WTO members made history February 15, 2021 when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization’s seventh Director-General Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Xinhua | The appointment of Nigeria-born Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the first African director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) can help rebalance …
Read More »WHO pledges to boost Africa’s response to Ebola, COVID-19
Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | The World Health Organization (WHO) has mobilized financial resources and technical expertise to boost the war against Ebola and COVID-19 in Africa amid threat to the continent’s public health system, an official said on Thursday. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa said that boosting the …
Read More »Wetter than usual season expected over most farming areas of East Africa
Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | A wetter than usual season is expected over most farming areas in the central and southern parts of the African region, while a drier than usual season is expected over north-eastern Ethiopia, experts from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have announced. The season …
Read More »WHO roots for training of African health workers to boost COVID-19 vaccine roll-out
Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | A seamless roll-out of COVID-19 vaccine in Africa hinges on improving the knowledge of the continent’s frontline health care workers in critical areas like storage, supply chains management and effective communication to the public, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. Ambrose Talisuna, emergency …
Read More »Ethiopia signs deal with Chinese, Korean firms on off-grid electrification project
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | XINHUA | The Ethiopian government has signed a 24 million U.S. dollars off-grid electrification project contract with three Chinese firms and one South Korean firm, an Ethiopian official said on Tuesday. Speaking to Xinhua, Melaku Taye, Communications Director at Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU), said the …
Read More »Govt asks EU to respect Uganda’s sovereignty
Kampala, Uganda | URN & THE INDEPENDENT | Government has asked the European Union (EU) Parliament to respect the country’s sovereignty and ensure non-interference if relations between the two is to be sustained. Uganda response to EU Resolution (CLICK TO READ FULL STATEMENT) The EU Parliament last week adopted 19 resolutions taking …
Read More »Pandemic reinforces need for insurance products in Africa
Like other businesses, the Prudential insurance group has had a tough year, but its Africa CEO Matt Lilley is optimistic about the company’s prospects on the continent. He spoke to African Business Magazine’s Desné Masie about the company’s strategy, the role of technology in digital inclusion and product innovation. Could …
Read More »BYANYIMA: Closing inequality gaps will halt HIV infections
On Jan.27, Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, spoke during the opening plenary at this year’s virtual HIV Research for Prevention (HIV R4P) Conference. Byanyima who spoke under the theme, “Where will we be in 2025?” detailed plans for a new UNAIDS …
Read More »Malawi President Chakwera fires COVID task force boss over funds
Lilongwe, Malawi | XINHUA | Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has fired the commissioner for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) and a co-chairperson of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for failing to demand accountability on funds spent on fighting the pandemic. Chakwera has also ordered an immediate overhaul …
Read More »Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is WTO Director-General
WTO members made history February 15, 2021 when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization’s seventh Director-General Washington, US | THE INDEPENDENT | When she takes office on March 1, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will become the first woman and the first African to …
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