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Slow takeoff for Africa’s AfCFTA: Tanzania joining FTA in July, Nigeria not yet ready

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market has been a long time coming, but several African nations and major companies have finally started shipping goods and trading a trickle of goods under the AfCFTA agreement signed in 2018. Tanzania is one of the African countries that have decided to take part in a new […]

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African food security, Morocco matches words with action

Morocco has offered 2000 tons of fertilizers in aid to Gabonese farmers in a series of similar moves that Rabat promised to take to alleviate the fertilizers crisis on the continent. The donation was made to Gabonese farmers as part of directives of King Mohammed VI who held talks on February 15 with Gabon’s president […]

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Africa unhappy with Western-led order, but rejects system led by Chinese, Russian autocrats — report

Global attitudes toward China and Russia have shifted since the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, but African countries’ discontent with the West has not translated into a desire for Beijing or Moscow to wield greater influence over the international order, the annual report of the Munich Security Conference has found. Critics have accused African governments of […]

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Africa’s internet speed is rapidly improving — Ookla Speedtest Global Index

A number of African countries have surged in global rankings that gauge internet speeds at telcos and internet service providers, according to the Speedtest Global Index of median mobile internet download speeds by Ookla, a global network intelligence and connectivity research firm. As investments into network infrastructure and deployment on the continent intensify, by the […]

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Africa must accelerate pro-poor, inclusive recovery to boost economic growth

African countries should accelerate inclusive recovery efforts to boost economic growth to eliminate the impact of the shocks caused by Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and climate change, all of which have pushed more people into extreme poverty and have increased inequality worldwide, according to Antonio Pedro, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic […]

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Ivory Coast: bean shortage pushes cocoa exporters on verge of default

Cocoa exporters in Ivory Coast are on the verge of defaulting on their contracts due to a lack of beans and urgently need up to 150,000 tonnes to honor their commitments, according to industry sources. As the world’s top producer heads towards the end of its October-to-March main harvest, cocoa bean supply is tight, with […]

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US needn’t be too concerned about China’s basing ambitions in Africa — study

Despite regular warnings by US military commanders about a possible second Chinese military base in Sub-Saharan Africa and rumors about new footholds in countries like Equatorial Guinea, China’s strategic interest in Africa is relatively low, especially when compared with regions like Southeast Asia and the Middle East, according to a new policy brief published by […]

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Meeting in Italy highlights Morocco’s strategic involvement in Mediterranean region’s dynamics

Morocco’s strategic positioning and its involvement in all the dynamics of the Mediterranean region were highlighted in Rome at a meeting attended by economic, political and diplomatic personalities. “Morocco has never ceased to consolidate its anchorage in the Mediterranean, positioning itself as a bridge between Europe and Africa and between East and West,” said Ambassador […]

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Nigeria predicted to become Africa’s biggest oil refiner by 2025 — report

Nigeria could become biggest oil refiner in the region by 2025, Hawilti, a pan-African investment research firm, has predicted, a prediction that comes as a surprise in light of the west African nation’s longstanding struggle with shortage of petroleum products for its population, Africa’s largest. According to Hawilti’s recent report titled “Refineries watch Q4 2022”, […]

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China-Africa digital services hub focused on facilitating trade established in Hunan

China-Africa digital services hub focused on facilitating trade established in Hunan China’s Hunan province has unveiled a China-Africa Digital Services Hub that focuses on cross-border communications support and data-sharing between Chinese companies working in Africa. The China-Africa economic and trade digitalization service based in Changsha, the provincial capital, aims to support Chinese companies’ trade with […]