wide (NIDOWW) has condemned the brutal killings of Nigerian youths, “who were voicing out the issues confronting them in Nigeria with regards to SARS and other law enforcement abuses.” In the same vein it condemned “the wanton destruction of properties and facilities by hoodlums, who infiltrated the peaceful demonstration, resulting in the destruction of many economic values, many of which will never come back to live.”
The Federal Council defined the objectives of Switzerland's foreign policy back in February. In the MENA strategy it has now set out how it intends to implement these objectives in the important region spanning from Morocco to Iran. Switzerland's focus in the region over the next few years will be supporting sustainable economic development, better job prospects for young people, and peace and human rights
Switzerland is a candidate for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Elections for the 2023–24 period will be held in June 2022. The candidacy entered its final phase with a virtual event in New York attended by the president of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga, and Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis.
With the pandemic in the midst of its second wave in Europe, the Africa Business Day (ABD) had to innovate its way into our home offices. Ironically, Covid 19 has enabled the Africa Business Day, ran by the Swiss African Business Circle (SABC) and hosted by Roche, the chance of widening their audience. This year, their theme of Emerging Business Models, was beamed not just to people residing in Europe, but across Africa and other continents as well.

Jordanian psychologist Manar Bashara conducts a counselling session at a mental health clinic in Azraq refugee camp run by UNHCR and the International Medical Corps. Every day she sees around five people. © UNHCR/Lilly Carlisle
Q&A: ‘Before the pandemic, refugee mental health was severely overlooked. Now it’s a full-blown crisis’ UNHCR’s Senior Mental Health Officer Pieter Ventevogel says COVID-19 has been a tipping point for many refugees in distress. But with the crisis comes an opportunity.
SWITZERLAND: This year the UN is marking its 75th anniversary with the UN75 initiative, which, throughout 2020 has gathered public perspectives on global challenges and ideas on how to tackle them.
GHANA: Ghana has recorded total investments of US$869.47 million, with total FDI value amounting to US$785.62 million between January to June 2020 as FDI inflow showed rare strength in the final moments of the second quarter of the year, undeterred by the Covid-19 pandemic. The total FDI of US$785.62 million represents investment recorded by the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC) (https://www.GIPCGhana.com/) and the Petroleum Commission.
Africa Business Day (ABD) took on a new virtual form in 2020 in a bid to ensure with certainty that it could be conducted in a safe and meaningful way in the current context of COVID-19. The innovation coincides with its 10 anniversary.
Africa Business Day (ABD) took on a new virtual form in 2020 in a bid to ensure with certainty that it could be conducted in a safe and meaningful way in the current context of COVID-19. The innovation coincides with its 10 anniversary.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, pan Igbo cultural organization has disassociated the Igbo nation and people from statements credited to the leader of Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on the destruction of Yoruba assets in Lagos.
NIGERIA: The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has condemned in very strong terms the unwarranted shooting and killing of unarmed protesters by security men in different parts of the country.
Pan-African housing development financier Shelter Afrique has signed an agreement with the Rwanda Social Security Board to scale up the development of large-scale affordable housing in Kinyinya, a suburb of Kigali city, according to an official statement recently issued in Kigali.
More News
UAE makes Avani Barbarons Resort Available to Seychelles
SEYCHELLES, 04 April 2020
Under the directive of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the ‘Avani Barbarons Seychelles Resort’ will be made available to the Government of Seychelles to be used by the Department of Health as a facility to accommodate their health personnel and supporting frontline service members, in the efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.
In addition to our weekly brief on the spread of COVID-19 and the actions that Africa CDC is taking to help member states, Africa CDC has begun to share a weekly brief detailing the latest changes in scientific knowledge and public health policy changes, as well as updates to the latest guidance from WHO and others.
ANGOLA - The increase in trains on the Benguela Railway (CFB), in 2021, is a strong possibility with the recent reception of two more locomotives ordered from General Electric.
ANGOLA - The Agricultural Development Institute (IDA) will open, in January 2021, agricultural training schools in the municipalities of Icolo and Bengo, Viana, Cacuaco and Quiçama, in the province of Luanda, announced the director of the institution, David Tunga.
ANGOLA - The government of Cuanza Norte wants to reactivate the irrigated perimeter of Mucoso, due to the agricultural potential for generating jobs and exporting products.
(Togo First) - After closing them for more than a year, Nigeria has reopened its land borders. The news, reported by local media, came from President Buhari who approved the immediate reopening of four land borders.
(Ecofin Agency) - Tunisian investment firm Ekuity Capital and asset manager United Gulf Financial Services-North Africa (UGFS North-Africa) jointly co-invested in the capital of Société moderne d'industrie plastique et d'emballage (Somipem), a Tunisian company specializing in the manufacture of caps and tops.
The rejection of the results of the presidential and parliamentary elections by presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. John Dramani Mahama and the congratulatory messages by Nigerian and the US on the victory of President Nana Akufo-Addo are the trending stories in the Ghanaian press on Friday.
The decision of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to resist any attempt by state governors to borrow from pension funds and the lawyers’ view that the non-appearance of President Buhari before the House of Representatives on Thursday has put the Nigerian Constitution on trial are some of the leading stories in Nigerian newspapers last Friday.
SWITZERLAND: To ensure financial stability, the Federal Council decided at its meeting on 29 October 2020 to exempt the interest on too-big-to-fail (TBTF) instruments from withholding tax until the end of 2026. The dispatch on this law will now go before Parliament.