COMMENT | Zhu Shaobin – Xinhua | High-ranking U.S. officials are heading to Africa, hot on the heels of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit held last month for the first time in eight years. Following U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s trip to the continent earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to the …
Read More »Is Western democracy failing in Africa or Africa is failing western democracy?
COMMENT | Nkwazi Mhango | Western democracy has been synonymous with western countries, which glorify themselves as being ‘successful and mature democracies’, even though they’re practically not, if analysed historically and compared and contrasted to realities on the ground. I must say it from the outset, democracy wasn’t born in …
Read More »Africa leads the world in contraceptive use
The analysis found condom use as the leading contraceptive method among unmarried, sexually active young African women, followed by injections in East and Southern Africa and implants in West Africa. Nairobi, Kenya | BIRD AGENCY | The use of modern contraception is soaring worldwide, with one in three women of …
Read More »Pope Francis’ visit to Africa
It comes at a defining moment for the Catholic Church Kampala, Uganda | Stan Chu Ilo | Pope Francis plans to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan in February 2023. During the visit, the Pope intends to be in dialogue with African Catholics – but also to listen to …
Read More »AfDB: Africa will grow 4% in 2023 as China recovers
The bank’s cautiously optimistic economic outlook is partly based on the expectation that China will continue to re-open after three years of strict Covid-19 policies Kampala, Uganda | Leo Komminoth | The African Development Bank predicts the continent’s growth will be a stronger-than-expected 4% this year, with China’s ending of strict Covid-19 …
Read More »EVs: Why African govts are reducing tax on eco-friendly cars
A number of African governments are introducing tax cuts and other incentives to boost the e-mobility industry and drive the demand for eco-friendly vehicles Tunis, Tunisia | BIRD AGENCY | Tunisia has become the latest country to introduce e-mobility incentives as governments across Africa bet on tax breaks and other …
Read More »World praises Uganda for quick stop of Ebola
‘It’s the example that the African continent needs to follow’ COVER STORY | RONALD MUSOKE | Shortly after Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda’s Minister of Health declared Uganda free from Ebola on Jan.11, her colleague, Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma; the Acting Director General of the African Centres for Disease Control and …
Read More »Egypt’s currency halves in value in 10 months
Cairo, Egypt | Xinhua | The Egyptian pound further declined against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, plunging to below 31 pounds to the dollar before settling at 29.7 in the afternoon. The Egyptian local currency has lost about half of its value since March 2022, when a dollar was worth …
Read More »Africa and geopolitical competition
Why continent must strategically counter big powers through alliances and win-win deals COMMENT | Josephat Juma | The ongoing fever-pitch global tension and fear occasioned by competition among major political and economic powers of the world is not new. It dates back to naval wars to control sea trade routes, control global …
Read More »Regulation of medicines in Africa
Ghana conference makes progress in efforts to harmonise it Kampala, Uganda | AGENCIES | Africa’s limited pharmaceutical industry, high costs of raw materials, and dependence on imported medicines have long hampered citizens’ access to the medicines they need. The challenges the continent faces are daunting. They include poor supply chain systems, …
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