President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the South African nation on Sunday evening, speaking about foreign policy ahead of hosting the leaders of China, India, and Brazil during the BRICS summit, which begins on Tuesday. “This BRICS Summit and the state visit by President Xi Jinping, as well as the many bilateral…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
A new report on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and how best to leverage the potential of public-private partnerships was released in conjunction with this week’s World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos. AfCFTA: A New Era for Global Business and Investment in Africa, published by the WEF,…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
The economic recovery that has followed COVID pandemic impacts in sub-Saharan Africa has been disrupted by the impacts of war in Ukraine, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) now trimming back its 2022 projected growth estimates to a slower 3.8%. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered a sharp rise…
Google CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted African innovation during a brief address Monday to the Business Forum of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) held in Addis Ababa. The business forum was held on the margins of the annual African Union Summit. It focused on transportation as part of…
The keys to the new headquarters of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat were handed over on Monday in Ghana, where the government also established a permanent residence for the first AfCFTA head. Wamkele Keabetswe Mene, the South African elected to the position in February, delivered remarks at…
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stepped into his new leadership role as African Union president on Sunday, taking the helm from outgoing President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt as the AU Summit got under way. Ramaphosa kept security issues top of mind in keeping with the AU Summit theme – South…
The president of Kenya said Friday that a new bilateral trade deal with the United States won’t threaten the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) or reduce the country’s commitment to the African common market. President Uhuru Kenyatta met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday…
The Government of Ghana has announced its full support for the new ECO currency that will replace the CFA Franc in 2020, and is urging other West African states to do the same. President Nana Akufo Addo, a champion of regional cooperation through the 15-nation ECOWAS organization and a common…
President Uhuru Kenyatta, speaking at the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, said it was time for Middle Eastern nations to renew the historic investment interest in African economies, one that dated back to the ancient days of maritime trade depending on dhows and monsoon winds. “Here we…
The governments of Morocco and the United Kingdom signed an agreement over the weekend designed to ensure that trade between the two countries will continue as smoothly as possible once the UK leaves the European Union – a deal that underscores the “Brexit” implications for many African nations. “The signing…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
By Piotr Arak AT Contributor The process of increasing international trade in Africa and decreasing barriers that can foster growth resembles the goals and policies introduced successfully in Europe. This year Africa will take a big step towards tackling entrenched economic problems including a dearth of intra-regional trade as the…
The new African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will make its home in Ghana, a decision announced Sunday during an African Union summit in Niger that celebrated the official launch of the free-trade deal. Actual trading under AfCFTA is expected to begin a year from now and when it does,…
China on Monday congratulated African nations following the weekend launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Niamey, Niger, during an African Union summit that saw Niger and Benin join the near-complete list of African nations signed to the trade deal. The achievement was welcomed by China’s ministry…
The West African nation of Benin will sign its agreement to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a move announced Friday that follows Nigeria’s big decision in favor of the common market earlier this week. That leaves just “one more signatory state before all 55 African Union members are…
A study that looked at the potential regional impacts of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement suggests that it’s Central Africa that stands to gain the most from a unified African market of 1.3 billion consumers, and the easier movement of people and goods across borders. Research director…