Agriculture

Africa
Food security top of agenda at ACP-EU assembly

The 42nd ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, held in Maputo, was largely devoted to the supply of agricultural inputs and cereals to those African countries most affected by the consequences of the war in Ukraine.

Namibia
Namphos tries again to win approval for marine phosphate mining project

After several years of legal wrangling, the Omani-Namibian company is trying again to obtain approval from the Namibian authorities for its unique marine phosphate extraction project, despite opposition from the fishing community and other business interests in Walvis Bay.

Cameroon, Central Africa
Yaoundé convinces CEMAC to postpone its timber export ban

A ministerial meeting of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa on 28 October decided to postpone indefinitely the introduction of a ban on log exports - a decision demanded particularly by Cameroon.

Tunisia
Italian aid agency to handle EU food security aid

The European Union (EU) plans to release €25m of additional funds to help Tunisia reduce its dependence on cereal imports.

The New Guard
Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sudan, Zimbabwe

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence reveals the next generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

Ivory Coast Cédric Diarra, the PM's special adviser

Guinea Baba Hady Thiam, darling of the multinationals

Sudan Fintech and Abdigani Diriye's free banking services app

Zimbabwe Ndlovu, head of African Risk Capacity

Egypt
Cairo banks on IMF to save wheat-starved private flour mills

The state body that provides wheat for Egypt's subsidised bread programme has agreed to supply private millers to help them through a crisis that has shut most of their mills. But this is a stop-gap measure, with the country hoping that an IMF loan will provide long-term relief.

Spotlight | Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria
Cameroon and Nigeria's talks with cocoa cartel bear fruit

Details have emerged about Yaoundé et Abuja's talks in Abidjan to join the Ivory Coast-Ghana Cocoa Initiative, set up to defend the interests of the world's two largest cocoa producers.

Kenya
Ruto to strip army of lucrative meat business

Kenya's new president is preparing to pull the Kenya Meat Commission from out of the Ministry of Defence's hands to place it under the control of the agriculture and finance ministries. This state-owned entity centralises meat purchases from the country's producers.

Botswana
Brink family empire expands into banking sector

The tycoon Derek Brink and his family have firmly established themselves in yet another key sector of the Botswanan economy with their entry into the exclusive club of commercial banks.

Spotlight | Sudan
Qatar working hard to rebuild its influence in Sudan

Sidelined by its Emirati rival in the wake of the Sudanese revolution, Doha has since sought to regain leverage in the land of two Niles.

Burkina Faso
Damiba's downfall could disrupt major international arts and crafts conference

A 26-member committee that steers the development of African arts and handicraft is meant to meet in Ouagadougou at the end of this month. Although this sector accounts for a third of Burkina Faso's GDP, the 30 September coup could affect the important gathering.

Guinea
Bpifrance moves further into Guinea

The public investment bank is working with the transitional authorities to advance several projects, including the supply of a system to secure the country's airspace, designed by the defense giant Thales.

Kenya
Struggling livestock farmers count on Ruto to honour election pledges

Kenyan pastoralists are calling for an appropriate legal framework to take advantage of new free-trade measures adopted in 2021 by the regional organisation IGAD.

Kenya
Ruto consolidates his bastions and chips away at Odinga's with his new government

The new Kenyan president is seeking to consolidate his support in the regions that have supported him the most, while at the same time leaving a fair share for his main allies. The goal is to maximise his chances of re-election in five years' time.