Baba Akhib Haïdara (photo), the Malian Ombudsman, reported that land-related disputes were one of the top complaints handled last year, a situation mainly due to an infrastructure deficit. This was during the presentation of the 2017 activity report. “All along the year (ed: 2017), the services of the Republic’s Mediator received 189 requests. They concerned many sectors...

Following the release by some media of contradictory information regarding the approval by the Moroccan supervisory and regulatory authorities of the sale of the insurance division of the Saham Group, Ecofin was able to obtain from authorized sources within SAHAM Finances a reaction stating that "the obtaining of the regulatory authorizations necessary for the effective realization of the...

French Development Agency (AFD) will grant Uganda €37.1 million (about $44.2 million) to develop energy transmission network. The money will be steered into a project aimed at improving the existing 45 kV transmission line which links the towns of Masaka and Mbarara. Once completed, this project should enable the country to boost energy export towards neighboring countries such as...

Lupaca Diamond announced yesterday May 22 it has recovered a gem-quality special diamond of 25 carats from the Neck Zone of its Mothae kimberlite mine in Lesotho. This zone is not part of the mine’s current JORC resource of more than over 1 million carats. The company indicated that the stone was recovered within the first two days of trial processing through the bulk sampling...

Algold Resources reported that its Tijirit gold mine (Mauritania) is expected to generate $717.4 million all along its 7.1-year lifespan. This is revealed in the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) conducted by Ausenco Engineering Canada. The evaluation revealed that the post-tax net present value is expected to reach $69 million at an 8% discount rate with an internal...

Egypt’s tourism revenues reached $2.2 billion during the first quarter of this year reflecting a strong increase by 83.3% compared to the same period last year, Reuters reported today May 23 quoting official sources. Likewise, tourist arrivals during the period under review surged by 37.1% to 2.383 million, the source indicated. Let’s note that this sector which accounts for...

Last May 21, Moroccan Bank of Commerce and Industry (BMCI), local BNP Paribas subsidiary (66.7% of the capital) boosted shares on the Casablanca Stock Exchange. This follows a general meeting notice proposing a MAD87 dividend per share for the 2017 financial year. On that day, the BMCI share recorded the strongest rise on the stock exchange (5, 8%), but also the largest...

Mauritius is expected to produce 350, 000 tons of sugar in the 2018 season, down 5, 000 tons from last season, the country’s Chamber of Agriculture reports. This slight drop in production comes in a difficult context for the sugar sector. Indeed, as sugar quotas ended last October, the sector which has been benefiting from high guaranteed prices on the European market, has now lost its...

Kenyan authorities expect to produce 46 million corn bags (1 bag= 90 kg) in 2018, up 43.7% from the 32 million bags produced during the last season (which was the lowest level recovered since 2009). According to the agriculture ministry, this output recovery is due to good weather in growing areas as well as an efficient fight against armyworm which was the cause of the 5% decrease in production...

Russia is likely to set an industrial zone worth $7 billion in Egypt’s North-Eastern city Port-Saïd, a statement from the Russian trade ministry indicated. According to information relayed by Ahram Online, this agreement which is scheduled to be signed tomorrow May 23, should make it possible to set up an area of 5.25 km², in the region.   Through this agreement,...