Month: August 2019

President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Biarritz, France to take part in the G7 Summit that is focused on the elimination of inequalities of various kinds globally, the presidency said on Sunday.

The G7 comprises France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, whose government leaders meet annually to discuss important global economic, political, social, and security issues.

President Ramaphosa was invited to this year’s G7 Summit by the host, President Emmanuel Macron of France. The summit is structured into three tracks: G7 and Africa Partnership co-opting South Africa, Rwanda, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and the chair of the African Union Commission; the G7 and four Biarritz Partners which are South Africa, India, Australia, and Chile; then the G7 and all partners.

“The working visit will also provide a platform for President Ramaphosa and members of Cabinet to invite global partners to experience South Africa as …

Gemstone mining company Gemfields said on Friday an auction of predominantly commercial quality rough emerald held in the Zambian capital Lusaka this week raised US$18.6 million in revenue.

In a statement, Gemfields said the stones were extracted by Kagem Mining, in which it has a 75 percent stake while the Industrial Development Corporation of Zambia owns 25 percent.

“The proceeds of this auction will be fully repatriated to Kagem in Zambia, with all royalties due to the government of … Zambia being paid on the full sales prices achieved at the auction,” the company said.

Gemfields said a 15 percent Zambian export duty imposed on emeralds since January 1 remained Kagem’s biggest impediment.

The auction saw 34 companies placing bids, with 37 percent of the offered carats being sold.

Gemfields’ 33 auctions of emeralds and beryl mined at Kagem since July 2009 have generated US$608 million in total revenue.

Its …

Global consultancy Palladium has announced its first impact investment fund to bridge the financing gap for small businesses in sub-Saharan Africa.

The “Palladium Impact Fund I” is expected to raise USD 40 million to provide much-needed capital for SMEs in emerging markets. The fund, which will focus on agribusiness value chains and off-grid clean energy in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, aims to alleviate poverty and economically empower over 500,000 rural households. It intends to create at least 3,500 full-time jobs, of which 60 percent will be for women.

Investors will include foundations, family offices, pension funds, and institutional investors. Palladium will manage the fund, anchored by a $5 million investment of its own capital. The new fund will make debt and mezzanine investments of between $250,000 and $2 million into small companies.

Andrew Tillery, Head of Impact Investments at Palladium, said, “Fifty-four years of experience has taught Palladium that for …

African universities are behind the curve. Of the 500 leading global universities, only two – both in South Africa – make the list.

What is the issue? The Ugandan intellectual, Mamdhani, argues that African universities, established at independence have become symbolic and emblematic must-haves much like a flag. Others argue that a social reproduction function limits access to higher education so elites beget elites who with good tertiary and professional education, many accessing universities in developed countries, maintain power dynamics and status quo in societies.

The debate of what a university is and what is its function is very old. Indeed, universities are one of the oldest institutions of human civilisations tracing their history back to ancient kingdoms including in Africa. The famous al-Azhar University in Egypt and as-Sadiqiyya in Tunisia are over 1,000 years old. They like the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England, Sorbonne in France, and …

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has appointed Mercy Wanjau as the acting Director-General to replace Francis Wangusi whose tenure has ended, despite the former refusing to vacate office noting that the process to appoint a replacement.

The CA Board of Directors Chairman Ngene Gituku, however, said the appointment has been made to ensure that CA continues to discharge its mandate seamlessly.

Mercy Wanjau is a commercial lawyer, a regulatory and governance professional currently working with the Communications Authority of Kenya as the Director of Legal Services and Board Secretary. She has been involved in designing and harmonizing policy and regulation in the ICT sector at the local, regional and international level for over 15 years.

“Given the strategic responsibilities vested on the Authority, we are committed to ensure there is no leadership vacuum and that we deliver on our vision of ‘A digitally transformed Nation,” Mr Gituku said.

Mr …

The 39^th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit, which was hosted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for two days saw the participation of 16- member states, delegates, and other invited guests.

The summit which took place on August 17^th and 18^th saw the Tanzanian President, Hon. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli assuming Chairmanship of SADC for one year till August 2020, indicating another signal of faith to the president and his regime in steering the bloc to the right socio-economic and political direction.

As one of the largest economies in Africa, prior to the summit Tanzania via its Ministry of Industry and Trade hosted the 4^th SADC Industrialization week, whereby more than 2000 people registered for the exhibitions.

Noted by a local media outlet, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Eng. Stella Manyanya said that almost 1,766 of the participants were Tanzanians and 938 were exhibitors. Participants …

The Japanese city of Yokohama prepares to host African leaders and business delegation during the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) will be held in Yokohama from 28th to 30th August 2019.

This is a Summit-level international conference on Africa’s development which was initiated by Japan since 1993. What is striking about TICAD is that rather than being a stage for bilateral relations between Japan and African countries, it uses a multilateral framework involving the participation of international organizations.

It is also broadly accessible to diverse stakeholders, including those from private enterprise, academia, and civil society, with the number of participants at TICAD VI held in Nairobi, Kenya exceeding 10,000. TICAD is also a place where African ownership is given serious regard.

In addition, follow-up meetings at ministerial level are held annually to enable the respective ministries to properly stay abreast of the status of ongoing projects resulting …

For over 20 years, Acacia and its forerunner mining companies including African Barrick Gold, Barrick Gold, Placer Dome, Pangea Minerals and Afrika Mashariki have been operating in Tanzania in three gold mines, Bulyanhulu, Buzwagi and North Mara, found in the north-west region of Tanzania.

Acacia-Tanzania’s largest gold producer was recently cleared by the Magufuli government and resumed its metal concentrates exportation after a series of regulations led by The Mining Commission of Tanzania Ministry of Minerals that impeded the export of the mineral.

In a press release published by Acacia on 15^th August, export permits are now received by Acacia that noted to have missed 30 percent of sales since the ban went live.

Despite the latter, Acacia and Tanzania could mutually benefit form the mining industry which has grown by 10 percent in the first quarter, according to Tanzania’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 2019 first quarter highlights.…

Tanzania has recently lifted its halt on Acacia Mining exporting its gold which was issued on March 3^rd 2017.

The leading African gold miner with over 15 years, faced the suspension after Government of Tanzania took a keen eye on its mining operation in North Mara, located in the northern part of Tanzania.

Acacia published a press release on August 9^th documenting the good news relayed by the Mining Commission of Tanzania.

“Acacia notes that today it’s North Mara Gold Mine has received a letter from the Mining Commission of the Tanzanian Ministry of Minerals (the “Mining Commission”) authorizing the Company to resume gold exports from North Mara subject to its adherence to the export procedure. The letter follows an investigation which the Mining Commission conducted at the mine on 30 and 31 July 2019 and an earlier letter dated 12 July 2019 from the Mining Commission which …

Powering 58 million Tanzanian lives has been featured by numerous large-scale electricity generation projects.

This includes the controversial, USD 3 billion Rufiji Hydro Project construction at, Stieglers Gorge and the 150 MW solar farm to kick off December 2020.

Electricity in Tanzania has never been one energy-source show. Solar energy, biomass, and hydro-power have been contributing to electrifying urban and rural Tanzania for decades.

According to Tanzania Electricity Supply Company (TANESCO) data, a state-owned company responsible for generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, 1, 382.95 MW are generated from hydropower (43 percent) and thermal (57 percent) sources.

Available data on renewable energy point out that only 6 MW of solar off-grid PV has been installed across Tanzania, which is mainly lighting up the rural areas; school, hospitals, health centers, police stations, and households.

And yet, the Energy Access Situation Report of 2016, points out that only 16.9 percent of rural …