AFRICA

Nairobi, Kenya | XINHUA | Kenya is likely to become free from desert locusts in the near future thanks to roll-out of robust containment measures, a senior official from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said on Tuesday. Cyril Ferrand, FAO’s resilience team leader for East …

Harare, Zimbabwe | XINHUA | With the costs for formal health care skyrocketing at the backdrop of an economic crisis that has seen inflation skyrocketing to more than 700 percent, many Zimbabweans are resorting to traditional medication. Amos Kafera, a Zimbabwean traditional healer from Chitungwiza, a dormitory town south of …

Nairobi, Kenya | XINHUA | The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could boost the continent’s income by 450 billion U.S. dollars if fully implemented, says a World Bank report released on Monday evening. According to the report, the pan African trade pact would significantly boost continental trade, particularly intraregional …

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | XINHUA | Thousands of Tanzanians gathered on Tuesday to say a final goodbye to the country’s third president Benjamin Mkapa at a state funeral in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam. In a national address for the funeral, Tanzanian President John Magufuli said Mkapa’s death …

Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA |  South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday warned of a “long and difficult” path to recovery amid widespread protests in Cape Town against economic hardship. “As several parts of our country experience a surge in coronavirus infections, we are also confronted with the economic damage …

Uganda’s scientists, researchers join race  Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | Uganda is among countries where researchers are working to develop a safe and effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu, the director of Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), says they are looking at two …

Nairobi, Kenya | XINHUA | Over 50 percent of Kenyans who have died from COVID-19 have non-communicable diseases (NCD), an official said on Saturday. Rashid Aman, Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Health said that a study revealed that people with pre-existing conditions have high chances of contracting the …

Khartoum, Sudan | XINHUA | Sudan on Saturday said it hopes that the upcoming round of talks on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will be “decisive” and “with specific timetable” to address important issues. “Sudan is looking forward to a decisive negotiating round with specific timetable and clear agenda …

  Johannesburg, SA | XINHUA | Headquartered in Johannesburg, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) on Friday called for African governments to create a conducive environment and introduce tax concessions for the sector to contribute to economic growth. NJ Ayuk, AEC executive chairperson, made the remarks on Friday while speaking on …

Mogadishu, Somalia | XINHUA | Somali lawmakers voted on Saturday to oust Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire in a vote of no-confidence. Parliamentary speaker Mohamed Mursal said some 170 lawmakers voted in favor of no-confidence vote while eight others voted against it. Mursal called on President Mohamed Farmajo to appoint a …