AFRICA

Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | Nigeria has transformed the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into an independent and limited liability firm, about 45 years after the creation of the national oil corporation. The move is part of the ongoing reform of the country’s oil industry, heralded by the Petroleum Industry …

Mastercard’s Farm Pass transforming lives of farmers in Uganda Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The COVID-19 pandemic threw the world into disarray, but in Africa, life continues: Farmers farm, merchants sell, people apply for capital to create jobs and improve livelihoods, and a heightened need for access to healthcare underpins …

Algiers, Algeria | Xinhua | Gas supplies from Algeria to Italy will increase in the coming years, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Monday, following his meeting with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Algiers. The gas deal was one in a series of agreements the two politicians agreed to sign …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The M23 rebels are feuding with an international human rights NGO, Human Rights Watch over the killing of civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo eastern territory of Rutshuru. M23 rebels have been battling with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo …

United Nations | Xinhua | United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday described Nelson Mandela as a “moral compass,” calling for honoring the former South African president’s legacy by taking action. “Nelson Mandela was a healer of communities and a mentor to generations,” Guterres said in his message to mark the …

Accra, Ghana | Xinhua | Ghana has confirmed the country’s first two cases of Marburg virus disease (MVD), the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has said. The confirmation came after samples from suspected infected individuals sent to the Institute Pasteur in Dakar (IPD) tested positive for MVD, the GHS said in a …

Khartoum, Sudan | Xinhua | Sudan decided on Sunday to open the Galabat crossing on the border with Ethiopia in an effort to build confidence and resolve disputes between the two countries. “As part of the endeavors by the leadership in the two countries to address the border issues, the security …

Lusaka, Zambia | Xinhua | The African Union (AU) on Saturday launched an early warning platform aimed at preventing conflicts and promoting peace on the continent. The Inter-Regional Knowledge Exchange on Early Warning and Conflict Prevention (I-RECKE) will play a crucial role in preventing conflicts on the continent and will also …

  Nairobi,  Kenya | THE INDEPEDENT |  Private sector players in the region are accusing the East African Community (EAC)  leaders of doing too little as the transport sector continues to suffer, allegedly from bad policies. And this, according to them has led to a surge in the cost of …

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Xinhua | The East African business watchdog called for deliberate actions to bring down the cost of transport and logistics to ensure exports compete at domestic and international levels. In a statement issued late Thursday, the East African Business Council (EABC) said EAC transport costs are …