AFRICA

Africa is making significant strides towards closing gender gaps across key areas: economic participation, education, health, and political empowerment, according to the World Economic Forum. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Namibia is among a select group of nine nations globally that have successfully closed over 80% of their gender …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The agreement by close to two hundred countries that they should transition away from burning the fossil fuels that are warming the planet overshadowed the call for nuclear energy. With most of the delegates at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) settling down, parties …

CAPE TOWN | Xinhua | The well-known Cape of Good Hope was closed Friday morning as a wildfire has been burning for the fourth day on a mountain near Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa. The wildfire started Tuesday on the mountain slopes of Simon’s Town, about 40 …

KHARTOUM | Xinhua |  Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan on Thursday said the army would not sign any peace agreement that does not include the withdrawal of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from public facilities and citizens’ homes. Al-Burhan, also the chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, made …

Mpondwe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The closure of the Uganda- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border at Mpondwe has left dozens of trucks stranded. DRC closed its border on Tuesday following the Wednesday general elections. Although the Kinshasa government declared that the border closure would take only 24 hours, …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The US Government through the United States Africa Development Foundation, has in partnership with Uganda Investment Authority and Stanbic Bank, launched a 5-year program aimed at helping small and medium enterprises to be ready for large-scale investments. The program worth two million dollars (or about …

LUANDA | Xinhua | Angola on Thursday announced its withdrawal from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), according to the Angolan government’s Facebook page. The decision followed a session of the Council of Ministers, which took place on the same day at the Presidential Palace in the national …

Higher inflation will reign in Christmas spending after a post-Covid splurge last year, but Cameroonians and Zimbabweans will still be extremely generous with Christmas gifts, decorations and food this year, according to an annual report SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | African households will focus on gifts and decorations as …

FREETOWN | Xinhua | Sierra Leone on Wednesday lifted a nationwide curfew that has lasted for more than 20 days following a failed coup attempt on Nov. 26. Announcing the decision in a public notice, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education thanked the public for their continued cooperation with …

COMMENT | CRISPIN KAHERU | The Democratic Republic of Congo’s decision to deny Election Observers from some reputable bodies could have far-reaching consequences, casting a shadow over the transparency and legitimacy of its electoral process. This move not only raises concerns about potential irregularities going unchecked but may also signal a …