NEWS ANALYSIS

Pope Francis begins his Africa trip in a country whose vast Catholic membership plays a substantial role in society, especially in the health and education sectors. Kinshasa, DRC | BIRD AGENCY | As Pope Francis began his first official visit to Africa this week, the 86-year-old head of the Catholic …

Here is how this could reset the regional balance Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The presence of oil in Somaliland has been confirmed by a recent exploration. The discovery has raised the stakes in Somaliland’s claim for independence from Somalia as it holds the potential for a new stream of …

How the UPDF became the anchor of security and diplomacy in the Great Lakes region Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | What is the impact of Uganda’s contribution to the peacekeeping mission in Somalia? Its intervention in South Sudan in 2013 to stop the violent conflict tearing up the young nation; …

The fish rots from the head’ say experts Kampala, Uganda | Mubatsi Asinja Habati | Since mid-January in Uganda social media platforms have been awash with videos of travelers through Entebbe International Airport complaining about cases of extortion of bribes and unlicensed payments by airport staff. Following the outcry, the Uganda Civil …

What it means in numbers and money COVER STORY | RONALD MUSOKE | As President Yoweri Museveni and his ruling NRM party celebrate their 37th year in power, the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has given them a befitting anniversary gift; launching the country into crude oil production stage. Uganda’s …

Nairobi, Kenya | 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 United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield …

The emerging debt-for-nature swaps may put African countries on track to meet their environmental conservation goals while managing ballooning public debts. Praia, Cape Verde | BIRD AGENCY | Portugal recently struck a deal to swap Cape Verde’s debts for environmental investments in a fund established by the West African country. …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | For the first time in recent years, Social Studies and Religious Education recorded a decline in performance in the 2022 Primary Leaving Examination examinations. According to the report by the Uganda National Examinations Board – UNEB, the pass rate for the subject was 88.6% in …

How holes in an Ebola ‘firewall’ built over the last 20 years are being plugged SPECIAL FEATURE | RONALD MUSOKE |  On Jan.11, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda’s Minister of Health, declared Uganda free from the Ebola Virus Disease after a 113-day battle across nine districts. The event at the Mayor’s Gardens …

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 …