Air travel across West Africa is set to become dramatically cheaper as ECOWAS eliminates a host of taxes and charges that currently make up nearly half the cost of a typical airline ticket. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | West Africa is bracing for a jump in air travel demand as …
Read More »Motorists ‘all aboard’ Tanzania’s clean gas push
Tricycle taxi driver, Hamadi Juma, says Dar es Salaam is breathing “a little easier.” He is among the thousands of motorists who are cooperating in Tanzania’s campaign to switch from petrol to natural gas in an urgent effort to reduce greenhouse gases and alleviate air pollution. It’s part of a …
Read More »Africa’s climate fix that almost everyone missed
African nations lead in global soil-carbon capture as new report flags major omissions elsewhere. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | African governments are moving faster than most of the world to put soil health at the centre of climate action, according to a new analysis that highlights a major blind …
Read More »In Congo, carbon credits are paying out
Carbon markets in the Democratic Republic of Congo press forward with tangible payouts to forest communities. DRC’s REDD+ pilots have channelled offset revenues into forest patrols and village clinics, defying offset scandals that have impacted buyer trust and stalled market growth. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | A patchwork of …
Read More »How African reps held their ground at COP30
At the forum, African climate envoys rejected one-size-fits-all fixes that push the cost of climate adaptation to developing nations. Their insistence on fairness over uniform fixes underscores the fight for equity. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | A determined African bloc mounted a formidable challenge at the latest round of …
Read More »Farmers lend a hand in climate change resilience
Across Africa, smallholder farmers are financing their own fight against climate change, spending billions each year to keep food systems alive as global support lags. A new analysis shows they already shoulder most of the world’s adaptation costs, even as they receive less than 1% of the funding meant to …
Read More »Businesses flock to Ethiopia’s newly-opened banking market
Equity Group is also accelerating its entry strategy. In September, Equity Group chief executive James Mwangi met with officials from the Ethiopian Investment Commission to discuss licensing and operational frameworks, according to Semafor Africa. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Ethiopia’s banking market, once sealed off to foreign participation, has …
Read More »Culinary delights spice up African trade, tourism
The continent’s rising food festivals are putting flavor at the heart of tourism and trade. Experts say the boom reflects Africa’s growing investment in gastronomy as a driver of growth, identity, and soft power SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Visitors at the AfroGastro Festival swallowed morsels of fufu and watched …
Read More »South Africa’s energy transition goes big
Africa’s largest CO2 emitter has unveiled an ambitious plan that could redefine how the region tackles climate change. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Pretoria’s R2.23 trillion (approx. $128 billion USD) Integrated Resource Plan 2025 sets out to halve the country’s reliance on coal and add more than 100 gigawatts of …
Read More »More African countries are embracing the yuan
Ethiopia and Kenya may become Africa’s first countries to repay Chinese loans in Beijing’s currency. It’s the latest in a wider de-dollarization trend that is sweeping across the continent. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Ethiopia and Kenya are turning to the Chinese yuan, seeking relief from the high cost …
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