Author: James Ndwaru

As Angola President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço visits the White House on Thursday, November 30, the US is poised to strengthen a complex alliance developed during the past three decades of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Going beyond the usual protocol, this visit exemplifies the growing bond between two countries sharing common ideals with hope for a bright and safe future. …

• In recent years, Moscow has focused on building new Russia-Africa ties.
• Russia is interested in searching for new economic markets and geopolitical influence in Africa.
• Russia’s trade with African economies stood at only $18 billion in 2022.

In recent years, Moscow has focused on building new Russia-Africa ties. Russia is invigorating alliances developed during the Cold War when the former Soviet Union supported socialist movements across Africa.

Following the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, Moscow largely withdrew from the continent. However, since at least 2007, Russia has refocused its involvement and influence in Africa.

Over the years, Russia has contracted with over 30 African countries to provide military equipment and armaments. Businesses, including state-backed commercial interests, have invested significantly in technology security sectors and industries that extract natural resources, including oil, gas, gold, and other minerals.

“Russia is clearly interested, in search of new economic markets and geopolitical influence in …

• Creative disruption is predominant in Africa’s orange economy.
• Emerging technologies solve several challenges, even in areas beyond the orange economy.
• Carefully mitigating risks and developing an enabling environment will be key to unlocking the potential of Web 3.0 for Africa’s orange economy.

Recent economic challenges have reminded the world and Africa of the need for economic diversification. The orange economy, otherwise known as the creative industry, is one area that has grown significantly over the last couple of years, presenting endless opportunities for Africans considering the region’s youthful population and wealth of cultural assets.

Nevertheless, comparative advantage alone might not be sufficient to capitalise on the orange economy’s emerging trends fully. It is essential to explore another emerging sector, the Web 3.0 economy, and how it can be leveraged to benefit the orange economy.

The orange economy’s susceptibility to disruptive technology

The orange economy covers various activities that can convert …

• Nairobi, Kenya, will be the site of the highly anticipated Annual Conference of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) from November 22nd to 24th, 2023. 
• The African Securities Exchanges Association has played a pivotal role in moulding Africa’s financial scene.
• A partnership of financial firms, the African Securities Exchanges Association is a key player in Africa’s economic revival. Its ability to promote inclusive growth, knowledge sharing, and cooperation is crucial.

Nairobi, Kenya, will be the site of the highly anticipated Annual Conference of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) from November 22nd to 24th, 2023, drawing the attention of the financial community of Africa. Positioning for Growth: Unlocking Africa’s Stock Exchange Potential for Sustained Economic Development is more than simply a debate topic; it’s a rallying cry for an economic revolution that is about to happen on the African continent.

The African Securities Exchanges Conglomerate (ASEA) has played a pivotal …

• The strategic manoeuvrings of the United States in the DRC’s cobalt mines serve as an international yardstick for how well it can balance economic aspirations with ethical imperatives.
• The DRC has become embroiled in a complicated geopolitical chess game, and it is no longer merely a national asset but a worldwide commodity.
• The strategic importance of cobalt from the Congo to the United States exemplifies the necessity for a multifaceted solution that upholds human dignity in the workplace, safeguards natural resources, and encourages economic resilience.

Conspicuously rising to critical importance on a global scale, cobalt has been overshadowed by the world’s precious metals. Although it is sometimes overlooked in resource talks in favour of its more glamorous cousins, gold and oil, this silvery-blue element—a byproduct of copper and nickel mining—is an essential component of modern technology.

Nevertheless, it is a mineral of the future because it powers electronic devices such …

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has committed an additional $938 million to Kenya as part of a strategy to stabilise the country’s economy.…

On July 1, 2023, Kenya’s government announced a milestone change in the taxation setting by increasing the existing 7.5% tax to 12.5%.

Recent History of Kenya’s Stake Taxation

Njuguna Ndungu, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, explained that the financial maneuver focuses on fighting against underage betting among Kenyan students. He also spent a speech on the addictiveness of gaming and betting and their detrimental social consequences on families and, in general, on the country’s youth. This stake tax decision has been controversial for the government, which decided to double the tax rate from 10% to 20% in 2019.

On the other hand, this decision provoked a decrease in tax revenue, partially resulting from a market exit trend. Thus, the National Treasury CS Ukur Yatani reintroduced the tax in 2021. The same year, the government fixed the excise duty at 20% of the income from stakes and betting activities.

However, the Finance …

• Dubai Ports World (DP World), based in the United Arab Emirates, is rapidly expanding its operations across Africa to become a dominant player in the region’s commerce.
• Establishing a streamlined commerce corridor connecting East Africa and the Great Lakes region is a fundamental plank of DP World’s overall strategy.
• DP World seeks to regulate and strengthen African trade by tackling the difficulties of logistics and storage with cutting-edge digital solutions.

Dubai Ports World in Africa

As the Africa Continental Free Trade Act ushers in a new era of African trade, a significant participant rises from the Arabian Peninsula. Dubai Ports World (DP World), based in the United Arab Emirates, is rapidly expanding its operations across Africa to become a dominant player in the region’s commerce.

The story’s action begins in one of East Africa’s thriving harbours. The vast potential of the Kenyan ports of Mombasa, Lamu, Kisumu, and Naivasha has …

International delegates have gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, hoping to make further progress towards a landmark treaty to address global plastic pollution. The meeting is happening at the UNEP headquarters as negotiators seek to solve the scourge of pollution resulting from more than 430 million metric tonnes of plastic waste produced annually.
More than 2,000 delegates have attended the global plastics summit. They include representatives from environmental organisations, the oil and gas industry, and civil society groups. The delegates in Nairobi will mull two options: a wide-ranging strategy targeting plastics production or a limited approach focussed on waste management.…

• The Nigeria-Saudi Business Council could see the Middle Eastern country fund several sectors of the West African economy.
• Through the council, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia plans to replicate various investments made in Pakistan, Indonesia, and India in Nigeria.
• Africa has increasingly become the subject of high competition between global economic powers.

Nigeria anticipates multi-billion-dollar “immediate” investment flows from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This follows the signing of an agreement between the countries to establish a business council. The Nigeria-Saudi Business Council could see the Middle Eastern country fund several sectors of the West African economy. These include technological advancements, telecommunications, energy, oil and gas, and agriculture.

The two countries resolved to restore the Nigeria-Saudi Business Council. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Abdulaziz proposed the Business Council in 2019. However, the former president of Nigeria, Mahammadu Buhari, resisted the council.

“We expect to see significant investment flow immediately,” Abubakar …