Africa’s fashion heritage is increasingly becoming a high-value export as designers secure trade deals at global fashion events and build supply chains. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | When David Tlale stepped onto the Moscow Fashion Week stage this month, it was not just another runway appearance but the continuation …
Read More »Climate-smart financing heats up Africa’s cooling industry
Pay-as-you-store models and climate-backed finance are transforming Africa’s cold chain into an investable asset and shifting millions of tons of food from waste to market. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Aisha used to throw away nearly half her tomatoes within three days. Heat, rough handling, and slow markets turned …
Read More »Women in command
Somalia’s recent commissioning of its first-ever female defence cadets is a reflection of a wider development that is progressively bringing more women into command, peacekeeping and reform in national militaries across Africa. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Somalia has, in the past week, commissioned its first-ever female defence cadets. …
Read More »African drone pioneer Zipline is now delivering burritos in the U.S
Rwanda-born Zipline, famed for delivering blood and vaccines across Africa, is now dropping burritos in Texas for the American fast-food chain, Chipotle. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Zipline, the Rwanda-born drone logistics company, is now delivering Chipotle burritos to homes in Rowlett, Texas, the company said in an …
Read More »Africa is defining the new scramble
Africa is setting the terms for the new scramble for its minerals by pooling regional strengths and mobilizing capital. Several nations are tightening export rules, demanding more local processing and value addition as the global competition for its mineral resources heightens to power the latest ambitions in tech. SPECIAL REPORT …
Read More »Japan is investing in Africa’s economic future
Japan is shifting its Africa strategy from aid to long-term investment, channeling billions into tech, skills, and infrastructure. From hybrid car manufacturing in South Africa to new venture funds and vocational training, Tokyo is embedding itself in the continent’s economic future. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Japan is recasting …
Read More »South Africa, Botswana lead Africa on credible elections
In a new global report on democracy, Africa accounts for 24 per cent of the countries making progress – most notably, Botswana and South Africa in credible elections. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Botswana and South Africa have been listed among countries in Africa that have made the most …
Read More »A lioness caught on camera reignites hope for lion survival
It’s not just any lioness — it’s a lactating lioness. Caught on camera in a park in the Central African Republic, the big cat has reignited hope in a resurgence of lion populations in Africa. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Once written off as disappearing, lion prides in several …
Read More »“Africans were taught this unreal map of Africa” — now what?
How much power lies in a map? The push to replace the ‘distorted’ Mercator projection with a more accurate map that portrays Africa’s truer size, has opened up a deeper conversation, not just about how Africa is drawn, but about how the continent is seen. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY …
Read More »The rise of women-tailored insurance policies in Africa
For decades, women’s protection has remained largely tucked under family insurance plans. Insurance companies in Africa are changing that. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Insurers are rewriting the playbook by introducing women-first covers to test whether gender-specific solutions can raise uptake and narrow financial inclusion gaps. They are changing …
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The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price