The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has launched a multi-million euro fund which provides loans and equity investments for rural small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs), farmers' organisations, agricultural entrepreneurs and rural financial institutions across the globe.The agribusiness capital (ABC) fund launched during IFAD’s annual general council meeting in Rome, Italy, seeks to mobilise 200 million euros from investors [...]
Tag "Africa"
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Bill Gates and Melinda, his wife, say 2018 left them with many surprises — both good and bad, but the top of the list is that Africa is not growing along with the world.The co-founder of Microsoft and his wife expressed this view in the 2019 edition of the annual report on their philanthropic work, lessons learned, and priorities ahead.In [...]
Global immunization experts attending the biannual Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) meeting urged African countries to strengthen their routine immunization. Over the past five years, immunization coverage in sub-Saharan Africa has stagnated at 72%, exposing populations to vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks. The immunization experts also emphasized the importance of increased domestic investment in disease surveillance and the need for community engagement to [...]
The US has described Nigeria’s 2019 elections as “a critical test” for the country and the entire continent.Tibor Nagy Jr., US assistant secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, said this in his testimony to the US house of representatives sub-committee on Africa, global health, global human rights, and international organisations.The hearing was titled: ‘Nigeria at a Crossroad: The Upcoming Elections’, according [...]
BY EMEKA UMEJEIThe plight of the girl-child is well-documented across the world. The possibility that a girl-child would face sexual and gender-based violence or married off before the age of eighteen is not isolated. The United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) defines child marriage as a ‘fundamental violation of human rights’ which “compromises a girl’s development by resulting in early [...]
Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group, says the conglomerate's revenue base will hit $30 billion by 2020 -- a feat he would have considered impossible 10 years ago.Speaking at the first ever Africa Investment Forum (AIF) in Johannesburg, South Africa, the multibillionaire said five men built America and those five do not include President Donald Trump.He added that Africa could do [...]
Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says corruption would have reduced in Africa if western countries do not help in keeping looted funds. He said this at the African non-governmental organisation (NGO) forum held in Banjul, Gambia.The lawyer accused the western media and Transparency International (TI) of failing to join the campaign for the repatriation of the looted wealth of Africa."If the western countries [...]
Festus Keyamo, director of media of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, says Nigeria is the best-performing economy in Africa.The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) also said the federal government has re-introduced "oil (subsidy) premium" in the 2019 budget proposal.Speaking on Channels TV on Monday, Keyamo said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by the NNPC Act has the powers to spend [...]
BY SUNDAY OSANYINTUYICertainly, Africa continues to face serious developmental challenges. Such challenges as dependency, corruption, underdeveloped infrastructure, poor leadership and backward governance, etc are some of the impediments to Africa's quest for sustainable and equitable development.In the past, attempts have been made by foreigners to tackle these challenges but these can only be solved by Africans.Prominent among these issues in Africa is our leadership deficiency. Most Africa [...]
A coalition has urged António Guterres, United Nations secretary-general to strip ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo of all his associations with the UN, including his recent role as a member of the UN high-level advisory board on mediation.In a letter dated September 18, the coalition made up of Nigerian and South African nationals said Obasanjo is unfit for the new role as well [...]
The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) says Nigeria and other African countries need to leverage on the support of international bodies to raise standards and efficiency at their ports.The position of IAPH was contained in communique issued on Wednesday.The conference was hosted by Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA). It was the first time any African country would host a [...]
Heads of State, Governments and delegations from 52 African countries, which includes Nigeria and the People’s, Republic of China met in Beijing, under the auspices of the Forum on China and Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).The tri-annual summit was held with the theme: “China and Africa: Towards an Even Stronger Community with a Shared Future through Win-Win Cooperation.”President Muhammadu Buhari led a [...]
Coming a week after leaders of two giant economies in Europe, Britain and Germany, made whistle-stop visits to Nigeria, the ongoing Forum on China-Africa Cooperation at Beijing, China deserves more than a passing glance from Africans.It is instructive that China, a country, could gather the African continent in a summit and gleefully announced a $60 billion investment or “in aids [...]
Chinese funds are not to be spent on “vanity projects” in Africa but in places that count the most. President Xi Jinping said this on Monday at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Beijing summit of the forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).He said China's friendship with Africa was time-honoured, adding that the country's investments on the continent have no political strings [...]
Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has announced additional 100 Chevening scholarship slots for African students -- about 30 percent increase in existing slots.The Chevening Scholarship is an international scholarship scheme which enables students with leadership and networking skills from 144 countries and territories to undertake postgraduate study or courses in universities in the United Kingdom.Speaking in Cape Town, South Africa, the prime minister [...]
Dana Omran has been appointed managing director Africa of 100 Resilient Cities.Michael Berkowitz, president of 100 Resilient Cities, announced the appointment in a statement on Thursday.The organisation, pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation (100RC), helps cities around the world become more resilient to the physical, social, and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century.According to the statement, until [...]
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