President Lourenco (Photo: African Energy Chamber)
SOUTH AFRICA -- President João Lourenço reform is yielding dividends, evident in the growth in Angolan oil and gas sector and the opportunities awaiting businesses in all sectors for those who are keen to increase their exports into new markets.
On 18 January, the President of the International Criminal Court, Chile Eboe-Osuji, opened the 2019 judicial session, already marked five months later by four major controversies.
For years the Office of the Prosecutor was seen as the problematic organ harming the reputation of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Now the ICC judges have triggered multiple controversies on their morality, integrity or independence. The latest incident involved a French judge.
After its highly successful 5th edition of Seedstars Forum last month, and the launch of $100 million breathtaking pan-African venture fund in partnership with First Growth Ventures on April 17, Seedstars was selected at WorldBlu 13th annual award event that took place in Geneva on May 14, 2019 to receive Worldblu Freedom-Centered Cultures’s certificate.
Vanessa Moungar (Photo AfDB)
IVORY COAST -- The Governing Committee of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) has approved a funding allocation of $61.8 million for the African Development Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) program.
Panel Discussion
There was a call for urgent implementation and policy strategies that would safeguard diaspora investments at the 3rd Diaspora Engagement Forum 2019 (AIR – DEF) held in The Hague, Netherlands from 2 - 3 May.
DG Bishar A. Hussein
The Second Committee (Universal Service Obligation, Regulatory Affairs, and Postal Regulation) of the UPU’s Council of Administration, the body responsible for ensuring the continuity of the UPU’s work between Congresses, reviewed options for revising the present postal remuneration system.
Ana Dias Lourenço (photo: Joaquina Bento)
A campaign dubbed “Nascer Livre para Brilhar" Born Free to Shine launched by Angola’s First Lady Ana Dias Lourenço in December 2018 will help reduce HIV transmission rate from mother to child from 26 percent in 2019 to 14 % by 2021, reported Angola Press
Ambassador Mourad Bourehla welcoming guests to the reception
The Embassy of Tunisia in Bern, Switzerland initiated in 2017 the promotion of the country by featuring local event during the independence anniversary celebration. That year it organized a fashion show to promote Tunisian haute couture by designer Najeh Derbal dagdoug followed last year by a musical concert entitled “ Treasures” by a renowned Tunisian violinist Anis klibi, whose “works and sounds were inspired by history, Arabic and Tunisian traditional music.”
Amb. Mthembi-Mahanyele and DDG Yunus Hoosen (2nd & 3rd from right respectively) flanked by some members of the delegation.
“South Africa offers opportunities for investments in many areas of the economy, and the regulatory framework has been improved to make it possible for you to invest.”
Federico Hernandez founder of Blended wins 2019 Global Seedstars Prize
All roads led to Lausanne on April 5, 2019 where over 1,000 people, among them were entrepreneurs, startups, investors, mentors and corporate bodies, took part in the grand finale of the 6th edition of Global Seedstars Summit to select the winner of the 2019 Global prize.
President Akufo-Addo says persons who resort to use violence to win an election are, automatically, not the people's choice, adding the cycle of politically-related acts of violence and vigilantism that occurred in Sankore, in the Asunafo South Constituency of the Ahafo Region is coming to an end.
Nigeria bets on special economic zones to double its manufacturing output by 2025, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment announced this week.
In 2018, the flow of official development assistance from the OECD zone toward Africa shrunk by 4%, a report published this week by the OECD reveals.
Côte d’Ivoire has signed a Partnership Agreement with Belgian firm SEMLEX for the development and operation of its National Natural Persons Registry.
In the Gambia, two witnesses before the country’s Truth Commission, including the first confessed killer, have implicated former president Yahya Jammeh in ordering killings of soldiers in November 1994 and of a minister in June 1995. This is the first time that testimonies point directly to Jammeh in such crimes.
ANGOLA – Bestfly, the Angola-based aviation services company, has been awarded International Standard for Business Aviation Operators (IS-BAO) Stage 2.
Fayez al-Sarraj
LIBYA -- The national unity government (GNA) has threatened to suspend the activities of 40 European firms among them Total and Siemens operating in the country.
Government’s political will is to ensure the tough enforcement of the implementation of the National Minimum Wage (NMW).
Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila wanted his successor, Felix Tshisekedi, to appoint Albert Yuma, a Kabila ally and chairman of state mining company Gecamines, as prime minister, but Tshisekedi refused, sources familiar with the matter said.
President George Manneh Weah. (Photo: Executive Mansion)
LIBERIA - The President, His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, has signed into law two major legal instruments, the Kamara Abdullah Kamara (KAK) Act of Press Freedom and the Act to name certain Roads and Bridges within the Republic of Liberia.
The eCommerce Africa Conference and Exhibition, delivered by DHL, is hosted by South African conferencing company, Kinetic
SOUTH AFRICA – DHL Express (www.DHL.com) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has announced that the company has once again signed on as lead sponsor for the 2019 DHL eCommerce Africa Conference and Exhibition, which will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Center on the 19thand 20thof March 2019.
The Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Manuel Sager presented Water Management at the agency's annual press conference held recently as the agency's priority for 2019 and its main focus on international cooperation for 2021–2024.
NIGERIA – The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu recently warned compliance officers in banks against colluding with politicians who are repatriating stolen funds for general elections.
Through the Safe Savings (SaVa) Project a number of street children will be given a new lease of life secure means to collect and bank their hard-earned income
TOGO – Ecobank, the pan-African bank, is partnering with leading international children rights NGO Terre des Hommes to offer digital financial services to some of the most vulnerable children in Togo – those under the age of 18 who work or live on the streets.
[Premium Times] The management of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the hospital's Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) have expressed opposing views on an ongoing strike.
[VOA] East African countries are set to ban skin-lightening products that contain hydroquinone, a medical agent linked to health problems when used in high concentrations. The East African Legislative Assembly last week passed a resolution calling for a region-wide ban on the manufacturing and importation of products containing hydroquinone.
[Premium Times] A study has revealed that most men in Nigeria do not have knowledge of prostate cancer and have not been screened of the disease.
[Guardian] Suicide is a crime in some parts of the world and Nigeria is one of the eight African countries that criminalize it.
[Citizen] Dar es Salaam -The East African Community (EAC) warned ebola remained a major threat to the region and asked countries to prepare to stop the spread of the deadly hemorrhagic fever that has so far claimed over 1, 000 lives in DR Congo.
[This Day] The Lagos State Government has clarified that no Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) was engaged in the recent vaccination against polio campaign in the state.
[Leadership] Fans of Mavin Record's newest signee, Rema have expressed mixed reactions over the video for his hit song, 'Dumebi'.
[Guardian] It's an early Christmas for fans as Nigerian pop star, Runtown as he has released his much expected Tradition EP seven days before its initially announced release date.
[Vanguard] It is a norm for celebrants to be the cynosure of all eyes at any occasion, but such was hardly the case for reggae/dancehall singer, Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie, a.k.a Patoranking, at the listening party of his soon to be released album titled 'Wilmer', which held at a private lounge in Ikoyi, on Tuesday night.
[Vanguard] Some fans of Mavin Record's latest signee, Rema say he sings like Afropop star, Wizkid.
[Botswana Daily News] Gaborone -Motswako artist Kux's latest single 'Fatshe leno' is likely to catapult him to stardom, owing to massive airplay both on local radio stations and social media platforms.
[Daily Trust] Austin Peters, a reggae musician popularly known as "King Wadada" on Wednesday blamed TV and radio presenters for a decline of reggae music in the country, following their preferred choice for hip hop and Afro music.
[SNA] Khartoum -Deputy Chairman of the Transitional Military Council (TMC), Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has extended an incentive of three months for teachers and promised to increase their salaries by a large proportion to be equal to the highest salaries in the country.
[Govt of Liberia] Before midday Thursday, May 23, 2019, President George Manneh Weah was forced to heed celebratory stampedes on the grounds of his Ministry of Foreign Affairs office when throngs of strange guests streamed into the presidential compound.
[Premium Times] The Presidency says the Federal Government spends only N70 per meal daily to feed over 9.7 million pupils in 53,715 government primary schools in 31 States under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.
[Vanguard] Media personality and former Big Brother Nigeria finalist, Alex Asogwa, popularly known as Alex Unusual, is partnering The English Manner Nigeria to host a Children's Etiquette Training event in Lekki, Lagos state.
[Ghanaian Times] The Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala East Constituency, Mr Abass Ridwan Dauda, has absorbed mock fees for the 2019 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in public schools in the Municipality.
[Ghanaian Times] Koforidua -The President of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Mr Matthew Kubachua, has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to post hearing-impaired graduates into special education schools and schools running the all-inclusive system of education.
[This Day] In many ways Aero Contractors remains the number one airline in Nigeria because it is the oldest operator in the country with high safety record. It has also operated scheduled commercial service for over 15 years and at the same time it maintained robust rotor service, which provided logistics service to oil exploration and production companies for several years.
[Guardian] The Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Daniel Dargent, has advised Nigerians seeking to travel to Belgium to always ensure that they supply necessary documents required for visa applications if they hope to receive a successful approval.
[News24Wire] Four South Africans who remained in Egypt following a roadside bomb on Sunday, in which three of them were injured, have returned to South Africa on Wednesday, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) confirmed.
[News24Wire] A Kruger Park game ranger lauded for bravery when he stopped a leopard from attacking a colleague, was honoured posthumously this past weekend.
[Ghanaian Times] The government is in the process of reviewing upwards the cost of passports acquired locally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has announced.
[Dalsan Radio] Off the Popular Lido Beach, a new floating restaurant has added a new experience to the expansive beach line.
Jim Jarmusch and Quentin Tarantino got red carpet buzz, but who are the top contenders for the prestigious Palme d'Or award on Saturday? A look at the highlights of this year's film festival.
Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, accused of sexual misconduct, has reportedly reached a multimillion-dollar provisional deal with alleged victims that covers all civil proceedings.
Last night’s German Dubbing Awards ceremony honored the star voices behind foreign films dubbed into German. But what makes a nation full of polyglots so attached to watching films in their native language?
Umberto Eco’s bestselling middle ages murder mystery involving devious monks and a merciless inquisitor is set to enthrall an even bigger worldwide audience as a miniseries adaptation debuts in the US and Germany.
[News24Wire] Overdue library book guilt can last for years.
Classical music fans often struggle to find what they want on Spotify and Apple, so a Berlin streaming startup is plugging the gap. The Idagio app is also seizing on the popularity of the genre in Asia.
[Swazi Media] There were 430 cases of rape reported in Swaziland / eSwatini over seven months, new figures reveal.
[News24Wire] Stellenbosch University Rector and Vice Chancellor Wim de Villiers says he was "appalled" and in "disbelief" following the publication of a research article which assessed the cognitive functioning of a sample of 60 coloured women from the same region.
[The Herald] The proposed Marriages Bill, 2017 seeks to harmonise marriage laws in Zimbabwe and bring the governance of marriages under a single Act.
[Ghanaian Times] A study on the effect of trade activities by manufacturing firms on national development has recommended increased support for female entrepreneurs whose businesses have export potential.
[Daily Maverick] Any elected official, especially those who exist outside the queer and trans spectrum, who does not understand that their role as a defender of the right of all people includes the mandate to ensure that LGBTQIA+ people deserve to live unassailed and free, ought to be reconsidering if a life of public service is their calling.
[Observer] Having the cognizance that adolescence is a vital stage of growth and development when young people are intensely influenced by their peers and the outside world, Girls for Change (GFC) Executive Director, Mrs. Ora Barclay Keller said.
The situation in North Africa is increasingly difficult to read, like in Algeria, or even menacing when you look at Libya. But Europe is hoping to energize ties with the difficult region through a renewable energy link.
Jim Jarmusch and Quentin Tarantino got red carpet buzz, but who are the top contenders for the prestigious Palme d'Or award on Saturday? A look at the highlights of this year's film festival.
Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, accused of sexual misconduct, has reportedly reached a multimillion-dollar provisional deal with alleged victims that covers all civil proceedings.
Despite the urgency of a 'climate emergency' we're nowhere near fulfilling the Paris agreement. Why are we so reluctant to act? Climate psychologist Per Espen Stoknes says we need to move away from pointing blame.
Traditional economics has faced troubling questions since the 2008 financial crash, though its "linear" version remains dominant. Now some believe circular economics could, and perhaps should, set us on a new track.
Respect was the predominant tone among European leaders following UK Prime Minister Theresa May's resignation. But they warned that her successor will have to provide "rapid clarification" on Brexit.
[VOA] Sudan's public prosecutors have called for the dismissal of the director of the National Intelligence and Security Service after agents prevented police from arresting former security chief Salah Abdallah, known as Salah Gosh.
[This Day] The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Shimon Ben-Shosan, said Thursday that his Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, and the President, Mr. Reuvin Rivlin, could visit Nigeria soon, 61 years after an Israeli PM came to Nigeria in 1958.
[VOA] Foreign observers of Malawi's presidential, parliamentary and local elections issued a preliminary assessment Thursday, saying that although the process was peaceful, it lacked a level playing field.
[This is Africa] South Africa's youngest legislator ever, 21-year-old Itumeleng Ntsube of the African National Congress, was sworn into office on 23 May as a member of the National Council of Provinces, the country's upper House of Parliament.
[Daily Maverick] As he works day and night to make his new Cabinet, here's the top line: Most deputy positions face the axe, there's a super-Presidency in the works and a 'big bang' announcement of departmental mergers is likely at the weekend.
[Monitor] Kampala -As Uganda prepares to ship its first medical marijuana products to Canada and Germany next month, a new report on the nascent cannabis industry in Africa finds that the continent could reap significant financial rewards through growing weed for medical purposes.
Traditional economics has faced troubling questions since the 2008 financial crash, though its "linear" version remains dominant. Now some believe circular economics could, and perhaps should, set us on a new track.
Selling a business idea is never easy, let alone getting an investor to fund your dream project. A bunch of media startups gathered in Germany's Bonn to get an insight on how to make the perfect pitch.
The trade spat between Washington and Beijing has reached a new level, with successful Chinese telecoms equipment provider Huawei stuck in the eye of the storm. Where will this all end, asks DW's Henrik Böhme.
[VOA] The Somali government says it's not ready to take any action that could threaten its relationship with its neighbor Kenya. The announcement comes amidst simmering tensions over potential offshore oil deposits and an incident where Somali government officials and diplomats were denied entry to Kenya this week.
[Africa Check] Claims
[allAfrica] Cape Town -Peter Moyo, the chief executive of Old Mutual Limited and Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Limited, has been suspended by the Old Mutual Board who said the decision was based on the "breakdown in trust" between Moyo and the board.
RB Leipzig head into the German Cup final against Bayern Munich aiming to win their first piece of silverware. Victory would send a message to German football that RB are ready to challenge the Bayern hegemony.
Niko Kovac goes in to his third consecutive final on the verge of a host of records. But making history against RB Leipzig may not keep him in his job, with much recent attention fixed on Bayern Munich's past and future.
[allAfrica] Cape Town -South Africa's women's national soccer team are off to the FIFA Women's World Cup in France - and for the first time will earn the same as their male counterparts.
[Nation] Mount Kenya United players last evening divided themselves into two groups during the SportPesa Premier League match versus AFC Leopards with one faction taking charge of the gate collections at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.
[Nation] Kenya Defence Forces and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) will be seeking to extend their leads in the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) men's and women's leagues respectively, during the third leg of matches which serve off at Eldoret Polytechnic in Uasin Gishu on Friday.
[News24Wire] Cape Town -Cricket South Africa (CSA) has congratulated the Proteas Women on their outstanding come-from-behind victory over Pakistan in their five-match T20 International series that reached its climax at Benoni's Willowmoore Park on Thursday.
[Cameroon Tribune] The scheme will be implemented using financial institutions.
[Ghanaian Times] The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) has selected the Minister of Planning, Professor George Gyan-Baffour, as Data for Sustainable Development Goals Ambassador.
[UN News] Despite Somalia's persistent security threats, recurrent political crises, capacity constraints and the difficulties in navigating political obstacles to its reform agenda, the Horn of Africa country remains on a "positive trajectory," the UN Security Council was told on Wednesday.
[Observer] The Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS), in collaboration with the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) has begun the recruitment of 1,500 youth in 15 targeted communities for its Youth Opportunities Project (YOP).
[Ghana Govt.] The sixth National Policy Summit (NPS), scheduled to take place from 26 to 27 in Cape Coast will focus on Goal 14 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: life below water.
[Ghana Govt.] Social Audit Committees (SAC) from three regions -- Upper East, Upper West and North East Upper East, Upper West and North East -- attended a three-day capacity building workshop in the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga.
[News24Wire] A North West University student has flown the South African flag high in Frankfurt, Germany after being crowned the winner of the 2019 Future Leaders Forum at the World Exhibition for Incentive Travel, Meetings and Events (IMEX).
[U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa] The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa hosted the Fifth Hackathon as part of its Ethiopia Hacks! Program. Participants were challenged to develop technological solutions to support the Addis Ababa river basin restoration project.
[Govt of SA] Two KwaZulu-Natal learners to fly South African flag in Sweden
[263Chat] The Zimbabwe Farmers' Union, (ZFU) through support from Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) is distributing 300 Android mobile phones to Agricultural Extension officers who will be information contact persons, disseminating important information on Climate Smart Agriculture practices from the Union to the farmers.
[263Chat] Zimbabwe will by 2030, have done away with diesel and petrol powered vehicles and is likely to adopt electrically powered engines, in an effort to reduce carbon emissions that are largely blamed for fast-tracking global warming, 263Chat has learnt.
[Microsoft Africa] It was almost three decades ago that Microsoft opened its first offices in Africa. In this time, we've witnessed incredible growth on the continent -- more internet connectivity, more digital capability and more innovation. Africans have expanded the applications of technology, changing the way communities bank, farm and even access healthcare.