Author: The Exchange

• In a stinging critique, Doanh Chau, President of Vietnam Gas says Kenya and Africa is not short on talent or resources—it is suffering from a chronic failure in leadership, vision, and execution.
• He says Kenya and Africa’s woes stem from unreliable electricity to misplaced infrastructure priorities and a governance culture geared more toward optics than results.
• Doanh Chau: “Leaders talk big, but systems don’t move,”. For Chau, African leaders should stop performing for the next donor visit or global conference and start building strong institutions that work for their people.

A hard look at Kenya, and Africa by extension

In a sharply worded critique following high-level meetings in China, Doanh Chau, President of Vietnam Gas, offers an unflinching examination of Kenya’s leadership and, by extension, the broader challenges facing Africa. His central point? Africa is not short on talent or resources—it is suffering from a chronic failure in leadership, …

• Africa’s future remains uncertain as economies weather chronic funding shortfalls, persistent trade disruptions, and a sharp rise in debt burdens.
• Faced with these challenges, however, investing in smart infrastructure, and supply chains that power intra-African trade could be among the most transformative plans of the decade.
• Enhancing tax revenue through digitalisation, widening the tax base, and administrative efficiency could also help economies to thrive.

At a time when the global economic order is being reshaped by cascading crises—from pandemics and climate change to geopolitical conflicts and mounting debt—Africa’s future remains uncertain.

During African Consultative Group meeting with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, held on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), delivered a compelling vision for the continent: Africa must lean into resilience, inclusion, and transformation to secure its future.

While addressing global …

• African coffee entrepreneurs are turning the Gulf region into the next big destination for the continent’s bean exports.
• With its deep-rooted coffee culture and growing appetite for specialty and ethically sourced brews, the Gulf is turning into a premium destination for African exports.
• Amid fluctuating Arabica prices, Gulf buyers are beginning to turn their attention to high-quality Robusta—and African producers are ready to deliver.

In January 2025, the World of Coffee Dubai trade show once again underscored the United Arab Emirates’ emergence as a serious player in global coffee trade—and Africa was at the center of this evolution. The event offered more than just exhibition space; it served as a launchpad for African coffee entrepreneurs to introduce their brands to a high-potential, high-growth region: the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

For entrepreneurs like John Francois of Asili Coffee in Ghana and Willy Kanyinda Kadima of Cocoi Café in the …

• Kenya’s hospitality industry stands at an inflection point. It has the wind in its sails—growing demand, strategic geography, and rising investor confidence.
• However, headwinds persist: policy inefficiencies, infrastructure gaps, visa challenges, and market saturation in some urban segments pose a big threat.
• Still, with a coordinated effort between the public and private sectors, Kenya is poised to redefine luxury travel in Africa.

Kenya’s luxury hospitality industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation. Buoyed by a 35 per cent surge in international visitor arrivals, an expanding middle class, and a stable macroeconomic environment, the East African country is fast emerging as a magnet for premium travel experiences.

According to hospitality industry experts, this is no coincidence. Kenya’s unique offering—a compelling mix of untamed natural beauty, iconic wildlife safaris, a robust airline hub, and pro-investment policies—is proving irresistible to both travellers and investors.

As global tourism rebounds post the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenya’s hospitality …

• In Congo Basin, a new paradigm of sustainable forest management is taking shape—one that reconciles conservation imperatives with economic development through certification, community engagement, and ecotourism.
• While sustainable forestry lays the foundation, it is ecotourism that breathes economic life into the conservation agenda.
• By blending certified forestry, conservation, education, Indigenous empowerment, and ecotourism, a new model is offering a holistic strategy for managing forest landscapes sustainably.

Deep in the heart of Central Africa lies the Congo Basin—a sprawling, lush expanse of rainforest often referred to as the planet’s second lung after the Amazon. In the Republic of Congo, this natural wonder covers more than 60 percent of the country, acting as a carbon sink that mitigates global climate change while supporting the livelihoods of 75 million people. Yet, this ecological marvel is increasingly imperiled by deforestation, illegal logging, agricultural encroachment, and mining activities.

In response, a new paradigm of sustainable …

• Kenya has secured seven investment deals valued at over $823 million, ranging from smart transport to agriculture and textile manufacturing from China firms.
• In tourism, China’s Hunan Conference Exhibition Group and Huatian Hotel Management Company will invest $23 million to establish a footprint in Nairobi.
• Anhui Jiubao Electronic Technology Co. Ltd, will commit $50M in the set p of a smart traffic component manufacturing plant.
• As relations with the U.S. sour, Chinese companies are diversifying risk and building parallel economic partnerships.

As tensions between Washington and Beijing intensify, the East is rewriting its foreign investment playbook. At the center of this recalibrated strategy is Africa—a continent long viewed through the dual lenses of aid and extractive interests, now emerging as a new frontier of industrial expansion and diplomatic wooing.

Kenya, East Africa’s economic powerhouse, has become a prime target. This week, President William Ruto is being treated to red carpet …

• Defiant ex-DRC president Joseph Kabila says he has returned to the DRC to “participate in peace efforts”, but his successor, Felix Tshisekedi accuses him of backing the M23 rebels.
• An aide to Joseph Kabila, who left the DRC in 2023, announced that he is seeking “to take part in efforts to find peace in the country.”
• DRC’s conflict, which has been persistent for decades, worsened in January when M23 rebels seized Goma city and soon after, Bukavu.

The roiling crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has taken a fresh twist with former President Joseph Kabila now being directly linked to the M23 rebels, who have claimed large swathes of land in the mineral rich area.

Last week former President Joseph Kabila, who has been residing in South Africa, was warmly received in rebel-held Goma city just days after making a public appearance in Kigali Rwanda, expressing his intent …

• FOCUS Africa 2025 forum in Cairo aims at showcasing bankable projects capable of attracting capital.
• With a market of 1.4 billion people and a combined GDP of over $3.1 trillion, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)—presents huge opportunities.
• Afreximbank chief notes that globalisation, as we know it, is under life support.

Policymakers on trade across Africa have met in Cairo, Egypt, for the FOCUS Africa 2025 conference, in yet another push by the continent to enhance trade between countries.

The two-day meeting, 15-16 April, 2025, has seen leaders from various economies exchange views on how to address several investment challenges while unlocking high-impact trade opportunities in the continent.

Some of the key focus areas in the meeting organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation (MoPEDIC) of Egypt and the Group of African Ambassadors in …

• Coca-Cola’s new production line uses artificial intelligence (AI) to proactively identify and resolve issues before they cause stoppages.
• New plant has the capacity of producing 19,200 bottles per hour in pack sizes ranging from 300ml to two litres.
• This increase in production will facilitate the export of beverages to neighbouring markets including landlocked Zambia.

Coca-Cola is set to enhance its Soft drinks production capacity in Malawi with the investment of a new $14.9 million bottling plant. In the company’s market update, the new investment seeks to set up a state-of-the-art production line in the Southern African country’s capital Lilongwe.

According to Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Proprietary Limited (CCBA) CEO Sunil Gupta, “This investment in Malawi reaffirms the Coca-Cola system’s local approach, we produce locally, distribute locally and, where possible, source locally. Our value chain includes a significant number of businesses, many of them small and medium enterprises (SMEs).”

“This investment goes …

• International Property Show 2025 shines a spotlight on PropTech, sustainable design, and strategic partnerships driving the future of real estate.
• Key forums tackle pressing topics—from regulatory frameworks and residential leasing trends to the burgeoning influence of PropTech in reshaping the market.
• Speakers underscore the need for digital adoption, including AI, to ensure efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness.

The third day of the International Property Show (IPS 2025) concluded with a dynamic showcase of ideas, partnerships, and innovations that are set to redefine the future of real estate in Dubai and beyond. With robust participation from industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, the day unfolded as a compelling narrative of transformation driven by technology, sustainability, and global collaboration.

From the outset, IPS 2025 reaffirmed its position as a leading platform for international dialogue on real estate development. The main conference featured high-level panel discussions that tackled some of the sector’s most pressing topics—from …