NEWS ANALYSIS

  New Delhi, India | AFP | The less-than-supersonic sale of French Rafale fighter jets to India has highlighted the obstacles facing foreign arms firms seeking to do business with the world’s biggest weapons importer. India has signed a series of key defence deals under Prime Minister Narendra Modi as …

Libreville, Gabon | AFP |  Ali Bongo, whose re-election victory was upheld by Gabon’s constitutional court Saturday, has long sought to emerge from the shadow of his father, Omar Bongo, who ruled the country for 41 years until his death in 2009. Bongo, a stockily-built 57-year-old, is variously known by …

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Arsene Wenger memorably announced his arrival as a revolutionary force in England by banning his players from eating sweets, but the Arsenal manager’s reign has turned increasingly sour as he marks the 20th anniversary of his appointment. Arguably the most significant agent of change …

NEWS ANALYSIS: Experts dissect the government’s target of oil finally flowing by 2020 The government of Uganda on Aug. 30 finally issued oil production licenses to Tullow Uganda Operations Pty Ltd and Total E&P Uganda B.V. The move ended a long wait for the oil companies caused by disagreements with the …

Extreme poverty in Uganda fell from 53.2% in 2006 to 34.6% in 2013 Poverty reduction among households in agriculture accounts for 79 percent of of national poverty decline from 2006 to 2013. According to the World Bank Group’s latest Poverty Assessment, the proportion of the Ugandan population living beneath the national poverty …

Museveni badly needs $20bn for big projects, can his technocrats get it? President Yoweri Museveni has set goals for his government to construct a number of mega projects requiring about US$20 billion to finance in four years up to 2020. Can he achieve them? The projects include key oil infrastructure, including …

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Brazil’s been partying hard for five years, hosting a string of international mega-events that end this Sunday with the Paralympics. So is it time for the hangover? There was the 2014 football World Cup, the Confederations Cup, the Rio+20 United Nations environmental summit, …

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Ugandan counterpart President Yoweri Museveni on Sept.05 launched the inaugural Global African Investment Summit in Kigali, Rwanda.   Dubbed the Global African Investment Summit COMESA & Government of Rwanda (TGAIS-Rwanda), the meeting brought together African leaders, heads of State, senior policymakers and influential business leaders …

Washington, United States | AFP |  What happens if a candidate for the White House is forced to quit the race? Who steps up to fill their shoes? It’s a question suddenly in the spotlight Monday as Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton battles a case of pneumonia that left her feeling …

“These are first class,” says the woman as she shoves undergarments, mostly used bras, at me, “they are well-sorted and imported from UK, Europe, Korea and Australia.” I am in Owino Market, the sprawling market which is renowned throughout East Africa for its bustling trade in second-hand clothing items. I could …