insert_link Africa Gavi approves $1.8B African vaccine manufacturing accelerator for self-reliance By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Recent approval by the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) of a US$1.8 billion African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), a financing instrument that will support sustainable vaccine manufacturing in Africa is being hailed as a game changer for the continent. “The targeted US$1 billion from Gavi to African manufacturers is a game changer for the continent and advances our efforts towards vaccine self-reliance,” said Jean Kaseya, Africa […] todayDecember 21, 2023 34
insert_link Africa World’s tallest wood building signals growing investor confidence in sustainable construction practices By Seth Onyango, via bird story agency Wooden buildings like the engineered timber construction planned for the world's tallest wood building in Zanzibar may only be starting to appear in cities worldwide but that is not stopping investors from betting on wood becoming a key building block in African construction. "About 200 years ago, everyone was building with timber, then it shifted to cement, steel, and stones. Now people […] todayDecember 21, 2023 48
insert_link Africa Ukraine prepares to ship grain to Nigeria Ukraine is preparing to ship 25,000 tons of grain to Nigeria. It is part of the Black Sea grain deal, an initiative set up last year to lessen a global food crisis due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Tesem Akende reports from Jos. todayDecember 20, 2023 19
insert_link Africa DRC takes measures for transparent elections Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have pledged that internet access will not be cut off at any point during Wednesday's elections. The announcement, according to the BBC, comes as social media users express fear of both blackouts and vote rigging. More than 40 million voters are casting their ballots on Wednesday to elect a president from 19 candidates. todayDecember 20, 2023 6
insert_link Africa The Democratic Republic of Congo votes in general election Voters in the Democratic Republic of Congo are deciding the nation's future in today’s elections, which will potentially impact the global energy transition. President Felix Tshisekedi is expected to win a second term, with a survey indicating 49.3% support, while businessman Moise Katumbi is the closest rival at 28.1%. The poll was conducted in partnership with a French Consultancy, Congolese NGO Ebuteli, and New York University’s Congo Research Group. todayDecember 20, 2023 3
insert_link Africa The Sahara Desert used to be a green savannah – new research explains why By Edward Armstrong, University of Helsinki Algeria’s Tassili N’Ajjer plateau is Africa’s largest national park. Among its vast sandstone formations is perhaps the world’s largest art museum. Over 15,000 etchings and paintings are exhibited there, some as much as 11,000 years old according to scientific dating techniques, representing a unique ethnological and climatological record of the region. Curiously, however, these images do not depict the arid, barren landscape that […] todayDecember 20, 2023 33
insert_link Africa The LifeCare Better Together Mara Medical Camp treats its 12,000th patients On December 4th and 5th 2023, Lifecare International hosted its annual Better Together Mara Medical Camp, an impactful healthcare initiative benefitting the communities in and around the Maasai Mara. Lifecare endeavoured to enhance the community’s health and wellbeing with free medical treatment, surgeries, and medication, conducted at Sekenani Medical Centre in Narok South and Oloolaimutia in Narok West. The 2023 edition treated 3587 patients, bringing the total number of […] todayDecember 20, 2023 74
insert_link Africa DR Congo polls open amid conflict in east, delays By Annie Thomas and Emmet Livingstone Polling stations opened Wednesday in a high-stakes Democratic Republic of Congo general election pitting the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi against a fragmented opposition, while much of the east of the country is mired in conflict. Polling stations opened at 6 am (0400 GMT in the east; 0500 GMT in the west) and will close at 5 pm local time. AFP journalists saw the […] todayDecember 20, 2023 4
insert_link Africa Cameroon and Zimbabwe Lead Christmas Spending Across Africa African households will focus on gifts and decorations as they take a more cautious approach to their Christmas holiday spending this year, on the back of a rising cost of living, according to the Cost of Christmas report. A new ‘Cost of Christmas’ study by WorldRemit shows Cameroon (US $650 and Zimbabwe( US$ 254) will be the continent’s biggest spenders this season, with bulk of their expenditure going to […] todayDecember 20, 2023 8
