Arusha, Tanzania | THE INDEPENDENT | At least seven countries have requested free trade arrangements with the East. African Community (EAC), as the bloc also intensifies efforts to expand the markets for its products. These countries include the United Kingdom, Singapore, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as …
Read More »How agri-food sector could unlock millions of jobs for African youth
Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Africa’s agri-food sector holds significant untapped potential to deliver millions of jobs and livelihoods for the continent’s rapidly growing youth population, according to a new report unveiled on Feb.14 in Kampala. The report is published by the Malabo Montpellier Panel, a group of leading African …
Read More »UPDF ghosts in DR Congo awaken
New enemy with 40,000 fighters rises Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Army is once again locked in a propaganda war of words with armed fighters in the DR Congo who claim it is siding with rebels fighting the Kinshasa government. This time those accusing the UPDF call …
Read More »Nigerian E-payments eclipse South Africa’s 2022 GDP, in latest surge
A scarcity of hard cash has made e-payments the new norm in Nigeria. So much so that the value of digital transactions has grown larger than the 2022 GDP of South Africa, Africa’s third-largest economy. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | When the Nigerian Central Bank introduced newly designed currency …
Read More »Africa’s 10 busiest airports based on total passenger traffic
SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Air travel in Africa is projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels for the first time in 2024. From Cairo, with the second-oldest airport in Africa, to Johannesburg, host to the only airport in Africa with direct flights to six continents, here is a list of Africa’s …
Read More »Bombs hit Goma airport as DRC-M23 battle rages
North Kivu, DRC | THE INDEPENDENT | The Democratic Republic of Congo has accused neighboring Rwanda of orchestrating a bomb attack at Goma International Airport in Goma city, North Kivu province. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning around 02:00 AM when two 81 MM mortar bombs, mounted …
Read More »High-level meeting calls for transforming education systems in Africa
Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa. ADDIS ABABA | Xinhua | Experts and policymakers attending a high-level education-themed meeting on Friday called for transforming education systems in Africa for the betterment of …
Read More »Rwanda, AfDB launch center to build aviation industry skills
KIGALI, RWANDA | Xinhua | The African Development Bank (AfDB) and Rwanda have launched a Center of Excellence for Aviation Skills project to meet national and international aviation training standards and industry demand. The 26.6-million-U.S.-dollar project is in line with Rwanda’s national development strategy, Vision 2050, which underpins the need …
Read More »Kenya rolls out tax incentives for key foreign investors
NAIROBI, KENYA | Xinhua | Kenya said Wednesday it has commenced rolling out tax incentives for foreign investors who set up establishments worth more than 10 billion shillings (about 65.5 million U.S. dollars). Abubakar Hassan, the principal secretary in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, told a trade forum …
Read More »Ugandan parliamentary committee calls for review of national refugee policy
KAMPALA | Xinhua | A parliamentary committee in Uganda on Thursday urged for a review of the country’s refugee policy as the East African country grapples with a growing population of refugees. The Committee on Equal Opportunities in its report to parliament said the rising numbers of refugees from neighboring …
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