First Independent Mena Newspaper
African countries are becoming key producers of critical minerals like cobalt and platinum, but the rush to extract these resources has also fueled instability, causing displacement and escalating armed conflicts across the continent. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected in its Regional Economic Outlook report published in April last year that critical minerals could boost […]
Africa’s trade with China has surged 25% in 2025, reaching $122 billion in just seven months — on track to exceed $200 billion for the first time, yet beneath the boom lies a widening trade imbalance and growing concern over Africa’s long-term economic autonomy, experts warn. While U.S.-Africa trade has declined, especially under President Donald […]
Interpol’s Operation Serengeti 2.0 has exposed Africa’s vulnerability to cybercrime, resulting in 1,209 arrests across 18 African nations and the United Kingdom, recovering $97.4 million from schemes affecting nearly 88,000 victims. The August 22 announcement highlights escalating digital threats including inheritance scams, ransomware, and business email compromise across the continent. The operation’s success underscores cybercrime’s […]
As global demand for critical minerals accelerates, Australian mining companies are ramping up their presence across Africa, positioning the country as a key player in the global energy transition. With Africa holding an estimated 30% of the world’s known mineral resources, Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed companies are seizing the opportunity, specialized Australian website mining.com.au said […]
Kenya has become the latest African country that has hired lawyers or lobbying firms with ties to President Donald Trump’s associates to advocate for their interests in Washington, D.C. Kenya has signed a $175,000-a-month lobbying contract with Continental Strategy LLC, a U.S. firm led by ex-Trump official Carlos Trujillo, aiming to boost its influence in […]
Africa is emerging as a key manufacturing hub for Indian companies, as record-high U.S. tariffs — now up to 50% — threaten India’s export competitiveness, particularly in textiles, pharmaceuticals, and gems. The penalties, imposed largely in response to India’s continued oil trade with Russia, have forced Indian firms to pivot strategically toward Africa to maintain […]
The 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) has once again exposed Africa’s widening governance gap, with Mauritius maintaining its lead as the continent’s best-governed country, ranking 51st globally. The CGGI evaluates 120 countries across 35 indicators, including institutional strength, policy implementation, and public accountability. Rwanda (59th) was named the world’s best-performing low-income country, while Botswana […]
Millions of children across Africa are facing a life-threatening nutrition crisis as international aid cuts and armed conflict severely disrupt food supplies, several humanitarian organizations have warned. Humanitarian organizations, including Save the Children and UNICEF, are sounding urgent alarms about the growing number of malnourished children in Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan — and besieged […]
Africa is rapidly emerging as China’s most dynamic export market, fueled by a combination of shifting global trade dynamics, aggressive Chinese investment, and growing demand for infrastructure. As Bloomberg calculations based on China Customs data have revealed, in the first seven months of 2025 alone, Chinese exports to Africa soared 25% year-on-year to $122 billion […]
By shifting its Africa policy from humanitarian aid to commercial diplomacy, the Trump administration has signaled a dramatic reorientation of US engagement in the Sahel. Centered on trade, security cooperation, and access to strategic minerals, this pivot marks a departure from decades of aid-focused partnerships and reflects broader geopolitical recalibrations in a region increasingly courted […]