DON'T MISS : Talking Africa New Podcast – Zimbabwe's artisanal mines: 'There's no real form of law and order' - Piers Pigou

Latest Stories

Monday, 18 January 2021

Vaccine Rollout

Covid-19: ‘All African countries have the capacity to carry out mass vaccinations’ – Nkengasong

Director of the Africa CDC, the Cameroonian virologist John Nkengasong is the main coordinator of the fight against Covid-19 on the continent ... and the African Union’s representative on this matter. He insists on the need to stop being dependent on other countries in matters of public health. That starts with the push to procure vaccines.

Smuggled up tight

The Benin-Nigeria border is officially open again, but smuggling is on the rise

On 16 December 2020, Nigeria announced it would reopen its border with Benin, but heavy-goods vehicles are still not making cross-border trips, ... pushing traders to continue their smuggling activities.

A Trial of Endurance

Steinmetz, Covid-19 and diapers: Frenchman Frédéric Cilin breaks down his role in BSGR

French businessman Frédéric Cilins, Beny Steinmetz’s co-defendant before the Geneva Criminal Court, was the star of the third day of hearings. ... For ten hours, he spoke about his business with Lansana Conté’s Guinea to his dealings with the FBI.

Neighbourly quarrels

Somalia and Kenya’s diplomatic disputes create collateral damage

Ties between neighbours Kenya and Somalia hit a new low in December, when the Mogadishu government cut off ties with Nairobi for "constant political ... violation and Kenya’s open interference in Somalia’s independence".

Reading the smallprint

South Africa’s Santam defends position on COVID-19 claims

The Africa Report’s latest article on Santam’s stance on paying COVID-19 business interruption claims has prompted a detailed response from ... the company, South Africa’s largest general insurer.

Empty vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

antibody hit

South Africa: Fauci raises concern over Covid 19 variant

Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, says that some coronavirus treatments may be less ... effective against Covid-19.

Hard Currency

Angola’s oil refinery can strengthen public finances, says Gemcorp

Angola’s under-construction oil refinery at Cabinda can help strengthen the country’s public finances by reducing pressure on foreign-currency ... reserves, Gemcorp CEO Atanas Bostandjiev tells The Africa Report.

Sunday, 17 January 2021

Talking Africa podcast

Nigeria – The Making Of A Nation, from Jihad to Amalgamation

Nigeria's turbulent and hamstrung history has plenty to tell us about the current malaise. And, as says writer Maya Angelou, "If you don't know ... where you have come from, you don't know where you are going."

A woman walks past elections posters of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni on a street in Kampala

new opposition

Uganda elections: Museveni wins, Bobi Wine the rising power in parliament

No one is surprised that Uganda’s long-term President Yoweri Museveni has won a sixth term in office. But the real change has been a changing ... of the guard in the opposition, with long-term opponent Kizza Besigye supplanted as the key political foe to Museveni by Bobi Wine. Both in parliament, and as target for Museveni's security services.

Saturday, 16 January 2021

Polling agents from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party celebrate the victory of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni in the concluded general elections in Kampala

deja vu

Bobi Wine cries foul in Uganda elections, Museveni declared winner

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has won a 5th term say election officials, while opposition candidate Bobi Wine claims the polls were rigged. ... Museveni took around 59%, with Bobi Wine around 35%.

Maybe, only time will tell

Is Iran the big loser from reconciliation efforts in the Gulf?

Iran may fear that restored unity amongst the Gulf countries might be used against it. However, it could also end up having more influence on ... the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Friday, 15 January 2021

back on deck

JP Morgan hopes to tap Tidjane Thiam’s network with $250m fund

The acquisition vehicle reportedly plans on raising money from investors to buy up financial services companies in both developed countries and ... emerging markets.

Still at loggerheads

DRC: Sacred Union members Tshisekedi, Bemba, Katumbi fail to reach an agreement

Despite another meeting held on 13 January, Félix Tshisekedi and his two new allies still do not agree on the appointments of several heads ... of major institutions, following the end of the alliance between the head of state and Joseph Kabila.

tick tock

Kenya in race to meet Chinese loan deadline for repayment

Kenyan Treasury officials are no doubt worried about what's going to happen next Thursday. The date marks the end of a five year repayment holiday ... given by the China Exim Bank for the $1.4 billion loan used to build the Nairobi to Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway.

election season is open, let the games begin

Africa’s growing criminalization of the opposition

As I sat down to write this month’s column opposition leader Bobi Wine was casting his ballot in the Ugandan presidential election. ...

Article 5/5 of "Political Capital"

collective contributions

Collaboration needed to ensure accessibility of Covid-19 vaccines

As countries across the world begin to purchase and roll out COVID-19 vaccines, a key question is how far the vaccine is from reaching Africa ... and how accessible it will be for the continent. Moina Spooner, Commissioning Editor with The Conversation Africa, asked Mosoka Fallah, an expert on infectious diseases, to provide his insights.

Eventual downfall

DRC: Lumumba’s speech of independence was the nail in his coffin

On 30 June 1960, Independence Day, the Prime Minister delivered an impassioned speech against the Belgian colonisation of his country. It was ... the spark that set off his eventual downfall.

The yellow brick road

Why much of Africa’s illicit gold trade transits through Dubai

“The gold business is changing, many of the bigger companies are changing their strategies,” says Richard Morgan, head of government relations ... at mining giant Anglo American. “We are doing much less in Africa and no gold at all. South Africa may still have massive gold reserves but for a big company it’s all about the business case,” he adds.

Article 5/5 of "Tracking the great gold rush"

trial watch

‘There may be God up there, but not me,’ says Beny Steinmetz

On the second day of his trial for corruption and forgery charges, Beny Steinmetz spent seven hours answering questions at the Geneva Criminal ... Court. He had one objective: to not give the impression of being the one who makes the decisions of his company, BSGR.

Thursday, 14 January 2021

protecting the people

Nigeria: Will insecurity, kidnapping and crime get worse in 2021?

Eleven days into the new year of 2021, an unusual tale of two kidnappers was told by the Nigeria Police spokesperson Frank Mba. ...