Armed men attacked Bamako, Mali's capital, today September 17, according to reports from several media outlets. Two residents confirmed the attack over the phone, but the identities and motives of the attackers remain unknown. The Malian military has reportedly regained control in some areas, but officials have not released any formal statement or casualty numbers. On X, witnesses said a...

The Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), the development impact investment arm of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), is pleased to announce a strategic investment in Team Drogba, competing in the inaugural E1 Series, the world’s first-ever all-electric boat racing championship. This investment aligns with Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) strategy, which includes...

ORAN technology allows telecom operators to lower the cost of network infrastructure by using open, interoperable hardware and software solutions. This can reduce the capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) for telecom companies, making expanding coverage in underserved regions across Africa more feasible.  Accenture, in collaboration with MTN, has completed a...

In October 2023, AMS-IX and Wingu Africa signed a partnership agreement to establish AMS-IX Djibouti. Since then, the traffic at Djibouti’s Internet Exchange Point (IXP), now known as AMS-IX Djibouti, has quadrupled over the past year. This increase was announced on September 12 by Wingu Africa, the data center managing DjIX, and their Dutch partner AMS-IX, a leading player in the IXP sector....

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...