South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address on Sunday as the African National Congress marked its 111th year, prioritizing the country’s energy crisis and economic challenges in his speech at Mangaung, Free State. Ramaphosa, re-elected as ANC leader in December despite being the subject of recent corruption investigations,…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
The latest International Monetary Fund forecast for sub-Saharan Africa calls for continued slow economic growth through 2022, with similar conditions next year —an outlook that remains highly uncertain, the IMF said. “Late last year, sub-Saharan Africa appeared to be on a strong recovery path out of a long pandemic,” said…
Another €600 million is headed to African nations as well as other parts of the world, after the European Commission approved additional food security aid it says is needed because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The humanitarian assistance will come from the reserves of the European Development Fund, according to Ursula…
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a State of the Nation Address Thursday to South Africans weary of the faltering economy and anxious about the prospects for the future. “Our history tells us that when we are united in peace and faith, we can conquer all obstacles and turn our country into…
The Germany Africa Business Forum (GABF) announced Thursday a multimillion-Euro funding commitment to invest in German energy startups that focus on Africa. The GABF, based in Berlin and Johannesburg, South Africa, said the funds are the first of their kind for the advocacy group seeking to advance German partnerships with…
The London Stock Exchange has named 360 companies from 32 African nations in its new “Companies to Inspire Africa 2019” report. Nigeria and Kenya lead the way, with the report’s foreword written by President Uhuru Kenyatta. “Entrepreneurship is at the heart of Kenya’s vibrant economy, propelling investment, job creation and…
A South Korean solar energy company partnering with a Kenyan school has received a 2019 Innovation Award at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), for a project designed to keep children in developing nations in school rather than missing out on an education to work at home. The global technology showcase…
The World Bank’s 2018 Year in Review report offers insights on global trends, with 14 charts to present the visual data – and the African continent is at the center of a few key metrics as we head into 2019. “Extreme poverty is at the lowest level in recorded history…
The United Nations Environment Program on Tuesday issued the latest in what’s been a flurry of reports on climate change and global greenhouse gas emissions progress, ahead of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24) meeting in Poland next week. The “emissions…
The World Bank has approved USD$180 million in loan guarantees to boost Kenya Electricity Generation Company Limited (KenGen) and the country’s energy sector. The KenGen project, supported by private sector financing, will build on Kenya’s progress in diversifying its energy sources – including geothermal power – while bringing much needed…
Hundreds of climate activists descended on Casablanca Sunday to create a sun-shaped human banner calling attention to renewable energy. The participants, part of the “Break Free – Go Solar” campaign supported by Greenpeace, created the sun shape near the landmark Hassan II mosque. They were accompanied by messages in English,…
Malawi launched its new five-year development plan on Tuesday during a ceremony at Kamuzu Palace, the State House in Lilongwe. The Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) III emphasizes climate priorities, alongside agriculture and water resources, in a vision that runs through 2022 and builds on the previous version. It…
Veolia, the French multinational firm focused on energy and environmental services, released a message Tuesday urging the public to be careful of “fake news” as its dispute over operations in Gabon deepens. The company, which saw its Société d’Énergie et d’Eau (SEEG) facilities in Libreville seized on February 16, released…
Ghanaian President Nana Akufo Addo will meet Wednesday with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany, where he is finishing up a 10-day tour that also took him to Togo and the United States. The two are expected to discuss bilateral relations with an emphasis on economic partnership. Ghana is one of…
Journalists from Africa’s mainland Least Developed Countries (LDC) or island nations are invited to submit work to the United Nations on how sustainable energy is improving their communities – and potentially receive an expenses-paid invitation to cover the Sustainable Energy for All Forum in Portugal in May. The contest is designed…