Ethiopia aims to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) by March 2026, aligning with the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Accession talks had been paused since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ethiopia aims to finalize its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) by March 2026, coinciding with the organization's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14)...

Burkina Faso is looking to deepen its cooperation with Qatar by exploring new bilateral opportunities. On March 24, 2025, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation, and Burkinabe Abroad, Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, met with his Qatari counterpart, Sultan Ben Saad Al-Muraiki, to discuss potential collaborations. “We are focused on building mutually beneficial...

The battle against climate change is not just about preventing catastrophic impacts on ecosystems and human life; it also presents a significant opportunity for medium- and long-term economic growth. This is the finding of a new report by the OECD and UNDP. They believe that stronger efforts to tackle climate change could add 0.2% to global GDP by 2040, which is roughly equivalent to the GDP of...

More than just faster internet speeds, the 5G rollout will revolutionize education, healthcare, business, and innovation in Eswatini. It will support e-learning, smart agriculture, e-commerce, and advanced digital solutions, empowering individuals and enterprises alike. Eswatini Mobile has invested over E30 million (1.6 million USD) to deploy 40 cutting-edge 5G base stations across the Matsapha...

Digital transformation is one of the top priorities for Eswatini’s government. As part of this effort, the government announced a partnership with Google in January 2025. Eswatini has officially entered the 5G era. The state-owned telco Eswatini Mobile announced it on March 24. This step is part of a broader push by the government to speed up digital transformation and make digital services...

The Central Bank of Central Africa is easing its monetary policy to support the recovery, despite IMF warnings about macroeconomic fragility and ongoing imbalances in the CEMAC region. The Bank of Central African States (BEAC) has lowered its key interest rates for the first time since 2023, signaling a shift toward looser monetary policy in the CEMAC region. Meeting in Malabo on Monday, March...

The company is pursuing its ambition to accelerate commerce across Africa. The new initiative will further digital inclusion efforts on the continent. Paystack, a leading fintech in Africa, has launched its first-ever consumer product. CEO Sola Akinlade (pictured) revealed the new offering on March 24 during an event marking a new chapter for the company after nine years of focusing exclusively...

The IMF and Kenya have agreed not to complete the ninth review of their Extended Credit Facility program, putting key external funding in jeopardy. The move raises concerns among lenders, as it signals Kenya may have missed some reform targets. Still, the country maintains strong foreign currency reserves and continues to attract investors through its bond market. Kenya’s plans to secure two...

Health, education, economic empowerment: In ten years, ACTIVA Foundation, created by the pan-African insurance group, has supported 50,000 women across seven African countries, with the ambitious goal of reaching 150,000 more over the next three years. In 2014, when the pan-African insurance group ACTIVA launched its foundation, the idea was simple: strengthen its connection with local...

Although digitalization efforts have made progress, rural areas in many African countries still lag, often due to infrastructure gaps. Collaborative efforts are essential to close the digital divide. The Acting Administrator of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Dr. Tanko Rashid-Computer, met with Mr. Leo Skarlatos, CEO of AT Ghana, to explore ways of...