China overtakes the U.S. as top foreign-investment destination; new investors rise in India

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…

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Old Mutual celebrates Partnership Award winners

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…

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U.K. Africa Investment Conference: Africa is the world’s next business frontier

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…

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Women bemoan COVID-19 adverse impacts

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,…

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British Foreign Secretary tours Econet facility in Nairobi

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…

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LG mulls quitting smartphone market

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…

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China’s evolving Xi-nomics at the cost of its Giant Tech Companies

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…

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Top Tips of How to Build Organizational Culture in Remote Teams

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…

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U.K Africa Investment Summit: Renewable energy drives economic growth

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…

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Managing Data To Drive Competitive Advantage

By Bernard Marr  One of the most important lessons we’ve learned from the pandemic is just how important technology is to building robust and thriving businesses. Organizations that have prospered in the last nine months have done so by leveraging cloud computing, high-speed networks, artificial intelligence (AI), and the internet of things (IoT) to push…

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AfDB, EIB Joint Partnership Action Plan to fast-track development in Africa

The African Development Bank (AfDB) (www.AfDB.org) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) today signed a joint partnership action plan highlighting their strengthened cooperation and mutual development priorities and a strong shared emphasis on boosting public and private sector investment in Africa. The Joint Action Plan enables both institutions to grow a shared pipeline of bankable…

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Hydrogen Transition Summit Set for February 2021: Climate Action

Considering that an increasing number of nations are including hydrogen as a key aspect of their transition strategies, with some already having dedicated hydrogen plans, Climate Action, a UN foundation is geared to host a professional virtual Hydrogen Transition Summit designed for the audience to network, connect and explore new opportunities within hydrogen, industry, transport,…

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Masiyiwa reflects on the significance of the first female, black US Vice President

Billionaire businessman and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa, a father of five daughters, says the historical swearing in of the first female and black US Vice President Kamala Harris is a great inspiration for millions of girls and women across the world. Masiyiwa, the founder and chairman of the pan-African Econet Group, writes: There are people who…

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Efficient cooperation between companies and external law firms

The corona pandemic is causing turmoil worldwide and has had a massive impact on economic activity. Internal legal departments are therefore facing new challenges. On the one hand, companies are cutting their budgets for legal services, and on the other hand, the complexity and amount of legal issues is increasing. In-house lawyers have to minimize…

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Digitalisation of economic sectors will kick-start a new growth cycle after COVID-19

The response to the COVID-19 crisis builds momentum for Africa’s digital transformation to overcome the pandemic and create more productive jobs, according to the 2021 edition of Africa’s Development Dynamics (AfDD) launched yesterday. The COVID‑19 pandemic is the hardest shock to African economies in 25 years. Gross domestic product (GDP) has decreased in 41 countries in 2020,…

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Harare Water workers appeal for government intervention

Workers for Harare Water Sewerage Department are appealing for the government to intervene in a dispute with their employer regarding the improvement of working conditions and salaries to enable them to offer residents efficient service delivery. On 4 January 2021, the workers downed tools and approached the Harare City Human Resources department to present to…

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Agriculture will be the most resilient sector, says World Bank

The World Bank, in its Global Economic Prospect 2021, has said Uganda’s agricultural sector will be among the most resilient sector in 2021.  Uganda, the World Bank said, will be among the five countries in sub-Saharan Africa that will experience the least contraction in agriculture. This, according to the World Bank, implies that agriculture will…

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African Cities Must Prepare for Climate Migration

African climate-linked migration tends to be dominated by European narratives. In reality, most of these migrants move within their own countries and regions. As climate change impacts intensify, migration will increase. African cities, countries and regions need to be more aware of the phenomenon and incorporate it into all levels of planning. Despite contributing only…

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Africa Free Trade Agreement: President Adesina receives award for strong leadership and support

African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Akinwumi A. Adesina and 10 African Heads of State and Government were on Friday honoured  for their leadership in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) process. The AfCFTA, the largest free trade area in the world, began trading on 1 January 2021 and is expected to speed up the…

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Late Commissioner Shepherd Gwasira’s Productive Farm Downsized

By Staff Reporter The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement intends to withdraw the offer of land made to the late hero and Anti-Corruption Commissioner Shepherd Gwasira in respect of Subdivision 1 measuring 2 757.97HA of CONS of Lot 1 SS Ranch, Rem of SS Ranch and Mete farm in the District of…

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PWDs Embracing ICTs in Coping With COVID-19

By Joyce Mukucha Signs of Hope Trust, an organisation that inspires, empowers, and serves people with disabilities (PWDs) is decrying the negative impacts posed by the COVID-19 pandemic during the lockdown period and is embracing information communication technologies (ICTs) to reach out to this needy group. In an interview, Signs of Hope Trust founder, Samantha…

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Launch of Africa’s Development Dynamics 2021 on Cards

The African Union Commission, in collaboration with the OECD Development Centre, will release the third edition of their flagship report Africa’s Development Dynamics on Tuesday 19 January the occasion of a joint online event open to the press. 2020 marked a turning point for the global economy and for Africa’s development. The continent hit its first recession…

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TBWA Zimbabwe Appoints Patience Chivaviro As Company’s General Manager

The Full Circle Comms Board has appointed Patience Chivaviro as General Manager as from 4 January 2021. Full Circle has in its stable TBWA Zimbabwe – a leading advertising and marketing company and an affiliate of TBWA\Worldwide, Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants-Ketchum’s Exclusive Affiliate in Africa and Bwanji Digital Agency. Sapi Bachi, managing director at TBWA Zimbabwe,…

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ZNOART provides virtual outreach programmes during the lockdown

By Joyce Mukucha In a bid to address the plight of residents in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the Zimbabwe National Organisation Association of Residents Trust (ZNOART) has said its outreach programmes will continue to be virtually conducted so as to contain the spread of the virus. The Chairperson for ZNOART, Shalvar Chikomba said his…

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7 Digital Health Trends We’ll Keep An Eye On In 2021

Bertalan Meskó, MD, PhD Summing up 2020 I was asked many times about the changes COVID-19 have brought about in healthcare. Well, throughout the past year, here at The Medical Futurist we were continuously posting about the technological advancements in the medical field: telemedicine, at-home lab tests, robotics and even doing sports have changed dramatically.  Most of these changes are likely to…

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SARW Appeals for Distribution of the COVID-19 Vaccine to Include Mining Communities

Masutane Modjadji When the first Covid-19 cases were reported in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in March 2020, no one could have prepared for the devastation that the virus would bring. Countries responded swiftly (and rightly so) to the global public health emergency but this has had unintended consequences as a result of the…

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New Laws to Govern Residential Stands Allocation Procedures in Harare

By Staff Reporter The capital city will lead efforts aimed at attracting investment in the country, the Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province Honourable Oliver Chidau has said. In that regard, Harare City will implement laws which will govern proper procedures for those who want residential stands and those who allocate them. Hon Chidau…

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UK pledges £4 million (US$5.4 million) to help feed 110,000 food insecure people in urban areas

… Part of a global package worth £47 million to provide food, nutrition, water and shelter to help over 1.3 million vulnerable people in 9 countries and regions, including Zimbabwe. New UN data reveals humanitarian crises are worsening around the world, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, 235 million people are expected to be in need…

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Determined Mukanganwi Inspiring Women to Become ‘Own Bosses’

By Staff Reporter Being an entrepreneur is not a walk in the garden path, but with the right opportunity, hard work, dedication, commitment, optimism, and a supportive community, it can be very rewarding. Zimbabwean women are increasingly charting their own professional course and embracing the idea of being ‘your own boss’ as a way to…

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The second wave of neocolonialism: The battle to control Africa

By Albert Matongo Africa is endowed with vast natural resources ranging from precious minerals, petroleum, fauna, and flora as well as the land which has been the most contagious issue since the colonial era. Such endowments have been attractions of foreign interest in Africa up to date. However, the latest developments can reveal that foreign…

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Cushion SMEs and Informal Traders: ZITA

By Joyce Mukucha The Zimbabwe Integrated Traders Association (ZITA) has called upon the government to provide finances to small to medium enterprises (SMEs), informal traders, and small businesses for them to stay afloat during the enforced 30-day national lockdown aimed at containing the surge of Covid-19 infections in the country. ZITA highlighted that even though…

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Adopt Zero Tolerance on Corruption: Local Authorities Told

The Government of Zimbabwe has warned councillors and senior management of local authorities across Zimbabwe to desist from corrupt activities forthwith when it comes to investigations and criminal cases indicating that such activities will hinder the attainment of Vision 2030 Agenda. This came out after the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works had noted…

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Chad: The African Development Bank grants $11.26 million for women and girls’ education

The Project aims to help improve access to quality secondary education in a safe and healthy school environment for 5,000 girls The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has approved a grant of $11.26 million to the Government of Chad to finance the Girls’ Education and Women’s Literacy Project– the first Bank…

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Policy and strategic framework to ease the impacts of Post-COVID-19 through climate action-based enterprises

By Ecosystem Based Adaptation For Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA) For a year now, the COVID-19 pandemic has been at the centre of news across the globe and Africa. In Africa where estimates put the effects of the pandemic to affect the economy of Africa to around a fall of 1.4% of its GDP,with smaller economies…

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Passion Poultry Assisting Women in Agri-Business

By Joyce Mukucha For the past years, Zimbabwe’s economy has been deteriorating with its population facing an extraordinary and multidimensional crisis. Many, especially young people have become victims to the economic meltdown that has seen companies closing and investors leaving in droves with an estimated three million Zimbabweans having crossed the Limpopo River into South…

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Government Urges GMB to Efficiently Execute its Mandate

By Joyce Mukucha The government has challenged the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to execute its mandate by ensuring that it becomes an active participant in driving the nation’s economic vibrance and growth agenda. The Grain Marketing Board occupies a central role in safeguarding the country’s food security but its operational inefficiencies have affected the successful…

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Honor sale to see Huawei plunge out of device top 6

By Chris Donkin Analyst company TrendForce predicted global smartphone production to begin its recovery in 2021 after dropping 11 per cent in 2020, although it forecast further bad news for Huawei with the manufacturer expected to exit its top six list. In its market predictions for 2021 the analyst company said it expected 1.36 billion…

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ZCIEA Bemoans Informal Economy Closure Due to Lockdown

By Joyce Mukucha The Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations (ZCIEA) has voiced concern on the lockdown condition where certain sections have been allowed to trade and all the informal economy sections have been closed. The organisation bemoaned the shutdown of the informal activities indicating informal economy traders have a big bracket of essential services…

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Harare Residents Trust workshop reveals hindrances to deep citizen engagement

A workshop organised by the Harare Residents Trust (HRT) laid bare a plethora of hindrances to deep citizen engagement on promoting effective service delivery in the capital city. A guru of local governance issues, Professor Innocent Chirisa, the Dean of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences Department of Demography Settlement and Development at the…

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