Interview

Interview with Wamkele Mene, Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat (AfCFTA) Wamkele Mene was recently appointed Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. Because of COVID-19, free trade for countries that have ratified the agreement did not begin, as planned, on 1 July 2020. In …

Nevin Bradford has been the Chief Executive Officer for Cipla Quality Chemical Ltd since November 2013. The Independent’s Julius Businge interviewed him about their COVID-19 experience and general company operations.  What has been your general business experience since March 2020 when the government of Uganda joined the rest of the …

John Walugembe is the Executive Director for Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises, an umbrella body for SMEs in Uganda. The Independent’s Julius Businge had an interview him on the impact of COVID-19 on SMEs. What major milestones has the federation recorded since its establishment? The Federation was established in …

The World Bank is one of several multilateral lenders on the frontline of Africa’s emergency economic response to Covid-19. World Bank vice president Makhtar Diop shares his insights on how the Bank will help overcome an unprecedented crisis that has plunged Africa into a period of great uncertainty. What’s been your perspective of …

For 10 years, Brand Africa has been working to mobilise Africans and the diaspora to proactively drive a brandled African agenda. Its founder and chairman Thebe Ikalafeng tells us how Africa can build more successful brands When you look at African brands today, would you say they are stronger than …

Wamkele Mene was recently appointed Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. Due to the effects of COVID-19, free trading for countries that have ratified the agreement cannot begin on July 1, 2020 as was originally scheduled. He spoke to Kingsley Ighobor about the way forward. Describe …

Ahunna Eziakonwa is the UN Assistant Secretary- General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa of the UNDP. She talks to Kingsley Ighobor on COVID-19 and its impact on African economies. What is the impact of COVID-19 on Africa so far? Well, it has become clear now that COVID-19 …

  When the first cases of coronavirus were detected in December 2019, no one could have ever predicted that it would lead to a pandemic. AZA Trading Desk Manager,  Mungai Murega shared insights with The Independent on the  economic toll of COVID-19 and potential ways in which African businesses can …

DR. Silver Mugisha is the Managing Director of National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC). He spoke to The Independent about strategies NWSC is using to continue serving Ugandans despite the economic challenges created by the raging COVID-19 pandemic. QUESTION: How is NWSC coping with COVID-19 pandemic? ANSWER: It is a tough time that requires innovation and …

  On Feb.09, the much anticipated swarms of desert locusts invaded Uganda from neighbouring Kenya through the northeastern district of Amudat. The government and its development partners including the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have since been battling the destructive insects which are now moving southwards. Experts on the …