(Posted 22nd June 2022)
U.S.-AFRICA RELATIONS
President Biden Announces Key Nominees
The White House
Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following leaders to serve as key leaders in his administration… Read more>>
US/Africa: 10 things to know about Biden AFRICOM nominee Michael Langley
The Africa Report
The Pentagon announced on 9 June that it had tapped a 37-year veteran of the Marine Corps to serve as the next head of Africa Command… Read more>>
Bushenyi leaders, USAID clash over Covid vaccination
Monitor
Drama ensued on Tuesday as Bushenyi District leaders clashed with USAID officials over the third round Covid-19 vaccination exercise in the area…. Read more>>
AGRIBUSINESS
World Bank Pledges $2.3 Billion to Tackle Africa Food Insecurity
Bloomberg
The World Bank approved a $2.3 billion program to help countries in eastern and southern Africa increase their ability to deal with spreading food stress that’s expected to affect about 66.4 million people in the region by next month… Read more>>
ENERGY
S. Africa’s $8.5 Billion Climate Pact May Draw New Partners
Bloomberg
Alok Sharma, the president of the COP26 climate talks, said other nations and philanthropic organizations want to join the $8.5 billion climate finance deal offered to South Africa by the UK, US, Germany, France and the European Union… Read more>>
Nigeria’s homes are vanishing into the sea from climate change
Reuters
When an ocean surge washed away Mureni Sanni Alakija’s house in 2011, he took a loan to build a home farther away. But that too is no longer safe as the sea creeps inland in Okun Alfa, a neighborhood in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos… Read more>>
Africa Needs $25 Billion a Year for Full Electricity Access: IEA
Barrons
The number of Africans with access to electricity fell during the Covid pandemic, but $25 billion in annual investments could bring full coverage by 2030, the International Energy Agency said Monday…. Read more>>
HEALTH
Ethiopia’s Drought Forcing Afar Region Residents to Use Dirty Water
VOA
A dirty stream stems from Ethiopia’s Awash River, a lifeline for locals and their main water source for bathing, washing, cooking, and drinking. Ethiopia is reeling from the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in 40 years, and the northern Afar region is no exception…. Read more>>
Six Million does of Pfizer, J&J jabs expiring
Monitor
The extent of the Covid-19 pandemic in West Africa has been hugely underreported, according to blood tests showing the proportion of the population that have had a prior infection… Read more>>
INFRASTRUCTURE
Burundi sees jump in 2022/23 spending, 8% of GDP deficit
Reuters
Burundi plans to raise overall spending 39.5% to 1.39 trillion Burundi francs ($689.91 million) for the 2022/2023 (July-June) budget and expects a deficit of 8% of gross domestic product, Finance Minister Domitien Ndihokubwayo said on Tuesday…. Read more>>
ICT
Tanzania slashes controversial mobile money levy
Anadolu Agency
Tanzania has reduced a controversial levy on mobile money transactions introduced a year ago by 43%, bringing relief to users who were shouldering a heavy burden when sending or receiving money using mobile phones…. Read more>>
TOURISM
Shift Towards Domestic Tourism a Game Changer in Post-Covid-19 Recovery
Africa.com
For decades, tourism has remained a major contributor to the GDP of African economies. In 2019, the industry accounted for about seven percent of Africa’s GDP and contributed $169 billion to its economy—about the size of Côte d’Ivoire’s and Kenya’s combined GDP. But the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic changed all that…. Read more>>
