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China rarely agrees to debt write-offs. African countries are important to China’s long-run development agenda. Debt write-offs may be necessary if both want to benefit from the changed world economy, post-coronavirus. The COVID-19 pandemic and related measures have brought the world economy to a shuddering halt. In April the price of a barrel of oil on…

May 13: No case, UAE donation arrives Sierra Leone recorded zero new cases for the first time in almost exactly one month on May 12. The last time it did was on 13 April. The total number of confirmed cases stands at 338. The death toll is at 20 whiles the recoveries are at 72. The country…

As Africa braces for a head-on collision with coronavirus with the World Bank announcing its first recession in 25 years,  the continent can eventually look forward to many post-Covid-19 recovery and growth narratives. Public and private leaders should draw on past experiences to face the economic challenges of Covid-19. In my book  Unlocking Africa’s Business Potential,  I examine the…

May 12: Mauritius virus-free after total recoveries Mauritius declared total recoveries from coronavirus infections as of May 11, 2020. The island nation’s official COVID-19 page said 322 people had recovered out of the 332 confirmed cases so far. 10 people have since died. May 11 marked the fifteenth consecutive day that the no new case was…

Although Egypt’s chairmanship of the African Union ended in 2019, it continues to focus on Africa, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic. CAIRO — Even after its one-year chairmanship term of the African Union (AU) ended in 2019, Egypt continues to prioritize Africa when it comes to its foreign policy. On April 29, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah…

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, many people were locked up in places away from home. Few had the option of returning home, whiles for others it was a case of staying put for as long as the virus remained a threat. In the weeks that followed especially through much of March and April, governments around the…

Merck Foundation CEO, Rasha Kelej, featured in the list of 100 Most Influential Africans, released by New African Magazine, for poignant “Merck More Than a Mother” Movement. The campaign has been empowering childless women across Africa and Asia. 09th November 2019: Merck Foundation CEO, Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President, Merck More Than…

Digital rights advocates need to better team up to advance their objectives across Africa given the hard terrain in which they operate, according to a digital rights report released in March 2020. Paradigm Initiative’s 2019 Digital Rights in Africa Report said even though the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance gave rights groups a seat at the table,…

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved grants worth about $43.46 million for the construction of a bridge to connect Cameroon and Chad across the Logone river. The grants, comprising a $22.586 million tranche for Cameroon and $20.880 million for Chad, were approved on April 30. The facility is from…