One of the first things to notice in the new “Children and Digital Dumpsites” report from the World Health Organization is how little e-waste – castoff phones, computers and other electronics – originates in African nations. It may be the most important thing to notice, though, because the enormous amounts…
Ghana on Wednesday became the first nation to receive coronavirus vaccines through the global COVAX initiative, a partnership supported by UNICEF in West Africa. “The shipments also represent the beginning of what should be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history,” said UNICEF in a statement. “The COVAX…
Presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama and his National Democratic Congress say they’re not yet accepting defeat following Ghana’s election on Sunday, which appeared to give President Nana Akufo Addo the win. The Electoral Commission of Ghana delivered an updated results summary on Thursday that shows Akufo Addo and the New…
At least two people have been injured in Ghana, following a shooting at a polling station in the country’s central region. Police confirmed to national broadcaster GBC that unidentified men opened fire on the polling station at Awutu Senya East Constituency and drove off in a black SUV. The injured,…
Voters in Ghana are headed to the polls on Monday for the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections, with President Nana Akufo Addo facing off against rival and former president John Dramani Mahama. The two leading candidates wrapped up their campaigns over the weekend, with Akufo Addo delivering a Sunday-evening televised…
Three African nations are among those awarded grants from a new fund designed to deliver sustainable cooling to some of the hottest places. The US$580,000 comes from the UK-based Ashden organization, which has focused on climate innovation for the last 20 years. In partnership with the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program…
Ghanaian President Nana Akufo Addo was among the world leaders quick to send encouragement to United States President Donald Trump following the news that Trump and his wife, Melania, tested positive for the coronavirus. “My wife Rebecca and I send best wishes,” said Akufo Addo, who was exposed to the…
President Nana Akufo Addo of Ghana has been elected the new head of the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and will replace outgoing chief Mahamadou Issoufou, his Nigerien counterpart. “I am fully aware of the challenges which confront West Africa,” said Akufo Addo in his acceptance speech,…
Africans celebrated the end of wild poliovirus on the continent on Tuesday, making good on an international promise that dates to 1996 and the Nelson Mandela era. “This is a momentous milestone for Africa. Now future generations of African children can live free of wild polio,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti,…
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…
Ghanaian authorities on Sunday were denying rumors that President Nana Akufo Addo has left the country for medical treatment, following news that he had been exposed to COVID-19 through a close contact. “Kindly disregard the false story published by the Herald newspaper,” said Eugene Arhin, the president’s communications director, in…
Ethiopia and Tunisia have been removed, but four African nations are now on a financial crimes watch list issued by the European Union. Botswana, Ghana, Mauritius and Zimbabwe are identified as high-risk countries for money laundering and the potential for funding terrorism, according to an EU statement. The additions are…
There are now at least 159 positive cases of the novel coronavirus on the African continent, according to health officials, with the first confirmed cases in Ethiopia and Kenya among them. The Ethiopian case involves a 48-year-old Japanese citizen who traveled from Burkina Faso on March 4 but is isolated…
President Nana Akufo Addo of Ghana was on hand Tuesday as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault – a gene bank that protects the world’s seeds, on an Arctic Ocean island governed by Norway – received a huge deposit of seeds from plant species across the world. They came from Mali,…
With Boris Johnson returning as British prime minister, African leaders were quick to congratulate Johnson and his Conservative Party on a decisive win that all but ensures a timely departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari wished Johnson well with the hope of forging “a…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times