As the world celebrated Christmas Eve, Gaza witnessed one of its bloodiest nights in the ongoing 11-week conflict with Israel. Palestinian health officials reported that at least 78 people, many of them women and children, lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes that targeted several areas in the besieged territory. The attacks, which started late on Read More…
World
Niger suspends ties with Francophone group, continues split from former colonial power
Niger’s military leadership announced the suspension of all cooperation with the international Francophone Nations’ Organisation (OIF), furthering its gradual disconnection from former colonial ruler France. The junta highlighted concerns about the OIF’s alignment with French interests, asserting that the 88-member body had consistently served as a tool for advancing France’s agenda. The spokesperson for Niger’s Read More…
Tragedy strikes Conakry: Oil terminal blast leaves 8 dead, dozens injured
An unfortunate incident shook Guinea’s capital, Conakry, as an explosion at the main oil terminal claimed the lives of at least eight individuals and left 84 others injured early on Monday. The aftermath of the blast resulted in a blaze that authorities are striving to contain, revealed a senior police official. Eyewitnesses described the harrowing Read More…
Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crime by starving Gaza Strip civilians
A global rights group, Human Rights Watch (HRW), has accused Israel of committing a war crime by starving people in the Gaza Strip, who continue to face relentless attacks in the war with Hamas militants. Despite rising global pressure to protect civilians, who have nowhere to go, Israel is bent on eliminating the Hamas group Read More…
$90 Billion Illicit Outflow: AfDB Academy’s Masterstroke
Like many other development enthusiasts on the African continent, I was shocked by the recent disclosure made by Prof. Kevin Chika Urama, Vice President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), that African countries lose almost $90 billion in illicit financial flows annually and much more in illicit resource flows and resource theft, poorly implemented Read More…
AfDB’s PFMA graduates emerge as torchbearers in Africa’s fiscal management
Public Finance Management Academy sees inaugural cohort’s graduation ceremony with a focus on accountability, transparency, and economic governance. Prof. Kevin Chika Urama, Chief Economist and Vice President of the African Development Bank Group, lauded the significant milestone at the graduation ceremony of the first cohort of the Public Finance Management Academy (PFMA) for Africa. The Read More…
US vetoes UN Security Council demand for humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
The United States on Friday vetoed a proposed United Nations Security Council demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, diplomatically isolating Washington as it shields its ally. Thirteen other members voted in favor of a brief draft resolution, put forward by the United Arab Read More…
German Institute urges EU-Africa WTO reform to counter Chinese influence
The German Economic Institute (IW) is advocating for a strategic collaboration between the European Union (EU) and African nations to overhaul World Trade Organisation (WTO) subsidy regulations, aiming to mitigate Chinese market imbalances and diplomatic leverage. In a recent publication, the IW proposed this strategy, emphasising the need to address distortions caused by China’s economic Read More…
Britain-Rwanda treaty sealed despite immigration policy blow
Britain solidified a new pact with Rwanda, aiming to circumvent a court ruling impeding its asylum deportation initiative, marking a significant setback to the country’s immigration strategy. The plan to transfer asylum seekers to Rwanda encountered a legal obstacle, emphasising a critical blow to the government’s policy. The scheme involving Rwanda remains pivotal in the Read More…
Global cooling pledge gains US support at UN climate summit in Dubai
At the UN climate summit in Dubai on December 5, U.S. State Department officials confirmed the United States, alongside at least 60 countries, backed a crucial initiative to reduce cooling-related emissions by 2050. This Global Cooling Pledge marks a significant step towards addressing energy emissions from the cooling sector. It calls for a substantial reduction, Read More…