Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Plan to Help African Women Reach the Top
Liberia’s former president will launch a plan on Sunday to help other African women reach the top in a continent dominated by male heads of state. Johnson Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, became Africa’s first elected female head of state in 2006 and stepped down in 2018 in the war-scarred West African state’s first […]
Does Lesotho’s Constitution Protect the PM?
The constitution of Lesotho has come under international scrutiny over an unusual question: does it give the prime minister immunity from prosecution? Previously, constitutional questions that attracted attention in relation to the tiny kingdom landlocked by South Africa orbited around elections, the appointment and dismissal of security chiefs and the dissolution of government. The question […]
Using Robust Data from Africa to Advance Global Healthcare Discoveries
54gene, the African genomics research, services, and development company has been named in Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2020, the company said in a press release this week. The list honours businesses making the most profound impact on both industry and culture, showcasing a variety of ways to thrive […]
Trouble is Brewing in Guinea Bissau
For a day recently, the small West African country of Guinea-Bissau had two presidents and two prime ministers, until one of the presidents stepped down citing death threats. The National Election Commission has repeatedly confirmed that Mr Embaló won the polls with 54% of the vote, and at least one minister in his government has […]
Lake Kariba is Struggling to Power Residents
Zambia is facing severe water and electricity shortages after a lengthy drought, with reservoir levels remaining worryingly low despite recent rains. Water levels in Lake Kariba, the world’s largest artificial lake at more than 5,500 sq km, have dropped by six metres in the past three years. In early March, available water for hydroelectric production […]
A Supercomputer Boosts Efforts in East Africa to Control a Locust Outbreak
The computer, a donation from Britain, uses satellite data to track locust swarms and predict their next destination. Quickly sharing the information of the locusts’ movements with regional authorities is key to controlling the outbreak, as even a small swarm of locusts in a single day can move nearly 100 miles and consume the amount […]
This Will be Sasol’s Worst Week Since Listing in September 1989
An oil price crash has wiped $4.8 billion off the market value of South African petrochemicals group Sasol, adding to the government’s difficulties in shoring up business confidence as giant state-backed companies flounder. The destruction of value at one of South Africa’s biggest companies is another problem for a government grappling with a heavily-indebted state […]
Trouble in Africa’s Highest Body
African Union staff have accused their boss of corruption, cronyism and a total collapse of leadership. They say that AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat is involved in a “mafia-style” cartel that operates with impunity at the highest levels of the institution. The allegations were made in an interoffice memorandum that was leaked by multiple […]
Dakar and London Develop a Rapid Test Kit for Coronavirus
UK-based laboratory Mologic is working with scientists in Senegal to make a diagnostic test for coronavirus that can produce test results within 10 minutes. The handheld device is the first diagnostic kit developed in the UK to be jointly-manufactured in Africa. The laboratory said it was working with the Pasteur Institute in Dakar and five […]
Angola Secures Key Energy Endorsements For AOG 2020
The Angola Oil & Gas 2020 Conference and Exhibition has aligned itself with the government’s vision to galvanize activity in Angola’s oil and gas sector. Sponsors of the country’s investment-focused event include Total, Baker Hughes, Equinor and Huawei. The Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference & Exhibition 2020 – organized by Africa Oil & Power […]
