Business Features Finance Headlines

Africa pays high price for misjudged risk — $75bn lost annually

Misjudged risk assessments and persistent financial bias are costing African countries a staggering $75 billion annually in inflated borrowing costs and lost revenues, according to the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). AFC President Samaila Zubairu described the misperception as a “prejudice premium,” arguing that Africa’s default rates are “really, really exaggerated.” Research by Moody’s Ratings supports […]

Africa Features Headlines International

Violence in Mozambique triggers mass displacement as aid falters

A fresh wave of brutal attacks by armed groups in northern Mozambique has displaced at least 46,667 people in late July, compounding an already dire humanitarian crisis in the Cabo Delgado province, UN agencies reported. The violence, concentrated between 20 and 28 July across Chiúre, Ancuabe, and Muidumbe districts, has driven total displacement this year […]

Africa Features Headlines International

AU rejects Sudan’s RSF-led parallel gov’t, warns of national fragmentation

The African Union (AU) has strongly rejected the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) attempt to establish a rival government in Sudan, calling it a dangerous escalation that threatens to dismantle what remains of the country’s unity and derail peace efforts. The AU Peace and Security Council issued a firm statement, using an unusually direct language, following […]

Business Emerging Markets Features Headlines

African Union Chief Praises Morocco as Continental Economic Hub

Morocco has successfully established itself as a leading economic hub for Africa through strategic investments and active economic diplomacy, according to African Union Commission President Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. Speaking at a ceremony in Addis Ababa celebrating the 26th anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s accession to the throne, Youssouf highlighted Morocco’s transformative role in continental development. […]

Features Headlines Libya

AU/PSC reaffirms support for Libya’s sovereignty, calls for national dialogue and ceasefire

The African Union’s Peace and Security Council has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to Libya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, underscoring support for a nationally owned political process and national reconciliation. In a communiqué issued after a high-level meeting, the Council called for inclusive and transparent presidential and parliamentary elections to be held without delay. It also […]

Business Emerging Markets Features Headlines

Tariffs and tensions: African exports to U.S. face sharp decline amid policy shifts

African exports to the United States are projected to drop by as much as 21.5% as new U.S. tariffs take effect, according to joint research by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), African Union Commission (AUC), and African Development Bank (AfDB). The protectionist move, part of a broader trade policy under President Donald Trump, has […]

Africa Features Headlines International

False peace in the Congo: ceasefire fails to silence guns or fears

Hailed as a step toward peace, the 19 July ceasefire signed in Doha between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group has been met with deep skepticism — and renewed bloodshed. While the Doha Declaration was hailed by the United States, United Nations, and the African Union as a diplomatic breakthrough, on the ground, […]

Blogs Community Features Headlines

Ghana’s President Renews Call for Reparations at AU Summit, Urges Global Solidarity

https://x.com/DCP_Haddadi/status/1944424998443053178/photo/1 https://x.com/_AfricanUnion/status/1944696253532582081/photo/3 On Monday, July 14, 2024, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has renewed calls for reparations from nations historically responsible for the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonisation of Africa, underscoring the urgent need to restore the continent’s full human dignity. Speaking in his capacity as the African Union’s Champion for Reparatory Justice, Mahama delivered […]

Energy Features Headlines

Africa’s unified power grid edges closer to reality

The African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), an ambitious initiative to unify the continent’s electricity grids, is making substantial strides, according to African Union (AU) officials at a high-level technical meeting in Addis Ababa. AfSEM aims to create a seamless, affordable, and reliable continental electricity market, interconnecting all 55 AU member states. Kamugisha Kazaura, AU Commission’s […]

Asia Features Headlines International

China’s costly gamble: Niger exposes risks of regime-agnostic diplomacy in Africa

China’s long-held strategy of “regime-agnostic” engagement in Africa is under strain as mounting instability in Niger threatens billions in Chinese investments, says a new study. A new report by the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies warns that China’s transactional diplomacy — prioritizing control over constitutional legitimacy — has left its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) vulnerable […]