(Posted 30th January 2025)
CCA MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
COCA-COLA ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH SA RUGBY
Coca-Cola
The two iconic brands reunite with a four-year partnership that encompasses the reigning world champions, the Springboks, as well as the Springbok women, Springbok Sevens men and women, as well as the Junior Springbok teams… Read More>>
Microsoft commits to skilling one million people for digital skills through Artificial Intelligence skilling initiative in South Africa
Microsoft
With its youthful population, rich diversity, and rapidly growing tech ecosystems, South Africa and Africa are uniquely positioned to innovate and lead in AI-driven solutions with the right skills and access to digital technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). To meet this opportunity, Microsoft South Africa today announced the launch of Microsoft’s AI skilling initiative for South Africa, a programme aimed at empowering one million South Africans with growing in-demand digital skills by 2026… Read More>>
U.S.-AFRICA RELATIONS
White House rescinds federal aid freeze
CNN
The White House Office of Management and Budget has rescinded the federal aid freeze, according to a memo obtained by CNN from a Trump administration official… Read More>>
Trump’s Aid Order Seen Risking Lives and US Influence in Africa
Financial Post
International aid groups warned that the Trump administration’s “stop work order” on foreign assistance risks both lives and American influence across Africa, where US aid funds everything from military exercises to local hospitals… Read More>>
South Africa’s president confident that US relations will strengthen under Trump’s government
VOA
The United States has a new chief diplomat after Marco Rubio was sworn in as Secretary of State. Rubio has taken a tough stance on China and pledged to advance America’s interests abroad but has not been specific when it comes to his Africa policy. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is confident, though, in his country’s relationship with the U.S. under the new Trump administration, as Kate Bartlett reports from Johannesburg… Read More>>
Africa Policy in the Second Trump Administration
CSIS
Catherine Nzuki, associate fellow in the CSIS Africa Program, joins the podcast to discuss the impact of new policies—like U.S. withdrawals from the World Health Organization and the Paris climate agreement—on Africa, how African nations can use great power competition between the United States and China to their advantage, and her new CSIS podcast, The Afropolitan… Read More>>
ENERGY
Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit: Continent to connect 300 million to electricity by 2030 in new ambitious and collaborative initiative
AfDB
Connecting 300 million Africans to electricity within the next five years is within reach through collaborative effort and commitment to implementation, participants at the Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, heard on Monday… Read More>>
International Day of Clean Energy January 26th: African Development Bank promotes women’s empowerment through sustainable energy business development
AfDB
When Grace Akingurwaruh signed up to become a seller of coal-efficient, improved-cooking stoves, she had no idea that she’d be successful enough to purchase her first smartphone – a godsend which enables her to remain in regular contact with her customers and get new business… Read More>>
East Africa Health Security Summit Opens in Mombasa
ZAWYA
The inaugural East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit kicked off today in Mombasa, bringing together leaders and health experts to address the region’s health security challenges… Read More>>
Safeguarding Africa’s health: update on actions in response to recent Ebola outbreaks
AU
Following the recent outbreak of Ebola cases reported in Uganda, The African Union (AU) is collaborating with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uganda to mobilise support to ensure adequate response and implementation of prevention and control measures, including deployment of senior experts from the AU’s Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Africa CDC teams are also currently deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and have been involved in implementing key interventions in partnership with the Government and other partners… Read More>>
U.S. WHO exit jeopardizes Africa, says health body
Reuters
The U.S. plan to withdraw from the World Health Organization will squeeze Africa’s health initiatives, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday, calling on African countries to find alternative sources of financing… Read More>>
Trump’s ‘stop-work’ order for PEPFAR cuts off anti-HIV drugs for patients
NPR
Engage Men’s Health, a nonprofit organization in South Africa, offers testing and medications to prevent and manage HIV at three clinics throughout the country — all for free… Read More>>
INFRASTRUCTURE
Mozambique Maputo port Starts $2 billion expansion project
Reuters
Mozambique’s Maputo port began construction on the first phase of its planned $2 billion expansion project on Monday, a senior port official said… Read More>>
The long winding road to Africa’s infrastructure development
UN
Experts agree that Africa can accelerate its development by investing in infrastructure, which stimulates trade and economic growth…Read More>>
USTDA and African Development Bank Renew Partnership to Advance Quality Infrastructure in Africa
AfDB
The African Development Bank and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency have renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), extending their strategic partnership for five years. This agreement underscores a shared commitment to advancing quality infrastructure development across Africa by strengthening national procurement systems and aligning them with international best practices, leveling the playing field for international competition. The MOU also formalizes ongoing coordination to develop a pipeline of bankable projects that can benefit from USTDA’s project preparation grants… Read More>>
AGRIBUSINESS
President signs landmark law to preserve and develop agricultural land
South African Government News Agency
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Bill into law, marking a significant step toward safeguarding South Africa’s agricultural land for long-term food production and economic growth… Read More>>
How emerging technologies can boost Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness
Brookings
Today, Botswana is just one example of the many African countries that have set out detailed plans for their economic future centered around the implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies and their potential to improve agricultural yields and open up new industries to move value chains onto the continent… Read More>>
ICT
Visa Makes Strategic Investment in Moniepoint to Accelerate Financial Inclusion for African SMEs
BusinessWire
Moniepoint Inc. (“Moniepoint”), one of Nigeria’s leading business payments and banking services platform, has secured an investment from Visa, a global leader in digital payments. The investment marks an important milestone in Visa’s commitment to advancing financial inclusion and shaping the future of digital payments while fostering SME growth across Africa… Read More>>
Safaricom seeks approval to build undersea cable
IT Web Africa
Safaricom, Kenya’s leading telco, is seeking regulatory approval from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to build its own undersea cable, according to a local daily, Business Daily… Read More>>
FINANCE
Ethiopia banks on new stock market to lure investments, revive economy
Semafor
The head of Ethiopia’s new stock exchange said the bourse plans to diversify its offerings to avoid the challenge of low trading volumes seen in other African countries as it vies to attract more private investment… Read More>>
The future of mining depends on the industry’s ability to finance itself
African Mining Market
It is perhaps ironic that as the world moves toward a cleaner future, more mining is projected to take place to facilitate the “Just Energy Transition”. The Just Energy Transition is a fundamental shift in how the world generates power and continues to be a major disruptor in the mining and metals sector. While the world’s energy mix is changing, there is broad acceptance that a green energy future relies on minerals to deliver it. Batteries, solar power, and other pillars of clean energy technology are not possible without rare earth metals (and some of the old favourites) to manufacture them, while the likes of coal and oil continue to power human society with the transition underway. According to Guillaume Pitron, author of The Rare Metals War, more mineral ores will be mined in the next 30 years than the last 70,000 for humanity to meet the exponential demand for minerals crucial to the energy transition. Resource exhaustion at current mines will therefore drive increased exploration and the opening of new operations…Read More>>
Remittance startups ride Africa’s migration wave
Semafor
Startups that help Africans overseas send money home are rapidly expanding their businesses as remittances to sub-Saharan Africa scale new heights… Read More>>
SC Ventures, Yabx Invest US$10m in African Fintech Furaha
FinTech Magazine
Standard Chartered’s venture arm and Tech Mahindra’s Yabx partner to launch digital lending platform targeting education finance gap in sub-Saharan markets… Read More>>
Africa in 2025: Economic growth despite persistent problems
Chatham House
This year, Africa will be the second-fastest-growing region globally. The African Development Bank projects an annual economic growth rate of 4.3 per cent, up from 3.7 per cent last year, with East Africa once again projected to be the most buoyant region… Read More>>
