World Bank’s IDA20 launches $93B in funds for low-income nations

World Bank’s IDA20 launches $93B in funds for low-income nations

The World Bank has formally launched its US$93 billion in funding commitments to help low-income countries build up their economies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other setbacks, with funds sourced in part from 52 donor nations through the IDA20 replenishment. The funding is meant to target “overlapping crises—climate…

African leaders express shock, sorrow over Shinzo Abe death

African leaders express shock, sorrow over Shinzo Abe death

Condolences poured in from across the world over the death of Japan’s former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, with the leaders of African nations expressing sorrow over the tragic shooting Friday during Abe’s speech in the city of Nara. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, prime minister of Mauritius, said he was deeply shocked…

Japan, Africa look to deepen trade ties

Japan, Africa look to deepen trade ties

Japan is looking to expand its presence on the African continent, with trade and investment taking center stage during the Japan-Africa Public-Private Economic Forum held in Nairobi. The event attracted seven ministerial-level leaders and over 200 participants from 15 countries, according to the Kenyan trade ministry. Among them was Takako…

IOC says COVID-safe Tokyo Olympics are ready to go

With just 65 days to go before the opening ceremony of the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the International Olympic Committee said Wednesday it is prepared to hold the games despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the organizational challenges. John Coates, head of the IOC Coordination Commission, issued a…

China denies it has any issue with Africans attending TICAD7

A China at odds with neighboring Japan denied any concerns over the latter’s engagement of African leaders as they attend the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), which began Wednesday. That denial followed reports speculating that the Japanese didn’t release information about African leaders attending the conference because…

AfDB’s Adesina delivers keynote at TICAD7 session in Japan

Akinwumi Adesina, president for African Development Bank Group, delivered a keynote address Wednesday as the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) kicked off with its emphasis on climate change and hunger. “In spite of all the gains made in agriculture, we are not winning the global war against…

Fresh concerns over Ebola outbreak as Japan tests for possible victim

The United Nations Security Council has again expressed “grave concern” over developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the death toll from the Ebola virus outbreak has reached 1,843 people, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization. The 15-member council issued its statement through current council…

Ramaphosa attends G20 summit in Japan

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa is attending the annual G20 Leaders’ Summit, a two-day meeting that began Friday in Osaka, Japan. Ramaphosa joined other world leaders in a discussion of the global economy at a time when trade tensions and concerns over economic growth dominate the agenda. The South…

African doctors named for Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize

Two doctors, one working in Uganda and the other in Democratic Republic of Congo, have been named as this year’s recipients of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize. The award established by the Japanese government honors people and organizations dedicated to research and medical advances that fight disease in Africa. Dr….

Japan commits USD$700 million to African Development Fund

In a first for Japan, the country’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed a new loan agreement with the African Development Fund to provide USD$700.9 million to address poverty and support economic growth. “We hope the loans and grants will be used effectively to improve economic and social conditions of…

Kenya’s first satellite is headed for the ISS

Kenya has developed its first satellite and, in partnership with the Japanese space agency JAXA, will deploy it from the International Space Station (ISS) in spring. The cube satellite was developed at the University of Nairobi as part of a global program of the United Nations Office for Outer Space…

With MP approval, Egypt’s space and satellite plans move ahead

Egyptian lawmakers on Monday approved a long-awaited law formally establishing the nation’s space agency, while announcing a planned research satellite launch with partners Japan and China. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, showed MPs a model of the satellite and said its components will be built…

Namibia sees new sanctions over links to North Korea

Two Namibian firms doing business with North Korea have fallen under new sanctions imposed by Japan, as tensions with Pyongyang have escalated in recent months. Those tensions reached new heights on Tuesday after North Korea launched a missile that flew over Japanese territory at Hokkaido, landing in the Pacific Ocean…