Benin’s return to the WAEMU debt market on September 12 was a relative success, securing lower yields than other major issuers in the region despite a high-interest-rate environment. This comes after the BCEAO kept its key interest rates unchanged due to inflation concerns. After being off on the regional financial market for a few weeks, Benin returned on September 12, raising CFA21.99...

On September 16, 2023, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter, creating the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). A year later, this confederation unveiled new projects to deepen their integration, including a new passport system. Yesterday, Colonel Assimi Goïta, the president of AES, announced the implementation of new initiatives to strengthen the integration of the three...

The rise in exports from the smallest country in the Maghreb is mainly due to the strong performance of the agri-food and energy industries. Tunisia’s trade deficit decreased by 2.2% during the first eight months of 2024, dropping to 11.92 billion dinars ($3.93 billion), compared to 12.19 billion dinars during the same period in 2023. The figures were recently reported by the National...

During the WTO's Public Forum 2024 in Geneva, themed 'Reglobalization,' Business 20 (B20) -the official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community- hosted a roundtable focused on enhancing trade's efficiency, resilience, and inclusivity. Ms. Busi Mabuza, President of South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and co-chair of the B20 working group, shared her insights on...

Anglo American owns a 79% stake in South African company Amplats, the world's leading producer of platinum group metals. In May 2024, the British company announced plans to spin off Amplats into an independent entity. This week, Anglo American offered 13.94 million ordinary shares in Amplats, raising 7.2 billion rand (around $400 million). This sale is part of the process to separate...

Mali has reported a shortfall of 300 to 600 billion FCFA in 2023 after auditing mining companies. To address the issue, the government is negotiating with industry players and strengthening its legal framework. During the Council of Ministers meeting on September 11, 2024, the Malian government adopted a decree on financial infractions. This decree updates a 2016 regulation to ensure proper...

The plant could produce 25,000 tonnes of coated spherical purified graphite yearly, an essential component of electric battery anodes. The plant could be supplied in graphite a Chinese group active in Guinea. Falcon Energy Materials, a Canadian company focused on battery components for electric vehicles, announced on September 9, 2024, that it has signed a technical and strategic partnership...

The Fekola mine, Mali’s second-largest gold mine, is expected to produce a maximum of 450,000 ounces in 2024. B2Gold, its owner, discovered a new deposit 20 km away and has secured the application of the 2023 mining code for this project. On September 11, 2024, Canadian miner B2Gold announced it had signed an agreement with the Malian government to keep mining gold at its Fekola project. This...

The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Bank introduced a new initiative called the "Trade in Services for Development" during the 2024 Public Forum. Supported by a $1 million donation from the United Kingdom, this program is part of the broader "Aid for Trade" effort. It aims to help developing countries maximize the economic benefits of service trade. The initiative includes a...

Gamtel is dealing with ongoing disruptions to its fiber optic network, which have been affecting its services. This year alone, the company has reported issues in April and May. On September 12, NetBlocks, a British organization that monitors global internet freedom, reported disturbances on Gamtel's network. The historical operator, Gamtel, announced a fiber optic break on the route between...