Author: WAJ Editor

Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, has called for stronger democratic institutions in West Africa, emphasizing the fragility of the region’s political systems in the wake of recent military coups. Speaking at an event in Abuja, Touray highlighted the challenges facing democracy in the region, particularly the combination of poverty, youth unemployment, and inequality, which has eroded public trust and enabled military interventions. Touray noted that while the region once seemed stable, with no unconstitutional changes in government, recent coups have threatened this progress. He linked this instability to broader geopolitical issues, such as the rise of terrorism in…

At the Africa Cinema Summit in Accra, Idris Elba, the British actor with African roots, took center stage as an advocate for the future of African cinema. Elba, known for his roles in films like “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” and “Beasts of No Nation,” emphasized the untapped potential of African cinema and the need to develop infrastructure, distribution, and audience engagement across the continent. Highlighting the importance of African stories, Elba called for an Africa-first approach, focusing on domestic success before international recognition. He praised grassroots filmmaking efforts but stressed the need for local distribution networks independent of global…

Exim Bank Tanzania recently hosted the ‘Exim Bima Festival 2024,’ a significant event aimed at raising awareness and funds to support mental health services. Marking 27 years of service to Tanzanians, the bank launched the festival under the theme ‘Amsha Matumaini,’ gathering stakeholders such as insurance companies, healthcare professionals, employees, and sports figures at the Gymkhana Grounds in Dar es Salaam. The festival served as both an entertainment platform and a call to action for Tanzanians to support mental health awareness and care. As mental health issues continue to rise in the country, the event presented a unique opportunity for…

Qatar Chamber officials hosted a trade delegation led by Mgala Salim Mvurya, Kenya’s Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, along with his team. The delegation was welcomed by Qatar Chamber’s first vice-chairman Mohamed bin Towar al-Kuwari, in the presence of board member Mohamed bin Ahmed al-Obaidli and Kenyan ambassador Mohamed Noor Aden. The meeting focused on the commercial and economic ties between Qatar and Kenya, highlighting investment opportunities on both sides and encouraging Qatari investors to explore sectors in Kenya. During the meeting, Mvurya praised the strong relations between the two nations and mentioned that numerous agreements have been signed…

On Tuesday, October 8, UNESCO’s Director-General announced that Morocco’s capital, Rabat, has been named the World Book Capital for 2026. This decision follows the recommendation of the World Book Capital Advisory Committee. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will host the event in 2025. Rabat, home to Africa’s third-largest international book and publishing fair, will begin its year of festivities on April 23, 2026, coinciding with World Book and Copyright Day. Rabat becomes the fifth African city to receive this title, following Alexandria (Egypt), Port Harcourt (Nigeria), Conakry (Guinea), and Accra (Ghana). When chosen as a World Book Capital, a city organizes…

An international conference themed “Innovation for Inclusion,” was held on October 2 and 3 in Mahé, Seychelles. The conference gathered many experts worldwide. Joëlle Perreau, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Seychelles, noted that the conference celebrated the institution’s 15th anniversary, organized in collaboration with Örebro University in Sweden. She stressed the significance of such events in building an inclusive society, fostering partnerships with international researchers, enriching staff and student experiences, and developing global collaborative projects. The second day of the event was held at the Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (SITE), which celebrated its 10th anniversary. Various speakers addressed topics…

US President Joe Biden was scheduled to visit Angola next Sunday, but postponed his trip due to the Hurricane Milton, which is bearing down on Florida’s Gulf Coast. If he did, it would be the first time an American president has visited Africa since Barack Obama visited Kenya and Ethiopia in 2015. Angola and other African countries are attracting interest from both the United States and other countries because of geopolitical changes and the minerals needed for electric vehicles and other battery technologies. During a meeting with Angolan President João Lourenço at the White House in November 2023, Biden emphasized…

In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, Tanzania’s Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Baraka Luvanda, encouraged Tanzanian farmers to take advantage of the significant economic opportunities in the Asian market, particularly in Japan. Ambassador Luvanda highlighted that Japan imports about 15,000 tonnes of coffee annually, with Tanzanian coffee being highly sought after for its quality. He urged Tanzanians to capitalize on this demand, noting that the Tanzanian Embassy in Japan has already launched successful coffee brands like Kilimanjaro, Tarime, and Black Star, which are performing well in the Japanese market. He also mentioned that Japan consumes around 400 million tonnes…

Burkina Faso’s government has suspended Voice of America (VOA) broadcasts for three months due to its reporting on militant attacks in Burkina Faso and neighboring Mali, according to the state news agency. The country’s media regulator claimed a VOA broadcast in September was aimed at “undermining the morale” of the armed forces in both countries, as reported by L’Agence d’Information du Burkina (AIB) on Monday. Earlier this year, VOA and the BBC were suspended for two weeks after Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that military forces “summarily executed” 223 civilians, including at least 56 children, in two villages during February.…

Norwegian renewable energy producer Scatec ASA (OSL:SCATC) has secured a EUR 30 million grant from Germany’s PtX Development Fund to help finance its Egypt Green Hydrogen project. This is the first grant approved by the fund, which was established by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and KfW, and is managed by KGAL. Located in Ain Sokhna, Suez Governorate, the Egypt Green Hydrogen project is being developed by Scatec, which is the lead equity investor and provider of EPC services, in partnership with Fertiglobe, The Sovereign Fund of Egypt, and Orascom Construction. The project is expected to…

Experts said that Nigeria can benefit from Africa’s over 1 billion US dollars lottery and gaming industry. This, they noted, can be actualized by evolving more proactive measures by government and stakeholders to liberalize and also regulate lottery and gaming activities in the country. Director General, Cross Rivers State Lottery Gaming Agency Micheal Eja, disclosed this when he unveiled a new initiative being championed by one of the gaming firms in Abuja. Eja disclosed that with the growing population of Nigeria, Lottery and gaming could become a goldmine that will help in building a viable economy outside the oil sector.…

Tanzania’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, in collaboration with Finland’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, is nearing the launch of a transformative project designed to revitalize Tanzania’s forestry sector. This announcement was made during a meeting in Finland between Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr. Hassan Abbasi, and Finland’s Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry, Pekka Pesonen. The initiative aims to significantly enhance the value of Tanzania’s forestry sector, making it a more commercially viable industry. Dr. Abbasi emphasized that Tanzania can gain valuable insights from Finland, which has a thriving forestry sector that serves as…

Four residents of Shurugwi, Zimbabwe, who were physically tortured by Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers during the Covid-19 lockdown, are set to receive a total of $40,000 in compensation after winning a legal case against the army commander and the Defence Minister. The residents, Grant Zinyuke, Moreblessing Ncube, Batler Jabangwe, and Mavhuto Kachepa, sued Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri and ZNA commander Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe for damages resulting from the torture they suffered in 2021. During the government-enforced lockdown, soldiers went on a violent spree and assaulted the residents. Sanyatwe and Muchinguri were held accountable in a trial at Shurugwi Magistrates…

Algerian national oil company (NOC) Sonatrach signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Niger’s NOC SONIDEP to explore opportunities for cooperation in hydrocarbon exploration and production. Signed during a working visit to Algiers by Nigerien Minister of Petroleum Sahabi Oumarou, the agreement paves the way for the companies to form partnerships in hydrocarbon exploration, production, refining, petrochemicals and petroleum product distribution. According to Sonatrach, the agreement aligns with its goal to strengthen partnerships with Nigerien firms through joint exchange programs, particularly in specialized training. Prior to the signing, Sonatrach CEO Rachid Hachichi met with Minister Oumarou to discuss enhancing oil…

Ghana and the IMF reached a staff level agreement for a loan worth $3 billion, an inroad in the West African country’s efforts to improve its public finances. Ghana is on a debt-restructuring program after it defaulted on most of its $30 billion international debt in 2022. “Performance under the IMF-supported program has been generally satisfactory. All end-June 2024 quantitative targets were met, and progress on key structural reforms has continued notwithstanding delays in a few areas,” the IMF said in a statement. In June, the International Monetary Fund gave the greenlight for the disbursement of 360 million dollars to…

To combat Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis, the federal government, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the World Bank have teamed up to launch a nationwide initiative aimed at helping 11 million children suffering from malnutrition. This effort will primarily target pregnant women, adolescent girls, and children under five across 11 high-risk states. The partnership was unveiled during the Faith Actors Workshop/Public Sensitization Lecture on Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN) held in Abuja. The event brought together key stakeholders, including faith leaders, healthcare professionals, and government officials, to discuss strategies for improving nutrition. Archbishop (Dr.) Daniel Okoh, President of CAN,…