Browsing: East Africa

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) picked 28 countries that are to benefit from the $142.7 million debt relief program and Rwanda and Tanzania are drawing benefits.

In the East Africa region, Rwanda led the as the country that enjoyed the highest debt relief of $71.23 million while Tanzania followed at $26.43 million, Burundi at $25.42 million and Ethiopia at $19.71 million. South Sudan, Kenya and Uganda were not part of the selected 28 countries.

This comes after Bretton Woods institution which now plays a central role in the management of balance of payments difficulties and international financial crises, approved the third tranche of grants for debt service relief for 28 member countries under the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT).

In April and October last year, two tranches were approved which now facilitates the disbursement of grants under the CCRT for payments of all eligible debt service totalling $238 million …

It is early January, the World is still celebrating the new year , so is Somalia, the Horn of Africa. Two F-35B, single pilot airstrike jets strike at al-Shabaab operatives killing three members of the terrorist group, reported the U.S. Africa Command, AFRICOM.

An African Defense Post Abroad

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), is a joint military command body of the US for African military response against mainly terror threats.

However, AFRICOM is nowhere near Africa, on the contrary, it is across the seven seas in Europe, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. Now Africa wants the command post brought closer to the continent, after all it was formed to address terror threats on the continent was it not?

During its formation in 2007, the White House announced that AFRICOM “will strengthen our security cooperation with Africa and create new opportunities to bolster the capabilities of our partners in …

If you are reading this in East, Central, North or Southern Africa, you have probably heard these hit songs “Number One”, “Waah”, “Nana”, and “Jeje” performed by Diamond Platnumz.

Tanzania as another country in Africa with plenty of music potential has seen its very own raw talent, Diamond Platnumz raising the country’s flag with his unique and eccentric Bongo-Flava hits, but also drawing more receipts probably more than any other artist in Tanzania’s history.

The East African country has produced more successful musical talents including AY, MwanaFA, Lady JayDee and Ali Kiba to mention a few. However, Diamond Platnumz has become a shiny icon that has drawn more accolades to the table, from MTV awards, Future Awards, South African Music Awards, BET Awards, and Tanzania Music Awards.

The Tanzanian best male artist has been in the industry for more than ten years as of now he has pinned the music …

Banks in East Africa are empathizing with the loss of livelihood and businesses of their clients by easing off on loan payment demands as the covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt economies.

In 2020, top East African banks increased provisions for bad debts by over $736 million so as to reduce exposure on businesses and household loans in countries that are most affected by the pandemic.

According to a review of the banks audited financial statements, in 2019 the top eight Kenyan banks by market share tripled their loan loss provisions to $960 million from $263.11 million.

In order to take care of $1.56 billion worth of loans that had been restructured to bail out clients who were most affected by the pandemic, equity bank increased its loan loss provision by $198.6 million making it the greatest hit on its net earnings that the bank has ever experienced. This led the …

Climate change is a 21st-century phenomenon that has called the attention of most governments on planet earth. In Africa, the cost of adaptation is estimated at approximately $2 billion per year in the period 2030-2100.

According to a US-based think-tank, Brookings, research finding point out that, bold climate action could deliver at least $26 trillion in global economic benefits between now and 2030. On another, it could also generate nearly 65 million new low-carbon jobs by 2030.

All these benefits safeguard Africa’s prosperous future which is filled with exciting development projects execute across the region’s vast landscape.

As far as the adoption of new climate economy models, such as phasing our fossil fuels energy structures and ushering in renewables particularly solar and wind energy—which is proving to be useful in East Africa, the role of green banks and climate funds is inevitable.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Climate …

Contribution of game meat to total world meat production and consumption is apparently very small, according to reports the world Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In an article titled ‘The new international market for game meat’ FAO cites that records of game meat trade and consumption are even less documented in the international meat trade platforms. “Accurate statistical information is grossly lacking. In many countries even statistical data on conventional meats produced by agriculture leave much to be desired, so the situation can only be worse in the field of game meat,” reads the report in part.

With only developed countries like the United States and some countries in central and northern Europe being recognized for keeping track of game meat, Tanzania has taken an unprecedented step in legalizing the trade of game meat, and keeping of accurate data of the trade.

The development comes under President John Magufuli’s …

Innovation is ferrying Africa to a brighter more successful future, a future of technology and digital realities in everyday life. From mobile Apps that allow John in the city centre to Dr. Atish Shah’s affordable battery-powered prosthetic arm that even the least fortunate can afford, innovation is defining Africa’s reality.

African Innovation: Tanzanian Doctor creates mobile-battery powered prosthetics

Tanzania’s Dr. Atish Shah has been recognized the World over for his innovation the Mkono-1, a 3D-printed functional prosthetic hand. Dr. Shah a biomedical engineering Masters candidate says the design was made with the average Tanzanian in mind. It is affordable and functional giving amputees an inexpensive solution for improved mobility and independence.

The prosthetic hand is charged by a simple mobile phone battery, bringing a revolution to an otherwise very expensive industry. In Tanzania, prosthetics are unaffordable for those in middle and low-income communities, and no other battery-powered prosthetics are …