Electricity distributor-Kenya Power- signed a 20-years Power Production Agreement (PPA) with the French group Voltalia on the Kopere plant (50 MW) in Nandi County.  Under the agreement, the facility will be developed, funded and built by the French group. The project was initiated by Portuguese firm Martifer Solar acquired in 2016 by Voltalia.  “This new...

Rabobank analysts forecasted that for the 2018-19 season, global coffee surplus will stand at 3.8 million bags, up 600,000 bags compared to last March’s estimate. Reuters reported mentioning the group’s quarterly Coffee Outlook report. According to Rabobank, Arabica surplus is set to reach 3.3 million bags while Robusta will have a surplus of 500,000 bags. Despite this...

ASX-listed Manas Resources announced last May 25, it has repealed its bid to acquire Victoria gold project in Tanzania. The company says in a statement that this decision results from the lack of progress in the license transfer process coupled with the hard conditions facing mining companies in the country. Under the previously agreed terms, the company was required to pay $1.8 million in...

Tunisian government expects to collect TND2 billion ($ 785 million) from olive oil export for the 2017-18 season, Samir Taieb (photo) the agriculture minister announced last May 24. This forecast is owing to good prospects for both production system and export segment. Indeed, while the country’s output is set to reach 280,000 tons by the end of the season next October, exports will hit...

Uganda concluded with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), an agreement under a MoU to develop about 2,000 MW of nuclear power plants within 10-15 years. The signing of this agreement is part of Uganda’s Vision 2040 roadmap aimed at incorporating nuclear energy into the energy mix as to lower energy cost. Indeed, the 11 cents per kilowatt-hour currently applied in the...

In Kenya, the privatization process of State-owned sugar companies has just hit a huge snag due to misunderstandings between the Council of Governors (CoG) and the Privatization Commission. Businessdailyafrica reports that CoG has rejected the sale of these factories to private investors suggesting a transfer to counties. “We are not allowing the sale of these...

United Nations (UN) announced yesterday May 24 it would provide a $30 million emergency fund to help Sahelian countries’ most vulnerable populations. Information from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) relayed by Xinhua, revealed that in the very short term, four countries should benefit from this emergency fund as to combat drought and food...

The Ivorian Ministers’ council enacted last May 23 a bill amending Act No. 98-750 of 23 December 1998 on rural land. This new act allows individuals receive land certificates on rural land. “This modification bill amends the existing rural land system in order to further secure and modernize rural land management. It clarifies certain concepts, in particular, that of land certificate and...

Mining company SEMAFO announced yesterday May 24, it has concluded a 70-months mining service contract with African Underground Mining Services (AUMS) to develop its Siou underground mine in Burkina Faso. According to agreed terms, AUMS will provide the mining fleet and a skilled labor force. It will also be charged with the mine’s development and production as well as auxiliary services....

Ghana will establish a Cashew Development Board by the end of next month, President Nana Akufo-Addo announced. At the same time, an initiative of the agriculture ministry will see 2.7 million cashew trees grown over 13,400 hectares. Moreover, producers will benefit from the technical support of 900 agricultural extension agents. Let’s note that this subsector provides about 70,000 tons of...