Professor Taiwo Lateef Sheikh wants suicide prohibition laws repealed because they inadvertently contribute to an increase in suicide rates across Africa SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Suicide prevalence rates in Africa are the world’s highest, estimated at 11 people per 100,000 per year, against a global average of 9 per …
Read More »African banks take over after international lenders exit
Local financial companies are capitalising on the opportunities left by international banks exiting Africa yet continue to struggle with the gap between perceived and actual risks in the market. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | In early 2022, UK-headquartered Standard Chartered Bank announced it was exiting five African countries and …
Read More »Ghanaian president urges reparations for Africa over slave trade
Accra, Ghana | Xinhua | Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday called for reparations for Africa over the effects of the trans-Atlantic slave trade on the continent. Akufo-Addo made the appeal at the opening of the Accra Reparations Conference in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, describing these reparations …
Read More »Afreximbank announces $1-billion African Film Fund
The sector faces several challenges, including limited access to financing and copyright infringement due to weak copyright laws, enforcement mechanisms and a lack of awareness Kampala, Uganda | AGENCIES | Africa’s multilateral lender, African Export-Import Bank, is working on the establishment of a US$1-billion African Film Fund to be launched in 2024 …
Read More »Africa CDC unveils China-aided reference laboratory
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Xinhua | The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday unveiled a China-aided reference laboratory at its headquarters in Ethiopia. The Africa CDC said the completion of the laboratory marks a milestone in its pursuit of a strong continental public health institution …
Read More »WHO approves first African-manufactured malaria drug
The combination therapy for seasonal malaria chemoprevention is made in Kenya Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A leading Kenya-based pharmaceutical manufacturer, Universal Corporation Ltd (UCL), has become the first African manufacturer to gain WHO prequalification for their sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine + amodiaquine product. Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine + amodiaquine (SPAQ) is a combination drug used …
Read More »Top tourist destinations in Africa
SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | As the world emerges from the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of African nations are not just rebounding but are surpassing their pre-pandemic visitor numbers and revenue benchmarks, heralding a golden era of tourism and cultural exploration on the continent, according to …
Read More »Africa snubbed at global AI safety summit
Experts cite asymmetrical advancement in use and purpose of AI technologies between the developed and developing countries Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | War and combat capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology were at the back of some people’s minds at the just concluded global summit on safety in the UK …
Read More »Africa’s food and agribusiness industry set to hit US$1 trillion mark by 2030
Despite being home to 65% of the world’s remaining uncultivated arable land, Africa still imports most of its food Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Africa’s food and agribusiness industry is set to reach US$1 trillion mark by 2030, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) told …
Read More »Rwanda visa free for all Africans
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |While speaking at the World Tour and Travel Council Summit in Kigali, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said that every African is free to visit Rwanda without paying for a visa. Rwanda has marketed itself as a top tourist destination hosting several conferences at its renowned …
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