Libya Islamic State follows Tobruk’s footsteps and calls for reinforcement

Africa’s cotton industry to hit $7.7 billion in 2029

Africa’s cotton industry is expected to grow to 7.7 billion dollars by 2029, from a market size of 6 billion dollars in 2024, Mordor Intelligence, a global market screener said. The World Bank and other development institutions are assisting key African producers to boost output. Nearly 50% of African cotton is produced in wet African […]

DRC: massive expansion in cobalt, copper mining leads to human rights abuses — AI report

The expansion of industrial-scale mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that extract cobalt and copper to be used in rechargeable batteries has led to the forced eviction of entire communities and grievous human rights abuses, including sexual assault, arson, and beatings, according to a 100-page report published by Amnesty International. Entitled ‘Powering […]

Cross-border charges jeopardize AfCFTA goals, say frustrated West African exporters

Rising costs of road freight across West Africa are threatening to derail the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), exporters and trade experts warn, as unofficial fees and bureaucratic bottlenecks mount along key trade corridors. A recent case study by the West African Association for Cross-Border Trade (WACTAF) reveals that transporting a truckload of goods […]