Browsing: Africa

• The UAE will host the third World Local Production Forum from April 7–9, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, focusing on advancing health equity, global health security, and sustainable development.
• The event, organized in partnership with the WHO, will gather over 4,000 participants to discuss innovation, technology transfer, and strategies for resilient healthcare systems.
• Forum highlights the UAE’s leadership in healthcare innovation and its commitment to fostering sustainable health solutions.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to host the third edition of the World Local Production Forum (WLPF) from April 7 to 9, 2025, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

Under the theme “Advancing Local Production for Health Equity, Global Health Security, and Sustainable Development,” the forum aims to bring together global leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to develop practical strategies for enhancing local production capacities in healthcare.

Hosting the WLPF underscores the UAE’s strategic role as a global …

• A staggering $16.2 million from the Bank of Uganda (BoU) was wired into suspect accounts in Japan, audit shows.
• Uganda’s Auditor-General fingers systemic flaws and possible criminal intent in the November 2024 cyber heist.
• Parliament has now forwarded the file for further investigantion by Uganda’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID).

In a high-stakes digital heist, hackers infiltrated Uganda’s treasury systems, siphoning off a staggering $16.2 million (approximately USh60 billion) from the Bank of Uganda (BoU). The theft, first reported in November 2024, sent shockwaves across the country, prompting a forensic audit by the Auditor-General.

The findings of this audit have since ignited intense investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID), laying bare the vulnerability of Uganda’s financial systems.

Auditor-General report on $16.2 million cyber theft

The explosive revelations landed in Parliament on January 9, 2025, where Government Chief Whip Denis Hamison Obua presented the Auditor-General’s report. The report painted …

• Africa’s exploding population presents huge growth opportunities; A world-class digital payments ecosystem will be fundamental to that.
• There are opportunities for anyone who can simplify, rationalise and standardise payments for the continent’s dynamic financial economy.
• Any platform entering this space must recognise that there isn’t one answer; there are many.

Africa is an exciting, vibrant, and creative place to do business. But make no mistake, it has its challenges. Currency devaluation, political instability, and service disruptions are endemic. Africa is not for sissies, as the saying goes.

In navigating those challenges, relationships matter. It’s not so much about throwing money at a problem, it’s about investing time, building trust, meeting with partners and regulators, and understanding each other’s needs.

Africa offers an enormous upside for those prepared to make this time investment. The continent’s population is set to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, and Africa’s people are embracing digital technology, …

• Decentralized power generation—typically based on solar home systems and mini-grids—is the best bet to eradicate energy poverty among people in more isolated rural areas.
• By decentralizing power generation, Africa can secure a sustainable energy future and improve the lives of millions of people.
• Standalone power systems or localized power networks (otherwise known as “mini-grids”) have become efficient means of power that utilize solar in combination with battery storage and backup generators.

Think about a time when your electricity went out. As you sat in the dark, maybe you wondered how long it would be before you could power up your computer again. Or perhaps you considered what you could make for dinner that didn’t require cooking.

Many people in Africa don’t need to imagine such a scenario — they live it. Every day.

A large portion of the continent, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, lacks access to reliable and affordable electricity. …

• Rights group has called on DRC President Felix Tshisekedi to immediately halt plans for mass executions of over 170 death row prisoners transferred to Angenga prison.
• Amnesty has condemned the move, citing concerns over fairness, human rights, and appalling prison conditions.
• Since the DRC’s resumption of executions in March 2024 after a 20-year moratorium, there has been a sharp increase in death sentences.

The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing mounting pressure from Amnesty International following the transfer of over 170 death row inmates to Angenga prison.

Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Sarah Jackson, described the development as “absolutely appalling,” warning that these prisoners may face imminent execution amid opaque legal processes and alarming prison conditions.

“President Felix Tshisekedi must immediately, publicly, and unambiguously halt any plans to execute people in Angenga prison or elsewhere,” Jackson urged. Amnesty has also called on …

• Development of the Misurata Free Zone, road to Chad and Niger, and support for the Sahel-Saharan Bank for Investment and Trade are some of the key projects targeted in new era of cooperation.
• The partnership is poised to facilitate the development of vital infrastructure, bolster trade, and support Libya’s efforts in economic diversification and reconstruction.
• With a GDP of $50.49Bn in 2023, Libya is ranked as Africa’s 12th largest economy. However, less than 10% of its trade occurs with other African nations.

Libya has formally acceded to the Afreximbank Establishment Agreement, becoming the 53rd member nation of the pan-African financial institution. The entry of oil-rich Libya marks a crucial step in advancing continental integration through trade and investment.

Signed by Libya’s Minister of Finance, Dr. Khaled Al-Mabrouk Abdullah, the accession document sets the foundation for a new era of cooperation between Libya and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The partnership is …

• When she tested positive for mpox, the news left Anna, a Ugandan, deeply shocked.
• Anna had never imagined that the disease she had been reading about on her smartphone was what she was suffering from. Yet, she did not lose hope.
• As of 18 December 2024, Uganda’s Ministry of Health reports show that 1,089 cumulative mpox cases had been confirmed.

Twenty-year-old Anna Akola smiles, a beautiful wide smile that lights up her whole face. She speaks very softly, and if you are not attentive, you can miss her words. It is hard to believe that this is the same person who, a fortnight ago, was writhing in pain and discomfort in the isolation unit at Pallisa General Hospital in Eastern Uganda.

Anna had been diagnosed with mpox, a viral disease that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 14 August 2024. …

• The Senegal 2050 plan seeks to address the economy’s weaknesses and position the West African nation as a diversified and dynamic economy in the coming decades.
• At the heart of the Senegal 2050 plan is a commitment to green energy and infrastructure advancement.
• The strategy encompasses substantial enhancements in healthcare, guaranteeing that a healthier populace boosts productivity and innovation.

Over the last decade, Senegal’s economy has remained strong, supported by major sectors, including agriculture, mining, and services. The country’s GDP growth has remained consistently strong compared to regional averages.

Infrastructure projects, enhanced business regulations, and robust regional trade connections are among the pillars contributing to Senegal’s stable GDP. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal also benefits from a stable currency hedged to the euro, which helps control inflation and provides a reliable investment environment.

Like many African countries, Senegal grapples with …

• Sub-Saharan Africa economic growth remains stuck in “low gear” with a large youth population at risk of being left behind—The World Bank.
• Currently, seven in 10 children in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to pre-primary education.
• The World Bank says stabilizing economies and transforming education to equip the region’s growing workforce with stronger foundational skills and market-relevant expertise is critical.

Despite signs of a fragile economic recovery, Sub-Saharan Africa economic growth remains stuck in “low gear” with a large youth population at risk of being left behind. According to the latest analysis by the World Bank’s Africa Pulse, two factors are critical to jumpstart inclusive growth: stabilizing economies and transforming education to equip the region’s growing workforce with stronger foundational skills and market-relevant expertise.

The report, which is in its 30th edition and on the theme of Transforming Education for Inclusive Growth, says economic activity in the region …

• Africa’s urban population is poised to hit almost one billion in 2035.
• This population explosion poses both threats and opportunities.
• Population growth will grow more dynamic and wealthier consumer markets.

The ongoing population explosion in Africa poses both opportunities for economic growth and threats that could dampen the hopes for billions of people. According to the latest surveys, the African continent is expected to record one of the fastest rates of population growth worldwide.

For instance, insights from the Economist Intelligence Unit’s African Cities 2035 report states, “African cities will record rapid urbanization in the next decade, creating a mixed bag of socio-economic opportunities and challenges.”

“Africa has and will continue to have the fastest rate of urbanization of the world’s major regions through 2035. Africa’s urban population will rise from about 650 million in 2023 to almost one billion in 2035,” reads the report in part.

According to …