Egypt is counting on international cooperation to speed up the implementation of its digital strategy.  The country recently signed ICT and telecoms agreements with Palestine, Somalia, and Romania... On Monday, June 5, Egypt's National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for...

According to Kenyan banks, though moderate, inflation will still be high. So, combining that prospect of weaker economic growth, they are already anticipating a decline in profit margins.  In Kenyan, lending companies expect inflation to stabilize at around 7.5% this year, slightly higher than the 6.8% observed last year.  To curb that inflation, the central bank has raised its key...

AGL (Africa Global Logistics), the reference multimodal operator in Africa, is proud to announce that it has joined the United Nations Global Compact, the largest international initiative that aims to support companies in their sustainable transformation. By integrating the Global Compact, AGL is reiterating its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDD) adopted by the United Nations...

The US First Lady embarked on a visit to Namibia and Kenya in February to enhance partnerships. It is noteworthy that this marks her second visit to the continent, coinciding with her husband's anticipated trip to Africa later this year. U.S. First Lady Jill Biden (photo) began a visit to North Africa on Friday, June 2. After Egypt, the First Lady arrived in Morocco on Sunday, June 4. In both...

Gide advises IFC Advisory and the Water Treatment Authority of Tunisia (ONAS) on the signing of a concession contract with SUEZ for the sanitation services in southern Tunisia. Gide acted as legal advisor to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), itself Lead Advisor to the Water Treatment Authority of Tunisia (Office National de l'Assainissement de la Tunisie, ONAS), for the structuring,...

East Africa accounted for almost two-thirds of the funding raised by start-ups active on the continent last month, thanks in particular to the mega-rounds completed by two Kenyan startups.   In May 2023, African startups raised $621.8 million in financing, up 42% compared to March 2023, according to TechCabal Insights.  The same source reveals that compared to the April 2023...

The United Nations now considers the Internet as a basic necessity in the same category as water and electricity. For some governments, the tool, which demonstrated its importance during the coronavirus pandemic, can become a threat to national security.  On the afternoon of Sunday, June 4, Senegal decided to “temporarily” suspend mobile Internet access. According to the Ministry of...

The African Development Bank's Gender Equality Trust Fund will provide a $950,000 grant to the Africa Small and Medium Enterprise Business Linkages Program in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.  The grant, which will supplement an earlier $3.9 million financing grant from the Bank’s Transition Support Facility, is expected to bolster 1,400 women-led enterprises and...

In November 2022, the IFC signed a technical assistance agreement with Interbank Burundi. Once again, it is working with the bank to strengthen its private-sector financing activities.   On Wednesday, May 31, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) approved a $5 million credit facility for Interbank Burundi, a commercial bank operating in Burundi. The facility, granted as...

The demand for broadband connectivity is set to keep growing in Africa over the next few years. To meet this demand, operators are strengthening their infrastructure.  The Moroccan telecommunications group Itissalat Al Maghrib (Maroc Telecom) has invested 150 million euros in the construction of a new fiber optic submarine cable. Called "West Africa", the infrastructure was presented at...