(Posted 13th June 2024)
CCA MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa executive highlights environmental and sustainability practices
The Independent
Tshidi Ramogase, the Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) Chief Public Affairs, Communication, and Sustainability Officer has reechoed the firm’s commitment to operate business while protecting the environment to achieve its sustainability agenda. “Our sustainability strategy is centered around people—consumers and our employees—and driving sustainable solutions that build resilience into our business to respond to current and future challenges while creating positive change for the planet,” she said in a statement sent to The Independent….Read More>>
Ethiopian Airlines Enhances Botswana Connectivity with New Maun Flights
Travel and Tour World
Ethiopian Airlines Group, one of the fastest growing and largest airlines in Africa, has launched its new service to Maun, marking its second destination in Botswana following Gaborone. The inaugural flight took off from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on June 10, 2024, amidst a festive ceremony attended by Botswana Embassy officials, government representatives, and Ethiopian Airlines executives. The airline will operate the route three times a week according to the following schedule: Addis Ababa (ADD) to Maun (MUB) via Ndola (NLA), returning to Addis Ababa, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays…Read More>>
U.S.-AFRICA RELATIONS
African countries ineligible for U.S. AGOA trade in 2024
Business Insider Africa
Since its enactment in 2000, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has been at the core of U.S. economic policy and commercial engagement with Africa. AGOA eliminates import duties on more than 6,000 products. Initially enacted to cover the period 2000 – 2008, the legislation has been extended several times since then. As it stands, the expiration date for AGOA is set for 2025. Countries seeking eligibility under AGOA must either establish or make consistent progress toward a market-based economy, uphold the rule of law, promote political pluralism, and ensure the right to due process, while also implementing measures to reduce poverty, combat corruption, and safeguard human rights…Read More>>
ENERGY
Critical minerals: Africa holds key to sustainable energy future
Ghana Web
Africa’s vast deposits of minerals critical to the global energy transition, such as cobalt, copper and lithium, can power a sustainable energy future, UN Trade and Development Secretary-General, Rebeca Grynspan, said. She spoke during an event held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and online on 4 June as part of the organization’s 60th-anniversary celebrations. The event, themed “Maximizing Africa’s potential: Leveraging demand for critical minerals to boost inclusive growth and sustainable development” explored ways to optimize the development benefits of these minerals…Read More>>
Jeep Maker Considers Producing New-Energy Vehicles in South Africa
Bloomberg
Stellantis NV, which will start building its first auto plant in South Africa this month, is considering expanding into the production of so-called new-energy vehicles in the country. The decision, which would involve expanding the planned 3-billion-rand ($158 million) plant on the south-east coast, depends on whether a local market for the vehicles emerges, said Mike Whitfield, managing director of the South African unit of the global automaker that produces cars such as Alfa Romeo and Jeep…Read More>>
Driving Efficiency: Propelling Tanzania’s Clean Cooking Revolution
UNDP
The European Union, UNDP, and UNCDF hosted a side event on “Clean Cooking Revolution and the Power of Innovation” during the 5th Tanzania Energy Cooperation Summit (TECS), which was held in Arusha from January 31–February 1, 2024.Tanzania targets 80% clean cooking adoption by 2032. Implementing Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and labelling underscores the nation’s commitment to sustainable energy efficiency and an eco-conscious future. The Energy Efficiency Project emphasizes the vital role of the private sector in achieving these goals. Although 80% of Tanzanians have access to electricity, only 9% use it for cooking due to misconceptions about its cost and taste preferences for traditionally cooked food…Read More>>
HEALTH
Africa Must Stop Putting Healthcare Abroad Over Its Own Peoples’ Needs
AllAfrica
If health is wealth, as the saying goes, does Africa have any chance of escaping mass poverty and low rankings in the human development index that measures the quality of life of the world’s peoples? Real development is not just about GDP growth numbers, but more about GDP per capita and about human development issues such as the availability of quality healthcare and ‘Universal Health Coverage’, education and skills, nutrition, safe water, and life expectancy. Africa’s health systems are collapsing, worsening the quality of life of millions of Africans who do not have adequate and quality healthcare. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and other health professionals are fleeing abroad in search of greener pastures – a massive ‘brain drain’…Read More>>
Africa CDC committed to supporting the replenishment of Gavi funds in Paris
Africa CDC
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the continental public health agency mandated to support African member states in building robust and resilient health systems. Its mission is to safeguard Africa’s health security and accelerate the achievement of universal health coverage. Africa CDC’s strategic focus is on three critical priorities: (1) outbreak and pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response; (2) health systems strengthening, with an emphasis on primary health care and community health; and (3) effective local manufacturing of health commodities, including vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Africa CDC recognizes Gavi as a pivotal partner for health security and collective resilience to vaccine-preventable diseases across the continent…Read More>>
Dacadoo to enter African market to improve health outcomes across the continent
Fintech Global
dacadoo, a leading Health Tech vendor known for its award-winning Health Score and Digital Health Engagement Platform, has announced its commitment to provide access to its technologies in Africa. This move is seen as crucial for a continent poised for significant population growth and increased digital health demands over the next 50 years. By entering this market, dacadoo aims to leverage its technology to improve health outcomes across the continent. The firm is renowned for developing cutting-edge digital health engagement solutions. Its technologies, used in over 40 countries, empower clients with flexible, customizable innovations tailored to meet unique needs. The company’s mission is to push the boundaries of digital health technology, ensuring great health and wellbeing for everyone…Read More>>
Millions in South Africa Grow Old With HIV in Health-Spending Time Bomb
Yahoo! News
Yvette Alta Raphael radiates vitality and she isn’t old. But she grapples with brittle bones, aching knees and a vertigo so severe she’s had to stop driving for fear of causing an accident. The 49-year-old entrepreneur is part of a generation of South Africans who have lived with HIV for decades and are now the first to grow old with the virus after revolutionary drugs turned a death sentence into a chronic ailment. As they age, the cost of care is snowballing and millions are wondering what’s in store for them after critical elections left the country in political flux, with key differences over how to shore up a health-care system already wrestling with the world’s largest HIV epidemic…Read More>>
INFRASTRUCTURE
Regional digital infrastructure gets big boost as Africa Data Centers, others partner
The B&FT Online
In a significant move to enhance digital infrastructure in the country and the broader West Africa sub-region, Africa Data Centers (ADC) has announced a strategic partnership with Onix Data Centre. This collaboration aims to expand the data center footprint primarily in Ghana and other mutually beneficial markets where Africa Data Centers currently lacks a physical presence. This partnership marks a crucial step in Africa Data Centers’ mission to extend its geographical reach and strengthen its commitment to providing customers with world-class data center facilities and services…Read More>>
Forge strategic partnerships and drive collaborative initiatives at the Infrastructure Africa Business Forum 2024
African Mining Market
The Infrastructure Africa Business Forum, set to convene on 16th – 17th July 2024, in Cape Town, promises more than just insightful discussions on infrastructure development, it offers unparalleled networking and collaboration opportunities for stakeholders across the continent. At the heart of the Infrastructure Africa Business Forum lies a commitment to fostering collaboration among industry leaders, government officials, project developers, investors, and financiers. The event serves as a vibrant platform where stakeholders can exchange ideas, forge strategic partnerships, and catlyse transformative projects that address Africa’s infrastructure needs…Read More>>
Lack of mapping, technologies, infrastructure hampers Africa from exploring mineral resources, UN experts say
English News
Africa is encountering a host of challenges in its mineral sector, with a lack of systematic geological mapping being one of the major ones, hampering the continent from exploring its rich mineral reserves, UN experts said. A team of experts from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on Saturday said that Africa holds at least a fifth of the world’s metal reserves that are crucial for energy transition including those metals needed for the manufacturing of electric cars…Read More>>
AGRIBUSINESS
African Development Bank, African Union, United States Government, International Fund for Agricultural Development, CGIAR advance ties to boost Africa’s food production
AFDB
Top development organizations have pledged to forge partnerships to expand the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS), an initiative aimed at building resilient African food systems based on diverse, nutritious, and climate-adapted crops grown in healthy soils. On the sidelines of the African Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi, the African Union’s Commissioner for Rural Development and Agriculture, Ambassador Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, African Development Bank Group Vice President Dr. Beth Dunford and other leaders called for African countries to join the VACS strategic partnership by aligning with the African Development Bank’s flagship initiative Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT)…Read More>>
The destiny of the planet lies in African agriculture – why aren’t we investing in it?
The Telegraph
The world population could reach 10 billion by 2050. Every year, 30 per cent of the planet suffers from hunger, with this figure rising to 60 per cent in Africa. Yet, with its vast natural resources, Africa has the potential to not only feed its growing population – expected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050 – but also to significantly contribute to global food security. African agriculture also plays a crucial role in combating climate change. Improved agricultural practices could sequester up to 23 per cent of global carbon emissions by 2050, according to the IPCC. Increasing agricultural productivity on already cultivated land is the only way to stop deforestation, which accounts for 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and is linked to 80 per cent of the expansion of cultivated land…Read More>>
NPPC Wants African Growth and Opportunity Act Renewed
Brownfield Ag News
The National Pork Producers Council wants the African Growth and Opportunity Act renewed. NPPC vice president of government affairs Maria Zieba says the trade agreement between the U.S. and eligible sub-Saharan African countries is up for renewal next year. “Ten years ago we did negotiate market access as part of (the trade deal), specifically into South Africa, and that hasn’t quite materialized the way that we wanted it to. So we’re back and trying to make sure that AGOA has those enforcement mechanisms.” She tells Brownfield Africa is an emerging market for U.S. pork…Read More>>
African Renaissance and Diaspora Network: Uplifting the Significance of African Women in Agricultural
Washington Informer
The crucial role that African women play in agriculture and the importance of education to develop more equitable partnerships between women, men and their allies were the major themes of Africa Day 2024. With about 700 attendees in person, and more than 1,000 online viewers, African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN) celebrated the role of African girls and women during its meeting entitled, “Women of Africa and the Diaspora and Agricultural Development” at the United Nations on May 24. ARDN is New York-based international nonprofit that advocates for socio-economic development in Africa pursuant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015…Read More>>
Is the Agricultural Sector Ready for Advanced Automation in Africa?
Automate.org
Agriculture is the backbone of Africa’s economy, employing over 60% of the continent’s workforce and contributing significantly to its GDP. The cultivation of various raw food items such as rice, tomato, yam, cassava, etc. has increased the economic growth of Africa as a continent. According to the African Development Bank the Africa’s agribusiness sector is estimated to reach $1 trillion by 2030.The African development bank vice president for agriculture, human and social development Jennifer Banke labeled agriculture as a key priority for the African development bank through the “Feed Africa Strategy”…Read More>>
ICT
Technology Students in Africa, Bolstered by ‘Grassroots AI’
Inside Higher Ed
The University of Johannesburg might have selected Joburg, rather than the bush, for the most recent Southern African Conference for Artificial Intelligence Research focused on human-centered AI. After all, the city would have offered convenience for attendees from around the continent and beyond. Also, humans are decidedly not at the center of the Gauteng Province’s red-dirt landscape. Here, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, zebras, baboons, antelope, warthogs, ostriches, wildebeests, hyenas and cheetahs rule. But the Cradle of Humankind—a paleoanthropological site with the world’s largest concentration of human ancestral remains—is a short drive away from Muldersdrift. Hominin fossils found there date back 3.5 million years. On that spot, Homo erectus first used fire one million years ago. Under the sun’s relentless glare, humanity’s long evolutionary timeline feels palpable. Finding a responsible AI path forward for all living things feels urgent…Read More>>
Layer3 celebrates dual wins at the 2024 Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Awards
NairaMetrics
Layer3, a leading IT solutions provider in Nigeria, proudly announces its triumph at the prestigious Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Awards 2024. Layer3 was honored as the “Cloud Provider of the Year” and “Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year,” recognizing its significant contributions to the advancement of information and communications technology, particularly in the realm of cloud services. These awards underscore layer3’s unwavering commitment to facilitating digital transformation among Nigerian organizations through the utilization of cutting-edge IT computing services and a steadfast dedication to excellent service…Read More>>
FINANCE
African Development Bank Joins the African Carbon Markets Initiative to Enhance Climate Finance
AFDB
The African Development Bank has announced its official membership in the African Carbon Markets Initiative(link is external) (ACMI) as of 30 May. This strategic move is set to empower African countries and the private sector in securing additional resources to combat climate challenges effectively. Dr. Kevin Kariuki, the Bank’s Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth, made the announcement during a round table at the 2024 Annual Meetings of the Bank Group, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 27 to 31 May. “I am pleased to announce that the African Development Bank is now an official member of the African Carbon Markets Initiative. Through this decision, the Bank is committed to establishing a mechanism to support carbon market initiatives across our continent,” said Kariuki…Read More>>
Egypt supports development of continental dialogue platform for innovative health sector financing in Africa: Finance Minister
Daily News Egypt
Finance Minister Mohamed Maait, who also chairs the General Authority for Comprehensive Health Insurance, has reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to bolstering the financial resilience of health systems across Africa. This initiative seeks to enhance the delivery of enduring health services to the populace, acknowledging the pivotal role of private sector investment in the fight against diseases and epidemics. Minister Maait has offered to share Egypt’s insights on adopting a universal health insurance model with other African nations, aiming to provide all-inclusive healthcare while safeguarding families against the dual threats of health crises and financial burdens, all at a minimal cost and optimal efficiency…Read More>>
Access Bank acquires African Banking Corporation of Tanzania to expand East African footprint
Business Insider Africa
The bank said in a statement that this milestone follows its initial announcement in July 2023, marking another significant step in its journey to become the world’s most respected African bank. The statement reads: “With the successful acquisition of BancABC Tanzania by the Bank, BancABC operations will now be merged with the consumer, private, and business banking operations of Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania at completion to form a new, entity to be known as Access Bank Tanzania.” Speaking on the development, Access Bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Roosevelt Ogbonna, said ‘This strategic move represents a notable step towards setting a railroad in Tanzania for intra-African trade within the East African region, Africa and the rest of the world…Read More>>
