Pay-as-you-go off-grid solar energy is bringing electricity to millions across Africa. Ian Lewis reports Falling costs and improved sales networks mean that small-scale solar power for households or micro-businesses is taking off across Africa. Crucially, this is fast becoming a self-sustaining sector that can generate its own revenues, and allowing numerous companies of …
Read More »COVID-19: African Union agency to support SMEs across the continent
Johannesburg, South Africa | XINHUA | The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) on Tuesday launched a program to help Africa’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to adapt business operations in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. AUDA-NEPAD, in partnership with Ecobank Group, launched the MSME Academy which will give …
Read More »China, Africa Union experts meet to plan COVID-19 fight
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | XINHUA | High-level African and Chinese experts and officials on Tuesday called for further strengthening China-Africa ties in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. They made the call during a high-level virtual China-Africa joint response to COVID-19 pandemic meeting, which brought together senior experts …
Read More »African banks adopt robust measures against lockdown losses
African banks, including central banks, have been quick to appraise the situation in the wake of the lockdowns induced by Covid-19 and most have put mitigating measures in place. These, writes Neil Ford, will go a long way to reducing the impact of the inevitable loss of business across the board. | …
Read More »US Africa Command leaving after Trump cuts troops to Germany
Stuttgart, Germany | THE INDEPENDENT | The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) headquarters will shift from Germany following President Donald Trump’s decision to pull troops based there. As part of the U.S. European Command Review, the Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper publicly announced plans to make U.S. force adjustments within the European area …
Read More »Africa can contain COVID-19 pandemic with proper measures: Africa CDC
Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | Africa still has a chance to contain the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent once proper measures taken, John Nkengasong, director of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said on Thursday. According to the released data as of July 29 by the CDC …
Read More »Free trade area could boost Africa’s income by 450 bln USD: World Bank
Nairobi, Kenya | XINHUA | The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could boost the continent’s income by 450 billion U.S. dollars if fully implemented, says a World Bank report released on Monday evening. According to the report, the pan African trade pact would significantly boost continental trade, particularly intraregional …
Read More »Corporation, unity and support as a force to build Africa
COMMENT | Rebecca Karagwa & Daniella Khanani | It was enraging that the colour of Floyd George’s skin could be so toxic as to lead to his death. The May, 2020 incident that led to his death rightly caught the world’s attention. Like most Africans, Ugandans too, showed solidarity through the …
Read More »COVID-19 hits African health workers hard, 10,000 infected
Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | As COVID-19 infections rise on the African continent, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of the havoc the pandemic is wreaking on the continent’s health workforce. Ten thousand health workers in 40 African countries are said to be battling COVID-19 at the moment …
Read More »China’s participation key to success of Africa’s free trade pact: experts
Accra, Ghana | XINHUA | China’s participation will be one of the key ingredients to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, some experts have said. Speaking with Xinhua, international trade expert Francis Kofi Korankye-Sakyi said the critical role China has played in Africa’s economic and …
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