Author: James Wambua

• South Sudan is recognised for its vast mineral resources, including a burgeoning gold industry.
• Over 50 alluvial sites near the Luri River, about 40 km southwest of Juba, have reported gold concentrations.
• Other alluvial gold concentrations have been found near the Kinyeti River, Nimule, and northeast Karpeto.

Globally, South Sudan is recognised for its vast mineral resources, including a burgeoning gold industry. This industry represents promising opportunities for collaboration with established gold producers, enabling the country to leverage its expertise for enhanced exploration, extraction, and value addition.

For the first time in its eight-year history, the South Sudan Oil and Power Conference and Expo has been extended to four days to include a concurrent mining forum. This forum aims to explore and promote South Sudan’s untapped mining potential.

It invites international investors and private companies to participate and engage directly with South Sudan’s Ministry of Mining, offering a unique opportunity …

• In Africa, a staggering 1.2 billion people lack access to clean cooking facilities.
• Lack of clean cooking facilities is one of the main causes of deforestation in Africa.
• AfDB funding is a major step along the road to saving the lives of 600,000 mainly women and children each year.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has pledged $2 billion over the next decade towards clean cooking initiatives in Africa, marking a huge stride in the effort to save the lives of 600,000 people, predominantly women and children, each year. This commitment aims to address the health hazards associated with traditional cooking methods that rely on charcoal, wood, and biomass, which contribute to severe respiratory illnesses and environmental degradation.

At a summit on Clean Cooking in Africa, held in Paris, AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina announced that the Bank would allocate 20 per cent of its energy project financing to promoting …

• Across Africa, gender inequality in marriage, divorce, custody, and property rights is perpetuated by sex discrimination embedded in both legal systems and customary laws.
• Discriminatory family laws have profound impacts, increasing the risk of sexual and gender-based violence for women and girls.
• Laws in Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, and Tanzania still allow child marriage.

Discrimination against women and girls remains widespread in family laws across Africa, according to new research by Equality Now. An analysis of 20 African countries reveals that gender inequality in marriage, divorce, custody, and property rights is perpetuated by sex discrimination embedded in both legal systems and customary laws. Despite some significant legal reforms, progress has been slow, inconsistent, and hindered by setbacks, lack of political will, and weak implementation.

The report, “Gender Inequality in Family Laws in Africa: An Overview of Key Trends in Select Countries,” highlights how overlapping and …

• With Yeeo—a web app—individuals have the privilege of saving their time and cost of printing cards, which often end up being dumped and ensure their money is invested elsewhere.
• Yeeo’s business strategy brings together environmental conservation and this vision to help enterprises save billions spent on card printing.
• Dubai-based Yeeo has already secured intellectual property rights in 179 countries around the world.

As I navigated through the bustling crowd of delegates from around the world at the Startups Showcase during the AIM Congress 2024, I felt a gentle tug on my jacket. It was Abdullah AlShetiwi, a determined look in his eyes and a welcoming smile on his face.

As I reached out to offer my business card to Abdullah, he intercepted with a gesture, saving me the customary exchange. Instead, he swiftly pulled out his phone, suggesting we swap contacts via a QR Code. With a quick scan …

• About a fifth of children under 17 have received unsolicited online requests to discuss sex or sexual acts.
• Up to a third of children aged 12-17 in Ethiopia and Mozambique are sharing personal information with strangers online.
• An estimated 13 per cent of 12-17-year-olds in Kenya and Mozambique reported being threatened or blackmailed to engage in sexual activities online.
• A third of 9-17-year-olds in South Africa and over a quarter of 12-17-year-olds in Mozambique went on to have face-to-face meetings with individuals they initially met online.

Fresh reports from two of Africa’s leading child rights groups have uncovered a shocking rise in online child sexual exploitation and abuse across the continent. The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) and ChildFund’s investigations reveal a deeply troubling trend, with children increasingly becoming victims of online predators.

These findings underscore an urgent need for robust measures to combat this growing menace and …

• Four innovators from Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Uganda, selected from a shortlist of 16, vie for the £50,000 (over $62,000) Africa Prize.
• Their innovations encompass recycling in construction, AI tools for healthcare and farming, and reengineered waste collection, addressing crucial societal needs.
• The three runners-up will each receive £15,000 (over $18,000), while a £5,000 (over $6,000) prize titled ‘One to Watch’ will be awarded to the most promising business among the shortlist.
• Since 2014, the Africa Prize has empowered nearly 150 entrepreneurs across 23 African countries, creating over 28,000 jobs and positively impacting more than 10 million people with their innovative products and services.

The Royal Academy of Engineering is set to host the final showdown of the 10th Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, the continent’s premier engineering accolade, on June 13, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya. Out of an initial pool of 16 visionary innovators crafting sustainable, scalable engineering solutions …

• Over 68% of the world’s population will be living in urban areas in 2050 up from the current 55%.
• However, poor living conditions are worsening with about 1.1 billion people worldwide residing in informal settlements or slums.
• Furthermore, another 318 million people are either homeless or at risk of homelessness globally.

As the world grapples with unprecedented pace of urbanization, the role of city planning has never been more critical. As populations surge, housing shortages bite harder, and the impacts of climate change manifest in increasingly severe ways, the traditional paradigms of city planning are being challenges like never before.

As projections indicate that over 68 percent of the world’s population will be living in urban areas by 2050, the imperative need for visionary city planning has never been clearer, Dr. Erfan Ali, Chief of Staff at UN-Habitat, Nairobi, told delegates at a forum on Future Cities at the …

• Inaugural event promises to be a cornerstone in the region’s wood and woodworking machinery industry
• As construction projects continue to increase, the demand for woodworking machinery is expected to escalate
• Saudi WoodShow is showcasing an impressive line-up of exhibitors, including renowned companies such as Al Arak Wooden Manufacturing Company

 Thousands of delegates are converging in city of Riyadh for the Saudi International Wood and Woodworking Machinery Exhibition (Saudi WoodShow) is all set to close tomorrow, May 14. Organized under the banner of WoodShow Global, this inaugural event promises to be a cornerstone in the region’s wood and woodworking machinery industry.

Globally, woodworking machinery market is projected to experience a steady Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.5 percent between 2023 and 2032, fueled by the robust expansion of the construction sector worldwide.

With the industry witnessing significant growth momentum, the woodworking machinery market, valued at $4.9 billion in 2022, is …

• Russian Investment Forum at AIM Congress 2024 highlighted Russia’s robust economic standing.
• Various Russian regions showcased unique investment opportunities, from the Far East’s oil and gas sector to Tatarstan’s diverse industries.
• Discussions also revolved around innovation and technology, with an emphasis on Abu Dhabi’s potential as a global technology hub.

Amidst the grandeur of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the Russian Investment Forum emerged as a unique centre of opportunities during the 2024 AIM Congress.

Under the International Partners’ Track, this forum brought together luminaries from Russia’s business landscape to showcase the nation’s unique investment propositions and affirm Abu Dhabi’s suitability as a global technology hub.

Spearheading the discussions was Sergey Katyrin, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. Katyrin painted a picture of Russia’s robust economic stature, ranking first in Europe and fifth globally in terms of GDP.

He cited Russia’s …

• At AIM Congress 2024, ministers worldwide share insights and strategies for unlocking global investment potential and navigating the prevailing economic challenges.
• Ministers highlight diverse approaches to investment attraction, ranging from leveraging emerging markets and fostering SMEs to offering incentives like tax exemptions and creating investment-friendly regulations.
• The global forum showcases a collaborative effort to drive economic growth, regional collaboration, and private sector involvement.

In a bustling convergence of minds at the ADNEC in Abu Dhabi from May 7th to 9th, the 2024 AIM Congress unveiled a remarkable event that captured the attention of global leaders—the Ministerial Roundtable on Investment.

This exclusive gathering under the Roundtables’ Track brought together a cadre of distinguished ministers worldwide to share insights and strategies in navigating the complexities of economic volatility, geopolitics, and the looming global economic slowdown.

H. E. Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, set the tone …