Essaouira is a coastal city in Morocco, on the Atlantic Ocean, in the Marrakech–Safi region, about two and a half hours by road from Marrakech. It stands out for its mild, windy climate, which shapes both daily life and the visitor experience. Its manageable size and seaside atmosphere make it feel very different from the country’s larger tourist hubs. The medina of Essaouira, listed as a...

Gabon signs three cooperation deals during President Oligui Nguema’s Abu Dhabi visit Agreements cover gold mining, digital government modernization, and port logistics Deals aim to attract investors amid debt, financing, and banking sector challenges Gabon has signed three memoranda of understanding covering the mining, digital and logistics sectors during a visit by President...

Egypt allocates extra 410 MHz spectrum, valued $3.5 billion, supporting 5G expansion Government launches National Spectrum Roadmap 2026-2030 to optimize spectrum management 5G rollout requires infrastructure investment; adoption depends on devices, affordability, skills Egyptian authorities have allocated an additional 410 MHz of frequency spectrum to the country’s four...

Africa needs 6.1 million additional health professionals to reach universal health coverage by 2030, Africa CDC says. Only Rwanda, Botswana, and Cabo Verde meet the Abuja Declaration target of allocating 15% of national budgets to health. Africa could generate up to $410 trillion in monetized economic benefits by 2063 under an ambitious health investment scenario. Africa...

Ivory Coast set the 2026 minimum farmgate cashew price at CFA400 per kilogram, down 6% year on year. Authorities cited weaker international prices and U.S. tariff measures that disrupted global demand in 2025. Regional processors could benefit as lower raw nut prices support West Africa’s expanding cashew processing industry. In Ivory Coast, authorities set the minimum...

BW Energy’s Angola offshore entry faces partner preemption notice Partner may exercise right of first refusal on Blocks 14, 14K Deal with Azule Energy remains pending regulatory, contractual outcomes BW Energy’s planned entry into Angola’s offshore oil sector has hit a legal obstacle. The Norwegian company said on Friday, Feb. 6, that an existing partner in offshore Blocks 14 and 14K...

South Africa, China sign trade cooperation deal at JETC meeting Agreement targets duty-free access, investment, higher-value South African exports Move follows U.S. tariff dispute, as Pretoria pivots toward Asian markets South African Trade Minister Parks Tau and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao, have signed a trade and investment cooperation agreement on the sidelines of this week’s...

Etana signs 10-year renewable power deal with Sibanye-Stillwater Agreement supplies up to 220 MW via wind, solar from 2027 Deal reflects growth in South Africa’s private electricity wheeling market South African electricity trading platform Etana Energy has signed a 10-year power purchase agreement with mining group Sibanye-Stillwater, a major producer of gold and platinum group metals,...

World Bank assesses progress on PACTDIGITAL and WURI programs Midterm review highlights coverage of 750 digital white zones 2026 roadmap focuses on networks, data centers, and fiber optic expansion Burkina Faso’s minister in charge of information and communication technologies, Aminata Zerbo/Sabane, met on Feb. 4 with a World Bank delegation led by Jana Kunicova, sector director for...

Start-up of the Bargny-Sendou port is now scheduled for late 2026 The project aims to handle minerals, hydrocarbons, and agricultural cargo Annual capacity is planned at 20 million tons In Senegal, the commissioning of the Bargny-Sendou mineral port is now scheduled for late 2026. The update was announced by Senegal Minergy Port, the company in charge of developing the facility, following...