By Chido Pamela Mafongoya The long-awaited trading within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) finally began on 1 January 2021, marking a very important milestone for African trade. The AfCFTA creates a single continental market for goods and services, with the aim of increasing intra-African trade by reducing tariffs by approximately 90 percent and harmonising…
By Chris Donkin Huawei issued a strenuous denial of media reports claiming it was in talks to sell its flagship smartphone brands to a consortium backed by the regional government in Shanghai. In a statement, a representative for the smartphone manufacturer said the claims were unsubstantiated: “There is no merit to these rumours whatsoever. Huawei…
By Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary Gerneral We begin this year with a heightened awareness of the importance of resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that we cannot afford to ignore known risks. Climate disruption is a risk we are well aware of. The science has never been clearer. We are facing a climate emergency….
With global economic activity stymied by COVID-19 and with air travel falling dramatically, you might think this would limit global warming. You’d be wrong. In December a little-known report warned that we’re on track for a 3 degree rise in temperatures, even if existing commitments are met, smashing efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C…
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has disbursed US$250 million of the US$1.1 billion that supported the acquisition by Trans Niger Oil and Gas Limited (TNOG) of a 45% stake in OML 17 onshore oilfield. With this US$250-million Reserve Based Lending facility, Afreximbank was the largest lender, underwriting about a quarter of the financing that enabled TNOG to…
By Veritas Last year’s Budget Bill – the Finance (No. 2) Bill – was published in the Gazette on the 14th December and three days later was passed by the National Assembly and the Senate with very little debate. Although our Bill Watch of 15th December alerting the public to the publication of Bill mentioned…
Temba Mliswa, the legislator for Norton is inspiring many a farmer in Zimbabwe and demonstrating that with proper planning, blacks can guarantee the country’s food security. Mr. Walter Chigodora, the Managing Director of Agro Yields whose company contracted Hon Mliswa said he was amazed by the good work that the legislator is doing at his…
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar shared his view with the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a telephone conversation during the evening of 25th January and conveyed that a new negotiation ground is needed which is based on the sovereign equality in Cyprus and the cooperation of two states with equal…
On 24th January 2021, over 2 400 attendees from 70 countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Afghanistan joined an online inter-continental peace conference organized by international peace NGO, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL). Under the theme, “The Role of Peace Education in Building a Peaceful World”, the event aimed to raise the…
By Joyce Mukucha As the world is trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis is still hindering progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thus the 2021 Climate Action Summit (CAS) has launched a ‘Decade of Action’ aimed at delivering action and inspiring change to help societies build better as well as assist…
By Joyce Mukucha The COVID-19 crisis has imperiled progress and impacted a large number of countries and is turning out to be even worse than the critical economic, strategic, and political clashes happening around the world. The outbreak has and still is impacting all industries, including the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) sector. Despite the…
By Staff Reporter The Zimbabwe Citizen Forum Leader Alex Gakanje has accused the MDC-Alliance Vice president, Tendai Biti of blocking the nation from accessing the Covid-19 relief fund resulting in the deaths and suffering of poor citizens. Speaking at a press conference in Harare on Monday, Gakanje said the current suffering of Zimbabwe and failure…
By Joyce Mukucha The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) is bemoaning the challenges being faced by residents in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in high-density suburbs and other localities across the city. In an interview with Spiked Online Media, CHRA Programmes Manager, Reuben Akili said most of the challenges residents were encountering during these…
Top influential business people and leaders will be attending the Paris Appreciation Awards season 2 starting from 26th January Republic day of India and ending on August 15th independence day of India. The Paris Appreciation Awards 2021 and World Media Network (www.WorldMediaNetwork.UK) is about shining a light on the most innovative businesses globally by promoting success, innovation, and ethics in the Indian,…
By Charles Dhewa Since March 2020 when COVID19 first showed up in Africa, mass food markets have continued to play their critical functions although policy support has continued to be directed to processing companies and supermarkets. In 2021, COVID19 did not just confirm the importance of a strong immune system but has also revealed the strengths…
By The Global Fund For Rosemary Wanjiru, a community health volunteer in Nairobi’s Soweto Village, fighting TB in the time of COVID-19 has meant making impossible choices. For instance, she was torn between keeping herself and her family safe at home or going out to see patients, who desperately needed her help. The mother of…
One-third of all African stories in news outlets on the continent are sourced from foreign news services according to a new report from Africa No Filter (www.AfricaNoFilter.org). The ‘How African Media Covers Africa’, highlights the fact that stories about Africa continue to be told through the same persistent and negative stereotypes and frames of poverty, disease, conflict,…
The Islamic Republic of Mauritania has signed the Agreement for the Establishment of the Fund for Export-Development in Africa (FEDA), a development impact-oriented subsidiary of Afreximbank. The agreement was signed on 6th January 2021 by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania….
By Staff writer South Africa based musician – Nhlanhla Sibanda – popularly known as MuDealer, says he will not let the Covid-19 pandemic derail his progress in the music industry as he is set to release his third album titled ‘Bhera’. MuDealer who has been in the music industry since 2010 has been keeping himself…
By Desire Tshuma GAMMA laboratories proprietor Professor Elopy Sibanda has urged the government to consider the safety of medical practitioners and adequately equip them with enough personal protective equipment (PPEs) so as to successfully win the battle against the deadliest Covid-19 pandemic. As the coronavirus continues to claim the lives of many people around the world,…
By Joyce Mukucha The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe(WCoZ), a non-partisan national network of women’s rights organisations and activists striving for the rights of women and girls has applauded teachers for showing great commitment and creativity in ensuring that education continues to take place as well as guaranteeing that no learner is left behind during the…
By Joyce Mukucha The Government has said it was geared to roll out a number of programs to achieve food security in the country and ensure that by the year 2023, no commodities such as maize and other grains will be imported. The efforts are aimed at ensuring that farmers in the country get adequate…
By Joyce Mukucha As it strives to be a preferred provider of world-class quality, innovative and comprehensive pathological services, the Pathology Laboratories (Pathlabs) has noted with concern the rise in fraudulent activities with regards to the usage of the body’s intellectual property in the form of its letterheads. The letterheads are being used to produce…
By Devin Banerjee, CFA China only big economy to see growth China’s GDP rose by 2.3% in 2020, according to new official data, making it the only major global economy to expand during the coronavirus pandemic. Recovery was led by growth in demand for exports, with fourth-quarter economic activity expanding 6.5% year-over-year, and the country returned to work after…
By Dr Raymond Chamba From early 2009 to the end of 2010 I put together a national primary health proposition under the banner Community Healthcare Options with funds that i made from BACOSSI. It was a bold proposition to roll out within 24 months 500 community primary health care centers all throughout the country. I…
The positive power of partnerships was celebrated at the second annual Old Mutual Partnership Awards ceremony at a recent event that honoured all those partners who have worked with Old Mutual to positively impact the lives of stakeholders, customers and communities across the continent. The Partnership Awards initiative gives Old Mutual the opportunity to recognise…
In yet another first, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has set up regional men’s and women’s competitions that will see Northerns and Southerns sides clashing across all formats of the game. With all domestic competitions currently on hold due to the COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the government, the regional games will be held in a bio-secure bubble…
By Fungayi Munyoro Talented Mutare-based gospel singer and songwriter Emmanuel Mari has dropped an exciting new single titled Ndione. Ndione was recorded at Heartland Studios in Harare and was produced by Blessing Masanga. In an interview, Mari explained the motivation behind the song as having been inspired by singles’ need for divine guidance. “The song…
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has paid tribute to former Education, Sports and Culture Minister Aeneas Chigwedere who sadly passed away on Friday. During his time as sports minister between 2001 and 2008, the game of cricket in the country was beset by a myriad of challenges including racial issues, player revolts and a battle for the…
By Joyce Mukucha As the Covid-19 pandemic escalates with restricted movement amid stay-at-home measures to contain the spread of the pandemic, the Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations (ZCIEA) has noted with great concern the increase in domestic violence. The chances of informal traders and vendors being exposed to domestic violence in homes is being…
African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Akinwumi A. Adesina said on Wednesday that Africa remained fertile ground for investment, but much hinged on the continent’s ability to boost its healthcare sector. Adesina spoke during the Africa Investment Conference, a virtual one-day event organized by the UK Department for International Trade, which brought together UK and African…
By Edwin Tambara For wild animals in Africa on the verge of extinction and the tight knit communities who protect them, COVID-19 is a specter, disrupting a delicate balancing act of survival for both humans and endangered species. African officials and conservation experts from Kenya, Uganda and Gabon briefed members of Congress on May 12…
By Staff Writer Upcoming music sensation – Davitah Chimombe – this past week released a hot single titled ‘Moyo Wangu’ which will be on his forthcoming debut album ‘Chakuma’. Davitah who is James Chimombe’s third-born child said his journey in the music industry has not been easy but he has been blessed to have received…
By Joyce Mukucha Zimbabwe has intensified its preparedness amid reports Tropical Storm Eloise is now in the Mozambique Channel, where it is expected to gain strength and become a Tropical Cyclone today (22 January) before making its second landfall, likely on 23 January, forecasts have revealed. For Zimbabwe, in an update, the Meteorological Service Department…
By Joyce Mukucha In the wake of the ongoing novel coronavirus global pandemic, the Women in Agriculture Union (WAU) has bemoaned the adverse implications of COVID-19. The pandemic is negatively impacted the agriculture sector, productivity and supply chain with women farmers being worst hit. The WAU chairperson and founder who is also a woman farmer,…
The British Foreign Secretary, Mr Dominic Raab, has visited an East African Data Centre in Nairobi owned by Econet subsidiary Liquid Telecom. The Foreign Secretary announced the visit on his Twitter handle in a message in which he also unveiled British support for developing countries to shift to clean energy and transport: https://twitter.com/dominicraab/status/1351894900543991810?s=21 Mr Raab…
Speculation of the future of LG Electronics’ troubled smartphone division intensified, with The Korea Herald reporting a review was underway to define if it would downsize, sell or withdraw from the market completely. A representative told the newspaper a “cold judgement” on the best choice needed to be made following continued “fierce” market conditions in the smartphone…
By Own Correspondent Don’t be taken in by the Pakistan government’s lip-service to becoming a multi-religious society every time it promises the repair or reconstruction of a destroyed Hindu temple in that country. It just cannot mean what it says in this context. That is the way to read the recent drama in Pakistan over…
By Own Correspondent Recentlyy, facial recognition systems have made a big splash in China, spreading across the country like wildfire. The rapid acceleration of these applications in recent years has shown that 50% of the respondents think the technology is being abused while 40% suffer privacy losses due to leaks and abuse of facial information….
By Our Correspondent The Chinese regulators had launched an anti-monopoly investigation into the nation’s biggest tech company, Alibaba and its affiliate fintech Ant Group in the month of November last year. The nation’s increased scrutiny is being seen as a sense of worry by other tech giants of the country, since the Chinese President Xi…
By Our Correspondent Storytelling, creativity, artistry, and self-expression are integral elements of the entertainment industry that plays a major role in shaping the way people think and act. The entertainment industry has long been used for its potential in crafting propaganda material and influencing the masses through subliminal messaging – and more often than not,…
Bernard Marr Even though there were companies such as Google, Salesforce, Zillow, and others that thrived with remote teams before COVID-19, many companies still resisted telecommuting until the pandemic forced the majority of companies to shift to that reality basically overnight. Now that more companies experienced remote workforces first-hand, there are signs that remote working will…
Bertalan Meskó, MD, PhD In 2020, we all suffered a blow. No matter where you live or what industry you work in, you got hit by the pandemic. Out of nowhere, our everyday lives have significantly changed. Most of us tried to pull it together and find out how to move forward; and ultimately it…
Renewable energy will be a critical driver of Africa’s post-COVID-19 growth recovery and economic prosperity, panelists in a 2021 UK Africa Investment Summit event said Wednesday, as they called for a stronger partnership between the United Kingdom and Africa. The panel, themed UK & Africa: Partnering in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Development, covered a discussion of British innovation…
By Joyce Mukucha Living in rural Africa presents several unique challenges that increase the likelihood of food insecurity leading to global poverty being overwhelmingly rural particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa with Zimbabwe remaining in the grip of severe food insecurity. The study by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health titled: “Drought Influences on…
