Author: Editorial Staff

BRITISH Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday defended his government’s revised plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, but main opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer dismissed the plan as a ‘gimmick.’ Sunak and Starmer clashed over the country’s migration policy during Prime Minister’s Questions in parliament one day after the announcement of a new treaty with Rwanda to address the concerns of the UK Supreme Court, which last month ruled that the government’s original plan to send asylum seekers to the East African country was unlawful. ‘[We] will do everything it takes to get this scheme working so that…

IN a joint statement released on Tuesday, military leaders from Mali and Niger declared their intentions to terminate longstanding tax agreements with France, marking a significant escalation in the unravelling ties between the West African nations and their former colonial ruler. Citing ‘France’s persistent hostile attitude towards our states’ and the ‘unbalanced nature’ of the agreements causing substantial revenue loss for Mali and Niger, the leaders confirmed the dissolution of these tax accords within a three-month timeframe. The practical implications of this decision remain uncertain, with immediate repercussions yet to be clarified. These tax agreements, in place since 1972 for…

SENIOR Hamas officials joined the family of Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg on Tuesday to mark the 10th anniversary of his death and cast the spotlight on the bitter conflict in Gaza Mandela, who died aged 95 in 2013, made a Palestinian state one of his main international causes when he became South Africa’s first black president in 1994. And Hamas representatives were among Palestinian guests who laid a wreath when the Mandela family paid tribute at a giant statue of the anti-apartheid icon. South Africa has strongly condemned Israel’s response to the unprecedented 7 October Hamas attacks that unleashed a…

IN a strategic move, Zimbabwe is using the proceeds from its platinum exports to settle a $400 million loan from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), as reported by Bloomberg. This development underscores the nation’s challenge in securing loans from international financiers and its reliance on mineral wealth to open lines of credit. The repayment mechanism involves allocating 35 percent of Zimplats’ export proceeds, managed by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), to repay the Afreximbank loan. Zimplats, a subsidiary of the Johannesburg-based Impala Platinum, operates as a key player in the platinum mining industry. Zimbabwe currently grapples with a substantial…

IN a significant move, the World Bank has unveiled plans to allocate $5bn to electrify 100 million people in Africa by the end of the decade (2030). World Bank President Ajay Banga made this announcement during his speech at the mid-term review of the International Development Association (IDA)’s $93bn replenishment package in Zanzibar, Tanzania, on December 6, 2023. Banga highlighted the initiative as a key example of how funds from the bank’s IDA, which provides zero- or low-interest loans to low-income countries, can be utilized to drive impactful development outcomes. He emphasised the importance of increased support from World Bank…

A MAN has been pulled alive out of a Zambian mine nearly a week after dozens of informal miners were trapped under landslides caused by heavy rain, rescuers said Wednesday. Two bodies were also retrieved from underneath debris at the open-pit mine in the southern African country’s Copperbelt province. Government officials said more than 30 miners could still be trapped underground, although they were uncertain of the exact number. The 49-year-old survivor was rescued Tuesday night, according to a statement by Zambia’s Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit. He told rescuers he had been struggling for five days to find a…

PRESS freedom advocates in Nigeria are celebrating a recent landmark ruling by the ECOWAS court, directing Nigerian authorities to re-evaluate specific sections of the country’s Press Act. The court’s decision, prompted by a lawsuit filed in 2021 by journalists Isaac Olamikan and Edoghogho Ugberease, highlights the discriminatory nature of certain provisions against online and citizen journalists. Olamikan and Ugberease took their case to the ECOWAS regional court after facing arrests in separate incidents while pursuing news coverage. Olamikan was accused of practicing with an expired media license, while Ugberease, a citizen journalist in southern Nigeria’s Edo state, was told she…

AS the AI market in South Africa steers toward a projected valuation of $2.4bn by the year’s end—a growth rate of 21 percent until 2030—the technological advancements come accompanied by a spectrum of risks, as highlighted by Anna Collard, Senior Vice President of Content Strategy & Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA. Locally, AI technology holds promise in mitigating security risks, improving decision-making processes, and fostering positive societal impacts. However, Collard cautions against overlooking associated risks, shedding light on significant concerns that demand attention. ‘Generative AI models, reliant on diverse data sources, lack proper verification, context, and regulation,’ explains Collard. While AI…

IN response to the recent UK Supreme Court ruling questioning the legality of an asylum plan, the United Kingdom and Rwanda have inked a revised treaty aimed at addressing concerns and safeguarding the rights of asylum seekers. The agreement, signed on Tuesday, involved UK Home Secretary (interior minister)  James Cleverly and Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta. This move came after the UK’s highest court deemed the government’s initial proposal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as unlawful. The revised treaty stands as a response to these concerns and emphasises the UK’s authority in determining who enters the country. Prime Minister…

INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday a substantial financial commitment of $250 million to bolster Kenya’s agricultural sector. The pledge was made during discussions with Kenyan President William Ruto, who was on an official visit to India. Emphasising India’s strong focus on Africa in its foreign policy, Modi highlighted the decade-long increasing cooperation between India and Africa. He stressed that the close partnership between Kenya and India would significantly reinforce efforts in the Indo-Pacific region. President Ruto expressed satisfaction with the discussions, citing extensive talks with Modi on matters crucial to both nations. The collaboration between defence forces,…