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The African Trade Policy Centre of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in partnership with Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI) and the Pan African Strategic and Policy Research Group (PANAGRAF), last week hosted the 2nd Roundtable on Equity in Intra African Trade-Induced Industrialization and Integration. The roundtable is part of a series launched in 2016, and focused on Public-Private-People-Partnership (4Ps) “Living Labs” in fast-tracking the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The objective of the Roundtable was to introduce the concept of Living Labs for stakeholders for structured intra/inter stakeholder consultations, and explore the ways in which the concept…

The city of Richard Toll (100 km north of Saint Louis) was the highlight of the visit of the director of UN Women in Senegal. In front of more than 3,000 people from the Network of Women Farmers of the North, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka noted the progress of the agricultural sector in Senegal in terms of gender approach. The visit, which took place on 23 and 24 July, allowed the South African to meet Richard Toll’s operators in Matam. Women provide 70% of the labor force and provide 80% of the harvest. Despite these results, women remain more or less discriminated…

Figure of the African diaspora in Paris, Roland Portella is the president of the “fourth generation” CADE (Coordination of Africa of tomorrow), “do tank” active for more than twenty years in development issues and, more specifically, the role of the diaspora in the economic renewal of the continent. Interview. “SINGLE PRODUCTION AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF RAW MATERIALS REACH THEIR LIMITS IN TERMS OF ENDOGENEOUS PRODUCTIVITY AND POSITIVE EXTERNALITIES” What do you think are the foundations of industrial policies in Africa? The consolidation of economic growth in Africa must be achieved by investing in industrial sectors, pledges of wealth creation and…

Islamic finance covers all financial and commercial activities that respect the principles of Islamic law and jurisprudence, commonly known as Sharia or Islamic law. It is an ethical finance, not speculative and based on the real economy. The BCEAO in its Instruction 002-003-2018 entered into force on March 21, 2018 distinguishes two categories the Credit Establishment exercising exclusively the Banking activity in conformity with the principles and rules of the Islamic Finance and the Credit Institutions exercising it partially through a dedicated Branch. In the UEMOA area, the banking sector’s experiences remain limited to the Islamic Bank of Senegal, the…

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)- an international organisation founded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and driven by the mission of a world without malnutrition- is hosting the first-ever Nutrition Africa Investor Forum (NAIF) in Nairobi, Kenya, on October 16-17, to invite and engage private sector investors to play a key role in improving nutrition across Africa.  The event is hosted in partnership with Royal DSM, a purpose-led global science-based company in nutrition, health and sustainable living recognized for its global fight against malnutrition, the SUN Business Network and African Business magazine. The Nutrition Africa Investor Forum will highlight business opportunities in…

On the initiative of the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM), a training workshop for Capital Market Managers and Traders of Management and Intermediation Societies (SGI) of UEMOA, was held in Abidjan from July 23 to 24, 2018. The objectives of the BRVM in organizing this workshop on good practices in securities trading and the use of the BRVM’s trading software, are to revisit the basics of the trade of the negotiators, to strengthen their capacities and to open avenues for reflection on topics of common interest for the development of the market. Indeed, the issue of the professionalisation of the different…

As a prelude to the holding of the Turkey-Africa Forum in Istanbul in Turkey in October, the Gabonese Employers’ Confederation (CPG) plans to boost trade between companies. This is the mission given by the chairman of the CPG, Alain Bâ Oumar, who received in audience in Libreville, the Turkish ambassador to Gabon, SE. Suphan Erkula. The Turkish employers and the CPG had signed, a few years ago, an agreement whose objective is to put in touch the businessmen of the two employer organizations to promote the exchanges. Favorable to identify Gabonese businessmen able to create partnerships with Turkish companies, Mr.…

After being placed in receivership last March in order to implement major restructuring actions, the French group Rougier finally sold last week, subsidiaries of its Africa branch in Cameroon and Central Africa. According to a statement issued for this purpose, the group indicates that “the Commercial Court of Poitiers authorized, during the hearing of July 13, the entire process of sale in Cameroon of the Forestry and Industrial Society of Doume (SFID), the Cambois Company, the Sud Participation Company and the Central African Republic of the Rougier Sangha-Mbaéré Company (RSM) “. “The companies SFID, Cambois, Sud participation and RSM were…

By 2021, the Central African Banking Commission (COBAC) has set itself, among other objectives, to recapitalize micro-finance institutions (MFIs) and strengthen internal controls to clean up a “gangrené” sector. by “bad habits” According to industry experts, this new reform is important after the one initiated in 2002 because it sets the new regulatory framework and...

Meeting on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July in Buenos Aires (Argentina), the 20 most powerful economies of the planet have been concerned about the evolution of public debt in Africa. The IMF presented a gloomy picture showing that 6 of the 45 countries in sub-Saharan Africa are already in debt distress and nine would...

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, today begins Monday, July 23, 2018, an official visit to Senegal to highlight the importance of women’s economic empowerment in Senegal’s agricultural sector, to encourage approximation of discriminatory legislation and to promote female leadership and political participation. Women farmers represent up to 70% of the active population and provide more than 80% of Senegalese agricultural production, including food crops, but many disparities remain between men and women, including access to land, skills, financial resources and markets. As part of her stay, the Executive Director will visit the Network of Women Farmers of the…

Special Correspondence (Nairobi) This is perhaps the best-hidden secret of emerging Africa, in the making, where structuring infrastructures, in sectors that are decisive for its development, could finally give it the face that attentive observers expect from it: the inescapable force of a world whose rapid mutations have not finished revealing their secrets. This is for the moment only an institutional name or a quasi-acronym -Africa50. Few Africans, let alone non-Africans, have heard of it, even though it has been nearly five years since the fund was set up by African states under the auspices of the African Development Bank…

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group approved on Friday, July 20, 2018, a € 20 million equity investment in the Maghreb Investment Fund Private Equity Fund IV (MPEF IV), AfricInvest. This equity investment will help accelerate the development of mid-cap companies in North Africa with strong growth potential in the region and in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of the MPEF IV Fund is to achieve a capitalization of 200 million euros and finance the growth of about fifteen companies with strong local presence. Investments will range between 8 and 25 million euros and are expected to…

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group approved on Friday, July 20, 2018, a € 20 million equity investment in the Maghreb Investment Fund Private Equity Fund IV (MPEF IV), AfricInvest. This equity investment will help accelerate the development of mid-cap companies in North Africa with strong growth potential in the region and in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of the MPEF IV Fund is to achieve a capitalization of 200 million euros and finance the growth of about fifteen companies with strong local presence. Investments will range between 8 and 25 million euros and are expected to…

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta announced on July 18, 2018 in Nairobi that his country would double its stake in Africa Africa’s pan-African infrastructure investment platform, bringing its current investment to $ 100 million. “Kenya will double its investment in Africa50 to $ 100 million. We believe this investment is warranted, “said Kenyatta on the sidelines of the third general meeting of shareholders. The Africa 50 fund plans to develop a 300-kilometer high-voltage transmission line construction project in western Kenya. He launched an urgent appeal for the development and financing of bankable infrastructure projects to boost Africa’s growth. “The private sector…

The African Trade Policy Centre of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the African Union Commission (AUC) are holding a series of consultative meetings in Nairobi, Kenya to initiate research on the 9th edition of the Assessing Regional Integration in Africa (ARIA9). This particular edition will prepare analytical work to inform the AfCFTA Phase II negotiations. The ARIA 9 report will address the three topics of the AfCFTA Phase II negotiations: a) Competition policy, b) Investment; c) Intellectual property rights; and additionally look at the case for d) Digital trade and e-commerce. During the meetings, there will be presentations of case studies including on the experiences of the RECs across each of these themes which will…

On Thursday, July 19, 2018, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta launched an urgent appeal for the development and financing of bankable infrastructure projects to support Africa’s development agenda. This was at the Africa50 General Shareholders’ Meeting held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. In his opening remarks, President Kenyatta emphasized how the energy, transport, ICT, water and sanitation sectors offer investment opportunities to the private sector. “The private sector needs to redouble its efforts and help us bridge Africa’s infrastructure gap. Public funding is limited and there are other competing priorities, “he said. Uhuru Kenyatta announced that Kenya would double its current…

In the grip of financial difficulties for some years and under the permanent threat of seizure, Mohamed Alami Lazrak has fallen below the 50% stake of the company Alliances Développement Immobilier (ADI)....

Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank, is making an official visit to Kenya from 19 to 21 July 2018, aimed at strengthening cooperation with the Kenyan government and attracting more private funds. During his stay in the country, the President of the Bank will meet with the Head of State Uhuru Kenyatta and will take part in a bilateral meeting with the Vice President, William Ruto. President Adesina will also meet the Secretaries of State in charge of Agriculture and Irrigation respectively; Transport and Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development; Energy ; Water and Sanitation; Industrialization and Business…

The Director-General of African Risk Capacity, Mohamed Beavogui and Mr. Moulaye CAMARA – Managing Director of Operations, AIMS-NEI Global Network, at the Inception Meeting between African Risk Capacity (ARC) and African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) at the ARC Agency Offices in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa. “The intention of the African Union in establishing the African Risk Capacity is to protect its vulnerable population from the costly impacts of natural disaster risks. In addition to pooling financial resources, this requires scientific research and innovation to work. Our partnership with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences connects us with the…

The European Union (EU) welcomed Friday, in a statement, the partnership described as win-win signed in the field of fisheries in a transparent and public regulatory framework, with Gabon. This fisheries agreement, which has been in force since 2006, is implemented by triennial protocols specifying the tonnages of catches authorized by tuna vessels, as well as the financial compensation paid by the EU on public funds to Gabon and by the private owners of vessels. This amounted to 9.7 million euros for the last protocol (2013-2016) (6.363 billion FCFA). Since the expiry of the last protocol in 2016, negotiations for…

The Board of Directors of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) announces the appointment of Patrick Akinwuntan as Managing Director and Regional Director Designate of Ecobank Nigeria, subject to applicable regulatory approvals. Prior to this appointment, Patrick was Group Executive, Consumer Banking responsible for managing the consumer bank through Ecobank’s global network of 40 countries, including 36 in Africa. An experienced banker with more than 20 years of executive and senior management experience, Patrick has held several strategic positions within the Ecobank Group in Ghana, Togo and Nigeria. Prior to that, he was Executive Director of the Group on the ETI Board…

President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya announced yesterday in Nairobi, that his country would double its shareholding in pan-African infrastructure investment platform Africa50, increasing its current investment to US$100 million. Speaking during his keynote address at Africa50’s Third General Shareholders Meeting, he expressed his strong support for Africa50’s mission. “Kenya will double its investment in Africa50 to $100 million. We believe that this investment is justified,” he said, noting that Africa50 plans to develop a project involving the construction of 300 kilometers high voltage power transmission lines in Western Kenya that would accelerate socioeconomic development in that region. He made an urgent…

The packaging leader in French-speaking Africa, headquartered in Abidjan, remains rated A by WARA. The perspective remains stable. West Africa Rating Agency (WARA) reaffirms Filtisac SA’s rating. On the regional scale of WARA, Filtisac’s long-term rating remains at “A”, in investment grade, and its short-term rating remains “w-3”. Filtisac is the packaging leader in French-speaking Africa. The perspective attached to these ratings remains stable. At the same time, on its international scale, WARA also affirms Filtisac’s rating at iBB- / Stable / iw-5. Ivory Coast company FILTISAC SA (Spinning, Weaving, Bags, Ivory Coast S.A.) is an industrial company specialized in…

By Antoine Lawson In the wake of the austerity measures taken to reduce the lifestyle of the Gabonese state, Budget Minister Jean Fidèle Otandault announced at a press briefing that a 3% tax will be levied on money transfers abroad, in addition to the existing one. From single to double! Since 2008, a tax of...

The recent GSMA Mobile Connectivity Index highlights that 4 billion people are still offline. Frequency policy decisions remain a major barrier to digital inclusion. According to a new report entitled “Spectrum Pricing in Developing Countries”, released today by the GSMA at the Mobile 360 ​​- Africa conference in Kigali, it is imperative to introduce better spectrum pricing policies. in developing countries to improve the economic and social well-being of billions of people who are still not connected to mobile broadband services. The study reveals that frequency tariffs in developing countries are on average three times higher than in developed countries,…

Doubling the rate of electrification in rural areas Provide reliable access to electricity for 25% of the population Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, July 18, 2018 – The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group approved, on July 18, 2018 in Abidjan, an 18 million euro financing from the African Development Fund (ADF). ) in favor of Burkina Faso. This budget support will finance the Energy Sector Reform Support Program (PARSE), whose main goal is to create the conditions for inclusive access to energy in the country, through Establishment of a legal and institutional framework conducive to public and private…

Casablanca, Wednesday, July 18, 2018. The BCP Group has just obtained for all its subsidiaries affiliated to the Capital Markets Bank (BMC) the ISO 9001 V 2015 certification, the most recent version meeting international standards in the field. field of quality management. This certification devotes, indeed, the quality management systems of the four specialized subsidiaries of the BMC, namely:  UPLINE SECURITIES, brokerage company;  UPLINE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, an asset management company;  ICF AL WASSIT, a company specialized in the online stock market;  MEDIAFINANCE, a bank dedicated to securities services. Thanks to this recognition, the BCP Group becomes…

Paris, July 18, 2018 – The African Solidarity Fund (FSA) and Bpifrance sign a Partnership Agreement to promote the development of FSA activities for the private sector and the commercial public sector in the 14 African member countries that are Benin , Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Chad and Togo. This partnership agreement, signed by Mr. Ahmadou Abdoulaye DIALLO, Director General of FSA and Pascal LAGARDE, Executive Director in charge of International, Strategy, Studies and Development of Bpifrance, aims to develop collaboration between the two institutions . It provides…

By Adama Gaye It is never by chance that the Chinese President, now considered the most powerful man in the world *, leaves his country. That gives all the meaning of the stay, the antipodes, that Xi Jinping, carries out, from this weekend, on the African continent. Does it come to walk in the footsteps, or flowerbeds, of its predecessors who have already done the safari, reaffirming the dogmas and paradigms that have irrigated the Sino-African relationship since, in particular, the introduction, in 1949, of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) following the triumph of the Maoist Communists against Chiang-kai…