In 2023, clubs paid USD 888.1 million in agent service fees, the highest-ever amount and an increase of 42.5% on 2022; For the first time, clubs in women’s professional football spend more than USD 1 million in agent service fees; English clubs were the number-one spenders by far, with a combined total of more than USD 280 million.  The total spending on club agent service fees has reached unprecedented heights […]

The President of the African Development Bank Group Dr Akinwumi Adesina (www.AfDB.org) has reiterated his warning that the introduction of a carbon border tax by the European Union could push Africa back into exporting raw commodities and undermine its industrialisation gains. The European Union recently launched the initial phase of a Europe-wide carbon tax on imported goods as part of its climate change reduction measures. Adesina said this could penalize African […]

By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber (https://EnergyChamber.org). In an era when such futuristic technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics, and quantum computing are here or on the horizon, almost half of sub-Saharan Africans — more than 600 million people — lack the electricity to heat, cool, or light their homes. This energy poverty impedes nearly every aspect of life for this population, from conducting business and educating their children […]

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Sihle Zikalala, has vowed to intensify operation pay-on-time and urgently put an end to failure to pay service providers in the construction industry within 30 days. Minister Zikalala was speaking at the National Stakeholder Forum convened by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) which is an entity of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI). The National Stakeholder Forum is comprised of contractors in […]

Traditionally, across South Sudan, women and girls have been disproportionately affected by conflict. Add to this, cultural norms, such as early or forced marriages, and there is a significant gap in attaining equal rights for women. As this young nation approaches its first post-independence elections, the need for more women in politics and governance is clear. To enable women to have a full say in decisions that impact them directly, […]

The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah organized the repatriation flight of Ms. Fairodz Mohammad and her three children after successfully obtaining the necessary travel documents for Ms. Fairodz and her children. The family left Jeddah, Saudi Arabia via Emirates Airlines flight EK802 in the morning of 6 December 2023. They arrived at Davao International Airport via Philippine Airlines flight PR 1809 in the morning of 7 December 2023. Ms. Fairdoz […]

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved $17.4 million in grants for Sao Tome and Príncipe to shore up the national budget and enhance public service delivery as part of the economic response to support public finance and energy sector reforms following several external shocks. The government will receive $10.7 million divided evenly over fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2024 under the Fiscal […]

In Bujumbura, on 21 November 2023, the Government of Burundi and the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) signed two grant agreements totalling $13.15 million to implement Phase 1 of the Water Sector and Climate Resilience Building Support Programme (PASEREC-Phase1). Burundian Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Audace Niyonzima, and the Bank's Country Office Manager in Burundi, Pascal Yembiline, signed the agreement. The programme will strengthen Burundi’s resilience to the effects of […]

We commend all parties to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that have shown restraint and reiterate our call for further steps to reduce tensions and demonstrate a commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflict.  In particular, we thank DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame for their leadership and contributions in this effort. The United States urges all parties to the conflict to […]