Browsing: African Union

• DRC Joins the Organisation of Southern Cooperation after depositing the Instrument of Acceptance
• Secretary-General Manssour Bin Mussallam received the Instrument of Acceptance.
• The OSC, aimed at fostering cooperation and development among Southern Hemisphere countries

The Republic of the Congo has consolidated its full membership status of the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC) by depositing the Instrument of Acceptance by Daniel Owassa, Ambassador of the DRC to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union.

Secretary-General Manssour Bin Mussallam received the Instrument of Acceptance at a handover ceremony yesterday at the OSC Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The Republic of the Congo is a founding member of the OSC. The depositing of the Instrument of Acceptance signifies the completion of the full membership process by countries in the Global South.

Read Also: SkyPower, AFC, and DRC join forces for $2.3Bn Green Giant project

H.E. Bin Mussallam said the occasion marked the beginning …

• The Malnutrition Crisis in Africa has seen 63 million children stunted, 10 million overweight, and three million wasted.
• Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said poor nutrition keeps school-age children from realising their educational potential.
• Ministers, development partners and other speakers reviewed the progress toward achieving nutrition targets.

Malnutrition crisis in Africa

Leaders convening for the African Union and African Leaders for Nutrition Champion have revealed that Africa’s children are paying a considerable price as the continent finds itself in a malnubrock bowers jersey college football jerseys jordan proto max 720 custom stitched nfl jersey best human hair wigs for black females castelli gabba 8 ft kayak fsu football jersey borsa prima classe custom nfl football jerseys air jordan 1 element keyvone lee jersey sit top kayak best human hair wigs for black females brock purdy jersey trition crisis among kids. An event held on the sidelines of the 37th Ordinary Session …

• An ongoing diplomatic row in Addis Ababa has prompted the AfDB to withdraw its international expatriates from Ethiopia.
• At the same time, fears of a possible shift of the African Union’s (AU) headquarters from Addis Ababa to Nairobi have been voiced in response to the worsening political situation and growing violence in Ethiopia.
• The current scenario in Ethiopia presents significant obstacles for international organizations that operate within the country. 

Circumstances surrounding the AfDB’s withdrawal from Ethiopia

A roiling diplomatic crisis pitting the African Development Bank (AfDB) against authorities in Addis Ababa—the seat of the African Union—has prompted the pan-African lender to relocate its international personnel from Ethiopia in a huff. This hasty decision announced on Wednesday comes months after Ethiopian security forces reportedly mistreated two AfDB staff members in Addis Ababa on October 31, 2023.

Under the direction of a newly designated Officer-in-Charge, the Bank’s Ethiopian office will continue to …

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is now widely touted as the African Union’s (AU) most audacious project. The framework ties together the most significant number of member countries of any trade agreement since the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1995.

The AfCFTA had become topical even before its formal launch. Members of the business community eagerly awaited the full implementation of the AfCFTA. But two years since its formal launch, how far has the AfCFTA ushered in the ‘new era’ of African integration it promised?…

• The Maputo Protocol was adopted by the African Union (AU) in July 2003.
• Already, 44 out of 55 Member States have ratified or acceded to it. Another eight countries have signed but were yet to accede to it as of June 2023.
• While progress has been made in a number of goals, some challenges loom large.

To mark the 20^th Anniversary of the Maputo Protocol and to promote the continued adoption and implementation of its progressive provisions, the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition (SOAWR), Equality Now and Make Every Woman Count has released the 20 Years of the Maputo Protocol: Where are we now?

The report is a summary of the progress made in Africa towards the ratification, domestication, and implementation of the protocol. It highlights key achievements and challenges.

The Maputo Protocol holds immense importance as a legal instrument for the promotion and protection of women’s rights …

In recent years, Africa has emerged as a promising destination for global investment, with its vast natural resources, expanding consumer markets, and growing middle class. As the continent’s economies continue to strengthen and diversify, global players increasingly recognise the potential for mutually beneficial partnerships. The United States has significantly contributed to Africa’s economic transformation among these partners.…

• Africa suffers substantial financial losses due to cyberattacks, estimated to exceed $3.5 billion annually.
• The increasing interconnectedness and flow of people, goods, and information across the region, will intensify cyber risks.
• Developing local cybersecurity capabilities, investing in digital skills development will be critical in tackling threats.

An analysis by global management consulting firm Kearney is calling for urgent efforts for Africa to develop a comprehensive and forward-looking approach to tackle cybersecurity threats. The June 20th report: Cybersecurity in Africa: A Call to Action, emphasizes the growing scope of cyberthreats and the need to ensure Africa’s unhindered entry into the digital economy.

According to Rob van Dale, a Partner at global management consultancy Kearney, “Africa needs a comprehensive agenda to address its low cyber resilience, deal with the scale of cyber threats, and ensure Africa’s unobstructed leap into the digital economy.”

A four-point agenda

The report proposes a four-point agenda that …

• Region economic communities such as East African Community (EAC) are opening doors for citizens to expand their hands across various economic opportunities.
• The movement of people over space and time is the bloodline of the modern world’s economies.
• South Africa, Africa’s highest ranked passport, was position 54 globally with South Africans having visa-free access to 106 nations.

A recent World Economic Forum (WEF) report revealed that an American passport holder can access 43 percent of the global GDP without a visa while a United Arab Emirates (UAE) passport gives access to 70 percent of the global GDP.

In contrast, the Nigerian (top African economy) passport holder can access 20 percent of the world, equivalent to 1.5 percent of the global GDP. The measure of access is a wake-up call on assessing strategies and measures regarding the movement of people over space and time in Africa.

Since the launch of the …

• AGOA has been a cornerstone of the U.S trade policy in Sub-Saharan Africa since the year 2000.
• The non-reciprocal trade preference programme that provides duty-free access to the U.S market.
• A range of manufactured goods and processed mineral products account for the bulk of exports.

African countries are pulling together to lobby the U.S Congress to approve the renewal of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) this year.

Kenya and South Africa are leading the push to have a 10-year extension on the pact that allows a select number of African countries to export finished products to the US.

AGOA has been a cornerstone of the U.S trade policy in Sub-Saharan Africa since the year 2000.

The non-reciprocal trade preference programme that provides duty-free access to the U.S market, for about 40 eligible African countries, is set to expire in 2025.

Initially, it was intended to last 15 years …

Oil in Central Africa